The Central New Jersey Home News from New Brunswick, New Jersey • 73

SUNDAY, JUNE 13. 1982 D1 EDITORIALS D2 OBITUARIES Dll CLASSIFIED D12 IK SJDOCu Special Olympics: 'Win or lose, let me be brave' By DAVID SIEGEL Borne News staff writer PISCATAWAY With pageantry. drama and a lot of fun, the New Jersey State Special Olympics for the mentally retarded came to town yesterday. More than 900 athletes competed In eleven events to cap off the second day of their three-day stay at Rutgers University's Busch and Livingston cam puses. The games opened with the appropri 7' 1 ate pomp.

Gov. Thomas Kean arrived at 9:15 a.m. in a helicopter behind Rutgers stadium, released a flock of pi warn mm jpsu-jhbwk geons that flew around the stadium, and made some opening remarks. Bish op Theodore McCarrick, the first Bishop of the Metuchen diocese, gave the invocation. Home News photos by Marc Ascher Before speaking, Kean stopped to en FAIRGOERS Those who attended Milltown's Country Day, above, were treated to fun, games, food and special exhibits.

courage some wheelchair special Olympians. They competed In a 25- meter race, and a 30 and 100-meter slalom through cones, according to Mike Higgins, a Pennsylvania Special Milltown Country Day Olympics staffer. Other wheelchair Olympians participated in the Softball throw. ill 'A A 21 -piece marching band from draws fun-loving crowd McGuire Air Force Base performed. and a handful of clowns dashed around By VANESSA JEFFERSON Home News staff writer the stadium spreading merriment.

Outside the stadium sat three hot air balloons, one from millionaire businesman Malcolm Forbes and another decorated as a huge jack-o-lantern. The balloons were scheduled to race as part of the Olympics' special events. MILLTOWN For more than half a century, 64-year-old Earl Trundt has collected license plates. Yesterday, at the Milltown Country Among other special events were yo yo and hoola-hoop contests and a marionette show. A 12-foot rainbow-clad clown on stilts, "Buffy," attracted Fair, Ttundt displayed a small portion of his collection of "several thousand" license plates that once were attached to automobiles, trucks, motorcycles and bicycles.

Located at the far west end of the fairground near a parking lot, Trundt's booth was the first in sight for many of those who attended. Last year, he and another license plate collector shared the spot. "The longest it ever took to get a plate was about a year and a half," Trundt said. "When I visited Iceland the country was on a holiday so I couldn't get them. Later I wrote and they said it was impossible.

After eight months I had a friend who visited there and went to the authorities and finally they sent me the plates. He had to assure them they were only going to be used in a collection." The most unique plate KET 17, a German plate "took all day to get made," Trundt said. "A 12-year old boy helped interpret. It was made in a radi much attention. their greetings and explained how he received license plates from friends when they or someone they knew returned from a trip.

"Mrs. Anderson knows someone who's going to Peru. She's going to get them to bring me back a plate," he said. His collection dates back to 1908 and includes plates from El Salvador, Britain, Ireland, Canada, the Phillipines, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Iceland, Germany, Norway, Italy and each of the 50 states. The 1908 state plate, made of tin, was composed of individual letters in a frame setting.

"We collect them everywhere we go," Trundt said. "My wife and I have traveled quite a bit. I'm retired now six years. I go into junkyards and my wife brings along her crossword puzzles." New York Giants players Terry "When I was about 10, 1 was visiting Jackson and Scott Brunner, and Mr. Hooper (Will Lee), Maria (Sonia Manza-no) and David (Northern Calloway) of a tarm near nere, rrunat recalled.

"It's now called Maple Meade. The man there told me there was an old box of plates in the barn and he told me I could have them. That's where I got the "Sesame Street were also on hand. Yesterday's Olympics included two 1908 (New Jersey license plate)." new sporting events gymnastics and team soft ball. Softball was run as a clinic, according to Pat Swartz of the Home News photos by Marc Ascher As Trundt spoke, residents the fair stopped to comment on the dis State Department of Community play.

The borough resident returned KEEP THE FIRE BURNING James Brunson holds the ceremonial Olympic torch aloft as Gov. Thomas Kean gives the welcome address at the New Jersey State Special Olympics at Rutgers University yesterday. Participants in yesterday's events in cluded winners of events in 11 regional competitions throughout the state. are secondary," he said as his 12-year- ator shop. Trundt said he chose the letter because "in the old days" each county was known by a letter.

