The 012's: sm, 'JhurSday, April 6, 1978, page 17

Several weeks ago there occurred a teavyweight . title bout. An upstart called Leon Spinks tijed diarrpi‘cn Muhade Ali, me cmsequences seated clear. ;Spinks had become the mtitleistleaving Ali as a top manager. Isn't that sinple enough?

It was,vbut now a wrench

for Ali was the best idea. This verdictarmoyed W.B.C. to the point where it has avarded Nortm its recognition astitleist. The result, of course, is ccznfu'sim. ‘Ihe boxing world has two chanps. 'no the W.B.C. it is Norton, while to the World Boxing Association it is still @inks.

The 11081: interesting thing is the reactions of those involved. Nortm is happy. He declared that he would have preferred victory in the ring, but since the top man wouldn't fight him, he'll take it any way it owes. "I promise to be worthy of the title," he said. “I'm going to do the best I can with it and fight all the top contenders right down the line." Spinks' side though, isn'tgquite as content. Bob Arum, leader of the group pronoting him, is prepared to sue the W.B.C. and so is the fighter. Apparently the turmoil has just begun.

What is really disturbing is that the whole mess is part of a trend. More and”

more outside technicalities financial battles, and ’ legal matters are inter— fering professional sport. The attenpted sale of the Oakland A's is a

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recent example in baseball. Omar Charles 0. Finley had an agreement with oilman Marvin Davis, but the chal

stalled. Why? Because the team has a lease in Oakland and legal actim was threatened if Davis moved the squad to Denver. ‘Jhus with the seasm about to My the matter is barely settled. Again the result is ccnfusim. ‘

In W: 81mm things happen. (he case is the current situati’cn bebuea: the Detroit led Wings and the Pittsburgh offered Derek Sankrson a tryout and the former Bostcn star leapt at the opportunity. Apparently, though, his enthusiasm faltered when he was statimed on a farm team. He then joined Pittsburgh and you guessed it. 'Ihe Wings accused the

.. .WhY even Tbronto Manle

. . . T H E Penguins of tanpering.

An even more significant incident involves the Winnipeg Jets and file New York Rangers. A few seasons ago the Jets acquired Swedish stars Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilssm. Both players becane stars ead'x crucial. to the team's success. mfortmately their contracts have run out, and as so often happens, a bidding war began. j 'lhe Rangers offered the Swedes contracts that Winnipeg simply couldn't ' afford to match. with cash registers ringing in their heads, Hedberg and Nilssm will cone east. (has again hodcey franchises are nore affected by events off the ice than by those on it.

Politics also now influence the big leagues_

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leaf boss Harold Ballard was hit by Prime MiniSter 'I‘rudeau‘s price and wage controls! 'Ihe Chnadian Anti—Inflation Board declared Maple leaf Gardens too profitable. 'Ib rectify the situatim Ballard had to offer

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show in Toronto free to hodcey subscribers. Now really! matrices Bob Hope have .to do with hockey?

And (i: the F.A.N.S. Item anything to you? They signify Fight to Advance flue Naticn-‘s 'Sports, the title of a " new sports ccnsmer organ- ization backed by Ralph Nader. Though not necessarily a bad thing, it too will ccntribute to the trend. As his first project Peter Gruenstein, the group's president, foresees fan boycott of Buffalo Bills football games. He says the Bills have been chosen because of consistent mis— management by team owner Ralph Wilson Jr. "Wilson," Gruensteinlconplains, "is propped up by the monopolistic structure of the N.F.L. In any other business with his misman— agement, he would have gone bankrupt by now. If there's a city where the fans have been treated vworsethan in Buffalo, I don't know where it is." Mr. Wilson can take that as awarning. 'Itaam affairs are no longer conpletely within his grasp. He had better shape up or bail out.

A list of similar impurities could go on and on. Outside technicali— ties, financial battles, and legal matters have become strangely prominent in sports. It definitely is a sad trend, but perhaps it is just a natural part of a growing— ly complex world.

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