Newspaper Page Text
Wiggin fired
Nice guys can’t be
winning coaches in NFL
By DOUG TUCKER
AP Sports Writer
KANSAS CITY (AP) - “Let’s
look at the facts, the brutal
facts,” said a Kansas City
Chiefs player, his eyes
glistening with tears. “Nice
guys can’t be winning coaches
Dixie 500
McGinnis hopes
heads will turn
“I’ve got to turn some heads. This is the best op
portunity I’ve had and I want to make the most of it.”
Equipped with what he considers his “best ride in a
Grand National car,” Billy McGinnis is hoping a few
heads will be snapping his way during this year’s running
of the Dixie 500 Sunday at Atlanta International Raceway.
McGinnis, the veteran late model sportsman driver, is
the latest entry received for the 18th edition of the annual
Winston Cup classic and he will be driving a second
Richard Childress-prepared Chevrolet.
“I’m completely satisfied this will be the best race car
I’ve driven on the Winston Cup circuit,” said McGinnis.
“It’s a well-built car. I’ve talked with Richard and he’s
assured me it will be ready to go when it gets here for the
race.
“I want to go racing on the NASCAR circuit full-time,”
continued the Roswell, Ga., native. “This could be the
opportunity I’ve been looking for. I would like to run for
the Rookie of the Year title in 1978 if I could possibly come
up with a good ride.”
This will be McGinnis’ third try at A.I.R. In the 1976
Dixie 500, he started in the 25th position, but lasted only 15
laps. This past March in the Atlanta 500, he drove the
Harold Miller Chevrolet entry to a 17th place finish after
starting 30th.
“Our main goal is to qualify as high as we possibly
can,” said McGinnis, “and then do our best to put it up
front with the leaders on race day. We’re going to be doing
everything we can. It’s a great opportunity for me.”
But McGinnis will have to contend with several other
“young lions” of the Grand National circuit. There’s Sam
Sommers and Ricky Rudd, the two top contenders for this
year’s Rookie of the Year award, plus the likes of Skip
Manning, Childress, Bruce Hill, Jimmy Means and Bill
Elliott, who recorded a tenth place finish at the National
500 in Charlotte.
The field includes the top stars of the Winston Cup
circuit — David Pearson, Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip,
Bobby and Donnie Allison, Cale Yarborough, Benny
Parsons, Dick Brooks, Neil Bonnett and Buddy Baker.
“I know it’s going to be tough,” said McGinnis. “But
we’re going to be giving it everything we’ve got."
Cabin Creek
women organize
The Cabin Creek Golf Club
Women have organized and
Jeannie Jones has been elected
president.
Other officers elected are
Carolyn Brewer, vice
president; Shirley Gibbs,
treasurer; and Margaret
Burdeshaw, parliamentarian.
The new organization has 38
charter members.
Bills await word on injury
to O.J. Simpson’s knee
By DAN SEWELL
Associated Press Writer
BUFFALO (AP) - The Buf
falo Bills awaited word today on
whether a knee injury would
end the spectacular career of
star running back 0. J. Simpson.
Simpson has been more de
pressed in recent weeks than at
any point in his nine-year pro
career, mainly because of his
Buffalo Bills’ lowly 1-6 start this
season, coming off a 2-12 record
Byron Powers
bowls 222, 512
Byron Powers bowled a 222
game and a 512 series in the
Junior-Senior Bowling League.
Other high game bowlers for
the boys include: Jeff Carden
with a 190, Bobby Broski 183,
David McGuffy 180.
Tara Reid bowled a 150 for the
girls.
Other high games for the girls
include: Fay Smith 143, Jan
Trenton 142, Sandy Gresham
142, Paula Ballew 134 and Linda
Cole 134.
Bowlers Finest blanked the
B.G.’s 4-0, the Wacky Bowlers
topped the Pin Chasers 4-0, the
Pups zipped the Fabulous Four
4-6, the Lefties Plus One downed
the Champs 4-0, the Angels beat
the Skatebirds 3-1, the Classics
defeated the Bom Losers 3-1,
the Fantastic Four tripped the
Ten Pins 3-1 and the Georgia
Drunks bumped the Pinball
Rallies 3-1.
in the National Football
League.”
But Paul Wiggin, an acknowl
edged “nice guy” who was fired
Monday, still believes it can be
done.
Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt
called a news conference Mon-
The women plan to conduct
monthly meetings, tour
naments, play days and to have
traveling teams.
Many members of the
organization will be par
ticipating in the turkey shoot
scheduled Nov. 20.
Betty Gossett was the play
day winner.
last year. He also has been
hampered this season first by
an ankle injury, then an arm
i injury, and now knee problems.
