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The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, August 1,1990 11 A Truck with a Little Extra Horsepower Darlington Soccer Standings Life with the Blue Jays Courtice #1 Tyrone Falcons Newcastle #1 OHEU Local Hooper's Trophy Solina #1 Division #2 Mighty Noetta, a four-year-old trotting mare, is taken for a jog alongside the truck of Kitt Klawitter in preparation tor her next race. Seems. that Mighty Noetta doesn't like to train with the bike, so all of her training is done alongside the truck. ! Barbara Klawitter proudly displays two-vear-old trotting filly Moorelands Lois, who wasn't the least bit camera shy. The Klawitter's have 14 horses on their Coldwater, and watching Ron Waples train at the half-mile track in town. "If we get to the O.S.S. it will be a wonderful accomplishment," accomplishment," she said. "We've never had a two-year-old make it. It would be a big step." A big step indeed, but none of the steps they have taken along the way were bigger than the one they took last year when Nelson Cochrane came aboard. The Cochrane name carries carries a lot of clout in racing circles in this area. Nelson has been around the stan- dardbred business for over 25 years, and now both of his son's are keeping with the tradition. Stuart, one of his sons, trains a stable of 14 horses and races at Greenwood, Mohawk, and Kawartha Downs. His other son Steve races at Rideau Carlton, and Connaught Park in Ottawa and Quebec. The arrangement evolved last year when Nelson sold his (arm in Port Perry and approached Barbara and Kitt about joining forces. The partnership involves the breeding of Jnnibo Mark, an eight-year-old trotter trotter that had a lifetime mark of 1:59.2 that was attained at Kawartha Downs in Peterborough. Peterborough. "Nelson is one of the most highly respected horsemen in the business," said Barbara Barbara as she began to explain the partnership. 'With all of his years of knowledge and experience, wo can only benefit benefit from the association." And the association goes far beyond just the hours they spend together on tho track. It has also given Barbara Barbara and Kitt a chance to kick-back and relax once in a while. "Tho only reason wo'ro nblo to go away is because wo know that Nols will take over and everything will bo looked after," sho said adding adding that until lust yenr when Nelson enmo aboard, tho only holidays they know were those spent lounging around their pool. "I really don't know what wo would do without him. He's a godsend." godsend." With tho government proposed proposed GST on tho horizon, Barbara predicts that the horse racing industry will bo hit hard. Tho price ol everything everything will go up, yot the purses at tho races will remain remain tho same. If tho purs- 107 acre farm in Maple Grove. The horses can often be seen racing at area tracks. Sports Shop 8 8 0 0 44 8 16 Eagles 8 6 2 0 25 8 12 Ravens 8 6 2 0 28 19 12 Courtice #2 8 4 4 0 14 22 8 Newcastle #2 9 3 6 0 28 33 6 Orono 8 2 6 0 11 22 4 Solina #2 9 0 9 Division #3 0 7 46 0 Newcastle #3 9 7 2 0 44 22 14 Courtice #3 8 6 1 1 42 20 13 Hampton 9 6 3 0 39 24 12 Hawks 9 5 4 0 39 27 10 Busy Bee Car Wash 8 2 4 2 16 28 6 Courtice #4 7 1 6 0 10 36 2 Graham's IGA 8 0 7 Pee Wees 1 10 43 1 OldTymelMi&Chips 9 7 1 1 49 14 15 Bun King 9 6 2 1 49 25 13 Tyrone 9 2 7 0 30 49 4 Newcastle 9 2 7 Minor Squirt 0 18 60 4 Courtice #1 10 8 1 1 54 17 17 Newcastle 9 7 1 1 42 19 15 J. Paul Petrie 9 5 2 2 42 20 12 Courtice #2 9 5 2 2 38 21 12 Bowmanville Taxi 9 3 2 4 39 22 10 Skylight Donuts 9 4 4 1 50 48 9 Optimist Club 9 4 4 1 32 23 9 Tyrone 9 3 6 0 18 19 6 Beaver Lumber 9 2 6 1 23 59 5 Home Life Realty 9 1 7 1 14 72 3 Heavy Haulers 9 1 8 Major Squirt 0 19 48 2 Tyrone 9 8 0 1 61 8 17 OHEV Local 1000 9 6 1 2 33 13 14 Guardian Drugs 9 6 2 1 30 18 13 Solina 9 4 4 1 13 23 9 Newcastle 9 2 4 3 17 22 7 Orono 9 2 5 2 14 36 6 Courtice 9 2 6 1 19 29 5 Hampton 9 2 6 1 18 35 5 Century 21 Realty 8 15 2 Bantam Division 8 27 4 Hampton 10 9 1 0 37 19 18 Oshawa #1 10 7 2 1 61 27 15 Oshawa #2 10 5 2 3 29 21 13 Van Dyk Realty 10 4 3 3 27 20 11 Oshawa #3 > h 9 33 5 1 23 23 7 Tyrone 10 3 7 0 23 38 6 Orono 10 0 10 Atoms Division #1 0 13 64 0 Hampton 9 8 0 1 32 9 17 ; James Insurance 10 6 1 3 36 15 15 Courtice #1 9 4 4 1 39 22 9 ReMax Realty 10 4 5 1 25 28 9 Tyrone , i( , ,, 8 2 5 1 24 32 5 Delta FauceL'.rÿy. , 10 0 9 1 7 58 1. [ t.i *rr f;*•*.