Cavaliers Say That They Were Robbed

With 2 1/2 minutes left and the Cleveland Cavaliers leading, 121-120, Thursday night at Boston Garden, Phil Hubbard scored for the Cavaliers while colliding with Larry Bird, who hit the deck.

The Cavaliers thought a foul should have been called on Bird. Instead, Hubbard was called for charging, disallowing his field goal and costing the Cavaliers a possible three-point play that would have given them a four-point lead.

“We were cheated,” said Cleveland guard World B. Free after Boston rallied for a 126-123 win. “I don’t mind losing a game, but let the team beat you, not the refs. They (the Celtics) are supposed to be superstars--let them win on their own.

“They’re a great team. Why do they need help from the officials? They’re great--let them be great.”

Jim Walden can’t wait until June 20 in New Orleans. That’s when the schools will vote on the NCAA Council’s recommendations for more severe penalties for rules violations.

Walden, head football coach at Washington State, predicted that the proposals probably will be tabled.

“But it’s going to be fun,” he said. “Teams that cheat won’t vote for it, but they’re going to make every school stand up and go on record with their vote. I’m going to love seeing who votes no.”

From Dick Young in The Sporting News: “Tip to Peter Ueberroth, who plans to spend about $500,000 on a marketing survey on the designated hitter and other baseball issues: Don’t bother. Ford Frick, when commissioner, hired a company to tell him something. I forget exactly what. The company’s agents went around asking baseball writers what they thought about the matter, typed it up and collected a fancy fee. Frick could have gotten the same information directly from the newsmen for free.”

Add DH: Former owner Charlie Finley, who endorsed the rule, said it’s ridiculous to have pitchers making fools of themselves at the plate.

“I even had one pitcher, Rollie Fingers, who got all the way to the plate before he realized he hadn’t even taken his bat with him,” Finley said.

Finley still has no patience with baseball’s traditionalists. He told Bill Moor of the South Bend Tribune: “Football, basketball and hockey are always studying their rules, mainly to keep the offense and defense in balance. But not those idiots in baseball.”

Boston’s Bill Buckner, who hit his second homer of the season Friday, said he has found a new source of power.

“I’m just now learning what hitting is all about,” he told Bob Sudyk of the Hartford Courant. “I was cheating myself of power. I’ve hit flat-footed all my life. Now, I’m using both arms to swing and getting more leverage. I’m getting about 50 to 75 more feet on the balls I hit deep.”

Buckner’s best home-run season was 1983, when he hit 16 for the Chicago Cubs.

“I can do better than that, especially hitting in this lineup,” he said. “I expect to hit for a better average and more power than I ever have.”

Quotebook

Phoenix Sun Coach John MacLeod, on the runaway win by the fast-breaking Lakers Thursday night: “We were looking at a lot of backs of jerseys.”