The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, August 30, 1978, SECTION B, Page Page 16B, Image 52
T> I
Baseb
By Bret
OMItH*
ATLANTA ? After eight ston
found a home.
He was sold twice last season
dealt to San Francisco over the i
move was only across the bay, h<
outlook toward the game that hi
KOIIaIHK
The American League's most
winner in 1974, Blue has won 20 or
his career. He has pitched a no-!
pitchers in another while compilii
But with all of his success, Blue
the most ideal situation to worl
Oakland was that the players we
human beings."
CONSTANTLY FIGHTING wi
last season, Blue was sold to the
July. The sale, however, was null
the "best interest of baseball." B<
record slipped to 14-19.
He looked upon his change of s?
significant reasons for his fast i
games and earned a spot on the N
"Coming to the Giants has ma
SfliH "Nftt OA rr?IU-?Vl Hiof I'm nmon
* ?vfv MV tftiMVll U1UV A All U fTUJ
I'm working with people who wan
AS HAPPY as he is in San Fi
there. Over the winter, he was ti
Revering and an undisclosed ai
Kuhn stepped in and nullified tl
pointment for Blue that the trade
"I just accepted it as the conn
personal feud at my expense,"
thought it would go through, but t
Yankees was going to go througi
happy being a San Francisco G
As a National Leaguer for the
himself with the hitters all over 8
the other pitchers on the Giants' i
he has successfully made the adj
" ' ? <. ",^ i '' '
^||g :'-^'~^V
1
More than 250 girls turn
basketball camp. Here, one
during drills at the P.E. Cenl
of USC head coach Pam Pars
>a/Z no
IFriedUnder
my years in Oakland, Vida Blue
but never left the A's. Finally he \
winter for seven players. Although
i has displayed a new enthusiasm i
is turned the Giants into a first pi
valuable player and Cy Young aw
more games in a season three time
hlffAP onrl onmhituM) tkauu
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lg a 124-86 career record.
was not a happy player. "I didn't hi
k under," he said. "The problem
re treated as a commodity and not
th Oakland owner Charles 0. Fin
lew York Yankees for $2 million lati
lified by Commissioner Bowie Kuhi
icauseof the problems that ensued,
:enery and his freedom from Finlej
start in 1978. He has already wor
ational League all-star team.
de a big difference in my career,"
from Finley, but because the fact t
t to win and work hard to do it."
rancisco, Blue almost didn't mak<
acted to the Cincinnati Reds for D;
nount of cash. Once again howe>
J ? A lit ft * -
it; ueai. /uuiougn 11 was a Dig dis
fell through, he took it in stride.
nissioner and the A's owner havin
the Mansfield, La. native said,
hen again I thought the trade with
h too. It's all behind me now and 1
iant.**
first time, Blue has had to familial
igain. Through talking them over v
Jtaff and reading their press clippir
ustment from one league to the otl
W&&? ?3BR.. \ -J/ ;
John Wilton ? OAME<
ied out for the Gamecock gi
i of the campers shows her si
ker. The camp, under the direc
on s, will ena Aug. 4.
w fun fni
J J
has o
*as
his
_j nur
and j,
ace A.
/ tov
he / . \ of J
hat / . J
rCr. bd
the th<
I'm thi
an
*ize cn
rith wi
igs, i
ler. Bli
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|p$&
Offensive co
L Gamecocksi
Ay By Bob Dudek
||1||| Gum acock Staff Writer
l|Si| With summer practice less than a m
|U Carolina's football staff is working c
JSP ticipating the season ahead.
||| Jack Fligg, offensive coordinat
jBk Gamecocks, says the staff has been busy
j and finalizing play books for the fall. Tti
jjjj meets to review the films of Carolina's
pH opponents, in addition to preparing
schedule for this season.
sjjv FLIGG, formerly a coach at Georgia
IK Virginia and Texas Tech, said he th
|?B| practice is a good indication that the
hungry for a good year.
"Last season was a real disappointing
r\( ltd Kilt a Irvf rvf tlia nlainuw J .
VI U?| urn at aw v> %uv uiajuo IMVC W1U I
really looking forward to getting going
H "Our schedutademands that we play wi
gggS well as a team/' Fligg said. "No one gam
WM can be considered the key for us."
Ipjg Although it is not the key to Carolina's
li quarterback position will nonetheless att
attention.
"GARY HARPER was the number
terback after spring practice, so he'll be
when practice opens Aug. 18.
4 trim. ? ?- a - a. 1 ?
p,; iuctc s iun ? irancooous a merer,
iggg Harper and Skip Ramsey, but it's impe
mmi: back in July and analyze how much playii
:OCK will get," Fligg said.
. , The offensive coordinator says he feeli
the offensive line even though he loses tt
from the interior five. With both tac
Won departed, George Schecterly, a transfei
State, and Bill Lane, who saw playing tlx
- Vida f
iTHER THAN learning the hitters of the Ni
s not see any difference in the caliber of
igue. "They're both at the major leagut
ler said.
n his first eight seasons, the 29-year-old has
>r At that rate Blue will surnass his ffoal ol
jor league pitchers win 100 or more game
uld be more pleased than Giants' owner Spc
romplish the feat.
lie Giants have not had a winning season si
r years have recorded 301 wins to 346 def<
ff had a combined earned run average of 3.1
VITH THE ADDITION of Blue however, ?
stern Division standings with a 54-34 r<
ints' nitrhinff ataff Has ninp shttfmifa anH a
o leads the league. Blue views his experie
the Giants' young pitchers.
'We've got some super talent on this staff; c
re good/' he said. "All they needed was i
iragement and I hope I have provided that t
according to Blue, the pitching could be th
/ard the pennant. "Even if we don't score n
vinning a game 1-0 or 2-1," Blue explained,
flany players who are traded to San Fran
d temperatures and gusty winds at the (
le is just the opposite. After pitching in 1
gently, he expressed his appreciation after
the Bay area.
According to Blue, the wind at Candlestic
lind him. Although a few hits have droppc
rl cAvArnl nntontial hnmo rime furaoH intn
t* W V va W? pVVVIlMMI IIVAliV A IMIU VUI UV\I U1W
the cold gusts.
'CANDLESTICK IS a great pitcher's park,
ire you really have to hit the ball hard. Tfc
it makes it difficult for most hitters."
Whether he is pitching in San Francisco 01
ound the league, he has been effective. E'
>wds turn out to see him. And if he contini
U have another Cy Young award to put in hi
\fter eight long years, the game of baseball
ue.
ordinator F1
should be sel
half of last season, seem t
the tackle positions.
ionth away, Tony Penny and Fred
>n and an- some last year, are expecte
this fall. Danny Clancy wi
or of the "We have some good size
assembling the line," Fligg said. "I'
le staff also enough to generate a gooc
i first three
a practice T1IE STRONGEST portic
Ben Cornett and Zion McK
in the running backs. "Yc
Tech, West personnel," Fligg said. "E
inks spring bone, where you pass five i
players are times.
*'We'll work to develop a
year for all an effective passing gan
me they are plement each other, and it
this year. much more effective," he
-11 a ??
en, ana piay fiigg said this year Car
e or position ones. "In the past three
about as good as the team)
season, the the ball bounces or a penal!
ract a lot of the game.
"Last season, if you anal
a nickel, a whisker away
one quar- that could have made the
number one opposite/' the coach said.
"When you have an ou
ice between always get involved in a lot
tesible to sit games are soaked away i
ig time each The opening game with F
away. Soon, Carolina fans
s good about a repeat of last year, or if
iree starters back with a vengeance,
kles having Judging from the record
r from Penn West Virginia and Texas
ne the latter pretty fair bet.
Hue
itional League though, he
play from the American
i level/' the left-handed
averaged 17 victories per
I becoming one of the few
? in each league. No one
>c Richardson if he should
nee 1973 and over the past
sate. Last year's pitching
r5.
Ian Francisco is atop the
ecord. Furthermore, the
i team ERA of 2.79 which
nee as a steadying factor
jven before I got here they
i little leadership and enothem."
e key to the Giants' drive
lany runs, we are capable
cisco complain about the
Giants' Candlestick Park.
>5 degree heat in Atlanta
the game for the weather
k is like an extra fielder
>d in because of it, he has
meaningless uuts ucutusc
" he said. 4tTo hit a homer
le wind sort of swirls, and
' Atlanta or anywhere else
verywhere he pitches, big
jes at his current pace, he
s trophy case.
I is once again fun for Vida
igg says
: by fall
o have the inside edge on
David, who both started
d to be the starting guards
11 return at center.
id and talented athletes on
m sure they'll play well
1 offense."
n of the offense, even with
inney back, appears to be
>u have to play with your
tut we won t go to a wish)lays
a game and run 65-70*
. _ i
strong running game ana
le; that way they cornmakes
the running game
said.
olina has to win the close
years we've mostly been
5 we've played." The way
;y or a bad break can mean
iyze the schedule, we were
from winning the games
> uoonn htrn suit 4ttcf tHfl
* i^VWWVM VWU VW J??? ?
tstanding team you don't
: of close games; half of the
n the third quarter."
Airman is about five weeks
u^ll im if this uoar will hfi
the Gamecocks will stem
Carleii and his staff had at
Tech, the latter may be a