MONDAY, APRIL 9, 1951
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
PAGE FIVE
By ALAN MARSHALL
Daily Kansan Sports Editor
Ronnie Gibbs, one of the best known officials in this area, has recommended the use of three referees in all of the important basketball games. He's an old-timer who has worked a lot of games and his ideas should carry the weight of experience.
The idea was tried during the recent National Campus tournament at Bradley university in Peoria, Ill. Gibbs, one of the three, said "it worked fine." Evidently three men can keep the game in hand much better than only two. It's only logical that such is the case.
Probably the two-official system is what the sociologists would call a "cultural lag." At least, it's something along that order. Officiating has dropped behind the improvements in the play itself. This is not to say that the officials haven't improved. Some have and some haven't. The point is that two men simply can't keep up with the play. Basketball isn't what it used to be.
The game has improved immensely since its invention. Offensive is the prime objective with most teams (excepting a few such as Oklahoma A. and M.) whereas in the old days just the opposite was true. Back in the old days the wiser coaches used a four-man offense and kept the fifth, the so-called "back-guard," always guarding the home basket.
Really, though, the big thing is speed. Modern cagers run and run and run, and then run some more. Passing is quicker, though sometimes not so artful, and patterns often depend upon speed as much, if not more than, finesse. Take K-State for example. The Wildcats rely upon speed. If they can get a team to run with them their victory is much closer.
And such is true of the majority of present-day teams. Three of the first four squads in the final nation-wide basketball polls stressed the breakneck pace. Only Hank Iba's Aggies utilized "slow down" tactics and toward the end of the season fans began to wonder how they ever rated their ranking.
That brings up the point of officials like Gibbs. They simply don't have enough eyes to keep track of all ten players. In the old days they didn't have so much trouble but now they do. It's just like big business. As their activities increase so must the government regulatory agencies. More fouls are committed in both cases, so there must be more men around to toot the whistle.
Speaking of whistles, Gibbs said, "The fans thought there'd be a more whistle tooting. But there wasn't. The boys knew we were there and as a result played a cleaner, speedier game.
Harry 'Suitcase' Simpson Aims For Job With The Slugging Cleveland Outfield
Tucson, Ariz. (U.P.)—Sad-eyed Harry (Suitcase) Simpson unpacked today for a long stay in the big leagues.
Simpson is one of the finest prospects I've ever seen," declared Cleveland general manager Hank Greenberg. "He has all the earmarks of a born natural hitter."
In case the name doesn't ring a bell, Harry Leon Simpson, the Indians' new Negro outfielder, is being touted as a potential partner to the slugging firm of Larry Doby and Luke Easter, Inc. Simpson, who doesn't say much and wears a perpetual dead pan, is a San Diego Padre graduate.
He hit .223 in the Pacific Coast league last season and included 33 homers, 41 doubles, 19 triples and 156 runs batted in among his batting accomplishments. No pop-off. Simpson says merely he'll do his best to win a berth with Cleveland.
"I don't know whether I can make the club," he drawled, "but I sure am going to try pretty hard."
Those who have played with him say that was a long speech for the 25-year-old lanky Georgian. He is definitely the quiet type.
Simpson is rated so high here in the Cleveland camp that word has gone around he will replace Dale Mitchell in left field. Mitchell, who batted .309 last season and is ranked as one of the better hitters in the league, was somewhat concerned about his job over the winter.
This marks Simpson's third season in professional baseball. With Wilkes-Barre of the Eastern League in 1949, he batted .305, walloped 31 homers and sent 120 teammates scurrying across the plate. Last year with San Diego, he improved considerably on his first-year performance.
"What's this about Simpson taking over my job?" Mitchell is understood to have asked Indian officials.
Yankees Confident They'll Retain World Championship
Phoenix, Ariz. (U.P.)—Every member on the club—from the bat-boy on up to manager Casey Stengel—is convinced today the world champion New York Yankees will win again.
