Memphis World Memphis World Publishing Co. 1956-03-23 Mrs. Ross Brown BEATING THE GUN This time a year ago one of the burning Questions in baseball was the fate of Elston Howard, the first Negro to get a bona fide shot with the New York Yankees. Howard had come up from Toron to, where he had enjoyed a tremendous 1954 season in the International League. He had been named the league's most valuble player. Howard had worked as a catcher for the minor league club. The Yankees of course, had a fellow by the name of Yogi Berra, the outstanding catcher in the American League. Obviously, Howard had little chance of seeing much action behind the plate. But in the minors the tall St. uisian had played the outfield s main hope to become the first tan Yankee rested on his ability to break into the outfield. Howard met this challenge, seeing much action against lefthanded pitching. He also gave the tirless Yogi respite from work behind the plate. Howard's performance in his rookie year was an impressive one. He batted, .290 and hit 10 home runs. Thus this year there is no speculation on Howard's status as a Yankee. He has it made, as the saying goes. Manager Casey Stengel right now is mulling over the problem of how best he can use Howard. Stengel has said that he intends to give Berra more rest, and it's likely that Elston will spend many afternoons as the catcher of the second game in doubleheaders. That would still leave him available for service in the outfield, possibly in Stengel's famed platooning scheme. Howard also would be useful as a righthand pinchhitter. As for Howard's catching ability there has never been much doubt that he would develop into a truly fine receiver. This is endorsed by one of the greatest catchers of all time. Bill Dickey now a Yankee Coach. "He has a better throwing arm than Berra." Dickey said the other week. He has power at the plate and there are some who think he will hit for a better average than Berra over the long haul. "Not that I'm putting him over Yogi." Dickey explained. "It's no fluke for Yogi to keep winning all those most-valuable player awards But Howard really hasn't had much of a change to prove what he can do back of the plate simply because Berra is too hard to move out." The sociological angle involving Elston was a much touted subject last year. How would the haughty Yankee teammates accept him? The Yankees had never had a Negro, and there was serious doubt, as long as the team kept winning, that it wanted one. The tan player who surmounted the barrier, it was sickeningly repeated, had not only to have talent on the field but to have certain modest attributes off The whole thing smack of Uncle Tomism. Howard must be "well behaved," as Stengel describes him But he also is a ballplayer. Ultimately, that is what his manager and teammates appreciate. This is the way one of them Joe Collins, the veteran first baseman, sized up the situation: Tennis Has Produced Fewer Upsets Than Any Other Sport It is a moot question which has produced the greatest upsets. Which would you say? Racing, football. hockey, basketball, golf, baseball, tennis, boxing? Racing produces upsets every day. Every week, football comes up with scores of surprising results during the season Which rates as the No. 1 surprises among the different sports? The Braves were In last place on July 4 that year, went on to win the pennant and then crushed Connie Mack's great team in four straight in the world series. That was the top baseball upset to date. Braddock was just off the bread line and figured to get slaughtered. The late Eddie Nell, who was to die as a war correspondent in Spain, took 25 to 1 on Braddock. just because he liked Braddock, and won his bet. As for hockey, do you remember in 1928 when Les Patrick, then a grey-haired 45, stepped into the New York ranged net after Goalie Lorne Chabot was incapacitated, and beat the Montreal Maroons? The "imposible" Rangers then went on to win the Stanley Cup. As for racing you may remember that a nag named Upset scored the only victory over the impeded Man O'War at Saratoga And next to that, also at Saratoga, was Jim Dandy's 100-to-1 upset over Gallant Fox and Whichone in the mud at Saratoga. Football's tops to us was Columbia's 7-to-0 decision over a great Stanford team in the Rose Bowl. Tennesse State In Pre-Season Practice Drills Baseball Coach Raymond Whitmon will have to build