THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SPORT

U.S.S.R.'S 10-RUBLE HORSE PLAYERS

Improvers of the breed, it seems, are the same the world over—a hardy band which defies wind and weather to get down that $2, 5-shilling or 100-franc bet. On a snowy, 6-below Moscow evening last month, thousands of them jammed the State Hippodrome to risk their rubles on harness racing, a popular Russian sport since Count Alexis Grigorievich Orlov founded the famous Orlov line of trotters in 1778. Post time for the first race in Moscow is 5 p.m. to attract homebound workers; the track closes at 9, when everyone goes home for late dinner. Bookmaking is forbidden and betting (to win only) is handled by state-run pari-mutuel machines. Off their recent performance in Paris (SI, Feb. 20), Russian trotters are considerably slower than their American Standardbred counterparts.

SPECTATORS AT MOSCOW'S STATE HIPPODROME, FORBIDDEN TO CHEER, MUTELY WATCH THE RACES

DURING THE WINTER SEASON, RUSSIAN TROTTERS RACE OVER THE HARD-PACKED SNOW; IN THE SUMMER, THE UNDERLYING DIRT TRACKS COME INTO PLAY

Astrakhan-hatted fan consults his form chart. Lowest bet allowed at track is 10 rubles ($2.50).

"Who looks good in the third?" is universal horse talk. Typical names of horses entered in this third race: Duty, Sorrowful, Melancholy, Determined.

Between races, this breed-improver disdains vodka and caviar vendors to mark program instead.

SOCCER BY THE COLLIERY

On snowy fields lined with coal dust, soccer is a Sunday treat In the winter-racked mining towns of Western Pennsylvania

Harmarville mine dominates field as local players, wearing light sweaters, take the offense against Cecil, Pa. Harmarville won 4-3, to gain quarter-finals of National Open Cup tournament.

Black line of coal dust from Harmarville mine marks boundaries of playing field covered by 2½ inches of snow. Miners call the coal dust "bug dust," because it is "ground as fine as bugs."

STEELHEADING THE SKYKOMISH

A slog through the snow, wet feet, frozen fingers mean nothing to the fisherman out after steelhead in Washington's Skykomish River, provided, of course, he catches one

Numbed by cold, Gordon Frear trudges home with catch

Dick Harrison (above) and Carl Reiner untangle bait

Exultant Carl Reiner, oblivious to day's discomforts, holds eight-pound steelhead aloft in triumph

FIVE PHOTOS

HORACE SUTTON

TWO PHOTOS

IVAN MASSAR

FOUR PHOTOS

JOE VAN WORMER