Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 29

Today's television highlights: 0 12:00 p.m. Football: Illinois at Iowa 3:00 p.m. Baseball: Kansas City at Oakland 3:30 p.m. Football: Notre Dame at Missouri 3:40 p.m. Football: Purdue at Michigan St.

Saturday, Sept. 29, 1004 HORSE RACING COLLEGE FOOTBALL LJ DETROIT FREE PRESS COMICS Call with sports news: 222-6660 22-6660 Ilsro ccao tha playoffs: The Cubs trimmed three players including Rick Reushel to reach the playoff limit and selected its playoff rotation. Page 4D. Phone, 1-976-1313 It's Royals vs. Tigers for AL flag osr I Puscas rg love letters OAKLAND, Calif.

(AP) Steve Balboni, the hottest Their victory over the A's, coupled with Minnesota's 1 1- Tigers lose the playoffs? Not when it win or else The Love Letters of a sports writer: "Somehow I've got the feeling that just win 13th homer with one out in the fourth to tie the score, and with two out in the fourth, an error by A's third baseman Carney Lansford set up the go-ahead run. Darryl Motley reached second base after Lansford -fielded his grounder and made a throwing error over first. Balboni, the next batter, singled to center, just over the glove of second baseman Tony Phillips, for his 76th RBI of the season. Balboni hit safely for the 17th time in his last 18 games and has 13 RBIs in that stretch. He has six game-winning RBIs this month, three in the last week.

Brett made the score 3-1 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth after Onix Concepcion and Pat Sheridan had singled off A's starter Ray Burris. I hitter in Kansas City's September title drive, sent the Royals ahead with a fourth-inning single Friday night and they beat Oakland, 6-5, to clinch the American League West crown. Dan Quisenberry survived two home runs in the final three innings to earn his 44th save, one short of the major league record he established last season. He relieved Charlie Leibrandt, who allowed five hits and two runs in six innings. The Royals, deep in the division standings at the All Star break, won for the 10th time in their last 13 games and are 44-25 since July 18.

The division title was their fifth in nine years. 10 loss to Cleveland, settled the last contested division race in the major leagues. Frank White drove in the Royals' final three runs, with a sixth-inning homer and a two-run triple in the seventh. The Royals held a 6-2 lead before Rickey Henderson belted a two-run homer, his 16th, off Quisenberry in the bottom of the seventh. Quisenberry also gave up Dwayne Murphy's 33d homer in the eighth.

The Royals will face the Tigers in the best-of-five championship series that opens Tuesday night in Kansas City. Bill Almon's seventh homer of the season, with two out in the second, gave the A's a 1-0 lead. George Brett hit his ning the toughest division in baseball won't be enough for Tiger fans. If after their outstanding season, they get knocked out in the playoffs or World Series, will they end up a bunch of bums?" BRENT SCANLON, Holton What an awful thought to bring up at a time like this, Brent. They know how we feel about 'em.

They're our guys, win or else. Tigers win No. 103 on Whitaker homer "A columnist whose name escapes me com mented on the beautiful bottoms of our female Olympic athletes, and was subsequently disman tied by his female readers. Now, reader Trish Olson of Royal Oak writes you (LL, Sept 22) about Lance Parrish's tush, and the only response will be a few chuckles. Harumph! MARK DENTON, Ypsilanti Don't get me involved with tough women, Mark.

Over dinner a few years ago, I innocently called a gal a chick." She threw her wine, called me a coc au vin, then apologized. She meant to say capon. League President Bobby Brown, who will decide Lemon's fate. "It's up to the league president," said fellow ump Ken Denkinger. "There isn't a good time to bump." Said Lemon: "I don't want to say anything about it.

I have a lot of respect for the umpires. A lot of respect for Al Clark. And I'd just rather not say anything about it." Clark said of Lemon, "The kid's a competitor." IT WAS A BAD NIGHT for more than Lemon, too. The Tigers' bullpen had its third straight shaky outing, although Doug Bair pitched four innings and got the win. Willie -Hernandez, who had 32 saves in 32 save situations going into the game, now has 32 saves in 33 save situations.

He allowed a run-scoring sacrifice fly by Bobby Meacham in the eighth that tied the game, 2-2. Hernandez retired the next bat- ter, too, but lost his perfect record in the third-to-the-last game of the year. "Every Saturday during the Big Ten football season, I display my Spartan flag in front of my house. What should I do with my flag the rest of this season?" By BILL McGRAW Free Press Sports Writer NEW YORK Chet Lemon has been one of the hottest Tigers at the plate as the season inches toward a climax. On Friday, he got a little too hot under the collar, an outburst he might regret.

