The Daily Collegian Monday, March 15, 1976- ons capture gym crown By BRIAN MILLER stone. "It's probably the easiest eventto blow. And just nipping Ilorthern Illinois, 385.25-384.75 after Collegian Sports Editor it came true for Indiana State. Their men didn't NorthernIllinois had led most ofthe way. At the gymnastic "OK Corral," better known as perform up to par. We had to hit on and we Northern Illinois also did quite well in the in- Ree Hall, some pretty lair shooting gym squads did." dividual-tabulations as Mark Mango won the faced offthis past weekend in something called the Saturday's entire afternoon optional crown with a combined optional and compulsory session had score of Mike Burke also Eastern Independent Gymnastic Championships. been one of changing momentums. Lions en- 18.675. won an event title Seems only the highest scoring participants The for NIU capturing the title with a that tered the optionals in first place by winning Friday • can go to Philadelphia in April for that really big evening's 18.85 score. compulsories, 214.80-213.50. Penn State Still, . Penn round-up, the NCAA's. started Saturday on -ex and hit most of the State and Indiana State dominated the scoring a individual event titles, taking 19 of the 21 qualifying So on Friday evening, local kid Penn routines, 36.40. Meanwhile ISU hit a 35.70 spots forthe NCAA championships. this called on pommel horse. State and this big timer from out west, Indiana That includes along cahoots drew the all-arourid where Thomas State, with eight other and Penn State went to pommel horse, then to rings, (110.45) finished first and Griffith (109.35) started a gunnin'. Through two days of compulsory finished , high bar and vault. The Lions had second. Penn State's Gene Whelan took third with a and optional exercises, they kept reloading and trouble on rings but major on high 108.35. Pflieger was fourth (105.60) firing. breaks bar while the Lions' almostcost theLions the title. Bob Desiderio was fifth witha 103.60 mark. Pflieger and won crowns When the smoke cleared Saturday, if itwasn't the "We definitely didfloor andpommel horse (35.90) Desiderio event too; local kid with the big prize? Penn State justnipped as we could expect," Pflieger surprisingly winning the floor ex com- Penn State coach Tom Dunn petition. with a while Indiana State431.95-431.10 to win the regional crown said. "Parallel bars performed quite a bit 18.55 Desiderio tied with Temple. were Thomas forthe vault (188.80). and earn the right to theNCAA's at better than we ever had (36.40). Then we went to crown I'm And Lions by jumping horse. high bar andmade our major breaks." "Yeah, pretty happy," Pflieger said. "I the did it a really didn't think I'd win floor ex though Just before the events Saturday af- my op- final on The Lions scored 35.40 on high bar ( Indiana State tionals are as good as anybody's." Indiana State lead Penn State by just 1.4, ternoon, marked up a 36.30) as two key Penn State per- Desiderio was a hero Saturdayafternoon. The last 396.05-394.65. The Lions would finish the afternoon formers faltered. Paul Simonposted a and vaulter on the long horse concluded 7.55 Kurt scheduled, Desiderio hit his front double vault, the Sycamores on Pflieger broke andcarded a low 7.15. sommersault near perfect for a 9.55, icing the team the parallel bars. crown. Ironically, the Lions had led after compulsories "I knew our worse event was said the " last," due largely to a major break by "I said 'I just hope I can do Sycamore's coachRoger Counsil. "When I saw the Indiana State on it again,' Desiderio of high bar. Griffith, Darrell Cribs and Thomas all hit said Saturday night after the individual award. "I (point) spread I saw the possibility the very thing above nine was really to happenthat did happen." but all-around Mike Papantonio (6.85) psyched." and Al Kwiatkowski (4.70) really stumbled. "After high bar, well, wefigured p-barwould be a tough piece to finish on," Desiderio said concerning What "happened" was Mit Sycamores, with the "That high bar routine of Kwiatkowski's was exception of Doug Griffith (9.25) and absolutely Saturday afternoon's events. "We prepared really (9.35), the worst routine of the year," Counsil well on vaulting. Everybody was pulling missed their routines while the Lions went said, "and he does it at the regionals. for us." 9.1, 8.95, 9.45, 9.2, and 9.55 on their vaults. Penn The horizontal bar crown went to Cribbs with a State received a team score of 37.30 for the vault "Kwiatkowski lost five whole team points," 118.85. Thomas (18.675) and the Lions Larry Butler while Indiana State earned a 35.05 for p-bars. It was Counsil added. "I'm not placing the blame entirely (18.65) finished second and third respectively. Penn State, by the short hairs . on him but he'll have to learn to live with pressure." Griffith and Whelan tied for the p-bar title, each "The parallel been Penn State's Bob Desiderio performs an on bars have a neutralizer in The pressure was a little less intense for the third with 18.75'5. Penn State Paul Simon wasthird with a L-seat therings recent years," said Penn State coach Gene Wett- place battle. Illinois State grabbed the third spot, 17.90. Thomas steals AA show, Kuhn promises camp openings State's cops (AP) Whelan ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. 