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October 22, 1969 - Image 7

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Wednesday, October 22, 1969

THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Page Seven

THE MiCHIGAN DAILY Page Seven

Agains
7Te Wa/I

Wolverines

lose

Seymour

for

The . Red Wing. axe .

. 0

...ll too Sudden

By ELLIOTT BERRY
N CASE ANYBODY missed it under the tons of debris with
which ecstatic Mets fans covered the earth at 7:05 p.m.
Thursday night, the most extraordinary firing took place since
Truman relieved McArthur of his duties in Korea.
Red Wing coach Gadsby, who had just arrived at' the
Olympia hoping to guide the Wings to their third victory in as!
many starts was suddenly without warning uncerimoniously1
canned by the eccentric millionaire owner, Bruce Norris, less
than one hour before game time.
The dismissal of a professional coach is seldom a shocking
phenomenon but this time it was absolutely staggering; to
Gadsby, the Wings, the fans and everybody connected with
professional hockey.
NOT ONLY had the Red Wings, a team which had missed
the playoffs three years in a row, finished their most successful
exhibition schedule in years, but they had been victorious in
their only outings this year. Thanks to a seemingly rejuvinated
defense, which was the object of Gadsby's special attention, the!
Wings were off to their best start in years and confidence was
exuding from the club.
To see how stunned the Wing players were, one only needed
to witness their "Zombelike" performance in their 3-2 loss to
Minnesota that same night. Clearly Mr. Norris had completely
deflated the Red Wing balloon which was gaining air with each
passing day.
The mystifying question is why does one do that to his own
balloon? It is obvious that Norris has suffered greatly over the
past three years with no playoffs in Detroit. The hurt has been
to his pride as well as his bankbook. But why Gadsby? Why now?
THIS WAS only Gadsby second year as coach and while he
had failed to bring the playoffs back to Detroit in his rookie
year, progress had clearly been made. While defense was still
the key to the Wings failure last season, Gadsby worked tire-
lessly to improve it. Gary Bergman showed a marked improve-
ment, while Paul Popeil's poise surprised even Gadsby.
Of even greater importance Gadsby drilled the idea of
defensive hockey into the heads of his forwards. For years the
Wings have been known as a team which could fill the oppo-
sition's net with rubber but seldom got back to their own side
of the rink in time to do anything but help their goaltender
fish the puck out of their goal.
All this began to change last season and with the Wing's
acquisition of former all-star defenseman Carl Brewer they had
prospects to becoming the most improved defensive team in the
league this season.
EVEN NORRIS must know that few people in hockey know
defense better than Gadsby and the Wings were just beginning
to get the message.
Nevertheless if Norris was dissatisfied with Gadsby's rookie
year behind the bench it was his prerogative as owner to fire
him and some thought he would. But Norris had all summer to
do so! For him to wait until the Wings were into the season and
off to a flying start has got to be the most disasterous bit of
strategy since Nasser mobilized for the Six Day War.
Now it is well known that Gadsby and Norris had their dif-
ferences on how and who is to run a hockey team. A controversy
developed late last season when Gadsby made public his dis-
satisfaction with Norris' policy of calling in "suggestions" from
the phone in his private box to Gadsby on the bench during the
game (though usually through General Manager Sid Abel).
THIS YEAR however it seemed that they had resolved the
problem with Gadsby to do all of the coaching ("at least if I
die I'll do it on my own," noted Gadsby prior to the start of the
season.)
Nevertheless Norris apparently wasn't satisfied and his
desire to have an active role in running the club seems to be
the only possible rationale for Gadsby's firing. Norris' first state-
ment, "there was a lack of communication" points to the fact
that he obviously thought Gadsby should let him in on more
action.
This was such an outrageous assumption that in all likeli-
hood it never entered Gadsby's mind at all and thus his com-
plete surprise with his dismissal.
OBVIOUSLY GADSBY isn't the most sophisticated guy in
hockey; his style is simply hit, hit, hit, which is exactly the style
that his defense with bruisers like Brewer, Bobby Baun and
Ron Harris must use to be effective.
Norris insists that Gadsby "just didn't fit in" and that he
just wasn't able to get through to his "brainy" hockey players.
If I wasn't as subtle and tactful asI am I'd say that Norris was
a damned liar.
He wasn't getting through. I guess that's why Gordie Howe,
Mr. Hockey, was "just sick" about the firing. Assistant coach
Howe and Capt. Alet Delvechio were very close to Gadsby. The
rest of the team had the utmost respect for Gadsby and beyond
that they even liked him. Now that may not be enough sophisti-
cation for Norris but it was enough to make the Wings give
Gadsby their all.
ANY NEW COACH he finds will have to lead the Wings to a
third place finish or better and it is very doubtful that the
Wings are among the three most talented teams in the league.
If he can't Norris will get a public blasting that even a millionaire
club owner will find difficult to ignore. If by some chance a new
coach can get the team recharged and lead them to a third

