Catching Solid For Jayhawks
By Clare Casey
One man figuring largely in the early success of the Jayhawk baseball team has been catcher Keith Abercrombie. While doing an adequate job behind the plate, Keith also came through in the first seven games with a .500 batting average, including a home run and five runs batted in (R.B.Ts).
Keith, a '511', 155 pound junior, hails from Kansas City, Kan. It was here that he first started his baseball career, at the age of ten, in the Three and Two Little League. Keith advanced from the Little League to the Ban Johnson League where he was selected to the all-star team his last two years. Last summer he worked and played baseball for Feld's Chevrolet.
ABERCROMBIE is a chemistry major and plans to go into premedicine. He feels that the chance of getting into the big money would be out of his range, although he has been approached by such professional teams as Philadelphia, Detroit, and Baltimore.
Keith started playing for the Jayhawkers as a freshman. Last year he was able to make the big jump to the varsity's first team as a second baseman and shortstop. He finished the season with a lusty .345 batting average.
"Although I led the team in about four hitting categories," said Abercrombie, "they will never let me live down the fact that I also led in the error department. They rib me about it all the time."
WHEN EXPRESSING an outlook for this season, Abercrombie said that he would have to go along with the views of Coach Floyd Temple. "We've got a scrappy and hustling team. Last year we lost a couple of games to what we considered weak teams. This kind of got us down.
"This year we are off to a good start," Abercrombie said. "The lack of hustle and wrong attitude is gone, and we should come through with a successful campaign."
Around the BIG 8
Another addition to the loop, coaching roster was made at Nebraska. Wyoming's Bob Devaney replaced Bill Jennings, now a KU aide.
Buffs Face Changes
Devaney, who plans to use a wide-open multiple offense, has the entire 1961 backfield returning. Another strength for the Cornhuskers is at the tackle and guard spots with plenty of experienced talent available.
The biggest problem facing Missouri Coach Dan Devine is the loss
Besides acquiring a new coach, defending conference football champion Colorado will operate next season with a new type of offense.
MU Lacks Line Strength
New Coach Bud Davis has initiated an offense in spring drills that he calls the "Swingin' T." The innovation uses a halfback and end as the swing men.
Coach Change at NU
The end alternates from one side of the line to the other and the halfback shifts to either side of the fullback in the formation.
Friday, April 20, 1962 University Daily Kansan Page 7
Fourteen returning lettermen reported for spring practice sessions at Boulder. The biggest CU problem is finding a replacement for the top three quarterbacks who will graduate.
Oklahoma State Coach Cliff Speegle has 22 returning lettermen to bolster next year's Cowboy squad. Speegle says of the Cowpoke spring drill performances, "We're getting some good effort but we aren't improving our techniques and fundamental play as we should."
22 'Pokes Return
NU problems include a slow line and a shortage of linebackers.
of the interior line from tackle-to-tackle due to graduations.
Besides a potential of twenty-two returning lettermen, the Tigers hope quarterback Keith Weber will be ready for action in the fall.
Weber, who is not participating in the spring drills, injured his knee in the Tiger's opener last season with Washington State and was declared a hardship case by the conference.
I-State Experiments
Iowa State Coach Clay Stapleton may change his sole use of the pure single wing of past seasons and install his version of the "Single Wing-T" next fall.
The change of offense, now in the experimental stage, involves All America Dave Hoppmann. Hoppmann may be moved from quarterback to a tailback spot if the variation is used.
BRIEFs—Wilbur "Sparky" Stalcup is back in the coaching business—temporarily. Stalcup is coach of the U.S. Stars, a group of professional and collegiate stars, that toured the Midwest with exhibition games against the Harlem Globetrotters. Jerry Gardner and Bill Bridges, ex-KU teammates, were on the team.
Oklahoma hosts Syracuse and Notre Dame next fall and both games are already predicted as sell-outs. The Norman stadium seats 61,700 . . .
Kansan Advertisers
Bob Stevens, the new Oklahoma basketball coach, uses pre-game musical therapy. Stevens plays quiet dinner music at pre-game meals and then switches to Dixie-land music during warm-up periods . . .
Patronize Your
Jayhawker Golf Team Returns One Letterman
Among spring sports at KU there is one that has gained tremendously in popularity since it was first played at KU. That sport is golf, a game played the world over.
Markley said he requires his players to do a little running and weight-lifting. He said that the only way a player can build stamina and consistency is to practice regularly each day. He remarked that he is only interested in those boys who show a great deal of desire and really want to take golf seriously.
Golf competition in the Big Eight started in 1934. It continued until 1941 when it was dropped for four years. During the first seven years KU shared first place with Iowa State in 1939.
KU has been represented by a golf team since 1934. The sport has caught on fast in colleges throughout the nation and the Big Eight is recognized as one of the strongest in the country.
UNDER THE GUIDANCE of golf coach Jay Markley, who is in his second year as head mentor, the golf program has changed completely. Markley informed his players that the free-lance system that was used by players previously would no longer exist. Players would follow a schedule that required a certain amount of practice hours each day.
AFTER WORLD WAR II, KU tied for first in the conference with Iowa State and Oklahoma in 1947. KU won its first and only outright Big Eight championship in 1950.
Since 1956, Oklahoma teams have dominated the league. Oklahoma State is the perennial champion holding the crown since 1958.
"They have a tremendous golf program at O.S.U." Markley said. He said the reason for this is the amount of recruiting they do. "They look at golf as a major sport."
DISAGREEABLE weather so far
this year has hampered the players gaining practice time. During the winter the linksmens worked out in Allen Field House, hitting into nets. As the temperatures began to rise the players moved out of doors to the 18-hole Lawrence Country Club.
Last year the Hawks won fourth place in the conference meet at Boulder, Colorado. Markley said the boys will have to work hard to do as well this year. The conference meet will be held at Missouri U. this year.
The team has only one returning letterman—Dick Haitbrink, a Salina junior.
The five boys who Markley feels will battle it out for the top position on the team are Paul Carlson, Lawrence sophomore, David Gray, Lawrence senior, John Hanna, Lawrence sophomore, Reid Holbrook, Kansas City sophomore and Haitrink.
COACH MARKLEY feels that it takes time to build a strong team. He said that a strong freshman team this year could bolster the hopes of a fine team in future years.
Other players vieing for positions are Jerry Cohlmia, Wichita freshman; Daniel Foss, Great Bend freshman; Fred Gollier, Ottawa sophomore; David Gough, Chanute junior; Joe Hambright, Plainville sophomore; Larry Henrie, Wichita freshman; Scott Linscott, Topea freshman; Gary Thomann, Salina sophomore; Douglas Vogel, Kansas City sophomore; Ray Dorsett, Wichita freshman and Doug Kieswetter, Topea sophomore.
Ellison Ranks High
Kansas basketball guard Nolen Ellison finished 25th on final NCAA free throw percentage tables with a mark of .811. His teammate, Jerry Gardner, was 60th in scoring on a 20.7 average.