Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 37

kj 0 0 Seconds Beats ibiong ni Jii'Yin 9 1 TV errs- to is J)l (7 1 A fix VU BY JACK SAYIOR Pree Press Sports Writer NEW ORLEANS Not all the miracles happen on Street. One happened here Sunday in the gathering gloom at the Suar Bowl with lorn Dempsey, a 23-year-old man who was born with only half a right foot, as the unlikely hero. Dempsey booted a 63-yard field goal, the longest in pro football history, as time expired to give the New Orleans Saints a 10-17 decision, sending the Lions off the field in a state of shock and 66,910 fans into pandemonium. DEMPSEY'S thundering kick wiped out a 17-16 Detroit established on Errol Mann's 17-yard field goal with 11 seconds left that seemingly had given the Lions an uphill victory in their bid to stay in Central Division contention. Instead, their record sagged to 5-3 and they dropped two full games behind the Minnesota Vikings, whom they meet next Sunday in Minnesota.

The dramatics of the final moments transcended all that happened before in a penalty-filled game, frustrating for both Detroit, which couldn't take advantage of most of them, and the Saints, who were recipients of most of them. But the Saints, who had been sinners most of the game, overcame all to make the coaching debut of J. D. a smashing success. Roberts, however, had to play a background role to the pudgy Dempsey, who had kicked only five of 15 previous field goal attempts this season.

"THEY WON the game with a miracle," Joe Schmidt, said in the stony silence of the Lion locker room as players showered and dressed slowly in a state of disbelief. "A miracle," echoed Mike Lucci at the other end of the gloomy dressing room. "Unbelievable," said Mann. "It's hard to understand," murmured Wayne Walker, a miracle. Bobby Thomson's home run, nothing compares to it." The stage was set for the fantastic ending after the Saints had finally erased a 14-9 deficit against the stubborn Lion defense an Tom, Barrington scored on a three-yard run, giving New Orleans a 16-14 lead.

WITH LESS than seven minutes remaining, Schmidt had turned to (ireg Landry after the Saints had badgered Bill Munson with three interceptions. Landry drove the team from the Lion 14 into New Orleans territory as timed waned and Mann knelt nervously at the sideline, seeing what was to be a game-winning field goal try developing. With two minutes left the Lions had a first down at the Saints' 35. Mel Farr made five yards and Landry ran for 12. Now 1:15 remained.

Landry tried to maneuver into prime position for Mann. Farr made three and Landry sneaked six to the nine. Seventeen seconds left. Farr ran at left tackle and time was called with 14 seconds on the clock. Schmidt declined to run the clock any further and on came Mann.

Mann's kick was true and with 11 seconds left what could happen? THE SAINTS ran the kickoff return out of bounds at their 28 and with eight seconds left Bill Kilmer found Al Dodd with a sideline toss at Turn to Page 8 Column 4 Rfs Root Oihs Too A post-game study of the Linns-Saints game indicatpd officials gave the Lions an extra down on their drive to the field goal that gave them a temporary lead. A Greg I.andry-tn-Earl McCullouch pa" from the Detroit 25 on second down was ruled incomplete because the ball hit another offensive player before McCullouch caught it. The officials left it at second down, however, and one play later, on what should have been the fourth down the kicking down, Landry completed a pass to keep the drive alive. SAVI OR AP Photo Saints' Torn l)cm)cy (rifjilt) swings his sjuarcjloel shoe inlo football for record 63-yanl field goal. Knew I Could Kick That Far' It was unrestrained joy for New Orleans fans, their players and for J.

D. Roberts, the new coach. Thanks to Tom Dempsey's incredible 62-yard field goal in the final two seconds, the Sunday matinee debut of "Mr. Roberts" had been a BY JACK Pre Press Sports Writer NEW OR LEANS Outside, pandemonium reigned. Mardi Gras had come early.

Thousands of fans streamed to the dressing room end of the stadium and chanted "We want Dempsey. We want Dempsey." hit. The surprise ending was boffo. For the Lions however, it was a turkey. "I KNEW I could kick the ball that far, but whether or not 1 could kick it straight that far kept running through my mind," said Dempsey, whose game-winning kick as the shower, merely shaking their heads.

Nobody hut nobody could comprehend Dempsey's kick. "There was no way," said Errol Mann, who knows something about kicking. "Not the way he was kicking the game. He just wasn't hitting it that good." "He got a Tot of height on it," sighed Joe Schmidt. "We tried to block it the same way we did the other one." The Lions had broken Turn to Page 81), Column I the final gun sounded was an AFL record.

"I knew I had to bit the ball awfully hard and would need a little extra time," said Dempsey but they (the Lions) held up perfectly and I got a perfect snap." Joe Scarpati held for the field goal. Dempsey slad he was so far back he couldn't see the ball clear thp crossbar. "I saw the referee's hands go up and beard everybody start yelling and I knew it was good. It's quite a thrill. I'm still kind of shook up." NEXT DOOR, next to the tumult, thp Lion door closed behind a stunned football team.

