PAGE TWOI Between The Lions By REM ROBINSON Sports Writer It seems that about this time every year, when robins are com ing north only to purchase return tckets to Fort Worth and Miami, every sports writer feels that it is his duty to write about baseball, ;And the corning of Spring. Well, Spring came to Mount Nittany this week, baseball uni forms were issty....d, laCrosse play ers were outside, and it snowed. Still, here is a Spring column, the tradition has not been broken, and maybe next year, some new baseball scribe will find some weather on a Florida road map, )UanufaCture a bona-fide report 45f Joe Bedenk and -Co. • Joe was standing up in the coaches room Tuesday, his sched uled game with Navy on April 28 on his mind, the first day of spring in the air, and his pre \'‘,ar rubber galoshes on his feet. We asked him a bit cautiously about his opener at Annapolis, but he sighed, shivered, and Put liois scarf around his neck as he headed for the campus. His favor ite fungo bat had been dusted, his baseball uniform dug out from under the pile of football equip ment in his locker, piled in a neat heap on top of Dr. Mills Almanac. Half way down to Old Main, Joe was remembering last sea son. How games were cancelled with Pitt, Muhlenberg, Temple, and Navy in April because of rain, snow, sleet, and the other niceties eliminated from Chamber of Commerce releases. He told a story about Coach Art Davis' first year at Penn State. The good Doctor Davis had n't seen Penn State's athletic ma chine in action, so was worrying a great deal several morning's Vefore Bedenk's ball club was sated to open their season with ail April tilt against a big rival. Snow had fallen to almost six inches, and clouds held the prom ise of more within hours, Corning into Bcdenk's office, Davis asked nervously, "What are you going to do about your op ener, Joe?" Said Joe: "Don't worry Art. Bob Rutherford has designed a new roller with steam tubes in cased in the steel rollers. To- Morrow he will drive the roller out on the field, roll the snow down into a neat layer, and at the same time, melt it all." "Gosh," added Davis, "I have never seen that. I will have to come over tomorrow." • "Next afternoon, Davis tramp ed through the snow to the base ball diamond, and waited for some time before he realized that he v; as at last a member of the Penn State coaching staff," laughed Joe. At this point, we left Joe and his stories, and his schedule for this Spring, pulled our gloves on and began wondering what Bob Higgins will have out for foot ball next Fall.—RCß Jack Grey Commissioned; Was former Boxing Ace Jackie Grey, former All-Col lege president, Eastern Intercol legiate boxing champ, and winner Of the 1943 Goodman trophy for being the outstanding Penn State boxer of the year, was commis sioned a second lieutenant in ceremonies held at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on March 18. Grey was a member of the 59th graduating class of the Armored OffiCer 'Candidate School. Call for Track Managers Candidates for assistant managerial positions on the Nittany Lion track squad should report to Stu Block, present varsity manager, at the indoor track in Rec Hall any night after 4 o'clock, it was an nounced today. PIRA Gym Stars Here for Meel Another schoolboy gym season draws to a close in R'ec Hall 'Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock, when over 60 high school boys from eight Pennsylvania schdolr meet for individual crowns and for the mythical team title awarded by the College. Pottsville, defending champ from last year, is favored to again cop the interschOlastic title, but expects tough competition from entrie s on the Warren and LoWer Merion teams. The Warren gym naSts have taken the mythidal title three times, while Pottsville claims fo'ur diadems. In addition to the favored teams, entries have been placed by Dußois, Meadville, Ambridge, Ellwood City, and Sewickley, Pottsville's Steidle, named out standing performer last year, will not be among 'the contestants for the title' Saturday. First trial rope clitribs, and, the Indian 'club and parallel bar 'events will start the 1944 tourney. At 2:30, second trials for the rope climb title will be made, - followed 12y events with flying rings, side horse, horizontal bar, and the tumbling demonstration. Favored to take the Indian Club swing is Stan Lourimore of Se v;ickley, winner of the Western Regional title. The rope climb event is wide open, with no 1943 gymnasts back to fill that spot. Veterans are found in all other contests. New Penn State Swim Ace is South American Champ By ART MILLER A/S USNR Not discouraged