European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 2, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday september 2, 1978 the stars and stripes Page 21 Connors Moons spectators t rain forces . Open net delay by Steve Wilstein new York up . Open fans were unable to see Jimmy Connors play thursday night As an annoying steady rain swept away the evening program but about 150 spectators got a glimpse of his Bare derriere in the afternoon. J after a dreary Day filled with Gray skies land off and on showers play was finally � postponed in the Middle of Vitas Gerulaitis second round match with Victor Gerulaitis the fourth seed won the first i set 6-2 but was trailing 5-6 in the second setto Amaya who nearly toppled Bjorn Borg in the first round at Gerulaitis Amaya match was the feature of the afternoon card but it was no officially postponed until 9 p.m., some three hours after it scheduled night matches Connors versus australian Steve Docherty an ninth seeded Manuel Orantes versus Adri Ano Zanatta were also postponed until the Only completed match involving a men s seed no. 15 John Mcenroe the argumentative 19-year-old Mcaa Champion blew two match Points in a second set tie breaker against chilean Jaime Fillol but Hung on through a 20-minute rain suspension to notch a 6-4,6-7,6-1 Victory. Connors practice on court 12 for about20 minutes in a Light Sprinkle during the afternoon while about 150 spectators line the fences around him. Play had already been suspended in the stadium and grand stand and Connors was the Only player in action at the National Tennis helped wipe the court dry by kicking a Towel around with his foot then practice his ground strokes for about 10minutes. He and Chico Hagey a fellow pro began a mock game and Hagey won the first Point by drilling a forehand Winner of s fhe Broncos is. Raiders again As nil opens season Fps weekend by Joe Carnicelli new York up the longest National football league season in history opens this weekend and the first major game will take place in Denver where the acc Champion Broncos take on the Oak land raiders the club they Defeated in the title game last year. The Broncos rocketed to National prominence Early last season when they upset the raiders at Oakland intercepting Ken Stabler seven times in the process. Oakland came Back to defeat the Bron Blazer owner oks meeting with Walton Portland Ore. A a spokesman for the Portland Trail blazers confirmed thursday night that team owner Larry Weinberg has agreed to meet with disgruntled Center Bill s advisor Jack Scott said earlier thursday the National basketball association s most valuable player wants to investigate a possible reconciliation with the blazers. If they have a meeting of the minds Scott said of Walton and Weinberg it quite possible that next week Bill Walton will be a Portland Trail Blazer again and everything will be blazers publicist John White said he spoke with general manager Harry Glickman by Telephone thursday night and Glickman told him Walton had asked through an intermediary to meet with Weinberg. White said he had no idea what the subject matter would be. The team had announced aug. 4 it had agreed to the 6-foot-ll Center s request to be traded to another Aba team. Scott said at the time that Walton wanted to leave partly because he disagreed with some of the team s medical said Walton s intermediary had telephoned Weinberg from san said no Date had been set for the meet ing. Glickman Weinberg and Blazer coach changes but remain title contenders. Start Jack Ramsay Are meeting this week in los of Long year for Chuck Knox and punch less cos in the return game at Denver but Denver still held on to capture the acc West title while Oakland made it into the playoffs As a wild card entry. They met in the title game after the raiders Defeated Baltimore in sudden death overtime. The Broncos took the rubber match in a controversial game to earn a super bowl berth. Oakland is looking to get off on the right foot sunday. Despite their status As de fending champions the Broncos Are As four Point reasoning behind it is that the Bron cos really Haven t improved themselves Tony great degree while the raiders have several players who misused portions of Las season with injuries returning and have made some key acquisitions during the off season. Here s the Way the nil shapes up this weekend Tampa Bay 20, . Giants 6 Buckno longer a joke around the nil. Their de sense ranks among the Best. Giant offence has been nonexistent and a a Jerry Gol Steyn still virtually a Rookie. Oakland 21, Denver 