European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 13, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday May 13, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary Power hitters have humerus explanation by Scott Ostler dear answer Man it seems like every time a slugger hits a Home run these Days he explains it to the Media by saying 1 pot my arms extended. What exactly docs this mean answer the worst thing that can happen to a baseball hitter other than becoming involved with Margo Adams is to get jammed by the Pitcher to have an inside pitch strike the Bat on the Skinny handle. To avoid this predicament Many hitters resubmitting to relatively new orthopaedic surgery known simply As getting your arms extended it s a procedure in which a six Inch Section is removed from each thigh Bone and is inserted into each upper Bone known As the humerus although there is nothing funny about the Bone or the opera Tion. The operation can be performed under either local or general pain numbing drugs but most play ers prefer that the surgeon be Stone sober. With his arms surgically extended the hitter is Able to stand deep in the Batter s Box and still reach All areas of the plate with the fat part of his Bat. Some hitters with extended arms can actually Bat from the on Dick Circle although this is considered hol dogging. There Are also Side advantages to the surgery. A Hitler with Good Extension can tie his shoes without bending Over and Long arms Are an asset at fast food drive through win Dows where the Normal armed person has to lean awkwardly out of his car and invariably drops his change French Fries or both on the driveway. Extended ballplayers who Golf As a Hobby find it necessary to have their club shafts shortened to a length of about six inches. Players who get their arms extended usually follow up with an operation to get their contracts extended. But that s another answer Man Bernie Bickerstaff. The coach of the Seattle super sonics seemed upset after sunday s game against the los Angeles lakers be cause the fire alarm in the team s hotel had gone off at 3 o clock that morning. Surely Bernie does t suspect any Laker involvement in that untimely mechanical malfunction answer paranoia runs deep during the Aba playoffs but Bickerstaff seemed satisfied when told of the results of the hotel s investigation into the alarm mishap. Hotel Security guards briefly detained Laker Trainer Gary Vitti after he was found wan Dering in a hotel hallway a 3 ., holding a flaming Torch next to a smoke Detector. But Vitti was re leased after explaining that he was merely participating in the Torch relay Lor the Barcelona olympics. When one hotel Security officer said wait a min Ute those olympics Are three years away Vitti explained How Long do you think it takes to jog to Barcelona dear answer Man "1 see that Mike Tyson was awarded an honorary doctorate in humane let ters by Central state University in Ohio for his influence on Young people presumably Michael Spinks and Robin Givens. Has Tyson been honoured by any other universities answer several but in one noteworthy ceremony attended by the answer Man Tyson was named a doctor of humanities and parallel parking by the Acme University of driving in Barslow school motto take me to Acme Driver and step on it. Acme its Dean Thornton gridlock Iii saluted Tyson for spotlighting the critical need for Driver training among Dean gridlock who was late for the ceremony because Tyson had parked his Bright red Linguine Testaverde in the Dean s re served parking stall also praised the Lead footed heavyweight Champ for striking a healthy fear into the hearts of sane Drivers he called Tyson the rightful heir to the driving legacy of or. Tyson addressed the students telling them not to use him As a role Model. I Don t recommend that you drive 71 Mph through a crowded City As i recently Tyson said. That was stupid of me. When you drive that fast it s hard to pick up notably absent from the Acme u festivities was Don King Tyson s trusted confidante and adviser who was slated to receive a honorary doctorate in spiritual Back scat driving. King was attending a meeting of the electrochemical society where he was attempting to convince the world s leading scientific minds that he has produced cold fusion in his hair follicles. Dear answer Man this is a silly question but what did Ted Williams hit in 1941?" answer .406. Tow Loi a l the duty Honor country Spur Robinson on by Rob Staggenborg staff writer Mannheim West Germany Pir Masens com Mand sgt. Maj. Al Robinson is one of the few people in the world today who Calls James Bon Crusher Smith Smiley and gets away with it. You Sec Robinson and Smitly go Way Back. To Nec rusher before he found Fame in Fortune in the professional boxing circuit and Robinson hold a common Bond. Robinson was an aspiring boxing official from doing your Job in an outstanding manner is not enough for a Soldier nor an athlete. A Soldier must be dedicated to duty Honor and Wil Ryburg and Smith was an aspiring Amateur within the Usa eur boxing circles. Smitty went on to crush Bones professionally and is getting paid quite handsomely for it. Robinson on the other hand is the Only member of the . Armed forces to serve on the International boxing theater. How significant is that there arc Only 20 International officials who Are in that elite group he says his tone of voice downplay ing the significance of the feat. I m the Only member of the armed forces to be selected into that elite but his beginnings like Smiths were Humble. Wiir Burg 1978 Robinson got his first break. He officiated the Usa eur boxing tournament. I had worked at the local level in Georgia before that. Then i was recommended to work at the forces command boxing championships. Then i worked All army. It just kept growing. I was somewhat amazed at How quickly i had gone up through the Smith look the Usa eur finals by storm. Robin son though was t that impressed. When 1 saw Smiley fight professionally i said this can t be the same Guy i never had the foggiest idea thai he d reach that As Smiley went on so did Robinson. On May 7,Robinson returned for officiating some eternal Ion Al bouts to where it All Star cd the Usa eur i is Sosovec a concern for Basic soldiering Molina los Al Robinson. Nals. Europe is where i Gol started he says. This is a big Day for me to come Back and work the Champi but with a list of friends including olympians an Drew Maynard Ray Mercer sugar Ray Leonard and of course smitty Many would believe that Robin son would t need or want to come Back. Not True. In a Letler for inc Pir Masens boxing clinic program a clinic he conducted in november 1987, Robinson writes about the thing that is most True to his heart Basic soldiering. Doing your Job in an outstanding manner is not enough for a Soldier nor an athlete he wrote. A Soldier must be dedicated to duty Honor and coun try like a Soldier an athlete must have Pride in himself a willingness to pay inc Price to be number one and a desire to constantly seek self in for Robinson soldiering and All clips hold the same Price the same rewards. My first dream when 1 came into the military was to become a Buck sergeant. I obtained that in three years. Then i Sel my sights on becoming an army staff sergeant. I Gol Hal. What i m getting at is to set goals and re establish those goals when you achieve his officiating career has skyrocketed since his first Usa eur championship. He s gone on to officiate Bouls around inc world and has blood around and bal when notable Glov men like Mercer. Maynard. Smitty Evandor Holyfield and other internationally renowned boxers. My original dream was to official at the usar eur level. I never had inc vaguest idea when i started thai i would one Day represent the United states in International the work is tedious and thankless he admits. There Are a lot of spectators who May think thai 1 slopped a fight too Early he says. Every time i go into the ring i m concerned Aboul the athlete. Injuries unfortunately Are a part of it. My Job is to keep them to a Robinson says his next goal is to become a world official the highest rung a boxing official can achieve. The group is so elite that each applicant is Given three exams. The written exam tests candidates in their knowl Edge of the Job the practical exam places the Candi Date in the ring to put what he knows to practice and an Oral exam tests the official s ability to has considered retirement but can t bring my self to do it. It May Cross my mind for five or 10 minutes. If i quit today Ihnn in gels easier to quil other things tomorrow. Once i can no longer differ Liale Between a Boxer who is Able to continue and a Boxer who cannot adequately protect himself within a split second Ihnn 1 need to get out of this but he adds i Don t see Hal happening in inc near an sports television baseball Houston at Chicago 7 . Saturday. Basketball Aba conference semifinals. New York at Chicago 2 Radio baseball Toronto at Minnesota 7 07 . Sat urday Cincinnati at St. Louis 2 Sunday
