Green Bay Press-Gazette from Green Bay, Wisconsin • Page 19

B-l Scoreboard -Watson wins -Ribbons lose Comics Classifieds B-2 B-3 -B-4 B-6 -B-7 7 million pain Monday, June 8, 1981 GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE i 1 1 rp-v TOR1S: IB BBtih t's sort of like being In the Super Bowl, behind 50-0 and then winning. Injured player "I thought we'd lose because of Riddell's reputation of winning cases like this in the past." The jury ordered Riddell to pay $42,019.50 in medical and hospit expenses to the time of trial; $500,000 for future medical and hospital expenses, $1 million for reasonable value of nursing attendants for the rest of Wright's life; $500,000 for housing and appliances, such as wheelchairs; $2 million for permanent inability to earn money, and $3 million for physical and mental suffering. "We didn't feel the verdict would be that substantial," Wright said of the $7,042,019.50 judgment. Wright said his lawyers originally asked for $15 million. "Of course we're happy," his father, Ronald Wright, said.

"But, no unt in our thinking is enough. All the money in the world won't help his condition, but it will make things easier for him." The injury came in the second quarter of a game Prestonsburg won, 42-0, over Morgan County. "Stewart lowered his head and got ready to make a tackle," recalled Ron Robinson, the school's basketball coach and an assistant football coach at the time. "It wasn't a real hard blow, I didn't think he was hurt bad. There wasn't much contact." "When I went down I knew I was paralyzed," Wright said.

"I thought 'Am I going to It's the most scared I've ever been. "His thigh was on my iacema.sk and it lifted it up. Then, the back of the helmet snapped into my neck. When I thought about football, I thought about knee injuries. I was only 15.

I don't think anyone 15 years old thinks he'll have his neck broken." Wright was hospitalized for six months after the accident. Round-the-clock attendants are needed for Wright, members of the family said. Wright attended court sessions in a wheelchair. He has limited movement in his arms but has no feeling from his chest to his toes. Wright completed his freshman year at UK last month.

He said he's undecided about a major. "I'd kind of like to be a cartoonist: I've got time to think about it," he said with a wry chuckle. "My first concern now is what CAN i do. Then, I have to find out if I like it." Six months after his debilitating injury, Wright returned to Prestonsburg High. He was graduated two years later and went on to the University of Kentucky.

He said he attended as many football games as weather permitted. "What scared me was when a couple of guys on our team (Prestonsburg) went down," he said. "Paul Ackerman went down with a pinched nerve in his neck. I saw his legs move. I figured at least that's all right.

"The other was a player named Steve Rice. 'Rice' sounded a lot like 'Wright' when they announced who was hurt on the field. It shook up the family pretty bad." Wright also met the player he tried to tackle on a kickoff that resulted in his broken neck. The player was another sophomore, Leonard Franklin of Morgan County, Ky. High.

"We talked very, very briefly," Wright said. "It (the injury) was nothing we wanted to talk about. We knew about that. We talked about how the teams that night would do." Wright's attorney, Frances Burke of Pikes-ville and Steven Owens of Paintsville, conten Gannett Ntwj Strvlc PRESTONSBURG, Ky. "It stiU isn't easy," Ronald Stewart Wright said from his wheelchair.

"I try not to think about it." Wright, a quadriplegic since he was injured playing football in 1976 at Prestonsburg High School here, won a $7 million verdict Thursday against the maker of the helmet he was wearing. Wright, now a 20-year-old student at the University of Kentucky, broke his neck making a tackle on Oct. 22, 1976, while playing as a sophomore. "I just hope medical science will come up with a breakthrough to help me," he said in a telephone interview Friday. "That's all you can do." Wright adjusted well enough, however, to convince his frightened parents to let his younger brother, Steven, play for Prestonsburg High.

"It was a big, big family decision," Wright said. "I argued for his playing. I know I'd want to play if I was in his place. Accidents like this don't happen too often. You know the percentages." ded the injury resulted from faulty design in a helmet manufactured by Riddell of Des Plaines, 111., a major manufacturer of football helmets.

