Pat’s
Peckings
By NEALE PATRICK
WNCHSAA Changes All-Star Picks
Pickups and leftovers from the whirl of sports ... The
WNCHSAA comes up with something new in all-star ath
letic teams starting next school season ... The Association
voted in its meeting last week to increase the mythical se
lection to squad size, instead of merely picking an all-lea
gue team.
The Conference football teams, for instance, will be
22-man selections, broken down by four boys each at end,
tackle and guards, two centers and eight backs .. Ten-man
boys basketball and 12-member girl cage club Will be se
lected oh the same basis of two players for each position .
. . Fifteen-member squads will be picked for the 'two spring
sports of baseball and track . . . The baseball breakdown
will show five infielders, four outfielders, two catchers and
four pitchers.
Marion cast the only dissenting vote in the balloting
which defeated the re-alignment proposal for Western
Conference teams . . . The nine teams in the Southwest
Conference and the other eight in the Northwest loop vo
ted to leave the two leagues as they stand ... The regroup
ing of the Piedmont Conferences into the “haves” and the
“have nots” in football will become effective with the 1960
grid season.
If folks think that Area Four has its problems in jun
ior baseball, state commissioner Charlie Smith suggests
you consider one he will have to workout down east... A
hoskie enters the program this year and has trips up to 130
miles to play some of its Area Two foes ... There’s nothing
like travel, they say, to broaden ones outlook.
N. C. Almost Lost Regional Tourney
North Carolina faced the possibility of losing the Re
gion Four Legion junior baseball tournament this season,
if National Commissioner Lou Brissie had his way about
it . . . The Ole North State Legion champion, you know,
has been awarded the regional tournament every year be
cause this is the only state in the four (with Virginia,
Tennessee and Kentucky) Which draws for the program.
But Memphis put in a bid for the event this summer,
and Brissie asked North Carolina Legion baseball officials
if it suited them to move the tournament to the Tennessee
city . . . State commissioner Smith notified Brissie that “it
certainly would not suit us to give up the tourney.” ... So,
the four-state event remains in the Ole North State again,
to be held in the home town of the state champion.
Some folks figured this has been a wet and rainy
spring ... But you can’t prove it by the Mountaineers base
ball schedule . . . The local lads had six rain-postponed
games through March and April of last year, but only one
rained out this spring, and the boys played three innings
of that one.
James Robbs finally returns to action with the Moun
taineer nine after missing most of the schedule with a cou
ple of broken toes suffered in a basketball game ... James
has been spending his time during the idleness by learning
how sports writers live, by keeping the scorebook for
Coach Withers.
A couple of Queens played for the Kings Mountain
High girls basketball team last winter . . . Guard Gertie
Pearson was the May day Queen last week, and high-scor
ing and all-conference forward Judy Medlin was the Kings
Mt. Queen in the Carrousel Parade in Charlotte last fall.
Mountaineers To Wear TV-jerseys
The Mountaineer football team will be dressed-up fit
for tee-vee next autumn . . . Coach John Gamble has pur
chased a brank new set of white nylon jerseys with the
“TV-numbers” on the shoulders, plus huge 12-inch num
bers in the back and 10-inch figures on the front of the
shirts.
Two of the Mountaineers top sophomore baseball
players this spring may be forced to miss junior baseball
due to summer school... Chip Thorbum in planning to at
tend summer school at Western Carolina, and Punch Par
ker will be in the summer session here.
An early look suggests that the local juniors should
field an experienced team, with good pitching this summer
. . . Eleven players move up from Kings Mt. High and three
returning regulars from Bethware lend a veteran look to
the club . . . Pitching looks good with right-banders Bobby
Biddix, Jerry Wright, and Perry Champion, and possibly
some help from Steve Harmon, a junior last summer and
track performer this spring.
Geoi'ge Wilson’s big bat caused the St. Louis Cardinals
to forsake their youth movement at Rochester and sign the
veteran outfielder to provide more left-handed hitting po
wer . . . The Red Wings are the youngest team in the Inter
national League and loaded with future Cardinal stars . . .
The team boasted speed, good defense and pitching, but
needed punch . . . Wilson is expected to provide that . . .
