Lebanon Daily News from Lebanon, Pennsylvania • Page 22

22 LMMiwn Dairy News, Friday, December I TODAYS PAR A ftF I By MILTON KICHMAN It's Your Move Charlie Finley Great Baseball Tapes Controversy Williams Claims Release On TV NEW YORK (UPI) Charlie Finley is stuck now and he knows it. The New York Yankees have forced his hand. They have gone out and one- upped him by signing his manager, Dick Williams, without bothering to get Finley's formal permission. More than that, this coming Tuesday the Yanks will go two- up on Charlie Kinley. Joe Cronin, the departing American League president whom everybody has been badgering to make a decision, finally will do it.

Ostensibly. Cronin's decision will have nothing to do with Dick Williams and Charlie Finley but actually it will have a whole lot to do with them. On Tuesday, Joe Cronin will rule in favor of the Detroit Tigers against the Yankees. In effect, he will be giving the American League's blessing to the Tigers on their signing of ex-Yankee manager Ralph Houk. The reason Cronin hasn't done this before is perfectly obvious.

He felt if he did, the Yanks would use it as a natural what's good-for-the- gooose-isgood-for-the-gander lever to sign Williams, and Finley, in turn, could use that as a lever perhaps even to sue Cronin. The day after Cronin makes his decision on the Tigers and Yankees, which will be next Wednesday, the Yankees and A's are to meet with him in Boston. Gabe Paul will represent the Yanks; Finley the A's. Williams is scheduled to be there also. Charlie Finley isn't saying what he plans to do.

He isn't saying much at all now that the Yanks have signed Williams, and that's something of an upset. When Finley buttons up, that's rare. Anytime he does that, he's hurting plotting or trying to figure his way out of the woods. Gabe Paul ii ordinarily a pleasant, even genial individual. Don't let that fool He's no pussy-cat.

He has told off Charlie Finley in some good old Anglo-Saxon words more than once down through the years. He already has offered Finley both money and a player for Williams, but nothing says he has to do it again. I think he will though, and had to guess, I think Finley eventually will accept a settlement of some kind. Then Charlie probably will go out and sign somebody like Dave Bristol as his manager. If he threatens the Yankees to take them into court Wednesday, I know what they'll tell him right ahead.

If Finley has an injunction in mind, he could be hit with a counterpunch by Williams charging him with depriving him of his right of making a living in his chosen profession. Finley's lawyers undoubtedly already have advised him of that. At any rate, Dick Williams made a fine entrance here Thursday. He came to the site of the news conference with Gabe Paul not with his chin stuck out, but rather with a quiet dignity which reflected no inner guilt whatsoever. George Steinbrenner, the Yankees' new owner, isn't especially crazy about long hair and moustaches someone said to Williams, who adopted a moustache when the rest of his A's did two years ago and still wears it.

What did he think of that? "We'll discuss it," Williams answered mildly, agreeably. "I myself had longer hair and a moustache the last two years than the 'burrhead' I had in Boston, but we won the pennant in Boston and two world championships in Oakland so I don't think that really has too much to do with it." Williams, a part-time outfielder with the Brooklyn Dodgers, talked later about his first actual exposure to the Yankees. "It was 1951, my first year in the big leagues and I had just come up to the Dodgers from St. Paul," he said. "Jolly Cholly (Dressen) was the manager and we were playing a game with the Yankees, for the milk fund I think, in Yankee Stadium.

"He put me in center field to replace Duke Snider in the fifth inning and running out to my position, I passed Joe DtMaggio on the way in. I remember it giving me a tingle. For awhile, that was my biggest thrill." Back in Riviere Beach, some of the Christmas cards already have begun trickling in to Dick Williams' home. One of them bears a Hertford, N.C., postmark and the signatures of Oakland pitcher Jim "Catfish" Hunter and his wife. Helen.

Catfish included a brief message saying: "We'll miss you very much. Good luck wherever you are. Enjoyed working for you." Charlie Finley's card hasn't arrived yet. It probably will. That's the kind of fellow Charlie Finley is.

