FRIDAY. APRit. 9, 1954 "Upward Trail" So,4,gi'' By SAM PROCOPIO Collegian Sports Editor . Collegiate boxing, on the decline at Penn. State since the late '3os, should re-emerge as a crowd-pleaser tonight and tomorrow night at Rec Hall where some , of the finest pugi lists in the country will fight toe-to-toe for National honors. If not for the reason to see college boxing at its best, the 17th annual NCAA tournament should interest Penn Staters because Coach Eddie Sulkowski's inittmen possess an out side chance to rank in the top three—a feat that three Lion varsity squads have accomplished within the last three weeks in National competition. The Nittany Lion wrestlers and cagers have taken third place in their respective tournaments while Coach Gene Wettstone's gym nasts have hung onto the top rung in the ladder. With men like Jack Stokes, Adam Kois, Joe Goleman, and Frank Breidor entering the semi-finals tonight, there is that pos sibility—if not a, team title—of at least one boxer taking a coveted individual title. Not since 1950, when heavyweight Chuck Drazenovich was in the fistic spotlight, has Penn State had a winner. Other Lion champs are Dave. Stoop; 118-pounder in 1932; Alfred Lewis, 148-pounder in 1932; Frank Goodman, 135-pounder in 1936; Paul Scally, 175-pounder in 1941; and Glen Hswthorne, 127-pounder in 1947. Should Penn Staters fill Rec Hall to capacity 'tonight and to morrow night, the 12,000 spectators would be far from any record. They could possibly, however, lead Sulkowski's boxers to emerge as victors. The attendance record and the record for the largest individual field entered in the event were established at Wisconsin—the home of boxing. A total of 49,800 fans attended the three-day, 1948 cham pionships held at Madison, Wis., and 15,000 crowded into the final sessions of the 1947 and 1948 meets, also held in the Badger field house. Nevertheless,, a capacity crowd would aid the University's pres tige which is held in high regard as far as being host to tournaments. Penn State has had a reputable advantage whenever a tourna ment site had been sought by the University. Although Penn State, as it is understood, was more or less handed the NCAA boxing tour ney, it did receive the honor simply because the University is prac tically the only school which could make a tournament successful on a short notice. Tournaments are usually awarded to colleges and universities a year in advance. Penn State, however, obtained its notice• less than three months ago. The National Collegiate Boxing championships were first con ducted on an annual basis in 1937, although two earlier tournaments were held in 1932 and 1936 to qualify collegiate boxers for the final Olympic tryouts. After the 1932 Olympic tryouts at Penn State and the 1936 tryouts at the University of Virginia, the NCAA boxing rules com mittee dqcided to conduct a tournament each year, placing the sport on the same basis as other National Collegiate championship events sponsored by the NCAA. Penn State is now host to the 17th NCAA boxing tourney., After scrutinizing the first two sessions, there is only one flop—the box office. However, with Sulkowski's Nittany Lions leading the parade with. Louisiana State and San Jose State in team points—three each—and Penn State among the leaders with the most men going into the semi-finals, there should be no reasons to have any flops. ENGINEERING AND „ARCHITECTURE OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, April 10 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Interesting Exhibits From All Departments! " Will be held rain or shine" -3C).--- THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE. PENNSYLVANIA Sax Beats Injuries . . . Will Run First Full Spring Season One of the forethost colle'giate middle - distance runners in the country, if not the World, may get his first crack at a full track season this spring. 011ie Sax, the phenomenal Penh State speedster who has alr'eady taken a goodly chunk of records for himself on the in door boards, appears to be ready for a stellar season on the cinders. After three injury riddled seasons, Sax, for the first time, is in top form for a try at outdoor running. •And Coach Chick Werner is keeping his fingers crossed. Last year an ankle injury kept the New Jersey flash off his form after a sensational season indoors, during which he set the new IC4A 600 yard record and stood as a dangerous challenge to Mal Whitfield as the indoor middle diStance king. The season before that, Sax had withdrawn from school. Previous to that year, another ankle injury kept him off the tracks for• the full season. The fleet junior came to Penn State in 1950 from Kearney, N.J., where he had run the 440 in an unprecedented 48.3 seconds. Wer ner was expecting great things. But that year the first of his run of ankle injuries stopped him. 1952 was Olympic year and American coaches agreed that the youngster was a leading conten der in the 400 meter run. But in juries cropped up again. Werner was one of the coaches represent ing America that year and when the United• States party arrived in Finland, track coaches from all over the world asked him why Sax was not on the team. His fame had spread that far. 'Plenty of Competition' As Werner puts it, however, a "healthy situation" has developed during Sax's plague of injuries. "His teammates haven't stood idle all this time," said Werner. "There will be plenty of competition for him this . spring." Art Pollard, Roy Brunjes, Skip Slocum, Bruce Austin; Bob Matz, and Dave Leathem, all will be fighting for positions on the mile relay quartet and a chance for a spot in the 440. That's a formid able lineup of competition for any one to master. But Werner is all smiles about it. He figures that grueling com petition such as this will have an MEN'S Expects Great Things . a ~.ll i 1 Lim._ luxurious , FL f ANNEL JC/72/4Ztleklfr9 gn, Conservative good taste is the fashion Keynote in Don Richards RIDINGATE suit. Britain's finest flannel, tailored the natural way, with all the hand detailing you'd expect to find in suits costing $l5 to $2O more. Choose from $55 greys, browns and blues. ottht cl24t2d, Quliv wu6del4. Opposite Oki Main By DICK McDOWELL overall effect toward definite im provement in times on both events. However, the brightest picture is still the potential lift that Sax can give Wemer's squad. His high school 440 mark is' almost a full second below the Penn State rec ord (49.1), and his past perform ances in the indoor circuit indi cate that records could fall this spring. At any rate, one of the finest runners in the nation will finally get' a full crack at the outdoor marks after three years of frus trating spring injuries. Five Wins Posted In IM Handball The first games of the handball doubles tournament were played Wednesday night. Independent games saw Gordon Baumgardner and Robert Perrone defeat Buck Smith and Ace Brown, 21-20, 21- 16. Gerald Werner and Walt Ne rnish beat Mike Sorokach and Frank Miller, 21-20, 21-16. Ron Gessinger and Dick Baxter de feated Dick Eyster and Ed Geasa, 21-1, 21-19. In fraternity games John Mc- Donough and Dick Matacia, Al pha Sigma Phi, defeated Leon Williams and Jack Diehl, Phi Mu Delta, 21-1, 21-0. Marvin Freed and Morton Averick won over Don Aeigler and Don Fischer, Pi Kappa Phi, 21-1, 21-2. FLANNEL FIT FOR A KING SHOP PAGE SEVEN ! ( '\ 4.«4. ~ «~ a
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers