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About La Grande observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1959-1968 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 10, 1959)
(Observer, li Grande, Ort., Thur., Dec. 10, 1959 Page 3 I ;jl-.';x. I iI lit"1 1 lie remember "h" entire team. The list includes Kdimuul Uiuwu. Pliil Cochran, who has been in assistant instructor since his first !year. Jim Evers and Martm Ul'rard. -If the Ikbby Club hadn't started the idea when they did who knows hew long it mlRht; have tuken to yet this club start ed," Morris concluded. A wonderful page in the I.a Grande sports book minhl never have been written if it hadn't been for Hobby Club and Virgil iori. Top Quints Clash In Week End Action United Prtss Int.mational After a week o( preliminary spurring, seunthraMkod St. tanis eiterlnins fonrth ranked Ohio Slate Thnrvlat m&ht in college basketball's firt collision be tween top-rated teams this sea son The game also will feature a duel between t slron), A,. America candidates Big Hob Nordmann of St. Louis and Ohio State's Jerry l.ui-is Although only a sophomore. Lu 'cus already has lived up to nis Imtsi notices as Iho mcist buhll- cifed court star slrce Wilt Clum tx'rlain left I'hiladelplua for.' Kan sas. The 6-S center averaged 25 points a game as the Buckeyes trampled Wake Forest, Memphis State, ' Pittsburgh and Butler In their first four outings. Nordmann. a ponderous, G-lu junior center. , captivated New York fans last week when he led St. Louis to un upset victory over lor St. John's, the ltet National in vitation Tourhaifient champions. The lilllikens also whipped .'Abi lene Christum, nod Kansas State in recording a 3-0 early season record, , ; Maryland, l-ouisiana Tech, No tre Da'me and Texas Christian scored the most notable Iriunibhs on Wednesday night's slim schedule- . , . Al Butige. Maryland's 68 sen night leading center, enjoyea ine greatest of his collegiate career in the Terrapins to a 70-62 victory over Virginia. He scored 10 of Maryland's first U points and wound up with 34. Little Tony Laquintano paced Virginia with 18. j , Louisiana tech snapped Missis sippi State's 18-game winning streak, 7142. as center Jackie Moreland led the way with 16 pMnts. ; NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY Virgil Morris points with pride to the National Championship Trophy won by his Junior Rifle Club team in 1953. Morris has been associated with the team since its beginning as an outgrowth-.of a Hobby Club project in 1948. (Observer Photo) Virgil Morris Devotes Time, Energy To Junior Rifle Club 3y NEIL ANDERSEN Observer Stiff Writer "1 like to work with kids, like the way they make you think. Sometimes I wonder how I can rig up an answer fcr them." This is the way Virgil Morris explains his 11 years of training children in the use of small boreM rifles. It is also the history of the La Grande Junior Rifle Club. During those 11 years Morris has turned out a national cham pion team, state championship teams and several individual champions to add to his outstand ing record. The Junior Rifle club first came inl ) being back in 1948 ai an outgrowth of a Hobby Club acti vity. Morris, then president ot, the senior- group, was asked to give instructions in a course on maiksrr.anship for Hobby Club members. From there the pro ject. like Topsy. just grew. 1 Guides Club Morris won't take the responsi bility for the growth of the Jun ior Club, although he has guided, the club s fortunes since it was. founded. "The entire membership of the la Grando Rifle Club has been leponsible for the success of the Junior Club." Morris said. ' j And i rveccss it has boon. In 1!53, the .'.4 Grande team won the National Championship for jun iors (12-18 years). Morris was re-' rolled. The program was so big that it was held two nights a week so that all the members cculd finish shooting before mid night. There are 32 members enroll ed this year but Morris expects to have a turnout of more than 90 before the season is through. The clubs main aim is to in struct children in the safe hand ling of fire arms, particularly .22's. "If they don't loam anything else except the safe handling of fire arms the program would be beneficial. If you take a kid and pound it Into him he won't for get;" emphasized Morris. 1 n ' -r i r, :kllltu The- Ocoarattt actually teaches more than that. Over the years the team members have developed a sense of responsibility toward each other that has provided them with a good basic back ground for-life. Morris' fondest memory of his years with the Junior Club is not provided, oddly enough, by his national championship team. In stead It comes from an example of the cooperation that is found among team members. Years ago two teams from La Grande entered a tournament in Hood River. Both teams won wm mmmum w&$p?w&? p8WgK I' Let - Pfti? 1 I HAND FORD MBt 1 I Be Yolir S llBlik f 1 santa claijs cSy I $r I, . ,. iff get to the games a little difficult and handicaps his shooting a lit tie. "My ltnee gives me a little tro uble but I still make it bend to shoot in the kneeling position,' Morris said. The veteran instructor lives with his wife, Dorothy, and has two daughters at 2010 Cove Ave- nue. Deanne, 20, is presently tak ing nurses training in Portland. Ruth, 16. lives at home with the1 folks. Morris is the owner of the La Grande Auto Salvage Co. He celebrated his 20th anniversary with the business Aug. 15. The 58-year-old Morris (he was born in Nebraska, Oct. 24, 1901)) claims not to be much cf a hunt er. Despite the wonderful hunt ing available in . the area, he claims never to have shok a deer -.11. ..: u i i -. ur eiK since iihs ueen in mis country. When the first club began in 1948 it had 10 charter members. The kids each put up a dollar to get the charter with the Nation al Rifle Association. Morris tried to name the 10 original members but could remember only five. The club's reccrds didn't have an accurate list either. The five members Morris could remember were Glen Steele, Lester Chand first place in their respective clas-'ler. Vernon Stewart, Gerry Mel- ses. But. the B team outshot the A team by 11 points. Morris cred its the winning effort to the co- sponsiblc for three state cham pn.nships in 1952-53 and 54. ,ln'operat!on and teaching the B 1954, Margaret ulizard was thejteam members did among them naticnal girl's champion. Deanne,4 selves. Morris' eldest daughter, lied for Morris has been active in shoot- linger and Lonnie Carroll As for his national champions the championship in 1955 but lost in a shoot off. For two years. 195556 Deanne was the girl's, state champion. ror nine years, from 1950 to 1959, the La Grande team has wr.n the state tile six times. The last two years haven't produced a winner but Morris isn't worri ed about it. He figures he will come up with a winner again soon. ' i 500 Participants Over the years Morris cstima tes that more than 500 children have taken part in the program. The club's biggest year was in Ing sports for many years but his first love is baseball. He was manager of a semi-pro team in .Nebraska for three years before he moved to La Grande in 1937. i He tried to get a baseball pro gram going in this area but gavel it up and played a little softballj before becoming active in the I senior rife club. ' Enjoys Television j He still enjoys baseball and watches the games on television Basketball Is another favorite game and he attends as many James as possible through the winter. Art old baseball knee ift- 1951 when 87 members wyre-cpijiuiy makes walking on the ice to Gel NEW ADMIRAL APPLIANCES & FURNITURE - for Prices At LOW AS USED La Grande FURNITURE Warehouse East Adams Ave. EARDi OF HEARING? 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