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Show Page 6 - THE HERALD, Provo, Utah, Thursday, May 19, 1983 report and commentary on winners, losers and coming events A full Sports Cougars, Aztecs Head All-WA- Baseball Teams C LITTLETON, Division champion San Diego State and Northern DiviColo.-South- -ern sion champion Brigham Young University dominated the Athletic Conference rn divisional teams released today. The Aztecs placed six men on Southern Division squad while the Cougars placed five on the Northern Division the team. BYU's representatives include first baseman Wally Joy-ne- r, who was hitting .471 going into today's WAC championship playoffs; infielder Cory Snyder, hitting .415; outfielders Eric Varoz, hitting .343, and Gary Cooper, hitting .398; and Scott Nielsen, who is pitcher 13-- 0 with a 3.58 earned run average. Other Northern Division selections include Wyoming Greg Brock and Luke Nemo, pitcher Brad Davis, outfielder John Tuttle and desig- - Scott Nielsen Eric Varoz Wally Joyner nated hitter Efrain Rosa; and Utah infielder Mike Dandos and catcher David Rise. Aztecs selected for Southern Division honors include infield- - first baseman Joey elude ers Chris Cannizzaro, Terry Jones and Joe Holvey; outfielder Kerwin Danley; pitcher Bill Blount and catcher Steve Darrett. Hawaii's honorees in- - Meyer, outfielder Greg Oriiate, infielder Kyle Tengan and pitcher David Smith. Paso's Chuck Texas-E- l Sixers -Oust Bucks From Playoffs PHILADELPHIA The (UPI) Philadelphia 76ers are ready for the NBA championship series, armed with a scowling giant to deal with the bullies who lurk under the backboards. Moses Malone teamed with the An76ers' other shooting stars drew Toney and Julius Erving for a total of 82 points Wednesday night and Philadelphia earned its second straight trip to the league 3 championship series with a Milwauover tenacious the victory kee Bucks. The Sixers will have to wait a couple of more days before learning whether they'll be meeting the Los Angeles Lakers for the third time in the last four years or the San Antonio Spurs in the finals. One thing is for certain: the Malone will patch up the old crack in the Philadelphia armor. Rebounding proved to be the team's weakness 115-10- - 255-pou- said Toney, who led all, 30 points. "We had a deficiency in rebounding last year and now we have Moses. That's the main thing." "Compared to other years, I feel we're as well equipped as a team can get," added Erving, making his fourth try at the elusive NBA championship ring. "It wasn't always the case. I'm pretty confident. The difference is that in previous years, we were aware of our weakness (rebounding), and other teams were, too." Malone scored 28 points and pulled down 17 rebounds while 11 in Erving poured in 24 points the third quarter to lead the Sixers to a triumph for the Eastern Conference championship. "I thought this was the best we played in any playoff game so far," Philadelphia coach Billy tion," scorers with Cunningham said. "Tonight's game leaves me with a good taste in championship round losses in in my mouth going into the (fi1977, 1980 and 1982. nals). Right now, I'm in a pretty "We now have Moses in the mellow state of mind." middle and that's a great addi The Sixers left Milwaukee coach Don Nelson convinced that they can beat whomever the West has to offer. "They're the best team I've seen in 10 years, without any question," Nelson said. "They are the next world champions as far as I'm concerned. They play a different style in the West, but I don't think anybody can beat them (the Sixers)." The Sixers got their running game in gear in the third quarter after being whipped on the boards in the first half. Malone and Erving contributed the rebounds and Maurice Cheeks ran the fast break. Erving slammed home an alley-oodunk to begin a run that p 9-- 0 boosted a margin to and jammed once again to pad Milwauthe advantage to kee's Charlie Criss led a comeback that trimmed the deficit to five but the Sixers ran off the next seven points to get the lead back to 12. "That might have been the turning point," said Marques Johnson, the Bucks' leading scorer with 21. one-poi- 72-6- 2, nt 76-6- 4. "It seemed like a real close game until then. We missed shots and they started to run." Philadelphia kept the pressure on, never allowing the Bucks to get any closer than seven. Sensing a victory, the crowd of 18,482 began chanting "We Want but that battle cry may change if San Antonio continues to rally. Malone finished but his job was made easier by the dead-ey- e shooting of Toney. Toney canned mostly from outside, and prevented the Bucks on Malone. from double-teamin- g ," 4, "I got it going in the first half and I wanted to stay offensive minded," Toney said. "I knew that being aggressive offensively would force them into defensive adjustments, and that they wouldn't be able to double-teaMoses in the middle." The series was remarkably competitive even though it lasted just five games. The Bucks know they gave it their best shot. "We couldn't play them any better," Nelson said. m vantage. The Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs played a grueling NBA schedule mainly to 82-ga- determine which team would enter the playoffs with the home-cou- rt advantage. But in four of the five games of the Western Conference championship series, the host team has lost. The Lakers, holding a comlead after sweeping manding two games in San Antonio, figured to finish the Spurs off Wednesday night in the cozy confines of the 1 Forum. In the two days between the fourth and fifth games, the Lakers seemed more concerned with the Philadelphia 76ers than they did with the Spurs, speaking about clinching the series early enough to give themselves time to prepare for the NBA championship series against the 76ers, who wrapped up their Eastern Conference series with a victory Wednesday night over Milwaukee. The Spurs listened to the Lakers' comments and then ruined their plans. Mike Mitchell scored 26 points, Artis Gilmore had 25 and the Spurs held off a furious closing 2 surge by the Lakers for a victory, cutting the Lakers' lead in the series to 2 and sending it back to San Antonio for Game 6 Friday night. 