The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 35

MILLAN'S TRIPLE TOPS C1NCY pshaw's Return Ruins Reds in Opener, 7-4 i i triple which led to a run and broke a tie and turned out to be the difference in the contest played on a chilly afternoon before a record baseball crowd in Riverfront Stadium of 51,702: Just before Millan tripled, Bench complained that Felix bat was not legal, causing plate Umpire Augie Donatelli to make him change. Millan picked a good one out of the rack because he returned to hit a triple to left center, then scored when Reds third baseman Woody Woodward threw away Clete Boyer's grounder to put the Braves out front to stay. Millan's bat had been doctored with a nail and was not smooth. "I was upset," said Millan. "I really wanted to hit one after Bench did that.

But he was just trying to make me mad." The Braves added a couple more tallies in the ninth, and that was plenty for Upshaw, who allowed four hits and struck out two in relief of starter Phil Niekro. "You know what I said this spring," said Harris, asked about Upshaw. "When he went to the mound the first time, I said that was the prettiest sight I ever saw. I'm not backing up a bit on that statement," The Atlanta victory was only its second on opening day since the Braves moved south six years ago. Last time was 1969 when the Braves won a By WAYNE MINSHEW Constitution Sports Writer CINCINNATI, Ohio Cecil Upshaw made it official Monday.

He is back. The return of the side-wheeling relief ace and the fact that Cincinnati catcher Johnny Bench made Felix Millan mad were the foremost factors as the Braves knocked off the Reds, 74, in the season's opener. Upshaw, summoned as soon as Manager Luman Harris smelled trouble in the sixth inning, worked four impressive frames against the muscular Reds to pick up his first victory since 1969. He was out all of last season because of a serious finger injury suffered on a San Diego, sidewalk. Millan went four-for-four, including a clutch eighth-inning West Division flag, which is significant only if you believe in omens.

'I believe, I believe," said Orlando Cepeda, a superstitious type. Besides the pitching of Upshaw and the hitting of Millan, the game was highlighted by the play of rookie Braves shortstop Marty Perez and the loose defense of the Reds, who made six errors three by Woodward. Perez, who knocked in a run in a four run second, handled eight chances without a boot and started a game-ending double play after catching a grounder off Tommy Helms' bat. "And Perez at short," said a Braves pitcher, paraphrasing Harris' statement about Upshaw, "was the prettiest sight I've seen in a long time." The Braves opened fast in the game played in a World Series atmosphere, scoring four times in the second inning against Reds starter Gary Nolan. Millan, Perez and Sonny Jackson knocked in runs, and another scored when left fielder Bernie Carbo dropped Niekro's fly ball.

Niekro blanked the Reds until the fourth when Cincy loaded the bases on Tony Perez' single and walks to Bench and Carbo. The Braves' knuckleball hurler got off light, however, as the Reds managed but one run on Hal See BRAVES, Page 4-C CECIL UPSHAW He's Back, Now FELIX MILLAN Key Man in Clutch Arth ur 1 lili impie, I'll Win Masters' DALEY Schedule Log-Jam (Copyright 1971 by the New York Timet Co.) NEW YORK Once upon a time the elephants, the lions, the tigers, the acrobats, the freaks, the clowns and the other appurtenances of the greatest show on earth moved into Madi tii 1 akitu VIT '4 i THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION I ft Tuesday, April 6, 1971, Page. 1-C son Square Garden and other activity there ceased. The circus muscled the Knicks, the Rangers and all their angry fans out of the arena, forcing the holding of play-offs elsewhere, sometimes even in foreign cities. In olden times neither the basketball team nor the hockey team made the pay-off too frequently anyway and therefore it never was quite the federal case it would be today.

But so transcendently important have the Knicks and Rangers become in the current scheme of things that they now preempt the circus. Presumably the basketball AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) -Controversial Dave Hill, an out-spoken non-conformist who's sometimes referred to as the bad boy of the pro golf tour, has let it be known that he's a man to contend with in this week's Masters. "I'm going to win it," was his flat declaration after about a week's practice over the storied Augusta National Golf Club course. "It's just that simple.

I'm going to win the Masters. "They may not be ready for ol' Davy, but it's going to happen. "I've been pointing for it ever since the Open last year." It was at the United States Open, won by England's Tony Jacklin with Hill a distant second, that the skinny, slow-talking alley-fighter-tough character created the biggest stir of the year. Hill derided the Hazeltine Country Club course in bitter terms: "All it needs is a few xvvt-0" cows and about 80 acres of corn." He criticized famed golf course architect Trent Jones: "The man ruined a good farm." And he created an international incident when he declared he would return to England to play only "if my brain died and they sent the body to the wrong place." It was more or less typical of his stormy, 13-year career that has included uncounted fines and several suspensions. He was fined again by the Tournament Players Division of the PGA and was sharply criticized in columns both in this country and in Great Britain.

