The Times Herald from Port Huron, Michigan • Page 7

TIMES HERALD SECTION Coming Friday: Catch the latest news in Friday's Times Herald about the Detroit Lions as they prepare for their exhibition game against the Kansas City Chiefs INSIDE: BASEBALL: Welch earns 21st win2B REC SOFTBALL: Complete summaries4 NFL: Packers, QB close to deal6B Friday at the Pontiac Silverdome. THURSDAY, AUG. 23, 1990 lciir pirotfide punch Duo powers Tigers by Angels I M-irf irn.f'llll BRIAN MARSHALL DETROIT (AP) One year ago, Travis Fryman was playing shortstop for the London Knights of the Double-A Eastern League, and Cecil Fielder was playing first base for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan. Wednesday, Fryman and Fielder combined to help the Detroit Tigers take a 7-4 victory against the California Angels at Tiger Stadium. Fielder went 2-2 with three runs batted in, and Fryman had two hits, including his sixth career homer.

Fryman scored four runs, a career high. Jack Morris (11-15) got the win and Jerry Don GLeaton got his eighth save for Detroit, while Chuck Finley (16-6) took the loss. Fryman, a rookie, is hitting .320 after being called up from Triple-A in mid-season. Fryman had hit .257 with 10 homers at Toledo after hitting .265 with nine homers during the 1989 season at London. "It hasn't been easy," Fryman said.

"I'm trying to make myself a more disciplined hitter. I have to take more pitches, but stay aggressive. Guys like Alan Please see TIGERS, Page 2, this section Th Associated Prsss Detroit's Travis Fryman, right, heads for home after hitting a solo home run off California's Chuck Finley, left. Th Associated Prsss Detroit's Cecil Fielder watches his sacrifice fly during the Tigers' 7-4 win against California Wednesday at Tiger Stadium. (2 Job sfiBS tip TODAY IN SPORTS Wilson takes good with bad in minors' stint Tom Wilson is discovering the "other side" of professional baseball.

While major league pitchers with .500 records can just about name their salary on the open market, Wilson is among the much larger group of minor league hurlers who get by on less than $1,000 a month. Money isn't the only difference between the big leaguers and the thousands of willing young men who can only for now dream of playing in "The Show." In the majors, everything is first class. Hotels are posh, travel is comfortable. Minor leaguers have to sratch for everything they get. The meal money is suited to a burger-and-fries diet, some of the hotels have hot water in the showers and the mode of travel never leaves the ground.

The minor leagues have done more for the Greyhound bus company than rush hour. Wilson, a Port Huron High graduate, is in his second season in the New York Mets' farm system. Last season was virtually wiped out by a bout with appendicitis, so this is the first i Hi 'i qui aotr Peete, Gagliano battling for spot PONTIAC (AP) Detroit Coach Wayne Fontes says it's still undecided who will be the starting quarterback for the season-opener Sept. 9 against Tampa Bay. Fontes announced Wednesday that second-year veteran Rodney Peete, who led Detroit to victories in the first two exhibition games, will be the starter in Friday night's game against Kansas City at the Silverdome.

"Rodney will be the starter but that doesn't mean he's going to be the quarterback for the opener," Fontes said after the morning workout. "He looks good but I want him to be more consistent. s' r. -111 Tt" 0 J' 1 -ajii summer Wilson has been exposed to the unique lifestyle. Wilson, pitching for the Class A Pittsfield (Mass.) Mets, was fresh off a six-hour bus ride from Hamilton, Tom Wilson The word for our offense is consistency." Fontes said he may name the starting quarterback for the opener after playing the Chiefs.

"I may do that so the pressure if off," he said. 1 Rodney Peete Tlmas Harald RALPH W. POLOVICH Port Huron Northern's Sarah Chapman prepares to return a volley as doubles partner Keely Baribeau waits at the net. The No. 1 doubles team topped its Rochester foes Wednesday during the Huskies' seasoning-opening win at Sanborn Park.

For openers, Northern sweeps foes Ontario when I caught up to him. "Sometimes we have 14-day trips," Wilson said. "It takes a lot out of you. You try to put up with it by listening to the radio, reading a book." Before anyone gets the idea Wilson was bemoaning the travel and his circumstances, think again. He knows exactly where he wants to be.

"It's fun," he said. "You see a lot of country. There are a lot of nice mountains. It's all part of baseball, really." Part of baseball. Take the good with the bad.

It's the only outlook a minor leaguer especially one as young as Wilson's 20 years can have and still keep the faith. Not heavily recruited out of high school, Wilson is a million miles away from the major leagues. He's got a shot, but he knows it's a long one. Pitching for the middle of the Mets' three Class A teams, the right-hander is 3-3 with an ERA of about 4.75. Not numbers that will make Mets officials bill him as the next Dwight Gooden, but he's not getting embarrassed, either.

