Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 28, 1979)
Page 8 THE BATTALION THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 1979 Fouke: Father of Coogs United Press International HOUSTON — In less than three months, retiring University of Houston Athletic Director Harry Fouke will leave behind a brilliant record of hiring dedicated, suc cessful coaches to the almost tra ditionless urban school. He laughs, however, at his deci sion not to hire an eager football coach who became one of the finest in college football. “Bob Devaney was right here (in 1960) and ready to accept the job,” Fouke said. “He had flown down from Wyoming, where he was coaching, and we were sitting around watching the Gotham Bowl. I think it was Utah State, a team from his conference, playing Baylor. “Bob kept telling us all afternoon how good the football was in the Western Athletic Conference. We knew, of course, that Baylor wasn’t one of the greatest teams in this sec tion of the country. But that after noon Baylor made Utah State look bad. “It was a little thing like that made us decide not to hire him.” Instead, Fouke helped choose Bill Yeoman, a highly successful coach who will begin his 18th season this fall but his first one without Fouke. “I won a few football games,” Yeoman said. “But Harry won the war. He deserves credit for building the program.” Devaney eventually landed a job at Nebraska and there he built a powerhouse. “When I look back, I tell myself I couldn’t lose in that situation,” said Fouke, perhaps putting into words the theme of his athletic administra tion. He worked hard to give the school winning options. Fouke, 66, moved from his job as the athletic director of the Houston city school district to the district- owned university near downtown when it began intercollegiate ath letics in 1945. “It was something that was pretty natural,” he said. “But goodness what a challenge it was. There were 3,000 students. The war was wind ing down and in November we were playing basketball without any thing.” From the beginning, Fouke said, getting Houston into the prestigious Southwest Conference was his goal. Hiring coaches who could win was crucial to reaching that goal. “Right off you notice one thing about the men I hired,” he said. “Every one of them wanted to be a part of building something. There wasn’t anything here to take over.” Fouke hired professor Dave Williams to teach golf part time in 1951. “He was always a good teacher. He worked well with students. He related well to them and to his players. He was a tremendous re cruiter,” Fouke said. Williams won 13 NCAA national golf titles. Of basketball coach Guy Lewis, Fouke said, “He played here. He was one of those first ones. Guy had just come out of the Army. He was a little older. He was a great competi tor. And sure enough we won the conference that first year. It must have set a pattern for us.” Working outside sports in Tyler at the time Houston needed an assis tant coach, Lewis responded to Fouke’s call in 1953. “The logical decision when Alden Pasche left (in 1956) was to move Guy into his posi tion. He’s been here ever since,” Fouke said. The first time Bill Yeoman called Fouke to show an interest in coach ing the Cougars was in the late 1950s. “We were becoming known at that time as a comer, a school with possibilities,” Fouke said. “Bill was that same type person. He has been a most innovative coach.” Yeoman’s “veer’’ offensive scheme was credited by Fouke with saving both their jobs after a 1-5 start by the football team in 1965. “We were down to our last four games and things looked hopeless,” he said. “But we lost a close one to Tennessee, then beat three teams — including Mississippi and Ken tucky — and tied Florida State. Those games saved our jobs. Heck, those games saved our program.” Soon thereafter, Fouke’s teams shattered the color barriers erected to keep prominent black athletes from playing at major Texas univer sities. Elvin Hayes starred in bas ketball and Warren McVey starred in football at Houston. In 1971, Fouke saw two of his career dreams become reality. His alma mater — staid, tradition-rich Rice University — acknowledged after 26 years that Houston existed by scheduling a football game be tween the