Section B
Friday,
University Daily Kansan SPORTS
April 20,1956
Only 10 Records In Danger; Four Seem Probable
Despite the fact that collegiate athletes entered in the 31st annual Kansas Relays will compete a total of 26 events, times registered thus far this year indicate that, even under ideal conditions, they will be pressed to break more than a total of 10 records.
Shot. Discus
Included in this number are four records which seem almost certain to fall—the shot put, discus, university half-mile relay, and the college sprint medley relay.
The shot put record stands in peril because of the long-range throws of KU's Bill Nieder, who Saturday threw 60 feet 3 inches. The Kansas Relays record is presently held by Chuck Foville at 58 feet 3/8 inches, set in 1948.
The discus should fall before another Kansan, A1 Oerter, who, in practice has surpassed the 171 feet 6/3 4 inches set by Archie Harris in 1941. Oerter threw 174 feet, 6 inches against Oklahoma A&M.
Baylor, who won the university 880-yard relay at Austin with a 1:24.9, can break the KU record of 1:25.2 by equaling its performance in Texas. The record is held jointly by Texas and Iowa.
At the Texas Relays Kansas State Teachers College of Emporia's sprint medley relay team, anchored by a torrid 1:47.5 half mile by Billy Tidwell, wiped out a wide lead by favored Abilene Christian College to break the college section record with a 3:23.4. The KU record, held by North Texas State, is 3:24.4, one second slower.
Abilene Christian College, a team whose competition and presence has become almost an integral part of the college class of the KU Relays, and who won three relay titles in Austin, will not return to Lawrence this year, but will compete in a previously scheduled five-team meet.
Tidwell's efforts were rated by sportswriters as one of the meet's outstanding individual performances.
Not only will track fans of this area miss seeing Olympic hopeful Bobby Morrow and his teammates, but the probability of additional collisions relay records being broken has been lessened as well.
Other relay races in which records could be broken are the University mile and four-mile.
Texas' mile relay team, composed of Lavern Voigt, Ralph Rosenberg, Jim Holt, and Jon Totz, sped the distance at Austin in 314.2, fighting off Oklahoma, the weaver, must be turned up by the Longhorns if they are to drop below the Aggies' KU record of 311.6, set last year.
The javelin and hop, step, and jump records at 220 feet 21/4 inches and 49 feet $ \frac{1}{2} $ inch are not beyond the capabilities of KU's Les Bitner and Kent Fleorke, but it remains to be seen if they will surpass them in Saturday's meet.
Rice A Possibility
Rice Institute, whose best time so far this year is 3:23.2 in the sprint medley, seems to stand a better chance than Texas of dipping below another KU record held by the Aggies, who set the sprint medley record also last year at 3:22.8.
The 400-meter hurdles, dominated a few years previously by KU's Bob DeVinney, will have as an entry this year another rugged Kansas—this time Kansas State sophomore Gene O'Connor, who won the event at the Texas Relays in 531. Although a possible record-breaker, O'Connor must shatter the mark of 532) set by Lee Yoder in 1952.
POISE PLUS POWER—Bill Nieder, KU's shot put titan, works out in Memorial Stadium, in an effort to begin his climb to the mark of 62 feet, which he declared Sunday he will reach by time for the November Olympics in Melbourne. Nieder meets the world record holder, Parry O'Brien, in Saturday's Kansas Relays.
Nieder-O'Brien Shot Put Duel Main Kansas Relay Feature
The main feature of the 31st Kansas Relays will center around the match between the world's shot put record-holder, Parry O'Brien, and KU's Bill Nieder.
The match should be a preview of the Olympic trials in Los Angeles in late June. For the first time in quite a while, the defending Olympic champion will feel the pressure of competition, as the 6 feet, 3 inch, 220-pound Kansas senior has moved from fifth to second on the all-time world list with his tremendous 60 feet 3 inch toss at Saturday's meet with Oklahoma A&M.
Nieder's throw comfortably surpassed O'Brien's existing national collegiate record of 59 feet, $2 \frac{1}{2}$ inches, set three years ago, which means it is the longest throw ever registered by a collegian.
O'Brien, former USC great now competing for Travis Air Force Base in California, owns the only 60-foot toss in history. The 235-pound champion registered the longest throw of all time when he tossed the shot 61 feet 54 inches to win the National Indoor AAU in New York.
In the only previous meeting between the two shot put champions, O'Brien beat Nieder by nearly three feet in the National AAU in Boulder, Colo. O'Brien put the shot 58 feet $ 5 \frac{1}{4} $ inches while the Kansan registered a 55 feet 10 inch mark.
However, Nieder had to beat O'Brien's record outdoors to gain official credit. He did so at the Texas Relays with a mark of 59 feet 9 inches.
Other laurels include the Big Seven Indoor record he set in March with a mark of 59 feet 94 inches. He also is a two-time Big Seven outdoor champion, setting the 57 feet $11\%$ inch record last year.
Nieder won last June's NCAA meet in Los Angeles with a 57 feet 3 inch toss and then placed third in the NAA. He has thrown the
shot beyond 59 feet five times this year and hit 60 feet at the Texas Relays, but fouled on the attempt. Nieder is confident that he will hit the 62-foot mark by time for the Melbourne Olympics and he feels that O'Brien's appearance Saturday will provide added incentive to spur him on to that mark.
KU Has Midwest's Best Field Force
Kansas, led by one of the most powerful weight and field forces ever assembled in the Midlands, will go after seven titles in the Kansas Relays Saturday in Memorial Stadium.
