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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 27, 1978)
Page 8 THE BATTALION THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1978 Japanese fans enjoy volleyball Volleyball only needs one thing to become a popular sport in America: spectators. Yasutake Matsudaira, who was at Texas A&M University earlier this month for an International Vol leyball Coaches Conference, knows all about promoting volleyball. He led Japan to a gold medal in the 1972 Munich Olympics and attrib utes all, or most of this team’s suc cess, to audience support. “If I had spent all of my time on the court teaching players, we’d never have won the gold medal,’’ explained Matsudaira, adviser to the Japanese National Volleyball Team. “I had to spend 50 percent of my time on the court and 50 percent drumming up spectator support. “The audience is a big force be hind the Japanese Olympic team, the players don’t get paid or receive any other incentive,” he said. “They win for the spectators.” Japanese volleyball has a large audience. The game is televised na tionally three times a week and con sistently wins in the television ratings war. The power of the Japanese televi sion audience was no more evident than during the nation’s series of baseball last year, he said. Vol leyball was televised in the same time slot on a different channel and beat the one-time all-American sport in viewer support. “Lack of spectator support is the reason American volleyball players don’t have much motivation,” Mat sudaira observed. “There’s virtually no American media coverage of vol leyball. “It’s much harder for your players to get motivated. You can’t expect a volleyball player to say to himself, let’s go out and win this one for the good old Stars and Stripes,’ when he is playing to empty stands.?’ Matsudaira has done a lot for the Summer Foosball & Nineball Tournament Aug. 4-5, 1978 $1.00 entry fee per tournament For more information, contact MSC Bowling & Games Sponsored by: MSC Recreation Committee 3 BIG DAYS Big Beils Small Bells Boot Cut Basic Denims All Sales Final TOP DRAWER ttyri'j 1705 Texas Ave. S Culpepper Plaza 3733 E. 29th St. Town & Country Center promotion of volleyball in Europe and America. He’s on national tele vision in Tokyo three times a week hosting talk shows, doing sports news and conducting a children’s show. Volleyball isn’t his only topic, but he usually finds a way to work it into the conversation. “People love me in Japan,” Mat sudaira said laughing. “I tell them football is the number one sport in America, baseball is number two and volleyball is number three. “Then I tell them to watch out, someday volleyball will be the number one sport. And they look at me like I’m a crazy man. I’m not crazy. “Volleyball is growing in support every day.” New sign for Spurs United Press International SAN ANTONIO — The San An tonio Spurs will have the largest scoreboard of any arena in the Na tional Basketball Association come October, to their way of thinking, at least. The trapezoid-shaped scoreboard will be 26 feet 6 inches across the top, 23 feet across the bottom and 12 feet 9 inches high, according to Spurs president Angelo Drossos. The sign is under construction at the American Sign and Indicator Corporation’s facilities in Spokane, Wash. Yasutake Matsudaira (left), who was at Texas A&M Univer sity earlier this month for an International Volleyball Coaches Conference, explains some of the game’s finer points to Robert Wayne Bradsby of San Antonio. Matsudaira coached the Japanese National team to a gold medal in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games and is currently serving as the team’s adviser. MSC Sui Dinner Theatre Presents August 3,4&5 MSC Ballroom Tickets At MSC BoxOffice Call 845-2916 General Public TAMU Student $4.95 OINNtt Reservations Close 24 Hrs. Prior To Show $7.00 □ inner : 6:45pm Sho w : 8:00 pm Produced B V : MSC Summer Programming Committee and The Aggie Players Special IMon - Dinner Show August 2 8 pm Student $2.00 Gen. Public $3.00 Wc..,..*.. YOU’VE HEARD ABOUT IT... NOW HERE IT IS! ■t o rr<Avu;oN - .it bff. ats SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND Featuring: The Bee Gees • Peter Frampton Alice Cooper • Aerosmith • Earth, Wind & Fire Steve Martin • Billy Preston ($15.98 List Double Album) (Albums, cassettes, and 8-tracks) *11 99 ZKiiBitii AND OF COURSE, OUR COMPLETE LINE OF CAR STEREOS. FULL INSTALLATION & IN-HOUSE TECHNICIAN AVAIL ABLE. INCORPORATED PROFESSIONALS IN SOUND SYSTEMS At The Triangle Where Old College Rd. Meets South College (Across from Chicken Oil Co.) 846-4687 GOOD NEWS The New Club In College Station Now Has LADIES NIGHT Kite gets temporaj injunctii] 8:00-12:00 TUESDAY - WEDNESDAY - THURSDAY Guaranteed To Be The Nicest Club Around — Completely Remodeled. Quality Drinks, From Our Fresh Daquiris To Our Super Ice Cream Drinks. HOURS: Sun.-Thurs. 5:00-12:00 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 5:00 p.m.-l:00 a.m. HAPPY HOUR 5:00-8:00 United Press Internatid HOUSTON — A federal Wednesday granted 6-1! school basketball player Gre temporary injunction hes attend a summer basketbaiJ opposition to the rules oft!i| athletic governing body. U.S. District Judge Finisl also urged the UnivflT terscholastic League to rei rule which prohibits va school athletes from taking] summer basketball camps. "The rule is the onlyonei| 50 states which is as broa hibitory,” Cowan said. Boston Celtics center! ans, who runs a basketballij Texas, had entered thei sought $30,000 injunctive| Judge Cowan denied but suggested that Cowan;| relief next year if the DILI changed its rule. UIL Director Bailey! fused to comment after M "1 have to talk to mylaw{ said. Kite, 16, was one off players in Texas last junior. He said he hopedtlej action would open thei others in his situation toa intensive training camps. "I hope this will helpi players too, the ones whoji to make the varsity,’ hes Kite, as well as the i school varsity players ini was prohibited from alt summei c amp under a J rule which was instituted!! entire team from practical during the summer. The Dallas Jefferson Hi£ team of 1962 was taken I for a summer camp, and] turned to win theTexass pionship with ease. Judge Cowan said hen Kite’s favor because thell athlete, who would bes letn- basketball scholarshipl and his parents, who could] pa\ for a eollrm- rdm-,)t)a be harmed if Greg did not] bis skills fully. “The plaintiffs will sulk] able harm,"Cowan said.; tional talent is rare, very! inability to develop that! severe deprivation.” Cowan continued:’ interest is ne\ er senedbyl tion which seeks to del vidual of his constitute An attorney for the final argument Wedn] fended the rule as one I competition in Texas’ fair to persons too summer basketball camps] In a day-long hearingl Dave Cowans, Houston! coach Tom Nissalke andSl| Sonny Allen testified ini half. The ruling marked the time in three months than judge sitting in Houston his an injunction overriding^ * On April 27, a judge ai teen-age girl to play on ai high school baseball teamii tion to UIL rules. Kupec traded PA] J ei ; Arabi to loi United Press Inlernilampj!., HOUSTON — The ■lice Rockets Wednesday trade® e p forward C.J. Kupec to Bier waukee Bucks for a sixth-roBltu choice in 1979. Bed, The 6-8 Kupec, 25, avenBtsid points and one rebound in|&enc ond half of this past seas h e st broke a leg during the la^ J]i ers The camp. Kupec is a three-year N eran, having played with! Angeles Lakers for two yS jena .Lakers drafted him out of Mi fcd h 846-1100 Proper Attire Requested 813 Wellborn Rd.