By FRED BECKWITH
CO-SPORTS EDITOR
We’re up from the southlands after a week's breather front
stuff like book lamin’ and such. Collegiate baseball activity is
the big noise around the San. Francisco Hay area. Ball clubs
from Stanford, California, Santa Clara, San Francisco and St.
Marys are already swinging into action. Out Berkeley way,
where the enrollment is an estimated 16,000, they've already set
up a junior varsity organization. Professional baseball opened in
the city by the Golden Gate, and at last report the S. F. Seals
were astride the top rung in the Pacific Coast baseball league.
TOO TALL, THAT’S ALL
The Golden Bears of California are moaning about their poor
showing in the recent NCAA basketball tournament, staged in
Kansas City and New York City. The Bears, who bowed to the
champion crew from the Oklahoma Agricultural school, com
plained of the terrific height advantage sported by one Bob
Kurland, Aggie center. Kurland, all seven feet of him, played
under the handicap of a bad cold, and still potted some 29 points.
The Bears could not cope with the skyscraper kid, and sug
gested that something be done about these beanpole wonders.
We see where George Mikan, De Paul’s famous all-American
has signed a professional basketball contract which works like
this: $6 for every field goal and $3 for every free throw. Mikan
bags 20 points on an average night, so you figure out the dollars
and cents angle from there.
The University of Southern California is bidding for
another national track crown. Already performing for the
Trojan thincladsare Ihibie Kern, a 47 seconds flat quarter-miler,
and Poland Sink, clocked in 4:19 for early- spring ipile workouts.
To top this off, the Trojans are loaded with high and broad
jumpers, discus and shot-put men, let alone pole vault and jave
lin artists.
Jack Weirhauser, who was one of the crack performers on
the 1937 Stanford track-and-field team, has now taken over the
coaching reigns for the Indians in track this year. He’s working
with a squad that includes 48 freshmen, and does not anticipate
too much.
INELIGIBLE
Already showing his wares in the spring football workouts
at the University of California is Louie Jurkovich, brother of the
famous Jim, Louie is built oil the same structural designs as
Jim, and great things are expected of him at Cal. California is
moaning the inelcgibilitv status of one Grover Klemmer, one of
the co-holders of the world’s quarter-mile mark at 46.4. Klem
mer, incidentally, played only one year of varsity football at
C alifornia, but in that lone season he displayed plentv of grid
iron savvy. Ilis record at Great Lakes Naval training station
eras outstanding. Holding down the tailback slot in mid-season,
1 lennner led the Bluejacket mates to a resounding triumph
over the supposedly powerful Notre Dame eleven. But Klemmer
is inelcgible for further pig*kip duty, and that fact is bemoaned
l*\ the various rival coaches up and down these Pacific slopes.
California's offensive football tricks will probable be handled
l.\ Billy Reinhardt, returning veteran, who lettered in '42.
A challenge in print: The Emerald sports staff, having con
cluded a highly successful basketball season, now goes on record
to challenge the Oregon State Barometer staff to a softball
match. The local scribblers are still in the reorganization stages,
hut on the strength of their casaba season, they feel confident
of administering another trimming to the lowly Corvallis
scribes..
WOTTA LINEUP!
Too late tn publicize was the story of the Kmerald-Phi Delt
basketball game. We might say, (in small letters) that the Phi
Dells emerged victorious. But before vou veil "1 told va so!"
let’s review the lineup of that fabulous quintet that opposed
t ie Sport staffers last term: Man Rasmussen, varsitv forward;
Walt Kirsch, |\ guard; Ken Hays, varsin center; Eddie Sal
si rom, captain of the championship intramural team. Do vou
think that's enough talent? Okay, hold your breath on this one:
The Phi Delts, not confident of a win with all that talent, ac
t - tally roped in the famous Oregon all-American, Laddie Gale.
