Page 12-Wednesday, June 11, 1980--The Michigan Daily
Lions loosen wallet, sign
Sims to lucrative contract
PONTIAC (AP)-The Detroit Lions
signed running back Billy Sims to a 66 ~ 66 6
contract yesterday which Sims' agent ~
described as the most lucrative ever
given to a National Football League
rookie.
Sims, a former Heisman Trophy win-
ner, signed a contract for undisclosed
terms to end a lengthy and sometimes
heated negotiations with Lions officials.
THE 24-YEAR-OLD former
Oklahoma star said he was relieved to
have finally resched agreement with
Detroit and said he has been a Lion "in
my heart" since attending a rookie
training camp in April.
Detroit Coach Monte Clark presented
the NFL's No. 1 draft choice with a jer-
sey bearing the number 20, which Sims
has worn since his high school years in
Hooks, Texas.
"I see some pretty good things
coming from this number," said Sims,
holding his jersey up to photographers.
Sims' business manager, Jerry
Argovitz, said there is a confidentiality
clause in the contract that forbids
public disclosure of the contract terms.
But he added, "I wouldn't exchange it
(the contract) for that of any player in
the country"
Argovitz and Detroit general
manager Russ Thomas have haggled
for several months on the contract. DE TROIT LIONS General Manager Russ Thomas (at left) and Coach Monte Clark size up Billy Sims at a press conference
Argovitz reportedly had sought up to yesterday. Sims, the Lions' first round draft choice and the 1978 Heisman Trophy winner, signed a multi-year contract
$4.5 million for Sims, while the Lions which makes him "the highest paid player every to come into the league, according to his business manager, Jerry
had offered $700,000. Argovitz. Argovitz and Thomas had been negotiating for several months.
Wilcox six-hitter, Parrish slugging
pace Tigers' 8-3 romp of Twins
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By TOM SHAHEEN
SpecialtotheDaily
DETROIT-Lance Parrish's bases-
loaded double ignited a four-run third
inning which broke a 1-1 deadlock and
put the Detroit Tigers ahead for good,
as the last-place Bengals took the series
opener from the Minnesota Twins, 8-3,
before 12,399 at Tiger Stadium. Parrish
had a ; big. night for the Tigers, driving
in three runs, scoring three, and collec-
ting three hits.
Detroit starter Milt Wilcox yielded
six hits and struck out five in one of his
finest pitching performances of the
season and raised his record to 54.
THE TIGERS OPENED the scoring
in the bottom half of the second, as Tom
Brookens' sacrifice fly scored Parrish
from third. The Twins tied the game in
the top of the third when Butch
Wynegar smashed a double to left-
center, scoring John Castino.
Newly-acquired second baseman
Stan Papi doubled to the 400-foot mark
in left-center to start off Detroit's big
third inning rally. The Tigers loaded
the bases and went ahead, 3-1, on
Parrish's .double. - Rightfielder Al
Cowens then smashed a double to right-
center which added two more runs to
the Tiger tally and sent Twin starter
Geoff Zahn to the dugout.
DETROIT ADDED TWO insurance
runs for Wilcox in the seventh. After
Alan Trammell's single, Steve Kemp
stepped up and drove a double to right
which gave the Tigers a 6-1 lead.
Parrish followed with a single to score
Kemp.
Wilcox pitched a very strong game,
and the Twins could barely touch the
Tiger righthander. He retired 12 bat-
ters in a row at one point, and when the
streak was broken by Twin second
baseman Rob Wilfong's single, the
Tigers erased him with a quick double
play.
Wilcox ran into trouble in the top of
the eighth, as lwin first baseman
Danny Goodwin blasted a double to left-
center which scored Mike Cubbage.
Minnesota added one more run in the
inning and cut the Tiger lead to 7-3. But
Wilcox coasted the rest of the way for
the victory. Twin pitchers Zahn took
the loss, and his record dropped to 4-8
on the season.
Tiger leftfielder Jim Lentine con-
tinued his superb hitting, as he drove in
the Tigers' last run and had two hits on
the night.
"I'm swinging the bat well and am
confident at the plate," he explained.
The newest Tiger star has found him-
self a home in Detroit. "Everybody's
made me feel really welcome here in
Detroit.- Sparky Anderson and the
whole organization have been great to
me so far."
slump, everybody is going to have to
give 100 per cent.
The Tigers pounded out 10 hits again-
st Twin pitching, and it seemed as if
Twin manager Gene Mauch was out of
the dugout every few minutes talking to
his pitchers. Former Tiger pitcher
Fernando Arroyo came on in relief for
the Twins and yielded one run in the
eighth when Lentine's single scored
third baseman Brookens from second
base, giving the Tigers their final score.
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The Tiger leadoff hitter went on to Detroit will face Minnesota again
say that for the Tigers to break their tonight at 7:55 p.m. at Tiger Stadium.
-BILLBOARD
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