The Montgomery Advertiser from Montgomery, Alabama • 35

Milgomerg wrtiet Journal (J SPORTS BUSINESS TV AMUSEMENTS Sunday Morning, December 2, 1979 Defeese holds, of -Tigers Roy TfflOMAS Advertiser Sparta Edlter 1 4 MS By ROY THOMAS Advertiser Sports Editor BIRMINGHAM If the game had been horseshoes, Auburn would have won hands down. But close doesn't count in football, and for the seventh straight year the Tigers came in second in their annual "Iron Bowl" squabble with Alabama. Auburn threw a scare into the top-ranked Crimson Tide Saturday, charging from an 11-point halftime deficit to an 18-17 fourth-quarter lead before Alabama marched 82 yards to wrap up a 25-18 victory at Legion Field, leaving the 77,918 fans limp. It was the first time in Alabama's 20-game winning streak the Tide had trailed in the fourth quarter and the 15 points tallied by Auburn in the second half was two more than the Tide had given up in the last 30 minutes of its previous 10 games. After senior Steadman Shealy marched the Tide to its go-ahead TD, Auburn got a couple of "leaners" but failed to put any more points on the board against a tough Alabama defense that saved the day.

On the ensuing kickoff, James Brooks came within a whisker of running it all the way back, sprinting 64 yards before freshman Jeremiah Castille hauled him down at the Tide 31. Three plays netted just seven yards, leaving the Tigers 24 yards shy of the Alabama goal. On fourth-and-three, quarterback Charlie Trotman dropped back in the pocket, tore away from onrushing Wayne Hamilton and fired to tight end Mike Locklear. The pass was right on target, splitting a pair of Alabama defenders. The Auburn student section jumped out of its seats, but the senior tight end dropped the ball at the Tide five, apparently killing any hopes the two-touchdown underdogs had of scoring an upset.

However, the Auburn defense, playing its best game of the year, forced a punt moments later and the Tigers took over at the Alabama 49 with 4:55 to play. Trotman kept the drive alive with a third-down, 12-yard pass to Joe Cribbs, but it came down to another fourth-down pass and this one wasn't even close, much to the relief of Sugar Bowl officials, who had already seen one of its expected New Year's Day teams defeated Saturday. The seven-point win sends the Tide to the Sugar Bowl for the third straight year, pitting them against eighth-ranked Arkansas, which had been ticketed for a Cotton Bowl bid until Texas upset of Texas earlier Saturday. The victory also extended Alabama's Southeastern Conference record of consecutive league wins to 23 and wrapped up the Tide's eighth SEC title in nine years. The game started ominously for Auburn, which won the opening toss only to see Alabama kick the ball high and short with the Tide recovering the botched return at the AU 22.

Auburn's defense let it be known right 0 ArivorlUrr-JiHirnnl uhtilu by I'htl ftrarabrouk Tide sandwich: Randy Scott (50) Wayne Hamilton crunch Trotman true with just enough umph, giving the Tigers a short-lived 3-0 lead with 44 seconds left in the first half. Gimpy-kneed Don Jacobs came off the bench to try and get the Tide offense unpacked. He lasted four plays before his knee gave out on him. Shealy came back and completed the 11-play, 80-yard drive that ate up five minutes. The touchdown came on a 28-yard pass from Shealy to senior split end Keith Pugh.

It was a simple out pattern, but cornerback Jerry Beasley was laying back and Pugh broke a tackle at the 12 to dance into the end zone. McElroy kicked it to 7-3. Auburn began flexing its offensive muscle on the next possession, pounding out 49 yards before the Tigers came up two yards short on third-and-seven from the Alabama 40. On fourth-and-two, Tiger Coach Doug Barfield chose to go for a 52-yard field goal. Portela had the angle, but not the distance, giving Alabama the ball at the 35.

From there, Shealy needed 10 plays to negotiate 65 yards. He got the TD himself on a one-yard plunge. McElroy's PAT made it 14-3 with 2:42 left before the half. The biggest gainer in the drive was a 15-yard personal foul penalty. With Alabama to receive the second half kickoff, folks were settling back in their seats to watch the Tide settle matters early.

However, on the first play after the second half kickoff, Shealy fumbled and Ken Hardy recovered at the Alabama 21. DKFKNSK, iibk IIC away that it had plugged up some of the holes in the "Swiss cheese," forcing Alabama back to the 30, where the Tide punted on fourth down rather than try a 47-yard field goal. Alabama missed another golden scoring opportunity on its next moving down to the Auburn six before a bad pitchout lost 10 yards. So, on fourth-and-goal from the 12, Alan McElroy attempted a 30-yard field goal, but it was wide right. The Tigers took over at their 20 after the missed field goal and moved to the Alabama 12 on the strength of a 35-yard run by Joe Cribbs and a penalty for a late hit.

