Dawn Loggins, Student, Heading To Harvard After Being Homeless, Abandoned By Parents — When facing homelessness, bullying, and being abandoned by family, many people might be tempted to give up hope. But for 18-year-old Dawn Loggins, who was just accepted into Harvard University, this was not the case. “When I was younger, I looked around at my family and I saw the neglect, the drug abuse, the bad choices and I saw my family living from paycheck to paycheck, and I just made a decision that I was not going to end up like my parents. After years of hard work, catch up, and at times even working as a school custodian, Loggins’ dream finally became a reality when she opened her acceptance letter from Harvard.

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I conducted thiw interview with Hall of Fame Jockey, Bill Shoemaker and his wife, Cindy, in June 1980 at both Hollywood Park and at his home in San Marino, California. At that time, Shoemaker, a legend in Thoroughbred Racing, had won more races — more than 8000 — and more money — more than $82 million — than any jockey in the history of the sport. He has won virtually every stakes race in America including 4 Kentucky Derbies, 2 Preaknesses, 5 Belmonts and 11 Triple Crowns.. Among Shoemaker’s record-breaking totals are 10 National Money Titles and 5 championships as the Year’s Winningest Rider. He won in England, Ireland, South Africa and Argentina; and he won purses of more than $123 million. He also owned every major Delmar Racetrack record including seven seasonal titles.

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I conducted thiw interview with Hall of Fame Jockey, Bill Shoemaker and his wife, Cindy, in June 1980 at both Hollywood Park and at his home in San Marino, California. At that time, Shoemaker, a legend in Thoroughbred Racing, had won more races — more than 8000 — and more money — more than $82 million — than any jockey in the history of the sport. He has won virtually every stakes race in America including 4 Kentucky Derbies, 2 Preaknesses, 5 Belmonts and 11 Triple Crowns.. Among Shoemaker’s record-breaking totals are 10 National Money Titles and 5 championships as the Year’s Winningest Rider. He won in England, Ireland, South Africa and Argentina; and he won purses of more than $123 million. He also owned every major Delmar Racetrack record including seven seasonal titles.

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America is no longer a Democracy. It has become a Corporatocracy ruled by Multinational Corporations. 29 years ago, before the multinational corporations ascended into world rule, life was simpler. We only had to fight against local corporate greed. Our strongest weapon were unions who had the power to strike, to affect the corporate control, to force changes.

29 years ago, the Professional Baseball Players Union called for such a strike and one of the its most outspoken leaders was a young shortstop named Ozzie Smith. I had the honor of interviewing him in July, 1981. The following interview, reprinted from the Winners Hall of Fame, are the thoughts he shared with me ….

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Fiction. Final Installment — The game was Sunday so Saturday was their day for shopping and watching the sights. They walked thru town to the tune of cars honking their way along the street, youths hanging out the windows holding banners or flags of Japan or Argentina. Fans walked wearing their colors – It’s-a-boy blue and white for Argentina and the red rising-sun-on-white for Japan. Many wore the flags of their countries as capes. Faces were painted with the colors of their teams. At a sidewalk café a group of young boys crowded around a table that appeared to belong to some of the Argentine players.

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New Fiction by Reggie Johnson set against the backdrop of the World Cup in Toulouse, France …

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Oscar Pistorius currently holds world records in the 100m, 200m and 400m for running in the Paralympics, an accomplishment that has made him Johannesburg’s most recognized public figure. With the utilization of two J-shaped carbon fibre prosthetic blades called Cheetahs (The Cheetah Flex Foot), this bilateral amputee transformed himself into not only the world’s fastest Para-athlete, but also one of the world’s fastest men.

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It is now 2011 and Pat Casey has brought the Beavers back to 1st Place in the Pac-10 and, more than likely, to the NCAA playoffs for the 6th time in the last 7 years. In that same period, they have won the National Championship twice. Based on how the comebacks that won those championships were made, the Beavers appear to be a team that only knows how to succeed when it can come from behind. Can they still do it when they are in 1st Place? I interviewed Pat Casey back in September, 2007. Why are they still the team to beat? When you read the below interview, conducted 3 ½ years ago, the phrase “Déjà vu” comes roaring to mind…)

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The era of the 1970s-early 1980s was an historical turning point; it was the time that women athletes were finally given the equality they longed for. Mary Ayotte-Law, Oregon State University gymnastics champion, was fortunate to be at her peak during that period. “We’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of Title IX here at Oregon State next month, and I look at Title IX and the opportunity that it opened for women in athletics, and I think I was really blessed,” she said.

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Beaver fans are excited about James Rodgers. When the freshman wide receiver gets the ball and we are in our bleachers, couches or bar stools, we’re left mirroring the actions of the opposing team. We turn our heads to those next to us and nodding slowly say something similar to, “That guy can move.” When I spoke with him in the Valley Football center I could not help but think, He is a really good guy. That’s what this Winners Within Us interview is about: James Rodgers, the good guy, freshman in college, numbingly-quick player and recent Corvallian.

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