I\o comment. C fur crew lost by some 11 points, but if ever a moral
■ victory was warranted, the sports staffers earned it. So Bull and
I join ranks to thank the following gang for placing ball for us
this past term: Carl Cluff. Bob Reed. Duke Dennison, Bill Mc
Lennan, Larry l.au. Chuck Taylor. Kenny Hume. Walt Yoder,
klilt Sparks, Luke Basilari, Kd Allen, Marty Pond, Dave Van
7andt. George Huggins, Bob Caviness and Pete Miller.
A few professional baseball predictions before we bow out
this morning: American League—New York Yankees: National
League—St. Louis Cards: Pacific Coast League—Los Angeles
Angels.
Baseballers Shape Up
For Thursday Opener _
"IRON MIKE"
i
Mike Mikulak
Resumes Job
Recently discharged from the
army military service as a lieuten
ant colonel, “Iron Mike” Mikulak
will resume his position on the
Oregon coachifig staff when the
gridders report for spring practice
April 6.
Mikulak is expected on the cam
pus within the next several days
aftei vacationing at Carmel, Cali
fornia. Mike was backfield coach
at the University prior to entering
the service and only recently de
cided to return to coaching after
considering plans to enter private
business.
This announcement was made
recently by Anse Cornell, Univer
sity athletic manager, after a long
distance telephone conversation
with Mikulak.
In addition to Mikulak, head
coach G. A. “Tex” Oliver will be
assisted by line coach Vaughn Cor
ley and freshman coach John War
ren during the spring drill sessions.
Track Outlook Dull;
Field:Men Lacking
With the annual Oregon-Oregon
State relays less than two weeks
away, the Webfoot harriers are
turning to the last stage of con
ditioning before actual competi
tion. Monday marked the start of
this workout for the forty-odd
trackmen that will don the lemon
and green colors under the coach
ing of Colonel Bill Hayward. Now
that spring registration is under
way many more potential track
sters will be on hand to bolster an
otherwise weak and inexperienced
squad.
Returning from the '41 team are
three lettermen capable of lead
ing the Ducks to a higher place
in the Northwest standings. These
men are: Jake Leicht, a 9.6 100
yard sprinter; Bill Beifuss, a high
leaping high jumper; and Chuck
Elliott, a 46 plus shot putter.
The Beavers will feel the effect
of these men in the different re
lay teams that Oregon will field
against them on the Hayward
Field oval April 13. Competing
for the Orange squad are Bob
Stevens, Bob Reiman, and Bill
Blackledge, all lettermen in the
field department.
Little can be told of outstand
ing thin-clads for the U of O be
cause only one running of time
trials has been made so far. Sev
eral fine runners have shown up
in practice short distance races,
but they still are working on form
and style in their running. Two
frosh that show particular prom
ise are Walt McClure in the dis
tance and Frank Holms in the
sprints.
Until time trials are held again,
'MiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiniiiiinniiiniiiiiJiiiiiiiHiiiiinnfniiiitiimiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^
| A Tout’s!
| Report |
By LARRY LAU
Man O' War, the greatest horse
ever to come out of Kentucky,
known as "Big Red” to his thous
ands of devoted fans, celebrated his
29tli birthday March 20. Not the
sleek, trim, heel-flasher he was
back in 1920, Man O’ War weighs
1300 pounds now, which is, as the
caretaker puts it, “slightly over
weignt.”
Owner Riddle bought Man O’
War for $5000 when he was a year
ling and has several times since
been offered a million dollars for
him. “Big Red” won 20 out of 21
races, was never beaten as a three
year old, and never ran a race on a
Kentucky track! He won $250,000
back in the days when the purses
were considerably smaller than
they are today, and was retired
to stud at four!
Silver Threads Among
“Big Red’s” step is a little slow
er, and he is greying around the
muzzle, but despite his years he is
still active, and daily romps and
cavorts about to great delight of
the people who flock to the farm
at Lexington, Ky., to see him.
Nearly a million and a half visitors
have signed the register at the
barn.
Race tracks on the West coast
are slated to be just as numerous
as bad grades in Psych, in the near
future. Eesides the proposed track
in Puente, Calif., an application has
been filed with the state racing
commission for another million
dollar oval to be located at Oak
land, Calif. Portland Meadows, in
the meanwhile, seems to be a thing
that people merely whisper and
shrug about. Tsk, Tsk!
