Tuesday, July 11, 1972 THE /MICHIGAN DAILY Page Eleven Tueeday e Juy1,172TEMCIGNDIYPaeEee Inn~rtf fThe baI Chess title duel opens 0711J to V1 L~ J. ttII j More sports * . see page one ByELLIOT LEGOW WHICH IS AMERICA'S number one sport? Baseball, foot- ball, basketball, horse racing? Bowie Kuhn, Pete Rozelle, maybe even Richard Nixon waste their time trying to answer that question but all have the wrong answer. Spectator sports like pro baseball andfootball may enter- tain millions a year, horse racing may take in scores of mil- lions of dollars, and golf, tennis, or softball may involve mil- lions of participants but none matches the universal appeal of our national game-politics. Nearly every American participates in the political game, especially in the quadrennial battle for first place and nearly as many are involved as spectators of the nationally tele- vised political battles. And as today marks the opening of one of the biggest political ball games in several years, maybe even decades, the Daily Sports Staff wishes to make a confession. We will be unable to keep all you mundane-sports fans out there filled in every day this week with those crucial late night baseball reuslts, the latest style in magic number, or even the position of Bobby Fischer's king's knight's pawn as of 11:00 p.m. EST. We'll be too busy watching the con- vention. But we. do want to keep you up -to date on the sports angle of the Democrats' dealings, so here's your first install- ment. With only three days until the close of their training camp the Democratic Party has still not decided on its pitching rotation for this fall's schedule. The most likely candidate to go to the hill against the GOP's "Tricky" Dick Nixon, the coun- try's most proficient tosser of the underhanded curve and the dry spitter, remains the rookie left-hander George McGovern. McGovern owes his front runner position to his busy and successful work in the off-season playing winter ball, barn- storming the country, and making many token appearances at semipro games. Back again this spring (summer) as a challenger to the ro*ie southpaw is former left hander Hubert Hum- phrey. Humphrey, who once worked from a wide left handed delivery, has been forced to adapt his delivery over the years to a more directly overhand motion and now that his credentials as a left-hander are in ill repute has switched to a right-armed pitch. Humphrey also performed in the winter leagues but turned in a disappointing 12-18 record with an inflated earned run average of 4.69. However, Humphrey has filed a protest with league commissioner Larry O'Brien and he may Yet get credit for at least a part of the seven game series in California which McGovern captured last month. Ed Muskie, the tall slow-working righty who was the number two man in the staff's rotation on the World Series four years ago, and was early favorite for the opening day job this year now stands as only an outside shot to get the party's bid, although he again may get to go in the second game. Muskie's problems according to the pundits were his over- confidence. Instead of challenging the hitters like McGovern with a solid array of fast balls and sliders, Muskie tried to get by with an assortment of slow stuff which kep getting knocked out of the park. Other contenders for the top job remain but most of them are lightly regarded dark-horses. Fast working righty George Wallace, who has refused to allow any left-handers on his gtarting lineup, is in the Miami training camp this year, back from his jump to the rival Independent loop four years ago. Wallace, who objects to travel by bus, even in the minor leagues, has many supporters for just that stand, es- pecially up here in Michigan where auto workers' jobs could be jeopardized by an increase in bus business. Another rookie going for the opening day job is the com- bination Bernice Gera-Jackie Robinson of the league, Shirley Chisholm of New York. Despite her tough attitude Chisholm was unimpressive in the winter and spring and is not looked kindly to by some of the old pros. Another outside contender is Hank Jackson, the big right- hander who has a tendency to get badly bombed although he is the best defensive pitcher in camp. The Daily must remain biased in this as in all