PAG® SIX
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Although Leo Houck, Penn State’s beloved boxing coach from
1923 through 1949, passed from this earthly realm last January,
stories regarding his colorful career will continue to crop up. You
see, Leo was the kind of a guy you just don’t forget—the way he
looked, the things he said, the wonderfully human things he did.
There was only one Leo Houck.
Just as Knute Rockne's fiery spirit dominates Notre Dame
football, so too will Leo's personality—alive though dead—ever be
an inspiration to Nittany ringdom. He stands today reincarnated
in the spirit of Penn State boxing.
Shortly after Houck’s death the
Penn State ‘Alumni News col
lected a series of flashbacks that
Were written in love and respect
by just a handful of the hundreds
who came in contact with him.
“Will we ever forget,” pens
Riti„: Ttiley, alumni secretary .. .
His “office” at Grahams’ . . . That
stool (very much in the way of
traffic) in- back of the candy
counter . . , One hand on the
radio, the other in the pretzel
can .... Those daily trips to
church for six o’clock mass. It
didn’t matter how late the poker
session, Leo was there . . . Where
did Leo live in State College?
Some said in a Rec Hall locker
. . . That wonderful family of his
in Lancaster. That fierce pride he
had in those seven children; those four stalwart sons
“He never said one critical thing about a member of his own
team. Everybody did well .... Boxing, he’d point out, is a difficult
science. Boys shouldn’t expect to learn it in college . . . His quiet
pride in his own athletic prowess . . . Those glasses he wore despite
the violent protests from his family and friends. (My eyes are okay.
Just need a little magnification)... That time we walked in Graham’s
and heard him complaining about his newest optical purchase from
the 5 and 10. Observing closely we found that he had not removed
the small price tag which was pasted in the center of each lens.”
Lou Bell, Penn State’s director of public information, wrote . . .
"A stranger might find it hard to believe that Leo Houck, with his
flattened nose and well-worn ears, souvenirs of ring warfare, would
fit into the academic picture. But at Penn State he was a mellow daufj
of color. His homespun philosophy and sly humor made him a fre
quently quoted man. His polysyllabic admonitions Xhe liked to look
up two-dollar words and use them for a laugh) became a legend at
Penn State. He ruled the hot stove league at the corner candy store,
squelching argumentative and boisterous students with a soft
warning:
"Now, don't get obstreperous." For a long time, "cantankerous"
was his favorite word although he constantly added to his store, l
and confounded his cronies by coming up' with a new one every
few days."
Jim Lewis, class of ’4l, remembers the return trip from a dual
meet with Syracuse. “I rode in the back of our College limousine with
Leo and three other boys. The weather was a few degrees above zero
and no heat in the car. We started to play our favorite game, five
cent blackjack. When we finally arrived in front of the Corner Room
almost frozen to death and aching with hunger, I was $4 ahead. Leo
was down about $3 and made us all stay in the car for another half
hour until he got the deal. Naturally, we all griped but sat out an
other round in which Leo lost not only the deal but an additional
twenty-five cents.”
Jackie Tighe ’4B, one of Leo’s best-liked proteges, goes back to
March, 1947, and the finals of the NCAA boxing tournament in the
huge University of Wisconsin fieldhouse.
“A Penn State boxer was having his hands wrapped by Leo
Houck. In the meantime; Gov. Rennebolm of Wisconsin entered the
fieldhouse near the Penn State dressing room and was greeted by
John Walsh, Badger coach. Walsh insisted that the governor and his
party drop into the State dressing room and meet a “real guy”—Leo
Houck. When the governor entered, Leo was still wrapping his boxer’s
hands and Mr. Walsh politely tapped Leo on the shoulder and simul
taneously introduced Leo to the governor.
“Governor Rennebolm,” Walsh said, “this is the fine coach of
Penn State, Leo Houck.” The governor put out his right hand while
Leo was shifting the gauze bandage from one hand to the other. He
turned to face the governor and said, “How do you do, Fred. You’ve
got a great state here, Fred. Oh, excuse me a minute, Fred, I’ve got
to take "care of my boy’s hands.” Governor Rennebolm replied: “Mr.
Houck, it has been a great pleasure to have had the opportunity to
meet you and welcome you to our great state of Wisconsin.” Leo
answered, “Thanks, Fred, you’ve not only got a great state but a
great fieldhouse as well.”
As Ed Maimed '33 feelingly described his reactions at Leo's
funeral—" Goodbye, Mrs. Houck, Mary, Leo, Jr., Tommy, etc. What
else can you say—we all feel it, but how can we compare what
we're feeling? One last thing we want to do. Five steps over toward
the coffin. One last lingering look. "Keep moving around—hands
high, that's it. Keep that left hand straight out." If we could only
shake hands just once more. Tell the old boy just ohe more time.
"So long. Doctor."
By RAY KOEHLER
Sports Editor
Leo May Be Gone
But Spirit Lives Oh
THE DAILY COLLEGIA?-: STATE
Nittany Diamondmen Meet Strong
Ithaca Nine At Beaver Field Today
Ten Fraternities
Represented In
IM Mat Finals
Ten fraternities sent men to the
finals of the IM wrestling tourna
ment last night with Phi Kappa
Psi and Delta Upsilon leading the
way with four and 'three repre
sentatives respectively.
