Sioux City Journal from Sioux City, Iowa • 23

The Sioux City Journal, Monday, April 1, 1973 C1 Csomka 7 arffleld Go Kiick, IT: JL IB 9 TORONTO (AP) Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Paul Warfield of the Super Bowl champion Miami Dolphins jumped at the chance for financial security Sunday by jumping from the National Football League to the World Football League's Toronto Northmen. The move is effective at the start of the 1975 season after the three play out the 1974 option on their NFL contracts for a $3 million-plus, three-year package. "We were drafted by the Toronto franchise and came up to listen to what they had to say," said Csonka, one of the greatest running backs in the game today. "I think the general consensus of opinion in the American public was that the World Football League wasn't a serious contender. We, however, felt differently and, after coming up here and listening to what they had to say, decided that the financial benefits are considerable." And he pointed out that, even if the WFL never gets off the ground, they're guaranteed a healthy chunk of money.

The signing of Csonka, Kiick and Warfield gives the neophyte WFL instant respectability and a guaranteed gate attraction, in the same way that the Winnipeg Jets' signing of superstar Bobby Hull gave the World Hockey Association a Kiick said: "I don't think they're that fickle." They all pointed out that, like the old American Football League which came on the scene in 1960 to challenge the NFL and over a period of years came on to reach parity in playing quality with the established league, they believe WFL will eventually be able to field teams equal to NFL clubs. "I have a tremendous amount of confidence in the World Football League and I think that, with the idea that we have come over from the NFL, I think a lot of other keynote players within the NFL will play out their options and come over, too," said Csonka. "I think perhaps in two or three years or four years, there'll be a leveling off of talent between the two leagues." Csonka also pointed out that, in the 2lk months since Super Bowl VIII, there were no contract negotiations between the players and the Dolphins but that they had been in constant contact with Miami on Saturday and Sunday. "We have a mutual representative in Ed Keating," Csonka said "and he was on the phone two or three or four times with Joe Robbie (managing general partner of the Dolphins) throughout the morning. As I understand it, there was a negative factor inasmuch as Mr.

Robbie did not want to negotiate on the phone. was 1971 when his combined rushing and receiving amounted to 1,076 yards. And in the past two seasons, he has been most valuable to Miami during the playoffs and' Super Bowl games. But since 1972, with Morris bumping him down to the No. 3 running back job during the regular season, the 5-11, 215-pound Kiick has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction and has asked to be traded.

Warfield has caught 344 passes for 7,165 yards and 75 touchdowns in his decade in the NFL. He was outstanding both on offense and defense at Ohio State, then became a star receiver with the Cleveland Browns before being traded to Miami in 1970 for the Dolphins' No. 1 draft choice. That deal brought Purdue quarterback Mike Phipps to the Browns and is credited with playing a major role in bringing Miami into instant title contention. In his first season with the Dolphins, Warfield caught 28 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns.

Following a miserable 3-10-1 record in 1969, the team, in its first season under Coach Don Shula and with Warfield as their first serious touchdown-bomb threat, rocketed to a 10-4 record and into the playoffs. "So we had to consider the offer we had at hand and the idea that possibly it might not be the same if we stalled off had to more or less make our minds up on the spur of the moment." Csonka, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound bulldozer and a six-year NFL veteran, rushed for more than yards for the third straight season in 1973, then stampeded Minnesota into submission in Super Bowl VIII, pounding out a record 145 yards and two touchdowns in the Dolphins' 24-7 romp over the Vikings. Warfield, a veteran of 10 NFL seasons, four of them with Miami, led the American Conference with 11 touchdown receptions in 1973. The 6-foot, 190-pounder, a speedy, sure-handed receiver, made 29 regular-season catches for 514 yards, a 17.7-yard average. Kiick, also a six-year veteran, teamed with Csonka to form the Dolphins' "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" tandem and, until Mercury Morris burst onto the scene in 1972, was Miami's No.

2 running back. His primary attribute is his versatility as a receiver and blocker as well as a runner. In 1973 he rushed 76 times for 257 yards and had 27 receptions for 208 yards. They, along with quarterback Bob Griese and a line of stars that includes Jim Langer, Bob vital shot in the arm in its fight against the entrenched National Hockey League. "Certainly, the financial security is very important to me and to my family," said Warfield, the Dolphins' star wide receiver.

"It's almost like saying we're stealing a phrase from a movie of a couple of years ago they made us an offer we couldn't refuse." Kiick acknowledged that he jumped, in part, because of his dissatisfaction of recent years, when Mercury Morris pushed him out of a starting running back position. "I have a lot of pride and I want to play a lot of football," he said. "I feel I can contribute to any football team. That is one of the big reasons. Of course, it goes back to financial security.

