The Daily American from Somerset, Pennsylvania • 12

12 Dally American, Friday, DwwnUr 3, 117 DannyMiiirtaiiighDies In Coma After Stroke -A AY 1 1 I llllllllli Mi A CHESTER, Pa. (AP) Danny Murtaugh, the "Whistling Irishman" when he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and unflappable dugout stoic when he managed them, died Thursday at age 59. who retired as Pirate manager at the end of last season, died at Crozier-Chester Medical Center where he'd been in the intensive care unit since a stroke Tuesday afternoon. Born here on Oct. 8, 1917, Murtaugh began playing pro baseball at age 19, and he broke into the majors with the Philadelphia Phillies four years later.

He subsequently played for the Boston Braves and was traded in 1947 to the Pirates, with whom he played his final four seasons as a second baseman. "He whistled real loud between pitches when he was playing second. They called him the Whistling Irishman," recalled longtime Pirate stadium announcer Art McKennan. Murtaugh was a key figure in the Pirates 1948 team, leading the National League in, putouts for a second baseman, assists and double plays while batting .290, his best ever. Joe L.

Brown, who retired recently as Pirate general manager, gave Murtaugh his first managing job in 1952 with the Pirates' New Orleans farm club, which he guided to a fifth place finish while also playing part-time his first season. Murtaugh became third base coach of the Pirates in 1956, and he was promoted to manager midway of the 1957 season when Bobby Bragan was fired. The Pirates finished in second-place under Murtaugh in 1958 after placing last or next to it in the National League eight straight previous seasons. In 1960, he led the Pirates to a World Series triumph over the New York Yankees, but he retired in 1964 due to heart trouble and became a part-time Pirate scout. "Scouting is the golf tour of baseball, easy traveling, out in the sun, real enjoyable," he said.

It was to be the first of four retirements for Murtaugh as Pirate manager. He returned briefly to manage the club late in the 1967 season after Harry Walker was fired. He retired again at the end of that season, only to return in 1970 In what was a major surprise, succeeding the fired Larry Shepard. Known for his stone-faced, stoic demeanor on the bench, Murtaugh led the Pirate to another World Series triumph in 1971, this time over the Baltimore Orioles. After that season he retired again.

"I want to take some time to smell the roses," he said. He didn't spend long in the rose garlen, returning again as Pirate manager late in 1973, replacing the fired Bill Virdon. Murtaugh admitted he was stunned in 1973 when Brown called him and asked him to return. "I've been involved in a lot of big surprises, but that was the big one," Murtaugh said. "You've always told me you were an organization man.

Now's -your chance to prove it," Brown told Murtaugh. "There was almost 30 seconds of silence over the phone and then Danny came back on and said, Brown said. "I told him my reason. It was a very personal appeal, which I'd rather not discuss, and he said he'd think it over and call back." Murtaugh called back a couple of hours later, after a talk with his wife Kate, and he took the Job. He remained Pirate manager until the end of this season, which saw the Pirates finish second in the National League East after winning the title five of six prior seasons.

Murtaugh, a teatotaler who sippled milk or apple cider in his lockerroom rocking chair after games, reportedly told friends last spring that it would be his last season with the Pirates. Yet before making his official retirement announcment, he played a final prank on sportswriters at the news conference. "I'm happy to announce I'll be back for two more years," he said. "That would be a surprise," someone chimed in. Woman Files Suit iBiiiiiiiimirMiajiiifiriiiniiiiiMiiiiiriiiiiiir (AP Wirephoto) DANNY MURTAUGH DIES Pittsburgh Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh is doused with champagne in Baltimore in October 1971 after Pirates edged Baltimore 2-1 to win the World Series.

Murtaugh, who had also led -the Pirates to a Series win in 1960, died Thursday, two days after suffering a stroke. (AP Wirephoto) Pittsburgh. Murtaugh's cuspidor is at left. The colorful manager, wo retired last season due to poor health, died Thursday, two days after suffering a stroke MURTAUGH DIES Then Pittsburgh Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh sits in his rocking chair in team's locker room in October 1973 prior to start of game against the San Diego Padres in Raiders Flatten Portage Murtaugh: Patience, Pranks, Warmth, Wit Against Seattle SEATTLE (AP) A woman injured in a mishap during a Seattle Seahawks football game at the Kingdome has filed a $1 million claim against the city of Seattle. Susan Pennock, 28, suffered a fractured vertebra when a participant in a grandstand fight fell on her.

She has been hospitalized since the Nov. 1 mishap and underwent surgery Monday. Doctors said she will be in a body cast for four months. McRae Top DH NEW YORK (AP) Hal McRae, whose hitting led the Kansas City Royals to the American League West Division title in 1976, was named Thursday as the AL's outstanding designated hitter. The award is presented each year to the league's most valuable DH.

