THE SPORTING VIEWS
Looking back on Blue .. .
.. .tough to second-guess
By JAMIE TURNER
OMAHA
THOUGHTS ON A WORLD SERIES:
Looking back, it would be easy to second guess Michigan coach Moby
Benedict for removing Tom Owens in the eighth inning Monday night. Some-
one with 20-20 hindsight would no doubt notice that Owens had retired the
last ten in a row before hitting leadoff man Roy Clark. After his shaky start,
Ownes had calmed down and probably wanted to stay in.
It would be easy to second guess, but it would be wrong. Benedict hadn't
expected much more than seven innings from Owens, and with a pair of left-
handed batters scheduled next in the North Carolina order, Steve Howe was
the logical choice.
The end result wasn't the one desired, but the actions taken by Benedict
late in the game were the right ones.
... One has to believe that Craig McGinnis' arm problems were worse
than anyone knew going into the series. Once again, McGinnis (against USC)
couldn't survive the first inning. The left-hander's control, which had been a
strong point all year long, deserted him completely. Steve Perry, who had
come in in much the same situation against Eastern Michigan in the
regionals a week before, entered the World Series with back spasms and
could not have been expected to equal his efforts against the Hurons. End
result, 11-3.
... One bright note however, was the strong pitching performance put on
by freshman Mark Clinton against the Trojans. Used sparingly by Benedict
all year long, Clinton performed admirably (six innings, two runs, six hits)
and earned an opportunity to start next season.
... Another question that only Benedict can answer is, whatever hap-
pened to Bill Stennett? Third starter most of the year, Stennett saw no action
at all the last three weeks of the season. Though the outcome of the tour-
nament probably would not have been changed, Stennett's curveballs could
have been a real thorn in the side of the fastall hitting Trojans.
... In the end, Michigan's lack of team hitting strength did it in during
the Series. Twenty-six Wolverines were left on the bases during their four-
day, three game stay. Too many times men were stranded by the middle
part of the order ... supposedly the strongest par . f a team's lineup.
Vic Ray might have been able to help the sitation, but he remained nin-
th in the lineup even though he had the third best average on the team. This
is the biggest criticism that can be made of Benedict. Despite his ability to
exert his nine regulars to win, his lack of a bench and staunch inflexibility to
change forced his hand in post-season play.
North Carolina, despite having an inferior team, defeated Michigan
because when the need arose to move from an offensive lineup to a defensive
one, coach Mike Roberts had enough faith in his bench to make the change.
Benedict, his substitutes having seen so little action during the regular
season, was not able to counter.
s. Wonder what a little late-season batting practice will do for a team?
Roberts took six of his players out Monday morning for a little early
swinging. It paid off as Brad Lloyd pinch-hit in the eighth and collected a
single (his first in 24 at-bats). Another man who took some practice and
helped the Tar Heel cause was a guy named Robinson.. .
There was a dramatic story unfolding in the North Carolina dugout prior
to the beginning of the eighth inning. Mark McKinney, a freshman who had
been counted on to provide needed punch in the NC lineup, got up and started
encouraging his teammates.
Nothing unusual, except that earlier this season McKinney was involved
ina collision with shortstop Roy Clark during a game that left the outfielder
unconscious and near death. McKinney suffered some brain damage and
was in a hospital for a prolonged period of time before recovering. He
probably will not play ball aain, but he came to Omaha to root on his friends
and was rewarded by Greg Robinson's winning blast.
NHL Cup coaches fined'
for criticizing officials
NEW YORK (AP) - Coaches Don "We tried to hit and we get
Cherry of the Boston Bruins and Scotty penalties," Cherry said after the first
Bowman of the Montreal Canadiens game.
have been fined $1,000 each by NHL "It was a joke," said Bowman,
President John Ziegler for uncom- referring to referee Bob Myers' work.
plimentary remarks about the of- "It's all right to say it's the same for
ficiating during the Stanley Cup final both teams, but it isn't. We've got the
playoffs. best power play in the league. Why
Defenseman Brad Park of the Bruins doesn't he just go by the book? Let's
was fined $300 for his outburst against face it; the refs are going to let as much
thedffi ials after the BtuirW' 4-f loss ht as pssible go. If we only get one or two
Montr'eallin' Gain '3,.a drigt t oa power plays a game, we're going to be
well-pacedNHLbsource -. '- ata disadvantage."
r roto
Calm before the storm
North Carolina's Dave Barnett slides into Michigan second baseman Scott
Anderson in 'the eighth inning of Monday night's NCAA College World Series
game. Barnett was forced out on the play, shortly before Tar Hell Greg Robinson
slammed a three-run homer off Wolverine ace Steve Howe to wipe out Michigan's
national championship hopes.
State's Gibson pieked
1st round by Tigers
DETROIT (UPI) - The Detroit sophomore.
Tigers feel they pulled a major coup by Right-handed Gerald Ujdur, 21, of
drafting slugging outfielder Kirk Gib- Minnesota, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound pit-
son and are meeting today with the cher, was the Tigers' selection in round
junior Michigan State football star to four.
find out what it will take to sign him. NO MICHIGAN players were draf-
The Tigers drafted Gibson as the 12th ted.
pick in the first round. The left-handed Slugging third baseman Bob Horner
Spartan hit .390 last season while hit- of Arizona State was chosen by the
ting 16 homers and knocking in 52 runs. Atlanta Rraves as the first nick in the
GIBSON'S baseball credentials are
so impressive the Tigers are believed to
have reluctantly decided not to oppose
the fleet wide receiver's decision to
play his final season on Michigan
State's football team this fall-if he will
sign a baseball contract now.
Recent changes in the rules defining
amateurs and professionals permit
athletes to accept money for playing
one sport yet remain an amateur in
another.
The left-handed hitter, who zoomed
from nowhere to the top of Detroit's list
of prospecta this spring, made it clear
before the draft he intends to use up his
final season of football eligibility this
fall.
THAT IS undoubtedly why the 11
major league teams drafting in front of
Detroit yesterday passed up an oppor-
tunity to negotiate with the 6-foot-2, 220-
pound center fielder, who has been
timed in a phenomenal 4.3 seconds for
the 40-yard dash.
As a football player Gibson is also
reportedly first-round material for next
spring's draft. He came within one
reception of the Michigan Stae season
record when he caught 39 passes as a
Kirk Gibson
annual free agent draft. Horner is the
all-time NCAA record-holder for career
homers with 56. This season he has led
the Sun Devils into the College World
Series with his .425 batting mark, while
collecting 25 homers and driving in 98
runs in 57 games.
Horner's teammate, shortstop Hubie
Brooks, was chosen by the New York
Mets, who were no doubt impressed
with his .435 average.