The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • 25

mmmmrmmmmmsmmmmmmmmmmmmm Cassiiis Toys9 Stops Folley In 7th I i i Lou Smith NEW YORK Cassius Clay teased Zora Folley contemptuously for six rounds and then knocked out the game old warrior from Chandler, with a thunderclap right at 1:48 of the seventh Wednesday night for the ninth successful defense of his world heavyweight boxing mmmmmmmmmmmmm Cincinnati Enquirer Richards Likes Today's Game 1 the next three. The AP's card had it 3-2-1 for Clay. Clay weighed 2IIV2, Folley 202a. The champion's next ring appearance Is slated to be a May 27 date in Tokyo against Argentina's Oscar Bonaveno, if he can get a stay of his pending Army induction, scheduled for April 11. "All I remember was a right-bright on the chin," Folley said In his dressing room afterward.

"I don't remember anything else." "I'll keep fighting. I still think I can beat any heavyweight but Clay. I'm not ashamed of my showing. I fought well. I gave it all I had." The 34-year-old native Texan, who joined the Army at 16 and worked his way up to a sergeant's ranking in five fighting years in Korea, put up a plucky If futile show.

Fighting flat-footed, slow and stolid with an orthodox style, he waded In from the opening bell and hammered away at the elusive Clay a dancing ghost. At 2:20 of the first round, he snapped Clay's head back with a vicious right. The champion hardly blinked but glared coldly. In the second, the challenger, father of eight, pumped away at Clay's body and landed two stout rights to the head. Clay was undaunted.

-AP Wirepholo It's All Over For Folley Cassius Clay stands over Zora Folley after knocking him out in the seventh round TAMPA, FLA. Last season only 12 hitters In the major leagues batted .300 or more, with 10 of them National Leaguers. Only six men batted more than .315. Matty Alou of the Pirates led the National League with .342, while former Cincinnati Reds star Frank Robinson batted .316 for Baltimore to lead the American. The old-timers claim this proves baseball players aren't what they used to be.

They concede that athletes are Improving in every sport where performance can be timed or measured. They concede football and basketball players are better than ever. But baseball? That's different. Those old-timers were men among men. One of many who maintains this is so much rubbish Is Paul Richards.

The outspoken general manager of the Atlanta Braves says the present batting averages prove baseball is better than ever. As for the old-timers, he obviously feels their ability has improved in direct proportion to the length of time they have been out of baseball. "The only reason batting averages are down is because baseball has improved so much defensively," Richards declared. "Pitchers are much better than they used to be. The old-timers only remember the outstanding ones.

They forget about the soft touches that couldn't even hold a Job today. "Let's get back to the 1930's, and that actually means we're talking about the modern era. Most of the pitchers threw a fast ball and a curve. That was it. There was some cute ones around, too, but they weren't the stars.

Even some of the stars Just had a curve that was nothing special. Today they couldn't get by with those pitches, "There were some pitchers like Red Ruffing, Dazzy i Vance and Mungo who threw hardly anything but fast balls. Even Dizzy Dean couldn't get by today throwing nothing but a fast ball. "I remember when I was catching for the Giants. Roy Parmeless was getting hit pretty good.

He had a fast ball and a curve, but his fast ball was just so-so. One day I asked him why he didn't turn the ball over a little when he let it go. He tried it and he had the darn-dest sinker you ever saw. I told manager Bill Terry about it. He said forget it.

That's the way they thought in those days. The next day Parmelee was gone." THEN RICHARDS got around to talking about the Improved defense in baseball today. "The defensive players are a lot better than they used to be," he continued. "Sure, there were some fine defensive players back In the old days, but there were a lot of them who weren't good. Today even the second division clubs have good defensive infields.

"Look at the difference In the gloves. The gloves they used back in the 1930s had short fingers and they were small. With the gloves or butterfly nets they have today, they can catch anything they get close to. "When I first came to the National League, there were only two decent playing fields in the whole league. They at Cincinnati and New York.

The other fields were so hard the balls went through like shots. They were rough, too, and you got a lot of bad hops. Now all the fields are well kept. "The defense plays a hitter better now. It's gotten so they play you so tough on a bunt you can hardly afford to sacrifice.

The only chance you've got to lay down a successful sacrifice is to bunt the ball hard and try to push It by somebody. I started trying that when I was at Baltimore. did it at Houston, too. We had one pitcher, Claude Raymond, who was very good at it. "I know this.

