Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 33

Tuesday, Oct. 2, 1979 222-G720 Sportsllnp For the latest sports scores HORSE RACING TELEVISION CLASSIFIED ADS I DETROIT FREE PRESS and results. COMICS 13-15 I Tho high pi Icq of hcchoy; What will it mean when the Wings move to the new Joe Louis Arena? For one thing, it's going to mean higher ticket prices. Details are on page 4. mm LJ Bo pulls a Woody did he poke U-M writer? 1 Coach: 'I don't even remember you know these kids wall asked Schembechler what happened.

The U-M coach laughed the matter off, saying, "I don't even remember. You know these kids." Don Howe, a sportscaster for WCXI radio in Detroit, saw the incident and was quoted by the Associated Press as saying: "I just happened to look over and see it. Bo pushed him three times in the chest. He pushed him harder each time. The last time he really knocked him; he almost knocked him down." U-M SPORTS information director Will Perry talked to Schembechler, who said that Perrin was asking him about students attempting to try out for the Perry said he did not ask Schembechler if he pushed Perrin.

Perrin's question was virtually the same one Schembechler was asked at the media luncheon by another writer. Schembechler said he does recruit kickers, although he does not give scholarships to incoming freshmen kickers. Apparently a different Michigan Daily sports writer has been writing about students wishing to kick for the Wolverines. The paper has been trying to get a tryout for one particular student. IT WAS THE second time In three days that Schembechler has lost his temper going Into some- thing of a Woody Hayes imitation.

This past Saturday Schembechler was hit with a 15-yard penalty after he threw his head set to the ground while protesting to an official after two straight five-yard penalties wiped out Michigan first downs. "Would you emphasize kicking now, wheu recruiting, because of what's happened so far?" Perrin asked. "We emphasize you guys are way out of base asking me that damn question anyway," Schembechler said. "What the hell did you ask me that when you know that's not true?" That is when Schembechler pushed the microphone out of the way and allegedly began poking Perrin. "DONT MAKE ME look bad, understand, son?" Schembechler said, "or I'll throw you the hell out of Michigan football." Schembechler's comments were on Perrin's recorder.

A couple of reporters who saw Perrin back into the By MICK McCABE Free Press Sports Writer ANN ARBOR University of Michigan head football coach Bo Schembechler allegedly had a physical confrontation with a reporter from the school's student newspaper Monday afternoon when he was asked about the team's inept kicking game. After his Monday media luncheon, Schembechler allegedly poked a reporter from The Michigan Daily in the chest and then put his hand at the base of his throat and pushed him out of the way. Dan Perrin, a senior from Huntington Woods, was asking Schembechler about his kicking game, which has missed nine straight field goal attempts, when Schembechler pushed the microphone away and allegedly began poking Perrin. Schembechler on MSU: 'This game's going to be lighC Page. 41) Bo Schembechler reason to kick? RIGHTHANDED POWER HITTER ALSO A MUST 4 Jim Tigers' major need for 1980: Pitching! By BRIAN BRAGG Free Pres Sports Writer Last March, before the winter's snows had vanished from the stadium turf, it was apparent that the 1979 edition of the Detroit Tigers had only a faint chance to finish higher than fifth place in the Ameri can League East.

The predic tion was that only Cleveland and Toronto would wind up lower in the division stand SNi CA i 'v. d2f fir -iSft' xsr-' Jf4 i ings. In six months of play, ab solutely nothing happened to change that original assess ment. The Tigers' 85-76 record put them smack-dab in the No. 5 spot, exactly where they belonged, on paper.

And yet no one, not even Orioles, Reds favored? Don't you believe it! "If you don't win the playoffs," Reggie Jackson once observed, "you don't win anything." For once Mr. October was right. Baseball's playoffs or the League Championships as they have been officially christened by His Eminence, the commissioner are perhaps the most crucial, the most critical segment of the summer season. True, the playoffs, which begin for the National League In Cincinnati Tuesday evening and for the American League In Baltimore the following night, lack the tradition, the global appeal, and the massive TV ratings of the World Series. But the players will tell you there is often far more pressure in the playoffs.

And far more money to be made. The team that wins its playoff is guaranteed at least the loser's share in the World Series. Last fall, for example, the Los Angeles Dodgers, pocketed $25,483.21 per man as their reward for collapsing in the Series against the New York Yankees. The victorious Yankees, meanwhile, only earned $31,236.99 each a difference of less than $6,000. But Kansas City and Philadelphia, who also won division titles but were eliminated in the playoffs, had to settle for about $12,000 per man.

This year, the oddsmakers have Indicated they expect the Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds to prevail in the playoffs and advance into the Series. I think they're wrong on both counts. The law of averages says I'm convinced the California Angels, who finally got their act together last week, will upset the Orioles, who have been uncommonly lucky all year. And I believe Pittsburgh's balanced pitching will enable the Pirates to overcome the Reds, who have personally ended the Pirates' season in the playoffs three times in the past 10 years. I like the Angels, quite frankly, because I cannot bring myself to believe the Orioles are actually as good as they have looked all season.

