Wednesday, February 7, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 15
Link to KU basketball tradition dies
The Associated Press
FAIRWAY — Theodore MJ O'Leary, a University of Kansas basketball player and one of the last links to basketball inventor James Naismith, died Monday. He was 90.
O'Leary was honored three years ago as the oldest of 275 lettermen at a reunion marking 100 years of KU basketball.
"I'm the oldest basketball player alive," he said at the time. "Which doesn't say much for playing basketball."
O'Leary, who took a class from Naismith during his career at Kansas, was an outstanding student and athlete. He led the Big Six in scoring, was a basketball AllAmerica in 1931-32 under Phog Allen, was the No.1 player on the Jayhawk tennis team and earned a Phi Beta Kappa key for excellence in scholarship.
After graduating from the University in 1932, O'Leary compiled a 26-9 record in two years as coach of George Washington University in Washington.
Declaring that "coaching wasn't for me," O'Leary resigned and returned to the Kansas City area to work as a reporter for The Kansas City Times. He remained with the newspaper until he entered the Navy in May 1942.
In the 1940s and '50s, O'Leary edited a hobbyists' magazine and was considered such an authority in his field, that he was asked to write the hobby segment for the World Book Encyclopedia.
He also was a longtime Midwest correspondent for Sports Illustrated magazine. A voracious reader, O'Leary reviewed books for The Kansas City Star, a free-lance project he pursued for 60 years.
"I feel I may be helping out in the world a little if I can do anything to fan the public's interest in reading," he said.
O'Leary died after a brief illness following a stroke.
His wife of 58 years, Emily, died in 1994.
The O'Learys had two sons. Morgan O'Leary died in a plane crash in 1971. Dennis S. O'Leary is president of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations in the Chicago area.
Captains lead Hawks to Texas Round Rock
interesting and gets me on the field," Dreher said. "It's a great feeling knowing that I can help the team out wherever I'm needed."
Continued from page 16A
He started in all 55 games for the Jayhawks last season and tied for the team lead in doubles and home runs. Dreher also received last season's Jeff Niemeier Team RBI award.
Randall said that he was impressed by Dreher's work ethic and that the entire team needed to look at Dreher as an example.
"He's a tough, tough kid," he said. "He just goes out and plays, and that's what we love about him. What he does makes everyone else work hard."
Smart, Nelson, Del Chiaro and Dreher will lead the Jayhawks into their first action of the season on Friday in the Round Rock Invitational in Round Rock, Texas.
Edited by Courtney Craiamile
Sports Calendar
Women's basketball vs.
Colorado at 7:05 p.m.
in Allen Fieldhouse
Track and field at ISU Invitational
Women's tennis plays host to Jayhawk Classic Baseball at Round Rock Tournament
Men's basketball vs. Oklahoma State at 3 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse Women's basketball at Missouri at 3 p.m. Men's tennis at Indiana
Women's tennis plays host to Jayhawk Classic Track and field at ISU Invitational
Baseball at Round Rock Tournament
Women's tennis plays host to Jayhawk Classic Baseball at Round Rock Tournament
Men's tennis at Butler
All-American Charlie Gruber, a junior distance runner on the Kansas track and field team, was named as the Big 12 Conference male track athlete of the week.
KANSAS TRACK
Distance runner named Bia 12 athlete of week
Gruber is the second Jayhawk to receive the honor this season. He set the school record and an Anschutz Pavilion record in the 1,000 meter run with a time of 2.21.71 seconds.
The Denver native outran a 14-year-old record by more than two seconds. The senior also ran a leg for the 4x800 meter relay team that finished second. Gruber ranks first in both the 1,000 meter and the mile in the Big 12. His time of 4:00.79 last week in the mile is the third fastest in the country.
"Even though the 1,000 isn't an NCAA event, I think that 2:21 by himself shows how good of shape he is in," said Doug Clark, Kansas distance coach. "I'm looking for a lot of big things from him in the next few weeks in the 800 meters and the mile run."
"With the great middle distance tradition that Kansas has, and you break the record by more then two seconds, it's definitely significant."
Jayhawk doubles pair wins, gains recognition
KANSAS TENNIS
After upsetting two Top 10 doubles opponents at last weekend's Rolex National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships, Kansas men's tennis players Rodrigo.
Echagaray and Eleazaa Magallan made headlines again.
This time they were named to the Big 12 Preseason All Conference Tennis Team.
Echagaray, a junior.
KANSAS
TENNIS
and Magallan, a sophomore, were named to the 12-man preseason singles team. The two also earned preseason all-league recognition as a doubles pair — one of six conference doubles to receive such an honor.
"This honor shows you that these two young men are holding up the Kansas tennis tradition," said Ross Nwachukwu, men's tennis coach. "We've always had tremendous players representing the University of Kansas and these two young men are continuing that proudly."
-Kansan staff reports
Just like the first time around, Missouri's rematch against Kansas State at 7 p.m. tonight in Columbia, Mo., comes on one day's rest and after an emotional game.
Tigers to face Wildcats, seek win in second game
BIG 12 BASKETBALL
The Tigers lost 69-66 at Oklahoma State Monday in the Cowboys' first game since the fatal plane crash that killed 10 people associated with the program. That game had been postponed for two days.
Though the situation pales by comparison, Missouri (14-7, 5-3) beat Iowa State in four overtimes two days before the first K-State game on Jan. 16. The Tigers appeared mentally exhausted against the Wildcats and were never in the game, losing 80-59.
"It's no question we were drained from the Iowa State game, but we're going to be in the same situation," said Missouri coach Quin Snyder. "I think they're a tough team to prepare for on one day and we're getting them twice. I think they're playing as well as anybody in the league right now."
The first K-State game started a threegame losing streak for Missouri, which had cracked the Top 25 for the first time in two seasons.
"I don't think we overlooked them," Snyder said. "Since that game, people have gotten a little taste of what we got. They're playing real good basketball right now and they played great against us that night."
K-State (8-11, 2-6) is coming off Saturday's 84-78 loss at Iowa State. A 30-point game by Larry Reid wasn't enough to pull the upset over No. 15 Iowa State.
Beating Missouri hasn't turned out to be a momentum builder for K-State, who has lost four in a row and six of seven. Four of the losses were to ranked teams, however
"I think our team has showed some real toughness and they've been resilient," said K-State coach Jim Wooldridge. "Even though we don't have the wins to back up our effort, I think our effort has been pretty good."
BASEBALL
Angels' Vaughn hurt, will miss 2001 season
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Anaheim Angels first baseman Mo Vaughn may miss the entire season when recuperating from surgery yesterday to repair a ruptured biceps tendon in his left arm.
"Due to the nature and complexity of the surgery, the rehabilitation involved and all the elements required toward a full recovery, we are not anticipating Mo's return In 2001," said Angels general manager Bill Stoneman.
Dr. Bernard Morrey, assisted by Angels medical director Dr. Lewis Yocum, performed reconstructive surgery on Vaughn's distal biceps tendon and repaired the biceps muscle in a 2 1/2-hour procedure at the Mavo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
"He had a complete disruption of the biceps mechanism," Morey said. "It was a complex and difficult surgery that went very well. At this point, we are optimistic."
The 33-year-old Vaughn was scheduled to remain at the Mayo Clinic overnight before returning to his Easton, Mass., home today. The Angels said he would be re-evaluated in a few weeks at spring training in Tempe, Ariz.
The Angels announced Jan. 17 that Vaughn would require the operation, and said at that time that rehabilitation was expected to take a minimum of six months, meaning he wouldn't play before August at the earliest.
Vaughn, who said three weeks ago he had experienced pain in his arm the previous six months, hit .272 with 36 homers and 117 RBIs last year. Vaughn, who signed an $80 million, six-year contract with the Angels in November 1998, was referred to Morrey by Yocum.
Eight days after making the announcement about Vaughn, the Angels signed veteran Wally Joyner as a potential replacement at first base. They also signed power hitting outfielder and designated hitter Jose Canseco as a free agent last month.
NFL
An announcement was expected shortly, Titans representative Robbie Bohren said.
Titans consider Cunningham as linebackers coach
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee
Titans were negotiating yesterday to hire
former Kansas City coach Gunther
Cunningham as linebackers coach.
The Titans promoted linebackers coach Jim Schwartz to defensive coordinator last week after Greg Williams was hired as Buffalo's new coach.
Cunningham was fired by the Chiefs last month. He had a 16-16 record during two seasons. He was defensive coordinator for Kansas City from 1995-98.
TRIVIA ANSWER
Kansas lost to Iowa State in Allen Fieldhouse, 75-72; on Feb. 10, 1962; and lost to the Cyclones again the next season in the fieldhouse, 69-57; on Feb. 2, 1963.
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All the deals, all the specials, and where tofind them. Friday, February 9, 2001
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