European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 3, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday March 3, 1990 the stars and stripes a a Page 25commentarseattle sinks with Mariner Moose by Rob Staggenborg staff writer the City of Seattle is on the up and up these Days Only months after being named America s most liable City. Its hard to believe then that the Seattle mariners have deprived their fans of an official Mascot for 13 seasons. What Samerica coming to a baseball City without a Mascot that a like Florida without Spring training. A heart without a knife through it. Last week the mariners rectified the fiasco by selecting a Moose As its first Mascot. A sea monster was the second Choice. The Boogeyman Wasny to mentioned. Even with this major league lockout business the country a in Good hands now. I think. Young Ammon Spiller a fifth grader from Bellingham wash., earned a Cool grand a 1,000 Dollar Bills a for coming up with the concept for the a Mariner  in his essay that helped win him the $1,000 Check Ammon wrote a i chose a Moose because no other team had a Moose As a  we should All be thankful of that. Maybe in a being too harsh with Young Ammon but what the Heck does a Moose have in common with a Mariner and Why did it take 13 years to get a Mascot Pete Vanderwarker a mariners Public relations assistant defended Seattle a version of bullwinkle. A basically its something for the kids a he said. It does no to necessarily have to relate to the mariners. Its to give kids something fun when they come to the  Ammon i hate to burst your Bubble buddy but i hate mascots. Rarely Are they the cute lovable hug Gable creatures they re supposed to be. They re not funny even if you Are 5 years old or have a 5-year-old mentality. They re not cute. Case in Point babies across the country squeal m abject horror at the Siht of the Philly Phanatia s aardvark Tongue to swapping them across the nose. For once id love to see a jealous husband Rick the san Diego Chicken for Messing with his wife. I could stomach seeing a distraught Spectator spewing lukewarm Beer on Toronto a Blue Jay for blocking the View. Being a Mascot is a risky business these Days. The san Diego crab was pelted with Beer bottles a few years ago. The fans voted the crab out in a City referendum yet the padres picked up its option for the next season. Medical insurance i believe was part of the Deal. Even Here in Europe donning the Mascot outfit is risky. The Hahn Hawk who resembles More of a Chicken or Turkey takes a lot of heat. It has had Popcorn dumped on it basketballs hurled at it and a slew of Chicken jokes spiralled at it. Yet it comes Back for More. The Hahn Hawk is a Geek. There is no other Way to put it. The military adage a respect the uniform if not the Many does no to apply to the Hahn Geek. Respect the person but Burn the uniform in effigy. Please. There Are arguments for mascots but face it they re weak. During the women a Safe basketball finals last month a Guy sitting next to me defended the Hawk against my jeering. A it adds some fun to the game a he said. When i look at it i get this Strong urge to vomit. So i ask is vomiting fun if a Mascot is needed to bring fun to a game then the game must be pretty bad. The most famous of All mascots has to be the san Diego Chicken though the Hahn Chicken has potential. As far As idiots go the Hahn Chicken has International Appeal. During a stint in Columbia s.c., 1 witnessed the san Diego Chicken do his thing at a Columbia mets South Atlantic league game. In the minors the coming of someone like Max Patkin a the Clown Prince of baseball a brings throngs of South carolinians to the Park. No different with the Chicken. As you May have guessed life in Columbia can be tedious. The Chicken showed up insulted the Young and old at one Point it grabbed a girl dragged her out into the Middle of the Diamond and forced her into this Semi erotic dance and walked out with a per Owens Miller spark Safe men to sweep tournament top tied Travis fab Calif. A a Safe a men cored a pair of victories thursday to Nove into a tie for first place with Pacific air forces at the air Force worldwide Nenus basketball tournament. Hahn a Michael Owens and Laken i Cathy a Lionel Miller paced Safe past in Force systems come 109-105 in a Light game following an 83-74 decision Iver air Force logistics come earlier in a he Day. The victories boosted a Safe a record to 5-1 and left it atop the standings with Pacific air forces in the eight team round Robin tourney. Heading into fridays final Day military Airlift come and Falc were in the running with 4-2 records. Air training come strategic air come and unified come were 2-4 and Falc 0-6. In other games thursday Acaf debated uni com 98-93, Mac beat at 54-76, Acaf turned Back 86-75, nd7. Owens