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By Rick (2-li Chadd. out. Edna When you have an extremely happy home life, an dedi- ' cated to a super-interestin career. and are policies! at a life-tmsg pursuit, it is sale to say you have the lurid by the tail. What about me'?'?'?'? That decision meant moving to Toronto for the four-year course, an extremely heavy work-load for even a one- dimensional student. But somehow Gary found time to con- tinue playing for the Red Sox, until a rift deireioped in the successful organization and prompted the Dims and Alf e to seek refuge with the fledgling Tigers last season. (lllli. commuted to games and practices from the big city, ing only a couple due to exams or assignments. “The first two years of the course were concentrated on the sciences, and the past two chiropractic with a neurology emphasis," outlined Gary. "Part of the course got into ath- letics, they teach at the school about athletic therapeutics and different disorders, but it's up to the individual whether he wants to specialize. _ This Saturday Gary Dix will reap the benefits of those years of hard work, when he will be among approximately 135 graduates from the course. “I like handling athletic injuries because being involved with sport so long I'm aware of them." “I got my Bachelor of Science in biology (WLU) and de cided I was either going to go there (CMCC) or get my Masters," said Gary from his crouched position as he warmed up Tiger pitchers on the brisk smshiny day. “I had been involved with different sports all my life and had seen all types of injuries, so going there was a logical choice." By Rick Campbell Chronicle Sports Editor The torgotten man. That's the shingle Tim Forsyth wanted to hang over his seat in the Waterloo Tiger clubhouse last week. You see, Tim, a four-year eran of the Waterloo .35, and a designated hit- with the senior Tigers last year, was not men- tioned at all when the two teams were featured in last week's paper, Gary and older brother Dave were born in Windsor, but neither mind being referred to as natives of Brantford, where they grew up and played junior and senior baseball. Both graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University in the mid-iW0's, but went their separate ways academically when Dave went to teacher's college and Gary opted for the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto. No wonder Gary Dix was all smiles last Saturday. It was difficult to contain the effervescent 27-year-old catcher as he warmed up on the sidelines during Waterloo Tigers workout at Bechtel Park. He verbally “touched all main detailing what will be a hectic summer for the Dix Id. . , “I wondered if it just came to the point where I didn't fit into their plans an- ymore." said Forsyth with a laugh after the situation was explained Saturday. Because new field manager Nels Grigg did not have a roster completed last week. he and a Chronicle re- porter threw names around without designating specific positions Unfortunately Forsyth's was quite by ac- . ent omitted. tttc, new at this (inter- w) game," said Grigg. “It was an honest mistake. but I quickly assured Tim that we want him indeed" A catcher/outfielder by trade. Forsyth saw duty mainly as a designated hit- ter with Expos the past two years. During the Tiger in- trasquad game last May. he smacked the ball with star- tling authority and con- tinued the assault with two doubles in an exhibition game in Guelph Those per- formances prompted then That may sound like a lot of bonetrunehers but Gary was Shoulldh't we all . live like this? Realizing that the Tigers have many quality players in their lineup. Forsyth is not overly optimistic about the playing time he might get this year But given his chance at the plate, Tim could very well drive Inter- County pitchers to the nuth- ouse And don't "forget" where you heard that first Tiger field manager Gary Jeffries to elevate Forsyth to the big club, where he had eight hits in 40 plate ap- pearances. He even got into some games behind the plate when regular Gary Dix had other .commit- ments. "During a game in Cam- bridge, I was running to se- cond on a grounder and I looked to see if I should break up the double play," related Forsyth. "Right then I hit a big pothole on the diamond. I banged up my leg and I was done for the year.” “I like the "dh" role, and Alfie (Payne) is such a great coach, He points out a lot of things I've been doing wrong at the plate. Recently he changed the position of my knuckles and it appears to be paying