Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 78

1 oj'w 1 1 M'" J-Wp ej i the insib off snorts DETROIT FREE PRESS SUNDAY. SEPTEMBER 16. 1979 1 0F Gordie Howe is a man of the sticks At 51, still she sent out a card that was actually a slick, 12-page picture book of the family entitled, "Another year, another season, and Howe!" She says she is negotiating for a made-for-TV movie about the clan. THE HOCKEY-PLAYING kids are Mark, 24, and Marty, They and their dad form the only father-son combo in big-time sports. Mark is a WHA all-star who scored 42 goals and 65 assists last year playing forward and defense.

Marty is considered an average defenseman. He had nine goals and 15 assists last season. Another Whaler, Gordie Roberts, was named after Howe. His boys call Howe "Gord" and "Gramps" and Howe says It's still a novelty to play with them. "Everytime I hit the Ice with them, you're extremely pleased with them when they do something good, and when they have a bad time it's almost like you're having a bad time.

It's not discouraging. It's like you would do if you had a good buddy or a girlfriend and whatever she'd do, you'd cherish it." The kids watch out for their old man. "I went into the corner with Reggie Fleming when he was playing with the (Chicago) Cougars, and we were bumping around and Marty came into the picture and drilled Reggie and Reggie looked around and said: 'Get out of here, this is between your dad and Howe's quarter-century NHL career, totally spent in Detroit, was characterized by milestones and superlatives. He holds 25 league records, including games played goals (786); assists (1,023) and points After his arrival, Howe soon began drawing raves. He did everything well.

He was big (6 feet, 195 pounds); savvy, shrewd, smooth, an expert playmaker and a fancy stickhan-dler. He played right wing and shot with either hand. Unlike some big shooters, he skated back into his own territory and played defense. All hockey players look like they grew up on skates, but Howe looked like he was born on them. He cruised the rink in a nonchalant, effortless style, and he used his elbows subtly in the corners.

FROM 1949 TO 1955, the Wings won seven straight league championships (a record) and four Stanley Cups, hockey's top prize. Howe played on what came to be known as the "Production Line" because it scored so many goals. Ted Lindsay, the Wings' current general manager, played left wing and Sid Abel, the Wings' broadcaster, played center. "When our line was Sid, Ted and I was so young at the time I didn't realize how good things were," Howe said. "But after you get away from it and you start reading about some of the things we did record-wise, God, that was tremendous." When various injuries made it too painful for Howe to play, the Wings in 1971 kicked him into a figurehead position in what was at the time a turbulent front office.

He hated it, and jumped two years later at the WHA's Houston Aeros' offer to sign all three Howes for $2 million. "I think I'll always be disappointed (about leaving the Wings)," Howe said. "I won't be mad, but disappointed. I played there and they paid me and God only knows I enjoyed it. And it was a very hard decision to leave there even though I.

wasn't very happy at the job I was doing in the front office. It was a certain lack of everything, really. And it was almost to the point (where) it was the first time in my life that I ever wondered when I took my paycheck what I did for it" Howe had always wanted to play with his sons, and the three helped Houston to the WHA championship in 1974. Howe was named most valuable player; Mark was rookie of the year. The trio moved on to the Whalers in 1977 after the Aeros folded.

By BILL focGRAW Free Prtst Sportt Writer "Away from the ice he is a typical teen-age youngster, tie enjoys swing music and malted milks. He is shy and afraid of the opposite sex." Gordie Howe's first biographical note in the Red Wings press guide KALKASKA When Gordie Howe started with the Red Wings in 1946, he was 18 and, by 17 months, the youngest player In the National Hockey League. Wags dubbed him "Bashful Baby" because he was a timid hayseed from the wheat country around Floral, Saskatchewan. Howe had no place to stay when he arrived in the big city, so he spent his nights inside Olympia Stadium, on a cot in a little cubicle nearthe visitors' dressing room. "At night we used to have a little game like kill the rats (with hockey sticks)," he recalled in a recent interview.

