Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 22

22 Tuesday. Feb. 27. 1951 DETROIT FREE PRESS ROLFE GROOMS MARLIN AS 'SPOT STARTER' ed Sees AL Knuckling Down to Stuarfs Knuckler BY LYALL SMITH ree Fret Sport Editor LAKELAND One Arkansas farmer put in his first appearance at the Tigers' training camp Monday, but another one was singled out by Manager Red Rolfe as "a man to watch." The new arrival was third baseman George Kell, of Swif-ton, top Tiger hitter of two straight seasons. Kell put in a brief visit before starting on a house-hunting expedition.

He is in top shape, happy with his baseball world and hopeful of another great year. The other farmer is Pitcher Marlin Stuart of Route 1, Para-gould, a lanky 32-year-old right-hander who is being groomed for a new Tiger role this season. the Tiger farm at Toledo. But he is now being eyed as a "spot starter" for 1951. Martin's "Tiger Tale" is a strange one.

He came out of the minor leagues two years ago with the reputation of possessing one of the most elusive knuckle-balls in captivity. Trouble was he could not find anyone who was willing to let him use it. The knuckler is a crazy pitch. It is liable to take off either up or down, in or out, when it crosses the plate. Most catchers hate it worse than poison ivy.

It is hard to hold; just as hard to hit. ROLFE IS insistent that Stuart throw it consistently this year and he has instructed his catchers to "start catching Stuart's knuckler now because you're going to see a lot of it this summer. "I am confident he can win for us as a starter," Rolfe declared. "His knuckler is just as good as Dutch Leonard and Johnny Niggerlings used to throw. "And he has a lot more to go with it than either one of those fellows had.

It's a tough one for the catchers to handle but they're going to handle it this year or else." When he was shunted to Toledo last year, Stuart wound up with an excellent 9-3 record with the lowly Mudhens. "I used the knuckler 4-5 times out of every 10 pitches," he explained. It was a detailed drill with each hurler being given indi-v i a a I instruction on how Rolfe wanted him to hold the bat, crouch with the pitch and drop the ball along the baselines. "If I can't have hitting pitchers," he told them, "I'm insistent on having bunting pitchers." With the appearance of Kell, the Tigers now have three-fourths of their regular infield in camp. Johnny Lipon and Jerry Priddy both worked out.

RECALLED TO the Tigers late in the season, he fashioned a 3-1 mark but still said his catchers called for the knuckler "about once in every 10 pitches." Rolfe initialed batting drills Monday for his catchers after spending most of the practice sessions on bunting by his hurlers. STUART WAS utilized in relief jobs by Rolfe as he was shuttled between Detroit and 1 1 ymvnmmmm tig) A Miller to Meet Again for Title Trojans Nip U-D, 42-40, with Rally rc I fV- r. 1 en on- I Fw Press Photo by Walter Steigrer MARLIX STUART Hopes knuckle ball will make the difference As of TODAY fun t-M Wins hi Final 3 Seconds Vander Kuy's Basket Nips Badgers, 52-50 t'rrt Pres Wir Michigan's basketball team pulled a Big Ten surprise Monday night by virtue of Leo Van-derkuy's winning field goal with three seconds to go. The Wolverines toppled Wisconsin, at Madison, 52 to 50. on Van-derKuy's winning effort.

Thus, the Badgers remained in a third-place tie with Iowa, which was losing to Indiana, 63 to 53. In a sluggish game at Minneapolis, Minnesota closed its campaign with 56-39 walloping of Michigan State. A FOURTH Conference game saw Northwestern win a thrilling 84-83 tussle from Purdue, as the Boilermakers fought back from an early deficit. Vanderkuy, a big cog in Michigan's so-so season, scored 22 points against Wisconsin, seven of them the first ones scored by the Wolverines in the game. The lead see -sawed in the first half, with Michigan earning a 25-21 edge at intermission.

The Badgers then pulled away to a 43-86 margine before Michigan worked up to a 50-50 tie prior to Vanderkuy's winning shot. Indiana sliced idle Illinois' Conference lead by its victory over Iowa at Bloomington, leading all the way. Bill Tosheff made three free throws to run his string to 25 in a row, a Conference record. He scored 19 points in all to pace the Hoosiers. IN THE Northwestern Purdue game, the score was tied 15 times.

