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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-08-06, Page 2213 Ideal Supply .big winner as Goderich .hosts 32 -team tourney The Goderich Men's Slowpitch League hosted a 32 -team tournament at Agriculture Park from Friday to Monday on the holiday weekend. Two Godericb.teams won their respec- tive divisions, out of four finals. Ideal Supply of Goderich won the "AA" division, King, Eddies of London won the "AB" final, Boyd's Transport won their "BA" section, and the Expos from Listowel took the "BB" championship. In the photo at the top of the page, o-+ om � ea: gelt8 by Pau) Hartman Joe Fan, not NFL, killed USFL Rudi Scheffer said it all. Scheffer, vice-president of , marketing and public relations for the Memphis Showboats of the USFL, remarked after the league lost its anti-trust suit, "We've lost now. We're dead." ifi retrospect, Scheffer could have,made the comment when the league was brought into being and it would have been just as accurate then as it is now. . The USFL was, at the risk of sounding colloqui l doomed from the Start. And It wasn't the schemin of the NFL, the inability to secure a television contract or poor management that ensured its fate. It was Joe Fan. . Football fans were' simply not ready to watch winter football, regardless of its calibre. I mean, it seemed like a good idea at the time. At the inception of the league, the NFL was riding the crest of a wave of im- mense popularity. Why not give the fans .more of a good thing .and make some money in the process, reasoned USFL owners. But it seemed unnatural for fans to be sitting down to their televisions in mid- February to find a football game on. To wives, it was like being haunted by a recurring,nightmare, this prospect of hav- ing football on T.V. all year round. To husbands, it was like watching an endless series of Pro Bowls, with the'USFL players putting about as much effort into the games as the post -season NFL'ers did for their all-star game. Lack of fan support was reflected in poor attendance at home games, poor ratings and the indifference of the media to the outcome of the USFL season. On Monday of this week, the owners in their infinite wisdom, decided to suspend operations until at least the fall of 1987. tosses foi• each team, had they -gone head-- to-head with the NFL, were projected at $3 million to $5 million. This decision, along with the fact that the league hasn't operated for two years pretty well sounds the death knell for "alternative football." • But, if one was listening closely, the bell could have been „heard ringing years ago, on the day the league began regular season play. The bell would • have sounder remarkably like the noise made when so- meone pushes the channel switcher on a remote -control device. If the USFL owners were interested in seeing justice served, then their $1.69 billion law suit wouldn't. have been levelled at the NF. The name on the necessary papers woRld have been Joe Fan. And the charge would have been indifference. SPORTS SHORTS John Rhuden of Murphy's Green Machine tosses a pitch to the plate in the weekend ac- tion. In the bottom right photo, Bill Day of London "gives the sign" to his batter from third base coaching position. In the photo at left, the Dungannon Chiefs and Listowel Ex- pos race each other to the base. The four-day slowpitch tourney also held a 50-50 draw, With Darrell Durnin of Goderich winning $2,010. The tournament was very well -attended by local residents and visitors alike. (photos by Paul Hartman) Muxlow's homerun spree helps Denomme's edge Orioles 4-3 Last Sunday, the Orioles Played a doubleheader and both those went to extra innings where they lost and tied. ' They lost to Denomme's 4-3 in the eighth when Garry Muxlow homered to centre field to end the game. The Orioles scored three runs in the top of the sixth when Kevin Meriam hit a two -run homer and an RBI single by Darryl Beattie. Denomme's came right back on the strength of two bat- ters being hit grid reaching base. In the bottom of the eighth Muxlow'hit the second' pitch out of the park.. Orioles pitcher Rob Plunkett struck out 14 bathers in the eight innings. - The Orioles carne back in the second game after" ' surrendering a 7-0 lead to tlayter's after two innings to tie it 10-10. The Orioles scored six times in the third inning to cut the score to 7-6. Neither team could take control as Hayter's went ahead but could not hold the lead as the Oridles came back again led by a Jim Beattie home run. On Monday, Sherwood beat French 5-3 in a game that French needed to win. French and Hayter's are battling it out . for the final spot for the Labour Day tournament. Sherwood scoredfour times in the first inn- ing and that was all they would need. Sher- wood pitchers John Peet and Sy Langlois each allowed three hits to lead Sherwood. I;anglois also produced offensively as well. Prent h intelter Don Bogie allowed just five hits and strut k out eight. r�. On Tuesday Kirkey's beat the Juniors 9-3. The Juniors led the game 3-2 after four innings when Lonnie Doherty scored twice and Gary Erb once. But disaster would strike in the fifth inning when Kirkey's scored six times. Kirkey's pitcher Terry Johnston struck out seven. Steve Arbour did the most damage to the Juniors by hit- ting a triple and three singles and collec- ting a walked. On Wednesday; Sherwood beat the Orioles 3-1. Phil Paquette scored on a Bill Tigert single to give Sherwood the lead. Rob Plunkett homered an inning later to tie the game. But Sherwood would go ahead'inrthe sixth when Al Sygrove and Sy Langlois scored to break the tie. Greg Gor- don of the Orioles allowed five hits while Sy Langlois allowed four hits. ' _.T In the second game Goderich Tire kept up with Denomme's,by beating French 9-2. Goderich Tire jumped all over French in the first two innings and French could not recover. Goderich Tire. pitcher John Bogie allowed only three hits and struck out ten. No one player stood out for Goderich Tire as the seven of the nine starters scored. French's runs were accounted by Steve John§ton who homered. The league has picked a travelling team to play in the WOAA playdowns.beginning about August 10. The team is being coach- ed by John and Stan Doherty and Jim Peesker. Hully Gully has heavy action Hot and heavy, motocross action return- ed to Hully Gully on Sunday, August 3 as riders from across the province .came to tackle the recently modified track. The riders enjoyed the reverse direction of the track as was shown in the closeness df the races. . Many of the senior and veteran riders will be off to the Canadian Championshipsnear Cornwall August 9th and 10th including local rider Brian Blackburn of Exeter. Motocross action returns to Hully Gully on Saturday, August 9 with houseleague races and on August 24 with C.M.A. Motocross. • • Local riders Chuck Collins of'Varna, Jim Dickins of Hensall and Brian Blackburn of Exeter all finished with second place wins. Bridge Club plays seven table game The Goderich Duplicate Bridge Club met ' in the Legion Hall on July 24/86 at 7:45 p.m. -Seven tables played a Mitchell game with average, 84 points. N/S winners and their scores: 1st - Barb Howe & Marion Lane - 101; 2nd - Pat Str- inger & Cathy McDonald - 911; 3rd-1'talph Kingswell & Bill Duncan - 85. ' East/West..winners and their scores: lst Aelian Weerisaorya & P'. t. Venkiteswaran -981; 2nd - Frank & Jim Donnelly 80%; , 3rd. - Marg ge,Bill Sutherland 8G.