Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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JOE MOLONY, Sports Editor LLOYD HUNTINGTOM' JACK MORGAIN Asn't Sports Editor Intramural Edit( LEONARD DUCKETT, Sports Feature Editor It's No Bolony By Joe Molony Baseball Only a Minor Sport Here Baseball! baseball! America's favorite sport. The son is hummed by millions of Americans. But the echoes aren heard in South Carolina college circles. It's just a minc sport in state colleges here. Baseball's sorry plight hasn't been improved since th war. In fact, it's become increasingly worse throughout th state. The sport, in college, can't carry its own load. It' dependent upon football to finance it. Thus, it's only pastime to the business-minded colleges of today. Even though baseball hasn't paid off for the colleges, it' no reason why the sport shouldn't be better organized amon Palmetto schools. Petoskey Takes First Step Forward '%he first step forward was made by the coach of th University of South Carolina-Ted Petoskey.. He had a lon talk with Coach Jack Coombs of Duke last year and, throug Coombs' persuasion, decided to introduce a Big Four cor ference in South Carolina comparable to North Carolina and Virginia's. Petoskey announced recently that his South Carolin Gamecocks would play under the Big Four setup in 194 and asked other state Southern Conference schools to fall i line. They are reportedly in favor of the conference, bt haven't spoken up yet. This conference, in competition with the Little Four, ma be the answer to baseball's dilemma in these parts. It ma be the organizational backbone for the sport's future. could mean .the advent of big time baseball for South Car< lina and the beginning of an era whereby baseball pays fc itself in state colleges. Keen Rivalry Could Develop With The Citadel, Furman, Clemson and'South Carolir competing in the Big Four and Newberry, Erskine, Pre! byterian and Wofford in thq Little Four, the rivalry shoul be keen. Maybe the calibre of material won't show up unt 195 riN 1951, but stiffer competition means better materi which makes for better baseball games for the paying publi The Big Four will provide more incentive to win amor the players. It will give them a goal at which to shoot ar it will keep the fans interested in their progress. "People in North Carolina follow the Big Four closer tha the Southern Conference," several Duke players said a. year and their coach, Coombs, backed them up. A Step in the Right Direction "It's a step toward big-time baseball," Petoskey said, "ai I believe it'll make the state colleges more baseball conscioL than ever before." When Coombs spoke to Petoskey about setting up a B. Four, he said he was willing to play the Squth Carolir winner in a post-season playoff. He didn't believe the Ta heel Big Four mem1Mrs would object to it. A spokesman f< the Virginia conference was in favor of a post-season serie to determine the Southern baseball champion. This could dlevelop into a big thing. The Little Four cou: challenge the Big Four winner, play at a neutral fiel, preferably centrally located, and represent South Carolir against North Carolina and Virginia. It could expand into sectional and regional tournament or it could fall in lii with the new NCAA tournament plans. The Idea Has Been Presented, But... All of the state schools haven't adopted 'it yet. If the fail to do so, this progressive state will remain in the basi ball doldrums for some time to come 'because opportunit only knocks once. NO BOL4ONY Coach Ted Petoskey was recently elected to two majc baseball committees, the NCAA and the three-man Souther Conference committee . . .The site for the Duke-Sout Carolina game scheduled for Durham April 2 has bee changed to Laurinburg, N. C., just out of Cheraw by mutuw agreement. . .. Hill Mace and Walker Anderson may move u among the top) Gamecock pitchers, Petoskey said. The looked good against Veterans' Hospital last week as Andei son worked six innings and Mace three. . . . We plan to ru standlings, batting, pitching and fielding averages for tli Gamecocks as well as the Big Four teams this year. . . . Thu Newberry game was an exhibition game, not a regular sche< uled o. . . . Johnny Lujack apparently did a good job wit Ho Hagan and Johnny Boyle. They both looked better in th intra-squad game (we hear.) . . . Keith Cribb's hitting ha labeled him a sure bet for the left field berth. . . . If fire baseman Joe Johnston is ineligible, a couple of newe'omer: Adrian King