Page Sixteen THE MICHIGAN DAILY Friday, May 20, 1977
Netters take 1st round lead
By PAUL CAMPBELL
Michigan, seeking its tenth
straight Big Ten Men's Tennis
title, made a large stride in
that direction in the first day
of competition yesterday by ad-
vancing all three doobles teams
and five of six singles entries
to today's semifinals.
Michigan with 28 points op-
ened up a five point lead over
surprising Indiana. Wisconsin
was in third place with 21
points, with Michii'an State
gathering 11 points for a dis-
tant fourth.
T H E FIRST DOUBLES
match between Michigan's
team of Jeff Etterbeek - Jud
Shrofier and Wisconsin's Mike
Barr and Al HUguelet provided
the most excitement of yester-
day's action.
The first set came down to
a nine-point tiebreaker. Wis-
consin held service throughout
±, win 5-4 and take the set 7-6.
Bit Ftterbeek and Shanfler,
who were iindefeated during the
conference season, came back
to take the second and third
sets 6-3, 6-1 and move into the
semis against the fourth seeded
team from Minnesota.
E T T E R B E E K also was
an easy winner at first singles,
cruising into the semis by
roasting Northwestern's J i m
Bosse in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.
Shaufler had a somewhat
harder time in his singles
match, but prevailed over
Grant Helgeson of Minnesota
6-1, 7-5. The fourth-seeded
freshman will face Kevin Mc-
Nulty of MSU in tomorrow's
match.
McNulty reached the semis
by upsetting the number one
seed in the second singles, Jim
Flower of Ohio State, by scores
of 7-6, 2-6, 6-1.
Another first seed to fall was
Mike Trautner of Minnesota.
He was picked to win fifth
singles, but Randy Druz of In-
diana upset the prognosticators
and Trautner, 6-4, 6-1.
OTHER MICHIGAN players
to advance were Brad Holland
at third singles, Mark Freed-
man at fourth singles, and Jack
Neinken at fifth singles.
The other two Wolverine dou-
bles teams also progressed
faultlessly. Holland and Nein-
ken took two matches in
straight sets to move on. Ow-
ens and Freedman duplicated
that feat in third doubles, los-
ing only ten games while win-
ning both matches.
The only Michigan player
who will not be participating
further in the title race is
freshman Scott Seeman. Un-
seeded at sixth singles, he won
his first match easily but was
edged by Iowa's fourth-seeded
Greg Anderson in the quarter-
finals, 6-0, 2-6, 7-5.
SEEMAN AND the rest of
yesterday's losers will be plac-
ed into the playback round,
which starts today at 9 a.m.
As long as they keep winning,
they can play as many as three
more matches and gain as
many as four points for their
respective teams,
But it will take more than a
few surprises to prevent Michi-
gan from continuing its domi-
nation of tennis in the Big Ten.
The Wolverines have won 18 of
the last 22 crowns.
, ONLY SECOND - PLACE
Indiana could come close to
matching Michigan's number
of qualifiers. The Hoosiers ad-
vanced two doubles teams and
five singles entries.
Iowa and Ohio State are tied
for fifth in the team standings
with 10 points. Illinois and Min-
nesota are right behind - with
nine, while Northwestern with
three and Purdue with two
round out the field.
The singles semifinals will
be held at 1 p.m. with the
doubles matches starting at 3
p.m. Admission will be $2.
$p i't4 "ifthe (bdy4
Nissalke top mentor
NEW YORK '-Tom Nissalke, who guided the Hlouston Rockets
to the Central Division championship, was named the National
Basketball Association's Coach of the Year for the 1976-77 season
yesterday. Nissalke edged Jerry West of Los Angeles 26-21 in the
balloting among 66 sports writers and broadcasters in league
cities. West's Lakers took the Pacific Division title and had the
best regular-season rectird.
In his first.year at dIouston, Nissalke helped the Rockets
improve their record from 40-42 in 1975-76 to 49-33 this season.
He previously coached Seattle of the NBA and Dallas, San
Antonio and Utah of the American Basketball Association,
When informed of the honor, Nissalke gave credit to Rockets
President Ray Patterson and former Sonics General Manager
Bob Houbregs.
"Both of them had faith in me," said the 42-year-old Nissalke.
"When I got fired as coach at Seattle, Bob spoke up strongly and
tried to convince management that it was a mistake. He hired
me from the ABA and stuck with me even though it contributed
to his eventually losing his job.