I have a family and I have to worry about them," Csonka, saying he was speaking for Warfield and Kiick as well, said he was "looking forward to this upcoming season with as much anticipation as any of the years we've played for the Miami Dolphins. Nothing would be a greater tribute to the fact that we are leaving than the idea of leaving on a winning note, putting out 100 per cent and possibly having a winning team or even another Super Bowl championship." Asked whether they were worried that the Miami fans, knowing they would be losing their stars after the season, might turn against them, Kuechenberg, Larry Little and Norm Evans, form the foundation of one of the most potent and relentless attacks in pro football. And that offense, coupled with a formidable defense built with stars like Manny Fernandez, Jake Scott, Nick Buoniconti and Dick Anderson, has made the Dolphins one of pro sports' current dynasties. The Dolphins have appeared in a record three straight Super Bowls and are the only team, along with the Green Bay Packers, to win two of them, beating the Washington Redskins 14-7 after the 1972 season and manhandling the Vikings last January, Csonka, who rushed for 1,003 yards in 1973, had 1,051 in 1971 and followed that with his best season, 1,117 during the Dolphins' perfect 1972 campaign. In his six years with Miami, Csonka has amassed 5,151 yards and 32 touchdowns in regular-season play.

As an All-American at Syracuse, he shattered rushing records set by Jim Brown, Jim Nance, Floyd Little and the late Ernie Davis, then became the Dolphins' No. 1 choice in the 1968 college draft. Kiick was their fifth-round selection from Wyoming that year. In his six seasons, he has rushed for 3,370 yards and caught 203 passes for another 2,055 yards. His most productive season 2s 'v I it, sp(S)rts It more final results more area coverage Shoe Has Achieved Race Goal HOT SPRINGS, Ark.

(AP) done it. It's all over. I don't have to worry about it any more," jockey Willie Shoemaker said. He had to travel 3,600 miles to do it. Shoemaker had made 12 attempts since last July 23 to win his 100th stakes race worth $100,000 or more.

He won his first $100,000 race in 1951. Saturday, he accomplished the feat for the 100th time aboard Miss Musket in the $132,000 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Shoemaker flew in from California for the race. "It's one of the thrills of my career," the 42-year-old Shoemaker said. "Some time Lee Trevino Ends Ben Herder, Little 'Happy' for Trio By Associated Press "I'm glad for them it's an opportunity.

I'm just sorry I'm not going up there with That was the reaction of All-Pro guard Larry Little of the Miami Dolphins, upon learning that teammates Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick and Paul Warfield had signed to play with the Toronto Northmen of the rival World Football League. Defensive end Vern Den Herder echoed Little's views. "Sure, I'm glad for them," the Miami star said. "Overall, initially, it's to the benefit of the players as far as bargaining power goes. It's something each man has to think out for himself." Tim Foley, the Dolphins' star cornerback, said the team would miss the trio, especially Csonka, but rejected any suggestion that they were deserting the squad.

"He's trying to improve his family's financial situation," Foley said of Csonka. "He's made a tremendous contribution to us and the team. I hope everybody is happy he's got such a good deal put together. "It's like separating a family. But I'm happy for them." Foley also said the three would be hard to replace, "but you don't build a team around three people, even though they're valuable.

"We'll get along," he said. "It will hurt our performance but we won't collapse because we lose three people. We'll keep on playing like we've been playing. 13-M onth Drought Miami Trio Jumps to WFL Miami Dolphins players, from left, Paul Warfield, Jim Kiick and Larry Csonka listed as Toronto Northmen General Manager Leo Cahill (standing) explains that the three have signed with the WFL team and will play out their option before moving to the new league for the 1975 season. (AP Photofax).

Dolphins9 Joe Robbie 'Disappointed, Sick Rod Curl and Larry Hinson were next at 276, Curl with a 69 and Hinson 72. Jack Nicklaus, the 1973 New Orleans champion, never really got going. He had a last round 70 and was tied at 277 with Jerry McGee, 69, and Australian David Graham, 73. Gary Player was 12 strokes back at 72-279. Bruce Crampton had 71-281, Tom Weiskopf 70-282, U.S.