McRae, who led all designated hitters with a .329 average, PITTSBURGH (AP) It was a cold September night in the 1974 baseball season, and the late Danny Murtaugh was at work for the Pittsburgh Pirates on a dugout seat in St Louis. He was a manager who saw the important things, though his eyelids always drooped beneath his dark brows. And he was the man who pulled the strings for the Pirates, though he typically sat with folded arms, expressionless and immobile except for an occasional shift of the tobacco wadded in his lantern jaw. His Pirates, in a tight race with the St Louis Cardinals, had just rallied with four runs to take a 12-9 lead into the last of the 13th inning. Amidst the excitement, Murtaugh was making a decision, well aware he had no veteran relief pitchers left for the bottom of that 13th inning.

Instead of using one of his starting pitchers, he threw two rookies, Juan Jiminez and Jim Min-shall, into the breech, and the Cardinals scored four runs in the 13th to beat Pittsburgh 13-12. That crushing loss dropped the Pirates a half-game behind the Cardinals in the National League East race, and Murtaugh was roundly secondguessed for not using a starter. "There are seven games left in this race, and I want my starting pitchers ready," Murtaugh said after the game. "And I have confidence in the men I sent out there tonight" As it turned out, the Pirates's won six of those last seven games, with strong starting pitching. -They finished Wi games ahead of St.

Louis to win the division title. "Patience, ultimate patience. That's what makes Danny Murtaugh a winning manager," relief pitcher Dave Giusti said later. "I think I would have used a reliever in that situation in St Louis," he added. "But he has a philosophy and he sticks with it.

It took a lot of guts. Right or wrong, you have to admire him." Former Pirate general manager Joe L. Brown, who retired just before Murtaugh did after last season, had a similar appraisal of the man he likened to a brother. "Danny Murtaugh is the best handler of pitchers and men of all the managers I have ever known," Brown once said. Murtaugh, who managed in roughly 2,000 games in two decades for the Pirates and guided them to a pair of World Series titles, once summed up his approach.

"I don't panic easily," he said from his locker room rocking chair, where he sat shoeless after games while sipping cider or milk. "Some fans and the writers might think the season is over when we go into a slump, but you won't see me getting nervous in July. "Maybe in September, but not July, I've been around too long for that. Experience has taught me that it's the long haul that Beyond his stoic demeanor, Murtaugh was known for his wry wit and fondness for friendly ribbing. He'd had a history of heart trouble, and when he returned two winters ago from a vacation to a sunny clime, he was asked about his health.

"This is from Dr. Murtaugh. Everything's down by my golf score," he said. He had a special fondness for spitting tobacco on the shoes of sportswriters, and he also liked to rib airline stewardesses by addressing them One year in spring training, Murtaugh was watching a Japanese team play in Florida. Mustangs' Uon Alexander.

"We made a lot of mistakes which can be expected in the first match of any team." Warnick reflected. "We got a good group of kids who didn't get much of a chance to scrimmage with Thanksgiving and all. There are things we'll have to work on, but we'll take care of that." The Raiders' match with Conemaugh Valley scheduled for next Tuesday was postponed to a later date. Instead, Meyersdale will travel to meet Forest Hills next Thursday. Meyersdale, 51, Portage, 98 (M) dec.

Whitcomb, 14-4. 105 Beal, (M) dec. T. Whitcomb, 10- 2. 112 R.

Johnson (P) pinned Mark Albright, 4.48 119 Baker (M) pinned Branas, 3:57. 126 Nicklow (M) dec. Koshak, 7-4. 132 Heffren (M) dec. Alexander, 13- 5.

138 Mitchell (M) pinned Sherbine, 1:00. 145 Sines (M) pinned Nevarre, 2:41. 195 Kalmalsky, pinned Bern, 1 43. 167 Faidley, dec. Dividock, M.

185 Murray (M) dec. Sherbine, 9-2. Heavyweight Hillegas pinned Local Schedule Portage If a 51-6 season opening triumph over Portage is any indication of what to expect from the Meyersdale wrestling team this year, then shooting for a perfect slate is a realistic goal set by Raider coach Ken Warnick. Warnick wasn't surprised Thursday night when his grap-plers walked away from the mats winning all but one contest while posting pins in five bouts of 12. "Those pins didn't surprise me at all," he said.

"They shoot for pins and they're nice to have." Len Baker (119), Dwane Mitchell (138); Bob Sines (145); John Kalmalsky (155) and heavyweight Scott Hillegas each flattened their opponent for the count Mitchell spent only one minute in collecting his victory. Warnick said, however, he was impressed with the victory of 105-pounder Len Beal, who defeated Tom Whitcomb in a 10-2 four-point decision. "Beal did a nice job considering that Whitcomb went 17-2 last year." Warnick further noted "most of the kids did wrestle quite well in this, our ninth win in a row." Portage's only victory came in the 112-DOund class as Rick Raiders Look To Bright Wrestling Season FRIDAY Wrestling Cambria at Central North Johnson pinned Mark Albright Star Basketball Raiders Jim Kamalsky (98) and Ron Heffren (132) each netted four-point decisions. Kamalsky scored the opening win with a 14-4 margin over Don Whitcomb. Heffren posted Indiana at Somerset Forest Hills at Windber Meyersdale at Salisbury Berlin at Everett Shade at Conemaugh Township North Star at Rockwood a 13-5 spread over the By NATHAN CODISPOTI The outlook is good for most of the six Somerset County wrestling teams for the 1976-77 season.

