SPORTS SUPPLEMENT' 4 A6F .Altr t I A Batt SPORTS SUPPLEMENT ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1955 12 PAGES . M Gridders Face Power -Packed Slate Buckeyes Batter Hopes Of 1954 Football Squad Michigan Eleven Lists Speed, Depth, Promise 0 f _ By ALAN EISENBERG Associate Sports Editor Many, many years will have to pass before football and Michigan fans alike, will be able to forget the talented coaches and courag- eous players that made up the 1954 Wolverine grid squad. There have been Maize and Blue teams more successful than last year's aggregation; there was no Bob Chappius or a Tom Harmon on the squad; there was no fabled trip to Pasedena to talk about or an undefeated season to boast of. As a matter of fact, the '54 Wol- verines lost three games and tied for second place in the Big Ten. Yet, almost all interested parties consider last fall one of the best in Michigan's fabulous history. For it was a team, ranked before the season, as an "also-ran" in the Western Conference. The Maize and Blue, the experts predicted confidently, would fight it out with Ohio State for fifth place. Lots of Reasons They had a lot of reasons-and they were all sound. But the prog- nosticators forget one thing: the intangibles. A hard working coach brought out in his men more than they ever realized they had. He was able to do it because his players wanted to do it; because they had the spirit, the desire, the fight and the heart. And so, onthe morning of the last big football Saturday, the eyes of the sports world were focused on Columbus, Ohio, where Ohio State and Michigan would battle for the championship of the Western Conference. Rose Bowl Chance Hysteria ran higher than usual in the Buckeye's backyard. A vic- tory for OSU would give them an undefeated season and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Michigan needed a win to garner a cochampionship. When the dust had bleared, a dauntless band /of Ohioans had hammered a Maize and Blue into submission, 21-7, after Michigan had taken an early 7-0 lead and an upset appeared to be in the making. The turning point of the contest came late in the third period. With the score tied, Ohio stopped the Wolverines on the one-foot line after four plays had gained as many yards for Michigan. That magnificent goal-line stand prov- ed to be the straw that broke the Wolverines' back, for the Buckeyes promptly marched 99 yards for the score that turned the huge sta- dium into a madhouse. A third touchdown with less than a minute to play was just extra gravy for Coach Woody Hayes and his team. The visitors marched 68 yards after the opening kickoff to score before Ohio had its hands on the ball. The touchdown play com- pletely confused the Buckeyes. Fullback Fred Baer handed off to Lou Baldacci who pitched off to Danny Cline who swept left end all alone for a touchdown. Michi- gan continued to dominate the contest but could never cross pay- dirt. Underdogs Win It is difficult to say whether the Iowa or Michigan State wins were "bigger." A crippled Wolverine team, overwhelming underdogs, handed the Hawkeyes two touch- downs in the first eight minutes of the game, and then completely outplayed the favorites the rest of the way to win, 14-13. Sophomore end Ron Kramer, who took a 29- yard pass from quarterback Jim Maddock for the final score, con- verted after both scores to provide the margin ,of victory. The game stands as the flower- ing point of the season. The squad played as a cohesive unit for the first time during the year. Herald- ed Kramer started to live up to his pre-season notices and Maddock directed the team superbly. Michi- gan demonstrated to the shirt- sleeve crowd good depth and the ability to come from behind. Fumbles led to both of Iowa's scores. Ed Hickey dropped the op- ening kickoff and it was recovered by the Hawkeyes on the 17-yard stripe. Seven plays later the Maize and Blue trailed by one TD. On the second play from scrimmage on the ensuing kickoff Iowa again snatched up a loose ball. It also took only seven plays to score. From there on in though, it was all Michigan. Capacity Crowd A capacity throng of 97,239 roar- ed gleefully as Michigan picked up its first win against Michigan State since 1949 as it humbled the Spar- tans, 33-7. Kramer, the huge East Detroit end, played his greatest game of the season to lead the vic- tors. Said one newspaper observ- er: "Yesterday he (Kramer) outdid all his previous efforts as he put forth one of the greates individual performances seen in Michigan Stadium in a long time." There were, however, times dur- ing the year that it looked like the closest Michigan would get to Cal- ifornia would be through a travel folder. This was especially true aft- er the debacle against Army. The quarterbacking magic of Pete Vann was the key factor as the Cadets trounced a slightly favored Michi- gan contingent, 26-7. The West - Pointers out-played and out-fought the Wolverines at at every phase of the game. The Army line continually opened gap- ing holes in the Wolverines forward wall. Open with Win Coming after an unimpressive 14-0 win over the Washington Hus- kies gloom settled over Ann Arbor. Playing at Seattle, almost exclu- See KRAMER, Page 11 By JACK HORWITZ Associate sports Editor When the 1955 edition of the Michigan football team trots onto the gridiron to face Missouri in the opening game, most fans will be looking to the future with vis- ions of perhaps an unbeaten sea- son and a trip to the Rose Bowl. After a season in which the Wolverines drove down to the wire before losing their chance for the trip to the coast, Coach Bennie Oosterbaan's gridders will be faced with a schedule, similar to the sui- cidal nine-game card of 1954. Facing Army, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota, Illinois, and Ohio State, all of whom rank among the best in the country, the Wolverines will field a team which appears to be one of great depth in many positions, good team speed, and highly experienced to meet the challenge. 