UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, February 22, 1968
Minor sports receive limited funds
By Don Westerhaus Kansan Staff Reporter
Basketball, football, and track are emphasized as major sports at KU. They receive much athletic department money to finance scholarship programs and attract prospective athletes. They also receive much publicity and have good attendance at games.
But what about the so-called "minor sports"—ones receiving very little money to attract outstanding athletes? Are the coaches dissatisfied with taking a back seat to the "big" sports?
Money for all varsity sports departments comes from gate receipts. The largest share of these receipts is taken in at football games. Football, in return, has to receive more money to build a crowd-drawing team.
"We are always limited in the amount of money we can give minor sports," Wade Stinson, athletic director, said.
KU has minor sport varsity teams in baseball, gymnastics golf, tennis, and swimming.
Baseball coach Floyd Temple prefers to call his game "a spring sport," not a minor sport. The KU baseball team receives enough money to give seven or eight scholarships a year; only one or two are full scholarships.
Athletes on scholarship are recruited as freshmen.
"It is difficult for us to compete with some of the other Big Eight schools for athletes. Many of our
KU track team hosts meet today
Over 300 athletes from 17 colleges throughout the state have entered today's Kansas Federation track and field championships at Allen Field House, Bob Timmons, KU track coach and meet director reports.
The 16-event schedule includes five field events and 11 races. Running preliminaries begin at 1 p.m. and all final races will be tonight beginning at 7 p.m. Field events begin at noon with the long jump. The triple jump and high jump start at 1 p.m. and the pole vault and shot put at 6 p.m.
Kansas speedster Ben Olison, varsity record-holder for the 440 both indoors (49.2) and outdoors (46.7), will be shooting for the field house mark in his last appearance on the Allen Field House track. The record (49.1) was set by Oklahoma's Bill Calhoun two years ago.
Olison had his sights set on the mark in last week's triangular with Colorado and Oklahoma State, but was knocked out of the race when one of the Cowboy runners pulled up right in front of Olison and forced him off the track to avoid a collision.
Timmons said Jim Ryun, world record-holder in the mile, would not compete in the Federation meet.
Cyclones' Don Smith holds all-time record
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — (UPI)— Iowa State's fabulous Don Smith appeared today a sure-fire cinch to win the Big Eight Conference individual scoring and rebounding titles.
The Cyclones' all-time leading scorer has a 47-point bulge over his nearest rival in scoring and a 39-rebound edge.
players come from the student body on their own, and some also participate in other sports," Temple said.
KU's gymnastics team has to compete with Wienita State, K-State, and Fort Iays State for top gymnasts in Kansas.
"We try to sell our program and our institution," Robert Lockwood, KU gymnastics coach said. "We have nine athletes on partial aid. I have only a limited amount of money and it is distributed over the whole team," he said.
"Sitinson has done an outstanding job organizing an over-all sports program," Lockwood said.
"We have a fine team of men, some of whom would be on full scholarship at other schools."
"Most of the KU golf team members are just regular students who like to play the game." Wilbur Norton, KU golf coach, said. There are a few partial aid scholarships to help convince promising golfers to attend KU, but "we don't actively recruit people."
"The money we get is adequate for recruiting in Kansas, but we can't compete for much outside talent with the money we get," Jim Burns, KU tennis coach, said. KU has eight athletes on partial tennis scholarships.
"Kansas doesn't produce many outstanding tennis players, but we still manage to hold our own," Burns said. "Since 1960 we have never finished lower than second in the Big Eight conference."
"Our program is based on dei-
re; there is no money incentive," Dick Reamon, KU swimming coach said. KU is building its swimming program. "Right now we are one of the major powers in the Big Eight and we are get-
ting to the point where we should be able to do some good nationally," Reamon said.
Reamon said he never recruits heavily outside the state because of the lack of money needed to attract out-of-state swimmers. He said all of KU's successful swimmers have come from Kansas high schools.
Some sports get more money than others and this is natural. The more popular sports get more money because they have to support the other activities of the athletic department.
Minor sports? There are no "minor" sports at KU—some just get more emphasis than others.
ALL STRINGS ATTACHED
The area west of Allen Field House becomes a busy place when the KU tennis team begins practice. Here, KU team captain Jim Keller, Russell senior, practices on his serve.
"DON'T CHOP IT"
Charles Peffer, Wichita junior, a member of the KU golf team, works on his form at Lawrence Country Club. The KU team uses the golf course under the supervision of Wilbur Norton, KU golf coach and head pro at the club.
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