The Daily Nebraskan
Thursday, March 29, 1962
Gymnasts Cap Good Season
By Copping All-College Crown
Page 4
By BOB RAY
Sports Staff Writer
For a man who "only
coaches so I can have some
thing to do between five and
six each night," gymnastics
coach Jake Geier certainly
has a lot to show for it: This
year was the eighth time
his team has won the All-Col
lege Championships in Gei
er s seventeen seasons at Ne
braska.
The Husker gymnasts had
an 8-2 record for the regular
ALL-COLLEGE CHAMPS
LJiiiliif
NEBRASKA GYMNASTS From left to right (back) Louis Burkel, Steve Swihart,
Tom Sitzman, Gene Hart, (front) Chuck Williams, Tom Nystrom, Bob Kuhn, and Dick
McCoy, pose with their All-College Championships trophy. (Photo by Bob Ray.)
cJhe (9 Id Pro
Soring fever has hit the
camDus and with the warm
weather and sunshine, the
old cry, "Play Ball," is once
again heard in the Big Eight
baseball campaign. With tne
current Husker squad as
good as it can possibly be
both with the material pres
ent and the spirit, the Old
Pro will go out on a limb
and say the Huskers win their
first baseball title in a de
cade.
The Husker pitching staff
is something to marvel at
Led by sophomore Keith
Sieck, the moundsmen are
the best in recent Husker
history. Keith had a very inv
pressive 1.26 E.R.A. in the
Nebraska Independent
League last summer and with
an improving curve ball
should easily be the Huskers'
best chucker since the days
of Dwight Siebler.
Sieck is an unusual pitcher
In that It takes mm a long
time to warm ud and usually
he starts slow and finishes
fast. He struek out 26 in one
game last summer against
the league winners, North
Platte, in posting an eleven
Inning J-z victory. Meek re
lies niainlv on the fast ball
and has one rnaii; weakness,
changeups. If Keith can come
through in the close games
with the tough teams in tne
league, the Huskers should
be in Omaha for the N.CX.A
playoffs in June.
The other chucker that
could really have a year is
Ed Johnson. Ed posted a
1.28 E.R.A. average in the
fast N.I.L. last season and
did a vdrv creditable iob in a
pitcher-laden North Platte
entry. Johnson is by far the
fastest chucker on the sauad
but he badly needs breaking
stuff. He could form a 1-2
punch with Sieck if his curve
and changeup come around.
Plagued by injuries last year,
Ed came on fast in August
in summer league play. Ed's
mental attitude may ten tne
tale.
Bonistall Boosts Experience
Ernie Bonistall has a great
deal of experience in tne New
York State League and is one
or the proven Husker pitch
ers back from last year. Er
nie has a lot ot DreaKing
stuff and control but lacks
blazing speed. The change
from a Johnson or -a Sieck to
a Bonistall wi" confuse hit
ters a great deal and Ernie
may become a big winner on
the tag end of .double head
ers. Ron Havekost, one of the
star pitching sensations in
northeast Nebraska, also is
a proven Husker chucker.
Also lacking blazing speed,
h s breaking stuff is some
thing to behold. If the Husk
ers choose to put Ron ia the
bullpen, be could become .he
rotifer in the league.
Havekost also should have a
big year this season and his
ability to bold on to tight
leads in the close ones also
could be a big difference in
the Big Eight title race.
Tom Ernst, another Husk
er chucker, has a great deal
of speed and staying power
but he is too valuable to the
squad as a hitter to be wast
ed in this capacity. If Ernst
is called on to pitch however,
he could be a big winner.
Ernst pitched and hit well in
the N.I.L and was selected
as an outfield choice on the
All-N.I.L. All-Star team.
George Landgren, an un-
proven pitcher m the Big
Eight, will probably be the
Huskers spot pitcher this
season. Landgren is going to
have a tough time this season
in cracking the squad with
so much talent along the
pitching lines, but he should
pick up valuable experience
for the seasons to come
Purccll Big Help
Don Purcell, the present
choice for the cscchmg spot,
is definitely a big asset to
this season s Siiuad. Don has
an extremely strong arm and
is an experienced man with
the pud. Purcell's bat may
give the Husker s much need
ed power but he won't prove
to be a big average hitter.
