[Tiger Fan]

MARCH 31, 1975

SEMI FINALS SET FOR AIAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

The field has been whittled to four. College basketball’s final survivors will converge on Bigsby Garden in New York on Saturday, with two victories standing between them and the national championship to be decided Monday night. Maryland State, Noble Jones College, Mississippi A&M, and Coastal California—programs rich in tournament history—will each be chasing a third AIAA title.

Maryland State is the lone top seed to reach the championship weekend. The Bengals captured national crowns in 1960 and again in 1972 and arrive in New York playing their best basketball of the season. Noble Jones College, meanwhile, is making its third consecutive regional final appearance and is bidding to add to titles won in 1950 and 1969 with the 1950 Charlie Barrell-led squad being the only team ever to go undefeated in a season. Mississippi A&M returns to the national stage two years after a runner-up finish, with previous championships in 1961 and 1971. Coastal California, the tournament’s most frequent participant, is back at Bigsby Garden for the first time in more than a decade, seeking a first title since 1962 to go with its breakthrough championship in 1950.

Regional Final Results

Coastal California emerged from the South Region as the tournament’s lowest remaining seed. The fourth-seeded Dolphins opened the weekend Friday afternoon by upsetting top-seeded Baton Rouge State 52-41, sparked by 13 points from guard Johnny Vega. They followed that effort with a convincing 70-57 win over College of Omaha in the regional final, as Don Powell led a balanced attack with 14 points. Omaha’s improbable run included a 59-55 victory over Queen City in a sixth-versus-seventh-seed semifinal, marking the deepest tournament advance in Raiders history.

Awaiting Coastal California in the national semifinals will be Mississippi A&M, one of two Deep South Conference schools to reach New York. The Generals dominated their path through the West Region, opening with a win over Quaker College before overwhelming Darnell State 48-28 in the semifinals. In the regional final, Mississippi A&M pulled away early from Carolina Poly, building a 17-point first-half lead and cruising to a 62-40 victory behind junior guard Darren LeBlanc, who scored 20 points on 10-for-14 shooting.

Maryland State was equally authoritative in the East Region, where the Bengals were never seriously threatened. They opened with a 66-33 rout of University of New Jersey, followed with a 70-53 win over Western Iowa, and closed the regional final by dispatching second-seeded Northern Mississippi 60-53 to secure their place in the Final Four.

The Bengals will meet Noble Jones College in Saturday’s second semifinal after the Colonels survived a demanding Midwest Region bracket. Noble Jones edged seventh-seeded Holland 51-43 in the opener, then gained momentum with a 60-51 victory over Northern California. That set up a regional final showdown with top-ranked Detroit City College. After a tightly contested first half, the Colonels seized control with a decisive 12-2 run early in the second half and went on to a 73-65 victory. While Detroit’s Harry Gilmour led all scorers with 22 points, Noble Jones countered with balance, placing four players in double figures, led by Lou Van Slyke and Willie Lefler with 13 apiece.

With four proven programs and contrasting styles set to collide under the lights at Bigsby Garden, the stage is set for a championship weekend worthy of the tournament’s long history.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE UNVEILED
St. Blane–DCC Clash Headlines Early Season Slate

It may only be April, but the road to Santa Ana officially begins this week with the release of the 1975 college football schedule. Opening kickoff is set for the weekend of September 13, and while the first full Saturday offers more substance than spectacle, several early matchups already hint at how the national picture could begin to take shape.

Defending national champion Redwood University will not take the field until the second weekend of the season. The Mammoths, coming off an 11–1 campaign capped by an East–West Classic victory over Detroit City College, will open on the road in Texas against El Paso Methodist. Redwood’s non-conference slate also includes games against Deep South Conference foes Opelika State and Bluegrass State, along with Cleveland, before the Mammoths turn their attention to West Coast Athletic Association play on October 18 with a trip to Rainier College.