Up until now, absolutely everything has gone Balti The Swami, could have fore seen the strange twists and turns which brought the Tigers to their appointed sta tion. WHO REALLY believed Steve Kemp would suddenly blossom into one of the most Mh-x-t, feared hitters in the league, and who really expected Jason Thompson to slip so badly at the plate? None could have guessed that Rusty Staub would uni laterally end his "retirement and then flop so miserably with the bat, prompting the Tigers to peddle him for a mess of pottage. And there were further surprises: Free Press Photo John Hitler's decline and more way. Every bounce of the ball, every umpire's call, every Aurelio Lopez's rise. The failure of Jerry JI Iuckv break law ywJ averages says, sooner or later, that onnA fortune has ont tn nin nut Manager Sparky Anderson hopes to have even more pleasant surprises for victory-thirsty Tiger fans next season.

Reds, Bucs start another showdown Morales and the arrival of an unknown named. Champ Summers to become one of the club's big home run hitters. o-- Besides, the Orioles have been coasting sinceAugust, resting comfortably on their insurmountable lead. It may be difficult for them to turn their enrlv-spnsnn enthusiasm The development of young Jack Morris as the ace of the pitching staff even though he spent the first PvS I i an( mtensitv Dack 0D" I X. fi The An sets, on the other hand.

month of the season in the LjU minors. threatened until the final week of the regular season to blow the Western Division title that everyone conceded to them in the spring. Ana aosoiutely no one foresaw that the Tigers would Earl Weaver summarily dismiss the rst- year manager, Les Moss, after SEAVER REBOUNDED FROM a 2-5 start and a painful muscle injury in his back to post a 16-6 record and 3.14 earned run average. Behind him, Cincinnati manager John McNamara is expected to start rookie Frank Pastore, who posted some key victories down the stretch and finished at 6-7. That leaves Mike LaCoss 1 4-8) and Fred Norman (11-13) or Bill Bonham (9-7) when the series switches to Pittsburgh following the first two games in Cincinnati.

Bucs' manager Chuck Tanner is expected to start Jim Bibby (12-4) on Wednesday, followed by Bert Blyleven (12-5) and Bruce Kison (13-7). Meanwhile, in the American League playoff, the California, Angels, making the first post-season appearance in their 19-year history, will send flame-throwing Nolan Ryan to the mound against Baltimore's Jim Palmer Wednesday night in the opening game. Ryan compiled a 16-14 record with a 3.60 earned-run average and 223 strikeouts in 222 in nings this season. He missed several weeks with arm problems. Palmer also had an injury-filled season, finishing with a 10-6 record and 3.30 ERA in 155 innings, far below his usual standards.

It was his highest ERA and the least number of innings he's pitched in any season since 1969. Palmer criticized manager Earl Weaver's decision to have him pitch the opener and to hold back 23-game winner Mike Flanagan for the second game Thursday. Flanagan, a favorite for the American League Cy Young award, will face young Dave Frost, who bailed out the Angels' often-injured pitching staff by posting a 16-10 record and 3.57 ERA. When the series switches to California Friday night, Frank Tanana, who missed much of the season because of injuries will pitch for the Angels against the Orioles' Scott McGregor in a matchup of lefthanders. Tanana, once the ace of the Angels' staff, finished with a 7-5 record, pitching just 93 innings.

McGregor was 13-6 with a 3.35 ERA. From AP and UPI Cincinnati's redesigned and streamlined model of the once awesome Big Red Machine returns to' the National League playoffs this week a familiar territory for a team that has dominated the league in the last decade. And, speaking of domination, the Pittsburgh Pirates are back in the playoffs for the sixth time in the last 10 years. The 1979 NL West title also marked the sixth division crown in the last 1 0 years for the Reds, who will be trying to reach the World Series for the fifth time. The only playoff the Reds have lost came in 1973, when they were beaten in five games by the New York Mets.

Ironically, the hero of that Met triumph was Tom Seaver, who will be the Reds' pitcher for Tuesday night's opening playoff game (Channel 4 In the Detroit area at 8 p.m.). He is expected to face John Candelaria (14-9). The Pirates have a lot of evening up to do. They lost the playoff series to the Reds in 1970, 71 and, in '75, they lost three straight to the Reds. just one-third or the season and replace him with one of the biggest names in baseball, sparky Anderson.

There is an ancient blessing: "May you live in interesting times." At the verv least. the 1979 baseball season gave I iger fans an interesting In fairness, it must be pointed out that just about everything that could possibly go wrong for the Angels this summer did. Since April, they have been beset and besieged by the incredible total of 48 injuries. Now, finally, nearly everyone is healthy and I believe the Angels may be at their mental and physical peak. I give the Angels the edge over the Orioles behind the plate (Brian Downing over Rick Dempsey), at second base (Bobby Grlch over Rich Dauer), in centerfield (Rick Miller over Al Bumbry) and at designated hitter (Don Baylor over Lee May or Pat Kelly).