Lemon has a seven-game hitting streak, with two home runs and four RBIs. He had a double and a single Friday night as the Tigers beat the Yankees, 4-2, on Lou Whi-taker's two-run homer in the 12th. It was the Tigers' 103d win of the season, tying the club record set by the 1968 World Champs. But Lemon might have jeopardized his playoff participation with what he did in the fourth inning. He bumped an ump.

In fact, Lemon nudged second-base umpire Al Clark three times during a fourth-inning brouhaha. The two men went chest-to-chest in the type of illegal contact for which players are often suspended. What' would become of this touching scene remained to be seen. SPARKY ANDERSON was confident that Lemon's punishment, if any, would not affect his eligibility for the League Championship Series. The umpires were non-committal, although they made it clear such contact is never cool.

"Any bumping is severe bumping," said Clark, who will file a report with American BILL FISK, Rochester I wouldn't panic yet, Bill. But if the Spartans don't win soon, I'd turn that flag upside down and hope somebody rows the Red Cedar to the rescue. "Let's not have the baseball season end without Hernandez, who got Thursday's loss, entered the game with runners on first and third after Bill Scherrer and Aurelio Lopez had faltered in relief of Dan Petry. See TIGERS, Page 6D the fans knowing how the 'Wave' really started in Detroit: Stu Klutenic started it on his Channel 2 sportscast." A. FOX, Troy You might be right, A.

I suspect they need a bug mtMib, i UPI Photo Juan Berenguer will be used in long relief during the playoffs. Page 6D. Manager Sparky Anderson is today's Tigers profile. The Back Page. spray in that studio.

Off the air, Stu doesn't slap his way through conversation like that. Chet Lemon turns to argue with umpire Al Clark after being called out at second base. Lemon was ejected. "The new baseball players seem to be getting younger all the time. The other night I watched the Can Mallory's hapless Hoosiers win? new kid O'Neal pitch for the Tigers.

Does his mother let him stay up for the whole game?" HUGH WINDISCH, Mt. Clemens Of course not. Sparky promised to have him on By TOMMY GEORGE Free Press Sports Writer his way home by the seventh inning, and he's a man of his word. BLOOMINGTON, Ind. This season marks the 100th for football at Indiana University.

In sparkling Memorial Stadium, where the Hoosiers have played for 25 years, Bill Mallory is trying to forge a win in his first season as coach. "Will you please forward this to Aurelio Lopez it's a sure cure for the gout: 'Eat plenty of Saturday is "Pork Day," meaning more than 1,000 A win would help tremendously. Any kind of win. And a winning season? Mallory's eyes twinkle at the thought. There have been few of those at Indiana only two in the last 10 years.

In 1967, the Hoosiers were 9-2, Big Ten champions and 14-3 Rose Bowl losers to Southern Cal. Lee Corso had five losing seasons in six years before he went 8-4 and topped Brigham Young in the Holiday Bowl in 1979. Corso was fired in 1982, and Sam Wyche, now Cincin-" nati Bengals head coach, was 3-8 last year in his only season. "The thing Lee and others weren't able to do here is once they got 'em to the top, they didn't keep 'em there," says Mallory. He brought a 99-52-1 coaching record with him to IU after stints at Miami of Ohio, Colorado and Northern Illinois.

See BILL MALLORY, Page 8D Could things be any worse for the worst football team in the Big Ten? Well, the Michigan Wolverines show up today. The Wolverines have won 12 straight over the Hoosiers by lopsided scores that include a 61-7 victory in 1971. Michigan leads, 32-8, in the series. When the the teams meet at 2 p.m. (Detroit time) today, Mallory has everything going against him.

THAT INCLUDES two sons, Mike and Doug, Wolverine players, and his own disheartened crew, which has committed 12 turnovers. "Lord's sake," Mallory says, leaning back in his office chair surrounded by mementoes of his past coaching success, "we need something positive. We need confidence here. I'm not talking about self-pity, because we're not going to drop our diapers down." pounds of pork products will be served in the parking lot watermelon, drink plenty of papaya juice, orange before the Michigan game. The feast comes courtesy of the juice and especially cherry juice at least three Indiana Pork Producers Association.

