European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 20, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sex Tennis Gerulaitis a Vitas shown Gerulaitis who died sunday is during a 1985 Wimbledon match. Southampton . A Vita Gerulaitis a free spirit who was one of the world s top Tennis players was found dead at a Friend s Home. He was 40. Gerulaitis had confessed to drug abuse in the past but police said there were no suspicious circumstances when the found his body sunday at a Friend s Home in this exclusive Seaside town. An autopsy was scheduled for monday. A servant discovered Gerulaitis body lying in bed in a guest cottage on the oceanfront estate of Martin Raynus police said monday. No evidence of foul see Page 25 for highlights of Gerulaitis career play or drugs was found at the scene according to police. Gerulaitis played Tennis last wednes Day in Seattle on the champions tour circuit for men s players 35 and Over. He withdrew from the event the following Day because of a bad Back. An excellent shot maker who played Tennis and partied at Manhattan s night clubs with equal flair Gerulaitis reached the no. 3 ranking in 1977 and made the finals of the . Open and French open in 197? and 1980. He acknowledged using cocaine during the late 1970s and 1980s and said his drug use and late nights undercut his ability As a player. But for All his excesses Gerulaitis remained a durable and imposing player outlasting Many opponents. Gerulaitis who left the main tour in 1985 worked recently for lbs at . Open As a studio analyst. He also played in the men s 35 and Over doubles event during the tournament. That s a very big loss for Tennis be cause of Vitas personality and his play Tennis Star Michael Chang said. He was very easy going. All the players were Able to joke around with  Chang spoke sunday night after losing an exhibition match to John Mcenroe at Berkeley Calif. Mcenroe who knew of the death be fore his match left immediately after playing and issued a statement. I won this match for my buddy Vitas and i m too distraught to talk about it he said. Gerulaitis enjoyed some of his bes moments at the . Open a tournament not far from his Birthplace in Brooklyn Orris Home on Long Island. He lost the finals of the 1979  and the 1980 French open. In one of his finest matches Gerulaitis rallied to beat Roscoe Tanner in the semifinals of the stars and stripes ports september 20,1994 Page 32 the 1979 . Open after trailing by two sets and Down a service break. He won the italian open in 1977 and1979. In 1977, he lost in the Wimbledon semifinals to Bjorn Borg in a five set tie breaker. He won the 1975 Wimbledon doubles title with Sandy Mayer. In 1979, he won five of six Davis cup matches. He played on the . Team from 1977-80. Gerulaitis won 27 singles titles and nine doubles championships and had Ca reer earnings of More than $2.7 million. Fred store a former . Open Cham Pion coached Gerulaitis during the 1970sand worked with him on recent television broadcasts. I m absolutely flabbergasted Stol Esaid from Louisville by he s just been doing an unbelievable Job on to. I thought he was great at the .open and he had a Good future ahead of him in the television  Gerulaitis is survived by a sister Ruta and his Mother Lodonna. Chargers stun Seaha is for unbeaten Mark Seattle a after losing both their top receiver and top rusher the san Diego chargers looked More like a Good bet for last place than super bowl bound. Three games into the new season the chargers Are one of five unbeaten teams in the  re 3 and 0 and hopefully Well be Able to Han dle it Well Stan Humphries said following san Diego s24-10 Victory Over the Seattle sea Hawks on sunday. The chargers lost their leading receiver Anthony Miller As a free agent to Denver and traded away their. Lop rusher Marion Butts to new England. Our receivers Are a Bunch of Guys nobody has overheard of Humphries said. They Don t get Down when they make a mistake and they make it  Humphries teamed with Tony Martin on a 99-Yardtouchdown pass equalling the longest in nil history As the chargers got off to their Best Start since 1981. Also in the third Quarter when the chargers turned 10-3 halftime Lead into a 24-3 advantage Stanley Richard stepped in front of Paul Green at the san Diego 27 and grabbed Rick Mirer s pass. For the second time this season Richard returned an interception for a touchdown this one for 73 Yards he ran Back an interception of John Elway s pass 99 Yards for a to in san Diego s opener in Denver. Butts was traded because the chargers had natron Means in the wings. Means rushed for 86 Yards on 24 car Ries including a 1-Yard to with 19 seconds left in the Sec Ond Quarter to give san Diego a 10-3halftime Lead. Martin caught a career Best six passes for 152 Yards and one touchdown. Pinned on the 1 after a sack by Brent Williams Humphries passed from his own end zone on third-and-18. He found Martin in front of Patrick Hunter at the san Diego 35, and Martin outran Hunter to the end  was the seventh 99-Yard touchdown pass play in nil history and it broke the club record of 91 Yard set by Jack Kemp and Keith Lincoln in 1961. San Diego s defense took care of the rest. The sea Hawks were limited to 59 Rushing Yards and 187 Yards Overall. The chargers sacked Mirer six times three by Leslie o Neal san Diego s All time sack Leader. Portrait of an interception new York jets linebacker to Lewis grasps a pass from Dolphin quarterback Dan Marino for an interception in the end zone. The first Quarter pass was intended fortnight end Keith Jackson shown reaching for it at right. Marino went on to have a big Day completing 23 of 31 passes for 289 Yards As Miami downed new York at Joe Robbie stadium 28-14. See pages 28 and 30 forbore on sunday s nil games. It i v 1. 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