The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • 65

A Win For Mother Nature i Dichi inson ytyiy rj, y'i ft Big Boost For Tampa By BILL BUCHALTER Aulllaitf iMrti Idllw TAMPA Pamell nirklnsnn' 5' CV'w. Srr'y' MiVV, short-lived Insertion into the Tarn-oa Bay startina lineun mav hav 4 OH, DIDN'T IT RAIN! Cards' Ike Harris lands In mud after grabbing pass, being hit by Washington's Joe Lavender 'Skins Splash Past St. Louis, 20-10 blocking of tight end Jean Fugett and running back John Riggins for a touchdown, putting the Redskins ahead 13-10. On the ensuing series, the CARDINAL! REDiKINf IS Flrtt Down, If 32-100 Rutlm-rards Jf-IIJ 104 Paulnt Yardt It Rtturn Yard, 1MM Paim H-I MM t-l PumblM-LMt 4-1 1-40 Panaltiw-Yard HI now are tied with the Cardinals for second place at 5-2. "THIS IS probably the first time we've played totally together," said Washington Coach George Allen, winner of nine of 10 Monday night games since coming to the Redskins.

"We had to play that way to win." The Redskins gained the advantage early in the fourth quarter when Cardinals' running back Terry a 1 fumbled and the ball was recovered by Washington defensive end Dennis Johnson on the St. Louis seven with 10:38 remaining. On the next play, Mike Thomas, the 1975 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, ran to his left behind the WASHINGTON Washington 20, Mother Nature 13, St. Louis 10. A two-day rain, pelting at times in the first half, caused 13 fumbles, one shy of a National Football League record, in waterlogged RFK Stadium Monday night when the Redskins scored a 20-10 victory over the Cardinals In a nationally televised game.

The Cardinals lost eight of their nine fumbles, in addition to suffering two interceptions, as the Redskins moved into strong contention in the race for the National Conference East title. The Dallas Cowboys, the East leader with a 6-1 record, visit the nation's capital Sunday to meet the Redskins, who shoes weighed 10 pounds apiece at that point." The Cardinals still had plenty of time left, despite the 10-point deficit. However, quarterback Jim Hart's pass was intercepted by middle linebacker Harold McLinton, ending one series, and Met-calf fumbled for the fourth time in the game at the Redskins one, ending another. "EVEN AFTER the punt return, we still figured we were in the game," said Hart. "If we score at the end and then force a mistake, we can take the game into overtime." Cardinals Coach Don Coryell said simply: "This time last year we were 5-2.

Now, we're 5-2. So we're still not out of it." Cardinals were forced to punt. Terry Joyce kicked the ball 35 yards, and Eddie Brown took It on the Washington 29, raced up the middle, then cut to the right sideline, scoring on a 71-yard play. "WE JUST made the play up on the sidelines," said Brown. "We haven't run a return up the middle all year, haven't even practiced it.

But their coverage called for It." Brown picked up blocks from Doug Winslow and Pete Wysocki, but also highstepped out of the reach of Steve Neils, Jerry Latin and Steve Jones before making it into the end zone. "I was really getting tired," he said. "The last 10 yards were the hardest. My 17 1 110 14-10 It. Loull Waihmglon been the shot-in-the-passing arm the Bucs needed.

Even Coach John McKay was smiling Monday and bubbling over with optimism in the wake of Sunday's 23-20 loss to Miami. For McKay, the 346 yards of offense generated and three touch-down passes from Dickinson and Steve Spurrier all to Morris Owens had to be encouraging. "We are just a better football team," McKay said. "I'm delighted our team didn't panic when they got down. It's good they thought they could win and they could have.

"You know everybody thought the Seattle loss would turn us around but I didn't think so. Our players are positive right now. Some are thinking of success in terms of two years from now. It's my job to convince them our program and timetable is the right one. But they are a good practice team.