New York Yankee president Gabe Paul (right) introduces new manager Dick Williams to press on Thursday after the Yanks signed the ex-Oakland pilot without waiting for formal permission. (UPI Wirephoto) NEW YORK (UPI) Now it's baseball that may have a great tapes controversy. The question at hand is did Oakland owner Charlie Finley verbally release Dick Williams from the final two years of his contract on national TV on Oct. 21? That could become the legal issue if Finley decides to take the New York Yankees to court after they broke a two-month stalemate Thursday by signing to a three-year contract as their manager. Williams, with his new contract, becomes the highest paid manager in baseball with a yearly salary that is close to 180,000.

Williams claims Finley released him on national TV shortly after the Oakland A's beat the New York Mets in the seventh game of the World Series. Finley disagrees. The hassle might be decided by a court's interpretation of the video tapes of the short TV conversation. NBC-TV, which broadcast the series, has the video tapes of the exact conversation. According to an NBC spokesman who checked the tapes, Tom Cahill Out As Army Coach WEST POINT, N.Y.

(UPI) Tom Cahill, a nice guy who's also smart enough to know "if you coach long enough you get fired," is out of a job as Army football coach today in another sad example of "what haveyou done for me Cahill, who in his first season at Army in 1966 was named national coach of the year, saw his fortunes turn sour this past season as the Cadets sank to the lowest ebb of their 84-year history, 0-10, including an all- Important 51-4) loss to Navy. Still, a murderous schedule (which included Notre Dame, Tennessee and Penn State) plus the ever-increasing problem of convincing prospective athletes on the merits of a five-year Army commitment were believed to have absolved Cahill of most of Army's current plight. "The responsibility for a bad season is mine," the disappointed Cahill said after learning of his dismissal. "If they want to make a change, that's their got to protect their image. "Besides, if you ride a motorcycle Jong enough, you fall off and if you coach long enough, you get fired." The decision not to renew Cahill's five-year contract which expires Jan.

31, was made by Lt Gen. William A. Knowlton, Superintendent of the Academy, based on the recommendation of the academy athletic board. Sub Paces Providence To Win By United Press International Rick Santos breathed new life into Providence Thursday night. Santos, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, came off the bench and scored 23 points to lead the eighth-ranked Friars to a 76-57 victory over San Francisco.

Providence, which was upset in its last game by Western Kentucky, trailed, 32-23, in the first half when Santos entered the game. He helped close the gap to 34-33 at the half. Marvin Barnes hit two quick Ciauser's Tabs Fourth Victory In Elco League Ciauser's Funeral Home scored its fourth straight victory in the Elco Adult Recreational Basketball League Thursday night at Elco High School, but was given a run for its money by the Buy-Rite Grocers. Ike Eisenhauer scored 20 of his game-high 28 points in the first half as he led the victors to its four-point edge, 37-33 and both teams played exactly even for the second half as the score wound up 76-72. baskets early in the second half to -put the Friars ahead and that was it.

Barnes scored 20 points, grabbed 22 rebounds and blocked six shots. Phil Smith scored 18 points to lead San Francisco but was held to just four in the second half bySanots. The victory was Providence's second in three starts while San Francisco, ranked in the top 20 in pre-season ratings, is now 1-3. In other action involving ranked teams, No. 9 Memphis State beat Texas, 90-82, No.

12 Long Beach State downed Canisius, 94-82, and No. 19 Vanderbilt had to rally to beat Samford, 69-65. With high-scorer Wes Westfall in foul trouble, Memphis State had to rely on scoring by Dexter Reed and Billy Buford, who had 23 points each, to beat winless Texas, now 0-6. Long Beach got 20 points from Roscoe Pondexter and 18 from Leonard Gray to defeat Canisius. Long Beach, which broke open the game with three straight baskets at the start of the second half, is now 4-1.

