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About Eugene register-guard. (Eugene, Or.) 1930-1983 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 1941)
Page Twenty, THE REGISTER. GUARD, EUGENE, OREGOR Highclimber By DICK STRITE Henry Picard Leads Rio Grande Pro-Golfers Hobby Hobson was plenty smart when be arranged the Webfoots' current eastern basketball invasion by booking a flock of good opponents, including five sophomores on the traveling squad, and returning home more than two weeks before the ooenine of the northern division season. This 1941-42 hoop race is going to be a "toughie" in the Pacific northwest, from all indications . . . Washington State isn't noticeably weakened by the loss ot all regulars except Kirk Gebert . . . Idaho will be no pushover, pre-season games indicate Washington admittedly has the strongest lineup in years . . . And Oregon State is the "team to beat," what with a veteran squad In. cludine the invincible John Mandic. Coach Hec Edmundson of the Huskies and Slats Gill of the Bea vers will not have the advantage of Hobson's crew in regard to the eastern jaunt. 'Both Washington and Oregon State will entrain for the east this week-end when the Webfoots are hiSmeward bound.... Washington was to leave today and will likely return home only a few days be fore the opener in Seattle, Janu ary 9, against Idaho... Oregon State doesn't play Bradley Tech in Illinois until January 3, nine days before meeting Washington state. And Oregon squad, regardless of wins and losses, is certain to gain the experience and poise needed in the coming conference race and the necessary rest that former Oregon squads have not had before opening January 9 against USC. The Pacific coast conference football coaches' association will present two new rule changes to the National Football Coaches' as sociation when the national group holds its annual meeting in Detroit December 30 and the rules will be those Tex Oliver has been ad vocating these many years. Neither of the proposed changes will be as radical as the "unlimited substitution" rule adopted with surprising success last season. Need for the new rules is "as plain as the nose on your face," is the way Tex puts it. fchange No. 1 That a penalty against a defensive team within its, 15-yard line should never be more than half the distance to the goal line. An excellent example of, this was the recent Oregon-OSC game when a penalty advanced the b$H from the 24 1 to the three yard line, resulting in the confer ence champions' first touchdown. Ujider the proposed rule the ball would have gone to the 7. The three-yard line is much dif ferent than the 7, if you've ever noticed how much more difficult it is to advance those last 10 yards then the same distance further out. The- surprise' of a penalty within "diving distance" wrecks the mor ale of a defender. Change No. 2 That distance gained through forward passing or rushing be allowed after an illegal laferai.'pass. The present regula tion tends the ball back to the line of scrimmage and nullifies all yardage gained on either a legal forward pass or a rushing advance, ifeadopted, the rule will give the teem 'possession of the ball, minus the, penalty, at the point from .where the forward lateral was fossed and allow the passing or rushing gain. Tex will attend the national meeting in Detroit and is Sched uled to give talk on "Defense Against the T". ... The Oregons played Clark Shaughnessy's "T Tormation Indians in the first game of the season, and while the Web foots didn't perform exactly as Tex had planned, the club gave Stanford a terrific battle... No dojubt Tex will gather material frm Stub Allison of California, Bajbe Hollingbery of Washington State, and Lon stiner of Oregon Stlte three coaches and three teajns that did stop the "T.' Game," please refer your selection committee to the American Foot ball Statistical Bureau, Seattle, Wash. Homer Cooke, manager of this gridiron service, will probably be happy to send you the statistics on the 1941 football season, statis tics that definitely prove that of. fensively Mecham was the best all-around backfield man on the coast. You don't have to take our word for it, or the opinion of his coach, Tex Oliver, but ask any of the boys in