Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 30

2C DETROIT FREE FRESSTUESDAY, MAY 23, 1978 spoils people by Jack Saylor either Don sell Spartan Gibson short oh option Michigan State's Kirk Gibson isn't a quarterback, but he's running an option play these days and he's keeping his options open. The Spartans' star football flanker and slugging baseball outfielder looms as a high draft choice, possibly No. 1, in eitheror both sports. For openers, he almost certainly will be taketj in next month's baseball draft. "I don't know If I'll be drafted or not because I've been 'i telling the scouts that I won't sign this year, regardless," Gibson said as his sensational junior season ended.

"That's the way I feel. I kinda' like what I'm Into up here football and college life. It's a good experience for me." Gibson played no baseball his first two years at State. "To tell the truth, I didn't have the guts to ask whether or not I could go out for baseball," he admittted. "I figured I was on a football scholarship and had a lot going for me there.

I didn't want to ruin it." Baseball coach Danny Litwhiler convinced football's Darryl Rogers Kirk could help. POD CAREWsay.lht madia hypa of his .400 bid last summer may hava hurt his chances and ha won't let It happan this yaar. The Minnesota rlppar raised his average to .407 Sunday and seems on the way once more to becoming the first to surpass .400 since Ted Williams In 1941. "It wasn't really pressure," Carew said, recalling 1977. "It was the constant 'phone calls, the Interviews.

Everyone wanted to talk to me. I'd come out to the park and I couldn't even find my way to the field. It got annoying at time. I'll handle It better this year I know what to do. I was trying to accommodate everybody and It was difficult to concentrate.

I have a much better mental outlook now." 1 IJ MSU career and describes such a play as "an almost indescribable high." But he quickly adds, "I'm really enjoying baseball right now. If I was striking out, I wouldn't like it. I'm hitting a lot of homers and the long home run is equivalent to the long touchdown pass." Gibson can think about his pleasant dilemma while touring with a college all-star team on a June 14 to Aug. 9 baseball trip to Hawaii and Japan. Then he'll play summer baseball with Sullivan's in Grand Rapids, finally back to football.

Gibson then will weigh his options. "I'm not going to worry about it," he said. "I'll wait and see what kind of offers I get and where the best opportunity Is." It's a tough, but nice decision awaiting a 21-year-old. PAOLO ROSSI is no Pele, but the 21-year-old Italian soccer player is causing quite a brouhaha over his price tag. Soccer experts have appraised his value at 5.2 billion lire or $5.5 million.

"I'm living through hell," said Rossi, who averages nearly a goal a game. His farmer parents are having sleepless nights and the league president has already resigned over the case. The problem is that Rossi plays for Lanerossi Vicenza, but is only half-owned by that club and they can't figure out who should buy out whom. "It would be better if I had been praised a bit less and the rest of the money go to low-cost housing," said Rossi, who may be smarter than the owners. DR.

SCOTT LINSCOTT of Seattle may have run into the ultimate sports fan. A man suffered a heart attack Sunday morning and was hospitalized. Nevertheless, he watched part of the Seattle-Washington NBA playoff game on TV. "Just after that he had a cardiac arrest," Linscott said. Doctors worked feverishly pumping his chest and finally brought him around, virtually from the dead.

Reported Linscott: "He couldn't talk, but he motioned for paper and pencil. He wrote that he wanted to know what the Sonics' score was." He further pleaded to watch the rest of the game and nurses finally agreed. SUE ANN RANKIN is another person to whom sports are vital. Even though she was severely burned five years ago when Salt Walther's car hit the wall at Indy and spewed fuel over the box seat in which she was sitting, Miss Rankin wants record, but Pacific-8 Conference officials will submit his 18 foot, leap of last Friday night anyway. A second measurement after his vault showed the height only 18-8, a quarter-inch under the record of Dave Roberts.

Also, the bar fell off while Tully was giving a victory salute, but officials blamed that on the wind. They'll submit the record with asterisks. TUG MCGRAW was victimized twice over the weekend by his old team, the New York Mets, after having held them scoreless for 23 innings over 13 games for the Philadelphia Phillies. It reminded him of a decade ago when the Mets ended their domination by another lefthander. "The Mets' first youth movement was in the mid-60s with people like Bad Harrelson, Tom Seaver, Cleon Jones and me," McGraw said.

