University Daily Kansan Tuesday, Nov. 23, 1954
KU Basketball-
Search for Pivot Man Is Phog's Big Problem
Do you want to know what it's like to lose two All-American centers in succession? Kansas is finding out as it spins through the early practice rounds of the 1954-55 basketball season. Right now replacement of same is Phog Allen's major personnel problem.
In case you've forgotten Kansas had players like B. H. Born and Clyde Lovellette in the pivot over the last five seasons. It was no accident the Jayhawkers won outright or shared four of the last seven men on the world champions 1952 Olympic squad.
Both Lovellette and Born measured 6.9, tall enough to be—as Allen says—"winning determiners." Clyde, of course, was the most prolific scorer the conference has ever had averaging 23.0 in league play as a mere sophomore and closing with seven NCAA tournament records as a senior. Born won a conference scoring title too, as a junior, but equally important the old long-armed patrol was the finest defensive big man the circuit ever harbored.
Well, those five years of elevated dexterity and terror are gone. Allen and his assistants, Dick Harp and Jack Eskridge, are trying to patch the post with greenery and comparative lack of height. There is promise at hand, but also much improvement necessary. Five candidates, none of them seniors, line up this way: Lew Johnson, 6-6; sophomore; Lee Green, 6-5 sophomore; Jim Toft, 6-6 junior; Dick Warren, 6-7, transfer from Moberly Junior college, and Bill Brainard, 6-3, junior.
Green and Brainard are listed on the early roster as forwards. Maybe that's where they'll play when the season gets in motion. Maybe they'll play both the front line and post. At any rate there is going to be continued shutting until somebody sticks his nose in front far enough to claim the job.
Only Brainard has genuine experience at the spot. He played it most of the way behind Born last season, delivering as well as any 6-3 sophomore could be expected to. He is not a hooker, in the best tradition of post-men, but he's dangerous on the jump-turn and can slither through defences for a lot of point-blank shots. He's aggressive on the boards too. But at 6-3 Allen probably would rather have him at forward.
Johnson is aggressive and serious.
He wants to get the job done. He
must be considered a good prospect,
"But right now he's afraid to turn
loose because he's afraid of making
mistakes," Allen analyzes.
The doctor is somewhat taken by Warren's progress. "He is a terrific worker and is developing faster than any post-man we have," he comments, "Toft is trying hard and may help. Green is a prospect but right now, woefully weak on defense.
"Frankly we are weak at center right now. There is no other way to consider it. Its the vital spot, offensively and defensively on any basketball team. We have so much to do, and so little time to do it that I don't know when we'll start looking like a team."
Allen, starting down the stretch of his 38th season here, then digressed long enough to take a swing at the Nov. 1 starting practice time. "The Big Seven and NCAA rule for-bidding basketball practice to start before Nov. 1 is a terrific mistake," he stated. "Its asinine. I wish the fellow that's responsible for it would have to make up our schedule."
But the Mt. Oread coach was more concerned over the realities of his pivot situation. "I am not selling our youngsters short," he exhilips. "It's just that they have so far to come."
"You can't win a championship (the Jayhawks are defending co-titlists this winter with Colorado) without a big turkey. You can worry 'em and fight for the lead, but you'll be submerged.
"Why? Because a good, big postman flattens the defense by at least 10 feet, not only with his own shooting but by passing for cheap baskets when the defense collapses on him. If you don't have an equally big and equally good man to play against him you must cover with two men. That is a tough situation."
Some Women Like to Play Basketball
By MARILYN GERMAN
By MARILYN GERMAN
Many girls like to play basketball.
Lows of them get a big kick out of the court, and shorts and a shirt and running around a gymnasium trying to throw a ball into the right basket.
It's been said that playing basketball is hard on a woman. True enough, it can be. But so can any other vigorous sport if carried to excess, like playing tennis, chasing men, or taking in washing. Women continue to do these things and survive.
Maybe there is some misunderstanding about the way women’s basketball is played. The rules are different from those used by men. Instead of five players on each team, there are six, three forwards and three guards. Only forwards can shoot, and each player must stay on her own side of the center line. Since the ball can be played on only one end at a time, girls at the other end merely watch. Therefore each girl is resting about half the time.
Each quarter in a women's basketball game lasts only five minutes, with the clock stopped for time-outs and free throws. Any girl in good physical condition should be able to last through a game.
Another argument against women's basketball is that the girls don't present a good personal appearance. Actually, do girls look so bad in shorts? It's true that sometimes their hair gets a little messed up during the game. Probably that could be taken care of by keeping a comb in the pocket and using it after every play, but it doesn't seem necessary.
The girls we've seen play basketball didn't seem to show any particular viciousness toward members of the opposing team. In fact, they are more likely to be susceptible that some girls meet new friends on the basketball court.
Many people like to watch basketball from the sidelines. So do we. But for a few weeks out of the year, some of us like to stop being merely spectators at athletic events and become active participants. All right, so we're crazy. Sure we are, over basketball.
