The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 17

Situation chaotic as NFL kickoff nears Bloomington-Normal, III. B-1 Sept. 17, 195 By Howard Smith AP sports writer 1 The National Football League, five days away from opening its 1975 season, is in a state of chaos. The players are angry and disorganized. The owners are indignant, more or less unified, and feel they have a sacred trust to uphold the integrity of the game.

And the fans remember them? are confused, unhappy and tired of having their sports pages taken up with endless tales of strikes, lockouts and collective bargaining hen they should be reading about flashy rookies and shrewd game plans. The New England Patriots lit the spark in this latest dispute when they went on strike and skipped last Sunday's exhibition game with the New York Jets in an attempt to force a new contract. New England officials responded by locking the players out of training camp. The fire spread Tuesday with the Jets and the Washington Redskins joining the Pats on strike, and sources close to the New York Giants and Detroit Lions said those clubs may join the strike today. Unity, however, is not the players' strong point.

Houston, Cincinnati, Minnesota arid Miami, among others, have come out firmly against the "We'll play this week whether it's against the Shreveport Steamer, New Orleans or New England," said Oilers' player representative Skip Butler. "We voted 43 0 not to strike at this time. The Oilers will continue to practice and and will play football Sunday." "We're just going to sit here and see what happens when the smoke clears," said the Bengals' Bob Johnson. "The mainstream of the league isn't even behind it." The latest bid by the NFL Management Council, bargaining agent for the owners, was a six-point proposal that, in essence, called for the Patriots to return to camp and management to present a new contract offer by Sept. 25.

New England rejected the proposal and the strike spread to New York and Washington. "We saw a lot of teams giving New England lip service and we decided to do nothing wishy-washy," said Jets' player rep Richard Neal. "We need something to show us they're serious about doing something to obtain a fair and just bargaining agreement." The two sides couldn't even agree on the origin of the six-point offer. Ed Garvey, executive director of the" players' union, claimed federal mediator W. J.

Usery had originally proposed eight points, two of which would have increased rosters from 43 to 46 players regular season and depend on the income from exhibition games to get into the black. Now that the preseason is over it would not be surprising if some owners, many of whom are indcjiciHlen-lly wealthy, prove less than panic-stricken at the prospect of missing a game or two. Certainly they are unlikely to sacrifice what they consider the very structure of the game in order to insure a prompt kickoff. This whole business dates back to tin1 end of the old contract in January, 11)74. Representatives of both sides haggled to no avail throughout tlie winter and spring and the players took the initiative during the summer by striking the College All-Star Game.

Many veterans stayed out of training camp, but as the exhibition season wound down, union strength eroded and players trickled back into camp. Eventually the union decided on a two-week cooling off period and everyone returned to their teams. At the end of the two weeks, player reps voted 25-1 to reject a contrail offer. The season went on without incident but also without a contract. The biggest fly in the contract ointment concerns the Rozelle Rule.

When a player wants to move to another team, he plays out his option for one year and then makes a deal for himself with another team. If his new club and his old club agree on compensation, everything is fine. If they don't agree, Commissioner Pete Rozelle steps in and decides the issue. Players claim this prevents a man from making a good deal for himself. Owners say it is vital to keep balance in the league.

Complicating the issue are current lawsuits challenging the rule in San Francisco and Minneapolis courts. "The dispute is basic, extremely dangerous to the structure of football," said Bledsoe. If there is one thing certain in this situat ion it is that nothing is certain. The Council's executive committee, consisting of owners Wellington Mara of the Giants, Rankin Smith of Atlanta, Ralph Wilson of Buffalo, Joe Robbie of Miami and George I la las Jr. of Chicago, planned to meet today to discuss the latest developments.

Several clubs, including the Giants, Ivtroit. New Orleans, Buffalo and Houston, also planned meetings today. It is all very bewildering to the fan who views pro football as an escape from the woes of everyday life. In a time when teachers, garbagemen and policemen seem to spend more time picketing than performing, it is a blow to find that Sunday's heroes would rather pout than punt. until Oct.

1 and temporarily reinstated the old 1970 contract. Both points were turned down by the Management Sargent Karch, executive director of the Council, said Usery never recommended the eight points and that Garvey had a hand in preparing them. "We're very upset by reading press reports and hearing from player representatives that Ed Garvey had termed these eight points a mediator's proposal made to both parties," said Karch. "That is absolutely not the case and Ed knows it." Karch also said Garvey made excessive demands in connection with restoring the 1970 contract, insisting that clubs deduct one year's union dues from player paychecks and contribute $4.4 million to the pension fund. At any rate, Miami was the only club that openly accepted the offer.