And Wilson left ward that he’s happy to make his debut in
the International circuit . . . The majority of the parks
have a short right-field fence and that suits left-handed
swinging George.
The Milwaukee Braves refuse to push their prized bo
nus baby, Tony Cloninger, too fast . . . He has been assign
ed to the Class B Three-I League this summer, with Cedar
Rapids, Iowa . . . Gil English, the scout who owns the per
which inked Tony, says that the big right-hander could
have been sent to a higher classification this year, but the
Braves decided to “hold him back and get him ready.”
Mason Rodden, Belmont Banner sports editor, tried tc
pin-point the cause of the Red Raiders slump this diamond
season, but couldn’t find the answer ... He wrote thal
“boys that were counted on to supply the stick wort
haven’t been producing”, then added that the work afielc
“hasn’t been what was expected”, and that the “pitching
has seemed to crumble all at once.” . . . Add all those de
bits and you have good enough reason for a Slump.
Low Hit Games
Feature In LL
Richard Pack of Burmil and
Left with of North turned in low
hiit pitching wins to feature local
Little League play in games late
last week.
Pack hurled a one-hititer as his
team defeated Parkgrace, 5-0,
and Leftwich turned in a two
hitter in his club’s 2-0 triumph
over the Jaycees. Both games
were played Wednesday at the
Little League field.
Murphy and Robbs cracked out
| a double each to lead the Burmi
I win, while Cloninger obtained
I the lone hit for Parkgrace.
Allen of North smashed the
j first Little League homer of the
season for the big blow in his
! club's win. Caveny and Ware ob
i tained the two hits for the Jay.
| ceets.
I The lineseores:
Parkgrace 000 000—0-1-4
Burmil 201 llx—5-4-2
Sprouse. Medlin and Mullinax
Pack and Hord.
North 000 020—2 5-1
jaycees 000 000—0-2 1
Leftwich and Bennett.
Hayes, Tignor and Lawrence.
Mountaineers Maul Tri-High By 12-1
Jrs. Open Drills. Tickets On Sale
BY NEALE PATRICK
Following the tradition at the
armed services, everyone con
nected with the American Legion
junior baseball program Is “turn
ing-ito” to put things In ship
shape for the opening of the sea
son in three weeks.
Coaches Fred Withers and Bill
Bates opened practice sessions for
ithetr junior charges last Satur
day aftemoorty and have called
the second pre-season workout at
4 o’clock this Saturday. The team
will continue to work at City Sta
dium each Saturday until the lo
cal high school season is comple
ted. Daily drills are due to start
on Monday April 18.
Meanwhile, local Legionnaires
and other persons interested in
the local program are busy sell
ing tickets and contacting others
to aid in various phases of mak
ing the junior diamond season
a successful one.
First-round tickets, selling for
a dollar, have been placed in
sale in at least nine local busi
ness establishments and several
local Legion members are mak
ing a house-to-house canvas to
sell tickets. A group of Legion
naires also will "set up shop”
down town Saturday to sell (the
tickets which will admit bearers
to all the home games in the
first round of play.
Most of the members of the
Kings Mountain High School
team who are eligible for the
juniors were on hand for Satur
day’s opening junior practice,
consisting of several rounds of
batting practice. A few of the
candidates were tjed-up with Sat
urday jobs and could not make
the initial drills.
Grover sent two candidates for
opening drills, including a pro
mising catcher, C. B. Green, who
has been one of the standouts
for Coach Preston Holt’s team
this spring. Also on hand from
Grover was Harold Huffstetler.
Another Grover boy, Dean Green,
missed the drills due to a leg in
jury suffered in high school base
ball, but he expects to be ready
to resume action this Saturday.
The expected prospects from
Bethware High School were un
able to attend Saturday’s kick
off drills, but sent word they will
be on hand later. Coach Bill Pow
ell’s team is engaged in state re.
gional playoffs and will remain
intact as a high school team be
fore starting junior drills.
Four members of last year’s
junior team are due to return
from Beth ware. They are pitcher
Bobby Biddix, catcher Jerry Mor
ris, first baseman Don Horn, and
outfielder Charles Bolin.