The lawyers argued that the fifth and sixth vertebrea of Wright's neck were broken because of inadequate padding in the company's PAC-3 model football helmet. The U.S. District Court jury said the helmet created "such a risk of injury to the cervical spine of the kind sustained by the plaintiff that a prudent manufacturer would not have put the helmet on the market, a federal court clerk said. Jurors also said the defects were a "substantial factor" in causing the injury to Wright. "It's sort of like being in the Super Bowl, behind 50-0 and then winning," Wright said.

May helps halt Brewers Martin allowed just two ninth-inning singles, notching his second save and extending his scoreless string to 14 innings. MILWAUKEE KANSAS CITY abrhbi abrhbt 4 10 1 Moore Younl ss Cooper lb Trtomos rf Smmns dh Oellvie Wonev 3b flroufird II Romero 2b Howell pn Gontnr 2b 3 0 0 0 4 13 1 0 0 0 0 2 100 2 112 10 0 0 4 0 10 2 110 0 0 0 0 4 12 2 2 111 KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Balding Lee May is one of the Kansas City Royals' senior citizens, but the 38-year-old slugger is hardly set in his ways. The 15-year veteran, who helped the Kansas City Royals defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-1 Sunday, adjusted to becoming a designated hitter with the Baltimore Orioles. He has now adjusted to playing parttime with the Royals.

"But I don't want anybody to think that because I can pinch hit that I can't play every day," he said. "Don't anybody get the wrong idea." 4 0 10 Wilson II 5 110 Wsrigtn ss 4 0 10 Br tit 3b 4 0 11 Chotk 3b 3 0 2 0 Otis cf 4 0 0 0 LAAov lb 4 0 3 0 Mullnks 2D 4 0 10 McRoe dh 2 0 0 0 While 2b 1 0 0 0 Aikens lb 10 10 Wolhon Geronm rf 14 1 It 1 Total Ml 10 1 Total be better off," he said. "I'm not looking to take anybody's job away." "I've just myself to come and pinch hit, maybe a little DH and maybe a little first base. If I can help the club that way, I'm happy." George Brett also had to be happy, slapping three singles to raise his average to .324. Brett left the game in the seventh after he stole second and Milwaukee catcher Charlie Moore's throw hit him behind the left ear, but is not expected to miss any games.

Splittorff won his third consecutive game, scattering eight hits before giving way to Renie Martin with one out in the sixth. adjusted by belting a two-run double in the thid inning off Milkwaukee pitcher Randy Lerch to give Kansas City a 4-1 lead. It was the support needed by Royals starter Paul Splittorff. It was just the seventh game May has started this season, probably because his .444 pinch-hit average is tops on the club. Overall, he is batting .333 with seven RBIsonllhits.

"I said over the winter, 'Lee May, your regular playing days are said May, who joined the Royals as a free agent after six sea-. sons with the Orioles. "This game is mental. I think if you prepare yourself mentally for the job you're going to do, you're going to Total 7 7 UiluMtikM 100 MO 000 1 Koniol City 1M 001 02- 7 Gerommo, Wrjthon, Washington. DP-Miiwukw 1.

Kansas Cilv 2. LOB-Milvraukee 10. Konsos City 6. 2B l-Mov. 3 B-Geronimo, Walhon.

SB-Wilson, Moore, GBrell. S-While. SF-Geronimo. IP HER BB SO Milwaukee Lerch L.3-S 5 7 5 4 1 Keeton 2 1 0 0 2 0 Easterly 1 12 2 10 Kansas City SplittorH 1-3 6 1 1 2 4 Martin S.2 32-3 2 0 0 0 3 Lerch pilched to 2 antlers in the 7tti inning. T2 27.A 32,429.

I Baseball decision delayed NEW YORK (AP) A faint ray of optimism seemed to be just under the surface as the mediator in baseball's free agent compensation negotiations prepared to begin another week of trying to bring the two sides closer together. Meanwhile, a decision by U.S. District Judge Henry Werker on a National Labor Relations Board petition for an injunction against the owners is not expected until later in the week. "I'm not as pessimistic as I was last week." said mediator Kenneth E. Moffett.

