European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 25, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday May 25, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary no All Star game for twins Hrbek b Richard i. Shook dont waste your time punching out the Little rectangle next to Kent Hrbcek s name on the All Star ballot. The Minnesota twins first baseman wants no part of inc game. I m not  Hrbcek said. I mean  you May not Admire what the big Guy is doing but you certainly have to respect the Way he is going about it. He is turning Down a free ride to Cincinnati for inc july 12 All Star game because he does t car for the selection process. A tree ride with Don Mattingly and Eddie Mur Ray and Wally Joyner and George Brett and Mark Mcgwire on the ballot yes a free ride. Or did you forget inc manager of inc american league team this year is none other than Tom Kelly of inc Minnesota twins remember them All they did is win the worlds cries. It started last year Hrbcek said. Our team was doing Well and inc Guys were doing Well. Namely this Guy Gary Gaulli sitting Here next to  whoa said Gatli who was Balling .264 through last week. Don l get me involved in  everybody can get mad at me Hrbcek responded. I m Ted up with it. It seems to me the game s become More of a party than a ballgame  the Man might have a Point. With Home run hit Ting contests Outfield relay contests and the like All sponsored of course the All Star game is turning into a bit of a circus. I guess it s not who is doing Well Hrbcek said it s who s done Well in the past not during the year. I Don t like the system. I Don t feel like  so instead of participating in the All Star game Minnesota s Kent Hrbek. Feels slighted by selection process Hrbek is going to move into a new Home or take another vacation in rapid City . He has t makeup his mind yet. You la have to excuse Hrbcek for feeling slighted. He has Good reasons. Minnesota after All is not exactly the Media capital of the world and in inc last is seasons or so the twins have Given few reasons to be picked for a National event such As the game of the week. Until last season they had not appeared in the american league playoffs since 1970. But Hrbcek is the kind of Guy you can l help noticing when he comes to town and tattoos the upper deck in right. And hits .300 along with it. And catches everything a Graceful 6-foot-4, 245-Pound Bod can reach in the Field. Hrbcek was hitting .272 with 23 Home runs and 55 Bis at last year s All Star break. Nearly Halfway to this year s break the left handed Batter is hitting.311 with a league Best 11 Home runs and 24 Bis. For six seasons and change Hrbcek has a .289 batting average and has averaged 25 Home runs and 94 Bis but All he has to show in All Star play is Oneat Bat in 1982 in Montreal. I be already told to Kelly to pick somebody else Hrbcek said. I m proud of what happened last year our world championship. I m not big on personal goals. It s a great Honor and a great even but i Don t want to go. If he does t want to play Well.," is All Kelly has to say about Hrbek s position. He said he docs not propose o try to change inc first baseman mind. It should be remembered inc All Star game is a fan s game. And though the selection process i absurd someone is going to gel shafted no Mailer How the team is picked. Listing names automatically ensures mistakes. Example Detroit Catcher mall Nocks is listed on inc ballot As an outfielder on the basis of a half bake Winter notion. By exercising his right not to participate perhaps Hrbcek will eventually help bring about change for the better. The goal is worthy of applause even if the method in t. Unit to inn  mourning steals show at scrimmage prep Center Surprise of olympic trials by Jimo Connell Denver a when the Public finally got a Chance to Sec the olympic basketball hopefuls perform two centers shared inc spotlight. One was  was t. A crowd of 12,400 was at Mcnichol Sarena sunday to watch the 48 survivors of inc men s . Olympic basketball trials in a double Cadar scrimmage Fol lowing four Days in near seclusion Al the olympic training Center in Colorado Springs. The fans were there to Sec inc Nam players and they weren t disappointed As 7-fool David Robinson inc 1987 College player of the year and inc Aba s no. Draft Choice last year scored 21 Points and grabbed nine rebounds lops in both categories in the two scrimmages. But the name on everyone s lips when the Arena emptied was t Robinson or Danny Manning or scan Elliott or any of the marquee names As olympic coach John Thompson Calls them. The show