Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 57

DETROIT FREE PRESSTHURSDAY, JUNE 29, 1989 7D Tigers have blissful union with Niagara Falls The last baseball game Joe McDonald saw in Niagara Falls 15 years ago left a lasting impression. "I remember it was not an ideal situation for a major league operation," said McDonald, the Tigers' vice president in charge of player procurement and develop had an RBI single in Monday's Eastern League All-Star Game. The All-Stars lost to host Albany, 4-3, in 11 innings. The winning run came off Canton-Akron Indians and Eastern League All-Star pitching coach Eric Rasmussen, who took the loss. All-Star manager Bob Molinaro went through all his available pitchers and Rasmussen pitched the last 1 innings.

Pete Rose, Jim Rice, Don Mat-tingly, Robin Yount, Nellie Fox and Maury Wills can all trace their professional roots to the New York-Penn first start this week. NOTEBOOK: The Toledo Mud Hens (Triple-A) and Bristol Tigers (Rookie) have also caught on to winning ways. The -Hens (33-40 overall) are 17-10 in the month of June and have won nine of their last 12. Bristol is off to a 6-2 start. In a surprise move at Toledo, coach Ivan DeJesus, 36, was activated and played shortstop last week.

In his first game, he started a double play and got the game-winning RBI. London shortstop Travis Fryman victory over Asheville. Mike Roller earned the win and Blaine Rudolph got the save. Catcher Craig Wiley, called up from Niagara Falls, hit a two-run homer Monday night. Second baseman Ron Howard, who suffered a broken hand when hit by a pitch, will miss six weeks.

Catcher Rich Rowland's thumb was broken when he was sliding into home and he will miss three weeks. Right-hander Greg Gohr, the Tigers' first-round draft choice, was activated Wednesday and should make his League, celebrating its 50th anniversary in the National Association. Founded on March 8, 1939, as the PONY League (Pennsylvania, Ontario, New York), the NYP circuit's first season produced outfielder Larry Napp, who batted .252 before going on to a 20-year career as an American League umpire, including the 1954 World Series. By 1956, the league adopted New York-Pennsylvania as its name and became a short-season league in '67. The NYP circuit is the oldest continually operating Class A league.

Minor league stats, Page IIP. the second-half race in the South Atlantic League's Northern Division. The league plays split-seasons, with the first-half winner in each division playing the second-half winner in a playoff. Gastonia is the first-half champ. In a recent homestand, the Generals took three of four games from Asheville.

Four pitchers combined on a four-hitter with 11 strikeouts in Saturday's JOE CYBULSKI Farm report ment. "It was easy to see why they had been without baseball for so long." But my, how things have changed. Bob Rich purchased the Niagara Falls Rapids of the New York-Penn League and signed a working agreement with the Tigers. JMaMMMBi il iB I ff IT iTl AND RECEIVE Ym E. 1 MOTOROIL II purchase race I STP OIL TREATMENT Reduces engine wear.

Keeps engine cleaner. Limit 2 at sale price. FRAM OIL FILTERS Limit 2 at sale price. Fits most domestic vehicles. HAVOLINE MOTOR OIL Limit 12 quarts at sale price.

10W-30 10W-40 VALVOLINE MOTOR OIL Limit 12 quarts at sale price. SUPER HPO SAE 30 ALL-CLIMATE 10W-30, 10W-40 81015, 1016 amam MkW km. Premium quality. Rich owns two other minor league clubs: Pittsburgh's Triple-A affiliate at Buffalo and San Diego's Double-A team at Wichita. Rich's touch which included more than $600,000 in renovations to Sal Maglie Stadium was soon apparent.

"I walk into the park and see a field I couldn't believe," McDonald said. "It was gorgeous. They have a new scoreboard and new outfield fence. The playing field was outstanding." The Tigers added a sixth affiliate because their farm system couldn't accommodate all the draft choices and free agents signed in recent years. Rich made the transition smooth.

"I didn't have to lay down guidelines," McDonald said. "He's not only talented, but very experienced. I didn't even make one phone call because I had that much confidence in him." So far, the Tigers have gotten what they expected from Niagara Falls a strong front office and a solid team to develop their young players. And something more. "I couldn't believe the excitement in that town," McDonald said.

"We've had experiences where some towns have not responded well to a team. The players and coaches are enthralled with the way they have been treated. "You can chalk it up to hard work on the part of the owner and staff. Rich told the team before the season they would be proud that they spent a summer in Niagara Falls." McDonald also noticed a real sense of community about the organization, personified by general manager Tom Prohaska. Prohaska, who packed up his family and moved from Jamestown, N.Y, took a $15,000 yearly pay cut to give up his job as a teacher and return to baseball.

"My family has really had their lives turned upside down," he said. "I was fortunate to find a job with Bob Rich. "Rich is committed to this area. They are a tough crowd and it takes time. There are some old baseball people here and they have the feeling that what was before is still here.

Some people don't know we're on the way to something special here." Last year, Prohaska was the league's executive of the year as general manager of Jamestown, Montreal's affiliate. However, he was soon to find himself out of a job. "I got the award for executive of the year at noon," he said, "and by six o'clock that evening I was fired." Baseball had not been played in Niagara Falls since 1984, when the Chicago White Sox had an affiliate there. But fans became disenchanted with a losing team playing in a dilapidated stadium. This season, Niagara Falls is 10-2, and crowds have averaged more than 1,400.

Outfielder Jeff Goodale (.440) leads the league in hitting. Brian Cornelius is batting .409 and leads the league in runs (15) and hits (18). Left-hander Doug Marcero (1-0) hasn't allowed a run in 12 innings and leads the league with 18 strikeouts. FAYETTEV1LLE: The Generals (8-2) lead I C'0''' STARTERS AND II i ICXA, Wfff vW F-SSSl ALTERNATORS iflvs?" cab length, extruded I 1 tvicu Ntyv LJ tly Trm. or diamond plate or I I oaiv; BRAKE SHOES li 1 LOOs cut-to-fit aqw II BRAKE PADS Ij .1 A i tl ilJvXC T0" lifer fS88 nftMKfeffll' ''77JlvW IVOW O.

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