ENTERTAINMENT I GOING PLACES WEEK OF June 24-30 SPECIAL EVENTS Free Press sports columnist Mitch Albom delivers a weekday sports report on WLLZ-FM. A Pitch for 1Vlitc Award•winning sports columnist Mitch Albom always knows the score HEIDI PRESS News Editor itch Albom can't even go out for breakfast without his fame fol- lowing him. "Your name is Mitchell?" the restaurant owner ask- ed in heavily-accented English. "Yes," Albom said, smiling. "You're in the Free Press," the restaurant owner said. "Yes, " Albom replied. "How about some tickets?" Albom just smiled. Albom has plenty to smile about these days. In his relatively short sports writing career, the well- respected Detroit Free Press colum- nist has quickly risen to the top of a highly competitive field. In addition to his column, which appears about four days a week, Albom, 30, delivers a weekday morning radio sports report, stars in television commer- cials for the Free Press and has a book to his credit. And, for the second year in a row (1986, 1987), the Detroit Free Press sports columnist has won the Associated Press Sports Editors column-writing award. Placing se- cond in 1985, he's the only sports writer to win the top prize for two con- secutive years. He also should be pleased because the first printing of 7,000 copies of a collection of his col- umns, "The Live Albom," published by the Free Press, has sold out and the second printing of 10,000 copies is ex- pected to be depleted soon. He has mixed emotions about the book. He's grateful to the Free Press for creating it, but embarrassed by all the attention it brings to him. Earlier this month, he promoted the book via 'The Live Albom' Father's Day Tour." His fans have been lining up at bookstores throughout Southeast Michigan to buy his book and meet the author of the column which often takes an analytical, sometimes humorous look at professional sports. Although he appears at ease on the promotional tour — he calls it the world tour — Albom is admittedly un- comfortable with the celebrity status that goes with the territory. Ask him about his many awards and he casts his eyes downward. "I don't display awards. They're in my house on a bottom shelf or in the bathroom underneath the sink;' he said. "I don't even stick a diploma up. What you do as a writer is out there. Either they read you or they don't. I'm honored to win those things, but I just think people should pay attention to writing and not to awards." But, it's hard to ignore them because there are so many. In addi- tion to the sports editors award, Albom won the 1985 AP editors award for best sports story of the year, the Michigan Sportswriter of the Year award, AP's best Michigan sports col- umnist award, United Press Interna- tional's best Michigan sports colum- nist award, a best sports story award, a best feature sports story prize and best sportswriter honors. Despite his expertise in the field, writing was not Albom's first career choice. A self-taught pianist, he played in bands throughout high school and college, making money to help pay his tuition. He wrote songs and made some demonstration records, but, he says "they didn't go anywhere!' While pursuing his music avocation in New York, he decided he needed a creative outlet "to fight the frustration," so he volunteered to work at a local weekly and his career as a writer "took off from there." TOLEDO ZOO 2700 Broadway, Toledo, pandas Le Le and Nan Nan, through August, admission. 419-726-3272. DETROIT HORSE SHOW Bloomfield Open Hunt, 405 E. Long Lake, Bloomfield Hills, now through Sunday, admission. 644-9411. ANN ARBOR SUMMER FESTIVAL Garden party, Rackham Bldg, Count Basie Orchestra, Power Center,today; Kathleen Segar, Power Center, Saturday; Latin American Dance, Mendelssohn Theater, Monday and Thursday; "Bopha!" Power Center, Tuesday and Wednesday; "The Print," art exhibition, Power Center lobby, Saturday through July 17; admission. 747-2278. OAKLAND PARKS FOUNDATION Cohn Outdoor Amphitheater, Independence Oaks County Park, "Sunday in the Park," Sunday, admission. 335-2771. COMEDY COMEDY CASTLE 2593 Woodward, Berkley, Malone and Nootcheez, today and Saturday, George Wallace, Tuesday through July 2, admission. 542-9900. COMEDY CASTLE AT PUZZLE'S 29900 Van Dyke, Warren, Bill Scheft, today and Saturday; Eddy Strange, Tuesday through July 2, admission. 751-6010. DOWNTOWN COMEDY CASTLE Westin Hotel, Detroit, "Hobson," today and Saturday; Diane Ford, Monday through July 2, admission. 568-8326. THEATER BIRMINGHAM THEATER 211 S. Woodward, Birmingham, "Girl Crazy," now through July 10, admission, 644-3533. SHAW FESTIVAL Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, "You Never Can Thu," and "Dangerous Corner," now through Oct. 15; "Hit the Deck," now through Oct. 16; "War and Peace," now through July 31; "Peter Pan;' now through Oct. 16; "Geneva," Thursday through Sept. 24; admission. 416-468-2172. Continued on Page 54 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 47