Thursday, October 19, 1972
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Kline
Thursday, October 19, 1972 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Nine
-/ d 2eepect4
Michigan basketball.. .
-Wi
B illiugham
shines
.. The future is nowI
-ohn papanek--- .
FOUR YEARS ago, Michigan's rookie athletic Director Don
Canham decided to do a little face-lifting in the Wolverines'
wilting athletic program.
While Canham is most famous for his astute speculation in
hiring a little known football coach named Bo Schembechler,
he had another hole to fill in the coaching staff of the once-
glorious Michigan basketball team.
During the Cazzie Russell-Bill Buntin-Oliver Darden era in 1964,
1965, and 1966, Michigan won Big Ten Championships and a Nat-
tional Championship in 1965. But after that, Dave Strack's next
two teams finished last (2-12) in 1967, and sixth (6-8) in 1968.
Obviously something had to be done. So Canham booted Strack
upstairs to the post of associate Athletic Director, and promoted
his assistant Johnny Orr to the head coaching job.
Now Orr had a set of respectable credentials, having been
an All-American at Beloit College in Wisconsin, and a star for the
Peoria Caterpillars in the AAU and the pro St. Louis Bombers.
He was an assistant coach at Wisconsin for four years, then
became head coach at the University of Massachusetts, where he
compiled a lack-luster 39-33 record.
But when he came to Michigan, Canham must have known
that the class in basketball came from the playgrounds of the
cities - Detroit, New York, Chicago - and somehow a big
smiling bald-headed' white man will not attract many of those
players the way a brother can.
So Canham ran out and grabbed one of the most successful
high school coaches in America; a black man with a lot of
personality, a lot of coaching ability and a lot of friends. And
that man was Freddie Snowden.
Well, "Snow and 0" as Snowden tabbed the tandem, did not
do much with the team they inherited from Strack, but all the
while, Michigan's basketball stable was growing. Thanks to
Snowden, Michigan was enrolling the best black players in the
state. The team of 1969-70 went-5-9, but the Wolverine freshman
team had all-staters Ernie Johnson, John Lockard, Ken Brady
(ineligible that year), and a high school All-American from
New York named Henry Wilmore.
The following year, Michigan was nosed out of a Big Ten
Championship by Ohio State, but became the first Big Ten team
ever to appear in the prestiguous National Invitational Tour.a-
ment in New York's Madison Square Garden.
Last season was a horrendous disappointment. Brady was in-
jured and never really made it back, Wilmore switched at mid-
season from forward to guard, and the Wolverines blew big
games to take themselves out of the conference driver's seat
and finish tied for third at 9-5.
But again the Baby Blue had a super team, this one even
better than the Wilmore-Johnson-Lockard aggregation.
It boasted possibly the best freshman player in the country,
another Snowden acquisition, Campy Russell, and a wealth of
talent in guards Joe Johnson and John Kantner, and big men
like C. J. Kupec, Doug Ashworth, and Billy Ayler.
So that brings us to the present, and believe me, there is
no place like it, if you are a Michigan basketball freak.
Freddie Snowden is gone, to a richly deserved head coaching
job at Arizona (where Strack is the new Athletic Director).
But he left his legacy: an all black starting five with enough
potential talent to sweep the nation. Seriously.
Here is why the- Wolverines can go all the way this year:
Orr's new assistant is Jim Dutcher, an immensely successful
head coach at nearby Eastern Michigan University, where he
compiled a stupendous 126-50 record in six years. Although he is
white, he has recruited countless black basketballers from De-
troit and elsewhere, and has shown a great ability to handle
his players.
And Michigan is loaded with playing talent.
Wilmore is a two-year All-American and accordingto. Orr,
he has adjusted his tremendous ability to playing guard, a posi-
tion he had difficulty handling on a few occasions last season.
With slippery little Joe Johnson doing the bulk of the ball hand-
ling and play making, Wilmore will be free to use his never-
ending collection of shots and moves on clear-outs and one-on-one
drives.
Campy Russell may be the b st player in the country. At 6-8,
he's got the speed, hands, and shot to play guard, but in the
corner he's as dangerous as they come. Nobody can beat him
one-on-one, and the beautiful thing is that if the opponent tries
to trap him in a zone, Michigan still has Wilmore on the out-
side.
as
Reds
trim
A's
OAKLAND (P)-Jack Billingham,'
a journeyman pitcher with a career
won-lost percentage of .500, fired
a brillant three-hitter for eight in-
nings last night, helping the Cin-
cinnati Reds to a 1-0 victory over
the Oakland A's in Game 3 of the
World Series.
