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THE CHRONICLE, Clinton, S. C., Dec. 31, 1970—6-A SPORTS 3-4 Record At Holiday Break BILL CURRIE Mouth of the South Pro Basketball Trouble Years ago I knew an old man who was dog wallowing rich—not Howard Hughes rich, but in the millions anyhow. One day his doctor told him he had cancer, and immediate surgery was nec essary. The old man was a little reluctant. “How much it gonna be?” he asked, with the natural suspicion of those who worship gold. “Well, Mr. Frost,” the doctor said smoothly, “you are a very wealthy and well known man. So I will have to charge you accordingly. Fifty thousand dollars.” ‘Fifty thou . . .? Hell no! Ain’t nothing worth that much!” “But you’ll die,” the doctor persisted. “All right, I’ll die, but I ain’t putting out no fifty thousand dollars.” It’s a true story, and indeed the old man did die, all of his money remaining securely in the bank. The two professional basketball leagues are precisely like the old man. They are going to lose their lives because they had rather protect their pride than deal realisticall' with a Hnanciu situation which has “The End" looming in box car letters. NBA Commissioner Walter Kennedy says there will be no more merger talk because he and his folks are peeved about Joe Caldwell jumping from the Atlanta Hawks to the Cougars. Other NBA sources have slobbered out some drivel about a fight to the last dollar. And for what? If one proves himself to be the most stubl>orn creature ever contrived on earth and loses all in the end he is as mule head e<l and foolish as my old acquaintance who died and went to hell rather than spend fifty thousand dollars which he didn’t need anyhow. All professional basketball is in trouble. It isn’t as though the NBA were sitting high and dry on a smooth sailing boat while the ABA is sputtering on the verge of drowning in the tur bulent waters. The NBA is going down for the last time, too, for only two of the sixteen clubs which operated in the older league last year were in the black. It is folly, yea, sheer madness, for Walter Kennedy to talk about no more merger talk. He is acting (with the apparent supppri of his league members) like a spoiled and willful child who jerks away from his mother's hand and plunges headlong into the path of a sneeding truck. Pro basketball is losing money. Big money! In Memphis the owner. P. L. Blake, threw in the towel less than two months into the season. He had lost over 200 thousand dollars. He could see a million down the drain by the end of the season. Of course he's rich. Of course he can use a little tax shelter, but to lose a million dollars . . . there is no way to put up with that sort of disaster. The Los Angeles Lakers, the Mil waukee Bucks, the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers are making money. Every other professional basketball team is taking a chilling bath it cannot go nn. The sport is great. People love it. But there are more hundred thousand dollar p'avers in basketball than in football and baseball com bined, and each of the other two sports has a far greater potential because so many more people can be seated The NBA is chapped because the ABA own ers had the gall to start a league in the first place. The NBA feels that to give anything be yond a nodding recognition to the younger league somehow demeans the older outfit. Well, maybe such a concept has merit. But now the ABA is faced with a clear choice: Recognize and deal with the ABA or die. That the ABA might, also dm is small consolation I read the obituary columns every day in the hope I may see one of several names—people who bug me. But I wouldn’t die myself just to get rid of them, and that’s just what Kennedy and his crowd are saying with their no merger talk. Red Devils Host Laurens Tuesday Kinard Is Named All-Tourney Clinton High School’s varsity basketball team finished sev enth in the eight-team Peach Capital Invitaitonal Tournament last weekend in Spartanburg. The Red Devils lost their first two tournament games but then defeated Chesnee 47-40 on Wednesday, Dec. 23. Mike Williams paced the Red Devils with 18 points. Clinton held a 24-17 halftime lead. Clinton’s O’Lester Kinard, a 6-6 senior center, was