VOL.101, No. 121
KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
TOPEKA, KS 66612
THE UNIVERSITY DAII KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
MONDAY, APRIL 1, 1991
(USPS 650-640)
NEWS: 864-4810
'Hawks celebrate good times
A student dives from a light fixture in front of Wescoe Hall. An estimated 25,000 people gathered Saturday night to celebrate Kansas' victory against North Carolina.
Patrick G. Brungardt/Special to the KANSAN
A reveler sips beer from a keg during the victory party on Jayhawk Boulevard on Saturday despite laws barring alcohol on campus.
25,000 fans migrate to campus after game for boulevard bash
By Sarah Davis
and Jonathan Plummer
Kansan staff writers
Within 10 minutes after the Jayhawk's victory Saturday, about 25,000 fans gathered on Jayhawk Boulevard for a little party.
Fans carrying beer bottles and toilet paper filled Wesco Beach. Some brought whistles or fireworks, but most were just content to shout, jumping and thrusting their fists in the air.
Those still arriving looked almost stunned that a celebration this huge could happen. But as they approached the epicenter, Wescoe Hall, reality hit: Kansas was in the championship game.
Meghan Birmingham, Overland Park freshman, said that she felt like nobody was a stranger that night.
"It's like everyone is your friend," she said. "On the way up here we were just screaming to everyone. There were eight to 10 people in the office of our pickup. If we win on him, it's going to be Armageddon."
Frank Loye, Chicago senior, was draped in toilet paper and clutched a blue-foam "No. 1" finger.
"It's such unity," he said. "No one has any harsh feelings toward anyone. It's all for one and for one. This is what college is all about."
ice treated 19 people for minor injury, mostly cuts from beer bottles, and one person was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
Mullens said that instead of trying to halt all the minor infractions on the street, the police tried to see that did not get too far out of control.
KU police Lt. John Mullens said the crowd, which he estimated at 25,000, was fairly well-behaved
"First of all, we are trying to keep people from getting hurt and from hurting others." he said.
But many strange events occurred under Saturday's new moon.
Students dove from light fixtures outside Wescoe into a crowd that usually caught them. One of the light fixture's plexiglass covers broke during the construction, and people rushed around him to grab souvenir pieces of the lamp.
Trees in front of Wesco swayed to the beat of songs played by the disc jockey, David Hull, Wichita junior. Up to 10 people branch to branches as they rocked the trees, bearing off paper wrap, branches to branches. By 8 p.m. the trees looked as if they had been attacked by a chain saw.
Spectators pointed at people shimmying up light and flag poles and shouted, "Go, go, go," until they made it to the top.
Hull, a Student Union Activities volunteer, said the crowd liked rap and rock 'n' roll songs the best. As if to prove him right, the crowd roared its approval to "You Shook Me All Night long" by AC/DC.
Douglas County Ambulance Serv
Whatever Hull played, the crowd seemed to find a way to shout "Go KU" to its beat. "We want Vegas," "KU-U U-" and "Let's go." Jayhawks' were among the less obscene chants the crowd shouted.
"This is great. We're going crazy," said Felipe Echeirvie, Medellin, Colombia, graduate student, while carrying a friend on his shoulders. "do that. I'm the hit (in South America). This is how to let of all your excitement."
Sid Goch, Lawrence resident, said he had collected more than 60 bags full of aluminum cans Saturday night. After the celebration of KU's 19th anniversary, the university recycled $1,000 worth of cans, which he donated to the Special Olympics
Brad Smith, Merriam senior, said Saturday's celebration was much sweeter than the one he was in after playing for the NCAA championship in 1988.
"This is so much better because we are a better team this year," said Smith, who painted his face crimson and wore a red celebration. "We're going all the way."
Dawn Pickett, Bonner Springs senior, said the team had given her the ultimate graduation present.
"I was here in 88 when they won," she said, clutching her bottle of champagne. "We came in winners, and we're going out winners."
More fan reaction Page 10
Celebration spawns glut of injuries hospital jam
By Amy Francis
Kansan staff writer
As in any war zone, there were casualties.
The KU campus celebrator
Saturday night was described
by many as a war zone, as
the city is one of the few
flying beer, bottles and caps.
An ambulance was stationed between Snow and强壮halls to treat people injured on campus
Ingrid Hollrah, Overland Park senior, was one of the people treated at the ambulance
"A beer bottle just hit her in the head" said Steve McPhilliam. Leawood senior
Hollisa said the ambulance paramedics told her that she could go to Lawrence Memorial Hospital's emergency room to get stitches for the cut if she wanted to but that she should be prepared to wait. She decided not to.
"They're backed up at Lawrence Memorial," Holrlah said. "I have a small headache, but it's nothing."
The emergency room at the hospital was kept busy treating casualties of the celebration of the national day brought in by an ambulance.
Judith McFadden, director of community relations for the hospital, said 20 KU students were treated in the emergency room Saturday night. All of the injuries were minor.
A Life Flight helicopter flew one person from the hospital to the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. The patient never was admitted to Lawrence Memorial's emergency room, McFadden said. He was brought in by the Douglas County Ambulance Service.
A police officer said the man's head was cut open when he fell out of the back of a truck he celebrated the KUY's victory.
Kevin Latinis, Prairie Village junior, brought a friend to the hospital.
"It's crazy in there. It's packed. There is a band of people who just got beat up on campus," he said. "We went to Watkins. It wasn't open, so we went here."
Betting favors Duke
Meghan Othick, who works in admissions at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said about 10 students had come to Watkins by 2 p.m. yesterday for treatment of injuries.
Watkins was not open Saturday night, but it will be open all night tonight.
By Mark Spencer
Kansan sportswriter
Odds are Kansas won't beat Duke tonight.
Gordon said early indications were that Duke would also be the local betting favorite.
At least that was the opinion of casino officials in Las Vegas yesterday.
"Duke is favored by three right now, and everyone is betting on them," said Mark Gordon, sports manager at the Dallas Mavericks and Casino in Las Vegas.
The Blue Devils' upset of previously unbeaten Nevada-Las Vegas was a key factor in making the game even more interesting in tonight's game. Gordon said.
That means the Jayhawks will be in the same underdog role they have been in since playing their first at the East Regional at Charlotte, N.C.
"I imagine Duke will be bet very heavy moving the line up to four, and then everyone will bet the dog late." he said.
Bill Davicky, also of the Sands,
said the NCAA Championship game was usually a high-interest
game. "We're not going to Gas," but this year was different
Under a Nevada state law, casinos in Nevada cannot take bets on UNLV athletic events.
Before this weekend, interest in the NCAA tournament had been high because of the highly-anticipated favorite, UNLV Runnin' Rebels.
The Rebels' elimination has opened up the betting windows on tonight's game, but that does not mean it be any long lines at the windows.
The intense local interest could not be transformed into heavy wagering on the Rebels. however.
Jayhawks hoping to bedevil Duke
Williams knows a lot about Blue Devils because of his tenure in North Carolina
By S. J. Bailev
INDIANAPOLIS — Bedlam erupted in the Hosier Dome Saturday following the Duke Blue Devils' 79-77 upset of top-torched UNV.
Kansan sportswriter
But as the Blue Devils exalted at center court, coach Kike Krzyzewski tried to subdue his ecstatic players.
"Hey guys, calm down," he told them. "You still have one more game to go. Kansas. remember?"
Duke returns to the title game for the second straight season to meet a Kansas team looking for its second national title in four years.
Krzewyza said yesterday that he knew his team could not afford any type of emotional letdown when they took the floor tonight against the Jayhawks with the national championship on the line.
"We've got to be ready to play very hard against a team like Kansas," he said. "They're very difficult to defend because they can score from any position on the floor and they have such a great bench."
Kansas coach Roy Williams said he was not at all surprised the Jayhawks would face the Blue Devils who scored of the heavily-favored Running' Rebels.
"I said Friday that I thought Duke was in great position," he said. "Psychologically, they had every advantage. Duke is a very good basketball team, and one capable of winning the national championship."
Williams said he thought the Blue Devils would be ready for Kansas because of their familiarity with another Jawhawk-like team.
"I think they'll be comfortable
Mike Krzyzewski Duke basketball coach
'We've got to be ready to play very hard against a team like Kansas.'
playing us because we are so much like North Carolina," he said. "But I do know a little bit more about Duke than some other teams might
because of my time at Carolina."
The Blue Devils are led by junior forward Christian Laetner, who averaged 19.6 and 8.7 rebounds a game this season and scored 28 points in Saturday's victory against UNLV.
"He is very strong and very mobile for as big as he is," senior forward Mark Randall said. "He likes to post up, but he also likes to go outside. There were even a couple of games this season when I saw him go out and shoot the three-pointer. He really does it all for that team."
Sophomore guard Adonis Jordan said Duke guard Bobby Hurley also would pose a threat in the championship game.
"He is a very tough player." Jordan said. "He does an excellent job running the team and getting the ball out there." He can also be a scorer when he has to.
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More game coverage Page 11