
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 29, 1990                   TAG: 9007290168
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: E7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SEATTLE                                LENGTH: Medium

U.S. BOXERS DO WELL IN OPENING ROUNDS

The Goodwill Games welcomed Rudolph Bradley on the seat of his boxing trunks Saturday. He picked himself up and gave the United States an unlikely victory, something Kim Zmeskal couldn't do for the American women's gymnasts.

When Zmeskal fell on the seat of her pants in the uneven parallel bars, it cost her a chance for a medal in the individual all-around competition.

Bradley recovered from a first-punch knockdown and beat Raul Gonzales of the powerful Cuban boxing team by a 4-1 decision.

"I'm glad I'm at home because anywhere else they might have stopped it," Bradley said.

Then, it was up to the tiny tots of American gymnastics, led by the 14-year-old Zmeskal.

The Americans finished a close second to the favored Soviets in the team competition Friday night as Zmeskal amassed the most individual points. Another night like that, and the Goodwill championship could belong to her instead of a Soviet.

But this was not another night like that. Zmeskal fell off the uneven bars, the same faux pas that befell world champion Svetlana Boginskaya the night before and almost cost the Soviets the team medal. Zmeskal finished sixth.

"I let go too early and didn't reach the bar," Zmeskal said.

Bradley's fight was barely five seconds old when Gonzales deposited him on his rear with a bone-rattling right hand. Bradley took a standing eight-count 40 seconds later, held on for the rest of the round, then came back with two strong rounds to win the 112-pound division fight.

The United States won four of six fights Saturday.

Michael Demoss outpointed Zoltan Fuzesy of Hungary 5-0 in the 160-pound division; Shane Mosley stopped Anibal Acevedo of Puerto Rico at 2:10 of the first round at 132 pounds, and Tim Austin stopped Krizysztof Roblewski of Poland at 2:52 of the first round in the 112-pound division.

One of the United State losses came against a Cuban. Kevin Childrey lost a 5-0 decision to Julio Gonzalez, the 132-pound world champion.

In gymnastics, Natalia Kalinina of the Soviet Union scored a perfect 10 in the vault, her final event, to win the gold with 39.836 points. Boginskaya was second with 39.799. Zmeskal had 39.074.

In baseball, the United States lost 7-6 to Japan in 14 innings when Kojiro Machida homered off Phillip Stidham. The U.S. committed six errors. Mexico beat the Soviet Union 9-1.

In ice hockey, Joe Sacco scored two goals as the U.S. team made its debut by beating Switzerland 7-1.

\ LIBRARY NOTE: Kalinina's last event was the floor exercise.

by CNB