The Management Council met Tuesday night to talk things over and spokes man Terry Bledsoe said afterwards, "I would have to say the regular season is in jeopardy. We have three clubs which have voted not to strike and three clubs which voted to strike and the rest are floating someplace in between." An Associated Iress survey found that five teams are on strike or on the verge of striking, sewn teams are dead set against a strike and the other 14 haven't decided what to do yet. Should the strike spread into the regular season, the players will be hurt financially more than the owners, at least for the first few games. The average NFL player made $42,000 last season, 85 per cent of it spread out over the 14 weeks of the regular season. The average player would lose about $2,550 for each game he misses, Someone in the upper bracket, like the Jets' Joe Namath, stands to drop about $30,000 a game.

The owners have long claimed that they are lucky to break even over the Cubs humiliated, 22-0--records fall Standings NATIONAL LEAGUE East Pet. OB Pittsburgh 86 64 S'3 Philadelphia 80 70 533 6 St Louis '8 77 8 New York 77 74 .510 Chicago 11 80 474 t5 Montreal 65 85 433 21 West Cincinnati 96 53 449 Los Angeles 83 69 54 15" San Francisco 73 79 4HO San Diego 68 83 450 30 Atlanta 66 86 434 Houston 60 91 397 38 AMERICAN LEAGUE East Pet. GB Boston 90 61 .596 Baltimore 84 64 50 New VorK 77 73 513 17' Cleveland 72 74 .493 Milwaukee 64 88 .471 26 Detroit 55 95 367 West Oakland 97 58 .613 Kansas City 84 66 .560 8 Teas 74 78 487 19 Minnesota 70 .77 476 70' Chicago 70 79 470 California 67 84 .444 75v closer to another National league East pennant with a crucial two-game series scheduled Wednesday and Thursday in Philadelphia against the second place Phils. The Phils have whipped Pittsburgh seven times without a loss in Philadelphia this year. Stennett would not say his big day might be an omen of things to come in Philadelphia.

"It's a good sign, I guess," he said. But it makes up for the times when the hits don't come so easily, when the line drives don't drop. "'As far as Philadelphia goes, we know they're a professional team and they play better agaiast us at home, but that doesn't mean they're going to beat us." In the Cub dressing room. Manager Jim Marshall had but one wry comment when informed of the barrage of records set during the game. "We didn't get any, did we?" Results NATIONAL LEAGUE Pittsburgh 22, Chicago 0 Houston 5, Cincinnati 1, night New York 4, Montreal 3, 18 innings, night Philadelphia 4.

St. Louis 3, 13 innings, night Los Angeles 5. San Diego 2, night San Francisco 7. Atlanta 6, night AMERICAN LEAGUE Oakland 11-6. Texas 5-4, twi night Boston 2, Baltimore 0.

night Cleveland 9, Detroit 2, night Chicago 6, Kansas City 5, night Milwaukee 5, New York 2, night Minnesota 4, California 3, night CHICAGO bi ab bi I if''''- mi mil i 'jtt i PITTSBURGH ab Stennett 2b 7 5 7 2 Kessinqer 3b 3 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 Dunn 3b Randolph 2b 0 0 Games today Hebner 3b He led off the seventh with a single, eventually scoring his fifth run of the game a National U'ague high this seasonand with two out in the eighth, lined the record shot, a triple, on a low-line to right field. "I thought that last one might get caught. 1 hit it real good, but. I was afraid it was starting to float," said Stennett, whose bat magic Tuesday bumped his season average from .278 to .287. Still, Murtaugh almost didn't let Stennett have his shot at the record.

"I thought the record was six hits in a game and I kept wanting to take him out to rest him but he kept getting hits." said Murtaugh. Stennett has been on a hot streak for the Pittsburgh, hitting .370 in his last 30 games. "Not so long ago he was down in the and look at his runs batted in," said Murtaugh. "He's just done a helluva job for us." Stennett drove home two runs Tuesday, giving him 60 for the season, a fine mark for a leadoff man and Stennett's high in his five-year big league career. The only other men who have gotten two hits in an inning twice in a game were Max Carey of Pittsburgh in 1925; John Hodapp of Cleveland in 1928 and Sherm Lollar of the Chicago White Sox in 1955.

Before the Pirates' pasting of the Cubs, the previous shutout mark was 21-0 by Detroit over Cleveland in 1901 and the New York Yankees over the Philadelphia Athletics in 1938. Candelaria, the 6-foot-7 rookie lefthander who upped his record to 8-5 after limiting the Cubs to three hits for seven innings before he was rested, was as nonchalant about the lopsided win as most of the Pirate veterans who have shared in the playoff spoils five of the last six years. "It was just another win," said Candelaria, who added he did nothing different starting off the the game with a 9-0 lead "than if it had been nothing to nothing." The Pirate win moved Pittsburgh CHICAGO (AP) "It's tough enough to get to the plate seven times in a game let alone get seven hits," mused Pittsburgh Pirate Manager Danny Murtaugh about Rennie Stennett's modern major league record set against the Chicago Cubs. "Unreal, just unreal." echoed Pittsburgh batting coach Don Leppert. "You know, I could throw batting practice forever and not have a guy get seven straight base hits.

Imagine doing it in a game." Yet, the 24-year-old Panamanian's feat not achieved since Wilbert Robinson of the old Baltimore Orioles did it. in 1892 did not particularly stir the dressing room of the Pirates who are notorious for their batting prowess and dominance of the National League Eastern Division. Neither were the Pirates especially excited about the 22-0 margin of their victory over the Cubs, the most lopsided shutout in the modern major league baseball history. Stennett was happy about the four singles, two doubles and skipping triple he lashed against the Cubs, but the lithe young infielder recalled wryly his last visit to Wrigley Field for a-July 4 doubleheader. "I got hit in the head and didn't play," he said.

"You gotta be a good hitter to get seven hits in a game, but you gotta be lucky, too," said Stennett, whom Murtaugh calls, "the best defensive second baseman in the game, bar none." Stennett also tied a major league mark held only by three cither persons when he rapped out base hits twice in a single inning on two occasions. He doubled to lead off the first when the Pirates scored nine runs and sent 14 men to the plate, then singled a second time at bat in the first. He singled in the third, and led off again in the fifth with a single. The Pirates batted around again in the fifth, picking up six runs, and Stennett lined a double to left-center in his second trip to the plate that inning. 4 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 10 0 0 2 0 10 10 0 0 3 0 10 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 10 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 10 AOIiver cf Dilone cf Stargell lb Robertsn lb DParker rf Zisk If Sanguilln Brett Taveras ss Candlria Ott ph 2 3 Tyrone If 1 1 JeMrales cf 0 0 LaCock rf 3 3 Cardenaf rf 1 0 Harris cf 2 5 Thornton lb 2 PRuscI 2 1 Tnlio 2b 0 0 Sperring 2b 3 3 Mittrwald 1 2 Rosello ss 0 0 RRuscI Dettore Zamora Hosley ph Schultz Summers rf NATIONAL LEAGUE Atlanta (Morton 17161 at San Francisco (Mntetusco 13-9) Pittsburqh (Kison 10-11) at Philadelphia (Underwood 14-11), night Houston (Cosgrove 1 1) at Cincinnati (Nor-man 10-4), night Chicaqo (Burris 14-10) at New York (Swan 12), night Montreal (Renko 5-12) at St.

Louis (McGlothen 15-11), night San Dieqo (Mcintosh 8-14) at Los Angeles (Tvtessersmith 17-14), night AMERICAN LEAGUE Baltimore (Torrez 18-8) at Boston (Wise 18-10), night Cleveland (Harrison 7-6) at Detroit (Coleman 9-17) night New York (Medich 1416 or May 13-11) at Milwaukee (Broberg 13-14). night Oakland (Holtzman 1712) at Chicago (Wood 14-18), night Kansas City (Bird 9-6) at Minnesota (Goltz 13-131, night California (Figueroa 14-12) at Texas (Urn-barger 8-5), night 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 (10 0 0 30 0 3 0 53 74 21 Total Pittsburgh 902 162 200- 22 Chicago 000 000 000 0 E-Dettore, Rosello, Dunn LOB Pittsburgh 12, Chicago 3. 2B Stennett 2 3B -Stennett. Hebner (15), D.Parker (24). SF-D.

