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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 26, 1979)
Pag« 4 Portland Observar Thursday, July 2 8 .1979 Have you filed for Sports Talk OREGON PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ? by Ron Sykes Sports Editor s ‘ wt* The story concerned the operator o f a traveling » ircus, who was offer ed the service* o f a one-man thrill act. "G o t all the th rill acts I can use,” he argued. "B u t you’ ve never seen an act like mine,” the man said. “ I climb to the top o f a 200-foot ladder and dive in to a steel tank covered by only six inches o f water.” Well, the circus operator had to see that with his own eyes, and sure enough, the man climbed to the top o f the 200-foot ladder and belly- flopped into the tank with a splash heard across the continent. “ That’s the greatest act I’ ve ever seen,” the circus operator said. The circus boss agreed, " I ’ ll give you $13,000 a week for six shows and a matinee.” “ Not on your life,” the performer responded. The circus operator raised his o f fer three times and got the same re je ctio n , and fin a lly asked in despair, "Ju st how much do you want?” “ I don’ t want a dime,” the man replied. "T h a t was the first time I tried it. and it h u rt." A good friend o f mine, whom I ’ ll refer to as ’Olympia Jim ,’ and for obvious reasons, got hurt in just a similar way the other night while engaging in a sports conversation on the subject o f boxing. Now, if you follow my Column with any regu larity you w ill certainly remember the topic two weeks ago was on boxing. And who was the greatest. Well, I was fortunate enough to coax a few experts o f both the past and the present to join me in a rap session to discuss the iron men o f pugilistic fame. Now, if Ruby Kay will excuse my redundancy, I ’ ll set the scene. On Monday, July 23rd, six of us met at C leo ’ s. Joe Boyd, Louis H arris, Charles H into n, Olympia Jim, M r. Tigner and myself. The rap session was to be held at 8:00 p.m. in the back room . H in to n , H arris, Boyd and Harris arrived promptly at eight. Tigner strolled in, apologeti cally, fifteen minutes later. And this was to be the only time during our session that he would admit error. From the beginning it was obvious that the meeting was divided into two camps, the old generation against the now generation. D ivided it was, w ith H in to n , O lym pia Jim , Boyd and Tigner representing the Joe Louis era and Harris and my favorite columnist representing the Muhammad A ll era. Homeowners-file with your county assessor Renters-file with Oregon Dept.of Revenue Everyone agreed that their cham pions were the best. Harris argued that everything in the world o f sports today is better. Sykes concurred. Tigner then said, "Y o u youngsters today think you know everything, and you don’ t know nothin’ , Joe Louis would have knocked that Clay outta the rin g ." Harris scoffed at this and insisted that Louis was too slow. Harris told the group that he had spent numerous hours at the PSD library reviewing film s o f the boxers o f yesteryear and it was comical and hilarious. "T h e old timers couldn’ t hold a candle to the good present day heavyweights," he concluded. Olympia Jim sitting to my right proclaim ed Jack Johnson as the greatest heavyweight o f all time, and that Henry Armstrong could have easily destroyed Sugar Ray Robin son. A t this point Olympia Jim ’s know ledge lost some o f its credibility. Which fighter had the most heart? “ A li,” shouted Harris, “ His heart was big as all outdoors." Olympia Jim, who earlier stated that Henry Armstrong would decapitate Sugar Ray, pulled on his last swig o f beer and calmly said, “ Jake LaM otta." "W h y Jake L a M o tta ? ” H arris asked. “ Because he had to fight a man, Sugar Ray, who was the best fighter pound for pound to get in the r in g ." A t that point Lou Harris keeled over backwards and the meeting abruptly adjourned. And please. Ruby Kay, excuse my redun dancy, but I would have certainly been remiss not to report on this meeting. A l (Bubba) Baker, last season’ s NFL defensive rookie o f the year ex tended his three year contract with the Lions for a reported additional $30,000. Outside linebacker Isiah Robertson, traded from the Los Angeles Rams to the Buffalo Bills a week ago, has signed a three year contract with his new club. The 6 '3 ", 225 pound linebacker, an eight year vet, is received by the Bills as the cornerstone to plans for a more respectable linebacking crew Detroit Pistons signed Roy Hamil ton, their first-round choice from UCLA. Indiana Pacers signed