Severely handicapped class arrives - The Lowell

SPORTS—
extra innings
Mauser/Wong\
"Everybody forgot it was supposed to be fun."
remarked Lowell varsity baseball player Jim Archulela
(•bout the championship game against Balboa.
Sports are supposed to be played for enjoyment, but
have instead jcvelopnt into serious games with a great
deal of pressure.
Obviously, the burden ••;" competition is tremendously
heavy when players cry w!wn they win or lose.
Fighting has become a major i-erul". of the intense emotions
which develop during th; gan.es, rot only among
the players, such as Lowell's brawl with Lincoln earlier
this baseball season, but even among 'he fans, who at
times get involved to the po:.-.: where they pit themselves
against the other team's fans as in the case of the baseball
play-off game against McAteer.
Pressure seems to be existant among all athletes no
matter in what sport they participate.
Should this pressure really exist?
Aren't sports supposed to take people away from 'he
burdens of everyday life like work and school?
Players are pushed from all sides: parents, friends,
coaches, and teachers. Thus, tney put even more pressure
on themscl/es because of Ihe importance that has been
placed on winning.
Having fun is not as significant as how good the
athletes are, how well they perform, or what the outcome
of a contest is.
It is sad that when a team lose:* a "big game" members
have to do something else to release the tension caused by
their defeat.
There is another luminous factor in this problem: the
media. Sports writers sometimes put down athletes. The
media has the ability to put immense pressure on even 'Jic
everyday athlet: by the way they often times congratulate
the winners and condemn the losers. A good example of
.. .this is the opening of the ABC's Wide World of Sports
;.wh.*ch stite: "The human drama of athletic competition.'
the thrill of victory, end the agony of defeat."
Should winnLig really mean that much?
•D.ll.
If baseba!' is still America's favorite pastime, can cocaine
be fnr behind?
Baseball, which was once synonymous with hot dogs
and apple pie. is now the target of what scents like neverending
drug scandals of one kind or another. Every time I
pick up the sports page, there seems to be a story about
some athlete entering an alcohol or drug rehabilitation
center or being arrested for drunk driving or possession
of drugs.
The drug problems, of course, arc not unique to
baseball or any other sport for that matter. Yes. drugs are
a product arrJ problem 01" today's society. Athletes arc
people, too, lijht? Tiicy'rc entitled to nuke mistakes bu
are they above the law?
Where docs one draw the lirx?
Commissioner of Baseball Peter Ueberroth has drawn
ihe line as far as professional baseball is concerned. Less
than a month ago, Ueberroth revealed his plan for man
datory drug testing in all levels of baseball from management
to the players. The random testing (a urinalysis) ol
players can only become a reality with the permission o
the Major Lengtic Baseball Players Association, which
seems doubtful at this point.
The players' reactions to Ueberroth's proposal have
been mixed. Some players stated they thought it waj
about time something was done about "the problem," but
the majority of Ihe players had negative reactions Why
should basrball players be singled out for such
humilia'ing testing? They claimed that the drug problems
were deeply rooted in so-ncty itself, not just sports. The
players spoke of the principles involved. It wouldn't be
fair.
Did they have something to hide?
The bottom line is that athletes are not "normal" peo
ple. Right or u-rong, whether they want to or not, athletes
-are role models and heroes for children and adults alike
.. We want OIK athletes, our heroes, to be "perfect."
Any hint of drugs and the fragile illusions are shattered. II
sports are ever going to bcrculy free of drugs, we the fan
must be willing to face and ac xpt die fact that our heroes
are not perfect. They are onl/ human, aren't they?
Exclusive interview
Harnmker shares his thoughts
By Sbtrrl En* and Sandra Won*
TV I9R5 scorn U shafting tip to
be a crucial y^-r for Atlcc Ham*
maker, ace IcAhandcd pitcher for the
Sap Fnnchco Giant*.
Hamrnakcr. 27, went from Utf bat
season of his career in 198? to >
disappointing icawm in 1984.
In 1983. Hammaker won the National
Luigur EAA (earned run
age) title with an ERA of 2.25
and led the !ctfuc in control, giving
u,» on avcragf of 1.67 walk* per hinr
innitys. He also m*.'e the All-Su*
team.
Unfortutu*j-)w, hit ann problems
al*o started (hat year.
He developed a tore arm but continued
(.tutting anyway. Hamnuker
explained, "When you're guing
gaod. yoj don't -Ant to Vop."
As it turns out, he had i torn rotator
cuff. "I didn't rea'tfe L*".e uriousocss
of my injury." Knurled Hamnuker
He '-as expected to be the ace of
ihe Gums pitching tuff in 19&4. but
he miued the first two month* nfi.Sc
season recovering from mr-season
surgery on hit Una rotator cuf.
Thote two months we.r Hvd on
Hu.fe.uLer.
"1 got fruuratsl a lot. but was
forced to be patient," recalto* Hanv
maker. " I couldn't do anyttitnfjuxwt
my arm."
He maoe hii 19S4 debut en June
26 and won the game. After six starts
(2-0 record. 2.18 ERA), be w^nt on
the disabled lut on September 21 to
haw boor spurs removed from ni%
pitching inn
There wa» some doubt as to
w hethcr or not ne'd be ready fnr the
1985 season, hut sn.-nehow he kr*v
he would be okay.
Uoro in Carmcl. CaMomi*. Ha.nnuker**
father it a rctitcd am./ io*ncl
and hu rrtiHhvr i". a name of
Kyoto. Japan. Hamnuker :pcjr.\
some Japanese an£ in thz past has
been active in trv Bay Area Japanese
Community.
He actually prvfcrrcJ Kiskeitw'J :L*
baseball in high school and jtttndcd
East Tennessee Suic Ur^jnity i*n
a Hukeihalt scholarship. He nujorcd
in marketing and considered play ing
college baicUall a poutitc alternative
to cniennj the minor leagues right uut
of tiigh school.
"For the majority of people. I think
il't (college baseball) bcttc* bectne
>ou can gel an education while stil.
playing." he declared.
Any advicr for high vchool
players?
"You juu ru*c to enjoy playing
Pteitcr AUtc Hammaker of the San Francisco Glacts.
and not worry about nuking a career
out of it." he observed.
At far as high schtol pitchers are
concerned, he bclJevcs that COTJSI b
something that sctrui look for in addition
to dedication.
While growing up, Ksmmakcr
idoluel Lou Gchrig. Sandy Koufai.
andVidaDltc which "i ironic, wncc
the Giantv traded Rlue |o Kansas Ci
ly for Hanwket and two ot!jr
pb>t.i in 1982. iJIuc is now back
with, the Giants and Hamnuker. who
hod Blue'* former number < 14>. gave.
up hb number so Blue could haw hu.
old rumber hack. Hammakcr't new
number is seven.
With 'be team'* future tn San Franrivco
still iz doubt. Harmakct re*
nutns ph^ovophica! about a possible
n^itc. "I can't do anjthinp about it.
We're here to plav baseba!' and
taopclully «t*lt stay in the BJJ
Area."
Camtlevttcl; Park, cnmklercd cj
may to be me of the wont ballparks
in the major tcipuo. di AmlKlU Walker
fhc Lowell tarstty fencing team
took fourth pbee in the spring I9KS
season wt:n a record of 4-3.
"I thuughl the «caw>n went really
well. I am very proud of thr team
member* because the/ ..nc-*d thcu
best at each match." declared cuKh
Adair Tench.
Shig: Kubota. team ctpUtL. ml*cd.
"The vcavon was pretty good.
We fenced well, and &c matches we
did lose were really close."
After the icam'» 5-4 win tmt
Station on May 10, the tciM sent
Glenn Asacda, Michael Cho, arvl
B«)b Ton; to the Academic Athletic
•VvKiation (AAA) individual foil
rompctitiun. All three of Lowell's
fcitrcri n>adc ihr semi-finals, but
tiicy were eliminated from finals.
"I hate bc?n on the team for three
years now. and this i\ by far the best
\cavxi uc have had, rx" vu much in
the way Me ranked city wide, but in
the people. Everyone marked very'
hard and worked together, but
without Mr*. Tench and Peter
Schifrin (the team's second coach*,
we cr»er could have done it."
remarked Samantha Walker
Tench added. "We all dearly
want PtU. Schifnn ti> cutnc KKL.
and hopefully he will."
The team is already Ktoking forward
to next season.
Tenth enthused. "I am oplimUic
about neit year's wason Thi*
seaton'i three vurtcrs. Kubori.
AsacCa, and Tong. are gradu&ting.
so I am looking to the ncit in line.
Michael Cho. James Tarn, and
Ha*km Woo. but who knows who
will come along?"
Woo exclaimed, "I want to be a
starter next season. Hopefully, with
some practice during the cH season.
I will improve."
••*••••• Sports trivia •*••••••
•K
r_ I. In what C^mpic Games did Jesse Oucns win
.V four gold medals?
^C2. Who was the last Heismaii Trophy winner
^jwho did not defect lo the USFL?
"ft 3. Name the current U.S. Ladies figure skating
^£ champion.
-^ -""MM
•» In the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los
Angeles. Carl Lewis won four gold medals?
Name the four events he won them in.
5. Name all the colleges in the Pac-10 conference
and their respective masciXV?
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