Big Red's Chilian
The old adage that “blood will
tell,” becomes more true day by
day. South of the border, Plucky
Flag, a granddaughter of Man O'
War has deftly annexed three of
the biggest purses offered at the
Mexico City oval, the latest being
the Derby Mexicano, which, inci
dentally, was worth $20,000 in good
old American sheckles. We’d like to
see this blue-blooaed babe tackle
some sterner competition before
writing any further rave notices as
it is ditficult to forget how the
previous Mexican flash, Gay Dal
ton, fizzled, out when he tried
Hollywood Park out for size.
Two Kentucky Derby eligibles In
Earnest and Billy Bumps, moved
themselves into contention with
impressive victories at Tropical
Park last Thursday.
Abe Hirschberg's $55,000 pur
chase, Occupy, will have another
chance soon to match his stride
with Armed, who beat him a length
and a half in their last meeting.
It must be noted that Mr. Hirsch
berg is not reknown for throwing
55 grand away on a plug.
It has been estimated that there
is sMghtiy over $80 wagered for
every attending turf fan at the
track. In other words, for every
two dollar bettor nevously clutch
ing two crumpled bills, there is an
“operator'' who is waiting his turn
at the $100 window!
the entire team will work on keep
ing muscles in shape and final
workouts preparing for the relays.
All men intending to turn out
for track should see Coach Hay
ward before this week is over and
make arrangements for practice
periods in preparation for future
qualifying trials.
Soggy Field
Slows Nine
Initial Sets
Howe field was still a little
soggy from recent rains as Coach
Howard “Hobby” Hobson led out
his 40-odd baseball potentials for
the Duck’s initial diamond warm
up of the 1946 season.
Faced with rounding a team in
to shape in a limited time, Hobson
called the first practice session for
Friday afternoon. Taking advan
tage of the spring sun, he held lim
bering up sessions Saturday and
Monday afternoons.
Post-war First
The first edition of Webfoot
baseball nines since the diamond
sport was dropped in 1943 will face
its first competition Thursday
afternoon here against Pacific Uni
versity. In the few days left be
fore that double header with Pa
cific, the Ducks are slated for much
batting and fielding practice, and
inter-squad games.
In order to give the Oregon
nine the maximum of ex
perience before the Northern
Division schedule begins,
Coach Hobson has arranged
fourteen pre-conference tilts.
Following the twin-bill Thurs
day against Pacific, Oregon
plays host to Willamette Uni
versity here Friday afternoon
in another double header.
Saturday the Ducks trek to
Salem for a return game with
Willamette.
Double-Header
April 9 brings the Salem Sena
tors of the Western International
league to the University for two
games. The following day Oregon
faces the Pacific University nine
again in a twin bill scheduled for
Forest Grove. April 12 and 13 the
Webfoots and the Portland Pilots
play a home-and-home series with
the opening pair of encounters
scheduled for Howe field.
Monday afternoon Hobson split
his squad in order to give more
attention to individual training.
Barney Koch, who will coach the
Freshman squad has taken over
the duties of assistant baseball
coach and handled one half of the
spht squad in the Monday sessions.
Ski Club to Race
Staters at Hoodoo
Arch rivals tangle this weekend
on the snowy slopes of South San
tiam Pass as the University of
Oregon Ski club meets the Suski
club of Oregon State in a series of
downhill and slalome tracings at
Hoodoo Bowl. Members of the
local club will meet tonight in
Oregon hall at 7:30 to discuss
plans for the trip.
The University Ski club will
sponsor the meet. Plans are for
the races to start at 11 a.m. Sun
day, and will continue throughout
the day.
SPORTS STAFF THIS ISSUE
Co-sports editors:
Fred Beckwith
Leonard Turnbull
Staff Writers:
Carl Cluff
Tommy Wright
Dave Goss
Mary Ann Hansen
Larry Lau
Jeanne Simmonds