Thursday, October 2, 1975 rHE MICHIGAN DAILY rage Nine Thursday, October 2, 1975 [HE MICHIGAN DAILY vage Nine Even -i it Hurts Leba Hertz - Casey Sten el ... .amazin' CHARLES DILLON STENGEL passed away late Monday night. But the man known simply as "Casey" will live forever in the hearts of baseball fans throughout the country. Spartans demote Smith; Michigan's Lund in line? I Stengel broke into baseball in 1912 ers. Casey was the only man to be a another, of all four major league clubs Dodgers, Giants, Yankees, and Mets. with the Brooklyn Dodg- member, at one time or in New York City - the In 1948, the '01' Perfessor' became manager of the Yankees. In 12 years with the organization, he won 10 pennants and 7 World Series. But in 1960 when his ballclub lost the Series in the seventh game to Pittsburgh, Dan Topping, president of the Yan- kees, announced that Stengel had retired. Casey said, "I was fired." The old man's career in baseball was apparently over. The man, despite his clowning and colorful language, was perhaps one of the most successful managers in the game. But George Weiss, the general manager of the newly formed New York National League franchise, had a different idea. He wanted Casey to pilot the club. Little did anyone. know what the world was in for. In 1961,1 Casey Stengel became manager of the worst ball club in the history of baseball - the New York Mets. In the Macy's Thanks- giving Parade, Stengel claimed, "the Mets are gonna be amaz- in"'. And amazing they were. Stengel contributed much to their laughable success. Had to endure defeat In the Mets' first season they won 40 games and lost 120- a major league record. As a matter of fact, the Mets finished dead last for the next four years under Casey. In those years, however, over five million people came out to see this team. One of the main reasons was Stengel. From the beginning, he knew the Mets couldn't be very good, but even he had no concept that they would be that bad. On the very first day of training camp in 1962, Stengel de- cided to teach his team a few basics of the game. He marched his players from base to base and said: "Let me show you where the bases are. (he stops at first) Now if you get to first base you can make a living in New York because everybody wants to support a new team and the public expects their best and the Polo Grounds is an old friend, but a new one (Shea Stadium) is being built." Stengel then proceeded to second and third base, and con- tinued with the same sort of explanation. When he arrived at home plate he remarked, "This is where you make your living when you score, and they tell you that the distance is the same, but you will find out that is not so, 'cause it's longer to get here. Everybody got it. Let's commence playing." When someone in spring training asked the Professor where his team would finish that year, Casey accurately reported "Chicago". He also felt there was some hope for the outfield. Gus Bell had eight children, Richie Ashburn and Frank Thomas had six apiece. "If they produce as well on the field as they do off the field, we'll win the pennant," quipped Stengel. The Mets, however, lost their first nine games and finished the month of April with a 5-16 record. By RAY O'HARA Michigan State University an- " nounced yesterday that Burt II l ,IV Smith has been removed fromv Vice-President Jack Breslin stated that Smith would be re- trative responsibilities.$ assigned "in the best interests Breslin vigorously denied any' of the university's athletic pro- connection between the removal gram." of Smith and the NCAA investi- The statement continued to gation into MSU recruitingE say that the "high pressure" practices.z of the job had adversely af- Nick Vista, Assistant Director fected Smith's health and his of the MSU Sports Information ability to handle his adminis- department, observed that thel SHINES IN SCRIMMA Porter paces By RICH LERNER Trapp took scoring honors for Forget Dave Bing, forget you the blue team with 31 points.; ever heard of him. Lindsay Hairston, a fourth- Kevin Porter, acquired from round draft pick from MSU, the Washington Bullets during snared 13 rebounds, stole the# the off-season in a trade for ball four