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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 26, 1946)
DUCK TRACKS By WALLY HUNTER Assistant Sports Editor Well, now that we can sit back and look at the 1946 football season just what was it like? How good or how bad was it in comparison with performances of Oregon teams in past rears? Alter the iinal conference game of the year—Oregon State vs. Washington in Portland—the Ducks will have a strangle hold on sixth place in Pacific Coast conference standings, or if you prefer sixth place has a strangle hold Qn the Ducks. Is that bad, or good, when you take a long range view of Webfoot foot ball? If you figure Oregon's record from 1930 on it isn’t so bad—because since that time Duck ball clubs have been pre dominantly second division. JAKE LEICHT starting m 1930—the year that Halfback Johnny Kitz miller ran away with All-Coast honors—the Webfoots have been in first place qnce; third place once; ended up in fourth four times; took fifth place honors four times; and have holed out in seventh and eighth places two times each. This would make the 1946 ball club just a little below Oregon’s average in conference standings. Average in conference standings be ing an unhealthy fourth or fifth place for the Webfoots as a general rule. Should this season's Hall club have finished higher in con feience standings? If it is at all possible to ignore your per sonal feelings in this matter and take the word of the “experts” you will find that they had Oregon spotted just about right from the start. Ducks Labeled "Darkhorse" Most of the big time lads labeled Oregon a “conference darkhorse,” with a good chance of finishing near the top. The title “conference darkhorse” being a nifty and handy name to slap on a team whereby the writer takes all of the credit for a team making a better showing than he actually believes that will make. If they drop lower than he figured why it was just a “darkhorse ’ outfit in the first place and weren't supposed to be the hot-rods of the league anyway. One of the most interesting predictions was compiled by a sportscasting gentleman named Johnny McCollum of sta tion KWSC in Pullman, Washington. He took a consensus of all of the ten coaphes in the Pacific Coast Conference and now it is interesting to see how their guesses stacked up with what actually happened. They decided that it would end up with . . . USC first . . . UCLA second . . . Oregon State third .... Washington fourth .... Oregon fifth .... Wash ington State sixth . . . California seventh . . . Stanford eighth . . . Montana ninth . . . and Idaho tenth. It isn't hard to pick up their mistakes for a second guess job. But, disregarding other choices they did pick the Ducks for fifth place, which is pretty close . . . unless you believe like the guy who says, “close counts only in dancing.” Stump Rated Oregon fifth The Portland Oregonian’s ace predictor, A1 Stump, a writer who definitely knows an adjective when he sees one, also tabbed the Ducks for fifth place. And that was the way that it went, with the Webfoots generally conceded a spot in the lower di vision neighborhood. Now that the time has come for the All-American and All Coast teams to begin to make their appearance on the sports pages, how do the Webfoots stack up in that department? That one isn’t hard to answer. Not so good, and the reasons are obvious. There have been fine individual performances in Oregon’s ball games this year, but no second division team is liable to have its roster clogged with All-American or All Coast choices. A ball player just about has to be the best of a great ball club, not the best of a mediocre outfit if he is to gain any recognition. That is just one of many reasons why guys like Jake Leicht and Duke Iversen will be lucky to rate a small nod from the selectors. Lack of Fumbles Saturday Remarkable One of the most remarkable things about that Oregon Oregon State game Saturday was the lack of fumbles in what should have been a game with fumbles galore. Bell field was an ankle deep muck-hole throughout the game, and it rained the larger portion of the afternoon—but in spite of this there were only two mis-cues. all day. Oregon State's Bob Stevens being the guilty party in both cases. His first was with two minutes left in the fourth quarter and tTie second with 20 seconds left in the ball game. Oregon’s Jim Newquist let one go early in the game, but the ball was dead at the time and thus did not count as an official. Jayvee Courtmen Roll Over Pirates 68 to 46 By FRED TAYLOR Oregon’s junior varsity basket ball squad eontinued their winning ways by rolling over the Coos Bay Pirates 68-46 last night