San Francisco, Los An geles, Portland or Seattle about his sterling defensive ability. The AFSB will likely be able to give you the number of passes he in tercepted, and the total will as sure any skeptic that Mecham was good in this department. The only thing to be proven by opinion is his blocking and tackling and it's been good all season. The Seattle bureau hasn't re leased the final figures, but we know Mecham is the top punter on the coast with a better than 41 yard average, that his total of fense record (rushing, passing and pass receiving) is 863 yards for the season. Curt probably couldn't make the jaunt to New Orleans, but we do believe he should have had the honor in any case. ... His only fault is that he does things the easy and not the spectacular way. But listen, friend Lykke, come next September, October or No vember when you send out your annual letters asking sports writ ers to select their candidates we'll take it with a grain of salt. You'll have a tough time making us be lieve tnat we were one of only a few scribes who named Mecham, ana tnat me Bay Region pressure, tne pleasure of Babe Hollingbery of Washington State, and Percy Locey of Oregon State doesn't just about seal the invitation- telegram envelopes. But the East-West games must Be great contests even thoujh it reeKs witn pontics ana we hope to see one some day. Yours truly, DICK STRITE. Lane count? sportsmen who have reviewed with us Carl Bak er's fish committee report recently presented" to the Oregon Wildlife Federation meeting in Corvallis have asked, "What can we do to help bring about a remedy for these evident faults in hatchery management?" The answer is quite simple. We would recom mend membership in the Federa tion (at si per year) for everv sportsman interested in saving our natural iisning and hunting re sources for their children and grandchildren. One frosty nleht last Sintemher after a late evening Dortion of mince pie, we dreamed that Prink Callison. former Medford hieh and University of Oregon football coach, had been invited to return to collegiate grid coachina. -WHS iwnv U1U otuu uic a. cm i- i .. 6 the new rules proposed by the f'Uy' s(ureJ, f5"1 J fy intended ost coaches are accepted by the .m,te Prink about the flinch, national association, a recommen daiion will be forwarded to the na. tiojial rules committee, a group thjt is very, or has been very hesi tasrt in setting up new regulations. An open letter to C'hMs Lykke, Publicity Director Annual Shrine football Game, 20 Civic Auditorium, Saf Francisco, Cal. Dear Mr. Lykke: if Curt Mecham, right halfback foifthe University of Oregon dur ing the past gridiron season, has been tendered an invitation and refused the bid to play in the East- West football classic, pardone me all'to hell. But if he hasn't been asked to play in the "Player for Player, America's Greatest Football Just Received . 1942 MODEL Johnson Outboard Motors We have been notified that no more will be available until further notice. These A are all popular sizes. . . , It may be your last chance for a long time. See us Mon day if you are planning to buy a motor in the near fu ture. Easy Terms Arranged Carl R. Baker FILM SHOP 7th & Willamette but never mentioned the incident until we saw him at the California game in Portland more than a month later. Prink laughed at the dream, and tne very idea that he would re. turn to tne coaching game. . . He explained he was very happy do ing his present work holding a position with Marine Electric at me .Portland ship-yards and sell ing insurance on the side. . . But rnnK loves football, and a lucra tive offer from the University of Washington, a school he jinxed for so many years while coaching the wcuioois, mignt persuade Callison 10 return to tne coaching game. Playing time figures on Oregon football players during the past season aeiinueiy Indicate the rea son why Tex Oliver's Webfoots were not stronger championship contenders. ... Out of the first five piayers in "minutes of service,' tnree were backs... Out of the nrsi ii, live were backs and two were ends... Figure It out for yourself. Duke Iverson. quarterback, was the "iron man" of the entire squad with 513 minutes of service out of a possible 600 minutes, an average ot 51 minutes per