a whole new team for his 20game diamond schedule this season. Nate Smith, center and three pitchers, Dave Smith. William "Fire-baller" Matthews and Bob Saunders are the only veterans out as pre-season drills start. With only five players from the past season's 10-3 Tiger nine, Whitmon lost the entire veteran in-s field and rightfielder George "JoJo" Altman through graduation First-stringers Fred Valentine, centerfield and Leon Jamison, leftfield have been sidelined by Injuries from the football season. Jo-Jo Altman. Tennessee's longball whalloper for two reasons Is in spring training with the Chicago Cubs farm system. The varsity baseball schedule for the season follows: April 3, Kentucky State College, Nashville April 4, Kentucky State College, Nashville April 9, Jackson College, Nashville April 10, Jackson College, Nashville April 16, Alabama A and M. Nashville April 17, Alabama A and M. Nashville April 23, Alabama A und M. Normal, Ala. April 24, Alabama A and M. Normal, Ala. April 27, Central State College Nashaville April 28, Central State College Nashville April 30, Grambling College. Grambling. La. May 1, Grambling College, Gramb ling, La. May 2, Jackson College, Jackson, Miss. May 3, Jackson College, Jackson, Miss. May 7, Grambling College, Nashville May 8, Grambling College, Nashville May 11, Central State College, Xenia, Ohio May 12, Central State College, Xenia, Ohio May 14, Kentucky State College, Frankfort, Ky. May 15, Kentucky State College Frankfort, Ky. Tan Stars Back With Angels On pacific Coast Three Tan stars are back with the Los Angeles Angels, top Chicago Cubs farm team, as the Pacific Coast club open ed spring training in Wrigley field here early this week. They are Sam Brown, former UCLA all-coast football star who is A veteran of two season's play with the Angels; Buzz Clarkson, a thira baseman and Piper Davis, utility man, who can play any position except pitch. Like Brown, both are two years veterans with the team. Meanwhile, four major league exhibition games are on top for Wrigley Field during March. The New York Giants. Cleveland Indians and Beltimore Oriol will play two Games here. Hampton Pirates List Spring Sports Schedule The Hampton Institute Pirates will open their Spring sports schedules with a triAngular track meet at Virginia State College March 31, and a home tennis match against Virginia Union University, April 7. John Mudd, a 1953 CIAA tennis champion, has returned to bolster a very strong Hampton net team. Mudd and Capt. William Monroe form the most feared doubles and singles combine in the loop. Alonzo Jackson and Leon Bailey are other returning lettermen to the 1955 Championship squad. The schedules: April 7. Virginia Union at Hampton April 12, St. Paul's at Lawrenceville, Va. April 13, North Carolina College at Durham April 14, J. C. Smith at Charlotte April 18 St. paul's Hampton April 20, North Carolina College at Hampton April 25. Morgan State College at Baltimore April 26. Virginia Union at Richmond May 5, Morgan State at Hampton May 8. Bluefield at Bluefield. W Va. May 10. 11. 12, CIAA Championships at West Virginia State College. Institute. W. Va. TRACK The Hampton Institute Pirates will open their Spring sports schedules with a triAngular track meet at Virginia State College March 31, and a home tennis match against Virginia Union University, April 7. John Mudd, a 1953 CIAA tennis champion, has returned to bolster a very strong Hampton net team. Mudd and Capt. William Monroe form the most feared doubles and singles combine in the loop. Alonzo Jackson and Leon Bailey are other returning lettermen to the 1955 Championship squad. The schedules: April 7. Virginia Union at Hampton April 12, St. Paul's at Lawrenceville, Va. April 13, North Carolina College at Durham April 14, J. C. Smith at Charlotte April 18 St. paul's Hampton April 20, North Carolina College at Hampton April 25. Morgan State College at Baltimore April 26. Virginia Union at Richmond May 5, Morgan State at Hampton May 8. Bluefield at Bluefield. W Va. May 10. 11. 