Page 10
THE BATTALION
-SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1941
Norton Picks Texas, Rice, SMU; A&M Won’t Be Last
Intramurals
Since 1924 A&M Intramural Program
Has Developed Into Efficient System
Myers
By Bob Myers
As long as time itself, competi
tion of physical skill and intelli
gence has been predominant in the
activities of man. Down from the
age of the sword and gallant knight
to the present era, came the spirit
of combat and with it came the
ethics of playing
according to a
fixed set of rules
and to a definite
program.
It was by this
process that In
tramural Ath
letics received
their start at A.
& M. College. It
was the demand
of the student
body for an or
ganized program of athletics . . .
not for men of varsity calibre, but
for students who are either not
interested or sufficiently proficient
for varsity competition.
Beginning of Intramurals
Prom the first day of organiza
tion, back in 1924, the program has
received the full cooperation of the
student body, thus enabling it to
grow with the enrollment and reach
the perfection of a well oiled ma
chine that it is today.
Originally the program was de
signed to provide competition be
tween battalion football teams. The
division was so made as to include
all players by having both A and
B teams. After the season was
completed, the championship teams
were selected and received recogni
tion for their splendid showings.
Often varsity material was and still
is uncovered through the medium
of Intramural sports.
Change to Organization
Competition
Much the same as growing boys
find that they are in their clothes
too far and seem to be all arms and
legs, so did the system of 1924
outgrow its capacity. The battalion
system of class A and B teams was
no longer adequate for the in
creased enrollment.
In 1926, W. L. Penberthy, Head
of the Physical Education Depart
ment, came to Aggieland to take
over the Intramural department
along with his other duties. With
him, he brought a new streamlined
system of organization that was
put into use and proved so satis
factory that it was retained and
still remains in operation.
As the college was already or
ganized along military lines, it
was the logical thing to do to or
ganize a program to conform to
the existing one. With this in mind,
each military organization was des-
signated as a unit and had its in
dividual teams. The department
handled all scheduling of games
and provided referees. As the de
mand for year round activity in
sports increased, more games were
added, until the present program
includes sixteen different sports
and one that is on a trial run.
Competition is now divided into
Freshman, Class B, and Upper
classmen, Class A, programs, each
with the same sports, with the ex
ception of rifle shooting which is
limited to upperclassmen.
Sports offered are basketball,
tennis, rifle shooting, handball,
cross country, touch football, water
polo, speedball, volleyball, horse
shoe pitching, wrestling, boxing,
softball, swimming, ping pong,
track, and golf, which is in the
trial stages.
System of Scoring
A point system is used in scor
ing. The number of points received
is determined by the placing of
the particular organization in the
final play-offs of each sports par
ticipated in and the number of
sports entered.
Awards
To each member of each team
winning a championship in a sport
is presented an intramural medal,
properly inscribed and the organi
zation winning the school cham
pionship has the honor of carrying
the Intramural Flag, or flags if
both A and B championships are
won, at all reviews during the fol
lowing year. The flags are much
sought after and each outfit does
its best to be on top of the heap
at the close of the year. So keen is
the competition that it is prac
tically impossible for both the
freshmen and upperclassmen of the
same company, battery, or troop
to carry off the flags the same
year.
Managerial System
In order to run such an enor
mous athletic plant efficiently,
there must necessarily be an ad
ministrative department. This is
handled through a departmental
staff of managers and a staff of
organization managers. Under the
direct supervision of Mr. Pen
berthy, the three senior managers
of the department handle all games
with the assistance of the junior
and sophomore departmental man
agers.
The organization managers play
an important part in maintaining
this smooth running machine by
keeping up with the schedules of
games and having their teams on
hand at the proper time to partici
pate in them. Each organization
manager is assisted in his duties
by a freshman manager who per
forms all administrative work
necessary in the Class B program.
Key man in the plant is Dewey
Hoke. He makes out all schedules
of games and upon his shoulders
fall the responsibility of meeting
all possible games played within
the time allowed.
Another man in the department
who is frequently seen rushing
fi’om playing field to playing field
is “Spike” White. The title of
“Field Agent” would be appropriate
in describing Spike, for it is he
who keeps things moving on the
field of play.
