ILTF Group Vote Not To Back WTT

BOSTON -- The committee of management for the International Lawn Tennis Federation voted Saturday against sanctioning World Team Tennis events in 1974. The decision, reached by four committee members who attended the windup of the Masters Tournament, makes it illegal for players governed by the ILTF to participate in the infant league, due to start next May.

Allan Heyman, ILTF president, said the decision will stand until "an extraordinary general meeting of the ILTF" can be held Jan. 26 in London. Heyman said all 99 member countries will be allowed to vote on the final decision. ILTF officials contend WTT, a 16-city league, will cut the heart out of the European summer circuit, which includes Wimbledon.

[source: upi]

Angels Fail In Second Try To Get Santo

HOUSTON -- Last-minute efforts by the California Angels to acquire veteran third baseman Ron Santo from the Chicago Cubs ended in failure early Saturday morning. Harry Dalton, general manager of the Angels, and Chicago Cub officials, including manager Whitey Lockman, emerged from an 11-hour meeting to report the breakdown of the attempted deal.

Santo earlier this week blocked an attempt by the Cubs to trade him to the Angels, invoking the option which allows players with 10 years of major league experience and the last five years with the same club the right of approval of any trade. "I talked to Ron myself," said Dalton. "We extended the deadline as long as we could but we are still not able to make a trade. In my judgment one of the problems has been Ron's strongly stated feelings that he didn't want to leave Chicago." Dalton said that another possible inter-league deal involving the Montreal Expos had been affected by the failure to swing the Santo trade and also fell through.

[source: ap]

Outland Award Goes To Hicks Of Ohio State

OKLAHOMA CITY -- John Hicks, Ohio State's All-American offensive tackle and runner-up in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, has been named winner of the Outland Award. The trophy is awarded annually by the Football Writers Assn. to the nation's best guard or tackle. Hicks, one of two Ohio State players on the Writers' All-American team, finished in front of Oklahoma guard Lucious Selmon in the voting for the Outland Award. Hicks said it was the "greatest honor" he had ever received.

"It was something I've dreamed about all my life," he said. "It has been my goal to win it, but you never really think something like that can happen to you. "I tried not to put personal goals ahead of team goals this year, but the Outland was always in the back of my mind. It's the greatest honor I've ever received," Hicks said.

"I'm delighted to hear he has won the Outland Trophy. I know of no athlete since I've been at Ohio State who deserves it more than John Hicks. He is a great athlete, a great leader and an outstanding young citizen," said coach Woody Hayes. Hayes said Hicks, a 6-3, 258-pound senior from Cleveland, "is the best lineman I've ever coached."

[source: upi]