12, CIAA Championships at West Virginia State College. Institute. W. Va. TENNIS The Hampton Institute Pirates will open their Spring sports schedules with a triAngular track meet at Virginia State College March 31, and a home tennis match against Virginia Union University, April 7. John Mudd, a 1953 CIAA tennis champion, has returned to bolster a very strong Hampton net team. Mudd and Capt. William Monroe form the most feared doubles and singles combine in the loop. Alonzo Jackson and Leon Bailey are other returning lettermen to the 1955 Championship squad. The schedules: April 7. Virginia Union at Hampton April 12, St. Paul's at Lawrenceville, Va. April 13, North Carolina College at Durham April 14, J. C. Smith at Charlotte April 18 St. paul's Hampton April 20, North Carolina College at Hampton April 25. Morgan State College at Baltimore April 26. Virginia Union at Richmond May 5, Morgan State at Hampton May 8. Bluefield at Bluefield. W Va. May 10. 11. 12, CIAA Championships at West Virginia State College. Institute. W. Va. Johnny Podres To Be Inducted On Next Monday Col. Paul Askt, New York City Selective Service director, announced Wednesday that Brooklyn Dodger southpaw Johnny Podres will be inducted into the Army next Monday. The announcement came one hour after Podres' papers were transferred from his local draft board in Witherbee, N. Y. to the New York City Board of Transfer, as Podres had requested in the hope of winning a delay. Colonel Askt commented only Tuesday that it might "take 30, 40 or 50 days" before Podres Is called. No specific reason was cited for his hasty induction, set for 7:30 a. m. in EST March 19. Thee drafting of Brooklyn's world series hero touched off a tirade by Boston slugger Ted Williams, who charged Tuesday night that Johnny was bring drafted by gutless" authorities "for no other reason than he gets famous by beating the Yankees, in the world series." Podres recently was reclassified 1-A from 4-F after being deferred three years due to a bad back. "Podres Is paying the penalty for being a star," said Williams who was recalled as a Marine flyer at 34 for Korean action 1952 "If Podres had lost those world series games. he would probably still be with the Dodgers." SLIDING SLUGGER— A new role for Giant Willie Mays, during the spring training season at Phoenix. Ariz., is worrying about base running. Willie has solved the problem of being picked off base by simply knocking the ball out of the park at every opportunity. Willie, shown here sliding under Giant pitcher Ernie Btoghe during an intra-squad game, has shown such tremendous hitting power in exhibition games that he is already being footed as the man to beat Babe Ruth's 60-hmer record this year. (Newspress Photo) 'SIESTA FOR THREE DON'S— Taking refuge from the Florida sun, under Don Newcombe's sombrero, are the other two Don's on the Dodger squad, Don Zimmer, left, and Don Bessant, infieldes and pitcher respectively of the world championships. (Newspress Photo) FANCY, MEETING YOU HERE!— New York Giants' boss, Horace Stoneham. keeping his straw in the wind, greets a familiar face, Monte Irvin, at the Chicago Cubs training camp in Scottsdale, Ariz. From the awme hitting that Stoneham saw, he may be sorry he sold to the Cubs, before the season is over. (Newspress Photo) Chi Comets Win Midwest Regional AAU Cage Title Attorney General Herbert Brownell announced Tuesday that he hopes those guilty of the slaying of Rev. George W. Lee in Belzoni, Miss, last May would be "discovered and dealt with as justice demands under the laws of the state. After further investigation into this situation he still claims that "Federal jurisdistion does not exist in this case. However, he said, certain information fathered by the FBI has been turned over to the State District Attorney Stanny Sanders of the fourth Mississippi district. "The investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation does not substantiate the allegat ions that the Rev. Lee was murdered because of his refusal to move his name from the Humphreys County (Miss) list of registered voters" according to the Attorney General Statement. "Since Federal jurisdiction does not exist, I instructed United States Attorney Thomas R. Ethridge to furnish District Attorney Sanders with pertinent facts." The Justice Department would not comment on the shooting of Gus Courts, of Belzoni for the reaton. Courts, who recently attended the Civil Rights Leadership Assembly in Washington, told an audience of some 2,000 people that he had been threatened by the White Citizens Council of Belzoni, Miss., both before and after the murder of his friend and co-worker. Rev. Lee. Prior to the murder both he and Rev. Lee were instructed to remove their names from the