Ron Judd of the Seattle Times is one of the best sportswriters in the world. He is the Times free agent who focuses on the outdoors, and all things a little left field in the sports world. Today he wrote an excellent article on what is going on track wise in Eugene.
I remember going to the Olympic trials a couple of times in the early 70's in Eugene, it was just amazing, and I am glad the city of Eugene is stepping up to the plate to bring the big track events home to the Northwest again.
Hayward Field is a special place, it was originally the football stadium for the University till Autzen was built in the mid 60's. If you haven't been there think of a bigger West Seattle Stadium as a model. We are talking an old, historic wooden grandstand.
All of us sports fan's want to go to a Masters, Super Bowl, Rose Bowl, Final for etc....but you are not completed till you witness a track meet at Hayward Field, it should be on every one's list.
It's hallowed ground. The late Steve Prefontaine, rock-star distance runner, consecrated it back in the early 1970s, burning up the track at Hayward Field on the way to owning the American record at every distance from 2 kilometers to 10. In the decade that followed, Hayward Field, oft described as the Carnegie Hall of track and field, regularly welcomed the world's greatest athletes, hosting the sport's marquee event, the U.S. Olympic Trials, from 1972 through 1980.
Hallowed, pure and simple.
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