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Thursday, June 22,1989
SPORTS
Page 7B
James
Cuthbertson
Post Sports Writer
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Whom Will The Hornets Draft?
Sabres Make It To
The Top Of The Class
Let's Go Sabres. Tlie South Mecklenburg Sabres brought another
championship trophy to Charlotte when they went to Wilson Hunt
and became the second straight Charlotte team to win the state 4A
baseball title. Harding won in 1988.
As a result of the win, the Sabres vaulted to number thirteen on the
Super 25 USA Today High School Baseball Rankings Chart. It was
their first appearance.
Splitting the first two games of the series winning 7-2 and losing 7-
6, the team was lead by Mac White who pitched a four hitter for his
fourth victory of the season striking out nine batters in the process
and hitting five for nine with four runs batted in. BiUy Crawford was
six for nine with four runs batted in and winning pitcher in the olden
ing game and Davin Juckett was six for twelve with six runs batted in.
The Sabres ended the season with a 27-3 record.
There were other heros.
Mike Tanksley moved Crawford to third in the bottom of the third
inning on a double and Andy Griffin sacrifice to tie the score at 1 -1.
Then White singled Tanksley home, reached second on an error and
stole third. He increased the score to 3-1 when he scored on an error.
The Sabres were never contested again.
Mac White reigns this year as the Charlotte Post's Mr. BASEBALL.
Congratulations on your outstanding season and a job well done,
bringing a state Utle to South Mecklenburg High School. Through the
first six innings of the championship game. White had given up only
two hits and the Sabres were comfortably ahead by a 9-1 margin in
the game at Fleming Stadium in Wilson.
Fifteen individuals received Distinguished Service awards from the
North Carolina High School Athletic Association at the 1989
NCHSAA Annual Meeting.
The event, which was part of the association's 75th Anniversary
was held in Bowles Hall in the Koury Natatorlum on the campus of
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In this fourth year of the aweuds designed to honor those who have
excelled in their work with and support of high school athletics, the
recipients are Lee Stone of Asheboro, Bill Eutsler of Rockingham
County, Doris Howard of Fayetteville, Bill Sweel of Swansboro, Bill
Lundy of Rocky Moimt, Bo Farley of Greenville, Mary Garber of Wins
ton-Salem, Amos Sexton of Ruston, Louisiana and Carroll King of
North Fort Mjrers, Florida.
Posthumous awards were presented to members of the families of
W. T. Armstrong of Rocky Mount, D. T. Carter of Fayetteville, Frank
Mock of Kinston, Bill Ludwig of Sallsbiuy, Hank Madden of Charlotte
and Tom Cash of Winston-Salem.
The Sport psych Workshops 1989 national Program will include a
stop in Charlotte on July 29 at the Marriott City Center on West
Trade Street.
The workshops are being conducted by the Mental Skills Training
Consultants and are one-day events which will provide "hands on"
experiences and will touch on a number of different topics. Coaches,
administrators, parents, athletes age 15 and older, counselors and
others might find the workshop very useful.
Members of the Mental Skills training Consultants faculty have Ph.
D's in sports psychology and extensive applied experience including
competing, coaching and working with a variety of teams at various
levels.
Dr. Andy Andersen, himself a former coach as well as a former all-
American swimmer at Indiana University, is director of Mental Skills
training Consultants and has sent material to each high school in
the state relative to this offering. You can get more Information by
writing to Dr. Andersen, Mental Skills Training Consultants, Box 891,
St. Charles, IL 60174.
Several Charlotte area administrators and coaches are active on
the state high school level with committees of the North Carolina
High School Athletic Association.
Dave Harris works with the committee to study Realignment Pro
cess. They always' handle a tough job with expertise.
George Litton of Crest is on the Committee to study Make-up and
Selection Process of the Board of Directors.
And Ray Barger of Olympic is on the Committee to study FootbaD
Issues. Also serving on that committee are Bob Patton of North Gas
ton, Jim Taylor of Shelby, Ron Green of Bums, and Mike Stewart of
Crest.
By HERB WHITE
Post Sports Editor
The Charlotte Hornets have an interesting dilemma going into
Tuesday's NBA draft. The selection of college players isn't imposing,
but there are plenty of good ones available, t^en the Hornets exer
cise the fifth pick, they will have some perplexing questions to an-
swer.
• Will they take the best athlete available, regardless of position?
• How about the guy with local ties, a sure-fire way to heighten fan
Interest?
• Is it best to pick a big man who is a tough defender, a prolific scor
er or a combination of the two?
A possible answer to those riddles is J.R Reid, a 6-9 256-pound for
ward from North Carolina. Although Charlotte's front-office people
won't say publicly what the Hornets will do, it is no secret that owner
George Shtnn likes local talent, especially of Reid's caliber. Sidney
Lowe of N.C. State and Muggsy Bogues of Wake Forest are formqr
ACC players currently on the roster.
Charlotte has pressing needs going into this year's draft, mostly on
the front line. The Hornets' best young prospect is Brian Rowsom, a
6-10 power forward, but Charlotte is looking toward the future whUe
beefing up its Inside game. The current big men are not considered
consistent offensive threats and only 6-11 Greg Kite likes mixing it
up in the middle.
The first pick is a foregone conclusion to most observers. Duke s
Danny Ferry will go to Sacramento and the L.A. Clippers wUl take
Sean Elliott of Arizona, although there's a possibility of the order re
versing. Louisville's Pervis Ellison and Michigan's Glen Rice, the hero
of last year's NCAA tournament, will go next, leaving the Hornets and
a decision.
Reid has all the tools to be an impact player. First there's his size
and strength, major factors to being a successful NBA player. He is
sound fundamentally, the result of three years under Dean Smith. But
perhaps most Important is the fact that Reid won't face a zone in the
pros, which should allow him to maneuver easier around the basket.
If he develops a consistent jumper out to 15 feet, he has the potential
to be the dominating force everyone expjected him to be in college.
s.
Also likely to be available to Charlotte will be Oklahoma center
Stacey King and Loulslsma Tech forward Randy White. King has sup
er offensive credentials but some observers consider him a soft
touch on defense. StUl, he could give the Hornets a boost on offense.
White is considered a raw talent who mns the floor well, is physical
and can hit the three-pxDlnt shot. The 6-8, 240-px)under often draws
comparisons with another Louisiana Tech star, Karl Malone, who
now plays for Utah.
The Hornets are hoping for more success from its second-round
pick than last year, when Tom Tolbert played 14 games before being
cut in December. Charlotte reportedly is leaning towards getting a
point guard and there are at least six who can give the Hornets solid
playmaking: Mookle Blaylock (Oklahoma): B.J. Armstrong (Iowa);
Dana Barros (Boston College): Sherman Douglas (Syracuse): Tim
Hardaway fTexas-El Paso) and Pooh Richardson (UCLA).
Rating The Draft's Top Prospects
Charlotte Hornets director of player personnel Gene Littles rated
scores of players who are eligible for Tuesday's NBA draft. Here are
his impressions of the cream of the crop, the experts' "lottery picks."
Sean Elliott, 6-8, 198 forward, Arizona: "Could be first pick...multi
talented..can play three different positions...could have immediate
impsact on a team."
Pervis Ellison, 6-9, 210 center, Louisville: "Most legitimate shot-
blocker draft."
Danny Ferry, 6-10, 240 forward, Duke: "Could be first pick in draft,
has all skills and is a great passer. One of the smartest players."
Stacey King, 6-10, 240 center-forward, Oklahoma: "Could go 3-7 in
the draft, can score off the block, similar style to Waymon Tisdale."
Glen Rice, 6-7, 210 guard, Michigan: "Multi-talented...can shoot and
score very well."
J.R. Reid, 6-9, 2BS forward. North Carolina: "Can be legitimate cen
ter, can score inside and rebound well...runs floor well."
Randy White, 6-8, 240 forward, Louisiana Tech: "Can play small and
power forward...runs floor well...can shoot the three-pointer."
% % M #
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Photo/CALVIN FERGUSON
Ron Ferguson of the Charlotte Bombers uncorks a pitch as shortstop Reggie Latta (1) moves into position in a game against Clover.
Rangers Have Bad Baseball Weekend
By BOB JOHNSON
Post Sports Writer
For the Queen City Rangers,
last weekend was a weekend to
forget. On Saturday, the Rang
ers tried to get revenge on the
Bombers 14-5 strafing on April
30th. The Bombers sent Melvin
Latta and the Rangers dis
patched Joe Barman to do the
pitching. A pitcher's duel was
expected but a slugfest oc
curred. As the Bombers defeat
ed the Rangers 21-10. Rangers'
pitcher Joel Barman (2-1) took
his first defeat since joining the
Triple County League and his
first defeat since June 14th,
1987. One former teammate of
Barman's said the trick to beat
ing Barman is to get to him by
the third inning, and the Bom
bers did just that; hitting him
early and often. However, stop
ping the Bombers was not an
easy task. After Barman's exit,
the Bombers continues to
pound the Rangers and capital
ized on six Ranger errors result
ing in an explosive nine run
third inning. Bombers' pitcher
Melvin Latta was knocked out of
the game early, also, but Lafay
ette Currence came in and si
lenced the Rangers' bats and
picked up the -victory.
