Friday, November 22, 1968
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Nine
Friday, November 22, 1968 THE MICHIGAN DAILY
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apoplexy
doug helterj
Return of the
Native:
Smith and Gehrig,
Elliott and Johnson
In scanning the nation for possible nominees for Coach
of the Year, there is only one name that immediately springs to
mind: Chalmers W. Elliott.
Elliott-Coach of the Year? Really, he deserves even more
than that. He ought to be the unanimous choice for the Mayo
Smith award.
You all remember Mayo. He was the fellow they almost rail-
roaded out of Detroitin 1967. Smith, it seems, didn't make one
correct strategical move during that whole fateful year. Not only
that, but he managed to burn out four different relief pitchers
during the course of the pennant race, leaving himself with
nothing as the Tigers blew the pennant on the last day of the
season.
Well, in 1968 things were different. Smith used his relief pitch-
ers perfectly, even pulling people like Don McMahon and John
Wyatt out of obscurity as he won the pennant going away. And
in the World Series, Smith the genius moved Mickey Stanley to
shortstop, thus allowing Al Kaline to play right field. He also set up
9 his pitching rotation so that Mickey Lolich would pitch the second
game, instead of the third; thus giving him enough rest so that
he eventually could become the hero of the series.
For Elliott, the situation has worked out much the same
way. His teams of recent years succeeded in dropping all sorts
of games no one expected them to lose-due to some of the most
unlikely incidents. At least it was interesting, but that was all.
This year Elliott has made as great a turnabout as Smith.
His teams have quit making mistakes. No longer does an error cost
them an important touchdown. Instead, his team is forcing the
opposition into errors and taking advantage of their mistakes.
Michigan's team no longer plays sloppy football. And strategy
decisions don't hurt the team, only help it.
In this manner Elliott has taken his team further past
P original expectations than anyone else in the country has done
this year.
In fact, the only thing about Michigan that hasn't changed is that
the Wolverines still haven't upset anybody since-the last Rose Bowl
year. One reason is that in 1968, Michigan has been favored in every
game it has played.
But the Wolverines won't be favored Saturday.
If Bump Elliott is Michigan's Mayo Smith, then Ron Johnson
is the Wolverine's Lou Gehrig. Gehrig was the Hall of Fame
first baseman for the Yankees who hit more grand slam home
runs in a lifetime, and played in more consecutive games with-
out a day off, than anyone ever has. And these two major re-
cords of his will probably never be broken.
But Gehrig never got the attention or publicity he deserved.
The problem was he played most of his career in the shadow of Babe
Ruth, who he followed in the batting order. And when Ruth left New
York, Joe Dimaggio stepped in to fill his shoes so that Gehrig never
even got a chance to be the number one star on the team.
Things were always working wrong for Gehrig's public relations.
The most outstanding example was when he hit four home runs in
a single game, a feat few players have ever accomplished. But that
day the great John McGraw, manager of the New York Giants,
chose to retire, and the newspapers put Gehrig's performance next
to the want-ads.
The 'comparison between Gehrig and Johnson is obvious.
Johnson is one of the greatest runners of all time in the same
year O J. Simpson and Leroy Keyes are playing football. John-
son may now have exceeded Keyes in the All-America balloting,
but Simpson, who is Southern California's offense, gains more
yardage mostly because he carries the ball more than Johnson.
Simpson also plays for the country's number one team, which
doesn't hurt his publicity.
Even when Johnson does do something fantastic, like Gehrig,
he doesn't get the attention he deserves. The most recent example is
of course, this week, when the Associated Press failed to name him
the Back of the Week even though last Saturday he had what was the
greatest day any football player ever had.
Oh, well. As long as Johnson's as good in football as Gehrig
was in baseball, who cares about publicity, anyway?
