FACES IN THE CROWD

Rich Howard, a 25-year-old bank vice-president from Independence, Mo., rolled a three-game 864 series, the second highest in state bowling history, in an inter-city league event. The games of 276,300 and 288 included 33 strikes, 25 of them consecutive.

Jim Dixon, a student at the University of Buffalo, defeated Thailand's Surasak Koakiettaveechai 21-16, 21-14, 21-16 to win the Association of College Unions International Intercollegiate Table Tennis Tournament. He won the doubles with Koakiettaveechai.

Ed Wilson of Manassas High in Memphis won both the shotput and the discus at the scholastic District 16 meet. An all-state selection as a linebacker in football, the 6'7", 215-pounder also made the all-city team in basketball where he had 21 rebounds a game.

Ruth Rowe, 24, of Pittsburgh, a biologist specializing in water-quality studies, won the Eastern Archery Association Championship for the second time, in New Brunswick, N.J. She scored 3,563 points out of a possible 4,456 to recapture the title she previously won in 1970.

Tom Deidel, a lefthander from Mullen High in Denver, struck out 179 batters in 86‚Öì innings this spring to lead his team to a second-place finish in the state tournament with an 11-1 record. His wins included no-hitters against Air Academy and Canon City.

Walter Wassum, a nine-handicapper from Sacramento, shot his age, 76, at Pebble Beach's Spyglass Hill and went on to capture Class AA (ages 75 and above) of the Northern California Golf Association Senior Championship for the second consecutive year.

SIX PHOTOS