The most intriguing contest of opening weekend figures to take place in the Twin Cities, where St. Magnus will host North Carolina Tech. The Vikings are coming off a 6–5 season— their first winning record in five years—while the visiting Techsters went 7–4 last fall and enter 1975 with realistic hopes of capturing a South Atlantic Conference title for the first time since sharing the crown in 1954.

Week two, however, brings one of the marquee early games of the entire season. Two-time defending Great Lakes Alliance champion Detroit City College will renew its long-dormant rivalry with St. Blane in the Motor City. The matchup concludes a home-and-home series that began two years ago with the Fighting Saints earning a 30–19 victory. Once a staple of the schedule in the 1930s and 1940s, the series has been played just four times since 1950, with each school claiming two wins.

St. Blane enters the season with national championship aspirations after an 8–3 campaign and a 16th-place finish in last year’s final rankings. The Fighting Saints, who have held the top spot in the national polls three times over the past decade, return seven starters on both offense and defense. The backfield will again be led by Raleigh Cutler and Baron Sanchez, a formidable duo that each surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark last season.

Detroit City College faces questions of its own as it seeks a third straight New Year’s Day trip to Santa Ana. The Knights must replace quarterback Harold Robinson, turning instead to junior Pete Patterson, who has patiently waited his turn and has yet to complete a collegiate pass. DCC will lean heavily on experience elsewhere, particularly in the backfield, where senior Granville Fitch and junior George Calloway return after combining for nearly 2,000 rushing yards during last year’s 10–2 campaign.

With Great Lakes Alliance rivals Central Ohio and Minnesota Tech expected to be improved, the margin for error will be slim. But if September is any indication, the path to the postseason will begin to clarify early this fall—starting with a rivalry renewed and expectations once again running high.

TWIFS will release its pre-season college football top twenty in the summer.

MINUTEMEN PULL TRIGGER ON ANOTHER DEAL

The Boston Minutemen and Washington Eagles, separated by just five games in the Federal Association East standings a year ago, have taken markedly different paths in their efforts to close the gap on division-leading Atlanta. That contrast was underscored last week when the two clubs completed a trade that sends established major-league talent to Boston in exchange for long-term prospects headed to Washington.

Boston acquired right-handed starter Bill Kelly and center fielder Gil Armstrong, while the Eagles received three teenage prospects: pitchers Marty Wilson and Walter Sarah, along with outfielder Jeff June.

Kelly, 27, is coming off a solid 1974 season in which he posted a 13-9 record and a 3.63 earned run average. While he was often asked to carry Washington’s rotation, Kelly projects as a dependable top-of-the-rotation complement in Boston and gives the Minutemen a proven arm as they pursue a playoff spot.

Armstrong, 22, remains a developing player but appears close to establishing himself at the major-league level. The former first overall selection in the 1971 draft out of a Massachusetts high school has already changed organizations twice, but arrives in Boston after an impressive spring in which he showed both speed and improved offensive consistency. The Minutemen believe Armstrong can provide long-term stability in center field, an area that has lacked continuity since the days of Chick Donnelly.

For Washington, the trade continues a clear shift toward rebuilding. Earlier this spring, the Eagles dealt franchise cornerstone and four-time Whitney Award winner Tom Lorang to the Chicago Cougars, and this latest move further reshapes the roster in favor of future development.

The return strengthens an already deep farm system. Wilson and Sarah were both selected in the 1973 draft and are regarded as promising young arms, while June, just 18, is viewed as a high-ceiling outfielder still several years away from the majors. All three are ranked among the organization’s most notable prospects and are not expected to reach the big leagues before at least 1976.

Boston is betting that the immediate additions of Kelly and Armstrong can help close the distance on Atlanta in the East Division. Washington, meanwhile, has chosen a longer view, focusing on accumulating young talent in hopes of building a future contender after more than five decades without a World Championship Series title.

PASSING THE BINOCULARS IN WASHINGTON

I’ve seen a lot of spring trades in my time, and I’ve made a few myself that looked better in the boardroom than they did in the standings. But what’s happening right now in Washington isn’t roster tinkering — it’s a full-scale evacuation, and somebody ought to start checking the Potomac for floating batting helmets.

