FACES IN THE CROWD

Steve Matulac of San Bruno, Calif., the Northern California 8-year-old judo champion, won the national title for 9-year-olds at an AAU-sponsored meet at Arizona State University. Only 4' tall, he defeated eight boys, all almost a foot taller.

Charles Einsiedler, a recent graduate of Pilgrim High in Warwick, R.I., won an unprecedented third straight state high school tennis title, was named No. 1 on the all-state tennis team for the third time and co-captained the basketball team.

John Hill, 12, of Nashville, completed his Junior Knot Hole League season with a 7-1 pitching record, including four no-hitters and 118 strikeouts in 65 innings. In 33 at bats he had 24 hits (eight of them home runs) for a .727 average, and batted in 30 runs.

Sue Wall, 10, of Aurora, Colo., won trophies for most points in her age group at four major outdoor swim meets this summer, including the Rocky Mountain AAUs where she took all six events she entered, setting meet records in three of them.

Gene Mirkin of Rockville, Md., broke five world distance-running records for his age group as an 8-year-old. He ran the half mile in 2:38.7, 1,320 yards in 4:17, the mile in 5:40.8, the two mile in 12:10.2 and the three mile in 20:03.4 (breaking the old mark by 1:32.6).

Curt Day, 54, Of Frankfort, Ind., won the World Horseshoe Pitching Tournament in Middlesex, N.J., taking all 35 of his games and pitching 85% ringers. Day, who last won the title in 1966, defeated Danny Kuchcinski, the 1967, '69 and '70 champion.

SIX PHOTOS