"Seriously. Until they got somebody in there to do away with them they had a little rat problem. "And the first practice, probably the only one I was ever late for, I was sleeping in the rink and nobody woke me up. And I heard somebody shooting against the boards and I ran the 50 yards like crazy to get dressed." Howe is now a 51-year-old grandfather who is no longer shy, but those who know him say he is humble and untouched by money and fame. He wants to play one more year of hockey, and if he does, he will play again in the NHL.

His team, the Hartford Whalers, was admitted into the league after the World Hockey Association disbanded last spring. All that stands between Howe and his 32d season in the big Is a series of medical tests on his battered body. He will Report to the Whalers' training camp Sunday and will get the test results later this week. ZZ. IF THE TEST RESULTS are good, Howe will become the I only professional athlete to regularly "play a major sport after was inducted into the sport's hall of fame.

He entered the I- hockey hall in 1972. If Howe makes it to Jan. 1, 1980, he will be playing In his -Jlfth decade. he accompanies the Whalers on their March 12 visit to 'Detroit, it will be 2 1 years and nine days after the Wings threw Howe night" at the Olympia. Howe, in tears, received $10,000 in gifts and was surprised by his parents, who drove on the ice in a 1959 Oldsmobile, which was one of the gifts.

1 "I would like to play again," Howe said. "It depends again oti the health. And I'm not going to get excited about it until I ind out if I'm going to have the opportunity to do it. If I do, that would be great. It'd be kind of nice to visit some of the cities, Jand the boys would get a taste of playing in a lot of places I made my living for 25 years." Howe talked as he relaxed on the front porch of his spacious cottage, 84 steps above Bear Lake.

A Houston Aeros T-shirt covered his sloping shoulders amd fence-post arms, and gym shorts draped across his tree-trunk thighs. He toyed with an empty can of Stroh's, until Colleen, his -wife, said: "Mr. Howe, another?" I "Thanks, dear," Howe replied to the blond-haired woman he met in the now-demolished Lucky Strike bowling alley at 6545 Grand River in 1950, a hangout for Red Wings of that era. Mrs. Howe reached into the refrigerator, on which was a Tank McNamara cartoon poking fun at an unnamed grandpa hockey 'player, and a photo of Howe and a golfing buddy, former president Gerald Ford.

She is the family business manager, overseeing interests ranging from 40 head of Michigan cattle to a manufacturer's representative agency selling cold steel bars. Last Christmas, Fret Pros Rustretion by Art Director DICK MAYER For Howe, the toughest aspect of getting old is getting up for each game. "I've always maintained that the older you get the more bad games you play. Where you play maybe nine out of 10 games when you were a young man, then all of sudden you slacken off. That's the difference.

A young man can recoup and play good games day after day." If he plays this year, Howe said he has one goal: To finish the season. "And I want to finish it, too," he said, "with a respectable kind of record. I don't want to cost the team victories and take up someone's place." He's prepared for the old-man jokes. He's used to It. 'The kids take a lot of ribbing, too," he explained with a smile and one of famous nervous blinks.

"(The opponents) say: 'Hey Howe, you're not as good as your old "Not to pat myself on the back, but somebody said: 'Who BY ALL ACCOUNTS, HOWE slowed a stride or two as the age of 50 approached, and some of the zip slipped from his shot. He has been criticized for playing so long, and he has been hit 'With injuries. Last year he missed 22 games with a broken ankle, toe and wrist, and he had dizzy spells in some games. He has been hospitalized five times in his career, including the time in 1950 after an on-ice collision when emergency brain surgery saved his life. But Howe still scored 19 goals and 24 assists last season, and skated along with speedsters who hadn't been born when he scored his 300th goal in 1956.

He weighs 208 and says he plays at 206. He stays in shape by playing golf and swimming during the summer. "He's just one of those persons that you don't see every day," said Vincent Turco, the Whalers' team doctor. "He's so well preserved. He has the body of a person half his age.

He's just one tremendous physical specimen." Three who made it to the majors 1 flak from the fans. Stegman said it has been an unusual experience to hear what people in the stands have said about him. He's had cheers and he's had a few boos. In his six-game experience, he is batting .125 with three RBIs and a home run. At Evansville, the Lompoc, native hit .302 with 11 home Peters, a 23-year-old former Arizona State University student, has had two hits in seven at-bats for a .286 batting average.

