Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 9

r.u:ty uillbst cleanup When he returns to the Tigers' lineup, designated hitter Rusty Staub is expected to occupy the No. 4 spot in the batting order. Page 5 it 4 i i i 1 frf flirts For the latest sports scores and results. PRESS ifiiwai t4ie lW 4wJ SPORTS FEOPLE 2 NBA ROUNDUP 4 BOX SCORES 7 HORSE RACING 8-9 5 Li DETROIT FREE FTEjH4jY QB'S PRICE: 3 COLT DRAFT PICKS ifl IT "0 -I Lions trade him is wis irreg Landry gets By JACK SAYLOR Fret Press Soorti Writer The Greg Landry Era of the Lions came to an, official conclusion Sunday when he was traded to the Baltimore Colts. It.had tailed off rapidly at the end of the 1977 season when then-Lions' coach Tommy Hudpseth shunted the veteran quarterback to the sidelines, then Monte Clark made it complete by handing the first-string job to Gary Danielson last season.

The last chapter of Landry's alternately cheered-booed 1 1 seasons in Detroit was written when he was peddled to the Colts in exchange for a package of draft choices. The Free Press has learned the Lions will receive Baltimore's fourth and fifth selections in this week's NFL draft, plus a No. 3 choice in 1980. "Greg made a request after the season that we try to trade him," Clark said, "and I told him if I could accommodate him and help the team I'd insist on that that I would. I think this trade accomplishes that.

"We're very pleased. We'll get some players with the draft choices that will be important to us. I've tried to look at it that way all along and at the same time be able to accommodate Greg. "I wish him well, he's a class individual and had a lot of good years here. You hate to lose people of that caliber, but under the circumstances, it's a natural transition for the Lions." The 32-year-old Landry was visiting relatives in New England and not available for comment, but Clark had informed him of the deal earlier.

"He seemed to be pleased," the Lions' coach reported. Landry is expected to be in Baltimore to take a team physical Monday. The trade is still subject to him passing that exam, but neither team anticipates a problem in that respect. Landry, the Lions' No. 1 pick out of the University of Massachusetts in the 1968 draft, once started 41 straight games for Detroit before the injury jinx made its first visit to him in 1973.

The years of Lions' frustration and mediocrity finally culminated when Clark instituted a youth movement last season and Landry could see the writing on the wall. At the end of the season he asked for a trade. "I just figure I can still play," Landry said at the tine. "I want an opportunity to play. I'm not in a position to say I want to be a backup quarterback for the next three or four years I'm not ready to hang up my shoes yet." Ironically, it is a back-up role that awaits Greg in Baltimore where Bert Jones, five years Landry's junior, is considered the finest young quarter II vir Joo back in football.

Jones suffered a shoulder injury in the final 1978 exhibition game against Detroit. The Colts languished with his backups Bill Troup and Mike Kirkland. dropping ouicklv out of playoff contention. Bob Irsay, the Colts' bombastic owner, told his coach Ted Marchibroda after the season in no way would he go into '79 with the same backups. Talks with the Lions began about two months ago and went into a holding tern, but the deal finally These Tigers can make it ver-r-r-y interesting year "Turn and face the strange changes" David Borne song.

Discomforting currents flow through the clubhouse as the Tigers drop two of three games to the Twins to reach the first turn of the baseball season with a 7-9 record. May Day is the time the team and the pennant races begin to assume their shape and form. In some uses, "May Day" is a call of distress, but isn't it too early for that? Aren't the Tigers a better-than-average fifth-place team? Shouldn't they improve with Rusty Staub, the prodigal designated hitter, rejoining the team in Chicago along with pitcher Mark Fidrych? Yes, but some noses are out of joint. Outfielder Dan Gonzalez is demoted to the minor leagues. Somebody else (Jack Billingham or Bruce Taylor, perhaps?) will be out of a job, too.

Among the survivors there are heads scratched, tongues wagged, fingers pointed, egos bruised. Centerfielder Lynn Jones, the 26-year-old rookie with strands of gray hair, Sunday gets two hits, knocks in a run, lines out twice, catches everything hit to him and throws the ball so hard and far it sails over the head of a cutoff man. He is hitting .412, he doesn't make errors, he runs the bases with speed and intelligence and he's headed for a seat on the bench without complaint. Why is this man smiling? tmes wants lo 1 eel needed "Even if I'll be left out, I'll still be around next time they need me," he said after the Tigers lost to the Twins, 5-3, Sunday afternoon at chilly Tiger Stadium. "That's the job of utility man.

