(Columbia Daily Tribune, Thursday May 13, 1954)
The National Collegiate Athletic association came out today with a new baseball plan changing the structure of its "college world series".
It said the plan, which goes into effect this year, will:
1. Permit more teams to compete for the national baseball championship,
2. Provide a better opportunity to qualify the strongest teams,
3. Stimulate interest in conference and tournament play.
Under the old system, eight teams - each representing an NCAA district - competed in a tournament for the national championship.
Here is the new setup:
There will be a field of 26 to 30 teams - 13 of which will qualify automatically as conference champions. The remaining 13 to 17 will be selected as teams-at-large. A 32-team bracket structure will be set up, with some teams getting byes.
First-round and second-round games will be played at eight different playoff sites. The playoff winners will then compete in double-elimination finals at Omaha, Neb., June 10-14, for the national championship.
The Big Seven, the host conference this year, is scheduled to receive a bye to the finals.
The Big Seven, Missouri Valley and Southwest conference champions are among those who will automatically qualify for the tourney field.
This is how these three conferences stack up at present:
Oklahoma, the 1951 national champion leads the Big Seven conference with a 5-0 record at present. Oklahoma A&M and St. Louis play for the Missouri Valley conference title this weekend. Texas has already won the Southwest conference crown.
Southwest Loop to Vote on Expansion
(Columbia Daily Tribune, May 14, 1954)
Southwest conference officials arrived in Waco yesterday for another and more insistent vote on expansion.
The tight 7-member league will be asked to invite Texas Tech, Oklahoma and University of Houston. Texas Tech and Houston backers are confident their schools will make it. Oklahoma hasn't indicated it would accept an invitation if given one.
Tech started trying to get into the conference back in the thirties although the first official vote on the question didn't come until 1948, the year Houston made public its desires to become a member.
Sooners Lose to K.U.
Tigers Tied for Lead
(Columbia Daily Tribune, Friday May 14, 1954)
The Oklahoma Sooners and Missouri Tigers opened their showdown series at Rollins field today tied for first place in the Big Seven conference baseball standings.
The idle Tigers moved into a tie for the lead yesterday when Kansas handed the Sooners their first league loss, 7-3, at Lawrence.
A home run by Kansas' Bob Allison, a double and two singles gave the Jayhawks a three-run fourth inning and the victory. Kansas completed its schedule with a 4-5 conference record and a 10-6 season mark.
After the two-game series here today and tomorrow, the Sooners and Tigers each have four games remaining. Oklahoma will play Colorado at Norman May 21 and 22 and Iowa State at home May 28 and 29. Missouri will meet Nebraska here next Monday and Tuesday and Iowa State at Ames May 21 and 22.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Tigers Wallop Sooners, 14-1, and Take Big Seven Lead
(Columbia Daily Tribune, Saturday May 15, 1954)
Emil Kammer, Missouri's sophomore right-hander, who gave up infielding only because Coach John Simmons was shy on pitching talent this season, staged a one-man show as the Tigers routed the Oklahoma Sooners, 14-1 at Rollins field yesterday afternoon and took over undisputed possession of first place in the Big Seven conference.
The ex-third baseman set the Sooners down with three hits, fanned 11 batters, and clouted an eighth-inning homer in coasting to his fifth victory of the season. Oklahoma's lone run was unearned and came in the third inning when Shortstop Dick Dickinson, trying to complete a double play, threw wildly past first base, allowing Sterling Jones, who had singled, to cross the plate.
A victory over the Sooners today would stretch Missouri's lead to two full games, with only four contests remaining on both teams' schedules.
The Tigers scored in every inning but the fifth yesterday and kayoed Oklahoma starter Joe Mobra with a three-run uprising in the sixth. George Loving finished up and was touched for five unearned tallies in the seventh when the Sooner defense collapsed.
The Tigers lost no time in going to work on Mobra in the first inning. Dickinson rapped his first pitch for a clothes-line single to left and scored on Bob Musgrave's double. Bob Schoonmaker opened the second with a ground single through short, but was forced at second after catcher Buster Cloud missed Jim Doerr's pop fly. Doerr then stole second and raced home when left fielder Carl Allsion dropped Kammer's line drive.
Todd Sickel, leading off in the third, was hit by a pitch and Sooner Coach Jack Baer permitted Dick Adler to serve as a courtesy runner while Sickel went out for repairs. Musgrave walked and was forced by Jerry Schoonmaker as Adler took third, and after Schoonmaker stole second, shortstop Orville Rickey muffed Buddy Cox' grounder, allowing both runs to score.
Kammer's single, a sacrifice and a single by Sickel produced a run in the fourth and Mobra departed in the sixth after walks to Kammer and Musgrave. Jerry Schoonmaker's double and George Gleason's single were good for three more markers.
After two were out in the seventh, two errors, two walks, two stolen bases and singles by Musgrave and Gleason accounted for five unearned runs. Kammer's homer, a drive over the left field fence, came with the bases empty in the eighth.
In other conference action yesterday, Colorado drubbed the cellar-dwelling Kansas State Wildcats, 18-4, and Iowa State blanked Nebraska, 4-0.
Sickel Hit on Head
(Columbia Missourian, May 15, 1954)
A near casualty was Missouri's Todd Sickel. The top of his head was grazed by a pitched ball in the third, and he apparently was momentarily blinded when the ball creased a nerve.
Court Ruling Won't Change School Here Immediately
(Columbia Daily Tribune, May 17, 1954)
Neil C. Aslin, superintendent of schools here, said that the Supreme Court's outlawing of racial segregation in public schools will bring no immediate change in Columbia.
"We anticipated the ruling, but it came quicker than expected," he said. "Under present conditions Douglass schooled may be used for a long time."
"We have 3.000 youngsers in the Columbia school system today," he said. "It takes all our rooms to handle them. The fact remains we are going to have to have those same kids in all the rooms irrespective of the court decision."
The Missouri constitution of 1948 requires separate schools for white and colored children, except in cases otherwise provided by law.
Emil Kammer, Missouri's sophomore right-hander, who gave up infielding only because Coach John Simmons was shy on pitching talent this season, staged a one-man show as the Tigers routed the Oklahoma Sooners, 14-1 at Rollins field yesterday afternoon and took over undisputed possession of first place in the Big Seven conference.
