Hayward Field has been the stage for some of the greatest track and field performances of all time.
From Dyrol Burleson’s sub-four minute mile to Steve Prefontaine’s unparalleled streak of victories, Hayward Field permeates a rich history of competition and success, all in front of arguably one of the most passionate and knowledgeable crowds anywhere in the history of track and field.
And while other crowds might be as knowledgeable, Ron Sherriffs, Hayward Field south-turn official for running events from the late 1960s into the 1980s, said that the passion of the Hayward Field crowd is what sets it apart.
“Maybe there are other segments of other communities that are more knowledgeable in terms of lap times and those kinds of things,” Sherriffs said. “But the fans here, they want to connect emotionally with those people down on the track.
“You’re not just sitting back looking at it, you’re participating in it. You’re rooting them on. You’re trying to help.”
The crowd’s effect on the events is real, said Sherriffs, who added that he has been told by athletes who have come to Hayward for the first time, “How can you not have a personal best every time you run here? The fans won’t let you do anything else.”
The effect of the crowd has manifested itself time and time again throughout the history of the stadium. In 1972 it was Jon Anderson, son of Eugene mayor Les Anderson, who overcame an eight-second deficit in the final lap of the 10,000 meters to capture third place and a spot on the 1972 Olympic team.
Anderson admits that the crowd was instrumental in his final push to the finish.
“My notion is that the noise from the crowd overwhelmed the senses coming from my body…the noise kind of blocked out the pain.” Anderson said. “There’s no way I would have made the Olympic team anywhere else.”
Steeplechaser Mike Manley, a Wisconsin native, came to Hayward Field to run while training for the 1968 Olympic Trials. He fell in love with the stadium and the community, moved to Eugene shortly after, and has been here since. He won the steeplchase in the 1972 trials and he, too, noted the benefit of having the Hayward Field crowd behind him.
“It’s power. The more people that support you, the more power and more feeling of confidence you have, and the harder you are going to try,” Manley said. “To have them in the stadium, going bonkers yelling for you, is an advantage.”
“It’s the place to race, mainly because of the fans,” he added. “You want to run fast.”
Oregon head coach Vin Lananna said that the fans at Hayward field are special not only for the passion they display but for the longevity of that passion.
“Eugene fans are really special, and they’re special for a lot of reasons,” he said. “Eugene has carried this sport for decades.
“When attendance dropped in other places, when issues that have hurt the sport of track and field have hit central headlines, the Eugene crowd has maintained its loyalty.”
This Sunday in the Prefontaine Classic, there are sure to be some competitors who have never ran at Hayward Field. University of Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer said that even for those who have never competed at Hayward Field, it’s still a special place.
“Year in and year out, now decade in and decade out, we have this sense of engagement in history that makes this place hallowed ground for those who have never even been here,” Frohnmayer said. “But when they come here they know it, they feel it, and they probably perform better than they ever expected because of it.”
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