game. , . . Curt Mecham, although he plav ed a very short time in the Santa Clara tilt, was second with 446 minutes, End Tony Crish third with 413, Center Elliott Wilson fourth With 392. Knii TVimm-u lin fifth with 388. These figures definitely show how hard-put Tex Was for barlcfiplri mstanal Thirty-three men saw service dur ing the season with only End Huss Nowling and Center Hershel Pat ton giving 60-minute perform ances, against Washington. Turkey Tourney Ends At Country Club Sunday The Eugene Country club's "tur key tourney" closes Sunday when the two golfers who have posted the best net scores, using full han dicaps, will be awarded turkeys. The competition opened last week end when Don Leal and Bob Ark ley took the lead with net 72s, Undercut Par Picard Snatches Early Lead From Ben Hogan HARLINGEN, Tex., Dee. 20. W) Henry Picard Ignored a driv ing rain today to rush home with a seven-under-par 31-33 64 in the first round of the Rio Grande Valley open golf tournament That was a stroke better than Toledo's Byron Nelson, who learned his golf In Texas and is former V. S. Open king. The Karlinven muna all Vtnt fell apart at the seams under the nammenng or tne touring pros, 25 of whom bettered par, which, is aa-av. Picard. Oklahoma CSf-ir nrnfat. sional, pounded the soggy course for seven birdies nnA nv, wmt over par in the first day of the ?3,uuu meeting. Nelson, got as many Diraies DUt nis 3Z-33 65 Included bogie four at No. 5. Lester TtPnnAriv A T.Win. Mace nosed out smiling Jimmy Demaret of Detroit for third nlar with a 32-3466. Demaret, a Hous ton iaa wno was in the lead un til the late hours of the round, fired a 33-34 67. .Toe 7.rhiri1 nf Morristown, Pa., did just as well wnn a 3Z-35 67. Picard clrieAj liir pV, to take over the lead from Nelson. rie mraied No. 18. The rain started while Nelson 'as on the fourth fai rwav hut h wobbled only on the fifth, where he WOUnH tin until the ViAB-i'a t; r- ...... . uwq.i.. 4 .v.- ard. whose 31 wa th inwnt nine- hole score of the day, was five un- aer inrougn tne 14th and clipped two more strokes off par, one on 16 and the other at No. 18. Ben Tfnnn urinnoi. v,a.ira don trophy and the leading money winner of the year, was 26th in the standings with an even-par 71.' McKee, CIO Quints To Battle Monday SPRINGFIELD, Dec. 20 (Spe cial) Local basketball fans will have the opportunity of watching o potentially fine basketball game and aid the Red Cross War Re lief campaign at the same time here Monday night. The Lane county AAU basketball league game between the McKee. Bakers of Springfield and the Sorinirrield C.I.O. has been shifted to Monday night and will be played on the Springfield high court at 8 o'clock The McKee Bakers have won the state "B division AAU cham. pionship for the past two years and are favored to annex the county crown this season. The C.I.O. aggregation, however, has title hopes and will be leveling au guns at the Bakers Monday nignt. The Baker aggregation includes the Fox family (Howard, Kenny Everett and Delano), Kenny and Falmer King, Lloyd Mallatt and Hex McCready. C.I.O. will have Big Bob Pol. lard at center, Del Koch at for ward, Pete Taylor and Bill Smith, guards, all ex-Springfield high stars; Marsh Dannen, former OSC Rook, and three former Washing ton high school stars the Dough, erty brothers and Bob Biedel. All expenses have been held to zero, the high school providing facilities and Doc Taylor donating his services as referee. The high school history class has taken charge of advance sale of tickets, costing 40 cents for adults and 25 cents for students, tax included, Bowling Roberts of the Dotson Radio team at the U-Bowt alleys was the top man in the league bowl ing for the week with a high single game of 258. Andrews of the Irish Bakery team at the Recreation alleys waa next with a single game of 243. Johnson of the Arrow Am bulance team at the U-Bowl had the highest three game series with a 628. He was closely fol lowed by Roberts with a 627. Johnson also recorded s high single game of 233. Other high single game scores were turned in by Hughes for the Planters Peanuts team and Androotnos for the Sigwart Electric team with a 227 and a 226 respectively. Both bowlers performed at the U-Bowl alleys. Riley of the Jim the Shoe Doc tor team at the Recreation scor ed a 225. Daisy SUlier was the high performer of the week among the women bowlers. She scor ed a single game of 223 and a high series of 653 for the Scherer Bulck team at the Recreation alleys. BOB SMITH-1939 BOB SMITH was the first Hoffman Award winner. The ace right-halfback from Med ford played for Oregon three yean. Ji22Ui Open Golf Tourney D'CK HORNE-1940 nvitrrvii' .. .. I end Hoffmn AHtl The talented enufu:l?,,e, ?!. Ca... pi"! r?