Dick Becher, also an N.I.L.
graduate, could be the other
long ball hitter the Huskers'
need to win the big ones.
Becher is an adequate field
er although he is prone to
commit errors occasionally.
Another power hitter, his av
erage wouldn't be in the top
five, but in R.B.I.'s he could
be among the leaders.
Ernst will have to take up
the rest of the slack as a
power hitter. Ernie belted ten
home runs last year in the
N.I.L and gets on base when
a runner is needed. Ernst has
a tremendous arm for the
outfield and more than ade
quate speed for the right
neia position
Steve Smith, another N.I.L.
graduate, shows both some
power -and speed to aid the
Husker cause. Smith could
again lead the Huskers in
batting average since he has
tremendous wrists and tim
ing. In the home run depart
ment, ne u pick up an occa
sional blast, but is more of
an extra base hitter in the
doubles and triples category.
nis speea in tne ouuield is
exceptional and his arm is
almost as strong as Ernst's
Schindel in Center
Don Schindel also hit well
last year and rounds out the
Husker starting outfield.
flaying center field. Don has
tne speed necessary for the
position. Don could have a
good season with the bat if
the ball drops in for him but
don t look for any power hit
ting here.
Also on the Husker bench
In the line of fly catchers
are Dave McClatchey and
fat 2aierno. Dave has power
and, if needed, can produce
.'he long ball. Salerno is more
of a line drive hitter and
could aid the outfielders if
someone lets down with the
bat or fielding. McClatchey
hitter last summer with
Grant, banging a .340 aver
age for the season.
The Huskers big weakness
this season will be the m
field. With Rex Swett cur
rently out of the lineup due
to a pulled back muscle, the
burden of the shortstop duties
falls on Denny Puelz. Puelz
is a good infielder but still
isn t proven in competition
His hitting will have to im
prove in order for the Husk
ers to score a lot. Ron Doug
las is the other possible re
placement and his strong forte
is hitting.'' His major prob
lem is just the opposite of
Denny's, he isn't a great
fielder. They may be able to
get together and aid the
Huskers with their special
ized talents.
At second base will be Bin
Redmond, slick fielding but
only average sticker. Bill is
r food double play man but
wiL have to pick up a better
average than in the past in
order to be great. Some say
Redmond has the quickest
hands in Husker baseball his
tory. Bill's fielding may give
the Huskers a tight defense
and stopper up the bole over
the pitcher's mound, a favor
ite target last season for op
posing hitters.
The third base situation
will be handled by Dale An
derson. Dale is a good field
er but has trouble making
the bunt play easily. His bat'
ting average could be good,
depending on what type of
start he gets this year. An
derson will have to be the
leader on the infield and show
aggressive play in order to
really put the Huskers in
contention this season.
Myers Adds Depth
The backup catcher will be
Dave Myers, a starter on last
year's Husker team. Dave
can relieve Purcell in double
headers and also come in as
a pinch hitter. Dave has
trouble making the play at
second but with last year's
experience, could prove very
valuable to the team.
The infield will have John
Morris, Bruce Pearson, and
Dave May backing up the
starters. All have not been
proven in Big Eight competi
tion and will be basically
picking up experience this
year.
Overall, the Huskers have
a strong pitching staff, are
strong in the outfield, and
are above average in the
catching department. The
only weakness that is evident
is the hitting and fielding in
the infield. Defensively, they
are about average; offensive
ly, they have adequate power
and enough hitters to ' pull
them through with their pitch
ing staff holding up. During
the season, they'll play a lot
of one run games but should
hold up under the pressure.
The two key series are with
Oklahoma in three weeks and
Oklahoma State the first
weekend in May. both on the
road. If they win these two
series, they will easily win
season. Losing duals for the
first time in four seasons
Coach Geier's crew s t i 1
showed good form in execut
ing difficult stunts against
some of the toughest compe
tition in the country.
