Grand Rapids Community College - Olympian Yearbook (Grand Rapids, MI)

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l 1 I Left to right: Coach Al Veenboer, Donald I-Iowiuk, Tom Blackburn, Howard Caukin, Carl Franz, VVilliam Beal, Fred Stacks, and Robert Essebager. O which has been under the direction of Coach Al Veenboer since 1939, has fared extremely well over the fourfyear span. junior College won championships in '39 and '41 while gaining the runnerup position to Highland Park in 1940. This year's edition of Blue Raider net forces, with only two returning lettermen in Bob Essebager and Don Howick, scored only four victories in their first eight matches. But that .SOO percentage of play, although far from sensational, was a notable accomplishment for Junior Col' lege because their competition was of an extremely high rank among the leading contenders for national collegiate laurels. Among the foes on a suicide schedule were listed such powerful aggregations as the Kalamazoo Hornets, Westerii Michigan's tough Broncos, and an up and coming Central Michigan College team. Bill Beel earned the right to No. l position on the Raider team as the result of interfsquad matches prior to the season and the former Central boy held his own against many morefexperienced players throughout the season. Carl Franz played in the No. 2 slot. Essebager held down the No. 3 position with Blackburn and Howick ranked in that order. Howard Caukins was an alternate for the season. The Raiders were successful in their season debut when they defeated a strong Hope College team, 4 to 3. junior scored a victory over the Calvin Knights by an identical margin in their second start of the season. Raider competition grew stiffer in their next two encounters and the jaysees dropped an 8 to 2 decision to the Kala' mazoo Hornets before suffering their second defeat of the season at the hands of Western Michigan's powerfladen net team by the shutout route, 7 to O. The Hilltoppers rebounded after their momentary absence from the win column and made it two in a row over I-lope's Dutchmen by a 5 to 2 margin. Central Michigan routed the Raiders, 7 to O, in the sixth match of the year. And an inspired Calvin team avenged their earlier season defeat from JC by belting out a narrow 4 to 3 margin of victory before the Raiders returned to their winning ways with a well earned 4 to 3 victory over Western Michigan's Frosh. i ill ll A019 Spb , r 130 1942 JC NET RECURD We They HOW? - Home' . 4 3 Calvin . . . Away 4 3 Kalamazoo . . Away 2 3 Yvcstcrn Michigan Away 0 7 llopc- .... Away - 5 2 Central Michigan Home 0 7 Calvin .... Home 3 4. Yvcst. Mich. Frosh Home 4 3 Central Michigan Away 1 6 Stale ,IC Tourney Jackson Tied for lst

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'g,.zfv-V Ir'-f 1 V KU - , i . ,zum i, V ' , is Leff fo right: Rex Bigllall, Coach J. Henry Geurkink, John MacNaugl1ton, Willis Montgomery, and William VanderMass. back through many years at Junior College, has produced a galaxy of links luminaries among whom were such stars as Ed Flowers, erstwhile Michigan state amateur titleholder, Harold Brink, Hermie Miller and many others too numerous to mention. This year Coach Heinie Creurkink was fortunate in having two returning lettermen from last year's array of talent. These two, Johnny MacNaughton, who won medalist honors in last year's State Junior College tourney, and Sherm Massingham, who was hfth low man, combined to form the nucleus of the current crop of mashiefwielders. Bill Montgomery, by his consistent brand of steady play over the fairways, earned the right to hold down the number two slot behind MacNaughton. Rex Bignall, another newcomer in Hilltop goling ranks, exhibited a polished game in early season matches to establish himself in the number three slot. Bill VanderMass by demonstrating a deft aptitude in socking the little white pellet rightfully earned an opportunity to alternate with Massingham in the number four position to furnish team balance. Arlo DeWinter has established himself as an available alternate for any vacancy in the lineup. Under thelcompetent tutelage of Geurkink, the 1942 Blue Raider golf team, after emergf ing on the long end of an 8 to 7 score against the Kalamazoo Hornets in a successful season debut, annexed convincf ing triumphs in seven of the last eight starts with the last six victories in succession. The Raiders defeated Calvin in their second start of the year but dropped a 7M to 4M verdict to Kalamazoo in the return match, for the only mar on their slate to date. Calvin's Knights, Michigan State Normal, Highland Park, Hope, and Bay City were the most recent victims of -laysee golfing assaults with the Dutchmen suffering a pair of thorough shellackings. As this edition of the Olympian goes to press Geurkink's golfers are scheduled to face 'only one more foe in Michigan State Normal before defending their 1941 Michigan Junior College golf championship at Jackson, May 23. 194-2 JC GOLF RECORD We They Kalamazoo . . Away 3 7 Calvin . . . Away 'YW fly: Kalamazoo . . Home 4V2 7M Hope I , . Away 12 0 Calvin ...... Away 3 41 Mich. State Normal . . Away 9Vz SA Highland Park - - Away 13 5 Hope . , , , . Home 11Mz W Bay City , , , . . Home 10 2 Mich. State Normal . . Home 14 4 Second State JC Tourney . . Jackson 1 ll ? , if 1 - Ii9f'f1-3.2 Hi