-H sons lor Orernn .gnx i:r-:' El I CURT MECHAM-1941 IMnl I ' CURT MECHAM is the lat- Wjt B - )V Mfew." .a , t'iJ?fl est Hoffman Award winner. 't l&iSX ; - W --" . ' l&sS- The great right-halfback from Spot,. " Tifl?Sw!& ft'XVST- ' ' Glendale, Cal., completed two !iSU MMliiK fo;V, ;i- i years for Oregon this season. 11 : -,"WSKSK,KS (Teter photos, Wiltshire engraving) BS.4N9 Curt Mecham Wins Hoffman Football Duck Halfback Awan Give the Best ! SOCIETE' CHOCOLATES XMAS BOXES ' 60c ED'S DEPOT 49 E. Bieadway Ph. 809 Best on Coast ' Curtis L. "Curly" Mecham, 21-year-old Bakersfield, Cal., half back, has been named the 1941 Hoffman Football Award win nerthe outstanding senior mem ber of the University of Oregon squad during the past season. Me cham, the only married man on the 1941 Webfoot gridiron squad, was selected for this honor by his teammates who annually select the award winner a 21-jewel Bulova wrist watch. Thirty Oregon squad members took part in the voting and Me cham collected 19 first-place votes, eight. second-place and one third place selection for a total of 120 points (figured on a basis of five for first, three for second and one for third) out of a possible 145, taking for granted he did not vote for himself. Strongest contender was Ray Segale, three-year veter an guard from Seattle, who was given, nine first-team votes and a total of 101 points. Smith First, Home Second Others figuring in the balloting were Bill Regner, end from Port land, 43 points; Morris Jackson, guard from Roaring Springs, Tex as, 12 points, and Frank Boyd, halfback from Riverside, Cal., four points. It was the third annual award, made by Vernon Hoffman of the Hoffman Jewelry store, a former University of Oregon swimming star. Previous winners were "Lef ty Bob" Smith, halfback from Medford, and Dick Home, end from Long Beach, Cal., in 1939 and 1940, respectively. Mecham came to Oregon in the spring of 1940, a transfer from Bakersfield Junior college. In his first season, as. an understudy for Len Isberg, a Portlander who was one of two married men on the 1940 team, Mecham was the lead ing ground-gainer on the Pacific coast. He carried the ball 37 times for the astounding average of 8.9 yards per play. Mecham, a south paw kicker and passer, punted 21 times for a 37.8-yard average. Although given only honorable mention on ail-American teams and second-team' berths on all coast selections, the Oregon right halfback was one of the finest all around backfield men in Pacific coast conference football history during tne past year. Best Coast Punter The Webfoot halfback blossomed Bud Ward Joins Army Air Corps SPOKANE, Wash., Dec. 20. (U.R) Marvin "Bud" Ward, national ama teur golf champion, on Monday may become Private Marvin Ward, U. S. army. While photographers' flash bulbs popped, the slender, blond veteran of the nation's golfing wars today volunteered for service with the army air corps. "I just thought it was the thing to do," Ward said. out this season and statistics defi nitely establishing him as an out standing performer. He won the Pacific coast punting championship by booting 60 times for an aver age of 41.1 yards per kick, arid many of his punts were out of bounds or grounded for no re turn by opponents. He carried the ball 97 times for 525 yards rushing and a net average of 4.72 yards per play. He passed 36 times, com pleted 15 for 230 yards with only uiiee interceptions and a .417 aver age on completions. He caught eight passes for 108 yards, scored seven touchdowns for 42 points and passed to several other touch downs. Mecham, besides being a fine offensive player, was a sterling performer on defense. He blocked well and did a good job of quar terbacking. Tex Oliver, Mecham's coach, said, "I've never coached a better oi more conscientious