He came out of Evansville batting .320. The 22-year-old Gibson, who is from Waterf ord, came up with a .245 average but has yet to get a hit. "Sparky has told me I'm going to work my tail off in the instructional league," Gibson said. "After that I'll be 100 percent improved. I improved that much at Evansville and I intend to keep on improving." All three will report to the Instructional league after the seasn.

And all three said they would really like to report to Detroit and lose their rookie status next year. "It's kind of a disappointment to watch your friends leave Evansville one by one while you stay behind," Stegman said. "The roomates come and go, and you wonder when you're going. "You watch and listen and just try to do your best. That's what I did, and it finally paid PETERS AND GIBSON are both glad to be in Detroit, and both realize this is their time to prove to manager Sparky Anderson the tools they have and their eagerness to improve those tools.

The trio are constantly being evaluated. How do they throw? Can they catch? How fast are they? But mixed with the tension of knowing each move is evaluated is the extra surge which comes from knowing how far they've made it. "It's the major leagues," Peters Said. "It's great." Stegman has a good arm, but according to Anderson needs to improve his running ability. Peters runs well and is versatile.

He can play in the outfield or can be plugged in at third base. And Gibson the $200,000 bonus baby the Tigers signed then let finish his Michigan State University football career at the mention of Gibson a spark lights up Anderson's eyes. "There is no question that Gibson has the tools. He has the strength, the size and the ability," Anderson said. "The only reason he might not make It would be if he doesn't work hard enough.

"Kirk has always been a star. He was No. 1 on the football field and is used to the feeling of being a star. Part of his career is in the hands of the fans. Gibson is going to be booed right along with being cheered.

It has broken ball players before." So far, none of the newcomers has taken excess By BETH TUSCHAK Free Press Sportt Writer Two weeks ago at the Tigers' farm club in Evansville, the minds of three young outfielders were occupied with thoughts of the American Association title. But every so often, maybe between batting practice and game time, they remembered the Tigers would soon be expanding their roster and a couple of them would be heading for Detroit. Dave Stegman, Rick Peters and Kirk Gibson in different ways at different times each got the word: "Pack your bags, you're going to Detroit." "It wasn't so much that I was surprised," Stegman said. "The first feeling was just how good it would be to be back." This was the second trip to Detroit In two years for the 25-year-old rookie outfielder. He was sent to the major leagues at this time last year, but was told he would be more valuable to the club's future if he spent another year in the minor leagues where he could play every day.

"It paid off working on my fielding and on ground balls," he admitted. "It's really nice to be here, these guys are all my friends and I came through the ranks with a lot of them. "It's nice to be associated with a ball club that's based on youth and strength," he said. 'SiK AP Photo The new Tigers at Yankee Stadium before Saturday's doubleheader: Dave Stegman (left), Rick Peters and Kirk Gibson. How state players fared in the minors For Michigan players In the minor leagues, the season didn't end as favorably as it did for new Tiger Kirk Gibson.

But for many it was still a good year. Following is a list of state players in the minors at the end of the 1979 regular season, along with their statistical performances in the most recent available compilation. The team they finished with, its major-league affiliation, the league and the competition level are listed. AAA is the highest level, and (for Rookie) is the lowest. Batting 6 I BB SO ERA 2 I 12 114 14 3 1 4.14 4 1 4 54 17 75 4.17 i 23 7 14 154 154 7 114 4.21 I 3 2 4 44 30 35 4.22 i 25 11 7 155 146 3 00 4.23 I' 21 4 102 111 57 40 4.24 12 3 1 47 71 21 430 22 7 11 123 120 5 45 4.32 14 3 4 17 77 4 61 4.34 1 4 It 17 104 30 4 4.55 10 3 51 63 24 34 4.11 11 4 5 4 71 34 44 46 26 10 10 161 114 71 103 12 6 3 76 14 -40 40 3.0 3 21 23 24 20 114 27 7 12 124 111 fS l' 1.11 13 2 4 42 43 'll 25 134 11 1 2 24 34 14 11 154 14 1 0 2 34 24 27 13 IN 10 3 i 41 43 41 II 1.43 44 1 3 54 44 4 44 17 24 I 10 147 16 77 71 5.

