Page 8 THE BATTALION
WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1976
BtLGMIOe qjGJQ30G
JR. SHOP SIZES 3-13
CONTEMPORARY
CLOTHING
FOR THE YOUNG
INDIVIDUALIST
3801 E. 29th 846-2940
Town & Country Center
S portfolio
Matson leery of Olympic politic
I HOP'S own
Texas Style
InlcrnalHinal House of Pancakes'
CHICKEN FRIED STEAK
with
delicious cream gravy
golden french fries
crispy green salad
with choice of dressing
roll and butter $2
103 North College Ave. 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m
We’d like
to take
you for
a ride
Hey, Mr. suave and sophisticated . .
try this on for size. It's the Raleigh
Sports. Think bikes are for kids?
Think again! This one’s spe
cially made for the guy who's a
mover. Three speeds, safety-
quick brakes, genuine leather
saddle, touring bag . . . every
thing you need to travel in
style. See your Raleigh
dealer, he’s got a set of
wheels waiting for you.
Come on along!
,-.44;-.—.;.'...-
CENTRAL CYCLE & SUPPLY
Sales • Service • Accessories
3505 E. 29th St. — 822-2228 — Closed Monday
Take East University to 29th St. (Tarrow Street)
By PAUL McGRATH
Battalion Staff Writer
One momento stands out from the
others that rest upon the mantle in
the office of James R. Matson, As
sociate Executive Director of the
Texas A&M Former Students As
sociation. It consists only of a golden
metallic sphere with an accompany
ing plaque. Although simple in de
sign, the trophy signifies the
achievement of the ultimate in sport,
for the inscription reads: 1968
Olympics, Gold Medal.
Randy Matson obtained his gol
den goal amidst the politically torn
Mexico City Olympiad where Tom
mie Smith raced for a gold medal and
then clenched his fist for Black
Power. Reactions to the incident
caused Matson to take an early flight
back to Houston.
Not quite a decade has passed
since Matson ceased his attack upon
the record books, the days when his
name was known in nearly every
American household. As of last May,
Matson will enter the shot put ring
no more as a competitor after finally
heeding the painful beckonings of
retirement.
Yet, his name has been difficult to
erase from the pages of track and
field records. He held the world in
the shot from 1965 until 1973 with a
10-1 Va foot toss in 1965 and a 71-S 1 /^
foot effort in 1967. He was the first
man ever to throw the 16 lb.
spheroid over the 70 foot mark. He
still holds the Southwest Conference
record at 70-7 feet as well as the
Texas A&M marks in both the shot
and discus. He won both events at
the SWC meet for three years run
ning. Matson’s credentials go on and
ALLEN
Oldsmobile
Cadillac
SALES - SERVICE
‘Where satisfaction is
standard equipment'’
2401 Texas Ave.
823-8002
on, including a silver medal in the
1964 Olympics in Tokyo and a year’s
tour of duty on the Aggie basketball
team.
Ironically, it was for basketball,
not track, that brought most recruit
ers to the doorstep of the Pampa na
tive. Ignoring those offers, he chose
A&M over such top track schools as
Southern Cal and UCLA.
However, the Aggies almost lost
their star attraction during his
sophomore year thanks to the irras-
cible nature of then Head Football
Coach Gene Stallings. Stallings, in
his first year, became upset when he
saw Matson working out with the
discus during football practice. He
did not know that Matson had an
agreement with the former athletic
director which enabled him to use
the facilities at anytime. The alterca
tion almost led to Matson’s leaving
the school.
Matson, like many Americans, has
jSALES: AlumaCraft, Grumman, ABS I
Tejas & Blue Hole
RENTAL: Special group rates
DR. MICKEY LITTLE
College Station, Tx.
(713) 846-7307
“I
Embrey’s Jewelry
Also your local booking agent for j
j canoe & kayak rentals on the
1 GUADALUPE RIVER
We Specialize In
Aggie Rings.
Diamonds Set —
for TEXAS i
| CANOE TRAILS. $16/day includes i
shuttle. Phone CANOES, LTD. for de- |
| tails & reservations,
t --nCM anB'sayp
-1
Reoxidizing —
All types watch/jewelry
Repair
Aggie Charge Accounts
10 846-5816
/upTnamba
GABE & WALKER’S • 846-4121
One Mile West of West Bypass on FM 60
DINE-IN, ORDERS TO GO,
OR EAT OUT ON “THE SLU”
Featuring: BEEF PORK
RIBS LINKS IBeSSfctBC
Tuesday-Saturday 11:00-9:00
Sunday 11:00-8:00
Closed Monday
CATERING SERVICE
• Plates • Sandwiches
• Beer • Cold Drinks
• Butcher Paper Spreads
to your Order
Eddie Dominguez ’66
Joe Arciniega ’74
Greg Price
★
/
Univ. Dr.
FM. 60
1
It
A&M
It you want the real
thing, not frozen or
canned . . . We call It
“Mexican Food
Supreme.”
Dallas location;
3071 Northwest Hwy
352-8570
Artists and Craftsmen
Wanted for
^CRAFTS/vy
July 29-30th
4 ^ For further information and
registration come by
THE CRAFT SHOP
MSC
become disillusioned with the politi
cal overtones surrounding the
Olympics. “The last great Olympics
[were in Tokyo in 1964,” Matson said,
gesturing with the right hand that
[bears a ring with the Olympic signet
[of five interlocked rings. He recalled
the world record exploits of the
Human Bullet, Bob Hayes and a
gung ho team spirit that seems lack
ing from the present squad.
