The Michigan Daily-Friday, June 2, 1978-Page 15
14,000 MILES AND COUNTING:
Donakowski never stops running
By DAVE RENBARGER
Bill Donakowski has put in quite a
few miles in the past four years.
Although he hasn't been keeping a
running total-all along, Michigan's two-
sport champion and three-time All-
American recently estimated that he
has run somewhere in the neighborhood
of 14,000 miles during his Wolverine
career.
Putting Donakowski's mileage log
into some sort of perspective, he could
just as well have made four coast to
coast jaunts if he really wanted to. Or
else he could run over halfway around
the world, if it weren't for the Pacific
Ocean, that is.
BUT THE REAL thing that sets
Donakowski apart from.everyone else
is not that he can run so far, but that he
can run so far so fast.
"(Billy) is by far the best distance
runner this school's ever had," said
cross country coach Ron Warhurst.
"He's run the mile, the two (mile) the
three (mile, the 5,000 (meters) and the
10,000 (nMeters). Just based on his
times, he's by far the best."
Palmer
blanks
Yanks-
NEW YORK (AP)-Jim Palmer
fired a two-hitter-both scratch
singlbs-for his third consecutive
shutout while the Baltimore Orioles
scored on a two-out throwing error by
substitute catcher Cliff Johnson and
nipped the New York Yankees 1-0
yesterday.
It was the 201st triumph of Palmer's
career and his 49th shutout, breaking a
tie with San Diego's Gaylord Perry for
the lead among active pitchers.
The 32-year-old right-hander, a
three-time Cy Young Award winner,
also avenged an April 25 loss to New
York rookie Jim Beattie in boosting his
record to 7-4. He walked five, struck out
For more sports, see page 16
A quick rundown of the highlights of
Denakowski's career proves that his
coach knows what he's talking about. In
cross country he won All-American
honors for the last three years, capping
it off by "running away with the Big Ten
Individual championship last fall. The
eight-time letter winner has been an in-
tegral part three Big Ten cross country
championship teams as well as four
track team titles.
'Then just two weeks ago in the con-
ference meet, Donakowski executed an
incredible double championship, taking
both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters.
ALTHOUGH HE has competed in
more than his share of different events
for Warhurst and track coach Jack
Harvey, the recently graduated ar-
chitecture student from Dearborn has
been specializing in the 10,000 meters
lately. Back in April at the Dogwood
Relays, Donakowski registered the
fastest 10,000 (a shade over six miles)
by an American so far this year-a
swift 28:25.
Today in Eugene, Ore., Donakowski
will step up to the starting line against
the world's best runners in the 10,000
meter race at the NCAA Track and
Field Championships. It will be his last
race in a Michigan uniform, and he has
plans to make the last his best.
"I'm shooting for anything between
28:25 and 28:00. That is a pretty
realistic goal," he said. "that should
put me in as the first American, and I'd
really like that."
ALL OF THE distance events on the
NCAA circuit are now dominated by
older foreign runners, many from
Kenya. Still, the 21-year-old
Donakowski is shooting to finish in the
top three.
Regardless of his finish in today's
race, Donakowski will have completed
a sensational year of competition.
Warhurst has been watching as
Donakowski has developed this year,
and the coach credits his pupil's great
attitude and confidence.
"Billy's got a special attitude about
competition," said Warhurst. "He
knows what he wants and he's not
afraid to-work for it. He's a killer.
"Right now he's strong as hell,"
Warhurst continued. "He's not afraid to
race against anybody in the country.
When you're not afraid to race, then
you're not afraid to lose and you can be
much more aggressive."
ACCORDING TO Warhurst,
Donakowski turned the corner last
January when "he realized that he
could run 110 miles a week and get his
schoolwork done and still feel good
about his racing."
Although he himself admits that he's
"not the most imposing physical mass
on campus" (standing 5-7 and weighing
130), Donakowski received an award
which places him in some mighty tall
company.
