The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 31

ports Kjjy Thursday, April 1, 1976 THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER rap mwimm-m 4 Easy Innings In 9 76 Debut Guliett Spins -4 By BOB HERTZEL Enquirer Sports Reporter TAMPA, Fla. The last time he had pitched it was the seventh game of the World Series. The opposition was the Boston Red Sox. The hitters were Fisk and Yastr-zemski and Petrocelli. There were 35,000 fans Jamming Fenway Park, all of them screaming "Loo-ee, Loo-ee." Now it was a warm Florida morning.

A hundred or so people were scattered throughout Al Lopez Field. The opposition was Indianapolis, a minor league team, and the hitters were Weicker and Schneck and Santo Domingo. His teammates were elsewhere, all the way across the state, playing a game against the Dodgers of Los Angeles. This was how it was Wednesday as Don Gullet made his spring debut. Meannhile, At Yero CINCINNATI DODGERS AB Bl AB Bl Rose 3b 3 0 10 Bucknerjf 3 110 Gritteyf 4 0 10 Cruzit 0 0 0 0 Morgan.2B 3 0 2 0 4 0 10 Flynn2t 1 0 0 0 Baker ill'.

4 0 0 0 Burxexf 0 0 0 0 Perez.Ib 2 0 0 0 Garvey lb 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 Hudson 0 0 0 0 PertenmundJI 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Foster if 3 0 0 0 ether Paynep 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Crowley.ph 1 0 0 0 Hate.ri 2 1 1 Concepcionss 3 0 0 0 Veager 3 0 2 3 Geroremof 3 0 10 RodruezX 1 0 0 0 7jw-hrvn 1 0 0 0 PuSseH.SS 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 110 Smith, lb 0 0 TOTALS 31 1 1 TOTALS 33 6 9 5 CINCINNATI 000 000 010-1 DODGERS 401 010 OOx-6 LOB Cincinnati 6, A 7 E-Rose 2 DP A. 3. 2B-Buckner, Garvey, Sizemore. 3B-Driessen, Yeager 2. Hooton.

PITCHING SUMMARY IP ER BB SO Zachry(L) 3 6 5 2 I 2 Hume 2 2 1 1 10 Hinton 1 1 0 0 0 0 Payne 2 0 0 0 0 2 Hooton(W) 7 5 0 0 2 2 Hudson 2 1 1 1 2 0 Time 2 06 Attendance-5454 Enquirer (Bob Lynn) photo Getting A Closer Look Road Runners winger Grant Erlckson falls to the ice but keeps his eyes on the puck during Wednesday's contest at Riverfront Coliseum while Stingers Ron Plumb (left) and Mike Byers watch. GULLET WORKED four innings against the kids from down on the farm. He was impressive in that he pitched well without being impressive. He was working on his breaking pitches, throwing the fast ball at 50, "sometimes 75." "The kids," said Don Gullet, who is really a kid himself even though he now Is 25, "were looking for a lot more and were swinging way early. They were looking for the Don Gullet fastball." They got Instead a Stu Miller fast ball, combined with some tricky fork balls and some curves.

They were baffled. The smoke that Is supposed to be Gullet turned out to be something they had not counted on. "It was," Gullet quickly points Stingers Locked In Reverse- Gear By DAVID FUSELIER Enquirer Sports Reporter The Cincinnati Stingers motto Stingers Can't Win Division Title The Stingers' loss Wednesday to Phoenix mathematically eliminated them from the East Division championship. Pending the outcome of Wednesday night's Cleveland-New England game, they could still finish second by: 1 Winning their last two games while Indianapolis loses all remaining. 2) Winning their last two games while New England loses two of its last three.

Or they could finish third by winning their last two games while Cleveland loses one of its three other games. If the Stingers win Just one of their last two games, they could make the playoffs only if New England loses every game it has left. Games remaining Cincinnsti Cleveland Frktay, at Cleveland Sunday. New England- at Indianapolis Saturday, vs Indianapolis Sunday Cleveland at Cincinnati Friday, vs San Diego Saturday vs. Cincinnati Sunday, vs San Diego Tuesday Indianapolis vs.

Houston today, at Toronto Friday, vs. New England Saturday, at New England Sunday. The top three of the four teams make the playoffs. Cincinnati makes the playoffs by tying anyone of the other three for any place in the final standings. One of the reasons for the delay is that he is seeking a two-year contract, although he says the only reason he can think of for anyone having a multi-year contract is "security." At 25 and with the world ahead of him, especially with Gullet saying he expects to have a better this season than last when he won 15 and lost only 4, you have to wonder if the thinking is his own.

NOT BEING signed, though, said Guliett, will not be a detriment to his pitching. "All signing a contract is, is putting your name on It," he said. "It won't bother me mentally while I'm pitching if I'm not signed." Guliett said his holdout was not meant to be construed as his desire to play out his option and become a free agent but, in the conversation, he did not rule the possibility out either. MEANWHILE, in the game played against the Dodgers at Vero Beach, the Reds went down to defeat, 6-1, as catcher Steve Yeager tripled twice and drove in three runs while Burt Hooton hurled seven shutout innings. Yaeger's first triple brought home two runs in the first inning when the Dodgers Jumped on Cincinnati starter Pat Zachry for four runs.

An error by Pete Rose at third opened the way for the big inning. With the victory, the Dodgers closed out their brief stay in Florida with a 6-2 record, best among National League clubs. The Reds hoping that won't continue. REDS NOTES Two first-round draft choice pitchers and catcher Don Werner were cut Wednesday. Werner, along with Larry Payne, the Reds' No.

1 selection in the 1972 June amateur drafts, and Tommy Hume, No. 1 pick in the 1972 January drafts, will report to the minor league complex, Redsland, for reassignment. The cuts reducede the Reds' roster to 31 plus two non-roster pitchers. out, only my first time out. IT HAS been a difficult spring for Don Gullet.

The lockout by the owners kept the camps from opening. He spent his time up North working on his new house rather than throwing. He Is, by his own admission, "10 days behind" where he normally would be. "I don't think, though," said Gullet, "that Sparky Anderson will let anyone go more than seven innings early." By Opening Day, said Gullet, he should be able to make it through seven innings. On this Wednesday he went four innings, throwing Just 51 pitches.

He gave up four hits, struck out five and walked no one. The game's only run in the six innings played belonged to Indianapolis, scoring against Pedro Borbon on bobby Jones' sacrifice fly. "Maybe the trade had to do with him having a long term contract while we were looking for youth. At least with the people we have, we can clean house and start all over." Veneruzzo is the Roadrunners' seventh leading scorer with 22 goals and 26 assists. "And he could have had five or six more goals If I could have used him more on the power play," grins Phoenix coach Sandy Hucul.

"But he's so valuable killing penalties, You can't use him for everything. It was a great trade for us. We needed the experienced guy on the wing and we had the de-fenseman in Tuscon (Serafini) who wasn't doing much What ever bitterness Veneruzzo used to have "is all gone now," he says. "Trades are part of the business. "I just hope for Cincinnati's players they can still make it to the playoffs.

I'd like to see them go. They're nice people and Cincinnati is a good hockey town. I wish them the best. "I think they can still make it," he says. But it looks like it's going to be pretty tough for them." FIRST PERIOD GOALS Phx: Erickson (Larlviere) 150; Phx: Boyd (Gorman, Venerujzo) 2 30, Phx Venerujio (Gorman, Boyd) 9 19; Phx: Ftorek (unassisted) 10 43.

PENALTIES On; Beaton (hooking) 5:55. SECGOAlI -Cin: Locas' (Dudley, Hyghes) 22; Phx: Mononen (Veneruzzo, Gorman) 7:42, Phx: Gorman (Veneruzzo, WcLeod) 1500 PENALTIES Cin: Dudley (charging 7 49, Phx: Gray (roughing) Cin: Pelyk (roughing) 9:55, Phx. VcLeod (third man in minor) 9 55; On. Kiely (delay of game) 1 1 34: Phx: Bench minor 19:38. GOALs'-DPhx: Hall (Ftorek, Larlvere) 10:53, Cin: Dudley (Pelyk, Byers) 11:30 PENALTIES Cin: Inkpen (elbowing) 17:05.

SHOTS ON GOAL: CINCINNATI 13 10-32 GOALIES Phx Norris On Hoganson, Kiely. Reteree Friday Attendance: 4673. SCORE BY PERIODS: in recent weeks has been "Drive to the and it may be prophetic. In order to watch the playoffs, the Stingers will likely have to drive to them, since the sites most likely will be Idlanapolls, Cleveland and New England. Any hope that the Cinclnnatians themselves might participate greatly diminished Wednesday as they collapsed before the Phoenix Road-runners, 7-2.

