Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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sports Maybe next year * USC's Jeff Hull expresses his opinion of the quick disposal of the Gamecocks at the hands of NCAA champions Stanford. From Baltimore to A \ By Brett Frtedlander Oamccock Staff Writtr ATLANTAf ? Dave Johnson of the Philadelphia Phillies has completed the' cycle. After ten years in the major leagues with Baltimore and Atlanta, the 35-year-old second baseman left the country to play ball in Japan. Three years later he is back, but not without some special memories. Johnson likes to talk about his experience in Japan, and about whv ne weni mere. "I played some exhibition games over there when I was with Baltimore and I liked it," he said. "I wanted to go back and play while I was still in my prime." ACCORDING TO JOHNSON, the game is played the same way in Japan as it is in America. The only difference is the way the Japanese l/vnlr of ??? *>/* iwn ut uic game. Before the season starts, the Japanese players have to go through a murderous two-and-a-half month spring training. Included in the daily pre-game ritual is about six miles of running. "They're physical fitness nuts over there," Johnson said. "They believe that if you don't practice, you can't play the game." Johnson compared the quality of play in both countries by saying the umpires in Japan have larger strike zones than their counterparts in America. As a result, hitters are forced to swing at pitches they would normally let go for balls. Because of this, Johnson said he thinks the QlialitV of Dlav in .Tflnan ifi nnlv a lifHo KoWw *????? ? A 4 1 11 f ? i? r?- ? "-V ** "jvuvi uiau uiaas rtrtrt UU1I in America. WHILE WITH THE ORIOLES, Johnson played for one of the finest managers in baseball in Earl Weaver. But the field generals in Japan f i.1 11! r 11' r cuca lai uy iium me un.esoi weaver. "The managers over there are the funniest thing of all," Johnson said. "If you make an error in the first inning, they'll take you out. If you strike out your first time up, they'll take you out for a pinch hitter. They're philosophy is if you start off bad, you'll finish bad/' One of the major problems of playing in a foreign country is the language barrier. Johnson handled it well. During his first year in Japan, he had trouble communicating with his teammates, but by the time his second year rolled around, he knew enough Japanese to get by. "I understood enough to know what was going on," he said. USCTe % * By RICK MOHN Oamtcock Staff Wrtt?r There was good news and bad news for the Gamecock tennis team the week after exams in May. The good news was that their long-awaited trip to Athens, Georgia for the NCAA tournament would be a reality. The Gamecocks received a bid to play in the prestigious 16-team field. The bad news was that the draw paired them against defending national champion Stanford. STANFORD: the team which had not lost a match in two years; the team chasing its third straight national title and fourth since 1973. The results were as expected: the outgunned Gamecocks were trampled 8-1. Despite the large margin, it could have been worse, according to Coach Eon Smarr. "I'm not displeased with the way we played. We had a couple of people play extremely well, and you have to remember who we were up aoainot TT/T A o 1 m^muwv* n/wmiivi U UVUl UVU/1 0*I| and they're the second-ranked team in the nation," Smarr said. Not only did the Cardinals hand UCLA its only regular-season loss, but Stanford eventually stormed to the team title, beating the Bruins in the finals 6-3. When Carolina faced Stanford, all six singles matches were claimed by the top OVVAACU ICCUIA. However, USC's Jeff Hull went to a tiebreaker before losing his match, Peter Macdonald dropped a 6-4, 7-5 decision, Chuck Hodgin's [tlanta t.n Tn -- ^ ?? - ?' w vtf v if r ??r? I * nnis... Stanford tc match went to three sets and Chris Mayotte served at 4-4 in the first oaf Kanaka Inlltmrt irfv llfl kl* J-? ovv uvivic tailing lu TT11I1U1CUUU quarterfinalist John McEnroe 6-4, 6-2. "I felt I was in good shape in the first, but my serve let me down in the second and McEnroe really started pounding his," Mayotte said. Carolina's only point came at number three doubles, Hull-Hodgin vinning 6-4, 7-6. Commentary WHILE THE TEAM'S season ended with the loss, there was still the singles and doubles competition left for the Gamecocks. In the individual tournament there was more good news and bad news for Carolina. On the good side, Mayotte and Arthur Anastopoulo advanced to the final eight doubles team before bowing to UCLA's eventual national champion duo in three sets. In the process, Anastopoulo gained Ail-American status by playing in the quarterfinals. Mayotte, of course, already held that distinction. The bad news was that the 14thseeded Mayotte was eliminated in the second round of sin?