Pag« 6 Portland Observer Thursday September 7, 19?H
Rafer Johnson on the Olympics
by Rajer Johnson
by B ill Schafer
I think most Americans would
agree that the Olympic Games is one
o f the stellar attractions o f sports. In
recent years, there have been times
when the high drama o f the Games
u n w ittin g ly focused the global
spotlight on both the tragic and the
controversial.
Indeed — even today — two years
before we compete in Moscow, some
are telling us that a boycott o f the
1980 Games w ould serve as our
strongest protest against the rejec
tion o f human rights behind the lion
Curtain.
It’ s not my purpose, though, to
survey the international po litica l
scene I'd like to bring some o f that
attention back to an area 1 know
best. That is. amateur athletics —
specifically, the thousands o f young
Americans who are spending nearly
every waking moment mentally and
physically preparing fo r Moscow.
Lake Placid and beyond.
Regardless o f who they are, where
they live or the sport they’ve chosen,
these bright, aggressive and healthy
Americans are bound by a common
purpose. They’ re working as hard as
they can. under the best available
trainers, to qualify and represent this
country in international competition.
In my eyes, nothing compares with
the thrill and satisfaction o f making
the U.S. O lym pic team, and the
pride in knowing you're a member of
a team made up o f the best amateur
athletes in the nation. It’s a proud
moment for all Americans when we
sit in the comfort o f our living rooms
and watch one o f our own athletes
lean forward to be draped with a
gold, silver or bronze medal.
But how does a young American
reach that grand achievement o f in
ternational victory? How, for that
matter, does he or she reach the level
o f Olympic caliber?
One answer, as 1 m entioned
already, is hard w o rk. Sadly,
though, many o f the athletes we ap
plaud during Olympic Games are
there only because their commitment
has driven them to make one per
sonal sacrifice after another. The
parents, relatives and friends o f
many amateur athletes remain the
single source o f the financial support
so desperately needed to prepare for
O lym pic co m p e titio n . A nd the
situation hasn’t really improved since
I first competed more than twenty
years ago.
The grand irony o f U.S. amateur
athletics is that the major athletic
organizations themselves have
chosen to ignore one o f the most
basic doctrines o f sport: teamwork.
The Amateur A thletic U nion, the
N a tio n a l
C ollegiate
A th le tic
Association and the U.S. Olympic
Committee have never really pulled
RAFER JO H N S O N
together in the interest o f our
athletes. 1 think the obvious friction
between the organizing bodies has
prevented them from even talking
sensibly to each other in the past ten
years.
But I don’ t wish to sound com
pletely pessimistic, because there
have been some hopeful signs in
recent times. The landmark con
trib u tio n by Toyota o f a m illio n
dollars to the Olympic Committee,
for the training of American athletes
preparing fo r the 1980 Moscow
Games, appears to be the leading
edge o f a trend that sees private en
terprise becoming more involved in
amateur athletics. There’s also the
special Olympic Job Opportunities
Program , in v o lv in g about sixty
U.S. firms.
Likewise, 1 hold great faith in a
key piece o f federal legislation, the
pending A m ateur Sports A ct o f
1978, that has passed the Senate and
is now aw aiting approval in the
House. As a member o f the
President’s Commission on Olympic
Sports, I p a rticipated in the
preparation o f this bill, which, for
the fir s t tim e, w ill establish an
equitable representation among the
organizing bodies, the federal govern
ment and the athletes themselves
through an overall co ordinatin g
body.
A true coordinated e ffo rt —
genuine n a tio n a l team w ork on
behalf o f our amateur athletes — is
long past due. We only have to look
at the East European countries to
find that unified effort. But don’ t get
me wrong, I neither agree nor ap
prove o f their approach to amateur
sports. We can build a national team
she way it works best for us, by
p ro vid in g our athletes w ith the
freedom to train as they wish, giving
them expert instruction and the best
E»
SHOP
IENOWS
FOR
B R A N D S you k n e w
V A R IE TIE S you lik e
SIZES yo u w e n *
• «411
• I AW«
•
•
•
•
• 3 3 rd A N .I
K
M ll w s w k »
SS0» A
I « r n » i4 «
I
A N I O b te n
N Lem ko nJ •« G re e le y
R e le t> A M ill* D ie s e
A S .l
Me m e
H em eck
• 3D th A S .l O iw ib e n
e 3 3 r d A We«« A w m tld e
e lefce O » w e * e DO B Ave
• l l l ñ d r í í Otri »«en • K le« City
• O e k G reve
= E r na M ITHS
High school season begins
You're watching one o f the season
opening high school football games
this Friday night. The visiting team
faces a fourth down and 25-yards-to-
go situation for a first-down. The
nuniei is roughed up but you, as a
home town fan, aren't worried. It’s
only a IS-yard penalty so it ’ s still
fourth and ten for the other team,
right?
