ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, May 31, 1996 TAG: 9605310036
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: IN THE REGION
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
The scene was all to familiar Thursday night for Roanoke's Harold Witcher as he approached the line trying to bowl a 12th consecutive strike.
In March, Witcher was in the same spot. After rolling 11 strikes, he needed one more for a perfect game.
``I hung the 10 pin,'' he said. ``I hit the pocket, but I got nothing on it.''
He finished with a 299.
Thursday at Lee-High Lanes, Witcher went one better. He shook off nerves and the memories of March and got the 12th strike for his first 300 game.
Bowling in the Thursday Night Men's League for the team The Young and The Restless, Witcher found himself reflecting on the 299 game as he prepared to shoot for the last time.
``After I got the first [strike] in the 10th, I told myself to execute, concentrate and maybe things will turn out a little better than last time,'' he said. ``I'd been here before, so I just wanted to stay behind the ball and get something behind it. This time, I hit it dead in the pocket.''
Witcher wasn't the only one miffed about the 299. His wife, Victoria, also took it hard.
``I think it got to her a little bit,'' he said. ``She's going into the ministry and she said a little prayer for me.''
RACING NRVS wrestles with big weekend schedule
New River Valley Speedway in Radford will add two attractions this weekend.
Starting today, there will be an IIWA Championship Wrestling Match. This match will Feature the likes of Jimmy ``The Boogie Woogie Man'' Valiant vs. Big Jim Studd, Dan Cooley ``The Jack of Hearts'' vs. Viper, The Rock 'n' Roll Express vs. Frank ``The Tank'' Parker and Roger Anderson. There also will be a World Tag Team Title Match featuring Violence Inc. Vs. Stars and Stripes. Also there will be a Midget card featuring Buck Blevins going against Von Slam, plus a U.S. Heavyweight match.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. and the wrestling action begins at 7:30. Admission for the event is $8.00 for adults and $1.00 for children 12 and under.
Then on Saturday night there will be a 30-lap Allison Legacy race. The Legacy car is a downsized version of the Winston Cup stock car. During a recent practice session at Martinsville Speedway, the Legacy cars averaged about 80 mph on the .526-mile track.The identication by drivers and fans alike between the Winston Cup cars and the Legacy is sure to make it a winner. It will also be a very strong comptitive car with a B2200 Mazda engine it has in it. The car was built to run on a half-mile or smaller tracks. It was designed and is on production solely by the Allison brothers, Kenny, Ronald and Donald, sons of Legedary driver Donnie Allison. The cars are replicas of the Ford Thunderbirds and Chevy Monte Carlos racedon the Winston Cup series. ``This car and series will be successful because of the resemblance to the Winston Cup cars,'' said Kenny Allison, who operates his shop in Salisbury NC. ``If your sitting in the grandstand it would be hard to tell it's a little car. The car is atrue race car,'' added Allison.
There will also be a 100-lap Late Model Stock race along with a 35-lap Limited, 25-lap Pure Stock, 25-Mini Stock. Gates open at 1:30, practice starts at 3:30 and the green flag drops at 8:00 for the Jordan Oil/Clouds Clothing 200.
Frank Fleming, a Mount Airy, N.C., driver for the Southern Modified Auto Racing Team, will make his Late Model Stock debut during the G.R. Chevrolet 300 at Franklin County Speedway Saturday night in Calloway.
A media race featuring local media members and Classic Modifieds will also highlight Saturday's racing.
Fans get get a closer look at cars and drivers when G.R. Chevrolet hosts an exhibition today from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Racing begins 7 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for students and free for children 10 and under.
COLLEGE Greisinger, Barker All-Americans
Virginia pitcher Seth Greisinger was a first-team selection to Baseball America's 1996 All-America Team and Virginia Tech outfielder Kevin Barker was a second-team pick.
Greisinger, a junior right-hander expected to be picked in the first round of next week's amateur draft, was 12-2 with a 1.76 ERA and 141 strikeouts for the Cavaliers, who advanced to the championship round of the NCAA Tournament's South Regional last week.
His 12 wins was a Virginia record and his 21 career victories ties the record.
Barker, a junior outfielder, was named to the second team after batting
Greisinger was also named first-team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association. Virginia Tech reliever Charlie Gillian was an honorable-mention selection.
In other college sports news in the region:
Virginia senior Sharon Servidio finished 16th in the 10,000-meter run and freshman Kelly Miller was 19th in the long jump at the NCAA women's track and field championships.
Freshman Angela Lee was sixth in her heat of the 400-meter intermediate hurdles and did not qualify for today's finals. Sophomore Ann Crouse competes in the javelin today.
Pappas, Barlow share Dominion golf lead
Deane Pappas, an alternate who did not know he was playing until Wednesday, and Jeff Barlow each shot 6-under-par 66 on Thursday to tie for the lead in the opening round of the $200,000 Nike-Dominion Open in Richmond.
Pappas had six birdies, including four putts of 15 feet or more, in his first round on the 7,020-yard, par-72 Dominion Club course.
Tim Simpson, Glen Hnatiuk and Olin Browne were one stroke back at 67.
Record-setting swimmer Melvin Stewart, winner of the 200-meter butterfly at the 1992 Summer Olympics, will give two clinics and sign autographs during a visit to Roanoke on Saturday.
Stewart, considered an innovator in the butterfly, will give clinics open to the public from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Carter Athletic Center and from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Roanoke Country Club.
LENGTH: Long : 115 linesby CNB