_SPORTS ‘Save Our Stamps’ By PAUL WOODS ‘The Canadian Press ‘The head coach speaks to reporters in a testy, berating tone. ‘The president verbally abuses a newshound who shows up at a crucial meeting of the team's board of directors. The chairman admits the team is in big trouble financially, then blames it on last-minute schedule changes and a season that started too early. ‘The team desperately needs more fans in the stands, so it slashes its budget for promotion and public relations. Welcome to the wacky world of the Calgary Stampeders, the biggest ship of fools in the troubled Canadian Football League. A season that began with great promise in Calgary has turned sour. . A television sportecaster — reminding his viewers how ignored. A That's hardly the type of publicity that will boost attendance at McMahon Stadium. Yet increased fan support is exactly what the Stampeders need to avert another financial disaster. In 1985, the Stamps won only three games and drew an average crowd of 14,878. They lost $1.5 million and were about to fold when an emotional “Save Our Stamps” campaign rallied community support. USE ATTENDANCE Attendance nearly doubled last year to an average of 27,286. were rewarded with an exciting team that won 11 games and made the playoffs. The team actually turned a small profit. This year, after four home dates, average attendance is 21,125, almost 6,000 below the break-even point. On the field, a one-point victory in the season opener was followed by a losing streak that has reached six games. The team's futile has been d by bickering among players and a continuing controversy over who will play quarterback. The board of met privately this week to deal with the problems, but emerged from the meeting with little to say. Head coach Bob Vespaziani and general manager Earl RUBBER STAMPS} Texans Mode to Order CASTLEGAR NEWS take lead 197 Columbie Ave. Phone 365-7266 LLOYDMINSTER, SASK. (CP) — A pair of Texans are one-two on the leader board after the first round of the Saskatchewan Men's Open golf championship Friday. Mike Hammond of Staf- ford, Tex., posted a five- under-par 67 for the early Jead in the three-day, 54-hole event. Marty Schiene of Humble, Tex., was one stroke back at 68. A group of three other gol- fers — Teddy Ashcroft of Orlando, Fla., Mark Phillips of Studio City, Calif., and Jean Chapedelaine of Quebec City had 69s. Event organizers elimin- ated the cut that was planned after the first round, mean- ing all 150 golfers entered in the championship can play the final two rounds. eR MINOR HOCKEY COACHES REQUIRED For Atom, Pee Wee and Ban- tam House; Bantom ond Midget Rep. Application forms at Community Complex. For the Latest In DISCOUNTS FOR it Pre- Booking Call 365- SAIL (7245) COACHES LEVEL CLINIC Replaces Level 1 and 2 at Complex, Sept. 19 and 20. CONTACT DOUG COULSON 365-6987 TO REGISTER DEALERSHIPS hed j Kootenay Honda ae (across from Waneta Plaza) Dealer No. 7724 368-3377 CASTLE TIRE (1977) LTD. <> SALES & SERVICE ( ee 365-7145 1050 Columbia, Castlegar = K & ATIRES LID.© We Specialize in Brakes & Shocks (SERVICE & SALES) Owner SERIOCESTONE cou 365-2955 Lorry Chernenkot, 1507 Columbie Ave. Lunsford were given qualified votes of confidence and the team's budget was slashed. Those are about the only things meeting, on Chairman Jim Silye, a former player with the Stampeders, said the team was cutting spending in areass unrelated to the on-field product. He wouldn't elaborate but public and Neither would Silye say how big the cuts are. Some officials in the organization said about $80,000 to $100,000 would be saved. The club will lose substantially more’than that if attendance doesn't improve. Almost all seats in McMahon Stadium cost $12 or more, so a drop of 60,000 fans over 10 home games would mean a revenue.reduction of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Siemens told the Calgary Sun the club expects to use its entire $900,000 line of credit, established by the Alberta government when the financial crisis was at its worst 18 months a; Silye told The Canadian Press the Stampeders will survive even if attendance stays around 21,000, But other team sources told the Calgary Herald the break-even figure how is about 24,000. Asked to explain the team’s attendance wées, Silye