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SPORTS Page 7B James Cuthbertson Post Sports Writer Politics Taking Fun Out Of PGA Do you like to watch a good game of basketball? Do you like to play basketball? There is an event for you! Charlotte 3 on 3 returns to the streets around Marshall Park on August 19 and 20. Now is the time to get Involved. If you want to play, you can save money by getting your team's application in by June 23 Final deadline for team registration is July 14. Ap plications are available at all Charlotte area Wendy's and YMCA locations or by calling 549-4882. Volunteers Eire sdso needed to help stage the event. If you wish to volunteer caU 365-2861. By BOB JOHNSON Post Sports Writer The Charlotte Post is begin ning a new sports item titled "Golfer of the Week" Profile. We are proud to have as our first golfer Charlie Sifford. A Day In The Life Of NBA Pro-Am Once confined to the winner, Nalsmlth's sport of basketball is now a year round thing for the profession's, the collegians and the amateurs. Brayboy Gymnasium is an Imposing structure nestled tn the wooded south campus area of Johnson C. Smith University and has been home to several outstanding Golden Bull victo ries. During the summer, it used to be deserted and looked like a lonely person in search of friends. Thanks to the NBA Pro-Am League organized by Bill Shel ton, its summers are now filled with the exciting sound of bouncing basketballs. The activity begins at 1:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and lasts untU 9 p.m. In the center of the gym, a red and white sing with a Coke in signia and white stripes served as the host for the event, "Welcome NBA fans." Dressed in maroon an white, Phillip Morris, one of the league's best teams and led by Charlotte superstar collegians Dante Johnson, Eric Boyd, Jeff Ervin and Byron Dinkins, were playing a black and white-clad Spartanburg team led by Charlotte superstar collegians Keith Greene and Donald Sim mons. Coaching the black and white team was Johnson C. Smith University Ed "Buc" Joyner. This game was typici of most of the games to be played in the gym this summer. With 2:14 left in the third quarter, the score was tied 65 all. Buc was watching the clock and pacing nervously as his team went ahead 71-67. Keith Greene, the turnaround jumper put Spartanburg up. Greene got called for a charge, attempting to make another basket. "The referee looks like Stevie Wonder," said coach Buc. With the nip and tuck game winding down, his team behind 88-85, coach "Buc" gave some instructions to his team and with a few hand claps sent his troubadours back on the court for the battle. It's basketball at its best. It is pure excitement at the NBA Pro-Am Summer Basketball League in historic Brayboy. Ahead by three at the 4:20 second mark, Dinkins drove the lane and drew a foul. The first free throw was good. "Hit it Dink (Dinkins)." "That's it." Dinkins sank the second free throw. Raymond Lawson hit a basket with 3:18 left to pull Spartan burg to within three at 90-87. Donald Simmons hit two with 1:49 left to put Spartanburg, who had fought back from a deficit, to a 93-90 lead. It lasted eight second as Boyd came down and pumped in a three point er to tie the score at 93-93 with 1:41 left. Boyd hit a two pointer at 1:09 and put Phillip Morris up by a 95-93 mark. Lawson tied the score at 95 all with 55 seconds left. Dinkins missed on drive and Smith rebounded. Thirty-one seconds left! "You don't want to give up a three pointer. It's thirty one sec onds left. You want to play good, tough and hard defense. All we need is a two pointer. Take it Inside. No fouls. Understand what we are talking about - defense." Those encouraging words came from Coach Buc. Johnson laid it in to make it 97-95 as Spartanburg prepared for the final shot. Coach Jo5mer did not like the way the team was responding to the setup by point guard Jimmy Brown and Coach Buc summoned them to the bench. An errant pass and the Maroon Phillip Morris team was headed down the court with a two point lead. Take your lottery ticket. Three points or two. Maroon or Black. It had come down to this. Someone had to win. A foul and Boyd went to the line. Seven seconds left. Boyd made the first one. It was 98-95. The announcer gave play by play. "The second shot was no good." "Coach Buc, we still have a chance to win." The team with the lead in the later stages of the game is usu ally the first one back on the court and so it was with the Ma roon. This would go down to the last shot. Could the Black win it? Would the Maroon prevail? Lawson took the three pointer and missed. A tip in went in for the final 98-97 score. Spartanburg needed a three. They got a two. I was EXCITING. It was the NBA Pro-Am Basketball League action at Johnson C. Smith University. You couldn't see much better basketball. The Hornet s are even represented by Damon's, the Place for Ribs. Tyrone "Mugsy" Bogues, Earl Cureton, Dell Curry, Tim Kempton, Sidney Lowe, Robert Reid, and Brian Rowsom all play on the team. Come out to the Golden Bulls Palace and enjoy yourself. Three-On-Three Signups Are On Charlie Sifford, the legendary pro golfer from Charlotte, was in town recently visiting his sick brother, Frazier. While he was here this reporter had an oppor tunity to chat with htm. Our Informsd conversation was supported and sometimes en hanced by the NBA draft, that drew attention to the TV screen in the lounge of the McDonald's Inn, where Sifford was staying. Watching the NBA draft wasn't by chance because Charlie is an avid sports fan, and pro basket- bsdl just happens to be one of his favorites. When he's not playing golf, he's in an arena somewhere watching blocked shots, three pointers and slam dunks. The 67-year-old pro started playing golf while caddying at Charlotte Country Club. He con tinued to develop his gsime and became feared by local golfers with his precision shot making and accurate putting. Armed with dedication, determination Eind a good gstme, he moved on to the pro ranks. The pro tours (regular and seniors) have ena bled Charlie to amass over $1 million. However, it has not been an easy road. According to Sifford, the politics of the PGA Tour has kept him out of a lot of satellite money making events, and has taken the fun out of the geime. Chsirlle is invited to two or