IN Cl. only the greatest pole vaulter in the business today,
but a darn good egg” as well is Cornelius (Corny) War
merdam. So says Homer Thomas, Oregon varsity pole vaulter,
whom wre collared yesterday after rain, which interrupted his
workout, drove him to cover. Thomas, who went to the Hill re
lav^in Portland Friday with Colonel Bill Hayward, “talked
shop with the champ shortly after his performance.
He d show you how he held the grip on the pole and tell
jou all about it,” Thomas declared as he began to fan the air
with his feet in an upside-down “bicycle” exercise. “He acted
just like an ordinary guy and not at all a champ,” he said.
Warmerdam, who looks definitely of Dutch stock with
stringy, blond, uncombed hair, uses a much higher grip than
tlie average pole vaulter. Compared to the grip of the average
college vaulter, which is about 11)4 or 12 feet, the champ
.grips the bamboo at around 13 feet. “If the ordinary vaulter
could handle such a high grip, he might be able to get that
same height,” Thomas said, as lie concluded his “cycling” and
once again sat upright. The Flying Dutchman also runs at full
Hftpeed — almost sprinting — clown the 140-foot runway. Not
only does he know how to handle his speed, Thomas declared,
but has perfect timing as well.
Colonel Bill Goes for Warmerdam
Colonel Bill really drank it all in, Thomas said. “lie was all
eyes, and was always running over to point out to me little
things that Warmerdam was doing. I picked up a lot of good
tips, but,” lie added, “using them is another thing.”
Thomas recalled a time about three years ago when lie was
reading about the great United States vaulters. That was the
year Earl Meadows was champion and, with Bill Shefton,
composed the vaulting elite of the nation. After the better
known vaulters came mention of some who “were good,” but
pot tops. Included in this list-, Thomas said, were George
Varoff, Oregon ex-champion who was then on his way clown,
and Warmerdam, who was hitting a mere 14 feet in college
at Fresno State.
Since then Warmerdam has developed with a burst. Seven
teen times he lias vaulted 15 feet while his best is 15 feet iy2
inches.
Les Steers, 'Po!e Vaulter'
Informant Thomas revealed to us some startling news when
he told how our old champion friend, Les Steers, turned pole
vaulter for.a night.
In order to have any mark which Warmerdam might make
official under A.A.II. rules, three entrants were needed. Earl
Meadows, former champion who held the old mark of 14
feet 11 inches, participated, going’ out at 14 feet 6. But there
was no third #ntry. Here's where Les came in. He enterd,
to make things official, ran down the runway three times, and
then retired to leave the two specialists to battle it out.
Les, Thomas remarked with a laugh, is as “fat as a horse,”
having put on about 30 pounds. Although taking’ the high jump
with a leap of 6 feet 5 inches, Steers “didn’t look too good”
as he had jumped cnly twice since last season. He is married
and now works at the shipyards in Portland.
“He told Bill that he might jump some later on in Idaho,”
Homer declared. “Steers should have little trouble getting
in shape as he has trained most of his life. Though, ’ ’ he grinned,
“he is getting thick through the waist and hips.”
Sfrort Sport Shots
Brief bits from here and there: Two former Oregon base
hall stars were listed on the Los Angeles roster for the season.
Both are infielders, Elmer Mallory and Charles (Zeke) Clif
ford. Mallory turned pro several rears ago when .just a junior
while Clifford got the money urge last season after completing
a hi”' year as a sophomore first sacker with the Ducks.
When the Webfoots face Portland Friday, the Pilot nine
will he under the command of R. L. (Matty) Mathews for the
first time. Matty, regular grid coach, succeeds Bill arbarino.
Top ranking chucker for the Pilots is Vince Pesky, younger
brother of Joe Pesky, who is slated to take over the shortstop
post for the faltering Joe Cronin, Red Sox chieftain.
Last year the Duck varsity cracked down on Oregon State
in three out of four games, beating the Beaver prize plum,
Glenn Elliott, on two occasions. Only Orange chucker to cure
the Oregon sluggers was Clayton Shaw, who was rated under
the touted Elliott.
Buck Bailey, Cougar coach and one-man circus, hits Eugene
with his gang April 22 and 23. With priority on metal, we bet
Buck won’t be denting the water buckets with quite so much
gusto this year.
No.l Court Man
Moves to Golf
Kerrn Smith, top-ranking ten
nis player, will not be playing- for
the Oregon net team this season.
Smith has decided to give up ten
nis in favor of goi'f and has been
turning cut with the Lemon and
Green divoteers instead.
This moves blond Frankie Bak
er, the Olympian who ranked No.
3 last season, into the No. 1 spot.
Hard-smashing Johnny Williams
also advances, stepping up to No.
2.
Meanwhile, weather conditions
yesterday caused a postponement
of the qualifying rounds of the
freshman elimination tournament.
The varsity and freshman squads
worked out in McArthur court,
with their opening matches com
ing up April 11.
The varsity elimination rounds
get under way Friday and finish
Tuesday. Following this, a chal
lenge ladder will be run off, with
those not content with ranking
being able to try for a more pre
ferred spot.
This year’s racket team ap
pears to be a better-balanced
club than last year’s, with no out
standing star. Also evident, is a
new spirit which has spread over
the club.
Weather Nits
Coed Contest
A mild dose of Oregon sun
shine played havoc with the coed
interhouse tennis tournament
(also the interdorm softball
league). The first round of the
tournament was postponed. The
rained-out matches will be played
Friday, April 3, Wednesday's
matches will continue as sched
uled.
