PAGE SIX
Sport. ,
5 9(161
McDOWELL •
Assistant Sports Editor
SAX-WHITFIELD RACES WERE GEMS .
Mal Whitfield has been called the greatest middle-distance run
ner in the world. The mercurious legman has captured just about
every major title that exists, including two Olympic 800 meter
championships.
Running for the famous Grand Street Boys' Athletic Club, he
burned up the indoor boards during the past winter season, setting
two new records—one in the 500 yard run and the other in the 600.
Before every race the fabulous speedster confidently announced
that he would be shooting for a new world record.
However, a college sophomore named 011ie Sax, with just a
year's experience in the "biglime" kept popping up to steal part of
the bright spotlight which had shown so long on Marvelous Mal.
Together the pair wrote a torrid chapter in the record book of
indoor track. In four meets 011ie could do no better than second,
but their races were thrillers and track fans were screaming with
delight when the two barreled around the boards.
Their first meeting was in the Philadelphia Inquirer Games
when 'Whitfield won by a nose, a feat he was to repeat three more
times. In the Milrose Games at Madison Square Garden Mal won
by a stride again
Then came the New York Athletic Club Games also held at the
Garden. Twelve thousand frenzied fans leaned in their seats as the
!ontestants for the Beurmeyer "500" came to the starting line. Whit
field had publicly announced that he would be gunning for a new
world record in the classic. Jamaica's Herb McKinley, world 440-
yard record holder, jumped into an early lead and set a fast pace
in the first lap. Sax, running second, put on a terrific burst of speed
on the last lap and passed the fleet Olympian. But Whitfield was
coming fast. He passed 011ie to take the lead. Sax made a strong
bid in the stretch and the two went to the wire neck-and-neck.
Whitfield hit the finish line first, however, and got the win, setting
a new world record—a sizzling 56.6 seconds.
Nevertheless, Sax's time was as good as the old tnark. The
stop watch read 56.9 when he crossed the line. But it was still
a second place finish.
Next came the NAAU meet at the gardens and newspapers all
over the nation were talking about the terrific rivalry that had
sprung up between the two runners. This promised to be the meet
of the season. Track fans weren't let down that night when the two
toed the starting mark in the 600-yard run. Sax jumped off to an
early lead at the gun, and set a fast pace for two laps. On the third
and final lap he was still leading Mal. Down the stretch they came,
Whitfield slowly gaining and another runner, Reggie Pearman, of
the New York Atheltic Club, and also an OlympiC performer, coming
fast from third place. With 20 yards to go, Whitfield caught the
speeding Penn Stater and as they went into the finishline Pearman
spurted into the pack. The three crossed the line together.
Three clocks read 1:10.4—.2 second off the world mark. The
judges named Whitfield the winner. Sax was given second place
and Pearman. third. Thus 011ie had matched the great Whitfield
but had lost once again.
But the jet New Jersey flash was to get his chance. A week later,
Lion Coach Chick Werner sent a ten-man team back to Madison
Square again. This time 011ie was meeting an all collegiate field.
No Whitfields, McKinleys or Pearmans. But there were names like
Manhattan's Lou Jones and Vern Dixon, Seton Hall's great Morris
Currota, and Villanova's John Gaffney—all great college runners.
011ie was up against a brilliant IC4A field.
Seven men placed in the qualifying round that afternoon. At
about 8 o'clock, two hours before the scheduled finalg, 011ie came
out on the track and began to warm up. Assistant track coach Norm
Gordon, substituting for Werner, who was back in State College, ill,
called Sax to the Penn State bench.
"How do you feel?" •
"Fine," answered the lean speedster.
"Well listen, you're going out there and get that world record."
"Are you kidding?"came the amazed Sax's answer.'
"No I'm not kidding," Gordon replied, "Look, last week you felt
lousy and still ran a great race. Tonight you feel good. Go for that
record." The conversation was interupted by the announcement for
the contestants to go to the starting mark.
"Okay," came 011ie's reply as he started down the track, "I'll try."
And try he did. Had fate not stepped into the picture he might
have set the record, too. But seven men were just too many for
the Garden track, normally equipped for six, and the runners had
to take a standing start. Sax ran a 1:10.4, setting a - new inter
collegiate record, just a scant .2 second short of the world mark.
A crouch start could have made the difference.
He blazed around the track that night like an F-86, seven yards
ahead of his nearest foe, Currota. He was at last a champion, a win
ner in the biggest collegiate track extravaganza in the nation. But
there'll be more opportunities for the dazzling speedster. The end
is not in sight. He's already top-rate, and hasn't begun to reach his
prime. He should be approaching that point about 1956, date of the
next Olympic games.
.41itv 10 0 / 0 off
on Spring Change Over
ioday's license number
9DR9O
WIMMER'S SUNOCO SERVICE
EAve
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN STATE COLLEGE. PENNSYLVANIA
etlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllLt
The Tavern
will serve
Mothers Day
dinner
Sunday, May 10 E
. =
Open at 11:30 a.m.
