Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 41

f-5 t.iiajf i ttilM That great state institution March Madness opens today, and when it's over, 690 high school teams will have been pared down to four. Hal Schram has details on page 5. 1 4 jt 0, 0 Ml g. a fcfc-a 11 1 I For the latest sports scores and tK FREE PRESS results '1 9, r. SPORTS PEOPLE 2 HORSE RACING 7 TELEVISION 10 1 If LJ DETROIT COMICS 11-13 downs Beams9 KO leads Kronk world lightweight championship knockout of Ernesto Espana.

But that wasn't the only one for the club that suddenly become one of the hottest properties in the world of boxing. Middleweight Mickey Goodwin won, scoring a 10th round knockout one of his most impressive fights ever against Leo By CURT SYLVESTER Free Press Sports Writer There have been some big days for Kronk Recreation Center in the past, but nothing like Sunday. Never anything like Sunday. Three Kronk fighters went into the ring and three Kronk fighters left with knockouts. The big one, of course, was Hilmer Kenty's Thomas Beams Detroit welterweight Record: won 26; lost drew 0 1977 Nov.

25 Jerome Hill, Detroit KO 2 Dec. 7 Jerry Strickland, Mt.Clemens K03 Dec. 16 Willie Wren, Detroit KO 3 i Puscas K0 2 K0 3 K0 2 K0 2 K0 3 KO 1 K0 3 K0 3 K0 3 KO 1 K0 4 Hilmer knew he was good now so does the world Saenz of Baltimore. And Thomas Hearns removed one more obstacle on his route to an eventual welterweight championship by easily pummeling Angel Espada of Puerto Rico for a fourth-round knockout and the U.S. Boxing Association title.

"Detroit is big time now," proclaimed Emanuel Steward, the man who trains and manages Kenty, Goodwin and Hearns. "It's the Mecca of boxing right now, I'd say." If it's not, you certainly couldn't find anybody in the Joe Louis Arena crowd of 13,172 including Joe Louis himself, who was flown in especially for the fights and received a standing ovation when he was introduced to argue the point. 1978 Jan. 29 Anthony House, Detroit Feb. 10 Robert Adams, Detroit Feb.

17 Billy Goodman, Detroit Mar. 17 Ray Fields, Detrot Mar. 31 Tyrone Phelps, Saginaw June 8 Jimmy Rothwell, Detroit July 20 Raul Aguirre, Detroit Aug. ,3 Eddie Marcelle, Detroit Sept. 7 Bruce Finch, Milwaukee Oct.

26 Pedro Rojas, Detroit Dec. 9 Rudy Barro, Detroit 1979 Jan. 11 Clyde Gray, Detroit Jan, 31 Sammy Bookard, Saginaw Mar. 3 Segundo Murillo, Detroit Apr. 3 Alfonso Hayman, Phila.

May 20 HaroldWeston, Las Vegas June 28 Bruce Curry, Detroit Aug. 23 Mao De La Rosa, Detroit Sept. 22 Jose Figueroa, Los Angeles Oct. 18 Sansaek Muanqsurin, Det. KO 10 K0 9 K0 8 10 TK07 K0 3 TK0 3 K03 TK0 3 4 Cm iV 1 10 30 Mike Colbert, New Orleans Nov Feb.

3 Jim Richards, Las Vegas KO 3 1980 Mar. 2 Angel Espada, Detroit TKO 4 Hilmer Kenty Detroit lightweight Record: won 17; lost drew 0 Hilmer James Kenty finally escaped the shadow of his buddy, the sleek Thomas Hearns, to find his own place in the boxing sun Sunday. But you wonder who was in darkness Hilmer, or the rest of us? The kid always knew he was good, plenty good. It never bothered him that everybody talked about Hearns and gave him little notice at all, because he knew his day would come. And now finally it has, and people are wondering who is this unknown slicker who could step into the ring and batter a world champion so severely nobody will believe it.

Ernesto Espana, having yielded his lightweight championship to Hilmer, could not believe it happened to him, not the way it happened. Hilmer simply whupped him from here to Caracas. He did it to poor Ernesto just about as beautifully as one boxer can do it to another in a magnificent display that stunned 13,172 at Louis Arena. "I don't think Kenty has ever fought like that before," said Nick Acosta, the manager-trainer of now ex-champion Ernesto. "He surprised us.

