Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 13

I I I I I "I- f.S. IT, 1373 Ci3 Uzz Uzizi The trade of superstar George McGinnis from the Philadelphia 76ers to Denver for two players was completed on Wednesday. Page 4 Dancer-comedian Ray Bolger was found in an unlikely spot Wednesday, touring the Dearborn Country Club in the pro-am prelude to the Lady Stroh's LPGA tournament that begins on Thursday. The story is in sports people. Page 2 SPORTS PEOPLE 2 if! 61 FOR THE RECORD TIGER AVERAGES DETROIT FREE PRESS SCOREBOARD HORSE RACING LJ Lions trade for Brockington Lions put veteran top running backs in the NFL during his first three seasons with the Packers (1971-73) when he had rushing totals of 1105, 1027 and 1144 yards.

"He had some great seasons," recalled Clark. "He was the hottest thing going, a brutal runner who ran right over people." The former Ohio State star's production slipped to 883 yards in 1974 and it has decreased every season since. He hit his NFL low last year after being traded to Kansas City early in the season, gaining only 161 yards in 54 attempts. Please turn to Page 8D The 6-foot-l, 225-pound Brockington is the Lions' third try on the trading market to come up with someone in the mold of 230-pound fullback Lawrence Gaines, who is attempting to return after three knee operations but whose status is still uncertain. Before Brockington, the Lions picked up Marsh White, who injured himself during the physical examination, and Stan Winfrey, who arrived in camp Wednesday.

BROCKINGTON, who will be 30 next month, was considered one of the By CURT SYLVESTER Free Press Sports Writer John Brockington, who gained more than 1,000 yards in each of his first three years in the National Football League, is the latest import in the Lions' search for a big back. To get Brockington, a big back, they gave up Eddie Payton, one of the smallest. "It's a further thing (in the search for a fullback) we're trying to improve ourselves in that area," said coach Monte Clark after completing the deal with Kansas City. linemen John Brockington Eddie Payton on waivers By CURT SYLVESTER Free Press Sports Writer Veterans Larry Hand and Jim Yarbrough, injured and uncertain when they will be ready to play football again, have been put on waivers by the Lions. The official terminology is injured waivers, since both are incapacitated, but the result is the same: Hand, a 13-year defensive lineman, and Yarbrough, an eight-year offensive tackle, have in all likelihood played their last games with Detroit.

"They're hurt; they can't play," explained coach Monte Clark. "Plus we have the younger guys. There were too many things that pointed to this as the thing to do." Hand is suffering from a rare, severe abdominal strain and Yarbrough has been hampered by an achilles and, more recently, a hamstring injury. "As much as anything, they haven't been available," said Clark. "And the doctors can't tell me when they could play again." HAND AND YARBROUGH were two of the 11 players removed from the active roster Wednesday, via waivers, injured waivers or the injured reserve list, to meet the league interim 60-man roster limit.

Wide reciever J.D. Hill and guard Russ Bolinger were put on the injured reserve list, in effect putting them out for the entire 1978 season. They would have to be put on waivers and passed over by every NFL team before the Lions could activate them 1p' jj this year. Want to lose your shirt? Bet against Pam Higgins One word of caution if you're coming out to watch these lady golfers: don't bet against Pam Higgins. In fact, don't bet Pam Higgins on anything.

Baseball. College football. Pro football. Pro basketball. The horses.

Jai alai. Blackjack. Craps. Escalators. She's liable to take your pants off.

This is a very unusual lady we have in our midst this weekend. She's a very fine golfer no Nancy Lopez but a steady performer who is as good as any of the gals on the green. She was second "last week in the WUI (Western Union International) Classic at Manhasset, N.Y. and fourth in the U.S. Open in Indianapolis.

What makes her a little different is that she lists her hobbies as cooking and gambling. But not exactly in that order. "Oh, I don't think I make any money over the course of the year but I do love to make a bet," said Pam as she sat in the press room after Wednesday's pro-am at the Dearborn Country Club. "I guess I'm a competitor and everything seems a little more exciting when I've got a bet going." She'll bet you on anything like the day she was shopping in a department store with Betty Burfeindt and they came across an escalator. "Bet twenty bucks you can't run to the top," said Pam.

"You're on," said Betty, handing over her purse and taking off up the stairs. Pam sat there laughing. "She made it and I had to fork over a $20 bill but it made the morning a lot of fun," she said. Some think she's a hustler Some golf purists tich-tich over the way Pam gambles her money but it is her money and she never gets into anything big during these tournaments, except maybe a friendly $10 wager if she is teeing off in the morning and nothing's at stake. She does it to keep herself awake.

"I guess some people think I'm a hustler but I don't think this way at all," said Pam. "I bet just to have a little fun. It's my form of entertainment. "All I know is when I don't have a bet going, my game suffers. I get sloppy and become complacent.