A few weeks back the Eagles told their fans to take a deep breath and trust the process when they shipped Tom Lorang — four Whitney Awards, a walk to the plate that made pitchers nervous, and the best Eagles player they’ve had since T.R. Goins was young — off to Chicago. In return? Three prospects. Good ones, sure. Talented kids. The kind you talk about with phrases like “upside” and “projectable,” which is baseball’s polite way of saying “see you in three years.”

Now comes the sequel, and it’s even harder to swallow.

Bill Kelly, the Eagles’ best starting pitcher and the one arm you could pencil in without flinching, is gone. So is Gil Armstrong, a 22-year-old center fielder who spent the spring hitting .393 and looking like he was ready to put down roots in Columbia Stadium for the next decade. One more hot week and Armstrong might’ve had his name stitched on the outfield wall.

Instead, both are headed to Boston.

That’s Boston as in division rival, folks. The Minutemen didn’t exactly run away with anything last year — they finished five games ahead of Washington — but they’re acting like a club that still believes the present tense matters. Washington, meanwhile, is speaking exclusively in future conditional verbs.

In return, the Eagles get three more prospects. Teenagers. Kids who still need permission slips to ride the bus to road games. None of them likely to see a big-league locker before 1976, and that’s if everything breaks right and nobody discovers they can’t hit a curveball.

Now, let’s be fair — and Mooney always tries to be fair, even when the coffee’s gone cold. Even with Lorang and Kelly, the Eagles probably weren’t storming the East this year. You don’t win pennants on nostalgia alone, and this roster had more holes than a batting cage net. But there’s rebuilding, and then there’s what Washington is doing now: pulling the wiring out of the walls and telling the fans the blueprint looks terrific.

This franchise won 108 games in 1970 and finally shook off a 24-year playoff drought. They followed that with two second-place finishes, even if Pittsburgh was playing a different sport at the time. Since then, it’s been a steady downhill glide, season after season, until now we’re at the point where spring training optimism has been traded for file folders and scouting reports.

On paper, the Eagles now boast one of the deepest farm systems in the game. OSA rankings love them. Prospect lists adore them. Somewhere, a minor league instructor just smiled and bought a new whistle.

But here’s the part that keeps fans awake at night: it’s been 51 years since Washington last won a World Championship Series. That’s not a drought — that’s a way of life. And asking a fan base that old in patience to dig even deeper is a tough sell, no matter how shiny the teenagers look in rookie ball.

Maybe this works. Maybe three or four of these kids turn into everyday players. Maybe one becomes the next Tom Lorang instead of the next name you vaguely remember from a media guide.

But in the short term, let’s not kid ourselves. The Eagles are further away from ending that 51-year wait than they were a month ago. The white flag isn’t just raised — it’s flapping in the spring breeze, and Washington fans are being told to admire the stitching.

I’ve been around this game long enough to know that rebuilding is sometimes necessary. I’ve also been around long enough to know that “patience” is a lot easier to preach when you’re not the one buying tickets in April.

LATE NIGHT AT THE LEDGER: MINUTEMEN PULL THE TRIGGER ON WASHINGTON BLOCKBUSTER

March 24, 1975 WINTER HAVEN, FL — This is the beauty of journalism, folks. Just when you think your day is over and you can finally enjoy a finger of scotch and a Marlboro Red, another story develops right in front of your eyes.

As I wrote earlier today, the center field situation was the dark cloud hanging over this club as we moved deep into spring training. There were whispers that the front office had reached out to a half-dozen clubs looking for anyone who could give Pat Allen a run for his money. My sources deep inside the organization originally told me a deal was in place for a depth piece—a guy to fill a hole and nothing more.

