M£$(2H 11, 1953 Sports Thru The Lion’s Eye By JAKE HIGHTON Collegian Sports Editor Penn State-has had many Golden Ages In sports, hut perhaps the greatest all-time Nittany era was the period .between 1946-49. These years for the Lions were comparable to the Fabulous Twenties with its Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, Bill Tilden; and Bobby Jones. For during that post-war II period, Penn State first magnitude stars were names like Stevfi Stiuey, Sam Tamburo, Horace Ashenfelter, Jim Gehrdes, Chuck Drazenovich and Fran Rogel. Although these stars shown I brightly enough to still, generate light; only two—Ash and Rogel —still sparkle in the sports firm ament today. Ash is an Olympic champ and Rogel-is playing for pay—and more than earning his salary—-with the Pitt Steelers. -Since'it is-the grid off-season, Francis "Punchy" Rogel has re turned to his alma mater to pick up credits required for future teaching and coaching hopes. Yet, Franny came dangerously dose to, doing his grad work at Kentucky University and a list ing! in file Blue Grass Hall of Fame. After Rogel graduated from' North' Braddock High, the football scouts wore out his door step and fired his imagination with lucrative offers in the spring .of 1946. Kentucky was particu larly insistent. They had him on the ,campus and. the gridiron for an entire week while they dan gled half of nearby Fort Knox’s gold in front of him. The Kentuckians next sent Franny way up to a northern Michigan camp “to work” (and be safe from prying rivals). For $5 a week, Fran toiled and moiled with a fishing rod and rowboat. Later on in the spring, Fran was again, on the Kentucky ca: pus and opera\ ing as Coa^ Bear Bryan, first team full back all th< time as a “visi tor.” He hadn ! definitely co * mitted himse. When he final decided tie wouL „ „ rather go to Frtm Roscl school closer to home, Bryant was furious. He cussed Franny, called him a “quitter,” and cut tiim off from meals and train ticket home. And still in the same breath, he excommunicated Rogel from the Sovereign State of Kentucky. "Visiting" Penn State next, Fran immediately "liked the place" (even though it was tiis worst offer financially); He stayed at the home of Coach - Bob Higgins and although Hig was away at the time, his wife's baking proved more persuasive. As Franny said to her, "you bake apple pies and I'll play here forever." So he did and his deeds have since become legen dary. Perhaps mokt typical of Rogel is the story told by his former Coach Higgins, who says that “Ro gel is one of the greatest I’ve had.” A piston-leg, piledriving runner who played as if he would die if he. Was knocked to the ground, Rogel often tore loose after he seemed to be stopped. One day the ref blew a “fast whis tle”- just as Rogel spun away. Very 'much perturbed, Rogel marched up to the ref arid said, “Never blow the whistle on ine —l’m neyer, riever down.” Penn's great All-American center Chuck Bednarik found IM Volleyball Entries Entries for intramural volley ball competition must be turned m at the IM, office in Rec Hall by 4:30 p.fn. tomorrow, v this out in 1948 when .Rogel scored both touchdowns which beat Penn, 13-0. Late in the sec ond period Fran, on a full spin ner, burst through the mouse trapped guard's hole. Backerup Bednarik came up fast to meet the Nittany fullback. Momen tarily stopped, Rogel kepi churning and spinning to- his left, ripped loose for a 44-yard touchdown gallop. Then late in the fourth period, Franny com pleted the Penn's. misery, with a sensational "pro catch''—tip ping first, and ihen shagging the ball in the endzone. However, there' were times when Fran's Herculean efforts weren’t so well rewarded. Toward the close of the same season, State’s Cotton Bowlers were push ing for a second successive un beaten season. But Pitt, the last obstacle to another bowl bid, rose up to sidetrack the Nittany bowl express just as the 1952 Lions derailed a Panther bowl train. The 7-0 loss was no fault. of Rogel’s. In one series of downs the 200 pound batteiy-ram hauled the pigskin from his own 15 to the Pitt 15 1 in 13 carries. State’s other three rushes in the drive lost or failed to gain. Aside from having reaped all kinds of gridiron