RC Pylon Racing at Sanderson Field - Excitement From the Flight Line

The Sanderson Field RC Fliers (SFRCF) hosts several sanctioned Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) pylon competitions each year. The competitions are sponsored and organized by the Pylon Racers of Puget Sound (PROPS). The events are held at Sanderson Field in Shelton, Washington, the SFRCF home field. Several members of SFRCF are dedicated RC pylon racers and are also members of PROPS.

THE PILOTS

Tom Strom Sr., Tom Strom Jr., Tom Graves, Edward Graves, Eric Ide, and Dan Nalley are regular participants at the Sanderson Field competitions and are all SFRCF members. They are also members of PROPS and some often serve as contest director (CD) or equipment coordinator.

Tom Strom Sr. and Jr. regularly serve as "caller" for each other during the competitions. Tom Sr. is a long time pylon racer and set the national Q-40 speed record of 57.83 sec on 8/5/2007--and did it at Sanderson Field. His "caller" at that time was Tom Jr. He flew a Nelson LS powered Polecat for the record. Tom Sr. continues to be an inspiration and mentor for pylon racers of all experience levels and also continues to be a fierce competitor. As pilots, both Sr. and Jr. are often among the winners at the end of the competitions.

Tom and Edward Graves fulfilled a pylon racer's dream by competing in their first NATS competition for the 428 Q-500 event in July. Prepping and testing their planes and then packing and shipping them was done just before flying to the competition. Insuring that their equipment arrived safely was quite a challenge. Although they didn't bring home a trophy, they both felt like winners after the great experience of participating in the competition. Tom and "Eddie" are a father and son team and each serves as the "caller" for the other during competitions.

Eric Ide and Dan Nalley are also serious competitors at the Sanderson Field events and are often among the winners for the events they enter. As do many pilots, Eric also served as a caller at a recent event.

THE PLANES

Specifications for planes flown at AMA sanctioned pylon events are detailed in the AMA competition regulations. The regulations discuss everything from the spinner to the tail. Design specifications in the regulations for each class of competition include those for the wing, fuselage, power plant, landing gear, propeller, construction materials, and many other parts of the plane.

There are three AMA classes (Events) that are flown at Sanderson Field, as follows:

Event 422: Quarter 40 (Q-40),
Event 424: Sport Quickie, and
Event 428: Quickie 500 (Q-500).

The Sport Quickie (424) is the entry level event and the planes are the slowest of the three, reaching about 110 mph around the course. Their specification insures that the cost for the plane and engine will be low. The planes are readily available commercially. Wings and tails must be constructed of either all wood or wood sheeting over a solid foam core. An example of a commercially available Sport Quickie is the Great Planes Viper 500.

The Quickie 500 (428) is the next step to high performance RC pylon racing. The "500" refers to the minimum wing area for the class of 500 square inches. Unlike the Sport Quickie, wings and tails manufactured in molds designed to produce hollow core structures can be used. With the engines permitted for this class, the planes can reach speeds around 170mph.

The Quarter 40 (422) is the fastest of the classes. These are the planes that reach the 180-200mph top speeds. Q-40 planes are often all composite and "painted in the mold" resulting in beautiful, sleek--and fast--racers. As specified in the regulations, the planes in this class must also resemble real airplanes:

"Models entered in this event shall be recognizable replicas of full-scale, human-carrying, propeller-driven aircraft that either raced in or were built for closed-course or cross-country racing or a speed record attempt."

THE RACE COURSE

The race course is defined by three pylons that create a triangular course. Ten laps around the course equals 2.5 miles. The actual distance flown is longer, as Tom Strom Sr. points out:

"... a pilot needs to deviate course for many reasons. Held up by lap traffic, have to fly around and pass traffic, changes in altitude, wider lines around the course for any reason. I think it would be safe to say the average aircraft flies between 3 to 3.5 actual miles, but the course is a 2.5 mile course."

Pilots fly their aircraft around the course in a counterclockwise direction. The course length is selected to result in 10-lap times between one minute (fast pace) and two minutes (slow pace for beginners). For the quickest aircraft, the speed around the course is typically between 180-200mph.

