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BILL HENRY
Dattalion Sports Editor
"What kind of fool am I?”
This lyric of a popular song
Siust be the theme of pole vault-
rs around the world.
Who would be foolish enough
run down a 24-foot asphalt
“H trip, stick a 16-foot fiberglass
ide into a slanted box and fling
limself over a bar between 14
nd 17-feet off the ground?
Not many people in their right
ninds, right?
To make matters worse, after
lie ascent, the vaulter must land
a 15-foot square foam rubber
r sawdust pit.
"Pole vaulting is the most dan
gerous and expensive event in
rack,” A&M track coach Char-
ey Thomas said. “But, to have
good program you must have
competent individuals in every
event.”
The possibility of injury is al
ways present, especially with the
fiberglass pole.
“The worst mishaps occur
when the pole shatters,” Thomas
added. “It is possible to have the
pole break in the middle of your
jump and have part of it go
through you.”
Not many such injuries have
occurred but many others have.
“The most common problem is
missing the pit after clearing the
bar. If you don’t come down per
fectly, you may miss the pit and
suffer anything from a sprained
ankle to a broken back.
“Another common problem is
having either your pole or the
bar fall on you in the pit after
the jump. I’ve known many
vaulters to have their noses brok
en this way.”
Why would an athlete partici
pate in such an event knowing
what can happen to him ?
“I enjoy it because it gives me
a feeling of freedom up in the
air like that,” top A&M pole
vaulter Harold McMahan said.
“It also gives me a feeling of
confidence when I can fling my
self over the bar. It’s like flying
without wings or any other me
chanical device. I also like it be
cause it is just me, a total indi
vidual effort.”
Poles cost from $60 to $120
each and the four A&M vaulters
have 11 poles among them. The
money has been put to good use
this season as all four have gar
nered points in various meets
around the nation.
Isaac takes pole position
or Winston stock car race
ADEGA, Ala. UP) _ Bobby
saac, no stranger to breath-
aking speed, blitzed the Ala-
ama Motor Speedway at 192.428
ailes per hour Wednesday to win
;ho pole position for the Winston
iOO stock car care.
Isaac, ’M, needed only 49.764
kconds to negotiate his way
[round the 2.66 mile tri-oval, his
red Dodge hitting a speed trap
[t the end of the long back
straightaway at better than 215
m.p.h.
Later, to show his top lap was
no fluke, the 1970 Grand National
champion recorded a lap at
191.443 m.p.h.
His best lap was almost two
miles an hour faster than that
of David Pearson, who won the
other front row berth by driving
a Mercury at 190.699 m.p.h.
The second row spots for Sun-
Lester (Red) Parsons
A candidate for County Commis
sioner. After 30 years of service
to Brazos County, I am seeking the
position of Commissioner of Pre
cinct 1. Since I believe the position
should be a full time job and hav
ing no other business interest I in
tend to devote my entire energies
and experience to the service of the
people of Precinct 1. I urge you to
go to the polls and vote.
When you vote Lester (Red) Par
sons you are voting for a man of
integrity as well as a proven pub
lic servant.
Pd. Pol. Advertisement
day’s 50-car lineup went to Rich
ard Petty, who abandoned his
familiar Plymouth to drive a
Dodge for this race and clocked
188.567 m.p.h., and Bobby Alli
son, who streaked around at
188.388 m.p.h. in a Chevrolet
owned by the legendary Junior
Johnson.
The third row will be made up
of Buddy Baker, who drov'e
186.376 m.p.h. in a Dodge; and
Donny Allison, Bobby’s younger
brother who recorded 182.807
m.p.h. in a Chevrolet. Red Bar
ber, the three-time national
sportsman champion, got his Ford
in the field at 178.131 m.p.h.
Other qualifiers—only the first
10 positions were at stake in the
initial trials — included Frank
Warren, in eighth place at 178.048
in a Dodge; Country and West
ern singer Marty Robbins, 174.789
in a Dodge; and 1971 rookie of
the year Walter Ballard 172.867
in a Mercury.
The next 15 positions in the
lineup will be at stake in second
day qualifying Thursday.
TRY
BATTALION CLASSIFIED
PLEASE
don’t overlook
The important
Railroad Commission Race
The Texas Railroad Commission has broad regulatory
and enforcement powers pertaining to—
★ Conservation of Oil and
Gas Activities
it Pipelines
it Railroads, Trucks and Buses
it Liquefied Petroleum Industry
EACH of these are vitally and directly tied to
OUR LOCAL ECONOMY
BYRON TUNNELL
now a member of the Railroad Commission and seeking re-election,
to a second term
LET'S KEEP BYRON TUNNELL
RAILROAD COMMISSIONER
... an experienced leader with sound judgement
Vote for BYRON TUNNELL, May 6, 1972
(Political Adv.—Paid for by Bryon Tunnell Campaign Committee.)
J&i
THE DEMOCRATIC WAY: KNOW YOUR
CANDIDATES-VOTE THE BEST QUALI
FIED MAN.
Iii the public interest and motivated by the desire for an accurate statement of the two candi
dates for the office of County Attorney, the following information is published for the benefit
of the voting citizens.
Roland Searcy
Doug Howell
Education:
Number of Criminal Cases
Contested:
Uncontested:
Texas A&M University, 1961
Baylor Law School, 1964
20 to 30
100 to 200
United States Military Academy
Baylor Law School, 1969
0
Not more than 3
Years in Practice:
8
2V2
Teaching:
4 1 /2 years, Allen Military Academy
2 years, Texas A&M University
0
Knowledge and Ability to
Work with Law Enforcement:
Roland Searcy knows almost all members of
local law enforcement agencies on a first
name basis. He has had many dealings
with them.
Doug Howell is virtually unknown among
law enforcement officials
in the County.
Base of Support for
County Attorney Election:
Broad base, running from minority groups
to business - professional man. Broad sup
port from all income groups, students, and
members of the academic community.
Unknown
Offices Held in Brazos County
Bar Association:
Secretary-Treasurer; 2 terms as Vice-
President; President.
None
Judicial Experience
Served as Corporation Court Judge, City of
Bryan.
None
Paid For by Brazos County Committee for Good Government, Betty Marek, Chairman.