The Indianapolis News from Indianapolis, Indiana • 24

fagii 24 viav vv THE INDIAN A I'D LIS NEWS 01 I SETTS! in 11 oes fie, Not VZslh it Cash I hat --'Si "Haven't I always supported USAC?" A.J. then drove, and crashed, In the USAC stock car race at Texas World Speedway near his Houston home. A couple of days later it was announced he would not run at Milwaukee. He said he had the flu and was tired. Foyt has entered the Firecracker 400 NASCAR race scheduled for July 4 at Daytona International Speedway in Florida.

He has won the Firecracker twice and the Daytona 500 once so he will be seeking his fourth victory on that track also. Foyt complained about the Pocono track sending out a press release that he would race since his car was entered. "Don't assume nuthin'," he reportedly told track officials. What it amounts to is that Citicorp is sponsoring a national patch-wearing contest. When Citicorp came in last summer it was announced that the New York banking organization was sponsoring the USAC driving championship.

Gordon Johncock accepted the first cup and check at the annual USAC awards banquet In January. Never was it mentioned that wearing a patch and also carrying a decal on the car were mandatory. There is no USAC rule to this effect. A USAC spokesman says Foyt signed a waiver prior to the 500. However, Foyt apparently Is so upset over the situation he entered his Coyote at Pocono without listing himself as the driver.

By DICK MITTMAN A. J. Foyt may win the United States Auto Club national driving championship for the seventh time this year, but he won't receive the $120,000 that supposedly goes with it. Foyt didn't wear the Citicorp Cup patch when he won his fourth Indianapolis 500-Mile Race three weeks ago and the sponsor didn't give him the 1,000 points he earned for winning the race. But USAC did.

So Foyt tops the current USAC standings leading Into Sunday's Pocono 500, but, like Eoger Maris, there's an asterisk beside his name. It indicates that although he has 1.640 points, he has accumulated only 640 in the bid for the Citicorp cash. The car and the crew, Including his father, Tony, arrived at the track today but A.J. is not expected before, possibly, the weekend. It appears likely someone else will qualify the car.

The driver hasn't been named. "Damned if I know," said the USAC representative. "I would say it is 50-50 now. He may get Vuky to run." Bill Vukovich Is entered as teammate with Gary Bettenhausen In the Grant Agajanian cars after driving Foyt's backup machine at Indianapolis. After driving in the first three races and winning the Ontario 200 in March, Foyt did not show up at Trenton, the traditional pre-Indianapolis warmup.

Asked after his 500 victory if he intended to support the rest of the USAC Championship Trail, he replied: A Sunday Driver SP0RTS Billy Martin acknowledges Detroit fans' cheers. AP. Billy's Battle Not Over Yet? Ml TIME OUT! a lot of shots on Open courses, which obviously are more difficult than the regular tour courses." "What happened to Gary Player?" Rosburg asked Tom, who did play one round with the little South African. "He was playing his irons super, but his drivers were just a little off line." A third interested party chirped up to ask about Jack Nicklaus, the favorite who finished at 285, seven shots off the pace? "Jack just didn't drive the ball either," said Weiskopf, his former Ohio State teammate. Nicklaus earlier had said that he couldn't play well off Bermuda grass fairways.

Sure enough, hi; putting wasn't all that bad. Speaking of putting, Carmel's Don Padgett had 28 putts in his sizzling 68 and an unbelieveable 38 putts in his 74 in Round 2. Actually, there's no one phase of the game which is much more importnnt Prior to last night's televised game between the Yankees and Tigers Detroit (not seen in Indianapolis) -Howard Cosell put it straight to Mar-" tin: how did he feel about remaining' as manager with a ball club whose owner he knew wanted him out? Mar. tin's expression spoke volumes. "It isn't the most pleasant he said.

i. Paul was right on target in respect, though, when he said "a lot 'l of attention was given a certain dent the other day." He didn't bother identifying the "certain i i which of course was The Big Boston 1 Blowup between Jackson and Marthtj last Saturday. Most of those who witnessed the-episode on their television screeits last Saturday were utterly fascinated at the rare spectacle of a manager looking to bounce a few line driv.es. off one of his players in public view Last night Martin wore-the smfle of a man who had just escaped deaih and the look of one who knows just how close a call it had been. It was a relieved Martin who faced reporters after Mark Fidrych of the Detroit Tigers tumbled his team.

to its fourth straight loss with a three-hit, 2-1 victory. 'Wasn't that a nice ovation?" be: asked, noting the standing ovation trait fans gave the former Tiger man- ager when he brought out the lineup card. "It came at a great time, when1 I really needed it." DELCO Buy three Delco Big-D Shock Absorbers at our everyday low Get the Fourth for Compare Delco Big-D Shock Absorbers to any other! Big IV'diameter smooth out rough roads. You'll feel the difference! mm Want Kaat Now ja-MBimimnjf i i' i jfa iaaaiaaaaaaaatf' iainiM By MILT RICHMAN NEW YORK (LTD Billy Martin isn't out of the woods yet. He wasn't officially pardoned, only reprieved, and nobody realizes that any better than him.

