Allentown Morning Call - May 18, 1980
Hey, guys, there could be a strike
By John Kunda, Executive Sports Editor
Items of interest heard alone the way:
HARRY KALAS, RICH ASHBURN and Andy Musser rank right up there at the top as a baseball radio-TV team. For my ears, anyway. But in recent days, they're not telling it like it is, or, perhaps, like it might be. As good Phillie promoters should, they keep on plugging next week's games, and there are some good ones with Houston and Pittsburgh coming to the Vet. But nowhere in their promotions, not from Atlanta, anyway, have they mentioned the good possibility that there might not be games next weekend. There is this strike thing, which they have been ignoring. Midnight Thursday is the deadline, and, if there is still a disagreement, the players won't report to the batting box for games on Friday. That means the holiday weekend against the Astros will be wiped out, along with the four straight games against the world champion Pirates, which are scheduled to start next Monday night. And for the Monday night game, Bill Giles, the man in charge of promotions, has a giant fireworks display planned. He might have to hang on to those fireworks for awhile. Some say if there is a strike, it'll be a long one.
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IT WAS LIKE a CBS-TV production at the ggf Executive Sports Editor Marriott in Philadelphia the other night during the Pop Warner football dinner. Tom Brookshier, Irv Cross and Jack Whitaker handled a part of the program that honored the Eagles. All three were superb in their narrations. Another part of the program included the inductions of six Eagles in the Pop Warner Hall of Fame. And one of those inductees was Chuck Bednarik, who has the distinction of being a Hall of Famer in both the collegiate and professional ranks. Brookshier was another inductee as were Pete Retzlaff Steve VanBuren, Al Wistert and the late Bert Bell. Bednarik had his own rooting section from the Lehigh Valley. Ripper Rich, John Nemeth and Ed Novogratz, all active with the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Nationall Football Foundation and Hall of Fame, were in the crowd of over 800. A number of current Eagles were there, too, Ron Jaworski, Reggie Wilkes, Guy Morris. Leroy Barnes, Harold Carmichael and Wally Henry.
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THE LPGA TOUR is picking up the World Series of Golf idea from the men's tour, and just as the men's Series began, only a handful of ladies will be selected. In fact, no more than 12 will shoot for the total purse of $150,000, with a record $50,000 going to the winner. There are six ways in which to get into the LPGA's World Series, and so far, Debbie Massey, who's having a fine year financially, doesn't qualify. But there is time before the Sept. 4 event. Going into the tournament in New Jersey this weekend, Debbie is 10th on the money list with $43,105. It's a good way from the top where Donna Caponi Young sits with $111,052. She won that in 13 events compared to Debbie's figures which are for nine tournaments. The ladies will be playing a couple of tournaments in the East, including one later next month at the Hershey Country Club. And, of course, Debbie will have 18 of the pros at the Bethlehem Steel Club on Monday, June 23 for a charity event. The inaugural event last year drew a gallery of close to 3,000, and that's not bad at all. The committee hopes to top that this time around.
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THIS MIGHT SETTLE some taproom debates. According to the NFL, Nebraska and Southern Cal tied for the most draftees in the recent college draft. Each had 10 players picked. Baylor and Oklahoma were next with nine each, followed by Washington with eight; Alabama, Colorado, Penn State, Texas, seven each Michigan State and Notre Dame, six each, and Arizona State, Michigan, North Carolina State, Texas A Texas Tech and Utah State, five each. With Southern Cat's big list, the Pac-10 contributed the most players with 41. The Southwest Conference was next with 38; the Big Eight, 36; Big Ten, 27; Southeast Conference, 24; Atlantic Coast Conference, 18; Western Athletic Conference, 14, and the Pacific Coast Athletic Association, 10… You gotta like Johnny Bench's comment on underrated (publicity wise, anyway) George Foster. Said Bench, who has played with 'email: "His offensive ability is almost unmatched. Joe Morgan was No. 1 as far as ways to win a game. Pete Rose, being a great contact hitter, could get the big hits. Tony Perez was a great clutch player and great personality. These are the big guys who dominated the 1970s. But George Foster was a bigger offensive weapon than any of them" SPECIAL SUNDAY SALUTE or, a report on Lehigh Valley golfers who are playing good: Rich Sabat, Jim Liddicoat (65 at Twin Lakes), Ed Cherkis, Mike Zambelli, Earl Trexler, Paul Schneck, John Nemeth 17 handicapper, but had 13 pars and bird in one round Jim Mushlitz, Reds Leeman, Dan Ponoski (in-and-outer), Carl Greener John McCurdy, Joe (Ace) Galm, Gary Fahl, Leon Heiter and Mark Nissenbaum. If you hear of anymore, let us know.
Christenson’s sore elbow comes too late for Astros
HOUSTON (AP) – Pitcher Larry Christenson hit a three-run homer and yielded seven hits before leaving after five innings with a sore elbow and the Philadelphia Phillies went on to a 4-2 victory over the slumping Houston Astros last night.
The Astros lost for the fourth straight time and for the eighth time in 10 games.
Christenson 3-0, clubbed his 10th career homer to key Philadelphia's four-run second inning. Greg Luzinski led of the inning with a single and later scored the first run on a fielder's choice grounder by Larry Bowa.
Manny Trillo then singled before Christenson blasted one over the left field fence.
The Astros ended a string of 24 scoreless innings in the third. Terry Puhl singled, Jose Cruz walked with two out and Cesar Cedeno drove them home with a single up the middle.
Kevin Saucier relieved Christenson to start the sixth when Christenson complained of sore tendons in his elbow.
The Astros had a scoring chance in the second inning when Cruz led off with a single. Cedeno and Enos Cabell struck out and Alan Ashby singled Cruz to second before Craig Reynolds flied out to end the inning.
Joe Niekro, 4-3, went seven innings and picked up the loss.
In Brief (excerpt)
Baseball Camp
The sixth annual Phillies Baseball camp will begin June 16 at the Northwest Little League Field in Bethlehem. Rainout dates will be conducted in Lehigh University's indoor Rauch Field House. The day begins at 10 a.m. and concludes at 3 p.m. Instructors include Lehigh coach Craig Anderson, former New York Met and St. Louis Cardinal Ron Hunt and Allentown Wings' manager Greg Vogel.
Participants must be between the ages of 10 and 15 and can make reservations through their parents or local coaches bv calling Anderson at 861-4301 or 838-9227.