Page 16-Saturday, July 15, 1978-The Michigan Daily
Piston GM Kauffman
packs his bags; post
to remain unoccupied

PONTIAC (UPI) - Bob Kauffman,
stunned the Detroit Pistons yesterday
by announcing his resignation as
general manager of the NBA club with
two years remaining on his three-year
contract.
Kauffman, who just celebrated his
32nd birthday Thursday, refused to
specify the reasons behind his move but
claimed it was not over any conflict
with either club owner Bill Davidson or
new Coach Dick Vitale.
"WE REGRET Bob's decision,"
Davidson said. "He's been with us a
year-plus and built a very, very sound
base, both in the areas of player per-
sonnel and administration.
"He'll be staying with us on a very
short interim basis. We have given no
thought whatsoever to a successor."
"My reasons are personal and I don't
care to go into them at this time," Kauf-
fman told reporters.
KAUFFMAN WAS hired last season
to succeed lawyer Oscar Feldman, a co-
owner of the Pistons who will now
return to negotiating player contracts
for the team. He also served as interim
coach after Herb Brown was fired and
guided the team toa 29-29 record, which
was not good enough for a playoff berth.
Some of Kauffman's duties were ab-

sorbed by Vitale, whom he called "a
fantastic coach and real dynamo. Dick
was my choice. There was absolutely
no conflict between us."
Davidson said there is "no time
frame" for naming a successor.
"YOU CAN almost state we will not
be replacing Bob during the forth-
coming season," he said.
However, Davidson made it clear
Vitale will not be doing both jobs.
"Basic trades are initated by and at
the behest of the coach," he said.
"That will continue. Both the front of-
fice must be kept distinct. He (Vitale)
will not be general manager.
Kauffman said he had "given a great
-deal of thought" to resigning.
"I HAVE thoroughly enjoyed my
association with the Detroit Pistons.
But due to long-term family goals, I am
resigning my duties as general
manager of the Pistons. My family
must come first.
"I didp't even make my reasons
totally clear to Mr. Davidson," said
Kauffman, who came to Detroit after
spending two seasons as assistant GM
with the Atlanta Hawks.
"Over the years I have had several
business offers as well as other sports
offers. I will examine some of these."


Bird to flap
his wings
in Lakeland
DETROIT (AP)-The Detroit Tigers
will send Mark Fidrych bac~k to their
Lakeland, Fla., farm club, but this time
he'll be pitching, a team spokesman
here said yesterday.
Tiger General Manager Jim Cam-
pbell and Manager Ralph Houk wat-
ched "The Bird" pitch a painless bat-
ting practice in Seattle Thursday night,
and decided to give him at least two
weeks with the Florida State League
team.
"They talked- to Mark and he
agreed," spokesman Hal Middlesworth
said yesterday.
The 23-year-old hurler has been
unable to pitch since April because of
pain in his right arm.
Fidrych will stay with the Tigers for
the remainder of their West Coast road
trip and will continue to throw for bat-
ting practice. When the team returns to
Detroit next Friday, Middlesworth
said, Fidrych will be optioned to
Lakeland "for about two weeks."
Gus Crouch, the Tigers'
physiotherapist, will go with Fidrych to
supervise his progress.
Team officials hope Fidrych will be
ready to pitch again for the Tigers by
early August.
BILLBOARD
Renew renewable lockers and user
passes starting Monday, July 17th at
8:30 a.m. Renew lockers at the par-
ticular building where you have one,
User passes may be purchased at the