Wrestling is growing in Somerset County, just as it is throughout the state. For the second straight year another county school, Berlin-Brothersvalley, has added the sport to its program. This season the Berlin team will not wrestle a varsity schedule, but will scrimmage varsity teams. Head coach, Ronald Pritts wants this season to be a learning experience for his 34 member squad. Pritts feels it is important to learn the basics first.

Among his goals for the new Berlin team is "to improve and enhance the wrestling team here at Berlin and hope that it turns into a beneficial sport for the school district." Going into the new season, the Meyersdale Red Raiders have the brightest outlook and head coach, Ken Warnick, is confident of a good season. He has set his teams goals high. Warnick expressed disappointment that he has not been successful in upgrading the Meyersdale schedule to where he feels it should be at this point He is still working toward that-goal and has hopes of making some changes in the schedule before this season is very old. He is disappointed that the other Somerset County teams, the established teams, have not added Meyersdale to their schedule. Warnick has 12 lettermen returning from last season's 13-1 team.

They are: Len Beal, Mark Albright, Jim Kamalsky, Lynn Baker, Perry Nicklow, Ron Hefern, Duane Mitchell, Bob Sines, John Kamalsky, Dave Faidley, Terry Murray, and Bill Kennel. Warnick feels that, "with 12 lettermen, if we can get them to the right weights, we're looking to go undefeated. We were 13-1 last year, that's about the only thing left for us to do." Somerset returns with five returning lettermen on its experienced squad of 50 wrestlers. Sean Isgan, District 5 AA heavyweight champion, heads the list of returning lettermen. Mark Baker, Dave Higgins, Rick Murray and Rick Pugh round out the list.

Coach McCall has a positive outlook for the season and feels the team, can have a good season. "We hope we do the best we can possibly do," he said. The Eagle's lineup will probably have Ron Kissinger (98), Rick Murray (105), Dave Higgins (112), Rick Pugh (119), Willie Critchfield (126), Brad Berkebile (132), Dave Weimer (138), Tom Baer (145), Tom Brown (155), Marshall Harrington (167), Mark Baker-(i85) and Sean Isgan at heavyweight. New on the Eagles' schedule this season is the Roof Garden 1976' 7.7.. Prmkm Holiday Tournament, which Somerset and North Star will co- sponsor.

This year's tournament will be held at the North Star gym in Boswell on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 17 and 18. Next year, the tournament will be held in Somerset. Coach McCall said of the tournament "I think it is probably the greatest experience to look forward to that I've had for a Christmas tournament This is mainly because it is in our own backyard, and we have the opportunity to establish the tournament according to what we want, according to what we think will be the rontrunner of Christmas Wrestling Tournaments." The other teams slated for the Roof Garden Tournament are: Bedford, Clarion, Johnstown Vo-Tech, Central Cambria, Ferndale and Ligonier. Coach Marshall Policicchio of North Star is also looking forward to the new Holiday Tournament.

He feels that a tournament in the area is long overdue. "This is wrestling country up here and I think it (the holiday tournament) belongs up here. The fans are going to see a lot of good wrestling, I think every team is going to be well represented." Policicchio, who will be in his 19th year as head coach, longer than any other current District 5 coach, has six lettermen on his 35 man squad. District 5 AA champions Jeff Soha and Bill Knagy along with Jeff Corden, Randy Lisbon and Chris Lepley are the lettermen leaders of the team. Rockwood, in its second varsity season has four lettermen and five other experienced wrestlers among the members of its extremely small 15 member squad.

Dave Tims, John Rice, Pat Svonavec and Troy Cramer are the returning lettermen. Coach John Cornish is disappointed that he does not have a larger squad to work with this season. "We have hopes, but it doesn't look real good with the amount of boys we have out, our lack of numbers is making it tough for us, that's our problem! We don't have enough people to work with, it's just like starting all over again." Conemaugh Township has nine lettermen among its 35-. member squad. District 5 AA champion Terry Feathers' leads the lettermen that include: Virg Szala, Jim Muir, Scott Weaver, Phil Cotchen, Clark Hofecker, Randy Beener, Bill Andrews and Josh Weaver.

Coach Santo Ricotta, in his third season at Conemaugh Township, stated, "It should be the best year that I've had since I've been here. We have a chance at winning our Christmas tournament which has never been done before." North Star opens its 14 dual meet schedule on Friday when the Cougars host Central Cambria. Back on the Cougar schedule this season is the Bedford Bisons, the team that has provided the competition for the biggest meet in District 5. Conemaugh Township 'will host Everett in their season opener on Dec. 9.

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Continuous Service from 7:00 vs. Jaycees Set Pairing Date The drawing for the pairings for the preliminaries of the Boswell Area Jaycees Holiday Basketball Tournament will be held 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, at the Green Gables in Jen-nerstown. Teams in the tournament are host North Star, Shanksville-Stonycreek, Everett and Central Cambria.

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