Last week Donakowski became the
first track man in history to be honored
as the Michigan Senior Athlete of the
Year. In the balloting, in which every
senior, male athlete had a vote,
Donakowski outpolled Mark Donahue
and Dave Baxter. Previous winners
have included Cazzie Russell, Ron
Johnson,. Rudy Tomjanovich and Rob
Lytle.
"I was definitely surprised," he said
of the honor. "I was happy just getting
my name on the ballot."
LOOKING TOWARD the future,
Donakowski has no plans to hang up his
sneakers.
"As a runner I'm still young," he
said. "I've got another three-four years
to hit my peak and I'm hoping that it
comes in 1980 in a sport called the
Olympic Games."
Training for the Moscow Games will
be a twice-a-day thing for the next two
years. Rut that doesn't bother
Doaakewski. After aS, in another HOO
or so miles, hell be starting on his
second trip ar gdlhe world.
TODAY BILL DONAKOWSKI is running in his final race as a Wolverine-the
10,000 meters in the NCAA Championships at Eugene, Ore. The distance runner
extraordinaire has racked up a closet-full of awards as a collegian including eight
varsity letters and the honor of being named the Senior Athlete of the Year for
1978.
two and allowed only two runners
beyond first base.
Beattie, 2-1, allowed four hits in
seven innings. The Orioles' run came in
the fifth when Doug DeCinces walked
on four pitches and took second on Rick AMERICAN LEAGUE
Dempsey's single. Mark Belanger, at- EAST
tempting to hunt, hit into a double play W L Pet. GO
as DeCaces advaueed to third. ieute................ 3#s eo -
Then Larry walked and when New Vat ............. a 1s .#" 8%
he stole seend, DeCinces scored as betr.. . . a .58 6
Johnen's throw sailed into center field. pwaee ..........a2 2 .51 8%
Johnson was replacing regular catcher Bahinsore .........24 25 .480 9 /2
Thurman Munson, who aggravated a Cleveland ..........21 24 .467 5#%
knee injury Wednesday night. Toronto ...........57 3 .354 14
The only hits off Palmer were by WEST
Lous Piniella with one out in the second Oakland...........27 20 .574 -
inning and Chris Chambliss, leading off Kansas City. .. 19 .58
the seventh. Neither ball was-hit hard. California ......... 25 21 .543 1
It was the third loss in a row for the Texas ............ 23 22 .511 3
Yankees and dropped them 3 games Minnesota .........19 28 .404 8
behind Boston in the American League Chicago ........... 17 28 .378 9
East. It also was the first shutout Seattle ................ 17 33 .340 11%/
against them in 123 games since last Yestrdy'sGames
July 10. naltimore . New York e
The shutout was Palmer's fourth of Muwaukee atnetroit. n
the season and his three in a row tied SeattleatKansas City.n
the Baltimorclb record shared, by Mos45es; a
Jack Fisher in 1960. Onl ame seduled
NATIONAL LEAGUE
EAST
W L Pet. GIB
C ..ago.............24 30 .543 -
'tre ' '............252.532 %
rah lpasa......... 22 21 .512 11/%
New York............23 27 .400 4
Pittsburgh.............21 25 .457 4,-.
St. Louis ............... 1831 .367 81 BILLBOARD
San Francisco ......... 30 16 .652 - -
Cincinnati............30 19 .612 1 The Ann Arbor Soccer Club is having
Los Angeles .......... 27 20.574 3% 2 a women's summer soccer league, run-
San Diego ............. 21 26 .447 9 ning from June 19-August 9. All women
Houston ............... 20 25 .444 9%/2 from 15 on up are eligible to compete.
Atlanta ................ 18 27 .409 11 No experience r skills is required in
Yesterday'sGames the league, which will play twice a
No gamesscheduled week. To register, send in forms
Today's Games available at the Y', local sportstores or
Atlanta (Hanna 4.41 at Chicago (Surris 2-3). Fuller Park.
2.30 p.
San Franecseo (Montefusco 4-2) at Montreal. For further information, contact
(Twtchen2-4).n CherWesterman at668-6584.