SCOREBOARD
RECOGNITION
Larry (Yogi) Berra, New York Yankees' catcher, won American League's Most Valuable Player award for second time. Berra hit .307 and 22 homers, batted in 125 runs, nosed out Cleveland's Larry Doby and Bobby Avila.
Henry (Red) Sanders of unbeaten UCLA was elected Coach of the Year by members of American Football Coaches Association. Runners-up: Woodrow (Woody) Hayes of Ohio State; Bowden Wyatt of Arkansas.
Navy won August V. Lambert Memorial Trophy as East's top team.
Carl (Bobo) Olson, world middleweight champion, was chosen Fighter of the Year and winner of Edward J. Neil Memorial Plaque.
Frankie Ryff, unbeaten New York lightweight, was voted Rookie of the Year.
Lt. Stanley R. Swanson of U.S. Air Force, former Navy star, was named outstanding college lacrosse defense player for 1954 and winner of William G. Schmeisser Trophy by U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association.
Scott Frost, winter book favorite for 1955 Hambletonian, was selected champion two-year-old colt by U.S. Trotting Association.
RECORD BREAKERS
Lafayette, Ind. Swim Club's Valerie Delaneaux, Coralie O'Connor, Anne Bardwell, Beth Wittall broke own world mark for 400-yard medley relay with 4:40.9 clocking.
FOOTBALL
Cleveland Browns clobbered Pittsburgh Steelers 42-7, became first to win five straight Eastern Division titles in National Football League, earned right to face Detroit Lions, Western Division champs, in play-off at Cleveland, Dec. 26. Quarterbacks Otto Graham and George Ratterman, Halfback Chet Hanulak, who scored three touchdowns, sparked Brown attack.
Philadelphia Eagles took second place in Eastern Division, beating New York Giants 29-14. Adrian Burk tossed two touchdown passes for winners.
Washington Redskins escaped cellar, blasting Chicago Cardinals 37-20 on four scoring passes by Al Dorow.
Chicago Bears upset Detroit Lions 28-24 to finish second. Passing of Quarterbacks Zeke Bratkowski and Ed Brown featured Bears offense. Tom Dublinski, subbing for injured Bobby Layne, heaved three touchdown passes for Lions.
Los Angeles Rams gave retiring Elroy (Crazylegs) Hirsch farewell present, defeated Green Bay Packers 35-27. Ram fans presented Hirsch and Captain Don Paul with new automobiles, other gifts. Following game, Los Angeles Assistant Coaches Ralph Weaver, Howard Hickey, Bill Battles, Dick Voris announced resignations, ending reported feud with Coach Hampton Pool.
San Francisco 49ers edged Baltimore Colts 10-7 on third-quarter score by Fullback Joe Perry, then fired Coach Buck Shaw, despite 7-4-1 record.
Hinds Junior College of Raymond, Miss, unleashed Halfback Olin Renfroe for scoring runs of 51 and 64 yards to edge El Camino 13-7 in Junior Rose Bowl game before 61,559 at Pasadena, Cal.
St. Joseph's Catholic Church of Denver won pee-wee honors in Milk Bowl at Kerrville, Tex., outscoring St. Luke's Methodist Church of Houston 13-0.
John D. McMillan of The Citadel became latest college coach to be fired, was replaced by Army's John Sauer. Other changes:
Clyde Lee of Houston resigned after seven years and 5-5 record in 1954.
Ed Kluska of Xavier (Cincinnati) resigned because of "limited manpower and rugged schedules." Kluska coached Xavier eight years, had 2-8 1954 record.
BASKETBALL
George Washington pulled major upset, beating Duquesne 71-64 in Steel Bowl final at Pittsburgh. Joe Holup's 26 points led winners, who crushed Pitt 87-65 in first round. Duquesne's Dick Ricketts scored 38 points but Dukes, 67-45 victor over Fordham in opener, missed SI Green, in hospital with appendicitis.
