T>ucA
By John Whitty
\\ itli tlic advent of better weather (?) and the lengthening of
the •lay.'', a young man’s or woman’s fancy turns to spring
sports, especially baseball, (’outecjnently, Oregon’s baseball
coach, I ton Kirscli, has already been conducting workouts fof
his 1952 varsity and junior varsity prospects.
The workouts arc being held in the unfinished area of the
men’s physical education building, three days every week. As
yet there has been no work on anything except pitching and
hitting, with some emphasis on general conditioning.
\\ itli the start of organized full-scale practice on March 3,
C oach Kirscli will begin looking over the candidates for the
starting nine. The first game i- scheduled for Monday, March
21, against Stanford on the Indian's home diamond.
Barnstorm Trip Set for Basketball Team
'I he Stanford game is the first in a series of three contests
to be played that week by the diamond stpiad against Califor
nia teams. The other two games arc with California on March
25, an<| San Jose State on March 27. All of the tilts are to be
i played while the Ducks arc touring Southern California.
According to Kirsch, he knows of no other Northern Di
vision baseball team which has ever tried a barnstorming trip
of this sort before. The results of the jaunt will be interesting,
but perhaps not too satisfactory to the Oregon fans, since the
games will be the first of the season for the Webfoots.
I lie baseball mentor also expressed hi- satisfaction with the
new batting net, the first one which ha ever been used by an
< h'cgfin nine. The net hangs from the ceiling of the unfinished
area ami divides it into two lanes about 15 feet wide, in which
arc the pitcher, catcher and a hitter.
The advantages of the net are two-fold. First, it nearly
triples the amount of pre-season hitting which is possible.
Secondly*, the pitching staff has the oportunity of throwing to
batter- from the start of the season, rather than being forced
to merely warm up with a catcher for the first six weeks of
practice.
Kirsch Says Beavers Favored
Kirscli says that the hitting of the team is the phase of the
game which requires the most practice to perfect, and that after
he is satisfied with the halting performance, he will still have
plenty of time to drill his charges on fielding and base-running,
as well as correcting the weaknesses of his mound staff.
In reference to the Northern Division race this year, Kirsch
staled that Oregon State would probably be picked to win the
title, but that the Heavers will receive stiff competition from
both Washington ami Washington State.
The Beavers won the conference championship last year, and
their club is almost intact, since they lost only two regulars
- from the ’51 team. Gene Tanselli, outstanding shortstop for
coach Ralph Colemen’s nine last year was lost by graduation, as
• was first baseman Don Taylor.
In speaking of this year’s Oregon team, Kirsch indicated
tlntt the team will be strong in some places and weak in others.
The pitching will be uncertain, since a largo part of the mound
staff will be composed of freshmen and sophomores.
With the loss of starting catcher Jack Smith to the Pittsburg
Pirates professional baseball team last summer, the chores
behind the plate will he taken care of by five men, letterman
- Joe Segura and Norval Ritchey, sophomore Don Hedgepeth,
and freshmen Ron Bottler and Xeal Marlett.
Prospects for 1952 Duck Nine
The outfield is strong. Leading the fly-chasers will he Karl
AveriH, XI) hatting champ last year. Karl made the All-Coast
team, as well as gaining All-American honors for his prowess.
Also returning will be returning outfielders Lee Alvord and
Duane Owens.
In the infield, Kirsch, has 1950 XI) bat champ Darvle Nel
- son to hold down the keystone sack, letterman Phil Settecase at
first base, and Nick Schmer, a one-year letter-winner, for tlie
. third base position. Nelson also was an All-Coast selection
last year.
- A number of freshmen have already turned out for the team,
among them George Shaw, football letter-winner, Norman
Forbes, a pitcher from Victoria, B.C., and Pete Williams, an
all-state shortstop from the state champion Grant high school
. team of last season.
W hen asked to give his opinion on the college ball players
who leave school for professional baseball, Kirsch replied that
• lie believed that they were making a mistake. He pointed out
that boys whose experience previous to college ball has been
. confined to summer play around, the state would be competing
against other prospects from climates where baseball is played
Pie year round, and their consequent lack of experience would
hurt their chances in professional baseball.
Ex-Portlond High Schooler
Provides UO with Depth
By Martin Meadows
One- of only three seniors on the Oregon basketball squad,
Jim \ ranizaii is winding up his hoop career, seeking his third
bloc k "O” award as a member of the Webfoot team.
Although the 6’ 4" business administration major graduated
from Central Catholic high school of Portland in 1 In- did
not enroll at Oregon until 1948,
due to an 18-month hitch he served
in Uncle Sarn'n army.
While in the service Jim was
stationed in Japan for eight
months. He performed for the
Fort Ord hoop team which finish
ed second in the Sixth Army's dis
trict tournament. Vrantzan earned
the most valuable player award
for the playoffs.
In high school Jim spent three
yearn on the varsity and led his
team to the state tournament in
1946. It was during that name
season that he established what
was then a new scoring for Cen
tral.
Jim's other major sports interest
s skiing. In 1946 he helped win the
Dartmouth trophy for Central;
JIM YKAMZYN
this award is given annually to
the top high school ski team in
Oregon.
The lanky senior participated
in tennis while in high school, ar ;l
also is a fair golfer, generally
shooting in the low 80’s.
During his three years on the
Webfoot varsity Jim has provided
much-needed reserve strength with
his height and ability on the back
boards. He doesn't score much, but
he makes up for this with his de
fensive talent.
Bowling . . .
Sigma Alpha Mu won three
points from Phi Kappa Sigma.
Beta Theta Pi won four points
from Kappa Sigma.
Pi Kappa Alpha won three
points from French hall.
High scorers: game Dick Pat
rick, 213. Series: Patrick, 502, Ken
Ireland, 528.
Cherney hall won four points
from Phi Kappa Psi.
High scorers: game Bob Rich
ardson, 203. Scries: Bill Bauer, 512.
SPORTS STAFF
Desk Editor: Larry Lavelle.
Staff: Bill Gurney, Norm Webb,
Bill Brandsness, Martain Meadows.
Kircher Favors Roses;
But Not WSC in '52
PORTLAND, Ore. (U.R) A1 Kir
cher, new head football coach at
Washington State College, say's
he’s all in favor of the Rose Bowl
but he doesn’t know yet whether
his highly-touted 1952 Cougar
grid machine will make it.
“We have an awfully tough
schedule,” Kircher told WSC alum
ni here yesterday, "Ten tough ball
games, with only one open date.
How anyone can put is Pasadena
with such a rugged job ahead is
more than I can see.”
The Cougars go all-out for the
bigtime this year, tackling South
ern California, Stanford, Baylor,
Ohio State, Oregon State, Oregon,
Idaho, California, Oklahoma A&M
md Washington in order.
Kircher and his chief aide, Dan
Snavely, moved on to Vancouver,
Wash., for another session with
supporters.
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