It may be spring, when a young man's fancy lightly turns
to thoughts of baseball, but the weatherman hasn’t been*too
consistent in cooperating, so a final look—or preview—of bas
ketball is in order.
Oregon’s Bill Borcher recently attended a meeting of
national hoop coaches held in conjunction with the NCAA
championship at Kansas City in which the basketball bosses
considered rule change suggestions from sources varying
from AAU officials to high school mentors.
“As Johnny McKay says,” Borcher commented, “the game
is getting to the point where it can he dominated by one big
man. something which can't happen in football or other team
sports." Borcher said the new rules suggested by the coaches
might do something to eliminate this domination, but that
the game will still probably revolve around the big men.
Key Lane Widened
Probably the most discussed of the revisions is the switch
in the foul lane to the 12 foot alley now used by the profes
sional hoopers. The change will make the present keyhole
shaped lane a block U.
“The new rule will definitely be a help to teams against
big men,” Borcher said. “With the three-second rule and
the old lane we had to try to keep the big man from getting
the ball, putting our big man between him and the outside
men, but giving him an excellent shot once he got it. Now
we’ll be able to put our defensive boy between the big man
and the basket and the tall fellow will be about three feet
farther from the basket than he is now.”
The Duck coach said he doesn’t think the revision will hurt
Oregon State’s giant, Wade Halbrook. “If the change were
put in two years ago it would have crippled him." Borcher
commented, “but he’s a lot more improved now. and the only
thing that it will stop are those high pass and dunk shots
and the hat-ins of his teammates’ tries. It will make him work
on his shooting, though.”
Tip-in Chances Reduced
The lane widening probably will cut down on the missed
free throw tip-ins, too, which Oregon’s Jim Loscutoff capital
ized on this year. “But if the officials don’t watch the lines
closely, the fellows will start sneaking across.” Borcher said.
As for a recent remark by Coach Phil Woolpert of the
University of San Francisco Dons, NCAA champions, that
a repaint job on the free throw lines would help his big
man, All-American Bill Russell. Borcher said that he could
n’t see that. The USF mentor told reporters that Russell
had been bottled up in the lane this year and that the re
vision will give him some working room. “He’s still got
the three-minute rule to contend with,” the Webfoot coach
said.
As for effects on Oregon’s 1955-56 edition by the new ruling,
P.oj-cher felt that there would be no strain involved in the
switch-over. “We played 12-14 games on our road trip to the
Orient with the 12-foot lane last summer,” he said,.“and
we had no trouble. We used our post men and cut and drove
all we wanted.”
Stalling Rule Changed
One change which might hamper the Ducks, however, is
the rule regarding dribbling to stall. The revision states that
a jump hall may he called when an offensive man is dribbling,
as well a.- holding the hall, if challenged by a defensive man
for 30 seconds. Previously the rule applied only in holding
the hall. This may eliminate some of the fancy dribbling dis
plays that have characterized last-minute stalls.
The coaches watched the NCAA playoffs, but Borcher
wouldn’t compare Russell and Tom Gola, the big La Salle
All-American who has been characterized by many as the
greatest the game has ever had.
“I classify basketball players into three groups,” said
Borcher. “Little men are up to about 6’ 2”. From 6’ 3” to 6’ 8”
are medium players and big men start at 6’ 9” and go on up.
It’s foolish to expect a little man to do a good job checking
a medium man, so why should you try to compare a medium
man against a big man ? (Russell is 6’ 9^4”; Gola stands 6’ 7”.)
They’re both great; Russell just has the height.”
Six Teams Triumph
In Intramural Ooener
Spring intramural sports kicked
off the lid Monday with six teams
winning first round softball games
and getting a head start on the
rest of the field.
Phi Delta Theta edged Beta
Theta Pi 4-3, Sigma Nu walloped
Delta Upsilon 22-4, Sigma Chi
smothered Delta Tau Delta 11-0,
Tau Kappa Epsilon bounced Phi
-——■—
Mishaps Dog
Star Players
NEW YORK (AP)—There have
been no sports-shaking accidents
this spring but baseballs train
ing season has not been devoid
of injuries, ailments and other
mishaps to major league players.
Milt Bolling's fractured left
elbow. Vic Raschi's damaged
back, Curt Simmons’ pulled left
I shoulder muscle, Don Larsen’s
, bursitis in the right shoulder,
Duane Pillette's spurred elbow,
Solly Drake’s broken leg and
j Dick Murphy's fractured left
! forearm are the most serious of
: more than two dozen assorted!
| injuries in training camp drills
, and exhibitions.
