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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 1948)
DUCK TRACKS “ By BOB REED Co-Sports Editor . The Oregon Webfoots take another hitch in their belt this week and prepare for the first crucial test of the season against Stanford in Palo Alto this Saturday. Two days of practice remain, one light workout probably to be held this afternoon, and another session tomorrow after * the team arrives in California. The team will leave Eugene on the 8:48 Cascade. A Key Game for Webfoots Marchie Schwartz’s gang of Indians in Palo Alto are all set for Oregon. Stanford, given a pre-season rating as just another ball club, sneaked past San Jose last week, and from all indications they are more than ready to give Oregon one whale of a battle. Aiken termed this contest a * key ball game, both from the morale standpoint and from * the victory standpoint, and he was not far wrong. Obvi “ ously, the outcome of Satur day’s game will be an import ant factor in the considera tion of prospects for the re ’ mainder of the season. Oregon should have most of - the kinks ironed out that show .ed up in the Santa Barbara tilt . by the time the Ann Arbor bat tle with Michigan draws near. Jim Aiken knows the import ance that mistakes play in a game with a highly seasoned ■ foe such as Michigan, and we <*OE MCCARTHY know that although the pressure will not be as great, he will - have his eleven alert and playing heads-up ball. Yesterday an announcement on these pages requested a big turn out at the send-off rally tonight at the station. We sincerely hope that the rally squad will not be disappointed. Too many times as this has a rally such as tonight failed to draw the enthusiasm needed. - Major League Races Still Torrid The major league pennant races ring down the curtain for * 1948 on Sunday, October 3. The World Series starts three days later in the park of the National League champions. Yet most people have almost forgotten the fact that this season has witnessed the hottest pennant races in both leagues in many years. Faced with the onrushing football season, most sports fans have turned a new interest without watching the finish of the long horsehide fight. * The champions still remain to be determined for both leagues. The Boston Braves seemed to have the title all but . cinched in the National, but in the American anything can still happen. And in big league cities like New York, Boston, and Cleveland loyal fans are not ready as yet to count their favorites out of the World Series. . Boston Still on Top Boston, managed by venerable Joe McCarthy, has a slim - one game margin over second place Cleveland. New York, in third place, is right behind the two leaders. Now, who has the best chance to come out on top. Earl Mack, son of the Philadelphia Athletic’s boss, Connie, selects New York because of their stronger pitching staff. Pitching, he says, will decide the pennant, and the Yanks with hurlers like Raschi, Shea, Reynolds, Lopat, Page, and Porterfield do * rank strong in this department. Boston and New York still have five games to be played against each other, three in Yankee stadium and two in Fenway Park in Boston. Cleveland could seize this opportunity, if the " Red Sox and Yanks divide their series, to tip-toe past both clubs and into the series. Tribe Pitching Falters But the Tribe’s front line hill starters have begun to falter in the Speed-up stretch drive, and the Indians have slowed down even more now that Lou Boudreau has slumped in his batting. The Red Sox will have to keep their fingers crossed if they hope to wind up in the series, and the Yanks will have to rely on pitching to put them on top. Meanwhile, the Cleve land crew will have to watch for a break that may or may not appear. The only sure thing is the fact that series tickets will be available. Thirteen sets of ducats have been printed to prepare for any eventuality. Freshmen Work Hard In Practice With about two weeks remaining until the first frosh football game, the process of separating the men from the boys continued last night as Coach Bill Bowerman sent his gridders through a two hour scrim mage. Two backfield units were alter nated on the offensive team. The first group consisted of Jim Calder wood, Baker, quarterback; Tommy Edwards, Klamath Falls, left half; Emile Holeman, Pendleton, right half; and George Wirtjes of Port land at fullback. Iloleman Stars Leo Gillnett, Longview, Wash., quarterbacked the other backfield of Phil Liberty, San Francisco, left half; Lew Langer, Ashland, right half; and Chuck Missfeldt, Milwau kie, fullback. Edwards and Holeman, a pair of fast, tricky scatbacks proved hard to bring down on end runs with the latter outrunning the defense three times for what would have been sure touchdowns. Langer Shows Power Right half Langer, a tackle for the up-state team in the Shriner game, looked right at home in the right half spot and evidenced both power and deception. Calderwood and Gillnett both hit their receivers consistently with fast, accurate passes. Jerry Leslie, Ashland end, was their favorite ta rp*pt Reserve Promising Bill Abbey, backfield coach, and line coach Steve Mezzera took charge of another outfit at the other end of the practice field. Chuck Dimon, halfback from Port land, and Guard Ken Kirkpatrick, Lewiston, Idaho, sparkled for the offensive squad. The Ducklings play their opener under the Multnomah field lights, October 8, against the University of Washington Pups. They travel to Corvallis to meet the Oregon otate Rooks in their second game, encounter Vanport at Portland October 30, play host to the Rooks at home November 6, and close the season in Portland November 13 against Portland University’s Frosh. Duckling Coach NEW HEAD coach for the fresh men and also varsity track coach is Bill Bowerman, up from Medford where he had a brilliant record in both sports. In 1924, Forest Peters, a fresh- | man at Montana State kicked 17 field goals in one game, a record not only for one game but for an entire season. In 1919, the first year UCLA played football, the Bruins played only high school and junior college teams, winning two games and los ing six. Former Duck Now Coach - :,.v.wx.s,.>:*<,.;^:®-,w»; , ; v.v,,,,,,,,, • . BILL ABBEY, WHO LETTERED IN football for three years, is the backfield coach for the 1948 edition of the freshmen team. He is assist ing; Bill Bowerman, head freshmen coach. Abbey played quarterback in 1945,1946 and 1947 and except for injuries would be playing this year. Vandals Fear Utah Game; Hiif By Injuries of Vital Players Idaho, defeated by Oregon State last Saturday, is not looking for ward to their game with Utah this Saturday night. They have been plagued by injuries all season, and the picture is not looking any better. Though bothered slightly before the OSC game with injuries, two of the top Vandal backs suf fered still more after that game, and both were regulars. They were big 212 pound fullback Sam Theis and veteran quarterback Russ Mof fett. Both may see some action against Utah, but it will be limited'. Another quarterback, Ted Diehl, is also on the injured list, leaving the Vandals seriously weakened in this spot. Taking over will be Jerry Diehl, brother of Ted, who lettered last year at right half. Another trouble-spot for Coach Dixie Howell is at center. The top man, Ralph Paasch, a three year letterman, is also in doubtful shape and will see little if any action. Paasch weighs 205 and has been a Vandal bulwark since entering Idaho. Adding more trouble to the Idaho mentor is a knee injury to Captain Ed McFaul, an outstanding end. He may play, but it looks very doubt-1 ful, and to make it still worse, there is no one behind him with much ex-' perience. THe reserve problem was not)1 helped by the temporary loss to the i squad of two guards who had beert counted on to see reserve action. They are Win Bishop, a lettermani* from last season, and Denny Anderson. Sports Stafl Dick Mase Dick Cramer Glenn Gillespie Bob Reed OMLID’S Golf School & Practice Range— Sheltered trees — lights for nite practice Open 12:00 noon to 10:00 p.m. (lessons if desired) 32nd and Hilyard 6784-J For the BITE That's RIGHT morning noon and . night jbel'4, 9ton Across from Sigma Nu