C
Daily hansan
Kansas State Historical Society Topeka, Ks.
51st Year, No.49
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Monday, Nov. 23, 1953
Tiger Victory Fails To Spoil Homecoming
The 42nd annual Homecoming was marred only by Missouri university's football team.
Tigers Beaten Many Times— In Decorations
By SAM TEAFORD
The University of Missouri won Saturday's football game, but the Tiger that represents MU was humiliated and defeated in about 50 different ways in the Homecoming decorations built by organized houses.
Hopkins hall, women's dorsitory; Sterling-Oliver halls, men's dormitories; Sigma Kappa sorority, and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity won first-place trophies in their respective divisions.
"I Taut I Saw a Puddy Tat," the Hopkins decoration said. A Tiger kitten was shown approaching a hole in a fence, seeing a Jayhawk, and retreating.
A newspaper, the University Daily Failure, with headlines reading "Hawks Upset Tigers with End Zone Push," was displayed at Sterling-Oliver. A Jayhawk, carrying a model of the campanile under one arm, drove a distraught Tiger in front of him.
Sigma Kappa's decoration was a Tiger-skinning machine. "The Hide of Mizzou Is the Pride of KU," the sign said, as Tiger after Tiger was conveyed into the skinning machine, cranked by a Jayhawk, to come out as a pressed hide.
A three-sided billboard was the display of Pi Kappa Alpha. Two sides represented a stadium full of people. In the center were the words, "Hi Alums, Beat MU," on a sign which rotated to form a giant "K" and then rotated again to become a Jayhawk.
Second-place awards for house decorations went to Locksley hall, women's independent houses; Theta Tau, men's independent houses; Kappa Alpha Theta, sororities, and Beta Theta Pi, fraternities.
A Jayhawk upsetting the battleship Missouri was depicted by Locksley hall, and Theta Tau showed a Jayhawk picking his teeth over the skeleton of what had been a Tiger.
Rated third were Foster hall, women's independent houses; Jollie hall, men's independent houses; Theta Phi Alpha, sororities, and Phi Gamma Delta, fraternities.
A circus scene to "Tame the Tigers" was the theme for Kappa Alpha Theta, and Beta Theta Pi, indicating the "Tiger's Luck is Running Out," showed a tuxedo-wearing Jayhawk emptying a bottle of Lucky Tiger.
BULLETIN
East Lansing, Mich. — (U.R.)—Wes Santee today led the university of Kansas to the NCAA cross country title over Michigan State's 4-mile course.
nine courses.
Santee finished the race in 18:43.5,
to lead a field of 112 runners from
32 schools.
Kansas captured the team title with a low score of 70 points as Art Dakell took seventh; sophomore Al Frame, 10th; Lloyd Koby, 25th and Dick Wilson, 27th, to defeat second place Indiana by 12 points.
Santee took the lead about half a mile before the finish line and raced home 30 yards ahead of John Kelley of Boston university.
The team will return to the Lawrence Municipal airport at 5:30 p.m. today.
MU won, 10-6, but the rest of the weekend was a happy one for University students.
Barbara Korn, fine arts sophomore from Salina, was chosen Homecoming queen, and was introduced to the crowd in a colorful halftime ceremony. Dianne Miller and Sandra Puliver, education juniors, were her attendants.
Alumni and students were treated to the Homecoming Folies Friday night. Student talent was featured, and the 1923 football team, which was holding its 30-year reunion, was introduced to the crowd.
Judging of decorations was held Friday night. Winners were Sigma Kappa sorority, Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, Hopkins hall, and Sterling-Oliver hall. Second-place trophies went to Kappa Alpha Theta, Beta Theta Pi, Locksey hall, and Theta Tau. Theta Phi Alpha, Phi Gamma Delta, Foster hall, and Jolliffe Hall took third-place plaques.
In a pre-game ceremony, KU and MU chapter members of Omicron Delta Kappa, senior men's honorary society, met in the middle of the field. MU showed it still had the Indian tom-tom, which traditionally goes to the winner of the football game.
At halftime, the combined KU-MU bands broke into a "heart" formation, which was pierced by an "arrow" made up of Jay James and Red Peppers. The bands played "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" during the presentation of the queen and attendants.
Near the end of the game, students had gathered near the bench to congratulate senior footballers on their season. A few of the well-wishers joined in a near free-for-all between MU and KU players. After the game, members of the KuKu club, men's pep organizations, carried Coach J. V. Sikes off the field on their shoulders.
Debate Team Wins Tourney
Winning 25 of 28 debates, KU teams won a tournament at Emporia State college Saturday in competition against Kansas State college, the University of Wichita, Emporia State, and the University of Washburn.
Four KU teams were undefeated. Members of those teams are Letty Lemon, journalism junior, and Margaret Smith, college sophomore; Mary Ann Curtis, fine arts sophomore, and Marjorie Heard, engineering sophomore; John Eland and Gary Sick, college freshmen, and William Means, business senior, and Howard Payne, college senior.
