Sports reflects competition at all levels and age groups, elite, professional, to youngsters, the latter to include T-ball and first stages of organized ball. Sports for youngsters should be fun.
The Aurora Boys Baseball Hall of Fame will induct four adults who were among the elite in earlier years. The induction will be at George Andrews Field in Garfield Park in Aurora Saturday, June 8. Between two all-star games at 4 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. The induction into the Hall of Fame will be held for boys who are adults now, Rick Hollarbush, Dave Randall, Steve Moga, and Bill Frantzen. Long-time umpire, Fred Weidner has taken charge of the Aurora Boys Baseball Hall of Fame.
•Enjoyable have been the tributes to Bill Walton in the last week. The late 71-year-old was a college and National Basketball Association star player. He played for UCLA at the Chicago Stadium January 26, 1973 against host Loyola University. Your sports writer representative covered the Stadium doubleheader in which UCLA defeated Loyola and head coach George Ireland, 87-73, and the University of Illinois defeated Notre Dame, 87-84. It was a special day for special basketball. Walton, taller than the listed 6-11 center, led UCLA to NCAA championships in 1972 and 1973. In the 1973 tournament championship game against Memphis State University, Walton made 21 of 22 field goal attempts for 42 points prior to the three-point era. He played with finesse, style, joy toughness. He was accomplished. UCLA, during Walton’s time, put together an 88-game winning streak under head coach John Wooden. Memorable Walton was many dimensional This writer’s late father (dec. 1969), a basketball man and teacher, would have been delighted to watch the games and learn of Walton’s varied accomplishments and well-rounded life for all seasons. Walton, after his pro playing days with Portland and Boston attended law school for the curiosity and joy, not to acquire another profession. Walton was a devoted follower of the rock band Grateful Dead (started in the 1960s).Walton was one of a kind.
•Chicago professional sports: Earlier this week the magnetic all-Chicago baseball two-game series was played, or, at least planned, if there was little or no rain: White Sox at Cubs, first of the season. The down side: White Sox were 15-45 and deep in last place in the American League Central and the Cubs, although 29-31, were 2-8 in the last 10 games and had fallen to third place behind revived St. Louis. The Chicago Sky, women’s basketball team started 3-4 and both soccer teams were on hard times.