Page Six
THE MICHIGAN DAILY Friday, May 9, 1969
Against
7Yteil
Hoosier netters to try to bust Wolverines'' racquet'
The Mets' fall and ruse
End of an error
By PHIL HERTZ
Once upon a time, there was a baseball team that lost an
inordinately large number of games and, in so doing, became
the butt of a national joke.
Not only did the New York Mets lose the great majority
of the games they played, but the team found the most unique
ways to lose games and, on those rare occasions, win games.,
I suffered and savored every one of the Mets games-and
did I suffer!
I had the rare pleasure (you might call it displeasure) to
be in attendance at the Mets' first home game, played on, would
you believe Friday, April 13. The Mets came through that day
in a style to which I would become accustomed, losing to the
Pitsburgh Pirates, 4-3, on a walk, an error and two wild
pitches by a 29-year old rookie pitcher named Ray Daviault.
After the game my father muttered, "It's going to be a long
season." Naively I asked, "Why?" He just looked at me as if I
were crazy.
Looking back at it, I probably-no I definitely-was crazy.
After all, things went bad for the Mets from the first. Tie Mets'
manager, Casey Stengel, began the team's first practice ever by
picking up a baseball and saying, "This is a basebll." He was
then interrupted by one of the Mets' now legendary figures,
Choo-Choo Coleman, a bad field-bad hit catcher, who said,
"Don't you think you're pushing us just a bit."
FROM THEN ON, things got progressively worse. The Mets
lost not just their first game, or their first two, but they lost their
first nine-a .najor league record. Next year the Amazings, as
the Mets often came to be called, improved considerably, losing
only their first eight encounters.
The Mets image was further enhanced in May of their first
season (1962) in the National League when they acqiured Marvin
Edward Throneberry (not his initials), a first baseman, from
the Baltimore Orioles.
At the time he joined the Mets I was extremely enthusiastic
about his possibilities. I remember telling one of my friends,
"He played with the Yankees, and he usually did pretty good. He
should really help us (by this time, my identification with the
Mets had become complete)."
I should have had my mouth washed for this comment. If
anyone could make Charlie Brown appear like a winner, it was
Marvelous Marv.
MARV'S FINEST performance probably came against the
Chicago Cubs in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader.
In the top of the first inning, the Cubs scored five runs with
the key play being an interference call against, you guessed it,
Marvelous Mary.v
The Mets came storming back in their half of the first. The
Amazings had two runes in and one runner on the base paths
when Marvelous Marv strode to the plate.
Mary came through like a champ. He hit a resounding drive
to the far reaches of the Polo Grounds, and pulled into third
standing up. The fans greeted him like a great hero, and Mary
gladly tipped his hat to the fans; however, while this was going
on, the Cub first baseman, Ernie Banks, was conferring with the
first base umpire. Banks called for the ball, and Mary was
declared out for failing to touch first. Stengel ran out to protest
the call, but the Mets' manager crept back to the dugout when
he was informed that Marv had also missed second base on his
journey to third.
Charley Neal was behind Throneberry in the Mets batting
order that day. Neal, who was the hero of the Dodgers' 1959
World Series triumph, slugged a home run. As soon as the ball
was hit, Stengel ran out of the dugout again. He called to Neal,
and then pointed at first base. He did the same at second, third
and home, and then nodded his head in satisfaction that Neal
had touched all the bases and proceeded back to the dugout.
It is almost needless to add that the Mets lost that contest
by one run.
AS THE YEARS went on, the Mets refined their techniques
a trifle. They wasted everyone's time by refusing to give in until
the game had reached unreasonable lengths. Once losing to the
Giants, 8-6, in 23 innings, and once dropping a 24-inning deci-
sion to the Houston Astros. Those two games have placed the
Mets in innumerable places in the record book.
Even when the Mets did something good, it was tarnished.
I once viewed a Mets' doubleheader in which they swept both
games from the Milwaukee Braves on the strength of ninth
ining homers; however, neither homer traveled 260 feet. You
see the right field fence at the Polo Grounds was 254 feet away
from home plate
Sick com'ments, which would- probably, eventually turn out
to be true, often .detracted frorm Met wins. This occurred fol-
lowing a 19-1 Met thumping of the Cubs. Someone called a
telephone service which gave baseball results and asked, "How
many runs did the Mets get today." Told 19, he responded, "Did
they win?"
