New York Post

August 1, 1974

By Jim O'Brien

Moon Shines on the Stars


Maybe the full moon overhead contributed to some of the strange happenings in the Stars' 24-16 victory over the Jacksonville Sharks in WFL action here last night.

At least it helped the 15,648 fans to see a little more of what was going on, since Downing Stadium was dimly lit once again, and no better lighting, as had been promised by Stars management.

Gerry Philbin, a former Jets defensive end who was a standout in the Stars' second straight success said, "This is the only stadium, and the only league, where they decide on the coin flip whether or not they'll take the well-lit side, or the dull side."

Philbin, along with another ex-Jet, John Elliott, and Jerry Ellison succeeded in kayoing the Sharks' only two quarterbacks, Kay Stephenson and Kim Hammond, and Jacksonville had to go with a recently-activated running back, Jeff Davis, as their quarterback through all but the first two plays of the final period.

Even so, the Sharks still showed their teeth, and Davis, who hadn't played quarterback since he was a freshman on the "B" team at high school in Gwinnett, Ga., threw several scares into the Stars with his sprint-out runs and off - balance flips, several which could've been caught by someone in the end zone.

There was always a crowd when one of Davis' dying quails came down in the end zone with as many Stars stretching their hands for the ball as there were Sharks.

Tony Lomax, a Sharks' wide receiver, snared one with just under five minutes remaining, but the officials ruled that both of his feet were out of bounds.

Lou Angelo, a strong safety for the Stars, caught the one Davis threw up for grabs on the very next play, and then foolishly ran it out of the end zone. He reached only the four, putting the Stars in the hole once again. If Angelo had remained in the end zone, the Stars would've gotten possession on their 20-yard line.

"I can't tell you what I thought when that happened," said Stars' coach Babe Parilli.

"They don't come easy, I'll tell you that. It's getting a little easier, but not much. We've got guys who've shown they can come back in the second half. This is a gutsy club."

Parilli, said, he was more pleased with this victory than the one last Thursday night in Philadelphia, which followed losses in the opening two weeks. "this was more of a deserving victory," he said.

Parilli said Davis posed some special problems for his team because they weren't prepared for such a radical change. "we knew we had to containhim," said Parilli, "because he's got to roll out. But he kept getting outside of our so-called containment."

Tom Sherman directed the Stars' attack, and showed that quarterbacks can run without getting injured. He and Bob Gladieux each gained 67 yards to lead the Stars in rushing. Gladieux getting his total on 19 carries, Sherman on eight.

Gladieux scored the Stars first TD going in from four yards out in the first quarter, then going through the same hole on the left side for the WFL's "action point" to tie the game.

It offset a two-yard run by Tommy Durrance of the Sharks, who scored the follow-up "action point" on a pass from Stephenson.

Stephenson fired a 56-yard TD pass to Dennis Hughes in the second quarter, but the Stars replied with Andy Huff going over from the one, and Sherman hitting tight end Ray Parson with a pass for the point after.

Sherman scored the game winning TD on a quarterback sneak from the one yard line on a fourth-down play midway through the third period and passed to George Sauer for the extra point.

"I didn't have any difficulty finding my receivers," said Sherman, who connected on eight of 14 passes for 114 yards. "But I don't know how tough it is to be on the receiving end. George Sauer told me after our last game here that one time he was looking right at me, saw me in my throwing motion, but had no idea where the ball was."

Sherman said he hasn't played on a field that was so poorly lit since his high school days in Rimersburg, Pa., where he says they about six standard lights.

The Stars were somewhat sloppy again, and so was the opposition, but it was very exciting football for those with owl-like vision.