Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 10

fRTE fKr'SS Thurd.iv. Apr. "fi IT Undercover Lions 76 Schedule Sliows 9 oi 14 Gaines Indoors Lions Schedule For 1976 Exhibitions July Denver at Cento. 0. July 11 BUFFALO Au.

I MIAMI Aug. 14 at Cincinnati Am. J0 vi. Dallas Aug. -17 at Kansas City Sept.

-3 BALTIMORE Sit undetermined; seme either Friday, Saturday tr Sunday an tr-is weekend. "Game either Friday, Saturday tr Sunday on this weekend. Regular Season Sept. II at Chicaqe Sept. 1 I- ATLANTA Sept.

MINNESOTA Oct. 1 at Green Bay Oct. NEW ENGLAND Oct. 17 at Washington Oct. at Seattle Oct.

31 GREEN BAY Nov. 7 at Minnesota Nov. 14 at New Orleans Nov. 21 CHICAGO Nov. BUFFALO Dec.

at New York Giants Dec. 11 LOS ANGELES IN MNP SMOIX) -A I'Mjim mud all ousr ji3K-. CUR WMUL "It's a great schedule from a fan's viewpoint," vacationing coach Rick Forzano observed as he assessed the card from his Marco Island (Fla.) retreat. "Look at the home games," he said. "Atlanta is bringing in the premier young quarterback in Steve Bartkowski.

We get Minnesota at home for the first meeting and that's the team we've got to beat if we're going to win. "There's Buffalo with O.J. Simpson for the Thanksgiving game. Green Bay comes in with a new quarterback in Lynn Dickey. Los "Angeles is here again with all those things we ought to have 81,000 sitting in the stands every Sunday." Thus having made his piMi to sell a few season tickets, the Lion coach faced up to the realities of the schedule.

Iff up to us to win the games now," he conceded. "You hear all around the league that our fans are the greatest. And for them to do for us what they did when we were 7-7 last year proves jt. "We want to win for Mr. Ford (William Clay, Lions owner) and for ourselves, but we should want to win for these fans, too.

And seeing it's my job, that helps too," he laughed. The 1976 schedule doesn't look back-breaking, but then, neither did the '75 card until so many Lions starting break-Please turn to Page 8F, Column I BY JACK SAYLOR Fr Press Sports Writer Remember the "good oF days" when football was played outdoors. the rain and slop at Tiger Stadium, the bitter cold at Green Bay, the slipping and sliding in the snow of the Minnesota tundra? It's on the way out fast, folks. The Pontiac Stadium is already a fact. The Vikings are making overtures about heading south to Memphis.

Green Bay has that hot air register under its field. Soon, everybody will be playing in hermetically-sealed surroundings bubble-topped emporiums where the only thing cold will be ice in the drinks in the private suites and the only flung wet will be coaches who get thrown in the shower. But even if some of the old atmosphere and charm is departing, it is nonetheless more comfortable for the fans. Consider: The Lions will play nine count 'am nine of their 14 regular-season games this season under a roof. In addition to the seven home games at Pontiac, the schedule released Thursday also shows the Lions appearing in the Superdome in New Orleans and at Seattle's new Kingdome.

THERE IS A little of everything in the Lion schedule for '76. Tigers Lose May for 3-4 Months 9th-Inning Jinx Has the Tigers' Houk Pulling His Hair Our Joe Gets Himself in a Hole hw -it in A Milt May Tuesday Night's Tiger Boxscore DETROIT OAKLAND ab bi 5 0 0 0 110 1 4 0 2 2 4 0 11 abrhfti 5 2 1 0 4 0 0 0 4 13 3 4 0 10 4 0 0 0 4 13 0 North cf CWsnoln rf Rudi If Baylor lb Bando 3b Lintz or LeFlore cf AAever lb Horton dh Slaub rf AJohnson If MMav Freehan 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ARodrgei 3b 4 1 1 0 Vervzer ss 4 0 12 McMullen 3b 0 0 0 0 Tenace 10 0 0 Hanev 10 0 0 BWillams dh 4 0 0 0 Cmpneris ss 4 2 2 0 3 0 18 0 0 0 0 Manuel 2b Coleman JCrawfrd Fidrych 3 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Garner 2b MAIxndr pr PMitchell Bosman Lindblad 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BY JIM HAWKINS Free Press Sports Writer OAKLAND Milt May knew the drab green, wooden wall was there. He just didn't know where. And now Ralph Houk really doesn't know what the Tigers are going to do behind the plate for the next few months. May, who was to be the Tigers' No.

