The ultimate:
Have a ball
with a frisbee
By MARK FISCHER
it's played on a football field and the
players continually go out for
passes-but it's not football.
Tight man-to-man defense is prac-
ticed and participants call their own
fouls-but it's not pickup basketball.
THE SPORT consists almost entirely
of a series of passes and catches-but
no. ball is used. The only piece of
equipment that is needed, in fact, is a
lastic disc, for the game is none other
Ohn "ultimate frisbee."
JJltimate frisbee? That's a sport?
yes, it's a sport in every sense of the
word, but if it sounds unfamiliar, don't
feel bad. For one thing, it hasn't been
around that long.
*'HE FIRST game of "ultimate" ever
played took place in the parking lot of a
Now Jersey high school in 1967, and it
didln't reach the state of Michigan until
1974, when a group of adventurous
c~llegians organized an ultimate
scrimmage in Kalamazoo.
The game has spread a great deal
slice then, however, and it's growing in
ptpularity. "It's really coming on.
There's a lot more people playing it
now," said Dave Neely, a third-year
med student and tri-captain of
Michigan's own ultimate frisbee team.
"Before it was mainly just a counter
culture sport, and it still is, but much
better athletes play it these days."
At present there are an estimated 200
ultimate frisbee clubs scattered around
the United States, including the one
! here at Michigan, where the game
' finally caught on three years ago when
Neely and two other University studen-
ts founded the Michigan Frisbee Club.
LIKE THE sport itself, the Michigan
club started small, but it has grown
significantly. The self-named "Wolver-
bees" (a cross between Wolverines and
frisbees) now consist of approximately
25 members, who were established
enough by last weekend to both host and
win an eight-team tournament of their
own at Palmer Field (see details under
Club Sports Roundup).
The sport's rules are really quite
simple. Seven men from each team
take the 70-yard-long field at one time.
The object of the game is to catch the
frisbee in the endzone. The frisbee must
be caught there, for "the disc" (as it is
called by the players) can only be ad-
vanced by passes-one is not allowed to
take more than a pivot step while
holding "the bee."
An official game consists of two 24-
minute halves, during which the clock
is stopped only between a goal (worth
one point) and the ensuing "throwoff,"
or when the frisbee is thrown or
knocked out-of-bounds.
NO CONTACT of any sort is allowed.
The team without the frisbee may
covet both the thrower and the
receivers as closely as possible without
touching while attempting to interrupt
the disc's flight. A player has 15 secon-
ds to get rid of the frisbee once he gains
possession of it. Anytime a throw is
either intercepted or incomplete, the
defensive team takes over and the play
swings back toward the other endzone.
These rules make for a very fast
game filled with a lot of running and
cutting, as receivers try to break free
and defenders try to stay with their
men.
"It's a wide open game," said
sophomore Andy Klum, another of the
Wolver-bee tri-captains. "It's a lot bet-
ter than other sports because it's so
quick."
"THE ONLY sport I can compare it
to is hockey," said Neely of ultimate's
rapid pace. "It's impossible to run the
whole game. It takes incrediable
energy-it's like playing basketball on
a 70-yard field."
"It's probably the most tiring sport
I've played," said junior Wolver-bee
Mike Schwartz. "When you cover a guy
on defense, it's like a full court press in
basketball.. . like a tight man-to-man
defense over the full length of the
field."
Despite its growth off the field and in-
tense pace on the field, ultimate frisbee
is still "just a game" to the people who
play it. An atmosphere of camaraderie,
rather than one of "win at all costs,"
surrounds most ultimate contests. A
manifestation of this relaxed,
cooperative atmosphere lies in the fact
that no referees are used, even in an-
tional tournaments; players call their
own fouls and make their own calls.
"EVEN THOUGH it gets very com-
petitive and you want to win, winning's
not the most important thing out
there," said Schwartz. "It's fun. Even
if you lose, at the end of the game
you're not bummed out, becuase it's
such a riot playing.'.
Neely concurs. "The emphasis is on
sportsmanship and just having fun," he
said. "To me one of the best parts of it is
that there are no refs. The best part of
the tournaments is that you're just
here with other crazy people."
The game certainly has, the potential
to continue growing as both a par-
ticipant and a spectator sport. It takes
very little equipment to play, it's ex-
cellent exercise, it's fun, and it's ex-
citing to watch. Who knows, in a decade
or two there may even by a professional
ultimate frisbee league.
There are some people, however, who
wouldn't welcome the increased com-
plexity, competitiveness, and deper-
sonalization that such growth would en-
tail.
