13--The Daily Collegisn Tuesday, September 4, 1973
Photo by H.R. Begley II
Chris Bahr puts a sure foot on a ball he's certain to be chasing thiS fall
Bahr swinging busy foot
By MARK SIMENSON
Assistant Sports Editor
Two-sport athletes are no longer a
rarity. Every campus has a few students
who switch uniforms when the season
changes.
Penn State has its' share of double
threats. Jimmy Scott spends most of his
time at Beaver Stadium where he runs
post patterns in the fall and 100-yard
sprints in the spring. Scott's dual role is
shared by other Lions such as Jim
Rosecrans (football and lacrosse) and
Kevin Burke (basketball and baseball).
Participating in two activities usually
presents no problems. Chris Bahr has
added a new twist to the two-sport
syndrome. He wants to play football and
soccer this fall.
"I just want to kick footballs, - Bahr
said matter-of-factly of his effort to
make the football squad.
The Lion junior, an All-America for
Coach Herb Schmidt last year, has been
kicking around the. idea of helping the
booters to a fourth playoff berth and the
football team to another postseason
bowl.
His status on the roster will be settled
sometime this week when Joe Paterno
decides between` the straight forward
kicking style of John Reihner and the
soccer style of Bahr.
Bahr, who has booted 22 goals in two
years as a starter for Schmidt, said he
sees no problems kicking a football or a
soccer ball.
Sunday, September 9
Tickets: $3.00
Up until now there are three
conflicting dates when the two teams
aren't competing in the same locale.
Bahr says that the soccer match
against West Virginia. a tough team
especially at home. is in the process of
being rescheduled. Originally scheduled
the morning of Oct. 6, the Mountaineers
might change the match because of their
Homecoming football game with
Indiana. The Lion gridders;have a date
with Airforce in Colorado Springs, Colo.
the same day.
Herb Schmidt, who recruited Bahr
from Neshaminy High near
Philadelphia, is allowing his top scorer
to try football.
"Well, as it now stands, he'll play both
soccer and football. I have no objection
to Chris doubling at football:" Schmidt
said over the phone last week.
It would be a great blow to the soccer
team if Bahr was injured playing
football, but Schmidt sees little chance
of his halfback getting hurt.
"I think Chris is - a gifted young man
who is using the same skills in both
football and - Soccer." he • said. "His
chances of being injured in football are
slight. It's rare that a kicker gets hurt."
Bahr comes from a family that has
three soccer All-Americas. Despite the
family's heavy soccer background.
Chris said he hasn't received any
negative feedback on his attempt to play
two sports.
THE UNIVERSITY CONCERT COMMITTE
( • F THE PURPLE SAGE)
PRESENTS IN CONCERT
' " RIDERS
Playing fOotball is all right with his
father, Walter Bahr, Temple's soccer
coach and All-America at the same
school. The other Bahr All-America is
brother Casey, a two-time honorable
mention All-America as a defensernan
at Navy.
Bahr hasn't hurt his football chances
in the scrinimages. He hit two field
goals and an extra point Saturday. The
point after touchdown was a 45-yard chip
shot for the 5-10, 155 pound kicker.
"There was a procedure penult) , and
Paterno said move it back 20,"
remembered Bahr, who was hit on the
play and didn't see his effort clear the
cross bar. "
b i
In high school Bahr, who is nicknamed
"Thunderfoot: for his powerful shot,
handled the kicking chores for the
football team for three years in addition
to guiding the hooters at halfback.
Bahr says he was only a so-so kicker in
high school and has improved, since then.
His 35-45 yard range attests to that fact.
Now he will divide his attention
between football and soccer, which
begins practice today. So far his duties
have been limited to kicking.
"It's the same as any other practice. I
don't do any hitting. — Bahr said,
So. later this week, Chris, soccer All-
America, will find otit if he' can be Joe
Paterno's designatedikiCker.
Booters must plug
By TIM PANACCIO
Collegian Sports Writer
It's only September, but in
a few short weeks,the Nittany
Lion soccer team will be
playing under the lights at
Jeffrey Field.
Herb Schinidt's crew had an
impressive autumn in 1972,
chalking up a 9-1-2 log. State's
only loss came at the hands of
Penn in the second round of
the NCAA's East Regionals.
(Penn State edged St: Joe's in
the preliminaries 2-1 to meet
Penn 1.,
The Lions open up practice
today and they'll be minus
five lettermen. Tonight is
also designated as "Press
Day," a chance for the media
and Schmidt ,to meet the
team.
"I haven't met with this
year's team," confesses
Schmidt, entering his sixth
year as head soccer mentor at
Penn State. "We've lost five
lettermen so, obviously there
are gaps to be filled and I'm
not sure who will fill those
gaps right now. You just have
to wait."
When Schmidt mentions
"gaps" one immediately
thinks of Penn State's All-
America forward, Andy
Rymarczuk. Rymarczuk took
second honors to Chris Bahr
last season with seven goals
and six assists. However, his
30 goals in three 'seasons
ranks tops among Lion
hooters.
One question entering many
minds at tithe moment is
whether or not Bahr, Penn
State's second All-America
representative in 1972, can
take up some of the slack left
by Rymarczuk. Bahr now a
junior, packed the Lions last
year with 10 goals andigeven
assists.
This year Bahr could be
seeing action as a kicker for
Joe Paterno if he makes the
football team, in addition to
bolstering the booters'
offense.
Three in a row
Penn State football players
have won NCAA postgraduate
scholarships each of the last
three years. The scholarship
winners were guard Bob
Holuba in 1971, tackle Dade
Joyner in 1972 and defensive
end Bruce. Bannon in 1973.
Recreation Hall
Now on sale at HUB desk
Another of the returning
lettermen Schmidt will be
looking at this afternoon is
Tom Kehan, • a forward who
spent most of last season on
the, bench after a freak
accident against West
Chester. Kehan attempted a
head shot and the Ram goalie
gave him a cheek shot that
knocked Kehan unconscious
and led to surgery.
"Tommy is a consistent
ballplayer who we have never
had the pleasure.of having a
full season due to injuries,"
Schmidt said. Other than that,
if determination counts, thee
Tom's in great shape." Kehan
who has had a previous record
•
Photo by H.R. Begley II
Coach Herb Schmidt seeks another winning combination
of assorted leg and knee
injuries worked on a
conditioning program this
summer while teaching at a
sports camp with Bahr.
Another vet returning this
year is senior Mike Arnold, a
reserve goalie for the past
three seasons. Mike has
played back-up to Gary
Mac Math in his ' tenure at
Penn State. Schmidt - claims
Arnold is "excellent." "He
just hasn't been given the
chance to play a lot, although
he did play in several games
and did a good job."
With the loss of several key
forwards, the Lions will be
8:00 P.M.
gaps
rebuilding their front line.
This places the responsibility
on the defense for the early
part of theseason.
"With losing a first team
All-America (Rymarczuk )
and four other key people,
again, it's a situation where
we have to find ourselves,"
Schmidt stressed.
"You have to give
everything a chance to
materialize. Right now, the
initial concentration is going
to be on defense. The defense
will have to do its job— may
be more until the forward
line is ready as a scoring
threat."