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PAGE S-PLA1NPEALER-FRIDAY, APRIL 24J981 1 !*W*w^£Sa2E m*> - ,< . --, Johnsburg Bows To Indians FORCING THE ISSUE • Johnsburg second baseman Doug Wicltman (left) rifles a throw to first base after forcing out Todd Bergstrom of Hononegah in Monday's game at Tiger's Field. The relay was not in time to complete the potential double play. Hononegah defeated the Skyhawks 11-7 in the Shark Conference game. STAFF PHOTO - WAYNE GAYLORD Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Royko I was standing at the newsstand the other mor­ ning, deep in thought and laden with confusion, when a passerby stopped and purchased a copy of that morning's Chicago Sun- Times. I watched as the man opened the paper to page two, read for a moment, and chuckled He then tucked the paper under his arm and turned 10 leave Seizing the opportunity, I stopped him and asked if he had a moment to spare "Sure," he replied. "What can I do for you?" I explained that I was a newcomer to the area and was having some difficulty choosing between Chicago's two fine daily newspapers. "Obviously you like the Sun- Times. I was wondering if you could tell me why?" The man smiled and said a single word - "Royko." He was refering to Mike Royko, the irascible columnist whose acid-tongued wisdom appears daily on page two of the tabloid newspaper "You buy the Sun-Times because of Royko." I asked "No, I buy it in spite of Royko I rarely agree with him. but his stuff makes for interesting reading," he replied With that the stranger glanced at his watch, excused himse+f and left I bought the Sun-Times and read Royko's column with my morning coffee I had heard about Royko's somewhat vicious attitude toward guns, but I was not V M . V . column. You see. I know something about Royko that few others know. It is a skeleton in Royko's closet and I am about to reveal it for the first time ever In real life. Mike Royko. the Don Rickles of American journalism, is a pussycat. This sitqation came to light two summers ago when I was with the paper in Burlington. Wis. The publisher was a baseball fanatic and had hit upon the idea of forming a Softball team with the many able- bodied staffers at the paper Since I was the sports editor, the task of forming the team and setting up a schedule fell in my lap Although I was initially . • ' V Scorecard _L By Jeff Stern Hawk Thinclads Win Three first-place finishes boosted Johnsburg's boys' track team to a victory in a triangular meet Tuesday The Skyhawks scored 68 points to outpoint Marian Central and Harvard Jim Hopp won the 100 meter run in 12.31; Ernie Johnson took the discus with a toss of 29.79 meters and John Payne won the pole vault by clearing 9'6" to pace the Hawks. Johnsburg placed in all but one of the 17 events and coasted to the win. Marian posted seven first places. Mike Eisele won the 3200 and 1600 meter runs; Randy Jarvis took the 400 and the long jump; Paul Sandell won the 800 meter; and Steve Kubecki copped the 200 meter run SKYHAWK RESULTS 3200 relay second (Rokosz, Tennison. Jackson. Key) 800 relay - second (Hopp. Carden, Dschida, Morin) 1600 relay - second < Morin, Gallagher. Carden. Rokosz) Shot put - Mike Dalan second, Pat Schifferdecker third 3200 run - Dennis Christie fourth 110 hurdles - Tom Reese second, Rich Dschida fourth; High jump Rokosz second, Dschida third 400 run - Rokosz second, Dan Gallagher third 300 hurdles - Reese second. Bobby Key third Triple jump Payne second. Key third 1600 run - Jackson third Long jump Payne second. Reese fourth skeptical, things fell into pidce very quickiy. we pui together a squad of hard hitting, fancy fielding gents and proceeded to win our first six games. Several of the wins came against a team comprised of local policemen. In fact. I pitched each game and once shut them out on a mere four hits. If that sounds like boasting, it's only because it is. One day the captain of the police team called and said he had a proposition for me. His team was going to play a game against a team representing the Sun-Times. The captain of the team was none other than Royko. The