However, two plays lost three yards and on third-and-13 Brian Atkins was called for offensive pass interference, a 15-yard walkoff plus loss of down. Jorge Portela was sent in to try a 47-yard field goal and the senior sidewinder drilled it A had nothing to be ashamed of BIRMINGHAM The Auburn players filed off the field Saturday with their heads down, some with tears streaming down their face. A kid rushed over to ask Ken Hardy if the senior defensive end would give him his chin strap. "Just leave me alone," said emotion-choked Hardy after the Tigers had just lost a heartbreaking game to Alabama, 25-18. Not many minutes later, tight end Mike Locklear wondered into the locker room zombielike, tears streaming down his face.

He blamed himself for the loss after dropping an apparent touchdown pass late in the game with the Tide clinging to its seven-point margin of victory. But Auburn had nothing to be ashamed of. It had just played what many had called the best of Alabama's great football teams off its feet. This was a Tiger team that has fought adversity all its life and just when it looked like the suffering of the last four years was going to pay off, the Tide rose up to prove it was national championship material with a game-winning 82-yard touchdown march. Told that his underdog Tigers had given the defending national champions all they wanted, Auburn Coach Doug Barfield told newsmen, "We were only interested in giving them more than' they wanted." For those people who believe in moral victories, Auburn just might have scored one Saturday.

No one really thought Auburn could beat Alabama but the players and coaches themselves. Auburn, ranked No. 14 in the country before the game, was a 15-point underdog. The difference, as was expected it would be, was an Alabama defense that was ranked No. 1 in the country in total defense, pass defense and scoring Auburn had chances to put the game away in the third period when the defense got the ball for the Tigers at the Alabama 21, 28 and 36, plus stopping the Tide at the AU 12, all on fumble recoveries.

The defense gave up 394 yards, but it played a whale of a football game, by far its best effort of the year. The Tigers had a good defensive game plan despite the fact Alabama put together scoring drives of 80, 65 and 82 yards. Deserving champ' "We weren't intimidated by anybody," said Barfield. "Our offense sputtered at but in the face of a great defense that's expected. "Alabama is a deserving champion.

They showed their true colors by driving for the winning touchdown. I'm sure they were a little tight over there on the sideline. "By that I mean they were the favorites. It was nip-and-tuck. On one play we could have tied it, won or lost it on one play." Asked if he would have gone for two if James Brooks hadn't been tackled on the kickoff return following the Tide's final TD, or if Locklear had caught the pass, Barfield said, "We would have gone for two.

We already had a play picked out. I couldn't have lived with these guys if I had gone for one." Alabama lost four fumbles in the third period that let the Tigers back in the game. The Tide has lost 16 fumbles this year, eight of them in two games. You can look at that one of two ways. Either Alabama handled the ball poorly or the miscues were a direct result of outstanding Auburn defensive plays.

"I don't believe the word is fumble," said quarterback Steadman Shealy. "We got the ball knocked loose a lot today." "The defense did a great job," said Barfield. "We changed up a lot, tried everything known to man. It was a good plan, I thought, against a good offense." One particular defense that gave Alabama some problems was when the Tigers took out their safety to insert an extra lineman. 'Two eyelashes' "We came within two eyelashes of winning It," said Barfield.

"Brooks on the kickoff and Locklear on the pass came close, but those things happen in close games like this. "This Is a game of ifs and today there were a lot of ifs." Auburn played a great game, but you've got to give Alabama some credit, which Barfield did. Obviously, the difference in the game was the Tide's defense in the third quarter when it gave up only three points after Auburn took over at the Alabama 21 and 28 and its 42 on the first three possessions in the second half. Trailing for the first time in the fourth quarter since the third game of last year, Alabama did what it had to do to win the game. That is the mark of a great team.

"I think we showed today that we're about ready to play anybody in the country on a given Saturday," said Barfield, beat some of them, too." This Alabama-Auburn meeting, the 44th renewal of the "Iron Bowl" was one of the most Important spectator-wise in the series, which Alabama leads 26-17-1. There was more of a demand for tickets than ever before. Folks paid as much as $100 for tickets that originally sold for $10.00. The attendance was announced at 77,618, but the actual paid attendance was 75,513. The flag flew at half mast Saturday In honor of Sgt.

Gene Ballard, a Birmingham' policeman who was killed during a bank holdup here Friday. A hot souvenir item Saturday was "Plow, Bear, Plow" bumper stickers. That was about the only thing hot Saturday at Legion Field except the coffee. It was 48 degrees at kickoff with wind 10 miles per hour out of the west. Nobody cared about the cold, though.

This was Alabama and Auburn. A win meant braggin' rights for year. TTwod 'ttW Backyard basketball game gives Yankees nightmare over Montgomery's Oscar Gamble ,6 I about 15 games out of first place in the American League East Division. Gamble was hitting .335 when he joined them and raised that average to .358. He hit 11 homers in the 36 games he played for New York, raising his season total to 19, closing out, perhaps, his best total offensive season in his 11-year major league career.

