Sports DIGEST : Southland Bicyclists Compete for State Title

Many of the Southland’s top bicycle riders will compete in the Southern California State Championship at Griffith Park this Sunday.

Two of the top local contenders include Kerry Stockwell of North Hollywood and David Brinton of Studio City. Stockwell was fifth in last Sunday’s time trials for the event, while Brinton is a former junior national champion.

There will be 11 classes, determined by age and gender.

Rider registration is at the Greek Theater at 5:45 a.m. The first race will be at 7 a.m.

Steven Ball of the U.S. Cycling Federation expects 400 riders to be on hand. Due to last year’s Olympic Games, interest in cycling has increased.

“This year all our registrations are up,” Ball said.

The longest race will be a 100-mile race for male riders aged 18 to 34.

More than two miles of the 6.6-mile road loop will be a climb. The Greek Theater will serve as the start and finish point.

“It’s a very hilly circuit, a very demanding course,” said Ball.

It will be the biggest race of the season for most of riders. For others, it will be a chance to qualify in the National Championships next month in Milwaukee.

Former winners of the event include U.S. Olympic cyclist Thurlow Rogers of Van Nuys. Rogers was sixth in the road event in the ’84 Olympic Games and was the gold medalist in the 1983 Pan-American Games.

Tamburro Resigns

Don Tamburro has resigned as Pierce College’s baseball coach to accept an assistant coaching position at Pepperdine University.

Tamburro, 44, who coached at Pierce only a year, said he is looking forward to his new position, which allows him the opportunity to work with athletes longer.

“It’ll be a great chance to work with four-year students,” Tamburro said. “At two-year schools such as Pierce, you lose kids quickly. To make a commitment to a two-year program is tough on a coach. I respect schools such as Canyon and Cerritos that have established winning programs.”

Tamburro compiled a 181-78-8 baseball record in seven years as a baseball coach. Before working at Pierce, Tamburro was a baseball coach at Granada Hills and Kennedy high schools. In 1981, Tamburro coached Kennedy to the City title.

While at Kennedy, Tamburro also coached football. Although he coached football for 13 years, Tamburro, a former minor league third baseman with the Angel’s Class-A team in Salinas, says he prefers coaching baseball.

“Football was a seven-day a week job,” he said. “But, baseball is my first love.”

Colts Close Campaign With Win

Tom Goodspeed and Dan Healy combined for three goals in the final chukker to lift the Los Angeles Colts over Hawaii, 12-10, Saturday night in an indoor polo contest at the Los Angeles Equidome.

The Colts entered the sixth and final chukker deadlocked, 9-9. A 40-yard backhand goal by Goodspeed and a 10-yarder by Healy put Los Angeles ahead to stay. Goodspeed popped in a penalty shot to close out the scoring.

Goodspeed and Healy each scored five goals to lead the Colts.

Los Angeles, which finished 7-1 in the American Polo League, will play an exhibition against an all-star team Saturday night, June 15 in the Equidome.