European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 8, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 stars and stripes saturday March 8, 1986 Sambito seeking family reunion7 Winter Haven Fla. A South Paw Joe Sambito once a flame throwing Relief Ace is hopeful for a reunion with Long lost relatives in a comeback bid with the Boston red sox. Sambito figures he can help the red sox in two ways on the Field and at the Gate. But first he has to prove he can still pitch in the major leagues. If i can win a Job i know i la be Able to help the club win some Ball games he said during a break in training Camp. And if i do that i la see cousins and other relatives i Haven t seen in  Sambito is a native of Brooklyn but his father grew up in Massachusetts and he now has relatives in Waltham Bedford Leominster Fitchburg Ayer and Huma Rock a Section of Plymouth and maybe a few other towns i Don t recall immedi  i told Sully red sox co owner Hay Wood Sullivan that if i make the team the red sox Home attendance might increase by 500,000," Sambito added with a smile. That is the key making the team. Like Many other clubs the red sox Are desperately in need of a left handed reliever. And Sambito is in need of a Job. From 1977 through 1981, Sambito com piled earned run averages of 2.33, 3.07, 1.78, 2.20 and 1.83 in 292 Relief appear ances for the Houston astros. Then after allowing Only one earned run in nine games in 1982, he suffered an injured left Elbow. He underwent three operations the first of which was for major re pair and reconstruction. His career appeared Over when he was sidelined throughout 1983. However he made a Token comeback in 1984, pitching 47 innings in 32 games without a decision or a save. Then he was Given his release last april. Signed by the new York mets Sambito appeared in eight games allowing 15 earned runs in 10 23 innings then was ship Ped to Tidewater where he pitched in 19 International league games. My statistics were nothing to write Home about but i Felt i was beginning to throw pretty Good again Sambito said. So i went to Venezuela and pitched Winter Ball. I did pretty Good and five clubs were interested me. I picked the red sox be cause they need a left handed reliever and they have a Good reputation As an Organiza  so Sambito elected to Gamble. He signed a contract with Boston s triple a club the Pawtucket red sox of the International league and is getting a shot at returning to the big time. I Don t want to have any regrets later Sambito 33, said. I m doing everything i can to pitch  Sambito in t trying to fool anyone. I can t throw the Ball past big league hitters any More he said. However he considers himself More of a Pitcher now than when he was clocked regularly at More than 90 Mph. I be lost 3-5 Miles an hour off my fast Ball so i figure i now can throw consistently at Between 85 and 88 Mph he said. The main thing is that i think that now i know How to pitch. In the past i was successful with velocity. Now i m striving for consistency and Ball movement. I Haven t had any pain or numbness in my  for a Long time. If i can keep them moving and Down i think i la be All  a photo Joe Sambito. Has to win Boston Job Sambito handcuffed Veteran slugger Tony armas and Young Catcher Dave sax in batting practice thursday but said it meant Little. When i get into games and face major league hitters that will be the True test he said. Well know better where i stand in another month or  wants to prove Heys no Fluke cubs Dunston eager to play Mesa Ariz. A although Short Stop Shawon Dunston had a bad Start in 1985 with the Chicago cubs his end of season spurt makes him All the More eager to step into the starting position in his Sec Ond major league year. I want to show people that the second half of last year was not Fluke. I m for real said the 22-year-old Dunston who in september hit .330 37-for-112with three Home runs eight runs batted in and five stolen bases. His late spree followed a dismal Start. After a much publicized Spring training Battle with Veteran shortstop Larry Bowa that gave Dunston the starting position he Only hit .194 and committed nine errors before being sent Down to triple a Iowa of the american association on May 15. Dunston was recalled aug. 13 and Bowa who has since retired to manage the class aaa Las vegas stars of the Pacific coast league was traded to the new York mets the next Day. It s better this year coming to Spring training knowing i have the Job Dunston said. I Don t have to prove anything to anybody. I know a lot of the fans thought i could t play when i first came up. But i feel i have the fans on my Side right now. The team has Confidence in me and i feel wanted this  cubs manager Jim Frey plans to Bat Dunston eighth in the lineup although he performed Well in the no. 2 spot late last season. I did t really do a Good Job accepting the walks when i batted in the eighth spot last year Dunston said. I m going to try to be More patient at the plate this  he played Winter Ball for cubs coach Ruben Amaro on the Zulia club in Venezu Ela with Manny