European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 22, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Holmes works up a sweat Tor Spinks saturday March 22, 1986 stars and stripes Page 25 by Steven Crist Miami Beach not the sign pointing visitors to club 54 on the lower level of the Konover hotel says that the Little cabaret room is the training head quarters of the heavyweight  inside though the scene and even the Star performer lend the feeling of the room s original purpose with just another aging entertainer playing for a Small crowd on the frayed beachfront circuit. Come on in a bartender Calls out to a few tentative hotel guests who Are wan Dering Back in from the Pool clutching Sun Tan lotion and Beach towels As they peer into the dim red lights of the room. It Don t Cost nothing to watch the  it does Cost $2.50 for a Beer though and you need one quickly. The air conditioning has been turned off in club 54, just one of the Star s ground rules for performing. It is Showtime now a Boom Box the size of a suitcase is flipped on and James Brown s living in America is blasting through the steamy room. Larry Holmes the afternoon Headliner at club 54 for the last two weeks is dancing to the beat in a makeshift boxing ring get Ting Loose and boxing invisible opponents. I want to Welcome y All to this hot room he says with a big smile when the music Dies Down. I Hope y All can sit Back and enjoy the show. The show must go  the Larry Holmes show finished its run wednesday and packed up for Las vegas nev., where on april 19 Holmes will at tempt to regain the International boxing federation heavyweight title he lost to Michael Spinks last sept. 21. As far As Holmes is concerned that fight was More a Mirage then an official decision. The word former is never heard in the Larry Holmes show but some of the sting of that defeat still shows. Larry s not talking to the press says his publicity Man Dick Lovell. He just does t want to get caught up in saying  Lovell is presumably referring to Holmes acrimonious comments about Rocky Marciano whose record of 49 straight victories Holmes was denied when he lost to Spinks and about Marciano s family which attended the fight. Those comments Hurt Holmes Public image As much As the defeat Hurt his stature As a Boxer and he is trying to regain both with a successful comeback. At the beginning of the Larry Holmes show his daily 90-minute Public workout at the Konover he introduces his seemingly endless retinue of handlers promoters sparring partners and pals then makes one last tribute. Finally i want you to meet a Guy who held the championship for 11a years. A lot of people said he would t make it Back but Here he is Larry Holmes he spars two rounds with his brother middleweight Mark Holmes then two rounds with Philip Brown a heavyweight from new Orleans. The action is Light and Holmes who looks like he still needs to lose a few pounds to reach his former fighting weight is not blowing hard when it s Over. It s hot in Here but not any hotter than it s going to be on april 19 at the Hilton in Las vegas he says drying off from the sparring but just warming up. I will to Michael  an interviewer from a local Spanish Lan Guage to station asks Holmes to smile for the camera and Holmes stares Down the Lens and Speaks. My critics say i am too old but Larry Holmes is never too old for Michael Spinks he says. I will regain my title that was  the second half of his act takes place Over by the punching bags where he keeps up a Patter in the form of letters from fans. He is hitting the bag harder and there is bitterness in his tone. Another Day another Dollar another Dollar another holler he begins. Dear Larry please Send me $5,000 for a Down payment on my House another Day another Dollar. Dear Larry i m sick Send me $10,000. Another Day another Dollar. Dear Larry my wife divorced me and took All my Money. Please Send me $100 Mil lion another Day another  not photo Larry Holmes plans to have plenty of punch against Michael Spinks. Well hit him in the funny one if we have to he segues into a Marine marching chant and then a discourse on marital Fidelity. The Trainer Angelo Dundee has wan dered in and Holmes stops punching to introduce him. Dundee asks him if he s train ing Well enough to win. We re Gonna Knock out Michael Spinks even if we gotta hit him in the Kneecaps Holmes says. Well hit him in the funny Bone if we have to like they told Gerry Cooney to do to  the workout done a few fans from the audience Are waiting out by the Pool where Holmes has promised autographs and Pic Tures. Holmes is inside chatting with some friends and two Konover executives. Some one asks How far he ran on the Beach that morning. Did t run today he says with a laugh. The Fellows kept me out too late last  Holmes shrugs and takes a pull on a Light Beer. The show must go on he says. Twins manager to stress Speed Homer dome a Misnomer f Miller says up photo twins Ray Miller. Not going for Power by John Nelso Nap baseball writer St. Petersburg Fla. Minnesota twins manager Ray Miller believes so strongly that the metronome is no Homer dome he is trying to restyle his club on Speed pitching and defense. The Homer dome is a Misnomer says Miller who has batting coach Tony Oliva leading the Way for his hitters. Maybe the first year it was built when they did t have any air conditioning and the humidity built up inside it. But the Only Short porch is in right Field. It s More of a doubles and triples  the Short porch Miller talks about is 327 feet Down the right Field line. But the left Field line is 343 feet. It s 385 in the left Center Power Alley 408 in Center and 367 to the right Center Alley. The super turf surface is one of the most Lively in baseball and creates ground Rule doubles where none would exist in other Parks. The game is Quick in our Ballpark and you be got to have a club that can play that Way Miller says. It s a livelier Ball. One thing i notice is that our pitchers Don t get As upset at Home As the other pitchers do when a Guy hits a Ball into the ground and beats out an infield  to the purpose of redirecting the club Miller and the twins made three trades in january that included the acquisition of five pitchers a switch hitting infielder and two speedy outfielders. Gone Are Power hitter Mike Stenhouse Catcher Dave Engle and infielder Tim Teu Fel. The new pitchers with a Chance to help will be left hander Bill Latham and right hander Joe Klink both from the new York mets left hander Ramon Romero and right hander Roy Smith both from Cleve land and right hander Charlie Mitchell from Boston. Back from last year s starting staff will be Ace left hander Frank Viola John Butcher and Mike Smithson. The twins got Bert Blyleven from Cleveland last August. We be added at least four Good Start ers Miller says and they All have a very Good Chance to  the addition of switch hitting second baseman Chris Pittaro from Detroit will add flexibility the manager says and right handed hitting outfielder Billy Beane from the mets May augment the platoon of Randy Bush and Mickey Hatcher in left Field. The twins also got outfielder Alex Sanchez from the tigers. Beane adds that Speed we be been looking for Miller says. Remaining Are first baseman Kent Hrbek shortstop Greg Gagne third base Man Gary Gaetti right fielder Tom Bru Ziansky and Center fielder Kirby Puckett. Mark Salas a Rookie last year is the twins Catcher. The Bench includes infielder Roy Smalley Catcher Tim Laudner and Bush. Gaetti at 27, Likely will be the oldest everyday player on the club. Between Seattle and us i think we have the Best Young Talent in baseball Miller says. You always overrate your own personnel a Little bit but the thing i like about this club is it s Young and has been together basically for about three years. I like our  Arn sports radio and television College basketball Mcaa tournament Southeast regional final Kentucky is. Leu7 30 . Saturday West regional final Louisville is. Auburn9 30p.m. Saturday