European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 19, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Thursday november 19,19b7 the stars and stripes Page 17 sports Bird Hurt in celtics first loss by the associated press Rich Fjeld. Of the Cleveland Cavaliers exploiting the sudden absence of injured Larry Bird oils cored Boston 26-15 in the third Quarter tuesday night and sent the celtics 10 their first los of the season. 101-88. Dell Curry stored eight of the Cavaliers third Quarter Points As Ulicy look an 85-63 Lead entering ire fourth Quarter. Bird who was having his injured right ankle treated by train ers did not return after playing he no Roundup first 24 seconds of inc second half and finished with 14 Points nearly 18 below his average. Bird apparently injured both an Kles late in the first half and was unable to continue playing after testing them in Jhc third Quarter. The a stunt of his injury was not immediately known. Phil Hubbard led Cleveland with 17 Points. Curry had 16 and Bra Dougherty scored 12. Dennis John son led the celtics with 16 Points. The celtics 6-1 Start is their Best since the 1972-73 team won its first 10 games. Cleveland which has War. Its last three Home games against Boston snapped four game losing Streak. In other Aba games tuesday Uken 141, Trail Blizen 115 Inglewood Calif. Byron Scott keyed a 40-Poinl third quart see Aba on Page 22 be bears ouf Trommell in balloting for Al map new York a George Bell of the Toronto Blue jays became the first member of a Canadian team id win Tirc american league most valuable player award tuesday beating out Alan Tram melt of the Detroit tigers in the voting. Bail the first dominican to be named map received 332 votes to the tigers shortstop s 311 in voting by the baseball writers Asso Dialion of America. For winning Bell will receive a $50,000 Bonus from the Blue jays. The outfielder s Bisic salary for 1987 was 11,285,000. Two association members in each of inc 14 Al cities were eligible to Vole. Bell received 16 first Ptack votes. Tram Mel received 12. Minnesota of i fielder Kirby Purt Colwas third in the voting with 201 Points followed by Boston s Dwight Evans and Milwaukee s Paul Millor. I m very Happy Bell said by Tele phone from Santo Domingo . Because when you win inc map everything shows that you be worked hard that you re a Winner. It s one of the greatest things that s happened to me in inc last three Bell s season was somewhat tarnished by a damaging slump in the final weeks of the season As Toronto battled Detroit for first place in he Al East. Bell struggled through a 2-for-26 finish As he tigers swept the Blue jays in the final three game to win the division you had to look at the whole sea son Bell said of the map voting. I played Well until the last week. If we do that judge on one week it does t make any s George Bell. Whacked 47 Home runs Bell batted .308 with 47 Home runs a league leading 134 runs batted in and 111 runs scored inc latter three setting club records. He also had a .60s slugging percentage and 16 game winning Bis. He staged a season Long Battle with Oakland Rookie Mark Mcgwire for he Al Home run title before Mcgwire finished with 49. He s go a bad shoulder from carry ing the rest of attic Ball club Alt summer Detroit manager Sparky Anderson said of Bell after the tigers beat the Blue jays Jinn i he final Dav of inc season. The Only pain for me during the Una week is that i wish we would Nehad Tony Fernandez and Ernie Whill in the lineup Bell said. Trammell moved to the no. 4 spot inthe lineup during Spring training after the defection of free agent i Nee Parrish. Trammell responded by Hilling a Carcer High .343 with 28 Home runs 105 runs batted in and 20s hits. He was the Firat Tiger since Al Kalinic in 1955 to have 200 hits and 100 Bis in inc same season. Trammel was 3 for 9 in the season ending series against Toronto with one Home run and two Bis. His Home run lied the first game and his second rib on a Hall through shortstop Manny Lee legs won the second game. There were no excuses from Bell aft Eric tigers swept the final three games from Toronto in Detroit. They gave me the pitches to hit. Missed them he said. Since becoming a full time player wit Toronto in 1984, Bell has averaged .296 with 33 homers and 106 Bis. He was drafted by Toronto in 1980 from the Philadelphia Phillies Organiza Tion despite missing most of that season with a stress fracture in a shoulder. For the people of the dominican it Means a lot Bell said these people have been asking me when teammate. The Flait Lucyn beat the ital Ian National team 89-82 tuesday at Iowa City