La Salle had close call but nipped Niagara 76-75 in overtime on Bob Maples' late basket for fourth straight. All-America Tom Gola scored 31 points, trailed Niagara's Eddie Fleming, who got 32.
St. John's flashed potent offense, blasted favored Holy Cross 93-73, with Marty Satalino and Ed Cunningham leading attack. Holy Cross's Tom Heinsohn tallied 30 points but got little help.
Missouri led most of way, beat Iowa 97-94 for second victory over Big Ten school. Tigers also edged Indiana 64-61.
Indiana, paced by Don (Ox) Schlundt's 19 points, halted Notre Dame 73-70, snapped 20-game home winning streak of Irish in nationally televised game. Jack Stephens hit 32 points for Notre Dame.
Kentucky got bad scare but nosed out Xavier (Cincinnati) 73-69 for 27th straight. Three points by Phil Grawemeyer and Gerry Calvert in final seconds clinched game.
North Carolina State, with Cliff Dwyer and Ronnie Shavlik showing way, extended unbeaten string to five, beating Wake Forest 100-81, highly regarded Penn State 99-77, Eastern Kentucky 66-53.
Wake Forest's Dickie Hemric scored 49 points, set four records in team's 100-90 win over Virginia. Deacons beat Maryland 62-58, lost to North Carolina State 100-81.
UCLA, top contender for Pacific Coast Conference crown, kept slate clean with wins over Santa Clara, 74-39, and San Francisco, 47-40.
Ft. Wayne Pistons outlasted Boston Celtics 100-99 for 10th win in last 11 games, held lead over Minneapolis Lakers in Western Division of National Basketball Association.
Syracuse Nationals continued at top of Eastern Division, despite losses to Rochester Royals, Boston Celtics and Philadelphia Warriors, who took two out of four to remain second.
BOXING
Vince Martinez, fifth-ranking welterweight from Paterson, N.J., in first fight since reporting $20,000 bribe attempt (SI, Nov. 22) used rapier like left, superior boxing to easily outpoint Al Andrews of Superior, Wis. in 10-rounder at New York, set sights on title bout with Johnny Saxton.
Sandy Saddler, 31-year-old feather-weight champion, was behind in early rounds but came on to outpunch Bobby Woods, local lightweight, in nontitle go at Spokane. Experienced Saddler forced fight, staggered Woods in 8th and 10th rounds.
Nino Valdes of Cuba, No. 1 heavyweight contender, floored Jimmy Walls of Engle-wood, N.J. twice, scored 2nd-round TKO at Hamilton, Bermuda.
Ed Sanders, 25, promising Navy heavyweight, and Ralph Weiser, 26, Klamath Falls, Ore. lightweight, died after suffering knockouts in bouts. Sanders, Olympic champion in 1952, was KO'd in 11th round by Willie James at Boston; Weiser was knocked out by Teddy Hall in 9th round at Klamath Falls after passing up chance for first-round win when Hall was floored, remained on one knee at count of 10. Weiser urged referee to permit fight to continue.
TRACK AND FIELD
Dr. Roger Bannister, first man to crack four-minute-mile barrier, announced retirement at London, predicted eventual 3:50 clocking. Bannister ran mile in 3:59.4 last May 6 before John Landy set present world record of 3:58. Bannister beat Landy in thrilling 3:58.8 race in Empire Games at Vancouver.
HOCKEY
Detroit Red Wings took three games from New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks to tie slumping Toronto Maple Leafs for second place in National Hockey League. Montreal Canadiens won only one game but still led circuit by four points.
HORSE RACING
Determine, Andrew Crevolin's little gray colt with big heart, came from behind to score three-and-half-length victory in $25,000 Golden Gate Handicap at Golden Gate Fields, Albany, Cal. Determined win was worth $15,300, gave son of Alibhai U.S. money-winning championship for 1954 with $328,880.
Newmarket bloodstock sales set new British mark of $3,783,959, including world-record auction prices of $105,840 by England's Anthony B. Askew for Festoon, three-year-old mare, and $79,380 by Hack Ross of U.S. for Peerless Light, two-year-old maiden filly.
