European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 18, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                1ner King Kong scaled Ino Empire Ding has Sporl climbing captured Ion in he United Stales that in climbing or scaling Marva do jus table footholds and a popular Sporl Lor Many years in Ell publicized climbing exploits raptors however in has been i the United states. I Lorn made climbing Walls Are a there. And in june the Snowbird a Jet Lake City was Host of he first climbing Competition in North old s top climbers compiled on a 1 been constructed on one Side h Cost or $100.000. Nil is the Pel project o Snowbird s Jyrld class Mountain climber. The led Rock set with Liny handholds Ives and Daunling overhangs is for lesson Sand supervised Sporl clanging Aie climbing wifely Topes and helmets holds Are adjusted in bolls to each level of expertise. Big holes Are placed close dates a. Few of the holes arc Rice climbers the Loo holds Aro part. Sport according to enthusiasts j it and on a sunny afternoon at Marly Johnson of Orem Utah Ever climbed was up a ladder to a in a  Marly had never beginning Rock climbing much of your Loo on the holds i use the strength of your legs Usell up on your lingers. And in roped so if you do Lall there s g agent laughed nervously id to a rope delayed around a stories High on he Wall took safety rope and started climbing holds first Ihen dragging each Lhoid As a technician let out Jpe. Marty climbed More than one Ore Yelling Down rms Are shaking and i m ready to m technician taking Slack out of 3d himself to the ground Khil rating but  and arms. T a analyst listened to last minute Pond asked you sure you go lie Wall Loho cheers of six of her in on the Loo hold nearest the Rusly she reached for each a bringing her foot to the id climbed higher than Marly did t reach the next one. My legs Are in the rope tha technician i a Little help Anno reached the d higher. A was ready to quit and climb teen agers yelled. Coma on Mankind so she reached for the m slipped and she fell dangling her lace momentarily still 5e, Anne smiled and to the t was lowered on the rope in exclaimed. The rope is you re supported so you re a  booming billiards by Russell kish1 untied press International n the two years since the Paul Newman Tom cruise film the color of Money rekindled the american love for Pool a Boom has been in Progress that could put the warnings of professor Harold Hill to rest once and or All. Meredith Willson s fictional music Man attempted to admonish the townspeople of River City Iowa about the intrinsic evils of the game even though he acknowledged that in cultivates horse sense and a Cool head and a keen  loyalists Are convinced thai 3 far greater number of people Are finding other Virtues in Pool As a etl. And while both the color at Money and Newman s original performance As the Hustler it years ago explored some unsavoury aspects of shaking one s life on a Pool Cue recent surveys into american gaming habits would support the loyalists Point of View. Individual sludge by the Gallup poll and the National sporting goods association placed billiards in the top 10 among participation sports. Las february Gallup estimated that 33 million americans Are Pool players ranked billiards fourth among games played by men and claimed that the Perce Lago of All players has grown by 430 percent since 1953. Equipment soles have increased belter than 100 percent since the color of Money was released in 1986, according to surveys taken by Iho Biri Ards Congress of America an organization representing manufacturers retailers and players of every Stripe. A staggering $500 million is now spen t annually on Iho game said Paul Roberts a 8ca spokesman. Billiards has always gone through cycles Roberts said. You Are dealing with a game that goes Back centuries. Washington and Jellerson were players and Mark Twain made in a Patt of every Man s education. At the urn o the Centory. Ii was o gentleman s game. In Iho 30s, it was a depression pastime and there was a love hate romantic rogue Appeal attached to it. It always seemed thai Over he course of decades it could to hugs and the next minute it s  but with or without an assist irom Newman and cruise Roberts said Pool became a logical entertainment alternative after Horne video games reached their Peak in Iho late 70s and Early 80s. People were looking to get Bach into actual games again Roberts said. Los Angeles table manufacturer Patrick Muney was fortunate enough to Latch on Whon Touchstone pictures began production