I never expected him to be like that." Ernesto's surprise was showing all over his face as he sat stunned, hurt and unbelieving with Acosta tenderly placing ice packs on the sore spots. Ernesto's right cheek was cut, his nose and lips swollen grotesquely. His cheekbones were puffed and reddened from the smashing of countless stinging jabs and exploding rights from Hilmer Kenty. "Kenty was great, he is a great fighter," said Acosta, who brought two of the world's finest fighters here only to have them throughly beaten by Kenty and Hearns. Hearns gave his usual pounding Hearns had destroyed battering Angel Espada, the former welterweight champion, into a fourth-round knockout that disgusted Acosta so thoroughly the manager would not talk to his man.

"Hearns was too much for him; Espada will go home now and maybe this was his last fight," said Acosta. "He looked like he was still knocked out from his fight last December." It was a typical Hearns showing, the kind local fight fans haye come to expect. Hearns suspected before the first punch was thrown that Espada already was thoroughly intimidated, and it was just a matter of time before he made him his 24th knockout victim in 26 fights. He had taken all the will from Espada with a brutal right-left-right pounding to the gut in the second round, and then in the fourth, he cracked him with another right just below the rib cage and Espada sat down, probably into per AND, WHILE it was Kenty who brought home the WBA championship, it was obvious that Hearns is still the man who brings the crowds out. It started when the young Detroiter waited in the tunnel outside his dressing room.

It grew when he climbed into the ring, to strains of "Rocky." And, when the crowd began chanting "We want Leonard," you knew what they had in mind. Sugar Ray Leonard, the WBC welterweight champion, was expected, but did not show up for Hearns' fight Sunday. It may be just as well, because Leonard wouldn't have seen much. Hearns was barely touched by Espada during the four rounds the two men were In the ring together. Hearns, labeled "the Motor City cobra" or "the Detroit hit man" take your choice, bad a height advantage on Espada.

He had a reach advantage. See HEARNS, Page4D 1977 Oct. 13 Jerome Hill, Columbus, Ohio 6 Nov. 26 Ray Karrington, Columbus KO 2 Dec. 16 Earl Stringer, Detroit KO 3 1978 Apr.

17 Mike Gray, Columbus, Ohio KO 2 July 7 Ron Pettigrew, Canton, Ohio 6 Oct. 26 Jessie Rogers, Detroit KO 1 Dec. 9 Eddie Murray, Detroit K0 3 1979 Jan. 1 1 Jose Pena, Detroit KO 3 Jan. 25 Jose Gonzels, Detroit TKO 8 Mar.

3 Alberto Herrera, Detroit K0 4 May 8 Danny Benitez, Detroit KO 4 June 28 Arturo Leon, Detroit 10 Aug. 2 Ralph Racine, Detroit 10 Aug. 23 Bobby Flores, Detroit KO 1 Oct. 1 8 Sebastian Mosquiera, Detroit KO 3 Nov. 30 Scotty Foreman, N.Orleans K03 1980 Mar.

2 Ernesto Espana, Detroit TKO 9 Hilmer Kenty slams his way to the World Boxing Association lightweight crown. Story on Page 1A. Free Press Photo by RICHARD I A jubilant Thomas Hearns celebrates his victory over Angel Espada Sunday. U-M takes on Nebraska in I VIT 1980 HCAA tournament lineup (Numbers in parentheses indicate teams' regional seedings.) manent retirement. Having seen that, Ernesto was more intent that ever to put it to Hilmer Kenty and save something for the Latin world.

Looking over at Espada in the far corner of their dressing room, Ernesto, awaiting his turn in the ring, muttered something to me in Spanish. "He says he's ready now for the killing," said Acosta, smiling meaningfully. Little did they suspect a near-killing would be Ernesto's. Hilmer was that strong and unrelenting and convincing. He showed Ernesto the fastest hands he's ever seen, layine 'em right on East Regional Mideast Regional March 6 at Greensboro, N.C.

March 6 at Lafayette, Ind. Washington 22-5 (5) vs. Penn or Princeton, Iowa, 19-8 (5) vs. Virginia Commonwealth, 18-11 (12). (12).

