The Galveston Daily News from Galveston, Texas • Page 15

DttPStt RSHING JUNLAHni nXWOUHN MJUMM.Y 763-5423 GdvMton Party Bottt, Inc. PIIR1B Section Page I BANK OF THE NtMMtF.fcU. Local, State, World Sports Wednesday Morning, November 22,1978 Sports Phone 744-3611 1 For What It's Worth 1 Earl Campbell Did It All For Oilers Monday Ford Credit Takes Control Of Astros By A. C. BECKER NEWS SPORTS KDITOR JR.

WHAT A difference one good make. Earl Campbell, alternately known as Tyler Rose or the Oiler Pearl or the Souper Oiler, did it all Monday night when the Houston Oilers came from behind to beat the Miami Dolphins. Campbell's herculian accomplishments put him at the head of Ihe class to win pro football rookie of the year honors. HOUSTON (UPI) An officer of Ford Motor Credit Co. Tuesday said the company has bought full ownership of the Astrodomain Corp.

and the Houston Astros major league baseball team. In making the announcement, Ford Credit executive Warren Genee said he expected no shakeup in the operation of the baseball team despite the chief executive officer of Astrodomain leaving. Martin Kelly, previous Astrodomain head, worked for General Electric Credit Corp. bought out by Ford. Kelly, present at the announcement, indicated no hard feelings.

No cost or percentage shift of ownership was disclosed. In another a n- nouncement, Genee said Six Flags Inc. has bought the Astroworld amusement park which adjoins the Astrodomain sports and convention complex including the Astrodome. "One of the things we are considering is who will be the new chief executive officer," Genee said. "I will remain a director of the (FordCredit) company." Ford Credit and General Electric Credit took control of the financially troubled Astrodomain in 1976 following the collapse of the financial empire established by Roy Hofheinz.

Genee said the credit company was no closer to finding a permanent owner for the Astros baseball team. In response to a question about potential buyers, Genee said, "We do not feel a pressure to go and do something." The reported asking price for the Astros, if sold separately from Astrodomain, is $10 million. Astros President Tal Smith, who attended the news conference, said he expected no changes in the team's front off ice. "I don't expect there'll be any difference in our operating policy. I haven't felt any restrictions in the three years that I've been said.

HOUSTON BEAT Miami 35-30, and Campbell practically did it all. He scored four touchdowns to become the league's leading scorer. He rushed for 199 yards on 28 carries to become Ihe eighth rookie in NFL history to pass the 1,000 yard mark in a single season. His totals also put him first in the National Football league rushing derby. When he wasn't carrying the ball, he performed yeoman service as a blocker.

He was again modest when he apologized for not blocking out a Miami linebacker who got In to lay a fesv hands on Oiler quarterback Dan Paslorini Personally 1 was most impressed by Campbell's speed His power and thrust to punch through the line and drag tacklers a couple of extra yards were proved many times earlier in the season. A lot was said about his speed, but it wasn't really appreciated until he made the Otters' winning touchdown Monday night. Campbell ran wide to his right and made the most of a key block on a linebacker to turn Uie corner unmolested. Then he shifted into overdrive and simply outran Miami's entire secondary. The Dolphins' left cornerback and safety were no matches for Campbell's speed.

He raced 80 (or the touchdown. A TEAM PLAYS best svhen Its fans arise to the a i to ft wholehearted support They did just that Monday night. When fans came through the turnstiles, little Columbia blue and whin- pompoms were thrust into their hands Kvery time the audio system blared out the Oiler fight song, chant or whatever, the fans raised their pompoms above their heads and shook them in cadence to the beat. It was an awesome sight to see the stands, every level, a shimmering sea of blue and white. After the game several players remarked that the fans' support was the strongest they had ever gotten.

When a team gels the support it did Monday night, it can only do one thing and that is to turn the support into momemlum. Houston's come-from- behind victory over the New England Patriots a week earlier was considered by many to be a fluke. Monday night, however, the Oilers proved otherwise. In fact, they did it three times. At various stages in the game Miami led 7-0.

14-7, and 23-21. but each time Houston rebounded to take the lead. HOUSTON NOW has an 84 record, and a lot of Bayou City fans are talking Super Bowl. I don't think it will happen this year, but when you consider what the "Think Cotton" move did for the University of Houston in the Southwest Conference, you have to leave the door ajar for options. Super Bowl talk could have a real meaning in Houston if the Oilers had a quarterback with the savvy and skill of Miami's Bob Grifr.sc.

