I PAG'E SiX! THE MICHIGAN DAILY FRI'AY, APRI191957 'Nine's GOPHERS WITH PROBLEMS? Conference Chances Hinge on Pitching Fisher Fears Hurling Still Weak- By RUDE DIFAZIO An old baseball axiom says a good team is strong up the middle; catching, pitching, over second base and centerfield. By this rule we can draw a line on the strength of the Michigan baseball team and its chances in the Big Ten race. Catching is adequate, Gene Sni- der is a competent receiver: who, at 25, has the savvy to handle the younger pitchers on the squad - something badly needed. Coach Ray Fisher bemoans the fact that his pitchers are not up to Big Ten standards. They must show improvement for the team to better last year's fourth-place finish. In returning lettermen Bruce Fox, Don Poloskey, Glenn Girar- din and Jim Clark Fisher has ex- perience. But they must do better than last year. Fox and Poloskey had identical 2-1 records last year but Fox rank- ed 12th in earned run average in decided, hinging on the pitching, Herrnstein, and the continued good showing by Boros. Big Ten Outlook What of the rest of the teams in the Conference? Minnesota, the defending Big Ten titlist and NCAA champion, the 9re Iie... WITH DAVE GREY The Baseball Saga BASEBALL, baseball, and more . . . just read today's sports page, or any sports page any of these days, for that matter. The Major League season is back with us again. How can we miss it? Most of us are caught in the phenomenon of following profes- sional baseball. Yet how often do we sit down for a moment to realize some of the implications of this mass spectator sport? the Conferencewitn2.,whleI was expected to mimic the Yankees Poloskey was 19th with 3.43. At second base Ken Tippery is one of the better performers in the conference. At shortstop, Fisher's, experi- mental moving .of Steve Boros from third base has paid off. In center field John Herrnstein is still a question mark. He is hit- ting only .179 but some of these nits have come at vital times. So Michigan's fate is still un- L' and run-away with the crown again this year but it came back from its Southern swing through Texas with two wins and two ties in seven games. The Gophers' trouble seems to be down the middle. Pete Badali was considered their shortstop but inadequacies at second base have forced him to be moved there; Ohio State, last year's runners- up, have only three returning let- termen outside of pitchers, with catching a major weakness. Wisconsin CouldSurprise Wisconsin, the number three team last year, is the club that Fisher thinks could surprise every- one and take the crown. Northwestern, which finished fifth last year, has a fine pitching staff coming back, led by Dale Pienta, but the Wildcats appear to be weak at bat." Of the other teams - Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Purdue, and Illinois - the Hawkeyes and the Spartans appear to be the ones who have made the most improve- ment. Illini Might Surprise Illinois might surprise if its vic- tory over Mississippi's NCAA quarter-finalists this past week is any indication. In any event, the Big Ten battle for the championship should be quite a fight, now that Minnesota appears to be faltering. Ohio State, by the way, is not eligible for NCAA participation in any sports. ANNOUNCEMENT BY Illinois College of OPTOMETRY Applications for admission to classes beginning September 9, 1957 are now being received. Three year course of professional study Leading to the Degree of Doctor of Optometry Requirements for Entrance: Two years (60 semester hours or equivalent quarter hrs.) in spe- cified liberal arts and sciences. WRITE FOR BULLETIN TO: REGISTRAR ILLINOIS COLLEGE of OPTOMETRY 3241 So. Michigan Ave. Technology Center, Chicago 16, II. --Daily-Charles Curtiss SAVVY AND 9URPRISE-Gene Snider (left) at 25 provides the Wolverines with seasoned know-how behind the plate and Steve Boros (right) has been a surprise at short after his switch from third. Together with Ken Tippery, they supply Michigan with needed strength up the middle. Uncertainity about the pitching staff and John Herrnstein's ability at the plate leaves the team's future in the air. 1929 TRIP: Baseball and Kimonos (This is the concluding part, of a two-article series concerning the 1929 trip to Japan made by Michigan's baseball team.) By FRED KATZ Or August 29 the touring Mich- igan team sighted Japanese land, and during the next four weeks encountered experiences which could not be envisioned in its most exotic dreams. Nary a man was allowed to even carry his own luggage after he left the ship. The men still had their hands full, however, auto- graphing everything from hand- kerchiefs to kimonos for the de- lighted natives of the island. Many Parties Almost every dignitary of Japan threw parties in honor of the vis- itors. A typical fete included shark's fins, barnacles, and sea- weed, all delicacies. They also had enough sukiyaki to last them a lifetime. This was all eaten with the aid of chopsticks, naturally, while they squatted on silken cushions. A "must" for every tourist of Japan is a visit