Yardley battles onward

ROGER CARLSON

This was supposed to be my Top 10 column, checking out the high

points of 2003 with some follow-ups to help remind you of of some of

the better moments, and perhaps touch on something you might have

missed.

But it’s tough getting past No. 1.

And it’s not too hard for anyone, I would think, to come up with

the subject, since No. 1 always seems to go hand-in-hand with

Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer George Yardley, who continues to

deal with Lou Gehrig’s disease with a strength and character most

have come to expect from the original “Bird” of the NBA.

A good case in point comes from his daughter, Anne, who tells of a

recent gathering at the Yardley home in Newport Beach with several

longtime friends.

Most of them had grown over the years, including their noses and

stomachs, according to Anne, but she spoke up and said it had been a

long time since she had seen a roomful of so many handsome men.

It took a few moments before George was able to put the response

in focus after scanning the room, but then said, “Would you like a

second opinion on that?”

George may be slowing down a little. But he hasn’t lost his sense

of humor since the diagnosis of ALS earlier this year.

In the not-too-distant future, it is anticipated there will be a

“Tribute to George Yardley” celebration at the Bay Club, perhaps in

April, according to Anne Yardley.

The focus will be in helping fund the tremendous work of the Salk

Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, which recently has come

forth with some very promising news regarding gene therapy, designed

to slow down the process of what is technically known as amyotrophic

lateral sclerosis.

More than 30,000 Americans are afflicted with this disease, best

known for cutting down New York Yankee great Lou Gehrig before his

39th birthday.

A research team led by the Salk Institute has found a new,

gene-based treatment that appears to nearly double the life span in a

mouse.

A lot of time is still needed to close the gap between a mouse and

George, but the projections are that the gene appears to create a

longer life span, preserve nerve cells and reduce muscle atrophy.

And, although there is always a lot of talk about further steps

required, they are nevertheless in the planning stages for human

trials.

Meanwhile, the pride of Newport Harbor High, who went on to

Stanford and the NBA, mostly with the Pistons in Fort Wayne and

Detroit, continues the challenge.

The arms are weaker, but, as Anne puts it, “It’s getting tougher

to get around, but he will rise to the occasion.”

George and some of the inner circle are spending a couple of weeks

in the Carlsbad area and, soon after the turn of the year, the focus

will be on the Bay Club festivities, hopefully in April, and

hopefully with Dick Enberg involved. More information on this in the

next few weeks is expected, so stay tuned.

Earlier, in November, the Yardleys had a big, birthday blowout.

Typically, it was a great success.

In April it will be nearly eight years since George Yardley was

toasted in Springfield, Mass., at the Hall of Fame’s induction

ceremonies as part of the Class of ’96.

While athletes are always the focus of the sports pages, may I add

three names for your consideration?

Please learn of the following: Fred H. Gage, professor of

genetics, Salk research fellow Brian Kaspar, and Jeffrey Rothstein,

professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University. They are the

ringleaders responsible for this latest breakthrough in research.

They are heroes in every sense of the word and, although they most

likely will not be at the upcoming Bay Club festivities, they

certainly deserve a standing ovation.

*

It should be noted that in last week’s column, referring to the

College Football Hall of Fame, I erroneously placed it on the campus

of Notre Dame.

That’s what I had led myself to believe. But, in fact, according

to Hall of Fame Director of Operations Rick Walls, it is some three

miles off the campus in downtown South Bend.

Still, some will suggest South Bend itself, is part of Notre

Dame’s campus.

My visit to this storied hall some years ago took place in Kings

Point, Ohio, and I can assure every football fan anywhere, it is well

worth seeing.

It is a “10” from start to finish, whether within walking distance

of the golden dome or not. Nevertheless, Walls says the Hall fights a

constant battle to appear unbiased or neutral and represent all of

college football.

I suppose that may have been the thinking when it was first

conceived, to put it at such an obvious neutral site as Kings Point.

But it was so far, too far, off the beaten path.

Bringing the hall into the mainstream at South Bend brought it

into the limelight.

There is no entity, anywhere, that deserves the gratitude of

college football fans more than the College Football Hall of Fame.

Football’s Smithsonian, it is truly a national treasure and the only

comparable sports hall of fame is baseball’s Cooperstown.

Hey! See you next Sunday!

* ROGER CARLSON is the former sports editor for the Daily Pilot.

His column appears on Sundays. He can be reached by e-mail at

[email protected].