TUESDAY. 6 . 1954
"Collegiate"
Sam's Song
By SAM PROCOPIO
Collegian Sports Editor
One of the biggest sports controversies at Penn State in
recent years, probably in many years, has reached its peak
since the University has had its prestige lifted during the
1952-53 and 1953-54 campaigns. The issue: school spirit.
Critics say that Penn Staters lack loyalty and enthusi
•asm. When there are pep rallies for the Lions' athletic
achievements, students are said to have little interest, if any.
We can't officially say that school spirit at Penn State is the
best. But for an athletic program as large as the one scheduled at
the University, we can say the spirit is better than average.
Colleges and universities which do get backing as far as pep
rallies and student attendance at games are concerned usually get
this so-called support in one sport. At Penn State there are only two
sports which fail to draw reasonable crowds. They are soccer and
lacrosse.
In order for a sport to attract spectators it doesn't necessarily
need to reign as a champion—although it helps. It must be under
stood and enjoyed to become popular. When it becomes as popular
as football, pep rallies are a tradition—win or lose. The winning
team, of course, has more support and school spirit.
The Lion basketball team came home from its triumphant NCAA
tourney, but there wasn't a pep rally. The wrestlers did an exception
ally well-done job in their tournament endeavor, but there wasn't a
pep rally. But does a pep rally show whether or not there is school
spirit? We doubt it. It is only one part of school spirit.
Coach Charlie Speidel's matmen had a winning streak of 34
dual meets stopped at Annapolis. The next match; scheduled for
Rec Hall, found the Lions as the underdog. Still, 6267 spectators
second or third largest in Penn State's history—ittended the'dual
meet with Pitt. Isn't that school spirit?
Just a month before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, one of Penn
State's few sports, soccer, which has had difficulty in attracting fans,
dropped its first contest after 65 straight wins. Penn Staters didn't
have school spirit; only thousands of students and townspeople lined
the streets from one end of the community to the other, while still
other students used staunch rope to pull the bus to the center of
the campus.
Soccer coach, Bill Jeffrey, said at the impromptu rally that it
was "the "finest tribute that could' be paid to a Penn State soccer
team" and "the nicest
° thing that has ever happened to me in my
life." • •
Sunday night a pep rally was in the making for Gene Wettstone's
National gymnastic squad. Although it was 2 a.m. and many did not
know of the rally at the time, there were still some 100 brave fans
who turned out to greet Wettstone's sensational crew. But to many
critics that is not school spirit. To them school spirit is boom or bust.
We, believe the following letter from Roger E. Lindenmuth of
California who enclosed a clipping from the Los Angeles Times news
paper may show that school spirit is far from gone or lacking at
Penn State:
"To the sports editor: Thought you might be interested in the
`tail end' of an article appearing in the Los Angeles Times describing
"'The ears of the Penn Staters are still deaf from the cheers
of the 4000 students and townspeople who greeted them at 1:30
a.m.Monday on their triumphant return from lowa City.
"The ears of the Trojans are still ringing from the silence
which met them Sunday afternoon upon their equally triumphant
return from Corvallis,' the Times said.
"The sportswriters out here appreciate the spirit of Penn State
and wish that Southern California had just a little bit of it.
"Makes you glad to be a Penn Stater," Lindenmuth added.
In concluding we would like to point out one more fact.
Wherever you have an institution of learning, you will always
have people who don't follow sports and people who just sit back
and read about the achievements that prevent 100 per cent co
operation. We can't overlook another group which takes a cut in
preventing 100 per cent cooperation. These people are better
known as students.
Ike to Throw First
Ball in Season Opener
WASHINGTON, April 5 VP)—
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
will throw out the first pitch of
the baseball season April 13 and
this year he is determined not to
hit any umpires.
A right-handed delivery from
the President dusted an umpire
on the back at the Griffith Stad
ium opener last season.
Jut tot You Twet-
THE PERFECT HONEYMOON
Enjoy the perfect privacy of a secluded
cottage all your own, at a friendly
guest hOuse just for newlyweds. Won
derful meals (breakfast until 11:00).
Lois to-do when you wish, or utter re
laxing. For Company, you'll find light
hearted young college folk starting life
together, like yourselves. Mention dates
„And we'll include our helpful THREE
HONEYMOON PLANS, other folders.
1;-; i ON THE HILL
SWIFTWATER 150, PENNSYLVANIA
Football Ticket Savings
Penn State, without a $3 foot
ball ticket since 1932, will return
to that figure as an aftermath of
the newly-approved Federal ex
cise tax slash. Harold R. Gilbert,
assistant director a n d business
manager of athletics, said the
savings on season football tickets
"will be very substantial in 1954."
