European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 21, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday november 21, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 19 commentary strange Maverick in fhe tight world near the Entrance of the Gramercy gym in new York a sidewalk philosopher slumped against inc building settling the affairs of the world free of charge. Past him and up three rickety staircases the boxing Community had gathered to Salute the memory of the Maestro of this place fight manager Casda a to. D Amato who died a couple of weeks ago love those stairs and their cracked surfaces worn by 52 years Worth of boxers trumping up into the tiny Roo with its peeling paint. Any kid coming Here for the first time who thinks he wants to be a fighter and who makes it up those dark stairs has it 50 percent licked because he clicking fear d Amato often said. The Walla of the Gramercy gym arc decorate with signs like one that advertises Good old fashioned rundown by or. Pat pop Robertson s3" and another advising visitors please do no disturb  at the head of the stairs a sign says anybody caught stealing will be barred from this gym 1another exports visitors to keep this gym  the first May have been heeded there is some Evi Dence that the second has not. The ring with its three tattered strands that look like they be been there As Long As the gym has Domi nates the Small Stark room. Near pop Robertson s Rubdown sign there Are yellowing fight posters Adver Tising bouts of a simpler time when managers like d Amato had no trouble separating the sport s Good Guys from its bad ones. There were plenty of the latter around and d Amato never yielded to them. You can do anything you want he once told some nefarious entrepreneurs who were seeking a piece of one of his fighters. Cut me into Little  won t give  it was that indefatigable spirit that d Amato s friends came to Salute in the Grimy Gramercy gym a place that could have come right out of Central cast ing at a Hollywood movie studio. Jose Torres who won the Light heavyweight title under d Amato s guidance and now is chairman of the new York slate athletic commission remembered his first paydays and a Story he told promote Mickey Duff about his manager. My first purse was $500, and Cus gave me a $500 Bonus when i won he said. My second purse was $750 and Cus made up the rest to a $1,000. My third purse was $1,000 and Cus gave me another $500bonus." my god Torres said Duff exclaimed. It would have been better if you had lost. Cus could have save some  author Norman Mailer remembered d Amato s interest in boxing s simplest common denominator courage. If you arc Lucky you arc born with it he said. Cus spent his life teaching  i be seen bad managers Rotten managers manag ers with no heart or feeling who would Cut fighters Down the Middle author Budd Shulberg said. The rare kind Are the ones like Cus who thought not of the fighter but of the human being and his future. He was a Diogenes a strange Maverick in the fight world looking for an honest  boxing historian Jim Jacobs recalled leaving fight with d Amato and being accosted on a manhat Tan Street Corner by a stranger who did not appear to be a pillar of the Community an assessment con firmed when the Man demanded $1. Jacobs was reaching for his Wallet when d Amato then 70, walked. Cocking his fist he announced this Man docs not have $ i. Now get out of  the visitor fled. When Jacobs recovered his composure he berated his Friend. You should never do that he told d Amato. That s How people get  d Amato was unimpressed by Jacobs protests. He said i knew what i was doing " Jacobs said. " and besides i had no intention of hurting him " outside the Gramercy gym the sidewalk philosopher wandered away. Inside the stories about Cus went on into the night. It Aiu Clim Pruni skins a a would rather play baseball football Schroeder s second Choice by Dave Goldberg a football writer True or false Jay Schroeder walked right out of the quarterback listings in Central casting and into the Washington redskins Hud dle. Jay Schroeder is 6-feet-4, 215 pounds Blond runs a 4.6-Sccond 40-Yard dash and throws a classic spiral 60 Yards downfield with ease. Jay Schroeder is Frank Merriwell and Chip Hilton the hero to take Over in storybook fashion and Lead the redskins to a Cru Cial National foot Ball league Victory after the villainous Lawrence Taylor shatters Joe Theis Mann s right leg. All True to Point. Jay Schroeder. Pronounced but Shray Der also is firs a failed minor Schroeder league hitter who would rather be playing baseball. Tonight he a an All pro. If he plays like that for the rest of his career he ii be an All pro for years. But who knows what will happen next week Jerry Rhome the redskins quarterback coach said after Schroeder relieved the stricken Theismann and completed 13 of 20 passes for 221 Yards to rally the redskins to 8 23-21 win Over the new York giants monday night. It was a win Washington 6-5, desperately needed to remain in the race for a fifth consecutive playoff Bertli. But its storybook hero was most interested afterwards in talking about his other career. Schroeder who is looking Forward to playing his first full game since High school when Washington visits Pittsburgh sunday was a backup to Tom Ramsey in his freshman year at Urcla. He started just one game at quarterback completing six of 10 passes for 120 Yards against Ore gon