European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 14, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 the stars and stripes wednesday january 14, 1887 Wilkins finding himself in new role for Atlanta b Bill Barnard a basketball writer there was a Lime when Dominique Wilkins appeared doomed to a career As a showboat who always docked when the Lime came to play for an Aba championship he was he Dunk Muster a shooter without con science the human highlight film Bui his season after proving last year that he could win a scoring championship while leading the Atlanta Hawks to 50 victories Wilkins has i bunt himself cast in a new Light. I be worked hard to become More of in All around player and it s been Well Worth it Wilkins said. It feels Good that 1 Don t have to exert myself so much to score Points. Since the learn is doing Well i m getting credit for being an All around player. The Hawks have a better record this season than the Boston celtics Philadelphia 76crs and Milwaukee Bucks who have won All the division lilies in the East Ern conference in the last six years. Mike Fratello the Aba s coach of the year last season said that when he came to the Hawks three years ago. He told Wilkins that he would always be known As a selfish player As Long As the Hawks were a mediocre team. "1 sat Down with Dominique and told him that his game would improve because he s a hard worker and be  Fratello said. I mid Hal As his game improved the team would improve and would win More games. I said you have to win to gain the most recognition. To gel Siats and no win people will say you Don t help the team. You help yourself but not the team " Fratello said two things had to happen Wilkins had to grow As an individual and the team had to grow. But the Bottom line is that we Musl win. And that s just what happened. As we be won he s gotten the recognition for being Able to do More things than just  Fralc Llo asked to Tisl the ways in which Wilkins has improved since he came into the league four years ago said he s not even close to being the same player he was when he came into the game. His perimeter game is better his ability to dribble he s better defensively his shot selection is better and his basketball in is much much higher. As a result he s an All Star now and he was t when he came  with the fan voting winding Down for the All Star game in Seattle on feb. 8, Wilkins appears Likely to Stan for the first Lime alongside Larry Bird Al Forward for the Eastern conference. H is scoring a Scrage of 26 Points is Down from Ibe to he compiled last season in route to the scoring title but he is taking four fewer shots per game and his assist average is up from 2.6 to 3.9 per game. Wilkins has conceded the scoring title this year to Chicago s Michael Jordan who is averaging More than 37 Points but he does t seem to mind. "1 have a scoring Lille now i can concentrate on winning games Wilkins said. Besides Michael is so far ahead there s no need for anybody else to even think about winning a scoring title. But with the record we have 24 victories in Atlanta s first 33 games Don t want to Trade places with  despite Wilkins de or Phasis of Point production there have been times his season when the old scoring magic returned. There were 39 Points on opening night against new Jersey 36 a Day later against the 76crs and 38 in an emotional one Point Victory Over the celtics on nov. But no one who saw Wilkins oui score Jordan 57-41 in a 123-95 Atlanta Victory on Dee. 10 will forget it. Michael is the kind of Guy who inspires those he plays against Wilkins said. We Are Good friends so we talked before the game and that night i was ready. I wanted to show people i could still score when i want to. It was one of those games where i got it going and everything  Wilkins who was 19 for 28 from the Field Many of them on breakaway dunks said he got caught up in the game s excitement. My teammates made me aware of How Many Points i had Wilkins said. They d say you got so. You got 52. They wanted me to set the record for most Points at lie omnibus i just tied it. I admit that once 1 got 50,1 wanted the record. It was a rare game to Sec two Guys putting on a show like that. Both sides Hud a lot of  Paul Gilbert who puts together spectacular plays during the season into Aba promotional features said there were enough highlights in hat game to make an entire  Wilkins recent recognition As More than a one dimensional player has left him secure in the knowledge that his image won t be tarnished by a Little showing off. Unlike Phoenix s Larry Nance who dropped out of the Aba s slam Dunk contest in subsequent years after winning it in i9s4. Wilkins looks Forward to display ing his dunking and jumping ability on All Star week end. My game has changed so much in the last three years thai i m not known anymore As just a Dunker Wiff ins said. But it s still fun to do. I think it s great for the league to have the  lost year s slam Dunk Winner Hawks teammate Spud Webb is injured and won t be Back to defend the title so Wilkins the Champion in 1985, is determined to keep the Crown in Atlanta. We wan cd to go out and be 1-2 again like last year Wilkins said. We talked a lot about what we were going to do. I m disappointed Spud won t be there As i m sure everyone  although he became the Cornerstone of the Hawks human highlight film1 Dominique walk or. Cd showboat brings Hawks ship in future the moment he came into the Aba Wilkins said he feels More pressure now because he s the senior player on the team besides Center tree Rollins. We re a Young team now and there s a demand for me to be a Leader Wilkins said there s always a lot of pressure when you re the Guy getting most of the  fortunately for Wilkins and Atlanta most of that publicity has turned favourable. Reds expos open no april 6 in Cincinnati new York a the 1987 National league baseball season will get under Way on monday april 6, with three games including the traditional major league opener at Cincinnati. The Montreal expos will play the reds in Cincinnati s riverfront stadium in the afternoon with the san Diego padres playing at the san Francisco giants and me West division Champion Houston astros playing Host to the los Angeles dodgers later in the Day. The no said the world Champion new York mels will open the season on tuesday. April 7, at Home against the Pittsburgh i i rates while the St. Louis cardinals visit Chicago to play the cubs both in afternoon games. The Philadelphia Phillies will open that night against the braves in Atlanta. The dodgers open their Home season on thursday april 9, against the giants while the Phillies and pirates begin their first Hom stands the next Day against the cubs and the cardinals respectively. On monday april 13, the padres open their Home season against the giants followed the Nett Day by the cardinals Home opener against the expos. The final Home opener will be in Mon Treal on monday april 20, with the Phillies visiting the expos. The 972-Gamc schedule includes 633 n Ighel games and six doubleheaders. The 1987 season will end on sunday oct. 4, with postseason play scheduled to begin later that week. The league championship series will begin in the no East Champion s City. Marathoner spots Field two hour head Start Miami a a peruvian Rumer who realized he was late for a Marathon jumped into the race wearing Slacks and leather loafers and ran 22 Miles to the finish line arriving before some properly attired runners who started on time. Felix Alejandro florus Pacheco 30, arrived in Miami Early saturday a full Day before the Orange bowl Marathon or so he thought. It was not until 9 . That he realized the race had started nearly two hours earlier. He rushed for the starting Point but traffic stopped his taxi four Miles away forcing the runner to join in at that Point or miss the Marathon completely. Flores who carried his leather Duffel bag for seven Miles before dumping it onto a truck following the runners finished 22 Miles of the 26-mile, 385-Yard race. He was 3 i hours behind British postman John Boyes who won with a time of 2 23 22, but still two hours ahead of the last of 1,800 runners. Sympathetic track officials gave him a medal Lor finishing the race. They would not have Given him the medal for finishing if they did t believe him said Mary Ann Wilson a spokeswoman for the race. Everyone was pretty convinced it was  i m disappointed did t gel to run the whole race Rores said. After i had come ibis far 1 was going to Complete the race  he said he was distressed because the citizens of Puno Peru would have paid his Way to the race if he had run the entire route Flores had a letter from Peru s track association that said the Marathon was to take place Jan. Ii. Race officials said they do not know How peruvian authorities got the wrong Date