The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 51

ii iijli'iiflintnil. 1 Cf C5r Oi'Ti' I Gill' jflftSl 1 -sho6k)5Pehh Stt0-again-14-3 3C Falcons Jook for another triumph, in home debut vs: Giants Sunday 4 1 hi Mfjt Atlanta Sfournal the Atlanta constitution SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11. 1983 SECTION derail back! raves odyers 6-3 in 10 innin 0H1 gs VARGO STRIKES AGAIN 20C By Tim Tucker Staff Writer thrown out at the plate on Bob Watson's ground ball to second. That left runners at first and third with two out. But the Braves, hurt lately by lack of clutch hitting, came through with a pair of two-out hits to cushion their lead by two runs.

Chris Chambliss, getting his fifth hit and sixth RBI in eight pinch-hitting appearances this season, lined a single to right to score Murphy. And Rafael Ramirez dropped a soft single into center to score pinch runner Albert Hall, who was running for Watson. The Braves' lOth-inning rally began when Dodgers reliever Joe Beckwith issued a one-out walk to Brett Butler. A single to right by Jerry Royster put runners on first and third with one out. The Dodgers then replaced Beckwith, the losing pitcher, with Pat Zachry.

Dale Murphy, the first batter to face Zachry, bounced a ground ball to shortstop Bill Russell, who twice bobbled the ball in his haste to make a play at the plate. Russell was left with no play, and Butler scored the tiebreaking run. After a double steal by Royster and Murphy put runners on second and third with one out, Royster was Won Lost Pet GB Dodgers 82 60 .577 Braves 80 62 .563 2 Qk' Astros'. 75 66 .532 6 Complete Baseball Coverage 18-C LOS ANGELES The Atlanta Braves scored three runs in the 10th inning Saturday night, breaking a tie at 3 and beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-3 before 51,418 at Dodger Stadium. The win, only Atlanta's fifth in 14 games against Los Angeles this season, allowed the Braves to climb back within two games of the Dodgers in the National League West.

See BRAVES 20C CTZIO re 0)0)0 Perkins' debut 20-7 success over Jackets COMPLETE COVERAGE 14-15C By Jesse Outlar Constitution Sports Editor BIRMINGHAM A crowd of 77,413 stood and paid silent tribute to the memory of the late Bear Bryant, who won 232 of his ALABAMA 1 vJS 323 victories in 25 seasons at Alabama and became college football's winningest coach. The Tide then ushered in the Ray Perkins era with a 20-7 triumph over stubborn Georgia Tech in the sweltering heat Saturday afternoon in the season opener for both teams at Legion Field. The temperature was 93 in the stands at kickoff and near 110 degrees on the new artificial turf on the field, and the intense heat took its toll on fans and players throughout the scorching afternoon. The game was closer than the score indicated, because Tech damaged its chances of staging an upset similar to the 24-21 victory here in 1981 by losing three of four, fumbles and committing six illegal procedure penalties, t- When the Jackets staked the Tide to an early touchdown after quarterback Stu Rogers lost a fumble on his 20, Alabama envisioned another rout similar to the 45-7 mismatch in Atlanta last year. But coach Bill Curry's men defused what had been advertised as an explosive new Alabama offense, forcing five fumbles.

However, the ball didn't bounce right for Tech. Alabama recovered four of its bobbles. Alabama quarterback Walter Lewis hit on 11 of 19 passes for 204 yards and one touchdown, as the Tide rolled up a net total of 363 yards, compared to 312 for Tech. Rogers completed 15 of 24 passes for 138 yards, but he absorbed a fierce physical beating from linebacker Emanuel King and the other Alabama defenders. Rogers suffered a rib injury when he was sandwiched between King arid Mike Rodriguez in the third quarter.

He came back equipped with a flak jacket but was floored and forced out again in the fourth period. REACH OUT AND TOUCH: Alabama wide receiver Greg Richardson comes up a little short attempting to catch second-quarter pass from quarterback Walter Lewis. One down, 322 to go for Alabama's Perkins Furman Bisher Journal Sports Editor Baltimore Coltmate, Bill Curry, and (2) against Georgia Tech, most despised in the minds of any of the Crimson Tide with any indulgence in football history of the South. It was an event historic in another way. It was Georgia Tech's last appearance on this field, which Birmingham lovingly calls "football capital of the South," until further notice.

