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PAGE § • PLA1NDEALEK - TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1W Persistence Pays Off? Pert itence is a characteristic which is useful, and sometimes effective, especially for those looking for space on the small, hometown newspaper sports page. A fictional rendition of a typical phone conversation between the sports editor, continually groping for newsworthy events, and the news-hungry public might help to illustrate the built-in allegience which both of them hold for each other. In other words, people will try Just about anything to see their cause or name in the newspaper. "Hello, sports department." "What's up, Joel. This is Fuzzy Freakout. You know, the one that married your sister's ex-husband's brother's half- sister. Listen, I got a scoop for you." "Uh...ye8 Friz..er..Fuzzy, what can I do for you." "Listen Joel, I don't want to seem pushy, but I'm gonna be competing in the 32nd Annual McHenry No Slop Billiards Tournament next Wednesday. Do you think you could..." "Wait a minute Fuzzy, do you want to run that by me again." "That figures, Joel, you never gave publicity to this prestigious tournament before." "I'm sorry, but I never knew it existed." "Well anyway Joel, I'm looking for a little advance publicity on the tournament...ndt much...maybe a half page The Third Half Joel Wakitsch Sports Editor feature before the tourney, leading to a full page after I win it." "Well Fuzzy...I don't think this kind of story really warrants a half pa..." What do you mean! Oh brother, I bet you never played pool before, right?" "As a matter of fact, I have played...but I don't think..." "Listen Joel, In 32 years the tournament has tripled in the number of participants and each year we get more and more spectators. I think it really would have reader appeal." "Well Fuzzy...where is it held and how many people usually attend." "I'm glad you asked, Joel. It in a picture-perfect setting in the basement of Bucko's Beer Breath Billiards Bar...it has been there every year...and last year there were 16-18 spectators at the final match." - "Well Fuzzy...our newspaper doesn't advertise any commercial establishment in our stories...and 16-18 people do^ln't really represent a majority of people." "Bui Joel...Bucko's is a bar, not a commercial establishment...besides these are dedicated fans who turn out every year." "Well Fuzzy...maybe if you could come up with a feature angle to your tournament, I could help you." "Hey, I got it...the guy I play against in the opening match is 38 years old...the rest of us are under 26...maybe there's your angle. Heck, he's played in the last 6 tournaments and has won two of them. Does that help?" "That's not really waht I had in mind Fuzzy..." "What's wrong, Joel, don't you consider billiards a sport?" "Well... sure Fuzzy, but..." "Listen Joel, I remember last year when you did a feature on Minnesota Fats over at the college...and he's not even local!" , "He's pretty well known and loads of people went to see him, Fuzzy." "Boy, this is a vicious circle...maybe if you gave us the same space as Fats, we would get more people at our tournament." "Ok Fuzzy...you win...just write up the facts and get it to me tommorow...I'll give you a small article telling when and where it is, but I'm not gonna mention the bar's name." "Hey, great Joel...do you think we might be able to get a picture along with the article...maybe me snarling at my opponent while holding my new cue stick...then we could put the whole gang jammed in around the bar too...you know, to make it look realistic." "•'i "Sorry Fuzzy, we only have one photographer and I kinda like to run action shots on the sports page. If I do it for you, I'll have to do it for everybody." "All right Joel, maybe you could put a small picture oCan 8- ball next to the article to catch the readers' eye...and the headline could read something like this... FUZZY FREAKOUT TO VIE FOR NO SLIP CHAMPIONSHIP AT BUCKO'S NEXT WEDNESDAY AGAINST OLD MAN." "Fuzzy! Hie headline would be longer than the stay!"