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Show Page 12—THE HERALD, Provo, Utah, Thursday, January 31, 1980 Pirates’ Parker Says His Desire ls Undimmedby Hefty Contract By IRA KAUFMAN UPI Writer NEW YORK (UPI) — Dave Parker doesn't want to get comfortable. The consensus choice as baseball's best player after only his fourth full major-league season in 1978, the PittPireats’ rangy right fielder has little patience for apathetic athletes “Frankly, I look down at guys with God-given ability who won't put out. said Parker recently. ‘‘{ have absolutely no respect for guys who lose their agiveness after signing a long-term contract. They get comfortable. “When I signed, I felt I had a lot to prove to the fans. You see quite a few players who have three or four great years and then getlifetime security and relax. They cheat the fans and themselves. I won't tolerate that from Parker slumped to merely outstanding After winning the National's last year. And until the SeptembersurLeague's Most Valuable Player Award ge, “The Cobra” bore more resemin 1978, the 6-foot-5, 220pound athletic jance to a harmlessgarter snake specimen signed a record multi-year “I was having problemsuntil I went contract for close to $1 million per 29-for-39 the last three weeks” said season. For Parker however it's not Parker, who has become almost as too close for comfort. statistic-conscious asthe Phillies’ Pete “I go out and prove myworth every “ raised my average from .29€ game,”’ said the articulate 28-year-old to .310 by the end the year despite my MVP of last year’s All-Star Game. knee injury. I've touched base with just about He twisted his knee in Los Angelesin everything in baseball except the Tri- August and couldn'tfully extend it the ple Crown and the MVP of the World rest of the season Series. I'm gonna go after those two in Parker finished with % home runs 1980."" and 9 RBI and stole 20-of-24 bases as After a transcendent MVP season in the Pirates rallied in the final month to 1977 — in which he won Player of the edge Montrealfor the Easter Division Month honors in both August and title. One of his key qualities as a great September during the Pirates’ furious hitter. which often goes unnoticed, is butfutile stretch run at Philadelphia — his ability to adjust anyone on our team.” In the playoffs. Cincinnati pitched “I mentioned during the World Series me awayand it surprised me because that ‘60 Minutes’ should do a special on all year long pitchers jammed me he us,’ Parker said, ‘to show how 25 insaid. “I didn't mind, though. If they dividuals come together. People could wantto give mesingles and doubles to learn a lesson about race relations left field, I'll take them any day.’ we've got the United Nations on our Parker, a left-handed batter, lashed club. the ball to the opposite field for the “Our clubhouse is the loosest in final weeksof the year and continued in baseball. We take the good with the bad the playoffs and World Series — when and handle our downs as well as our the Pirates came back from a 3-1 ups.” deficit and sweptthe final three games Shortstop Tim Foli, whose nickname With Willie Stargell winning MVP “Crazy Horse” was based on tradihonors as father figure in Pittsburgh's tion of iconoclastic behavior, received celebrated “family "’ Parker earned a quick course in Pirate humor when he his first World Series ring, which joined the club last year. adorns the pinky of his left hand hen I saw Foli for the first time, 1 Parker's bearded face sparkled as told him we don't waste time with much as thetiny ring in his left earlobe politics on this club."’ Parker exwhen he talked about the Pirates’ plained. ‘I told him we just play hard, clubhouse camaradarie aggressive baseball and we don't want anybodyto jeopardize what we had established “Then | said ‘Welcometo the team,’ and walked away. It was said jokingly, but,1think he got the point.” rker has always saved his best Saleen for packed houses and the center stage — during All-Star games and postseason play. Hi taking, on-the-fly throw that nailed a Tunner at the plate in last year’s AllStar gameproved to the few remaining Parker skeptics that the big man is more than just a great hitter “A lot of players are content to be adequate,”’ he said. ‘I always set my sights higher than anything I've ever done before and like to show all parts of my game. People read about me as the best player so I try and showcase my talents for them. Cougar Women Gymnasts on Road ee Tiday, the Cougars toppled conference foes Utah State and Northern Colorado in triangular meet action in Logan. Entering the competition, Utah State was ed eighth nationally. Saturday the No. 12 ranked BYU gymnasts wereat it again, scoring their second 140-plus mark of the season and eos, luls, Colorado, Colorado State and Utah State »second timein Provo. Hill says his ean is coming along as planned and balsavee weekend,Utah State Coach Ray Corn condaning” a. ietsthe Cougars did an ‘‘outstal ” job of hit ‘ir routines. BYU's sonics swing into Texas and New Mexico isn't expected to be muchofa test for the Cougars. Hill says T cas-E] Paso, whichfinished last in the region last season, is a mystery team and doesn't figure to threaten BYU. New Mexico, on the other hand, is an improved team according to Hill. Although the team finished next to the cellar in conference play last year, it scored in the middle 120's at the Sun Carnival at the start of this season. Nationally ranked Jan Shelley (No. 1), Deena Robbins (No.3), and Liz Johns (No.10) all dominated the weekend's action in Logan and Provo. The physical drain of back-to-back competitions in less than 24 hours did take its toil, however, as all three gymnasts didn’t perform up to expectations the second day. Hill also noted that Julie Jensen, Shelley Naylor, Renee Hack and Ann Ewell are also performing strong routines for the Cougars in competition. Both Friday’s Texas-El Paso meet and Saturday's New Mexico cor \petition are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. starting times. tn enn Riding the crest of triangular and quad meet victories, the Cougar women gymnasts will leave the cold of winter behind them as they journey to warmer climates for comerence action with TexasEl Paso and New Mexi Coach Rod and Debbie Hill’s BYU team served notice last weekend that it will be a force to be reckoned with in the race for the Region VII chambarre and a berth to the AIAW Nationals in April BYU Spikers Add USC to Schedule The BYU men’s volleyball team has added a square-off with the NCAA’s numberone ranked USC Trojans as one of three home matches in February, Coach Carl McGown announced today. The Cougars also ranked rationally, will face the Trojans Feb. 27 in what promises to be attended rene match ever at BYU. More than 1800 fans watched the Cougars down Pepperdinelast month, and the match with USC should draw more than that record-breaking crowd, according to McGown. “Because of the trem:ances feepaaee at the Pepperdine match, we have scheduled the Trojans and two other teams for February. It is expensive to schedule the best team in the country, however, so we need all the support we can get from the local community,”” McGown said Along with USC, the Cougars have scheduled matches with the Univer of Calgary Feb. 7 and Montana State Feb. The Calgary and USC matches will be aiain the Smith Fieldhouse at 7:30 p.m., while the Montana State contest also at 7:30, will be played in the Richards Building. Because of the addition of the three homeperformances, Cougars ‘have eliminated a previously scheduled appearance at the University of California-Santa Barbara Invitational this weekend. Tickets for the USC match are on sale at the ‘RON BARBELL/DUMBELL SET BY BELL FOUNDRY. 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