by the failure of such top-notch competitors as Alan Ford, Bob Cowell and the Ryan brothers to spend their var sity careers at Penn State, Swim ming Coach Bob Galbraith has unearthed another tank sensation it•. Abel Gilbert, -speedy Equa aorian • distance star. Gilbert, who enrolled at State this semester for the three-year accelerated course in Animal Hus bandry, will accompany back stroker Leigh Woehling to the NCAA tank meet at Yale this weekend. He will compete in the 220- yard, 440-yard and 1500 meter events while Woehling will see Ection in his specialty the 150- yard back Stroke. Corner On Swin Market The dark-haired distance ace, who came to this country from his native land of Equador five years ago to attend Mercersburg prep, holds every South American dist ance crown frbm the 100-yard swim to the 1500-meter mara thon. The winning of these crowns was purely a family matter. His brother, Charles, raced to victory in the 1938 Little Olyttrip ics in the 220, 440, 880 and 1500- meters and then retired from ac tive competition. Abel took up the family tra dition from there, repeating his brother's victories against the cream of the South American crop in the 1939 Olympics, held at Bogota, Columbia. In the Pan-Americans - the*same year, he swam against the best of both continents including such luminaries .as Alan Ford, Adolph Kiefer, and the Hawaiian aces Nakama, Hirose and Takama. He placed third in the 1500-meters and fourth in each of the other distances. Better Than Ford On the Mercersburg swimming crew, Gilbert used to beat Alan Ford regularly in the distance events but could not master the Yale star in the dashes.. Ford, af ter leaving prep school and de ciding to display his wares for Coach Bob Kipthuth at Yale, de voted his time to the dashes en tirely and recently bettered his THE COLLEGIAN Cleatfield Still Rules Sdiotaboy Nal World With 11 Champions Clearfield High School, al though limited to one title this year, still rules the schoolboy mat realm with 13 individual champions since the Pennsylvan ia Interscholastic Athletic Assoc iation held its first wrestling tournament at Penn State in 1938. Canonsburg, on the other hand, went without a title for the first time since the tourney was found ed, and as a result was 'deadlock ed by Waynesburg for the runner up position with nine champions each, last week after the PIAA mat tourney in Hee Hall. Matt Gusic, 1`27-pound champion last year, repeated for 'Waynesburg this year in the 138-pound class. Forty Fort added a title to its 'collection this year and moved into • fdtirth . place with six ohainpions. Pußois, • , denied title when Jim Riss, 14-pound winner last year, lost in the 165- pound final thiS yeail, was alone 'in fifth place . with five •champ ions.itingsion's two 1944. champ ions booSted its .all-tinne_total to. four. . • Other schdols with more than 'one cham'pion are: - GrOVe City 3; -Shamokin, Greensburg, Chelten llam, Mt. Carmel,• Bethlehem, Muncy, -and Farrell, 2 each. Low er Merion, Pottsville, State. Col lege, Lock Haven, -Erie Academy, West View, Boswell, Dormont, Tyrone, and Chartiers have each produced one chainpion. own time for the 100 to set a new world'a record of 49.7 seconds. The South American, a real good neighbor to Coach Galbraith this season, i s a citizen of Equa dor and is not affected by the .draft although taking basic ROTC in college. "When I finish here, I intend to return to Equador and probably enter the Army," Gilbert said when asked about his future. He has one brother, now mar ried, and two sisters, all living at the Gilbert home, Twelve Teams Enter . The 1500-meter trials will be held in the Eli pool this •morning with the finals taking place to morrow night. This afternoon the trials will be run on the 220 and 440 with the pay-offs probably tomorrow night. Woehling will' swim in warm up competition this afternoon and the finals tonight before return ing. Twelve teams with an aggre gate 82 entries are reported await ing the gun . in the beautiful Payne-Whitney gym pool. Mich igan, Yale, Columbia,. Princeton and Cornell will be among the squads present that will give plenty of trouble to the Penn State hopefuls. John Lawther, Penn State cage coach, rates Army's unbeaten quintet as the begt his team op posed this year. STUDENT DEPARTMENT Sunday, 9:30 A.M. Worship service and group discussion, "Unifying My Life." WESTMINSTER FELLOW- , SHlP—Hymn-sing and wor ship service, 6:20 P.M. Stu dent panel, "What Easter Means. EARLY MORNING LENTEN BREAKFAST—Fireside zoom, 7-8 A.M. thursday. Do you believingvin . acquiring. spirituat disciplines now? 