The Bombers were led at the
plated by James Young with a
homerun and two singles, and
Larry Dye with three singles.
The eleven hits, twenty-one run
attack boasted the Bombers
record to 15 wins with 2 set
backs, while the Rangers
dropped to 12 and 5.
Bombers 429004110 21 116
Rangers 223030000 10126
Just when they thought it
couldn't get any worse, the
Rangers suffered yet another
blow out at the hands of the Ho
skins Giants, 22-5.
Hoskins starting pitcher. Gene
Raley was the winner and Ray
Hughes picked up the save
pitching the final three Innings.
The Giants started early bat
tering Rangers starter Bill
"Chilli" Davis (3-3) for eleven
runs in the first inning. They
sent fifteen men to the plate.
Once again the Rangers' prob
lems were errors. They commit
ted nine and the Giants capital
ized on all of them.
The Rangers' recorded is now
12-6. However, "its still not
over", says Ranger manager
Wayne Brown. 'We must get
ready for the Red Birds next
weekend, and the rest of the sea
son."
I^ngeis 20 1002000- 5 13 9
Giants 110 4 0 0 0 3 4X-22 22 2
The Charlotte Bombers edged
the Clover Hornets, 8-7, Sunday
In what was a grueling contest.
The Bombers saw a 6-1 lead dis
appear as Clover fought back to
tal« a 7-6 lead in the 7th inning.
The Bombers tied the game In
the eighth.
They won it in the bottom of
the tenth when James Weeks led
off with a triple and scored on a
single by Gary Barber.
James Weeks belted a single
and two triples, and Melvin Latta
blasted a solo homer to lead the
Bombers offensive attack. Reg
gie Latta and Charles Latta, Jr.
played terrific defense in the lat
ter innings. Ron Alexander was
the winning pitcher.
Hornets 00 103 1200
Boirtxis 032100010
0- 7121
1- 8 151
World-Class Swimmers To Gather For Charlotte Meet
Ptieto/CALVIN FERGUSON
Tim Kempton of Damon's drives to the basket in the NBA Pro-Am last
weekend at Johnson C. Smith.
World-class swimmers, in
cluding Fort Mill, SC, Olympian
Melvin Stewart, will comjjete in
Charlotte UltraSwlm his week
end, a meet that has grown to
become one of the country's top
amateur summer Invltatlonals.
'The meet has emerged and
broken through to become one
of the elite Invitational meets of
the past couple of years," said
Dennis Pursley, National Team
Director of United States Swim
ming. "This year it promises to
be just as good, if not better."
Hosted by the Mecklenburg
Aquatic Club (MAC), the meet
this year took a giant leap for
ward with a four-year sponsor
ship commitment from Ultra-
Swim, a multi-product line of
merchandise for swimmers.
That commitment leads up to
the 1992 Oljrmpics. In addition,
WTBS will televise portions of
the meet at Revolution Park na-
tlonedly on a tape-delay basis.
Jeff Gaeckle, MAC head coach,
said this year's event rivals the
1988 meet (known then as the
Pepsi Open) when 24 members
of the 1988 Olympic team com
peted in what was a preface to
the Otymplc Trials.
'This year we will have more
than 20 Olympians from all over
the world," said Gaeckle.
Stewart, a member of the 1988
U. S. Otymplc Team and a Gold
Medalist in the 1986 Goodwill
Games in the 200-meter butter
fly, now swims for the University
of Tennessee, where as a fresh
man last year he set a record by
entering 13 events in the NCAA
Championships. He also cap
tured first-place in the 200-yard
butterfly for his first NCAA
Championship.
Joining Stewart' will be Dave
Wharton, 1988 Silver Medalist in
the 400-meter Individual med
ley: four-time Olympian Jill
Sterkel, the 1988 Gold Medalist
in the 50-meter breaststroke.
Pursley said the swimmers will
use the Charlotte UltraSwlm to
prepare for the national cham
pionships and the national
team tri^s July 21-Aug. 4 at the
University of Southern Califor
nia. Members of the national
team will also compete in the
Pan-Paclflc Games in Tokyo
Aug. 17-20, and then in a dual
meet Aug. 24-26 in Atlanta be
tween the United States and the
Soviet Union.
Pursley added that while the
Olympics are three years away,
meets such as UltraSwlm are
very important in assembling
and training the best talent.
"United States Swimming
plans to do things differently
this year in terms of changing
our basic philosophy on ap
proaching the Ofymplc Games,"
he said.
Preliminary competition be
gins at 9 a.m. Friday, Saturday
and Sunday with finals set for
5:30 p.m. On Thursday, timed fi
nals for the 800-meter freest^e
and the 200-meter medley relay
begin at 4 p.m. Admission is
free all four days.