The Ludington Daily News from Ludington, Michigan • Page 5

Tigers Drop One Step From Bottom In East Lose 6-1 To Washington Senators Ludington Daily News, Tuesday, April 29, 1969. I i i By RICHARD L. SHOOK DETROIT (UPI) We all know about Washington. First in war. First in peace.

But- ahead of the Detroit Tigers in the American League? Come on now. Say it ain't so, Mr. Williams. "Who would have ever thought of Washington like this at the beginning of the season," smiled THE Williams, Ted, after his Senators had beaten the Tigers Monday night, 6-1, to move past Detroit into fourth place in the AL East by one- half game. "I hope we never see the bad side of .500 again," he added, looking at his Washington writers with a grin about five barn yards wide.

It was the fifth straight Washington win as the Hall of Fame player has his team hustling like never before as their manager. Detroit has now lost five of its last six games. Hits That Counted Apparently, No. 9 has transferred the charisma surrounding the last of the .400 hitters onto his ball club. Williams always hit six tons in Tiger Stadium, and his club got the big hits when it counted in the dank and dismalness in which the game was played.

One of the great Williams stories always said the famed Boston slugger could be on his death that as he drew Tiger Averages (Gamtf through Sunday) HR RBI Ava. AB i 3 3 Brown Wcodj Malehick Stanley 71 52 Kaline $4 Horton Cash 58 11 Northrup 3 Wtrf 54 1 Traecwihi i 1 Price 3 0 Campbell 1 3 1 2 5 0 70 14 17 14 17 14 12 0 0 .500 .333 .313 .282 .242 .559 .258 .241 .093 .000 .000 MO nearer and nearer to the Detroit home park he got better and better. The game started with the temperature near 40 degrees and dropping and the rain began falling shortly before batting practice ended. It stopped during the seventh inning but began again during the last of the ninth. "Actually it wasn't that had." said Al Kaline, who played under the miserable conditions.

"The rain wasn't that least in the outfield. "But," he added as an afterthought, "you know management. They've got to play the game becasue of the 500 fans who drove down from Grand Rapids or wheremer. "How many (fans) were there?" he asked. Informed that the announced attendance was 7,353, he said: "Well, I'll say (See Tigers on Page 6) For What It's Worth By The Danczer Change-Over Time Near At Lucky Strike Virus Hits Slumping Detroiters QUESTION: How does two-pack per day cigarette smoker break this abominable, dastardly, obnoxious habit? Answer: Quit "bummin'" and stick to your resolution not to exceed one smoke per hour.

Okay, I will I That long stretch from September through May on the winter bowling tour is just about over. Banquets (I'm sorry about that IDave, I forgot about the Pro- Am qualifications) and awards presentations will finish off the remnants, in some oases, it's already done. (But over at the Lucky Strike Bowling Center, some of the work is just beginning. Ray DeMeester, who controls the bowling interests in this 'area, along with wife Vi, is doing a bit of "change-over" for the 1969-70 season. Anyway, the plans are sort of set.

"There are a few thoughts of changes we'll make this summer," tall, lanky Raymond said, leaning on the workshop bench behind the main counter. "We have quite a few ideas but we don't know right now just how many we can complete before the bowling leagues start up In the fall." Remove Portioning Wall "Now over here," he said, walking toward the wall partitioning the pizza house and the bowling center itself, "we're going to remove the wall. "We plan on putting the main counter down here so that we can service both the pool tables in the pizza house and the bowling lanes. "Maybe we can put in a short-lunch setup here too, you faiow, sandwiches and that sort of thing," DeMeester added. And of course, the problem of the entrance-way, a virtual traffic jam when one league is trying to get in and the other trying to squeeze out." "This year, we'll have all the bowlers coming in through the pizza house entrance instead of the door they've been using.

"And the lockers will be moved into the space where the counter is now. This will ease the congestion quite a bit." What's the possibility of putting on an addition? Maybe really enlarging the whole place? Won't Build Addition This Year "We've thought of that too, but it won't be this year. I just can't do it now," Ray replied. "But that would be the ideal set-up. It would add a lot of behind-the-lanes space." He grinned and said, "Of course, there are a couple of other improvements we're making too but we don't have to go into those right now." So the "new look" will usher in the next big bowling season.

Now we're gettin' someplace, eh wot? GOOM BYE DETROIT (UPI) Bengal Bits: The "Visitation Virus" struck Norm Cash Monday. The Detroit first baseman didn't report to the pak because of the same type of illness which earlier hit Al Kaline, Willie Horton and Dick McAuliffe. Tom Matchick, who is moving around the infield like a player trotting out a home run, went through his first game at first base and the slumping Don Wert, who went hitless ana is now O-for-27, played at third. Willie Horton, who bruised his left hit making a catch in Sundays game with the Boston Red Sox, sat out the game and Gates Brown's productive pinch- hitting bat was in the lineup. Gates went hitless but was robbed of a home run by the wind and contributed three fine catches in the outfietd.

(See Virus on Page 6) Wf 1 ln 1 tl 1 X.V| Dickinson (left) and RudoSph Ready For Shell's 'Golf Fruitport Edges Ludington Second Straight Loss For O's UPI Telephoto Not Quite That Bad Although snow fell In light flurries during Monday's baseball games at Ludington and Scottville, with temperatures ranging from 34 to 37 degrees, it was still worse on the "other side of the fence." At Albuquerque, N. the university baseball team took batting practice in the white stuff, sharpening their batting eyes on the snowball pitch. By RICHARD L. DANCZ Daily News Sports Editor Ludingtons dream of a repeat championship in the Seaway Conference tilted to the right the loss side but maybe all isn't lost yet. "I think we're gonna be all right," Coach Don Stokely remarked despite Monday's 4-2 loss to Fruitport.

They're Coming "Next week at this time, we'll be ready. The guys are starting to hit the ball pretty good. They're Thats a large statement for a team that just dropped it's second game in a row and is 1-2 in league play. But look at it this way: The Orioles only fanned five times against Mike Thoma, generally regarded as the top strikeout hurler in the conference. Could Have Dropped And a couple of drives were speared by the Trojans that could have been hits with a couple feet one side or the the other.

However, yesterday afternoon, with temperatures hovering around the 34 degree mark and a strong wind blasting in off the Lake with snow flakes mixed in it wasn't a day for the Birds. Bob Thomas, who struck out 11 in the seven inning contest, including seven of the last nine, saw his earned run average drop still farther but took his first loss in two years. He's now 2-1. The Trojans scored three unearned runs in the third in ning, then added their final tally in the fourth on an error to win their first conference game of the year. First Three Runs An infield error, a fielder's choice, a strikeout then four of the five singles allowed by the Orioles' righthander chased home the first three for Fruitport.

Thomas' only walk and a fly ball that was dropped in the outfield let in the fourth run. Ludington's two runs were also gifts, Jan Amsterburg reaching base on an error, Thomas safe on another error, and Dave Bialochowski reaching base while two runs scored on another error. Wasted Five Hits But the Orioles couldn't come any closer although Joe Bialochowski, who had two hits, got to third in the second inning, Mike Wincyewski, who also had two hits, got as far as second in the third as did Mike Mazur who had the other hit for Ludington, in the fourth. In the sixth inning, Dick Colcman was hit by pitch, stole second and third but with two out, the next hitter fouled to first. On Wednesday, Ludington travels to Spring Lake.

Linescore: Fruitport 003 100 0-4 5 3 Ludington 000 020 5 4 Seven-Day Seaway Standings Spring Lake Reeths-Puffer Ludington Whitehall Fruitport 0 2 1 1 Fremont 0 1 Conf Season 0 32 1 2 3 2 1 1 4 1 0 1 WMC Standings Hart -7 3 0 3 1 Oakridge 3132 Central 2133 Montague .2223 North Muskegon 1 Shelby 0 Ravenna 0 2 1 2 0 303 More P. 7 P. 6 TODAY at LHS MCE at MCC at MCC WEDNESDAY at Spring Lake at LHS THURSDAY Track Lake at LHS at Ravenna at Whitehall MCC at Hart FRIDAY at Cen. Mich. Re lays at Manistee at MCC SATURDAY Track Ludington Invitational, 9 a.m.

at MCC, 1 p.m. MONDAY, MAY 5 at Fremont MCC at Hart at LHS at LHS Spartans Use Four Hits To Win It Central Trips Montague SCOTTVILLE It's a departure from a slugging tradition, but when you're winning ball games, who cares. The Mason County Central Spartans, long known for their long-ball hitting, maybe one good pitcher and a questionable never did win but a few baseball pennants. But maybe 1969 is the year of the "mighty mites." Break Tradition On a day when snow flakes chose to sprinkle the sky, the tradition-breakers, a bunch of banjo hitters and opportunists, smacked down the WMC defending champion Montague Wildcats, 5-1. Nobody is predicting a title yet.

The season has a way of getting longer once the word is out. But nobody can dispute that the Spartans are an improved bunch over past squads that gave away more runs than they could produce. Four Hits Each In hitting, the Spartans and Wildcats had a tossup both two of them, along with a fielder's choice, a walk and an error for four quick runs in the first inning, then got a walk and a double for their final tally in the third. In the meantime, little Bill Adams became a pitching regular with his second conference win of the season. the two victories Central has in league play.

