The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 49

Puppets? Kings 01 bid ITiotYwr Happened to a Commissioner Named Kuhn? Oi CONSTITUTION 4 bports Tuesday, May 1, 1973 1-D Page Garence Campbell -If (Constitution Sports Writer Art Chan-sky contacted the jour supposedly most powerful men in American athletics. He says the receptions given him by the commissioners of football, basketball, hockey and baseball were interesting and revealing.) V--v W)1 By ART CHANSKY Pete Rozclle said it smoothly, Walter Kennedy bluntly and Clarence Campbell blandly. Bowie Kuhn refused to talk. And in so responding to questions about the bigqest problems in their particular sports, the commissioners of the four major professional leagues showed why it's indeed no coincidence that each of the leagues has developed an extension of its leader's personality. Take Rozelle, who in 13 years as commissioner has transformed the National Football League into the classiest pro sports organization in history.

Expansion and Rozclle's Madison Avenue salesmanship have enabled the NFL to whitewash its image with spanking new stadiums, reputable ownerships and players and multi-million dollar television contracts. It is this last asset that has created the N'FL's biggest monster of late, a court battle over the constitutionality of local blackouts of home games. Irate fans who could not secure season tickets began the uproar, which lead to preliminary litigation thus far won by the NFL. sincerely do smypathize with the fan," says Rozelle, "and I'd feel the same way if football wasn't my business. However, that cannot affect my firm belief that vou shouldn't give away something you can sell." Rozelle is trying to avoid a problem that has already befallen Kennedy, the coarse commissioner of the old National Basketball Association.

Kennedy is facing the very real problem of league disbandonment due to skyrocketing costs and relatively small gate receipts. For the most part, the NBA hasn't done much to improve its own situation. Many teams still play in antiquated arenas in the bad parts of town, while the schedule is a laborious 100-plus games of pre-season, regular season and playoff competition. In addition, the prevalence of black players cannot be dismissed as a deterrent to the white dollar. Still, the NBA refused to see the foreshadowing of the sixties, when the quality of college basketball was improving leaps and bounds.

Kennedy and the owners approved expansion at a snail's pace, and bills for new arenas were defeated instead of being railroaded through. Then came the rival American Basketball Association and a bidding war over college players that is still in full scale. Marginal players, like former Atlanta Hawk George Trapp, make in excess of $100,000, while break-even crowds were tough to come by. The result has been slow strangulation for the NBA. "I don't look upon salaries, whether or ft I Artwork by ere Warren Pele Rozelle is satisfactory to the player but not out of harmony with his club's pay scale.

Or the owner can restructure his entire team's pay scale, which, of course, requires an enormous amount of money, i "Since every man has the right to better himself, I believe that everything should be done by the NHL owners to keep a player irom jumping to the rival league. Unless, of course, what the owner does upsets the standards of salaries he has established for his team. Then he's playing with fire and inviting a minor revolution." A revolt similar to what occurred in major league baseball last season. Since hockey and baseball have almost parallel programs of player development, owners in both sports are as vehemently in favor of the reserve clause as players are against it, Baseball, of course, let the matter get out of hand, and a players' strike delayed the opening of the 1972 season and tarnished the image of the grand old national pastime. Perhaps that is why the Commissioner Sec PRO, Page 4 Bowie Kuhn not they're too high, as my responsibility or that of this office," says Kennedy, who doesn't command the respect of his owners that Rozelle does.

"However, we are greatly concerned over rising costs in the NBA, and I have come to the conclusion that league operation can't continue in its present form for very long. That is the main reason we have sought legislation to bring about a merger and formation of one league. This would end the astronomical contracts and give most clubs economic feasibility which they don't have now." The NBA Players' Association, seeking an end to the binding reserve clause, has opposed the merger. Result has been a gross loss of stability in league structure. Apparently history is repeating itself with the National Hockey League, which has suffered serious losses in manpower and prestige from the raiding of its new rival, the World Hockey Association.

