Page 4 Friday, June 30, 1978 Sports By Peter Van Dusen Fastball and football As happens every summer in this area, the ball diamonds from Manotick to Casselman are busy hives of activity almost every evening. Everyone from little league players to grown men (in it for the action but also concerned about that little bit of extra padding around the belt buckle that seems to accumulate over the winter months) are taking advantage of local ball parks to shape up. I think my favorite type of bat and ball related sport is the fastball brand. I really like the pitching. Fastball pitching is such an art. It starts just like any other style of pitching; the gyrations, the glances to first base and third base, the wad of gum, the kicking of the sand around the mound etc... . But fastball pitching is unique in one respect. You throw the ball backwards or inside out or upside down or whatever it is. Unlike conventional baseball a fastball hurler must release the ball from the waist instead of from the shoulder. It all starts with the ball resting on the thigh of the chucker. From there it is whirled in a reverse fashion in a lightning like motion and then released in a blur. In my opinion the fastball pitcher is an artist. I once tried my hand at fastball pitching but ended up throwing out, along with the ball, my arm, my back, my legs, my neck and my desire. But I still like to watch a good fastball game and most fastball games are usually pretty good if for no other reason but the pitching. This is not really local sports stuff but I think it is of interest to all of our area sports fans. I have had the opportunity to view this year's Ottawa Rough Riders squad on several occasions and I must say that I am excited about the team but I can't go out on a limb about their chances in the upcoming campaign. But I will say this. When the Rider offence is playing the game properly they are untouchable. In the Ottawa-B.C. contest a while ago the Ottawa offence completely dominated the first three quarters before being victimized in the dying seconds by Lions ace Jerry Tagge. They lost the game 21-20. The Rough Riders are riding high on a rookie named Rudolf Bryant who proved himself in the Lions-Riders game. He is mobile at defensive end but also does much damage at middle linebacker. He's big, strong and fast. He has arms like fire hydrants and, on several occasions, simply bowled offensive lineman over. He surprised them with his speed and it took several sequences of downs before they could adjust to his versatile movement. If Bryant can fill the gap at middle linebacker and I believe he can, that will be one of the Ottawa question marks out of the way. Only time will tell however. Another weak point for the Riders is at defense, outside. They have to find someone with speed. In the B.C. game they were taken on several occasions outside. We know that the Riders have taken steps to correct that. They gave CFL veteran Jim Elder his walking papers the day after the B.C. game. Edler, you probably know by now, was beaten twice by Tagge in the final moments of the game, once on a long ball to Leon '"'Neon" Bright and again when the Lions signal caller elected to go for a 2 point conversion. He was successful which. enabled the Riders to snap defeat from the jaws of victory. Griffith Cartage Ltd. CARTAGE TRUCKING LOADER RENTAL Crushed Stone ®@ Fill © Gravel ® Sand Top Soil & Snow Removal RUSSELL Lloyd 445-2820 Charlie 445-5344 HELENE COOPER 445-2898 BONNIE LANGILL 445-2932 COUNTRY CATERERS CATERING FOR ALL OCCASIONS HOT AND COLD BUFFET RUSSELL CASTOR REVIEW At the wire .. . Marc Brind'amour (32) stretches metre event at the Metcalfe Public School for the finish line to capture 1st place in the boys 400 invitational track meet held in June. On June 8 Metcalfe Public School held its 4th invitational track meet. 10 schools competed for top honors. In the "A" class Raysayville edged out Manotick by 2 points. In the "B" class Blossom Park had no problem capturing the title. They beat out Metcalfe Public to win the crown by 16 points. Following is a list of some of the winners: '"*A" Class -- Girls _ ball Osgoode Boys ball throw-L. Mitchell, Elizabeth Pk. throw-N. Hopper, Metcalfe track Girls 50 metre-G. Miller, Manotick Boys 50 metre-S. Roden, Ramsayville Girls 200 metre-W. Meldrum, St. Catherine Boys 200 metre-M. Blossom Pk. "B"' Class -- Girls High Jump-H. Raymsayville Boys High Jump-G. Van Leyen, Ramsayville Girls 200 metres-Y. Bowes, Ramsayville Boys 200 metres-J. Milligan, Blossom Pk. Beatty, Allen Girls Shot Put-H. Allen, Raysay- ville Boys Shot Put-P. Oliver, Russell "C"' Class 8 Girls 100 metres-J. Aung, Russell Boys 100 metres-T. Roberts, Blossom Pk. Girls 800 metres, J. Adams, Blossom Pk. Boys 800 metres-J. McDougall, Metcalfe Girls 1500 metres-S. Nightscales, Metcalfe Boys 1500 metres-R. Moss, Elizabeth Pk. Rhonda Oshier Donna Eastman CENTRE DE COUTURE i A || Ventes -- Service -- Sales Machines 4 Coudre ® Draperies & Confection Custom made Draperies Big assortment of Springtime cotton, eyelet, challis, etc. Sales & repair of sewing machines Raymonde & Hector, Prop. Thibault SEWING CENTRE (613) 443-5434 398 RUE NOTRE-DAME ST. -- EMBRUN