The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, September 24, 1970, Image 7
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HE CAUGHT IT! — Clinton’s Sammie Richards
(11) appears to be losing the football on this pass
play against Union. But somehow Richards held
on for a seven-yard gain in the drive for Clinton’s
winning touchdown. Richards suffered an ankle
injury on the play.—(Photo by Eddie McGee)
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BILL CURRIE
Mouth
of the South
CHANGING SPORTS
Change is a sign of vitality, certainly in
sports as in other aspects of life. Take football
for instance. The differences in the game which
we see today as what was played, say twenty
years ago, are so numerous and deep-reaching
that they dafv concise description. Knute Rockne
man to make the forward pass a
successfulOffensive maneuver, and there are still
a few moss backs hanging on who disparage the
thrown ball. Yet, were it not for passing, foot
ball would indeed have long ago beanne a brute
test of muscle against muscle, and would have
sunk into three yards and a cloud of dust.
Remember the Flying Wedge? Of course
you don’t if you’re under sixty, and even if you
have reached that happy time of life, you have
probably forgotten it. The Statue of Liberty
play? Ah, yes! You have probably seen a mod
em day version of that classic. Sometimes it will
work once in a blue moon. But football has
changed radically. Up fronts the blockers must
think under intense and instant pressure to find
the man they are to block, and it changes con
stantly depending on how the defense lines up. No
more big dumb linemen. A dumb guy couldn’t di
vine where he should go.
Basketball is even more the victim of the
speed revolution. There was once a time when,
after every goal, the ball was taken back to
mid-court and another jump started the play.
Imagine such a tactic with a man like Lew Al-
cindor jumping. It boggles the mind. The op
posing team would never get a goal and what’s
worse, the game would be so slow and dragging
that what few hardly should turn up would
doubltless go to sleep. Thirty years ago any bas
ketball player who would have been fool enough
to attempt a shot with one hand would have been
benched for the season. Now the one handed
shot is THE weapon.
Examples are numberless illustrating the
speed up of sports. That is, until we get to that
great American pastime, baseball. If you won
der why baseball is dying—no, dead—then just
compare it to the baseball played in 1900. Prac
tically the same. The buggy and harness makers
have diversified or gone broke. Yet baseball con
tinues to lumber along with the same old thread
bare, snail’s paced stuff that gave grandpa his
kicks way back then. Even the uniforms, except
in rare cases, are the same old ftmeral gray and
filed rabbit white.
Naturally television has been blamed for the
demise of baseball. There is some truth in this,
but it has been greatly exaggerated. Every rural
high school in the country packs its gymnasium
to the rafters to see the local team play. This is
true notwithstanding the professional and college
games widely shown on the boob tube. People
like the excitement of the gpne and local players
provide it in competition with anyone. In base
ball though, people go to so-called Big League
games and stay away by the millions from the
rest
And what about the “Big Leagues?” They
are just about the only leagues left where there
is a firm effort to win. The minors are so ex
ploited by the parent clubs that their games are
really little more than glorified scrimmages. A
good player can be and frequently is jerked up
right when a minor league team is battling for
flag. Minor league fabs? The hell with .the
rubes!
What about major league support? Well,
there are so many teams nowadays that most
people can’t keep up the four-way race. And at
tendance generally suffers. Take the Atlanta
Braves, for instance. If they had not been smart
enough to encourage the area concept it would
have been a dark day there. Visitors keep the
Braves going; not the good natives of
Baseball is a very sick patient . . . and its
illness may well be terminal.
Host Belton-Honea Path
THE CHRONICLE, Clinton, a C., Sept BA, 1970—7-A
Devils Open League
Slate At Home Friday
Clinton High School's varsity
Red Devils open their Confer
ence 3-A schedule Friday night,
playing host to Belton-Honea
Path.
The kickoff is schedule for
8 p.m.
Clinton Coach Keith Richard
son said, “Belton-Honea Path is
bigger than usual. At the start
of the season, they thought they
would have one of their better
teams. They’ve lost their last
two games so you know they’ll
be tough for us Friday night.
“This is our first conference
game and this is where they
start getting crucial.
“Belton-Honea Path is pri
marily a running team but we
don’t know whether they’ll be
changing around for us. They’re
strong defensively and they count
on the defense putting the of
fense in good position.”