The ex-third baseman set the Sooners down with three hits, fanned 11 batters, and clouted an eighth-inning homer in coasting to his fifth victory of the season. Oklahoma's lone run was unearned and came in the third inning when Shortstop Dick Dickinson, trying to complete a double play, threw wildly past first base, allowing Sterling Jones, who had singled, to cross the plate.
A victory over the Sooners today would stretch Missouri's lead to two full games, with only four contests remaining on both teams' schedules.
The Tigers scored in every inning but the fifth yesterday and kayoed Oklahoma starter Joe Mobra with a three-run uprising in the sixth. George Loving finished up and was touched for five unearned tallies in the seventh when the Sooner defense collapsed.
The Tigers lost no time in going to work on Mobra in the first inning. Dickinson rapped his first pitch for a clothes-line single to left and scored on Bob Musgrave's double. Bob Schoonmaker opened the second with a ground single through short, but was forced at second after catcher Buster Cloud missed Jim Doerr's pop fly. Doerr then stole second and raced home when left fielder Carl Allsion dropped Kammer's line drive.
Todd Sickel, leading off in the third, was hit by a pitch and Sooner Coach Jack Baer permitted Dick Adler to serve as a courtesy runner while Sickel went out for repairs. Musgrave walked and was forced by Jerry Schoonmaker as Adler took third, and after Schoonmaker stole second, shortstop Orville Rickey muffed Buddy Cox' grounder, allowing both runs to score.
Kammer's single, a sacrifice and a single by Sickel produced a run in the fourth and Mobra departed in the sixth after walks to Kammer and Musgrave. Jerry Schoonmaker's double and George Gleason's single were good for three more markers.
After two were out in the seventh, two errors, two walks, two stolen bases and singles by Musgrave and Gleason accounted for five unearned runs. Kammer's homer, a drive over the left field fence, came with the bases empty in the eighth.
In other conference action yesterday, Colorado drubbed the cellar-dwelling Kansas State Wildcats, 18-4, and Iowa State blanked Nebraska, 4-0.
Sickel Hit on Head
(Columbia Missourian, May 15, 1954)
A near casualty was Missouri's Todd Sickel. The top of his head was grazed by a pitched ball in the third, and he apparently was momentarily blinded when the ball creased a nerve.
Court Ruling Won't Change School Here Immediately
(Columbia Daily Tribune, May 17, 1954)
Neil C. Aslin, superintendent of schools here, said that the Supreme Court's outlawing of racial segregation in public schools will bring no immediate change in Columbia.
"We anticipated the ruling, but it came quicker than expected," he said. "Under present conditions Douglass schooled may be used for a long time."
"We have 3.000 youngsers in the Columbia school system today," he said. "It takes all our rooms to handle them. The fact remains we are going to have to have those same kids in all the rooms irrespective of the court decision."
The Missouri constitution of 1948 requires separate schools for white and colored children, except in cases otherwise provided by law.
Tigers Near Big 7 Title After Beating O.U., 6-3
Open Series With Huskers Today
(Columbia Daily Tribune, Monday May 17, 1954)
The Missouri Tigers neared their second Big Seven baseball championship in three years by downing the second place Oklahoma Sooners, 6-3, Saturday afternoon for a sweep of the two-game series at Rollins field. It was Missouri's seventh straight conference win.
Now the Bengals, who open a two-game set with Nebraska here today, need only two victories in their four remaining contests to clinch at least a tie for the crown. Three wins would sew up the championship, regardless of how the Sooners fare in their last four games.
Iowa State still has an outside chance at the pennant, but the Cyclones would have to sweep their series with both the Sooners and Tigers and Missouri would have to drop one of its games with Nebraska.
Ed Cook was scheduled to pitch for the Tigers against the Cornhuskers today, with either Emil Kammer or Gene Gastineau due to start tomorrow's game.
Saturday the Bengals broke a 3-3 tie in the seventh inning with a three-run rally capped by Bob Musgrave's home run over the right field fence. The Sooners had tied the score in their half with two unearned runs off Bert Beckmann, who went the distance for Missouri.
Oklahoma scored its first run in the first inning when, with two out, Beckmann walked Joe Snyder and Jim Crabb. Bill Knox then shot a single past third to score Snyder. The Tigers got that one back in their half on walks to Dick Dickinson and Jerry Schoonmaker, Pitcher Mac Sanders' late throw on Todd Sickel's grounder, and Bob Schoonmaker's single off third-baseman Bill Knox' glove.
Missouri took a 3-1 lead in the third. Sickel and Musgrave opened with singles, advanced as Sanders threw out Jerry Schoonmaker, and crossed the plate on George Gleason's line single to left.
Beckmann held the Sooners at bay until the seventh, when the Tiger defense faltered. Orville Rickey reached first base on Sickel's fumble, and after Sanders forced Rickey, Dickinson booted Sterling Jones' grounder. Sickel made a fine stop on Fred Minton's hot smash to force Sanders at third, but Snyder singled to center, scoring Jones. Crabb drew a pass to load the bases and Minton scored when Gleason threw low trying to pick Crabb off first. Knox walked to load the bases again, but Beckmann got Johnny Risinger on a grounder to Buddy Cox.
Dickinson and Sickel quickly atoned for their errors in the Tiger seventh. Dickinson opened with a single to left and scored on Sickel's double to the left field fence. Musgrave then blasted a pitch over the fence in right center for two insurance runs and that was all Beckmann needed.
Looking at who Musgrave styled himself after and remembering that this was 1954 Missouri, his average better have been way up there.
``He was a fellow who had copied Stan Musial's corkscrew batting stance,'' said Bill Callahan, the MU sports information director of that era. Musgrave
patterned himself after the Cardinal great while growing up in Columbia.
``It was complete emulation,'' Musgrave said.
(Columbia Daily Tribune, May 14, 1994)
(Columbia Daily Tribune, Monday May 17, 1954)
The Missouri Tigers neared their second Big Seven baseball championship in three years by downing the second place Oklahoma Sooners, 6-3, Saturday afternoon for a sweep of the two-game series at Rollins field. It was Missouri's seventh straight conference win.
Now the Bengals, who open a two-game set with Nebraska here today, need only two victories in their four remaining contests to clinch at least a tie for the crown. Three wins would sew up the championship, regardless of how the Sooners fare in their last four games.
