Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Aug. 27, 1977, edition 1 / Page 9
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3 Robert m c r >1 Eller i Sports Editor Black-On Sports Gregory SUer Larritha McConneU The Winston-Salem Chronicle Saturday August 27» 1977 • Page 9 orts On Wednesday night of this week the Fifth Annual Winston-Salem Invitational Baseball Tournament began at Carver High School. Fourteen semi-pro teams from North Carolina and Virginia began play in the event. Some say semi-pro baseball is a dying sport in the nation but none would ever know it by looking on the softball field where the two teams square off as if it were the final game of the World Series and to the players and loyal semi-pro fans it is. The players are named Rice, Petree, Speas, and Greene instead of Bench, Morgan, Jackson and Munson but the game is the same. The good fastball is still the best weapon a pitcher can possess and speed still is the most valuable asset. The players come from different backgrounds and neighborhoods but one thing ties them together as a team, the wiU to win, to be the best, if not the best in the country then just the best in this tournament. To the young players it’s a chance to learn from the old vets. To the college players it’s a chance to stay sharp and possibly improve their chances at the big leagues. And finally to players like Marvin Shaw, Ken Valentine, Eddie Adams, and Leroy Galloway who have already had their chances at a major league career it’s a chance to again excell at a sport that demands a number of athletic qualities. As Curt Gibson so apply put it in a recent interview, "It’s not the major leagues but its competitive.” Yes the competition is fierce. None of the players stand to make money from their endeavors but they stand to gain something much more valuable to them than money. Nelson Petree, manager of the Pond Giants and known as the Godfather of baseball in Winston-Salem described it this way. I love baseball, and I guess I always wiU. 'There’s something about going up to the plate with a bat and hitting a baseball that is travelling at over 90 miles per hour and moving in a different direction each time it is thrown that can’t be explained. There’s a sense of satisfaction there that just can’t be derived from hitting a much bigger ball that it tossed high in the air to you. Anyone can play softball from age 10 to 70 but it takes skill, speed, quickness and a number of other qualities to play baseball and play it weU.” But semi-pro baseball is more than just player against player its a combination of things. Take Roy Carter, manager of the Mt. Airy Yankees and Albert Dalton, skipper of the Walnut Cove Tigers. The two have been friends for years and played baseball together and against each other in their semi-pro playing days. The two are never friends now when they talk about their basebaU teams. ' T’d rather beat Albert than to eat when I’m hungry,” said Carter before the WSBL tournament earlier this month. “You had better eat hardy before you come out to play us Sunday then,” replied Dalton, “I’d hate to see you hungry and whipped too I like you too good for that.” It's also a game of more than exercise for the younger players. After the Indians captured the WSBL title Lynn Bitting had this to say. “You know 1 have been wanting to beat the Pond Giants ever since I can remember. When I first started playing they used to beat us by scores of 15-1, 20-3, and things like that. When they had Birmingham Sam (who now plays for the Indianapolis Clowns and starred in the movie Bingo Long) he would scream out to right field for me to build a campfire on those long nights when they would score 7 or 8 runs in one inning. But now those days are gone, the Indians are on top now and I’m glad I can remember those days it makes me appreciate today much more.” If this article sounds corny to you well maybe it is but the guys who play semi-pro baseball aren’t corny, they’re just competitors who love basebaU. Patterson Y Football League Prepares For Second Season By Robert EUer Sports Editor The Patterson Avenue YMCA football league opened practice last week in preparation for their second season of opera tion, Belview-Momingside and coaches and players bemefited from it.” The 312th Medical Core of the Army Reserve gave phys icals on the same day. The second season for MUbrook. 'The program which wiU include some 200 boys was kicked off Saturday August 20 with a football clinic. The clinic held at Winston Salem State league is scheduled to The league wiU again University was conducted begin September 10 and operate with eight teams. Uy the coaching staff at ,^0 culminate on Novem- Four 9 and 10 year old Ibe institution. ber 19 with the second teams and four 11 and 12 Bobby Dunlap, Direc- annual L.D. McClendon year-old squads will ° J ® bowl to be played at narticinate The nlavers "''*0 the clime. Bowman Gray Stadium. ^ ?ome from ^ HiU, Blum Park, Kimberly “ out^tog 30b mth payers from each team in Park-North Hills, and against a group bit myself and I know the from RichTnoTiH, Va. Carolina Street Scene Downtown Set For Annual Festival NationaUy acclaimed stars from the worlds of jazz, blues and country music were announced as featured performers for the second annual “Caro- Ima Street Scene,” a free festival of music, dance, theater, arts and crafts which will be held on the streets of downtown Winston-Salem Saturday and Sunday, September 10 and 11. “Carolina Street Scene” is being presented by the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company as a salute to North Carolinas, cultural herit age, in cooperation with officials and media repre- 'The Arts Council and sentatives. other area artists and arts agencies. 