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Cards near DivisionBy JOK GATRKL1,Left-hander Tom Coffman pitched a no-hitter Tuesday evening, ilie first such gem of his high school career, and the red hot Eisenhower Cardinals coasted to an easy 8-0 victory over Carl •Sandburg high.The win was the ninth consecutive for the Blue Is-landbased school dating back to a 7-0 triumph over Oak Lawn on July 3. As of Thursday evening, the Cardinals were the possessors of 11-2 record, good for first place in the Northeast division of the South Suburbansummer league. Thus the Cards, who are 11-1 overall, needed only one win in a four-game stretch from July 1? through IS) to clinch their division title. Richards high had been DDK’s closest pursuer with a second-place, 9-( mark.“Coffman hud a very good fastball and good control against Sandburg,” reflected Card Couch Randy Rose. ’’And Tom has also pitched two one-hitters this summer, against Herron (on June 23) and against Oak Lawn. He’s got thatcrownfrom a batter and it can be hard as hell to hit.”First baseman Jeff Vail ' provided all the offense the Red birds really needed Tuesday with a first inning home run. Joe Corullo cemented the win in the second, driving home two more Card base runners for a 3-0 lead. Outfielder Kurt Stroke and shortstop Rich Mikes -also had two hits apiece for the winners.After the game, Sandburg’s coach told me that we were the best they’ve faced all season,” boasted Rose.Aside from his team’s overwhelming success, however, Rose readily admits that the summer of ‘75 has been a season of surprises“Early in the season, I knew that we had a very good pitching staff and a good defense, but the hitting was a question mark, f really expected the pitching to keep us in most ball . games,” said the Card mem I tor.“But the defense is even better than I expected and the hitting has really been a surprise,” he continued.As an example of his club’s defensive improvement, Rose sited the case of second baseman Mike Rei-niehe.“Of all the players I’ve ever coached, Reiniche is now the quickest player who has turned the double play,” said the seven-year Card Coach. “Steve Vasoli, who started for us iast year, was formerly the quickest. But Reiniehe and Vasoii, who has graduated, worked hard on the double play during the past spring, ' and Mike has really developed. Also, Mike McEUigot, who played shortstop for me in ‘69 and played some JV ball at Southern Illinois, has worked with Reiniche and all the infielders. And MeElligot’s coaching has reatiy paid off.”Concerning his teams “surprising” offensive ability, Rose said: “Everyone has been hitting the ball this summer. Struke, Donnie Maclnlurf, Leroy Krueger. They’ve all been hitting. Vail leads the team with a better-than-400 average, and Cerullo has been clutch. Joe’s been a key hitter, especially with men on base.”One of Randy Rose’s unpleasant surprises this summer has been the loss of star pitcher Dave Wick. The . big lefty suffered a knee injury last winter and recently underwent surgery on July 8. Though Wick is out of baseball until next spring, Rose seems to have produced a solution to the apparent problem.“When we lost Wick to surgery I though we were in terrible trouble. But Jimmy Drabek has come along and looks as though he can pick up the pitching slack caused by Wick’s absence,” said Rose.But who is Jimmy Drabek?“i’ve been trying to talk Drabek into coming out for the team for quite some time,” mused Rose. “He lives in Crestwood, and plays out there on a team with Reiniche, Vail, and Mikes. They finally talked him into joining.”And it’s a good thing they did. For in only his first start (last Thursday) Drabek tossed a four-hitter against those same Sandburg Eagles en route to a 4-l Cardinal win.And the following evening Rose was the originator of yet another innovation. The young Redbird coach inserted Neal Valenle, formerly an outfielder and a player who bypassed his junior year of baseball, in the pitching rotation. The result: DDE won convincingly 8-2 over visiting Bishop Noll as Valente yielded just four hits.No surprise. It’s been thatkind of a summer.fastball which tails aways........F:#v v*s •’'.vi '•:£' ’ ■ ’ ,y-■-V. • J ■' vr •'.HT• w .O'.*! ; ;J'W: tip ,V; ■ / * ..f-.'lt;•'. •••V. 1 ' • lt;: • •.. • • V •.v*. ITOM COFFMANTOURLAKE GENEVASO. WISCHOOSE: 1-2 hour tours on 5 unique excursion boatsWATCH: Maiigirl ” jump the mail onto piers while you’re aboard the moving mailboat BIKE (or hike) shoreline roads and “catch” the boat partway {We carry your bike)PARTY—DINE on charter cruises (Lunch-on-Lake Charter, plus others)Continuous tours leave Riviera Docks, downtown Lake GenevaFor brochures—bika maps:Gage Marine Corp.. Dept. SP Lake Geneva. Wl 53147 (414)248-6206Nobody makes better Vodka than Fleischmann's.Some people just charge more.A Great Valuec1)o.J•-rIf you must be a big spender buy better tomato juice.
Newspaper Details
Suburbanite Economist
Chicago, Illinois, US
Sun, Jul 20, 1975
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Neal V.
IL, USA 30 Apr 2020
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