q Page 14 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, August 7, 1984 Ex-netter Horwite New rcket:now , .rmote,. By PAUL HELGREN If you can't beat 'em, promote 'em. Such was the rationale of former Michigan tennis All-American Matt Horwitch, promoter of The Mid- America Tennis Classic in Chicago (August 11-19). After about two years of struggling with illness and the oblivion of a low circuit ranking, the 1981 graduate decided to move on to new en- deavors. It's a decision he doesn't regret. "I DECIDED that my tennis career was over," said Horwitch, a 25-year-old native of Highland Park. "I had cer- tainly gained quite a bit from it. But it was time to pursue other avenues." Lately Horwitch has been pursuing only one avenue - his tennis tour- 'I decided that my tennis career was over ... it was time to pursue other avenues.' - Former Michigan tennis star Matt Horwitch nament. And it is accurate to say his tournament. The Mid-America was conceived, nurtured and executed by the one-time Rhodes Scholar candidate. He also serves as its president. Many name players will vie for the $25,000 in' prize money-including Harold Solomon and Horwitch's former team- mate and friend Michael Leach. Horwitch is especially proud of the, fact that this is the first major tennis tournament in the Chicago area in 10 years. And as a player fresh off the KGB threatened athletes, says U.S. atty. general tour, Horwitch would like to think his tournament offers those added niceities that make the game more pleasant for the players. "FIRST AND foremost is the attitude of the people running the tournament," said Horwitch, in describing what sets the Mid-America apart from other ten- nis gatherings. "It's the little things that count-like a nice player's lounge, proper practice facilities. I have an in- teresting perspective on these things. I come from the other side." "The other side" is the tennis court, which until recently was Horwitch's second home. An All-American out of Highland Park High, Horwitch came to Michigan and battled Leach for the top spot on Brian Eisner's squad. Though Leach has now gone on to modest star- dom in the tennis world, there wasn't much to chose from between the two back then. Both were two-time All- Americans. But Horwitch's embarkation into the pro circuit met with immediate dif- ficulties. At the end of his senior year, at the NCAA finals, Horwitch became irritable and was suffering from double-vision. He found out he had mononucleosis and was told by doctors to relax, so he did not join the professional tour until late in 1982. DURING THE year layoff, however, Horwitz bloated to 245 pounds from his playing weight of 178. "The doctors recommended not to do it (make a comeback)." r9. Michael Leach, a former Wolverine teammate and still good friend of Matt Horwitch, will be one of many professional tennis players at Horwitch's Mid- America . Tennis Classic in Chicago next week. But Horwitch was determined to get Winnetka, the tournament now boasts back in the game. By January of the 11 corporate sponsors and 60 adver- following year he was down to 180 tisers. Thanks to Horwitch's ambitious pounds and back on the tour. He was pursuit of commercial sponsers, the ranked as high as 325th in men's tournament is worth as many A.T.P. doubles. But six months of struggling in points (points that determine world obscurity convinved Horwitch the life ranking) as a $75,000 tournament. wasn't for him. "We hope it will be an annual event," Instead Horwitch devoted his time to Horwitch said. "And someday, we hope his pet project-a tournament in his to run it at the Grand Prix level." home town. Registered for business school at the THOUGH HE more or less stumbled University of Chicago in the fall, Hor- into the idea, Horwitch eventually witch hopes to expand into "numerous began devoting up to 100 hours per week businesses." If he can help it, you can on the Mid-America. Scheduled for the be sure one of those businesses will be 1,700-seat A. C. Nelson Tennis Center in tennis promotion. 4 CHICAGO (AP) - The Soviet KGB tried to discourage 20 Asian and African nations from participating in the Summer Olympics by sending them forged threatening letters purpor- tedly written by the Ku Klux Klan, Attorney General William French Smith said yesterday. The letters "were not produced or sent by the Ku Klux Klan. They were instead manufactured and mailed by another organization devoted to terror: the KGB," Smith said ina keynote address to the American Bar Association. THE LETTERS sent to the 20 nations, supposedly from this country, were "openly racist and disgusting, and they threaten violence against Asian and African athletes who participate in the games," Smith said. "Fortunately, none of the nations that received these letters succumbed to the at- tempted intimidation." The Soviet Union and many other Communist countries are boycotting the Olympics in Los Angeles with most claiming, as the Soviets did, that the United States couldn't guarantee the safety of the athletes. Soviet media have given wide publicity to the 'Klan' letters. Secretary of State George Shultz said in July that depar- tment officials suspected the letters did not originate with the Klan, and instead were part of a "disinformation campaign of some sort." SHULTZ DID NOT identify any country or group as the point of origin, but his comment was widely taken to point at the Soviets. Smith declined after his address to amplify on the KGB ef- forts or to spell out what the U.S. government might do about them. Olympic attendance record broken LOS ANGELES (AP) - With a full week still to go, the Los Angeles Olympics already have broken the all-time atten- dance record, the organizing committee reported yesterday. In the first nine days - the opening ceremonies and eight days of competition through Sunday - 3,383,957 people at- tended, breaking the record of 3,195,170 set at the 1976 Olym- pics in Montreal. 4 I I Robinson finds 39 allusions in'Gremlins' (Continued from Page 11> American International Pictures where 33) A Warner Bros. Sylvester and 38) Stripe dies by prolonged exposure Gremlins director Joe Dante got his Tweety cartoon is playing on the TV in to light just like the destruction of Widmark throws a woman in a start. the bar. Dracula in countless films. wheelchair down a flight of stairs. 29) Mrs. Funterman is played by 34) Next to the E.T. doll in the toy 39) Stripe melts away on the ground, 26) When Mrs. Deagle lands on the Jackie Joseph, another Corman-AIP store are dolls of Sylvester and Bugs dying like the Wicked Witch of the ground dead, she is wearing red slip- character actress. Bunny. West. pers just like the wicked witch of the 30) The actor playing the old gran- 35) The lead gremlin attacks Billy There are probably dozens more East in The Wizard of Oz. dfather is Keye Luke, who played the with a chainsaw as in Texas Chainsaw cinematic references, but for now, 27) Mrs. Deagle responds to the wise monk on TV's "Kung Fu". Massacre. Robinson wins a Daily T-shirt and his phrase, "Good day" by saying that it's 31) Gremlins is filmed on the set of 36)Gizmo drives a toy car in a scene very own Mogwai doll. If anyone can not a good day, an allusion to dialogue the Warner Bros. film Red Nightmare, reminiscent of the Clark Gable film come up with more than 39 more from The Wizard of Oz. a movie where a town, overnight, seen on TV, Please a Lady. original references, we'll give him or 28) The actor playing Mr. Funterman becomes inhabited by communists. 37) The lead gremlin is named Stripe, her similar prizes as well. is Dick Miller, a character actor who 32) In the Funterman's house, Jean an allusion to the lead American Indian worked for Roger Corman and Cocteau's Orpheus is playing on TV. named Scar from The Searchers. -Compiled by Richard Campbell 4