Wrong. A major rule change this
season for all Oregon high school
teams calls not only for a IS-yard
penalty but an automatic first down
for the kicking team.
The reason for the rules change,
says John H ilsenteger, assistant
executive secretary o f the Oregon
School Activities Association, is to
dissuade teams from taking advan
tage o f a kicking situation such as
that mentioned above.
" U n til this year, the defensive
team could come as hard as they
wanted knowing that the kicking
team would still have to punt even if
they were roughed up,” Hilsenteger
said. "N o w we’ ve taken care o f
that.”
The other major change in Oregon
high school football rules this year
involves an invalid fair catch signal.
A valid fair catch signal on the
part o f a punt receiver calls for him
facilities we can muster.
I don’ t regret having had to work
in a peach cannery during college
summers, and at a hamburger stand
after I was graduated, just to obtain
enough money for basic needs while
training. Maybe I ’ m the better for it.
It’s also possible that my own ex
perience showed me the vital impor
tance o f providing every opportunity
fo r Am erican amateurs to be as
completely prepared as they can.
Full-time training for Olympic com
petition is enough o f a personal
sacrifice for our athletes.
Who can be less than amazed, for
example, at A l Oerter, our greatest
discus thrower? Oerter first com
peted in 1956, won four consecutive
Olympic gold medals, captured the
national championship six times and
set world records twice. Through it
all, he was working for a living and
finding time to train. On the corn-
back trail at 41, he’s preparing for
the 1980 Games in Moscow. Even
more amazing than his record is the
news that Oerter is training for the
first time with a coach.
I ’ m p u ttin g out a call to ail
Americans who care. Let’ s support
our amateur athletes for four years,
not just once every four years. Let’s
get the message to our legislators, the
national organizing sports bodies
and the business community. And
let’s not just worry about the next
team or the next Games. Instead,
let’s plan to broaden our focus to
bring along youngsters from the age
o f eight.
The winning and the medals w ill
take care o f themselves. It’s time to
shift the emphasis to an organized
program that w ill result in con
tinuous fu n d -ra isin g , tra in in g
facilities coast-to-coast, top-notch
coaching and anything else that best
serves the interests of our amateur
athletes.
The O lym pic movement is fo r
everybody — from the gold medal
winners to the grade school hopefuls.
to wave an arm above his head. I f he
failed to do this in the past — for
example, if he merely raised an arm
above his head without waving it —
his team suffered a IS-year penalty
from where the ball was snapped.
Now, an invalid fair catch signal
will result in only a five-yard penalty
from the point o f the snap.
" I t ’ s a more equitable penalty,”
Hilsenteger said. " A n invalid fair
catch signal shouldn’t result in a first
down for the kicking team. That was
giving the kicking team too much of
an advantage."
The high school football season is
starting one week earlier than last
year to avoid having to play playoff
games over the Thanksgiving Day
weekend.
For the first time, the state’s Class
A A football teams w ill play an ex
panded sixteen-tcam championship
format, following on the heels o f the
highly successful sixteen-team
playoff system held for the first time
last season by the Class A A A
schools. The Class A and eight-man
championships w ill involve eight
teams.
The girls volleyball season also
opens this week but with no major
rules changes having taken place.
Other sports that w ill be getting un
derway this fall include gymnastics
and cross country for boys and girls.’
And it’s fo r you and me. I like to
think o f my three-and-five-year-olds
as p o te n tia l O lym pians. I ’ m ex
posing them to as many activities as
possible. Even at those ages sports
works wonders as an organized ef
fort that simply means having fun
and meeting new faces.
1 think there are hopeful signs, and
a national momentum seems to be
gathering. A great number o f people
down through the years deserve
credit fo r w hat’ s beginning to
m aterialize. Robert F. Kennedy
pushed for a united effort in the ’60s.
Today, Senators Culver, Stevens and
Stone, the Congressmen Kent,
Metcalfe, Michael and Mineta are
among those in Washington carrying
the message forward.
In amateur athletics and Olympic
competition, teamwork is the only
tonic we’ ll ever need.
*
BACK-
TO-SCHOOL BUYS
fí ¡ ° J
IMAGINE-A QUALITY
Whirlpool
with Super
Surgilator agitator
FOR
ONLY...
with
trade
Truly, one of the best washer values we've seen.