They have done everything we have asked and this is the right start." DICKINSON'S FAST start Sunday his direction of a 74-yard scoring drive and his precision passing was a major reason for the optimism. "I thought he played very well while he was in there," said McKay, puffing on his cigar. "He's getting definite things to do and being told to do these things has helped him. He's just more disciplined now. He understands that if he does these things, he can do better." Dickinson's Improvement will be slowed momentarily.

He was sidelined indefinitely with a sprained ankle and foot when Miami's Nick Buoniconti pinned him to the sideline a yard shy of a first down on the Bucs' second offensive series. Before departing Dickinson was four-for-four for 51 yards and a TD passing and 21 yards rushing in three carries. More importantly for the Bucs' attack, Dickinson's play seemed to inspire the entire offensive unit In general, Steve Spurrier in particular. Spurrier came off the bench in the second half to throw his first two TD passes of the year. "Spurrier had a very good game," McKay said with a twinkle.

"But you know, I've always believed if a quarterback sits there and looks at what they're doing on the field and is intelligent, he can go in and do a good job. "DON HEINRICH used to start for the old Giants with Charlie Connerly watching. And when Waterfield (Bob) and Van Brock-lin (Norm) were the Rams' quarterbacks, no matter who (Continued On Page 5-C, Col. I) WASH FO MoMliy 14 WASH FO MoMlay II ITL Cain I put from Hart (BakktR kick) ITL-FO Bakkm WASH Thomas I run (Motalay kick) WASH Brown II punt rtlurn (MoMlay kick) INDIVIDUAL LEADERS RUSHINO It. Loull.

Olit n-Sl, Mttcalf 10-35. Jonat HI Waihlntton. Thomat 24-M. Rigqlns 1-14. RECEIVING it.

Loull, Jonat S-M, Harris 4-77, Cam is. Waihlntton, L. Brow 1-20, FuMtt J-19, R.ok.ni 1-11. PASSING II. Loull, Hart 17-114, ill Yarrtt.

Waihinaton, Thoiimann S-12-4V Hi Kilmar 4-4-1, 2S. McYmi Takes Over As Coach OS Giants Seven Losses Too Many, Arnsparger Gets Ax we felt John had a lot of experience as coach," Robustelli said. "He was respected. His record speaks for itself." ikntintl A Orlando, Florida SECTION from Robustelli and told them: "There are' three things I have now that I will continue to have my family, my God and my ability." He then shook hands with the writers, left camp with his wife, Betty, and told Robustelli he did not wish to accept any further calls. McVay, 45, was In his first year as an assistant with the Giants after spending l'2 seasons as head coach of the Memphis Southmen of the World Football League.

He joined the Giants this year along with his Memphis defensive coordinator, Jay Fry, and five of his 'Southmen players, including Larry Csonka. "We looked around the staff and said Robustelli. "We feel that Arnsparger left us in a much better position in every, department than when he came here and that would include personnel, organization, offseason conditioning and approach to the draft. "Everything was improved except our record." Arnsparger took over In 1974 and the Giants finished a miserable 2-12; in 1975, Arnsparger coached the Giants to a 5-9 record. He Won just two of 19 games against opponents in the Giants' division, the NFC East, and in his 2'2 seasons he never beat the same team twice.

ARNSPARGER said his goodbyes to the team's regular writers after getting the word said "the players should be even more embarrassed." He said "The coaches can't catch the football for people. Maybe we don't have players good enough to win." ROBUSTELLI said he wanted to meet with the club's owner, Wellington Mara, and review the films of the loss before making any decision as to the future of Arnsparger, who was in the final year of his three-year contract. Robustelli informed Arnsparger of the club's decision shortly after he arrived at the club's training base Monday afternoon. "It was our feeling we had reached a critical point and we did not want to lose what we had accomplished up to this point," PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. (UPI) Andy Robustelli spent all day Sunday defending Bill Arnsparger after the New York Giants dropped their seventh straight game.