belonged o Alonzo mourn ing the Only High school player invite to the trials. It had been a minor Surprise thai the 18-year-old mourning was among the 48 players selected from inc 91 still in Campon saturday. Very minor. "1 remember a lot of people asking i fisc Only reason mourning was invited to inc trials was because he s going to play for me at Georgetown Thompson said on saturday. Funny i m not hearing that question  he May never hear it again. Mourning scored 18 Points 17 in the second half grabbed five rebounds and blocked four shots while playing Agai Strony Shikaly of Syracuse and Dwayne Schintzius of Florida. Even More Nota ble he got inc crowd going and quickly became the favorite. Lei s give him an Opportunity to express himself said St John s coach Lou canc Scocca who guided mourning steam in the scrimmage sunday and who will Sec quite a bit of him Over inc next four years in big East conference play. Certainly he was the Darling of the crowd. He enthused everyone the fans the coaches the players. He will haste the retirement of a lot of  but not Thompson. I think he did some things Well but i think there arc a lot of things he can still improve on Thompson said. Certainly you have to be pleased with someone who has t been in Awe of inc players he has gone against. His attitude has impressed More than his  Shikaly who finished with 15 Points and six rebounds was impressed with mourning s play. A s not Here because he s a High school player he s Here because he s talented Seikaly said. He does t look like a freshman and he does t play like a freshman. It s unfair to classify him As High school  but he is. He Jusi finished his senior season at Indian River High school i Chesapeake va., where he averaged 24 Points 15 rebounds and 10 blocked shots per game. Keith smart of Indiana played with mourning in the scrimmage Ana was impressed with other facets of his game. We would be in a huddle and he was giving input smart said. Here s a High school senior telling things to College seniors and i m listening to  i want to be the first High school player to make the olympic learn that Sone of my goals. They know i have inc Talent to make this team that s Why they invited me mourning said. It was an Honor just to get invited and in would be a bigger one to serve your country. Would be upset if i Don t make it but then i know i have another  when the 1992 trials arc held mourning will have finished his senior season at Georgetown. For now it s the 1988 olympic team that matters. Thompson was to Cut inc squad to approximately 20 players Early tuesday morning and those players will attend a july Camp at Georgetown. The 12-Manteam will be selected from those players. Robinson and mourning might be i Conly centers on the team. By then How Ever neither will be a Surprise. . Boxers ready for soviets in trials tuneup Jacksonville Fla. A with the olympic trials still six weeks away american boxers want to Excel but not Peak in the United states soviet Union heavyweight invitational. Participants in Friday s eight bout exhibition Al the Jacksonville coliseum believe that win or lose Ever fighter will Benefit from the International Competition. Experience on this level is More important right now said Tom Coulter coach of the eight Man United states team assembled for inc last of two exhibitions featuring olympic hopefuls from both countries. I Don t really get Loo uptight if we win or lose added Coulter who also is assistant coach of the 1988 olympic team. The soviet team featuring Viacheslav Yakovlev Andrei Kurniawka and Alexander Ostrovsky is coming off a 5-4 loss to . Boxers in stat clinic nov. However inc american team competing in Jacksonville is a different squad than inc one that faced the soviets last saturday. Anthony Himbrick reigning . Army and armed forces Champion at 165 pounds Heads a . Squad including Tony Robinson of St. Louis 147 Pound James Crisp fort Hood Texas 156and Willie Kemp. Syracuse . 165. Phillip Jackson Miami 178 Tim Igo Bingham Lon . 201and Byron Ricc san Diego Calif Over 20 also were selected. The remaining berth on the american team will be filled this week. I think it s going to be a tremendous event Coulter said. Five of our fighters have already qualified for the olympic trials so this is a Luncus for  the trials arc july 5-10 in Concord. Calif. The olympic team will be determined inc following Weekin Las vegas. . Boxers arrived in Jacksonville monday to begin four Days of training leading up to the exhibition the soviets new into town sunday and Are scheduled to return to the soviet Union next saturday