PAGE 4 University Daily Kansan Tuesday, Feb. 12, 1952
Intramural Play In Basketball Has Excitement
Bv BOB WOHLMAN
We talk about school spirit and what it might not be at the present time, but there certainly is plenty of spirit in intramural activities.
I was in Robinson annex several week ago watching two fraternity teams play basketball. There were Phi Delta Theta and Phi Gamma Delta. The place was packed, and I had to stand to watch the game.
Phi Delta was leading, 31-28, with 30 seconds left. Phi Gamma Delta had possession. Jim Potts, Phi Gamma guard, sank a long set shot to close the deficit to 31-30. Phi Delt took the ball out of bounds after the basket, but a full-court press lent them from scoring.
I'll never forget the hectic final 30 seconds of the game, not to say anything about the early part. It was one of those close down to the wire affairs.
Alan Heath, Phi Delt forward plucked the ball out of the air and let go with a right-handed hook just as the final buzzer sounded. The bank bilked in off the boards, and Phi Delt got the decision, 33-32.
The crowd was in an uproar, but Phi Delt was not to be denied as it took the ball out of bounds. Feeling that it was a lost cause, John Simons of Phi Delt took a long desperation shot that was short.
Phi Gamma took time out with exactly 17 seconds remaining to play. Time resumed and Phi Gamma gained possession, and worked the ball around for a long shot which failed. But Don Feller tipped in the rebound with five seconds left to give them a 32-31 lead.
Bedlam broke loose in the annex, spectators raced out onto the court and picked up Heath. The excitement was terrific; and this is the spirit found in all intramural sports.
Johnny Mize In Last Season
Deland, Fla. —(U.P.)—Mountainous Johnny Mize admitted today that he was facing his last season in the big leagues and in the role of an old baseball hero preparing to step down he picked young Mickey Mantle as the potential new star of the New York Yankees.
Speaking straight from the shoulder, big Jawn also suggested that the world champions might be an even more horrible win that Joe Di-Maggio has retired.
"There always has been one big man with the Yankees down through' the years," he explained. "Go back and you'll remember, fellows like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and DiMaggio. Well, Mantle is the lad who can step into that spot now."
"Mickey is fast and he can hit," Mize added, "but there is more to it than that. It takes a certain something, call it a special spark, to lead a ball club like the Yankees—to be their big gun—and Mantle has indicated that he has it. I know Mantle had a bit of trouble last year but I think he has his feet on the ground now."
"Joe was a great ball player but he didn't have it last season," Mize said. "Still, he received most of the attention. By that I mean publicity. and don't think ball players can't read."
"So it begins to get them down when they read that they can't win without this player or that player," he continued. "Not that they think they can't, but it aggravates them."
Now, Mize thinks other players on the Yankee team will get more individual recognition. And, for the time being at home, he has a recognition to be between shortstop Phil Rizzuto and catcher Yogi Berra.
"But when the dust clears away, I believe you'll find that Mantle winds up as the new big gun of the Yankees," he added.
Mize doesn't really expect to be around by that time. He admits that he took a salary cut this season for his role will be primarily that of an experienced big bat at the plate in the pinches.