In addition to the .358 batting average (his first time ever over .300) and 19 homers, he drove in 64 runs, hit ten doubles and a triple, stole two bases, scored 48 runs, walked 50 times and struck out only 28 times. "When I cot traded from Texas to New By BOB MAYES Advertiser Sports Writer It was just a little backyard basketball game, but for the New York Yankees it could have been another off-the-field nightmare. Oscar Gamble had organized a two-on-two pickup game on the goal behind his house in the fashionable Arrowhead subdivision last dangerous about that, right? Right until Gamble went up to block a shot aid came down with a broken left collarbone. "i went up to block the shot and I went over the guy's back and landed on my left shoulder," Gamble related Friday. "I broke the collarbone.

It's going to be in a cast another week or so, but the doctors, both here in Montgomery and the Yankee doctors in New York, don't think there's going to be anything that will damage my career. "I'm supposed to go back to the doctor next week. Right now, they want me to take a few weeks off, but they said there shouldn't be any problem in my making a full recovery. It is going to leave a little knot, but it should be okay by the time spring training starts." The Yankees right now must be keeping their fingers crossed. Ace relief pitcher Rich Gossage was sidelined for about eight weeks early last season when engaging in horseplay with Cliff Johnson, who has since been traded to Cleveland.

Later in the season in fact, one day after Gamble was acquired from the Texas Rangers Yankee catcher Thurman Munson was killed while engaging in his hobby: flying his own jet. By that time the Yankees were already was used primarily as a left-handed designated hitter and spare outfielder by Billy Martin. With Dick Hoswer replacing the fired-once-again Martin and with his Impressive 1979 statistics, Gamble expects to see a lot more playing time in 1980. "I hit almost .390 after coming to the Yankees," Gamble pointed out. "I think they're going to give me a chance to play this spring.

They've got to if I can keep hitting like I did last season, and I think I am capable of doing that. "Howser is a good baseball man and I think he'll be good for the Yankees. I thought Billy and Reggie (Jackson) were getting along very well last year. But (Yankee owner George) Stelnbrenner said that if Billy got into any more trouble he'd fire him and that's just what he did. I'm not really surprised." As usual, the Yankees have been wheeling and dealing players during the off-season.

First baseman Chris Chambliss and pitcher Jim Beattie are among those traded; catcher Rick Cerone, inflelder Eric Soderholm, outfielder Rupert Jones and pitcher Tom Underwood among those traded for; pitcher Rudy May and first baseman-designated hitter Bob Watson those acquired as free agents. "Last year was the first time since 1975 the Yankees haven't been in the playoffs and Stelnbrenner isn't going to take that sitting down," said Gamble. "He has gone out and gotten himself a lot more good players. We needed a catcher and Stelnbrenner went out and got one. We needed a center fielder and more hitting and pitching depth, and that's what Stelnbrenner got out and got.

"I think we're the team to beat in the Eastern Division. There are a lot of good PCT Id I mV rl I) till V-iJ II fcr. ll II ftmA ill Vjj a i Tun fcirnrrifriif 'm nw York, frankly, I was disappointed," said Gamble, who will turn 30 Dec. 20. "I had just bought a house in Texas and it meant I was going to have to go to New York and live out of a hotel for the rest of the season.

"We were only a game or two out in the West Division when I was with Texas. But when I got traded to the Yankees, I went to a team that was already out of the pennant race. You hate to get traded out of a pennant race. "I wasn't really expecting a trade because I was leading the team in hitting. I was hitting the ball better than I ever had.

But when the Rangers dealt for (Mickey) Riven they had that mix-up and I wound up going over." Gamble, who had suffered a broken foot, sidelining him for about a month earlier in the season, was officially traded on a Wednesday. Munson died the next day at the Akron-Canton, airport and Gamble joined the team at Yankee Stadium Friday before a game against the Baltimore Orioles. "I think Munson'i death affected everybody on the team, myself included," said Gamble. "I knew Munson, of course, from the first time I played for the Yankees (in 1976) and he was quite a competitor. "It was really different coming into the lockerroom that day.

I was new to the team again, and everybody was sad; there wasn't very much said. For the guys who had been there all season It was a very emotionally trying time." In Gamble's first stint with the Yankees, he hit .232 with 17 home runs in 110 games. He More sports: Scoreboard page 2C NBA roundup page 3C College basketball pages 4C-5C College football pages 6C, 8C Tee Time page 9C Boxing page 9C More pages 2C, IOC, 11C Prep playoffs page 12C teams in the division, but I think that with all the talent we've got, we've got to be considered the team to. beat. "It's a lot more fun to be In the playoffs than to be way out of it like were last year.

I think next October we'll be back in the playoffs where we belong. "I'm enjoying the off-season and the rest, but I'll be ready to play when spring training gets here." City's Oscar Gamble daring Padre' day i.