European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 13, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday january 13,1991 the stars and stripes a a Pago 17 kills freeze out dolphins a m by Hal Bock a sports writer Orchard Park . A injured Jim Kelly won a Brilliant Battle with Dan Marino in a snowy saturday afternoon leading Buffalo to a 44-34 playoff Victory a a Over Miami Quot that thrust the Bills into the acc championship on a Gimpy left knee that had sidelined him for 2vz games Kelly passed for 339 Yards and three touchdowns while wearing Down the dolphins who had not surrendered Over 300 passing Yards in a game All season. He also took off on several dangerous scrambles Over the Snow slicked artificial surface and even went out As a receiver on one play. When Kelly was done he had the Bills in the acc championship game for the second time in the last three years. Buffalo plays the Winner of sundays game Between the los Angeles raiders and Cincinnati bengals for a spot in the super bowl. A morning Mist that turned to Snow Early in the game obliterated the Yard lines making every play an adventure. But Kelly ignored the elements playing As if it were 72 degrees and sunny instead of 31 and snowing. Marino More accustomed to comfortable conditions still kept Miami in the Chase running for one to and passing for two others. But in the end Kelly prevailed helped by three Field goals by Scott Norwood and 117 Yards Rushing by Thurman Thomas who also scored two touchdowns. A. With his offensive line blocking tenaciously Kelly had time to pick out second and third receivers and found them when things went badly for him nil playoffs on an television and radio Chicago at new York giants 6 30 . Sunday Cincinnati at los Angeles raiders 10 . Sunday. They turned out Well. On one first Quarter play Kelly was flushed out of the pocket and forced to run. He tucked the Ball under his Arm and took off gaining big yardage before Miami s . Junior stripped the Ball away. As it bounced Loose Center Kent Hull recovered turning the near disaster into an 18-Yard gain and a first Down. Moments later Norwood converted the turn of Good Fortune into a 22-Yard Field goal. That was part of a 13-3 first Quarter Lead that Kelly constructed m a hurry. He started on the very first play from scrimmage. Unable to find a receiver he bought time until Thomas could break free then lofted a pass that Thomas grabbed with one hand for a 20-Yard gain. Four plays later Kelly had Buffalo in the end zone finding Andre Reed in Between safeties Jarvis Williams and Louis Oliver for a 40-Yard to less than two minutes into the a. It. On the Bills next Possession Kelly hit James Lofton with a 44-Yard pass that set up Norwood a 24-Yard Field goal. In Between Miami a Pete Stoyanovich kicked a 49-Yard Field goal despite slipping on the turf. A with the Snow coming Down harder Kelly opened Buffalo s Lead to 20-3, connecting on a 43-Vard pass to Reed that set up thomas�?T5-Yard to. But the dolphins go away. Marino hit Mark duper on a 64-Yard to. Pass that narrowed the Gap to tim0. Then alter Kelly struck a again this time on a 13-Vard to pitch to lot top Marino brought Miami right Back. On fourth-.and-5 with less than two minutes before halftime Marino clicked again with duper on a "38-Yard pass putting the Ball inside the Bills 5. On thud Down Marino made a perfect fake and bootlegged into the end zone for a to to pull the dolphins within 10 Points a again. Quot a. A a. On the first drive of the second half Marino took the dolphins to the Buffalo 3-Yard line then settled for a 22-Yard Field goal by Stoyanovich making it 27-20, Norwood a third Field goal this one from 28 Yards restored the Bills 10-Point Lead. But Marino responded again using a 24-Yard completion to Mark Clayton to take the dolphins to the 2-Yard line As the third Quarter ended. When Marino hit eligible guard Roy Foster for a to the dolphins trailed 30-27. But Kelly responded again hitting Lofton on the first play from scrimmage scrambling through the Snow for 8 Yards and finding a1 Edwards for 12 As the Bills drove to a first Down at the Miami 15. Thomas 5-Vard run completed the drive for a �?T37-27 Lead. When Miami fumbled the . Norwood recovered and Kelly hit Reed fora-26-Yard to that put the game out of reach. Marino got his third to pass an a yarder to t ony Martin with 1 15 remaining luit by then it did no to matter. Marino completed 23 of 49 passes Lor 323 Yards and three flattens Damiani by de Schuyler or. A boxing writer Atlantic City . Ray Mercer needing a knockout to win got one when he nailed Francesco Damiani with a left uppercut late in the ninth round Friday night to become the world boxing organization heavyweight Champion. A i knew he was ahead on Points and i knew i had to do something Quick a a Mercer said after knocking out the previously unbeaten Damiani at 2 47 of the ninth round. A the knockout punch was a left uppercut that landed on the italians nose and dropped him on his face. At the Post fight press conference Damiani said through an interpreter a Tell him he w As then he laughed. Damiani who had won his previous 27 professional fights 23 by knockout was in Complete command keep ing merger off balance with left jabs Short right hand leads and Sharp after a Sharp Exchange in a Neutral Corner late in the ninth round Mercer connected with a left uppercut. The punch had a delayed reaction with Damiani suddenly dropping to the Canvas and being counted out by referee Rudy Battle. After eight rounds of the scheduled 12-round fight Damiani was solidly ahead with All three judges. He led 79-74 on the card of judge Nelson Vasquez of puerto Rico Eva Shain of new Jersey had him in front 78-74 and Harry Davis of Canada had it 79-75. Despite winning the 29-year-old Mercer 17-0 with 12 knockouts showed he needs More experience. He often seemed baffled by the 32-year-old italian a Veteran of the l980 and 1984 olympics before winning the european title and becoming the who Champion in 1989. Mercer tried to end it Early and nailed Damiani with a left Hook 20 seconds into the fight. But though Mercer had the Edge in the first found Damiani was in control from then on until the sudden ending. A anybody with any kind of a Belt is a Man to be reckoned with a Mercer the 1988 olympic heavyweight-., Champion had said of Damiani 32, Mercer weighed 215 pounds to 229l/-i for Damiani who made $800,000 for his second who title defense. Mercer a purse was $150,000. The fight was the feature on an All heavyweight card before a crowd of 3,650. In earlier fights two prospects stayed unbeaten. Tommy Morrison who played the role of the Boxer. Tommy Gunn in a Rocky a a knocked Down Veteran James a a Quick Tillis three times and stopped him at 1 51 of the first round. Morrison is 25-0 w Ith 21 Kos. Bruce Seldon of Atlantic City pleased the Home crowd when he knocked Down another faded Veteran Jose Rifi Olta twice and stopped him after three rounds to boost his record to 17-0 with 14 knockouts Hamilton Ontario a in his first race since the 1988 olympics Ben Johnson finished a close second in the 50-meter dash in the Hamilton Spectator indoor games at Copps coliseum Friday night. A i done to think it was a failure a Johnson said after the widely heralded race a i think i could have Johnson did no twin probably in part because he failed to get his usual powerful Start and also because he misjudged the finish line. His poor Start was due in part to anxiety Over delays caused by two false starts and by the time needed to repair a portion of the temporary track following the first false Start. Those problems delayed the Start of the race about 10 minutes. A i got caught in the blocks but i came Back at 35 meters a. Johnson said. A but i lunged at the wrong finish there were two finish lines one at 50 Yards and one at 50 meters because the runners were being timed at both distances. Johnson made his lunge at 50 Jol non was beaten in a photo finish by Darin Council a Deputy sheriff from Gainesville Fla. Council who replaced fellow american Dennis Mitchell on thursday was timed in 5.75 seconds in the first 50-meter race of his career. Johnson was clocked in 5.77. Johnson a devoted family Man wore a Black piece of tape on his Warmup suit in Honor of his father who died last year. A i tried to dedicate this race to him. But i failed a Johnson said. A next time it la be it different looking Johnson than the one who had bolted to Victory with the. Help of steroids in a than world re Cord time of 9.79 seconds for 100 meters at Fie Oul South Korea. This Johnson was t As Bulky in the upper body nor was his face As puffy. A people Are saying in a smaller a Juhn son said before his eagerly awaited race in front of an enthusiastic capacity crowd of 17,050 and a curious International Media horde of More than 400. A Psi a does no to matter. It s How fast you run. ,. Its Speed a Johnson who before the race received a thunderous standing ovation from the sellout crowd said. Ben Johnson awaits his Call Friday. A
