Page 14-Thursday, May 17, 1979-The Michigan Daily
ROOKIE LINKSTER UP TO PAR
Maddalena strokes to NCCA's
By M.J. SCHNEIDER
There are a lucky few born with the potential.to
excel in athletic competition. Most, however, have to
work quite hard to become proficient. For Michigan
freshman Steve Maddalena, a combination of both
sweat and natural talent have propelled him into the
college golf spotlight this spring.
Maddalena began work on his game early, teeing it
up first as a youngster in Jackson ten years ago,
while taking lessons on the city's public layouts.
The golf-happy Maddalena eventually was hired by
Cascades, one of Jackson's municipal courses. The
move gave him the opportunity to polish his im-
proving game, while still making a few bucks on the
side.
Later, while attending Jackson Lumen Christi,
Maddalena captained the golf squad in his junior and
senior years. It was here Maddalena first caught the
eyes of former Blue coach Bill Newcomb.
"Newcomb interested me in Michigan," said Mad-
dalena. "Then when I came here, there was a new
coach. (Tom) Simon had taken his place. I was
hesitant at first, but he's done an even better job
(than Newcomb) of making my stay at Michigan
worthwhile."
During his "stay" this season, Maddalena has
compiled an impressive 74.6 stroke average,
qualifying him for the NCAA tournament scheduled
for next weekend in Winston-Salem, N.C.
"Usually freshmen aren't picked to go to the
NCAA's," said Maddalena. "Seniors usually get it. I
was really surprised. I guess when you play well, you
get what you deserve.
"(Blue captain) Frank (Sims) deserved it as much
as I did. He played four years of good golf here, but he
hit a slump this year and slacked off. But he deserved
to go, too."
Although golfers of Maddalena's caliber often
'Usually freshmen aren't picked,
to go to the N(CAA's. I was really
surprised. I guess when You play
well, you get what You deserve.'
--Steve Maddalena
choose to enroll in a southern school, due to the year-
round playing conditions and a better shot at the pro
tour, the young golfer willingly chose Michigan's en-
vironment.
"Tonmenthe best thing about Michigan is the golf
program," Maddalena said enthusiastically. "We
really play first class golf here.
"We travel to play golf in southern tournaments,
and we play as much as they do down there, except
we don't practice during the winter. Anyway, you can
get stale if you play too often.
"I also chose Michigan because it's a highly
academic school," added Maddalena. "That's impor-
tant. The break from practice during the winter gives
you time to concentrate on schoolwork. You have to
do well in that as well as in golf."
Maddalena credits some of his success at Michigan
to his coaches, Simon and assistant Jim Carras.
"The best thing he (Simon) did was not to change
anything;" said Maddalena. "He left my swing alone.
He knows my swing. When something goes wrong and
I'm not hitting well, he can tell me how to get it back
on track."
Maddalena also stressed Simon's devotion to golf
and to the team as a major factor in helping him to
excel on the links this year.
"Tom never lost faith in me. I started out badly in
the Kepler Open (in Columbus, Ohio), and we had a
talk. After that I did pretty well. He knew I'd come
back and that helped me," noted the successful
rookie.
Simon's faith in the young golfer seems to have
carried over into Maddalena's thinking. "Never
giving up is my strong point," he said. "You can't
quit trying."
Along with his never-say-die disposition, Mad-
dalena exhibits a more relaxed approach to his sport.
"I think of myself as intense while I'm playing, but
I don't take it too seriously. It's not a life and death
matter. It's too hard to play that way. It tears you up.
I'm not out there to play for my life. It's just a fun
game."
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SPORTS OF THE DAILY:
Ford top NBA frosh
By The Associated Press
NEW YORK-Guard Phil Ford of
the Kansas City Kings has been named
NBA Rookie of the Year for the 1978--79
season.
FORD, WHOSE playmaking helped
the Kings win the NBA's Midwest
Division championship, was a near-
unanimous choice for the rookie honor.
He received 62 of 66 votes. The other
four votes went to guard Reggie Theus
of the ChicagoBulls.
Ford, a two-time All-American from
the University of North Carolina and a
member of the United States gold
medalist Olympic team in 1976,
averaged 15.9 points per game and was
fourth in the NBA in assists with an 8.6
average.
* * *
Dryden dubbed
HARTFORD, Conn.-Goalie Dave
Dryden of the Edmonton Oilers yester-
day was named the most valuable
player in the WHA.
DRYDEN ALSO was named to the
league's first team all-stars, joining
defensemen Rick Ley of New England
and Rob Ramage of Birmingham, cen-
ter Robbie Ftorek of Cincinnati, right
wing Real Cloutier of Quebec and left
wing Mark Howe of New England.
* * *
Simpson shipped
BUFFALO, N.Y.-The Buffalo Bills
of the National Football League said
yesterday they have obtained free
safety Bill Simpson from the Los
Angeles Rams in exchange for an un-
disclosed draft choice.
Simpson played college ball at
Michigan State where he won Big Ten
honors his last two seasons.
Lakers pick Magic
KNIT ATHLETIC SHORTS $3.99
CONVERSE NYLON TOTES $7.95
reg. $5.00
reg. $11.00
LOS ANGELES (AP)-Earvin
Johnson has worked magic
wherever he's played basketball,
and the Los Angeles Lakers hope
his ball-handling sorcery will
transform them into a National
Basketball Association power.
The Lakers announced yester-
day that they'd reach contractual
agreement with "Magic" John-
son, confirming they will take the
Michigan State sophomore as the
first pick in the National Basket-
ball Association draft. Johnson
announced last Friday that he
was declaring hardship and
would enter the June 25 draft.
The contract will not be signed
until after the draft, and terms
were not disclosed. But it has
been reported that the Lakers
will pay the 19-year-old Johnson
$600,000 annually for four years.
"I'm happy and excited to be
here," Johnson said after being
introduced at a press conference.
"I probably wouldn't have come
out (in the hardship draft) if this
team hadn't wanted me. The
Lakers have one of the best cen-
ters in the league in Kareem Ab-
dul-Jabbar and it's an outstan-
ding organization."
Johnson, a 6-foot-8, 200-pounder
who played mostly at point guard
for the NCAA champion Spartans
this past season, said he prefers
to play the point but will gladly
play wherever the Lakers want.
146 VISA
665-3888
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