The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 67

CI)CVtlanIa2cumal THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1980 ports SECTION a Pirates 5 TODAY'S GAME: Atlanta Braves (Rick Matula 9-12) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (Rick Rhoden 5-4), 2:15 p.m., Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Radio WSB-AM (750). in the ninth inning, fiercely protecting the 3-2 lead as the crowd stood and wildly cheered every pitch. "The whole thing brought back a lot of old memories," Garber said. "I'm talking of the years in Philadelphia when we were playing other contending clubs in close games, and the crowd was really getting into it, cheering every pitch.

That's when baseball is fun. "This is a lot different (from the past two Septembers with the Braves). What were you going to play for those years pitching and Bob Homer's 29th home run. Niekro, who had a one-hitter through seven innings, turned the game over to Garber with a 3-1 lead, two runners on base and nobody out in the eighth. Garber, whose sinker was devastating, did not allow a ball to leave the infield over the final two innings, although an unearned run scored in the eighth when shortstop Rafael Ramirez dropped a pop fly.

Garber retired Bill Madlock, Dave Parker and Mike Easier on ground balls By TIM TUCKER Journal Staff Writer Phil Niekro says the Atlanta Braves are "the best team in baseball right: now," and the world-champion Pitts- burgh Pirates are hardly in a position to argue the point Niekro combined with Gene Garber to pitch a two-hitter Saturday afternoon at the Stadium, as the Braves defeated the Pirates, 3-2, for their sixth straight win. Atlanta has now won 10 of 11 against Pittsburgh this season. And while it is difficult to conceive of the Braves as the "best team in baseball" or in anything they have been precisely that over the past month. They have won 23 of 29 games since Aug. 7, and no team in either league has a better record over the same period.

"I'm looking forward to coming out tomorrow and watching these guys play baseball again watching nine guys play the best baseball they've ever played," Niekro said after winning his 13th of the season and fifth straight to be 29 games out of first place instead of 30, to be eight games out of fifth place instead of nine? Those are tough things to play for." And now the Braves have third place in the National League West to play for, and they envision themselves playing for first before the month is over. Saturday's win moved them within three games of the third-place Cincinnati Reds, who arrive in Atlanta for a three-game series beginning Monday night. See BRAVES. 10D Saturday. An enthusiastic 17,821 took the opportunity to do so Saturday afternoon and were rewarded with the Braves' sixth straight win, achieved with outstanding 161 0gs' rail topp 5 Furman Bisher journal Sports Editor I Curry 's debut had only one complication Walker explodes for two scores in SEC debut By JESSE OUTLAR Constitution Sporti Editor KNOXVILLE, Heralded Georgia freshman tailback Herschel Walker, accustomed to small crowds while scoring 45 touchdowns and gaining more than 3,000 yards at Johnson County UjsmJrsm, High in Wrightsville last year.i1- didn't give the largest crowd BIRMINGHAM, Ala.

At the Ramada Inn, out near the I i i i airpun, diu lurry was matting reaay tor tne next greai day in his lifetime, to go with three Super Bowls, his wedding day, and the birth of two children. And not necessarily in that order. He was about to coach his first football game at Georgia Tech as the next in a line of successors to Bobby Dodd, the immortal, who would be sitting and watching. As Ihey once wrote in the day of the death penalty, the condemned slept well and ate a hearty breakfast. He then met and greeted cordially the'curious who came by his suite, then went down to meet the ever to see a football game in the South much to shout about as game Georgia rallied in the second half to edge 16-15, Saturday night in newly enlarged Neyland Stadium.

Most of the 95,288 fans, team and gather his men aboard the buses that would take I OUTLAR them to the seen. There was Just one distressful complication the other team was Alabama, defending champion of everything short of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the site was this state's version of the Colosseum, Legion Field, where statistics prove that Ala- sweltering in near 90-degree heat, were waving orange banners and anticipating a rout as their Vols rolled up a 15-0 advantage after 12 minutes of the third quarter. At that juncture Georgia got a safety after a fumble in which both teams dribbled the ball 27 yards into the Vol end zone to get the Bulldogs on the board in this vital Southeastern Conference opener for both teams. Georgia Coach Vince Dooley had had the 'Wml I rr'. A'h nerve to introduce Walker to SEC society late in the second quarter, and the most sought after prep back in the nation last year quickly proved that he can play with the big guys.

