European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 13, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday april 13, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 21. A Steve Spence 24de Eyestone left and Bob Kempainen finished one two three in saturdays Marathon trials. Spence tops . Qualifiers with tactical Marathon win Devoe named by Navy As hoops coach Annapolis my. Apr Don Devoe who coached Virginia tech to the 1973 nit title and developed successful programs at Wyoming and Tennessee was named saturday As basketball coach at Navy. Devoe who has a 328-228 record in 19 seasons at four schools replaces Pete Herrmann who was fired last month after a 6-22 record his fourth straight 20-loss season. Devoe was 88-45 in five seasons at Virginia tech 29-25 in two years at Wyoming 204-137 in 11 seasons at Tennessee and 7-21 in one season at Florida. Devoe out of coaching for two years despite feelers from several schools said the Navy offered intrigued him because of a a Strong familiarity with the naval Academy having been an assistant for five years at West Point Back in the �?T60s.�?� a i indicated an interest and they indicated an interest and we got to thinking this could really be a wonder fill Opportunity a Devoe Devoe said via Telephone from his Knoxville tenn., Home. A i have Young children starting school and a daughter Here at it and we thought this was a perfect Opportunity to move to a Nice part of the country and work with a lot of honorable  a Don Devoe is recognized As one of the Best tacticians and strategists in College basketball a Navy athletic director Jack Lengyel said. A this Energy his determination and his integrity were All qualities we were seeking in a coach for the naval Academy. A we firmly believe that he will bring to our basketball program exactly what it needs at this time and enable us to be competitive in the Patriot league a said lengyel.\. Devoes first head coaching Job was at Virginia tech which went 16-10 in his first season and 22-5 on the Way to capturing the nit in his second. During his tenure at Tennessee the volunteers had six 20-win seasons shared the 1982 Southeastern conference title and earned six bids to the Mcaa tournament and three to the nit. It was in Large part the Success of his teams that prompted the school to build 24,535-seat Thompson Boling Arena the largest on Campus basketball Only facility in the country. He had come to Tennessee from Wyoming where he took a team that had endured six consecutive losing seasons and made it an immediate Winner with a 17-10 Mark in 1976-77. After a 12-15 record the next season he moved to Tennessee leading the vols to a second place finish in the Sec and then winning the leagues postseason tournament. Devoe 50, played under Fred Taylor at Ohio state where he came into Contact with the Man who would help shape his coaching philosophy Indiana a Bob Knight. He was an assistant under Knight at army in the 1960s. A this five year coaching tenure under Bob Knight at West Point will allow him to step right in and have an understanding of Academy life which also was an important Factor in our selection of a head coach a Lengyl said. Tennessee fired Devoe after the 1989 season despite a 19-11 record that is better than anything the school has managed since. He stepped in As interim coach at Florida barely a month before the Start of the 1990 season when Norm Sloan was fired amid an Mcaa investigation that eventually put the school on two years of probation. Devoe considered a disciplinarian in the same vein As other Knight proteges became unpopular with Florida fans when he crossed swords with controversial Center Dwayne Schintzius who eventually quit the team when he walked at following the coaches  up by the associated press Long Beach Calif. Robby Gordon fended off a late Challenge from defending series Champion Scott Sharp and won saturdays opening round of the so can a trans am series on the streets of downtown Long Beach. Gordon 23, a Road racing and off Road Champion competing in his first trans am event started on the pole but lost the Lead to Canadian Ron Fellows on the by Bert Rosenthal Columbus Ohio apr Steve Spence firmly establishing himself As the nations top marathoner ran a smart controlled race in winning the . Menus olympic Marathon trials saturday. Spence 29, from Chambersburg pa., never led until Between 25 and 26 Miles when he surged ahead of de Eyestone and Bob Kempainen with whom he had run at the front for More than three Miles and won handily earning the $58,000 first prize including $2,000 in Bonus Money. Spence Winner of the 1990 Columbus Marathon and the Surprise third place finisher in the 1991 world championships at Tokyo was timed in 2 hours 12 minutes 43 seconds on a hot humid Day in which the temperature and humidity was close to 70. Eyestone the runner up in the 1988 trials finished second again in 2 12 51, and received $48,000. Kempainen running Only his second Marathon was a comfortable third in 2 12 54 and got $38,000 from the total purse of $208,000. In the Chase for the next two spots for the team that will represent the United states at the Barcelona games Keith Brantly finished fourth in 2 14 16, and Bill Reifsnyder the 1991 Columbus Marathon Winner was fifth at 2 15 44. Mark Conover the 1988 trials Winner wound up 10th in 2 18 17. Starting Field dropped out at 17 Miles. Alberto Salazar the american record Holder who had said prior to the trials that if he did not run Well he would retire dropped out at the 7.3-mile Mark. The entire 1980 olympic team a Tony Sandoval Benji Durden and Kyle Heffner a also were non finishers. Sandoval competing in a record fifth Marathon trials left after 13 Miles with a cramp in his right calf. Durden planning to run Only a half Marathon departed after reaching that Point and Heffner was out after 6.2 Miles. The heavily focused Spence who spent the final weeks of preparation in virtual seclusion at his Cabin in Berkeley Springs w.va., stayed just behind the Early leaders. A i had a lot left at the end a said Spence when asked whether 17 weeks preparation for the aug. 9 olympic race was enough time. The soft spoken intense Spence had put in 140 Miles a week of training at his hideaway running with his two dogs along a Towpath by the Chesapeake amp Ohio canal. Although he had won the Columbus Marathon two years ago in 2 12 17, Spence did not earn recognition As an outstanding marathoner until taking the Bronze medal at the world championships. It was the first medal by a male . Marathoner in a major International race since Frank Shorter the 1972 olympic Gold medallist won the Silver at the 1976 games. Ken Martin the fastest qualifier in the 103-Man to Sharp s Long Beach Challenge and of 45 trips around the 1.59-mile, it Tum circuit. Harp also got around Gordon at the be time dropping the pole Sitters d Mustang into third place. Jut Sharp from nearby Orange Calif., Leback Strong retaking second on Lap e and moving past Fellows and Back a the Lead on Lap 10. Sharp driving a Chevrolet Camaro med Back in the Field and had to rally to finish fourth. Gordon beat runner up Paul Gentilozzi in a Camaro to the finish line by 4.67 seconds. Fellows finished third in a Mustang. Andretti retains up pole Long Beach Calif. Michael Andretti kept plugging until it All came together saturday hanging onto the pole position for sundays Toyota grand prix of Long Beach. Andretti who won the provisional pole Friday on a Street circuit that this year is the Shorter and faster than previous years turned a Lap of 106.894 Mph with Only about four minutes remaining in saturdays session to grab his second straight pole. Danny Sullivan took the outside spot on the front Row with a last minute Lap of 106.191 before slamming nose first into a tire Wall. Scott Pruett wound up third