Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 11

DECATUR HERALD Decatur, Illinois, Saturday, September 2, 1978 Ssctftn 2 Fans flock to see U.S. National drag races Indianapolis (AP) What are these funny-looking, rubber-burning, smoke-belching, tire-screeching machines? And. why do 120,000 screaming spectators pay money to watch them roar down a quarter-mile strip in races that often last no more than six seconds? It's what's known as a drag race. In the simplest terms, it's a contest in acceleration between two cars, rocketing from a standing start over a straight course. The Top Fuel dragsters the kind defending world champion Shirley Mul-downey, heir apparent Kelly Brown and all-time drag king Don "Big Daddy" Garlits are driving in the 24th U.S.

Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park this weekend are the glamor machines of the sport, the ultimate acceleration vehicles. American automobiles, extensively reworked from bumper to bumper. The engine must be of the same type as the car in which it is being used, but major internal modifications are permitted in order to increase performance. These "factory hot rods" are capable of runs under nine seconds at speeds of more than 150 mph. The Competition class features non-supercharged gasburning dragsters as well as supercharged machines.

Quicker cars spot their opponents the time difference based on handicap indexes. The Pro Comp category lumps together a variety of former -Competition machines into a single heads-up bracket. Dragsters, Funny Cars and altered production cars use different combinations of fuel blends and supercharging. Modifieds also are a combination of homme, who has won a record six U.S. National championships and has been in the finals five years in a row.

He already has wrapped up his fourth world points championship. The Funny Cars are as sophisticated as the Top Fuel dragsters but are encased in fiberglass replica passenger car bodies. They also cost about $25,000 and can cover the quarter-mile in under six seconds at about 240 mph. Prudhomme set a U.S. National and National Hot Rod Association record two years ago of 5.97 seconds.

His speed record of 236.22 mph was broken last year by Dale Pulde, with runs of 242.58 at Indianapolis and 245.23 at Martin, Mich. The Pro Stackers, led by defending champ Don Nicholson, Larry Lombardo and Bob Glidden, who already has wrapped up this year's world championship, are based on production-type They are the top-of-the-line fuel burning dragsters that cost $25,000, produce upwards of 2,000 horsepower and cover the quarter-mile in less than six seconds at speeds approaching 250 mph. They utilize specially constructed aluminum powerplants that burn exotic blends of nitromethane fuel. And at the end of the run, a parachute pops out of the rear of the long, skinny dragsters to slow them down. The National Hot Rod Association divides its racing program into two groups: Professional, which includes Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock categories, and Sportsman, which contains Pro Comp, Competition, Modified, Super Stock and Stock cars.

The Top Fuel eliminations, in which Garlits set the world record with a run of 5.63 seconds in 1975, are generally the biggest' attraction for the thousands of spectators that line both sides of the drag strip. Three years ago, Muldowney was runner-up to Garlits, and last year en route to the world points championship she was considered a strong contender for her first U.S. National championship before she blew an engine in the first round. Dennis Baca, a carpet wholesaler who races in his spare time, went on to upset 1976 world champ Richard Tharp in the finals to earn about $25,000 of the record purse of $443,000 the largest in drag racing history. This year, the big favorite is Brown, a 35-year-old Hollywood stuntman, who returned to drag racing after a five-year absence and has won four of the six National Hot Rod Association major meets this year.

As usual, the Funny Car field is dominated by Don "The Snake" Prud- Gubs outlast Astros Chicago (AP), Bill Buckner drove in four runs with a homer and two doubles and the Chicago Cubs scored in all eight innings they batted, outlasting the Houston Astros 14-11 Friday. With the score tied 9-9, Rodney Scott led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk. Buckner then belted his third homer and the Cubs' fourth of game off Baltimore pitcher sets strikeout record rounds before going to the locker room. He said he was tired. The fight is scheduled for Sept.