He had a tremendous night, correcting on 23 of 33 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns. Miami's 30 points was enough to win most football games. Miami just didn't have a defense to stop Earl Campbell. Now A Half back At UT Island's Adrian Price Has Worn Many Uniforms MIAMI DOLPHIN quarterback Bob Griese is shown being sacked by Houston Oiler James Young (77) in Houston's 35-30 Monday night victory. Coming in to assist on the sack is Robert Brazille (52), Oiler linebacker.

(Photo bv Charles Savino) igh Island Excited Over Grid Team's Success ByPAULARNETT News Sports Writer HIGH ISLAND-ln the past decade not much has happened in our little community of High Island. Oh, a couple a years back a report was made that the salt dome the town is pearched upon had sunk 15 feel, and the beach front was eroding away at an alarming rate. But these weren't things to get excited about. Least wise, not compared to what occurred over the past three months. You missed it you say? Well sit down in the swing over there, prop your feet up and let me tell you about it.

Adams Says ABC-TV Owes Oilers Thanks For Ratings HOUSTON (UPI) Houston Oilers owner K.S. "Bud" Adams says ABC- TV owes his team a Texas- sized thank you for improving the ratings of its Monday Night Football show this season. "You know Howard Rose Sifts Team Offers CINCINNATI (UPI) Pete Rose comes home from Japan Wednesday to start sifting through millions of dollars worth of offers from teams that want his services. Rose, who has been in Tokyo and other Japanese cities the past month touring with the Cincinnati Reds, is scheduled to arrive with other members of the team Wednesday in Cincinnati. A free agent, Rose is being wooed by a dozen teams, but the Reds reportedly are preparing a two-year, $1.2 million offer in a lasl-ditch effort to keep Rose in his hometown.

However, Rose says early offers from some other teams have been ever higher. Rose and his attorney- negotiator, Reuven are expected to spend the next several days, or perhaps weeks, talking with various club officials before deciding where to play. (Cosell) told me before the game that we saved them on that Monday night game where we beat Pittsburgh. That pulled in their biggest rating of the year," Adams said. "Wait until they see the numbers on this one." Adams referred to the Oilers' woolly 35-30 victory over Miami Monday night in which Dolphin's quarterback Bob Griese passed for 349 yards in a losing effort.

Adams walked around the steamy dressing deep inside the Astrodome early Tuesday, patting players on the back, speaking with coaches and enjoying a cigar. "1 can't remember a bigger win," he said. "Oh, it was exciting winning those AFL championships, but this is fresher so I'll go with this." Adams had not been happy at ABC's decision to show the Oilers on their featured Monday game only four limes in the past eight years. His Oilers, however, have not had much to feature in the past. Earl Campbell, the rookie tailback who possesses strength and speed, has changed that.

Monday night he sent a sold-out Astrodome crowd into delirium and he dazzled Cosell and millions of viewers by running for four touchdowns and 199 yards. His Bl-yard scoring burst in the final minutes clinched the win. Because the Oilers defense limited NFL leading rusher Delvin Williams to 73 yards, Campbell moved into the lead with 1,143 yards to Williams' 1,130. Campbell was reminded by several linemen after the game of two wagers he made. Before the season, Campbell told his offensive linemen he would take them out to dinner if he rushed for 1,000 yards.

Before Monday's game, Campbell told the defensive players if they held Williams in check, they would be his guests also. "It'll be a night on me," Campbell said before being told the dinner list was at 29 players and growing. "Campbell's everything they said about him and more," Miami head coach Don Shula said. "The only mistakes Houston made all night were a safety and an interception." The interception was meaningless, coming with a few seconds left in the first half. The safety, which came when Dolphins defensive end A.J.

Duhe sacked Houston quarterback Dan Pastorini in his end zone, gave Miami a 23-21 lead early in the fourth quarter. "I didn't see him coming. Had I seen it, I would have thrown the ball on the first pump," the quarterback said. Our football team, the High Island Cardinals, won the district 12-B championship for the first time in nine years. Not only that, it was Lne second time in the history of 11-man football that we've ever won anything.