Iowa State still has an outside chance at the pennant, but the Cyclones would have to sweep their series with both the Sooners and Tigers and Missouri would have to drop one of its games with Nebraska.
Ed Cook was scheduled to pitch for the Tigers against the Cornhuskers today, with either Emil Kammer or Gene Gastineau due to start tomorrow's game.
Saturday the Bengals broke a 3-3 tie in the seventh inning with a three-run rally capped by Bob Musgrave's home run over the right field fence. The Sooners had tied the score in their half with two unearned runs off Bert Beckmann, who went the distance for Missouri.
Oklahoma scored its first run in the first inning when, with two out, Beckmann walked Joe Snyder and Jim Crabb. Bill Knox then shot a single past third to score Snyder. The Tigers got that one back in their half on walks to Dick Dickinson and Jerry Schoonmaker, Pitcher Mac Sanders' late throw on Todd Sickel's grounder, and Bob Schoonmaker's single off third-baseman Bill Knox' glove.
Missouri took a 3-1 lead in the third. Sickel and Musgrave opened with singles, advanced as Sanders threw out Jerry Schoonmaker, and crossed the plate on George Gleason's line single to left.
Beckmann held the Sooners at bay until the seventh, when the Tiger defense faltered. Orville Rickey reached first base on Sickel's fumble, and after Sanders forced Rickey, Dickinson booted Sterling Jones' grounder. Sickel made a fine stop on Fred Minton's hot smash to force Sanders at third, but Snyder singled to center, scoring Jones. Crabb drew a pass to load the bases and Minton scored when Gleason threw low trying to pick Crabb off first. Knox walked to load the bases again, but Beckmann got Johnny Risinger on a grounder to Buddy Cox.
Dickinson and Sickel quickly atoned for their errors in the Tiger seventh. Dickinson opened with a single to left and scored on Sickel's double to the left field fence. Musgrave then blasted a pitch over the fence in right center for two insurance runs and that was all Beckmann needed.
Looking at who Musgrave styled himself after and remembering that this was 1954 Missouri, his average better have been way up there.
``He was a fellow who had copied Stan Musial's corkscrew batting stance,'' said Bill Callahan, the MU sports information director of that era. Musgrave
patterned himself after the Cardinal great while growing up in Columbia.
``It was complete emulation,'' Musgrave said.
(Columbia Daily Tribune, May 14, 1994)
Cook Hurls Tigers to 3-1 Win Over Huskers
Victory Today Would Clinch Tie for Title
(Columbia Daily Tribune, Tuesday May 18, 1954)
A victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers this afternoon would assure the Missouri Tigers of at least a tie for the Big Seven conference baseball championship and send the Bengals to Iowa State this weekend needing only one win in their two-game series there to clinch their second title in three years.
Southpaw Ed Cook pitched the Bengals to a 3-1 victory over the Huskers at Rollins field yesterday afternoon and stretched Missouri's lead over the second place Oklahoma Sooners to two and a half games. Oklahoma will entertain the Colorado Buffs this weekend while the Tigers are at Ames, and will wind up its schedule against Iowa State at Norman on Monday and Tuesday.
The Big Seven is host conference at the NCAA College World Series at Omaha in June and thus the Tigers, should they win the conference flag, will capture a tournament berth without participating in a playoff.
Cook went the distance for the first time this season yesterday, spaced six Cornhuskers hits and walked only one batter. The Huskers took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a walk to pitcher Brian Sievers and singles by Don Brown and Ray Novak, and held on until the fifth when the Tigers scored twice.
Sievers started the inning by issuing successive walks to Cook, Dick Dickinson and Todd Sickel, then got Bob Musgrave to foul to Brown. But Coach Tony Sharpe then yanked Sievers, a Southpaw, and brought in right-hander Pat Mallette to pitch to right-handed swinging Jerry Schoonmaker. Schoonmaker foiled the strategy with a ground single past third to score Cook and Dickinson and the Tigers were out in front. Gleason drew a pass to load the bases again, but Bob Schoonmaker grounded into a double play, one of three executed by the Husker infield.
Buddy Cox and Cook walked in the Missouri sixth and Dickinson moved them along with a sacrifice. Cox then raced home on Sickel's single to left, but Cook was cut down at the plate by left fielder Dirkes Rolston.
Cook allowed only one base runner after the third inning. That was shortstop Norman Coufal, who singled in the eighth, went to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a bunt and died there as Brown grounded out to Sickel.
Mallette pitched his way out of trouble in the Tiger eighth after Bob Schoonmaker's double and walks to Cox and pinch-hitter Sam Sayers loaded the bases with none out. Cook and Dickinson then fanned and Sickel rapped to Brown, who stepped on third for a force-out.
Oklahoma Aggies Win Mo. Valley Baseball Title
Right-hander J.B. White scattered eight hits and struck out 10 Saturday as Oklahoma A&M trounced St. Louis university, 9-1, to win the Missouri Valley conference baseball championship.
It was the second straight triumph for the Aggies in the best-of-three series for the crown. They beat the Billikens, 7-2, in Friday's opener.
Oklahoma A&M, which also won conference titles in basketball, golf and track, now moves into the NCAA district 6 baseball playoffs.
(Columbia Daily Tribune, Tuesday May 18, 1954)
A victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers this afternoon would assure the Missouri Tigers of at least a tie for the Big Seven conference baseball championship and send the Bengals to Iowa State this weekend needing only one win in their two-game series there to clinch their second title in three years.
Southpaw Ed Cook pitched the Bengals to a 3-1 victory over the Huskers at Rollins field yesterday afternoon and stretched Missouri's lead over the second place Oklahoma Sooners to two and a half games. Oklahoma will entertain the Colorado Buffs this weekend while the Tigers are at Ames, and will wind up its schedule against Iowa State at Norman on Monday and Tuesday.
The Big Seven is host conference at the NCAA College World Series at Omaha in June and thus the Tigers, should they win the conference flag, will capture a tournament berth without participating in a playoff.
Cook went the distance for the first time this season yesterday, spaced six Cornhuskers hits and walked only one batter. The Huskers took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a walk to pitcher Brian Sievers and singles by Don Brown and Ray Novak, and held on until the fifth when the Tigers scored twice.
