European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 9, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 columns the stars and stripes ,. A  v a -a.m. Rosentha soviet Laws subject to whim of current Boss the Washington Summit talks did not reveal a great Deal new about George Bush but they did Tell us a lot about Mikhail Gorbachev a certainly More than he intended. The meeting showed us again that Bush is an intelligent likable Man who handles himself with style but has one important drawback As a player in International affairs he likes things to be Cost free. When issues of principle get involved that he thinks May interfere with what he wants he just dumps them. Like say supporting the Freedom movement in China or standing up to terrorists. At the Summit talks it was Lithuania. First Bush told Gorbachev a Trade agreement had to be linked to lithuanian Independence. Then after listening to Gorbachev a pleas for support out came a Trade package for the Kremlin without Lithuania. A familiar argument can be made for that kind of policy. But who wants to say this country believes the ends justify the Means so the administration tends to mumble while we cup our ears. But there was More to the Summit conference than Lithuania or More precisely no Lithuania. The arms talks left the soviet Union with Superior military strength on the ground. But the country is tailing apart so fast that to use it against the West would demand an overwhelming National desire to commit suicide. The agreements about reducing nuclear weapons Are Good for the soul and the pocketbook. But they still leave both sides a yes there Are still two sides when it comes to survival in a nuclear age a in terror of the destruction that has prevented great Power War for a half Century. On Germany Gorbachev hinted he would slowly do what the realistic germans knew he would do one Day a a my in our time cent a unified Germany in nato in Exchange for some face saving language and a hefty German package of economic gifts and investments. He has no other Choice now. The soviet Union and the West failed to work out a plan about How to Deal with a unified Germany before it was suddenly upon them. After All they Only had 40 years or so. Emotions count More than documents and speeches As Good diplomats know. The american Public made the Gorba Chev visit emotionally powerful. Wherever he went americans held out so clearly it could almost be touched their yearning to put fears and enmities behind them to relax their neck Muscles. It was not what he said. A certain document contains All the Hope and plans for the International common roof he talks about. Remember it the . Charter do we really need to Start All Over no it was the exhilaration of seeing and hearing a Man whom americans he. Heve is responsible for a new Era of hone they hugged him for that. A but in Washington in a startling to. Ment of self revelation Gorbachev showed the importance of not Tyne our destiny to his. He talks democracy and perhaps even believes in a version of it but in that moment he showed he acts and think like a dictator. The arabs he told a news conference had been pressuring him about the in Gration of soviet jews to Israel. Then came a threat unless Israel listens to him and prevents the new arrivals from living in the a occupied territories a a he will reconsider allowing them to leave the soviet Union. Since Only a handful of soviet jews have gone to live in the West Bank the threat meant Israel had to prevent them from finding apartments in East Jerusalem part of israelis capital. Sitting right there was Bush. Gorbachev had promised him Moscow would soon put into Law the right of soviet citizens to leave their country. Bush sat strangely silent listening to Gorbachev talk familiar soviet talk a Laws mean what the communist party or its Boss intend at any Given moment. This time soviet promises about emigration were at stake. The next time what the american Public a reaching out to Gorbachev was a warm moment of history that will remain in the mind. So should the icy moment of self revelation in Washington. The truth remains if we move with heavy foot in support of Gorbachev and Only Gorbachev we can trample the Hopes of the soviet people who want More Freedom a and More food a than he is ready or Able to give them. And we can crush the new soviet dem socratic movement still forming and its Chance to Lead the country to Freedom a for which so Many of its members were once imprisoned so Long and so cruelly. C new York times Howard Kleinberg teaching that the right Way is the Only Way to play in the concluding chapter of a men at work a a manual on americans pastime pulitzer prize winning commentator George f. Will alleges that baseball is a better than Ever in almost every Way and is getting even better every  George f. Will meet Carlton e. Fisk. Fisk is a Catcher with the Chicago White sox. He is a 42-year-old native new englander who Washington Post sports columnist Thomas Boswell positions As anachronistic and who also can be described As a baseball icon. Late last month during a game Between the White sox and new York Yankees Fisk became upset that a flamboyant unproven Yankee millionaire who goes by the alternately descriptive names of Neon Deion Sanders and Deion a prime time Sanders popped up to the infield and failed to run it out. Instead he and his Gold chains strolled Back to the Yankees dugout before the put out was made. It was at that Point that Fisk did something that to me ranks in baseball history with Henry Aarons 715th Home run Don Larsen a perfect game and Nolan Ryan a strikeout record a he followed Neon Deion Back to the dugout demanding that the lad run out the play. He used a few Strong words. But he must be excused for this for As he later said Yankee great Lou Gehrig had to be spinning in his grave at prime times Lack of Industry and this game was being played in Gehrig sold Ball Park. For an opposing player to make such a demand indeed was unusual and a significant statement. It would therefore be at Odds with will a Contention that baseball is better than Ever. Certainly the athletes Are stronger faster and better coached than Ever before but what Fisk was getting at was an intangible will did not take into consideration when he wrote his words. Baseball like All other sports is a game of dedication and soul. One need look no further than will a own Book to find the classic example. Former Yankee shortstop and coach Frank Crosetti was quoted As asking the great Joe Dimaggio Why he placed such a High value on excellence. A there is always some kid who May be seeing me for the first or last time. I owe him my Best a Crosetti said Dimaggio answered. Ironically Neon Deion plays Center Field for the Yankees on the same hallowed ground where Dimaggio stood for so Many distinguished years. Surely the highly observant will who when he is not functioning As a syndicated political pundit spends his time writing speeches for republicans and zealously following the Chicago cubs would recognize the malaise that hinders so Many of today a athletes a who sports columnist Boswell refers to As a a carnival of Slipshod  one has to wonder whether baseball mirrors the declining Energy and values of the nation or vice versa. Football both professional and collegiate has been infected with a rash of taunting athletes who have degraded the game with their egotistical displays on the Field. All but gone Are the composed athletes who after scoring a touchdown simply hand the Ball to the game official replaced by gyrating exhibitionists who Are joined by chorus lines of teammates in displays of leg and Pelvic dexterity and coordination. What would the great country boy Pitcher dizzy Dean have thunk a his word a if he had lived to see a present Era game stopped by the Umpire after the Batter complained the pitchers flashing Gold necklaces and other jewelry were blinding him i do not recall hearing of a disabled list in baseball when i was a youngster. The athletes played Hurt fearing that to miss a Day would put their starting jobs in jeopardy to the Guy on the Bench. Today we live in a world of stretched theses and pulled that and seemingly the slightest wound becomes grounds for at least 15 Days in a Whirlpool Bath. There is nothing wrong with today a baseball or other sports that a Little humility and dedication  help. The trend of today a athlete unfortunately is More toward the Glitz and theater of professional wrestling. That a what has Carlton Fisk enraged. That a Why he chased Down Neon Deion and told him a there is a right Way and a wrong Way to play this game. You re playing it the wrong  Fisk a distinguished playing record Over 21 seasons eventually will earn him a place in baseball s Hall of Fame. His admonishment of Sanders in particular Ana its broader message would have been grounds enough. The old saw about a catchers equipment being the tools of ignorance do not apply to Carlton Fisk. Cox nows service