15. (AP MUHAMMAD ALI stretches out after cutting short his first workout in New Orleans Friday for his rematch with Leon Spinks. Ali sparred only two Baltimore (AP) Sammy Stewart struck out seven consecutive batters, a major league record for a first-time starter, and led the Baltimore Orioles to a 9-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox for a sweep of their twi-night doubleheader Friday. The youngster's 5-inning perform- Tigers defeat Kansas City 6-2 Kansas City, Mo. (AP) Steve Kemp cracked a three-run home run and Jack Billingham won his 15th game Friday night as the Detroit Tigers cruised to a 6-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

The loss, coupled with California's 6-4 victory over Toronto, sliced the Royals' American League West lead to one game over the Angels. DETROIT LeFlore cf Whitakr 2b Staub dh JThmps lb Kemp If MMay KANSAS CITY ab bi 5 110 Brett 4 10 0 McRae 3 112 LaCock ab bi 3b dh lb 4 0 0 0 3 0 10 4 0 0 0 3 110 4 13 1 4 0 0 0 3 0 11 2 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 10 10 0 0 0 0 31 2 9 2 0 0 06 0 0 12 5 111 Porter 5 12 3 Cowens rf 4 0 0 0 Hurdle If 4 0 2 0 Otis cf 2 0 0 0 Patek ss 2 0 0 0 Braun ph 3 12 0 UWsgtn ss FWhite 2b Poquett ph Terrell 2b 37 6 9 6 Total 0 0 2 0 4 0 Corcorn Mnkski ARdrgz Tramml rf 3b 3b ss Total Detroit Kansas City 0 0 0 0 10 Patek. DP Detroit 3. lob Detroit 8, Kansas City 5. 2B Cowens 2, Trammell, Staub, Corcoran, McRae, Porter.

HR Kemp (11). SB LeFlore. SF Otis. IP ER BB SO Bitnghm W.156 9 9 2 2 2 0 Leonard L.15-16 5 7 6 6 2 6 Mingori 2 1 3 2 0 0 0 3 McGilbery 1 2 3 0 0 0 2 2 WP Leonard 2. 2:26.

A 32,329. reliever Joe Sambito. Chicago scored five runs off J.R. Richard in the first Bobby Murcer smacked a two-run homer, his eighth, and Manny Trillo followed with a solo shot, his fourth. But Houston charged back with six runs in th second and took the lead on a two-run single by Jose Cruz, who led off the inning with a triple and scored on Enos Cabell's sacrifice fly.

ance upstaged a first-game triumph by Jim Palmer, who got relief help from Don Stanhouse and won his 17th with a 3-0 decision in the opener. Stewart won after Lee May and Eddie Murray hit home runs for a 7-0 lead after two innings. Following a shaky first inning, during which he had an error and a wUd pitch, Stewart struck out the next seven batters before Mike Squires flied out for the second out in the fourth. The record of six consecutive strikeouts by a pitcher in his major league debut was shared by Karl Spooner of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954 and Pete Richert of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1962. The 23-year-old Stewart, just up from Rochester of the International League, fell two short of the league record of eight consecutive strikeouts accomplished twice by Nolan Ryan.

Tom Sea-ver holds the major league mark of 10 in a row. FIRST GAME BALTIMORE ab bi ab bi 4 0 10 Harlow cf 4 12 2 4 0 10 Kelly If 4 0 2 0 3 0 10 MAdrsn If 0 0 0 0 4 0 10 Singletn rf 4 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 Lopez rf 0 0 0 0 3 0 10 EMurry lb 4 110 4 0 10 DeCncs 3b 2 0 0 0 4 0 10 Crowly dh 3 0 11 2 0 0 0 Dempsy 3 0 0 0 Smith 2b 2 12 0 Garcia ss 2 0 0 0 Belangr ss 0 0 0 0 31 0 7 0 Total 28 3 8 3 000 000 00 0-0 002 100 00 x-3 CHICAGO CWsgtn rf Kessngr ss Squires lb LJhnsn dh Orta 2b Lemon rf Sdrhim 3b Bosley cf Nahrdny Total Chicago Baltimore DP Chicago 1, Baltimore 1. LOB Chicago 8, Baltimore 4. 2B Soderholm, Kelly, Smith, Squires. HR Harlow (6).

