Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 37

93i Bird Report On Page 2E SECTION ROCHESTER, N. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1970 Men Outdoors hat 's Happening? They Won fSay Snowmobiles Strike Back Here's one man's view of what the football 'color1 men are telling and not telling -viewers. By FLOYD KING Everyone seems to be jumping on the snowmobiles these days, not to ride them but to criticize them. It's not only a problem In Monroe County where some folks would Ike to ban the noisy machines entirely, particularly in the parks. The same controversy erupted recently In Maine, only more so when a proposal was made to open Baxter State Park to the snow sleds.

This park is protected by a "forever wild" clause almost identical to that safeguarding the By JACK O'CONNELL The score is 10-7 and the home football team has the ball third and six on its own 48. There are three and a half minutes left in the game and for the home team, this probably is the biggest play of the day. The crowd has finished its cheering and is now quieting down as the quarterback starts yelling his signals, The fans in the ballpark are on top of the action and they find it hard to sit still. In the television booth, the announcer, hired by the network to cover the game, now must convey the same feeling to millions of fans watching on television. "This Is an extra-special play," the announcer shouts, "and for those who like specials, stay tuned to this station when the XYZ network presents a special live and in color, starring Ding Crosby, Kathcrine Hepburn, the Three selves and did the job.

But In this age of specialization, the networks have added a color man to the telecast. He's usually a former professional football player and he's there at the game to tell you how a play developed because, supposedly, the other pro announcer can't tell a screen pass from a screen door. Today, tne announcer has the technical help of the Instant replay, the Isolated camera, taped Interviews before the game and such. Mel Allen didn't have any of this and for years he worked New York Yankee baseball games alone and did It well. Some of the color men do nut offer much to the product.

Those uho natch New York Giant football games find out quickly that Frank Glfford thinks every Giant should be on the All Pro learn. And Kyle Rote, Gilford's former teammate with the Giants In the Please turn page come the champion of its division. All right, the point has been stretched a bit far, but there are many football fans who believe there's too much chatter going on between announcers In the television booth. And, what's worse Is that much of It has nothing to do with football. One such case was a game between the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers when CBS announcers Jack Buck and Pat Suinmerall did not explain a penalty called on San Francisco because they were saying what a great acting job Roman Gabriel did in the latest John Wayne western.

Who cares? Ask Louclla Parsons. The main problem is that there is one-too-many announcers in the booth. In the old days. Ted Husing. Bill Surn and Red Barber handled professional sports broadiaMs and telecasU all by them Stooges, Jim Brown and Lassie." "Crosby's my favorite singer," says the announcer's "expert" sidekick, a former football player.

"I'm sure most of the fans will agree with there, Bruno," shouts (he pro an-nounrrr. "And do you know thai the XYZ special also will have Miss Hepburn singing for the first lime on television. Leave II to good old XYZ la come up with a special like that. And Bing Just may get poked In the eye by one of the Stooges." 'That a be funny, Lindsey," says Bruno. Down on the field, the home team's quarterback threw a pass to his big fullback on a surprise screen play that got eight yards and a first down with 3:01 left.

The announcers? "He looked just like Jimmy Brown on that play," says Bruno. "Right you are, Bruno," shouts the announcer, "and Jim will be one of the featured guests on the Bing Crosby special that follows ihis telecast." "Jim Is my favorite football player turned actor," uvi Bruno, "except for Craiy legs llinch." "Well, he'll be doing a duct with Lassie." says Lindsey. "Who, Crszylegs?" asks Bruno. "No, Jimmy Brown." shouts the announcer. "And for the first time on network TV, right here on good old XYZ, you football fans will get to see Lassie doing her Impersonation of Bulldog Turner, never before seen on TV." During all this, the home team has scored on a 21-yard touchdown pass and has be Adirondack Preserve.

Maine conservation groups and the status quo crowd hit the ceiling. At a hearing on the proposal, the snowmobilcrs were attacked with just about every charge Imaginable. The snowmobile clubs counter-attacked just as 1 i-'-wi i i Instead of ruling on the 1 basis of the emotional POU testimony. Maine A legislators decided to get the facts. Forest rangers and came wardens were FLOYD KING assigned to track down every charge made at the Sideslipping Secret of Good Skiing Would you like to know one of the real secrets of skiing? If so.

study today's illustration carefully. Below, you sec three drawings of me skiing across the hill. In a way, I am traversing or, as your ski instructor would say, I am skiing across the fall line. However, I'm not actually moving exactly in the direction my skis point Instead I am sliding both forward and sidewards at the same time. Technically, you would nearing.

