European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 17, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday june 17,1987 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary Edwards is Ueberroth s Best move it was february 1968, and Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy had not been shot yet and the Chicago convention and the Nixon election had not happened yet Otis Redding s plane had crashed in december and the radio stations All played his plaintive voice wailing i can t do what 10 people Tell me to do and in the february gloom and tension you could Ted All the other stuff wailing to happen. In new York Mack activists were advocating the Boycott of a track meet sponsored by the new York athletic dub because Blacks were not allowed to join that dub. There was talk of a Black Boycott of the summer olympics in Mexico City or at least a Strong demonstration. Most track and Field officials and Many sports writers tried to downplay the issues and the threats but it was hard to ignore it when veterans of the civil rights in Tike h. Rip Brown were rushed to the propaganda front at one news conference a Young reporter played straight Man to Brown suppose the by a does t integrate and suppose they try to hold the track meet what would you suggest Brown thought about it for a theatrical moment and then pronounced i guess you could blow up Madison Square  it memory serves three track writers and four track officials promptly fainted. The organizer of the Boycott was an academic named Harry Edwards who dressed from an impressive wardrobe of Ashikis fatigue jackets jeans berets army boots and sandals looming to his full height of 6 feet 8. A former two sport athlete at san Jose state University a former Woodrow Wilson fellow at Cornell University and then a sociology instructor at san Jose Edwards heaved his opinions As skilfully and forcefully As he had once hurled the discus. He declined to Register to vote he said because there was no Choice. There were riots under Kennedy and there Are riots under Lynching Baines John son and there la be riots and lynchings under that Cracker Nixon and under that Kun Siux planner  closer to Home he said California s gov. Ronald Reagan was unfit to  Edwards also declined to Register for the draft but he professed to be aghast when a few Young report ers said they were also against the War in Vietnam. The by a meet was held on schedule with hardly any Black athletes participating. When protestors a photo hurry Edwards. Major league consultant massed outside the Garden Edwards picked up a police bullhorn and said violence was one Way to change things but that personally he was going up town to be with Bis friends. The night ended peace fully and the by a went out of the track meet business not Long afterwards. Edwards was also behind the Black Glove demonstrations by John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the1968 olympic games. He later went Back to Cornell and earned his doctorate and is now an associate professor of sociology at the University of California at Berkeley. While Many of the epic figures from the 1960s. From Jerry Rubin to Eldridge Cleaver have undertaken what might euphemistically be called career changes Edwards has never stopped being a goad to the establishment particularly on the state of Blacks in sports. Having served As a Volunteer consultant for All these years Edwards is now going to be paid for his efforts. He is going to remain at Berkeley but act As a consultant to major league baseball on the recruit ment of Blacks and hispanics into every aspect of baseball. This working relationship with baseball comes about through what would have seemed Ludi Crous nearly two decades ago an old boy network the old school tie. It turns out that Peter Ueberroth Blond Blue eyed former water Polo player capitalist Republican provider of patriotic fireworks and olympic profits is an old acquaintance of Edwards verbal bomb thrower. I be always respected him for his integrity and for being a Man of his word Edwards said Recal Ling How Ueberroth was a graduate assistant coach at san Jose when Edwards was a freshman athlete. The mind boggles at the thought of the two of them Ueberroth working hard to acquire his first million Edwards Only a few months from desperate poverty in East St. Louis iii., hitting it off at san Jose. But whatever the gaps Between their existences Over the years they have been drawn together by the unfortunate musings of Al Campanis about Blacks lacking the necessities for leadership. More than two years after becoming com missioner Ueberroth has contacted a Man who was once accused of hating sports even of bating Ameri Ca. Time and events have made Edwards respect Able without Ever demanding that he change his vision. He still thinks it is outrageous that Blacks and hispanics have so few jobs off the Field and now he is in a position to do something about it. Baseball is not consulting a Safe Black member of its establishment a former Star who might be a figurehead but a Black academic who once advised Black athletes to raise gloved fists in protest Ueberroth must know that if club owners resist change Edwards will not be silent Ueberroth is Tak ing his first risk As commissioner that s what makes the hiring of Edwards the Best thing Ueberroth has done. Mcenroe withdrawal no Surprise to doctor Wimbledon England a three time Champion John Mcenroe will skip Wimbledon this year because of a persistent Back ailment there is no reason for me to come to Wimbledon unless i m 100 percent fit Mcenroe said in a telex monday to officials at the All England club. I have not been Able to train since i returned from Paris and i m tired of walking onto the court worried whether i shall do Able to give it my Best Effort Mcenroe complained of injuries when he walked off the court in the final of the world team cup at Dusseldorf Ger Many last month. Two Days later he was eliminated in the first round of the French open by unseeded Horacio de la Pena of Argentina. Or. Michael Cindrich a new York chiropractor who has been treating Mcenroe told the new York times monday that he was t surprised by Mcenroe s decision. He would not be breezing through Wimbledon in perfect physical health Cindrich said. And there was a Chance of re injury. He loves to play Well at Wimbledon and it is difficult to do that while nursing an  Cindrich described the problem As a sprained weight bearing ligament in the lower Back. It has begun manifesting itself in other places the. Calves Ankles hips Cindrich told the times. The nature of the sport is giving him the problems. He s got to take it easy. The Back has got to have time to  in his last appearance at Wimbledon in the 1985 quarterfinals Mcenroe lost 6-2,6-2,6-4 to Kevin Curren. The left hander who has won the . Open four times skipped Wimbledon last year in the midst of a self imposed sabbatical of nearly seven months. He is expected to play in the Davis cup matches against West Germany at Hartford conn., july 24-26. Wimbledon officials said Mcenroe s absence would be a  things being equal one would like to see All the top players participating said Chris Gorringe chief executive of the All England club. But they be got Tobe fit. Otherwise there s no sense in them sacrificing themselves in any tour  announcement that Mcenroe would miss the tournament for the Sec Ond straight year came As organizers were announcing the Sce dings for the tournament which opens monday. Defending champions Boris Becker of West Germany and Martina Navratilova of fort Worth Texas were made the top seeds Navratilova As expected and Becker in a Surprise. Bosworth will listen to one offer from Soho was new York a linebacker Brian Bosworth said monday night he will listen to one offer from the Seattle sea Hawks who selected him last Friday with the no. I pick in the nil s supple mental draft although the former Oklahoma Star had t listed the sea Hawks among the teams he would play for he said he would give them the common Courtesy of listening to what they have to  Seattle coach Chuck Knox said he does t intend to give Bosworth up without a tight. We have him and we re going to make every Effort to sign him Knox said. Bosworth said his agent Gary Wichard would listen to Only one offer so it s going to Nave to be their Best offer and after that i guess we re going to have to negotiate. To get a Trade worked  at a news conference last week bos Worth said Seattle does t fit the Mold i want to put myself  i Don t care where i play bos Worth said monday night. The Only thing i m concerned with is playing games. It s the off Field things that some people i m associated with Are concerned with. They re very important and they pertain to my  on Friday Bosworth had Cut his list of preferred teams Down to four Tampa Bay Philadelphia the new York jets and the los Angeles raiders. He said Tampa Bay was tops on his list because he wants to play with quarterback Vinny Testaverde the no. 1 pick in the regular nil draft and he likes bucs coach Ray Perkins and owner Hugh culverhouse