They are slated for 4- p.m.
Helen “Barky” Barklow is meet
ing Maxine Mann (No wonder
Dick Lawrence has been playing
tennis lately). Alpha Phi Gloria
Kibbee trades swats with ADPi
Flo Hamilton, while in the final
match Max Martin tangles with
Fee Pat Larkin.
Thursday matches pit R. Fore
man against S. Mack; J. Thatcher
vs. B. Valleau, and V. Wells with
T. Greenberg. (We’ll go into de
tail on them tomorrow). The
rained-out contestants were
named in yesterday’s Emerald.
If rain should interfere with
any more scheduled contests the
girls are requested to contact
their opponents and’ reserve a
court to play off their match.
Taylor Tops
Golf Entrants
Rod Taylor, manager of the
freshman golf team, led the pack
in the qualifying scores for the
first-year men. Taylor, who shot
the final round in a 66, had a to
tal of 282 strokes for the 72
holes.
The first matches for the fresh
men will be April 18, when they
meet Salem, Eugene, Corvallis,
and University high schools
here.
Complete results and rankings:
1. Rod Taylor, 282.
2. Harold Kelly, 301.
3. Dave Gowans, 310.
4. Bill Pengra, 312.
5. Dick Shultz, 317.
6. Paul Everett, 323.
7. Bob Moore, 328.
8. Wayne Hubbard, 343.
KERM SMITH . . .
. . . had to decide between tennis
and golf. He chose golf.
Hanen Leads
Divot Squad
Dick Hanen, clubbing a 297
score for 72 holes of the Laurel
wood course, led the University
of Oregon’s golf team in the
qualifying rounds of its elimina
tion tournament.
Don Cawley, manager of the
team, tied Bob Duden, Portland
sophomore, with a score of 306.
The Webfoot team, defending
division champions, opens the
1942 season against the Univer
sity of Washington at Seattle on
April 11.
The complete results of the
qulifying round, which ended
Sunday, follows:
1. Dick Hanen, 297.
2. Don Cawley, 306.
Bob Duden, 306.
4. Dick Maier, 311.
Oregon ^Emerald
Sports Staff
Fred Treadgold
Si Sidesinger
Erling Erlandson
Tommy Mayes
Nancy Lewis
Eill Stratton
Virginia Wells
June Hitchcock
Jean Frideger
Harry Glickman
Joe Miller
Hayward Adds
Fresh Mentor
The Webfoot frosh track squad
has acquired a new mentor, Boh
McKinney, who is Colonel Bill’s
first-lieutenant this year. He will
run the frosh through the races,
while Hayward concentrates on
the varsity.
They were billed for a stiff
work-out Tuesday to find the
speedsters in the bunch, but a
soggy track cancelled the plans.
One new aspirant was added
to the duckling roll Tuesday af
ternoon, Johnny Todd, who runs
the low hurdles and broad-jumps.
Chances are two to one that he
will be represented in the broad
jump because there was no one
listed in that event until Todd
signed.
Because of the undesirable con
ditions, the turn-out Tuesday was
unusually small. The frosh will
compete with the varsity in the
time trials today apd Saturday,
but will not compete in the Port
land meet the eleventh.
5. Ken Bergstrom, 315.
6. Ray Farmer, 316.
7. Kerm Smith, 321.
•8. Ralph Huestis, 322.
9. Bill Barasch, 336.
10. Dick Davis, 337.
11. Ray Cook, 339.
Clay Jones, 339
•13. Tom Corbett, 348.
In challenge matches, Barasch.
defeated Kerm Smith and Ray
Farmer, 4-3 and 2-1, and moves
into the No. 6 position.
Finke Misses Record
As Betas Take Swim
By JOE MILLER
Bata Warren Finke came within three-tenths of a second
of breaking the 40-vard back stroke record set by Kappa Sig
Gerry McDonald in 1939 as the Betas won their meet with
the PiKaps by a whisker, 24 to 23. His time was 23.4 in com
parison to McDonald's time of 23.1. Both other meets were
lcneitea, me rm t»igs ianing
and Sherry Ross, who must be
pointing- for Susan Campbell, hav
ing FTS trouble with the Yeo
men.
Jump to Front
The Betas kept a narrow mar
gin over the PiKAs all the way,
jumping out in front with two
victories in the 40-yard events.
Finke took the backstroke in his
near-record time with teammate
Bob Duden trailing him. PiKap
Jackson tacking third.
The PiKAs came back in the
freestyle, Gurley and Withers
stroking in first and second. The
time was 23.9. The Betas splashed
right back in the breast stroke,
Bill Lyon taking a close first over
PiKap Cliff Giffin. Beta Dick
Sheahan took third, a half-length
away.
Giffin Gives
Cliff the Giff got his first in the
60-yard individual medley. He
out-thrashed Betas Harpo and Du
den to win easily. Time, 41.8. Led
to snow to engage the AlOs
by the great leadoff webfooting
of Finke, the Eetas stayed ahead
of the scrapping PiKAs to touch
home a fraction of a second
ahead in the 120-yard medley
relay. However in the last event
of the afternoon Finke turned
from a hero into a “bum.” Swim
ming as anchor man in the 120
yard freestyle he jumped the gun
and gave the event to the PiKaps.
Eut his team had enough margin
to narrowly win, 21 to 23.
DON’T MISS!
Leslie Howard in
'MR. V#
Also
'NIGHT BEFORE
THE DIVORCE'
with Lynn Barri