Laker owner Dr. Jerry Buss passed away this morning of cancer. Dr. Buss was one of the most successful owners in all of sports. But many people don't know that his second favorite sport was track and field.
Dr. Buss went to all of the USC Trojan home track meets, and was a huge USC track and field supporter. He was also a big fan of Oregon sprinter English Gardner. I remember seeing Dr. Buss at the airport coming home from a Pac-10 Championships a year or two ago, and he just went on and on raving about how much he enjoyed watching English Gardner run. Dr. Buss went to several Pac-10 Championship Meets and loved talking to track and field fans about their sport. He attended several NCAA Track and Field Championships over the years. When the Lakers were in the NBA Finals, he would have to miss the NCAA Meet because of scheduling issues. But he was just hooked on the sport of track and field.
Its a sad day anytime a track and field dies. I will miss seeing him at the Pac-12 Meet this year.