Page 14 University Daily Kansan Friday. April 20,1962 Assistant Coach Lawson Is a Former Track Star Bob Lawson, assistant track coach, was an all-around athlete before turning to a coaching career. As a high school athlete at Aberdeen, Wash., he earned all-state in football at end, second team all-state honors in basketball at forward and center and was three times state champion in the high jump. Lawson also had to choose which sports he was to participate in, since the days of the college three-sport athlete has long been gone. Lawson liked basketball the best, but thought he was better in football. He ended up accepting a track scholarship. LAWSON DECIDED against playing football during a two-week practice session in preparation for a Shrine all-star high school football game between the three largest cities in Washington and all-stars from the remainder of the state. After two weeks of two practices a day Lawson decided football was not for him because "there was too much business and too much stress on winning rather than enjoyment." He decided against basketball because he believed he was not tall enough to play college basketball. When he graduated from high school he was 6-134 and weighed but 170 pounds. HE CHOSE TRACK because he liked the individuality of the sport. "In a team sport too much judgment rests on the coach," Lawson said. "In track there is no doubt. You succeed on your own hard work. Watches not die." Since the University of Southern California is the major track powers on the west coast, Lawson accepted their track scholarship. Despite his unpleasant experience in preparation for the Shrine game, he would have liked to combine football and track, but the USC coaches vetoed the idea. "Football is the easiest sport I ever played," Lawson said. "It takes less ability than any other sport. All there is to it is just running and hitting. I did like the contact in football." LAWSON'S DECISION was a wise one. Even though he believed track to be his worst sport of the three, his rigid training payed off with success. His major event in college was the hurdles. He won the Pacific Coast Conference high hurdles crown in 1957 and 1958, and won the lows in 1957. He placed fourth in NCAA and the NAAU high hurdles in 1958 and was sixth in the NAAU hop-step-and-jump in 1958. The decathlon was another event in which Lawson excelled. He barely missed the 1956 Olympic team placing fourth in the 10-event grind. HE WAS SECOND in 1955 in NAAU competition, third in 1957 and fifth in 1958. His personal high score in the event is 7067 points. He also finished second in the 1957 NAAU pentathlon and fourth in 1958. Much controversy resulted from Lawson's absence from the 1956 Olympic squad. Lawson injured his back previous to the Olympic trials and could not get back into top condition for the trials. Nevertheless he placed fourth. The third place finisher was the Rev. Bob Richards. Richards had already won a position on the team in the pole vault and told Lawson that he would relinquish his decathlon position on the team. LAWSON TRAINED all summer in preparation for the Olympics to be held in Melbourne, Australia Lawson was to receive a bitter disappointment. Despite an injured leg, Richards decided to enter the decathlon and Lawson was left at home. Richards later admitted to Lawson that entering the decathlon was the biggest mistake in his life. He reinjured his leg and was unable to finish the event. RICHARDS APOLOGIZED to Lawson. He said that he knew Lawson would have another chance in 1960, and since the 1953 Olympics were to be his last, he wanted to enter the decathlon. The Olympic coach even had Lawson apply for a passport. Richards though, was determined to go. He said that he earned the spot and intended to go. But the 1960 Olympics did not materialize for Lawson. He reinjured a groin injury while broad jumping in the Olympic trials and had to drop out of the event after two jumps. "I COULDN't even run down the runway." Lawson said. Lawson was involved in another controversy previous to the 1960 Olympic trials. He was accused by the University of Oregon as being a professional. He was then attending Oregon State University on a graduate assistantship while working toward a master's degree in health education. At the same time he served as an assistant coach for the track team. Oregon accused him of receiving money for coaching, thus making him a professional. After much squabbling the situation was straightened out with Lawson retaining his amateur status. WHEN LAWSON came to Kansas as an assistant coach he became a professional. Lawson said he decided to turn professional because doctors said he could not compete again because of his leg. The decathlon is considered by many as the most gruelling of athletic events. Lawson disagrees, "I think its overrated," he said. "Sure it's tough, it's as tough as any athletic event, but not as tough as everyone thinks. "Like any athletic event one has to be in shape and no one enters the decathlon unless he is. The secret to the decathlon is not so much endurance as it is how fast you can recuperate." LAWSON SAID that he could many times recuperate from an event in just a few minutes. "You are able to do this after building up your strength over a long period of time." Lawson trained year-round for the decathlon. He said that during one stretch of a year-and-a-half his longest layoff was three days. He competed from March to August. Kansas' acrobatic basketball guards, Jerry Gardner and Nolen Ellison, earned spots on Arizona State's 10-man all-opponent team for 1962. Gardner was fourth in Sun Devil squad voting. Ellison ranked sixth. Gardner-Ellison Win SPECIALIZED - Brake Service Complete Service For Renault Autos All Other Foreign Cars - Motor Tune-Up - Lub & Oil Changes - Minor Services Also we service Home-builts too. Tony's DX Service 23rd & Iowa Line and Passing Are Weak— (Continued from page 5) been starters for two and three years and who played well together during all that time. They were real veterans by the time they were seniors. There is no way we can replace that experience." VI 2-0444 ternate ends, Pack St. Clair, Jay Roberts, and Andy Graham; tackle Fred Eisman; the No. 2 guards, Ken Tiger and Duke Collins, and the second and third-string centers. Kent Converse and Pete Quatrochi. Sophomores must come through at each position if there is to be the necessary competition for starting jots, and adequate depth. Moving up will be last year's al- In this package were ends Larry Allen and Benny Bovdston; four of the top five tackles, Stan Kirshman. Larry Lousch, Mike Fisher and Dick Davis; Guards Elvin Basham, twice all-league, and Jim Mills, and Center Kent Staab, who, with Kirshman, was a second-line all-conference choice. Mitchell excused seniors-to-be for two weeks while the staff concentrated on the newcomers. Overall, a squad of 70 is expected. Drills will be climaxed with the annual Varsity-Alumni tussle the night of May 12 at Haskell Stadium. Wilson Supply and Service 1016 Mass. VI 3-2182 - Everything for the Active Sportsman - Bonded Locksmith Service KANSAS FRATERNITY MANAGEMENT 1024 Mass. VI 3-0551 Since 1929 we have offered a service in budgeting and auditing for fraternities and sororities on a private service basis. We are now assisting some 50% of the organized houses of KU with their financial problems. We are proud to have been part of the growth of KU during the last 33 years. GO-KANSAS-GO in the 37th Annual Relays KU HA UI RAY B. ROBERTS, JR.- OWNER & MANAGER K max the com poss Eigh A to G feree strai mad beer