With about eight minutes to go, Northwestern led, 73 to 65, but Purdue surged back to grab the Big Ten Basketball Everybody Predicting Big Things for Gray By LYALL S3IITII REFEREE JOHNNY NEVILLE PUTS THE FINGER ON U-D'S JOE BASFORD AS HE TOPPLES UNIDENTIFIED TROJAN Standing by as the foul is called in game at Olympla are Miller's John Brooks (7) and U-D High's Dan Curran. STRIPPER TO TEASE 'EM Ring Fans Reluctant FAIRBANKS, Alaska Boxing Promoter Johnny Homeko dislikes seeing so many empty seats. He issued an announcement Monday. Hereafter a strip teaser will go through her routine before the main event of all boxing shows. LAKELAND The ham 'n eggs combination of Art Houtteman 'n Ted Gray has been broken up this year for the first time since the native Detroiters embarked on their baseball career a half-dozen years ago.

The pair of pitchers formed an inseparable combine until the Army beckoned to the strong-armed Houtteman. To state that the absence of Houtteman from the 1951 plans of the Tigers has pulled Gray out from behind his shadow is strictly a play on words. But the fact still is obvious here that this is being reckoned as the year "when the slender scuthpaw comes into his own legitimate right as a pitching star. "I'm counting on Ted for 15 victories," flatly stated Manager Red Rolfe. "Maybe more." Gray is aiming at more.

He started intensive training on Dec. 1 at the Northern YMCA in Highland Park. This was designed to strengthen a pitching arm which conked out on him when last season was little more than half completed. "I didn't win a game after July 7," Ted somberly relates. "I remember beating Bob Feller, 5 to 2, in a night game in Detroit for my 10th victory of the year.

I didn't win another one all season. M3 arm just went bad. Fact is, was so bad that I honestly felt that I was all washed up. But I know better now." Ted Means Business GRAY STARTED THROWING on Dec. 1 and he threw three times a week every week after that date until he moved outdoors here in the Tigers training camp.

He is farther advanced than any pitcher in camp as he heads for his finest year. Gray is different from most Tiger hurlers in that he has only Billikens End Titans' Home Streak 64-50 Victory Snips 17-Game String University of Detroit's home court balloon was punctured by a powerful St. Louis University basketball team, 64 to 50. The Billikens, using a height advantage to good effect, snapped a 17-game victory string the Titans had chalked up on the U. of D.

High court, for an important Missouri Valley Conference triumph. THE TITANS had won six games last year and 11 this season in DA HOLDS NATIE MILLER Detroiters Win First 3 Glove Bouts Jeff ery Gains His by Knockout in 2nd Sprrial to the Frrc Vm CHICAGO Three Detroiters passed first-round tests in the Golden Gloves Champion of Champions tournament here in the Stadium. Leroy Jeffery made the most impressive showing with a second-round knockout of Stuart Huie, of Cleveland, in the 112-pound class, the end came at 1:02 of the round. Featherweight Adell Dukes decisioned Loreno Patterson, of Columbus, and Lightweight Johnny Barnes received the nod over Nick Nikon, of Cleveland. 5th Long Island Cager Arrested in Fix Case NEW YORK Nathan (Natie) Miller, a former Long Island University basketball player, was arrested Monday night.

Technicians Drub Northwestern, 47-30 BY GEORGE PL'SCAS Miller High School staged the greatest comeback' of its four-year reign as Detroit's basketball champion to fight its way into the City League finals for the sixth straight year. The title-laden Trojans, trailing most of the way, roared from behind in the final two and a half minutes to beat down a valiant U. of D. High quintet, 42 to 40, before 6,505 fans at Olympia. It was Miller's 12th victory in 13 starts and sent the Trojans into the league's tournament finals against Cass Tech.

Jumping off to a 10-0 lead in the first three minutes, Cass swamped Northwestern, 47 to 30, in the other semifinal to enter the championship round with Miller for the second straight year. The league title battle is slated for Olympia March 6. THE TRIUMPH also kept intac a strange superiority Miller has held over the Cubs in playoff competition. They have met now four limes in title play during the last five years, and Miller ha won in each drive toward a City crown. U.

of D. had the coveted final berth wrapped tightly in its mitts at several stages and still had a hold on it before Miller broke through with its late game-clinch ing rally. The Cubs carried a 39-36 lead into the final five minutes. Then Miller's Jimmy Johnson tipped in a foul toss and clicked from side court to tie the tally at 39-all, with barely two and a half minutes left. JACK CURRAN put U.

of D. out front again, 40 to 39, with a foul shot, but the Trojans' Adolph Smith matched it to deadlock the count again. Then, with two minutes left, Gerald Hutchins, the Trojans' sharp-shooting forward, connected from the side to give Miller its slim margin. Other than in that closing session, however. Miller had few chances to proclaim itself a champion.

