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