European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 13, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday May 13, 19b7 the stars and stripes Page 23 Johnson rips mental lapses in mets latest lost weekend by de Shearer Atlanta a the world Champion new York mils Are on a slide that has left manager Davey John son troubled by his team s mistakes mental not physical. We made More mental errors in thai Ball game than 1 even care to go into Johnson said sunday after the Atlanta braves completed a three game sweep of the mils with an 8-7 Victory and handed new York ils 13th loss in the last 20 games. Last season the mils won 20 of their hut 24 games. I Don t want to talk about it Johnson said of the Fame. Anything i d have to say about it would come in  Johnson said there was no excuse for Mait of league players to make mental mistakes. He said failure to get hits or Fielding errors arc part of the game. In 28 games the mets have made 27 errors. When you mentally mess up those Are mistakes that colleges and High schools and Little leagues make. You Don t make those in the major leagues. First baseman Keith Hernandez agreed with John son. He s certainly Well within his rights to rip her Nande said. That was a great imitation of a a Tjui Icagic baseball team and i m part of it Loo. I m no ripping anybody. Everybody s trying maybe Loo  mils favored to repeal in the no cast suddenly find  with a 13-16 record after into Mon Day night s loss in Cincinnati including an 0-10 Mark in weekend games. To make mental mistakes is inexcusable Johnson said. As far As what the problems arc i have no idea. I Don t know if it s everybody got a raise or busking in the glory. It s not important. Whatever it is we re not playing  asked if he had talked to the team after the latest loss Johnson said i Don t think i need to say any thing to them. Think everybody in the other room is embarrassed and rightly so. To go in and criticize someone for mental errors would be kind of self de  tic mils used a six run rally in the eighth inning of sunday s series finale with the braves to Lake a 7-6 Lead then lost 8-7 when second baseman Tim Teufel and right fielder Dairy Strawberry id a routine Popup to Short right fall Between them setting the stage for Atlanta s Victory. Up Potow Davey Johnson Calk on his mets in Rcv Dawn. Ties that bind enforce Thomas contract by Ira Berkow Pontiac Mich. Not in april 1981, Isiah Thomas with some trepidation told his Mother that he planned to leave College. Mary Thomas who raised nine children alone in a Chicago ghetto protested. Isiah knew it was her dream thai he her youngest child should earn a College degree and become the first of her boys to do so. Mom i m Only leaving College basketball for pro basketball said Isiah then 19 years old. A a 6-fool a Inch Sophomore Point guard he had recently led Indiana to National championship and was entering the National basketball association draft. Ill go Back to school i la gel a  you Promise the said. I Promise  Isiah. Of she laid., put ii in  and a Legal document was drawn up with a lawyer George Andrews of Chicago Isiah s agent. What would be the penalty if Isian broke the con tract i Don t know Thomas said recently with his Bright Boyish smile i guess she could sue  that won t be necessary. Sis years later after paying to Lake numerous courses in summer school and correspondence courses during the basketball season and a night course through Wayne slate University in de troit Isiah lord Thomas Iii with a b average and a major in criminal Justice sunday was graduated from Indiana University. On Mother s Day. He was t there to receive the degree. Because of circumstances beyond his control he could t make it. Mary Thomas was though she was t told about it until just before sunday s 11 . Commencement exercises in Bloomington when she was handed the Cap gown and Tassel at the Assembly Hall door. Isiah s academic Counselor at Indiana Sharon Ray Gollob gave he graduation garb 10 mrs. Thomas i did t know what size hat she  said Gollob so i ordered a Large and brought a lot of Bobby  Thomas could t make his graduation because As much of he country knows he had a basketball game to attend to i had my hands full Here said Thomas the Star guard Tor the Detroit pistons nut wish i could have been there  the pistons Are engaged in a fierce series with the Atlanta Hawks in an Eastern conference semifinal playoff series which Detroit leads 3-1 after beating the Hawks 89-88 sunday afternoon in the Silver dome. Thomas won the game with a driving Layup with one second left and finished with 31 Points. Late last week Thomas said he had hoped the play Oft game would be on saturday and not sunday. It did t work out that Way and so Thomas was struck by a brainstorm lit his Mother do it Thomas is devoted to his Mother whom he admires for her struggle to keep the family together and to keep him in school. She worked m the Community Center she worked in the Church she worked for the housing authority of the City of Chicago. He has six older Brothers and two older Sisters and the West Side of Chicago where they grew up was rough. Thomas recalls the time known As draft Day in the ghetto when about 25 members of the vice lords ply Indiana University gradual Isiah Thomas Street gang came to recruit some of his Brothers Al their Home on Congress Street facing the Eisenhower expressway. We want your boys the gang Leader told Thomas Mother. They Cun l walk around Here and not be in no  she stared at him from behind her glasses. There s Only one gang around Here and that s the Thomas gang she said and 1 Lead  if you Don t bring those boys out Well gel pm in the streets he said. Isiah was � years old and frightened. His Mother told the assembled gang members to Wail just a min Ute. She went inside. When she resumed she opened the door and held a sawed Oft Shotgun. Get off my porch she demanded or i la blow you Cross the  Thomas did t join a gang and he was protected from the streets by his Brothers and his Mother. But some of his Brothers would eventually succumb to the ravages of thai world drinking dope pimping run ins with the Law. Two of his Brothers now arc on the Chi Cago police Force. And two other Brothers he said arc still son of out  Isiah was the Hope of the family though and he we no on scholarship to a private Catholic nigh school in a suburb an hour and a half round trip every Day by elevated train and bus. Thomas received an athletic scholarship to Indiana and he became a standout under Bobby Knight. When Indiana won the National collegiate athletic association title in 1981, Isiah was named the most valuable layer in the tournament. It was Mary Thomas who and pushed for Indiana. She said that Knight was one of the few recruiters out of Many who came to her who did t offer her anything under the table no cars no condominiums no free plane trips no Money. She respected that and respected that he seemed to be sincere about a College education for her son. Then after two years at Indiana Thomas under stood that if he left school the pistons would draft him he would be the second Choice Overall and sign him 10 a four year contract for j 1 .6 million i had to take it Thomas said la was a once in a lifetime Chance. My Mother worked hard All her life and for not much Money this was a Chance to help her and help my family. I had to do  Mary Thomas is ill was t certain. One Day you might go broke she to a her son. You need a College degree to fall Back  so Isiah made his Promise to her and he signed the Legal document to underscore it. In six years in the Aba Thomas has made a great Success of it. Despite being Small for a pro player he has averaged 20 Points a game and 1 1 assists in his career has made the ail Aba first team three  and was twice voted most valuable player in the an Nual All Star game. He is deft at the three Point shot and can score in traffic around the Basket against 7 fool cars he is one of the handful of players in the league along with Larry Bird and magic Johnson and m Ichael Jordan and Akcam Olajuwon who can almost sin Glehan Dudly dominate and change the count of a game. Two years Aeo when his contract was expiring the pistons signed Thomas now 26 years old to a i a year contract Worth $10 million pan of which he has used to help his Mother Brothers and Sisters and i hair Chil Dren. Thomas has been Active in Community affairs in the Detroit arcs. Last year he Crea cd and organised no crime Day in Detroit. At Indiana he has created an Isiah Thomas scholarship for one needy a Ludyn a year. In s for someone who needs the Money otherwise they d be kicked out said Thomas and it does t matter if they re Black or White or what religion or background it s just  "1 know Why he had to graduate mrs. Thomas said with a laugh. Because of that contract. If he did the knew i d get a his Money. I d ask him is you Doin any studying or what re you Point he d say Don t worry about me of lady "