three pro-am events a year out of 25 or more. Pro-am matches are held on Mondays and are spon sored by golf courses and major firms. The pros can pick up an easy $3 - $5,000 during these events. Merrill Lynch, a compa ny that Charlie has Invested about $500,000 in, says Charlie, sponsors 15 to 20 shoot outs a year. These events have not been opened to Sifford, and they too offer easy side money to the players. Charlie's talents and ef forts made his money. The tours have just been the vehicles used. The politics of the game, that seem to not favor black players. will probably cause Charlie to hang up his gloves in about two or three years. Sifford spoke candidly about some of the other black players of the game. He has tremendous admiration and respect for Jim Dent, who recently joined the senior circuit. Says Charlie, "Dent should do well on this tour because he never stopped play ing golf. He played on all the satellite tours keeping his game sharp." The Senior Tour is comprised of players 50 years old sind old er. Charlie hopes that James Black, another Charlottean with the talent to make money on tlie Seniors Tour is continuing to play. Pete Brown, he says, man ages a golf course in Dayton, Ohio. Calvin Peete has the abffl- ty to make money on the older men's tour, however, with his current back problems; and by the time he reaches 50, the tour will be much larger - both may hamper his chances. "A general misconception of the Seniors Tour is that it is ea.sy," says Sifford. "It Is not, though. You have to have a gEime to be successful." Seventy-two players tee-up for each senior event. There are four or f!ve qualifying spots each week, filled from a field of about 200 players. The rest Eire exempt for various reasons: 1) They must be one of the Eill time money winners on tour. 2) They may have won the previous year's tournament. 3) They may rank among the top 28 golfers. 4) Eight are chosen from the tour school based on pierformEince. 5) Four are sponsored. The Senior tour is a grind just like the regu lar tour, and both take talent and serious dedication. At this writing, Charlie is in Concord, Massachusetts play ing in the Digital Classic. Charlie presently resides in Klngswood, Texas. The Charlotte Post is interested in profiling local golfers for our golfing series. To be included, please call Bob Johnson at 376- 0496 to EUTEinge for a photo ses sion and more information on your game. Golfer of the Week Profile Name Charles Sifford Age 67 Years Plaved 50 Yoars dubs Used Wilson Balls Used Titleist, Wilson, Dunlop No. of Tournaments unknown Favorite Tournament Mutual Lifo ins. Loqions Favorite Golf Best 18-Hole Score 63 - L. A. Open (eventual winner) Last Tournament Performance 77, 75, 69 Syracuse Sr. Classic Last Match Performance Golf Tlv Start young with proper fundamentals preferably in junior high and high school. iinnimi'piiiiii ijn iiM!yi!r^flr'’||[][]iif''f Former Wimbledon tuid U.S. Open champion Al thea Gibson celebrates the opening of the na tional paddle tennis championships to New York with Lou Belcher of Miller Brewing (left) and Steve Farhood (center), the tournament di rector. Triple County Baseball Updates By BOB JOHNSON Post Sports Writer The Charlotte Red Birds im proved their standing in the Triple county Baseball League recently with wins over the Queen City Rangers and the Newton/ConoverTvvins. Chris Calloway, allowing six hits in 4-1/3 innings, was the winning pitcher against the Rangers. Rick Carelock picked up the save, allowing three hits in 4-2/3 innings. The pitchers were helped at the plate by par- rin Hart who connected on two singles and a triple: Mike Peake, Rick Carelock and CEilvIn Smith with two hits each. The outstanding play of the game, Emd of the season, was a rarely turned triple play. The Rangers had the bases loaded in the seventh inning when Leary Herron grounded to third base where DEirrin Hart backhanded the ball, stepped on the bag. then threw to second where Csd- vln Smith flipped a strike to first baseman Mike Peake. The flnEil score was 8-4. In the second gEune, the Red Birds knocked off the Newton Conover Twins behind the pitch ing of Alfreda Molina (5-0), and the hitting of Mike Peake, Mike Smith and Gerald Patton. The flnsd score was 11-6. The Red Birds are now 11-9 with five consecutive victories. Barons Open First Football Camp From Staff Reports The Charlotte Barons of the Minor League Football System are preparing for their initial season with the opening of training camp. The camp, which opened July 1, stressed contact drills and conditioning along with imple menting the play system. The July camp is the first op portunity for the coaches to See BARONS On Page SB Torres Writes To Mike Tyson From Staff Reports NEW YORK--"Champlons come and go," commented for mer light-heavyweight boxing champion Jose Torres, who be lieves that the emotional tur moil experienced recently by heavyweight champion Mike Ty son has left "dangerous" wounds that could mean the end of his "I'm not saying you should quit, Mike, not by any means," Torres wrote in an open letter to lyson, which will be published Sunday in Parade magazine. "But you've got to guard against those small wounds." Torres, who has known Tyson since he was 12 years old, as serted, "I believe the ballyhoo surrounding your betrothal to Robin Givens, the marriage and the divorce, your troubles with Emd break from the people who helped you from the start, and your new relationship with Don King, the promoter, have all left small wounds in your psyche. And those wounds are danger ous." Emphasizing that Tyson should concentrate on his craft Emd not let himself be controlled by his promoter, Torres advised him to get a good lawyer. "Let King be your promoter," he declared, "Emd you stick to box ing, but get a lawyer to make sure you don't get taken." Torres, whose recently re leased book, "Fire and Fear" created a sensation, said it has become difficult for the two to spieak. "I wish we could sit down somewhere and have some lunch and talk about the past Emd, especlEdly, the future. ...I know you're smart enough to get back on the track, and I believe you will."
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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July 6, 1989, edition 1
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