11 0 1 24 'It 13 431 7 0 3 24 35 13 14 A8 2B 38 HR RBI Avi. David Hlbner, Hawaii 204 42 3 2 I 10 2 .11 Glenn Gulliver, Allan Park 111 13 17 4 0 3 .153 Mike Kwleclnikl, Warren Calgary (Expot)-Ploneer-R 114 13 4 0 0 .114 Pitching i bb so John Martin, Flat Reck EvantvlNe (Tiger )-Am. A 34 7 I 57 4 24 51 1.40 Ted Blair, Southgate 4 2 I 1 14 3 7 1.42 Ray Vanui, Ferndale W.PalmBeach(Expo-Fla,$t.-A 15 1 1 3 34 31 3 24 1.50 John Vercoe, Nagaunee Roy all-Gulf Coajt-R 4 1 0 4 4 4 3 1.50 Bill Trapanl, Lapeer Cubt-GuKCoast-R .11 3 1 42 31 21 25 1.71 Larry William, North Muikagen Roy all-Gulf Coait-R 10 5 2 51 41 24 33 2.17 Orel Herthelter, Bleemfleld Hill Clinton (DcOgeri)-Mldweit-A 12 3 0 31 23 11 22 2.32 Gordon Chretien, Southgate 11 3 4 77 71 21 24 2.92 Joe Geerger, Birmingham Blllngham(Marfneri)-Norltiwit-A 1 4 5 45 40 30 51 3.00 David Jonet, Pontlac Petersburg 21 4 4 16 77 33 44 3.03 Jim Canlleld, Wayne Roy all-Gulf Coat-R 11 0 3 32 42 7 11 3.0 Stave Howe, Clarkiten San Antonio (Dodger)-Texe-AA 12 4 2 0 75 21 55 3.20 Stave VanderLaan, Wllllamiten Miami It 3 2 57 43 30 24 3.32 Jell Jonet, Seuthgate Ogdn(A')-Clltornla-A 27 13 4 16 147 14 122 3.34 David Johnion, Gaylerd LlttleRockCerdt)-Texai-AA 25 5 134 134 77 77 3.4 Mike Polvl, Detroit Montgomery (Tlgei-D-Southern-AA 24 4 5 100 101 31 42 3.71 Dave Oriel, Warren Ranger i-GulfCoeit-R I 1 0 1 17 IS 13 3.7 Dave iteffen, Plat Reck 17 2 3 40 47 14 25 3.13 Welt Vanderbuth, Buchanan Royolt-GuHCoait-R 4 1 1 14 4 10 304 KB hi. Mlka Grace, Pontlac 34 52 10 17 4 I 31 .277 Dan Ichmlti, Ferndale 240 31 74 4 i 2 2t .275 Gary Zalmamkl, Warran Niagara 5 15 24 3 1 0 10 .274 Tarry Lynch, Mt. Plaaiant Montgomery (Tlgr)-Southrn-AA 343 53 3 22 4 I 41 .271 Mark Johniton, Mt.