contro- versial issues so we will affirm our support of McGovern to hurl the opener. The left-hander may indeed have the best repertoire of all the hurlers in camp to throw against the Pachyderms in the fall, despite their emphasis on right-handed sluggers and defense. McGovern presents the party with youth and a willingness to experiment and change, badly needed after the failure four years ago with a veteran lineup. In the second game manager O'Brien is still "undecid- ed, but it may depend on who hurls the opener." Two pitchers not vying for the opening assignment, Endicott Peabody and Mike Gravel have announced as possibilities for the nightcap but neither the Ivy League ace Peabody or the Klondike circuit's top lefty has a good chance. One major decision confronting the party is just who will get to make the decision on the starters tomorrow. At last word in the sports department the California group wasn't decided nor was the active presence of that umpire-baiter who managed the team four years back, Deadly Dick Daley, certain. So while you watched the convention last night so did we. Sorry. REYKJAVIK, Iceland (W1) - Bobby Fischer didn't like t h e ..:: .;>.;;.::::. site, the money, or living with Professional Lea the Chinese. He objected to the lighting, and Am erican League the playing table. East He wanted police protection w L Pet. GB Batimore 40 34 .541 - pit and fresh orange juice. Detroit 40 34 .541 - N, He demanded a German sports New York 35 36 .493 3Y St car with an automatic transmis- Boston 34 36 .486 4 ch Cleveland 31 42 .425 80 i;( sion. Zilwaukee 29 44 .397 10% Ph He didn't like the chess board, Wst either, but Icelandic and Ros- Oakland 48 27 .640 -- Ci sian officials had beaten him to Chicago 43 33 .566 52 H Minnesota 30 30 .514 7!/2Lo the punch with their own objec- Kansas City 3 37 .507 10 l lions on that point. California 35 42 .455 14 st Texas 33 43 .434i15,E Fischer has gotten most of Texas Yesterday'sGamsr what he wanted, and today at 5 M t e rilwaukGames p.m. - 1 p.m. EDT - he will Kansas City at Baltimore emerge from his moody seclus- Chicago at Cleveland S ion to play Boris Spassky of the Texas at Detroit t Soviet Union for the w or I d ioston at Oakland New York at California championship of chess. Tuersday's Games Boston (Pattin 5- atOakland Luchei aed (Horlen 2-0) Sa Luchesi axe New York (Paterson 7-10) at California Philadelphia Phillies' manag- (May 2-6) L er Frank Lucchesi was fired Milwaukee (Lockwood 4-9) at Minne- sota (Woodson 5-8) H yesterday from his last place Texas (Broberg 5-7) at Detroit ball club and replaced by Gen- (Timmerman 6-7) eral Manager Paul Owens. Chicago (Bahnsen 11-9) at Cleveland At Owen wasname Phiadelhia (Lamb 2-3) Owens was named Philadelphia Kansas City (Drago 7-7) at Balti-- P g.m. only this June 3. more (Palmer 11-4) The match, in 24 games, ought to last about two months, a n d NEW OP in it two men will be matching their wits in the kind of intense STADIUM RE! commitment and concentration that few other endeavors r e- AND PIZ At stake for Fischer, a 29- 338 S. Sl year-old American, is a chance to be rich, and to gain the al- We specialize legiance of the American public for the gane which has totally Italian PIZZA and H absorbed his intelligence. Try us for the ULTIMAT .:s.. u5215. :. gue Standings National League East W L Pct .GB ttsburgh 40 27 .040 - ts York 44 31 .587 4 . Louis 40 35 .533 8 hicago 41 36 .5320$ ontreal 32 43 .427 16 hiladelphia 26 50 .342 22% West ncinnati 45 31 .592 - ouston 45 33 .577 1 s Angeles 40 30 .520 5 300(0t 30 42 .402 10 in Francisco 34 48 .415 14 an Diego 29 48 .377 16% Yesterday's Games is Angelesat Philadelphia, 2 ,a aiego at Montreal an Francisco at New York ther clubs not scheduled Tuesday's Games anto Die (Kirby 6-8) at Montreal (Torrer 9-5) an Francisco (Bryant 6-4) at New York (Koosman 6-3) os Angeles (Sutton 10-4) at Philadel- phia (Carlton 11-6) ouston (Forsch 4-3 and Roberts 7-4) at Chicago (Hooton 7-7 and Hands 6-6), 2 tlanta (Niekro 8-7) at St. Louis {Santorini 4-0) ittsburgh (Moose 5-4) at Cincinnati (Bilingham 4-9) ENING STAURANT ZERIA TATE Sin REAL omemode SPECIALS E in Dining Pleasure! ARE, YOU A Drunk? Debaucherer ? Degenerate? IF SO, TRY THE DAILY SPORTS STAFF "No matter how bad you are, we'll make you worse."