He also knows his reprieve could be as temporary as a week or a few days and that were it not for the fact club president Gabe Paul saved him from being fired for the second time in less than six weeks, he would have been gone because that was the way owner George Steinbrenner wanted it to be before Paul persuaded him otherwise. You really want to know how far the firing of Billy Martin had progressed? This is how far: the Yankees already had given another American League club permission to talk with Martin about hiring him as Weir manager. Let Paul try to deny that. He snouldn't because if he docs, he'll never get to heaven that way. Paul tried to make it sound as if Monday night's meeting in Detroit, attended by Steinbrenner, Martin, Reggie Jackson and was merely to get things "straightened out" and had nothing to do with Martin's imminent dismissal, but who is he kidding? Certainly not Martin.

In answer to a direct question, Paul denied Steinbrenner wants a change in managers, but that didn't even fool Martin, who knows much better. RAIN CHECK- Should our luopry of wM honor any ordart placad now ir you'll ovn 11 I Hi helps Glass General super two smooth cord SIZE tomt lor TALK Baseball San Diego Padre manager ALVIN DARK says his prayers for CHARLEY FIXLEY's salvation will be answered. "Some day Charley Finley is going to be saved," said Dark, a self-described "born-again Christian" in his sermon at a Father's Day worship service at the First Baptist Church of La Jolla, Calif. Finley fired Dark as the Oakland A's manager in 1974. Now, when meeting, Finley address-: es Dark as "Preacher" and Dark calls Finley "Deacon." Religion is causing troubles to Spokane first baseman-outfielder DANNY THOMAS, who has received an ultima- turn from the Milwaukee Brewers, parent team of the Pacific Coast League Indians: Play all week, or be suspended.

Thomas, 25, says he'll take the suspension rather than violate his beliefs and those of his religion, the World Wide Church of God. He said his beliefs prevent him from working during the church's Sabbath, between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday. "This is a great country," he said. "I'm proud of it. It was founded on religious freedom, but any more it makes you wonder.

It's just my personal belief, but I feel we've lost contact with our Creator." Football ROBIN COLE, the Pittsburgh Steel-ers' No. 1 draft pick who signed with the NFL club yesterday, doesn't report to training camp until next month, but he already has a post-season job a role in a movie western. "If he doesn't know how to ride a horse, he's going to learn how," said HAROLD DANIELS, Cole's agent and a former defensive end with the Los Angeles Rams and other NFL clubs. Auto Racing AL UNSER literally destroyed his backup car in a practice session for the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race last month. But the remains arrived at Mount Pocono, yesterday and they caused quite a commotion among those preparing for this weekend's 500.

The racer was constructed from the monocoque of that destroyed car. It's much lower so low it doesn't look like a human being could fit in it and more frail-looking than its unfortunate predecessor. "The crew worked double shifts at our shops in Torrance, Calif, to put this together in 15 days," said car owner VEL MILETICH. Where The Action Is 6 Evansville at Indianapolis Indians, (doubleheader). 7- Cinclnnati Reds at Philadelphia, WIRE.

1 -V Pete Rose dives into A By WAYNE FUSON, Sports Editor REMEMBER the old "saw" which said something about golfers driving for show and putting for dough? Forget it. At least some experts say you can. Driving is the most important part of the game and, they add, Hubert Green won his first U.S. Open over the weekend because of his driving and not because of his putting. Tom Weiskopf, who finished third at Tulsa's Southern Hills, and pro Bob Rosburg, who was a walking commentator for ABC, were talking about driving yesterday.

They were on a bouncing airliner headed from Tulsa to St. Louis and before the bouncing got so bad that everybody quit talking, the conversation was pretty interesting. Weiskopf, who had a horrendous start in Round 1, was headed home to Columbus, Ohio, to pick up a new driver before going to the Western Open this week in Chicago and on to the British Open next week in Scotland. He was asking the veteran Rosburg's advise. Among the golfers they discussed were some of the all-time greats.

"Why didn't Sam Snead ever win an Open?" Weiskopf asked Rosburg. "Sam actually was not a good judge of distance," Rosburg said. "He played in the days before we took our caddies along and he just misjudged Phillies PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jim Kaat is the kind of pitcher who doesn't want to pitch where is he isn't wanted. Since spring training, the 38-year-old pitcher has felt the Philadelphia Philies wanted no part of him. He felt so strongly about it he told Phillies personnel director Paul Owens he wouldn't enforce his no trade agreement if the team wanted to deal him.

The reports were rampant that Kaat was all washed up and his statistics seemed to indicate it. He had a 1-5 record and a 6.50 ERA. His longest performance wast 6 1-3 innings. He was continually beset by home run balls-six in 44 2-3 innings. But the June 15 trading deadline came and went and Kaat was still a Phillie.

"I felt disappointed that I wasn't traded," Kaat admitted last night after he turned in his best job of the season, a 10-4 complete game victory over the hard-hitting Cincinnati Reds. "I had the feeling I was dragging this club (Philadelphia) down. I felt it might be better for me to go someplace else," Kaat confided to reporters who fronted his locker space. "I had a talk the other day with Carroll Beringer (Phillies bullpen coach)," Kaat related. "He gave me a good psychological lift.

He made me feel the club was looking to me to get my act together and help." Kaat. who posted a 12-14 record last year as the Phillies won the National League East, got his act together against the Reds. Ke scattered nine hits for his second win. third behind Mike Schmidt for (m finii it" i-fr iiinrtliifTHi fn" 'n than another. A guy who wins a tournament like the U.S.

Open has to good at everything and he has to be lucky, too. Faces In The Crowd special guest at the pros' Bible study class one night last week during the Open was one Tulsa's most distinguished residents, Dr. ORAL ROBERTS, the evangelist whose university just a drive and a 1-iron from Southern Hills Is indeed spectacular. Dr. Roberts was driving up to Southern Hills when he had to stop for a traffic light.

He was right behind a car driven by a rather large lady. On the bumper of her car was the sign: "Honk, if you love Jesus." Dr. Roberts honked his horn. The lady driver jumped out of her car, as the story goes, and yelled at him, "Whatinthehell is the matter with you? Can't you see the light is red?" Question most asked at the Open: What is the difference between CHARLIE O. FINLEY selling players like VIDA BLUE to the Yankees and the Mets selling TOM SEAVER to the Cincinnati Reds? BOWIE KUHN, where are you? JOE INMAN is one of the health food addicts on the tour.

He'll give an unsolicited lecture at the drop of a plastic tea about the evils of drinking soft drinks and eating "junk food" WALLY ARMSTRONG, the Indianapolis pro, celebrated his 32nd birthday Sunday. He flew home to Indianapolis yesterday to spend a couple of days" with his folks. things tend to wake you up." Kaat jot a lot of offensive help Monday night. Mike Schmidt, who is on a hitting tear, stroked his 16th homer and a single, good for three RBI. Schmidt now is 20 for 56 in his last 13 games, a .357 pace, with nine homers and 19 RBI.

Schmidt's two run homer in the first made it 2-0. Larry Bowa hit his third of the season for a 3-0 lead in the third. Kaat gave up a pair of runs in the third one unearned and it was 3-2. But the Phillies routed starter Fred Norman in the fourth. A double by Ted i a sacrifice-fielder's choice, a sacrifice fly and an RBI single by Schmidt scored two runs.

Bob Boone tripled home two in the fifth, and Rich Hebner doubled in another pair In the sixth for a 10-2 lead. Kaat breezed, giving up an eighth inning run on a single and a Joe Morgan double, and a ninth inning homer by Bob Bailey. V) If lft ii ft 4 fti ifc Jim Kaat Mike Schmidt But the entire spring was a scene of disenchantment for Kaat, winningest active pitcher in the majors with 249 victories. He reported to training camp and immediately was assigned to bullpen duty. He'd never been a reliever and he didn't want to start.

had a good season last year, and it was hard to rationalize," Kaat said. "I don't like losing a job (as a starter) without an opportunity to lose it." Kaat was ineffective as a reliever, and about a month ago Phillies manager Danny Ozark returned the lefty to the starting rotation. He hasn't exactly been a ball of fire as a starter either. Kaat had heard the "washed up" references. "Those kind of things have been said before in my career," Kaat said.

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