%•/ -f){nnoGt>s] ...Division #2 , . -1[ Bramble Bush^m 10 8 1 Y 53 16 17 Newcastle iff "to. ttin ; 10 ; 7 2 l . 27 13 15 Courtice #2>omm:<vi 8 ■ . 4 4 0 24 31 8 Langes Photo > 'll 10 . 4 6 0 35 22 8 Shoppers Drug -9. 3 5 1 18 28 7 Orono 9 0 8 1 5 45 1 By Brad Kelly There's no better, feeling in the world than winning. Whether it's being the first to cross a finish line, or being ahead at the end of a game, the feeling can be as different as the sport. For Barbara Klawitter, the sport in which she has a , vested interest is a hard one ! to win at. It makes a win Î that much more sweet. < "I've never been on drugs, , but winning has to be called » a high," said the Maple Grove resident who owns and races standardbred horses. "A win will make you forget every little problem problem that you've ever had. You're on top of the world." In the unpredictable world of horse racing, it's not uncommon to be on top of the world one day, and then come crashing to the ground the next. Your horse could gain a membership card into the elusive two minute mile club one night and suddenly come up lame in its next race. It's all part of what horseman horseman refer to ns racing luck. Unfortunately for Barba-. ra, luck hasn't been on her side the past three seasons. The horses she and husband Kitt have been racing haven't made many trips to the winner's circle. "You can't be in the horse business unless you love it," sho began to explain from her 107 acre Ccdnrstonc Farm that has been homo to her and Kitt since 1982. "If a horse pays his own way, than consider it lucky." "Tho last three years there hasn't been any money in it, and that would bo enough to discourage most. But you can never give up because racing is a game of hope." Kitt agreed. "You can got down real fast in this business," ho added. "Just when you think one will make you a little money to pny for tho feed, something will happen and it won't bo able to race." But tho Klawittor's are hoping that at tho end of their rainbow will bo a not of gold. Tlmir pot of gold lies with a two-yonr-old trotting filly that may bo eligible to race on Ontario's most prestigious prestigious circuit: Tho Ontario Sires Stakes. It has boon a droam of Barbara's over since sho was a little girl growing up In es don't go up, then the horseman have no way of off-setting their costs. Newcomers should be aware of this aspect of the business. "There's safety in numbers," numbers," was her advice ' to those wondering about getting getting into the business. "You have to be prepared to spend money for a year without expecting expecting to receive a return." "It's a fact you have to face before you get into the sport." And the fact is, even with all of its downfalls, there's nothing else Barbara and Kitt would rather be doing. Courtice #1 Orono Wallace Auto Checkers Newcastle •. Hampton Erv Brooks Petro My Apothecary Courtice #2 Tyrone Mosquitoe Division #1 Division #2 10 9 1 5 4 2 1 64 43 19 15 5 33 24 23 32 11 13 18 Orioles Fly Back with 16-13 Win By Brad Kelly When someone mentions tho word trotters, horse racing racing usually comes to mind. On Sunday night at Soper Soper Creek Pork, mention of the word brought Mike Houston's name to mind. For it was his home run trot that tied the game with Oshawn, and eventually led to a 16-13 win for the Orioles. Orioles. It wasn't revealed until after tho game that it was the first career home run for tho 21 year-old Bowmanville native. That fact became apparent apparent watching him slowly make his way around the bases. To his defense, he does refer to himself ns "the old man on the team," which explains tho slow trot. "I was looking for a fastball fastball and got it," no began to recall, still grinning from car to car. "1 changed my swing before the Ajax game last Sunday because I was in a slump. Tho change was for tho bettor. Entering tho bottom of tho fifth inning trailing 13- 11 and tho