Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 65

lsw Thursday, Floy. 13, NBANHL SCOREBOARD MOVIE GUIDE Brother Rice vs. CC Can Redford Catholic Central stop Brimingham Brother Rice and its star back, Jason Wolf (left) Mick McCabe previews their semifinal showdown. Also inside The road to the Dome: Previews of all eight semifinal football games. Drew Sharp looks at Detroit area girls basketball districts.

Call with tportt newt: 222-6660 Ik Him Mortis, Tigers talk: But the free-agent pitcher says that's all that happened; no further DETROIT FREE PRESS r- 1 Wlfeil 7 .1 5. talks are scheduled. See Page 5D. Sports Phone (scores): 1-976-1313 Complete report, Page 10D. uiet leader George fog jpuscas Brown, an enigma to fans, is taking charge at U-M Hearns to meet Reagan; Hagler summit next? 4 One championship couldn't do it.

Or two, or even three. But the fourth has opened the heaviest doors for Thomas Hearns. By TERRY FOSTER Free Press Soorts Writer ANN ARBOR So, who is the real Demetrius Brown? Brown, Michigan's starting quarterback, is north and south, winter and summer. He threw seven interceptions at Michigan State and passed for three touchdowns against Iowa. Is he the battered quarterback who couldn't produce in crucial situations against Indiana, or the one who made key plays in victories at Minnesota and Illinois? "I'm probably somewhere in between," he once told reporters.

Brown is shy and soft-spoken, but it should be noted that he has played his guitar onstage. He is an enigma to some Michigan fans. He has a strong arm, but he has thrown 15 interceptions in 10 games. So how will Brown perform Saturday when Michigan plays Ohio State before more than 104,000 at Michigan Stadium and a national television audience? (Kickoff is at 12:15 p.m., ABC, Channel 7 in Detroit.) "For the Ohio State game I think he'll be ready," said Gary Moeller, U-M's quarterback coach and offensive co-ordinator. "I think he's going to be excited; let's hope not too excited.

I think it is another good test for him. I think he is going to come through because there is marked improvement and he has shown poise." FEW KNOW that Brown is fourth among Big Ten quarterbacks in passing, completing 50 percent of his attempts for 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns. But they do remember those 15 interceptions. "I know I have been up and down," said Brown, a redshirt sophomore. "I either have a great day or one that is not so good.

I have to become more consistent. I know I can do it." Michigan has experienced dramatic vic- See DEMETRIUS BROWN, Page 5D Hearns is in the midst of a three-day whirl of the nation's capital. He was honored at a reception there Wednesday night and will meet President Reagan this afternoon. It won't be anything like the White House visits MARY SCHROEDERDelroi! Free Press U-M quarterback Demetrius Brown (6) hands off to tailback Jamie Morris. of Muhammad Ah, a self-appointed ambassador to the world, who once was invited by a president to do what he could to save South Africa from itself.

Hundreds of other sports figures, of course, have been invited to the White House, the principal occupant there recognizing that successful athletes get a lot of attention, and it tends to rub Pistons lstless in loss off. "Well, I've got a couple of names I could sug gest for the Supreme Court, if that's what the it 4 ill 0 VlK Sixers win down stretch By CLIFTON BROWN Free Press Sports Writer Pistons coach Chuck Daly had a bad feeling about Wednesday night's game before it started. He felt worse after it ended. The Philadelphia 76ers handed the Pistons their first home loss of the season, 113-109, before 17,445 at the Silverdome. When the Pistons won consecutive road games last weekend, it appeared their early-season doldrums were over.

Now there's doubt. "I think our guys have to find out what it takes," Daly said, "Even before the game I could see it in their eyes, that maybe they weren't quite ready to play. We have to play hard all the time. Maybe we aren't quite as good as we think we are." The Pistons weren't very good down the stretch against Philadelphia. Trailing by 11 points at halftime, the Pistons fought back and took a 105-102 lead with 3:05 left.

