of the Bell issmen ested.
Wedn was phans
Mather, 5 Assistants Resign
—(Daily Kansan photo)
THEY RESIGNED ALSO—These five members of Mather's staff resigned with him. From left:
Dick Piskoty, Paul Schofer, Lauri Wartiainen,
Tam Trinklett, and Dave Putts, assistant coaches.
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
55th Year. No. 35
Thursday, Oct. 31, 1957
Resignation Shocks Team
The resignation of football coach Chuck Mather and five members of his staff drew shocked reactions from the football team.
Wally Strauch, Elmhurst, Ill. senior, Co-captain—"The resignation took us all pretty much by surprise. I think it's going to decide whether we've got some real ball players on this team. We'll be winning to satisfy ourselves now. A lot of us are disappointed with our showing so far, but I think Coach Mather has done a marvelous job.
"I have always felt he was a real fine coach. He was more of a reserved coach than a lot of them, but he expected you to play the game. He has done his best, that's for sure. No coach has ever worked harder than he has the past four years."
Bob Kraus, Massillon, Ohio senior,
Co-captain—"I sure hated to see it.
It is hard to say what effect this
will have on the remainder of the
games. It should give the men more
desire to win. Coach Mather was one of the reasons I came here to KU."
Lynn McCarthy, St. Peter, Minn.
senior. Co-captain—"This was a complete surprise. We probably won't know the effect it will have on the team until Saturday. Something like this takes a while to soak in."
Bob Marshall, Warrensburg, Mo. junior—"I didn't have any idea this was coming. Coach Mather is one of the most sincere coaches in the game. Too many people were making too much of winning and losing."
John Peppercorn. Overland Park junior—"I was taken completely unaware. I think a lot of Coach Mather. I imagine this will motivate the team more to win. I think the boys will do a better job for him. I was pretty disgusted with the pressure he was under. I don't think it was right."
vear contract and since he hadn't been winning, I sort of expected it. I think what was said in the newspapers and in the Kansan dvcve him to resign.
John Traylor, Massillon, Ohio junior—"It didn't take me too much by surprise. He had just signed a one-
"Losing tends to bring a man down. It's a pretty bad feeling when you don't have all the fans behind you. It makes you feel like you're playing by yourself. I sure hated to see it happen."
Homer Floyd, Massillon, Ohio junior—"The resignation was definitely a surprise. I thought he'd finish the season and then let the heads decide. But I agree with him. It's not his fault we're losing. He can tell us what to do, but he can't do it for us. It's right the team hasn't played as well as we could. We've definitely let down in our games, but you can't blame a coach for that. I know we won't let down any more. We might pick up in the next four games to prove to the people that we're not as bad as they think."
(Related stories. Page 8)
Hanson To Give Talk At Dedication Nov.10
Dr. Howard Hanson, American composer and director of the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, N.Y., will give the dedicatory address Sunday, Nov. 10, at the formal opening and public open house in the 2.4 million-dollar Music and Dramatic Arts Building.
Dr. Hanson will speak on "The Arts in an Age of Science." The dedicatory ceremony will be at 3 p.m. in the University Theater, which seats 1,186. Guided tours of the building will be held until 6 p.m.
Mrs. Elizabeth Haughy of Concordia, representing the Board of Regents, and Chancellor Franklin D. Murphy, will be on the program. Dr. Harold G. Barr, dean of the School of Religion, will give the invocation. The University String Quartet will play.
Dr. Hanson, a native of Wahoo, Neb., has been director of the Eastman school of Music since 1924. He has gained recognition as a composer, conductor and music educator.
"Actually our dedication is a yearlong festival," said Dean Thomas
Gorton of the School of Fine Arts chairman of the event. "The week of Nov. 10-16 will be exceptionally attractive for music and theater fans."
TOPEKA —(UP)— Four new counties today were added to raise to 15 the number of counties with confirmed cases of Asian flu as the toll of upper respiratory ailments continued unchecked in Kansas.
Four More Counties Report Asian Flu
Dr James Mott, director of preventable diseases in the State Health Department, said "confirmed Asian flu strains" have been found in Harvey, Pratt, Barton and Johnson counties.
