Alton Evening Telegraph from Alton, Illinois • Page 9

SectionB ALTON EVENING Established Jan. 15, 1836 ALTON, SATURDAY, JUKE 1, 1968 Price 106 Member Associated Don Plarski Sports Editor May Mauler During a telephone conversation last winter Frank Howard confided in recently-hired Washington Senator manager Jim Lemon that he "thought he was finally putting his hitting game together." Judging from the way big Frank has been pounding balls out of American League parks, that remark has to go down as one of the top understatements of the season. After a more or less ordinary April, the six-foot-seven, 260-pound Washington outfielder startled the baseball World in May in an undeclared one-man war on league pitchers. Howard belted the modest total of four home runs during the month of April, and hardly anybody noticed. After all, he was generally regarded as a slugger.

His 36 homers last season had gained him the runner-up spot in the American League behind Carl Yastrzemski and Harmon Killebrew. But starting on May 3 in a night game against Baltimore at Washington's D.C. Stadium, Frank embarked on one of the hottest homer-hitting streaks ever. That night, in his 20th game of the season, he whacked home run No. 5 Off Dave McNally.

Fifteen days later his total had mushroomed to 17, capped by a pair of monstrous homers off Detroit's Mickey Lolich at Tiger Stadium. The last 10 of that 17 came in a string of six consecutive games from Sunday, May 12 through Saturday, May 18. That feat broke a record set by Babe Ruth in and tied by Hank Greenberg in 1938 for the most home runs in a week. It broke the major league record for most home runs in five consecutive games (8) and six consecutive games (II). It also gave Howard a shot at the record for most home runs in a set by Rudy York during August of 1937.

During his hot streak the former Ohio State basketball and baseball star played no favorites as far as pitchers are concerned. His blasts came off the cream of the A.L.—three off Lolich, two off Sam McDowell and one off such names as Sonny Siebert, Jose Santiago, Joe Sparma and Denny McLain. How does Howard account for his performance? "I'm not doing anything different," said the soft-spoken, gentle giant. "Usually I have a problem just making contact. "Frankly, I'm surprised.

I've never been this hot before. It's the finest start I've ever had. I had a good' start in 1963 (when he hit 28 home runs for the Los Angeles Dodgers) but that wasn't nearly this hot. "Jim Lemon has moved me a little closer to the plate and that has given me a little better look at the breaking ball. I feel real good, and I just go up there trying to hit it." Lemon couldn't exactly put his finger on the sodden snrge either.

"Frank Is staying with the ball better, especially with the breaking stuff. He's a real dedicated player. We talked on the phone last whiter and he told me all through the years people have been telling him how to hit. That's when he told me that he though he was finally patting It together. "It happens that way a lot.

Sometimes it happens early in a player's career, sometimes later. Of course, he's gaining confidence in himself, too. He's making the pitcher come to him noW. He's hitting his pitch rather than the pitcher's pitch," Howard was born In Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 8, 1936.

He was signed by the Dodgers for an estimated flOO.OOtobonus out of Ohio State and broke into professional baseball in 1958 with Green Bay where he now makes his home. He came to the Senators along with Phil Ortega, Pete Bichert, Ken McMuUen and Dick Nen in exchange for Claude Osteen and John Kennedy in a 1964 trade. During his career he has seen service as a pitcher, a third baseman and a first baseman as Well as in the outfield. He has already filled in at first this season while young Mike Epstein was sidelined with a bad back. "At this point in my career I don't care where I play as long as I play," he said.

Then nodding toward Epstein, he said, "I was only on first until the 'big boy' got back." Howard calling somebody else FRANK HOWARD the 'big boy' has to be the height of something. Despite the personal satisfaction of Whacking the ball out of the park, it doesn't much matter to Frank how many homers Jaster Pitch Sparklers Aaron Seeks Break, Eyes FirstTitle ATLANTA (AP) Affluent Tom Weiskopf is learning how to live with adversity on the golf course while unlucky Tommy Aaron is starting to enjoy the game. Aaron, 31-year-old Georgian who te still looking for his first tournament title in nine seasons on the tour, was two shots in front of the field going into today's third round of the Atlanta Classic. Weiskopf, who at 25 has already won $85,000 this year, was out of the tournament and held the dubious record of shooting the lowest score in the first round and the highest in the second. "I'm embarrassed," said Weiskopf after a disastrous 83 put him out of the $115,000 tournament despite his opening 68, which had given him the first- round lead.

