N
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1955 THE MICHIGAN DAILY
PAGE THREE
icligan 's Mie orabl'e
?
,r'°.
6hU6'tlih'/Ikh9...
WITH PHIL DOUGLIS
Daily Sports Editor
AROUND THIS TIME of year nostalgia flows unabated from type-
Swriters and pens of sportswriters around the nation.
As Father Time prepares to amble on into 1956, it is the
accepted journalistic practice to run lengthy reviews of the year
in sport-covering everything from the World Series to that I-M
horseshoe match between Farouks Five and the Turkish Club last
May 12th.
Highlights of the year take in such a wide scope that a long list-
ing of one title after another, one near-miss upon the next, would
be rather tiring to a reader who is hurrying to get home for Christ-
mas. Therefore, permit us to uncloud our memory a bit-and bring
to you some of the things you rarely read about.
If the personal reminiscences of a sports editor should bore you,
then we advise you to quit right now, apd continue your Christmas
packing, shopping, or bull session. However, if you're in a reading
mood, then join .us on a brief sidetrip down the misty-yet vivid
<- trail of Michigan sport-1955 . . . "moments to remember."
Perhaps our story should run chronologically, so let's drift back
first of all to a windy street corner in Ann Arbor-on a grey bitter
cold January day.
It, was 5:00 'o'clock in the evening, and the Michigan hockey
team-weakened beyond belief by graduation and eligibility losses-
had already lost three out of its first four games. Coach Vic Heyliger
chewed his cigar nervously in front of the Union that night as his
squad piled slowly into a bus bound for East Lansing and a date
with Michigan State's resurgent Spartans.
Heyliger turned slowly toward us and said, "Looks like we're
finished.. With the loss of Rendall, we are through. I hardly have
two lines." The cold wind blew harder as the bus pulled away from
the curb.
Inside was silence-there was little joking that night. Soon this
team found itself out on the ice in Demonstration Hall-with a
jam-packed crowd greeting them with a hiss.
Michigan won that night, 7-0. It was incredible. The next night
-playing in Ann Arbor before one of the largest crowds ever to jam
the Coliseum-Michigan again won, 3-1. This team was on its way.
r Exactly two months and 10 victories later we found-'ourselves
winging our way to the Broadmoor Ice Palace in Colorado Springs for
the 1955 national championships.
Everyone knows that Michigan whipped Harvard, 7-3, and Colo
} rado College, 5-3, to take the NCAA title for the fifth time in eight
years. What about the memories-some things that never made the
news?
"Get Michigan".. "
Michigan Sports Hiohliohts of 1955
TOMMY
Iowa on
Maentz's
MAENTZ makes his glorious dash for paydirt to whip
Homecoming afternoon to feature 1955 sports parade,
catch was seen by 60 million TV viewers.
THE VICTORIOUS Michigan he(, )m hails coavh Vic Hey-
liger moments after they won the Nional Championsiip last
March at Colorado Springs,
res lerS
'1' Grapplers Pre
For Holiday Tour
TWolidays
pare
4ney
By DANK ROSENBAU M
tered are John McMahon,
At 7:30, the morning after and Charles Anderson and
167,
Joe
Christmas, a determined band of Atkins, 130 pounders.
Michigan matmen will pile into Making their first start for
WE REMEMBER well the bitter hatred of Michigan out there-the two cars, boundfor the Wikes-jivMicnigan will bill Jurgens 123,
man who sat there across the ice for three nights, no matter Barre tournament in Pennsylvania. Jack Porter 130, Cal Atwood 167,
who happened to be playing, screaming "Get Michigan" and "Dirty Seemingly opt of line with the Jack Marchello 177, and Steve
Michigan" time and time again. - holiday festivities, this trip has a Zervas and Rupert O'Brien 191.
We will never forget the tension-laden walk to the Ice Palace serious purpose; a return to Ann The team will be housed in the
around the lake for that final. game. Crowds milled outside the Arbor with the team title they Wilkes College dormitories so they
brilliantly-lit arena--and as tie already uniformed Michigan squad won last year when they surprised will find no change in scenery.
slowy mvedthrughthemint th rik, prety oloadoColegea favored University of Pittsburgh? Drawings for position will take
slowly moved through them into the rink. a pretty Colorado College group. place on Tuesday, December 27,
coed turned to her date and said, "Look-here come the Michigan preliminary matches start at 200
STATE players now." oach Cliff Keen and assistant Wednesday and the meet is cli-
coach Bob Betzig have primedW
The final thriller was a game to remember-but so was the their men for the season's first maxed by the finals at 8:00 Thurs-
celebrating afterwards. Wild revelry, heightened by a gift case of competition and this tournament day night.
liquid refreshment from an alum-reigned supreme. As we placed will give Michigan's wrestling fans
our phone call back to Ann Arbor to inform a waiting campus-the an idea of what to expect this sea- tIi l 1 1
roar in the room behind us was incredible. Two months of pent up son. Our grapplers will be facing 1111nneiats Eyi
tensions were explodlrig. strong competition for Pittsburgh.
