Newspaper Page Text
Sports
Ok VetoF. L
B| Roley I
Sports editor I
Murphy’s number
retired in Atlanta
The Braves had a problem.
They had a wonderful catcher,
who hit with great power. How
ever, this catcher had developed a
minor problem. He had a mental
block about throwing to second.
Now, for a catcher, this can be a
real career ender. Base runners, even
those with the speed of a catcher,
love a backstop who has better luck
getting the ball to the centerfielder
backing up the play than he has
getting the ball to the infielder cov
ering the base.
I'm here to tell you, it was a
good thing for the Braves that this
particular catcher had problems
throwing to second. After a stint at
first in 1978 and 1979, this catcher
was moved to outfielder, where he
became one of the best players that
the Braves had.
Of course, I am referring to Dale
Murphy. Monday night, the num
ber "3" that he wore for the Braves
went up on the wall at Atlanta Ful
ton County Stadium.
Murph becomes the fifth player
on the wall, joining Hank Aaron,
Eddie Mathews, Warren Spahn and
Phil Niekro.
There has been a lot said recently
about Murphy not having the stats
necessary to get on the wall. After
all, Aaron retired with a .305 bat
ting average, 3,771 hits, 2,297
RBls—team stats that I believe are
more important than the one stat he
is remembered for, 755 homers.
Eddie Mathews is one of the few
players to play in all three cities—
Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta. He
held down third base with style and
substance, clouting 512 homers,
driving in 1453 RBIs. My latest
copy of The Baseball Encyclopedia
ranked him 15th all time in home
run percentage.
And, when you talk about
Braves pitching, two names come
to mind—Spahn and Niekro. There
was an old refrain with the Braves,
"Spahn and Sain, then pray for
rain." Spahn led the National
League in wins eight seasons,
complete games nine years, and
E.R.A. three years. He closed his
career with 363 wins.
Niekro pitched for the Braves
during a time when the Braves
thought a .500 season was a great
year—just to be competitive was
something good. Pitching for a
succession of absolutely horrible
teams, he led the National League
in wins twice, winning percentage
once and ERA once. He would win
268 games in a Braves uniform,
318 in a Major League uniform.
Three of the four previous in
ductees on the stadium wall are also
in the Major League Hall of Fame.
Nuxie should make the HOF this
year.
And, Murphy might not make
the Hall of Fame. While his stats
are good, a while he had some great
years, his stats are marginal Hall of
Fame stats.
But, his character, as others have
pointed out, more than makes up
for any lack of stats. I guess my fa
vorite Murphy memory was a cou
ple a years ago when he took out a
full page ad thinking the city of At
lanta for their support of the Braves
and him. Of course, on some nights
he played in Atlanta before his trade
to Philly, there were less than
1,000 fans in the stand.
Murphy was always a class act
with the Braves. Rarely did he get
upset during the game at a call or
opponent. He was a great
spokesman for Major League base
ball. So spotless was his character
that some baseball magazines actu
ally said he was too bland.
And, while his stats might fall
short of HOF recognition, they
were not bad. And, I might add,
most players would love to have
Murphy's statistics.
Of course, who can forget the
magical seasons of the early 80s,
when the Braves stopped living for
next year, and actually won a few
games.
In 1982, the Braves beat out the
Dodgers and Giants in one of the
closest, if not the closest, pennant
races in Major League history. The
race came down to the final game of
the season. When the dust had
cleared away, it was the Braves on
top with a record of 89-73, a scant
one game in front of the demons
from L.A., and two in front of the
Please see Roley, page 9A
Rogers to kick for Fort Valley State
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sports Editor
Dave Rogers has always been
good at kicking a football through
goalposts.
Playing for Father Lopez High
School in Florida, Rogers nailed a
53 yard attempt. His kicking earned
him notice as one of the best kick
ers in the state of Florida.
However, Rogers had another
love, soccer. He was named all-state
in the sport after his senior year in
high school. So, instead of putting
on pads and kicking a football in
college, he went N.A.I.A. Division
II Slager College in St. Augustine
to pursue soccer, and in the offsea
son, tennis.
"I felt I was better at (soccer)
than I was at football," said Rogers.
"I was more into (soccer) at the
time."
But, Rogers’ soccer career would
come to an end in his sophomore
year with a knee injury. "I got hurt
during a game after being hit by a
goalie," he said. "I was taken out of
action for the rest of the season.”
After taking a year off to rehabil
Expos edge Dodgers
Expos 14, Dodgers 11
Keyed by a pair of hits in the
fifth inning by Earnest Howard and
Dustin Funderbunk, the Expos ex
ploded for nine runs to come from
behind and beat the Dodgers 14-11
in Perry Parks and Recreation Ju
nior Boys play.
Except for one inning, the sec
ond where the Expos pushed five
runs across the plate, Dodger pitch
ing held the Expos bats silent.