The off-season attrition was staggering. The Boston Bruins, for example, lost two key players in the NHL expansion draft. then lost three starters to big money offers from the What resulted was the weakening of an establishment once as strong as the fortress of Quebec City. Campbell, the NHL's crotchety old commissioner for years, was suddenly faced with wooing players from the Canadian junior leagues who for years skated unimpeded into his league. Recovering from senous surgery and rumored to be on his way out of the commissioner's chair, Campbell is now relegated to giving league owners obvious advice.

They can ill-afford to turn it down, however, for the NHL has long been an unchallenged outfit. The original six teams and the expansion franchises, whose administrations have been drawn from the old guard, have never encountered outside competition. Now they have what mav be more than they can handle. "There are three things an owner can do to combat a big money offer from the other league." says Campbell. "He can let the player go to the WHA, which is inadvisable.

He can try to reach an agreement that Walter Kennedy USSR EVENS SERIES WITH 78-76 SQUEAKER Baker-Nix Offer OK'd By Trustee The United States played without Bill Walton, the national collegiate player of the year from UCLA, who suffered a knee injury in the opening game and did not suit up for the second contest. The rough battle saw three Russians foul out and Bobby Jones of North Carolina also collect five personals. Ron Behagen of Minnesota was tossed out of the game by referee Marti Huhtamakl of Finland, who charged Beha-gen had purposely elbowed a Russian player. SAN DIEGO iAPi Russia's basketball forces evened their series against the United States national team with a 78-76 victory Monday night in a rugged battle at the San Diego Sports Arena in which the lead changed hands 15 times. A field goal by Aleksander Boloshev and two free throws by Salumets provided the points the Russians needed victory.

The U.S. team's final second shot by i Oxley of the Military Academy just missed tying the count. The United States won the opening game Sunday night at Inglewood, Calif. 83-65. full-time management for the 14 year-old track and would not take a salary until the track was making money.

Several months ago, two proposals for purchase were submitted to the court. The Baker-Nix faction then was in competition with James H. Price of Miami, Fla. Price's offer later was refused by Cotton ho said "they tried to change the terms by requiring the trustee to give registered stock. To prepare and file such would have involved considerable expense, perhaps as much as $300,000.

But interestingly, the Price group over the weekend became the current leading stockholder in Atlanta Raceway. In a sale of assets of the bankrupt Michigan International Raceway Friday in Detroit, Judge David Patton approved the sale to Price's group of 62,000 shares in Atlanta Raceway. This is the original stock of the late Nelson Weaver which passed on to the Michigan group when he died. Price's group has five days to pay 75 cents a share for a total price of $42,000. Price's Atlanta attorney, Joseph H.

Bynum, indicated the transaction would take place. Bynum said Price was currently out of the country and unreachable and that he had no information that his client would enter another bid for control of the Atlanta track. Theoretically, the deadline for bids has expired. But Cotton said the court would listen to any better offers. IMPERIAL CALL ON THE GOOD-NATURED WHISKEY IT MIXES WELL We take the time to gentle the taste, to make our Associated Preii Photo THIS DEFENSE TOO MUCH FOR KNICKS' WILLIS REED He Gets Onceover From Metal Detector At JFK Airport By GEORGE CUNNINGHAM An amended plan of reorganization was filed -Monday in the Federal Bankruptcy Court that, if eventually approved, would return Atlanta International Raceway to its stockholders with Atlantans Jim Baker and Lloyd Nix owning 52 per cent.

