Illogical Boys’ Night Out

Aside from being prominent female athletes from Orange County, what do Janet Evans, Lynne Cox, Carol Spanks, Ann Meyers, Mary Decker Slaney, Cathy Rigby and Shirley Babashoff have in common?

The answer: They never will be honored for their outstanding achievements by the Orange County Sports Celebrities Foundation. Nor will they even be able to attend the foundation’s award dinners. Why not? Because they are women. And the foundation is for “gents” only.

Others who won’t be attending this week’s $100-a-plate award dinner are some officials from the state campuses in the county who withdrew support because state law prohibits using public funds in events that discriminate against women.

But Paul Salata, who formed the foundation in 1971, has no intention of ever opening it to women. He says he considers it a “boys’ night out.”

If Salata wants a stag party, that’s fine. But he also contends that men-only fund-raisers draw more people and bring in more money than unrestricted events. His reasoning is as weak as the Angels’ hitting.

There are many other successful dinners in the county that draw capacity crowds, of men--and women. And we doubt that the Rams or Angels would like to lose their paying female fans. Women are an integral part of the sports world.

And the foundation would be hard pressed to find a male athlete in Orange County who achieved more than Janet Evans of Placentia, who won three Olympic gold medals.