Loading...
Times-Advocate, 1984-05-16, Page 14Page 2A Times -Advocate, May 16, 1984 Sports Spotlight By Ross Haugh Shades of 1968. That's an understatement if one was ever heard as far as the 1984 start of the Detroit Tigers is concerned. The Tigers have set an all-time major league record for winning percentages at the start of the season. When this is being written, Sparky Anderson's Bengals have a season starting mark of 26 wins in their first 31 games and this could quite conceivably be continued. Their mark of 14 straight wins on the road is also on earth shattering record. A big improvement this week by the New York Yankees has probably saved the job for manager Yogi Berra. At the beginning of the week, the Yankees front office were hinting of big news breaking and that could only mean George Steinbrenner was ready to change managers again. The Toronto Blue Jays continue to have trouble win- ning in Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. After a doubleheader loss Wednesday against the Orioles, the Jays did come back to pull out a squeaker by a 4-3 score, Thursday night after blowing an early three run margin. The Jays continue attempt to strengthen their roster with the latest acquisition of Rick Leach who was let go during the winter by the Detroit Tigers. Leach who never reached his potential in Detroit after. choosing baseball ahead'of football should help Toronto as he can play a number of positions and also • be used as a designated or pinch hitter. The Jays designated hitting spot will be further enhanced when Willie Aitkens becomes eligible today, Wednesday. From the left side of the plate Aikens should satisfactorily augment the right hand hitting Cliff Johnson and allow manager Bobby Cox to continue his platooning system. Blue Jays officials have hinted they may have another roster change in mind in the very near future. They dropped their third string catcher Gino Petralli in order to pick up Rick Leach and will need to make another sport open for Aikens. New coach Congratulations and best wishes to Dave Revington of Lucan as he continues and advances in his hockey coaching career. It was announced over the weekend that Revington is the new coach of the Strathroy Blades of the Western Junior B hockey league. Revington who succeeds Larry Tomchick led the Lucan Irish to the OHA Junior D championship during the 1981-82 season. • Leave it to humans One suggestion which is heard more and more to allow National Hockey League referees to use video replays before making final decisions in controversial situations isn't supported by this writer. Letting the television cameras make the decision after the referee has had probably a couple of looks at a replay would certainly deminish the excitement. The most appealing part of the game of hockey is its sense of urgency and spontaneity. Games may be won or lost on split-second decisions, but, that's ex- citing. Human mistakes by players, coaches or officials are what make the game of hockey appealing and exciting. Nobody likes to see a referee make an error in judgement which could affect the outcome of the game, but, it does happen and so do mistakes by players and coaches. Complaints continue that hockey games take too long to complete. Well, having video replays would add many minutes to most games. Just imagine on a controversial play, the referee skating to the boards to watch several replays of the shot in question and then tells two stirred up teams and a house full of rabid fans that the goal counts or it doesn't. In addition to eliminating the human element from decision making who is to say the replay is correct. They don't always tell the truth. Watch the same play from three different angles and you may see three dif- ferent things. Then what do you do? . A perfect example of this was the controversial goal or no -goal scored by Wayne Gretzky in the recent NHL playoffs against the Minnesota North Stars: • The replay was played over and over again on a newscast with three rather impartial viewers,studying it. One watcher said it was definitely a goal, a second said it definitely was not in the net and the third observdr couldn't decide one way or the other. This same situation could happen right on the ice with the referee and the two linesmen seeing three dif- -ferent versions of the same play. One tends to forget that officials are just as well conditioned as the players having to skate and concen- trate for 60 minutes