visitors said they would be willing to play any area teams available The match seemed natural - the small weekly against the big daily There was a catch, however. The Sun-Times wanted to play with the 16- inch softbalK Our team had never played that type of game before. Indeed. I had never even seen a 16-inch hall In the true spirit of sportsmanship, the Sun- Times agreed to play four innings with the 16-inth ball and four frames under 12- inch rules For those who are un­ familiar with 16-inch soft- ball, gloves are forbidden A new ball will be very hard until it is bashed around for two or three innings. Home runs are somewhat rare in the game because the ball just won't carry very far. The best strategy is to go for singles and utilize smart baserunning The big day dawned and the anticipation was high. Our team arrived for batting practice as the Sun-Times was completing a rout of the iirtpicrda rt?ps. And oh tb€ mound was none other than Royko What a treat! It was a better matchup than Cy Young versus Walter Johnson. Mike Royko. the wily graybeard. against me, the upstart kid. Just prior to the start of the game. Royko pointed out that pitthers had special privileges under the 16-inch rules The hurler is allowed one step in any direction and may fake and pump as many times as he wishes before delivering the pitch The game began with little incident Royko was very adept at the herky-jerkv style of pitching After failing to fool the Chicagoans with similar tactics. I decided to pitch in a normal manner We entered the fourth inning ahead, but as fate would have it. the visitors tied the score The key hit was delivered by Royko. who took an outside pitch to right field for a two-run double jyith two out My teammates were ec­ static, thinking we surely had the situation well in hand. We played to a standoff at our opponent's own game and now were ready to make hay at our specialty. But Softball, like life, is unpredictable The Chicagoans proceeded to pound us to a pulp They batted around twice and • egad') drove me from the mound wyth a 7 run salvo in the sixth But through it all Royko was the epitome of sport smanship Despite the lopsided score he remained modest If I didn't know better I would swear that he even threw a couple fat pitches just to help us out. After the game our team trudged to the winner's bench to congratulate the victors And Rovko led the way. offering kind words to all of us When he got to me, Royko put his arm around my shoulder "Son. you didn't do too badly," he said "Softball is a- !;kr writing you csrv't net so upset you lose your l»erspective on things. Hell, I get pretty sarcastic sometimes, but I always remember to keep a clear head " Then Mike Royko. the scourge of so many and the friend of so few. shook my hand and said farewell Now I pick up a copy of the Sun-Times each morning and I immediately turn to j>age two I chuckle and shake my head and wonder which is the real Royko. Deep down inside. I think I real I v know Netters Win Big frown entered Tuesday's tennis match at McHenry with a 5-1 record But after facing the red hot Warriors, they left town 5-2. Led by an outstanding doubles effort. McHenry routed Crown 4-1. First doubles team Randy Glick and Kevin Burgess played what coach Gary Gray termed an "awesome" match, while the Warriors cleaned up three other matches in fine style Scott Rhode outlasted Crown's Bob Kress 4-6, 6-3, 7- 5 to win first singles Fresh­ man Todd Rhode won at third singles. 6-2, 6-2 over Tim Raetten of Crown, but McHenry's Chris Stumbrjs lost to Doug Holmes. 6-4. 2-6. 4-6 Frank Flammand and Dru Applehans were the victims, losing 6-0. 6-1 to McHenry's duo Mike Szramek and Ed Donahue completed the rout by defeating Mike Kilhifner and Phil Mrzlak. 6-4. 