Saugus’ Masters Faces Collier in Ring Return

A former world heavyweight champion will be making a comeback attempt at the Hollywood Palace tonight.

OK, so it’s only Monte Masters of Saugus, former champion of the little-known and even less-regarded World Athletic Assn. of Yukon, Okla. But if Masters (30-2, 26 knockouts) can prevail in tonight’s 10-round main event, he will have taken a small step toward credibility. His opponent will be Dee Collier (12-8, seven knockouts) of Los Angeles, a former state champion and the man who retired Tex Cobb and, perhaps, Alex Garcia, who has not fought since a loss to Collier on Nov. 29.

Masters has been retired for nearly three years, giving up the ring for the more solid business of construction. But he has laid the foundation for a comeback scenario that he hopes to start acting out tonight.

The car was ready, but the driver was not.

That was the case for the Two’s Company entry in the Indianapolis 500 last week. After more than a week of mechanical problems, the Sun Valley company’s March 86C was finally ready to go on the track for qualifying last weekend. But driver and co-owner Dick Ferguson of Glendale was ruled ineligible.

Because Ferguson had not raced at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in two years, he was required to take a 20-lap refresher course in which he had to maintain a speed exceeding 190 miles an hour. The deadline was last Wednesday, but because the car still had problems, Indy officials made an exception and set last Friday as the deadline.

However, it rained Friday and Ferguson wasn’t allowed on the track Saturday.

“Everything looked dynamite,” a dejected Jim Harkess, one of the owners, said by phone from Indy. “There are a lot of disappointed folks out here.”

John Wordin of West Hills qualified for the U. S. National Road Cycling Championships in July by placing third in the U.S. Cycling Federation District 3 time trial championships Sunday in Lancaster.

Wordin, 25, finished the 40-kilometer course in 52 minutes, 41 seconds, 21 seconds behind Kerry Stockwell and Jay Vanderahe, who tied for first.

Wordin was leading the event until the chain fell off his cycle with approximately seven miles remaining. The nationals are July 11-20 in Park City, Utah.

Wordin and other area cyclists will next compete in the Redlands Stage Race, which runs Friday through Sunday. The race is part of the USCF’s National Prestige Classic series.

De Dow, a sophomore right-hander at Moorpark College, was selected to the all-tournament team at the state junior college softball championships.

Dow (30-7), the winningest pitcher in Moorpark history, won three games in the state playoffs last weekend at Golden West College in Huntington Beach. She was selected to the all-tournament team along with teammates Rosa Jimenez (utility), Paula Allen (outfielder) and Gina Duarte (third base).

Moorpark placed third in the state and set a school record for wins in a season (38).