Eimiiimmoilimummiiimilffi
Golfers to Enter EIGA Tourney
At Princeton Saturday With 4-0 Log
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Samson Selected As
Outstanding Wrestler
National 191-pour d wrest
ing champion Hud Samson,
won the 1953 William N. Nei
dig Award presented anually to
"the senior wh o contributes
most to the success of Penn
.Mate wrestling."
Samson, also golf captain,'
was beaten only twice during
the '53 campaign, and climaxed
the season in a blaze of glory
by winning individual honors \
as the Lions brought the NCAA
team title to the East for the
first lime.
Prior winners of this award,
which was established in 1950
in the name of Penn State's
first unbeaten wrestler, were
Jim Maurey, Mike Rubine, and
Joe Lemyre, who along with
Camson won a National title.
Lion Coach Charlie Speidel
called Samson's achievement
in the Nationals "one of the
most remarkable in my exper
ience." Samson competed as a
heavyweight during the dual
meet season and gave up
poundage in every mat c h.
; 'But," adds Speidel, "he was
more than ready when he
wrestled in his own weight
class."
GRADUATING R.O.T.C. STUDENTS
You can be sure of the finest quality
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Get your insignia now ... . avoid the
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6. BALFOUR Office In Athletic Store
FREE...
Food and Soft Drinks
TOWN COUNCIL'S
SPRING PICNIC
... for Town Independents
Bring One Guest
Transportation Provided
Tickets at S.U. Desk
Whipale's Dam Saturday
* * *
Rod Eaken
Lion linksman
With four straight victories held in their one hand, the Ruther
fordmen will travel to Princeton to see what they can grasp in their
other hand in the way of intercollegiate honors. State's six-man squad
will compete for both individual and team honors during the three
day EIGA tournament this weekend at the Tiger's Springdale, course.
The six Nittanies who will com
pete for individual honors are
Warren Gittlen,- George Kreidler,
Joe Webb, Lou Riggs, Gordon
Stroup, and Rod Eaken. Gittlen
and Lou Riggs are the only men
to own 4-0 records for the season's
first four matches.
Hud Samson, captain, has the
only other spotless win and loss
sheet with his one win acquired
against Cornell.
Four of the five remaining men
who have participated in match
play this season are sporting 3-1
logs. Joe Webb lost a close one
to Pitt's medalist, Rich McCarthy,
6-5. George Kreidler lost his only
match by one, point to Navy's
Cliff Thomas, 4-3. Gordon Stroup
suffered his only defeat by—a. 6-5
score at the hands of Cornell's
Dick Love.
Rod Eaken, was dropped from
the list of unbeaten State golfers
when Dick Mattox did the trick
.vith a 2 up win. Eaken lost last
year, when the intercollegiate's
were held at Virginia University,
to Paul Harvey of Holy Cross,
who won the Eastern Intercol
legiate Golf Association cham
pionship.
Sixteen teams will compete.dur
ing the weekend 's action at
Princeton-Cornell, Arm y, Pitt,
Navy, Virgin i a, GeorgetoWn,
Brown, Yale, Massacheusetts In
stitute of Technology, Dart h
m out h, Columbia, Princeton;
Penn, Holy Cross, and State.
The Lion's have already met
and defeated three of the teamsl
who will visit Princeton Saturday.
Navy, Pitt, and Georgetown have
felt the heavy blow of defeat
thrown at them by State's ex
perienced linksmen.
Gittlen, Stroup, Riggs, and Eak
en have been match medalists for, •
the first four matches.. Gittlen .
scored a par 69 against Pitt, and i •
Stroup went one over par with
a 70 card against Navy. Riggs •
shot a 2 over par score of 711
against Cornell on his home l•
grounds, and Eaken took the days
laurels' with a one over par total j•
of 71 in State's 9-0 swamping!
of Gettysburg. *
THURSDAY, MAY 7 ,1953
Dark Star, 'Dancer'
Ready for Preakness
NEW YORK, May 5 (2?)—Derby
winner Dark Star joined Native
Dancer at Belmont Park today
where their trainers mapped plans
for the strategy leading up to
their next meeting 'in the $lOO,OOO
Preakness at Baltimore May 23.
Horsemen still were buzzing
over the dramatic defeat handed
Alfred Vandeibilt's grey Dancer
as the Cain Hoy Stable's Derby
hero arrived by train from Louis
ville. •
"Our colt shipped here in fine
shape," said Ed Hayward, who
trains the Cain Hoy stable for
Harry F. Gugenheim.
Penn State won national col
legiate team titles in wrestling
and gymnastics this year.
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••••• • • • •
. IN PERSON
, 1 .
tt P
•
//V G AN D 4 ‘ 1.1
/' with
SAkA 3 / 4 11MY
KAYE
AND HIS ORCHESTRA
PLUS
That Radio-TV Favorite
"SO YOU WANT
TO LEAD A BAND'
• • • • • • •
BE A
CONTESTANT
Write a letter of 25
words or less telling
why you like to dance
to Sammy Kaye
PRIZES
Send letters to
Student Union
Senior Ball
Friday, May 15
Semi-Formal
Rec Hall
9 to, .1 $4 per couple