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Times Advocate, 1995-09-06, Page 14Page 14 Times -Advocate, September 6, 1995 Riding & roping The Ontario Rodeo Association held an authentic nine event rodeo in Grand Bend on the weekend sponsored by the Saddle Up Buck Off promotional group. Over 1,500 spec- tators watched 200 cowboys and cowgirls compete for points in featured events such as bull riding, calf roping, bare back bronco riding, steer wrestling and barrel racing in two separate shows on Saturday and Sunday. • Exeter women's fastball team win championship EXETER - The Exeter Juvenile Women's Fastball team clinched the PMW Championship last Tuesday beating Ailsa Craig by one run in a best out of three tournament. After losing to Ailsa Craig in game one, Exeter overwhelmed them on August 27 in a lopsided 21-6 win setting the stage for the final and deciding game in Ex- eter the following Tuesday. With two key players missing in their lineup, Exeter found themselves down 5-0 in the 5th inning; however, the juveniles rallied in the 6th inning to tie the game and go up by one run. A costly defensive error by Exeter allowed Ailsa Craig to come back with four unanswered runs, and going into the seventh inning it looked as if they were poised to take the game; but the juveniles didn't give up. In the last inning Exeter countered with three quick runs tying the game at 10. With a runner on first and third base Ann Walper stepped up to the plate for Exeter and accumulated a full count, two strikes and three balls. Knowing that the next pitch could decide the game, the tension was high in both dugouts. The pressure was too intense for the Ailsa Craig pitcher as her next pitch came in tow and got past the catcher. Julie McLeod on third seized the opportunity and sprinted for home plate giving her team the decisive run to end the game 11-10 for Exeter. Coaches Ruth Miller and Doug McInnes came close to forfeiting the game since they only had eight players dressed. At the last minute they called player Jen Robertson from Crediton who was working at the time. "There was no way we were going to lose a championship game to a forfeit," said Robertson who im- mediately left work to join the team. To her surprise she hit a home run in the top of the seventh, one of the major contributing factors in Exeter's victory. "I couldn't believe it I haven't hit a home run in such a long time," she said. Pitcher Jill Sararas again provided the backbone for Exeter's pitching and Candace Miller had a strong defensive game tagging two Ailsa Craig runners out at home defying them of a victory. This is the third championship victory in the past four years for the Exeter Juveniles Women's Fastball team. This Week in Sports... • Express host OBA tournament - page 15 • Local lawn bowlers compete in Provincials - page 17 Motorplex feature 60's legendary drag racers The Little Red Wagon wheelstander returns to Grand Bend Chris Skalkos T -A staff GRAND BEND - The history of drag racing is full of stars and leg- ends, many of whom built their reputation on the racetracks in the 50's and 60's. Two of the most well known drag racers from that era were in Grand Bend Motorplex on the weekend re -living their legendary status. Motorplex turned the clock back on the Labor Day holiday weekend to re- live history as Scott Wilson and his original 1960's front engine top fuel dragster called Time Ma- chine appeared on the same track as the Little Red Wagon wheel- stander driven by world famous Bill 'Maverick" Gold- en. Wilson is the first record -holder who raced in the 60's when the track was called Grand Bend Speedway. The track's speed record back then was set by Wilson at 221 mph. To- day Al Billes claims the track speed record at 230.78 mph with his more modern alcohol funny car. Wilson's solo runs were comple- mented by the weekend feature at- traction of two 1990's top fuel dragsters driven by professional dragracers Jack Ostrander and Doug Hearsum. • Top fuel cars are the fastest drag racing machines known to the sport. Kicking out over 5,000 horsepower these dragsters are ca- pable of speeds in excess of 300 mph clearing the quarter -mile track in four seconds. The highlight of the weekend was the appearance of drag racing legend "Maverick" Golden in his Little Red Wagon. The dragster is a super -powered rear engine pickup truck with a 426 cubic inch Hemi engine. In ac- tion, the wagon lifts its front wheels off the ground and does a full-length "wheelie" down the quarter mile at 130 mph. The remarkable sight of a pickup truck powering down the track on its back wheels with sparks flying from the tailgate dragging on the ground brought the crowds in the bleachers to their feet cheering. "It's definitely a showpiece and it looks just as good now as it did in customs hassle at the Canadian US border to race at Grand Bend after Motorplex organizers ex- tended a personal invitation to the veteran drag racer. For Golden, his visit to Grand Bend was a nostalgic experience. "I remember this being a great track in the 60's but I couldn't be- lieve the improvements they've made to make it a 90's track," he said. Considering the un- predictable and risky nature of wheeistanding, Golden con- siders himself a drag strip daredevil. With the front wheel high in the air, the driver has no steering con- trol and a sud- den cross -wind can send the truck hurtling end over end. To date, Golden has crashed his wagon seven times, four of which . se - The original wheelstander was designed in 1964. It rac- es down the track on its back wheels at 130 mph. the 60's," said Lorne Morely from Huron Park. "He [Golden] is most- ly why we came out to the track back then and it's still a big