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Show Ben Lomond Beacon, Aug. 31,1 978, Page 5 Utcti Prospectors 2 The lights are back on for Utah pro basketball fans. After a few years minus basketball, the pro style, local fans once again swarm the Salt Palace in downtown Salt Lake City, home of the newly formed Utah Prospectors. The Prospectors will be a part of the Western Basketball Association, a tv ,, V organization. Initially the curtains to Utah pro basketball were opened in 1970 with the transfer of the Los Angeles Starts to Utah. The Utah Stars were part of the now dissolved American Basketball Association. Pro basketball fever spread like wildfire throughout the state in the early 70s until simmering out in 1975 when the Utah team dissolved. The Utah Stars made big news their first full year in the Beehive state, by capturing the ABA championship and leading all other teams in the league in attendance. Only the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association averaged more in attendance of all pro basketball teams. Ken Gardner, a former Clearfield High basketball great, could very well play for the new cage team. Gardner, now living in Utah, once was a member of the Utah Stars but has done most of his playing in pro basketball leagues in France. While in France, Kenny proved to be one of the most talented players in all of Europe. He played on championship teams and was a sure favorite among the France basketball fans. Gardner stated that he had been contacted by Dick Nemelka, the newly named mentor, to participate in the Prospectors training camp in October. Coach Nemelka says the Western Basketball Association team will probably have signed some ball players by the time the leagues first draft is held Sept. 26. Nemelka, a Salt Lake lawyer and former BYU and Utah Stars player, was quoted as saying, Its just a super opportunity for me. I wont have to give up my law practice because my committment to the team will be mostly in the late afternoon and evening. Nemelka said the team has already gotten calls from players and agents across the country expressing an interest in playing for the minor league team. He said the team was talking to other players for some of them with Utah backgrounds, particulary Gardner and others. We cant talk to anybody who is still on an NBA roster. But there are some pretty impressive players not on NBA rosters, including former Ute Buster Matheney, who was cut by the Houston Rockets after being their first round draft pick. Another former Ute, Jeff Jonas, was also mentioned. Jonas recently returned to work for a Salt Lake advertising agency after being cut by the Philadelphia 76ers. is Another personality Jay Cheesman, a former BYU star who has been playing pro ball in Europe. Team officials said they have already sold some season tickets for the home schedule. Final contracts KENNY'S YOUNGER brother, Steve Gardner, shows form as he plays for Utah Technical College of Provo. He follows in footsteps of his older brother. t f i f . Y By Keith Duncan Deep in the heart of the south, one is either a Vince Dooley Bulldog fan or is - J sided with the Bear Bryant Crimson Tide clan. Its a rare phenomenon w hen the two sides can agree on something, but the Atlanta Braves of the National Baseball League have solved that. Even more agreeable as of late is the talk built around a nsing young star names, Glenn Hubbard. t I , v f' . Vv J vu ' i Hubbard, who played his high school baseball at Ben Lomond High School, has found it big in the major leagues. Recently the Atlanta Braves called the young and talented player back into the starting line-u- p of the big league team. Glenn is among many young Braves players who are carrying the team at tins time. Sometime down the road, Hubbard and others could have the Braves cherping for the National .1 l: ,r L . s. M-- J ; 'f , Ji , r - 1- GLENN HUBBARD, former Ben Lomond High star, now makes it big with the Atlantic Braves of the National League. n rr r. rr - ..TfT ' "sr Y V " .vy TV, - i jr "XT' L. V Ul V jsr... .. & Jk?1 - a. - about 2,000 fans per game to break even. The WBA put a $75,000 limit on team salaries, meaning the top players might get $15,000 a year and the bottom players about $6,000 for the season. Other teams in the league are based in Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada ; Great Falls, Montana, Tucson, Arizona, Wash.; and Fresno, California. s. iff so xs ""A f v'- KEN GARDNER (with ball) crashes through wall of France opponents. During past three years he has performed in Europe, but has since returned to the states. Recently he was asked to play for the Utuh Prospectors of the WBA. Local boy doesnt strike out in Atlanta w s.urtaua k-- with the Salt Palace have not been signed, but Nemelka said only some minor details remained. Ticket prices will range from $2 to $6 and team officials said it would take basketball semi-profession- pm T- Gardner possible Utah Pro? e- - v GLENN HUBBARD os Mt. Fori Junior High little leogue star. mV V 7,:Ua M V, . yf- -: - League est s pennant flag. While football, both the pro and college style, continues to dominate the sports scene m the south, the Braves of Atlanta are slowly but surely getting a place in the sports fans hearts. The young and fiesty play of Hubbard and his teammates are the causes for the balance in interest. Hubbard was signed out of high school when he was 17 years old and was assigned to Kingsport of the Appalachian A League. Glenn proceeded to hit .317 in his rookie season marked himself as a definite big league prospect. Hubbard attracted the attention of big league scouts when he was named the most valuable player in the 1975 Utah High School game. As a senior at Ben Lomond, he batted a red-ho- t .461 and in II games w ith the Ogden Pioneers American Legion team, he