THE MICHIGAN DAILY
FRIDAY, A
Swimrne
Fisher's Pro
Ninth Crown
Hirsch, Iowman IHrI
Copference Victories;
)y BILL MULLENDORE
Backed by a tradition of eight
Western Conference baseball crowns
in the brilliant 23-year tenure of
Coach Ray Fisher, the Wolverine
diamondeers made it nine out of 24
last spring to continue their domi-
nation of the Big Ten baseball scene.
Fisher's men swept through a ten-
game Conference slate without loss,
although held to a seven-inning 4-4
tie by Illinois in a game that was
cut short by rain. Michigan didn't
fare quite so well against non-Con-
ference opposition, but still managed
rs and
teges Win
C in 24 Years
W lveri*es to Ten
WiesIse eds I itters
ine
Dominate
Re spe tive
Fields of Play
Tankmen Regain Conference Title
From Ohio; Lose to Yale in NCA A
talent will greet him on opening day
in 1945.
Knowing Fisher, however, it is
almost safe to predict that the Wol-
verine aggregation will be another
strong one, entirely capable of carry-
ing on the fine Maize and Blue dia-
mond tradition. The steady influx
of freshmen, returning veterans and
armed forces personnel will provide
the basis for the defense of this
year's crown.
Bowman and Lund Will Return
At least two of this spring's start-
ers will be on hand to form a nucleus
for the '45 outfit. Southpaw Bo Bow-
man, who divided the mound duties
with Elroy Hirsch, will be bending
'em in again, and Don Lund, steady
and reliable centerfielder, will be
seeking his third baseball letter while
patrolling in the outer garden. The
other positions will depend on re-
serves and new material.
Such a rebuilding job is a chal-
lenge to any coach, but Fisher can
do it if anyone can. Backed by sev-
eral years as a pitcher in the big
time, the "Vermont schoolteacher"
has demonstrated many times that
he can get the most out of little.
Two Top Pitchers
Last spring, for'instance, the Wol-
verines were faced with a shortage
of pitchers. Not one of the prospec-
tive hurlers in camp had had any
experience at all in college ranks.
But before the season was over,
Michigan boasted the two top fling-
ers in the circuit in the persons of
Bowman and Hirsch.
Bowman had been a high school
star, and his development was ex-
pected; Hirsch had never so much
as surveyed a batsman from the hill.
These two raw recruits hurled the
Wolverines into a championship and
one of the better records amassed by
a Michigan team in recent years.
Bowman Hurls 3-Hitter
Bowman opened the campaign by
throwing a three hitter in the first
of a twin-bill, and two reserve pitch-
ers came through with a seven-hit
jobwhile the Wolverines were poun-
ding the Hawkeye moundsmen for 20
runs. The scores were 7-0 and 20-2.
Hirsch made his first start the
next week-end, facing a powerful
Notre Dame club. The Irish man-
aged four runs in the early frames
but were stopped cold thereafter
while Michigan suddenly came to
life to take the gaie 5-4 in a real
F~ank Merriwell finish. Bowman
gave Notre Dame only five hits the
next day to win 7-2.
Hovanec Spoils No Hitter
The next week-eid Western Mich-
igan came to town and was treated
to some spectacular hurling which
must have left them slightly dizzy.
Bowman opened in the first tilt and
held the Broncos scoreless for eight
and two-thirds innings before first
baseman John Hovanec spoiled his
bid for no-hit fame. Hirsch gave up
only two infield hits in'the nightcap
as Michigan swept both games, 9-0
-and 2-1.
Riding the crest of a six-game
winning streak, the Wolverine bub-
ble was burst by a spunky Camp
Perry outfit which turned some fan-
cy base-running into a 3-2 win. But
when Ohio State came to town it
was the same old story, a four-hitter
by Bowman and a one-hitter by
Hirsch as the Bucks went down
fighting, 2-1 and 5-0.
A win over Grosse Ile Naval Base
and a four-inning rain-shortened
contest with the same club paved
the way for the supposedly crucial
twin-bill with Illinois, but again the
weatherman interfered. Just for
practice, a pair of reserve hurlers
then combined to hold Fort Custer
to two hits a few days later, winning
1-0.
