PAGE SIX
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1968
PAGE SIX THE MICHIGAN DAHA WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 17. 1988
" .ra.r+ .s"a a. # yr+a.+s yasav.i -.9 ivu.
RV
Loken's Family-Style Succeeds for Gymnasts
By ROBIN WRIGHT
The setting is a little cubby hole
off the gymnastics room in the IM
building.
Enter Dave Jacobs, world tram-
poline champ.
"Hi Papa Newt.'
The preceeding is typical of the
easy-going relationship between
the gymnastic team and their
coach, Newt Loken.
Loken genuinely considers "the
boys as part of my family." He
further explains this attitude, "I
know when a guy shows up at
practice he wants to be good and
is willing to try. With the proper
feeling and help he can be good
in the gymnastic world. Therefore
it's important to know the prob-
lems, ups and downs (not intended
as a pun), and academics that
concern the boys. I guess I ful-
fill these roles by trying to be
more of a companion in an elder-
ly way."
"The greatest experience for me
is to watch the young uninitiated
freshman enter our school in com-
plete awe of the greatness of the
academic program, immensity of
the competitive gymnastic sched-
ule and then each year to watch
them grow in judgment, skills and
level headedness to finally emerge
as young men ready for their re-
spective professional fields."
Loken is quite proud of "his
families." His own children would
even form an enviable gymnastics
team.
Chris, his eldest daughter, is
now in New York City dividing
time between dancing and drama-
tic classes in the day and ushering
at Lincoln Center at night. She
was on the recent winning nation-
al water polo team and was past
state freestyle champ. Lani, a
freshman at the University of
Michigan, is one of two females on
the diving team and is looking to-
ward a place on the 1968 Olympic
team.
Jon, 12 and Newti, 10 are the
only ones left at home. Loken de-
scribes them as "little movers."
Both are inclined to the tramoline,
but that ought to be expected as
they frequently appear at prac-
tices to work out with the team.
Loken and daughter Lani have
conducted one day cheer clinics
throughout the mid-west states
for high school cheerleaders. The
idea was inaugurated at a cheer-
leading training program in 1955
when 3,300 cheerleaders jammed
into Hill Auditorium, as Lani put
it "to watch dad bounce around."
Lani further commented, "It's
terrible to have a father whose
age is sometimes termed 'over the
hill' and be able to wear you out.
He can bounce around all day andt
I'm always exhausted by noon."
Loken is well qualified to teach
these clinics. He cheered in high
school and at the University of
Minnesota and in 1942 was chosen
by national sportswriters to the
All-American Cheer Squad of
seven members. He is especially
noted for inaugurating tumbling
into cheer routines, now so fam-
iliar to University of Michigan
football fans.
Typical of his fitness is found
in the fact that several years ago
Loken won the All-Around cham-
pionship for gymnasts over 35.
Loken's affection for his boys
becomes obvious in practice or
during a meet. He's full of smilesI
and winks, and during a moment'
of pressure claps and yells like one
of the fans. When advising a team
member Loken will put his arm
around the fellow's shoulders, bow
his head a little and discuss possi-
ble improvements. He'll finish the
little conference with a "let's-go-
to-it" swat and he's off again. I
tion committee. In 1942 he was
featured in a Life magazine article
on the top gymnasts of the era.
1963 brought him the Coach of
the Year award and he is now a
member of the Helms Hall of
Fame Selection Committee.
Two of the many various ac-
of good wishes to the coach and
various members on the team.
Loken only wishes this group
would identify themselves, "so we
could arrange for special block
seating at the games."
The later award so well describes
Loken's position 'on' the team.
NEWT LOKEN
SPEAK WITH HOWE
informally, during office hours
1000 A.M.- NOON
Tuesday, January 16
Thursday, January 18
Tuesday, January 23.
for appointments, call Carol: 769-0225
I RVING HOWE
WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE Jan. 15-28
Loken has been coaching of
Michigan gymnastic teams since
the sport was reactivated at a var-
sity level in 1947. Since then his
teams have claimed six consecu-
tive Big Ten titles-during the
period 1961 to 1966-a NCAA title
in 1963, and always finishing as
one of the top teams in the nation.
Loken's personal credits include
composing nine books, from."Cheer
Tips'' to ''The Complete Book of
Gymnastics" and heading the All-
American gymnastic team selec-
Rule Change
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (P)
-The Football Rules Committee
of the National Collegiate Athletic
Association bumped more than 20
knowledgements Loken has recent- The plaque reads: "To Die. Newt
ly received range from the notori- Loken. Your ability as friend, ad-
ous MFC to an award presented visor and coach, to motivate in-
by last year's team. dividuals will have an everlasting
The MFC is the mysterious effect upon the lives of all your
Markley fan club, who send letters team members."
TOP TEN: -
UCA' Top Spot
Rests On Lew' s Eye
By The Associated Press straight, including 12 this season,
The spotlight in college basket- retained its commanding lead in
ball the remainder of this week is the weekly balloting. The Bruins
likely to be on Lew Alcindor's left received 32 first-place votes and
eye and whether or not the injured 347 points in the voting by a na-
UCLA star will play in Saturday tional panel of 35 sports writers
night's big game against the and broadcasters based on games
Houston Cougars. through last Saturday.
More than a few eyes, though, Houston, 16-0, drew three votes
also will be focused on another for the top spot and 317 points,
important game Thursday night, the latter on a basis of 10 for a
matching undefated New Mexico first-place, 9 for second, 8 for
and once-beaten Utah on the third, etc.