When Billingham's first three
pitches to Mike Epstein in the last
of the ninth were balls, Manager
Sparky Anderson lifted him for
Reds' relief ace Clay Carroll.
Carroll, who had 37 saves during
the regular season, got a strike
over to Epstein and then retired
the A's slugger- on a ground ball.-
He finished off Oakland by wiping
out Sal Bando and George Hen-i
drick, to preserve the victory.
But in the seventh, the Reds
finally got the run Billingham
needed. Tony Perez opened with
a sharp single to left and Denis
Menke sacrificed.
Cesar Geronimo, hitless in his
first nine World Series at-bats,
followed with a single through the!
middle. Perez steamed aroundl
daily
sports
NIGHT EDITOR:
FRANK LONGO
third base and then tumbled in
the soggy turf, still wet from 10
straight days of rainwin the Bay
area.
He scrambled to his feet and
raced for the plate, sliding in, al-'
though the A's made no play on
him.
The only hits the gritty right-
handed Billingham allowed were a
bunt single by Joe Rudi in the
fourth, and infield hits by Dick
Green in the fifth and pinch-hitter
Gonzalo Marquez in the seventh.
He walked three batters and struck
out seven in the eight innings he
worked.
The best chance the A's had
at him came in the sixth inning
when Bert Campaneris walked on
four pitches leading off. With
Oakland owner Charles 0. Fin-
ley's electronic scoreboard alter-
nately signalling "go, go, go"
and "beep, beep, beep," Matty
Alou bunted.
Catcher Johnny Bench fielded
the ball but his throw to first pull-
ed Joe Morgan off the base, and
Alou was safe. As Bench began
to argue the call, Morgan tried to
catch Campaneris rounding second.
But his throw sailed into center
field and Campy raced to third.
Billingham bore down and got
Rudi on a bouncer to third with
Alou moving to second on the play.
The Reds elected to walk cleanup
hitter Epstein, loading the bases.
The move paid off when Bando
jammed into an inning-ending dou-
ble play.
AP Photo
CINCINNATI'S TONY PEREZ slides safely past c atcher Gene Tenace of the A's to score the only
run in last night's third World Series game. Oakland now leads the series 2-1.
FOES ARE TOUGH AGAIN
Schedule
Offensive grid stars
seeknational honors
By JIM ECKER 250 lb. Sizemore. For three years,
Picking an All-American offen- his quickness, agility and power
sive line excites most sports writers have kept the Longhorns' bone
about as much as a Michigan var- from breaking. One knock on Size-'
sity-reserve football game. For the more is his unproven ability as a
casual college football fan, the rel- pass blocker.
ative interest level for the "men Oregon's Stokes rarely attracts
in the pits" ranks just above a attention. He just gets the job
presidential press conference. done. The Ducks' coaching staff
But for those desiring an insight clacks that his potential is greater
into the fortunes of football tom- than ex-teammate and fellow tackle
foolery, it is necessary to cast a Tom Drougas. The Baltimore Colts
look-see at the line of scrimmage. drafted Drougas number one last
To the victors of the battle up front year.
go the gaping holes for a Greg Hannah's position as Bear Bry-
Pruitt touchdown dash or the ant's best blocker is but one of his
requisite time for a successful Don manyattributes. Whether skiing
Strock aerial, on water or wrestling on mats, this1
Two schools of thought prevail 6'3", 275 lb. member of the Crim-
when judging collegiate offensive son Tide has the pro scouts drool-
linemen. Purists claim that under- ing.
graduate performance should be Woods brings exceptional speed
the sole criterion. No matter that and strength to Tennessee State's
your right guard chugs 275 lbs. front five. His 4.8 clocking in the
around on his squat 510" frame. 40 and 240 lb. build suit him as
If he does the job on Saturday, he a pro guard.
merits the acclaim. The ability at center is nothing
Countervailing t h i s argument to shout about. Brahaney nosed; putj
stand the professionals. Their eyes a host of candidates as the shap-
follow the 6'5", 245 lb. behemoths piest snapper around. Performing
who run 40 yards in five seconds for Chuck Fairbanks and the Soon-
in the race to join the empire of ers is probably his biggest asset.
Czar Pete Rozelle. One interesting question always
The Sporting News recently pub- surrounds All-American teams. Are
lished its poll of pro-football scouts. these guys tabbed "All-American"
The survey revealed what the men because they play for strong teams,
who "get paid to know" think or are their teams effective due to
about this year's crop.of players. their abundance of good players?
These gentlemen tend to be less It is probably a combination of,
susceptible to the oohs and aahs both.
emitted by over-zealous publicity ---
departments than most. Their ob-
jective opinions are interesting.
Consensus opinion tabbed a
starting All-American offensive ,
line of outstanding individual 802 M(
talent. The lineup: TACKLES-
Jerry Sizemore (Texas and Tim Friday, Oct. 20--N
Stokes (Oregon); GUARDS--o E
John Hannah (Alabama) and ;P of. Euge
Robert Woods (Tennessee State); (Poll Sci, chairman Mec
CENTER-Tom Brahaney (Okla-
homa). "THE TH RED
The success of Texas' wishbone GOVERNMENT'S L
offense revolves around the 6'4",
(Series: Threats
By BOB HEUER
Pity the poor Fighting Illini. It
seems that the schedule-maker
has, for the second straight year,
turned the ever-hopeful Illinois
football squad into a veritable
glutton for punishment.
When the schedules for the
1971 and '72 seasons were drawn,
some 13 years ago, the Illini were
slated to meet Washington, USC,
Ohio State and Michigan early in
the season both years.
In '71, all four were turned into
big losses. This year, with Penn
State thrown in for good measure,
the Illini's early season thrash-
ings have been equally sound.
Despite the development of prob-
ably its finest team since the
Dick Butkus-Jim Grabowski era,
Illinois has once again been un-
able tohpost a win in the first
half of the season.
BOB BLACKMAN'S frustrated
charges currently inhabit the Big
Ten's basement, bowing to Mi.h-
igan State in the season opener
and to Ohio State, 26-7, last
week.
The big problems for Black-
man have been at quarterb ck
and in the secondary. '
Veteran signal - caller M i k e
Wells is finally back it full
strength after sustaining a splht
right ring finger six weeks ago.
Wells has played over the injury,
but at markedly reduced effec-
tiveness. He completed only three
of 16 passes for 25 yards against
Ohio State and was interceptid
twice.
The secondary lost two starters
to ineligibility before the season:
Detroiter Willie
the conference
last year, and
'Seven different
have been triedc
and against the
Sonny Sixkiller,
John Hufnagel,
has showed.
Osley, who led
in interceptions
John Graham.
underclassmen
at the two spots,
likes of passers
Mike Rae, and
the inexperience
beats II
Wiza. Wiza has been tough
against the pass, while chipping
in with 47 tackles.
The Illini offense lost the serv-
ices of starting fullback Mik
Navarro, who went the injury
route prior to regular season
play. Navarro averaged 5.1 yards
a carry in '71 and was expe-ted
to carry the brunt of the rushing
load this year.
Halfbacks George Uremovi;n
and Lonnie Perrin have taken up
the slack in part. Uremovich
leads the rushers with a 3.8 av-
erage. Perrin, who made his hrst
career start in the Ohio State
game, has gained 105 yards, good
for a 3.2 average.
THE ILLINI'S veteran offen-
sive line is led by co-captain aud
All-American candidate Larry
Fodder!1
Yes, folks, the Daily Libels
are in need of Fodder-and not
the paternal type a la Abbott
and Costello. We do need an op-
ponent for Sunday. We'll make
you an offer you can't refuse.
Buzz us at 764-0552-that's Sports
Staff.
THE DEFENSE against the
rush has been somewhat more
encouraging. Ohio State rolled
up 292 yards rushing against the
Illini inethe first half. After some
halftime personnel changes how-
ever, the Buckeyes could muster
only 99 more.
Heading up a defensive line
which has given ground, albeit
grudgingly, are ends Tab Bennett
and Larry Allen. Allen leads the
team in tackles with 49; while
Bennett, an All-Big Ten choice at
defensive tackle last year, has
contributed 44.
Manning the midde linebacker
position will be co-captain Joiin
ii
McCarren. Blackman calls Mc-
Carren one of the top centers in
college football. The 6-3,. 247-
pounder 'also co-captained the
teqm as a j-nior.
Junior split end Garvin Rober-
son heads a capable, but as vet,
unsuccessful receiving unit. Sen-
ior John Bedalow holds down the
tight end position.
So far, illinois' talented. per-
sonnel have produced little more
than disappointment in the face
of a punishing schedule. If the
1971 pattern continues to follow
however, the Illini are due to
explode.
Blackman sees Michigan and
Ohio State, without question, the
class of the conference. They've
already lost to the Bucks. A vic-
tory in Saturday's homecoming
game would make their season.
i
r
t
t
t
s
r
1
THE BAGELS FOR BRUNCH
BUNCH STRIKES AGAIN!
Robert J. Harris
Mayor of Ann Arbor
"The Mayor Looks at
Notional Elections"
Following Loxand BagelsBrunch
(eat for 75c, listen free)
11 A.M. SUNDAY, OCT. 22 at HILLEL, 1429 HILL
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