Lansing State Journal from Lansing, Michigan • Page 89

Ohio State Picked to" Grab Big 10 Laurels Bob Hoernyr Illinois is still suffering from some poor recruiting years due to their NCAA probation from the scandal there two years ago. Most of the Illini hopes are being carried by quarterback Bob Naponic, a boy who has had three knee operations. That" risky business. Was Indiana's 1967 team a fluke? That's the question that See OHIO STATE, Page H-7, Col. 2 U-M May Move Up It's time to stick out my neck and pick the Big Ten football winner.

There's a lot of talk about the conference being much stronger this fall than a year ago. This may be true, but I'm not so sure about it Ifs difficult for me to see how Purdue 8-2), Indiana (9-1) and Minnesota (8-2) can better their combined records. Because they play each other, there will be three losses for sure and I can't see how Indiana and Minnesota can keep their 1967 pace. The three bottom teams Northwestern, Iowa and Wisconsin won only four games last year, three of them by Northwestern. As bad as their 1967 record was, it may be difficult for these teams to greatly improve the mark.

Michigan, Illinois Same as '67? Michigan and Illinois both finished at 4-6. The eight victories for the two schools could be about par again. Best chalice for improvement, I think, is at Ohio State (6-3) and Michigan State (3-7). Ohio State could add a victory or two, and State could do the same. These added decisions would about equal the number of victories Indiana and Minnesota probably will drop.

Wisconsin, winless last year under new coach Johnny Coatta, has bolstered its ranks with junior college transfers. Under the Big Ten rules, which do not allow junior college transfers to work during the spring drills, it is most difficult to use two-year players. The Badgers will have the "home" advantage of the only synthetic field, but that shouldn't be enough to make them a title contender. Wildcats Have Tough Card Alex Agase at Northwestern is a great and one of the top coaches in the league. But, he doesn't have enough good football players to meet his demanding schedule the toughest in the nation.

He opens against Miami and then must meet South-em Cal, Purdue, Notre Dame and Ohio State. That's too much, Scratch Iowa, Wisconsin and Northwestern. Michigan, Illinois and Indiana are teams that could win the championship, but I don't think any one of them will. Michigan could be the surprise. It has Denny Brown at quarterback and halfback Ron Johnson, both proven standouts.

Except for one year, when it won the title in 1964, the Wolverines have been a middle-of-the-pack team for more than a decade. It looks like more of the same. ii'mii I i li II mini I lifili I I So, with this theory, the Big Ten's victory total should be about the same as last year. Now, let's attempt to pick out a champion from the ten teams. Let's start by eliminating some that do not appear to have a chance that is, unless there's another Indiana in the crowd.

Iowa is loaded with sophomores, and it doesn't have enough good, experienced players to balance the books. The Hawks have won only one conference game in two years under Hay Nagel. Unless Iowa is the 1968 "Indiana," the Hawks could finish last again. LANSING EAST LANSING. MICHIGAN Sept.

15, 1968 SECTION Typical Tiger Finish Tops A's Fans Chant: 'We Want Denny' McLain Reaches Historic 30th Win Jackson's first homer was off a good pitch. The second was a terrible pitch. I thought I pitched a good ball game. "No, I didn't think we were going to lose. I always think I'm going to win.

And when we came to bat in the ninth I half expected it, especially the way this club is. And then when Al got One out later, Mickey Stanley singled and Jim Northrup followed with a bouncer to first, Danny Cater fired home wild, letting the tying run score and Willie Horton followed with a line drive over the left fielder's head that won it. DETROIT (AP) After winning his 30th game Saturday, Denny McLain was blinking at exploding flash bulbs and trying to contend with rapid-fire questions in the Detroit dressing room when Sandy Koufax grabbed his attention. The former left-handed great of the Los Angeles Dodgers, now an announcer, yelled to McLain: "No one's left the ball park. They're screaming out there for you." "I'll go." said McLain.

