The Pittsburgh Press from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 43

won Pin) the Cowboys conceded it was the best running fisat they faced all year. "Yet we weren't breaking 2 down defensively," added Landry. "We were sealing him .1 said Landry in his locker-room post mortem. "We felt that we'd have to come up with a couple of big plays to beat them. "They're not the typa of team you play ball control against.

Their line is tough defensively; it puts a lot of pressure on a running game." The Cowboys jumped off to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, moving the ball 80 yards in nine plays with Meredith hitting Halfback Craig Baynham with a screen pass that ate up the final five yards. Earlier in the march, the big play had been used to set up the score, Meredith finding Baynhajn with another screen During most of the game, you'd have thought it was the Steelers and not the Cowboys who were headed to the post-s a so playoffs. Controlling the ball against Dallas, the Steelers out-statisticked the victors, beating them, 19-11, on first downs and ripping their vaunted defensive line for 193 yards on the ground. "If anyone told me we'd run for 193 yards against Dallas, I'd have figured he was crazy," said Steeler Coach Bill Austin aboard the long flight home. With the league's best defense against rushing it had yielded 79 yards a game, and only one touchdown all season By PAT LIVINGSTON Press Sports Writer DALLAS In designing a game plan for the Steelers, Dallas Coach Tom Landry figured the Cowboys would have to feature the explosive play the abrupt, unexpected strike that would go all the way.

The plan worked to perfection yesterday as the Cowboys cashed in on three long-gainersa 90-yard punt return and a pair of Don Meredith bombs to upnd the Steelers, 28-7, before a chilled crowd of 55,069 in the Cotton Bowl. "We knew we couldn't control the ball against the Steel that covered 40 yards to Pittsburgh's 20. That was Dallas' only sustained march of the game. The next touchdowns came more easily, Hayes scampering 90 yards with Punter Bobby Walden's best kick of the year, a 55-yard boot that looked like it would put the Cowboys in a hole, and Hayes going again minutes later with a 53-yard touchdown pass from Meredith. Dallas' final score came in the fourth quarter when Meredith wound up and hit Flanker Lance Rentzel with a long, arching throw (hat covered 65 yards.

Upset Erases Rams Sears Win One For United PrlpItniotionBl 0 ,1 WJAvoO 111 The Ram-Bear struggle was a dramatic defensive duel with the Rams battling back from a 17-9 deficit in the fourth period even though their quarterback, Roman Gabriel, was below par after being shaken up in the second period. A blocked punt set up a Gabriel TD that narrowed the deficit to 17-16 and the Rams had a last shot when they had a first down on the Bear 32 with 29 seconds left. But a holding penalty called against Tackle Charley Cowan moved the Rams to midfield, out of field goal range. Gabriel then failed to complete a pass and the Bears took over with three seconds to go. The holding penalty on Cowan proved to be the most costly lapse since it robbed Bruce Gossett of an attempt at a game-winning field goal.

It was a defensive show for the Bears as an 88-yard kiekoff return by Clarence Childs and Butkus' interception of a Milt Plum pass when Gabriel was sidelined set up both TDs. Ailing Quarterback Jack Concannon, doing a superb job considering his physical condition, scored one TD and Brian Piccolo got the other. Cleveland was trailing Washington, 14-7, at halftime but Leroy Kelly ran for a third period TD to tie it and a fourth period field goal by Don Cockroft and a Bill Nelsen TD pass to Paul Warfield won it. Washington had a chance when Jim Ninowski's TD pass cut the deficit to three points and the Redskins recovered an onside kick on the ensuing kiekoff at midfield with a minute left. But the Cleveland defense held.

Joe Kapp ran for two TDs and passed for a third as Minnesota remained in contention by stopping San Francisco. Willis Crenshaw scored three times for St. Louis even though the victory over New York didn't save the Cards from elimination. Norm Snead's TD pass with 3:30 left in the game brought Philadelphia from behind to the victory over New Orleans that cost the Eagles Simpson. Bill Munson threw three TD passes to Bill Gambrell as Detroit stopped Atlanta, 24-7.

