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Dorsett holds 18 records
NEW YORK (UPI) — He is
the only college football player
ever to surpass 6,000 rushing
yards in a career. He holds or
shares 18 NCAA records. He
scored 22 touchdowns this year,
ran for over 100 yards in every
game — four of them bettering
200. He led the nation in rushing
and was the catalyst in the
University of Pittsburgh's
unbeaten and No. 1 ranked
season.
Thus, it was no surprise to
anyone Tuesday when Tony
Dorsett was overwhelmingly
selected as the 1976 recipient of
I /fid
4 .. . ♦ »'• <-*■ ■■■*?.
NEW YORK—Mark Fidrych (’76 photo) the Detroit Tigers’ irrepressible right-handed
pitcher was named 1971 American League Rookie of the Year today, by the Baseball
Writers Association of America. Fidrych had a 19-9 record with the fifth place Tigers and
led the league with an earned run average of 2.34. (UPI)
IVI
All you got to do is ask
What’s wrong
By Murray Olderman
Q. Is there anything wrong with Jim Plunkett’s arm? He
doesn’t seem to have as much zip on the ball as he used to
when he was with the New England Patriots. — R.J., San
Rafael, Calif.
Ko - V . I«aI
There are misconceptions about Plunkett’s throwing
because he underwent shoulder surgery a couple of years ago.
It was his left shoulder that was operated on. His throwing
arm has never been affected. At 29, there’s no reason he
should have lost any strength. I think because of his injury
history (knee surgery, too) and because he’s in a new situation
this year, he’s a more tentative quarterback than he used to be.
Q. How is the Heisman Trophy winner selected and when is
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the Heisman Trophy, college
football’s most coveted in
dividual award.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound
senior tailback from Aliquippa,
Pa. received 701 first-place
votes, 2,357 total points and led
all five regions in the balloting
of 893 sportswriters and sport
scasters across the nation. A
distant second was Southern
California running back Ricky
Bell with 1,346 points, while
Michigan running back Rob
Lytle was third with 413.
Considering Dorsett’s accom
plishments, his admission that
The Bird
it all nearly didn’t came to pass
was, perhaps, the one surprise
of the day.
Four years ago, it seems,
when Dorsett was being re
cruited, his 155-pound frame
caused many college scouts to
discount his future. Even his
own father felt he would never
succeed in the bigtime college
ranks.
“I guess nobody thought I’d
ever amount to anything,”
Dorsett admitted to the huge
throng gathered for the annual
Heisman presentation. “Every
body who looked at me thought I
with Plunkett’s arm?
it announced? — L. 8., Aliquippa, Pa.
More than 1,000 sportswriters and sportscasters from all
over the country participate in the voting, conducted by the
Downtown Athletic Club of New York. They are divided into
five sections — East, Midwest, Southwest, Southeast and Far
West, with five sectional chairmen in charge of the balloting.
Tony Dorsett of Pitt is a shoo-in for this year’s award. The an
nouncement will be made on Nov. 30, with the formal presen
tation in New York on Dec. 9.
Q- Could you please tell me what Duane Thomas is doing? Is
he still playing football or what! — T.E., Ventura, Calif.
Released by the Cowboys before the season, he is still living
in Dallas. Duane didn’t make it, although he’s only 29, because
he’d been away too long — he hadn’t played full time in five
years. A little like a guy who’s been away in the service and
loses his edge Cowboys also say the game has changed,
demanding a different type of runner who can hit the hole
quickly, and Duane has lost his explosive qualities. The Green
Bay Packers considered picking him up this season when they
ran into injury problems but settled for veteran Dave Osborn,
the ex-Viking, instead.
Q. Where did Steve Grogan of the New England Patriots go
to school and when was he drafted? — L. 8., Quincy, Mass.
The 6-4 quarterback was a fifth round draft choice of the
Patriots in 1975, out of Kansas State. He was relatively un
heralded because he had suffered a pinched nerve in his neck
his senior year which made the pro scouts leery of his future
as a pro.
Q. I understand the infield fly rule is in effect if there are
less than two out and men on first and second, or men on first,
second and third. Now my question is why not when there is a
man on first only? There is still a force at second base, so the
infielder could fake it and get a double play. — Dick
Blanchard, Tustin, Calif.
Not if the batter is hustling like he should and running all out
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was too small. I almost quit
football my freshman year, but
my mother talked me out of it.
She said, ‘lf you quit, the only
person you’ll hurt is yourself.’”
It was then that Dorsett said if
he could give the Heisman to
anyone, it would be his mother.
“She was the biggest influ
ence in my life and the reason
I’m here today,” he said.
Dorsett, who gained 1,948
yards in leading Pittsburgh to
its 11-0 record this year, ad
mitted winning the Heisman
erased the disappointment of
finishing fourth in the balloting
Danny Murtaugh’s
condition serious
CHESTER, Pa. (UPI) -
Former Pittsburgh Pirates’
Manager Danny Murtaugh was
reported in serious condition at
Crozer-Chester Medical Center
today after suffering a stroke.
Murtaugh, 59, who retired
from the Pirates at the end of
the 1976 season, became ill
Tuesday about 1 p.m. at his
suburban Woodlyn home.
Kenneth Dale, a hospital
spokesman, said Murtaugh was
“resting comfortably but it’s a
serious stroke.”
“Danny had a history of
heart attacks when he managed
the Pirates but this is not a
heart attack,” Dale said, “it’s a
stroke.
“There’s no surgery involved
at this point. There may be
later but there’s no indication
at this time.”
Murtaugh’s retirement came
shortly after General Manager
Joe L. Brown stepped down last
fall. Brown had been general
manager for 21 years and
Murtaugh had been manager 15
years during four different
terms.
Together they had won two
world championships and four
divisional titles.