"I hope it stays just the way it is,"
said Neely. "Hopefully we'll never need
refs."
SPORTS [.iTAP
BASEBALL
April 14 WAYNE STATE, 3 p.m.
April 15 at Western Michigan (DH)
April 18-19 INDIANA (two DH), 1 p.m.
SOFTBALL
April 14 at Toledo
April 17-18 Big Ten Tournament,
At Evanston
April 20 EASTERN MICHIGAN, 3 p.m.
MEN'S TRACK
April 18 Michigan State Invitational,
at East Lansing
WOMEN'S TRACK
April 18 Central Michigan Invitational
at Mt. Pleasant
MEN'S TENNIS
April 16 at Michigan State
WOMEN'S TENNIS
April 14 CENTRAL MICHIGAN, 2 p.m.
April 17-18 at Purdue with Indiana
MEN'S GOLF
April 17-18 Kepler Intercollegiate,
at Columbus
The Michiaan Daily-Tuesdav. Aoril 14. 1981-Pane 9
Club Sports Roundup
LA CR OSSE
This past' Sunday the Michigan Lacrosse Club defeated the Chicago
Lacrosse Club, 15-6. John Miller, Ed Anderson, and player-coach Rick Bays
led the way for Michigan, scoring three goals apiece. Michigan's leading
scorer, Matt Dawe, chipped in with one goal and three assists. Goalie Mike
Keyes played another outstanding game, recording 15 saves.
Michigan remains undefeated in the club division with an 8-2 record. They
play MSU on Tuesday at East Lansing and Bowling Green at 8 p.m., Wed-
nesday on the Tartan Turf.
R UGBY
The London, Ontario Rugby Football Club invaded Fuller Field this past
weekend to face Michigan's rugby club. Michigan's 'A' team emerged vic-
torious by a score of 24-18. The team captain, Tony Menyhart, scored two
tries for Michigan. David Sharp and Tom McLoughlin added one try apiece.
Jack Goodman kicked two conversions.
Michigan's 'B' squad defeated London's 'B' team, 18-10. Dan Recinella
scored two tries, followed by Mike Lisi with one. Cleland Child added one try
and kicked one conversion.
Friday the Toronto Irish invade Fuller Field at 4 p.m. followed by the Sar-
nia Saints on Saturday at 1 p.m.
ROWING
The University of Michigan Rowing Club traveled to South Bend, Sunday
to compete with Notre Dame, Purdue, Chicago, and Wayne State in an 1,800
meter race. Michigan's women's Varsity '8' took first place with a time of
6:22, while the women's Junior Varsity '8' finished second with a time of
6:56. Michigan's time of 7:09 was good enough to finish second behind Pur-
due in the men's Varsity '4.' In the men's Varsity '8' Michigan placed third
behind Purdue and Wayne State, respectively.
JUDO
On April 4, Michigan's David Matsumoto took third place in the
heavyweight division of the National Collegiate Judo Championships in
Columbus, Ohio. There were 45 schools at the tournament, with over 200
competitors. Matsumoto is a third-degree black belt.
UL'M ATE FRISBEE
The Michigan Frisbee Club won five out of five games to top an eight team
field and win the Michigan-sponsored ultimate frisbee tournament held at
Palmer Field last Saturday and Sunday.
The eight teams-Purdue, Kentucky, Michigan State, Grand Valley State,
Earlham College (Ind.), Ferris State, Madison (based at the University of
Wisconsin), and Michigan-were divided into two groups of four. On Satur-
day, the eight teams played three round-robin games each in order to
determine a set of four semi-finalists.
Michigan and MSU both went into Sunday's games undefeated and on top
of their divisions, and the two squads ended up meeting each other in the
finals after Michigan beat Grand Valley and MSU defeated Madison. The
Ann Arbor hosts then eked out a close but sweet 16-15 victory over their
visitors from East Lansing to win the tourney.
The Club Sports Roundup relates briefly the activities of
Michigan's club sports teams during the previous week. This week's
information was compiled by Daily sports writers Mark Fischer, and
Buddy Moorehouse, and Alan Goldstein.
AP Photo
RICH DAUER, second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, dives over Boston's Rick Miller as he attempts to steal
second base during the fourth inning of yesterday's American League game at Fenway Park. Miller was tagged out and
the Orioles went on to beat the Red Sox, 5-1.