With that background it's entirely possible, as he said, that the Masters isn't ready for him. It's an open secret that officials of this staid and tradition bound event prefer their champions to come from the ranks of the super stars, the tour's establishment Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary See MASTERS, Page 2-C Associated Press Wirephoto MASTER SGT. DANIEL PITZER TOSSES OUT OPENING PITCH OF '71 Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird, Senators' Bob Short (R) Beam Proudly Senators Crush Oakland 8-0 M. WASHINGTON (AP) -Dick Bosman pitched a six-hit shutout as the Washington Senators crushed Oakland 8-0 and won thecer emonial American League baseball opener for the first time since 1962. President Nixon missed the rare Senators' opening game victory as M.

Sgt. Daniel L. Pitzer, a former Vietnam prisoner of war, was chosen by the White House to throw out the first ball. Six alks, a pair of crucial errors, and a hit batter helped the Senators to all their runs in the first five innings. They scored twice in the second without a hit and twice again in the fourth on just one hit, a ount single.

Frank Howard and Mike Epstein each drove in two Senators' runs while Howard saved Bosman's shutout with a leaping catch at the left field fence that robbed Felipe Alou of a homer in the third inning. Alou doubled in the eighth and went to third on a wild pitch, but Bosman struck out Reggie Jackson to keep the A's in check. The ace righthander, who led the American League in earned run average two years ago, struck out two and walked two, A crowd of 45,061 cheered the Senators' first triumph in an American League oper.er since a 4-1 victory over Detroit during the Kennedy years. Tha loss went to Vida Blue, who tossed a no-hitter for Oakland as a rookie last September but who was wild Monday and lasted less than two innings, Epstein and Paul Casanova each rapped run-scoring singles off Blue in the first inning. Blue walked Epstein on four pitches to force in an other run with the bases-loaded in the second, and relief hurler Jim Panther promptly uncorked a wild pitch to let in aiiother.

Howard and Epstein lofted deep sacrifice flies to drive in the two runs in the fourth. A double by Casanova and run-producing singles by Howard and Tim Cullen figured in the final scoring in the fifth. Curt Flood, the former St. Louis star who sat out last season while suing baseball over the reserve clause, marked his return by figuring See SENATORS, Page 2-C Thru-Jett at 4:50 pm and 7:20 pm. Enjoy roomier 2 and 3 seating at the same price as the other guy's Day Jetcoach.

Only $30. DALEY players replace the giraffes, the hockey players replace the penquins and the roaring fans of both replace all roaring animal acts, clowns and freaks, leaving only the acrobats and highwire artists outside the syndrome. The Knicks will play the Baltimore Bullets in the Garden Tuesday night and Friday afternoon. The Rangers will face the Toronto Maple Leafs Wednesday and Thursday. The little kids may shed tears of disappointment but the circus no longer has the oomph to drive the Knicks and Rangers out into the streets.

Baseball, Basketball Twinbill In fact, this may be as busy a 32-hour stretch for sport spectaculars as our village has had in a long while. The New York Mets will open a new baseball season at Shea Stadium against the Montreal Expos Tuesday afternoon weather permitting, of course and a Met fan doesn't even have to hustle hard to get to the basketball game in the evening. But he better make sure he has a ticket because there just aren't any left for sale. Now that Knicks and Rangers have gained practically permanent play-off status the overlap into the opening of the baseball season impinges considerably more on public consciousness. The two winter sports have rocketed high in popularity while that of the diamond game has sloughed off to some extent and more people are talking Knicks than mention Mets or Yankees as of now.

The hockey team has a smaller following. The dribble diversion is a sport where interest in each game accelerates the closer it approaches the finish. This also goes for seasons, too. It has to seem that the hysteria builds up as the tournament progresses and the excitement that accompanied the closeout of the series with the Atlanta Hawks last week was almost comparable to some of those a year ago. Can tbe Knicks Win It Again? But it ended much more abruptly when the final game of that series ended, almost as if someone turned off the sound track without permitting the echoes to keep reverberating in the Garden as had been the case last season, first against Baltimore, then against Milwaukee and then against Los Angeles.

Can the Knicks repeat as champions? They certainly didn't have the super sensational winter that they had a year earlier. They didn't win as often or look as good. Willis Reed, the key to the entire operation, has been hobbled by more injuries than in the past. Other regulars have been hurting from time to time and the once marvelous Knick reserves have contributed so little that Red Holzman has made wary and sparing use of them. But the Knicks seem to take on a new glow when the playoffs roll around.

They gave the impression that they were playing more purposefully as they capitalized on every Atlanta weakness to erase the Hawks in five games. Now it will be Baltimore, a seven-game toughie last year, with so many classic match-ups: Reed and Wes Unseld; Dave DeBusscherre and Gus Johnson (a four-star special); Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe; Bill Bradley and Jack Marin; Dick Barnett and Kevin Loughery. It should be a great show. You can warm up for it in the afternoon by studying Ron Swoboda, the newest Montreal outfielder and gift from the Mets. But it may be necessary to get indoors in the Garden for any real warming up.