The result: Not one accusation made against the snowmobile was substantiated. Baxter State Park has bcn opened to snowmobiling. Pennsylvania also is (airing a more liberal view of the growing sport. Beginning Jan. 15, when all hunting seasons end, the state's one million, one hundred thousand acres of state game lands will be opened to snowmobiles without restrictions.

This does not mean the powered sleds are limited to a few marked highways and trails as they are in New York's Adirondacks. The snowmobile buffs can take off across country any place their powered sleds will go. And with the blessing of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. A Pennsylvania game warden explained the setup to me over the weekend. "All of these game lands were purchased with hunting license money so hunters have a prior claim on them," he said.

"Snowmobiles are banned entirely for any purpose on the game lands until the hunting seasons end. "But this Is a day of multiple use. Our recreation demands are such that you can't lock up any lands for one favored group. We see no reason why the snowmobilcrs shouldn't use the lands for their sport after the hunting seasons are over, he added. "This doesn't mean we plan to close our eyes, he further explained, the came wardens will be riding snowmobiles too.

If we find one outlaw harrassing game, we'll throw the book at him. And that, I might add, has the hearty approval of the snowmobile clubs." say I am sideslipping diag- onally. There are many Jean-Claude Killy variations of sideslipping and each one is handy u-nrfh 1 1 a nracticinZ. vt--o Attention Dick Gamble Ice Fishing Also the turns which good skiers use (Christies) basically consist of sideslipping. It is important to learn this method.

Sideslipping is skidding. First I start moving across the hill. My body is in the proper traversing position to insure that my skis cut a clean, shelf-like track in the snow. Your legs and feet do not have to be as close together as mine are. Sometimes I hold them very close because it looks good, but it is harder to keep balanced.

On the other hand, any maneuver on skis, sideslipping included, becomes awkward when your feet become separated by more than eight inches. In the middle figure, I have rolled my knees and ankles away from the hill. That movement is called releasing the edges. Some people call it flattening the skis. But for sideslipping you don't ever actually flatten the skis on the snow.

They must always be on their uphill edges, at least slightly. The lower ankle must also bend away from the slope (small diagram) to make the release of the edges even easier. I like to think of the work which the knees and ankles do in sideslipping this way: the knees are the gross adjusters, while the ankles are the fine tuners. In the last figure, you'll see that I have re-edged my skis by bringing my knees back toward the slope and allowing my shoulders to tilt slightly toward the valley all movements which lead me back on to a new traverse. Coach Red Kelly of the Pittsburgh Penguins has his own way Stars coarb Wren Blair was involved in an argument with SI.

Louis of tuning out a hostile croud: Earmuffs. Kelly, who heard of fans sitting behind the Minnesota bench. However, as you can see another coach taking "abuse" from St. Louis fans, sported a pair by Kelly's disgusted face, the Blues scored five goals against Pen- of red earmuffs when bis team played the Blues. Minnesota North guins In first period.

Final was 6-0, Kelly didn't hear a thing. (AP) Lake Placid in Spotlight Of Action Packed Weekend sen. Stein will be there both Saturday and Sunday and the area is planning a number of "Party with Stein" events both on the slopes and in the chalets. There are two local cross country events scheduled. The Genesee Valley Ski Council will have a cross country tour in Powder Mill Park on Sunday with Council president Mai Stamp leading the way.

The Genesee Valley chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club has also scheduled cross country skiing cn Sunday at Pine Hill in the Cohocton-Naples area. Henry Staehle is the leader. Skiers planning to be at tain. Many will compete in an all class junior race at Labrador on Saturday and go on to Turin for the Silversmiths competition on Sunday. If there are any senior racers still looking for competition on the weekend they can go down to Greek Peak and try their wings in the NAS-TAR race.

That's a time race against times set by the nation's top racers. Greek Peak is one of the areas in the cast selected for this national competition. The race will be on Sunday at 10 a.m. Down at Holiday Valley at Ellicottville the big attraction this weekend will be the Norwegian Olympian Stein Erik- While in Pennsylvania, I checked up on the fishing at the Kinzua dam. It's terrific in the tail race, particularly for walleyes.

The record fish caught last week weighed lO'i and 113 pounds and almost everyone was catching smaller walleyes. But don't overlook the Ice fishing closer to home. Perch fishing Is off to a great start at Silver Lake, Conesus and Honeoye and the northern pike catches at Sodus Bay have made it the best early-season fishing in recent years. Just as an example, Manuel Coelho of 247 McNaughton and Kavin Walsh of 43 Austin St. took IS northern pike through the ice at Sodus Bay and Joe Stavalone of 81 Glcndale Park caught 123 perch off Gray Shores at Conesus Lake last Sunday.