1 catcher this year, traded his mitt for a plaster cast Tuesday night when he crashed into the retaining wall behind home plate at the Oakland Coliseum, fracturing his right ankle. He was placed on the 60-day disabled list Wednesday. But, considering the severity of the break, it's unlikely the stocky catcher will be back in the lineup for at least three to four months. That will leave Houk with a choice of three catchers: Bill Freehan, John Wockenfuss and rookie Bruce Kimm, who was called up Wednesday from Evansville to replace May. And, although Freehan was behind the plate Wednesday night against the Oakland A's, Houk made it plain that didn't necessarily mean he plans to just hand the job back to the 34-year-old veteran.

"We're going to have to wait and see what happens," said the Tigers' manager, who admittedly is worried that enemy base runners might run wild on Freehan. "i'm not going to name anyone No. 1 right now. "BILL HASN'T CAUGHT much this year so we really don't know how he's going to do. If they run on him a lot, we may have to try someone else back there and maybe platoon Bill at first base." Of the three candidates, Wockenfuss unquestionably has the strongest arm.

He joined the Tigers last June, when both Free- Please turn to Page 8F, Column 1 The Gimp Speaks If you're going to tear up a muscle, make it a brain muscle. Then nobody will know the difference. But if you're going to tear up the tendon in your left leg, then you've got to be ready to answer that wonderfully original question: "How'd you ever do a thing like that?" The truth doesn't count. That's no fun. Who wants to know that you stepped in a hole, lost your balance and fell on your face at the Tigers' training camp in Lakeland.

The Tigers have been doing that for years. Imagination. That's what you need when you are making your way about on crutches. "I got it going from first to third on a single." "I got it in Augusta it's a dogleg left." "I fell out of Raquel Welch's bed." "I got it in the Boston Marathon." "I got it going from third to first on a single." The great thing is how you learn to adapt how to make a Whole new life for Like in the hospital. I don't eat oranges and apples all year long, but when you're in the hospital everybody brings you oranges and apples, so you eat oranges and apples every day.

Why doesn't anyone ever bring a package of Oreos and a quart of milk? Good-Leg Balancing Act Is Musi What's really fun is making breakfast on crutches. The pantry is over there, the refrigerator is over here and the kitchen table is out there nine miles away in the breakfast room. You open the pantry, carefully balancing yourself on the good right leg, and take out the Corn Flakes. That's not so tough. But how do you get them from the pantry to the kitchen table on two crutches? You tuck them under your chin, silly.

If you make it, fine. If the box drops to the floor, then you go for the Rice Krispies and hope it isn't too full. You do the same with the bowl and now you've got the BY JIM HAWKINS Free Press Sports Writer OAKLAND Ralph Houk is not a superstitious man. He doesn't carry a lucky penny in his back pocket and he doesn't wear a four-leaf clover in his cap. But the way things have been happening lately, the Tigers' manager is beginning to wonder is maybe somebody hasn't put a ninth-inning whammy on his ball club.

It has been absolutely eerie. THREE TIMES in their last five games, the Tigers have failed under circumstances so similar that each loss looked like a carbon copy of the others. Each time, the score has been 6-5. Each time, the Tigers were ahead entering the bottom of the ninth. All they had to do was get three more outs, and the ball game would have been their's.

