BOXING

BOXING
Pavlik, Kovalpraised for effort
Fanfare:
Kelly Pavlik and Chris Koval had successful knockouts last week to remain undefeated. Pavlik looked spectacular on his ESPN 10-round fight at Cafaro Field in Niles, with devastating body punches to stop Rico Cason in the second round to improve his record to an unblemished 18-0 with 17 knockouts.
Two days later at the Harv in West Virginia at Mountaineer Racetrack, Chris Koval improved to 9-0 with eight KOs as he stopped Mark Johnson in the 4th round. Koval, who is trained by Tommy Cordal, rocked his opponent several times and received high praise from promoter Sugar Ray Leonard.
The future looks bright for these two Youngstown fighters, especially Top Rank fighter Kelly Pavlik, who is on pace to become Youngstown's fifth world champion joining, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, Harry Arroyo, Jeff Lampkin and Greg Richardson. The Youngstown area is well known for its great fighters worldwide.
Joe Maderitz
Youngstown
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
New York Timeshad other motives
Fanfare:
I don't know Maurice Clarett, but people I know, who do know him, say he is a good, hard-working person and an intelligent person. So let's not be too quick to judge.
I don't know the New York Times either, but people I know, who do know the New York Times, say it can't be trusted. They say it's been known to publish absolutely false stories. They've fired reporters for writing these false stories and they have forced senior editors to retire for allowing these stories to be published.
Back to Mr. Clarett. I thought it was brilliant, when, after graduating early from high school, he enrolled at Ohio State for the spring term, so he could get a head start on his college career. He put himself on a career path toward the wonderful, prestigious, high-paying and fun career as a professional football player. If you have the flexible hands of a surgeon and if you are smart, you might put yourself into a college program geared toward a good-paying medical career. On the other hand, if you have the powerful legs of a running back, and if you are smart, you might put yourself into a college program geared toward a good-paying football career. You take what God gives you, you devise a plan and you work that plan. I don't know of any person his age who has done that better than Maurice Clarett.
Can big-time college athletes pass classes without special help? The answer is no! They just don't have the time. They practice several hours a day. They study a playbook and watch tape a few hours a day and, while other students are attending classes, they are a thousand miles away playing a game. They need special tutors. They need special help. They are a special situation.
The New York Times probably sent a reporter or two to OSU to dig up a story. They spent a lot of time on this, so they had to come up with something. They tried and finally found someone at OSU to say something like, maybe Maurice had "special help." That's not news! All college athletes get special help. Whether it's the third-string point guard on the basketball team or the star running back on the football team, there are not enough hours in a day for them to do everything demanded of them.
What a magical, wonderful, inspiring season the Ohio State football team, along with Maurice Clarett, just completed. Don't let some New York Times reporter with a predetermined slant spoil it.
Fred "Butch" Birkholtz
Liberty
YOUTH BASEBALL
Giving thanks forwell-prepared fields
Fanfare:
I wish to thank Carmen Vivolo, the Director of the Niles Park and Recreation Department, for a job better than well done!
As a youth baseball coach for 23 years and an OHSAA baseball official since 1985, I travel throughout our area and observe communities and the conditions of their respective fields. From cow pasture fields to elaborate diamonds, I find that no community is as blessed and devoted to the preparation of fields more than Niles. Mr. Vivolo and his dedicated employees have had our fields playable this season when no other community has had playable field conditions.
With the amount of rain this season, field prep has been difficult for our field crew. They work hard, and it shows. The amount of infield earth and infield mix that was placed on our fields this year has helped tremendously. The fields are always groomed beautifully. The "Play Ball" absorbent and drying material is used when necessary, and I, on behalf of our community and the visiting teams, cannot thank the Park Department enough.
In today's day and age, everyone seems only to complain. As a member of the Niles Youth Baseball League Board of Trustees, I wish to thank Mr. Vivolo and his department. I know that our President, Gerre Matthews, and all of our members, wish to express their gratitude for going above and beyond the normal.
Robert P. McDermott
Niles