117-11- 3-- "The tremendous desire and pride that the San Antonio Spurs showed tonight makes me very proud," said San Antonio coach Stan Albeck. "Our season could've ended tonight if we didn't win. But we did, and that's a real tribute to this team. "We heard all their comments that they wanted to end the series and get some rest for Philadelphia. We heard all that they had to say." Los Angeles guard Magic Johnson said the Lakers now realize that the Spurs are not going to roll over for them. "We know now that we can't worry about Philadelphia at all," he said. "If we start worrying about the 76ers, the Spurs will be playing them and we'll be sitting home." San Antonio led 107-10- 0 with 6:56 15-fo- ot an 8-- 0 San Antonio spurt during double-eliminatio- 24 players Gulls Resume Losing Ways; Fall to Tucson's Toros 70-- 7 By RAY SCHWARTZ Herald Sports Writer SALT LAKE CITY-T- he Salt Lake Gulls returned to losing ways Wednesday when the Tucson Toros scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning for a 10-- 7 game victory in a at Derks Field. The Gulls whipped the Toros 12-- 1 Tuesday after losing four straight to Edmonton last weekend, but sloppy defensive play they committed four errorsled to their downfall Wednesday. A wild pitch by losing pitcher Bob Babcock provided the Arizo-nan- s with their margin of victory. It was a tough loss for Manager Bobby Floyd's club to take since it had rallied brilliantly to score five runs in the seventh inning to tie the game at A single run-scori- by began its final run with six minutes left. Abdul-Jabba- r hit a free throw to 1 make it and, after Johnny Moore hit a short jumper for the hit another Spurs, Abdul-Jabbfree throw and followed it with a layup to cut the gap to base hit by Bradley, a two-ru- n hits Spike Owen, and by Rod Allen and Al Chambers gave the Gulls their five runs in that inning. Dan Boone, the last of three Tucson pitchers, who hurled the d last two and innings, got credit for the win as he gave up but one hit in the last two innings, after Chambers touched him for a single in the seventh. Wes Clements rapped a two-ru- n homer and John Mizerock and k Bert Pena hit to stake Tucson to a 0 lead, but Jim Maler, returned to the Gulls by the Seattle. Mariners, hit a two-ru- n home run in the fifth to cut the Toros' advantage to one run. Then Tucson came up with four runs in the sixth on an error by Owen at shortstop and four singles for a 2 lead, paving the way for all the action down the stretch. run-scori- Phil one-thir- back-to-bac- two-bagge- rs 3-- 7-- Broadcast Cougar Games broadKBYU-Twill tape-dela- y WAC ii cast today's playoff baseball game at 9:30 p.m. tonight with Jay Monsen doing the y with Marion Dunn, The Daily Herald sports editor, and BYU assistant basketball coach Roger Reid providing the color commentary. BYU-Hawa- Ka-ree- m play-by-pla- Friday's game will be aired at that night and Saturday's game will air at 10 p.m. that 10:30 p.m. night. KBYU will also broadcast the WAC track meet. The telecast will be Saturday at 2:30 p.m on "SportsAmerica." 107-10- State Baseball Tests Delayed Again ar 109-10- After Gilmore was called for hit a skytraveling, Abdul-Jabbhook, but Mitchell and Moore then hit field goals 22 seconds apart to boost San Antonio's lead to ar 113-10- led one more surge, scoring on a reverse dunk with 3:01 remaining and then Abdul-Jabba- remaining when George Gervin drilled a jumper, capping team. Twenty of the C V which Los Angles missed seven consecutive shots. But Los Angeles, behind the inspired play of Abdul-Jabba- r, teams selected to the are in Provo this weekend for the WAC championship tournan ment. The affair runs through Saturday. Heist, an outfielder, and John Fontes, a designated hitter, complete the Southern Division KBYU to Lakers to Stay Alive Spurs Nip - INGLEWOOD, Calif. (UPI) Homecourt advantage? Seems the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs never heard of that supposedly powerful strategic ad- Cory Snyder Gary Cooper r blocking two consecutive shots by Gilmore. state and baseball tournaments, which were scheduled to end last Saturday but have been delayed by rain MIDVALE-T- he A 4-- A and wet grounds, have been delayed again. According to J. Marion Tree, executive secretary of the Utah High School Activities Association, the games will be played at Ken Price Park in Murray Monday and Tuesday. Monday's first game, at 12:30 p.m. will pit Bingham and Highland in the completion of one contest. The two battled through 3Vi innings Wednesday before the game was suspended by rain. The second game, at 2:30 p.m. will feature Hillcrest vs. Viewmont. In action American Fork will battle West at 5 p.m. and Orem will meet unbeaten West at 7:30 p.m. 4-- A 4-- 3-- A Old Time Athletes' Gathering a Time for Memories SALT LAKE CITY Roger owner of Russell, the the Salt Lake Gulls, was talking to the Old Time Athletes at their annual Spring Banquet and Stag Party in the Gold Room of the TraveLodge here last night. He was being dynamic and