Sievers started the inning by issuing successive walks to Cook, Dick Dickinson and Todd Sickel, then got Bob Musgrave to foul to Brown. But Coach Tony Sharpe then yanked Sievers, a Southpaw, and brought in right-hander Pat Mallette to pitch to right-handed swinging Jerry Schoonmaker. Schoonmaker foiled the strategy with a ground single past third to score Cook and Dickinson and the Tigers were out in front. Gleason drew a pass to load the bases again, but Bob Schoonmaker grounded into a double play, one of three executed by the Husker infield.
Buddy Cox and Cook walked in the Missouri sixth and Dickinson moved them along with a sacrifice. Cox then raced home on Sickel's single to left, but Cook was cut down at the plate by left fielder Dirkes Rolston.
Cook allowed only one base runner after the third inning. That was shortstop Norman Coufal, who singled in the eighth, went to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a bunt and died there as Brown grounded out to Sickel.
Mallette pitched his way out of trouble in the Tiger eighth after Bob Schoonmaker's double and walks to Cox and pinch-hitter Sam Sayers loaded the bases with none out. Cook and Dickinson then fanned and Sickel rapped to Brown, who stepped on third for a force-out.
Oklahoma Aggies Win Mo. Valley Baseball Title
Right-hander J.B. White scattered eight hits and struck out 10 Saturday as Oklahoma A&M trounced St. Louis university, 9-1, to win the Missouri Valley conference baseball championship.
It was the second straight triumph for the Aggies in the best-of-three series for the crown. They beat the Billikens, 7-2, in Friday's opener.
Oklahoma A&M, which also won conference titles in basketball, golf and track, now moves into the NCAA district 6 baseball playoffs.
Tigers Go for Title Clincher at Iowa State Tomorrow
(Columbia Daily Tribune, Thursday May 20, 1954)
The Missouri Tigers, assured of at least a tie for the Big Seven conference baseball title, will go for the clincher tomorrow at Iowa State and Coach John Simmons has named Bert Beckmann to pitch against the Cyclones, the only conference team to defeat the Bengals this season.
Since losing to the Iowans, 4-1, here in their Big Seven opener, the Tigers have compiled nine straight wins and need only a split in the two-game series at Ames to wrap up their second championship in three years.
Second place Oklahoma, trailing by three games with a 5-3 record, could tie the Tigers by winning all four of its remaining contests if Missouri loses twice to the Cyclones.
Simmons and a 15-man squad left this afternoon for Ames and will return late Saturday night. Players making the trip include catchers George Gleason and Lloyd Elmore; infielders Bob Schoonmaker, Herb Morgan, Buddy Cox, Dick Dickinson and Todd Sickel; outfielders Bob Musgrave, Jerry Schoonmaker and Jim Doerr, and pitchers Emil Kammer, Ed Cook, Gene Gastineau, Norman Stewart and Beckmann.
Musgrave hit at a blistering pace in the four games with Oklahoma and Nebraska over the weekend to boost his season's average to .450 and take over the team batting lead from Jerry Schoonmaker, who dropped three points from .400 to .397. Dickinson climbed to .333 to move into the third spot. Gleason and Sickel also are over the .300 mark with .324 and .321 respectively. Next among the regulars come Bob Schoonamker with .269, Cox at .246 and Doerr at .156.
Five Teams Named
(Columbia Daily Tribune, May 20, 1954)
The Texas Longhorns, perennial Southwest conference champions, spearheaded a list of five teams named today to compete in the National Collegiate Baseball championship.
The NCAA baseball committee, meeting in Kansas City, announced that the annual college world series will be climaxed by an eight-team finals at Omaha, June 10-14.
Texas, twice NCAA baseball champs, will battle Missouri Valley conference champion, Oklahoma A&M, in an opening round game.
Other conference champions which qualified are Arizona, Border conference champs, Colorado State college, Rocky Mountain conference, and VPI of the Southern conference.
Berths for the Big Ten, Big Seven and Mid-American conferences will be decided in showdown contests this weekend. Georgia and Mississippi opened a playoff series yesterday to determine the Southeastern conference representative at Athens, Ga. The Georgia Bulldogs won the first game, 3 to 2.
Michigan State is leading the Big Ten with a 8-2 mark but meet Ohio State with a 9-3 mark in a doubleheader which should decide
TV Antenna Suit Opens Tomorrow
(Columbia Daily Tribune, Thursday May 20, 1954)
A lawsuit between Don L. Small, appliance dealer, and George Gillett, 608 South Glenwood Avenue, over a television antenna is scheduled to open before a jury in circuit court tomorrow.
Small sued Gillett claiming he owes $148.05 for installation of the antenna.
Gillett countered that he had requested a mobile antenna for trial and never agreed to buy the one in contention.
He says he found it unsuitable for his needs and asked Small to remove it and when he refused Gillett delivered the antenna and accessories into court.
Ralph L. Alexander is attorney for Small while Gillett is represented by L.M. (Mike) Cleek.
The Missouri Tigers, assured of at least a tie for the Big Seven conference baseball title, will go for the clincher tomorrow at Iowa State and Coach John Simmons has named Bert Beckmann to pitch against the Cyclones, the only conference team to defeat the Bengals this season.
Since losing to the Iowans, 4-1, here in their Big Seven opener, the Tigers have compiled nine straight wins and need only a split in the two-game series at Ames to wrap up their second championship in three years.
Second place Oklahoma, trailing by three games with a 5-3 record, could tie the Tigers by winning all four of its remaining contests if Missouri loses twice to the Cyclones.
Simmons and a 15-man squad left this afternoon for Ames and will return late Saturday night. Players making the trip include catchers George Gleason and Lloyd Elmore; infielders Bob Schoonmaker, Herb Morgan, Buddy Cox, Dick Dickinson and Todd Sickel; outfielders Bob Musgrave, Jerry Schoonmaker and Jim Doerr, and pitchers Emil Kammer, Ed Cook, Gene Gastineau, Norman Stewart and Beckmann.
Musgrave hit at a blistering pace in the four games with Oklahoma and Nebraska over the weekend to boost his season's average to .450 and take over the team batting lead from Jerry Schoonmaker, who dropped three points from .400 to .397. Dickinson climbed to .333 to move into the third spot. Gleason and Sickel also are over the .300 mark with .324 and .321 respectively. Next among the regulars come Bob Schoonamker with .269, Cox at .246 and Doerr at .156.