This comment, amusing at the time, rang true about a year
later when the Mets dropped an exhibition game to the Boston
Red Sox, 23-18.
The humor, however, started going out of the Mets last
summer when people looked up and realized the Mets had one of
the best pitching staff in the majors. This development coupled
with the naturity of several young batters brought the Mets to
at least a level of mediocrity.
THIS CHANGE in the caliber of play did not create a new
attitude on my part towards the Mets-I still enjoyed following
the team and probably always will. It was, therefore, with great
joy that I traveled to Shea Stadium last month to partake of a
Mets-Cubs doubleheader.
The first game was thoroughly enjoyable until the ninth
inning of the first game. Then the Mets proceded to blow a 6-4
lead and go on to lose 8-6. The key play was an error by a young
second baseman, Kenny Boswell. Up until his error, the Shea
Stadium fans had been unusually quiet, but immediately fol-
lowing the play booing broke out out from all corners of the ball
park.
The booing was to follow Boswell wherever he went the rest
of the afternoon. I was shocked. I could not remember any Met
ever being booed other than immediately following a giant
blunder, but even that booing was short lived.
It suddenly dawned on me that the Mets had reached Medio-
crity, but so too had the fans.
For me, part of the Met image had been lost.
By JOHN GLAUSER
Michigan's undefeated and near-
perfect tennis team meets its stif-
fest competition of the Big Ten
season today at Ferry Field when
Indiana tries to stop the red hot
Wolverines.
Michigan has dropped only two
sets-one each to Illinois and to
Iowa-on its way to seven straighta
dual meet romps. Indiana, though
undefeated, has not been as im-
pressive and will be the clear un-
derdog in this crucial match.
Seven of the Wolverines' cham-
pionship team of '68 are back: Re-
turning are Pete Fisher and Brian
Marcus, Big Ten doubles cham-
pions of last year, and Dick Dell,
Pete Fishback, Joe Hainline, and
Bruce DeBoer have also returned
to lead the Wolverines. Mark
Conti, Ramon Almonte, and Dan
McLaughlin, new additions to the
team, complete the impressive
Michigan lineup.
Thus far, the Hoosiers have'
whitewashed three teams in league
competition, 9-0, on their way to
six Big Ten wins an~d an 11-6
overal record. Michigan has played
many of the same teams, however,
and won by more comfortable
margins: Indiana defeated Min-
nesota 7-2, and Iowa 6-3, while
the Wolverines whitewashed the
Gophers 9-0 and easily handled
Iowa 8-1, for example.
Hoosier coach Bill Landin was
wary of the meet. "Michigan, the
defending champion, has beaten'
many of the same teams, and has
doen it much easier than we have
says Landin. Landin added, "They
(Michigan) have a fine team, and,
in fact, the last three players in
their singles lineup are almost as
good as their top three."
The Indiana coach hoped for
at best a 5-4 win. He predicted
that if the Hoosiers could split'
their singles matches, they would
have a good chance to win. He
Miios, Goss
*
*
daily I
sports
NIGHT EDITOR;
PHIL HERTZ
said," All of the matches should
be tough. There isn't one pairup
which we couldn't possibly win."
Landin added that the winner
of this match will in all probabili-
ty win the conference champion-
ship, even though Indiana rates
somewhat below the "M" team in
total points, and will undoubtedly
trail the Wolverines entering the
Big Ten meet.
Michigan coach Bill Murphy
was unwilling to make any definite
predictions concerning the match.
Murphy said ;that "I am worried
about Indiana, though, and, frank-
ly, I would be happy to win at
all." He rated the Michigan singles
and doubles teams about even, and
stated that he was not relying on
either one alone to pull the Wol-
verines through.
The Michigan tennis meet with
Notre Dame yesterday was can-
celled, so the team should be well-
rested for the Indiana match to-
day at 2 p.m., and Tor Ohio State
Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Wolverines will be heavily
" favored in both matches.
WRITER TELLS A
-r r '
College hires Black grid coach;
20,000 greet triumphant Celts
- LOS ANGELES-Los Angeles State College announced yesterday
the appointment of Walt Thurmond, a Negro, as its head coach.
