The Indianapolis News from Indianapolis, Indiana • 23

Thursday, May 14, 1992 THE INDIANAPOLIS NEWS C-3 Cinderella theme for Queen Ball If Ima first-year driver who achieves the' fastest four-lap average speed during qualifications. Mayer is acknowledged as the first driver to drink milk in Victory Lane (after his 1933 win) and, a few years later, the traditional bottle of milk became part of the victory ceremony. The winning rookie's name is engraved on a permanent trophy on display at the Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. A plaque and a $2,500 cash award will be presented to the fastest rookie, and all rookies who make the 1992 starting field will receive $250 each. The association also honors the race winner with a $5,000 cash award and the drink of milk.

His chief mechanic will receive $500. Paul Page, who anchors the ABC nationwide live telecast of the race, will be emcee for the 15th year. The front row "Jonathon's Front Row Party" in honor of A.J. Foyt Jr. and race drivers who earned front row positions in designated years of the 500-Mile Race will be Wednesday.

The private reception and dinner will be at Jonathon's Restaurant and Pub, opening with cocktails at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds from the auction of racing memorabilia after dinner will benefit former race driver Jan Opperman and the Rich Vo-gler Scholarship Fund. Three drivers who earned front row positions for the 76th running of the race May 24 are Roberto Guerrero, Eddie Cheever and Mario Andretti. Drivers who held the same positions in eight previous races will be honored. and the last Indianapolis Press Club members await the final day of qualifications Sunday to learn the names of the three drivers who will be honored at their traditional Last Row Party May 21.

Each driver will receive a distinctive sport coat at the 20th annual event arranged by the three traditional hosts David Mannweiler, columnist for The News: Art Harris, a reporter for The News, and Gerry LaFollette, a retired reporter for The News. The informal dinner will feature a roast of the drivers by Robin Miller, sports writer for The Star. Jameson news Jameson Camp Auxiliary members, who have given $7,000 to the camp during Jinny O'Brien's term as president, have elected Nancy Pennington to succeed her. A $5,000 gift made it possible for the camp to furnish its second camper cabin, and a gift of A Cinderella carriage drawn by horses will take 500 Festival Queen Mary Jane Troyer to the Queen's Ball May 22. During the "regal and exciting evening" described by festival director Dennis Norman, who is in charge of the ball, the queen, her court and 28 princesses will be presented in a castle-like setting during the "Cinderella Affair." Glass slippers on satin pillows, with a base of flowers and pumpkins, will form centerpieces for tables at the Convention Center, which is being decorated to reflect a theme of elegance, romance and magic.

A glass slipper ice sculpture will dominate the hors d'oeuvres table. J. Albert Smith Jr. is chairman of the event, with Nancy Irsay as vice chairman. Guy Lombardo's Royal Canadians with Al Pierson and Les Egart and His Orchestra will provide entertainment, including music from such Disney films as "Cinderella," "Snow White" and "Beauty and the Beast." Members of 500 Festival Associates and their guests will enter the "castle" constructed by Wilhelm Construction and Plus 4 Architecture, then proceed to the ballroom through the draped "castle" hall.

After crossing a moat into the ballroom, guests will be greeted by medieval-costumed hosts to find the stage a "castle." Tickets are $75 per person. Festival membership information may' be obtained by calling 636-4556. Do snakes have bright side? Fathers: Dad Al encouraged son LIGHTLY SPEAKING Kathleen Van Nuys Rookie luncheon The first three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the 1992 field's fastest "freshmen" will share the dais May 19 at the Fastest Rookie of the Year award luncheon. Louis Meyer, who drove into Victory Lane in 1928, '33 and '36, will be a guest at the event sponsored by the American Dairy Association of Indiana. Donald Davidson, United States Auto Club statisticianhistorian, will present highlights of Meyer's career.

Midwest dairymen, those involved in auto racing and members of the sports media have been invited to the Speedway Motel for the 11 :30 a.m. event. For the 18th year, the association will recognize the fastest qualifier for the 500-Mile Race, which will not be official until qualifications end Sunday. Invitations feature a photo of Mike Groff, fastest rookie in 1991, and a checkerboard design. The award recognizes the Shaking his head emphatically, Barbazza, who is single, said he would discourage a child from becoming a driver.

Why? "Because it can be work," he said, managing a rueful grin. "Too much politics involved, politics with sponsors. It doesn't matter if you are good or not. It's all politics." Add to that the odds against becoming a champion, he said. "Thirty-three cars and about 1,000 (aspiring) drivers," Bar- 'lf you run around being afraid to die or take risks, you never accomplish Scott Brayton Race driver bazza noted.

