oregonpackfan
07-22-2008, 07:42 PM
Central Washington and Western Oregon softball teams won the ESPY's Award for "Best Sports Moment of the Year Award.
As some of you recall, the two Division II teams were competing against each other. The Oregon girl hit what appeared to be a three run homer. As she rounded first, she suddenly stopped as she forgot to touch the base. In suddenly stopping she ripped her ACL. She was unable to finish touching the remaining bases.
If a coach or teammate helped her, her scoring run would be disqualified. In a display of remarkable sportsmanship, two Washington players volunteered to carry her around the bases allowing the Oregon girl time to touch each bag with the uninjured leg.
Carried away by the moment
The two softball players who helped Western Oregon's Sara Tucholsky around the bases steal the show at the ESPY Awards -
FACTBOX
• Online
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
DOUG BINDER
The Oregonian Staff
Mallory Holtman wasn't interested in re-enacting her now-famous act of sportsmanship for just anybody.
Enter the singer known as "J.T.," host of the ESPYs, which aired Sunday.
"When Justin Timberlake asked, I was like, 'Oh yeah, I'll carry ya,' " Holtman said.
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Timberlake may have promised to bring "sexy" back, but Holtman and Central Washington softball teammate Liz Wallace brought sportsmanship back when they lifted Western Oregon's Sara Tucholsky and carried her around the basepaths during a softball game in April.
A torn knee ligament marred Tucholsky's first career home run. After rounding first base, she abruptly turned around to re-tag the bag after missing it, and the knee suddenly gave way.
Holtman and Wallace then did the compassionate thing, assisting their opponent.
ESPYs host Timberlake got in on the players' act during an awards program that saw the three softball players honored as the central figures in the Best Sports Moment of the Year, one of the show's top prizes.
"It's indescribable to be honored like that in a room full of amazing athletes like that," said Tucholsky, who is five weeks along after successful surgery to repair her anterior cruciate ligament.
Tucholsky, Holtman and Wallace are bonded for life because of their moment.
The three were special guests of Bud Selig during Major League Baseball's All-Star weekend. They watched the home run derby from the Yankees' dugout and had front-row seats 10 feet to the right of home plate for the All-Star Game. They were whisked away the next morning to Los Angeles for the ESPY Awards show, which was taped Wednesday.
CONTINUED 1 | 2 Next
http://www.oregonlive.com/softball/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/121669711011520.xml&coll=7
As some of you recall, the two Division II teams were competing against each other. The Oregon girl hit what appeared to be a three run homer. As she rounded first, she suddenly stopped as she forgot to touch the base. In suddenly stopping she ripped her ACL. She was unable to finish touching the remaining bases.
If a coach or teammate helped her, her scoring run would be disqualified. In a display of remarkable sportsmanship, two Washington players volunteered to carry her around the bases allowing the Oregon girl time to touch each bag with the uninjured leg.
Carried away by the moment
The two softball players who helped Western Oregon's Sara Tucholsky around the bases steal the show at the ESPY Awards -
FACTBOX
• Online
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
DOUG BINDER
The Oregonian Staff
Mallory Holtman wasn't interested in re-enacting her now-famous act of sportsmanship for just anybody.
Enter the singer known as "J.T.," host of the ESPYs, which aired Sunday.
"When Justin Timberlake asked, I was like, 'Oh yeah, I'll carry ya,' " Holtman said.
Advertisement
Timberlake may have promised to bring "sexy" back, but Holtman and Central Washington softball teammate Liz Wallace brought sportsmanship back when they lifted Western Oregon's Sara Tucholsky and carried her around the basepaths during a softball game in April.
A torn knee ligament marred Tucholsky's first career home run. After rounding first base, she abruptly turned around to re-tag the bag after missing it, and the knee suddenly gave way.
Holtman and Wallace then did the compassionate thing, assisting their opponent.
ESPYs host Timberlake got in on the players' act during an awards program that saw the three softball players honored as the central figures in the Best Sports Moment of the Year, one of the show's top prizes.
"It's indescribable to be honored like that in a room full of amazing athletes like that," said Tucholsky, who is five weeks along after successful surgery to repair her anterior cruciate ligament.
Tucholsky, Holtman and Wallace are bonded for life because of their moment.
The three were special guests of Bud Selig during Major League Baseball's All-Star weekend. They watched the home run derby from the Yankees' dugout and had front-row seats 10 feet to the right of home plate for the All-Star Game. They were whisked away the next morning to Los Angeles for the ESPY Awards show, which was taped Wednesday.
CONTINUED 1 | 2 Next
http://www.oregonlive.com/softball/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/121669711011520.xml&coll=7