THE BATTALION FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 1979 Page 9 aylor leaves Jazz sen United Press International W ORLEANS — New Or- Jazz coach Elgin Baylor, a r Hall of Fame forward who 'is team to the worst record in ational Basketball League this eason, was fired Thursday in a that surprised no one. will be like getting out of Baylor said last week in an- tion of his firing, z owners had granted Baylor a ear extension on his contract this season even though the was playing horrendous ball. [Orleans finished 26-56, worst NBA. lor, who coached the Jazz for full seasons after being thrust hat position when Butch Van Kolff was fired, had a corn- record of 86-135 (.389). But k the Jazz to within two games [e playoffs last season despite a injury to guard Pete Maravich idelined him for 32 games, any of the ballclub’s problems othing to do with Elgin’s abil- a coach but it is our feeling change is needed at this time jnefit all concerned,” Jazz man- partner Larry Hatfield said in [pared statement, e ownership of the Jazz has ijol'ed its relationship with Elgin °yk'fover the past few years. He is truly a class i^uy.” [ Hatfield said the club was com mitted to paying Baylor for the re maining two years of an estimated ! |$75,SxX)-a-year contract. ! f Baylor felt the end was near when i’. club dfficials traded All-Pro forward Leohard “Truck” Robinson to lopnix over Baylor’s objections. Theldeal was necessitated when Robinson and the temperamental Maravich butted egos. Because Maravich has a no-trade clause in his Contract, Robinson was the one logo Baylor publicly complained about Robinson’s loss and how he was not informed of the deal until after it was made. Baylor was unavailable for comment Thursday. Hatfield, who spoke for the executive committee consisting of principal owner Sam Battistone and local minority owners Sheldon leychok and Lee Schlesinger, ilamed the Jazz players on the slow start, saying they were not motivated to play. | The Jazz, who have been trying to negotiate with officials in Salt Lake , City for a new home, now must hire a general manager and a new head mangers remain defeated coach. The club has been without a general manager for more than a year after Lewis Schaffel left in a dispute with management. There doesn’t seem to be any hurry (to hire a new coach),” said Jazz spokesman Dave Fredman. “The draft isn’t until June 25. It’s our advantage because it’s a late draft.” Baylor was a willing assistant to the fiery Van Breda Kolff from 1974 to 1976. He took command in the middle of the 1976-77 season and the Jazz finished the season with a 35-47 record. New Orleans missed the playoffs by two games in 1977-78 with a 39-43 record, then struggled this year with Maravich on the sidelines for nearly half the year. lee SUPER LONG-NECK SPECIAL £°2 rS - $169 Budweiser I Lite 3611 S. College A Six + 21c Dep. 846-6635 fall t maf Food I Pi Y ;ial Steak vy ; and :her United Press International RLINGTON — Ferguson Jen kins hurled a six-hitter and struck out 10 over innings Thursday night to|ead Texas to a 5-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians, leaving the Rangers as the only undefeated team in the major leagues. In winning his second game of the year, Jenkins extended Texas’ win ning streak to four games, equaling the Rangers’ best start in their night-year history. Sparky Lyle got ■ last two outs to notch his first ve as a Ranger. Jexas overcame a 1-0 deficit with three runs in the third against loser Rick Waits, 1-1. Bump Wills and Sample walked and Al Oliver reached on an infield hit to load the Buddy Bell then drove a liner off the glove of third baseman Toby rah that was ruled an error and delivered two runs. John Ellis sin gled in the third run of the inning. Walks to Nelson Norman and /ills and a single by Sample pro duced another Texas run in the sixth Oscar Gamble delivered a solo homer for Texas in the eighth. Singles by Harrah and Rick Man ning in the first, along with two Walks, accounted for the first Cleve land run and Harrah scored again in thl fifth, doubling to lead off the in ning and coming in on Manning’s single. invited tfou /o exfietience MonA in fj4ii jVcuveau and