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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 16, 1979)
Battalion photo by Bill Shearin Will she make it? Corine Sasser hustles down the first base line in the intramural Women’s class A slow pitch softball finals Wednesday. Sasser’s team, the Lucky Strikes, beat NAPA 17-2 to win the cham pionship. Bl XUlchad# An Episcopal School 2505 South College Avenue Academic Curriculum Small Classes A Superior Faculty PRESCHOOL-ELEMENTARY-SECONDARY College Preparatory Curriculum Call TODAY For Fall Registration 822-2715 CAMPUS PEACE CORPS OFFICE Agriculture Bldg. • 103-B • 845-2116 EXT 35 United Press International HOUSTON — Kermit Washing ton Tuesday said he punched Rudy Tomjanovich during a 1977 Los Angeles Lakers-Houston Rockets basketball game in a reflexive, de fensive action and had no intention of seriously hurting anyone. Under cross-examination, Wash ington admitted he had grabbed Kunnert around the waist before Kunnert struck him, but said he swung at Tomjanovich only because he saw a shadow coming and be lieved someone was attacking him. Tomjanovich testified he was rushing to the scene of the fight to help break it up. Because the suit holds the Lakers responsible and seeks no damages from Washington, Tomjanovich’s lawyer Nick Nichols devoted a lot of time to evidence the Lakers never formally discouraged fighting or admonished Washington. “I saw a blur coming at me from the right side,” said Washington, who by this time had punched Kun nert twice. “I turned and swung not knowing who it was or what their intention was. That was Rudy and Rudy went down. “I didn’t mean to hurt him. I didn’t mean to hurt him badly. I didn’t mean to hurt him at all.” Washington, ejected from the game, passed Tomjanovich on his way to the locker room. Tom janovich was on his way to a hospital for treatment of a cracked skull, broken jaw and nose and other in juries that ended his 1977-78 sea- “Rudy yelled at me, ‘Why’d you take that cheap shot?’ I turned around and said ‘What are you talk ing about? Talk to your friend Kevin Kunnert, he’s the one who started the whole thing.’ “My friends were holding me. I told them they didn’t have to. I wasn’t going to hit him again.” Washington said he had been in volved in a number of scuffles in his career, but he denied he had a ten- PEACH CORPS TICKET TO EXPERIENCE CAMPUS OFTICE 103-B Agriculture Bldg. 845-2116 Ext. 35 dency to be violent. Under ques tioning from Nichols, he said the Lakers never formally instructed players to avoid fights. “It was understood. Certain things don’t have to be said,” Wash ington responded, avoiding Nichols’ efforts to needle him into a show of temper with side comments like, “I understand you’re fast with your fists.” “It (fighting) is not a part of bas ketball,” Washington said. “It’s not even a part of living in our society. But it happens. In my mind, you have to defend yourself, not only in basketball but on the street.” However, Washington, whom NBA Commissioner Lawrence O’B rien fined $10,000 and suspended for 60 days, during which he lost $47,000 in salary, said he would react differently to the same circum stances if they happened today. “I think I would have a different reaction because I’ve been through this experience,” Washington said. “Now, I think I could take a few blows and still be respected in this league.” Since Washington is not a defen dant, U.S. District Judge John V. Singleton excluded as “irrelevant” a Sports Illustrated article that listed Washington as “an enforcer.” “What a Sports Illustrated writer wants to write and label people I don’t think is relevant,” Singleton said. Lakers’ lawyer Robert Dunn de voted some time to depicting Wash ington, whom former Lakers Coach Jerry West described as a respecta ble, “first class” person, as a good father and a psychology graduate student. Washington, with Tomjanovich watching from a courtroom bench, delivered his testimony in firm but softspoken tones, occasionally smil ed and looked often at the jury. Former Lakers general manager Pete Newell, who drafted Washing ton and Tomjanovich and teaches Washington and three other pro players free of charge, backed Washington up: “I don’t think he would initiate violent conduct.” Newell said he thought Tom- Fresh start for some fresh-men It’s literally a new ball game for these Aggie freshmen football players as they go through four days of drills before the veterans show up for two-a-day workouts. A new NCAA rule allows schools to bring freshmen players in a few days early for an orientation period so they can adjust to the school, the program, the coaches and hopefully, be ready for the upperclassmen and college football. Battalion photo by Mary Jo Prince janovich made a mistake rushing toward Washington. “I know Rudy. I don’t think he came in with any malice. I think he made a mistake by not coming in in more of a circle (behind the fight),” Newell said. Newell, who led college teams to National Invitation Tournament and NCAA championships and the 1960 U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal at Rome, has been a consultant to NBA teams since 1961. He said he thought the Rockets, 10-13 at the time of Tomjanovich’s injury would have fallen short of the playoffs in 1977-78 even if Tom janovich had not been hurt because starters Moses Malone and Mike Newlin were injured later. “Both Newlin and Malone are first-line players and I think it would definitely have been difficult with those two players missing,” Newell said. He said he had seen Tomjanovich play three times since the injury and, “I was really pleased to see him play as well as he did. Rudy looked just fine, shooting well as he always did.” But Newell conceded under cross-examination that a longer study would be required to deter mine how much the injury had hurt Tomjanovich’s career. 