Thursday, November 18, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B • Page 5
kansas millennium athlete No.3
Evans' seasons divided by World War II service
Continued from page 1B
however, Evans' wife, Edith, said that she thought Evans turned down the offer because he wanted to play football and basketball.
At Kansas, Evans decided that he would concentrate only on two sports — basketball and football.
Although Evans' basketball and football jerseys, were retired by the University in 1997, Evans probably is remembered best for his contributions in football.
As a halfback, Evans racked up some impressive stats. He led the nation in passing with 1,117 yards in 1942. As a safety, Evans recorded 10 interceptions in 1942 and a total of 17 in his career, both Kansas records. But Fambrough said that Evans never was concerned with statistics.
"I don't think Ray even knew there were records," Fambrough said. "He wasn't seeking any glory, he was just doing his job."
By the end of the 1942 season, Evans had established himself as a dominant athlete at Kansas, but his best years were yet to come.
War interruption
In fact, Evans met Fambrough in the service.
Evans' playing career at Kansas was interrupted at the end of the 1943 season when he enlisted in the Air Force and served in World War II.
"Ray was instrumental in getting me to Kansas. We played service ball together, and we always talked about how nice it would be to play college ball together." Fambrough said.
After their term in the service ended in 1945, Evans returned to Kansas for his final two years, and Fambrough earned a football scholarship.
Ray Evans shows a defensive stance in his No. 15 Kansas basketball uniform. In his basketball career at Kansas, Evans was a four-time All-Big Six selection and a national All-American in 1943. He also received All-American honors in football in 1946, making him the only Kansas athlete to be an All-American in both sports. Photo courtesy of Sports Information
When Evans and Fambrough arrived together at Kansas, Evans found his future wife, Edith.
"I got to know him through his best friend who happened to be my brother-in-law," Edith Evans said. "I really liked the way he played both sports, but I don't have an opinion on which one he was better at. I just liked to watch him play."
Edith was quite a bit younger and, like Evans, went to Wyandotte High School. She said that she knew who Ray was when he was in high school, but that she did not really know him.
Evans again played football and basketball for the Jayhawks after the war and was selected captain of the 1946 football team. He led that year's Jayhawks to a 7-2-1 record, which marked Kansas' first winning season in 13 years.
Watch him play she did.
Fambrough said the Jayhawks success would not have been possible without Evans' leadership.
"I know it's been said a million times, but Ray was the kind of player who led by his actions and I feel sure that when
they first said that about a player, they had Ray Evans in mind," Fambrough said.
The Orange Bowl and beyond
Evans' final year of football, the 1947-48 season, was his best. Led by two of his closest friends, captains Otto Schnellbacher and Fambrough, the team finished tied for first place in the Big Six with an 8-1-2 record.
Ray Evans cuts upfield with the football. In 1948, Evans' relentless style of play led Kansas to the Orange Bowl, where the Jayhawks lost to Georgia Tech, 20-14. The game marked Kansas' first appearance in a postseason bowl. Photo courtesy of Sports Information
While the regular season was chock full of highlights for Evans, the postseason brought what Edith called Ray Evans' most disappointing moment in sports.
The team's record and finish landed it in the Orange Bowl, Kansas' first postseason bowl appearance.
Facing a No. 10 Georgia Tech team, the No. 13 Jayhawks battled close to the end. Evans ran for one score and caught another. But with Kansas trailing 20-14 late in the game, Kansas quarterback Lynne McNutt fumbled the ball on the goal line, which ended the game and Evans' Kansas football career.
"I think his biggest disappointment was not winning that Orange Bowl," Edith Evans said.
The most outstanding thing that Fambrough remembered about the game, however, was the final play.
"All the way down the field, it was Evans left, Evans right," Fambrough said. "And I'll never understand why we called a quarterback sneak on the goal line. Most people would've complained about not getting the ball, I would have, but Ray never did. That indicated the type of person he was."
Evans' popularity only grew when he stepped on the basketball court. Fambrough said that he remembered watching Evans play basketball and that he saw an incredible likeness to Evans the football player.
"When I watched him play, he was unreal," he said. "He had quick feet, played incredible defense and was tough and strong just like on the football field. He was a joy to watch."
Evans played at Kansas under the legendary coach Forrest C. "Phog" Allen. In all four years, he was voted all-Big
Six selection. He led the Jayhawks to a 22-6 record and a NCAA tournament in 1942, and a conference title in 1943.
After returning from the war, Evans kept playing basketball. In 1946, he again led the Jayhawks to the NCAA tournament and another Big Six title.
"Ray Evans was so popular, he could've been the governor of Kansas," Fambrough said. "Both on the field and on the court, as well as away from sports, Evans was just a special person. What made him special was his Godgiven ability, but what made him unique was that he was just a great person."
the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1948 before becoming a banker in the Kansas City area. In 1997, Evans returned to Kansas to see his basketball jersey retired, about a year before he died at his Kansas City-area home last April. He was 76.
