Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 7

Friday, Dec. 1174 MattoM Jtornal 0sett-7 't 1 All you got to do is ask WFL's foggy future puzzles everyone By Murray Olderman The tipoff: Rvpn with their horrible start, the Milwaukee Bucks will still win their Midwest Division of the NBA because they have the big man back, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And a more friendly character he is these days, too. sr y. tarn-norm' a fcrCw- YiKr V.

George Stirnweiss and Ferris Fain they all led their leagues in batting, too. And of the 30 MVPi (for both leagues) in the last 15 years, only five also won the league batting title, most recently Pete Rose of Cincinnati in 73. Q. Being a native of the Virginia PeniinU, I am cttriMl as the current status of Leroy Keyes, former Pvdie All-America and runnerup to O.J. Simpson for the Hetemu Trophy.

Has any other area produced the number of all-pro layers at the Peaiav sula: Norman Saead, Chris Haabwrger, Heary Jwdaa, Beaay McRae, Earl Faison? Wesley Poiadexter, BiJIlags, Mo. Leroy Keyes was waived by the Kansas City Chiefs, not claimed by any NFL club and released. Leroy, once tabbed by Frank Gifford as a better pro prospect than O.J., was handicapped both by chronic injuries and the failure of his pro teams to decide where he should play as running back, flanker or defensive back. The Eagles tried him first as a runner but a couple of years later had him as their regular safety on defense. Bad knees finally decked him.

Those are fine talents from your native Peninsula, but other areas like western Pennsylvania (Namath country) have them, too. Q. Who has the most wins for coaches in the NFL? George Halas must be first and Paul Brow second. Jim Bemls, Pleasanton, Calif. You got Halas in the right notch, with 320 victories in his 40 years as head man of the Bears, but the late Curly Lambeau slips in ahead of Brown as the runnerup, with 231 wins in 33 seasons.

Paul's record going into 74 was 185 victories in 22 seasons. One surprise is that the late Vince Lombard! is not among the top 10. Also, Don Shula of Miami has the best winning percentage (77) of all time. Q. Will there be a WFL next year? And, juit at important, if not, what happen! to the guys in.the NFL who signed contracts to jump in im and '76? J.H., Honolulu, Hawaii.

Your guess at this stage is as good as There are, as publicized, three fairly solid owners, in Philadelphia, Hawaii and Memphis. They seem determined to keep it going, but how can you be administered by a league president (Chris Hemmeter) whose roots are in Hawaii? As for the players, the guys who got money up front such as Larry Csonka and Ken Stabler are that much ahead of the game. Unless they're on a personal services contract to their future employers, which most of them aren't, they'll be free agents able to negotiate contracts with anyone they want if the WFL folds and won't that put the Rozelle Rule to a real test! I understand some of the guys, like Daryle Lamonica, didn't get their money up front. Q. I would like to know why the New Orleans Saints traded Tom Dempsey and who did they trade him for? Steve Silva, Fresno, Calif.

Dempsey, the guy with the stub foot (a birth defect, if you can call it that), is an outspoken type who back in early 71 told the Saints management what he thought of their training regimen Tom isn't built wraithlike. Although he had set the NFL record with a 63-yard boot to defeat Detroit in his '69 rookie year and was better than a .500 booter, the Saints gave him his outright release. He was immediately picked up by the Eagles as a free agent, and has since set their team record with a 54-yarder. He is also the players' team representative. Q.

Why is the MVP in the major leagues a homerun and RBI contest? How about at least having Ralph Garr of Atlanta among the top five in the voting? Rod Carew hit over .360 for Minnesota and he wasn't in the top five in the American League. Why is ttts-- Dick Stone, Evansville, Ind. I don't want to knock Carew, who batted .364, and Garr, who hit .353, or my writer colleagues who do the voting in each of the major league cities but leading a league in batting doesn't seem to be a big endorsement for MVP. The history books of baseball don't record much about Dale Alexander, Debs Garms, Parting shot: Qobel 'rousers' A group of EIU basketball fans did a little heckling of Mississippi coach Robert "Cob" Jarvis Wednesday during the Panthers' rousing 85-65 win over the Rebels in Lantz Gym. The short-tempered Jarvis had three technical fouls called on photo).

The most overlooked talent in professional football is Art Shell, the brilliant offensive left tackle for the Oakland Raiders, a 280-pounder agile enough to have been a varsity basketball center. Kansas State coach Got a tough question about sports and the people who play them? All you got to do is ask Murray Olderman. Write him at (name and address of this newspaper). The most interesting questiona will be answered in this column. Olderman regrets that he cannot write personal answers to all questions.

Rainsberger named Pro cage 'Kareem' moves closer to top Thursday night, 88-80, while New York downed the Kings 117-113. College cage scores Akron 88 UC H.iyward 61 Bc'hany Nflfarene 79 NE Oklahoma's! 47 D. P.vjI 75 San Jnse S' 73. nl Drake 65 Iowa 51 ti K. nl S' 71 Ball St 61 LSU New Orleans 88 Waynr SI 86 Prury 10? Hcndrix.

