Page Twelve
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Thursday, July 17, 1975
A thietes battle in the courts
Forbes' defense rests .
Rozelle Rule challenged
MINNEAPOLIS (P) - Dave Forbe
the Boston Bruins took the witr
stand in his own defense yesterday
told the jury he did not use the butt
of his hockey stick to attack He
Boucha of the Minnesota North S
in a game last Jan. 4.
The defense rested after Forbes'
timony on the seventh day of a t
in which he is charged with aggrav
assault with a dangerous weapon
his hockey stick. The trial was
cessed until 9 a.m. today, at which t
attorneys will make their final a
ments and Hennepin District Ju
Rolf Fosseen will give the case to
jury.
Forbes said he had been the vic
of a "sucker punch," a blow from
hind, thrown by Boucha. That inci
touched off a fight that sent both p
ers to the penalty box.
Forbes conceded he had fumed o
the incident, feeling he had been
barrassed by being dumped to the
s of "I was upset. I was thinking I should
ness make some move to even the score,"
and Forbes said.
end Forbes said that fights and the abil-
nry ity to fight back are an integral part of
tars hockey, taught to players as young-
sters. Intimidation is part of the game,.
tes- he said; and the player who doesn't
rial fight back becomes an easy mark for
ated his opponents.
- Forbes said an unusual placement of
re- player benches and penalty boxes in
ime the Metropolitan Sports Center, home
rgu- of the North Stars, makes it inevitable
idge that players must cross paths as they
the leave the penalty box to return to the
benches.
tim He admitted throwing the first punch
be- coming out of the box, a blow that
dent seriously injured Boucha's eye and led
lay- to the indictment against Forbes.
"I guess I would have had the hockey
ver stick in my hand at that moment,"
em- Forbes said, but he denied any intent
ice. to use it as a weapon.
MINNEAPOLIS (A) - Former pro
football player George Burman, now an
economics professor, says the disputed
Rozelle Rule impedes athletes.
Burman, who has a doctorate from
the University of Chicago and is an as-
sistant professor at Carnegie-Mellon
University in Pittsburgh, testified yes-
terday during trial of a suit brought
by 15 present or former National Foot-
ball League players.
The plaintiffs seek to overturn the
Rozelle Rule, also called the option
compensation clause, contending it
holds them in virtual bondage and vio-
lates federal antitrust statutes. The
NFL, Commissioner Pete Rozelle and
club owners are defendants.
Burman was asked by players' at-
torney Edward Glennon if the Rozelle
Rule "works as an impediment to a
player." Burman replied it did, both
holding down a player's salary and "re-
stricting his movement and his bar-
gaining power to essentially one team."
The rule applies to those who play out
the option year of their contract, usu-
ally at a 14 per cent salary cut, with-
out signing a new contract. They be-
come free agents the following May 1.
If they line up a contract with a new
club, their former team must be com-
pensated. If the two teams involved.
cannot come to terms on the players or
draft choices involved in compensation,
the commissioner intervenes. Burman
was picked in the 15th round in 1964
by the Chicago Bears after he was
graduated from Northwestern Univer-
sity. A backup center and offensive
lineman, he also played with the Los
Angeles Rams and Washington Red-
skins before retiring in 1973.
A rebuttal witness for the plaintiffs,
he said he never had played out the
option himself. He based his comments
on his NFL experience and education
in labor economics.
Williams equals
100 meter mark
SIENA, Italy 1P)-Steve Williams of the United States
equaled his world record in the 100 meters last night,
clocking 9.9 seconds in a windless but humid stadium.
Williams beat out tvo fellow Americans in the highlight
performance of the 16th edition of the Siena track and
field meet.
Houston McTear placed second and Steve Riddick third,
both clocked in 10 seconds flat.8
The three also clashed in the 200 meters, an unscheduled
race placed on the program at their request and won by
Williams in 20.3. Riddick was second in 20.7, followed by
McTear at 20.9.
In the high jump, Tom Woods of the United States placed
first at 7 feet, 3 inches as American Dwight Stones, the
world record holder turned in a disappointing 7-1/, finish-
ing third.
Enzo del Forno was second with 7-3 to establish an
Italian record for the high jump.
The discus was won by another American, John Powell,
in 61.20.
Jim Bolding of the United States won the 400-meter
hurdles in 49 seconds flat to beat out France's Jean-Claude
Nallet, timed in 49.7.
Kuhn' s
MILWAUKEE (P) - Baseball
Commissioner Bowie Kuhn's
contract renewal was in jeopar-
dy yesterday when American
League owners stood rigid in
opposition to him. A decision is
expected today.