time limit (two- Distress Centre Plans to Hold GolfToumey Tho Distress Centro of tho Durham Region is holding holding a golf tournament on Saturday, August 25. Golfers nro invited to join them at tho Annnndnlo Golf nnd Country Club in Ajax for n full day of fun, exercise nnd an opportunity to support support a charity. Included in tho registration registration cost is a steak barbecue. For more information contact Lorraine Derrick at 432.8.188 anytime, or 420- 7272 Monday through Friday Friday from 0-6 p.m. and-a-half-hours) fast approaching, approaching, the Orioles received received the clutch hitting that had escaped them for much of the season. Houston's two run shot to loft field on a 1-1 pitch brought the Orioles even at 13. Chris Smith, who finished finished the game with two singles singles and a double, lashed a base hit to left field that scored Troy Harness from third with the go-ahead run. Rich Suchan added some insurance when he hit a two run double scoring Smith nnd Tony Barnowsld. Play was halted with Suchan on second nnd two outs because of the time limit. The game had only reached the bottom of the filth inning. "We got lucky," said Houston, "Tonight was a case where tho team with tho fewest errors was going to win because both team's were hitting tho ball so well." Tho Orioles got off to a fast start in this one. ns they sent 11 batters to tho pinto in tho first inning collecting four hits nnd seven runs. Tho big blows wore two, three run homers oil' tho bats of Joff Laird nnd Rick Brennan. Oshawn answered back with four runs in tho second, ono in tho third nnd seven in tho fourth to add to tho single single run they scored in tho first inning. Bowmanville counted three runs in tho third, ono in tho fourth, and had pushed live across in tho llllh when tho game was called. Nick Dennis was credited with tho win, ns ho was the third Oriole pitcher to bo summoned to tho mound. Derek Znndor started, but was relieved early by Scott Munro, In all, Oriole pitchers gave up nine hits, 10 walks and struck out four. The Bowmanville offense collected collected 14 hits on the night. It was the third victory for the Orioles in the season and their second win against Oshawn. The Orioles have a date with Belleville this Thursday Thursday night to finish off their league schedule, nnd then it will bo onto the playoffs against the same Belleville team. A win such ns this one may be just what the doctor ordered. "Oh definitely it's good to win a game like this before the playoffs," agreed Houston. Houston. 'It will give us a bright spot to look back at." Game time at Soper Creek on Thursday night is 7:30. By Brad Kelly The names Pat Gillick, Cord Ash, and Paul Beeston roll off Cord Kirke's tongue as though they are his best friends. But that shouldn't be a iiror actly what they are: his best friends. When the average fan thinks about the game of baseball he or she will think about pitchers hurling 90 m.p.h. lastballs, fans cheering cheering a player as he circles the bases following a home run, and eating hot dogs while sipping on a cold drink. To many, this is what baseball - is all about. We rarely associate a man sitting at a desk with paperwork stacked to eye- level and a phone ringing non-stop with the game of baseball. Only' those who work behind the scenes of 'America's Pastime' would conjure up those thoughts. But that is the picture that comes to mind when speaking to Cord Kirke about his responsibilities with the Blue Jays. As Team Counsel for the club, Cord is one of the spokes in the wheel known to many as, the Blue Jays' "braintrust." And on many occasions it is Cord's brain which the Jays trust the most. His responsibilities with the club vary, but for the most part his top priority is to oversee the legal aspects of player contracts. And with the dollar signs that are inked on the contracts of such players as George Bell, Dave Steib, and Tom Henke, there is little room for Cord to make a mistake. "During the negotiations of the contract, the player's agent will sit down with Cord (Ash) and Pat (Gillick), to discuss the baseball side of the deal," he began to explain explain on the bus