Page 10 University Daily Kansan, October 1, 1980
Clinton prefers ball diamond over pressures of grid iron
By MATT SEELEY Sports Writer
If Kevin Clinton had gone *7-10* for two weeks ago it would have been an average day. But that was the old Kevin Clinton. That was Kevin Clinton, the quarterback.
roary, the new Kevin Clinton is KU's newest baseball star.
Clinton is bappier than ever, happy to be playing baseball and happy not to be playing football. He has seen the Jayhawks play and had little regret for passing up football.
While his former teammates were losing their home owner, Clinton was having a field day on the diamond. In the 'Jayhawks' first games, he came up for his own runs, a pair of doubles and three singles.
"AT TIMES, I wish I was down there. but I think I'm a lot better player in the stands," he said. "I think the offense is off a little, but they'll come on. Frank Seurier's got one hell of an arm."
Clinton, who was supposed to be KU's 1980 quarterback, dropped a bounce in June when he announced he would devote himself to baseball. Clinton had earned the starting quarterback job in spring drills and was widely acclaimed for his strong arm.
His announcement, however, started few people associated with KU athletics. KU's
football and baseball coaches knew last spring of Clinton's move.
"I first thought about it in March," Clinton said. "After the spring football game I started thinking, 'What am I going to be?'
"I was looking forward to playing spring baseball next year and there wasn't any way I was going to miss it. But I was going to have to play spring football if I was going to start my
DON FAMBROUGH, football head coach, said Clinton's decision was expected.
"I wasn't surprised at all with his decision," he said. "We had a talk over the summer and I told him to let me know as soon as he made a decision one way or the other."
Once Clinton made his decision, the hardest part was telling Fambrough.
"That's what kind of scared me," Clinton said. "I knew in early June that I wasn't coming back. It was just a matter of telling Coach Fambrigh that baseball was it."
But why does the No. 1 quarterback on a struggling but optimistic team decide to quit?
"I was thinking about my future, and baseball is where I think it's at," he said. "With Frank Seurer coming in, and having to play spring football, I didn't want to get caught in footwear."
"The first person I met was my dad and he told me not to quit, to play both sports. But sooner or
later I knew I was going to have to make a choice."
"WE'RE PLEASED with the decision because Kevin adds so much to this program," baseball coach Floyd Tlempe said. "Kevin put his best interests first and there's no doubt he's a much more relaxed young man without the pressure of football.
"All I asked him to do was to make sure he cleared everything with the big man (Fambrough). I let him do all of the deciding. It's just a happy feeling to see him back."
"Everything is in place and clicking real
well, and pitching the ball really well,
and pitching the ball I ever had."
CLINTON'S HAPPY and Temple is elated. Fambrough, even after three winless games in which his offense has mustered less than 50 vards, says he agrees with Clinton's leaving.
"I know a lot of people must have been jumping up and down when I said I supported his decision." Farnbrough said. "As I look at it now, he was very nice, him, but baseball is his career, I respect him."
Clinton, a junior, hopes to regain the respect professional baseball scouts once had for him. After his senior year in high school, the San Francisco Giants, unable to be drafted again after the spring season.
Seurer's starting QB status uncertain
By TRACEE HAMILTON
By TRACEE HAMILTON Sports Writer
KU quarterback Frank Seurer is recovering from a bruised leg, but Head Coach Don Fambrough is not ready to name the freshman as a starter for Saturday's game against Syracuse.
"He'll be all right." Fambrough said after practice, but it's too early in the month he'll start.
"I don't know what happened Saturday." Seurer said after practice. "I felt I was ready going into the game, but everything just fell apart.
Seurier, who was sacked seven times and intercepted five times in Saturday's 17-9 loss to Souvillier has had four games. He games. Emmaoria hit Steve Smith, a junior from Emporia who started the season opener.
"that game is going to stick with me for quite awhile."
Fambrough called yesterday a perfect day for practice.
"We worked on real basic football," he said.
