The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1959-11-20
COntrOuersy--AB Big
Item In Sports
By Lou Fahro
Times Sports Editor

l0eY Say Inc OBJECT Vi dLuIeLlCS ID ~ pIUN1ub
relaxation and diversion; to instill sportsmanship and
a sense of fair play; to help develop healthy bodies
and minds as well as competitive spirits.
At any rate, that's what the ancient Greeks had
in mind when the 0lympics were launched a couple
thousand of years ago.
In fact, these same items are licked off in hand
some college pamphlets; they're cited by athletic ban
quet speakers with great regularity; and these words
are echoed over and over again by coaches, athletic
directors, etc.
However, in this modern sports era, something
else has crept into the sports plcture-controverSy-
and plenty of it. It seems that at least one sports
story, touching on some controversy or complaint,
appears each day in the daily press.
It's gotten so that the newspapers might have to
start a new daily feature called the complaint and
controversy department"
Reviewing some of the controversies, one of the
most persistent comes from the boxing world which
has been infiltrated by racketeering and other shady
interests.
Big boxing topic currently discussed is who did
what and how in promoting the heavyweight champ
ionship fight between Igemar Johansson and Floyd
Patterson? There are a couple of official groups in
vestigating this.
Out on the West Coast, charges have been flying
that Mike McKeever, a powerful guard at the Uni
versity of Southern California, is a bit too aggressive.
Specifically, he's accused of deliberately injuring a
California back a couple of weeks ago.
Professional baseball has been a controversial
topic since Congressional investigation into the sport
because some claim the pro setup violates the anti
trust laws. A lot of fuel was added to this blaze when
New York attorney William Shea announced the for
nation of a new baseball loop-the Continental
League.
Getting closer TO home, recently the Iowa ath-
Ietic director complained that someone-probablY
from Purdue-acted as a spy and captured valuable
information by observing Iowa's practice sessions
from a tree limb.
This brought a sharp reply from the Purdue
coach that the charge was ridiculous"
Just last week, two college football coaches asked
for a new rule which would allow coaches to discuss
ropa1fiac n N tho field with nFTIpI9Ic - COmpthInp AKIN
TO the Setup in baseball. Probably the more apt term
would be to complain" about penalties.
OF course, no one can overlook the great con-
troyersy touched off when Terry Brennan lost his
coaching Job at Notre Dame last year. Any time a
coach gets the "hook," controversy surrounds the
incident.
Two OF the greatest masters Of controversy are
located here in Ohio. OF course, we mean Frank
Lane. general manager Of the Cleveland Indians; and
Woody Hayes, football coach at Ohio State university.
Lane occupied a great deal of newspaper space
last season with his attacks on The New York Yankees
and Manager Casey StengeI. He even criticized base
ball wives who failed TO see that their husbands got
the proper amount of rest.
Coach Hayes seems to be running a pretty even
race with Lane. The portly OSU coach has Jack Full
len. OSU alumni secretary, as his main adversary.
OF course, he received the full treatment when he
complained about the uncut grass at Iowa a few years
ago; and after his failure to shake hands with Purdue
Coach Jack Mellenkopf last season after OSu and
Purdue hattled to a 14-14 tie.
To be fair with Hayes, he insists he tried to find
Mellenkopf but the Purdue coach was lost in the
crowd after the game.
The typewriters went clacking full speed ahead
when Hayes had an unscheduled bout with a Los
Angeles sportsWriter earlier this season.
Space doesn't permit a discussion of other con-
troversies involving Hayes because they are so numer-
Gus.
OSU football itself is a most controversial SUBJ
ject.
Could il be that the ancient Greeks did have big
athletic controversies which were lost in the sands OF
timer"