Mixed league—Sunday, Nov. 21
Mixed Duffers 20-4; Shrimmers 14-
10; Us Four 12-12; Mixed Pickups
14-10; 4 Markers 6-14; Fouled up
Fours 6-14; Mixed Pickups 3-1 over
Us Four; Shrimmers 3-1 over
4 Markers; Mixed Duffers 3-1 over
Fouled Up Fours.
Bowling Results
The enemy knows Allen is correct. It's been trying for the past five seasons to do something about Lovellette and Born.
By STAN HAMILTON
Allen Fieldhouse Votes Wanted By Daily Kansan
Already several have come in each expressing wholehearted endorsement of the proposal to set aside the supposed tradition against naming KU buildings for living persons.
Letters or post cards—send them along to us as your vote to name the fieldhouse NOW in honor of Phog Allen.
Certainly one of the factors in persuading the American league club owners to approve the transfer of the Philadelphia Athletics to
The Daily Kansan,
Journalism Building,
University of Kansas;
"A program for every organization, a sport for every individual." This is the motto of the intramural department at the University of Kansas. For over 35 years young men and women have enjoyed the privilege and opportunities offered for the relaxation and competition of the student body by KU's excellent intramural program.
Yes, I want to name the fieldhouse NOW for "Phog" Allen!
CLIP and MAIL
KU IM Program Boasts Sports for Everyone
Name...
By LOUIS BUCK
Surprising to many is the well rounded program, intramurals and the number of sports participated in today. Team or individual play are included in touch football, basketball, volleyball, softball, golf, badminton, bowling, horseshoes, handball, tennis, swimming, and track. Anyone carrying five hours at KU
For Your Relaxation-
Or...
Address ...
Kansas City recently was the mail campaign carried on by the Kansas City star. If enough letters are received here maybe they will carry a little weight with the board of regents, which can bypass the tradition as it did in naming Malott hall a few weeks ago.
As the situation now stands, the board is standing squarely in the middle and will say nothing about designating the almost-completed structure in honor of "Mr. Basket-
Wichita Eyes Crown
Detroit—[U.P.]-Wichita's Shockers plan to celebrate the university's first Missouri Valley championship in conference history Thanksgiving day by feasting on Tulsa's hapless football team.
CLIP and MAII.
ball”."Phog Allen, KU coach for 38 years.
Maybe the pressure of countless letters from students, alumni, and citizens of the state will encourage that body to act now, to follow the wishes of the people.
Let's flood the Kansan with letters to push the regents into action. For convenience the attached "vote" for the "Phog" Allen fieldhouse may be pasted to a post card or put in an envelope.
day by beating Detroit, 20-0, and will be undisputed king of the valley if Tulsa can't win its first game in 11 this season on Thursday.
Coach Jack Mitchell's crew clinched a share of the title Satur-
Senior halfback Buddy Leake of the champion Oklahoma Sooners scored nine points Saturday to win the Big eve nscoring title with 77 points.
and has amateur standing with no varsity letters is eligible to compete in intramural activities.
The history of intramurals has gone hand in hand with the founding and growth of the University. As early as the opening of KU in 1866 intramurals were promoted and carried on. Traditional games developed through the years such as the Law School-Medics football game held each year at homecoming.
The actual founding of the present system was 1920 when G. B. Patrick, Chicago YMCA, developed a workable intramural program. E. R. Elbel, professor of physical education, began a successful 14 year reign over the program in 1928 and built and improved it to a point of high esteem. Today, men's intramural athletics are ably directed by Walter J. Mikols in a manner which makes the system an integral part of the college man's life at KU.
Each year 60 to 75 football teams involving approximately 1,000 men meet on the seven intramural fields to compete for the touch football championship of the Hill. Hundreds of cheering spectators line the fields in the late autumn afternoons to view approximately 300 contests in a round robin schedule played between Oct. 1 and Thanksgiving vacation.
The top feature of the season is the playoff game between the independent and fraternity champions for the Hill trophy. This year the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity nosed out independent Jim Beam 6 to 0 for the title.
In order for the intramural system to be a success competent officials must be secured to regulate and judge the contests. An officiating class for one hour credit is held for interested students and those qualified officile in the intramural program as part of their course work.
HOLIDAY MEALS AT YOUR STUDENT UNION CAFETERIA
Wednesday, Nov. 24; Friday, Nov. 26; Saturday, Nov. 27
Breakfast — 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Lunch — 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Dinner — 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Coffee Bar — 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 25 One Meal Only Turkey Dinner
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Be sure to get sandwiches, fruit, and cake for your evening meal at home! Coffee Bar Open From 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 28
Breakfast — 8:30 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
Lunch — 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Dinner — 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Coffee 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Hawk's Nest Closes Tues., Nov. 23 at 8 p.m: Opens Sunday, Nov. 28 at 1:30 p.m.
Your Student Union
CAFETERIA and HAWK'S NEST