HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-11-11, Page 8TRAILBLAZERS
Beat the December 1 price increase
on trail permits. Cost $100.00
After Dec. 1st Cost $130.00
Available: In Mitchell at Faust Home Hardware, Mitchell
Tire, Ward's & Mitchell Massage Therapy; in Seaforth -
Vincent's Farm Equipment, UAP Auto & Middegaal
Sports; in Winthrop at Winthrop General Store; in Walton
at McGavin's Farm Equipment; in Monkton at John's
Repair Shop & Todd's Auto Sales: in Brodhagen at
B & K Tire & Battery; in Brussels at G & M Auto Parts &
Radford Auto Parts.
DRIVER TRAINING CLASSES
For ages 12 & up
Dates: Brussels - Nov. 21 at B.M.G. Arena
Contact Mark Gropp @ 887-6353
Mitchell - December 12 at McIver Enterprise
Contact Ken Hunsberger @ 348-8025
NEXT MEETING » NOV. 18 AT THE CLUB HOUSE
PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1998.
From the sidelines
Before millionaires,
domes and astroturf
ports
By Hugh Nichol
Former base-
ball player Pete
Rose once said,
"With the money
Fm making I
should be play-
ing two posi-
tions."
Imagine his response upon
hearing the New York Mets signed
Mike Piazza to a seven-year $91
million contract.
For a brief moment, this year,
baseball's salary structure had
become almost realistic. Last spring
the Toronto Blue Jays signed Jose
Canseco to a $750,000 base salary
contract filled with performance
incentives. Canseco enjoyed an
excellent 1998 season and the bonus
laden contract rewarded his efforts
by increasing total earnings into the
$3 million range.
Basically the Jays and Canseco
had agreed upon a "pay for what
you get" policy, a concept so simple
and straightforward the NHL Boston
Bruins used it to sign holdout centre
Jason Allison earlier this fall.
The Mets, who have not made the
playoffs since 1988, totally ignored
the above and decided to establish a
new standard on the market value of
baseball's premier players.
Simple math shows Piazza will
earn approximately $80,000 per
game, a dilemma New York
manager Bobby Valentine must
handle with care. The Mets have to
play Piazza every day to get their
money's worth but can they afford to
have him continuously don the tools
of ignorance without fear of injury.
Catching is the most gruelling and
career shortening position in baseball
but where else could he play? New
York already has an all-star calibre
first baseman and is without benefit
of the designated hitter rule.
Baseball was not always million-
aires, domed stadiums and astroturf.
For years team owners used a take-
it-or-leave-it attitude on signing
players. Contracts were for one year
only and included a controversial
reserve clause that a) bound the
player to the team for his entire
career unless traded, sold, or
A strong game and lots of late
scoring pushed the Blyth PeeWees
ahead of a visiting Zurich squad,
Nov. 4.
Blyth faced a two-goal deficit
going into the second when a netter
by Kirk Stewart at 13:31 got the
puck bouncing.
Micah Loder popped one in less
than a minute later with Stewart
pushing them into the lead at the
12:16 mark.
Zurich battled back, bulging the
twine at 6:12 only to watch as
Trevor Koehler recaptured the
Blyth lead before the end of the
period.
Second frame assists went to
Mike Bean, Koehler, Cole Stewart,
Loder and Ryan McClinchey.
released and b) stated the team had
the right to renew the player's
contract without consent for one
additional year.
Although the clause bordered on
the grey area of the 14th amendment
(re-slavery) it was not until the late
1960s that a player was willing to
take the legal route and test the
validity of the contract.
In 1969 St. Louis Cardinal Curt
Flood filed an anti-trust suit against
organized baseball and although his
request was eventually denied by
the U.S. Supreme Court it did
expose possible loopholes in the
system.
Six years later Andy Messersmith
of the Los Angeles Dodgers and
Dave McNally of the Montreal
Expos played but refused to sign
their teams renewal contract offer.
At the end of the season both
players claimed free agency on the
grounds the reserve clause could no
longer apply.
On Dec. 23, 1975 arbitrator Peter
Seitz ruled in favour of the players,
stating that since there was no
signed contract it could not be
automatically renewed by the
owners and free agency was born.
While this new-found freedom has
allowed the individual to take full
advantage of his capabilities, it has
also destroyed small market teams.
The Montreal Expos are little more
than a development team for the big
spenders. Yet despite the risks all
major sports have adopted a free
agent policy.
The auction of an athlete's talent
has become a yearly event even at
the local level. In 1993 the Brussels
Bulldogs joined the Huron County
Fastball League and gained instant
credibility with the signing of
Brussels Tiger pitcher Dave Smith.