BASEBALL ROUNDUP
Rangers tread on Bosox
By The Associated Press home runs and drove in four runs last Jeff Burroughs added a solo homer,
BOSTON-Bobby Bonds singled in night, backing Phil Niekro's four-hit also to left, in the seventh.
two runs in the sixth inning to lead the pitching and sending the Atlanta Philadelphia led briefly in the first
Texas Rangers and Ferguson Jenkins Braves to a 7-2 triumph over the when Bake McBride singled, stole
to a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox Philadelphia Phillies. second and scored on Richie Hebner's
last night. Murphy capped a five-run first inning double.
Boston's Dwight Evans supplied the with his 10th homer of the season, a Otherwise, Niekro, 10-9, was in firm
main offense against Jenkins, 9-4, with three-run blast to left of Steve Carlton, command. He struck out seven and
two solo home runs, his 17th and 18th of 8-8. He connected again in the third and walked two.
the season in the third and fifth innings.
Fred Lynn's 15th homer leading off the
Boston ninth chased Jenkins, and
reliever Reggie Cleveland recorded his f
ninth save of the season for thet ' e a
Rangers.
In beating his ex-teammates for the
second time this season, Jenkins scat- AMERICAN LEAGUE NATIONAL LEAGUE
tered seven hits as the Rangers swept East W L Pct. GB East
the two-game series from the AL East Boston......7.0................. 57 2 .671 - w L Pct. GB
Milwaukee ....... .... ... 49 35 .583 7% Philadelphia .................. 47 35 .573 -
leaders. New York .... 47 39 .5461 ow Chicago.......................43 41 .512 5
Baltimore..... 47 40 .540 ~ Pittsburgh .... 41 42 .494 6
Birfds triumph Detroit-.......... 42 43 .494 15 Montreal .....................42 46 .489 8
Cleveland ..................... 39 47 .453 18% New York .....................37 51 .420 13
BA LT IMOR E - Doug DeCinces Toronto .......................32 54 .372 25% St.Louis.......................35 53 .390 15
BLIOE -Du Dencswest west
drove ir three runs, two on a double California .................47 40 .540 - San Francisco..............53 35 .602 -
which capped Baltimore's four-run Kansas City ................... 44 41 .510 2 Los Angeles ................... 50 37 .575 2%
rally in the fifth inning, and the Orioles Texas ........................ 44 41 .510 2 Cincinnati .................... 50 30 .569 3%
defeated the Mirnesota Twins 5-1 last Oakland .......................44 44 .500 3% San Diego .............. . 44 45 .494 9
Minnesota ... ........ . 39 44 .470 6 Atlanta ........................ 38 47 .447 13%
night behind the eight-hit pitching of Chicago ..................... 39 47 .453 7% Houston.. . . . 37 47 .441 14
Scott McGregor. Seattle ........................ 31 58 .348 17 Yesterday's results
One of the hits off McGregor was a Yesterday'sresults SanDiego9, Chicagos
first-inning single by Rod Carew, giving Baltimore5, Minnesota 1 Atlanta 7.Philadelphia2
the Ameican League batting leader his Texas4, Boston3 Houston4, Montreal3 (13)
New York 7, Chicgo 6(11) Pittsburgh5, SalnFrancisco 2
1,999th career hit. Today's Games Cincinnati6, NewYork 3
McGregor, 9-8, snapped a four-game Minnesota (Serum,4-3) at Boston (Lee,9-3). Today'sGames
losing streak while yielding only a Toronto (Underwod, 5-0) at Oakland (Renko, San Francisco (Blue, 12-4) at Pittsburgh (Bly-
seventh inning run. Dan Ford doubled 3-4) leven,9-5).
and advanced to third after holding up Texas (Medich, 3-4 and Alexander, 6-5) at Balti- San Diego (Jones, -6-) at Chicago (Krakow,
anotherncdoubleiry Bombo Rivgrap more (D. Martinez,-7 anPalmer, 10-7), .tt-n.
on another double by BOmbo Rivera, Kansas city (Leonard, 9-11) at New York (Fi- Los Angeles (Ran, 9-4) at St. Louis (Forsch,
and then scored on a sacrifice fly by gueroa, 76,n. 049,"
c um.s.Chicago (Schueler, 3-3) at Milwaukee (Sorensen. New York (Swan, 1-5) at Cincinnati (Norman,