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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 6, 1978)
Page 10 THE BATTALION TUESDAY. JUNE 6. 1978 sports Walton revelations in book United Press International PORTLAND, Ore. — Bill Wal ton was as innocent as a Boy Scout in his early days in the NBA, accord ing to one of his former coaches, and the rumors about the Portland Trail Blazers center quitting in his rookie year were true. The revelations are contained in excerpts from a hook by Jack Scott published in four parts in The Oregonian last week under an ex clusive arrangement with Scott and the newspaper. Scott’s book, entitled “Bill Wal ton, on the Road with the Portland Trail Blazers,” is scheduled for pub lication June 14. Scott and his wife Micki shared a home with Walton his first three years in Portland. In the first excerpt, Scott said the toughest task Walton ever faced was changing his children’s diapers. In subsequent excerpts, it was re vealed that Tom Meschery, assistant to then Portland Coach Lenny Wil- kens and a veteran of NBA play and professional coaching, became a fast friend of Walton as a rookie and second-year player. Meschery, says Scott, was the man the Blazers management turned to when it wanted to know what Walton was thinking. “Tom never ceased to marvel at Bill’s innocence,” wrote Scott. Mes chery told Scott “compared to most NBA players. Bill lives like a Boy Sun Theatres 333 University 846-9808 The only movie in town Double-Feature Every Week Open 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Mon.-Sat. 12 Noon -12 Midnight Sun No one under 18 ^ Escorted Ladies Free BOOK STORE & 25c PEEP SHOWS Scout. The harder we work him in practice, the more he loves it! I’ve never met anyone quite like him. We’d be in great shape if everybody on the team had his attitude.” Scott said Meschery’s main con cern about Walton was not his bas ketball intelligence, but whether “he’s mean enough to play in the NBA.” Meschery found out in prac tice one day when he took on Bill in practice and was working him over. Bill, wrote Scott, realigned Tom’s nose. But, with blood dripping over him, Tom was grinning because he knew Walton could play rough when he had to. Scott says Walton has matured, but his lifestyle basically is the same as when he came out of UCLA, and so are his social values. He also noted that Trail Blazer teammates who were critical of Bill’s attitude on social issues in his first two years no longer are with the team. Scott said Bill made suggestions to Blazer General Manager Harry Glickman and to new coach Jack Ramsay for team-oriented basket ball, and changes were made which produced a championship in Port land in Walton’s third year. Scott said Bill’s social and political values presented minimal problems to his playing in the NBA, and added that one problem that almost drove him to quit the Blazers in his first year was having to play with a number of teammates who cared lit tle about teamwork. Scott revealed that Walton played with pain later in the season and during the playoffs last year. Scott said Walton kept playing because he felt a sense of loyalty to the fans, his coach and teammates, and because socializing regularly with team physician Dr. Bob Cook had made him more receptive to many tra ditional sports medicine practices that he shunned when he first joined the league. Walton made a similar effort in the playoffs this season, taking a shot to soften the pain in an ailing left foot, then breaking that foot near the ankle in game two of the quarterfinals against Seattle. He has not said a word for public consump tion since. Scott revealed that Walton was ready to quit Portland in his first year in frustration over a string of injuries that plagued him. He wanted to form an independent team of politically progressive players to travel the country, play ing games on college campuses, In dian reservations, and in commu nity centers and prisons. In addi tion, players would get together with spectators after games for dis cussions of social and political is sues, such as drug usage, the causes of crime, racism, nutrition and other matters. Gary Walker, a Phoenix busi nessman and advisor to Blazer guard Lionel Hollins along with New York Yankee star Reggie Jackson, were interested in the project. After Wal ton got into a dispute with Sam Gil bert, the Los Angeles businessman who helped negotiate Walton’s orig inal contract with Portland, and turned elsewhere for advice, Wal ton s new lawyer, Charles Garry of San Francisco, disuaded Walton from quitting the NBA. Scott wrote that Garry never mentioned the money Bill would lose should he quit the NBA, but instead made Walton realize his unique position as a potential star of the NBA and how all the positive contributions he could make from that position woidd evaporate. WELCOME BACK AGGIES! Come by and see us for: • air-conditioning repair service. • auto service and repairs. • Goodyear tires. “We’re Your Complete Car Care Center.” University Tire & Service Center 509 University Dr. (Next to Wyatt’s Sporting Goods) 846-5613 GOOD-YEAR Summer intramurals: registration today Pat Keller of the Texas A&M University Intramural Department has announced that registration for competition in the summer in tramural program will begin today and last through Thursday. Events for the first session of summer school will include slow- pitch softball, three-man volleyball, tennis singles, racquetball doubles, cross country, three-man basketball and handball. Team entries will be limited in number, due to time and facility shortages, Keller stressed. All students, faculty and staff of AGGIE SPECIAL 50% OFF ’’GET THE MOST - TAKE THE POST” ENJOY THE HOUSTON POST FOR BOTH SUMMER SESSIONS °Xe e ^ FOR ONLY $5.90 (JUNE 7 TO AUGUST 17, 1978) MORNING DELIVERY WITH GUARANTEED SERVICE! ^AOs CALL US AT 846-0396 and 822-4351 Texas A&M currently enrolled in or working for the University may par ticipate. Competition will begin June 12. Recreational facility hours for the summer have also been announced: G. Rollie White Coliseum and Annex: Mon-Fri, 4-8 p.m.; Sat-Sun, 1-6 p.m. DeWare Fieldhouse: Mon-Fri, 4 p.m.-midnight; Sat-Sun, noon-10 p.m. Tennis courts: Mon-Fri, 4-10 p.m.; Sat-Sun, 1-8 p.m. Weight room: Mon-Fri, noon-2 p.m., 7-10 p.m.; Sat-Sun, 2-5 p.m. Anyone requiring rules, reser vations or information is asked to call the intramural office, 845- 7826. Back to the gridiron Texas A&M’s Curtis Dickey, having completed his sop! more track season, can now concentrate on next year’s (of ball season. Dickey was runner up in the 100-meter dasL the NCAA track and field championships last weekei-^ Clancy Edwards of USC won the event with a time of 10,' * USC won the meet with 59 points. Texas A&M finished eight points. MANOR EAST 3 THEATRES MANOR EAST MALL jUc^fmgto-^n Mutn BUSINESS COLLEGE Inquire About Our Term Starting June 27 Phone 822-6423 or 822-2368 A special 6-week typing course for beginners will be offered in the afternoons starting July 5. For more information, call 822- 6423. obc INTERSTATET^so^d 846-6714 & 846-1151 T, UNIVERSITY SQUARE SHOPPING CENTERt dATINEE DAILY ALL NEW! DAILY 2: 15 4:05 5:55 7:45 9:35 THE BAD NEWS GO TO .RAN A Paramount Picture W i th TONY CURTIS ACKIE EARLE HALEY CINEMA JAMES BROUN 0. J. SIMPSON HAL HOLBROOK daTl^ 2:50 5:10 7:30 9:50 ADULT $2.00 un+i I 'r tti 1 CAPRICORN DIXIE From Warner Bros. A Warner Communications Company (c 1978 WARNER BROS. 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