Aside from predominately black Grambling Collsge in Louisiana,
Thurmond, 28, may be the first Negro head grid coach of a four-year
college in the country.
A graduate with a bachelor of art degree at Los Angeles State in
1966, Thurmond theoretically is still a student since he is working on
a thesis for his masters.
Thurmond became a full-time assistant coach in 1966 under Jim
Williams, whom he succeeds. Williams resigned to take another
coaching position.
A defsnsive end. Thurmond starred on the school's No. 1, unbeaten
team of 1964 and was named on The Associated Press Little All-Cdast
team.
0 BOSTON-More than 20,000 persons turned out in overcast
weather yesterday to pay tribute to the Boston Csltics for winning
the National Basketball Association championship for the 11th time
in 13 years.
"This is utterly fantastic," General Manager Red Auerbach said as
the Celtics were ,cheered during a motorcade through downtown
streets and then welcomed at the new City Hall.
"Ws've finally arrived as a symbol to the city," Celtics Capt. John
Havlicek said happily.
"We all appreciate the glory the Celtics have brought to our city,"
Mayor Kevin White said in greeting the champions.
* BOSTON-Bob Cousy, former Holy Cross and Boston Celtics
great who recently resigned after six years as coach at Boston College,
is considering "fantastic" offers to coach in the National Basketball
Association.
"I have talked with three clubs and have reached the point where
I've got to fish or cut bait," Cousy said yesterday on a visit to Boston.
"It is a hard decision," Cousy said. "I promised myself a long time
ago, before I retired from the Celtics, that I'd nsver make a decision
on the basis of expediency."
*
10
#i
'fi
-Daily-Peter Dreyfuss
Brian Marcus
.Lb*
1tread ounht at the abolrts IDesk
By LEE KIRK
On a damp, dreary, dull Feb-'
ruary weekend, I joined The Daily
in what can be best described as
a mood of aroused apathy. I wan-
dered in with a friend of mine
from Residential College, Phil
Hertz, and we laid ourselves at the
4 mercy of the editors.
si contrcts At first, the work was limited
to proofing and writing a headline
The Minnesota Vikings an- 30 or 40 times before it counted
nounced yesterday that they had right, but I don't really think I
signed two of the linemen from had ftime to be bothered by the
the 1968 Wolverine football'squad. seemingly trivial nature of the
Inked to 1969 National Football work because I was getting to
League contractswere Jerry Mik- know the many ginks who literally
los and Tom Goss. inhabit the Student Publications
Miklos and Goss were signed as Building. Before long, I was
free agents by Bob Holloway, a hooked.
Viking assistant coach and a fa- Cigarettes carry notice that they
mer assistant to Bump E d fo - may be harmful to your health,
m ianElliott at but no one told me that The Daily
M could be far more habit-forming.
Miklos, 6-3, 225, started out as Headlines ceased to be a drag and
a linebacker with Michigan, but become a passion. Worse than
finished as a middle guard and that, I found out that there were
defensive tackle. Miklos entered bridge players at The Daily, and
Michigan from Chicago's Calumet that really sealed my fate. I'll
High. never forget the thrill I got when
Goss anchored the Michigan line I played in my first Daily bridge
last season at defensive end, but game with the senior editors and
he also played middle guard and brought in an exciting two spade
tackle while he was at Michigan. contract with a daring finesse.
Goss, who hails from Knoxville,
Tenn., was an All-Big Ten selec-
tioni this past season. ~
The Vikings also announced DO r
yesterday that Charlie West, a de-
fensive back, who returned a punt .....
