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Times-Advocate, 1988-03-23, Page 18Page 2A Times -Advocate, March 23, 1988 Sports Spotlight ,"-\ it �t.rt t, 1st„r t Nineteenth century Knepper It's hard to believe there are still guys like Houston Astros pitcher Bob Knepper around. It's harder still to believe that, if they are around, they're foolish enough to open their mouths. Last weak, after pitching a few innings with Pam Postcma, the only female umpire in profession- al baseball, Knepper came out against women calling the shots on the field. • The London Free Press reported Knepper as saying: "As far as her ability for umpiring, she seems. fine, but I don't think a woman should be an umpire.” His reasoning? Brace yourself. "I -have a belief that God hasin- tended man and woman to be dif- ferent," he said. "1 don't think women were created by God to be physical, hard persons. I think God created women to be femi- nine. "In God's society, woman. was created in a role of submission to her husband." Postcma, the female who in- spired Knepper's unbridled dribble, is currently working National League games during spring train- ing and she could possibly be in the Major League this season. The 34 -year-old umpire has bccn in the minors for 11 years, working at the Class AAA level. She umpired some spring training games in the American League in 1984 and 1985. Judging by comments from a few local ball players and um- pires, Knepper is so far off base, as it were, his opinions aren't worth a second glance. Janet Buchanan, coach of Exeter Greys Ladies Fastball team and part time umpire said Wednesday Postcma should be judged on her talents alone. "I believe that if she's as good as anybody else, shc certainly should be given a chance," Bucha- nan said. "Unfortunately, it docs take a long time (for women) to earn re- spect. We all go through this." Buchanan has managed to earn that respect in thc area. She has yet to run into a player with an attitude like Knepper's. When l asked if she thought ac- tion should be taken against Knepper for his comments, Bu- chanan noted that he'd "cooked his own goose". "Probably he's going to have a really small strike -zone when she umpires," she quips. Joan Club, an umpire who works an area men's slow -pitch league, took exception to Kncp- per's comment: "It's a physical thing." "There are no physical demands on a man or a woman to umpire a ball game," Club said. "Baseballs aren't too heavy -- I'm sure she (Postema) can carry them in her ball -bag as easily as a man can." Club attacked Knepper's com- ments about submission. "That's just for somebody who's too stu- pid to look after himself." Deb Lord, the Times -Advocate resident expert on women's fast - ball and pitcher for Crediton Cow- girls said Knepper's comments were coming straight out of the dark ages. "I've seen women umpires who arc just as capable, if not more ca- pable than men," Lord said. As a player, shc has run into men with bad attitudes about the female brand of the sport. "We have had some male um- pires in the past -- they've been younger, but they've come across as thinking women's baseball isn't as important as men's," Lord explained. "Women's baseball to women is as important as men's is to them." Should Postema be moved into the National League now, there will always be the question of her merit. Did she make it on the ba- sis of her talent or did she simply act as a valve for the pressure created by Knepper's comments? Her performance will tell, but it's tough to wipe away a stigma like that. Saddcr still is the fact that women umpires should draw such attention at all. It's as if half the planet is amazed that a woman can yell "play ball" as well as a man. And that in itself speaks volumes about the inequities in professional baseball. If Knepper had made such asi- nine statements about a specific race of women, he may well have been sent down thc path which Jimmy the Greek recently walked. I'm not sure he shouldn't go any- way. But I've got a better punishment for that sad Huston hurler: lock him in a very small room with all thc people he insulted and don't let him out until the ball season is over. ' Minor ball gets grant from Osborne council Keith Strang, president of Us - borne Minor Ball Association, at- tended the March 15 meeting of Us - borne township council to present the Association's 1988 budget and request a grant. Strang's presenta- tion was persuasive and council, which is also the Usborne township recreation committee, approved a 1988 grant of $1,250. Council accepted the verbal report on the road study and cost inventory analysis from Ken Dunn of the firm of B.M. Ross and Associates. Reeve Gerald Prout's report in- cluded a caution to township resi- dents about door-to-door vendors in the municipality who are rumoured to be offering free frying pans as a prelude to a sales pitch for vacuum cleaners. Prout brought up some corre- spondence he had received from the minister for senior citizens about nominations for individuals who - could be consideredaspossible re- cipients of a Senior Achievement Award. The clerk was.asked to ob- tain the nomination forms for con- sideration at the next meeting. Action on an application from Jim Pfaff for a minor variance was deferred in order to discuss the mat- ter with the building inspector at the next meeting. The. 1988 roads budget was re- viewed. Council recommended that salt brine to the extent deemed ap- propriate by the road superintendent be applied for dust control. The cutting and harvesting of trees from the Webber farm woodlot at part lot 25, concession 8, was approved. Deputy Reeve Margaret Hem will be registered to attend thc OSUM annual conference in Stratford. Legionnaires advance to Shamrock finals Exeter Legionnaires will advance to the Shamrock League Bantam fi- nal after defeating St. Marys 5-3 Wednesday in the league semi-final. Legionnaires gave St. Marys their first and last loss in the Shamrock league this season when they won Wednesday. It was the first time Le- gionnaires had beat St. Marys in four years. Legionnaires will meet their unknown opponents April 2 in Lucan. - Taking a 2-0 lead in the first period, Legionnaires never let St. Marys get close. Jamie Bedard scored from Steve Dubarry and Dave O'Connor just 1:09 into thc opening stanza. Joel Campbell added a goal after he connected with Tim Van Dam and Jeremy Mason at 6:05. Legionnaires carried that lead into the second and Dave O'Connor made it 3-0 just 43 seconds into the period. Harlen Tinney drew the lone assist. St. Marys got on thc board mid -way through the second, but that goal was countered early in thc third when Mark Burton scored from Dubarry and Van Dam. A second St. Marys goal was matched by Dave Dalrymple whcn he scored unassisted on an empty net with less than one minute left to play in the garne. Exeter Shuffle -board Meine Eizcnga scored 453 in five games to lead. Wednesday's mixed shuffleboard -action, pushing Harold Davis into second spot with 440. Third place went to Delmar Skin- ner who turned in a 419. In four games, Joe Gasar scored 361 to claim high scorc. Laverne • Stone came in second with 316 and Belva Rowe placed third with 311. - Mixed volleyball finaly set Thursday, Pearl McKnight cap- tured high score when she turned in 'a 507 in five games. Howard Johns with 480 andeRoss Marshall with 420 followed McKnight. In four games, Bruce Watson scorcd 328 to lead Gordon Hoggarth with 284 and Meine Eizcnga with 280. The Mixcd Volleyball League op - crated through the South Huron Rec. Centre will wind up its regular season with a tournament at South Huron District High School on Sat- urday, April 23. The eight team league has com- pleted 15 weeks of its 19 week schedule with the following results to date: Boozin' Buddies -192 pts., McCanns -115 pts., Greys -113 pts., Ausabie-Bayficld-111 pts., Teach- ers -97 pts., Dollies/Devils-91 pts., Hartmans-90 pts., Westlakes-31 f ts. KANAGIO CHAMPS -• Exeter Legionnaires won the Port Stanley Kanagio Bantam tourney on the weekend. `ack row, left, Ron Billke (coach), David Schwindt, Steve Dubarry, Geremy Mason, Jamie Bedard, Tim Van Dam, Harlen Tinney, Joel Campbell, Dennis Bierling (manager). Front row, left; David O'Connor, Mark Burton, Jason Clark, David Dalrymple, Todd McCann, Jason Hern. Burton notches nine points in 20-0 win en route to "A" championship victory Mark Burton scored seven goals and drew two assists in what must be one of the most lop -sided games in the history of local hock- ey. Burton was just one of a num- ber of multiple goal scorers in Ex- eter Legionnaires' 20-0 win over South London Bantams. Exeter went on to win the A final of the Port Stanley Kanagio Tour- nament after defeating Penetangui- shene 5-2. Legionnaires took an 11-0 lead in the first period of thcir second game in the tourney on the weekend -- enough scoring for two games. But they didn't let up in the second and by the start of the third, Legion- naires were ahead 17-a The Exeter tcam relaxed in the third, scoring only three more times. It is rumored that Exeter goalie Jason Clarke who earned the shut- out for Exeter, came close to nod- ding off several times over the course of the game. Other goal scorers in the effort were: David Schwindt, Jason Hern (2), Steve Dubarry (2), Todd McCann, Tim Van Dam (2), Dave balrymplc Jamie Bedard (2), and Dave O' nnor (2). The wasn't a single penalty call in the game. Legionnaires pulled out a 5-4 win over Hagersville in game one of the tourney. Exeter goals were scored by Schwindt, Van -Dam, Jeremy Ma- son, Harlen Tinney and Dubarry. Joel Campbell was credited with three assists in the effort. Those wins carried Legionnaires a berth in the A semi-final against Delhi. After playing through a scoreless first period, goals by Tinney and Van Dam gave Exeter a 2-0 Icad. Delhi responded early in the third and then Dalrymple scored from Mason and Tinney to- restore Le- gionnaires' two goal lead. Delhi was persistent however, scoring .again to bring the two teams with- in one goal. McCann, Dubarry and Schwindt each scorcd third period goals to put the game out of reach for Delhi. Legionnaires faced Pcaciangui shene in the championship fin ' and came away with a 5-2 win a;,; the trophy. Neither team was able to 'r-' in the first period, but Exeter t.. ., 2-0 lead in the second on mak t, Dubarry and Schwindt. Penetanguishene tied ,the gam, early in the third but by 7:04, O'Connor connected with Tinney to score Exeter's go-ahead goal. Jason Hern and Schwindt added third period goals to give Legion- naires some insurance. • The tournament will be an A, B round robin starting at 9:00 a.m. on the 23rd and spectators wishing to see some volleyball action arc wel- come to attend. Prizes for the league have been donated by local business. Your easy answer to All -Season Home Comfort is NO! NO Payments Till Oct '88!' NO Down Payment!* NQ Interest Charges!' A modern natural gas furnace and central air package is your easiest, most eco- nomical way to all -season home comfort. 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