Herald
Sports
By DALE GIBSON
Herald Sports Editor
Let's Try Again
With the losses suffered by the Kings Mountain Babe
Ruth and Teener All-Star teams in tournament play, many
people probably feel that Kings Mountain baseball is more
or less over this year.
This couldn’t be farther from the truth.
The 1967 Senior Tar Heel League All-Stars began play
last night against Hickory. They will return here
Friday night for the second game of the series and if a
third is needed, it will also be played in City Stadium.
This is a team with good hitting, pitching, running
and defense. They should go far.
Leading the pitchers for the local Tar Heel squad will
be Rocky Goforth who was one of the stars of last year’s
Teener team and the stalwark of the Legion pitching staff
this season. <
Darrell Whetstine, who showed great ability at times
during this Legion season, will be counted on heavily
when the Tar Heels go into action.
Tommy Goforth will be counted on in relief. He did
an excellent job for the Legion squad in putting out some
rather dangerous fires after the starting pitcher was taken
out.
At first base, the Tar Heel squad will have Ken Mit
chern. Mitchem is a big, strong boy with great potential.
He didn’t hit well in Legion ball, but could explode any
time.
The second baseman will be Mike Smith who is one of
the most consistent players on the squad. Smith hits well
in the clutch and fields smoothly at second.
Wayne Mullinax, the third baseman, is a good fielder
with good speed. He should hold the hot corner down well.
The catching position is well covered with Paul Gaff
ney and Clarence Ashe. Gaffney caught for the local Le
gion team and was one of the team’s leading hitters. Ashe
is the type of boy who can pick a team up. His hustle and
desire are shown when he is doing the receiving.
Coach Bob Moore will probably play Gene Putnam at
shortstop. Putnam played outfield during most of the Le
gion season but came in at times to play short. He played
shortstop for the Teener squad last season and did a good
job.
If the local Tar Heels have a weak spot, it will be in
the outfield. Three of the four players slated to play in the
outfield have not participated in any baseball thus far this
season.
Eddie Black, Joe Cornwell and Dennis Conner have
not seen any baseball action this season yet. Glenn Per
kins played with the Legion team this season, but saw
limited action.
Summing up this team is not easy for someone who
is not familiar with Kings Mountain baseball in past sea
sons. But, from the reputation of the^Teener team last sea
son and the potential displayed by some of the players in
Legion ball this season, I look for a good showing out of
this squad.
Let’s hope so!
He May Be Right
Charles O. Finley, owner of the Kansas City Athletics,
is known in the baseball world as quite a showman. Finley
has dressed his club in green and gold uniforms and white
baseball shoes. He has purchased a white kangaroo for a
mascot. He even proposed several years back that the
major leagues use orange baseballs instead of white ones.
Now, Charley O. is trying to move his Athletics from
their Kansas City home to a new one—either Oakland or
Milwaukee. This latest move comes at a time when Kansas
City voters have just approved the building of a $30 million
sports complex.
But, let’s look at Finley’s case. Last year, the A’s drew
only 670,000 people. This year the attendance is down by
90,000. This is one of the lowest attendance figures in the
majors.
The radio and tv contract is even worse. Finley’s
“contract” is with KCMO in Kansas City. This is a very
fine station, but at 8 p.m., it goes down to 10,000 watts.
It is hard to pick it up even a few miles outside of Kansas
City.
“I (Finley) offered station WDAF the rights for noth
ing. I thought it might be better attendance-wise to have
the game carried on a station of 50,000 watts. Station
WDAF stated that it was not interested even for nothing.”,
The Chicago White Sox have signed a 10 year TV
k contract at $1,300,000 per year. Last year, Finley received
1 $250,000 for his TV rights. The year before, he received
$325,000.
It’s time the American League realizes Finley’s plight
in Kansas City. He is losing money and there is very little
interest in the ball club.
The owner of a baseball team ought to be able to
move his team if he wants. It’s in the best interests of Mr.
Finley and baseball.
Gib Gabs
What happens to minor league umpires when they
give up the arbitrating profession? Harry Reeder, who
used to umpire in the Western Carolinas League is now
General Manager with the Gastonia Pirates of the WCL.
He held the GM job with Rock Hill previously this sea
son . . . The loss of Bob Gibson, the ace of the Cardinal
pitching staff may have a serious effect on St. Louis’ pen
nant hopes. But, if young pitchers like Steve Carlton and
Ron Willis can continue picking up important wins; the
Cardinals will be in the World Series in October . . . Ed
die Matthews became the seventh player in major league
history to reach the 500-homer mark when he connected
against Juan Marichal in Houston’s 8-6 victory over San
Francisco . . . Joe Torre of the Braves is a great catch
er—granted. But, Tim McCarver of the Cardinals should
have been the starting receiver in the All-Star game. Mc
Carver is hitting .344 to Torre’s .320. McCarver picked up
two hits in the All-Star classic after he finally got into the
game . . . The Yankees are still in search of superstars
and Manager Ralph Houck thinks the Bronx-Bombers fin
\ ally have one in outfielder Steve Whitaker. Houck says
' of Whitaker: “Steve is here to stay. He looked good last
September, but there was no way of knowing whether or
not he was ready for the majors, I don’t think there are
any doubts about that now.” Steve played for Shelby in
the WCL in 1963 and 1964 . . . Bob Etheridge, also a for
mer WCL player with Lexington has been called up to
play for the Giants. He is a third baseman.
In Area IV Competition
KM Tar Heels To Play Here Friday
Cn Kings Min.
Many Apply For 1st N.C.
Karate Championships
The First Annual North Car
olina Open Karate Champion
ships will be held in Kings
Mountain Aug. 5.
According to David Adams,
who is coordinating the event,
many applications from several
slates have already been receiv
ed. Adams won Tie right to hold
the tournament when he won the
Black Belt Division in the Tr'
State Championships held in
South Carolina last May.
Adams has received applied
t ons from some of the most re
spected Karatekas in the coun
try. James Davidson is a Nidan
or Second-Degree Black Belt
from Atlanta, Ga. According to
Adams, Davidson is "a 140 pounds
of dynamite,
Clement Riedner, also a Nidan,
from Greenville, S. C., weighs in
at 200 pounds. Riedner is Adams'
instructor and bis students have
gre at respect for him. He studied
several years in Japan and is
high in Jiu-Jitsu as well as Ka
rate.
Harold Long, of Knoxville,
Ter.n., one of the highest ranked
Caucasians in America, has hten
sent a special invitation to par
ticipate or to be a referee ir. the
event.
Adams ha ; also received 20 ap ■
plications from Wilmington, Dei.
The management of the Kock
Motel where most of the partici
pants in the event will stay over
night for the event, is almost
full. There have been many out
of state reservations made.
“People simply don't realize
the magnitude of this event,'’
said Adams. "It is a nighty re
spected tournament among Ka
ratekas and is a very enjovablo
sporting event.”
The tournament will be com
posed of competition in demon
strations of self-defense, board
and brick breaking, Kata compo
tion which is competitions in
forms of Karate, as well as the
regular fighting competition.
The tournament will be broken
down into four divisions—white,
green, brown and black for the
various levels of Karatekas.
Twenty trophies will be award
ed to the winners.
The tournament will be held
Saturday, Aug. 5 at the KM Ar
mory. According to Adams, there
are still a few advance tickets on
sale for the event which may be
purchased by contacting him. Ad
vance tickets sale for $1 while
at the door, admission is $2.
Football Tickets
Now On Sale For
1967 KMHS Tuts
Season tickets for the 1967
Kings Mountain High School
football games are now on sale
according to Bill Bates, Athletic
Director.
The tickets may be purchased
at the High School anytime now.
The season tickets will entitle
the holder to admission and a
reserved seat in the new John
Gamble Memorial Stadium which
will be opened this season.
Kings Mountain will play host
to East Rutherford, Bessemer
City, Concord, Shelby, Belmont,
and Lincolnton this season. All
games will begin at 8:00.
The Mountaineers will open
the season on Sept. 8 at Thomas
ville.
1967 KMHS
FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
(AU games begin at 8:00)
Sept. 8.At Thomasville
Sept. 15 .. . At Cherryville
Sept. 22 .. At Chase
Sept. 29.Y East Rutherford
Oct. 6 . Bessemer City
Oct. 13 .Concord
Oct. 20 . Shelby
Oct. 27 .At R.S. Central
Nov. 3 . Belmont
Nov. 10.Lincolnton
Burgess, Pitman
Lead Kings Mtn.
Over Forest City
By JOE CORNWELL
Dickie Burgess, and George
Pitman lead Kings Mountain
over Forest City 17 to 11 in
Southwestern A.S.A. Slow Pitch
Softball Tournament, in Grover,
N. C.
Burgess clouted two homeruns
and Pitman went 3 for 3 with
one homer. Both players picked
up three RBIs.
The game was an exciting one
with Kings Mountain collecting
16 hits—4 homeruns, 10 singles
and two triples.
Kings Mountain picked up
three runs in the first on Pit
mans’ home run. They added three
in the third and three in the
fourth on back to back homeruns
by Burgess and Gene Stone.
Burgess cleaned the bases
again in the fifth with his sec
ond hOmer of the night as Kings
Mountain picked up four runs.
The locals wrapped up the
game in th£ seventh scoring four
runs on singles by Parish, Stone
and Pitman and a triple by Tony
Hill.
Gerald Robbins, Tommy Tate
and Larry Davis had three for
four to pace the losers. Gary
Dotson clouted the only home
run for Forest City.
Dean Smith was the winning
pitcher for Kings Mountain. Bill
White took the loss.
TO NEW TORE
Cadet Philip S. Bunch, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Kelly Bunch,
has reported for military train
ing at Camp Butner, New York.
Cadet Bunch will return to
West Point Military Academy
following completion of sum
mer training.
BILL BATES
Bates To Coach
N. C. All-Stars
In Greensboro
Kings Mountain High School
football coach Bill Bates will
leave Thursday for Greensboro
where he will help coach the
jWest squad in the annual North
; Carolina East-West High School
All-Star game.
Bates will join head coach
Jack Ward of Davie County and
Assistant Coach (Mack Haynes of
N. Mecklenburg. Bates will serve
as an Assistant to Ward.
This AlhStar game is held an
nually in conjunction with the
North Carolina High School
coaching clinic. It is being held
this year at Grimsley High
School in Greensboro.
The coaches of the All-Star
squad are chosen by a vote of
the North Carolina Coaches As
sociation.
ON DEAN'S LIST
Peter Hauser, sophomore stu
dent at N. C. State University,
has been listed on the dean’s
Mst for the spring quarter. He
is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Jack Hauser of Kings Moun
! tain.
Fairview Lodge 339 AF&
AM will meet Monday
night at 7:30 p.m. at
Masonic Hall for work
in the Master Mason’s
degree, Secretary Thom
as D. Tindall announces.
GETTING READY—Shown above are Sandy Mauney (right) and
Charles Burris (left) working out in preparation for the first an
nual North Carolina Open Karate Championships to be held in
Kings Mountain at the Armory Aug. 5. Looking on (in black) is
David Adams who is refereeing the workout.
Richard Petty; On His Way To
Crown As The King of Racers
HAMPTON, GA. — Whether or
not he wins the $78,000 DIXIE
500, the mid-summer classic up
coming at Atlanta International
Raceway, 1967 will be known as
"The Year Of Richard The Hemi
Hearted”.
"You can point everything at
that big track Petty blue”, de
clared an old timer, the vener
able veteran of many racing sea
sons. "Richard’s gonna win it
again—don’t care if they have
added another long hundred
miles to it.”
Richard does indeed stand on
the threshold of greatness. Al
ready this season the famed son
>f Lee Pety (patriarch of the
Petty clan of Randalman, N. C.)
has vvon 15 races. And the cal
endar year for racing, NASCAR
style, is only a bit past the half
way mark. Petty, of course, won
the then DIXIE 400 last August
over A.IR.'s tremendously swift
11 is miles of bending asphalt. The
Petty Blue Plymouth with the
hemi-head engine swept under the
checkers in front of Buddy Bak
er’s Dodge, giving Petty his first
triumph ever at A.I.R., and the
prestigious silver Governor’s Cup
which annually is rewarded to
the conquerer.
More important, it made Petty,
NASCAR National Champion of
1964, the only active member of
the NASCAR’s Grand slam club
—victories on super speedways
in Atlanta, Darlington, Charlotte,
Daytona Beach and Rockingham
“It will be a lot tougher this
trip though,” Petty says. “Re
member this is a 500-miler and
on a track that is tougher on
cars and drivers than any of
’em. I was mighty proud to win
last year "cause the Ford came
back with Freddie Lorenzen and
we beat ’em, besides it was my
first win here and you never for
get it.”
Petty will probably have a lot
more going for him come Sun
day, Aug. 6 at 1 p.m. with 15 vic
: lories in 1967, he needs but three
! more to equal Atlantan Tim
Flock’s all time NASCAR record
of 18 victories in a single year.
With a 250-miler and a 200
miler, both NASCAR races of
! course, scheduled respectively at
Bristol, Tenn., and Nashville,
Tenn., both before the big At
lanta race. Petty has an excellent
| chance. Already in 1967 the 28
I year old driver has established
the all-time NASCAR standard
of 63 triumphs in Grand Nation
al races of the year.
Petty has won at Bristol’s Mt
| mile track many times and al
most a half dozen times at the
! smaller Nashville track. Thus he
has a golden opportunity to tie
the all-time Flock mark here in
Tim's home town.
When Petty won number 63,
his 15th of the current year at
Islip, N. Y., it marked eleven
fill over his equally famous
father. Papa Lee, before the 1967
season, owned the all-time Grand
National record, 52. Son Richard
broke that mark two months
past and has now set his fast
sights on becoming the fii-st
NASCAR driver to “win 20".
Time trials begin Wednesday,
Aug. 2, for four days before the
DIXIE, and continue through
Saturday, August 5th. NASCAR
j inspection comes Tuesday, Aug
| ust 1. Then the drivers get down
to action and that all important
fastest day of Wednesday when
the pole position will be decided.
Locals Play Host To Hickoiy
In Best Of Three Elimination
BY DALE GIBSON
The Kings Mountain Senior Tar Heel All-Stars began
Area Four competition against Hickory in Hickory last
night. The tournament is a double elimination affair with
the winner advancing to the state finals in Raleigh, July
31-Aue. 5.
The second game of the best
two of three series will he play
ed in Kings Mountain’s City
Stadium Friday night at 6:00
with the third game following if
necessary.
ALL SENIOR TAR HEEL
LEAGUE GAMES WILL BE
CARRIED OVER RADIO STA
TION WKMT WITH JONAS
BRIDGES DOING THE PLAY
BY PLAY. AIR TIME FRIDAY
WILL BE 5:45.
The Kings Mountain entry in
the league is coached by Bob
Moore. The local Tar Heelers are
largely boys who played base
ball with the 1966 Teener League
team which finished third in the
nation. Other players are taken
from the 1967 KM Legion team.
Coach Moore will be relying
heavily on the pitching ability of
Rocky Goforth, a southpaw. Go
forth played a major role in last
Two No-Hit Gems
Pitched In LL
Two no-hitters and one one
hitter were hurled by Little Le
ague pitchers in the past week.
Park Grace stomped Tryon
12-0 behind the no-hit pitching
performance of Robbie Moore.
Park Grace hit Tryon pitchers
with ease. David Caldwell, Junior
Seller and Jamie Mitchem led
the Park Grace team with two
hits apiece.
The Jayeees team was just as
convincing in its KM) win over
Rescue. Ronnie Biddix hurled
the gem in this game. P. K.
Bryant led the winners at Ihe
plate with a home run.
Tryon bounced back from its
beating at the hands of Park
Grace and shut out Kiwanis on
one hit 10-0. Doug Kiser led Try
! on at the plate with two two
, baggers.
In other Little League action,
Rescue lost to Lions 15-1. Robbie
Moore and David Caldwell led
the Lions to victory with two
hits each.
Optimist beat Jayeees in an ex
citing battle 2-0. Ricky Hold hit
a home run for the winners.
Park Grace stomped Police
behind the power hitting of Jim
Jolly and Robbie Moore 12-4. The
Police team was led at the plate
by Mike Tombs who picked up
2 for 4.
Craftspun edged out a victory
over Jayeees 5-3. Ricky Wallace
led the winners at the plate.
Kiwanis beat Rescue 12-1 and
Optimist slaughtered Craftspun
17-3.
year's Teener team ami was a
steady starter <>n this year’s le
gion squad.
Tommy Goforth, also a Teener
last year and a legion star this
year is expected to be used pri
marily in relief. Darrell Whet
sline will be counted on heavily.
The locals will rely on the hit
ting of Paul Gaffney who was
one of the leading hitters for
this years legion squad. Joe Corn
well and Wayne Mullinax will
provide speed on the basepaths.
This team litis much potential
and the possibilities of going far
in the district and state playoffs.
Tin' local team has a strong
infield and two fine catchers.
The pitching squad has more
depth than this years legion
team with the addition of Junior
Lefevers to the mound staff.
The outfield is unproven in
play thus far. Two of the four
played high school ball, but only
one lias played any since the
end of the high school season.
The outfield has potential, hut
must prove itself.
Tin* Senior Tar Heel League
is composed of teams only in
North Carolina so there will be
no national finals. The state
finals will be held in Raleigh
July 31-Aug. 5.
Game time Friday at City Sta
dium is 6:00 with Kings Moun
tain playing Hickory.
Southwell Wins
Tee League Crown
The Tee League season ended
last week with Southwell Ford
taking revenge over Mauney Tex
tile for a previous loss 29-5.
Southwell finished the season
with a 9-1 record, good enough
to cop first place and the league
championship. King Mills, C & C
Metal, Mauney Textile, and
Plonk Brotlrers rounded out the
standings.
In other Tee League games, C
& C Metal won two and lost one.
They beat Mauney Textile 19-7
on Hal Glass’ perfect six for six
performance at the plate.
Victory Chevrolet was victori
ous over C & C Metal in a close,
but high scoring contest 15-14.
C & C Metal won over Optimist
10-8 to round out the schedule
and end the season.
CAR WASH
Bynum Chapel AME Zion
church Sunday school will con
duct a car wash Saturday
morning at 10 o’clock at the
corner of Ellis and Cansler
streets. Price is $1.75 per wash,
William Orr announced.
MEN'S
STRAW HATS
ALL
SWIM WEAR
GIRLS' AND LADIES
SUMMER DRESSES
LADIES'
HATS
LADIES' & GIRLS'
SPORTSWEAR
MEN'S & BOYS
BERMUDAS
I
MEN'S
SWIM WEAR
BOYS'
SWIM WEAR
r u it on s