Page 10-Saturday, April 14, 1979-The Michigan Daily
FIRST TWO RAINED OUT
Batsmen ace Badgers in opener
AW
I
THE SPORTING VIEWS
By DIANE SILVER
What has 18 legs, 9 heads and goes
squash-squish, squash-squish? An-
swer: Michigan's baseball team doing
a backwards rain dance in hopes of
warding off those evil droplets.
First the batsmen were plagued by
snow, then they were bombarded by
sleet, and now they are being
threatened by rain. But now the time
has finally come for the Wolvrines to
open their Big Ten season, and the
heavens can wait.
If their no-rain dance works, the bat-
smen will play ball at 1:00 this after-
noon in a doubleheader against Wiscon-
sin. Michigan coach Moby Benedict has
been busy preparing the grounds at
Fisher Stadium for the event.
"We've simply had terrible
weather," said Benedict, scooping up
another shovel full of slippery mud.
"We haven't had the chance to do much
of anything."
Although the Wolverines' lack of
playing time puts them at a disadvan-
tage, they are in the same Ark as most
of the other teams in the Big Ten.
Michigan has only played one
doubleheader (against Western
Michigan) since its spring trip, and has
had five doubleheaders called off due to
inclement weather.
The Wisconsin batsmen aren't in
much better shape, as they haven't
played any games since their spring
trip. One advantage that the Badgers
do have is that they have 17 returning
lettermen from last year's third-place
team.
"Most of our team is young. We only
have four seniors," said Michigan cat-
STAR RUNNER SMITH INJURED
Women race to Bowling Green
By LIBBY REID
Michigan's women's track team is competing today in
Bowling Green, Ohio, minus one of their key runners and
facing some tougher competition than they had originally
planned on.
Therunners will be without sophomore Christina Smith, a
member of the mile and medley relay teams and a com-
petitor in the open quarter-mile. Smith was involved in an
auto accident Friday afternoon, and Coach Red Simmons
was not expecting her to be able to compete.
"She called me about 5:00 Friday and said her head was
hurting pretty bad where she'd hit the windshield, so I don't
think she'll be running," said Simmons. "We'll just have to
juggle the other girls around as best we can."
The women were originally scheduled to travel to Alma
this weekend for an invitational there, but that meet was
canceled due to the Easter holiday. Simmons said the com-
petition at Bowling Green will be tougher, but he expects to
do well.
"We're looking to come out probably about fourth of the
nine teams that will be there," said Simmons. "Bowling
Green will be tough since they're hosting and are aware of
what kind of entries the other schools will be bringing. And
EMU and Central are always stiff competition."
Simmons is looking for top performances from several
team members. One is freshwoman Deb Williams. Williams
took first place in the javelin throw last week at the Ohio
State Invitational, while the rest of her teammates were
competing in Kalamazoo.
Another strong Michigan competitor is sophomore Sherrie
King. King took first in the 400-meter run at Kalamazoo.
Penny Neer in the discus throw and Marianne Dickerson in
the 5,000-meter run are also expected to turn in good perfor-
mances.
Simmons is pleased with the progress the team has made
since last year.
"Last year we had about five outstanding women on the
team, and this year we've got twelve tough competitors," he
said. "We'll be hurting without Tina Smith, but the girls who
are going will be working that much harder to fill in for her."
cher and captain Jim Capoferi.
"Everyone's got to get used to playing
with one another."
Unfortunately the 'M' nine haven't
had much chance lately to work
together in a game situation. Except for
an occasional dry day, when the bat-
smen have been practicing outside, the
team has been confined to the cramped
quarters of the Track and Tennis
building.
"Even though you practice, you're
not in a game situation," said Capoferi.
"You can go through the motions and
think through the situations, but it's not
the same. In a game you could still goof
Capoferi suffered problems in his
lower back earlier this week, but he will
be back in the catcher position for the
game today. Steve Howe will complete
the battery as the starting pitcher for
the first game, while pitcher Steve
Perry will start the second game.
Women beat
the rain and
OkSU, 5=4
Debbie Haines played the rags-to-
riches role to the hilt yesterday in the
rain at Ferry Field, knocking in
Theresa Gardocki from third with a
base hit to give the Wolverine sof-
,tballers a 5-4 win over OSU in the first
game of a rain-shortened
doubleheader.
The game-winning bingle was sweet
revenge for Haines. With Michigan
leading 4-3 in the top of the seventh and
final inning, centerfielder Haines
misjudged a fly ball. The ball flew over
her head and rolled to the fence, allow-
ing the Buckeye hitter to round the
bases for the tying score.
GARDOCKI WENT the route on the
mound for the Wolverines in the first
game, while the second game was
called after three innings with OSU up
3-2.
As the rain began to pound down,
everyone was surely glad to get off the
field, most of all umpire Ed Vlcek.
Vlcek had fallen in the goo while run-,
ning between third base and second
during a pickoff play. Vlcek kept his
wits however, calling the pickled run-
ner out at second.,
-DAILY SPORTS
Goon makes good..
