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| 5/7 EDITORIALS |
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| *Softball story truly restores our faith*Last call for letters endorsing candidates |
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Softball story truly restores our faith
Polk County again is in the national spotlight just days after the recent visit of former President Bill Clinton to Western Oregon University.
This time, it's a WOU athlete - Sara Tucholsky, to be specific - who has become the subject of a feel-good story that has been making headlines across the country.
By now you probably have heard about Sara and the softball game she and her WOU teammates were playing April 26 at Central Washington University in Ellensburg. Sara, a reserve outfielder for the Wolves who is hitting .114 this season, had the highlight of her collegiate career when she belted her first home run. But there was a slight problem on her way around the bases.
While watching the ball fly over the outfield fence, Sara missed touching first base by several feet. As she realized her mistake, she headed back to touch the bag, only to injure a knee in the process. She had to crawl back to first, making it impossible for her to continue what should have been a celebratory trip around the bases. That celebration had turned to tears.
As Western coach Pam Knox and game umpires conferred on what could be done - likely Sara being awarded a two-run single and a pinch runner taking the spot for the injured player at first base because she could not be assisted by teammates - two CWU players, Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace, had a better idea. They offered to carry Sara around the bases so her home run - which was earned - wouldn't go for naught.
The actions of Holtman and Wallace have grabbed nationwide attention and put the spotlight on Tucholsky. The story has been picked up by newspapers across the country. Columnists are writing about the heartwarming happening. Local and national television - from CBS's "The Early Show" to ESPN's morning show "First Take" - have descended on Monmouth to talk to Sara and share the story. This week she was scheduled to appear on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show" and possibly NBC's "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno.
What makes the story so noteworthy is how reassuring it is that today, in our sometimes crazy society that often leaves us shaking our heads in disbelief, people still do good things for other people. Sometimes, those helping others don't get the recognition they deserve. This time, the recognition is coming - and well deserved.
The injury will sideline Sara for the remainder of the season. But the memories surrounding that home run will last forever.
Congratulations Sara on a clutch hit. Congratulations Liz and Mallory for doing the right thing and demonstrating a level of compassion and sportsmanship rarely seen anymore in athletics. And congratulations to all for helping restore faith in mankind by those who doubt anyone cares about anyone beside themselves anymore.
At a time when we are dealing with fast-approaching $4-a-gallon gasoline (diesel is heading for $4.50 a gallon), skyrocketing food prices, a sluggish economy, the ongoing war in Iraq, and plenty of other issues close to home and abroad, a little bit of positive news does the heart and soul some good.
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Last call for letters endorsing candidates
Writers who would like to submit a letter endorsing a candidate or ballot measure have one final opportunity to do so before the May 20 vote-by-mail election.
The Wednesday, May 14, issue will be the final one in which the Itemizer-Observer will publish endorsement letters from Polk County residents for the upcoming primary election.
With the deadline to return ballots set at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20, the May 14 edition is the last newspaper published prior to the election.
All letters must be submitted by 11 a.m. on Monday, May 12, to be considered for publication. And a reminder that the limit for all political endorsement letters is 100 words - no exceptions - per our long-standing Letters to the Editor policy. Several letters have either been sent back to the authors asking them to shorten them to 100 words or have gone unpublished this election season.
The 100-word limit not only encourages letters and dialogue, but allows for the publication of as many different viewpoints from as many people as possible. It also makes the messages more effective - a point succinctly made is much more likely to be read by the public.
We are glad to be able to offer readers a forum to share their views about candidates and issues during the election season. We look forward to publishing your opinions. |
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