Pape Six I HE MICHIGAN IYAILY Z)oturday,-July I b, 1,91 Pooe Six IHE MICHIGAN D'AILY ~saturdayJuIy ib, 1911 Spirit By LINDA WILLCOX IN THE FRONT LEFT corner of the cockpit, between the control panel and the window, Charles Lindberg, Jr., hung a silver cross given to him by his mother as a good luck token for his trans-Atlantic flight. The cross stayed with the "Spirit of St. Louis" through all its airborne days. Now, just 50 years and some odd days later, a similar cross hangs in the working replica of the "Spirit." Sunday afternoon, the "Spirit" and its escort, a 1932 Stinson, touched down at Detroit City Airport. In a stiff wicker seat to the rear of a cockpit scarcely wider than a single seat in a 747 jumbo jet, little longer than a bath- tub, I looked at that cross. I had the chance to transcend the decades of aviation history created before I was born. FROM THAT SEAT, "Lucky" Lindy com- mandeered the "Spirit" over the Atlantic to Paris to capture the Orteig Prize and the hearts of the world; from that seat, Lindbergh flew the "Spirit" on a tour through the 48 states to promote commer- cial aviation. replica This year, the Experimental Aircraft As- sociation built a little-modified replica of the "Spirit" for a 50th anniversary com- memorative tour of the continental United States. Vern Jobst, the pilot for my quick flight circling the airport, sat where Lindbergh 4ad an extra gas tank, but the EAA built a second cockpit in front to carry passen- gers. LOOKING OUT THE open window, a line of small private planes was framed by the wing and wing supports of the "Spirit"-a montage of production history. The crew manually started the propeller. The engine started, making the same type of sound you might make with your tongue in child-life defiance. We were ready for the taxi and take-off. With nothing but basic hand and foot controls, Lindbergh flew to Paris, then around the states. Because he had no wind- shield, he used a periscope to see ahead of the plane; and stuck his head out the win- dow to look to the side. He had no radio contact with control towers; and nothing but five ham sandwiches and the montonous hum of the engine to keep him company. glor The replica has a wi plates for display, in changes made in the safety, according to M tive assistant to the EA Wisconsin, where the r "READY FOR TAK the control tower. The "Spirit's" take-o siderably shorter than of a modern commern metal in front and trea over wood in the tail s ten feet tall, and 28 fee ants could easily push field. The little plane clin the airport, catching jt We looked down on th tators, and the letters City Airport from the a In the distance, the Detroit, the city whi born, separated from i We could see the sail River. BENEATH US, I h out and wave to the a Henry Haigh is but one of nine pilots taking turns at the stick of the "Spirit of St. Louis" replica. Like everything else, the EAA tried for maximum authen- ticity when desi"ming the flight suits for the pilots. But Anne Morrow Lindberg, the late pilot's widow, said the suits are not authentic. One pilot asked himself, "Did I forget my tie? Are my shoelaces untied?" Mrs. Lind- bergh later told him, "It's just not dirty." Flipping for Judo Even the gas supply wagon was authentic. Drawn by a team of horses, this 1920's style pumper filled the "Spirit" at the City Airport. Just as in the original cross-country tour in 1928, Standard Oil supplied all the gasoline for the plane. One of the youngest spec older folks. The planes than 100 persons, althou begun to read about Lind By RON DeKETT TWO OPPONENTS face each other and bow. They grasp each other's uniform and begin a swirling waltz in a cat and mouse game-their roles constantly shift- ing from attacker to defender-each looking for a momentary weakness in the other's technique. Then in- a flurry of movement a body bends, lever- age is applied and a torso whips high through the air. Legs trail, flailinng briefly. A loud "THWAP" resounds through the room as a body strikes the mat. "Nice, nice throw," the downed opponent says. They again stand facing each other and bow. "Thank you," one says. "Thank you," the other answers. Welcome to judo-the gentle way. The preceding scene occurs at least five days a week at the Ann Arbor YM/YWCA, 350 S. Ave., under the guidance of head instructor Shun Kasuga (accent on Ka), fourth, degree black belt, and his assistant Edward Fronczak, first degree black belt. JUDO IS A ZEN-BASED martial art form and Olym- pic game developed by Dr. Jigoro Kano from Jujitsu. Dr. Kano modified harmful jujitsu techniques to form a safe system for the most efficient use of mental and physical energy. Its motto is "Maximum efficiency with minimum effort". Through the use of throws, pins (control of an op- ponent's body for 30 seconds on a mat) chokes and armbars the judoist develops self-defense skills, pose and confidence without harming the opponent.. Hence the name judo which means "the gentle way." But more than just developing physical skills judo helps develop a healthy mental attitude towards peo- ple and life. "It adds a dimension to the western philosophy that is very important. The basic idea is toshow respect for each other. Through the practice of judo you are giv- ing to each other in a one to one relationship. If you do judo enough and you have a good model as an in- structor you adopt the attitude and it becomes very natural and you feel good doing it," Fronczak said. SHOWING RESPECT for an opponent is an intri- cate aspect in the art of judo. One that is constantly taught on the mats and ultimately carried into the everyday world. "It's very difficult to lecture about (judo) philoso- phy. But you tell them they must bow to their part- ner. That they are helping each other and they must show respect. If a big kid works with a small kid we say 'hey take.it easy: remember the kid is smaller than you'. The - big kid takes care of the little kid," Fronczak said. "They develop a sensitivity. When the little- kid works with somebody weaker than he, he will do the same thing." Although judo, benefits human interaction it is the physical appeal that first attracts most -people. "I've always wanted to join. It's good exercise, it keeps the weight down, it's good for coordination and it's fun," student Karen Griffen said. "I've gotten rid of a lot of nervous energy." After an evening of throws, falls and mat work the body becomes exhausted but, it is "a good kind of ex- haustion,", Griffen added. Then there is the sheer pleasure of -knowing when you have completed a well-executed throw. "IF EVERYTHING CLICKS for you, it feels really good," Dominic Pileri, a grad student at EMU, said. "But you work out with an eye for the other person too. If somebody does something good we feel good for them." When Kasuga works out with his students in ran- dori (a light form of competition) smiles constantly dart across his face. He enjoys judo and enjoys teach- ing it. He transmits this joy to his pupil who thrive on it. They trade gentle, friendly banter with each other. They congratulate each other -on good tech- niques and help others to improve theirs. .But perhaps children and their parents benefit the most from judo. "Judo is the best martial art for kids to practice because it really helps them channel their energy. We wear them out for their parents too," Fronczak said. The kids don't experience the immense pressure to win in judo .as they do in little league hockey and baseball. "KIDS ARE NO LONGER KIDS, they.are in some way machines run by their parents who say kids must win or they are failums. That is baloney. The whole thing here is we say try harder," Fronczak said. "If you lost, it doesn't matter. Just try and do your best. We don't push kids into competing and I think the parents are getting educated by their kids." Ron DeKelt is a Daily staff reporter.