The Herald-Palladium from Benton Harbor, Michigan • 21

MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1969 THE NEWS PALLADIUM, BENTON HARBOR, MICH. PAGE TWENTY-ONE 1 Bears With Their It Record Worg I course I want to play. The ques- tion in my case is do they want Marty Amsler and tight end Austin Denney. "The only guys who are safe are Gale Sayers shutout, but couldn't get too upset thinking about the. 9-4-1 record which was the best for Detroit in six years.

"What a shame," Schmidt said "We should have had another CHICAGO (AP) Having concluded the worst season in their history, the Chicago Bears weren't sounding the old cliche "Wait 'till next year." But most of them were wondering would be traded while others expressed a desire to return to the team and help erase the nightmarish memories of 1969. Receiver Dick Gordon, long one of the malcontents, said "I think they're going to trade me. They seem not to like me and I $692.59 per man. There were 42 full shares for 42 players, five assistant coaches, two trainers and two equipment managers. Half shares were voted to Bob Bergum and Gene Wren, while two shares were split among the five members of the ready reserve who weren't activated this season.

Schmidt, happy with the accomplishment alone, returned his share to the kitty to make the split bigger for the others. "There's no question that I would have been pleased with In winning Sunday's game, the Lions turned a pair of inter ceptions into touchdowns. Dick Lebeau stole aConcan non pass late in the first quar-ter, and six plays later quarter-back Bill Munson hit Charlie Sanders with a 28-yard touchdown pass. Late in the final quarter, Mike Weger grabbed another Concanonn aerial and returned 19 yards. to the two with Bui Triplett carrymg' over for the score on the play.

In between the two touchdowns, Erroll Mann booted a. pair of field goals while Chicago's only score came on a 38-yard field goal in the third quarter by Mac Percival. about next year. The Bears tumbled to their 13th defeat of the'season against one victory when they meekly bowed before the Detroit Lions, Sunday. In the Lions' dressing room Coach Joe Schmidt lamented the fact that his team missed a seven victories." Schmidt said.

"You can't go from four victories (last year) to the Super "An even break this year would have represented a whole lot of progress. "But we did better than that because we got 110 per cent effort from our players," Schmidt declared. "I don't think we had more than a couple of bad practices all year, right from the start of training camp. "You can't compliment our guys enough." So subdued were the Bears that there wasn't even a hint of the blowup staged by quarterback Virgil Carter, who a week earlier lambasted management and Coach Jim Dooley after he had been benched at halftime against Green Bay. Following the Detroit game, Dooley refused to comment on the season or what the Bears were expected to do in 1970.

Some of the players felt they me back." "I want to play, but I don't know whether it will be here," said Cornish. "They never let', you know. That's the way it goes." 1 Fullback Mike Hull, defensive end Ed O'Bradovich and guard 1 Jim Cadile spoke for the players who wish to remain and help reverse the 1970 season. "I just hope I'm still with the. Bears and can be of some help," i said Hull.

"I don't think we should jump ship just because it sank a little this year. We've still got great personnel." "Just because a ship sinks you don't have to run," said O'Brad-iovich. "We've been through hard times before. This time it'll be a little harder but we'll be back." "I'm ready to report to Rensselaer (the training camp) tomorrow," said Cadile. "I want to reverse this season." and Dick Butkus," said Denney.

Sayers, coming back from a knee operation, gained 60 yards Sunday and finished the season with 1,032, the second time in his five-yea career he has gone over the mark. "There's nothing to feel good about," said Sayers to a question that he probably clinched another National Football League rushing crown. "I'm satisfied I proved that I could come back," continued Sayers. "Some people thought I couldn't come back and a lot of 'em still think it," Defensive linemen Dick Evey, George Seals and Frank Cornish all expressed doubts about their situations. "I have no idea how I fit in their plans for next year," said Evey.

