THE 1987 PAN AMERICAN GAMES : NOTES : Brazil Outnumbered, Not Drowned Out

Brazil might not have the most fans at the Pan American Games, but it certainly has some of the most enthusiastic.

They have been especially vocal at the volleyball competition, where more than a hundred came out Friday night to cheer on their team in its five-game semifinal loss to Cuba.

Chanting in unison and urged on by a trumpet player sounding what must be the Brazilian equivalent of “Charge,” the Brazilian fans soon had many in the mostly pro-United States crowd clapping along.

“Our fans are special,” Brazil spiker Bernard Baxjman said. “They are like our seventh man. The man with the trumpet, he follows us around the world.

“Brazilians are like ants, they are everywhere.”

Much was made before the Pan American Games of the rivalry between the United States and Cuba. No clearer was that felt than in than in the team sports, where the United States has gotten the better of Cubans in some of the best competition of the games.

U.S. teams were 10-3 against the Cubans entering the final day of competition.

Four team-sport gold medals have or will be decided in games between the United States and Cuba. In one of the most closely contested events, the United States defeated Cuba in overtime for the gold medal in men’s handball and a berth in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

The last gold medal matchup will be in men’s volleyball today.

A sport-by-sport breakdown of the United States vs. Cuba in team competition:

--Baseball, 1-1. The United States defeated Cuba, 6-4, in round robin play and lost to Cuba Saturday, 13-9, for the gold medal.

--Women’s basketball, 1-0. The United States defeated Cuba, 85-80, to reach the gold medal game against Brazil today.

--Men’s softball, 2-0. The United States defeated Cuba, 4-0, in round-robin play and, 9-1, in the semifinals on the way to the gold medal.

--Men’s team handball, 2-0. The United States won, 25-19, in round-robin play and 34-32 in overtime for the gold medal.

--Women’s team handball, 1-0. The United States won, 33-11, in round-robin play and went on to win the gold medal.

--Men’s volleyball, 1-0. The teams will meet for the gold medal today. The United States beat Cuba in four games to earn the top-seeded spot in the medal round.

--Women’s volleyball, 0-2. The Cubans defeated the United States on Thursday in the semifinals, 15-9, 15-11, 15-6, and went on to defeat Peru for the gold medal Saturday. Cuba also won a round-robin match over the United States in three games. The United States beat Brazil for the bronze medal Saturday.

--Water polo, 2-0. The United States defeated Cuba for the gold-medal, 6-4, Saturday night. The United States beat the Cubans, 5-3, in round-robin play.

As a result of the drug-testing that gymnast Tim Daggett underwent at the Pan Am Games last week after winning gold medals in both team competition and pommel horse, Daggett was advised to have a blood test for mononucleosis. The blood test confirmed that he does indeed have mononucleosis. No wonder he was telling teammates, “I had no strength.”

Roosevelt Sanders had seen enough. His U.S. boxers had just lost three gold medal bouts in a row to Cubans Saturday, and in each case, it seemed to him, the Cuban boxer seemed to be the stronger, more physical athlete.

“Our kids just have to start doing some serious weight training,” the U.S. boxing coach said, acknowledging that weight training for boxers had traditionally been frowned upon by boxing trainers in this country.

“A lot of trainers think weight training creates muscle development that slows boxers,” he said. “Well, has weight training slowed down football players? Or basketball players? Our kids have just got to get stronger. Go look at the build on their middleweight (165 pounds), Angel Espinosa. He has the body of a light-heavyweight.”

Times staff writers Tracy Dodds and Earl Gustkey contributed to this story.

MEDAL STANDINGS

G S B Tot United States 162 113 77 352 Cuba 69 49 46 164 Canada 30 56 74 160 Brazil 11 13 29 53 Argentina 12 14 20 46 Mexico 9 11 17 37 Venezuela 3 10 12 25 Puerto Rico 3 4 17 24 Colombia 3 7 13 23 Jamaica 2 3 7 12 Dom. Republic 0 2 9 11 Costa Rica 3 4 3 10 Chile 1 2 4 7 Uruguay 2 2 2 6 Peru 0 4 2 6 Ecuador 0 1 5 6 Bahamas 0 2 3 5 Panama 0 3 0 3