..sets an example:
By GARY KICINSKI
THIS STORY SOUNDS almost like one of those hyped-up "Join the Daily.j
Sports Staff" spots you see in the paper every Freshman Supplement
You know what they sound like. "Get to know the REAL Ricl
Leach-join Daily sports." Or, "Are you an aspiring Joe Falls?-join Daily
sports."
The story, however preposterous it may sound, is true. It reads like this.
He joined the Daily sports staff as a freshman in 1974, after hearing ''
Speech 100 classmate delivering a persuasive speech to join the Daily. The!
deliverer was female, and he was persuaded. He continued his career at this,:'
newspaper until February of 1978, when he retired as an associate sports
editor.
Today he is the youngest head coach in modern Big Ten history.
His name is Don MacLachlan, but he is known by everyone as the Goon
Or Doodus, or Donny Mac, or Goon MacBelcher.
And it doesn't matter that his prestigious claim to fame is somewha
tainted by his lack of qualifications in the area. And it doesn't matter that his'
head coaching position is that of a lowly minor sport at the school with the
worst athletic reputation in the conference. '
What matters is that Don MacLachlan is an example of a person who j
knows how to make the best of his opportunities.
To fully appreciate the comedic value in the Goon's situation, you must
understand something about his nature.
At times he comes off as the eternal adolescent. While at this paper he
was famous for bestowing "goinks" on fellow Libels as a gesture of frien-
dliness. A "goink" was a gentle poke in the ribs, and was only one of a
seemingly endless "Goon-erisms" coined during his tenure: "Oh my byad"
(bee-yawd), meaning Oh My Gawd; "Aye Yegrotthe" (eye-ya-groth),
meaning totally disgusting; and one that lingers even now in the Daily very,
nacular-"Abjenet" (ab-jenkt), meaning to pimp out on.
And at other times he is the world's easiest-going guy. He has an inane
knack of getting along with everyone he meets, whether he is an athlete
coach, reporter, or peer.
Some people might even argue that he's just too damn nice for his ow'
good. At times during his years at this paper he befriended people on both
sides of an issue, leading some to question whether or not he could always b
trusted.
But, to use a cliche, success hasn't spoiled the Goon,
At age 22 and just a year removed from this paper, the Goon has goinked
his way to a position with the Northwestern Sports Information Department,
and when the position of head golf coach opened up and nobody bothered to
apply, the Goon landed that position too.
Not surprisingly, the Goon has made numerous good friends in his eight
months at Northwestern, and he pointed out, "We have people terrorized of
the goink down here too."
His debut as a rookie golf coach has been less than dynamic. In their fir
st match the sad 'Cats finished 15th of 15 teams by a whopping 82 strokes;
This weekend the 'Cats were due to play in the Kepler Invitational with
Michigan and the rest of the Big Ten, but chose to withdraw.
While doubling as both golf coach and sports information assistant, the
Goon has the unusual distinction of being able to quote himself in his own
press releases. Bearing in mind the fact that he was coaching players only a
year of two younger than himself, the Goon wrote prior to the season: "The
first thing I have to do is gain the respect of my players." And then,
presumably straight-faced, he added, "I think we'll be alright if we keep our
heads down."
While all of this doesn't speak highly of Northwestern's athletic
program, the Goon continues to take a half-serious, half-carefree approach
to his jobs and to life.
"I just keep trying to do the best job I can, whether it's at the Michigan
Daily or at Northwestern," he said. "It's a giant step for a Goon-I was kind
of hesitant to leave the state.
"I just feel I'm very fortunate," he added. "If I get a break, that's the
way it goes. I've gotten a lot of breaks along the way."
And so it is that now I think of Don MacLachlan as I write my last piece
for this newspaper. And I think of him not because he's a good friend or
because I wanted to glorify him in print. I think of him because of what he
has accomplished, and I think it says something about what kind of goals we
should establish for ourselves.
There are a lot of people out there who are just about ready to embark on
the proverbial "real world," and the point I guess I'm trying to make is that
we should be heading out there with an open mind, a determined attitude and
an ability to roll with the punches.
I didn't work at this newspaper as long as Don MacLachan did, but I,
hope to have learned just as much. And whether I go on to become "the next
Joe Falls" or whether this is the last time I see my name in print, the ex-
periences I've had here will remain with me forever.
Working for this paper "was the greatest thing I ever did," said the
Goon, and I wholeheartedly agree. Someday I hope to be able to echo another
of his coments as well: "If I hadn't joined the Daily, I know I wouldn't be
where I am now."
the COUNT has arrived
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'I
Ali says he plans to
announce retirement
By the Associated Press
title. Of all the heavyweight champion
Heavyweight boxing champion he said, only two white men, Gene Tui
Muhammad Ali said yesterday that he ney and Rocky Marciano, retired a
was about to retire, saying he wanted to champions.
become the first black heavyweight "I'm saying now that I don't plan t
champion to quit on top. never fight again because it's very irr
"In a few days I'll announce my portant to my -people," he declare
retirement because there's nothing using a double negative in a clearly a
more for me to accomplish," said Ali, firmative sense.
who has talked of retirement often in He said that where other champion
the last few years. had retired at 33 he was 37 and woul
Ali said he had to announce before like to get out on top and not "han
Sept. 15,whether he would retire, around" and mar his record.
otherwise he would be stripped of the
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