This could be worth the wait. mm lira Only Maryland Thru-Jets at 10:40 am and 8:25 pm. Fare only $44. Future of AIR Still Up in Air By AL THOMY Trustee R. Neal Batson and Atlanta International Raceway officials gathered Monday to review the results of the Atlanta 500 and mull the future of the 1-mile track.

Menthol 100's tobacc "fee is 100 naturally cured in fresh country air. Batson, appointed by the People on their way up save 20 to 50 percent with our special fare deals. Low cost fares such as: "Discover America" Family Fares Youth Fares Special Military Fares "Long-Weekend Fares" MGroup 10 Fare." Pick the fare deal that suits you best. Mil "I WWIIII i lllllillfc 1 I For reservations call 762-5561, or your Travel Agent. mm iwwwi' 10 Os BASEBALL SUMMARY a.

.3 Another inquiry has come from Richard Howard, president and general manager of the Charlotte Motor Speedway, which itself was resurrected out of bankruptcy to become one of the most successful of automotive tracks. Howard first approached Batson and AIR several months ago. He called again after Governor Jimmy Carter vetoed the proposed 10 per cent entertainment tax bill aimed at AIR. The third group, composed of Atlanta investors, contacted Batson through a local lawyer. Batson said all of these proposals must be taken into consideration before a decision is reached on the future of the track.

Perhaps the most important result of the Atlanta 500 was that it gave the track leverage in its dealings with others and enhanced its own value. Batson would not say that the Dixie 500 in August is definitely on the schedule. "I can't say the Dixie 500 is definitely on, but we're doing what needs to be done to have-a race in August," he said. "We will have an announcement in a week or 10 days." court to serve as trustee of the financially-plagued track, wanted to make it clear that AIR "is not out of the woods yet." He pointed out that one race couldn't possibly lift the ttrack from the depths of its debts, said to be $1.4 million. At the same time he said that he believes a step has been taken in the direction of extracting AIR from its dilemma.

An estimated 57,000 watched Sunday's 500. The advance sale was the second largest in the track's history, being surpassed only in 1969. It was learned Monday that at least three groups are inter ested in purchasing the Atlanta International Raceway property. An investment firm out of Dallas, headed by Henry Kyle and David Price, and including show-business person-a titles Dean Martin, Bill Cosby, the Smothers Brothers and Art Linkletter, has made inquiries about the track. Dallas native Kyle and Price, who heads up the Don the Beach Comber chain, met with Batson and raceway officials here last Friday.

AMERICAN NATIONAL Rail CB GB Washington Pet ,000 .000 .000 ,000 .000 East 8 0 0 0 Vint PcC. 1.000 .000 .000 .000 .000 Itosion Cleveland Detroit New YorK Baltimore Chlcaeo Montreal New York Philadelphia Piltsburah SU Louis (Ltlanta I on lit on xm Anrl(4 Ran Pieuo San Francisco 0 0 0 Went 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 California ChiCBCO 1.000 .000 .000 .000 ft 1 .000 .000 .000 .004 .000 Hnnta til? Minncnota Milwaukee OakUnd .000 uncinnau MonrlnT'n Rmults ATLANTA J. Cincinnati 4 Iw Anncl)' at Houston Other cluba not schvdulrd. Tunuln.v'H Ciiimojl Monday'! Results Wiuhlnston 6, Oakland 0 Oilier ilubs not scheduled Tuendny'a Games New York (Hnhnsen 14-11) at Boston (Culn 17-14), 1:30 p.m., 33,000. Mlnruu, 11.11 at IVIuU rhllnrfelnhla (Short 9-l nt Pittsburgh (Ellin 13-10), 1:35 p.m., 40.000.

Montreal (Morton 18-11) nt New York tM'uvor ib-12). 2:05 p.m., 30.090. St, Louis (Gibson 23-; i nt Chicago (Jen' kln 79.1A. 9. in OOO.

V.II-.VIWIIU I PI'jr a. WtlUl, (Lollch 14-19), 1:30 p.m.. 45.000. lamoiar.Uma. nicotins Snn Francisco (Mariihal 17-10) at San DioKO (Phorbus 5-5), 10:30 28.000.

AnRi'lca (Osteon 1-14 at Houstoi ftiiiwnuKTC win i in i4i' muinesoia (Pcrrv 24-12), 2:15 p.m., 10,000. Kaiuas City (Draxo 9-15) at California (Wrluht 22-12), 11 vm 18.000. Only Karnes scbcilukj. ay. per cijaiem by FTC method.

ivwison ii-oi, p.m. u.uuu, Only namea scheduled. Hurt onto Something Special.