*ip? ninu ?? ? ?-o- r*"J a three-set match which hinged on a disputed call. With Mayotte serving at 4-5 and deuce in the third set, his opponent, Glen Petrovic from Southern Cal, called a shot out. Mayotte sought a * ruling from the umpire, who called it in, meaning Mayotte would be innrt /*?i wv ?/ U/l! Johnson, who graduated from T degree in Mathematics, was the fir Giants and was a teammate of Jap When he played in Atlanta for the B American home run champ Hank IT WAS JOHNSON who was or slugged his 715th homer to surpass deck in Tokyo in September 1977 w Hammering Hank's record. While he refuses to compare the t\ would have been able to hit 700 ho believer that a good hitter is goto anywhere," he said. "You can't con fair. Just like it's not fair to compan u girav HlllCl . Hitting behind Aaron and Oh has 1 he joined the Braves in 1973, Jo* season. However, in his first year ii and broke Rogers Hornsby's 51-yea a season by a second baseman. "I became a more aggressive National League," he said. "I was i hitters hftllnarlr Tko? - w n. m. nav mauc 111C tt IV] This season, Johnson is off to a sl< the Phillies he is hitting .184 with or "I don't play in all the games so I I am called on," Johnson said. '7 though, I'll have to take up some sla* According to Johnson, who enjoy Florida ranch during the off season, entered his mind. His main goal in championship team. While with the title winner* I m pretty physically fit and I fi more years," Johnson said. After h work with under privileged children But for now, Dave Johnson is Philadelphia Phillies. % k> much, too soon one point from tying the match at 5-5. Incredibly, though, after a 15 minute discussion with Petrovic, the umpire reversed his call and ordered the point played over. A rattled Mayotte lost two straight points and the match 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. "I'd hate to have anybody lose a match like that; for someone to lose a match of this importance on a call like that is just a shame. The ball was definitely in, and then the umpire cnanged his call," said Smarr. Indeed, there is no excuse for the umpire's incompetence in this circumstance. A judgement mistake is one thing, but to make a decision and then rescind it after ?? ' i ii teen minuies is simply unthinkable in a national championship tournament match. REGARDLESS OF WHAT happened in Athens, though, Carolina tennis fans should be happy with the season. USC finished 2fi-7 naninof o ? W w ? OVIfCUUlC which included seven matched against teams which made it to the NCAA tournament. There are now two Gamecock All-Americans, and the no. 1 USC J 1-1 A, - - ' * uuuuies teams unished among the top eight in the country, losing only to Stanford, the eventual champions. With five singles players (including Mayotte) returning, combined with two top-flight recruits from Sweden and California, Gamecock tennis threatens to surpass being consistently good and leap to being truly superior. The future looks i f-t i ? ? very origin tor Hon Smarr. ,d back rinity University in Texas with a st American to play for the Tokyo mese home run king Sadaharu Oh. raves, Johnson was a teammate of Aaron. i deck in April 1974 when Aaron Babe Ruth. Ironically, he was on hen Oh hit his 756th homer tn no great hitters, Johnson thinks Oh me runs in America. "I'm a firm ig to hit his homers and average lpare Oh and Aaron. It wouldn't be e Aaron with Ruth. Sadaharu Oh is helped Johnson's statistics. Before inson averaged nine homers per i Atlanta, he slugged 43 home runs r-oia record for most home runs in hitter after I was traded to the lealthy and I was hitting in a good gitimate long ball threat." dw start. As a part-time player for te homer and seven runs batted in. have to be ready to play whenever tow that Teddy Sizemore is hurt ck in our infield." s nlavincr crnlf onH uiakW? L1 _ g ^ -"**3 QVM ?U1M fVVllkill^ UII 1119 the thought of retiring has not yet baseball is to be on another world Orioles, he was a member of four eel I can play about three or four >e decides to quit, he would like to or get into managing. happy playing baseball for the