' TKE has two men entered in
the finals while AGR, Sigma Nu,
Phi Delta Theta, ATO, Phi Gam
ma Delta, Tau Phi Delta, and Del
ta Theta Sigma have one each.
The finals in the fraternity and
independent sections will be held
tonight at Rec hall starting at 8
o’clock. One mat, situated'in the
center of the floor, will be used.
In the 121 class, John Baffa,
DU, will face Ray Johnson, AGR.
Johnson and Baria won finals
berths in last night’s action.
John Allison, Phi Kappa Psi,
and Tom Lukas, Sigma Nu, will
collide in the 128 class while at
135 Bob Hamilton, DU, and Bill
Aiken, Phi Delta Theta, will
square off.
In the 145 division, Dick Rost
meyer, Phi Psi, and Bucky Ed
dinger, TKE, are matched; the
155-lb. class will send A 1 Pan
cerev, Phi Psi, against John Mc-
Call, ATO, in another final bout.
Bob Farquhar, Phi Gamma
Delta, and Joe Policastro, TKE,
will battle it out in the finals of
this class, while the 175 class
will send Link Van Sickle, Phi
Psi, against Adam Kois, DU, in
another final match.
In the unlimited division, it
will be Les Burdette, Delta Theta
Sigma, pitted against A 1 Schutz,
Tau Phi Delta.
Only seven titles will be at'
stake in the independent section
due to a lack of entries in the 121
division.
In the 128 class, it will be Bill
Brown against Bernie Yurick
while the 135 : division will send
Frank Wallis against Marv Hein
sohn, in what should be a good
bout.
In the 145 class, John Clark
will go against Sam Butler, who
defeated Ferris Antoon last night,
9-2. Clark also won last night
as he pinned Andy Schoerke in
2:35.
The 155, 165, 175, and heavy
weight final bouts will line-up
Something like this: 155—Earl
Brubaker against Dick Green;
165—Jack Quinn against Stan
Morgan; 175—Dick Rubinski ver
ses Ron LaCue; and heavyweight
Harry Carroll versus Larry
Marcella.
8 H-Bafl Teams
Cop IM Wins
Eight teams advanced to the
quarterfinals of the intramural
doubles handball tournament by
winning matches Tuesday night.
In games played, Dave Bischoff
and Kenny Weiss, Sigma Nu, beat
Jerry Weisman and Burton Cush
ner, Sigma Alpha Mu, by forfeit;
Phil Benedetti and Don Maurey,
Delta Upsilon, beat William Lock
hart and James Clark, Sigma Pi,
Clarence Buss and Joe Policastro,
Tau Kappa Epsilon, beat William
Abbott and Charles Brong, Beta
Theta Pi, by forfeit.
Art Betts and Ed Hoover, Phi
Delta Theta, beat Emerson Kny
rim and Bob Krayer, Delta Chi,
21-6, 21-5; Robert Bunnell and
Robert Patton, Phi Gamma Detla,
beat Vince O’Bara and Earl How
er, Phi Delta Theta, 21-10, 21-14;
Art Oberg, this year’s singles
champ, and Harvey Emig, Pi Kap
pa Alpha, won by forfeit from
James Brown and Ronald Anger
man, Phi Epsilon Pi.
Len Bartek and George Jacobs,
Sigma Phi Epsilon, beat Fritz and
Allan Pancerev, Phi Kappa Psi,
21-6, 21-11; Owen Dougherty and
Pat McPoland, Kappa Delta Rho,
beat John McCall and Louis Gom
lick, Alpha Tau Omega, 21-15,
,21-11.
By TOM SAYLOR
Ithaca college, a small school with a power-laden ball club,
takes on the Penn State baseball squad this afternoon in a contest
slated for 3:30 at the New Beaver field diamond.
Ithaca met Wilkes college in Wilkes-Barre yesterday afternoon
and arrived here last night.
The Bombers, boasting a veteran team that won IJ. out of 13
Yankees 1 Lopat
Limits Bosox
To Two Hits
Steady Eddie Lopat, the Yank
ees ace lefthander, came within
two and one-third innings of
pitching a no-hit, no-run game
against the Boston Red Sox'yes
terday as he twirled the Yanks to
a 6-1 win over the Sox.
Lopat allowed Boston only two
hits and helped his own cause by
smashing a two-run homer in the
fifth inning.
Ted Williams ruined Lopat’s
chances for a no-hitter by getting
a line single in the seventh. A
walk to Vern Stephens and a
single by Bobby Doerr gave the
Red Sox their only run.
One, Two Punch
Pitcher Early Wynn and catch
er Jim Hegan teamed up to lead
the Cleveland Indians to a 4-2
win over Detroit.
Wynn gave up only four hits
while Hegan hit a home run and
three singles to help the Indians
to their second straight win over
the Tigers.
