Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 42

1CD DETROIT FREE PRESSSUNDAY, APRIL 8, 1934 au' bases NBC covers i Carol Morris worried along with husband orris9 no-hitter onm i i Lspssinto "Boy, you talk about the loneliness of the By ANNE TOBIK Free Press Sports Writer Carol Morris said she was more nervous than normal before Saturday's Tiger game. By the seventh inning, she was "a wreck." "I don't know why," she said later, "but when I got up, I was feeling extra nervous. Maybe it was because I knew they (the Tigers and White Sox) would be on Game of the Week. Also, the Tigers were on a roll winning three Straight. And I didn't want Jack to be the one responsible for 2t ending." The Tigers' winning streak didn't end.

In fact, Morris gave it a big boost he pitched his first no-hitter and the first by a Tiger since 1958. long-distance runner, Scully said in the ninth, "how about the loneliness of a man on a mound one out away from a no-hitter? Coyle's cameramen provided pictures of Morris in the dugout between innings, smil ing, then watching expressionless. On the mound, the viewers saw live and taped replay shots of Morris making key fielding plays to preserve the no-hitter and of Morris falling off the mound nervously after dehV' ering a ninth-inning pitch. ft J- I I i -sr-l fy IS-vr' f- I -f I And then there were none," Scully said as Coyle replayed slow-motion tape of "I'm still a nervous wreck, Carol said an hour after the game. "I can't ever remember being that nervous watching him pitch." But she does remember sitting at Tiger Stadium in 1979, watching Jack work on his first shutout.

"I remember exactly where I was sitting," she said. "And I remember the tears in my eyes when it was over." the final out. Afterward, Garagiola had a live, on-field interview with Morris, which seemed to be carried on the stadium speaker system as well as on network TV. "I'm so excited right now, I can hardly I After shouting instructions into telephones to two baseball stadiums all afternoon, NBC Sports executive producer Mike Weisman took a deep breath and said in what was only a slightly excited voice "We're feeling pretty lucky right now. It is very important that you start (the baseball season) strong and end strong." "Lucky" was an understatement to describe the fortune of NBC and Weisman, who directs coverage from a studio in New York City.

The network, beginning a new five-year contract with major league baseball, opened its telecast season with near-flawless coverage of Jack Morris' 4-0 no-hit victory over the Chicago White Sox Saturday afternoon. The telecast was seen in the Detroit area over WDIV-TV (Channel 4). Not only was NBC lucky to get the no-hitter, but also it was lucky to be showing it to most of the country 70 percent of affiliated stations for most of the game, 100 percent of them at the conclusion. Earlier in the week, Weisman had urged other network execs to carry the Baltimore-Minnesota game to most of the nation, with Detroit-Chicago to less than 33 percent. Baltimore was defending world champion.

Who could have predicted the Orioles would lose, 13-4? NBC Sports President Arthur Watson overruled Weisman, even though NBC was disappointed that Tom Seaver didn't make his American League debut on the mound for Chicago. "We guessed right," Weisman said. HIS NETWORK got an outstanding effort from play-by-play man Vin Scully, the mellow voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who was aided by color man Joe Garagiola and director Harry Coyle, already in midsea-son form. Although the ratings aren't in yet, the quality and drama of the telecast meant a great deal to NBC, Weisman stressed, because the network is trying to rebound from a miserable ratings skid for NFL football and NCAA basketball. When it became obvious that Morris had a chance for the no-hitter, Scully and Garagiola ignored the old superstition that such things not be mentioned.

Instead, they built the suspense by saying just often enough that the White Sox had no hits. talk, Morris said. THE TELECAST opened an extraordi Carol Morris ACTUALLY, CAROL didn't see every pitch Jack threw Saturday. Although she had two TVs and a radio on, she was busy cleaning the house during the first six innings. "I was so nervous, I cleaned my whole house.

I cleaned floors, I dusted, I washed dishes I did take a break and nary day for fans who like their sports on the air. Moments after the game, many switched to Channel 50 for the second half of the live telecast of the football game between the the fourth inning, when he walked all those guys. I Michigan Panthers and the Oklahoma Out laws. decided I didn need that kind of excitement. So I started waxing the kitchen floor.