crosstown schools. Later that year Fouke accepted an invita tion from the SWC to join. “That was the icing on the cake,” he said. “But we worked hard to bake it.” After official retirement Aug. 31, Fouke said he and his wife Virginia will remain in Houston. “I’ve been everywhere in the United States but I’ve not seen any thing like Houston,” he said. He leaves behind strong friend ships from 34 years in the same job. “Even Bob Devaney is my friend,” he said. Rangers win Astros lose United Press International ARLINGTON — Oscar Gamble, batting .606 in his last dozen games, drove in three runs with a single and a towering home run Wednesday night to boost the Texas Rangers to a 4-2 triumph over the slumping California Angels and into first place in the American League West. Come to the Sbisa Dining Center Basement. The fresh crisp salad items are almost unlimit- f ed and the superb sandwiches are made with big loaves of bread baked daily for this special purpose. If you are dieting you may also wish to try a bowl of natural freestone peaches. No sugar has been added to these beautiful peaehes. Qua|ity ^ Open 10:45 a.m.-1:45 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Texas won its fifth straight game and handed the Angels their sixth consecutive loss. California — which led the division by five games five days ago — fell a percentage point behind the Rangers with the loss. Carney Lansford gave California a 1-0 lead off Steve Comer in the first inning with his ninth homer and the Angels’ final run came in the fourth on Brian Downing’s run-scoring single. Comer, 7-6, allowed only four hits over 8 1-3 innings before yielding to Jim Kern — who notched his 13th save. Gamble drove in Bump Wills with a single in the Texas half of the first inning off loser Nolan Ryan, 9-5, who yielded seven hits, walked six and struck out six. After Buddy Bell walked in the third. Gamble hit a Ryan fastball deep into the right field seats for his seventh homer. In San Francisco, Willie McCovey’s bases-loaded single drove in the tie-breaking run and Darrel Evans added a two-run dou ble in a six-run eighth-inning rally Wednesday night, giving the San Francisco Giants a 6-3 victory over the Houston Astros. PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH A&M Consolidated High School Cafeteria: F.M. 2818 South 10:00 Fellowship and Discussion 10:45 Worship for all Stan Sultemeier 693-1047, 846-6016 1 Greetings from the people at Peace. We invite you to join our informal and lively group for worship and service this summer. Please call Stan for more information. We are a mission congregation of the American Lutheran Church. oft Touch 707 Texas suite 128c “elegance in lingerie” 1 /4 off selected bras 10% off all panties 1 5 < %> off selected gowns 65% Rack Body Suit Sale SALE STARTS FRIDAY SWC players fit racial mold > A Texas A&M University sociology study focusing on 1978 Southwest Conference football rosters indicates there are racial overtones in the determination of who plays what position but that the situation stems more from stereotyping than discrimi nation. Dr. J. Steven Picou, associate professor of sociology, and Richard Lewis, a black graduate student, found that black athletes are more likely to play the skill positions that require speed, agility and quickness. They say racial stacking seems to be the result of a “self-fulfilling prophecy” in which recruiters and coaches may subconsciously be influenced by racial stereotypes. The result is that black athletes are often recruited for positions such as offensive and defensive backs, wide receivers and ends. White athletes are often envisioned as more suited for such positions as quarterback, center, guard or linebacker. Picou and Lewis compiled statistics which show that in 1978 in the SWC, 86 percent of the black athletes were offensive or defensive backs, flankers or tight ends, while 14 percent played quarterback, center, guard or linebacker. Their figures show 47 percent of the white players in the latter positions and 53 per cent in the category including backs, wide receivers and tight ends. player is in a certain posili is important,” Lewissaidl is important is that somej happening dynamically q of that position, andthati* Racial distribution in the SWC last year was 58 percent white, 41 percent black and 1 percent Mexican-American or not iden tified. He says blacks who pki tral positions in the SWC if cellent athletes, generall)!) qualified than their terparts. The Texas A&M study indi cated that 43 percent of the “starters” in the conference last season were black. “It’s not the fact that a certain “The implication ist player who occupiesac sition must be betterij white player to be i Picou said. Ali to tackle Alzado in Mile High Stadiui FOR A NATURALLY LIGHT LUNCH | United Press International DENVER — He may be retired, he may be slower, but the hyper bole is as quick as when he first be came heavyweight champion in 1964: Muhammad Ali said Wednes day he is out for blood against Lyle Alzado. The Ali-Alzado bout has been scheduled, and rescheduled, and rescheduled for some time. The eight-round bout is now up for July 14 at Mile High Stadium in Denver. Alzado, an All-Pro defensive end for the Denver Broncos, has been training hard for the bout in an abandoned firehouse on South Broadway in Denver. He says he will not be embarrassed by Ali. Ali says he will not be embar rassed by Alzado. “Tell the world he must fall,” Ali said in a conference call from Los Angeles Wednesday. “I’m the greatest fighter of all time and no football player is going to beat me. I’m out to rumble. I cannot go out of boxing being defeated by a football player. ” Ali had scheduled a news confer ence in Denver for Wednesday but said he could not get a flight out of Los Angeles before today. He reset the news conference for 11:30 a.m. MDT at the Mariott Hotel in Den- Ali, 37, who on Tuesday an nounced his “official” retirement, said again Wednesday that he would not return to professional boxing. ting ready to fight. I can| feated by no Denver,! white boy. I can’t be defeii white hoy. “I am very serious and Alzado better be ready to be hit hard on the jaw because I’m out for war. He’s fighting the greatest fighter in the world. I cannot play football, and he would not have a chance with a straight, hard-punching Muham mad Ali. “I’m hitting the heavy ball,” Ali continued. “He’s not a boxer. I am a professional boxer and the greatest fighter of all time. He cannot hit as hard as a boxer. He is in trouble. I want this to be a lesson to all football players — never mess with a great fighter.” “I cannot go out of boxing being defeated by a football player,” said Ali. “I’m coming for war. I will be ready; I will be dancing. The man is in trouble. Just tell him to show up. I am out for hlood. "I’m training, Im watching my weight. The;, an exhibition. This tome! I'm looking at this as somej can hurt my image.” “He will fall. He will fall. I’m gonna hit him hard in the nose, in the mouth, in the belly. There will be no excuses. We are going to war. I’m talking like this because I’m get- Ali, who now weighs231J is scheduled to box exhibitions against New jet Brendan Byrne and Jei« Mayor Thomas Smith Fri! in Jersey City. afc SfC 5|C J|C3| * IWASI * * * * TEXAS HALL Be PRESCRIPTION STEREO 3602 OLD COLLEGE ROAD BRYAN, TEXAS 77801 OF FAME presents lowing thholc Jlhe h adjourni Tat the lOne c Beard of ■ The ai ■eway t ■•esidei itnti-infl; ■ AU.S All LPs 80c Over Dealer Cost Every Day! Discwasher & Sound Guard Products! Best Sound Around In Car Stereo — PIONEER & JENSEN Speakers CLARION, SANYO & BLAUPUNKT Tape Decks The Automotive Stereo Center in B-CS ■lestion Iked th 1 The fi Kst time Thursday Nite 7-12 Band: “Country Edition” Admission: $2 per person Happy Hour prices all night long ■ixon rr forcing 1 The A iginal •gued t i Undei guide] in teking Friday Nite: Jess Demaine & Austin Admission: $2 per person “When you think of Automotive Stereo, think of RXStereo — you deserve it.” Saturday Nite “The Randy Barlow Show $4 per person 3 ' 0 book TEXAS A&M BOOKSTORE’S LARGEST BOOK SALE THIS YEAR!!!! 50% to 90% OFF LIST PRICE 01 OVER 10,000 titles — All Subject MEDICINE SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGLISH LITERATURE LANGUAGES DO IT YOURSELF NATURE RELIGIOUS TRAVEL AUTO REPAIR] CHILDRENS BC AND MANY MORE HURRY — COME IN NOW FOR THE BEST SELECTION SALE WILL END PRIOR TO THE OPENING OF THE FALL SEMEST THANK YOU TEXAS A&M BOOKSTORE! LOCATED IN THE MSC