Jerry West interrogated by New York news writers
NEW YORK (UPI) — Jerry West never flinched.
He could've squirmed, begged off or simply said he'd rather not answer but he never did.
The flat-nosed, but still good-looking 30-year-old Los Angeles Lakers' superstar had made a trip here to accept a new emerald green automobile awarded him by Sport Magazine as the outstanding performer in the NBA playoffs and he knew there'd be questions, but this was nearly as rough as going up against the Boston Celtics again.
West was handed the keys to the car Thursday and then ushered inside a restaurant where he sat down in one of the red upholstered booths and in no time at all found himself surrounded by a horde of interrogators.
Questions begin
He tried the low key, logical approach at first, reminding that actions speak more eloquently than words.
"Too much importance these days is placed on athletes' comments," he said. "Not enough on their performance."
That wasn't what anybody had come to hear though.
What about some of the comments made by the Celtics, some of whom said they had never seen anyone play a better game of basketball than Jerry West did in Monday's finale, which the Lakers lost, 108-106. How did such talk make him feel?
"A player knows when he has played well," West said, without sounding prigish about it.
Yes, persisted a persister, but how did he REALLY feel about being the recipient of such praise.
"I realize," West said
haltingly, "respect from other players doesn't come easily."
Did it strike him somewhat funny being designated MVP even though he was on the losing side?
"It seems almost insignificant," West replied. "I'll probably be recognized more for this than for anything else in my career. I've had better playoffs though. This wasn't my best."
What about Chamberlain
So much for the sparring. Now everybody was primed for the haymaker. They wanted to know what Jerry West thought about Wilt Chamberlain. More than that, they wanted to know what he thought about Chamberlain being quoted as saying the Lakers lacked "direction" in the final moments of Monday's contest with the Celtics, and about Chamberlain's statement that the Lakers worked the ball to "one man" too much.
That's where Jerry West didn't flinch. He took a moment before answering but didn't duck the issue.
"I don't think Wilt made himself available to get the ball all the time," West said evenly. "He had five fouls on him. I can't go along with what he says there."
Now, West was asked what he thought about those who keep referring to Chamberlain as a loser or a quitter.
"A lotta people wanna call him that, but that's unfair," said West. "He contributed as much as any player to our team, maybe more. People don't realize we won more games with Wilt Chamberlain than we did without him."
It was suggested to West he was beginning to sound like Chamberlain's defender.
Missouri falls to netters to end dual meet season
Heading into the Big Eight Conference tennis championships May 16 and 17 at Iowa State University, the KU tennis squad put the lid on their dual meet competition Saturday by defeating Missouri 6-1 at Columbia.
Chamberlain twisted his knee going up for a rebound Monday night and had to sit out the last five minutes, and now West was beiging asked whether he thought Wilt's return to the floor possibly would've helped the Lakers.
The Jayhawks closed out the dual meet season with a 13-8-2 overall record and a 3-3 conference mark.
"The meet went as I expected," said Jim Lurns, KU tennis coach. "We played pretty good. Their first man was the only one to beat us, and he has only lost to two or three conference players."
Burns said that Oklahoma should win the conference title easily, with KU, Kansas State and Oklahoma State battling for second place. He said the KU doubles teams should place high and that two or three men in the singles competition should do well.
"I'm not trying to defend him," he said. "I'm only trying to tell you what is so."
"Sid Kanter has played real well in the number four spot this season," Burns said, "so I expect him to vie for the conference title. Also Dudley Bush or Jim Ballinger have done well at the number five spot, so whichever one makes the trip has a good chance.
"Our number two doubles team has a very good chance to win, probably the best," he added. "That will be Bill DeBaun and Ballinger or Bush. The number one doubles team of Kanter and Dan Oram should place high, but they will have to
Invariably the conversation centered around Chamberlain, not because West had anything to do with it, but he still answered all the questions as best he could.
May 12
1969 KANSAN 7
face OU's undefeated number one doubles team."
Burns said that in the past, the dual meets played during the season between conference teams have counted towards the conference meet. But this year, the championship tournament will decide the final conference standings and no points will be added for dual meet victories.
"I think that loss bothered him more than any loss he has had to accept." West said.
we will be closed all day tomorrow to reduce our entire stock...for our annual Summer Closing Sale.
"Hell, I've lost as muchas he's lost. Elgin Baylor has lost as much also. But when you get paid as much as he's paid I guess people figure you're never supposed to lose. People think he's superhuman. He's not superhuman."
SORRY.
Alcindor-best there is
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West surprised some of his listeners with his answer to the question of which player he would choose over all others right now
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"Lew Alcindor," he said.
SALE STARTS SAT.
"I've watched him play and he can do things no other center can do."
Even though Alcindor has never played a single game in the NBA?
"That's right," West said.
COACH HOUSE
And who would he pick for one game?
12th & Oread
"Bill Russell," replied West. "I think Wilt Chamberlain is a better basketball player than Russell, but for one game, I'd pick Russell."
Whv?
"You'd have to be an athlete to know why," West said.
Beman hits 20-foot putt to take $20,000 in Texas
SAN ANTONIO, Tex. (UPI) — Deane Beman, getting into a sudden death playoff when Jack McGowan missed an 18-inch putt on the 18th green, dropped a 20-foot putt on the first playoff hole Sunday to win the $100,000 Texas Open—his first PGA tour title.
Beman, a former national amateur winner, fired a course record-tying six-under-par 65 on the second two rounds Sunday, but he still appeared to be a shot short of victory.
McGowan, winless in $4\frac{1}{2}$ years on the tournament trail, needed only a par on the final hole to climax two fine final rounds with a victory. He put his approach shot on the 18th hole to the right of the green, but chipped to within 18 inches of the cup.
The pressure was too much.
however, and the poker-faced McGowan missed the hole to the left.
McGowan made his par on the par-4 15th, the first hole in the sudden death affair, but Beman calmly rammed his putt home to grab the $20,000 first prize.
They had finished the regulation 72 holes at 10-under-par 274, a full three strokes in front of Tommy Aaron, Dave Hill and late-charging Lee Trevino.
The field was forced to play two rounds Sunday because of a rainout in Thursday's opening round, and Beman made the most of it.
He shot a one-under-par 70 during the morning and then rushed back with a 65 in the afternoon that tied the course record set five years ago by former host pro Miller Barber.
724 Mass.
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