DODGER-PHILLIE PLAYOFF IMMINENT
The Michigan Doily-Wednesday, September 27, 1978-Page 9
II
LA sprints while P hilly struggles
--. - -KT -I- I -
By VAV IV LEdVIAN
While the Phillies struggle to hold off Pittsburgh
in the East, out in Los Angeles the Dodgers have
made a once-tight pennant race into a runaway. Af-
ter being in third-place much of the year behind
Cincinnati and San Francisco, Los Angeles surge
past both clubs en route to the best record in
baseball.
"Earlier in the season, we lost a lot of games by
scoring early and then blowing the lead late in the
game," explained Dodgers' publicity director Bill
Shumard. "But our pitching is great now and I
believe that the turning point in the season has been
the calling up of (former Eastern Michigan pitcher)
Bob Welch." ,
The Dodgers were 41/2 games behind the Giants
when Welch was brought up to pitch. He blanked the
Giants 2-0 and started the Dodgers on a 26-10 tear
that saw them jump six games up on San Francisco.
But Welch is only one member of L.A.'s enor-
mously potent pitching staff. They have the best
combined E.R.A. of any team in the major leagues.
The ace of the group is righthander Burt Hooten,
who has won 10 of his last 12 games (18-9) overall
with a sparkling 2.65 ERA. Rick Rhoden was in-
jured earlier but has won both of his starts since
returning. With Tommy John, Doug Rau, and Don
Sutlton also in the rotation, it's little wonder why the
Dodgers are leading their division.
Unfortunately for the Phillies (or the Pirates),
Los Angeles also leads the league in hitting with a
.263 average.
Although recently injured, Reggie Smith is the
team hitting leader. He is their most consistent
player and is the guy to whom the other players look
in clutch situations. Smith's stats bear this out: 29
HR, 93 RBI's, and a .295 average.
Steve Garvey's bat continues to explode during
September. He leads the team with a .308 average
and 105 RBI's. His move into the clean-up spot has
also enabled Ron Cey to come alive. Cey has drop-
ped from the fourth to the fifth position, and he's
responded with 23 HR's and 83 RBI's.
L.A.'s overall defense is solid. The infield com-
bination of Bill Russell and Davey Lopes is among
the steadiest in the league, and Reggie Smith has
probably the best outfield arm anywhere.
In Philadelphia, the Phillies are too concerned
about winning their own division to worry about the
Dodgers. And why not; the Phillies have a long
history of late season collapses to their credit. This
year seemed no different, as Philadelphia looked
determined to let the Pirates come back from 111/2
games down to overtake them. Now that Philly is up
again by 4, their season-ending series in Pittsburgh
takes on less significance.
Like Los Angeles, Philadelphia owes its
second half surge to incredible pitching. Dick Ruth-
ven has emerged as the ace of the staff, winning 9 of
11 games since his acquisition from Atlanta in June.
A rejuvenated Steve Carlton has won 7 of his last 8
games. Randy Lerch is pitching his best ball of the
season, and Larry Christenson has been unbeatable
at home.
Perhaps Philly's most pleasant surprise has been
their bullpen. Ron Reed and Warren Brusstar own
the best ERA's on the team. Their pitching has been
so impressive that highly-regarded free-agent
Rawly Eastwick is hardly ever called upon.
Unlike Los Angeles, however, the Phillies have
not had the hitting to back up their pitching. Their
team batting average has dipped from a league-
leading .279 in 1977 to an anemic .257 this year.
When they have scored 4 or more runs in a game,
they've won 68 of 78 times.
Greg Luzinski is driving in a lot of runs, but his
.263 hitting is 40 points below his lifetime average.
Bake McBride's productivity has tailed off so much
that Danny Ozark is platooning him in leftfield.
Mike Schmidt, usually the mark of consistency, is
hovering around .250 with only 19 RBI's.
The one player who is most responsible for
holding this team together has been Larry Bowa.
Bowa is the batting, fielding and emotional leader of
the club. His eight errors in the field so far this
season makes him a good bet to break his own N.L.
fielding record.
"Well, Al," drawled George,
"it's been a long season. But
we've seen some fine baseball,
some real fine baseball."
"That's right, George. These
kids really learned to play head's
up ball. They impressed me,
that's for sure. A little trouble on
the basepaths, maybe, and some
problems with defense. Oh yes,
and there were a few injuries that
were tough to cover for. And let's
not forget the times they failed to9
get that clutch hit, but other than5
that..." 1
"'YOU KNOW I always hate to
see the season come to an end, Al.
But I'm going to try my hand at
something new this fall." 1
"Like a job, George?" Al 1:
asked. 1
"No, the Griddes," George 13
replied. "I just make my picsk, 1'
hit 'em like a bullet over to 420 1
Maynard before midnight 16
Friday, and I could win a small 1
two item Pizza Bob's pizza." 1
"SOUNDS GOOD, George. I 19
hear the Libels are supposed to 24
f
dPICKS
dominate their league once
again. I'd ike to try it myself,
What is a football, anyway? I'm
kind of used to one sport."
"Never mind, Al. We have next
year's baseball season to look
forward to. Don't we Joe?.
Joe?."
1. Duke at MICHIGAN (pick score)
2. Illinois at Syracuse
3. Nebraska at Indiana
4. Iowa at Arizona
5. Michigan State at USC
6. Minnesota at UCLA
7. Northwestern at Colorado
8. Baylor at Ohio State
9. Purdue at Notre Dame
0. Oregon at Wisconsin
1. Houston at Florida State
2. Kentucky at Maryland
3. Missouri at Oklahoma
4. North Carolina at Pittsburgh
5. Texas at Texas Tech
6. Tennessee at Auburn
7. Central Michigan at Ball State
8. Dartmouth at Holy Cross
9. Miami (Fla.) at Kansas
0. DAILY LIBELS at Wayne Duke
_ ___
SPOR TS OF THE DAIL Y:
Hill tries comeback with Browns
CLEVELAND - Running back
Calvin Hill, who said he was tired and
didn't want to play any more when he
retired from professional football in
August, #signed a contract yesterday
with the injury-plagued Cleveland
Browns, the NFL team announced.
Terms of the pact were not disclosed,
nor was the duration of the contract
with the 6-foot-4, 227-pound Hill, who
left the Washington Redskins after the
pre-season opener with Minnesota.
Hill, 31, ranks 16th in the NFL's all-.
time rushing list with 5,567 yards. He
has 7,305 net yards rushing, receiving
and returning kickoffs in nine years in
professional football.
HE WAS rookie of the year when he
broke in with the Dallas Cowboys in
1969 and played in the Pro Bowl that
year and in 1972, 1973 and 1974. He
played college ball at Yale.
Hill was in Cleveland Tuesday un-
dergoing a physical examination and
was scheduled to begin workouts with
the Browns today, a team spokesman
said.
The Browns also said running back
Tom Sullivan, who underwent surgery
Monday for torn knee ligaments and
will be sidelined for the remainder of
the season, has been placed on the in-
jured reserve list.
-AP
Clubbers crushed
The talented sister combination of
Mary and Alexandra Callam wasn't
quite enough magic for the Michigan
field hockey team as they were tram-
pled 4-1 by defending state and regional
champions Central Michigan Univer-
sity yesterday at Ferry Field.
THE WOLVERINES had upset on
their minds as they came out running
step-for-step with the Chippewas, put-
ting on several bursts of offensive
pressure and eventually scoring a goal
to take a 1-0 lead at the end of the first
half.
Michigan's lone goal was only the fir-
st they've scored against Central in the
last four years, but it was a pretty one.
Alexandra Callam went deep into the
Chippewa corner and centered a per-
fect pass to her sister Mary, who
smacked a low shot past CMU netmin-
der Sue Proctor from ten feet out.
BUT THE persistent Central
Michigan offense finally wore down the
Wolverines. Four unanswered goals in
the second period made it no contest.
Marge Rausch paced the attack with
two scores while Janice Zigman and
Linda Strom notched the other tallies
for Central.
"Considering it was our first game, I
thought they played well," commented
head coach Phyllis Ocker. "There are a
few places where we need im-
provement and to check out a few other
players, but other than that, I couldn't
be displeased with our performance."
The Wolverines' next home match is
this Friday against Toledo at Ferry
Field beginning at 4 p.m.
-BOB EMORY
* * *
Harriers hustle
Michigan's women's cross country
team, the first ever, for women,
engaged in its premiere meet last
Saturday against Bowling Green and
emerged victorious, 40-23.
The harriers copped three of the first
five finishes with Marianne Dickerson,
Dawn Woodruff and Katy Benner
placing first, fourth and fifth respec-
tively.
ALSO RUNNING for the Wolverines
were Sherrie King (sixth), Blaise
Supler (seventh), Darlynda Key
(eighth), Janice Downer (ninth),
Margie Wallace (tenth) and Sheila
Mayberry (11th).
Coach Red Simmons was pleased
with his team's showing, especially in
light of the fact that, officially, cross
country is still a club sport for women
and team members are paying for their
own expenses.
-DAILY SPORTS
Golfers awash
Alabama's women's golf team easily
won the Michigan State Invitational
golf tournament last weekend in East
Lansing, defeating Minnesota by 11
strokes. Host Michigan State finished
third, 33 strokes back while Michigan
placed 11th, 76 shots behind the Crim-
son Tide.
FRESHPERSON Linda Drillock led
Michigan with an 84 and a 79. Former
tennis player Elaine Crosby followed
with an 87-90, while freshperson Robin
Sobota shot a pair of 90's.
"I was very pleased with Linda's
score," coach Tom Simon said. "I hope
we can bring the other scores down this
weekend at Purdue."
-DAILY SPORTS
.* * *
Broncs bucked
Special to the Daily
Michigan's women's volleyball team,
playing in a best of five match against
Western Michigan, defeated the Bron-
cos in three straight sets, 15-8, 15-8 and
15-11..
OUTSTANDING players for the
spikers included Jackie Madison, Julie
Stotesburg and Jeanne Sellman.
The team next plays in the Spartan
Invitational, held this weekend at East
Lansing.
-DAILY SPORTS
IMAGES
HAIQ'n'COM1DtANY
Ann Arbor's Cornerstone of Beauty
SPECIALISTS with
EXPERTISE in
" PRECISION CUTS
" PERMS: Curly, Wavy,
& Relaxers
" COLOR
" COLOR CORRECTION
" SKIN & NAILS
The Progressive, Full-Service
Salon of Ann Arbor
Just steps from Campus
311 E. Liberty
994-5057
(Tues-Fri 9-7 (last appointment)
Mon & Sat by appointment only
Meter measures up
Michigan linebacker Jerry Meter (46) tackles Notre Dame halfback Vagas
Ferguson (32) in last Saturday's Wolverine victory at South Bend. Due to out-
standing defensive play, Meter, a junior, was named the Chevrolet Defensive
Player of the Game by ABC Television. Meter's invaluable services aided the
28-14 win for the Blue.
METER ONE STEP AHEAD
k ,
Blue captai~n honored
By RICK MADDOCK
People at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday heard an announcement near
the end of the game concerning the offensive and defensive players of the game.
The announcer said Rick Leach had been named the offensive star and Irish
linebacker Bob Leopold the defensive star. People watching on television saw
that Jerry Meter was selected as the defensive star.
Clearing up any confusion, the Defensive Player of the Game as chosen by
ABC and sponsored by Chevrolet was Michigan's linebacker Jerry Meter. The
Most Valuable Player on defense, chosen by the Mutual Broadcasting Radio
Network and sponsored by Lazy Boy Chairs was Notre Dame's linebacker Bob
Leopold.
What's the difference? The winners of the Chevrolet award get a $1000
scholarship sent in their name (but not for their use) to their school's
scholarship fund. The winners of the Lazy Boy Award get a Lazy Boy chair sent
to their school's athletic department.
Charles Lacey of Chevrolet is in charge of processing the checks won by the
players of the game. "The one reported to us by ABC was Rick Leach and Jerry
Meter. I'm going to process the checks accordingly."
The mix-up even confused the Michigan squad. "We heard on the field that
Leopold won it. We didn't find out until later when someone told us that Meter
had won it," defensive coordinator Bill McCartney said.
The announcement made at Notre Dame Stadium revealed the winners of
the Lazy Boy award (Leach won both offensive awards for the school). Whether
the Notre Dame announcer, Frank Crosiar, said Lazy Boy, Chevrolet, or just
defensive player of the game remains hazy.
When asked if he announced Leopold and Leach as the Chevrolet players of
the game, Crosiar said yes. He said the information came up from the ABC
booth. But when he was informed that the television screen showed Meter as the
defensive winner, and that Mutual also had an award, Crosiar claimed he said
Mutual.
Five minutes later, on a second phone conversation, Crosiar said, "I don't
remember what announcement I made. At the beginning of the game I made an
announcement about Chevrolet, but at the end of the game I remember
specifically saying Lazy Boy Chairs."
To the Freshmen: It wouldn't be the
DEKE HOUSE
If there weren't some rumors about it.
Just for the record,
s _ -:
SON GWRITERS.
Michigan Songwriters Guild
Organizational Meeting
7:30 P.M.
TONIGHT
Conference Room 6, Michigan Union
A FULL SERVICE MEXICAN RESTAURANT
with DANCING NIGHTLY
presents
Cisco'sDisco.
Ann Arbor's Premier Discoteque
611 CHURCH ST.-NEAR SOUTH UNIVERSITY
995-5955
s:
GI
You will have an opportunity to order
from your Josten's College Ring Speclist:
THE
Conservatory Restaurant
is now open for
B REAKFAST
specializing in
Omelettes
of our own creation
2250 possible combintions of
cheeses, meats, veggies & sauces
Served with Danish, Bagels, Muffins & Much More
OPEN FOR BREAKFAST: MON.-FRI. 7 a.m.-1l a.m.