Loyola University Chicago - Loyolan Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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Ed Caliban is the second senior member of the squad to receifve mention. As a forward dur- ing the past three years and especially during the last season Ed has distinguished himself while wearing the Maroon and Cold of Loyola. His point total for the season has always been high and there is no doubt that his ball handling benefited the team to no little extent. The third member of the senior class to perform regularly during the past season was Ed Murray. Shifted from center to forward this year Ed showed the fine qualities that enabled him to star on the court as well as maintain a high scholastic average. lt is a well accepted note around the halls of Loyola that Ed is tops in everything. Johnny Brennan was the fourth senior member of the squad although he did not play regu- larly. Despite the fact that he was overloaded with student government jobs, which he performed better than any of his predecessors in those ollices, John found time to knock the studies cold and to fill a valuable place on the team. School spirit was his middle name. The rest of the squad deserves the same high praise that has gone to the senior members. Wilma Kautz and Mike Novak from the sophomore class rounded out the regular team with Bill 0'Brien from the same class as the first reserve man for the forward position. Bob Brennan, Bill Lynch, and Cart Wiiiklei' formed the junior class contribution to Loyola basketball this year. It is certain that from this group will come as fine a team next year as we have been fortunate enough to have this year. The other sophomores on the squad were George Hogan and ,lack Hayes. These men from last yearls freshman team which lost only one of thirty-Eve games will form an adequate com- plement to the other fine material available to Coach Sachs for the coming season. lt has been interesting to watch this team as it developed from the green freshman squad of four years ago. At that time the varsity was manned by such Loyola stalwarts as Hal Motz, .lim Hogan, and George Silvcstri. Carrying on through their second and third years this team has as its center up to 1936-37 Ed Murray who had a reputation of getting the jump four out of Hve times from opponents who topped his height by from hve to seven inches. This year saw the addition of 6'9 Mike Novak to control the tip to perfection and left Ed to his duties as one of the best pot shots on the team. Marv Colen and Ed Caliban have played regularly from the start of their sophomore years. These two men have combined to make the Loyola teams feared at all times and with the addi- tional assistance this year of the fine material that came up from last year's freshman team they found their rightful place in the basketball world. It is easy to see that basketball at Loyola is the outstanding sport. The interest of the stu- dents and the ready assistance of the faculty in building up the squads have resulted in many fine teams at Loyola. This year's team has been no exception to the fine squads that have repre- sented the school in former years. Student support of the Ramblers in this 1936-37 season has risen to a new high. Perhaps with the impetus of this year and the promise of an even better team next year it will be possible for the school to realize dividends on the excellent basketball heritage that is hers. 261

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BASKETBALL FIHESHMEN Over twenty candidates answered Coach Dick Butzen's call for Freshman basketball. From this number, a small but speedy squad was selected. Although the team did not approach the record set by last year's quintet who won thirty-four out of thirty-five games, they compiled a fair average of victories and defeats. Under the astute guidance of Butzen, who learned his basketball while a member of the famous Sachs machine of former years, the yearlings gained a world of experience in hardwood play that will stand them in good stead next year. ,lim Killer Kane, former Harrison Tech captain, led the team from the guard position. His smooth floor A rfmlf' mags ww play and shrewd leadership paved the way for frequent scores. Paired with him at the back court position was Bill Wendt who gained all-Catholic mention while at St. Leo's. Bill was a constant fighter and a source of inspiration to his team- mates. Alternating with these two were Bud Cosgrove, a cool hook expert who learned his basketball in the C. Y. O. League, and Joe Mandell, a shifty dribbler from Senn High. These four players saved Coach Butzen many grey hairs with their impregnable defense. The center berth was held down by Chuck Haskins, burly giant from Mount Carmel. His great size was instrumental in gaining the rebound from the backhoard. Charlie Chapin and Bud Wilde alternated satisfactorily with him, the trio guaranteeing possession of the tipoff every time. Loyola Academy dominated the forward positions with Bob Riordan, Ed Britt, and Gene Dubay. Riordan, a recipient of all-Catholic honors while at the Academy, was the spearhead of the Frosh attack, piling up a total of twelve baskets in one game, Dubay and Britt were steady Hoormen, cool under fire and quick to take advantage of scor- ing opportunities. Ray Pellicore, three-letter winner from Kelvyn Park, was probably the fastest man on the squad. His hook shots and under-the-basket play at the forward post were the best reasons for his staying constantly in the game. Playing some of the strongest teams in the city, the Greenmen won five and lost eight in the face of tough competition. Among their victims were l'lcrzl Junior College, Fox Secretarial School, Illinois College of Chiropody, Wright Junior College, and an all star team from the sophomore class. That the schedule was difhcult may be proved by the fact that these same teams perennially defeat thc biggest names in Chicagoland basketball. The Creenmen lost close l'Cilll'l1 games to Herzl. Fox, Chiropodists and the Loyola sophs, and were handily de- feated hy Armour Tech, Division Y, and twice by the College of Optometry. The Frosh started the season in an nnpromising manner. Opening the season against Illi- nois College of Optometry, the frosh were sub:nerged by a 35 to 16 defeat. Successively the 262

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forced 'another period. Phillips put in a free throw to put De Paul ahead in the second over- time, but this finished De Paul's scoring for the evening. Ed Murray dropped one in to send Loyola into the lead again. Free throws by Kautz and Colen cinched the game for the Ma- roon and Gold. With some dismay, we turn to give a short summary of what was undoubtedly one of Loy- ola's most successful seasons on the hardwood court. The result of nineteen encounters found the Sachsmeu coming through with sixteen wins against the strongest quintets of the nation ac- companied by tln'ee losses, one against Chicago which has been ranked as the outstanding upset of the 1936-37 season. Among the earliest of victims were the Kansas State Aggies, an aggregation long famed as the originators of the game. Arkansas and Mississippi, southern neighbors of wide repute, dropped their contests to the inspired Ramblers and St. Bonaventure and George Washington, eastern favorites, added to an impressive victory string. It took Indiana, Xavier, and John Carroll to give the home spectators a thrill, the first of these were Big-Ten champs. Their presence provided three more triumphs for Loyola in the record book. The three defeats mentioned above were unusually surprising to the basketball world for all three were decidedly upsets. The first, Chicago, followed a hard battle with Indiana and a nat- ural let-down had been generally conceded Loyola although the team was expected to win. The remaining two came during a road trip which saw Loyola's quint completing a six-game schedule in eight days. The strain was obvious and explainable as far as defeats were concerned. Whatever the records may he, few of the 10,000 spectators cared when Loyola squared oH' with De Paul for a post-season tilt. Sponsored by Bishop Sheil and the Catholic Youth Or- ganization, the two contestants for the city title put on an exhibition which has become immor- tal in basketball history. Fighting desperately through two hectic overtimes, this first encounter after a long-existing feud ended with :mother victory for Coach Sachs' champions. Thus the official title of champions of the city of Chicago goes to the Lake Shore school. Intended only as a brief sketch of a glorious season, a conclusion might be reached by men- tioning that four of the renowned athletes have now come to the end of their college career. What experience they have garnered on the basketball court must now be applied to the contest with an even stronger team. To them is opened a new field, one which will require a great deal of skill in order to hang up a record as brilliant as that of their last season at Loyola. To them goes the heartiest good wishes of the University's students, both past and present. It is hard to single out any one individual and say he is more deserving of praise than any other so we feel that a note about each will not be out of place. Surely there are no more loyal men in the school than those who make up our athletic teams and it is no faint praise to say that they formed the center of the school spirit revival of the last few years. Taking the seniors of the squad in order, we come first to Captain Marvin Colen who has, during his three years of varsity basketball at Loyola, established a reputation for hard and clean playing together with the qualities of leadership that meant much to the success of the team. His all-American rating this year has climaxed a steady rise to basketball fame. He was undoubtedly the best guard on the Rambler outfit. 260