Boosted Record Adams went six and one-third innings before Scott Merrill finished up with a pair of teams had four. But Central put strikeouts, gave up back-to-back Mickey Stanley Doing The Job Sneak Peak At Tigers Have All-Star 'Greatest Tigers' DETROIT Here's a sneak peak at the greatest Detroit Tiger baseball team of all time. In the early balloting, v.ith just about a month left, Hank Greenberg has the greatest amount of votes for the team itself while the fans voting have given Ty Cobb a wide margin as the greatest Tiger player ever. Latest tabulations show the following leaders, by position: base: Hank Greenberg Norm Cash (598). base: Charlie Gehringer Dick McAuliffe (550).

Third base: George Kell Don Wert (270); Pinky Higgins (230). --Shortstop: Harvey Kuenn (900); Billy Rogell (TOO); Donie -Outfield: Al Kaline Ty Cobb Harry Heilmann Goose Goslin (584); Sam Crawford (340). Catcher: Mickey Cochrane Bill Freehan (890). pitcher: Denny McLain 'Schoolboy Roue (904); Tommy Bridges (578). pitcher: Hal Newhouser Mickey Lolieh (654).

Tiger Ever: Cobb Kaline (346). The contest is being held as part of baseballs centennial celebration and the Tigers have asked fans wishing to mail in ballots to address them to: Greatest Tiger, Box 300 -A, Detroit, Mich. 48232. Results of the voting will be forwarded to the Baseball Writers Association of America and they will pick the best all time team and name the greatest at first century. By RICHARD L.

SHOOK DETROIT (UPI) With all the attendant publicity that accompanies a theif in the night, the Detroit Tigers have acquired an all-star caliber shortstop. "You know, it's kind of funny," said Ralph Snyder, assistant director of player development with the Tigers, "all these years we've been looking for a shortstop and he was right center field." That centerfielder, now shortstop, is Mickey Stanley. And when he first made the switch it was with the kind of attention which will end a thief up in jail every time. Stanley had sweetlzero games of experience at the demanding infield position when Detroit Manager Mayo Smith put him there tor nine games at the end of the season. Smith then proceeded to pull what must rank right up there witfl the brass moves of our day by putting Stanley's vacuum cleaner glove at shortstop for the World Series against the St.

Louis Cardinals. No Pressure "There's no pressure on me," the 6 foot, 185-pound Stanley said at the time. "If I goof-he gets the blame," he added with a point towards the manager's office. The Grand Rapids, native made a couple of errors of the non-costly variety through the first 18 games of sea- son he hasn't been charged with any bobbles. Smith said Stanley would be moving back to center after the World Series, but during the winter no new shortstop materialized and Ray Oyler was drafted to stock Seattle so was playing you Mickey Stanley at the start of the season.

"He handles the hard-hit ball as well as anybody I've ever seen," praised teammate Dick McAuliffe, who at second base has gone through more shortstops with Detroit than there are clubs to play them all. "He handles the hard-hit ball right at him better than Ray Oyler," McAuliffe said. And Oyler didn't stick around Detroit for a couple of seasons so everybody could watch his weekly hit. "We're gelling along better. Mickey throws the ball to you on tin; force or double play from three or four positions where most shortstops will give it to you the same every time." Real Smooth "Stanley, who probably shudders every time he reads a siory describing him as "ihe All American Boy," is so smooth and settled at his position now reporters from other cities no longer come up to interview him about it.

lie hit .259 last season and stood at .281 alter his initial 17 games this season, a steady improvement from the days it seemed like Mickey couldn't even hit a basketball if it was thrown up there. Credit this to three things: Hard work, batting instructor Wally Moses and a fellow by the name of Stanley. doubles to Warren Wiedman and Greg Mond in the fourth inning for Montague's only run, and fanned eight. His record is now 2-1. The Spartans, who have been bothered by lefthanded pitching all season, took care of the Wildcats' Gary Gillan in a hurry.

In fact, the 'Cats lefty never did get anybody out. Adams socked the first pitch of the ball game into right- center field for a three-bagger and scored on a bunt by Roger Manley who reached base on a fielder's choice. Three More Runs Then Butch Quick walked, Larry Kivela slapped his first of two singles, and Mike Buck was safe on an infield error that let in three runs. Exit Gillan. And in the third, Kivela drew a walk off reliever Wiedman and scored the final tally on Merrills double.

Thursday, Central gets their first look at the league's new entry, Ravenna, when they travel south. Linescore: Montague 000 100 4 2 Central 401 000 4 1 America's Largest Selling Cigv.