The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989, May 04, 1988, Page 8, Image 8

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    WWW
O'
SPORTS
Clackamas Community College
Blazers court Russian player
Sabonis in Blazer red instead
With all the fuss made about
Arvidas Sabonis’ visit to the
United States, someone has to
say it. So here it is.
Can you imagine if the Blazers
got Sabonis to go with
Duckworth? Then if Bowie,
comes back and Johnson gets
healthy and the Lakers have a
plane crash and this and that.
promotion, Harry can already see
Blazer Cable ads in “The Orego­
nian” with a picture of Arvidas
capping Ralph Sampson and the
question, “Will Ralph See Red
Tonight?” Glickman clearly
won’t suffer from perestroika
paranoia.
Certainly Sabonis would make
an interesting Blazer. Portland
would be the draw of the NBA
with a Russian on the roster,
possibly forcing CBS to do
without a few Lakers or Celtics
telecasts. And wouldn’t he fit
right in with theBlazers.equipped
with a nagging achilles injury that
could flare up at any time and
have him at Willamette Falls
Hospital quicker than you can
say Robert Cook? Maybe they
can save him a room next to
Bowie’s.
off
Campus
There are some interesting
angles to this Sabonis propagan­
da. Soviet sports officials seemed
to. have initiated the contact, a
gesture that infers that the Soviets
are prepared to et Arvidas go if
he wishes. However, suspicion
says that the Soviets would not
want him to play unless he could
be effective, which makes the up­
coming Olympics the barometer
for his future. If a healthy Ar­
vidas fares well in Seoul, he may
end up in Blazer red instead.
Sports
Sabonis is 7’-3!4” and 289
pounds. If he possesses any
reflexes or instincts at all he has
what it takes to be a defensive
force. Ask Mark Eaton. Jaynes
indication that an international
tiff would be raised if Schuler
chose not to play Arvidas is a
moot point. Sabonis, despite
bearing an eerie resemblance to
Petur Gudmundsson, has already
demonstrated his skills beyond a
reasonable doubt. If he comes
over, Schuler won’t be able to
find him enough minutes.
HOW
’BOUT
THEM
ORIOLES?— Did the Orioles
va
\ 1
i
bk ’ w »-
___ r
by Jerry Ulmer
Staff Writer
Some values become tested as
Sabonis’ future in Portland un­
folds. Would the Blazers, in their
zest to have another big body and
possible all-star, be unknowingly
condoning communism? When
asked his opinion of Sabonis’
presence at a Portland-Utah
playoff game, Utah coach Frank
Layden stated only that he holds
some strong feelings about it, but
wouldn’t elaborate, indicating it
may cause an unwelcome stir.
Could this be the kind of attitude
Sabonis would face across the
NBA? Perhaps his acceptance
would be different if he defected.
Certainly the “D” word scares
the hooey out of Harry Glickman'
who knows any talk of defection
would land Arvidas on perma­
nent Soviet soil. But don’t think
it hatsn’t crossed Arvidas’ mind,
who is from a part of the USSR
which holds less loyalty to the
union. Plus the lifestyle he could
maintain with an NBA contract
would arouse any 23-year-old’s.
imagination.
Dwight Jaynes, the Blazer beat
writer for “The Oregonian,” sug­
gested that Sabonis may only be
as good as a typical NBA
journeyman center. Nyet.
management overreact by firing
Cal Ripken Sr. after he guided
the O’s to a 0-6 start? Hey, Frank
Robinson isn’t exactly making a
show for manager of the. year.
When Ripken was fired, the talk
around Baltimore was that the
town was not accustomed to a
losing ballclub. How about now?
They will be by the end of the
year. This could be the first team
to be mathematically eliminated
by July. How’s that grab your ex­
ponents? Here’s the Top Ten
Orioles’ excuses for their losing
streak:
Photo by Both Coffey
10. Sandbagging for the number
one pick in the college draft. John Davenport, all-star short stop, gives the Cougar s the
9. Extra starch in uniforms winning edge.
makes it uncomfortable to
extend your arms.’
