Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 49

"'or It's Another Storybook DETROIT FREE PRLSS Wednesday, Aug. 18, '76 1-D Kimm's Wins for Bird. 3- HR 't back in May and who has been behind the plate whenever he works ever since, didn't even expect to get to hit against California's Frank Tanana in the eighth. He thought for sure Ralph Houk would send up a pinch hitter to try to win the game. But the Tiger manager stuck by his 25-year-old catcher who, ironically, was traded to the Tigers by these same California Angels in a minor league deal following the 1972 season.

And Kimm, who usually hit only one or two home runs a year in the minors, came through in the clutch. When he saw the ball strike the upper deck, he thrust both fists into the air. And when he rounded second base, he literally jumped on the bag. "I ALWAYS GET excited when I do something great," confessed Kimm. "And I don't do things like that too often.

"I'm not known for my hitting. I was just lucky. But I was up there swinging hard. I'd have hated to be the only player in the big leagues who never hit a home run." Of course, the near-capacity crowd of 51,822, which had BY JIM HAWKINS Free Prese Sports writer Just when you think you've seen it all and nothing can possibly happen to top the last incredible chapter in the sensational saga of Mark Fidrych, another unbelievable episode occurs. Tuesday evening, it was rookie catcher Bruce Kimm's turn to star in this fantastic season-long fairy tale as he bounced the first home run of his brief big league life off the upper deck in left in the bottom of the eighth inning, enabling The Bird to beat the California Angles, 3-2.

Stuff like that is only supposed to happen in story books. It was tough to tell who was more turned on by the whole thrilling thing The Bird, or his catcher Kimm. "I'M JUST AS HAPPY as he is and he's really happy." exclaimed Fidrych, now 14-4 with a barely visible earned run average of 1.97. "They pulled it out for me like they've been doing all year." Kimm, who was assigned to catch The Bird hi his first start come to the ancient ball park, fully expecting to see just such a miracle, went Not since Denny McLain attracted 53,863 when he returned from his historic half-a-year suspension on July 1, 1970, have so many people piled into Tiger Stadium for a night game. In fact the Tigers haven't drawn such a crowd, day or night since July 17, 1973.

Who said Bird-mania was beginning to wear off? PITCHING WITH FIVE days rest, instead of the regular three or four, Fidrych permitted just five hits in enhancing his claim to both the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year Awards. The Bird has yet to be removed from a ball game at home, accumulating a total of 16 complete games. But what was even more amazing was the fact that Tues-day's triumph was his ninth one-run win out of 15 victories this That should tell you something about the way the Tigers rally around The Bird. Even the Angels refused to leave the dugout after the game, Please turn to Page 4D, Column 4 tar 4 I If i 1 .1 I iJ I IT' 0 "Wii ill li 1 'MttUte' mJCS i irmiii inrmiir "i 11 I St i Vm i up run is lov. rV-y a 4, '-tiwiti Free.

Press Photos by CRAIG PORTER Tanana was content to scuff away at it with the toe of his shoe. As groundskeepers, the Tigers' Mark Fidrych and Tuesday night. Fidrych (left), of course, preferred California's Frank Tanana had their differences to caress and shape the mound with his hand, while Kimm Finds Being a Hero a New Role EAST LANSING The countdown is beginning for Michigan State just four more days until they bem looking" ahead and trying tt forget all about the past. It's been too long since this proud university has held its head high too long since the Spartans were recognized as one of the premier football powers in the land. Once we were spoled.

Spoiled and didn't know H. That's when Biggie Munn, then Duffy Daugherty, gave us all of those exciting moments those tremendous teams and those heart-pounding games. We thought it would last forever. MSU was that mighty. Now it's been 10 years since the Spartans were a force on the football scene.

Maybe they won't make it this season. They've got a tough way to go, playing Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan in the first five weeks. But you sense the change around here and it's a change for the better You don't feel the tension anymore, that heavy atmosphere around the football office. If anything, you hear some occasional laughter. This is the way it was in Duffy's big days; football was serious but it was also fun.

He was the Irish imp who made a whole nation aware of Michigan State, the fun and frolic that existed on the MSU campus. He made it a joy to come here. There is no intent now to beat on Denny Stolz or even old Duffy himself but it hasn't been fun for 10 years. When Duffy quit working, his program started collapsing. And with each loss, it became a grim thing to watch him squirm under the pressure, Duffy Left a Beaten Man You wanted to believe that it was still the same: the same green-and-white shirts, the same green and white helmets, the familiar words "MICHIGAN STATE" written across the front of the uniforms.

The scores were not the same, and Duff would sit there, 'eating his apple, his cheeks flushed, his graying hair a mess, and try to explain what was going wrong. A bum break here, a bad call there, it'll get better. We listened and we wanted to believe but somewhere, deep In our hearts, we knew a great legacy was dying before our eyes. The weekly losses grew to be yearly losses, and the light crammed for a night game as it had not been since Denny McLain's return from limbo six years ago, erupted. Kimm, whose minor league experience far outweighs his duty in the big time, harked back to last year for a comparable thrill, when both he and Fidrych were starring for the Evans- "I DID THE SAME thing against Denver last year in the playoffs," he related.

"And it was great last year when we won the Little World Series. I don't know if this is a greater thrill or not." When' Kimm was in the Angels' organization, he was a com- Please turn to Page 4D, Column 4 BY BRIAN BRAGG Fre Press Sports Writer The tables were turned Tuesday night. Bruce Kimm turned them. When the writers and broadcasters flocked into the Tigers' clubhouse after the 3-2 win over California, they sped right past The Bird's locker. For the first time this season, catcher Kimm found himself surrounded by newsmen.