Clamant WestHaven(Yankt)-Eattrn-AA 341 42 02 14 3 14 51 .270 Mlka Scharvlsh, Detroit 13 20 51 2 3 2 .264 Nick Popovlch, Battle Creek Reading (Phlls)-Eaitarn-AA 34 47 102 21 2 7 44 Charlet Keller, Trey Richmond 407 32 105 17 3 20 4 .251 Phil Turner, Flint Medicine Hat (JayD-Ploneer-R 221 32 5 4 2 1 30 .257 Julio Rodriguez, Saginaw Roy all-Gulf Coat-R 102 21 24 2 I 0 .255 Kirk GlRien, Watertord 30 4 71 11 40 .252 Chrlt Baker, Dearbern Ht. 15 40 2 3 I 2 .252 Ray Hampton, Detroit Montgomery (Tlgr)-Southarn-AA 440 44 115 23 3 I 41 .250 Jarry Mlklotl, Lincoln Park 4 24 1 1 0 II .250 rnl Whltt, Retavlll 34 2 16 4 4 3 .247 Greg Dlkoi, Swam Creok BraveaKiuHCoait-R 171 33 44 I 4 31 .247 La Kanaga, Deerbem Lakeland (TlgerD-Fla. 14 13 35 I I 1 14 .245 Tad Deten, Parry Montgomery (Tlgartl-Southarn-AA 423 4 103 14 1 14 71 .243 Bruc Pournler, Allan Park WetrburyA')-Eeitern-AA 373 43 1 tS 4 5 34 .243 Jett Nate, Dowaglac Helena (PhlH)-Ploneer-R 44 17 16 2 1 0 5 .242 Dick Walterheute, Ann Arbor AmarlDotPadretl-Texat-AA 111 13 21 1 i 4 11 .237 Roger Btitlen, Grand Rapid Rengert-GutfCoatt-R 124 21 2 3 I 14 .234 Mlka Parker, Ann Arber RenoPedret)-Celtfornle-A 433 13 100 17 I 7 43 .231 Doug Slmunlc, Wathlngton If 14 41 1 II .204 Mike Burnt, Jackien Pawtuukat Brad Haveni, Reyal Oak WliconilnRapldl (Twlni)-MI(twejt-A Tern Owen, Grand Blanc Wautau-Mldweit-A Ray Soft, Riga Geneva Doug HarrUen, Pentlac San Antonio (Dodgert)-Texa-A A Fred Noldtwerth, Nerthville EvantvIA (Tlgert)-Am. Dick Pole, Trout Creak Portland Howard Bailey, Grand Haven Stave Perry, Ann Arbor Lodl (Dodgeri)-Californla-A Dennlt Kinney, Temperance Hawaii Mlka Merley, Saginaw Omaha Royali )-Am. Mark Wilkin.

Livonia Geneva Den Johnion, Weitland Rene (Padrett-CaUfornia-A Randy Ferd, Morencl Scott Vaughn, Allen Park Steve Schneck, Benton Harbor Pawtucket Jim Wheeler, Drayton Plain Br It tot, Va. (TlgerD-Appalechlen-R Kevin Richard, Wyandotte Lakeland TlogerD-Fla. -Charlet telagan, Mt. Clement Vltalle (Twlnt)-Callfomle-A Tern O'Dowd, Jackten Steve Mendertleld, Royal Oak Burlington Brewer (-Midwest-A Mark Millar, Recheiter El Paso Angel)-Txai-A A David Michael, Richland GraytHarbor (Matt)-Northwest-A Keith Deilarlali, Detroit Bristol, Va. (Tlgert)-Appalechlen-R '-Denote league leader i 38 Brian $tmbergr, Plymouth 163 34 51 I 1 4 34 .354 ddle Gates, Detroit 4 14 22 3 0 I 12 .31 Dan Rohn, Alpena Midland (CubD-Texas-AA 45 11 143 23 4 5 41 412 Mlka Hart, Potiago Tucson A 44S I 134 22 10 I 71 .304 Rob Illli, Grand Rapid Portland A 30 4 4 12 I SO .304 Rick Latch, Flint Lakeland let 21 SI 10 1 2 23 .304 Reggie Baldwin, Detrait 43 4 13 0 0 1 I .302 Robert Grand, Flint 182 2 34 2 1 25 .27 Steve Morrlton, Farmington Hills 441 SI 131 IS 4 1 47 .27 Jama Dietari, Rechetter Johnton City Cards -Appalachian 14 26 43 7 1 4 27 .21 Al Waiton, Haiel Park Stockton (BrawartXaKfomto-A $13 10l 147 14 4 4 45 .217 Dava Machamar, Benton Harbor 232 34 44 13 3 1 21 JI4 Pat Snarldan, Wayn Ft.Myri(Royl)-fl.Sf.-A 110 24 51 I .213 i m-m AA.d 0k dtieK..