Parker. IP ER BB SO Candlria (W.8-5) 7 3 0 0 0 5 2 0 0 0 0 1 1-3 6 8 8 2 0 3 2 3 7 8 7 2 1 1 4 2 2 0 2 2 6 4 2 1 2 2 10 0 10 Brett RRuscI (L, 10-16) Dettore Zamora Schultz Reuse hel Chicago (AP) Rennie Stennett flashes seven fingers one for each hit he made in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 22-0 triumph over the Chicago Cubs Tuesday. Stennett set a modern major league record with his seven consecutive hits and equalled another by collecting two hits in a single inning twice. He had four singles, two doubles and a triple. Record day Games tomorrow NATIONAL LEAGUE Cincinnati at Atlanta, night Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, night Chicago at New York, night Montreal at St.

Louis, night Only games scheduled AMERICAN LEAGUE Kansas City at Minnesota Cleveland at Detroit, night Oakland at Chicago, night California at Texas, night Only games scheduled HBP-by Dettore (D.Parker). WP-Det-tore. T-2 35. Wynn, Lopes lead Dodgers by Padres LOS ANGELES (AP) Jimmy Wynn slugged his 18th home run and Dave Lopes stole his 72nd and 73rd bases as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 5-2 Tucesday night behind the five-hit pitching of Rick Rhoden and Charlie Hough. Pro football transactions Ozark's move pays dividend LOS ANGELES SAN DIEGO ab bi ab bi 3 2 10 4 0 0 0 Lopes 2b Grubb cf Lacy If Wynn cf Garvey lb Cey 3b Yeager Royster rf Hough Dejesus ss Rhoden WCrwfd rf 3 0 0 1 4 12 2 3 0 10 4 110 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 10 0 0 2 111 2 0 0 0 2 0 11 4 0 0 0 4 111 4 12 1 3 0 0 0 3 0 10 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 HTorres ss Locklear If McCovey lb Tolan rf DaRobrts 3b Kubiak 2b BDavis Fuentes ph Kendall Strom Sharon ph Frislbn Turner ph JJohnsn Total 31 2 5 2 Total 13th, lumbered to second on Dick Allen's single and was replaced by Bannister on the basepaths.

Harry Parker then relieved Mike Gar-man, 3-7, as the Cards', pitcher and walked Mike Schmidt to load the bases before drove a fly ball to medium-deep center. "At first I thought the throw was going to get him," St. Louis Manager Red Schoendienst said in respect to Bake McBride's peg to the plate, "but it wasn't strong enough." The Phils, who will send young Tom Underwood, 14-11, to the mound tonight, carry a 7-0 record at home against Pittsburgh into the key series. "I don't even want to think about that," Ozark said, however. "I'm only thinking about the first game and how we can win thaUone." games (6 of 12) at home." Phils optimism, real or imagined, alternately ebbed and flowed in a marathon requiring 3 hours and 36 minutes to subdue the Cards.

A three-run burst in the opening inning was overcome by single Card runs in the first, third and sixth innings before extra innings set in. Luzinski walked with one out in the Prep golf results HIGH 156, EUREKA 168, OLYMPIA 187 At Blue Grass Creek par 16 HIGH Pat Venker 37, Tom Scott 38, Dave McLaren 40, Kip Peet 41. EUREKA Tedford 40, Schneider 40, Wilson 40, Cusac 48. OLYMPIA Baker 44, Clary 46, Wilcox 43, Smith 49. CENTRAL CATHOLIC 167, CLINTON 169 At Clinton par 35 CENTRAL CATHOLIC Marty Wieland 39, Jack Capodice 42, Jerry Deneen 43, Mike Cox 43.

CLINTON Kevin Wahl 39, Greg Goodman 40, Kurt Harbach 44, Chris Junkart 46. nister, a pinch-runner, was inserted to score the winning run. "Greg (Luzinski) would never have made he added in reference to Bannister's safe dash home on Mike Anderson's sacrifice fly. The triumph, earning a split in a two-game series, left the Phils six games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates and still hopeful of snaring a National League East title. "I'm only thinking about one game at a time," maintained Ozark, whose club returns home tonight to begin a two-game series against Pittsburgh.

"We're going to have to beat them and we're going to have to get help," he added realistically. "We haven't been on a long streak all year," Ozark said. "I'm optimistic enough to say we'll win the remaining CLEVELAND BROWNS Veterans: defensive safety Jim Hill, acquired on waivers from Green Bay Packers; Rookies: cornerback Lonnie Hepburn, safety Charlie Miller, both cut. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS Veterans: defensive tackle Charlie Davis, acquired from Pittsburgh Steelers for undisclosed future draft choice; defensive tackle Greg Wojcik, offensive tackle Ernie McMillan, defensive end Willie Holman, running back Hubert Ginn.

all cut. MINNESOTA VIKINGS Veterans: defensive back Randy Poltl, cut. ATLANTA FALCONS Rookies: wide receiver Jimmy Robinson, tackle Steve Smith, running back Bob Thomas, ail cut. NEW YORK GIANTS Veterans: linebacker Bruce Bannon, defensive tackle Dave Boone, both cut; Rookies: linebacker John Tate, Jackson State, placed on injured reserve list. HOUSTON OILERS Veterans: quarterback James Foote, guard Solomon Freelon, both waived; safety Al Johnson, injured waiver.