Little Masterpiece, world champion American Shetland pony, was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Don Vestal of Denver for record-breaking $25,000 at Memphis, Tenn.
BASEBALL
Chicago White Sox made second big trade of winter meetings, sending First Baseman Ferris Fain, American League batting champion in 1951-52 with Philadelphia Athletics, Third Baseman Jack Phillips, Pitcher Leo Cristante to Detroit Tigers for First Baseman Walt Dropo, Outfielder Bob Nieman, Pitcher Ted Gray.
St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Redlegs also were active in player mart, Cards getting Relief Pitcher Frank Smith in exchange for Third Baseman Ray Jablonski, veteran Pitcher Gerry Staley, unnamed minor leaguer.
TENNIS
Gilbert Shea of Los Angeles trounced Eddie Moylan of Trenton, N.J. 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 to win national hard-court singles title at La Jolla, Cal. Women's crown went to Beverly Baker Fleitz of Long Beach, Cal., 6-1, 6-3 victor over Barbara Green.
GOLF
Bob Rosburg, young (28) San Francisco pro making first PGA tour, fired sparkling 65 on final round to win $10,000 Miami Open with seven under par 273.
AUTO RACING
Masten Gregory, 23-year-old Kansas City daredevil, outduelled Marquis de Portago of Spain, won 210-mile Nassau trophy race.
MILEPOSTS
DIED—Bruce Thompson, 21, Lehigh University junior who set school basketball scoring record of 358 points last year; of bulbar polio, at Bethlehem, Pa.
DIED—Johnny Greco, 31, former Canadian welterweight champion who recently began comeback; in auto crash, at Westmount, Que. Greco won 92, lost 13 in 14 years.
DIED—Russ Christopher, 37, former major league pitcher with Philadelphia Athletics (1942-48); of heart condition, at Richmond, Cal.
DIED—William Aloysius McGowan, 58, hustling American League umpire for 30 years, recently retired; of heart attack, at Silver Spring, Md. Regarded as one of greatest umpires, McGowan worked 2,541 consecutive games from 1925 to 1942.
DIED—George A. Reach, 86, sporting goods manufacturer credited with introducing lively ball to baseball for first time in 1910 World Series; at Philadelphia.
OTHER RESULTS FOR THE RECORD
BADMINTON
E. B. Choong, Malaya, over H. A. Heah, 15-11, 15-10, London championship, London.
BASKETBALL
Amherst 49—Coast Guard 36
Balt. 83—American U. 77
Bradley 79—Iowa St. 67
Brown 72—Yale 61
Cinn. 99—Col. St. 70
Colby 76—Maine 59
Columbia 66—CCNY 56
Cornell 60—Harvard 46
Dayton 109—Bowl. Gr. 39
Georgia 95—Mercer 75
Georget'n 77-St. Peter's 68
Geo. Wash. 71—Duquesne 64
Hobart 50—Hamilton 48
Hofstra 96—Union 38
Houston 79—Texas 58
Illinois 59—Okla. A&M 53
Indiana 73—Notre Dame 70
Ithaca 89—Army 76
Kans. St. 70—Wyoming 50
Kentucky 73—Xavier 69
La Salle 76—Niagara 75
Mass. 90—RPI 46
Michigan 71—Butler 56
Minnesota 94—De Paul 84
Miss. 83—S'western 72
Miss. St. 78—Howard 55
Nebraska 87—S. Dak. 51
NYU 80—Boston Coll. 63
N. Car. St. 66—E. Ky. 53
Norwich 65—Tufts 56
Ohio St 91—St. Louis 86
Ohio U. 95—Ohio Wes. 78
Penn 71—Muhlenberg 52
Penn St. 91—Carn. Tech 75
Pitt 71—Fordham 65
Princeton 92—Rutgers 70
Purdue 81—SMU 75
Rice 79—LSU 72
Rochester 94—Bucknell 86
St. Francis 71—Prov. 63
St. John's 93—H. Cross 73
Seattle 82—Idaho St. 68
Seton Hall 84—Wheaton 65
S. Cal. 55—Oregon St. 35
Temple 59—Navy 55
Tenn. 78—VMI 46
Tulane 82—Texas A&M 53
Tulsa 63—Arkansas 47
Utah 83—Arizona 68
Vanderbilt 71—TCU 50
Vermont 80—Rh. Island 77
Villanova 76—St. Fr. 71
W. Forest 100—Virginia 90
W. Va. 96—W. & L. 86
Wm. & Mary 79—N. Car. 76
Wisconsin 77—Okla. 66
BOXING
Rex Layne and Heinz Neuhaus, 10-round draw, heavyweights, Dortmund, Germany.