ride home from the Syracuse baseball trip. (A story on the trip was printed in last week's edition edition of the Statesman.) "As they get closer to a deal (Paul) Beeston gets involved because he's the guy who holds the purse strings." "I come in when they draw up the documents to make sure everything is legally legally binding." Cord's association with the Jays goes back to.a time when the franchise hadn't even started to spread its roots. You might say he was one of the people who planted planted the seed,that grew to be one of the most successful franchises in the game today. today. It was back in 1974 when Cord was acting on behalf of Labatt's Breweries in their efforts to secure a franchise for the City of Toronto. The Baltimore Orioles were on the selling block at the time, and the group tried to negotiate a deal that would see them re-locate to Toronto. Eventually the deal fell through. The group then channelled channelled their efforts into buying buying the San Francisco Giants. "As far as we were concerned concerned it was a done deal," he began. "But a judge in San Francisco ruled that the club couldn't move out of the city." Next was an application to the National League to get an expansion franchise. A strong marketing tool in favour of the group was the rivalry that could have evolved between Toronto and the Montreal Expos. That application was turned down. Then in '76, the group received received the break they had been longing for. Tho American League announced announced plans to award two expansion franchises to begin begin operations in tho '77 season. season. Seattle was awarded one of the franchises nnd Toronto Toronto was given tho other. First on the agenda was to give the new franchise, that would play in the Eastern Eastern Division nnd call Exhibition Exhibition Stadium home, a name. "Wo had a 'name tho team contest' nnd the directors directors narrowed it down to three choices, the Island Ferries, Exhibitionists, nnd Beavers," ho recalled. "Tho team came very close to being being called tho Beavers. It was almost a done deal." At the last minute tho directors directors changed their minds nnd selected tho Blue Jays ns tho team's name. Miko Houston Over tho years, Cord has been involved in many of tho transactions tho Jays have made. Ho recalled tho deal with tho Yankees that brought Fred McGriff, who was a "throw-in", to Toronto, and tho signing of Olevud "when ovoryono gave us n zero chance" ns two of tho transactions he'll never forgot. forgot. As for contracts, ono of tho most bizarre clauses Cord has over seen was ono that was negotiated into former former pitcher Doylo Alexander's. Alexander's. "Doylo had a guaranteed contract, moaning that if ho was hurt or killed, wo would still have to honour his contract," contract," ho explained. "Ono of Doyle's favourite hobbies was hunting, so we put in a clause that said if he was hurt or killed while hunting, then we wouldn't have to pay." "Doyle refused to sign the contract unless that clause was taken out. That's when the compromising began." As it turned out, the contract contract read that if Doyle was hunting, he had to be wearing wearing a fluorescent orange hunting jacket, with the fluorescent fluorescent side facing out at all times. If he were to get hurt but had followed the conditions, then the Jays would honor the contract. If he didn't follow the conditions, conditions, then the contract would become null and void. Another contract that came to mind was that of Danny Ainge, who played for the Jays but after a couple of seasons left the club to play basketball for the Boston Celtics. While over dinner, Cord and Pat Gillick wrote a clause into the contract on a serviette that Ainge couldn't play basketball. "I never thought it would hold water, but when the Celtics drafted him, a court in New York considered the clause to be valid. The Celtics Celtics had to pay large to get Ainge out of baseball." It's a little known fact, but Cord is often kidded by his peers for having a perfect perfect 1-0 record as the team's counsel. Back when Peter Bavasi was the club President, Earl Weaver pulled his Baltimore Orioles off