Papa Bear was given a game ball by the Chicago Bears and the Baltimore Colts probably want to give him one, toq. George Halas who's still the Bear owner although he finally stepped out as Bear coach at the "end of last season wasn't on the scene yesterday because he's in Manchester, England, recuperating after hip surgery. But the old man was sure to smile when he learned the Bears "won one for George" by stunning the Los Angeles Rams, 17-16. "Gosh, those photo finishes. We were at our peak emotionally," exclaimed Halas successor, Jim Dooley.

"That's what this game is emotion." In celebrating the victory that eliminated the Rams in the Coastal Division and gave the title to the idle Baltimore Colts, the Bears voted game balls to both Halas and Defensive Ace Dick Butkus. One other title was decided yesterday when the Cleveland Browns won the Century crown by turning back the Washington Redskins, 24-21. It eliminated St. Louis even though the Cards topped New York, 28-21. Here's how the post-season playoffs look now that next week's St.

Louis-Cleveland and Baltimore-Los Angeles games are meaningless: Dec. 21 in Cleveland Cleveland vs. Dallas. Dec. 22 in Baltimore Baltimore vs.

Chicago or Minnesota. Baltimore beat Green Bay, 16-3, Saturday, then watched on TV as the Bears made them champions. The Philadelphia Eagles won while losing as they beat New Orleans, 29-17, but probably lost a chance to draft O. J. Simpson.

Buffalo, at 1-12-1, now has the worst record in pro football and is almost sure to grab Simpson. Minnesota remained tied with Chicago for the Central Division lead at 7-6 by stopping San Francisco, 30-20. Chicago plays Green Bay and Minnesota meets Philadelphia in the finales next week. If both win, Chicago advances to the Baltimore meeting. off all right, but Dick Hoak was finding his own boles and getting through them.

He's good at that." Hoak gained 114 yards in 17 carries, giving the tough. little halfback from Jeannette a one-season high of 777 yards. He's still very much in the running for the No. 2 spot in the ground-gaining race, if he can come up with another big day in the finale at New Orleans next week. It was Hoak's third 100-yard plus game this season.

The Steelers' offensive line, which lost its top blocker, Larry Gagner, with an elbow injury early in the game, did not give Quarterback Dick Shiner the protection it afforded Hoak. Shiner running for his life, was thrown seven times by the hard-charging Dallas defenders, and at least five of Shiner's passes were knocked down behind the line of scrimmage. "We were all fired up," said Ernie Stautner, the Cowboys' defensive line coach. "Were after that tackling-the-passer record and we were shooting for the quarterback all day." Going into st da 's game, the Cowboys trailed the Los Angeles Rams in getting to the passer, 45 times to 42. "I imagine we moved up a little bit with this performance." said Stautner.

With Bob Lilly, Jethro Pugh and George Andrie zeroing in on him, Shiner completed only one scoring pass. It was a 37-yarder to John Hilton with eight seconds left in the half, making the score 21-7 at the intermission. Lost Down Costly To Rams LOS ANGELES (UPI) -The Los Angeles Rams apparently were deprived of a down through an oversight of officials in the closing seconds of the game they lost, 17-16, to the Chicago Bears. The official play-by-play and notes kept by sportswriters showed that with 29 seconds to play on first down on the Chicago 32, yesterday, Ram Quarterback Roman Gabriel threw an incomplete pass. But the play was nullified by a holding penalty which the Bears accepted.

The next play should have been first down for the Rams but it was listed as second down with 31 yards to go on the Ram 47. Two plays later the Rams gave up the ball on downs and the game ended. Ram Coach George Allen said after the loss, which knocked his team out of the Coastal Division race, "We won't know until we look at the movies. I hope we didn't lose a down but it is possible." Bears' Handler Dies After Win CHICAGO UPI) Phil Handler, 60, a coach with the Chicago Bears since 1952, died moments after he watched the National Football League team defeat the Los Angeles Rams on his home television in suburban Skokie. Mrs.

Lillian Handler told authorities that her husband, who had been suffering from a heart ailment for more than a year, died mintes after the Bears won, 17-16. Handler was a co-coach of the Steelers with the late Walt Kiesling in 1944. Shiner is CAUGHT before he can get the ball away, Steeler1 Quarterback Dick thrown for a loss by Bob Lilly in 28-7 defeat bv Cowboys yesterday. The Scoreboard New Takes 1 Ill ill! 6pf Papa' -Prss Photo bv Howard R. Movtr Draftee Drafted MILWAUKEE Charlie Paulk, No.

