The Morning Call from Allentown, Pennsylvania • 21

THE MORNING CALL. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19. 1991 C5 The Bird is still the word for some baseball fans would like to make his farm "more elaborate," he said his attitude -toward baseball is most refreshing in these days of economic one-ups manship. i This is And he says, 'Yeah, great, but let's throw the Fifteen years after he reported to his first big-league camp en route to Rookie of the Year honors, Fidrych remains in awe of his surroundings. He was standing in a corner of a Manhattan restaurant operated by a former Tigers teammate, Rusty Staub, as a representative of the Heroes of Baseball series sponsored by the Upper Deck card company.

It is an updated version of the former Equitable Old-Timers series that will visit 24 major-league parks in the course of the season. Fidrych was joined by Hall of Famers Harmon Killebrew and Gaylord Perry as well as Reggie Jackson, Joe Black, Joe Garagiola and Staub. "I probably get as much excitement out of this," he said, surveying the room, "as Roger Clem-' ens got out of his contract." Terms of the latter, as officials of the Mets and other clubs have been made painfully aware, call for the Red Sox ace to receive $21,521 million over four years starting in 1992. While Fidrych certainly wouldn't decline the money he By JOE GERGEN Of Newsday Every so often, accompanied by a request for an autograph, there arrives in the mail another graphic reminder of the child-like delight at the core of the Mark Fidrych phenomenon. It is a well-preserved copy of a magazine cover.

The issue, from Sports Illustrated, is dated June 5, 1977. In the foreground, Fidrych is winding up to throw a baseball with his right arm. Behind him, the character from which he derived his nickname is preparing to wing it from the left side. The former pitcher smiles at the memory. His daughter squeals at the juxtaposition.

Jessica Fidrych never saw her father pitch in the American League but, to a 3 year-old, the sight would pale in comparison to teaming with an eight-foot, feathered friend from television. "She sits there," the man noted, "and says, 'Daddy Big Bird Daddy Big Bird." Once upon a time, the two soared in the imagination. One of Mike Wismer sees career at an early crossroads Continued From Page C1 "So I told hitting instructor Von Joshua that I could play the infield, too. They had me take some groundballs and I did okay; and when I went to camp in the spring, they moved me in." It didn't take long for him to be noticed. "Wismer early hit at third; Dodgers might have another stick-out third baseman on their hands," boasted a pre season headline last spring in Dodgers Dugout, an independent fan magazine.

Another such publication, the statistics-based Baby Blue, noted Wismer was "one of those kind that shows up and plays much better than anyone was led to believe he could if that his play in Montana and Arizona wasn't just one of those things, he has a chance." "My first year I just wanted to go out and have some fun, and see what I could do," Wismer admit "How could I be bitter?" he said. "I had such a great time. It was short but great. A lot of my friends never made it out of the minors. I got what I wanted." Few players have commanded so much attention for such a short time on stage.

He looked odd, a stick figure with a Harpo Marx crown on his head. He cheered the fielders behind him, bent down to smooth the dirt with his hand and talked to the baseball. And he threw what Reggie Jackson called "an electric slider" that bit the corner at the knees again and again. But perhaps what endeared him most to the public was that he played a kids' game with the energy of a child, that he approached each situation as if for the first time, that he never lost the sense of wonder that casts everything in the brightest possible light. "1 remember at the All-Star Game (in Philadelphia) doing a 360 on the mound," said Fidrych, the starting pitcher for the American League that night.

"There are 70,000 people and I'm thinking if I don't pitch, there's no game. Finally, Thurman Munson comes out and I say, 'Thurman, check this out. couldn't clear my Knee, and teams would throw me inside. I kept moving off the plate, but nothing seemed to help. I just couldn't do anything it was so disappointing." And while he struggled on the field, he was forced to cope with the frustration of inactivity.

"I started doubting my ability, which I had never done before," Wismer said. "And for the first time I started to regret going to the field on certain days. I have a temper so as it is, and this really frustrated me. In August, Dr. Frank Jobe, the team surgeon who saved Tommy John's career with his now-famous "bionic arm" operation, removed a tendon and shaved the bones around the injured knee.

"It was really a relief to have it done, because then I knew what the problem was last year, and thought it had been corrected," Wismer said. Jackson, 28, is also a running back with the Los Angeles Raiders and just finished the fourth season of a five-year football contract worth $7.4 million. Jackson, limited to 111 games because of injuries, hit .272 last year for Kansas City with 28 home funs and 78 RBIs. He was hurt again in the NFL playoffs, injuring his right hip in the Raiders' 20-10 second-round victory over Cincinnati on Jan. 13.

