Skahan ends career on crutches
By JERRY KLEIN Assistant Sports Editor
Supporting himself on crutches, Bob Skahan hobbled into a press conference in the sports publicity office at Allen Field House about 3:45 p.m.
After placing his crutches on the floor, he greeted several sportswriters and looked straight ahead. One leg rested comfortably while tight bandages stuck to the inside of his right knee on which an orthopedic surgeon had worked only several hours before.
TIME AND AGAIN, he managed to flash a smile. It was, however, the worst day in his collegiate athletic career.
For early yesterday afternoon, the 21-year-old senior quarterback learned his three-year football career at KU had officially ended.
After examining torn ligaments suffered in Saturday's game against Oklahoma State, Dr. Leonard Peltier told Skahan yesterday surgery must be performed immediately.
ACCORDINGLY, Skahan will undergo a one-hour operation at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City Wednesday morning. He will be hospitalized for one week.
True, Skahan wore jersey No. 13. However, he merely laughed when asked if it was an unlucky number.
"Just a bad break," Skahan said, referring to Saturday's injury.
"AFTER I PASSED and then followed through, an Oklahoma State player hit my knee. Despite the noise from the stands, I could still hear the ripping noise." Skahan said, pointing to his right knee.
"My body went one way, my leg the other."
Football and Skahan have found trouble staying together too. Instead of starting more after his sophomore year, he played even less
IN HIS FIRST three games as
Beta B team in close win
In Fraternity B football Monday Beta Theta Pi #2 team outscored Phi Kappa Theta 25-19. Beta's John Nelson completed four touchdowns—three to Lynn Shelgrave and one to Ron Barr. Shelgrave scored the Beta's only extra point.
Pat Giles passed for two Phi Kappa Theta scores—one to Steve Hill and one to John Cahill. Giles also passed to Joe Fix for Phi Kappa Theta's only extra point. Phi Kappa Theta's third touchdown was scored on a run by Pete McCod.
Richard Shrout threw a touchdown pass to Larry Brookward and one to Cole Stimson enabling Acacia to defeat Alpha Tau Omega 13-6. Tom Bishard went over for Acacia's extra point. Bill Wilkerson passed to John Leary for Alpha Tau Omega's only score.
Sigma Nu #1 forfeited to Delta
Upsilon #1.
Monday in Independent B football action Grace Pearson shutout Beta Tau 26-0. John Holcomb completed two touchdown passes—one to Verlyn Peterson and the other to Jim Whitaker. Whitaker also caught a Bob Middendorf pass for another score. Art Dusten kicked two field goals and two extra points to complete the Grace Pearson scoring.
The Laws shutout McCollum ninth floor 18-0. Battenfeld downed Pearson 13-0. Stephenson forfeited to Jolliffe and McCollum fifth floor forfeited to Chem. Tech
a sophomore he played briefly, but started the fourth and led KU to a 42-6 win over Iowa State. He started every game after that and guided KU to a 6-4 season.
In his junior year, Skahan saw action in eight different quarters and two minutes of the Colorado game. Suffering throughout the season from pulled hamstring muscles, he missed games against
Texas Tech, California, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Nebraska.
The Columbus signal-caller played the equivalent of a half against Arizona, Oklahoma, Missouri and Iowa State.
HOPING TO remove tension from his legs and gain added speed. Skahan reported to fall practice this season at 170, 15
pounds less than in 1965.
So what happened in the first game against Texas Tech?
BOB SKAHAN
He suffered a broken left toe and swollen arch.
Just the same, he gained 78 yards in 18 attempts, completed 12 out of 19 passes for 152 yards, and scored the only touchdown in a 23-7 loss.
VOTED THE Big Eight Back of the Week, the left-handed quarterback gained 230 yards total offense, the fifth best total in Jayhawker history. Only Gale Sayers (283 vs. Oklahoma State in 1962), Ray Evans (236 and 236) and Wade Stinson (239) have gained more.
After missing the next game against Arizona, he played with a sprained left arch against Minnesota and completed two passes in four downs. KU won 16-14.
He played briefly in the Iowa State game and then suffered one of his worst games on the field against Oklahoma. Against the Sooners, he completed only four of 16 passes.
IN THREE seasons, the 5-10, 180-pound Skahan played about 52 of a possible 120 quarters. Yet he finished sixth among the all-time KU passing leaders. His 1,173 yards placed him ahead of Ralph Miller (1,122) and just short of John Hadl (1,341) who is present-
6 Daily Kansan Tuesday, October 25, 1966
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ly playing for the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League.
In addition, Skahan finished seventh in total offense with 1608 yards. 435 rushing and 1173 passing.
A centerfielder on the baseball team, Skahan has talked with scouts from the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Yankees. He may have to rule out playing baseball too.
MITCHELL SAID it's too bad the people in Kansas didn't have a chance to see Skahan at full capacity.
"He's just a fine all-around player," Mitchell says.
"He will be a success in whatever he goes into. Skahan had that overall desire, effort, will, and ability."
Jack Mitchell is right.
That sounds like Bob Skahan.
SKAHAN'S OFFENSIVE STATISTICS:
Rushing Passing Total Off
Attempts Yds. Attempts Yds. Yds.
Soph. 82 276 41-78 550 826
Junior 35 44 33-76 324 868
Senior 44 115 23-47 299 414
Total 161 435 97-201 1173 1608
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