"Casey Stengel called us the 'Youth of I remember the first time we beat Sandy Koufax. I was the winning pitcher and it was our first big inspiration, a tremendous boost to beat him and the Dodgers." Now the Mets have their second "youth movement" going and McGraw was a choice victim. TOM BRADLEY, the mayor of Los Angeles, says that his city is not going to lose any money on the 1984 Olympic Games, or it won't host them at all. Despite his tough stance, the International Olympic Committee said that Los Angeles must assume complete financial responsibility for the Games. Bradley is currently looking into the pssibility of obtaining insurance, a perf oremance bond or some other means of making sure the taxpayers do not end up footing the bill.

"If things cannot be worked out, if that cannot be guaranteed, I for one, and I am sure all of the members of the council, will say that we simply cannot accept the games, you're going to have to take them somewhere else," Bradley told the city council. RUTH ANN WALLACE was booed for the second straight day Monday by some fans at Exhibition Stadium when she sang parts of Canada" in French at a Toronto Blue Jays game. Wallace said she gave a second bilingual performance because now is the time for Canada to pull together, not apart, and because she believes bilingualism is part of Canada. She said the booing subsided when she switched to English, but resumed when she reverted to French near the end of the anthem. About the booers, she said, "They could be people sick and tired of the unity question, but they just herd together and do it for a lark.

There's nothing behind it." 1MM Kirk Gibson What he did was hit .41 1 In 46 games, drive in 52 runs with 60 hits, Including 16 home runs, many of them tape-measure shots over the Red Cedar River. Not only are his RBI and homer totals MSU records, but so are the 21 bases he stole in 22 attempts. This rare combination of speed and power has scouts drooling. Ah, but that speed Is also translated Into 4.3 for the "40" In football. Gibson has caught 17 touchdown passes in three seasons, also a Spartan record.

Some NFL scouts have given him the highest ratings ever for an undergrad at his position. "I'm not sure which sport I really want to play," said the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder, who prepped at Waterford's Kettering High. "Baseball may be my preference, but if it sounds like I'm leaning that way, it's probably just because I'm playing baseball right now. "If you asked me the same question during football season, I might have a different answer." Gibson has caught five TD passes of 80 yards or better In his to return to Indy. "Since the crash, I feel as though I've been given a second chance to live," said the Indiana State co-ed, who suffered second and third-degree burns over 40 percent of her body.

"After the crash I had nightmares about fire involving my family and friends, but in time, my fears will and lessen." She couldn't get tickets for next week's race, but says: "I think attending the '79 race would help me overcome my fear of fire and feelings about the race." MIKE TULLY may or may not have set a world pole vault 01 fei the record Same old Tigers. Same old Martin getting the most out of his players. this one with Martin and the players surrounding Burton, who is in the cage hitting real pitches. Or trying to. Mostly he misses, and badly.

"Your heart says yes, but your ass says no," heckles Martin. "Get your ass into it." Burton hits the next one on a line to left. BILLY, KALINE TAKE A MOVIE BREAK LeFlore story keeps those reels whirring at Tiger Stadium FEUCiiJG CHAIN LINK per foot We rent you the tools. You Install it yourself. to 10," he says, worse than before.

"Armed robbery!" "Why don't you go fry your ass?" spits out Martin as the cast and crew erupt with laughter. On the eighth take, they get it right. "That's a print," says Martin, who knows a good take when he sees it after those Lite Beer commercials and the earlier filming for this TV movie. "He's such a natural," says another technician to the soundman. "Did you see his prison scenes? There were great." Another scene Is set up, lng a cigar that's as big as a tree stump, flicks his cigar at him.

Never missing a beat, Martin threatens him with his bat. It's a print. A SECOND LATER, they are at it again. This time, Matlin has found out that LeFlore is a man with a record. "Five to 10," he bellows out.

"Armed robbery!" "Quit over-acting," says Freehan, who is in this scene. "You don't have to tell the whole world," says the director. Matlin enters again. "Five Galvanized Posts Gates $3.60 and $4.00 $17.00 FEDERAL PIPE AND STEEL CORP. UUt.mMchoit nee qnnn (Cof.

Mt. HlloM) ODOJUUU BASEBALL: Catcher Jim Sundberg of the Texas Rangers batted .452 and extended his hitting streak to 21 games to win the American League Player of the Week award. Sundberg had 1 4 hits in 31 at bats for the week. J.R. Richard of the Houston Astros, who pitched a pair of complete game shutouts in his last two starts, was named the NL's Player of the Week.

