Simple logic indicates that the Vancouver
Whitecaps are currently building for next season |

while accepting the inevitability of doom for this
current campaign. .

The loss of Alan Ball and
Willie Johnston, with 13
games left in season. play,
writes ‘finis’ to a generally
lousy year for the defending
soccer bowl champions.

Oh sure there can be a
‘miracle’ somewhere out
there in never-never' land,
but don’t bet the rent money

_ onit.

A team just can't go
through one ‘coach, per-
sistent grumblings and: the.
dropping of two top ex-
perienced players and hope
to come away unscathed. It
would be stretching the

imagination to paths yet-

untrod to believe that all is
now well in the camp of the
guys who wear the white
hats.

More logical it is to
assume that the club will
now start building early for

North Vancouver
Recreation Commission is
inviting .everyone to Ron
Andrews Pool’s fifth Bir-
thday Fit and Fun Party, July
9, featuring free public
swims, health club activities,
fitness programs and testing.

Ron Andrews Pool, 931
Lytton St., just off Mount
Seymour Parkway, has been
serving the castern North
Vancouver area since its
official opening by District
of North Vancouver's former
Mayor, the late Ron An-
drews, on July 9, 1975.

To celebrate, join us all

leathes shoes.

CELEBRITY
SHOE SALE

on now at Fit-Rite Bootery

reg. 55.95 now
Canada’s famous “Celebrity” hand made all

All Sales Final
Sale Definitely Ends July 12

FIT-RITE BOOTERY

13TH & LONSDALE
NORTH VANCOUVER

NEXT TO SAFEWAY PARKING LOT

next season. Plus, there is in
a strangely convoluted way,
one slight advantage for the
top brass of the club.

CYNICAL

Now they can say that
‘what can you expect?’ if
things do not go well. After
all, two of their big stars
walked out. (Ah cynicism,
thy name is professional
sport).

No matter how some of
our more ‘expert’ media
gloat over the ‘poor’ per-
formances of Johnston and
Ball, the simple fact remains
that these two men did so
much to bring the Caps the
championship last year, and
in one sense their profes-
Sionalism and calmness
under pressure perhaps kept
this club from even greater

day for: birthday cake, three

public swims with water‘

games, and/or a drop-in
tryout of our Health Club
facilities. While you argé
here, have a free fitness test
on our Dynavit bicycle.

Fit and Fun _ activities
during the three scheduled
public swim times include:
greased watermelon con-
tests, bubble = sessions,
underwater scavenger hunts,
inner tube races and an adult
Superman/ Wonderwoman
contest.

For further information,
phone: 929-7314.

Bolge Kid Leather...

999 |

aT tes

sp RS ee ere,

able to get a jump on the——

- slides than what they have

already been faced with.

Both Johnston and Ball
have faced pressure before.
Considerably more pressure
than they ever faced here in
Vancouver. That kind of
experience is invaluable and
can not be found overnight.

The. media in Vancouver
turned on both these guys to
a considerable degree simply
because they were having a
hard time of it. But that's no
reason to knock them as
players. there aren't too
many players on that team
who can stand up and take
bows to this point of the
year. Yet since others do not
have the stature and back-
ground of Ball or Johnston
they don’t get the flack.

REFRESHING

Very few of the media
were enamoured of Willie
because Willic was not
enamoured of them. Even
the announcement Tuesday
of the ‘release’ wasn't

enough | to:bring the taciturn -
‘Scot: in front. of “the .

" microp hones. - . His attitude |

was. somewhat refreshing .
Compared - to those wiio
answer inane questions in an
inane fashion:

_ The two players were both
leaders at the practices
. constantly.vying for ‘one-
upsmanship’ and pulling
every type of stunt imagine-

other.

and tedious practices was a -

refreshing insight into what
makes a pro. They managed
to bring something to the
workouts that will be missed.

But they're gone. and the
Whitecaps remain; a strug-
gling, disconsolate bunch
who must be wondering if all

The one fact that we can
count on is that new faces
will be appearing at Empire
Stadium in the Whitecap
colors and soon.

WHAT NEXT?

~- Of course this latest move
allows all types of
speculation. What about
Johan Cruyff who is not all
that enchanted with
Washington Diplomats. And
how about Branko Segota
and Canadian = scoring
sensation with Rochester?
Whitecaps have already
there are all the fine young

a

B3-Suinday News, July 6,1980

could :be- used as: trade Ddait. these professionals 4 again.
within the next week or so.. The: “family’ seems ‘to be

But Willie and Alan Ball breaking up at an alarming
are gone and it will-be a long~ rate. Let’s hope they're able
time before we are fortunate to stay out of the divorce
enough to seé the likes all courts.

‘t it is, you can use this
space to reach every sports-
minded person on the North
Shore. Get in touch with your
customers.

Call display advertising -
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