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Sports Thru
Hie Lion’s Eye
By JAKE HIGHTQN
Collegian Sports Editor
Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp, coach of one of the nation’s
best basketball teams-—currently beaten only by the NCAA,
supposedly has the door to his Rluegrass University office
trimmed to a neat 6-1%-inch, height. This arithmetic exact
ness is not madness, but merely a Rupp method expressed
thusly: “If a boy doesn’t bump his head on the door, I don’t
shake. hands with him,”
It isn't exactly the custom to criticise the coaching methods
of a man who has monopolised the Southeastern Conference bas
ketball titles for the last nine years. However, it would be a shame
ful oversight on Rupp's part if he were not to shake hands with
Hal Brown, Penn State freshman court sensation «n*U his sudden
. and ''mysterious" disappearance at mid-semester.
Brown’s 5-10 stature left him 3% inches shy of meriting a Rupp
handshake. Nevertheless, the former, York High School all-State
star was so extraordinary that he surely could have made the first
seven of Elmer Gross’ varsity had fresh been eligible,
. Brown wais the type of ballplayer nobody would dare frown
on because he was several inches shorter —he too easily made
monkeys of foes. Brown had the attribute? of ex-Nittany great. Joe
Tocci, class of '5O. who even in sneakers had 4 I A feet between bis
head and the rim of the hoop. Like Tocci, Brown was an adroit
Jjaßhandler, hawking interceptor, playmaker, speedy trickster, fine
shot, and a cooly poised : spark plug. You know, the ballplayer's
ballplayer. The kind the crowd loves because he is a basketball
player, not a giraffe who has more height than skill.
The cynic will probably sneer, “If he was that good, why did he
come to Penn State? Surely he had hundreds of lucrative scholarship
offers,” And indeed, a guy as Brown did have numerous
scholarship offers far better than State could offer, But, as phony
as it may sound in this what-wiil-you-give-me era,
Brown came here because he honestly liked Penn State.
★_ ★ ★ jfr ★
Than, unexpectedly several -weeks ago, Brown silently folded
his basketball togs—Penn State ones anyhow, since he’s too good
to be collegeless—and slipped out of the Nittany Vale, It's more
than probable that he still liked Penn State,, but three major
sorespols left Brown unhappy, it not dissatisfied.
To begin with. Bustling Brown had somewhat of a struggle work
ing—he had no fat scholarship. With too few hours in a day for
working, basketballing, and studying, Brown flunked two courses
(but not flunked out of school as a first semester'frosh.) Then .thirdly,
and possibly looming largest, Brown did not fit into the Gross ma
chine which requires a tall, six-foot plus cog essential for good
zone defense play, ■
The horse—whirlaway or some other topflight thoroughbred
would be a fitting comparison—has already escaped-the barn. And
it's a pity. In a game which has more and more become a big man's,
a goon's. Ml' Hal Brown was refreshingly; wonderful to watch— :
and he could hare greatly aided future Penn State cage teams.
He, again like Toeci, was "bigger" than his mere program mea
surements.
★ ★ . ★ ★ ★ ★
SPRING, SPEECHES. AND RESERVES:
Spring officiallyvarrived in State College Monday afternoon. Joe
Bedenk’s varsity pitchers and catchers—still only “throwers and re
ceivers” this, early—threw out the first baseball? in ,the Florida
climated (use your imagination) training quarters underneath Beaver
Field stands ... A guy. used to feel sorry for. Rip Engle’s gray hairs
and ulcers during the football season. But golly, with the mad whirl
of banquets and speeches, the harried-looking Ripper probably
yearns for the “peace and quiet” of the fa 11... It was reserve night
in Rec Hall Wednesday for both the cagers and wrestlers. Charlie
Speidel- could have wrestled his managers and licked the Charlie
Ridenour Penns, Even a brushup less|on from his old boss probably
won’t help Ridenour (three-time Nittany EIWA champ) with his
sub-par material. The. Red & Blue could only get 13 points in eight
bouts, two less than Bob Homan :got by himself in one hassle . . .
Secondstringers romped for the basketball team too. However, Rec
Hall still hasn’t seen a topflight basketball team this season and
probably won’t until West Virginia hits town Feb. 25.
LaStarza, 7-5, to Figfyt Layne Tonight
NEW YORK, (JP) —A lucrative title shot at the Rocky
Marciano-Jersey Joe Walcott winner will be 'the prize to
night when cautious Roland LaStarza of New York collides
head-on with aggressive Rex Layne in a Madison Square
Garden 10-rounder.
The handsome,.2s-year-old La-
Starza is a 7 to 5 favorite to out
box the 24-year-old ex-GI from
Lewiston, Utah, in a scrap which
should ; provide plenty of blood
and thunder.
Starting at 10 p.m. EST, the
bout will be telecast by NBC into
homes from coast to coast.
‘New York fight winners are de
termined by the number of founds
taken.
TBOS pgrn^SYLVANIA
Gymnasts Navy-Bound
For Tomorrows Meet
Gymnastics Coach Gene Wettstone put' his starting crew
terday in its last Rec Hall workout before embarking at 12:30
and the Midshipmen of Nayy.
“Hie Navy meet is the 1
decide Eastern supremacy th:
best won-lost dual meet seasonal
record in BIGA competition, not
in a post-season tournament,
which is for individual crowns.
