Qaimll
CORNELL
FALL, 1962
liJaiiebabbet
SPIKED
SHOE
Cornell University
Mr. G l e n D a v i s — A s s ' t . Track Coach
The Cornell University Athletic Association, the
track team in particular, enthusiastically w e l c o m e s the
addition of M r . G l e n Davis, holder of three w o r l d
records a n d three O l y m p i c gold medals, as assistant
track coach. M r . Davis comes to Cornell from the
Detroit Lions w i t h w h o m he h a d spent t w o seasons of
pro-football.
Shortly before g r a d u a t i n g from Barberton High
School in Barberton, Ohio, G l e n Davis, the sole entrant from his school in the O h i o State C h a m p i o n s h i p
Meet, w o n the state title s i n g l e h a n d e d l y by t a k i n g
first in the b r o a d jump w i t h 23' VA," 220 y a r d dash
w i t h 21.1, a n d the 180 y a r d low hurdles w i t h 19.1,
a n d a fourth in the 100 y a r d dash w i t h a time of 9.9
seconds. O n the strength of a single q u a l i f i e d entrant,
Barberton b e c a m e state track champions by a score
of 20-16 over M a n s f i e l d .
Mr. Davis then enrolled at O h i o State University
in Columbus in 1954, w h e r e he set so m a n y state,
track, a n d school records that it is difficult to recall
them all, much less list them in this space. In 1956 in
the Los A n g e l e s O l y m p i c trials, after running the 400
meter intermediate hurdles only six times previously,
G l e n beat Eddie Southern in 49.5 seconds to e a r n
his passage to his first Olympics, a n d then f o l l o w e d
up his performance w i t h a gold m e d a l a n d a time
of 50.1 in M e l b o u r n e ; all this w h i l e only a sophomore
in college.
After g r a d u a t i o n from O h i o State in 1958, M r .
Davis w e n t on tour w i t h the United States E u r o p e a n
Team, setting several w o r l d records. In J u n e of that
SOCIETY
Ithaca, N e w York
summer, he ran the 440 y a r d event in a world's
record time of 45.7, a n d in August at Budapest
l o w e r e d his 400 meter intermediate hurdle time to
49.2, similarly a w o r l d ' s record. M r . Davis is also coholder of the w o r l d ' s record in the 220 y a r d low
hurdles a r o u n d a bend w i t h M a r t i n Lauer of G e r m a n y
in a time of 22.5. U p o n his return from the E u r o p e a n
Tour, M r . Davis effectively w i t h d r e w from active track
participation a n d b e g a n teaching a n d coaching track
in a Columbus high school.
In the spring prior to the O l y m p i c s of 1960, G l e n
b e g a n to w o r k himself back to championship form,
a n d w i t h only three races behind him, w o n the 400
•meter hurdle trials, a n d later in the summer a
second g o l d m e d a l w i t h a 49.3 first place at Rome.
The third gold m e d a l w a s a w a r d e d for the first
place 1600 meter r e l a y t e a m of Y e a r m a n , Y o u n g ,
G l e n Davis, a n d Otis D a v i s w h i c h set a w o r l d m a r k
of 3:02.2.
In coaching the m i d d l e distance events, Mr. Davis
a d v o c a t e s training as "close to the c o m b a t pace as
possible, without needlessly risking i n j u r y . " He uses
overdistance only to g a i n e n d u r a n c e in the v e r y e a r l y
stages of a season, a n d replaces r o a d w o r k w i t h
fast quarters, 220's, a n d 600's close to competition.
G l e n brings to Cornell track his e n e r g y as w e l l as his
coaching technique. This past S a t u r d a y , as the mile
r e l a y t e a m w a s p r e p a r i n g to d e p a r t for the dedication of Syracuse's n e w field house, G l e n , w h o s e college d e g r e e is in industrial arts, w a s a s k e d if Cornell
should h a v e a fieldhouse. " F i n d someone to g i v e the
materials, a n d I'll build it m y s e l f , " w a s his reply.
Future teams w i l l no doubt reflect such enthusiasm.
Y O U R S U B S C R I P T I O N IS R U N N I N G O U T
In essence y o u r contribution is a subscription
fee. W i t h o u t the f i n a n c i a l support of you, our alumni the W a s t e b a s k e t cannot exist. Each issue costs approximately $75.00 to $100.00 d e p e n d i n g upon size.
If only 5 0 % of y o u w e r e to d o n a t e t w o dollars
e a c h the W a s t e b a s k e t w o u l d be f i n a n c i a l l y solvent
for the next three y e a r s . N o m a g a z i n e can offer a
better subscription rate.