But they couldn't deal with Philadelphia's All-Stars forward Charles Barkley and guard Maurice Cheeks. Barkley dominated for 3 quarters, finishing with 29 points, 15 rebounds and two blocked shots. Then, in the final two minutes, Cheeks, who had 25 points and eight assists, took over. He scored seven straight points during a one-minute span, turning that 105-102 See PISTONS, Page 4D if mil I ft 1 i i.1 UV v.V' WILLIAM DeKAYDelroil Free Press Charles Barkley (left) and Rick Mahorn are in mean pursuit of a loose ball in Wednesday's game president said Emanuel Steward. i "But we're very pleased.

I'm not sure what this is all about, but it's very nice." What Steward, Hearns' manager, is sure about is that a lot of people are making fact of rumor regarding Hearns and a rematch with Marvelous Marvin Hagler. "The fight is not made," Steward said. "All I've ever said about that to anybody is that the fight's likely, it's the 6nly fight that makes sense if Hagler tights again. But Hagler hasn't said yes, and he hasn't said no." We know when, not whether i All that is firm is a projected date May 1 6 which was known thi moment Hearns beat Argentina's Juan Roldan on Oct. 30 to win the middleweight title.

When promoter Bob Arum appeared here the following week for "Thomas Hearns Day in Detroit," a TV-type offered to bet him $1,000 the fight already was arranged because the date was set. The fight, he said, would be held in April at Caesars Palace. "I'll bet you $1 00,000 it won Arum responded. Arum then explained that a national broadcasters convention had first and last call on the fight Palace In April. Arum headed east from Detroit to meet with Hagler and his co-managers, brothers Pat and Goody Petronelli.

The meeting was successful to the extent that Arum was convinced financial arrangements could be made once Hagler who is either 33 or 36, depending on who's counting convinced himself to fight Hearns again. "I think Hagler will fight," Steward said. "Even though he lost to Ray Leonard, he thinks he was robbed and the title rightfully belongs to him." Except Hearns now has the title, or at least the World Boxing Council portion. The other thirds belong to Detroiter Frank Tate (International Boxing Federation) and Sumbu Kalambay (World Boxing Association). But Hagler is not interested in Tate or Kalambay, and neither is Hearns.

When Hagler, who on occasion talks like a man who intends to fight Hearns again, finally agrees, he will be granting Hearns several mighty big favors, indeed. "All Tommy wants now," Steward said, "is a chance to avenge the only two losses of his career (to Hagler and Leonard)." A fight with Hagler would pay Hearns a minimum $10 million his biggest payday and raise his career earnings to more than $35 million. With that kind of pay, a guy should be able to get along on something less than revenge. Briefly, Kronk went crownless Little was made of it at the time, but a few months passed last summer when Steward's Kronk team was without a world champion for the first time in eight years. During that long span, the Kronks held six world titles and fought 44 world title bouts.

But when Hearns resigned his IBF light-heavyweight title in August, the Detroit team was without a champion, and speculation arose about Kronk's future. "Like any baseball team, you don't always win the series," Steward said. "But Kronk will go on. By next spring, we could have three, maybe four world champions." He includes a Hearns victory over Hagler. He also expects Duane Thomas to regain his junior middleweight title Jan.

3, Jesse Benevides to win the junior featherweight title, and he's counting on the comeback of Milton McCrory. "We want to finish with President Reagan," Steward said, "so we can fly back for McCrory's fight." McCrory, the former WBC welter champion, will meet Akron's Jerome Kelly in the main event of a benefit card at Windsor Arena tonight. It will be the first of two shows in two nights on opposite sides of the river. Friday night, Philip Morefield, the Warren bomber, will meet Kenny Snow of Texas in the main event of the monthly Cobo Arena program. Will trail lead to glory? Team USA prepares in shadow of 'Miracle9 l' AS! I 7' No Bir but Celts come back answers all the time because people ask the same questions everywhere we go," U.S.

coach Dave Peterson said Wednesday, after the U.S. team had a 75-minute practice at Joe Louis Arena. Tonight the U.S. team plays the Canadian Olympic team at 7:30 in Hamilton, Ontario. Then it's Michigan State at 7:30 p.m.