Defeat had been snatched from the jaws of victory and the Lions were crushed. Long, long minutes had gone by and the Detroit players lingered in various stages of undress, unable to believe. Mike Lucci stared at the wall. Chuck Walton stood leaning against the wall and stared silently at the floor. Mike Weger dawdled over a tasteless soft drink and gazed into his locker at nothing.

Others shuffled quietly to I tit fl- Vai'' Ti Iy Kii f-'i 1 1 ft! Vikings Top Skins, UPI Photo Tom Dempsey, who kicked the record 63-yard field goal to beat the Lions Sunday, does his kicking although he is missing his right hand and part of his kicking foot, as.shown here in an earlier field goal attempt. Wings Tied, 3-3 BY JACK BF.RRY Frw Press Sports Writer WASHINGTON (UPI) -Fred Cox kicked four field goals and Minnesota's defense staved off a last-quarter Washington threat Sunday to boost the Vikings to a 19-10 victory over the Redskins. The victory, coupled with Detroit's loss, gave the Vikings a two-game lead over the Lions in the National Con-ference'S Central Division race as the two NFL powers head into next Sunday's showdown match at Minneapolis. Two of Cox's field goals were set up by Minnesota's defense. On one, Karl Kas-sulke blocked a punt by Washington's Mike Bragg in the third quarter and recovered the ball.

Early in the final quarter, Sonny Jurgen-sen fumbled when hit trying to pass and Jim Marshall recovered on Washington's 23. Four plays later Cox drilled his field goal from 24 yards out to move the Vikings six points ahead, 16-10. Jurgensen then piloted the Redskins from their 16 to the Minnesota seven with second and goal to go, but the Vikings' secondary batted down three Jurgensen passes and Minnesota took over with 31 seconds left and. Cox hit again from 42 yards out. THE VIKINGS had an uphill battle to attain a 13-10 lead over stubborn Washington after three quarters.

The first time Washington Turn to Page 5D, Column 1 HARBOR MASTER SCORES A TK0 OVER WINTER WEATHER Harbor Master scores a technical knockout over winter weather by keeping winter's punches off the body. And they do it with fancy body language via their longer-length military-inspired eight-button double-breasted trench coat. A real contender with stand-up collar, full belt, epaulets, brass buttons, zip-in pure wool liner; in black or rum gold. Stand in the winning corner by cornering a Harbor Master FIRST PERIOD l-OETROIT, Howe. 7 (Mahovlich, Delvecchio) 1:50.

Pen-eltios: Watson, Pitt (5:401, Howe, OET Sather, Pitt Rolfe, DET SECOND PERIOD 1 Pitlsburqh, Pronovist (McCeMum) JOE-TROIT, Luce I (Mecsreqor, Webster) 4-DETROIT, Unqer JlConnellV, Webster) 15:46. Penalties: Watson, Pitt THIRD PERIOD Pittsbur9h, Scbin-kel (Bathgate. Prentice) e-Pittsbur9h, Pronovost 4 (Morrison, Ponteyne) 17:57. Penalties: Hart, DET Howe, DET Shots on goal by: pittsburqh 5-7-14-U: DETROIT 20-15-9 44. not lies: Pittsburgh-Binkley, DE-TROIT-Edwards.

wards and defensoman Larry Brown hesitated in clearing the puck and gave Prnnnvost his chance. "Edwards left it there for Brown and he took his time and I hustled in, raised his stick and shot it," said Pronovost, younger brother of the former Red Wing defense star, Marcel Pronovost. "It wasn't much of a shot it just trickled through his legs. I was very lucky but I'll take it," Pronovost said, grinning. IT WAS Pronovost's second goal of the.

night. Ken Schin-kel scored the other one for Pittsburgh which now has a modest three game unbeaten Turn to Page BD, Column 7 It a 't a 63-yard field goal but it hit the Red Wings with almost the same heart-stopping thump Sunday night. Jean Pronovost pounced on rebound and knocked it past Red Wing goalie Roy Edwards with just two minutes and three seconds to play to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 3-3 uphill tie with Detroit. The Wings, leaving now on a five game road journey, practically blew the Penguins off the ice in the first two periods, outshooting them 35-12, but they couldn't break it open. LES BINKLEY robbed the Wings repeatedly and kept Pittsburgh in the game and the Penguins, typical of a Fed team, just kept pecking away, checking FTTiF 1 and skating and finally pulled out the tie.

The Wings made two mistakes on the tying goal. Bruce MacGregor tried to carry the puck out and was stopped at the blue line and then Ed ilylJ LJ ULiU LL B0 OPEN MONDAY EVENING (Except Birmingham: open to 5:30) ARB0RUN0 BIRMINGHAM EASTUNO FLINT GRAND RAPIDS GRAND RIVER 4 GREEfJI IELO JACKSON LINCOLN PARK LIVONIA MAIL MACK A M0R0SS MACOMB MALI NORTHLAND OAKLAND MALL P0NTIAC MALL SOUTHtAND UNIVERSAL CITY WESTB0RN WESTIAN0 W0N0ERLAN0 WOODWARD MONTCALM WOODWARD NEAR STATE Itig ftrsiwl Page ami Rack Page.