European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 17, 1969, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday january 17, 1969 the stars and stripes Page 27 running a successful program year after year is a never end ing task. Just ask Mike Shapiro the genial Mastermind of the european Little league program. Tournament Competition does t begin until july but already Mike is knee deep in preparations. "1 began thinking about the 1969 european Little league championships the Day i returned from the 1968 International tournament at Williamsport Shapiro said recently. There is an awful lot of paper work involved in running a tournament of this scope. And we in Europe encounter special problem that does t occur in most stateside pro Grams that of rotation Shapiro continued. Because most of our administrative per sonnet Are military we have avast turnover each year. In most stateside programs the administrators Are usually High school coaches who Are pretty Well entrenched in the Community and who Are not Apt Tobe shipped to another part of the course Shapiro went on our program takes in All of Europe where the . Has troops stationed. So in scope alone itis a much bigger program than most in the states. There May note As Many teams involved but 3rd his holds team Lead Mike Shapiro Berlin 8th div each Nab bouts in Usa eur meet the geography involved makes i really do believe our problems More complicated. A big problem Over Here is transportation and its costs theman who has directed european Little league Competition the past four years said. Take the 1968 european championships for example we had teams from Germany Norway Belgium Holland Turkey Greece the u.k., Italy and Spain competing. With the exception of Germany and possibly Belgium and Holland Ever team had to raise considerable Money to make the trip. Air fare from any of those farther away places certainly in t cheap 12 countries Shapiro said that the program was expected to embrace 12 coun tries this year saudi Arabia Eritrea and Morocco joining the Al ready existing Field and he estimates that 75 leagues involving 600teams and 10,000 youngsters will take part in the program the ultimate aim being earning a trip to the Little league world series. Last year the Little league program in the . Was expanded to include a senior Little league for boys Between 13 and 15a bracket to compete with the Long established babe Ruth program and Shapiro said he has been approached about the feasibility of expanding the european program to this new division. It s difficult to say right now whether or not we will have senior program in Europe Shapiro appraised. We have to Check out ail the angles to see if the interest is there As far As the boys Are concerned to see if we can get enough administrators sponsors and playing facilities to warrant such a promotion. I be always been a great advocate of competitive baseball and if this is a Way to get More boys playing the game under proper instruction then i m All for such a program. But like i said All the pros and cons must be weighed and we re studying All the where s the time bystander might ask where Shapiro would find the time to devote to additional Little league obligations. Already the established program absorbs most of his spare time like he said he started working on the 1969 tournament program the Day he re turned from the 1968 world series at Williamsport a. We really cannot see the Good of Little league expanding into the older boys Competition because there seems to be enough baseball available to those age groups. However to must say that the european babe Ruth program could use the Shapiro touch in organization. Shapiro for in stance already knows when his various tournaments will be staged and he is currently deciding the exact locales. When everything has been established firmly he will let the press and radio know exactly what is going on. Following past form he will keep the communications Media up to Date on All the latest happenings offering any service that May be needed to ensure a successful program from any Angle. Willij Type of organization and cooperation has not been Forth coming from the babe Siuth people the past few years a Point of fact being that no one not even the teams involved knew exactly what kind of a tournament was going to be played last summer until the night before the action was scheduled to commence. Shapiro for example already knows that All Little league tournament Competition in Europe this year including the european championships aug. 4-8 at Antwerp Belgium will be double elimination goes a Long Way toward a successful venture. T by Ralph Bennington staff writer Baum older Germany is Berlin and 8th inf div fighters each won three bouts Here thursday night when five of seven bouts failed to go the rout during the second night of the 1969 Usa eur boxing championships. Despite suffering three set backs the 3rd inf div holds the team Lead with 14 Points com pared to 12 apiece for the de fending Champion 8th div and Berlin. " 7 3h% 3rd army div. Is fourth Ira it Points Whf rth 4th army div has six and com has two. Points Are awarded on the basis of two for a win Andone for a loss with the fighters picking up Points after action continues Friday at Smith Barracks gym starting at7 30 . With eight bouts on the program. The saturday finals in11 weight divisions will get under Way at 8 .the thursday program May have been Short on Over All timeout it was loaded with action in the form of Bombshell was a night for sunday punchers even though they failed to produce an abundance of knockdowns and the fans spent most of the time wondering if the Man on the receiving end would go Down Host 8th inf div fighters were the most impressive with de fending Usa eur All army an interservice Light middleweight James Ross heading the snapped the head of 3rd armed div entry Michael Smithback with an opening right hand bomb and never let up until thebout was stopped at 1 28 of the first was clearly outclassed and Ross landed a series of Sharp combinations before Smith s handlers jumped up on the ring apron to indicate to referee Ray Hudson that it was All teammate Light heavy weight Richard Harley had uneven Shorter workout and did t even work up a sweat while get Ting a to Over the 3rd army div s Columbo Edwards after 37seconds of the first round. The inexperienced Edwards claimed he Hurt a shoulder in an opening flurry that was about All the action. Ross will meet the 3rd in div s Jose Colon in saturday s finals. Colon a pressing an Sharp punching puerto rican had Berlin s Joe Hinton hanging on at the finish As he gained a decision and gave the fans some thing to look Forward to on sat urday. He landed several Sharp punches including combinations but could t put Hinton Down Ina bout that proved popular with the crowd of 3,500 opening bantamweight bout produced the Only Knock Downs As Berlin s Herman her Cey dropped the 3rd inf div Sstephen Mistalski twice before the results bantamwk1oiit hit Inan Hercey Boru thud Stephen us , 3rd in ulv 0 65, Soi a1 Wilson 8 h Lul his. Tod Wulc Byrd 4th army the bout was stopped after 55seconds of the second round. Mistalski took an eight count inthe first and another in the Sec Ond from a Sharp left Hook be fore his handlers called it quits. The 8th div s Al Wilson go More Chance for show than action against inexperienced Willi Byrd of the 4th army div in the first of two Light welterweight local bouts. The former All army and interservice Champion dangled his left in disdain for his oppo nent and toyed around while look ing for an opening. He found few against the game Byrd but a right to the stomach finally con Vinced Byrd that he should Sig Nal he wanted no More after 1 30of the third round. In the second Light Welte scrap Berlin s Jesse Echols scored his second win in As Man nights with a to Over the 3rd inf div s Rufus Lucy after 1 49of the third. Echols landed Sev eral Good punches and took Mostof those in return on his gloves with a Good defense. In the closing Light heavy weight match Berlin s Kendall Brown out pointed Larry coins of the 3rd inf div. Jesse Bohols. Berlin. I 4�utv 1 3q, Ali lit Tod Kufus it y.u1iit James Ron Gill jul univ Tod Muritt Tel Siuli. Or amid l in 1 4. " Sij Colon 3rd Lul i la. It Al in heavyweight Ruhr Al bar Ley wit Lul div Tod i Lonbo Edward 3i l army Niv 0.37. First kvn1l i own. I ill i Ile a arms old championship action spirited action featured the firs night of action in the Usa eur boxing championships at Baum Holder s Smith gymnasium wednesday night. In the top pict Reotis Evans r of com z throws an overhand right which Richard Pankey of Berlin ducks under. However Evans scored often enough to win the Boot on a to in the third round. In Feather weight action below m and Ell Carolina of the 3rd div lands a right to the head of the 8th div s George Coley. Coley went on to win this one on a decision. Is photos by Wesley
