St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 42

6C April 14, 1977 ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH If Big Red Wanf To Play, Benneff Deals The Cards jeff meters patient, that he'd make his big money when he was in the league a few years. But now, when he is older, his bargaining leverage is reduced." Perhaps the most marketable player in Bennett's stable is Harris, who will be in the option year of his contract unless the Big Red satisfy his demands. Asked what a team would be likely to give up to get Harris, Bennett said he thought the clutch receiver was worth a second-round choice, meaniing that his asking price would be between $65,000 and Of course, if Harris has a sensational season, his market value will soar. "This is a critical year for Ike," Bennett said.

It seems to be a critical year for the Big Red, too. Red had to almost try to lose Hartle and Thompson to better-paying jobs. "Maybe the new agreement has taken the discretion (for compensating teams that lost a player) away from the commissioner (Pete Rozelle)," Bennett said, "but it imposed another rigid standard by which players are bound." What Bennett means is that there really isn't the freedom in the NFL that the players went on strike in 1974 to get. Because of the compensation structure, i older players who are already making a big salary will have trouble finding a team willing to give up a high draft choice for them. "They've turned tenure around and worked it against you," Bennett said.

"Before, a young player was told to be another player's. One thing the Cardinals know is that I'm completely fair with each player. I won't trade off one player's position to strengthen another's. If I would lump them together in bargaining, I think some of the players in the group would suffer." Unlike some agents who seem to worry more about their own Swiss bank accounts than the players', Bennett appears to be sincerely interested in getting the best possible deal for his clients, and supposedly his return is less than the standard 10 per cent of a player's contract. His involvement and empathy no doubt were triggered by his association with Plager.

"That was the first time I'd become close to a professional athlete," Bennett In simpler times, a sports fan always believed that the destiny of his favorite team was in the hands of the romantic heroes who play the game. That was before the National Football League increased our vocabularies with such a socially significant term as "the right of first refusal," and certainly before "playing out your option" became a part of the language. But these are the days when an athlete doesn't only need talent to turn professional. He needs an agent and a good tax man to protect him from the clutches of the owners and translate the standard player contract into simple sentences. As a result, the lawyers and Accounts are becoming almost as'lmpor-(arit to a team's future as the players themselves.

this in mind, Big Red fans sfiould be aware that the success of their team in the next few seasons will depend fMMJvily on how well the Cardinals treat KJchard Bennett's clients. Bennett is a 25-year-old Washington attorney who controls more than 10 Big Red players. school at Georgetown. He didn't sell magazine subscriptions, however. He became the St.

Louis distributor for an automatic swimming-pool cleaner, and also worked in a District of Columbia law firm, specializing in the tax field. When he returned to St. Louis, Bennett didn't have any intention of representing athletes. Then he became Bob Plager's roommate, and Bennett's brother happened to go to school at Southern Methodist with Wayne Morris, who was drafted by the Cardinals last year. Inevitably, Bennett grew into the role of the counselor-advisor to area athle'es.

Aside from Hartle, Thompson, Metcalf and Gray, Bennett represents Morris, Ike Harris, Charley Davis, Roger Finnie and Jerry Latin on the Big Red, although he won't get specific on the exact number of Cardinals he has as clients. It isn't beyond the realm of possibility that Bennett could negotiate collectively for a group of his clients, as though the players were an entry. His bargaining leverage would be tremendous. "It has entered my mind," Bennett said. "But I don't think I'd do it.

What is in one player's interests might not be in It was Bennett who recently negotiated contracts for Norm Thompson and Greg Hartle, and both chose not to play for the Cardinals next season. It should be obvious nowadays that the Big Red's destiny isn't only in the hands of a Terry Metcalf and a Mel Gray. Metcalf and Gray are in the hands of Bennett, who is going to have a lot to say about where a lot of Cardinals wind up their playing careers. But just who is Rick Bennett and why is he doing all these terrible things to Billy Bidwill? The first thing you should know about him is that he may not be good for the Cardinals but he is just what his clients needed. Bright, ambitious and industrious, Bennett paid his way through college at Washington University and law said, "and it helped me a great deal to understand what they go through and the problems they have.