on Mc Arthur court in a city league con test. The jayvees square off against the Richfield Oilers tonight in the closing session at 9 p. m. on the same floor. Using the same racehorse style of play that has stood them in stead in two past performances, the JVs wasted no time in getting the scoring activities underway. After Ty Lovelace missed a free try, Center Dan Ducich layed the ball up for two points and' then fol lowed with another, and that set the lads off. They got three points more on a gift toss and a field goal, while the Pirates countered with three of their own to bring the score up to within four points of the youngsters, but this was as close as they got all night. In rapid fire Paul Sowers hit for a charity, a rebound, and his fa vorite one-hander from outside the key, to lengthen the margin, and from then on it was 'easy sailing. The Pirates, whose roster listed three men on the sick role, didn’t have a chance of stemming the green onrush, as the Juniors cast off fast and furious. Keeping the ball constantly on the move, never giving the defense a chance to get settled, they connected for 18 shots out of 32 tries the first half. 10 Point Lead These tactics boosted the lead to ten points, making the score 26-16 with five minutes to go before the half, and then the JVs really ex ploded. Before the game Pirates could slow down the onslaught the fast-breaking quintet hit for seven straight baskets, rocketing the count up to 40-16 as the half ended. The second half saw the Pirates attempt a comeback, but they man aged only once to break down the margin of 20 points. Although matching the Jayvees basket for basket a good share of the way during the second stanza they didn’t have a hope of catching up. Action in the latter stages of the game slowed down considerably, as Coach Ted Schopf worked in numerous substitutions. A long shot by Don Gassoway, followed by a free throw and an other long one chopped down the lead to 17 markers, but a one handed swisher by sub-center Ed Devaney, and a tip-in by Jerry Switzer lengthened the string again. Ironically, high point man for the contest was a Pirate, George Juggins, who registered 12 points. This was largely due to the con stant shifting of the lineup of the Junior team. Lineups: Jayvees Pirates Lovelace (3) ...F....(7) B. Huggins Hamilton (5) ..F (7) Gassoway Ducich (8) .C (10) Stamper Sowers (9) .G (12) G. Huggins Kirsch (7) .G.(2) Smith Substitutions: For Jayvees: Don (10), Bocchi (9), Howell (4), Seeborg, Bacelleri, Devaney (3), Henderson (4), Hol loman, Switzer (6). ..For Pirates: Waite (6), Larson (2), Terry. Volleyball The Figis dropped Sigma Nil in the lone B league intramural vol leyball tilt yesterday 15 to 2 and 15 to 10. After smothering Sigma Nu in the initial canto with a fine display of defensive ball handling, the Figis went on to win the second heat 15-10 and gain the decision. Competition was snagged in other quarters as five forfeits were called. The following teams gained the nod because their opponents failed to appear: Beta Theta Pi over Yeomen; Theta Chi over Min turn hall (D); Villard over Legal Eagles; Omega over Merrick hall (E); Campbell Club over Minturn hall (DD). Red Blaik Denies Resignation Rumor West Point, N. Y., Nov. 25— —Earl (Ked) Blaik, head coach of the Army football team, to night denied reports that he planned to resign following the Army-Navy game and return to his previous post as coach of the Darthmouth college eleven. Asked to comment on one such report, appearing in the New York Sun, Blaik said: “There is no foundation or fact in the story at all. It’s the first I’ve heard of it.” The Sun said that it “under stood” that Blaik would be suc ceeded by Brig. Gen. Robert Ney land, now head coach at Tennes see. Contacted at Knoxville, Ney land’s reply was: “No comment. West Point of ficials have not contacted me.” Santa knows what children want — Not Toys — but lovable animals from Oregon Trail Pet Corral 35 W. 11th Phone 3284 Wharton Stables Saddle horses for hire. English or western instruc tions. Classes Monday and Wednesday 'evenings. Private lessons in the afternoon. Plorses boarded and trained. Stop in any time at the barn at the south side of the indoor riding ring at Eugene fairgrounds. LEE AND IVY WHARTON Proprietors The Fairgrounds. Phone 5987-J. Why Go North to Travel East? STUDENTS Make reservations now and be assured a seat on Trail ways East bound busses through Bend, Burns, Ontario, Boise, Salt Lake City and all Eastern Points Busses leave Eugene 8 A. M. and 7 P. M. Trailways Bus System "A Friendly Line" Depot 957 Pearl H. H. Givan, Agent Phone 5408 HOGAN'S GROCERY and COOK'S MARKET 544 E. 13th Phone 2066