Vanderbilt, held to only one basket and two free throws in an 11-minute stretch of the first half, went to a full court press in the second half to bounce back from a 35-24 deficit against the little Alabama school. Terry Compton had 18 points to lead Vandy. Elsewhere, Sam McCants' 26 points carried Oral Roberts to a 95-78 victory over San Diego State and freshman Ed Jordan had 24 points as Rutgers dow- ILCO RIC BASKETIAIL Clausir's Homt 4 Shellhamcr't Arm Qenmnghnlt W.lh«lni't Hardwart Elco Harrier. 1 lnmh.r Hbjhmjn's Garagi BuvRiln Grarnri Swonjer 1 Construction 7 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 2 3 3 3 Pet 1.000 1.000 .750 500 .333 .333 .250 .250 .000 "In view of the won-lost record this past season, we felt that if we were going to make a coaching change, the contract expiration time seemed to be the best time to do it," Knowlton said. "With new coachfng leadership, we feel we can be competitive again." Cahill, who has been offered an administration job at the academy, said he hoped "I'm not being judged on just one season or one game (the 51-0 loss to Navy).

"I don't know whether or not I'll accept the administration position, but right now, it's the best offer I've had." Cahill, who was abruptly promoted from plebe coach to the head job in 1966 after Paul Dietzel packed up and fled to South Carolina, compiled a career 40-39-2 record in eight years at the academy. Against Navy, a game always considered a season in itself, he was 5-3. Despite being appointed head coach in the middle of spring drills, Cahill led the '66 Cadets to an 8-2 record and was subsequently named national coach of the year by both the coaches association and the football writers. Besides the disastrous loss to Navy this year, the Cadets were also manhandled 51-6 by California, 62-3 by Notre Dame, 54-3 by Penn State and 34-0 by Pittsburgh. Joe htiser (26) and John Hartman (20) paced the Grocers.

In the other game played in the league, Wilhelm's Hardware evened its log at 2-2 with a come-from-behind 61-55 decision over Hibshman's Garage. The Garagers had a 32-21 halflime lead but Bruce "Boo" Firestine (21) scored 13 points and Jeff Brosey (19) added 12 in the second-half rally. Glenn Hibshman took game honors forHibshman'swith26. ned Lafayette, 64-60. Freshman Mark Handy had 15 points and 15 rebounds to help Brigham Young defeat Denver, 97-87.

Fordham beat Columbia, 7551, Manhattan topped Rhode Island, 81-60, Massachusetts defeated Holy Cross, 75-70, Western Kentucky beat Butler, 104-96, Auburn whipped Georgia Tech, 88-86, Mississippi edged Southern Mississippi, 79-75 and Minnesota stopped Loyola 58-54 in over time. NBA Boxscores Eisenhower Afeert Dahntr K. Krjll Lucas LKrall Tola! 14 4 0 2 3 0 6 34 Secy a by Halves Cbusef's 0 i 2 4 1 0 0 0 8 28 9 2 14 5 6 0 12 76 Heisw Ukich Hartman Thorn sj Risser Malthewj Hibshman Total 11 6 9 4 0 2 0 32 4 26 2 14 2 20 0 8 0 0 0 4 0 0 8 72 37 39-76 -XT JU San Francisco's John Boro knocks ball away from Providence's Rick Santos during first half of last night's game. (UPI Wirephoto) Jim Weaver Villanova Coach S.longeneckerS 3 13 Hitshman 8. F.restm* 10 1 21 Kirsch 146 Faust Srwetz 1 0 2 Hill 7 19 lutz 000 Ulrich 0.

Fuutirif 000 Hlbthnwn'i 4 0 12 06 VILLANOVA, Pa. (UPI) Iowa State offensive coordinator Jim Weaver was named Thursday the new head football coach at Villanova University. Weaver, 28, a former Penn State lineman, succeeds Lou Ferry, who stepped down to assistant coach following the Wildcats' disappointing3-8 season. Weaver, a Harrisburg, native, served as offensive line coach at Penn State for six years after graduating in 1967. During that time, he coached one All-American, Dave Joyner, in 1971, seven all-East selections and was with the Nittany Lions through five bowl games and a 58-8-1 J.

Lonj'Xtr Sf. 0 0 0 24 13 61 by Hilvej: Hibshman's Total Wilhtlmi 23 555 .32 23-55 .21 40-61 MAC Standings Final Stocking Of Lions Lake UNIVIKSITY DIVISION STANDINGS (ThrMigh Saturday IASTHN SICTION Overall Si Ortiil Lebanon County Waterways Patrolman Paul T. Horn- bergcr announced the final fish stocking of Lions Lake will be conducted Monday morning at 10:30 a.m. with 800 rainbow Mtr trout being dumped into the waters for the holiday fishing. Hofttra Of lawirt.

