European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 11, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 a the stars and stripes wednesday december 11, 1991 --.mw&m, c->1the Way we were Sas file up flip big time athletes and big league crowds were the Norm during the heyday of military sports in Europe during the �?T50s and �?T60s. At left Willie Davenport who got serious about track while assigned to Lee Barracks in Mainz Germany is shown applying his army lessons in winning the 110-meter High hurdles at the 1968 Mexico City olympics. Above the Northern area come Naco knights and the Berlin bears take on each other and the inevitable German mud during a 1956 clash at the . Army a Frankfurt stadium. Nearly every Community boasted a full blown varsity football team Many of them staffed with major College and nil players who attracted As Many As 40,000 to the annual army air Force championship  were giants in those Days editor s note the draw Down and budget constraints Are changing the face of military sports in Europe. Today the stars and stripes begins a four part series looking at past and future changes in the military sports landscape with staff writer Rob Staggenborg s look at the Way things used to be a when the cold War u  at its fros Tiest and the selective service system put major col lege professional and world Chiss athletes in uniform and fun need them into a big time sports program in Europe. By Rob Staggenborg staff writer Andy Russell s a sucker for nostalgia. It was 1984, a full 20 years after he traded his Vii corps Jay Hawks Jersey for the Black and Gold of the storied Pittsburgh Steeles and Russell found himself Back at the Gate of Kelley Barracks in Stuttgart. "1 was Over in Germany to buy a car and i drove up to Kelley Barracks a said Russell an investment banker in Pittsburgh these Days. A i asked the maps if i could just drive through the Post. It was extremely  the �?T60s were Good to the army football program. Fans locked to stadiums for the Freedom bowl matchup pitting the Andy Russell army champions against the air Force champs. In 1961, More than 40, my people crammed into Frankfurt s Wald stadium for the blessed event. The military has Long been a source of Good athletes for the professional ranks to tap a Ray my incr who knocked out Tommy Morrison last month used to carry a Rucksack and an m-16 for the 8th inf div in Baum older Germany. A Willie Davenport Winner of the 110-meter hurdles Gold medal in the 1968 olympics in Mexico still has his name attached to a whole dossier of Usa eur track records. A North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith shot hoops Over Here. Russell who placed for Vii corps in the Earth 1960s. Called his time in Europe a wonderfully  Davenport who now works for the Virginia National guard at fort Belvoir a. Credits a Lee Barracks co in Mainz with spurring his olympic Hopes. A when i finished Ait and jump school i was assigned to Lee Barracks a Davenport recalled by phone recently. A so i reported to duty at an opportune time because just As i was walking into my unit the cd was putting up a poster to get people to try out for the track team. I went out made the team and then started training at the University of  a doctor. The rest As they say is  even More historic was his 110-meter hurdles time of 13.3, which sewed up the Gold medal. It took More than a co to spark Davenport a Rise to Power. There was Ralph Boston for one. A one of the famous Long jumpers of that time Ralph Boston was at an International track meet in Germany so i asked him if head take a look at me and give me some advice. Here i was just out of High school and in Europe. A state Champion in High school hut virtually unknown to the International track world. Quot so he took a look at me and said a i Only have one bit of advice for you. Please done to Start Long  a a Clarence Childs a Usa eur football Star in the mid-60s, left the army for the new York giants where he still holds a pair of team records. His 3,163 Yards on lifetime Kickoff returns from 1964-67 appears untouchable. Rocky Thompsons 1,768 Yards rank second. Childs 947 Yards on Kickoff returns in the 1964 season rank As the Best in giants history. The list of athletes that have passed through the Usa eur and Safe ranks May not read like a who s who. But its pretty close. Frank Burke who As a linebacker was voted As a Usa eur Safe Freedom bowl map went on to help Purdue to a 14-13 Rose bowl Victory Over us in 1966. Roy Shivers who played football for the 24th inf div out of Augsburg 62-63went on to become the nation s second leading rusher 1,138 Yards on 189 carries Tor Utah state. He was drafted by the then St. Louis cardinals and played in the pros from 1968-71. Even sports illustrated a Cdr. A Quot a Paul Zimmerman a placed battalion level football in Germany. We used to Call Shivers and Childs the touchdown i wins Quot said Gene Sigler then a Soldier now the Darmstadt sports director. A you could t go anywhere without people talking about the Shivers Quot the Childs the russells. That was when the draft selective service variety was on. So we d get a few pro players Over Here. The games were great. The stands would be  Russell played one year with the Steeles in 1963, then was drafted and sent to fort Sill. Okla. He emerged a card carrying Artill Iyman and was sent to the training grounds of Germany to practice his newfound Craft. A i remember the previous year the Jay Hawks had lost All of their games a he said. A Gen. Truman the four Star at the time wanted a Good team so he recruited throughout Europe. We went from last to first. Won the Usa eur championship. A since i had been with the Steeles for a year 1 put in a lot of steel or defences in. That confused a lot of the offences. Everyone at Kelley Barracks was extremely excited about us winning the championship. A the football was pretty Good too. I thought 1 Learned some things playing for Vii corps that i was Able to bring to my professional career. That was the Only time i was Able to do any  the image of Mercer Gold medal wrapped around his neck and fist raised overhead still remains one of the Seoul olympics most vivid moments. After his Seoul Victory Mercer stayed in the military for a Brief stint then left the army to join the ranks of professional boxers. Of Mercer a 18 professional bouts 13 of them have been knockouts. His to of Morrison coupled with Mike Tyson a of the Canvas problems May have put him line with Riddick Bowe for a shot at evander holy Field s heavyweight title. Davenport currently holds the rank of major in the Virginia National guard but Hopes to pin on colonel wings before he a through with the military. And Russell still keeps in Contact with Germany. His son Andrew lives in Frankfurt and dad Russell still makes his Way overseas at least four times a year. Andrew a Dartmouth Grad is an International investment Counselor with a Large firm in Frankfurt. He was conceived in Germany but born in Columbia mo.,�?� Russell says with a chuckle. In the first 12 years alter i played in Germany a Russell said a i still saw a lot of those Guys i played with in the army while 1 was travelling with the Steeles. They d Call up the hotel where wed be staying and Vve d get together. It s really easy to keep in touch. There re a lot of great Guys out  tomorrow a the future for army and air Force athletes