Belton-Honea Path has a 1-2
record, losing to Graniteville
last week and to Woodruff the
week before.
Clinton has a 2-1 mark, knock
ing off Chester and Union after
losing to Woodruff in the open
er.
There were plenty of offen
sive fireworks in Clinton’s 19-
12 win over Union last Friday
night but it took a couple of de
fensive gems to save the night
for the Red Devils.
With Clinton leading 19-12 and
less than a minute remaining in
the game, Clinton’s Jack Hames
intercepted a Union pass and re
turned to midfield. However,
Clinton was charged with an un
sportsmanlike conduct penalty
because one of the Red Devils
didn’t have his mouth piece in
place. That nullified the play and
Union retained possession of the
ball at Clinton’s SR
Concerning the unusual pen
alty, Clinton Coach Keith
Richardson commented, “The
rule’s in the book and the official
was within his rights to call it.”
On the next play, Union quart
erback David Eaves raced down-
field, weaving toward the goal
line only to be stopped at the
five on a fine tackle by Chip
Howe. With time remaining for
one more play, Union lined up
quickly and Eaves started fad
ing back, apparently for a pass-
run option. However, Clinton
guard Robert Scott shot through
the line like a bolt and dragged
Eaves down as the clock ran out
on the Yellow Jackets.
It was Clinton’s second
straight win over a4-A team and
brought the Red Devils’ record to
2-1.
Coach Richardson said, It was
the kind of game I thought it
would be. I’m just happy to win
that one. Union has a real good
team. They’re strong and they
don’t give up. They just keep
pounding away.
‘We started off real well but
then we seemed to tire. We
played some boys in the second,
half who hadn’t been playing*
much or who were playing at
^ew positions to give some of our
bigger boys a breather. Tim
Prater seems to be getting over
his ankle injury and he played at
end, allowing us to move Ever-
ette Fuller to tackle. Sammie
Richards and Chip Howe filled
in well and gave us a little more
depth.”
PLAYER OF WEEK
End-Tackle Everette Fuller,
a junior, was named “Player of
the Week* as he graded 76 per
cent on his assignments. He
made seven individual tackles
and recovered a fumble.
C\ >*V"
TOUCHDOWN — Clinton Fullback Lawrence
Jones (35) blasts over for Clinton’s second touch
down in the 19-12 win over Union last Friday
Jones .cored with only 50 seconds remaining in
the fli-at half, nearing the way for Jones are
David Mangum (41) on ground at right; from
left, Kevin Long (63). Otis Patterson (65), and.
partially hidden, Sandy Saunders (75).— (Photo
by Eddie McGee)
PCs Gault: 'Lenoir Rhyne
Is Better Than Last Year
Presbyterian College’s Blue
Hose go against one of the tough
est small college football teams
in the South Saturday night as
they invade Hickory, N. C.,fora
battle with Lenoir Rhyne’s
Bears.
PC Head Coach Cally Gault
said, “Lenoir Rhyne is big,
strong and better than they were
last year. Their offense is ter
rifically dangerous. They have
Carl Bartles, McRee and Porter
who could play for any college.
“Wofford has one of their
finest teams ever and they were
fortunate to win 24-17 over Le
noir Rhyne last week.”
In addition to the talented
personnel, Lenoir Rhyne pre
sents PC with another problem
in that the Bears ran the single
wing, a formation the Hose face
only once each season. The kick
off is scheduled for 8 p.m.
PC dropped its opener last
week, 19-7, to Furman in Green
ville last Saturday night.
As has been the case for the
last three years, PC won the
statistical battle but lost on the
scoreboard.
The Blue Hose rolled up 19
first downs to Furman’s nine;
out-rushed the Paladins 156
yards to 128; and outpassed them
157 yards to 29. PC Quarter
back Allen McNeill hit 14 of 33
passes, including a 50-yarderto
Ken Lister for the fourth quarter
touchdown.
Unfortunately for the Blue
Hose, they also out-fumbled
Furman, losing six to Furman’s
one.
Playing in a heavy down pour
accompanied by brilliant flashes
of lightning for most of the first
three quarters, three of PC’s
fumbles
downs.
led to Furman touch-
The Paladins recovered the
first fumble at PC’s 40 and
drove in for a score. Another
Blue Hose fumble put PC in a
hole in the second quarter and
Furman blocked a punt in the
end zone and recovered for the
second touchdown. A PC fumble
at its own 33 set the state for
the final Furman tally.
