Sports
Page 12
Thursday, August 6, 1981
The Michigan Daily
(AP
baseb
whelm
tract
prece
Now
Players vote to ratify co-
- A majority of major league
all's players voted over- Owners wil meet today
singly yesterday to ratify the con- agreerstwill meet today
agreement that ended the un-
dented mid-season strike. t i
it becomes the owner's turn, and new
they'll meet in Chicago today to discuss
approval of the agreement as well as a
format for the remainder of the season.
TEN OF THE 16 teams which have
reported votes on the agreement gave it
their unanimous approval.
The Detroit Tigers, who voted
unanimously in favor of the contract
following a workout on Wednesday,
were the 14th of the 26 clubs to approve
it by a lopsided margin. The Pittsburgh}
Pirates declined to reveal the margin of
their vote, but the other 15 clubs voted
in favor by an overwhelming 364-15
spread.
A simple majority of the 650 players
on active major league rosters, plus
those on injured reserve, was all that
was needed for ratification of the con-
tract. Ironically, that majority was
achieved on the precise day that the
owners' $50 million strike insurance
ntract
expired.
BESIDES DETROIT, the contract
has been unanimously approved by the
players on Milwaukee, Kansas City,
Baltimore, Toronto, Montreal,
Houston, St. Louis and Atlanta. The
New York Mets voted in favor by a 24-1
margin, Seattle 23-3, San Francisco 23-
2, San Diego 22-3 and Minnesota 21-6.
"I really had no doubt it would be
ratified," said John Curtis, San Diego's
player representative. "I think the vote
reflects the idea it is a good agreement.
Ratification is just a formality, a mat-
ter of putting the system into practice."
The player voting continues through
Thursday, when the owners will hold
their meeting - postponed from
Tuesday because of the air traffic con-
trollers' strike - to discuss ratification.
THE OWNERS will also decide on a
format for the remainder of the season.
Options include picking up the stan-
dings as they were when the strike
began June 12 or adopting a split-
season plan and adding an extra tier of
intra-divisional play-offs.
Indications are that a majority of
owners in both leagues favor the split
season concept. But, while a simple
majority is enough-for it to be adopted
in the American League, a three-
quarters vote is needed in the National
League.
Meanwhile, the players continued to
work out in preparation for the resum-
ption of the regular season - whatever
the format - Monday, following Sun-
day night's All-Star Game in Cleveland.
"It's going to be tough," said Dick
Ruthven of the Philadelphia Phillies,
one of the pitchers named to the All-
Star squad. "I played catch a little bit
during the strike. I don't think I'm that
far away. But I've never stopped in the
middle of the season, just like everyone
else, and I really don't know how long it
will take. I won't know until I get out
there and try it."
I
NEW YORK YANKEE REGGIE JACKSON, bat in back pocket, awaits his turn in the batting cage during practice.
Jackson and the rest of the major league players voted overwhelmingly to ratify the new agreement which ended the
baseball strike.
FAUST 'THRIVES OF PRESSURE':
Irish coach convinced he's ready
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP)-Gerry Faust has had ab-
solutely no college coaching experience but is convinced he
can handle the mind boggling pressure that goes hand-in-
hand with the Notre Dame football coaching job.
"I'm the kind of person who thrives of pressure," said
Faust, a 45-year-old bundle of energy and enthusiasm who
will make his Notre Dame debut after compiling an amazing
record of 174-17-2 at Cincinnati's Moeller High School.
"I REALIZE I'VE never coached at the college level
before but we were under a lot of pressure to win at Moeller,
too." said Faust. "I know the high school level isn't the same
thing but when you've won 30 or 35 games straight, there's
pressure involved."
Faust inherits a team that had a 9-2-1 record in Dan
Devine's final season as head coach of the Irish. Notre Dame
has 38 lettermen returning including eight starters on offense
and eight on defense from the team that lost 17-10 to national
champion Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
Six of the veterans, including wingback Tony Hunter,
linebacker Bob Crable and quarterback Tim Koegel, played
under Faust at Moeller, in addition to three incoming fresh-
men.
FROM THE OUTSET, Faust will be measured against
Notre Dame legends Knute Rockne, Frank Leahy, Ara Par-
seghian and Devine, all of whom won national champion-
ships.
Faust could become the first Irish coach to win a national
championship in his first season. Parseghian came close in
1964 but saw it slip away at Southern Cal when the Trojans
rallied for a 20-17 victory in the final game of what could have
been a perfect season.
Faust's undoing could be a crushing schedule. The Irish
start out against Louisiana State, Michigan, Purdue,
Michigan State, Florida State and Southern Cal and later
catch Penn State.
"IT'S A TOUGH one, there's not much doubt about that,"
said Faust. "There are at least three or four teams on there
that could win the national championship this year."
Faust's first big decision will be naming his starting quar-
terback.
There are sophomores Blair Kiel and Scott Grooms and
senior Koegel. Kiel started most of the games last season but
all three were impressive last spring.
"I don't like to alternate quarterbacks, it's not good for the
offense," said Faust.
Whoever wins the job will have such talented receivers as
tight end Dean Masztak, wingback Hunter and split ends
Mike Boushka and Dave Coneni. Junior Phil Carter will be at
tailback and Larry Moriarty and John Sweeney will operate
at fullback.
r ust
... starts rookie season