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PAGE 6 - PLAINDJ5ALER - FRIDAY, JULYLj^ Althoff Attends USFL Tryout Red Devil One Step Closer Tn Life Long Drean The McHenry Plaindealer But Althoff says he is con­ tinually working to improve Ms physical shape also. "I do a lot of weight lifting because there is a big jump in strength and ability from the college to the pro level and I must constantly work out so I can do more than just stay with them, but beat them too." Quickness and footspeed are two more areas Althoff regularly strives to improve. By running 40 and 100 yard sprints four or five times a week, Althoff says he keeps in playing condition. "Football is a sport where the players must constantly draw on short bursts of power and speed rather than endurance." However, Althoff believes that staying in shape prevents in­ juries. "When you're not in shape you slow down near the end of the game. But when someone who is still going full speed hits you, you're likely to get hurt." Althoff adds that he is in shape and plans to stay that way so he doesn't get hurt. For now Althoff must wait and see who the Panthers will sign, but the future presently includes at least two more tryouts, thanks to the Red Devils coach Don Penza. "The Red Devils . have arranged tryouts for some of their players with both the Bears and the Blitz," said Althoff. "And because I am from this area and I would prefer to play for the Bears or the Blitz if it's possible. But I've always wanted to play professional football and you have to go in during your twenties because football is such a demanding sport. So any team willing to sign me is where I will go. "To me, playing football isn't like working because I enjoy playing the sport so much, making money is secondary," said Althoff. "But if making a living comes along with playing football, it's that much more fun." "When I talked with my agent Wednesday, (Althoff is a free agent and his agent is with the Pro Sports Management Com­ pany out of Ohio), he told me he nad-heard the Panthers would be signing four linemen and that I had a pretty good shot of being one of the four," explained Althoff. But his agent did add that the Panthers wouldn't leak any information about who they signed until an announcement was made later in the week. Althoff is hesitant about becoming excited about a possible contract. "I don't want to get my hopes up too high," he explained. "Because if I'm not selected, I don't want to be so disappointed that I lose the fun of playing the game." The 1963 graduate in Business Administration from Winona State University in Minnesota, finished his last year of college football on a football scholarship and was elected team captain. "It was the best of my four years," Althoff reflected. "I played well, even though the team only held a 3-5 record, losing several close games to nationally ranked teams, but I had a lot of fun and ended the season making the all-conference team as a defensive linebacker." For the summer though, Althoff's football talents are being used by McHenry County Red Devils, a semi- professional team. The Red Devils opened their first season last Saturday in Harvard with a 21-20 victory over the Peoria Red Skins. Althoff says playing for the Red Devils is a way for him to keep involved in the sport. "I play with the Red Devils for fun," ex­ plained Althoff. "There's not much compensation in it, but I like to play, and with a team like the Red Devils I can maintain my skills and keep in hitting shape, which is a whole lot different than being in cardio-vascular shape." BARB ANSELLI For some people, dreams of a life-time never come true, but for one McHenry athlete he has come one step closer to living that dream. Twenty-one year old Jim Althoff was among 193 recent college graduates from around the Midwest who were invited to tryout with the United States Football League's Michigan Panthers. < • The Michigan Panthers last week tied for first place with the Chicago Blitz and the Tampa Bay Bandits all holding an 11-6 record in the USFL Central Division. Although this was the first time Althoff had traveled to a tryout, it was not the first time professional scouts have come to observe the potential professional candidate. "While I was at school (Winona State University) a scouting agency representing the NFL (National Football League) teams, a scout from the San Francisco 49'ers, and a scout representing all the USFL teams came to me," explained Althoff. "At that time all they did is time my sprints and give me a written exam." The test was a series of 60 questions to be answered in twelve minutes. But the written exam was more of a problem solving and word association test, rather than questions about football explained Althoff. However, Althoff's audition with the Panthers focused more heavily on the physical aspect of the sport. The candidates gathered at the southside of the Michigan Silver Dome in Detroit, where each participant was required to run a set of three 40 yard sprints in a time of five minutes. For Althoff, pursuing a position as a lineman, and the group of 40 other lineman contestants, the first drill eliminated all but 14 American Legion Baseball Crystal Lake Returns Favor To McHenry, 11-0 allowed one hit, no runs and struckout three hitters. Mike Goodrich was the starting pitcher for Crystal Lake. The only real threat the McHenry squad could muster on Goodrich, or any other Crystal Lake pitcher, was in the first inning. Tim Pankewiez led off with a single and stoled second base. Mike Podpora grounded out, moving Pankewiez to third. Mullen then hit a grounder to the shortstop, which Pankewiez tried to score on and was the throw to the plate arrived way ahead nailing him for the out. Dave Smith grounded out for the third out. McHenry also had a scoring threat going in the second inning. After one out, Pat Cameron doubled and Pat Dunn walked. David Williams grounded out, moving Cameron to third