Decathlete champ O’Brien settles it at Hayward
By Jake Berg
Emefata Sports Editor
livery Superman has his kryptonlte.
but Dan O'Brien’s may lie a bit more sub
tle.
As he sat back with his arms out
stretched against the second row of seats
in a Hayward Field grundstand last
week, O'Brien scoffed at tho recurring
downpour of rain as If ho were the Wick
ed Witch of the West Instead of the
world's best decathlete.
"We were hoping to get out of here
without getting rained on again," said
O'Brien, extending his finger toward a
long, wrapped polo near the vault
“That's mine out there.”
It is the human side ono often doesn't
see beyond the medals and Roebok com
mercials of O'Brien. Eugone got a taste of
the world champion's wide smile and
full-day workouts in each event at Hay
ward last week while ho prepared for the
Oregon International track and field meet
last Saturday in Portland.
O'Brien said he doesn't really mind
the rain; after all, the 19B4 Henley High
School graduate Is a native Oregonian.
"This is Oregon weather." he laughed,
"and rain's not an oddity in track and
field.”
And O'Brien is not really a new face at
Hayward, either. He competed in several
events at the Oregon Invitotional last
month and will bo at the Profontaino
Classic June 6 at Hayward.
7 always wanted to be a
Duck.'
Dan O'Brien,
American decathlon record-holder
O'Brien said he's always liked working
out in Eugene tinea use it is similar to his
home of Moscow. Idaho, and of Pullman,
Wash., where his coach. Kick Sloan. Is
an assistant under Washington State
men's coach John Chaplin
Oregon was his first choice of colleges,
too, when he came out of Klamath Falls,
but the school wasn't offering scholar
ships to freshman then, he said
"I always wanted to be a Duck." said
O'Brien, who attended Idaho instead
Along with the Oregon International
and Prefontaine. O'Brien will compete in
the Bruce Jennor meet the following
weekend All three meets are in'prepara
tion for the June 1U-2B Olympic Trials in
New Orleans.
O'Brien, the favorite to win the gold in
the Olympic decathlon, said lie is fix us
ing on the Trials more than looking
ahead to the Summer Olympics in Barce
lona.
"That's n long way off." said O'Brien,
who set the American record of H.H12
points in the decathlon lust year
But O'Brien will likely bo right near
the lop, rain or no rain.
by ** »’***«*
Decalhlele Dan O’Brian clears a hurdle at Hayward hold as he prepares lor the June
19-20 Olympic Trials in New Orleans.
BASEBALL
Continued from Page 8
as and Philadelphia as a utility man. He never became the out
standing player he was supposed to be due to a hourt murmur that
robbed him of his endurance.
The last team to win tho Northern Division was because of 1974
dub that featured Don Reynolds, tho older brother of Seattle Mari
ner second baseman Harold Reynolds.
In tho late 1970s tho Ducks foil on some lough limes. Going into
its final season In the spring of 1981, Oregon had a streak of four
straight losing seasons.
At the samo timo, the athletic department was also having prob
lems It had a deficit of about $375,000 In 1981 and was on a pace
to go further into debt by about $1 million tho next year.
The deficit was attributed to inflation, loss In revenue arid the
University's struggle to meet the Title IX requirements
Title IX was a ruling adopted in 1972 by the Department of
Health, Education and Welfare that required athletic departments
it) divide their resources equally between men and women s pro
grams.
The State Board of Higher Education ordered the athletic depart
ment to do whatever necessary to balance its budget for the next
year.
In the spring of 1981. athletic Director John Caine resigned under
pressure from the administration, leaving University President
Paul Olum and Vico President for Administration Kay Hawk with
the decision of what sports to cut.
Hawk said baseball was cut because it was not widely followed
in tho Northwest and brought in no significant revenue
A week later, the baseball team played its lost game, the second
game of u duubleheader with Washington I he Ducks lost the first
game 5-4 and the second 5-1, finishing the season with a lfi-21-1
record.
Crum said the feeling in the dugout that day was positive despite
the fact it was the last Oregon game
"I think we all felt like we would be buck the next seuson,
Crum said. "We really didn't believe that it was over
Oregon baseball fans tried to bring buck the loam the next sea
son. The Save Oregon Baseball Committee raised more than
$100,000 in 1981, but it was not enough for athletic director Kick
Bay to reinstate the program.
“Wo would have to have had at least $500,000 to think about
bringing baseball back." Bay said "We needed enough money to
run tho program for more than a year ”
Coach Krause and some of his former players said they still hurt
when they think about Oregon baseball.
"It is a tragedy that kids don't have the chance to come to Ore
gon and play baseball," Krause said. "This is a great baseball slate,
and for Oregon not to have a program is wrong.
Mike Ritchey, an All-Northern Division outfielder for Oregon In
1979 and 1980. said he has good memories of his time at Oregon,
but It pains him to think about the University not having a pro
gram. , . ... ...
Given the current athletic department’s situation, baseball will
probably remain Just a memory at Oregon.
Sports information director Steve Hellyor said the department is
working to fund the programs it already has and would not think
about adding programs anytime soon.
Don't give up the search! Try LOST AMD
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Player’s relief will cost him money
BILBAO, Spain (A!*) - A
player who urinolod on (ho
goalpost at a Spanish first
division soccer match will
bo fined for his "luck of ro
spoct for funs," nows reports
said Wednesday
Officials of Athletic do
Bilbao, one of 20 teams in
iho first division, announced
tho flno In u statement but
di() not specify the amount,
in addition to a luck of fun
respect, the statement suit)
the act ulso disgraced the
game
Team officials said they
learned of the incident only
after a photograph was pub
lished Monday in a Spanish
nnwspapor showing T1 yoar
oh) David OillulNinu urinat
ing on thti 11 prig’llt la-twoon
halve* ol iho mate!)
The Inoldnnt ot:ourrod
Sunday in Ihn southwestern
Spanish city of Cadi/. In a
game between Athletic do
Bilbao and Cadi/ Cnrii/. won
10.
Weasel’s World
Kraig Norris
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