Coach Gault said, “Those fum
bles weren’t the result of back-
field miscues by us but were
simply caused by good, hard
tackling which coughed up the
football after long gains by our
backs.”
Gault expressed some concern
about his offensive unit, saying,
“They looked pretty sluggish out
there at times but I was pleased
with the defense.”
KEN LBTER
...scores for PC
Junior High, Unbeaten JVs
Host Grid Twin Bill Tonight
1he (M'/vm&t,
Clinton High School’s junior
varsity, sparked by a last-
minute touchdown before the
end of the first half, came from
behind to defeat York’s JVs
30-8 last Thursday in York.
Clinton, now sporting a 2-0
record, will play host to West-
side tonight, Thursday, in the
second game of a doublebeader.
Clinton Junior High will play
Union at 6 p.m. and the Clin ten-
Westslde JV game will follow.
Last Thursday, York took the
opening kickoff, drove 60 yards
to a touchdown and made a two-
point conversion for an 8-0 lead.
After the ensuing kickoff,
Clinton drove to York’s 20 be
fore a fumble thwarted the
threat.
The teams exchanged punts
throughout most of the first
halt With only even seconds re
maining in the first half, Clin
ton’s Barry Samders passed to
George Bodle for a 20-yard
touchdown which capped a 50-
yard drive. Saunders passed to
Mike Wooten for two extra
points and the score was tied at
8-8 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Wooten
knocked down a York pitch-out,
picked up the ball and raced
35 yards for a touchdown. Jim
my Armstrong, ran offtacklefor
the two-point conversion,
upping Clinton’s lead to 16-8.
Armstrong scored again for
Clinton in the third quarter,
capping a 60-yard drive which
started after Melvin Prater in
tercepted a York pass. Clinton
missed the conversion attempt
and led 22-8.
Mack Young bur st offtackle on
a reverse and raced 45 yards
for a fourth quarter Clinton
touchdown. Saunders swept end
for the two-point conversion and
the final 30-8 margin.
Clinton Coach Preston Cox
commented, “Our offense look
ed good. The entire offensive
line did a good job of blocking.
York fumbled a good bit so our
defense didn’t play too much.
However, in the first half, the
defense didn’t look too good.”
Junior High Loses
Opening Game 20-0
Coach Richardson said cen-
terguard Monty Crisp, senior
co-captain, also played a good
offensive game as he punted
seven times for a 35-yard aver
age. David Mangum was Clin
ton’s leading rusher as he gained
100 yards.
With an over-flow crowd of
over 5,000 spectators looking
on, Clinton drove 60 yards
early in the first quarter to put
six points on the scoreboard.
Quarterback Donny White capped
the drive with a one-yard sneak.
Mangum burst away on a 25-yard
gallop for the longest gainer in
the drive. White's pass for the
two point conversion was no good
and Clinton led 6-0 with six
minutes remaining in the first
quarter.
Late in thefirst quarter, Clin
ton recovered a fumble at the
Union 36 but fumbled it back at
the 24 early in the second quart
er. Union drove from there to a
touchdown which tied the score.
Fullback Lawrence Jones
blasted over from the one for
Clinton with 50 seconds remain
ing in the half to give Clinton a
12-6 lead at halftime. Jones’
burst capped a 5l-yard drive.
The two-point conversion try, a
run by White, failed again.
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OPTION — Clinton Quarterback Donnie (Red)
White (13) rolls out on a pass-run option for
a grain against Union. Chasing White is Union’s
Thomas Jeter (55).—(Photo by Eddie McGee)
In the third quarter. Union
recovered a Clinton fumble at
the CHS 30 and moved in to
score on a 20-yard pass. The
extra point try was good but
Union was penalized for illegal
procedure and missed the second
and the score was tied 12-12 with
8:55 left in the third quarter.
Chip Howe recovered a fumbl
ed punt at Union’s 33 in the
third quarter to set up Clinton’s
final, and winning, tally. White
passed for * seven yards to
Sammie Richards and then hit
Billy Young for the touchdown on
a 26-yard pass play. Otis Pat
terson kicked the extra point for
a 19-12 Clinton lead with 3:25
left in the third quarter.
Scott Hammett recovered a
fumbled punt at Union’s 40 with
10 minutes remaining in the
game but a couple of 15-yard
penalties nullified Clinton’s good
field position and set up the wild
finish.
