TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1948
Pitt's 7-0 Upset Interrupts
Two-Year State Victory String
Just seven points out of more than 400 scored in 17 games brought a football dynasty crashing
about the heads of the 51,000 spectators who saw the underdog Pitt Panthers knock Penn State's two
year undefeated record into the waste basket.
More than a game was lost Saturday in the Pittsburgh stadium, since this loss virtually clinched
the Lambert Trophy for Army and practically insured either North Carolina or Oklahoma's chances
of meeting Southern Methodist in
the Cotton Bowl.
Yesterday's pep rally, although
dampened by the weather, proved
to the team that the College will
be with it in spirit when the
Lions travel to Tacoma for their
final game against Washington
State this weekend.
Saturday's game was the first
battle in 17 that the Nittany team
lost and the first shutout in 25
games. The Lions' last loss was to
Pittsburgh in 1946 and the last
shutout also a 7-0 contest lost—
in the Smokey City in 1945.
LETHARGY
In Saturday's game the Nit
tany team seemed to be playing
with its mind on post-season
games and when it finally realized
that the Pittsburgh team was
winning the game, couldn't snap
out of its lethargy to overcome
the spirited Panthers.
Throughout the first half, the
Lions ran through plays in a per
functory style minus the snap and
fire that gave them an 17-game
undefeated streak over a two
year period. Twice the squad was
penalized for taking too much
time between plays as it lined up
for offensive formations.
While Penn State was playing
almost in a fog, the Pittsburgh
team was slashing and crashing
into the Nittany backfield to toss
Li6n ball carriers for losses and
short gains.
ROGEL
Only% . Fran . Rogel, .198-pound
charge of blasting powder, could
reel off gains against the vicious
Panther line as he carried the ball
30 times for a net gain of 110
yards. Not once was the North
Braddock steamroller stopped
without a gain.
The most surprising factor in
the upset win by Pitt was the
ineffectiveness of the previously
brilliant Blue and White passing
ace, Elwood Petchel. Petchel
with only seconds to toss the pig
skin as the Pitt line swarmed in
to tackle him, was forced to heave
desperation passes, four of which
were intercepted by the almost
impregnable Panther pass de
fense.
On the interception that led to
the winning touchdown, the Nit
tany passer faded to his right,
was rushed by almost the entire
Pitt line, and his deflected pass.
intended for Rogel, was snared
in the flat by Nick Bolkovac who
raced 23 yards to the goal.
OUTSTANDING
Bolkovac, a 210-pound sopho
more tackle from Youngstown,
Ohio, topped off his six pointer by
splitting the uprights with a con
version for the unnecessary extra
point to clinch his claim as the
outstanding Pitt gridder of the
battle.
Not content with his offensive
role, Bolkovac kicked off after the
point and then raced down the
field to tackle Wally Triplett on
the Nittany 36. A few plays later
he was injured and left the game
but returned in the final minutes
to help the Panthers hold the
Lions at the goal line in the last
10 seconds of play.
Outstanding on the Nittany line
was Senior Sam Tamburo. The
Lion terminal provided a solid
bulwark on the right side of the
Nittany line, and turned the Pitt
end sweeps into the center of the
line where Joe Drazenovich and
John Simon mowed down the
Panther halfbacks.
TOPNOTCH
But the topnotch offensive
player of the 51 gridders who
battled in the muddy Pittsburgh
oval was Rogel. Starting on the
Nittany 17-yard line, this claim
ant for All-American honors
drove in 13 out of 16 plays to the
Panther 15 1 / 2 , just one-half yard
short of a first down. His total
Yardage in the drive was 66 yards.
Onthe other three plays, Petchel
and Triplett were able to account
for only one yard as Pitt defense
men battled them up.
Pittsburgh never seriously
threatened the Lion goal, al
though on a pass play in the sec
(Continued on page Az)
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE. PENNSYLVANIA
By Elliot Krane
Here's Nick Bolkovac, Pitt lineman, evading the grasp of a
Nittany tackler to score Pitt's touchdown Saturday.
J. Drazenovich
Tamburo on AP
All-East Eleven
Joe Drazenovich and Sam Tam
buro, outstanding Penn State line
men, were named yesterday for
All-Eastern honors by the Asso
ciated Press sportswriters.
Only one other team, Army,
placed two men on the annual
All-Eastern team, while Penn,
the third-ranking power in the
East, placed one, Chuck Bednarik.
Although Tamburo, an end who
have averaged 47 minutes of corn
has averaged 47 minutes of corn
this season, will complete his
collegiate grid career next week
against Washington State, Joe
Drazenovich, a guard, is eligible
for another season.
Last year's Nittany Lion repre
sentatives on the All-Eastern
team were guard Steve Suhey and
halfback Jeff Durkota. The 1948
selections:
Ends Tamburo—Penn State,
Armstrong—Dartmouth.
Tackles Stautner—Boston
College, Clark—Cornell.
Guards—J. Drazemwich—Penn
State, Henry—Army.
Centers Bednarik—Pennsyl
Your
Penn State
CLASS RING
for
Christmas
Know of someone looking for gift sugges
tions? .. . . This is Tops!
First thing after Thanksgiving •• • in to
Balfour's for your class ring
Balfour's Branch Office
jillitsi:
133 IM Boxers Sign Entries
For Next Week's Ring Action
A record 133 fraternity and independent boxers crowded to the
IM office last week to sign entries for the 1948 intramural boxing
season, said Eugene C. Bischoff, director of IM athletics, yesterday.
The 123 fraternity ring artists, divided into eight weight classes,
and ten independents fighting in two divisions, will begin activity
in the varsity sing at Rec Hall, 5 p.m. December 1, and will continue
for about three weeks, fighting
12 bouts each night.
Thirty-three fraternities are
represented in the entries.
Sigma Nu, last season's fratern
ity boxing champion, entered men
in seven divisions this year, but
the 1947 individual champs will
not be able to defend their
crowns, since they move up a
weight class to be eligible this
year,
Independents will box only in
the 135 and 155-pound weight
divisions, also the most popular
divisions to fraternity entries.
Bouts scheduled by the IM of
fice will be three rounds each,
two minutes in duration, with
vania.
Backs Stuart—Army, Sella
—Princeton, Jackson—Yale, Kus
serow—Columbia.
'n the Athletic Store
Soccer Forces Upset
Temple Booters, 4-1
Although flags were flying at halfmast in Nittany Valley attar
Pitt's stunning upset of the Lion gridders, all is not glum, especially
not in Coach-Bill Jeffrey's soccer lair, after the booting Lions turned
in a surprise 4-1 victory against a highly-touted Temple soccer
eleven last Saturday. Thus the Lions became unofficial Eastern
soccer champs.
The Owl booters, who had pre
viously tallied 32 points against
a lone goal scored by opponents,
were a three-goal favorite over
the Blue and White. While the
Panthers turned the tables on
the footballers the Lion soccer
men routed the Owls.
The Nittany turfmen went in
front late in the first period on a
fluke tally with center forward
Clarence Buss receiving credit
for the marker, his fifth of the
season. Shooting for the Temple
goal the soccer pill hit Owl half
back Alexander who deflected it
into the goal, thus giving the
Lions the lead after 18 minutes of
playing time had elapsed.
The Jeffreymen's versatile soc
cer powerhouse by expert pass
ing and accurate defensive play
prevented the hitherto high-scor
ing Templemen from tallying and
when the half ended the Blue and
White was out in front by a
single point.
Then came a much disputed
referee's decision on which
Temple scored its lone point in
the third quarter. All-American
Steve Hritz sent a ball toward
one minute rest between rounds.
Boxing will proceed under single
elimination play with losers drop
ping out, and winners moving up
unti. champions in each division
are determined.
Boxing, the last intramural
sport to begin this semester, will
continue through 11 nights of ac
tion during three weeks. Champ
ionship meets will be held on the
varsity ring, with the squared
circle moved out to the middle of
the Recreation Hall floor where
all spectators may see the bouts.
41 . 0 :Or
•••
:111ir 44,.
By George Vadasz
POWERHOUSE
Lion goalie Ed Taggert. Accord..
ing to Chuck Margolf, State full•
back, the ball did not cross the
Nittany goalstripe but the refer
ee ruled that the ball did enter
the goal and had escaped through
a hole in the net. He was unable
to point out the hole in the net
when asked by Nittany captain.
Dean Witmer and Coach Bill
Jeffrey.
SCORING SPREE
With the score deadlocked at
1-1 the inspired Lions launched
one of their most devastating
scoring sprees this year. Out to
dethrone the team which was
booked as the strongest threat
to Eastern soccer honors the Blue
and White scored three last per. ,
iod markers to win handily by the
4-1 count.
Adding glory to his already
outstanding reputation as a half•
back, Ralph Hosterman scored his
first goal of the year when from
30 yards out he made good on a
direct shot at the goal, a superb
feat since halfbacks usually don't
break into the scoring column.
Next it was veteran Hal Hack
man who stole the limelight by
scoring the third marker of the
game which had suddenly turned
into a rout.
LAWROSKI
With the outcome of the game
a certainty Jeffrey started using
substitutes. Harry I..awroski,
Spence Boyer and George Phil l ip
lips spelled forward wall per
formers who deserved a well
earned rest.
With only 30 seconds remain
ing before the final toot of the
whistle Lawroski scored his first
marker for the Blue and White
on a direct shot, thus making the
final score read 4-1 in favor of the
Lions.
The Lions, seeking their sev
enth victory against one loss and
one tie, meet Penn's strong boot
ing aggregation in Philadelphia
on Thanksgiving Day,
At Three Schools
Head Football Coach Bob Hig
gins tntored grid teams at West
Virginia Wesleyan and Washing
ton U. in St. Louis before return
ing to his alma mater in 1928 as
end coach. He moved up to the
head job two years later.
UMLAL