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The Student News Site of University of Oregon

Daily Emerald
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The Student News Site of University of Oregon

Daily Emerald
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The Student News Site of University of Oregon

Daily Emerald
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Haywardbook

“Many of the old graduates who are expected to return to Oregon for homecoming will feel the destruction of the old field means the destroying of many old Oregon traditions.”

Saying goodbye to an old stadium with so much rich history is never easy. Heartbreak and elation are as much a part of the structure as the wood and metal it is made from—it’s less an arena than a collection of shared memories. When the old bleachers come down, fans feel a part of themselves dismantled along with it.

That is the sentiment the Sunday Oregonian captured when it wrote the above quoted passage about the construction of Hayward Field.

Not the new construction that began in 2018, though—rather, the construction that began more than 100 years ago, when Kincaid Field was torn down and Hayward was initially erected.

Progress, much like death and taxes, is inevitable. Kincaid Field gave way to Hayward Field, over the objections of Oregon fans. It took time, and a lot of memorable performances, for the brand new Hayward Field to become ‘Historic Hayward Field.’ And now, more than 100 years after Hayward Field was declared responsible for “destroying many old Oregon traditions,” it is new again—Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, the finest track and field facility on the planet.

Like many track and field fans, Emerald Media Group president and publisher Bill Kunerth had Hayward Field’s history on his mind when he saw the old east and west grandstands come down in 2018. That gave him an idea: a book, commemorating Hayward Field’s storied past while looking ahead to its future.

“When I saw the stadium torn down, and the outpouring of community sentiment, I felt there was a real opportunity to publish a book that reported the great memories and milestones and legends of Hayward that turned it into the track and field Mecca,” said Kunerth.

This spring Hayward Field: Legends and Legacy was published—just in time for the Pac-12 Championships, which were supposed to be the first event held at the renovated Hayward but were never held due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

Starting with a foreword written by two-time Olympian Andrew Wheating, BA ’10 (sociology), the commemorative book is 140 pages of Hayward history, blending photos and anecdotes to explain why Hayward is Hayward.

“Where does one begin when talking about a shrine to track and field?” writes Wheating. “Do we talk about the countless records set there? Or perhaps the millions of people who graced its wooden seats to applaud various feats of speed, distance and height? Or maybe Pre, the most famous name in running history, and how his spirit is forever remembered there?”

Pre is just one of the many track and field legends highlighted in the book: Bill Hayward, Bill Bowerman, Tom Heinonen, Claudette Groenendaal, and the Eatons are among those who have their stories told. And the anecdotes are as packed as the fabled field’s record books. The time Bill Hayward was questioned by police in connection with a break-in, because his spiked shoes made him a suspect. The unconventional way future Olympian Grace Bakari let Heinonen know she had decided to run for the Ducks.

The book was designed by Blake Mindemann, BS ’19 (art and technology). Mindemann received a treasure trove of information from Lauren Goss, curator at the Knight Library, and spent almost the entirety of the summer after her graduation sorting through it all.

“There were tens of thousands of photos, easily,” said Mindemann. “That was hard to take on because there were so many fantastic images, and to give enough space and enough credit to all of those was overwhelming. But we fit in as many as we could.”

Once Mindemann identified the images she wanted to use, she spent the fall designing the book. Journalism student Bryce Dole served as the primary student writer, while former Register-Guard sports columnist—and former Emerald newsroom consultant—Austin Meek acted as editor and writer. School of Journalism and Communication professor Lori Shontz, who teaches the track and field writing class each spring, copy edited the book and also contributed her vast knowledge of the sport and its history.

“I’m really proud of what the team did, putting this book together,” said Kunerth. “Nobody was doing it full time. Everybody was doing it in their spare hours.”

The book is more than just a fascinating look at Hayward Field’s storied history: it is also way track and field fans can support the Emerald Media Group, as all proceeds from book sales go towards supporting the group, which trains students to meet professional journalistic standards while producing the Daily Emerald, Ethos, and more.

“Student media matters,” says Shontz. “I teach journalism, and it’s a little like track. You have to get your reps, you’ve got to get yourself in shape, and you can’t do that just by watching a video and working out once or twice a week. You have to do that daily, and the Daily Emerald and Ethos give students the opportunity to get reps the way the athletes get reps.”

Hayward Field: Legends and Legacy can be purchased online from the Daily Emerald.

– Damian Foley