SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1955
THE MICHIGAN
INDOOR SPORTS CONTEST:
DAILY PAGE 3
Big TenChampions Up for Decision Saturday
By PHIL DOUGLIS
EVERY YEAR around this time
as March blows in like a lion.
along with it cones "Big-Ten"
night, a vertable three ring circus
of indoor sports events.
Two months of prepaiation in
dual meets, none of which count
in the standings, have gone before,
and all this culminates in one mad
evening during which four Big
Ten championships are decided
simultaneously.
This year, Saturday is the big
night, which will see the Con-
ference crown its wrestling and
gymnastics champions in Minne-
apolis, its track king in East Lan-
sing and its top swimming team in
Columbus.
THE OUTLOOK for this year
seems to cast the Buckeyes of
Ohio State as swimming favorites
with Michigan as their chief com-
petitor.
Despite the receit Ohio State
aquatic reign of terror, a string
which has reached six straight.
Michigan still holds more swim-
ming titles than any other team.
In the two decade span from
1927-48, the Wolverines splashed
to 16 conference titles, all under
the tutelage of Matt Mann, who
retired at the close of last season.
Back in the thirties, the Wol-
verine powe-houses included sch
names as Jack Kasey Taylor
Drysdale, Ogden Dalrymple. Torn
Haynie Walt Tosmski and Chaley
Barker,
But no Big Ten tank title'has
ever tasted so sweet as ths Mihi-
an triumph in 1948-its lst one
to date.
The Woltsinesass ere headed by
the famed Harry Ho ii' ,.but also
on their roster was a man nased
Gus Stager- -known fsr better to-
day as Michigan' spri 'ecuas-
ming coach.
The Iowa pool uasm ined io
the rafters as thoiusais ce to
see if mighty Ohio Blate, spear-
headed by di'vr B'ru Harlan
snow Mihigan diving coahs.ills
Smith and Miller Anderson, could
take its third conference crown in
a row, Northwestern had the gret
Bill Beusner: Iowa boasted of
Wally Ris; and Purdue was head-
ed by the famed Keith Carter,
giving the meet a sar-siuidded
flavor.
Despite thosfact that it won only
three firsts, Matt Mann's Michigan
team nipped OSU, 62-59, to take
the crown as diver Oil Evans took
a crucialthird pase. Every single
conference record fell that night
as Michigan tasted its last cham-
pionship to this very day. Six
years is a long time to wait, but
maybp Saturday the Wolverine
will reign supreme once again.
TURNING to track, Michigan
has not won an indoor cinder
title since 1945, and from all ap-
pearances, it will have to be ranked
second to pre-meet favorite Illi-
nois again this year.
Despite the fact that the Maize
and Blue has copped 15 confer-
ence indoor meets, the Illini, along
with Ohio State, have left the
Wolverines as bridesmaids for nine
successive years,
But the last Michigan indoor
title in 1945 was one never to be
forgotten. Over 18,000 screaming
fans jammed the mammoth Chi-
cago Stadium for the war-time
event, and Michigan coach Ken
Doherty, now at Pennsylvania, was
worried about Illinois-as usual,
The meet started out with one
of the most amazing occurences
in conference history. In the one
mile run, five straight Wolverines
crossed the finish line in a row
-an unparalleled occurrence. The
Illini went on to win seven titles
to Michigan's two, but Dohert's
25 man squad piled up points in
the runner-up and third positions.
When the dust had cleared, 18
Wolverines had garnered points,
14 had produced their best efforts
of the season, and Michigan had
beaten Illinois by nine-tenths of
one point, 55-54 1/10. It was the
last title for Michigan indoor track
force, for a long, long time.
THE OTHER indoor meets on as Illinois, Michigan State, and igan grapplers have been rated and Illinois, the pre-meet favor-
Saturday's agenda are gym- Minnesota all must be rated above among the nation's best, and this ites, Michigan can spring an up-
castles and wrestling. Newt Lo- them. However, the Lokenmen are year they will again figure prom- set, and a good bet is that Michi-
ken's gymnasts certainly can not expected to give a good showing inently in the March 5th set-to gan will be very close to the top
be figured upon for a champion- for conference gym fans. at Minneapolis, though they are when the last groan has died
ship (Michigan hasn't won a con- Wrestling is a different story. not favorites, away.
ference gym crown in 53 years) In recent years, Cliff Keen's Mich- Despite dual-meet losses to Iowa See INDOOR, Page 7
I
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