Scooter Chapman

Wow!
What a great ninth annual North Olympic Discovery Marathon! More than 2,300 runners, joggers, walkers, strollers, perfect weather conditions, although a little on the warm side for the marathoners, great crowds at the start and at the finish line and more than 400 volunteers to make it all happen. Race director Larry Little and his wife, Michelle, along with NODM officials, are worried about the 10th event next June because the City of Port Angeles is planning to shut down the Olympic Discovery Trail from Lincoln Street all the way to the old Rayonier property so they can finish the sewer construction that has been ongoing. There will be a lot of disappointed marathoners if the current course has to be altered in any way, shape or form. Those final miles along the water from Morse Creek to the City Pier in Port Angeles are precious for the visitors and the area runners alike and if there is one thing that turns off serious runners it is change from what they are used to. In the next few months, look for a lot of discussion about the future of the North Olympic Discovery Marathon.

A friend, gone
Last Sunday there was a gathering in Cheney Stadium in Tacoma. No, it wasn’t a Tacoma Rainiers game — it was a celebration of life for long-time Tacoma sports booster, Clay Huntington. Huntington, 89, died after a year of battling illness, but he was sharp as a tack until the end. He owned KLAY radio in Tacoma, helped organize the Tacoma Athletic Club and was instrumental in the building of the original Cheney Stadium and the current remodel. Clay and I had seats next to each other in the old Kingdome, at Safeco Field and at Qwest Field and we had many a serious chat about the good things and bad things being done by the Mariners and Seahawks and we also had many conversations in the Husky Stadium press area. Goodbye, old friend, you are missed already.

Missing it?

Question: Does anyone really miss Port Angeles Speedway?

 

As I drive by the old site, I can’t help but remember the likes of Jim Seeds, Ron Eaton from Tacoma, the many Canadians who came over almost every Sunday to race and the way driver Monte English used to start in the back of the pack in the super stock races and wind his way through the field to take the checkered flag.

 

Yeah, I miss it, a little bit.

 

 

What’s wrong here?

Is there something wrong with Ichiro Suzuki? He’s way below .300, he doesn’t seem to swing with authority and he’s not beating out those slow rollers to shortstop.

 

Could he be ailing? Don’t know, fans, but do know he’s going to miss his first All-Star game, because there are many more deserving outfielders at this point in the season and if he doesn’t come out of this big June swoon, it might be his last year, although he’s “earning” $17 million this season and is due for another $17 mil next season.

 

We’ll check the Mariners at mid-season next week.

 

Reach Scooter Chapman at scooter@olypen.com.