But he enters tonight's crucial contest struggling with his command, having walked 31 in his last 10 games as opposed to 37 in his first 17.

It has allowed his organization to buy the most television commercials, field the largest ground staff and operate the most phone banks in every crucial contest.

Iowa's party caucuses next February will be the first crucial contest of the 1988 campaign.

The Army game the other day was a crucial contest for Adelphi's lacrosse squad.

Such episodes always hurt the Knicks, and tonight in a crucial contest against the Nets, Thomas's inability to calm himself did so again.

This was Hutton's appetizing opportunity in a crucial contest.

The poll results have gyrated wildly, and as late as last night there was still a large undecided vote in many crucial contests across the nation.

How else to explain why they snoozed through this crucial contest?

She and Glaser, 38, won 8 of the 15 races in the series - including the crucial final contest - and earned a trip to the Games.

The moves by those chairmen are important because Iowa and New Hampshire hold the first crucial primary contests.