On Monday he fired him. Robustelli, the Giants' Director of Operations, relieved Arnsparger of his duties as head coach and replaced him with one of his assistants, John McVay, in an attempt to salvage something from a season that has seen the Giants lose all seven of their starts. After the seventh loss, a 27-0 humiliation at the hands of Pitts burgh, Robustelli admitted to the media that he was embarrassed by his team's performance but Sports CLASSIFIED Jerry Dolphins Real Losers Greene Afe. intrastate win Death Of Babe's Wife A Loss To Baseball NEW YORK (IP) She never hit a home run or pitched a shutout. But Mrs.

Babe Ruth was much a part of the New York baseball scene throughout the last 25 years as her husband was when he was alive. Claire Ruth died of cancer Monday at the age of 76, With her went a link to baseball's glorious past and to its most memorable figure. Since the Babe's death in 1948, also of cancer, Claire Ruth was a steady contributor to the sport. Every year she appeared at the Yankees' Old Timers' Day and the fans would welcome her with a standing ovation. Mrs.

Ruth also carried on the Babe's memory through tha Babe Ruth Baseball League for youngsters and the Babe Ruth birthplace in Baltimore. She kept memorabilia of her husband's accomplishments in her Manhattan apartment. "SHE WAS devoted to her husband through all these years," said Bob Fishel, an American League official and former vice president of the Yankees. "Her life still revolved around his memory and his achievements. The Babe was her life when they were living together and even after he died." In addition to her work is preserving the memory of baseball's greatest slugger, Mrs.

Ruth was active in charitable organizations, particularly the American Cancer Society. Mrs. Ruth had been ill for some time, but she still appeared at the 1976 Yankees' Old Timers Game. As always, she was greeted warmly by the fans, many of whom were too young to remember Ruth. Mrs.

Ruth, the Babe's second wife, is survived by a daughter from a previous marriage, Julia Ruth Stevens of Conway, N. an adopted daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Ruth Pirone of Durham, and five grandchildren. Funeral arrangements were still pending. remember the greatest single play of his career.

It was the 1971 AFC Championship game against Baltimore when Anderson intercepted a pass at the exact same spot on the 38 and zig-zagged 62 yards for the winning TD behind six perfectly thrown blocks. It was the play that put Miami into the first of it's three straight Super Bowls. Sunday's play was a parody of Anderson's interception against Baltimore just as the current Dolphins have become a parody of themselves. "It was like the days of old," said Anderson long after the game to some friends in the dressing room. "We had the opposition in a pressure situation." THE DIFFERENCE, of course, was the opposition.

Miami should never have been forced to put Tampa Bay in a pressure situation. The Dolphins should have just blown the Bucs off the field. But they didn't. Maybe they couldn't. "We used to thrive on these situations," added Anderson, the smile fading from his face.

Just then, a nude Don Shula splashed by on his way from the flooding shower room. "Hey, Dick," said the Dolphin coach, "I could have intercepted that one." "He could have," agreed Anderson, "even on his slowest day." At least it was nice to see Shula grin about something. Thirty minutes earlier, he had grimly told his team "We won and that's all you can say about it." (Continued On Page 4-C, Col. 1) The problem with writing about football games is their subjectivity. A crowd of 61,437 squeezed itself inside Tampa Stadium on "Florida Citrus Day" Sunday to see a professional football game.

The majority were for their expanding Tampa Bay Bucs, but a large minority stood by the Miami Dolphins. It was a terrible football game. The fans loved it. The fans loved it because it was close. Miami, in danger of losing its fourth straight game, had to call on Garo Yepremian to salvage victory with a 29-yard field goal 55 seconds before the clock stopped.

The Dolphin fans were happy because their team won. The Buc fans were happy with a "moral victory;" whatever that means. Even the Buc players were fairly satisfied with an almost-win. Everybody was happy except the winners. EVEN AFTER Yepremian's kick, Miami was in danger of being the first team to ever lose to Tampa Bay in a real game.

