Page 16-Thursday, July 10, 1980-The Michigan Daily
samSports
Tigers return to action
the league. standout performance
None of this implies that the Tigers spot and in centerfield
can't beat good teams, though. It's just (who should have been
that now they're going to have to start his clutch hitting withn
showing how good they really are. That the flawless defense an
should be no problem if they continue to tstop Alan Trammell.
get the outstanding performances that The Tigers square
in the lead-off
, Richie Hebner
an All-Star) and
men on base and
id hitting of shor-
off with the
series of the
they can stay
d be a dramatic
BY BUDDY MOOREHOUSE
A Dailysports Analysis
With the All-Star Game and three
days of rest behind them now, it's back
to business as usual in the major
leagues.
It's also time for the second place
Detroit Tigers to continue their winning
ways. Detroit, 42-33 and 7/2 games
behind the league-leading New York
Yankees, begin a 14-day road trip
tonight with two games against the
leaders of the American League West,
theKansas City Royals.
FROM THERE, the Bengals will
head east for a crucial three-game
series against the Boston Red Sox. The
Bosox are currently in fifth place in the
East, two games behind the Tigers. Af-
ter the series at Fenway, the Tigers
head for the west coast for games with
Oakland, Seattle and California.
The question in everyone's mind now
seems to be, "Can the Tigers continue
to win?" A scant three weeks ago the
Detroiters were dwelling in the spot
that seems to be reserved for the
Motown's teams - last place. But a
phenomenally successful month of June
saw the Bengals claw their way into
second place just in time for the mid-
summer recess.
There are several factors that have
keyed the Tigers' surge. First, a
rejuvenated pitching staff, led by
veteran Milt Wilcox throwing five
straight victories, has given the Tigers
new strength in their weakest area.
Second, the arrival of Al Cowens on
May 30 has given the Tigers a righ-
handed hitter with power and a stellar
glove in rightfield.
AND LAST but not least, it must be
noted that the Tigers have not exactly
played the toughest teams in the league
over the last month. Since May 30, the
Detroiters have only played five games
- all with Milwaukee - against a team
with a winning record. The other 30
have been with the cellar-dwellers of
they've been getting lately from
everyone on the roster.
Among the pleasant surprises of the
recent surge have been Rick Peters'
Yankees in the final
regular season, and if
close until then it could
season finale.
Standings.
American League
EAST
W L Pct.
New York....51 27 .654
Detroit. 42 33 .560
Milwaukee. 43 34 .558
Baltimore ....... 42 36 .538
Boston .......... 41 36 .532
Cleveland........37 39 .487
Toronto .........33 43 .434
GB
71/2
7%/
9
9%/2
13
17
81
9 /
111/2
11%/2
12
161
National League
EAST
W L Pct.
Montreal...... ..42 34 .553
Philadelphia .... 41 35 .539
Pittsburgh .......42 37 .532
New York .......-38 40 .487
Chicago .........-33 43 .434
St. Louis........-34 '46 .425
GB
1
11/
5
9
10
4
7
9
12%
No more boxing for
Cowboys"~Too Tall'
WEST
Kansas City ......47 33
Chicago ..........38 41
Texas..........37 42
Oakland .........36 45
Minnesota ........ 35 44
Seattle--....-35 45
California........29 48
.588
.481
.468
.444
.443
.438
.377
WEST
Houston ......... 45 33
Los Angeles ..... 46 34.
Cincinnati....... 43 38
Atlanta .......37 40
San Francisco ... 37 43
San Diego ........34 47
.577
.575
.519
.481
.463
.420
GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) - Dallas
Cowboy Coach Tom Landry smiled -
not once but many times - while he,
waited for the arrival of his prodigal
player Ed "Too Tall" Jones, who has
returned to the fold.
The defensive end flew into Dallas-
Fort Worth Regional airport from New
York late Tuesday night and was
whisked to a back room where he
signed a multi-year contract, ending his
brief fling with professional boxing.
Landry said the 6-foot-9, 265-pound
Jones - whom the Cowboys made the
No. 1 pick in the 1974 NFL draft - will
have to earn his way back into the star-
ting lineup.
"Right now, he wouldn't step in as
No. 1 left end. John Dutton has that
slot," Landry said. "But whether
there'll be a challenge or whether Dut-
ton will move to left tackle, we'll just
have to see."
Jones said he is excited about the
prospect of playing football again.
"I've prepared myself to accept a
challenge from one of my teammates
and I'm in the best shape I've ever
been, strength-wise especially," said
Jones, who retired from football in June
1979 to pursue a career in boxing, which
he called his first love.
The Cowboys called members of the
media Tuesday afternoon to announce
that Jones had agreed to terms, that he
was en route from New York to Dallas,
and that a press conference would take
place at the airport upon his arrival.
Jones, who said he weighs 265 pounds
now and plans to play at 260, said he had
no regrets about boxing, though his
career was undistinguished and he
hadn't fought since February.
Tonight's Games
Cleveland at Toronto
Boston at Milwaukee
Baltimore at Chicago
Detroit at Kansas City
New York at Texas
California at Oakland
Minnesota at Seattle
Tonight's Games
Pittsburgh at New York
St. Louis at Montreal
Chicago at Philadelphia
Cincinnati at Atlanta
Houston at Los Angeles
San Diego at San Francisco
0
ED 'TOO TALL' JONES, second from left, is shown here at the press conference at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport Thursday
night where he announced that he would be returning to the Dallas Cowboys next season. The 6-7 defensive end missed
last season ina disappointing attempt to break into the professional boxing scene.