Look; what you get for so few dollars: Great
washability with the Super SURGILATOR agi
tator • Two autom atic cycles: NORMAL and
PLE • Two wash and two spin speeds •
ak Laundry Information Center • Heavy-
1/2 h.p. motor and more. Don’t miss this
outstanding value.
MATCHING DRYER
Large 5.9 cu. ft. drying drum is ideal
for fam ily-size loads. Push-to-start
button; automatic door shut off. Extra
large lint screen. Handy Bac-Pak Laun
dry Information Center.
168
Stock No. 15-010
M( )RTl ARY
C
238
(Continued from Page 1 Column 3)
the goals o f the NASCD,” she said.
Smith announced plans for the first
annual Reggie Smith Celebrity Ten
nis Classic, proceeds o f which will
benefit the NASCD. It w ill be a two-
day celebrity-amateur tournament to
held at Mountain Gate Country
Club on November 11th and 12th.
COLONIAL
2rS P E E D
W A SH ER
It provides a powerful scrubbing action to get your
wash loads really clean. Surging water action
loosens even deep down dirt Won’t peel or rust
and is virtually unbreakable
Reggie Smith
CALDWELLS
h om e fu r n is h in g s
with
trade
COME TODAY.. .Buy on Smith's EAST TERMS
we give you m ore__
E 1 1Í 1
O u r 50th year of
personal service
to families
of all faiths.
home furnishings
N.fc. ,4th jt Sandy Bhd. 6» Burnside
Portland. OR 9 7 2 )2
HAY «* NH.tf f
232-4111
30th and S.E. Division
234-9351
Shop 9 to 9 Tuesday thru Friday
Saturday 9 to 6
(Closed Sunday and M onday)
ROSE VILLA CLEANERS
»SERVICE & Q U A LITY M A K E OUR R EPUTA TIO N
WE DO ALTERATIONS
ST. ANDREWS CATHOLIC CHURCH
DRAPERY C LEA N IN G SPECIALISTS
806 N.E. Alberta Street
Reverend Bertram (»rillin, Pastor
jFAST - QUALITY DRY CLEANING,
& LAUNDRY SERVICE.
2k I 4429
Masses:
5:00 p.m. Vigil - Saturday
10:00 a.m. Choir - Sunday
12:00 p.m. I < Ik
Sunday
8525 N.E. F R E M O N T ^
Mon-Frl 9:30-6:30 - Sat. 9-1
ST. ANDREW C O M M U N ITY SCHOOL
4919 N.E. 9th Ave.
Phone: 284 1020
Norita Kelly, Principal
Grade» I through 8
ALLEN TEMPLE CME CHURCH
( oener of Hth and Skidmore
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m.
Christian Youth fellowship 6:00 p.m.
(Second and fourth Sundays!
HUGHES MEMORIAL UNITED M E TH O D IS T CHURCH
A U S T IN V
DAY
New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
T H E ARK OF S A FETY C H I ROH OF GOD P EN TECO STAL, INC.
REVEREND A HERNARI) DEVERS. PASTOR
THE CHURCH DESIGNEDTO MEET YOUR NEED
“A warm spirit of fellowship always”
The Honorable Bishop D.V. Peteraon, D .D . “The Holiness Preacher," Pastor
Reverend Thomas L. Slrayhand. Minister
REV
You are Welcome to Worship at
M IN ISTER
111 N.E. FAILING
Dial A P rayer 28441684
Church School 9:45 a.m
Worship l i e a m
Office 281 2332
Specializint In
Individual • Marriott and Family • Group Therapy
"The Church Where No Stranger feel» Strange"
Sunday
Sunday School
9:15am
Morning M orahip
11:15 am
“Showers of Kleaninga Broadcast"
KGAR 1550
11:30 am 12:30 urn
YPBC
6:30 pm
Evangelistic M orahip
8:00 pm
Tuesday-Friday
Nnam Day Prayer
t
Tuesday:
Bible Band/Jr. Church
Wednesday:
Choir Rehearsal
Friday:
“The Paator Speaka"
84 NE Killingaworth
281-0499
7:30 pm
7:00 pm
7:30 pm
Sunday School
Morning W orahip
Evening Service 2nd, 4th and
5th Sunday»
Communion 1 at Sunday
Med. - Family Prayer Meeting
and Bible Study
Friday - Brotherhood
Fellowship Service with
Morning Star 3rd Sunday
Prayer and Paator Phone: 281-6476
Church Phone: 281-0163
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
7:00 p.m.
5:00p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
3 7 2 5 N. Gentenbeln Avenue, Portland, Oregon 9 7 2 2 7