player. Curt played better football with a lame ankle than many good players could perform in top condition. As far as defensive ability is con cerned. Curt was a fine tackier and opponents made few long gains in No Special Trains For Bowl Game Crowds WASHINGTON, Dec. 20. (IP) The nation s railroads told bowl game managers today that . be cause of war-time demands it was doubtful if special trains or cars could be provided to handle foot ball crowds. The advice was telegraphed by J. J. Pelley, president of the Asso ciation of American Railroads, to universities whose football teams are scheduled for bowl games. his territory. The record of his many intercepted passes vouch for his pass defense. He is also a good blocker." Mecham s performance during me past season was more remark able -in that he handled a man sized job in addition to playing football. He and Mrs. Mecham managed the Alder Court apart ments nere in exchange for a fur. nished apartment and a small cash compensation. One of Curt's many duties was to build the furnace lire in the wee hours of the morn ing. Married January, 1941 The Bakersfield lad married Jerry Weaber at Las Vegas, Nev., January 2, 1941. Jerry, a very at tractive blonde, was a schoolmate sweetheart at Bakersfield high.- The Meehams have returned to Bakersfield and are living at 1920 Roosevelt avenue. Curt plans to return to Oregon real soon to com plete his college work for a de gree in the school of physical edu cation. Voting tabulations follow: lit m ra tit. Curt Mecham 19 " S 1 ISO Ray Segale 9 IS T 101 Bill Regner I T 17 43 Morris Jackaon , 1 - 1 ' 4 l J Prank Boyd 0 1 - 1 4 Possible n 29 14 Uni High, Junction City Sked Vacation Games; Others Rest AU district six basketball teams except University high will lay off basketball during the Christ mas vacation. Springfield;. Eugene, Junction City and Cottage Grove will not see any more actual game action until January when the regular league season begins. The campus five of Henry Ku- Thienes Twins Backs Elected Springfield Co-Captains of Football : SPRINGFIELD, Deft 20. (Spe cial) Carl and Earl Thienes, twin halfbacks, were elected co-captains of the 1942 Springfield high school football squad here-last-week at a banquet held in honor of the 1941 Millers. The event was sponsored by the Springfield high "Pep Club" girls. .. . .. . .. Lee Todd, Wayne Seaman and John Radmore, Tri-County league all-stars, were presented with minature sterling sliver footballs. emblematic of their grid feats dur ing tne past season. Coach Eldon Fix, Assistant Coach Paul Johnson and Captain Rad more gave short talks. chera, however, will play (J games during the vacation Monday December 22 the ra will entertain the Marthii quintet at McArthur court. December 23 the Tiders bivtlj Albany for a return game with Bulldogs and then on Dec 30 they travel to Marshfleld W return game, District six league pity A start on January 9 when spra field entertains University bj and Junction City travels to a tage Grove. Eugene nun ooa district action untl Jinulrj when the Axemen travel toCl tage Grove. . Eugene high's next gum, h ever, will be against the Sal Vikings at Salem on Jnnr Ijine countv B league teuM alsn desert the casaba sport u January 9 when they again reM full weekly schedules. I The Junction City TIgM 1 cut a few davs off of eacn rao their vacation by playing I Pi with Independence Decemwr n .ftnu-tlrm f!itv floor. TOW January 2 and 3 they travel j 4. .1 -.ilk MvrtlK POinU VO UIIIGJS win. - Roseburg in a pair of game). SAVE WITH SECURITY FOR SAFETY AND PROFIT In business 18 continu ous years and have never missed paying a semi annual dividend. Current rate ZVi HOMEL0AN OESERALHOME BANK SYSTEM Security Savings & Loan Association - 45 West Broadway Hell thank you a million Others are doing it. Why? Quality at sensible prices. SHIRTS PAJAMAS SCARFS SWEATERS SPORT SHIRTS BELTS HANDK'FS TIES ROBES GLOVES SLACKS JACKETS SUSPENDERS SOX PANT HANGERS TIE RACKS Men's ROBERTSON'S Wear 832 Will. St. Quality for Less Eugene jli Give a Russell's Merehem- jv 'dU,Bond for the amount 'jffij ijp ' you want to spend and let. JsPf' ' her have the fun of making 2pM ! lliS? ' h9 selection. ; ' Jwi eGIVEl War Relief Fund MiiijMajajiwyaaiwiiijjiMiiiiii'i,ll
