European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 4, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday february 4, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary remember fhe Oldie Goodie times by Scott Ostler los Angeles times you know you re an old timer if you remember. When a Guy who dribbled or passed behind Misback or Between his legs was a Hotdog. Nowadays a Guy who does t dribble and pass behind his backhand Between his legs is a Klutzy Center. When you did t have to worry about whether your favorite bobsled team was pumped up on Ster oids. When the los Angeles lakers no. 1 Loyal court Side movie Star fan was Doris Day. When in los Angeles if it was t happening a Wrigley Field Gilmore Field the coliseum or the olympic auditorium it was t happening. Whatever happened to those grand old places when a female reporter venturing into the Locke room was a major crisis. Now that event has been downgraded to the same status As a male reporter venturing into the locker room a minor Anno Yance. When All but one or two National basketball association coaches refused to acknowledge the existence of the three Point shot because it was a circus Gim Mick stolen from the american basketball association and therefore beneath the dignity of the big league. When there was a major prizefight in which Nei ther fighter was making a courageous comeback from cocaine alcohol and or wife abuse. When a College basketball player after making Afree throw at any time other than pregame warm ups was not required to slap five or 10 with every one but the University Chancellor that s an 85-per cent shot fellas. That s Why they Call it free. The Only slap you should get is when you miss a Freebie. When wide receivers offensive linemen baseball batters baseball fielders and baseball baserunner dicta t need specialized Golf Type gloves in order to ply their trades. What next free throw gloves when we last had a heavyweight Champion that somebody actually liked because he possessed an endearing human Quality or two. When baseball free Agency was going to ruin the game and bankrupt All the owners. When you bought the sports illustrated swimsuit Issue and did t get ticked off if the pro basketball coverage was skimpy. When a 7-foot-5 High jump or a 70-foot shot put by a male was reported in the newspapers or on television and the report did t use the adverb Only. When you would see other people out jogging who were wearing actual clothing rather than those Sec Ond skin spandex paint jobs. You vow that even i you get into great shape you la never go spandex then you realize that it s academic because the probably Don t sell those outfits to anyone Over 25, anyway. When people who Sang or played the National Anthem at sporting events did t keep won lost re cords and try to Bill themselves As Good Luck charms for the local team. What would Franny key think when magic Johnson s million Dollar a year con tract was considered outlandish ugly extravagant. And now it s the Aba s minimum salary. When Dick Enberg was doing play by play Foru Cla basketball and Chick Hearn for us Basket Ball. Back then whippersnapper Chickie could ragout 1,000 words a minute. The years have slowed him Down to about 990. When you could watch wrestling on to and in Stead of the current hokum Malarkey blather you would get legitimate insightful ringside blow by blow from Dick whoa Nellie Laine. When or. J looked like a wild Young kid and not like a real physician. When the to camera panning the crowd at a foot Ball game would show someone with a half red half Green face and you knew it was the result of a bad hangover. When kids bought baseball cards simply because they liked to have the cards to see what the players looked like to read the stats to Chew the gum. Now Adays Bubble gum cards Are cardboard pork bellies. When All the players on a College basketball teamwork the same Brand of sneakers because there was Only one Brand on the Market not because the coach had a $50,000 contract with Brand z. When boxing had fewer world champions than wrestling had. When a West coast College basketball team an team struck fear in the heart of someone other than its own coach. Please no letters of protest from la vegas or Arizona neither of which has been on the West coast in several million years. When Only clods celtics Johnny u and you grandma wore High top shoes. When Pebble Beach played Host to a Clambake and not another franchise corporate Kassic. When a College or pro team advancing tothe championship round of its sport was not required by Law to record a sophomoric rap video. When you would pick up the newspaper and no find a big chunk of a Page devoted to a baseball arbitration  you see a newspaper publish this and you wonder if we re doing enough to save the Trees. When kids going after the autographs of their sports idols did t need visa or american express. When you would shake your head and Roll you Reyes when an old timer would Start waxing nostalgic about the old Days. Kenya s Golden plan outran Ryun by Bert Rosenthal a track writer new York the truth can now behold Why Jim Ryun did not win the 1,500-meter Gold medal in the 1968olympics. Ryun the world record Holder waste favorite Over Kenya s Kip Keino whom he had beaten during the heats a Mexico City. But Keino with a major assist from his countryman Ben Ripcho who set a blistering Early Pace won the race with Ryun a fast closing second. It was one of the few bitter defeats during Ryun otherwise illustrious career which included setting four world records at Dis Tances from 800 meters to the mile and becoming the first High school runner to break four minutes in the mile. Ryun had another Chance at an olym Pic Gold medal in 1972, but he fell during the 1,500-meter semifinals. So the greatest Middle distance run Ner Ever produced in the United states and one of the greatest in history was denied an olympic Gold. Thursday at a press conference for Friday night s masters mile in the Mill Rose games at Madison Square Garden the distinguished Ryun reflected on that1968 race. He spoke after watching for the first time a film of the race and the circumstances surrounding it including an interview with Ripcho and the kenyan team coach Charles Moora. In the film Ripcho who finished ninth alter serving As the sacrificial Rabbit for Keino said i feel Jim Ryun Wouldhave won the Gold. But i destroyed everything. It was Good for Kenya but i Twain t fair to the other  Ripcho apparently feeling guilty finally confessed the kenyans plan to beat Ryun Kip Keino won this a tog meter olympic race 21 years ago Over favored Jim Ryun who had spent Energy chasing Rabbit Ben Ripcho. In 1975 seven years after the race. After a meet on the professional inter National track association circuit in which both competed Ripcho called Ryun aside in a hotel room and disclosed the strategy he Felt he owed me an apology for what happened in Mexico City Ryun said thursday. I said you did t have to say that but he Felt he had to do it. I think if he had Given it a second thought he might not have done it. But the pres sures during International Competition Are enormous. I won the Silver medal though. It was not All that  Ryun blamed the conditions the Altitude of Mexico City As much As the kenyan strategy for his loss. Because of my asthma i knew would be in trouble if they went out fast he said. My Only regret is that Kip never gothic fair recognition. At sea level the re sult might have been different but the nit might not  the film involving the 1968 race was made in 1980 by Bud Greenspan As part of an olympic series including a Section on the 1,500. We were shocked when Ripcho said what he did Greenspan said. It was terrible what they the kenyans did Tojim Ryun. The coach Moora said he told Jip Cho that he Keino is our International hero. He said you have to set yourself aside for what s Good for the country when we spoke to Ryun he said the olympic 1,500 is not a team race. The relays Are a team  Ryun said there had been suspicion the kenyans had worked As a team to beat him but the admission by Jip Costill was startling. It was humbling for Ben to do courageous he said. If the Gold medal is tainted. And i the Story be told it should go Back to the International olympic committee an Why they decided upon Mexico City As the site. They the olympic games should thave been held there. It favored those who were trained at  addition to himself Ryun cited Ron Clarke of new zealand another great distance runner who was unaccustomed to the Altitude and failed to medal at the 1968 games. Ryun said he ran cautiously Early in therace because he was afraid of going into oxygen debt. By the time he began Chasin Keino who had taken the Lead from Ripcho after the first two of the four laps the kenyan had opened a 50-meter Lead