The Journal Times from Racine, Wisconsin • 15

1 Section Harrelson resigns Page 3B Everett signs with Rams Page 4B FRIDAY September 26, 1986 theTournalUmes Moguepa picks good day for 20 l)p)fe 4 Mike Scott no-hitter clinches NL West Scott no-hits Giants ir" "'f I By Suun Shamanaka Journal Times MILWAUKEE Perhaps it was only appropriate that on George Bamberger's last night as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, Ted Hi-guera would win his 20th game of the season, becoming just the third Brewer pitcher in the 17year histo-. ry of the club to accomplish that feat. And perhaps it was just as appropriate that on Bamberger's last night as manager, the Brewers would move out of last place in the American League East Division into sixth place, one-half game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles. "It was a perfect way to go out," Bamberger said Thursday night after the Brewers beat the Orioles 9-3 behind the eight-hit pitching of Higuera (20-10). "Teddy won his 20th, we won our third in a row and we're out of last place now." Earlier in the day, the 61-year-old Bamberger had announced he was retiring as manager of the Brewers, ending weeks of speculation on whether he would return next season.

And in his final hurrah as manager, Bamberger got to sit back on the bench and relax for a change. "I wasn't nervous," said Bamberger, who was given two standing ovations during the game. "I was relaxed. I knew this was the end of the line." There was another reason Bamberger was relaxed Thursday night. His ace pitcher, the left-handed Higuera, was on the mound.

"I'll tell you what," Bamberger said. "This kid knows what he's doing. And not only does he know what he's doing out there, he can do what he wants to do, too." Thursday night, in his 33rd start of the season, the 27-year-old Higuera knew exactly what he was doing. With the exception of three pitches which resulted in solo home runs Higuera was in command of the Orioles from start to finish. "From inning one, he was all business out there," said catcher Charlie Moore.

"There was no fooling around. You could see it in his face that he wanted it." Higuera, a native of Mexico whose mastery of pitching is much better than his mastery of the English language, said through teammate-interpreter Juan Nieves that the victory was important to him. "It's an important number for any pitcher in the major leagues," said Higuera, who is the first Brewers pitcher to win 20 games since Mike Caldwell won 22 in 1978. Higuera, who went 15-8 last year in his first season in the major leagues, said he dedicated Thursday's game to Bamberger. "In the third inningT he walked up to Bamberger and said he was dedicating this game to him," Nieves said.

Higuera didn't learn of Bamberger's decision until he arrived at the ballpark Thursday afternoon. When he came into the clubhouse, Nieves told Higuera that Bamberger was retiring. "It's good that I had a chance to dedicate the game to him," said Higuera, who had failed last Friday in Baltimore in his first bid to win 20 when he took the loss in a 3-1 Orioles' victory. This time, however, there was no denying Higuera, who became the AL's second 20-game winner this season, behind Boston's Roger Clemens. In pitching his team-leading 14th complete game of the season, Higuera allowed eight hits, walked none and struck out four.

The only mistakes he made were home run pitches to Eddie Murray leading off the seventh and ninth innings and a home run pitch to Floyd Rayford with one out in the eighth. Interestingly enough, Higuera 's 20th win came just three days after Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Fernando Valenzuela became a 20-game winner for the first time in his six-year major-league career. By doing so, Valenzuela became the first Mexican pitcher to win 20 games. "I'm telling you," Bamberger said. "You're talking about two good pitchers right there." Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead in the second on back-to-back singles by Cecil Cooper and Rob Deer, a passed ball and a run-scoring groundout by Rick Manning.

ITum to HIGUERA. Page 2B) HOUSTON (AP) When Roger Craig was pitching coach of the Detroit Tigers a couple of years ago, a struggling right-handed pitcher came to him to learn a new pitch Craig called the split-finger fastball. "I thought there was no harm," Craig said Thursday. "He was in the other league." The pitcher was Mike Scott, who had just completed a 5-11 season with the Houston Astros. "He threw every other day I guess about seven times in all.

But the last couple of times he threw, I knew he was going to have a good one," Craig said. Scott couldn't have been much better on Thursday, pitching a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants now managaged by Craig. The performance gave the Astros the National League West Division title, sending them into the playoffs against the New York Mets. (Turn to NO-HITTER, Page 2B) Associated Press Brewers' pitcher Teddy Higuera (right) gets a hug from catcher Charlie Moore. Doimg, Bainmbi! Dalton mum on plans Brewers lose a manager and a friend h) I A ill i Vv lite I A "So, I finally said, 'Well, my mind's made up, so I might as well get it over Bamberger informed Brewers' General Manager Harry Dalton of his decision Wednesday night, after the Brewers' game against the Boston Red Sox was postponed because of rain.