"I'm not even thinking about next year," said Seals. "Of Statistics Lions 15 147 103 73 Bears First downs Rushing yardage Passing yardage Return yardage Passes Punt Fumbles lost Yards penalized 56 40 17 12-35-3 7-36 0 45 10-19-1 4-37 3 SO don't intend to change my dress or hair style to suit them." Quarterback Jack Concannon, sidelined after the first four losses and given the starting assignment in the finale Sunday, said "I don't expect to be here." Others who figure, they'll be traded include defensive end RAIDERS EXPLODE IN 56-7 ROMP Lamonica 'Bombs' Houston for the jnjured Warren Wells, said, "I think we'll be ready back for the title game. The for the Chiefs. All we have to fleet receiver who led the lea-do is play our game through gue with 14 touchdown recep-four quarters of football." tions, injured his shoulder last sive tackles, left the game with minor injuries, but will be back for the Chiefs. About Kansas City, Madden said, "We have played them three times this year, so we should know each other.

We knew about the playoff system before the season started, so playing Kansas City isn't of any i said he hopes to have Wells week against Kansas City, Also, Madden said he held out running back Pete Banaszak because of a groin pull. Oats and Ike Lassiter, both defen 1 OAKLAND (AP) All year long, the Oakland Raiders have been the kind of team that could capitalize on an opponent's mistakes. Sunday, the Houston Oilers i made a season's worth of mis- takes in the first quarter and the Raiders were ready and waiting. Oakland's 56-7 victory over Houston in an American Foot-, ball League playoff game was i the worst defeat the Oilers have suffered and the second time they have lost to the Raiders in post-season play by a wide margin. Houston lost to Boston 45-3 in 1963 until now its widest margin of defeat and lost the AFL title to the Raiders in 1967, 41-6.

The Raiders now move into the league title game against the Kansas City Chiefs here on Jan. 4 and to a man they say they are ready Quarterback Daryle Lamoni-j TUMBLING IN: Detroit Lions tight end Charlie Sanders f88) grabs pass from quarterback Bill Munson as he tumbles into the end zone during first quarter of Sunday's game. Defending on the play is George Youngblood (37) of the Chicago Bears. The touchdown pass opened scoring for the Lions, who went on to beat Bears 20-3 in final game of the season. (AP Wirephoto) Falcons Snare 1 I Cowboys.

Calvin Hill ran for 73 yards in 18 carries, including a six-yard TD scamper in the Capitol Division champion Cowboys triumph. The rookie from Yale finished with 942 yards rushing. The Redskins, who ended with a 7-5-2 mark in Coach Vince Lom-bardi's first year at the helm, turned in their first winning season since 1955. Andy Livingston's three-yard scoring run with 56 seconds remaining sent Pittsburgh to its 13th consecutive defeat. The Steelers had beaten Detroit 16-13 on opening day.

Earl Gros scored three times for the Stee lers. The Eagles built a 13-0 margin but a one-yard touchdown plunge by Doug Cunningham and a 22-yard TD pass from John Brodie to Bob Windsor with Zi minutes left and Mom-cilo Gavric's extra point gave the 49ers the victory. Don Horn hit on 22 of 31 passes for 410 yards, a Packer record, and five touchdowns, tying a club mark. Boyd Dowler and Carroll Dale caught two scoring passes apiece while John Gilliam had a 100-yard kickoff return for the Cards. 77 Vikiutgs ca, the AFL's Most Valuable I threw a 24-yard scoring pass Player who threw six touch-! to Sherman on the first play, down passes against the Oilers On the next Beathard said, "We'll be up for Kansas fumbled, Tom Keating recover-'.

City. I don't care who we meet ed for the Raiders and, again in the Super Bowl as long as on the first play, Lamonica Chump shutout. But I guess shutouts in professional football are like no-hitters in baseball. either happen or they don't." The Lions' celebrated their finest showing in recent years splitting $37,500 among 55 persons for their record which was the third best in the league this year. The shares totaled Dallas beat Washington 20-10, Sa? Francisco nipped Philadel phia 14-13 and.

Green Bay whacked St. Louis, 45-28 Minnesota, trying to match the single season winning streak of 13 set by the 1934 Bears, moved to a 3-0 early lead over Atlanta on Fred Cox' 19-yard field goal. But with 25 seconds left in the half, a Gary Cuozzo fumble was picked up by Falcons' end Claude Humphrey, who went 24 yards for the games only touchdown. The Vikings, who lost on opening day to the Giants 24-23, finished at 12-2 while the Falcons were 6-8, their best finish ever in three years of existence. The Bears, who were shut out in their opener 17-0 by Green Bay, could only get a field goal by Mac Percival in Sunday's loss to the Lions.

Meanwhile, Detroit turned two interceptions into TDs and Errol Mann booted a pair of field goals as the Lions finished at 9-4-1, their best record since 1962. The Bears' Gale Sayers however finished with 1,032 yards rushing, the best in the league. The Rams, who lost for the third time in a row, after 11 straight victories, scored on an eight-yard TD pass from Roman Gabriel to Jack Snow while the Colts got two field goals from Lou Michaels and a two yard TD run from Tom Matte. The Colts' Johnny Unitas hit on 19 of 33 passes for 260 yards as Baltimore closed with an 8-5-1 mark. Joe Morrison scored two touchdowns, on a one-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton and on a two-yard run as the Giants overcame the Century Division champs.

Cleveland meets Dallas Sunday in the Cotton Bowl for the Eastern Conference title. Leroy Kelly, who scored one of the Browns' touchdowns, suffered a slight ankle sprain but is expected to be ready for the NFL Standings Eastern Conference Century Division Pet. Pis. OP Cleveland 10 3 1 .769 351 300 New York 6 0 .429 264 298 St. Louis 4 9 1 .308 314 389 Pittsburgh 1 13 0 .071 218 404 Capitol Division Dallas 11 2 1.

46 369 223' Washington 7 5 2 .583 307 319 New Orleans 5 9 0 .357 311 393 Philadelphia 4 9 1 .308 279 377 Western Conference Central Division Minnesota 12 2 0 .857 379 133 Detroit 9 4 1 -692 259 188 Green Bay 8 6 0 .571 269 221 Chicago 1 13 0 .071 210 339 Caastal Division Los Angeles 11 3 0 .786 320 243 Baltimore 8 5 1 .615 279 28 Atlanta 6 8 0 .429 276 268 San Francisco 4 8 2 .333 277 319 Sunday's Results New York 27, Cleveland 14 Atlanta 10, Minnesota 3 Baltimore 13, Los Angeles 7 Detroit 20, Chicago 3 San Francisco 14. Philadelphia 13 New Orleans 27. Pittsburgh 24 Green Bay 45. St. Louis 28 Dallas 20, Washington 10 TT TO Detroit 7 Chicaeo 0 0 0 7-20 3 03 Munson Det Sanders 27 pass from (Mann kick) Det FO Mann 43 Det FG Mann 31 Chi FG Percival 38 Det Triplett 2 run (Mann kick) A 41,879.

more concern than any other championship team." Houston Coach Wally Lemm praised the Raiders as "a fine team, better than the team that beat us two years ago." He declined to pick a winner in the Oakland-Kansas City con- test but said the Raiders are a little more explosive. to camouflage his movenents between the guard and tackle. rather than in a normal slot for- i mation between the tackle and tight end. The same play had produced, a touchdown the only other titatj the Chiefs used it in an earlier 34-16 victory over the Jets. This time, however, Taylor was on a different side of the line, so he had to refine his movements for Dawson in the dirt.