He was named to the Pro Bowl team but was unable to play in the Feb. 3 game because of the injury. "The Injury, in non-technical terms, is a soft-tissue injury," Robinson said. "It is not considered serious. There was no bone or liga- Both teams geared up for an exciting second period.

The Blackhawks took a 3-2 lead after Dirk Graham's power-play goal with 8:09 remaining. Graham scored his 15th goal of the season by skating to the far side of the left circle. His narrow angle shot went through Presley's screen on Wregget. The Spectrum crowd exploded with 4:27 in the period when Toc Maintenance I Tune-Up Sixers activate Hoppen The Associated Press The Philadelphia 76ers released guard Tony Harris and activated center Dave Hop-pen from the injured list yesterday. Harris appeared in six games with the 76ers, scoring 10 points.

Hoppen missed eight games since being placed on the injured list Jan. 28 with a lower back strain. Rodney Monroe and Chris Corchiani, North Carolina State's outstanding guard tandem, are among 14 players who will participate in the Orlando All-Star Classic, a week-long event for seniors hoping to be chosen in the NBA draft Pat Williams, general manager of the Orlando Magic, said the other players who have accepted so far are Victor Alexander of Iowa State, Anthony Av-ent of Seton Hall, Darrin Chancellor of Southern Mississippi, Dale Davis of Clemson, Chad Gallagher of Creighton, Keith Hughes of Rutgers, Rich King of Nebraska, Kevin Lynch of Minnesota, Mark Macon of Temple, Doug Overton of La Salle, Mark Randall of Kansas and Shaun Vandiver of Colorado. The tournament will be held from April 8-13. Reds center fielder Eric Davis, criticized in the past for missing games with injuries, says his goals for 1991 include playing in at least 1 50 games.

Davis has played an average of 1 31 games per year during his five full major-league seasons, with a high of 135 in 1 988. He has been dogged by injuries each year. Critics have said that Davis lacks durability, but he says the injuries result from his all-out style of play. "I always look forward to playing as many games as i can, and, knock wood, maybe this will be the year I stay injury-free," he said. "I don't know if I can do more than I've done before, but I'll do everything I can to make it happen." Las Vegas oddsmakers say they won't list odds for unbeaten Tommy Morrison bouts until his managers match him up with opponents who are competitive.

Morrison's scheduled bout tonight against Pinklon Thomas mostly yawns, and oddsmakers are ignoring the event at Kemper Arena. Morrison is expected to easily earn his 26th consecutive victory. "The fight's a joke," said Herb Lambeck, oddsmaker at LeRoy's Horse Sports Place. "It shouldn't even be sanctioned, don't know if you have an athletic commission there, but it's a farce." Only one oddsmaker so far has listed the fight. Jimmy Va-carro, operator of the sports book at the Mirage, listed Morrison as a 50-1 favorite, but said "not a penny" had been bet on the match by Sunday night.

Mike Keenan, coach and general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks, and Montreal Canadians GM Serge Savard will combine to run Team Cana- da in the 1 991 Canada Cup, tournament organizer Alan Eag-leson said yesterday. Keenan coached Team Canada to the 1987 Canada Cup title and will be behind the bench again this fall. Team USA will be co-managed by Craig Patrick, general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Bob Pulford, a former Chicago Blackhawks GM who now is the club's senior vice-president St Louis Blues right wing Brett Hull, who had five goals and four assists in three games, yesterday was named NHL player of the week. Theoren Fleury of Calgary, who had five goals and three assists in three games, and Ron Francis of Hartford, who produced three goals and five assists in three games, also were considered for the weekly honor. Reserve forward Mark Bryant of Portland sustained a broken bone in his right foot during Sunday night's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Trail Blazers' trainer Mike Shimensky said X-rays showed a fracture of the fifth metatarsal. Pirates may be looking to trade a star the few regrets Fidrych allows himself is that he never appeared on "Sesame Street." "I really wanted to," he said with the enthusiasm for which he was celebrated. Alas, not long after that issue of SI appeared on newsstands, the Tigers' hurler, called The Bird for his curly locks, angular frame and nesting instincts on the mound, delivered a fateful pitch in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium. "The arm just went dead," he recalled the other day. "There was no sharp pain, nothing like that." One year earlier, as a rookie, he had won 19 games, led the American League in earned run average and created a sensation wherever he pitched.

The rotator-cuff injury limited him to six victories in 1977. He would add only four before retiring three years later. Under similar circumstances, another player might have been embittered. There was so much to accomplish, so much money to be made in what was then the start of the free-agent era. Fidrych shook his head at the possibility.

ted. "But last year, I started taking it a little more serious, and start thinking about making it to Dou-ble-A." However, he suffered a hyperex-tension of his right knee while sliding in an early-season game, then struggled while trying to play hurt. His average hovered around the .180 mark through the first month, then slowly rose to .208 by mid-May. The Dodgers finally placed him on the disabled list. He returned to action in late July, finishing a disappointing year with a .198 average, no homers and only six extra-base bits in 187 at-bats.

