SPORTS
Yen For Racing
Japanese-speaking David Katzman parlays his
language skills into a prime volunteer spot during
the Grand Prix
MIKE ROSENBAUM
Sports Writer
Mi ke Rose n baum
ID
etroit's annual Formula
One Grand Prix auto
race brings a visibly
international crowd to
the Motor City each
June. The drivers have cosmopolitan
names: Andrea de Cesaris, Rene Ar-
noux and Satoru Nakajima. Along
with them are the international "cir-
cus" of team members, media and
fans.
Behind the scenes, however, there
is another foreign crowd which
swarms into town for the United
States' only Formula One event.
Gov. Blanchard and his ad-
ministration take full advantage of
the race to sell Michigan to the
foreign, as well as American, business
people among that crowd. The state's
efforts are bolstered by members of Ayrton Senna hopes for a third straight Detroit
the Detroit Grand Prix Association
(DPGA), 1,400 volunteers who help hospitality suites also deal with state
with almost every aspect of the event. and national politicians.
DGPA member David Katzman,
DGPA members are race fans who
who is fluent in Japanese, works in pay a $20 annual membership fee and
the Governor's suite, overseeing the work at least 30 hours before or dur-
operation and acting as guide and ing the race. This, according to the
translator for many Japanese DGPA, is a unique organization in the
businessmen. Katzman, 28, says, world of Formula One racing.
"What we do mostly is just to show
Katzman describes himself as a
them a good time and try to push race fan who became interested in the
Michigan. We take 'em into the pit DGPA because his girlfriend, Cheryl
area. Not everybody can get in there." Brown, was already a DGPA member.
Katzman and his co-workers in the
Katzman co-owns Aarian Con-
win Sunday.
struction Co. with his father, Aaron.
He spent a year in Japan on a student
exchange program in 1984-85. "I
think that there's such a future with
Japan and China and the Far East;'
he says, explaining his interest in
Japan. "I know we're just all headed
that way, as much as we have pro-
blems. It's a beautiful country and the
people were great to me. Probably one
of the best experiences that I ever
had."
If he could, Katzman would spend
Rothstein Selects Holy Cross
MIKE ROSENBAUM
Sports Writer
D
avid Rothstein has earned
a partial academic/athletic
scholarship to attend Holy
Cross University this fall.
Rothstein, a two-year starting
point guard on Rochester Adams'
basketball team, is not guaranteed a
spot on the roster at Holy Cross, a
Division-I school.
"I'm trying to play basketball as
a walk-on," Rothstein explains. "But
I have contacted the coaches. I went
out and took an official recruiting
visit. And I did play with the guys on
the team and I'm confident that
things will work out and I'll be able
44
FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1988
to play there."
The main reason Rothstein chose
Holy Cross was its academic program.
Rothstein, who intends to be a lawyer,
will likely study political science at
Holy Cross, which has no specific pre-
law program.
"The academics at Holy Cross are
excellent," reports Rothstein. "That
was first and foremost. When I took
my recruiting visit I really had a good
time, the people were very nice to me.
And the town that it's in, Worcester,
Mass., is really a good college town."
Rothstein's immediate basketball
challenge is to make the school's
freshman squad. "I'm very confident
that I can make the freshman team.
Then they graduate seven seniors at
the end of my freshman year. So
there'll be seven spots on the roster
opening up. And they'll go out and
recruit to try and fill the roster. They
don't know it yet but I'm gonna have
one of those spots."
Meanwhile, the son of Piston's
assistant coach Ron Rothstein was
thrilled to see his father working in
the NBA finals against the Lakers.
"It's great. I'm really happy for him.
I'm enjoying it a lot myself, too."
David hopes the Pistons can ex-
tend the series to at least six games.
"If it goes to six and seven;' he ex-
plains, "I'm gonna make my first road
trip with the Pistons."
❑
even more time studying Japan and
the Japanese language. "So eventual-
ly," he muses, "maybe I'll get a job
with the State Department and I'll be
in the State of Michigan tent and
somebody else will take care of me!"
Katzman feels that the Japanese
who visit the Grand Prix "get spoil-
ed," in the U.S. Most of them are here
for two or three years to learn about
American business practices. In the
U.S. "the houses are so large, there's
so much land. And (then) they've got
to go back . . . "
He adds that most Japanese "like
Americans. They like everything
about America. They like trivia. They
like Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe,
things like that."
Katzman says the visiting
Japanese generally ask him friendly
questions about himself and the city.
They are also interested in the Grand
Prix drivers, teams and engines.
Several Japanese companies are
heavily involved in the Formula One
circuit, notably Canon cameras, who
sponsor the 1987 Constructor's cham-
pion Williams team, and Honda,
whose engine powers this year's domi-
nant McLaren cars, driven by defen-
ding Detroit champion Ayrton Senna
and all-time Formula One victory
leader Alain Prost.
The Grand Prix weekend is not all
work for DGPA members. When Katz-
c=(