Page 5
By DANA LEIBENGOOD
As far as we are concerned one of the great injustices in sports was done last week when Bob Feller wasn't given the opportunity to pitch the fourth game of the World Series. Feller hasn't won a series game, and probably this was his last chance.
Feller has spent his entire baseball career with Cleveland and is the only modern-day pitcher who could be classed as an all-time great. Had it not been for the four years he spent in military service at the peak of his career, he already would have won more than 300 games, a goal he probably won't achieve now.
Now in the twilight of his brilliant career, he won 13 games and lost three in spot performances this season and certainly deserved a chance to start the fourth game of the series.
But even without these four years he has a spectacular record pitching for Cleveland teams that until the last six years had not been consistently strong pennant contenders.
There can be no disagreement with Manager Al Lopez's selection of pitches for the first three games, for that was automatic. Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, and Mike Garcia deserved the honor and got it. When it came to the fourth game Lopez made a grave error by bringing Lemon back with only two days of rest.
While Lemon is a very able and strong pitcher he shouldn't have been expected to pitch a good game in the tension of the World Series with only two days' rest.
We think that the series would have gone at least five games had Feller pitched, for it is quite likely that he could have pitched well for at least seven innings, as Sal Maglie did for the Giants in the first game, and then Ray Narleski could have relieved him.
Feller's famous fast ball has pretty well disappeared, but he still can throw a few respectable ones each game. In addition he has a good curve, control, and a tremendous amount of experience. In a big park like Municipal stadium it is quite likely that the Giants would have collected some hits off of his slow stuff, but it is unlikely that he could have been much more ineffective than Garcia had been the day before.
In the 1948 World Series, when Cleveland met the Boston Braves, Feller lost a heart-breaking game to John Sain I-0. That was the game when the only Brave run scored on a single after Manager Lou Boudreau argued that the base runner had been tagged out at second on the famous pickoff play of that series.
We are not writing this out of sentiment for the Indians, for we hoped that the Giants would win the World Series in five games. The only Indian pitcher we wanted to see win was Feller.
However, all of Feller's great pitching was forgotten. His years of service to the team were ignored and his great clutch performances of the past disregarded. We hope that Feller still gets the chance to pitch one more series game, but it certainly doesn't look now as if he ever will because of the complete lack of judgment of Lopez.
Braves Disappoint Conley By Offering Lower Contract
Boston—(LP) Even before the 1951
Boston—(U.F.)—Even before the Milwaukee Braves could count their profits from a record-breaking 1954 season, they definitely could count today on Gene Conley being their first holdout for next season. Why?
"Because the Braves offered me such a ridiculously-low contract for 1955 that I won't sign until they meet my price. ...what I think I'm worth," said the 6-foot, 8-inch Conley who has signed a contract to play professional basketball for the Boston Celtics this winter.
"Let's say I'm not mad at the Braves 'but I'm awfully disappointed and discouraged with the money they offered me for next year," added the lanky righthander who won 14 games and lost nine for the third-place Braves this past season.
Conley said, "The figure I have in mind and the figure General Manager John Quinn mentioned after the season is so far apart from what I thirk I'm worth that it's almost ridiculous and insulting.
"If they're going big league in Milwaukee, I don't know why they don't go all the way," he said.
"When I talked with Quinn after the season, he agreed that my record was better than anyone's with four years in the organization, but I guess he doesn't think I'm worth it. Or maybe they're playing a game with me," he shrugged.
Conley, a 225-pound native of Muskroee, Olkm., who now lives in Michigan, Wash., quit Washington State college after two years to sign with the Hartford, Conn., farm club of the then Boston Braves in
Big 7 Squads Drill for Games
Conley said he isn't trying to force the Braves into a compromise on salary by playing basketball "but if they won't pay me enough, I'll have to make the dough some way. After all, I've got a wife and two kids."
He divided the following season with the parent club and the Milwaukee Braves and then posted a 23-9 record and a 2.90 earned run average with Toledo, in 1953. He won the most valuable minor league player award at Hartford and Toledo and his ERA this year —2.97—was sixth best in the National league.
The eight freshman managers are Bob Boyer, Gary Poe, Kent Floeker, John Zoeller, Joel Sterrett, Van Cooper, Phil Stonestreet, and Wallace Richardson. Tom Knorr, Tom Corrigan, and John Lounsbury will act as sophomore managers, and Jerry Jurden and Ken Hay will be senior managers. No juniors were picked.
Carl Ebel and Bill Marshall today were chosen intramural supervisors for the 1954-55 school year and Belden Mills was named secretary.
Intramural Managers Chosen for Season
Columbia, Mo. —(U.P.)— The Missouri Tigers are without the services of a star performer, left guard Bobby Gooch, because of injuries.
Gooch was injured Saturday in the Kansas State game. He is expected to be out of action the remainder of the season.
In 1952, the Iowa State Cyclones played before 47,702 fans playing at Illinois. This is the largest crowd ever to see a Cyclone team.
The squad worked on offense and defense patterns yesterday, avoiding heavy contact work.
Corky Osterloh or Chuck Mehren will replace Gooch.
The biggest home crowd in Iowa State football history was against Kansas State in 1949 when 18,792 fans watched the game.
Lincoln, Neb. —(U.P.)—Nebraska's Cornhuskers moved indoors for some detail work yesterday but braved chilly, damp weather for outside pass defense and kicking drills.
Coach Bill Glassford said the starting lineup will be the same as last week except that center LaVerne Torczon or Bob Berguin will on the second squad. He said that halfback Jim Yeisley, out with an injury, probably will be back with the team in about two weeks.
Manhattan —(U.P.)— Kansas State Coach Bill Meek's charges worked toward the Nebraska game yesterday with the reserves and freshmen using Cornhusker formations.
Big Jon Walker. 210-pound tackie injured in the Wyoming game Sept. 25, turned out in sweat clothes, but he is not expected to be ready for Saturday's game.
The swimming pool in Robinson gym will be open to all male personnel on the campus from 7 to 9 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and on Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m.
Pool Open to Men
Wednesday, October 6. 1954 University Daily Kansan
modern gooseneck 3.95
fluorescent lamp 9.75
(above)
flexo arm lamp 19.75
flexo arm lamp 19.75
pennants
K. U. Big 7, fraternity and sorority pennants 15c to 1.85
bulletin boards
Every college room needs a bulletin board- red, green or blue borders, 3 sizes— 78c 1.20 and 2.25
The Kansas football team ran through a controlled scrimmage yesterday as they continued drills in preparation for this Saturday's Iowa State contest at Ames.
KU Works on Cyclone Plays
Coach Chuck Mather worked his squad using Cyclone offensive and defensive formations against the Kansas plays. There were no changes in the lineups as no further injuries or complications occurred since Monday's practice.
Three members of the squad were still not participating in scrimmages. Junior second string halfback Bobby Conn is still suffering a badly sprained neck and probably will not see action Saturday.
Use Kansan Classified Ads.
Wet Fields Force IM Postponements
Muddy grounds caused postponement of the four intramural games scheduled for yesterday, and Walt Mikols, director of intramurals, is doubtful if today's schedule can be played for the same reason.
Today's schedule includes two fraternity "A" games; SAE v. Alpha Phi Alpha, and ATO vs. TKE, and two independent "A" games; Pearson vs. Stephenson, and AFROTC vs. NROTOC.
Tomorrow three independent "A" games are scheduled; Battenfeld vs. Jolliffe, field 2; Jim Beam vs. UVO, field 3; and 69'ers vs. Don Henry, field 4.