"I want to go." "Wait until we get some protection," cautioned a Detroit official, and McLain complied. Then he made his way through the mob scene in the dressing room and back through the dugout to step on the field and acknowledge the wildly cheering fans who still were massed in the stands awaiting one more look at baseball's latest hero. At the same time, more police had to be called to hold back a large group of strong-voiced youths who pounded on the Detroit dressing room and yelled over and over again, "We want Denny. We want Denny." While that noise echoed through the dressing room. McLain finally admitted that he had been under pressure in the three days prior to his bid to become the first 30-game winner in the majors since Dizzy Dean in 1934.

"It's been on my mind the last couple of days," he said, although previously he had denied he had been giving it too much thought. "With all the business I vas handling I really didn't have too much time to think but then it just would pop into my head." "It really built up right from the beginning of the game," he continued. "There was a great amount just trying to keep up close after we fell behind." "But you probably could feel it too. The people out there went crazy when we won it and so did And maybe that may have been the most accurate appraisal of how McLain really felt throughout the pressure-packed week in which the 24-year-old right hander disclaimed any pressure and spent most of his time talking about his organ rehearsals. He came to the ball park just a little over two hours before he was scheduled to pitch and said his activities Saturday morning, and the night before, had just about been routine.

He gave the impression he was either completely relaxed or had managed to keep his feelings completely hidden. Close Look at McLain (See Family Living Magazine) "I was sitting next to Denny on the bench when Horton hit it," Kaline said. "He jumped up like he didn't believe it fend raced out there to get at Horton." What were his feelings at the time? "It's hard to describe," said McLain, who very often jhas a sharp reply for almost anything. He thought a moment and then, in somewhat of a departure for him, answered in a somewhat mundane way: "I guess I got goose bumps and everything." And then he had gone out to pitch, eventually falling behind 4-3 on Reggie Jackson's second homer before Al Kaline drew a walk and started off a ninth-inning rally that proved decisive. "I had plenty of stuff," McLain.

"I made only one bad pitch. DETROIT OAKLAND ab bl ab bi Dizzy and Denny Two-of-a-Kind? 0 1 1 MAulifle 3b Cmpneris 55 5 0IO 5 12 0 4 10 0 5 1 2 1 4 12 3 4 0 10 Stanley cf 4 12 0 Northrup rf 3 0 0 0 WHorton If 4 2 2 3 CasH lb 3 0 10 4 0 0 0 Frechan Monday cl Cater lb Bando 3b RJackson rf DGreen 2b Kcoush II Gosger If Duncan Dcbson Aker Lindblad 3 0 0 0 MatchicK ss 4 0 10 0 0 0 0 Wert 3b 2 0 0 0 2 10 0 GBrown pn i 1 0 0 0 Trcewskl 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 McLain 10 0 0 oooo Kaline pn i Donaldsn ph 0 0 0 0 Seoul iooo Total 30 4 6 4 Total 34 5 4 One out when winning run scored. 0 111 SCO 4 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 2 Oakland Detroit Matchick. Bando. Cater.

DP Drtroit I. LOB Oakland 2. Detroit 10. HR-RJackson 2 (2E). Cash (21).

McLain, Bando. Donaldson. IP PER BB SO Dobson 3 2-3 4 3 3 2 4 Akcr 0 0 0 0 1 0 Lindblad 1-3 0 0 0 0 1 5e9ul (L.5-5) 4 1-3 5 2 1 2 1 McLain (W.30-5) 6 4 4 1 10 WP-Aker. 3:00. A 33.688.

jr Tiger Magic 1 Denny McLain Mobbed by Teammates After Registering His 30th Victory of the Season Saturday 4 Nodouble Captures Michigan Mile Pennant Number inx Halts Damascus a i yj- (Any combination of this many Detroit victories and Baltimore defeats.) N'odouble's time was 1:49 flat as it won by lengths. Damascus, winner of 21 of 29 previous starts, and his stable- mate, Hedcvar, from Mrs. Edith W. Bancroft's farm, were jammed in among horses going around the first turn. Damascus looked like a beaten horse turning into the stretch but turned on enough speed to catch Misty Run at the wire.