/ "All right... could you at least get my name in bold type in the first paragraph somewhere?" "Everyone is treated the same here, Fuzzy." "Boy Joel, it's so hard to work with you...I'm trying to give you news to fill your page!" "I appreciate the thought Fuzzy...just make sure you the get the results of the tournament to me also." "OK Joel, but only if I win the championship...I'd hat6 to see the article get in if I lose." "Fuzzy! win or lose, make sure I get the results or you won't get any advance article either." "Boy Joel, you sure have some weird policies at your paper...I should have never called you...I think I'll call the other paper." "That's up to you, Fuzzy.. .sorry I couldn't help you." , "Hey Joel, I'll give you a call next summer after the Sixth Annual McHenry Bumper Pool Championships. Reserve a page or two for me will you?" Guards Featured In Classic The 7th Northern Illinois Basketball Classic kicks off Dec. 28 at Hampshire High School with Providence , St. Mel, Rockford Jefferson, Lake Zurich and Johnsburg rated as the favorites. The tournament will feature some of the top guards in the state,led by All-stater Tom Brown of St. Mel. The 6'1" Brown is averaging 22 points a game and his running mate Vernal Turner is averaging 18 points per game. Jefferson is led by 6'4" Gary Sorrells, who is hitting at a 15 point per contest clip. Jefferson won the Classic last year. Lake Zurich has an out­ standing forward in 6'5" Jim Boscoljon who is pumping in 13 points per game, while Johnsburg has depended on quickness and good overall shooting of Rick Neiss, Tom Pieper and Chuck Novy. Other top gurads include Todd Sponner, 6'1" guard from Richmond at 21 points per game, Lindsey Ralston of Genoa-Kingston at 23 points per game and Roger Mass at 6' at 20 points per game. Action will start at 8:45 am on Friday with Harvard taking on Richmond Burton. The games will continue all day Friday until the 9:30 pm encounter between Quigley North and Hampshire. Johnsburg will take on Genoa-Kingston at 7:45 pm on Friday. If Johnsburg should win, they will advance to play the winner of the Quigley North- Hampshire contest at 9:30 pm on Saturday. If they lose the opening game however, they would move to the consolation bracket against the Quigley North- Hampshire loser at 2:15 pm on Saturday. / The Championship game of the 16 team tourney will take place on Dec. 30 at 8:45 pm. Joel Wakitsch Plaindealer Chris Creatz Sixth In Nationals Eighth grader Chris Creutz made the top ten runners in the nation Dec. 15 by running to a sixth place finish in the Jr. Olympics Cross Country finals at Cheyenne, Wyoming. With a time of 14:31.7 in the 4000 meter course, helped his Crystal Lakers nation in the 13-14 age category. ine Lakers lost by 17 points to a team from Reno, Nevada after winning the national championship in the same division last year over the Huntington Harriers of New Jersey. Oth#~ members of the teadi included Jim tjmt. Crystal Lake, (11th), Steve Carby, McHenry (23rd), Brian Wright, McHenry (39th), Scott Challed, Rich­ mond (47th) and Brian Algrim, (94th). The sixth place finish among 160 runners capped off a good year for Creutz, who won the recent Jr. Olympic meet in Crystal Lake, and was named as a rotate *r. High Champion earlier in the year; "Hr FROM THE LINE--Sue Haddick of McHenry's girl's basketball puts one up over the outstretched arms of the Grant defense. Haddick put this one through, and she scored 8 points in McHenry's 45-40 home defeat to Grant. The Bulldogs were led in scoring by Stephanie Romic (far left) with 11 points, as she also clogged up the middle on the Warriors. Robin Geiger led McHenry with 12 points, while Karen Karpavicius tallied 9 points, Jenny Berryhill had 4 points and Deb Koerber had 5. STAFF PHOTO-JOEL WAKITSCH EARL WALSH -- So I Hear Bowling Scores McHENRYSCHOOL LEAGUE 12-10-80 J. Sytsma really led the men with 156, 225, 161 - 542; followed by B. Doran 169, 180, 179 - 528; B. Street 152, 190, 178 - 520; G. Lofgren 180, 182, 157 - 520; L. Johnson 182 & 170- A. Boeldt, 190; G. Garde; 182; G. Vitale (not duck hunting), 181; and T. Rone a 172. Biggest news for the women was D. Bazan with her 89 average who rolled 158, 131, 114, to total 403. E. Rogers did herself proud with 169, 178, 161 - 508; while B. Thompson had a 191; L. Ames had 175; and sub B. Heard rolled a 170. Splits looked like a piece of cake for E. Landis and the 5- 10, D. Miller and the 5-7-9, and K. Kescher with the 5-7. Wonder Pins took the pizza rpize for total pins and B. Marcello got a bit mixed jip in her 10th frame and instead of striking out, she guttered out. Maybe Santa will leave a book of bowling tips in her stocking. The halfway standings are as follows: w 1 Ronnie's Rapettes 35 13 The Repeaters SSST's 30 18 The Repeaters SSST's 30 18 Wonder Pins 29Vfe 18Vfe Pragmatic 10 28 20 Who's Up? 26 22 The Hi-Lo's 23 Vi 24Vfc Gutter Dusters 20 28 Four Flushes 17 31 Four Easy Pieces 14 34 Lyle & Friends 11 37 K. Lescher Bowling Set McHenry County Farm Bureau members wil have three opportunities to qualify for the 1981 District I Bowling Tourney. All Farm bureau members are invited to bowl in any one of three