I Simpson’s left knee, ailing the
' past three weeks, was described
as “more seriously damaged
than you might expect” by a
t well-placed Bills source. Other
> sources expressed belief that
i Simpson will retire if the knee is
i diagnosed as requiring surgery.
I They said Simpson might make
his decision as early as today.
Following the Bills’ 56-17
mauling Sunday by the second
year Seattle Seahawks, Simp
son flew to his Los Angeles
! home.
! He reportedly was examined
in Los Angeles Monday by Dr.
Robert Kerlan. However, Ker
-1 lan, a prominent specialist who
has treated many famous ath
letes including former Los An
geles Dodgers pitcher Sandy
Koufax, refused comment on
the examination.
Simpson, unavailable Mon
day for comment, was listed as
“questionable” because of a
knee “derangment” before the
Bills’ game Sunday in Seattle,
but started and carried nine
times for 32 yards.
Simpson sat alone on the
Bills’ bench during the game’s
second half. Coach Jim Ringo,
who removed Simpson with the
Bills trailing 42-3 at the half,
said, “There’s no sense humili
ating a great athlete.”
Ringo added that he would
have no further comment on the
day to announce that “in the
best interests of the Kansas City
Chiefs,” Wiggin had been fired
and Tom Bettis, a veteran
Chiefs’ defensive backfield
coach, was named to replace
him on an interim basis.
Wiggin indicated earlier he
had talked his successor out of
resigning in a show of loyalty.
“Tom is a very loyal guy,”
Wiggin said. “I said, ‘Tom, let’s
talk about a team and a staff
and some people we both care
for. Let’s forget about Paul
Wiggin.’”
Bettis, flanked by Hunt and
Chiefs President Jack Stead
man at the news conference,
was asked about Wiggin’s re
marks.
“Any time you get a shock
like this, there’s bound to be a
lot of wild thoughts going
through your head,” he said.
“Paul and I had a long conver
sation.”
Wiggin, 44, was an assistant
coach for the San Francisco
49ers when the Chiefs hired him
in January, 1975 to head their
much-advertised rebuilding
campaign. He was 5-9 in each of
two full seasons after replacing
Hank Stram, who was fired
after a 5-9 mark in 1974.
The Chiefs, a powerhouse in
the old American Football
League and the Super Bowl
champions of 1970, staggered to
a 1-6 mark the first seven weeks
of this season and were mauled
44-7 last Sunday by the
Cleveland Browns, the team for
which Wiggin played defensive
end for 11 years.
The dismissal of the popular
Wiggin triggered a quick, hos
tile reaction from fans and
players.
Several players emerged
from Wiggin’s office openly
weeping after they learned of
the dismissal, and Wiggin was
wiping tears from his eyes when
he met with reporters.
“I don’t have any bitterness,”
said Wiggin, whose coaching
philosophy was founded on
dedication, emotion and
compassion. “And I still believe
it’s possible for a nice guy to win
in the NFL. I did it my way, and
it didn’t work.”
In a written statement, the
players said they were
“shocked and saddened with
what has happened here to
day.”
“Every man on this football
team feels a deep sense of guilt
for the actions that were taken.
It is our fault that we lost a fine
man and a great individual,
Paul Wiggin. One of the great
crimes in life is to have
someone else suffer the con
sequences of your own actions.
We feel this is the case today.”
The Kansas City Star said
calls were running almost 10-1
in sympathy with the ousted
coach.
Simpson situation.
After the game, Simpson
shook hands with club owner
Ralph C. Wilson and told him he
would telephone Monday.
Wilson, a Detroit businessman,
could not be reached for com
ment.
Curt Pressly
bowls 211
Curt Pressly bowled a 211
game in the Moose 1503 Bowling
League.
Tom Lipscomb bowled a 201
and Marvin Tacket bowled a
206.
The Outer Guard beat the
Inner Guard 4-0, the Prelates
downed the Junior Governors 3-
1, the Governors topped the
Past Governors 3-1 and the
Trustees blanked the Sergeants
at Arms 4-0.
Randy Martin
bowls 134 game
Randy Martin and Donald
Roof bowled 134 games in the
Bantam Bowling League.
Mike Goss bowled a 120 and
Billy Hubbard a 119.
Susan Knight bowled a 117 for
the girls.
The Three Stooges defeated
the Jams 4-0, the Bullets
blanked the Odd Balls 4-0, the
Speeders zipped the Alley Cats
4-0 and the Bears beat the
Monsters 4-0.
HF
Paul Wiggin
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
SPORTS
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
t Sports World
An AP Sports Analysis
By WILL GRIMSLEY
AP Special Correspondent
High-priced Kingman
When baseball’s 80-odd free agents are placed on the
shelf Friday, like cans of peas on a supermarket shelf
ready for plucking by the 26 major league clubs, one item
should be particularly arresting.
