New Pittsburgh Courier from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 14

5 its PHIL SILVERS, noted TV star who emceed the Southern California Baseball Writers' dinner at the Hollywood Paladium, April 10, is shown chatting with two Los Angeles rookies, Charlie Vinson (left) and Dick Simpson. The Angels were guests at the event. In Young Dick Simpson Angels May Have Gift From Heaven LOS ANGELES Regardless of where the Los Angeles Angels finish in the American League race this season, they feel they will be able to boast one of the outstanding rookies in the league, in the person of outfielder Dick Simpson. Bothered by injuries for injuries, but his winter ball most of th spring training play and his booming bat here grind, Simpson has begun to sock the ball with authority and his chances for sticking with the big club get better With each outing. Speedwise Simpson, 20, has been clocked in 9.7 and many consider him the fastest man in the American League.

He has impressed with his fielding too. In these two departments, Manager Bill Rigney has indicated the Venice, California) resident operates like a major leaguer. Simpson played winter ball In Venezuela where he led the league in homers with six, finished third in RBIs with 20 and batted a solid .280. He was sidelined for half the season at Hawaii by illness and 1 THE COURIER April II, IfM I Matson to Wear Philadelphia Eagles' Cleats in '64 PHILADELPHIA, Pa. Ol lie Matson, onoe one of the most feared runners in the National Football League, will be wearing his spikes for the Philadelphia Eagles next season.

Last week, the 33 year old NFL veteran was part of a three way trade that saw him transfer from the Detroit Lions to the Eagles. Others in the deal Detroit defensive tackle Floyd Peters and Eagles offensive tackle J. D. Smith. Matson, who has carried the pigskin more than seven miles in 11 NFL seasons, has been on the move in recent years.

In 1959, he was traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Los Angeles Rams in a memorable 11 player deal. Last season he joined the Lions. All last season MaUon was hobbled with injuries. First he was bothered with a pulled muscle and then he hurt his Instep in a game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Matson has assured Eagles Coach Joe Kuharich that he is In sound physical shape and anxious to play for the man who coached him when he was an All American at San Francisco. While Matson is nearing the end of the football trail Ku harich firmly believes he can help the Eagles as a defensive back. Matson, who weighs 210 pounds, is one of those rarei yards. In rushing, the former Olympic runner has gained 4,730 yards on 1,023 carries for a career average of 4.1 yards. Last season, because of injuries, Matson carried the pigskin only 13 times for 20 yards.

Yet he still possesses much of the speed he had when he used to run the 100 yard dash in 9.6 seconds. Matson, who will be 34 on May 1, came into the National Football League after placing third in the 1952 Olympic 400 meter run. As a college player in 1951, he led the entire nation in rushing. Kuharich said the only reason he agreed to the Peters Smith trade was for Matson to be included in the package. "They didn't want to let Ollie go," he said, "but I told them no Matson, no deal." A players in the NFL who has excelled on both offense and defense.

He has played fullback, halfback and defensive halfback during his years in jthe league. As a running back Matson I had few peer. He was the first 'player in NFL to gain 10,000 5 In Wh Leo Richardson Lands Savannah State Post SAVANNAH, (la. Leo Richardson has been named head football and basketball coach at Savannah State Col lege'according to an announcement conr ng from the office of Dr. Howard Jordan president of the school.

Richardson is presently employed as head coach and director of athletics at Morris College, Sumter, S. C. He will report to Savannah State College as soon as he completes the present school term. Born in Gresham, S. Richardson attended elementary and secondary schools in Loris, S.

and received the bachelor of science degree in biology from Morris College, his master's degree from Tus kegee Institute. While in college, Richardson played on the football teams, which won two South Eastern Athletic Conference championships and one state championship. In he made the SEAC all conference football team as a guard. He also played basketball and baseball, fti high school and college. Richardson has also scrv ed an coach for four years at A.

L. Corbett Hih School. Wag ener. S. C.

The father of two children, Howard Buys Top Shell rAYETTEVILLE. X. C. Howard University's crew will race in the shell which won the 19i0 Olympics and World Racing titles during the current season. Dr.

James Xabrlt president announced the purchase of the sleek racing shell made in Germany over the weekend. The shell, built by world famed boat builder William Karlisdi in Molln. Germany. cost S1.S0O plus shipping ex 1 pensos and duty tax. According to Coaeh Stuart Law, the shell is the f.iste in the world.