KU field men captured four titles at the Texas Relays April 6 and 7 and with steady improvement should make the same sweep Saturday. A fifth field crown, the hop, step and jump is within reach of KU's Kent Floerke who set the Relays' record last year.
Coach Bill Easton said he would try to place Kansas' strength in certain events in an attempt to win first places. He indicated his team would put emphasis on the five field events and the distance medley and 4-mile relays. However, Easton added that Kansas would enter the sprint, 880 and mile-relay races.
A Nieder-O'Brien Duel
KU's 1955 NCAA shot put champion Bill Nieder, who broke the national collegiate outdoor record at the Texas Relays two weeks ago, will meet the world's record holder, Parry O'Brien. O'Brien, who throw the shot 61 feet, 5 inches outdoors, will throw in exhibition only. The former USC athlete, now in the Air Force, has not yet been over 59 feet during the outdoor season.
Les Bitner, KU's 1955 NCAA javelin champion and holder of the NCAA record of 246 feet, 1 inch, will face nearly the same field he did in winning at Texas. This group includes teammate Jim Londerhino who placed second.
Al Oerter, KU's discus ace, will be pressed by Robert Van Dee of Oklahoma, 1954 Relays king, and Byrll Thompson of Minnesota. Relays champion in 1946 and 1949. Oerter placed first in the Texas Relays and Van Dee second.
Floerke After Two
Kent Floerke will defend his hop, step and jump, bump jumps titles. As a freshman last year Floerke set a Relays record in the former event with a leap of 49 feet, $ \frac{1}{2} $ inch. He placed third at Texas in this event. but fouled on two jumps that would have won the event. In the broad jump he will be pressed by Kermit Ellis of Oklahoma A & M, who was second at Texas. Floerke's winning jump was 24 feet, $ 6\frac{1}{2} $ inches and Ellis leaped 24 feet, 3 inches.
Bob Nicholson, KU's surprise winner in the 3,000-meter steeplechase last year as a freshman, is a doubtful starter. He has been ill and Easton is not sure if he is strong enough yet to attempt a defense of his crown.
Robert Lang of Missouri, winner of the high jump at the Texas Reals at 6 feet, 61/4 inches, seems to be the best bet in the college class.
However, KU's Bob Cannon has leaped 6 feet, $6 \frac{1}{4}$ inches and must be considered a threat.
In the AAU section of the high jump, Charlie Dumas of Compton, Calif, College will put on an exhibition. The freshman jumper has leaped 6 feet 10 inches already this year.
On the track. Easton's traditionally strong distance men appear likely to win the university class distance medley and 4-mile relay titles, with about the same ease they accomplished the teat at Texas.
In the 4-mile event at Austin, they beat second-place Missouri by 50 yards. Iowa, which did not take part at Texas, and Missouri will furnish the main competition for the Jayhawkers. Hal Long, Bernie Gay, Jerry McNeal and Al Frame were KU's team.
Iowa, Texas probably will press KU in the distance medley. Texas was second behind Kansas at Texas. The KU team was captain Dick Blair, Lowell Janzen, Long and Frame.
Noted Improvement
Kansas will have to improve its time in the 880-yard relay Saturday to place high. Baylor won at the Texas Relays in 12:49, the fastest time in the nation this spring. Texas followed in 1:25.0. While Kansas' time of 1:27.3 was only good enough for fifth place, it was just eight-tenths of a second off the school record set in 1931. Louis Stroup, Ray Wyatt, Larry Stroup and Blair will probably make up the Jayhawker's entry in this event.
KU's sprint medley team finished sixth at Texas. The team to beat Saturday will be the Texas winner, Rice, which turned in a 3:24.3 mark, The KU foursome at Texas was Larry Frisbie, Louis and Larry Stroup, and Jan Howell.
The Kansas mile relay team stands little chance to place in the fast field entered in the event Saturday. Texas beat off an almost unbelievable bid by Oklahoma A & M's J. W. Mashburn to win the Texas race in 3:14.2. Mashburn came from fifth to second on the final lap with a blistering 46.1 for the 440, to give the Aggies a 3:14.8 time. The Aggies' second best 440 man, Charles Scully, didn't run at Texas because of a sore leg, but is expected to be ready Satur-day.
Capt. Blair will be entered in the 100-yard dash. He finished second behind Dean Smith of Texas last year, who tied the record with a 69.4 mark.
MILE RELAY CHAMPS—Winners of the Texas Relays one-mile relay in 13:42, this fourseason seeks the Longhorns' first victory in the event in the Kansas Relays since 1835. They are, left to right, Jon Totz, Ralph Rosenberg, Jimmy Holt and Lavern Voigt. Texas ran second to Oklahoma A&M's record 3:116 last year.
"A program for every organization and a sport for every individual." This is the motto of the University's intramural program.
With more than 4700 men participating in one or more of the 17 sports offered (counting repeats) KU's intramural program ranks with the best IM programs across the nation.
Intramurals Offer Much
Intramurals were officially organized at the University in 1920 by G. B. Patrick who was an assistant professor in the department of physical education. He tied the loose student athletic programs together into a workable intramural program.
In explaining the value of intramural athletics Walter J. Mikols, director of men's intramurals said, "There are thousands of persons in mental institutions just because they didn't know how to relax."
Competition is not confined to students alone. Faculty teams are organized in volleyball, tennis, golf.
Intramural officials, who are volunteers from the student body, attend class once a week to learn the rules of various sports and how to solve officiating problems. The class is given by the department of physical education and is open to anyone.