Star-Phoenix from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada • 23

Saturday, August 6, 1988 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Star-Phoenix Sports B7 Big Ben's success crucial and field Ottey pleads for support OTTAWA (CP) High jumper Milt Ottey raade an Impas stoned plea to the media to support national track and field athletes because the sport is suffering badly in Canada. "We need money to better our program', especially at the grass roots," Ottey said. "We need itbecause the rest of the world is getting away from us. "I've bees involved for 10 years and have seen this sport Sow slowly' be said. "We need to keep growing to blossom to a nice flower." Ottey.

28, a native of Jamaica who lives in Toronto, has been Canada premier high jumper of the decade. "I know track and field is definitely dying in this country," Ottey said. "It offers a Jot for young kids and, unfortunately, a lot of them are not doing track. "We need to develop knowledge about what track and field is. You talk track and field with the general public, they know nothing about it.

"They know Ben Johnson because he's been in the paper so much, but they know nothing about the rest of the Canadian team. We wear Canada proudly on our backs and we try our best out there." to track "Right now we are in an either-or situation," said Francis. "If we 'take money and aim it at juniors, we won't have it for our senior programs. "But with Ben leading the way, By Al Sokol The Toronto Star Track and field in Canada is being carried on the financial jet stream created by Toronto sprinter Ben Johnson. It's a sign of the times that the three-day Olympic trials which opened in Ottawa on Friday are not just the Canadian track and field championships.

The event to choose athletes for the Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, next month has Miller Lite in its title and a corporate cast that includes American Express, 7-UP, Chrysler Canada and Transamerica Insurance. The top eight competitors in each event here will compete in Montreal next Tuesday for $20,000 in sponsorship awards provided by Purolator Courier, one of the dozen companies on Johnson's endorsement list. There is no escaping the fact that the Olympic track and field event here is the Big Ben Show and every step he takes is paid for by private-sector sponsors. True, the world recocd holder over 100 metres at 9.83 seconds has not run this event this year and corporate interest in track will vanish if Johnson has not overcome his leg injury, but at this time the sport is surging. "Ben Is blazing a trail for corporate sponsors in Canada to get Involved in track and field," said Charlie Francis, Johnson's coach with the Mazda Optimist Track Club.

"What Ben has in financial endorsements In Canada is just the tip of the iceberg. The marketing of Ben in Europe and Japan is unbelievable. "One commercial featuring Ben ran 10,000 times in Japan. An oil company there offered 10,000 Ben Johnson jackets as a promotion and got 1.2 million requests." Francis had been critical of money the Canadian Track and Field Association had spent to put on the world junior championships in Sudbury last week, but he saw such an investment in a different light on Thursday. He felt it was a poor investment to use a city such as Sudbury, when the track athletes are in the major centres.

Paul Dupre, the new president Politics, prevent Schmidt from competing at Olympics Fung's ailing health reason for retirement financing demonstrating starts to kids wearing Mazda T-shirts. There's no question a major commitment by the private sector is imperative if Canada is to move ahead in track and field. The federal government is cutting back on funding for amateur sports across the board. This is an aging track and field team, with Johnson the main hope to secure Canada's first Olympic gold medal in this sport since Duncan McNaughton won the high jump in 1932. National track coach Gerard Mach is looking for two or three medals in Seoul, but really counting on 13 finalists and 19 semi-finalists.

Francis is of the loud and, at times, angry opinion that Mach is on the right track but is strapped for funding. That puts the onus on Johnson. If he has regained his world-record form, the corporate dollars will be invested in his sport. That's just one more reason why the 100-metre sprint final here today has taken on an importance unmatched by any national championship in any sport. But Schmidt also felt the weight of that embrance.

He was kept under close supervision until finally, after finishing only fourth at the Moscow Olympics, he was on the disfavored list. He was told to retire, even though he still held the world record and was considered young for a discus thrower, barely 28 in 1981. "In 1987 1 was finally allowed to leave because by that time they had a good discus thrower and they set it up," Schmidt said. "But that was in June and only in November I was able to go to the West." Jurgen Schult had gained the world championship and world record by that time, finally erasing Schmidt's name at the head of the East German list. Schmidt headed to California to meet up with Wilkins and train together in a better climate both politically and weatherwise.

Schmidt is enjoying his freedom. In California he bought his own used car. In Monte Carlo, he found his way to, the roulette tables. He relishes the opportunity to send cards back to former East German teammates and friends who turned their back on him. Now 35, Schmidt is bitter with the East Germans who took away some of the best years of his throwing life.

"I wasn't allowed to train or practice," Schmidt said. "I think that was unsporting and unfair." "But I think that shows the right face of the organization of East Germany," Schmidt added with a look of bitterness on his face. But Schmidt is looking to get even. He wants to throw the discus in the Barcelona Olympics for West Germany even though he will be close to 40 years old. "Now I feel I'm in good form and I want to get ready for '92 because I really what happened in '88.