6-7, 6-2. RTTENTION LITTLE LEAGUERS! L IN STOCK! LITTLE LEAGUES SHOES by MKE&PVMA SPOT • BILT BASEBALL SHOES SPECIAL I BASEBALL with purchase of any Little League Baseball Glove i...All Littl* League BASEBALL CLOVES Now 15% OFF! DAILY 9:30-1 SAT. 9-5 TO CUSTOM PRINTING OUR SPECIALITY I 344-3580 Across From A A P - Next to Eby Brown McHenry OVERTON RT. 31 and Rt. 120 McHenry CADILLAC PONTIAC (815)385-6000 COME TO THE BIGGEST CAMUAC-FONTIAC DEALER IN THE "COUNTY" Monday's baseball game between Johnsburg and Hononegah was decided by timing. Hononegah was adept at getting base hits at all the right moments. Johnsburg was not. The result was an 11-7 loss for the Skyhawks, their third straight in Shark Conference play. Although coach Jim Meyers isn't pushing the panic button, he is getting a bit impatient. "My goal now is to win seven games this season." said Meyers after the game, "but if we don't start hitting we won't do it." Johnsburg had runners on in every inning except the seventh, but they left 10 stranded. Twice the Skyhawks loaded the bases with two out. Twice the inning ended without a score. "It's frustrating," Meyers admitted. "We had an op­ portunity to blow the game wide open in the first inning but we didn't take advantage of it." Hononegah scored a run in the first, but the Hawks came back with three in their half Tom Pieper and Dave Maurer walked before rtandy Wakitsch hit a run- scoring single. After Joe Meyers was hit by a pitch, Scott Valentin delivered a two-run double. The Indians escaped that inning by getting a strikeout and a ground out. The score held at 3-1 until the third, when the visitors sent 10 men to the plate and scored six times Four singles, two walks and a triple did the damage and drove John­ sburg starter Rich Preston from the mound. The Hawks answered with two runs of iheii u*n on Valentin's single, walks to I^arry Dix and John Armon and a two-run single by Preston. Pieper walked to load the bases but again Hononegah escaped further damage The Indians extended their lead to 9-5 with two in the fourth Johnsburg filled the bas€^ with two out in the fourtn but failed to score. Maurer drove in a run with a double in the fifth, then was the center of con­ troversy when he tried to steal third base The throw from Indian catcher Steve Wedwick appeared to be in plenty of time to get Maurer. But the base umpire ruled him safev Hononegah coach Larry Weber asked for an appeal to the plate umpire. The ar­ biter behind the plate con­ firmed what most people knew and Maurer was declared out. Meyers questioned the decision but his efforts were in vain. Johnsburg's last gasp came in thesixth on a singles by Wakitsch and Joe Meyers and a sacrifice by Dix. Hononegah tacked on two for good measure in the seventh on a long two-run triple by Kevin Steward Meyers said he is not discouraged by the team's play thus far, but feels things could be better. "I saw some negative things out there today, but there were some positive aspects as well." Meyers said he noticed an increase of intensity when his team closed the gap to 7-5 in the third "If we had played with that much intensity earlier, we might've won." The Skyhawks will try to get something going Mon­ day, when they travel to North Boone for a 4:15 game. They play two more games on the road before returning to Tiger's Field May 5 against Marengo Plaindealer Warriors Host Relays Friday Bl̂ Tl Kp»% m'Wkfr '% " ' » ---- ME FOR 1981 DDIfECI GEORGE RODENKIRCH USED CAR MANAGER The 16th McHenry Relays will take place tonight at McCracken field. Thirteen teams are entered. The field events will get under way at 3:30 p.m. and the running events will begin at 5 The field events will be run as three-man teams with the exception of the pole vault, which will remain as an individual event with a maximum of two vaulters per school. Schools entered are Belvidere. Crown, Crystal Lake Central and South, Dundee, Elk Grove, Hoff­ man Estates. Kaneland, Lake Forest, Lake Park, McHenry. St Charles, St Francis of Wheaton and Woodstock? In talking with Warrior coach Dan Boland. he commented "It should be a wide open tield, with the probable favorites defend­ ing champion St. Charles, along with Lake Forest as the two teams to beat " He added, however, that there are several teams that could be in the thick of the battle including his own Warriors. Fans interested in a well-run track meet won't be disappointed SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 3:30 - Shot put ; discus, pole vault (Start at 11', 6" to 13 feet, then 3") ; long jump; triple jump; high jump; (Start at 5', 2" after). 