Ryan Express ready to roll Baltimore looks better at first base (Eddie Murray over Rod Carew), shortstop (Kiko Garcia or Mark Belanger over Jim Anderson), third base (Doug DeCinces over Carney Lansford), in leftfield (Gary Roenicke over Bobby Clark or Larry Harlow), and in rightfield (Ken Singleton over Dan Ford.) The Orioles succeeded this season, as they have so many times in the past, because of their dependable defense and Impeccable pitching. And it's indeed difficult to find fault with a staff that includes Jim Palmer, Mike Flanagan and Scott McGregor, plus relievers Don Stanhouse and Tippy See TIGERS, Page 4D ROGERS EMBARRASSED BY LOSS Taste of reality pains MSU, Spartans take tumble; U-M holds its ground From AP and UPI Nebraska's lopsided 42-17 victory over Penn State pro pelled the Cornhuskers into fifth place in The Associated Press college football ratings and knocked the losers out of the Top Martinez. ones. If you lose to the wrong' people and end up fourth in your conference, that isn't too good. We all want to be 11-0 but you just have to keep working at being the best you can." THEY ARE ALL conference games from here on in, beginning with Michigan on Saturday, before a national See MSU, Page4D But I believe the Angels have three starters capable of dominating this best-of-five confrontation.

Nolan Ryan is at the top of his game right now, and we all know what that can mean; Dave Frost has won eight of his last 10 starts; and Frank Tanana is throwing a fastball again for the first time since he injured his arm midway through the 1977 season. In the National League playoff, I give the Pirates the advantage at first base (Willie Stargell over Dan Driessen), second base (Phil Garner over Joe Morgan), in centerfield Darryl Rogers "we'll keep on working" larity, a time to meet with the press and rehash the previous Saturday's victory, savoring one last time the taste of his teams' latest success. But what happened at South Bend changed all that Monday. "We were in kind of a bad mental state Sunday," the somber Spartan coach said of his club's first meeting after the 27-3 loss to Notre Dame. "But you can't live with a loss very long.

"I don't think one loss makes you a poor football team, nor does one win make you a good football team. "Anytime a football team with a program the magnitude of ours plays a schedule like this you are successful if you get through with three losses if you win the right By CHARLIE VINCENT Free Press Sports Writer EAST LANSING -For almost a year the people around Michigan State's sprawling campus have been looking forward to this weekend. They could visualize it: Set off against a background of falling amber leaves, in a stadium surrounded by a sea of automobiles, green-clad Spartans dealing yet another blow of vindication against the hated Wolverines. It was an easy scene to picture after MSU's 24-1 5 win in Ann Arbor last fall, the second In the Spartans" string of 10 straight victories. It was easy to visualize until Notre Dame jarred the Spartans back to reality last Saturday.

For Darryl Rogers, Monday is usually a day for jocu (Omar Moreno over Cesar Geronimo or Hector Cruz), and in Twenty, while Southern California, Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas held onto the top four spots. Houston, Washington, Ohio State, Florida State and Notre Dame rounded out the Top Ten. Michigan State slipped from seventh to 16th and Purdue, which nipped Oregon, 13-7, fell from 10th to 12th. The Second Ten consists of Michigan, Purdue, Arkansas, North Carolina State, Missouri, Michigan State, LSU, North Carolina, Tennessee and Brigham Young. The story was much the same in the UPI balloting.

Although the top five remained the same, second-ranked Alabama (3-0) received 11 first-place votes and 562 overall points to give Southern Cal a battle for the nation's No. 1 spot. Michigan State and Missouri, both undefeated and ranked sixth and seventh respectively last week, dropped out of the Top Ten. The Spartans, a 27-3 loser to Notre Dame, plummeted to 18th, while Missouri, which lost to Texas, 21-0, fell to 17th. Houston and Washington took their places, followed by Ohio State, Notre Dame and Florida State.

Michigan, rated 12th last week, stayed in the same position this week after slipping past California, 14-10. rightfield (Dave Parker over Dave Collins). Pittsburgh also has the stronger, deeper pitching staff both starting and relieving although the Pirates don't have anyone who compares with Cincinnati's Tom Seaver, winner of 14 of his last 15 decisions. The Reds also rate an edge behind the plate (Johnny Bench over Ed Ott or Steve Nicosia), at shortstop (Dave U-M9 MSU bow to pope on TV NEW YORK (AP) Saturday's football game between Michigan and Michigan State at East Lansing will be televised nationally, ABC-TV (Channel 7 in the Detroit area) announced Monday, with air time right after Pope John Paul II arrives In Chicago. The kickoff will be delayed until 2:10 p.m., if necessary, but no later.

If the news coverage takes more time, the opening segments of the game will be shown on video tape during halftime. Concepcion over Tim Foli), at third base (Ray Knight over Bill Madlock), and in leftfield (George Foster over Bill Robinson. So now you know. What you with this knowledge is entirely up to you..