Sports Editor:
lesse Thomas
jessethomas@dailyemerald.com
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
Oregon Daily Emerald
SPORTS
Best bet
San Diego at Atlanta
4:30 p.m. Tuesday, TBS
Jesse Thomas
Go the distance
Running
until he's
hauled off
the track
When Max Springer stepped onto
Hayward Field Friday afternoon in his
old-school New Balance shoes, calf-high
tan socks, white T-shirt and neon orange
running hat, he was ready for his 400
meter race.
Just prior to the race, the men's 40-year
old 1,500 meter preliminaries had fin
ished. And although Springer had already
fought in the days of World War II before
those men were born, he toed the second
lane, awaiting the gun.
His stride shorter than Tim Mont
gomery and his explosiveness off the line
toned down compared to Marion Jones,
Springer crossed the finish line through
the crowd's applause in a time of 1 minute
52 seconds.
"That's pretty bad," Springer said of
his race at the II.S. National Masters
Championships. "I would have consid
ered 1:45 very good for me today, but
1:52 is acceptable."
Keep in mind, Springer is 89 years old.
And that was just one of his races in the
four-day event that took place at I layward
Field this past weekend. Springer also
raced in the 200 meters (45.83), 800 me
ters (4:37.66) and 1,500 meters
(10:02.95).
Springer has been competing on the
Masters circuit for nearly 15 years and only
began the sport of track and field at age 64.
1 le was slightly out of shape and looking
for something to stay active, and now has
been walking or running three miles every
other day for two and a half decades.
So what keeps an 89-year-old man go
ing year after year?
"The real benefit is to feel better," he
said. "Most 89-year-olds sit on the couch
and watch television, if they're around."
Not only that, but he credits it to his
healthy lifestyle.
"1 never smoked," Springer said. "Ifyou
want to guarantee you won't live to be 89,
just smoke. And that will also guarantee
you can't run."
Springer has accomplished a lot in the
latter part of his life. As he sits beside a fel
low competitor, 86-year-old Les Leyland,
Springer tells of being world champion in
the 800 meters at age 85.
"That was the high point of my life,"
he said.
Just last month, Springer finished third
in the World Championships in Puerto
Rico, but became World Champion in the
long jump and triple jump.
Springer is not a big man and never did
sports like baseball or football in his’
younger days. But while at the University
of Missouri in 1934, Springer was a mem
ber of his college rifle team, which fin
ished as national champions.
Bom in 1913, Springer would occasion
ally run five miles to high school, but his
real running days didn't begin until the
army, where he served four years — two of
Turn to Thomas, page 8
Siegel’s sequel
Jessica Waters Emerald
Place-kickerJared Siegel was nominated to be on the Lou Groza Award watch list.
The junior place-kicker looks to improve upon last season's
success and is again nominated for the Lou Groza Award
By Jesse Thomas
Sports Editor
For junior Jared Siegel, the search continues:
The search for the perfect form, the longest possible kick and the
chance to be crowned as the nation's top place-kicker.
"In ideal weather conditions, being optimistic, I could probably
hit (trom) 65 (yards) if there's a breeze," Siegel said. "It's a matter of
opportunity and conditions."
The Sacramento, Calif., native will be watched for leadership by
his teammates in the upcoming season. The nation will watch him,
too, as Siegel was recently placed — for the second straight year —
among a list of players to watch for this year's honor as the nation's
top collegiate place-kicker.
It should be no surprise for Siegel after being a finalist last year.
Yet each of the three finalists from 2002 return, now among the 30
preliminary candidates for the 12th annual award.
The Jesuit I ligh School graduate is one of four players from the Pa
cific-10 Conference to be added to the watch list for the Lou Groza
Collegiate Place-Kicking Award, presented by the Fedfix Orange Bowl.
"Being nominated and added to the watch list is recognizing your
season before and acknowledging that you had a successful season,"
Siegel said. 'The nomination itself is an honor and I'm grateful to re
ceive the recognition, lhere's a lot that has to occur between Mississippi
(State) and Oregon State before any real consideration to occur."
The next three months will prove whether Siegel can make the cut
as one of three finalists who will travel to West Palm Beach, Fla., on
Dec. 9. Siegel, who earned first-team all-conference accolades a year
ago after hitting 20 of 24 field goals and 49-50 PATs, is joined on the
watch list by last year's winner Nate Kaeding of Iowa, as well as fel
low finalist Mike Nugent of Ohio State.
Oregon strength and conditioning coach Jim Raddiffe has seen signif
icant improvements in the off-season for Siegel, both in the weight room
and in overall power, which should help to secure another solid year-.
"He's always been an animal in training and lie's improved in
every area," Raddiffe said. "I le's improved in his power clean proba
bly 25 or 30 pounds. It shows and he knows it too, because he says,
'You know, I have so much more power than when I first got here.'
I Je's got to apply it to the field every Saturday now."
After Jose Arroyo's departure, Siegel will have to apply more than just
his strength on the field this season as he is the Ducks' sole veteran kicker.
"We all pretty much look up to him because he's the only one
that's been experiencing the games," freshman Paul Martinez said.
Raddiffe sees Siegel in needing to take up that role and show
the younger players a solid work ethic and how to be an all
Turn to Sequel, page 6
J
Eugene gets revenge against Spokane
The Eugene Emeralds finally take
control in a 4-1 win against
Spokane, now head to Everett
By Jesse Thomas
Sports Editor
Left hander Sean Thompson took it
personally Monday night in the Eugene
Emeralds' 4-1 victory against Spokane.
In his first start against Spokane this
season, Thompson was determined to
not let the Ems lose their third game in
a row and fourth of the series. So
Thompson (5-1) left the first two bat
ters looking en route to nine strikeouts
in his five innings pitched.
"I knew each one of the hitters and 1
knew what they did," Thompson said.
"I was up there with a point to get back
at them and a point to know that these
guys are not unbeatable."
Thompson didn't allow Spokane its
first hit until the fourth inning where
the Ems had already jumped out to an
early 3-0 lead.
Third baseman Billy I logan gave the
Ems the spark they needed in the bottom
of the second after hitting one over the
left wall for a home run. Hogan had pre
viously only hit .200 against Spokane,
and although it was his only hit of the
night, it was one Eugene needed.
"Whoever scores first and scores early
always has an advantage," Manager Roy
Howell said. "You get on the board ear
ly and that puts pressure on other guys,
then you pressure their defense."
The Ems did just that as Thompson
stmck out two more batters in the third
before Eugene put two more on the
board. After left fielder Brian Wahlbrink
bunted, second baseman Peeter Ramos
drove one to center that turned out to
be a double after Spokane center fielder
Adam Bourassa bobbled the ball.
First baseman Fernando Valenzuela
came up next and left his shot tainting
the right field line as the ball barely
stayed fair, along with scoring
Wahlbrink and Ramos. Valenzuela had
one of Eugene's 10 hits on the night, as
opposed to Spokane's two.
After Thompson had no trouble end
ing the fourth with three strikeouts, Eu
gene would score its final run in the bot
tom of the fourth to secure the victory,
moving one game closer to .500 at 26-27.
"Sean's a tremendous competitor,
that's his plus," 1 lowell said. "Obviously,
he's got a good ami and he's got good
stuff. He threw well; good changeup
Turn to Ems, page 6
Jessica Waters Emerald
First baseman Fernando Valenzuela hit a line drive up the right field line in
the third inning to score two runs and give the Ems a 3-0 lead.