THE PREPARATION

Preparing for a pylon race actually begins before arriving at the field. For Example, Tom and Edward Graves spent many hours testing their Q-500 aircraft at Sanderson Field before flying off to the NATS--and this does not count the hours of building time. Although Tom and Edward purchase pre-built wings for their Q-500 aircraft, they use their own design for the fuselage. Like other pylon pilots, Tom and Edward pay close attention to every detail of the aircraft in order to increase reliability, reduce drag, and increase performance--before the race begins.

The day before a scheduled competition at Sanderson Field, the PROPS organizers are on site setting up the course. At this time, the field is open for practice flights. Sometimes, before the races actually start in the morning, time is also scheduled for practice flights.

Pilots prepare their aircraft with meticulous attention to detail. The difference between first place and last place is often so close that every aspect of the aircraft's readiness is important. As an example, glow plug elements are frequently checked for color, an indication of the right carburetor adjustment. It is very disappointing to be on the flight line, with the clock counting, and not be able to establish flight control or start an engine before the start-flag drops--and this does happen!

Before the ride to the flight line, pilots check the "heat matrix" for their races, fuel their aircraft, and apply identifying decals to their aircraft that correspond to the starting lanes on the flight line. A heat matrix used for the Sanderson Field competitions also shows which drop of the flag launches which lanes. The aircraft launches are staggered slightly to prevent congestion at the starting line on takeoff.

For safety, hard hats are required for everyone on the flight line and also for judges and other course workers. After putting on hard hats, pilots board a trailer for the ride to the flight line.

THE FLIGHT LINE

As new pilots and their callers arrive and ready themselves for a new heat, others begin the ride back to the campsite. For safety purposes, everyone who is not on the flight line must be a minimum of 300 feet from the race course, as defined by the three pylons. At Sanderson Field, the campground is further away and the participants are shuttled to and from the flight line.

Among the many responsibilities of the starter is to have pilots perform a control check to insure that the RC system is functioning properly: the transmitter and receiver for each aircraft must be functioning correctly.

When the pilots/callers are ready, the starter starts the 60-second clock. After the clock starts, and because pilots do not want to start their engines too soon, they watch the clock closely until, in their experience, it's the right time to do so.

Pilots have 60 seconds to start their engines and signal their readiness to control the aircraft to the starter. After the engine has been started, the pilot typically moves away from the start line (towards pylon 2 and 3) and prepares to control the aircraft.

After the starter "drops the flag," the caller launches the aircraft and races to the side of the pilot. With the first drop of the flag in a three pilot heat, the two outside lanes launch; the middle lane launches with the second flag.

While the pilot controls the aircraft, the caller "calls" to the pilot when it's time to make a turn. Course judges watch the race carefully to make sure the planes round the pylons on the outside and do not turn a corner by cutting inside the pylon. A "cut" results in an extra lap; two "cuts" and the pilot is out of the race. Other course workers keep track of each lap completed by every aircraft and their time around the course.

As each aircraft completes the last lap, the starter drops his flag to indicate this to the pilot. When all of the planes have completed their last lap, the starter records the heat results. As specified in the regulations, the pilots will later receive points for the heat as follows:

"After each heat, points shall be awarded based on the order of finish. If the matrix is set up for four-plane heats, the result is four (4) points for first place, three (3) points for second place, two (2) points for third place, and one (1) point for last place. If the matrix is set up for three-plane heats, the winner receives three (3) points, second place two (2), and last place one (1) point. If the matrix is set up for two-plane heats, the winner receives two (2) points and the loser receives one (1). Zero points are awarded for a no-start (DNS), failure to complete the heat (DNF), double cut (XX), or black flag (DQ)."

When the pilots arrive back at the campground/pit area, the heat winner must weigh his/her aircraft to insure that it is at or above the minimum allowable weight, as specified in the regulations.

After the last heat of the last day, it's time for the awards ceremony. It's also time for the course-workers' prize drawing.

CREDITS

It takes the dedicated effort of many course workers, organizers, and other supporters to put on a pylon event. Although they are not listed in this article, they should all know that their efforts are always greatly appreciated. Having volunteers for the course work frees the pilots and callers to concentrate on preparing and flying the aircraft.

Special thanks to Patt and Dan Nalley for reviewing the article and offering their comments and suggestions.

REFERENCES

Model Aviation

"Racing is addictive, and that's a good thing"

by Scott Causey

April 2009

Page 130

Model Aviation

"The call to racing"

by Scott Causey

June 2009

Page 135

Copyright © 2009 Royce Tivel at Select Digitals

RC Pylon Racing at Sanderson Field - Excitement From the Flight Line, September 18, 2009

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MLB Bats Whittled Down to Uneven Playing Field

As Barry Bonds comes ever closer to breaking the National Pastime's hallowed home run record, currently held by Hank Aaron at 755, the controversy regarding illicit performance enhancing drug use, which may forever taint Bond's entire career, does accomplish taking the focus off of Major League Baseball (MLB) and its own shortcomings.

The scrutiny which has been paid, in only just the past two years, over drug use among MLB players, while having been a black eye for MLB, is also convenient as Commissioner Bud Selig need not address myriad other issues which also play their part in preserving the integrity of the game.

For example, MLB has done little exploration into the variations in equipment over just the past 10 years or so and more specifically the wooden bat itself. A number of questions come to mind. Is it just coincidence that Barry Bonds hit 73 home runs in 2001 after he switched his bat's wood from that of ash to a hand-lathed maple? Is the accelerated breakage of bats over the past 5 plus years due to an acutely thinning bat handle with a larger barrel and lighter weight or is it the non-discriminate MLB approval process of the making and even storage of bats that makes them more vulnerable?

Is it a coincidence that prior to 2003, MLB welcomed smaller bat makers as suppliers to MLB players but suddenly instituted an exorbitant certification fee with nearly impossible to acquire insurance liability policies for smaller operations, costing thousands upon thousands of dollars? And is it not worth taking a look at why there is such a difference in the quality of bats Hillerich & Bradsby Co., the manufacturer of Louisville Sluggers, provides only specific big leaguers, but does not do so for others? In fact, the company proudly admits it.

Preserving the sanctity of the game is multi-faceted. Although technology and safety standards over time have essentially been a beneficial reward for players, it is hard to measure the consistency of the game of MLB if issues such as bat manufacture and its own baseball operations are done on a selective and arbitrary basis. And when it ultimately impacts the way the game is played and its future records, it should be routinely examined.

Hillerich & Bradsby, although deemed the official bat of MLB, is not the exclusive supplier of bats for its players. However, it is still the number one provider to MLB with about a 60% share of its bats supply and curries favor and power, due to its longevity and stature in the history of the game, not to mention the power which is bestowed upon it by MLB, which few other manufacturers enjoy.

In 2002, there were 48 MLB bat manufacturers, and surprisingly little thought was put into the verification process in order to become a bat maker supplier of MLB bats other than for the supplier to provide a sample bat made out of a single piece of wood. But in 2003, MLB went to the other extreme. In a form letter sent to all bat makers in December 2002, MLB stated it would start requiring that they carry $10 million worth of liability insurance, and indemnify MLB, its shareholders, directors, officers, employees and agents attached to various product liability issues.

In addition, the certification fee was increased to $10,000.00 per year, necessary to provide bat makers with the privilege of selling their bats to MLB players. Since that time, although the liability coverage has been reduced to $5 million per year, it still remains prohibitively expensive for boutique manufacturers, or most other domestic suppliers other than Hillerich and Bradsby, to do business with MLB.

MLB also requires that the insurance carrier providing coverage to bat makers must have a "best rating of A-8 or better." Carolina Clubs, a MLB certified bat maker from Florida, was nearly denied doing business with MLB, as to find a guaranteed insurance carrier of any kind in the hurricane-ridden state of Florida in the post-Katrina era is nearly impossible. However, virtually overnight in 2003, bat suppliers were whittled down to a mere 14 for that season. In 2007, there are supposedly 20-25 suppliers, although MLB makes it difficult to even corroborate such information.

According to the head of MLB Baseball Operations at the time in 2003, Sandy Alderson, "The administrative fee was originally intended to help us defray the costs of inspecting bats, approving bats and for all administrative work and testing." MLB needed $140,000.00 to approve the bats of 14 companies?