Washington and Philadelphia
played a night game and the Chi
cago-St. Louis contest was rained
out.
Over in the National league,
the Brooklyn Dodgers jumped on
reliefer Jim Konstanty for two
runs in the. ninth to down the
Philadelphia Phillies, 4-3.
* Snider Triples
Konstanty relieved Bub b a
Church in the ninth after Church
had walked Hank Edwards to
start the inning. Konstanty retired
the first two mdn to face him, but
Duke Snider pounded a triple off
the scoreboard to score Edwards.
Jackie Robinson then came
through with a single to score
Snider with the winning^run.
Sam Jethroe connected for a
home run with two bn' and two
away in the ninth inning to break
a 5-5 tie and give the Boston
Braves an 8-5 win over the New
York Giants.
Koslo Victim
Jethroe’s big blow came off
Dave Koslo who had just come in
to relieve A 1 Gettel.
The Giants were behind 5-3 go
ing into the ninth but hopped on
Johnny Sain and Blix- Donnelly
for two runs to tie the contest.
Pittsburgh and St. Louis and
Cincinnati and Chicago were not
scheduled.
New York, Braves
Play Doubleheader
NEW YORK, April 18 (tf>)
Probable pitchers for tomorrow’s
major league games (last year’s
won-lost records in parentheses):
American League
Boston at New York — Sto b b s
(12-7) vs Byrne (15-9).
Washington at Philadelphia—
Sima (4-5) or Consuegra (7-8) vs
Kellner (3-14).
Chicago at St. Louis—Rotblatt
(0-0) vs Starr (7-5).
Cleveland at Detroit Garcia
(11-11) vs Gray (10-7).
National League
New York at Boston (2) —
Hearn (11-4) and Jones (13-16)
or Kramer (3-6) vs Spahn (21-17)
and Donovan (0-2).
Philadelphia at Brooklyn—
Heintzelman (3-9) vs Newcombe
(19-11).
Cincinnati at Chicago—Rams
dell (8-14) vs Minner (8-13).
(Only games scheduled).
Jay “Tiny” McMahan, of Ham
ilton, Ont.,'son of a former Penn
State football great, and Hardy
Williams, ot Philadelphia, were
the choices of their teammates
to serve as co-captains of the
1952 Penn State basketball team.
By LOWELL KELLER
battles against collegiate compe
tition last spring, have gotten off
to a good start this year in spite
of poor weather conditions during
their spring practice sessions.
They split in their first two ’5l
contests, and since then have de
feated a strong Army contingent,
4-2, and were just edged by a
powerful Seton Hall nine, 5-4 in
10 innings. In this latter affair,
the Bombers blew a 4-0 lead in
the eighth frame.
Cage Stars
On the Ithaca squad are five
members of the basketball team
that journeyed here to aid the
Lions in opening their cage cam
paign last winter. Among these
men are A 1 Gilberti, third-base
man; left-hander Ronnie Cole,
The probable line-ups:
PENN STATE ITHACA
Albright,lf _ .250 ' derCola,2b
Little,3b .000 Blinco.lf
Ccrchie.cf ' .333 Pnfunda.ss
Hoppenxf .667 Osmer.cf
Laganoshy.lb .600 Weis«,rf
Mowry.ss < .000 Yancey,e
Mihalich,2b .500 Gilberti,3b
Buss.c .000 Cole.lb
Dougherty.p (X-0) McCarthy,p
first-baseman; Dick Osmer, cen
ter-fielder; and Greg Cordones
and Ray Kirkgasser, pitchers.
Kirkgasser was high scorer in
the Bomber’s 70-31 loss to Coach
Elmer Gross’ courtmen.
Bill McCarthy, who hurled a
sparkling game against the Ca
dets last week is likely to get
the call to start on- the mound
for tjie visitors. Other, first-line
twirlers on the Ithacan club are
southpaw Doug Gerek-and Tom
Quest.
For the Nittany sluggers, Coach
Joe Bedenk has nominated lefty
Owen Dougherty to. toe the hill
against the Bombers. This will be
Dougherty’s second start in two
outings. He pitched and won 'the
opener against Western ' Mary
land, 22-2, and started last Fri
day’s contest with Georgetown
which was rained out.
Buss, Little Start
Clarence Buss will catch and
Harry Little will play third base
for the only other State changes.
Both Buss and Little also started
the abbreviated Georgetown af
fair. The rest of the lineup -has
Stan Laganosky at first base, Bill
Mihalich at second, Paul Mowry
at shortstop, and Henny Albright,
Su Cerchie, and Bill Hopper in
left, center, and right fields, re
spectively. Jim Kelz and Tom
Campbell will be ready for re
lief work on the mound if needed.
STAR LITE
ON BELLEFONTE ROAD
Shows 7 an*
"MR. MUSIC"
FRIDAY and SATURDAY
"FIREBALL"
MICKEY ROONEY
BEVERLY TYLER
plus
"GUN SMUGGLERS"
V 19, lSol
DRIVE-IN "
THURSDAY
BING CROSBY
NANCY OLSEN
with
TIM HOLT