Maravich magic sparks LSU fans
BATON ROUGE, La. (UPI) — It wasn't much, just a plain piece of paper with some handwritten words on it and signed "secret pals of Pete" down at the bottom.
But the letter from two schoolboys after Louisiana State's Dec. 4 win over Oregon State helps sum up the feelings of Louisiana sports fans about "Pistol Pete" Maravich.
"Dear Pete," the letter began.
"We were at the game tonight and we noticed that you were having a slight difficulty holding your socks up. It seems like the elastic in them has seen its better days.
The letter and the thousands of others like it which pour into the LSU basketball office are just a part of the public reaction to Maravich, the nation's leading scorer.
Books and magazines crammed with pictures and anecdotes about Pete from the time he was seven years old dot the newsstands. Bars in Tiger Country which used to hang nothing but football pictures have made room for one of Maravich. And last year, a few fans even sported "Pete for President" buttons.
During his freshman year, fans flocked to the old rodeo arena LSU uses for a gym, filling the seats to see himlope down the court and pop in basket after basket. When it was over, they filed out, leaving the varsity to struggle for a 3-23 season in front of empty seats.
The situation reversed itself when he joined the varsity. Now
Devine begins bowl buildup
COLUMBIA, Mo. (UPI)—Missouri Coach Dan Devine said Wednesday Penn State, the Tigers' Orange Bowl opponent Jan. 1, is an "especially impressive" football team with an added incentive.
In reference to Penn State's protests over President Nixon awarding Texas a plaque as the nation's No. 1 team, Devine said:
"Penn State has put themselves in a position now where they cannot afford to lose to Missouri. That will give them an added incentive in our ball game . . . but we'll have plenty of incentives too."
Devine said he has not seen as much film on Penn State as he would like "but all the scouting reports are very complimentary.
"Penn State is a very impressive team physically and any time a team has three All-Americas on defense . . . it's got to be especially impressive."
Asked about odds that have installed Missouri, ranked sixth nationally with a 9-1 mark, as $2\frac{1}{2}$-point favorites, Devine said: "There are no favorites in bowl games."
Inclement weather in Columbia has forced the Tigers into an "indefinite" workout schedule.
Dec. 11 1969 KANSAN 9
both home and away, Maravich plays to packed houses. Mamas and Papas ooh and aah at his behind-the-back passes and a shrill shout of approval from idolatrous youngsters follows every point he scores.
In backyards, on garages and on trees, basketball backboards are appearing all over town as youngsters try to imitate the Maravich style.
Raney Drug Stores
With Maravich leading the Tigers' fast break attack, LSU has done anything but kill the clock. In his sophomore year, he led the nation with 43.8 points a game and finished with a 44.2 average last year.
3 locations to serve your every need Plaza,1800 Mass. Hillcrest,925 Iowa Downtown,921 Mass.
He started this year's season only 687 points shy of Oscar Robertson's all-time collegiate scoring mark of 2,973 and only 714 points away from becoming the first college basketball player to score 3,000 career points.
Complete lines of cosmetics, toiletries
Complete prescription departments and fountain service.
Volleyball tourney opens Friday
The University of Kansas will play host to the State Volleyball Tournament of the Association of Kansas Women's Intercollegiate Sports.
The opening ceremony will be at 2 p.m. Friday with the play to begin at 2:30. Play will resume at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with the
trophy presentations at noon.
The teams will advance in the double elimination-consolation tourney by winning the match with a two out of three game series.
Paula Connett, Lawrence senior and one of the coordinators of the tournament, said the teams were
chosen after a thorough examination of their records for the past year.
Western Reserve was the early name of the vast tract of land bordering on eastern Lake Erie which was claimed by the state of Connecticut.
In the last twenty years, only one newspaper has won more Pulitzer Prizes than The Des Moines Register
Our Congratulations to The New York Times