iriuMii Ninety-nine years of editorialfreedom Vol. IC, No. 127 Ann Arbor, Michigan - Wednesday, April 5, 1989 Copyright 1989, The Michigan Daily Celebrants hit the streets Eight arrested in celebratory bedlam BY KRISTINE LALONDE And there was much rejoicing. And vandalism. And destruction. And injuries. And looting. Right after Rumeal Robinson hit his two crucial free throws and the last Seton Hall shot missed the bucket, thousands of Michigan basketball fans poured out of bars, apartments, and dorms to hit South University St. and celebrate the victory. At first the celebrants were content with chanting and singing the "Victors." But soon the chanting and singing gave way to pulling down stop signs, breaking win- dows, and climbing on rooftops. "It started out just as spirit, everyone was chanting. Then after a while it got pretty reckless," said LSA senior Bob Swanson. Eight people were taken into custody during the night on charges ranging from malicious destruction of property to felo- nious assault. Many were injured by flying bottles and rocks thrown by members of the crowd. No official tally of the number of injuries or the cost of damage has been released. One man crawled to the flashing light above the intersection at S. University and Church Sts. by crawling along the light's wire. Many worried that the electric wires would break under his weight and connect with the rain-soaked streets. "I saw one guy on his own crawl up the telephone wire. They're live wires - that's stupid," said LSA senior Peter Kornreich. "It's one thing to enjoy and other to try to kill yourself." A Yellow Cab taxi was overturned, then guarded by six police officers guarded who feared that the crowd would set it on fire. People broke into Jacobson's at the cor- ner of Maynard and Liberty Sts. and stole the mannequins from the windows. A man who assisted in breaking the window at Stucci's ice cream store went inside and helped himself to some ice cream. The awning at China Gate restaurant was torn down and a fire began at the loca- tion. When the fire trucks arrived a group from the crowd grabbed one of the hoses and aimed it a group dancing on a roof. The thought of a fire hose being turned on the crowd caused momentary panic as thou- sands began running away from the hose. "There's not much you can do when you're outnumbered 300 to 1," said Ann Arbor Police Sgt. Mark Jones. He said the city could do little to prevent the gathering, such as closing down the streets. He said 25 to 30 police officers, including some from the state police and sheriff's depart- ment, were at the scene. Eventually there seemed to be a backlash to the destruction. Later in the night when a bottle flew the window above Stucci's the crowd began chanting "asshole" over and over. Social Psychology Prof. James Hilton said there are many theories that could ex- plain why people in a normally law-abiding group would break the law or encourage lawlessness. "I don't know why it turned the way it did," Hilton said. "Everybody would like to raise a little hell, but you're in a social prescription that won't let you." He said these social prescriptions are often loosened by crowd situations. Fans give Wolverines a rowdy 'Welcome Home' BY STEVE BLONDER The troops headed home from battle, and the hometown crowd gave them a rousing ovation. Johnny and the Saints might have well been marching in. But yesterday it was a group of Wolverines, content after devouring a large meal, who returned to their Ann Arbor den with Michigan's first basketball championship. Well over 10,000 people waited in Crisler Arena for almost an hour for their conquering heros to make a grand entrance. And when the players' motorcade reached Crisler, the band and fans were in the midst of a rousing chorus of "The Victors." "National Champion Michigan Wolverines has kind of a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" University President James Duderstadt asked the crowd. Duderstadt attended his first two Wolverine basketball games of the season this past weekend in Seattle. The players were each introduced, and each responded somewhat differently. Sean Higgins, who scored Saturday's winning basket, wore a pair of dark sunglasses, while Loy Vaught blew kisses to the crowd. Terry Mills waved his arm in the air, which brought the few sitting spectators to their feet. The crowd erupted at the introduction of Rumeal Robinson before drowning out Glen Rice's name with an "MVP" chant. 'If I had to choose to go to a university once again, the Uni- versity of Michigan would be my choice. - Glen Rice The fans informed athletic director Bo Schembechler that their choice for the head coaching vacancy is Steve Fisher by yelling "Fiiisher" and holding "Fisher, 6 & 0" signs. "We felt we could accomplish it, and Glen Rice coined the phrase 'Michigan was a team on a mission,' and we punched that last ticket last night in Seattle and accomplished that mission," Fisher said. "I told the players to look at the spot for the 1989 championship banner because it was reserved for Michigan." Schembechler praised the Wolverine tournament success, while hecklers yelled at him to give Fisher the job permanently. "I've been around here a long time and this championship by this basketball team will go down in history as one of the great accomplishments in all of Michigan athletics," Schembechler told the fans. See Sports, Page 12 ROBIN LOZNAK/Daily Sporting his Wayfarers, a triumphant Sean Higgins acknowledges the screaming masses. Higgins, with his trademark flamboyance, ascended the stage before being announced. New MSA representatives take of- fice; Coalition to lead assembly BY TARA GRUZEN Newly-elected Michigan Student Assembly President Aaron Williams led the assembly for the first time last night, after accepting the sym- bolic gavel from outgoing President Michael Phillips. Although Williams, an engineer- ing junior, began his presidential Williams said. He added that although the Uni- versity administration has marked the distribution of these racist flyers as isolated incidents, they are never- theless extremely offensive and must be investigated. "I do not always support what the Daily has to say, but we do not position, Vice President Rose Karadsheh, an LSA sophomore, and all other new MSA representatives took their seats in on the assembly. Half of the present MSA representa- tives are newly elected and half were elected last October. Before the new assembly mem- bers took office, the old assembly OF mq 9 i..._ " . ._ .. .":' .y. :. . ' ss '