I want to do everything I can for for them, not only to get them the contract they want but to advise them on taxes and get them endorsements." Bennett should not be made out as a villain if the Cardinals continue to lose key players. Despite Big Red insistence that Thompson had a bad attitude and Hartle a bum knee, the fact keeps surfacing that Billy Bidwill's major concern seems to be a low salary scale instead of a championship team. Considering the weakness, from the players' standpoint, of the new collective bargaining agreement in the NFL, the Big SH0 Blues Satisfaction? BLUES MONTREAL 0-3 i i SAVE ENERGY POUR IT YOURSELF WITH VERMCULITE GRANULES ATTIC INSULATION Call Brouk Co. 533-9022 New Tire Bargains 1 0,000 TO CHOOSE FROM We Have Bargains Not Junk OUR PRICE INCLUDES MOUNTING, BALANCING AND FEDERAL TAX CALL FIRST PERIOD AA Shutt 1 (Lafleur, Lemalre) 6:15 Goinev I (Lupoinle, Savard) 1319 Penalties Thomson (B) Marotte (B) Robinson (M) 12:07, Gossoft (Bl 15:45. SECOND PERIOD Lafleur 4 Wohorlirh.

Shutt) 10:01 Penalties Plante (Bl Sutter (Bl, maior, Mahovlich MJ, minor and maior. Chartraw (M) 13:53. THIRD PERIOD No scoring. Penalties Berenson (Bl 16.00: Wilson (M) 18 29. SHOTS ON GOAL BLUES 2 11 1013 MONTREAL 13 II 1 41 Goaltenders Blues, Johnston (0-1) and Staniowski; Montreal, Dryden (2-0).

Attendance 15,469. FROM PAGE FOUR the puck along the right wing boards, cut toward the middle and put a shot between Johnston's pads for a 2-0 lead at 13:19 of the first period. "With the strategy we were using, if they don't get that first fluke goal, we would have been very tough on them if we had taken advantage of our chances," said Francis. The strategy resulted in only two shots on goal for the Blues to 13 for Montreal in the first period, but Johnston's strong effort kept the game within reach. Not until 18:01 of the second period did Montreal really put the game on ice with a vintage Lafleur goal.

Pete Mahovlich carried the puck up center ice. Just inside the St. Louis' blueline, he faked a shot, only to have Marotte poke the puck away. But Lafleur, trailing the play, picked up the puck, cut from right to left, went in on Johnston and flipped a shot up over the goalie's left shoulder for a 3-0 Montreal lead. "He gave me a little move to the other Sell unwanted items for cash! To place your Post-Dispatch WANT AD dial Former Browns Hurler McCabe Dead At 82 Open 10:30 to 6:30 Sat.

9:30 'til 4:00 side and all in one motion has it up and in the net on the other side," said Johnston. "He's just so quick, you don't have a chance against him in a situation like that." But, Johnston said, "Even though we lost, we came back a long way tonight in regaining some of our confidence after getting blown out in the first game. They (the Canadiens) will know they've been in a series before this is all over. Tonight, we got a tremendous effort from our guys against a great hockey club. BLUENOTES Although you couldn't tell it by his performance on the ice, Marotte was nne worn-out hockey player.

He had played Tuesday in Kansas City's Central Hockey League playoff game against Fort Worth before being called up by the Blues and traveling to Montreal yesterday morning. "The game in Kansas City went into two overtimes and didn't get over until almost midnight," said Marotte, who scored one of the goals in Kansas City's 4-3 victory. "Then I had to get up at 5 a.m. to catch the plane to Montreal. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was exhausted.

There were times tonight when I didn't know if I could go another shift." Johnston suffered a cramp in his right calf when he twisted the leg making a save late in the third period and left the game, with Ed Staniowski taking over. Staniowski played 1:45, facing no shots, before Johnston had the cramp worked out and returned to play the final 4:20. Chuck Lefley, who suffered a severely bruised tailbone in the opening game, has been dismissed from Montreal General Hospital and is walking with the aid of a cane. Francis described Lefley's status for the weekend games as WANTED EXPERIENCED SIDING CLOSERS Qualified leads FREE PER YEAR VARN CO. 524-4018 609 Airport Road Funeral services for former Browns pitcher Tim McCabe were to be held at 2 o'clock this afternoon at White's undertaking establishment in Ironton, Mo.

McCabe, 82 years old died Tuesday. In four seasons with the Browns (1915-1918), McCabe compiled a 5-1 record and a 3.55 earned run average in 22 games. mm College Golf Ausler Stars For Flo Valley Ausler of Florissant Valley Community College slammed three home runs for the Norsemen yesterday as they swept a baseball doubleheader from visiting Olney (111.) Central College, 20-0 and 13-0, to boost their record to 27-7. fii other area college baseball yester-daj, the University of Missouri-St. Louis Rivermen stole 17 bases as they defeated MaeMurray College, 15-3 and 18-7, at Jacksonville, 111., and St.