glory, Rogel owns another distinction—he’s probably the only unbeaten heavyweight wrestler in Penn State history,' if riot iirthe eiftire archives of the EIWA. One season Charlie Speidel’s regular varsity heavy .was injured and the sore pressed mat coach signed up Rogel for the Temple meet. Ex tremely short on savvy, Rogel made up for this deficiency in strength and his fierce competi tive. spirit. Before the match had hardly begun, Fran picked up his foe's left leg and heel-tripped the other leg. In 20 seconds the Templar was pinned. But the ref ruled an illegal body slam and Fran was forced to grind out an 8-5 decision. Perhaps another bright career? No, Fran's horrified ' grid coach would not have his .prize steer subject to such -manhandling. Rogel had to retire—unbeaten and untied. WHAT A MAN!: Fran played for Coach Earl Bruce's unbeat en California STC team as a frosh. With STC losing 7-0 at the half in one game, Fran sparked the team to victory in the second half with two touch downs. On one scoring plunge his pants were on the five yard line, hut the irrepressible Fran ny was in paydirt . . . Once at STC a dance was held and the’ Coming ... This Friday, March 13 The FORESTRY RALL Dancing in Rec Kali From 9 p.iii. to 12 p.m. To ihe music of Jim Erb and The Biue Nofes $2 per couple Semi-Formal tras E»AH.Y- 6 Intramural Matmen Get Pins; Sinkers, Capitols Gain Cage Finals Stanat, Oberg, Dash, Messer men Get Wins By HERM WEISKOPF In intramural fraternity wrestling last night at Rec Hall six matches were decided by pins, four by points, two by decision of the referee and 11 by forfeit. Kirby Stanat, Delta Tau Delta, started the night off by pinning Delta Sigma Phi’s Chuck Berryhill -in 1:50 of the first period. Up to that point the score was dead locked at two apiece. Stanat scored when he was credited with a take down, while Berryhill coun tered with two points on a re verse. The bout was- in the 175 pound class. Whitey Messerman, Delta Chi, used all his tricks as he first out scored and then pinned Bob Smith, Sigma Phi Sigma, in a 135 pound battle. The time was 2:59. In the heavyweight class, Bill Souleret, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, pinned Charlie Sowers, Alpha Sig ma Phi, in a grunt and groaner that would have done the pros proud. Sowers was ahead until he was pinned at 2:50. Bill Walters, Phi Gamma Delta, was on top of Mel Shir a, Delta Chi, after 3:20. At the time of the pin he led, 4-0. Alan Dash, Beta Sigma Rho, pinned Delta Tau Delta’s Bint Houseworth, in 2:58. The one remaining pin went to Triangle’s Bert Oberg, as he ap plied the pressure to Carl Meix sell, Theta Xi. Oberg was leading, 6-1, at the time of his'pin, which was 3:50, Tom Lozaw, Delta Sigma Phi, nipped Ralph Laudenslayer, Phi Kappa Sigma, 5-3. Lozaw had two take downs' and an escape, while Laudenslayer scored oh a reverse and an escape. Red Remsnyder, Pi Kappa Phi, edged Alpha Gam ma Rho’s John Gazlay, 3-1. The other two winners on points were Dick Headlee, Chi'Phi, over Joe Sendek, Theta Kappa Phi, 3-0, and Tom Schott, Phi Gamma Deb ta, by a 5-3 score over Kappa Delta Rho’s John Lutsch. Two matches ended in ties and were decided by the referee. Joe Barclay, Phi Delta Theta, was awarded the nod over Tom Smith, Delta Upsilon, after they had bat tled i;o a 2-2 stalemate. Bob Broomfield,' Chi. Phi, was also the recipient of a similar award ‘af ter he and Carl Godshall, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, tied. Sax Has Natural Speed Penn State’s Ollie Sax, rookie sensation of the 1952 indoor track campaign, comes by his speed honestly. His father, Ollie, Sr., of Kearny, N.J., stole 61 bases for Scranton of . the New York-Penn baseball league during the 1927 campaign. on-his-own Rogel had no suit. So, he invited his brother down for the weekend, packed him in bed, and made a dazzling figure at the ball—in borrowed robes . ... Fran's lifelong athletic career is exemplified in his own words, "If you don't play from the heart, you might as well quit—in sports or life." f. stTppe Jim Garrity Nabs 31 For Defending Champs By TOM WERNER The Sinkers, defending champions of the intramural basketball league, toyed with the Leopards for twenty minutes last night. The