Newspaper Page Text
Sports
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6,1990
/Mike
I Webber
Busy summer
for everyone
Welcome to the busy world of summer
recreation in Forsyth County, an area
which will soon be crawling with more
people doing more of whatever they want
to do than they were doing at this time
lastyear.
You can believe that with school out
everybody will be taking full advantage of
what they do best - outdoors that is.
If that sounds confusing maybe Dave
Horton, recreation director at Cumming
City Park, can put it in better perspective.
"We want to offer at least one thing,
maybe more, for each individual in this
area," said Horton.
Lastyear a conservative figure showed
that nearly 55,000 people visited Cum
ming City Park. While they were there
everybody did something, if nothing
more than watch a ball game.
Those requesting general information
of Cumming City Park can dial 781-2030.
Individuals can reach the three parks
within the Forsyth County Parks and Re
creation Department by calling the fol
lowing: Midway Park (781-2152), Bennett
Park (781-2150) and Coal Mountain (781-
2151).
This is an area itching to grow.
These are projected numbers but they
do reflect growth within the Forsyth
County and Cumming communities.
The 1990 budget for the Cumming City
Recreation and Parks Department was
$294,131. Last year at this time City Park
was looking at a $276,180 figure.
The Forsyth County Parks and Recrea
tion Department sits on a $496,077.80
budget That represents an increase from
last year’s $430,571.75 mark.
“It takes funds to get the job done and
we’re thankful for the commissioners
who see fit to give us what we need,” said
Jerry Kinsey, director of the Forsyth
County , Parks and Recreation
Department
Earlier estimates revealed that nearly
2,000 baseball and softball players, fig
ures which represent a combined effort
of nearly 140 different teams, would see
action on fields around Forsyth County/
Cumming this summer.
You can now increase that number
considerably as both departments have
been recognized by the Georgia Parks
and Recreation Department (GRPD) as
areas which will host state district and
state softball and baseball tournaments.
The Forsyth County Parks and Recrea
tion Department has also been selected
to host a (GPRA) boys Seventh District
Seventh District boys baseball
tournament.
Beginning July 16 and running through
the 21, the Forsyth County Parks and Re
creation Department will host the Sev
enth District youth girls softball tourna
ment. Not just one age group but the
whole shooting match. It begins with the
10-unders and runs the entire length
through 12-under, 14-under, 16-under
and 18-under players.
The Forsyth County Parks and Recrea
tion Department had to stretch to receive
a figure is sure to exceed 72 games that
week. In order to make it fit, all 10-under
and 12-under games will be played at
Coal Mountain. The 14-under, 16-under
and 18-unde»- divisions will be played on
the same dates at Midway Park.
That same week the Forsyth County
Parks and Recreation Department will
also be part of the GRPA Seventh District
10-under baseball tournament, an event
also scheduled for Coal Mountain.
That Kinsey managed to squeeze those
games into two parks is a move to his
credit.
Last year Cumming City Park was se
lected to host 12-under and 18-under soft
ball tournaments.
This year the Cumming Recreation
and Parks Department, on Aug. 24, will
host the GRPA state 12-under girls soft
ball tournament Aug. 24.
The 1989 season was the year in quite
some time that this area was selected to
host baseball or softball tournament
action.
“I think they were impressed by what
they saw here in Cumming and Forsyth
County,” said Greg Little, Recreation Di
rector of Cumming City Park “We’re
pleased to be selected again this year.”
In the meantime anticipate anything in
the form of recreation to occur at both
departments.
If there is one ace in the hole City Park
owns it with the area’s only public swim
ming pool. On June 11 the pool will be
open for all at specified hours. The pool
will be open Mondays, Tuesdays,
Wednesdays and Fridays from 1-5 p.m.
and again from 7-9 p.m. On Thursdays,
Saturdays and Sundays swimmers will
find the pool open from 1-5 p.m.
The cost is $1.50 for all ages.
School is out and summer, vacation
and all, is now upon us.
Enjoy it >.
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National qualifiers
Coal Mountain 10-under players Kisha Brown, front row from left, Jessica Finley, Candy
Nichols, Melissa Munday, Krystal Barron and Kevia Brown are making plans to be in
Oklahoma in July. Teammates, second row from left, Jody Dunlap, Lori Gravitt, Mindy Bailey,
Lori Hamby, Kelly Green and Grade Clark are others set for World Tournament. Coaches,
back row from left, are Don Barron, Anthony Gravitt and Joe Mundy. Players not pictured but
planning to make trip are Jessica Graves and Candice Wheeler.
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Forsyth County professional driver Larry Raines has an opportunity to show youngsters his car
Ready to win again
Larry Raines shows signs of making it back on top on blacktops
By Mike Webber
Sports Editor
If Sunday’s fifth place finish in Daytona’s All-Pro Super Series
400 is any indication Larry Raines, the Forsyth County race car
driver who has recently been down but not out of luck, may be
back.
You’ll most likely remember Raines for his 1988 season, one in
which he won the NASCAR-Concord (N.C.) Racing Association’s
Big 10 Championships.