off." Then in mid-season, disas- ter struck. Despite the serious injury, indications are so far this year Forsyth has not forgot- ten how to swing the bat, Sa- turday he cracked out solid line drives to every comer at Bechtel. The reason for the delay in starting up his practice is that all grads had to write Ontario and Canadian Board exams to obtain their license and results will not be known until the first of June. Until then Gary will work around the office, with, uh, a little bit of help from his best friend. Name of Barb, a radiant Brantford gal, who also happens to be hit wife. “I had thought about Kitchener and Stratford but there aren't that many chiropractors in Brantford. I'm also in an office building in a fairly new area of town at Paris and Toll- gate Rd, and to my knowledge there's no one (chiropractor) out there yet." "Barb's an RN and has been looking for a job around Brantford but the chances aren't too good right now," said Gary, a smile slowly forming on his face. "You see, she's e2pecting in September, so she’ll probably help me out for the first year or so." quick to point out that CMCC is the only college of its kind in Canada, so the graduates will be heading out to all parts of the dominion. Gary, like a true homing pigeon, plans to start his prac- tice around July 1 in the Telephone City and hopes to attract clientele from this area as well. If I were Barb, I'd hire Al Eagleson to draw up an iron- clad compensation pact. Something along the lines of one page typed for every diaper changed... Last year at the plate, Dix was second to Dan Collison on the Tigers with a career high .304 average, drove in 21 runs and matched his previous high of four home runs. “It was my best year ever at the plate, but not fielding wise. I want to improve there this year. I always thought I had the potential to be a .300 hitter and hopefully I’ll up my average a few more points this year" Last year Dix anchored what could best be termed a pube- scent infield. Tigers had more than adequate pitching and hitting. but often exhibited board hands in the ground ball department. “In the second half last year we really cut down on our errors, and it was more than coincidenee that we also start- ed to win the big ones then." . Inevitably the topic of conversation switched from bones and babies to baseball, obviously one of Gary's favorite topics. What Dix neglected to mention was that in mid-season. with the Tigers in the throes of a dreadful slump. Gary stood up in the clubhouse before one game and delivered an emo- tion-packed address to his mates which turned their season around. "I couldn't believe it," said Tiger general manager Champ Glassford, “l was going to say something to the players, but Gary beat me to it. He said exactly the things I wanted to say and I feel he was responsible for getting us on the winning track. He's invaluable to us." Street people are feet people. They're neat people who meet people. (Ctrl?' Why not join up? Take a‘i wa l k . PimTIrtrtittrttm Walk a htock.Today. GARY mx Mint Taylor 'Mark Gryba ' Dave Stump! 'Larry Crooke Mike Yosurack "Tim Forsyth John Lanteigne Paul Black Scott Bailey 'Jim Drago Don Smith Darryl Thrasher Jeff Harper "We - a ”(team and in be truthful. neuter! playing a; unit: 1tttotttte time,"gaid. Dix. "Now new. ayenrbedstrtdtoaatmm, 'rttettseearpeeierteeaasd-ttts of knowledge that Alf (Payne) and (coach) Leo (Demeter) bring to the chi. “With DaveByenai gttort,tteeartemttmtthetnidaeartd Dave (Dix) 'eiitttettaeAirteigttttued.Theqrtteititteoi11 tumrtore-thiaamt, "ttereaaiaatymrthermtattrenr an our outfield. . ~“l fentutttttttemdofustye-erethestmatgest tataminttteiesttgtse.Thisyearse'1tmahetttepuyothott prxottiemandrmur mtmotpintttestarsdie.'Niateasttis going places right from day one. 'L Tigers host Tomato Suday and Cambridge My but day one this year is May 21 at tpan. in Stratford. Dix-would relish a duplication of his first offieiat at bat last year in Brantford - a towering borne run against his former mates. "Ah yes, I remember that one. it was a very gratifying swing." How they did In the jig-saw puzzle of life, Gary is hplding all the pieces and they're fitting nicely into place, thank you very much. Good word, gratifying. Appropriate also to describe the future of one Mr. G. Dix, family man, chiropractor, base- ball player. inspirational leader, and nice guy. 'crimee ‘Dubecki ‘Harris (lh) Thrasher Gary James Gary Dix DaveDix Mike Blake Robbie Sleeman Bailey ttlirtn"ttetehroeue%ileit*e.r.a'wtttmt-rii.e23 "AM new I"! FINAL sum ll 15 l7 15 ll