4-H Horse Fair continues. See 7/14.
Bohemia Mining Days continues. See 7/14.
Corvallis Knights vs. Cowlitz Black Bears continues.
See 7/15.
Touch-A-Truck, climb into a fire engine, police
vehicle & more, 5-7:30pm, Petersen Barn Community
Center, 870 Berntzen Rd. FREE.
Fire & the Dance (pARTy on the Plaza), fire eating,
breathing, juggling & dance, 5:30-6:15pm, Hult
Center Plaza, 1 Willamette St. FREE.
DaVinci Days continues. See 7/15.
Southern Oregon Kite Festival continues. See 7/16.
Soap Making: cold process lye soap at home, 6:30-
8:30pm, Willamalane Adult Activity Center, 215 W. C
St., Spfd., 736-4444. $18.
As the Butter Churns . . . OR All That Glitters is Not
Gold continues. See 7/16.
Eugene Yacht Club club racing continues. See 6/2.
Lido Class Nationals continue see 7/17.
Sensory Storytime continues. See 6/2.
Lane County Farmers Market continues. See 6/7.
MONDAY, 7/18
Soap Making: cold process lye soap at home, 6:45-
8:45pm, Campbell Community Center, 155 High St.,
682-6392. $18.
ComIng To
amerIca
Copa América soccer!
L
BY KILLIAN DOHERTY
ocal soccer fans will be spoiled this summer with several Lane United FC
matches at the Willamalane Center as well as the July 24 International
Champions Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain and F.C. Internazionale
Milano, to be played in Autzen Stadium.
And yet, if Eugene soccer fans are as passionate about the beautiful
game as I am, they might be most excited about the Copa América, to be hosted in the
U.S. for the first time in its long and influential history, with the closest matches being
played in Seattle and Santa Clara, California.
An important precursor to the world’s greatest sporting event (the FIFA World Cup)
and often referred to and revered as the oldest continental soccer tournament of
national teams, the Copa América is coming to this country in celebration of its 100-year
anniversary.
In 1916, Argentina celebrated 100 years of independence and the Asociación
Argentina de Football invited the national soccer associations from neighboring countries
to send teams to play in a tournament to be called the Campeonato Sudamericano de
Fútbol, later named the Copa América. Precisely on Argentina’s 100th Independence
Day, July 9, 1916, the four participating associations (from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and
Uruguay) approved the proposal presented by the Uruguayan association to form the
Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (CONMEBOL) — 38 years before its European
equivalent (UEFA) and 45 before the Confederation of North, Central America and
Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF).
In 1975, the tournament became officially titled Copa América, and CONMEBOL first
invited teams from the North (initially Mexico and the U.S., allowing for three groups of
four teams) to participate in the 1993 Copa América in Ecuador.
This year, the Copa América Centenario will have four groups of four teams (10
CONMEBOL teams and six CONCACAF teams) playing 32 matches in 10 U.S. cities. Five of
the teams are currently included in FIFA’s top ten men’s world ranking: Argentina (no. 1);
Chile (no. 3); Colombia (no. 4); Brazil (no. 7); and Uruguay (no. 9). Many of the world’s
most talented players will be competing. This should make for some very good soccer.
And, with or without the great fortune of actually attending a match, at least we’ll be able
to watch on TV at more convenient hours than is the case for many FIFA World Cups.
While attending the last Copa América in Chile, I picked up in Santiago some old
sports magazines, one of which (Estadio, No. 142) contains a description of the 1946
tournament that I hope may fairly characterize the Copa América Centenario: “The
tournament progresses, and as the emotion that springs from it gains ground in the heart
and the spirit of the fans who follow its possibilities with an extraordinary enthusiasm,
those competitors who are most qualified, those who surely will sustain, in the epilogue
of this memorable jousting, the decisive battle for possession of the privileged position,
are shaping up with distinct characteristics.”
Regardless of who ultimately possesses the privileged position of winning the Copa
América Centenario, plenty of emotion and enthusiasm should spring from this historic
tournament, while strengthening the fraternal bonds of soccer lovers throughout America
in its broadest sense, from Alaska to Patagonia.
If nothing else, fans should delight in the creative genius of Lionel Messi, who will be
playing his first (and perhaps only) competitive soccer matches on U.S. soil — including
Seattle on June 14 — and has yet to lift a major trophy for Argentina, and the goal-scoring
madness of Luis Suarez, who will be doing his best to extend Uruguay’s lead as the
country with the most Copa América titles.
For more details about this exciting soccer tournament to be played June 3-26,
including information about ticket sales, see ca2016.com. The U.S. team plays Colombia
on June 3 (in Santa Clara), Costa Rica on June 7 (in Chicago) and Paraguay on June 11
(in Philadelphia). For those who want to see Messi in the flesh, he should be playing
against Bolivia in Seattle on June 14.
36
June 2, 2016 • eugeneweekly.com
Grade School Days continues. See 6/23.
Lane County Fair continues. See 7/20.
Eugene Emeralds vs. Hillsboro, 7:05pm today
through 7/20, 2800 MLK Jr. Blvd., 342-5367. $8-$14.
FRIDAY, 7/22
Curious Kids Storytime continues. See 6/6.
Mitch Kashmir (Portland blues), 6-9 pm, Sarver
Winery, sarverwinery.com
Cuentos con Kristen/Bilingual Storytime continues.
See 6/27.
Emerald Empire Hempfest continues. See 7/17.
TUESDAY, 7/19
Obsidians: Mt. Pisgah Under the Full Moon, 3 miles.
Reg. at obsidians.org.
Party in Churchill Park, community games, bike-
tuning, local food & music, 5:30-7:30pm, Churchill
Park, 2120 Bailey Hill Rd. FREE.
Baby & Me Storytime continues. See 6/7.