'Shoe Wizard Haines,' Starts Another Nittany Tradition Some funny things happen on crowded trains these days, espec ially when a cherubic little mill ionaire begins arguing with a dozen Perm State hockey and gym keg on . the subject of "chin-ups." Recently the Penn State ice men and gytanaszs Were speeding toward West Point with their ,coaches Art Davis and Gene Weft,- ,stone, when up sauntered a silver 'cane in front Of IVlahlin N. Haines, 'the widely publicized, Widely known "Shoe Wizard of York." Together with a half dozen hockey players and gyirmaat Mike GaTtatis, Me Shoe Wizard talked of college days, and of his days ,as short stop on the 1892 baseball team at the. University of Mary land. Eve'rrtUally the donVersation dot to 'chin-ups, and 'ever-apt:riling rMahlin Haines 'offered, a five 'dol - Id the Man present - Who 'could chin himself the MoVt ' At one tithe, the Shoe Wizard 'could Orin hinnSelif 'twenty `tunes, using regulatioh rules, and 'even 'today, although approaching 70 Years Of age, he alights from bed with a jump, and paces through 20 minutes of rigorous, toughen ing exercise'. With the offer of $5 made, gym coach WettstoTre asked -philarth ropist Haines to make it a school wide contest, and 'within a minute another award was offered for the best in .all-'college competition. Last week after armed forces' gymnasium records, and civilian tryouts were recorded, gymnast Marvin Mangus won the "polonel Haines Trophy," and AST Private Narvin I. Emden took second honors. The prize to the smaller group of athletes in which Haines be came interested while riding on the New York-bound train went to varsity rope climber .Gaitanis. This was not the first time mil lionaire Haines has become in terested in sporting competition. Once when a passenger on a lux ury liner, a diving- contest was arranged because two champion divers were aboard. Already oth .er guests had heard of Haines and his antics, and. immediately in vited him to, join competition by demonstrating a belly-whopper. Haines obliged, although he was then_67 years of age. Haines toured the countryside today in a fire-engine-red sedan, the word: "THE SHOE WIZARD" RENTAL LIBRARY: of • LATE & WORTHWHILE BOOKS No Fee To Join—Moderate Rates * EASTER . • . GREETING CARDS Now On Display LEATHER Wallets . Writing Cases . Address looks Orders May Now Be Placed For Personal Stationery . eeler s • . Cdthaum .Theatre. Bldg FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1944 painted in eight inch gold letters, splashed loudly on the side. lie Is a lover of children, an 'en thusiastic backer of the Boy Scouts. To honor his 70th bilthday this year, flaijnas will bring haar: ly 2000 scouts to a jamboree at his estate in East 'York. Each of his ilO 'shoe stores, now under a manager, Haines does not work any More than necessaky. He spe'nds his time -btrying War 'bonds, and urging others to ,dO 'their share. Estithates fittre that he has purchased nearly a tenth 'of la million dollars in War bards. 'The rest of his 'time is spent rid ing horseback at one of his vast farms,, or in being named honor-' ary 'chief of a Western Indian tribe. On a recent bond tour,. Raines was escorting screen. star Gloria 'Stuart through an, iiispectiim of la Hal shcie factory. Confusing hiin With - tOngresiman • Harry L. ',Haines .of that district, the fac tOry owner introduced him as , Haines didn't miss this chance, 'and, iminediately jumped tip 'serearning: "No, no, I'm Haines :the Shoe Wizard. The man who makes low prices possible." Then he bought a $10;000 brind, and was kissed by Miss Stuart. When starting in business many years. ago, the Wizard of York hired a, 65-piece band and rented ' York's old opera house for his own preview. As the band played loudly, he stepped to the stage, and yelled, "I'm Haines the Shae Wizard." Arid 'on those words on's borroWed stock of $127, the greatest chain store owner in Am erica started selling shoes. • . Now, his pictufe appears on ev ery box of shoes sold in his 'chain of stores. His name screams froin every door mat, awning and whf dow display he owns. In his , "modest" $32,000 mansion, he hires no servants, eats . his wife's own cooking. His vast office rec ords are kept in shoe boxes in his dingy headquarters at York. As his conversation ended with the Penn state athletes, and the Colonel Haines Trophy was plan-. tied for the best chinner in the college, the Wizard glanced from the train window, saw that he was miles past his station. Leap ing, from the coach at the next station, he hired an airplane back to his destination.—RCß
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers