SPORTSBEAT by Peter Jakey: Hurons keep it respectable; coach Misiak five wins from losing his hair

The Rogers City boys basketball team may not have pulled off the upset Tuesday at Posen, but sure earned the respect of the fans from the neighboring community. Posen basketball fans were extremely complimentary of the Hurons effort against their local heroes, while breathing a sigh of relief at the same time. “Rogers City came to play,” was the comment made several times, following the Vikings’ 65-52 win. After the state-ranked Vikings defeated the Hurons by 25 points last month, there weren’t very many people outside of the Huron basketball inner circle that gave the orange and black much of a chance.

But as they say, that’s why they play the games. The Hurons played as a team. They were hitting their shots and kept up the defensive intensity. Play like that for four quarters in your remaining games and you’ll probably win them all. Rogers City coach Karl Grambau came out with a solid game plan of slowing down the play and limiting Posen’s chances.

I thought the Vikings had their looks at the basket, but missed some easy shots, which opened the door to the scrappy Hurons, who kept the game interesting and respectable.

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IT SEEMS as if Posen has had its share of big games recently. The next test is tomorrow at home against Fairview. If the Vikings want to become the first boys basketball team in school history to go undefeated, a win against Fairview will be needed, but it won’t come easy. It’ll be homecoming night and emotions will be running high. An interesting side story is that head coach Ron Misiak knows his players will be warming up the hair clippers with a win.

At the beginning of the season, Misiak agreed to shave his ‘do if his squad went perfect during the regular season. It was forward James Sobek, who sports the dome look himself, that ran the idea by the coach. “At the beginning of the season, James says, ‘coach, I’ll make you a deal, if we go 20-0, I want you to cut your hair like me,’ ” said Misiak. “Before the season, I thought that was a safe bet.”

Posen opens the playoffs March 2 against Johannesburg-Lewiston. The four-team district tournament is in Posen.

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IT WAS in the early 1970s I first showed an interest in the Detroit Tigers. My Dad would watch the games on television and it was his ranting and raving that attracted me to the game. My father was classic yeller. An umpire missed a call and he screamed at the TV set. A player hit a home run and our neighbors four houses down would know about it.

My favorite Tigers in those days were Aurelio Rodriguez, Eddie Brinkeman, and Al Kaline. The first pitcher I took a liking to, and who probably forever soldified my alliance with the Tigers, was Mark “The Bird” Fidrych. In 1976, after spending a month of the season in the minors, he debuted against the Cleveland Indians and won a 2-1 pitching duel. The Bird became famous for his crazy antics, such as talking to himself and aiming the ball, insisting that balls that had “hits in them” be taken out of the game, and smoothing cleat marks on the mound.

THE BIRD got his nickname because he resembled “Big Bird” on Sesame Street. In 1977, Fidrych injured his arm when he continued to pitch with a knee problem. For seven years he tried to make a comeback but never could regain his old form. I remember rooting for him during all of those comebacks, but could his career have lasted longer if he had pitched in the 21st Century? The Bird thinks so.

Fidrych has appeared a

nnually with the Wertz Warriors, who raise money for Special Olympics with their endurance snowmobile ride across the state. I talked to him about his career-ending injury and the medical advances that have taken place in 29 years.

I ASKED HIM if his career would have been extended if he was younger and still pitched. “Oh yeah, of course it would have,” Fidrych said in Hawks last week. “They would have fixed the rotator cuff and everything would have been fine.” He went 19-9 during his rookie season. In 1985, it was revealed that he had torn his rotator cuff nearly all the way through.

Fidrych said he has never had a favorite team, but roots for the Tigers and the Boston Red Sox. He is originally from Boston. He played with some of the players from the 1984 World Series team who are now in the front office, and hopes for the best for them. “Some people have asked me, ‘you think they’ll ask me to come back,’ ” said Fidrych. “You never know.”