SPORTS
PAGES
VOLUME XLVIt
SECOND SECTION
Pages 9 to 16
Number 92
Ducks Mar OSC Title Picture
jbiick
By FRED BECKWITH
CO-SPORTS EDITOR
7.---—----f
-fr- 1 he time has conie to write a swan song; to the column work
tor this term. We'll take one last look at the Pacific Coast
basketball picture before signing off. Shortly after this is in
print, the Northern Jtlivision champs, the Idaho Vandals will
be fighting for the PCC title with the Golden Bears of Cali
forma. The Cal kids are favored to stop the boys from potato
land, thanks mainly to Andy Wolfe, who has been consistently
m the list of the leading collegiate scorers throughout the
nation. Wolfe is to California what Bishop was to Washington
State. &
UPHILL FIGHT
Idaho's ultimate victory in the XD hoop chase came only
attei a teirific uphill fight. As the season opened, the word
lrom the Northlands was that Washington State (at that time
without Bishop) was the team to beat. Washington was tabbed
as a strong contender, too, as the Huskies had dumped Oregon
m a pre-season match. Idaho was considered fairly dangerous,
and Oregon State was labeled a definite contender. All of which
left Howard Hobson’s 1945 defending champs strictly on the
You remember what happened. Injuries to key men - shot
the Duck squad full of holes, and the confidence to win, based
on a generally high morale, was absent from the varsity in the
early weeks of the season.
Idaho’s start in league play was far from dynamic, to say
the least. The Vandals, invading the Willamette valley, were
promptly dumped twice by the OSC Beavers. Heads began to
nod understandingly, and the experts were prepared to write
down Idaho as an also-ran. Then the boys of Babe Brown blew
into Eugene. Reedy. Berg went on a scoring spree, and averted
a first night defeat. But the margin of victory for the Hobson
men was one point, no more no less. While Oregon experts were
wondering if they could luck through another photo finish, a
group of determined young men were having a hectic conver
sation in the Idaho dressing room. In the center of circle of
water-dripping cagers was Center Fred Quinn, known to some
of the casaba followers as “Wimpy.”
WIN WITH QUINN
“Were going to win tomorrow night, fellas,” predicted Mr.
Quinn. Assenting cries of “Tha’s right, Fred,” “You betcha.
boy!” and “Can’t lose that one!” shot out from all the points
oTthe circle. Mr. Quinn, however, was not through speaking.
1 hat s not all, either, he added. “We're going right on to
win the title!” And the Idaho teammates acted like a bunch
of school-boys. They all shouted and danced around and
whooped it up sum pin awful. The local press representatives
were not too impressed by this demonstration of enthusiasm,
but they decided to drop back and watch the proceedings the
next night.
It’s all history now, my frans. Idaho did win the next night.
The Vandals, tabbed the “Cinderella Kids,” bashed the Wash
ington Huskies in three out of their four scheduled games.
Idaho swept the remaining two games from Oregon State and
then pushed Washington State all over the map and grabbed
four from the Cougars. They lost another one to the Hobson
men on the second night of the Moscow series. But by that
time, they were tied for the league leadership. The crowning
touch came when our own melon marauders took the Aggies
into camp in an overtime contest that brought down the curtein
on the 1946 season.
ROUGH GOING
It was definitely rough going for Idaho. It became apparent
after the season was several weeks under way, that only four
of the five ND clubs had a chance for the bunting. Oregon was
not excluded, for the Ducks turned in their best performance
of the year in trimming the Huskies in a doubleheader under
the Igloo kleigs. Until the disastrous Inland Empire trip, the
Ducks were definitely in the running. Washington was very
much in the picture until she folded like a pup tent on the
Varsity Trips Bevos
As Idaho Triumphs
Hobsonmen Capture Overtime Contest
After Trailing At Halftime Junction
March came in like a lion and is
supposed to leave like a lamb, and
thus did the OSC basketball team
leave the Bell field court last Sat
urday night, lambish-like. The Ore
gon basketeers handed them a 42
41 defeat in a five minute over
time period.
The lemon-and-green squad vir
tually handed the Northern Pacific
championship to the potato pick
ers of Idaho with this win. Idaho
defeated the Washington State
college Bishopless team 37-35,
Saturday evening at Moscow. This
Vandal win and the Beaverville
boys’ loss gives Idaho a chance to
face the Golden Bears of Califor
nia for the Pacific Coast champion
ship.
Pulling from the small end of
a 18-13 halftime score, the second
half Oregon team completely out
played the cow collegers in an all
out thrilling game. Everyone on
the Duck squad played with ex
cellent coordination, although at
times it looked as if it was a game
of water polo instead of basket
ball. The court at Corvallis was
soaked with small pools of water
that had collected from the leaks
in the pavilion roof.
This game at OSC was the last
time that Bob Hamilton will ever
play on the University of Oregon’s
basketball team. His eligibility in
college sports terminated with last
Saturday’s game. Hamilton as cap
tain of the squad made a fine
showing as did the rest of the team
in defeating OSC.
During the first part of the game
the Orangemen completely out
classed the Ducks, both in ball
handling and teamwork. In the
second half and in the overtime
period the lemon-and-green squad
played as if a victory was inevita
ble. This loss registered by OSC
gave the Beavers second place and
Oregon third place in the Northern
division final standings.
