Cruikshank Finally Gets His Chance : Speedskating: After being bumped from the 1988 Olympic team, he will make it to Albertville in the 500 meters.

A few weeks before the 1988 Winter Olympics, Tom Cushman was removed from the U.S. speedskating team in the 500 meters, although he had finished third at the trials.

When Cushman, whose father, William, was a member of the U.S. International Speed Skating Assn.’s board of directors, threatened to sue, the skater was awarded a place on the team in the 1,000 meters, although he had finished sixth in that event at the trials.

The man removed from the team to make room for Cushman was David Cruikshank, which seemed neither fair nor logical since the high school senior from Northbrook, Ill., had won the event at the trials.

Four years later, William Cushman is the USISA’s president and his son has retired from the sport.

And Cruikshank?

He earned a berth on the U.S. team for the 1992 Winter Olympics at Albertville, France, Saturday night at the Wisconsin Olympic Ice Rink in the trials for the 500, which, barring illness or injury, cannot be taken from him.

As a result of controversies in 1988 surrounding Cruikshank and other skaters, who became known collectively at Calgary as Team Lawsuit, the USISA changed its rules so that the trials would determine the athletes who will compete in the Olympics. Four years ago, the coaches were allowed to choose skaters to compete in the Olympics depending on performances after the trials.

“We asked the athletes after ’88 to give us suggestions on how to select the team,” William Cushman said Saturday. “They wanted to see athletes, after they made the team here, definitely be part of the selection in Albertville. We’re satisfied we’ve done the best we can, with the athletes’ input. I think the athletes are satisfied.”

Cruikshank, 22, definitely was satisfied.

After the last of four 500-meter races Saturday night in a series that began last weekend, Cruikshank was third overall behind Dan Jansen of Greenfield, Wis., and Nick Thometz of Seattle. The other sprinter guaranteed a berth on the team in the 500 is fourth-place Marty Pierce of St. Francis, Wis.

“Of course, I was angry in ‘88,” Cruikshank said. “I didn’t think it was the fairest thing in the world. But I didn’t want to dwell on it too much. That was something out of my hands. Fortunately, I was young enough to have another shot.

“If it took me, my situation, to make this fair, that’s fine by me. I just want everyone to have a fair competition and a fair shot to make the Olympic team.”

Notes

Bonnie Blair of Champaign, Ill., made the Olympic team in her second event Saturday after winning all four races in the 500, the event in which she won a gold medal in 1988. She earned a place on the team Friday night in the 1,500 and is virtually assured of earning another tonight in the 1,000. . . . Michelle Kline of Circle Pines, Minn., who suffered a lacerated spleen, punctured lung and three broken ribs in an auto accident in June, will be the fourth U.S. skater in the 500. Kline also made the team Saturday night in the 3,000. Mary Docter of Madison, Wis., who earned a place on her fourth Olympic team Friday night in the 1,500, won the 3,000 and is one of the favorites tonight in the 5,000. “I’d like to win an Olympic medal, but my No. 1 goal for the rest of my life is to stay sober,” said Docter, 30, a recovering alcoholic.