(The Bucs' pseudo-win over Atlanta in preseason play doesn't count.) Miami wasn't out of the woods until Bucs third-string quarterback, Steve What's His Name, threw a ball gently and directly into the hands of reactivated safety Dick Anderson. Anderson, back after an 18-month absence due to knee surgery, grabbed the errant pass and ran around from his 38 to the Buc 30 with the help of a clip. While Anderson was doing his jig, Dolphin fans had to AP, UPI Polls Agree: Oklahoma Falls To 13th, Michigan Still No. 1 that every week you play a team that you know you've got to 'play as hard as you can to even be in the ball game." some in and play a Big Eight schedule." "Like Maryland," said Oklahoma State Coach Jim Stanley, whose Cowboys jumped to 16th on AP Poll week and Buckeyes are eighth. "BECAUSE of the next four weeks several of us are going to be knocked out," Onofrio said.

"Somebody has got to win and somebody has got to lose, and we're going to have some awfully good football teams not rated as high as they should be." "When I look and see teams that are ranked ahead of Big Eight teams," said Bill Mallory of Colorado, 16th on UPI and 19th on AP, "I think. 'There's no I just don't think we're given credit for a heck of a league. I'd love to see some of those teams THE BIG Eight has produced four national champions since 1970 and landed five teams in this week's top 20 on both polls Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Colorado, Nebraska and Missouri, all with 2-1 conference records. "We probably have five teams right now who are as good as any team in the top 10," said Al Onofrio, whose Missouri Tigers whipped Nebraska last Saturday 34-24 to take over 10th and shove the i 1 third-ranked Cornhupkt rs to ninth. Missouri beat Southern Cal and Ohio State earlier this year, but the Trojans are rated fourth this By tontintl liar SorvkM Big Eight football coaches say they're tired of beating up on each other week after week while lesser teams with cleaner won-loss records rise above them in the national ratings.

But they also agreed there's nothing they can do about it. "I look around the country and see other people's schedules, and who they play," said Barry Switzer, whose Oklahoma team lost Sanurday to Oklahoma State and tumbled to 13th place on the Associated Press and United Press International Polls. "And it's frustrating to know AP and 15th on UPI this week by beating Oklahoma. "Maryland doesn't have a good team on its schedule, and they're rated real high (fifth). They would have a hard time in the Big Eight." "IT IS tough," said Tom Osborne of Nebraska.

"I think we are gaining ground as people around the country are beginning to recognize the Big Eight Is a tough league. But they still have to look at the won-lost record and of coure that makes it hard to be ranked high nationally." Meanwhile, Michigan retained the top spot in this week's ratings. T-M 7 J-1-0 7-O-B s-n 4- 1-0 H-1 H-l 5- H-B 51-0 111 4-1-1 1-1-1 HO S20 4- 1-0 5- 1-0 VIM 1,050 444 707 70S 411 401 47S 140 11 107 240 ISO 01 II 25 11 UPI Poll 1. Michltan (Ml (74) I. Pittsburgh (3) (7-0) I.

UCLA (I) (4-0-1) 4. Southern California (5-1) 5. Maryland (7-0) 4. Tech (5-0) 7. Georoia (4-1) 0.

Ohio Star (5-1-1) 0. Nebraska (S 1-1) 10. Missouri (5-2) II. Notre Dame (1-1) 12. Florida (5-1) 11.

Oklahoma (5-1-1) 14. Arkansas (4-1) 15. Oklahoma State (4-1) 14. Colorado (4-1) 17. Texas (l-M) II.

(tie) Alabama (5-1) 10. (tie) Boston Colleee (5-1) 10. (tit) Cincinnati (4-0) 1. Mlchlaan (S3) Pltttburfh M) 1. UCLA 4.

Southern California I. Maryland t. Taai Tack O) 7. Georaia I. Ohio SUtO 0.

Nebraska 10. Minaurl II. Notra Damt 12. Florida 11. Oklahoma 14.

Arkaniat 15. Tonal Oklahoma Itatt 17. Alabama 10. Misiiiiippl Itato It. Colorado 20.

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