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Howard Hobson (canter). University baseball manager from 1936 to 1947, saw the Ducks win division ti
tles in 1939, 1941-43 and 1946.
Baseball glory thing of the past
j Budget cuts 11
years ago ended
campus’ oldest,
award-winning sports
program
By Mat! Bender
TmafaW Contributor
On May 14, 1981, tho Oregon
varsity baseball team lost more
than .1 doubleheudor to Wash
ington — the Ducks lost their
program.
The doublehoader was bitter
sweet lor Duck left fielder Steve
Crum The sophomore hit his
14th bonus run of the season —
tying a school record ~ on his
last day in a Duck uniform
"I loved DC), and I loved
baseball," Crum said. "I didn't
want to leave Oregon I had to "
At the time, the athletic de
partment was in this reef and
looking for a way to trim its
budget baseball, men's gym
nastics, women's soccer and
women's golf were all ct.t in
the spring of 1981.
Since the cut. the only base
ball team on campus has been a
club team Instead of playing
Pacific-10 Conference teams
like Washington and Oregon
State, the club team faces the
likes of Lane Community Col
Urge and Western Baptist and
has to car pool lo games.
When the varsity baseball
program was cut. il was the
oldest sport on campus. It is
unclear when the first game
was played, hul old photo
graphs und school yearbooks
tracts the s)x>rt track to the late
19th century.
In 1918, Oregon was among
tho founding members of tho
Pactftc Coast Conference,
which is now the Pac-10. Thu
Ducks were later put into thu
Northern Division in 1923 with
rivals Washington. Washington
State and Oregon Stale.
Oregon won its first Northern
Division title in 1928 and
would go on to win it again in
1934. 1935, 1937 and 1939
In 1934 and 1935 the Ducks
were led by one of the greatest
athletes lo ever attend Oregon,
second baseman Joe Cordon.
After starring for Oregon,
Cordon went on the play for
the New York Yankees and
Cleveland Indians Cordon was
an all-star in nine of his 11 big
league seasons and played on
seven world championship
Pho«> cou/iMy of Th« Regaior Gu*nJ
In 1934 and 1935, tha Ducka wara lad by ona ot tha graatast athlataa
to avar attend Oregon, second baseman Joa Cordon.
Icu ms
In 1942. Gordon had his fin
usl season, hitting .322 with 1H
home runs and 103 RBIs That
year Gordon bout out Tod Wil
I i a m s for the American
League's MVP award, quite a
feat, considering Williams won
the triple crown that year.
Although Cordon's numbers
are Impressive — a .268 aver
age with 253 homo runs and
975 KBIs for a career — he is
not in the Baseball Hall of
Fame. Gordon still has a chance
to make the hall if he Is voted
in off the old-timers list.
After Gordon loft in 1935, the
baseball team was led by anoth
er legend, coach Howard Hob
son. Most fans know Hobson as
the man who coached the 1939
Oregon basketball team in its
NCAA championship season,
but Hobson also was the base
ball manager from 1936 to
1947.
Under Hobson the Ducks
won division titles in 1939.
1941-43 and 1946
In 1948 Don Kirsh took over
as the coach of the Ducks. In
iho 1950s, Kirsh put together
some very gt>od teams, which
feutured All-Americans Earl
Averill and George Shaw.
Shaw played on the 1954
club that won the NCAA Dis
trict 8 championship and went
on to lake seventh place at the
College World Series.
After the strong clubs of the
1950s, the Ducks won only
throe more Northern Division
championships under Kirsh.
The last division champion
Kirsh coached was the 1964
squad, which won a school re
cord of 31 games.
Mel Krause then took over
the program in 1971 and won
division titles in 1972 and
1974.
In 1972, Duck All-American
shortstop Dave Roberts was se
lected as the collegiate player
of the year Aftur the season.
Roberts was picked in the first
round of the draft by the San
Diego Padres.
Roberts also played with Tex
Tum to BASEBALL. Page 9