THE UNDERDOG Cubs virtually rushed the heralded East Siders off the court in the first period when Miller chose to start its second team. Led by Guard John Sincic and Forward Tom Zang, they leaped into a 9-2 lead. Coach Will Robinson quickly sent his first-stringers Into the contest, but U. of D. still carried a 12-6 lead into the second period.

At the half. Miller, bottled up beautifully underneath, still managed to cut the Cubs' lead to 22-21. In the third quarter. Miller took the lead for the first time when Charley Bates connected from close in. F.

OF D. QUICKLY took charge again, however, and led the rest of the way, enjoying margins as big as six points, 34 to 28, before the Trojans came to life in the fourth period. CASS HAD ONLY flashes of trouble from Northwestern as it up its 12th victory against one defeat. That loss, incidentally, was to Miller, its final-round opponent. Paced by Forward George Gatewood, who pumped in three shots, the Technicians leaped 10 points out front before Northwestern could tally in the first quarter.

The Colts cut that margin to 20-19 with a second-period comeback, but in the fourth quarter Cass took charge and won going away. MILLER M' OF D. (10) Jnhnann.c 6 'i 14 Zanc.f 3 2 8 iliitrhinsi.c 3 2 8 J. Curran. 3 .1 Bates.t 3 17 Prather.e 16 8 mith.e 3 17 Sinsie.c 6 2 1 Burns.r 1 2 Brrnnan.c 113 kins.r 1 2 G.

I urran.f 8 0 4 lord. 10 2 Total 18 8 Total" 13 11 40 Seore at half: f. of D. 2'J. Miller 21.

CASS (47) WF.STERN CW ouil.f 3 5 11 Junee.f II 4 l.oiide.f I II 2 I lllxin.r 5 I 5 Nuiflirli.r 2 18 l.olrli.rre.f 3 ft l.odlrev.c 5 111 leli.c 4 I Porter.t 3 TntaU 4 7 Seore at half: la- Tern 2. orh-etern 21. three pitches, and admits it. fast ball, a curve ball and a TVicf'c oil sentative in the 118-pound class, Toronto was barred from competition byJBoston the Michigan AAU which refused iyew ori 17 to give him a tracel permit the Motor City. Chicago 13 The fork ball is his strikeout pitch and proof that it works is indicated by the fact that his 102 strikeouts led all Tigers last year although he pitched only 149 innings compared to 275 for Houtteman (88 strikeouts), 257 for Hutchinson (71), 214 for Kewhouser (87) and 185 for Trout (88).

He developed the fork ball pitch in 1947 while at Buffalo under Manager Paul Richards, who now runs the Chicago White Sox. "I was fooling around with it in the bullpen one day when Paul saw me use it," Ted recalls. "He told me to throw it in my games. I did and it worked all right. I guess Diz (Trout) and I are about the only ones who use it on our squad." The sore arm which whittled Gray's effectiveness last summer ranKim was cnargea wiin fighting under an assumed name several years ago.

Lions Lose Cloyce Box to Marines Cloyce Box. star end of the Detroit Lions, enters the United States Marine Corps Tuesday at Camp Pendleton. Calif. Box. a lieutenant, was recalled from the inactive reserve.

He saw four years service with the Marines in World War II. Box. 26. caught 50 passes good for 1,009 yards for the Lions in the 1950 National Football League campaign, scoring 11 touchdowns. He is the third member of last year Detroit team to go into service.

followinr Halfback Wallv tt i -r Triplett and End Jim Cain. kett his victories to 10 for the second straight vear. But the wav PA Illinois Indiana Iowa Wisconsin Northwestern Minnesota MSC MICHIGAN Purdue Ohio State MICHIGAN 750 648 672 921 799 576 710 956 1020 Wisconsin 50. Minnesota 56. MSC 39.