Tiger Pitching Ace Gets Warm Congratulations From Dizzy Dean DETROIT (AP) The graveyard of champions the Michigan Mile and One-Eighth proved too much Saturday for the great Damascus. The millionaire horse finished second to 3-year-old No-double in the $123,300 race. Damascus joined 19 other favorites who have failed to win the race. Beau Prince in 1962 was the only favorite ever to win the 20-year-old classic at Detroit Race Course. Finishing in a photo with Damascus was Misty Run, owned by Mrs.

Anne Ford's Water-milk Farms. Nodouble paid $37.20, $5.40 $2.60 across the board for a $2 ticket. Damascus returned $2.40 and $2.20 and Misty Run paid $4.60. Purdue Selected By Scribes Fumbling First-String Rips MSU's Reserves Horton's Hit Ends Thriller Nationally top-ranked Purdue has another worry today. Coach Jack Mollenkophf's Boilermakers were heavy favorites to win the Big Ten title in a linski at fullback and Charley Wedemeyer at flanker in the backfield.

This is the unit that probably will open the season Saturday. Al Brenner and Frank Fore Wilt Martin and Gary Nowak, soph ends; Rick Benedict of East Lansing, Charley Bailey, Ken Little, Rich Saul, Mike See MSU, Pg. H-4, Col 6 man were at the ends, Dave VanEIst and Craig Wycinsky at the guards, Don Baird and Ron Saul at the guards and Ed McLoud at center. Starting on defense were poll of midwestern sportswriters who just completed their 15th annual Skywriters tour. Of the 36 writers on the tour, 28 picked Purdue to win the title DETROIT (AP) Denny McLain won his 30th game as Detroit rallied for two runs in the last of the ninth inning and a 5-4 victory over the Oakland Athletics Saturday.

The victory cut Detroit's magic number for clinching the American League pennant to four and made McLain the first 30-game winner in the majors in 34 years. Two home runs by Reggie Jackson left McLain on the short end of a 4-3 score as the Tigers came to bat in the ninth. Al Kaline batted for McLain, who allowed six hits, and walked. After Dick McAuliffe fouled out, Mickey Stanley singled to center and Kaline raced to third. Then, with the infield drawn in, Jim Northrup bounced to first baseman Danny Cater.

Kaline broke for the plate and Ca- it shared with Indiana and Minnesota last fall. Six picked Purdue second and two placed the 'iy yVMflf'0v Boilermakers third. Only three other teams re ceived first-place votes. Ohio Professional Houston 24, Miami 10 (AFL1 Minnesota 47, Atlanta 7 (NFL) College STATE Alma 17. Rhifftnn Ohio State had four, Minnesota three and Michigan picked up one.

Michigan State was picked jbp i mum v. Eastern Michigan 4a, Morningsidt. Iowa More McLain Stories (See Page H-6) sixth, behind Ohio State, Minnesota, Indiana and Michigan. MSU had five votes for fourth, seven for fifth, 20 for sixth, two for seventh and one for eighht. In previous polls for the group, it picked the correct winner only jr, y.

ft. By BOB HOERNER State Journal Sports Editor Coach Duffy Daugherty had mixed emotions after watching his Michigan State football team go through its final head-to-head contact scrimmage before Saturday's season opener. "We made a lot of stupid mistakes," he said immediately a er the game-type workout which started at 11 a.m. "But I think they are correctable mistakes. "But, if a few of our young players come through big," he continued, "we can be an explosive team." Although fumbling about seven times during the workout, the first-string Green team overpowered the Whites, 51-0.

The White defensive unit was basically Daugherty's No. 2 defense. The White offense was mostly sophomores and freshmen. "If we fumble like that against Syracuse, we'll hand them two or three touchdowns. We just can't give the ball away like we did today and hope to beat a good team and a good team like Syracuse." The Spartans will now head into their regular-season work schedule and probably will not have any more "team" scrimmages the remainder of the season.

