Green Bay Press-Gazette from Green Bay, Wisconsin • Page 21

7 Green Bay Press-Gazette Monday, March 31, 1975 B-1 Some Bobcats, Some Fans Turn Arena Into Zoo Some of the Green Bay Bobcats and some Brown County Veterans Arena into the turned the obeatentans, the Brown County Veterans Memorial Zoo Saturday night. If that was the game of hockey, brother, you can have it. I'm turned off. This was supposed to be about a hockey contest, a game that was to help determine the playoff champion of the United States Hockey League. It was supposed to be about the drama of play, about the emotions, about the strategy, about the plays that turned the game one way or the other.

And in my notes, I have references to the Bobcats' coming out checking hard, to the aggressive Thunder Bay defense, to the great position play by the Twins that often gave them what amounted to three goalies, to the fact that the Cats failed so often to cover the cage. It might have been a pretty decent column for the Faithful Few readers of this space. But I've tossed most of those notes out because they importance in light of the extra-curricular developments. lost, Except for one thing. On this particular night, the Twins were far too good for the Bobcats.

And that led to frustration on the part of the Cats and some of their fans. The Bobcats rattled the boards with checks but they never rattled the Twins. And the invaders simply carved the Bobcats apart with their cool and poise. The Cats, who became flustered, played right into Thunder Bay's hands. Just look at the statistics.

The Bobcats were tagged with 12 penalties, including two game misconducts. The Twins were ticketed with only five penalties. The Bobcats argued over every decision by the referee. The Twins accepted the decisions with little emotion. Maybe some of the calls by the referee were questionable.

Show me a game in any sport where that doesn't happen. Bobcat Defense Cracked: Coppo By JIM ZIMA Press-Gazette Sports Writer Paul Coppo spent a quiet Easter Sunday trying to realize that the hockey season had ended for his Green Bay Bobcats. There was no game Sunday night. He had planned on one. There were no thoughts of the USHL finals.

He had planned on them too. Thunder Bay had ended the Bobcats' season with a 6-3 win Saturday night, sweeping the best of three semi-final series in two straight games. The loss was a big disappointment to Coppo, who had visions of his team winning the playoff title. But he found some consolation, pointing out that his team had a great regular season, winning the Northern Division. "It'll probably take me until the middle of the week to realize it's over.

I really thought we would beat Thunder Bay and I figured we had a good shot at winning the championship," Coppo said. Going back over the two losses to the Twins, Coppo said, "We didn't play up to our potential and you have to give Thunder Bay credit. They played good position hockey. "I figured we had to go out and hit them Saturday night and we did but we got into penalty trouble and they got the power play goals. We gave them the open shot.

We broke down defensively and you can't do that against a team like Thunder Bay. "Before the game the players were really fired up and I thought we were going to take them for sure but i it didn't work out that way. I don't know, I guess Thunder Bay has our number. They beat us six out of eight times." Reviewing the regular sea- Waterloo Southern Champion WATERLOO, Iowa (PG) The Waterloo Black Hawks edged Sioux City 8-7 here Sunday night to win the United States Hockey League Southern Division playoff and advance to the league's best of five final series against Thunder Bay. The Hawks won the series two games to one, earning a 6-4 win on Saturday night in a game marked by a 55-minute delay following an incident where a fan sprayed a macelike chemical at the player benches.

The incident occurred at 11:36 of the final period with the score tied 4-4. At that point, a fight between Waterloo's Ed Starkey and Sioux City's Sam Nelligan broke out on the ice. While the fight was going on, a fan ran behind the Sioux City bench spraying the chemical. Some of it also reached the Waterloo bench. Sioux City players Jim White and Barry Head and team trainer Ken Lillie, along with Waterloo plaer, Phil Iwaskiewicz, were hospitalized after the incident to get their eyes cleansed.

League Commissioner Robert Kasubeck, in attendance at the game, ordered the players locker room while the "benches were washed down and order restored. He also allowed Sioux City Coach John Saville to suit up for the remainder of the game. After the delay, Waterloo scored a pair of goals to gain the 6-4 win and even the series at one win apiece. Sioux City had won the opening game in Sioux City Friday night. In Sunday's game, Waterloo scored four goals in a fourminute span in the second period to take a 7-3 lead but Sioux City rallied with four straight goals to tie the score at 7-7.

