Tunnel Vision Would Have Been Helpful

Contention ran deep among the field of 18 runners who went to the line Saturday in what was billed as a “dream mile” near Secunda, South Africa, 120 miles southeast of Johannesburg.

Or would you call a race 110 meters below the earth’s surface, through a six-by-three-meter coal mine shaft, on a course of tar and ash, something other than a dream?

The results of the world’s first underground mile race bore out the views of psychologists who had predicted that fear of running in such unfriendly confines would negate a trailing wind of 1.5 meters per second.

Stellenbosch University’s Johan Landsman dug down to win in 4:01.14, with second- and third-place finishers Jean Verster (4:01.62) and Deon Brummer (4:01.69) in his, uh, shadow.

Trivia time: Which college basketball team was the first winner of the National Invitation Tournament, held in 1938?

Kindest cut: Stanford quarterback Jason Palumbis helped lead the Cardinal to a last-second, 27-25 victory over California Saturday, which helped numb the pain of a losing season.

It also completed Palumbis’ comeback from reconstructive shoulder surgery, which was performed during the off-season by . . . Dr. Don Bunce, the former Stanford quarterback.

Tall stack: In the fourth round of an exhibition heavyweight bout held Friday night in Ft. Lewis, Wash., the crowd of 1,984 began booing.

Seconds later, their protest was answered.

George Foreman, 284 pounds, hit opponent Bernardo Mercado, 263 pounds, with what he called his “syrup sandwich punch” to the stomach.

Foreman, 42, who will try to regain the world heavyweight championship next April 19 against Evander Holyfield, said afterward that Mercado, 37, “was like a sparring partner and I can’t knock out a sparring partner. I appreciated his working out with me before a crowd.”

Speaking volumes: After his team’s 112-111 victory over Sacramento Saturday, Warrior Coach Don Nelson told Martin McNeal of the Sacramento Bee: “This game had all the writings of a loss.”

Pacific Rim sports beat: In case you missed Saturday’s results of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka, Japan, the Associated Press reported that American champion Konishiki beat Hananokuni, increasing his record to 5-2 on the seventh day of competition.

Now let’s go to the action.

According to AP: “Konishiki, whose real name is Salevaa Fuauli Atisanoe, slowly thumped Hananokuni (1-6) back and out of the circle, staying in control all the way. Konishiki and eight other wrestlers were two steps behind Chiyonofuji (7-0), who took the lead by beating junior champion Terao 2-5.”

Add Sumo: In other matches, AP reported: “No. 7 Chad Rowan, an American who wrestles under the name of Akebono, dropped to 3-4 when he was rammed out by No. 11 Kyokudozan (5-2).

“In the second-highest junior division, Troy Talaimatai of the United States thrust out 58th-ranked Amagifuji for his fourth straight victory.”

Trivia correction: Saturday’s trivia answer incorrectly stated that this year’s renewal of the Oregon vs. Oregon State football rivalry, the Pacific 10 Conference’s oldest in terms of games played, was the 93rd time the schools had met. It was the 94th.

Trivia answer: Temple.

Quotebook: Stanford linebacker Jono Tunney, after the Cardinal’s wild, winning finish in Saturday’s Big Game at Berkeley: “Twenty years from now, when I’m sitting around and some Cal fan comes around talking . . . I’ll say, ‘I’ve got something for you, pal.’ ”