PAT ON THE BACK

Herewith a salute from the editors to men and women of all ages who have fairly earned the good opinion of the world of sport, regardless of whether they have yet earned its tallest headlines

Damon Miller, club official with the Pacific Coast League's San Francisco Seals for 20 years, formed a corporation to buy the baseball team last winter when it appeared that the shaky franchise might fold, leaving the city without a ball team. Under his leadership, the Seals were revamped, climbed up to the first division this year, drew 75% bigger crowds to lead the league in attendance and worked themselves out of the red.

Mildred Miller, Milwaukee grade-school secretary, took up the ancient art of crossbow shooting only last year. Today she is national women's champion. A former state and national titleholder with the longbow, Mildred has already set crossbow score records at 50 yards (188 out of a possible 270) and 60 yards (152 out of 270), and shot a bolt 347 yards—more than two city blocks—in the 35-pound bow class for still another women's mark.

Marion Ladewig, 39, is the world's best woman bowler. This year she came out national champion and Woman Bowler of the Year for the fifth time. The Grand Rapids, Mich. brunette has won every major title, has a 288-high single, a 735-high series, a 10-year league average of 197.

Johnny Rackin, 10, of North Hollywood, Calif. swam in competition for the first time this year. In 30 races, he had 13 firsts, 13 seconds, four thirds, including three national records for his age group. A freestyle and backstroke specialist, he is pointing for the 1960 Olympics.

Mrs. Zaddie Bunker, 67-year-old great-grandmother from Palm Springs, Calif., decided four years ago that she needed a hobby "to prevent mildew from setting in." Over the protests of her family, she took up flying and got her license two years ago. Zaddie has 251 hours of solo time, estimates she has flown 25,000 miles, including a transcontinental solo vacation flight earlier this year.

FIVE PHOTOS