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THE UNIVERSITY OP GEORGIA, ATHENS, GA. THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1055
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Baseballers Begin Work;
Seek SEC Championship
After three days of baseball practice, Coach Jim Whatley is convinced that Georgias chances of
winning the Southeastern Conference championship for the third consecutive year are “very slim.
Baseball Bounces Back
As the Georgia diamondmen opened their spring drills at Ag Hill
Monday to prepare for the defense of their Southeastern title, the
interest was focused on two key spots—pitching and catching.
Coach Whatley will concentrate on developing added pitching
strength to fill the gaps left vacant by Leon Houston, Marvin Satter
field and Jimmy Harper. Houston led last years pitching staff in
games won—six—and earned run average—1.35—but has since de
parted via the graduation route. Satterfield also received his sheep
skin and Harper has decided not to go out for the team.
Parrish, Foster Return
Allen Parrish and Doug Foster are the only returning hurlers
from last year’s mound staff and, barring injuries, should prove
to be the mainstays of the
mound corps this season.
Parrish won five of seven de
cisions last year and has
copped 15 and lost only four
in his three year Bulldog ca
reer. A blazing fast ball en
abled the big righthander to
capture the Georgia strike
out title a year ago. Foster,
however, is noted for his baff
ling slow stuff. A slow curve
and deceptive change-up were
hi3 main weapons as he post
ed an impressive 4-1 record
last season.
Whatley will give newcomers
Tommy Powell, Billy Armistead.
Dan Cabinets and Lanaier Roberts
a thorough looking-over before de
ciding who will land a starting as
signment.
Now for item No. 2, the catching. Regular backstopper Jim Farris,
recently withdrew from school and signed a contract with the At
lanta Crackers and reserve catcher Rip Darden has graduated. Horace
Knight, a standout receiver at Brewton-Parker, may fill the bill. New
comers Charlie Harris, Jimmy Brown and Harold Reese also will bat
tle for the job.
Infield Impressive
With the exception of third base, Whatley’s infield appears to
be set. “Old Reliable” Johnny Douglas, a permanent fixture at
the initial sack for the past three years, returns for his final sea
son. Freshman sensation, Jim Callaway returns to the keystone
bag and teams with All-SEC shortstop Reggie Andrews to give
the ’Dogs one of the best second base combinations in the league.
At the hot corner, rookies Norman Fowler, Jack Buchanan and
Virgil Mills will seek to fill the vacancy created by the loss of Bobby
Sherrer. Sonny Saye has had experience at third and may be shifted
there.
In the outer pastures, speedster Wendell Tarleton, defensive stand
out Duane Grice and slugger Sonny Saye will hold down starting
positions.
Allen Parrish
The Bulldogs launch their attempt
to retain the title with their first
conference games next Friday and
Saturday with Florida in Gainesville.
They tangle with Mercer In Macon
Thursday and meet Florida State In
Tallahassee the following Monday
and Tuesday. Georgia's home opener
will be April X when they tangle with
Florida in a return match on Ag Hill
diamond.
One of the main reasons for What
ley’s worries is the comparatively in
experience of the pitching staff—a
condition brought on by graduation
of Leon Houston and Marvin Satter
field. Houston, along with last year’s
ace Allen Parrish and Douglas Fos
ter, paced the Bulldogs to the con
ference title.
This year’s mound staff will con
sist of Parrish, Foster and a host of
newcomers including Billy Armstead
Lanaelr Roberts, Tommy Powell and
Dan Cabaniss.
Another position that is worrying
Whatley is catching. Last year’s reg-
ular, Jim Farris, turned professional.
Also the Bulldogs’ only substitute
catcher, Rip Darden, graduated, leav
ing the Georgians with the task of
starting from the bottom and com
pletely rebuilding at that position.
Horace Knight, Jimmy Brown, Hal
Reese and Charlie Harris are cur
rently competing for the catching po
sition.
Whatley contends that this year’s
Bulldog squad could be as good as
last year’s team, but a marked im
provement in Auburn, Florida, and
Georgia Tech "will make the Geor
gians’ job of retaining the cham
pionship very difficult.” Last year
Georgia dropped three of four games
to Auburn, but the fact that two of
the losses were non-conference games
SEC Standings
(FINAL)
League Games
W L
All Games
W L
Kentucky
12
2
22
2
Alabama
11
3
19
6
Vanderbilt
9
6
16
6
Tulane
9
5
15
6
Tennessee
8
8
15
7
Georgia
7
1
»
10
Ga. Tech
7
7
12
13
Auburn
6
8
11
10
Florida
5
9
12
10
Mississippi
6
9
8
16
Louisiana St.
3
11
6
18
Miss. State
2
12
8
17
GENTRY SPARKLES-
Georgia Mermen Capture SEC Title
In Close Meet with Powerful Florida
Georgia’s Bulldog mermen captured the Southeastern Conference swimming championship last Sat
urday night in Nashville’s Vanderbilt pool. They won in a thrilling meet that saw the lead constantly
see-saw between Georgia and Florida with Tech running a distant third.
Coach B. W. “Bump” Gabrielsen’s
aquamen stacked up 100 points in
comparison with 97 for Florida, 71
for Tech, 58 for Kentucky and 16 for
Vanderbilt.
Georgia’s victory was considered a
minor upset by many swimming
critics. Florida had been rated a
slight favorite after Bulldog diver
Bob Kidd wrenched his shoulder and
freestyler Bill Kirkland sprained his
back.
This was Georgia’s fourth SEC
victory in six years. Florida held the
conference title in 1953 and 1964.