It was a noon-time "Businessmen's Special" game at Riverfront Coliseum, but the Stingers were anything but businesslike. "I CANT understand this team." sighed coach Terry Slater for the umpteenth time. "How can they go out there at a time like this with no desire at all? How can they not give it everything they have?" He shakes his head. The Stingers have only two games left, both against Cleveland. One is at home Friday night, the last Is in Cleveland Sunday.

Winning both will be necessary. "We're still going to make the playoffs, I'll never quit until the last minute of the last game," Slater declares, but soon lapses Into gloom again. "I think my heart's half gone," he moans. "I can't find it anymore." The Stingers have lost their last three games by a combined score of 21-4, so it is no wonder. WEDNESDAY'S GAME was over just minutes after it began.

The Roadrunners scored two goals in the first 2V4 minutes and two more could have set up three scores, though only one was actually completed. "We needed the win to clinch second place (in the West Division)," he pointed out, "and I think we woke up before Cincinnati. An early morning game like this, sometimes you have trouble waking up." Veneruzzo used to play for the Stingers, of course, but was traded early this season for Brad Serafini. You remember Brad Serafini. Well, maybe you don't remember Brad Serafini.

He was shortly sent to the Hampton farm team and never recalled. STINGER OFFICIALS are acutely conscious of this trade, since Veneruzzo is a seasoned veteran and since that is what they have been crying for all season, but Slater defends it. "Veneruzzo is a good player. No one disputes that," the coach says. goals in the next eight minutes.

They scored twice again in the second and once In the last period. They were very fair about it, spread- ing all seven goals among seven different players: Grant Erlckson, Jim Boyd, Gary Veneruzzo, Robbie Ftorek, Laurl Mononen, Dave Gorman and Del Hall. The Stingers didn't score at all until the second period when Jacques Locas used a soft pass by Rick Dudley to get an open shot from 15 feet straight out. Dudley scored the only other goal himself, deflecting in Mike Pelyk's third period shot from the point. It was Dudley's 42nd goal of the season.

Locas has 27. BUT THE deciding person was clearly Phoenix's Veneruzzo, who assisted on three goals in addition totheonehe scored. During one second period shift alone, his passes GULLETT ADMITTED he was not happy with his fast ball, especially the control of it. "I could," he said, "throw a lot harder. But I don't want to rush it to the point where it does more harm than good." Guliett has another problem, other than the one caused by the delayed spring.

He remains unsigned, the only Red not to put his name on the dotted line. Plot Thickens Yankees Say Messersmith Signed But Andy Claims He Hasn't Send Joiner To Chargers Bengals Deal For Bacon ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -Do the New York Yankees own Andy Messersmith, or don't they? The Yankees said Wednesday they do. Others said they don't.

The tangled Messersmith case took on even more of an aura of mystery when the Yankees contended they had entered into a four-year agreement with the veteran righthander. Others vehemently denied it, and the pitcher himself reportedly attempted to void the agreement. THE YANKEES said they had completed the agreement with kees," Moss continued. "There were discussions between Osmond and the Yankees. Some Ideas were put down on paper.

But these were subject to agreement on the part of Messersmith. "Many problems still remain," added Moss. "Negotiations broke down before Messersmith could sign the agreement. The Yankees' claim is totally without merit and it will be appropriately challenged." Confirming tne challenge, Kuhn sent a telex to all 24 major league clubs informing them that the deal was being contested. The message read: "This is to advise that the New York Yankees have presented evidence to this office in which it appears that pitcher John (his given first name) Messersmith may be under terms of acceptance to the New York Yankees pursuant to major league rule 3d.

This is contested on behalf of Mr. Messer Charlie Joiner AT LOS Angeles, Brown said, By DICK FORBES Enquirer Sports Reporter Nine-year veteran defensive end Coy Bacon, a 270-pound powerhouse pass rusher, will Join the Cincinnati Bengals from San Diego in a trade for slick wide receiver Charlie Joln-er, The Enquirer confirmed Wednesday. "It's true, the rumor is finalized, and it had to be done out here," said Bengals general manager Paul Brown from his home in La Jolla, a suburb of San Diego. The deal will be announced officially Friday, the first day under National Football League by-laws that trades may be made. The NFL offices must approve all trades.