MAJOR LEAGUE ROUNDUP:
Orioles roll over Red Sox, 5-1
BOSTON (AP)-Pinch hitter Jose Morales delivered a two-
pout bases-loaded single, scoring two unearned runs to snap a
tie and triggering a four-run ninth inning yesterday, lifting
the Baltimore Orioles to a 5-1 victory over the Boston Red
Sox.
Rookie righthander Steve Crawford allowed seven hits, one
unearned run and struck out five before Ken Singleton led off
the ninth with a double off the wall in left-center. Tom
Burgmeier replaced Crawford and ran into trouble as short-
stop Glenn Hoffman committed a throwing error putting
runners on first and third.
PINCH-HITTER Gary Roenicke got an infield hit, filling
,the bases. Burgmeier then retired the next two batters but
Morales grounded a single under the pitcher's glove to center
scoring two runs.
Lenn Sakata ran for Morales and then Roenicke scored on
the front-end of a double steal. Rich Dauer followed with a
double for the fourth run of the inning.
Dwight Evans sent Boston into a 1-0 lead in the first inning
with his second home run of the season, a drive high into the
screen in left-center off Baltimore starter Jim Palmer.
Blue Jays 5, Yankees 1
TORONTO (AP)-Al Woods keyed Toronto's three-run
fourth inning with a two-run single as the Toronto Blue Jays
defeated the New York Yankees 5-1 in the Blue Jays' home
opener yesterday.
The Yankees scored in the first when Jerry Mumphrey
singled to center and Dave Winfield followed with an RBI,
double to left.
CLANCY THEN settled down and at one stretch retired 14
consecutive Yankee hitters.
The Blue Jays, who were held to one single over the first
three innings, finally got to Tommy John, 1-1, in the fourth
inning.
With one out, Lloyd Moseby singled and one out later John
Mayberry walked. Otto Velez then doubled to left, scoring
Moseby. Woods followed with a two-run single to left.
The Blue Jays added two runs in the seventh on Alfredo
Griffin's two-run bloop triple that scored Woods and Ernie
Whitt. Griffin punched the ball to shallow right field and it
short-hopped past Oscar Gamble.
Phillies 5, Pirates 1
PHILADELPHIA (AP)-Steve Carlton, 1980 National
League Cy Young Award winner, earned his first victory of
the season, and the Philadelphia Phillies took their home
opener 5-1 over the Pittsburgh Pirates last night before a
crowd of 60,404.
The Phillies took a 3-0 lead in the second inning off loser
John Candelaria.
Manny Trillo walked to start the inning and, after Garry
Maddox flied out, Larry Bowa doubled Trillo to third. Bob
Boone singled Trillo home, with Bowa advancing to third.
Carlton grounded to first base, and Bowa scored when Bill
Robinson threw home too late.
Smith forced Carlton at second, but Boone scored when
shortstop Tim Foli, thinking it was the third out, flipped the
ball to Carlton as he rounded the bag.
The Phillies made it 4-0 in the third inning on singles by
Gary Matthews and Maddox and a sacrifice fly by Bowa.
SCo's
American League Sexand
Detroit, Kansas City (ppd. by rain) a nd
Toronto 5, New York1 M athematics
Baltimore 5, Boston i Heredity or Socialization?
National League
Philadelphia 5, Pittsburgh I
Support the April 15 4-6 pm.
West Conference Room
March of Dimes Rackham Bldg.
8l RTH DEFECTS FOUNDATION Speakers:
Terry Adler and Carol Mdgley Research Associates
Girls and Math Project, Psychology Department
Kathy Yih, Graduate Student n Biology
Sponsored by:
Graduate Women's Network
4121 Michigan Union
313/994-5148
NOWC
NDERO 20 thru April
U
:I
17
A IVnU'
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Synchs swim to second
By J. CHAPELLE
Michigan's synchronized swimming
team placed second in the United States
Synchronized Swimming Central Zone
Championships, garnering 119.56 poin-
ts; Ohio State, the favored team at the
meet, took first scoring 124.46 points.
The Wolverines' top two swimmers,
Cathleen O'Brien and Betsy Neira, took
sixth and ninth respectively in the solo
event, qualifying to compete in the U.S.
synchronized swimming Senior Cham-
pionships to be held in Ft. Lauderdale
this summer. Neira and O'Brien also
teamed up to capture fifth place in the
duet competition. Two other
Wolverines, Mary Crumrine and
Bridget Schneider, placed eighth in the
same event.
O'Brien and Neira also qualified for
the Sports Festival team and to com-
pete in the Canadian National Syn-
chronized Swimming Championships to
be held in Toronto this summer.
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