And, each time, the bullpen blew it. The Tigers must have thought they were in the middle of an instant replay Tuesday night, when the Oakland A's suddenly came up with three runs in the bottom of the ninth to turn what moments earlier had looked like certain defeat into victory 6-5, of course. And each of them knew that if they had won all three of those games as well they should have they'd be 6-1 and out in front of everybody in the American League East right now. "IF YOU LOOK at it from a positive point of view, we've played pretty damn well," pointed out Houk, well aware of the fact the standings don't pay much attention to how well a team plays. It's the wins that count.

"We're hitting the ball now and our pitching has been quite good except in the late innings. And I. think the shortness of spring training is to blame for that. Without a doubt. A lot of our pitchers just didn't get enough work.

And that's why they're not sharp now." Two Tiger pitchers made their debuts Tuesday night and were instrumental in the A's ability to come from behind. Lefthander Jim Crawford took over for starter Joe Coleman with two A's on and nobody out in the bottom of the ninth and walked Claudell Washington to load the bases even though Houk insisted he struck him out. Joe Rudi quickly tied the game with a clutch two-run single, and Don Baylor spoiled Mark Fidrych's first major league appearance with a long game-winning single. It's getting so the Tigers hate to see the end of a game arrive. Total 36 5 11 5 Total 30 6 One out when winnin9 run scored.

Detroit 220 000 100- Oakland 000 010 203- Garner. DP Detroit 1, Oakland 2. LOB Detroit 6. Oakland 9. 2B LeFlore, Rudi, A.Rodriguez, Manuel, Garner 2.

M.May. HR Horton (2). SB Lintz, Campaneris 2, M.AIexnder. Meyer. SF CWashingtn.

IP ER BB SO Coleman I 4 5 5 7 3 JCrawIrd (L.0-1) 1-3 1 1 1 10 Fidrvch .0 1 0 0 0 0 PMitchell I 6 4 4 0 0 Bosman 5 3 0 0 1 1 Lindblad IW.V0) 3 2 1 0 0 1 HBP bv Coleman (CWashingtn). WP Coleman. 2:47. A 3,080. Schmidt Homers Again -Page 2F Lolich Suffers 3d Straight Loss Fret Press Wlra Services ST.

LOUIS Reggie Smith slammed a two-run homer and Ron Fairly ripped a tie-breaking single during a four-run sixth cereal and a bowl on the kitchen table. The next problem is somewhat more challenging. That two-quart carton of milk in the fridge. This requires some special logistics. You do it step by step.

You open the fridge, again balancing on the one good leg, and take the carton out and place it on the counter. Then you hobble over and place it in the sink. You hobble some more and place it on the stove. Now you hobble seme more and place it on the counter leading to the breakfast room. CHRISTIAN DIOR GETS THE JUMP ON THE EUROPEAN ONE-PIECER inning that carried the St.

Louis Cardinals to a 7-4 trimph Thursday over the New York Mets and handed Mickey Lolich his third straight loss. Lolich was making his first appearance in Busch Stadium since he won the seventh game of the 1968 World Series for the Detroit Tigers. Lolich, who came over from Detroit in a winter trade for Rusty Staub, started two New York rallies with singles as the Mets scored two runs in the third and two more in the fifth inning. But Vic Harris' pop fly double started St. Louis' comeback.

Lolich easily retired Lou Brock and Ted Simmons but then surrendered Mickey Lolich Smith's second home run of the year. Then Mike Anderson You hobble around to the other side and place the carton on the trash compactor. Now all you have do is sit down, reach over and take the carton of milk from the trash compactor and you are ready to eat. All you've forgotten is the spoon. Mostly, you watch television.

God Bless America. God Bless TV. God Bless the Prjce is Right. This is my first exposure to daytime TV. By comparison, daytime TV isn't so bad.

1 1 mean, in comparision to the Pistons at night. What were bur guys doing the other night in Golden State? Who are all those guys in the golden jerseys? Al Attles keeps putting them in, and taking them out, and all they do is throw the ball in the basket. I want to play Milwaukee again. What I'm looking forward to is Saturday afternoon in Cobo Arena. That's when we get Golden State on our court.