of every game and unlike the players get no breathing spells during the hot and heavy action. It would be interesting to do a comparison of the number of errors by referees and mistakes. by the players and coaches. We would gypss that the officials make far fewer errors per capita than 'the participants. Until that percentage changes it would be foolhardy to suggest the present officiating system can't work without electronic assistance. We remember some 25 years ago when Ray Du- mont was in charge of operating the American Baseball Congress and he decided to use an electronic beam in- stead of an umpire to call balls and strikaa, and an automatic broom to clean off home plate. That idea didn't get very far as it was very difficult to boo an electronic device that you couldn't actually see. This was removing the human element from the game and hockey replays would do the same thing. 4 TOP HAWK PERFORMERS — A number of individual trophies were presented at Friday's annual awards banquet of the Exeter junior Hawks. Above, manager Doc Campbell congratulates best defenceman Kris Bedard, most valuable player in regular seasori Pete Tuckey, mvp in playoffs Bill Glover and Rick Lindenfield who was named team leader. T -A photo GET HAWK TROPHIES — Coach Bob Rowe presents individual trophies at f riday's annual awards dinner of the Exeter Hawks. From the left are coach Rowe, most improved player Mike Clark, most gentlemanly Tony Jones, leading scorer Pete Tuckey and rookie of the year Rich Lather. T -A photo SPECIAL AWARDS — At Friday's annual awards banquet for the Exeter Hawks, Ed Willis received the Hawk award from former coach Ron Bogart. At the right, Brian Horner receives the best defensive forward trophy from Larry Taylor. Royals win in fastball opener Following the rain out of their scheduled season opener in Bryanston, May 8 the Ex- eter Royals opened their 1984 South Western Fastball Season at home Thursday night on a winning note. Backed by the one -hit pit- ching of Dan Heywood, and three r.b.i. performance by shortstop Barry Baynham, the Royals defeated visiting Sylvan 8-1. Heywood, who gives every indication of being one of the premiere pitchers in the league, struck out five of the first six hitters he faced and went .on to record 12 strikeouts. He allowed only five base walks to Mike Steeper and Paul Maedel, followed by a double by Gary McLeod produced Sylvan's only run. The Royals started quickly when lead off batter, Jeff O'Brien scored on a triple by Jeff Lindenfield who in turn scored on an r.b.i. double by Paul McKnight. Newcomer Randy Kraul led off the third inning with a tremendous home run to cen- tre field. Kraul, who also singled in the first inning, was robbed of at least a triple in the fourth inning on an ex- Houseleague starts Saturday, May 12, riders from as far as Hamilton, Toronto and Parry Sound came to Hully Gully to ride in their house league motocross season opened. House League racing is strictly amateur, and is run on Saturdays throughout the summer. House League began early in Nulty Gully's history as a way for newcomers to the sport of motocross to get into racing easily. Since its beginnings, Hully Gully house league graduates have received National honours in motocross. This year's crop of House Leaguers shows promise too - even this early in the season. Riders from six years of age up to middle age par- ticipated in the 10 different classes run in this first race. The next race is slated for May- 19. Results are as follows: Pee Wee "A" - Jim Dickins, Hensall; Kevin Reeve, Lon- don and Larry Zehr, Tavistock. Pee Wee "B" - John Hep- burn, St. Marys; Cameron Kerr, Parry Sound and Tom Abray, Strathroy. Pee Wee "C" - Sean Thomas, London. Enduro "A" - Frank Mousseau, Hensall. Enduro "B" Brian Tetreault, Sarnia; Steve Hut- chins, Goderich and Gary Lovie, Exeter. Enduro "C" Spencer Clarke, Sarnia. Novice "A" Mike Kishbaugh, Toronto; Jeff Bruinsma, •Goderich and Doug Weed, Mooretown. Novice "B" Kirk Schell, Lon- don; Kevin Lupton, Watford and Jim Hendrickx, WPtford. Junior "A" Rob McIntosh, All Fishing and Hunting Licences, Here /' iseagfr 446 South Main Street, Exete* Ont. 235-0160 ZONE DART WINNERS — A team from Lucan Legion Branch 540 won the Zone A5 darts championship and went on to the district finals in Windsor. From the left are Gord Clubb, Dave Pike, Frank Collard and H. Campbell. First ATV at Hully Gully Sunday, May 20, beginning at 2 p.m., three and four wheel