Page 4 University Daily Kansan Monday, Sept. 12. 1955.
Baseball, Like Football, Can Move Only Up
Like football coach Chuck Mather, baseball coach Floyd Temple can move only up this spring when he fields a sophomore-studded team for the 1856 season.
Last spring, an injury riddled, sparsely-manned Jayhawker team tied with Kansas State in the conference cellar and finished the season with a 6 won, 16 lost record, highlight of which was an 11-inning 5 to 4 loss to powerful Oklahoma up until last week, probably the best college baseball team in nation, went on to blow the NCAA tournament with a series of boners which would have made Fred Merkle feel smart.
The Kansas squad this year will be green, and this will hurt them, but it will display better overall depth and will have a nucleus of promising sophomores. Ten lettermen will return from last year's team but none of these can be considered as having their berths cinched in view of strong pressure from the sophomores.
Brightest spots among the sophs are catcher Barrion Donaldson and pitcher-outfielder Ron Wylie. Donaldson is a good hitter, a fine back-hustle and a quick hustle that will give the Jayhawkers a better than average catcher.
Wylie, who pitched his Kansas City Wyandotte high school squad to the state championship in 1954, posted a 10-3 record this summer in Minnesota and hit .390, playing in the outfield when not pitching. Coach Temple also plans to use the stocky right-hander in the outfield on the days he isn't pitching.
Two other sophomore pitchers show promise. Righthander Bob Cawley had a 3-0 record for Lyons of the western Ban Johnson League when a horse fell on him and injured his arm. If the arm injury leaves no ill effects Cawley may prove an asset to the club. The third sophomore, left-hander Van Cooper, hasn't had much experience outside of high school ball but shows promise.
Shirley to Try Agan The Jayhawks ace in 1954, Bob Shirley, will be back to see if his
ailing arm has finally recovered. Bob showed promise of regaining his old form last spring from the arm injury suffered in 1954 but a sudden cold snap brought about a return of the trouble and he was able to compete in the 80s. The fifty little right-hander imports that he hasn't thrown all summer and the arm feels like it is in great shape.
Rounding out the pitching staff will be left-hander Gary Fenny who showed promise but a lack of stamina in 1955. Fenny was good for four or five innings but never seemed to be able to go the route. Loren "Fuzzy" Martin, first string backstop in 55, will probably return to old chore of pitching with Donaldson taking over the catching duties.
aldson behind the plate. Forrest Hoglund, the club's leading hitter last year, will be back at third and Don Steinmeyer will be at second.
In the infield, letterman John Walz will supply relief to Don
Steinmeyer, however, will find competition in the form of Dale Gulledge of Wellington and Barry Robertson of Coffeyville. Robertson is currently attending Coffeyville Junior College but, will enroll in KU in January. This summer Robertson led the state championship Coffeyville Ban Johnson League team in hitting.
Conn May Go to First
First base will be wide open with the departure of Bill Heitholt. Jim Trombold, brother of former KU great John Trombold, will try for the job and Coach Temple is considering moving outfielder Bobby Conn in for use at the post.
Another brother of a former KU
great, Phillip Stonestreet whose brother Jack was a top pitcher for the Hawks, will be trying out for shortstop. Stonestreet, however, lacks experience.
Welcome back and Help Yourself...
Two sophs will be pushing Hogtund at third but "Funky," who was the Jayhawkers captain last year, has the inside track. The two sophomores are John Newlin and Ray Stockwell.
In the outfield Coach Temple can expect no help from the sophomores, with the exception of Wylie.
Returning will be his entire crew of '55, Dick Elowey, Bobby Conn, and Don Dixon. None of the three hit very good last year although Conn did hit the long ball some. Also returning will be Dudley Budrich and LaVerne Fiss who got in on the tall end of the season last year.
A good crop of freshmen are coming in this year, according to Coach Temple, and he thinks the 1957 team could be a winner.
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