I can't worry about it. Two winters ago, I was ready to quit. 1 wasn't making any money I wasn't going to play regular in Triple A if they take me out of the lineup, I'm not going to get down, pout or mope around." It the the posture of the humble rookie. Two lockers reached fruition with the impending draft. Landry's career in Detroit endured more ups and downs than a yo-yo.

He is the last quarterback to take the Lions to the playoffs and is second only to the legendary Bobby Layne in all Lions' passing records. But since 1973 he has been plagued by injury and discontent. Lions' owner Bill Ford has taken verbal shots at him and there were periodic trade rumors. The Lions did, in fact, try to dispose of Landry two years ago, but reportedly were offered only middle-round draft choices in exchange. At the time, Landry lamented these reports and reiterated time and again he didn't want to be traded.

Ford once berated Landry for "not being able to hit the ground" with his passes, but the quarterback shrugged it off as the owner's frustration. Free Press Pholos National Football League record (since surpassed) for rushing yards gained by a quarterback. As a passer, he is second in Lions' history in most categories only to the legendary Bobby Layne. Whether running or passing, Greg Landry (inset) left his mark on Detroit Lions' football in his 1 1 years as quarterback, first at Tiger Stadium and then at the Pontiac Silverdome. As a runner early in his career, he set a See LANDRY, Page 9D Ifs D-Dayfor Bird watchers ft fK down from Jones is Ron LeFlore, the proud veteran, the bold base-runner, the kind of guy managers call "sparkplug." Only the sparks are of irritation.

He had read that. Tigers' manager Les Moss might play him in leftfield if his sore arm It is healed enough to get him off i a ci an ata4 hit tar tittr By BRIAN BRAGG Free Presj Soorls Writer The decision on Mark Fidrych's immediate future with the Tigers has been made, and it's virtually certain The Bird will be made an active member of the ball club Monday. The Tigers won't announce their decision until then, but it has been increasingly apparent for several days that the eventual move would be to return Fidrych to full-time status. It is expected that Fidrych will be returned to the active roster and will make his first official start of the season this week in Minnesota during the Tigers' six-game road trip. It has become clear in the last couple of weeks that The Bird is ready for a regular schedule of pitching.

Manager Les Moss had admitted that he and pitching coach John Grodzicki "have done all we can" for Fidrych by working with him on the sidelines. THE BIRD'S LAST exhibition appearance against the Cincinnati Reds on April 23 showed that he was ready to That way, Staub could be the I uh, sieve Kemp couia move irom left to right. Jerry Morales could take over in center. LeFlore demanded a meeting Sunday with Moss, who announced after the game that LeFlore would play in center. Lynn Jones Marshall slams lid on Tiger hits, 5-3 Shortstop Roy Smalley and relief ace Mike Marshall, two of the principal reasons why the Minnesota Twins have jumped off to a surprising 12-7 start this season, stuck it to the struggling Tigers Sunday afternoon.

Smalley banged out four hits, including his fourth home run of the season, and scored three times to pace the Twins' offense. Marshall allowed just one harmless single in 3 innings of relief to stifle the Tigers. 5-3. Sunday was the 11th time Marshall has trudged out of manager Gene Mauch's bullpen this young season, and it was the seventh time he has hung up a save to go with two victories and one loss. His Sunday outing lowered his earned run average to a sparkling 1.35.

Marshall picked up both saves this weekend as the Twins took two of the three games from the Tigers. "I hope it just continues like it is now," said the former -(tf r.N immmrnmmmmmyfmmmmmmmmmmmammm III I II mini pitch in the big leagues again. His stamina and his control are not what they were before his right shoulder sidelined him for most of the last two seasons, but he is able to throw hard without pain. Moss and the Tigers believe a steady diet of work for the 24-year-old righthander will improve both of those factors. Because there was no reason to keep Fidrych on the disabled list any longer, the Tigers really had only two possible courses of action with their prized pitcher: (1) to send him to the minor leagues for more work, and (2) to return him to the active list and give him a trial by fire in regular-season play.

