Spectators

While the medals are fresh and the muscles still sore, a round of applause is due not only to the thousands of participants in Saturday's glorious marathon festival but also to the thousands more friends, family members and Baltimore neighbors who cheered the runners on. Spectators contribute mightily to the success and enjoyment of long-distance races in ways even they may not understand. Their critical role cannot be overestimated. At base, of course, they bear witness to the achievement.

Washington is going green today. The 36th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade kicks off at noon in the district. Starting at Constitution Avenue and Seventh Street Northwest, the parade proceeds down Constitution Avenue to 17th Street. About 20,000 spectators are expected to watch as more than 100 marching bands, bagpipe bands, floats, Irish dance groups, mounted units, Irish-American community organizations and other groups march down the route. This year's parade theme is "Volunteers Weave Communities Together."

Blustery weather held down the number of spectators for the Easter running of the Marlborough Hunt Races, but for die-hard fans, nothing could stand in the way of their annual opportunity to show off hats and tailgating skills.

GETTYSBURG, Pa. -- A line of Union soldiers crawled on their bellies in the 90-degree heat yesterday, their eyes scanning the horizon for the perfect shot. They squeezed their triggers in unison, and a handful of Confederates tumbled backward.The Yankees continued their forward push for about a half-hour, but in the end they were driven back, the Southern artillery too much for them to handle. With every bugle shrill and thundering round of cannon fire, the Northern soldiers ran in retreat.

After making emotional appeals for mercy while acknowledging responsibility for illegally bringing a dozen young people to the United States and forcing them to work at menial jobs, three leaders of a Woodbine church were sentenced to prison terms yesterday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.The events leading to yesterday's action began in 1992, when organizers of the Word of Faith World Outreach church left Maryland for Estonia, a small country on the Baltic Sea.After delivering Bibles and preaching for several years, church leaders returned with young Estonians under religious and student visas.

As dark, late-morning skies spat lightning bolts, belched thunder and spewed rain, calls swamped the Naval Academy switchboard: Will they still come?The clouds rumbled east, the sun reappeared and the six jets of the Blue Angels aerobatics team screeched over Annapolis.The Navy's supersonic stunt flying team continued its 46-year tradition of performing spectacular aerial feats above the grounds of the Naval Academy as part of the school's pre-graduation Commissioning Week festivities.This year's performance was darkened by more than passing clouds.

WASHINGTON -- It was a five-star donnybrook that began as a punch-out between teen-age boys in the bleachers at a high school football game in the small Illinois town of Decatur. It kept on rolling to the other end of the bleachers, scattering spectators, some of whom received minor injuries.Bleacher fights happen. But this one was different. It kept on rolling into the television sets of homes across the nation and morphed, with the speed of modern media, into a national argument, featuring the Rev. Jesse Jackson and a cast of thousands, all expressing a variety of pent-up resentments on both sides of the color line.

MOST Americans are troubled about our country's civic and moral condition. During the past generation, many of our families have crumbled. Neighborhood and community ties have frayed. Many of our streets and public spaces have become unsafe. Our public schools are mediocre for many students and catastrophic failures for many others. Our character-forming institutions are enfeebled. Much of our popular culture is vulgar, violent and mindless.Political participation is at depressed levels last seen in the 1920s.

IF THERE was any doubt that golf is a game for a lifetime, it was liberally dispelled by the Senior PGA tournament at Hobbit's Glen in Columbia last weekend.The delightfully sunny weather and unusually low humidity drew a good crowd to the competition of the over-50 touring pros."Good crowd" doesn't just mean numbers, either. The spectators were enthusiastic, appreciative, courteous and even reverent of the threesomes that toured the fastidiously maintained course.The overall caliber of golf didn't match that of the PGA Tour, but that made little difference to the fans.

The Battle of Gettysburg is about to be fought again thisweekend. The 135th anniversary of the greatest battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere is being marked by the greatest battle reenactment ever staged.From Friday through Sunday, more than 15,000 reenactors will descend on a farm near the small Pennsylvania town to re-create the bloody events that marked the turning point of the American Civil War. This time, however, the soldiers of the North and South will be watched by up to 35,000 spectators a day.With so many people heading toward Gettysburg, it is entirely possible a more modern-day battle will have to be fought: the traffic battle.