Taylor came off the left side of the line, angled right, latched into the pass from Dawson afld rambled some 20 yards after grabbing it, turning the play into a 61-yard gain that put the i Da'l on tne ets' 19- Dawson went back to the hud dle and called for a pass to halfback Mike Garrett, but as the play developed, Garrett was covered. So Dawson looked for a secondary receiver and found Gloster Richardson beating Cornell Gordon on the left side of the end zone. He fired one out there, Richardson grabbed it-- and, despite two more Jet 'drives, it was all over. Allen Fidelan at 107 a third. Mike McGrath was the oest finisher for Lakeshore, taking third in the 137-pound division.

Less Templeman was fourth at 130. Ron Brinkley of Buchanan was third at 145. South Haven has now won two tournaments this season and is unbeaten in 26 straight dual matches. PASSING TIME: Oakland Raiders quarterback Daryle Lamonica (right) talks over strategy with wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff (25) during Sunday's AFL playoff game against Houston Oilers as trainer Dick Romano listens in. Lamonica threw six touchdown passes and Biletnikoff caught two of them as Raiders -romped to 56-7 victory.

(AP Wirephoto) uie uaiviauu uuiucia aic ill h. Rod Sherman, a special team I man all season long who caught two touchdown passes filling in IEFS NEW YORK (AP) Not even a half hour had elapsed after Kansas City's playoff victory ended the New York Jets' hopes of returning to the Super Bowl when the first bit of psychological warfare certain to surround the American Football League championship game began. It began hr the Chiefsdress-ing room after their 13-6 triumph over the Jets Saturday when Coach Hank Stram was THE Vi WORLD Linebacker Dan Conners was even more definite, saying, "We will be ready for Kansas City, I saw them play New York on television Saturday and I thought New York blew it." The game was over almost before it began. In one four- minute and 22-second period in the first quarter the Raiders put 28 points on the scoreboard and they coasted in from there, First Lamonica threw a to FxedLBiletnk koff, who made two sensational scoring grabs. This one was good for 13 yards.

On the first play after the kickoff, George Atkinson intercepted a Pete Beathard pass and took it 57 yards to score. On the first play after the next kickoff, Hoyle Granger fumbled. Carleton Oats recover- ed for Oakland and Lamonica threw a touchdown pass, 31 yards to Biletnikoff. The first quarter was still going on, but the game was over for all practical purposes. In the second quarter, Lamonica hit Charlie Smith with a 60-yard scoring pass.

In the third period, he threw three yards to Billy Cannon. In the final quarter, with George Blanda in at quarterback, Marv Hubbard closed out the scoring with a four-yard run. Only an eight-yard scoring pass from Beathard to Alvin Reed, after the Raiders were ahead 49-0, saved the Oilers from a shutout. Oakland Coach John Madden OUST asked about the strategy he might employ against the Oakland Raiders in the AFL title game Jan. 4 still two weeks away.

The questioner asked pointedly if Stram might again disdain the pass as he did just a week earlier in a 10-6 loss to the Raiders. "It's hard to tell," Stram said simply. And so the questioner tried a EYE TITLE with a flare pass. "Bell was supposed to go for the fake to Mathis," Namath ex- plained in the Jets dressing room. "But he didn't.

He didn't go for the fake. He was out there with Snell, and he had no right being there. "If he's not there, it's a touchdown." Instead, Namath was chased out of b6unds and Turner came on to kick a seven-yard field goal that tied it 6-6. And the way the teams were defending each other, it looked as if it might stay that way for awhile. It did, but for just two plays Then the diagrammer Otis Taylor made his presence felt After the ensuing kickoff Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson went into the huddle and called a pass play flanker Taylor had traced just minutes before in the dirt on the sidelines.

"It was just like the old days back on the sandlots in Alliance, Ohio," said Dawson. "Otis wrote it out on the field What Taylor suggested was play called the camouflage slot, in which the receiver lines up From Associated Press i Minnesota and Chicago ush- ered in and closed out the Na tional Football League season on a similar note with defeats but while the Vikings won all 12 games in between the Bears only consolation is the possibility of a No. 1 draft pick. Minnesota ended its greatest regular season in history on a losing note, dropping a 10-3 decision to Atlanta Sunday, stopping the Vikings near-record winning streak at 12. However the Vikings' consolation is a bit different than that of the Bears.