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well I to Bob Col' date lets, the mer the md son. lalaf iden over ear. n of mis 'E EV0I'yone's cozy but Cosy. Despite the cigrflenlg wcfrld crisishwhici has prompted a discontinuation of various sports competition at numerous institutions o .218 ef Sammi t fougn out the nation, a well rounded and adequate athletic program again flourished at Gfalld R321 S IUH101' C0 age dufmg the past year. In collaboration with Uncle Sam's Army and Navy Vfl policy, physical fitness was stressed to the utmost in gym classes to conform with JC's general effort for all' out victory. Although symbolic of a striking contrast to the bleak world career it is ironic that man former and present Raider athletes who have been or soon will be beckoned by the Red White and Blue Y fought brilliant sports battles on the gridiron, on the diamond, and on the hardwood ,court under the, Blue and Gold colors of JC . . . Highlights of the year in pot pourri: . . . Junior's sixth consecuf tive and their 15th victory in a Zlfyear rivalry over Ferris' Bulldogs, 14 to O, at South field on a colorful JC, Homecoming day n. . . The Raiders' 6 to O triumph over the Wright College Rams in a water aquacade at Chicago . . . A Whirlaway finish down the home stretch when Junior's cage five brought home the bacon in their last seven games including a 48 to 41 victory over the champion Muskies . . . Incidentally GRJC was ranked 10th of the 31 cage teams in Michigan collegiate circles . . . Fourth annual InterfClass Track meet result - Sophs 74, Frosh '74 . . . Baseball's banner year in diamond sport which featured 20 to O victory over Calvin Knights . . . Ted Walkers' fourth in finals of mile run in 27th renewal of State Intercollegiates at East Lansing enabling JC to 'nnish 7th in the state ahead of Kalamazoo Hornets, Albion and Alma Scots - all four year colleges . . . Intramural bowling diadem to the Soph , Business Administration five who defeated Freshman Engineers in title playoff at Fanatorium . . . Individual high averages of season going to Hienie Geurkink of the faculty and Barth Carlson of the student body in respective leagues . . . Bill Tausend's victory in intramural golf tourney . . . Bob Essebager's triumph in intramural pingfpong championships . . . Frosh Business Administration f1ve's win in intramural cage playoff with' Chems . . . Bill Beel's intraf mural net title triumph . . . Golf team's brilliant showing with record of 8 wins in first nine starts including two triumphs over Hope by 12 to O and 11M to M scores . . . Successful sponsorship of third annual JC Relays at Houseman Field by Junior College athf letic department in conjunction with Furniture City Post No. 258 of the American Legion . . . In finis, it can well be said that Blue Raider sport teams enjoyed, on the whole, one of their best seasons in recent years. Further, that Uncle Sam's team will soon add to its ranks many a topfnotch sports' man and that these men who have starred in athf letics, bringing unrivaled records to their col' lege, will help make t h a t of t h e united forces unparalleled.