was hitting .520 with four home runs when he was signed to a professional contract. Couch Ken Hicks, who guidt'd his nearby Clearfield team to the region title in Cienn s senior year, mentioned Hubbard as a definite pro prospect and one of the best hed ever seen. Hubbard comes from a family that has supported him m every way as far as his pro baseball career has went. acThe Hubbard clan has always tive in sports from father to youngest son. Glenn has pointed out in the past dial his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hurry Hubbard, are responsible for any success he had in baseball. He was quoted earlier as saying. Mom and Dad have always been behind me, even when I was playing little league baseball. I hope some day I can play in the major leagues. Maybe in that way 1 can repay them for all they have done " Glenn's hope lias come true and Brave's fans will agree that lies making the best of his opportunity, Mr. Hubbard has traveled to the south on several occasions to see his son play minor league baseball, but has yet to see him suit up in Atlanta The father of the Hubbard's was active in all sports as a youngster and especially during his tour duty in the armed forces While in Europe he participated on a soccer team and was chosen as an AH star one year. Presently he is supervisor of the Animal Control department in the Ogden area Nancy Hubbard has bei the patient mother of the Hubbard bunch and now All-St- tx-c- cooks for Horace Mann Elementary School. Sometime in September she plans to visit California to see her son play in San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. As of yet she has never seen Glenn in a pro uniform, but is anxiously that way I feel that because of my size I have "to play the game harder than most guys I feel it's the only way for me to approach baseball Following his senior year at Bcr Lomond. Hubbard was drafted in the 20th round by the Atlanta Braves, whe had scouted the All Star game at John Affleck Park in Ogden Despite being picked that far down in the draft he hoped to get a jump on others who would go to college starting their pro careers. He climbed to the top rung of the Brave's farm system while awaiting her first opportunity. Glenn is happy playing baseball, he always was. lie signed a baseball for each of the people I work with and they enjoyed that," said Mrs. Hubbard Six children follow in order with Brad. 24, being the oldest. Presently he is playing baseball for Mary Hardin Baylor College near Houston, Texas. playing m Kingsport. Tennessee; Kathy. 22, is married to Randy Jensen Greenwood, South Carolina, Savanah, and are living in Hyrum. Utah. They Georgia, and Richmond, Virginia The turning point in the young are the parents of three children. athlete's career was a swing into the Glenn leads the way for three younger brothers. Bart, 19, will lie Florida Instructional League after the leaving shortly to serve a mission for 1977 season, and there the coaches the LDS Church He played Iwseball helped him with his hitting After doing and wrestled at Ricks College the past well with the Richmond Class AA team, many Brave fans wondered why two years. Steven. 13. will tie a senior at Ben Lomond High tins year. He is he had vet to lx called up to the big leagues Now their wonderment has following steadily in the footsteps of tins older brother, Glenn, and should lie ceased a terror in fixitball, wrestling, baseball, Gary Caruso of the Atlanta Journal and track Kevin, 13. now attends recently compared Glenn with Pete Highland Junior High Sclux)l and Rose of the Cmcmatti Reds Comparing baseball is his favorite spirt His father Glenn, who just arrived out of the minor was quick to remark, lie'll be our first leagues, to Pete Rose admittedly on the alisurb The comparison, first round draft choice." Glenn is quickly making a name for however, isn t m statistics or ability, himself among Braves' fans and big only style Every tuschall fan knows what Rose's style is. an Hubbard league boosters He recently signed contracts with Topps Bubhlegum, seems to tie an equally determined Wilson Gloves, and Louisville bats young man w ho could someday giv e the Youngsters in the North Ogden area, Braves some of the needed fire Rose has always instilled in the Rots who worship Glenn as a baseball idol, can make if official now while they The little infielder is completely with collect cards, bats and gloves Already the life of a professional baseliall his signature has app-areon bats in player. Appropriately, that love for lxal stores. baseball brought Glenn another love of Hubbard didn't waste any tune his life Glenn is now a new lyw ed of just making an impression upon fans three months He has said. "And I can He has pararound the country thank baseball for my beautiful wife ticipated in three double plays and was Lynn I met her last summer while the middle man in a triple play in his play mg at Greenw ood " second game with the team. He can There is another change that Hub-har- d turn it better than anyone living," said has helped him as much as stated Manager Bobby Cox after HubThe biggest difference in anything bard helpd turn the Brave's first triple my life is Christ," he has told past spnr-tsriters Glenn is one of three Mormon play since Hubbard, who owns a 5 9. 150 pound ballplayers for the Atlanta Braves, the frame, is being bilkd as the next Pete others being Dale Murphy and Barry Rose of the National League. Hubbard Bunnell is the type of player who runs Glenn has had two major hopes for the future and one has partially heen everywhere when he's on a baseball diamond and plays with an extra fulfilled. He wants two happy amount of intensity. Glenn has said in marriages, one to his wife and the other to baseball, the big league sty le. the past, I grew- - up playing the game Ixir-der- s t9 |