Walker, a 218-pounder with blazing speed, woke up the dormant Georgia offense. Following the safety in the third quarter, he made his first college touchdown a most memorable one See GEORGIA, 7D INSIDE Irish rout Purdue 2D Lawrence leads UNC win 5D V-Vi 'mmgim Mm) It TM" 1 g-w- I Duma letting wiu win oi umei iney ''A' There was a certain fragrance of confidence in the air. There had been an ad in the morning paper advertising a Sugar Bowl excursion, 'Two fabulous days in New Orleans," it read, "for only $189." As the repeating champion of the Southeastern Conference, this would be the Crimson Tide's destination on New Year's Day. Anyone within sound of the famous "Million Dollar Band" harboring any doubt would be beheaded on the spot And his head presented on a platter to the master of the kingdom, His Royal Honor Paul W. Bryant 1 don't feel at all the way I lhought I'd feel," Bill Curry had said.

"I'm excited. Carolyn (his'wifej is excited. We're not at all nervous the way I expected to be. 1 didn't expect to sleep. I slept like a child." The rest of Curry's day was left to another man named Bryant.

Bill of the Journal staff (no kin to P.W.) would be dealing with the debuting coach, taking his pulse periodically and. observing his behavior under stress. It was sort of like watching a man walk the plank. "What we've got to do is not make foolish mistakes, give up the ball and make a touchdown easy for them." "Yeah, and not lose onr composure. Remember that they're just another football team and not be intimidated by them.

I've seen teams go on the field to play Alabama and stand out there looking across the field at them like they were -looking at some Super Bowl team. They were behind seven before they even took a breath." Two young assistants about to coach their first game were talking it over on the way to the stadium. Jon Fabris' father had been a coach, high school and college. Jeff McLean is a graduate of Virginia Military, more noted for men of war than football genius. Both are fresh and bright and confident and give off an air of success.

It will seek them out, their eyes and their pleasant manner say. There were little items of no great import that caught the eye. Alabama showed up wearing white shoes. There was a distinct definition of status along the sideline eight air-conditioning units cooled the Alabama bench, and back of Tech's stood six electric fans. And what's this, a gray elephant preceding the ''Alabama squad onto the field? Once they called themselves the Red Elephants, but that was dropped because it indicated the ponderous and the George Brett .306 0-3 Saturday night in 8-3 loss to Cleveland.

Staff Photo Louli Favorttt Alabama's Billy Jackson scores on a 15-yard run; he later added a five-yard touchdown sfani can't TlQI By RUSS De VAULT Journal Stiff Writer BIRMINGHAM Alabama won a football game here, but proved nothing that wasn't expected Saturday in beating Georgia Tech, 26-3, before a Legion Field crowd of 78,410. Despite some seemingly impressive statistics, the Crimson Tide didn't look at all like a team that owns the nation's longest major-college winning streak (22). It certainly didn't resemble the second best team in the nation, which is what it was voted in the two major polls. "If we're second-best now, look out way down yonder," said Head Coach Paul (Bear) a personal-foul penalty for a late hit on the Tide's first possession of the second quarter. Alabama's third touchdown, one that made it 19-0 at halftime, came when sprinter James Mallard lined up at wingback and turned his speed and some confusion in the Jacket secondary into a 39-yard reception in the end zone.

The fourth came on ah 80-yard drive fueled by No. 2 quarterback Alan Gray and reserve backs Charles Williams, Mitch Ferguson, Joe Carter and Linnie Patrick, a freshman. The only other drives that covered more than 50 yards were Alabama's 62-yard push capped by Mallard's reception, Georgia Tech's Bryant, who recorded his 297th career victory, 18 short of breaking Amos Alonzo Stagg's all-' time standard. "We never did look like an Alabama team is supposed to on offense." A presumed lack of offensive strength is why the Tide's ability to successfully defend the national championship and win a third straight title has been questioned. But it wasn't a factor in Saturday's outcome.

It was, in fact Georgia Tech mistakes that made most of the difference on the scoreboard in the season opener for both. Alabama's first touchdown was set up by a bad punt snap by Tech center Biff George on the Jackets' first possession. Its second score was aided by 51-yard drive to a missed field goal and the Jackets' 50-yard drive to a 36-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Alabama had to go only 15 yards for its easiest touchdown after guard Jackie Cline recovered the low snap Tech punter Jeff Pierce couldn't handle. Fullback Billy Jackson pounded up the middle for the score on first down, steamrolling over cornerback Ted Thur-son, the last man between him and the goal.

