European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 07, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday August 7, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 25 . Nine feels heat in Havana by Richard Luna Havana Cuba up a their average age is 20. They be never played together until this summer and most Are a few years away from the major leagues. Yet they Are the ones who must see to it that americans Are playing baseball next year in Barcelona. The . Baseball  the pan american games needs to finish among the top four. If not the americans will be out of the 1992 olympics where baseball is a medal sport for the first time. The United states began play monday by beating the dominican Republic 6-1. But the americans stiffest Competition will come from Cuba Nicaragua puerto Rico Canada and Mexico. A everybody wants to know Why we done to have our Best team Here a said . Coach Ron Polk of Mississippi state a especially Here in Cuba where baseball is the National sport. A this year we had no Protection of players. We lost seven juniors in College who we were counting on to play for us this summer. But Money and the fact that they were drafted High did not allow them to stay with us. A a a that a Why its so difficult for the Usa to Field its strongest team. Even though we lost quite a few players to the draft we still have a very Fine  the Best Young american players end up playing professionally. That Means the United states must try to win International tournaments with younger less experienced and less developed players. The cubans have a far different system keeping a National squad year round. They Are fhe worlds Best Amateur team having won 18 of the last 22 world championships and four straight. They be also won the pan am games seven times including the last five. The Only change for the americans comes during olympic years. A we have an agreement with major league baseball where we get to protect 20 athletes a Polk said. A those players can hire agents negotiate and sign contracts. They cannot take any Money and practice with their teams until after the olympics. They commit to play for Usa baseball and once they commit they cannot change their  the policy has proved successful in olympic years. In 1984, the americans lost to Japan in los Angeles where baseball was introduced As an exhibition sport. Pan american games . Pitcher David Tuttle of los gatos calif., finds a Way to Cool off after a weekend practice session in Havana. The team included will Clark Bobby Witt and Mark Mcgwire All now in the majors. At the 1988 Seoul olympics the United states won behind the pitching of Jim Abbott now with the California Angels. Robin Ventura and Andy Benes both now major leagues also were on the team. This year the americans lost Fresno state Pitcher Bobby Jones and Southern Cal outfielder Mark Smith both first round draft picks a Jones by the new York mets Smith by the Baltimore orioles. Still top players remain including three members of Mcaa Champion Wichita state pitchers Kunnie Steenstra and Jason Giambi Utility player Chris Wim me along with Pitcher Jeff Ware selected by the Toronto Blue jays. Ware said he would have turned pro had he been Able to negotiate an acceptable contract. A we were too far apart so i made the decision to stay with team Usa a he said. A a in be always wanted to Wear this uniform and i want to help get the United states in the olympics.�?�. Ware belongs to Toronto until he returns to old Dominion but believes lies la be in the Blue jays system this fall. S Polk expects several of his pan am players to play on. The olympic team providing the americans qualify. A i know its not a perfect system but its the one that works Best for us a he said. A when you get to this level you be got a Chance at playing major league Ball. A lot of kids dream about that and i understand if they decide to pursue that. A the kids we be got Here have Talent and  be major league prospects. 1 think  get us to Barcelona  boxers take their cues from Savon Havana up cuban heavyweight Felix Savon who takes advice from Teofilo Stevenson and Fidel Castro Calls professional boxing abusive and says he would never fight for Money. Savon is the Leader of the worlds Best National boxing team one that is expected to score a near sweep of the 12 Gold medals to be contested at the pan american games. Half the 10 cubans who won at Indianapolis in 1987 Are Back including Savon who is 224-9 and a four time world Champion. Savon who turns 24 next month is 6-foot-4 and 201 pounds. Winning the pan am games and the 1992 Barcelona olympics would make him a potential million Dollar fighter As a pro. But he is determined to follow his idol Stevenson As a career Amateur. A i never aspired to become a professional because professional boxing is bad a Savon speaking through an interpreter said sunday at the athletes Village. A you can see boxers Are exploited. It is Man exploited by  Savon gets by on the equivalent of $260 a month. He receives a monthly 120 cuban pesos stipend As a student plus 140 pesos for a no show Job in his native Guantanamo. After he graduates with a physical education degree Savon will be paid a starting salary of 231 pesos a month with increases to 380. He finds other Perks come with being a Champion. The government gave him a House and a car but he never uses the car because a if you have a car you tend to go after women and done to take care of  earlier this year cuban teammate Jorge Gonzalez a two time pan am super heavyweight Champion defected and turned pro in Miami. A we were surprised because in 30 years since the revolution no Boxer had turned pro a Savon said. A pro boxing is not very sportsmanlike. The welfare of the athlete is not the main purpose. They get Cut and keep on fighting and they have problems with the referee. There Are a lot of outside influences a people with Money do a lot of damage to the sport. A the athlete has to share his Money with his Camp and pay his sparring part ners. After paying All those people what do you have left a he said. A i have seen the world and i done to have to Deal with All  but As a competitor does no to Savon wonder How he would fare against Mike Tyson or heavyweight do Ampton Evandor Holyfield t a Mike Tyson just like me is a human being a Savon said. A if we were to fight three rounds Amateur style i would  Savon discovered what it would be like to Box Stevenson in 1986 when they trained together for the world championships in Reno Nev. Stevenson a three time olympic heavyweight Champion was on his last legs As a Boxer. Savon a cocky 19-year-old hailed As a the next Stevenson a Felt Good about the sessions until the Veteran unloaded some of the old Thunder. A i thought i had the Edge i thought i could beat the lion a Savon remembered. A then he landed a right Cross that Cut my  Stevenson won the super heavyweight championship in Reno Savon won the heavyweight title and the two grew close. Savon says they have a father son relationship. A if there were anybody i would like to be the Mirror image of it would be him Quot Savon said. A a he a such a Noble person. He tells me what to  so does Castro. The cuban president is a boxing fan and takes great Pride in the National team. Savon finds him sometimes a strict critic As Well. A a few times when we talked the commandant brought up my performances a Savon said. A once alter i bought in Atlantic City new Jersey he told me i looked a Little hurried and he gave me advice. He knows a lot. Quot he would be been a Good fighter. He has a Good build and is smart. I have pictures of him punching training  Cuba boycotted the 19nk Seoul olympics a tournament Savon would have been favored to win. Savon said Castro eased the sting of the Boycott by presenting the 12 cuban boxers a a medal of  a a thai was As much of a Reward As winning an olympic medal a he said