Friday at Joe Louis Arena and 3 p.m. Sunday in East Lansing. The recurrent theme Wednesday was the same request the '88 team encounters everywhere it goes: Explain how the 1980 U.S. team's gold-medal victory still resonates through the ranks of American hockey. See TEAM USA, Page 5D By JOHNETTE HOWARD Free Press Sports Writer They hope their trail will end in glory.

But for now, the U.S. Olympic ice hockey team follows a path strewn with practicalities: a barnstorming schedule and the ensuing jet lag, morning practices and informal rinkside press conferences. Another game in another arena against another opponent, played out before supportive American fans who still, inevitably, harken back to the 1 980 U.S. team's "Miracle on Ice" at Lake Placid. The 1988 Olympic team began playing three months and 30 games ago.

It has a 18-10-2 record and three more months to go. "But it's the same JOHN COLLIERDetroit Free Press Olympian Brad Jones practices for tonight's game against Team Canada. Dawson is first MVP from last-place club NL MVP voting First-place votes in parentheses: BOSTON (AP) Without injured Larry Bird and down by 28 points at the outset of the second half, the Boston Celtics got the message from coach K.C. Jones. "It was a desperation situation, and that requires desperation things, like Danny Ainge's three-pointers," Jones said Wednesday night after the Celtics battled back for a 1 1 1 -1 09 NBA victory in double overtime over the New York Knicks.

"It was one of the greatest games ever," the normally soft-spoken Jones excitedly said after Darren Daye, a last-minute starter for Bird, tipped in a rebound at the buzzer ending the second overtime. Bird scratched himself from the Boston lineup because of soreness in both Achilles tendons. The Celtics rebounded after an icy second period when they failed to sink a single basket, going 0-for-1 9 and falling behind 61-36 at halftime. The Knicks then padded their lead to 64-36 at the outset of the third period. But Ainge, Robert Parish and Daye led the Boston comeback.

Ainge hit his sixth three-pointer of the game, and fifth of the second half, with 48 seconds left in regulation for a 93-93 tie. Ainge scored 33 points, Parish 23 and Daye 19 in leading the Celtics. The Knicks were led by Patrick Ewing's 26 points. PLAYER PTS. Andre Dawson, Chicago (11) 269 OzzieSmlth, St.

Loui5(9) 193 Jack Clark, St, Louis (3) 1 86 Tim Wallach, Montreal (1) J65 Will Clark, San Francisco 12B Complete list, past winners, Page 110 NL umpire killed in auto accident LAKELAND, Fla. Dick Stello, a National League umpire since 1968, was crushed to death Wednesday when the two cars he was standing between were hit by another car. Stello, 53, of Pinellas Park, and Benjamin Suddarth, 48, of Seminole, were talking between their parked cars when the vehicles were rear-ended along two-lane State Road 33 north of this Central Florida town. Stello was killed instantly. Suddarth suffered possible internal injuries and was listed in serious condition Wednesday night.

NEW YORK (AP) Andre Dawson of the Chicago Cubs became the first member of a last-place team to be named Most Valuable Player, winning the National League award Wednesday, Dawson, a free agent whom no club bid for last winter, led the majors with 137 RBIs and tied for the homer lead with 49. He beat St. Louis shortstop Ozzie Smith by a 269-193 margin in voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America. "I tried to be realistic and not hold out too much hope," said Dawson, who admitted he thought the Cubs' poor finish could hurt his chances. "I'm thrilled despite a pretty dismal season by the ballclub." Dawson, 33, was so intent on playing at Wrigley Field this year that he left the Montreal Expos and signed a blank contract with the Cubs during spring training.

Then-general manager Dallas Green filled in the dollar 5 amount of $500,000, making Dawson the second-lowest paid regular on the team. "I wanted to convince the baseball world that I would indeed perform better under different circumstances those circumstances being to get away from the AstroTurf See ANDRE DAWSON, Page 4D i 1.