99 yards for a touchdown in the Th AdioyBad nI-
168 Ntional Football Lague sea The Advisory Board on In-
196 Naionl Fotbll eage sa-tramurals and Club Sports will.
son, had undergone surgery for am eetng next onday,
removal of torn cartilage in his hold a meeting next Monday,
right knee. dent Government Council cham-
May 12 at 2:00 P.M. in the
After that I went quickly down- leased. Before long, The Daily
hill. I got my own genuine cer- ceases to be a newspaper and be-'
tified beat with lots of stories and comes a home.
opportunities to freelance a lot. I Daily staffers live here, sleep
was around the building all the here, and all too frequently go to
time making phone calls and classes here, even though it may
searching for fourths for bridge. really be in Angell Hall. Cottagej
In moments of utter despera-Inn is considering moving inl
tion, we would forget about bridgedownstairs just so their pizza man3
and play hearts. Not ordinaryjdoesn't have a heart attack from!
hearts, but super-deluxe seven or Irunning over here 100 or so times
eight ian elimination hearts to a night. At least the delivery man
100. A five hour game was a short doesn't have to bring Cokes, be-,
one and on more than one occa- cause The Daily is the only placeG
sion I pulled all-nighters just sit- for hundreds of miles where you
ting around playing cards. can still get a nickel Coke. The
Daily is the only place in town
It may sound that the only where 'The Agony and the Ecstacy'
reason to join The Daily is to play is performed ten times during the
cards. Admittedly, such fringe football season. The Daily is!
benefits cannot be ignored, but When they say "join The DailyI
there is more, much more, to The and live," they aren't kidding.
Daily than 52 pieces of paper i Your academic career may die, es- --
Every time you write a story, it pecially if you join the swingers
is all yours. All those grandstand at the sports desk or the bridge
coaching urges you get can be re- table, but what a way to go.
JUNE ENGINEERING GRADUATES:
HAVE YOU
DEFERRED YOUR CAREER PLANS
UNTIL NOW?'
Earlier in the recruiting season, a recruiter from the Naval
Ordnance Station in Forest Park, Illinois visited your campus to
look for young, eager, and imaginative June graduates for our
engineering training program. He'Nwas hoping to reap a golden
harvest of engineering students lookirg for a challenging, stimu-
lating program with good starting salaries and rapid advancement.
But he came back a grim reaper.
So if you're still lookino, you may be gad to know that we are
too. We offer the engineering graduate who meets our high
standards a chance to serve his country doing what he. has trained
himself for. We offer many other benefits too and we'd like to
tell you about them. Why not drop us a line or phone Jim Powers
at AC312 378-3800?
Employment Division, College Relations Dept.
NAVAL ORDNANCE STATIO.
7500 West Roosevelt, Forest Park, Illinois 60130
We are an equal opportunity employer
0*TryDaliClas*sifieds
t
t
West sustained the injury play-
ing basketball this winter.
Dr. Donald Lannin, team phy-
sician, said West was doing well
in a St. Paul hospital and should
be ready for the opening of sum-
mer drills July 21.,
Student Government Council
chambers on the third floor of
the SAB. The Board will draw
up recommendations to the
Board of Regents concerning
the proposed intramural build-
ings.
Major League Stanudiings
assnammssaaiiamgemsaamtemsaumsas
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Eastern Division
W L Pet.
Baltimore 20 10 .667
Boston 16 10 .615
Washington 16 13 .552
Detroit 12 14 .467
New York 12 16 .429
Cleveland 4 19 .174
Western Division
Minnesota 17 8 .680
Oakland 16 10 .615
Kansas City 14 12 .538
Chicago 10 11 .471
California 9 14 .391
Seattle 8 17 .320
OB
3',;
12
6>
12'
.,1
5
7
Western Division
Atlanta 18 9 .66i
Los Angeles 16 It .593
San Francisco 16 11 .593
Cincinnati 12 15 .444
San Diego 13 17 .433
Houston 10 21 .323.
2
6
10
*1
Yesterday's Games
No games scheduled
Today's Games
Minnesota at Detroit, night
New York at Oakland, night
Boston at California, night
Washington at Seattle, night
Chicago at Cleveland, night
Kansas City at Baltimore, night
Yesterday's Games
Iibuston 9, Philadelphia 7
Today's Games
San Francisco at Chicago
Houston at New York, night
Cincinnati at Montreal, night
Los Angeles at Pittsburgh, night
SanDiego at St. Louis, night
Atlanta at Philadelphia, night
r r
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Eastern Division
W L Pct.
019 10 .655
rgh 16 11 .593
iphia 12 13 .480
irk 12 15 .444
is 11 16 .407
GB
2
5
6
7
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Montreal 10 16 .383 7
- - a - - a a a a a a a a a a
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