1 college draft choice of the Milwaukee Bucks of the a 1 1 a 1 Basketball has been drafted into the Army and will be lost to the Bucks for two years. IMS JOIN TAPE PLAYER mm Free By LES BIEDERMAN, Press Sports Editor There seemed to be a general opinion in San Francisco that the new breed the young owners or the younger men representing the owners are going to take hold of baseball and guide it from now on. I The feeling is that the older owners are much' too busy with Everybody converses on foose puck os Ptnjunj' Billy Deo sprowfs in front of Mke Peyk fn Toronto's 4-1 win. Home Not Sweet For Penguins Breed Over their various enterprises to spend the time bquired with baseball. The younger fellows not only have the time but the energy.

i The demise Gen. William D. Eckert as commissioner of baseball started a long time ago and was given imnptus when he didn't take a woacn OLDIS 43 December 9, 1968 ring the mourning for Dr. Martin Luther King and also for Sen. Bobby Kennedy.

Baseball came out of this with a black eye. The Young Turks started the ball rolling at a dinner Horace Sloneham gave in San Francisco one night last week and their idea of dumping Eckert gained support and momentum. The younger owners made the announcement Friday to the writers and the older men gave their blessing to the new breed. Everybody But Radio Rich The new baseball motif might do away with a commissioner, although every man who ever had his name; in the newspapers is now linked to the job, except Radio Rich. Three of the veteran owners (John Galbreath, Walter O'Malley, John Fetzer) picked Eckert for the job three years ago after a six-month search.

The Young TurksTwith the blessing of the veterans led the palace revolt. "We're behind the times," Jerry Hoffberger.Wner of the Orioles, said after the meeting Friday. "We should have modernized our game a long time ago. We're not blaming Gen. Eckert.

It's our fault for saddling him with this kind of a job. I told him he should have been an ambassador, not a baseball commissioner." A man close to the regime of Eckert shook his head in dismay and said: "He didn't have any more grasp of the situation now than he did three years ago when he took office." v. If the new breed does choose to recommend i commissioner, what would be wrong with naming a man who is a former player, knows the problems, can talk the language of the player and presents a fine image to the public? i "Nothing would be wrong with that," a baseball man added, next week Pittsburgh is 1-10-3 against old clubs Moment of silence was observed for Jim Balmer, former American Hockey League president, who died Saturday. JJLilVXl but we do play better on the a Defenseman Dune McCallum said. "We get a goal down in our own rink and it's pretty tough.

The people are yelling and screaming." Pittsburgh fell a goal behind late in the first period when Defenseman Pierre Pilote scored his first of two goals, this one on a power play. A goal by Murray Oliver and Pilote's second goal built the Toronto lead to 3-0 in the second period before Defense-man Leo Boivin smashed a 30-footer past 44-year-ol'd Johnny Bower, the Toronto goalie, at 15:24 while the Leafs were shorthanded. Dave Keon produced the final Toronto goal in the third tarrA with accicf frnm hie THE KING Of SOUNDS STEREO TAPE CLUB N0W THE CONCERT QUALITY No Minimum Purchase Lifetime discount on types, except it makes too much Ofcfs To Join Mauch as JJtl IVVl Tt 1141 CIJiJlOlilJ XI Ulll UikJV "4 -1 4" AUTO STEREO The Craig playi both 4 and mat make your ear come al separated sound! track tapes. This Christ. with Craiej precision- lmemates, Oliver and Roguys "The" fact that he came back shows how loyal he is," Imlach said.

"Most people don't think what he did is very much, but it's everything." Armstrong, who has "retired" twice, said he had no intention of playing again after quitting during training camp. "Ample proof is that my playing weight is 192 and last week I weighed 213," he said, "so if I planned to come back, I didn't plan very well." Twice-a-day workouts have helped Armstrong lose five pounds. Armstrong has an inspiring effect on his teammates. "I can't put my finger on it," Imlach said. "I know the want him to play.

