PAGE SIX John Egli isn't any Cassius Clay or Bob Prince when it comes to verbal utterances or silver-tongued oratories, but the Lion basketball coach has a story to tell that could top the best banquet circuit offerings of either the fast talking Clay or Prince. • In fact Egli's story is more of a confession a-confession that the likeable mentor has been secretly harboring since 1952. That was the year Egli was assistant- basketball coach under Elmer Gross, who now teaches in the State Phys-Ed denartMent. The Lions, who were led by honorable mention All-American center Jesse Arnelle, were en route to a 20-4 record and a NCAA bid. Further south, the West Virginia Mountaineers were also kicking up some dust with their All-American center Mark Workman. The Mounties were to end up with a 22-3 chart and a ninth-ranked position in the nation. ANYHOW, the story goes like this. The arch-rival clubs were rolling over foe after foe and pointing toward their game with each other. State was roaring to a 17-4 chart and West Virginia to a 21-2 mark for the big encounter. Two weeks before the clash Gross assigned Egli to scout the Mounties in their game with VPI in Blacksburg, Va. Gross told Egli he wanted a compre hensive scouting report on all the Mountaineer players and sketches of the Mountie offense and defense At this point it is probably better to let Egli confess: "The day of the game I started the. long drive to Blacks burg. In those days we didn't have a University' car pool like we do today, so I had to drive my own car. Well, coaches weren't too highly paid, so I owned an old wobden Buick station wagon. I guess maybe I had paid two or. three hundred dollars for it, but it was near the end of its. usefulness. "I started driving down through all thoSe hills and back woods and it seemed the longer I drove, the further I was getting from Blacksburg.. Pretty soon I noticed that it was starting to get dark and I still wasn't sure Nyhere I was. . "THEN IT HAPPENED. The oil line on that old Buick just gave way and there I was, out in nowhere and with the game fast approaching. "Somehow I got the line ritclied-up after a while and began driving around those hills again. Finally I looked down at my watch'and the game was scheduled to start in five or ten minutes. Just then I passed a sign that said: Blacksburg-100 miles. • "My stomach just about dropped and I didn't know what to do. I knew it was useless to go any further, but I also knew what Elmer would say if I told him I missed the game. "So I pulled over to the side of the road and turned on my radio. As I . turned my dial; into the speaker blared the start of the West Virginia - VPI game. "Jack Fleming was announcing the game that night and in my opinion he is the best in the business. I turned on the- dome light inside the car and from his description of the game, I wrote my scouting report. (West Virginia won, 99-82) "I TOOK THE REPORT back to Elmer and he read it over and told me it was one of the better scouting reports. I really scared them to death with the report. I wrote about what great shots the West Virginia players were and how.they rebounded well and played a great defensive game. I outlined their offense and sketched their defensive moves. - "Elmer thought it was a great job and it must have been. We went down there and beat them, 84-65, and after the win Elmer thought it was an even greater report. "Even after the win I was scared to tell Elmer what had happened, and to this day he doein't knQw that I wrote it from a radio report. If he reads the paper, 'he'll learn about if for the first-time." EGLI NEVER DID make it to Blacksburg that night and for anyone who is brave enough to attempt the trip, he has a few words of advice. • "Charlie Speidel is going down there for a wrestling match Saturday and I can give him some words of wisdom. Start plenty early. It'll take at least three days to get there!" They, say that confession is good for the soul, so Egli ought to 'sleep soundly tonight. • •- * IT'S YOUR TURN CASSIUS! a dean's view wio4w4laiegmifiw.4.;w;;;:arglfF ohn Egli `I Never By DEAN BILLICK Sp'orts Editor Z4SNOSEWWWWOI.IIOSIMEWI=3"O, - .ftrii. THE