The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 10

''lM er THE COURIER-JOURNAL LOUISVILLE, KY. TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 1992. Awaiting a safe call Umpires can't wait to return McEnroe shows old fire; Becker sweating it out Associated Press WIMBLEDON, England John McEnroe let loose a savage scream after a torrid 12-10 tiebreaker "E-e-e-y-a-a-a-g-h" then blew kisses with both hands to a crowd he had scolded to shut up. The love-hate rela thrust both fists over his head and exulted as if he'd just won the tournament. Every victory is big to McEnroe, 33, in his last full year on the men's circuit, perhaps in his last Wimbledon, and this one was no less so because it was expected against such a -'N I i i I I tionship between McEnroe and Wimbledon, which started 15 years ago, is still going strong.

In sticky, 98-degree heat yesterday, McEnroe berated the umpire, yelled at fans and flung his racket all over the court. "I was just firing up," he said. But he kept his temper just below the boiling point and reached the low-ranked opponent. In the quarterfinals, McEnroe will face France's Guy Forget, who broke millions of British hearts by beating local hero Jeremy Bates 6-7 (10-12), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. McEnroe avoided the ill fortune that annually befalls Ivan Lendl.

He also avoided the scares to Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, Jennifer Capriati and Men John McEnroe vs. Guy Forget (9). Boris Becker (4) or Wayne Fer-reira (14) vs. Andre Agassi (12). Pete Sampras (5) vs.

Michael Stich (3). Goran Ivanisevic (8) vs. Stefan Edberg (2). Women Monica Seles (1) vs. Nathalie Tauziat (14).

Martina Navratilova (4) vs. Kater- ina Maleeva (12). Gabriela Sabatini (3) vs. Jennifer Capriati (6). Steffi Graf (2) vs.

Natalie Zver- eva. By CLAIRE SMITH New York Times News Service They don't hit home runs, throw shutouts, save games or win pennants. There is something, though, about seeing their names on a lineup card or a box score that brings knowledgeable players, managers and fans a certain degree of comfort. Those names are Steve Palermo and Bruce Froemming, veteran umpires, respectively, in the American and National Leagues. They epitomize their sport within a sport.

This year their names are noticeably missing from the boxes, and baseball is all the poorer for those absences. Their individual plights exemplify what the umpires' union chief, Richie Phillips, calls a "crisis" pounding at the men in blue. The inexplicable and devastating run of injuries that has claimed players, coaches and managers alike also has visited the umpires, hitting them with injuries ranging from the season-ending to the life-threatening. Not even the jinxed St. Louis Cardinals can equate what the umps have endured.

Six of the National League's 28 umpires have been lost for substantial periods of time. The American League, more fortunate, has lost three of its 32. Among the injured: Jim McKean (rotator cuff surgery) and Mark Johnson (torn knee ligaments) of the American League, and the National League's Mark Hirschbeck (shoulder surgery), Eric Gregg (ankle problems) and Charlie Reliford (back sprain). Doug Harvey, Jerry Layne and Dana DeMuth of the National League all have missed a substantial period of time because of knee or leg troubles. Replacements can and are pulled from a vast minor-league pool.

Still, experience and excellence afield are ingredients almost impossible to replace. There's no way to measure the human toll. No two umpires have put a human face on this particular crisis more than Palermo and Froemming. Palermo's story or as he says, his new life began last July 7 on a street in Dallas. The 16-year AL umpire and a friend were having dinner when they witnessed an armed robbery in progress.

Palermo tried to stop the robbers. Instead he stopped a bullet. As he lay in the hospital that day, Palermo could wiggle only two toes. See UMPIRES Page 2, col. 3, this section quarterfinals for the first time in three years with a pressure-packed, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (12-10) victory over Andrei Olhovskiy, the No.

193-ranked Russian who had manhandled No. 1 Jim Courier in the third round. Playing on the infamous Court 2, the "graveyard of champions," McEnroe defied its history of upsets by smacking three aces and three service winners in the tiebreaker. He bellowed even before Olhovs-kiy's final service return drifted wide, the ball still climbing and curving. When it landed limply a foot from the sideline, McEnroe defending champions Michael Stich and Steffi Graf.

