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Vitali, karate cli for Battle of AH By VINCK MOORE Asst. Sports Editor " .. The USC karate club practices at Hie P.E. Center in a room appropriately titled the Combative Room. This is where the karate members, their hands and feet padded, spar with each other and work on their technique. Although the fighters are pulling their punches, every so often a kick or punch connects with a resounding thump. In the middle of the action is a fellow named Keith Vitali, who has been with the club since its infancy and is now a second degree black belt. And Vitali, the head club instructor, is a good example of the success the karate club is enjoying these days. ACCORDING TO several karate magazines, Vitali is ranked in the top ten in the nation and for Vitali, a lightweight, that ranking is inclusive of all the weight divisions. "I've never fought the top heavyweights from California," Vitali said. "And since a lot of the fighters haven't fought each other, they (the nrtninAC* \ ltlO# r\ r\/\ll f turtr. ..ntnr) 1 ?? uiuga/iiiivo ; juov iVA/ix u pVJi, UUU l Wcsa VUICU 111 IIIC IU[J ten." Vitali received another laurel recently. He was seeded in the Battle of Atlanta which begins Nov. 12, and of about the 1,000 expected participants, 11 were seeded. That means he is assured a place in the final 16 and won't have to participate in the preliminaries during the day. To be seeded in this tournament is the highest honor you can get," said club member Richard Jackson, a black belt himself. "All the world champions right now were picked for that honor five years ago." THE BATTLE OF ATLANTA, which Vitali says is the nation's top karate meet, is a point tournament. As opposed to full-contact karate, the point system stresses form and controlled contact. Although Vitali competes in both, the point tournament is his forte. He recently won the Battle of Birmingham where he defeated a 215-pound heavyweight (Vitali weighs 150) and took home a seven-foot trophy. Vitali emphasizes the kicking aspect of karate and said that is why he can defeat someone who outweighs him by 05 pounds. "The key is that I have good kicking techniques," Sports briefs The Physical Education Center has changed its swimming in USC's natatorium. The new hours for o] will be 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. and 6:00 to9:00 p.m. daily. Finn Mnrric \u/\r? I 'QP'c I^W.. *.?w. *IL> ?f V7.1 v. O 11 111 <4111141 U I ICIII lia IUUI UclIIH defeating David Humphrey, defending intramural ch The Baron's I)t 2109 Santee Avpnuo Fivo 1 ? - | INTRODUCTORY OFFER GOOD WITH C0"uP0N*< i Super Cuts for Guys am | Dry Cut -? $3.00 l| Wet Cut & Blow Out ? $! ^ Complete Style ? $7.0 | BY APPOINTMENT ONLY! ? HURRY AND MAKE YOUR RESERVATION NO! We also do perms, color, frc tinting, and framing. AVON representative on < IMon.-Fri. f)-6 Sat. until 3 Phone: 77I-()f)(>l jb preparing anta Saturday lie said. "I'm 5'11", have long legs and ki head a lot. That scores a lot of points, and 1 you to death." Vitali has also stressed kicking - to t members of the club and, as a result, t hwnmp rptnppfpd fr?r fhpir ahilifv In rln ci "WE KICK more than anybody," Vite "When somebody sees our red and white co think of USC and say to themselves, 'Mar blocking some kicks today."' The club is also led by black belts Jack: Goldman, Tony Bell, John Orck and Winstoi Both Goldman and Jackson are highly rat South. "All of these guys have a good chance of v placing in their weight divisions," Vitali sai them have won some tournaments in the p? Although Jackson competes in as m< tournaments as full-contact ones, he has < Aiiitn o 1|U1IV u i vpuiaiiun ill U1C IdllCI . nc full'contact fights, having knocked out thi opponents. His primary weapon is the spinning ba which he makes a 360-degree turn and hit ponent with the back of his hand. The punch plenty of momentum, and Vitali says Richard does that, it's usually over." BUT IT has its drawbacks, too. "What soi are saying about me is that the backfist is al said Jackson, who fignts in the super lij division. "I just throw it once or twice a ro happen to be accurate with it. I like to thi techniques are sound." They must be. Jackson has won his d several point tournaments recently where fist was illegal. And, like the rest of the club primarily on the kick. Vitali is confident USC will be kicking i some trophies in Atlanta this Saturday. In ? the black belts, Vitali said John Kershaw ; Morris, both brown belts, should do well. In 20 club members will participate. Near the end of practice Thursday, two were sparring when one of them kicked a hard and the other went crashing to t Although Vitali would usually tell them to e simply said, "Good kick." After all, if the beginners can kick like tl figures they must be doing something rig \ hours of open glgg pen swimming HH BB^Bk [|| ;nt Monday by _ a ampion, 6-4,6- V^?T Q |3C a a !_| absolute I with the ;n t AM/FM Nunts ~ ~ : cossette J Gals j Plus Con s' install th 5.00 | 0 1! /-/ !| 5sting' ?&5 Ju,y- 2941 Two Nc p.m. Corner of Tw I & Beltlirn BMBBMHMMHBBBnBBnBMi ick to the [ can kick he other wm, hey have ili said. lors, they be son, Mike ^jy^j i Shields. 4m ed in the tJmmmf f Big* ""innina nr S ii i nave, USC karate fighters Keith Vitali an Hk all mv during practice at the Sol Blatt P.E. Atlanta, one of the largest karate tourr ivision in weekend. Vitali was seeded in the t< the back , he relies TH E BOOK O ts way to Now in St iddition to fl . 1 ?nd Susan wmfhets and an,about Presidency of Ha iTifti'eToo 1945-19 ahseuPatho by Robert J. D hat, vitali Published at $19" by W. ht.' USC Campus Bookstore HH mm mm ?[^^.Conllncnt iir of 6"x9" speaker* I - ' " ly free ($4500 value) purchase of any stereo 8 track or player. tinental Sound will e whole system free. >tch Rd. o Notch 256-3559 0 V Bill Boln??u TH E GAMECOCK id Susan Morris prepare Center for the Battle of laments in the South, this mrnament. ORNER I * ock Crisis rrv 5v Trnmnn '48 onovan W. Norton & Co. Russell House 4 aI Sound! *1 I %p I * . I I lUiiiLIJji'- TT Ti Ilin - i - * ?. i