Joe Nathe wrapped it up for Waterloo with 4:02 left to play OUT OF BOUNDS? By Len Wagner Press-Gazette Sports Editor The only thing you can do is accept them. But Dick Purpur couldn't accept one. He swung at the referee and was sent off the ice. Bobcats Coach Paul Coppo So naturally he had to throw his stick completely across the rink on the way out, thereby endangering some fans. And Ernie Dupont couldn't accept any of the five penalties called on him.

When he wound up in a fight with Twin Russ Elliott, he couldn't accept end of fight. He had to carry it down the ice and eventually to the penalty box. The way he acted (with some prodding by at least one teammate), Duponte should belonged have in a been cell, not kicked the out of penalty the league, not the game. And you know what made me sick? As Dupont left the ice for the locker room, there were fans patting him on the back, encouraging him. Adult fans and a horde of youngsters who had come out of their seats to run around to the dressing room entrance.

A hero. Some hero. Big man. Great example for all the kids in the youth hockey programs in this area. He sure helped his team a lot from the penalty box.

And even more from the dressing room. But that wasn't all's Some fans weren't a whole lot better. They began booing when the Twins made their first appearance on the ice. But booing is one thing. Throwing beer at the referee, calling him filthy names and then throwing more beer at him is something else.

Twice during the game, the public address announcer had to call police assistance, once because of the players and once because of the fans. As I left this madhouse Saturday night, I ran into a guy I know who considers himself a real hockey fan "I've had the same two seats right there for nine years." He expressed his disgust with the whole evening better than I have but I can't print it. He saved the night, as far as I'm concerned. As I walked out the Arena door, I hoped there were some more like him. Then, Sunday morning, I read about the mace incident at Waterloo.

Knicks Dim Bucks Hopes son, Coppo said, "I think we had a great season. players really gave it everything and we went right down to the 48th game and won the title." In winning the Northern Division, Coppo pointed out, the team set a league record for most wins in a season, 38, and for most road victories in a season, 17. "When you win 38 games, tie two and lose only eight you have had a good season. I am very satisfied with the regular season but I am, and I know the players are too, very disappointed the way we played Green Bay Thunder Bay -N Goals: TB Depiero; Wing, Kelner, Elliott. GB Purpur; Tremblay; Chestolowski.

Assists: TB Elliott; Wing, Hogan; Depiero; Davies. GB Barefoot; D. Purpur; C. Purpur; B. Purpur; Harvey.

Penalties: TB Vailiant, 1 for 2 minutes; Vescio 2-4; McLeod 1-2; Elliott 1-5. GB Dupont 4-11 plus game misconduct; Lemelux 1-2; Purpur, 2-12 plus game; Terry Cullen 1-2; Tremblay 1-2; O'Brien 1-2: Harvey 1-2. Saves: Thunder (Menard) 8 14 33; Green Bay (Beck) 14 11 8 33. Attendance: 4,251. in the playoffs," he said.

Puck Patter Thunder Bay Coach Dave Siciliano was a gracious winner after the Twins win. "I have to congratulate Coach Coppo and his players. They are a good team and they proved it by winning 38 games in the regular season. I never thought it would take that games to win but it did they did many, it. "They have a real good club and if we would have lost here tonight we would have been hard pressed Sunday" he said.

Explaining his team's play, Siciliano said that his squad played well and he thought its defensive play, was the big factor. "We played the man rather than the puck. Green Bay moves very well so we took the man, that way we took him out of the play and I think this upset Green Bay and took away a lot of their scoring chances," he said. UCLA Eyes Gift for Wooden en SAN DIEGO (AP) For the coach who has just about everything, there is only one more thing that the UCLA Bruins can give John Wooden: another national basketball championship. And they hope to do that tonight in the drama-filled final of the NCAA playoffs.

The fabulous Bruins, gunning for their 10th national title in 12 years, face Kentucky's Wildcats at the San Diego Sports Arena in a game that truly befits the occasion. Not only are UCLA and Kentucky ranked 1-2 in nation, and not only are these among the most tradition-laden basketball schools in America, but an element of Hollywood drama has been added to the scenario. Wooden, the guiding light at UCLA for 27 years and the most successful college basketball coach who ever lived, has announced his retirement from the game and the team he loves. This motivational factor could be all the formidable Bruins need to put them over the top, although Wooden insists that he didn't make his retirement announcement today in order to "hype the players." If Wooden didn't mean it that way, the psychological ingredient nevertheless is there. It certainly crossed the mind of Kentucky Coach Joe Hall.

