European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 16, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday june 16, 1977 the stars and stripes Page 29 vikes sign Wimbledon not Safe from politics Rice Ace to getting into International sport 3-year pact Houston up All America quarterback Tommy Kramer of Rice signed a three year contract with the Minnesota Vikings sunday and general manager Mike Lynn said he hoped Kramer would be ready to Start within three years. Kramer who led the Mcaa in passing last year with the owls was the Vikings no. 1 draft pick. I m pleased with the  said Kramer. I think it compares with con tracts signed by some other top  Kramer and Lynn declined to discuss the amount of Money Minnesota will pay its new quarterback. Obviously we thought a lot of Tommy or we would not have drafted him no.  said Lynn who signed Kramer in the lobby of a Houston hotel. If you look at our Rosier you will S.C.a lot of no. 1 draft choices playing for us and we expect Tommy to do us an excellent  soon after Kramer was drafted. 16-year Veteran Minnesota quarterback fran tar i Piton said he would be playing for no More than two More seasons and Lynn said he thought that would be about the right time needed by Kramer to prepare himself for a starting Job in the National football league. Fran says he is going to play Only two additional years said Lynn. Tommy is Young and with two years under Tarkenton he has a Chance to take Over the starting assignment in the next three  Kramer said he hoped to be ready before that. I m going to prepare myself to play Kramer said. I am going to try to push fran Tarkenton and doing that will make me better. And if the Opportunity comes to play. I am going to be  . Foyt is named May Hickok Winner new York up . Foyt the texan who won a record fourth Indianapolis 500. Won in the May voting of the 28th annual s. Rae Hickok professional ath Lete of the year  joins jockey Steve Cauthen who won the monthly poll twice heavyweight contender Jimmy Young and masters Winner Tom Watson in the race for the Dia mond and Gold Belt that goes to the Victor. Foyt received 64 first place votes and 251 Points beating out Portland s Bill Walton the most valuable player in the Aba playoffs by a wide margin. Walton s 128 Points placed him second and Boxer Ken Norton was third. London not when the first balls Are struck in the 100th Wimbledon championships monday several top players will be missing from the activity at the All England Lawn Tennis club. American Arthur Ash who was inc 1975 men s singles Champion withdrew from the tournament and for Alex a Trevell the 1973 singles runner up and Olga Moro Zova the women s runner up in 1974, absence is not by Chance but by political Choice. No Tennis players from the soviet Union were allowed to participate in the Wimbledon Centennial Celebration. The use of Tennis As a political weapon has become a familiar tactic in International sports frustrating players officials and the Public. And Wimbledon like other championships has had its share of unpleasant moments. In 1973, Over 60 of the top men players affiliated with the association of Tennis professionals boycotted the tournament in support of Nikki Pilic of Yugoslavia. Pills had been banned from Wimbledon that year by the International Lawn Tennis federation for his refusal to play a Davis cup match for Yugoslavia. In 1972, another political dispute kept players under contract to world championship Tennis from playing in the championships. Wimbledon also was the victim of two world wars. The tournament was not held Between 1915 and 1919 because of world War i and from 1940 through 1946 because of world War ii thus making this year s event the 91st actual Competition. Several factors were behind the decision of the soviet Tennis federation to skip this rocket Star gives it a twirl Houston rocket Hitlin Thill Star Cal to Murphy warm up for Competition id Mother sport in a Corpus Christ gymnasium. Calvin is taking part in the us. Twirling As Melaten s Texas state championship. Up Pumo sore thumb Given As reason Connors quits in Queens Tennis London a Jimmy Connors Wimbledon s top seed withdrew from the j100. 000 Rawlings Lawn Tennis tournament at London s Queens club wednesday because of a badly bruised bumb. Connors said his doctor had advised him to take As Long a break As possible to rest his hand and added i regret having to withdraw i obviously am anxious to get As much practice As possible on grass before Wimbledon next  last time Connors the 1974 Wimble Don Champion played on grass was in the Wimbledon quarterfinals last year in los ing to Roscoe Tanner. Tuesday Connors had to play his first round match Here against Kjell Johansson of Sweden indoors on a Board court be cause rain had made the grass courts unplayable. Connors won it easily. 6-1, 6-4, but afterwards threatened to pull out of the tournament if be had to play on the boards again. Officials and joiners insisted that this threat had nothing to do with the withdrawal but observers could t help but wonder As the american Lethander later showed some bystanders the thumb and said that there was nothing wrong with it. Rain held off wednesday for some matches to be played outdoors but later in the Day play moved inside again. Conner s second round match against John Feaver of Britain was one of those on the schedule until the  Early matches on the grass Raul Ramirez of Mexico Defeated Tom Gullik son of Onalaska wis. 6-4, 84. A and Brian Gottfried of port Washington . Bested Jorge Andrew of Vea Zeula who had beaten australian Veteran Rod Law monday a 6-4. Then Tanner of Lookout Mountain. Tenn., bad to go indoors to beat Phil Dent of Australia 6-2, 6-3. And Bob Lutz of san Clemente. Calif., beat Tomas Smid of Czechoslovakia 6-4,6-3. Later the rain slopped again and italian Andriano Zanatta saved a match Point to rally for a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 Triumph Over Sher Wood Stewart of Goose Cerek Texas. The Day s biggest Surprise was the upset of Stan Smith of sea Pines. S.c., by Hank Pfister of Bakersfield calif., w. 6-4. Year s Wimbledon. The strongest reason was the growing reluctance of the men s professional Tennis Council to turn Over prize Money won by soviet players to the soviet federation. The soviet claimed that their players Are amateurs and should receive expenses Only with the prize Money being passed to the federation. But almost All players from Eastern european countries now Are Al Lowed to accept their prize Money checks turning Over a portion of their earnings to the federation. The feeling among Many Council members was that paying the so Viet federation was inconsistent and was counter productive to the Long Range inter ests of the professional game. The soviets also appeared somewhat embarrassed about their non competitive status in the federation cup women s Competition which was contested this week in East Bourne. They were suspended and fined from the federation cup for pulling out of last year s event in Philadelphia Over the presence of South Africa. Tennis has been a convenient target for political causes because of its International scope and the Public relations machinery available to nations searching for recognition. Everyone perceives Tennis for their own special interest says Bob briny the executive director of at. Trying to keep All these groups together can be very  the soviet absence at Wimbledon for the first time in years will be overshadowed by the excitement surrounding the 100th anniversary. But in does nut solve the prob Lem of How to avoid further political crises for the sport. Sports and politics Are As inextricably interwoven As any two things can  a thur Ashe once said. And the big