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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 17, 1950)
DUCK TRACKS By SAM FIDMAN f Emerald Sports Editor Befoie a tear-choked crowd of nearly 40,000 University stu dents, townspeople, and visiting celebrities, Mas “Ironthumb” Namdit stepped down after 3.194 consecutive games of pin ball— with the hope that the sport to which he devoted his youth would survive in this dark age of physical dissipation and easy tilts." So came the report from Ivan Jones, our optometrist friend with the beard, red spats, and a copy of the Manifesto in his brief. After appropriate addresses by Senators, the University pres ident, and the athletic director, Larrupin’ Mas, with his easy going midwestern stride, ambled to the microphone and deliv ered a speech that is destined to go down in athletic history. Before the pressure of a coast-to-cbast hook-up, television and newsreel cameras, and the popping of flashbulbs, Ironthumb re tained his composure until midyaw through his talk. 1 hen the big fellow broke down and wept uncontrollably be fore the emotion-swept crowd. His Poor, Old Mother Between sobs, he told his admirers and well-wishers that “All I am today, I own to my-poor, old mother. I shall always remember the g'ood people of the communitv, the student body and the faculty. Without the support of all of them, my achievements would have been a hollow triumph— every game would have been a tilt on the first ball.” Let it ever be remembered that it was through Ironthumb's influence that pin ball broke into the University’s intramural program. Then, with meteoric speed, the sport grew to major letter, varsity proportions, and was absorbed into the Northern Division’s family of athletics. Known as the father of organized pin ball, Ironthumb said that he would not go into pro play. Lie intends to follow through on a business venture that entails the production of pint-sized deep freezes which will be sold to aid college students in cooling their exams. Tilt—On the Last Ball Although Ironthumbs holds every known record in the ND, PCC, and NCAA, he still can well recall the only competitive de feat in his long career. It was back in 1948 when Oregon State won, 7, 360,000 to 6, 940,000. Playing on a Gottlieb machine, Ironthumbs titled on the last ball. Since that day, he has competed only on Chicago Coin crea tions—which have come to be the standard collegiate competi tion choice. When Ivan finished his story about the master of pin ball, he acquired a puzzled, beetle-brow expression. After a long drag on Ahis gold-tipped, imperial Russian cigarette, he asked if one Tom' Hughes had accomlpished very much in his five years at Oregon. In order to answer Ivan fairly, we dug into several back issue Emeralds. Following are a smattering of quotations from a series of two features that appeared on consecutive publishing dates, May 5 and 6, 1949. “In the training room, void of the satisfaction of personal pub licity, it is not so much the individual sport as it is the individual I athlete that counts. “As the only full time employee in the varsity training room, easy-going Tom Hughes has to be doctor, psychologist, and in venter, rolled into one, as well as an excellent trainer. We Hope He Lands a Good Job “The story of the massive sweat-box in the training room re flects Tom’s ingenuity. The physical plant built the box, accord ing- to Tom's specifications, out of marine plywood. Total cost to the University was $48; a metal sweat-box would have drained Oregon funds to the tune of $600. “Hughes came to Oregon directly from the Los Angeles Dons of the All-America conference, and in his time here has gained favor in the eyes of both athlets and coaches. “When he graduated from Purdue in 1945, Tom was awarded the medal which goes to the outstanding student both athletic ally and scholastically, each year.” We pointed out to Ivan that we hoped these few quotations, selected from a comparatively vast field, would help make it easier for Tom to land the really good training job that he is cap able of handling. Distinguished Woman Writer Speaker at Annual Matrix Table By CAROL JONES Reporter, foreign correspondent, columnist, free-lance writer, and novelist—that’s the record of Charlotte Paul Groshell, who will speak at Theta Sigma Phi’s annual Matrix Table, at 6:30 p.m. Thurs day in Carson Hall. Mrs. Groshell was awarded, by the Washington State Press Club, first prize for the most distin guished reporting in the weekly newspaper field last year. She is co-publisher, with her husband, of a weekly newspaper in Washing ton. The speaker was assistant for eign editor for the Chicago Daily Times for two years. During part of that time, she acted as foreign editor. She served as foreign correspon dent in Central America for the Times in 1941. Magazine Contributor During the war the journalist wrote a weekly column for the Seattle Times. Her articles have appeared in Esquire, Coronet, Pageant, Mc Call’s, Good Housekeeping, and other magazines. For three years she was on the editorial staff of Coronet-Esquire. Mrs. Groshell’s first novel, “Hear My Heart Speak,” was recently published. It is featured as one club’s “book-of-the-month.” Vassar Graduate ' A graduate of Vassar College, Mrs. Groshell in 1937 won first prize in the Atlantic Monthly na tional collegiate short story con test. Invitations to the Matrix Table have been extended to women journalists throughout the state and on the University campus, as Banquet A/lay 24 To Honor Radio Award Winners Luke Roberts, education director for station KOIN in Portland, will be guest speaker at the radio awards banquet next Wednesday at the Anchorage. Five leading students in Univer sity radio work will be honored at the banquet with the presentation of trophies by Eugene radio sta tions and the Richfield Reporter. The awards for the outstanding female performer of the year will be made by KORE; for the out standing male performer, KERG; best writer, KASH; foremost per son in radio production, KUGN; and outstanding achievement award, the Richfield Reporter. Candidates were nominated by popular vote of students, with the winners to be chosen by the indi vidual stations and the Richfield Reporter. Tickets to the banquet will be available later this week, Chair man Alan Hicks said Tuesday. Millinery Concern Seeks Graduates A national millinery merchan dising concern is seeking gradu ates for retail merchandising, ac cording to Karl W. Onthank, Graduate Placement Director. Both men and women are eligi ble for merchandising manage ment positions in large department stores, Onthank reported. A train ing program is offered by the com pany. Further information may be ob tained by contacting Onthank at the Placement Office, 216 Emer ald Hall. well as to Eugene clubwomen and faculty wives. Margaret Reid, president of The ta Sigma Phi, women’s national journalism honorary, is in charge of arrangements. AWS Congress Meet AWS Congress will meet at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Men’s Lounge of Gerlinger. Barbara Ste venson, AWS president, has asked all women’s living organizations to elect their representatives before the meeting and not to send an al ternate. YES, WE DO ALTERATIONS AND REPAIRS “ATTENTION” STUDENTS ALL CASH REGISTER RECEIPTS MUST B ETURNED IN TO THE CO-OP BY MAY 25th PLEASE observe the following requirements: 1. Add and total your receipts on envelope provided by the Co-op. 2. Turn in only one envelope. If another is required please staple together. 3. Leave your envelopes at the cashier's window on or before May 25th. This is the absolute deadline. 4. Be sure your name, home address and member ship number is on your envelope. 5. Patronage refund will only be paid to students with memberships on record at the Co-op. 6. I he patronage refund will be paid in cash begin ning Monday, June 5th. Please come in on or after this date during exam week to pick up your refund. 7. 1 he percentage of refund will be announced after June 1st. U. of O. CO-OP