Page Twelve
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
wednesdoy, July 13, 1977
Page Twelve THE MICHIGAN DAILY Wednesday, July 13, 1977
BIRD WOUNDED?
Crawford stifles Jays, 2-1
By DON MacLACHLAN
Special To The Daily
DETROIT-is there a doctor
in the house?
It is becoming a regular oc-
curence for Detroit Tiger man-
ager Ralph Houk to trot to the
mound in the first inning.
Not only like two nights ago,
to settle down pitcher Dave
Roberts, but more frequently
to yank his starting hurler
due to a sore shoulder. And
last night's 2-1 Tiger victory,
their third straight, was no
exception.
Mark Fidrych was preparing
to toss, a full count pitch to
Toronto's Ron Fairly in the first
when Houk surprised the 25,007
Bird watchers and jogged out
to the hill.
Sure enough, just like with
Dave Rozema two weeks ago,
Houk signaled to the bullpen for
Jim Crawford. Much to the dis-
may of the fans, Fidrych left the
game trailing 1-0 after yielding
an unearned run, complaining of
a pain in his right shoulder.
Steve Staggs opened the game
with a sinking liner to center
off Fidrych. The ball dropped in
front of the charging Ron Le-
Flore and rolled past him, al-
th ai
lowing Staggs to go into third
standing up.
Al Woods then jumped on
Fidrych's first serving, and
lifted a sacrifice fly to center,
giving the Blue Jays their only
run.
Shortly afterwards, Fidrych
exited to receive treatment in
the clubhouse, and Crawford
took over.
However, the best cure for
Houk and the Tigers seemed to
be the expansion Blue Jays, and
not cold ice for the shoulder.
With the victory last night,
the Tigers won their fifth
straight home game from To-
ronto, and the Bengals can't
wait until the Blue Jays return
July 24.
Just like Toronto, the Tigers
scored all their runs in the
first stanza.
Detroit got Fidrych off the
hook in the bottom of the first
when three straight singles pro-
duced the tying run.
LeFlore led off with a single-
the fifth straight contest he has
opened with a safety-extending
his hitting streak to seven
games.
LeFlore trotted to second on
a wild pitch by Toronto starter
Jesse Jefferson. The next bat-
ter, Tito Fuentes, laid down a
perfect bunt which he beat out
for a hit, sending LeFlore to
third.
Rusty Staub followed with a
single to rright, which easily
scored LeFlore, tying the game
at 1-1.
After a Steve Kemp ground-
er forced Staub at second,
Jason Thompson sent leftfield-
er Woods to the warning track
with a towering fly ball. Fuen-
tes tagged and tallied on the
sacrifice fly-Thompson's 58th
RBI of the year-giving Craw-
ford a 2-1 lead, which he pro-
tected the rest of the way.
Jefferson pitched well after
that but was outdueled by Craw-
ford, who picked up his third
win, all in relief, against two
defeats.
The Tiger southpaw was spec-
tacular, hurling eight and one-
third innings of scoreless ball,
while yielding only four hits.
Crawford struck out six while
walking three and was only
s e r i o u s 1 y threatened in the
fourth. But Crawford fanned
Ron Fairly and got Doug Rader
to bounce into a doubleplay af-
ter surrendering two singles to
open the inning.
Detroit fans came to see a
Tiger win along with a bril-
liant pitching performance,
and they got both. After the
final out, the partisans chant-
ed "We want Bird" and
erupted when a Blue-clad fig-
ure charged out of the Tiger
dugout.
But the player was Crawford
- and not Fidrych - heading to
the Toronto clubhouse for an in-
terview. The applause con-
tinued-and after the way he
pitched last night, Crawford
deserved every bit of it.
Ep----
orEe o
By The Associated Press
Pirate Parker wants out,
PITTSBURGH - National League batting leader Dave Parker
has told the Pittsburgh Pirates he wants to be traded.
"I'm not happy in Pittsburgh," the 26-year-old right fielder
said in Montreal, where the Pirates were engaged in a three-game
series against the Expos. "I don't want to be playing there next
year."
Parker's comments were reported in yesterday's editions
of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Press.
Parker, batting .341, would not go into detail concerning his
reasons for wanting to leave the club. "It's a problem between
me and the front office," he said. "If it can be eliminated, I'll
stay."
Parker signed a three-year contract with the Pirates last
winter. He reportedly will receive $200,000 per year for the next
three years.
Parker was drafted by the Pirates on the 14th round in 1970
and came to the majors in 1973. He has hit over .300 each of the
past two seasons.
Pirates Manager Chuck Tanner said he was surprised by
Parker's statements. "It's the first time I've ever heard about
it," said Tanner. "The way he plays, he's not unhappy, I'll tell
you that."
Tanner, in his first year as manager of the Pirates, added he
was not worried about Parker's professed unhappiness. "All I
know is that when they are out there, they play hard," Tanner
said of Parker and the rest of the Pirates.
Wilkes a Laker today?
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Lakers called what they
termed a "major" news conference for 2 p.m. EDT today which
brought speculation they may have signed star National Basket-
ball Association forward Jamaal Wilkes.
There was no confirmation, but Wilkes, who was an All-
American at UCLA, has played out his option with the Golden
State Warriors and is free to make his own deal.
The Lakers needs a solid forward and Wilkes would fill
the bill.
Owner Jack Kent Cooke called the news conference, but would
not hint what would be announced.
Wilkes was the No. 1 draft choice of the Warriors in 1974 and
has been a starter since reporting as a rookie.
Rupp plugs Lexington site
ST. LOUIS - Adolph Rupp, former University of Kentucky
basketball coach, has told the National Collegiate Athletic Asso-
ciation's basketball committee -he would consider as a personal
honor the selection of his hometown to host the 1982 NCAA finals.