and Gene Rogers, will fight it out fc the job. . . . Coach Jess Alderman wvas talking with Citadel' veteran coach, Matty Matthews, early this week and learne that conference champ Dale Matthews would fight 175 an Timmy Wiggins 145. . . . A recent AP release out of Ricd mond, Va., stated that Carolina would open its baseball ser son with The Citadel March 25 and 26. It was erroneou since the Bulldogs a.4ked to have the game pushed back t A pril 29 and 30 bercause of mid-term exams . . . The Willi brothers, Ken and Don, seem to have us spotted on th Sportsquiz contest. iDon won a couple of wveeks ago and Ke got the tickets this week. Well, that's all the Bolony fo this week, but before we go here's a reminder to dIrop) in o a fellow student, Frank Chibbaro, who's in business for hin self nt Five Points next to Sox's babhue. Il'll,fiv ou u. Bird Nii Strong Staters Out To Avenge - Close '48 Loss The Gamecock baseball team will g open its 1949 baseball season as t underdogs against the strong r Michigan State Spartans Monday afternoon at 3 o'clock on Melton Field. The teams will close the e two-game series here Tuesday. e The locals won't be underrated s by the baseball-conscious Michigan a Staters, however. They remember the 4-3 upset victory on opening day last year-the first time Caro S lina had beaten them since the g series began in 1936. The Gamecocks have added some power since then, but the pitching hasn't improved much.- Jack Couch, former outfielder vho was e converted to catcher, and Rusty Stephens, a hustling second base man, are the added power. How h ever, pitchers Cy Szakacsi and Bill - Camp, who were instrumental in s the Carolina win last year, haven't rounded into shape yet. Frank a Sherer, Walker Anderson and Bill Mace will probably share the pitch ing duties Monday. n1 Anderson, a left hander who t worked one game last year, prac 6 ticed steadily throughout the sea son, and has looked very good in recent practice games will be called Y on a lot this year, Coach Ted Petos key said. Mace has also improved a lot since last season. First baseman Joe Johnston may not play because his ineligibility case is now being considered by the Southern Coiference committee on eligibility. If he should play it a would cause Carolina ta forfeit the game later on. His spot will be filled by either Adrian King d or Gene Rogers. i The probable starting lineup: il Barney Dusenbury, ef; Johnn3 C. Sykes, ss, zr Rusty Stephens, 2b; Jim Pinkerton, 3b; Jack Couch, c; Harry Parone, rf; Sykes or Ste. phens; King or Rogers, 1b; Cribb If and Sherer, Anderson anc n Mace, p. Sportsquiz Ken Willis of Fountain Inn brother of a fornier winner, Doi d Willis, won last week's Sportsqui: Is With three out of four answer: right. He was sent two fre4 tickets to the Carolina theatr< gthriouigh the courtesy of Manage: La Dave Garvin. r'- The answvers ~r 1--A's $100,000 infield: McInnis as Ib; Collins, 2b; Barry, ss; am Baker, 3b. ' 2.-Harry Steinfeldi. 3--Ellsworth Vines. 4--Jerome "Dizzy" Dean. a By answering three of thest a four questions correctly and mail *e ing them to Sports editor, The Gamiecock, e/u camplusq mail, yot may get two free tickets 1--Name five major leagu4 pitchers of the past or the preseni who are nicknamed ''Rube." 2-There are several doublk Y penalties in baseball--whereby the batter and runner are both de clared out on the same play. Cari you name and describe one of them? r 3-Who was the -first Indian te n play major league baseball? He h played for the old C'leveland Spiders, which was later changed to Indians In his honor. il 4--What famous infielder, who p retired just before the war, was y nicknamed '' T h e Mechanical ..Man?" e LEARN THE WAY e ilen's Finest h Clothing e * Kuppenheimer S t * Kingsrldge ;, . Alco r SUITS and TOPCOATS NEW FELT HATS. . Stetson 8 * Schoble ' CLASSY FURNISHINGS i--- - SCOPELAJID CO. 1409 MAIN ST. Favored In me Opens Monday May Not Play A.YC 4Y. M. Joe Johnston is caught in a characteristic pose-stretching for a long throw sit first base. But .1,e might've also stretched out his eligibility string at South Carolina. His case is now being considere< by the Southern Conference committee on eligibilit. le's been going to Carolina for over 10 semesters and under con ference rules he's ineligible for varsity sport.. His loss would be a rough break for Coach Ted Petoskey. %%ho is beginning his second yeau as baseball coach after a 6 and 141 won-and-loss record for 1948. A couple of rookies, Gene Rogers and Adrian King, will