80 Sprinyfiolfl 70 Worcesler Poly 55 Trankhn 85 Hunlinqton 73 Goshe-' HIE Metinonitp 82 Dnnhouse 80 Morrimac 71 Prat' 68 Yesiiiva 50 so Alabama 96 No Alabama 78 Old Dominion 84 Evansville 72 itadel 90 Rochester Tech (N 80 M.ddU' Tenn 115 Presbyterian 64 r.roniia Tech 64 Miss S' 41 Biown 79 Georgia 75 Southern u. 104 NW Louisiana 84 McNeese 76 SE Louisiana 72 Montana 80 Seaitle 61 Colorado 85 San Diego St 84 Fresno St 79 Utah St 77 NhIioIIs SI 94 Slillinan 81 Adams St 67 UT Arlinqlon 64 Texas El Paso 72 Miami (Ohio) 66 lexas AfcM 67 Northwestern 65 is with me, the more excited I get." Kansas State long has been a powerhouse in basketball and a doormat in football. The. Wildcats' have enjoyed only one winning football season in the past 20 years. Rainsberger replaces Vince Gibson, who gave up after eight sur Slowly but ely, however, i de Bucks are the Milwauk to his alma mater, where he was an all-Big Seven lineman in the one-platoon days of 1956 and -1957.

And if Kansas State needs anything, it's enthusiasm. Unlike others, Rainsberger is not UWp'v to lump to a.better job after the tirsi winning He might be happy to stay at Kansas State forever-provided it's mutually agreeable. National SaskttbaN AiMctate Tftwrtday1 RtMrita icaooM Atlanta Cleveland KM Buffalo KM New Yrk 117 KC Omaha 113 Milwaukee III Phoenix UM ToMeM! Games New Orleans vs. Boston al Springfield. Mass.

Atlanta at Buffalo id" Stale at Philadelphia Kansas City Omaha at Chicago Washington at Houston Detroit at Los Angeles America BasketkaM AstaclaNm Thursday's Hewitts Krntucliy IIS Denver 107 S. Louis 105 Virginia MM U'ah 105 San Antonio KM TanigM's earn Denver vs. Virginia at Norfolk St. Louis al New York n( u4k wnwpmiHit downed Phoenix 112-108 Thursday night behind Abdul-Jabbar's 28 points and Jim Price's 23 to break a three-game losing streak. Price triggered a fourth quarter rally for Milwaukee.

He Jump shot with 8:18 left to tie the score at 94 and had a key assist to Gary Brokaw to put the Bucks ahead 96-94. He added a steal and another jump shot to give Milwaukee a 98-94 advantage. moving up. By United Press International Every day the cream (or is it Kareem?) moves closer to the top in the National Basketball Association's Midwest Division. Detroit, Kansas City-Omaha and Chicago have all held the Midvr st, lead at one time or another this year.

Detroit started off quick but the Kings soon overtook the Pistons. Now Chicago, with a 14-13 record, leads by a half-game after beating Atlanta on defense Milwaukee, in lSetjjlace all season because Kareem AbdulJabbar sat out the first part of the year with a broken hand, is now only four games away from the top. The Bucks As Rainsberger said and ne meant it "I think there is a MANHATTAN, Kan. (UPI) -Kansas State Athletic Director Ernie Barrett didn't know how difficult it was to hire a head football coach. But he found out during the past month.

For a while, assistant coaches were bailing out. faster than Barrett could interview them. At least three Larry Lacewell of Oklahoma, Jim Dickey of Kansas and George. Kelly of Notre Dame are known to have remoyed their names from the totfoUowing, wer4 "uifk. the job ishot known except in the case of Lacewell.

Still, Barrett probably made the wisest choice possible when he signed Wisconsin offensive coordinator Ellis Rainsberger to a four-year contract Thursday. The 42-yrfr-old Rainsberger, who has served on football staffs throughout the Midwest, is enthusiastic about returning great opportunity here and the Jh of the job years on the heels of a 4-7 season. The 1974 Wildcats won their first three, lost seven in a row and finished with a 33-19 victory over Colorado. Jtainsberger has been known Hery type in the -treading i think you temper some of these things with age. I think intensity would be the word that is most closely aligned with my feelings toward this game.

I enjoyed playing and I enjoy coaching." Rainsberger has served as a head coach at Washburn (Kan.) and Southern Illinois and was an assistant at Drake, Kansas, Illinois and Wisconsin. Malone scores 23 SALT LAKE CITY (UPI) -Moses Malone dumped in 23 points and set a personal record of 25 rebounds to lead the Utah Stars toa comeback 105-100 American Basketball Association victory over San Antonio Thursday night. Wm whosoend mJl TV 7 I Christmas WL 1 1 PRESTOLITE BATTERIES For Auto Boat Tractor Truck IN STOCK $1 A95 12 VOLT 14 Now Only a up Tflhree ways to Make MMay calling memeK RANMAR'S STANDARD TIRE, Inc. PHONE 235-5405 1301 BROADWAY LEE TURNER, Mgr. I EVERYDAY SPECIAL Kf I I I I "THE FAMILY PLEASER IAKSE Due to the fuel shortage this Christmas, more people than ever may be calling on relatives and friends via telephone.

This means that the number of Long Ditaiife calls may create some delays. So, here are a few tips that will help you to get your calls through faster and will save you time and money. Avoid the rush. Call the weekend before Christmas. Especially if you're making an overseas call.

Otherwise, place calls before 7 p.m. Christmas Eve or early Christmas morning. Save money. You can save most by dialing are lowest all weekend long until 5 p.m. Sunday and any day between 11 p.m.

and 8 a.m. The next lowest rates apply evenings after 5 p.m. and all Christmas Day. Save time. Dial the call yourself.

And get the number you need ahead of time. For directory assistance outside your area, dial the area code, then: 555-1212. (Area codes are listed in the front of your director)'.) And if you should get a busy signal, try again later. One thing we want you to know. Well do everything we can to help you.

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