Nahordny, Garcia. IP ER BB SO Stone L.10 11 8 8 3 3 2 5 Palmer W.17-12 7 7 0 0 3 2 Stanhouse 2 0 0 0 1 SECOND GAME BALTIMORE ab bi ab bi 4 12 0 Belangr ss 3 2 2 1 4 110 Dauer 2b 4 111 4 0 10 DeCncs 3b 2 2 10 4 0 2 2 Smith 2b 10 0 0 CHICAGO CWsgtn If Pryor ss Squires lb Blmbrg dh Torres pr Orta 2b Eden 2b Lemon rf Bosley cf Colbern KBell 3b Total Chicago 0 10 0 EMurry lb 2 0 0 0 LMay dh 2 0 0 0 Mora If 4 0 0 0 MAdrsn rf 4 0 10 Lopez cf 3 0 0 0 Harlow cf 3 0 0 0 Skaggs 34 3 7 2 Total 3 114 3 112 4 0 0 0 4 12 0 3 13 1 10 0 0 4 0 0 0 32 9 11 9 0 0 1-3 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 3 1 0 10 Baltimore Stewart, KBell, Mora. DP Chicago 2. LOB Chicago 4, Baltimore 5. 2B Dauer, Lopez, Blomberg.

3B MAdrsn. HR LMay (21). EMurray (26). SF EMurray. IP ER BB SO Baumgrtn L.2-2 23544 1 1 4 1-3 6 5 4 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 Schueler Wiloughby Hinton Stewart Kerrigan 5 1-3 323 Save Kerrigan (3).

HBP Belanger (by Schueler). WP Stewart, Kerrigan. 2:23. mixed vehicles, including coupes, roadsters and dragsters, making handicap starts necessary. All must run on gasoline, and no superchargers are permitted.

tt Super cars include 38 classes of competition in moderately modified late-model production vehicles. Classes are determined by weight and transmission type, and handicap starts are used. v. The Stock category, also handicapped, includes 50 classes of competition for early and late model production automobiles. The original field some 1,100 cars will be trimmed to 288 for the finals Sunday and Monday 32 each in Top Fuel, Pro Comp and Competition; 16 each in Funny Car and Pro Stock; 48 each in Modified and Super Stock and 64 in 14-11 Buckner's run-scoring double in the second and Dave Rader's homer in the third put Chicago back on top 7-6.

The Astros took the lead again with three runs in the fourth on run-scoring singles by Keith Drumright and Cabell and a run-scoring grounder by Terry PuhL The Cubs scored in the fourth on Dave Kingman's run-scoring single. They tied the game in the fifth on a single by Trillo and a double by Ivan DeJesus. Bruce Bochy's base-empty homer in the seventh, his second, chased winner Willie Hernandez, and brought in Bruce Sutter, who earned his 24th save. HOUSTON CHICAGO AB Bl AB Bl Landsty Drmrgh 5 3 4 1 Gross cf 3 110 4 2 2 1 White cf 2 0 11 3 0 0 3 Scott 3b 3 3 10 4 13 2 Bucknr lb 4 2 3 4 4 0 12 Kingmn If 5 12 2 5 0 0 0 Murcer rf 5 12 2 4 110 Trillo 2b 4 3 2 1 5 2 2 1 Rader 4 111 2 2 2 1 Sutter 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 DeJesus ss 3 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 Krukow 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Roberts 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 DMoore 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 McGithn 00 0 1 0 0 0 Clines ph 10 0 0 WHndz OO00 Blackwel 0 0 0 0 Biittner ph tVI Cox 0 0 0 0 Puhl cf JCruz rf Cabell 3b Watson lb Bergmn If Bochy Richard Bannistr Sambito Alou ph Dixon Andujar Walling ph Total 39 11 15 11 Total 37 14 16 13 Houston 0 60 3 0 0 1 1 0-11 Chicago 5 11 112 12 14 Trillo, Andujar. DP Chicago 3.

