weekend attempting not.‘ to think, a horrible .
image crossed my mind which came very | close to
taking away: the sunlight: ~~ ~ a oe

I imagined a@ scene where
sport: was dominated by
people ‘like Billy Martin and
John McEnroe while ‘the
czars of the sport were all
-cast in the. image of Harold
Ballard.

Sports officials, in this
vision. of. the. -apocolypse,
were all running about in
chicken costumes while the
members of the media all did
their: utmost to take over
centre: ‘stage.

‘What: was. ‘most bother-.

some’, about this vision was

than realistic: .

was: ‘more. fact than fantasy.
In a: “never-never, land

‘where - “Billy: ‘Martin is king

and. John . McEnroe con-

tinues - ‘to recéive obesience ~

from. the mobs of the-media,

the state-of'the art‘in sport is.

mainly .. ‘surrealistic rather

4

’ Media’ - incidents. which
include. two: reporters. rolling

around on the: floor because |

of «their questioning of
McEnroe. at Wimbledon, or
the. ‘récent ‘case of Ray

° Hankin laying ! five on a daily
the niggling. feeling that it -.re

SHOWING THE FORM which won him the 1980
National Slalom Championship ts North Van's Ted

Harticy.

Hartley will be defending his title at the

upcoming international event being organized by the

Canadian Pro-Am Skateboarding Association.

Peters photo)

(Terry

J§is) SHORELINE BOATS LTD.

ne’ seh eS

Morine Recentorten |

os ‘Salt Water Fishi a Licenses -

i.e , Hourston

ae wohnaoa Outboards

ans ‘Canaventure
— * Volvo

ae ‘1870 Main St: Nori Vancouver 986-0127
“at the North’ end Of 2nd Narrows Bridge" -

ell..to. ‘everyone
connected with: sport ‘about

“that. wretched. -and. nebulous

mistress * called
sibility. .
Recently this © particular

respon-

theme seems to have been
~ Grossing my mind more and

more. A short while ago
there was an event I wrote
_about when a sports official,

from out of town, tried to do

certain damage to a sports
reporter.-

Then just last week there
‘was the -word about the

_ troubles with the Whitecap
player and the reporter.

Now every reporter who

has” been in the business,

had an ber of . stories
which has. riled individuals.

_ Dopationaly. these will have.

led to unpleasant _ con-
. frontations. -- ac
And regardless of how fair
the reporter ‘is, just like a
referee, he can’t please

. everyone. -

But for some reasons, the
whole state of the ‘art’ in
sport recently has caused
these alarm. bells to start
going off.

Perhaps -.it is because at
times, we tend to forget that
. real live people out there are

redding what we write.’

Perhaps we become too
cynical,. or rushed, to
remember that we have a
responsibility to report fairly
and honestly about whatever
it is we are writing, be it a
crime report, or a sport
result.

Perhaps too, we at times
fall into the trap of being
caught in the role of en-
tertainers and forget that the
function of a reporter is to
report.

Time can be a bugbear in
this business. Sometimes it is
too ‘easy-ito report. the
sensational ‘rather than, ig
the details.

And outside, jhe 1
perhaps “some . .
promoters find it easier: to
parade around outlandish.
creatures because of their. -
instant shock value rather
than improve the product ‘on
the field.

At times it may be easier
to promote the ludicrous
sides of various personslities
rather than struggle. for the
actual sport — or whatever
the subject may be.

Or perhaps Tm just going

through ‘a stage” where I'm

‘being somewhat pontifical

rather than practical.
Perhaps our ultimate aim
in the media and sport
business is nothing more
than a bit of cheap ‘sen-
safionalism and tawdry
color. Mind you, this too can
at times apply to more than

- Sport.

But if this is so, then why
do I still get a thrill’ out of

seeing the athlete push

himself beyond his normal

THE GREAT CANADIAN OPEN

More than 100 trophies

_ will be up for grabs next

week during ‘The Great
Canadian Open' in-
ternational. skateboarding
championships to be held in
Vancouver, Burnaby and
North Van District.

Young: skateboarders
from ail around the world
will be participating in the
nine events over the six days-
as part of the Sea Festival
celebrations.

Events from downhill
speed runs to high jumps and
free style will take place
over the course of the event.:

Different venues for the
different events will include
Seylynn park in North Van
for the banked bow!lriding
event which will include two
freestyle 45 second runs on
July 17.

That same cvening barrel
jumping will take place at
the West Vancouver arena.

One of the more spec-
tacular events will be the
downhill speed run on Maple
Grove Cres in Burnaby
where speeds in the area of
40 miles per hour are ex-

pected.
The event which will
include the Canadian

ADULT TENNIS ‘81

West Vancouver Tennis Club

2\st & Fulton Ave.

_W. Van.

is offering
Group Lesson Packages

Register now for July lessons!

Registration period:
Friday, July 10th 7-9 pm (at the Cub)
Classes Stert Week of July 13th

For more information, call: 922-9722

‘A first for skateboarders

championships is being
organized by the Canadian
Pro-Am Skateboard
Association which has been
holding the national event
since 1977.

Entry fee for the event is

- and year. after year Practice
(and refinement?

EU
y~only in sport, but in all of

- 0449 or Ted Hartley at 988-

fe

‘powers to attempt to achieve
a certain goal; or to show a
~ Skill:.and: ‘finesse that only

swith hour after hour

seems. to be so
; re ‘going on, not
‘life; that is being missed both
by~ those’. Of us who are
supposed’ ‘tobe its observers,

and.at times, by many of the
actual participants.
This business of

responsibility can be a most
difficult taskmaster.

$15 plus one dollar for each
eventéntered.
More contest information
-is available by calling Monty |
Little at 435-1444 or 937-

9519.

CHEEKYE STABLES
announces .

Ovemight Mountain Excursions. Let us
take care of you on these guided rides to a
fisherman's and photographer's paradise
where you will enjoy gourmet meais at our
rustic takeside camp.

For more details on these as well as

focal

tides contact

Box 312,

Brackendale, VON 1HO, or phone
112:898-3432.

Mr. Mileage Maker!

BILL DOCKSTEADER
has best in-town deals on
the great Suzuki 4x4s!
Hardtops!Soft-tops!
Pickups!

Bill Docksteader’s

SUZUKI!

421 Kingsway!
879-6301 till 9 p.m.

NORTHPARK
MEN’S HAIR
Open Monday to Saturday

Thursday and Friday till 9:00 P.M. :
(appolntments.optional) ; ;

855 Park Royal North

922-9612