This series has one more chapter to be written, that to take ilace in Atlanta next year. After that they part, Georgia Tech ooking to involve itself more in the less strenuous world of the Atlantic Coast Conference. It may be that Georgia Tech takes its leave at a most importune time, if one is to take stock in the matchup of this particular afternoon. Alabama led at the end, 20-7, but Georgia Tech had gone about its defensive work with serious devotion that restricted a nationally acclaimed offense to two BIRMINGHAM They came not so much to install a "new era" their term in Alabama football as to observe, finally, the passing of their legend. Paul Bryant became officially dead when another man in a blue shirt, gray trousers and red tie came trotting through the tunnel onto Legion Field in his place Saturday afternoon.

For the first time since humiliation by Auburn (40-0) at this same playground in 1957, an Alabama team was coached by somebody other than Bryant The man in blue shirt, gray trousers and red tie, Walter Ray Perkins, comes with hawkish features, cold penetrating eyes, a smile sparingly employed and a background out of a Faulkner plot. He was raised at a truck stop in Petal, and arrived his first time at Alabama a green, bony kid. This time he returned to his alma mater by way of New York City, a svelte metropolite anointed to succeed his former master. Over the years there must have been 15 different likely prospects "heir apparent" was their term to fol- low Bryant at Alabama, but all fell with the shrinkage of their record, leaving it open to Perkins, one of the least likely- )''' Strange that Perkins should have had his official coronation in combat at Alabama (1) against his friend and former See BISHER 16C 160 See TECH KlffiFSifiDteva .01 Auburn stalls but still clips the Eagles 24-3 Su o)In) A CASE FOR DEFENSE 13C By Jeff Denberg Staff Writer 5C LENDL MEETS CONNORS By Thomas M. Stinson Staff Writer ED AUBURN AUBURN, Ala.

Out here on the plains of east Alabama they call Auburn's murderous schedule the "road to the top." The road had a bumpy beginning j-J Tf2k V-v But for now, you can know this about Pat Dye's third team here: Auburn's quick backs, Lionel James and Bo Jackson, haven't lost a bit of the speed that brought them a combined 1,600 rushing yards last season. The Auburn defense is as tough as ever, especially against a team that treats the forward pass as foreign matter. tThe tragic death of fullback Greg Pratt at the start of preseason practice does not appear to have diminished the Tigers' enthusiasm for the game. They paid him tribute with a moment of silence before a pregame prayer; and they wore his number, 36, outlined in black on the back of their helmets. The balance of the evening was devoted to football; and that was more than Southern Mississippi, traditionally a difficult opponent for Auburn, could withstand.

championship that has somehow eluded her in her. 10 years as a professional. "I played one or two good games," said a subdued Lloyd afterwards. "But you need more than that" On this day it would have taken much, much more. This tournament belonged to Navratilova from the initial serve.

It took her 63 minutes to beat Lloyd, the first time she has required more than an hour in any of her matches here this year. Over the two-week championship, she has spent a grand total of six hours and four minutes on the court, meaning that her $120,000 winner's check was earned at a rate of $3,296 per minute. And this discounts any possible winnings in Sunday's doubles NEW YORK Covering at net like a wall of stone, Martina Navratilova filled in the lone hole in her historical career Saturday. She served and volleyed all over the puzzled personage of Chris Evert Lloyd in a thoroughly one-sided women's final of the 103rd U.S. Open Tennis Championships.

Completing her two-week siege here, wherein she won all seven matches without surrendering as much as a set, Navratilova took Lloyd's game apart in a 6-1, 6-3 victory that spoke much for the stranglehold one. woman now holds on this game. The match brought Navratilova her first Open title, the lone Grand Slam Saturday night. Auburn sputtered and often stalled before rolling over Southern Mississippi 24-3 before its largest opening game crowd, 73,500 peo pie, on an evening so humid just breathing made you wet and tired. 1 Ranked the fourth-best team in the nation, Auburn only infrequently played like a team that will remain so high on the list after the leaves change.

By then the Tigers will have been tried by Texas (next week's opponent) and flashy Florida State. 5C I United Press International FIRST: Open champ Navraiilova. See OPEN 13C I See AUBURN wjiiiMuinwimwMtfuara 1 1 wiiihihihii IMMHMiiiB mnuHi 4r.