Sports
Page 20 Thursday, May 7, 1981 The Michigan Daily
BLUE TAKE NIGHTCAP, 7-2
Michigan splits with EMU
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By MARTHA CRALL
"We played one game today." That
was the first thing from the mouths of
managers Bud Middaugh and Ron
Oestrike after Michigan's
doubleheader with Eastern Michigan
yesterday at Fisher Stadium.
Oestrike saw his Hurons take the first
game, 7-3, while Middaugh's
Wolverines won the nightcap, 7-2.
MICHIGAN SEEMED to break out of
its hitting slump, which necessitated an
hour and a half of batting practice
following Tuesday's loss to Toledo, as it
collected seven hits in each of the two
games. In the opener, Eastern collected
.AND IN THIS
CORNER .. .
Mark Mihanovic 4W
Detroit to host fight...
. .s..only 'sport' in town
DETROIT
THE LIONS FOLD down the wire, the Tigers get off to a disappointing
start, the Pistons and the Red Wings, well ... but with this week's
announcement that on June 12, Joe Louis Arena will host a heavyweight title
bout between champion Larry Holmes and former champion Leon Spinks,
the city of Detroit takes another step in establishing itself as a major force in
the world of boxing.
Thomas Hearns and Hilmer Kenty thrust the Motor City into ring
prominence when they brought home championship belts in the welter- and
lightweight divisions, respectively-but nothing can focus the eyes of the
sport upon a town like the anticipation of heavyweight championship fight.
The buildup began yesterday afternoon, as 1,000 boxing aficionados,
media members, fans, and, of course, groupies packed the Versaille Room
of the Ponchartrain Hotel to welcome Holmes, Spinks and that enigmatic
promoter, Don King, to Detroit.
Mayor Coleman Young, who spearheaded the effort to bring the cham-
pionship bout to his city as a tribute to the legendary, recently-deceased Joe
Louis, set the tone for the event with his opening remarks.
"I think there's a touch of irony," he said. "We wanted to have a dinner
and invite Joe Louis here for a formal dedication, but Joe couldn't wait. He
had a schedule of his own.
"I expect this fight to be a sellout because Detroit is a great fight town.
Let's do it for Joe, let's do it for Detroit, but, mainly, let's do it."
There is no doubt that the city will do it. Unless Sparky Anderson's troops
turn things around, it could be a boring summer for Detroit sports fans-ex-
cept for that one night in June.
Not that the fight will necessarily be a great one. The first heavyweight
title bout held in Detroit since Joe Frazier knocked out Bob Foster almost 11
years ago may end as quickly as Holmes wants it to. Then again, the gifted
Spinks may reach into that large store of potential and make a contest of it.
It doesn't matter-for a short period of time, the Motor City will be the cen-
ter of attention of millions of people, and that will undoubtedly serve as a
needed financial and moral boost.
The contrast in styles between the two fighters should spark interest in the
fight in and of itself.
Holmes arrived at the press conference early, suit-and-tie, politely smiling
and greeting the Mayor and others seated at the dias. Spinks walked in with
King near the end of Young's talk, sporting a bright red warm-up suit and a
grin as big as the Renaissance Center.
Spinks' question-and-answer session with the media consisted mostly of
inquiries about the state of his less-than-stable personal life and inaudible
responses. King guided him all the way.
When the promoter introduced Holmes as the "All-American boy," "the
people's champion," "a champion both in and out of the ring," however,
Leon proved to be perceptive. He leaned over to the woman seated beside
him and laughed, "He didn't say that about me, did he?"
Even an unusually soft-spoken Holmes couldn't resist a jab or two at
Spinks. "When Leon says he got nothing to lose, he's right," he said. "He
ain't got no prestige, he ain't got no money, he ain't got no teeth. Me, I got my
record, I got my prestige, I got all my teeth . . ."
But Holmes doesn't possess the capability that Muhammad Ali
breathed-the knack for keeping a crowd entranced, in awe. And thus, the
city of Detroit must regret the fact that Ali never fought a title bout there.
Still, a Larry Holmes-Leon Spinks championship fight is better than nothing.
A lot better.
13 hits and started scoring early,
picking up, a first inning lead that it
never relinquished.
With one out, Greg Howe dropped a
double in front of rightfielder Jim
Paciorek, stole third and scored on cat-
cher John Young's throwing error.
Then shortstop Howard Simmons
singled and scored on Doug Davis'
triple off the center field wall. Gary
Baker singled him in, Jim Riggs
doubled, sending Baker to third and
Dave Jonske lofted a sacrifice fly to
drive in the fourth Huron run.
Michigan got two back in the bottom
of the second when Paciorek led off
with a triple, Gerry Hool doubled him in
and one out later Chuck Froning
doubled Hool home.
EASTERN THREATENED again in
the fifth, but didn't score its final runs
until the sixth when Pat Zureich led off
the inning with a single. Bryon Horn
sacrificed him to second, Howe singled
and stole second, which led to an inten-
tional walk for Simmons to load the
bases. Davis came through with a
single to drive in his second and third
runs of the day. Baker collected the
other RBI on a fielder's choice groun-
der.
The Wolverines kicked up their heels
in the bottom of the seventh, when
Froning led off with a triple and Young
singled him in before any were out, but
Randy Gorgon relieved starting pitcher
and winner Brandon Segnitz (3-1) and
put out the fire with no further damage
being done. Michigan starter Rich Stoll
(4-2) took the loss.
Michigan started the scoring in the
first inning of the second game, when
. Greg Schulte got a walk, Tony Evans
hit into a force, Paciorek singled and
Chris Sabo hit a sacrifice fly to deep
center to score Evans.
THE WOLVERINES chipped away
on starter Mitch Zwolensky, scoring
another run in the second on an RBI
single by Schulte. Jason Hansen then
came in for the Hurons and pitched one
inning, giving up three third-inning
runs. Two of the runs were unearned,
however, as Froning collected the only
RBI.
Michigan scored its final two runs in
the fifth inning on two more errors by
the Hurons, with Tim Miller picking up
an RBI.
Eastern scored runs in the second, on
an RBI double by Gene Bezeau and in
the sixth on a solo home run by Davis.
HANSEN (2-3) TOOK the loss in the
nightcap and Bill Shuta (4-1) picked up
the complete game win for the
Wolverines, giving up two runs on only
four hits.
"Shuta pitched a good game for us,"
said Middaugh. "I'm not happy with a
split, but I'm glad we won thg second
game. I like to leave the ballpark with a
pleasant memory."
Michigan will play two
doubleheaders this weekend with
Michigan State to finish its Big Ten
season needing only one win to clinch
the division title. The Wolverines will
play at Michigan State on Saturday and
host the Spartans on Sunday in a twin-
bill at Fisher Stadium, beginning at 1
p.m.
Seven and seven
FIRST GAME
123 456 7 R H E
EASTERN MICHIGAN ............ 400 003 0 7 130
MICHIGAN .............. 020 000 1 3 7 1
Segnitz, Gorgon (7) and Davis
Stoll, Wissing (7) and n g
WP- Segnitz, LP- Stoll
HR-none
SECOND GAME
123 456 7 RIlHE
EASTERNMICHIGAN............010 001 2 4 5
MICHIIGAN .........113 02S 0 7 7 1
ZwoIensky.Hansen() aisso(4)> and Davis
Shuta and Hool
WP-Shuta. LP-Hansen
HR- Davis
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Daily Photo by PAUL ENGSTROM
Wolverine Dave Stober slides safely into third in the nightcap's fourth in-
ning. Michigan managed to bounce back from its 7-3 first game loss to defeat
Eastern Michigan, 7-2.