PAGE FOUR
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
1
SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 1942
During the past several weeks there have been many rumors about this school or that school quitting its conference to go independent or to join another league. The past few days however have seen an end to most of these rumors.
Latest to admit that everything is all right is Denver University. At the close of the football season they were considerably disturbed by the Big Seven ruling that all future football games must be scheduled on a home-and-home basis.
SCHOOLS ARE GETTING PACIFIED
This affected Denver particularly because bigger crowds always attended games in Denver than in any other town in the conference. Another peeve of the Pioneers was that their pet idea, a training table for football players, was voted down by the conference athletic fathers.
In our own conference Nebraska and Oklahoma have often been linked with other conferences. When Nebraska was stacked with power and had blue chips to spare, there was talk of the Huskers replacing Chicago in the Big Ten. However, Chicago dropped out of the Big Ten in football and no attempt was made to have a replacement.
This year the report gained prominence again. Especially when Denver and Colorado of the Big Seven were clamoring for memberships in our conference. The plan of the hour was to have Nebraska join the Big Ten, Oklahoma join the Southwest Conference, and have these two vacancies filled by Denver and Colorado.
Major Lawrence M. "Biff" Jones spiked any rumors that Nebraska was contemplating a change by saying he didn't "know anything about it."
"Of course," he continued, "I might not know all about it, but I really don't think it's true." That sounds good enough for this column for if anyone should know of a proposed change it would be the school's athletic director.
As for Oklahoma joining the Southwest Conference, it is very unlikely. That conference has a ruling that only seven schools are allowed membership (the present number competing) and a unanimous vote is required to drop one member or admit another.
For the present at least, the Big Six conference seems safe enough with its present membership. It is much more compact than any proposed league could possibly be and the schools are fairly evenly divided with respect to athletic strength.
Of course, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Missouri are the trump cards in the Fall but during the present basketball season Iowa State and Kansas seem to be evening this score somewhat by leading the league. Kansas State, the sixth school, is the up-and-down team with a good football team to press the leaders one year and a cocky little basketball crew to register upsets the next year.
AFTER-MATHS OF THE TUCKER CASE
Now that the daily shouting concerning the Gerald Tucker case has ceased, it might be well to look about and see what was gained by the ruckus. Sports writers throughout the country are pretty well agreed that Coach "Phog" Allen is a man to speak his own mind. He has many enemies but he also has gained many friends. And a number of his enemies admit that they respect him for his courage.
But it is not the personal opinion that people have of Allen that is important. It is the opinion they have of the University of Kansas. The outburst has awakened many graduates of K.U. to the realization that they still have a warm spot in their hearts for their Alma Mater.
Evidence of this is seen in the remarks made by a Wichita man who is a graduate of the University. He suggests a "Keep Kansas Athletes in Kansas" organization. This plan could either be formulated to include just those business men and sports fans who are interested in seeing K.U. get its share of athletes or it could be enlarged to include people interested, not merely in one school, but in all Kansas colleges.
He elaborates by pointing out a well known fact that many Kansas athletes go to Oklahoma, Oklahoma Aggies, Tulsa, and many other schools out-of-state. "It wouldn't take a lot to keep them in Kansas," he continues. "Other states do it and it works. Every year the two largest Oklahoma schools move heaven and earth to keep Oklahoma athletes in that state. Why not do the same in Kansas?"
This same K.U. grad goes on to say, remarks Wade Doughty of the Wichita Beacon, that regardless of what Allen may occasionally do that appears to be wrong, he at least is doing SOMETHING. He's a fighter and every time he gets into a controversy, someone suffers and the rest of the world knows Kansas has at least one man who'll fight for his rights as he sees them.
PHOG'S BOYS COME BACK
Odds and ends: It seemed like old home-week at varsity basketball practice Friday. Three former members of "Phog's" teams were visitors, Ray Ebling was over from Kansas City where he is working in the claims department of the Phillips 66. He is a former All-American while in school here in 1934, '35, and '36 and gained the same fame while playing for the Phillips team.
Howard "Rope" Engleman was another on-looker. He was en route to Kansas City where he played last night with his Phillips 66 teammates in a game against the all-stars of the Kansas City Naismith league. "Rope" thought that Ray Kinney of the Rice Owls is one of the best players he has ever seen. He believes the Owls should win the Southwest Conference without much trouble.
Johnny Kline was the other former Jayhawker who was at practice. At present Johnny is in Hutchinson working for his father but he leaves Wednesday for Evanston where he will enter Northwestern University to start his training in the Naval Reserve. He enlisted under the V-7 plan.
Cyclone Battle Will Be Tough For Jayhawks
With a seven game winning streak behind them, the undefeated Iowa State Cyclones tangle with Forrest C. "Phog" Allen's travelling Jayhawkers at Ames tomorrow night.
The Cyclones' 34-25 win over Missouri last week served notice in the Big Six that Iowa State is a contender for the conference title which the Cyclones shared last year with Kansas.
It will be a teacher-pupil affair when Louis Menze's Cyclones meet Allen's Jayhawks. Menze learned his basketball under Allen at Warrensburg Teachers where he was captain and all-conference in basketball and football.
Harris Is Former Star
Three members of last eyar's Cyclone team which set down Kansas at Ames 41-29 will face the Jayhawks tomorrow night. Al Budolfson, Carol Schneider, and Leon Uknes played on the Iowa State team which tumbled Kansas into a Big Six co-championship last year.
Budolfson, team captain and allBig Six forward last season, leads the Cyclones in early season scoring with 88 points. Paired with Budolfson at forward is Bob Harris. Harris didn't compete last year but was chosen all Big Six forward in 1939. He ranks second in scoring.
BOB HARRIS
Schneider Is Ace Guard
Like the forwards, both guards are veterans. Uknes l廷ers last year and has shown increased scoring power this season. Schneider, the Cyclones' other starting guard, carries the height of the team. He towers skyward 6 feet 6 inches and has two varsity letters to his credit.
The only inexperienced Iowa State starter is Rube Mickelson, center. He is a sophomore and shows promise as a scorer. Other Cyclones who will probably see action tomorrow night are Bob Hayes, Rollin Kuebler, Harle Damon, and George Harville.
The Letter Box
(Sports Editor's Note: All letters to the editor on any topic concerning athletics are invited. All letters will be subject to cutting or depleting by the editor if necessary).
To the Sports Editor:
Much has been said in regard to keeping the University boys in condition for national defense. We have heard rumors of an extensive athletic program, but that is as far as things have gone. We "on the Hill" are a great hand to talk, but are slow on action.
There is a fine auditorium in Marvin Hall, which would provide a good basketball court and gym. We are sure that the engineers would approve of the plan. The new R.O.T.C. building would provide additional facilities. Surely the patriotic army officials would not object to such a worthy plan. Both of these buildings would be a help in relieving the crowded Robinson gymnasium.
We have over one thousand boys who are interested in participating in athletics, but are unable to do so because the facilities are not available at all, or at the proper hours. At present 450 men or 74 teams are competing in intramural basketball. These boys love their basketball well enough that they cut classes on Saturday, play in scheduled games as late at 11:30 p.m., and even practice beyond midnight (if the night watchman doesn't kick them out).
We are sorry that we have to complain, but when our football and baseball grounds are plowed up, and when the tennis players have to wait a week for the courts to dry, and when the handballers have to stumble over the warped floors dodging the holes in the floor and the rain drops from above, we can hold in no longer.
Actually, last fall it took nine weeks for each football team to play four games, and it also took nine weeks for each tennis team to play three matches. To top it all off, our intramural department is so short of funds that it can't even furnish the basketball boys with a stop watch that will stop. We are thinking of taking up the adding machine to calculate the time-outs.
At present we find our boys getting their exercise by drinking cokes, playing bridge, plugging the marble machines, and "rolling the bones." There is nothing particularly wrong with these amusements, but that's not the way to keep our boys physically fit. We see no reason for spending a lot of money on a new gymnasium.
Why don't we have more basketball courts? Why don't we have some all-weather tennis courts, handball courts, horseshoe pits, football and baseball fileds? The reason is that the athlete is a boy who seldom complains. He tries to make the best of what he has. If some of our patriotic gentlemen of authority would go to work on sports facilities, the boys might have something that they need.
Sincerely,
Interested Intramural Athletes
Royal College Shop
837-39 Mass.