times, and totaled 211 Bing, delighted an estimated points, to finish third among 1,800 fans at Crisler Arena last the scorers for the whites. AlI night in the Detroit Pistons in- Eberhard tallied 24. tra-squad game, leading the The "other Porter," Howard, white team to a 142-139 victory scored 25 points on twelve for over the Blue unit. eighteen from the floor and one Seemingly all over the court, from the foul line, for the Blue Porter collected 32 points and team.1 dished out sixteen assists. Thir- Earl Williams, a 6-8 center ac- teen for fourteen from the floor, quired from Phoenix for Willie the third-year pro out of St. Norwood, was impressive under Francis (Pa.), continually drove the boards, especially offensive- down the lane for buckets from ly, caging 19 caroms, including short range, and passed off to 12 on the offensive side of the teammates for equally good court. Williams scored 20 points, shots. exclusively from short range. THE NBA assist leader last THE PISTONS displayed their year, Porter relished his as- new running style, and Coach sists more than his own points. Ray Scott stressed the import-1 "I want to direct the offense. ance of last night's game. "ItI I don't want to score," Porter means a lot, we're changing the said. "I have to get the big guy whole system, and there's noth- the shot and the off-guard the ing to be complacent about," shot." Scott said. Thirteen players scored in Six-eleven center and captainI double figures, and George of the Pistons, Bob Lanier removal "had all the earmarks of being involuntary" as far as Smith was concerned. When ask- ed if the administrative respon- sibilities referred to in the state- ment might be connected with the investigation, Vista replied, "Well, of course, you can draw any inference you want." Smith's health has been less than excellent for some time. He collapsed on the field while he was an assistant coach in 1960 and was operated on in the spring of this year for an ab- dominal condition. At the time doctors found several ulcers. MSU recruiting has been the subject of two investigations: one by the NCAA's Dave Berst and another by a committee of MSU officials. There is evidence that Smith's ouster may have been the result of the committee probe. A high-ranking source on the MSU committee stated that the news "leaked a little premature ly" but that the move had been "in the wind for some time.' The source also insisted that Smith was not removed because of the NCAA investigation. Berst, the NCAA investigator assigned to the MSU case, ex pressed surprise at the incident when contacted at the NCAA offices in Shawnee Mission, Kan- sas. "You're the first person to tell me about it," said Bers who insisted that he did not know of any plan to fireSmit nor even that Smith had been removed until he was telephoned about it vesterdav afternoon. T 'l;f if+~ AMf h x/ 1975 UAC Homecoming Photography Contest Entry deadline: Oct. 21, 1975 Theme: "Students Interacting" Information and entry forms available at: QUARRY PHOTO, State St. PURCHASE CAMERA, S. University t U CELLAR lower level, Michigan Union UAC, 2nd floor, Michigan Unin r SCHOOL OF ART If you are interested in working on HOME- COMING or need more information concerning Homecoming events call R. Sherry or D. Lovett, 763-1107._ GE t, mw a Jleft Elliott, vDrector of ine sit Ten Service Bureau, stated that MSU was to av- played a little over half the near before the NCAA Infrac- game while coaching the White tions Committee on October team, scoring 16 points and met- 13 to formglly answer charges ing out five assists. of recruiting violations. He John Mengelt netted nineteen 'added, h o w e v e r, "I 'don't points, Eric Money scored 11 imnine they'll (the NCAA) points, and Jim Davis and Lon rle rieht away." Kruger tallied five and two Smith's duties will be taken points respectively to round out over by Jack Shingleton who is the scoring for the Whites. nrrePtlv MSU Placement Serv- Curtis Rowe knocked in 19 ice director. Shingleton w1ll oc- Coints otheknlue9joining c'v both jobs simultaneously points for the Blues, 'mg ntil a permanent Athletic Di- Chris Ford and Archie Clark in r-tor can be found. double figures. Oe of the names