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Page 16 Tuesday, July 7, 1981 The Michigan Daily
Poor leveland
City could lose out on All-Stars
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CLEVELAND (AP) - Thousands of
souvenir T-shirts and mugs have been
stockpiled, hundreds of media creden-
tials are being readied, and 50,000
.programs have been printed, all for an
All-Star Game almost certain to be
postponed, and possibly canceled.
"I don't see any way they carq play it
on July 14 any more," said Cleveland
Indians spokesman Bob DiBiasio, echo-
ing the feeling Monday of most officials
in the game's 1981 host city.
"THEY'D NEVER let the players
come back from a strike and play an
All-Star game without preparation. The
team's wouldn't allow it," said Al
Friedlander, vice-president of the
Stadium Corp.
In New York, Chuck Adams, a
spokesnan for baseball Commissioner
Bowie Kuhn, said: "The game hasn't
been called. We're continuing to re-
evaluate it day by day. But obviously, a
decision has to be made soon. We're
rapidly running out of time."
A decision on postponing the game
would have to be made by baseball's
executive committee, headed by Kuhn
and comprising team owners from
Detroit, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Kansas
City, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston and Pittsburgh.
CANCELLATION OF the game
would cost the baseball players pension
fund about $2 million, according to In-
dians President Gabe Paul.
But preparations for the game's
scheduled date continued at a rapid
pace yesterday nonetheless, in the
event the baseball strike that began
June 12 is suddenly, and unexpectedly,
settled.
"I'm still processing credentials.
We're still getting requests," said
DiBiasio. "If they call us like Wed-
nesday or Thursday and tell us what's
going on with the game, I'll have a news
release ready ... to tell how we'll deal
with the change."
OFFICIALS HAVE not yet set up a
contingency plan, though, on how to,
deal with the 78,000 ticket holders if the
soldout contest is postponed.
July 30 is the second rainout date for
the contest. The primary rain date is
July 15.
"Obviously, if the game is played by
July 30, the July 14 ticket would be
good. As far as refunds, that'll probably
,be the last thing they decide on,"
DiBiasio said.
A MONTH without baseball has been
good to Municipal Stadium's natural
grass, and the Stadium will be ready to
host the game no matter when it is
played, Friedlander said.
although many of the usual con-
cessions salespeople, mostly college-
age, have found other summer jobs,
Friedlander said there would be no
problem in finding enough people to
work the game on short notice.
The stadium has enough hot dogs,
bout 5,000 pounds, in stock to handle the
crowd, and other supplies can be
brought in whenever needed, he said. A
problem will arise, however, if the 1981
game is completely canceled.
"WE'VE GOT All-Star helmets, T-
shirts, pennants, mugs, cups and pat-
ches. If they say, 'No All-Star Game
this year,' we'll runa sale for about two
weeks and sell the stuff at half price,"
he said.
Loss of the game would cost the
Cleveland economy $4 million to $6
million, according to Frank Carrell,
vice president of the Convention and
Visitors Bureau. More important, he
said, would be the loss of positive ex-
posure the game could bring the oft-
maligned city.
"That's the kind of loss you can't
equate in dollars and cents, but it's ex-
tremely important," he said.
Ironically, as the 1981 game's future
dimmed, baseball on Monday
celebrated the anniversary of the first
All-Star game, played in Chicago's
Comiskey Park.
About three million fan votes have
been collected toward choosing this
year's team, and according to DiBiasio
"There's considered opinion among
baseball executives that that's enough.
The thing they obviously don't want to
do is cancel the game.
TH E SPORTING VIEWS Wimbledon titlist McEnroe .. .
._..still not a champion
By RON POLLACK
JOHN McENROE MAY HAVE ENDED Bjorn,
Borg's reign as Wimbledon men's singles:
champion last Saturday, but he has a long way to
go before he unseats the Swede as a true cham-
pion. To be a champion, one must both play like
one, and act like one. It is the latter prerequisite
that separated Borg from McEnroe at Wimbledon.
Following his thrillingfour-set victory over
Borg, it appeared that McEnroe had succeeded in
fulfilling both of the aforementioned requiremen-
ts. His play was certainl / that of a champion, but
this was not all that surprising, as his number two
seeding would attest. The surprising fact was that
he was acting in a very appropriate manner,
something contrary to the earlier rounds of the
tournament during which his brash actions
resulted in fines totaling $13,800. On several oc-
casions during the final against Borg, McEnroe's
facial expressions showed his unhappiness over a
call. However, rather than verbally abuse the par-
ty who had caused his dissatisfaction, as he had
done so often in previous matches, he was content
to directhis attention solely to Borg.
But, alas, once the match ended, soy- did
McEnroe's outburst of maturity. That night
McEnroe boycotted the annual champion's dinner
which traditionally closes the tournament. By ac-
ting in such a manner, McEnroe undid all the good
that his impeccable behavior in the finals had
done for his image.
Borg, on the other hand, showed that even in
defeat he is a champion. Following his loss, he was
approached by NBC commentators Bud Collins
and Billie Jean King for his thoughts on the match.
But Borg said that the moment belonged to
McEnroe and therefore told Collins that it was
McEnroe that they should be interviewing. Borg
was not snubbing Collins and King as, after
McEnroe had been questioned, he allowed himself
to be interviewed.
This was obviously a somber time for Borg, but
rather than allow it to affect his actions, he
remained thoughtful of someone other than him-
self. McEnroe may have taken his title away, but
not his class.
'Me-against-the-world'
The 22-year-old left-hander said yesterday that
he had asked if he could make a brief appearance
at the dinner, give the customary speech, and then
leave, because he was tired and wanted to spend
time with his family.
The All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club,
however, wanted McEnroe to spend the entire
evening at the private dinner, and when he
refused, they withdrew their invitation, McEnroe
said.
While McEnroe's reasons for wanting to only
make a brief appearance are not inappropriate,
and in face are understandable, it is nonetheless
another example of his "me-against-the-world"
attitude.
McEnroe is certainly not the first Wimbledon
titlist to be tired and want to spend time with his
family. Yet, McEnroe seems to think that he is dif-
ferent or special. It does not seem to be asking too
much to ask him to spend one night out of his life
adhering to a tradition that has been followed by
other players over the years. But then that would
be asking him to do something that wasn't for
himself, which apparently is too much to ask
McEnroe.
A potential crowd favorite
Despite the "bad boy" image that has followed
McEnroe since he turned pro, McEnroe has the
capability to be a real crowd favorite. He certainly
has all the shots and if he could overcome his pen-
chant for losing control of himself, he has the type
of on-court personality that could gain him the
support of tennis fans.
One of the few criticisms of Borg is that'he does
not allow himself to show any emotion. This is not
a criticism made to make Borg a better player,
but rather a more interesting performer to watch.
It is this complaint about Borg that could allow
McEnroe to gain fan appreciation since it is a
problem he does not share.
During his matches, McEnroe's emotions are
clearly on display for all to see. If he makes a bad
shot, he will chastise himself. An ace or a winner
in an important game or point will result in clen-
ched fists as his adrenaline builds. Emotion such
as his is a refreshing change, as all to often
athletes (regardless of the sport) just go through
the motions on the playing field when they know
that they clearly outclass their opposition.
McEnroe is the antithesis of such an attitude as he
is a very intense player who cares about every
point, whether it is an inconsequential point
during a straight set victory over an unseeded
player or a key point during a tough match against
a highly regarded opponent.
It is this intensity that often results in
McEnroe's outbursts and until the time that he
can control his intensity and emotins instead of
them controlling him, he will always lacka quality
of a true champion.