Listen to Casev. He'll tell you.
"Who's the champs?" he asks. We are right? Okay, then, until some other guys beat us—and I don't think they can—I'm gonna' keep stringing along with my club.
"That makes sense to me. I don't see anyone better around. Maybe nobody is better than us. Let 'em keep coming is what I say. We'll take care of 'em all, one at the time."
Stengel can't really be blamed for spouting optimism. He has a sound ball club from one end to the other and has come up with two brilliant rookies in Mickey Mantle and Gill MacDougald, both of whom look ready for the majors.
MacDougald, who batted 336 with Beaumont of the Texas League last year, is accorded an excellent chance of shoving veteran Billy Johnson off third base.
The incomparable Phil Rizzuto is a fixture at shortstop and there isn't anyone around who will dislodge agile Jerry Coleman from second base.
Joe Collins has been getting an occasional "look" at first base but the job belongs to beet-faced Johnny Mize any time he whistles.
Mantle, a clouting fool up from Joplin in the Western Association where he wore out all pitchers, has been switched from shortstop to the outfield.
Whether he can win a job immediately is debatable since the redoubtable Joe Dimaggio, Hank Bauer and Gene Woodling give the Yankees a strong outer defense. Cliff Mapes and Burly Jackie Jensen are also in the running.
The Yankee catching staff, headed by hard-hitting Yogi Berra, is top-drawer all the way down the line. Berra's consistency leaves little room for Charlie Silvera, Ralph Houk or newcomer Clint Courtney.
Pittsburgh still is awaiting a catcher as a result of last year's Johnny Hopp deal and the Pirates
BaseballTeam WillTryAgain
KU Swimming Team Opens And Closes Season In One Day
With the co-operation of "Old Man Weather," Hub Ulrich's Jayhawker baseball team will again attempt to open its 1851 season this afternoon playing Emporia State on the Hornets' diamond.
Saturday's game at Emporia was postponed for the third straight day due to wet grounds and cold weather.
Today's game is scheduled as the first of a two-game series with the Hornets with the return game here to be played on a date to be announced later.
The Jayhawkers open their Big Seven conference season here Friday and Saturday against Iowa State.
Carl Sandefur will hurl for Kansas today and will be followed to the mound by sophomore Jack Stonestreet should the big right-bander need relief.
Coach Ulrich sent his team through a lengthy hitting drill Saturday afternoon followed with a short intra-squad game.
The team practiced on a make-shift diamond on the grass in the deep left field section of the Varsity diamond.
The University swimming team began and ended its season in a blaze of glory April 3 by having its picture taken for the Jayhawker
Delay in finishing the new swimming pool in Robinson gymnasium forced cancellation of all meets scheduled for this year's squad.
Walter Mikoi, swimming coach, had long built up for this year and learned forward to a team that would make their mark in Big Seven swimming history. Even after the draft took its toll of swimmers there were five returning lettermen.
Bob Edman, education senior, was forced to sit through his last season
of eligibility without a chance to better the two University marks he holds. Tom Payne also holds a University record and Williard Thompson swam on last year's record breaking relay team. Other lettermen were Dave Lockhart, who
are making a determined bid to land Silvera.
won points at last year's conference meet, and Harry Newbly.
Stengel's pitching should be as strong as last year although Casey keeps moaning about the loss of southpaw Eddie Ford, now in an army uniform.
It is fitting that the team's picture was taken in the beautiful new pool, which was completed the week of the conference swim meet.
These men of experience would have been backed by an array of swimming talent from last year's freshman team. That team included high school state champions and swimmers who had transferred from other universities.
Vic Raschi, Allie Reynolds and southpaws Eddie Lopat and Tommy Byrne stack up as the front-liners again with Fred Sanford attempting to move into the starting array.
Southpaw Joe Page reports he feels no pain from the hip which plagued him all last year. If he regains his winning touch of 1947 and 1949, he will once again inherit the number one relief spot.
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