"Every now and then I'd play okay for a few games, and I thought I was over it," Wismer recalled. "But then my knee would start hurting again, and there wasn't anything I could do. "I'm a lefty hitter with power, and getting hurt really took that away from me," he said. "I ning his case, I was sure that would put me over the hump." Bonilla said he would negotiate during the season, but isn't sure the team would. "They have so many rules," he said.

"They wouldn't talk to me during last season. But if they are sincere and serious about signing, sure. The door is definitely open. If they want to go up, they can go up. They can keep me or let me go." The last Pirate in arbitration is second baseman Jose Lind, who is scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday.

Lind, who made $270,000 last year, is asking for $950,000 while the Pirates offered $575,000. Philadelphia made it 2-0 with 8:24 remaining in the period on another power play goal as Eklund was open in the right circle for a cross-ice pass from Gord Murphy. Eklund carried from the top of the circle right in on Belfour to rip the rookie. The Flyers were remarkably efficient on the first two power plays, scoring on two of two shots. On their next power play, they got an amazing five shots on Belfour but couldn't convert.

They hadn't scored two power-play goals in the same period since a Nov. 27 win at the Islanders and hadn't done it at the Spectrum since a Nov. 23 win over Toronto. The Blackhawks erased then-goose egg with 5:20 remaining in the period when Steve Thomas broke for a loose puck off the face-off to the right of Wregget. Mike Hudson took the faceoff for Chicago, but Wayne Presley tapped it through and Thomas had all kinds of time as his point-blank turnaround shot easily solved Wregget.

Just 2:06 later, Jeremy Roen-ick tied the game. He notched his 31st goal of the year, banging in a short side deflection on Doug Wilson's shot from the left point. SPECIAL During February All Bowling Banquets Booked During February 4431 Easton Avenue Bethlehem, PA 18017 691-7777 LOUNGE RESTAURANT BANQUET FACILITIES Accommodates Groups to 500 fv fc 15 Ironically, Clemens suffered an injury similar to that of Fidrych almost a decade later but was able to continue pitching after arthroscopic surgery. Such a procedure was n't available to The Bird during his playing days. After the injury, he was barely able to raise his right arm above his head until he underwent the operation in 1986.

Now he can throw without pain and with enough zip to have drawn interest from the Senior League when it opened for business two years ago. "They offered me $6,000," he said. "I make $8,000 a month with my truck." Fidrych is neither independently wealthy nor desperate for assistance. He has the farm in Northboro, and the 10-wheeler with which he hauls asphalt and gravel for local contractors. He always had a fascination for engines, so for Fidrych, the truck is returning to "something I always liked: getting dirty." tle old for a baseball prospect.

I've been looking forward to having a full year, but now I don't quite know what to expect." "My goal has always been to make the majors, and certainly with the money getting tossed around nowadays, it's even that much more of an incentive to stick with it. But I have thought about what comes next." That could include going back to school. "I didn't take it seriously the first time; I was only there to play ball, and now I regret it," he said. "I think I have the potential to do well in school. I would just have to put in the time." He added that those plans, how-: ever, are hopefully a last resort.

"Gary Murphy a former major-league pitcher and currently the pitching coach at Villanova told me to keep playing until they take the uniform of your back, because you never know what's going to happen," said Wismer. "And that's just what I plan to do." Zumas asking for $1.02 million. Cleveland offered $800,000. In settlements, Cleveland right-hander Eric King agreed to $1.45 million, a $995,000 raise; Chi-. cago outfielder Dan Pasqua agreed to $800,000, a $425,000 raise, and Atlanta outfielder Oddibe McDowell agreed to $925,000, a $235,000 raise.

Also, the New York Mets said they would issue a statement within a day or two on the team's negotiations with Dwight Gooden and Frank Viola. Gooden has said that if he does not get a contract extension by Friday that approximates Roger. Clemens' $21.5 million, four-year deal with Boston, he will be- come a free agent following the season. "The Mets will make their posi tion known and we'll go from there," said Gooden's agent, Jim Neader'. second period was a big lift for us because I don't think we've come back from being down at the end of the second period," Holmgren said, The Flyers are 0-19-1 in that situation, but 8-6-1 when the score is tied after two periods.

