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Sports
PliH Clark
Area Teams
Start Baseball
With Tourneys
Basketball for area teams is all
over for another year. Weekend
tournaments took out the last of the
locals: Perry, Peach County,
Northside and Warner Robins.
That means attention now turns
to baseball. Local teams will crank
it up over the next week or two.
Some have already been busy, like
Perry, which participated in the
drawn-out Lem Clark Tournament
in Macon, which stretches over two
weeks.
Another local tournament, the
Grier-Perkins in Warner Robins,
ushered in baseball two weeks ago.
It is the brain-child of Warner
Robins coach Mike Reneau, who
was displeased with the format of
the Lem Clark, which he thought
took up too much time.
With baseball about to get into
high gear, it's interesting to browse
through the National High School
sports record book and check out
some of the amazing statistics
accumulated by high school
players.
It's also interesting to observe
the limited number of high school
phenoms which make it to the
major leagues. There are 39
offensive categories listed in the
record book, and you can count on
one hand the high school record
holders which made it to the big
time. So you guys out there trying
hard to make the big time, don't
wary about individual records!
Right away, you'd think of Ken
Griffey, Jr., wouldn't you? He was
impressive enough in high school
to become a number one draft
choice by Seattle. Yet, he doesn't
hold a single national record.
Don Mattingly of the New York
Yankees in in the record book. He
has the third highest number of
triples in a career, 25, while
playing for Memorial High in
Evansville, Ind., in the late 19705.
Another record-holder is Shane
Mack, an outfielder with the
Minnesota Twins. Mack played at
Cerritos Gahr in California and is
in the book twice. His three triples
in a game is tied for the best ever,
and his 16 consecutive base hits
puts him in a tie for fourth. The
record is 22.
By the way, one of those tied
with Mack with three triples is Jim
Geiger, who was an American
League outfielder in the late 60s, I
believe with Cleveland and Boston.
The most prominent name in the
record book is Ted Williams, who
set the record for most home runs
in an inning, two, back in 1939 at
Hoover High in San Diego. That
record has been tied 33 times, but
never broken.
Did you know that Scott Skiles
once hit four home runs in a game
in 1982? Yes, that’s the same Scott
Skiles who went on to an
outstanding basketball career at
Michigan State and is now with the
Orlando Magic of the NBA.
Or how about Tommy Greene?
Green, who was drafted as a pitcher
by the Atlanta Braves and traded to
die Philadelphia Phillies, is now a
mainstay on the Philadelphia staff.
Greene hit four home runs in a
game for Whiteville, N.C., High
School in 1985.
The only other future major
leaguer you’ll find in the offensive
record book is Terry Francona, who
bad a brief major league career,
primarily in Montreal. He is the
son of a former major leaguer, Tito
Francona, who played for a while in
Atlanta but mostly with Cleveland.
That's it. Just a handful of future
major leaguers set records in high
school, among non-pitchers. You
:an add pitchers like Scott
McGregor, David Clyde, Floyd
Bannister, James Rodney Richard,
Britt Bums and the Braves recent
signee, Gregg Olson.
I suppose the moral of the story
is don't worry about records. Just
play your game, and play it as well
is you can.
Did You Know?
Babe Ruth was once a Brave. He
finished his career with the club,
which was then in Boston. Playing
for the Braves in 1935, Ruth hit
.181 with six homeruns. He retired
after 28 games in Boston.
Hurricanes Blow
Away Panthers
By VETO F. ROLEY
Staff Writer
At the start of the season, Perry
head coach Bob Jones looked over
his team and saw two major weak
nesses—inexperience and lack of
pitching.
Thursday afternoon both prob
lems came back to haunt the Pan
ther team in a 7-1 loss to region foe
Fitzgerald.
Up 1-0 starting the sixth inning,
the Panthers gave up two runs,
both unearned two errors, two
walks and a hit batsman. Both of
the errors came from young fielders
pressing to make defensive plays in
a tight game.
In the seventh inning, the Purple
Hurricanes took advantage of a tired
Dallas Waldrip, putting five runs
across the plate. Jones was forced to
leave the senior right hander in the
game since he only had three pitch
ers, one who was coming off an
Hornets Get
First Victory
By VETO F. ROLEY
Staff Writer
Westfield got on the winning side Tuesday after
noon, traveling to Forsyth to beat region rival Mon
roe 8-5.
"Beside the fact that it was our first win, and we
got the monkey off our back," said Westfield head
coach Bert Brown, "it was a region game."
"The boys rose to the occasion," said Brown. "We
hit the ball hard." In addition to the 10 hits the Hor
nets collected on the day, Brown said his team hit the
balls that went for outs hard.
However, it was a win that was almost a lost as
the Hornets lost an early five run lead to Monroe.
Westfield scored three runs in the top of the seventh
to pull the game out.
Matt Shepley singled and stole second to start the
final inning of play. He moved to third on Brian
Staines groundout to third. Shepley scored on Troy
Nuss' second hit of the afternoon, a double.
An error by the Monroe shortstop on Jake Walls'
grounder put runners on the comers. Jeff Dehem
grounded out to short, scoring Nuss. Lon Talton sin
gled bringing in the final run of the inning.
The Hornets would have to ride out a seventh in
ning threat by Monroe to secure the victory. With
two outs, Monroe loaded the bases on two hits and a
Hornet error. However, freshman Staines recorded a
strikeout for the final out, stranding the runners on
base. "Brian has enough confidence that we can put
him in a pressure situation and he will do what he
can," said Brown.
Brown said that he took some of the blame for
Westfield’s 0-4 start "Part of the reason (for the start)
was me running players in and out," he said. "It's hard
to develop consistency.
"But, the players know how I treat non-region
games as experience builders," Brown continued. "In
Please see Westfield, page 8A
Panthers Shut Out Vidalia For Rare Win
By Chad S. Lewis
Special to the HTJ
Following their 5-0 shutout vic
tory over the Vidalia Indians
Wednesday night in Perry, several
members of the Perry High Soccer
Team were just wondering around
the field..
It was obvious that they didn’t
know what to do after a victory.
After all, this was the first time they
had been on top after a game in al
most three years.
"I'm stunned but pleased,"
Panther coach Carl Thomas said af
terwards about his first victory as
the soccer coach at Perry. "But we
simply played like a team and
won."
The entire scoring was done by a
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Members of the Perry High School golf team are (front row, hr) Cindy Dawkins, Stan Gann, Clint
Payne, Marina Culley, (back row) Jim Birdsong, Andrew Willard, William Sundqulst, Paul Smith
and Matt Kennedy.
early week illness and the other
who has to go today against Ap
pling County.
"I wanted to take him (Waldrip)
out at the sixth inning," said Jones.
"I really didn’t want him to go that
long."
With the loss, die Panthers drop
to 4-3 on the season, 1-1 in the re
gion.
Perry would score its only run in
the fourth inning. Tim Allen would
reach second on an error by the
Fitzgerald thirdbaseman. A single
to left by Thad Cook would send
him to third.
Derrick Oliver bounced a slow
roller to the first base side of the
mound. The Purple Hurricanes
would take the sure out at first, al
lowing Allen to score the first run
of the game.
"You played well," Jones told
his team after the game. "There is
Please see Loss, page 6A
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Perfect Form
Jeb Stewart demonstrates his form during the region martial arts championship
held at Houston County High School. For complete details, see story on page 6A.
duo from Perry, freshman Richie
Gill and senior Brian Mourning.
Gill got the scoring started with a
first quarter goal. Then Morton fol
lowed with two more to make die
score 3-0 going into halftime.
Following another Mourning
score, Gill pul the ball in the net for
Rec Department Moves To Rozar
By VETO F. ROLEY
Staff Writer
Drivers on Ball Street may have
noticed a trailer missing around
Perry City Hall.
The trailer, which houses the
Perry Recreation Department, was
moved to Rozar Park Monday,
March 15.
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Thad Cook takes a lead off first base against Fitzgerald Thursday afternoon. Cook would later
steal second.
the final time in the closing minutes
to seal the victory, 5-0.
"They never really threatened to
score," Thomas said. "The only
chance they had was a penalty shot
and Derrick (Webb) blocked it."