Mickey John son, forward, to a multi-year con tract. Johnson played last year with the Chicago Bulls. Venable joins AM F staff Charlie Venable, regarded as the best professional Black bowler in the country and the only full timer on the PBA tour, has been signed as a member o f the AM F Staff o f Cham pions, it was announced by R.R. W oodruff, vice president, market ing, A M F Bowling Division-U.S. The 28-year-old Venable, a native o f B ro o klyn , but now a resident o f the Bronx, has been a PBA member since the summer o f 1972 when he finished th ird in Rookie o f the Year vo ting . He bowled infrequently through most o f his early professional years because he was pursuing a degree in business management, which he received in 1976 from Medgar Evers College in New York City. His lone PBA vic tory came during his undergraduate days when he won a PBA Regional tournam ent at Lansdale, Pen nsylvania in 1975. Venable’ s best finish in a national PBA tourny came in 1977 when he finished fo u rth in the BPA U.S. Open, his first exposure on network TV. He earned $6,930 in five ap pearances that year, but then made his first full swing o f 31 tournaments in 1978, winning $16,212, including a fifth -p la c e finish in the Midas Open As an exempt touring pro, he hit 12 stops on the 1979 PBA Winter Tour, earning $6,500, with his best finishes being 11th at Alam eda, California and 13th in the San An tonio AM F MagicScore Open. Venable started in the ju n io r bowling ranks at 13 and had the first o f his six sanctioned 300 games at age 16. One o f his perfectos came in his PBA rookie year at Rochester. In between tour stops, Venable carrries a 218 average in the highly com petitive Eastern Classic League in Paramus, New Jersey. Venable has been hailed as the be" Black bowler since the legendary late J. Wilbert Sims o f two decades ago, and is confident that he w ill be the first Black to be crowned a PBA champion. " I t ’ s only a matter o f tim e ," he says. FILE BY AUGUST 1 T LOOK FOR THE BIG "T" "A Sure Sign of Good Taste” SOKE, TAB or FRESCA $ fl< 3 16 oz. Bottles 8 PAK KU h Q PAPER TOWELS Assorted Colors ZEE 120 ct, roll 14410 S.l. DIVISION S.l. 20»h 4 DIVISION 39SS S.l. ROWEU S.E. 72nd 4 H A V U N E 74th 4 GLISAN N I . 15th 4 « E M O N I HIUSBORO-960 S.E OAK W. tURNSIPE al 2 ,t l SAN RAFAH-1910 N.E. 122nd F lin t Grov<-2329 RACIFKt Of.oon City-R7* MOLALLA Canby. 10S1 S.W. I l l LLOYD CENTER L L T R The Tim bers finally found a w inning com bination in M itch ell. Butler. Day and Best, as they soundly defeated the Ft Lauderdale Strikers 4-1 during last Saturday's hom e game at the Stadium Next hom e gam e is against the Vancouver W hitecaps, Saturday. July 28th at 8 00 p.m (Photos Keith Kvernvikl Ali cancels Muhammad A li will not be able to attend the scheduled events o f "A u g u s tfe s t,” the m ajor annual fund raising activity o f the Albina W om en’ s L e a g u e /N o rth /N o rth - east Youth Development Program on August 25th, as previously an nounced. Muham mad A li’ s personal secretary informed Mrs. Bettie Lou Overton, President, A W L via tele phone on Saturday night, July 21st, o f the decision that, " M r . A li was overextended and would not be able to attend the ceremonies in his honor.” The cancelled events include a scheduled parade with Alt serving as the Grand Marshall. The renaming o f the A W L build ing in honor o f Muhammad A li will take place as scheduled on Saturday, August 25th, at 8 N.E. Killingsworth Street at 10:00 a m. The food and en tertainment activities w ill continue as scheduled. E X O ' '•'forAst/.iom D U S du<a/iS‘f t a f a r u / > )te a /m r n / fâ e n / r i 1518 NE KILLINGSWORTH PORTLAND. OREGON 9721 1 284-7997 E XO D U S JU LY 1979 ON SOCIETY: I live in the crowds of jollity, not so much to enjoy the company as to shun myself. Samuel Johnson ON SUSPICION: Always suspect that which seems probable, and begin by believing what ap pears incredible. Emile Guboriau ENERGY. We can't afford to waste it. ON SUSPICION: All persons, as they grow less prosperous, grow more suspicious. ON SUSPICION: All persons, as they grow less prosperous, grow more suspicious. New York Life For ell of your life. I I I I Life, Hwatth Group Insurance Annuities, Pension Plans 700 NE Multnomah, Suita 400 Portland. Ora. 97232 231-4724 JO H N S . PARIS Field Underwriter THRU! A U G .I8T H I P O S T T lM ej AT 7 3 0 PM A»» CcxxMfXYPd C>ot> S kyvew <n PortLv d NI J 3rd *n<J M a lw y S» a 8 Terence ON SUCCESS: Nothing great was ever achieved w ithout enthusiasm. Ralph Waldo Emerson Rac-nç MooQy thrChXjF SOURdSy = iM U O N O M A H l i