thing today," he said. With over 4,260 races under his belt, Golden has set 660 track records and received more than 50 national titles and awards. The most notable was the world record wheelstand of 4,230 feet in 1977 which earned him a place in the Guiness Book of World Records. He is credited for introducing the concept of wheelstanding to the world of drag racing in 1964. "It's been 26 years since I've stepped on Grand Bend soil, it feels good to be back," said Golden prior to his exhibition runs on Saturday and Sunday. Golden hauled his wheelstanding truck from his residence in Searcy Arkansas and dealt with a 26 hour riously injured him. "After I broke my neck doctors said I would never ride again. Well guess what? Within a year I was back again," said Golden. According to Golden, modern technology has changed the face of NHRA drag racing since the early years. Today dragsters are more powerful and faster; however, time hasn't changed the legend of Gold- en and his Little Red Wagon. "I'm still doing what I did back in the 60's only with a more ad- vanced and powerful truck. 1 might consider retiring some time, but right now I'm still going strong," said the 61 year-old daredevil. "I know it's dangerous but I don't know what else I'd rather do...besides, other than race I don't do anything to risk my life." Pat Rowe - Olympic line judge Chris Skalkos T -A staff EXETER - A good eye and the ability to endure a lot of stress are the main qualifications needed to be a hadminton line judge for the 1996 Olympic games. Qualifications possessed by Pat Rowe, Athletic Di- rector for South Huron District High School. Rowe is among the six Canadians picked by the Atlanta Committee for the 1996 Olympic Games to participate in next year's events as an official line judge for the hadminton competition. The hulk of judging officials are recruited from the At- lanta area, however, Rowe said "most people in Atlanta don't know anything about the sport because it's not very popular." The group she will be joining are experienced veterans of the sport, some of whom Rowe plays with in seniors mas- ter competition. One of the members from the group saw an advertisement for badminton officials and requested an application form. A request taken seriously by the Olympic committee. "We never expected to hear from them, we thought they would only choose Americans," said Rowe. "They need approximately 100 judges and everybody in the group has had quite a bit of experience in the sport." Rowe has been playing badminton competitively since the early 70's. She was team manager for the Ontario Badminton team at the 1983 Canada Winter games held in Quebec as well as the 1987 games held in Cape Breton. Rowe faced international opponents while competing in the 1985 World Masters Games hosted in Toronto and again in 1989 In Den- mark winning a silver and a bronze medal in two different classes of women's doubles match. Badminton is a sport older than the Ancient Olympic games. The Guinness Book of Records dates the game as far back as the second millennium. It became a full medal sport at the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992. Precisely 192 athletes (96 men, 96 women) will compete in five medal events between July 24 and August 1, in 196. The group of Canadians attended a training session in Atlanta for eight days in August that was designed to test and train the line judges before the start of the Olympic games. "Whey I first went 1 thought it would be simple - the bird is either in or out. But it was a little more stress- ful than I anticipated," Rowe said. They took written exams and were tested on theory before they were tested on a court during their first day there. A court drill consisted of bird- ies being fired at them in quick suc- cession for two hours straight calling them in or out. Judges were evaluated on four different occa- sions and officials didn't hesitate to give them negative feedback if they made a bad call. "We had to, be up and ready to go by 6 a.m. .very day. It sure wasn't a holiday," said Rowe. Oneof the moat stressful aspects of the job is appreciating the sig- nificance a line judge's decision holds during competition. Unlike ten- nis, the umpire can not overrule the line judge, their decision is final. "Your call can decide who wins or loses a match and somebody's medal could be on the line," explained Rowe. Before it was over the group had the opportunity to officiate the 1995 Yonex Open Badminton Championships. The premier five-day tournament featured 200 athletes from 24 countries at Georgia State University, the Olympic venue for badminton. "All the best players in the world were there so it was a pretty big deal," said Rowe. "It's un- believable seeing how fast they are, it was wonder- ful to watch." One of the most important things the judges learned in the tournament was not to make eye con- tact with the competitors. Many players try to in- timidate the judges in an attempt to get calls to go their way. Another surprise Rowe encountered was the level of security in Atlanta for the Badminton Open. All of the judges had to wear special security bands is- sued with a different number each day as well as official "Olympic dog tags" to identify them. Even so, there were some parts of the grounds they couldn't access. Rowe attended the 1976 Olympic games as a spectator but she has never been a participant. Line judging is strictly a volunteer position at the event and judges must find and pay for their own ac- commodations. But for Rowe, the chance to be di- rectly involved is rewarding enough for her. "Mitt is going to be a great opportunity. It's exciting to have a chance to be a part of the Olympics," she said.