In the ticket-selling depart
ment, ducats for the first round
have been placed on sale at the
following firms:
Floyd Dover’s Barber Shop, Bill
Fulton’s Dept. Store, Wright’s
Barber Shop, Griffin Drug Store,
McCurdy’s Cleahers, Plonk Motor
Co., Victory Chevrolet Co., Coop
er’s Furniture Co., and McGinnis
Furniture Co.
Legionnaires working areas of
•the city include: J. T. McGinnis
and F. R. McCurdy on Battle
ground Ave., Charles Dixon and
Dean Payne on Railroad Ave.,
Wilson Griffin and Bill Fulton on
the southside of Mountain St.,
and Dick McGinnis on the north
side of Mountain St.
Area Four commissionler Char
lie Carpenter, who has been lar
gely responsible for putting the
junior program on its feet here
this season, emphasised again
this week:
"We are depending on public
support for funds to operate the
program herb this summer.
"We (believe that the big major
ity of Kings Mountain citizens fa
vor continuing the program and
the youngsters here deserve a
full chance to partMipatte in it,
and thait given an opportunity,
the public will support ®t through
donations, ticket purchases and
otherwise.
'Many Legionnaires and others
are now actively working in this
effort-but more workers are
deeded. Anyone Wishing to help
should cant act Joe (McDaniel at
the City 'Hall for tickets to sell,
or ftay Cline, athletic officer for
Otis D. Green Poet.
"Since we feel that we will not"
be ablfe to reach everyone inter
ested in the program, we are run
ning the coupon soliciting aid in
today's edition of the Herald. If
you wish to help in this fine pro
gram, fail out the form and re
turn.’’
Shelby Clinches
Southwest Loop
Baseball Crown
Thirteen didn’t prove unlucky
to the Southwest Conference
baseball-leading Shelby Lions.
Tfie defending league champ
ions won their 13th straight loop
tussle of the season, belting R. S.
Central, 8-0, behind the two-hit
pitching of Johnny Kouri. Big
John fanned 14 and helped his
cause with a triple and a pair of
singles?
The victory clinched whait has
been a foregone conclusion for
weeks . . . the SWC baseball /title
for ‘59. '
Cherryville held second-place
in the circuit, with a 6-2 win over
Forest City Tuesday, but the Iron
men are now mathematically out
of the title race. Eddie Homesley,
who was battered out of the box
against the Mountaineers last
week, held Cool Spring to two
hits Tuesday.
Belmont managed to hold onto
third place in the circuit, with a
3-1 win over Central on Monday.
Bill Saunders tossed the win for
the Raiders.
Kings Mountain took over four
th place in the league with its
12-1 romp over Caroleen here
Tuesday.
Southwest Conference baseball
standings:
Team
Shelby
Cherryville
Belmont
Kings Mt.
Lin cointon
R. S. Central
Forest City
Caroleen
Cliffiside
W L Pet
13 0 1.000
9 4 .692
8 4 .667
8 5 .615
7 5 .583
7 7 .500
4 9 .308
2 11 .154 i
0 12 .000!
Minette Still
Batting .500
Minmette Mills continues to bat
at a .500 pace in the South Atlan
tic Softball League.
The defending state champions
divided a twin bill with the
Brocks Ice Cream Bar team of
Hendersonville lasit Saturday
night at Brice Harry Memorial
Park in Grover to give them a
season's record of three wins and
three losses in the new softball
circuit.
Veteran Wade Vaughn lost a
heart-breaking one-hit game in
the opener, 1-0. The Minnette ace
fanned 12 but lost the brilliant
duel to Tom Conrad of Hender
I sonville, who permitted two hits
and struck out 13 Mineftemen.
Pitcher Conrad wan his own
game with a squeeze bunt
Lefty Orbin Taylor came
| through with another fine pitoh
j ed game to cop the nightcap for
j Minette, 2-1, besting Bill Smith in
I another mound duel. Genee Tur-;
jner drove home both runs for:
I Minette with a first inning dou-1
blc. |
Saturday’s games were the'
third straight double-header in
which Minette has bounced back
to win the second game after
losing the opener.
