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Friday, July 5, 1968
UNC To Field Improved
But Inexperienced Team
FROM PIGSKIN PREVIEW
North Carolina's Tar Heels
will launch the second season of
Bill Dooley's rebuilding program
with new hope . . . but some of
the same old problems.
Everyone in the Carolina
camp, from Dooley to the
waterboy, firmly believes that
the Tar Heels will field an
improved team. Optimism
reigned throughout a spirited
spring practice.
But there's no hiding the fact
that there are problems. The two
main ones are a serious lack of
depth and the fact that the Tar
Heels will be playing many
inexperienced men.
"There is a good chance that
about half of our first 30 players
will be true sophomores,"
Dooley said. "These players
should show gradual
improvement as the season
progresses, but they're going to
be awfully green at the start"
Carolina won only two of 10
games last season, but finished in
a blaze of glory with a 20-9
upset win over arch-rival Duke.
It is hoped that victory will have
some carry-over value in the new
campaign.
"I have no doubts that we're
going to be an improved team,"
Dooley says. "For one thing, the
players who return from last
year's squad will have the
advantage of a season's
experience under a new system.
And we do have some fine new
players coming up from our
freshman team.
"But this doesn't necessarily
mean that our record will be a
whole lot better. 1 think the
Atlantic Coast Conference, as a
whole, is going to be a much
tougher league with better
balance from the top to the
bottom."
There are 27 lettermen in the
Tar Heel camp, but the figure is
very misleading. Two of them
are kicking specialists and many
players, who actually saw only
limited service, were awarded
monograms.
Some of the best players on
the 1967 squad graduated. This
list includes defensive halfback
Jack Davenport, voted the
team's Most Valuable Player;
halfback Dave Riggs;
quarterback Jeff Beaver; end
Charlie Carr; tackle Tom Ingle;
guard Lou Pukal; tackle Jim
Masino; and line backer Mike
Horvat
UNC Sports Brief s
FROM PIGSKIN PREVIEW
North Carolina sports writers
already have their typewriter
ribbons tangled and their
tongues tied trying to figure out
the name Ron Grzybowski. But
they had better leam to spell it
and pronounce it, too.
Tar Heel coaches predict a big
football future for Grzybowski,
the sophomore from Shamokin,
Pa. He's 6-2, 210 pounds and
quick.
The name is pronounced
"ja-bus-key." Youll be hearing
it a lot in future years.
"Ron is one of our most
promising new players," says Tar
Heel defensive chief Lee Hayley.
"He has the size and the
quickness to be an outstanding
There is some sparkling talent
among the returnees. Some of
the best are quarterback Gayle
Bo mar, halfbacks Saul is Zemaitis
and Dick Wesolowski, fullback
Tommy Dempsey, guards Ed
Chalupka and Battle Wall;
tackles Mike Smith and Mike
Richey, and Peter Davis.
At this stage, five players,
Bomar, Dempsey, Chalupka,
Davis and Smith, appear to be
the Tar Heels' top all-star
candidates.
Bomar was one of the
conference's better players last
fall, running and passing for a
total of 1,402 yards. He is
left-handed quarterback who
rates as an exceptional runner
and an adequate passer.
Davis led the Tar Heels' in
pass catching in 1967, hauling in
30 for 338 yeards and two
touchdowns. The lean flankman
from Clarksville, Va., also rates
as an outstanding blocker.
Dempsey crashed for 501
yards from the fullback post last
year, averaging 3.9 yards a carry.
Tar Heel coaches rate him a blue
chip performer and predict hell
have an outstanding senior
season.
Smith, a 23 5-pounder from
Wheeling, West Va. came on
strong at the end of last season
and could be one of the AAC's
better defenders.
Then there's Chalupka, the
hard-smashing offensive guard
from Canada. He may be the
best blocker on the Tar Heel
squad. A fierce competitor, he's
sure to be one of the best
players in the league.
At quarterback, . Bomar will
be backed up by sophomores
Johnny Swofford and Ricky
Lanier. Those two are battling
for the No. 2 spot and Swofford
appeared to hold a slight edge at
the end of spring practice.
