Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 9, 1978)
Page 8 THE BATTALION TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1978 sports By Mark Patterson The voters of Texas deserve a horse laugh 03p0 .it £ ^ '**L V The cost of a football game By KEVIN PYLE Try to remember, if you can or if you haven’t blocked it out of your memory completely, the afternoon of Nov. 26, 1977. Can’t remember? Well, that was the day when the Longhorns of Texas stampeded into Kyle Field and won a football game by a score of 57-28 over the Texas Aggies. Many fans remember that partic ular game, but few have ever thought about how much it cost to stage the event. According to Wally Groff, assis tant athletic director of business af fairs, the game cost the Texas A&M athletic department a total of $15,662.44. Most of the expenses went to pay people hired for the game. Of these people, the game officials got the most money. Many Aggie fans feel that the officials didn’t really de serve to be paid, or were paid by Texas; however, the athletic de partment did pay $2,193 to the Southwest Confeence for their serv ices. The conference then paid the officials an average salary of $182.75. A&M also had 80 hired people to handle the ushering services. The ushers got an average salary of $13.10 with total salaries amounting to $1,047.50. For the 45 ticket grabbers at the gates, A&M paid a total of $681.75, for an average salary of $15.15 per person. : In addition, three ticket sellers received $21 apiece, two elevator operators together earned $67.25, an electrician got $17.50 and a lost- and-found person got $15. The press box crew, who get a th( free barbeque dinner afte game, got a total of $64. Then there was the scoreboard operator. He got $40. For the seven first aid people $135 was spent and for two gate em ployees another $27 was paid. Also, 14 regular employees, secretaries, ticket sellers and the field crew got a total of $668.01. For printing tickets for the game, $2,185.40 was paid to printers Wel don, Williams and Lick. Because of the large crowd at the game, an additional 5,000 seats had to be rented. A&M spent $2,900 for the sideline seats. This problem will be alleviated in 1979, however, as Texas A&M is adding more perma nent seating to the stadium. For security in the stands, Texas A&M paid $1,190 to the City of Bryan police department. The Col lege Station auxiliary police, used for traffic control, got $355. Kyle Field gate security and park ing attendants got $1,684.75, and the public address announcer re ceived $50 for his services. Last but not least was the expense for cleaning up the stadium. For this A&M spent $2,121.38. As prices increase each year, so do the expenses for staging a football game in Kyle Field and the amount of people needed. The total cost for the 1975 Texas game at Kyle Field was $13,274.40, which is $388.04 less than the amount expended this year. An expense comparison showed an increase of $309 in paying game officials. The cost of chairs increased $484 over the two year period. Ticket prices went up $330.13. Wage employees got $606.76 more. Bryan police received $345 more with College Station police getting a $55 increase. The gate security and parking attendants total salaries in creased by $314.75. Finally, showing that not all ex penses go up, the clean-up of the stadium went down $106.60. Groff said this was due to the condition of the stadium, so it seems when the Aggies win, as they did two years ago, their fans make more of a mess than when they lose. The next time Texas plays at Kyle Field, in 1979, these expenses will have gone up, partly due to increas ing prices and also because there will be three levels on each side of the stadium instead of two, which will mean more employees. Also, the Aggies will hope for a large clean-up expense. nTFIEIrkW^. United Press International LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Bettors at the Kentucky Derby Saturday poured more than $10 million through the mutuel machines to set a new Derby record. The 131,004 fans at Churchill Downs bet $10,336,443 on races, breaking the old mark of $8,811,486 wagered in 1977. The total handle for the Run for the Roses, $4,425,828, broke the old record of $3,655,225 set last year when Seattle Slew won the Derby en route to the Triple Crown. Steve Cauthen rode this year’s winner, Af firmed, across the finish line. “846-6714 & 846-1151 UNIVERSITY SQUARE SHOPPING CENTER CINEMA The story of two women whose friendship [suddenly became a matter ADULT $3.00' CH I Ld| $ I . 50i Sfe******************** TiSUMMER JOBS{ -K Houston, Dallas F/W, -k ■ £ San Antonio, Beaumont i Areas Only $240 per week to start CINEMA DAILY 7:30 9:45 ADULT $3.00 CHILD $1.50 ANNE BANCROFT Turning poinf 5 The generations change. But the choices remain the same. Specialty Sales - Apollo Ventures Apply: Rudder Tower Room 404 rSHIRLEY rMa c LA I N E * * * * * * * I * * * * * * * 4c 4c 4c 4c © 1977 20TH CENTURY-FO* Direefed by Award Winning .Herbert Ross ^ 8:00 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. or Noon or 2:00 p.m. or 4:00 p.m. ^ Monday May 8 Tues. May 9 C ; * ulTTiiiiiiiiiiiirrr ****************+**$. The voters of the state of Texas got another chance to let their narrow-minded views be know this weekend at the polls. For the fourth time in 10 years the people of this great state of ours have denied citi zens the joy of having a new sport come to the state. Now I enjoy watching a variety of sports, ranging from polo to backgammon, but I don’t think there is another pasttime more enjoyable than watching a beautiful animal thundering around an oval track. Especially when my money is riding on the outcome of the race. But the thing that makes me mad enough to chew horse-shoes is the thought that most of the people who voted against pari-mutuel betting for our state have probably never seen a horse race and enjoyed its pleasure. Horseracing should be a part of this state’s attractions for a mul titude of reasons. Not only from the money point of view but just for die simple fact of letting people do something they want to without hav ing to drive to one of the neighbor ing states to do it. I think the most ridiculous reason presented by the forces opposing the adoption of the pari-mutuel issue in this state is that the horse racing business is run by the un derworld and its existence would promote underworld activity. That’s a lot of horse manure. The horse racing industry is one of the most regulated gambling outfits in the country. All wagers, money spent and winnings paid out are controlled and recorded by com puters. There are no possible ways for the underworld to control the winners and losers of a race. That’s up the the riders and horses them selves. The controls placed upon the hor seracing industry ought to be ex tended to other facets of the sport ing world. If you don’t think there is gambling going on in the other legal sports of our state, you’re as back wards as your vote to disallow horse racing in Texas. In this football-crazy state, need I point out the Paul Hornung case or the Alex Karras case to support the theory that gambling exists in foot ball? But just from the simple view of added revenue for the state, Texans’ money ought to stay in Texas, not Louisiana, Arkansas or New C ommentary Sun Theatres 333 University 84t The only movie in town Double-Feature Every Week Open 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Mon.-Sat. 12 Noon - 12 Midnight Sun No one under 18 Escorted Ladies Free BOtfK STORE & 25c PEEP SHOWS 846-9808 Derby bets set record Now Leasing The NEW COURTYARD APARTMENTS Rent A New, Plush Apartment With A Balcony Overlooking The Beautiful 3-Acre Courtyard. Rental Office # On-Site Rental Office 1 Bedroom Furnished & Unfurnished 2 Bedroom Furnished & Unfurnished Mini Storage Units Available. Two Rental Offices: 1. — On Site — Stalling Dr. & University Oaks 2. — E-Z Travel Motor Hotel 2007 Texas Open 24 Hours 693-2772 loupots NEEDS USED BOOKS! Loupot can’t sell used books to you unless you sell to him this spring! So bring In your old books and take out some cash! — We pay cash for used books LOUPOTS BOOKSTORE Northgate - Across from the Post Office So, fellow racing fans, we can lay aside our dreams of ever seeing the Texas Derby being run for the yel low roses. And we can say goodbye to the companies that might have chosen our state to hold their annual conventions because there isn’t enough excitement of entertain ment. And we can say goodbye to our money that would have towards a reduction of state Now it will go to the people states that have realized the twentieth century a should be allowed. So it’s on to the post a you at the races. But, unfortai not in the state of Texas and liei Mexico. The projected figure of $300 million would have been brought into the state if the referen dum would have passed. Going into this year’s primary the professional horseracing people thought they had a good shot of hav ing the bill approved by the voters. But again the rural backwoods people of the state said no. “I really had only been thinking about victory plans,” said Charles Hancock, secretary-treasurer of the Texas Horseracing Association, Inc. “I thought we had an outstanding chance to win it this time.” They would have if the Demo crats and the country folk would have voted in support of the bill. The Republicans split in their sup port of the proposal while the urban voters were in support of legaliza tion. And the scapegoat for the losers, as they have been the last times the pari-mutuel betting bill has eome before the voters of the state, are the Southern Baptists. Voting in a block the religious group has dic tated what will transpire throughout the entire state. The one thing that the bill had going for it this time was the option that the communities would have in allowing the betting to exist. It was to be each community’s option to allow the horses in the area. Now it will be withheld from everyone. We Take Care Of Our Customers! If your calculator’s gone out rightbel fore your exams, we’ll fix it or loaj you another one ’til it is fixed. Calculators Batteries • Accessories We Do It All We want your problems as wel| as your business. Loupot’s Bookstore We’re Looking for Counselors Camp Olympia is looking for summer counselors! If you enjoy the outdoors and the rewarding s perience of working with and teaching cl recreational activities, contact TOMMY FERGUSON 713-594-2541 LOCAL 443-1153 HOUSTON LINE HAVE 3 POSITIONS OPEN FOR MALE COUNSELO JUNE 6 - AUGUST 12 Chris Gilbert Owner Corby Robertson,J 0v» Tommy Ferguson Director Camp Olympia Rt. 2, Box 25-B Trinity, Texas 75862 ys MANOR EAST 3 THEATRES MANOR EAST MALL SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER ... Catch it. m 7:30 9:55 MEL BROOKS HIGH ANXIETY A Rsyoho-Comedy Color by DELUXE® [Jrljrj « 1978 20TH CENTURY-FOX [_l39^Jft l | u i| BEST ACTOR RICHARD DREYFUS EAST IT’S Skyway STILL ALIVE PLUS DEMONS WEST DEATH SPORT PLUS DEATH RACE ZOO Campus >us 846-6512 COLLEGE STATION I COACH EVERYBODY LOVES A WINNER! n g inc Starring CATHY LEE CR0SB1 E TO 'gr I n g KEENAN WYi A CROWN INTERNATIONAL ^ PICTURES RELEASE ~ METR0C0L0R® le® pol ■nl tin In eid Ch drive Wa