Richard, who leads the NL In strikeouts with 74, allowed six hits In 18 innings and struck out 17. He has thrown 21 consecutive scoreless innings The New York Mets reactivated shortstop Tim Foil, who had been on the disabled list since April 26 with a torn ligament in his left knee. DIVING: Rick McAllittr of Wurtsmith Air Force Base, won the three-meter and one-meter titles in the 21-24 age group at the national AAU championships in Indianapolis. GOLF: Ohio State beat Indiana by 59 strokes to capture Its third consecutive Big Ten title at Columbus. The Buckeyes fired a 367 team total.

Michigan finished third with 1,550. HORSE RACING: Track officials revised the number of horses killed by a barn fire Friday at River Downs in Cincinnati to 24. RACING: Helen Alderion Hall, the widow of greyhound breeder Frank Hall who was found murdered Saturday, bled to death as a result of her Injuries, according to county medical examiner Dr. John Shin-ner in St. Petersburg, Fla.

RACQUETBALL: Second-seeded Mike Yellon of Southfleld defeated Larry Meyers of California, 21-15, 21-12, to win the men's open title at a tournament in Fountain Valley, Calif. TENNIS: Grosse Point Shores' Susan Mascarln defeated Lorl Losten of Memphis, 6-2, 6-3, to win the 14-and-under title of the Tournament of Champions at Mission Viejo, Calif Chris Bussert won the singles title and teamed with Jim Hosner to take the doubles crown in leading Kalamazoo High School to the NCAA division III championships in Delaware, Ohio. The seventh-seeded Bussert beat Lars Alexanderton, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, in the singles final. He and Hosner defeated Ben Johns and Stew Jackson, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, in doubles. Continued from Page 1C embarrassed everybody by sending a dog down.

But he wasn't a dog. He hit the first pitch right out." Karaila pointed to the cen-terf ield bleachers. A home run on the first pitch while on an eight-hour leave from prison. The thing dreams and movies are made of. But not real life.

Actually, LeFlore pretty much stunk up the joint in his tryout, but still showed enough raw talent to be given a chance in the minors, where he labored half a year for Clinton when he got out of prison later in '73. "He had a hard time getting the ball out of the cage," said Kaline of LeFlore's first appearance. "The few times he did hit it, he hit it hard, and he had that outstanding speed, of course." "He couldn't hit the ball out of the infield," said North-rup. "The way he hit off his front foot and got jammed, I didn't think he was much of a hitter. But he made a believer out of me last year." Watching LeFlore miss pitch after pitch wouldn't have made for exciting cinema, and so he stars from the start.

Martin, who signed LeFlore but never had the pleasure of coaching him, arrived from Toronto early Monday afternoon and quickly was back, once again, in a Tiger uniform. As usual when Martin Is around, he quickly became the center of attention. "He's a natural," said one technician, seemimgly part of a film crew numbering in the thousands. Indeed, Martin was. Two of his scenes called for him to engage in a bit of a spat with a reporter, played by Lew Ma-tlin, a Tiger official in real life.

In the first scene, Martin is standing with Kaline near home plate when the reporter comes up. "Who's that?" asks Matlin, nodding supposedly to LeFlore in centerfield. "My long lost son," deadpans Martin. "C'mon." "No, you c'mon. I mean it.

Leave him alone," sneers Martin, chewing out the reporter in his best style. Ad libbing, Matlin, who is smok- focddbirai today's calenda; 1.75 LITERS i fee I DETROIT TIGERS at BALTIMORE ORIOLES, 7:30 p.m., television WWJ-TV (Channel O); radio WJR-AM (760): After splitting a four-game series with the Red Sox, the Tigers head to Baltimore for a four-game series in the next three days. Jack Billingham (4-1) will pitch the opener for the Tigers while Mike Flanagan (4-3), who is tough on the Tigers, will go for the Birds. The lefthanded Flanagan had a 3-1 mark against the Tigers last year when he accumulated a 15-10 record. The Birds are currently eight games behind the Tigers and six games under .500.

ONLY AURELIO: 1-GLOVE MAN with built-in pourer Bopl Canadian. sports cn television He uses same one he broke in with TUESDAY 7:30 p.m. 03 Hazel Park Racing, tape replays. 7:30 p.m. Tiger Baseball: Detroit at Baltimore.

