European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 22, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday july 32,19b7 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary Keystone dodgers dim the Diamond once upon a time Uherc was this learn called 1hc dodgers and hey were inc Scourge of the National league. Of her players used to dream of joining them. They were known As he organization and they were sup posed 10 be the Busl in inc business. When they came to town autograph seekers lined up in Force around the hotel lobbies in inc airports and on the approaches to the Ballpark. Other teams cursed when they looked Down their lineup card. Cleanup hitlers came up Wilh mysterious Back ailments on inc Days they had to face dodger pitching. Good pitchers found they had developed blisters overnight and would have to skip a turn in the rotation. The dodgers did t overwhelm you they just beat you. They did t have any Guys who were in danger of batting .400. They did t have anybody challenging babe Ruth s records. But they had a whole Bunch of people who played to win. They did have by Young award winners on the Mound and they had a Guy who revived the Art of base stealing but this was Jackie Robinson s team. And Branch Rickey s. And once Long ago Leo Durocher s. What Ever it took. There was an Aura to being a dodger. They did t swagger exactly. They weren t haughty like the Yan Kees but they came through the from door All right. Bui most of All i think they expected to win. It was after All a dodger tradition. Occasionally they Lent the title to somebody else for a year or two. Bobby Thomson hit a once in a life time Home run they let a playoff with he giants gel away fro them. Jim Murray but they never let it gel permanent. In a year or so order would be restored the bal club was owned by the o Mallcy family and the patriarch was a rasp Long used Cigar smoking Irish whiskey drinking canny old party who like England expected every Man to do his duty. Walter o Mallcy was particular who became a dodger. You kept thinking dynasty May be too Strong a word for the dodgers but inc pennants Lowed. In 1963, they stood the baseball world on its car when they did inc unthinkable. They took the lordly Yankees no less pulled their hats Down Over their ears kicked their ails and swept them in four humiliating games. That was supposed to be the Yankees Trie. So what happened when did inc dodgers turn inc clock Back to the 30s when they were inc Flatbush follies the laughingstock of the game that was t supposed to happen West of the go Wanus. Dodger stadium is not Minsky s. It s the old Vic. Baseball changed. Out people thought the dodgers would t. They were no longer the third banana in the big Apple. They were a Star in Hollywood. No one else in the game got 3 million people a year just by opening the doors. Waller o Malley died but Peter o Malley is Wal Ler ii a Xerox. It in t As if icy sold inc club to m my conglomerate with some fuzzy notion that a Hull team could he run Tike a fast food Chain. But you would have to wonder what Walter o Mallcy would do Wilh the cast of characters the dodgers have become. The teams that inn five pen Nants in inc 50s and three in inc 60s and again in the 70s, the learn that had the Jackie Robinsons and Duke sniders and Don Drys Dales and Sandy Kou faxes and Steve Garvey suddenly had a lot of Guys who played in Hryc other places and could t re member How to do it. This o Mallcy can t seem to Slop the bleeding. The dodgers awaited the arrival of i. Lou is tues Day night with All the Confidence of a reporter in Beirut. The once feared cast of characters was Ghoul As excitement causing As a Road company of car men so far As the cardinals were concerned this cast was just the piano for their latest concert. The cardinals arc the ones winging their Way o the National league Pennant this Lime. The dodgers Are just an easy Little Par-3 Over a Brook. An almost rest the regulars opponent. If they were in the same Divi Sion he cardinals would be leading by 13. Were the 1937 dodgers any funnier was Chap Lin sooner or later Hollywood spoofs everything Camilla the three mus Kelers Cyrano and turns it into script for the Ritz Brothers All these dodgers need is a Busty blonde a pig s Blad Der a bottle of Seltzer horned rim glasses and baggy pants. They have to learn to Wail for their laugh. This has to be a remake of a night at the  Keystone dodgers. It i Loi and Tuoi to Rabi Multi sport athletes divided about Jackson s prospects by Frank Litsky new York not to Jackson who is playing major league baseball Wilh the Kansas City royals signed last week to play pro football in the fall with the los Angeles raiders once the baseball season ends. Many athletes who have tried in the past to juggle two sports look at Jackson s ambitious plans with under standing encouragement scepticism apprehension or some