Coach Lucky Gamble is the head coach. Yea he moved into town last year and gave us the first winning season since I can remember. This past season the boys went 10-0, beating everybody like my grandpa when he caught us playing tag in the garden. That next to last game was a real dandy. They came from behind in the fourth quarter to defeat Chester 18-16.

You know somethin 1 else'? In 10 games that defense gave up only 52 points, and they scored 3G8. Two kids are really responsible for all those points being scored. The quarterback Tony Valastro can heave it a country mile, and that Phillip Permenter, rushed for more than 1,500 yards. That's total outnumbers all the yards our houses sit on in High Island. And that defense could stop a truck barreling down Highway 89 without any problem.

We lost Junior Bull, who was all-District last year, but they've got guys like those Millender twins; Gary and Terry. Then there's Glenn Tally who 1 hear could play anywhere in the state. Gamble says that he's one of the best secondary people he has ever coached. Ben Payton is the middle linebacker. Gosh that kids is as mean as an ole' blue tick hound 1 used to have.

We had Lucky over the other night for supper, and he's real excited about this bi-district playoff game that's coming up this Friday night at 7:30 in Conroe. The guys are playing Wortham, and everybody says our kids have a good chance at winning the game. If they do, it'll be the best any Cardinal team has done in the history of High Island football. Well I've just about talked your ear off, haven't But darn, this is real exciting for our little town. Your headed over to talk to Gamble ain't you.

Give him my regards, and tell him the whole town plans to go to Conroe to see the game. Like 1 said before, this is more exciting than anyting. Even our town sinking into the ocean. AUSTIN, Tex. (Spl)- Adrian Price has worn some football uniforms in his 18 short years.

The University of Texas freshman wore the purple and golf uniform of the Galveston Ball High Golden Tornadoes for three years, and at a different position each year. Price started at cornerback his sophomore year, at linebacker his junior year and at running back his senior year. He distinguished himself at all three and was invited to wear some famous uniforms, but he chose the orange and white of the Texas Longhorns. "I liked everybody here, especially the coaching staff," he recalled. "I decided that Texas was the best place for me." But that's not the end of the uniform story.

Adrian Price sent an afternoon in September wearing the red and white uniform of the Oklahoma Sooners. He is quick to reassure Longhorn fans that his loyalties are intact: he was chosen to pose as OU quarterback ADRIAN PRICE Now a UT Halfback Thomas Lott for the cover of the Orange Power magazine. How did it feel to be a Sooner? Price replied: "It just got me psyched to beat them." Until last week, Price was a defensive back for the Longhorns. Because the offense has been decimated by injuries, he was moved to halfback last Monday. "I don't know how long I'll stay on offense," says Price, but that's not his main concern now.

There's a lot to absorb. "Learning assignments and pass blocking are the rough parts of learning the Texas offense," he said. Meanwhile, Adrian continues to play on the specialty teams. The stats list him third behind the Jones boys (Lam and Jam) in kickoff return yardage. He seems unconcerned with stats, though, and more preoccupied with doing his best.

"If everybody does their own job, we can't help but score on runbacks like Lam's (102 yards on a kickoff return against" SMU)," Price said. Price is studying business administration at Texas, but he hopes to play pro ball someday. Until then, he plans to wear his orange and white and toward making those colors feared by the opposition. Falcons In Good Position To Make NFL Playoffs ATLANTA (UPI) Atlanta Coach Leeman Bennett is optimistic about the Falcons winning a berth in the NFL playoffs for the first time in their 13-year history. "I think we're in a very good position," Bennett said Tuesday.

"I think we can make it to the playoffs by winning three of our remaining four games and will definitely be in if we win all four." Although the Falcons have virtually no chance of catching the Los Angeles Rams (10-2) in the NFC West, they are right in the thick of the battle for one of the NFC's two "wild card" spots. The Falcons are presently 7-5 and the only non division-leading team in the NFC which has a better record is Washington (8-4), which will be an underdog Thursday at Dallas. Atlanta's remaining foes are New Orleans (5-7), Cincinnati (1-11), Washington and St. Louis (4-8). "On paper, we appear to have the most favorable schedule among the wild card contenders," said Bennett.

"But, you can't count on that. Look at what happened Sunday (when Atlanta lost, 13-7, at Chicago which had lost eight straight). We let a game get away we should have won." Bennett said he believes the playoff situation won't be settled until the final Sunday (Dec. 17) when the Falcons play at St. Louis.