8:00 p.m. Stanley Cup Hockey: Boston at Montreal. 8:00 p.m. Stanley Cup Hockey: Boston at Montreal. J.

Ill fiorth Urns! ican Soccer American Conference National Conference W'fr-v CENTRAL GF CA BP Pts CENTRAL GF GA BP Pts Detroit 5 5 11 10 11 41 Minnesota 6 3 15 11 15 51 Houston 4 5 11 15 11 35 Dallas 5 5 16 14 15 45 Memphis 1 9 10 20 10 16 Tulsa 5 5 13 11 13 43 Chicago 0 10 7 23 7 7 Colorado 4 7 14 19 13 37 EAST GF GA BP Pts EAST GF GA BP Pis N.England 6 2 16 7 14 50 Cosmos 8 1 29 9 20 68 Tampa Bay 5 5 20 19 18 48 Wash'lon 8 2 21 8 19 67 Ft.Laud'ale 5 5 15 25 15 45 Rochester 3 6 13 11 29 Phil'phia 5 5 14 20 14 44 Toronto 2 6 7 11 7 19 WEST GF GA BP Pis WEST GF GA 111 Pis California 7 4 17 14 15 57 Portland 8 4 20 17 20 68 SanUirgo 6 5 20 19 17 53 Vancouver 8 3 19 11 18 66 Oakland 5 5 12 17 12 42 Seattle 5 6 15 16 15 45 SunJose 4 6 14 17 13 37 L.Angcles 4 5 12 13 11 35 Ron lil s. guez. "I have other gloves for that. But this one is my gamer. "I never let anyone else use it, either," he continued.

"If somebody wants to borrow my glove, I say, 'Take one of my new ones, but please don't touch my old "I've talked to a lot of guys and the longest any of them said they ever used a glove was two or three years. "A lot of players put oil on their gloves, but I don't put oil or anything on mine," said Rodriguez. "The only thing I put on my glove is spit. I put a lot of spit in the pocket. "I think I'd probably be just as good with another glove.

I'd probably be able to play the same hird base. But I don't want to find out. I hope I can finish my career with this glove." Then, presumably, "Black Hand" will be allowed to retire to a life of leisure in a place of honor on Rodriguez's mantle unless, of course, the Hall of Fame asks for it. TAGGING THE TIGERS The Tigers fly to Baltimore Tuesday for the beginning of a critical six-day road trip on which they'll play the Orioles and the Boston Red Sox four games each. Jack Billingham will try for his fifth win as a Tiger Tuesday evening against Baltimore's Mike Flanagan.

Continued from Page 1C model number, were worn away long ago. And the layer of padding which once protected Rodriguez's hand is now just a fond memory. "Sometimes," confessed Rodriguez, "when a ball is hit to me real hard, it stings so much my hand just goes to sleep. One evening earlier this season, when the Tigers were in California, Rodriguez grabbed a well-smashed grounder off the bat of the Angels' Joe Rudi, straightened up and threw the runner out. Then, as is his custom, Au-relio punched his fist into the pocket of his glove.

You can imagine his surprise when his hand went right through the webbing of his mitt and out the other side. The leather laces that held the glove together were so old and rotten they simply snapped. Fortunately, it was the eighth inning, so Rodriguez finished the game with one of the other gloves he carries with him to use during practice. And the next day, Pio DiSalvo, the Tigers' equipment man, installed new strings in Aurelio's pet glove. "I NEVER USE it in practice, or in spring training or winter ball," explained Rodri- A IV ctenctit- TENDED CANADIAN WHISKY i Six minis awarded lor vlclory; one bonus point for each goal scored up to i maximum et thrct per team per name.

TUESDAY'S GAME Colorado at Houston, 9 p.m. SUNDAY'S RESULTS NY Cosmos 5, Seattle 1. I Rochester 3, Ft. Lauderdale 0. Minnesota 3, Chicago 1.

I New England 2, Toronto 1. Lions sign 3 free agents The Lions announced Monday that they had signed three players out of the 50 who attended a free agent camp held last Saturday by Dick Evans, their pro scouting director. The three players are quarterback Tom McLaughlin of Iowa, defensive back Jimmy Jones of Central Michigan University and fullback Irv Stevenson of Southwest University of Delaware. 'J Bard.iv Importers Ml 1 7S liters i t(w I ft ffri ln n.fi ri irr -A.