Weak-kneed Namath
Long before the Bachelors' III incident threatened Broadway Joe's pro career, his brittle knees during college days at Alabama caused many coaches to question his success as a pro. Quarterbacks such as Namath have been susceptible to knee damage this year as seen locally with the injuries of the Chief's Len Dawson and KU's Jim Efinger.
Passing booms in Big Eight
By United Press International Big Eight Conference football teams are passing more and the fans are enjoying it.
Divison playoffs continue
Intramural playoffs continue this week with six games Thursday and six games Friday. The two championship games between the winners from Fraternity A and B and the champs of Independent A and B will be played Monday, Nov. 17.
Tuesday's Results: R League
Bang Gang 8, Military Complex 3
Grendel's Mother 23, Bud Boys
6
Dawson, Ladd, Ettinger, Mears, Evans...
Templin Hayjacks 8, KU Laws 2
NEGB Sports Authority 16,
Radiation Biophysics 0
Beta Theta Pi No. 1 44, Delta Tau Delta 8
Phi Kappa Sigma 24, Lambda Chi Alpha 6
Beta Theta Pi No. 2 12, Pi Kappa Alpha 6
Theta Chi 13, Tau Kappa Epsilon 0
TODAY'S GAMES
Fraternity A League
Phi Gamma Delta vs. Phi Delta Theta
Sigma Alpha Epsilon vs. Delta Upsilon
Independent A League KU Laws vs. Battenfeld
College Kids vs. Grace Pearson
Nov.12
1969
8 KANSAN
TONIGHT!
VIRIDIANA
SUA Classical Films
7:00 & 9:00 p.m.
Union Ballroom
75c
1961 Grand Prix
Winner at Cannes
TONIGHT!
The league's teams are averaging 195 passes per week. Last year they averaged 187.
Kansas State, with white-shod Lynn Dickey doing the throwing, leads the way. The Wildcats have completed 150 of 281 passes for 1,846 yards this season.
Nebraska, which plays Kansas State Saturday, is not far behind. The Cornhuskers' quarterbacks, Jerry Taggie and Van Brownson, have completed 130 of 233 aerials for 1,695 yards.
By anology, what happens when a knee injury occurs is similar to a sharp knife and rope. If you hold a rope slack between your hands, a knife won't cut it. If the rope is pulled taunt, as are ligaments when full weight is placed on one leg, the knife will easily sever the rope. Ligaments won't sever, but they will tear.
Missouri is next. The Tigers, with quarterback Terry McMillan, have completed 83 of 195 for 1,420 yards.
Ernie Ladd and Len Dawson know an Oklahoma City doctor familiar to many a pro and collegiate player. He is Dr. Don O'Donoghue, a big man who once played football, now considered the best orthopedic surgeon in the world. His connection with athletics caused him to specialize in orthopedics and, in particular, sports-related orthopedic injuries.
Missouri traditionally has been a conservative team under coach Dan Devine. In last week's 44-10 conquest of Oklahoma, however, McMillan threw 37 passes, completing 17. In the second quarter alone, McMillan threw 19 times as Missouri scored 17 points.
Editor's note: Pankratz has had two knee operations performed by Dr. O'Donoghue.
Knee injuries swell this year
By HOWARD PANKRATZ Kansan Staff Writer
Injuires have always played an important part in football; but one type, knee injuries, strike terror in the coaches and players more than any other kind. A knee injury to a key player not only hampers the success of his team but often makes success elusive for the injured player once he has recovered.
More important to KU fans are the three knee injuries which have plagued this year's KU squad. Early season knee injuries have hindered the progress of senior quarterback Jim Ettinger and forced defensive back John Mears to undergo an operation. KU's
Bad knees have hampered Gale Sayers and Broadway Joe. Len Dawson has overcome his while the one belonging to the Chief's Ernie Ladd couldn't be forgotten.
Every Big Eight team, except one, is averaging more than 100 yards per game passing. Iowa State is that exception but is close with a 99.6 average.
So far, conference teams have thrown 61 touchdown passes. Missouri leads the conference with 13 touchdowns. Last year 68 touchdowns were thrown and Kansas led the league with 14.
is hit in the knee at the precise second he's pushing-off . . . his season's over.
latest vietim, all-Big Eight Center candidate Dale Evans, is a doubtful starter for this week's clash with Oklahoma. Evans suffered a bruised knee against Colorado and saw limited action against the Buffaloes.
A quarterback, just before he passes, will momentarily place his weight on one leg to gain leverage. Should he be hit in the knee at that instant, an injury will probably occur.
O'Donoghue's office is adjacent to St. Anthony's Hospital where he performs surgery. His waiting room is a strange picture of lame (Continued to page 9)
Quarterbacks and the "suiicide squad," as the kick-off team is called, are particularly susceptible to this injury. They receive more knee injuries because they provide easy targets for tacklers and blockers.
The injury is usually a result of a good block or tackle in the area of the lower leg or knee of the player when he has his weight on that leg.
A lineman, and especially a lineman going down field on a kick-off, may be "blind-sided" by a blocker he does not see. If he