The Battalion
SPORTS
5
—
Wednesday, July 26,1969
—
Mack pleads innocent
to drug trafficking charge,
remains free on bond
CLEVELAND (AP) — Ck-vr
Land Browns fullback Kevin Mack
pleaded innocent to dnig traf-
fkkina Tuesday, and his attorney
said Mack's cocaine rehabilitation
would be completed in time for
the team's exhibition opener.
“Kevin Mack is not a drug traf
ficker." Gerald S. Gold. Macks
defense attorney, said outside
court after Mack's arraignment.
Mack. 26. who was arrested
with two others June 28 at a street
comer known as a drug dealing
site, was allowed to remain free
on $2,500 bond by Cuyahoga
Common Pleas Court Judge Wil
liam E. Aurelius.
1 he judge assigned the case to
Judge Richard F. McMonagie.
Gold predicted that a crowded
court docket would mean Mack's
trial would not begin until after
the NFL season.
Gold, who cautioned his client
against commenting on the case,
said the player's month-long drug
rehabilitation program at the
Cleveland Clinic was “going very
well” and would be completed
Friday.
His completion of the volun
tary drug rehabilitation program
means Mack will be available to
travel with the Browns to Bn tain
for an Aug. 6 exhibition game in
London against the Philadelphia
Eagles. Gold said.
Gold said he was uncertain
whether Mack would face punish
ment from the NFL or the
Browns because of his drug use
and arrest. Mack had a problem
with cocaine but not an addiction,
according to Gold, who denied
Mack had cocaine in his posses
sion at the time of his arrest.
Kevin Byrne, a team spokes
man. said the Browns plan to
have Mack accompany the team
to London if he completes the re
habilitation program as sched
uled.
Asked how much Mack would
work srith the team during its
week in Britain, coach Bud Car-
son said at the Browns' preteason •
training camp. “I wouldn't imag
ine much for ram except for some
ball handling and conoitioning
Joe Browne, the NFL's director
of communications, declined
comment on whether the NFI.
would impose any sanctions on
Mack.
Mack was indicted July 10 on
one felonv count each of cocaine
possession, cocaine trafficking,
possession of criminal tools, and
using a motor vehicle for drug
abuse. If convicted on all counts.
Mack could face up to 20 years in
prison
Police have said thev found 11
packets of cocaine valued at $50
rath inside his car.
Little League playoff freeze lifted
HOUSTON (AP) — An order
that temporarily halted all Texas
Little League plavoff games didn't
cause too many disruptions because
only a few games had to be canceled,
league officials said.
State District Judge Arthur Les-
her lifted the freeze Monday after
lawyers involved in a lawsuit over an
ineligible plaver agreed that the
statewide ban could ne canceled and
not affect the playoffs while the case
proceeds.
Lesher scheduled a Thursday
morning hearing to consider a tem
porary injunction. The next game
tor North Houston National, the dis
puted champion of District 25 Little
League, is a Thursday night bi-dis
trict contest.
Little League Inc officials said the
order didn't throw off the state plav-
offs since Sunday games are rare
and a minimal number of Saturday
games had to be canceled.
"We were lucky it hit on a week
end," said Mike Witherwax, Texas
Little Leaguedirector “Obviously , it
had a little effect, but we're in good
shape and on track right now."
Lawyer Blaise Heanev. who filed
the suit, said he will not seek to inval-
? ar - -
while the order was pending because
those games would not affect his
case.
"The games Friday and Saturday
will stand." Heaney said. “We're not
trving to hold the others in con
tempt "
Tne controversy began after
North Houston’s B-5 plavoff win
over the Northside National Little
League All-Stars on Wednesday
Northside filed a protest over the
participation of North Houston
plaver David Lezcano. who lives out
side the team's eligibility area
Little League officials in South
Williamsport, Pa , agreed the bov
was ineligible, disqualifying him
from fu rther play , but they deter
mined that Lexcano's play did not af
fect the outcome
mg.
It was then that lames R. King
father of Northside's Jason K
filed the suit, which claims that Lez
cano, 12. a center fielder, caught
three fly balls, had two hits and
scored two runs,
King said the suit will teach the
bo vs the importance of plaving by
the rules.
