Newspapers / The Kings Mountain Herald … / Aug. 1, 1991, edition 1 / Page 6
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a rE “e oo ¢ Fe iy + Fay £ .¥ 7 Fy. #75 yx % # #2 5% aE sa, a SR AREANAS LTR EST TOE CTPA CET EIN IRIAN _— zea RRR SEE TA SR EIN EE ITE [t PRET REE I ER I PENT ER EE : Page 6A-THE KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD-Thursday, August 1, 1991 DN. SN CN in By GARY STEWART hy A lesser man would have been out of football years ago. But lesser men don't have the grit of a Brent Bagwell. Bagwell, N.C. State's 270-pound sophomore guard from Kings Mountain, has undergone two major knee surgeries in the past three years. Both times, he was advised not to play any more football. But come August 12, Bagwell will be back on the turf of Carter-Finley Stadium battling for a starting position with the All-American Bowl champion Wolfpack. Bagwell was an All-State performer for Kings Mountain High in 1987 and was chosen to play in the prestigious from the East. But just a few days after being chosen for that team he suffered cartilage damage in his knee while working on a construction project at his home on Gold Street. Fortunately, Bagwell had alrcady signed a full scholarship with N.C. State and his education couldn't be taken away. But, Bagwell earned the scholarship because of his athletic ability and he was determined he would give the State coaching four good years of football. Doctors wouldn't allow him to do any kind of strenuous activity for several months and he was told he couldn't even think about playing football for a year. So, Bagwell stayed out of school for the first semester of When his first year of actual competition rolled around last August, Bagwell's determination was quickly recognized by the Wolfpack staff. He started out as a third unit guard, then quickly moved up to second unit. He saw action in every game and had an outstanding effort in the Wolfpack's 41- 38 win over Southern Mississippi in the All-American Bowl. With his experience Bagwell was the natural choice to be placed at first unit for the spring practice depth chart. However, in January, he was told he needed further surgery on his knee and that kept him out of spring practice. So, going into the fall, he is still considered a back-up guard. "That's okay, though," he says. "I'll still be getting in on 40 to 50 plays a Determined Bagwell eyes good year for himself. But he's also looking for big things for the team. “I'd say we have the best chance in the last three or four years of fighting for the ACC championship,” he said. "We have just about our whole offense back in tact and lost only a couple of defensive backs and two linemen off the defense. But we have players that will fill in real well at those positions.” Bagwell says Georgia Tech and Clemson will be the teams to beat and North Carolina will be a "surprise." As for his knee, Bagwell says "it's as strong as it ever was." He spent double time in the weight room over the off- season to get it in playing shape. "I'm just hoping to go into the season East-West All-Star game in Greensboro which features the top seniors from western North Carolina against the best 1989. his freshman year, entered State in the spring and started his football career as a red-shirt freshman in August of game and if everything goes well I might even work my way into the starting lineup." Of course, Bagwell has high hopes with the back-up guard spot secured and get in a lot of playing time," he says. "That would be a good foundation going into the next two years." Joe Neisler appointed to Wildlife Commission Joseph A. Neisler of Lake Waccamaw, formerly of Kings Mountain, was recently appointed by Lt. Gov. Jim Gardner to a two- year term on the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Neisler had previously served a two-year term as commissioner of District 8, which includes Cleveland, Gaston, Rutherford, Lincoln, Catawba, Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Yancey, Mitchell and Avery counties. John W. Parks III of Gastonia was ap- pointed by Gov. Jim Martin to a six-year term representing District 8. Neisler and Parks were adminis- tered the oath of office by state ap- pellate court Judge Robert Orr in a special ceremony Thursday in Raleigh. The 13-member commission unanimously elected Richard Budd of Winston-Salem chairman and Eugene Price of Goldsboro vice chairman. Middle School physicals set Physicals for all students who plan to play sports at Kings Mountain Middle School during the 1991-92 school year will be given August 6 at 5:30 p.m. at the KMMS gym. All boys and girls are expected to be present at that time, said ath- letic director David Heffner. Heffner, who doubles as the Patriots’ football coach, said foot- ball practice will begin August 14 at 3:30 p.m, Volleyball tryouts Monday at KM High All girls in grades nine through twelve planning to play volleyball at Kings Mountain High School this year are asked to attend tryouts Monday from 2-5 at the KMHS gym. All girls need to have physical examinations before trying out. Susie Hughes is the JV coach and Dianna Bridges is the varsity coach. Booster's Club meets August 1 The Kings Mountain High Booster's Club will meet August 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the concession stand at John Gamble Stadium. Each member is asked to attend and help clean the concession area. Golf tourney at Woodbridge The 1991 Muscular Dystrophy Association golf tournament will be held August 7 at Woodbridge Golf Links near Kings Mountain. The event is co-sponsored by One Stop Food Stores. Proceeds will help buy wheelchairs, braces, hospital beds and other orthopedic equipment as well as provide phys- ical and occupational therapy, a free clinic, and a week long sum- mer camp for people in the Southern Piedmont area who are most affected by neuromuscular disease. Entry fee is $50 per person. The tournament will be a Captain's Choice event. The entry fee in- cludes golf cart, green fee, surprise bag, golf tees, lunch, certificate, auction, hospitality cart and free drinks. : Registration will be at 8 a.m. and the tournament will begin at 9 a.m. For more information contact Trish Mahoney, MDA, 5501 Executive Center Drive, Charlotte, 28212 (567-2912) or Leroy Dubre or Kay Owens, One Stop Food Stores, 1906 E. Dixon Blvd., Shelby 28150 (482-2488). Steve Gordon wins CC bass tournament Steve Gordon caught 17 pounds, 11 ounces of fish to win the month- ly Cleveland County Bass Club tournament Saturday at Fishing Creek, S.C. Gordon also caught the biggest fish, a four-pound, 13-ounce large- mouth. Second place went to Keeter Hamrick with eight pounds, five ounces; and third was Richard Blanton with seven pounds, six ounces. Soccer camp is next week The Runnin' Bulldog Soccer Academy will be holding a half- day camp next week at Davidson Park in Kings Mountain. Registration will be from 3-4 p.m. Sunday and there will be a one-hour session Sunday from 4-5 p.m. Morning sessions lasting from 9 a.m.-12 noon will be held Monday through Friday. Kings Mountain High soccer coach Dan Potter is co-directing the camp with Shelby High coach Peter Wittig and Gardner-Webb Coach Tony Setzer. Campers will receive a camp T- shirt, an Adidas "Napoli" ball ($30 value), along with a written evalua- tion and camp certificate. The fee is $75. Mountie hooters begin practice Kings Mountain High School students interested in playing soc- cer this year should meet at the soccer practice field Thursday at 6:30 p.m. : If you do not have a physical form completed and want to come out for the team, pick up a form and have it completed as soon as possible. Practices will be held nightly from 6:30-8:30. Hullender moves into tie for first R.W. Hullender swept four games from Allen Myers while previous leader Mark Midgette was losing three of four games to John Dilling in Summer Duckpin Bowling League action Tuesday night at Dilling Heating. The result moved Hullender into a tie for first place with Midgette with 20-16 records. Myers is in third place with a 17-19 mark, fol- lowed by Dilling at 15-21. Hullender rolled a 150 line and 368 set and Jack Barrett added a 114-339 to lead Hullender's effort. Myers led his group with a 128- 332. John Dilling was the top scorer of the night, bowling a 138 linc and 371 set to lead his tcam over Midgette. Midgette led the losers with a 136-336. KEVIN MELTON 2 doubles help lead KM win in state tourney Coming through loud and clear Anderson has voice for umpire When Pressley Anderson talks, people listen. They can't help it. He talks so loud! Anderson, 44, an umpire in the Kings Mountain youth baseball leagues, is known for his audible voice. It rings off the fences and echoes through the stands of Jake Early Memorial Park. When he says "You're O-u-u-u-u-T!," every- one knows it. The Kings Mountain native has been calling balls and strikes for 24 years and, if he's able, he'll still be doing it 24 years from now. Pressley's not your typical um- pire. Oh, he's been known to miss a few. But the players and the fans all love him, "I guess it's because I'm a home- town boy," he smiles, "but the fans don't get on me like they do other umpires. Not having any kids my- self, they know I can go out there and call a fair and impartial game. I treat all the kids like they're my own." If that's the case, Anderson has a lot of children running around. He umpires in several different leagues, including T-Ball, Dixie Youth Major and “Minor Leagues and Dixie Boys. In addition, he umpires NSA and ASA slowpitch softball and has called junior high bascball and high school softball on occasion. "It's almost a full-time job for me," he says. "And I love cvery minute of it." Anderson gets up carly cach morning and walks from his home on Catherine Street about a mile to the Kings Mountain 66 Petroleum World Station on East King Street, where he works full-time. After six to eight hours on the job there he walks back home, eats, showers and walks back to the ball parks at the Kings Mountain Parks and Recreation Department, where he calls several games three to four nights a week. "I love it," he says. "Over the past 24 years I've seen some of Kings Mountain's best athletes come through the little league ranks and go on to be successful at higher levels. I umpired when Calvin Stephens, Paul Brannon and Chris and Chad Plonk were play- ing." (Stephens now plays pro foot- ball for the New England Patriots, Brannon plays professional basc- ball in the Seattle Mariners’ organi- zation and the Plonk twins play for national runner-up Manatee Community College in Florida). Dixie Boys All-Stars split first two games Kings Mountain's Dixie Boys all-stars were scheduled to play Smokey Mountain at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning in the third round of the State 13-14 year-old tournament in Whiteville. The tournament, which has been delayed several times because of rain, is now scheduled for comple- tion on Friday. Six of the original eight teams remain in the double- elimination event. Kings Mountain, the District III champions, lost its first game to Kannapolis 8-7 after building a 5-0 lead. The game began on Saturday at Southeastern Field and was stopped because of rain in the sec- ond inning. It was completed on Sunday at Whiteville City Park. The locals bounced back from that loss: on Monday to eliminate Hoke County 10-6 on a two-hitter by Duane Patterson. Columbus County and Kannapolis are the only undefeated teams remaining and they were scheduled to play each other Wednesday afternoon. The winner of that game was to meet the win- ner of the KM-Smokey Mountain game last night. Kannapolis scored three runs in the fifth inning and two in the sixth to come from behind and beat KM in the opening round. Sharee Hopper pitched the first three in- nings, Sidney Bridges pitched two and then Hopper came back to pitch the sixth. Kings Mountain grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a walk to Kevin Melton and Bridges' double. "I've gotten a lot of joy out of it," says the son of Wayne and Oleen Anderson of Kings Mountain. "I think the good sports- manship taught at an early age builds character, and the leadership shown by good coaches helps the athletes develop their skills, and by showing integrity and honesty you help build their character and help make them better citizens." Anderson loves all sports and is ‘an avid follower of the local high school football, basketball and baseball teams. He talks with pride of being a 1965 graduate of KMHS "during the time when we had Pat Murphy, Richard Gold, Hubert McGinnis and all those other good football players." He never misses a game unless he's umpiring one at the city park. But he's partial to baseball. KM increased its lead to 5-0 in the second, scoring four runs on a sin- gle by Patterson, walks to Chris Hutchins and Michael Bell and a three-run triple by Travis Queen. Hopper walked and later scored on a fielder's choice in the third, and KM scored its final run in the fourth on singles by Dean Clark and Bell and Melton's sacrifice fly to center. Kings Mountain finished with eight hits and left five men on base. Monday, Patterson went the dis- tance and fanned 10 to get the KM team back in the running for the state championship which it won last year in the Major League divi- sion. His teammates backed him with a nine-hit attack. Melton doubled and scored on singles by Bridges and Hopper to give KM a 1-0 lead in the first, and Melton doubled again and later scored on a sacrifice fly for KM's second run in the third. KM added two in the fifth on a double by Bridges and consecutive walks to Hopper, Bryan Leftwich and Patterson; and then broke the game open with six inthe! Sixth. Jeremy Oliver-and Travis Queen singled and later scored on walks to Melton and Hopper. Leftwich's bases-loaded single drove in two more and Kenny Bridges singled in another. The winner of the state tourna- ment advances to the Dixie Boys World Series next month in Rock Hill, S.C. "I developed a love for baseball when I played little league ball for the Jaycees in the late 1950s," he recalled. "I even coached a couple years in T-ball when it first started here in the sixties. I coached the Kings Mills 10-year-old team." Back then, he noted, the 9-10 year old league was considered T-Ball. Now it's known as Minor League. It was through coaching that Anderson got interested in umpir- ing. "Some of the other coaches liked my voice when I was in the third or first base coaching box," he said. "1 would always holler very loud and be on the players to hustle and run out those ground balls." Anderson says he still urges players to do their best..in an im- partial way, of course. And, when See Umpire, 7-A
The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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