Nor will we ever forget the arrival back at Willow Run. On the Penn. State, Lehigh, and Cornell
plane, several players ventured guesses that no one would be there are also entered. Stage I t a
to greet them. Suddenly, as the team emerged into the giant wait- Twelve Men Going
ing room, over 100 shouting fans broke out into "The Victors"-and Twelve men will make the trip By JOHN HILLYER
we have never seen such grins on any faces as those on the Michigan to Pennsylvania for the 25th an-
hockey team that night. The year 1955 was off to a good start. nual tournament. Don Haney, who Spikes flashed last night in
The spring faded in slowly-and we will never forget that sunny Nvon the 147 pound title last year, frigid Yost Field House as Michi-
May afternoon when Moby Benedict popped a home run over the will be back to try to repeat. So gan's tracksters staged their an-
left field screen; with a man on in the last of the eighth to whip will Frank Hirt, who finished see-; nual dual meet between the frosh-
Iowa, He got a tumultuous reception from the crowd as lie trotted ond at 130, and captain Mike sophsdand junior-seniors on the
across the plate with a grin on his face extending from here to Ypsi. Rodriguez who placed third at squad, the lower-class men flashing
Spring turned into summer-vacation time-and Michigan sports 157. Other veterans who are en- to a 60-55 decision.
as such ended. But rising in the background the rumblings of big-
t
'
P
e
Y
of
', I
0'
g oopsters Open Six-Game
tide Slate Tomorrow at Butler
By STEVE IEILPERN
impressive height to throw at the Perigo believes this is the tougl
Vaton time's here-but not Wolverines: Denver has reportedly est non-Conference schedule 1-
the ihioan cagers, improved over last year; and as has seen since coming to Michigan
Ti'ev 1ca e by train, this after- for the Buckeyes--they're plent'y "But," he adds, "a schedule lii
noon, for 1ndhauapolis, Where tiney tough. .this can help us as far as the B:
will batie Butler tomorrow night. Butler, Saturday's foe, always Ten is concerned. We'll certain:
The Butler game is but the first gives Michigan stiff competition. be ready when the Conferenc
of K: eans to be played during The Bulldogs have faced three Big opener with OSU comes along."
tie Christmas holidays. Following Ten opponents to date, beating The next home game afti
are away tilts with Oregon State Wisconsin, then losing successively school resumes is with Purdu
n plus home games with to Ohio State and Illinois. Jan. 9.
Denex' Brghm Young and Ohio -_____________________________
Coach Bill Perigo and assistants
Dte Stack and Matt Patanelli
I laomay the 12-man travel-
, iw fly to Cor-
ih. Q, next SudayT
W ay Ore , Oregon St.
Michigan plays Oregon State
I here next Tucday, and junkets -
to Euzueaf 'c asfor a clash'
> following night.
'1 hni'bukto Ann Arbor for :
a.... .c-mn :omestand against
Denver < Lc. 27. ., Brigham Young
Dcc. :0 and Ohio State Jan. 2).
The ' w not really a 'breather'
Oni theii eay
C-s oua
rumei'nt.. raj n. eight in the
Assoeia ed Press basketball poll:
Oregon Stte and Oregon have
MIKE IIODRIGUZ
... ilkes-Barre bound
uad Coite
The meet, at wh'im former
tz
e
varsity mile star Don McEwen as
a guest official, served a twofold
purpose--it was Coach Don Can-
ham's last look at his hopefuls bie-
fore the squad listing is posted on
Monday, and also provided a bit,
of a warmup for the mile relay
team's journey to New Orleans to
time high pressure football publicity grew ever louder as August
faded into September.
It wasn't long before Michigan's favored Wolverines, ranked best
team in the nation, swept out onto the Michigan Stadium turf-to
provide us with nine weeks of exaltation, heartbreak and excitement.
We remember the afternoon up at Minneapolis-Queen City of
the North-as Michigan rolled to its fifth straight win of the year.
14-13. The night before, while arriving on the sleek "Empire Builder,"
we listened to the stories of an old Big Ten umpire travelling to the
game-who remarked how many times the "great" have suddenly
folded at mid-season.E
That afternoon his words were recalled-and even emphasized-
as we left the Stadium. On the wind-swept corner of University
Avenue S.E. and 19th, an inebriated Gopher partisan reeled through
a stadium portal-and shouted at us to come over.
The old man muttered something under his breath and then
muttered, "You were lucky today, bud. Wait 'till Illinois and Ohio
State get you." We grinned, and walked on-but those words were
strangely prophetic.
Macn tz's Day...
THE NEXT WEEK was our last chance to really celebrate. The}
Pucks ters Take On, S
After Chris tmas B reak
By DAVE GREY
A well-deserved and needed
three-week rest lies in store for
the Michigan hockey team.
The Wolverines will "take aI
break" until the January 6-7
weekend when they will play a
home-and-home series with Mich-
igan State, starting at East Lans-
ing on Friday and returning to
Ann Arbor on Saturday.