Then, the buzz changed. Names started floating. The word "legit" started getting tossed around by guys in suits who usually keep their mouths shut. We weren't talking about a bench warmer anymore; we were talking about a rotation piece. Then came the suitor: Washington.
The word out of D.C. lately is that they are looking to get younger, so I placed a call to a contact I have in the capital. He gave me one name: Bill Kelly. That is when I knew this story wasn’t waiting for the morning edition. I called the desk back in Boston, told them to hold the front page, and started typing while the smoke was still thick in the air.

Here is the breakdown of the blockbuster: Boston is landing Washington’s number one starter, Bill Kelly, along with center field prospect Gil Armstrong. To get them, Washington cut deep into our pocket. They are taking three coveted prospects: starting pitcher Marty Wilson (ranked number 62 by OSA), pitcher Walter Sarah, and center field prospect Jeff June.

Sully’s Stance: Make no mistake, Washington is betting on the come with three prospects who could pay massive dividends down the road. But for your Minutemen? You just landed a certified staff ace. This move is a godsend for Bob Scott; it takes the gargantuan pressure off his shoulders and likely slides him into the second spot in the rotation where he can find his rhythm without the "Ace" spotlight burning his neck.

Then there is Gil Armstrong. At 22 years old, the left-hander is likely your Opening Day center fielder. He has the tools to slot right into the starting nine tomorrow. Now, I have heard the whispers about his attitude—that he can be a difficult character in the clubhouse. But this Minutemen roster is currently overflowing with captains, leaders, and sparkplugs. If anyone can keep a young kid’s head on straight, it is this group.

This marks the second trade of the spring for this front office. It is becoming crystal clear that this GM group is not content with sitting on their hands or "waiting for next year." They want to win, and they want to win now.

It is going to be a loud, fun summer in Boston, and I will be there for every pitch—hopefully with a few less late-night surprises.
Until next time, keep the scotch cold.

• The Atlanta Copperheads will be without veteran reliever Jay Page for the entire season after the 33-year-old suffered an elbow injury in his throwing arm that will require surgery. A 1970 all-star, Page went 5-3 with a 4.01 era in 31 appearances for the Copperheads last season. He had previously pitched for Minneapolis, Baltimore, San Francisco and Boston compiling a 68-118 career record.
• Tom Lally of the Los Angeles Suns may have rediscovered his power. The 26-year-old shortstop leads FABL with 5 spring homeruns. He led the Federal Association with 24 round-trippers in 1973 but dipped to 12 last season although he did win the Whitney Awards thanks to a .318 batting average.
• Speaking of Whitney Award winners, Tom Lorang continues to struggle at the plate in Florida for the Chicago Cougars. The 4-time Whitney Award winner acquired from Washington over the winter is hitting just .186 in Citrus play.
• Ossie Schrieber, the 1964 first overall pick of the Milwaukee Arrows who never lived up to expectations seems to be making the most of his opportunity in Detroit. Schrieber, now 28 and just 23-26 for his career, is 3-0 with a sparkling 1.32 era in four spring starts for the pitching starved Detroit Dynamos and at the moment is the front-runner to be Detroit's opening day starter a week from tomorrow when the Dynamos visit Minneapolis.

PLAYOFF PICTURE COMING IN TO FOCUS

Barring some hijinks by the FHM game engine, which seems to have a mind of its own with fictional leagues, the 12 participants for the Challenge Cup playoffs are now known. The Toronto Dukes became the final team to secure its spot by picking up a point in a tie with Quebec on Saturday evening, guaranteeing to Toronto will finish ahead of the Citadels and in third place in the Connelly Division.

Assuming the playoffs follow the selected structure the top three teams from each division qualify for the postseason with the first place clubs earning a bye into the second round. The other eight playoff teams will be seeded based upon total points and play a best-of-three series to determine the four teams that advance to the quarterfinals alongside the division winners.

