Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 57

LeFlore meets Montreal; Ron LeFlore was introduced to the i Expos' fans Tuesday and promised to do his bit to help win an NL East pennant in 1980. Details are on page 4. Wednesday, Dec. 12, 1979 222-6720 Spoitslinc For the latest sports scores and results. HORSE RACING 8 TELEVISION 10 Jj ENTERTAINMENT 11-12 COMICS 13-15 1 DETROIT FREE PRESS NEW PISTONS' GM HAS CLOUT McCloskey 'will make decisions9 By JOE LAPOINTE Free Press Sports Writer The devitalized Detroit Pistons introduced Jack McCloskey Tuesday afternoon as the "basketball man" who will be their first real general manager in two seasons.

As is the case with most Pistons' appointments, McCloskey will take over a job he has never held anywhere else. McCloskey takes over a team with the second-worst record in the National Basketball Association. He will travel with the Pistons on their current four-game trip to the West Coast and he says he's the boss. "I don't have the authority of (Ayatollah) Khomeini," he said, "but I do think they've given me the responsibility to make decisions I've had my head knocked in. I've taken some beatings with an expansion team." Feldman, who represented the team's group of owners Tuesday, said there are no plans to sell or move the Pistons, as has been rumored, although he said the Pistons have increased in value.

Asked if he and owner Bill Davison were committed to However, he does have a National Basketball Association background, having worked this year as Bobby Leonard's assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers, who at first were reluctant to allow McCloskey to leave. Until last spring, McCloskey assisted Jerry West for three years with the Los Angeles Lakers. Before that, he coached the expansion Portland Trail Blazers from 1972 until 1974. He is a physically fit, 53-year-old Ivy Leaguer (Penn, '48) with dark eyebrows and a handsome head of hair as silver as Sparky Anderson's. He says he'll sit down soon and talk with every player, Including center Bob Lanier, a veteran whose good will is said to be essential to the success of any Pistons' employe.

"Bob's role should be to use his talent, to help younger players and to lead," McCloskey said while standing near a plastic Christmas tree in the Silverdome's press lounge. "Whether Bob is that type of individual, I don't know I can assess talent. I know talent. I think I can help (coach Richie Adubato) in many ways." MCCLOSKEY ASSUMES SOME of the duties held previously by Dick Vitale, who was fired last month as coach. He also takes over some of the workload from Oscar Feldman, the team's part owner who says he wants to go back to being a lawyer.

(The Pistons' most recent general manager, Bob Kauffman, left early last season.) C20IQ0 III ik jPiiscas keeping the franchise in the metropolitan Detroit area, Feldman replied: "I would have to say Prospective buyers often ask him if his team is for sale, Feldman said. He always replies: "There is no point is discussing it further," he said. Of his new general manager, Feldman said: "He has an outstanding reputation throughout the league that I was not aware of." Although McCloskey refused to reveal the length of his contract personal, I'd like to keep it that he said he wouldn't have accepted the Detroit job on an interim basis until the end of this season. He played both professional basketball and baseball at the minor-league level and coached Penn's basketball teams to a 146-105 record in 10 seasons before moving to Wake Forest. Pree Press Photo by TARO YAMASAKI Jack McCloskey: "I've had my head knocked in.

I've taken some beatings with an expansion team." Jeff Komlo may face lawsuit for alleged beer-mug 'passes' ask the owners Pistons offer Joe Louis-type footwork a must for Arena's steps! Just between us Here's a tip for all you guys with big feet: When you climb those stairways toward the stars into the new Joe Louis Arena, go up sideways, or sidesaddle, or any way but straight up. It will keep you from tripping and pitching over on your face. Coming down, you're on your own, good luck and bless you. This might be the trickiest climb since Jack went up the beanstalk. It's not because the 31 steps are steep.

The real problem Is that guys with a size 10 pad or more can't even fit it straight into a step. Further, tell your girlfriend not to wear open-toe shoes. The steps hang out over each other an extra inch or more, so that as she steps up, she might rip her panty hose right at the big toe. This is an awful introduction, of course, for a brand new $57 million sports palace. They've spent so much money on the arena you'd expect everything would be right and bright for the opening Wednesday night.

Still, they should have known. When construction began two years ago, Lincoln Cavalieri, who will manage the plant for Olympia, warned architects about those strange banks of stairs at the entrances. "I told 'em the thing to do was run ramps up to the doors instead of those stairs," says Cavalieri, "because with hundreds of people on those stairs at the same time, you're inviting problems." Fans play wait-and see game Especially if there's snow and ice around. You suspect a new industry forming. Sharpie lawyers will not have to chase ambulances anymore.

They could wait at the foot of those stairs to counsel the wounded and sue the world. Actually, the arena is splendid, once you're inside, but already the criticism of its few faults is hurting. To show you, there will be no rush or crush to see the University of Detroit open the arena Wednesday night playing the University of Michigan at basketball. Only are expected. The schools counted on more.

