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Show Pane 13-- Mclain Worries About the Future By ORVAL JACKSON "I'm embarrassed aboc LAKELAND, Fla. (UPI)-Hu- sky this," he said. "It's been made Denny McLain, until to be more than it is. I recently the premier pitcher of apologize to all concerned an1 baseball and a nightclub no one is more sorry than I." in blue Dressed organist, sat in his home in casually virtual seclusion here today, slacks, red sweater and white unemployed and won led about shirt open at the neck, McLain the future. declined to comment on allegaThe d tions in Sports Illustrated, other Detroit Tiger burler is under than to say the story was indefinite suspension from orga"absurd and ridiculous." nized baseball while CommisNo Comment On Allegations sioner Bowie Kuhn investigates The article identified McLain allegations of involvement in as a backer in a Flint, Mich., gambling activities. bookmaking operation. McLain emerged briefly from not could He said he his home comment on any of the the allegations because they are showing Friday and, emotional strain of the situabeing investigated by both a tion, said he was sorry for the grand jury and by Kuhn. event that led to his suspension. He said that "with the hard-throwi- right-hande- Records Set in New York Meet By STEVE SMILANICII UPI Sports Writer NEW YORK (UPI)-M- arty Liquori, perturbed by remarks him a "showboat calling runner", went out and showed his rivals how to run but Tom Von Ruden and Marty McGrady didn't need such a psycho ogi-cboost. The Villanova junior won the top race of the evening when he beat Henryk Szordykowski of Poland and Art Dulong of Holy Cross in the 1500 meters race. Liquori ran the 1500 in a meet record time of 3:44.8. "I had to run two different races. One to beat Szordykowski, who has a real kick and to overtake Dulong, who has an extended drive," said the New Jersey athlete who won hi; eighth consecutive race in the r Garden over a period. Von Ruden, who set a world record in the 1.00J meter with a clocking of 2:21, remarked after the race: "It wasn't that two-yea- important a record, but I'l take it anyway. I like to set records." Effort Earns Trophy His effort Friday night earned him the outstanding performer trophy in the men's the world record in the 500 meters in 1:02.9. His effort matched the time set by Mai Whitfield 17 years ago. It also capped a fantastic eight-da- y period in which the former Ohioan set world records on successive nights in the 600 and tied the world 500 meter mark. Erv Hall of the Philadelphia Pioneers tied the world mark in the 55 meter high hurdles in 7.1 seconds. Other Records Established Other meet records were established by Sam Caruthers of San Jose State in the pole vault (17 feet, Vi inch); Curtis Mills of Texas A&M in the 400 Piston-legge- d meten (48.-- 3 seconds); Dave of the Delaware Romansky Track and Field Club in the 1500 meter walk (5:50.2); Norm Tate of New York in the long jump (26 feet, 4 inches); and Gail Fitzgerald of New York in the women's 400 meters (56.4 seconds). Kirk Clayton of San Jose State equalled the meet mark in the men's dash with a clocking of 4.7 seconds Bob Seagren, the Olympic champion in the pole vault, failed in two attempts at 16 feet 34 inches and then withdrew from a third attempt with a knee injury. World record holder Bob Beamon, making his first start events. the Washington McGrady, D.C., school teacher who said he was mentally depressed before the race, responded of the season, finished quickly and went on to equal in the long jump. second on his NEW YORK ( N E A ) To be a sports hero in this city requires, as Joe Namath would say, flaunting whatever it is one possesses, from Babe Ruth's waddle to Tom Seaver's effervescence. But consider now the case of Willis Reed. How does one go about flaunting a penchant for solitude? As New York sports heroes go, Willis Reed, captain of the Knickerbockers, is something of an enigma. About the only thing he and Joe Willie Namath have in common are expensive overcoats. "I don't go the social route at all," Willis Reed was saying one night after a Knick game in which he was, as usual, the dominant figure. prefer being alone. I was never much for mingling with people and making appearances and all that. When I leave the Garden after a game. I go straight home and divorce myself from the outside world." Willis Reed lives alone in a three-rooapartment, not on Manhattan's East Side or in Greenwich Village, but in Rego Park. Queens, where the lone flurries of activity occur during rush hours at subwav stops. His floors are not laden with anything as extravagant as llama skin and. except for the four-foo- t silver trophy lie received for being the Most Valuabl? r Flavor in the NBA Game, his surroundings are not reminiscent of basketball achievement. "Willis is a helluva guy. but he's on the quiet side," savs Danny Whelan, the Knicks' trainer. "He doesn't sav too much around here but when he does, people take notes. He's a leader by example, not the kind who rah-rah- s his ;eammates to death. The rest of the guys on this team love Willis because he's honest. He's the captain and he doesn't try to con anybod;'. if he has something to say, he just says it. There's no nonsense from Willis." It there is one crevice in Willis Reed's serious facade, however, it is his affinity for clothes. He does not favor the mod fashions of team i All-Sta- NEW YORK iN'EAi- - Jo-jWhite is going to be a superwith the Boston Celtics. The wax White, a rookie, has been going the last lew weeks, and the way the Celtics have been going this season, it is like a rose struggling to grow in a garbage dump. o V star l . his while own, The Celtics have been smelling up the gym this season oecause Bill Russell folded up his basketball career and long legs and shipped himself to California, and Sam Jones retired, and six of the 12 Celtics now are newcomers and sometimes it seems all 12 are on the court together and don't recognize each other. Jo-JOn Jan. 24. White became a starter. The Celtics since then have been playing about .500 ball, better than at anv comparable stretch this season, and have even threatened to start some winning streaks. White, because of a tour with the Marines, did not join the Celtics until Nov. 13. For ne?rly two months he labored to strengthen his wind and legs for NBA play which, if not more gruelling than KP, is certainto get in step ly different. He also had to do a double-tim- e with the Celtic style of play. The discovery that White must soon become a guard in the class with O. West. Pearl, Frazier, Bing. Greer was not done, like Archimedes, in the made recently. It solitude of a bathtub. It was shared with 19.499 other basketball scientists at Madison Square Garden. White scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half, including a driving, looping onehander over Willis Reed that tied the score with seven seconds left. The game went into overtime. The Celtics won. And White's quickness, speed, outside shooting and drives, his deft passing and solid confidence as a bail handler and floor leader kept the Celtics alive. 'He's the best passer we've had since Bob Cousy. and he hasn't even shown his best passing game yet." said Celtic coach Tom Heinsohn. 6-- 3 o h i J , , , league teams. The Tigers may have to face the season without ace pitcher Dennis GETTING USED TO putting on a mask again is Detroit catcher Bill Freehan as spring training drills get underway for most major McLain. (Herald-UP- I Telephoto.) Baseball Season Nears practice session and will be out for two or three days. St. Louii Cardinals' pitchers and catchers opened spring training while Richie Allen, Steven Carlton and Carl Taylor all remained unsigned. Four Cincinnati Holdouts Jim Maloney, Clay Carroll, Camilo Pascual and Johnny Bench became holdouts when the Cincinnati Reds held their first workout for battery men. from the Houston Astros last winter for Joe Pepitone, participated in his first batting By GREG GALLO UPI Sports Writer Ariz. (UPI)-A- nd MESA, then there were an even dozen Mickey Lolich, who played second-fiddl- e to Denny McLain to go. That is how many players for the past two seasons despite Oakland A's owner Charlie winning three games in the 1968 Finley still has to sign for 1970 World Series, signed with the and the spring training phase Detroit Tigers Friday and thereby became the club's No. already is a day old. 1 pitcher. to he failed Finley, although winner last show up here or in Oakland, Lolich, a the led who to two more Tigers in year sign managed players pitchers Chuck Dobson strikeouts with 271, and Earl Wilson remain as the only and Al Downing Friday. The top holdouts are the stars established starters on the staff Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando since McLain's indefinite susand Rick Monday. Throw in pension from baseball on Don Mincher and Dick Green Thursday. Norm Cash; the Tigers' first and Finley has a tough road ahead. All are in or about the baseman, also signed his 1970 area waiting for contract. Cash batted .280 last season with 22 home runs and Finley. Jackson, Bando and Monday 74 runs batted in. An anxious Curt Blefary all have indicated they won't sign without a face to face reported four days early to the confrontation with the A's New . York Yankees' spring owner. All are seeking big headquarters at Ft. Lauderdale. raises. Blefary, who was acquired practice Saturday. . Three Still Unsigned Bob HumKnuckleballer phreys came to terms with the Washington Senators, leaving Frank Howard, Ed Stroud and Paul Casanova as the team's only unsigned players. Chuck Dobson and Al Downing signed with Oakland as the Athletics opened camp in Mesa, Tony Gonzalez signed with Ariz., far pitchers and catchers. the Atlanta Braves for a Andy Messersmith was given reported $37,000 after a 10 a "substantial pay increase" minute meeting with General for the 16 victories and 2.52 Manager Paul Richards. Bob Veale and John Jeter earned run average he posted last season for the California agreed to terms with the Angels. The Angels also signed Pittsburgh Pirates while Steve Tom Murphy, Clyde Wright, Blass discussed his contract Steve Kealey, Greg Garrett, with General Manager Joe Bill Voss and Jay Johnstone. Brown for 40 minutes and then New York Mets' pitcher Jim stated: "We are closer than we McAndrew suffered a twisted were before, but I still feel like knee as he came off the mound the raise I have been offered to cover first base during a isn't enough." ix Bob Cousy said: "I love White. As far as I'm concerned, he does everything a good ball player should do." recalls playLenny Wilkens, now Seattle's player-coacing at the St. Louis Page Park YMCA against White, then a high school star. "He was a fantastic shooter, but a poor ball handler," said Wilkens. "I followed his career through college and when he was on the 1968 Olympic team. I saw that he worked on other parts of his game. And I was proud of him. He didn't look to score every time he came down-cour- t. That's the mark of a great player." Spring Drills Underway Finley Has A Dozen Holdouts ("If I take three or four shots in a row "I start feeling guilty and pass off.") now," said White, Wilkens continued. "I hadn't seen Jo since he was in high school. When we played the Celtics the first time this season, we spoke during a break for a free throw. He asked me if I ever get back to. St. Louis. Funny thing. I wasn't sure he'd remember me." White, of course, remembers: "Lenny is still one of the toughest for me to guard. When we played in St. Louis I was a young, eager kid. I tried very hard, playing against a pro. But I thought then that I had it to be a pro some- day." It to&k awhile, though, for White to realize he was finally great players he had read in the same league with the about. "There were times," said Heinsohn, ' when Jo-Jwould fake out West or Robertson and was so awestruck that they'd fake back in." o White, subtracting all his skills, might even make it big on dedication alone. When he was a Kansas University junior, he played in the University Games in Tokyo. He was asked how he liked the capital of cameras, raw fish and Geisha girls. "It's all right," he said. "But the humidity is so high your hands sweat and it's hard to hold onto the ball." 21 Quiet Willis Reed Isn't Typical Hero By MARTY RALBOVSKY mate Walt Frazier, for instance, but after a game he can be seen slipping into a tailored suit of bluish gray with vest to match and under the left pocket of his white shirt the initials "WR" are inscribed distinctively in navy blue. Then, there is the coat he just pur$2,000 chased. ' I saw Tom Seaver wearing his one day," says Willis, "and I liked it. So I called the people who make them and I ordered one. 1 love the color; apricot orange. It's made of unsheared skin from seals. When I walk down the street wearing it, I can see people looking out of the corner of their eyes at it. Sometimes, they stop me and I don't mind talking about the coat at all." But, for Willis Reed io stop and talk about Willis Reed is another matter. "I don't like the public appearance part of being a basketball player," he says. "During the season, I avoid going to things unless the club says it's absolutely necessary. On game days. I never make appointments. I don't want anything to interfere with my concentration or disturb my routine. That's just the way' 1 am. "Outside of basketball. 1 don't have too many other interests. I have my basketball camp for kids during the summer and I'm goin to open a clothing store down in Louisiana. My cousin and 1 are going inio business together. We'll have some mod clothes in it and we'll have some regular things, too. 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Reed KNIT MASTER MONTANT com-lortao- Com'' KIBEK ALL IMPORTED SAVINGS TO was installed as the centei and DeBusschere replaced him at forward, a position in which he was neither nor devastating. "After the trade, things started falling into place," he says. 1978 Rose to Celtics teammates are in spring training across town. McLain said he hopes to be playing this year. "I cant sit around," he added. "I'm not financially independent." he said that while his debts are not as high as some have am broke. I've estimated,got a lot of money problems." Contract b Nullified McLain is on a contract with the Tigers but that contract is nullified by the suspension. McLain, baseball's first winner in three decades, blamed his financial difficulties on poor business deals in the past. He said he hopes an agency he recently obtained to handle his affairs will be the answer. Although his teammates were not openly critical of McLain's silence since his suspension, several indicated they thought he should explain his position to them. "I plan to talk to the guys very soon, but unfortunately I can't tell them anything that I can't tell you," he said. "I'm just as anxious as anyone to get this information out." Mesa-Phoen- Sunday, Feb. 22, Is Like A Jo-J- o allegations Mr. Commissioner had, I thought he did the right thing." McLain said he will remain here for awhile and will work out SUNDAY HERALD, Provo. Utah THE 50c Roffe(Hi$c Alp Sport Anba styles) SAVINGS TO 40 y 644 NORTH STAT- E- 0REM 225-022- 7 . |