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Midland finally has its dream team. The new Midland Junior baseball team won't be a dream team in the sense that it'll have the best players in the province, or that itll have Billy Martin at the helm to make them that way in a very short time. In fact, the squad's manager is as unlike Billy Martin as day is unlike night: Dick Thompson who offered his services just this past Sunday, is candid enough to readily admit his inexperience, but also calm, con- trolled and easy-going enough to give the new franchise what it perhaps needs most of all -- patience and understanding. ; No, this team is a dream team for two other reasons. First, it is the embodiment of the dreams of two local baseball leaders, Midland Minor Baseball Association president Arnold Burgher and York-Simcoe Minor Baseball League president Ken Proulx. Second, it has been put together as a cor- nerstone ina very specific long-term project: to make Midland the baseball power centre it once was. It's not only been the dream of Burgher and Proulx to revitalize Midland's_ baseball = -- a \ prowess--most of Midland's older baseball establishment remember how it was and want a taste of past glories again. But Burgher and Proulx are the two guys who did the surveying. "For years, it's been my dream to have a Junior baseball team in Midland,'"' Burgher said Tuesday at the Civic Centre during a press conference in which Thompson was introduced. = "This town used to be a_ provincial powerhouse and I'd like to see it that way again." ' Burgher said Proulx was instrumental in getting the project off the ground. "It was really his perseverence that made it a reality." ! Midland's past glories include the Ontario Baseball Association Senior B championship in 1963, runner-up in the same high-class division the next year, Senior C cham- pionships in 1968 and 1969, and Senior C runner-up finishes in 1971 and 1972. Last year, the Midland Indusmin Bantams won the provincial crown in their division -- and that, more than anything perhaps, provided the spark that got the wheels tur- ning. wo _--- ow I ma 48168 3 of Now it's up to Thompson, his eminent assemblage of assistants and the players -- who will be chosen from an _ expected collection of about 30 nominees -- to cram themselves into the driver's seat. Is Thompson up to the task? "Tm getting my feet wet right now, too," said the new manager, who explained that he's never had time to become involved in the Midland baseball scene in his 18 years here. "But I know who's behind me and I know ['ll be calling on them a great deal." Thompson will be heading the town's representative 18 to 21-year-olds armed with a background of fielding in the armed forces leagues and an earlier baseball education in Guelph. But what he lacks in management ex- perience he makes up for in manner. "Tf you have sufficient desire," he says, recalling an anecdote about a _ less-than- brilliantly-stocked service surprising another more talented team with gutsy, determined play, "you can overcome an awful lot of talent." e@ Cont'd pg. 12 mee Thompson Garry Forbes * Sports editor * Kings take aim They don't want to come back to town Gs > 'Penetanguishene Kings coach Ron Marchildon hopes Penetanguishene fans won't have another Opportunity to see the Kings play -- until next September, at least. But, if the trend which has developed so far in the Ontario Hockey Association Junior C quarter-final series between the Kings and the Hornets continues, local fans could indeed AOS sacl ep have one last look at their Kings in a seventh and deciding game Sunday afternoon (1:30 p.m.). The Kings lead best-of-seven the affair Olympia Sports doubled Duggans Polar Kings 4-2 Monday at Midland Arena to win the 1981. 82 Midland Recreational Hockey League championship. The Olympia squad was presented with the Garner's Sports Trophy. The win was the third straight for Olympia in the six-point championship series, giving them a seven-points-to-three victory. The Polar Kings won the first game and the clubs failed to resolve a tie after overtime in the second encounter. Duggan took the lead in what proved to be their final outing when Gary Preston slipped one in at the 16:20 mark of the first period. Olympia's Karl Todd tied it up three \ Olympia takes crown minutes into the middle frame, Preston put his club on top again two minutes later and Warren Duckworth popped one for the feisty ,Olympia squad at 16:52 of the second to tie it up once more. The third period belonged to Olympia. Rick Lefaive scored what proved to be the winner at 8:09 and Jim Vaillancourt came up with the insurance marker five minutes later. Duggan picked up only two minors in the game -- the cleanest clash of the series -- while the regular-season champs stayed out of the penalty box altogether. The league has scheduled its annual awards banquet for April i0 at the Hunters and Anglers clubhouse on Ogden's Beach Rd. The banquet is open to the public. . S three games to two, bul w e re the two they've lost have both been disasters -- and both in Alliston Arena. And that, of course, is the site of the sixth series clash tomorrow night. The Kings have won all three of their games at home by 4-3, 5-3 and 7- 4 (overtime) margins. In Alliston, they've been bombed 22-2 in two games. "TJ sure hope we can pul it together FA Sey ey tomorrow night," says Marchildon, "I think we can, if we can just play the kind of game we've been playing in our Own building."' Marchildon says he's leery about seventh games. He says when it gets to that point, both teams are higher than a kite and the home-ice theory can be blown right out the window. If the Kings do win tomorrow, they'll earn their ticket to the four- team Ontario Hockey Association Junior C championship tourn- ament, slated for April 15-18 in Bracebridge. That wouldn't be to Larry Hembruff's liking, though. He'd like to see the town of Penetanguishene ~ one more time, and he also hopes for a change in the home-ice trend. "I've been trying to figure this thing out from game one," said Hornets coach Hem- bruff, who is also the Alliston Police chief. "We've been able to win on the road all year, but we just can't seem to execule Our game properly for more than 15 of 60 minutes while Penetanguishene."' Hembruff says he's been impressed with the coaching of Marchildon, and Marchildon has returned the com- pliment. c "They play the fun- damentals very, very well," said Marchildon of the Mid-Ontario champions. "Their dump-and-forecheck Terriers fold game is very good, and he (Hembruff) uses pretty well his whole bench." At this point, both coaches realize it's much too late to start teaching players how to play the game -- or how to play it under pressure. Everybody knows what they have to do. Now, it's hope against hope. 'We hate to see them go: Stewart Midland Athletics manager Shawn Stewart says there's no chance that his club will meet the fate of the Orillia Terriers, which folded their OHA Major Intermediate A Hockey League franchise last week. Stewart says the Athletics could break even financially before the summer is Over -- and that's a long way from the $27,000 deficit that forced the folding of the Terriers. "You could see it coming," says Stewart, "but I'm still sorry to see them go. It was one of the closest and cheapest places to travel to, plus we were developing a bit of a rivalry with them." The Athletics finished fifth in the 1981 / 82 season, the Terriers were fourth. Both teams were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Thursday, April 8, 1982, Page 9