motivating, but he wasn't talking about his baseball club. He was praising the men in the audience and saying his ambition was" to become as vital a part of Utah's sports family as they are. I don't know what kind of impression Russell was making on those other men there who are so much a part of our state's athletic tradition. But he struck a responsive chord in me. Attending a function staged by the Old Time Athletes is a time when I get to turn back the calendar, all the way back to those days of my youth and wonder. I could start right at my is Kent Peterson, the There table. Orem home improvement specialistwho is a couple of years younger than I am but who was one of my early sports heroes. g Kent Peterson was a lefthanded pitcher who went straight from the pitching mound at South High School to the pitching mound in the Cincinnati Heds' Crosley Field. hard-throwin- Talking to Kent I can look at him and see a picture the old Salt Lake Telegram ran of him at that time because he doesn't look that much different after all these years. And he reminds me of a story he told about his first day in the Reds' dugout. "I was sitting there reveling in being in the major leagues," he recalls, "when I felt something warm on my left foot. I was sitting by the veteran catcher Ray Mueller. I looked at him. He was chewing a great gob of tobacco and had leaned over and a stream had dribbled from his mouth and into my shoe. I remember just sitting there thinking, now don't say anything to him." Welcome to the big leagues. But I'm digressing. Others at the table were Art Teece, owner of the Salt Lake Golden Eagles; fight referee Del Markham, Dr. Sid Birdsley, a long time football, baseball and basketball official; and Lou Oliver who was one of the the state's leading semipro pitchers when I was a boy. Lou Oliver also turned back the calendar for me. The Olivers ranked with the Watts as one of Murray's Hall of Fame athletic families in Murray. Lou's brothers Sammy and Roy, are gone, victims ;of hear,! attacks as young treasures. I would take them home, nail up the split and then wrap tape over it. Voila! A new bat; As the Gulls' owner talks about them and I look at them, those kind of memories join with others of my more recent heroes who are there. Marion Dunn SPORTS EDITOR men, but they were some kind of brother team. Sammy was also a pitcher and starred in the old Industrial League. At Bingham's old baseball park in Copper ton. Ah, that old Industrial League. I was a baseball-craz- y boy and the Industrial League housed my Idols. I look around the dining room and many of them are there. There s Glen Berge of Provo shortwho was a smooth-fieldin- g stop for the Provo Timps and his teammates, Lee Christiansen at second base and catcher Don Overly. I had a close relationship with those old Timps, although I am the only one who remembers. In the great depression days of the late 1930s baseball was a great escape. When rival teams came to Bingham to play the Gemmell Club they usually picked a local boy to serve as bat boy. I always tried to be that local boy. The league played games on Wednesdays and Sundays. I remember sitting in Miss Marshall's 9th grade English class (the final period of the day) paying little attention to what she was saying, but sitting on the edge of my seat so that the second the bell rang I could race out of the door, down the ramp, down the hall, out the front doors, across the road, across the parking lot and into the ball park where I would corner the visiting manager and apply for the job as bat boy. Thus I served the Timps many times and they served me. The only pay for this service was the gift of an old baseball oi of a broken bat. The bats were the real Stan Watts, the legendary basketball coach at BYU, is at the head table as past president of the Old Timers. Stan Watts, whose teams were to be such a big part of my own life. Stan Watts, one of the truly great ones. beside Stan is Overly of the Old Timers. Overly's coaching career paralled Watts' although on a high school level. Overly coached American Fork High School basketball and I remember sitting in a balcony window to cover an A.F. Lelii game when that rivalry was one of the. most fierce in the state. Sitting who is president-elec- t - There is past president Moon Kavachevich who played football at BYU, and another Provoan who was a great athlete and a great man, Paul Gehring who was a rough and tumble infielder for Lovinger's in the old state amateur circuit. There is Wayne Tucker who was in the Yankee organization for years and coached BYU and is a baseball at brother to Cougar golf coach Karl. Now the pages on my mental calendar flip to the men who were my peers as athletes and coaches. Mel Briggs and Ev Baugh of Orem who were the star athletes at Utah State when I was a freshman there and then became great coaches and administrators are at a nearby table as is Kyle Roller who left the BYU coaching staff to take a big job at Geneva and Udell Westover of Orem, great athlete, fantastic coach. And Tally Stevens, the big football star at the University of Utah when I switched from Utah State to the U. after the great war, and who then coached at East High and BYU. The master of ceremonies is Tribune columnist John Mooney, my boss for 20 years of my working life. Memories. Every face at every table holds one for me., My high school basketball coach Sonny Alsop and my old principal, Tommy McMullin are there. was a basketball great at in Wasatch High School and Utah State and then a great coach. Russell keeps talking and I keep remembering. The night Is too short. , |