of  the Murrey tables were used exclusively in the film. With logos prominently displayed throughout. Ii turned out to be one of the Best advertising moves   Murrey said that kind of exposure with major megastar Tike Newman and cruise playing on your table you just can t put a Dollar Ligure on  smaller companies such As Dave Maidment s world of Leisure based in Covina Camark sharing Iho wealth by carefully scrutinizing untapped markets. Maidment said Many of his tables serve More than one purpose converting into furniture Quality dining tables or poker tables. It s been phenomenal Maidment said. Two years ago to did is 2 million in sales and this year we be jumped Over $3.5  Maidment said there is sizable potential in sales to senior citizens centers. A Bra Survey found that out of 12,000 centers nationwide 90 percent of the facilities include billiards among the recreational facilities. A spokeswoman or the venerable Brunswick billiards company in Bristol wis., said the game has crossed All demographic lines. La s a very Good game that is attractive to Ell Ages said Pat Kelly sales administrator for Brunswick. It gets teenagers Oil the Street Corners Sharpens up their skills gives them a sense of Eom Elilion. And a Jot of the Halls Hal Are opening up today Are  typifying this trend is a 21,000-Square loot scrupulously clean family Center in the los Angeles suburb of Boll lower that is incongruously known As hard times billiards. There Are 35 tables in Iho facility including 10 suitable Lor championship calibre events. No liquor is allowed inside Paul Newman right Ana Tom cml a in 1989 him "7ti color of  special Rales Aro offered to senior citizens and hard times employees Are Active in Community end drug campaigns. The image of smoke filled Pool rooms really perpetuated a bum rap Lor the game Over the years said manager Fred Yamashita 31, who was introduced to a billiard table 25 years ago at a boys club. Yamashita said the formula Lor hard times evolved alter he and owners Chuck and Mike Markulis studied the Best and worst aspects of Public facilities. He found the mixture of a clinical and reverential atmosphere in japanese Pool rooms to be closest to Ideal. They wore really bringing a lot of class to the  Yamashita said. That s really what we Scro  billiards Industry manufacturers retailers and tournament players agree thai new growth in the billiards Boom must be generated by professional players and the potential for expanded television coverage. There s precedent for this Roberts said. Over in England they play a variation of the game called snooker and in is now the no. 1 Spectator sport on British television. There Are More than 385 hours of snooker tournaments shown i hero now and some of them gel 52 shares in the ratings Roberts said. Even Cost on a Good night does t get a 52 Shara but Murrey said manufacturers cannot afford to absorb the expenses of sponsoring a Lull season of professional play. Corporate sponsorship much As you Sec in any other sporting event is the Only Way to  the Prospect tantalized the top tournament player Mike Sigel who won in unprecedented seven consecutive events in 1986, a year that also saw him crack Tho six Ligure Mark in earnings. But can you imagine it 1 was a golfer and i d won seven straight tournaments Sigol said you re talking a million easily. Thai s Tho difference when a sport has corporate sponsorship. I have enough lilies. Now i have to Start thinking about Money but that could also be just around the Corner. Sigel said negotiations Are close to being finalized Tor up to nine tournaments to be shown exclusively on Ted Turner s Atlanta based Cable network int. And esp is dying for poo now Sigel said. A couple of years ago we had to go begging to them the lure has also been Strong enough that one of the game s lop Lemale players Peg Ledman of hol Landall Wisconsin quil her Job at United parcel service last november to concentrate on playing full time. I m not earning More Money than i did at ups but i m enjoying myself More Lodman said. There s a Lollo be said Lor liking what you  the talk of a poof Renaissance is also enough to Luel the competitive fires of one of the game s legends Willie Toscono who retired irom com Elilion in Iho 50s. Toscono 75, said from his Home in Camdon no. That a has also begun discussing the possibility of returning to com Elilion under the Aegis of Bill Cayton the manager of heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson and a longtime sponsor of pocket billiards events.1993 the stars and stripes paga15