play first il .Johnston is ineligible. .Johnston has been the regular Gamecock first baseman for the past two years. During his first. year, 1916. he was a sub. Even so, he hit over .400 during his brief tenure. Hitting close to .300 in 1947 Johnston lumped off to .255 last year. but he wias among the leaders in runs scored and got on base quite frequently. Johnston's vatue to the team goes beyond his hitting and fielding which are better than average. le's a hustler and instils fighting spirit in his'fellow players. A keen student of the game, Joe, whc has been playing ball over 10 years, has improved his first base gamf almost 100% since lie joined the Gamecocks. le was originally a pitcher. le got his start with the Summervill< Pinelanders in the old Charleston city league around 10 years ago le was the ace of the staff for several years, but one day he de veloped a sore arm which soon ended his pitching career. He thei concentratid on first base, made a go of it, and is leaving behind ai enviable record for future Gamectck first basemen to shoot at. THE CANTEEN IS YOURS .,.. so use it SCH-OO.L SUPPLIES JEWELRY SPOR TSW A R & SODA FOUNTAIN ..t....e.elau.... ..... work itostars inth place I Try a bottle. keeps hair in p/act uwithout igness. . Tourun ]Carolina I IMake Seri By LEONARD DUCKEIT The biggest collegiate boxinj show in the South, the Southeri Invitational boxing tournament goes into the semi-final round to night in the Carolina field hous, at 8 o'clock with 16 fights sched uled. The finals will be Saturda. at 8 p. n. Four Carolina fighters expecte< to give anyone they meet a rougl fight were Pete Campassi, 125, Joi Stringer, 130, Grady Decell, 131 and Ray Avant, 145. Jim Brigg man at 155 could also be a serioui threat in his division. Campassi, 1948 Southern Con ference champion, has plenty o: power in each hand. His only handicap is his -;hort reach and stature but he offsets this by :'ontinually bor ing in, never al lowing his op ponent to stand iff and pile up points wit! longi r a n g e punches. Pete's style is colorful and good to watch arid his fights are usually action-packed. Despite the heavy competition from such fighters as LSU's Pee Wee Moss and Maryland's Al Glass, Campassi rates a good chance to come out on top in his division. .Joe Stringer is one of the under rated men on the Carolina team. Joe is a skilled and clever boxer < who can counter punch with th( best of them and works best wher he gets inside Joe, too, is short. er and has short. er reach t h a r most of his op. ponents but h< (oes not let this bother him. The 130-pound class has several STE ALL KINDS Salad and Shoe "GJOT A BIG U TRY D)elicious CHIINESE r CAMPUS Only Arrow oxfords have all these featues: * Perfect fiting Arro collars * Mitoga shap. for trimness * sanforlzed label * Anchored butnons * Crisp, long-wearing Gordon oxford cloth. See yorArrow dealer for aodo xfords todayl AR) SHIRTS UNDErEaR . KamnarI -Page Seven 0 iament 3oxers Can ous Threat good fighters led by Thrash of LSU and Charley Lee of Georgia. Thrash beat Stringer at Baton Rouge and Stringer took a close decision from Lee here. While Thrash will be favored, the chain pionship could go to any oie of the three. Grady Decell, with a fast left hand and good footwork, is one of the smoothest boxers of t h e quintet. G r a d y had trouble with his timing in his first two fights of the year but his punching has been sharp since. W i t h Timmy Wiggins of The Citadel fighting at 145, Decell should be rated near the top of this division. He lost a decision to Buddy Bourgeois of LSU but at the end of the fight he almost had Bourgeois' southpaw style figured out and should give him a better fight if they meet again. Ray Avant is the boy from Georgetown with the fast pair of hands and enough power to make h i in dangerous any time. Ray has a sharp left hook and a right hand that needs travel only a few inches to get full power. lie is an aggressive fight er who likes to carry the fight to his opponent and seldom wastes a movement. Ray's biggest obstacle in the tournament should be Wiggins who holds a close decision over Avant this year. Jim Briggman has a long left hand, unorthodox style and is 'a good counterpuncher. He gave Ed die Reider of Maryland a busy night when they met earlier in the yar amd entild he the dark horse in the middleweight division. AKS $1.00 -string Potatoes INNER D)ATE?" THE L PLAZA nd AMERICAN D)ishes 01CHOICE i ARROW GORDON OXFORDS $3.95 ? OW anid TIES RCHIEFS e SPORTS SHIRTS'