ERf 25, 1959
FRIDAY. SEPTEM 1
the
BLU
TONAL RANKING FOR LIONS?
The Nittany Lions nifty 19-8 victory over Missouri in
their grid season lidlifter last Saturday immediately caused
speculation to a rise in local circles about Penn State’s chances
to finish in the national rankings come the cold wintry
blasts of December.
In recogniticn of their impressive win over the team that had
been doomed as he- club that would give mighty Oklahoma a merry
chase in the Big Eight Conference this fall, the‘Lions made the top
twenty in the first Associated Press Poll. They garnered enough vptes
to rank 18th in the season’s first cross-section sampling of the sports
writers’ opinion. But evidently a couple of the writers that viewed
the Lions’ perfoi mance on the gridiron thought enough of the team
to rate it as the best in the country, for Penn State received two
first place votesj Only four other teams drew nominations for the
top spot—LSU, pklahoma, Southern Cal and Michigan State.
Far be it from us to put Rip Engle and his boys on the spot
by suggesting they could attain the top place in the nation, al
though we thank our benevolent voters for their confidence. But
the simple fact, is that Penn Slate does not play a tough enough
schedule to warrant top billing. The Lions could run away with
these next two games against VMI and Colgate and still not gain
an inch of stature in the eyes of the pigskin prophets. The ulti
mate accomplishment for the Penn State eleven with its present
schedule would be to wind up in the Top Ten.
REVERSED LAST YEAR'S START
But Saturday’s game did one thing for the lads in Blue and
White. It got them off to a good start, in sharp contrast to last
year’s opener. This year, as last, the calibre of the Lion eleven was
somewhat of a question mark till they completed their first inter
collegiate test. It was known that a reservoir of potential existed at
Beaver Field. But the depth of that reservoir was uncharted.
In mid-September 1958 a kid by tne name of Pat Fischer, wear
ing a Nebraska uniform, hauled in a fourth quarter kickoff and
galloped 92-yards to break the Lions back and allow the underdog
Cornhuskers to spoil the opening of a season that Penn State had
hoped would lead all the way to a post-season bowl bid. Although
they bounced back to drub Penn the next week they couldn’t get
a sustained drive going and sputtered on the “big games.” The
Nittanies finished with a respectable 6-3-1 slate, including a soul
satisfying win over Pitt on Thanksgiving Day, but it was not
enough for the coveted bowl bid or national ranking.
Faced by the question mark again this year, at least two of
the football magazine editors were willing to go out on the limb
for dear old Stale and ranked it in ihe top dozen. Street and
Smith put the Nitlanies 11th, one slot ahead of Notre Dame, to
whom they devoted their entire cover, and Look prophesied a 12th
place finish and a trip to the Cotton Bowl.
-But once again the success of the season depends on the out
come of a few key games—“the big games.” With the exception of
Pitt, these are the games the Lions lost last fall. This year the boys
have already reversed the trend by'emerging unscathed from the
Midwest.
But four other lilts loom as obstacles on the Lion's path to
national prominence as a grid power. The four key games this
fall are Army, Illinois, Syracuse and Pitt. Of course the Niitanies
cannot afford to blow any of the other games with VMI, Colgate,
BU, West Virginia and Holy Cross. These are musts.
Army, with “Mr. Lonesome End” Bill Carpenter, quarterback
Joe Caldwell, a pint-sized but pin-point passer, and “Bullet Bob”
Anderson set to operate behind a husky young line, has been con
, among the nation’s top five,
jld be the toughest test for the Lions this year. At
[the Cadets, who are also known for having breathers
lie, will probably be facing their roughest duel of the
.en they are thrown to the Lions in Mitchie Stadium
sistently rated,
Army shot!
the same time, 1
on their sehedul
eaily season wl
on October 10.
Illinois will
thev knocked o
finish somewhe
when three or 1
ten best, this ta.
Cleveland will
can do against
toughest confer
will have an im
of the crystal 1
The top 1
Orange from 1
the East by s«
nose-dive whe
curred injurie
But with rum
still a potent
Field.
Pitt is exr
first time in a
favorite, but ti
factors in this
This fall tl
nence. We’ve t
years, cautious
it, but “this ci
come through
send you a N
be the first Big Ten team the Lions have met since
ff Ohio State in 1956. The lllini have been tabbed to
re around the middle of the Big 10 Conference. But
our of the Big 10 clubs are rated among the nation’s
kes on a more significant meaning. The encounter in
give Rip Engle’s boys a chance to show what they
a club from what is generally conceded to be the
snce in the country, and their showing that Saturday
portant bearing on the esteem they hold in the minds
all gazers.
tome game'will be November 7 against the Big
Syracuse. Rated as the second best independent in
iveral pre-season predictors, Syracuse stock took a
n QB Bob Thomas and star end Dave Baker in-
i which may sideline them for the entire season,
ers like Art Baker and Ernie Davis, the Orange is
threat that could pose serious problems on Beaver
ected to be weaker this year than last and for the
while Penn State may enter the season finale as the
aditional rivalry has a way of discounting all other
annual fray, e.g., last year’s upset by the Lions,
le Lions make another bid for national pigskin emi
een thinking it all along but, remembering previous
y waited till after their first action under fire to say
uld be the year.” If the Blue and White eleven can
o the “big games” and escape the upset scourge, we’U
w Year’s card from the sunny South.
KBOABD
by Johnny Black
Assistant Sports EJitor
FOUR KEY GAMES
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE. PENNSYLVANIA
Starting Squad Could Provide
Booters With Winning Season
Although severely hampered
by the losses of captain Bill
Fiedler for the season and
forward Gary Miller for the
Bucknell opener, Coach Ken
Hosterman has managed to
come up with a team, ■which by
the standards of experience and
ability, could provide Penn State
with its 16th consecutive winning
soccer season.
The job of minding the Lion
nets this year will fall to either
one of two players who both have
the potential of becoming the top
goalie in the country, according to
Hosterman.
Larry Fegley is currently the
leading candidate for the job.
but close on his heels is last
year's frosh goaltender, Dave
Grubb. Fegley suffered a slight
charleyhorse during practice
yesterday and Grubb will most
likely get the starting nod at
Bucknell. Bui Hosterman added
that Fegley will see service in
Saturday's game.
The fullback unit received a
boost with the addition of A 1
Nieto from Venezuela. Nieto is
Braves Rated Favorites
To Win Third Pennant
Milwaukee’s champion Braves,
back home for their final three
games against the last place Phil
adelphia Phillies, today were
rated 5-8 favorites to win the
sizzling National League race.
The home park edge and an ex
tra day of rest for the cripples
were some of the factors that
made the Braves the favorites
over the raveling Los Angeles
Dodgers and the reeling, all but
dead San Francisco Giants.
The Giants, trailing the co-lead
ers by two games with three left
to play and losers of five straight,
were all but written off at 30-1
odds. Las Vegas odds quoted the
Braves at 5-8 and the Dodgers
at 6-5.
TM Football Entries Due
Entries for intramural football
must be turned m at the intra
mural -office in Recreation Ha'l
by 4:30 p.m. today. League games
will begin Tuesday, Sept. 29.
3M Tennis Deadline
Entries for intramural tennis
must be turned in at the intra
mural office in Recreation Hall
iby 4:30 p.m. today. Play will
I begin September 28.
Fans Honor Chisox
| CHICAGO f/P) —The American
League champion White Sox yes
terday continued to savor the
fruits of victory, getting an official
civic accolade for winning the
club's fast pennant in 40 years.
By BILL BARBER
Are You a 97-lb. Weakling?
Do people kick sand in your
face at the beach?
We noW offer a fool-proof
method to end this all too
common complaint . . .
Millions have fried it-
The MORRELL PLAN
It works like this—Each
night order a pepsi and a
hoagie from Morrell's. Don't
stir from your dorm—Mor
rell's delivers. (The hoagie
is reputed to be the best and
the largest in town). Follow
this procedure tor a week
and at the end of this time
weigh yourself; though you
may not have gained a
pound, people will stop
kicking sand in your face.
This is because you won’t
be at the beach, but home
counting your money so
that you can continue the
MORRELL PLAN. (Entire
dorms have been addicted)
Call A 0 8-8381
9 p.m. till 12 p.m.
MORRELL'S
eligible to play this fall. Hoster
man said Nieto could receive a
starting job.
Veteran Tetter
man Wayne Rod- . i
gers will probab- Aft "m
ly be at the oth- M'
er starting posi- jfi'fcysi'
tion, Hosterman Jm-csr IS Wf
added. JrY J]
Two so ph o- jJL I '
more candidates. HP! yu
Ken Link and
Phil Gum, are Mr
jgiving Rodgers
jand Nieto the
biggest fight for
the starting as- kune
signments. 'Four other players
pushing for the job are Dick
America, John Miller, Ed Naujoks,
and Don Davidson.
At halfback Hosterman is faced
with a tough dilemma—no depth.
While the Lion coach has two
seniors and three juniors he is
left with no replacements at a po
sition which calls for frequent
changes.
Seniors, Mike Ackley, will get
the starling nod at center-half
while juniors. Carl Asia* and
Bill Rierson. will lake over right
and left halt respectively. I
Backing up this front-running!
threesome will be senior, Fred
Kochey, and juniors, Igor Bak
and Burnan Bounds. Both Bak and
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PAGE SEVEN
Bounds, according to Hosterman.
are of equally good caliber and
could push either one-of the start
ing three for their job.
Ed Hebbel, who has been con
sidered by Hosterman as a top
candidate for a halfback slot, has
not reported as of yet.
On the forward line Hosterman
finds a host of talent to work with
but not enough positions to fill.
Several lettermen have had to
take backseats to make way for
the promising sophomores * and
transfers.
Filling in the vital center for
ward spot will be Loren Kline.
Kline is the third man assigned
to this post and should he fol
low a path similar to that ot his
predecessors. Bill Fiedler and
| Gary Miller, the job would fall
j to Julius Besoushko, a fullback
I turned forward,
i Lou Van Rafelghem, who re
turned this season from Argentina
j after a year’s absence will be at
left wing, On the right wing will
be two-year letterman, Pete
Wadsworth.
Left inside is claimed by soph
omoie, Howard Farter, while right
, inside is manned by Gene Raiford,
| up from his halfback slot.
! Among the aspirants working
-for jobs as starting forwards are
iFred Tappert, Tony Mattei, Dick
Cuplan, and Jim Hockenbrock.