Open champion Johnny Miller 70-283 and Billy Casper had a disappointing 74-286. Arnold Palmer didn't complete. Trevino who has previous rounds of 67, 68, 67 abandoned his role of clown and quipster and turned grim-faced and deadly serious in his last 18 holes of play, striding the fairways with his head bowed in concentration, then circling the putts with the familiar stalking action, twirling the putter nervously, He pulled away from the 25-year-old Cole, the South African Open champion, with birdies on the second, third, fifth and sixth holes and had a comfortable, four-stroke advantage when he made the turn into the back nine. From that point on, the only question was about the size of his winning margin. No one made a major move and Trevino cruised home, taking another birdie on the 10th.

Possessed of a bulging lead, Trevino played it conservatively in the tricky winds, often using an iron club off the tee to bore his shots low into the wind. NEW ORLEANS AP Lee Trevino, poker-faced and brooding in concentration, broke a 13-month victory drought with a seven-under-par 65 that climaxed one of his finest performances and gave him the title in the Greater New Orleans Open Golf Tournament Sunday. Almost incredibly, Trevino didn't make a bogey in four days of competition that produced a 267 total, a distant 21 under par on the sun-splashed, Lakewood Country Club course. It was, by four strokes, the lowest 72-hole score on the pro golf tour this year and, ironically, it came on a course that always had been one of the most difficult for the dark and swarthy man from El Paso, Tex. He stalked off the cypress-studded layout in the middle of a round three years ago and vowed he'd never return.

He changed his mind, however he's skipping the Masters instead and won by a whopping eight strokes, the biggest victory margin of the season. Trevino, who started the bright, sunny day in a tie for the top spot with youthful South African Bobby Cole, bolted into the lead with birdies on four of the first six holes he played and wasn't really threatened again. He collected $30,000 from the total purse of $150,000 with his first victory since the Doral-Eastern Open in February of 1973. It represented the end of one of the longest victory famines in the rags to riches saga that began with his triumph in the 1968 U.S. Open and since has produced 18 titles and more than $1 million in prize winnings.

Rookie Ben Crenshaw came on with a 70 and tied Cole for second at 275. Cole stumbled to a 73 in the occasionally gusty wind. "The way our line blocks, there are several runners in the league who can do real well behind it." Foley said he was among those who "hadn't put much credibility in the new league. This will change a lot of people's ideas about it. A lot players will be interested in this new alternative to staying with the NFL." Franco Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Lee Roy Jordan of the Dallas Cowboys said the defection might spell trouble for National Football League owners.

"This has opened up a lot of things," said Harris, the star fullback of the Steelers. "It's going to make some NFL teams look again. The WFL looked like it was in trouble, but Toronto has broken the ice and they've gotten some good talent." "This may have the effect of getting the NFL owners out trying to sign their players," said Jordan. "You know, they usually like to wait until we're halfway through summer camp. "The WFL has got to make things happen and get the publicity that's going to carry them over.

I really want to hear what they've got to say." Both termed the jumps as "fantastic." "Actually, it's a little strange. I thought it was just a rumor. But I have to look at it from the players' standpoint. They'll He finally showed some emotion in fact a ago, it was one of the goals I set for myself." Shoemaker, who has ridden 6,624 winners during his long career, said of Miss Musket: "She's about as good as any filly I've ever ridden." It was Miss Musket's sixth 'victory in six starts. The 2-5 favorite, unraced as a 2-year-old, was flown here from California for the Fantasy Stakes.

Jockey agent Harry Hacket watched Shoemaker in awe. "He talks with his hands," Hacket said. Shoemaker guessed that every jockey on the Oaklawn grounds had come by to see him. "And it's nice to know that they were glad to see me," he said. "On the track we are trying to whip one another.

But that doesn't mean we can't be friends." Miss Musket finished almost two lengths in front of Douglas Carver's Out To Lunch, a 37-1 shot. Fairway Fable, at 47-1, was third. Miss Musket broke second and was kept well out from the rail going down the backstretch. She caught Fairway Fable as they turned into the stretch and stayed comfortably in front of Out To Lunch. Shoemaker said he kept Miss Musket "in the middle because we were a little afraid of the rail.

We thought it might be a little too deep." The 3-year-old filly paid equal acrossrthe-board amounts of $2.80, $2.80 and $2.80 and earned $79,740, bringing her career total to $143,815. lot of it when he made a birdie-two on the 17th definitely be playing for a bigger salary and a player has to hole. Sporting his usual payday red shirt, MIAMI (AP) Joseph Robbie, managing general partner of the Super Bowl champion Miami Dolphins, reacted with bitterness Sunday night to the loss of three of his star players to the World Football League. Running backs Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick and wide receiver Paul Warfield signed a three-year contract with the Toronto Northmen for in excess of $3 million earlier Sunday. "I am disappointed, shocked, sick, whatever, Robbie said at a news conference.

"I feel Ed Keating took three of our players to Canada who were in a frame of mind to come back and listen when they left." Robbie said he pressed Keating, a business agent who represented the three players in negotiations with the WFL, in a telephone conversation earlier in the day "for time to talk about Toronto's offer" but was told "the offer might not exist if they did not accept it today." Robbie said he told Keating that "$3 million wouldn't burn in two days" and asked that the trio return to Miami for further discussion. But Robbie said Keating responded with a "take it or leave it" demand and he refused to negotiate by telephone. Robbie said Keating asked the Dolphins to match a Toronto offer of $3.5 million, $3 million of which would be deposited in a bank account in advance, and a guaranteed three-year, no-cut, no-trade contract for trio. Robbie said he thought the three had already signed with the WFL team before Keating called him but did not elaborate. Dolphin Head Coach Don Shula, who had little to say at the news conference, said he did not know whether he would play the three next season.

He noted they are obligated to play under the National Football League's one-year option clause, but said he had no previous experience with judging the performance of stars playing out their options. "I'll play it by ear," Shula said. "It's never come0 up, before." Asked how he could replace the three, Shula replied. "You don't." "Everyone knows how I feel about them," he said. "They are great players." "We were in the unique situation of being able to go after our third super bowl in a row next season.

Our thought was to do everything possible to get everyone back and to go for it." Trevino tossed his cap into the air and did a little victory dance when the putt dropped into the cup. realize he only got so many years. Your playing lifespan is short so you have to get out of it what you can." What would Harris do if the WFL came up with a huge offer for him? "Well, I'd have to give it a hard look, but it probably wouldn't be a long look. Not with the kind of money I've heard about." He said he had not yet been contacted. Jordan said he was "willing to listen to their offer.

I'm sure that four or five franchises are strong financially, and if that's true they'll take care of the other teams which have problems in that area. I think they'll be really together as a league, like the oldAFLwas." Both Harris and Jordan said they were very happy for the three players involved. "I guess they felt they had accomplished everything they could in the NFL," Harris said. "Now they're going to take care of themselves and their families and their futures. That's great." Detroit Pistons Try to Get 2-0 Edge on Chicago Bulls Thompson '5' Possible Break demonstrated when brawny Bob Lanier poured in 27 points in Detroit's 97-88 convincing inaugural triumph at the Chicago Stadium Saturday.

The 6-foot-ll, 265-pound Lanier's deadly outside shooting left the Bull center tandem of Cliff Ray and Tom Boerwinkle helpless. Not only were the Bulls' pivot men left feebly waving at Lanier's far-out shots, but they contributed CHICAGO (AP)-The underdog Detroit Pistons, playing "the patient game," will have the home-court advantage Monday night when they seek a second straight victory over the Chicago Bulls in their opening round National Basketball Association playoff. They also have a big gun pointed at the Bulls' most vulnerable spot, the center position, stunningly uiu in semis in Boycott Seen Top Drag Wins to Stafford, Funk Thompson Electric of Sioux City reached the semifinals before bowing out in a 16-team State Parks and Recreation basketball tournament at Ames, Iowa. The Sioux Cityans disposed of Chiefs Tavern of Davenport and Bettendorf '83-61 before dropping a close 75-73 decision in the semifinals to Jasper County State Bank. Doug Moody with 26 and Jim Hinrich with 15 led Thompson Electric in the losing game.

Earlier, Moody, Jon Ege and Hinrich each had poured in 23 points in the conquest of Bettendorf. Pride Is Victor BOSTON (AP) Northern Pride pulled ahead in the final few yards Sunday to capture the $5,000 purse in the six-furlong featured race at Suffolk class and distance. The meet, which drew 402 entries, was marred Saturday by the crash of a rocket-powered exhibition dragster that claimed three lives. The 18-foot long machine, driven by 43-year-old Dave Anderson of Minneanapolis, went out of control after making a run at 248 m.p.h. and slammed into a concrete retaining wall.

Anderson and two mechanics working on other cars, Reid Jackson Southern, 26, of Myrtle Beach, S.C. and David Oxendine, 23, of Charlotte, apparently died instantly. only two Bulls points Boerwinkle's pair of free throws. The Bulls were plagued by ice-cold shooting, hitting only 39 per cent from the field, but Detroit Coach Ray Scott contended the Pistons' defense had a lot to do with it as well as their own 53 per cent shooting. "We took them early, went to a patient game and played up to our fullest potential on defense," said Scott.