Brown made it clear that shoring up the defense had become a Cincinnati No. 1 priority. "We Just weren't good enough in the big ones late last year," he said. "It was certainly evident we needed a little more bulk against Pittsburgh." BACON, SIGNED by Dallas as a free agent in 1967, went to the Los Angeles Rams in 1968, and was acquired by the Chargers in "73 in a tion obviously regards him In high esteem. Brown nqt only indicated that Mclnally was one of two players on the Injured reserve list the Bengals protected in the allocation draft, but added, "We also protected Gary Burley who we think has high potential.

He had that bad ankle last year." Burley, another who some critics' doubt can make it, was a third-round draft pick from Pitt. He obviously is being thought of as a replacement for Fest, although perhaps not as a regular with veterans John Shinners and Dave Lapham still around. BROWN SAID the Bengals have been after Bacon for two years. "He's a real horse," said the Bengals' chief who returns from La Jolla Saturday to get ready for the college draft next Thursday and Friday. "He was defensive captain in 1973, and has said all along that he wanted to play with a contender, and we certainly are that." Reminded that Bacon was looked on as a troublemaker with the Chargers and resigned as defensive captain In '74, Brown said, "The trouble was, he didn't want to work out on Monday after a game Sunday, as coach Tommy Prothro had them do (giving the players Tuesday off instead).

He had words with Prothro about that. "But I had a long talk with Bob Brown (defensive tackle acquired from San Diego last year) about Coy. We've decided he can be a real asset to us." Right Siys Newest Bengal. Page C-2. trade for quarterback John Hadl.

The 270-pound native of Cadiz, attended Ironton (Ohio) High School and played his college football at Jackson State. Trading away the seven-year veteran Joiner, who had his best year as a pro last season when he caught 37 passes for 726 yards and five touchdowns, was the second major Cincinnati surprise in as many days. Only Tuesday, when the Bengals gave up three players to the new Tampa Bay and eattle franchises in the NFL allocation draft, veteran guard Howard Fest, considered one of the stalwarts of the offensive line, was grabbed by Tampa. "Joiner was not a 'burner' he was a good 'move Brown explained. "He had a good year with us and he was valuable, but we needed more up front defensively and the Chargers wanted an excellent receiver.

"WE THINK we're protected with Pat Mclnally (a fifth-round draft choice from Harvard last year) who's also a 'burner' with good hands. We think he will help us." Mclnally, also a kicker, suffered a broken ankle in the College All-Star game last summer and sat out the year on the injured reserve list. Others have expressed opposite opinions from Brown on Mclnally's ability, but the Bengals' organiza Messersmith through his attorney, Herb Osmond, but had learned that Messersmith, a free agent for the past two weeks, "Is now attempting to void the terms of the agreement." "We intend to perform our obll- gations and expect Mr. Messersmith to do likewise," said Gabe Paul, the Yankees' president. "I think I have been in this business long enough to know when we have a firm agreement.

It appears to me that Andy Messersmith is being made an unfortunate pawn." "Andy hasn't signed a thing," said a source extremely close to the negotiations. Dick Moss, the attorney for the Major League Players Association, said in New York that the Yankees' claim "was wholly without merit." Bacon played both at tackle and left defensive end. He was right defensive end last year. He's not down to replace anyone specifically. "I don't want anyone to get the Idea he's to replace Sherman White (right end)." Asked if that meant Ken Johnson (the left end) was the one he was worried about, Brown said, "You said it, I didn't" In getting Joiner, who lives in Houston In the offseason, the Chargers are getting a nifty little receiver whose seven-year career record is 164 catches for 2940 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Acquired by the Bengals from Houston, along with linebacker Ron Prltchard midway in the 1972 season for running backs Paul Robinson and Fred Willis, his record in Cincinnati was 80 catches for 1433 yards and six touchdowns, five last year. smith. "An Investigation is under way to determine the full facts. All clubs will be advised as soon as possible to Mr. Messersmlth's status." "I DONT agree with Mr.

Moss," Paul said firmly. "I don't agree with a lot of things Mr. Moss says. We expect that the agreement will be adhered to." It was not immediately clear what the differences of opinion were in the deal that the Yankees and Osmond allegedly completed. But It was learned that they did not involve him getting a better deal from another club.

The problems reportedly were with the Yankees. Sports Starts PageB-14 MOSS SAID baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn had scheduled a hearing on the situation for Thursday, at which time he hoped to resolve the matter. "There has been no agreement between Messersmith and the Yan 1 I ft A 4W A A A ft A. 41 A A A A A A A A A A AAA 4.4l A. A A AAA tll.iAtA.

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