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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, January 8, 1969
Speaking of sports
Toomey: Sportsman '68
By Ron Yates, Kansan sports editor
In selecting the 1968 Sportsman of the Year, numerous qualities are taken into consideration. Not only is the achievement considered, but the courage, character and contribution to athletics by the individual are also examined.
The athletes on this list are separated by a thin line. All are brilliant performers and dedicated athletes. They all have left new marks in the record books and their names are known throughout the country and in many cases, throughout the world.
The number one athlete as selected by members of the Kansan sports staff is the Kansan's choice for Sportsman of the Year. The others are listed in order of total votes received.
in order of total votes received. 1. BILL TOOMEY (Sportsman of the Year). Toomey, a 29-year-old schoolteacher from California, won the Olympic decathalon with 8,193 points, third highest total ever recorded in Olympic competition. Hans-Joachim Walde of West Germany was second with 8,111 points. The decathalon is a grueling 24 hour event lasting 12 hours a day for two days. It consists of 10 different events. Toomey, who before the decathalon began, was given only an outside chance of finishing third with a more probable finish of fifth, led all the way. During the first day he sprained his thumb pole vaulting and then injured his hip high-jumping. Nevertheless, Toomey continued his domination of the Decathalon. Toomey had only been training in the decathalon events since 1964 when he made the decision to become a decathalon competitor. He was 25 years old when he quit the 400 meter race for the decathalon. "I never thought I belonged anywhere but around the edges in the decathalon. Not anymore, though. After 24 hours I earned that son of a gun," Toomey said after his victory. His dedication and courage displayed in his decathalon victory was nothing short of inspirational. His spirited competition against heavy odds makes him truly a great sportsman.
Many experts in the track world had advised Toomey, on more than one occasion to "give up in the decathalon." He was often described as a medioere and average athlete who would more than likely finish fourth in most of his competition. Toomey, in winning at the Olympics, proved that there is something deeper and more mysterious in fantastic performances than mere statistics and past records. A "mediore" athlete had just won the toughest form of athletic competition known and thus became known as the "Greatest athlete in the world"—the unofficial title which goes along with winning the decathalon.
2. DENNY McLAIN, Detroit Tiger pitcher. McLain won 31 games for the Detroit Tigers during the regular season and pitched in the World Series
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against St. Louis even though on occasion he could not lift his arm above his head. McLain's 31 victories were the highest total since Lefty Grove won 31 in 1931. Dizzy Dean had won 30 in 1934 ... the last man to win 30 games before McLain's feat. Many of his teammates said McLain's radiating confidence helped the entire team to win the pennant and eventually the series.
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3. O. J. SIMPSON, University of Southern California halfback. Simpson, often described as the best ball carrier of all-time, averaged more than five yards a carry this year. Simpson, who at one time as a child had rickets, a bone disease, is a constant threat to break open and go all the way every time he gets the ball. The statement has been made that probably more defenses were changed by opponents during Simpson's two years at USC in order to stop the blazing halfback than for any other runner in history. In 21 games for USC Simpson carried the ball 674 times for 3,423 yards and 36 touchdowns.
4. ARTHUR ASHE—Currently recognized by tennis experts as America's greatest player, Ashe became the first amateur to win the U.S. Open tennis matches. He went on to lead the American team in its quest for the Davis Cup—the first time the United States had won the cup in five years. Ashe also won the U.S. National matches at Brookline, Mass.
5. K I P C H O G E KEINO - Distance runner from Kenya. Keino, after almost a solid week of distance races which included the 10,000 meter and the 5,000 meter races, upset the favored Jim Ryun in the 1500 meter run winning with a time of 3:34.9, just 1.8 seconds off the world record. (Jim Ryun holds the world record in this event with a time of 3:33.1) Keino has not only been a great distance runner the past few years, he has served as an inspiration to his fellow Kenyans in Kenya's bid to become the dominant nation in distance events.
6. BILL RUSSELL-For 12 years Russell has been a dominant influence on his basketball team the Boston
Celtics. As a player, he is respected not only by his teammates, but also by his opponents. In 1968 Russell became the coach of the Boston Celtics and not only played, but also coached in leading his team to the NBA Championship.
7. JEAN·CLAUDE KILLY—Considered the world's top skier, Killy holds the world record in the men's slalom, the men's giant slalom, and the men's downhill. Killy also won the World Cup for men in skiing competition. After doing all of this, Le Superman, as he is known in his native France, went on to win three gold medals in the 1968 Olympic Winter Games at Grenoble, France.
8. BOB BEAMON-His jump in the 1968 Olympic games in Mexico City has been called "unbelievable" by track experts throughout the world. Beamon's jump of 29 feet and $2 \frac{1}{2}$ inches is almost two feet more than the old world record of 27 feet 4 and $ \frac{3}{4} $ inches.
9. GEORGE FOREMAN—The 19-year-old American Olympic heavyweight boxer who surprised the world with his easy domination of the heavyweight division in the games. Foreman was not even considered a good bet for the bronze medal before the competition began, but after his first two fights eyebrows were being raised. After Foreman had pounded his Russian opponent into senselessness in the final bout for the gold medal, he took out a small paper American flag and waved it while the award was being made. Foreman was a graduate of the U.S. Job Corps program and said he felt deeply grateful to the country for giving him the chance to make something of himself and eventually compete in the Olympics.
10. ELVIN HAYES—In his first year of NBA competition, Hayes is leading all scorers. He is a key member of the San Diego basketball team and as a rookie has become a leader on the team. Hayes was voted the outstanding college basketball player in 1968 and is on the way to being selected outstanding rookie of the year in the NBA.
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NEW YORK (UPI)—Elvin Hayes, who yielded a berth on a goal medal-bound U.S. Olympic team for an early opportunity to make good in the pros, held the scoring lead in the National Basketball Association today with 1,226 points.
Hayes, keeping San Diego in contention for a playoff berth, averaged 30.7 points a game for the first half of the season. Oscar Robertson of Cincinnati was runnerup with 1,034 points through last Sunday's games.
The 54 points by Hayes against Detroit on Nov.11 is the NBA high this season and established the former Houston
All America as a top candidate for rookie of the year honors.
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