Tennessee, 17-10 (7) vs. Furman, 23-6 (10) Hilmer Kenty Purdue, 18-9 (6), vs. LaSalle, 21-8 (11). March 7 at Bowling Green, Ky. Florida 21-7 (8) vs.

Toledo, 23-5 (9) Virginia Tech, 19-7 (7) vs. Western Kentucky, 21-7 (10). March 7 at Providence, R.I. Villanova, 22-7 (8), vs. Marquette, 18-8 (9).

lona, 28-4 (6) vs. Holy Cross, 29-9 (11). March 8 at Greensboro, N.C. winnei vs. North Carolina 20-7 (4) Tennessee-Furman winner vs.

Maryland, 23-6 (2) March 9 at Providence, R.I. Villanova-Marquette winner vs. Syracuse, 25-3 (1) lona-Holy Cross winner vs. Georgetown, 24-5 (3) (Regional semifinals, finals March 14-16 at Philadelphia.) March 8 at Lafayette, Ind. Purdue-LaSalle winner vs.

St. John's, 24-4 (3) Washington St. -Ivy League winner vs. Duke, 22-8 (4) March 9 at Bowling Green, Ky. Florida winner vs.

Kentucky, 28-5 (1). Virginia winner vs. Indiana, 20-7 (2) (Regional semifinals, finals March 13-15 at Lexington, Ky Midwest Regional West Regional Hoosiers' 76-73 win takes title in Big Ten BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -(AP) Senior Mike Woodson, out of action two months with back surgery, capped an amazing comeback with 21 points Sunday as 13th-ranked Indiana edged No. 9 Ohio State, 76-73, in overtime to win the Big Ten basketball championship.

The 6-foot-5 Woodson, the Hoosiers' No. 2 all-time scorer, also had four assists and three blocked shots as Indiana won its first Big Ten title since its NCAA championship season in 1976. The victory earned Indiana a bye in the first round of the NCAA Mideast Regional tournament, while Ohio State drew a bye in the West Regional. "We've had a lot of rocky roads to travel," said Indiana coach Bobby Knight, who lost Woodson for eight weeks at mid-season and starting guard Randy Wittman for nearly the entire season. "I'm not sure there's another guy alive that could have come back like Woodson did this season." Woodson, who averaged 20 points a game before surgery, has averaged 20.5 in the See INDIANA, Page 6D By MICK McCABE Free Press Sports Writer The basketball season has not ended for the University of Michigan.

The Wolverines were one of three Big Ten teams chosen Sunday to compete in this year's National Invitation Tournament. U-M will host Nebraska in a first round game Thursday at Crisler Arena. The University of Detroit and Michigan State, however, were not so lucky. Neither was invited to play in the NIT. U-M (15-12) joins Illinois 1 8-1 2) and Minnesota (17-10) in the 32-team NIT field that also features Virginia (19-10), Alabama (17-11), Washington 18-9), Nevada-Las Vegas (20-7) and Mid-American Conference runnerup Bowling Green (20-9).

Bowling Green will play at Minnesota in its first round game Thursday. THE FIRST three rounds of the NIT will be played at regional sites. The semifinals and finals will be held at New York's Madison Square Garden on March 17 and 19. The first round pairings were announced Sunday evening, hours later than the NIT committee had planned. By then U-M head coach Johnny Orr had gone recruiting.

"When we got back from Minnesota at 5:15 p.m., Don Canham (U-M athletic director) told us we were in the tournament," said U-M assistant coach Bill Frieder. "He told us we were in, but he didn't know where or who we would play. I guess they didn't know who to match us up with. "The NIT called back at 7 p.m. and invited us and told us we were playing Nebraska.

We are kind of surprsied to be playing them, we don't know much about them but we will See NIT, Page 6D March 6 at Lincoln, Neb. Missouri, 23-5 (5), vs. San Jose 17-11 (12). Kansas 21-8 (7) vs. Arkansas, 21-7 (10) March 7 at Denton, Texas Alcorn 27-1 (8) vs.

South Alabama, 23-5 (9) Texas 24-7 (6), vs. Bradley, 23-9 (11)'. March 8 at Lincoln, Neb. Missouri-San Jose St. winner vs.

Notre Dame, 22-5 (4) Kansas winner vs. Louisville, 28-3 (2) March 9 at Denton, Texas Alcorn winner vs. Louisiana 24-5 (1) Texas winner vs. North Carolina, 21-7 (3) (Regional semifinals, finals March 14-16 at Houston.) March 6 at Ogden, Utah Clemson, 20-8 (6), vs. Utah State, 19-7 (11).