And how sweet it was for the 25-year-old who has played tuba to Mark Fidrych's trumpet all season long. The man who has been on the receiving end of every one of vuie triplets ot the American Association. rich wedging for The Bird's 14 victories and four defeats was cast, for a change, in the role of hero instead of supporting character. Kimm electrified the 51,872 Tiger fans in the eighth inning with a shot off the facing of the upper deck in left field that broke a 2-2 tie and provided the winning margin. He danced merrily around the bases on hs way to the plate.

"I knew when I hit it, it was gone," said the grinning catcher. "I'm always excited when I do something good, but this was great." Even more satisfying for Kimm was the fact that his game-winner, the first big went out of the imp's eye, and was replaced by rage, then uncertainty, then dejection. He left a forlorn and beaten man. It was hoped the new man Denny Stolz could bring about a change, restore the old pride and prestige. But it nvra1 rtut rt ha rr miinh fni" him Hie Bruce Kimm league homer for the 5-foot-ll, Sit'.

"'MW pt tuiiitvi uu, i-v l. in ulji ivi Pi i Jl personality changed from the very mo- I V' I ment tne ib of rebuilding MSU football We see it now, in the perspective of passing time: Stolz began caving in from the weight of this awesome responsibility. He became nervous, suspicious, edgy, irritable, and finally, angry. 170-pound receiver, beat Detroiter Frank Tanana and the California Angels the team which traded Kimm to the Tigers' organization in 1973. "It's great to beat anybody," Kimm declared.

"But when somebody trades you, you think they've kind of given up on you and it's nice to beat them." It was Tanana's 118th pitch of the night and the first of the eighth inning. "I just went up there looking for a good ball to hit," said Kimm. "I had been taking the first pitch all night. Ralph (Houk) had me taking to try to get on base." Get on- base he did. Kimm walked both previous trips to the plate and it was perhaps that fact that prompted Tanana, a product of Detroit Catholic Central, to fire his fast one down the middle.

Crack went the bat, away went the ball and the stadium, Denny Stolz 4Glint' to Run In DRC Mile Peeples new, small sleek wedge is It was all too much for him the job of winning in such a pressure situation. Stolz thought of only one thing: football. Life ceased to be fun for him, and those around him. Football at MSU became a grimmer proposition than ever, and finally, it all fell apart in the scandal that hit the university. It is now the turn of Darryl Rogers and again there is hope this time real hope.

For the atmosphere is different. There is direction in the athletic director's office where the new man, Joe Kearney, is making strong impressions with his open man- ner and his genuine warmth. Yes, There's More to Life i The fun is slowly returning. Rogers is a football man first, but you suspect he will not sit up nights and stare at the wall following a defeat. He may have a beer with you, laugh a little, then work harder next week.

These, at least, are the initial impressions. It! was good that MSU cleaned house so completely. Nothing was needed more than a fresh start. You don't feel any oppression here any more, none of the dark feelings of the recent past. The past is past: now is the time to look ahead.

It won't be easy comity; back. It never is when there is a complete change of command. The Spartans have 44 lettermen back, an inordinately high number, but this edge is lost because they will all have to learn about the new man while he learns about them. The big hope is that Michigan State will acquire strength from adversity. It happens that way some times.

The players now have a rallying point, if they choose to look at it that way and the character to take advantage of it. Rogers and his staff seem loose enough as they prepare for Saturday's press session and next Monday's first organized drill. They have worked hard to get ready for the task ahead and what is impressive are the smiles you see around the athletic office. i "Winning is our job but football ought to be fun," he says, Mid he says it as if he means it. "We want our players to give an their full effort but we' want then to know that there are other things in life than football.

We demand that they do well in class and conduct themselves in a proper manner. "But we want it to be exciting for them, too. We want them to look forward to playing. That's what we're doing and we want them to feel the same way." He has even changed the old uniforms. A tradition has passed but a fresh new iook shouldn't hurt.

No, it shouldn't hurt jit all. a BY AL COFFMAN Free Press Racing Writer The Detroit Race Course struck gold Tuesday for the 28th running of the $100,000 Michigan Mile Saturday. Gordon Potter, trainer of Dan Lasater's brilliant gelding Royal Glint, informed DRC supervisor of racing Tom Dorsey that horse racing's newest millionaire would be flown here Thursday morning to run in Michigan's richest race. "It's a great break for us," said Dorsey, even though he knows the appearance of Royal Glint threatens to reduce the prospective field to seven or eight. "POTTER COULD have stayed in New Jersey and run for the same money Saturday in the Haskell Handicap at Monmouth Park.

We're honored that he decided to come here instead. "You have to feel a little sorry for the people at Monmouth Park because this pretty much destroys their race." Many of the same horses were nominated for both 100-granders. Topping the list were Horse of the Year Forego and 1975 Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure, but neither of those horses is expected to get out of-the barn Saturday. "Frank Whiteley told me that he was going to race Forego very sparingly the rest of the year," Dorsey said. "After all, when a horse has to carry 134 or 136 pounds like he does every time he runs, you can't run him as often as you'd like." AS FOR FOOLISH PLEASURE, trainer Tom Jolley said Tuesday that his colt was getting a well-deserved rest.

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