Broken Bones
Other injuries and accidents in
; elude Bobby Young’s broken toe,
i Eddie Fitzgerald's broken index
finger, Bobby Shantz' beaning on
i top of arm soreness, Cass Mich
ael's collapse from overwork,
Herb Score’s bursitis of the knee
and Marv Blaylick’s shin splints.
In addition, several athletes
sustained pulled muscles while
j numerous pitchers, including
Brooklyn’s Karl Spooner and
Billy Loes, Boston's Bill Henry,
Baltimore's Harry Byrd and Ray
Moore, Milwaukee's Ray Crone
and Joey Jay and the New York
Giants’ Joe Margoneri, suffered
, sore arms or lame elbows.
Bolling’s elbow fracture in a
• collision with the Cardinals' Dick I
I Rand March 23 was a cruel blow
| to the Red Sox hopes of finishing
I in the first division. The young
; shortstop will be out for about
| eight weeks.
Kaschi Improving
He had shown Manager Frank
Higgins enough in the first dozen
exhibition games to be regarded
as the regular shortstop.
Raschi, suffering from a lame
back and misery in the lumbar
region, has not pitched an inning
in the exhibitions. The veteran
Cardinal pitches, however, is
showing signs of coming around
and may be able to pitch by the
time the season gets under way.
Turner Whips
Gene Fullmer
BROOKLYN (AP)—Comeback
ing Gil Turner of Philadelphia un
leashed a blistering body assault
Monday night to hand Gene "Cy
clone” Fullmer the first defeat of
the Utah scrapper’s pro career at
Eastern Parkway arena.
Turner floored Fullmer in the
sixth round en route to a unani
mous 10-round decision. Fullmer
weighed 154, Turner 151.
The 23-year-old Fullmer had
won 29 straight and was a 13-10
favorite Monday night. Turner, in
the greatest shape he has been in
close to a year, chalked up his
fifth straight triumph since he
was kayoed by A1 Andrews last
September.
The 24-year-old Philadelphian
wore down the strong Westerner
with a terrific body barrage and
then dumped the Cyclone for a
nine-count in the sixth round. It
was the first time Fullmer ever
had been floored.
Gamma Delta 9-3, Phi Kappa Pal
closed off Sigma Phi Epsilon 3-2,
and Chi Psi crushed Sigma Alpha
Mu 9-2.
Phi Delta It..11
Ted Larsen hurled the win for
the Phi Delta and Phil McHugh
socked a two-run single in the sec
ond for the big blow. The Phi Delta
added two more in the fourth for
the winning margin.
The Betas tied the game
briefly In the fourth aa Del
Lewellyn and Dick Vun Allen
scored. Boyd Hurrla homered us
first up In the fifth, but the
Betas couldn’t push In another
run.
Sigma Nu scored 16 runs in the
third inning as they rolled over
Delta Upsilon. Nick Markulis
pitched the distance for Sigma Nu
and blasted four-for-four, includ
ing a homer and two triples.
Rich Butler tossed a masterful
one-hit shutout as Sigma Chi
blanked Delta Tau Delta. Butler
gave up the single hit in the first
inning. His Sig mates gave him
good support, scoring six times in
the first frame.
Tekes Triumph
Tau Kappa Epsilon bounced Phi
Gamma Delta behind the hurling
of Jerry Madden. The Tekes
Sports Staff
Desk Editor: Buzz Nelson.
Staff: Jerry Claussen, Jack
Wilson, Doug May. .
scored four times in the first and
added three more in the fifth. Yojt
Matsushima hit a triple and Burt
Olson u double for the victors.
1‘hl Kappa INI squeezed past
Sigma Phi Kpsllon on the
strength of a two-run triple by
Boh Kut>es. Larry Anderson of
Phi INI hooked up In u mound
duel with Mike O'Hara of the
Slg Kps.
Chi Pal was sparked by the
bases loaded double of Walt
Lovell. Dick Bates added a two-on
triple to fatten the score..
IM Schedule
Tuesday
Softball
3:50 Phi Kappa Stgrna vs. Kappa
Sigma, north field;
I-ambda Chi Alpha vs. Sig
ma Alpha Epsilon, south
field;
Nestor hall va. Chcrney
hall, upper field.
4:55 French hall vs. Straub
Frosh, north field;
Sedcrstrom hall vs Gamma
hall, south field;
Barrister * Inn vs. Alpha
hall, upper field.
Tennis
4:00 Sigma Alpha Mu vs. Se
deratrom hall, courts 4, 5, 6.
Golf
Sigma Alpha Epsilon vs.
Straub Froah.
faster (Greetings
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