European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 20, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday february 20,1987 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary cheering for Bon Crusher Usa eur my cheering for James Smith to crush mile Tyson s Bones on March 7. If be does get out your camera and shoot. You lab capturing the army in Europe s finest moment i sports. Actually even if Bon Crusher Smith loses As expected to Tyson this should be remembered As a Golden pm in Usa eur sports. Not since hurdler Willie Davenport or the 8th inf div advanced from army Gold in 1965 to olympic Gold in 68 have we seen so much glitter on usar eur sports. Focus on this James Smith then stationed in Wuerzburg was the Best heavyweight in Usa eur in 1978. Now he s Boncic Rusner Smith and the world boxing association Champion. David Bey out of ecu Ulm was the finest usar eur heavyweight in 1979. Now he s training to meet unbeaten Tyrell Biggs on he under card of the Smith Tyson bout. Brian Voss representing Mannheim was the army s Premier Bowler in Europe in 1980. Two weeks ago he collected 127,000 for winning Therba s Quaker state open. Norris Coffman a hot basketball player at Schweinfurt was Usa eur s dominating big Man in 1982-83. Now he s the hottest player on a Kansas state team that s contending for the big eight title. The Post War periods certainly pushed More army in Europe dudes into Bigi Ime sports. I mean when you have baseball players pitching on you front lines you re bound to Spring a few into the major leagues. So this Era is unique. No ted Williams types forced into the military. This Post Usa eur Bunch volunteered for the army. Upon leaving the service Smith Bey Voss and Coltman had to sweat in prac Tice and through layers of politics. Loads of usar eur athletes say i m Gonna make it As i m sure Star sprinter Kim Parrish of Schwa Ebisch Hall Hopes. But that quartet is making i now. Especially Bon Crusher Smith. Al this moment Click he wears one of the most prestigious titles in sports a heavyweight Belt. You might be though he was through when he lost in 12 rounds to Larry Holmes in november i9s4.yet last december he resurfaced by whipping Tim Witherspoon in one round for the Aba championship. Now ail he hoj to do is beat a couple of mikes wac Champion Tyson and in f Champ Spinks and Bon Enisher Smith will be alone at the top. What a Rise that would be from his Wuzor zbig Days. There he was in the fall of 1977 a private first class with no boxing experience. Boxing Why would a graduate of higher Educa Tion in this Case Shaw University in Norm Carolina lower himself into the ring Smith was a 6-fool-4basketball player. I m no Boxer he would say. I m a Lover Herb Rulam the boxing coach at Leighlon bar Racks figured Smith could be both. What the Heck was t Marc Antony a fighter and a Lover fac. Smith became convinced fast. And convincing in the ring. He suffered an Early loss then made the enemy Sufler. Me could punch recalls Ruffin now a Stuttgart sports official. He did t have a Tot of combinations. But when he hit you with his right hand especially you were  Larry Parker a Usa eur sports assistant was the Nuernberg boxing coach Back then. He remembers Smith s ugly technique. He also remembers hat he hit hard. The name Bon Enisher that came late certainly was an accurate do Sci  Smith wasted Little time. By january 1978 he won the Usa eur invitational by pounding Hinnau Sshelley under into retirement. That shot Smith into the All army Camp. When he returned to Germany in the Spring he showed off his new polish in a German american meet. He won easily against a couple of top night German  1979, Smith was out of the army he had the guts to fight it out in the seamy world of pro boxing. Now he s 33 years old. It has been nearly a decade since he fought in Usa eur. Yet he holds onto his past Bey and Lucious Kirkley who won the Usa eur heavyweight title out of Hawaii in 1980, Are in Smith s Fayetteville n.c.,  week that gang Heads for Las vegas. Rutm plans to be there when Smith Bangs into Tyson. I know Crusher can go the distance says Ruffin. Somebody will fall. I m looking for him to take Tyson out in the eighth. He can hit.". Come on Bon Crusher do it for the land of adv itt and Burger bar. Be a smash  Bun ind a Ripe nordic skiers open Usa eur meet compiled by Klint Johnson assistant sports editor skiing the nordic championships open the annual Usa eur meet sunday at a Altenbrunn near Garmisch. The 2,5-Kilomeler sprint and learn relay will be held the first Day starting at 10 . The nordic meet winds up monday at Kallenbrunne with he longer races Start ing at 10a.m. The men s open and senior 30-39 divisions will ski 16 Kilometres and the men s masters 40 and Over and women s divisions will race Over 12 kilo me ters. Five members of the . Nordic and biathlon learns headed by olympian Lyle Nelson will present a clinic for Usa eur Cross country skiers in car Misch sunday and assist at the monday and tuesday races. The Usa eur Alpine championships will be held on wednesday and thursday at