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Special
Tuesday, April 12,1988
\pmmm
*££,
w
"
B*BIB
..
Doug Fraley of Fresno won the pole vault at 18'-4-l/2".
From world class
to grade school
Track and field can be a suitable.
spectator sport for either the very
bright or the incredibly stupid.
If you're bright, you can easily
indulge yourself in the three different
events happening at one lime, three
dozen limes and distances, and a
number of PRs (personal records).
If you're incredibly stupid, you can
just watch one of the races and notice
one person may be runnning a litlJe
bit faster than the other.
The Fresno Relays, held last Friday
and Saturday, was a perfect example
of a large-scale track and field event,
as the variety involved was amazing.
There were elementary school kids
running 100 meter dashes and there
were world-class sprinters running
100 meter dashes.
Then, after throwing in high
school, junior college and major
college runners —■ and few-dozen
events olher than the 100 meter dash
— you have yourself a serious three-
ring circus.
On one hand, you had Olympian
Tonie Campbell ripping through the
110 meter hurdles, on the other hand,
you had 71-year-old Payton Jordan
tearing through the 100 meter dash in
a masters world record time.
In some ways, the whole event
seemed to spread out to be a whole lot
of fun. Unlike basketball or football,
the different things happening on the
field (and track) don't appear related,
and as a result, there's a tendency to
lose touch with things.
Perhaps things could be spiced up.
Maybe the 400 meter relay teams
should have to use as a baton a stick
of dynamite set to go off at world
record time.
Maybe the javelin throwers should
be forced to stand where their javelins
land leaving themselves open lo
others capable of throwing as far or
farther.
Actually, unless you're very well-
versed in track and field, it's
sometime: best to stop worrying
about the 50 things happening in 40
different places at one time; and just
sit back in a nice spot and observe.
You might find out some things
you didn't know before — discus
throwers arc very muscular, high
jumpers jump high, long jumpers
jump long, and sprinters run very
fast
On one hand, you had
Olympian Tonie Campbell
ripping through the 110
meter hurdles. On the
other hand, you had 71-
year-old Payton Jordan
tearing through the 100
meter dash In a masters
world record time.
And you might come across some
things you already knew — not all
throwers are as big as former-FSU
standout Dot Jones (in fact, Lacy
Barnes, FSU's current discus star,
stands just 5-foot-6), high jumpers
normally aren't built like NBA
players, and sprinters run very last
In a way, track and field is one of
the purest sports around. In the 100
meter dash, you have just one shot at
beating the oppositioa
If you start slow, you'd better have
one hell of a stretch run. If you start
too quickly — as in jumping the gun
— you're instantly disqualified and all
your preparation goes down the drain
(I believe a five-yard penalty would be
more just).
Then you have the distance runners,
who possess the ability to run a long,
long way without dying, and the
steeplechasers, who must either be
superbly conditioned athletes with a
lot of guts, or total lu- .^s.
As if running 3,000 meters weren't
enough, these guys have to leap over
water pits and fences that are bigger
than a lot of people's backyard fences.
In the middle of, and outside the
track, you have people who like to
throw things resembling dishes,
cannonballs and things called
"hammers" (that, contrary to popular
belief, don't look quite like the thigg
that the Mighty Thor throws).
These people, nonetheless, are
possessive of some pretty mighty
arms. Lacy Barnes, for instance, threw
the discus (which, by the way, is a
little bit heavier than your normal
Monterey Stoneware) 188 feet, two
inches. And she came in second.
Actually, I think I can throw the
discus that far — but it would take
me about 10 throws to do it
Last, but not the least bit least, we
have the jumpers, some of which
jump vertically and some of which
jump horizontally.
Boise State high jumper Troy
Kemp cleared seven feet, five and one-
fourths inches (imagine having the
ability to leap over Kareem Abdul-
Jabbar).
Fresno State long jumper Billy
Coleman reached 26 feci, one and
three-fourths inches (imagine having
the ability to jump farther than some
people can throw the discus).
Track and field is one of the world's
most unique sports in that, unlike a
15-round boxing match, a 40-minute
basketball game, or a nine-inning
baseball game; does not present
sustained action — and time to
progress and regress is most limited.
It's kind of a one-shot deal in which
competition hinges on a brief
moment of both best and worst. In a
sense, it can be either easiest or the
hardest sport around — or a good
spectator sport for either the bright, or
ihe incredibly stupid.