CORRECTION
Despite what appeared in this column on Sunday, Michigan
tennis coach Bill Murphy was definitely not the person who told
Wolverine linebacker Cecil Pryor "That's the spirit, Cecil. Keep it up
down in Columbus" after Pryor was ejected from Saturday's game. As
Murphy said, "I wasn't even there.' "I don't even know where the
locker room is."
After Murphy contacted the Daily about the misquote, Pryor
was asked who made the statement. He said it was just an alumnus
who followed the team.
By CINDY LEATHERMAN sparing anything." the greatest captain I've ever
Approximately one-third of the Healy doesn't feel there's any worked with at any time. He
Michigan football team is from one aspect or particular player could really exploit his position,
Ohio. Eat your heart out, Woody. the Wolverines should be watch- but he doesn't, and people cer-
Brian Healy, a junior pre-med ing for. He explained, "I can't see tainly respect him for it. He's not
student and defensive halfback, is any weak links in their team- a leader by words, he's a leader
from Sandusky, Ohio. He has Michigan and Ohio State are by action. After those games, I
quite a few friends on the Buck- ' much the same. sometimes wonder how he gets
eye squad, but this isn't the only "Ohio's always had good tack- off the field."
reason Healy's anxious to see les and fullbacks and this has Healy also gives a lot of credit
Columbus. "I have a lot of per- made them the good team that l to the sophomores. "They've been
sonal reasons for wanting to beat they are," he continues. "But the I a second surprise. Henry Hill, Dan
Ohio-a lot of my friends are on difference this year is their fine' Parks, Dierdorf, Betts, Stroba -. -
the team, the fact that I'm from quarterback, Rex Kern." all those guys deserve a lot of
Ohio, and Woody. I had some bad He concluded, "They do things I credit. They've done a fine job."
recruiting experiences with Hayes, well, they're a powerful ball team; I LITTLE THINGS
and I'd like to show him I didn't they've got tremendous strength, At the beginning 'of the year,
make a mistake choosing Mich- balance, and especially speed. I Bump told us that they were going
igan." think this is their most outstand- to do everything possible to make
Healy's biggest mistake this ing attribute. In my opinion, us forget about the little things
year was a shoulder injury he suf- they're the first team we'll be and just concentrate on playing
fered in the homecoming match playing this year that could touch football and winning. We'll, we
with Minnesota, and the subse- our team speed." have a carpeted locker room, fine
quent three weeks he spent re- Obviously, Healy is as aware as equipment, and a lot of those
cruperating on the sidelines. anyone of OSU's strengths. But little things you really do appre-f
HEALY HEALED he is even more sure of Michi- ciate. And we really feel like a
Last Week against Wisconsin, he gan's. A member of last year's 'class' team."
had a chance to see how well he nondescript squad, Healy has had And the general attitude has
had healed. Defensive coach Fonde a chance to observe the amazing changed. No one likes a loser; and
commented, "For the number of metamorphasis that has occurred certainly no one is going to sup-
plays he was in, Healy played in the past year. I port one. Healy puts it, "At the
very well. Up until his injury he "The big difference this year is beginning of the year, if I men-
was a very consistent player. that there's no dead weight - tioned the Rose Bowl, people just
Brian's played really well in every there are no uninterested people laughed. The whole situation was
game; he's an excellent competi- on the team this year. They're epitomized by the predictions in
tar." all out there to play football- Playboy,"
Healy himself feels much better. not just for the letter or the pres- (Eat your heart out, Anson
"This is the first week I've really tige, but to play the game and Mount.)
felt good about it," he comment- win." Anyway, everyone knows how
ed. "I was pretty touchy with But the first big reason for the the year went .. . and Michigan
Wisconsin, but I've been working change this year is the captain," has only one game left. Only.
hard this week-I 'haven't been he explained. "Ron (Johnson) is What does Healy think about the
'WE'RE NO. 1'
Diag rocked by chants of grid fanatics
Healy
Ach? "I don't look for it to be
matter of breaks, although it
xd be. I read an article that
: Michigan would be a worthy
Ponent in the Rose Bowl, but
io State would be better. Well,
11 see Saturday-the best team
J be the winner.
