Evening star., 1963-01-29
SEGH AT LARGE
Sundoyin St. Louis
Is for the Birds
Bv MORRIS sIEcEC


The purpose of this writer's weekend trip to st.
Louis not to watch basketball game, not
featuring heavy collection of the best hired hands in the
business.
Since the demise of the Caps, the opportunity of
ayzng less commercial forms OF Dr. Naismths personal
foul has existed for years in Washington Invariably the
decision been waive the right of onsght inspection
But it Sunday afternoon in ST. Louis 1t also
five degrees below the thermometers choking point This
made it beaker than Sunday in Washington, where
visitor at least beer The choice here was
reduced trip the Mississippi River to East ST.
Louis where reform is still merely phrase uttered by
the minority, trip to Ke Auditorium where the ST.
Louis Hawks were playing the Los Angeles Lakers.
IF THERE EVER is TO BE another Sunday afternoon
for in ST. Louis it's East st. Louis II have to
swim the Mississippi After truancy Of about 10
years or so found basketball Just had left It, Only
more so.
1t was still what perceptve critic once wrote, game
that should be played in the basement and brought up
stairs for only the last five minutes.
Pro basketball has become rougher discovered pain
fully Not rougher the players, but on the spectator
This might not be true in all but it definitely
the story here in the abattor the guest Of Ben
Kerner, who owns the Hawks
If it becomes necessary to share basketball game
with Kerner again shall dress properly for the event The
attire will consist Of knee guards rib pads chest pro-
tector and football headgear with double bars Unfor-
tunately Kerner is unable to keep his emotions to him
self when his Hawks are playing.
HE NOT ONLY TALKS good game, but he also talks
violent game driving the point home forcefuy the
nearest carcass friendly He is fst-poundng
pointing neesIappng armgrabbing enthusiast
There is nothing wrong with this in singles competi
tion but Kerner doesn't slap his knee point his own fin
ger grab his pound his fist It's his neigh
bors who suffer his feelings.
AS owner he naturally sits in the best box Until this
the seats around him vacant Fans couldn't
endure his punishment This year he them over by
offering free disqualification with each season ticket pur-
chase Business is good both at the Hawks games and at
several nearby first aid stations.
The box also included Jim Murray, the Los Angeles
coumns who says he is domestcaly bound to watching
basketball games. His wife likes it, Murray explained
apoogeticaly This could develop into another incentive
for bachelorhood, if the word spreads
NEITHER MURRAY NOR KERNER, especially the
latter could understand my relentless indifference to the
pageantry taking place the floor They viewed it
coorul exhibition between two teams Of craftsmen Here
it regarded clinical exposure Of the result Of over
active pituitary glands.
Both sneered at my lack Of enthusiasm for other
forms Of athletic exercise particularly the way has been
abused in Washington for 1t obvious they hadn't
been reading the papers for long time They should have
that Of the few exciting contests victory
starved Washngtonians have witnessed in long time
was the Kennedy match Otherwise it's been mostly
10th place.
Murray voiced his objections quietly He is not likely
to be regarded as candidate Tor the man VINO mas cone
most st. Louis On trip here last year with the Laker
Murray noticed that in bond election the voters had
choice between progress and decay" according to the
newspapers 1t Jms opinion that ST. Louis had chosen
decay. This is not true. Not altogether, at least.
DURING ONE STAGE of the game the Hawks were
leading accustomed to Kerners animal act prodded
him to put on show, Ito get mad" bloodthrsty
patron sufficiently removed from harm suggested.
"Mad?" asked Kerner, who has a lot Of the promo
tional spunk of both Bill Veeck and George Marshall in
him. "dadP How get mad with a crowd like ths2"
There 1854 in attendance Most of them didn't like
basketball either They just couldn't afford the cab ride
to East st. Louis.
Kerner has made noteworthy contributions to ST.
Louis basketball culture He has from time to time brought
in the ST. Louis symphony Count Bases band the Four
Freshmen singers conducted 1000 bowling tournament
after a game and even held night for a referee.
He said he interested in bringing his basketball
exhibit TO Washington and wanted to know to whom he
should write about it. suggested the Presidents Commits
sion on Human Rights.