Harold Johnson, 10-round decision over Julio Mederos, light heavyweights, Miami Beach.
Yolande Pompey, 3-round KO over Wim Snoek, light heavyweights, London.
Charles Humez, 8-round TKO over Pedro Antonio Jiminez, middleweights, Lille, France.
Italo Scortichini, 10-round decision over Chico Varona, middleweights, New York.
Pete Mueller, 10-round decision over Joe Miceli, middleweights, Boston.
Johnny Cesario, 10-round decision over Vic Cardell, welterweights, Hartford, Conn.
Freddie Dawson, 12-round decision over Eddie Dione, welterweights, Sydney, Australia.
Bobby Bell, 10-round split decision over Carmelo Costa, lightweights, New York.
Jackie Blair, 7-round TKO over George Araujo, lightweights, Boston.
Lulu Perez, 2-round KO over Tommy Collins, featherweights, Boston.
Johnny O'Brien, 15-round split decision over Henry (Pappy) Gault, bantamweights, W. Palm Beach Fla.
Nazzareno Giannelli, 4-round TKO over Jake Tuli, flyweights, London.
COURT TENNIS
Long Island, over New York, 3-0, Payne Whitney Memorial doubles title, Manhasset, N.Y.
DOG SHOWS
Ch. Weycroft Wyldboy of Clairedale, best-in-show, Camden County Kennel Club, Camden, N.J.
Ch. Taylor's Dark Knight, best-in-show. Kennel Club of Philadelphia.
FIELD TRIALS
Douglas Rachel, U.S. Open Foxhunt field trial, New Albany, Miss.
Shawfield Glenfire, natl. cocker spaniel field trial, Carbondale, Ill.
HORSE RACING
HELIANTHUS: $8,725 Ponce de Leon Handicap, 1 1/16m., by a nose, in 1:44 2/5, Tropical Pk., Coral Gables, Fla. Chris Rogers up.
TWO FISTED: $5,000 Lake Providence Handicap, 1 1/16 m., 3½ lengths, in 1:45 2/5, Fair Grounds, New Orleans. Harold Keene up.
RUGBY
Cambridge, over Oxford, 3-0, inter-university Rugby Union match, London.
SOCCER
San Francisco, over California, 3-1, California college title, Los Angeles.
SQUASH RACQUETS
Janet Morgan, England, over Mrs. Ruth Turner, 9-5, 9-3, 9-6, British women's title, London.
SWIMMING
Bruce Hutchinson, Springfield College, New England sr. AAU 1,500-meter free-style championship, in 19:45.8 (new record), Worcester, Mass.
TABLE TENNIS
Johnny Leach, England, over Ichiro Ogimura, 17-21, 21-16, 21-17, 21-18, intl. tourney, Boras, Sweden.
TENNIS
Bobby Perez and Bill Crosby, Los Angeles, over Gilbert Shea and Jacques Grigny, 5-7, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, men's natl. hard-court doubles title, La Jolla, Calif.
Darlene Hard and Dorothy Cheney, Los Angeles, over Pat Todd and Mary Prentiss, 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, women's natl. hard-court doubles title, La Jolla, Calif.
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