European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 31, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Gimson Intel was to win re is i Johnson was in Grade school when Larned the Iricks that made him a netball Genius played co Ball when i was 8,9, 10 i s old and there were limes when my t 5 baskets and i would get 13 of them. N and i d be real Happy but the other ild come around and were unhappy getting any Points. I older maybe 12,1 realized i could be Mother Guys Happy tarted a career of making himself Happy his teammates Happy by making them to that led to his selection As the 3ro basketball player of the decade the other Side Johnson said it s like Der you get. The More you realize that of always been a scorer but i also need Inson s meal ticket into the record Book. Seasons by this above average Ike him no. 1 All time ahead of current Orison. Be i Good but not great ranking 64th As a rebounded. He s averaged 76 per or remarkably High for a Point guard ,-feet-9. Nobers that make Johnson the National nation player of the decade. It s five and eight Aba finals appearances in 10 i the los Angeles la Kors. Pat Riley individual honors came slowly for Johnson he now has won most valuable player honors twice but did t win his first until 1987 you know you la get recognized eventually As Long As you re winning he said. When you re the champs you get recognized individually the honors Are coming my Way now but it s the winning that reflects the most on me " Riley the pro coach of the decade said that Johnson ultimately will be recognized As the most versatile player Ever in the Aba for eight years he really was ust a role player but probably the greatest role player Ever All he wanted was to win and make his teammates Riley said but you la soon see what kind of player he can be this season he is playing All five positions " Johnson proved he could play anywhere on the court in his first season when he replaced the injured Kareem Abdul Jabbar at Center for the sixth game of the 1980 finals he had 42 Points. 15 rebounds and seven assists in the lakers series clinching Victory Over the 76ers today. Johnson Calls that game the third of three memorable games that shaped his career. It was the game in which he proved to himself that he belonged in the Aba the second turning Point was the 1979 Mcaa championship game in which he led Michigan state to Victory Over Indiana state and Larry Bird. That was to be the game that sent Jolson on to the pros after his Sophomore Yea but Johnson iad the most memorable game i Ever had and that i remember most Carne when i was a Sophomore in High we were picked to finish last and we beat the team that was picked to finish first in the conference. I had 36 Points. 18 rebounds and 16 assists. After that game. I was Given the name magic and it s stuck All these Johnson s nickname Toothy smile and Boyish enthusiasm for the game became his trademarks. His first game in the Aba was a last second Victory that concluded with Johnson joyfully racing around the court hugging Abdul Jabbar who later told the Rookie he needed to Calm Down because it was a Long season. More than anyone else Kareem made me a better Johnson said. He was t just talented he was smart. You could t help but learn from Johnson has curbed his exuberant displays Lor the most part but not at the expense of masking his enthusiasm Lor the game. I be Learned to Channel the Energy pick my spots Johnson said you can t go crazy every time you have a big play. I Learned that doing it every time wears me out. Instead of High fives now i just Point to a Guy who makes a Good the lakers Hope that Johnson will be pointing the Way to the finals for a Long time to come. Magic Johnson was at much Ola threat passing a scoring e Only time Philadelphia there were six Gold Star selections the last one i How Good he was. I Ted press player of the the greatest player Ever to fans. For years Schmidt of faithful at veterans Only came when his up to brilliance and almost career. Comparing one of their Ruth Hank Aaron Willie 30, wow a Ait a minute. Is he was doing that oing him " Schmidt said. Use Schmidt always was or. Of Cool critics claimed he Rmer manager Danny Ozark i for Schmidt on the Field. Hall of Fame at those busts us were pretty unemotional Dimaggio. Aaron i Lay 29. In what May be the it lasts the longest he broke the Day he retired then he said Cas retired no one wore it As injuries and age finally just 12 Home runs in 1988 run on opening Day in 1989. Ore saying he could t do it game s seventh leading Ember 31,1989 Home run hitter with 548. Most of those came this decade when ironically he became More than just a Home run hitter. He began in 1980 with his most productive and most rewarding season. He hit 48 Home runs and drove in 121 runs both remained career night _ and batted .286, his Best to that Point. Schmidt hit just .208 in the five game playoff Victory Over Houston but came Back to become map of the world series batting 381 with two Home runs and seven runs batted in against Kansas City. He might have done even More in 1981 if the season had t been interrupted by a seven week strike. In just 102 games he led the majors with 31 Home runs and 91 rib and also hit .316, the Only time he topped the 300 Mark. That earned him his second straight map trophy. In 1983. He hit another 40 Home runs but. After a big playoff against los Angeles he was humbled and will Long be haunted by a 1 Lor-20 performance against Baltimore in his last world series in 1984 and 1985, Schmidt hit 277 his average for the entire decade. In 1986, his 37 homers and 119 rib won him a third map award. No one won it More. The Hope of winning one More world series and maybe a record fourth map award kept him going he got closer than his team in 1987, his last big season he hit 35 homers and drove in 113 runs but was overshadowed by Andre Dawson s monster year. Still he did something he had dreamed about winning a game in the ninth inning with his 500th career Home run. When it was All Over Schmidt wound up tied with Dale Murphy for second place this decade with 929 rib. Trailing Murray s 996. Joe Montana Cool head Strong Arm. Joe Montana comeback specialist by Dave Goldberg associated press Joe Montana began this decade with one memorable drive and concluded i with another. But what May say More about the associated press pro football player of the 80s was the nonchalant Way he conducted himself on nov. 7,1986. That was when eight weeks alter delicate Back surgery he stood in a room at the san Francisco 49ers training Center in Redwood City Calif. Wondering Why anyone would question How he could return so soon to a game in which opponents Are paid to Knock him Down that s football he said. I m a football player and i want to play it As often As i two Days later he went out and completed 13 of 19 passes for 270 Yards in a 43-17 rout of the cardinals. Montana was hardly an obscure player when he entered the National football league As the fourth quarterback continued on Page 16 the stars and stripes Page 15