place finish Norris' critics can say that "Gads" could have done
it too.
The most difficult thing, however, for any new coach will
be handling Norris. I know of no coach in all of professional
sports world who would stand for the kind of meddling by an
owner that Gadsby had to put up with last season. If indeed
Noris wants as big a voice in running the team as his firing of
Godsby indicates his only solution seems to be to take over the
coaching duties himself.
AT LEAST now the writers and the fans know where to
channel their frustrations should the Wings prove unable to
recover from the shock of Gadsby's departure.
One thing Norris might do well to remember in the coming
months: It is the players and above all "number nine" that make
hockey in Detroit not Bruce Norris. The fans know it and as
Stafford Smythe of the Maple Leafs learned this summer the
fans can even force out a club president, after all they're the
owes who are footing the bill.
So please Mr. Norris for your sake and the Wings', go up
to your box to watch the game, comment to your friends as you
please but stay off -the phone!
ah'd"cgo"ibdlwaslI

By ERIC SIEGEL
Phil Seymour, Michigan all-
Big Ten defensive end, will be
lost to the team for the-re-
mainder of the season, it was
announced yesterday.
Seymour, who has been bother-
ed by a bad knee for the entire
season and missed the Wolverines'
first four games, will undergo sur-
gery for the removal of torn car-;
tilage in his right knee sometime
during the next two weeks.
"It's a real tough break -or
Phil and the team," Michigan
Coach Bo Schembechler comment-
ed after yesterday's practice. "Phil
is a tremendous competitor and
a great player."
Schembechler said he would ask
the Big Ten to grant -the senior,
defensive end eligibility for next
season, since Seymour saw action
only in the Wolverines' fifth game
of the season against Michigan
State last season. Under Big Ten
rules, Seymour would not be
granted eligibiilty if he played in
a game more than halfway into
the season.
"We expect the Big Ten to de-
clare Seymour eligible for next
season," Schembechler stated. "We

expect to have him back
year."
Seymour said, "If I'm g
eligibility, I'll play if I'm ph
ly able to."
Seymour, who made his fii
pearance of the year early
first quarter of Saturday's
in East Lansing, said he
jured his knee during a pun
in the third quarter.
"I felt something sna
there," Seymour said. "Th
just sort of gave out." Se
however, didn't think the
was serious, and played a
remainder of the game.
Seymour said he could n
on his knee during Monday'
tice and that it felt like it.
the beginning of the season
he first injured it.
Dr. Gerald O'Conner, th
physician, examined Sey
knee Monday night and
yesterday morning before
mending an operation.

season
next Seymour first injured his knee
during an early season practice,
ranted and had his leg in a cast for five
ysical- weeks. He began light workouts
three weeks ago, and participated
rst ap- in the team's practice scrimmages
in the for the two weeks preceeding the
game Michigan State game.
re-in- Seymour, 6-4 and 205 pounds,
it coverled the Wolverines in tackles last
year and was named to the all-Big
p out Ten team at the conclusion of the
e knee season. He played his best games
ymour, against California and Illinois,
injury making 15 and 12 tackles respec-
ut the tively,
ot run Against Michigan State last
s prac- week, Seymour made four solo
did at tackles and assisted on three more
a when plays.
Schembechler said he would
e team continue to use sophomore Mike
our's Keller, who replaced Seymour in
again
recom- the Wolverines' first four games,
at the defensive end spot.