Northwestern 84, Purdue 83. Indiana 63, Iowa 53. lead again. 81 to 79, with two minutes remaining. Baskets by Ray Ragelis and Jake Fendley put Northwestern out front again and this time the Wildcats held until the gun sounded.

Whitey Skoog, playing his final game for Minnesota, scored 18 points for the Gophers' seventh Conference victory. MINNESOTA grabbed an early lead and never was in serious trouble, though Michigan State trailed by only three points, 26 to 23 at halftime. In the second half, Minnesota iran avva-v- Ka-V tetfen points was the best MSC effort. MKIIK.VN skai.i.r i William. f-" 111 lit 'i oiin.K Murrat.C 1 'i WISCONSIN Cil) Clinliin.f ti 4 Hi MiirkllKin.f 5 II lit Itthlke.r 1 i Nilliolas.I 4 1H YanOirn.ic ti Tiitals 2.1 Totals Half timv srorr: Michigan sin.

'M. Wlsron- MINNESOTA i Johnson, 4 1 I l.rlle.f 4 8 I "kooc.E 8 Srlinohrirh.c 4 Mnn.f 1 Miller. Meii.f nil Mrt.onarlf.B 3 MICH. STATE (.191 .2 K- 1 i U.tareir.I 1 II Mptlrn 4 HI M.an.r A MrAlllirfcE 2 l.arr.r "I 1 Jiihnson.f 1 I 3 4 a Totals IS'iliifi Totals t.t 9 39 Halftime core: Minnesot State 23. 6.

Michigan Cage Results COLLEGE BASKETBALL Michigan 52, Wisconsin 50. St. Louis 64, Detroit 50. Minnesota 56, MSC 89. Northwestern 84, Purdue 83.

Indiana 63, Iowa 53. Toledo 70, Xavier 61. Central Mich. 72, West. Mich.

70. N. Y. U. 87, Notre Dame 72.

Seton Hall 62, Rutgers 44. Missouri 59, Iowa State 54. Pittsburgh 74, W. Va. U.

72. Marquette 60, Bowling Green 54. American IT. 98. Wash.

Col. 53. Kansas State 74, Nebraska 48. Bradley 51, Okla. A.

M. 50. Kansas State 74, Nebraska 48. Jackson JC 73. Gr.

Rapids JC61. Adrian 6S, Olivet 64. L. PF It 1 860 JO 2 773 7 5 786 7 5 671 7 6 892 7 7 830 5 7 564 9 628 10 864 3 11 910 i i He was charged with taking $1,000 for fixing the LIU Bowl ing Green game of Dec. 4.

1948 and $500 for the LIU Western Kentucky game of Dec. 30, 1948. Miller was accused of taking the money from a teammate, Edward Gard, an ex-basketball player now in protective custody who is among those previously accused. Eight players or former players four from LIU are accused of accepting bribes to fix big-time basketball games over the last two seasons. MILLER'S WAS the first new name to arise in the investigation since a week ago when four LIU students were said to have admitted their part in the scandal.

Three were stars of this year's team and the other an ex-player who captained last season's team. District Attorney Frank S. Hogan also had accused three players from City College of New York and one from New York University of being mixed up in the game fixing case. Hogan spent another day talk- ing to Ed Gard, captain of last year's LIU team. Gard is a key figure in the alleged fixing of bigtime basketball games in Madison Square Garden.

HE ALLEGEDLY was a go-between for Salvatore T. Sollazzo, who is accused of paying of $25,000 in bribes. Meanwhile, through his attorney, one of the CCNY players, Ed Roman, turned in an added $500 in alleged bribe money. The money brought to $23,540 the amount recovered from six of the players. Others who surrendered money were Ed Warner and Al Roth, teammates of Roman on CCNY, and from Sherman White, LeRoy Smith and Adolph Bigos, LIU stars.

Detroiler Wins CHICAGO (JP) Leroy Jeffrey, 112-pound Detroiter, stopped Stuart Huie. of Cleveland, in the second round of their Golden Gloves bout. Hockey NATIONAL LEAGUE Pts. GF GA 11 12 80 189 125 12 13 77 179 116 24 15 53 146 163 23 18 52 138 165 27 12 50 134 154 36 10 36 150 213 WEDNESDAY'S GAME DETROIT at Boston THURSDAY'S GAMES New York at Chicago Toronto at Montreal Golf Champion Displays Form in PARADE A new champion shows his form. Sam Uizetta, National amateur champion, is one of golf's rising young stars.