The Boston Bees own the best record in the league and the Connelly Division champs will be joined by the defending Challenge Cup champion Philadelphia Rouges, the Chicago Packers and last-year's finalist the Vancouver Totems as the four division winners. Only Philadelphia has completed its full complement of 80 games so there will be some jockeying among the second and third place clubs for seeding but we do know the eight teams identities: St Louis and Minneapolis from the Yeadon Division, Los Angeles and San Francisco from the Thomas, Cincinnati and New York from the Dewar Division which ends a decade and a half playoff drought for the Shamrocks along with Connelly Division representatives Montreal and Toronto.

The regular season ends on Tuesday and the playoffs are expected to get underway over the weekend.

NAHC WEEKLY RESULTS
MONDAY MARCH 24

Detroit at Vancouver :The Totems officially clinched top spot in the Thomas Division with a 4-2 victory over Detroit. Scott Spencer scored twice, giving him 35 goals on the season, to pace the Vancouver attack.

Toronto at Montreal :Montreal extended its lead on Toronto for second place in the Connelly Division to seven points with a 3-1 victory over the Dukes.

Calgary at Chicago :It was not a win but Calgary snapped an 8-game losing streak with a 2-2 tie against the Chicago Packers despite being outshot 32-20.

Pittsburgh at Boston :A wild first period in Boston saw 9 goals scored as the Bees took a 6-3 lead. Things settled down quickly but the hosts won easily, claiming a 7-3 victory.

St Louis at Los Angeles :Denny Woodhouse had a hat trick and five points while James Hughes also enjoyed a five point evening as the Sawyers thumped Los Angeles 11-2. The streaky Stingrays are in the dumps, going 1-7-1 on their latest run.

TUESDAY MARCH 25

Chicago at Minneapolis :Minneapolis benefitted from a first period hat trick by Tom Rowley and then held on to nip the Chicago Packers 6-5.

Philadelphia at Washington : The Federals surprised the defending Challenge Cup champion Rogues by claiming a 6-1 victory. Henry Waugh scored twice and added two assists while Dave Harkins was very steady in the Washington net.

Cincinnati at San Francisco :Kent Blacksmith's third period goal was the difference, lifting San Francisco past Cincinnati 2-1

St Louis at Quebec :Three third period goals carried the St Louis Sawyers past the Quebec Citadels and kept the Sawyers six points ahead of Minneapolis in the battle for second place in the Yeadon Division.

Atlanta at New York :Milt Young scored twice, giving him 48 goals on the season, and Gabe Ayotte made 25 saves for his second shutout of the season as New York blanked Atlanta 4-0.

Boston at Detroit :Dick Gallamore notched his first shutout in two years with a 28 save effort in Detroit's 2-0 win over Boston. Motors forward Yves Dagenais, fighting for the scoring crown, set up both Detroit goals.

Pittsburgh at Los Angeles :Los Angeles has won just twice in its last ten games but both were against Pittsburgh following a 7-2 triumph at the L.A. Events Center. Frank Bilodeau and Alvin Yardley each had a three point night for the winner.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 26

Quebec at Philadelphia :The lone game of the evening saw The Scotch Line combine for 8 points and lead the Philadelphia Rogues to a 6-0 shutout win over Quebec. Adam McPherson scored twice and added an assist to keep a hold of the NAHC scoring lead.

THURSDAY MARCH 27

Washington at Los Angeles :Back to back wins for the Stingrays, who nip Washington 4-3 thanks to a pair of third period goals off the stick of Ernie Baldwin.

Chicago at Vancouver :Vancouver badly outshot Chicago but had to settle for a 5-5 tie with the Packers. Totems winger Ian Malka had a goal and two assists.

San Francisco at Atlanta :All the scoring came in the opening 10 minutes of the game as the visiting San Francisco Gulls edged the Atlanta Blazers 2-1. The win clinched third place in the Thomas Division and a playoff berth for the Gulls.

Pittsburgh at Calgary :Alex Wilkins made 36 saves to help his Calgary Grizzlies snap a 9-game winless streak with a 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh.

