Se

And we swung dowogy with 2 a mixed Joy § and foar such as.I never “before had known in
my 5O years of SWRMLNE pr:

The Kansas field house ws afi" bap the radio reports wore giving
Kansas State a lead of 8 points over Ilissouri. . Surely the outcome of the local
otrnge] gle would determine the championship. :

fis the Kansas sania swarmed on the ‘Suner, the partisan rooters gave
them a great ovation, Oklahoma.had arrived early. They drove through their
warm-up drills with skill and confidence, Keyed to the minute, these Sooners
from Oklahoma looked formidable. Without Johnson, Kansas PEO still hoped
that some magic power, would aid ‘ee stricken Kansans.

The Oklahomans scanned. soe personnel of ‘the alert Kansans to make sure
that Johnson was not among them, Just 12 minutes before game time} Feverish
excitement everywhere. Sweaters flung.aside.. Timers, scorers, and officials
hurrying to their places for a final shosieetipe Oklahoma's coach was still wary,
as. af fearing an unseen phentoms fy

Bedlam broke looses Look? Kansas rooters went wild. Standing, cheer-
ing, shouting like maniacs, they beheld a.sight that brought tears to their eyes.
Was that Bill Johnson's ghost?. Nol It was Kansas' own Bill Johnson in the
flesh? | e! bs 6 : gg

Pale and wan, even thinner than usual, Bill strode into the ‘arena just
6 minutes before eight otelock.s ‘Joan of «rc's spirit nokindtede

The. roof fairly blew off. , Kangos ieee ‘stunned for the moment,.
suddenly recovered their equilibrium, and showered their. haggard teammate with
ecstatic adulations of joy. eee rushed into a huddle in her dressing room,
L2 Hweticofft the arenie | |

But 4 minutes remained eters the game. ena fe ‘now had more than her
own strength. She had something indcf inable... One could not measure it accurate-
ly but could feel it in the air. A positive psychic force! I shouted, "ao
right, boys, sit here on this bench,--Bill, Ted, Lee, Elmer, and Dick.

"Boys; words must'be fews I.merely want to remind you that 43 years
ago a young man challenged’ the dangers of the great southwest and carved a home
out of it for Bill Johnson to grow up in, Bill's father was a. daring and are
eous pALoninay

"nonight over exactly that. same ties: came the same conquering spirit to
answer the call of duty. . Churning his lonely way over 400 miles, of dangerous
terrain through strong head winds and treacherous air pockets in a small droning
plane, Bill Johnson has fought his way to youe It was his father's last wish.
His mother sent hin,

"Dod, Lee, Bloat, and Dick, go out there and fight your hearts. out for
this cause that Bill represents...

"Bill, God bless you, ny boy. You are wonderful,.".

We flung ourselves: Anentine in determined embrace. . For, a brief moment,
the iron bands of love held us together. Then we tore apart for the business at
hand. But the bond of our singleness of purpose still held.

Referee Ernie Quigley's whistle started the pil A with it he intro-
duced a Kansas tornado that, in the first few minutes of the game, fairly swept