I only wish when I was coming up I had gotten one one-hundredth of the instruction and the opportunity these boys are getting today." RICHARDS ALSO Is of the opinion that the return to the running game Is helping baseball's spectator appeal. He Is especially interested In this development because Playoff Game, 123-102 Even Series At 1-1 In Second king right from the start, and assisted two other baskets as the 76ers dug the Royals an early grave from which they never escaped. At the end of the first quarter, one in which Philadelphia's powerful backboard strength made a major difference, Wilt had 17 points and 10 rebounds, only two less than the Royals' team total, had scored on four offensive re-bounds and Philadelphia had a 35-22 lead. The only thing In the Royals' favor at that moment was that Greer had three fouls. Cincinnati, however, never could take advantage.

"We tried," said Royals' coach Jack McMahon later. "We set up plays to go at him, but he didn't foul anybody. He wasn't about to get in foul trouble. He was letting us beat him, but then we just ran Into Wilt." Wilt, in fact, in the second quarter decided it was time to let the other 76ers into his private game. He took but three shots the (See related Page 26).

story on second quarter, which made sense to him, but it almost put the Royals back Into the game. Cincinnati closed to 53-49 at one stage, but the 76ers ran off five points before half for a 58-49 intermission lead. "We tried to establish something that first half quarter, explained Wilt "We altered their defense to do a little bit more guarding of me. helped the team, and that was what we were trying to do." If the Royals did alter their defense, it was not at McMahon's order. "We never changed our defense on him," said Mac.

"That's what got me mad in the third and fourth quarters. There was no reason for our guys to be sagging back and giving open shots to the others." The Royals, did, though, and Greer, Walker and Jones, with 26 points among them in the quarter, expanded the Philadelphia lead to 18 points, 91-73, late In the period. Wilt was mostly the playmaker in this quarter, hitting the two guards, Greer and Jones with passes for good open shots. Robinson and Len Chap-pell gave the Royals a tiny spark in the fourth quarter that closed Cincinnati to within 10 at 99-89, but Greer and Wilt teamed to erase the threat. The 76ers came out of the game with one worry.

Veteran backllner Larry Costello may have reln-Jured his right knee, which means both he and Army-bound rookie Bill Melchlonl may be lost to the 76ers for the rest of the playoffs. Costello will get a medical check Thursday in Philadelphia. i championship. The 34-year-old Folley, an ugly knot under his left eye and blood spewing from his nose, fell flat on his stomach under the bright lights of the Madison Square Garden ring. He rolled over slowly at the count of seven, wobbled to his feet on shaky, aging legs and then fell back to his knees.

Referee Johnny Lo Bianco waved the fight over the 29th victory without a defeat for the sleek, 25-year-old champion and the eighth defeat and sixth knockout loss for the former Army S-Sgt. Folley in 13V years In the ring. Clay took Folley's heavi est blows with barely a flinch In the opening two-rounds which he appeared to concede as part of a sadistic game and then In the fourth began opening up his murderous fusillade. In that round, a lightning left-right combination so quick that the blows could hardly be seen sent Folley sprawling to the floor on his stomach. He rose weakly, glared through glassy eyes and regained his feet at the count of nine.

While the crowd cheered Folley's gameness, he struck back with that stolid, plodding, flat-footed style of his carrying the fight to the champion. He scored with left hooks and chopping rights to the head, one of which bounced the champion against the ropes. Clay merely smiled and came back. "Folley bothered me for awhile," Clay said. "He was taking his time and stalking me, but he wasn't fast enough.

I caught him with a right-hand lead. "In the first knockdown in the fourth round, I hit him with a one-two, also a right-hand lead." Clay continued, "He hit me low a couple of times, but he apologized for it. He's the best scientific boxer I ever met. If I'd met him 10 years ago, I know I'd have had a lot of trouble." The champion described the knockout punch as "a right hand that shook him up and then another right hand." The crowd fell below the 16,000 expected because of HMBIIHIIHHWI The Equalizer CINCIN'TI FCM FGA FTM FT Redl PF TP Chtuill ..3 4 0 1 3 4 6 Dicrkint I 17 5 17 4 HalrstM 13 3 3 7 3 Lewis 0 1 0 1 Lucas 4 10 0 11 4 Roe'tsen 17 11 11 0 7 Hobinson 16 0 1 3 Smith 1 11 3 3 1 2 Wart 0 1 0 Wesley 0 2 0 0 1 I Totals 40 92 77 73 S4 23 102 'Includes Six Yearn Rebounds. FGM FGA FTM FTA Rbds PF TP Ch'h'bTn .16 24 5 27 4 37 Costello ..2 3 2 2 1 Cun'iham 3 10 3 4 6 4 Greer ...12 24 4 4 3 Goukai 0 1 0 0 1 1 Jackson 0 6 2 2 1 Jonas 8 16 3 3 4 4 Walkar 8 17 4 4 4 2 Total! .49 101 23 30 S6 21 123 Include! Fivt Taam Riboundi.

