University Daily Kansan
Page 9
Ey Terry Murphy
Even the most casually observant KU basketball fan is aware that coach Dick Harp stands under a well-honed axe this year.
HARP TOOK OVER for the 1958-57 season from the venerable Phog Allen. He inherited a sure-fire legacy named With Chamberlain who, along with four cheerleaders (so said Phog), could win the national title. Well, it didn't happen — KU lost to North Carolina in a triple overtime for the NCAA title.
The struggling basketball forces seeking to bring fame and glory (money, too) to the University o Kansas have not fared exceedingly well under Harp's tutelage. In righteous indignation the alum and the lords of the counting hous have issued an unwritten but clearly understood ultimatum: "Produce a winner."
The next year, Kansas State won the Big Eight title. Wilt the Stift and his cohorts finished a "disgraceful" second. In the face of this calamity, Wilton left the stultifying confines of college competition to operate in the freer atmosphere of the Harlem Globetrotters.
And Wilt's legacy, Wayne Hightower, also bypassed his senior year of competition to travel and play in sunny Spain. With the ready-made Success Machine already showing signs of gross malfunction, the final legacy of Phog Allen's regime came to rest on Harp's shoulders; the two-year probation imposed by the NCAA because KU alums were caught encouraging Wilt's loyalty with a few greenbacks.
GOOD CRIEF, Dick Harp, how could you be so bunglesome??!
You were handed the whole hog and
I couldn't even save the bacon!
In my opinion, the only advantage that wasn't handed to Dick Harp was a good, stiff case of poliomyelitis. Chamberlain and his "mfrist" philosophy would have wrecked any basketball program. Hightower's display of loyalty and spirit emulated that established by Wilt.
So, despite the fact that he has been here six years, Harp is just this season in a position to rise or fall with a program completely of his own making.
The sophomores are promising and the freshmen the same. The makings of a re-built empire are at hand, and Harp and his assistant Teddy Owens have laid the groundwork themselves. Eut, in all likelihood, the program will not reach its potential this season, and perhaps not for another after next.
"TOO BAD," say the wolves — "Tough luck," say the lords of the counting house. "He has had a fair trial," they trill in harmony. The time for a reckoning has arrived. Allen Field House must be filled. And everyone knows that to attract anywhere near 16,000 fans to each home game, you must produce a winner.
First of all, it is complete poppyceck to say that Dick Harp has had a fair trial. If the ghosts of Chamberlain and Hightower were not enough to blow the house down on Harp's program, the Phog Allen-inspired probation meted out by the NCAA certainly has been.
Harp should not be retained as a basketball coach simply because he is an exceptionally fine man, (which he is). But he certainly deserves the opportunity to make or break himself. He sure hasn't had this opportunity yet.
Cub Second Baseman Captures NL 'Rookie' Award
BOSTON — (UPI) — The Chicago Cubs finished far back in the pack but they produced the National League "Rookie of the Year" for the second straight season today when second baseman Ken Hubos won the award in a near-unanimous vote.
Hubbs gained national prominence when he smashed two of Bobby Doerr's 14-year-old major league records by playing in 78 straight games without making an error and handling 418 chances during that span.
Hubbs, who batted .280 in 160 games for the Cubs, was signed by them following his graduation from high school in Colton, Calif., in 1959. Last season was only his fourth in professional baseball.
Hubbs, who set two major league records for fielding during the 1962 season, drew 19 out of a possible 20 votes among the members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America who participated in the balloting.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — (UPI) — Dennis Claridge, the talented junior quarterback who sparked Nebraska to its surprising comeback, was the Player and Back of the Year on the 1982 All-Big Eight Conference football team, announced today by United Press International.
Claridge Gets Top Big Eight Recognition
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SATURDAY, Dec. 8----2:00
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After Oklahoma's four places on the all-conference team, Missouri received three and Nebraska, Iowa State, Kansas and Colorado received one each.
Oklahoma, the conference champion which also made a comeback of its own, dominated the All-Star team with four players and Lineman of the Year, guard Leon Cross. In addition to Claridge's triple-honor — Player of the Year, Back of the Year and first-team all-star — Nebraska Coach Bob Devaney was chosen Big Eight Coach of the Year in the poll of sportswriters and sportscasters throughout the six-state conference area.
In addition to Cross, Oklahoma halfback Joe Don Looney, center Wayne Lee, and tackle Dennis Ward are on the elite team.
University Theater - Murphy Hall
End Conrad Hitchler, tackle Jerry Wallach and guard Tom Hertz of Missouri filled three other positions on the all-senior all-star line. Colorado end Ken Blair won the other spot in the line, which averages 209 pounds.
In addition to Claridge and Looney, the backfield has Iowa State's Dave Hoppmann and Kansas' sophomore Gale Sayers.
in contrast to the senior line, the backfield has only one senior — Hoppmann, the conference total of offense leader. Sayers, the league's leading rusher, is a sophomore, and Claridge and Looney are juniors.
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