The Michigan Daily-Thursday, September 17, 1981-Page 13

Winning
BY KELLY SULLIVAN
Notre Dame Observer Football Staff Writer
One of the biggest names in Notre Dame football
legendry is one of the smallest players on the Irsih
roster.
He is 5-foot, 11-inch placekicker Harry Oliver,
relatively unknown to Irish partisans a year ago. But
during last season's thriller against Michigan, the.
Cincinnati native vaulted from anonymity to instan-
taneous stardom in a swift kick- a kick that resulted
in what many considered to be Notre Dame's
greatest victory ever.
"I ALWAYS used to dream of kicking a game-
winning field goal," said Oliver, whose 51-yard boot
into the wind beat the Wolverines, 29-27, as time ex-
pired. "But now that it's happened, I don't dream of
having to go through something like that again," he
adds with a laugh.
One miracle has been enough to etch Harry's name
alongside Notre Dame greats of the past, and has
resulted in a yearlong whirlwind of notoriety.
"I could never have imagined the impact that
game has had on my life," related the senior
engineering major. "It's still hard to fathom the fact
that people all over the country really know who I am
. . that really hasn't set in."
YET THE unassuming Oliver experienced the
rewards immediately. That kick not only gave Harry

kick:

Single play vaults ND's
Oliver to national fame

a coast-to-coast fan club, but some much-needed con-
fidence, long over due for a kicker whose previous
claim to fame had been a 38-yard connection in a
junior varsity game.
"It was a tremendous boost for me
psychologically," admits Oliver, who spent his first
two years on the bench. "I went out on the field the
rest of the year with a 100 percent more positive at-
titude."
And Harry has garnered an impressive batch of
statistics as proof. Oliver, a left-footed, soccer-style
booter, became the most productive kicker in Notre
Dame history for a single season. He finished third
best in the NCAA rankings last year after hitting 19 of
23 field goals. Already named to several pre-season
All-Star squads, the Cincinnati Moeller High product
is considered one of the premier kickers in college
football.
"I THINK SOME of my improvement is due to
weightlifting," he explained. "My leg was never that
strong in high school."
But Harry, one of nine Irish players rejoining coach
Gerry Faust from Moeller, credits most of his suc-
cess to his former and now current coach.
"He is the one who called Notre Dame and got me
the scholarship," revealed Oliver. "I felt that I owed
it to him to keep trying to give it my all."
And Faust is responsible for Harry's strong

religious convictions, an integral part of his athletic
career.
"I PICKED UP on coach Faust's philosophy in high
school, I always thought that it was a fascinating idea
to bring religion into sports the way he did. I've tried
to do that in my career- it's relieved a lot of the
pressure."
And though pressure goes with a placekicker's
territory, Oliver insists he is not worried about
coming up with an encore for last fall's glittering per-
formance.
"First and foremost, I want to see the team do well.
I had a good year, but we lost two games that we
shouldn't have. I've got to think about the team's
goals first- we want a national championship."
"AS FAR AS my goals are concerned, there's
always room for improvement," he continued. "I
missed some short field goals and extra points
because of mental mistakes that I don't want to see
repeated."
This 1980 Irish pacesetter refuses to concern him-
self with more record-breaking in '81. His thoughts
are aimed at improving his aim, his distance, and his
accuracy.
"It is little things that will get you the big things,"
smiled Harry.
Notre Dame fans familiar with this 5-11 hero
already know that.

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SPOR TS OF THE DAIL Y:

#4

SCORES

Bosox top Tigers in opener, 2-1

American League
Boston 2, Detroit 1
Minnesota 5, Toronto 2
Milwaukee 3, New York 2
National League
Philadelphia 3,4, New York 1,5
St. Louis 7, Montreal 1

9 EXCITEMENT

* TRAVEL

F BOSTON (AP) - Carney Lansford's
single scored Jerry Remy from second
base in the bottom of the 10th inning to
give the Boston Red Sox a 2-1 victory
over the Detroit Tigers last night in the
first game of a double-header.
Remy walked to lead off the inning
angd went to second on Dwight Evans'
long fly to center. After Jim Rice flied
out; Carl Yastrzemski was walked in-
0tentionally. Lansford then ripped a
single to left off starter and loser Jack
Morris, 12-5.
Boston starter Dennis Eckersley, 8-6,
pitched 10 innings for the win, scat-
tering seven hits.
Twins 5, Blue Jays 2
TOTONTO (AP) - Hosken Powell hit
a three-run double and John Castino
clubbed a two-run homer to lead the
Minnesota Twins to a 5-2 vicotry over
the Toronto Blue Jays last night.
Al Williams, (5-8), had an eight-hit
shutout going into the ninth, but he gave
up,two more hits to start the inning and
was replaced by Doug Corbett, who
gave up a sacrifice fly to Otto Velez and
a run-scoring single to George Wells.
Tough puck
TORONTO (AP) - The Prince of
vales Conference champions will have
the home-ice advantage in 1982 in the
best-of-seven Stanley Cup final against
the Clarence Campbell Conference
winners, it was determined yesterday
in a puck toss by NHL President John
Ziegler.
Coin tosses also were held to decide
home-ice advantages in the conference

finals under the new playoff format to
be in effect next spring. The Patrick
Division winners will have the extra
game in any seven-game series against
the Adams Division titlists, and the
Norris Division gets the extra game
against the Smythe Division.
Home-ice advantage will alternate in
succeeding years, Ziegler said.
Phillies 3, Mets 1.
NEW YORK (AP)- Righthander
Dick Ruthven fired a five-hitter, aiding
his cause by singling in the winning run,
and Mike Schmidt added his league-
leading 26th home run as the
Philadelphia Phillies sent the New
York Mets to their fourth straight loss,
3-1, yesterday in the opening game of a
twi-night double-header.
Ruthven, 11-5, struck out six and
walked four in gaining his first victory
over the Mets in four decisions this
season. The right-hander snapped a 1-1
tie in the fourth inning against Pat
Zachry, 7-12, with a two-out single that

scored Larry Bowa, who had doubled.
Schmidt's homer, a blast down the
left field line, added an insurance run
an inning later.
Cardinals 7, Expos 1
MONTREAL (AP)- Ken Oberkfell
tripled home three runs and George
Hendrick added a two-run double in
support of BobForsch as the. St. Louis
Cardinals defeated the Montreal Expos
7-1 in the first game of a double-header
yesterday night.
Forsch, 9-5, gave up six hits, struck
out one and walked none before giving
way to reliever Doug Bair to start the
eighth. Bair pitched hitless ball the last
two innings to complete the six-hitter.
The Cardinals grabbed a 3-0 lead
against Ray Burris, 7-7, in the third in-
ning on Darrell Porter's third homer of
the season, a single by Garry Tem-
pleton, a walk to Keith Hernandez and
Hendrick's two-run double into the left
field power alley.

CONTACT LENSES
Soft contact lenses $169
Daily extended wear lenses $235
Extended wear lenses $350
Hard contact lenses - 2 pair $150
Includes all professional fees
Dr. Paul Uslan,
Optometrist
545 Church Street
764-1222 by appointment

* RESPONSIBILITY
INVESTIGATE THE NAVY
ALTERNATIVE
Scholarships Available
CONTACT: Navy ROTC
Lt. Rob Machala
764-1499


ANN
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The DA LY' S
PHONENUMBERS:
Rillinn 7AA..OS

IF YOU THINK FEDERAL STUDENT
AID IS ONLY FOR POOR KIDS,
YOU'RE WRONG.
Ed and Sarah both work and make good money. They
didn't think any of their six children would be eligible for
any sort of Federal aid.
But Jenni qualified for a Basic Grant and young Ed also
applied for and got a Guaranteed Student Loan.
Of course, no one is guaranteed
study money. But the only way
you'll know if your kids qualify
is to apply.
Get the details from the
high school counselor or the
postsecondary school finan-
cial aid administrator or
write to Box 84, Wash-
ington, D. C. 20044 r
and ask for 'A Student
Consumer's Guide:'

LEE RIDER

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