Leopards were increasingly wild in shots from the field and passes as the contest pro gressed. By the end of the half the final score, or toll, was apparent. The total at the end of that first period read 36-19. The Sinkers made shots and passes that looked great, at their worst, as all ball handlers came down court looking for Jim Garrity, big gun of the night with 31 points. Bailey Gets 18 The Leopards, making most of their goals from the outside, had great difficulty working 'the ball and, toward the end of the con test, hardly passed at all in their efforts to roll up points. Two of the Leopards fouled out and the team was reduced to its final five men. IM Handball Tourney Moves Info 3d Week With competition getting pro gressively tougher and' hard fought games becoming common place, the fraternity intrarpural handball tourney moved into its third round this wefek. Joe Lemyre, Sigma Chi, and Jerry Maurey, DU, notched sec ond-round victories oyer Bob Abe love, ZBT, and Gerry Gillispie, TKE, respectively. Dave Lesser, Pi Epsilon Phi, beat Kappa Sig’s A 1 Ogden, 17-21, 21-9, 21-10. Frank Follmer, Sigma Pi, easily downed Joe Gratson, Phi Kappa Psi, 21-7, 21-9, while Tony Vendetti, Tau Kappa Phi, whipped Ralph Laud enslayer, Phi Kappa Sigma. In other matches, Jim Kilgore, Lambda Chi Alpha, downed Paul Brobst, Triangle, 21-4, 21-9; Aus tin Marts, Theta Chi, toppled Jim Grove, Alpha Zeta, 21-4, 21-9; Bill Harral, PKA, whipped Theta Chi’s Dick Johnson, 21-3, 21-10. Ron' Riley, Phi Kappa Psi, out lasted Don Levan, Acacia, 21-17, 7-21, 21-13; Doug Schoerke, PiKA, beat Herb Cole, Alpha Zeta, 21-8, 21-9; Huber Kline, Beta Theta Pi, downed Russ Johns, Kappa Sigma, 21-2; 21-1; Sigma Chi’s Ray Stet ler edged Don Siegle, Theta Kap pa Phi, 21-14, 21-16; Bill Forrey, Phi Gamma Delta, beat Pete Huey, Phi Delta Theta, 19-21, 21- 3, 21-8. Syl Taub, Phi Epsilon Pi, top pled KDR’s Bruce McPherson, 21- 13, 21-9; Lou Riggs, Sigma Chi, outlasted Sigma Pi’s John Charl ton, .8-21, 21-9, 21-17; . Cy Dubin sky, DU, beat Bill Aulenbach, AGR, 21-8, 21-13; Joe Strasser, Tau Phi Delta, stomped Bob Greenfield, SPA, 21-1. 21-1. Bob Hosterman, PiKA, beat Fred Ernst, Delta Tau Delta; Norm Hickey, Sigma Nu, defeated A 1 Payer, Theta Kappa Phi; Paul Dierks, Phi Delta Theta, defeated Bob Hafly, Phi Kappa Sigma; Acacia’s Bill Kilmer won over Joe Jackson, Phi Gamma Delta; and Bill Clark, Sigma Pi, beat John Cranos, Pi Kappa Phi. Forfeit winners were: Glenn The Early Fisherman Doesn't Use Worms y Get started early r ~ and make your own flies You can find all the things you need in accessories and fly-tying equipment at Metzgers: feathers, spinners, and oth e*" parts -in large selections. Make your Jf own flies and be sure of the right bait. Only 35 days until fishing season! I FISHING LICENSES NOW I AVAILABLE your Sports Headquarters METZGERS 111-115 S. Allen State College BULLETIN FRATERNITY BASKETBALL (Semi-Finals) Sigma Phi Sigma 32, Tau Kap pa Epsilon 26 Phi Sigma Delta 42, Phi Delta Theta 40 (overtime) The Sinkers got help for their winning cause from Don Bailey, who made, the score sheet with 18 'tallies, and Don Shank who added 16 to .the lopsided score. Takes Advantage The other winner in the semi final round at Rec Hall last night was the Capitols who outlasted the Crusaders 19-18. The Capitols played a well coordinated game, having set plays which seemed to have been well practiced, an un usual feature for an intramural squad: However, their fast breaks were not working, passes too long and shots too short, their tries from the field were inaccurate, so that at the. end of the half the Cru saders led, 12-8. The Crusaders took advantage of every mistake, playing on-the-spot ball as well as it can be played, but the Cap itol zone defense pulled together in the second period and commit ted fewer bobbles to shave the score in their favor, by one point by game time. Bill Kutz led the Capitol at tack, especially in the second half, with 10 points for the game, sev en of those in the last part of the tilt. The Sinkers will face the Cap itols Thursday night, game time 8:30. Mclntyre, Acacia; Dave Girard, Sigma Nu; and Dave Simon, KDR. PAGE SEV^If
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers