Sports Watch
Michael Johnson blazing to a 200-meter world record (19.66 seconds) in the U.S. track and field trials in Atlanta and John Cook shooting a near-record 26-under-par 258 to win the St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tenn.
Johnson's magnificent feat was a vindication of sorts for a lot of people.
Having his picture on its special Olympics issue was a well-timed coup for Time Magazine. Obviously, there's no jinx to Time, unlike its sister publication, Sports Illustrated.
You know what the SI cover is like when it comes to jinxes.
Johnson, a 28-year-old Texan, will try to do what no man has ever done in the history of the Olympics - win the 200- and 400-meter races. Talk about a double dare.
He pulled off that unlikely double in the world championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, last August. But it was unlikely he'd ever get to do that in the Olympics simply because the two events conflicted.
Fortunately, the ruling International Amateur Athletic Federation Council thought better than to stand in the way of history. The IAAF changed the schedule, enabling Johnson to compete in both events in the Atlanta Games.
"We believe the Olympic Games will be great but will be more important if the United States has its heroes. And Michael Johnson is one of those heroes," said Primo Nebiolo, the IAAF chief, who had announced the change.
Another hero named Michael.
Not only is Johnson fast, he is friendly and modest. Track's newest hero - a Superman on the track and Clark Kent off it.
THEN, there's Cook's torrid rounds of 64-62-63-69 for his 26-under, 72-hole score of 258. Not only did Cook send sportswriters scurrying to the PGA Tour record books with his performance, he ended a 31/2-year victory drought.
Cook last won in 1992, when he posted three victories, including the United Airlines Hawaiian Open. It was quite a tourist-destination trifecta for Cook, who won in Palm Springs, Honolulu and Las Vegas that year.
He just missed the PGA Tour 72-hole record of 257 set by Mike Souchak in the Texas Open 41 years go.
A spike mark that affected a four-foot birdie try on the 16th hole cost Cook a chance to tie the record with two holes to play. But he's not complaining.
Never mind that the spike mark was nearly an inch high. Unlike a ball mark, a spike mark can't be repaired. Most golfers feel that the rule against repairing a spike mark should be eased because it's unfair. But it probably will never be changed, according to Greg Nichols, Waialae Country Club pro.
There are two reasons why the rules of golf prohibit fixing a spike mark. The first is that it might affect the speed of play, slowing things down. Second, if a golfer is allowed to tamp down the spike mark, he might literally create a groove toward the hole by repeatedly tamping down the mark.
THE subject of easing the rule on fixing a spike mark was unanimously voted down by the USGA policy board, according to Nichols. "I thought that was pretty significant," Nichols said.
One rule that was changed: A golfer can remove bird droppings off the green because that falls under the category of a loose impediment. But it must be removed by a player's hand or club.
Italy's Costantino Rocca removed a dropping from his putting line with a tee but was not penalized in the recent U.S. Open. The ruling was that the tee was an extension of his hand.
In the U.S. Women's Open, a golfer removed a bird dropping with her towel. The USGA official probably thought removing it with her hand was unladylike.
Common sense was the justification. Which goes to show that a towel can sometimes come in handy in golf even if Craig Stadler was disqualified in 1987 for using one to keep his trousers from getting muddied.