The retirement from managing is the third in Bamberger's baseball career and his second from the Brewers. He made it clear there would be no more. "Nope, this is it," Bamberger said. "This is for good. Three strikes, you're out.

This is my third time." The announcement itself came as no great surprise to those close to Bamberger. It was no secret that Bamberger was frustrated with the poor play of the club in recent weeks. Although the Brewers are in a transition year and are going with a lot of young players, the team had played well through most of the first half of the season, and then, after a post-All Star break slump, had gotten back on track in August. But in September, the Brewers went into another tail-spin going 7-16 in their last 23 games which seemed to cement Bamberger's feelings that it was time to trade the pinstripes for a fishing pole. While Bamberger's frustrations became increasingly apparent in recent weeks, he said the team's performance in the last month was not the deciding factor in his retirement.

"I just felt really I weighed all the pluses and the minuses and all that stuff, and it came out more minuses managing and more pluses going to Florida," Bamberger said. "So, that's the way I went. (Turn to BAMBI. Page 2B) By Susan Shemanske Journal Times MILWAUKEE As frustrating as the last few weeks may have been, at least Milwaukee Brewers Manager George Bamberger was able to go out with a smile and as a winner. The 61-year-old Bamberger, one of the most popular figures in Milwaukee sports history, announced his retirement as Brewers manager Thursday morning.

Bamberger was to leave Milwaukee this morning and return to his home in North Redington Beach, Fla. Thursday night, in Bamberger's last game as manager, the Brewers pounded out 15 hits and pitcher Ted Higuera won his 20th game of the season as Milwaukee beat Baltimore 9-3. The way Bamberger figured, by the time the Brewers would be taking the field this afternoon for batting practice, he'd already have a few hours in working on his boat. "At 8:50 tomorrow morning, I'll be on a jet unless it's late to fly back to Tampa," Bamberger said. "I'll get into Tampa at about 12:19.

By the time I get my luggage, I figure it'll be about 20 to one, and by the time I get home, it'll be about two o'clock. I'll change my clothes, get my battery charger out of the garage and put it on the boat for a few hours." Ah, the life of leisure. It's something Bamberger finally is able to look forward to after 41 years in baseball, including two turns as manager of the Brewers. "I came to a decision yesterday," Bamberger said Thursday afternoon. "The reason why I did it well, my mind had been made up, really.

And you guys kept hounding me, you know, 'When you gonna make a deci Associated Press George Bamberger is happy with decision to retire. Brewers will replace Bamberger, 61, with interim manager. By Susan Shemanska Journal Times MILWAUKEE While George Bamberger keeps busy in the next few weeks trying to get his boat in working order, Harry Dalton will be busy trying to find a new field manager for the Milwaukee Brewers. The 61-year-old Bamberger, a two-time manager of the Brewers, announced his retirement Thursday morning and left Milwaukee this morning for his home in North Redington Beach, Fla. In Bamberger's last game as manager of the Brewers Thursday night at County Stadium, the Brewers beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-3.

Dalton, the Brewers' General Manager, was to name an interim manager for the Brewers' final nine games of the season at 2 p.m. today. He would not say this morning whether it was someone currently in the Brewer organization. Dalton said he has no specific timetable for naming a manager for next season. Although Dalton knew there was a chance Bamberger wouldn't return as manager next season, he said he hadn't started thinking about finding a replacement until this week.

"I didn't really seriously start thinking about it until the last week or so;" Dalton said. "About a month ago, or whenever it was that George and I talked, I realized he still wasn't ready to make a commitment and didn't know what he was going to do. "And I said to myself then, 'You know, maybe George isn't going to come back and you better start thinking about Dalton said he had had no informal discussions with anyone about the managerial job. He said he would meet with other Brewer officials to come up with a profile of the type of manager the Brewers should hire. "When we decide what we think is the best type of person to run this club, the way it's cast now, then we'll try and see who's around the country to see who fits into it," Dalton said.

Dalton said several people have told him he "has a habit of going with people he knows well." "But I don't think that's always the case," Dalton said. Dalton said he would look both inside and outside the Brewer organization. One of the names that has surfaced in recent days is that of former Chicago Cubs Manager Jim Frey. (Turn to PLANS, Page 2B) fH vi I Lying down on the job Case goalkeeper Dean Baldukas keeps his eye on the ball after making a save in the second half Thursday of a Big Nine Conference game against city rival Horlick. Baldukas' save was cleared by Case, but Horlick went on to a 6-0 victory at Johnson Park.

The Rebels are 1-2 in Big Nine Play, while the Eagles slipped to 1-3. Paul Roberts, Journal Times.