Urzetta credits his success to three types of shots. HE SHOWS THEM in an interesting photographic study in PARADE the weekly Free Press Sunday supplement. DON'T miss this exclusive feature in SUNDAY'S FREE PRESS. hoped he would reconsider as Manager Red Rolfe was counting upon him again. "I just hope I can have another good season," Keller told Evans.

Keller was used exclusively as a pinch hitter last season. He was at bat 51 times and made 16 hits tor a 314 average. Included among his hjts were three triples and two home runa. feat made U-D's current mark 13-14 for the season and six-and-seven in the MVC. St.

Louis, running second in the conference with an 11-2 record, faces Oklahoma the leaders, in a crucial contest Saturday night. Monday's encounter was decided in the first quarter, with the Billikens racing to a 13-0 margin in the first eight minutes, before Walter Poff scored U-D's first points on a long shot. The quarter ended, 13 to 4, and by halftime, St. Louis had a 35-19 lead. THE TITANS outscoredthe visitors, 31 to 29, in the second half, but the game had been dissipated.

The Titans' next game is with Western Ontario at London, Friday; then, U-D plays host to Oklahoma on Monday. DETROIT ST. I.OIIS (ft!) (i i 5 a Herner.e 2 0 Knrli.r 7 4 18 HoTnr.c 13 7 MeNamara.r 7 11., Steiner.r IS I I Kaini.f I I ihnn.f I 41 MtKinna.f I I Totals 8 50 i7 1ll Score at half: M. Louis 35. Detroit 19.

6 Players Gain in Squash Play Six players moved into the second round of the Michigan Class squash singles championships at Sidney Hill Uptown. The results: GroTKf Bentley def. Tn Matthaei, 15-8. 17-15: Theo Mrapkiruin def. (iordon I.V9, l.Vli.

15-6; KoM-nlhnl def. Georee Hanson, 13-10, 18-17, 15-12; Owen Huie def. Keed Halls, hy default: Johnny Blonsom def. Dirk Talrott, by default: Diek Hartinan def. Uene Xasler.

15-8. 16-15. 15-11. Yanks Cooled AROSA, Switzerland (JP) The Arosa Hockey Club trounced the Bates Manufacturing Co. team of Maine, 14 to 2.

Net Profit MELBOURNE (JP) Australia's Davis Cup team made $6,487 profit on last year's successful quest. i He uses a fork ball, i GRAY That Flu Again NEW YORK (JP) New York University canceled its scheduled Wednesday WTestling meet with Rutgers because several members of the NYU mat team had the flu. POSTPCWES RETIREMENT he won those 10 is a tipoff of the handsome left-hander's ability. Save Him for Tou glues HE WAS GIVEN A REGULAR diet of pitching to the league's toughies, teams like Boston, Cleveland and New York. The so-called weaklings of the league didn't see much of Teddy simply because Rolfe was convinced that Gray was too valuable to use cm any but the power-clubs.

His catchers Bob Swift, Aaron Robinson and Joe Ginsberg insist that Teddy has as much stuff as anyone they catch. "His control is getting better," insists Swift. "But he still can improve on it. He isn't a wild pitcher but he still cant cut that corner as often as he should to win consistently. "He will though.

He's got more up here," and Swift tapped his heart, "than any guy you ever saw. If his arm is okay he'll win his 15 games and maybe more. Watch and see." Oddity of Gray's career is that each spring he can do little, if anything, in exhibition games. Last spring he was pounded freely over all Florida parks and looked like the softest touch you ever did see. But when the season started, he was terrific.

"That's the point," Swift added. "The guy is a competitor. He knows that the spring exhibitions don't mean a thing. But when that bell rings for the real thing watch out for him. He's tough." Charley Keller Says He'll Be Tiger in '51 Tiger outfielder Charley Keller has decided to postpone his "retirement" for at least another season.

The 34-year-old Keller tele phoned General Manager Billy Evans Monday from his home at Middletown, Md. that he had mailed his signed contract. Keller announced a week ago that he was undecided about playing another season. For the last four years he has been bethered by a serious back ailment. WHEN KELLER indicated uncertainty about reporting this season, Evans wrote him that he Far, Far A wav REGINA Glenn Dobbs.

former Tulsa football passing and kicking specialist, has signed a two-year contract to quarterback the Saskatchewan Roughriders. 1.