LOB Houston 7, Chicago 9. 2B Buckner 2, De Jesus 2, Kingman, Murcer. 3B JCruz. HR Murcer (8), Trillo (4), Rader (3), Buckner (3), Bochy (2). SB Richard, Landestoy.

Blackwell, Scott, Sutter. SF IP ER BB SO Richard Bannister Sambito L.4-7 Dixon Andujar Krukow Roberts DMoore McGlothen WHrnndz 2 Sutter 3 23 9 8 8 2 113 2 1 10 2 1 2 2 2,10 1 2 1110 1 1 2 2 3 -0 123 4 5 5 1 2 0 1 1 12 0 12 3 5 3 3 0 2 12-3 1 O'O 1 1 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 213 2 1 112 Save Sutter (24) WP Sutter. Balk An- dujar. 3:33. A 16.117.

Angels win 6-4 Toronto (AP) Brian Downing's two-out single capped a three-run eighth-inning uprising as the California Angels rallied for a 6-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays Friday. It was the second time the Angels had fought from behind in the game. A solo homer by Lyman Bostock and a two-run shot by Ron Jackson had pulled the Angels into a 3-3 tie in the fourth. CALIFORNIA TORONTO ab bi ab bi Landrex cf 5 0 10 Bosetti cf 5 110 RMiller cf 0 0 0 0 Bailor 3b 4. 1 3 2 Lansfrd 3b 5 110 Woods If 4 12 1 Bostock rf 3 2 2 1 Horntn dh 3 0 0 0 Baylor dh 4 0 0 0 Maybry lb 4 0 11 Rudi If 4 110 Velez rf 4 0 10 RJcksn lb 4 2 2 3 Ashby 4 0 Downing 4 0 1 2 McKay 2b 4110 Chalk ss 3 0 10 Gomez ss 2 0 0 0 JAdrsn ss 1 0 0 0 Ault ph 00 0 0 Grich 2b 3 0 10 Tijhnsn pr 0 0 0 0 Total 36 6 10 6 Total 34 4 9 4 California 000 300 03 06 Toronto 003 000 1004 McKay.

LOB California 5, Toronto DP California 2B Bailor. Mayberry. McKay, Velez. 3B Woods, Bailor. HR Bostock (4), RoJackson (4).

Gomez. IP ER BB SO Hartzell 8 LaRoche Jefferson L.7-11 7 2-3 9 4 4 ,1 -1 113 0 0 0 71 3 8 5 5 '2 2 VCruz 1 2 3 2 1 1 1 Save LaRoche (19). Balk Jefferson. T- 2:06. added an run-scoring double with two out in the ninth off reliever Buddy Schultz.

I- Moskau struck out four, walked two and gave up seven hits before Doug Bair came in to get the last out in the ninth for a 22nd save. CINCINNATI ST. LOUIS ab bi abrlibl 4 14 0 4 0 10 4'0 0 0 4 1-2 2 4 0 20 4 00 0 3 0 10 3 0 0 2 0 09 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1, 0 09 34 2 3 2 Rose 3b 5 2 2 0 4 2 10 4 0 2 2 3 0 0 0 4 12 1 3 0 11 4 0 0 0 4 0 2 0 3 0 0 0 Brock If Tmpltn ss Hndrck cf Simmons KHrnnz lb Reitz 3b Mphry rf Phillips 2b Denny lorg ph Schultz Garrett ph Total Morgan 2b Griffey Foster Driessn Bench Cncpcn Geronm Moskau rf If lb ss cf Total 34 5 10 4 Cincinnati 200 020 0 0 1-5 St. Louis 1 00 00 0 0 0 1-2 LOB Cincinnati 9, St. Louis 7.

2B KHmandz, Driessen, Rose, Griffey. fit- Simmons (19). SB Driessen, Griffey. vS-f- Moskau. IP 823 13 8 ER BB SO 2 2 2 -4 itri 4 4 5 Moskau W.4-4 Bair.

Denny L.ll-9 Schultz Save Bair (22). 17,257. 1 113 Balk-Denny. 2:32. A Pittsburgh Pittsburgh (AP) Dale Berra hit a two-run homer to back the combined three-hit pitching of Bruce Kison and Kent Tekulve, giving the Pittsburgh Pirates a 3-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves Friday and a sweep of their twi-night doubleheader.

The Pirates, winners of five in a row and 17 of their last 20 games, took the opener 8-3 with the aid of two runs batted in each by Dave Parker, Willie Star-gell and Ed Ott. Tekulve, major league leader with 75 relief appearences, notched saves in both games to raise his season total to 28. In the second game, Kison was locked in a scoreless tie through 5'k innings with losing pitcher Mickey Mahler, who yielded three Pirates runs in the bottom of the sixth. Doubles by Bill Robinson and Manny Sanguillen gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 edge, then Berra drove his two-run homer. In the first game, Stargell hit his 21st homer and added a run-scoring double.

Parker had a sacrifice fly and a run- Deets tries switch back to football f.v.-. I Bob Follstrom Yvj Sports Editor jm! sweeps scoring double, and Ott had a tworun double. Winning pitcher Don Robinson gave FIRST GAME PITTSBURGH ATLANTA ab bi ab bi 4 2 2 0 i 5 2 10 4 12-2 4 2 3 2 4 11 2 4 0 11 10 10 10 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 Royster ss Hubbrd 2b Beall If Horner 3b Nolan Burghs ph Bendict Office cf -Murphy lb Gaston rf Bonnell cf PNiekro Chaney ph Skok 4 0 0 0 Taveras ss 4 12 0 Mendoz ss 4 0 0 0 Moreno cf 4 0 0 0 Parker rf 2 0 0 0 Stargell lb 0 0 0 0 Ott 110 0 BRbnsn If 2 0 0 0 Milner If 2 12 3 Berra 3b 4 0 10 Garner 2b 4 0 2 0 ORobnsn 2 0 0 0 GJacksn 1 0 0 0 Tekulve 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 35 3 7 3 Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 Gilbrth ph Total Atlanta 35 8 11 7 3 0 03 3 0 X- 8 Pittsburgh Murphy, Mendoza. LOB Atlanta 6, Pittsburgh 7. 2B Stargell 2.

Milner, Parker, BRobinson, Hubbard. 3B Taveras. hk Stargell (21), Murphy Moreno. SF Parker. IP (20).

SB Bonnell, ER BB SO 5 4 2 5 3 2 11 110 2 2 2 12 0 0 0 2 PNiekro Skok DRobnsn -G Jackson Tekulve L.16-15 W.11-5 6 2 6 2-3 2 1-3 Photo by Herb Slodounik player Norm Deets Braves up only one hit over the first six innings. He allowed a leadoff single in the seventh before he was forced to leave the game with back stiffness. SECOND GAME ATLANTA PITTSBURGH ab hbl ab bi Hubbrd 2b 4 0 10 Taveras ss 4 0 10 Beall If -3 0 0 0 Moreno cf 4 0 0 0 Office cf 4 0 10 Parker rf Horner 3b 3 0 10 BRbnsn If Murphy lb 3 0 0 0 Garner 2b Bonnell rf 3 0 0 0 Sanguln lb Chaney ss 3 0 0 0 Berra 3b Benedict 2 0 0 0 Oyer Nolan 1 0 0 0 Kison MMahlr 2 0 0 0 Tekulve Camp 0 0 0 0 Burghs ph 0 0 0 0 Gilbrth pr 0 0 0 0 Campbel 0 0 0 0 Total 28 0 3 0 Total Atlanta 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pittsburgh 0 0 0 0 0 3 4 0 2 0 4 110 4 0 0 0 2 111 3 112 3 0 0 0 3 0 10 0 0 0 0 31 3 7 3 0 0 00 0 0 x- 3 LOB-At- Garner. DP Pittsburgh 2. lanta 4, Pittsburgh 5.