BALTIMORE COLTS Veterans: center Dan Neal, waived; defensive back Randy Hall, placed on injured reserve list. MIAMI DOLPHINS Veterans: offensive tackle Tom Wickert, cut; Rookies: wide receiver Morrris Owens, cut. PITTSBURGH STEELERS Veterans: running back Preston Pearson, cut; defensive tackle Charlie Davis, traded to St. Louis Cardinals for draft choice. Rookies: tight end Walter White, Maryland, cut.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS Veterans: guard Brian Vertefeuille, safety George Hoey, both waived; Rookies: tight end Charles Waddell, placed on injured reserve list; linebacker Drew Mahalic, Notre Dame, claimed on waivers. OAKLAND RAIDERS Veterans: defensive tackle Bubba Smith, placed on waivers. DENVER BRONCOS Veteran: cornerback Benny Johnson, cut; Rookie: linebacker Drew Mahalic, Notre Dame, released on waivers, claimed by San Diego. WASHINGTON REDSKINS Veteran: linebacker Dave Robinson, retired. CHICAGO BEARS Veterans: linebacker John Babinecz, Houston, claimed on waivers; linebacker Larry Ely, released on waivers.

GREEN BAY PACKERS Veterans: Punter Steve Broussard signed. LOS ANGELES RAMS Rookies: punter Duane Car-rell signed. Punter Jim McCann, released. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Veterans: wide receiver Andy Hamilton, cut; Rookies: tight end Walter White, claimed on waivers from Pittsburgh. 000 100 100 2 100 210 10x San Dieqo Los Angeles ST.

LOUIS (AP) The effects of an uphill struggle have yet to take their toll on the faculties of Danny Ozark. And, when the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies spotted a chance Tuesday night, he capitalized to produce a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the 13th inning. "That's why I put him in there," a smiling Ozark explained after Alan Ban- PHILADELPHI A ST LOUIS ab bi ab bi Cash 2b 6 12 0 McBride cf 6 1 1 1 Bowa ss 5 110 Brock If 5 13 1 Johnstone rf 2 1 1' 1 WDavis rf 6 0 0 0 Undrwod ph 1 0 0 0 HParker 0 0 0 0 McGraw 0 0 0 0 TSimmns 6 0 10 Harmon ph 1 0 0 0 RSmith 1b 3 0 2 1 Hilgndorf 0 0 0 0 HCruz 3b 7 0 0 0 Hutton 1b 1 0 0 0 Reitz 3b 3 0 10 Garber 0 0 0 0 Lintz pr 0 0 0 0 Luzinski If 4 0 11 Hrabosky 0 0 0 0 Bannister If 0 10 0 Melendez ph 1 0 0 0 RAIIen 1b 6 0 10 Curtis 0 0 0 0 Schmidt 3b 4 0 10 Rudolph ph 10 0 0 Maddox cf 1 0 0 0 Garman 0 0 0 0 MAndrsn rf 3 0 7 1 Mumry ph 10 10 Boone 4 0 10 Sizemore 2b 5 0 0 0 McCrvr ph 1 0 0 0 Tyson ss 4 110 Oates 0 0 0 0 RForsch 2 0 0 0 Simpson 3 0 0 0 Wallace 0 0 0 0 JMartin cf 7 0 10 Fairly 1b 7 0 0 0 Bradford pr 0 0 0 0 KHrndz 1b 10 10 B.Davis, McCovey. DP San Diego 1, Los Angeles 1 LOB San Diego 3, Los Angeles 7.

2B-Cey. HR Locklear (5), Wynn (18), McCovey (21). SB Lopes 2, DeJesus. SF Lacy. ER BB SO I 5 2 6 4 1 1 Strom (L.8-6) Freisleben J.Johnson Rhoden (W.3-2) Hough I 1 0 6 1-3 5 2 2-3 0 0 2 0 Save Hough (4).