"We had a little contact and a little scrimmage, which we don't normally do this early in the
"We've got to get to the old fun-
mental house," he was being told that for a
half-century, it'd be "fat"
Kyle McNorton, linebacker, and Dan
Wagoner, reserve cornerback, both have been removed from the injured list. The only position change made by Fambrough was at center. Bob Fiss, the regular starter, will be replaced by John Prater, whom Fambrough described as a utility man on the offensive line.
Fambridge said he had noticed improvement in Prater all season.
Fiss has a sore neck and shoulder, according to Farbrough.
Bucky Serbner is second in the nation in running again this week.
DAVE KRAUS/Kansan staff
Kevin Clinton was supposed to be the starting quarterback for the football team this fall. Instead, he new wear the uniform of a KU baseball player. He says he doesn't miss football at all.
KC wins: Wilson's observations reveal sins of Seattle pitcher
By KEVIN BERTELS
Sports Writer
KANSAS CITY, Mo—The deciding inning of an extra innning game usually steals the spotlight. But it wasn't so last night in Royals Stadium.
The Kansas City Royals beat the Seattle Mariners 7-5 in 14 innings on a three-run home run by George Brett, but the big inning was the third. In that inning, home plate umpire Bill Kunkel, on the insistence of Willie Wilson, checked the glove of Steve left-hander Rick Honeycutt and found a thumb taped to his right index finger. He was ejected immediately.
Seattle. Before last night's game Brett heard a rumor that Honeycutt's mannersism, removing his glove, circling the mound and rubbing the ball, gave him time to doctor the ball.
BRETT FIRST NOTICED Honeycutt's peculiar mannersism on the mound last week in
"I heard somebody say before the game that he had a device he used to put scratches on the ball." Brett said. "I thought it was just a sinker, but later I found out that he doctors the ball."
Wilson, who had advanced to third base with a two-out tour, was the Royal that finally caught him.
"I WAS REALLY just trying to break up his concentration," Wilson said. "He would turn around on the ground and rub his hands on the ground." That something was a different color, I thought.
Is *having tape on your fingers legal?* We asked the third base amp and he said that it was. So finally said to the home plate amp that he would hit the ball with it. He checked it and found the tack.
"I said to third base coach Gordy MacKenzie,
"I was really just trying to break his con-
ception," he said, "saw the pitch, I knew it couldn't drown like that."
DESPITE THE incriminating evidence, Seattle manager Maury Wills was outraged. He couldn't believe the ejection. He continued to watch. But a teammate, McLaughlin, warmed up and also was ejected.
during the argument after Honeycutt's ejection, the nurse, who was at bat, walked to the door and called for help.
"I have no idea why he threw out my pitcher," Wilsa said. "His explanation was so confusing. I
still don't know why. And I have less of an idea
why he meed me out.
"I didn't swear at him. But he did swear at me and licked him about it.
"I wasn't delaying the game. My new pitcher wasn't even on the mound yet and he all gets the time he needs to warm up. I couldn't believe any of it."
Royals manager Jim Frey, meanwhile, stayed in the dugout until the argument was almost over.
"I don't know why Maury was arguing," Frey said. "It seemed pretty obvious. The marks were like razor cuts. The guy was cheating and he got caught.
"I guess Maury just couldn't believe that one of his pitchers would cheat. Maybe he doesn't."
AMID ALL THE furor, the Royals were able to break several streaks last night, some good, some not so good.
The Royals avoided a club record ninth straight loss and Brett's four RBI gave him a club record of 115. But Denis Pennela failed for the third time to record his 20th victory. Wilson had his consecutive stolen base snapped at 32, an American League record.
Leanard, 19-11, was removed in the 11th inning but not before throwing his glove. In the next game Leanard scored 20 points.
"No, I wasn't mad," he said. "I wanted 20 but I also another chance. We've got to think about the old one."
"If I don't get 20 on Saturday, I'll just get it in the playoffs when it counts."
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