Emporia State was second in the tournament, winning 9 of 24 debates. K-State won 1 of 4; Washburn, 2 of 8, and Wichita, 3 of 16.
KU debaters also appeared in exhibitions over the weekend. William Crews, business senior, and Richard Sheldon, college senior, debated at the University of Texas, R. L. Brown and Dennis Knight, college freshmen, at the University of Missouri.
Ken Coy, journalism senior and managing editor of the Daily Kansas, had that "lost weekend" look this morning, but it was caused neither by overwork nor by intoxication.
Lost Weekend Found in Hospital
Friday night Coy suffered through the ordeal of becoming a father. The mother, Mrs. Marie Coy, and young Richard Wayne, are reported in good condition.
Coach Sikes Resigns Job
SIKES LEAVES—Head Football Coach J. V. Sikes walked out of the Kansas football picture Saturday following the Jayhawkers' 10-6 loss to Missouri.
By STAN HAMILTON Kansan Sports Editor
University head football coach Jules Verne Sikes resigned that position Saturday afternoon immediately after the Kansas-Missouri Homecoming football game, verifying what generally was known to be a fact.
Sikes closed the door of the dressing room to the press after the game and about 15 minutes later, after he had disclosed his action to the team, admitted newsmen to the coaches' private dressing room.
In a prepared statement Sikes said: "I have written Dr. Franklin Murphy, chancellor of the University, resigning my position as head football coach, University of Kansas.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the University staff, the faculty, the student body, the alumni, and friends of the University for their splendid cooperation and their many contributions to the success of our football program here. I urge all our friends to continue their support of the University of Kansas.
"We have had many splendid victories here, and of course, some disappointing defeats, but on the whole our life here has been a happy one. Evelyn (Mrs. Sikes) and I will be sorry to leave the many friends we have made during our stay in Kansas."
"In accepting the resignation of Mr. Sikes, we are grateful for the six years of untrying service which he has given to the University of Kansas. He leaves KU with the best wishes of the University family and
Chancellor Murphy said:
"I wish to thank also the members of the press, radio, and television for their outstanding work in reporting our games. I especially want to thank the members of our coaching staff and the many fine boys it has been our privilege to coach for their cooperation and loyalty."
"I am especially grateful to the boys on this year's squad. They have given their best under very trying circumstances. I am proud to have been their coach.
with our feeling of appreciation for his technical skill as manifested by the over-all record of his teams."
So, in polite and curt terms, the bitterness which has been developing against the soft-spoken coach came to an official end. Behind the politeness were months of criticisms, charges, rumors, half-truths, accusations, and denials by parties connected with the University which Sikes called a "fine school."
The coach, obviously moved and disappointed at what many consider he was forced to do, took no closing potshots at anyone.
"I'd rather not answer that," he answered when asked if pressure on him had caused the resignation. "Just say I've resigned. I first began planning to resign two or three weeks ago, I guess."
Asked if any of the players might go with him to his next post wherever it may be, he said, "I have told the boys to stay at KU. This is a fine University and they should not leave it just because I am leaving."
"I have no definite plans, but I hope to stay in coaching," he said. "I will take a few days off to rest but I don't know what will follow. I have talked no terms with any other school and no other school has contacted me."
Sikes, 48, has been head coach at KU six years. He started here in 1948 coming from Georgia university where he had been an end coach. He was given a 3-year contract. In February 1951 he was given a new 3-year contract with a salary increase. The present pact was to expire March 1, 1954.
In six full seasons he coached the Jayhawkers to 35 victories and 25 losses, a 58.3 per cent winning average.
—Kansan photo by Clarke Keys
GOING-AWAY GIFT-J. V., Sikes, who resigned Saturday as head football coach at the University, was presented with a new car and a check for $500 Friday by well-wishers. Taking part in the presentation were (from left) Albert Kay and Morris Kay, St. John; Mr. and Mrs. Sikes; co-captain Bob Hantla; and James Taylor
and Jerry Taylor, Carrollton, Mo.
Sikes and Wife Given Car, Check
Football coach J. V. Sikes, who resigned Saturday afternoon, was given a new automobile and a $200 check Friday by fathers, sponsors, and friends of the University for his efforts in six years at KU.
In a prepared statement, Albert Kay of St. John, father of co-captain Morris Kay, said:
In appreciation of the close relationship and splendid influence you have held with our boys, while
teaching them good clean football, good sportsmanship, and to be gentlemen both on and off the football field, the fathers of the varsity squad and other friends wish to present you with these gifts of a car and a check.
The surprised coach said, "I am
"Along with these go our best wishes for a victory over Missouri tomorrow."
flaubergasted, of course. I guess I must be the most fortunate coach in the country to have such a fine bunch of boys, parents, and friends in Lawrence. Thanks from the depths of our hearts."
The entire Jayhawker team and a group of about 150 persons caught Coach Sikes after he had held a short workout and presented the car to him and his wife at the stadium.