2B Parker, Kison, Taveras, BRobinson, Sanguillen. HR Berra (3). SB Taveras. IP ER BB SO MMahler L.4-10 5 2-3 7 3 3 1 2 Camp 1 1-3 0 0 0 0 1 Campbell 1 0 0 0 0 0 Kison 5 7 2 3 2 0 0 3 2 Tekukve 1 1-3 1 0 0 0 0 Save Tekulve (28). WP MMahler.

Balk MMahler. 2:12. A 14,306. Norm Deets has something to prove. "I want to prove to people that I can play.

I want to prove it to myself, too," the Millikin University senior said. Up to now it has been Norm Deets, Millikin University basketball player. The new role is Norm Deets, Millikin University football player. Norm Deets is a senior from Mil-ledgeville. In northwest Illinois.

In high school, he was a football standout and a basketball standout In football, he was an all-conference quarterback and doubled as an end on defense. He came to Millikin to play football. And decided he had a better chance of seeing action in basketball. The past two seasons he earned a varsity basketball letter. Last season he was the No.

6 player most of the time, averaging 7.1 points. "I thought about giving up basketball for a long time," Norm Deets explained. "Coming out for football was a spur of the moment thing. "After being away from football three years, I have a lot of catching up to do. There are a lot of things I forgot.

It will be slow." Norm Deets is catching up on football technique as a safety. He played safety in high school as a sophomore, then moved to defensive end. "The coaches hope my height (6 foot 3) makes up for inexperience," Norm Deets said. "I don't know. Sometimes I think I'm progressing.

And then the next day, I'm not so sure. My test will be today. I'll be playing in a junior varsity scrimmage with Illinois Valley Community College (in LaSalle). "I hope that sometime I can help this team win. Maybe it will be only one play or two plays or one series of downs.

When it happens, I'll have proven I can play." Concern about playing time in basketball led Norm Deets to the difficult decision of dropping out. Along with a job offer. "I had a summer job at Staley's as Cincy stops Cards lab technician," Norm Deets explained. "I was offered a part-time job during the school year. "I knew Millikin was adding some transfers in basketball.

So I asked Coach Ramsey about my prospects. He didn't have too much to say. "I can play basketball for Millikin, I know that. Still, I had to make a decision about the job. It seemed to me that I'd probably play the first semester, then be phased out when the transfer players became eligible.

I didn't want that to happen. "I decided to give up basketball. Then the next day I was asked to try football. Another big decision. I had been away from football three years.

Come out and see if football comes back to you, they told me. Here I am. Getting used to football is rough. Especially in the upper body. You don't use the upper body much in basketball." Will Norm Deets find happiness in football? "He's a tough kid, a competitor," Coach Merle Chapman Said.

Chapman has two openings in the secondary. Ed Stanley of MacArthur and Mark Edmonds of Bradley return. Ed Trogdon and Craig Bundy graduated. For Norm Deets, this is the last opportunity. "I came here as a 'no-name' basketball player.

I worked my way up," he mused. "Now I'm starting all over again. Why? Just to see if I can do it." Some people respond to the challenge of running a marathon or jumping out Of an airplane or climbing a mountain. For Norm Deets, the challenge has become batting down a pass. 1 St'Louis (AP) Joe Morgan scored a disputed run from first base on a ground-rule double with two out in the fifth inning, helping the Cincinnati Reds beat the St.

Louis Cardinals 5-2 in a game played under protest Friday night. Morgan's run, on a hit by Dan Dries-sen, was followed by Johnny Bench's run-scoring single, breaking up a pitching duel between Cincinnati's Paul Mos-kau and the Cards' John Denny. An umpiring crew headed by Paul Pryor first stopped Morgan, who had singled with none out, at third base. The umpires then waived Morgan home to give Cincinnati a 3-1 edge following an appeal by Reds Manager Sparky Anderson. St Louis Manager Ken Boyer immediately protested the game.

The Cards, who scored in the first on Ted Simmons' two-out single, reached Moskau for only three more hits until the ninth inning, when Simmons led off with a home run, his 19th. Ken Griffey's single and a balk with Morgan at third base gave Cincinnati a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Griffey Millikin football.