r SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1949 THE MICHIGAN DlAtL' PAGE SEVEN Keen Starts 25th Mat Season By CY CARLTON Michigan opens it wrestling sea- son against the University of Pitts- burgh on January seventh and that day will be the start of the 25th year of coaching Maize and Blue mat squads for wrestling mentor Cliff Keen. * * * Since 1925 Maize and Blue grap- plers have been tutored exclusive- ly by this veteran of the game. * * * KEEN HAS established a win- ,ing tradition for Michigan mat squads. His teams have achieved 101 wins against 40 losses, produc- ed three Conference champion- ships in 1930, 1938 and 1944 and have sent five men to the Olym- pic games, as well as producing 13 national champions. Michigan traditionally occupies a strong runner-up role in con- * * * ference competition, although they have copped three titles. Keen's mat squads have finishes second in the Conference Cham- pionships seven times. KEEN'S ONLY departure fror the Michigan wrestling scene wa: in the seasons of 1943-45 when he conducted physical education training courses for naval air ca- dets in various pre-flight schools Wally Weber, all-around man of Michigan sports, took over during that period, and guided the Wolverines to a Conference crown in 1944. During the past two seasons, Michigan wrestlers have taken the role of slow starters and quick fin- ishers. In 1948, the Wolverines finished second behind Purdue, by virtue of a single point. In 1949, they finished third, two points be- hind Purdue. Both squads had enjoyed in and out dual meet sea- sons. MICHIGAN HAS produced six conference champs and nine fin- alists in the period from 1944-49. Jim Galles took championships twice for Michigan in 1944 and 1945. Bill Courtright and Wayne Smith took honors in 1946. Courtright took the 155-pound title and Smith snatched the 136 pound crown. These two were the bright lights of a team which won four and lost three in dual competition but again recovered quickly to take third place in the Big Nine meet. Jim Smith, 1950 captain won the 136 pound championship in 1948 and was runner-up last year. The amazing Jack Powers, wrest- ling for the first time for Michi- gan, developed rapidly from a poor dual meet season of two wins and six losses, to take the 165 pound attraction in 1949. Powers upset Clarence Self of Wisconsin in the finals to take the title. ASSOCIATED POCT UR PRESS NE V IS -Daily-Alex Lmanian GRUNT AND GROAN-On the balcony in Yost Field House 'above the activity of the track and' basketball teams on the floor, Coach Cliff Keen (standing) directs the Wolverine wrestling team. Long and tiresome afternoons are spent here perfecting the skills which have brought 13 Michigan men to national championships. * * * * * * * WRASSLE DASSLE! Decade A Michigan ad Great Team C H I L D R E N' S P A R A D I S E-- A youthful station mistress starts a train tour of a chil- dren's town on the outskirts of Belgrade, Yugoslavia, administered by the youngsters themselves. .NEW VICE CHIEF --- Rear Admiral Lynde Dupuy Mc- Cormick (above) was named Vice Chief of Naval Operations by Admiral Forrest P. Sherman, new Chief of Naval Operations. Ten years ago this month a* wrestling squad was working out in Yost Field House which was destined to become one of the greatest in Michigan mat history. .The story of the 1939-40 team is unusual. Although they did not win the Conference champion- ship, the squad had some of the finest mat talent ever to wrestle for the Maize and Blue. COACHED BY Cliff Keen, then in his 15th year as wrestling men- tor, the team was captained by Forrest "Butch" Jordan, six feet tall and called the "strongest" wrestler ever to compete for Michigan. They suffered an in and. out dual meet season, winning five and losing two, with one tie. Only during the Conference and NCAA championships did - the Wolverines rise to the heights, which was to earn them fame as a "great" Michigan mat aggrega- tion. Michigan fought tooth and nail in the Conference championships, finally losing to Indiana by a slim one point margin. THREE MICHIGAN men won Conference titles: Harland Dan- ner at 155 pounds, Don Nichols at 175 pounds, and Captain Jordan at 185. Bill Combs was runner-up in the 145 pound entry, and sopho- more Jim Galles, hinting at the future greatness he was to at- tain as captain of the 1944 Con- ference championship squad, was runner-up in the 165 pound class. Michigan then entered in the National Collegiates at Cham- paign, Illinois. The Maize and Blue grapplers scored ten points and placed third in the meet, finishing behind Oklahoma A&M and Indiana. Nichols won the NCAA 175 pound title and was named the outstanding wrestler in the tournament, but despite his triumph and the contributions of the other team members, Michi- gan had to settle for third. DANCE 1btiPROGRAMS ROACHPRININGTickets, Posters 29 h Christmas Cards -u 24 Hr. Service RAINY DAY HAT- This felt latticed bonnet, deco- rated with its own tiny umbrella as a warning against threatening weather, was displayed at a fashion show in London. 1 liii, I i V E N E T I A N L A C E M A K E R - An old woman works on a table centerpiece in old Byzantine idesign at Venice's Jesurum School where some of the famous modern laces are produced. th woN r . 'a r t ,. a x i i ! 1 t Make yours an .. . &2Pa Ue/ GIFT JEWELRY . . . The most personal of gifts - engraved to express your most sincere greetings and affection. 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