3rd Bowie Commissioner Kuhn promised yesterday that the major league baseball ByLAURIE KARDON out of nationalslastyear. Collegian SportsWriter season would open as scheduled April 8 but the formal an- Griffith scored • relatively nouncement of the opening of spring training camps No doubt about it, Indiana low in pommel horse (9.1) for got hung State'sKurt Thomas stole the upin a legaltechnicality. what he would have liked, but In a bizarre series of show. Every time the man said that since hisroutine was events, which included strolls in the stepped on a , touched a sunshine by the chief negotiators, and up-and-down elevator basic and not too difficult, he trips, it decided ring or a bar, all eyes in Rec was satisfied. was at the end of a long day that another meetingwould held today beginning at 11 a.m. EST. Hall were upon him. Some "This was the best meet I be fans appreciated him and hadall year optionalwise," he John Gaherin, the owners' chief negotiator, emerged from some fans booed him, but all said. "I haven'thad his final meeting of the day with Marvin Miller, executive too much of the players' with the knew that Thomas was the compulsory competition, and director association, dour statement: gymnast to for the AA was my "There has been no drastic change at all. We are still beat so I a little rough on confronted with the same problems championship. pommel horse compulsories. at the same dimension. Vis it turned out, Thomas I also had my problems We are a long way from having the key to the padlock or the on my hacksaw on chain." finished first (110.95), and the Whelan. "Every time! That is terrible vaulter.") left with an p-barroutine. I don'tknow if I the closest man to him in thefinal very difficult to do even the 8.95 in his optional. was rushing it or what, I just Gaherin described the legal technicality as dealing with AA tabulation was teammate first pass, but the third time! Thomas not only captured couldn'tgetmy legs up (into a "the impact of the one-and-one on current contracts and the DQug Griffith (109.35), I just can't believe it. And he first in the AA, but also handstand)." format for the future reserve system."This has been the main followed by Penn State's does a V-seat press afterthat. qualified in four individual Thomas scored high and bone of contentionall along. GeneWhelan in (108.35). This is super hard events; placing second in above the other AA's in Kuhn made a surprise visit to the scene of the negotiations, third to do, yet the although he did jointhe talks and These threewill represent the he can do itevery time.". floor ex, second in pommel the horse with a well= not optimistically predicted horse, tie for first executed scissor that training camps would open and the baseball season would in vaulting, break. begin on even and second in highbar. Though many tried the move, time, if itmeant continuingnegotiations into the But he ran into difficulty few did it season. "My emphasis is on a very. , an ,d on as well as Thomas, was clean - - The Associated Press told earlier that 6 p.m. EST today ,):‘ the parallel bars, where he and hescored a9.35: ~ ' was smooth routine. If you , have a clean:. was the' defending regional Although the fans screamed the deadlinefora firm decision and that the owners would champion last year. Almost and yelled and caused what agree to opening of the camps before that time. routine, no matter what you do the falling off the bars attempting they thought was a lot A high-placed management source said players needed of three weeks of training be ready for the season and that fudge a diamodiw, he was forced to pressure on the, gymnasts, to the can't deduct." walk along the bars in order neither Thomas, Griffith or owners had decided to carry the talks down to the last critical Penn State's Gene Whelan to correct himself. Whelan was completely sure moment to getthe best possible deal. also any "We areempty-handed," the source who did not wish to be Whelan had some at time where the other said. problems on the high bar, one stood in competition. At identified, where he slipped Prior to the late afternoon announcement suspending the top NCAA Eastern Although Pfleiger said he up on a the end of Saturday af- day's simple kip. He seemed sur- ternoon's when the talks, a small cordon of newsmen was treated to a cloak- Independent Regional all- felt that Whelan's floor ex meet, .. prised almost to the point of team and AA championships and-dagger drama during which a firm announcement ap- arounds in the Nationals, routine could stand to have a peared imminent andthen died an agonizingdeath. April 1-3 in Philadelphia. bit more flair in it, Whelan disagreed. Earlier, there was a break for lunch, at which time the 1r he battle for the top three owners went to their special suiteon the 14thfloor, and Marvin AA's was close the "My emphasis is more on a entire "I try not to look at the scores, and I Miller, executive director of the players' union,, remained meet, involving Thomas, very clean and smooth closeted with a groupof players on the first floor of the hotel. Griffith, Whelan and Penn routine as opposedto one with only realized a few times where I was The two walked togetheralong 4th Avenue North outside the State's Kurt Pfleiger. By the flair," he said. "Ifyou have a hotel. end of compulsories, Thomas clean routine, no matter what placed. I justtry to hit my sets." After about 15 minutes, Gaherin returned the hotel and held (54.95), you do the judge to onto first but can't deduct. took an elevator to the 14th floor. Miller was joined on the there was only a 116 point My dismount could be higher —1,91.1,'s Doug Griffith street by Dick union spread between and my corner Moss, counsel, and Tom Seaver, him and full twist a bit star pitcher of the New York Mets, who has taken a very Pfleiger, who was infourth. cleaner, . but other than that activerole inthe players' negotiations. It was the optional com- I'm happy withmyroutine." embarrassment that the were determined, the team Photo by Julie Cipolla petition held Saturday af- It's not that Whelan did broke on such an easy move. competition was close, as was ternoon that decided the poorly in floor ex (9.15 in Both Whelan and • Thomas the AA. The fans were Indiana State's Kurt Thomas exhibits AA- The three cumpulsories, 8.90 in op- ran into similar difficulties on Swede skis to Cup outcome. top screaming for victory, winningform in floor ex competition . scored fairly evenly in tionals), but compared to the rings, where they are both thinking they would pressure ASPEN, Colo. (AP) nearly Pk seconds ahead of parallel bars high Thomas and Griffith he did. relatively weak Thomas AI.I.•AROUND Kurt Thomas. Paul Fagan. PSU. 18.40: Jack Fischer. and bar, in tougher ISU, and Griffith. Indiana State. 110.45: Doug Griffith. 18.32.5: Whelan. PSU. 18.30: Barry Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden Phil Mahre of White Pass, but Whelan slipped behind in Both scored in the 9's in both moves. Both had problems Indiana State. 109.35: Gene Whelan. Woodward. 18.27. ISU. clinched the 1976 World Cup Wash., who finished second in floor exercise, vaulting and compulsories and optionals. holdingan iron cross. "Was I nervous? Because Penn State. 108.35: Pflieger. Penn State. VAULT Thomas. ISU. 18 80. with a victory in the slalom 1:51.34. pommel horse. And while Thomas and The one gymnast who of the 10560: Bob Desiderin. Penn State. nesiderio. PSU. 18.80: Cooper. PSU, fans? I try not to look at 103 60. 18.05. Griffith. ISU. 18 00. 1517: Pflieger. yesterday, ending Italy'sfive- "I worked with Thomas at Griffith also scored high in seemed to have no weakness the scores, and Ionlyrealized FLOOR EXERCISE Pflieger. PSU. PSU tit 175. year domination of the men's The 25 points that Stenmark the Pan Am games for three vaulting, Whelan was left far in any was a few times 18.55: Thomas, ISU., 18.40: Griffith. ISU. PARALLEL BARS Griffith. ISU, area Griffith. where I was Bob Alpine ski championship. earned with his victory made weeks, and the thing that behind again. Griffith hit a Second in AA, first in p-bars placed," 18.25: Main. ISU. 18.23: Bruce Ili 75: Whelan, PSU. 18 75: Simon, PSI'. said Griffith. "I just Spikerman. ISU. 18.10. 17 90. Pilleger. PSI'. 17 05: Thomas, Stenmark skied the 75-gate it impossible for Italians always amazes me in his floor perfect back cartwheel, and third in floor ex, many try to hit my sets. But to be POMMEL HORSE Mike Burke. 1511. 17.55. first course in 57.58 seconds Piero Gros or Gustavo ex routine is that he does an which was worth 9.50, and coaches commented he made honest, I was no more ner- Northern Illinois. 