1 was really wanting to go to Seoul." with Leafs Salming, who is a free without compensation, said the Philadelphia Flyers offered him a contract. "The Flyers were very interested," he said. "I can't say much more than that. It just took while to sort everything out." TORONTO (CP) Lori Fung of Vancouver, the first ever singles Olympic gold medallist in rhythmic gymnastics at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, retired from the sport Friday after a year of injury and illness. Fung, 25, was diagnosed last week as having tendinitis in the arches of both feet.

She has also suffered since May from Epstein Barr Syndrome, a strength-sapping virus related to mononucleosis. "I've had a good year but I've had a bad time," said Fung, who won the Four Continents tournament in June and was among the favorites to repeat as gold medallist at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. She announced her retirement on the eve of the Canadian Olympic trials for rhythmic gymnastics in Toronto. "I look at it like, the whole year has been a struggle," said Fung. "I didn't want to finish in a struggle.

I wanted to walk away with my head held high and I think I can do that now." Fung won the gold medal at Los Angeles in the first Olym MONTE CARLO (AP) Wolfgang Schmidt doesn't want to see differences between East and West Germany. "I am a German," said the former world record-holder in the discus. "When I win it is for all Germany, not just one half of it." But for 15 months, the 1976 Olympic silver medallist was a political prisoner in East Germany. Now he's back throwing on the track circuit again wearing West German colors. And winning.

But he probably will not be in Seoul for any Germany. He was allowed to leave his native East Germany in November, 1987. Under international rules, an athlete who has represented one country cannot compete for another until after three years. East Germany strongly objected to a West German decision to include Schmidt on its team that competed against East Germany at a June dual meet in Duessel-dorf. The East Germans have threatened to pull out of the Grand Prix finals in West Berlin Aug.

26 in protest over Schmidt's participation in the June meet. In 1978 Schmidt set the world record of 71.2 metres. "In 1981 1 wanted to leave East Germany but since 1 was the best, they didn't let me leave," Schmidt said at a recent track meet in Monte Carlo where he added another victory. Ten years after his world record, he is still among the 10 best in the world. He threw more than 70 metres in June at a meet in Iceland, sixth best in the world this year.

He is consistently above 65 metres this season. However from 1981 to 1988 there were no competitions for Schmidt because he was being held in East Germany. In 1981, after falling out of favor with the East Germany hierarchy because of his political views, he was suddenly a man without a I see the funding of track changing for the better in Canada. I don't want to say too much at this time, but there are indications major sponsors are interested in our development programs. "We are in the midst of negotiations; that's why I'm not naming companies, except to say they are biggies.

And I'm not just talking about athletes. We need to triple our budget to build our base complete with paid coaches. Right now we don't have the funds to pay coaches who are putting in 40 hours a week as volunteers." According to Francis, East Germany, the dominant force at the world junior championships in Sudbury, is spending $1 billion on track, while the United States has that kind of investment in its college scholarship program. As sprint co-ordinator for the CTFA, Francis personally recruited Mazda Canada as his club's corporate angel. The firm sponsored a sprint clinic here on Wednesday and got full value for its money when the Ottawa Citizen ran a color picture of Johnson wasn't allowed to train or practice.

I think that was unsporting and unfair. But I think that shows the right face of the organization of East Germany" Wolfgang Schmidt discus. He was not allowed to compete anymore and had difficulty even finding places to practice. "I wanted out of the country," Schmidt said. He said he told the East German authorities "If I can't do this (throw the discus) here, then somewhere else." In 1982 he was suddenly seized and eventually was convicted of political crimes such as trying to leave East Germany.

He was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Finally, after numerous inquiries from many people on the outside such as American discus thrower Mac Wilkins, he was released. Wilkins had established a friendship with Schmidt back in 1976 on the basis of a simple gesture that got Wilkins in trouble. After Schmidt had made his throw to gain second at the Montreal Olympics behind Wilkins, the American gave the East German a bear hug to congratulate him, although the throw knocked American teammate and rival John Powell out of second place. People have criticized Wilkins for his spirit, misunderstanding one discus thrower's response to another thrower's medal-winning effort.

view from Sweden where he and his family are vacationing. "Now I want to play for 16 years. "I haven't signed yet and I haven't had a chance to talk Gord (Stellick, the Leafs general manager). But let's just say there are a lot of reasons for me to remain in Toronto." c3 PRESENTATION OF ChiSox trainer a life-saver of the CTFA, said Thursday that grass-roots development was a top priority, with the total annual operating budget of $3.2 million, of which Sport Canada provides $2 million. -P 1 ml mm LORI FUNG '84 gold medallist she also hoped to do promotions and marketing work.

"We regret that Lori won't be in Seoul," said Debbie Bryant, an executive with the Canadian Rhythmic Sportive Gymnastics Federation in Ottawa. "We respect her personal decision. We will miss her sparkling performances." Fung's departure leaves Canada with a young and inexperienced team for Seoul Three gymnasts will qualify for the team in trials that begin today in Toronto. Reds reliever Rob Murphy runs an information brokerage service on thoroughbred sale and bloodlines on a home computer. The right-hander also has his own race horse named "Resin Bag." Oakland manager Tony La Rus-sa remembers his first game as a major league manager all too well.

