Quark-antiquark spectroscopy and asymptotic freedom.

The cc-bar and bb-bar spectra are used to restrict the parameters of a QCD-inspired linear plus Coulomb potential. The potential incorporates a running coupling constant ..cap alpha..(r), which is controlled by a parameter b. This parameter is virtually undetermined by the cc-bar and bb-bar spectra. The spectra are extrapolated to the tt-bar regime for a variety of acceptable potentials or b values. It is shown how minimal tt-bar measurements will restrict ..cap alpha..(r) and determine ..lambda../sub M//sub S-bar/ (where MS-bar denotes the modified minimal-subtraction scheme).