Patterson describes Nissalke as "well-disciplined, hungry
and knowledgeable. He's as hard on himself as anyone I've
known. He's highly disciplined, well organized and a tireless
worker--and those trademarks have carried over to our play-
ers."
Besides Nissalke and West, nine other coaches received votes
in the Coach of the Year balloting-Ed Badger of Chicago, Hubie
Brown of Atlanta, Larry Brown of Denver, Tom Heinsohn of Bos-
ton, Phil Johnson of Kansas City, Bob Leonard of Indiana, Kevin
Loughery of the New York Nets, Doug Moe of San Antonio and
Jack Ramsay of Portland. --AP
Howe top hurler
Michigan ace Steve Howe is the leading pitcher in the Big
Ten, according to official stats released thin week.
Howe's conference ERA of 0.96 ties him with Ohio State's
Paul SemalI. But the Wolverine freshman sports a perfect 4-0
record, while Semall was beaten by the Wolverines to put his
slate at 3-1.
Two other Michigan pitchers are listed in the", top 15.
Craig McGinnis has held conference foes to an average 1.3
runs per game to rank fourth. Teammate Steve Perry's 3.24
ERA puts him in twelfth. Both men have 3-0 records in the
Big Ten.
Northwestern shortstop Kurt Bruksch leads the individual bat-
ting statistics with a .442 average. Greg Lane is the first Wol-
verine on the list. The designated hitter has hit for a .391 average
in 16 conference contests to place him seventh.
Centerfielder Rick Leach (.383) in ninth place and third base-
man-Dave Chapman (.319) tied for sixteenth round out Michi-
gan's representatives in the top 25. ;
League-leading Minnesota dominates the team stats, lead-
ing both batting and pitching. The Gophers are batting .309 as
a team, while their pitchers have surrendered an average of
only 1.79 earned runs per game. Michigan is fourth in batting ,
at .282 and third in pitching with a 2.61 ERA.
Michigan does lead the league in fielding, however, with a
966 average. The Wolverines have fewer errors (17), more assists
(154), and more double plays (15) than any other Big Ten club.
-DAILY SPORTS
Newt's newcomers
Michigan gymnastics coach Newt Loken announced a list of
13 student-athletes who will bolster the attack of the 1977 Big Ten
runner-ups.
Tom Staley from Arlington, Illinois and Darrell Yee from
Farmington Harrison High School were state titlists in the rings
this past winter,
Two other newcomers. Harold Dardick of Oak Park, Illi-
nois and John Rieckhoff of Trenton won their respective state
titles on the pommel horse last season.
"I feel very fortunate in landing some excellent rings and
pommel horse men to replace our graduating seniors who excelled
in'-those two events," Loken said. "I also have . some fine all-
around men enrolling, so I'm ver' hancv with the new prospects
and I'm looking forward to working with them for the next four
years." -DAILY SPORTS
ILLINOIS POSES THREAT:
Blue thinclads defend title
By DAVE RENBARGER
With the most important track
meet of the season on tap this
weekend, Michigan coach Jack
Harvey is talking in terms of
near-certain defeat.
Nisw, nobody has user accused
Harvey of such things as cocki-
ness or overconfidence, but, in
his assessment of the 1977 Out-
door Big Ten Track and Field
Championships, t h e Wolverine
boss has outdone himself.
"On paper Illinois has the
meet wrapped up," predicted
Harvey of the two-day affair,
which gets underway today in
Bloomington. "I feel that Illi-
nois will 'definitely win it un-
less something goes wrong
with their performances. No-
body in the conference can
match them in terms of per-
sonnel."
But it was just 11 weeks ago
that the Wolverines nearly did
match the flying Illini. The oc-
casion was the indoor confer-
ence championships, and the Il-
linois thinclads edged their Blue
counterparts by a single point,
58-57.
This time around, Illinois
should be in top physical shape
again, while invaluable Mich-
BILLBOARD
Deadlines for team entries
in men's and women's IM
basketball and co-rec volley-
ball have been extended until
tonight, Friday, May 20, at
6:30. Entries can be turned in
at the Hoover St. IM building.
The fee is $15 per team. For
more information, call 763-
3562.
igan pole vaulter Jim Stokes is
questionable at best. Bothered
by a pulled hamstring muscle
for six weeks, Stokes has not
vaulted in practice or in com-
petition since early April.
