Scorecard

Not long ago the New York State Legislature pondered a bill that would have forbidden any visual (like television) entertainment medium to picture any national, racial or religious group in a criminal or otherwise unfavorable light. Nicknamed The Untouchables Law, the bill never did pass but now another legislative body, this time The Great and General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is preparing to vote a bill that would impose a $50 fine on anyone directing abusive language at a participant in a sporting event.

This, we submit, is too much. When a Patterson folds in the first round, is he not a bum? And a Stan Williams, when he walks in the run that costs Los Angeles a pennant, is he not a #&!**!!, to say the least?

GAME BOOM IN UGANDA

An experiment in government control of safaris, inaugurated this year by the Uganda government, has broken neighboring Kenya's monopoly on this profitable African trade. Uganda Wildlife Development Ltd., a subsidiary of the government, is now offering cut-rate 21-day safaris for $2,300, including round-trip jet fare from New York, comfortable accommodations, meals, guns, professional white hunters and even fishing for huge Nile perch and tiger fish. And, to the chagrin of Kenya's safari outfitters, who have been serving some 600 hunters annually for $6,000 to $7,000 each, Uganda's safari bargain is shaping up as a success.

Uganda, which became an independent country this week, never had done much to stop poachers from slaughtering its game herds, and it had done even less to educate its indigenes, who consider game animals nuisances that menace or compete with their vast herds of cattle and goats. But last year Ernest Juer, an English businessman, went to Uganda to hunt. He was appalled by the lack of control over game herds. Spurred on by Uganda's chief game warden, J. H. Blower, Juer convinced the government that carefully controlled "economy safaris" would conserve wildlife and still make it pay its way as a local industry.

Thus far scores of hunters have responded. Most have been satisfied, although, as Juer points out, the lazy hunter who expects to be driven everywhere in a Land Rover to slaughter large numbers of game isn't happy—or welcome—in Uganda. The country, he said, wants "the less wealthy, more energetic men—the kind of men who relish stalking through the bush for 10 miles after a good trophy."

THE CHARGERS BUFFALOED

Quarterback Jack Kemp, who led the San Diego Chargers to two straight Western Division titles in the American Football League, was told last week that he is now quarterback for the Buffalo Bills. This is equivalent to the Green Bay Packers gift-wrapping Bart Starr for the Chicago Bears. It would not be surprising to learn, therefore, that the deal cost Buffalo $100,000. The deal cost Buffalo $100. The deal was not a deal at all. It was a horrible accident.

It all came about because San Diego Coach-General Manager Sid Gillman put Kemp on waivers before a game two weeks ago. A broken finger had left Kemp unable to play. When a player is put on waivers another team can buy him for $100, but Gillman's move appeared safe enough because a club has the right to withdraw a player from the waiver list twice. Planning to withdraw Kemp from waivers right after the game, Gillman put reserve Quarterback Dick Wood on the active list in Kemp's place.

Alas, Gillman forgot another league rule: a team asking waivers on a player cannot recall him if it has a full roster for that game. Everyone else remembered. Three clubs pounced on Kemp. Buffalo won him by a coin toss.