January, 1943

THE GRADUATE MAGAZINE

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of JAYHAWKER SPORIS

Final Big Six Standings

 

WE Pct WL Pet
Kansas 10 O 1.000|Nebraska Se 55500
Oklahoma 7 3  .700\IowaState 2 8 .200
Missouri pee .500|Kansas State l 9 .100

eo Puoc Horn AttEN brought
the good ship Kansas into port at
the end of the 1942-43 basketball voy-
age a winner by several lengths, or
knots,—or fathoms,—or something.
At any rate, the opposition could not
“fathom” how he does it.

It was his 26th year at the helm for
the Crimson and Blue, his 1gth cham-
pionship crew. The team was ever-
victorious in conference competition,
the third Allen squad to make such a
record in 20 years. Others were those
of 1923 and 1936. A new Big Six
record in average margin of victory was
established at 15.9 points, which just
exceeded the 15.4 record set up by
Kansas in 1936. Furthermore, in spite
of gas rationing and no participation
in a national tournament at the end of
the season, this year’s team played be-
fore the greatest number of persons
ever to see a Kansas team perform.
Total attendance was 96,526. Gross
receipts for home games were down
this year, totaling $12,915 as com-
pared with $13,396 last year. The ef-
fect of rationing was shown in these
figures. Away from home games
brought in $10,430 as compared with
last year’s $7,708.

Surveying the year’s events, a highly -

colorful season is revealed in retro-
spect. It included:

1. A faltering organization at first

with poor co-operation among players
and the star of the team being dis-
missed temporarily for “lack of inter-
est,” then a sudden unification on the
Eastern Christmas trip into one of the
most powerful court machines Kansas
ever had. It bowled over by lop sided
scores some of the country’s major
teams. It set up a new Big Six high
score record with 69 points against
Missouri. It beat Oklahoma on the
Sooners’ own court, a feat not accom-
plished by Kansas since 1938 with
Pralle, Schmidt, Harp, Ebling, Cor-
liss and Golay pitted against the fa-
mous Boy Scats.

2. Exclusive..use_of_ five superior
men in_early. games developed a great
name, the “Iron Five.” However, the
original Iron Five combination was

never available after January 31. It
was composed of Charley Black, junior forward

of Lawrence, Otto Schnellbacher, sophomore
forward from Sublette, John Buescher, senior
center from Beardstown, Ill., Ray Evans, all-
American guard from Kansas City, Kan., and
Armand Dixon, sophomore guard from Her-
mosa Beach, Calif. Black, Evans and Buescher
will doubtless go down in K.U. history as im-
mortals. The two sophomores were not far be-
hind them.

McSpapbdEN, BALLARD, KisseLL CoME THRU

When Charley Black dropped out with ill-
ness, early in February, diminutive “Sparky”
McSpadden proved to have the spark neces-
sary to keep the remaining four in the running.
Then when Armand Dixon left for a pre-in-
duction visit at home just before the crucial
Oklahoma game at Lawrence, Jack Ballard,
6-foot 7-inch guard, rose to the occasion and
made that victory possible. Later Max Kissell
furnished the marginal drive and scoring power
to beat the Tigers on their own court. O.hers
who got into the game were: Hoyt Baker, foot-
ball quarterback, Bill Forsyth, Paul Turner, Bob
Fitzpatrick, John Short, Don Biair, and George
Dick. Each looked good working with the
regulars but complete or near complete dele-
gations of the second stringers proved inade-
quate in games against the Olathe Clippers and
Creighton. All sixteen received letters and gold
basketballs. Attention was called to the fact
that every Kansas player who has won three
letters since 1922 has been decorated with at
least one gold football, some as many as three.

INCIDENTS

3. Turbulent “incidents” marked the sea-
son’s play. In a rough, fast game at Lawrence
the Olathe Clippers were far behind. Their
coach did a humorous (to Kansas fans) act by
sending into the game a p’ayer whose chief
talents and inclinations were more in the nature
of running amuck than good basketball. He
made his four personal fouls in approximately
two minutes and retired gingerly to the bench.
At Stillwater in the game there with Oklahoma

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All-American Ray Evans

+

A. & M. little Sparky McSpadden was in-
censed to square off for a boxing bout with an
Aggie player. “Thin Man” Buescher, no giant
himself, stepped in to quiet the trouble. At
Lawrence in the closing seconds of the red-hot
Oklahoma-Kansas game Bill Brill drew three
quick blows from Ug Roberts, Oklahoma
player. Other Kansas and Oklahoma players
pulled them apart, the Oklahoma coach hust-
led Roberts to the dressing room and Brill
followed to shake hands and “make-up.”

Intro Mivirary SERVICE

4. A ceremony between halves at the final
game March 6 was one of the most unusual
ever to be seen at a sports event in the Uni-
versity’s history. With all sixteen letter win-
ners lined up to receive gifts from the Law-
rence Chamber of Commerce, to have their

letter awards announced and their election_of

John Buescher as honorary captain for the year,
made known, it was also announced that
eleven of them were going within the next few

hours into War service. Into the Army Air .

Corps went Black and Short. Into the Army
through the Enlisted Reserve Corps went
Evans, Schnellbacher, Dixon, Ballard, Baker,
Fitzpatrick, Blair, Brill and Dick. Of the other
five the Naval Air Corps Reserve has Kissell,
while McSpadden and Forsyth are in the Navy
V-1 program, Turner is in the Navy V-7 plan
and Buescher is classified 4-F and was rejected
by the Army. They will carry on their studies.
Buescher is a senior.

The remarkable physical condition of all
players was noteworthy. First stringers who
played all through the year were fresh at the
end of the season. Each substitute was always
able to play an entire game without a pause
when injected into the line-up.

Complete Kansas Record
Freshmen 24, Varsity 45
Olathe Clippers 40, Kansas 29
Rockhurst 40, Kansas 44
Creighton 38, Kansas 33
St. Bonaventure 22, Kansas 53
Fordham 30, Kansas 31
St. Joseph 38, Kansas 63
St. Louis 25, Kansas 60
Olathe Clippers 32, Kansas 60
Missouri 44, Kansas 69
Oklahoma 44, Kansas 48
Oklahoma A&M 29, Kansas 36
North American 36, Kansas 45
Camp Crowder 26, Kansas 57

~ Rosecrans Flyers 22, Kansas 71

“Kansas State 20, Kansas 40

Camp Crowder 35, Kansas 31
Olathe Clippers 36, Kansas 47
Great Lakes 47, Kansas 41
Olathe Clippers 42, Kansas 32
Iowa State 20, Kansas 44
Nebraska 24, Kansas 56

Iowa State 29, Kansas 37
Oklahoma A&M 43, Kansas 47 ,
Nebraska 33, Kansas 52
Oklahoma 35, Kansas 42
Missouri 44, Kansas 47
Creighton 56, Kansas 34
Kansas State 30, Kansas 47