Becker will have all night to consider his plight in a suspended five-set match against Wayne Fer-retra, who stopped McEnroe's charge in the Australian Open semifinals after McEnroe had beaten Becker. Becker was serving for the match at 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 5-4, when Ferreira gained a break point with a backhand down the line that clipped the net cord for a winner. See McENROE Page 3, col. 3, this section ASSOCIATED PRESS John McEnroe, risking a code violation but receiving none, threw his racket to the ground after an umpire's decision during his 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (12-10) victory over Andrei Olhovskiy at Wimbledon. Stich doesn't look like champion but plays like one achieve something in your sport that few people get a chance to do.

The bad thing is that people try to get involved in your personal life." In the 12 months since he startled a pack of former Wimbledon champions to claim tennis' most coveted trophy, Stich has done little to ingratiate himself with the public or the media. As a result, he has maintained a modicum of privacy and avoided the circus atmos phere that usually engulfs top players. While this policy of self-protection has kept him on track through the first four rounds this year including yesterday's 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 win over Wally Masur it also has invited constant and unflattering comparisons with countryman See STICH Page 3, col. 3, this section whose somewhat clumsy gait is not the only contradictory thing about him. A 6-foot-4, 175-pound stalk of a man, Stich is at once charming and witty, brusque and aloof.

He said he doesn't want to be a celebrity but feels wounded when fans root against him. He craves another Wimbledon title but is sometimes bored by the sport. Part athlete, part intellectual, part contrarian, Stich has become one of the most feared players on grass and a good bet to win a second Grand Slam title on Sunday. He is also a restless soul whose sudden tennis accomplishments last year so exhausted him that he briefly considered quitting. "A lot of good things happened after Wimbledon last year," he said last week.

"You get the respect of your fellow players. You By ALISON MUSCATINE The Washington Post WIMBLEDON, England There is little about Michael Stich's look that suggests athletic genius. The thin, spindly legs seem too ungainly. The large feet seem too flat. The long arms seem unwieldy.

This unlikely anatomy, however, houses the defending Wimbledon champion, a 23-year-old German 'n, i i Injury puts Brohm's baseball try on hold 3 By RUSS BROWN Staff Writer A back injury has aborted Jeff Brohm's attempt to continue his baseball career this summer in the Cleveland Indians' organization. The University of Louisville quarterback returned home last week due to inflammation in his lower back from an undetermined injury suffered during extended spring training last month. Brohm, a junior who is slated to be of L's starting quarterback this fall, is expected to make a complete recovery but won't resume playing baseball this year. Instead, he'll concentrate on getting ready for football practice after he finishes therapy. "It shouldn't be a long-term type of thing," said Brohm's father, Oscar.

"We think he should be ready 1 for football, but there won't be enough time to go back for baseball." Brohm hurt his back shortly after reporting to St. Petersburg, for spring training. He was slated to be the starting center fielder for Class A Watertown (N.Y.). but the injury prevented him from seeing much action. Brohm was examined in Cleveland by a doctor for the Indians and is now being treated by Dr.

Raymond Shea, of L's football team physician. "He'd try to play, then he'd rest it, but he couldn't seem to get it See BROHM'S Page 2, col. 3, this section ASSOCIATED PRESS CLOSE QUARTERS: Shortstop Ray Sanchez of the Cubs forced out Dave Gallagher of the Mets at second yesterday in the Cubs' 5-2 victory. Story, Page 2. Churchill's gains defy national trend Year Attendance Handle ITW handle Dally purses 1988 14,754 $1,821,733 $184,893 1989 14,215 $1,686.838 $300.869 Jl 1990 13,848 $1,656,847 $400,308 $187,363 1991 14,123 $1,675,618 $467,082 $203,747 1992 14,388 $1,730,837 $516,593 Note: All meets were 55 days.

There was no ITW in 1988. mately to surpass its 1988 figures. And he looks for much larger growth through simulcasting as Churchill expands into new markets and opens its Sports Spectrum at Louisville Downs. "I think we've recovered from the See CHURCHILL'S Page 5, col. 1, this section ing arrived on the scene.

In many racing jurisdictions the talk is of track closings and purse cuts. With intertrack outlets siphoning off fans, few race-track heads would dare even dream of re-establishing previous levels of on-track business. But Churchill president Tom Meeker expects the Downs ulti By JENNIE REES Staff Writer Bucking the national trend of slumping on-track business, Churchill Downs posted attendance and betting figures for its just concluded meet that rank second only to its record spring of 1988 the last session before intertrack wager.