CHAMPAIGN. IL. --

Over 80 people doubled their fun -- also the attendance from a year ago -- at the second annual Champaign-Urbana, IL, Convention staged by Rick (Wolfman) Shapiro. Beginning as early as Tuesday, July 29th, early arrivals made their way onto the branch of the University of Illinois campus where the three-day, weekend gathering was to be held.

More than 100 people watched the early action in the tournaments, which got under way Friday, including gamesters, their friends and families, and just the curious.

Convention '75 was populated by mainly people from the Midwest, although some, such as Tom Nelson of Springfield Gardens, NY, journeyed from afar to be on the scene.

Altogether five tournaments were held, including three in baseball. The only draw-back to the well-organized convention was the fact that tourney play consumed so much time that often matches had to be continued in the evening at the dormitory since the Illini Union -- site for the convention -- closed in early evening.

Nevertheless, a brisk business was eventually done in trophies -- but not until many survival of the fittest, gaming struggles had taken place. The setting for the tourn-ament, drew praise from those in attendance. Three rooms were opened at the Union where the tournaments were conducted, while accommodations were extremely reasonable with the cost per evening in the dormitory amounting to only $5 per person. Plus food was readily available either on-campus or the nearby community.

The turnout for Convention '75 doubled the attendance of a year ago, so it's likely that Convention '76 will also became a reality. Shapiro praised the efforts of a number of people for making the convention a hit. Such people as Bob Anderson, Keith Walker, Robert Henry (with his vast card collection), Mike and Fred Floreth, Steve Dempsey, Mike Erickson, Craig Ginsburg, and Mark Hatton contributed everything from financial aid for promotional work to their organizing efforts in the running of the tournaments.

Shapiro also asks for Review readers' advice as to how to make next year's convention even better, particularly how to run off five tourney. in three days and yet leave the evenings free for other activities?

Now, how did the tournaments come out?

ADVANCED BASEBALL

This tournament had the moat participants -- 75 -- and Shapiro himself made it into the finals. Fred Floreth, last year's champion, reached the final round of 16 end then was sidelined, however.

Rick Zolzer (7-0) and Shapiro (6-1) squared off in the finals of the double-elimination meet.  Zolzer was using the '74 Dodgers; Shapiro the '71 Giants. Andy Messersmith and Juan Marichal battled to a 2-2 standoff in the opener. In the second game, after the combatants had traded teams, Bobby Bonds walloped a three-run homer and Gaylord Perry hurled a five-hitter in a 9-0 win, giving Mr. Zolzer the championship by a 11-2 run margin.

Also in the baseball tourney, Don Wilson of the '71 Astros hurled the only no-hitter, stopping the '73 Orioles for Steve Namerovski.