It kept me busy helped keep my Later Saturday night, Channel 2 carried the grudge basketball match for first place mind off of it somewhat." But by the seventh inning, she finished waxing and started worrying. between the Pistons and the Bucks from Milwaukee. At the same time, Channel 50 carried a live telecast from crowded Joe I sat down and watched from then on, she said. It Louis Arena of the Red Wing against the St. like an eternity.

I got more nervous with each inning, leach out, each pitch." Louis Blues, the first playoff game in Detroit WITH TWO OUT in the ninth, Chicago's Greg Luzinski since 1978. The baseball telecast began with highlights of great moments from past NBC telecasts, including Henry Aaron breaking came up to bat. "The tension was almost unbearable then," Carol said. "I Babe Ruth's home run record and Carton thought 'Oh, no, It's not that Jack's had trouble with him. But he's so big he's 'The Morns walked Luzinski and Carol said she just kept thinking, "Let's get it over." And soon it was.

Morris struck out Ron Kittle for the no- Fisk (then with Boston) waving and cheering his home run into the stands during the 1975 World Series. It ended with a slow-motion shot of Morris jumping from the mound, celebrating his triumph that on a day when the Tigers had four runs, the White Sox had no hits and NBC had no errors. hitter and jumped into catcher Lance Parrish's arms. That when I really got choked up, she said. Seeing Free Press Photo by MAKY SCHROEDER Jack so excited at the end and all the guys excited well, Jack Morris jumps for joy into catcher Lance Parrish's arms Saturday.

yes, there were tears in my eyes again." Immediately, Carol phoned friends Jan and Eric Hippie, the Lions quarterback. Our video recorder is still in Florida and the Hippies said The guys behind Morris were a bit on edge, too they'd tape the game for us," Carol said. "That was my biggest worry after the game whether they'd gotten it on tape. But I was shaking so much, I could hardly punch the telephone numbers. Carol managed to get through to the Hippies who assured her they had the game on tape.

Then the phone started ringing with congratulatory calls: riends from church, Carol's brother and sister, Denise Berenguer, Jack's agent and Sherry and Gerry Ujdur, released by the Tigers in spring training. Ujdur, also a native of Minnesota, was Jack's best friend on the Tigers. He got a job with Cleveland Tnple-A team, Carol By BILL McGRAW Tree Press Sports Writer CHICAGO The seven Tigers behind Jack Morris got all pumped up Saturday as Morris' masterpiece moved toward the ninth inning. They were the first and last line of defense against a no-hitter becoming a one-hitter, or worse. "I'm going for everything," said center fielder Chet Lemon.

"In the last couple innings, I would dive for a even if it would get by me for a double. We got a four-run lead, and I think Jack is more interested in a no-hitter." The big guy in front of Morris, catcher Lance Parrish, was also on edge. "I felt I got cheated last year," Parrish said referring to Milt Wilcox's almost-perfect game against the White Sox. But the player who made the most difference Saturday was Dave Bergman, who substituted at first for starter said. "I'm really happy for them.

I know how rough this the Tigers are protecting a one-run lead. "He only gets replaced for the throwing, not the catching," Anderson said. NOTES ON THE NO-HITTER: After he had pitched his way into the record books, Morris recalled Wilcox's close call on a perfect game and said: "I thought that game was more dramatic." Said Wilcox: "I wasn't thinking about my game, I was thinking about Jack's game, and I was hoping he would start some of the guys out (in the ninth inning) with pitches other than fastballs. And he did, he started two of the hitters out with split-fingers." Anderson said Saturday's game was the first time he had managed a no-hitter in 14 years in the majors. "I'm very happy for Jack, but the win is the only thing I cared about," he said Barbara Garbey.

Bergman's specialty is fielding, and he proved it against the White Sox. Bergman entered the game in the seventh, just in time to yank Tom Paciorek's liner out of the air. Then, in the eighth, Bergman made a sliding stop on Jerry Hairston's pinch-hit grounder, throwing to Morris, who covered for the out. "I was really trying to concentrate at being on my toes," Bergman said. "And being very, very aggressive.

How many times are you going to play behind a guy throwing a no-hitter?" Manager Sparky Anderson said Bergman will be playing first base a lot in late innings. While Anderson also has pulled right fielder Kirk Gibson for a defensive specialist, Gibson finished the game Saturday. Anderson said Gibson who caught Rudy Law's first inning drive at the wall will take an early shower when game can get. About an hour after the game, the Hippies arrived at the Morrises' Birmingham home, tape of the no-hitter in hand. "This is my prize possession," Carol said as the Hippies handed her the tape.