--Daily-Sara Krulwlch
~Seymnottr (91) swvarmis over a Gireen. Meanie

PISTONS, LAKERS WIN:

Knicks captu re
By The Associated Press
NEW YORK - Connie Hawk-
ins' debut in Madison S q u a r e,
Garden last night was overshad-
owed by the preformance of the
red-hot New York Knickerbockers
who crushed the Phoenix Suns
140-116 for their fifth consecutive'
victory.
Hawkins, a New York schoolboy
star, wvas held to only two field
goals in the first half by Dave ;
DeBusschere but came on strong >
to finish with 27 points.
The Knicks, off to their best
start ever, were led by the early

fifth straight

Bobby Hull retires again;
Duffy wants rule change
By The Associated Press
* TORONTO - A representative for Bobby Hull said yesterday
that the National Hockey League star has retired until such time as
the Chicago Black Hawks live up to the terms of a subsidiary contract,
signed in 1968.
Lester F. Stanford of Toronto, business adviser to Hull, said the
left winger signed the contract Oct. 13, 1968, shortly before ending
a holdout last season.
The contract was in addition to the standard NHL agreement,
which was signed separately and is not in dispute.
The subsidiary contract included payment deferments, meant to
reduce the player's tax burden.
The Hawks have lost their first five games of the 1969-70
season.
" EAST LANSING - Michigan State football coach Duffy
Daugherty wants the Big Ten to liberalize its restriction allowing
only 44 players on away game trips, terming it "penny wise and
pound foolish."
The travelling roster limit at least should be raised to 48,
Daugherty suggested.
"Most teams charter an entire plane anyway," he said, "so
you can carry a few more players at no extra cost. Say, at most, it
would cost $50 more a trip to fly, feed and house four more players.
"The would amount to $200 a trip. If you make five away trips,
as we do this season, it only adds up to an extra $1,000 a year,"
Daugherty calculated.
* PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Pirates said yesterday they
had traded outfielder-utility man Carl Taylor and a minor league
ballplayer to the St. Louis Cardinals for pitcher Dave Giusti and
catcher Dave Ricketts.
"I did something I never did before," Pirates' General Manager
Joe Brown said. "I talked to another player before making the trade.
I talked to Roberto Clemente about Giusti and Roberto thought that
Giusti could definitely help the club if he is physically sound. He said
he has a good palm ball, a real good change and is a fine competitor."
0 NEW YORK - Two former baseball umpires, claiming they
were fired because of union activity, filed a $1 million suit against
Joe Cronin, president of the American League, yesterday. Alexander
J. Salerno and William Valentine brought the action in Manhattan
Supreme Court. Salerno's suit also named the American League and
its lawyer, Paul Porter.
In their suit the umpires charged that on Sept. 16, 1968, Cronin
caused "defamatory matter" to be published.
They said this consisted of charges that the umpires were "in-
efficient, incompetent and unable to perform" their jobs and were
"at no time 'first class.'

daily
sports
NIGHT EDITOR:
PHIL HERTZ
scoring of Walt Frazier and Wil-
lis Reed.
Frazier, stealing the ball, scor-
ing himself, and handing off for
other baskets, led New York to
a 62-49 halftime lead as he scor-
ed 18 of his 28 points. Reed chip-
ped in with 15 of his 23 points
before intermission, helping the
unbeaten Knicks soar to the top
of the NBA Eastern Division.
The game was still close at
35-31 when Frazier stole a pass
to set up one store, assisted on
another and then closed a ten
point run with two more baskets.
Phoenix never got closer than
nine again.
Hawkins is playing in his first
season with the NBA after having
been banned for ten years as the
result of an implication that he
had conspired with gamblers
while a freshman at Iowa.
Former University of Michigan
All-American Cazzie Russell add-
ed 20 points to the Knick's total