Another sophomore, Bucky
Perry is operating behind
Dempsey at fullback. He shows
fine promise.
Wesolowski and Zemaitis give
the Tar Heels two veterans at
halfback. But a sophomore, Don
McCauley, is fighting for a
starting job. He led the freshman
last season with 705 yards and
an average of 4.6 a carry. The
195-pounder from Garden City,
N.Y. was voted best offensive
player in the spring Blue-White
game. Bill Dodson will see action
at wingback.
On the offensive line, there'll
be some new faces. Davis
player in the Atlantic Coast
Conference. All he lacks is the
experience."
Grzybowski was one of the
top defensive players in the
Blue-White game in May.
Carolina senior quarterback
Gayle Bomar hopes to get a shot
at professional football.
"I'd like very much to play in
the pros," he says, "either as a
quarterback or a defensive back.
I've played both those positions
at Carolina."
. Bomar also is .-m outstanding
professional baseball prospect.
He has not take part in baseball
at Carolina because of his
football activity and the pressure
of studies. He's a first basemaa
appears set at split end, and
sophomore Tony Blanchard, son
of the famed Doc Blanchard,
could win the starting job at
tight end. Tony packs 233
pounds on a 6-3 frame and
shows promise of becoming a
Tar Heel star.
Veterans Ev Cowan and Mike
Rickey are the leaders at
offensive tackle and Chalupka is
set at one guard. But the other
guard post is wide open with
sophomores Paul Hoolahan, Jim
Papai and Joe Jansen the leading
candidates.
Chip Bradley started at center
the past two seasons, but is
being pushed for the No. 1 job
now by newcomer Keith Hicks
of Fairfax, Va.
The defensive end positions
still are a question mark.
Veterans Tom Cantrell and Tim
Karrs are the leading candidates.
Ron Lowry, who played at
defensive halfback a year ago,
has been switched to defensive
end.
Smith will start at one tackle
spot. Neil Rogers is another
veteran at tackle, but he's being
pushed for the job by Ron
Grzybowski, a sophomore from
Shamokin, Pa.
Battle Wall is a returning
starter at guard and Mike
Hollifiedand Tom Renedo saw
much action there last season.
Best of the newcomers is Flip
Ray, a 240-pounder who was
injured and missed much of the
spring practice.
Bob Hanna and Mark Mazza
return as linebackers. Hanna, a
hustler from McKessport, Pa.,
was voted the top defensive
player in the spring Blue-White
game. Two highly promising
newcomers are sophs Bill
Richardson of Annandale, Va.,
and Larry Pochucha of Fairfax,
Va.
Ken Price returns to the
safety position and should have
a fine season. John Harris and
Dave Jackson, who saw some
action, also return. Jim Griffith,
a transfer from the Naval
Academy, looks like the best of
the newcomers in the defensive
backfield, along with Rusty
Ross.
Erickson
FROM PIGSKIN PREVIEW
Chuck Erickson, in his new
position as consultant and
advisor to the Department of
Athletics, will play an active and
important role on the University
of North Carolina sports scene.
That's the word from
Chancellor J. Carlyle Sitterson
who last month announced
changes in the Tar Heel athletic
setup.
The Chancellor appointed
Erickson to the new position
and said that Walter Rabb will
be acting athletic director while
a search is conducted for a new
athletic director.
"I can assure everyone I.m
going to be active in my. new
position," Erickson said. "I
wouldn't have it any other
way."
Erickson has been a part of
the Carolina sports scene since
1933 and has served the
University as Athletic Director
. since 2952. He is renowned as
Rebel Good
Some one has got to be kidding!!
When was the last time you saw a .216 hitter elected to a major
league all-star team? Or, for that matter one hitting .240? .
Well, sports fans, it's happened this year. The American League
elected Harmon Killebrew to be its representative at first base. He
just has to be about the best .216 hitter aroung.d.
And there is Hank Aaron in the National League outfield ripping
the horsehid at a .240 clip.