"Monmouth had and Middlesex had he explained. "I couldn't get 34 so I took 17. My uncle had that number." Trundt's 1934 Ford was parked nearby. It bore the original New Jersey courtesy plates of that year. Trundt old son, John, walked towards his next event.

Eighty-five competitors -will have the chance to compete in the 1983 International Special Olympics at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Swartz said. Swartz said that 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers receive medals. But she added: "Everybody here will get an award, we also have ribbons for 4th-8th place finishers." John Manhardt, a Parsippany resident and parent of one of the athletes, concurred. "I just think my son likes being with people really. The events Matawan resident John Murray, sitting in the stands with his 12-year-old son, Joseph, made a similar comment.

"This event (Olympics) he likes be Although the games are competitive, the emphasis is on the special Olympic creed: "Let me win, but if I cannot win, cause he gets to stay overnight," Murray said. His son sported a medal for third place in the softball throw. Jo let me be brave In the attempt." Ms. seph has been competing in Special Olympics for four years. and his son also restore old cars.

"My grandson is going to inherit all this one day," Trundt said with a smile. "I don't know what he'll do with it." Also featured in the fair display were specialty plates. They included ones from the 1958 Miss America Pageant, the 1977, 1953 and 1957 Presidential Inaugurations and another one issued to a member of the staff of the Governor of Alabama. The Special Olympians and their es timated 300 chaperones spent Friday and last night at Livingston College. On ill Friday night they were addressed by Sen.

Bill Bradley, Bradley recalled an instance six years ago when, as a New York Knick basketball player, he played against a team of wheelchair basketball players. The Knicks lost, according to Bradley, who expressed his respect for the ath Another state plate from 1939 with black with orange lettering belonged to one of Trundt's former school teachers. Another dated back to 1913. It was issued on his first automobile. "It wasn't until 1928 that I really started to collect them," Trundt said.

"It's just gone on since then. Now my letes. The Olympic tradition of torch-bear ing was followed during the weekend's events. On Friday night, the athletes walked in a candlelight procession between the Livingston gym and college dorms. Yesterday's games opened with children and the neighbors are collecting them." Next week, Trundt expects to travel DASH TO VICTORY Ralph Vankleeck is congratulated by his aunt, Susan Taiamage, after winning the 400-yard dash at the representatives from each New Jersey region carrying a torch around the sta dium.

Special Olympics yesterday. AT THE WHEEL Four-year-old Jennifer Shalawda of Milltown finds out what it's like to steer an old fire engine during Country Day. The fire truck belongs to the Milltown Fire Department. to Michigan for the annual Automobile License Plates Collector's Association. The organization, which began in Maine in 1954, has about 3,000 members, according to Trundt.

As visitors passed the licenses, some strolled toward a booth displaying hats rv made from beer cans with crochet tops and sides. The bats were made by Peter Marx of Piscataway. Marx has been making the hats for about five years. Between the hat booth and the end of the fairground were about 65 displays, exhibits and snack stands. Information booths were sponsored by a local chiropractor, the MilUown Public Library, the Middlesex County Society iff SffiT'i for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Middlesex County College.

Exhibits included a skateboard show and tatoo demonstration. Performers included the Mary Lee Martin band, featuring Ervin Levine, who wrote "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree," "Candida" and "Knock Three Times." The songs were made popular by the singing group Tony Orlando and Dawn. Ms. Martin, of Sayreville, is a former country and western singer. Levine now is appearing at the Playboy Club in Atlantic City.

The ooening ceremonies, which be gan about 10 a.m., featured Mayor J7 II A Jack Whitman, and Miss Milltown, 1 Kim Szamba, riding on horseback. About 3.000 people, according to Councilman Laurence Dransfield, were expected to attend the fair, which was DUCK POND Seven-year-old Sharon Gusting of Milltown and five-year-old Jennifer Testa of Spotswood feed a duck swimming around a makeshift pond. ALL IN THE WRIST Coach Don Bernat, right, shows Chris Mizerak of Piscataway how to throw a softball prior to the event. More than 900 athletes competed In the games yesterday. postponed last week because ot ram..