Lobos's court. Alcindor's left eye was scratched
Utah, 13-1, climbed one place to last Friday in a game against the
fifth in the latest Associated Press California Bears, won by UCLA
poll while New Mexico, 14-0, 94-94. The 7-foot-1V center is
surged three positions to sixth. being treated for impaired vision.
UCLA, which has won 46 f The victory over California was
-- one of two scored by the Bruins
last week. They also defeated
1 udStanford 75-63. Houston downed
's ne I ~West Texas State 98-53 in its
only start.
Other possible changes lay in The Top Ten, with first-place
rules governing communication votes in parenthesis, season rec-
between players and coaches at ords through games of Sat., Jan.
the sidelines; a reduction in the 13 and total points on a 10-9-8-7-
CLARK NORTON
4 ,ikin9 Ot. .
Mixing politics with football is bound to produce some pretty
explosive combinations. Just look at Bobby Kennedy. And there's *
nothing more intriguing than a grid referee on the take.
'And now these two All-American pastimes have merged on cam-
pus in the biggest way since Romney was booed crossing the field
at the State game. The object is called "Pick a New Athletic Di-
rector" and it's become the greatest Guessing Game since Jean Dixon
met Charles Van Doren.
The major result has been to give a lot of people a lot of head-
aches.
Bump Elliott, for example, was deluged with congratulatory
phone call and telegrams Monday. The only problem is that
Elliott was no closer to becoming athletic director then than he
was last week-and he knew it. Very embarrassing.
It seems that the sports director of WCBN, the Voice of the
Quads, had talked to some people in the Athletic Department and
a couple of Daily sportswriters and had come to the conclusion
that Elliott had the job sewn up.
All well and good-he may even have guessed right. But if WCBN
predicts that Nixon will win in '68 it doesn't mean that the nation's
leading newspapers should run a front-page headline reading "Nixon
Will Win In '68." But that's just what the wire services did with the
WCBN "scoop." And of course most of the Detroit radio and TV
sportscasters picked it up eagerly without questioning the source.
Why the wire services ever ran the story in the first place is still
unanswered. Ken Wilson, the WCBN sports caster who phoned in the
story, told The Daily Monday night that "I never claimed to have
any official confirmation of Elliott's appointment." Apparently the
wire services never bothered to ask Wilson what his sources were-
The Daily did, and Wilson replied that he had no official sources.
So all over Michigan and the surrounding areas the "word"
was out that Elliott "will be named," "had been named," and
maybe even was already sitting at Fritz Crisler's desk, even though
President Fleming and Bump Elliott have vehemently denied any
such appointment. More important, WCBN itself admits that they
had just "gathered a consensus of opinions" within the Athletic
Department and had not even bothered to talk to Fleming or any
of the Regents, who are charged with making the decision.
Wilson; it should be noted, still doesn't see anything wrong with 4
what he did. He is convinced that Elliott will be named "since press-
ures on Fleming to name a Michigan alumnus, a good public relations
man, and a figure popular with the press, alumni and students" will
eventually dictate the choice.
Certainly there is a good chance that that's true. Elliott has al-
ways been a leading candidate for the athletic directorship and along
with Davey Nelson, Delaware's athletic director, Dr. Robert Bronzan, *
San Jose State's athletic director, and Don Canham, Michigan track
coach, remains as such.
But if President Fleming has picked Crisler's suc'cessor, which
is doubtful, nobody knows it yet. And it isn't news until he does
and someone finds out. Just more speculation, acid more head-
aches.
Maybe if Robben Fleming had to take some Excedrin last
night, he'll let everyone know the choice before the drugstores start
doubling their business.
suggested rule changes off the length of timeouts; restrictions on
agenda yesterday and concen- signaling fair catches; a cut-down
trated on eight issues. on the substitution rule and a re-
Two knotty problems lay in vision of clipping rules and punt
clarifying rules for tackle eligible coverage.
pass plays and the so-called # Final decisions on the rule
"sucker shift." changes are expected today.
Daily Classifieds Get Results
6-5-4-3-2-1 basis:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
UCLA 32
Houston 3
North Carolina
Tennessee
Utah
New Mexico
St. Bonaventure
Kentucky
Vanderbilt
Columbia
12-0
16-0
11-1
9-1
13-1
14-0
12-0
9-2
11-3
1-3
347
317
270
205
178
137
131
101
55
40
I
:Y. .nwt ~ . . ..... .,. .. -nrre. . .. . ...... .. ... ........... ...:.:: ..M.WA:::....%.........:.;;...:.x":.,
Y. '. 6.'... .rn ..... n .1 . S . ..... .. ..........n n4 .% ....g . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Start
Thinking
AL
SUBLETTING
YOUR
APAR.TN
lout
lENT
r !I
01]1
v.4
aitti
This* Week in Sports
Friday
Hockey-Western Ontario University at Coliseum, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday
Basketball-Michigan at Ohio State
Wrestling-Iowa at Events Building, 1:30 p.m.
Swimming-Frosh-Michigan State at Matt Mann Pool, 3:30 p.m.
Gymnastics-Michigan at Iowa
if]
III
*
S
Monday
Basketball-Ball State at Events Building, 8:00 p.m.
Wrestling-Oklahoma at Events Building, 4:00 p.m.
4
Ill
I
*
11
*
UI
for
the
Summe
Advertise in
Y
Ici gan
:43