Page 14-Saturday, August 1, 1981-The Michigan Daily
Isiah inks Piston contract

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PONTIAC (AP)-The Detroit Pistons signed 1981 first-round draft choice Isiah
Thomas to a multiyear National Basketball Association contract yesterday.
Terms of the agreement, signed at a Pontiac Silverdome news conference, were
not disclosed. However, Pistons General Manager Jack McCloskey said the
agreement "will be a contract that ranks with the top four or five ever given to a
rookie coming into the NBA."
THOMAS, A 6-foot-1, 185-pound point guard, led Indiana to the 1981 NCAA
national college basketball title. However, he gave up his final two years of college
eligibility to turn professional.
"I think he can compete and create situations on the court that will make us a
better ball team," McCloskey said. "I think he will be the player who will take us to
the threshold of the playoffs this year. We also expect that he will improve as a
player as time goes by. He has great talent." The Pistons were 21-16 last season.
An obviously nervous Thomas thanked his mother, who was in the audience, for
giving hiffi the support he needed when he made the decision to turn pro. But
despite voicing uneasiness at the size of the crowd watching his signing, he still
managed to joke.
"THAT GUY Jack was talking about isn't here right now," the 20-year-old
Thomas said. "I believe he's in Georgia at a basketball camp. I believe his name is
Magic."
Thomas., the second player picked in this year's college player draft, referred to
Earvin "Magic" Johnson, the former Michigan State standout who led the Spar-
tans to a national crown and then turned pro midway through his college career to
sign with Los Angeles. Johnson, the first-round choice in the 1979 draft, then led the
Lakers to an NBA championship.
"I've never been in this situation before, and in an experience like this before,"
Thomas said. "I hope we can get together anddo some things for this franchise."
THOMAS HAD refused to sign a contract since being drafted June 9 and repor-
tedly had sought a $400,000-per-year contract over several years. At the news con-
ference he told reporters he "didn't think it would take this long" to come to terms
with the Pistons' management, but he was glad he finally did.
"I've been playing just about every day," he said. "I've been working out, trying
to stay in shape for this."
Detroit coach Scotty Robertson, who just had returned from California where
the Pistons have been playing in the Summer Pro League, said:
"I'M EXCITED about Isiah joining our organization, not only because of his
abilityto play the game, but because the kinds of things he does can make the other
members of the team better players.
"As a point guard, he has abilities that are unique," Robertson said. "He's not
only a passer and a leader and a quarterback, but also a scorer."
Thomas will join the Pistons when they open the regular season training camp on
Oct. 2. The club-opens its preseason schedule in mid-October and begins its regular
season at home on Oct. 30.

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FORMER INDIANA GUARD Isiah Thomas lays the ball up for two points in
a game against Wisconsin. Thomas, the Detroit Pistons' first round draft
pick, signed his contract at the Pontiac Silverdome yesterday. After leading
the Hoosiers to the NCAA Championship last season, Thomas gave up his
remaining two years of college eligibility in order to play in the NBA.-

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SPORTS OF THE DAILY:
Thompson
OAKVILLE, Ontario (API -
Leonard Thompson equalled the best
score on the PGA Tour this season with
a spectacular, nine-under-par 62 that
provided him with a four-stroke lead
yesterday after the second round of the
$425,000 Canadian Open Golf Cham-
pionship.
"Everything went exactly. right,"
said Thompson, winner of two titles in
his 11-year tour career.
THE HUSKY 34-year-old didn't make
a bogey, missed only one green and
holed a sand wedge shot for birdie
there, didn't have a "5" on his card and
reeled off a string of five consecutive
"3s."
It was, by two strokes, the record on-
the 7,060 yard Glen Abbey Golf Club
course that has been sharply criticized
for the relatively poor condition of the
fairways by the game's touring pros.
"The fairways were a little long and
you have to play for jumpers on every
shot," Thompson said. "I had a fluffy
lie on every fairway shot. But what are
you going to do? You either have to play
the shot or pick it up and go home.
"I JUST happened to be picking the
right club and the ball was bouncing the
right way. I hit some good shots and got
some good breaks.",
The collection of seven birdies and an
eagle marked the low score of Thom-
pson's tour career and produced a 36-
hole total of 134, eight shots under par.'
"That's phenomenal," said Jack

leads Canadian Open

Nicklaus, who designed the course as a
permanent home for this national
championship. "I can't imagine
someone shooting 62 on this course un-
der these conditions. It's phenomenal,"
he repeated.
Peter Oosterhuis of England and Lon
Hinkle, each with a 69, shared second at
138. Mark Hayes was next at 139, three
under par, after a 67 in the warm, sunny
weather.
Nicklaus, who birdied the last hole for
another 70 was tied at 140 with
Larry Nelson and Bob Eastwood.
Nelson had a second-round 69, East-
wood 71.
Inds hearing concludes
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The special
U.S. Auto Club hearing on Bobby Un-
ser's appeal of the May 24 Indianapolis
500 concluded yesterday with what Un-
ser called contradictory testimony by
Chief Steward Tom Binford and drivers
Gordon Johncock and Scott Brayton.
Johncock and Brayton testified the
rule on blending into the pack after'
leaving the pits was made clear to the
drivers during a pre-race meeting, but
Unser said they contradicted Binford's
earlier testimony that drivers would be.
given a one- or two-car leeway.
JOHNCOCK, THE,1973 Indy 500 win-
ner, and Brayton, a rookie in this year's
race, were called as rebuttal witnesses .
during the-final day of testimony in the

hearing.
It was Because of the so-called "blen-
ding" rule that Unser was penalized
one lap for passing eight cars on the
150th lap and dropped to second place
behind Mario Andretti.
Binford said the rule was not vague.
"BUT IT'S very difficult to police,"
he said. "The reason we give them a
leeway of one or two cars is because of
the possibility of human error by our
scorers. Rather than create a situtaion
of nit-picking, we told them (the
drivers) there was a leeway."
It has been Unser's contention that
the rule is too vague to be enforced.
Johncock, called to testify
said drivers leaving the pits must look
to the right at the end of the pit wall,
"see which car is there, then slowdown
and follow that car and blend in behind
that car coming out of turn two. If the
cars behind the pace car are packed up,
you must keep falling back until you
find somebody who will let you in line."
Under repeated questioning by Unser
attorney James Binns, Johncock in-
dicated there was no leeway in his un-
derstanding of the rule.
Brayton also related the procedure
for re-entering the pack. He also said a
driver must drop back - and in no case
could be in front of the car that w'as at
his right leaving the pits when the green
flag was displayed.. 

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