Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 December 1978 — Page 16
PAGE 16 THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER SATURDAY, DCOMKI 2, If71
Heisman balloting favors OU Sooners’ Sims
SPORTS
Johnson abroad. NeSmith here!
Local prize fighters aim to boost area ring image
Thrusting Indinapolis into the most respectable admoration for professional boxing will be one of the objectives surrounding activites this week for two of this area’s most prominent prize boxers. First, Slammin’ Sammy NeSmith will be making his first appearance before local partisans for the first time in nearly six monnths Thursday at the Convention Center. However, most of the attention will probably be focused on light heavyweight contender Marvin Johnson, making his first challenge for the world title by meeting World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Mate Parlov Saturday in a 15-round bout in Sicily, Italy. The fight will be carried live on national television-includ-ing Indianapolis. Coming off a blistering 10round decision September 15 in New Orleans against Jerry Celestine on the undercard of the Muhammad Ali - Leon Spinks fight. Johnson upped his professional record to 22-2. Parlov and Johnson have met one mutual opponent in their pro careers - Matt Franklin - responsible for Johnson’s first pro loss nearly two years aeo. Parlov and Frankklin have met twice, Parlov winning once, and the second fight ending in a draw. As Johnson left the United States this week for this most important fight to date in his pro career, he was flanked by long-time trainer and coach Colion (Champ) Chaney, Philadelphia manager Arnold Weiss, and his bride of six-weeks, the former Darlene Edwards. Cfianey expressed before departure, Johnson's preparation for the fight has been intense
(he trained in Philadelphia). His condition should be excellent, considering the matchup is expected to provide a toe-to-toe type battle -- somewhat of a trademark of both fighters, Chaney said. Scouting reports revealed Parlov is a stand-up slugger, Western influence nods Donald Hull prexy of ring assn MADRID, SpainElections during the International Association of Amateur’s Boxing Congress conducted here last week, proved fruitful for the United States and Western allies-particular-ly retired Army Colonel Donald
Hull.
Hull defeated i n c u m - bent Nikiforov Denisov for the presidehcy of the international governing body. The final balloting ended 58-18 with the retired Army officer from Creskill, N.J. garnering strong support from Central and South American delegations. Individual support and influence for Hull's election was rendered by Indiana boxing coach Thomas (Sarge) Johnson. Johnson was summoned to the Spain conferences, in efforts to boost his American counterpart’s quest of wresting the organizational reigns from Communist domination. At the conclusion of the congress, Johnson left for the Upper Volta in Africa, where he will conduct clinics and provide instruction for underdeveloped African teams in that region. He is expected to return to the United States in Jahua^jr.
a HARD look..
I* V ...w'rth BIN DULIN, sport! editor
Honest recruiting survey
A recent Saturday I overheard an announcement while watching a national telecast of a college football game reminding us all, that NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) scholarships include only tuition, books, housing accomodations, and a $15 per month expense fee. The announcement-commercial, concluded with a suggestion that persons wanting more information about NCAA recruiting and scholarship regulations should write to the office headquarters in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. What it really did was refresh my memory of an editorial I filed nearly three years ago-describing recruiting practices and subsequent scandals which are derivitives-as an alarming trend in the society of inter collegiate competition. Time will not let me delve. into some of my present thoughts. But I’m still compelled for the most part, to feel just about the same way today as I did then. I’m inviting letters from readers (of course they will be kept confidential), of any instances known involving college athletes and their schools which may be in current violation of recruiting and NCAA scholarship regulations. Don’t be dismayed should you run across, for example, a big name college and superstar, who ironically seems equipped financially as if they were professionals. Cars, $200 per month apartments, etc. In a few months well reveal the results of this survey, as well as turn up some surprising activities we’ve discovered on our own in the ongoing war of college recruiting. The revelations may not turn out so surprising after alll More rule studying for Indiana ring officials
By A PENDLETON REFORMATORY OBSERVER Indiana is rapidly becoming the number one disaster state for its poor quality of officials in the sport of amateur boxing. This includes both referees and judges working shows throughout the state. It’s to easy to get a license in this state as a referee or judge of amateur boxing. The official AAU Rules Book consists of 108 pages and cannot be covered by a simple 50 question test, which if passed authorises a person to become a referee or judge. The National test consists of 100 questions and a passing grade of 80 must be made to work a National tournament. Too many state officials do not know the rules of amateur boxing, or are afraid to comply with the rules because of the crowd’s reaction. A judge on a recent Indiana-polis-Philadelphia boxing show
who jabs consistently with his left hand. Johnson, who plans to enter the ring Saturday a notch below the light heavyweight limit at 173Vt, has a reputation for trying to finish opponents off early. One of his most stern criticisms for such tactics has been assessed by ring experts as. placing himself in a near exhausting state at the end of each bout. Nontheless, Chaney said his fighter would be more than primed for maintaining his pace for this challenge - to reportedly earn Johnson a purse take of nearly $50,000. Matchmakers previously hinted any Johnson victory would place him in a comfortable position for a possible title mmatch against recent crowned World Boxing Association (WBA) light teavy - weight champion Mike Rossman. Ranked No. 2 currently by the United States Boxing Association (USBA), Johnson’s encounter with Parlov is promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank
company, based in New York
City.