Five Teams Named
(Columbia Daily Tribune, May 20, 1954)
The Texas Longhorns, perennial Southwest conference champions, spearheaded a list of five teams named today to compete in the National Collegiate Baseball championship.
The NCAA baseball committee, meeting in Kansas City, announced that the annual college world series will be climaxed by an eight-team finals at Omaha, June 10-14.
Texas, twice NCAA baseball champs, will battle Missouri Valley conference champion, Oklahoma A&M, in an opening round game.
Other conference champions which qualified are Arizona, Border conference champs, Colorado State college, Rocky Mountain conference, and VPI of the Southern conference.
Berths for the Big Ten, Big Seven and Mid-American conferences will be decided in showdown contests this weekend. Georgia and Mississippi opened a playoff series yesterday to determine the Southeastern conference representative at Athens, Ga. The Georgia Bulldogs won the first game, 3 to 2.
Michigan State is leading the Big Ten with a 8-2 mark but meet Ohio State with a 9-3 mark in a doubleheader which should decide
TV Antenna Suit Opens Tomorrow
(Columbia Daily Tribune, Thursday May 20, 1954)
A lawsuit between Don L. Small, appliance dealer, and George Gillett, 608 South Glenwood Avenue, over a television antenna is scheduled to open before a jury in circuit court tomorrow.
Small sued Gillett claiming he owes $148.05 for installation of the antenna.
Gillett countered that he had requested a mobile antenna for trial and never agreed to buy the one in contention.
He says he found it unsuitable for his needs and asked Small to remove it and when he refused Gillett delivered the antenna and accessories into court.
Ralph L. Alexander is attorney for Small while Gillett is represented by L.M. (Mike) Cleek.
Tigers Coast to 11th Straight Triumph at Iowa State
(Columbia Daily Tribune, Monday May 24, 1954)
The conference season behind them, Missouri's Big Seven champion Tigers today turned their thoughts toward the NCAA College World Series at Omaha, where they'll take an 11-game winning streak when the tournament opens June 10.
Jerry Schoonmaker, Missouri's slugging center fielder, walloped three home runs as the Tigers coasted to conference win No. 11 by trouncing the Iowa State Cyclones, 12-1 at Ames Saturday. Schoonmaker's three round-trippers gave him a total of nine for the season and boosted his runs-batted-in mark to 26 in 20 games.
The Tigers clinched the conference crown on Friday, so the game meant nothing to them so far as league standings are concerned, but Coach John Simmons found another front-line pitcher in Norman Stewart, sophomore right hander, who was making his first start of the season. Stewart scattered seven Cyclone hits and had a shutout going into the ninth, when Ray George homered for the only Iowa State tally.
Todd Sickel and Buddy Cox also homered as the Tigers landed on Bill Postma and Steve Kostakos with a 16-hit attack. Sickel's homer was his first of the season, Cox' his second. Postma, incidentally, was the hurler who handed the Bengals their only conference loss when they bowed to the Cyclones here, 4-1.
A walk to Dick Dickinson, Sickel's homer, a single by Musgrave, and error and Jerry Schoonmaker's sacrifice fly gave Missouri a 3-0 lead in the first. Schoonmaker's first homer followed a single by Sickel in the third for two more, and his second came with the bases empty in the fifth.
Sickel's double, Musgrave's single and a two-bagger by Bob Schoonmaker produced a pair of runs in the seventh, and in the eighth, Emil Kammer tripled and counted on Stewart's sacrifice fly.
Schoonmaker homered again with the bases empty in the ninth, after which Bob Schoonmaker reached first on an error and Cox hit one over the fence to wind up the Missouri scoring.
The defeat eliminated Iowa State's hopes of a second-place finish as Oklahoma completed a sweep of its two-game series with Colorado by winning, 5-1, at Boulder.
Missouri had already won the Big Seven, so Coach Simmons let me pitch. I had them shut out through eight innings and we were up 12-0. I went out to pitch the ninth, and I got the first guy out. I was feeling pretty good.
I threw two balls to the next hitter. No big deal, right? Coach Simmons came out, and, in the damnedest oratory I ever heard, began to chew me out. Now I had heard people swear. I knew every swear word, so there weren’t any knew ones. It was just the wat Simmons delivered it. He told me if I threw one more ball, my ass was coming out. And he walked back to the dugout.
I was amused, but he’d made his point. So I threw it right down the groove and the guy promptly jacked it over the left field fence. The next voice I hear is Coach Simmons.
“By golly, that’s the way to go. If they hit four or five more like that, then I’ll take you out. Just keep throwing them strikes and make them hit it.”
I got them out and we beat them 12-1. Point proven: Do what your coach says, and everything will be all right.”
(Norm Stewart, Stormin' Back)
Big 7 Officials Discuss Possible Entry of A & M
BOULDER, Colo. - Big Seven conference faculty representatives discussed "unofficially" the possible admission of Oklahoma A&M to the league, a spokesman said Saturday at the end of their two-day session.
Reaves E. Peters, league executive secretary, said "the matter of Oklahoma A&M was not on the agenda. There was no official request from the school, therefore we were in no position to talk about it officially."
In response to a reporter's question, Peters said there was some "unofficial conversation."
The conference season behind them, Missouri's Big Seven champion Tigers today turned their thoughts toward the NCAA College World Series at Omaha, where they'll take an 11-game winning streak when the tournament opens June 10.
Jerry Schoonmaker, Missouri's slugging center fielder, walloped three home runs as the Tigers coasted to conference win No. 11 by trouncing the Iowa State Cyclones, 12-1 at Ames Saturday. Schoonmaker's three round-trippers gave him a total of nine for the season and boosted his runs-batted-in mark to 26 in 20 games.
The Tigers clinched the conference crown on Friday, so the game meant nothing to them so far as league standings are concerned, but Coach John Simmons found another front-line pitcher in Norman Stewart, sophomore right hander, who was making his first start of the season. Stewart scattered seven Cyclone hits and had a shutout going into the ninth, when Ray George homered for the only Iowa State tally.
Todd Sickel and Buddy Cox also homered as the Tigers landed on Bill Postma and Steve Kostakos with a 16-hit attack. Sickel's homer was his first of the season, Cox' his second. Postma, incidentally, was the hurler who handed the Bengals their only conference loss when they bowed to the Cyclones here, 4-1.