Army started winning the EIGA
team title back in 1950 and has
yet to relinquish it, The EIGA
ppst-season tourney will be held
March 14 at West Point this year
for the individual titles.
At McDonough Gym tomorrow,
the gymnasts’ sophomore stylist,
Jan Cronstedt, and Navy’s num
ber-one attraction, Hal Lewis, are
expected to wage a terrific scoring
duel on'the horizontal bar, accord
ing to Wettstone, who saw Lewis
perform against Temple last week.
Lewis, in 1951, won’the Eastern
title and also the National title
QU the horizontal bar, then broke
his le|g in the; middle of last sea*
gon. This year will-'be his . last
complete season of intercollegiate
competition.
Another top duel will feature
Dave Schultz and Middie Ray
Crater in the rope climb. Both
men are capable of turning •in
4-0 efforts.
Baffa, Boudreau on Hope
.Wettstone said yesterday his
lineup would remain the same as
given after Wednesday’s major
WOrkopt. Wettstone’s 14-man
traveling squad will leave by car
today, '
Other starters for gym Lions
will be Mario Todaro and Karl
Schwenzfeier behind Cronstedt in
the H-bar, and Johnny Baffa and
Bob Boudreau behind Schultz in
the rope climb.
Cronstedt, the flying ace from
Helsinki, Finland,. will be in the
Nittany number-one spot for his
second event of the day on the
parallel bars. Behind Cronstedt on
the parallel bars will be A 1 Wick
and Schwenzfeier.
The flying ring trio will find
Jim Hazen, Tony Procopio, and
Schwenzfeier, who will be work
ing his third event. -The tumbling
threesome will be Captain Bob
Kenyon, Bob Kreidler, and Bill
Sopper.
Lions Won Last Year
On the sidehorse will be Bob
by Lawrence, Procopio, and Prank
Wick.
Last season the Lions licked
the Middies by 20 points, 58-38,
at Bee Hall. Besides Cronstedt’s
double on the H-bar and parallel
bars, Hazen and Schultz turned
in wins on the rings and rope,
respectively.
In 1951, Navy thumped Wett
stone’s charges, 5616-39% at Navy,
The Navy meet will be the
Lions’ third of four in a row on
the road, to be followed by next
Saturday’s away EIGA meet with
Syracuse. Then comes a two-week
home stay with Eastern opponents
Temple and Army to complete the
dual meet season.
By GEORGE BAIREY
>ig one,” Wettstone said yesterday, “and could very well
is season.” The Eastern team title goes to the team with the
Jan Cronsiedl
(H-bar, P-bar Artist)
McCoy Selected
Video Consultant
For District Two
Ernest B. McCoy, dean of the
School of Physical Education and
Athletics and Ralph Purey, Co
lumbia University, have- been
named consultants to Robert J.
Kane, Cornell University, who’ll
represent 1 District Two on the
newly-constituted television com
mittee of the National Collegiate
Atheltic Association. The two will
consult with Kane on district
policy.
Bob Rutherford, Jr., Penn State
golf coach, has been appointed to
the NCAA’s tournament commit
tee for the 1953 season. This com
mittee will be in charge of the
annual tourney at Colorado
Springs, June 21-27.
Favorite Sport
Wrestling currently is rated the
favorite of Penn State’s predom
inantly student sports public.
CUPID KNOWS!
;|jfe
5
IT'S YOUR LAST CHANCE FOR
VALENTINE CANDY!
REA & DERICK
through its final paces yes
p.m, today for Annapolis
(Wednesday)
BOWLING
Beta Sigma Omicron over Al
pha Gamma Delta.
Little Lions forfeited to Chi
Omega. .
Alpha Chi Omega over Theta
Phi Alpha.
Zeta Tau Alpha over Delta-Del
ta Delta.
Alpha Xi Delta over Kappa Al
pha Theta.
Phi Mu over Alpha Omicron Pi.
Kappa Kappa Gamma over Del
ta Zeta.
Gamma Phi Beta over Kappa
Delta.
Phi Sigma Sigma over Alpha
Epsilon Phi.
BRIDGE
Winners North-South Kappa
Delta. East-West - Sigma Delta
Tau.
Sigma Delta Tau over Gamma
Phi Beta.
Mac Hall over Phi Mu
Kappa Kappa Gamma over Al
pha Gamma Delta
Delta Zeta over McElwain-Sim
mons.
BOWLING
Delta Gamma over Aye See
Alpha Gamma Delta over Zeta
Tau Alpha
Co-Op over Alpha Omicron Pi,
Lawrence New Star
Bob Lawrence, 20-year-old Penn
State junior, established himself
as a prospective National colle
giate champion by besting the
1.952 side horse titlist, Prank Bar,
in a dual meet with the University
of Illinois. Lawrence, crippled pre
med student, formerly competed
for Lower Merion High SchooL
WANTED
MALE
Head counselor; also riding* nature,
pioneer* crafts and general counselors.
Advise age* experience, salary desired,
first letter,
EDGEBROOK RANCH CAMP
Box 357 Bronxville, N.Y.
Cupid buys at R & D's
for personalized Valentines
of Whitman's and Candy ’'Cupboard
chocolates.
R & D's will wrap it, too
PAGE SEVEN
WBA Results
BADMINTON
(Thursday)
VOLLEYBALL