qualifying tourneys, or to bowl in all three, with the best three-game series counted as the determining entry. The three local dates and locations include Jan. 18 in Huntley on Route 47, Jan. 25 at Woodstock on Church Street and Feb. 1 at Harvard on Route 14. PIINCINELLO NEW YEARS EVE SPECIALS •Steak N Lobster •Steak N Crab Claws •Prime Rib, au jus •Stuffed Cornish Hen Serving till 1 A.M. Regular Menu Dinner n Pizza Only * RESERVATIONS SUGGESTED 344-3700 We Will Close -CHRISTMAS EVE AT 3 P.M. Serving Homemade Glugg & Tom & Jerry's -CHRISTMAS DAY -NEW YEARS DAY Mon-Sat 11-12 PM Sun 9-12 3311 W. Elm Rt 120 McHenry o DR. JACK R. CHHLENGARIAN (PODIATRIST) <£t\vinq fit Qoot cMtaCtfi JMttdi. Of *ljoux Ramify , (Dffeix cA 9ue ^oot Examination & do.niuftation (upon price request only) •General Care •Out Patient Foot Surgery . •Sports Medicine •Childrens Foot Problems Call (312)223-6066 FOR AN APPOINTMENT Medical/Surgical Insurance Accepted For Free Foot Health Information • • -- " I • i' Office Located in Downtown Grayslake Area 106 Center Street Foot Facts On tape at (312) 223-2700 Snowmobilers are thinking snow and thinking hard these days. Their 6th Annual "Rescue 50" marathon, to benefit the McHenry and Johnsburg Rescue Squads, is planned for Jan. 11. The participants will gather at the American Legion Home at 8 a.m. on that date to sign up for the ride which will begin at 9 o'clock. The idea is to pledge 10 cents or more per mile, choosing your favorite snowmobiler. Think snow and pray snow. It is a fun event which will help everybody. Christmas shopping will go on until the last minute no matter what resolutions were made in the past. When the late Tom Bolger was running the drug store, he was very helpful to the likes o' George "Stubby" Justen and myself on that night before. We talked baseball until George finished his malted milk and bag of peanuts, then got serious about our shopping. When writing about Christmas, we probably repeat old yarns we have related before. Our only salvation is that new readers have moved into our area and haven't heard those yarns before. We hope! Have probably told you how I saved to accumulate ten dollars when I was in nigh school. That was big money. ° ' Spreading it out, there was enough to buy for the whole family and Aunt Katie. There was a pipe for our father, a pair of gloves for our sister, a compact for another - and so on down the line. We did all our shopping that year in B. Popp's store. It behooved a fellow to keep all gifts well wrapped and hidden. Our younger sister drove our oldest sister up a wall by peaking and threatening to tell before Christmas day. When we were kids, Santa or somebody put up the tree aftef we were tucked into bed on Christmas Eve. Decorations consisted mostly of popcorn on a string, and candles. Often wonder why those candles didn't set the tree afire. Nobody had to call us early Christmas morning as we bounded down the stairs or slid down the bannister. It didn't take too much to make us happy. I always tried to get one of my mother's stockings to hang over the fireplace. An orange in the tip of the stocking was a real treat. If the hard candy got warm, it stuck to the stocking, creating a little problem. It took a firm word from our mother to make us dress and get ready to march off to church. Two by two we went marching through. Our parents led the way. Our Eldest and youngest sister followed. Then our in- between sister and I brought up the rear. Mother gave some thought to the pairing. Memory lane brings so many fond thoughts. If material things were limited, love was abundant. There is no season like the Christmas Holy Day and holiday. Commercialism has taken over, but there is still strong evidence that people know the true meaning of the day. Walk along the street at this season of the year'and people will smile at you whether you know each other or not. Would that such spirit could pervade the air much longer. If you and I can make little children happy in their anticipation and realization as this day of days comes upon us, our own lives will be richer. * Search as I may, there is no better way to greet you than the lasting greeting of MERRY CHRISTMAS! T Sincerely, S.l.H. TERRY BLUME-found both rebounding and scoring pretty tough in last Thursday's 45-40 loss to Grant as the totter Stephanie Romic kept ,the Warrior from grabbing many .offensive rebounds. Above, Blume (in white) is helped out of bounds as the ball was jarred from her hands in early first rarter action. Blume could only muster 2 free throws for the y's scoring. 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