Spo,t1: Profile of Willie Stoudamire by Ron Leverett In interviewing Willie Stoudamire, one of the best all-around athletes Portland fans have ever witnessed, I was very impressed with the mature outlook he has on life. After the interview, I came away feeling very lucky to have the opportunity to explore how he got interested in sports, some of his unhappy experiences and ambitions he hopes to pursue. Prior to the interview, it was rumored - primarily by white coaches - that Willie doesn't like for people to become very close to him. Thus, there were some reservations. In tracing his illustrious career, one must go back to the time when Willie was in the third grade at Elliot. Here he received his inspiration from the late Negro teacher, John Daniels, to pursue sports as well as a college degree, which he hopes to acquire in Business Administration. During his grade school basketball, he had the fortune of playing on a seventh and eighth golden ball cham-· pionship teams. The names of some of the players who performed were Ed Thompson, Ken Warren, Russ Payne, Dan Bell and his brother, Charles, Cardell, Willie's older brother, was the deciding factor for him to perform at Washington rather than Jefferson High School, Upon his arrival on the high school level, Willie responded as a typical outstanding grade school athlete. He thought he Jcnew all that was to be known about sports. • Mike Doherty, the basketball coach there during that time, taught him to be tolerant of others besides learning several fundamentals which developed him into an outstanding player. Other Washington coaches who helped him in athletics were Jimmy Winters and Paul Potech. In looking back over his career, Willie's last year in basketball was his most enjoyable. As he stated, "People realized I wasn't a superman," the pressure which he felt was exerted on him during his junior year. During his freshman year, he remarks that his basketball playing time amounted to one junior varsity game before being moved up to varsity competition. On the varsity level, he compiled a total of 45 minutes playing time. Willie emphasized that this was not wasted but a learning experience for him. Honors achieved in high school were: All-City football and 3rd team All-State junior year: All-City AllState 1st team in junior and senior year, setting a new state scoring basketball record; Honorable Mention in baseball sophomore and junior year. His senior year he did not participate. In reflecting over his career, Willie feels that many black athletes are exploited, that they have only one responsibility to the school that is to perform. FASTEST HUMAN 1'ME Hl6HE6T AVERAGE SPEED EVER AOUEVED BY MAN W/'6 T\.IE 100 YARDS RUN BY BOB HAYES (NOW A PRO FOOTBALL He speaks very bitterly on how he felt he was being· used at Washington. This came to light at the school's athletic banquet when the most outstanding senior athlete is given a plaque or troph·,. Willie was passed over - ''because he had the wrong attitude." In pursuing this statement, 1 asked if he thought white coaches understood Negro athletes, or, phrasing it another way, "are they hard to discipline?" His reply was that he felt it was mostly the coaches who didn't understand the black athlete. To justify his statement, he refers to his junior year when the Negro coach, Jimmy Winters, was at Washington. When a personal problem would arise between him and the coach, he would talk to Jim. Jim would then consult the coach to rectify the incident. During his basketball career, Willie feels he had two memorable moments - the first, to show people he was better than Mike Keck; secondly, performing against his "buddies," Jefferson High School, Willie comes from a large family consisting of four sisters and five brothers. His hero idols are Elgin Baylor of the Los Angeles Lakers and UCLA's Mike Warren, Next fall he will venture to Lower Columbia College, a Junior College in Longview, Washington. His choice of th.is school was based mainly on the fact that he felt that he wasn't ready academically; secondly, he might become (Continued on Page 7) PLAYER) IN THE LAST STAGE OF I' 11111 i""I A RELAY RACE. HE COVERED µ..w..i,-- THE Dt5TANCE IN 1.8 SECOMOS!"~~t Willie Stoudamire Black & White Special COMPLETE WITH Rollabout Stand If you're looking for value in a partable TV, your search is ended! This smartly styled RCA Sportabout brings you big picture, portable convenience and famous RCA quality at a low, low price. Built-in VHF and UHF antennas. Frontmounted 5" oval speaker. Come in for a demonstration ... find out how much more RCA offers for your TV dollar! Stand Included EVEN LESS with Trade! SHOP .... • Great Vacation Companion! The TAIMETTE Model Al 156 1e - d 1ag . 172 sq ,n picture IOTHll(i DOWN on app. credit MON. THRU FRI. SAT. 'TIL 6 P.M. 30th and S. E. DIVISION • 234-9351 July 11, 1968 The Oregon Advance/TIMES Page5 Scouts Respond to VP's Appeal I Twenty young boys from cipation for the fact that only They will Join 785 other boys the Albina area took off for one of five potential scout- from Oregon at Camp Meritheir first taste of camping ers is reached. ,, wether. Sunday, thanks to the Boy "The words 'Boy Scouting' ''Camp Meriwether is one Scouts of· America and its immediately sets up a block of the finest camps in the current program to give 120 because it means Responsi- council," Mr. Crews elabordisadvantaged children a bility," said Mr. Crews. Boy ated. "It is located on the scouting experience "on the Scouting has also suffered Pacific beach and offers a house." from "a white image" in the variety of activities such as According to Ch a r 1es Negro community ''because canoeing, archery, rifle praeCrews, Assistant District Ex- only middle class white peo- tice, arts and crafts, plus the ecutive, the "campships" are ple have used the scouting opportunity to work on 250 the results of Vice President program. If five out of 20 merit badges." The scouters Humphrey's appeal in 1965 people on the block showed will return home on Saturday, for a summer program for interest and donated time, we July 13, at 5 p.m. boys in connection with the could serve every boy in AlOffice of Educational Oppor- bina." tunity. The present intercity Mr. Crews emphasized the program has been in exist- volunteer basis of the ence for two years, but still Boy Scouts and its dependence falls short ofthe desired max- on a leadership drawn from imum contact with boys eleven each community being served. to fourteen, who would bene- Counselors Pete Elia and fit from a week of outdoor Fredrick Smith will be SUcommunity living. Mr. Crews pervising the first group to blames a lack of parentparti- leave for camp this summer. PLANNING A PICNIC ? Corporation Formed (Continued from Page l) money and come together for I a puil)Ose. What we are trying to tell, then, is we're living in economywherewe're working through a Coil)Orate Structure. You can't be a success in the market today as an individual. check the weather with... the 1ti0,Hy adult weatherman JIM BOSLEY 6:00- 7=30 p.m. color we start at 6... join us when you can SUMMER DRESSES 6 88 Special Groups taken from regular 9 88 stock and priced for a quick sell out! 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