FMAY, APRM 80, 1054 THE MICHIGAN DAILY FRIDAY, APRIL SO, 1954 THE MICHIGAN DAILY btan N . . . . by Ivan N. Kaye Frosh Ends Give Grid Squad Boost T- DURING SEVERAL recent issues we have devoted a great amount of space to various discussions of one of the most perplexing problems facing the educational community today. Misplaced goals in athletics constitute in our opinion a threat to American higher education almost comparable to the spectre of in- fringements upon academic freedom. We feel that the solution of this dilemma is of transcendent importance, far outweighing the results of particular football or basketball contests, and accordingly we have allotted many column inches to the subject at a time when some of the less visionary among us would have preferred to read the box score of the current baseball game. The abuses which have corrupted mid-century athletics have not arisen overnight. They have evolved, rather, through a gradual process closely akin to the evolution of the society of which they are but a small part. * * * * Reflection of Society ... HE INTENSE desire for victory at any cost on the athletic field is as many have pointed out, merely a reflection on the desire for material success in that other and far more important world away from the athletic field. To the idealist who propounds the theory of "the game for the game's sake" as a solution to the dilemma of present-day sports, the hardened realist will doubtless point to the futility of such a philosophy if, for example, it be applied to the business world. It would be hard to say the least to conceive of the chair- man of the board of a concern which had just sunk into bank- ruptcy telling the stockholders that the competition was the im- portant thing and that it didn't matter so much that the old com pany didn't win this time. Leavingthe wry, humor aside, it unfortunately seems to be a consequence of our system that there is no room in it for a second best, much as there was no pride in the minds of many at the recent accomplishments of Michigan's athletic teams which placed well in the recent Western Conference meets without actually taking the championships. * * * * Drawing the Distinction .. . WE READILY admit that the athletic and business worlds are re- flections of the forces which motivate society. Where we would like to see the distinction drawn is in the fact that athletics can and should be regarded as games Let the economists work with the business world; we still think that the sporting public, and that in- cludes influencial alumni, can reform its own wayward system. It is not as easy as it sounds; to implant the idea that sports are games and nothing more. What it really involves is a conscious at- tempt to divorce the athletic world as much as possible from the other and more important facets of society. So far, and for as long as anyone can remember, this has not been possible. Athletics have grown with and become closely associated with many aspects of society. Why then can we expect that virtually overnight the populace will iange its orientation toward sports competition? The answer to that question lies in the awareness of the gravity of the problem. The answer lies in the recent actions of the Ivy League, in the writings of sensitive men like Washington's Harold Stoke and the University of Pennsylvania's Ken Doherty; men who have come to the realization that something is definitely wrong with our system of intercollegiate athletics. Beyond the Yictor ... IT IS NOT SO much in the fact that these and others differ in their attempts at solution of the problem, but rather that they have at last recognized that there exists such a problem, that is of the greatest importance. We feel that once the sports-loving public becomes fully aware that it, and it alone, holds the answer to the problem faced by ath- letics today, we may see a reversal in orientation. Now that the prob- lem is being discussed and attempts made at solution, it would seem that a major hurdle has been cleared. It is as in medicine, where the disease once diagnosed is half-conquered. Thus we may be able to apply some of our idealism to the sports world after all. We may be able to put across the senti- ment of "the game for the game's sake," and bring home the value of true competition and not triumph alone as the essential of athletics. The next time you go to a sporting event, look beyond the win- ner, whether it be in a track meet, a baseball game or a Big Ten foot- ball classic in the Michigan Stadium. Look to the man who runs ? second or fifth, to the pitcher who hurls well in a losing cause, and to the defensive halfback who plays his heart out when his team is beaten, and perhaps you will catch some of the flavor of this athletic system of ours, which can be so beneficial to us all if we will only allow it to progress without undue or unnatural pressures. U- By LEW HAMBURGER Wolverine football hopes are'be- ginning to take a gradual rise as the second week of spring prac- tice comes to a close with tomor- row's scrimmage. The most pleasant surprise has come at the end position, where MBA Wins I=M Softball Contest, 2-I By BOB JONES A hard-hit grounder by Snip Nalan, which got past the left fielder, allowing Nalan to score, proved to be the winning run yes- terday as the MBA Club edged Delta Theta Phi by the score of 2-1 in the opening round of pro- fessional fraternity I-M softball. Sharp pitching by Jack La- Breck for the MBA nine allowed the Lawyers only four hits. Their only run came in the top of the fifth when Larry King, who had singled and advanced to second on Jerry Donley's sacrifice, scor- ed on an overthrow.to first. IN THE longest game of the evening, Psi Omega came from behind in the top of the last inn- ing to beat Alpha Omega, 11-8. Trailing by one run, 5-4, going in-- to the inning, Psi Omega scored two runs on Chuck Madden's dou- ble, and added another three as Harry Migion homered with two men on. Two more runs were walk- ed in, completing the Psi O's scor- ing. Alpha Omega's three runs in the last half of the inning weren't enough to close the gap. Phi Alpha Kappa had a hot day at the plate, pounding Delta Sigma Pi to the tune of 21-0 be- hind good control of its pitcher, Wes Sikkema. Well supported by his teammates' 19 hits, Sikkema pitched an excellent ballgame, allowing his opponents only two hits. His inside curve ball was beautiful to watch. Nu Sigma Nu scored three runs in the top of the second inning and added another in the top of the fifth to blank Tau Epsilon Rho, 4-0. Phi Delta Phi and Phi Rho Sig- ma fought to a 5-5 tie in the only other game. Phi Rho drew first blood in the last of the second, dropped behind, 3-1, in the third, tied the game up in the fourth and that's how it ended. the graduation of Bob Topp and Gene Knutson appeared to be a weakening blow. However, letter- men Gerry Williams and John Veselenak, and freshmen Charley Brooks, Ron Kramer and Tom Maentz have shown great progress and might prove to be one of the strong points on the 1954 team. Maentz suffered a jaw injury Wed- nesday, and how long he will be out is not yet known. KRAMERS progress has been especially pleasing. The big fresh- man has been playing with the first string squad throughout the spring drills. In last Saturday's scrimmage he and Williams were the starting offensive ends. The success of John Morrow's switch from center to tackle is another reason for the brighten- ed outlook. His blocking has been sharp and the move thus far has been beneficial. The fullback slot, also weaken- ed through the graduation of Dick Balzhiser and Bob Hurley, has been the scene, of other encourag- ing showings, as Dave Hill and Fred Baer have both shown fine running ability. * * * THE TAILBACK problem, how- ever, is still a question mark in the backfield, as Tom Hendrix has shown well in spurts, but is still somewhat unsteady. Terry Barr, an ountstanding freshman pros- pect has also demonstrated his ability, but a leg injury has kept him from the last few days of practice. He is expected to return soon, possibly in time for tomor- row's scrimmage. Dan Cline, let- terman tailback, is playing with the baseball team this spring so he is another question mark until he returns to the gridiron. Tony Branoff, last season's regular wingman, is also playing baseball this spring, but his un- derstudies have moved into the position in fine style. Ed Hickey and George Corey both have been running and blocking well. The quarterback situation has been one of the most stable dur- ing the spring drills. Lou Bal- dacci, last fall's regular, has been running first string over the en- tire period, and is followed by Dun- can McDonald. Jim Maddock is another of the outstanding fresh- man prospects, and has been see- ing a good deal of actions. The spring practices are sched- uled to close with an intra-squad scrimmage at the Michigan stad- ium on May 15, if the weather con- tinues to favor playing conditions. I Y "THE GUY'LL LOSE HIS SHIRT!" ".. . walks into this haberdasher just off campus, see, and ask for a white shirt. He starts givin' me this song-and-dance about that Van Heusen Century with the soft collar that supposed to not wrinkle ever. The jerk starts snowin' me with some 14-day free trial deal, that if I'm not satisfied after wearing it and washing it for 14 days, he'll gimme my dough back. "I'm from Brooklyn, see, and I don't trust nobody. I ask the guy, 'What's the catch, buddy?' He says, 'No catch. Wear it as much and as hard as you want. If the collar ever wrinkles or v ,- get your money back. Wash it yourself. It's .1 just iron the collar flat, flip it, and it folds perfectly because the fold-line's woven in. If not, your money back.' "The guy tells me it's the only soft one-piece collar in the world, that it lasts up to twice as long as other shirts and only costs $,.9, for whites and $4.95 in colors and superfine whites. I tell him, he's nuts to make such a stupid offer. I tell him he'll lose his shirt. It's a kind of joke, see. I figure no shirt will live up to all that malarky. "And y'know what? I been wearin' and washin' it now for a hunerd and fourteen days, and I still can't find nothin' wrong with it." for ARROW shirts . 11 I Cinema SL uidd "LAURA" Dana Andrews Gene Tierney SClifton Webb FRIDAY ... 7 and 9 "A Walk in the Sun" Dana Andrews John Ireland III I S .li I III - - . . I III III