page 14
daily nebraskan
thursday, September 21, 1978
. - 'i , v 'v-' ft , ' r . w If .;; .it l-a ".', - :.
nw f ' ' ; rt..m'- . n . i. , ..,.,,.,, n , ..,., j.,.,. pn .mumim. n, i
rpiv;! r 33 U, 4 difL&
ll-'tr- ' LI '1 , ,
Daily Nebraskan photo
AO x 4A -v
Rugby fever just 'gets in the blood'
Daily Nebraskan photo
By Kathy Chenault
There is a "fever" on the UNL campus that has been
contracted by 35 students who actively participate in a
sport which evolved from soccer rule infractions.
In 1823 a frustrated English schoolboy picked up a
soccer ball and ran with it, thus originating the game of
rugby.
According to UNL Rugby Club President Stan
Stutheit, catching the rugby fever can turn into an individ
ual epidemic for rugby players.
"Rugby gets in your bloods," said Stutheit, a senior
from Syracuse. "Once you start playing, you just keep
going for it."
Stutheit said he and most of the other rugby players
had no previous experience with the sport prior to coming
to UNL.
Helps 'keep in shape'
"Playing rugby giver us club members) a chance to
stay athletically active and to keep in shape," Stutheit
said.
Rugby is actually a cross between football and soccer.
Play is continuous without times out or substitutions.
Interference or forward passing are not allowed, while
kicking, dribbling, lateral passing and tackling are
featured.
Rugby was first introduced on the college level by
sports
Cambridge University students in 1839 and by the 1860s
it had developed into a distinct type of football.
The original laws of the game were drawn up in 1871
when 21 amateur clubs established the Rugby Football
Union.
Rugby found its way to the United States around 1875
and has experienced most of its popularity in America on
the coasts.
Historically, rugby has never been immensely popular
in North America but in 1920 and 1924, teams represent
ing the United States won rugby championships at the
Olympic Games.
Sports popularity grown
Greg Miller, match secretary for the UNL club, doesn't
forsee recognition for rugby as a varsity sport through the
Ahtletic Department as a possibility, although the sport
has grown in popularity on the campus in the five years
he has been involved.
"Schools in this part of the country just don't support
rugby like in other areas (of the country)," Miller said.
He addeil that functioning on club status does,
however, have its advantages.
"On the one hand it would be nice to be funded like
varsity sports,'" he said, "but if we were associated with
the athletic department, we would have to drop out of the
rugby union we belong to."
The Rugby Club finances equipment and travel
expenses with various fund drive activities and club dues
paid by members.
In their first action this season, the UNL club downed
the rugby club from UNO. Last Saturday they dropped
a decision to the Lincoln Rugby Club.
The next games for the UNL club will be this Saturday
when they travel to Omaha for an invitational meet. They
will compete against various city clubs and fellow Heart of
America union teams.
Open market causes price on players to skyrocket
Analysis by
L. Kent Wolgamott and Jeff Taebel
In the wake of baseball's adoption of a free agent
policy two years ago, the market price of most players
skyrocketed.
The primary reason for the skyrocketing salaries is
mat if a player is dissatisfied with his contract or with the
situation on the team he plays for, he can wait until his
contract expires and test his worth on the open market.
Unfortunately, some baseball owners, vis. Gene Autry
of the California Angels, Brad Corbett of the Texas Ran
gers and the infamous George Steinbrenner of the New
York Yankees, have been so free with their spending in
attempting to buy a pennant for themselves, that they
have priced many players off the market.
Only the well-to-do teams seem to be in on the bidding
for high-priced superstars, some of whom indeed may be
worth the money that they are paid.
However, in the process, many athletes, whose
talents are questionable at best, have had their potential
salaries elevated to the million dollar plus range, often
on the basis of just one good season.
Kingman case
Consider the case of Chicago Clubs "slugger" Dave
Kingman. Kingman was signed this year from the free
agent draft in hopes that his home run hitting prowess
would increase attendance at Wrigley Field as weD as give
the Cubs a much needed long ball threat.
Indeed, Kingman has produced home runs for the Cubs
this season, 25 at this writing. However, he is batting a
meager .249 with only 83 total hits.
Kingman is also one of the perennial league leaders in
strikeouts, which usually outnumber his home runs three
to one.
One of the most celebrated free agents of the first
draft was the controversial slugger, Reggie Jackson.
Jackson erased the memories of a less than spectacular
first season with the Yanks by his World Series
performance.
However, this year, Jackson is batting .281 and is not
leading the team in runs or RBI's. Although he is having a
respectable season, it is not what one might expect from
"the straw that stirs the drink."
baseboJ
Richie Zisk caused some bad feelings in Chicago by
jumping the financially-troubled White Sox for the free
spending Texas Rangers.
Zisk's season average of .252, 17 home runs and 65
RBI's are probably causing some hard feelings in Texas
this year.
However, free agents aren't the only overpriced, over
rated athletes in professional baseball.
Consider the case of Cincinnati ace Tom Seaver. The
Reds gave the New York Mets an arm and a leg for Tom
Terrific in hopes that his arm would prolong the dynasty
of the Big Red Machine.
Seaver lived up to his reputation last season, although
the Reds actually lost ground to the National League
champion Dodgers after his acquisition.
This season has been a different story, with Seaver
having a series of highs and lows. Despite the fact that he
pitched a mid-season no hitter, he has been inconsistent
in other starts with his record now 14-14 with 75 walks
given up, an unusually high number for a control
pitcher.
Slow seasons
To be fair, not all big name free agents have fared so
poorly.
Larry Hisle, who sold his talents to the Milwaukee
Brewers this season has been ripping apart American
League pitching to the tune of a .290 average with 29
home runs and 99 RBI's.
Lyman Bostock, who was picked up by the Angels
after a spectacular season with the Minnesota Twins last
year, started so slowly this season that many fans
wondered if he was worth the investment. However,
Bostock attempted to have his salary held back for the
first month of the season because he was so dissatisifed
with his performance.
Bostock has now raised his average to .291 and has
consistently turned in superb fielding efforts for the
Angels.
Despite their problems this season, even the Texas
Rangers strike gold occasionally, as in the case of Bobby
Bonds.
Bonds' excellent all-around play has been a bright spot
for Texas fans this season as he is batting .278 with 26
home runs, 79 RBI's and 34 stolen bases.
Pitcher Mike Torrez, left George Steinbrenner' fold
for greener pastures in Boston where he is second on the
team behind Dennis Eckersley in wins and strikeouts.
Rich Gossage, who was expropriated from the Pitts
burgh Pirates to the Yankees, is leading the league in saves
and trails only his teammate Ron Guidry in earned run
average.
t would seem that free agency in baseball has become
a high-priced gamble for team owners, who seem to realize
that they are cutting their own throats while bringing
mixed fortunes to their ball clubs.