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Barcelona APARTMENTS NEWLY REMODELED ! ALL UTILITIES PAID and... Individual Heating and Air, Cable T.V., 3 Laundry Rooms, Swimming Pool, Security Guard, Party Room, and Close to Campus. 693-0261 700 Dominik, College Station Kroc has winning burgers, poor Padm By MILTON RICHMAN UPI Sports Editor NEW YORK — For six years, Ray Kroc, has had his own big league ball club, and what’s burning him up is the only thing he has to show for it now is some hamburger meat. That hurts. When Kroc shelled out $8.5 mil lion for the San Diego Padres in January of 1974, he didn’t expect them to become the same spectacu lar success as his enormously profit able international chain of McDon ald restaurants. But he hoped at least they would be contenders by this_time. They’re not and don’t look like they will be in the very near future and that’s what has the outspoken, impatient Kroc so fired up. Kroc says he’s going to give his Padres one more year during which he’s planning to pour $5 million, $10 million, or whatever it takes, into them, and then if they still don’t move up, well, maybe, he’s going to selhthem to someone else who has always dreamed of owning his own big league club. A man can do what he likes with his property. But I think maybe Kroc got a little carried away when he said he might fire all his scouts because “it’s obvious the guys we’ve got don’t know horseflesh.” My understanding is that Bob Fontaine, the Padres’ vice president and general manager, had a long talk with Ray Kroc after he made his remarks about the club’s scouts Monday and Kroc has a better understanding of the whole situa tion now. He should have because scouts generally are the most unap preciated, underpaid people in baseball. One way or another, the Padres’ scouts were responsible for the club originally signing such players as Dave Winfield, Mike Ivie, Randy Jones and Johnny Grubb. And what about Ozzie Smith, runnerup as Na tional League Rookie of the Year last season. Gene Richards, Jerry Turner, Bob Shirley and Bob Ow- chinko? They aren’t exactly bums. Kroc certainly has a right to ex pect better results. He should keep r in mind, though, that almost a!! j money budgeted for scoutingdois previous owner C. Arnholt Smil ownership usually went topayil club’s No. 1 draft choice. : Th ings were a mess prior Kroc’s purchase of the dub. 11 Padres, for example, had to a lefthander Freddie Norman to Q cinnati to get the money to pi Winfield when they signed him days out of college in 1973. One of the things I could w understand is why the scouts mi formed their own union the way ballplayers and umpires did. Proi bly because they’ve never coniei with anyone to lead them. If a scout is making $25,00: $30,000 today, he’s in the up; strata of his profession. There some excellent ones around most of them are worth every they get and then some. Frank Lane used to be in a of scouts when he was general ager with such clubs as the Sox, Cardinals, Indians, A’s Brewers. Now he’s a scout with the Angels and can enough about them as a group “When I ran ball clubs, lire scouts as if they were rare gem cause I knew how important in were to the operation of any u club,” Lane says. Ray Kroc feels the scouts be: don t know ballplayers, and or- the reasons he thinks so is beta the Padres are down in fourth[k in their division with little chan:: equaling their 84-78 logoflast son. Naturally, Kroc feels he to ballplayers. As a Cubs’ fan livin! Chicago, he followed such play Hack Wilson, Gabby Hartnett gers Hornsby, Stan Hack. Cavaretta and Andy Pafke, andtl ing to one of the Padres’ young® fielders some time back, the Pa* owner said to him: “You got to dive after the l || like Hack Wilson.” IL J “Who?” the player wantedi know. “Hack Wilson,” Kroc repeats “Who’s Hack Wilson?” the player, putting a stop to conversation right there. Spor on th fresh in ex by t alonj Fish :. . UK Yanks slip by Rangers, 44 AF Orion tin — ear spi Coast G stret Bted i btur United Press International NEW YORK — Bobby Murcer singled, doubled and drove in one run Wednesday night to help carry the New York Yankees to a 4-3 triumph over the Texas Rangers. Jerry Don Gleaton, 0-1, allowed successive doubles to Murcer, Lou Piniella and Reggie Jackson in the first inning to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. Jackson was 4-for-4 on the night. Texas tied the score in the second when Al Oliver and John Ellis singled and Bill Sample walked to load the bases before Jim Sundberg’s two-run single. re s< I® his 1 ttark (Mark The Yankees countered w run in the second when Buck) walked and Willie Randolph nsjl before Murcer delivere game-winning hit with a sindf d fror center. Dent’s sacrifice fly is I marine fourth accounted for New Yt#£6 a.r final run. Texas scored in the on an RBI groundout by I Wills. Tommy John, 16-6, went i plus innings before being rel in the ninth by Rich Gossace picked up his eighth save. Job! up 10 hits, struck out fin walked three. h » TEXAS HALL OF FAME presents THURSDAY 7-12 “COUNTRY EDITION” $2/person Happy Hour Prices all night FRIDAY 7-12 “JESS DEMAINE & AUSTIN $2 per person SATURDAY 8-1 KENNY DALE & “Silver Creek Band” $4 per person ites a: Ited lo\