G;ettin paid off
New York's junior Senator Charles Goodell (right) enjoys some steamed clams at the expense of
Maryland's senior Senator Joseph Tydings. The two senators had a small wager on last week's fall
classic won by the amazing New York Mets. All was not lost for Senator Tydings as Goodell sup-

plied some champagne for the oc
and Bill Bradley, Dick Barnett,.
and Mike Riordan also hit inl
double figures.
Celts nipped1
DETROIT -- Two free throws
by Jimmy Walker with seven
seconds remaining enabled the
Detroit Pistons to nip the Boston

casion.
Celtics, 98-97 in a National Bas-
ketball Association game last
night.
Boston went in front 89-83 with
four minutes to go but the Pis-
tons, led by Dave Bing, took a
96-95 edge with a minute re-
maining before a jumper by John
Havlicek with 17 seconds to go
put Boston back in front.
Then Don Chaney fouled Walk-
er who dropped in the winning
free throws.
Walker and Bing led the Pis-
tons with 16 points, while Havli-
cek and Emmett Bryant each had
17 for Boston.
Bullets fall
BALTIMORE - Jerry West and
Wilt Chamberlain combined for
77 points last night to lead the

Los Angeles Lakers to a
137 overtime victory over the
timore Bullets.

142-
Bal-

Professional Standings
NOOS~0 ~ ns

New York
Philadelphi
Milwaukee
Baltimore
Detroit
Cincinnati
Boston

NBA
Eatstern Division
IV L
3 0
a 4)
0
1 1
i 2
0 3
Western Division

Pet.
1.000
1.000
1.000
.667
.500
.333
.000

GB
11
id
2y
3
4
-
1
1r ,
3

Western Division
St. Louis 3 . 0
Minnesota 3 2 0
xOakland ? 2 1
xPittsburgh 0 1 3
Los Angeles 1 3 0
Philadelphia 0 1 M2
x-Late game not included.
Yesterday's Games
Pittsburgh at Oakland, inc.

6
6
5
3
9

17
17
9
8
9
4

9
11
15
12
14
8

Baltimore's Wes Unseld sent
the National Basketball Associa-
tion contest into overtime at 121-
all with an 18-foot jumper with
eight seconds left in regulation
time.
Then West went to work, scor-
ing ten of the Laker's 21 overtime
points to give the Lakersetheir
first victory in three NBA games
this season.
Motorcycle storge
only $5.00/ month
FREE PICK-UP
for any storage
or service work
NICHOLSON
Motorcycle Sales
224 South First
662-3221

SGC ELECTIONS.
November 10-11
PETITIONING OPEN
FOR COUNCIL SEATS
PETITIONS DUE OCT. 31
" 6 Full Term Seats
* 2 Half Term Seats
See MRS. SAMUELSON
SGC OFFICES, SAB

A
S
P
Cl
Lo
Sa
Se

tlanta 2 01.0
an Diego 1 1 .5
'hoenix 1 '2 .3:
%icago I1 '2 .3:
os Angeles i .3:
an Francisco 0 1 .0
.eattle 0 4 .01
Yesterday's Results
Los Angeles 142, Baltimore 137
Detroit 98, Boston 97
New York 140, Phoenix 116

00
00
33
333
333
000
000

-THURSDAY,'OCTOBER 23-
Noon Luncheon Series on
POWER-LEADERSH IP-IDEOLOGY
"Power and Leadership in a Totalitarianism"
Speaker: DR. ERIC WOLF, Prof. of Anthropology
Respondent: MR. ATALIBA CRESPO, Grad student from Brazil
ECUMENICAL CAMPUS CENTER, 921 Church
Cost-25c Reservations-662-5529

i

Boston
Montreal
Detroit
New York
Toronto
Chicago

N H L
Eastern Division
W L '
3~ 0 1
2 2 4
1 2 1
0 5 0

Pt.
7
6
6
4
3
04

GF
15
15
13
9
8
6

G A
4
12
7
S
21

- '!
i i
I
r
i
f,
.__ __ I

TUSKEGEE-MICHIGAN

r I '

A NNO UNCING
THE END OF THE TRADITIONAL YEARBOOK
ORDER A MODERN MICH IGANENSIAN TODAY!
mm--" -----'"---------------------------------
* Just return this card with $7.00 (check or money order payable to the
a MICHIGANENSIAN) to the Student Publications Buildinz, 420 Mau -

STUDENT EXCHANGE
WINTER 1970
Apply now for the Tuskegee Student Exchange
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