The latter course made the most sense. Even though The Bird eventually toned down his adamant stand against going to the minors, he still believes, as he said times before, "If I can pitch at Evansville, I can pitch in Detroit." THE TIGERS' PITCHING has been a weak spot this spring, with only two complete games in 16 starts. Even if Fidrych is put into the rotation and is unable to go a full nine innings at first, it will make no appreciable difference as long as he is reasonably effective for six or seven innings. The Tigers' team earned run average is approaching five runs a game, and even if Fidrych is at less than full strength, he could be expected to do at least that well. Moss has admitted that The Bird's work against the Reds in the exhibition game a week ago was "big-league See FIDRYCH, Page 7D "I'd rather take a chance on getting hit with a whisky bottle in centerfield than be a designated hitter," LeFlore said, even though he has got a 10-game hitting streak as a DH.

"I'm just a productive person. If my arm is good enough to play left, it's good enough to play center." We'll see when the first runner tries to take an extra base. "I told him (Moss) in spring training, 'If you don't bother me, I won't bother There's no guy who can get to a ball like I can. Kemp ran into a wall, he's got a bruised knee, how can he cover the alley between center and right? Somebody mentions the Lynn Jones predicament. "He's been productive," LeFlore said.

"With Rusty coming back, what can they do, sit me down?" He paused as his question dissolved into thick air, unanswered. Nobody would be bold enough to suggest a trade. Somebody, timidly recalled that LeFlore found fault with Staub's unsuccessful holdout in spring training. "I'm glad to see him coming back," LeFlore said, "But I stand firm in what I said. He should've been here earlier.

"But when he walks in, I'm going to greet him." Staub-style socks are missing So will Jason Thompson, who debated the Staub affair with LeFlore earlier this spring. Thompson, a friend of Staub, has struggled to a .167 average with five RBIs. The team got three runs on 12 hits Sunday. Nobody could 5 provide the Big Hit, Staub-style, with men on base. After Thompson had reached on a walk, he advanced on a double by Morales, but slowed down and looked over his shoulder bet third and home to watch himself get thrown out at the plate.

Thompson has had little to say lately, but he'll probably offer Rusty a big hello. And what of Fidrych? Consider the opinion of Alan the articulate sophomore who had three hits including a dandy bunt single and a dirty uniform Sunday after belly-flopping about the basepaths. This No. 9 batter has a .464 average. He frets about his five errors, but he is glad to see The Bird return.

Trammell says he's not been getting enough chances at shortstop to get his confidence back. When Fidrych pitches, the balls hit the ground of the Infield. "He's not ready to pitch, but he's good to have around," Trammell said. "I hope he does well." And what about Staub? "Rusty is a good hitter, he'll help, it's too bad guys who worked hard to make the team lose out," Trammell said. "Rusty's career speaki for itself.

We're having trouble right now. We're going to get untracked. But Rusty should have been around from the start." Maybe yes. maybe no. The fun has just begun.

First road win, 2-1, is Express shootout ROCHESTER, N.Y. The Detroit Express accomplished three "firsts" here Sunday afternoon when they scored and won on the road for the first time this year and won their first shootout of the season, registering a 2-1 victory over the Rochester Lancers. Johann Sharraann provided the margin of victory when he beat Rochester goalie Shep Messing to the right. Then Jim Brown stopped Rockester's last attempt in the shootout. The victory, the Express third straight, upped their record to 3-2 and moved them into third place in the Central Division of the American Conference in the North American Soccer League.

The Lancers, 2-3 overall, controlled play in the first half, putting pressure on the Detroit goal and keeping the See EXPRESS, Page 3D Express 2, Rochester 1 (ot) Rochester Exorejj Snols 16 13 Seves 5 Fouls OHndes 5 SCORINC-Roches'er: Silve (A'berto. rrico) 54.20, De'roit: Furphy (Tmnion, Ca'esi. 16.13, Celroil: learn eotl (in EXPRESS UNEUP-Brown, Hunter, Cotouhouo, Oeies. Seergent, MoHal (BeW-kye lit, Bradford, Tinnion, Rohrbach (Vaughn 54.20), Furphy. ROCHESTER UNEUP-Messing, O'Er-rico, Fenic, Miia'ovic, Poli han, Grgurev, Alberto, ErroU, Stoienovic, Bavlon, Siiva.

1 if Mark (The Bird) Fidrych was his usual self before Sunday's game at Tiger Stadium, waving a cheery greeting to his fans (top), then playing catch with a teammate. i ii '-'ir'nnii.