Scorecard

BLACK DAY IN CARACAS

All day in Caracas the radio played a song whose refrain ran like this:

"Canonero, Canonero, asombro del mundo entero,

"Canonero, Canonero, seguiras siendo el primero."

Which is to say, "Canonero, surprise of the entire world, Canonero, you will always be first."

In western Venezuela there was an epidemic of grippe, which, because it caught you so fast, was called Canonero.

A cigarette company, whose product was fortuitously called " Belmont," did a heavy business.

Hours before the race, radio broadcasters asked the public to honk their automobile horns and the churches to peal their bells.

At 5:45 p.m. the city was silent.

A sportscaster, Germ�n (Chiquit�n) Herrera, summed up his country's disappointment.