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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 3, 2004)
Sports Editor: Alex Tam alextam@dailyemerald.com Tuesday, August 3,2004 -Oregon Daily Emerald SPORTS Best bet: Oakland Athletics vs. New York Yankees 4 p.m. Wednesday, ESPN ALEX TAM HOLDING COURT Scene turns ugly at Junior Olympics It wasn't supposed to happen, but it did. It shouldn't have happened at the six day celebration of the best junior track and field athletes in the nation, but it did. It shouldn't have happened on the last day in the next to the last event of the 2004 USA Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships, but it did. During the finals of the 4x100 meter re lay event on Sunday afternoon at a bit after 3 p.m., a huge brawl in the main grand stand at Hayward Field ensued. The sight could not have been more ugly with fans in the stands scurrying out of the way and running into each other to avoid the disaster. According to eyewitness accounts, two track and field club teams got into a scuf fle and sent objects flying everywhere in the stands. Fans and athletes even leapt from the stands. The brawl started as two track teams ar gued and trash-talked to each other with words that are regrettably not fit to print in the newspaper. Apparently a drink was subsequently thrown in the direction of one team and the brawl was underway. Parents and coaches said they saw chairs from the press box area at the top of the bleachers being picked up and swung be tween members of the two teams. One chair was seen actually hitting one of the brawl participants. A tew people were seen sailing and tum bling from the top of the bleachers to the bottom, alongside the track. The scene looked like it came from a World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. pro fessional wrestling match. Or in this case, a hard-core street fight, to put it in perspec tive for fans of professional wrestling. What would lead these athletes, who are just teenagers, to get involved in some thing like this? "It was all just about egos," one parent said, who was sitting in the stands at the time. The parent also said he had to push his daughter out of the way so she wasn't hit by the objects being thrown around. Are some of these young athletes so ab sorbed with themselves that they feel like they are on the top of the world and better than everyone else? Apparently so. It is known that every sport has its own form of trash-talking. Disputes and disagreements have always been a part of athletics. Whether it is in the professional ranks, .the amateur ranks or even a pick-up, five on-five basketball game at our own Uni versity's Student Recreation Center, many arguments at all levels of athletics have led to brawls and fists being thrown. Even in the heat of the moment, we all need to realize that fighting does not solve any issues. It simply escalates the problem even further. Is hurting someone or injuring Please, see TAM, page 6 ON THEIR MARKS ini .^_ Erik R. Bishoff Online & Photo Editor Junior Olympians line up for the Intermediate Boys relay race on Thursday afternoon as temperatures reached into the 90s. More than 5,600 athletes took part in the Junior Olympics in six days of competition at Hayward Field. Junior Olympians shine at Hayward Young athletes from around the country converge for a record breaking six-day meet at Hayward ALEX TAM SPORTS EDITOR The future stars of track and field left their mark on Eugene with great success. More than 5,600 athletes, ranging from eight to 18 years old, were a part of the record-break ing 2004 USA Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field that started Wednesday and ended Sunday. "I think this is the biggest (Junior Olympics) meet that I've ever been at," said Kevin Craddock, who is one of the top junior hurdlers in the na tion. "I've never seen this many people around. There's so many and on the other side of the track, it's packed." Craddock, who represents the Alex Van Dyke Track Club based in California, won the 110-me ter hurdles in the Young Men's division (ages 17 18) with a time of 13.57 seconds. The time broke the meet record set in 1998 of 13.63. Craddock entered the 110-meter finals on Sun day with the best preliminary time of 13.77. Out of the 33 competitors, Craddock's preliminary mark was the only time under 13.90 and one of three under 14 seconds. "It was exciting to get everybody into it and put on a show for everybody," said Craddock, who will be a senior at James Logan High School in Union City, Calif, this fall. Craddock also won the 110-meter hurdles event at this year's USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships in late June when he clocked in at 13.83. "This season was my best season ever," Crad Please see TRACK, page 8 Eugene Emeralds catch a win Erik R. Bishoff Online & Photo Editor Eugene catcher Colt Morton leads the league in home runs (12) through Sunday. Morton is also the Emeralds’ cleanup hitter and is batting .294 for the season. He and five other Emeralds players were selected to the Northwest League All-Star Game. Eugene tops Spokane again in a 6-2 victory, but still maintains a losing record ALEX TAM SPORTS EDITOR Frustration is beginning to settle in for the Eugene Emeralds. After beating Spokane 6-2 Monday, Eu gene (16-29) continues to sit in last place of the West Division in the Northwest League. The Emeralds have lost seven of their last ten games. Six of the seven losses were by a margin of two or fewer runs. "It's been getting a little frustrating," Eu gene infielder Lachlan Dale said. "We're be ing so close and then not coming out with a win in the end. We got to keep sticking with it, keep trying hard, keep working on things and hopefully, it will come together." Before Monday night, Eugene had last ^ won Saturday when Dale blasted a walk off, three-run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning against visiting Spokane. Dale's home run was his only hit that game in six plate appearances. Eugene shortstop Sean Kazmar also Please see EMS, page 6