to that land's greatest institution, the Geisha house, and the Wolverines made certain not to bypass any of this traditional hospitality. They were surprised to find that the girls were quite adept in performing the dances that were sweeping Ameri- ca in the late '20s. As for the main order of busi- ness, baseball, the men from Michigan proved to be a tremen- dous drawing card, bringing in as many as 35,000 fans in games against Keio, Gojo Club, Waseda, Meiji, Tokyo Club, Yokahama, Nagoya Club, and the Ocean Club. Waseda Meant 'Trouble' Waseda was the only team to set back Michigan, whipping the Americans, 4-2, and then tying them, 2-2. The Wolverines emerged victorious in their other nine contests. Fisher pointed out that the baseball used by the Japanese, and during the series, is slightly smaller than the customary nine- inch ball used in the states. How- ever, it appeared to bother Michi- gan not at all. The noticeable characteristic of the host players themselves was their lack of power at the plate, thereby limiting their brand of ball to primarily defensive. Coach Fisher also pointed out that their pitchers were not fast but were extremely "cute." A couple of players of note were members of the 1929 club. Bill McAfee, the leading hurler of the mound corps, later signed a con- tract to play professional ballcand went as far as triple-A ball. Ernie McCoy, also on the roster, later gained fame as head coach of Michigan basketball. Future Trip? How about a future overseas baseball excursion? Fisher is def- initely in favor of it. Although plans have not yet begun to ma- terialize, it is reasonable to pre- dict that a trip could be made within a very few years. This time, however, it would have to be financed by the State Department; When and if this takes place, the last line of Louis Elbel's "The Victors," might have to be changed to include "Champions of the East." Food for Thought... BASEBALL makes our lives more interesting; it gives us something to talk about with friends either in casual conversation or in deeper, analysis. It gives us something to speculate over, to second- guess, and even to argue about. Baseball, now especially with so much television, is an ideal recreational pastime. It's some- thing to seek out in the morning or afternoon papers. You can lis- ten to, watch, or go to it almost as much now in the evening as in the afternoon. Some fans have. even gone to the point to suggest occasional games in the late morning to accommodate those: people who start on the late aft- 4. ernoon work shifts. Baseball is something that we can follow in black and white. There is no element of doubt when w the statistics book can tell us who did what, when, and where. It's mapped out clearly; and, if we are hurried, it takes only a glance to tell us what is going on. How many sports or similar activitiesSW ING in season in the United States oc-. oWiG cur so regularly as baseball? . . . of the times The game itself is a unique one. The time element tends to be a little tiring, but not seriously so. It is paced slow enough so that there is time between every pitch -- time for anticipation. It is a very easy game to follow as compared with other sports, such as football. A Sense of Finality... BASEBALL, as with most athletics, has a sense of finality and com- pletion to it. In contrast to our daily lives which are not so cut-and dried, baseball has a definiteness. No two games are ever alike, and it seems as if no two situations are ever quite the same. There is the ever-popular underdog, and' baseball, too, does not play against a clock that can put matters out of the realm of possibility. Baseball has identification for your home town or for personali- ties. It offers something to root for with as much energy as you may want: For many fans, old and young, baseball is a galaxy of stars to be gazed upon. For the youngest fans, baseball is a game of heroes, men to admire. And over the recent years, baseball has helped become a pioneer. ing symbol for freedom where the individual is rated on what he can contribute and not how he talks, looks, or believes. Baseball, in a small way, is democracy in action. For those of us that have participated in the sport, it is a chal- lenging activity that ties brainwork, teamwork, and individual ail. ity into an interesting knot. And for the boys on the playgrounds, baseball makes a con- crete contribution to our society. Besides the advantages of activity, it teaches many things. Fair play and learning to win or lose gracefully are things that can be best found out in practice. With the greater emphasis on sandlot baseball, there are probably many more youths who are able to stay out of trouble, while father and son throwing a ball in the back yard is still another positive factor. The tradition of baseball is Americana. Look for it. Feel it around you. J. a. >. i 0 E195 VAN BOE H Make your SPRING OUTI NGS complete.. rS IVA " 17 Nickels Arcade Stock up at Choose Westinghouse for a rewarding future ! BEER * WINE ! 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