8. TV in clubhouse has MTV. .
7. Heated presidential race
Then there’s Ted Turner, who
makes baseball seem mean­
was instrumental in I bringing
ingless.
mind yet.” Davenport feels hard
Sabonis to Atlanta ] for his
by Mark Borrelli
6. Some players thought deaf Staff Writer _______________________
work was his key to success;. “I
physical check-up. Was Turner’s
equipment manager was
work hard to better myself at all
only incentive a boost in TV
The
Clackamas
men
’
s
baseball
relaying signs from the
stages of the game. I take a lot of
ratings? Actually, Ted Turner has
team is currently enjoying a very
dugout.
ground
balls, work on my range,
been quite diplomatic with the
5. Confusion over new balk good season, 8-3, and in first
my arm, and my quick release.”
Soviets the past few years. Does
place.
A
big
key
to
the
Cougars
’
rule has entire infield.; afraid
Davenport feels that those are the
Ted have his eye on a political of­
success is sophomore shortstop
to move.
tools
needed to be a good short­
fice? Maybe Ted should link up
4. Joe Garagiola’s witch-doctor John Davenport.
stop. He also credits coaching to
with Donald Trump to form an
Davenport,
a
graduate
Of
whammy finally taking ef­
his success, and comments on
entrepeneur party for 1992. Or
Aloha high school, has done an
fect.
does Turner want to cut a path
coach Paul Roeder. “He is a
3. Ridiculous scheduling has outstanding job in the field, as
for Soviet sports stars because his
good players coach. He gets
them playing nearly every well as at the plate in his two
Atlanta Hawks own the rights to
years as a Cougar.
along with the players pretty
day.*
two of the lesser known round­
Davenport got started playing
well.”
2.
Oriole
infield
powerless
bailers bearing the hammer and
baseball in little league in Califor­
Davenport’s future ambitions
against
amazing
sickle? Good guess.
include marriage, kids, and
nia before moving to Oregon
“
seeing-eye
”
pop-ups.
Harry Glickman sure seems
possibly playing in the major
1. Too much emphasis on play­ where he played his high school
wide-eyed at all of this excite­
ball in Aloha.
leagues. “Yeah, I’d love to play
ing
for
fun.
ment. Never one to play down a
Out of high school, where he
in the majors, who wouldn’t?”
was named first team all-league
Some of the top players
shortstop his senior year, he
Davenport admires are Tony Fer­
decided to go to Portland State,
nandez, Shawon Dunston, and
but came to Clackamas after only
Ozzie Smith, all short stops.
one year at PSU. “I really didn’t
Davenport feels that his best shot
get a chance to play that much at
at the pros would be at second
PSU, and I knew that I would get
base and he does feel he could hit
SERVED
a chance to play here.” And he
major league pitching.
has. And he has shown a tremen­
Davenport’s advice to a
7 AM- 10:30 AM MON-FRI
dous glove, and a hot bat while
highschool shortstop planning on
here. Last season, he was named
playing college ball. “The speed
an all-league shortstop, while
#1. TWO EGGS, HASH BROWNS, ONE SLICE OF TOAST,
o£jhe runners in college are faster
leading the team in batting (.417),
than that in high school. You
YOUR CHOICE OF 2 STRIPS BACON, 2 LINK
and was voted the team MVP.
can’t count on your arm as
This season Davenport is picking
SAUSAGES, OR HAM $2.00
much, you gotta get to the ball
up right where he left off. He is
quickly, and get set to throw
batting a sultry .351, leading the
faster.” Davenport also would
2. TWO EGGS, HASH BROWNS, TOAST $1.50
team in stolen bases and RBI’S
like to be a coach, later on in his
and continues to fill the hole very
Career, but would like the chance
nicely.
to play major league baseball.
EGG VON MUFFIN $1.00
Davenport is a general studies
For now, Davenport is looking
major and hopes to move on to a
forward to what he hopes is a
four year college next year and
PLEASE NOTE;
championship season. “I want to
continue to play baseball. “1 have
win the league championship, as
talked to a few four year schools,
SIDE ORDERS ARE AVAILABLE
a team.”
but haven’t really made up my
A
r-
Davenport leads team
NORM'S CAFF.
□50 Illuminant, 2 degree observer
Density