registration list or something might happen to them. After the Killing Courts was again warned that the same thing which happened to Rev. Lee might happen to him. He claims that he was told by the council that "you are next." Soon thereafter Courts was shot in his store, but recovered. The Whte Citizens then circulated a rumor, he said that he had been shot by one of his own race about a woman. When the FBI visited him, he continued, they didn't ask him what happened to him, but rather informed him of what the White Citizens Council said had happened. The Justice Department would not comment on this charge The Attorney General's Statement applics only to the case of the Rev. Lee. Other cases would perhaps "have to be decided seprately." Four Top Press Awards Go To Savannah State Savannah State College the only institution to win four different awards at the columbia University scholastic Press Association annual meeting that attracted five thousand high school and college editors from all over the United States. The Savannah state College Enterpriser; the Business Department journal, won first place in the departmental department. The Tiger Roar won second prize in senior college student newspaper division. The Savannah State College Bulletin won second prize in the Senior college and University News Magazine division. The Savannah State College Weekly newspaper column won second prize in the College. Page Division. Savannah State College was represented by Wilton C. director of public who served as a consultant. Globetrotters Earn Millions For Abe Saperstein Abe Saperstein. a rotund little man from the wrong side of the tracks in Chicago, has made a million or two with his Harlam Globetrotters in the last quarter century. Abe found they all Were brothers under their skin and they all appeared to have one thing in common—they loved basketball. He figures his squad has done more to spread the gospel of basketball throughout the world than any other medium. His aptly-named Globetrotters have played to thousands in the jungles in Asia and filled the old Hitler Stadium in Berlin. As Abe describes the occasion, there was no basketball court in the Vatican, but Goose Tatum and the boys In their civvies got right down on the floor to stage a won derfully skillful and humorous exhibition of passing, dribbling and maneuvering. This 6-4 mountaineer is said to be the funniest hombre ever to shoot for a basket. He not only Is a natural comedian but he also is a great player and holds the Madison Square Garden record of 40 points for a game this season. He can and does shoot baskets while on his knees and dribbles while lying on his stomach. He holds a two-year record of 1491 points going into Tuesday night's game and last year he set an all-time collegiate record for sophomores with 711 points In 30 games for a 23.7 average. Grambling Nine Trips Arkansas State 7 To 2 The Grambling Tiger shackled Arkansas State 7-2 Friday behind the efficient four-hit hurling of Harold Stepteau, Andrw Rue and George Johnson. Working three-innings apiece the resplendent trio struckout 11. gave up only four hits, each one grudgingly, and sneaked a weird assortment of fastballs and curves past bewildered batters. A trifle slow off the mark, Grambling jumped on starter Clarence Johnson for a one-run advantage in the first inning and powered home six more markers in the fifth. Four singles furnished locomotion for three of the runs. The others were the direct result of spotty fielding and wild pitching. Aside from the two runs they managed in the seventh the change of scenery were about the only excitement the jaunt to Gambling afforded the visitors. Arkansas victim to the cold weather. A generous portion of its own futility and naturally enough, nine robust hits. Grambling crushed Wiley 20-6 and 18-11 in the season openers last week. Crispus Attucks Wins Indian Prep Cage Title Oscar Robertson closed out his fabulous prep school career tonight as he led defending champion Indianapolis' Crispus Attacks to a record-shttering 79 to 57 victory over Lafayette's Jefferson in the Indiana State prep basketball championships. Attacks with 45 straight victories, is the first undefeated team ever to win the Indiana title Last year Attucky, became the first Negro squad to capture the championship. The Indianapolis team led 34 to 25 at halftime and then swept to on easy victory. Jefferson's