Garmisch. The giant slalom win be raced on wednesday and the slalom on thursday both starting at 10 . On one of the upper Hausburg slopes. Racquets All the 21st sup port come will hold its racquetball championships March 12-15 at the local Roundup Karlstedt Germany. Physical fitness enter. Civilians As Well As Active duty Mili tary players assigned or attached to the 21st support come Are eligible to com Pete. Competition will be in seven divisions civilian men any age open men military 34 and under senior men Mil itary 35-39masters men military 40 and older civilian women any age open women military 29 and under and senior women military 30 and Over. Cutout Date forages is april 22. The tournament will be double elimination with matches consisting of Liva is Point games and an ii Point tic breaker. The Continental sports conference racquetball championships will be played March 31-april 3 in the Mike Mark memorial Field House at Dilbur gab. Divisions of Competition will be men s open men s seniors 35 and Overman masters 40 and Over women s open and women s seniors 30 and Over. Boxing there will be an invitational fight night saturday at Leighton Barracks physical fitness Center . The invitational is open to All military fighters in the open and Novice classes. Weigh ins will be from 10 .-noon, with matches starting at 7 . For More information Contact Ray Stead or Tony Faison at dumb tug Mili tary 2321-624 5 or ets 350 6245. Prem As in Germany will also Host a boxing invitational saturday for open and Novice lighten starting at 5 . Weigh ins will be from 11 . To i . The Contact at Prumm is Terrene Collins at ets 455-3695. Another fight night is scheduled for bad Kreuz  s Rose Barracks gym sat urday with the first bout scheduled for 7 . Weigh ins will be from 10 . To noon. Schweinfurt will Host an invitational March 7 at Ledward Barrack. Open to Usa eur boxers with Ger Man fighters also Welcome the open and Novice meet starts at 6 ., following weigh ins from 10 . Until noon. Archers the Darmstadt Community s fifth annual indoor Archery tournament is scheduled for saturday and sunday at the Babenhausen gym. Registration starts at 8 pm. And shooting at 10 . Saturday. Sunday s Competition begins at 9 . The tournament is open to military Dod civilians and guests from All com mands. Basketball Schweinfurt s Community team is looking for exhibition games on March 8. 14 and 15. Call Mili tary 2323-6135 or civilian 09721-85077for More information. Distance running the 13lhannual Rota Marathon will be held on March a with individual and relay championships at stake. In the relay teams will be composed of three runners each of which will run an 8.7-Milc tap. Awards will be presented for the top three finishers in under-30 and 30-Ana Over classes. Also there will be awards for relay winners with combined Ages of under 100 and 100 and Over for male female and mixed teams. Pre neg stration can be made until March 6 by writing Tom Smith at , n.y., 09540. Late registration will be from 7 45 8 15 . On race Day. The race starts at8 30 . Pre registration costs $3 without a t Shirl j7 with a to shirt. On race Day the costs will be 12 More. Davis says he won t report without contract Houston a first basemen Glenn Davis has told the Houston astros he will not report to Spring training with out a 1987 contract. If i m going to show my word s Worth anything i m going to have to make a decision and stand on it,11 Davis told reporters by Telephone from his Home in Columbus a. If they re going to make an example of me and forfeit me for the season that la show where their heart is what they tji Ink of Houston and of the Ball  Davis hit 31 Home runs and drove into runs in i486 As the astros won a club record 96 games and the National league West division Lilie. He played for $120,000 last season. He said Dick Wagner the club s Gen eral manager has refused to offer More than si80,000. Davis turns 26 in March. His agent Gerry Hunsicker said Davis Mica for $300,000, but has dropped his request to1150.000. "1 am not going to pout though. I la go Down to Florida a few Days before Mon Day s reporting Date and work out some where else. I la stay Down there until i m dead sure they Don t want to cooperate Davis said of his plans to Irav a to Kis Simmie Fla. There s Stilt a lot of Lime to resolve this so i m disappointed they chose to go Public Wagner said. "1 won t get Mlo specifics. You know All teams Are trying to hold their salaries Down out of necessity. Our club lost si.5 million last year. The fact is our offer to Glenn is the highest Ever made to a Houston player with one plus major league experience. "1 told Hunzicker thai by holding out it Only hurts the player. Glenn in t really a holdout technically until March 4. I told them thai if he in t signed by March 1, 1 will not renew him Ai our highest Oiler. But i did t give them an ultimatum. I told Hunsicker we would talk later in the  Davis who has is than two years of major league service is not eligible to demand salary arbitration and he will not be eligible after the 1987 season As suming he plays