The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, September 10, 1970, Image 7
THE CHRONICLE, ainton, S. C., Sept. 10, 1970—7-A
)
BILL CURRIE
>*•••••••••••••••••••%*•
1
Mouth
of the South I
Sports Announcers
The principal objection I have to network
television sports announcers is that they have
the jobs and I don’t. But once I confess my burn
ing jealousy over their success and money, then
it seems fair that my other feedings about my
well paid heroes can be taken as an objective ap
praisal. In a word, the general quality of net
work sportscasting is, frankly, miserable.
Not only miserable, but shallow, self-seek
ing, frivolous, irrelevant, super-technical and of
ten incomprehensible The ceaseless switching
from one man to another with the mention of
names is a shameless exercise in self glorifica
tion. The meaningless chatter is clearly an indi
cation that the witless mumblers cannot think of
anything pertinent to say. To wit: “That’s right
Charlie. One of the greatest guys on the floor
is Joe Schlotz. One of the truly great sportsmen
in golf.” Then the echo will come in: “You’re
right, Larry! He certainly is!” Listen the next
time y<?u can to the telecast of a major golf tour
nament and see if you don’t hear something like
this a number of times.
Football Is Worse
Football is probably the worst. Network
broadcasts are blessed with carloads of mag
nificent equipment, capable as we have all seen
of giving us instant replay, stop action, slow mo
tion—the whole bit. The producers therefore are
anxious to exercise their technical expertise, and
equally anxious to make certain their announcers
display not the first vestige of personality. The
surest way to stifle personality is to hire some
bumbling ex-jock who has none and make him an
announcer. These guys, some ex-players and
some ex-coaches, and some both, like to amaze
everyone with detailed analysis of the past pat
tern or the blocking technique, dissertations
which are meaningless to everyone who has not
played the game. The number of former football
players in a general television audience is infini
tesimal, and yet the fine point commentary is
aimed solely at those who have made a lifelong
■' study of the game. If anyone doubts this, ’go on
the street and ask a hundred people: “What ; does
it mean when an announcer says the receiver
ran a post pattern?” If two people can answer
I’ll be amazed.
Then there is the "look at me, I’ve done my
homework” approach. This is particularly evi
dent in basketball telecasts. The numb-gum on
the tube is so anxious not to sound like a radio
announcer that he does everything possible to
keep from describing the game. Many have a
whole packet of index cards on which have been
typed all sorts of personal and statistical goodies
about the players. Such information might be
interesting, even captivating, before the game, at
the half, or in a post game analysis. But during
the actual play, who gives a damn whether a
player is doing better than he did last year, or
whether he comes from Podunk or Manhattan 7
It is impossible to look at a wide shot of a basket
ball game and recognize the players on the tube.
Therefore an announcer ought to identify the
man with the ball. Rebounds? One of the most
important facets of the game, but watch to see
how often the retoounder is not identified, while
ole tumble tongue reads off his little cards.
There are a few baseball announcers left
with a degree of flair, but they are being weeded
out by old age, death and retirement, and their
kind won’t be seen or heard again. Like I tell
people who call me up to complain about what I
do on the air: “You ain’t gotta listen." So I
ain’t gotta listen either, and when I can help it. I
don’t.
Clinton JVs Open
Tonight At Laurens
Clinton High School’s junior
varsity football team will open
its schedule tonight at Laurens.
The game is to start at 7 p.m.
Clinton Coach Preston Cox
says, *We haven’t looked too
good in practice thus far. We
have a comparatively young
team and it’s going to take time
for them to get adjusted to JV
ball.-
There currently are 27 play
ers on the JV team.
Clinton’s starting offensive
lineup for the game will be:
ends, George Bodie and Jerry
Thornwell, Hickory Tavern
Game Rated As Toss-Up
TURNING THE CORNER — Clin
ton quartertjack Donnie White (12)
turns end for a gain against Wood
ruff. Clinton’s No. 63 ia guard Kev
in Long.
Seeking First Win,
CHS Visits Chester
Tbornwell’s Saints, who suf
fered a 24-6 loss In their sea
son opener last week, will try
to get in the win column Fri
day night at Hickory Travern.
