Evidence Supports Belief That Giants Stole Pennant

The Giants stole the pennant! The Giants stole the pennant!

For half a century, fans of the old Brooklyn Dodgers claimed that’s what Bobby Thomson and the New York Giants did in 1951. Now, there’s evidence that maybe it happened just that way.

The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday quoted Hall of Fame outfielder Monte Irvin, catcher Sal Yvars and pitcher Al Gettel as admitting they stole catchers’ signs to overcome a 13 1/2-game deficit and win baseball’s most famous pennant race.

“Every hitter knew what was coming,” Gettel said. “Made a big difference.”

The Associated Press reported the sign stealing March 22, 1962, citing an unidentified source with the Giants.

The Journal said infielder Henry Schenz and coach Herman Franks relayed signals from the Giants’ center-field clubhouse--the wall was 483 feet from home plate--to the bullpen with a buzzer system created by electrician Abraham Chadwick. Yvars said he then relayed signals to hitters.

Thomson’s three-run drive in the bottom of the ninth inning at the Polo Grounds lifted the Giants over the Dodgers, 5-4, in the deciding Game 3.

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A judge in Milwaukee denied a request by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of America for a retrial in the Miller Park crane collapse case that resulted in a $99.25-million verdict. Last month, jurors awarded nearly $100 million in damages to the widows of three ironworkers killed when a crane collapsed at the Milwaukee Brewers’ new ballpark. . . . Drew Henson decided not to go to spring training with the Cincinnati Reds. Red General Manager Jim Bowden said the Michigan quarterback preferred to take a trip during spring break, but Henson, a junior, plans to play baseball in the Reds’ farm system this summer. . . . Third baseman David Bell became the last Seattle Mariner player in arbitration to sign, agreeing to a one-year, $2.2-million contract.

Football

An NCAA investigation into Alabama’s football program concerning the recruitment of a player has expanded to include two more players.

Alabama officials working with the NCAA are looking into the recruitment of Osceola (Ark.) High running back Harold James Jr. and Florida High player Michael Gaines of Tallahassee.

Investigators from Alabama are also looking into the recruitment of Albert Means of Memphis, Tenn.

A former assistant at Memphis Trezevant High, Milton Kirk, says that Trezevant football Coach Lynn Lang solicited $200,000 to get Means to sign a letter of intent with Alabama.

Lang met with school officials Tuesday for the first time since he was implicated and told his superiors he did nothing wrong. Lang is suspended with pay while the investigations continue.

Miami Athletic Director Paul Dee, searching for a football coach, expects to have a short list of candidates ready this morning. Then Dee and the university’s board of trustees will begin interviewing potential replacements for Butch Davis, who resigned Monday to coach the Cleveland Browns.

Though Dee would not reveal any candidates, coaches thought to be on his short list include Wisconsin’s Barry Alvarez, Colorado State’s Sonny Lubick and Hurricane offensive coordinator Larry Coker, who became interim coach Monday.

San Diego State Coach Ted Tollner turned down an offer from Davis to serve as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator.

Georgia Tech and Syracuse will play in the Kickoff Classic on Aug. 26 at East Rutherford, N.J. . . . Former Maryland coach Ron Vanderlinden has been hired as linebackers coach at Penn State.

Defensive end John Randle has asked the Minnesota Vikings to trade him because their defense will make it hard for them to win the Super Bowl, his agent, Gary Uberstine, said. . . . Former Cleveland coach Chris Palmer has agreed to join the expansion Houston Texans as offensive coordinator, the Houston Chronicle reported. . . . The Kansas City Chiefs hired former Raider coach Mike White as director of football administration. . . . The Carolina Panthers hired Turk Schonert as quarterbacks coach. . . . Marty Schottenheimer hired younger brother Kurt Schottenheimer as defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins. . . . The Detroit Lions expect to hire former Arizona Cardinal coach Vince Tobin as their defensive coordinator today, team spokesman Bill Keenist said. . . . The Miami Dolphins re-signed linebacker Tommy Hendricks to a three-year contract and signed cornerback Deshone Mallard to a two-year deal.

Miscellany

Top-seeded Martina Hingis, coming off a loss to Jennifer Capriati in the Australian Open final, defeated Cara Black of Zimbabwe, 6-3, 6-3, to reach the quarterfinals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open at Tokyo. Third-seeded Anna Kournikova of Russia struggled to a 7-6 (8), 1-6, 6-4 victory over qualifier Saori Obata of Japan. . . . Top-seeded Marat Safin of Russia defeated David Prinosil of Germany, 6-4, 7-5, in the first round of the Milan Indoors in Italy. Goran Ivanisevic rallied to defeat fourth-seeded Nicolas Kiefer, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3. . . . Todd Martin and Mary Joe Fernandez were named as the player representatives on the U.S. Tennis Assn.’s Executive Committee.

Bill Johnson, 1984 downhill Olympic champion, might try to qualify for the U.S. ski team for next year’s Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Johnson, 40, will have to work his way through regional circuits to try to qualify for the top-tier World Cup. Only then would he have a chance to try out for the Olympic team.

Several Italian soccer players have been implicated by Milan police in a sex ring that provided prostitutes through an Internet Web site. The players were not identified, but police said they were from a “top Milan-based soccer club.” . . . Sergio Marakarian resigned as coach of Paraguay’s national team, angered by comments from a high-ranking Paraguayan soccer official calling him a “charlatan.”

Eighth-ranked Brigham Young defeated No. 6 USC in men’s volleyball, 30-24, 30-20, 30-19, ending the Trojans’ 19-match home win streak.

Mike Mathers scored two goals as the Fresno Falcons defeated the Ice Dogs, 5-3, in a West Coast Hockey League game at Fresno.