Special moments for Indiana, indeed, but 1984 has been times a And if you re going to drink any alcohol, make sure it's a good grape or cherry wine." ike most other football seasons: Indiana is winless in three games, the Hoosiers have suffered the indignity of losing to league doormat Northwestern, opponents are piling on an CHARLES JOHNSON, Detroit Sounds great to me, Chas. Where can I buy a avalanche of yardage and points, and Indiana players are befuddled and somewhat somber and talk about quitting. case of gout? i i "Hey, George, I've got an idea. How about Stefan getting the nod winners of your LL pins, he or she, becoming official members of the media?" DORION CABLE, Canton Nah, you wouldn't like it, Dorion. Short pay, as top goalie for now long hours, all those locker rooms By JOHN CASTINE Free Press Sports Writer "In the wake of the Tigers' division clinching, a This is a story about three Red Wings thought occured to me.

I feel it would be a great thing to have someone other than the usual 1968 hero or Tiger Hall of Famer throw out one of the goaltenders renamed for the moment, Winkin, Blinkin' and Nod and their fight to be No. 1. Now Nod, that's Greg Stefan. Even first balls in the playoffs or World Series. How jabout a guy who turned on Detroit when the team was lousy a guy who made the Tigers famous yhen they were also-rans Mark Fidrych.

This would be a long overdue touch of class." though coach Nick Polano said he was No. 1 a month ago, then changed his mind the first day of training camp by calling the battle wide open, it's safe to assume the nod as No. 1 will go to Stefan. i ROBERT B. COHEN, Southfield Why not Mickey Lolich, hero of the '68 Series, Why? Because Polano also said in Au rhin iSi8iiwAWmiI' uini gust that Stefan was one of the Wings' who has kept his arm in great shape pitching donut holes? three "untouchables," along with John Ogrodnick and Steve Yzerman.

Three Red Wings are battling for the No. 1 goaltending job. Here's a look at the three and their stats from last season: BUT POLANO won't concede that the battle's over. "Do vou think that with the City of Detroit as "(General manager) Jimmy Devellano's being very fair," Stefan, 23, mumbled through swollen gums. (He had his wisdom teeth extracted Thursday).

"If I'm going to play that many games (50 last season) and play the No. 1 role, it's different" than being No. 2, which he was after training camp a year ago. "I want to get the (contract negotiations) over with before the season starts so I can worry about hockey. That's what I'm here for." ENTER ED MIO and Corrado Micalef.

They're Winkin' and Blinkin'; that's what they'll be doing a lot of over the next 10 days, trying to stop more hockey pucks than the other guy and win the No. 2 goaltending job. In spite of what the coach said, Winkin' and Blinkin' said in so many words this week that they are fighting each other, not Nod, for a job. They know their names were shopped around during the summer in trade talks. Nobody bit So the one who loses the battle for No.

2 goalie will go to the Wings' Adirondack farm club. "It's the same thing every year," said Micalef, 23, who gets his first exhibition chance against the Buffalo Sabres today in Lake Placid. Sort of like a broken record? "Yeah, that's hockey," he said. He knows about hockey; Micalef lost the battle to Stefan for No. 2 a year ago and was sent to Adiron- See RED WINGS, Page 6D "We've only played two exhibition owner of Tiger Stadium and the Tigers being just tenants, the reason I'm having trouble getting olavof tickets is Mayor Young is attending with games," Polano saia Deiore leaving ior weekend exhibition games in Lake Placid, N.Y., and Glens Falls, N.Y.

"We've only been in training camp a week. Let's give it time. Let's give the three goaltenders a fair chance. Ed r.Iio 55,000 of his closest friends?" Stefcm MARTY WIENER, Southfield Not true. Martv.

The mayor will be surrounded "Knowing Greg Stefan, it doesn't bother bv strangers if only because his friends bring him with me making this statement that him more trouble than he needs. he's not No. 1, that he's going to have to Corrado Ilicaicf Age: 23 Games: 14 Minutes: 803 Goals against: 52 Average: 3.86 Record: 5-8-1 make it in training camp." That seems to be true. "It doesn't really bother me," Stefan a Age: 23 a Age: 30 Games: 50 a Games: 24 a Minutes: 2,600 Minutes: 1 ,295 Goals Goals against: 152 95 Average: 3.51 Average: 4.40 a Record: 19-22-2 Record; 7-11-3 (Dandies, eh? Those smart, dashinzLL lapel said. "It will make me work harder in camp." pins are gifts to all whose sparkling thoughts appear here.

Send your sports beefs or bouauets So should a new contract, ne wings are the process of renegotiating Stefan's to Love Letters, Detroit Free Press, Detroit, MI 4S231). contract, even though he has a year and an option year left..