Irish Gain Revenge
Indiana next felt the Wolverine
power, falling 14-3 and 12-1 as the
(Continued on Page 5)
Big Ten Title Is 14th
Win in Mann's Career
By BOB CLINTON
The Wolverine swimming team
kept pace with the other varsity
squads by regaining the Big Ten
championship lost to Ohio State last
year and then went on to lose the
NCAA meet by one point to Yale and
wound up the season by finishing
second te the strong Great Lakes
squad in the NAAU.I
Under the direction t4 Coach Mati
Mann the Wolverines swept to their
14th Western Conference title in 19
years. It was a very decisive victory
as the natators finished with a 30-
point edge over Northwestern, who
was runner-up. In amassing their
total of 72 points, the Wolverines
captured five of nine firsts, six sec-
onds, as well as additional third and
fourths.
Mert Church and Charley Fries led
the way by taking firsts and seconds
in the 50 and 100. Heini Kessler won
the Big Ten breastroke championship
and the medley and freestyle relay
teams took fiist places. Paul Maloney
was second in both the 220 and 4401
losing to Keo Nakama of Ohio State
in- both events. Diving was the only
event in which Michigan failed to
place a man.
Ford Foils M
Led by Alan Ford, the Balboa Bul-
let, Yale edged out Michigan by one
point, 39-38, in the National Colleg-
iates held at the Yale pool. Ford
became the first triple crown winner
in the collegiates since Jack Medica
did it in 1936 by Winning the 50, 100,
and backstroke. In winning the cen-
tury in :49.7, he equaled his own
world's record for the event.
The Wolverines 44-yard freestyle
relay team of Church, Fries, Bill
Kogen and Gordon Pulford gave
Michigan its only first at the meet.
However, due to Naval restrictions, Bainbridge Naval Training Station.
Coach Mann was only able to take a Keifer cut his world's record time
seven-man civilian squad to New in the individual medley and then
Haven.
Lose iBU'scame within a fraction of a second of
On March 31 and April 1, Michigan doing the same in the backstroke.
played host to the best divers and Drop Two to Sailors
Ghe natato:, d o moet0 only to
C-- tLkeinda et competi-
ion, .started the season off by run-
ing way with the Michigan AAU
meet here in Ann Arbor. Michigan
Lthen cdgcd cut Nrthwestern, 46-38
in the first dual meet of the season,
\::;::.:::The next night Michigan met
Great Lakes and received their worst
defeat in two years since Yale drubb-
ed the varsity, 59-16, when the Blue-
jackets beat them, 60-24. Later in
the season, Great Lakes came to Ann
; '1Arbor and again defeated the nata-
tors 46-38.
Ohio State was next on the list
for the Wolverines, and Michigan de-
feated last year's Big Ten title hold-
ers, 57-26. Keo Nakama who cap-
tained the Buckeyes was the only
holdover from last years champion-
ship team. In the last dual meet of
the season Michigan swamped Pur-
due 63-21 as the Boilermakers took
1M[ATT MANN only the diving and gained only one
second in the other events. Ace Cory,
swimmers in the country at the Na- Bill Cooley, and Achilles Pulakus
tional AAU meet. Great Lakes pow- were other members of the squad
erful aggregation, led by Bill Smith who were consistent point getters,
BO BOWMAN-Wolverine ace southpaw who helped hurl the baseball
squad to the Big Ten title with a record of six runs and two defeats.
Included in his feats was a one-hitter against Western Michigan, the
lone bingle coming with two out in the ninth.
ALL-AROUND ATHLETE:
Elroy Hirsch Is First To Win
Four Maize and Je Letters
RUCE BLANCI;IARD
to win five and lose four, for a total
season's record of 15 wins, four los-
ses and a tie.
Plenty of Veterans
As most of the starting nine was
made up of V-12 trainees who have
since left the campus for other sta-
tions, Fisher will be faced with the
task of rebuilding almost from
scratch come next spring. This sea-
son, he had lettermen at almost
every position, but no such array of
Four Residence
f4115s To Eang ge
In Rasketh
This year as in past years, the in-
tramural athletic program will carry
on a program of competitive athle-
tics between the various men's resi-
dence halls.
