KU Track Forces Ready For 33rd Annual Relays
Daily Hansan Sports
55th Year, No.128
SECTION B
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Friday, April 18, 1958
Relays Underway; Grid Hopes High
Football Fortunes Like Weather-Will Change
By BOB MACY
(Assistant Sports Editor of The Daily Kansan)
Kansas football has been something like the Kansas weather. If you don't like it now, just wait awhile and it's bound to change.
The KU football fortunes have been about as stable as the Stock market-you never knew which way they were going to turn next.
However, because of a series of rapid events last fall, KU students, fans and alumni are now convinced they have found a man who can lead Kansas out of the football wilderness.
The man to do the leading is Jack Mitchell, a former Oklahoma University star quarterback who was hired by KU Thanksgiving Day, 1957. When Charles V. (Chuck) Mather resigned the coaching position mid-season last year, Mitchell was the only replacement even mentioned for the job.
The 34-year-old native of Arkansas City has a 30-17-2 college coaching record. Mitchell attributes the record to the fact that he and his assistants have gotten some pretty good football players.
"Ive never seen alumni who are as enthusiastic and ambitious to have a good football team. It's wonderful to be a part of a school where the alumni are as active as they are here," he said in a Daily Kansan interview.
Getting top football prospects isn't just an accident with coach Mitchell and his staff. They are known throughout the area for their ability to recruit top football players. As of the first of April, Mitchell and his staff had already recruited 25 boys who said they planned to accept scholarships at KU.
If you ask Mitchell what the biggest factor is in the success of his recruiting drive at KU you'll get a quick, emphatic answer—the alumni.
"I'd anticipated quite a bit of help from the KU alumni when I came here. But I can truthfully say the alumni here have gone far and beyond what I'd anticipated."
"The throwing will also be weak, I'm afraid. There's not a lot we can do about it before fall because you can't instill the basic fundamentals in a team and also teach them a strong passing attack." Mitchell said.
Mitchell said the Jayhawkers will be lacking in depth and speed next year.
Looking into the future, Mitchell made a prediction that should make every KU fan happy.
"I can see KU contending for the Big Eight title yearly in four or five years."
BILL EASTON
JACK MITCHELL
Top Men In Sports Have Been Relays Refs
Kansas Relays referees have included Dr. John Outland, the founder, Knute Rocke, former Notre Dame coach, Avery Brundege, AAU president, Jim Kelley (twice), Glenn Cunningham, former Kansas track star, E. A. Thomas, former Kansas high school activities commissioner and, this year, Karl Schlademan, one of the founders.
(5-column photo by Jim Hahn)
KU Track, Field Event One Of Nation's Best
By GEORGE ANTHAN (Daily Kansan Sports Editor)
At 9 a.m. this morning the 1958 Kansas Relays, streamlined into a 2-day event and promising to become one of the three top track and field events in the nation, began with the 100-meter dash and decathlon.
Over 2,500 athletes, ranging from the university class through college, junior college and high school, are competing.
The Relays get into full swing this afternoon at 1:15 p.m. with a program featuring high school bands and a flag raising by ROTC units. Saturday afternoon it's the KU band providing music at 1:15 p.m.
Then it's back to track with the finals of the high school 120-yard high hurdles at 1:30 p.m. At the same time the high schools will be holding preliminaries and finals in the high jump.
Once again Kansas, as a team, is expected to dominate the Relays. The Jayhawkers scored 103 points in winning the Texas Relays title against 64 for second place Texas. Although there is no official team title, an unofficial point total is kept and the team with the highest number is awarded an unofficial title by sportswriters.
Kansas' Al Oerter, in winning the shot put and discus in Texas, was the only university class athlete to win two events, something he may do again this weekend and repeat at the Drake Relays April 25-26.
Last year, with showers on Friday and threatening skies on Saturday, 13.500 turned out to see 14 records broken on a track that was far from being in top condition.
In another big upset, a KU freshman, Cliff Cushman, competing unattached, defeated 2-time Relays champion Gene O'Conner of K-State in the 400-meter hurdles.
Eight of the 11 individual winners of last year were underclassmen and will again this year make strong bids against the newcomers for first places. With this array of talent back another mass onslaught on the records is expected.
The 21-jewel wrist watches, electric desk clock, trophies, plaques and medals are all bought. All that is needed now is someone to win them and indications are that there will be no lack of contestants.
There Will Be Queens. Too
The fans will see Olympic winners,world record holders,the ten college athletes in the nation,the best of Kansas' high school athletes and beautiful queens and their attendants.
They will also see, providing the weather remains fair, many records fall by the wayside.