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 -j 1 ', - - - -®i-