Newsday (Nassau Edition) from Hempstead, New York • 258

4 It Translates to an All-Czech By Don Kausler Jr. Uniondale As a table tennis player, Czechoslovakia's Milan Orlowski is extraordinary. He ranks seventh in the world, but those in-the-know believe he would be No. 1 were it not for his vulnerability to the defensive players who do nothing but load returns with backspin. As an interpreter, however, Orlowski leaves much to be desired.

He was summoned to help a reporter communicate with teammate Josef Dvoracek yesterday at Nassau Coliseum during a break in the team competition of the U.S. Open Table Tennis Championships. "I sorry," Dvoracek said helplessly. "I speak no good English." Orlowski came over and was asked to translate a question regarding Dvoracek's chances of beating Orlowski in today's championship match in the men's open singles. Orlowksi is the tournament's top seed.

Orlowski smiled when he heard the question, then mumbled a few words in his native language to Dvoracek. Before Dvoracek could reply, however, Orlowski had the answer ready. "Oh, yeah, yeah," he said. "Sure, sure." He began to nod, and with that, Dvoracek began to nod. So much for that question.

Orlowski then was told to ask Dvoracek who usually wins when the two teammates play each other. Again, Orlowski translated the question, and again, he didn't give Dvoracek a chance to answer. "Sometimes I win," Orlowski said. "Sometimes he wins." Evidently, Orlowski was confused about who was the subject of the interview. Whatever, both are looking forward to the match, which will conclude today's action that begins at 10 AM.

It also will include finals in the men's doubles, women's singles and doubles, mixed doubles and 11-and-under singles It bothers neither Orlowski nor Dvoracek that they traveled roughly 4,000 miles to play a match that is of- seed who fell victim to Orlowski in Friday's quarterfinals. "They know each other's game very well, and they both want to win. It's going to be tight, real tight." Dvoracek probably would agree, but if you care to ask him, don't get Orlowski to interpret. The U.S. men's team of Seemiller and 15-year-old Eric Boggan of Merrick lost in the quarterfinals yesterday to England after defeating Jamaica in a first-round match.

The U.S. women's team defeated Sweden in a tight first-round match before losing to top-seeded Japan in the semifinals. The format used yesterday is called a "tie," a best three-out-of-five match. Player A on one team would face Player 1 on the other team. Then Player would face Player 2.

A doubles match would follow, and if a winner still hasn't been determined, Player A would meet Player 2. Should the be tied after four matches, Player would face Player 1. Czechoslovakia and sixth-seeded Korea, an upset winner over fourthseeded France in a tight quarterfinal match, met last night in one of the men's semifinal matches, while second-seeded Germany faced third-seeded England in the other. Japan defeated arch-rival South Korea in the finals of the women's competition, 3-2. No official attendance figure was released, but the crowd for yesterday's action, open to the public for the first time during the tournament, was estimated at about 1,000.

Tournament officials had hoped the arena would be filled to capacity. WOMEN'S EVENTS Women's A Singles--Dana Ovildys, Staten Island, def. Shazzi Feistein, New York City: Women's 40-and oversingles- Yvonne Kronlage, Columbia, def. Pat Hodgins, Santa Ana, Girls' 13-and-under singles-Ai-Ju Wu, Paramus, N.J., def. Rama Gvildys, Staten Island: Women's A Doubles Johnson-McKnight, Canada, def.

Kronlage, Columbia, and Newell, Landham, Girls' 17-and-under Doubles- Dadian, Oak Creek Dawidowicz, Aurora, del. Bergstrom-Matilaimem, Sweden. MIXED DOUBLES 17-and-under- Sweden, def. Peterson, Wisher, and Waller, Sweden. Newsday Photo by Don Norkett Milan Orlowski of Czechoslovakia returns ball in semifinal match yesterday ten played in Czechoslovakia.