In the All-College Cham
pionship meet the team, un
ruffled by Dennis Alber's in
jury, did better than their
best and came from behind
to clip nemisis Denver to win
the meet. They did it Dy ex
hibiting the same perfect form
that had done them credit in
other meets. ,
Gene Hart, who specializes
in the side horse, (entered in
eight events this season, he
won seven,) is a master at
making his pet aparatus look
obedient.
Louis Burkel does well on
all aparatus. but wins con'
sistentlv on the high-bar. par
allel bars, and still rings with
gumchewing nonchalance.
Another bov who makes the
difficult look easv is C h u c k
Williams in free exercise and
tumbling.
The amazing thing about
Coach Geier's team is not that
it has so many two and three
year lettermen who excel on
couDle of aparatus each.
but that he has a sophomore
who can win against ail com
petition on all aparatus.
In his first year on the var
sity team, all-around competi
tor Albers, of Hastings, paced
the Nebraskans in every meet
to claim top individual title
with 294.5 regular season
points. He amassed more
points than any other compet
itor at the Boulder Invitation
al Meet, despite an injury, to
become undisputed All-C o 1-
lege Champion.
Albers Will Go
Gymnastics coach Jake
Geier announced that in spite
of his back injury, Dennis
Albers will participate in the
NCAA Gymnastic Meet at
Albuquerque, Ne Mexico,
this weekend.
All-around performer Al
bers hurt his back during the
high bar event at the All
College Championships meet.
Coach Geier will also take
Gene Hart to New Mexico.
McCoy, Burke
Elected Captains
Dick McCoy and Louis
Burkel were elected co-captains
of the gymnastics team
for next season by unanimous
vote of the gymnasts.
is . Sm - - ; - -1
THE ONLOOKERS-Husker baseballers Swett watches Bill Redmond stoop to pick
Dick Becher and Don purcell give the up a bat in baseball workouts. (See picture
eagle eye to batting practice while Rex below).
NU Diamond Men
View Batting Practice
if. &' I
s ' '.TvVvv :v , ' ,f
m c ... ... - ,
.,,'' ' " : r t
BONISTALL HURLS Pitcher Ernie Bonistall pitches
batting practice to an unidentified hitter in Tuesday
night's NU diamond practice. The catcher is Dave Myers.
Coach Ready;
Shortstop Out
Nebraska baseball coach
Tony Sharpe has obtained
the doctor's okay to make
the trip with the Huskers
down to Tulsa this weekend.
Alone with the good news
nf Coach Sharpe being in top
form came . the word that
shortstop Rex Swett is out
for this series with a pulled
muscle in his throwing arm.
Swett is not slated to make
the trip, according to Sharpe.
The Huskers will open up
with Keith Sieck this week
end in the first game Friday
with any relief work coming
from Ernie Bonistall. Ed
Johnson will pitch the first
end of a double header Sat
urday and Ron Havekost vill
make his initial debut in the
final, game. Tom Ernst is
slated for relief duty Satur
day.
Ron Douglas or John Mor-
ris will get the call at short
stop for the injured Swett this
weekend. The extent of
Swett's iniurv. which oc
curred in practice Wednes
day, is unknown but Sharpe
hopes Rex will round into '
shane in order to be readv
for the Big Eight opener next
weekend with Kansas on the
Husker diamond.
' , ' delivers Jfl (
Pl jVAL FILTER DOES IT!
Tareyton'$ Dual Filter in duas partes divisa est!"
saysUrsus (Bear Foot ) Sulla, popular Coliseum bear fighter.
"We animal wrestlers fight tooth and Claudius to get to
that first post-fight Tareyton," says Bear foot. "De hoc
smoke, Tareyton's one filter cigarette that really delivers de
gustibus!"
jfT' WW.'?':.'
also had a fine season as a 'the Big Eight crown
s- ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
PURE WHITE
iOUTER FIITEU
DUAL FILTER
Tareyton
tndud tf iC tCtttium &m&yftp $&m- iinr middlt turn" tn.t.