My nlavers mav have played a little harder with him back on the team. I can't tell, but I'd like to think that it would be that way." PENGUIN TRACKS Toronto Defenseman Jim Dorey is expected to resume playing Lions' Karras Threatened BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (UPI)-A police guard was withdrawn today from the home of Alex Karras, the Detroit Lions' all-pro defensive tackle, after an anonymous caller told police, "you'd better protect Karras." Robert Snell, chief of this Detroit suburb's police, said, "There's nothing to substantiate that it was anything more than a crank call." By BILL HEUFELDER In the i i s' dressing room at the Civic Arena last night, Punch Imlach, the Toronto manager-coach, was discussing loyalty, applying it specifically to George Armstrong who came out of retirement to rejoin the troubled Maple Leafs. General Manager Jack Riley had a few words to say about loyalty, too, after the Penguins had lost, 4-1; before 5167 unhappy fans. "In other cities." Riley said, "the fans are behind their club from the drop of the puck.

Here, they sit on their hands. They're like a jury, waiting for you to make a mistake." The Penguins, indeed, have a split personality for the second straight season. On the road, they are a tight-chocking outfit which has gained nine points in 12 games. At home, they often are disorganized and desperate. Their record on Arena ice, where they are expected to play their best hockey, is 2-8-3.

Pittsburgh's week-end results were an example of its strange behavior. After battling the St. Louis Blues to a 1-1 tie in a thrilling game at the St. Louis Arena on Saturday night, the Penguins turned sour against Toronto. In their last nine games, they have lost only twice, both times at home.

They have dropped back into a last-place tie with Philadelphia in the Western Division of the National Hockey League. The Flyers tied St. Louis, 4-4. last night. "I don't know the reason, Gene Mauch revealed at the meetings he'1 bringing Bob Oldis back to the National League as a coach in Montreal.

Oldis was a Pirate catcher in 1960 and still is carrying a terrible burden as the father of two sons win) have muscular dystrophy. The spring after the Bucs won the pennant in 1960, 8 track Stereo Tape Players FntnikS Ellis. The unit registered seven points in the triumph. Toronto played its first game of the season with Armstrong, a 38-ycar-old right winger, in the lineup. He agreed a week ago to return to the club for which he had played 16 full seasons.

(name brand) PREVENT TOMORROW'S LOSS BY PROTECTING TODAY'. am Aimnn Oldis noticed his oldest boy, men eight, was starting to drag one foot. It was diagnosed then as the first stages of muscular dystrophy. The boy used a wheelchair until recently and now is bed-ridden. The second son also contracted muscular dystrophy and now is confined to a wheelchair.

Oldis confided to a friend that his two boys arc merely living on hope. UN-UUHKU SIRfN OPERATED Burglar Alarms For Cars and Trucks TRUNK PROTECTED Ml DOORS PROTECTED HOOD PROTECTED ELECTRICAL LOCK Uni unconditionally guaranteed 2 full yean. The irn blasti off the moment anyone opens the doors, hood er trunk and continues to sound until alarm is turned off with alarm key. PITTSBURGH Gool-Binkley. Defence -Boivin, Ve-Colium.

Price, Spear. Wovtowirh. For. worrts-Anootti, Bover, Burns, Ota Fontevne, Harris, inaortleld, McCreory, Pronovost, Schlnkt, Ubrloco. TORONTO Goal-Bower.

Oefenie-Horton, lev. Pelvk. Pilot, Quinn. Forwards-Armstrong Ellis, Keon, Weehon, Mickey, Oliver, Smith, Sutherland, Ullman, Walton. Referee -Tom Smith.

Atanas and Claude Bechard. Toronto 1 1 1-4 Pittsburgh 0 1 1-1 FIRST PERIOD lnl Toronto, Pilote (Meehan, Ullman) Penalties -Pilote (holding) 1:10, Soeer (boarding) 14:48. SECOND PERIOD Toronto, Oliver (Ellis) Toronto, Pilote lOllver, Ellis) Pltlsburgh, Bolvln (Fonteyne, Bover) 15:24. Penalty -Horton (hooklnn) 13:28. THIRD PERIOD Toronto, Keon (Oliver, Ellis) 1:18.

Penolty-Mickey (hooklno) 11:29. GOALIE SAVES Bnwer 8-55 B'nkley 14 9-2? Attendanci-5167. "They're dying before rriy eyes, tying a little each day," he said. CIW3m LES(S) SAID: While the owners are looking for a new man as a commissioner, the National Leaguers better start looking for a president to succeed Warren Giles, who retires after the 1969 season Just 41 years ago, Paul Waner was named the MVP in the National League, beating out Frankie Frisch. faner batted .380 and had 237 hits'.

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