Toronto at Montreal :The Dukes avenged a loss to Montreal earlier in the week by claiming a 4-0 victory on this night. Veteran goaltender Pat Stephens made 41 saves for the shutout while Sam DaSilva scored twice and added an assist.

THRUSDAY MARCH 28

Washington at St Louis :James Hughes had a hat trick and Pat Valentine collected 4 points to lead the Sawyers to their third consecutive victory, 7-2 over Washington.

Atlanta at Calgary :Ray Dupuis had two goals and two assists as Atlanta beat Calgary 6-2. The two teams are tied with 63 points, better than only Pittsburgh in the entire NAHC.

Boston at Vancouver :Tommy Gordon scored twice and Eddie Lafleur notched his 42nd goal of the season to lead Boston, the league's best team, to a 5-1 victory over Vancouver.

San Francisco at Detroit : Carl Simon scored twice and Detroit dominated San Francisco, outshooting the Gulls 33-9 enroute to a 5-3 victory.

FRIDAY MARCH 29

Quebec at Toronto : Ollie Perreault returned from a five-game suspension and assisted on Toronto's opening goal as the Dukes and Quebec skated to a 2-2 draw. The point clinches third place in the Connelly Division for Toronto, which leads Quebec by 5 points with the Citadels only having two games remaining.

SATURDAY MARCH 30

No games scheduled

MOORE WINS SCORING TITLE AS CHL SEASON COMES TO END

Second year star Tim Moore of the Winnipeg Falcons ended Hobie Barrell's two year reign as Continental Hockey League scoring champ after Moore's strong March left him with 143 points on the year, 7 ahead of Ottawa great Barrell. Moore emerged from senior hockey in his native Alberta to take the CHL by storm as a 23-year-old rookie a year ago when he tallied 122 points. He was even more impressive this time around, earning at least a point in every game his club played in March and finished with a league 143 points including a CHL record 95 assists. Barrell, who did lead the CHL in goals with 65, finished second in scoring.

A pair of Swedish imports, one who teamed with Moore and the other with Barrell, finished third and fourth in scoring and likely opened the door for an even wider range of European imports next season and beyond. Mattias Jacobsson, 23, teamed with Moore on Winnipeg's top line and earned 124 including 58 goals while 25-year-old Ludvig Olsson, who rode shotgun alongside Barrell on the Ottawa Athletics became the fourth and final player to top the century mark in points this season with 111.

Despite the high flying offenses in both Winnipeg and Ottawa it was the expansion Milwaukee Maulers who finished with the best regular season record in the CHL. The Maulers had a strong start to the year but their fortunes took off with a December trade that brought veteran forward Larry Ewbanks from Houston. The 31-year-old who spent five seasons in the NAHC with Philadelphia, had 56 points in 36 games since the trade after collecting just 28 points in 40 games with the Outlaws prior to the deal.

Playoff matchups and schedules will be confirmed by the CHL tomorrow but it appears that the quarterfinal series will pit Milwaukee against the 8th place and defending league champion Edmonton Huskies, second place Winnipeg will face the Chicago Lions, the third place Denver Peaks will meet sixth place Cleveland while the Kansas City Warriors and Ottawa Athletics, who finishing with identical 35-29-14 records will be the final series. The Warriors won the inaugural CHL playoff title two years ago.

The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 03/30/1975

• South Vietnam reels as key cities fall to communist forces, with the rapid collapse of Da Nang sending shockwaves through Washington and raising fears of an imminent military disaster.
• Chaotic refugee evacuations dominate Vietnam coverage, as tens of thousands flee advancing North Vietnamese troops by sea and air in scenes compared to the final days of past wars.
• Kissinger suspends Middle East shuttle talks after deadlock, acknowledging that negotiations between Israel and Egypt have stalled despite months of U.S.-led diplomacy.
• CIA abuse investigations widen as Senate probe gains momentum, keeping intelligence oversight and government secrecy at the forefront of Washington politics.
• Oil prices remain stubbornly high despite easing supply fears, prolonging inflation worries and continuing public frustration over fuel costs.