25 Gridders Return The grid squad lists a nucleus of 25 returning lettermen from last season's second place finish- ers in the Big Ten. The returnees include regular , starters at both ends, center, one guard, and quar- terback, fullback, and right half- back in the backfield. To fill in the gaps, many reserve letter winners and some promising soph- omores will also be added to the roster. Probably the only worries which bother Oosterbaan are the tackles and left halfback slots. With the loss of All-American Art Walker and his running mate Ron Geyer at the tackles, and Danny Cline at the tailback spot, the RON KRAMER (No. 87) ... All-American prospect? GLORY AT COLUMBUS-Dave Hill is stopped in the most controversial play in recent years. The big Michigan fullback was slammed at the one footline for the third straight try-and from there the Buckeyes of Ohio State took over-and marched right in to the Rose Bowl, beating Michigan, BIG JERRY GOEBEL-reaches high into the air to bat down one of quarterback Sandy Lederman's aerials and the Wolverines rip the Huskies of Washington in last season's opener, 14-0. Michigan coaching staff will have to use many untried gridders to fill the vacancies. Fullback Question Another question mark may be the fullback slot. Lou Baldacci, who started as a quarterback in 1953, will alternate between the quarterback and fullback posi- tions as he did last season. Dave Hill, another regular fullback, missed the entire spring practice and is still unsure of playing this fall. The loss of Walker and Geyer leaves only John Morrow, a con- verted center, and Bill Kolesar as returning tackles. Morrow, who who played about half of the 1954 season and Kolesar, who saw only 52 minutes of action, will be com- peting with Clem Carona, Jim Or- wig, Jim Davies, Jim Preston, and Dave Owen for the starting as- signments. Owen, the Big Ten in. door shotput champion, has great speed and agility for his 200 pounds and will be a strong can- didate in the fall. Strong Line The rest of the line should be very strong, especially the end po- sitions. Big Ron Kramer, Michi- gan's most likely candidate for All-American honors this fall, is being hailed as one of the finest ends Wolverine grid fans have seen since the playing days of Oosterbaan. His fie pass rcev- in gability, expert marksmanship in converting the points after touchdowns, and a 41.4 yard av- erage in kicking the pigskin, make the 220-pound end a star after only one season of varsity com- petition, In addition to Kramer, the re- turning ends include Tom Maents, Mike Rotunno, John Vesselenak, and Charlie Brooks. In addition, End Coach Matt PataOlli has Dave Ward, Dave Bowman, and, Gordon Morrow as likely pros- pects although they may find it hard to break into the lineup with such an array of regulars ahead of them. Seven Centers The center slot seems quite deep with four regulars returning along with three sophomore prospects. Jim Bates, after being out last season with an injury should be ready for action along with Gene Snider, Jerry Goebel, and John Peckham. Bill MacPhee, Lionel Sigman, and Don Rambiesa will also be trying to break into the lineup. At the guards, Captain Ed Meads, Jim Fox, Dick Hill and Bob Marion are returning this year. Meads and Hill showed some very fine play last season and Hill was regarded as one of the finest guard prospects in the Big Ten. Behind them, a flock of veterans and prospects will fill in the depth at these positions. The backfield will be essentially the same story, lots of depth and a few stars. The strength lies in two positions, the quarterbacks and wingbacks. Baldacci along with Jim Maddock handled this spot last season and both are re- turning. With Baldacci filling the fullback slot part of the time, Maddock will be aided by Jim Van Pelt, winner of the Meyer Morton trophy given to the outstanding prospect in spring practice, John Greenwood, and Paul Baldwin, both reserves last season. Branoff Recovered Tony Branoff will probably start in the right halfback slot, barring any recurrence of the leg injuries which kept him sidelined a good portion of the 1954 season. The hard-driving wingback was the workhorse of the 1953 squad both as a ball carrier and a pass re- ceiver. Behind Branoff, Backfield Coach Don Robinson has Ed Shannon, who filled in for Branoff when the latter was injured. The Chicago junior played 223 minutes of football along with Ed Hickey and George Corey who salso saw See GRID, Page 10 1955 Schedule' l Pueksters Annex NCAA Ice Title MacFarland Leads Hockey Squad To Second Place Finish in WIHL By DAVE GREY The crown of collegiate suprem- acy is being worn proudly again by Coach Vic Heyliger's fighting hockey team. Michigan climaxed a thrilling, season-long uphill struggle when it defeated Colorado College last March, 5-3, to skate off with top honors -- the 1954-55 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) hockey championship. Fifth Title For Heyliger, the win marked his fifth national title in the last eight years. Second place in the Western In- tercollegiate Hockey L e a g u e standings was good enough to gain a playoff berth and the much- sought-after trip to the finals for Michigan at the huge Broadmoor Ice Palace at Colorado Springs, Colo. T h e undermanned Wolverine sextet was perhaps one of the most unusual in history of Michigan sports. Boasting a roster with only one senior-reserve goalie Bill Lu- cier-Michigan not only lacked experience but it was also _shy in depth. Heyliger skated most of the season an 11-12 man team, an almost unheard of small number in today's "fastest sport." Tired certainly was the apt word to describe the Wolverines' early season performance as the neces- sity of double duty started to take its toll. Michigan was barely able to put two full forward lines on ice, while opponents were using three offensive teams. WITH PHIL DOUGLIS . Daily Sports Editor ON BEHALF OF the Michigan sports scene, it is indeed a pleasure} to extend a hearty welcome to you, the class of 1959. During your four years at Michigan, you will have the pleasure of watching some of the world's finest athletic teams perform right- in your own back yard, experiences which will add to the richness of a well-rounded college life.. It it's champions you wanted, you were wise in picking Michigan as your school. No other university in the world can match Michigan in overall championships down through the years. The great Wolverine teams are threats every time they go into a contest-and a quick peak at the record books will show you why. They will show you exactly 100 Big Ten titles won, and 24 shared. They will show you over 116 individual national champions, 15 NCAA team championships, and some 32 unanimous football All-Americans. Education First .,.. BUT MICHIGAN also views sports in their proper perspective. Never does an athletic contest become more important than the educa- tional functions of the University. More than championships, Michigan looks with pride at her great athletic tradition and spirit. This spirit is intangible, and wrap- ped up in names such as Yost, Harmon, Chappius, Kipke, Friedman, Oosterbaan, Mann, Fisher, Ricky, Sisler, Heyliger, and of course Crisler. It is the "Victors" of Ebel, the bands of Revelli, the largest col- legiate stadium in the. world, the cry's of "Roll 'em Up." the smoky atmosphere of a local restaurant on a football Saturday, the open houses on fraternity front porches, the big hockey nights at the Coliseum, the roaring pep rallies, and the big bells of Burton. Typifying this "spirit that is Michigan" was a little incident, that took place last spring. When Michigan's mighty hockey squad won the right to bid for the National Championship at Colorado Springs, Colorado, some five Fichigan students, in a car painted with Maize and Blue slogans, started out across the nation-following the, Wolverines. After a hair-raising series of near mishaps, the group finally ar- rived at the Broadmoor Hotel a day or so later-only to find out that all tickets were sold. But armed with determination and cow' bells, these diehards somehow managed to squeeze into the jammed Ice Palace, and despite the huge Colorado partisan crowd, the group was very audibly in evidence. Tennis Team to By DICK CRAMER " Michigan had a team of destiny last year. After the Wolverines had failed to win a single Big Ten champion- ship in 1953-54, at least one team -the tennis squad - promised from the beginning to regain for Michigan some of its accustomed title glory during the 1954-55 school year. Coach Bill Murphy's netters didn't fail. They followed the script to perfection by sweeping undefeated through a hectic schedule of 13 dual meets and then unseating three-time champion, Indiana, in the Big Ten playoffs at Evanston, Illinois. Start Early The record of accomplishments began with a sparkling southern tour during spring vacation. Only three individual matches were lost in defeating Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, and Georgia on the April jaunt. A full month elapsed before the Wolverines resumed dual meet competition, but they proved that the scledule-break was well used. Not only were Big Ten opponents Northwestern, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan State, Indiana, and Illinois rolled over, but three non-conference foes also met de- feat before Michigan. Losing only three of nine matches against Indiana, the Wol- verines actually found their roughest going against Western Michigan in an "exhibition" meet. The rivals from the great tennis Undefeated Year Netters Capture yBig Ten Crown MacKay, Jaffe, Nederlander Spark BILL MacFARLAND . . . reelected captain skate, and required 36 stitches to be closed. On top of this, fiery new center Tom Rendall was declared ineli- gible, because of an incomplete in his transfer record from the Uni- versity of Manitoba. Coach Hey- liger had more than reason to be pessimisti cabout chances to makeF the playoffs. But "that miracle" must have happened as the Wolverines ever so slowlyu beg n o aiust tfhem-. BARRY MacKAY . . . Number one singles joined a full complement of vet- erans in attracting a pre-season rating of favorites in the Big Ten. Wresting the top three positions on the team from the returning lettermen, the newcomers were led by the spectacular nationally- ranked Barry MacKay from Day- ton, Ohio. MacKay, in the first singles position, went through the entire dual meet season without defeat. 1954