poured in 28 Points and Miller us 23 in a Safe a Victory Over Aasc. Hey were backed by bit urge a Ralph Altimore with 17 and Ramstein a Bonie Daye with 13. Keith Curmon scored to and Herbert Bonman had 16 for Csc. A in thursdays opener Miller scored i Points against Falc. Bit urge a Kyle Antes added 15, Baltimore 14 and air Force worldwide Owens 12. Lorenzo Thomas with 16, was High for Falc. Fridays Early games were to Complete round Robin play. Safe  meet Mac Acaf was to play at was pitted against Falc and Aasc was paired against uni com. The tourney was to end late Friday with a playoff game for the  women win but they re 1 -5 Andrews fab my a in the women a worldwide tournament Safe has found the Road to the title not so Rosy. The Safe squad stood 1-5 m the round Robin tournament after posting its first Victory with a 57-46 Conquest of air Force systems come thursday. Hahn a Kathy Sheppard led the charge with 18 and bit urge a Gaynelle Baltimore banked in 13 in the Victory. A Safe a women dropped thursday s other game a 75-71 heartbreaker to the military Airlift come. Sheppard led Safe scorers with 13 and Ramstein s Fredericka Madison Perry added 11. The tourney finale for Safe was scheduled for Friday. Cent age of Gate receipts for doing nothing More than being a distraction from the game. Even the players did no to car for the Chicken. Julio Valera a Pitcher who worked his Way up into the Metsy Spring training roster quipped a just once i d like to bean that Damn  we can Only Hope. Then there arc the Cincinnati reds headed by baseball tyrant Marge Schott. The unofficial Mascot for the reds is Schottie a Marge a Lummox St. Bernard. According to former reds infielder Kurt Stillwell Schottie Wasny to Well liked by the reds players. A i kind of liked the dog a he told the sporting news last year. Quot but the other players did no to. When Marge would turn her Back the other Guys would. Throw baseballs at it.�?�. Players find mascots a precious waste of time. The Mariner Moose has been born into the Mascot Brethren now. Its Brothers include the likes of the Phanatia St. Louis of Redbird whatever that isomer the Brave from Atlanta Pittsburgh sold Parrot and other intriguing or cations. It la Dodge baseballs Beer bottles and four letter expletives. That Sall part of the Mission i guess. The Job has its Wacky moments too. Like pinching an umpires butt a a real crowd plea scr. And kicking dirt on umps shoes a so oooo original. And dancing on top of dugouts a Paula Abdul watch out. Vanderwarker said no propriety guidelines have been set for Seattle a Moose but a it has t been decided what its role will be. There will be some guidelines. In a  like no butt pinching it la never happen. But Ponder this for a moment would the world still rotate on its Axis if All mascots were nuked if you answered yes you re either in jail serving a 45-year Mascot manslaughter charge a Normal fan or an intellectual. If you answered no the mariners want your Type. They need someone to Wear the Moose suit. The Job May not pay Well but the fringe benefits Are excellent. On a Good Day. You can Block about 350 spectators View or kiss Beautiful vivacious vixens then run away before their boyfriends can catch you. But the Best part of it is you la never go hungry. You can eat All the Popcorn you can  stuns Gustafsson Rotterdam. Netherlands apr Michael Tauson of Denmark upset fifth seeded Magnus Gustafsson of Sweden and Jonas Svensson won a tight All swedish Batlle against Thomas Hogstedt to reach the semifinals of the $450,000 an world Tennis tournament Friday. Tauson ranked 144th in the world played aggressively to nip Gustafsson 6-3. 1-6. 7-6 and reach his first semifinal in a major event. Svensson prevailed Over his Friend Hogstedt 6-3, 6-7, 7-5. _ in the other quarterfinals Jakob Hlasek beat Alex Antonitsch 7-5, 6-1. Then top seeded Brad Gilbert beat Amos Mansdorf 6-1. 7-6 8-6. Tauson a powerful player served an Ace and capitalized on a double fault by Gustafsson to win the tiebreaker 7-4. Late thursday he survived five match Points against Home favorite Paul Laarhuis before advancing. After a hesitant Start. Tauson took charge of the first set booming forehand left and right past the swede. Gustafsson who has been bothered by Shin splints this week came Back in the second set when he finally found his touch on his backcourt drives. He overwhelmed Tauson 6-1 to set up the decider. Both players held serve from then on to set the stage for Tauson a biggest upset yet. Svensson seeded seventh Here won Lor the second time against Hogstedt this year but found it harder than at the australian open when he beat him in straight sets. Semifinalists Are assured of $22,500 while sundays Winner takes $65,000. A amps Tir Boivin bit urge a Ralph Baltimore. Games of 14, 17 Points