a ri iuay, rv^ui i ( i »?wu/fc Stars games move to new (KLAV) radio station a Friday, April 1, 1988/Las L ess than two months after play-by-play announcer Paul " Olden’s defection to the major leagues, the Las Vegas Stars „ crank up their radio broad casts this weekend with a new station, a rising voice and a "familiar friend. ’ The Stars open their sixth season in Las Vegas with a pair B of weekend exhibitions against “the San Diego Padres at Cash- man Field, aired live over R KLAV-AM (1230) beginning Sat urday night at 7:30. The two „teams go at it again Sunday at 1 cp.m. before the Pacific Coast League season begins April 7. “ Gone is the Olden Era in Stars broadcasting, an eight-year affair that began in 1980 L when the club was still based in cSpokane, Wash. In February, the 33-year-old Olden was hired by the Cleveland Indians as Tthe club’s new play-by-play man. Rick Spiritosanto Olden is gone, but his long time partner, Dom Valentino, re turns to take over full-time duty behind the mike. Valentino, a veteran of more than 30 seasons, will be joined on a regu lar basis by versatile Colin Cowherd, who doubles in the Stars’ front office sales de partment and dabbles as part- time sports reporter/anchor on Channel 3. Valentino provides the sta bility, but during a 144-game schedule, Cowherd should pro vide much of the pizzaz because of his newness. Last season, working three innings a night, Cowherd brought a refreshing voice and perspective to the game. With more of the work load placed on him this year, he’ll be pressed to keep an edge on his talents, especially if he keeps up with the demands of part-time television work. “I guess I’m a radio man at heart," said Cowherd. “I'm the old-fashioned type. I’ve grown up with radio and if I had my choice, I couldn’t see myself in television 10 or 15 years down the road. In television, you have to prepare four hours to be on four minutes. On radio, you’re there for four hours right in the action.” The Stars will also debut on KLAV Saturday night, the first time the club’s games will be aired on a radio station other than KORK-AM which car ried the games for five seasons. Stars Assistant General Manager Don Logan said KLAV’s move to more sports programming made their offer more palatable, as did the fact KLAV has a stronger air signal at night than KORK. KORK is a 5,400-watt station that cuts down to just 540 watts after 6 p.m. “They (KLAV) made a commitment to sports and that made us believe," Logan said. "Sports fans know where they are on the dial. Even though KORK did a real good job for us, we’ll get better coverage in the area on KLAV becuase of their signal.” ■ ADD AIR: The Silver Streaks, Las Vegas’ entry in the new International Basketball Association, will also have their games aired over KLAV this season, according to an an nouncement released Thursday by team General Manager Jack Donovan. KLAV will carry all of the Streaks’ 54 regular season games beginning with the season. opener at the Thomas & Mack Center, May 18 against the Fresno Flames. The Silver Streaks will find the market crowded on KLAV, which may be overscheduling itself. The Streaks will have to fight for prime air time with the Las Vegas Stars and the California Angels, whose games likewise will be broadcast by the station. On days when all three teams are scheduled to play, ar rangements have been made for Silver Streaks’ broadcasts to follow Stars baseball, but pre ceding the Angels. KLAV sports director Seat Williams will be calling the play- by-play. Sluman makes of luck, takes Greensboro