Lllayiltt 0 0 0 0 0 1000 1000 000 000 000 000 000 AWL 66 53 3 0 79 66 2 1 0030 0021 0002 66 79 2 2 53 66 0 wisniN SICTION BucknKI. Ufiifh, 1000 1000 1000 000 000 000 76 45 4 0 79 70 4 0 SO 48 1 2 70 79 4 48 SO I 2 45 78 0 3 fti. 1000 667 1000 667 000 500 000 1000 1000 333 800 333 000 A 236 161 209 178 207 149 244 237 105 117 260 2S4 308 397 228 320 270 155 178 352 305 191 183 149 24) stretch. His 1971 line played a large part in helping Penn State crack several school offensive marks, while finishing second in the nation in scoring and rushing offense and fifth in total offense. At Iowa State last season, he coached two allBig Eight selections, tight end Keith Krepf le and running back Mike Strachan during a 4-7 season.

Ferry, 45, a Villanova alumnus who formerly played professional football with the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers, left his post after his teams posted consecutive 2-9 and 3-8 logs. The Wildcats were 20-23-1 in four years, under Ferry. Ferry agreed to remain as an assistant coach at the urging of Athletic Director Philip Bender. Oilcago Milwaukee err the conversation went like this: Finley: "even though you're not going to be with us next year, I want to thank you for the great job you've done for the three years you've been with us." Williams: "thank you Charlie very much and I'm going to miss not being with you but I've made a decision and I'm going to stay with it." Did that conversation constitute a release by Finley? That could be up to the courts to settle. Finley has threatened to sue if the Yanks signed Williams without giving him compensation.

And he's rejected the offers the Yanks have made so far. But at his LaPorte, Ind. home Thursday after he was notified of the Yankees' action, Finley refused to say what his next move will be. He said the Yanks, "decided to make a fast move" but added he'd "prefer to stay mum this time." Of course, the whole issue still could be settled by negotiations without a court fight. Joe Cronin, the American League president who refused to comment on the Yanks' action, has scheduled a meeting next Wednesday in Boston to try one more time to resolve the issue.

Cronin also has a meeting on Tuesday on the Detroit-New York situation. The Tigers became involved when they signed Ralph Houk. who resigned on the final day of the season as Yankee manager, as their manager in October. Once Finley refused to release Williams, the Yanks brought up the issue of Houk since he had two years left on his Yankee contract. The Tigers point out they signed Houk even before Williams resigned and they insist they're not involved.

Both Williams and Gabe Paul, the Yankee president, lave 14 bandride 5 Wilker ID ft-7 Ptrry o-J Ray 1 Z-Z Abdol-Jabbar II 34 Sloan 4 8 Roberson Van Lier IMS 14 Allen 1-2 Awlrey 1 3-5 Davis 0 Porter 1 MeGlcUa 3 Weist Warner 3 14 Total. M2JJJ Totilt 14-23 Miiw.ut* Fouled out: Perry. Total fouli: Chicago a. Milwaukee 1J a a 17 17 0 4 Pwtlud Prtric Robfrsoo JJohnsan Wicks Fryer OJohnsaa Meal Sibley Smith T.Ult PonUrt 11 3-1 3 2-2 3 2-2 8 311-12 17 10 4-S 24 1-1 11 1-2 0 8 19 0 0-0 0 00-0 0 41 27-31 111 Phottix Scott 12 (-12 33 VanAndl 7 9-9 21 Walk 9 3-3 21 Calhoun 1 4-4 10 Enrkson 4 13 Bantnm 3 1-3 Christian 1-2 1 Green 0 1-1 I Haskmj 00-0 0 Meldiinn 0 0 Totals 31 J2-49 IK 22 23 27-ltt Total fouls: Portland 34. Phoenix 21 Fouled out: Stetle AMERICAN LEAGUE HOCKEY Sat, Dec.

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