Portland Observer Thursday, May 4. 1978 Page 7
Special delivery!
by Jack Rubeck
For postal clerk Mike McMahon Sun
day, April 9th, started out much like any
other workday, except that he was look
ing forward to seeing the Blazer-Lakers
game that afternoon with his son. His
bosi had agreed to let him off an hour
early so that he could be in at the start.
Shortly before he was due to leave for
the game the boss asked if he would mind
delivering a package on the way. Any
reluctance vanished when McMahon
learned that the package contained some
basketball shoes from a California factory
and were addressed to Bill Walton.
Apparently Walton was pretty anxious to
get them as he had already called the post
office several times to see if they had
arrived.
As McMahon and his son walked across
the Broadway Bridge to the Coliseum
they noticed a bearded, red-haired giant
bicycling in the same direction. McHahon
yelled “Bill, Bill!” several times but,
understandably, the red head just tried
to look smaller. But "I've got your shoes"
brought the tall guy to a halt. The only
problem was that Walton, with a xnap-
sack on his back, had no means of
carrying the somewhat bulky package.
"Would you please bring it to the locker
room for me?" asked Walton. McMahon
and his son readily agreed.
At the locker room door McMahon
withstood the offers of others to take the
package until Walton finally stuck his
head out. McMahon asked if his son
could have Bill's autograph and Walton
invited them both into the locker room.
McMahon’s son ended up getting not only
Walton's autograph on his souvenir team
picture, but that of nearly everyone else
in the room as well, including coach
Ramsay. The fact that the Blazers then
went out and whipped the Lakers 114-99
was the perfect capper to a memorable
day for Mike McMahon and his son.
Tony sees the game
by Tony ¡.asley
tickets he wants. He even has his private
parking space at the Coliseum.
You should see his car. It is blue and it
has a telephone in it. He goes to my
church, Bethel A.M.E.
It was a fun experience because I've
never gone to a basketball game with a
Commissioner before.
(reprinted from Boise Speaks)
One Tuesday I went to the Blazer game
with Charles Jordan, the City Commis
sioner. I sat next to him and I asked how
did he get his tickets. He said he can pick
which ticket he wants before the season
starts and he can choose which play-off
. . . UNION OR COMPANY
Maurice Lucas meet» up with Jack Sikma of the Seattle SuperSonics during the
Blazers 113-89 tromp of the SuperSonics. IPhoto: Roger
DENTAL INSURANCE
Johnny Davi* makes the move on vetonta NBA player Paul Silas of the Seattle
SuperSonics. (Photo: Roger Dorband J
is a valuable a sse t. . .
your health
Sports Talk
and
appearance
R od Sykes,
S;«orts Editor
by Ron Sykes
The early morning sky, dull and gray,
seemed to match the overall feelings of
•nost Portlanders Tuesday, because it
>as the day after the mighty Trailblazers
fell to the SuperSonics. While most loyal
fans hoped for the best, and the Blazers
did prolong the agony by winning two
gumes at home, it was inevitable that
Lhey would finally go down.
There's no team around that can
sustain three key injuries and still win a
championship,
“I'm extremely proud of this team,
probably more so than of the Champion
ship team of last year. These guys
showed me a lot of character,” a solemn
Jack Ramsay said.
Portland's Biazers have nothing to be
ushamed of, they were the best team in
basketball before the injuries, winning
fifty of their first sixty games. Really the
senes was lost in the first game played at
Memorial Coliseum. Ramsay chose to go
with the lame Bill Walton, and who could
blame him for going with perhaps the
best center, when healthy, in the NBA.
But on this occasion Walton was not
healthy and did hurt the team more than
help. A healthy Walton is mobile and
agile, hut a crippled Walton was neither,
more often than not he was the last man
down court, causing his team mates to
slow the offense down as they waited for
him to get into position. Of course this is
just so much hindsight and nothing can
possibly be remedied by that. Seattle has
played good basketball since ex Blazer
Coach Lenny Wilkens grabbed the reins
and rode the Sonics down the NBA trail
to victory. But, not even the staunchest
Sonic fan can believe they could have
beaten a healthy Portland team.
And believe me, we’re not crying in our
beer, just stating a fact. And that is that,
e* Augie Borgi. writer from New York,
and now employed locally has been
creating a few waves it seems writing
bad things about Blazer heroes, or hero.
Mr. Borgi composed an open letter to
Blazer center Bill Walton openly criticiz
ing the red head for not appearing at the
arena to lend moral support, or whatever.
to his team.
Now it appears that whenever the “Big
fella" needs support there are many to
alibi for him, the latest being his good
friend Jack Scott and team physician Dr.
Robert Cook. Dr. Cook tells us that he
ordered W alton not to attend the games.
1 just wonder though . . . since when
does one need permission from a physi
cian to attend a game when there's only a
fracture to a bone in one's ankle. Usually
they put on a cast and away you go. Dr.
Cook tells us that Walton's cast is “so
cumbersome that it would be extremely
difficult to manuever through large
crowds.”
Bobby Gross . . . did you hear that?
Every game the tough, little forward
hobbled on crutches to take his place at
the end of the Blazer bench to lend verbal
support and whatever to the cause.
Maybe if Walton had suffered a heart
attack or a break down in the nervous
system, maybe then it would be easier to
understand why the consulting of a
doctor before attending a basketball
game would then be necessary, but not
for a broken foot. Oh, well, so much for
that.
Anyway there'll be no dancing in the
streets this year, and, for sure, we won’t
boog-a-loo down Broadway this June, and
the only basketball we’ll see will be via
the tube. All in all it was a great season.
Lionel Hollins and Maurice Lucas we
salute you and for your being chosen on
the NBA all defensive first team. And we
in the community salute you for your
outstanding contribution also Johnny
Davis, Corky Calhoun, and the late
arriving Willie Norwood.
BLAZER HI-LITE
113-89
game by Maurice Lucas was the key to
Portland's victory. Lucas was ferocious
on the boards on defense and on offense
he simply had his way inside with the
rookie Sikma guarding him.
Of course, the real key to the Blazers
victory were the Blazer guards - who
outplayed Seattle’s. Lionel Hollins' and
Johnny Davis’ superior quickness and
defensive ability was really apparent as
they streaked past Sonic guards for easy
lay-ups, and on the defensive end Freddie
Brown, Gus Williams and Dennis Johnson
were rendered ineffective.
This was a night when the entire team
was mentally prepared, as exemplified by
Willie Norwood and Tom Owens' fine
showings.
The Blazers showed the
courage of which Champions are made,
and the entire team should be commend
ed.
COMPLETE COOPERATION
ON ALL
DENTAL INSURANCE CLAIMS
WE HANDLE ALL THE DETAILS OF
COMPLETING YOUR CLAIM FORMS
NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED
Come in at your convenience
PARK FREE-Any Park n Shop Lot
HOUBC'
nw vK a.
Dr. Jeffrey BRADY, Dentist
S.W. 3RD & YAMHILL ST., PORTLAND, OREGON
TAKE ELEVATOR TO 2ND FLOOR 3RD ST. ENTRANCE
SEATTLE
105-94
Game five of the Trailblazer’s series
with Seattle opened in the usual manner
with a thunderous standing ovation from
the crowd throughout the announcement
of the starting lineup. But this time the
thunder did not stop at the tip-off, for the
Blazers picked up where the fans left off.
Just as the fans never stopped cheer
ing, the Blazers never let up. They
displayed such tenacity on defense and
execution on offense as to ultimately
affect a complete breakdown in Seattle's
game.
Strong rebounding and a good inside
What is so captivating about the home
court advantage? Whatever, it worked in
Seattle’s favor in game six. All those
thundering ovations that Blazermania
supplied in game five were equally
matched in game six on the Seattle
arena. Game six was simple. Seattle beat
Portland just as they were beaten one
day earlier. Seattle out-shot and out
defensed the Blazers resulting in a
victory that ended Portland's one year
reign as Kings.
$7.50
'n Tri—County Area
$8.00
Other
N n m a
Address
City
Church Notes
w ««*Tdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday 8:30a.m. to 1p.m.
Hughes celebrates 33 years
Hughes United Methodist Church will
celebrate its 33rd anniversary on Sunday,
May 7th. The Reverend Ennis Whaley
will be the special guest of the day. as a
part of the morning service and during
the festivities of the evening, Saturday,
May 6th.
On Saturday at 6:00 p.m. the anniver
sary will be celebrated with a Banquet
which all persons in the area are cordially
_____ ____
Observer
Box 3137
—
97 2 0 8
invited to attend. Reverend Whaley is
the founder of Hughes Church.
ST. ANDREWS CATHOLIC CHURCH
Notice
Gardening Workshop for N.E. Portland
residents May 5th, at 10:00. The location
of the workshop is The Wings of Healing
Church, 2030 S.E. Hawthorne. Please
call 288-8345 for further information.
806 N.E. Alberta Street
Reverend Bertram Griffin, Pastor
281 4429
Masses:
5:00 p.m. Vigil - Saturday
10:00 a.m. Choir - Sunday
12:00 p.m. Folk - Sunday
ST. ANDREW COMMUNITY SCHOOL
4919 N.E. 9th Ave.
Norita Kelly, Principal
Phone: 284-1620
Grades 1 through 8
H U G H E S M E M O R IA L U N IT E D M E T H O D IS T C H U R C H
REV AUSTIN V RAY MINISTER
111 N.E. FAILING
You are Welcome to Worship at
Dial A-Prayer 284-0684
Church School 9:45 a.m.
Worship 11:00 a.m. Office 281 2332
THE ARK OF SAFETY CHURCH OF GOD PENTECOSTAL, INC.
S p e c ia h u n g In
In d iv id u a l • M a rria g e a n d F a m ily • 6»cup Therapy
“A warm spirit of fellowship always”
The Honorable Bishop U.V. Peterson, D.D. “The Holiness Preacher,” Pastor
“The Church Where No Stranger Feels Strange”
Sunday:
Sunday School
9:15 am
Morning W orship
11:15 am
“Showers of Blessings Broadcast"
KGAR 1550
11:30 am 12:30 pm
YPBC
6:30 pm
Evangelistic Worship
8:00 pm
Tuesday-Friday
Noon Day Prayer
k
Tuesday:
Bible Band/Jr. Church
Wednesday:
Choir Rehearsal
Friday:
“The Pastor Speaks"
84 NE Killingsworth
281-0499
7:30 pm
7:00 pm
7:30 pm
ALLEN TEMPLE CME CHURCH
Corner of 8th and Skidmore
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m.
Christian Youth Fellowship 6:00 p.m.
(Second and Fourth Sundays)
Reverend Thomas L. Strayhand, Minister
N e w Hope Missionary Baptist Church
REVEREND A. BERNARD DEVERS, PASTOR
THE CHURCH DESIGNED TO MEET YOUR NEED
Sunday School
Morning Worship
Evening Service 2nd, 4th and
5th Sundays
Communion 1st Sunday
Wed. - Family Prayer Meeting
and Bible Study
Friday - Brotherhood
Fellowship Service T/ith
Morning Star 3rd Sunday
Prayer and Pastor Phone: 281-6476
Church Phone: 2814)163
3 7 2 5 N. Gantenbein Avenue, Portland, Oregon 9 7 2 2 7