"For awhile there (while St. Louis was losing its first eight games) it looked like that might be a game we could count on as a win," he said. "Now that the Cardinals have won four in a row, it's a different story." The Falcons host the Saints this coming Sunday and Bennett fears the way the Falcons won two weeks ago in New scoring on a deflected pass in the closing seconds, "will really have them fired up. "We had better be ready to play because we realize that New Orleans has plenty of motivation," said Bennett. "They pushed us around for most of that first game and they'll come in here feeling they are better than us." Bennett expressed concern about stopping Saints' quarterback Archie Manning, especially since it is doubtful whether Falcons' defensive end Jeff Merrow will be able to play because of a painfully swollen toe.

Bennett said Edgar Fields will start at right end if Merrow is unable to play. Cambell Made Oilers 9 Slip Screen Pass Work HOUSTON (UPl) What Earl Campbell has done for the Houston Oilers can be told in the story of the simple slip screen pass play. The tale began as Campbell was carrying Tyler High to a Texas state football championship in 1973 and Oilers quarlerback Dan Pastorini was trying to surprise NFL defenses with the slip screen a pass thrown across the field to a wide receiver who has stepped back behind the line of scrimmage. "We used it a lot, probably too much," Pastorini said. "But it was a potent play.

We needed something to keep defenses honest and that seemed to be the best we had. We used it even though it didn't work half the time." Houston's use of the play, which was seemingly the Oilers' only departure from offensive conservatism, became a joke among local sportswriters. "Where have I seen that before," a press box spectator would announce loudly. More often than not, he was no more surprised by the slip screen than opposing defenses. Then came Campbell, who is after 12 games the NFL's leading rusher with 1,143 yards and the eighth rookie in NFL history to gain more than 1,000 yards aground.

In the last collegiate draft, coach Bum Phillips secured the 220- pound Heisman Trophy winner who by then had done for the University of Texas what he had done for Tyler High. "Before, people didn't respect our running," Oilers wide receiver Ken Burrough said. "Before Earl they didn't stay at home. When you have a back like him, the slip screen is almost unstoppable." The Miami Dolphins would not disagree after their disheartening 35-30 loss of a Monday night thriller in the Astrodome. Campbell ran for 199 yards and four touchdowns, and a half-dozen slip screen passes to Burrough, Rich Caster and Mike Renfro worked every time for good yardage.

Eight-year veteran cornerback Willie Alexander said the Oilers, a possible playoff team now, have never won a bigger game against a tougher opponent. "Give credit to (Miami coach) Don Shula for making my night a track meet," Alexander said. "He's one of the greatest of all lime. His game plan was magnificent. We didn't know where they were coming from next." The Dolpins appeared to have enough to win the game when defensive end A.J.

Duhe made a spectacular sack of Pastorini in Ue end zone early in the fourth quarter for a safety and a 23-21 lead. But the Oilers defense, despite being riddled for almost 500 yards, held Miami after its free kick was returned into its territory. "No matter if they had scored again, we would not have gotten down," Pastorini said. Houston's offense took strength from the defensive stand and pounded 80 yards in 12 plays for the go-ahead touchdown. Campbell's 12- yard run capped that drive, and then moments later following an interception he took a pitch out and fled down the right sideline for 81 more yards and a clinching score.

"Earl won't listen to instructions," an obviously delighted Oilers coach Bum Phillips said. "I told him to just get the first down and run out the clock." Some excellent defensive plays were made, but both offenses executed so magnificently that they controlled the game. Houston's five touchdown drives went for 70, 87, 80 and 93 yards. Miami marched to touchdowns on drives of 82, 59, 89 and 75 yards: "It was two great offenses on the field tonight and they really carried it to each other," Oilers linebacker Steve Kiner said. Miami, with the loss, fell one game behind New England in a competitive championship race in the AFC Eastern Division.

The Patriots are 9-3 and Dolphins 8-4 with four games to play. Houston, 8-4, remained two games behind AFC Central leader Pittsburgh but remained solidly in position to vie for a wild card playoff berth. Houston is one of six AFC teams with 8-4 records or better. Five will make the playoffs. Booster Meeting Hitchcock Athletic Booster Club has cancelled its meeting set for tonight.

The club's next meeting will be on Nov. 29..