"On defense, when the other team is cold, you keep them cold by not letting them get easy shots and we did just that." Much had been made of the Bulls having the home-court start for the first time in seven playoff appearances, but the opening game tempo was set when Chicago missed its first five shots before a disappoin-. tingly small crowd of 10,711. Chagrined Bulls' Coach Dick Motta, whose club had swept all four Chicago Stadium games with Detroit in the regular season, moaned: "We shot 34 per cent in the first half and trailed by only 13 we should have been down by 40. "It was no contest, but if Detroit keeps playing like that, they could go all the way in this thing." Coach Scott minimized the home-court advantage and the supposed import of regular-season play, in. which the Bulls held a 5-2 edge over his Pistons.

"This is where it counts, in the playoffs, and you've got to be at your best both at home and away," said Scott. "We're just one game up and it takes four to win it. We know we've got a lot of hard work ahead against the Bulls." ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Some athletes at the University of New Mexico indicated there may be a break Monday in a boycott by black football players. Several boycotting and non-boycotting members of the football tpam said some of the boycotters may try and rejoin the team Monday.

Head football Coach Bill Mondt also said that if the boycott didn't last too long, provisions might be made for the players to make up the missed practice. Billie Jean Nips Chr is in 3 Sets NEW YORK (AP) Billie Jean King defeated 19-year-old Chris Evert 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, Sunday to win the Women's National Indoor Tennis Championship. After losing the second set, Ms. King broke Miss Evert's service to take a 4-2 lead and go on to take the match. "That was the key game," said Ms.

King. "I had blown my service earlier and had fallen behind and was ready to eat my racquet. But I steadied down and concentrated. I'm in better shape this year because I decided to be fair to myself and train instead of just concentrating on promoting women's He said earlier, however, that the boycotting players, "As of now (they) are no longer on the football team. We only have so many days in which to complete our spring drills and there is no way we can make up missed days.

The people that show up for practice will do the playing next fall." Of the 19 blacks on the football squad, 14 boycotted Friday's practice in support of a protest against the dropping of a black freshman, Paul Shelton, from the school's baseball team. Track Coach Hugh Hackett dismissed seven boycotting black track and field athletes from his team Saturday after- noon. Hackett dismissed the track members after the Lobos -dropped a 91-67 decision to Arizona. South Dakota Mat Club Takes Title OMAHA, Neb. (AP) The South Dakota Wrestling Club won the team title Sunday in the Greco-Roman division of the Great Plains AAU Wrestling Tournament.

The meet was held at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. South Dakota had 64 points, ahead of the 52 scored by the UNO Maverick Club. Minnesota was third with 38 and North Dakota State fourth with 18. UNO won the freestyle title Saturday. I I CHARLOTTE, N.C.(AP) -Kenny Stafford of Chicago, Dale Funk of Radcliff, and Wayne Gapp of Lavonis, won the top classes Sunday in the finals of the Southern Nationals Drag Meet at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Stafford, driving a Dodge beat Shirl Greer of Warner Robbins, by an eyelash in the big bore funny car class, clocking a top end speed of 163.53 miles an hour on the eighth of a mile strip. Stafford's elapsed time was not announced because of a malfunction of the timing clock, but he had the nose of his dragster across the finish line ahead of Greer's "Chain Lightening" Mustang to pocket about $6,000. Funk easily beat Pat Dakin of Dayton, Ohio in the top fuel class but no final elapsed time or speeds were recorded. Jim Bucher of West Chester, Ohio, whose record elapsed time of 4.39 seconds and 176.12 m.p.h. Saturday had made him the favorite, was eliminated by Funk in Sunday's semifinal round.

Gapp set two International Hot Rod Association records in his final run against Roy Hill of High Point, N.C, Driving a Pinto, Gapp covered the eighth of a mile in 5.80 seconds and had a top speed of 123.13 m.p.h., both of which are the best figures recorded for the I 1 Jack Losing His Appeal? NEW ORLEANS (AP) Jack Nicklaus and two of his business associates were standing on the steps of the clubhouse at the Lakewood Country Club during the New Orleans Open. An elderly man drove his automobile into the circular driveway, stopped, got out and approached the trio. "I'm lost," he said, giving Nicklaus one of those questioning looks that clearly indicated he was trying to place him and asked directions to a nearby restaurant. Nicklaus obliged. The man turned to go, stopped looked at Jack again, grinned broadly and said: "Now I know.

I knew I'd seen you before. Now I know who you are. You're Johnny Miller," Lee Drops but the Ball Doesn't Lee Trevino goes down but this birdie putt doesn't in the Greater New Orleans Open golf tournament but Lee fired a 65 Sunday and won the championship. (AP Photofax)..