STATISTICS
CHS UNION
First Downs
8
14
Yards Rushing
159
158
Yards Passing
48
UO
Total Yardage
207
268
Passes Att
12
20
Passes Comp.
3
6
Passes Intep. by
0
0
Punts
7-35
5-31
Fumbles Lost
2
4
Yards Penalized
95
80
Score by Quarters:
Clinton—-6 6 7 0 -19
Union 0 6 6 0—-12
Thornwell Hosts
Second Ranked
Lockhart Friday
Going up against the 2nd rank
ed class A team in the state this
week, ThornwelPs Saints are ‘
still tending to the wounds of a
45-6 defeat last Thursday and
are troubled by both illnesses
and injuries.
The Saints play host to strong
Lockhart Friday night in a game
scheduled to start at 8 p.m.
Lockhart is ranked second in
the state in class A and is rank
ed 12th in the state in all class
es. The visitors sport a line
which averages over 200 pounds
per man and a couple of quick
backs named Stroud and Mullis.
Thornwell Coach Ben Crab
tree said, “Of course, we go in
to every game planning to win
but we have . some handicaps
this week. The flu bug has been
or nine out with flu durlngprac-
tlce earlier this week. Our
‘ starting fullback, Frank Bruyer
was in the infirmary with flu
Monday.”
The Saints also suffered some
bruises last Thursday as they
lost 45-6 to the Greenwood Jun
ior Varsity.
“We never were in the game,”
Coach Crabtree commented.
The lone bright spot for the
Saints was a 20-yard touch
down ran offtackle by Kanada
Roach in the second quarter.
Greenwood’s JVs led 45-6 at
halftime.
Thornwell now has a 1-2 re
cord and Lockhart is undefeat
going around and we had eight ed in three games.
Junior Bowling
Leagues To Organize
“Some young people seem
to have dentist confused with
barbers-they see their bar
bers twice a year.”
Bell Street Boys Junior High
will play host to Union at 6 p.m.
tonight, Thursday, in the first
game of a football doubleheader
on the Clinton High School field.
The Clinton JVs will play
Westslde In the second game.
The local junior high dropped
its first game of the season last
week, 20-0, in Newberry.
Coach Bobby Brock comment
ed, "They hart as on end sweeps
and a couple of long passes but
we contained them fairly well
otherwise. We’ve been concen
trating on defense against the
sweep and passes this week and
we hope if n pay oft However,
I understand that Union has a
fine club. .
“One ofqqr
has been or ganisation. We start
ed with 120 bays out for the tekm
and it’s tought to pick the best
athletes-from such a Urge grow
in only two weeks. We now have
88 candidates for the team. AI-
thought tee have a Urge namber
of seventh and eigth graders,
we don’t have many wlthexperi-
ence. ‘Most of. the boys on
last year’s championship teate
moved op to the junior varsity
this year. ’
Junior bowling leagues will
be formed at Palmetto Lanes
October 3 at 9:30 a.m. These
leagues will be for young peo
ple who have not reached their
19th birthday on or before Aug
ust 1,1970. There will be league
for bantams, age 12 and under;
juniors, 13 through 15; and sen
iors 16 through 18.
This Is a fine program for
young people, teaching them
sportsmanship and fair pUy.
It is sanctioned by the Ameri
can Junior Bowling Congress
and supervised by the Ameri
can BowlingCongress and the
Womens International Bowling
Congress.
Junior bowlers are not al
lowed to bowl in any league or
tournament In which cash or
merchandise prizes are given.
'They may bowl for trophies
only. A Junior may not accept
a trophy which would be illegal
In the state high school ath
letic association. This is to
protoot Us eUftoOity to com
pete in high school and college
athletic programs.
There are numerous awards
from toe AJBC that Juniors
can receive. The most desired
patch is the ‘I Beat My
Coach." To receive tots patch,
the jonior msst hotel against
and beat Us adult
machine pUying will be al
lowed while any junior bowl
ing is in progress. They will
always be under the super
vision of members of the Clin
ton Womens Bowling Associa
tion and Laurens County Bowl
ing Association. There will also
be a free bowling school for
the juniors by adUt instruct
ors.
*141
Evtr
who
••••
No AJBC
lowed to sh
tor wfO he Ur
or no pinball