Yanks Hire Virdon, But Dick Williams Remains In Picture

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees, their hopes of having Dick Williams as manager snarled in a legal tangle with Oakland owner Charlie Finley, settled instead Thursday on Bill Virdon, who was fired last September by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Virdon accepted a one-year contract for a reported $40,000 and called it a "dream" to manage the Yankees -- but it's anyone's guess how long he'll really be their boss.

Introduced to a news conference at the Yankees' office less than a month after Williams, the manager of Oakland's two-time world champions, was signed to a three-year contract -- later voided -- Virdon insisted, "I'm not concerned about Dick Williams." But one man who obviously still was concerned about Williams was New York owner George Steinbrenner.

"I can't say we've abandoned the idea of signing Dick Williams," Steinhrenner said, 'If he gets free, we'd have to cross that bridge if we come to it." Williams' New York contract was voided by outgoing American League president Joe Cronin after Finley filed a federal court suit to force Williams to honor the remaining two seasons on his A's contract.

[source: upi]

Cedeno Trial Set To Start Jan. 14

SANTO DOMINGO, DR -- A Dominican judge Thursday set Jan. 14 for the beginning of the involuntary manslaughter trial of Houston Astro outfielder Cesar Cedeno, 22, charged with the Dec. 11 pistol slaying of a lady friend. Cedeno could draw a maximum three-year sentence if convicted, but the judge could free him under Dominican law, even if he is convicted. Cedeno was freed on $10,000 bail Dec. 31.

[source: upi]

Exclusive Rose Bowl Pact Favored By Big 10 Majority

Lacroix Leads WHA East To Easy 8-4 Win

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Andre Lacroix said he went into Thursday night's World Hockey Assn. All-Star game with something to prove. "I was really up for this one," said the Jersey Knights' center, who led the East to an 8-4 victory with two goals and an assist. Lacroix was playing in his first All-Star game despite winning the WHA scoring title a year ago. "I wanted to show that it wasn't a fluke," said Lacroix, referring to his performance last season. "To me this was like a playoff game."

Lacroix and Gerry Pinder teamed to cap a five-goal first-period outburst and later combined for another goal to pace the East's lopsided victory. "They just played better all the way around," said Bobby Hull, the West player-coach. "They out-skated us all the way and outplayed us in their end." Only Minnesota's Mike Walton, who was named the game's Most Valuable Player, kept the West alive, scoring three of his team's goals. The Lacroix-Pinder combination upstaged the reunion of Hull and Houston's Gordie Howe as All-Star teammates. Both of the former National Hockey League superstars were on the ice for the West for three of the East's goals, including the two in the first period by Lacroix and Pinder.

[source: upi]

Notre Dame Wins Final AP Football Poll

Notre Dame, by defeating regular-season leader Alabama, 24-23, in the Sugar Bowl Monday night, vaulted from third place to first in the final Associated Press ratings announced Thursday and thereby won its first national championship since 1960. The Irish won over Ohio State, which jumped from fourth to second by trouncing USC, 42-21, in the Rose Bowl, and Oklahoma, which was ineligible for a bowl trip and slipped from second to third. Notre Dame received 33 first-place votes and 1,125 points from a nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Ohio State earned 11 first-place ballots and 1,002 points while Oklahoma got the other 16 first-place votes and 965 points.

[source: ap]

Baseball Adopts Five-Point Plan To Reduce Energy Use By 20-25%

Major league baseball announced Thursday a five-point program aimed at cutting its energy consumption 20 to 25%. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn disclosed the plan at a meeting in Washington of federal energy officials and 30 representatives of various sports and recreational groups. In California, meanwhile, the State Public Utilities Commission, as part of a broader order on energy cutbacks, directed a 15% cutback in use of power for illumination in sports stadia. The reduction, it said, could be by cutting down on lighting or on the number of events.

Kuhn told the Washington meeting that baseball's program would cause no drastic switch from night to day games or in the conduct of the Ail-Star game or the World Series. Kuhn said the 24 major league teams plan to reduce charter flights by 10% or more by using regular commercial flights and to lower by 20% the power consumption of lights before games begin. "We expect this usage can be eliminated or substantially curtailed in most parks," he said, add-ng that he sees no curtailment in pre-game batting or fielding practice. Kuhn said baseball will try to start night games at times which will conserve energy most and will consider increasing the use of car pools, mass transportation and other gasoline-saving methods to get fans to the parks.

John C. Sawhill, deputy administrator of the Federal Energy Office, said other sports spokesmen indicated willingness to follow baseball's lead. He said power-boating officials are prepared to shorten their events, rodeo promoters are willing to conduct fewer contests and ski associations are trying to launch a program to reduce energy demands by 20%. "We don't want to reduce sports in this country," Sawhill said, "but we do want to reduce the consumption of energy in sports." Kuhn was asked if there was any chance of realigning the American and National League divisions, to cut down on travel time. He said that for the time being such a prospect was "unrealistic."

Sawhill was asked why not reduce sports activity during the energy crisis and he replied: "We feel we can significantly achieve upwards of a 25 percent energy savings without hurting sport which is an important part of our economy." Kuhn said there has been no consideration given to cutting down the number of games for the season.

Knox Named Top Coach By UPI Vote

NEW YORK -- Chuck Knox of the Rams Thursday was named the 1973 United Press International National Football Conference Coach of the Year. Knox, former assistant with the Detroit Lions, took over a club that finished under .500 in 1972 and led it to a 12-2 record and the NFC Western Division title this season. In the balloting of a nationwide panel of 39 sportswriters -- three from each conference city -- Knox was a landslide winner with 30 votes. The only other coaches to get votes were Philadelphia's Mike McCormack and New Orleans' John North.

[source: upi]