named to the first team on the All- Tournament selection. Kinard played an outstanding defensive game against Chesnee, block ing several crucial shots. Coach Bobby Brock com mented, “Generally, we played better against Chesnee than we played in the first two games. We had a better shooting per centage and we didn’t make as many turnovers. We also did t better job on defense.” Clinton’s first round opponent Boiling Springs, won the tourna ment. The Red Devils, who have a 3-4 record at the holiday break, will resume their schedule Tuesday night, playing host to Laurens. The Red Devils dropped their first two tournament games, losing 70-50 to unbeaten Boil ing Springs and 49-48 to Cow- pens on the second night. In both games, CHS scored well in the fourth quarter. “We just couldn’t get started until too late,” Coach Bobby Brock said, “Against Boiling Springs we scored 23 points in the fourth quarter and againstCowpens we scored 19 in the fourth. Neither team substituted in the fourth quarter so we were going against the regulars. Our fourth quarter showing was about the only bright spot for us in the first two games. “We played poor defense and fouled too much, Against Cow- pens, we lost three players on fouls and two more had four fouls each. Cowpens scored in side against us and they got 30 free throws.” Against Boiling Springs, John Watts scored 14 points to lead the Red Devils in scoring. O’Lester Kinard had 12 and Mike Williams hit 10. In the loss to Cowpens, Kinard again scored 12 points and Watts had 10. WHfl TIt> Power failures are bad any time of the year but espe cially in the winter. Have flashlights where you can get to them easily. Have a supply of extra dry cells and bulbs around. Have a supply of candles and matches available. Use glass bowls or wide-mouthed jars to hold the candles. This will keep them from blowing out as well as eliminating a fire hazard. If you own a gasoline or kerosene lantern, have it ready for use but keep it stored away from the living quarters until needed. CLINTONIAN IS NEWBERRY CAPTAIN—Marion Waters of Cin- ton, center, has been elected one of Newberry College’s three football captains for the 1971 season. A jun ior history major, he is the son of Mr. and Mrs. P. Douglas Waters of 122 Pine Street, Clinton. He is also a member of the Men’s Council in the Student Government Association and is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The other captains shown above are Ken Pet- tus, left, and William (Howdy) Hays. 7 fir ONE OF THESE LATE MODEL USED CARS 1969 DODGE Coronet 440 2-Dr. HT. 318 G-I-D Engine, Au to Trans., Power Steer ing, White Tires, Wheel Covers, Factory Air. Red With Black Vinyl Roof. Priced To Sell' 1965 MERCURY (xmiet Station Wagon. | 289 V-8 Engine, Auto matic Transmission,| Power Steering, Lug gage Carrier. Ideal Se< -| ond Car! *************************** : THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL! * *• 1969 Internationa] Travel-All. V-8, Standard » * 3-Speed Trans. AM-FM Radio. Low Mile- * * age, One Owner! Ideal For Hunters and * * Campers. Equipped With Heavy Duty Trav- * el Hitch and Wiring Harness. In And Out! Extra Clean ft************************** 1968 IMPALA Super Sports 2-Door Hardtop. V-8 Engine, Auto. Trans., Power Steering, Factory Air. Bucket Seats With Console. A Lx-al. One Owner Vehicle' 1965 DODGE Coronet 440 Station Wagon. Fully Equip ped, Including Factory Air. Priced For Quick Sale! HE’S A TIGER — Clinton High Sen ior Donnie (Red) White is shown seated above after signing a letter of intent to attend Clemson Univer sity on a football scholarship. Shown with him at the signing are his mother and his father, Julian W. White, Jr, seated at right; Clemson assistant coach Doug Barfield, stand ing at left, and head coach Hootie In gram. White led CHS to a 9-2 record and was named All-State 3-A quar terback. IF YOU CAN’T TRADE WITH COOPER —YOU JUST CANT TRADE! LYNN COOPER, IncJ Tour Volume Dealer East Carolina Avenue 883-1741 Frcsh or Smoked WoGi Jduil s / (RED&\ .WHITE, ' food Kitchen I0n$ SLICED 5AC0N 4<X. /a MILK M-' 3J4 24*, fc 6RADE A LARfit Eggs Z dor Cnukk W fcUNtH SALT7NES F/fiESH GREEN r7l C/tBB&e /Hb, BANANAS S^lk. 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