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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 5, 1947)
I DUCK TRACKS I By BILL STRATTON j There has been a shake-up in the University of Oregon Ath letic department, and Duck fans are looking- forward to a more successful year in athletics. Leo Harris was named athletic JIM AIKEN director, replacing the athletic board which administered Ore gon athletics from 1934 to 1946. Tex Oliver resigned as head football coach and dynamic Jim Aiken takes over with a new staff of assistants. Before coming to Oregon, Aiken coached the high-scor ing Nevada eleven for eight years, and his team was second in the nation last year in passing—working from the “T” formation. He will use that system at Oregon this season with Norm Van Brocklin slinging the pig skin from the quarterback slot. Working under bull voiced Jim are two assistants who have played and coached under him—Line Coach Dick Miller and Backfield Coach Frank Zazula. “Honest John” Warren remains on the staff as assistant coach and Crl Heldt, who had a successful year as coach of the LaPorte, Indiana, high school team, has been signed as freshman coach. Kirsch to Assist Hobby In the other sports. Howard Hobson .remains as basketball and baseball coach, with Don Kirsch recently signed to work under him as assistant mentor. Kirsch has worked under Hobson for three years and he is thoroughly familiar with the Hobson system. Hobby has been a consistent winner in the Northern Division in both basketball and baseball, and his record need not be outlined for anybody who is a follower of Webfoot sports. There will be no rest for Warren. He will serve as an assistant to Aiken, and coach the varsity swimming team before football season is completed. Colonel Bill Hayward was retired as head track coach last season after serving at Oregon for 44 years, and Warren will occupy his time during the spring season as Hayward's successor ... a big job without two other coaching positions. Paul Washke will pr jbably tutor the Duck tennis team, and Sid Milligan will coach the Northern Division defending cham pion Oregon golf team—which should be even stronger this year. Ducks Point for Longhorns, Aggies Interest is presently focused on me coming football season, and it should be a bang-up affair. '1 lie Ducks have a 10 game schedule beginning September 20. and running through to the Oregon State game November 22 with mt a weekend off. Furth* ermore, Duck fans will enjoy the heaviest home schedule in years —five games in Eugene and two in Portland. In the eyes of Oregon supporters, two games on this sche dule are of prime importance. They ar ■ Texas and Oregon State. The Longhorn fracas in Portland is a return engage ment postponed because of the war, and Aiken has assured us that there will be no repeat performance o, 71 to 7 shellack ing handed the Ducks in 1941. Oregon Sta\.e has been rated one of the top teams on the coast this year by Aiken. The locals have failed to register a victory over the /_gb,cs since 1940, but this might be the year to break the jinx. Spring Line Averages 209 Pounds Just a glimpse at what Aiken has must "ed in the way of material. During spring practice he fielded a first string line that averaged 209 pounds. Dan Garza, who was shelved last year because of injuries, should be one of the top ends on the coast this year if his spring performances are any indication. Brad Ecklund, who was Oliver's regular center last year, is showing remarkable improvement, and he should be the backbone of the Duck line. The backfield will be headed by Jake Leicht. who has recov ered from the injuries that plagued him last year, and Norm Van ^ Brocklin. who saw little action last year, but is a fine passer who works well into the Aiken system. Stafford Posts Impressive Record in Links Tourneys LOU STAFFORD . . . Duck Links King Michigan Course Rough For Webfoat Divoters University of Oregon’s 1947 Northern Division golf champions placed 17th in the NCAA finals at Ann Arbor, Michigan, but Lou Stafford salvaged some satisfac tion for the Webfoots when he ad vanced to the semi-finals in the na tional collegiate tourney. Stafford beat four of the na tion’s best golfers over the 6,600 yard Wolverine course before meet ing Dave Barclay in his own back yard. Lou got off to a bad start and was two down at the turn. He ral lied on the last nine, but three put ted’ the 14th hoie, and Barclay took advantage to cinch the match oir the 17th. The other members of the Duck team -Glen Spivey, Rod Taylor,. Dom Provost, George Kikes, and; Jim Dunahoo—failed to qualify for* match play. Medalist at Eugene Two weeks later, Stafford came to Eugene as a representative of the Eastmoreland (Portland) golf team and won medalist honors in. the Willamette Valley Golf associa tion tournament with 138, four un der par for the 36 holes at Laurel wood and Eugene country club. Rod Taylor was runner-up for medalist honors. The following week, Stafford en tered the Pacific Northwest Solf association’s tournament in Port land with three other members of the 1947 Oregon team—Glenn Spi vey, Bob Sederstrom, and George Kikes. Stafford was medalist for the tourney with 138, but he fal tered in the second round and lost to Ernie Jonson of Seattle. Frosh Vaulter George Rasmussen Paces Oregon's Traveling Circus Two Firsts in Four Top Cinder Contests Oregon’s traveling track circus has returned to its permanent headquarters in Eugene after com peting on tracks from Lincoln, Ne braska, to San Francisco, Califor nia. At the NCAA track and field championships at Salt Lake City, George Rasmussen gained a tie for first place in the poel vault with a leap of 14 feet. The other Oregon freshman sensation, Dave Hen thorne, was beaten bv more exper ienced men in the qualifyng heats, but he was rated as a definite threat for future meets by visiting coaches. High Jumper Bill Beifuss, captain of the 1946 Oregon team, had trouble with the muddy take off area and went out at 6-feet 4 inches. Compete in PCC-Big Nine The aforementioned trio was chosen by Brutus Hamiiton of Cal ifornia to compete in the PCC-Big Nine meet at San Francisco a week later. Rasmussen placed second at 13-feet 6-inches. Beifuss finished in a tie for second place in the high jump, and Henthorne was beaten in the 100 and 220. The next week a quartet of Ore gonians — Rasmussen, Henthorne, Les Steers, and Lyle Dickey—jour neyed to Lincoln for the AAU championships. Steers tied for sec ond in the high jump, Henthorne placed fourth in the 100-meter race, Rasmussen tied for third in the pole vault, and Dickey tied for fifth in the junior division of the pole vault. A pair of Duck vaulters, Ras GEORGE RASMUSSEN . .. Frosh Pole Vault Sensation mussen and Don Pickens, entered the Canadian national track cham pionships. Rasmussen copped first in the pole vault and second in th& high hurdles. Pickens placed third in the pole vault.