17 raiders out to prove Broncos acc title last year was a Fluke. Denver intent on proving it was t but Broncos May be time around. St. Louis 27, Chicago 10 card make Bud Wilkinson a Winner in his nil coaching debut. New bears coach Nei Larmstrong still trying to put together an offence to go with Walter England 27, Washington 13 patriots ready to take their place Asan nil Power. Redskins still unsettled in a lot of key Angeles 20, Philadelphia 17 rams have been revived since Ray Malavasi took Over As head coach for George Allen. Eagles have Knack of losing close ones Down Pat now.. Jets 23, Miami 20 jets will Surprise a lot of people this year and dolphins will be first. Miami will need a week to get Over loss of a a Bob Griese for Proba Bly the 31, new Orleans 13 Vikings look better than Ever with heal thy fran Tarkenton and addition of run Ning Back Rickey Young from san opening with Patchwork defense. Pittsburgh 27, Buffalo 10steelers have made some key personnel nothing on 16, san Francisco 14 could be one of few Bright spots for new Browns coach san Rutigliano. 49ers have 15 new starters which should show How set they 23, Kansas City 13 bengals have lost Ebken Anderson but backup John Reaves is capable of handling Young chiefs. New pkg coach Marv lev also has a Long season ahead of him. Detroit 17, Green Bay 10 lion defense Strong enough to Stop pack who Are hoping to get much need firepower from Rookie wide receiver Jmes Lofton. Dallas 34, Baltimore 10 cowboys out to show National to audience Why they re super bowl champions. Colts los tall their offensive punch with Trade of run Ning Back Lydell Mitchell to san Diego and injury Tomb Bert Jones. Down the Side. Connors thought the shot was a Lucky one and he showed everyone exactly what he meant. Turning around Connors pulled Down his warm up pants exposing his Bare Bottom to Hagey and the gesture an old practice called mooning somehow caught the mood of the Day. Both Gerulaitis and Mcenroe had a Littlemore trouble than anticipated. Gerulaitis seemed to bog Down As therain picked up in the second set with barely 500 fans sitting in the wet blew two match Points after taking a 6-4 Lead in the second set tiebreaker with Fillol a 32-year-old Davis cupper. Fillol won four straight Points to take the tiebreaker 8-6 As Mcenroe double faulted to lose the set. Mcenroe should perhaps have been the favorite of those who remained from the Overall Day crowd of 11,681 but his inces Sant complaints about Calls turned the fans against him. One crucial complaint by Mcenroe brought a replay of a called Ace by Fillol on the ninth Point of the tiebreaker. Fillo then double faulted to give Mcenroe a 5-4 Lead. An angry Fillol kicked the Ball across the net nearly hitting Mcenroe. Mcenroe went ahead 6-4 but could t put away the clincher. You try to Tell yourself to forget it Mcenroe said. But that s the hardest thing to forget it. No one likes to lose when you have match Mcenroe Felt badly about the crowd re action to him and he did t seem to under stand he was the cause of was kind of disappointed Mcenroe said of the fans booing him. It seemed kind of Odd. If i was in Chile they would t be rooting for me. But i la find out about that in a couple of Mcenroe is a member of the . Davis cup that plays in Chile in two weeks. In other matches sixth seeded Diann Fromholtz of Australia beat Kathy Harter Culver City calif., 6-1, 6-4, and Renee Richards lost to South african Liana Kloss 6-2,6-7,6-4.richards was beaten in the first round for the second straight year. Richards fell to Virginia Wade in her opening match last year. Angeles White said but he thought Walton and Weinberg might meet alone. Scott made his statements in an inter View with Portland television station Kate. He said the meeting to which he As signed no Date was arranged by a Friend of his and Weinberg s while Weinberg was t7q/ to _ a. A 1 Diego 31, Seattle 21 Charger Rookie Whiz John Jefferson ready to show nil he s Star material. Sea Hawks improved porous defense but it still has a Long Way to 20, Atlanta 10 this 0 _ _ 0 could be the year oilers return to Power rationing in Europe. Weinberg returned House status with addition of running Back to new York to participate wednesday in Earl Campbell and Racehorse receiving continued on Page 22 corps. Falcons outstanding defensively but concentration game fourth seeded Wendy Turnbull of Australia braces for a return shot against Katja Ebbinghaus in their first round match in the . Open. Turnbull Defeated her West German opponent 6-2, 7-5 before rain halted play. A