His last defeat was a controversial eight-round decision set back at the hands of Zambia’s Lotti Mwali in Yugoslavia last spring. In that fight, the referee stopped the fight after what was originally thought to have been a scheduled 10rounder. While reports streamed from Y ugoslavia Johnson was ahead on points on most score cards through eight rounds, still, the bout was awarded to Mwali - then casting a big blow to any title chances for Johnson. Like Johnson, the WBC champion Parlov is a former Olympian, earning a Gold Medal in the 1972 Munich Olympics. Johnson was a heavy middleweight Bronze medalist during the same Olympics. On the local front, Indianapolis will be treated to another Fred Burns promoted card Thursday, as heavyweight contender Duane Bobick, and local
NEW YORKOklahoma University’s Billy Sims became only the sixth player in the 43-year history of the Heisman Trophy to win the award as a junior, having a full season of elgibility remaining. The most recent is former Ohio State running back Archie Griffin, now a National Football League veteran with the Cincinnati Bengals. A running back like Griffin, Sims has been the mainstay in Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer’s offensive game, with resemblance at times of a Griffin-coupled with an overall rambling running back style. In out-distancing no less than five bonafide Heisman candidates in balloting conducted by more than one-thousand sportswriters in the country, Sims’ selection for the trophy was announced by sponsoring Downtown Athletic Club officials in New York Tuesday. Considered to have a slight edge prior to the balloting, Sims’ chances of earning the
award--particularly as a junior- 7.8 yards everytime he carried nearly collasped in the month of the ball. Sims rushed for more
November.
Despite a rather impressive 153 yards on the ground against
Big Eight Conference foe Nebraska, Sims fumbled in the game twice--the second at a
than 200 yards in a game on
four occasions.
Other than statistics, playing in the renowned tough Big Eight Conference was hinted responsible for giving Sims the
critical late-game stage, and national exposure necessary to also attributed in some man- capture the elusive collegiate ners to Nebraska’s 17-14 upset honor. What at first appeared over the previously unbeaten f° have been a damaging blow
Sooners. Oklahoma was then ranked the No. 1 team in the
nation.
However, Sims and his Sooner mates get a chance to redeem themselves when teh two teams clash in a peculiar conference re match in the New Year’s Day Orange Bowl. Undoubtedly compiling impressive statistics through his Oklahoma career, Sims was able to establish a Big Eight single season rushing mark this year with 1,762 yards. He also led the nation in rushing with a 163.4 norm per contest. The 1978 season also produced 20 touchdowns and a nation’s major college best of
for Sims’ Heisman chances when he fumbled twice against Nebraska on national television only enhanced his selection in the long run-winning over tough contenders like Southern Cal’s Charles White (also a junior), North Carolina State’s Ted Brown; Michigan’s Rich Leach; and Chuck Fusina of Penn State--the latter two
senior quarterbacks.
A senior. North Carolina State’s Brown rushed for more than 1,200 yards and scored 11 touchdowns through games of
Luut-iiuuwiia iiiiuugu gamers ui < * November 18. He holds all the V < i i* u: J- sfc® mi
school’s rushing records. Considered a heavy favorite
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Reprisals of some sort feared--
South Africans divided on proposed Ali tour
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JOHANNESBURG, S.Africa South African blacks, usually unified on political issues, are deeply divided today as to whether world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali. should visit their country next vear. Most feel he should come, if only to show the ruling white minority that not all blacks are
docile.
However, many arue the black American’s presence would be tantamount to his recognition of segregated South Africa, and a boost to white morale. Support for Ali’s visit, being sponsored by fans in the Indiana Ocean port city of Durban, is a blow to the London-based South African non racial Olympic Committee and the South African Council of Sports, both of which are campaigning vigorously to keep Ali from visiting the republic. And while some black observers argue that an Ali visit would undermine efforts to lift racist laws, most asserted politics should' not interfere
with sports. Those supporting
to the polling, that Ali should
h's“4tTio a"Km-Tharmany t A "»‘ h '’ r &
percent said he should come, but not fight, and 32 nercent
black musicians have visited S. Africa. Most expressed simply wanting to see their idol in the
ring.
