California State University Chico - Record Yearbook (Chico, CA)

Page 58 text:

2 as , . .,... ,,., . ,. ,.,..,,., . E . - :-:rr .:-V-1.-1 --- E - .. .,,. ::,:: 2114: . 1 1 if af 3 f 2: E ' is , 'gg . gs : if ..-rife ' Q 7327 LEN STENBERG Captain Conference Standings For 1938 W. L. Pct. NEVADA ..7 1 875 PACIFIC ---.6 2 FRESNO ---.4 4 CHICO ...., 2 6 AGGIES 2 6 750 500 250 250 ART ACKER Coach VARSITY BASKETBALL 1938 ITH practically an all-veteran squad returning for the hardwood sport, Chico State College was installed as the team to beat in the Par Western Conference basketball race. Winners of the league championship in 1937, the Wildcats were favored to repeat, but this proved to be impossible as the season Wore on, and the Chicoans lost several important series. When the final tally was made it was found that Chico State's cagers had dropped from first place in 1937 to the cellar spot in 1938. Although Coach Art Acker takes the blame for the poor showing of the squad, it was really the result of injuries sustained by two members of the championship five of the year before that proved the undoing of Chico in the conference chase. The first of these, and the most tragic, was that of Len Stenberg, all-conference forward in 1937, who suffered a bad knee injury. Although this did not keep him out of the lineup for the entire season, it proved an insurmountable drain on his old-time effectiveness. Stenberg's injury occurred during the practice season, but another -mishap took place before the conference season started. This was to Jim Holland, 6 foot, 3 inch guard, who was struck down by an automobile and suffered injuries that kept him from participating for the remainder of the basketball season. Ten members of the Cardinal and White squad, accompanied by Coach Art Acker and Graduate Manager Paul L. Byrne, made a 1200-mile tour of Southern California early in the season. Although none of the five games played, resulted in Wildcat victories, one important development did come from the trip. That was the discovery of Dave Sigel, reserve guard, who showed up so well on the tour that he took over a regular starting berth on the first varsity team. Scores of the games played on the barnstorming trip were: Modesto J. C. 40, Chico 283 U. C. L. A. 33, Chico 273 Chapman College 47, Chico 26, San Diego State College took a double header 47 to 35 and 49 to 31. Players 'making the trip included: Len Stenberg, Art Whitmer, Art Swensen, Irving Schoenfeld, John Moiso, Dave Sigel, Hal Taylor, Al Schlueter, Jim Holland, and Warren Behnke. 1938 CONFERENCE SEASON Off to a bad start in the Far Western competition, the Chico Wildcats lost both ends of a double header to the University of Nevada. Both games were played in the local gymnasium. The first game found Sigel and Schlueter at the guards, Whitmer at center, and Taylor and Swensen at forwards. The Wolf- Radovich adiusts his sights f . 4 E ii fi .4 . I li it 3 at i. af .7 71 .1- TS is 3, 4 ii if F ai 7 4 F fl ,i ,, l F .li .2

Page 57 text:

JOHNSON Gun rd 3 YW .':'. f W 'bib 'WM ,QV YOUNT Center RLAMS Quarterback LOYD Hdlfback

Page 59 text:

pack, led by Big John Radovich, 6 foot, 5 inch center, were too strong for the home team and despite the spirit of the Chico players, won a 43 to 38 victory. Top scorer for this game was Radovich with 14 points. Leading Chico in the scoring column was Al Schlueter with 13 points. In the second game Nevada again was victorious by a 52 to 44 score. Missing of free throws cost the Wild- cats this game. Sigel and Schlueter were outstanding for the losing Wildcats, while Stenberg scored 10 points to lead Chico scorers. Radovich again scored 14 points for high scoring honors. The California Aggie series, also played in the Chico gym, resulted in the Wildcats turning the tables in sweeping the series by scores of 45 to 37 and 42 to 38. In the first game the Cardinals hit a hot streak and ran up a high score. Dave Sigel sparked the team in both games from his guard position, while Sten' berg ca-me through with high point honors with 14 digits. In the second game Al Schlueter was the main scoring factor with his 18 points. An overtime period was needed before the Wildcats were finally given the victory. Taylor, Sigel, and Whitmer played the best ball for Chico in the final game of the series. The third series of the 1938 season was against the College of Pacific bas- keteers. The games were played at Stockton. The Wildcats went into the game with at least an even chance to split the series, but from the opening whistle, however, the superiority of the Bengals was seen. Although the score at half time in the Iirst game was 21-19 in favor of the Stocktonites, Chico failed to keep on the heels of the leaders in the second period and ended the game on the short end of a 50-25 score. Beck Parsons and Tom Rippon of Paciic led the scorers with Parsons making 18 points. Al Schlueter led the Chico scorers. In the second game the Cats duplicated their poor performance of Friday night s clash and were on the tail end of the 41-23 score. Rippon led the Tigers with 13 While Stenberg was high for Chico with eight. Against Fresno State the Chico Staters realized that all hope for the Far XVestern Conference title had gone glimmering and prospects for the 1938-1939 season were used by Coach Art Acker during most of the game. Cornelius Warmerda-m walked right through all attempts at defensive play on the part of the Wildcats and scored 35 points in the two-game series. In the first contest the Cats met their fifth defeat by a score of 40-35. Art Whitmer playing guard for the first time was high Chico scorer in this game with 15 points. A zone defense was used in both games in an attempt to stop the scoring ability of Warmerdam but to no avail Warrnerdam even topped his performance of the night before and scored 19 points in the final conference game for Chico For the Wildcats Art Whitmer and John Moiso turned in outstanding performances f HL, 1 12 J i-if E . X I me 4 .W .53 I E ji 1 ff 'Q an E is . K v M5 wi Ei Haag swirl E a iii 19 ...r ,.....,., ,. If rg we . .. fe 1 fem 4 ART VJHITMER i New JACK UREN LOUIE WELCH 1 is ' mm H J r v 1 1 m. 1 if asmsgla s r is it SH is is sy Q 1 B as nz an H s sl s gg as 3 as pu si as 1 is xii i Q B s if in E is s KN is a , . sf ' an 1 ri is awww an is 1 rx . . W , . 1 ' an . gm T nnlcc lilzn rlfw lnnn crro rh i L