"Going in tied, we felt confident." 7 BATTERS 2225 mm ALLENTCWN Phone Open Dally 8 to 5 437-4961 Saturday 8 to 12 Goodrich A Lifesaver AW uuiaidiiuiuy mneage dependable all-weather handling, white sidewall styling. If P15580R13 P16580R13 P17580R13 P18580R13 P18575R14 P19575R14 P20570R14 P20575R14 P20575R15 P21575R15 P22575R15 P23575R15 39.95 42.95 43.95 44.95 46.95 49.95 52.95 51.95 52.95 54.95 57.95 61.95 J23575R15XL 64.95 alto arefiaiMe West Ini Sdes Service 2748 Waibert Ave. AHerrtowm 433-281 Top Speed JUt9 5374 Hamilton Blvd. WescosvWa 331-ma tsz a i Continued From Page G1 situation, only confused. "Last year they didp't negotiate at all," he said, citing the Pirates refusal to compromise before negotiation.

"This year they waited until seven days before the hearing to make their multiyear offer. It wasn't enough time to make the right decisions." Bonilla is eligible for free agency after this season and Bonds is eligible following the 1992 season. Bonilla is interested in what other team's may offer, but part of him wants to stay in Pittsburgh. "I'm in my sixth year and there are a lot of possibilities," Bonilla said. "I thought with Doug win Flyers find the needed fire in 3rd period However, optimism eventually gave way to uncertainty when the pain returned over the winter, necessitating a second trip to California in late January.

He returned with a clean bill of health. "Dr. Jobe said I was probably doing too much during my rehab," said Wismer, who for the second straight year has been asked to report with the Dodger major-leaguers. "He just told me to take it easy for a few weeks. Now it feels fine, and I'm really excited about getting started." Wismer admitted his uncertain medical status has altered his own personal timetable.

He also said it's going to take more than this to pull the plug on his dreams although for perhaps the first time in his life, he has given serious thought to life out of the uniform. "I had wanted to move up a level each year. But I'll be 23 in April, and to be honest, that's a lit ment damage." Jackson's settlement was 64 percent of the difference between the $2.7 million he sought and the $1.8, million Kansas City offered. When he lost last year, he had asked for $1,900,001. Three other players settled yesterday and two had hearings, leaving 11 remaining in arbitration.

Milwaukee second baseman Jim Gantner had the first hearing in Brewers' history. He asked arbitrator Daniel Collins for $2 million, while the team offered $1 million. Outfielder Cory Snyder went before first-time arbitrator Nicholas chet knotted the game with his 38th goal of the season, giving him 200 for his career. "Two hundred career goals," he asked rhetorically. "When I first came here, my goal was 200 penalty The power play goal came as Eklund centered Tocchet from the right circle.

Tocchet took the shot from the slot in stride: "The power play goal late in the Oil. Change Lube Filter I Includes UptoSqts. 10W-3OOH Lubricate Chassis 1 Replace Oil Filter Lubricate Chassis Replace Oil Filter Check air pressure sJ lOponnUIOS fjpires 3291 Computerized Car Care1 0 1 BETHLEHEM 1831 Stefko Blvd. 866-08 1 6 IM Continued From Page C1 hawks and rookie goalie sensation Ed Belfour the last two times out by 5-3 scores. Belfour (33-16-4) leads the NHL in wins and goals against (2.45 before yesterday) and is tied for the lead in shutouts with three.

The big talk, though, was on Flyers' goalie Ken Wregget, who was making his first NHL start since a Jan. 5, loss to the Islanders. Wregget improved to 9-8 on the season in his first full 60-min-ute game since Nov. 1. "I really didn't feel comfortable all day," said Wregget, who is a frequent target of trade rumors.

"I was glad to get in there, and I tried to play with what I had." Wregget stopped 24 shots during the Presidents Day matinee in front of a sellout crowd of 17,382. "As far as showcasing me," he said of the March 9 trade deadline, "I don't know. It felt different getting back in there. "I was really nervous. I was having trouble sleeping knowing I was about to go in against a team that is a few points from the top of the league." The Flyers jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a pair of power-play goals, but just as quickly saw the lead evaporate at the end of the first period.

The first Philadelphia goal came on the second shot of the game as Ricci chalked up his 17th score of the season. It came on a perfect behind-the-net feed from Eklund, whose pass to the front of the crease beat two Blackhawks. "I'd say he's back," Holmgren volunteered of Eklund. On Saturday. Holmgren said Eklund looked sluggish in a loss to the Devils.

"He was the best player on ice today." Just as the goal light was flashing 6:11 into the game, Tocchet and the Blackhawks' Dave Manson decided to do the NHL's version of a sweetheart's dance and were assessed a pair of five-minute majors for fighting. i $500 OFF i I Includes: I Includes: I Spark plugs, adjustments and 28 1 point engine analysis. 12 Spark plugs, adjustments and 28 1 point engine analysis. 12 mi. warranty.

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