Coach Zero Hastings’ Minette-/
men go to Charlotte for their lea
gue tussle Saturday night.
George Wilson Slugs
In Pinch-Hit Roles
George Wilson is proving a
! pinch hit hero for the Rochester
Red Wings of the International
j league.
Twice in recent games, the
i Kings Mountain native has
come through with clutch pin
ch-hits for his new' triple-A
club.
On April 23 at Havana, Cuba, |
George contributed a pinch sin
gle in the 11th inning as the
Red Wings staged a big late
rally to beat the Cubans 4-0.
Four days later at Miami,
Wilson hit an eighth inning
, mch-hit home run to send the
game into extra innings, with
I Miami finally winning in (the
1 11th, 5-4.
MOUNTAINEER INFIELDERS — Mike Ware, left and Don Tignor
share a distinction for the Kings Mountain High Mountaineer base,
ball club this spring. They are the only two players on the team
who have started every game of the season at the same positions,
Mike at third base and Don at second. The Mountaineers hit the
road for their next two games, return here Friday night of next week
(May 15) to close the year against Shelby.
(Herald Photo by Pennington Studio)
Don Fisher Halts Cheiryville
Foi Fifth Straight Mound Win
Don Fisher moved right up in- ]
to the ranks with the top pitch- j
ers in the conference in his four
hit, 5-3 victory over Cherryviile
here last Friday afternoon.
Although nteeding aid from Ken j
Wilson during a Cherryviile rally j
in the top of the seventh, the
rangy junior right-hander posted
his fifth straight mound win of
the campaign, a mark which
places him op the same level
with a pair of undefeated Shel
by tossers, Johnny Kouri and Ro
bert Camp.
Fisher’s mates put together
some timely hitting in one big in
ning to score the impressive win
over the second place team in the
Southwest league. Five hits in
the third inning produced four
runs and enough to win the
game.
Fisher held Cherryviile score,
less through the first six frames
and seemed well on his way to
ward his fourth complete game
of the season. But a fluke hit in
the seventh inning opened the
door for Cherryviile and before it
was over Wilson came on to turn
in a neat relief job and halt the
Ironmen threat.
The Mountaineers took a one
run lead in the first when Don
Tignor was hit by a pitched ball,
advanced to third on a wild pit
ch and an infield out and scored
on Ronnie Pearson’s grounder.
Kings Mountain w’rapped it up j
with four in the third.
Tignor started it again, this!
time with a double on the left
field bank. Playing his first
game. James Robbs beat out a
bunt, and when pitcher Eddie
Homesley attempted to pick
Robbs off first, heaved the ball
into right field and Tignor scor
ed. Pearson singled home Robbs,
and another pair of base knocks
by Don Smith and Punch Park
er loaded the bases.
Stan Crisson relieved Homesley
on the hill and promptly allowed
two runs, walking Jerry Wright
to force home Pearson, and un
corking a wild pitch to admit!
Smith.
That was all for the Mountain
eers, but Fisher protected the ad
vantage until the top of the sev
enth when C. Jenkins started a
rally with a single off Fisher’s
shin. Mick Mauney forced Jenk
ins at second, but Fisher lost con
trol and walked three straight
batters, forcing in a run.
Wilson came on and walked
Homesley to push home another.
He forced Crisson to fly out to
deep center, driving home the
third run, and then caused Ron
nie Hovis to pop up to Chip Thor
bum at first, base for the final
out.
A double-play started by Mike
Ware in the fourth frame was
termed by Coach Fred Withers as
the turning point of the game.
Cherryville put the first two men
on in the fourth, and after Fish
er fanned Hovis, Long sliced a
drive between short and third.
Ware made a brilliant stop, tag
ging the runner as he went by,
then tossing to Tignor to com
plete an inning-ending double
play.
The Mountaineers failed to
hold a lead Thursday afternoon
in a make-up game with Lincoln
ton here, as the Wolves came off
with a 7-4 decision.
A two-run fourth inning gave
K. M. a temporary 3-2 lead. But
the Wolves used two doubles, a
single and a couple of walks to
tally four times in the fifth to
wrap up the game against Jerry
Wright.
Wilson pitched one-hit ball for
an inning and a third of relief,
and Punch Parker made his
mound debut hurling the final
frame, allowing no hits, while
fanning one and walking one.
Paul Hendricks pulled a field
ing gem for the Mountaineers a
gainst Lincolnton, an unassisted
double-play. He made a fine stab
of Dysart’s liner near second,
then beat Bobby Beal back to the
sack to complete the twin-kill
ing.
Ronnie Pearson snapped out ol
his slump to lead the Mountain
eers hitting with a pair of knocks
in both Mountaineer games late
last week. He stroked has team’s
lone extra base blow, a double,
against Lincolnton.
(Boxscores on next Page)
Tigers Slag 10-3
Victory In Opener
The Kings Mountain Tigers op
ened their season, blasting Hic
kory Grove, 10-3, last Saturday
afternoon.
Starting pitcher Will Jones al
lowed only three hits in his six
inning stint, and D. Jones finish,
ed, pitching hitless ball.
Brown led the Tigers hitting
with a double and pair of singles.
The Tigers will attempt to
make it two straight facing Gro
ver at Davidson Park Saturday
afternoon at 2 o’clock.
Linescore:
H. Grove 021 000 000— 3- 3-4
t M. 310 220 20x—10-16-4
Ferry Phillips
Represents K. M.
In Track Finals
Jerry Phillips will be th<
Mountaineers’ lone representative
in the WNCHSAA track metet to
be (held Friday at Davidson Col
lege.
The Kings Mountain senior
hurdler won a berth in the
Association championships, cap
taring third-place in the 180-yard
low hurdles in the Western Con
feremice meet at Hickory last Fri
day. Phillips ran third to the low
hurdles race, behind Shook of
Hickory and Abernathy of Bel
mont to pick up the Mountaineers
Only itwo .points, to thfe affair.
(Phillips posted a time of 23 sec
omds to the race, with Shook’s
winning time being 22.2 seconds.
He will go to Davidson Friday
with the six qualifiers from Shel
by High which relinquished its
Western Conference track champ
ionship to Hickory. The host team
copped the Northwest - Southwest
meet with 37 points, compared
to Shelby’s 28 3/4.
The top Six finishers at Hick
ory go to Davidson along with the
first six qualifiers from the Pied
mont Conference meet at States
ville, won also by the host team.
Phillips Was the only Mountain,
eer finishing to the first six of
his event, although several other
local trackmen barely missed the
qualifying half-dozen.
Arthur Allen finished seventh
in the low hurdles with a 23.3 sec
ond qualifying .time.
Dertek Smith finished seventh
in the discus, and Don Gladden
posted the seventh best time in
220-yard dash. Gladden finished
second to his heat of the 220, but
hiis time was slightly slower than
a stecond to another heat. Tommy
Houser finished third to his heat
of the 220 dia'sh. Jimmy (Blanton
bowed out of the high jump at
five feet, four inches, just shy of
qualifying.
The Mountaineers entered 15 in
thte Conference meet, with entries
in the majority of the events.
Trailing Hickory and Shelby in
the team scoring were Lenoir
with 19 points, Newton-Conover
116, R. S. Central 1014, Marion 8,
Wilkes Central 7, Valdese 6%,
Morganton 3 3/4, Kings Mt. 2,
Ltoeototon 3/4.
AB B
3 0
3
3
2
2
2
1
2
0
2
1
X
1
23
AB
1
2
3
4
3
3
2
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
H
0
X
0
1
0
0
1
0 0
0 0
0
0
0 0
0 0
1 3
rbi
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
H rbi
1 3
Caroleen
Butler, cf-lb
Walker, rf
Loweiy, If
Green, 3b
Bailey, ss
Francis, lb
Moore, 2b
Harrelson, c
G. Wright, p
Byers, p
Holland, c
Wells, ss
Phillips, rf
Totals
Kings Mt.
Tignor, 2b
Robbs, ss
R. Pearson, rf-e
Fisher, cf
Thorburn, lb
Smith, c
Parker, If
J. Wright, P.
Ware, 3b
Hendricks, ss
Adams, lb
Thomas, If
Haynes, 2b
Rickard, rf
Hillard, 3b
Wilson, p
Totals
Caroleen
Kings Mt.