Two years later the Tigers free agent
signing of Brett Clarkson coincided
with the start of a record-setting,
four consecutive championships.
So, if Mike Piazza commands $13
million a year without testing the
open market, imagine what he might
have received in a bidding war.
Remember that the next time your
sibling's errant throw sails through
the living room window.
Up 4-3, Blyth did not relent,
blasting the puck past the goalie
five times in the third while hold-
ing Zurich to one.
C. Stewart took a pass from K.
Stewart to start the attack at 14:36.
Three quick scores off the sticks
of Loder (two) and C. Stewart put
the team up 8-3 with a half period
remaining.
Zurich nibbled at the lead, notch-
ing one at 6:29 before Blyth
regained the five-goal advantage
when Koehler scored his second of
the game.
Assists were earned by Koehler,
C. Stewart (two), Loder, T.J.
Marks, Andy Toll, McClinchey and
K. Stewart.
The Reps won 9-4. '
It was a rough weekend for the
Brussels Atoms when they partici-
pated the 25th annual Brussels
Atoms Optimist Tournament.
Brussels Atom Reps took on
Clinton, Nov. 6, but couldn't get on
track until the third. Unlucky
bounces repeatedly sent the puck to
the opposition.
Clinton struck first and often as
they posted a 2-0 lead through the
first then increased it to 5-2 by the
Monday, Nov. 2, the Brassels
Bantams faced off against Mitchell
in Brussels.
Marc Fischer opened the scoring
on a pass from Jimmy Franken and
Chris Coulter at the 12:26 mark.
Mitchell tied the score at 5:08 then
Brussels regained the lead when
Marc Fischer scored his second
with helpers to Coulter and
Mawhinney.
Mitchell tied the score with 11
seconds remaining in the first.
Mawhinney scored an unassited
goal at the 13:18 mark of the third
then Brussels held on for a 3-2
victory.
Saturday night Brussels went to
Clinton and defeated their hosts 15-
0.
Mawhinney opened the scoring
at 10:11 with helpers going to
Darryl McClure and Andy
VanBeek. Robbie Kerr scored at
8:39 from Kenny McCallum.
Twenty seconds later Darryl
Houston scored an unassisted goal.
Van Beek rounded out the first-
period scoring with an assist from
Darryl McClure giving Brussels a
4-0 lead going into the second
period. Coming back the Bantams
scored six more goals. Coulter
scored from VanBeek then two
minutes later Chris Blake scored
from Coulter and Van Beek. Blake
tallied an unassisted marker then
Mawhinney notched his second of
the game with assists going to
McClure and Blake at the 4:21
mark. Fischer scored an unassisted
Blyth PeeWees
push to victory
Out of reach
It was too fast for the Brussels Atom goalie, as the Clinton forward slides into the zone and
puts one past him for a point. The twO teams began the 25th annual Brussels Optimist Atom
tournament Friday night. The local team didn't fare well, losing this one, then another to
Wingham on Saturday. The champions of this weekend's C Division contest were Mildmay
over Drayton, 3-2 . Consolation went to Ilderton over Wingham 1-0. The B Division will play
on the weekend of Nov. 27-, 28, 29. Mark Nonkes photo)
Atoms have 2 tourney losses
second buzzer.
Netting the puck for Brussels in
the second were Darcey Cook at
9:15 and Adam McClure at 3:36.
Tyler Jutzi, Josh Albrechtas and
Greg Bowers earned assists.
Brussels pulled within two late in
the third when Chris Corbett took a
pass from Matt White for the score.
Clinton bulged the twine once
more at 3:39 to clinch the win.
The following day, Brussels met
Vingham in a wide-open game.
goal, then with 44 seconds left in
the period Kenny McCallum scored
from Fischer.
Brussels carried the momentum
into the third adding five more
goals. VanBeek scored from
Fischer and Coulter. Mawhinney
completed his hattrick.from Coulter
and VanBeek. Darryl Houston
Strong play in the first and third
provided Brussels their two scoring
opportunities. The puck was put in
by Corbett in the first and White in
the third. Albrechtas and Cory
Chapman assisted.
The team's downfall came on the
penalty killing as two of Wing-
ham's five goals were tallied on
power plays.
Wingham took home the 5-3 vic-
tory.
scored at 5:11 with Coulter getting
the only helper. Blake completed
his hattrick from VanBeek and Paul
Linton. Mawhinney completed the
scoring with an unassist goal.
Matt McCall recorded the
shutout.
This weekend the Bantams travel
to Clifford for a tournament.
Bantams win a pair