Thornwell Coach Ben Crab
tree said, -Hickory Tavern Is In
about the same situation we are,
they have a comparatively young
team. It should be a more even
match than we had last week
at Ford.-
Ford, featuring 18 Itfttermen,
was sparked by Willie Robinson
who scored three touchdowns
in the Eagle’s 24-6 victory over
Thornwell last Friday.
Coach Crabtree said, ‘We
played a lot of young boys. An
eighth grader, Barry Walton,
did a creditable job at defen
sive end and a ninth grader,
“We made two mistakes and
they cost us the ball game,-
Clinton High School Coach
Keith Richardson said after a
6-0 loss at Woodruff last Fri
day In the opening game of the
season.
Woodruff recovered a fum
ble punt at Clinton’s 23-yard-
line late in the first quarter
and on the next play Wolverine
Quarterback Bruce Bishop pas
sed to Marvin Geter who was
all alone in the end zone.
It was the only time Wood
ruff got inside Clinton’s 40-
yard-line.
Clinton dominated the statis-
ties, rolling up 246 yards while
Woodruff had 195 but the Red
Devils couldn’t get into the end
zone, although they had several
scoring chances.
HAMES GAINS — Clinton’s Jack Hames (44)
drives for extra yardage against Woodruff. Al-
ao ahown arrLawrence Jones (36) and Lewis
Henderson (61).— (Photos by Eddie McGee)
Punt, Pass,
Kick Contest
Is Scheduled
Golden; tackles, Gary Corley
and Johnny Knox; guards Binkie
Gurley and Gene Wooten; cen
ter, Robert Plaxico; quarter
back, Barry Saunders; tailback,
Shepard Scott; fullback, Jimmy
Armstrong; wlngback, Mack
Young.
The starting defensive lineup
will Include: Golden and Bodie
at ends; Corley and Knox at
tackles; Gurley at middle guard;
Armstrong and Terry Heaton at
linebackers; Jimmy Breck and
Young at cornerbacks; Melvin
Prater and Allen Petty at
safeties.
I. V. FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 10 Laurens There
Sept. 17 York There
24 Westside Here
1 Woodruff There
Oct.
Oct
Oct
Oct.
Nov-
Nov.
8 ...
16
22
29
6
12
Newberry Here
Palmetto ... u Here
York Here
Westside There
Newberry There
Woodruff Here
Registration is now under way
for the 1970 Punt, Pass and Kick
competition at the Clinton
YMCA. In making the announce
ment, John Bingham, Executive
Director of the YMCA said:
“We’re looking forward to abig
local PP4K competition in Clin
ton on Friday, October 2, at
4:00 p.m. We hope all the boys
8-13 years of age in this area
will come in to register and
take part.*
Mr. Bingham pointed out that
PP&K - throughout its six levels
of competition - is free of any
charge, and that a boy need only
have a parent or his guardian
accompany him to the YMCA to
register.
“Our competition here will
have 1st, 2nd and 3rd place
trophies for boys in each of the
six age groups, or 18 trophies
in all,* said Mr. Bingham. “In
creasing each boy’s chances of
winning is the fact that be
competes only against boys tn
his own age group.
“Of course there is no body
contact in PP&K. It’s punting,
passing and place kicking for
distance and points, just as the
name says. First place winners
in each age group in our com
petition will go on to the zone
competition. And from there,
top winners go on up the lad
der through district, area, divi
sion and national finals."
-This year, the national finals
will be held in Los Angeles at
the pro All-Star Game, January
24. Finalists get an all-expense
paid trip to Los Angeles for
themselves and their parents,
plus a special tour of Disney
land, a Banquet of Champions
celebration, and the chance to
meet some of the top players
ball. Naturally, we hope some of
our Clinton PP&K winners will
make it all the way to the
finals. *
Mr. Bingham further explain
ed that each boy tyxn register
ing receives a free PP&K Tips
Book. In the 1970 edition, there
are competition tips by NFL
stars Dave Lee, Bill Nelsen
and Fred Cox plus all-round
suggestions from Coaches of the
Year HankStram and Bud Grant
The Tips book also includes
complete PP&K rules and help
ful conditioning exercises for
contestants.