"He's going to give a shot
and we'll just have to see how
it goes," said Harvey of
Stokes, who finished second to
the Illini's Doug Laz indoors.
As the defending outdoor
champions, the Wolverine thin-
clads themselves do not share
their coach's dim outlook re-
garding the meet.
"They all think that we'll win
it for s u r e," said Harvey.
"That's why I'm trying to down-
play it so much."
In his plotting of a possible
upset, Harvey hopes that his
balanced Wolverine squad will
be enough to offset Illinois' dy-
namic duo of Charlton Ehizuelen
and Craig Virgin.
Ehizuelen, a senior from Ni-
geria, has already racked up
nine Big Ten championships
and three national titles, giv-
ing the Illini almost sure
points in both the long and
triple jumps. Virgin, an All-
American distance runner, is
expected to retain his 5,000
meters crown.
Michigah hopes will hinge on
the performance of its talented
hurdling q u a r t e t of Charles
Crouther, Arnett Chisholm, Gary
Hicks and Don Wheeler, accord-
ing to Harvey.
"We're really going to have
to rack tip some big points
there in order to be competi-
tors, he said.
The lone defending Wolver-
ine champion in the field will
be senior Greg Meyer, who
won the 3,000 meter steeple-
chase outdoors last year.
As far as the rest of the con-
ference is concerned, Harvey is
expecting to receive stiffest
competition from hosting Indi-
ana, plus Wisconsin and Mich-
igan State.
"Despite their poor showing
here last week (Michigan beat
the Hoosiers 84-61 in a dual meet
last Saturday), I expect Indiana
to be a real factor," noted Hat
vey.
Although the Central Col-
legiate Conference champion-
ships still remain on the thin-
clads schedule, the Big Ten
meet is the real jewel in Har-
vey's eyes.
"We've been shooting for this
one all year long," he com-
mented. "The CCC's are sec-
ondary to us at the-moment."
Bi'rd
flies
again
CINCINNATI (UPI) - Mark
"The Bird" Fidrych, tuning up
for his first regular season start
next week, pitched seven bril-
liant innings last night in the
Detroit Tigers' 4-1 exhibition vic-
tory over the Cincinnati Reds.
FIDRYCH, WHO said he is 100
per cent recovered from a knee
injury which occurred before
the regular season began, pitch-
ed the third through the ninth
innings, giving up only four hits
and one run.
Working quickly and smoothly
and looking like "The Bird" of
old, Fidrych needed to make
only 80 pitches throughout the
seven innings. He struck out
three and walked only one.
Fidrych said he would make
his first regular season start
Friday, May 27, when the Tigers
entertain Seattle.
"I FEEL GREAT," declared
Fidrych, last year's American
League rookie of the year. "I
think I was ready to start a
regular season game a week
ago. I'm anxious to get going."
Fidrych said that missing the
first part of this season "has
been the most frustrating think
in my life,"
Major League Standings
NATIONAL LEAGUE AMERICAN LEAGUE
East East
w L Pet. GB EsW L Pct. GB
Pittsbuirgli 24 10 .76 - New York 10 14 .588 -
Chicago 21 12 .636 2% Boston 18 14 .563 1
St. Louis 21 13 .618 3 altimore 17 14. .549 11/
Philadelphia 1,7 15 .531 6 Milwaukee 19 18 .514 2J2
Montr-eal 13 19 .400 10 Detroit 14 20 .412 5
New York 1t tO .394 10% Toronto 15 2t .405 6%
Cleveland 12 tO .375 7
West west
Las Antetes 28 9 .759- Minnesota 24 11 .686 -
Cincinnati 15 19 .441 11'.. Chcago 21 tt .636 1
Houston 14 21 .401 13 Texas 18 14 .563 41/
San Francisco 13 21 .382 13 Kansas City 17 17 .50 662
Ian Diego 15 24 .38414l1/2 Oakland 17 19 .72 1%
Atanta 13 34 .351 151,x Caiornia 16 t0 .444 89%
Seattle 14 27 .341 13
Yesterday's Games , Yesterday's Games
San Diego 5, Montreal 2 - Milwaukee 5, Toonto 3
Atlanta 6, Chicago0 Seattle 3, Oakland 0
Pittsburgh 6. Los Angeles 5 New York 9, Baltimore 1