A walk to Dick Dickinson, Sickel's homer, a single by Musgrave, and error and Jerry Schoonmaker's sacrifice fly gave Missouri a 3-0 lead in the first. Schoonmaker's first homer followed a single by Sickel in the third for two more, and his second came with the bases empty in the fifth.
Sickel's double, Musgrave's single and a two-bagger by Bob Schoonmaker produced a pair of runs in the seventh, and in the eighth, Emil Kammer tripled and counted on Stewart's sacrifice fly.
Schoonmaker homered again with the bases empty in the ninth, after which Bob Schoonmaker reached first on an error and Cox hit one over the fence to wind up the Missouri scoring.
The defeat eliminated Iowa State's hopes of a second-place finish as Oklahoma completed a sweep of its two-game series with Colorado by winning, 5-1, at Boulder.
Missouri had already won the Big Seven, so Coach Simmons let me pitch. I had them shut out through eight innings and we were up 12-0. I went out to pitch the ninth, and I got the first guy out. I was feeling pretty good.
I threw two balls to the next hitter. No big deal, right? Coach Simmons came out, and, in the damnedest oratory I ever heard, began to chew me out. Now I had heard people swear. I knew every swear word, so there weren’t any knew ones. It was just the wat Simmons delivered it. He told me if I threw one more ball, my ass was coming out. And he walked back to the dugout.
I was amused, but he’d made his point. So I threw it right down the groove and the guy promptly jacked it over the left field fence. The next voice I hear is Coach Simmons.
“By golly, that’s the way to go. If they hit four or five more like that, then I’ll take you out. Just keep throwing them strikes and make them hit it.”
I got them out and we beat them 12-1. Point proven: Do what your coach says, and everything will be all right.”
(Norm Stewart, Stormin' Back)
Big 7 Officials Discuss Possible Entry of A & M
BOULDER, Colo. - Big Seven conference faculty representatives discussed "unofficially" the possible admission of Oklahoma A&M to the league, a spokesman said Saturday at the end of their two-day session.
Reaves E. Peters, league executive secretary, said "the matter of Oklahoma A&M was not on the agenda. There was no official request from the school, therefore we were in no position to talk about it officially."
In response to a reporter's question, Peters said there was some "unofficial conversation."
Tigers Advance in NCAA With 5-3 Win Over Lafayette
Beckmann to Pitch Against Rollins Tonight
(Columbia Daily Tribune, Friday June 11, 1954)
OMAHA, June 11 - Missouri's Big Seven champion Tigers advanced to the second round of the NCAA College World Series here last night as they rode by Lafayette college, 5-3, on a three-hit pitching performance by Emil Kammer. It was the 12th straight victory for the Bengals and sends them against Rollins college, surprise winner over Oklahoma A&M, at 8 o'clock tonight.
Jerry Schoonmaker drove in the winning run for Missouri last night with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning after Lafayette's Howie Fredericks had tied the score at 3-all with a homer in the fourth. The Tigers added an insurance run in the seventh on a triple by Jerry Schoonmaker and George Gleason's double.
The Leopards took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. After two were out, Fredericks drew a walk and Ed Doerrman followed with a smash back at Kammer which the Bengal hurler deflected toward third base, then threw to Bob Schoonmaker, who let the ball elude him as Fredericks raced to third. Doerrman and Fredericks then tried the double steal and Buddy Cox' return throw to the plate arrive in time, but Gleason dropped the ball as Fredericks crashed into him.
The Tigers retaliated with three in their second. Bob Schoonmaker led off with a double to left center for Missouri's first hit and advanced to third on Jim Doerr's single after Cox had popped out. After Doerr stole second, Dick Dickinson lashed a double past third, scoring Schoonmaker and Doerr, and went to third when left fielder George Watts threw past second. Ernie Peters' low throw on Todd Sickel's grounder allowed Dickinson to cross the plate.
Peters opened the Lafayette third with a walk, but was forced at second on Bob Marchiorlete's grounder to Cox. Bill Hogart walked and Watts singled to right to send Marchiorlete across.
Fredericks' homer, a line drive over the left field fence, tied the score in the fourth, but that ws the lst hit Lafayette made off Kammer, who faced only 18 batters for the remainder of the game.
After Dickinson flied out in Missouri's fifth, Sickel singled to center and stopped at second on Bob Musgrave;s one-baser to right. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Sickel scored as Jerry Schoonmaker flied to Hogarty.
Missouri's final run came after two were out in the seventh. Jerry Schoonmaker lined a triple to right center and Gleason followed with a two-bagger to left center to score Schoonmaker.
Kammer not only hurled effectively, but provided the longest Tiger hit of the game, a towering clout that went over Machoirlete's head and rolled to the flag-pole in dead center for a triple.
That blow may have earned Kammer an outfield job tonight. Simmons said this morning he is toying with the idea of sending him to left field against Rollins, replacing Doerr.
Rollins, which had won 22 games and lost six before coming to the tournament, is coached by Joe Justice, brother of Charlie Justice of football fame.
Attendance at the tournament's opening session was announced as 3,976.
Lafayette College
16-8
Coach:
Charlie Gelbert
307-127
in 21 seasons.
Gelbert was a World Series star for the “Gashouse Gang” St. Louis Cardinals.
Eight NCAA District II Playoffs
5 times District II champ.
"The person who really impacted me at Lafayette was our baseball coach, Charlie Gelbert, who was an incredibly successful coach and a former professional baseball player. He always treated his baseball players like athletes and taught us to prepare just as hard as we played in games. It was that preparation and thought process that I've carried through in life."
(George Hossenlopp, Lafayette Class of ‘65)
(Columbia Daily Tribune, Friday June 11, 1954)
OMAHA, June 11 - Missouri's Big Seven champion Tigers advanced to the second round of the NCAA College World Series here last night as they rode by Lafayette college, 5-3, on a three-hit pitching performance by Emil Kammer. It was the 12th straight victory for the Bengals and sends them against Rollins college, surprise winner over Oklahoma A&M, at 8 o'clock tonight.
Jerry Schoonmaker drove in the winning run for Missouri last night with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning after Lafayette's Howie Fredericks had tied the score at 3-all with a homer in the fourth. The Tigers added an insurance run in the seventh on a triple by Jerry Schoonmaker and George Gleason's double.