all terrain vehicles blast off the starting line in the first ATV race of Hully Gully's season. This first summer season race is a con- tinuation of the dominance in ATV racing that }lully Gully has achieved over the past few years. In January. Hully Gully staged a three-wheeler Tri - Cross event in conjunction with a snowmobile snowcross, and it showed a strong interest in this form of exciting racing. In February, Nulty Gully staged Canada's first indoor ATV supercross ATV event at the Western Sports Fair in London, and encouraged by the overwhelming response from both racers and fans, organizers begin the season May 20 with a very positive outlook. Riders from all over Ontario are expected to com- pete in this modified motocross -style event on }ful- ly Gully's championship calibre motocross track. The races will be scored in the motor oss style,that is, a combinan score of the motos will determine final placing. Other highlights of the day for racers include special money-moto to give them a chance to add cash to the trophy classes, and spec- tators are assured of top- notch racing and excitement. The May 20 Season Opener ATV races promise to be the start of even more excitement at Hully Gully, and will give fans lots to enjoy before the next motocross race on June 3rd, and the Canadian Na- tional 125 and 250 Expert motocross coming June 17 Walton; Brian Blackburn, Exeter and Pat Poulin, ,Lon- don. Junior "B" Brian Keys, Hamilton; Kelly Peev, Sarnia and Norm Williams, Watford. New coach at Strathroy Dave Revington, who took Lucan Irish to the Ontario Hockey Association junior D championship two years ago, is the new coach of Strathroy Blades of the Western Junior B Hockey League. Revington succeeds Larry Tomchick, who resigned both the coach and general manager positions because of work commitments. The new general manager is Rene Muylaert. -Revington and Muylaert signed one-year contracts. cellent play by the Sylvan left fielder. The Royals broke the game open in the fourth by scoring three unearned runs on three Sylvan errors. They closed FREE Junior Golf Lessons Age up to 18 years Every Monday Evening 5:30 p.m. approx. 1 hour Ironwood Golf Course 235-1521 Winners of the Buffalo Draw Jerry MacLean & Son and Mathers Motors, Com- puter, Doug Prout, Exeter; A Local Business, Blue Jay Tickets, June Boreland, Centralia; Taylor Poultry Farm,Cabbage Patch Kid, Paul Schwart- zentruber, Exeter; R.S.D. Sport Den, Gift Cer- tificate, John Wuerth, Exeter; Gerrards, Shirt, Elaineham, Exeter; Pizza Train, Family Pizza, Pete Wafson, Kirkton; Mothers Motors, Oil Change, S. Schultz, London. Exeter Minor Hockey would like to take this op- portunity to thank everyone who supported this project and those who helped make it a success. Minor Hockey Golf Tournament and Dinner, Exeter Golf Course, June 2, 1984. For tickets 235-1517, 235-0351. FARMERS "Soybean Seed" •- Certified Maple Arrow • Registered Maple Arrow • Foundation Maple Arrow • Registered Maple Amber • Certified Hodgson • Registered Hodgson • Foundation Hodgson • Canada No. 1 Soybeans • Golden Harvest Granular Soybean Inoculant • Forage Seeds • Good selection of Chemicals We are also buyers of your feed barley, feed oats. feed mix grain and seed oats, barley and red clover. Don't delay Call today 235-0770 GOLDN HARVEST FARM -144'1-'1 151 Thames Road East, Exeter Shop DFFATTL e The Builders Buy! Building: Centre Values GARDEN & WALK PATIO STONES 18x18 . $2.09 . Natural Grey 24x24 . $3.39 . Natural Grey 24x30 . $3.75 . Natural Grey See the all-new Pebble Stone CASH 8 Patterns in stock, CARRY DRIVEWAY SEALER Oil Tar Base $11 95 4 -Gallon Container Only MULCO (Approx Coverage 500 sqf1 per 4 -gallon pail) visk1 Ic e... NEWEST LOCATION! of MOFFATT & POWELL at: 146 Tillson Ave., Tillsonburg Grand Opening May 17, 18, 19 Win A Trip For 2 To Florida! Special Prices and Great Door Prizes Phone 842-4201 RAILROAD TIES 6 -Foot Heavy Duty - - PICNIC TABLE ►'` Cedar $76.95 - Outdoor Wood $65.95 MINI -BARNS 8x 8 5309.95 10x10 $409.95 12x12 5489.95 Includes prefabricated walls and roof. sheathing, shingles. trim and hardware PRICES IN EFFECT UNTIL SAT., MAY 26TH 1 er'ds To Servo it; ER, MlTCHEEL, LONDON, . WATFORD, TILLSON UR0 r - OLYMPIC SPRING REBATE PROMOTION Receive a +3.00 Rebate for each 4 -litre container of Olympic bought before May 27th No 704 Redwood Solid 011 121.95 per 4•Iftre Olympic Overcoat '19.95 per 4 -titre =24.60 OIYAAP EXETER 131 Thames Rd. West 235-1422