Sports Friday, May 28, 1982 SPORTS OF THE DAILY Page 20 The Michigan Daily Maltbie leads DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) - Roger Malt- bie liked his start, but his finish gave him the first-round lead yesterday in Jack Nicklaus' lightning-delayed Memorial Golf Tournament. Maltbie, who hasn't won since his 1976 triumph in this event, sank a par- saving, three-foot putt on the last hole for his 4-under-par 68, good for a one- shot margin. THE 30-YEAR-old Californian bir- died four of the last eight holes on the 7,116-yard Muirfield Village layout. "I got off to a fairly smooth start, which is important on this golf course," he said. "If you don't, you can get defensive." Tied for second, all at 69, were defen- ding champion Keith Fergus, former tennis pro Frank Conner, Steve Melnyk and Bruce Fleisher. Another stroke back at 70 were eight more pros, led by Tom Kite, Johnny Miller and Hale Irwin. Also at 2-under were Lou Graham, John- Cook, Jay Haas, Dan Pohland Greg Powers. Rockies sold NEW YORK (AP) - The Colorado Rockies were sold yesterday to a group headed by Houston Astros principal owner John McMullen, and the National Hockey League Board of Governors then gave approval for the franchise to be moved from Denver to New Jersey's Meadowlands Arena. The terms of the sale were not disclosed. "I'm glad the team will remain intact but it's a sad day for me in some respects," said Peter Gilbert, who tried unsuccessfully to build a financially stable NHL franchise in Denver. "I wish McMullen a lot of luck. Now, I'll get back to my work and my family and normal life. "The last four monthshave been very nerve-wracking for me, but it all worked out OK." McMullen, who is in the ship-building business, has offices in New York, and lives in northern New Jersey, not far from the arena. Players talk strike WASHINGTON (AP) - The National Football League Players Association, meeting in Washington to review its game plan, is talking unity and strike as it prepares for a showdown with National Football League club owners. "We are united, understand the issues and know the opponent," said union President Gene Upshaw Wed- nesday. AS EVIDENCE of the players' ap- parent resolve, Upshaw said a poll of nearly half the teams in the league found nearly unanimous support of a strike authorization proposal. "There has been no real opposition to the strike authorization, only a couple of abstentions," Upshaw said. Earlier it was reported that the Kan- golf tourne sas City Chiefs voted 52-0 and the Hammond walked quietly into the Washington Redskins 50-0, with three clubhouse. abstentions, authorizing union leaders Borg argues with council to call a strike. Upshaw refused to name the other NEW YORK (AP)- Sweden's Bjorn teams polled by the union or reveal the Borg would have competed in both the text of the strike porposal. French Open and Wimbledon if the two Seattle Seahawks' player represen- Grand Slam tournaments had, in effect, tative, Sam McCullum, and Amos withdrawn from the Volvo Grand Prix Fowler, his counterpart with the circuit, the Men's International FertLionais ol their respec- Professional Tennis Council said Thur- Detroit Lions, said polls of herrse sday tive teams, while incomplete showed Bga sg overwhelming support for a strike Borg also wanted "something that authorization. amounted to a personal apology" from the Pro Council, which had insisted that Hammond leads tourney he qualify for every Grand Prix tour- nament in which he wished to compete PINEHURST, N.C. (AP) - Colum- this year, the Council said in a bus College sophomore John Hammond statement issued here. apologized to anxious reporters for Big East adopts clock being the last player to finish the first round of the NCAA Division I golf tour- VERO BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Big East nament. But he certainly didn't make Conference basketball coaches voted excuses for his performance. yesterday to institute -a 45-second shot Hammond, one of 25 golfers to clock which will be turned off for the receive invitations to the tourney, fired final five minutes of games, and over- a 5-under-par 67 and claimed the lead in whelmingly rejeccted the institution of the 85th annual tournament, being a three-point goal for the 1982-83 season. played on the Pinehurst No. 2 course. The recommendation of the shot That score bested Furman's Brad clock is subject to the approval of the Faxon and Southern California's Jeff conference's athletic directors, who Hart, whose 68s seemed safe until willmeet through tomorrow. 4 4 0 Los Angeles downs 76ers, 124-117 Lakers established that mark over two PHILADELPHIA (AP)- Jamaal seasons when they won the last post- Wilkes scored 24 points and led a spec- season game in 1949 and the first eight tacular second-half rally as Los playoff games in 1950 enroute to the. Angeles beat the Philadelphia 76ers 124- NBA title. 117 last night in the opener of the NBA It was the single-season mark of eight championship series, giving the Lakers that the Lakers surpassed last night. a record nine straight playoff victories The Philadelphia 76ers hoped to stop this year. the Los Angeles Lakers' playoff win- Wilkes scored 16 points in the third ning streak when they tipped off the quarter as the 76ers wilted under the 1982 National Basketball Association Lakers' fastbreak attack in the second championship series last night. half although Philadelphia led by as The Lakers won eight straight playoff many as 15 points in the third quarter. games enroute to the final series, tying Los Angeles ultimately outscored a record for one season held by the 1950 Philadelphia 40-9 over a span of about Minneapolis Lakers. The overall 10% minutes at the end of the third record for a post-season winning streak quarter and the beginning of the fourth. is nine by Minneapolis, which won its GAME TWO of the best-of-seven final game in 1949 before capturing the National Basketball Association final first eight in 1950. series will be Sunday afternoon in "We'll have to be flexible," 76ers Philadelphia. Coach Billy Cunningham said when he The Lakers' victory actually kept two was asked about what matchups he playoff streaks alive. Los Angeles also would use to stop the Lakers, who have now has won seven straight postseason five players averaging 17 points or road games, a record high that dates more in the playoffs. back to the 1980 championship series The most surprising offensive star for when the Lakers beat Philadelphia in the Lakers so far has been Norm Nixon, six games. who shares playmaking duties with Ervin "Magic" Johnson. Nixon is Los The Lakers equalled the overall Angeles'leader in playoff scoring, playoff record of nine straight Post- averaging 22.5 points, just ahead of season triumpha. But the Minneapols Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 22.1. AP Photo LOS ANGELES LAKER Kurt Rambis bumps into Philadelphia's Booby Jones as he drives toward the basket in the first quarter of last night's NBA Championship game.