Page Four
The Pendulum
September 9, i97g
Spor,ts
Gary F. Spitler, Sports Editor
Fighting Christian football squad
opens 1976 season Saturday in Norfolk
by Gary Spitler
Sports Editor
The Fightin' Christians of
Elon College will open the 1976
football season this Saturday in
Norfolk, Va. against the
Spartans of Norfolk State. Last
year the squad fell to Norfolk
33-31 and compiled a
disappointing 5-6 record. This
year will not be a repeat.
"We accomplished more this
spring in spring practice than
any group since I've been at
Elon," commented head Coach
S.S. "Red’’ Wilson. "All the
players came out with a good
attitude, and that attitude has
carried over to the fall squad,"
But it takes more than just
attitude and determination.
But the Christians have that
also. Experience and athletic
abilities cem be seen as the
Christians ready themselves for
Saturdays opener. Two capable
and strong leaders have been
chosen as the co-captains —
Prince Deese and Ricky
Locklear. Both have played for
Elon over the past years and
according to Coach Wilson,
'They couldn't have picked any
finer players."
Coaches Clayton Johnson,
Jerry Tolley, Mickey Brown,
and Don Kelly have all been
drilling their squads and things
are looking up for the success of
these squads.
Some of the top returnees are
runningbacks Howard
Ferguson, Prince Deese, and
Kenny Washington. Offensive
tackle Bob Craig is expected to
pour it on this season. Two
defensive tackles with
enormous abilities return with
Ricky Locklear and Randy
Oxendine. Other returning are
center Jeff MacKenzie,
defensive ends Jo Gro and Eddie
Foust, and linebackers Mark
Heil.
The Christians have several
good transfers in Billy Murpy,
Don Mackey, Alan Roberson,
James Riddle, and Randy
Smith. The defensive line,
linebackers, and defensive ends
are among the best and for this
reason the Christians of Elon
College have been picked as
co-favorites with the Lenoir
Rhyne Bears for the second
SAC-8 title. This is the second
year of the South Atlantic
Conference.
Students Activities Office offers new
game room, other amusements
The Student Activities Office
announces the re-opening of a
unique game room. On second
floor of Long Student Center,
students can relax for awhile
away from the books.
Among the games available
are pinball, footsball, table
tennis, ping pong, as well as
pool.
So, as it was said in an earlier
Student Union Board
publication, "An Introduction to
Elon College," the student
center is for YOU. 'The Student
Union is a place to: unwind,
have fun shooting a game of
pool or playing pinball, make
decisions, belong, talk to people,
gripe, enjoy the arts, get help,
give help, be a leader, find out
what's going on, mix with
Elon College will go into action this Saturday in their 1976
season opener. (News Bureau Photo)
Miss Lackey plans full slate
of events starting now
Intramurals will be in full
swing this year with the new
Miss Julia Ann (Julie) Lackey
at the head of the year's
activities. Miss Lackey received
her B.A. and M.A.T. from
UNC-Chapel Hill and will serve
as assistant co-ordinator of
student activities while at Elon.
She will also be in charge of the
intramural program. Yes, that's
right guys, she will head the
intramural program.
Anyone interested in
officiating touch football should
contact the intramural office
between 12 noon and 9 p.m.
Monday through Friday. If
interested, you should also
attend the meeting to be held in
the new gym classroom Sept. 15.
The following are additional
announcements of the
intramural office; There will be
a team managers meeting at 7
p.m. on Sept. 15, and there will
also be a football officials
meeting at 8 p.m. on Sept. 15.
On Sept. 16 there will be a
meeting of the intramural
council at 7:30 p.m., all being
held in the new gym classroom.
For further information,
contact the intramural office at
Ext. 398 between the hours of
12 noon and 9 p.m.
; NOTICE *
* Anyone interested in writing sports news this year is urged to *
« contact Gary Spitler, sports editor, as soon as possible. He can be *
reached at Ext. 346 on Campus Box 5349. J
* Students are urged to send in information which would be of *
* interest to the college community. Items may also be submitted i
J to Box 5349. ♦
* Students may join others to get an educational experience ♦
« outside the classroom by writing Elon College sports. {
*
Coach Jerry Tolley, one of the assistant coaches of the
gridders, stops a busy day of practice to introduce the 197b
co-captains. This year Prince Deese and Ricky Locklear will
serve as the team leaders. (News Bureau Photo)
Elon summer baseball
team finishes in fifth
faculty, administration, and
other students, snack, buy stuff,
receive health care, discover
what people are like at their
worst and best, study, rest,
check the mail, attend
meetings, chat with SGA
officers, see the campus
ministers, watch television, kill
time, vote, raise money, ask for
information, compete in a
tournament, talk about
personal concerns, be yourself,
reserve a room, meet someone
new, find a foursome for rummy
and get ready for the next
challenge."