So did Olympia and Bruce The incident occurred Nov. 29 in Matto's, a Rochester bar where Komlo, Dorney and teammate John Mohring all roommates in a condominium owned by Dorney were watching the Thursday night football game between Miami and New England. FATHERINGHAM, who said he was seated at an adjacent table, told sports reporter Ell Zaret of radio station WRIF that Komlo and Dorney "had been bickering back and forth" for several minutes and trouble began when one of the quarterbacks in the televised game made a mistake. answers By CURT SYLVESTER Free Press Sports Writer Lions' quarterback Jeff Komlo, who already has been fined $1,000 for bouncing a beer mug off teammate Keith Dorney's face in a barroom fracas last month, may face a lawsuit over the same incident. An Oakland County man, Charlie Father-ingham, says he intends to sue Komlo for damages resulting from cuts on the back of his head, suffered when he was hit by a ricocheting beer mug thrown by Komlo.

Fatherington did not say how much money he will ask and his attorney, Terry Givens of Rochester, was not available for comment Tuesday. 4 days late See KOMLO, Page 5D Jeff Komlo Lahti, Cavalieri's legman who will do much of the event-planning for the arena. "Adverse publicity has hurt plenty," says Lahti. "They (the crit- FIRST-BAGLEYf Parking Garag I I "VNstV GARAGE I Shuttle Service I I ill RECOMMENDED PABXING F0Bf If Jh iDDpL -bj i I Ss I 1 -COBO ARENA GARAGE Jjl WmSr Person 7I COBO HALL GARAGE 7Pt-i))I rig i JOE LOUIS ARENA L0T JOelouiT-Is 2,500 ARENA COBO HALL ROOF DECK DETROIT 'WvIrS--, r4f I ics; are picturing tnis piace as a 5f' ffl death trap, and that's not true or 4 Hi fair nr nmirflte In nnv wv It certainly isn't. But watch your step anyway.

Where there's fire, there's hire Let us pause to welcome Jack McCloskey to town. He's the new general manager of the Pistons, who tried for nearly a year to get along without one. His tough look In Tuesday's Free Press, we noted that William Davidson and Oscar Feldman, owners of the Detroit Pistons, had refused to answer 25 questions selected from the more than 2,500 submitted by fans under the Free Press' "Ask the Owners" program. Late Monday, four days after the deadline for responding, the Pistons, in an apparent change of posture, delivered the answers to the Free Press. A Pistons' spokesman said the answers were not delivered sooner because Davidson and Feldman had been preoccupied with team management matters.

The answers did not arrive in time for all Tuesday editions. Below are 1 of the responses submitted by Davidson and Feldman. Because of space limitations, the remaining 12 answers will appear in Thursday's Free Press. William Clay Ford, of the Detroit Lions, is now the only team owner who refuses to answer the fans' questions. Q.

Since Detroiters have been loyal Pistons fans down through the years, do you have any plans to move the team back to downtown Detroit? A. The Detroit Pistons, as does any sports franchise, belongs to the entire metropolitan area that it represents. By moving to the Pontiac Silverdome, we have put ourselves within 45 minues of 6.5 million people. This puts a far greater number of Pistons fans and supporters within easy driving distance as compared to Cobo Hall. We are very happy with the move to the Silverdome.

In fact, we shattered every attendance record in the history of the team last season and anticipate continued success and indeed greater success in this area. We feel we are serving the greatest number of Pistons fans in our present location. Q. Why don't the Pistons appoint a full-time knowledgeable general manager? A. We are exploring that area right now, and have every Intention of appointing a general manager to handle the player personnel aspects for the Pistons.

(A story on the new Pistons general manager, whose appointment was announced Tuesday, appears on this page.) Q. Why does Bob Lanier sit in on interviews with prospective coaches, and why is his approval seemingly necessary in hiring a coach? A. Bob has, at no time, approved or disapproved the hiring of a coach for the Detroit Pistons. When a player with the abilities and knowledge of the game that a Bob Lanier possesses, has opinions on the performance of the team and the direction in which it is heading, the club would be foolish not to take those views into consideration. Bob has always felt free to express See OWNERS, Page 9D Lincoln Cavalieri Map by Fret Press Artist DOMINIC TRUPIANO How to park at Louis Arena fans in nearby seats.

Pillars and aisles are viewing hazards at the Olympia. BUT SPECTATORS inside the Louis Arena in many cases will be farther away from the action than at Olympia. The angle of the Louis Arena sides is less steep than the sides of Olympia, where fans in the last row of the balcony in the stadium's middle are approximately 113 feet from center ice, according to a Free Press measurement. Seats there cost $7. By comparison, fans in the last (42d) row in the middle at the Louis Arena will be 170 feet away from center ice, See ARENA, Page9D By BILL McGRAW Free Press Sports Writer The Joe Louis Arena is scheduled to host a college basketball game Wednesday night, although its safety and finances are under fire and much of the huge, gray structure on the riverfront is still unfinished.