It will te tin' only Karllsi made shell the T'nited Static. i It will offered t.i the! t'nited Statu Olvmpie crow fori ii at Trkvo t' fad t.imiri)v iu)t ftmatet of late indicate he's rounding into top form again. Simpson. 6 4" and 176 pounds, is one of the Angel's top rookie of the year candidates. The slender, speed merchant resembles the Chicago Cubs' great Ernie Banks in size andswing.

In his second year in organized ball he rapped 42 homers and drove in 113 runs for San Jose. With these kind of credentials it's no wonder Dick Simpson has been compared to Ernie Banks. Signed out of the Angel's first tryout camp back in February 1961, Dick Simpson could be the biggest bargain basement item in the club's history. he is married to the former Miss Mary Jane Frierson of Lynchburg. S.

C. Grambling Nine Nears SWAC Title By COLLIE .1. NICHOLSON PIXE BLUFF, Ark. The exceptionally talented Grambling Tigers used high handed run making antics Saturday to sweep a tihrecgame Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball series from Arkansas Grambling routed the Golden Lions. 102, and 2 to move within shouting distance of their fourth straight league crown.

The Tigers pummelled Arkansas, 135. Friday. Grambling hiked its SWAC record to 112 and nothing short of divine intervention can keep the Tigers from winning the title. President, coach R. E.

Jone's chief assets against the Lions were pitching and Improved defense. Robert Williams soofed Arkansas Friday and Carl Galman and Alex Pcro flatted triumphantly from the mound in Saturday's outings. Putting on a X'ker face, the coach and president said he was surprised and highly pleased with his team's success. Grambling was far from a runaway choice in pre season SWAC polls, but the Tigers all along up front In the confer em race, even the coach and president admits that they are unlikely to be dethroned before the like of Galman, Pcro. Williams and Candy Robinson graduates.

28th Opener ForW. C. Giles President Warren C. Giles watched the National I aue launch a new season for the 2Mb time on Opening Da v. 11ti.

This is also his Wh year ir th Ifh'ie highest Pennant Peg'May Be Cubs CHICAGO While the death of second baseman Ken Hubbs naturally dampened the ardour of faithful Chicago Cubs' fans, there is still a 'lingering hope' that the World Series starved bruins might surprise the critics in 1964. Some of them are certain that Ernie Banks comeback will mean a Wrigley Field flag. If the immediate past means anything, the 'even' seasons of the National League seem to favor teams which have been longest in the wilderness as far as pennants are concerned. Since the old Dodgers' dynasty collapsed, in the fire and glare of Don Larsen's 1956 World Series 'no hitter even years have meant 'unexpected pennants tor supposed underdogs. Milwaukee won its first flag in 1958, as the old Dodgers finished crumbling.

The flash in the pan Pittsburgh Pirates won their first pennant in 33 years, during 1960. THE GIANTS needed, and achieved, a miracle in 1962, to bring the first pennant to Candlestick Park. The only exception occured In 1951, when another supposed also ran nine, the Cincinnati Reds, romped home. Incidentally, half of Manager Fred Hutchinson's 1961 World Series starters (Gene Freeze, 3b; Eddie Ka.sk ss; Don Blasingame, 2b, and Wally Post, If) are no longer on the Rhineland roster. In golf, the player 'farthest away from the pin always owns the courtesy of putting his ball first The Cubs are 'farthest in the senior loop pennant wise.

Here's the line up: Team Last Flag Years Chicago 1945 18 St. Louis 1946 17 Philadelphia 1950 13 Milwaukee 19.1ft 4 Pittsburgh 1960 3 Cincinnati 1961 2 Houston None 2 New York None 2 Sari Francisco 1962 I Ixw Angeles 1963 0 On the 'farthest removed' basis, then, the 1964 choices are Chicago, St. Louis and Philadelphia. It may be well to recall that the 1961 Reds on with three re treads on the infield: Freeze, Kasko, and Blasingame, who batted .277, .271, and .281, respectively THAT season. If Enie Banks comes roaring back to explode behind the ringing bats of Ron Santo, Billy Williams and Lou Brock, the bruins can ride back to the top.

