Wilmington Evening Journal - October 29, 1980

Schmidt continues hot pace off field

By Hal Bodley, Sports Editor

NEW YORK – Mike Schmidt will be going at a torrid pace until Thanksgiving, then will start letting himself unwind to prepare for the 1981 season.

"None of this has hit me yet," said Schmidt yesterday, here to accept the Most Valuable Player Trophy in the World Series. "I've been on such a hectic pace since it ended, I haven't had time to think about everything."

Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn presented the Phillies' third baseman with the MVP Trophy and a $9,000 gold watch at ceremonies in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Schmidt, a unanimous selection by a nine-member panel, also had a $5,000 scholarship donated in his name to the college of his choice.

"It is going to my alma mater, Ohio University," said Schmidt "It will be the start of a scholarship in my name for baseball players from the Philadelphia area.”

Schmidt is only the third third baseman to be named Most Valuable Player in the 26-year history of the award, which is given by Sport magazine. He led the Phils to their first World tries in 97 years by hitting safely in all six games, batting .381 and hitting two home runs. He had seven runs batted in and two game-winning hits.

"I flew here this morning from South Carolina, where I have been participating in Jim Rice's golf tournament, said Schmidt, referring to an event sponsored by the Boston Red Sox' outfielder. "As soon as this program is finished, I will fly to Hilton Head, where my-tournament will be held this weekend. At least 15 of the Phillies are going to participate."

No sooner will Schmidt finish his three-day tournament, then he will climb aboard another airplane for a 10-day trip to Japan.

"The Mizuno Company is sponsoring series of eight clinics throughout Japan," said Schmidt. "I'm going, along with Pete Rose, Steve Carlton and Cappy Harada of the Major League Baseball Promotion Corporation. That should be an interesting trip."

Schmidt, odds-on favorite to also win the National League Most Valuable Player Award, said it is difficult to say which honor will mean the most to him.

"I've got one and I would like to get the other one, too," he said. "The important thing is that the Philadelphia Phillies won the world championship. It's hard to say which award is the most important. Winning the World Series was the greatest thrill of my life.”
 

Schmidt thinks the Phillies had just as much talent during the years they won the National League Eastern Division and failed to make it to the Series.

"To me, there was a kind of divine guidance this time for us. The club had the same heart, the same character those other years, but I guess we just weren't supposed to win. This year was different."

Already people are hinting Player Personnel Director Paul Owens may make some trades during the winter meetings that would break up the team.

"That would be a shame," said Schmidt. "I hope he keeps the team intact. For the first time ever, we have a luxury. We have probably the best pitching staff in baseball. Maybe we could part with some of that to make our team even stronger."

Schmidt says he will hold his public appearances down to a minimum in December, then cut them out almost completely in January.

"That is the time of the year when I will devote most of my time to getting ready for the new season," he said. "I am not going to let all of this hamper that. But, truthfully, I enjoy this for a number of reasons. One is that because we won the World Series, I am able to stand up and get some of my messages across. If we had not won, I would not be here today.

"Years from now I will be able to sit back and look at what we accomplished and it will still be very, very important to me. That's for sure."

‘Hometown’ gives Green hero status

By Tom Lindley, Assistant Sports Editor

WEST GROVE, Pa. – Philadelphia loves Dallas Green, sure, but it is not the love a hometown shares for its hero.

The 25-foot long banner strung across Evergreen Street last night told the whole story: "West Grove, Pa. Home of Dallas Green… 1980 manager of the World champion Phillies.”

"It's going to be up there until it blows down, which I hope doesn't ever happen," said Bill O'Connell, president of the town's fire company.

"This has got to be the biggest thing to happen here since 1970 when the Red Devils (the high school team) won the state championship in basketball," said Robert Torello.

Several hundred of the town's 2,200 residents turned out for Green's homecoming, which took place under the glare of the town's only traffic light. Green is a native of Newport, but is now a resident of West Grove.

While the fire department struggled to get the banner raised properly, the Avon Grove High School band played and Green signed autographs and caught up on town gossip.

"I just had to shake your hand," said a neighbor of Green's. "You know my husband is the one who fixes your vacuum cleaner."

"As you can tell from what's happening here tonight, I don't have anything that resembles a normal way of life," Green said. "Since I got home, the phone hasn't stopped ringing and the door hasn't stopped knocking."

"I just want to say special thanks to all of West Grove," he said later to the "crowd. "I don't want to bring too much hub-bub, but I guess we put West Grove on the map. I hope it stays that way for a long time."

With that the crowd cheered, the fire truck's siren wailed and Dallas Green drove off.