18.85: Thomas. !SU HORIZONTAL II %It Darrell Cribb:, and came down the 68-gate a four-time good a 1812: Pete Vastola. PSU. 18.42: Hun IS('. 111.85: Thomas. ISII. 18.67: Larry Thoeni, world Arabian one and three on his Thomas was for 9.55. a fantastic comeback after a vous at the end that I was at singer. Ed second course in for a champion, ("I'm PSU. 18.37: Paul. ISU. 18.22. Butler. PSU. IN 65: Griffith. ISU. 18.473• 52.18 to catch the teen- third pass every time," said But Whelan just a shoulder• injury that kept him thebeginning." RINGS Kirk Mange. N. 111.. 18.875 Whelan. PSIS. Is 35. combined time of 1:49.76, age Swede. Villecco only placewinner National titles elude grapplers By JACK PATON White also suffered a quarterfinal defeat at the The winners and runnersup inthe finals were Collegian Sports_-Writer hands of the eventual champ, as he was beaten by 118—Mark Digiralamo, Cal Poly, who beat The Penn State wrestlers, after spending mostof lowa's Chris Campbell, 3-1. A stalling point proved Packer in the openinground, over lowa State's John the season unbeaten and in the national top ten, fatal to the Lion junior in his tournament-ending Jones. managed only one placewinner in the NCAA loss to lowa State's Willie Gatson, 5-4. 126—Wisconsin's Jack Reinwand over Santa championships atTucson. Wayne Packer won two consolation matches after Barbara's Harold Wiley. ) The Lions finished tenth in final team standings, losing in the preliminaries, but was whipped by 134—Lehigh's Mike Frick, winning his second but the lack of individual championship contenders Brigham Young's Sam Orme, 7-1, and eliminated in straight title, over Pat Milkovich, Michigan State, had to be a great disappointment to the Eastern the consi-quarters. runnerup to Penn State's JohnFritz at 126last year. League champs. The toughest Lion loser of all may have been 142—Iowa's Brad Smith beat Gene Costello of Captain Jerry Villecco, recovering somewhat Slippery Rock. fourth freshman Bill Bertrand, whose preliminary loss by from an upset loss in the first round, placed a 150—Iowa's Chuck Yagla, the tournament's at placewinner. referee's decision to East Carolina's Mike Rad- 167 to become a three-time NCAA ford cost him any of placing. Outstanding Wrestler, won his second in a row by He was fourth in 1974, andsixth lastyear. chance beating Under NCAA rules, preliminary are lowa State's Pete Gillea, a fourth-place Villeccoreeled offthree straight wins to reach the losers finished lastyear. eligiblefor the consolations only if the men who beat consolation semifinals andclinch a placein the final 158—KempoverWashington's Tom top-seeded them survive the quarters. Radford was beaten in Brown. SIX. He advanced in the semis when the 167—Wisconsin's Pat Christenson, Villecco's Larry Zilverberg Minnesota defaulted, but lost quarterfinals, knocking Bertrand out of the of tourney with justone loss. conqueror in the first round, beatDan Wagemann, thg third-place match to old nemesis JoeCarr. lowa. The other Lions qualified for the consolations Villecco had beaten Carr in last year's nationals, 177—Campbellover when their conquerors advanced into the Michigan's Mark Johnson. and decisioned the Kentucky star in this year's 190—Minnesota's Evan Johnson beatlowa State's State Invitational. semifinals, but the trio dropped decisions in their r'enn first consolation matches. Frank Santana. The onlyLions to survive the preliminary rounds, Hwt.—Jackson over GregGibson of Oregon. Dave Becker and Jerry White, suffered back-to- Denny Sciabica at 134 was ousted by NOTES: lowa won the team title, withtraditional back losses and were eliminated in the consolation Washington's Toshi Oonishi, 7-3. Oonishi finished rival lowa State finishing second...EWL had two quarterfinals. sixth at 126 in lastyear's nationals. other placewinners besides Villecco, Clarion's 142- Becker was beaten in the 158 quarterfinals by Bill Vollrath was knocked out of 150 contentionby pounder Don Rohn (sixth) and heavyweight Chuck Wisconsin's Lee Kemp, the eventual champion and East Carolina's Paul Thorp, 10-9. Heavyweight Coryea (fourth)...Final records for Lions: Packer runnerup 150 year. Becker was thenknocked Brad at last Benson lost to VMl's Ned Stepanovich, 4-1, (19-2), Sciabica (13-7), Vollrath (15-5), Becker (17- Collegian , out of placement contention with an 8-4 loss in the after being pinned by champion Jim Jackson of 4), Villecco (21-2), White (15-4), Bertrand (14-4), Jerry Vil/ecco (right) was Penn State's onlyplacewinner in the consolation quarters. OklahomaState in alate preliminary bout. andBenson (5-4-2). nation- al wrestling tournamentin Tuscon