
SCOREBOARD
RECORD BREAKERS
Lee Calhoun, limber-legged Olympic champion from North Carolina College, trailed in early going but picked up speed to cover seldom-run 70-yard high hurdles in 8.2 for new world indoor record at Washington, D.C. (Jan. 26).
TRACK & FIELD
John Macy, 26-year-old Polish refugee now at U. of Houston, trailed veteran Horace Ashenfelter in two-mile race at Philadelphia, next night turned tables on rival at Washington, winning in 9:02.6 as Hungary's Laszlo Tabori (beaten by George King in 4:10.1 mile at Philadelphia) dropped out because of stomach upset. Among other winners in busy weekend at Philadelphia and Washington: stumpy Ira Murchison nipped Duke's Dave Sime in disputed 50-yard dash, added triple at 70, 80 and 100 yards; Pitt's velvet-striding Arnie So well continued banked-board supremacy over Olympic Champion Tom Courtney, winning 1,000 in 2:09.5 (see page 28).
HOCKEY
Detroit, off on six-game winning kick, routed Chicago 6-2, swept weekend series with Toronto 4-1, 3-1, to take 3-point lead over sputtering Montreal in NHL. Boston, still fumbling around for adequate replacement for Goalie Terry Sawchuk, dropped Norm De Felice and brought up Rookie Don Simmons from Springfield. Maneuver worked as Bruins came out of six-game slump to beat Canadiens 5-2.
BASKETBALL
College basketball, in annual midsemester lull, found most major teams, including unbeaten North Carolina and once-beaten Kansas, idle but Ohio State held off Northwestern 83-73 for sixth straight in Big Ten; Missouri went into overtime to upset Iowa State 69-66 for second time in Big Seven; California, undefeated in PCC, came from behind to beat Stanford 67-64.
Boston continued to make shambles of NBA Eastern Division race, outscoring Syracuse, Minneapolis and Philadelphia to enjoy 6½-game bulge over second-place Warriors. Fort Wayne held firm in tight Western Division, winning three out of four, but was only single game ahead of St. Louis Hawks, who began to make Bob Pettit's fantastic shooting pay off in victories. Rochester, going from bad to worse, stretched losing streak to 10.
BASEBALL
Lou Perini, Boston steamshovel executive who moved his Braves but not his residence to Milwaukee in 1953, decided fans "are entitled to direct, on-site leadership," turned over president's chair to Executive Vice President Joseph Cairnes, 49, but will remain as chairman of board.
HORSE RACING
Spinney, Insurance Man Louis Rowan's chestnut 4-year-old, off at 25 to 1, found muddy strip to his liking, outslogged challenging Beam Rider in stretch to win $170,230 Santa Anita Maturity (see page 40).
First Served, 6-year-old gelding claimed by New York Attorney James J. Crowley from Alfred G. Vanderbilt for mere $7,500 last July, stormed up on outside on turn for home, survived foul claim by Willie Hartack, up on Fabricator, to take down top money in $33,050 Royal Palm Handicap at Hialeah for Trainer John Nerud's third straight stakes winner.
GOLF
Ken Venturi, cocky San Francisco auto salesman who recently deserted amateurs to follow money trail, showed pros he will be real threat, finishing in three-way tie with Mike Souchak and Jimmy Demaret at 273 and forcing playoff in Thunderbird Invitational at Palm Springs, Calif.
Ann Quast, spirited 19-year-old from Marysville, Wash, made her putter behave to upset favored Marlene Stewart, went on to beat defending Champion Joanne Goodwin on 38th hole in Helen Lee Doherty amateur at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
TENNIS
Shirley Fry, world's No. 1 woman amateur who recently announced she planned to marry and would not defend at Wimbledon and Forest Hills, outstroked old rival Althea Gibson 6-3, 6-4 to win Australian singles title at Kooyang. Lew Hoad, who enjoys same stature in men's rankings, was upset in semifinals by Countryman Neale Fraser (beaten by Ashley Cooper in final). Hoad later disclosed painful back injury may sideline him for three months.
BOXING
Eddie Machen, third-ranking heavyweight, showed he still has lot to learn when flabby (at 192½ pounds) and still feather-punching ex-Light Heavyweight Champion Joey Maxim managed to stay out of harm's way until floored (see below) by lip-splitting right in ninth, then got up to lose decision at Miami Beach.
Featherweight Champion Sandy Saddler, master roughhouser who has defended only three times in six years and not since last January, announced retirement after doctor informed him he was "going progressively blind." Baby-faced Algerian Cherif Hamia, who outpointed Belgium's Jean Sneyers at Paris for European title, was named heir apparent but must face winner of elimination series involving British Empire Champion Hogan (Kid) Bassey of Nigeria, Carmelo Costa and Miguel Berrios, upset by Gil Cadilli in 10-rounder at Boston.
Heavyweight Champion Floyd Patterson modestly accepted Edward J. Neil plaque (see below) as New York Boxing Writers' Fighter of the Year; but moody spectator Tommy (Hurricane) Jackson, who lost split decision to Floyd last spring and will probably get title shot in June, was not so impressed: "I'll get him next time. I'll show him. I'm gonna chop him up like a piece of steak. I think I'm gonna knock him out in two rounds." Two nights later, unpredictable Jackson had chance to crow publicly when New York Boxing Managers Association honored him. This time Hurricane adopted vegetarian approach, predicted, "I'll make him [Patterson] feel like Swiss cheese," added another incentive, "I wanna take the crown back to my momma."
MILEPOSTS
HONORED—Mildred (Babe) Didrikson Zaharias, fabulous all-round athlete, golfer extraordinary, who died of cancer last September; posthumously awarded Bob Jones bronze plaque in "recognition of distinguished sportsmanship," by U.S. Golf Association, in New York.
ELECTED—James H. Kimberly, Chicago industrialist-sportsman, auto racing driver, yachtsman; president of Sports Car Club of America, for second term, at Detroit.
MARRIED—Tommy McDonald, swift Oklahoma All-America halfback who will next be seen with Philadelphia Eagles; and campus beauty Ann Campbell, 1955 Miss America finalist, at Oklahoma City.
DIED—Tom Smith, 78, shrewd California horse trainer whose taciturnity earned him sobriquet of Silent Tom; after long illness, at Glendale, Calif. Twice nation's leading money winner (1940, 1945), he saddled Charles S. Howard's stout-hearted Seabiscuit to victory over War Admiral in 1938 Pimlico Special, lifted same Thoroughbred out of doldrums to win 1940 Santa Anita Handicap, later won 1947 Kentucky Derby with Mrs. Elizabeth N. Graham's Jet Pilot.