European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 16, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 18 the stars and stripes Friday. May 16, 1946 columns & comments Jaffa he of bad to noting the Good by Ani v Rooney in one 12-hour Peri last Manly 1 watched three hours at tul Sion comprising the Best and one or the worst broadcasts i Ever saw. I d be curious 10 know Haw Many people watched Bath the Michael spin Ltd Larry Holmes heavyweight boxing match and the Vladimir Horowitz piano concert from Moscow. Fit were up to me i d outlaw boxing As a sport and yet confess it holds a certain fascination. There s no question in brutality h pan or the fascination it Holdi Fin people who watch in. Two men Are Pur into a Small fenced in area together Tor the purpose of trying Locurt Ench other. The great sugar Robinson Onee said Fiat he urinated blood for a week after a Fig from the blows he d taken to the kidneys and he look fewer than my. Lighten. You can imagine the effect of those same blows to a mail Lead. Boxing appeals to the worst in everyone who watches in. The crowd at a boxing match Are Distant relatives to the crowds of roman who came to the colosseum la watch i he gladiators kill each other. In was 1 00 saturday night sunday morning Actu ally before 1 got la bed. 1 was ashamed of myself for having Iii Tydd an to watch such a dismal spectacle. Was As if i d sneaked in to see a dirty movie. The fight and its outcome made it Clear that boxing was t much better than those phony wrestling matches. It seemed Clear beyond a doubt hat Larry Holmes wan but Michael Spinks was declared inc Winner. "-.". In an interview after the fight and just before i turned off inc television set Larry Holmes ended i with a taste Las vulgarity that was a perfectly fitting conclusion to a terrible evening. The following morning Marge and i had a leisurely breakfast lasting More than an hour while we read the sunday paper. The sunday paper always makes me feel like part of civilization again. Toward the end of breakfast at 9 o clock i turned on sunday morning with Charles Charles had gone to Moscow with Vladimir to Royiw to broadcast the triumphant return to his Homeland of one of the great pianists of All time. The Broadens was extended from its usual 90 minutes to two hours and it was simply the Best television broadcast of Alt time. It was everything civilized thoughtful and peaceful that the fight the previous evening was not. H was a Miracle in me thai i was watching it on the same Little screen. If you did t see it it s hard to Tell you about it. Horowitz Una magnificent and Charles Kuralt was very Little less than that in writing and speaking the word that gave More clarity shape and drama to the event than a Mere piano recital would have had. Next comes one of the most powerful piano pieces Mozart Ever wrote Kurall said very hard u plays it As if Mozart wrote it for him. Then we watched and listened and appreciated How difficult in was. Seeing one Man play a piano for two hours does t sound like Good television but it was Mctier than Good by a whole lot. It was smashing. During the toilet part of the concert watching this 81 year old Genius play i found Mist farming in my eyes for same mysterious reason i could not explain. 1 was not sad. I was exultant. It had something to do with my Pride at thai very moment in being part a the lame civilization that Ihu great and endearing Man playing the piano was pan of. Almost at the. Same irritant i Felt the suggestion of ears in my eyes the television camera left Horo to s fingers on the keyboard and dissolved to the face of a soviet citizen in the audience he did nut look like the enemy. His eyes were closed his head tilted slightly backward so Bat his face was up. And one tone Teardrop ran