Although there are only three or
four houses participating, the basket-
ball slate may probably have five or
six teams in the league. The resi-
dence halls during this next seme-
ater will be two houses in the "West
Quad," Fletcher Hall, and 1000 Hill
Street. Last year's champion, Chi-
cago Lodge, will not have the chance
to repeat theiraccomplishment, as
this house will not be used as a men s
residence hall. But the same few
members of last years squad will be
4t Fletcher Hall, thus giving that hall
an added edge over its opponents.
Thus the hard-pressed intramural
athletic season will probably com-
plete another successful semester, and
it will add greatly to the enjoyment
of the male students in these con-
verted residence halls.
Never in Michigan athletic history.
has a man been able to win four let-
ters during the course of one season,
but during the year 143-44 Elroy
Hirsch became the first Wolverine tor
perform this feat.
Hirsch earned his letters in foot-
ball, basketball, track and baseball.
Hirsch was a member of the V-12
program at Michigan and only stay-
ed here one year. At Wisconsin as a
freshman, he was an outstanding
football player and came to Michigan,
with only recognition in that sport.
However, before he had gone very
far, he was known in practically all
sports for his iron-man feats.
In teamng up with Bill Daley in
the Michigan backfield last fall,
Hirsch helped bring the Big Ten
football championship back to Ann
Arbor for the first time in 11 years.
It was his sensational run of 67 yards
on the opening play of the Minnesota
game, that started the Gophers
downfall and returned the Little
Brown Jug to its rightful owners.
Crisler Wasn't Looking
Late in the football season, Hirsch
injured his arm and was unable to
play in the game against his old
teammates. However, in the last
quarter when Coach Fritz Crisler
wasn't looking, he jumped off the
bench and went in to kick an extra
point and score against Wisconsin.
At the start of the basketball sea-
son he reported to Coach Benny
Oosterbaan, and though he had nev-
er played the sport before, he won
the first string center position due to
his fiery and spirited play. At times
he would forget that he was on the
hardwood and not on the gridiron,
but his general all-around playmade
him tops in the minds of Michigan
court fans.
Reports for Track
Immediately following the close of
the basketball season, Hirsch went to
Chicago with the track squad. With
very little practice he leaped far
enough in the broadjump to place
second as well as finish fifth in the
highjump to aid in Michigan's record
total of points.
When the baseball season started,
who should turn up in this new
Michigan was short of pitchers, and
role---none other than Hirsch. It was
during the' baseball season that h
performed his Frank Merriwell acts.
The first of these was on May 13.
The thinclads were having an impor-
tant meet with Illinois and Coach
Ken Doherty needed some extra
points to insure victory for Michigan
fans.
Hirsch came to the rescue and
proceeded to leap 24 feet, 2 inches
on his first try to take a first in the
brgadjump. One hour later he took
up his duties on the mound and
Kolesar ond Greene To Play for
CJollege All-Stars Against Bea rs
who won the 100, 220, and 440 as
well as swimming on the victorious
medley and freestyle relay teams,
scored an easy 54 to 20 win over the
Wolverines.
In winning the three events, Smith
tied Johnny Weismuller's feat 'of
1928. With the exception of Fries
and Johnny McCarthy who placed
third and fifth in the 300-yard indi-
vidual medley, the varsity tallied all
its points in the two relays. An-
other highlight of the meet was the
performance of Adolph Keifer of
Bob Kolesar and Johnny Greene,
two linemen from former Michigan
football "squads, have been selected
to play in this year's All-Star game
Wednesday night, Aug. 30, at Chi-
cago.
Kolesar, who was a regular on the
Wolverine tear of two years ago, has
been working out with this year's
squad in preparation for his tussle
with the powerful Chicago Bear for-
ward wall. In his last year at Michi-
gan, Kolesar was named on most
All-Conference elevens, and was se-
lected by the Detroit Lions in the
post-season draft before he entered
medical school in an Army uniform.