"I wish I could watch it tonight but with the video still in Florida I can't. There's little doubt, however, that in the years to come, the Morrises will replay the tape many times. rf jr A Free Press File Photo Free Press File Photo Free Pres File Photo Jim Bunning stopped Boston on no hits on July 20, 1958. Afterward, he had a kiss for the ball and an embrace for his catcher, Red Wilson. George Mullin, shown in a 1939 photo, retired the St.

Louis Browns without a hit on July, 4, 1912 his 32d birthday. Virgil Trucks threw two no-hitters for the Tigers in 1 952 against Washington May 15 and against the Yankees Aug. 25. Independence Day, 1912. George Mullin, a right-handed pitcher, was a lucky man.

Lucky to have a job, because only three weeks earlier the Tigers had placed him on waivers but no team wanted him. Lucky because it was his 32d birthday. And luckier on the mound and at the plate. He no-hit the St. Louis Browns, 7-0, before 5,760 at Navin Field.

He added a single, a double and two RBIs to help his cause. Ty Cobb helped by singling in the fifth inning and then stealing second, third and home. Cobb went 3-for-4 for the game. Mullin walked five and another player reached on an error by second baseman Bill Louden. Mullin finished the 1912 season 12-17 with a 3.54 ERA.

He threw 226 innings and pitched in 30 games, starting 29 and completing 22. Born in Toledo and nicknamed Wabash George, Mullin played 1 4 seasons in he majors with the Tigers (1902-1913), Washington Senators (1913), Indianapolis of the Federal League (1914) and Newark of the Federal League 2(1915). C. Iin mnn Otfl lflC itrjtli a 01 TD A TT 11 1 HAC Oi: For almost 40 years not since George Mullin no-hit the St. Louis Browns in 1912 had a Tiger thrown a no-hitter.

In the meantime, five pitchers had no-hit the Tigers St. Louis' Earl Hamilton (1912 he had pitched in Mullin's no-hitter), Boston's Hub Leonard (1918), Chicago's Charley Robertson (1922), Cleveland's Bob Lemon (1948) and Cleveland's Bob Feller (1951). On May 15, 1952, Virgil Trucks, 33, squared off against Washington's Bob Poterfield in Briggs Stadium. After five innings, neither team had a hit. Tigers third baseman George Kell picked up the first with a slow dribbler through the right side of the infield with two out in the sixth.

With two down in the top of the ninth, Trucks got two quick strikes on cleanup hitter Mickey Vernon. A ball, high. A foul, off the plate. Trucks wound up and fired again; Vernon swung hard and missed. To start the bottom of the ninth, Kell grounded out.

Pat Mullin belted a long drive that was eventually hauled down near the screen in right. Up stepped Vic Wertz, and on the second pitch the ball was zoomed high in the upper deck down the right-field line for a home run. And a 1-0 victory. Trucks struggled for the next two months, and reportedly was on the trading block. But Aug.

25, in Yankee Stadium, he no-hit the New York Yankees, 1-0. The Tigers' Jim Bunning pitched the first of two career no-hitters July 20, 1 958. It was a 3-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox in the first game of a dou-bleheader at Fenway Park. Bunning allowed only three base runners he walked two and hit another. The hardest hit ball was in the first inning by Gene Stephens, Boston's leadoff batter.

He hit a long fly to right field that Al Kaline caught only a few feet from the fence, much the same play that Kirk Gibson made on Rudy Law's fly to lead off Jack Morris' no-hitter Saturday. Ted Williams was the final batter between Bunning and his no-hitter, and Williams flied out to Kaline. Bunning struck out 12 including Billy Consolo, now a Tigers coach, twice to win his sixth game in his last seven decisions and improve his record to 8-6. The Tigers got all their runs in the fifth inning against Frank Sullivan on Gus Zernial's RBI double and run-producing singles from Red Wilson Bunning's battery mate and Harvey Kuenn. Bunning's second no-hitter a perfect game came with the Philadelphia Phillies.

He stymied the Mets, 6-0, in New York on June 21, 1964. -1 rui ins taicci, 11c was nun a nc wuu Li 111 lUJ, Li 111 906, 21 in 1907, 29 in 1909 and 21 in 1910. He died Jan. 7, 1944, in Wasbash,.