Alvarez shipped to minors after poor debut
ARLINGTON (AP) — llie Texas
Rangers' top pitching prospect went
from stellar predictions to a cellar
performance in his major-league de-
Nmeteen-vear-old lefthander Wil
son Alvarez, the youngest plaver in
the majors, lasted onlv 26 pitches in
Monday night’s loss to the Toronto
Blue Javs. He didn't even get an out.
And he won't even get a chance t,o
redeem himself — at least not right
away.
Tbe Rangers announced Tuesday
they had optioned Alvarez to Tulsa,
their Class AA affiliate, and pur
chased the contract of righthander
Paul Wilmet from iriple-A Okla
homa City.
‘This was mv first time, and ihe
experience is going to help me out a
whole lot when I go on." Alvarez
said Mondav, before the denwMion
was announced
Alvarez was pulled by manager
Bobbv Valentine after giving up
consecutive walks that followed
back-to-back homers by Tony Fer
nandez and Kelly Gruber.
Both home runs and a leadof f sin
gle by Junior Felix came on l-and-2
ofi-speed pilches.
Alvarez, at 19 vears, 4 months, is
123 days younger than Seattle's Ken
Griffey J r., who reobtains the dis
tinction of being ihe youngest plaver
in the big leagues
The 33,754 fans gave Alvarez a
prolonged oration and Valentine
patted him on the bac k and told him
not to get down
“I'd sav his fastball was outstand
ing." Valentine said. “They didn’t
even pul his fastball in plav Nobody
got around on his fastball ’
Although the organization lost
confidence in Alvarez after one ab
breviated appearance, the Rangers
aren't ready to give up on him just
vet.
Scouts sav Alvarez, who became
the first plaver born in the 1970s to
pitch in the majors in the 1980s. is
expected to anchor the Rangers staff
of the 1990s
But that was of little consolation to
the native of Maracaibo. Venezuela,
who was called up from Tulsa on
Fnda\ when Charlie Hough went on
the 15-day disabled list with soreness
in his right shoulder.
Alvarez, sitting solemnly and
alone in the Rangers clubhouse a
half-hour after the Rangers' 6-3 loss
to Toronto, welcomed passing team-
mates' pats on the back witn hall-
smiles of acknowledgment and an
occasional shrug
Alvarez avoided the media, lelling
team officials he didn't want to talk
to reporters because his English was
limired
But in an interview with the Asso
ciated Press, Alvarez spoke in Span
ish and said he wasn't discouraged
by his shaky debut
He said he was nervous at first,
"but I saw that 1 can pitch here in (he
maiors This game will help me "
Catcher Jim Sundberg said Alva
rez slowed his delivery somewhat
when he threw his curve and
changeup. which scouts sav are his
best pitches.
Hogs’ fullback arrested on traffic violations
FAYETTEVILLE. Ark (AP) —
Arkansas junior fullback Terrence
"juju" Harshaw, arrested early Sun
day morning on charges of speed
ing, driving while intoxicated and
having an altered driver's license,
faces arraignment next week in
Fayetteville Municipal Court.
Harshaw was traveling at 63 miles
an hour in a 35 mph zone, officials
said.
Razorback football coach Ken
Hatfield sard he had not talked with
Harshaw vet. "But. I wsftsmd well go
from there."
* R M •
Hatfield said there is one rule
players are expected to abide by —
that they do nothing to embarrass
the University of Arkansas
“I feel very strongly about DWIs
and DUlt, I don't care if its by one of
our players or not. That's like being
a loaded gun. I think there should
be stringent penalties for that.
“He (Harshaw) certainly didn't do
anythins to endear himself. I'm just
(hankful nobody was hurt.”
Harshaw. the team's fourth lead
ing rusher last season, carried 78
times for 306 yards and scored four
'>fr b • • > •
touchdowns in 1988.
Harshaw is the second person
with ties to the Razorback program
to be in trouble recently with Fayet
teville authorities
Tony Cherico, a former Arkansas
noseguard who is now a graduate as
sistant under Fred Akers at Purdue,
pleaded innocent Monday to a
charge of theft of property. Chenco,
at the University of Arkansas attend
ing summer school, was arrested last
week after a three-dav investigation
into a theft ai a Favettrville clothing
store. ” •
TANK HFNAMAUA
by Jell Millar & Bill Hinds
Aluminum bats, turf and domes: Where is baseball headed?
Ahhh, don't you just love baseball in the
summertime? 'the players lake the field.
The first batter is up. He swings on the first
pitch and clangs the ball into left field.
Huh? Clangs? What is this, a joke?
No. actually, it may be reqlity in the
future. Major League Baseball is
considering allowing players to hit with
alluminum bats
To me, that really is a joke. It would
benefit the hitter, but it would take away
from the game.
The traditional sound of the crack of a
wooden bat sending a ball over the fence
would be gone.
Sure, the hitters will send more over the
wall, but we’d see batting averages
skyrocket. Pitchers have enougn to worry
about already . Besides, we’d probably see a
lot of lawsuits because of dented cars that
were parked past centerfield.
The broken bats would be no more. We’d
see every ball go farther and harder than if
hit with a wooden bat. Tradition alone
should take precedent in this decision. It
just would cnange the game.
Robbie
Scichili
Sports Writer
And what about baseball parks in
general? There are no two tnat have the
same proportions, measurements and size.
Oh sure, the base pads are always 90 feet
apart, but have you ever looked at how
different the home run walls are?
A batter can hit a home run in Boston's
Fenway Park where it would be a foul ball
in Seattle's Kingdome. Some parks have a
tendency to give up more home runs than
others simplv because of the wav thev were
built
Some parks have roofs while others do
not. Minnesota fans have forgotten even
what a rain-out is.
These parks make me mad. There's no
wind. The temperature is alwavs the same.
T here's no sunny afternoons for fans to get
a good tan in die outfield seats Almost
sounds un-Amencan. doesn’t it?
There are domes. T here are stadiums
T here are parks. Could we please figure
out w hat we want to call the edifice that
houses a baseball game?
Then fielders have to deal with the tvpe
of field they 're playing on. At least there
are only two choices here: grass or
astroturf. But which one is better?
I vote for grass. First of all, the problem
with turf is that it can literally turn what
would be a single on grass into a triple.
Have you ever seen a ball flv into the right
field corner and stop? It reminds me of
Speedv Gonzales teasing Sylvester the Cat.
Those poor outfielders Thev have to
change their strategy every time they plav a
different team because of the difference in
fields. Then again, sometimes I don't feel
sorry for them with all the money they're
getting.
Any team oul there want a hard working
redhead to chase any trail that comes his
way?
The designated hitter. Is this a good
description.- A better one might lie ' washed
up oki man who can't field anymore.“ ( )r
teams could put up a sign on the dugout
that says: pitcher loo chic ken to hit.
Seriously though. I feel that ihe
designated hitter is something baseball can
do without. If pitchers can field, thev
should h't as well. Why don't we just have
one hall of the team field and the other half
hit?
Even though there is an arguement over
the designated hitter, you'd think that
Major League Baselrall would come up with
a standard for the league
But no, thev want to complicate things
up even more bs making pitchers hat in the
National league while designated hitters
pick up the slack in the American league.
This creates even more problems.
Take Bruce Hurst for example. Boston
traded him to San Ihego during ihe off
season. The only swings Hurst look in
Bdlton were’ at flies in the clubhouse.
Now Hurst is struggling to even make
contact with the hall wnen up to bat. I don’t
think he'll he thieatening to pass Kevin
Mitchell in the home run derby anytime
soon
As much as I hate to admit it. baseball
will continue in < hange as time goes on
The game is such a thrill to watch, but these
difTerent conditions of plav cause the (rue
essence of the game to be lost at times
I here shoiild be a standard for all
baseball parks m the league to have the
same type of field, the same distance to the
outfield walls and the same tvpe of
dimensions.
The American league needs to cut this
designated hitter idea and make every
player hit. Let’s say Adios to the domed
stadiums and make all of the parks
outdoors with natural grass
After all, how can we expect the level of
plav to be authentic when the conditions of
plav are artificial?
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