Hook, rated PG, 144 minutes. Before the movie, pick
up a map (or download one at willamalane.org to
discover hidden treasure in the park or sing along
to pirate songs, 7:30-11pm, movie begins at approx.
8:30pm, Royal Delle Park, 401 Blackstone St., Spfd.,
736-4544. FREE.
To Kill a Mockingbird, movie screening, 9 pm, Maurie
Jacobs Park, 301 N. Adams St. FREE.
Silvan Ridge Winery Friday night concert series
continues. See 6/3.
Lapsit Storytime at Springfield Public Library
continues. See 6/8.
Lane County Farmers Market continues. See 6/7.
Teens@2 continues. See 6/7.
Preschool Storytime at Springfield Public Library
continues. See 6/8.
Emerald Empire Hempfest continues. See 7/17.
Lane County Fair continues. See 7/20.
Eugene Emeralds vs. Hillsboro continues. See 7/18.
SATURDAY, 7/23
WEDNESDAY, 7/20
Obsidians: Amazon Headwaters/Spencer Butte, 6.2
miles. Reg. at obsidians.org.
Flowers, History & Butterflies, Elkton Community
Education Center captures the essence of rural
Oregon’s beauty, culture & history at its site along
the Umpqua River Scenic Byway, wander the
lush gardens, watch butterflies hatch & tour the
southernmost outpost of the Hudson Bay Company
Ft. Umpqua site, lunch at Tomaselli’s Pastry Mill is
included, register in advance, 8:30am-2pm, leaves
from Willamalane Adult Activity Center, 215 W. C St.,
Spfd., 736-4444. $43 in-district/$52 out-of-district.
Lane County Fair, 11am-11pm today through 7/24,
Wed-Sat. 11am-11pm, Sun., 11am-8pm, Lane County
Fairgrounds, 682-4292, atthefair.com, $9, $7 sr., $6
ages 6-12, ages 5 & under FREE. Season Passes:
$20 at any Lane County Bi-Mart 7/1-7/17 $30 at
the Lane County Fair Business Office or at the
Fair Gates. Purchase reserved concert seating on
website beginning 6/1 at 10am.
Saw Dawgs (Now! Performing Arts Series), live
bluegrass for your lunchbreak, noon-1:30pm, Kesey
Square, Broadway & Willamette St. FREE.
Thistle Class Nationals, today through 7/29,
Eugene Yacht Club, Fern Ridge Reservoir, Eugene,
eugeneyachtclub.org, 935-2844. Entry fee to race.
Obsidians: Scott Mountain/Benson Lake, 10 miles.
Reg. at obsidians.org.
Saturday Market, 10am-5pm; music includes noon Jill
Ledet; 2pm The Traceys; 3:30pm Eagle Park Slim All
Star Blues Band; 8th & Oak. FREE.
Soap Making: cold process lye soap at home, 2-4pm,
Amazon Community Center, 2700 Hilyard St. 682-
5333. $18.
River House 50th Anniversary Celebration, live
music, kayak demonstrations, cake & more, 4-7pm,
Maurie Jacobs Park, 301 N. Adams St. FREE.
Don Latarski & D’Trio, 6-9pm, Sarver Winery,
sarverwinery.com.
Corvallis Knights vs. Victoria Harbourcats, 6:40pm
today & Mon., 5:05pm tomorrow, Goss Stadium, 430
SW. Langton Pl., Corvallis. $6.
String Cheese Incident, 7pm, Cuthbert Amphitheater.
$49.95, $60.
Artist’s Talk: Latin@ Art & Identity Across
Generations, Victoria Suescum explores how
Latino/a artists from two generations approach &
respond to issues of identity in their work, 5:30pm,
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, 1430 Johnson
Lane, University of Oregon. FREE.
Brave, movie screening, 9pm, Awbrey Park, River Rd.
& Spring Creek Dr. FREE.
South Hills String Band Concert, walks the line between
early bluegrass & Ozark-style string band music, Cajun
to swing, bluegrass to early blues. 6:30-8pm, Douglas
Gardens Park, 736-4544, willamalane.org. FREE.
Lane County Fair continues. See 7/20.
Soap Making: cold process lye soap at home, 7-9pm,
River Road Park & Recreation, 1400 Lake Dr., 688-
4052. $18.
Eugene Yacht Club small boat racing continues. See
6/8.
Lapsit Storytime at Springfield Public Library
continues. See 6/8.
Preschool Storytime at Springfield Public Library
continues. See 6/8.
Dragon Boat Paddling continues. See 6/4.
Lane County Farmers Market continues. See 6/4.
SUNDAY, 7/24
Obsidians: Around Three Finger Jack, 19.4 miles.
Reg. at obsidians.org.
Two Cities Summit Run 12K/8K, Eastgate Woodlands
area of Alton Baker Park, Spfd., to Eugene’s Skinner
Butte Park, breakfast & shuttle from Skinner Butte
Park included; both distances finish on top of
Skinner Butte, 9am, full details & online registration
level32racing.com or 343-6414.
Edible Landscaping & Wild Foraging, 2-4pm, through
River Road Park & Recreation, 688-4052, & through
Campbell Community Center, 682-6392, 871 Greg
Way. $18.
Eugene Emeralds vs. Hillsboro continues. See 7/18.
THURSDAY, 7/21
Cheese Making: how to make a variety of
homemade cheeses, 1-3pm, Petersen Barn
Community Center, 870 Berntzen Rd. 682-5521. $18.
International Champions Cup: Paris Saint-Germain
vs. FC Internazionale (soccer), 2pm, MK Arena,
matthewknightarena.com. $33-$118.
Sunday Jams, local DJs will be spinning beats &
jams for the whole family, 3-6:30pm, Sladden Park,
Cheshire Ave. FREE.