I get bored. But let me bet a dime on the shot and I can feel the adrenalin starting to run." Her favorite is pro football and it is not a hit and miss Last year's kicker, Steve Mike-Mayer, was put on outright waivers, along with six rookies linebacker Fred Arlington, fullback Bruce Gibson, defensive backs Mark Patterson and former University of Michigan star Dwight Hicks, tight end Lewis Gilbert and offensive guard Larron Jackson. It was obvious, however, that the decisions on Hand and Yarbrough were Clark's most difficult. "You try to make these decisions with some feeling for the people involved," said Clark. "But they re decisions which have to be made." It was just as difficult for Hand and Yarbrough to accept, although both understood the reasoning behind it and wished their former teammates well.

"I had no doubt that healthy I could play and help the team," Please turn to Page 8D Free Press Photo by BOB SCOTT Judy Rankin belts out a drive Wednesday at the pro-am portion of the Lady Stroh's golf tournament that gets underway Thursday at Dearborn Country Club. Lopez, Stephenson ailing for start of Lady Strohs tii Ohsnipions Li Dy Diian Disgg (Another in a series of prof iles of the 1968 Tigers, who will return to Tiger Stadium for a 10th anniversary reunion Aug. 27) John Hiller Born 4-8-43. Pitcher. Throws left, bats right, By JACK SAYLOR Free Press Sports Writer Stroh's may turn over sponsorship of its women's golf tournament to Blue Cross-Blue Shield unless things take a turn for the better.

Nancy Lopez and Jan Stephenson, two of the LPGA's premier attractions, turned up ailing Wednesday and became questionable starters for the first round of the $150,000 Lady Stroh's Open at Dearborn Country Club Thursday morning. Lopez, the 21-year-old sensation from Roswell, N.M., who has done more for the ladies' tour this year than Montgomery CG Sv. 1968 Statistics 9 6 4 2 12S ER B8 SO 92 37 34 51 78 ERA 2.39 2.65 -safe, if a-CareerTotats 79 69 19 110 1106 904 372 326 455 955 i-S active; includes 1978 to date. matter with her. She has developed her own system over the years and you suspect she would like to challenge Jimmy the Greek on one of his Sunday afternoon telecasts in the autumn.

"He is overrated," said Pam. "Just check out his percentages." The main factor in the Pam Higgins system of How To Get Rich Betting on the Pros is the home-field advantage. "I figure it's worth three points for every game," she said. Next is the type of attack a team employs, whether it favors a run or a pass, compared to the quality of five tournaments in a row this summer, said the muscle strain in the arm bothered her two years ago. "I took a week off then and had ultra-sound on it," she said.

Nancy took an ultra-sound treatment Wednesday morning, but reported the pain had spread up her arm to her shoulder. "I can feel the tension. I felt pain Monday when I played a pro-am in Cleveland," she said. "A doctor popped my neck and said it was very tight. Maybe I should have an x-ray." Lopez has missed only four of 24 tournaments this season and has won an unprecedented $153,947.

"I haven't had much time off, but I've been looking forward to this tournament," she said. "I look tired I look in the mirror and I think I should go back to bed. Really, I feel better than I look. "I'm concerned about the tournament and the sponsor, but I'm concerned about myself, too. I'm only 21 and have a lot of years to play.

I like to play golf, but I like to take care of myself, too." She sounded increasingly dubious about her chances of starting. However, she beamed brightly and added, "but I'm hitting the ball well, and if I play I'd consider myself a favorite. I hope to play, I'll just have to wait and see how I feel." STEPHENSON ARRIVED at the club Wednesday morning 4 John Hiller was in his first full season with the Tigers in 1968, but already, at the age of 25, he showed the raw talents that a few years later were to make him the premier relief pitcher in the game. Hiller actually started a dozen games in '68, relieving in 27 others. "I was a hot-and-cold pitcher," Hiller recalls.

"I'd pitch a couple good games, then a couple bad ones It was that way all year in the bullpen. There was never anybody that consistently went out there and did the job." Hiller concedes that he and manager Mayo Smith didn't Pam Higgins did for Ward, has a very sore upper right arm. She walked around with her group in the pro-am scramble, but partook only in the chipping and putting. She couldn't swing her driver or other long clubs. The Mexican beauty, who has won eight tournaments this season, can only wait to see how her arm is feeling Thursday.

"I'll probably go to the hospital again in the morning and have treatment, then try to hit some balls and see if I can play," said Lopez, not sounding overconfident. "A doctor wanted to give me cortisone, but I didn't want that. I'm a real chicken and I get scared when something hurts on my body." LOPEZ, WHO BECAME a cover-girl sensation by winning see eye to eye. "We had a personality conflict there wasn't any real big thing about it, and I don't know the reason why, but we weren't chums He was on me about being out of Please turn to Page 6D Ji naW 9 i mA Tigers send oucault to KC; call up Tobik shape all the time. I was overweight just over 200 pounds and if I'd lose a ball game he'd blame it on the weight.

I knew I was out of shape, but I wouldn't admit it, I guess." Out of shape or not, Hiller won nine games for the '68 champs and had a couple of sterling performances along the way. On Aug. 6 he set a major league record by striking out the first six Cleveland Indians who came to the plate in a game eventually won by the John Hiller Tigers in 17 innings. The game he remembers best was an Aug. 20 start in the opener of a doubleheader at Tiger Stadium the defense; the mental and physical condition of the quarterback; and who is doing the coaching.

