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Vnftv 14 - PL \l\DK4l.KK-IIKK Al.l). KKIIIU . J AM AH ̂ 4. 1983 Sports . i. Cubs, Payton among state's top sports stories 4h~ ' ' By James Litke quest of the Big Ten Conference. TU17 TV T TXTT UnKln ...l.kiul tkou hadn't omuiaraH In thp Rn«> Rnwl Time running out; sports fan 9s poll 'ine nears This is our last publication of the Plaindealer-Herald Sports Fan's Poll. The responses have been flowing in, and havebeen as . diverse as they have been interesting. If you want to let your voice be heard, this is your last chance. The top five stories of the year will be recapped in the next couple of weeks. If you're lucky, we'll do you a favor in return -- send you to a Cubs game -- on us. X '> " The Plaindealer-Herald is trying to find out what were the top five area sports stories in the 1984 calendar year -- and we need your help. One name will be drawn from all the entries sent in, with the lucky winner heading to a Cubs regular-season game, with sports editor Chris Juzwik and reporter-photographer Anthony Oliver as your hosts. The list of nominations which appears below has been shortened somewhat from the long, original list. You may, of course, either use the list below, or give us your own suggestions, in order of im­ portance, of 1984's top five local sports stories. Include your naitfe and telephone number. Mail them to: " • ». " McHenry Plaindealer-Herald Sports Fans'Poll 3812 West Elm St. McHenry, 111. 60050. SPORTS FANS' POLL 1 My top five sports stories for 1984 are: • : •' Lists can also be dropped off at the Plaindealer-Herald office, or t*in our overnigh^ox in the front of the building. The PI a inde alerter aid's salute to the top five stories, and the • ;best of the rest, willfbe published in the Friday, January 4 issue of I'the newspaper. J \ Here are some/suggestions, a scaled-down version of the list ich appeared last week, to get you started: • McHenry native George Hauser attempts to become the first • lepileptic to swim the English Channel, but his effort is halted by poor weather and high tides. • I • McHenry resident Tom Spasojevich qualifies for the Bud *;Light Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii, and finishes the 112- !«mile bike ride, 26-mile run and 2.4 mile swim in 13 hours. % • The Marian Central football team wins the Northwest Subur­ ban Conference title for the second straight year, but loses its bid ' 'for consecutive state championships, losing to Amboy in the Class > !2A semifinals. • McHenry basketball coach Ken Ludwig captures his 300th ^career win in late December of 1983. 't* •J^i^Henry's girls' tennis team advances both doubles teams -- "•Sara Bird and Kris Wolff and Geri Haner and Michelle Landis -- '.to statetournament competition. » • McHenry's boys' cross-country team finishes second at the county meet, second in the conference, and ties for second in the •regional. The team advances to the Niles West Sectional. Pam * Bradley of the girls x-c team also advances to sectional competi- •I'tion. ' • McHenry's Chris Creutz wins county and conference in-y 'dividual cross-country titles, finishes second in the regional, and £;12th at the sectional, thereby gaining him entry into the state ^meet. • * • McHenry High School is granted a varsity boys' soccej\ pro- t;gram for the 1985-86 school year. McHenry is the fourth Fox XValley team -- along with Cary-Grove, South and Central -- to '•'have soccer, making it an official conference sport. *• • McHenry gymnast Karly Kunzer travels to Japan and wins a X world championship for tumbling. li *McHenry swimmer Tracey Hoffman, a freshman, breaks ** numerous school records for the Water Warriors. % • The McHenry entry in the county's American Legion Baseball I* League, on the brink of extinction, is brought back to life by a local business, and finishes one game short of a championship playoff >*with Algonquin. I* • The McHenry Jr. Youth League baseball fields undergo an X estimated $5,000 to $6,000 worth of damage from vandals. • McHenry's and Johnsburg's boys' basketball squads meet, the :£• first time the two schools have ever matched up on the varsity £ level. The Warriors emerge victorious in the McHenry Regional. • McHenry driver Dennis Carlton has an amazing win streak in Xlate sportsman's model racing at the