combination of the above. Hell do fantastic said Vic Janowicz the last ath Lete 10 play major league baseball and football in the same year 1954. Hell have o be til Ltd Lucky said Carrol Hardy who played one year of pro football and then turned to baseball. Go where your heart leads you kid said Chuck Connors the television and movie Star who once combined pro basketball and baseball careers. Hell wind up with a knee injury said Gene con Ley who played 13 consecutive seasons almost 7 Yean of baseball and pro basketball. I would regret in the rest of my life if i did t give basketball in Opportunity and 1 think hat s now to feels now mid Danny Ainge who gave up baseball Tor pro basketball. Good Luck said Dave Debus Schure who for four Yean combined baseball and pro basketball an associated press compilation showed that since the Start of world War ii Only four athletes Jano wic Sieve Filipowicz Ben Kuczynski and Pete Lay Den had played major league baseball and pro fool Ball in the same year. None has done it since Janowicz none has done it More than one year and none has been particularly successful in either sport. No one dismisses the football Allenl of Jackson a runaway Winner of the 1985 Hei Sman trophy when he was a fullback at Auburn. Bui Talent aside most people agree that football demands a different preparation mental and especially physical. Different body parts and Muscles Are at risk and preparing them for fool Ball combat has become a year round Job. Hardy he director of scouting for the Denver Bron cos emphasized the importance of that physical Prepa ration. In 19s5, Hardy was a running Back for inc san Francisco 49crs, and later 1958-67 he was a major league outfielder. He can put on the uniform and run the football As soon As he learns the system Hardy said of Jackson Bui if he takes a hard lick Early Uri his shoulder or his knee he could get Hurt badly because his Muscles Aren t used to taking  Janowicz was a Heisman trophy Winner As an Ohio stale tailback. He conceded thai football was a brutal game for linemen but for running backs he said it was a finesse game. Ever hear of Jim Brown or Olio Graham getting Hurt Janowicz said from his Home in Columbus Ohio Lei to Jackson do what lie wants to do. If he wants to play both sports docs he have to play 162 baseball games arid 20 football games i played Boih sports As a pro for one year. I played the baseball season Wilh the Pittsburgh pirates As a third baseman outfielder Pinch hitter Pinch runner batting practice Pitcher and batting practice Catcher. Then i got into my car and drove to Washington and played football with the redskins. I did t play base Ball again because i was unhappy the Way the i Rales were getting rid of one group of old Guys and bringing in another. It was l Tough playing two sports at once. People used to ask me which one 1 liked belter and i always said i liked inc one that was in  years ago when training and preparation were less intense More athletes tried to play two professional sports one after the other. One who did it was George Hatas. Who played 12 games in right Field for inc Yan Kees in 1919, then suffered a hip injury that ended his baseball career. He continued to play pro football and became famous As the owner and coach of the Chicago bears. Had he stayed healthy his baseball career would not have been secure because the Ornt year the Yankees got a new right fielder. Babe Ruih. In recent years Jay Schmo Cdr abandoned a career As a minor league Pitcher and became the Washington redskins quarterback. John Elway timed with ban Ball before becoming the Denver Broncos Quarter Back. But neither tried to be professionals in both sports Al the same time. Elway s professional baseball career consisted of six weeks in the summer of 1982 with the yank to Faim in Inconia by. The Yankees hoping 10 influence him toward a baseball career paid him  for that Brief Lour. The following Spring. The Broncos signed him for j5 million Over five years. My heart told mi1 to play football said Elway. The Money did nil Hurt the football baseball double May be the menu de manding. Several athletes including Connor. Dorlus where Conley and Ainge Hae pfc a Batail my basketball in successive seasons. That had Pitfalls too Connors was i Hen known by his Gen Najmi of  hacking to it was t touch playing to  Kevin. He went from scion Italy univ mrs m n Vitort Janonal Basl Mhall  l Ari i.t7 Gami s from l 45 to 1148 land a inc car Haw Hill Carat hut Only i Jwj and 1951 in i in major leagues. Fur three years ii Sij. "1 Pla Jcj pro sports around inc Dock hav fall. Winter Hayball and bal pc tall. I Enjo j id a and i did it because i was Young and hungry and it Sci tvs a exciting. But j uni u right away was t Good for inc. I got too tired i Don l pm How to Jackson is Putini to do in. He May gel Imay v no it for a year but i Don t think he can serve nil ii a spun