the field at Exhh bition Stadium claiming that the tarp in the bullpen was a risk to his outfielders." It was Cord who went; into the umpires' office and found the rule that gave the Jays the win by a 1-0 forfeit and provided him with à perfect record. > Over his 14 year associa; tion with the club, he has seen many changes and hopes to be around for many more. "We have gone from a team of players who were just happy to be playing baseball, to a legitimate contender contender in a very short time," he said proudly. "I sure hope that my future lies with the Jays. I'd like to be around long enough to collect à World Series ring." And when might that be? "Hopefully it will start this year. If our pitching and hitting can come together at the same time we can beat Oakland. If any aspect of our game is off, we can't win." With his track recordj Oakland manager Tony La- Russa would be wise not to play any of the playoff games under protest should the two teams meet again. ■ Cord may just improve his record to 2-0. Next Week - John Simone, Simone, Assistant General Manager for the Syracuse Chiefs. ? ' >•-) ft Î "'t" * ■■ V ; i.v t-\.: , ; ,1 ■< .. -./ tv3 ' • V.' '-■'tr; U.Y; SI ■ IRTTH OUGH TS 11111 111 by Brad Kelly j A problem has surfaced surfaced with minor baseball in the area. Last week in this space, I wrote about the problems baseball is facing facing at the senior level because because of the increased poularity of lob ball. Because Because of the declining number of players, baseball's baseball's future in the area looks dim. In one lady's opinion, the same is beginning to take place at the minor level. But the problem has nothing to do with a decline in registration. It seems that the umpiring umpiring is the cause for concern. While at a 'Hit, Run and Throw' competition last Friday, one particular particular fan expressed her concerns concerns to me regarding the age of umpires at the minor minor level. Sho wondered why the umpires assigned to the game were the same age as the kids that were ploying. Tho game turned sour towards the end when the umpires made a bad call that cost her son's team the game. It's hard for me to blame the umpires for making a mistake. Adults who umpire nro just ns prone to making mistakes mistakes ns kids. Even the officinls nt tho pro level make mistakes. mistakes. Which is why the evolution of tho video enmern replay came nbonrd in tho eighties. Video taping minor sports to ensure calls nro ncurnto seems n little too drastic though. I enn understand the dolimn minor sports organizers organizers find themselves in concerning this typo of situation. They do tho host they can with what is availa ble to them. If the majority majority of the umpires in their area are kids then that's what they have to use. ! Umpires, not unlike the players, need experience experience in a game situation if they are to become better better at their work. And where better to get that experience than umpiring junior games. I find it hard to believe that the level of umpiring is lower than the skill level of the players playing playing ball. If an umpire is sent out to a game and hasn't reached the point where he can handle thé game then the convener is to blame. But all too often, the blame is put squarely op the shoulders of the umpire. umpire. And it's hard for à kid who may only be 12 years-old, to take the criticism criticism that comes from the fans. Fans can be a cruel bunch at times who don't stop to consider that the umpire is a kid just likè the kids on the field. The abuse these kids take is hard to handle when they're only 12 years-old.- Herein lies the answer to that woman's question^ Adults, not because they are smarter but because because they have been around longer, don't want to stand behind tho plate nnd take the criticism shot their way every night. There arc better things to do in life than inflict yourself with wlmt is often unfounded abuse. If wo don't lot up on tho kids who volunteer to umpire, minor ball will be facing tho same problem problem ns tlio seniors. And that problem will emerge not because of n lack of players but ratliot because of a lack of urn* pires.