The Indians, who have also
struggled in the young season, fall
Ben Hamrick said the recreation
department was moved to Rozar
Park in anticipation of a new build
ing that will house the Older Amer
icans Council and the recreation de
partment at the park. He said the
move would allow the recreation
department to "oversee the construc
tion of the building."
Saturday, March 19,1994 Houston Times -Journal
to 0-5 on the year.
But the Perry squad didn’t seem
to mind who they beat. Alter all,
they were coming olf two losses by
the combined score of 24-1, so ;ury
victory was welcome.
"It was tough losing by such big
Please see Soccer, page 6A
The new building should be
completed sometime in the latter
part of this year, said Hamrick.
Hamrick said the recreation de
partment would be open from 9
a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday-thru-
Friday. The recreation department
phone numbers are the same, 988-
8075 and 988-8131.
Gann Leads PHS Golf
By VETO F. ROLEY
Staff Writer
All Stan Gann did as a sopho
more was win low medalist recog
nition in the Region 2AAA golf
tournament and finish eighth in the
state.
This year, the junior golfer leads
a young, but experienced, Panther
golf team to the region links. The
only senior on the team is Woody
Sundquist.
"From top to bottom, it looks
good," said golf coach Tony Thrift.
"On any given day, with the depth
that we have, it’s going to be a dog
fight."
Thrift said that while Gann was
easily his best player, the other five
male golfers on the team consis
tently shot in the high 70s/ low
80s.
"We've been real consistent this
spring," said Thrift. "We've been
practicing and playing competi
tively."
Thrill added that inconsistency
would kill a golf team. "You can't
come out today and shot a 39 and
tomorrow a 49,” he said, "or shoot
Page 5A
Perry
Beats
Houston
By Phil Clark
Special to the HTJ
Dallas Waldrip did what he does
best, he pounded the baseball out of
the park, and Jason Brett made an
impressive start following a knee
injury as the Perry Panthers beat
Houston County 8-3 Tuesday after
noon at Panther Field.
Waldrip hit a Brett Varnadoe
fastball out of the park with Brett
on base in the bottom of the first
inning, and the Panthers never
trailed as they picked up their
fourth win in tire young season.
They've lost two.
Coach Bob Jones said "we are
still making some mental errors that
we need to work on. The physical
errors will come no matter how
well you prepare, but the mental
mistakes we can work on." The
young Panthers have only Waldrip
with more than two years experi
ence, and just Brett and Tim Allen
with two years at the varsity level.
Brett, who had injured a knee
stepping into a pothole while at
tending the University of Georgia
G-Day game, went the distance,
giving up just four hits, till singles,
and three runs. Only one run was
earned, however.
Brett also struck out seven, with
four of them on called third strikes.
The junior right hander walked four
on an afternoon plagued by gusty
winds and cool temperatures.
The Panthers got things going
early against Varnadoe as Brett
drew a two-out walk ahead of
Waldrip's long home run to left
center.
After a single by Tim Allen, the
first of two hits for the Panthers'
first baseman, Thad Cook dropped
a soft liner down tire right field line
that rolled into the corner for a
triple, scoring Allen with the
Panthers third run in the inning.
Perry never trailed as Brett
worked out of trouble in every in
ning but the seventh, leaving eight
Bears stranded.
Houston picked up a run in the
second, but Perry answered with
two more in their half of tire second
as Travis Cantrell led off with a
walk and Adam Lancaster was hit
Please see Houston, page 8A
a 39 on the first nine holes and a SS
on the second nine."
Gann, the leader of the team, has
a one handicap, meaning he consis
tently shoots par or close to it. "He
has a complete game," said Thrift.
"He does not have any weaknesses."
Thrift added that Gann's game off
the tee was his strong suit. "He
gets extremely long distance," said
Thrift.
Giving Gann a battle will be
Andrew Willard and Jim Birdsong.
"Andrew's worked really hard on
his game," said Thrift. "He's played
a lot of golf and is looking pretty
good."
"Jim Birdsong is greatly im
proved," said Thrift. "His game is
coming around."
Other team members include
Paul Smith, Marina Cully, ’Clint
Payne, Matt Kennedy and Cindy
Dawkins.
The team opens the season
Monday in Dodge County. Perry
will play its home matches at
Houston Lake Country Club.