PP&K registration will close
at the YMCA on September 26.
This is the 10th anniversary
year for PP&K. From its In
ception the youth activity has
been sponsored by the Ford
Dealers of America and the
National Football League.
Concerning this Friday
night’s game at Chester, Coach
Richardson said, “It looks like
another tough game for us. We
scrimmaged York in a practice
and we came away with a lot
of respect for them. Chester
beat York, 13-7, last Friday so
they must have a pretty good
team. The game was marred by
a lot of penalties so it’s kind of
hard to evaluate but we be
lieve they’re stronger than we
thought they’d be.
“John Wright who hurt us with
his running last year, is back
and they’re running him and
throwing a lot.-
In last week's game at Wood
ruff, David Man gum was Clin
ton’s leading rusher as he car
ried the ball 16 times for 74
yards. He also graded the
highest, scoring 84 per cent
efficiency on his assignments.
He was named the first “Play
er of the Week* for the Red
Devils.
Lewis Henderson scored the
highest of all the offensive line
men. Others who scored high
were Monty Crisp and Kevin
Long.
Clinton took the opening kick
off and inarched to Woodruffs
35 before Crisp punted into the
end zone. Quarterback Donnie
White Shook loose for 12 yards
and Jack Hames got 16 in the
opening drive.
The two teams exchanged
punts before Woodruff recover
ed a fumble punt at Clinton’s
23 and then put up the game’s
only score with two seconds
remaining in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Clin
ton drove from its own 15 to
Woodruffs 32 before losing
possession on a fumble.
Donnie White made a spec
tacular one-handed pass inter
ception to set up Clinton’s next
drive. The drive took the Red
Devils to Woodruffs 13 where
they missed a first down by
Inches. A big play in the drive
was a 20-yard pass from White
to Billy Young.
In the third quarter, Clin
ton recovered a Wolverine
fumble at the Woodruff 15 but a
fourth down pass fell incom
plete as the threat was thwart
ed.
STATISTICS
Loop
Teams
4-3-1
Mike Eubanks, did well at guard.
We had some bright spots. Full
back Frank Bruyer (switched
from tackle last season) gained
over 65 yards in the third quart
er. We stayed with them until
the fourth quarter. At halftime,
we were down 12-6 and I thought
we should have scored again in
the second quarter. In the third
quarter, we had good field posi
tion but couldn’t capitalize on
it. Ford intercepted a pass In
the fourth quarter to wrap up
the game.-
Ford’s Robinson scored from
25 yards cut in the first quarter
and went 12 yards for another in
the second quarter for a 12-0
Eagle lead. Just before half
time, Thornwell’s Kanada
Roach dived over from the one
to cap a drive which he ignist-
ed with a 45-yard end sweep.
After a scoreless third quart
er which Thornwell dominated,
Robinson sheek loose for a 70-
yard tally.
Ford’s Tony Coat picked off a
Thornwell pltchout at the Saints'
20 and ran it in to complete the
scoring.
Coach Crabtree commented,
“we hope to be in better phy
sical shape this week. We
missed quarterback Don Lmd-
kevsky who was out with an in
jury. He should be ready this
week so we can move Roach
back to the running back posi-
tion."
After viewing films of the
game, Coach Crabtree said,
“we were outblocked and out-
tackled. They were readier than
we were. On defense, Dave Mc
Carter showed a good effort at
tackle.
“We're going to have to make
some changes If we’re going
to win. The lettermen are going
to have to provide some leader
ship.-
By FLETCHER W. FERGUSON
Conference IH-AAA took its
first steps into South Carolina
scholastic sport:, histoiy this
past weekend rs & launched the
1970 footbcll season . . . Though
the record book will record
only four wins, three losses and
a tie in seven games, there
were many “little stoides” be
tween the lines . . . McCormick,
the only member to “move up”
from the prior Class A category,
became the initial conference
loader as its defeated Westside
11-12 on the eventual xtrengtli
of a two-point conversion run
by Don Reese.