It has a label that reads like this:
“Dave Kingman, outfielder-first baseman. Young,
strong, best home run stroke since Babe Ruth, capable of
hitting between 40 and 60 home runs a season. Average
fielder. Strikeout susceptibility. Could strike out 125 to 150
times but ideal for sporadic long ball, base-clearing
power.”
Then down in the small print:
“Must be accepted on faith, payment in advance. Price
tag: $1.5 million, negotiable.”
The closest friends of David Arthur Kingman, 29, fear
that he may be pricing himself out of a career, thus
depriving the game of one of its potentially outstanding
talents. They accuse Dave of having superstar delusions
without superstar credentials.
The 6-foot-6, free-swinging slugger, sitting out the long
wait in his Cos Cob, Conn., home, denies it.
“I don’t think my demands are exorbitant,” he said.
“My goals have changed the last two months. I have had a
chance to compare the ball parks and playing conditions
in both the American and National Leagues. I am excited
just imagining what I might do in some of the smaller ball
parks."
The Boston Red Sox, with the shortest left-field fence in
baseball and apparently a barrel of money to spend, are
reported interested in the rangy home run hitter who
performed with four different teams during the past
season.
Detroit and Toronto are two others which could offer
shallow targets for the tall man’s extraordinary power.
Both the California Angels and San Diego Padres, who
had him and let him go this year, supposedly have
reactivited interest in him. But not the New York
Yankees.
Gabe Paul, Yankee president, reopened negotiations
with Kingman’s agent, Lowell Morse, Monday but failed
to come to an agreement before the midnight deadline. If
they are going to invest a bundle in a hard-hitting out
fielder, the Yankees indicated, it will be for someone like
Larry Hisle of the Minnesota Twins or Richie Zisk of the
Chicago White Sox.
Kingman would have liked to have stayed with the
Yankees.
“I felt very much at home with the Yankees,” he said.
“More than with San Diego or the California Angels
although everyone knows I prefer playing on the Pacific
Coast. I knew many of the Yankee players and they knew
me. It was a fun thing being with that team.”
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Struggle
Georgia running back Kevin McLee (39) tucks the football
under his chin and drags Richmond defenders Orlandus
Brance (78) and Ray Kelly (51) into end zone for a touch
down from the six yard line. McLee tied a school record
with the 20th score of his career, sharing it with Andy
Johnson of the Boston Patriots. Georgia beat Richmond,
23-7. (AP)
Tom Bettis
Page 7
Simmons, Patterson
tagged SE ‘Players’
By ED SHEARER
AP Sports Writer
ATLANTA (AP) - Nose
guard Ron Simmons of Florida
State and quarterback Lloyd
Patterson of Memphis State to
day were named The Associ
ated Press Southeastern Line
man and Back of the Week, re
spectively.
Simmons, an outstanding
freshman who has been giving
consistently fine performances
each week, was in on 19 tackles
as FSU snapped North Texas
State’s seven-game winning
streak with a 35-14 victory Sat
urday night.
He made 10 tackles, assisted
on nine others and recorded five
sacks for losses totaling 51
yards. Simmons also caused
one fumble.
Patterson became the first
Memphis State player ever to
pass for 3,000 career yards
when he connected on nine of 17
attempts for 215 yards and two
touchdowns in the Tigers’ 42-14
victory over Southern Mis
sissippi.
Patterson also ran six times
for 19 yards, and his scoring
passes covered 66 and 54 yards.
Patterson’s closest com
petition for back honors came
from Steve Ensminger of LSU
and Tony Nathan of Alabama.
Ensminger, a sophomore, hit
on 14 of 27 passes for 181 yards
and scored twice in leading LSU
to a 28-21 victory over
Mississippi after the Bengals
Rothbauer
bowls
242 and 567
Annette Rothbauer rolled a
242 game and a 567 series
Monday night in the Griffin
Ladies League.
Other leading bowlers were:
Lyn Patterson 172, Ruth
Harris 197, Betty Blackwell 167,
Sandra Kimbell 190, Agnes
Deßenedittis 182, and a 527,
Linda Keene 184, Fab Manning
189 and a 537, Helen Kolousek
192 and a 525, Chris Hudgins 166,
Carol Cox 181, Joy Caston 170,
Mary Reed 172, Peggy Cleghorn
165, Jean Reeves 172, Ann
Flournoy 166, Nellie Pitts 171,
Lila Williams 176, Ann Palmer
183, Shirley Bowden 190 and Lou
Stover 168.
Lewis Truck Service beat
Leon Bates Realty 3-1, Western
Sizzlin beat Griffin Industries 3-
1, Bobby Dunn’s Tree Service
defeated All-Star Knit Wear 4-0,
Spalding Amusement beat
Tallowmasters 3-1, Reeves
Cleaners defeated Suburban Lp
Gas 4-0 and Women of the
Moose beat Holiday Inn 3-1.
Vachon
to rejoin
LA Kings
LOS ANGELES (AP) - The
Los Angeles Kings have an
nounced that goalie Rogie
Vachon, injured Oct. 19 at
Cleveland, will rejoin the Na
tional Hockey League club this
week.
The Kings’ said Monday that
Vachon, who suffered a con
cussion when hit with a shot by
Cleveland’s Bob Murdoch, has
been cleared by the team doctor
and was to join the team today
in St. Louis.
The NHL club also announced
that injured defenseman Dave
Hutchison, out with a cut finger,
would rejoin the team shortly.
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; Berry's I
209 South 6th Street
t Z Griffin, Go.
Phone 227-3048 L
Up* Suk.- 1
— Griffin Daily News Tuesday, November 1,1977
had trailed 21-0 in the second
quarter.
Nathan was en route to an in
credible performance when he
ran for 104 yards on four carries
in the first seven minutes of
Alabama’s 37-7 victory over
Mississippi State, but he saw
little action thereafter, car
rynng only two more times for a
game total of 115 yards.
Other linemen cited for per
formances last week were Kelly
Kirchbaum of Kentucky; Mike
Quintella, Bobby Moreau and
George Cupit of LSU; MXAR
dye McDole and Brett Tyler of
Mississippi State; George Plas
ketes, Kem Coleman and
Charlie Cage of Ole Miss; Rick
Wingo and Marty Jones of Ala
bama, and Willie Jones of FSU.
Other backs with outstanding
efforts were Nathan Pole and
Basketball
Gordon women
open Nov. 8
The Gordon Junior College women’s basketball team
will open the season next Tuesday night at Tift College in
Forsyth.
The first home game Nov. 15 GJC’s opposition will be
Georgia Baptist Hospital at 7 p.m. in Alumni Memorial
Hall.
The public is invited to the games and there is no ad
mission charge.
The schedule for the season:
Date School Time Place
Nov. 8 Tift College 7 p.m. Away
Nov. 12 CVCC 7 p.m. Away
Nov. 15 Ga. Baptist 7 p.m. Home
Nov. 19 South Georgia 2 p.m. Away
Jan. 7 Truett McConnell 2 p.m. Home
Jan. 9 Tift College 7 p.m. Home
Jan. 12 South DeKalb 7 p.m. Home
Jan. 14 ABAC 2 p.m. Home
Jan. 17 Middle Georgia 7 p.m. Home
Jan. 20 Truett McConnell 7 p.m. Away
Jan. 21 Gainesville 2 p.m. Away
Jan. 25 Brewton Parker 7 p.m. Home
Jan. 28 CVCC 2 p.m. Home
Jan. 31 South DeKalb 5 p.m. Away
Feb. 4 South Georgia 2 p.m. Home
Feb. 6 Central DeKalb 7 p.m. Away
Feb. 10 Gainesville 7 p.m. Home
Feb. 16 Middle Georgia 7 p.m. Away
Feb. 21 Central DeKalb 7 p.m. Home
Feb. 24 ABAC 5 p.m. Away
Feb. 25 Brewton Parker 2 p.m. Away
March 1-4 State Tournament
AP’s top 20
By The Associated Press
The Top Twenty teams in
The Associated Press college
football poll, with first-place
votes in parentheses, season
records and total points. Points
based on 20-18-16-14-12-10-9-8-7
etc.:
1. (57) 7-0-1,176
2. Ala (1) 7-1-953
3.0k1a 7-1-882
4.0hi0 St ■ 7-1-868
5. 6-1-652
6. 7-1-592
7. (1) 7-1-569
8. 6-1-465
9. St 7-1-448
10. A&M 6-1-309
11. 6-2-255
12. 6-1-1-253
13. 7-1-160
14. Young 6-1-127
15. St 6-1-76
16. S Cal 5-3-36
17. 6-2-32
18. St. 5-2-24
Calvin Price of Louisville;
Steadman Shealy and Mike
Tucker of Alabama; Derrick
Ramsey and Mike Siganos of
Kentucky; Willie Teal of LSU;
Johnny Henderson of Georgia;
Rodney Lee and Eddie Lee Ive
ry of Georgia Tech; Charlie
Trotman and William Andrews
of Auburn; Leon Perry, Tim
Ellis and James Storey of Ole
Miss; Tony Green of Florida,
and Larry Key and Wally
Woodham of FSU.
One of the top performances
of the day came from a player
who fits into neither the back
nor lineman category — kicking
specialist Jorge Portela of
Auburn. Portela set a South
eastern Conference record with
five field goals in the War
Eagles’ 29-14 upset victory over
Florida.
19. Ariz St 6-1-18
(tie) lowa St 6-2-18
lour
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