European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 30, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Paghi the stars and stripes undo 30 by John Williamson Pete Rozelle commissioner of the National football league can t have any bigger Booster than one of his own referees. Tom Bell the Lexington ky., lawyer who Heads up one of the officiating teams that work the nil games each weekend was High in his Praise of the commissioner during a break in the proceed Ings at the Safe football coaches and officials clinic at wies Baden air base last week Tom on hand to serve As an instructor for the officials attend ing the clinic maintains that Rozelle has been instrumental in obtaining for the National league the prestigious position it hold sin the minds of american sport fans. To illustrate his beliefs Bell Points to three particular accomplishments by Rozelle As mile stones marking the league s Road to its current High Prosperity. As the first of these major accomplishments Bell cites the single network television contracts that Rozelle has obtained on the behalf of the entire league to replace the individual Tea contracts thac were in effect through the 1961 season. Under the old system each team bargained with a network for Thebes Oiler it could get. As a result some of the clubs located in a Rich to territory would be getting fat contracts while some of the teams whose territory was limited or did not have the fan Appeal were limited to lesser amounts for the rights to their games. Started in 1961 the league first entered into a single network contract with the Columbia broadcasting system for the 1961 season. Immediately upon signing the agreement approval was sought in Federal court but was denied under the terms of anti Trust Laws. Rozelle and the league were forced to carry the fight to Congress where the were Able to get a Bill passed in january 1962 which legalized single network contracts for All professional sports leagues. The Loop then entered into a contract for 19 12 and 1963 with lbs for an annual fee of $4,650,000. The pulling Power of nil games on to was dramatically emphasized in january of 1964 when the commissioner put the 1964 and 1965 rights up for bid. This time lbs had to go to$14.1 million per year to win the contract. By 1965 the value of the rights for 1966 and 1967 was even higher and Rozelle obtained contract with lbs calling for $18.8 million per year. In the meantime the Price for the world championship playoff game has gone up from the $615,000 paid in 1961 to $2 million dollars each for the 1966 and 1967 contests. It s not hard to see the financial stability that has been introduced into the league by the commissioner s fight for the single network contract concept. Rozelle s second major accomplishment according to Bell waste finalizing of the merger agreement with the american foot Ball league in 1966. The two loops had been sniping at each other Ever since younger league s inception and were engaged in costly Competition for playing Talent that was draining the coffers of both sides. In addition Congress was looking askance at some of the practices of All professional sports and with the possibility of the whole thing being aired in the Federal courts it was apparent that some solution had to be reached. Hard nosed negotiations the agreement for the leagues to join naturally with pet Rozelle As commissioner appeared simple enough when it was announced but you can bet that there was plenty of real hard nosed negotiation behind the scenes before All of the signatures were affixed. Chalk up another big Mark to the credit of Rozelle and his associates. The third great deed attributed to Rozelle by Tom Bell May not be As self evident in its importance. This one is the decision Rozelle made in 19g.1 to suspend Green Bay s great halfback Paul Hornung and Detroit s All league tackle Alex Karras from Competition for placing bets on their own teams and on other nil games. Many fans around the country thought the commissioner was being unduly harsh in his treatment As the two had never bet against themselves and had not been involved in any scheme to arrange the outcome of any league games. According to hell this move had More to do than any other single action in gaining respect for the league with the Public. The pair had deliberately haunted league regulations and once the Public became aware of the fact drastic Steps were required. It look a lot of moral courage for Rozelle to suspend two of the games great stars but it Well might have been a mortal blow to Public Confidence had the commissioner allowed them to get away Wilh a Mere slap on the wrist. At any rate there have been no rumours of betting amongst National foot Bull league players since. Rozelle had Hornung and Karras sit out the entire 1963 season and then withdrew the original indefinite suspension allowing them both to return to league action. This according to Bell was another line move that parallels our judicial principles that a person should be Given another Chance once he has Tak Enins punishment for a misdeed. I for one am going to have to cast my vote in agreement with Tom Bell. Commissioner Rozelle has been Good for professional football and the National football league in league enjoys stability and popularity that must make the baseball owners who continue to piously refer to their games the National pastime Green with envy. Will the real commissioner Eckerl please stand up Cardinal homers Deal cub seventh straight loss 9-1 Chicago up Home run by Lou Brock Orlando Cepeda and Mike Shannon powered these. Louis cardinals to a 9-5 Victory Over the Chicago cub Friday extending the cubs los ing Streak to Briles worked the first six innings for the cards but needed three innings of score less Relief by Wayne Granger to preserve his ninth win against six opened the game with his fifth Homer while in the fifth Curt flood doubled ahead of Cepeda s Lith Homer and Bob Tolan singled in front of Shannon s 10th Homer. The cards got another run of starter Ferguson Jenkins on flood s first inning single stolen base and Tolan s single. The other card runs came Ona walk a single and flood s sacrifice Fly in the sixth an Tim Mccarver s two run single in the allowed nine hits in five innings while taking his ninth loss. Briles allowed a run in the first on three singles and another in the fourth before being knocked out in the Sev Ewhen newly acquired Smith doubled an Hundley and Adolfo Phillip Back to Back homers. P Granger faced Only 10 men his three innings of Relief. Homer Inq Birds St. Louis -.