The number of persons who received flu shots jumped to 3,939 as 139 shots had been given by 4 p.m. Wednesday. Watkins hospital reported today. Sixty-five booster shots were also given.
Flu Shots Given 139 Students Wednesday
To reach a goal of 7,000,3,061 more students need to get flu shots.
Alumni Reception Set At Nebraska
A pre-game reception for KU alumni attending the KU-Nebraska University football game Saturday in Lincoln will be held at the Lincoln Hotel.
Dick Wintermote, field secretary of the KU Alumni Assn., said registration will be held in the hotel lobby from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Generally fair tonight. Increasing cloudiness Friday with scattered showers west portion by Friday evening. A little warmer northeast tonight. Not quite so warm west Friday. Low tonight 40 northeast to 50 southwest. High Friday 65 west to 72 east.
Weather
Quitting 'In Fairness To Team,' Coach Says
By GEORGE ANTHAN (Daily Kansan Sports Editor)
Chuck Mather, who came to Kansas in 1954 in an attempt to lift the University from its football doldrums, resigned unexpectedly Wednesday afternoon.
In his letter of resignation he said he is quitting "in fairness to the fine young men on our team who have already played to the best of their ability."
"We feel that it is only fair not to have them competing under pressure of winning to save the coach's job."
Five members of Mather's staff, Paul Schofer, Dave Putts, Dick Piskoty, Lauri Wartiainen and Tom Triplett, also announced their resignations effective at the end of the season.
Mather, who is completing his fourth year as head football coach, had won six consecutive state football championships as head coach at Washington High School in Massillon before coming to Kansas.
Won 7, Lost 26, Tied 2
Mather, whose record at Kansas is 7-26-2 including 1-4-1 for the present season, said in his letter of resignation that the team has "been plagued by injury and sickness and highly overmatched, yet they have never quit, and I am sure will not quit until the last minute of the last game."
"I would like to publicly thank Dutch Lonborg and all those people who have tried so hard to be helpful. They have provided our happiness in Korea for."
our happiness in Kansas tor which we shall always be grateful. I believe we are leaving the University of Kansas with a young squad capable of competing equally well with our conference opponents.
"I want to thank my staff who have devoted themselves to their positions and conducted themselves with dignity under trying circumstances," he said in his letter of resignation.
Mather's resignation came one month less than four years after Jules V. Sikes, who had been coach from 1948 until November 1953, announced his resignation. Sikes had been under great pressure after two losing seasons.
When asked whether he intends to remain in coaching
CHECK MARKER
Arkansas Coach Jack Mitchell, who in 1954 was considered a No. 1 candidate for the Kansas coaching job was terse when questioned by telephone Wednesday night.
Mather said, "The only thoughts we've had is to try to finish the season in good shape."
Chancellor Franklin Murphy said, "I'm sorry that Coach Chuck Mather is leaving Kansas University. I will always feel personally indebted to him for his integrity, dependability and loyalty to this institution."
Ray Evans, former KU athletic star and a member of the Board of Regents, said Wednesday night that Mather's action came as a complete surprise. Asked whether he had an idea who Mather's successor might be, Evans said, "I haven't thought about it at all."
Evans, when asked what effect he thought Mather's action would have on the football team said, "It's hard to say—it could go either way. It could pull the team together and make them play even harder or it could have a demoralizing effect."
Chancellor Murphy indicated that no immediate action would be taken except that the problem of replacing Mather would be the job of three groups—The Athletic Board headed by Dean Laurence C. Woodruff, Director of Athletics A. C. Lonborg and the Board of Regents.
"Sorry He's Leaving," Murphy Says
Q. Have you heard that Kansas football coach Chuck Mather has resigned?
3 Questions, 3 No Comments
The short question and answer conversation went like this:
A. No comment.
Q. Would you even remotely consider the Kansas coaching job?
A. No comment.
Q. Has anyone approached you concerning the Kansas coaching position?
A. No comment.
With Mather's passing another era in Kansas' continuous search for the successful football team ends. Passing out of the picture is a man who impressed players and associates alike with his sincerity and dedication to his work.