Trailing by two in the top of the
third, the Dodgers had their own
explosion, platting seven runners to
take a 10-5 lead. Scott, Regrow and
Wilson collected the only three hits
the Dodgers would need in the in
ning.
The Dodgers added a single run
in the tap. of the..fif|JUQ take a six
run lead before the Expos explosion
in the bottom half of the inning.
Most of the offense for the Ex
pos was provided by the bottom
half of the order. Howard paced the
team with three hits, while Funder
burk and Wil Rundles had a pair of
hits each. Leadoff man Matthew
Davis had a hit and two walks in
four trips to the plate, while David
Huntzinger had a single and two
walks in three trips to the plate.
Vandifriff, Scott, and Regrow
had two hits each to pace the
Dodgers.
Rebels 16 Rockets 10
The Rebels scored seven runs in
the second to take an early 8-2 lead
over the Rockets in Perry Parks and
Recreation Junior Girls play.
The Rebels then ended all
thoughts of a Rocket comeback,
scoring eight runs in the fourth to
put the game away.
Harrison and Thompson paced
the Rebels with three hits each.
PUMC surges past Rehoboth
PUMC 12, Rehoboth 7
Perry United Methodist Church
scored five runs in the final two in
nings of play to beat Rehoboth in
Perry Parks and Recreation Church
League softball play.
In the fourth, consecutive hits
by J. Hawk, Kinnas, Langston, and
T. Hawk brought four runs across
the plate as PUMC built a 10-5
lead. Two errors by Rehoboth and
P.C.C. holds first tourney on new grass
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sports Editor
Perry Country Club opened the back nine holes
with a bang Saturday, hosting a rainbow scramble for
its members.
Although club members have been playing the back
nine since it reopened after being re-sprigged in May,
the tournament was the first 18 hole event at the club
since the course was fully re-opened.
Although the team of Harry Hawkins, Joe Posey,
George Richard and Alma Dayton finished the 18 hole
circuit in 64 strokes, they had to settle for second
behind the team of Floyd Gregory, Sarah Hawkins,
Rodney Bridges and David Jahns, who came around
with a 65.
Gregory's team won after their handicap of 9.13
adjusted their score to 55.87. Hawkins' team had a
handicap of 7.88, giving them an adjusted score of
56.12.
Third place belonged to the team of Jarad Hancock,
Dickey Erwin, Lena Wehunt and Jo Crumpacker, who
had an adjusted score of 56.62 after shooting a 65.
Fourth fell to Joe Andrews, EJ. Wehunt, Bill Wood
and J.D. Brown. They finished the afternoon with an
adjusted score nf <:7 5 after coming into the clubhouse
itate his knee, Rogers started look
ing around for colleges that needed a
field goal kicker. Eventually he got
in touch with coach Douglas Porter
and the Fort Valley Wildcats, sign
ing on as a kicker.
"I heard it was a good school,"
said Rogers. "I felt it was a good
opportunity for me to play football
again."
Porter said the Wildcats were
looking for a kicker with the gradu
ation of their kicker last year. "We
needed a person who had experience
kicking successfully in high
school," he said.
The Wildcats started talking to
other coaches, who mentioned
Rogers as a candidate for the vacant
kicking job. At the same time,
Rogers was calling Fort Valley.
"His name came up," said Porter,
"and he had given us a call.
"He comes highly recom
mended," said Porter. "He is a good
kicker, and a pressure kicker. His
range should increase as he matures
and gets older."
Porter said that Rogers' range is
currently in the 35-to-45 yard range,
Harrison had a triple, while
Thompson connected on a double
and triple. Heard had a homer for
the Rebels in the fourth inning.
April Montaque collected three
hits to pace the Rockets. Brooke
Leisemring, Melisha Alford, Alan
isha Whitfield, and Jessica Dickson
had two hits each.
Sluggers 13, Lakers 5
Sullivan and Coody collected
three hits to lead the Sluggers to a
13-5 win over the Lakers in Parks
and Rec Mite Girls Softball play.
Dee Felder had two hits, includ
ing a triple, to pace the Lakers. Oc
tavis Taylor also had two hits in
the loss.
Yankees 4, Giants 4
The Giants jumped off to a four
run lead with a big first in Mite
Boys play at Huckaby Field.
Micheal Wright started the in
ning with a single. After a walk to
Roderick Scott, John Prather tripled
to left to bring the first two runs
across the plate. Prather scored on
Blake Bohannon's double to right,
with Bohannon scoring on Timothy
Moss’ double to center.
Like the Giants, the Yankees
scored all four of their runs in one
inning, tying the game in the third.
Tony Hudgens led the inning off
with a double and Cameron
Draughome and Micheal Whitton
connected with singles, while the
Yankees took advantage of two hits
batsmen and three errors to tie the
game.
