Lansing State Journal from Lansing, Michigan • Page C1

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SAME SINCE CAR COLLEGE LJ-0100312990 State Journal columnist Graham Couch is ranking the top 50 players in Michigan State football history. His list continues today with NO. 2: LORENZO WHITE, RUNNING BACK, 1984-87 White remains the standard to which all other MSU running backs are measured. He is the career leader in rushing yards Holy Grail of production through statistics with 4,887. He also carried more than anyone before him or since, with 1,082 attempts, 419 in his sophomore season alone when he rushed for 2,066 yards and was fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

As a senior, he carried MSU to the Rose Bowl with 1,572 ards, including 292 on a school-record 56 attempts in the win over Indiana that sent the Spartans to Pasadena. His yardage that night at Spartan Stadium remains the second most in a single game, behind only Eric 350 in 1971. At 5-foot-11and a shade over 200 pounds, White had an array of moves. He changed directions and ran laterally as fast as he hit the hole. He could freeze defenders with asimple dip of the shoulders, and did so often.

Follow the countdown and join the conversation LSJ.com/blog/top50msufootball For the record, it did take 2 minutes and 23 seconds before Michigan State football coach Mark visit to ESPN turned into a im Harbaugh discussion. antonio spent the day doing his own series of interviews at ESPN headquartersin Bristol, Connecticut the Big Ten decided not to participate with all of its coaches this year, so he made his own ar- angements and his first stop was a live app earance on aymee Sire asked Dantonio about program momentum coming off of consecutive top-five finishes need to reach a little bit higher as we move he said, cit- i ng this and about the imp act on recruiting. Well, having a great recruiting Dantonio said. our incoming freshmen look like a great bunch, and then this next year (of 2017) looks like shaping very, very well as well. So got to give a shout-out to all the recruits out there.

But you now, paid dividends, no question about Then Sire asked about Ohio State winning Harbaugh apopular topic for Dantonio ESPN Interviews also touch on Cook, former recruit Cupp JOE REXRODE DETROIT FREE PRESS fter three years chasing his major league baseball dreams with the ouston Astros, Pat saw the writing the wall. realized he advancing anywhere in the Houston system with standout Joe Morgan ahead of him at second base. And he decided to stop chasing that dream to return to Grand Ledge where he had coached varsity baseball and junior varsity basketball and football. said it and hanging up my spikes, and lo and behold the next year (Morgan) went to Cincin- said. I egret that an ounce because I went on to stay at Grand Ledge ermanently and have had a career been a lifelong love That love affair for has i ncluded a state record 1,190 wins in 47 seasons leading the Grand edge baseball program.

as to be recognized for his suc- cess leading the Comets on Thurs- ay when he was among an elite group to enshrined into the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooley Law School Stadium prior to the Lansing contest a gainst Wisconsin. was to join John moltz, Al Kaline, Alan Trammell, Charlie Gehringer, Hal Newhouser, Bill Freehan, Jim Abbott, Ernie Harwell and fellow prep coach Larry Tuttle in the inaugural class. certainly something really proud said. probably deserve to be in there with that group of people. I personally been like most of those, like an Al Kaline, John Smoltz and those kind of people.

hey did something individually a nd mine certainly an individual award. a family and a com- MICHIGAN HALL OF FAME ROD SANFORD LANSING STATE JOURNAL Grand Ledge baseball coach Pat O'Keefe will be enshrined in the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame on Thursday. to be inducted in hall Veteran Comet baseball coach one of 10 ntering Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame BRIAN CALLOWAY LANSING STATE JOURNAL MICHIGAN BASEBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS Jim Abbott University of Angels pitcher Bill Freehan Detroit Tigers catcher Charlie Gehringer Detroit Tigers second baseman Ernie Harwell Detroit Tigers radio roadcaster Al Kaline Detroit Tigers outfielder Hal Newhouser Detroit Tigers itcher Pat Grand Ledge coach John Smoltz raves pitcher Alan Trammell Detroit Tigers shortstop Larry Tuttle Blissfield coach Joe Louis Arena, hen Dombrowski got a feeling from being around the guys. In he said, came home Monday night after the charity event and I said to my wife that be surprised if this happens tomorrow, that they retain Once again, the veteran baseball gut was right. After finding Avila he just happened to be looking for him, he said Dombrowski received a phone call from Ilitch, ho informed him that the team was moving in a different direction with the leadership of the organization.

was really very nice and short and Dombrowski said of the conversation with the 86-year-old I litch. was very nice to me and Dave Dombrowski found out rom Al Avila. And it anything Avila said, or anything he did when the former Tigers president and general manager found him at Comerica Park on Tuesday afternoon, but after 24 years of working together, Dombrowski just knew. I could tell something he said in a phone conversation Wednesday, one day after owner Mike Ilitch released him from his ontract and promoted Avila to team executive vice president and general manager. know him pretty Dombrowski said he knew something right Monday night, after the Place for Autism Danci ng with the All-Stars charity event at just thanked me for everything here a nd he said you probably heard that I decided to go in a different direction with the leadership of the organiza- ion and I said, I appreciate that andI just thanked him for everything he did for me and my family and wished him nothing for the Dombrowski said he too surprised.

guess you get the feeling at some point when not approached and this and that that at ome point, this is going to take he said. But he was a little surprised it happened so soon. no question the biggest egret is that unfortunately we never won a world he said. wish we would have won a World Series here we were close a couple times, but we just play well at the right time in those particular Ex-GM Dombrowski talks: could tell something ANTHONY FENECH DETROIT FREE PRESS Dave ombrowski A.