And it bothers neither to be playing a teammate for first prize and a $600 share of the $15,000 purse. Yesterday, they were friends as they helped heavily favored Czecho- slovakia move toward the team title. Today, though, they will be rivals as they match their similar aggressive styles. be a super match," said Pittsburgh's Danny Seemiller, the 7 Meminger's New Role Is an Old One By Don Markus New Rochelle- -The role was always one to which Dean. Meminger was well accustomed, no matter what the response was to the advice he was giving or that those he was trying to help were often bigger and better and making twice as much money.

That some never listened to his words, turning off Meminger as simply as they would a bathroom faucet, never stopped him from playing the role which would serve as preparation for the future. "But now they have to pay attention," Meminger said, standing in the middle of the basketball court at Iona College early yesterday morning. Meminger smiled. "They have no choice," he said. What once was done in the middle of the courtfirst at Rice High School in the Bronx, then at Marquette University and, finally, in the National Basketball Association for six years will be done from the sidelines.

What once was part of the job is now the job itself. Meminger, 31, is a coach. He will coach the New York Stars in the team's second year as part of the Women's Professional Basketball League. "It's not that much different," Meminger said. "I've always looked at myself as a It was the way his coaches looked at Meminger; he was merely an extension of their philosophy and strategy, doing in a game what they were only allowed to do in practice.

Al McGuire, his coach at Marquette, once called Meminger, "the smartest player I've ever had." Meminger was an all-America there and led Marquette to 26 straight victories his senior year. Red Holzman, who drafted him as the Knicks' No. 1 pick in 1971 and coached Me- minger for four years, said, "He was always doing any problems because they're women," he said. things like a coach, always thinking. He used to "Basketball is basketball." drive the other guys crazy." In his years with the It is a game which Meminger will never shake Knicks, Meminger played first behind Walt Frazier from his system, a game which helped him survive and Dick Barnett, then behind Frazier and Earl and eventually leave the ghettos, a game which Monroe.

He played on the Knicks' last champion- helped him become a celebrity, and, as it does with ship team, in 1973, and scored 15 points against the others, a statistic. Meminger came back in 1977 to Boston Celtics in the seventh game of the Eastern the Knicks after two years in Atlanta, only to be reDivision finals. leased at the end of the season. "I would not be coaching," Meminger said, "will reflect the ing the truth if I didn't say I still think about way I played. I will stress tough defense and offen- playing," Meminger said.

"I realize that it's over. sively, I will tell my players to go to the hoop. I still think about it but I still think about the first haven't developed a system for this team yet be- girl I ever dated." cause I haven't seen talent." Now, mostly, Dean Meminger thinks about beWhat Meminger saw Saturday were 40 players ing a coach. He has verbally agreed to his Stars' at a free-agent tryout camp. He spoke to them contract and an official announcement is shortly briefly, about his own philosophy and what he forthcoming.

He makes no promises. "I'll do this for hoped to get out of the tryout. He then split the the moment," he said. moment may last a group into two sections, partly working a defensive year. It may last a lifetime." drill on one court while watching the players tak- ing fullcourt layups on an adjacent court.

Me- Of the 40 players attending Saturday's tryout, minger said he expected to bring 10 players from about half were former local college players. One the free-agent camp back with him to the Stars' prospective Star, Gwen Reed, came from her home training camp in September. What Meminger in Gillette, and spent $400 for an airline tickhopes to find are players willing to be as he was et, only to have her luggage lost en route. "It'll be with McGuire and Holzman, extensions on the worth it if I make the team," said Reed, who was court. loaned a pair of sneakers and a uniform.

Last year, "Every good team has to have one coach on the Reed played for the All-America Redheads, a barnfloor," Meminger said. "I can't read situations on storming team for which Reed had to dye her hair the court. If a player is getting overplayed, she red. The Stars are planning a press conference at must be able to read that." Meminger, who spent Madison Square Garden June 9, to officially introthe last two years working for the Police Athletic duce Meminger as coach and announce a schedule League, has coached youth teams and high school of 10 games in the Felt Forum and eight games in -stars, but never women. "I don't see there being the Garden.

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