University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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Michigan in Consistency, the hobgoblin of little minds, failed to phase the 1936 Michigan swimming team. After numerous gloomy predictions throughout the season the Wolverines lost the Western Con- ference championship to their arch-rivals from Iowa by two points. Two weeks later they came back at full strength under the leadership of their four champion divers to take their seventh national crown. The divers took fifteen of the squad ' s 30 points in the Nationals, while Kasley and the medley relay team were making up most of the remaining points. Thus it was that Matt Mann found himself in the strange position of coaching a national champion that could not take its rivals nearer home. Iowa, the team which had beaten them in the Conference meet, trailed by nine points in the Nationals. In the Conference scramble at Minneapolis, in spite of their defeat, the Wolverines succeeded in holding the breast-stroke, 440 and medley relay crowns. Jack Kasley ' s world-beating performance there in the breast-stroke helped to soothe the sting of defeat. The Wolverines plunged into their 1936 season eager to prove that they were able to maintain their pace of the previous year. With Frank Fehsenfeld making his debut as captain, Michigan swamped the swimmers from Indiana. Barnard took the 220 and 440 yard free style, while Kasley butterflied the 220 yard in 2:26, breaking his own National Intercollegiate record. The rest of the team followed suit and captured every first place. The experts heralded another truly great Michigan team. Jack Kasley set three new pool records when theMaize and Blue journeyed to Lansing to humble the Michigan State athletes to the tune of 58-26. According to the unofficial records, in this meet for the first time in ten years a Michigan State swimmer won first place in a duel meet with Michigan. Six firsts in nine events were too much for the powerful Ohio State team to cope with and Michi- gan walked off with a 5034 victory. Once more Kasley was in the spotlight when he broke his own intercollegiate record. Harry Rieke was also bathed in this most enjoyable galre when he splashed through to win in the back stroke. The always dangerous Iowa State natators caused Coach Matt Mann the most worry of the season. In a touch and go meet which hung in the balance up until the final moment Michigan triumphed 43-41. The Wolverines won the medley, diving, breast-stroke, back-stroke, two dis- tance swims and five third places to give them their two-point lead. Captain Fehsenfeld started the victory procession by a win backed with Johnston ' s third place. Barnard swam his best race of the year to tie the Big Ten record in the 220 yard event, and the 300 yard medley team clinched the victory. Here is a sample of the crowds that attend the dual meets in Michigan ' s splash-proof pool. The stands are erected in the auxiliary gymnasium, to provide room for Michigan ' s swim fans. The pool this year was the scene of many record-breaking per- formancse. Page 312

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If we are to believe that length, time and distance are all matters of relativity, it must hold true that success is also such a matter. The relative success of Michigan ' s 1935-36 basketball season depends, then, on the records of its former teams, and a statistical comparison of the last six seasons reveals many interesting items. In 1936, Coach Cappon ' s cagers won fifteen of their twenty scheduled games. They landed seven wins to five losses in the annual twelve-game Big Ten schedule, for a .583 percentage as compared with a .750 average for the entire season. Of seventeen games played in 193 1 , the VV ol ver- ines captured thirteen, and of sixteen encounters the following year, eleven went to them. In 1933 they won ten out of eighteen. During each of these three years Michigan lost only four Conference games, giving the team a .667 average. The next two seasons were not as successful. Only six contests in twenty went to the Maize and Blue in 1934, while they dropped eight Big Ten events. Last year was even more unfortunate. The Wolverines took only a pair of Conference games and eight of the twenty scheduled, giving them a general percentage of .400 and a Conference standing of .167. The average percentage over a period of six years is .559 for the season and .514 for Big Ten games. Michigan has played a two-game series with each Conference team four times in the past six years. Against Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, The Maize and Blue have won four contests, losing the same number. Purdue took them into camp six out of eight times while Iowa has won but two of eight. Ohio State was Michigan ' s victim on five occasions. Chicago seven times, and Northwestern but once. JOHX GEE laJJfsl of ike rangy Woberines, demonstrates ike reason for hu accuracy on bat-ins and backboard play. George Rudness was tkf only regular to measure under six feet, to Bfhsc. PataneUi breaks fast on typical Wokerine blocking play.

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The Tank COACH MATT MANX producer of con- sistently brilliant syimming aggregations, knotcn as one of the finest coaches in the United States. 1936 RECORD 6:1 Michigan 59 Michigan 58 Michigan 53 Michigan 50 Michigan 43 Michigan 48 Michigan 41 Indiana 25 Michigan State College . 26 Indiana 31 Ohio State 34 Iowa 41 Ohio State University . . 36 New York Athletic Club 43 CAPTAIX FRAXK FEHSEXFELD captured first place at the 1QJ6 aiional Collegiate meet in high board diring, taking also a third on the lose boards. Frank is a sure point winner ajaj ist any and alt com- petition. Big Ten Meet Michigan 2nd., 37 points. National Collegiate Meet Michigan, 1st., points. YAXDERVELDE DREW OSGOOD BLAKE RIEKE MOWERSOX KEELER MCCARTHY KASLEY FEHSEXFELD COACH MAXX BARXARD DIEFEXDORF GRADY JOHXSTOX Page 313