"It's a learning experience this year," Wilson said. "(The coaches) said I'm not too far off from where I should be. I've had ups and downs, but they're pleased with what I'm doing." This was a very good start for us and hopefully we can go on from here. It was a total team effort, but what I'm most happy about is the consistency in our lineup from top to bottom." Al Wright Tennis coach, PH Northern "I may walk in the locker room and say 'Gentlemen, the starting quarterback against Tampa Bay is Peete, who won the starting job as a rookie but missed eight games with injuries, would like to see a starter named this week. "I think it's better that way," Peete said.

"It gives you more time to prepare yourself and get yourself focused in on what you have to do. "I've approached training camp, every practice and every preseason game like I'm going to be the guy." Peete is trying to avoid the hoopla surrounding the race for the starter's job. With top draft choice Andre Ware still unsigned, the other contenders for the job are Bob Gagliano and rookie free agent Erik Kramer. "As far as the race between me and Bob and Erik, that's up to Coach Fontes and Mouse (Davis)," Peete said, referring to Detroit's quarterback and receivers coach. "I still have to go out and play well.

I played well in the first two games and I have to go out and do it again." fourth singles, respectively. Lozen rallied for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 decision against Rochester. "I'm pretty disappointed that the girl from Trenton didn't come up to play Lesley," Wright said. "It would be been a great match and a real test for Lesley. She needs that right now because I really feel she's one of the better players in the state." Rochester provided Northern its stiffest challenge in the three doubles flights.

The No. 1 doubles team of Sarah Chapman and Keely Baribeau defeated the Rochester squad 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, while juniors Shelly Collins and Krista Deegan claimed a 7-6 (7-3 tiebreaker), 6-4 victory at No. 2 doubles. Sophomore Katie Gostinger and Nicole Boyea, a freshman, rallied for a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 decision against Rochester. "I was pleased with the way the girls played today," Wright said.

"You never know what to expect on the first day and when you have people playing with different doubles partners. "This shows our girls were involved in tennis all summer." By JIM WHYMER Senior Sports Writer The Port Huron Northern girls' tennis team started out the 1990 prep season in the Blue Water Area Wednesday afternoon with a clean sweep in its own tournament. The Huskies captured first place in all seven flights for 21 points to easily win the four-team tournament, which was played on the Sanborn Park tennis courts. Rochester finished second with 13 points, while Fraser had five and Trenton, three. Northern host another tournament Friday with Grand Blanc, Grosse Pointe North and Bloomfield Hills Lahser competing.

"This was a very good start for us and hopefully we can go on from here," Northern Coach Al Wright said. "It was a total team effort, but what I'm most happy about is the consistency in our lineup from top to bottom." Junior Lesley Hubbell, the Huskies' No. 1 singles player, was expected to battle a Trenton player for first. The girl, however, passed up to the trip to Port Huron to participate in a national junior tournament. Hubbell lost just three games in the three matches.

Sunita Zacharias, the only senior on the Northern squad, won all three of her matches at No. 2 singles. Burnsy McNamee and Megan Lozen picked up first-place medals at third and The biggest adjustment for In Wilson has been the work load. Lions want another shot at Nabozney's Holtz denies widespread use of steroids at ND his senior year at Port Huron High, he threw about 60 innings. This season, he's nearing 100.

"My arm's feeling tired," Wilson said. "I started out real well, then they put me in the bullpen. It took a toll on my arm. I wasn't used to throwing day after day. I need to strengthen my arm." Wilson also is learning there is more to pitching than just throwing his hardest.

Wilson's season will be over in two weeks. He'll return to Port Huron, attend St. Clair County Community College and work out. And allow himself occasional dreams of leaving buses behind for jumbo jets. 27 issue of Sports Illustrated.

In the story, former Irish center Steve Huffman claimed that Holtz "had to have known" about the alleged steroid use. He also said "almost half the let-termen at Notre Dame used steroids at some time" and that two unidentified assistant coaches suggested that he take the muscle-building drug to get Please see HOLTZ, Page 6, this section SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -Notre Dame revealed Wednesday that five football players have tested positive for steroids since 1987, but Coach Lou Holtz denied a report that the drug was widely used by his players. "I think I've done everything I can to deter the use of drugs, both street drugs as well as steroids," Holtz said at a news conference called by ND to respond to allegations in the Aug. The winner will meet Nabozney's, the undefeated winner's bracket champion, at 7 p.m.

in the Class A championship game. While the Lions still have to get past Pete Gates, the urge to think about a shot at formidable Nabozney's was too much to resist. "We'd like to have another chance at 'em," said Lions pitcher Sheila Fleckenstein. "It's common knowledge Nabozney's is the best Please see LIONS, Page 4, this section By BRIAN MARSHALL Times Herald The Port Huron Lions can be excused if they look ahead a bit to a possible showdown with Nabozney's in the women's Class A American League slow-pitch playoffs. The Lions have reached the finals of the losers' bracket after beating Zebra Bar 9-6 Wednesday.

The Lions meet Pete Gates Roofing at 6 p.m. today at Pine Grove Park in the loser's bracket final. A s- Lou Holtz Brian Marshall Is a Times Herald sportswritor. This column contains his personal opinions..