"Ray was one of those rare individuals who comes along once in a century," said Otto Schnellbacher, Evans' basketball and football teammate at Kansas. "Not only was he a great athlete, he was a great person with it. When things got tough, he was somehow right there on the front row to make the play."
Evans played one NFL season with
- Edited by Katrina Hull
Chipper Jones wins NL MVP
The Associated Press
NEW YORK— Chipper Jones won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in a landslide yesterday following a season in which he hit 45 homers and carried Atlanta to an eight straight division title.
Jones received 29 of 32 first-place votes and finished with 432 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He also received two second-place votes and one third.
Houston first baseman Jeff Bagwell was second with one first and 276 points, followed by Arizona third baseman Matt Williams, who had two firsts and 269 points. They were the only players picked on every ballot.
Cincinnati's Greg Vaughn was fourth with 121 points and St. Louis' Mark McGwire was fifth with 115, followed by the New York Mets' Robin Ventura (113), Mike Piazza (109) and Edgardo Alfonzo (88). Chicago's Sammy Sosa was ninth at 87.
"From a personal standpoint, it's
been great," Jones said late in the season. "I couldn't ask for anything more. I worked my tail off during the off season to get better, and it's been just awesome. It's nice that all the hard work is bearing some fruit."
The 27-year-old third baseman became the first Brave to win the award, joining Bob Elliott (1947), Hank Aaron (1957), Dave Murphy
(1982 and '83) and Terry Pendleton (1991).
Jones hit .319,
with 110 RBIs, 116
runs, 25 steals
and 126 walks. He
finished third in
homers behind Mark McGwire (65) and Sammy Sosa (63) and third in walks; fourth in slugging percentage (.633), on-base percentage (.441) and total bases (359); seventh in runs; and 10th in batting.
After June 15, he hit 30 homers and drove in 79 runs.
sense you can do no wrong at the plate. He has a lot of confidence."
Jones gained momentum in September when he homered four times in Atlanta's three-game sweep of the New York Mets. When the Braves went to Shea Stadium the following week and returned in October for the Championship Series, Mets fans taunted him with slow chants of "Lar-ry. Lar-ry," his real first name.
"It seems uncanny that he's been able to hit it over the fence, uncanny that he's that hot right now." Mets manager Bobby Valentine said then. "Four big ones in three games is pretty good."
With Andres Galarraga missing the year and Javy Lopez missing the last two months of the regular season and the postseason, Jones at times seemed like Atlanta's only offense.
"He's the MVP right now," pitcher Greg Maddux said in September. "Look at what the guy has done down the stretch. That carries more weight than the first three months of the season."
Rider causing headaches in Atlanta
The Associated Press
ATLANTA — Only six games into his Atlanta career, Isaiah Rider has repeatedly demonstrated to the Hawks why he's considered one of the NBA's biggest headaches.
The mercurial guard returned to practice yesterday after a one-game suspension for again running afoul of team rules, culminating with his failure to attend practice Monday.
But Rider balked at filling the sixth-man role that Coach Lenny Wilkens envisions for the team's leading scorer. Rider says he deserves to be a starter.
Rider refused to characterize his comments as a trade demand, but he is clearly unhappy in Atlanta. General manager Pete Babcock already has had preliminary talks with several teams.
"One day, he wants to be traded."
The next day, he doesn't want to be traded," Babcock said. "I told him if he decides for sure that he wants to be somewhere else, we'll see if there's a market for him. I'm not opposed to making a deal."
Portland Trail Blazers in an August trade, has missed two of Atlanta's eight games and been fined several times. He lost nearly $66,000 when he was suspended without pay for Tuesday's game against Charlotte.
One player short, the Hawks (2-6) defeated the Hornets 103-89 to snap a four-game losing streak. Rider said he didn't watch the game on television and again objected to playing for a team that he considers to be in a rebuilding mode.
Rider, who was acquired from the
"I'm too old to be rebuilding," the 28-year-old said. "I get frustrated when things don't go right."
Rider had a long list of transgressions on and off the court when he was acquired by Atlanta, which traded one of the league's most reliable players. Steve Smith.
The Hawks hoped Rider would change his ways, but the team also knew it was freeing up money under the salary cap if things didn't work out. He is making $5.4 million in the last year of his contract.
after the season.
It is highly unlikely Rider would be released by the Hawks, who don't want to lose the flexibility of a possible sign-and-trade deal
"We made the deal looking at the worse-case scenario," Babcock said. "So far, it has been the worse-case scenario. There's no use sugarcaring it."
Rider created trouble right away with his new team, failing to show up for the first day of training camp. He provided a convoluted explanation that ranged from his fear of flying on a small plane to his reluctance to play for a team that has seven new players.
Then, Rider missed the season opener, saying he had to be in Texas for his grandfather's funeral. He assured the team he would be at practice the next day but failed to show.
“It’s unfortunate that I got suspended,” Rider said. “Now, it’s time to win. That’s what makes me happy. Winning.”
At least one of his new teammates already seems to be tiring of Rider's antics.
"I didn't bring Isaiah here," center Dikembe Mutbumba said. "They [team officials] brought him here. They will have to deal with that."
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