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Times-Advocate, 1978-10-12, Page 8Times-Advocate, October 12, 1978 Sports Spotlight ”7 By Ross Haugh Out on a limb This is the time of year when sports experts can go out on a limb and make their selections for about four top sporting championships. The easiest of the predicting this week would be choosing the winner of the 1978 World Series as this is now narrowed down to two teams. Two games will already have been played when this issue hits the street but, we are writing this on the weekend before any games have been played. We will take the Yankees to repeat again. Reggie Jackson should hit at least six home runs in the series and hopefully for the Bronx Bombers that will be more than the Dodger slugger Steve Garvey will be able to produce. The series will likely go to the seventh and deciding game slated for Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 18 at 8:30 p.m. We will call Ron Guidrey to start for the Yankees in the seventh game. The two days of rest for travelling will allow Guidrey to have three days of rest between pitching assignments. With only three days to rest before the seventh game we will suggest he will need help in the sixth or seventh innings. That will come from Goose Gossage and Sparky Lyle. Gossage has shown plenty of smoke in his recent outings and this should continue against the Dodgers. He has a long winter ahead to rest his trusty right arm. While Jackson and Thurman Munson will likely provide most of the New York power at the plate look for heroics in the seventh game from fellows like Chris Chambliss, Graig Nettles and Willie Randolph who is expected back in the lineup soon. Contrary to last year’s World Series, the designated hitter rule will be effect for the 1978 fall classic as it was in 1976. This decision to alternate was made two years ago by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn to pacify the conflicting American and National leagues.. What this move really means is that pitchers are being “put down” as hitters although the National league has been strongly against the designated hitter rule since it was introduced by the american loop in 1973. While batting performances by pitchers in past World Series games have been somewhat* less than memorable, their exclusion robs the fall spectacle of an occasional unexpected star with the bat. The just concluded NL final was a good example of what can happen when pitcher Steve Carlton of the Phillies hit a home run. The fact is pitchers have played important roles with the bat in several Series. The most recent came in 1975 when Luis Tiant of the Red Sox touched off a six run rally against the Reds with a single after not having been at bat in three years. Who can forget the slugging of Oakland pitcher Ken Holtzmann in the 1973 and ’74 Series? Add to this list of distinguishing pitchers at the plate fellows like Bob Gibson, Dave McNally and Johnny Podres. Records of last year’s World Series when pitchers were allowed to hit are heavily in favour of the designated hitter. In 1977, the Yankee and Dodger pitchers produced only one hit in 28 times at bat. It was a single by Dodger Rick Rhoden in the fourth game, won by the Yankees. The most significant batting by pitchers in deter­ mining the outcome of a series was provided by the Dean brothers in 1934. The Deans were responsible for three of the four cardinal wins over the Tigers with their bats. The late Dizzy Dean doubled to start a four run sixth inning in the first game. In the seventh and final game, Dizzy led off the third inning of a scoreless game with a double to start a seven run rally. Before the inning was over, Dean came to bat for the second time and singled to drive in a run. He became the only pitcher ever to get two hits in the same inning of a Series game. Among all the pitchers only Bob Gibson and Dave McNally have hit two home runs in World Series play. We saw Gibson hit one of his in the ’68 Series against the Tigers. One of McNally’s came with the bases loaded in 1970 against the Reds. It must be admitted that pitchers have been no great shakes at the plate. All the same, the sentiment and memory of a few great exceptions requires that somebody speak up for a small band of heroes about to become obsolete. Harness horse seminar A one-day seminar, sponsored by the Ontario Standardbred Improvement Association will be held at the University of Guelph, November 11, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Speakers at the seminar include Jack Baugh, president of the United States Trotting Association and owner of Almahurst Farm in Lexington, Ken­ tucky. Baugh will speak on broodmare selection. Also, Dr. Jim Rooney, a veterinarian and frequent contributor to Hoof Beats magazine will discuss con­ formation as related to future lameness. Other speakers include John McCutcheson, manager of Apt-to-Acres Farm in New Jersey, who will look at the breeding farm and the broodmare owner, and Dr. J.P. Lautenslauger, of the Veterinary Service Branch of the University of Guelph, whose topic will be parasite control for the horseman. Tickets can be obtained by calling the Ontario Standardbred Improvement Association at 519-941- 1952. Cost of the day-long seminar is $25 per partici­ pant. Hensail hockey school Bill Taylor of the Hensall Minor Hockey association called this week to tell us his group is sponsoring a hockey school at the new Hensall arena in the near future. It’s Boom Gravett’s school and will be held the week of October 23-28. Each boy will get 10 hours of training. Registration will be held this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Junior gridders win, seniors defeated The two South Huron football teams turned in very lackadaisical performances in Huron-Perth Conference action this week but one team was able to win. The juniors came up with a close 7-6 win over Stratford Central, but, the local seniors lost 20-13 to the same school. Both games were played in Stratford. Despite the junior victory coach Doug Ellison com­ mented, “We had a poor attitude for the game. We felt it would be easy and did not play well. We gave Stratford a chance to win and they almost did.” Senior boach Ron Bogart had the same feeling saying, “It was a very disappointing performance. There was no desire to win. My “speech” at half-time had no effect this week.” Bogart concluded, “It was a poor showing on both of­ fence and defence. We just had no want to win.” In the junior game, Rick Lindenfield scored for the Panthers early in the second quarter on a 40 yard sweep. Rick Lindenfield kicked a single point for South Huron later in the same quarter. Stratford Central scored an unconverted touchdown late in the first half to complete the game scoring. Pete Tuckey of the Pan­ thers intercepted a pass late in the fourth quarter to throttle a promising Stratford scoring drive. CLUB CHAMP — Bob Forrest of thp Ironwood golf club mens executive presents the yearly trophy to club match play champion Jim Guenther. T-A photo Kirkton evens set Hawk prospects better WINS TENNIS TITLE — Randy Parsons of South Huron District High School capped a successful season of tennis as he took the men's single division in the Huron- Perth tennis championships held recently in Stratford. Parsons is the first competitor from South Huron to win a tennis championship. T-A.photo Seniors behind early Stratford Central jumped in front in the senior game with a 45 yard touchdown on the first series of plays. The only concerted Panther drive in the second quarter resulted in a touch­ down when Steve Beer took an 11 yard pass from quarterback Dave Bogart. Beer was good on the con­ version attempt. The second SH major score came in the third period when Brad Taylor plunged over the goal line from one yard out. The convert was missed. Stratford counted the go ahead and winning touch­ down late in the third quarter. The Panthers came close in the dying minutes of the game but were stopped on the Stratford three yard line when time ran out. The final championship round for the Western Ontario Athletic Association ladies fastball championship is all tied up at a game apiece between Kirkton and Goderich. The best-of-five series started’Tuesday in Kirkton with Goderich taking home a 7-5 victory. The situation was reversed in the lakeport town Sunday with the Kirkton gals winning by a score of 8-6. The third game was played last night, Wednesday in Kirkton. The remaining games will be played in Goderich. In Sunday’s game in Goderich, Pam Johnson rapped out a double for Kirkton in the fifth inning to gain two runs batted in and scored herself on a throwing error to put her club ahead 5- 4. Getting one hit apiece for the winners were Sue Schaefer, Sheila Penhale, Julianne MacLean and Patti Down. Kirkton hurlers allowed eight hits to the Goderich batters while striking out seven. In the first game of the series Goderich scored three times in the top of the seventh to go ahead 7-5. Kirkton loaded the bases in their half of the last inning but could not get any runs across the plate. Sheila Penhale led the Kirkton batting attack with a pair of hits. Collecting one hit each were Sue Schaefer, Rosemary Miller, Bonnie Westlake and Kelly Kernick. Patti Down went the distance on the Kirkton mound. She gave up nine hits and recorded the same number of strikeouts. After a rather shaky start when the status of several players was up in the air, the Exeter Hawks are starting to take shape and have drawn some optimistic comments from coach Ron Bogart. Last week, the OHA finalists had to cancel an exhibition game with Lucan due to a lack of players, but they’re expected to have a full lineup when they tackle the Wingham Mustangs in an exhibition test at the South Huron rec centre this Friday at 8:00 p.m. The teams have something in common, both having been beaten in seven-game series by the Lakefield Chiefs last year. The Hawks lost four members of that team through age, Brian Taylor, Brion Penhale, Matt Muller and Jim Ferguson. Another member of the team, Randy Fisher, has signed with the St. Marys Junior “B” Lincolns, while John VanGerwen is still undecided about playing. Among the encouraging news is that all-star goalie Randy Lovie is back with the team, having beer; sidelined early last season with a knee injury. “His reflexes look good,” Bogart commented, noting that with Steve Beer the goaltending should be one of the strong points for the Hawks. “They both look sharp,” Bogart enthused. Seeking spots on the defence are four returning members, league all-star Phil Knight, captain Steve Jennison, Ron Bilcke and Dave Kinsmen. Midget graduate Dave Atthill is the fifth contender. Veterans Ken Pinder, Fred Mommersteeg, Jamie Caldwell and Don McKellar are expected to spearhead the forward lines. Randy Parsons, a rookie last year, is currently on the sidelines with a knee injury. Another of the 77-78 rookies, Brad Taylor, is back in camp. Dave Bogart and Brian Mercer, who joined the Hawks for the playoffs, are seeking spots, although the latter is out with a broken wrist and will not see action until later in the season. Newcomers include Terry Caldwell, the Hensall skater who won rookie-of-the-year honors in the South Huron intermediate league last season after being the final cut from the Hawks. Others include Ken Varley and Steve Schenk from the Hensall-Kippen area and Kerry Bedard from Zurich. The Hawks host their perennial foes from Mitchell at the rec centre on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in their last test before meeting the Lucan Irish in the league opener on Friday, October 20. ★ * * “Life-line” can refer to safety equipment used over water or to a crease in the palm of your hand. The Ontario Safety League points out that “life-line” can also describe the solid line in the centre of the road that warns you not to pull out to pass on a curve or on a hill. Death has come swiftly to many reckless drivers who ignore these warning life-lines. Always obey all road markings I LADY GOLFERS ELECT — The executive of the Exeter golf and country club ladies division was named recently. 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