That encounter also marked
the first loss in 31 grid con
tests for Coach William Robert’s
Westsidrrs . . . Belton-Honea
Rath took a 9-7 conquest of Gre
er as Max Hopper nailed a Gre
er beck dn his own end zone
to earn a safety and protect the
Bear advantage against a late
Greqr score . . . Woodmont
was another two-point winner,
actually becoming the first DI-
AAA team to register a victory
when it eased by Dacusville 22-
20 on Thursday . . . Laurens
avenged two previous year*
hunnUatior In season openers
at the bands of Whstnhre by
crushing the Wolverines under
a 22-0 tally-
Pakneto emerged from the
Friday rain in * scoreless stale
mate with much stronger than
expected Carolina . . . Clinton
battled favored Woodruff sue-
essfully all night expeept for a
fumble that paved the way for
an aerial touchdown and a 6-0
Woodruff triumph ... Abbeville
did about everything in the book
but score, and got washed with
Joy—Thomas of Wren, that is
—by a 120 count . . . The two-
point dilferenae also showed up
in the points for and points
against conference dubs, re
spectively 79 to 71,
Billy Freeman Wins
Starting Spot At USC
Here’s the full
schedule:
CHS
Woodruff
First Downs
10
7
Yds. Rushing
207
163
Yds. Passing
39
32
Total Ydg.
246
195
Passes Att
12
6
Passes Comp.
2
2
Passes btep.
By 1
0
Punts
3-30
5-30
Fumbles Lost
2
1
Penalties
4-20
4-30
Laurens at McComnck *
Abbeville at Ninety Six (0-0-
1), 20-21
BcRon-Honea Path at Wood
ruff (1-0)
Clinton at Chester (l-O)
Palmetto at Seneca (0-1)
Westside at Daniel (1-0)
Woodmont at Chesnee (1-0)
♦ Conference game
Other than the sole family
contest, k will be noted that
confererce teams will be on the
short end of whatever odds the
home field provides . . . There
is still much to be learned about
relative team strengths in view
of school consolidations.
After a standout performance
in spring practice, junior Bill
Freeman of Clinton has laid
claim to the starting tight end
spot for Coach Paul Dietzel’s
1970 Fighting Gamecocks.
A former standout at Clin
ton High School under Coach
Claude Howe, Freeman caught
only three passes while gaining
experience as a sophomore, but
continuing improvement and a
good attitude, climaxed by an
outstanding spring game per
formance, earned him the top
spot starting fall drills.
The 6-3, 210 pounder doesn’t
have an easy task this season,
though, since the resident tight
end he has moved ahead of, Dong
Hamrick, is a two year starter
with 30 pass catches over the
last two seasons, and can be
expected to fight for starting
honors during his senior year.
But Freeman has been ex
tremely impressive in his all-
around play, catching a pair of
passes in the spring game far
46 yards and earning plaudits
frr«m the Carolina caching staff
for his blocking.
The son of Mr. and Mrs.
E. A. i 1 \7 Shand
in Chnt r., Fr* nan is a 20-
year old junior majoring in
Physical Education.
PLAYER OF THE
WEEK — Tailback Da
vid Mangum, a junior,
was named Clinton
High’s first Tlayer of
the Week* for his ef
forts in last week’s 6-0
loss to Woofruff. Man-
gum, who gained 74>
yards rushing, was
graded the highest on
his performance by
coaches. As Tlayer of
the Week’ Mangum will
receive the CHS travel
ing jacket which mem
bers of the team wear
on road trips.
Score by quarters:
Clinton 0 0 0 0—0
Woodruff—6 0 0 0—6
Thornwell JV's
Host Ford Today
Tbornwell’s Junior Varsity
football team win open its sea
son here today, Thursday, play
ing host to Ford.
The game wifi start at 4 p.m.
The first official federal
activity in Washington, D.C.,
dngof 40
was file placing
dary stones, one mile apart,
marking off the “10-ndle
which was tq be-
the
United
to be
set In place 1791-12 and.
~ 40, SI are still
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