Parking is the immediate problem for fans attending the University of Michigan-University of Detroit contest, which starts at 8 p.m. Detroit Police advise leaving early, picking a target lot before reaching the downtown area, and tuning in for radio traffic advisories. Atwater Street will become oneway heading west one hour before all games at the Louis Arena, and one-way heading east until traffic clears after the games. W. Jefferson will be one-way east before games and one-way west afterward.

Once inside the $57.8 million project, which includes a parking garage slated for completion next summer, fans will find 21,000 seats, no balconies and no pillars. The main interior walkway has been designed so passersby will not block A college basketball game between LJ-D and U-M will open the Joe Louis Arena tonight. Page 3D. suggests he has been through plenty, like a year in a sandstorm. I suspect he's supposed to raise hell with this team.

It comes as one more jolt for Dick Vitale, who wanted the job even while he was coaching the team, and puts Richie Adubato under heavier pressure. McCloskey was assistant coach of the Indiana Pacers. If the club's owners are getting impatient, though, you can hardly blame them. The Pistons have suffered more than you know. Not only do they have trouble on the floor, they've got it in the stands.

They are averaging merely 8,500, down 2,000 from this time a year ago and down 1,000 from last season's average. They need 15,000 to break Old coaches never Dave DeBusschere, one of the long line of former Piston coaches, has become majority stockholder in The Ring magazine, boxing's bible. He always was interested in boxing, he says. It's interesting, though, how things work. Dave's lawyer-agent is bustling John Noonan of Birmingham.

Noonan does the same for welterweight Thomas Hearns and manager Emanuel Steward, among others. Anyway, who do you suppose suddenly is rated No. 1 welterweight contender in the current issue of The Ring? Nobody else puts Hearns right up there even though he deserves it. Ali, can you help Mr. Hearns? Let's everybody fight Remember I told you Tommy Hearns' next fight would be at the Joe Louis Arena next month, most likely against a Californian named Randy Shields.

Forget it. Or rather, forget Shields. Shields made the mistake of winning a split decision over Mexico's Maurico Aldana in the Los Angeles Forum last weekend. Aldana has cut Randy's eye and seemingly dominated the fight, so much so that when the decision went to Shields, many of the Mexican's followers begin throwing bottles and chairs into the ring. As Randy walked up the aisle toward his dressing room, somebody broke a chair over his head.

It split his forehead, and now Randy can't fight for maybe three months. That left Hearns and Steward with nobody to fight. They are looking anywhere and everywhere for anybody who would dare step into the ring with Tommy. Their new pal is Muhammad AH, who is into boxing promotion. One of these days, Hearns himself might have to consider a kid named Bernard Mays, a local welterweight.

In amateur days, say some ringwatchers, Bernard gave Tommy more than he could handle. Bernard, too young to try for our 1976 Olympic team, lost out to the "streets" for a few years, but now, seeing Hearns' success, he is back in the gym. Jason has to pump out iron i 1 conversations with Spaihy No doubt! Pitt's kick was good NEW YORK (AP) The Pittsburgh Steelers know it. So does a national television audience. And, most importantly, the National Football League knows it, too.

Yes, that onside kick attempt by the Steelers in the waning moments of Monday night's 20-17 victory by the Houston Oilers should have been ruled a legal recovery by Pittsburgh's Larry Anderson. Side judge Willie Spencer, poised on the 50-yard line, ruled that Matt Bahr's kick had not traveled the required See NFL, Page 5D Jason Thompson's future There's no use kidding anybody: Jason Thompson had an off year for us in 1979. First of all, I think Jason made a terrible mistake when he went into a weightlifting program last winter. I think there is some use for the Nautilus exercise program and things like that, but I don't think there's any need for a baseball player to start pumping iron. Baseball players weren't made to become strength people upstairs.

It's good to build strength, but not bulk and Jason built a lot of bulk. Second, he got heavier. Strength does not come from weight, and that's one thing a lot of guys won't listen to. Strength comes from conditioning, and if you're in great condition you've got great strength. I'm not saying that a 250-pound man can't maul a 1 50-pound man.

Yes, certainly, but that doesn't mean a 250-pound man can hit a baseball farther than a 150-pound man. That depends on how quick your hands are, not the bulk of the body. IT'S QUICK HANDS and timing that do it. For example, Chi Chi Rodriguez can hit a golf ball as far as any of the big men. Sparky Anderson is making preparations for his first full season as manager of the Tigers.

As he awaits the start of 1980 spring training, the veteran field boss offers viewpoints and observations on a variety of topics in a series of interviews with Free Press baseball writer Brian Bragg. This is the third in that series. Timing and quickness of the hands. And third, Jason got married. Now, I think that's great for him, and in the long run it's the greatest thing he did but it takes a year of adjustment.

Any time a young ball player gets married during the Jason Thompson (above) "made a terrible mistake when he went into a weightlifting program last winter," according to manager Sparky Anderson..