faces in the crowd...

Jerry Toppazzini, hustling young Boston forward who almost missed Stanley Cup playoffs because of eye injury, was at his best against Rangers, turning hat trick (three goals) in Bruins' decisive 8-2 win at Boston.

Al Oertber, burly Olympic champion from New Hyde Park, N.Y., took dead aim at world discus record in Arkansas Relays at Fayetteville, whirled platter 202 feet 6 inches to better listed mark by 8 feet.

Sharon Pritula, precocious Detroit 11-year-old, won 13-and-under, 15-and-under national junior badminton titles at Bur-bank, Calif. but missed 18-and-under crown when she was beaten in semifinals.

Steve Brooks, 36, taciturn whipmaster who has booted home many a horse in 2-1 years, scored his biggest victory aboard Tempest Tossed at Gulfstream, became seventh U.S. jockey to ride 3,000 winners.

Bill Kerslake, beefy 315-pounder from Cleveland who admits "my weight is my best grip," tossed all but two opponents in AAU wrestling championships at San Francisco, won both freestyle and Greco-Roman titles.

Arthur Knapp, 51, New York stockbroker and one of nation's top yachtsmen, was named skipper of the Mercer syndicate's Weatherly, will-be closer to tiller than ticker when the America's Cup trials begin in July.

Ed Hickey, peppery little taskmaster who used fast break to bring basketball prominence to St. Louis University, where he won 212 and lost 89 in 11 years, accepted new challenge and job as head coach at Marquette.

SEVEN PHOTOS