They have pitcher Dick Ellsworth (2 10), to stop any losing streak. Va. State Picks Grid Captains PKTERSIjURG Guard Tony Tyson and halfback end Linwood Hart were elected co captains of the Virginia State College football team which will conclude Its spring drills April 25. Tyson and Hart are both juniors who have been on the first unit for the past two seasons. Chosen second team All America by the Pittsburgh Courier last year, Tyson is a 210 pounder from Norfolk.

Washington High. Hart, who has shown his versatility at quarterback, slot back, halfback, and splft end, is a 185 pounder and prepped at Ed mondson High in Baltimore. II Football Tilts For Ark. PIXE BLUFF. Ark.

Van nette Johnson, athletic director and head football coach at Arkansas College has announced a 10 game schedule for 1W4. Arkansas opens the season on Sept. 19 against Mississippi Vocational. The complete schedule: VflV I.inrom 1 t'iv. I Mo .1.

i. iit hm I A Ft Hofl A'rrv Prmr Viw fnl ffr A A H'm iH (ITt f' Cm A Bm YmmM i A va nmi xtffi, 'timmim VSI A rp tm A WILLIAMS CONNECTS Cleveland Williams of Houston, fifth ranked heavyweight, connects with a hard right to the chin of Tony Fields of Los Angeles, in the third Grambling Just Many Records Fall In Pelican Relays By BENNIE THOMAS BATON ROUGE. La. Grambling College ran the 440 yard relay only two tenths seconds off the world's record Saturday night in the Pelican State Relays at Southern University, posting 0:40.2 seconds to establish a new meet record. The flying quartet of Donald Meadows, Richard Steb bins, Vernus Ragsdale and Don Owens lowered the time in the 440 relay for the second time in two days.

Friday afternoon in the preliminary trials, the Tigers ripped home in 0:40.3. the second time this season that they had posted the time which had them listed among all of the nation's relay units. Grambling also" set a new meet record in the SSOyard relay with the same unit of i Meadows, Stebbins, Ragsdale and Owens, jetting to a record shattering 1:23.4 clocking, erasing the 1:25.2 set by Texas Southern in 1902. Southern University's Richard Ross and Richard Jackson joined in the brigade of meet record breakers as they established new marks in the high jump and in the shot put, Misses World Mark Ross, one of the top high Jumpers in the nation Unlay, soared over the bar at 6' 10" for the second time this season, a jump which has him near the top in national rankings, while 1962 NAIA shot put champion, broke his 19611 Pelican State Relays record of 61' 4li" set last year as he heaved the shot to a 55 4,,4 new record. Texas Southern ran a dazzling 3:20.4 sprint medley relay, one of the ration's best times this season, with the baton crew of Charles White, Herb Stevens, T.

J. Bell and George Hunt leading the field to the tape. The Texas Southern Tigers also sped to victories in the two mile relay in 7:34.5. with the unit of Brice Canton. Bud die Madkln, Kenneth Noel and George Hunt out dueling Southern University in a two team race.

Texas Southern took its third relay trophy when the mile relay team ran a blistering 3:10.9 time to set still another new Pelican Relays mark, with oSuthrrn finishing in a close second as they were caught in 3:12.2, with 'Gram bling's 3:13.9 netting them Mm' A f4': mm I jn ''nV" V' 'A; HV f'myy i vw 1 fJ if 1 'i 1 1 I L. L.t Ai fcil Hl tt'im SPEEDY FOURSOME The mile relay team from Maryland State Colleoe is expected to be one of the itrong enrin in the Penn Relays, ilaed tor Philade'phia, April 24. 25. During the winter the tetm tet a na round of their scheduled 10 round heavyweight bout in Houston. Williams, noted as being a hard puncher, won a unanimous decision after Fields went the distance.

third place in the torrid race. Running on the record breaking Texas Southern mile relay team were Charles White, Ortis Barrett. Herbert Stevens and Wesley Blaekman. Richard Jackson didn't stop with his record shattering shot put performance. The bulky New Orleans senior came hack later in the chilly evening to hurl the discus to a new meet record of 163' as the 149 Z't" set by I.