DAILY COLLEGIAN, UNIVERSITY PARK, PENNSYLVANIA Confesses: Mae It' 'JOHN EGLI . a confession Gymnasts If History By JO GRATA If history repeats itself this weekend, the results, of the Penn State - Ariny gymnastics meet may not be good news. The battle is set for 8 p.m. Sat urday in Rec Hall. Last year at this time, the-Nit tany Lions sported a record identical 'to their present - one three wins against no losies. But Feb. 10, 1962, was a dismal• day for Coach Gene Wettstone and his gymnasts. That's when ,the Cadets handed last year's squad its only defeat in six dCial-meets (54-42) . and marred State's •chances for an Eastern Intercollegiate Gymnas; tic League title. Again this year the situation is almost the same. Both teams have several strong performers and powerful reserve strength. About the only thing different will be the setting. Last year's meet was at the U.S. Military Academy in- West Point; this year the. Lions may gain a slight advantage when they perform before traditionally loyal home fans. THROUGHOUT the years, Army has handled the Nittany gymnasts in rather rough fashion. In the. all-time series that began in 1932, the Cadets hold the edge with 18 wins, 10 losses and one tie. Saturday, Army dropped its only meet of the season when it lost a nip-and-tuck batth to Syra cuse, 48 1 / 2 to 47 1 / 2 . The scores were unusually high with performers from both teams scoring in the high 80's placing only fourth, fifth or last. Meanwhile the Lion gym dele gates were getting prepared for Saturday's showdown with a 62- 34 tuneup against Navy at An napolis, Md. Navy coach Chet Phillips took it upon himself to do a little prognasticating after his Midship men were defeated in such con vincing fashion. "YOU SHOULD wallop Army," Phillips remarked. "I base this on BREAKFAST SPECIAL, 2 Eggs-Any Style 3 Strips Bacon pm" Toast & Jelly Coffee Free Rea and Peri& 121-S. Allen St. The . Daily Cbllegiares . BiLliness Staff Candidate School for Winter Term will begin TUESDAY February 12, 1903 IMO " P.M. 111 Sackett - • May Plans * * * . . . adds valuab * * * a scouting report sent to us on the Pitt-Army meet. I think that you have the edge on Army in depth and•balance." The veteran Navy coach ex plained that even his Navy con tingent "expectS to beat Army." But, more than likely, this was merely a bit of uncensored Army propoganda cast towards its tra ditional 'rival. But Wettstone, although he's confident, isn't as optimistic, as Phillips and has taken a wait-and see attitude. "We should be at full strength for Army," he said yesterday. "If our sophomores and reserves can come through with their best per formances, we can beat this team." State's three wins this season have been over Springfield (54- JACKHARPEIRJACKIIARPERJACKHARPERJACKHARPERJACKHARFERJACKHARI FOR MEN— ' One group of Suits Corduroy Slacks -. Sweaters and Sport Shirts Lambs Wool Socks, Turtleneck Sweaters and Belts • FOR WOMEN— • • Berman Shorts - Sweaters Knee length madras Head Scarves and Salts Many other items at . these reduced prices. . to West College Avenue. - State College 1.. ag .0 • Around the Corner from Bostonian' Ltd. a .4 il - Ft COVllN3VfligettlVlDl3VfNEMllivinovniadavnmovramanvinovraafniviniovr WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1963 in Trouble Repeat Itself Be To e depth to 1.407/ gym team * * * 42), Temple "(55-41) and . I;'avy. Syracuse (away) and Pitt (home) wrap up the Lions' dual-meet season: STATE'S gymnasts battle the Army Plebes in the only other 'home sports event this weekend. The Lion fre_shmen are unbeaten in two starts with victories over Queens College and the Navy freshmen. This will mark the first time that any Army Plebe sq - bad has left the West Point academy to compete in an athletic event. The new policy adopted by the Army "brass" states that any of Army!s freshmen sports teams may make one away trip each year. The freshman meet is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. JACK HARPER THE ORIGINAL State College SDAYS TOMORROW 9:00 A.M. Closed Todayl ALL SALES CASH AND FINAL "0410 -* * * . j price 111
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers