Ladies’ Night at the Fights

A rhythmic chant, “Debbie . . . Debbie . . . Debbie,” began as soon as (Lady) Debbie Kennedy, a 27-year-old Army sergeant, appeared in the Lakeland Community College gymnasium at Kirtland, Ohio. No such fanfare was generated for Sharon Harrington, a 33-year-old welder for General Motors.

But once they climbed into the ring, there was a roar for action from the 1,500 fans on hand for the first sanctioned women’s professional boxing match in Ohio.

Harrington went on the offensive early, scoring repeatedly to the head. The audience alternately cheered and laughed. By Round 3, Kennedy regained some of the initiative, but Harrington still landed more punches through the fourth and final round.

Finally, a decision by the judges: A draw.

Boos came down from the rafters.

“I felt like I won,” Harrington said later. “But I’ll be back and I’ll fight again.”

Add female fights: An entourage of young men hoisted Harrington above their shoulders and carried her to the dressing room. Kennedy didn’t get a ride, but she smiled, anyway.

“It hurts to get hit,” Kennedy said. “But it’s a good feeling in a way, like a sensation.”

Last add female fights: “Boxing is just not for ladies,” said former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, who was in attendance. “I think it was a very interesting fight, but ladies just can’t give or take punishment like a man.”

Cody Carlson, the blond, blue-eyed quarterback at Baylor who is a member of a Christian singing group and has appeared in an anti-drug TV commercial produced by the NCAA, on his perfect-angel image:

“If you lived next door to me when I was a kid, I’d probably have broken your windows--rocks, footballs, baseballs, whatever is handy.”

He told Steve Schoenfeld of the Dallas Times Herald: “I’ve always had a mischievous streak. I was a real troublemaker as a child. I fight to control that sometimes.”

Like the time when Carlson was a Baylor freshman.

“I sort of got arrested,” he said.

Sort of?

“A bunch of us had been out hunting,” he said. “We left some dead raccoons at various places around campus--like on the statue of Judge (Emmett) Baylor (the founder of the university). We left it spread-eagle on his head--a coonskin cap.

“We were caught when a policeman saw us driving across the lawn of the Tidwell Bible Building. Four police cars surrounded us. We were nailed.”

And?

“We didn’t get in too much trouble,” Carlson said. “We had to go see the dean at men’s housing. Mostly, we just talked about football.”

How appropriate: John McEnroe makes his recording debut at the Teldec Record Co. in Hamburg, West Germany, in September.

The name of the album: “Don’t Let It End”

The U.S. pop group he will record with: Highly Strung.

“He (McEnroe) is such an excellent musician he could start a second career,” Teldec manager Thomas Stein said.

Ball’s in your court, John. Quotebook

Lee Mazzilli, on his return to the New York Mets after playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates: “My face is tired. I’ve been smiling for two weeks.”