Situation 'Good'
The Heyligermen's second place
in the Western Intercollegiate
Hockey League standings could
be described as "good" but not too
important at this early stage in{
Wednesday night gave a good
indication that the Wolverinesr
have, as Heyliger pats it, "re-
gained the desire to skate."
A surprising 4-2 beating by
North Dakota, after a fine 5-1
win the night before, and the dis-
appointing 3-3 tie with Denver
Tuesday night are the only factors
Volleyball Champs
Sigma Alpha Epsilon won the
I-M fraternity volleyball cham-
pionship last night by edging
Sigma Chi, 4-3.
that keep Michigan from being
at the very top of the heap.
NoDaks Should Drop E
The general League situation
compete in the Sugar Bowl meet - ~_-
there on January 2.- ;
Particularly impressive, so mu:: l
so, in fact, that their times were
withheld, were Ron Wallingfvrd ;
in his winning effort in the mle
and freshman Helmar Dollwet in
his victorious two-mile periorm. Ne, t Loken and four of his
ane. y -mts, Ed Gagnier, Wayne
Tom Hendricks took second in Warren, and freshmen Tom
the 60-yard dash, which was won O'Connor and Jim Haslett, will
by Johnny Johnson in :064, and depart for the sunny south over
won the 65-yard lows in :07.7. n the holidays.
the latter event, sophomore Dick The group is going to Sarastota,
Hill took second, and Hill came in Fla. to take part in the annual
first in the 65-yard highs in a gymr:astics clinic held there be-
time which was withheld. innng Dec. 26
The Sugar Bowl meet, an invita Loken has the job of being direc-
tional affair involving the cream for of the North-South meet held
of the nation's track stars, is a dur ing the clinic. Top gymnasts
1 part of the annual Sugar Bowl from all over the country take
pageant in New Orleans which is pa in this nieet. Ed Gagnier of
climaxed by the football game.Michigan has a good chance to be
Michigan's entry, the mile relayj chosen to compete.
foursome of Bob Rudesill, Laird set
Sloan, Dick Flodin nd GrantL OCKEY SCORES
Scruggs, should receive its tough-
est competition from Oklahoma Detroit 4, Toronto 0
A&M's entry, which vill be an- Boston 4, Chicago 1
chored by the NCAA quarte-mile Montreal 2, New York 0
champ, Jesse Mashburn.
1 i j P c .
Iltivet
' O 'i>t e w a y h o m e = J i
- Stpina
rainy Homecoming spectacle was indelibly stamped forever on the race.
the minds of thousands as Tom Maentz sprinted to paydirt with Jim Most significant is that Michi-I
Maddock's pass. Up in the press, box-staid sportswriters jerked to gan seemed to get itself straight-
their feetvnrd ma n - i-of. fur. d rl u lvdac nnriinn- nr. inc i-nn n ri mnit, a rinst n-nve after nn a
UIUiC-aQiiiy o us iounc ourselves pouna ng associaues upon ktuuuu gai i.tiv aie
-seems to be this: Michigan, Den-
the back with more than tenderness. up-and-down series of four games ver, and Colorado College should
The roof caved in down in Champaign. The game is old hat by i six days. fight it out for the top with North
now. The name Mitchell is a depressing thought in Ann Arbor. It is A sparkling 6-2 "must" win l'Dakota close behind. Heyliger
hard to forget the "I told you so" acid comments of the press up in
the scribes' loft high over Memorial Stadium. It is hard to forget the{
long, long walk out of the hollow, empty stadium long after dusk-
after the obituary was wired to Ann Arbor.
After the mechanical win over Indiana, the darkest day came.
You want to forget Cassady, Vicic, and 17-0. You want to
erase forever the memory of that afternpon-which saw your hated
rivals just 60'miles to the north make merry of your downfall.
But it remains, nevertheless, as great a dissappointment as the
hockey championship was a thrill. We will never forget Ben Ooster-
baan saying, "It wasn't my first dissappointment-it won't be the
last"--reflecting the real gentleman that he is.
The day the Scarlet Scourge emptied its venom in Ann Arbor
will never be forgotten. But somehow-Michigan still stands.
over a powerhouse Denver sextet firmly feels that the Nodaks will
WIHL STANDINGS I
North Dakota ...*
MICHIGAN...,
Colorado College.
Denver.
Michigan State,
Minnesota ......,
Michigan Tech
W L T I'ts*
4 2. 0 '7
1 1 0 1
0 1 1 1
0 2 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
have a hard time staying out in
front. The standings are some-
what deceiving at this point.
Michigan will not resume full-
scale practice until the 31st of
December, but there will be a good
deal of important WIHL action in
the meantime. Minnesota and
Michigan Tech will get into the
scramble for the first time during
the vacation.
-1 ----- -- ---- - ~ 7
'Games in which teams play each
other four times during the-season
count one point each; each game
between teams that meet only
twice count two points apiece.
I