While the Vikings, champions of the Central Division host the Coastal champion Los Angeles Rams Saturday for the Western Conference championship, the lowly Bears will be thinking of how to improve on their 1959 record. Chicago lost to Detroit 20-3 Sunday and ended at 1-13 their worst season ever the same as Pittsburgh, which dropped a 27-24 decision to New Orleans. The Steelers and Bears i. first in the January college football draft. In other NFL games, Baltimore upset the Rams 13-7, New York whipped Cleveland 27-14, Halas Says Dooley Will Coach Again CHICAGO (AP) -Jim Dooley will be back next year as head coach of the Chicago Bears all signs pointed to this at the Bears' annual alumni party Sunday night.

Owner George Halas told all the old Bears that "this is the worst mess we have been in for 49 years, but we will pull out of it and be back again." Papa Bear was refering to his club's 1-13 record, the poorest in the Bears' 50-year history in the National Football League. There was applause among the some 200 in attendance at the party. Halas rapped the press hard for stories that appeared this week which were critical of the Bears hierarchy and coaching. But at no time did he undermine Dooley and he made it plain that he will continue as head coach. Dooley told the audience, "I put a cross on Halas' shoulders and put 13 nail holes in it one by one." Dooley promised that things would be different next season.

JETS, different approach, asking if Stram might not open up with a more diversified attack. "It's hard to tell," Stram said once more. But it's really not. It's only that Stram is not about to divulge his plan. At the same time, he's not about to admit that the earlier loss to the Raiders, the Chiefs' fourth in five games over to seasons has had any psychological effect on his troops.

"What's happened in the past is history," Stram said sharply. "Pro. football is a game of now." Now is time for beginning preparations for the game against the Raiders, who qualified for the title game by defeating Houston 56-7 in the other half of the AFL playoffs, some 24 hours after the defending champion Jets were dethroned. In that game, on a cold, raw day in windswept Shea Stadium, the Chiefs battered and bruised Jets quarterback Joe Namath, kept him from putting across a touchdown and left him feeling "like I was in a gang fight all by myself." The gang he was fighting was the Chiefs, who made the two big plays that counted in the fourth quarter diagnosing a Jets play to keep them from scoring a go-ahead touchdown and diagramming on the sidelines the play that led to the winning touchdown. The diagnoser was Bobby Bell, the Chiefs all-league linebacker, who prevented a possible Jets tbuchdown.

The Chiefs had a 6-3 edge at the time, with Jan Stenerud leading Jim Turner two field goals to one. But an interference call on a Namath pass for George Sauer put the ball at the one yard line. Two plays gained, just inches, so Namath called a play the Jets had worked on during the weelc a fake handoff to Bill Mathis that was supposed to make Bell commit himself while Namath rolled right and hit Matt Snell South Haven Wins Wrestling Tourney SOUTH HAVEN South 1(185) and heavyweight Gerry Haven won its third- annual Mitchell. Mike Rydecki at 98, wrestling tournament for the Tom Thaler at 130 and Gary third year in a row here Schlipp at 155 took seconds and Sariirdav. but had to turn back a stiff challenge from Muskegon Catholic.

The Rams scored 99 points, Catholic 92, Muskegon 89, Portage Central 49, Zeeland 30, West Ottawa 26, Lakeshore 16 and Buchanan 14. Individual winners for the Rams were Elliott Evans (115), John Stanisz (123), Roger West MUDDY ROAD: John Beasley (87) of the Minnesota Vikings starts nose dive into the mud during third quarter of Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons at Atlanta. The Falcons upended the Vikings on scoreboard, too, with 10-3 decision that snapped Minnesota's 12-game winning streak. (AP.