Aaron rolled into the lead with a 70 for a 36-hole total of 139, two strokes better than runner- up Bob Lunn. Jack Nicklaus was third at 142 and a handful of veterans were deadlocked at 144. The cutoff mark of 149, which trimmed the field to the low 70 scorers and ties, was the highest of the year on the tour. Only Aaron has been able to do much against the Atlanta Country Club course, which winds through the hilly Georgia forests. "This is the first time I've led a tournament this year," Aaron said, "but I've played better the past five weeks than at any other stretch in my career." Aaron said he has not been bothered by the notoriety he gained last month at the Masters, when he marked down a higher score on the 71st hole for Roberto de Vicenzo than the Argentine actually shot.

De Vicenzo signed the incorrect card and was dropped from a tie for the Masters title to second place behind Bob Goalby. The cut at the Atlanta Classic also claimed Goalby, who had a 36-hole total of 152. "I felt bad about it," Aaron said, "but I wasn't going to quit he tour over it." Top Drivers Featured in Boat Races NBATIONAL San Francisco itlanta St. Louis hlladelphla Chicago Cincinnati Angoles iouston i Mew York 'Ittsburglh He's enthused with this year's If we can get a little hitting, he hits unless the Senators win. club.

"We have fine pitching. we'll be all right. "If we finish la the first division, it'll be a big year. But don't sell us short. The same thing could happen to us as happened with the Red Sox last year.

It's just a question of hitting. The whole league is getting balance now. You might as well flip a coin to see how it's going to come out this year. It'll be a good competitive season. It's good for the league, good for baseball." Guys like Frank Howard are good for baseball, too.

Lowly Amateur to Face Aussie Pro PARIS (AP) Herb FitzGibbon, America's 15tli-ranked amateur tennis player, stepped up today as the latest challenger to wily Australian al Ken Rosewall in the Open French Championships. "Maybe I can take a set off him," said the tall young roan from Garden City, "That's more than anyone has 1 done so fw," Rosewall, who nan reached the last 18 of the im'9 singles with three straight set victories, bis looked the most impressive among the pros, He won this title back in .1953, three years before be turned professional. But the fans at the Roland Garros Stadium learned Friday tie pros are not invincible. Aus's Fred StoUe, the No. 8 seed, lost 3-8, 0-8, 3-6 to Yugoslav Davis Cupper Boro Jova novic.

Alter that the Paris fans are ready for anything. They scented another upset Friday when Pierre Darmon, 32-year-old hero of the French Davis Cup squad, caused Pancho Gonzales some uncomfortable moments But the 40-year-old professional from Los Angeles played superb to win Boat enthusiasts are in for a jreat treat Sunday. One of the programs of boat races will be held on that day on the Illinois River in front of the Grafton American Legion Hall. races begin at 1 p.m. with a meeting of all the drivers slat ed for noon.

The program is being sponsored jointly by the Alton Lake Outboard Racing Association and the Grafton Junior Chamber of Commerce. Drivers from seven or eight states will be among the racers. Some of the top drivers entered are Ken Kitson, Art Shaw, Don Clark and Earl Welch. Trophies and prizes will be awarded to the drivers of win ning boats, some of which will attain speeds over 100 mph. A new type of boat racing be held for youngsters 7 to 12 years of age.

They'll race 10-fool long, 20-horsepower boats that reach 35 mph. People watching the races from boats in the river are urged to use extreme care while the races are being run. The meet is sanctioned by the National Outboard Association. Wood River Athlete Given College Trophy SEARCY, Ark, -Allan Eldridge, a senior Bible major and a native of Wood River, 111., has been named winner of the intramural sports sportsmanship trophy at Harding College 196788. He received it in intramura awards ceremonies recently.

