THE DATE IS RE-SET: JUNE 22, 2002

DecathaJAM Events

--Throwing for distance --Throwing for accuracy --Log tossing --Beer chugging --Running the bases --Beef jerky eating (speed) --Spitting for distance --The long drive (a/k/a hitting for distance) --Over-225-lb. 100-yard dash --The "Ultimate Event." This is an event in which two people team up. One teammate must carry the other up the embankment at the edge of the field. Once atop the embankment, the carried teammate will sprint down the hill, across the field, and then run back to the top of the hill. The team that accomplishes this fastest wins the event.

"Due to various scheduling conflicts and numerous requests to reach an equitable accomodation, it has been determined that The JAM will be moved from Saturday, June 29, 2002, to Saturday, June 22, 2002, the more traditional third Saturday in June for the event," Campoli said.

"I have checked around, and the date change seems to work for most people -- in fact, it seems to work for more people than the original date."

The Patches and Blasters will meet for the 10th straight year, but the day's festivities will also feature 10 special events in honor of the 10th anniversary of Everyone's Favorite Yonkers-Based Softball Extravaganza.

"The DecathaJAM is a 10-event skills competition that highlights the two things which The JAM most represents: softball and human absurdity," Campoli said.

Among the events: log tossing; accuracy and distance throwing; distance spitting; and the "ultimate event," a two-man competition involving hills and running.

Each JAMmer may participate in no more than five events. The top-five finishers in each event will receive points, and the invididual with the most points at the end of the day will be crowned DecathaJAM Champion.

In the annual softball game, the Patches will be trying to even the all-time series between the venerable franchises. Winners of the last three epics, the Patches still trail the series 5-4, dropping five straight after winning the inaugural JAM, Jammy Jam, in 1993.

The new date, only changed three weeks before the event, reduces the amount of pre-JAM trailing remaining by over 30 percent.

"I apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause," Campoli said, "and I particularly apologize to all of those who based their pre-JAM training on the assumption that the game would be played on June 29, 2002."