Ronnie Fisher, was limited to 17 points by Attacks Bill Brown. Attacks ad to the title Gerstmeyer, 68 to 50 earlier today game by beating. Terre Haute's efferson stemmed an elkhart rally in its semi-final to win, 54 to 52. His Robertson, a senior guard averaged 25 points per game during the regular season. He holds the single game scoring record with 62 points and tonight set a new final game scoring mark with 39. Coach Crowe is one of six brothers. His younger brother, George, is a first baseman for the Milwaukee Braves. MBC WOLVERINES LOOK SHARP IN STIFF SPRING GRID DRILLS The Morris Brown College Purple Wolverines after two weeks of practice are rounding into shape. Willie Cooper has taken full advantage of the experience of his freshman year, and is passing and handling the ball better than ever, in fact his ball handling at times is almost superior. The backfield. while lighter, will be much faster Law has been moved to right-half with Arthur Williams being shifted from right-half to full-back. Of course Peoples is really out to win the starting berth, but Herman Reid has no intention of relinquishing his left-half back position to any man from any clime, But he knows that he must not get complacent From my observation there is obviously going to be more passing and wide running than there was last year. Howard Glover is back with the team after being out for first ten days. Glover is always consis tent. Tne line of course (due to losses from last year) Is going to be lighter but faster and will have more finesse to it. The readjustment then from last year seems to be accomplished especially with Loyd Davis at tackle backed Montgomery and Lambert. Reid with the overcoming of last year's loses Coach Clemons will have a good starting team perhaps one that will remind you of the 51 team The problem of course is to build a bench and this will have to wait for whatever talent arrives in the fall plus the whetting of some of the sophomores. Gallagher, president, City College, New York City, will deliver the Founder's day address at Tuskegee Institute, Sunday, March 25, at 1:30 P. M. This Founder's Day has double meaning for the Institute, for its marks the 75th year since its founding and it is the 100th Anniversary of the founder. The theme of the 75th Anniversary. carried throughout the year is "The fullest development of all with unrestricted opportunity to serve." Dr. Howard Thurman, dean of Marsh Chapel. Boston University will speak at the morning worship service. He, along with Mr. Basil O'Connor., Dr. F. D. Patterson. Mr William L. Dawson. former Director of Tuskegee Institute's Department of music, and Judge Jane Bolin, will be awarded honorary degrees following the Founder's Day message by Dr. Gallagher. Founder's Day will be preceded by a symposium 'Educational Development of the Whole Student.' body on Saturday, March 24 Taking part will be: Dr. Kenneth Clark, as sociate director, Northside Center for child development. New York city: Dr. Marten ten hoor, dean, college or arts and sciences Universoty of Alabama; Dr. Herman Branson, chairman department of physics, Howard University. Washington. D. C. Dr. Robert Page, chairman, Department of psychology Syracuse University; and Dr. R. B. Stewart. Vice-president and treasurer. Pue university Lafayette, Indiana. Many Alumni will be returning to share in the $100,00 75th Anniversary Alumni Campaign. The class of 1936 will hold its twenty year reunion with Dr. F. D. Patterson de livering the Alumni message. SIST STRAIGHT FOR 'DONS— The University of Son Frencisco, closing out its regular 1956 basketball season, gave partisan hometown crowds something to cheer about by scoring its 51st consecutive victory. The Dons deleted St. Mary's college by 82—49, with All-American Bill Russell (6) at right and K. C. Jones (4) continuing theis mastery at the court as in the past. (Newspress Photo). Hooper-Renwick Players Feted The Hooper-Renwick Hi School boys and girls basketball teams were feted at a banquet Tuesday night. Guest speaker for the occasion was Marion E. Jackson, sports editor, Atlanta Daily World. He was introduced by Coach Wiley Thomas Remarks were given by Prof. Robert C. Hightower. Letters were awarded to the following members of the girls team: Martha L Echols. Mary E. Echols, Cofa putman, Ruby Wilburn, Eardestine baker and Shirley Wilburn. 20 FOR 10 FOR 98c 49c