Pam is a pretty 32-year-old blond and hails from a place called Columbus, Ohio, which means she knows all about our old friend Woody. Bo, too. "I used to bet on the Big Ten games all the time but not anymore," said Pam. "I'm impressed by what they do at Ohio State and Michigan but they always seem to let you down at the end. Especially in the bowl games.

"They just can't handle the Pac-8 style of attack." Yes, m'am. "No, really," said Pam. "Take a look at Woody's teams. They always score a lot of points during the season but it takes them forever to do it. They have to hold the ball seven or eight minutes before they can put it into the end zone.

"If you ever bet on Ohio State or Michigan and need a touchdown in the last two minutes, you'll never get it. These two coaches are too conservative." Wagers relieve the monotony Pam gets a lot of her action from the caddies on the LPGA tour. They are forever trying to get the best of her. She has learned to play on their sentiments. One day one of the caddies said to her, "Hey, you're giving me only six and a half points on my team.

The newspaper said it's seven." "Okay," smiled Pam. "Go bet the newspaper." The truth is the caddies like her and she likes them and their friendly wagers relieve the monotony of the endless stops which take these people from one town to the next. Pam made one of her biggest killings against Marlene Floyd, one of her friends on the tour. They were jogging out in Palm Springs when Pam offered to bet her $500 she couldn't make it to the top of a four-mile hill without stopping. "She got within two-thirds of a mile from the finish and ran out of wind," said Pam, adding with a smile: "But I think I had the best of it since she had to go from below sea level to nearly four miles straight up." On her last birthday, Pam's friends gave her a copy of Larry Merchant's book on pro football betting "The National Football Lottery." She hasn't read it yet, not even the part where Larry interrupted an amorous adventure to go to the phone to make a bet on the Washington Redskins.

"I don't think I am that dedicated to betting," smiled Pam. Stingley regains feeling CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. (UPI) Darryl Stingley, the New England Patriots receiver who was paralyzed in an exhibition game, has regained sensation in all parts of his body and has "limited but gratifying" movement of his right arm. In a bulletin from the hospital doctors said Stingley's condition has "improved slightly" since he was admitted following a Saturday collision with Oakland Raiders defender Jack Tatum. A team spokesman said Stingley received at least 60 pieces of mail Tuesday.

STINGLEY remains in traction in a circular orthopedic bed. A myelographic examination showed there was no pressure on his spinal cord. "His prognosis is uncertain, although some degree of cautious optimism seems warranted at this time" a statement said. By CHARLIE VINCENT Free Press Sports Writer When the Kansas City Royals packed their bags and left Detroit after Tuesday night's 4-2 win over the Tigers, they had one extra passenger on the team bus. The Royals, plagued with bullpen problems that are apparently even more severe than Detroits, claimed veteran reliever Steve Foucault on waivers and took him along for the stretch drive in the American League West, where they held a half game lead over California prior to Wednesday night's games.

To replace Foucault, who was this season with four saves and a 3.37 earned run average, the Tigers immediately purchased the contract of righthander Dave Tobik from their Evansville farm club in the American Association. Foucault's departure can accurately be called addition by subtraction. The burly righthander, who came to the Tigers in the trade that sent Willie Horton to Texas early in the 1977 season, has not been called on by manager Ralph Houk since July 23, when he pitched 1 2-3 innings of hitless bail and was the beneficiary of a three-run ninth inning rally as the Tigers beat California, 4-3. During the last 24 days he has made only brief appearances in the Detroit bullpen. Dave Tobik Steve Foucault John Hiller's best game: "I pitched a one-hitter against the White Sox, the only one-hitter I've ever had in my life.

It was probably the best game that I've pitched as a starter. At the time I think somebody one of the starters was hurt Ron Hansen, the shortstop, got the hit in the eighth inning. I only missed catching the ball by that much," said Hiller, holding his fingers about two inches apart. "It just missed my glove. He hit it good, but I could have caught it if I had been a little quicker." The Tigers won the game, 7-0, to maintain an eight-game lead.

Hiller's win took on added importance a few hours later when Denny McLain was beaten in the nightcap and the Tigers' lead shrank to seven games. John Hiller remembers: "We came up with this chant I don't even know where it came from or how it started but every time we'd win a ball game we'd all get in a big huddle in the clubhouse and we'd yell, 'Blow 'em back, blow 'em back, 'way That sort of became a chant, and we'd get the whole team to go through that after the game as soon as we'd get in the clubhouse." The young Hiller didn't know then that his team's chant had a scatological origin and it really didn't matter! The post-victory yell was simply another bit of cement in the bond that The 28-year-old Foucault appeared in 44 games for the Tigers in 1977, finishing with a 7-7 record and a 3.15 earned run average. He walked only 17 batters in 74 innings, but this summer his control deserted him and he walked 21 in just 37 1-3 innings before Houk decided to let him wile away his time in the bullpen while looking for takers. Torbik, the fifth pitcher the Tigers have called up from Evansville this summer, had a 5-4 record, nine saves and a3.38 ERA with the Triplets. held this team together so closely.

These men playing a boy's Please turn to Page 51 '-inn njlr n-- i i.