"It's too hard to be the top 33. Then, when you finally make it to the top 33, you want to be the top one." He said his father, the owner a plastics factory, helped him financially in the beginning of his racing career. "My parents didn't discourage me or push me," he added. "They let it be my decision." French driver Philippe Gache, 29, said he has one rule for parents: "Never push." His reasoning: "You have to let children decide what they want in life." Yet Gache, who is single, concedes his own experience contradicts his rule. "My father pushed me," said Gache, who has qualified for his first 500-Mile Race.

His father was a Formula 3 driver in Europe. "It was difficult early on for me when he was pushing, but now I'm glad he did. That's why I'm here in Indianapolis now." By Bil Keane AT WIT'S END rocks, lose their jobs, have their cars repossessed and smile and say, "You know, I went through the entire winter without a cold." I'm not stupid. Snakes do not run and fetch sticks or bring you your morning paper. They do not bark and warn you when a burglar breaks into the house.

Children can't ride on their backs. They can't find their way home after eight years, as the dog in Nebraska did when the family went on a picnic and he became lost. I'm convinced there are some people in this world who see the bright side to everything. I used to work in an office with a girl we called Margaret Sunshine. The bluebird of happiness lived in a condo in Margaret's teased hair.

She could have found joy in nuclear waste. A typical conversation went something like this: "My son argued with me and told me he was moving out." "At least he still confides in you," said Margaret with a smile. "He took my car with him when he went." $2,000 has gone for the purchase of a new computerprinter. Dance party Continental Dance Club will present "The Rainbow Connection 500 Ball" Saturday in the Arabian Room of the Murat Shrine Club. Ray and Myrna Sommers, the club's King and gueen of Hearts, will be honored at the 6 p.m.

dinner-dance for which Art Zellers and Norma Hubbard are co-chairmen. The Harry Burgess Trio will play for dancing af 8:30. Marie Beaman. 271-1246. and Elena Dix, 638-7924, are ticket chairmen.

Dinnerdance tickets are $17.50 per person, dance only $12.50 per person. Disney breakfast A breakfast for children, with 20 Walt Disney characters entertaining, is set May 23 at the Hilton before the 500 Festival Parade. Children and their parents are welcome to take cameras and autograph books, since the Disney characters will visit each table at the 8 a.m. event. A sing-along and dancing to Disney music are planned.

Reservations for the breakfast, sponsored by Amax Coal Industries, may be made by calling the 500 Festival office, 636-4556. Tickets are $25 each. She nodded approvingly. "Thank goodness your car runs." "If I find him I'm pressing charges and putting him in jail." "He's so lucky. Some children have to scream for attention." Margaret would have been thrilled over the snake population, too.

Of the rodents she'd probably have said, "They'd have died from the heat." FIND LOVE, FRIDAY Say it sweeter in the Personals Plus BOOK SALE TODAY THRU MAY 3D PAPERBACKS 12 for $1.00 Bargain Shelves to $1.00 20 OFF Regular Hardback Stock nKOAd Ripple nooksDop T-Frl. 11-6 8407 Ferguson St. OCQ iflQfi Sat. 1 1-5 (2 Blki. E.

of CoHg) C0r 1 90U IT'S Entries must be received by 4 p.m., Tuesday, May 26. Winners will be selected by random drawing and will be announced Wed. afternoon, May 27, on Hoosier 96 during the Tony LamontBill Shirk show. Winners' names will also appear that day in The Indianapolis News. Prizes will be mailed.

Only newspaper entry forms or handwritten copies may be used. NO PHOTOCOPIES. No individual may win more than one pair of tickets. Decision of the judges is final. Fmnlovefls of Indianaoolia Newsoaoere.

WHHH, their advising aoencies member! of their families are not eligible to win. DSAR ADDY Abigail Van Buren Love retains its bloom DEAR ABBY: I am a 62-year-; old retired Navy lieutenant commander (female Navy nurse). The brother of a close friend recently lost his wife, so they invited me to dinner and brought a gentleman along. Al was a widower, and I had never been mar- ried. We hit it off right from the start and soon became a steady foursome.

This happened in August, and by November Al and I knew we were in love. We were married in December. He is 68. No sex, as he had prostate I surgery and radiation. I adore the man, and we give each other back rubs.

I am kissed, hugged and told I am loved more times a day than I can count. His hearing is poor (hearing aids don't help his kind of deafness), but Al doesn't need to hear to know I love him. For Valentine's Day, he bought me a white orchid cor- sage and took me to dinner. I will love this man and care for him happily as long as the good Lord me. We love our God and each other.

I just wanted to share my good fortune with you because 1 consider you a friend. BLESSED IN SAN DIEGO DEAR BLESSED: What an "upper" your letter is! Tou are both blessed to have found each other. May God bless you for many years to come. DEAR ABBY: I went to the grocery store today, and my purchases came to $8.21. 1 gave the cashier one $5 bill, three $1 bills, a quarter and a penny.