Bird Drama Most bird watchers spend a lifetime at their hobby and never see the wildlife drama witnessed by Mrs. Donald Scott the other day at the bird feeder at her home at 33 Clark's Crossing, Fairport. "The trees and lawn were alive with birds, particularly goldfinches," Mrs. Scott said, "when suddenly everything froze. It was almost as if the birds had stopped in mid flight as they sensed disaster.

"Out of nowhere a Northern Shrike appeared and headed for a Brown Creeper that knew it was the intended victim. The frantic bird didn't attempt to fly but maneuvered up and down and around the tree trunk. The chase seemed to last a minute or more but It was no use. The Shrike knocked the tiny bird down, killed It and took off with the victim in its claws." This was a rare incident. Only a dedicated birder ever sees and recognizes a Shrike, popularly called the butcher bird because of its unusual habit of impaling victims on a thorn or even a barbed wire fence for later consumption.

It takes an even more dedicated birder to tell the difference between the Robin-size Northern and Loggerhead Shrikes. And even then, as bird columnist Joe Taylor says, he has to be about 10 feet away with a good pair of binoculars. But both Shrikes have the same butcher habit. It has always seemed a little odd that a bird with such gruesome traits should be classed as a songbird. But systematic ornithologists do so, probably because the bird does produce a sort of warbled song.

However, even the ornithologists have their limits. They call a Shrike a predatory songbird. Seems a little like calling the Mafia humanitarian thugs. Sportsman's Datebook By FLOYD KING Racing, touring and club trips make the i weekend just about the most action packed of the ski season. The Kennedy International Memorial Winter Games beginning Friday at Lake Placid will grab the biggest share of attention because of the big-name racers competing.

Eleven countries participated in the opening games last year with Czechoslovakia the final point winner. U.S. CanadianNational Nordic teams ill compete in the opening cross country race on Friday. The Masters International Ski Jump will be held Saturday followed by the Kennedy Games Ski Jump on Sunday. Just a ski length behind the Kennedy Games in local interest is the Oneida Silversmiths Trophy Race at Snow Ridge on Sunday.

This 50-gate race is a favorite with both racers and spectators. A number of Rochester skiers have already sent, in advance entries. The Silversmiths Race also will be the main attraction for area junior racers this weekend since special events are run for them. It is sanctioned by the United States Amateur Ski Association so racers, both senior and junior, can build up their all-important points, The Bristol Mountain Ski Club which includes just about the best junior racers in the Rochester area, will be dividing its attention between Snow Ridge and Labrador Moun a 1 1 Mountain for the weekend may want to take their touring gear along. The New Y'ork Ski Touring Council will have a workshop there with lectures and demonstrations and ski touring trips.

The Monroe Ski Club has an entire week of skiing scheduled for members at Gray Rocks in the Laurentians. The Club will go by bus, leaving Friday night from the Monroe Y. The group also will be skiing Mt. Tremblant. Ken Tice is trip leader.

The Xerox Ski Club officially opens its ski season on Saturday with a trip to Snow Ridge. It's also a bus trip with the bus leaving Xerox Square at 7 a.m. The Rochester Ski Club will meet Friday night at Ski Valley to ski and to plan future trips for this season. SNOWFLAKES: John Clair, president of the New York State Winter Sports Council, has been elected to the National Skiing Hall of Fame in recognition of his 40 years' service to the sport Hermann Gollner, the current ski acrobat featured in just about every new ski movie, starts off Learn-to-Ski weeks at Big Bromley with a demonstration of his aerial flips. Sure gives the beginners something to shoot at "This is ridiculous," wires Foster Chandler of Killington.

"We needed 12 inches of snow to put our slopes in super shape and got four and a half feet. But we packed it down and now have some of the finest skiing in years." I Genesee Valley Hiking Club plans a vigorous all-day hike Sunday in Letchworth Park. Meet at 9 a.m. at Red Cross parking lot on Clinton Avenue South. Mendon Ponds Natural History Association meeting Monday at 8 p.m.

in the Parks Department auditorim, 373 Westfall Road, to hear lapidarists Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bowie on "A Visit to an Emerald Mine." Masters International Ski Jumping Tournament Saturday at the Intervales Hill at Lake Placid. Formal opening Saturday of the Kennedy Memorial International Winter Games at the Olympic Arena at Lake Placid. Tri-county Snowmobile Championship Races on Saturday and Sunday at Copenhagen.

Louise Orvis Trophy Slalom Derby, one of the major ski races of the season, on Saturday and Sunday at Big Bromley in Vermont. Genesee Valley Ski Council cross country tour on Sunday in Powder Mill Park..