26, 1967
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
PAGE MIN
26, 1967 THE MICHIGAN DAILY PAGE NINE
Rugby
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the cn-
elusion of a three-part series on the
Michigan Rugby Football Club. Phil
Brown is a Daily sports night editor;
Dave Mildner is a graduate of Oxford
University in England, and serves as
manager for the club. C.N.)
Ay DAVE MILDNER
and PHIL' BROWN
It's Saturday, October 14, 1972.
Streets are crowded, stereos pour
cascades of raucous music into
Madison Street, and you get up
early to meet your girl's bus at
the Union.
It's the day of the Michigan
State game - battle of two of
the nation's greatest teams-and
the excitement completely engulfs
the city.
So it's off to the stadium at
ten...
But why so early? Because
there's another game after the
Big One;' Michigan is playing
MSU in football, too.
Rugby? Sure, but if you can't
quite swallow the preceding, don't
worry. It will be far longer than
five years from now that such a
scene will occur.
Big in Big Ten Future
i'
f
change in the near future, how-'
ever. The Midwest Rugby Union
has always been a loosely-knit or-
ganization, with member clubs
meeting only for 'friendlies', or
exhibition games. There are no
league standings or champion-
ships.
The Michigan club is looking to
the formation of a new league,
which would comprise all of the
eight teams at Big Ten institu-
tions (only Purdue and North-
western do not have rugby). With
conference competition estab-
lished, it would be only a short
jump to varsity play.
Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana,
and Michigan State all face
Michigan's ruggers this fall, and
Ohio State is on the spring sched-
ule. All the fall games take place
on weekends when the respective
schools meet on the football field.
Tom Mortimer, a native of De-
troit and present secretary of the
club, 'learned to play rugby while
studying in Scotland. And he is
one of the club's most enthusias-
tic expansionists.
THE MICHIGAN RUGBY TEAM, pictured in Tiger Stadium
before the season-opening game with Michigan State, which
Michigan won 3-0. Only a small part of the club's full member-
ship takes part in this annual contest, since it is played in August,
before classes begin. On an average weekend 50-60 ruggers see
action against independent clubs and teams in two leagues.
I
Brick-Hard "We must promote more inter-
Michigan ruggers, despite the est in the idea' of Big Ten play," 'Oakland," comments captain Mike |pletely devoid of activity. Seven-
progress made since the concep- he suggests. "The travel may be 'Johnson. man games are held on an infor-
tion of the Michigan Rugby Foot- very difficult without some finan- The difficulty which arises here mal basis with the Canadian clubs,
ball Club in 1959, still play on the cial support from outside the club, is a lack of qualified coaches, gen- and the team starts early in prep-
brick-hard surface of Wines but the competition would help erally students who have played aration for the annual fall opener
Field, sharing it with the la- us immensely." the game in Europe. Michigan has against MSU in Tiger Stadium.
crosse team, the marching band, We're Number One been particularly fortunate in All this is ambitious, but only
and the intramural program. Having beaten Indiana last getting Lionel Mund, an English within the structure of reality and
Practices must be held after Saturday, Michigan might well referee, to come to Ann Arbor past experience. Rugby is finding
nine p.m., when the other groups have the best of the Big Ten teams once a week and instruct the club increasingly widespread spectator
have finished with the field. The and one of the strongest in the in fine points of the game. appeal, and it is this which will
grass has disappeared long be- Midwest. Indiana was 'ranked Mund is recognized as the finest ultimately spell success for the
fifth in the country last year, and rugby referee in the Midwest, but game's followers.
Michigan's victory over the Hoos- is leaving for England in two The game is different, and4
iers reflects the quality the club weeks. those who see it for the first time
has attained in recent months. But the club has done well a e often confused, but the 'clan-
A tournament was held in without a coach in the past, and nish' nature of the sport and the
Bloomington, Id., last April, in will go into the spring season in camaraderie which develops be-
which all eight of the Western that state. Fortunately, the spring tween teammates and teams, wins
Conference clubs participated. schedule is quite short, compris- 'over many of them.
Michigan placed third in the meet, ing only four games: Ohio State, You probably won't be getting
behind teams from Indiana and Michigan State, and a pair of up early on Saturday mornings
Wisconsin. A similar tourney will contests with the Cleveland Rugby j ast to get good seats for the
be held this spring, to be hosted Club. rugby match, not for years at
by the University of Wisconsin. Summer is the slackest period least. But don't be surprised if
Tom Raboine, the club's pub- for the ruggers, but is not com- your roommate does.
licity director, is hopeful that a
championship can be staged in
Ann Arbor in 1969!
"With our present facilities it 74( c
is hardly realistic for us to at-
Stempt to host such a meet.' he * ___0 0'
notes. "But Wines Field is to be
completely rebuilt by that time,
and with a good pitch (field), plus
Ferry Field, we could have an ex-
TOM MORTIMER cellent tournament."
fore, and when rain doesn't turn When a rguar B en sched-
the dirt to a sea of mud, the turf ule materializes, the club will play
is as hard as a paved street. two 'A,' or 'first-string,' teams
The club has come a long way each week-one on Saturday to
sincethdasothAnAbr complement the football game.
Cricket and Sporting Club. Mich- and the other to compete in the
igan is a founding member of two South West Ontario Rugby Union.
leagues, and an inspiring model There will also be a nminber of
for other schools setting up rug- 'B,' or reserve, teams playing
by programs. games with independent clubs in
Ways To Go the area and 'B' squads from other
But there is still much to be 'league clubs.
done, according to club president "We hope to stimulate the game
John McKenzie, who played rug-
byat mers efhored ming- toin colleges all around the Detroit
by at Amherst before coming to 3ra uha anEsen n
Mcia.area, such as Wayne, Eastern, and " , '"'
Michigan. j"
"We appeal to the non-profes-
sional athlete," he points out.
"We offer a college sport to both
the graduate and the undergrad- B illboard
uate, and we think that both
should have this opportunity to /.. .. . S
compete." ' Tefrtitasudgm ... ci Ro d1rn e
The factor ofage limitationis TheP/stmra-squadgym-l
an important one "in the light of nastics meet of the season will W/l *' yOqt
a future jump to the varsity level. be held Thursday night at 7 :30 gadatisu p.",nLh.gmnstcAroof?.
Quite obviously, graduate stu- p.m. in the gymnastics room oft
dents are ineligible for varsity the I.M. Building.
teams, and they presently make
up better than' half of the club's
prese-nts
WITC -WATCH
BASH
With
Friday, Oct. 27 9-12 P.M.
North Campus Commons
Admission: 25c Guys-Girls FREE!
11
-
.rte -.rr.w
L
membership.
This is changing rapidly, how-
ever, as younger students are ex-
pressing far more interest in club
sports than ever before.
Eastern Boom
"The game has really expanded
in the East," says McKenzie.
"There were only seven clubs in
1957, and the latest count showed
over 70. And we expect that this
boom is now carrying into the
Midwest."
And when the rush comes, the
club will be ready for it. The rug-
gers hope to "establish an intra-
mural league which would oper-
ate just as all other IM sports,
with competition between frater-
nity, dormitory, and independent
teams.
"Anyone interested in the game
can play," continues McKenzie.
"We have found that ex-football
players and athletes frustrated by
a lack of size or speed adapt
readily to rugby."
For the better players, there
will still be the regular teams,
which will continue to compete in
both of the established leagues.
The league picture is expected to
WELCOME!!
OPEN
MON. thru SAT.
8:30 to 5:30 P.M.
DASCOLA BARBERS
Near Michigan Theatre
I
7
Do
a
or4
.1
sahirt
a label
ly
9.
You buy both. The shirt Perma-Iron shirt. 100% checks or plaids. $6.00 for
because of what it looks like. cotton that won't wrinkle, short sleeves, $7.00 for long.
And the label because of Labeled "Sanforized." With a But don't buy a sport
what it means. A good label softly flared button-down shirt just for the plaid,
means the shirt is styled to collar, shoulder-to-waist color, stripe or check. Get a
last. That it's tapered, pleated taper and box pleat. You can good sport shirt with a good
and rolled in the right places. get it in stripes, solids, label. Our sports label is the
Like this King Cotton best. Look for Arrow.
ARROW+
HATHAWAY'S OXFORD TWEED COLLECTION COMES IN BITTERSWEET, EVERGREEN, CLARET, AND BRISTOL BLUE. ABOUT $10.00 EACH.
Oxford Tweed-the latest from Hathaway
Hathaway's weavers threw up their
hands when we told them what we
wanted in the Oxford Tweed.
"Can't be done," they said, with a
huff of finality.
"Can be done," said Hathaway,
bright, warm colors of Oxford Tweed
that are perfect for class and dates.
Hathaway's Oxford Tweed collec-
tion is made in cool cotton for softness
and durability. The Club Button-
Down collars have a soft roll. The back
has a box pleat. The body is tapered for
neat fit. (By Hathaway standards, all
other shirts are mass-produced. Every
Hathaway shirt is hand-tailored. That's