Louis University recorded a pair of victories in a doubleheader with visiting Western Illinois University, 5-1 and 12-11. Meramec Community Colteae 300, East Central Junior College 306, Belleville Area College 332. Three Kivers Junior College 351 (Mike Smith, 72) Prep Golf DeSmet 230, St, Louis U. High 254 (John Daegele, 37) Aquinas 221, Rosary 230 (Scott Collins, 35) Chaminade 236, Country Day 242 (Bob Jacques, ond Andy Frost, cu, each 36) We'll pay you 60. And help make sure you can stop on a dime.

Do the Prestone "Brake Fluid Check. If you have to top off, use Prestone Brake Fluid and send us your proof of purchase. We'll send you 60? 3 brand new in-dash model rr at special 1 a 4rzZZTm9''--tyt rS 707 AMFM Stereo Radio IJG 2 Pull spring away hrst, (hen remove cover. 1 here generally a rubber seal under ihe ltd he sure il doesn'l gel dirty. II.iKk the master cylinder under the hxxJ on the driver's side up rear wall ol engine compartment Clean away loose dirt Get great-sounding FM, plenty of power, and the convenience of pushbutton tuning! And during CMC's special sale you can save $20.

Sug. Price $89.95 1 I -t-zrmwvMm' iff-- xrsyaatw o-vMy. am.w.i-w. i inmmil If' 1 4 It level is low, add pRhSTONfc Brake Fluid to both compartments. Replace cover with rubber seal in place and snap spring hack on.

make sure the brake tiuid ieel iswuhin ol an inch trom the top or as spec i lied in manual 3Chevk to a quarter turuwner you don't have brake fluid, you don't have You'll be getting more than 60. You'll be getting brakes that are there when you brakes. That's why PRESTONE recom 608 AMFM Cassette Stereo eg; 871 AMFM 8-Track Stereo need them. PRESTONE. You know it protects.

If you prefer cassette tapes, the 608 is a great choice You not only get a great-sounding cassette player with eject button and fast-forward you also get an AMFM stereo radio with local-distance switch. Sug. Price $119.95 If you also like to listen to 8-track tapes, then check out the 871. 8-track tapes tit neatly through the door in the radio dial and the FM is what you expect from 1 1 fantastic! Sug. Price $99.95 I Stop on a dime.

Get 60c back. Send to: Brake Fluid Offer Car stereos this good deserve professional installation our specialty at CMC! P.O. Box 2457, Reidsville, N.C. 27322. Thanks for showing me how to check my brake fluid.

mends that you check your brake fluid regularly. Just like you check your oil. It's easy. And more important, if you're low, you can catch it in time. Check now, save 60c We'll give you two good reasons to top off with PRESTONEBrake Fluid.

Not only will you get a premium brake fluid, you'll also get back. The coupon on the right will tell you how. Remember. Do the PRESTONE Brake Fluid Check and top off with PRESTONE Brake Fluid. It's especially formulated for today's disc or drum brake systems.

I topped off with Prestone Brake Fluid and have enclosed the cash register receipt with purchase price circled as proof of purchase. The AS number from the back of the can is AS Please send me 60c. Name Sale ends Saturday, April 16th! Address City State- Zip Fairview Heights. 10890 Lincoln Trail 397-9155 Ferguson, 10765 New Halls Ferry 868-1665 Granite City, 3142 Nameoki Road. 621-5044 (from Illinois.

452-3030) Hazelwood. 7766 Lindbergh. 838-0404 Kirk wood, 11125 Manchester Road. 82 1-7900 Northwest Plaza, 319 Northwest Plaza. 291-5005 Open 11-9 Daily.

10-5 Saturday" E. Alton, Route 3 across from Eastgate. 741-3618 from Illinois. 254-0689) Ballwin, 604 Manchester Road. 227-9690 Belleville, 4416West Main, 436-6696 (from Illinois.

233-8750) Bridgeton, 3615 N. Lindbergh, 739-3150 Clayton, 8069 Clayton Road. 726-6455 Crestwood Plaza, 166 Crestwood Plaza. 968-2880 Crestwood, 9808 Highway 66.965-18.30 Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for refund. Only one refund is allowed per family and request must be made on this official order form.

Void where prohibited, licensed or taxed. Offer expires October 1, 1977. NPBFR577 St. Charles, 2 1 30 1 st Capitol Drive at Clay 946-7670 (from St. Charles.

723-1007) South County, 6936 Lindbergh. 487-2355 Peton is a registered trade mark of Union Carbide Corporation. 270 Park Avenue. New York, Y. 10017.

Mumm iJi'Lin i.ipii rti Wr jtitOTiyi.