ILY ONE
'here's a feeling* of finality
>ut this Saturday as well "You
y play in a game like this once
your life," Healy observed. "I'll
)bably never be in the same sit-
ion again.
Witli such an opportunity and
remendous responsibility rest-
on his and every other team
mber's shoulders, is Healy ner-
is? "It's funny, but I've had
feeling all week that no. one's
htening up for this game. We'll
sky-high on Saturday, but
re not building OSU up to be
>erhuman-because t h e y 'r e
t"
t's a healthy attitude, because
chigan isn't either-they're just
ter. "I've never had the feel-
that we were an overpower-
ball club. We're a good team
h great potential and we play
rdnose football-we just do
ngs well ... and that's why we
Sealy concluded with another,
re personal reason for the Wol-
Ine's success. "We want to win
here's no negative element. We
ve a fine captain, a fine team
. and we just want to win."
don't we all? GO BLUE.
aims at OSU
BRIAN HEALY, Michigan defensive back, makes a bone-
crushing tackle in stopping a California receiver in the first
game. Healy, a native Ohioan with many friends on the OSU
team, has a personal stake in the outcome of Saturday's game,
- -
By MAZEN BLUE
Athletic Supporter!
A mass of partisan Michigan
fans teemed to the Diag last night
to voice their praise and support
for the legendary Wolverine grid
squad, which faces the heavies
from Ohio State in tomorrow's
showdown for the Western Con-
ference championship.,
The Wolverine worshippers thrill-
ed to laudatory speeches by Wally
Weber, Doc Losh, captain Ron
Johnson and head coach Bump
Elliott during the tumultuous ral-
ly, often taking up chants of
"ROSE BOWL" and "WE'RE
NUMBER ONE," when speakers'
hesitated.
The pep band got the program
under way with rousing march
music and a prelude version of
The Victors, and injured cheer-
leader Stan Goldblatt then de-
lighted the crowd by reciting a
trio of Michigan yells from mem-
ory.
Inspired by Goldblatt's per-
formance, the assemblage took up
the yells and within minutes the
very foundation of the new library
addition was shuddering from the
sound.
Weber followed Goldblatt to the
microphone, and summoned every
ounce of his oratorical talent in
praising the title-bound Wolver-
ines.
The golden-throated defender of
Michigan's hallowed traditions re-
minded the gathering that "mere
words will not be enough," en-
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treating all supporters to give ferringsto his football squad. The
their all on Satur'day. coach also expressed sorrow for
Weber predicted that great the fans who left last week's rout
deeds would be done in the OSU of Wisconsin at half time and
clash, adding that "our guys from missed Johnson's record-smashing
Ohio aren't going to Columbus to second-half performance.
be humiliated." Johnson followed by calling out
The cheers were still echoing off the entire Wolverine team and in-
the ilet fcad ofthegenraltroducing its members to the au-
the silent facade of the general dience. He spoke only briefly, but
library when super-hero Ron poie h as I ilb
Johnson escorted Michigan's be- promisedll of age fans: "It will be
loved Doc Losh to the microphone, o g
Tl. . .., ..17.E .... L... .. . _ I --_
The Grape Boyce te +smittee
Presents the Classic film on Migrant Labor
Edward R. Murrow's
"HARVEST OF SHAME"
1e
TONIGHT-8:00-UGLI
Tne Doc rollectup her sleeves in
the traditional manner" and got
into her talk.
"Go Blue!" she yelled, then
carved herself another niche in
Michigan tradition by shouting,
"Sock it to 'em, Wolverines!"
Weber returned to introduce
coach Elliott, recalling the 49-0
whipping Elliott and his team-I
mates handed Southern Cal in the1
1948 Rose Bowl.
Elliott told the gathering that
he was "extremely proud to be'
associated with these men," re-
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