Laney College - Oak Log Yearbook (Oakland, CA)

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Head Coach Gil Callies and Assistant Coach Dutch Triehuasser Football Seaton 1957-58 By Stu Smith Although compiling a season record of 1-7 the 1957 Thunderbird eleven that coaches Gil Callies and Vernon lDutchl Triehwasser placed on the field never failed to fill each 60-minute playing period with excitement. However, had it not been for the extra mileage gotten out of such stalwarts as Guard Tom Basile, who made Junior College All-American, and End Paul Schrcilicr, who set an OJC pass receiving record, snagging 24 during league play, the T-Bird season would have heen a dismal affair. Key injuries to the all-important spot of Quarterback forced the Uakland team to change from the T-l7orma- tion oHense to the variety of the single wing. Going into their first encounter against the highly regarded San .lose Jaguars, the T-Birds found themselves outweighed and lacking needed experience as they were howled over 37-6 on a muddy Bushrod Field, and in the process lost QB Stan Peters for the season. The Asian flu hug flying around the country caused the scheduled Shasta JC-Oakland JC tilt to hc canceled. Opening the league games, thc ,Birds hosted the 1956 Big Eight champion-Stockton Mustangs. The power- packed herd exploded for a 46-16 victory over the under- manned, inexperienced Daklanders. The host team's scoring came on a driving 26-yard 1'un hy Dave Littleton -a speedy fullback from Texas-and two safeties scored hy a hard-charging line, led by Rich Wells, Carroll Wr'ight, and Basile. lnvading spacious Hughes Stadium on the Sacramento JC campus, the visiting Oakland team found hospitality lacking as they became hewitchcd under the stadium lights hy a fahulous passing combination thrown at them hy the Panthers. This resulted in their second league loss, 34-13. The Thunderhird six-pointers were scored by half- hack Roosevelt Sloan on a 4-0-yard punt return, and on Tailback Larry All1right's short plunge culminating a 66-yard drive. When UJC met their cross-hay rival, City College of San Francisco, on a rain dampened home lnattlefield, the 1958 Thunderbirds. First row fl-rl : Stan Normura, Jim Perakis, .loe Crismon, Williant Love, Carl Wright, Lavell Guton, Jim Wilford, Leon Silas, Dennis Johnson. Second row ll-rJ : Earl Norwood, Stan Peters, Tom Garrett,.Max Villamor, John Conroy, Larry Richardson, Pete Mercurio, Rich Walton, Harv Oranshy, ,lim Pelham, Bill Steen. Third row, standing fl-rl : Dutch Triebewasser, Gil Callies, Coaches, Ed Bennett, Paul Wallan, Paul Schreiber, Roy Peters, Bill Herrera, Dave Littleton, .lack Forest, Carl Mt-Cane, Sam Albright, Hamlet Pulley, Don Bruck, Tom Rauch, Phil Engelke, Lionel Hankins, Carrol Wright, Rich Wells. Tom Basile. , , 2 . sn, W

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j1wf6alL . . The famed- ebeufging Tlannelerbim' Eleven 4 I Preseason warmups found the OIC T-Birds on the Cal. stadium turf. . . held 61 R oele em, Sod? ein Semen.

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T-Birds immediately fell behind by a 12-0 count, but speedily recovered to score two touchdowns. Spearheading the Oakland comeback were runs by Quarterback Bill Steen on a 27-yard skirt down the sidelines, and Halfhack Lionel Hankins' twist- ing run for the final T-Bird tally making the count read 18-12. lf the improving Thunderbirds deserved to win a game it was the heartbreakcr they dropped to a strong Modesto eleven on the latter's turf-worn field. The Pirates scored first within three minutes of the opening quarter and from that point on it was all Thunderbird. A strong defense led by linemen Willie Love, Don Wheelock, Joe Crismon, ,lack For- est, and Basile stopped play after play as they pushed the Modestomen all over the field. But the offense could not get started and was shut out C0111- pletely, 7-0. Xvithout a doubt the Oakland team reached its peak in the annual Homecoming game against the San Mateo Bulldogs. Before a near capacity crowd the Thunderbirds ran wild as they chalked up their only victory scoring five touchdowns and four extra points for a total of 34 to the barkless Bulldogs' 13. Sparked by the running of the injured Sloan, Leon Silas, Littleton, the passing of Steen and Albright, and the pass receiving of Ends Schreiber and Bill Herrera, the T-Birds looked like the strongest team in the conference. Good fortune was not destined to remain with the 'Birds however, as they journeyed to Richmond only to he put down by the not-to-be-denied Vvest Contra Costa Comets, 13-0. Fumbles at strategic points ended all Thunderbird th reats. The only Oak- land bright spot in the game was the signal calling of still another Oakland QB, ,lim Pekkain. With determination to produce a winning eHfort in their last game of the season against the Bear Cubs of Santa Rosa, the fired-up Calliesmen, be- hind Halfbaek Rich tBebopt NlcKinney's running, looked as though they would push the Cubbies right off their own field as they rolled to a 21-0 lead in the opening minutes of the game. But such was not to be, as the power-packed Santa Hosans with a three- Ray Bates roars through the Stockton JC midrlle as Dave Littleton throws a bone crushing block at right. Lionel Hankins is behind Bates. Tom Basile, All-Amerivan JC fAlternateiI 1957 Gimrrl Earl Norwood, All-Amerit-an ,IC Quarterback lAlternateb 1950 platoon bench. virtually wore down the small, dog- tired T-Bird squad and handed them their seventh loss, 37-21, to close out the season. Ouklanrlers tl-rj Don Bruek, Rich Walton. Bill Steen ton groumli. Jeff Clmn and Jaclf Forrest chase a CCSF Ram as Tom Busile, All-Ameriermguurrl,nutlfes!l1e stop.