-. Secret nil talks held Detroit up members of the National football league players association which has threatened a strike held a secrecy shrouded meeting with club officials Friday night. Members of the press were not allowed inside the Pine Lake Lodge in suburban Keego Harbor by since Lombard general manager of the Green Bay packers and John Gordy of the Detroit Lions head of the football commissioner Pete Rozelle said in Denver earlier he thought a Compromise was possible despite a Telephone Polly the players association which showed the players willing to go on strike by a Large margin unless a settlement was association has been seeking a $15,000 minimum for All nil players a $5-million contribution to the pension fund and$500 per Man for exhibition games. The club owners say they Don t make enough profit to permit them to Grant such have raised their ceiling on a minimum wage from its cur rent ?5,u m to ?1u,. Pappas 4-hitter takes braves past dodgers los Angeles a Mil Pappas pitched a four hitter Friday night and Henry Aaro Nhit his 15th Homer As the Atlanta braves Defeated los angeles3-0 before a Bat night crowd of 51,747. Pappas 4-5, won a pitching Duel from Mike Kekich 1-1 Pappas Aaron Phillies Call Brown to fill pitching Hole Philadelphia a the Philadelphia Phillies announced Friday the Purchase of right handed Pitcher pan Brown from their Reading farm teaming the class a Eastern league. The 27-year-old Brown fills vacancy on the roster left by Rick Wise who is departing fora two week summer Camp stint with the National was in 10 games with Reading and had a 4-0 record and 1.13 earned run average. Fie pitched on and off for the Phil lies in the 1961-62-63 seasons and had an Over All 0-8 Phillies also announced they were assigning Outfield Ergil Torres outright to the read ing bal club. Whose fourth inning error helped the braves score the Only run they needed. After Tommie Aaron Drew walk with two out in the fourth Marty Martinez grounded Backoo the Mound and Kekich dropped the Ball in the act of throwing to first. The misplay set up a run scoring Bloop single by Sonny Jackson. Henry Aaron hit his 496th Ca reer Homer off Kekich with the bases empty in the eighth an Felipe Alou poked a run scoring single in the allowed Only one run Ner to Advance As far As Versalles blooded a double to left with one out in the fifth and took third on Kekich s in Field out. But Pappas retired Willie Davis on a pop up. Hammering Atlanta Hank Fanlou of Coyer 3bhaaron of Torre cd Johnaon in Taaron if Pranc Nalum it Martinez 2brjackson Pappas p a r h bl5021 5010 41114010 3010 los Angelesa r h by a Darla of Popovith 2b Gabriels if Haller Lefebvre 3b 4 04 0 44000 1 003000 3000 3000 0000 210 0 fairly of pm 1000 Parker ib0000 by Lingam p Versalles is 3010 Kekich p 2000falrey of 1000 total 353811 total 31040 Atlanta. 000 100011 3lo Argele 000 000 00 0 0 a Kekich. Lob Atlanta 8, los Angeles 4. 2btveraalles. woj. . A Pappas. In h Pappas w.4-59 4 Kekich l.l-1 72-3 6 Bill Nisham 1 1-3 2t2 14. A51,747. R Erbb so0004 2127 1101 Montieth Hooters lose Stadlen Germany special the Montieth Barracks kickers made their season debut her thursday by dropping a 9-3 decision to a German team fsr Stadlen. A r h hi3221 43215012 51125131 51225000 3110,. K 3000granger p 1010 Brock i flood of Darver Cepeda in Tolan Roshannon 3b Javier 2bmaxvlll is Belles p chicagoan rfcs Singer is 41 Beckert 2b 4 of a Willams to 4 01santo 3b 30 Banks in ail Smith if 4i Hundley o 41phillips of 4i Jenkins p in Spangler pm 10boss p 00 Hickman pm 10lamahe p 00 Regan p 00 Nen pm 10 total 39 9 13 9 total St. Louis 200 041 Chicago 100 100 . 2.St.louia 7, Chicago 4. 2btolan, Flo . Or Brock 5cep Dashannon 10hundley 3phillips so flood Brock. Of flood. Briles w.9-6 Granger Jenkins l.6-9 Ros Lamabe. Rega n in 8. 3. 5. 2 h or bbl 9 5 5 11 0001 9661 2111 1-31 2 20 12-31 0 00 hip lamaze Brook. T2 31. A17,433. Error plagued giants sneak past reds 4- san Francisco a Jim Hart s two run seventh ill Ning Homer overcame six Sal Francisco errors Friday nigh and gave the giants a 4-3 Victory Over the Cincinnati reds. Winner Gaylord Perry was betrayed by inept support As the reds took a 3-2 Lead Willan unearned run in the sixth a Ning. Singles by Johnny Bencjan Tony Cloninger and error by Hart and Hal Lanier did i damage. Cloninger 1-5, was staked to2-0 Lead in the third on a pair c unearned runs. Singles Dewoody Woodward and Alex Johnson plus errors by hoj Hunt and Jack Hiatt account for the straight hits produced the giants first two runs in the fourth. Hiatt s single and Bobby Bonds triple opened the Sci Giand Frank Johnson s in Sci 1 ing single capped the rally. Ihunt walked to open the Sev i tenth and was forced Rev Cline. After Willie Mccovey struck out Hart him Meier i a 15th Homer Over the left fico screen. My Hart cries for you Cincinnati san Francis Rose Fra Johnson if Mjones of Perez 3bbench c May i Helms 21 Woodward is Ruiz a Cloninger p Carroll Phil Lieut pm a r i bi4100 Hunt i 5020 Cline i f 4000 mrs Iii s 3 0 0 0 Hart ii 4010 Hinitt 4110 Barton 4000 Bonds of 3010 Vilii 1" 1000 3111 Ivory i 0 0 0 0 1000 Abr Libl in Obj 4121 i 0 a .4000 Sanfrancisco us Hunt . Me Covey. Do san 1 Cincinnati 8, san Bonds. Or Hurt 0 x Iov l 11 Cloninger Carrol Perry w.7-4 hip Lui by 9,512. 4 a " ?0 1 i. A