36th Annual White Marlin Open at Ocean City Where: : Harbour Island Marina in Ocean City When: : Aug. 3-7. Weigh-ins are nightly, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. What: : The White Marlin Open is the world's largest billfish tournament and will feature fishing contests for white marlin, blue marlin, tuna, dolphin, wahoo and shark. Anglers compete to catch the "million dollar marlin," while food, drinks, jewelry and official gear will be available for spectators. How much: : Free for spectators; $1,050 per boat for participants.

O.C. Air Show Where:: Ocean City, 16th Street and the Boardwalk When:: Saturday and June 14, noon to 4 p.m. What:: The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds headline the show, which includes military aircraft demonstrations, low-altitude flyovers, parachute-team jumps, aerobatic performances over the beach and more. How much: : Free for spectators, but seating is available for a fee. What's nearby:: The Village Fair takes place Saturday on Main Street in downtown Berlin. The event includes arts, crafts, entertainment, children's activities, food vendors, bathtub races and more.

The Maryland Jockey Club is expected to announce changes today to the infield spectator experience at this year's Preakness at Pimlico Race Course. Although Jockey Club officials declined to be specific about those plans yesterday, an invitation to today's announcement implied some changes by advertising, "Preakness Infield Fest, a new way to party." Pictured on the invitation was a cartoon horse in jockey silks strumming a guitar while astride what appears to be a volleyball. The volleyball is emblazoned with the date of this year's Preakness, May 16. The Preakness infield has typically featured all-day partying by tens of thousands of mostly young fans.

About this time of the year a set of news stories appear to reveal how the spectator side of thoroughbred racing is about to perish. I read the accounts about Pimlico's fallen glory days and that the stands are empty, except for Preakness day. When it comes to racing, I am not unprejudiced. I grew up learning about the track and was smitten by the beauty of the horses and the social tone and demeanor of the colorful spectators. I'm not a good handicapper, but I believe in having a good time, Baltimore-style, just the way that Pimlico delivers.

If you go The 26th annual St. John's College-U.S. Naval Academy Croquet Match for the Annapolis Cup will be held at 1 p.m. tomorrow on the St. John's College front lawn, 60 College Ave., Annapolis. Admission is free. For more information, call 410-626-2539.

Yesterday morning, the driver in the lane to the right of me decided to turn left - and did. All I saw was a flash of turquoise as it cut first in front of me and then in front of the car in the lane to the left. But, hey, that's OK - what's a little heart-jolting fright among your fellow drivers, when you have this very important need to make that left turn, right this minute. On Sunday afternoon, I was driving up I-95 and, this time, the flash was a beige one. Impatient with the seemingly brisk, 70-plus mph flow of traffic, Beige on Wheels weaved across the lanes, nosing into the smallest of openings that would propel him toward his destination, oh, maybe three minutes faster.

Business owners were evenly divided about whether the inaugural Annapolis Triathlon had a positive effect on the city, a new survey has found. Requested by the city council's Economic Matters Committee, the survey was one of two conducted about the triathlon. The second, by the triathlon's organizers, polled participants in the Sept. 9 competition. "We felt it was important to have a third party look at the big picture of these type of events," said Mike Miron, Annapolis' director of economic development.

While the medals are fresh and the muscles still sore, a round of applause is due not only to the thousands of participants in Saturday's glorious marathon festival but also to the thousands more friends, family members and Baltimore neighbors who cheered the runners on. Spectators contribute mightily to the success and enjoyment of long-distance races in ways even they may not understand. Their critical role cannot be overestimated. At base, of course, they bear witness to the achievement.

Summer won't quit. Golf celebrities are playing a local course. And Jordan Russell's friend had an extra ticket. If there ever was a Friday to get out of the office, yesterday was it. "You can't beat this," said Russell, a 26-year-old insurance broker from Federal Hill, sipping a Bloody Mary near the 17th green at the Baltimore Country Club in Timonium. "It's a beautiful course." Hundreds of spectators found reasons to knock off work early or skip it altogether to watch the second round of the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship, catching leader Loren Roberts' four birdies and cheering local favorite Fred Funk to his 1-under-par finish for the day. Low clouds provided protection against the sun and kept temperatures in the upper 70s. Spectators found spots along the immaculate Five Farms East course.

JAZZED ABOUT MUSIC Jazz pianist Larry Willis will perform at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts on Sunday. Willis has performed with many jazz greats, including Dizzy Gillespie and Lee Morgan, playing on more than 300 records in his career. His versatile music style will please fans of rock and pop music as well as those interested in more worldly styles, such as African and Brazilian music. .................... The concert will take place at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, 91 Key St. in Hagerstown.