April 7, 1977 — THE GRYPHON Page Nine
Sporting Views
By Clifton Barnes
With two fine football coaches, Phil Harris and Shelton Chesson,
leaving us it’s time we looked to other school systems for mentors.
Jim Clack, Pittsburgh Steeler, once told me that when he was here
the coaches staff was on par with the pros. Coach Trevathon, Coach
Carpenter, where are you now that we need you?
The track team hosted its first track meet in two years a couple of
weeks ago. The Thinclads were impressive. We lost. But we
finished first on many events. The shot put was putted the farthest
by Gryphon Bob Harris. Richard Oxendine, Oie Ostercamp, and
Juluis Jones ran tremendously in the track events. The number of
track men increased from six last year to some 30-odd players this
year. Well. . . maybe just 15 of’em are odd.
Rumors have it that a local school is trying to recruit Gryphon
players for football. It is said they are promising the cost to go
there. I hope no players go but most of all I hope we don’t try to get
any of their’s.
The tennis and baseball teams are now riding on the bus together
to out of town games. There’s a little playful poking between the
squads when such scholarly things are said as “You Tennis
Twinkle,” “You Baseball Baby.” But when all joking between
teams are put aside . . . it’s every man for himself.
The girl’s softball team has won a few games so far this season.
Maybe one reason for the success is the lack of boys. Some girls’
team field boys that play the sport. There’s nothing wrong with that
except they sit on the bench. Some members of the Lady Gryphs
say that the boys who play are “flakey.”
The quote of the month, even though not a sports quote, has to
come from Billy Carroll when he said, “Who cares about apathy.”
What a quote that would be from Oakland A’s owner Charley
Finley.
Who’s laughing at my NCAA predictions now? Well, they weren’t
bad. The two Carolina teams, UNC and UNC-C did well just to win
the first and second rounds and now look where they ended up.
These aren’t just two teams from the same state, they’re from the
same system. Incredible! Spectacular! Tired of hearing about it.
Pick one. I pick the latter.
maybe could) turn out.
AL EAST
ALWEST
Boston
Kansas City
New York
California
Cleveland
Texas
Baltimore
Oakland
Milwaukee
Chicago
Detroit
Minnesota
Toronto
Seattle
NL EAST
NLWEST
Philadelphia
Los Angeles
St. Louis
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
San Diego
New York
Atlanta
Montreal
San Fran
Chicago
Houston
Walker-Ross
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MIKE UPCHURCH STOPS A RUN — Mike, a catcher for the Gryphons prepares himself for a head on
collision with a Jacket runner. The Gryphons, led by the pitching of Jess Eberdt and Linden Willis
beat Roanoke Rapids 4-0.
Gryphons Open Season
Well it’s time for baseball again. The Reds are dead, but the Red
Sox should take it all. Here’s a look at the way they should (or
Due to the threat of bodily injury I have reconsidered and am now
willing to let Keith King, John Smith, and Robby Noble express
their opinions on the NBA champion. Keith says — Los Angeles will
win. Impossible. John says Denver will win. They won’t. Robby
says Philadelphia. I doubt it. I’ll stick with the Boston Celtics. How
was that guys?
RIM vs Garner
The Gryphons opened their
baseball season with a narrow
victory over the Garner Trojans
4-3.
For the first five innings
pitcher Phillip Bunn held off the
persistent Trojans before
retiring in the fifth to Lee
Cooper. Cooper fought off the
Trojan rally allowing them to
score three runs in the last
inning.
The Gryphons’ scoring came
in the fourth inning. Bob Horne
walked and ran to third on Dee
Whitley’s single. Wendell
Wright’s fly ball scored Horne
and advanced Whitley to third.
Champ Saint-Amand got on
base by a Trojan error and
Whitley scored on a passed ball.
Saint-Amand stole third and
scored on Mike Matthews’
grounder.
The Gryphons scored another
run in the fifth. The Gryphons
scored another run when Lin-
wood Silver had an infield hit
and then stole second and went
to third when a throw got away
from the shortstop. Silver then
scored on Jake Lassiter’s
grounder to the second
baseman.
That was all the scoring for
the Gryphs and was all they
needed as they held off the
Trojans for three runs in the
last two innings.
RM vs Roanoke Rapids
Jess Eberdt and Linden Willis
teamed to pitch the Gryphs to a
4-0 victory and their second win
against Roanoke Rapids.
Eberdt opened on the mound
for the Gryphs and held
Roanoke Rapi^ to one hit in
four innings. Willis finished
with three scoreless innings as
he allowed only two hits.
The Gryphons only had five
hits, but it was enough as the
Jackets gave up several walks
and a few errors.
Linwood Silver opened the
first inning by walking and
stealing his way to third base.
Then Jake Lassiter was walked,
and he also stole second base.
Billy Luther then squeezed a
bunt to the right side of the
infield that scored Silver.
Lassiter took third on a passed
ball and scored when Mike
Upchurch’s grounder was
booted by the Jacket’s short
stop. Upchurch advanced to
second when a pitch struck
Wendell Wright and scored on
Dee Whitley’s single to right
field. In the second inning the
Gryphs scored their final nm.
Greg Clark reached base on an
error by the first baseman and
scored on Lassiter’s single.
In the third game of the
season the Garner trojans
gained revenge from Rocky
Mount by the score of 5-3.
The Trojans knocked 11 hits
off Gryphon pitchers Phillip
Bunn and Lee Cooper, including
three hits and two triples by
shortstop Ronnie Lee.
RM vs Garner
Garner opened the scoring in
the third inning off Bunn. Larry
Newsome was walked and then
scored off Lee’s triple. Bunn
then walked David Boyette, who
stole second. Greg Baker hit a
single allowing Lee and Boyette
to score for a 30-0 lead.
Coach Jerry Carter then
yanked Bunn and substituted
Lee Cooper.
In the fifth inning the Trojans
kept the pressure on as Lee hit
his second triple of the game
and then scored on Boyette’s
single. Williams hit advanced
Boyette to third and Chris
Moore got the fourth hit of the
inning that scored E'»yette to
end Garner’s scoring at 5-0.
The sixth inning saw Gene
Clark, Billy Luther, and Mike
Upchurch each get a hit scoring
Clark. Bob Horne then walked.
Mike Mathews then stepped to
the plate with the bases loaded.
Mathews singled to score
Luther, and Upchurch, to make
the final score 5-3. The
Gryphons were unable to get a
hit in the last inning.
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