Object Description
| Title | 1988_04 The Daily Collegian April 1988 |
| Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
| Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
| Publication Date | 1988 |
| Description | Daily (except weekends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif. : BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels ; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
| Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
| Contributors | Assocated Students of Fresno State. |
| Coverage | Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
| Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
| Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
| Language | eng |
Description
| Title | April 12, 1988, Page 7 |
| Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
| Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
| Publication Date | 1988 |
| Description | Daily (except weekends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif. : BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels ; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
| Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
| Contributors | Assocated Students of Fresno State. |
| Coverage | Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
| Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
| Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
| Language | eng |
| Full-Text-Search | Special Tuesday, April 12,1988 \pmmm *££, w " B*BIB .. Doug Fraley of Fresno won the pole vault at 18'-4-l/2". From world class to grade school Track and field can be a suitable. spectator sport for either the very bright or the incredibly stupid. If you're bright, you can easily indulge yourself in the three different events happening at one lime, three dozen limes and distances, and a number of PRs (personal records). If you're incredibly stupid, you can just watch one of the races and notice one person may be runnning a litlJe bit faster than the other. The Fresno Relays, held last Friday and Saturday, was a perfect example of a large-scale track and field event, as the variety involved was amazing. There were elementary school kids running 100 meter dashes and there were world-class sprinters running 100 meter dashes. Then, after throwing in high school, junior college and major college runners —■ and few-dozen events olher than the 100 meter dash — you have yourself a serious three- ring circus. On one hand, you had Olympian Tonie Campbell ripping through the 110 meter hurdles, on the other hand, you had 71-year-old Payton Jordan tearing through the 100 meter dash in a masters world record time. In some ways, the whole event seemed to spread out to be a whole lot of fun. Unlike basketball or football, the different things happening on the field (and track) don't appear related, and as a result, there's a tendency to lose touch with things. Perhaps things could be spiced up. Maybe the 400 meter relay teams should have to use as a baton a stick of dynamite set to go off at world record time. Maybe the javelin throwers should be forced to stand where their javelins land leaving themselves open lo others capable of throwing as far or farther. Actually, unless you're very well- versed in track and field, it's sometime: best to stop worrying about the 50 things happening in 40 different places at one time; and just sit back in a nice spot and observe. You might find out some things you didn't know before — discus throwers arc very muscular, high jumpers jump high, long jumpers jump long, and sprinters run very fast On one hand, you had Olympian Tonie Campbell ripping through the 110 meter hurdles. On the other hand, you had 71- year-old Payton Jordan tearing through the 100 meter dash In a masters world record time. And you might come across some things you already knew — not all throwers are as big as former-FSU standout Dot Jones (in fact, Lacy Barnes, FSU's current discus star, stands just 5-foot-6), high jumpers normally aren't built like NBA players, and sprinters run very last In a way, track and field is one of the purest sports around. In the 100 meter dash, you have just one shot at beating the oppositioa If you start slow, you'd better have one hell of a stretch run. If you start too quickly — as in jumping the gun — you're instantly disqualified and all your preparation goes down the drain (I believe a five-yard penalty would be more just). Then you have the distance runners, who possess the ability to run a long, long way without dying, and the steeplechasers, who must either be superbly conditioned athletes with a lot of guts, or total lu- .^s. As if running 3,000 meters weren't enough, these guys have to leap over water pits and fences that are bigger than a lot of people's backyard fences. In the middle of, and outside the track, you have people who like to throw things resembling dishes, cannonballs and things called "hammers" (that, contrary to popular belief, don't look quite like the thigg that the Mighty Thor throws). These people, nonetheless, are possessive of some pretty mighty arms. Lacy Barnes, for instance, threw the discus (which, by the way, is a little bit heavier than your normal Monterey Stoneware) 188 feet, two inches. And she came in second. Actually, I think I can throw the discus that far — but it would take me about 10 throws to do it Last, but not the least bit least, we have the jumpers, some of which jump vertically and some of which jump horizontally. Boise State high jumper Troy Kemp cleared seven feet, five and one- fourths inches (imagine having the ability to leap over Kareem Abdul- Jabbar). Fresno State long jumper Billy Coleman reached 26 feci, one and three-fourths inches (imagine having the ability to jump farther than some people can throw the discus). Track and field is one of the world's most unique sports in that, unlike a 15-round boxing match, a 40-minute basketball game, or a nine-inning baseball game; does not present sustained action — and time to progress and regress is most limited. It's kind of a one-shot deal in which competition hinges on a brief moment of both best and worst. In a sense, it can be either easiest or the hardest sport around — or a good spectator sport for either the bright, or ihe incredibly stupid. |