Pitchers'
G. Wright (1) 0 2 4 3
Byers 6 6 8 4
J. Wright (w) 5 10 0
Wilson 2 2 11
E—Bailey 3, Francis,
Greene; DP—Lowery to Harrel
son; Tignor to Thprburn; LOB—
Caroleen 4, Kings Mt. 8; 2B—
Robbs, Tiignor, Green; SB—Tig
nor, Thorburn, Smith, Fisher;
HBP—Tignor, Pearson, Robbs 2,
Smith; U—Kiser and Hamrick;
T—1:45.
29 12 8
000 000 1— 1
602 310 x—12
IP H B ER BB So
0 0
4 3
3 1
0 0
Byers,
County Tourney
Set Next Week
The annual Cleveland County
baseball tournament is tentative,
ly scheduled for Friday and Sat
urday of next week at Shelby.
Beithware is the defending
county champ in the tournament
which annually brings together
the top two teams from both the
North and South zones of the
county area.
The Buccaneers are leading the
Suth zone this year with a 6-1
record on the campaign, and No.
| Three school is in the runner-up
j slot. No. Three handed the Bucs
their lone defeat of the season
I a few weeks ago.
Casar and Belwood are tied for
the top spot in the North zone
race.
K. ML Seeks Second
Wins Over Loop Foes
The Mountaineer baseballers
hit the road for (the next couple
of contests following a three
gaime home stand.
Coach Fred Withers takes his
charges to Cliffside on Friday
afternoon and to Belmont next
Tuesday night as the Moun
taineers seek their second vic
tory of the season over both
club^,
The Mountaineers rallied to
defeat Cliffside, 4-3, here a few
weeks ago, and turned-in their
biggest scoring effort of the
season to defeat Belmont, 10-7,
in the first meeting of the
campaign. Wins in the two
road games within the next
week will give the Mountain
eers a sweep in the two con
tests with the Conference ri
vals.
The local lads return home
for their final game of the sea
son on Friday night Qf next
week, against arch rival Shel
by.
Bethware Beats Casar, Bel wood
To Win Berth In State Playoffs
Bethware’s Buccanteers won-the
right to represent Cleveland j
County in the state Class A elim
ination series, defeating Casar
and Belwood in a pair of playoff
games last week.
Coach 'Bill Powell’s defending
county champions and current
leaders in the South zone of the
county chase defeated the North
zone’s oo-leadfers, Casar and Bel
wood, to advance into district
pday in the state.
Bethware defeated Casar, 7-1, last
Wednesday, tripped Bed wood, 4-2,
in a 15-inning thriller on Friday
afternoon at iBfethware.
The playoffs were arranged to
determine a Cleveland County
team to participate in the state
J organization's series. As result of
the victories, Bethware moved a
1 gainst Gaston County champion
| Bessemer City Tuesday night. The
winner of that game plays the
MSdDoweU - Burke Coirnty win
ner on Friday night.
! Clyde OamxH and Dean Burton
handled the pitching chores for
Bethware in the 7-1 victory ovter
Casar in the first game of the
oounlty playoffs.
Two afternoons later, Beth
ware's Bobby Biddix and Bel
wood’s Bobby Hoover tited-up in
one of the classics of Cleveland
County diamond action. Biddix
allowed nine hits, and Hoover and
Willis gave up ten. Willis reliev
ed Hoover in the 13th inning. Bid
dix fanned 18 and Hoover 14 in
the long game.
Jerry Wright tripled home
Burton with‘the winning run in
the 15th inning, after the latter
had reached base on an error.
Jerry (Morris slugged a triple
for iBefhware in the first inning
when the Bucs sooted their first
run. Bethware added their other
in the second, with Belwood scor
ing one each in the third and
fourth.
The teams battled scoreless af
ter that until Bethware scored to
the 15th.,
Belwood missed a golden op
portunity to win the game to the
14th when Willis tripled with one
away, tout Biddix picked him off
third with the squeeze play on.