La Russa had been summoned by Chicago after Don Kessinger retired and the White Sox were in Toronto for a series against the Blue Jays. The Jays were pitching a righthander and when La Russa made out his lineup, he had a lot of lefthanders in there. But shortly before the game started, the Jays switched to a left-hander. La Russa was torn between switching to a right-handed hitting lineup and probably offending some veteran players, or going with a left-handed lineup that would put him at a disadvantage. "What impression did I want to make in that first game? I decided the No.

I objective was to win the game. So I switched and put in a lot of right-handed hitters like Jim Morrison and Wayne Nor dhagen. "I put Morrison up to leadoff and he opened the game with a home run and we won 8-5." RADIAL BLEMS P21 5751 5 67.00 Other Sizes Available TIRE SERVICE LTD. 244-2101 602 1st Avenue North SUPPORT ART CULTURE AT YOUR MENDEL ART GALLERY 950 SPADINA CR. E.

3' pics ever to have competition in rhythmic "gymnastics, a relatively new sport that combines gymnastic floor exercises with music and dance and in which props such as balls and ribbons are used. Fung said she has had difficulty training with her illness. "It's on and off," she said of the sickness. "It comes and goes and you never know when. Some days I sleep 12 hours.

My doctor recommended lots of rest but I haven't had much." She said she got through the Four Continents under great pain thanks to the support of her coach, Liliana Dimitrova, and her pianist, Diana Forward. Fung said she didn't mind missing the 1988 Olympics because "I've accomplished everything I had to in the sport. I knew it (retirement) would come one day and really, these Olympics would have just been extra for me." She said she hoped now to begin coaching and to pursue modelling, for which she has an agent in Los Angeles. She said NOTEBOOK Jose Rijo is questioning the team spirit on the Cincinnati Reds. "Where's the team aspect that I read and heard about?" he said.

"It's not here. It's just not here. It's been that way with the whole team, the whole year since spring training. We don't pull for each, other enough. No one says anything.

Every time you go out there, you hear the same thing. I don't know what we're lacking, but we're lacking something. It's definitely not pitching." Kansas City's Bo Jackson had a Royals' clubhouse worker remove a Twins World Series T-shirt. "Nobody wears something like that around here," said Jackson. Oakland's Jose Canseco has' been, using Don Baylor's bats, which are two ounces lighter than his.

But Baylor isn't crediting his lumber for Canseco's home run tear earlier this week. "I doesn't matter what ballpark he's playing in," says Baylor. "They're all too small for him." Speaking of finish, it looks that way for Steve Trout of the Seattle Mariners. Trout got shelled 10-2 in his last start. His record is 4-7 and his earned-run average is 8.12.

Opposing batters are hitting .365 against him, the highest batting average against a pitcher in the American League. "I think his performance speaks for itself," says Mariners president Chuck Armstrong. "It gives me a headache." Try a $1 million headache. Trout currently earns $950,000 and has a guaranteed contract worth $1.5 million next season. "I talked to the says Armstrong.

"And he was clear that if we thought we were a better team without Steve next year, if he thought we could win, we'd eat the contract." Salming expected back TORONTO (CP) Borje Salming dropped a broad hint Friday that he'll soon announce his decision to return to the Toronto Maple Leafs for his 16th Rational Hockey League season. "I've played 15 years there," Salming said in a telephone inter By The Canadian Press Herm Schneider, the White Sox trainer, is getting a lot of credit for saving the life of Chicago first baseman Greg Walker, who suffered a seizure and collapsed last Saturday. Schneider got to Walker quickly as he lay quivering on the ground. Schneider said: "On a scale of 1-to-10, he was plus-nine dead." Schneider knocked in Walker's front teeth to free his tongue so he didn't choke. Walker is in hospital recovering.

Mike Schmidt's first-inning RBI double Thursday was the extra-base hit of his career. Will Clark of the San Francisco Giants seems to have Nolan Ryan's number. Clark is 5-for-7 with two home runs and four RBIs against the Houston Astros hurler. "Anytime you face Nolan Ryan, you've got to get a little extra pumped up," says Clark. "A fastball hitter versus a fastball pitcher.

I think it is always great." General manager John Schuerholz has a theory why the Kansas City Royals are just one game over "As much as anything, it's the youthfulness of club," Schuerholz said. "Aside from Willie Wilson, Frank White and George Brett there's not a (regular) player with three years of major league service going into this year. "I think that youthfulness per-, haps was the cause of some of the inconsistency we've shown." The Mets used to be a happy-go-lucky bunch but Roger McDowell, the team's class clown, says the clubhouse is devoid of any form of life whatever. "Before, it seemed like everybody was always getting on everybody," says McDowell. "Now, everybody seems to go about his business and leaves the other guys alone.

McDowell has a solution: Free agency. "Maybe next year they'll sip Rodney Dangerfield and Don Ric-kles." Charlie Sheen, star of the movie Major League, took batting practice with the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this week. The film Is being shot in Milwaukee. August 2 to 6 Wheatland Building Prairleldnd Exhibition Centre Starts 5:30 p.m. nightly ANOTHER ln if ii riln lift A.

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