Eldridge, the son Mr. and Mrs. Biil Sldjidge, 804 Penning Wood River, is a member of Koinonia social club, was sen ior class, favorite and won the Regina Spirit Award for 1987 Dodger Star Ties Record In Shutouts By BOB GREEN Associated Press Sports Writer Don Drysdale and Larry Jaster both flirted with baseball's record book. Drysdale made it. For Jaster, well, it was a nice romance.

Drysdale, the towering, righthanded veteran of the Los Angeles Dodgers, pitched out of a ninth-inning jam for a 3-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants late Friday night. DRYSDALE AT WORK IN THE NINTH Pitcher Don Drysdale, who hurled his fifth consecutive shutout Friday night in Los Angeles and beat the Giants, 3-0, pitches to Frank Marshall League STANDINGS LEAGUE W. L. Pet. G.B.

.583 .843 26 21 25 21 24 21 .533 1 21 20 .512 2 23 23 .500 2 22 22 .500 2 24 25 .490 3 21 24 .467 4 20 24 .455 4 18 23 .436 5 'Friday's Results St. Loutts 2, New York 0 Clnclhmkti 5, Philadelphia 4 Atlanta 5. Pittsburgh 2 Chicago 1 Los Angeles 3, San Francisco 0 Today's Probable Pitchers California (Brunei 5-4) at Oak- and (Odom 3-4) twilight Minnesota (Chance 4-5) at igo (Carlos 2-5) New York (Monbouquette 5-3) at Detroit (Cain 1-0) Washington (Bertalna 3-3) at Cleveland (Williams 3-2) Baltimore (Brabender 4-1) at Boson (Waslqwski 2-6) Sunday's Games Cincinnati at Philadelphia Atlanta mt Pittsburgh Chicago at Houston San Francisco at Los Angeles St. Louis' at New York, 2 Monday's Games Philadelphia at San Francisco St. Louis' at Houston Pittsburgh at Los Angeles, Atlanta at Cincinnati.

1 Only games- scheduled Detroit laltlmore Cleveland Minnesota loston California New York Oakland Chicago Washington Friday's Results Boston 3, Baltimore 0 Cleveland 8. Washington 3 Detroit 1, New York 0 Chicago 2, Minnesota 1, 14 nbigs California ntngs Today's Probable Pitchers St. Louis (Washburn 3-3) at New York (Ryan 4-4) San Francisco (Perry 6-2) at Los Angeles (Sutton 2-4) Cincinnati (Pappas 2-2) at Philadelphia (Fryman 6-4) Atlanta (Kelley 2-3) at Pittsburgh Slsk 2-1) Chicago (Hands 5-2) at Houston Wilson 3-5) Sunday's Games California at Oakland Minnesota at Chicago, 2 New York at Detroit, 2 Washington at Cleveland, 2 Baltimore at Boston, 2 Monday's Games Minnesota at New York, Chicago at Cleveland, California at Baltimore, 'Detroit at Boston, Only games scheduled Bob Page New Madison Coach MADISON A St. Louis Un- versity graduate, Bob Page, was named; head basketball coach here" Friday, replacing John Logan who, along with hree other coaches, resigned during the ivinter. Page, 30, a native of Madi son and has been teaching in school district.

Mike Grayille, a tennis coach who resigned as one of the three during the winter, has ac cepted a position at DuQuoin High School, where he will be an assistant in football, basketball and baseball. The three resigned Madison coaches quft because of racial difficulties. ILLINOIS SECTIONAL BASEBALL At DeKalb St. Bede LaSalle-Peru 2, Crown Carpentersvllle 1 Rockford Gullford 2, DeKalb 0 At Lockport west Championship Morton West 6, Jollet East 1 Ay Canton Championship Peorla Manoei 2, Galesburg MIDWEST LEAGUE Appleton Clinton 0-8 Waterloo Wisconsin Rapids 2 Decatur 3, Dubuque 0 Cedar at Qulncy, 2, ppd. rain Burlington Quad Cities, ppd, rain Mrs.

Lou Gehrig Rescued From Fire NEW YORK tf-Mrs. Eleanor Gehrig, widow of famed baseball player Lou Gehrig, was rescued unconscious from her smoke-filled bedroom as a fire raged in her eighth floor apartment at 211 93rd Friday She was revived by mouth-to- mouth resuscitation. The fire, which started 8:45 a.m. in a mattress, spreac smoke throughout the apart ment and other parts of the 14- story building, forcing some residents to leave their apart ments. Cause of the (ire was not determined.

AMERICAN LEAGUE G.B. in the ninth. Marshall walked to load the bases, but Drysdale retired the next three men for the shutout, which tied a 64-year-old major league record. (AP Wirephoto) Jaster Hopes Win Will Net Starting Role in 3, Oakland 0, 12 In- Major League AMERICAN LEAGUE Batting 100 at bats F. Howard, Washington, Yastrzem- ski, Boston, .331.

Runs Campanerls, Oakland, 27; F. Howard, Washington, 27. Runs batted In F. Howard, Washington, 40; W. Horton, De.

Howard, Washington, 58; Yastrzemski, Boston, 53. Doubles R. Smith, Boston, 16; B. Robinson, Baltimore, 12; Yas- trzemsKI, Boston, 12. Triples McCruw, Chicago, McAullKe, Detroit, 5.

Home runs F. Howard, Wash- Ington, 19; W. Horton, 'Detroit, 14. Stolen bases Campanerls, Oakland, 22; Cardenal, Cleveland, 11. Pitching 4 decisions John, Chicago, 4-0, 1.000; Perranoskl, Minnesota, 4.0, 1.000.

Strikeouts McDowell, Cleveland 108; Tlant, Cleveland, 80; McLain, Detroit, 80. NATIONAL LEAGUE Batting 100 at bats Rose, Cta clnnati, M. Alou, Pittsburgh .348. Runs Rose, Cincinnati, 36; In Perez, Cincinnati. 29; Staub, Houston, 28j Cincinnati, 69; Flood Doubles Bench, Cincinnati, 14; Rose, Cincinnati, 14.

Triples Clemente, Pittsburgh Brock, St. Louis. 4. Home runs 4 tied with Stolen bases Wills, Pittsburgh, Tde'clslon. Se.ma N.

4-0, 1-OOOj Reed, Atlanta 8-1, Carlton, St. Louis, 897. Stlkeouts Singer, Los Angeles 78; Marlchal, San Francisco, 78. Berkeley Star Will Enroll at Southern ST. LOUIS 9 nine letterman at Berkeley High School, Don Nelson, has received an athletic scholarship at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, it was announced Friday Nelson won four varsity let.

ters in baseball, three in basketball and two in football, while in bjgh school. Jt rflfliHHHitt SMI Motor Oil 9 lOO NEW YORK (AP) Pitching wo-hitters isn't moving Larry Jaster back into baseball's record book, but it might be get- ing him out of the bullpen and that's the main prize. The St. Louis Cardinal's left- lander might have won his spot in the starting rotation Friday night by hurling his second two- hitter in three starts this season or a 2-0 victory over the New York Mets. The fact that a perfect game slipped from his grasp when freg Goossen became the first Met to reach base on.a two-out single in the eighth inning was disappointing, sure.

But Jaster, 24-year-old veteran of only wo-and-a-fraction years in the major leagues, already has his name in the record book. Two years ago, he shut out the Los Angeles Dodgers five straight times en route to an 115 rookie season. "It bothers me not being in the starting rotation," Jaster said after winning his third game in five decisions this season and lowering his earned average for 38 innings to 0.95. He stopped the Dodgers on two hits in his other starting victory and lost to Philadelphia 1-0 last Sat urday in his only starting loss. "They want me in the bullpen because Joe (Jaster's room mate, Joe Hoerner) is the only other experienced lefty in the bullpen," Jaster explained.

''I was aware of the perfect game after getting 'through the line-up the second time," Jaster said. "The pressure started building from the seventh By then, the Cardinals had given him a 2-0 lead against lard-fluck Tom Seaver, 2-5 with only 19 runs scored for him in 11 starts. Lou Brock tripled to open (the third, Curt Flood singled him home and after Tim McCatrver walked with two outs Mike Shannon rapped a run- scoring single. "I bad been throwing Gossen curves all night and he was looking for it in the eighth," Jaster said. Goossen slammed a curve for a clean hit to left field and Don Bosch did the same with two out in the, ninth.