The cashier looked puzzled. Then she said, "I have to give you something back, don't How much should it be?" I had to tell her I wanted a nickel back. She said she was new on the job and wasn't used to making change. This is not the first time I've had to tell a cashier how much change to give me. Some cash registers are so sophisticated nowadays, the cashiers don't have to know how to add 2 and 2.

1 mentioned this to the manager of a ket, and he told me nobody has to know how to add and subtract anymore. There are machines that do it for you. I am not against progress, but when a college graduate can't add a column of four figures without running for a calculator, something is wrong. I do volunteer work for the American Red Cross. A fellow who works with me there is a graduate of a college in Iowa, and he asked me how many J's there are in Little kids can't even tell time on an old-fashioned watch with numbers because most watches are digital now.

I am 63, but I think American technology has come too far too fast. I'm no old fogey, but I don't want a machine to do all my thinking for me. What do you say, Abby? 'DOC IN FARIBAULT. MINN. DEAR 'DOC': Amen, brother.

DEAR ABBY: After seeing all those limericks in your column, I decided to send mine. I entered it in a limerick contest last year and won. KATHRY LEON. SEATTLE DEAR KATHRY: I begged my readers to stop sending limericks, but yours is irresistible so I'm sharing it: Two elephants Harry and Faye Couldn't kiss wtth their trunks In the way. So they boarded a plane, They're now kissing in Maine 'Cause their trunks got sent to L.A.

DEAR ABBY: I recently remarried. My new husband was also previously married. How should I introduce my first hus- I band's relatives who are my former In-laws? I am very friendly with my ex-husband's nieces and nephews, too. SECOND- TIME-AROUNDER DEAR SECOND: There is no reason to call attention to the fact that you were formerly re-lated by marriage. Just introduce your ex-in-laws nieces and nephews as "dear" or I "old friends," and save the ez- planatory dedils for subsequent meetings.

Universal Press By ERMA BOMBECK Universal Press I just read a story that because of heavy rains in the Arizona desert this year, there will be a proliferation of snakes. Stories like that get my attention. The writer went on to say this is good because it certainly will cut down on the number of rodents. My grandmother would have said the person who wrote that is not right in the head. He married too close.

Why would anyone in his right mind want to exchange a population of little furry creatures who run around in cartoons driving cats crazy for something that sinks its fangs into your flesh, causing your tongue to swell to double its size? That's just not logical. I'm a paid optimist, and frankly I can't find anything about a snake glut to throw hats in the air over. Every time I write about my snake phobia, I am deluged with letters from reptile lovers who tell me how docile snakes are, how maligned by society they are and what great pets they make. These are the same people who could have their houses burn down, their marriages go on the I please print I Name Day fc-'f I ft' Address I CW 1 U1U Continued from CI This year Scott's father is his crew chief. "I can remember listening to Sid Collins on Indianapolis radio," the younger Brayton said.

"I vividly remember Parnelll Jones winning when I was a kid." Brayton, a resident of Cold-water, has no children. But he said he would encourage a son or daughter to follow the family tradition. "You have to live your life as your desires take you," he said. "If you run around being afraid to die or take risks, you never accomplish anything. "What I would worry about is a mechanical failure on the car.

But I think people ought to pursue what they find fulfilling." Even so, Brayton conceded he would have some words of advice for a child bent on a career at the track. "Be intelligent about your progression In racing. Don't try to get too far too fast. Be confident in what you are doing. Don't let desire overwhelm good common sense." Al Unser Sr.

seemed startled anyone would wonder how he felt about having a child become a race driver. "Of course, I encouraged him," said the four-time 500-Mile Race winner and the father of Al Unser Jr. "This Is a great sport. "You always worry about your child, whatever they do in life. But if you try to be successful at anything, there will be risks." On the opposite side of the fence is 29-year-old Fabrizzo Barbazza, an Italian race driver hoping to compete in his second 500-Mile Race.

THE FAMILY CIRCUS OlM2 Bil KMIW, 0it. by CowIm he. in of HAMMER TIME, INDY! Mike Redmond, music columnist for The Indianapolis News, and Hoosier 96 are giving away free tickets to Hammer's May 31 concert at Market Square Arena. GRAND PRIZE Two front-row seats! Plus, two Hoosier 96 tour jackets and two special edition "Mike Redmond on Music" T-shirts. Nine other winners receive a pair of $25 tickets, a "Mike Redmond on Music" T-shirt, and a Hoosier 96 T-shirt.

Mail or drop it off at The News Public Service Counter, 307 N. Pennsylvania Mon. through 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1 I otters'- 1 1 1 I Tl I 1 1 rTouhltc Service I I I 1 M0The only envy ios on7N.pennj' written Wia a mm I THE NEWS "What are they teaching you in history these days, Billy?" The 1970s." WHHHH.J.