"There's no way we can come up with something with the impact of a resignation," said Hall. Other intangibles are apparent: pride, tradition and momentum. Both teams have all three. When the teams take the court for the 8:10 p.m. starting time before an expected sellout crowd of more than 15,000 and national television audience of millions, they'll carry a composite total of 13 national championships with them.

Wooden has won nine for the Bruins, including seven straight at one point, and Kentucky boasts four crowns, all in the fabled era of Adolph Rupp. And both teams are red hot. UCLA sports a 27-3 record and Kentucky is 26-4. Aside from intangibles, UCLA may have some very real problems to face. Kentucky has an inexhaustable supply of brawny players.

It's this shuttle system that eventually wore down powerful Indiana in the regional playoffs and could pose a giant problem for the Bruins. Some oddsmakers give a slight edge to UCLA, but Kentucky clearly has the edge in depth. "I'm extremely impressed with Kentucky, its size and its strength," said the 64-year-old Wooden. "I don't know when I've looked at a more awesome, physical group of basketball players. Obviously, they are a lot more physical and a lot stronger than we are." Also, the Bruins might have problems.

Dave Meyers, their All- American forward, aggravated an injured leg while UCLA was beating Louisville 75-74 in overtime Saturday. "We don't know how the leg will react," said Wooden. The Wildcats, meanwhile, are healthy. They literally bowled their way into the final by roughing up Syracuse 95-79 in Saturday's semifinals. Wooden has gotten some idea of In his last three tourna- HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C (AP) scores and money winnings after Sunments he's had a 63 on one day's final round in the Heritage Classic of the world's toughest golf Golf Tournament on the par-71 Harbour Town Golf Links course: courses a pair of 66s, a 67, N.Y., 69s and Jack Tom Weiskopf, Nicklaus, $22,800 $40,000 66-63-74-68-271 70-65-68-71-274 a couple of 68s, three an unofficial 64 while playing Charles Coody, $14,200 71-69-74-65-279 John Mahaffey, $9,400 70-70-70-70-280 in a foursome with President Bruce Crampton, $7,700 69-70-71-71-281 Ford.

Tom Kite, $7,700 69-68-69-75-281 Mac McLendon, $6,400 73-68-72-69-282 But there's no danger that John Schlee, $5,900 73-70-68-728283 Hale Irwin, $4,800 69-68-72-75-284 his game may have peaked Don January, $4,800 69-70-69-76-284 too soon. Miller Barber, $4,800 72-66-74-72-284 George Archer, $4,800 71-68-76-69-284 "Not going into Augusta," Gary Player, $3,600 71-70-70-74-285 he said. "If anything, it works Tom Watson, $3,600 74-68-72-71-285 Lee Trevino, $3,600 73-67-74-71-285 the other way. If I'd lost, Jerry McGee, $3,200 78-68-68-72-286 feel that my game Pat Fitzsimons, Gilbert, $2,500 74-71-72-70-287 75-70-71-71-287 maybe I'd Gibby had peaked too soon. There's Eddie Pearce, $2,500 72-71-70-74-287 Bud Allin, $2,500 72-70-70-75-287 no such thing as playing too Marty Fleckman, $2,500 74-72-72-69-287 good going into Augusta." Bob Mason Stanton, Rudolph, $1,688 $2,500 75-70-70-73-288 74-71-74-68-287 He appeared to play just as Doug Ford, $1,688 74-70-72-72-288 the dull, Dale Hayes, Palmer, $1,688 $1,688 74-75-71-68-288 75-71-72-70-288 well as need be in Arnold dreary weather that marked Peter Oosterhuis, $1,688 72-69-77-70-288 Kermit Zarley, $1,301 74-76-67-72-289 the final round over the trea- Joe Inman, $1,301 74-76-67-72-289 cherous, Harbour Bob Wynn, McCord, $1,301 $1,301 74-71-71-73-289 76-71-71-71-289 Gary Town Golf Links.

Hubert Green, $1,301 73-71-74-71-289 Rod Funseth, $1,301 72-71-77-69-289 He birdied the 11th after a Al Geiberger, $1,301 75-72-73-69-289 seven-iron shot to within six Rod Curl, $1,030 72-71-73-74-290 Larry Ziegler, $1,030 75-73-69-73-290 or seven feet and Weiskopf bo- George Knudson, $1,030 71-74-74-70-290 geyed the 12th, missing the Jim Lou Colbert, Graham, $880 $880 73-72-76-70-291 71-73-75-72-291 green. That gave Jack a two- Bob Goalby, $880 74-72-70-75-291 Bob Murphy, $880 71-74-77-69-291 stroke margin and it was just a-Jerry Pate 78-71-73-69-291 a matter of finishing. Jerry Heard, $760 75-67-76-74-292 Bob E. Smith, 760 78-72-71-71-292 "I'm disappointed at not Don Iverson, $640 78-68-69-78-293 winning," Weiskopf said, "but Steve Gardner Melnyk, Dickinson, $640 $640 76-72-73-72 78-71-72-72-293 at least I'm glad I could make Chuck Courtney, $640 77-73-71-72-293 out of it." Ray Floyd, $506 $506 74-71-72-77 75-71-75-73-294 --294 a golf tournament Ben Crenshaw, Tom Weiskopf closed with a Ed Sneed, $506 76-72-72-74-294 David Graham, 73-74-74-73-294 par 71 and was second at 274. Forrest Fezler, $506 71-71-79-73-294 the only two in the Mike Hill, $460 73-73-73-76-295 They were Dave Stockton, $460 72-71-76-76-295 chase.

Charles Coody came on Bert Yancey, $460 76-73-75-71-295 Bob Charles, $425 77-72-73-74-296 with a brilliant 65 and took Ken Still, $425 75-70-79-72-296 third at 279, eight shots back. Andy North, $425 69-74-78-75-296 Allen Miller, $425 73-76-76-71-296 Irwin, a two-time winner Dave Marr, $380 76-72-73-76-297 well back Billy Ziobro, $380 75-73-74-75-297 here, was Bob Menne, $380 74-68-81-74-297 75-284. Trevino and Player, Bob Dickson, $380 73-75-74-75-297 Jim 79-69-75-74-297 making his first start in this Bruce Devlin, $345 71-75-73-79-298 country this year, tied at 285. Dan Sikes, $345 79-71-75-74-299 79-71-71-77-298 Terry Wilcox, $325 Trevino had a closing 71, Leonard Thompson, $325 75-72-77-75-299 74. Palmer had a 68, Mark Hayes, $203 79-71-76-74--300 Player Jim Ferree, $203 74-76-73-77-300 his best round of the tourna- Jim Jamieson 71-78-77-74-300 Don Massengale 75-74-79-73-301 ment, and 288.

Roy Pace 80-70-78-73--301 Miller failed to make the Mike Schlueter 75-72-78-81-306 Bruce Flesher 75-75-80-79-309 cut for the final two rounds. Richie Karl 75-75-75-85-310 Jack's Back, Wins Her Heritage HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) Jack's back! He'd been overshadowed in months by the gaudy exploits of Johnny Miller. His long-time role as the game's greatest player had again been challenged. There were hints that his era had passed its peak, that he was on the downgrade.

But Jack Nicklaus suddenly and authoritatively has reasserted his superiority in the game he's dominated for a decade. He's won his last two times out and Miller was in the field each time. And his last victory in the prestigious Heritage Classic Sunday came over an elite invitational field that included almost all of the Masters hopefuls. Among them were Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Tom Weiskopf, Bruce Crampton, Hale Irwin and most of the young stars. And Miller.

He stunned them with a fantastic 63 in Friday's round, gave them life with a 74 Saturday and put them all away with a solid 68 Sunday that completed a tournament record total of 271, 13-underpar. More important, he now goes to Augusta, Ga. and the upcoming Masters at the top of his game, perhaps playing as well as he has in the past 10 years. "My swing pattern is very good, better than it has been in two or three years," said Nicklaus, who annually makes the Masters his first big goal of the season. "Obviously, I'm very very pleased." NEW YORK (AP) If the Milwaukee Bucks can still detect a light at the end of the tunnel, it has to be the rapidly diminishing type which one observes from the rear of a caboose.

"All we've got left is a ray of hope," Bob Dandridge said Sunday after the New York Knickerbockers further dismantled Milwaukee's playoff hopes with a 111-99 National Basketball Association decision. It left the Bucks games behind Detroit in the bidding for a Western Conference playoff berth, and Milwaukee will be completely out of the running if Detroit beats Chicago Wednesday. To make the playoffs, the Bucks have to win all their remaining games and the Detroit Pistons, whom Milwaukee yet faces twice, have to lose their three remaining games. One of the games which Milwaukee would have to win is another duel with the Knicks. "Our only hope is that Chicago beats Detroit," Dandridge said, "but I wouldn't count on Chicago." Star center Kareem Abdul- MILWAUKEE (99) Dandridge 11 2-2 24, Restani 2 0-0 4, Abdul- Jabbar 15 2-2 32.