In 1862, MLB first restricted the diameter of the barrel, requiring it not exceed 2.5 inches. It was increased in 1895 to 2.75 inches in diameter, as it remains today. 1868 saw the limit put on a length of 42 inches, as it also remains today. No weight requirements, either minimum or maximum have ever been required. With those parameters, combined with improvements in technology and players' bat speeds, it could be argued that it is a far different game than even Babe Ruth played. For example, the Babe used a 42-ounce bat as opposed to the average weight of 32 ounces used by today's MLB players.

Ash bats were exclusively used for decades, after hickory was phased out, until 1997 when Sam Holman of Ottawa, Canada and his Sam Bat caught the attention of then Blue Jays star player, Joe Carter. He then supposedly talked up Holman's bats which eventually in 1999 found their way into the hands of Barry Bonds. Bonds went on a tear hitting 374 of his total home runs with the sugar maple bats from Sam Holman and broke Mark McGuire's 1998 home run season record of 70 by besting him with his 73 in 2001.

Holman's bats have been used by over 500 MLB players and he is expected to furnish Bonds with the bat used for his number 756. Given the proximity of Holman to some of the best maple tree forests in North America in Ottawa, Holman's business has thrived over the past ten years, although he is selling his business in order to retire. Ash trees also hail from a northern climate, and are harvested primarily from the New York-Pennsylvania area.

The arguments over the consistency and flight of the ball with either wood are never-ending, but there are distinct differences between the two woods. Ash supposedly has more flex, but is not as heavy a wood as maple, producing a bit less flight of the ball upon impact. Additionally, ash bats have less longevity than maple bats and break more frequently and are more apt to shatter, flake and splinter upon breaking.

Sugar or rock maple, considered the finest maple for bats, are more expensive, and range in price from $70.00 -$130.00 while ash bats range between $50.00 and $75.00, yet need to be replaced more frequently than maple. Most players using maple claim that the ball travels farther off of the barrel's "sweet spot" as opposed to ash. But because the wood itself is a heavier grade, the barrels are made slightly narrower than the ash bats in order to accommodate a lighter weight comparable to ash. And when maple bats do eventually break, they do so in large pieces as opposed to splinters.

The lack of restrictions on weight or the lack of prescribed storage care of bats by MLB, could have a profound impact on whether or not a bat breaks or explodes upon impact. Such endangers its players and spectators. Players go through an average of 60-70 bats a season. But the moisture content of the wood upon manufacture as well as in storage, whether the bat is hand-lathed or completely machine made, as well as the bat's weight and handle diameter, could all alter the bat's ultimate performance and longevity. Seattle Mariner, Ichiro Suzuki, for example, has his own humidor for his entire bat supply.

And why should a bat maker, such as Sam Holman, who produces several thousand bats each season to MLB as opposed to Hillerich and Bradsby's 750,000, foot a bill of $65,000.00 per year for liability insurance? The supposed interest in increasing liability insurance fees by MLB for bat makers is an easy way for MLB not to address the incessant breakage of its bats. Perhaps it is the quality of MLB bat inspectors, or a lack of a minimum quality standard of wood or the non-requirement of prescribed weight ratio of bat barrels to handles. But instead of MLB looking for a better standardization process for its bats, it would rather thrust the responsibility onto the bat makers, and thereby still leaving players and spectators at risk.

Also of note, according to Hillerich and Bradsby's Chuck Schupp, head of its professional division, "We have a priority list of players. A lot of it is based on a personal relationship. If someone is loyal to us, we'll take care of them." And although players are not required to sign exclusivity contracts with bat makers, as individual teams assume all costs for players' bats, Schupp says there is a "Louisville Slugger 'A' list." It includes Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, Carlos Delgado and Ken Griffey, Jr., among select others.

If star players are treated preferably by Schupp for their Louisville Slugger bats, does that mean that average or up and coming players are at a distinct disadvantage while not getting the best product from the same manufacturer? Should not MLB perhaps look into that?