The lineseore:
Bethware 110 000 000 000 003—4—10—4
Belwood 001 100 000 000 000—3— 8—1
Biddix and Morris.
Hoover, Wilhs (13) and Swink.
The Mountaineers went ok
their biggest run-scoring spree of
the baseball season here Tuesday
Afternoon, mauling Caroleen Trl
High, 12-1, to avenge the third
early-season defeat within the
past week.
Chip Thorbum clubbed a pair
of singles and Don Tignor and
James Robbs contributed the ex
tra base power, with a double
each, to pace the Kings Moun
tain attack. Six Tri-High errors,
four walks and five hit batsmen
also aided the cause as the
Mountaineers batted around in
two of the innings.
Pitchers Jerry Wright and Ken
Wilson just coasted behind that
offensive firework^. Jerry went
the first five frames, allowing on
ly one single and gairted credit
for (the win, his third of the year
against three losses. Ken mop
ped-up in the last two .frames
and allowed the lone Tri-High
run on two hits in the seventh.
Caroleen is the .third team
within the past week to feel the
sting of the Mountaineers reven
ge for first-round defeats. Last
week, the Mountaineers also beat
R. S. Central and Cherryville,
both of whom had whipped our
side on the first trip around the
circuit.
Coach Fred Withers used 16
players in the Tuesday rout, with
only Don Fisher and Ronnie
Pearson playing the entire game.
The Mountaineers started off
with a bang, sending 12 batters
to the plate and scoring six runs
in the first inning. The local lads
managed only .two hits in the big
frame, but three Mountaineers
were tagged with pitched balls,
three more walked, and a couple
of errors helped keep thjngs mov
ing.
Robbs rapped his double and
Thorburn his first single to pro
vide the hitting punch to the
quick start.
Ronnie Pearson’s single drove
home another pair of tallies in
the third, and the Mountaineers
batted around again in the four
th inning.
Fisher and Thorbum singled in
this uprising, and after a couple
of errors, Tignor slammed a dou
ble on the left field bank, driving
home a pair of tallies.
t
Hits by Jerry Adams and Don
Smith, along with an error, hiked
the score to an even dozen in the
fifth.
Ronnie Pearson pulled the
fielding gem of the game, nab
bing Bailey’s long drive into deep
right field in the fourth frame.
Running with his back to the
diamond, Ronnie speared (the ball
over his shoulder, robbing the
batter of at least a double.
Honeycutt Stops
Bethware'sBid
Beth ware bowed out of Class A
district playoffs Tuesday night,
losing a 7-1 game to Bessemer
City’s Gaston County champions.
Playing their first night game
of the year, the Buccaneers could
manage only four hilts off the
stout hurling of big Don Honey,
cutt of the Yellow Jackets. Hon
eycutt is the same right-hander
who defeated Tony Cloninger in
district A playoffs last spring.
Bobby Biddix, returning to the
imound after only three days rest
since his 15-inning performance
against Belwood last Friday,
wasn’t up to his usual sharp per
formance. Clyde Carroll finished
up for the Bucs, the two hurlers
allowing 7 hits.
Biddix fanned ten and did not
allow an earned run in his five
innings on the hill, as the Bucs
made eighf errors in the game.
Dean Burton rapped two hits
and Jerry Wright and Don Horn
one each for Bethware.
The win advances Besemer City
against the McDowell — Burke
County winner in state Class A
action.
Linescore:
Bethware 000 001 0—1-4.8
Bess. City 201 112 x—7-7-2
Biddix, Carroll and Morris.
Honeycutt and Franklin.
Golf, Tennis Teams
Host F. C. Today
Kings Mountain High school
golf and tennis teams will
complete their home schedules
here this afternoon (Thursday),
playing host to a pair of For
est City teams.
The tennis matches are sche
duled at the Deal Street Recre
ation Center courts and the
golf rounds at the Kings Moun
tain Country Club. The match
es will start at 3:30.
Meets between the same
teams at Forest City last week
were postponed at the request
of Forest City, and may be
made up next week.
The Mountaineer teams,
participating in golf and ten
nis for the first time, have kwt
four straight matches each,
two each to Shelby and R. S.
Central.