state before being lifted at halftime with Urcla leading 31-0. But he left school after that season to sign a contract with the Toronto Blue jays. "1 just decided i wanted to pursue my first love and that was baseball sch Roeder said. But his first love turned out to be his second Best sport. A part time Catcher first baseman and outfielder he struck out 172 times in one season with Kinston of the Carolina league in 1983, facing among other pitchers Dwight Gooden of Lynchburg this year s National league by to Ujj award Winner. Try hitting against Dwight find in in a Twilight game with the shadows and poor lights he  after the 1983 baseball season he called the nil and reminded the people there he was eligible for the 1984 draft. He was taken in the third round by Washington after Bobby Beathard. The redskins general manager heard he had worked out with the los Angeles raiders and worried that the raiders might grab him. His selection was a mystery. He was t listed in the numerous published scouting reports and he was Anonymous to most of the reporters there. It was left to Joel Buchs Bairn of the now defunct pro foot Ball weekly to regale several other news men with tales of Schmo Cdr s Long forgot ten football derring do in a Token 1981 appearance against Southern Cal. But football men knew. The things he did tonight were indications of a great quarterback and that was without preparation Beathard said after the game. Several others in attendance monday night acknowledged what was being whispered around that the redskins probably would have lost had Schroeder not entered the game. Does that mean the Hall of Fame should begin minting Schroeder s bust not quite yet. The nil files Are full of quarterbacks who stepped in and starred at mid game anyone remember Clint Longle then faded quickly. Coming off the Bench with out waiting apprehensively for a game to Start is often a lot easier. This week the sleepers will have film of Schroeder something the giants lacked. New York had prepared monday night for the finesse of a 36-year-old Theismann and did t adjust its defense for the hard throwing Schroeder. That s kind of like trying to hit a fastball when you re looking for a change up. Hey give the kid credit for the one game. I think he s an nil quarterback but it will take Lime to know How Good said Rhome who worked with Schroeder and stayed after practice to catch his passes because Theismann took almost Al the snaps in workouts. But he sure played his heart out to night. He stood in there against their Pas Rush. Maybe it s a Good thing i did t re mind him there were millions of people  Crawley injury forces title fight to be called off Reno Nev. Up saturday s world boxing association lightweight bout be tween Champion Livingstone Bramble and Tyrone Crawley was cancelled tuesday when the challenger withdrew with a hand injury suffered two weeks ago in training. There were no immediate plans to re schedule the e fight which was to have been televised live by Abc. It s very frustrating because i was in top condition. Down to 136, 137 pounds Crawley 26, said. The Philadelphia native said he s been soaking his right hand in ice for "24 hours a Day since he Hurt it during a sparring ses Sion but the problem became More severe. The doctor for the Nevada athletic commission or. Charles Fillippini said i would damage the tissues in my right hand if i fought he said. Crawley took sunday off and tried to resume sparring monday a spokesman for promoter top rank said. The Boxer then went to Nee Fillippini who said Crawley had two placet on the hand where soft tis sues were damaged. The doctor said he probably could fight but it is a legitimate injury and he can Back out if he wants the spokesman said. Crawley 19-1 with six knockouts has been the Aba s no. 1 contender since june 1984. His last bout was a 12-round decision Over Charlie Brown june 5. He has also beaten prominent lightweights Robin Blake and Gene Hatcher. Bramble 24, was to make his second title defense of the Crown he wrested from Ray Mancini in june 1984. He Defeated Mancini in a rematch eight months later. Bramble of Montclair n.j., is 23-1-1 with 14 knockouts. Reuschel Thomas capture up comeback honors new York up Richer Rick Rachel of the Pittsburgh pirates and designated hitter Gorman Thomas of the Seattle mariners two Veteran players whose careers were threatened by shoulder injuries tuesday were named up s major league comeback puyenoftbeyearforl985. Reuschel thought to be washed up after undergoing shoulder surgery in 1982, received 16 votes in a poll of 26 up baseball correspondents to win the National league award. Thomas returning from rotator cuff surgery picked up 12 votes to take Ameri can league honors. Atlanta first baseman Bob Homer who hit 27 homers after coming Back from hand surgery picked up four Points in the no voting. In the Al Detroit s Darrell Evans Milwaukee s Paul Molitor Kansas City i Hal Mcrae and Chicago Pitcher Britt Burns cached collected two votes. Once considered one of the National league s Premier right handers Reuschel was the pirates lop Pitcher this year at 14-8. The portly 36-year-old Pitcher who opened the season with Hawaii of the Pacific coast league compiled a 2.27 Era. Thomas one of the Al s top Home run hitters during the late 70s and Early 80s, was restricted to the designated hitter s role after last year s surgery. The Burly slugger had 32 homers and 87 rib