'The musical highlights announced for the two day event include jazz flutist Herbie Mann and his Family of Mann, Eddie Hams and his quartet, and the Mose Allison Trio. Each of the groups will give two performances both days of the festival. The headliners were announced at the Brown Bottle hospitality center of the Schlitz plant here, at a dinner for community Daniel F. McKeithan, Jr., chairman of the board of Schlitz, emphasized the need to “bring life back into our cities’ down towns. We see the joy that an occasion such as Carolina Street Scene can bring to people, and believe this is proof that our cities can survive, and succeed. We are extreme ly plased that last year’s festival ranked among the nation’s finest.” Black Driver Wins Race By Robert Eller Sports Editor Back in 1970 James Samuels had just returned from Jersey City, New Jersey when a friend asked him to accompany him to a street race he had entered. As they roared along the friend began to teU James about the high performance extra’s his street racer was equipped with. Samuels knew very little about race cars at that time and began to ask questions. “You need to lean something about cars,” the friend said. Seven years and a ton of mechanics grease later Samuels and his J)artner Van Lyles have learned plenty. On Saturday.. August 20 their Super-Stock Class E Camaro won that class of the International Hot rod Assoc. Winston U.S. Open Nationals at rock- ingham, N.C. In the process they defeated the IHRA world record holder Robert Hughes. ‘"That comment reaUy got me interested in cars,” says Samuels looking back over the years.” The next week I emolled in an auto-mech- anics class at Forsyth Tech. The first car I brought for racing was a 1970 Road-Rimner 440 six-pack. During that time it was the age of super cars. You could buy a Chevelle, GTO, Ford Cobra or Super Bee straight from the factory that was ready to run. We would street race and also run the drag strip.” Sameuels first competi tion car was a 1967 Camaro which he and a friend Robert Pettiford bought in 1975. “We mutran everybody in Winston who street raced NCCU Alumni Awards Scholarship By Carolyn M. Neal in Biology. Special to the Chronicle Miss McConnell is the 'The Winston-Salem daughter of Mrs. Maggier Chapter of the North Graham.A graduate of Carolina Central Univer- North rors3dh Senior High sity Alumni Association School, Miss McConnell recently awarded scholar- ^ contestant in the ships to Gregory Donnell NIiss Black America of Siler and Lamitha Davette North Carolina Pageant. McConnell. Both Siler At NCCU she plans to and Miss McConnell “^1°^ in Special Educa- received $500.00 each. Siler and Miss McCon nell wiU enter NCCU this faU as freshman. Siler is the son of Mr. and Mrs. WiUiam Jack- son. He is a graduate of West Forsyth Senior High year. Bernell Jones is School and plans to major alumni president. tion. The awarding of scho larships is an annual project of the Winston-sa- lem chapter. 'The scholar ships are renewable each Learning how to block: Football season is here again, and these youngsters are receiving instructions from ‘the big guys’ on how to tackle the sport. Dunlap says the league will be stronger this year than last. “The players and coaches now have a year of experience and this should make for a stronger league. Still participation is the num ber one priority it wUl be mandatory that each team member plays in every game again this year.” Dunlap stated that there are plans to expand the league in the future but that an immediate goal is to get more parents involved. “We are at tempting to orgainize Booster clubs and anyone who is interested in the welfare of the children in East Winston is invited to join,” Dunlap continued. The league Director also re-enterated the need for volimteers to help with the program. “We need people to help with transportation, concess ions, and coaches. One doesn’t have to be knowledgeable about foo tball to help there are so many things involved. For example we need ladies to help with the cheerleading squads.” The league games will be played on Saturday’s at Winston Salem State University beginning at 9:00. the pet care people with it and did pretty good on the strip too”, he remembers. The two owners agree that the win is the biggest thrill that they have ever had in racing. They wiU run their 450 horsepower machine at Farmington regularly and in ATCO, New Jersey September 16. Next season they plan to run many IHRA events as possible, and will try for the IHRA point championship. The powerful quarter- mile machine of Lyles and Samuels doesn’t have a name yet. “We’re all set to have the car lettered when we decide on a name, ‘New Kid In Town’ and ‘Pavement Pusher‘ have been suggested but we’re still listening to ideas.” The Drag machine may yet lack a name but after Saturday its already built a reputation. JOYCE ROYAL MEN & BOYS WEAR BACK TO SCHOOL FASHIONS ARi HERE! FARAH JOYCE & ROYAL IS PROUD TO OFFER YOU FARAH JEANS FOR SCHOOL. Boys Sizes at Northside Store Only. JEANS THAT CET IT TOGETHER! .Great jeans, with elastic sides to make 'em fit even better. It's the look for young men really into fashion. Sizes 26-30. Jeans $16.00. Similar Men's Jean Sizes 29-38 JOYCE &.ROYAL II MEN & BOYS WEARHI • NORTHSIDE SHOPPING CENTER Open Moo.. Thurs. 4 Fri. 10 A.M. 'til 9 P.M. Tues., Wed. t Set. 10 A.M. 'til i P.M. • HANES MALL LOWER LEVEL Open Mondny thru Snturdny 10:00 A.M. 'til 9:30 P.M.
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Aug. 27, 1977, edition 1
9
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