"I always get the one-or two- hitter, 1 he said. "I've never come this close to a maybe in the Little League one "He pitched his way out of the bullpen tonight," Cardinals pitching coach Billy Muffett said. LOS ANGELES (AP) Two of America's top decathlon men Buss Hodge and Dave Thoreson suffered injuries and withdrew from competition Friday in the first day of the Southern Pacific AAU decathlon at UCLA Hodge, a UCLA student, pulled out of the competition with groin muscle injury in the high jump and Thoreson pulled hamstring muscle in the 400 meter mm. LARRY JASTER i close. It was big Don's fifth consecu-' live shutout, tying a major league mark set in 1904 by Doc White of the Chicago White Sox and breaking the National League record.

Jaster, a poker-faced young left-hander for the St. Louis Cardinals, retired the first 23 New York Mets he faced and 'appeared on his way to a perfect game before Greg Goosen lined a single into left field with two out in the eighth. Jaster finished with a two-hitter and a 2-0 victory. "A one-hitter or a two-hitter, yes, I get 'em," he said. "But not a no-hitter." Cincinnati edged Philadelphia 5-4, Atlanta beat Pittsburgh 5-2 and Houston took Chicago 3-1 in other National League games, all at night.

In the American League, also ill at night, Detroit nipped the New York Yankees 1-0, Cleveand bombed Washington 8-3, Boston blanked Baltimore 3-0, he Chicago White Sox edged Minnesota 2-1 in 14 innings and California beat Oakland 3-0 in 12 nnings. Drysdale was breezing along in great shape against the Giants, but almost blew it all in the ninth. Willie McCovey led off with a walk, Jim Hart followed with a single and a walk to Frank Mar shall loaded the bases with none out. Then came a dispute. Dick Dietz appeared to be hit on the arm by a pitch, which would 1 have forced in a run.

But plate umpire Harry Wendelstedt Dietz made no attempt to get out of the way and called the )itch a ball. Giant Manager German Franks was ejected in the discussion that followed. Drysdale then retired Dietz on a shallow fly, got Ty Cline to ground into a force play at the date and retired Jack Hiatt on a pop fly. He finished with a six-hitter. Wes Parker had two doubles for the Dodgers, driving in one run and scoring another.

Jaster finished with seven AMERICA'S LARGEST FAMILY CLOTHING CHAIN FISHERMAN! PARADISE LAKE $26 CASH FOR THE LAMEST FISH 10 HiKlnj punt for Nik THURn SAT. I SUN. May 30 thru JIM 2 Final weigh-In time and pretentatton 6100 p.m., Sunday Complete picnic, playground nod dumping on Gulp Lane off of Fofterburf Road. Follow ligna. i trikeouts against the Mets and utdueled hard-luck Tom Seav- who had a 1.91 earned run iverage going into the game but as only a 2-5 record to show for The Cards got both their runs the third.

Lou Brock opened with a triple. Curt Flood singled lim in, moved to second on a on balls and scored on Mike Shannon's single. Larry Dierker pitched a solid bur-hitter and John Bateman slammed a two-run double in the Astros' victory over Chicago. Bateman's double with two out in the fourth broke a 1-1 tie and Dierker's pitching made it stand up. Fred Whitfield singled in two runs in the seventh, breaking a 5-3 tie and pointing Cincinnati to its decision over Philadelphia.

The Phils took an early 3-1 lead on a two-run homer by Bill White and a solo smash by John Callison, but the Reds tied it in the sixth on run-producing hits Alex Johnson and Johnny Bench. Atlanta pushed across three runs in the fourth inning, then coasted in against Pittsburgh. Felipe Alou ignited the decisive inning with a single, moved to second on a wild pickoff attempt, took third on a Wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly; Deron Johnson singled in another run and an error let in the third. ST. LOUIS N.

Y. Player ABRH Player ABRH Brock Flood Marls 4 Cepeda 4 MeCarver 2 Shannon 4 Javier 4 Maxvlll 4 Jaster 4 1 Bosch 3 Jones 1 Swoboda 1 Grote 1 Charles I Goossen Llnz Wels 1 Seaver Bucher Totals 39 2 9 Totals Inning ST. L. N. Y.

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