An Opportunity for ENGINEERS
in the Expanding Instruments
and Automatic Control Field
Mechanical engineers, here's an opportunity •to
become a part of a vital industry with a real • INTERVIEWS
future. Republic Flow Meters Company. Chicago,
manufacturer of industrial automatic controls, APRIL 12
will have a representative .on campus soon to Make appointment
interview senior engineers for - positions •in re- through
search, design, production and sales engineering.
Republic -is progressive, medium sized. All ex- Francis L. Bria
ecutives are engineers. Promotion within company College Placement
a policy. Liberal hospital, life and retirement Service
insurance plans. Profit sharing.
Automatic Control is a Field with a Future
MT DAILY' c9tAxplAN. FATE COLLEGE. PENNSYLVANIA
'Solid,. Man, Solid'
Three Vets to Patrol Nittany Outfield
"Solid" is the word for the outfield Coach Joe Bedenk will use this season.
Three of last year's .300 hitters will patrol the outer gardens for the Lions in the current
campaign. Bedenk plans to use Rex Bradley in left, Ron Weidenhammer in center, and Tom
Werner in right.
None of the three is a real slugger, but they accounted for nine doubles, seven triples,
and one home run during the 1953 campaign.
Bradley, a 5' 10" 150-pound junior from Columbia Crossroads, recorded a .304 batting
average last season. Only one Lion regular, Charlie Russo, posted a higher average. The
Nittany second baseman led the
team in batting with .342. Bradley
picked up 21 hits in 69 trips to
the plate, scored 11 runs, batted
in 13, and received nine bases on
balls.
The. Nittany leftfielder led the
team in triples with four and tied
for fourth in doubles with two.
His .935 fielding average was sec
ond. among the outfielders to . Sil
Cerchie's 1.000.
Bedenk has decided- to switch
Weidenhammer,- last year's regu
lar, shortstop, to the centerfield
post, filling the" vacancy left by
Cerchie's graduation. This will
not be a new chore for the
"Weed." During his • freshman
year, he served as a utility in
fielder and outfielder. Francis
Bowman is slated to replace Wei
denhammer at shortstop.
Batted .300 Last Year
Weidenhammer posted an even
.300 •batting average for the :•
games the Lions played in 1953.
His 24 hits placed him second in
that department and'his 17 runs
batted-in tied third baseman Hu
bie Kline for second.
In 80 official at-bats, Weiden
hammer struck out only six times.
which on a percentage basis
Two Boxers Switch
From Ring to Mats
Two sports-loving scrappers substituted boxing shorts for wrest
ling tights today as they joined the Penn State boxing team for the
three-day National Collegiate championships opening at Rec Hall
Thursday afternoon.
Principals in the unusual switcheroo are Larry Fornicola and
Joe Humphreys, who have earned
Coach Eddie Sulkowski's respect
by the• earnestness with which
they are going about their pre
parations for the forthcoming
tourney.
INIE Champion
"I knew something about Forn
icola (he's a two-time, intramural
champion)," Sulkowski said, "but
I had no background on Hum
phreys. I've watched him closely,
however, and I'm convinced he's
able to take care of himself."
Fornicola, winner of six of eight
wrestling starts in two years, won
the intramural boxing titles the
last two years and is looking for
ward to another year of competi
tion in either or both sports. He
gives the mat sport the nod over
boxing only because of his back
ground in schoolboy wrestling.
Humphreys Boxed in Navy
Humphreys, like Fornicola, com
peted only in wrestling as a
schoolboy 'but during four years
of naval service, divided his time
between the ring and the mats.
The State College boy flatly at
tributes his switch to a love of
competition. His log in wrestling
shows one win and two losses.
FOrnicola will weigh in at 139
pounds, Humphreys at 156.
Fornicola made his first appear
ance as a collegiate boxer two
weeks ago against Louisiana State.
He lost, .30-27, to Bob Jackson,
two-time Southern Conference
champion. Humphreys has yet to
see action in the intercollegiate
ranks.
Led in Triples
By. HERM WEISICOPF
among the regulars, rated him as
the toughest Nittany batter to
whiff. Weidenhammer was second
in runs scored with 20.
The 6' 1" 180-pounder from
Kutztown collected two doubles
and three triples. - A junior, Wei
denhammer should fits-into the
Blue and White outfield nicely,
with his sped being a big asset in
the efforts to fill the gap left by
Cerchie.