Brokaw 2-2 16, McGlocklin 3 0-0 6. Davis 1 2-2 4, Thompson 4 3-4 11, Warner 1 0-0 2. Totals 44 11- 12. NEW YORK (111) Bradley 8 0-0 16, Jackson 5 2-2 12, nelli 9 3-3 21, Frazier 8 2-2 18, Monroe 11 2-2 24, Wingo 5 2-2 12, Walk 0 0-0 0, Barnett 4 0-1 8, Davis 0 0-0 0. Totals 50 11-12.

Milwaukee 24 25 20- 99 New York 24 30 29 28-111 Fouled None. Total Milwaukee 16, York 15. 19,694. the mountainous task ahead of him from this reflection by Syracuse Coach Roy Danforth: "It's hard to be quick when you've got a 210-pound guy hanging on your arm." Kentucky, likened by some to a professional team because of its size, will probably start a front line of 6-foot-10 Rick Robey, 6-9 Bob Guyette and 6-5 Kevin Grevey. The Wildcats have pro-size guards in 6-4 Jimmy Dan Conner and 6-3 Mike Flynn.

Hall also has two 6-10 players in reserve, Mike Phillips and Dan Hall, and a few others in the 6-4 to 6-7 range. UCLA's front line is not to be dismissed, with the 6-8 Meyers, 6-6 Marques Johnson and 6-9 Richard Washington, plus 7-1 Ralph Drollinger in reserve. The Bruins backcourt is in the extremely capable hands of Pete Trgovich and Andre McCarter. But their bench hasn't the sock or stock of Hall's Kentucky babes. Coaches Roy Danforth of Syracuse and Denny Crum of Louisville have been put in the position of observers by virtue of their semifinal falls.

Their teams meet in a consolation game prior to the Big One. Writer Dies NEW YORK (AP) Funeral services for Howard Bleier, a former New York and Florida sports writer and sports publicist, were held Sunday. Bleier, 49, died Friday in St. Joseph's Hospital, Yonkers, N.Y., after suffering a heart attack. Jabbar, having said he is bored with Milwaukee culturally and is interested in playing elsewhere, is on the threshhold of his first season without tournament or playoff activity since high school.

"You can't do any more than you are capable of doing," he said. "We have a lot of problems, and when you're not winning, everything minor becomes major." No small problem for Milwaukee, this year and in previous years, is the Madison Square Garden jinx which seemingly prevents Milwaukee from sustaining a lead over the Knicks. Milwaukee has led the Knicks by as much as 18 points with less than six minutes to play, only to get whipped on the Garden court. So it was Sunday. With three minutes remaining i the first half, Milwaukee led by 12 points, 54-42.

Then New York scored 12 unanswered points, and Milwaukee was in an intermission deadlock. The Knicks took the lead in the third quarter. The Bucks managed to stay abreast 87- 87, but after that the Knicks were in command. Abdul-Jabbar converted 15 of his 27 field shots toward a 3 2-point output. Dandridge added 24 and Gary Brokaw 16.

"A few of the guys played well, but they didn't get any help from the rest of us," said Jon McGlocklin, who finished with six points. The Garden defeat marked Milwaukee's sixth loss in the last seven games. "We miss three people from last year," coach Larry Costello said of this year's sagging Bucks. He referred to Lucius Allen, whom the Bucks traded; Curtis Perry, who was lost in an expansion draft, and Oscar Robertson, who retired, sayin Bucks management showed little interest in retaining him. "Now it all depends on what Chicago does with Detroit," Costello said.

Dandridge said it ought to be an interesting game Tuesday too, when Detroit plays in Milwaukee. The Bucks have four games remaining. "We could win them all, but if Chicago doesn't beat Detroit, that's it," McGlocklin said. ADIDAS AS Footwear in All Styles Sizes and OLYMPIA Colors CONVERSE ALL STARS Suede Leather $1695 Gold, Green, Red, Blue CANVAS American Made $1195 DENIS 922-26 Main Street SHOP PARK FREE REAR OF STORE Gregor Mac AP Wirephoto Jack Nicklaus Waits in Rain.