Tuesday, Jure 18, 18T»~M1KK0K IIRKALD-Page I edoH came after ilayed •edto In the hThe ouree, leen a ire 10* wBob d Tim re-aU Mroee 1 that e late Autry I been : have I Oem fUme ng the ioach” But It lat ha tar aa id. But , part ly put movle- really la an- , whan eranee I and u the I them Mental Mtance 1 treat- .ma are private [enclea nta ap- . Chief, Mental balance 1 treat- tma are private ;enclea nta ap- , Chief, Mental balance Ulabury KMHS Coach Named Best In SWC 1 * Season Of Valleys And Peaks For Barry Gibson $1 if V. BARRY (;iBSOS.SWr. Coach Of The Year By GARY STEWART Sports Editor The 1979 baseball season Is I lie Kings Mountain K":»h Coach Barry Gibson n't soon forget. He went tlirough a lot of emotional depths and heights and, fortunately, the end result Is a lot of heights. Gibson, who coached the season and second place In the highly competitive Southwestern 3-A Con ference, saw his wife, Susan, through several months of struggle with cancer and the fears of that dreaded disease In Itself Is enough to make most people break under the pressure. With the aid of his capable assistant coach. Bud Bumgardner, and the desire of a bunch of dedicated ballplayers, the Mountaineers enjoyed one of their best seasons under Gibson, but another low point came In the final game of the SWC cham pionship series with East Gaston when the Wsurlors came from three runs down to take the cham- Gamble Wins In Playoff ¥ n Mi ■H ■SA; nr Mi!.-?'-'.'-' - - ■ ■ ■ ■ ^ -- * JOHNNY CAMRLK... KMVA] Invitational plonshlp away from the KM nine. Now, things are going fine, though, for the former lefthand pitcher. Hla wife’s battle with cancer Is hopefully over, and the disappointments of losing the baseball title have dimmed with Gibson’s being voted the SWC Coach of the Yeeu*. Tt*?: ths fhirs* t?mr nihsnrs has been voted the honor by his peers. He won it In 197S, when he coached his team to a 14-4 record and the SWC title, and again In '76, when his Mountaineers unexpectedly made the SWC playoffs before bowing to eventual champion Eut Rutherford in a three-geune series. Gibson has won the coach of the year award more than any other coach In the SWC. “I really don’t know what to say,” ssiid Gibson, when Informed he had been chosen for the honor. "It’s an honor to be named by your fellow coaches. It would have been a whole lot sweeter If we’d won the conference.” Gibson’s Mountaineers were 3-0 early In the season when Susan had to enter Duke University Hospital for surgery for malignant tumors In her gall bladder. When Gibson returned almost two weeks later, the Mountles were S-2 and In fourth place In the five- team Eastern Division race, Gibson feels Bumgard- together during that four- game stretch wasa big key In the Mountaineers’ climb back Into the playoffs. The Mountles went on to tie East Gaston for first place In the final regular season standings. "Bud did an outstanding Job,” noted Gibson. "It's no easy Job to step In and take over like that. ’There was a lot of pressure on him at that time. "Bud has always been a big help,” he went on. “He’s as much a part of coaching the team as I am. We do It as tesunwork. He’s an Invaluable asset. “Of course,” he added, "It’s like the old saying. You can’t win the race If you don’t have the horse. And we had some real good ballplayers. That’s why we had such a fine team. The players had a tremendous attitude. We Just come up a little short at the end of the year. "Won-lost records and winning championships Is not the end result to me,” he continued. "I feel like If I can help make young men out of boys, I will have T’rr; really not that concerned about my record.” Gibson said he accepted his pressures this year as a "part of life. I accepted It and we came through It real good," he said. "The last report we got was that they got all of the cancer. Susan’s healthy as a horse again.” Taking one more look at his coach of the year award, Gibson said, "I still can’t believe It. I thought Jim Benfleld at North Gaston did a heck of a Job turning that school’s program around and, of course, Jerry Adams did a good Job over at East Gaston.” Gibson said his only disappointment In the outcome of the coach and player of the year voting was that KM's Tim Leach finished second to Bast Gaston’s Freddie Petty In the player of the year. "Petty Is a real fine pitcher,” said Gibson, "and I’m not taking anything away from him. But Tim Leach Is still my player of the year.” Leach had a 9-3 record and 104 *-v.jj j. Conference for the second year In a row. Other players and coaches of the year for the spring sports Included; BOYS TRACK-Glenn Sparrow, South Point, player; Butch Adams, South Point, coach. GIRLS TRACK-Tracl Dewberry, Chase, player; Joan Robbins, Chase, coach. SOFTBALL-Gina Miller, North Gaston, player; Dean McElrath, East Rutherford, coach. BOYS TENNIS-Andy Wilkinson, Shelby, player; Rod RudislU, South Point, coach. GOLF-Jeff Barnard, R- S Central, player; Frank Goode, R S Central, coach. - V Johnny Gamble blrdled the first hole of a sudden death playoff Sunday to win the Kings Mountain Country Club Invitational Golf Tournament. Gamble. Stoney