"I'm not saying I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe I'm just getting a second wind." l1 He will need it because nothing has been resolved and a strike by the players remains a very real posaibil-A ity. Managment and union representatives were summoned by Moffett to a session scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.CDT. Moffett's revitalization may have come from a proposal made Saturday by Marvin Miller, executive director of the Major League Players Association. That plan was rejected by the owners, but Ray Grebey, director of baseball's Player Relations Committee, indicated that management at least had given serious consideration to it.

"It was not dealt with summarily or given immediate rejection," Grebey said of the proposal, which called for a pool of professional Clark deal claimed NFL club and the Packers. Clark's agent, Richard Bennett, declined to say whether there is an 'agreement to keep Clark from coming to Green Bay. Bob Harlan, the Packers' corporate assistant to the president, said today he "has absolutely no idea" of any such deal, adding that "it seems doubtful." Packer Coach Bart Starr was not available for comment. "I wouldn't go back to Green Bay," Clark said. "If I did, then the two years I've spent up here would be a total waste." By the Associoled Press Nose tackle Bruce Clark of the Toronto Argonauts is talking again.

In remarks printed in the Toronto Star, Clark repeated that he would rather join another National Football League club instead of the Green Bay Packers. The Packers drafted Clark two years ago and still own the NFL rights to him. Clark said he reached a contract agreement with an NFL club in February. He wouldn't say which club it was but said it was not the Packers. Clark said there is a deal between the other Manager Jim Frey had the right idea Sunday by starting May at first base in place of Willie Aikens.

May Yankee relievers stop Sox By Tht Associated Press The New York Yankees have a unique strategy for their starting pitchers go live or six innings and then give 'em the "1-2 punch." Ron Davis and Rich Gos- AL roundup sage, the men the Yanks call the "1-2 combined with starter Ron Guidry on a six-hitter Sunday as New York posted its seventh straigth victory, beating Chicago 3-1. "You hate to see those guys," said White Sox Manager Tony LaRussa, who was seeing them for the second straight day. "They are awesome. This whole series has been horrible, but facing them has been a nightmare." Guidry pitched the first 5 2-3 innings and allowed one run. Davis protected a 2-1 lead through the seventh inning and Gossage stopped Chicago over the final two frames to collect his 16th save.

Wilmet eyes draft I By DENNIS GRALL i t- Of the Press Gozette Paul Wilmet, a 22-year-old righthanded relief ace for the Green Bay Blue Ribbons, finds himself in an enviable position entering the The Chicago White Sox have shown the most interest in Wilmet, who compiled a 9-2 record for Boone, la. Junior College this spring. Cincinnati and Minnesota have also expressed interest, and Wilmet said "the next three nights I know I won't be sleeping very well." "I'd like to try it," he said of the shot at professional baseball. "1 think I can do it." AP LaMrphoto three-day major league baseball draft which begins Tuesday. Wilmet, a graduate of West De Pere High School whose brother Steve pitched in the Los Angeles Dodger organization, is expected to be drafted.

Stroke Members of the Wisconsin Second Varsity Eight Petite crew move down Onandaga Lake in New York Sunday afternoon. High winds postponed the NCAA championship races. Continued on B-2 Paul Wilmet Continued on B-2 Ft Mosley gets rare win in Rex Mays $4.00 REWARD players from which compensation to the team losing a agent through the reentry draft could be drawn. "But, after thorough examination, we do not feel it provides a framework for a settlement." Miller said he thinks the reason his plan was rejected was that it did not penalize a team signing a free agent. Instead, each major league club would designated an unspecified number of players for the compensation pool.

Then teams losing quality free agents could replace those players either with the selection in the amateur draft currently provided or a player from the pool. A selection from the pool would cost between $20,000 and $40,000, depending on the position in the standings of the team selecting the player. "The owners' argument for compensation 'has been, you've got to fill the hole left by free agents leaving their teams," said Miller. "We've tried to accomodate them from this standpoint. "The hole is there as soon as a free agent declares he is leaving a club.