Alabama's second touchdown, scored by Jackson on a five-yard run, followed two Tech penalties. The first was an offensive pass-See TECH, 8D McEnroe beats Connors again, replays Borg Serious business begins as Falcons face Vikings And the heat it was insufferable. Ninety-two degrees on the official Department of Commerce thermometers, surely 102 on the field. Dozens of people in the stands spit the bit caved in and had to be treated in a first-aid room that wasn't large enough. Out on the green carpet the game was on, Alabama had won the toss, taken the offensive, failed to gain a first down jk and punted.

Tech was in the process of attempting to punt back when the kicker, Jeff Pierce, a junior, for no seeming reason fumbled the snap, then fumbled the ball away, and Alabama covered it on Tech's 15-yard line. One savage burst of speed and Billy Jackson, the senior back, was in the end zone. In three minutes, 41 seconds Georgia Tech had done the one thing it could ill afford to do, the unforgivable sin had been committed. Alabama had been treated to a seven-point lead. The words of young coaches Fabris and McLean came ringing in my ears.

Once again, just before the break for the half, it happened again. Georgia Tech was about to escape on the short end of 0-13, and needed only to guard its goal line with vigilance. Ala- bama sent in one of those burners, a world sprinter named James Mallard, who had never before played a game of col- lege football. One pass had been thrown in his direction with no effect but a time out was called. A great buzzing took I place on the Alabama sideline among Mai Moore, the offensive chief, Mallard and the quarterback, Don Jacobs.

Everybody in the stands knew what the next play would be Mallard on the sprint and Jacobs on the throw. It worked for 40 yards and a touchdown, the first pass James Mallard ever caught for his school. He's a senior. In the dying seconds Tech had committed another unpardonable sin and given away six more points. In the end, these conclusions could be made: Nobody can play defense with Alabama; Tech's defense contained Alabama's running game fairly well; Kelley passed under heavy fire with reasonable aplomb, especially considering that his running game very nearly collapsed and died; the result was no worse than could be expected, nor much better.

And if you're going to break in as a head coach in college, It's better to play a game that means something than to take on mighty Maryville nr rarenn-Npurman anrl slaiinhtpr inmvpnt fhrktinna Rft tn By FRANK HYLAND Journal Staff Writer BLOOMINGTON, Minn. The preliminaries are finally all over. No more two-a-day practices, no more meaningless exhibition games, no more agonizing cuts of personnel. The National Football League gets down to business beginning Sunday. The business is that of the regular season and the Atlanta Falcons begin theirs here at 1 this afternoon against the Minnesota Vikings, who are still considered strong enough to rate as four-point choices oyer the visitors.

The game will be telecast back to Atlanta over Channel 5, with the radio broadcast beamed over WGST-92. The opener also marks the fourth year of the Leeman Bennett era and the 15th in the team's history. It atoo marks the fourth year of Bennett's Five-Year Plan, under which the And as far as Bennett is concerned, the Falcons are still pretty much on course, last year's 6-10 disappointment notwithstanding. "I think we'll be a better football team," Bennett says flatly. He said it before the train ing camp got under way' and he is still saying it some seven weeks later.

He says that even though two of his most troublesome areas, the defensive backfield and protection for his quarterback, still seem as troublesome as they were July 16. Bennett decided to start rookie Ken Johnson in place of the injured Rick Byas at cor-nerback. Other than that the deep backs are the same going into this game, as they were last year, with Rolland Lawrence at corner and Frank Reed and Tom Pridemore at the safeties. Twenty-six rookies, veterans and free agents came in to try and take their jobs, but the only way one could was for Byas to break his arm. See FALCONS, 12D TV coverage of the U.S.

Open tennis finals begins at 4 p.m. today on Channel 5 United Preu International NEW YORK Chris Evert Lloyd, once again fighting from behind, won her fifth U.S. Open Championship Saturday while John McEnroe won a fifth-set tie-break from Jimmy Connors to set up a replay of his classic Wimbledon final with Bjorn Borg. For the second day in a row, Evert dropped the opening set, only to rally back, this time for a 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Hana Mandlikova of Czechoslovakia, who was bidding to become the first East European-' woman to capture the Open. In a match that took almost four hours and 15 minutes starting in bright sunshine and ending under the lights McEnroe, the I See 1SD United Pre International Falcons were to become solid contenders by VW IU Open cfebmp Chris Evert tne fifth year.

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