Scorecard

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The city of Miami has asked the National Football League to consider it instead of New Orleans as the permanent site of the championship playoff. In a letter to Commissioner Pete Rozelle, Miami Publicity Director Lew Price points out that New Orleans is plagued by segregation (" The American Legion had to shift their 1963 convention to Greater Miami in September from New Orleans because of this reason"), that New Orleans just does not have the glorious weather that Miami boasts (" Miami's average daily temperature in December is 68.1; New Orleans' is 57.1") and, besides, Miami just loves football. In a follow-up flier to the press, Price also notes that "influential television sponsors" would like to move the game south so that "important markets such as New York, Chicago, Detroit or Baltimore-Washington would not be blacked out."

What drivel. New York, Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore-Washington, even tiny Green Bay, are cities, Mr. Price, not "important markets," and the fans who live in those cities should have the chance to see the championship at home and in person. We have no sympathy with any NFL owner or television sponsor obsessed by "important markets." Right now the sponsors have a little guy in white gloves on the sidelines who signals the referee when to call an official timeout for a commercial. Now there is something that ought to be changed.

TURNABOUT
Two All-Star teams of Latin major leaguers played in the Polo Grounds the other day. A friend of ours chickened out, but he had a wonderful idea: during the game he wanted to run out on the field with an American flag.

BAD ACTOR

George Morris is an occasional actor and a former rider for the U.S. Equestrian team. From time to time, George still turns up at horse shows as both a rider and a judge. As a matter of fact, he was one of the judges chosen this year for the prestigious National Horse Show.

During the Piping Rock Show on Long Island, Morris took his horse to the woods for a rehearsal jump that is strictly against the rule book. George strung wire across the top of a fence. Although the horse does not see the wire, he certainly feels it when he hits it and this, theoretically, makes the horse jump higher next time.

But alas, poor George! Engaging in a nature ramble of his own was Walter Devereux, steward at Piping Rock and president of the National Horse Show. There was a confrontation scene fraught with drama, and George was judged a bad actor. If he appears at the National this year, it will be in the role of paying spectator.

AH, THOSE HUNGARIANS

Problems, problems. Everybody has problems. The 1964 Olympics in Tokyo are a year off, but according to a story in the English language Japan Times, the Japanese already have problems.