Therefore, there is no rational basis for filling that hole from the club signing the free agent. The owners last winter implemented their own compensation plan, which called for direct compensation of a player from the roster Of a team signing a free agent, The players voted to strike over that plan. A strike could be around the corner if Werker denies the NLRB request to issue the injunction. If he does issue it, the entire compensation mater could be put off for another year. Otherwise, the players have said they will walk out within 48 hours of his decision.

1 FOR TRADING IN YOUR OLD His team had not won a race since the 1975 Indy 500, when Bobby Unser was his driver. And the start of the weekend didn't offer much hope, either, with the Gurney-built Eagle missing the qualifying session Saturday because of a leaking radiator and a bad head gasket in the engine. However, the car was added to the field by a "promoter's option," and the crew worked late into Saturday night getting the repairs made. Mosley then had to start 25th in the 26-car field. "The car just went right all day, and I tried to run a smooth race," Mosley said.

"It was just our day." The bright yellow car, known as the "Pepsi Challenger" because of its sponsor, moved all the way up to 10th place by the fifth lap, then began to pick off the faster cars one by one. Continued on B-2 star Dan Gurney and his All American Racing team. The triumph, by almost 46 seconds more than a full lap over surprising Indy car rookie Kevin Cogan, was the first victory for a stock block engine in Indy car racing since April 1970, when Gurney won at Sears Point in California in a Chevrolet-powered Gurney-Weslake. "We've had so many (mechanical) problems in the past that we're getting gun shy," said Gurney, who joined the interview after the race. "The stock block concept is just fine, but we haven't had the dollars to run a proper testing program." Gurney, who began his stock block development program in 1979 the same season Mosley became his driver has been frustrated so many times that, despite his huge lead, he didn't believe Mosley was going to win "until there were about three laps left." MILWAUKEE (AP) Mike Mosley hasn't been in victory lane enough to be totally comfortable with the emotions of winning.

Adding to that, the fact that his victory Sunday in the Gould Rex Mays 150 Indy car race came as a surprise, Mosley appeared very ill at ease as he accepted the accolades for his triumph. "I've had some lean times lately, but I've won here more than anyplace else," said the 34-year-old driver from Fallbrook, Calif. "I suppose it's because this is a flat racetrack and I had a lot of experience on flat racetracks running go-karts." The victory was only the fifth of his 13-year Indy car career, but three of those have come on the one-mile oval at Wisconsin State Fair Park. This one was particuarly gratifying for Mosley, though, because it came in the Chevrolet-powered Eagle campaigned by former driving GOLF SHOES This week Denis will give you $4.00 off any new pair of golf shoes over $30.00 in return for your old, wornout Borg claims sixth French crown golf shoes. world's top-ranked player.

"I the history of tennis. "I did my best. I tried the hardest I ALL PROFESSIONAL fl a AOC GOLF BALLS IO'1 Doz. Dunlop Titlelst Wilson Spalding over Czechoslovakia's Ivan Lendl, the 21-year-old who is ranked fifth in the world. The 3-hour, 13-minute match was the first time Borg had failed to take a straight-set victory this year in the $611,000 tournament, the first event in the Grand Slam of tennis.

"I knew it was going to be a difficult match before it started," said Borg, the PARIS (AP) Bjom Borg's record sixth title at the French Open tennis championship was marked by the most difficult final he had ever played on the red clay courts of Roland Garros Stadium. "I think the big problem was that we play kind of similar games," the Swedish star said Sunday after his 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, 36, 6-1 victory DENIS SPORT SHOP 922-26 Main Street could. If Lendl had taken the final set in the battle for the $49,000 winner's purse, the French Open would have become a total triumph for Czechoslovakia. Saturday, Hana Mandli-kova, 19, became the first Continued on B-2 don't know if this was the most difficult match I've ever played, but it was the toughest final I've ever played here." In rallies that lasted 30 and 40 shots, Borg kept his patience throughout. "He just played well on the big points," said Lendl, who has called Borg the greatest clay court player in i bi it vai idcci ru id euncc rui i uunvkkr in vun wi ivww in S- TV fca, wL FRI.

9-9 WED. SAT. Bjorn Borg.