The 75-year-old Rupp, who has wbn more games than any
college basketball coach in history, offered a sentimental plea
to the committee Monday as it began a week of meetings to
decide where its 1982 tournament will be played.
"I'd consider it a great honor personally if you would come
to Lexington - after all, the arena is named for me. I'd be de-
lighted if I could read in the paper one morning this week that
Pistons, Lanier close on new pact
ny The Associated Press ed by reports last week that two of the Pis-
DETROIT - The Detroit Pistons hope to tons wanted to be traded.
reach an agreement soon on a new, long-term Kaufman said he has talked with the play
contract with star center Bob Lanier. ers involved, Ralph Simpson and Marvn-
"We made a proposal last week on a multi- Barnes, and both made a commitment to
year contract. We're not far apart and hope play in Detroit.
to reach an agreement before the end of
summer," Pistons' General Manager Bob "THE STORY caught me totally off guard,
Kauffman said. Kauffman said. "I had talked with both play-
LANIER, WHO WILL be 29 this summer, era last week and they said they had not
has said he plans to play at least five more changed their positions. Both Simp and Mar-
years in the National Basketball Association. vin (currently in a Rhode Island prison) have
"We want very much for Bob to finish his both made a commitment to the team and
career in Detroit, not only because he's a fine themselves."
player, but also because he's a valuable as- The report quoted player agent Rick Stan
set to the community," Kauffman said. czyk as saying both players were "disenchant
Meanwhile, Kauffman said he was disturb- ed" With the Piston organization.
Dorsett eyes bgrookie season
t--- 4 w yM ME ME E
By The Associated Press
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -
Tony Dorsett, the highly prized
rookie running back from the
University of Pittsburgh, says
he is ready to start producing
some dividends on the approxi-
mately $1.2 million paid him by
the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL.
Dorsett, who joined other
rookies and a group of veter-
ans in the first week of train-
ing here, says if he starts
with the Cowboys, he could
possibly gain 1,500 yards in
rushing in his first year.
The single-season rushing rec-
ord for an NFL rookie is 1,105
yards, held by John Brocking-
ton of Green Bay.
Dorsett, last year's Heisman
Trophy winner, says he does not
see a similarity in his situation
and that of 0. J. Simpson, who
did not set any records in his
first year.
"I think O.J. was in a dif-
ferent situation," Dorsett said.
"1 was fortunate enough to be
drafted by the Dallas Cowboys,
No. 1, I have to learn an in-
tricate system. If I do that, and
SCO RES
LatetBaweball
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Detroit 2, Toronto I
Cleveland 7, Boston 1
Kansas City 8, Chicago 3
Texas 4, Baltimore 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
stay healthy, with the personnel Dorsett added, "Some people
the Cowboys have I don't see believe I am a superman, that
any reason why I shouldn't have it's going to be a one-man
a successful first year.". show. I'm supposed to take
When asked to define a suc-
cessful year, he said: "To them to the Super Howl which
have a good year, a running I can't do by myself. Of course,
back considers 1,000 yards. I am going to have big expec-
But I feel like if I'm starting tations because I am a compet-
by opening game I'm hoping itor. I like to compete and be
to surpass 1,500." one of best at what I do.'
Major League Standings
AMERICAN LEAGUE
East
w L Pet. GO
Boston 48 35 .578 -
Battimore - 49 37 .570 %
New York 48 38 .558 1
Cleveland 39 42 A81 8
Mtiwaukee 39 45 .44 4 1
Detroit 38 40 .452 0?l,
Toronto 31 53 .369 17
West
Chicago 50 33 .602 -
Minnesota 47 39 .547 4 ,
Kansas City 45 38 .542 5
Texas 42 41 .500 8
Calitornia 40 42 .488 9,
Oakland 30 45 .429 14'I
seattle 37 52 .416 16
Late names not included
Today's Games
Toronto (Lemanczyk, 7-7 and
Vuckovich (4-7) at Chicago (wood,
3-2 and Knapp, 7-4), 2, t-n.
nos"on (Jenkins, 7-6)at Cleve-
land (Garland, 6-9), n.
,altimore (Palmer, 10-8) at Texas
(Ellis, 5-7),,a.
Detroit (Arroyo, 5-7) at Kansas
City (Colborn, 10-9), n.
New York (Hunter, 5-3) at Mil-
waukee (Slaton, 6-8), n.
Seattle (Abbott, 4-7) at Oakland
(Langford,. 7-7), a.
Mtinesota (Goltz, 9-6) at cali-
fornia (Hartzell, 3-6), n.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
East
W L Pt. G
Chicago 52 31 .020 -
Philadelphia 47 36 .566 5
Pittsburgh 40 54 Mi
St. Louis 40 40 .535 07'
Montreal 39 45 .64 1S
New York 33 51 .393 1
west
Los Angeles 56 30 .651 -
Cincinnati 46 30 .554 -81
San Prancisco 40 48 .455 50
Houston" 39 40 ,4458t?
san Diego 38 52 .40000
Late games not incled
Today's Games
Pittsburgh (Candelaria, 8-3) at
Montreal (Twitchell, 2-5), an at
St; Louis (Rtasmussen, 61)A
Philadelphia (Christensen,0-5). n
Chicago (Burris, 9-8) at Nw
York (Koosman, 6-10),
Atlanta (Niekro, 8-1 at Ci '
nati (Capilla, 2-0), n. atoso
Los Angeles (Hooton, 8-3) a
Son (Bannister, 4-7), a.
S an Frane isco ( I , i-i) , - 8 At
Ian Diego (Griffin, 5-7), a.