Evening star., 1936-12-18

The biggest shock OF the year,
VI in any sport, to Americas
L newspaper commentators, was
the knockout of Joe Louis by the
comeback hero of 1886, Max Schmel-
ing.
No less surprised than was the
Brown Bomber himself when he alb
sorbed the first of a succession Of
lethal right-hand punches. the experts
rated Joe's first and only fistic set
back well beyond any other dope
spilling" episode in the years athletic
roundup.
College foot ball. as usual. furnished
o wider range of surprising results
than any other sport, topped by Min
nesota's first defeat in four years, but
observers have become hardened to
gridiron upsets.
Foot Ball Upsets Trivial.
NORTHWESTERN'S triumph over
the mighty Gophers, however,
rated only a few points above Du-
uuesne's conquest of Pittsburgh in the
Associated Press poll. New Yorks
victory over Fordham ranked third
among the seasons foot ball surprises
Duquesne, by getting knocked off by
West Virginia Wesleyan. made the
first 10" twice.
Major League base balls biggest sur
prise was the surge Of the New York
Giants from second division depths in
July to pennant heights in September.
1t overshadowed the fine showing of
the Chicago White Sox in the Amer
ican League, as we'll as such surprising
freshman performances as those of
Joe Di Maggie of the Yankees and Bob
Feller of the Cleveland Indians.
Manero Gets Credit.
TONY MANERO'S record-breaking
stretch finish to beat out Harry
Cooper in the United States open i'm
pressed critics as the No. l golf sur
prise Of the year. None mentioned the
surprising showing Of Bob Jones, who
finished thirty-third in the Augusta
national after breaking the course rec
ord in practice.
The most unexpected tennis develop
nlent was not Fred Perry's decision to
turn professional. but Alice Marbles
triumph over Helen Jacobs for the
American womens title.
Bold Ventures triumph in the Ken
tucky Derby "rodeo" ranked as a big
ger surprise than any other turf event,
including Discovery's failure in the
100000 Santa Anita Handicap.
TabuIatiOn of Votes
EJACULATION of the poll, showing
- the years major sports surprises:
1. Knockout of Joe Louis by Max
echmeling, Ill.
@ Foot ball defeat of Minnesota by
Northwestern. SO.
3. Foot ball defeat of Pittsburgh by
Duquesne, 81.
4. National League pennant victory
by New York Giants, SO.
S. Foot ball victory of N. Y. U. over
Fordham, 35.
6. Tony Manero's victory in United
States open golf championship. %.
7. Alice Marbles triumph over Helen
Jacobs for United States tennis title,
Is
West Virginia Wesleyan, IL.
9. Argentina's polo victory over
United States and Bold Ventures vic
tory over Brevity in Kentucky Derby, 8.
Scattered points: 16 each for Wash
ington's rowing sweep of intercollegiate
regatta and Yale's uphill foot ball win
over Princeton: each for Harvard's
foot ball tie with Princeton and Amer
ican League showing by White Sox;
each for collapse of Boston Red Sox
in American League and good showing
by American girl swimmers in Olym-
pics, despite loss of Eleanor Holm Jar
rett; each for Georgia Techs foot
ball collapse; Germanys all-around
good performances in the Olympics;
George Varoff's failure to make Olym-
pic team one week after breaking world
pole vault record; Bob Feller's sensa-
tional pitching debut; Joe Di Maggios
great freshman year: Notre Danes
foot ball upset of Northwestern; South
Westerns foot ball win over Vanderbilt
and Pennsylvania's foot ball triumph
over Princeton; each for United
States sweep in Olympic decathlon;
Southern CALIFORNIA; foot ball tie with
Notre Dame and Chicago's failure to
retain National League pennant; l,
failure of college all-star foot ball team
to defeat New York Giants after hold
Ing Detroit Lions to tie.