The Leopards took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. After two were out, Fredericks drew a walk and Ed Doerrman followed with a smash back at Kammer which the Bengal hurler deflected toward third base, then threw to Bob Schoonmaker, who let the ball elude him as Fredericks raced to third. Doerrman and Fredericks then tried the double steal and Buddy Cox' return throw to the plate arrive in time, but Gleason dropped the ball as Fredericks crashed into him.
The Tigers retaliated with three in their second. Bob Schoonmaker led off with a double to left center for Missouri's first hit and advanced to third on Jim Doerr's single after Cox had popped out. After Doerr stole second, Dick Dickinson lashed a double past third, scoring Schoonmaker and Doerr, and went to third when left fielder George Watts threw past second. Ernie Peters' low throw on Todd Sickel's grounder allowed Dickinson to cross the plate.
Peters opened the Lafayette third with a walk, but was forced at second on Bob Marchiorlete's grounder to Cox. Bill Hogart walked and Watts singled to right to send Marchiorlete across.
Fredericks' homer, a line drive over the left field fence, tied the score in the fourth, but that ws the lst hit Lafayette made off Kammer, who faced only 18 batters for the remainder of the game.
After Dickinson flied out in Missouri's fifth, Sickel singled to center and stopped at second on Bob Musgrave;s one-baser to right. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Sickel scored as Jerry Schoonmaker flied to Hogarty.
Missouri's final run came after two were out in the seventh. Jerry Schoonmaker lined a triple to right center and Gleason followed with a two-bagger to left center to score Schoonmaker.
Kammer not only hurled effectively, but provided the longest Tiger hit of the game, a towering clout that went over Machoirlete's head and rolled to the flag-pole in dead center for a triple.
That blow may have earned Kammer an outfield job tonight. Simmons said this morning he is toying with the idea of sending him to left field against Rollins, replacing Doerr.
Rollins, which had won 22 games and lost six before coming to the tournament, is coached by Joe Justice, brother of Charlie Justice of football fame.
Attendance at the tournament's opening session was announced as 3,976.
Lafayette College
16-8
Coach:
Charlie Gelbert
307-127
in 21 seasons.
Gelbert was a World Series star for the “Gashouse Gang” St. Louis Cardinals.
Eight NCAA District II Playoffs
5 times District II champ.
"The person who really impacted me at Lafayette was our baseball coach, Charlie Gelbert, who was an incredibly successful coach and a former professional baseball player. He always treated his baseball players like athletes and taught us to prepare just as hard as we played in games. It was that preparation and thought process that I've carried through in life."
(George Hossenlopp, Lafayette Class of ‘65)
Next up for Missouri was little Rollins College . . .
. . . out of Florida, which had a student population of 300, the smallest school ever to reach the finals.
Rollins had an added ace in the hole, or on the hill. Pitcher Art Brophy had yet to lose in his college career. True to form he won again, defeating the Tigers 4-1 with a five-hitter while striking out 12.
Taking it on the chin for the Tigers was Bert Beckman, who had gone 4-1 with a 2.18 ERA during the regular season. He still looks back and thinks about the key moment of that game.
``We were tied 1-1 and they had a guy on base. I called (Dick) Dickinson in and told him, I'm going to pitch this guy tight so he'll bunt. But I pitched him too tight and I walked him, and the next guy hit a fly ball off the wall. Before it was all over, he rounded the bases for an inside the park home run.''
That made the score 4-1, which is how it ended. Now the Tigers stood at one victory and one loss in the World Series. The pressure was on the young team. One more loss and they would be done. Would they go home short of their goal once again?
(Columbia Missourian, March 14, 1994)
"We were beaten during our second game in the tournament. I pitched relief in that game, and I was so excited I couldn’t even see. I just threw hard as I could, striking out four guys in two innings."
(Norm Stewart in Stormin’ Back, p. 39)
Rollins College
Winter Park, FL
25-8
Coach: Joe Justice
1947-1971
(482-287-13 .627)
Rollins is the smallest school in college baseball history to play in the College World Series in Omaha. With only 700 students on the campus in 1954, the Tars posted a 25-8 overall record and finished second in the championships. They lost the championship game 4-1 to the University of Missouri.
(Rollins College Website)
2004 Rollins Tars reach Final Four of D-II College World Series
50 years after fnishing as the runner-up to the Missouri Tigers in the 1954 College World Series, Rollins College very nearly equalled that performance, reaching the final four of the NCAA Division II World Series, finally losing to Grand Valley State, 11-4. The loss ended the Tars' most successful season ever with a record of 48-12
Rollins had an added ace in the hole, or on the hill. Pitcher Art Brophy had yet to lose in his college career. True to form he won again, defeating the Tigers 4-1 with a five-hitter while striking out 12.
Taking it on the chin for the Tigers was Bert Beckman, who had gone 4-1 with a 2.18 ERA during the regular season. He still looks back and thinks about the key moment of that game.
``We were tied 1-1 and they had a guy on base. I called (Dick) Dickinson in and told him, I'm going to pitch this guy tight so he'll bunt. But I pitched him too tight and I walked him, and the next guy hit a fly ball off the wall. Before it was all over, he rounded the bases for an inside the park home run.''
That made the score 4-1, which is how it ended. Now the Tigers stood at one victory and one loss in the World Series. The pressure was on the young team. One more loss and they would be done. Would they go home short of their goal once again?
(Columbia Missourian, March 14, 1994)
"We were beaten during our second game in the tournament. I pitched relief in that game, and I was so excited I couldn’t even see. I just threw hard as I could, striking out four guys in two innings."
(Norm Stewart in Stormin’ Back, p. 39)
Rollins College
Winter Park, FL
25-8
Coach: Joe Justice
1947-1971
(482-287-13 .627)
Rollins is the smallest school in college baseball history to play in the College World Series in Omaha. With only 700 students on the campus in 1954, the Tars posted a 25-8 overall record and finished second in the championships. They lost the championship game 4-1 to the University of Missouri.