and Dunn to second. But, the next batter popped up for the third out. McHenry batters only managed two more hits after the second inning. Pankewiez was the leading McHenry hitter with a double and a single. Mike Morris and Ed Kothera doubled and singled each for Crystal Lake. Kothera scored three times. Ernie Prudhomme Singled twice and knocked in twp runs. McHenry will travel to Waukegan on Saturday, Sunday and Monday for a tournament at Waukegan. Their nest McHenry County game will be next Thursday, traveling to Wonder Lake. \ It's amazing how fast the tables can turn. The McHenry American Legion team had defeated Crystal Lake 3-1 in their first game of the season in early June. That win was behind the pit­ ching of Mike Bauml. Wednesday was a total different story. Crystal Lake, behind the pit­ ching of three different pitchers, shutout McHenry 11-0. It was McHenry's second straight loss and their record drops to 4-3 in McHenry County American Legion. Doug Mullen was the starting pit­ cher for McHenry. He only lasted two- and-two-thirds innings for McHenry. He gave up two runs in the second inning and five in the third inning, before Dave Smith came in relief. "We had a bunch of guys missing. We only had 10 guys," said Russ Williams, coach of McHenry. "They (Crystal Lake) are a good ballclub and we were not very competitive tonight." A total of seven pitchers were used between the two teams. Williams said both teams were preparing for the weekend. "They (Crystal Lake) are going to a tournament in Michigan and we are going to a tournament in Waukegan. We both wanted to look at some pit­ chers." \ Williams did like the performance of Dave Williams. Williams came in the sixth inning with two outs. In one- and-one-third innings, Williams members. The trimmed group went on to the afternoon session where agility was the main in­ terest. There the athletes moved through a series of side schuffel steps and rope drills (similar to that of tires) while members of the Panthers' staff, including the director of player personnel, looked for footspeed and ability to move down the line of scrimage without looking down. Later their knee flexibility and the indication of possible knee weaknesses were checked in a knee squat drill. And finally, the applicants were judged on their passing and rushing techniques. And while Althoff left the tryout not knowing exactly what the Panthers thought of his ability, he is hopeful. "I felt the tryout went really well for me," said Althoff. "From what I understand, the Panthers were signing 15 players from the 60 who made the cut. Guides De To Victory Oak Park Lounge chalked up their seventh straight win with a 10-4 vic­ tory over Palace Bowl during Tuesday night women's 16 inch soft- ball. Oak Park jumped in front in the first inning with Gina Jernberg leading off with a single, followed by walks to Cathy Carpenter and Mary Koleno. Sandy Rohrer followed with a two run oouble and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Cindy Holtdorf. Palace Bowl scored twice in the top of the third to narrow it down to 3-2. Oak Park came back in the bottom of the third to score four runs, highlighted by run scoring hits by Kim Weber and Sandy Rohrer. Rohrer led Oak Park going two-for-two with three RBI's. Nancy Glick, Mary Koleno and Gina Jernberg each scored twice for the winners. Nancy Glick pitched her seventh straight victory, a. Fritzsches 9 Sullivan Foods 2 Linda Lyons went four-for-four and Nancy Geng went three-for-three to lead the offense of Fritzsches. Joanne Ullrich, the winning pitcher, hit a two run triple in the second inning to help her own cause. Old Bridge 15 Ed's Rental 7 Old Bridge came out swinging with six hits and four runs scored in the first inning. Patti Haag was four-for-five and Connie Sanders, Ann Larkin, Laurie Bender, Cathy Bolger and Deanna Carstens were three-for-five. The winning pitcher was Chris Ludwig, who made a double play at the end of the game to wrap up the win. Ed's Rental 9 Fritzsches 6 Ed's Rental jumped out in front of Fritzsches in the first inning behind the hitting of Marcy Fishbach and Arlette Cable, who drove in three runs. Dianne Michels hit a grand slam Knox Park. The play began on a grounder to Landa. Matrix handed Oak Parte their first loss of the season with a 9-0 shutout. STAFF PHOTO--WAYNE GAYLORD HEADS UP? -- In this case it was heads down for Matrix runner Ken Lynn who was forced out at second base by Oak Park's shortstop Bob Landa who fired to first to complete the double play in the top of the second Inning Tuesday night at home rurTin Jhe second to put Ed's I I U 1/lftKM ahead 7-2. Fritzsches started to come • I Ulw back in the fourth with three runs, but Ed's held them in the closing innings CRYSTAL LAKE -- Brian Wilson and brought two more runs in the fifth scattered seven hits Saturday and to make th final score 9-6. Winning aided his own cause with an RBI pitcher was Tonee Weyland with Jane single as the Johnsburg Tigers took Miller assisting for the save. the second game of a double header with Crystal Lake 8-5. Npwkirk Entfirs Lords The first game ended in a forfeit newVUI It UJId5 victory for Crystal Lake following an Mary Newkirk, a four year member altercation at home plate. With of the tennis team at Marian Central Crystal Lake leading 3-i in the top of High School, will be playing tennis at the fifth, Dave Mauer walked and Loras College this fall. She is expected moved to third on Dave Maurer to play both singles and doubles for breaking for home. The throw to Loras. Mary is the daughter of Robert second was cut off by the shortstop and Beatrice Newkirk of McHenry. who fired a strike to Crystal Lake catcher Lee Frick. There was a WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE TO OUR NEW LOCATION HEALTH AND FITNESS CLUB IS 0PENIN6 IN SEPTEMBER a ' ' \ ' - JACUZZI • SAUNA • NAUTILUS EQUIPMENT WE SPECIALIZE IN TRUCK & AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS ONLY