THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 29, 1995 TAG: 9512290758
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
ONE MAN'S OPINION of the top sports happenings in Portsmouth in 1995:
1. Portsmouth Invitational Tournament - The PIT set an all-time attendance record with a paid audience of 10,952 for its 43rd annual tournament. Beach/Barton Ford won the championship with an 86-65 romp over Bill Lewis Chevrolet in the title game. Eric Meek of Duke University, who snagged 43 rebounds and scored 44 points for the winning team, was chosen as the most valuable player. Meek broke his nose during the tournament but continued to play. On the way to the airport, he dropped his MVP award and broke it. Twelve of the PIT players later were drafted by the NBA.
2. Champion Churchland - The Truckers won the Southeastern District basketball tournament for the first time since 1968, led by most valuable player D.J. Dunbar. ``I wasn't even born the last time Churchland won,'' said Dunbar.
3. Eastern Amateur - Tom McKnight of Galax defeated 22-year-old Australian Lee Eagleton on the first playoff hole after the two had tied in the four-day tournament with 6-under-par 274s. Two-time champion McKnight promised to defend his title in 1996. Runner-up Eagleton had passed up a week's vacation in Florida with five fellow Australians to compete in the tournament. He also promised to return next year.
4. State Hall of Famers - The late Lily Harper Martin of Portsmouth was among six inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. Also honored were Dave Twardzik, Charles ``Lefty'' Driesell, Bill Chambers, Frank Havens and Albert Doran. This increased the honorees in the state sports shrine to 148.
5. Portsmouth Sports Club Jamboree - District 6 Little League administrator Charles ``Butch'' Cuthriell was honored as the city's Sportsman of the Year on a program headlined by Duke football coach Fred Goldsmith. The Abe Goldblatt Memorial Award for the outstanding high school coach in the area went to Churchland basketball coach Mac Carroll.
6. Colander Wall - The LaTasha Colander Wall was established at Wilson High School. A large picture of the school's former track star and several of her many awards were placed on permanent display on a corrider wall outside the guidance office at Wilson. Colander, now at the University of North Carolina on a track scholarship, won six national titles, 12 state titles, nine region crowns and 16 district championships in the hurdles. She was a two-time high school All-American.
7. Baseball star becomes pro - Former Churchland High School pitcher Ryan Glynn, who struck out 177 batters in 181 1/3 innings of pitching for VMI, signed with the Texas Rangers after being a fourth-round draft pick. Glynn also played in the outfield for VMI and was chosen for the All-Southern Conference team as an outfielder. He hit 14 home runs and drove in 58 runs.
8. Umpire chosen - Richard ``Bullet'' Alexander of Portsmouth was picked to umpire in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Alexander, a starter on Wilson High School's undefeated state championship football team of 1947, has been umpiring since 1963. ``It's the biggest thrill of my life,'' said the retired Portsmouth Fire Department captain.
9. Boxing champions - Portsmouth's Norcom Johnson, Germain Green and Al Lassiter won State Amateur boxing championships in the open division and the 291-pound Lassiter was chosen as the outstanding fighter in the tournament.
10. Shotput standout - Norcom's Missy Banks, only a sophomore, finished fourth in the girls shotput competition in the National Scholastic Indoor Meet with a school record throw of 41 feet, 9 1/2 inches. It won Missy a new nickname among her school mates - Hercules. ``When I first came out for track, I wanted to run,'' said Banks. ``I didn't want to throw the shot. Now I know where my future is. It can get me a college scholarship.''
And one special post script:
Stadium tumbles - Frank D. Lawrence Stadium was demolished to make way for the new Norcom High School. The stadium was built in 1939. Last to fall were the 5,500 seats in the football bleachers. The baseball portion of the stadium was torn down in 1992. ILLUSTRATION: THE YEAR IN REVIEW
File photo by MARK MITCHELL
The Frank D. Lawrence Stadium was demolished in 1995 to make way for
the new Norcom High School. The stadium was built in 1939.
File photo by MARK MITCHELL
Last to fall at the Frank D. Lawrence Stadium were the football
bleachers.
File photo by GARY KNAPP
LaTasha Colander stands in front of a wall established in her honor
at Wilson High.
by CNB