It's just got to be the year of the pitcher. The AL has but one
starter, Carl Yastrzemski of the Red Sox, hitting over .300. After
him the averages really tail off.
Minnesota Rod Carew, second base, is hitting .294. This is the
second game for Carew, last year's AL Rookie of the Year.
. Out fielder Willie Horton, Detroit, is hitting a solid .287 with 18
homers. Except for Yaz he's the one to carry the American's attack.
Frank Howard, Washington, is batting .286, but this represents a
drop of over 60 points in a month. He's only hitting about .150 for
the past month.
Angel Jim Fregosi at shortstop is pecking away at .271. He's a
slick fielder and his hitting won't hurt.
Detroit catcher Bill Freehan, .260, Baltimore third baseman
Brooks Robinson, .243, and Killebrew round out the starting lineup.
Killebrew probably expressed it best When informed of his
selection he said, "I'm embarrassed."
The National League definitely has the edge in batting punch.
Four of its starters top .300.
Hustling outfielder Pete Rose, Cincinnati, brings a .337 average
into the fray and already has over a hundred base hits for the season.
He has previously been selected to the team at second and third
bases.
Cardinal Curt Flood, outfield, is finally breaking out of the long
shadow cast for so many years by Willie Mays. Flood is hitting .316.
Met catcher Jerry Grote is making his first all-star appearance. He
won his berth by dint of his .309 average.
The Giants's Willie McCovey holds down first base. He is the NL
home run and RBI leader and carries an even .300 average.
Cincinnati's Tommy Helms, second base, Cubs Ron Santo, and
Don Kessinger, third base and short-stop respectively, and Aaron
complete the NL starting lineup.
Now we come back to the pitchers.
As before, the National League is far superior. Their combined
won-lost record as of Thursday was 78-36, with four of the eight
having eamed-run averages below 2.00.
Dodger Don Drysdale, Cardinal Bob Gibson, and Giant Juan
Marichal are probably the three best hurlers in the majors. The AL
may never score a run off of them.
They are amply backed up by Mets Tom Seaver, making his
second appearance, and rookie Jerry Koosman, plus Pirate Woody
Fryman, Cardinal Steve Carlton, and Ron Reed of the Braves.
The AL staff must rely on Tiger Denny McLain, who pitched
three perfect innings in last year's game, and Luis Tiant of the
Indians, who has six shutouts to his credit this season.
The rest of the staff is just not up to the quality of that fielded
by the National League.
Soooo, here's the way it's going to be Monday night in Houston's
Astrodome.
The American League won't score more than one run, if that The
NL pitching is just too strong.
The NL will start slowly, but will soon solve the AL pitching and
will win by at least four runs.
Active In
one of the country's top athletic
adminstrators.
"I feel we've made a lot of
strides here in my time,"
Erickson said. "But there's a lot
of work to be done and I plan to
be a part of it."
In outlining the new setup,
Chancellor Sitterson made it
clear that he considers Erickson
an important figure in future Tar
Heel athletics.
"Mr. Erickson has provided
outstanding direction to the
University's intercollegiate
athletic progran," the Chancellor
said, "and' the results of his
leadership are evident at every
hand fine playing fields and
facilities; excellent coaching
staffs; highly successful teams
and widespread participation by
students in athlectics.
"I want to thank him on
behalf of the University and to
say how happy we are that the
University will continue to have
Siars
New Post
the benefit of his knowledge,
experience and counsel as
consultant and advisor to the
Department of Athletics."
Under Erickson's direction,
Carolina has enjoyed its finest
hours in sports. Most of the
athletic facilities here, which
rank among the best in the
nation, are the result of his
planning and direction. Erickson
personally raised the money
from supporters and backers of
the University for many of the
building projects.
Erickson suffered a stroke
last December while he was
attending the winter meeting of
the Atlantic Coast Conference at
Myrtle Beach, S.C. He has made
a rapid recovery and has been
back on the job at Carolina for
more than three months.
"I am feeling stronger every
day," he says. "I'm enthused
over the future of Carolina
athletics and I.m looking
forward to the role I will play in
it." .