The National League club
owners votedunanimously to
give Kuhn another term in of-
fice. The commissioner failed to
land the necessary nine of
twelve votes required from the
American League.
With Charles O. Finley of
Oakland and Baltimore's Jerry
Hoffberger leading the op-
position, Kuhn reportedly only
received eight "yes" votes.
The American League vote,
however, was not a final one and
could change before the meet-
ings conclude today.
American League club own-
ers adjourned their meeting on
the Kuhn issue about 7:45 p.m.
(CDT), last'night and will take
the matter up again this morn-
job in jeopard
ing before the major leagues
hold ther joint session.
Lee MacPhail, AL president,
tried to skirt the Kuhn issue
after the day-long meetings.
At first he said, "I have no
statement at this time." But
when pressed, he said, "The
matter is still under consider- ,'
ation. It has been left in abey-
once."
While not naming the Kuhn
issue, McPhail did admit that
one nrincinal item did dominate
his league's meeting.
Kuhn became baseball's fifth
commissioner on Feb. 4, 1969,
when he succeeded Gen. William
Eckert, who had been fired.
Kuhn was then given a seven-
year term starting Aug. 3, 1969.
Under baseball rules, the com-
missioner's renewal may be
considered between six and 15
months before the term expires. BASEBALL commissioner Bowie
So the matter was placed on the Kuhn failed to get the neces-
agenda at baseball's summer, sary votes for the renewal of
meetings, which got underway his contract from American
yesterday. League club owners, yesterday.
SPORTS OF THE DAILY
Thornbladh obtained by Lions
By The Associated Press
DETROIT-The Detroit Lions
announced yesterday that they
have obtained former Michigan
fullback Bob Thornbladh from
the Kansas City Chiefs in ex-
change for a 1976 National
Football League draft choice.
Thornbladh was a second-
round draft pick by the Chiefs
in 1974 and was used as a line-
backer on specialty teams last
season.
The Lions also announced that
veteran defensive back Lem
Barney signed his 1975 contract.
The 29-year-old Barney is en-
tering his eighth year with the
Lions.
Connors injured
LOS ANGELES - Jimmy
Connors, acknowledged king of
men's tennis, was suffering
from a painful injury in his
lower right leg when he lost the
Wimbledon singles title to Ar-
thur Ashe, his. doctor said yes-
terday.
.Dr. Andrea Cracchiolo, .a
UCLA orthopedic surgeon, said
Connor's problem was diagnosed
as chronic anterior comport-
meat syndrome, "which can
cause from moderate pain to
such severe pain and swelling ketball Commissioner Dave De-
that surgery is required." Busschere said yesterday there
Dr. Cracchiolo said he be- definitely would not be an ABA
lieved the injury occurred "at team in Memphis for the 1975-
the beginning of Wimbledon and 76 season.
got progressively worse during It had been uncertain whether
the week. He was on some med- the financially plagued Mem-
ication during the finals, but I phis franchise, a member of the
think it had to affect him. If league since the 1971-71 season,
he had won; I dion't think we wudrtr fe t dsa
would have heard about pit." would return after its 'dismal
attendance showing of last sea-
Namath unsigned son, and the new commissioner
NEW YORK - Quarterback confirmed it.
Joe Namath huddled with New- "The city of Memphis wil not
York Jets officials yesterday have an ABA franchise next
afternoon but there was no ap- season," DeBusschere said. He
parent agreement reached on a did not elaborate, but said he.
new contract. would have a further statement
Namath, a free agent as of within a few days.
last May, was accompanied by
lawyer Jimmy Walsh at the AbramOwicz signs
meeting. The National Football CARLI
League Jets were represented SLE, Pa.- The Wash-
by club President Phil Islin, ington Redskins have signed
General Manager Al Ward and free-agent wide received Dan-
council Nick Barovick. ny Abramowicz, a nine-year
Islin said afterwards, in a National Football League vet-
brief statement, "We met for eran who owns a league record
two hours without reaching of at least one catch in 105 con-
agreement. No definite date has secutive games.
beep set for the next meeting Abramowicz, who caught 25
at this time." , passes for San Francisco in
No Memphis next year- 1974, was released by -the 49ers
NEW YORK -- American Bas- last month.
BOB THORNBLADH rips through the line for the Wolverines
on this 1971 play against Virginia. Thornbladh who played most
of his college career backing up Ed Shuttlesworth was o-
tained by the Detroit Lions yesterday.