Johnny Greene, 1943 Maize and
Blue left tackle, was one of the bul-
warks in the hard-charging line that
helped carry Michigan to its selec-
tion as the third best team in the
country last year. He was picked by
the Green Bay Packers in their draft
last year and may play with them
this year because he has a 4-F draft
classification.
Also in the lineup for Wednesday's
contest are Glenn Dobbs, former Tul-
sa All-American and triple-threat
star for last year's undefeated Rand-
olph Mield outfit, Charley Trippi, for-
mer running mate for Fireball Frank-
ie inkwich at the University of
Georgia, Pete Layden, 1942 star full-
back at the University of Texas, and
Ellis Jones, red-headed, one-armed
guard from last year's Tulsa grid
squad which played in the Sugar
Bowl.
A bit of color will be added to the
game when Rudy Smeja, last year's
star Wolverine star end, trots out on-
to the field in the uniform of the
Chicago Bears. He will be playing
against two of his former teammates,
Bob Kolesar and Johnny Greene.
WestfalI Signs
With Detroit To,
Play Fullback'
One of the greatest controversies
in Wolverine gridiron history came to
a close a couple of weeks ago when
Bob Westfall signed to play football
for Gus Dorais and the Detroit Lions.
Westfall, a former All-American
for the Maize and Blue in 1942, was
discharged from the Army Air Corps
last spring due to the recurrence of
an injury obtained from falling off a
horse. For several months he was
undecided whether to play with
Michigan or the Lions. Due to the
wartime measuress to make up for
player shortages, he was still eligible
for college play.
In signing with the Lions, West-
fall became the first gridiron great
from Michigan to decide to play pro
ball.
"KEEP A-I!EAD
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You are welcomed. Headquar.
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The Das ola Barbers
Between state and Mich. Theaters
ELROY HIRSCH
shut out Ohio State on one hit, 5-0.
Two weeks later he again performed
in both sports but this time 120 miles
apart.
All over the Map
He got up at 5 o'clock in the morn-
ing and went by car to Champaign,
Ill. when the tracksters were compet-
ing in the Big Ten outdoor meet.
After broadjumping in the morning
round and placing third, he hopped
into the awaiting automobile and
journeyed to Bloomington, Ind. when
he pitched the second game against
the Hoosiers, and enabled Coach Ray
Fisher's men to almost clinch the
diamond title. Throughout the base-
ball season, he won six and lost one.
tA O & RECORD SHOP'
EFINEST IN MUSIC
SHOOTING THE BREEZE:
Coach Ray Fisher Recalls His
Professional Baseball Years
tlC SttJt de' t t
Unweridy
w 4w-
#~'i~i~9 P/Aue
i
By BILL MULLENDORE
One of the most interesting ex-
periences any sports-minded person
can have on the Michigan campus is
an old-fashioned bull session with
Ray Fisher, veteran Wolverine base-
ball mentor whose diamond lore
dates back to the "good old days" of
Major League baseball.
Fisher learned his baseball in the
best school of them all, while hang-
ing up a pretty fair record as a hur-
ler for the New York Yankees and
the Cincinnati Reds some 25 years
ago. His mound experiences include
duels with such greats as Christy
Mathewson and Walter Johnson, and
he takes pleasure in reminiscing a-
bout his feats in pitching to the
Cobbs, Heilmanns, Speakers, and a
host of other immortals.
Pitches for Reds
Although he won't admit it, the
now-balding coach left the majors in
1921 with a better than fair reputa-
would rather get a base hit than
twirl a shutout.
After taking a whirl at teaching
school, where he remained only long
enough to earn his nickname-"The
Vermont School Teacher"- Fisher
took up his coaching duties at Michi-
gan and in his 24-year tenure has
stamped himself as one of the best
collegiate coaches extant.
Figures don't lie, and the figures
in Fisher's case tell the complete
story of his success in the college
ranks. His teams have won nine
Western Conference championships,
far more than any other Big Ten
coach, or school for that matter, can
boast over a similar span.
No Squad Has Edge on Michigan
Only three of his clubs have fin-
ished the season under the .500
mark, and no team has an edge on
him. Only Illinois has even dared to
challenge his supremacy, starting a
rivalry which has developed into one
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