Trillo required by the cubs Over the Winter. Trillo is now my idol along with second baseman Ryne Sandberg said Dunston. It s so easy to work with both of them. Trillo worked with me on turning the Dou ble play moving a Little bit farther away from the bag after taking the throw. Manny told me i could save my  a Little and keep from jumping up in the air if i did that Dunston said. During the second half of the season Ryno told me i was feeding the Ball to him just right on the double plays. That s what i want to continue doing. We have to continue to communicate. That s the  Amaro said Dunston will be working on control. His eagerness and his competitiveness Are going to make him Rush and make some errors sometimes Amaro said. But at least he knows now what s happening and he knows what he has to do. The last three weeks of Winter Ball that he played with Trillo and another kid Jaime Perez who Are outstanding second basemen Shawon did an outstanding Job for me Amaro said. Dunston s problem never has been Lack of enthusiasm. Shawon is intense when he does his work Amaro said. He does t want to Field 50 ground balls. He wants to Field 250 ground balls. A lot of times i have to Back him  Perez still swinging at 43 Tampa Fla. A Cincinnati reds Veteran Tony Perez says he has t lost his hitting stroke and he in t trying to prove anything to anyone except himself As he enters his 22nd full season in the major leagues. I m at the age now when i Don t have to prove anything to anyone except myself. I am the Only one who can feel when my reflexes go Perez 43, an eight time All Star player said at the reds Spring train ing Camp. In 1985, Perez hit .328, his highest aver age Ever in the major leagues As a Pinch hitter who also alternated at first base with player manager Pete Rose. Perez batted .345 in the 44 games he started. He appeared in 72 games Overall hitting six Home runs and driving in 33 runs. I feel great exactly the same As i did last year Perez said. Billy Demars Cincinnati s batting coach said he in t surprised by the hitting prowess of Perez As Long As the Veteran gets some rest. The last thing to go is the Bat Demars said. You see old Guys in old timers games who can still rip the Ball. As we get older we need a Day or two off but a hitter can still  the reds also Are known to value Perez As a source of inspiration for their Young players because of his experience and up Tempo attitude. Perez an important cog on Cincinnati s big red machine glory teams of the mid-1970s, also played with winning teams at Montreal Boston and Philadelphia. He admits Cincin Nati s improved play last season and this year s optimism about the strengthened reds is perk ing up his interest. I would be Here anyway because i think i can still play he said. But thinking about having a Chance to go to another world series in a Cincinnati reds uniform. What can i say i love to play but if i play for a Good team a team that has a Chance to win it makes me feel even  negotiations end Tor bears on def. Chicago a the Chicago bears have withdrawn their latest contract offer to Star defensive end Richard Dent general manager Jerry Vainisi said. As far As i m concerned the Deal is off Vainisi said thursday. Vainisi said that Dent s agent Ever Ett Glenn did not respond to a 5 . Wednesday deadline imposed by the team for its 3-year, $1.8 million offer. Glenn could not be reached for com ment thursday at his san Francisco office. Dent who was voted the most valuable player in Chicago s super bowl Victory Over new England is seeking a three year contract Worth $2.28 million. Arn sports Hearns from Page 25 by knockouts. T it s going to be a slug est Hearns  re both going to be in there Brawl ing. It depends on who connects  As for his fight Hearns said i think Shuler is going to try to take it to me. Think it la be a  Shuler of Philadelphia the wac s no.1-ranked contender has a 22-0 record with 16 knockouts. Hearns has lost twice while winning 40 times 34 by knockouts. The two losses were in major fights. There was the loss to Hagler in 8 minutes 1second of action remarkable for its intensity. The other loss came in Las vegas sept. 16,1981, when Hearns was stopped in the 14th round by sugar Ray Leonard in a Battle forthe undisputed welterweight championship. I be had different reactions about the losses Hearns said. Some people were negative. The betting people. You might feel sorry for them but you say Why does this fool go out and bet his whole store his whole House be got enough problems to think about without thinking about  Hearns also believes the losses have no detracted from his achievements. I think i got my due he said. I Don t think be been overlooked. When you re talked about every Day you be done  television College basketball Southeastern con Ference final 8 30 . Saturday Indiana at Michigan 10 30 . Saturday big East final teams to be announced1 . Sun Day. Radi College basketball Atlantic coast conference semifinal teams to be announced7 30 . Saturday Indiana a Michigan 10 . Saturday big East final teams to be announced1 . Sunday