European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 22, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday August 22, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 9 with tartans swinging and bagpipes blaring members of the Wick pipe band step Lively for the audience to open the Highland games at Mey Scotland. Americans from Thurso have fun but scots Are brought up on this Wall swings into the Hammer throw. Story and photos by Dave . Bureau Mey Scotland Call Bill Crone Berger prophetic. We re Gonna lose bad but we re Gonna have fun the Raf Thurso Sailor said a few minutes before the Start of the annual Mey Highland  then again maybe not so prophetic. For in the Highland games the scots Are not often beaten. Not in the tug of War not in the Hammer throw not in the shot. Not in anything in the Highland games. Not this year anyway. It s in their genes bemoaned fellow american competitor Mark Wall a strapping 230-Pounder. They be been brought up on  the games an age old summertime tradition in Scotland involve a series of individual feats of strength topped by the team tug of War. In Mey a tiny Seaside town on the Northern coast of Scotland american sailors from the nearby communications site at Raf Thurso have been turning up at the games for at least a decade. A special treat is the appearance of Britain s Queen Mother Elizabeth who comes unfailingly every year fitting the games in with her annual Retreat to the Castle of Mey her summer Home. Reported to be a big fan of the games she takes her place among the cheerful scottish locals in a makeshift tartan lined Royal enclosure. Hundreds normally turn out to get a glimpse of Royalty and cheer on the local competitors and the proud if not quite powerful enough american team. This year the Queen Mother saw . Navy wife Sally Untiedt sporting a pair of Pink Pom Pommel but spiked and steel heeled tug of War boots part of the Navy s bid to give the underdog women a Chance in their first year of official Competition. On the strength of their twice weekly practices and a very Strong set of motivating lungs from coach Sparky Sparks Untiedt predicted we re going to do real Well this  in their attempt to avenge last year s 2-1 loss to the local women the Thurso eight failed. The scottish women pulled of an easy win in the first tug. But the Thurso women came on with Strong surge late in the second tug Only to be outdone by a last burst of scottish Energy. Thurso s men s team fared no bet Ter. Wall was the Man of the Day for the american team. The former High school shot Putter came in second in two of the so called heavy events of the Day the shot put and throwing a 56-Pound weight Over a High bar. The crowd seemed to love the big Young american who came to Challenge Scotland s Best. That Wall took no firsts in any event was due in part to the appearance of scotsman Leslie Oliphant a 34-year-old Telephone Engineer who competes and wins at National level Highland games. He took All five of the top individual honors. Still the crowds cheered the american every time he challenged a throw or a toss made by Oliphant or the other men. Wall who works on the Security Force at Thurso had one goal that Day and the crowd was in on it. I m just having fun that s All i m Doin he said. Final proof of Croneberger s prophetic Powers. Despite a fan s urging to pull harder Thurso s tug of War team lost four straight to teams of Castle of Mey and Halkirk Queen Mother mingles with the locals