mentioned The Pistons top draft pick is a possible replacement is .L'pthat of Michigan Assistant AD Walter Luckett of Ohio, played rTn T,"nd. "Lund might be a nine minutes, scoring six points. ,didnte, blt that would be Luckett missed free a ent- r vr r a rtivea on m art &Jt*.t..LL fl~..t J. ~ ~ sfL ~ t *, tt Vt tSI *l3 jfl " Special Purchase CUFFED SLACKS. I S (I i / t \ iI(j Ij rookie camp because he had not n fr7ed Vista. yet come to terms with the ,Llind cliamed that he h-d not club, and appeared to be out 't eMSLT rost but that, "V of shape as a result. SU ition hast plwas been that On October 15 the Pistons will one is nresented with a retrn o Cislr t ply te n,nrt,lnitv like that. me wo'l- return to Criser to play the to investigate it." Fe said! Cleveland Cavaliers and Cam- 1 the first he had heard of py Russell in an exhibition con- hi; beine considered was from test. I ,thni l 4 on Tuesday night. Reg. to $12.00 8 Reg. $13 to $15 Reg. $16 to $25. a3 3 " 3 I t a t $5.00 $.00 $9.00 Larry MacPhail diesa IN DOWNTOWN I MED'SANN A RBOR Frnm R71rP V.Prvirr! R.pnnrtc In addition, Stengel and his Mets found themselves on a Larry MacPhail, the baseball broken down bus, a stuck elevator, and a double header that pioneer of his day, who brought lasted 10 hours and 23 minutes. Of course, they lost the electric lights to the playing doubleheader. A few weeks later on Father's Day Jim field and winning clubs every- Sunning of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched a perfect game. where he went, died yesterday Stengel said, "I thought losing long was rough. Losing short morning at the age of 85. with no men on ain't easy either." MacPhail built pennant win- ners in Cincinnati and Brooklyn, and returned the New York Casey left a legacy Yankees to their glory years as president and general manager Stengel finally left the Mets in 1965, when he received a: of the club. fractured hip five days before his 75th birthday. "I'm not going "He was dynamic, bombastic to take any pitchers out with a cane, so I'll have to quit." ancurrent pesaident oGa he Ne Before he left the Mets, Stengel left a legacy. His comments York Yankees. "He made many on his players, whose names he couldn't get right half the time outstanding contributions to -catcher Chris Canizzarro was called Canzoneri and first base- baseball, including the bringing man Tim Harkness was Harshness-and his anecdotes on the of night baseball to the majors inept play, showed his ability for making the most out of a bad at Cincinnati in 1935." thing. When MacPhail brought lights to Brooklyn's Ebbets Field in One time, against the speedy Los Angeles team, Casey 1938, Johnny Vandermeer of rambled on and on in true Stengelese style, "We come in Cincinnati tossed his second con- I I i , there and you never seen anything like it in your life. I find I got a defensive catcher only who can't catch the ball. The pitcher throws. Wild Pitch. Throws again. Passed ball. Throws again. Oons! The ball drons out of the glove. And all the time I am dizzy on account of those runners running around in circles on me and so forth. "Makes a man think. You look un and down the bench and you have to say to yourself, 'Can't anybody here play this game."', Casey Stengel knew how to play the game. From his win- ning years with the Yankees to his losing years with the Mets, he always made an impression on the people who heard him. No more will the fans be able to cheer Casey on Old Timers Day as he draws more applause than Joe Dimaggio, Stan Musial and Mickey Mantle. No more will the fans see a bird bly out of his cap when he comes out to the mound. But his memory will live on. His name is synonmous with baseball. secutive no-hit game to cele- brate the occasion. But not all of MacPhail's genius was in the area of electrical innovations. Dubbed the "Barnum of Baseball," MacPhail helped tear down some of the national pastime's stuffiness with promotions like Old Timers Day, now a staple on the baseball beat. VETERAN MAKE YOUR WEEKEND PAY Michigan National Guard I 483-3184 I . ItJ Everyone likes to keep snapshots. We'll snap the ones you can't. W CR 'Qar ., r a /NE NamNENSI j i ,; MICHIGANENSIAN U-M's Year in Review 0 - --