Weber 26-2 (7) vs. Lamar, 20-10 (10) March 7 at Tempe, Ariz. UCLA, 17-9 (8) vs. Old Dominion, 25-4 (9) Arizona 21-6 (5), vs. Loyola 14-13 (12).

March 8 at Ogden, Utah Clemson-Utah St. winner vs. Brigham Young, 24-4 (3) Weber winner vs. Oregon 26-3 (2) March 9 at Tempe, Ariz. UCLA-Old Dominion winner vs.

De Paul, 26-1 (1) Arizona winner vs. Ohio 20-7 (4) (Regional semifnals, finals March 13-15 at Tuscon, Ariz.) his nose and eyeballs so often and with such precision poor Ernesto was bewildered and frustrated. As the punishment mounted, you sensed the hopelessness of the Venezuelan's plight and finally In the ninth round, Hilmer caught him with one right hand, then another, and another, then a gruesome series of at least five more blows to the head. Ernesto reeled crazily along the ropes and at last referee Larry Rozadilla jumped between the fighters, grabbed Ernesto and led him stumbling back to his corner. Hilmer Kenty, suddenly the new lightweight champion of the world, vaulted into the air, saluting his own greatness.

And the 13,172 at Louis Arena, some of whom no doubt expected this 5-1 underdog to take a beating, cheered madly. They call it the Kronk Krunch It is not quite accurate to claim Kenty as one of Detroit's very own. Unlike Hearns, he did not grow up here or even begin boxing here. Only 18 months or so ago, Hilmer, now 24, began commuting from his home in Columbus, Ohio, to work with manager Emanuel Steward at the Kronk Recreation Center. He moved here only last December.

If not a clear triumph for Detroit, it certainly was one for Steward, who never had a. moment's doubt that Kenty would become a world champion. He was talking that way last summer, even after Hilmer had come off the floor twice against Ralph Racine in his toughest hour in the ring. That was the fight, Hilmer always says, which proved he would be a champion. It was an extraordinary day in every way for Steward, for not only did Kenty reach the top of his game and Hearns moved onward in his title quest, but Mickey Goodwin, the Kronk middleweight, "came of age" as they say.

Goodwin battered Baltimore's Leo Saenz Into a 1 (Unround knockout in the opening fight of the program, and Steward was as elated over that as all that happened later. "He fought a masterful fight, a thing of beauty," said Steward, "and it just shows how far he has progressed because we had him into four different schemes during the fight and he did it all beautifully." He dreams of having all three as world champions, and indeed, they make a rather awesome trio Kenty, whose record is 17-0, Hearns 26-0, Goodwin 21-1. Together they are 64-1 with their fists, and it is why they are talking today about the Kronk Krunch. i De Paul, Irish top NCAA field nalists Michigan State and Indiana State. The Spartans finished at 11-16, npxt to last in the Big Ten, and Indiana State of the Missouri Valley closed at 1 7-1 0.

Michigan, which finished sixth in the Big Ten at 15-12, also was not invited but later accepted an invitation to the NIT. De Paul has been ranked No. 1 by the UPI Board of Coaches for the past eight weeks and suffered its first loss only last Wednesday night, falling on the road to Notre Dame in double overtime, 76-74. The Blue Demons will still carry the best record of any of the 48 teams into the tournament 26-1. IT MARKS the eighth time Ray Meyer will lead his De Paul See NCAA, Page 6D MISSION, Kan.

(UPI) De Paul and the only temn to topple the top-ranked Blue Demons in 27 games this season Notre Dame headed the list of 25 schools that were issued at-large invitations by the NCAA Sunday to round out the largest-ever field of 48 teams for the 42d annual basketball 'tournament. Four teams from the Big Ten were awarded invitations. Indiana, which won the league title with an overtime victory over Ohio State Sunday afternoon, was given the league's automatic berth. Other Big Ten teams receiving invitations were second-place Ohio State, third-place Purdue, and Iowa, which tied for fourth with Minnesota. Noticeably absent from the field were 1979 tournament fi Toledo roars to the NCAA with 85-70 Mid-American Conference championship win over Bowling Green.

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