I sure hope it is a sellout so Bill Davidson will come around and shake hands with the press and thank us for selling all the seats. I hope to be in Cobo Arena Saturday afternoon, and if Herb Brown needs any help like he wants to borrow my crutches or anything it's okay with me. I kind of like the little guy. He seemed like a joke when he first took over, doing all that yelling and stuff. Whenever there was a timeout his guys would just sit on the bench and pay no attention to him, looking up at the ceiling.

and stuff. iHerbie Can Cheer Thief Chris doubled, knocking out the Met starter. Fairly greeted relief pitcher Skip Lockwood with his single to score pinch runner Bee Bee Richard and Don Kessinger climaxed the Cards' flurry with a double, scoring Fairly. St. Louis scored its first two runs on a Lolich wild pitch and Benny Ayala's error and added its final run on Smith's single, The well-cut jump suit.

Dior designs it in polyesternylon with a super suede finish: a fabric that looks luxurious, but zips through the washerdryer without a hitch. Zipper fronted (how far open you wear it depends on how far open your mind is), with a Dior-emblemed breast pocket. Blue, tan, rust or green, his third successive hit, in the seventh inning. Pistons Must Play Better Anyway, Herbie shows me he's got a lot of guts. He takes it from everyone and he's still the same guy as when he took over from Ray Scott.

Now that's something. He's got chutzpah, if you know what I mean. The thing that gets me about the Pistons is not the coach or the players, but the owners. I got the idea that Herbie's future depended on Sunday's game in Milwaukee: If he wins he's back, if he loses, he's gone. In other words, if Chris Ford doesn't steal the ball and Milwaukee throws it in the basket for the winner, Herbie is i Tki.

jiimk Un'e ihh camo miv came onarh came irlpac. They're going to have to find away to keep Eric Money in the game, they're going to have to find a way to get the basketball to Bob Lanier, and they're going to have to find a way to stop Phil Smith and Rick Bariy and the rest of the Warriors from making them look like foojs on the floor. Otherwise, the season will be all over for the Pistons at Cobo Hall Monday night. "We played panicky," admitted Lanier, who scored 14 points in the first quarter and just four more the rest of the game as he waited in vain for somebody to pass him the ball. "We played scatterbrained.

We were out there, going crazy. "You just can't afford to do that against a team as disciplined as Golden State. We made a lot of mistakes. We had no discipline at all. We got Please turn to Page 8F, Col.

6 BY JIM HAWKINS Free Press Sports Writer OAKLAND If there is one team in the NBA that coach Herb Brown would like his Pistons to emulate, it's the Golden State Warriors. They play the game the way Brown wants the Pistons to play it alert and aggressive and all together. But the similarities between the Warriors and- the Pistons the "poor man's Golden State," as Brown likes to call them stopped with the fact that both sides wore short pants and sneakers Tuesday night. If the Pistons are going to have so much as a prayer of lasting longer than the minimum four games in their play-off mismatch against the Warriors, they simply are going to have to play much, much better than they did in dropping the opener 127-103. And they know'it.

3HE1TGIHIES whether the team wins or loses one game. AH is serene now because the owners successful businessmen who aren't accustomed to losing money can sit back now and count the dollars. I hate to see grown men cry. Anyway, my wife would like me to return to work as soon as possible. She's had quite enough of The Gimp.

We've goth this mourning dove in our backyard and he wakes us up every morning with the sweetest singing this side of Annie Murray. He she? gives us four long whistles, then six short ones, and we know it's time to get up. "You know, you can tell the temperature by the number of whistles." "G'wan," she says. "No, really you can." "How?" the number of short whistles by the number of long whistles and then dial WE 2-1212." Who hid my crutches? MOST HUGHES ft HATCHER STORES OPEN EVENINGS. MOST HUGHES ft HATCHER STORES OPEN SUNDAYS..