SPORTS
Saturday, August 3, 1985

Page 11

The Michigan Daily

Skydiving helps 'break the monotony'
Carlos Ramos, experienced a partial
By LESLIE ANNE HAMEL t M , ,k 4 sfrontal closure on his first jump,
Neil Birkhimer, skydiver: "I guess meaning the front h is canopy
everyone that does this has to be a lit- did not open because the ropes were
tie insane. When the bad guy in a tge vr it.
James Bond movie falls out of an air- tangled over it.
plane he always dies. We get to do it "WE WERE trained to know what
andIt's pretty thrilling to relize that I to do if this happened," said Ramos.
could crek doing this, hut every time u "We were told to pull three times on
so far I've made it down alive." the proper rope. If that did not work
we were to take off our main chute
FLIRTING WITH death makes and go to the reserve.
parachuting more exciting. But many
choose sky diving because it is an "I wasn't about to take the chute of
escape from the ordinary. my back at that moment, so I gave it a
"I started because I wanted to do fourth yank, and this time it worked."
something absolutely crazy," said
Birkhimer, a Michigan senior. "I "The incident actually made the
needed to break the monotony of jump more exciting," he continued.
classes by doing something I've never ci "I knew I wasn't going to die because
done before. I even wanted to jump " I was trained to correct it. I guess that
nude, but they wouldn't let me." being responsible for fixing
"Free falling is definitely the most everything by yourself makes it that
exhilarating experience. The feeling w w v rmuch more appealing."
is one that you can never describe - , m
the only way to know it is to experien- AFTER FIVE or six jumps the
ce it. And you are not going to die if '. students are ready to free fall at a
you do everything right." height of approximately 10,000 feet.
AT TECUMSEH Parachuting Ser- "The free fall is the most amazing
vice (in Tecumseh, Michigan) studen- . part of the jump," said Birkhimer.
ts must spend six hours in the "Everything is so relaxing and cool."
classroom before taking their first - "r
jump. Instructors teach the class the - , - s Most jumpers are working for that
procedures of the jump, show them high free fall, and even more for ad-
what to do in case anything should go Tecumseh PErach..0 .. photo van:ed ' . like team jum-
wrng, and familiarize them with the jum- ping, witn synel ronized hook-ups
* ping equipment. Landing technique is Tom Das shows he can manage a smile at 10,000 feet above the earth. Here he shows his advanced techniq in and flips.
most heavily emphasized. a free fall over Tecumseh.
"Durstrainiy g Iph oudt hAt Tecumseh you have a chance of
"During training I couldn't help hutbegthma(rwmn)ht elt
change my mind about the jump," ping boots, cover-alls, helmet, chutes the wheel. Secondly, he says "get about five seconds. The chute has two earing the t man (or woman) that fell
said Michigan diver Roger Barrett. "I and a one-way radio so the instructor out." The jumper then grabs the strut controls on it so the jumper can guide monotony of summer by doing
just kept on thinking how stupid and on the ground can talk you down. Most of the plane with both hands and pulls himself to the target. Landing is the something you have never done
pointless it would be to jump out of a divers find the rates very reasonable, himself out against the wind. The final hardest part, as the jumper must roll before. The number for Tecumseh
plane. But when I did it, for those considering the incredible thrill they command is "go" and the jump is onto the ground. Bones can be broken Parachuting Service is 1-517-423-7720.
three minutes that it took, it was get out of it. executed. if proper technique is not observed. The brave that decide to do it can tell
definitely worthwhile." After thorough training, the student For beginning students, the Some problems also take place in the birds that they are just passing
Divers also must consider if the ex- is ready to jump. The plane is small parachute opens Automatically after the descent. Michigan alumnus, through.
pense is worth their while. At Tecum- and crowded with three jumpers, a
seh, the initial jump and training jump master and the pilot.
session is $70, with each additional At 2,800 feet the jump master
jump costing $25. Rates are con- decides when the draft is upwind of
siderably cheaper for Michigan the target and in position for the nana fres one-hiter; e
Skydiving club members - $63 for the jump. He opens the door and gives
first jump and $15 for every jump commands to the jumpers, in orders,
thereafter. from the heaviest to the lightest per-U
son.Tigers slam the Brewers, 4- 1
INCLUDED in the jumping fee are HE FIRST says' out," and the DETROIT (UP) - Frank Tanans Whitaker singled him home to make it
diver pivots on a little platform over allowed only one hit - Ben Oglivie's solo 3-1.
home run in the fifth inning - and Alan Trammell singled to put run-
Chet Lemon hit a tie-breaking home ners on first and second. Trammell
Fran linhea ed t fi als run last night to ignite the Detroit and Whitaker worked a double steal
'Franklin hecided to finalsge ese:m s:'-
Tigers to a 4-1 victory over the and Whitaker scored when catcher
Special to the Daily Bradley Pontiac had e Milwaukee Brewers. Bill Schroeder's throw to third was
Mch ia o ert Hnenye having on entered its Tanana, 6-10, faced one batter over high and wild for an error. *
Michigan forward Robert Hendersongame having won seven of its eight the minimum - Oglivie - and Whitaker, Trammell and Darrell
scored 35 points and ripped down 11 games. But with star player Fred th e minkmu - - Evans singled in the first to give
Cofield off to the New York Knicks' struck out eight. He walked one hat- Devrta silad
rebounds, last night, to lead Franklin training camp, the team couldn't ter, who was taken off the bases when Detroit a sc lead.
Wright past favorite Bradley Pontiac compensate. Oglivie grounded into a double play. In eight starts since he joi ed
in the semi-finals of the Sandy San- Besides the strong performance by Pete Vuckovich, 5-8, took the loss. Detroit, Tanana is 4-3 with a 2.33
ders Basketball League playoffs, 119- Henderson, Franklin Wright got 52 ERA.
87r Bpoints and strong defense frm the HIS NEXT time up, with one out in Tanana has pitched 12 years in the
In the other semi-final game, Brooks brothers - Ray, Herb and the fifth, Oglivie blasted a 2-1 pitch in- major leagues, but yesterday's per-
Domino's Pizza, which got 43 points Keith. Ray led the trio with 28 points. to the upper deck in right for his formance was his first one-hitter. The
from Wolverine guard Antoine Franklin Wright will meet seventhhome run to tie thescore 1-1. win pushed his lifetime record with
Joubert, defeated St. Mary's of Or- Domino's in the finals tonight at 8:30 at Lemon's fifth home run broke the the California Angels, Boston Red
chardy Lkes r Concordia College. tie in the bottom half of the inning Sox, Texas Rangers and Detroit over
Tom Brookens doubled and Lou the .500 mark. It now stands at141-140. ..game-winninghomer