Hudgens and Devlin Johnson led
the Yankees with two hits each.
Timothy Moss led the Giants with
a pair of hits.
Tigers 10, Cubs 8
The Tigers held off a late rally
Please see Tigers, page 9A
hits by Kinnas and Langston
brought two runs across the plate in
the fifth for PUMC.
T. Hawk had four hits to pace
PUMC, while Langston contributed
three hits and Kinnas and Clay
came through with two hits.
A trio of hitters had two hits
each to pace Rehoboth. White,
Kratz and Shirly had the pair of hits
in the loss.
with a 66.
Also finishing in the money was the team of Jerry
Kimsey, John Boland, Andy Snyder and Don Chandler,
who finished with an adjusted score of 60.12 after
shooting a 68.
Six other teams finished within a stroke of the final
paying position, with two teams finishing within .25
strokes.
Robert Spainhour, Roy Shaginaw, Jack Ellen and
Jill Hardy-Hobbs finished sixth with an adjusted score
of 60.25 (actual score, 69). Tommy Jones, Bobby
Rowell, Ted Pender and Henry Dawkins finished in a
tie for seventh with an adjusted score of 60.37 (actual,
69). Frank Bellamy, Kathy Norris, George Curtis and
Bruce Hearn finished one stroke faster than the Jones'
team; but, had and adjusted score of 60.37.
All told, 52 members, and 14 teams, participated in
the tournament Saturday. First place payoff was S2OO,
with total payout, first through fifth, being $660.
Assistant professional Jeff Evans said the members
were pleased with the way the new grass was growing
on the back nine. "They were well pleased with how
well the grass had come in," he said.
Evans said the course hoped to sponsor similar
tournaments at least once a month.
Houston Times-Journal
which he would like to see increase
to the 45-to-50 yard range.
Rogers is very accurate, said
Porter, which takes increased signif
icance with the narrowing of the
goalposts, which makes the extra
point and short field goals more dif
ficult "He is a very solid performer
in that."
Porter said that Rogers should
make an immediate impact with the
Wildcats. "We are depending on
him handling the place kicking and
field goals for us," he said.
Rogers, who is living in Perry
while attending Fort Valley, said
that he was glad to be back in foot
ball.
"I'm very much looking forward
to being back in football," said
Rogers. ”1 miss the competition."
In addition, Rogers said that
playing should give him a break
from classes. "My main focus is
my education," he said. Rogers is a
business major at Fort Valley.
"I will kick the best I can, and
play as team player," said Rogers,
who said that he wanted nothing
less than a conference champi
onship this year. "You can't have a
good season if you don't play as a
team."
At Father Lopez, Rogers was a
three sport star, playing tennis in
addition to earning soccer and foot
ball honors. He occupied the num
ber one slot on his high school
team, and played in several junior
tour events.
*> . - ■ I H
Thanks
Jackie Klein receives a plaque from Jerry Ruport of
the Atlanta Epilepsy Foundation office for her efforts
with the Epilepsy golf tournament held May 20.
Kathleen 13, Houston Lake 3
Kathleen exploded for nine first
inning runs before cruising for a
13-3 win over Houston Lake.
Bowen paced the Kathleen ex
plosion with three hits, while
Reese and Fuller had two hits each.
Axtell had two hits to pace
Houston Lake, while Calhoun,
Sheppard, Walton and Rivera had
one hit each.
Wednesday, June 15,1994 Houston Times -Journal-
. ! fiy » ...
Michelle Landess holds the
Rogers landed the job as the
the 1994 season.
wt 'vl Wjbu, _/,
jtt
■-* t JH
Sarah Hawkins watches her putt go towards the hole on
the 9th hole at Perry Country Club In a tournament
Saturday.
Page 7A
ball for Dave Rogers. >
Wildcats placeklcker for -
Pennington,
Graffiti post
playoff wins
By JIMMY SIMPSON
Staff Writer
Designated scorekeepers found
their pens working overtime
Monday when four teams entering
tournament play pushed a
whopping 50 runs across the plate
on the afternoon.
Graffiti Hair Salon paced the
field, scoring 29 runs in their
outing en route to a 29-7 win over
First Family Finance. Pennington
111 Plumbing dialed in its win over
Family Footwear by a final of 8-6.
Graffiti and Pennington were
scheduled to face each other Tuesday
in the double-elimination tourney.
First Family and Family Footwear
was scheduled to follow at 6:45.
Results were not immediately
available at press time.
Faced with the task of
rebounding from an earlier setback
from Pennington, Graffiti wasted
no time in jumping out front 7-0
after just one frame of play in its
latest outing to log the win.
It was a defensive battle that
developed early on in the day’s
opening game. Pennington and
Family Footwear were virtually
deadlocked after the first three
Please see Softball, page 9A