Allen Gentry, who had swum in
the individual medley and freestyle
sprints for Georgia previously this
season, upset predictions by captur
ing the 100-yard and 200-yard back
stroke events from highly favored
SEC champion George Duganne of
Florida.
The deciding medley relay, taken
by Georgia, starred Hal Stoltz. Stoltz,
holder of the NCAA 200-yard ortho
dox breaststroke record, won this
event along with the 200-yard but
terfly race.
Kidd left the University infirm
ary with a badly sprained shoulder
to follow the team to Nashville and
take third place in both diving
events. Although Florida placed first
in diving, Georgia maintained four
of six top positions.
JOHN DOUGLAS
Hard Ilittiny First Baseman
enabled the Bulldogs to win the title
by one game.
Coach Whatley’s hopes for a team
as good as the 1954 squad are bol
stered by the return of seven of last
year’s top performers. Infield re
turnees are first baseman Johnny
Douglas, shortstop Reggie Andrews
and second baseman Jim Callaway.
Douglas, who Is a senior this year,
was among the top hitters with a .807
batting average. He has held down
first base for three years and was
chosen most valuable player in 1951
as a freshman. He has a .311 overall
record for three years’ duty with the
Bulldogs.
Andrews has been termed by many
experts as one of Georgia's greatest
shortstops. He was chosen to All-SEC
team for the past two years, and Is
considered a sparkplug of the Geor
gia infield.
Callaway was runner-up In batting
last year with a .313 mark and was
chosen by his teammates as the most
valuable player.
Last year's leading hitter, Sonny
Saye, with a .341 batting average,
and freshman standout Wendell Tar
leton and Duane Grice, stolen base
leader with ten, are returning for out
field duty.
Reds Trample While Squad
In G-Day Intrasquad Battle
Wally Butts sat in the enormous stands of Georgia's Sanford Stad
ium Saturday, along with 15,000 Bulldog fans, and admired his work
of the past six weeks as his Red team battered the powerful defense
of the Whites for a 2(5-2 G Day victory.
Thoughts of the Georgia mentor
were undoubtedly far from tho weak
offensive play shown by his charges
a year ago, as his backs, though lack
ing consistency, showed signs of
greatness on several occasions.
Quarterback Dick Young of the
Red Bulldogs performed brilliantly
in completing six of 11 aerial at
tempts for an even 100 yards, but
Joe Comfort, sophpmoro field mar
shall of the Whites, surprised his
coaches gaining 43 yards through the
air as he connected on four of seven
passes.
Butts’ backs on both sides were
stopped time after time by the op
posing defensive batteries at the line
of scrimmage. Knox Culpepper could
not take defeat easily though and the
big White fullback hit the line
10 times for a total of 42 yards.
Gainesville's gift to the Red team,
Harold Pilgrim, turned in the long
est scamper from scrimmage. After
taking a pitchout from Young in the
fourth quarter, he cut down the left
sideline, side-stepped three would-be
tacklers and sprinted 33 yards to the
end zone. Pilgrim had earlier been
spilled in his own end zone for the
White team’s oply two points.
Bobby Ruark hauled In a punt on
his own 4 9-yard line and raced to the
one before being stopped by John
Bell. Ruark then ran it over on the
next play.
Young passed to Lancalr Roberts
and Roy Wilkins for the other two
touchdowns, the plays covering 26
and 21 yards.
Net Team To Open
Season with FSU
Four returning lettermen will be
on hand when the Bulldog netmen
open their season against Florida
State University in Tallahassee Mar
17.
Merritt Pound Jr., last year’s num
ber one singles man, heads the list
of returnees. Danny Huff, number
two netter, and Bill McMullan and
Stan Steinberg complete the list. The
only regulars not coming back this
season are Sam Fleming and Beryl
Weiner.
Dan Maglll, who has taken over
tennis coaching duties replacing Al
bert Jones, will also rely on Marvin
Frosh Finish
19 -4 Season
When the Georgia freshmen de
feated the Navy Supply School, 74-
61, at Woodruff Hall last Friday
night, they put the finishing touches
on possibly the most successful sea
son in Bullpup history.
The Bullpups, winners of 19 of
their 23 games this season, compiled
the best record of any freshman team
since 1951 when Marvin Satterfield
and “Red” Magee led them to a 22-5
season.
It is virtually a certainty that such
players as Henry Cabaniss, Bill
Hearn, “Poochle” Hartsfleld and
Ray Allen will move up to the var
sity either next season or in the near
future and become regulars for the
Bulldogs.
Cabaniss, who led the Bullpup
scoring tor the season, was high
point man against the Navy with 15
points. This was the second Georgia
victory of the season over the Oaks
who are coached by former All-Amer
ican Ed Flores of 8t. Mary's, Cali
fornia.
All four of Georgia’s defeats came
lato in the season after they had won
the first fifteen games without a de
feat.
Five Newcomers Inducted
To Georgia’* W all of Fame
Five new members to the Univer
sity of Georgia's Wall of Fame were
Carpenter, number one tennis gtlayer | honored in ceremonies on the stage
as a freshman several years ago, who of the Palace Theater last night. The
GEORGIA'S SEC SWIMMING CHAMPIONS
is back from a tour of duty in the
Army.
The Bulldogs play Florida March
18 in Gainesville and Jacksonville
'Navy March 19 in Jacksonville.
new members are George Woodruff,
the late Morton Hodgson Sr., Chick
Shiver. Tom Nash and Spurgeon
Chandler. Abit Nix served as master
of ceremonies for the occasion.