European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 08, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday june 8, 1977 the stars and stripes Page 21 Loose Walton leads Blazer Parade by Boxbaum Portland Ore. A More than 50, 000 people jammed the streets of Down town Portland monday to cheer the Portland Trail blazers meteoric Rise to the National basketball association title. Led by an incredibly Loose Bill Walton the blazers paraded through the streets As confetti streamed from the upper floors of downtown buildings. The players and coaches Shook hands with everybody insight and whooped it up at a big rally at the end of the line. Wilum. In cutoffs and a sweat shirt and Wilh a big lipstick print on his Check was the undisputed Star of the show. He started the Parade on his 10-spced bicycle but lost the Bike somewhere along the route. He said his decision to Ndoc the bicycle May have been the stupidest thing i be Ever done and he asked whoever wound up with it to please bring it Back. It s the Only Bike i be who think of Walton As a shy introverted somber person would t have recognized him monday. This is As much fun As i be Ever had in any sport since i started playing when i was eight years old he told some 8.000 people who gathered at the Federal Plaza at the end of the Parade route. I can t imagine it getting any better but i m sure you folks will find a Way to make it that that he made one of several pleas for cold Beer from the crowd and surren dered the microphone to other in Lazar play ers and , when Portland mayor Neil Goldschmidt was at the Mike. Walton doused him from behind with Beer and the crowd cheered. The world championship trophy also got a Beer Bath at the Cerebra times along the Parade route and again at the rally the blazers threw basketballs into Tho , the City s main downtown artery was completely jammed with people for at least 10 Only problem i saw was getting a Hole in the crowd big enough to get the Parade said Portland police sgt. Roy be never seen that Many people in one stretch of he said Kendricks said police had no Way of Esti mating How Many people showed up to cheer the blazers but he said a guess of at least 50.000"is not Bird and Catfish show old form As tigers yanks Chalk up victories by United press International the Bird and the Catfish arc Back. This has not been a very Gratifying Spring for Mark the Bird Fidrych and Jim Catfish Hunter two of the Premier american league pitchers. In fact about the Only statistics either has been Able to talk about was the number of Days he has spent on the disabled monday night it was once again like old times for Fidrych and Hunter both of Al Roundup whom benefited from hefty batting support to gain Long awaited , who Tore a cartilage in his left knee in Spring training and was disabled until May 24. Hurled the Detroit tigers to a seven hit 8-0 Triumph Over the California Angels for his first Victory of the season. Hunter bothered by Arm trouble sporadically his season made his first Start since May z7 and pitched the new Yor Yankees to a 9-2 Victory Over the Texas hangers Hunter now 2-3. Spaced six hits and got All the run support he needed from his old Oakland a s teammate Reggie Jackson who belted a pair of Home runs for three rib. It was Only the second Complete game this year for Hunter. I liked what i saw said Yankee manager Billy Martin he had velocity and control and threw Only 103 pitches. He also had a Good fastball. He was t Labouring and that s Why i let him go All the like Hunter. Fidrych was treated to a big Lead in getting Back in the winning Groove Jason Thompson drove Home four Ruis for the tigers three of them with his ninth Homer of the season in the fifth inning but it was Fidrych s night and a most satisfying Victory after two previous indians Eckersley Al player of week new York api Cleveland indians right hander Dennis Eckersley. Who pitched the season s second no hitter in Healing California 1-0 on May 30 and barely missed Matching a record for witless innings was named american league player of the week monday. Eckersley. 7-3. Who had held Seattle hit less through the final 72-3 innings on May 25 silenced whom again for 52-3 innings on june 3. The --1 3 inning of Hills bail left him two thirds of an inning shy of l Young s 1904 the week. Eckersley was 2-0 with 15 strikeouts in .5 inning and a earned run average in that Span. Close in the american league. Baltimore put away Milwaukee 5-2. Chicago outlasted Minnesota 9-5 in 12 innings. Boston shaded Kansas City 1-0 and Cleve land tripped Oakland 3-1. White sox 9. Twins 5 Oscar Gamble capped a four run two out 12lh-inning rally with a three run Homer enabling Chicago to move to within one game of first place Minnesota in the Al West. Richie Zisla drove in the first run of the winning rally with his fourth single of the game. Orioles 5. Brewers 2 Lee May blasted his seventh Home run in eight games and Rudy May fired a five hitter to Pace Baltimore. May s Homer a two run shot in the fourth gave him 19 rib in the last eight games All on the Road. Red sox 1, royals 0 Carl Yastrzemski s ninth Home run in the seventh inning was the game s Lone score. Luis Tianlu who like Hunter and Fidrych has been struggling for a win of late went seven innings to gain his third before yielding to Bill Campbell indians 3, a s i larva to Blanks drove in two runs with a bases loaded eighth inning single fur the winning Cleveland nuts reliever Jim Kern choked off an Oakland rally in the Bottom of the eighth to preserve Pat Dob son s first win after five losses Goldschmidt proclaimed monday Trail Blazer Day in Portland and gov. Bob Straub declared this week Trail Blazer fan week in is such an exciting event we ought to do it again next year Straub coach Jack Ramsay his Bald Lead Rose red from the Sunshine called Portland championship Campaign maybe the greatest season that professional basketball has Ever Parade was not an organized affair. With the crowd close enough to reach outland touch the outstretched arms of play Davis the Portland guard who would have been a College senior this year just kept shaking his head and saying. I Dnn t believe it Lionel hulling the team s play maker. Thanked the fans for their support and Maurice Lucas hobbled by a hip injury he suffered in sunday s Victory lifted both Index fingers in the air and said. This is great. I love it " Aba series Kitty from press dispatches the Portland Trail blazers earned $277, 500 for winning the National basketball association championship in their Best of seven Sears with of the 12 players on the Champion ship team will get a Check for $21,346.15 As his share of the purse a Blazer spokesman said. He said that a 13th share would be divided evenly Between Trainer Ron Culp an assistant coach Jack Mckinney and that the team would contribute to Culp s und Mckinney s shares to make them the full j2i.346.15.the Philadelphia 76crs collected $237. 500 and they voted to allot $17.653 85 each to 12 players and Trainer Al do Mcnero. Fred Carter and Jim Barnett. Both of whom played portions of the season were voted $2.000 each. Spores to foil a double play let George do it George Bretl on ground of Kansas City collides with Boston second base Man Denny Doyle to break up a Poten tial double play. L my Bill Weegan Waves Brett out. The visiting Buso beat the royals. 1-0, monday. A