(Rollins College Website)
2004 Rollins Tars reach Final Four of D-II College World Series
50 years after fnishing as the runner-up to the Missouri Tigers in the 1954 College World Series, Rollins College very nearly equalled that performance, reaching the final four of the NCAA Division II World Series, finally losing to Grand Valley State, 11-4. The loss ended the Tars' most successful season ever with a record of 48-12
Tigers Bow to Rollins College in NCAA Tournament, 4-1
Defeat Snaps 12-Game M.U. Win Streak(Columbia Daily Tribune, Saturday, June 12, 1954)
OMAHA, June 12 - Little Rollins college, which boasts only 300 male students, snapped Missouri's 12-game winning streak and dropped the Tigers into the losers bracket of the NCAA College World series with a 4-1 victory in the second round of the tournament before a crowd of 4,269 fans here last night.
The defeat paired the Bengals with the University of Massachusetts in a losers' contest at 2 o'clock this afternoon, with Ed Cook the probable Missouri pitcher. Massachusetts, which dropped its opening game to Michigan State, edged out Oregon, 5-3 yesterday afternoon.
Michigan State and Rollins remained the only undefeated teams in the tournament as the Spartans eked out a 2-1 victory over Arizona last night. The two unbeaten clubs will meet at 8:30 o'clock tonight. In the losers' game yesterday, Oklahoma A&M defeated Lafayette, 4-2, and will play Arizona at 6 o'clock this evening. If the Bengals can get by Massachusetts, they will take on the winner of the Aggie-Arizona game at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. A Massachusetts victory would eliminate Missouri from the tournament.
The Tigers last night made only six hits off the southpaw slants of Phil Brophy, who posted 12 strikeouts. The Tars of Rollins had only six blows, all singles, off Bert Beckmann and Norman Stewart, but broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth with three runs on a pair of hits, two walks and an error.
Missouri's lone run came in the second inning when Jerry Schoonmaker reached first on Delton Helms' error, stole second and scored when Buddy Cox whacked a change-up pitch to the right field corner for a triple.
The Tars evened the count in the fourth on Conie Butler's inside-the-park home run, a drive which caromed off the left field fence and ricocheted into center. Butler rounded third as Dick Dickinson took the throw from the outfield, kept going, and beat the relay to the plate.
Brophy led off with a single off Beckmann in the sixth and was forced at second on Don Finnegan's hopper to Dickinson. Fred Talbot drew a walk and Butler smashed one over second base which Cox stabbed back-handed and beat Talbot with a dive to the bag as Finengan scored all the way from second. Butler took second as Cox threw to the plate in an attempt to flag Finnegan. Helms walked and then pulled a double steal with Butler. Bob McHardy went down swinging for what should have been the third out, but the pitch got away from George Gleason and rolled to the screen as Butler scored. Helms moved to third and MacHardy reached first. Dave Smith then singled to center to score Helms, after which Nick Vancho was retired on a grounder to short.
After Beckmann went out for a pinch-hitter in the seventh, Stewart took over and faced only six men in two innings, getting four of them on strikeouts.
The Tigers missed scoring opportunities in each of the last three innings. Jerry Schoonmaker tripled with one out in the sixth and after Gleason popped out, Bob Schoonmaker shot a line drive toward left that shortstop Vancho turned into a leaping catch.
After Cox had fanned in the seventh, Emil Kammer blasted out a three-bagger, but Brophy fired third strikes past both pinch-hitter Jack Gabler and Dickinson.
Gleason walked to open the ninth and Bob Schoonmaker followed with a single, but Cox fanned and Kammer hit into a game-ending double play.
OMAHA, June 12 - Little Rollins college, which boasts only 300 male students, snapped Missouri's 12-game winning streak and dropped the Tigers into the losers bracket of the NCAA College World series with a 4-1 victory in the second round of the tournament before a crowd of 4,269 fans here last night.
The defeat paired the Bengals with the University of Massachusetts in a losers' contest at 2 o'clock this afternoon, with Ed Cook the probable Missouri pitcher. Massachusetts, which dropped its opening game to Michigan State, edged out Oregon, 5-3 yesterday afternoon.
Michigan State and Rollins remained the only undefeated teams in the tournament as the Spartans eked out a 2-1 victory over Arizona last night. The two unbeaten clubs will meet at 8:30 o'clock tonight. In the losers' game yesterday, Oklahoma A&M defeated Lafayette, 4-2, and will play Arizona at 6 o'clock this evening. If the Bengals can get by Massachusetts, they will take on the winner of the Aggie-Arizona game at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. A Massachusetts victory would eliminate Missouri from the tournament.
The Tigers last night made only six hits off the southpaw slants of Phil Brophy, who posted 12 strikeouts. The Tars of Rollins had only six blows, all singles, off Bert Beckmann and Norman Stewart, but broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth with three runs on a pair of hits, two walks and an error.
Missouri's lone run came in the second inning when Jerry Schoonmaker reached first on Delton Helms' error, stole second and scored when Buddy Cox whacked a change-up pitch to the right field corner for a triple.
The Tars evened the count in the fourth on Conie Butler's inside-the-park home run, a drive which caromed off the left field fence and ricocheted into center. Butler rounded third as Dick Dickinson took the throw from the outfield, kept going, and beat the relay to the plate.
Brophy led off with a single off Beckmann in the sixth and was forced at second on Don Finnegan's hopper to Dickinson. Fred Talbot drew a walk and Butler smashed one over second base which Cox stabbed back-handed and beat Talbot with a dive to the bag as Finengan scored all the way from second. Butler took second as Cox threw to the plate in an attempt to flag Finnegan. Helms walked and then pulled a double steal with Butler. Bob McHardy went down swinging for what should have been the third out, but the pitch got away from George Gleason and rolled to the screen as Butler scored. Helms moved to third and MacHardy reached first. Dave Smith then singled to center to score Helms, after which Nick Vancho was retired on a grounder to short.
After Beckmann went out for a pinch-hitter in the seventh, Stewart took over and faced only six men in two innings, getting four of them on strikeouts.
The Tigers missed scoring opportunities in each of the last three innings. Jerry Schoonmaker tripled with one out in the sixth and after Gleason popped out, Bob Schoonmaker shot a line drive toward left that shortstop Vancho turned into a leaping catch.
After Cox had fanned in the seventh, Emil Kammer blasted out a three-bagger, but Brophy fired third strikes past both pinch-hitter Jack Gabler and Dickinson.
Gleason walked to open the ninth and Bob Schoonmaker followed with a single, but Cox fanned and Kammer hit into a game-ending double play.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)