IT'S ALREADY HOT IN ATLANTA

THE ATLANTA COMMITTEE FOR THE OLYMpic Games knew that it couldn't please all the people all the time. But matters became rather unpleasant last week when folks found out whether they had won or lost in the lottery for tickets they had requested--and paid for--this past spring. Those who received tickets for field hockey instead of the sold-out opening ceremonies were incensed that they had in effect floated the Games an interest-free loan for months. Atlanta Constitution editorial-page editor Cynthia Tucker was outraged: "If you're not a celebrity, not a politician, not a $40 million sponsor, not an athlete, not a $5,000-a-day tourist, you're not of any use to us, the Olympic Committee members seem to be saying." Everyone, though, has an equal shot at the marathon and race-walking events--they are on the streets and free.

For the most part, the venues have been drawing raves from athletes, especially the Aquatic Center at Georgia Tech. But then swimmers have a sure-fire way of combating the expected heat. The U.S. Humane Society has asked that the equestrian three-day event--a grueling combination of dressage, endurance and show jumping--be moved to a cooler clime.

FORREST GUNK

One of the most hazardous sports may be table tennis. Players liberally apply glue to the rubber on their rackets, and some adhesives are known carcinogens. International table-tennis officials now check the rackets for toxicity.

DAY JOBS

Dot Richardson, the 33-year-old shortstop on the U.S. softball team, is in the third year of a five-year residency program in orthopedic surgery in Louisville, Kentucky. Fencer Leslie Marx, ranked No. 1 among U.S. women in epee, is an economics professor at the University of Rochester. The manager of the U.S. modern pentathlon team is Swedish actor Dolph Lundgren. And Kevin Hahn, a top American badminton player, used to deliver Chinese food by bicycle in New York City.

WHY THEY'RE NOT THE BUBBA-LYMPICS

As part of the Olympic Arts Festival, violinists Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman will play chamber music on July 22, with mezzo-soprano Frederica Von Stade and cellist Lynn Harrell.

WHY THEY ARE THE BUBBA-LYMPICS

Billy Payne, the head of ACOG, recently responded this way to criticism of his city: "All those people calling us the Bubba Games--we're going to have the last laugh bigtime. We're taking all that Yankee money, and we're spending it to put on the Atlanta Olympic Games. Well, who outfoxed whom on this deal?"

A ROW OF TREES

Environmentally conscious U.S. single-scull rower James Martinez was concerned about the amount of gas fumes emitted by the airplanes that took him to and from Finland for the recent world championships. He's now preparing to plant 150 trees in order to equalize the earth's atmosphere.