Wilmot (Wis.) Speedway, •i* Carlton also wins a race in Kentucky. As you can see, the list is quite impressivg^Picking five stories from it, or from your own list, shouldn't be too difficult. J l -- The Plaindealer-Herald sports department OPENING FEBRUARY IS, 1985 WESTLANE BOWLING COMPANY ' AND DARK CRYSTAL LOUNGE CORNER OF RT. 176&RT. 14 CRYSTAL LAKE, ILLINOIS . By James Litke Aaaociatod Press sports writer CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs' successful quest for the NL East championship, ending a 39-year drought for their long-suffering fans, was voted the No. 1 state sports story of 1984 by Illinois editors and broadcasters. The Cubs broke spring training in 1984 their usual hapless selves, only to steal Cy Young winner Rick Sutcliffe in a June deal with Cleveland and then have Ryne Sandberg blossom into the National League's Most Valuable Player. ? The story of the Cubs' championship, their first title since 1945, was ranked No. 1 in a survey of editors and news directors at Illinois AP member newspapers, radio and television stations. Other state sports stories which placed in the top 10 for 1984 included Walter Payton's successful bid to become the'NFL's leading all-time rusher, NCAA sanctions against the University of Illinois for recruiting violations and the slaying of Simeon High basketball star Ben Wilson. More than anyone else on the Cubs, it was the quiet, consistent Sand­ berg whom fans toasted. His spectacular season was ranked the third- best story of the year? It began with Sandberg trying to hit for power in spring training, and ended with MVP numbers: .314 average (fourth in NL); 114 runs (first); 19 home runs and 84 runs batted in. LIKEWISE, SUTCLIFFE'S stats left little room for argument on Cy Young ballots. He was 16-1 with Chicago, and the most dominant starter in the game en route to 15 straight wins. The story of his success was ranked No. 5 in the survey. Walter Payton took on football's most prestigious record, the National Football Leagtie career rushing mark, set 19 years earlier by Jim Brown, and eclipsed it without breaking stride. The magic moment came Oct. 7, on the second play of the second half against the New Orleans Sainst, when he ran six yards on the 2,794th carry of his career and into the record books. That story earned the No. 2 spot on year's list. But just as the team found its footing, quarterback Jim McMahon went down for the season with a lacerated kidney. After a fast start, the Bears limped home to a 10-6 finish and hoped momentum wouldn't desert them heading into the playoffs, which, of course, it hasn't thus far. Their success was the No. 4 story of 1984. The No. 6 story in the voting was the sanctions slapped on Illinois by the NCAA for more than 70 infractions uncovered during a 2^-year in­ vestigation. But one of the penalties -- no Rose Bowl appearance in 1985 -- was made moot by a disappointing fall, and the second -- no live television appearances in 1984 -- was delayed until next season at the re­ quest of the Big Ten Conference. THE ILL1NI probably wished they hadn't appeared in the Rose Bowl last New Year's Day, because the 45-9 shellacking at the hands of UCLA was memorable enought to rate ninth place in the top 10 stories of 1984. Finishing seventh in the voting was Ray Meyer's decision to leave the top basketball job at DePaul University after 42 seasons and several disappointing NCAA tournament showings. But with son Joey suc­ ceeding him, Ray managed to keep the business in the family. The senseless shooting in November of Simeon High star Ben Wilson, one of the top prep prospects in the nation, left a city shocked, and finished eighth in the balloting affigng sports stories. / The 17-year-old's future was unquestionably bright; instead; those who knew him or had seen him play, clung to memories of a friendly, hard-working young man with an incredible athletic gift. A similarly gifted young man from North Carolina named Michael Jordan won rave reviews for his play in the Summer Olympics, then proved he could play just as well against the big guys of the National Basketball Association. His debut with the Chicago Bulls won him even more fans around the nation, and his was named the 10th best sports story of Illinois in 1984. v , . 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