blamed schedule changes caused by the demise of the Montreal Alouettes, a too-early start to the season, and the Stampeders’ quarterbacking problems. But the ultimate cause, he finally admitted, is that the Stamps are a bad team. “We have fewer people out because we're losing,” said Silye. “The city, like anywhere else, supports a winner.” SCHREIBER IGNORED BY BY NHL By PAUL WOODS CALGARY (CP) — Wally Schreiber knew he was never going to get a chance to make the National Hockey League as long as he was stuck deep in the minors. He was one of the top scorers in the International Hockey League, but the small, shifty right winger never got so much as a sniff from the NHL. “You play four years in the minor leagues without even someone asking you what you're doing,” Schreiber said. “It’s kind of like playing in South America, you're really far away. “I was thinking about going back to school or something.” Then Dave King called to offer Schreiber a job with Canada’s national team. Sshreiber joined the Olympic program last fall, showed off his offensive skills and got signed by the Minnesota North Stars. He is one of four players who have signed future contracts with NHL clubs since joining the national team. SELLING POINT “It's a great selling point,” for Olympic prospects, said King, the team's coach and general manager. “They see that maybe they can parlay this into an opportunity that may in the future be financially rewarding.” The national team had its final workouts Friday before travelling to the East Coast for two games against the NHL version of Team Canada. The games Sunday in Sydney, N.S., and Mondy in St. John’s, Nfid., are the first of about 60 King’s team will play prior to the Olympics next February. After the Olympics, forward Claude Vilgrain will join the Vancouver Canucks, defenceman Chris Felix will go to the Washington Capitals and forward Gord Sherven will join the Hartford Whalers. For Felix, Vilgrain and Sherven, playing with the national team last season, improved their skills enough to win them the NHL contracts. But it was a different story for Schreiber. “He came to us as a very talented player who was more or less forgotten,” said King. “More than improving Wally, we gave him a platform to perform on. He got noticed.” Felix, who drew no interest from NHL teams after a standout junior career in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., signed a deal last January with the Capitals. While most of the national-team players get by on a living allowance from Hockey Canada, Felix is already being paid by Washington. “TI definitely owe my career to this (Olympic) program,” said Felix, a finesse defenceman. “They (the Capitals) feel this is the best place to learn and develop.” Sherven, who played for King in the 1983-84 season but missed the Sarajevo Olympics because of an injury, rejoined the national team last fall. He had spent the previous two years shuttling back and forth between the Edmonton Oilers, the North Stars and their farm teams. “I never really got in the swing of things,” in those years, said Sherven, a right winger. “I went backwards and I wasn't going to improve. I felt the Olympic program was the best place to improve as a hockey player.” Left unprotected last fall by Edmonton, Sherven was claimed by Hartford in the NHL waiver draft. He signed a contract late last spring and played seven games with the CASTLEGAR & AREA RECREATION DEPARTMENT AUG. 9 — Robson Rec family picnic P.C.P. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Breaktast and Flea Market, Robson Hall, 9 to 11 a.m. P.S. Robson Pool, 2 to 4 p.m. and 6:30 to 8 p.m. Public Swim Brandson Pool — 1 to 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 - 8 p.m . 10 — Hockey School Starts Complex. Session IV Swim Lessons Start, B.B. Pool. Fitness 9 to 10 a.m. Complex . 11 — Aquo Fit, B.B. Pool, 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Masters Swim 8 - 9 p.m. Brandson Pool. Masters Swim 7:30 8:30 p.m. Robson Pool . 12 — Fitness 9 to 10 a.m. and 7 to 8 p.m. Complex Public Swim, B.P. Pool, | to 3:30 and 6.30 10 8 p.m. Public Swim Robson Pool, 2 to 4 p.m. Fitness, 7 t0 8 p.m. Complex . . 13 — Hockey School continues — Complex. Public Swim Bob Brandson Pool, | to 3:30 p.m. Public Swim Robson Pool, 2 to 4 p.m. . 14 — Fitness 9 to 10 a.m. Complex. Aqua Fit, 8 t0 9 Job Brandson Pool . 18 — Last Day for Hockey School. Public Swim Bob Brandson Pool, | to 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 8 p.m. Public Swim, Robson Pool, 2 to 4. p.m. and 6:30 to 8 p.m Have a good week, play tennis! 2101-6th Ave., Castlegar Phone 365-3386 TAKE TITLE... took the title WEEKEND 'd and Son Petro Can Rep team rom previously undefeated Spokane's House of Hose. Pictured above are: (from left, back row) Coach George Southwell, Lisa TOURNEY Castlegar draw. Seven teams comprised the tournament. They ranged from all regions of Spokane, the Valley, Tri Cities, and other outlying areas. By KEN MAKORTOFF » Boyd and Son Petro Can Rep team took the title from the previously undefeated Spokane's House of Hose team south of the border last weekend. Castlegar girls were underdogs going into the start of the tournament by being placed in the top end of the Maxi end of the takes title sevent# inning progressed, Spokane loaded the bases. A run now would have certainly blown this game wide open. A fine defensive play by Kim Southwell held off any further scoring giving Castlegar a 10-8 win. This big win guaranteed Castlegar a spot in the finals. Spokane being the fighters that they were, came back through the consolation round to meet Castlegar in the final. Being the number one team in the Spokane league they were not about to hand Castlegar a victory. The final game started with Spokane taking a Baker, Sherry Makortoff, Jen Sallis, Kim Southwell, Sherri Finch and coach Ken Makortoff. (Front row) Kim Chernenkoff, Wendy Sookachotf, Darlene Connatty, Sunny Baker and Venie Voykin. — Photo submitted LIFESTYLES PLAINDEALER SOURIS, MAN, (CP) — Nearly 100 years of local publishing’ history didn't stop residents in this small southwest Manitoba town from choosing a plucky new kid on the block as their local weekly newspaper. rival Souris Valley Echo and revenue, announced it was going into bankruptey Wednesday. But residents say they aren't sorry to see the end of the newspaper, first published in 1892, or its publisher, Garth Stouffer. “He used the paper to lash out at the community,” said Art Arpin, manager of the Souris IGA grocery. “When we decided to quit advertising with him, he wrote quite a nasty editorial about us.” Jack Denbow, manager of Chicken Jack’s- had similar 1 about the newspa- per’s operations. “I wasn't too happy with his columns, because we found he was giving the young people in town quite a few slams over different things that they were doing,” said Denbow. “He was always hard on everybody else. He was very opinionated.” PAPER Stouffer, who has owned the Plaindealer for the last 10 years, told its readers not to expect a newspaper next had put him out of business. Locals end newspaper But Dan Nicholson, Echo editor and one of four former Brandon University students that started the new paper, said his paper helped push the Plaindealer over the edge. “We certainly contributed to their closure, but I think it was inevitable because the merchants of this town had organized quite a boycott against the paper before we came along,” said Nicholson, who helped start the Echo in April. He said townspeople resented Stouffer's decision to sell the Plaindealer's Souris office last year and move its operations to his home in nearby Brandon. The former students had wanted to buy the Plain- dealer but found Stouffer's asking price unreasonable. “He wanted $136,000 for a paper that was worth $65,000, at the top end,” Nicholson said. After several! meetings with Stouffer and with local business leaders, the four went into business on their own. “We've been warmly and enthusiastically received. Everyone seems to know who we are and we're getting along really well with the a! said. Men were once practically the only buyers of life in. surance, but today many women are finding they need it as well. If a women makes a finan- cial contribution to her family — either as a single parent or as a necessary second income fe insurance will provide financial protection for her family in the event of her death, says Bill McLeod, a life insurance expert and col- lege instructor in Sudbury, Ont. In addition, there is an in: creasing awareness today of the costs imposed on a hus- band if a homemaker dies, especially if there are chil- dren, he says. The American Council of He added the Echo is just breaking even at this point, but he hopes the paper’s revenue will increase once former Plaindealer readers turn to the Echo. The Plaindealer had about 1,700 readers as opposed to the Echo's 700 subscribers, he said. Stouffer, who since the announcement has refused to talk to the media, was unavailable for comment Thursday. Souris, with a population of 1,800, is located aboug 240 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg. After having a bye in the first round, Castlegar started out slow in its first game of the double knockout tournament. They were faced against the number two team from the league. The girls had to adjust to ASA rules, modifications in commanding 5-0 lead after one and a half innings. Castlegar came alive in the bottom of the second inning after a home run from Lisa Baker. The third inning was dominated by the strong hitting of Jen Sallis, still Spokane, having not lost a game all season, were on the attack and the pressure was on. As the bottom of the i batting last. pitching, umpire rules, etc. but composed themselves and blasted the number two team 13-4. Sunday morning Castlegar Spokane's number one team (House of Hose). Castlegar, going strong from Saturday's commanding lead of 8-3 after four innings, only to see it slip to within two runs in the last inning with Spokane was faced against win, took a Darlene Connatty and Sunny Baker, after three complete innings the score was 7-7. The great defense and strong pitching-catching combo of Sherry Makortoff and Venie Voykin kept the Spokane to only one more run in four innings. The final score being 9-8. Others contributing to Castlegar’s big win were Wendy Sookachoff, Kim Chernenkoff and Sherri Finch. With this victory Castlegar ended the season for Rep Girls Softball. Castlegar impressed Spokane with its and fine spor on and off the field. Spencer out on bail BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A former National Hockey League player charged with a murder in Florida was in Buffalo this weekend to visit friends trying to raise money for him. Brian spencer, who played for the Buffalo Sabres in the 1970s, arrived Friday in Buf- falo with the permission of a Florida judge to spend the weekend there. He was free on $50,000 US bail. Spencer, now a heavy- equipment mechanic in West Palm Beach, was arrested in Florida Jan. 18 and charged with the 1982 murder of Michael Dalfo, 32, in Palm Beach County. Police said Dalfo was shot twice in the head with a .25-calibre pistol, then dragged to a shallow pool of water at a dump and left to die. Tarrys holds tourney Tarrys Volunteer Fire De- partment will hold its fifth annual Mixed Slowpitch Tournament on Aug. 15 - 16 at Tarrys Community Hall. This year's tournament Olympic tickets are still available CALGARY (CP) — Tickets are still available for more than half of the 42 hockey games scheduled during the 1988 Winter Olympics, in. cluding three involving Team Canada. Debra Henry, special as- signments manager for the Calgary Olympic organizing committee, said Friday ti ckets can still be purchased for games which pit the Can adian squad against Poland, Switzerland and France. There are also seats left for a match between the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia. Tickets are still available for some alpine skiing events, cross country skiing, nordic combined, biathlon, bobsled and luge. The opening and closing ceremonies, along with all the figure and speedskating events, curling and freestyle skiing, are sold out. In total, more than 500,000 Olympic tickets renfain un- sold, but a lot of people don't realize it, Henry said. Henry, who worked in tic keting for the 1984 Los An- geles Summer Olympics, said interest in the Games is not as high for people living out- side of Calgary. “The people on the East Coast, for example, they're not right in the middle of it, sol don't think their Olympic fever has hit quite yet,” she said. Olympic organizers have budgeted 300,000 unsold tic. kets. But with six months to go before the Games begin, they're still hoping for a sell-out. Weekend Wrap-Up FOOTBALL fees: | Ge aes Be Baie EIR=> hoes