GREETINGS...
7
Make our two conveniently located
stores your headquarters for—
AGGIE JEWELRY
WATCHES
WATCH REPAIR
ENGRAVING
Billy, the Kid
C. W. VARNER. Jeweler
Bryan
College Station
Jitterbug Henderson Is First
Four-Letterman in A&A4 History
There have been many great Ag
gie athletes through the long and
brilliant career of A. & M.’s entry
into the sports of the Southwest
conference, but there has never
been a four-letter man until Bill
“Jitterbug” Henderson of Houston
draped his long lanky frame in the
battle colors of Aggieland.
Coming to A. & M. in the fall
of 1938 as a basketball player,
Henderson tried track and base
ball after a successful cage sea
son, and won a freshman numeral
in each sport. Not satisfied with
three sports, he reported for foot
ball also during his sophomore
year. During that year, he learned
the fundamentals of all four var
sity sports, and he won a varsity
letter in basketball.
Back again this year, the “Jitter
bug” proceeded to set the South
west Conference on fire with beau
tiful end play on the football team
for a varsity letter. He gained a
spot as basketball’s most outstand
ing in points scored, and decided
to come out for track and baseball
this spring. He has already done
enough in track for a letter, and
is in line for a letter in the dia
mond sport.
Bill doesn’t mind a lot of work,
and in between practice for his
major sports, fought his way to
the A. & M. heavyweight boxing
crown. He also gets in a few games
of fast volley ball in intramural
competition for his battery.
He was elected captain of the
basketball team for 1942 and his
versatility and ability are gaining
him the distinction of being the
“nation’s 1941 college athlete of
the year.”
Seven All-Conference Stars and Two All-Americans Are
Too Many Replacements For Conference Threat Next Fall
Norton Looks Over
Football Prospects
For Fall in Interview
By Jack Hollimon
After the Texas Aggies rolled
over their 1939 and 1940 football
schedules with nothing less than a
resounding blast that brought them
two Southwest Conference cham
pionships, a Sugar Bowl bid and
victory, a Cotton Bowl bid and
victory, and last but not least, a
national championship, they grad
uated everybody on the team, in
cluding the team manager.
Now, with 1941 staring Coach
Homer Norton in the eye with a'
deadly glare, he has decided to let
the sports world know that those
nine pairs of shoes that must be
filled are to be underneath some
athletes who are destined to do
justice by the maroon and white.
All that was left of the main
string after the Cotton Bowl game
last New Year’s day was all-con
ference end Jim Sterling and half
back Derace Moser. It is a difficult
task to rebuild a club that consist
ed of seven all-conference men, and
two All-Americans. Norton stated
at the end of spring practice,
Next Year’s Ten-Game
Schedule Will Have No
Soft Spots Says Norton
“Things looked pretty black when
we had to start from the bottom
to rebuild but since we have been
at work 30 days, I believe I will
be able to find some boys to fill
those shoes. Several of our other
lettermen have looked good and I
was impressed by the work turned
out by some of these freshmen.
One or two of them may break into
the starting lineup next fall al-
(Continued on page 11)
rv’
Our National Defense depends to a large extent on
the youth of America. These young men must be train
ed in industrial as well as military fields. They are being
trained, and the Government is spending millions of
dollars for this program. The institution of American
Life Insurance is doing a great part in helping to fur
nish the money for these expenditures.
“LIFE INSURANCE A PUBLIC TRUST”
Seab O \R 1)
LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
HOUSTON, TEXAS
W. F. Munnerlyn, ’26, Dist. Mgr.
Associates:
H. E. BURGESS, ’29
P. L. MARTIN, ’39
SIDNEY L. LOVELESS, ’38
M. C. PUGH, ’41
rx
Aggieland's Headquarters
T3. ArirusLcad *—
HELLO! LUTURE AGGIES!
When you come to Aggieland you will realize that we are the one that will have
what you want. We have the school supplies you will need. Also our radio repair man will
fix your radio at a moderate price. See us first and save.
SEE VS FIRST AND SAVE
THE STUDENT CO-OP STORE
College Station
North Gate
» I ?
-