Jackson and Tommy Stines tied with scores of 113 following the 27 h'les of regulation plrt '.e tourney was decreased to 27 holes after half of Saturday’s opening round was rained out. Gamble hit his approach . shot to within two feet of ' the par five number one hole In sudden death. That gave him an easy birdie putt to clinch the first place trophy. Wayne Rogers finished fourth at 114. John Howze won the championship B flight with a 118, followed by Vince Oarpener 122, Guy Trout 124 and Jim Stewart 126. Robert Edgerton fired a 119 to win the first flight. Gary Marshall was second at 121, followed hy Burton Sweet 124 and Mark Cboper 126. Darrell Austin Jr. won the second flight with a 124, followed by 1-arrj' Dunn 125, Cookie Stewart 126, and Charlie Wilson 129. Scott Cloninger’s 128 took third flight honors, folllowed by Jess Mitchell 129. Derrlc Crumbley 130 and Jeff Shockley 131. Russell Plnkleton took the fourth flight In a playoff after he and Mike Dixon fired 136 each. Fred Sisk had a 138 and took third In a playoff over Ned Cooper. ifo4"r *009 GIFT—Qnay Moss, center left, of the Grover Uons Club presents s check for ISOO to Fat Canlpe, president of the Grover Dixie Youth League, prior to a Orioles Cop First Victory league doubleheader Tuesday night at Harry Park la Grover. Looking on are coaches and players from the Lions Club team. The Kings Mountain Orioles won their first game of the Senior Babe Ruth League season ’Riursday night at Lan caster Field, defeating previously unbeaten BDF Construction 2-1 on a two- run homer by David Cobb. Cobb’s homer was one of only two hits off Jeff Clonlnger. Cobb was also the winning pitcher, hurling a three-hitter and fanning 11. The Redlegs won their other three games during the week to run their Playground Program Set Sun.-Thurs. 10-10 Fri. & Sat 10^11 WEDNESDAY DNLY SALAD DAR ALL YOU CAN EAT M.59 .Salad Bar - All You Can Eat With Regular Meal - 79* s 01 (^*“""’■”111111(11 100 WEST KING ST KINGS MT.,-U.C. PH.739-3501 The Kings Mountain Parks and Recreation Dept, will offer a struc tured playground program for children ages 6-12 this summer. ’There will be two locations for the program: Davidson Park and Deal Street Park. The time will be 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon In both parks. There will be three divisions of competition: ages 6-8, 9-10, and 11-12. Boys will compete against boys and girls against girls. A few of the events are: softball, soccer, kick- ball, basketball, track and field events, eraser races,and obstacle course. Small events tournaments Include: marbles, checkers, dominos. Otlier events are sack race, three leg race, arm wrestling, and many others. There will be ribbons given for first, second and third place. The point system will be used. First place winner receives five points, second place - three points, and third place • one point. At the end of the program special awards will be given. Awards will be based on the total number of points the child received during the entire program. Each child must register for the program. Registration will be held at Davidson Park on June 20- 23, and at Deal Street on June 21-24. Hours of Registration are 1-6 p.m. ’nils program begins on June 26 at Davidson and June 27 at Deal Street. It will run the entire sum mer. Fee Is $6.00 per child, tor the summer, payable at registration. record to 6-1, one-half game behind undefeated Burns. David Ray Robinson hurled a flve-hltter as the Reds whipped the Dodgers 9-1. He walked three and struck out 12. Mike Dover was the losing pitcher. Jimmy Chapman had three hits and Robinson, Clonlnger and Bryon White two each for the Reds. David Bolton was 2-for-4 for the Dodgers. Todd Blalock hurled a flve-hltter as the Redlegs whipped East Lincoln 16-8. Jimmy Hall was 8-for-4 and Jim Chapman, Ricky Chapman and Mark Schuman had two hits each. One of Schuman’s was a home run. Robinson hurled four strong innings of relief as the Redlega edged ’Tryon 6- 6. He came on In the fifth In relief of Jody Deaton and gave up only one hit the rest of the way. Schuman led the hitting with 2-for-8. ’The Babe Ruth district tournaments for the 13 year olds and 14-16 year olds will be played July 8- 11. All-star teams for KM, Belmont and Gastonia will play for the right to go to the area tournament In Iflckory beginning July 12. BR STANDINGS ’Teams W U Burns 6 0 Redlegs 6 I E. Lincoln 4 2 Dodgers 3 6 Orioles 1 6 P ALMER REFINISHINO AND ANTIQUES . Let us repair or reflnlsh your old furniture at fair price. Our years of experience makes the dlff^ence. We also have a variety of good antiques In onr shop. We buy —sell—or trade. Remember antiques-are a good Investment. Also see us about your upholstery needs. ^ bring In your furniture for a free esttmateT Hwy. 74 West 1/2 Mile From City Limits Phone 7S9-8S90 asflii asked Poff, LASAGNE NIGHT WEDNESDAY ISO 5:30-8:30 P.M. ALL YOU CAN EAT! IN ADDITION DINE IN OR CARRY OUT UNIIMITED VARIETY OF TRUE; ITILIAN PIZZA SPAGHETTI CAVARNI SALAD BAR GOT PHONE AHEAD-READY IN 20 MINUTES VI22AW Of Kings Mtn. Hwy. 74 W. 739-4436

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