And finally, unless MLB and its Commissioner is willing to look at all matters of inequity in its sport, whether it be an issue between players, between equipment manufacturers and its players, between baseball operations and its suppliers or a lack of standardization when it comes to equipment, MLB should not be permitted to point the finger exclusively at the use of performance enhancing drugs as the sole threat to the sanctity of the game. For that is far from the only difference-maker in varying performance results in the game of MLB today.

And if MLB wants to be taken seriously in preserving the integrity of the game, it must do a far better job of it rather than its present lethargic effort. For certainly, they are not fooling the fans and the fans and the players deserve better.

Copyright © 2007 Diane M. Grassi

Contact: dgrassi@cox.net

Diane M. Grassi is a freelance columnist, reporting and writing commentary on current events of the day providing honest and often politically incorrect assessments. From U.S. public policy to Major League Baseball, she is an eclectic thinker, and demanding of her readers to reflect on their own thinking patterns from an alternative perspective. Whether you agree with her or not, Diane M. Grassi will have you coming back to note her opinions, and if at best she wakes you up, then her goal will have been accomplished.

Ms. Grassi is featured with the online publications: New Media Journal.us; American Chronicle; Mich News.com; Opinions Editorials; the Conservative Voice; Liberty Watch Magazine as well as many others. She also writes regular columns on Major League Baseball where she is a featured online columnist with The Diamond Angle Baseball Ezine and Sports-Central.org. Ms. Grassi may contacted at: dgrassi@cox.net

USA High School Track & Field Records And The Current Best 2008 Performances

Performance results in track and field are easily understandable through time zones and cultures around the world. Unlike words and their pronunciation in different languages, numbers need no explanation to understand. It also helps that the metric system of measurement for distances is dominate worldwide.

Track and field competitors around the world are interested in comparing their performances with the performances of athletes in other countries. Here are the current United States high school track and field records through 2007 followed by the best current performances by high school competitors in 2008:

USA Boys High School Track and Field Records

100 Meters: 10.08 - 10.17 by Jeff Demps of South Lake High School in Groveland (FL).

200 Meters: 20.13 - 20.80 by Markus Henderson of Lewisville (TX) High School.

400 Meters: 44.69 - 46.41 by Tavaris Tate of Starkville (MS).

800 Meters: 1:46.45 - 1:48.97 by Joseph Franklin of Godby in Tallahassee (FL).

1,500 Meters: 3:38.26 - 3:52:63 indoors by Colby Lowe of Carroll in Southlake (TX)

1,600 Meters: 3:53.43 record set at equivalent yards distance - 4:05.57 by German Fernandez of Riverbank (CA).

3,000 Meters: 8:03.67 - 8:16.0 by Luke Puskedra of Judge Memorial Catholic in Salt Lake City (UT).

3,200 Meters: 8:36.3 2-Mile) - 8:46.40 by Luke Puskedra of Judge Memorial Catholic.

5,000 Meters: 13:37.91 - 13:55.96 by Chris Derrick of Neuqua Valley in Naperville (IL) - (Derrick's time is the USA record for a high-school-only race).

110-Meter High Hurdles: 13.22 record set at equivalent yards distance - 13.51 by Spencer Adams of Butler in Charlotte (NC).

300-Meter Intermediate Hurdles: 35.28 - 36.28 by William Wynne of McEachern in Powder Springs (GA).

400-Meter Intermediate Hurdles: 49.38 - 50.46 by Reggie Wyatt of La Sierra in Riverside (CA).

4x100-Meter Relay: 39.76 - 40.26 by Rowlett (TX) High School.

4x200-Meter Relay: 1:23.31 - 1:24.06 - Hightower in Sugar Land (TX).

4x400-Meter Relay: 3:07.40 - 3:11.87 by Dominguez in Compton (CA).

4x800 Meter Relay: 7:32.89 - 7:44.39 by North Penn in Lansdale (PA).

Sprint Medley Relay: 3:21.1 - 3:26.16 by Mid-Prairie Community in Wellman (IA).

Distance Medley Relay: 9:49.78 - 10:02.47 by Carroll in Southlake (TX).

High Jump: 7-7 - 7-3.75 indoors by Eric Kynard of Rogers in Toledo (OH).

Pole Vault: 18-3 - 17-4.5 by Nico Weiler in Los Gatos (CA).

Long Jump: 26-9.25 - 25-6.75 indoors by Christian Taylor of Sandy Creek in Tyrone (GA).

Triple Jump: 54-10.25 - 52-4.75 by Will Claye of Mountain Pointe in Phoenix (AZ).

Shot Put: 81-3.5 - 70-6 by Jordan Clarke of Bartlett in Anchorage, AK.

Discus Throw: 234-3 - 222-1 by Mason Finley of Buena Vista (CO). (No. 3 all-time performer).

Hammer Throw: 255-11 - 244-8 by Trent Kraychir of Twentynine Palms (CA). (No. 3 all-time performer).

Javelin Throw: 241-11 - 223-8 by Kyle Smith of Daphne (AL).

(Note: Leaders based upon marks verified as wind legal in sprints, hurdles and horizontal jumps. Only fully automatic times are listed for sprints and high hurdles.)

USA Girls High School Track and Field Records

100 Meters: 11.11 - 11.16 by Victoria Jordan of Dunbar High School in Fort Worth (TX).

200 Meters: 22.11 - 23.43 indoors by Ashton Purvis of St. Elizabeth in Oakland (CA).

400 Meters: 50.69 - 52.83 indoors by Nadonnia Rodriques of Boys & Girls in Brooklyn (NY).

800 Meters: 2:00.07 - 2:03.20 by Chanelle Price is Easton (PA).

1,500 Meters: 4:16.6 - 4:17.46 by Jordan Hasay of Mission Prep in San Luis Obispo (CA). (No. 7 all-time performance; Hasay also has the No. 4 and No. 5 all-time performances run in 2007 and is a threat to break the USA high school record.)

Mile: 4:35.24 - 4:41.22 by Stephanie Morgan of Barnesville (OH).

3,000 Meters: 9:08.06 - 9:23.90 by Jordan Hasay of Mission Prep in San Luis Obispo.

3,200 Meters - 9:48.59 - 10:03.07 by Jordan Hasay of Mission Prep.

5,000 Meters: 15:52.88 - 17:03.79 indoors by Chelsea Ley of Kingsway in Woolwich Township (NJ).

100-Meter High Hurdles: 12.95 - 13.26 by Jacquelyn Coward of West in Knoxville (TN).

300-Meter Hurdles: 39.98 - 40.96 by Donique Flemings of Saginaw (TX).

400-Meter Hurdles: 55.20 - 58.96 by Ryann Krais of Methacton in Norristown (PA).

4x100-Meter Relay: 44.50 - 45.17 by Dunbar in Fort Worth (TX).

4x200-Meter Relay: 1:33.87 - 1:35.94 by Dunbar in Fort Worth (TX).

4x400-Meter Relay: 3:35.49 - 3:37.16 by Roosevelt in Greenbelt (MD).

4x800-Meter Relay: 8:50.41 - 8:43.12 by Roosevelt in Greenbelt (MD). (New USA High School Record set this year.)

4xMile Relay: 19:56.75 - 20:10.76 by Saugus in La Crescenta (CA). (No. 3 all-time performance).

Distance Medley Relay: 11:33.42 - 11:42.16 by Roxbury in Succasunna (NJ).

High Jump: 6-4 - 6-0.25 by Victoria Lucas in Midland (TX).

Pole Vault: 14-1.25 - 14-0 by Rachel Laurent of Vanderbilt Catholic in Houma (LA). (No. 2 all-time performer and a threat to break the USA high school record.)

Long Jump: 22-3 - 20-3.5 by Jacinda Evans of Southern in Durham (NC).

Triple Jump: 44-11.75 - 42-8.75 indoors by Vashti Thomas of Mt. Pleasant in San Jose (CA).

Shot Put: 54-10.75 - 52-4 indoors by Karen Shump of Penncrest in Media (PA).

Discus Throw: 188-4 - 183-11 by Anastasia Jelmini of Shafter (CA).

Hammer Throw: 201-7 - 179-0 by Victoria Flowers of Classical in Providence (RI).

Javelin Throw: 176-5 - 167-11 by Hannah Carson of Rhodes Junior High School in Mesa (AZ). (New USA high school freshman record.)

(Note: Leaders based upon marks verified as wind legal in sprints, hurdles and horizontal jumps. Only fully automatic times are listed for sprints and high hurdles.)

2008 Boys and Girls Highlights Thus Far:

All of the highlights in 2008 have thus far been produced by the girls, led by Roosevelt High School's new USA high school record of 8:43.12 in the 4x800-Meter Relay, breaking the current 8:50.41 record. Roosevelt is located in Greenbelt (MD). Think for a moment about how difficult it would be to find 4 girls on a high school track team that could AVERAGE less than 2:11 for the 800-meter run.

Second best effort comes from Jordan Hasay of Mission Prep in San Luis Obispo (CA). Hasay has run 4:17.46 for the 1,500 Meter and has run two races faster at the same distance in 2007. The USA high school record for the 1,500 is 4:16.6, less than a second away.

Will she set a new USA high school record? The odds say yes. She also has the current best times nationally in the 3,000-Meter and 3,200-Meter runs as well. She has to be the premier girls high school middle distance runner in the country.

Rachel Laurent of Vanderbilt Catholic High School in Houma (LA) is only 1.25 inches shy of matching the USA high school record of 14-feet-1.25 inches in the pole vault. Her best height so far is 14-feet even. Can she set the national record? I say yes, she can.

Watch out for Hannah Carson of Rhodes Junior High School in Mesa (AZ). She has thrown the javelin 167-feet-11-inches to set a new USA high school freshman record. The national record is 176-feet-5-inches. Wow, she has an incredible chance to garner a national record before she graduates from high school.

We will keep you posted on the final 2008 results after the high school district and state meet competitions are held. I am sensing some more new national records from these outstanding young women.

Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley

Ed Bagley's Blog Publishes Original Articles with Analysis and Commentary on 5 Subjects: Sports, Movie Reviews, Lessons in Life, Jobs and Careers, and Internet Marketing. My intention is to inform, educate, delight and motivate you the reader.

Read my 4-Part series on Mead Mania: "The Golden Era of Prep Distance Running in Washington - Part 1", "Pat Tyson's Arrival Starts a Run of 9 Consecutive Titles - Part 2", "How About a State X-Country Title Where the First 3 Finishers Are Your Runners - Part 3" and "2 Mead Runners Crack 9 Minutes at the State 3200 Meter Championships - Part 4". Find it at my Sports link.

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How A Horse Named Dan Patch Became a National Celebrity, Launching the Field of Sports Marketing

Each year, thousands flock to Indiana for an event that celebrates one of the state's most famous athletes ever. A century after his heyday in sport, he is recognized in the top echelon of historic Hoosiers, both in Indiana and across the country.

Dan Patch is studied by 4th-graders alongside President Benjamin Harrison and other figures that loom large in Indiana history. Railroad lines and highways are named after him. His story transcends sports and has achieved mythic status.

His own biography parallels crucial decades in Indiana's transition from farm life to a more industrial society. In the early 20th Century, Dan Patch was perhaps the nation's best-known sports figure and was among the most widely recognized Hoosiers of all. Every Indiana resident has a stake in his story.

A superstar celebrity

Decades before Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, an Indiana-born horse named Dan Patch was one of America's first superstar celebrity athletes. Thanks to a marketing-savvy owner, Dan Patch's remarkable success as an advertising icon is responsible for many of the marketing and branding techniques still favored today. From chewing tobacco to washing machines to autos, the Dan Patch name was pure gold for companies trying to set themselves apart. His face was everywhere. Many of the advertising tactics we take for granted today can be traced back to Dan Patch. If today kids want to "be like Mike," a century ago Dan Patch was the symbol of unbeatable excellence. American businesses and consumers couldn't get enough. Indeed, in the opinion of Frederick Klein of Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal, "A case can be made that, adjusted for inflation and population size, he was bigger than anyone around now."

A legacy that endures

Dan Patch's influence on Indiana life -- indeed, on American life - is evident each spring.

On a Saturday at Hoosier Park in Anderson, thousands will gather to enjoy the Dan Patch Invitational Pace, a race that pits some of the nation's best harness racing horses in a race with a $200,000 purse. It is the biggest race of the season. Hundreds of thousands of dollars will change hands as fans at the track in Anderson and at off-track venues in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Merrillville handicap the field. His birthplace of Oxford, Indiana hosts an annual Dan Patch Days festival that started in 1901. There is a virtual cottage industry in Dan Patch memorabilia. A search of his name on the Internet yields 3,200 pages, and indeed there are many sites devoted exclusively to the lore and legend of Dan Patch. Just as one example, a Dan Patch thermometer sold recently at auction for $3,000.

Dan Patch heralded a new era in consumer marketing

The reason for his enduring influence has as much to do with marketing as it does with his record-smashing success on the racetrack. The rags-to-riches horse and his rags-to-riches owner, Marion Savage, both overcame shaky starts in their careers to achieve phenomenal success.

To understand the Dan Patch phenomenon, you have to appreciate the popularity of harness racing in turn-of-the-century America, including Indiana. Dan Patch was born in 1896, when horses were still a primary means of transportation; at the time of his death in 1916, horseless carriages called automobiles were fast making horses obsolete as a passenger conveyance.

During Dan Patch's lifetime, harness racing was immensely popular, especially in rural America. County fairs across America staged races, which were attended by tens of thousands. One appearance in Muncie toward the end of Dan Patch's career drew a reported 20,000 spectators, at a time when Muncie's population was less than 23,000 total.

It was into this pre-automotive America that Dan Patch was born in Oxford - conceived for a $150 stud fee. The horse at birth did not look at all like a winner. His ankles were very crooked; at first he needed help from a trainer just to stand, and he developed a wildly flailing gait. Some neighbors even suggested "putting him down."

But his original owners saw something in Dan Patch. They worked with him slowly, and he eventually started racing at the age of 4. He immediately outclassed the competition. He never lost a race. In fact, other owners quit running their horses against him, so his owners switched him to racing exhibitions against the clock.

Marketing magic - decades ahead of its time

The Dan Patch legend began to transcend sports when he was purchased by Marion Savage. Savage owned a large livestock feed manufacturing company. Savage had failed in farming and farm-related companies until starting the International Stock Food Company and building it into the largest company of its kind. Along the way he developed a reputation as a marketing genius. Just like Dan Patch, he started poorly but now found his stride.

Dan Patch set records on the track that stood for decades. His reputation went global in 1906 when he broke the world record with an unofficial one-mile pace of 1:55. Savage found any number of creative ways to exploit the horse's popularity. He developed creative contracts to garner gate proceeds at country fairs where the horse appeared, and he promoted these appearances relentlessly. The horse earned thousands more for Savage in stud fees. In addition to using Dan patch's image to "endorse" his own company, Savage licensed the Dan Patch likeness to other companies. Products ranging from cigars to soft drinks, baking soda, toys, lineament, stoves, clocks, thermometers, watches, sleds, cutlery, china, stoves and washing machines all sported the Dan Patch name or picture. There was even a Dan Patch Automobile. As "spokesman" for Savage's feed company, the Dan Patch legend was used to suggest performance-enhancing benefits from using International Stock Food products. The company produced pamphlets promoting the farm where Dan Patch lived and sent them to customers. The publications were filled with the exploits of Dan Patch - and ads for International Stock products.

As Dan Patch provided riches for Savage, the owner treated his horse like royalty, with his own private railway car and a barn so luxurious it was called the "Taj Mahal."

Dan Patch and Marion Savage died just days apart in July 1916. Their funerals were held on the same day. The country around them had been changing rapidly, from a nation of farmers to a nation of machine makers and drivers of automobiles. It had also become a nation of consumers. With that shift came a new era in promotion and product branding, brought on through a special horse and his owner's visionary zeal for marketing. Both the horse and the owner were decades ahead of their time. The horse built the brands, and the brands helped build the horse to larger-than-life, mythic status.

Steve Cebalt of Bottom Line Public Relations is Founder of the Social Marketing Leadership Roundtable in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He specializes in marketing, advertising and public relations issues of interest to nonprofit communications professionals. http://www.bottomlinepr.com

http://www.nonprofitPRforum.blogspot.com

Copyright Steve Cebalt 2007 May be used with author acknowledgment