Tocnical Foull Cunnintham, Robinson. Cincinnati 22 27 26 27-102 philadelphia ...33 23 33 32-123 Roferecs Manny Sokol, Earl Strom. Attendance-5276. -Enquirer (Herb Heise) Photo Royals cant stop Luke 2S Thursday, March 23, 1967 a day-long snowstorm, but the fight was seen nationally on a special television network and was seen live in Canada, Japan, Mexico and parts of Europe. It seemed insignificant.

To everybody In the murky old fight palace, which has seen champions come and go, It was evident after the second round that Clay could win when he pleased. Cassius, who stood up in his corner between rounds, looked up at the electric sign board as the bell for the seventh round rang, tnd It appeared he said to himself, "Now is the time." All three officials gave Folley the first two rounds. The referee and judge Frank Forbes gave Clay the next four. The other Judge, Tony Castellano, gave Folley the first three and Clay Royals 'Wilt' 76ers BY JIM SCHOTTELKOTTE Of The Enquirer Staff The question that plagues the Royals in every playoff game against Philadelphia is which Wilt Chamberlain will they face Wilt the Scorer, Wilt the Rebounder, Wilt the Playmaker or Wilt the Defender. Wednesday night, the 7-1 76ers giant gave Cincinnati all four faces as the 76ers reasserted their season mastery over Cincinnati and evened their National Basketball Association Eastern Division playoff series at one win apiece with the Royals a relatively easy 123-102 victory before 5276 in Cincinnati Gardens.

Wilt's contribution was 37 points, 27 rebounds and 11 assists, and while his defense wasn't so evident, he was still In there blocking the lane. Tuesday night, In a 120-116 upset victory at Philadelphia in the first game of the series, the Royals managed, with brilliant outside shooting and excellent ball movement, to pull him out of position. Wednesday, they had neither the movement nor the shooting to do it. Wilt was ably abetted by the other member of Phllly's Mutt and Jeff team, Hal Greer, who canned 28 points and Chet Walker and WaUy Jones had their big moments, with 20 and 19, respectively. On the other side, Oscar Robertson scored 29 for the Royals, but Philadelphia in- tensified Its pressure this night on Oscar following him around like a swarm of bees, blocking his outlet passes and even forcing him into a swarm of turn-.

overs. Connie Dierking, the hero of Cincinnati's Tuesday victory with 29 points, could not quite match that Wednesday, but he produced 21 points and 17 rebounds and was a plus. Cincinnati's vital breakdown was at other positions. Jerry Lucas, calling it maybe the most frustrating game he's ever played, scored but eight points and had but 11 rebounds in 46 minutes, Adrian Smith's outside eye failed him, and only Flynn Robinson, with an 18-point effort, was a pick-up off the bench. The series now moves to Philadelphia where the 76ers will be heavily favored to take the third game Friday night.

The fourth in the best-of-five series will be played Saturday night in Cincinnati, and a fifth, if necessary, in Philadelphia Monday. Wilt, the scorer asserted himself early. He had half of Philadelphia's first 24 points, turning In on Dier- NBA Playoffs TUESDAY'S GAMES (EASTERN DIVISION SEMIFINALS) Cincinnati 120. Philadelphia 116. (Cincinnati leads ktit-ef-fito series.

I-O). loiton 140, New York 110 (Boston leads kest-ef-five series, 1-0). WESTERN DIVISION SEMIFINALS St. Louis 114, Chicago 100. (St.

Levis leads best-of-S series. 14). San Francisco 124, Los Anqeles 108. (San Francisco leads best-of-five series, 1-0). WEDNESDAY'S GAME EASTERN DIVISION SEMIFINALS Philadelphia 123, Cincinnati 102.

(Best, of-fiv series tied, 1-1). TODAY'S GAMES WESTERN DIVISION SEMIFINALS San Francisco at Las Anitlos. St. Levis at Chicane. he helped to pioneer It.

"We started doing quite a bit of running the first year I managed the White Sox," Richards said. "You have to try and go with the type of ability you have on your club and we did have good speed. We had Busby, Fox, Minoso and a couple of other guys who could run good. "We were in contention the first couple months of the season, but everyone said it was pretty early and we'd drop back. "We were playing a series in Chicago and we were winning, 8-0.

It was the eighth Inning, and Busby was on first. I was in the coaching box. I gave him the signal to steal and he went to second. I gave him the sign on the next pitch and he stole third. I thought to myself that there was no point quitting now; so, on the next pitch, we squeezed.

He scored, and we had a run on three pitches. "We had an open date the next day and the Chicago baseball writers had a field day with it. In our next game, Minoso got on first. I had him steal. There was a passed ball on the play, and he went to third.

Everyone thought we'd stop there, but he barreled right on in. It took the catcher by surprise. The pitchers and first basemen were surprised, too. Thev all ran for the plate and Minoso slid in among them. That's the day the phrase, 'the Go-Go was born.

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