Starting on the Green attack unit were Bill Feraco at quarter, sophomore Tommy Love at tailback, seniors Dick Ber- iwice in 14 seasons. Michigan had the widest span, receiving one first-place vote and one for last place. The Wol verines had votes for every posi tion but ninth. Purdue received 350 points based on 10 points for first, nine for second, etc. Other totals were i 16 Northern Michigan 63, Northwood 0 Albicn 24, Carthage 7 Western Michigan 20, Arkansas State 0 Ashland, Ohio, 34, Adrian 15 Franklin 28, Hope 13 East West Virginia Stats 13, West Virginia Indiana, 17, Delaware State 0 Clarion 21, Mansfield, 13.

Westminster, 35, Slippery Rock 12 Fairmont 41, Waynesburg 14 Gettysburg 10, Hofstra 10 (ti) Maryland Stata 28, Lock Haven, Pa. 6 South North Carolina State 10, Wake Forest 6 Morehead, 7. Marshall 7 (tie) Bluefield State 33, Concord 32 Milisaps 22, Henderson State 14 Georgia 17, Tennessee 17 (tie) Midwest Nebraska 13, Wyoming 10 Iowa State 28, Buffalo 10 Drake 30, Northern Arizona 14. Dayton 24, Kent State 10 Minikin 28, Elmhurst 6 Akron 32, Butler 7 Oshkosh 22, Lacrosse 7 Whitewater 27, Stevens Pelnt 7 Carroll 24, Milton 20 St. Joseph's, Ind.

35, North Park, III. 21 Norhern Illinois 40, Ball State 20 Colorado College 7, Black Hills, S.D., 0 Indiana State 23, Eastern Illinois 0 St. Cloud 7, St. John's, 0 Hamline 36, Bethel 7 Minnesota-Duluth, 36, Moorhead 26 Weber State 27, South Dakota State 12 Youngstown, Chic 13, Gustavus Adol-phus 14 Youngstown, Ohio, 18, Gustavus Adolphis 14 FAR WEST Utah State 28, New Mexico State 12 Idaho State 52, Portland State 30 ter's high throw sailed over catcher Dave Duncan's head, allowing the tying run to score. With the outfield drawn in, Willie Horton lifted a long drive that soared over the head of left fielder Jim Gosger and Stanley scored the winning run.

McLain raced from the dugout with the rest of the Tigers to embrace Horton. McLain, who became the first pitcher to win 30 games since Dizzy Dean did it in 1934, was rocked early by the A's but allowed only two hits over the last five innings and struck out 10. Jackson's first homer a two-run shot in the fourth snapped a scoreless tie but the Tigers came right back to take the lead on Norm Cash's three-run homer in the bottom half of the inning. The A's tied it against McLain in the fifth when Duncan walked, moved to second on a sacrifice and scored on Bert Cam-paneris' single. Then Jackson, who had thrown a runner out at the plate in the third, tagged McLain for his second homer of the game and 28th of the season in the sixth, giving the A's lead they held until the ninth.

McLain is the 13th major league pitcher to win 30 games See HORTON Pg. H-6, Col. 3 Ohio State 312, Minnesota 280, Indiana 246, Michigan 221, Michigan State 192, Illinois 140, Iowa 93, Northwestern 89, and Wiscon sin 57. Bob Hoerner, The State Journal's representative on the tour, was one of the four who picked Ohio State. He had Purdue second followed by Minnesota, Michigan State, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, North HOPEFUL SPARTANS Michigan State will use several sophomores in starting positions this fall.

Three outstanding first-year backs are quarterbacks Bill Triplett (left) and Scooter Longmire (right). The pair has been pushing senior Bill Feraco for the No. 1 signal-calling spot. Longmire will miss the opener because of a broken bone in his hand. Tommy Love (center) has earned the No.

1 tailback spot and will be State's chief ball carrier. (State Journal Photo) western and Iowa..