Tulane University - Jambalaya Yearbook (New Orleans, LA)

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H YEAR of hope and a year of disappointment, but a year of interesting and exciting athletic contests at Tulane. Returning students in September staggered out of fraternity rush week and orientation into the opening of the football season with hopes high and a prospective bowl bid waiting in November. The fans at the Saturday night games have changed a good deal since Coach Jim Pittman took over. Where once it was the fashion to use a football game as an excuse for a floor show and have a thousand private parties scheduled in the stands from eight to ten p.m., the average student now cares about the game, for it is a game worth caring about, not only for the team but for the university, for the prestige which surrounds a top football team rubs off on the school, and, for all the talk about the national reputation of Tulane, our prestige in sports circles is only fair, at best. This past year, disappointing losses to several weaker teams forced the Tulane fan to look forward to basketball which promised to be a real success after last year ' s 14-10 record. As was the story with football, the basketball team was overrated, suffered disappointing early losses and when Coach Ralph Pederson was replaced by Tom Nissaike in mid-season because of illness, a six-game losing streak greeted the frosh mentor before the team settled down and won seven of their last ten. Seeming to follow the lead of the two major teams, most of the other varsity squads attained a high level of mediocrity, which, at this university anyway, is a distinct improvement over the recent teams in the minor SDOrtS. The baseball team had its problems with a new coach and the loss of valuable veterans, but gave a creditable performance as they wait for this year ' s freshman and sophomores to develop. The track, golf and swimming teams did not set the world on fire, although several individuals came through with excellent performances so that the Green Wave was not humiliated in any instance. The tennis team still possessed one of the strongest dual meet squads in the country, having an undefeated season, and when tournament time came around, they man- aged to hold on to ninth place in the country despite disappointing losses in several championship matches. Individually, several outstanding stars have recently been developed at Tulane. First among them is of course Bobby Duhon, who was chosen as a pre-season Ail-American and, after completing a recordbreaking career at Tulane, signed with the New York Football Giants, who chose him in the third round of the draft. In tennis, Turner Howard in singles and Lee Kantrow and Richard Carter in doubles were fighting for national championships last spring and Howard looks like a good bet to capture a major title before leaving Tulane. Of the several Tulane baseball players signing con- tracts over the last two years, there is one who just might make the major leagues this summer. That is Bobby Darrah with the Yankees. This year Bobby is with Syracuse in the AAA International League and could be brought up towards the end of the season. So there is hope. With the development of the young players and the help of the veterans, it seems that a winning tradition will reappear at Tulane, a tradition which should have reappeared this past year. 27

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VARSITY SPORTS FOOTBALL 29