Friday, July 25, 1986
Page 6
Daily Nebraskan
9,000 participants helped make
this year's Cornhusker State Games
the biggest, most successful ever
By Jeff Apel
Sports Editor
The 1986 Cornhusker State Games
closed with promises of continued
expansion and future stability.
Dave McBride, the state games
executive coordinator, said next year's
games could be expanded to include
racquetball and fencing.
While other sports are also being
considered in the expansion, McBride
said officials are also hoping to add to
the games by changing the format of
the opening ceremonies.
"We've done it the same way for the
last two years," McBride said. "So we
feel it is time for a change."
McBride said over all, this year's
second annual Cornhusker State Games
went very well.
By the time officials had stopped
counting all the late entries they re
ceived, almost 9,000 Nebraskans had
participated in the games with another
1,000 volunteering either products or
services. Those numbers were up from
the approximately 4,500 persons who
participated in last year's first state
games.
While the record number of partici
pants posed potential problems, Mc
Bride said officials were fortunate to
avoid any serious problems throughout
the three-day competition.
"We had a lot of little problems," he
said. "But that is to be expected."
Financially, McBride said the games
are showing enough stability that they
will continue to be held for many years
to come.
About 60 percent of the game's
expenses will be paid by the various
corporations which have chosen to be
sponsors. The other 40 percent of the
expenses will be paid for by entry fees,
admission fees and private contribu
tions. McBride said had it not been for the
cooperation and contributions received
from several corporations from through
out Nebraska, producing the games
would have been virtually impossible.
"Without those corporate sponsors,"
McBride said, "entry fees would have to
be so much that it would really limit
the number of participants."
McBride said the Nebraska State
Games are holding their own when they
are compared to other state games held
in the United States.
New York, which has hosted a state
games competition for nine years, con
tinues to lead the other 24 states who
currently conduct state games competi
tion. But thanks largely to a strong amount
of support from the United States
Olympic committee and a high level of
interest in participation, McBride said
Nebraska is beginning to close the gap
which separates its state games com
petition from New York's.
McBride said Nebraska's is one of
the largest state games competitions
in the country when the number of
sports offered is compared to the state's
population.
Nebraska also boasts a high state
citizen to participant ratio, which Mc
Bride said is yet another indication the
Cornhusker State Games will continue
to thrive in the future. Next year's state
games will' once again be held in
Lincoln, while the 1988 games will be
held in the Kearney, Grand Island and
Hastings areas.
McBride said state game officials
will spend the next three to four
months evaluating this year's state
games to prepare for next year's con
test. Ideally, McBride said, officials would
have enough surplus money in the bank
so they could begin meeting some of
the initial expenses for the 1987 Corn
husker State Games.
But if that doesn't happen, McBride
said game officials at least hope this
year's competition will break even.
"We will just have to wait and see
what happens," he said.
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Jackie Joyner officially opens the Junior Olympics track and field championships by address
ing the crowd at Nebraska's Ed Weir track.
Joyner opens competition
By Jeff Apel
Sports Editor
The 20th annual Junior Olympic
track and field championships offi
cially got under way Thursday with the
completion of the opening ceremonies.
Jackie Joyner, who recently became
the first athlete in the heptathlon to
pass the 7,000 point barrier when she
compiled a world-record 7,148 points
during the Goodwill Games, was the
featured speaker for the ceremonies.
Joyner, who also earned a silver
medal in the 1984 Olympics, said she
could recall when she competed in the
Junior Olympics.
"This is where I got started," she
said.
Joyner said the Junior Olympics
would give each of the athletes, who
came from 15 regions of the United
States, an opportunity to meet people.
While growing up in East St. Louis,
111., Joyner admitted it was a struggle
for her to maintain the competitive
schedule she would need to be a world
record holding athlete.
But thanks to the Junior Olympics
and her parents' cooperation, Joyner
said, she had the opportunity to com
pete in various track meets as a
youngster.
"This (the Junior Olympics) is just
the beginning," Joyner said.
Joyner said now that she has cap
tured a silver medal in the Olympics
and a world record in the heptathlon,
she is seting her sights on the 1988
Olympic games.
There, she said, she would like to
win a gold medal.
Nebraska chancellor Martin Mas
sengale also spoke during the cere
monies. Massengale said a record number of
athletes are expected to compete in
this year's Junior Olympic track competition.
Approximately 4,300 athletes are
expected to compete in the competi
tion at Nebraska's Ed Weir track.
Massengale emphasized that whether
the athletes jame in first, second or
third in any events they would all be
winners.
The game of life is competition,
Massengale said. "I'm sure you are
going to learn," he said.
Other speakers at the opening
ceremonies included Lincoln city
councilman Dick Johnson, who said
Lincoln residents wished each of the
competing athletes the kind of inner
satisfaction that comes from doing
your very best. Nebraska Lt. Gov. Don
McGinley also addressed the crowd,
saying if it weren't for the age limit he
himself would be glad to throw himself
into the competition.
Cornhusker track team member
Angela Thacker was the torch bearer
for the ceremonies.
Ak-Sar-Ben hosts
maj or races Saturday
By Jeff Apel
Sports Editor
season, is trained by Columbus
nat ive Jack Van Berg.
Gate Dancer is expected to
The ESPN television cameras receive a stiff challenge from Smile,
won't be rolling when Ak-Sar-Ben a four-year-old who has won
celebrates its richest day in racing $1,074,910 in his two and one half
history with the running of the year racing career.
$'50 000 Cornhusker Handicap and Schmad said three of the remain-
Ihe $130,000 Breeders Cup this Sat- ing five horses -Gourami,
urtlav Dramatic Desire and Bad Wagon
Tini Schmad, Omaha trades public Harry - all possess the potential to
relations director, said he had been knock off Gate Dancer or Smile,
contacted bv ESPN officials earlier Gourami has won five races in a
this vear about televising the Corn- row since being claimed for $100,00
husker Handicap live, earlier this year in California.
But because of a conflict created Dramatic Desire finished second in
by the running of the Haskell Invita- a major stakes race in Minneapolis,
tional, Schmad said ESPN scrapped Minn, earlier this year and Bad
its plans of bringing its television Wagon Harry finished second to
crews to Ak-Sar-Ben. Gate Dancer in last year's Corn-
"Thev (ESPN) even tried to get husker Handicap,
us to change the date." Schmad The remaining horses in the field,
said. "But we were firm on keeping Ingot's Ruler and Honor Medal, are
our date set." being touted as the long shots.
Schmad said Ak-Sar-Ben officials "It's going to be a tremendous
elected to increase the purse of this race," Schmad said. "Every horse in
year's Cornhusker Handicap by the field has a shot at winning it
$100,000 in hopes of maintaining because of the quality of the horses
thp mcps limitation as one of the involved.
countries finest.
While Ak-Sar-Ben is taking on the
additional expense of hosting the
race this year. Schmad said in the
future the track may begin to look
for corporate sponsors to support
such races.
In a corporate sponsorship, local
companies and businesses are asked
Schmad said in the $1:10.000
Breeders Cup race, either Oriental
or North Sider will be the early
favorites of the field which could
reach a full twelve horses.
Oriental is an import horse which
is racing lor the second time at k
Sar Ben. while Sort h Sider is trained
bv I). Wavne Lukas. Lukas, who
to contribute money in order to rarely personally appears at Ak-Sar-
increase the size of the purse. Hen. is consistently one on necoun
"It's a coining thing." Schmad try's top trainers.
said.
Schmad said the field for the
Cornhusker Handicap, a 1 and 18
wnile race, has been set at seven
horse.
Early entrants Northern Bid. Sha
iwiastie, Siberian Hero and Some
thing Georgous have all scratched
from the race.
But Ak-Sar-Ben officials received
word earlier this week that Dramatic
Desire, Honor Medal and Bad W?" m
Harry will all join the tV ' "
also includes Gate Dam e
Ingot's Ruler and Simul--
Schmad said h-e xjse
Dancer will be the Ispv JfX
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Schmad said even with the two
races being held on the .same day.
Ak-Sar-Ben officials aren't expect
ing any records in attendance or
mutual handle.
The track, which has been hurt
this year by the competing Bluff's
Run dog track in Council Bluffs.
Iowa, is down 20." ercent in imuiUial
handle and 'I'). S pefrcemt in
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1935 Preakness winner
Gate Dancer