Newsday (Nassau Edition) from Hempstead, New York • 86

(vTff' rvJ" -x wv ij "S- T1 Littler Worlds to US Kids i i Canada Europe Latin Anferica and the Far East will be held as usual but the winners will not compete in the Series at Williamsport international format of the annual World Series will be discontinued" McGovern said in his announcement A spokesman cited travel costs for foreign entries and the nationalistic' approach taken abroad as the reason for the change He described the US Little League programs as regional in makeup The Taiwanese players were so well-schooled and so cool under pressure that many observers challenged the legitimacy of their age claims "I question their age" said Gleason the Red Bluff coach "They were so much more dedicated than we were They knew what they wanted and they got it want to drill kids like that I want our ldds to think that was the only thing they could do' When we got back home my kids were thrilled to have gone as far as they did then they went intofootbalL "We went and we met 14 boys from Taiwan and their coach and manager and sportswritera They were fantastic people It would take a lot to get our kids dedicated enough to beat That will hot be the problem any more said Gleason a bee-keeper in Red Bluff -a community 140 miles north of Sacramento have to give it a lot of thought I think it would -affect me or my team the chances of making it back there are very slim "But I remember the talk at Wil-Iianlspart at the Series was that seven teams came to see who would second That good" In the early years of the Series which was begun in 1947 only American teams competed but as the Lit- tie League concept grew to be nearly worldwide foreign champions were added A team from Monterey Mex- ico took the championship in 1957 and 1958 Teams from Japan won in 1967 and 1968 The only American winner since 1966 Us been Wayne NJin 1970 The official announpement yesterday by Peter McGovern the exec- utive officer said cryptically that the change was made "following a review and reassessment of World Series competition for children of age 12 and under" Vice president Robert Stirrat said there would be no further explanation The Little Se- -nior League (ages 13-15) which plays its Series at Gary Ind and the Big League (16-18) which plays at -Ft Lauderdale Fla are not affected by the ruling The Little League headquarters mid the regional championships in By Steve Jacobson Hie 12-year-olds from Taiwan will hot win the little League World Series again next- year The chief executive officer of Little League Inc said aa much yesterday from his headquarters in Williamsport Pa the birthplace of Little League and site of its annual playoffs It can no 1 longer be called a "world" series In the future' the Little League World Series will be limited to teams' from the United States Not only perennial winner Taiwan but also Mexico Canada Europe Latin America and Japan henceforth will be excluded "We cannot say it was directed solely at us can we?" said a spokesman at the embassy of Taiwan No but teams from Taiwan have won the last four series five of the' last six and there appeared to be no end to their domination of what once was regarded as America's national pastime "I hate to think of the said Jack Gleason who managed the Red Bluff Calif team that was defeated by Taiwan 12-1 in the 1974 championship gajpe in August They can say They beat us so they kicked us but of Little League" But he conceded that appeared to be the crux of the situation know whether pleased or VPIFhota A Little League decision announced yesterday by executive' officer Peter McGovern bars teams from foreign countries from playing in the annual World Scries at Williamsport Jets-Giants: One Day Made a Season NEWSDAY TUESDAY NOVEMBER 2 IT 7 going to the Jet dressing room to congratulate Joe Namath that a shame he is vulnerable to'tM -second-guessers Once' the Jefa got possession in the overtime Namath leading than to a touchdown seemed the inevitable ending' His boldness in running for the' tying touchdown hobbling on his gimpy-legs and fodling the Giants so completely that nobody came within 10 yards of him was something those who saw it will never forget But those who considered his passing (20 of 31 -1 for '236 yards) remarkable are misreading the evidence Given the time to read defenses he could do that every- week The Giant linemen gave him the time on one play he stood there his arm cocked so long that he looked like a piece' of sculpture He had 1 been intercepted 17 times a league high in the eight previous games and sacked with discouraging regularity The Giants never got to him once His blockers improve that much overnight it had to be a11' deficiency of the pass rush Other teams are not going to be as nice to Na-1 math and other passers are going to kill the Giants -t going to be rough for both teams the rest of the 1 season But at least for one day they looked like foot- ball teams giving the fans a show to remember f-' nothing like a traditional rivalry to brighten i-a season Now if only the NFL schedule makers will -keep it going Correction: A recent column stated that Babe Ruth played four full seasons for the Boston Red Sox and never hit more than 11 home runs for them He played a fifth 'season there 1919 in which he hit 29 The following year his first as a Yankee he hit 54 When the Jets scored their winning touchdown -Sunday the overwhelming majority of the 67740 fans having-jumped to their feet just stood there few several minutes Perhaps some of them misunderstood the National Football Jiew sudden-death overtime rule and did not realize it was over But it seemed most of them were just reluctant to concede that such an exciting game was not going to go cm forever It was as good a football game as any fan could ask worth enduring the New Haven traffic jams which is saving a lot The Jets and the Giants two of the worst teams in the league somehow rose to the occasion It seemed fitting for this to be the first game decided by the new rule the only previous tie game in the NFL this season remained a standoff after the overtime a good rule a tie score would have been anticlimatic leaving everybody dissatisfied It proved that even when players are working for paychecks a traditional rivalry will bring out their best And it showed the short-sightedness of the NFL in not scheduling such rivalries a pre-season exhibit tion is a meaningless scrimmage no substitute for the real thing The Jets and Giants had played only one previous regular-season game in 1970 and the next meeting is planned for 1979 Fans will be arguing about game for a long time but hardly for five years However it appears that the once-fat cat NFL is coming to realize that the fans must be catered to With Tampa and Seattle (and possibly other expansion teams) coming into the league in 1976 the long-range schedule must be revised "There is strong sen- timent to have one game every year with a logical geographic rival" Joe Browne an NFL spokesman said yesterday Tt fa possible that could be started in 1976 Jets-Giants is one obvious pairing Baltimore-Wasfaington and San Francisco-Oakland are Browne denied published reports that such series could not be started until 1978 at the earliest The Jets playing the Giants every year would be the biggest boost pro football could get in the met w' ropolitan area It would be the game that could salvage otherwise miserable seasons as it did this year It matter that the Giants presumably will be in New Jersey in 1976 because still be dose enough to hold their New York a lot closer than they are right now just too bad there be a Jet-Giant game next season It will be-a long time before the fans of the two teams forget game Many a six-pack will be consumed in debates over whether the Giants duwlH have gone for that field goal in the overtime instead of trying to plunge a yard for a first down I thought it was a good call and I still do Even though Pete Gogolak had failed four times from 40 yards out this season including a previous try in game 42 yards was within his range If the Giants had tried to run andbeen stepped coachBill Amsparger would have been criticized even more vehemently Hie coach showed such 'class by is strong sentiment have one game every year with a logical geographic rival It is possible that could be started in 1976 Spokesman Joe Browne.