“I’d been running for over 13 years and it was about time some
thing good happened to us,” said Raines. “It seemed like we could
do no wrong that year. I know you have to be lucky to win a
championship but we also worked real hard that year.”
He’ll always remember that year.
“We put in a good quality effort when we did go,” he explained.
“We ran 11 races and finished in top 10 eight times. They were in
the top five eight different times.”
“Only time we didn’t finish in the top 10 was when we had an
accident,” he remembered.
Raines’ first serious attempt to win a points championship came
in 1984.
“We made a concerted effort for the points (championship) and
Forsyth County News
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Staff photo - Mike Webber
Larry Raines in car No. 37 is back near the top
finished eighth that year,” he said.
He felt so good about the year he stepped up the effort in 1985, a
Please see RAINES, page 3B
Forsyth-Cumming Optimist
Kids Fishing Derby is planned
for 8 a.m. Saturday on Lanier
By Mike Webber
Sports Editor
Youngsters who have been waiting for a chance to
hook a big one won’t have long to wait
This Saturday, June 9, the Forsyth-CummingOpti
mist Club, in conjunction with the American Fishing
Tackle Manufacturers Association (AFTMA). will
sponsor a Kids Fishing Derby on Lake Lanier.
The derby will be held at Lanier Beach South locat
ed off Buford Dam Road.
The Kids Fishing Derby will help highlight Nation
al Fishing Week, June 4-10.
Kids Fishing Derby will be for children age 15-
under. Pre-school children need to be supervised by
their parents.
Registration will be held at Lanier Beach South and
Singing the Blues
Coal Mountain girls in mood to celebrate
By Mike Webber
Sports Editor
Who ever named Coal Mountain’s 10-under
girls softball team Blue’ sure knew what they
were doing. Including their 7-0 stretch this sea
son the team, going back three full years, has
lost but three games while making their oppo
nents suffer from the ‘Blues.’
Winning games may seem easy compared to
the team’s latest effort Prior to July 26 the
girls, qualifiers for a World Tournament in
Moore, Okla, need to raise $6,000 in travel
expenses.
“That’s a minimum figure,” said coach An
thony Gravitt “All that does is pay bus fare and
room. We still have to plan on eating. I know it’s
a tough task but these girls are hard workers.”
The players are halfway home as they've al
ready stretched the team treasurer’s coffers by
$3,000.
They did it the hard way. The players sold
candy bars to the tune of SI,OOO and recently
sold cone sales reaped another S3OO. The rest
has come from asking for donations and doing
odd jobs around the house and neighborhood
People wanting to help with the effort can
send donations to the Coal Mountain Booster
Club / C.O. Deborah Dunlap at 6850 Mount Ta
bor Road, Cumming, Ga., 30130.
“I’ve never seen a bunch of girls work harder
for something they want,” said Gravitt <
Besides going 7-0 in local play the team has
found the time to win five tournaments. They
opened their tournament season with a win in
the North Georgia Hall of Fame (Rex, Ga.) and
kept the streak going with victories in the
South Georgia Hall of Fame (Fairbum), the
Flag City Shootout (Macon) and the Jonesboro
Memorial Day Tournament. Last weekend
they won the Holbrook Campground
Invitational.
It was victory in the 400-team Macon, Ga.
tournament, billed as the World’s Largest Soft
ball Tournament. that earned them theirticket
to Oklahoma.
They lost one game in that tournament but
came back in the finals to secure a 32-9 victory.
“The players knew what was at stake,” said
Gravitt ‘They wanted to go to Oklahoma and
knew that was the only way.”
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Bennett as former FCHS player
Chris Bennett is ready
to play at W. Georgia
By Mike Webber
Sports Editor
Former Forsyth Central H igh School quarter
back Chris Bennett, a red-shirt at West Georgia
College last fall, is a bit closer to being back in
the saddle these days.
Following 12 days of spring practice, which
wound up this past weekend Bennett was the
No. 2 quarterback
“I feel much better than I did last year,” said
Bennett, who still has four years of eligibility
left.
Last season Bennett, a three-year starter at
Forsyth Central High School, was reduced to a
sideline player. “Last year was mind work. I
probably didn’t get in 20 plays in practice.”
He explained what lastyear, under then head
coach Mac McWhorter, was like without
football.
“I really didn't even get a chance to prove
what I could do,” he said. “That really disap
pointed me. especially after coming out of high
school where I had been a starter. It was kind of
a humbling situation. I can't remember the last
Please see BENNETT, page 3B
will begin at 8 a.m. Fishing will also begin at 8 a.m. and
is scheduled to last until noon.
Early arrivals will receive free gifts from the
AFTMA as long as they last
Each participant will supply their own fishing rod
and reel. Hooks, weights and bait will be supplied by
the Forsyth-Cumming Optimists.
Prizes will be awarded in several categories. The
largest fish caught on the day will also be entered into
a Big Fish Contest sponsored by the AFTMA The Big
Fish Contest will also be held on a statewide basis &
The winner of the state Big Fish Contest will com
pete for a opportunity to be a national grand
champion.
In case of bad weather the event will be rescheri
uled for June 16. .
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