“I’d like Ali to come here and beat to pieces some of these white boxers,” said William
m
m
I
TUCKING AWAY HF.ISMAN: Nebraska defender Jeff Hansen will find this act hard to duplicate New Year's Day, when his Cornhusker team faces Heisman Trophy winner Billv Sims and the Oklahoma Sooners in a rematch. Hansen had Sims tucked awa> fairly well--in fact for a one-yard loss when they met November 11 in Lincoln. It was first-quarter action, in which Sims also scored the first touchdown of the contest on a 44-yard haunt.
figured he should by pass the trip in the form of a boycott against S. Africa and its
apartheid policies.
Many of those wanting Ali to
Pemba, a truck driver.” And I’d TURN TO PAGE 17
like an all white audience to see | OWa alumn (ads) hope
An opposing view expressing fear of right-winged white reaction to any Ali visit, suggested he should keep away. “The whites will kill him," Alicia Buthelezi wrote. Still, other speculation of an Ali visit hinted whites would gleefully turn to "us and say, you see, Muhammad is here. Things can’t be all that bad for you blacks after all," cautioned Ahmed Mhlanga, an office
messenger.
The split in the country’s 19
of luring Robinson
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Fddie Robinson as the cure for
A1 Schallau is an alumnus of Iota's ills. The ad included a
the University of Iowa, and he photograph of Robinson, ac
definitely is a football fan. The Hawkeye fan of the Big Ten
Conference members hasn’t T , TRNi
liked what he’s seen in seasons 1 K '
past.
Unlike other alumni, how ever, Schallau is taking a bold approach to altering Iowa’s
companied by a promotional statement..."The coach who
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million blacks was highlited in football program and future, an article last week in The He is trying to attract a change
Post, an independent black Johannesburg newspaoer. It reported the results of a poll among readers about Ali’s proposed visit next year.
of coaches.
Schallau paid for a fivecolumn ad in the Thanksgiving edition of Iowa City-Citizen Press, which touted current
§om^ ^4 jp^r^nt^responded Grambling University coach
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A FRIGID TOURNAMENT: Louisville’ Larry Williams attempts this layup in the frigid environs of Alaska last weekend. It was the opening of the Seawolf Classic in Anchorage, and the Cardinals of Louisville were romping to an opening round 89-58 victory over Penn State. Eventual tournament champion North Carolina State made things a little icier for the Cardinals by upsetting the No. 4 ranked team in the nation for the championship 72-66. It was alao a little cold for an Indiana University Bobby Knight led team, who dropped their first two games in the tourney to Pepperdine and Texas A & M. It was the first time Knight had loss a season opener since coming to IU in 1970. It was also the first time since 1959 IU has dropped its first two games of the season. Hoosier observers might note, however, the 1958-59 team qualified lor the NCAA tournament. Bowling, craitcoiintry addei-.-Sports coordinator select top Peace Gamesbusiness
became so confused that he twice during the program named the wrong winner because of getting the fighters confused. A Sub-Novice referee with no hopes of ever becoming a top official last year falsified his application at a national tournament but was caught prior to the start of the event. This man had never officiated a sanctioned AAU bout. His greed to become a referee could have proved costly to some young boxer. The 1979 Indiana Golden Gloves at Indianapolis for the first time will be invitational for both referees and judges. This is also being done in the 1979 Silver Gloves Championships and the Junior Olympics. John Hamilton, president of the Indiana Golden Gloves, recently named George DeFabis as Commissioner of Officials for the 1979 National TURN TO PAGE 17
If you’re not aware by now, the Indianapolis Peace Games Office (operating year-round) has begun work for the seventh consecutive exchange between Indianapolis and sister city, Scarborough, Ontario next summer. At the front of current Peace Game activities-which will pick up steadily as the months pass--is the recent appointment of veteran Peace Games volunteer Carol Nungester as Sports Coordinator. She replaces
Betty Evenbeck, whose resignation becomes effective the first of the year. As 1978 Peace Games Girls Soccer Chairman, and founder of the Indianapolis Girls Soccer League, Carol brings considerable sports involvement and experience to her new post. She has been commissioner of the Indiana Youth Soccer Association; president of the Indy Girls Soccer League, and served as an area representa-
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