Renosia of Texas Southern of last year fell with quite a thud. Robert Celestine of Southern came in for another Jaguar record breaking performance when he hurled the javelin 222', knocking off the 200' 6" set by John Thomas back in 1960. The Jaguars avoided a shutout in the trophy relays when they won the distance medley relay, with Fred Moss, Henry Brown, Darrel Dotson and Bobby Gatlin turning the distance in 10:30.0. Gatlin came in for his stellar anchor leg on the distance medley following a rousing one mile run record of 3:20.0, turning back Grambling's Gerald Kimble, the former record holder. tional indoor record in the mile relay in Louisville, Ky.

Team members, left to right, are Robert Brown, Harley Morris, Edwin Skinner and Earl Rogers. 1 sge; 1 1' BOB DOUGLAS Vet'ran Sports Iiealer To Honor Douglas At Fete NEW YORK Robert "Bob" Douglas, a pionwr in basketball and in integrated sports, will be feted at a testimonial dinner given in his honor by lifetime friends at the Americana Hotel in New York City on Sunday, May 3. Highlighting the dinner will be the formal presentation of the basketball Hall of Fame awards to Mr. Douglas and members of the New York Rens basketball team. Team members of the 1932 36 Rens were elected to the Hall of Fame at Springfield, Mass.

Mr. William Makrey, chairman of the Honors Committee of the basketball Hall of Fame will make the presentations. Team members to he honored are "Fats Jenkins. "Tarzan" Cooer. "Wee Willie" Smith, Bill Yancey.

"Bruiser" Said and Bob Douglas. Two deceased players, "Pappy" Ricks and Holt, will be represented by their wives. Friends will make a special presentation to Eric Illidge, who managed the team. Bas Wit. 9rv 1 DrTTRL.

nt 'Py Dr JR i 1TM.CW. 1 I i if, Tj. I I rrTT tr MlfttttWACHaHflBVIMBMBi E. Francis Back To Miners PITTSBURGH, Pa. When the National League season got underway a year ago, Earl Francis, a big and handsome right hander for the Pittsburgh Pirates, appeared to be sitting on top of the baseball world.

After having pitched brilliantly during the spring, the 28 year old native of Slab Fork, W. was handed the opening day assignment for the Bucs. Everyone was predicting Francis would be one of the big winners in the National League. Francis didn't win the opening day assignment and, as things turned out he didn't win many games at all. For the season Francis had and unimpressive and disappointing record of four wins and six losses.

This season there were hopes that the 210 pound hurl er might come back. But last week, after several disappointing pitching performances Francis was notified by the Pirates that he wouldn't be with the team when they opened the season at Forbes Field last Tuesday. Francis was made a Pirate casulty and sent to top minor league club in Columbus, only three days before the season got underway. A spring pitch ing work, in which he gave up 10 earned runs and 19 base hits in 11 innings, caused the decision. The story of Earl Francis is another one of those strange chapters that as often happen In baseball.

Pitching with the Pirates in 1962, Francis had a record of nine wins and eight losses. Most of the time, however, he was so impressive on the mound, even while losing, that most baseball experts generally agreed a new pitching ace in the NL had been unveiled. But after looking so good last spring, Francis never seemed to regain his winning ways. Troubled with an ailing arm. lie found himself being used only sparingly after the season was only a few weeks old.

Now, this handsome youngster is faced with the tough prospect of proving himself capable of winning in the big leagues all over again. One of those who believes he can come back is Pirate General Manager Joe L. Brown. "Earl still could become one of the games top pitchera," Brown said. "We're hoping he will find himself at Columbus and show us he's ready for another chance." Whether Francis will be able to come back to the big time is debatable at this point.

Yet, it seems sad that a youngster who appeared on the verge of greatness only a year ago, is now back in the pack, trying for a new start Pender Speeding FAYETTEVILLE. N. Mel Pender, former Fayette ville State rinderman, dashed to a 9 4 100 in a recent meet at Fort Bragg. Pender is a strong serviceman candidate for the Olympics. ketball greats Nat Holman and Joe Lapchick.

lifetime friends of Bob. will make opening remarks. Mr. Douglas, 84, was co founder and first president of the New York Pioneer Club, a track and field organization that has gone on to International fame. Bob also was founder, owner, and promoter of the famous New York Rens basketball team that won the first world's professional basketball championship.

Those interested in attending the affair should contact Mr. C. D. King of 143 West 125 New York 27. N.

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