Meet your new
cheerleaders
The 1976-77 cheerleading
squ^ will be boosting Elon
College this Saturday as the
Christians battle the Spartans
of Norfolk State in Virginia.
The cheerleading squad is
made up of: Catherine Watkins,
Kathleen Butler, Gwendolyn
Crawford, Karon DeClark, Eve
Donahue, Christy Jones, Lynn
Nessett, Barry Staton, Larry
Swanson, Ann Washburn, and
Mary Womber. The new adviser
for the spirited group is Coach
Barbara Yarborough.
Students are urged to support
the teams this year and join
with the 76 cheerleaders to
boost Elon College to many
victories this year.
1976
ELON COLLEGE
"Fighting Christians"
Sept. 11 Norfolk State 1:30
Sept. 18* . . . . Liberty Baptist 7:30
Sept. 25 Lockhoven 1:30
O'*- 2t Mors Hill 2:00
. Wofford 2:00 (Homecoming)
Oct. 16t* Presbyterian 7:30
23t Catawba 2:00
30f Gardner Webb 7:30
Nov. 6t* Newberry 2:00
Nov. 13t Lenoir Rhyne 2:00
Nov. 20|* . . Corson-Newmon 2:00
*Home Games
tConference Games
by Gary Spitler
Sports Editor
The Fightin' Christians
participated in the N.C.
Collegiate Summer League last
summer for the first time. The
Elon squad headed off the
second loop finishing in fifth
place with a 19-23 record.
UNC-Chapel Hill, who went on
to claim the '76 crown,
Methodist, Louisburg, and East
Carolina advanced to the
playoffs in early August. The
Christians, leading the league
in hitting all year, finished
ahead of UNC-Wilmington,
Campbell and Atlantic
Christian.
The diamonders gained
experience in the summer
program which should prove
helpful this spring in
conference action. The Elon
squad will meet such teams this
spring as N.C. State,
UNC-Chapel Hill, Wake Forest,
William and Mary, East
Carolina, Duke,
UNC-Wilmington, Old
Dominion, Randolph-Macon
and others as well as the
conference opponents. The
40-game schedule will be tough
for the Christians, but the depth
and experience gained from the
summer season should prove
beneficial.
Leaders on the summer team
resembled those of the '76
spring squad. Catcher Tommy
Vaughn slugged a .358 while
collecting ten doubles, two
triples, and contributing 17
RBI’s. He was followed by
Catcher Charlie Gamble who
batted a .342 and led the RBI
department with 24. Louisburg
transfer Kelly Miller finished
third in the batting department,
knocking a .316, having three
doubles and two triples. The
team ended up batting a swft
.282, which led all the summer
league teams.
The pitchers were also tops in
the stats which found Ronnie
Johnson leading in the ERA's
with a 2.00. Johnson was hurt
not in hits but walks. The Elon
College native gave up only 36
hits in 68 innings pitched, but
walked 79 which contributed to
his 1-7 record. Sophomore Lee j
Baldwin followed Johnson with ,
a 2.05 ERA and was the !
winningest pitcher on the team
with a 5-3 slate. Baldwin i
appeared in more games than
any other pitcher to lead that
department, which accounted
for his 75 innings pitched,
Baldwin's last win was a big
victory over the UNC
'Tarheels" when Elon won 7-3
in their final game.
Pennsylvania native Lou
W'illiams ended the summer
campaign with a 6-6 mark and
a 2.53 ERA. Williams led in
strike outs for the Christians
having 91 in his 79 innings
hurling. The pitching squad
finished the summer season
with a 3.28 ERA giving up 123
earned nins out of 215.
Head Coach Bobby Jones and
the entire summer squad
worked hard and traveled more
than ever before. This summer
experience should make Elon a
strong conference contender tor
the 1977 crown in the spring.
N.C. Summer Baseball League
Final Regular Season Standings
W
L
Pet
GB
1. UNC-Chapel Hill
30
12
.714
2. Louisburg
28
14
.666
2
3. Methodist
25
16
.609
4‘/ii
4. East Carolina
23
17
.560
6
5. ELON COLLEGE
19
23
.452
11
6. UNC-Wilmington
17
24
.414
12^4
7. Atlantic Christian
13
29
.309
17
8. Campbell
11
31
.261
19
Coach S.S. "Red” WUson will take his Fighting Christiansifl"
action TfflS SATURDAY in Norfolk, Va. against the
of Norfolk State. This is Wilson’s tenth year as Elon s ne
football coach, (Nevk^s Bureau Photo)