“Training was important to athletes
then,’’ Matson said, his 6-7 frame
dwarfing his office to the dimensions
lof the shot put ring that brought him
world acclaim. “I was fortunate
enough to compete in the glory days
jof track. I guess we were
stereotypes. I came up under the old
line that coaches told guys what to
do. Now they have to explain what to
do and why.’
Matson said athletes were more
competitive then, almost to the
point of becoming enemies. He says
today’s athletes are not as intent.
“Now it’s all one, big happy family, ’’
he complained. “Take a guy like
Dwight Stones (world record high
jumper) who doesn’t know if he’s in a
tree or not. But these are the guys
who are breaking the records.’’
“I’m concerned about the future of
the Olympics,’’ he said, foreseeing a
day when track championships may
be held separately from the Games
every other year. “I’m afraid
Moscow (1980 Olympics) will be
bad, they may be the last Olympics. ”
He recalled several dual meets with
the Russians in the middle sixties
where harassment and intimidation
by Russian officials made it difficult
to compete effectively.
Differing methods of judging
events adds more confusion to the
Olympics’ already state of cluttered
disarray. Judges from the Iron Cur
tain nations tend to mark their bal
lots in a more favorable fashion when
grading their countrymen. Matson
grinned sardonically, saying, “I’m
glad my judge was a tape measure. ”
Matson finds fault with the system
now used by the United States to
select its athletes for the Games. “If
your goal is to have your best team at
the Olympics, you prepare one way.
If it’s to reward the athletes who do
well, then you do it another way, he
said. He suggested a playoff-like sys
tem of several meets to determine
those who make the Olympic jour
ney.
“In Europe, the Olympics are the
big thing. It’s the Super Bowl, NBA
championship and World Series all
rolled into one.” Matson said. “The
Russians train the whole time and
have sports doctors and national
coaches. They receive the type of
treatment that makes you want to do
well. Over here, it’s just trial and
error.”
Now 31, the articulate and per
sonable Matson seems to have ad
justed well to his status out of the
limelight. Many of the 50 lbs. he
gained under the guidance of A&M
weight trainer Emil Mamaliga have
disappeared. His main task is that of
fund raising, which he indicates is
much easier than competing interna-
PI
tionally. Matson said when ill
to Aggies and their money,
don’t have to raise it, justpimj
opportunity to give it.”
Coming from A&M has!
roots in the Matson mold, “li
you’re different and yourej
alxjut being different. AggiJ
they’ve gotten something thsl
get somewhere else. BeingaiJ
opens doors.”
Somehow you get the impJ
that doors will never cease b|
for Randy Matson.
Former Hi
runner hei
for Olymp
LAKEVIEW CLUB
Readied by several weekso(|
work and rest from competiti
kansas junior distance ace|
O’Shaughnessey starts on tk
road to the Montreal Olj|
Games.
lional
|sion
It 5-6
smal
cane
O’Shaughnessey, a 20-y( j n|v j !i
3 Miles N. on Tabor Road
Saturday Night: David Latimer and The County Expressions
From 9-1 p.m.
ladies $1.00 STAMPEDE Every Thursday Nile
(ALL BRANDS BEER 40 cents)
Every Tuesday Nite
LADIES $1.00
MEN $2.00
All Brands Beer 40c
8-12
Dance every Tuesday and Thursday
engineering student, will
for his native Ireland in
Olympic meet Saturday at Tol
Candada and in the the Ol)f
starting this weekend. Thetra
field events are slated for Juld
“Since the AAU champia)
the second week in Tune, I
done nothing but speed e ,
mostly 220’s in pracA
O’Slaughnessey said. "I art I
pletely rested and recovers I
the cold I had the first two wj
June.”
O’Shaughnessey will mee|
the other six members of t
Olympic track team this " e beca
MSC DINNER THEATER
Presented by
MSC Summer Directorate &
Aggie Players
itp'
A PARABLE ABOUT LOVE"
iusjt
July 29 & 30 and August 3 & 4
6:30 P.M. MSC Ballroom
Tickets on sale now: MSC Box Office 5-2916
$4.25 Students $5.75 General Admission
Reservations close 24 hours prior to performance.
begin final training. He celt
America’s Bicentennial with!
Hr
issistc
workout on the Razorhackslp m j s y
track. lenting
He will enter the SOO-m inds.
Toronto and the 800 and* so f £
meter events in the Olv®
O’Shaughnessey is the fastesfl
in Southwest Conference™
after his 3:56.9 clocking
USTFF Championships atVI
Ks. in late May.
H is best times in the
events are 3:39.9 for the 1,®
1:46.6 for the 800.
“Of course, I would like to
the Olympics,” O’Shaughi
said, “but realistically, I hop* 1
ord personal bests in the two
am proud to be representing
in the Olympics this year,
overall goal is to do well in tl
Olympics (in Moscow).
“I think my countryman,
Coghlan (attending Villanova 1
chance for a medal at l,500i
Of course, we ’ll all probably 1*1
ing Filbert Bayi (of Tanzania
has threatened to boycol
Games).
As the reigning SWC mile
pion, O’Shaughnessey is
forward to cross country seaj
the Razorbacks defend their
ence and NCAA District Sii|
titles. But for now, he’ll set
wearing the green of Ireland
is y
mjpbell
l|hit tl
few c
escri
;horn
n, pe
Ai
nd ov
Iso wi
l ayloj
Raid
e of I
men
hors<
e m;
s
son ai
the
erenc
e trio
meric
hir
ing i
Nothing to wear?
Better make
haste where great
fashions are
1/3 to 1/2 off.
CARNABY
SQUARE j;n
Culpepper Plaza