5 - Low hurdle shuttle - varsity <5 heats). 5:25 - 880 yd. relay sophomore (3 heats>. 5:40 - 880 yd relay varsity (3 heats). 6 - 4 mile relay (2 heats). ,6:45 - High hurdle shuttle relay (480 yds. - 120 yrds. each - 5 heats). 7 - 100 yd dash prelims (1 entry per school * plus 10 fastest second placers). 7:45 - Mile relay - (3 heats). 8 - 100 yd dash finals 8:25 - Sophomore sprint medley heats). 8:45 medley heats). (440-220-880 - 3 Varsity sprint (440-220-880 - 3 9 - Two mile relay - (3 heats). 9:35 - 440 yd relay (110 yds each - 3 heats). On The Sideline With Dick Rabbitt When Don Sea ton mentioned to Bill Hutchinson and yours truly years ago that McHenry should have their own relays, little did he realize that 16 years later it would become one of the outstanding track meets in this part of the state. From that first relay featuring the Warriors, Cary Grove and Dundee, the event has grown learo and bounds. Last year a record 17 schools participated, but because of the strong competition lately, some schools have decided to try their luck at other events. This year 13 schools are entered and it is probably one of the strongest fields in the history of the relays. Trent Richards, coach of defending champion St. Charles, loves to come to the relays. The Saints are not always welcome at track events, because in recent years they have become a powerhouse and have picked up too many first {>lace trophies. He told me last year that two reasons he ikes the McHenry relays are he likes his squad to run on a cinder track, and because of the competition he finds here in McHenry. I might also add that the Saints will be somewhere at a relay tomorrow, thus giving them two big relays in a weekend. Records don't last too many years as the competition gets better every year. The oldest record on the books is in the 100 yard dash, where Dan Oja of Geneva ran the distance in 10.2 seconds 10 years ago. John Bivers of Hoffman Estates tied that record in 1979. If the weather is good tonight we look for some more records to be broken. Field events begin at 3:30 p.m. and running events at 5. The last event will be run at 9:35 and Bill Blankenhorn has promised that the meet will be on schedule. Dan Boland's McHenry team is 8-0 in duals this season. He has quite a group of sprinters this season and they should make some noise in the various relays tonight. The genial coach has assembled quite a squad this season in all respects. He is getting points in various field events, an area in which he thought earlier in the season would be a complete shutout. So just maybe the Warriors could be the surprise team in the meet tonight. Don Seaton's girls' track team, made up of mostly underclassmen, is doing an outstanding job this season. Part of the credit should go to former Zion ZeeBee and Western Illinois distance man Jim Wheeler, the assistant coach. Wheeler was the former miler on the ZeeBees and won a North Suburban mile title. Jim just missed the Olympic teiam last year, and is looking toward the 1964 Olympic team. He coaches the distance runners for Don Seaton. Brian Wilson's baseball team is still struggling. They lost to Grant the other night 8-2, and play a doubleheader here tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. against Crystal take Central. Mary Lou Osterman's softball team is in second place in the Fox Valley, and Toby Scott's sophomore tennis team finished second in their own quad last Saturday. Mike Shanahan's water polo team is still winning, and Jean Natoli's badminton team still has a winning record Sign Up For A Summer League at McHenry Recreation and Lounge We have opeeieg m these Rights for sanmer leagies (May 7 pa. MM Titsfcy 6 p. Ynt IM. 1M p. MM Ttare. 73 pa WMH Fit. 7J) pa Nntf • V*' Call 3I5-25M 3 WK S And sign up today! We have opeeieg m these Rights for sanmer leagies (May 7 pa. MM Titsfcy 6 p. Ynt IM. 1M p. MM Ttare. 73 pa WMH Fit. 7J) pa Nntf " , Ball Plugging And, l2l6N.Riv.rRd. JP Drilling Done On Premises EA«t end of new Bridge