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fo —BISL WALTON: Newsday PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 14—The fireplace’ wooed crackicd. Long distance phone calls from comedian-activist Dick Gregory and representatives of the United Farm Workers, - and night-time visits by friends like team- mate Sidney Wicks interrupted the conversa- tion. Bob Dylan and Country Joe MeDonald records provided the backzraund music: last weekend when Newsday's Jay Weiner visited the Portland home basketball player Bill Walton shares with his friends Susan Guth, Micki McGee, Don Salera and Jack Scott. Watton, a three-time all-America center at UCLA, is in his first year as a professional after sicning a contract estimated at more than §$2.000.000 with the Portland Trail Blazers of the NB.\. Me has missed the Blazers’ last 18 games because of a painful bone spur above his left ankle. Walton. listed as 6-foot-11 and £25 pounds, last played a league game on Noy. 23, just days before rumors circulated that he was on the verge of retirement from pro ball. The interview: Q. Lale in November. news reports said you were on the verze of retiring from pro- fessional basxetball. The source of those reports was Saim Gilbert, who was identified 2s your personal adviser. How true were those reports? A. I'm aiways looking to do the best thinds i possibiy can with my life. UW they happen i “Pm nol tuterested in perm- anently hurting myself, Pm interested in feeling better.” 1o be other things besides basketball, tien I wilt do thuse thints. L have regular dis- cussions with my friends about what [ am doinz with my. life. £ was down in Los Angeles secking medical adviec- about my fool, and Sam Gilbert was one af the peaple Ttalked with while Iwas there. We discussed many things. Unfortunately. selected parts of that ‘discussion were told to the mextia. J like playing basketlall | vlan on con. linwing te play baskethall. 1 enjoy the game. it's jun. ~Q. Sam Gitbert is regularly identified in ghe media as your personal adviser. it that h accurale representation’ A. Mo, Sain has always been a closer fricnel vith many NBA owners than he bas been vith me eles ‘said that vsusgestions” pads bees ajay le you tat sau should take pain- kiting and antiinflammatory druvzs tor the bone spur in your icit ankic so that you could eel back playing more quirkly, What NBA Keakie Deals With Problems His Own Way; No Plans to Quit © A. 1 have been encouraged by the team doctor to have cortisone shots. Presumably that would make m@ betier. Two druzs com- monly given to athietes for injuries like Mine are cortisone and Butazolidin. } don't know the total effects of these drugs, but I do know that in many, many cases the side effects of therm have crippled peopic. I'm not interested im permanently hurting myself, I'm interested in feeling better. That’s one of the reasons [ play sports in the first place. Dick Butkus and Houston Ridge are two examsles of professional ath- “I have reguiar discussions with my friends about whet Tam doing with my life.” I ed letes who have sued team doctors over the issuc of improper medical treatment. Ridge claimed he was injected wilh a pain-killer so he could play with a hip injury. He was ‘awarded over $260,200 in an out-of-court seltlement, but he wili probably walk with a timp for the rest of his life because of further injury io his hip during the game. ‘Q, What kind of treatment did you seek out yourself after these sugzestions came from the team doctor that you should take pain-nillers? A, I went to Los Angeles for acupuncture treatments from Dr. Richard Kreening. a friend of mine. Pain in my foot, Use pain has subsided eneugh where I believe I'll be able to piay. l have heen practicing these last few days with the Blazers. We're going back to the East this week and I think I’m well cnough’ to play. If the enach decides that im foing to help the team then ke'll put me in. Q. People close ta the Trail Blazers have said that the fact that you do nut cat meat has had a major effect on your play. Is it true that a nonmeat dict hinders athictic performance? A. As Jar as food oes, I don't think that you can differentiate between an athicte and anyune else. There's a definite need for everyone to cat properly. I have received in- Set WALTON, D3, Col. 4 Open Seuson on Schaap Sate Irician wan golj's U.S, Open at Worijed) Fout dust dune, Most of the Atheuch | stil have some: , feriters we ho covered the event were lascrs y * Leand"s0 is Dick Schaap it his book on both players aud writvyd seys review er was the form of those suctgestiuns? rent Eohnan AeCarthy on Paes US, , p* | enciasuPe Gf es od CULL % . a a te serie