Both men said they were
retiring so they could spend
more time with their families.
“I think I’ve been around
long enough,” said Murtaugh
when he retired for the fourth
time last October. “I’m ap
proaching the age of 60 and
also I’ve reached that point
where I would like to spend
some of the time with my
grandchildren.
“I think my own children
were neglected a little bit when
I was in the process of
behind Ohio State’s Archie
Griffin a year ago. But the
award won’t be the most
cherished of Dorsett’s college
achievements.
“Beating Penn State and
hopefully winning the national
title will be the highlight of my
career at Pittsburgh,” Dorsett
said. “After all those years of
Penn State dominating us, it
meant we were finally the best
in the East.
“I will take the Heisman
Trophy home and cherish it, but
A
I
CHESTER, Pa.—Former
Pittsburgh manager Danny
Murtaugh shown in a recent file
photo was admitted yesterday
to Crozer-Chester Medical
Center after he suffered a
stroke. A hospital spokesman
said Murtaugh was resting
comfortably. (UPI)
managing in my younger years
and naturally I didn’t spend as
much time as I should have
with them. So I’m going to try
to make up for it by spending a
little more time with the
grandchildren.”
Murtaugh, a former Pirates’
second baseman, became
manager for the first time in
the 1957 season when Bobby
Bragan’s team was floundering
in seventh place and guided it
to the world championship in
1960.
The three-time manager of
the year was forced to retire in
1964 because of heart trouble,
but when Brown fired Harry
Walker during the 1967 season
Murtaugh agreed to finish out
to first base. The infield fly rule only applies with multiple
men on base because they’d be sitting ducks for a double play
if the infielder decided to let the ball drop. With only one man
on, the double play is dubious.
Q. What do you think Pitt would have done this year if that
school had to play in really tough conferences like the Big Ten,
the Southwestern Conference or the Pacific Eight? — L.D.,
Hamilton, O.
You forgot the Big Eight. To answer the question. I don’t
think the Panthers, Tony Dorsett or not, would have gone un
defeated and be on their way to a national championship. But
give Coach Johnny Majors and his gang credit. They’ve won
when they had to.
Got a tough question about sports and the people who play
them? All you got to do is ask Murray Olderman. Write him
care of this newspaper The most interesting questions will be
answered in this column. Olderman regretr that he cannot
write personal answers to all questions.
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Page 7
there are all the other players
on our team who can’t do the
same. That’s why finishing an
unbeaten season and becoming
national champions are more
important goals for me.”
Bell, the 6-2, 225-pound
Southern California senior, was
the pre-season favorite to win
the Heisman, but, after rushing
for an NCAA record 347 yards
against Washington State in
midseason, injuries slowed his
production and he was able to
gain over 100 yards in only one
game after that.
the season.
His doctors gave Murtaugh a
clean bill of health in 1970 and
he returned again as field
manager, winning the Eastern
Division that year and the
World Series over Baltimore in
1971.
He retired again after the
World Series, but agreed to
return when Brown fired Bill
Virdon in September, 1973.
| Sports Briefs |
Bruce Miller
SAN FRANCISCO (UPI) —
The San Francisco Giants
Tuesday assigned the contract
of utility infielder Bruce Miller
outright to their Phoenix farm
team in the Pacific Coast
League.
Miller played in only 12
games with the Giants last
season and batted .160.
Gov. Shapp
HARRISBURG (UPI) - Gov.
Milton J. Shapp sent a
mailgram to Tony Dorsett
Tuesday, congratulating him
for winning the Heisman
Trophy.
“Nobody has ever deserved
this award more than you. For
four years you have run like
the wind, leaving behind a trail
of broken records and new
glory for Pitt football,” Shapp
said.
The governor said he was
beginning preparation for a
Tony Dorsett Day in Pennsyl
vania sometime in January.
— Griffin Daily News Wednesday, December 1,1976
GRIFFIN
Sports
Flames
The Atlanta Flames and the New York Rangers skated
to a 2-2 tie in National Hockey League action at the Omni
in Atlanta last night. The Flames are now tied with
Philadelphia for second place in the NHL Patrick
Division.
Braves
Atlanta Braves officials say outfielder Jim Wynn has
been sold to the New York Yankees, champions of the
American League. Wynn was sold to the Yankees
yesterday for a price in the neighborhood of $120,000.
Tech g
Georgia Tech senior center Leo Tierney has been
selected to play in the 52nd Shrine East-West All-Star
game at Palo Alto, Calif. Jan. 2. Tierney is a prime can
didate for All-America honors this season.
Athletes
The Athletes in Action handed West Georgia College its
third loss in its last six years at home in Carrollton last
night. The Athletes in action downed West Georgia 80-79 to
win the Braves’ Tipoff Basketball Tournament.
Bears may play
ex-Griffinite
There is a chance that Griffin
will compete against one of its
ex-players if they beat Wheeler
Friday in Marietta.
While Griffin is playing
Wheeler for the North Georgia
championship and a berth in the
State Triple-A finals, Wayne
County will be going against top
rated Warner Robins.
Tommy “Monk” Murphy is a
line coach at Wayne County
(Jesup).
Coach Murphy is a native of
Griffin and played his high
school football at Griffin High.
If the Bears beat Wheeler and
Wayne County stops Warner
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Robins, it will be Griffin against
the ex-Griffinite in the state
triple-A finals.
Leavitt
HEBRON, Maine (UPI) -
Dick Leavitt, a 22-year-old
graduate of Hebron Academy
and Bowdoin College, will be
playing for New York Giants of
the National Football League
when they meet the Detroit
Lions Sunday.
Leavitt, a tackle and center
for the Bowdoin Polar Bears,
left for New York Tuesday
after signing a contract with
the team.