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'Everything Is beautiful' American black is mainstay :r. Israeli basketball team LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR COMMERCIAL-RESIDENTIAL COMPLETE GROUND DESIGN SERVICE |« WO*i• TapM* • Tmm • ttmmmOar ESTIMATE By Joel Epstein When Israel’s semi-pro Mac- cabi Tel Aviv basketball team won a one-point victory in the European basketball cham pionship last week, it was an American black, Aulcie Perry, whose outstanding rebounding sparked the Israeli defense. The victory was greeted by Israelis as another victory of David over Goliath. While the Israelis dashed like ferrets around the taller, heavier teams, Aulcie used skills he learned playing pro ball in New York to keep the Russians from scoring. And when Aulcie and his teammates returned to Israel after the game, they were given a hero’s welcome. “I felt a lot of Israeli nationalism then,” said 26-year old Aulcie. “But for me, winning was mostly a personal victory and a team victory.” How did a New Jersey boy end up playing basketball for Israel 6,000 miles from home? “I played college ball when I was a student at Bethune Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida,” said Aulcie. “Then I began playing summer league in New York. Israel manager Embattled Premier Rabin takes time out to congratulate Aulcie Perry. Shmuel Maharovsky scouted me out and brought me here for a tryout, and I’ve been playing here since the beginning of the season.” At first Aulcie faced a lot of problems. “It was lonely, I didn’t speak Hebrew and I didn’t know anyone. It’s hard coming all of a sudden to a strange country across the ocean.” Arkla. gas wm the new Flavor Add fun and extra flavor to your meals this summer Cook out on an Arkla gas grill fueled with clean, efficient natural gas. You’ll save energy, too, because the Flavor King grill uses only 3/4 as much natural gas to cook a complete meal as some models. Cooking out also helps save on the energy it takes to keep your house cool in hot weather The grill shown here is Arkla’s Flavor King model. Lets you cook up to 16 hamburgers or eight one- pound steaks, all at one time. Features three heat settings, lone life briquettes and stainfc- steel cooking grid. Terms arr^ available. Enjoy cooking out with gas, your best-cooking, best-energy saving buy. Model GRD-30 shown $169.00 includes normal installation Other models also available. Atlanta Gas Light Company Georgia Natural Gas Company trwmumiMinm But he quickly adjusted. "The team members were great, invited me over and introduced me to their friends. I’m meeting more and more people who speak English, and everything is beautiful.” One of the problems he did not face was racial discrimination. “I’ve never experienced it,” he said. “Maybe it’s because I play ball, maybe it's because my friends on the team are cool, but I feel like anyone else.” Aulcie lives at the Pal Hotel, one of the swankiest in Tel Aviv, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. As a pro, he earns an es timated $20,000 a year — big money by Israeli standards. Despite recent offers to play for more money in Europe, Aulcie Perry has no plans to leave Israel. “I doubt if I’ll move,” he said “The organization and the team here are great, and everything is cool.” At 6 ft. 10 in., Aulcie stands a head taller than the shortest Israeli player. He usually plays center or forward. “Playing in Europe took some getting used to,” he reports. “I was accustomed to Ameri can pro ball, with a lot of contact. Here there is no body contact at all. I have to remember not to lean on the players here. But it is also a lot easier to move around when there’s no 250-pound opponent holding you down.” *»LHow does he understand the Israeli coach? “No problem,” says Aulcie. “Most of the coaching is in English — many of the players are American im migrants — and there’s always someone around to translate from Hebrew.” jrwkh noridi™ Nations try lor purity of 'Mod* ATHENS, GREECE (ZINS) — Sixteen countries which border on the Mediterranean Sea recently participated in a con ference which aims to safeguard the purity of the sea. Among the participating countries were representatives from Israel, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Lybia, Egypt and Lebanon. The Arab representatives are work ing together with the Israelies but their relations are limited and formal. The Lybiana have avoided any contact with the Israelis thus far. ^