Summary:
Oregon (42) FG FT PF TP
Wilkins, f . 3 14 7
Kray, f . 0 111
Hays, e . 5 2 3 12
Hamilton, g . J 5 3 7
Williamson, g . 4 0 4 3
Rasmussen, f . 2 113
Berg, f . 4 0 0 2
TOTALS . 1« 10 10 42
Oregon Stale (41) FG FT PF TP
Warren, f . 3 i 3 7
Anderson, f . 3 0 10
Rocha, c . 4 3 5 10
McGrath, g . 3 3 4 3
Crandall, g . 0 3 3 3
Henningsen, c . 0 10 1
Esping, g . 3 0 16
Moore, g . 0 0 0 0
Neal, f . 0 0 0 0
TOTALS . 16 !) 17 41
Halftime score—OSC 18, Oregon
13. Referee: Emil Piluso; Umpire:
Hal Eustis.
Missed Free throws: Oregon:
Wilkins 1, Hays 2, Hamilton 1,
Williamson 2, Rassmussen 3. OSC:
Anderson 3, Rocha 1, McGrath 3,
Crandall 3, Henningsen 1.
All-star Pick
Emerald Names Ten Top
Cagers in Loop Chase
After racking its collective
brains ( ?) for some two weeks, the
Emerald sports staff has finally
emerged with the 1946 Northern
division all-star basketball team.
In fact, the selections by this group
of peerless promoters includes not
one team, but two. Honorable
mention credit was omitted in
this, the first post-war year of
cage action.
Idaho Places Two
The champions, Idaho, placed
two men on the first squad. Freddy
Quinn got the nod for one of the (
forward posts and the little Len
Pyne was the choice for one of
the guard spots. Elsewhere, distri
bution was fairly even. Gangling
Red Rocha was acclaimed the top
notch center in the loop, and Gale
Bishop was listed as the other for
ward. Norm Dalthorp of Washing
ton at guard rounded out the first
string selections.
On the second squad, Ore
gon placed two men: Dick Wil
kins at forward and Captain
Bob Hamilton at guard. Other
(Please turn to tpage twelve)
Willamette valley invasion, dropping two to Oregon, and two
to Oregon State. Exit Washington. Only one hurdle remained
in the Vandals’ path—Oregon State. A group of the visiting
firemen from .Seattle and Eugene spelled no dice for Slats’ Gill’s
crew and OSC missed the boat.
So for the first time in 23 years, the victory bells clanged
merrily in Moscow. Babe Brown had pulled a “Shaughnessy.”
He had taken a potential door-mat and turned it into a cup of
gold^ It was a case of rags-to-riches in 16 easy lessons.
Now we’re not sure of what the outcome will be when Idaho
bumps into California. The Bears have snagged 23 out of their
last 25 starts, which is pretty good in any man’s loop. Win or
lose, Idaho gets the season’s biggest hats-off salute.
Duck Harriers
Time Trials at
Post Saturday
By Dave Goss
Once again the cinders of Hay
ward Field will be ground with the
spikes of track stars, eager to gar
ner spots on the relay teams for
the coming Oregon-Oregon State
annual classic to be held April 13.
This information was revealed at
track practice recently by Colonel
Bill Hayward, lemon-and-green
mentor since the days of Dan
Kelley in 1903.
The time trials will start at 2
p.m. Saturday-on the local oval.
Probably no permanent team mem
bers will be chosen, but according
to Coach Hayward likely men will
be singled out.
Little is known of the actual
showing to he made by the hope
ful harriers, and many spikesterrs
will be tested before the season
S^ts too far underway. Practice in
all track events will follow the
initial trials, and field men will!
continue to practice in the un
finished area of the P. E. plant.
Bill Beifuss and Jake Leicht are
the only returning lettermen from
previous seasons. Bill made-his “O”
with his high leaping kicks in the
high jump and Jake was one of the
top sprintmen in the northwest
until he pulled a muscle prior to
the conference meet at Pullman.
Not Likely
It is not likely that another
Mack Robinson will turn up in.
these practice meets, as Mack was
one of the greatest all around stars
coached by Colonel Bill. On a. day
similar in weather to these of the
last few weeks, MaCk turned in
great performances in four events.
Wins in the 110-yard dash, broad
jump, and high jump were not
enough as dusky “Robbie” turned
in a scintillating run in the 440
yard to beat out Kirm Storli, the
great middle distance man, in the
home stretch. Such a runner would
eagerly be awaited by Oregon fans,
so who knows another ti-acknmn.
may develop the versatality needed
to lead the Duck thinclads on to
a successful 1946 season.
Sports Staff
»
This Issue
Co-Sports Editors:
Fred Beckwith
Leonard Turnbull
Staff Writers:
Duke Dennison
Larry Lau
Winston Carl
Lynn Smith
Bob Reed
Dave Goss '
Larry Near
Mary Anne Hansen I
—-- - ;
Coeds Urged to Sign
For Swimming Tests
Women’s swimming classifica
tion tests will be given March 13
at 4:40 and 5:10 in the women's
pool in Gerlinger hall. Women are
requested to sign up for the tests
as soon as possible in the physical
education office, Room 120, Gcr
linger.