The Charlotte Observer
October 4, 1974
By Richard Sink

SHERMAN'S PASSING DOUSES FIRE, 41-30

CHICAGO - The Charlotte Stars exploded like skyrockets in the second quarter Thursday night an held on to shoot down the Chicago Fire, 41-30 in an exciting World Football League made to order for swaying national television audiences to ward the new league.

The Stars offense must have also made believers of their new fans back in Charlotte, who watched their team of a week and a half surge into an 18-point lead after the first 30 minutes.

Quarterback Tom Sherman picked on a reshuffled Chicago secondary for two long second-period scoring strikes, which turned the game in the Stars' favor.

The Stars, playing with the "N.Y." patched over on their helmets, needed the win to remain on the heels of Florida. Their record improved to 9-5, a game worse then the Blazers.

Chicago toppled to 7-7 but made things interesting as the game wound down and most of the 22,354 in the Soldier Field crowd had departed.

The Fire's offense, which was shut out last week by Florida, didn't resemble the same unit and outscored the Stars by a touchdown in the second half and could have had more.

The Fire's injury-depleted offense looked completely rejuvenated, but its defense failed mainly in the first half. The 41 point yielded were the second most it has surrendered this season.

On the other hand, the Stars 41 points were their second high water mark of the year. And their 30 giving up was their second worse defensive showing of the year.

Neither team scored on its first possession, but then the first-half fireworks started. Charlotte actually trailed twice, at 8-7 and 15-10, but each time the Fire's lead lasted only as long as it too the Stars to get the ball back, and they blew out to a resounding 33-15 advantage when the intermission finally stopped the torrid scoring pace.

A 23-point second quarter by the Stars propelled them to their wide margin at the half. Sherman accounted for three of the touchdowns with a short run and two passing bombs, and the forth TD came only 25 seconds before halftime on a scintillating 44 yard interception return by Larry Shears.

Sherman's one-yard fourth-down dive just past the halfway mark of the first quarter gave Charlotte a 7-0 lead. Wide receiver George Sauer figured heavily, in the 59-yard seven-play drive by grabbing a 34-yard sideline pass at the outset and drawing an interference penalty from Harry Howard, worth 16 yards.

The action point failed when Sherman's pass was intercepted by Craig O'Sadnick, and the misfire offered Chicago the chance to come back and take a 8-7 edge.

Ike Thomas can't break loose on kickoff return.

The tying TD was a quickie. Cyril Pinder ran 10 yards up the middle to fire 40 on the first play after the kickoff, and two plays later, Jack Dolbin cut from right to left across the field and latched onto a Bill Cappleman pass.

The former Wake Forest back scampered 61 yards untouched into the end zone, and then Leroy Kelly broke tackles up the middle for the go-ahead action point.

Charlotte kicker Pete Rejecki partially answered that score with a 20-yard field goal for a 10-8 lead with 1:33 remaining in the opening period.

Chicago then look the kickoff and started on it's only sustained drive of the first half, covered 68 yards and 12 plays. The Fire found the Charlotte middle vulnerable, both with the run and pass, but Pinder swept left from three yards for the touchdown. Cornerback Steve Dennis intercepted Capleman's action-point try.

It took Charlotte one minute and one second to recover. Losing one yard in two plays after taking over, the Stars struck again with the long play, Sherman spotted Al Barnes, tight end Bert Askson and the back judge took it from there for a 63-yard touchdown.

Barnes avoided a tackler at the sideline and cut back inside. Askson threw a crucial block which sprung him and Barnes and the back judge raced along side each other for the score. Halfback, Jim Ford dived for the AP and an 18-15 advantage.

The reception gave Barnes 108 yards in three catches for the half.

Askson wasn't through with his heroics by a long shot. He raced his heroics by a long shot. He raced downfield for the kickoff and retrieved a fumble soon returned the ball to the Fire, which was by now unable to move in the face of linebacker Bob Grant and right tackle John Elliot.

Following a punt. Askson got in on the scoring act by utilizing his speed (9.6 in the 100) from his tight end position and slipping open deep for a 45-yard TD pass from Sherman for a 25-15 lead with 1:16 to go in the half.

Chicago's immediate passing attempts for a score backfired into Sheare's interception. A volleyball battling act got the ball to him, and he dashed to his right for the TD. Ford's dive added the 33rd point.

Askson was cut down on his own clip early in the third quarter, and he left the game for good, but his presence while in was certainly felt. His condition was undetermined late Thursday.

Sherman, who threw for 213 yards in the first half, was on the bench when the third quarter opened, and starting backs Highsmith and Ford found themselves with him.

That move by coach Babe Parilli looked risky when Chicago cut into the large halftime lead and reduced i to 33-23 at 7:30 of the third quarter, but reserve quarterback Brian Dowling and second-string runner Ed White and Lee Bouggess proved effective.

Offsetting mistakes gave the ball to the Fire, and Kelly was instrumental in driving his team 37 yards and scored his first WFL touchdown on a drive from the two. He skirted right end for the 23rd point.

White, a reserve but actually the team's second-leading rusher for the season, ran well-in the third period, but Highsmith returned to score the Stars' touchdown in the quarter.

The front line sprung him 24 yards with 3:10 left in the period to compile a 61-yard march in 19 plays. Charlotte matched the Fire's scoring for the quarter on Highsmith's action-point dive.

The Fire lit up the scoreboard, one more time with 8:13 to play when Binder zipped into the end zone from 10 yards away. The drive, kept alive on Lennie Crittenden's 34-yard run off a fake punt, took up 80 yards, 12 plays and much valuable time.

With Fire linebacker Rudy Kuechenberg and his defensive mates finally containing Charlotte, Chicago threatened to make it wild at the end, but Cappleman's fourth-down pass inside the final minute was interecepted by linebacker Marty Huff to insure the team's first WFL victory as as Charlotte entry.

Charlotte Stars defense converges on Chicago's LeRoy Kelly.