Trustee Stacey Cotton said the two Atlanta-area automobile dealers would gain control for about with $350,000 outright for the new stock purchase. the interim time while the proposal iS submitted to the court," Cotton said, "should the track suffer a loss in its next race (July 22), Baker and Nix will buy additional stock as part of their plan at the rate of a dollar a share up to a maximum of $150,000. 'in the event there is no loss, they agree to lend or obtain a loan for Atlanta International Raceway during the 18 months after confirmation for a sum up to $150,000. These funds can be used for funding the plant, business operations, building a drag strip or as directors at that time see fit in the best interest of the track." The $350,000 from Baker and Nix plus about $600,000 the court has in the bank would, according to Cotton, clear up all current debts and still leave the track with from $300,000 to $400,000 in the bank. "Paid off would be the current interest due of $200,000 due on the $1,000,000 mortgage of (first mortgage holder) Security National Bank of New York," Cotton said.

"All taxes and wage claims, totaling roughly $100,000, would be paid. "Remaining would be the unsecured debt, and this would be paid off by the issuance to creditors common stock of AIR at the rate of 1.25 shares for each dollar's worth of debt." These currently are 320.000 shares of stock in the financially-troubled track that has been a ward of the bankruptcy court for several years. Under Cotton's amended plan, original stock would be diluted about five times since the number of shares would jump to approximately 1.5 million. "Baker and Nix would acquire an estimated seven or eight hundred thousand snares," Cotton said. "And about 500,000 njorc would be issued to the creditors in payment of the old debts." 'While Cotton said he would recommend approval of the plan, he cautioned it was a long ways from consummation.

OThc plan must undergo the scrutiny and examination of the court, the creditors, the stockholders and the Security Exchange Commission before it can be approved," he said. "And in the case of the stockholders and creditors, approval requires a two-thirds vole." The new Baker-Nix proposal retains orlginaj plans whereby they would provide HOME ADVANTAGE NEED TV SERVICE THAT YOU CAN TRUST? CAPITOL TV 636-4318 whiskey a sip smoother than the rest. That's why Imperial is so popular. Its rich taste comes 71 Lakers Eyeing Repeat on light and goes down easy. In any drink.

mm II 1 1 ff v. i MONTREAL EXPOS Tonight 8:05 P.M. IMPERIAL HIRAM WALKED jTV 18 WW i it ij wall IK jLA iJ especially if there is a seventh game. I can still remember that seventh game we played in New York three years ago." The Knicks beat the Lakers 113-99 in that one to win the title. During the regular season, the Lakers posted a 60-22 record and the Knicks were 57-25.

The better record gets the home-court advantage. Boston, on the other hand, would have had the advantage because the Celtics finished at 68-14, the best record in the NBA. Immediately after the Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors 4-1 in their Western playoff series, the Los Angeles players were virtually unanimous in wanting New York to beat Boston. Forward Jim McMillian had an additional reason. He hails from New York and wants to play before his hometown fans.

"They wanted us, now they've got us," declared Walt Frazier after the Knicks surprised the Celtics in Boston and won the deciding game 94-78 Sunday with an amazing defensive effort. Bookmakers in Nevada, where gambling is legal, rated the Lakers 414 points over the Knicks in the opening game. LOS ANGELES (AP) The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers got their wish when the New York Knicks scratched their way into the National Basketball Association championships but things could be different from last year. Los Angeles and New York open the best-of-seven playoff finals Tuesday night at 11 p.m., EDT, before a capacity crowd of 17,505 at the (With the exception of tonight's first game, all NBA playoff games wUl be televised in Atlanta by Channel 17.) Forum with the Lakers hoping to duplicate their victory of 1972. They beat the Knicks four games to one to capture their first title since moving to Los Angeles from Minneapolis in I960.

And they hoped the Boston Celtics wouldn't win in the East this time. During the regular season, the Celtics had a 4-0 edge over the defending champions, who were 2-2 against New York. "I think we would have beaten the Celtics," said Laker star Jerry West. "I think we can beat arjy team But the home advantage means a lot- EES BUNDED WHISKEY 86 PROOF STRAIGHT WHISKEYS '1Q GRAIN SPIRITS HlWM WALKER 4 SONS PEORIA, lit..