JAYHAWK REBOUNDS

 

June 25, 1945

Noe 3

‘Dear Fellow Jayhawkers :

Yesterday was Commencement day for 334 Kansas seniors, .George Nettles, the
captain of my 1920 Kansas football team, was one of the proud fathers who saw the
second of his children , Mary "Mimi", march down old Mt. Oread's slopes at twi-
light to the Xansos Memorial Stadium, which has served as the spacious ‘amphi-

. theatre for thousends of Kansas sons and daugnters who had greauated there before.

This giant concreve horseshoe opens. beautifuliy to Nature's mamncth horseshoe
upon whose rim are located the beloved buildings and i latin ot your alma mater.

George came down to the house with his famtiv before the University dinner
Sunday afternoon. I never see Goorge Netties bus what I think of that groat.
Kansas cometac: of 1920 against Nebraska, Kancas was ov.tweighed 27 pounds.to .
the man and faced a first half defeat of 20 to 0 against them. Tho Jayhawkers
rallied and pushed over three tourhdowns against a giant scarlet~clad Nebraska
team. That was the gamo that built the kansas stadium,

But I remomber tht on page 18 of last month's : Jayhawk Rebounds No. 16, I
promised you that I might toll the story of the “Dream Touchdown" gome. This

- game was against Iowa Svato College of Ames.’ Dr. Red Parsons, one of Stagg's

great players at the University of Chicago, was soashing the Iowa State toam.
We had carly season success, having defoated Bill Hargiss's Emporia Teachers 42

to O at Lawrence, ond then Ernio Berg's and Dwight Peam's Washburn College team

6 to 0. Dr. Mal Stovens was the quarterback for Washburn College. Later Dr.
Stevens went to Yale and played throe years of storling football for the Yale
Bulldogs. Dr. Stovens made football history os coach of sevorol castern teams,

New York University and others. Brinley, a great drcopkicker who had played pro-
fessional footbali for the Rock Island team the yoar bofore, dropkicked a field
goal for Coach Banks's Drake University Bulldogs from the 42 yard line. Kansas
finally scored a touchdown on a pass from Lonborg to Mandevilie, the Jaynawkers
wirning that game 7 to 3. And then.came tho Iowa State Cyslones, big, tough and
aggressive. But why go page when I promised you the Dream Toucndown storyeecese

Tho side goucheowH

A load of barrels was always good luck to the batting eyes of the New York
Giants under Muggsy McGraw,. but never have I looked over my loft shoulder at the
moon for good luck, nor am I afraid of the so-called hoodoo number, 13. Even a
black cat crossing my path has hold no terrors for mo.

. However, I have always played hunches and do to this day. That is so the
dream. toucndown == the only touchdown of the game -- materialized.

In ae ce fall of 1920, as Director of Athletics at the Univorsity of
Kansas, I found mysclf confronted with the combined dutios of Head Coach of Foote
ball and Hoad Coach of Basketball.

Our football team, averaging but 162 1b. to the man, was the lightest in our
athletic history at Kansas. This team, relying entirely upon forward passing and
place kicking, had won its first two preliminary games, against the Emporia Kansas