HBP-by Freisleben (Garvey). 15-year veteran Cardinals release Ernie McMillan 48 3 11 3 44 4 11 3 Total Total Phillies Cards 300 000 000 000 1 4 101 001 000 000 0 3 R.Allen, Cash. DP Philadelphia 1, St. Louis 3. LOB Philadelphia 11, St.

Louis 10. 2B Cash, Boone, Brock. 3B Brock. HR McBride (5). SB Bowa, Schmidt.

Bowa, SF M.Anderson. ER BB SO ip Simpson McGraw Hilgndorf (W.7-3) Garber RForsch Wallace Hrabosky Curtis Garman H.parker 6 1-3 7 2-3 0 7 0 7 7 Girls prep swimming AT OTTAWA NORMAL COMMUNITY 54, OTTAWA 26 160-yd. medley relay 1. Normal Community (Joy Montgomery, Beth Plimpton, Thea Brapp and Alice Strein); 2. Ottawa.

Time 1:46 0. 20O-yd. freestyle 1. Eva Burger (N); 2. Laura Mitchelson (N); 3.

Tammy Madden (O). Time 2:35. 160-yd. individual medley 1. Joy Montgomery (N).

Time 2:08. 40-yd. freestyle 1. Strein (N); 7. Burger 3.

Laurie O'Brien (O). Time :22.6 Diving 1. Laurie Madden (O): 7. Anita Pruitt (N); 3. Laurie O'Brien (O).

Points 87.15 100-yd. butterfly 1. Brapp (N); 2. Kris Jones (N); 3. Julie Penfield (O).

Time 1:17.5 100-yd. freestyle 1. Strein (N); 2. Julie Bower (O); 3. Cathy Biggs IN).

Time 1:05.3 500-yd. freestyle i Plimpton (N); 2. Madden (O); 3. Patty Hamm (O). Time 6:16 6 100-yd.

backstroke 1. Jo Ellen Nelson (O); 1. Montgomery (N); 3. Brapp (N). Time 1:16.05 100-yd.

breaststroke 1. Plimpton Biggs (N); 3. Madden (O). Time 1:17.3 400-yd. freestyle relay 1 Normal Community (Jones.

Gini Fleming, Biggs and Mitchelson); 7. Ottawa. Time 5:03.6 11-3 2 1 1 1 0 2 2 3 0 0 mammoth defensive tackle who said he was allowed to practice with the club Monday before he was told about it. "He said they tried to trade me, but it didn't work out," Smith said of Oakland coach John Madden. Smith said he wouldn't have minded being cut early in the pre-season, but said it would be difficult to catch on with another team now.

He said his salary was guaranteed for the 1975 season. The Chicago Bears claimed linebacker John Babinecz on waivers from the Houston Oilers and placed Larry Ely on waivers to make room for him. "It was the toughest decision we have had to make since all of us came to St. Louis three years ago," said Joe Sullivan, the Cardinals' director of operations. "It was based on who we felt could help us the most right now.

As far as all of us are concerned, Ernie is an All-Pro, a leader and everyone respected him." The 37-year-old McMillan, who lost his left tackle job during the pre-season to Roger Finnie, had said during training camp that "the dream of any athlete is to play on a championship team. I wouldn't like to look back after 15 years and say that I'd never done that." If some other team doesn't pick him up, McMillan will have to live with that unfulfilled dream. The Cards also cut defensive end Willie Holman, defensive tackle Greg Wojcik and running back Hubert Ginn, and acquired defensive lineman Charlie Davis from Pittsburgh for a future draft choice. In addition to trading Davis, Pittsburgh surprisingly placed veteran running back Preston Pearson, the Steelers' third leading rusher last season despite missing five games, on waivers along with rookie tight end Walter White from Maryland. And Oakland cut Bubba Smith, the By The Associated Press The St.

Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders continued preparations for the upcoming regular season Tuesday by trimming established veterans from their rosters. While the threat of a strike by the National Football League Players Assn. loomed, the 26 teams were busy reducing their squads to the required 43-man limit for Sunday's scheduled opening games. The Cardinals perhaps pulled the biggest surprise, releasing offensive co-captain Ernie McMillan, a 15-year NFL veteran. Soph football results AT NORMAL COMMUNITY 0 6 0 0 6 6 0 0 14 University High Normal Community SCORING SUMMARY: University High Touchdowns Dirks (30-yd.

run). Normal Community Touchdowns Wheat (30-yd. run); Alvis (24-yd. run). Points After Touchdowns 'slish (run)..