Penn State's second-best batter
last year was Werner. He smashed
out 22 hits in 72 times at bat for
a .306 batting average. Werner
was fourth in bases on balls with
16. The 5' 10" 165-pounder from
Mohnton was second in doubles
with five and sported one home
run in the 1953 campaign.
Bradley, Weidenhammer, and
Werner are three of eight return
ing lettermen.
Pete Cherish, a 5'9" 170-pound
junior from Coalsport, will be the
top reserve outfielder. He saw lim
ited action last season.
Another , prospect for duty in
the outfield iS 6' 190-pound Dick
Surovchak 'of Monesson. He is a,
sophomore and is the only out
fielder on the roster batting left
handed.
Arnold Injures Shoulder
in Lacrosse Practice
Dayid Arnold, captain of the la
crosse team, separated his shoul
der last Saturday during a prac
tice session.
The University Hospital has an
nounced that it will be between
two and four weeks before Arn
old will be able to play again.
Arnold will be staying at the
University Hospital for the next
two or three nights until his
shoulder has healed further, but
he will be able to go to classes
during the day.
Football Clinic
Nearly 100 schoolboy coaches
have indicated their intention to
attend the two-day football clinic
at Penn State, April 30-May 1.
Coach Rip Engle and his staff will
participate in the discussions and
group work preceding a full dress
scrimmage between "Blue" and
"White" squads on the second day.
Transportation Notice
EASTER VACATION
Take a Tip and Make Your Trip
by
GREYHOUND
For the convenience of PENN STATE STUDENTS,
SPECIAL BUSES will be provided for the Easter
Vacation and will leave from the PARKING LOT,
SOUTH OF RECREATION HALL at 1:00 P.M. WED
. NESDAY, APRIL the 14th, 1954.
RESERVATIONS for the SPECIAL BUSES will be
made with the purchase of your ticket at the GREY
HOUND POST HOUSE. AL L RESERVATIONS
MUST BE MADE BY 10 P.M. TUESDAY, APRIL
the 13th.
For additional information, call the GREYHOUND
POST HOUSE, 146 N. Atherton Street Phone 4181
Rocky-Charles
Sign Contracts
For Title Fight
NEW YORK, Apr il 5 (W)—
Rocky Marciano and' Ezz a r d
Charles came to town to sign con
tracts for their June 17 heavy
weight • title fight today and
heard promoter Jim Norris pre
dict a. gate of "$600,000 and up" ,
for the Yankee Stadium bout.
Norris' estimate did not include
any extra cash from television,
radio or theater TV if such a deal
is made. The Thursday night scrap
probably will be carried on. thea
ter TV instead of home TV al
though nothing is definite.
Marciano will receive 40 per
cent for his third• title defense
while Charlies, the ex-champ, will
get 20 per cent.' It will be Charles'
second attempt to upset 'the tra
dition of the ring that .heavy
weight champs never come back.
He failed against Jersey Joe Wal
cott in 1952.
Marciano has been doing road
work since he returned from
Tokyo in late December. He is
down to 190 pounds and insists he
still has the same enthusiasm as
when he knocked out Walcott to
win the title. in 1952.
Iron Men Capture
IM V-Ball Lead
The Iron Men upset the Pilgrims,
16-14, 13-15, 15-10 to take posses
sion of first place in League B, as
intramural volleyball continued
last Thursday night at Recreation
Hall.
In other games . Irvin Heights
went down to their first defeat at
the • hands of the Wildcats, 15-11,
16-14. Jones Boys beat Dorm 21,
15-2, 11-15, 15-4, and the Cougars
won by forfeit from the Squires.
The Moldy . Crew upended the
Four Hundred, 7-15, 15-4, 15-6,
and the Hawks took a forfeit win
from the Bruins.
Alpha Chi Rho-B defeated Al
pha Sigma Phi-B, 15-4, 15-6. Phi
Delta Theta-B beat Theta Kappa
Phi-B, 15-4, 15-5, and Alpha Chi
Sigma stopped Lambda Chi. Al
pha, 15-8, 15-13.
Theta Xi beat Pi Kappa Alpha,
15-13, 15-10, and Kappa Sigma
dumped Alpha Gamma Rho, 15-
8, 15-3. Phi 'Epsilon pi ended the
evening by beating Phi Sigma
Kappa, 15-4, 16-14.
Soccer Managers.
Candidates for Soccer manager
ial positions are requested to sign
up at• the Athletic Association in
Old Main, according to Dick Gor
don, head manager.
PAQE SEWt4