So f a r this y e a r w e h a v e received only seven
gifts, six of w h i c h a r e from a l u m n i . W h i l e size in
itself is not important, it is interesting to note that the
one gift from a non-Cornellian is g r e a t e r than the
other gifts combined. N o doubt y o u all p l a n to m a k e
a donation but forget, or else feel that y o u r gift
r e a l l y is not that important. H o w e v e r , as y o u c a n see
it is important. Please s a v e us a l l the e m b a r r a s s m e n t
of a m i m e o g r a p h e d edition by r e n e w i n g y o u r subscription n o w .
A s this is y o u r p a p e r w e a r e anxious to receive
y o u r comments a n d ideas on h o w to improve it. W e
w a n t to tell y o u w h a t y o u w o u l d like most to h e a r
about. W r i t e a n d tell us y o u r ideas a n d opinions.
Hope to see y o u at one of the meets this y e a r .
IN M E M O R I A M
September 17th m a r k e d the tragic d e a t h of a
great a n d spirited Cornell runner, R a y W e s t e n d o r p .
R a y w a s the kind of boy w h o reached his p e a k track
ability w h i l e in high school a n d c a m e to college w i t h
a n excellent record. H o w e v e r , d u e to a c a d e m i c pressures, injuries, a n d frustrations, he did not i m p r o v e
on this record during his first t w o y e a r s at Cornell.
Then, during his junior y e a r , he b e g a n to show
the d r i v e a n d spirit w h i c h m a k e s g r e a t runners out
of mediocre ones. During o n e month of his junior
y e a r he l o w e r e d his best mile fifteen seconds, from
4:27 to 4:12. During the next f a l l R a y led the crosscountry t e a m to a H e p t a g o n a l C h a m p i o n s h i p a n d ran
the third fastest time e v e r on the M o a k l e y Course.
A l s o that f a l l he w o n the Poughkeepsie ten mile
Thanksgiving D a y R o a d Race, b e a t i n g his nearest
opponent by a minute a n d l o w e r i n g the course record
some t w o minutes.
Last spring R a y w a s a g a i n beset w i t h frustration; due to a fall he strained the ligaments in his
knee at a time w h e n he w a s in his best running condition ever.
H o w e v e r , after six w e e k s in a cast, he slowly but
surely c a m e back to m a k e the English t e a m a n d to
run his fastest t w o mile of 9:25. In E n g l a n d R a y set
a n e w track record of 9:29 for the t w o mile at the
University of B i r m i n g h a m . In I r e l a n d he turned in a
14:47 three mile in the pouring rain.
Ray's running c a r e e r w a s not at a n e n d as he
still h a d another y e a r of track eligibility w h e n f a t e
intervened. A l l that r e m a i n s for us n o w is to try to
be as dedicated a n d spirited as w a s R a y .
EDITOR'S COLUMN—INDOOR SEASON
Cornell track during the coming indoor season
m a y not produce the string of victories that coaches
hope for, but it certainly w i l l not be a n altogether
unpromising y e a r that begins w i t h Dartmouth in
Ithaca, J a n u a r y 12. O u r present s q u a d , w h i c h in
past y e a r s might h a v e been described a s strong or
w e l l rounded, in the f a c e of fast i m p r o v i n g Ivy
L e a g u e competition is merely a v e r a g e . For e x a m p l e
w h e n before has Cornell o p e n e d a season w i t h t w o
fourteen foot vaulters, a n d w h e n has it h a d less
chance of a H e p t a g o n a l title in that e v e n t ? W i t h
sophomore strength f r o m last y e a r ' s outstanding
f r e s h m a n t e a m , the Red w i l l h a v e contenders in
events written off a s nine-point forfeits in previous
seasons. But the n u m b e r of outstanding athletes
( g u a r a n t e e d first places) that a successful season
requires is lacking. The s q u a d briefly shapes up as
follows:
Distance: Cross country C a p t a i n B y a r d a n d cohort Sims comprise Cornell hopes in the t w o mile
a n d mile. B y a r d ' s best clocking for the longer distance is 9:26, w h i l e the t w o run a mile in 4:27 a n d
4:23 respectively. C a r y w i l l round out the entry, being c a p a b l e of 4:30. Needless to s a y , if S t e v e Machooka is not on probation d u r i n g the spring term,
the mile could be our strongest event, but if at
Cornell is a three syllable w o r d spelled probation.
W e c a n only hope.
M i d d l e distance: The shining light here, of
course, is junior F r a n Smith w i t h a 2:13.1 best in the
1000 a n d 1:11.9 in the 600. M o d e s t y forbids from
talking a b o u t records, but M e a l y ' s m a r k of 2:11.0
a n d M o o r e s 1:11.0 a r e certainly w i t h i n e a s y reach.
The rest of the junior contingent, Engstrom, D a w s o n ,
a n d Frisbee w i t h G l e n D a v i s providing training momentum m a y p e r f o r m w e l l in the 600. V i c S a n c h o ,
w h o last spring d r o p p e d b e l o w :50.0 for the quarter,
m a y be out w i t h a persistant back injury.
W e i g h t s : Cornell is in the strangely e n v i a b l e
position of h a v i n g as m a n y w e i g h t coaches as w e i g h t
throwers, a s Eino Keerd a n d Ted B a i l e y , last y e a r ' s
w e i g h t of h a m m e r c h a m p i o n in both the Heptago n a l s a n d IC4A meets, h a v e t a k e n o v e r in this department. Eino K e e r d h a s contributed his time a n d
m e c h a n i c a l talent to building w e i g h t lifting racks
for Schoellkopf - no longer must t r a c k m e n e n d u r e
the f r a g r a n c e of the w e i g h t lifting club, T e a g l e Chapter - a n d B a i l e y ' s tosses of sixty feet plus a d d e d to
his teaching ability serve as excellent inspiration for
fledglings. S o p h o m o r e s Les Stroh a n d Tom G a g e
h a v e both t o p p e d fifty feet in practice, w h i l e junior
Dick Price has t h r o w s of fifty-five feet. G a g e , freshm a n record holder in the shot, is n o w c a p a b l e of
fifty feet there as w e l l . Last y e a r both these events
w e r e f r e e points for most opponents - not so this
season.
Hurdles a n d sprint: The 60 y a r d high hurdles
a n d sprint w i l l be difficult events in w h i c h to t a k e
points. B y r a n W e s t f i e l d , recently returned from football, is fast i m p r o v i n g in the hurdles, but must run
a g a i n s t such n a m e s as R e y n a r d of P e n n s y l v a n i a a n d
Flippin of Y a l e . S o p h o m o r e P a u l W h i t e , m e m b e r of
the English T e a m , is n o w on probation a n d his
services in hurdles, b r o a d jump a n d sprints w i l l be
u n a v a i l a b l e at least until F e b r u a r y . To fill out the
hurdles, Bruce H o f f m a n w i l l doubtless be recruited,
but v a u l t i n g a n d high j u m p i n g m a k e such a triple
difficult.
J u m p i n g a n d v a u l t i n g : C a p t a i n B o b Potter, Bruce
H o f f m a n , Tom M o r r o w , Tom B r e n n a n a n d
Jim
M o o r e m a k e Cornell certainly as d e e p in vaulters
as a n y school in the East. The first t w o h a v e c l e a r e d
14' a n d the last three at least 13'. W i t h the Heptag o n a l record p r o b a b l y g o i n g n e a r 16' this y e a r
( P l y m a l e of A r m y - 15' 9 % " ) success might be limited. H o f f m a n , M o r r o w , a n d Potter w i l l also high
jump in o r d e r of descending height, 6' 4 " to 6'. Newcomer Bosu, a sophomore w h o did not compete last
y e a r , s h o w s promise in the b r o a d jump w i t h 22'
efforts, a n d w i t h W h i t e returning f r o m probation
could a d d n e e d e d points.
The l e a g u e is strong. P l y m a l e of A r m y a n d
Mitchell of Princeton a r e 15' vaulters, Hartnet of
Princeton has c l e a r e d 6' 814" in the high jump, a n d
A s h w o r t h of Dartmouth n e a r scared the life out of
Frank B u d d a t the indoor IC4A 60 y a r d dash. B o b b y
M a c k a n d Bill Flippin w i l l l e a d the Y a l e s q u a d , a n d
Art Doten of H a r v a r d might w e l l e q u a l his brother
S t a n in the w e i g h t t h r o w . F r e s h m a n Cornell J i m
Straub's brother Bill of A r m y , w h o last y e a r outran
M a c k in the H e p t a g o n a l t w o mile is also back. The
H e p t a g o n a l s should be great, certainly w o r t h seeing.
v a r d , W e l l s of Dartmouth, a n d C r a i n of H a r v a r d , in
that order. Despite placing three men in the top six
H a r v a r d lost the t e a m prize to a w e l l b a l a n c e d N a v y
team. Princeton finished a close third a n d w a s foll o w e d by A r m y , B r o w n , Y a l e , Cornell, Penn, Dartmouth a n d C o l u m b i a .
Next y e a r ' s race a p p e a r s e v e n at this e a r l y d a t e
to h a v e the m a k i n g s of a g r e a t fight w i t h three of
the first four finishers (including B y a r d ) returning
to school in September. Personally, my m o n e y is on
J i m B y a r d of Cornell.
IC4A—NOV. 19
The IC4A Championships, held on the s a m e
course as the Heps in V a n Cortland Park, N e w York
a r e a l w a y s rather anticlimatic after the latter. The
colorful a n d closely fought H e p t a n g o n a l s a r e a l w a y s
the high light of the season. Lost in a sea of h u m a n i t y
comprising a p p r o x i m a t e l y two-hundred runners a n d
d o m i n a t e d by such athletic plants as V i l l a n o v a , Michigan State, a n d Penn State, it is usually a long afternoon for Cornell a n d the rest of the Ivy League. J i m
B y a r d ran a fine race a n d finished 13th, despite the
n a t u r a l let d o w n from the Heps a n d a long bus trip,
w h i c h blunted his razor sharp condition.
For the freshmen, the IC4A race is the highlight
of the season as they do not compete in the Heptagonals. Lynn C u n n i n g h a m ran a n excellent race,
finished ninth, a g a i n s t the roughest competition to be
f o u n d in freshmen ranks. The race w a s m a r r e d by the
injury to J i m Straub, w h o took a b a d f a l l on the rocky
course w h i l e running up w i t h the leaders. O t h e r competitors for the freshmen w e r e Cory B y a r d , Gurski,
I n g r a h a m , Johnstone, a n d Levy.
TURKEY TROTS—
Running in post-season competition as the Cornell Track Club, four m e m b e r s of the cross-country
team competed in Poughkeepsie's a n n u a l Thanksgiving D a y r o a d race. C o m m e n c i n g at nine o'clock in
the morning a n d run in a steady drizzle to boot, this
colorful event attracted its usual enthusiastic c r o w d .
S p e e d i n g through the m a i n streets of the city, J i m
B y a r d d e f e a t e d the d e f e n d i n g c h a m p i o n going a w a y .
W i t h the a i d of a friend from W e s l e y a n , the Track
Club w a s a b l e to g a i n second place in the t e a m
competition behind the f o r m i d a b l e N. Y. A. C. Comprising the f i v e m a n t e a m w e r e J i m Sims, J i m B y a r d ,
Pete Kuck, Charles Rcbinowitz, a n d Davis, the latter
not from Cornell. These boys finished w e l l up in the
pack of more than fifty, in fact 7th, 17th, 18th, 22nd.
It w a s the late R a y W e s t e n d o r p w h o carried the
Cornell colors to victory in last y e a r ' s Poughkeepsie
10 miler, a n d in so doing, set a race record.
J i m B y a r d e m e r g e d the w i n n e r in the a n n u a l
Hobey Y o u n g eight mile r o a d race. Though a n intrat e a m race plenty of incentive is supplied by the first
place prize of a n eighteen pound turkey. Finishing
close behind B y a r d , after staging a great battle almost the entire distance, w e r e C u n n i n g h a m a n d
Straub, the t w o freshmen stars. J i m Sims finished
fourth. As for the t u r k e y — i t w a s d e v o u r e d at Sim's
home in Kingston f o l l o w i n g the Poughkeepsie race.
Summer in England
CORNELL-PENNSYLVANIA vs.
OXFORD-CAMBRIDGE
The c o m b i n e d track s q u a d of the University of
P e n n s y l v a n i a a n d Cornell t r a v e l e d to E n g l a n d this
past summer for the sixth meeting w i t h the combined
t e a m of O x f o r d - C a m b r i d g e . The t w e l v e Cornellians
w h o h a d positions in the twenty-two m a n contingent
w e r e Captain Mikulina, Steve Machooka,
Henry
Betts, Bob Schmidt, the late R a y W e s t e n d o r p , F r a n
Smith, J i m B y a r d , Ben Lewis, Bruce H o f f m a n , B y r a n
W e s t f i e l d , P a u l W h i t e , a n d J i m M o o r e , the latter
three being freshmen at the time.
R e m e m b e r i n g the w a r n i n g s of English track
might last y e a r that resulted in a 8-7 w i n for Cornell-Pennsylvania, m e m b e r s of the s q u a d r e g a r d e d
their rating as underdogs lightly, a n d entered the
meet J u n e 13 brimful w i t h confidence. This y e a r ,
h o w e v e r , the ratings w e r e correct, a n d the A m e r i c a n s
w e r e b e a t e n 11-4, scoring first places only in the
high jump ( M i k u l i n a , 6' 4"), pole v a u l t (Moore, 13'),
Shot-put (Batlorf, 50'), a n d discus (also Batdorf,
163' 3V2"), w i t h no first place in a track event. Oxford C a p t a i n A d r i a n M e t c a l f e w o n both sprint events
w i t h a 9.9 a n d 21.4 in the 100 a n d 200 y a r d dashes
respectively in his first a p p e a r a n c e after his illness.
S t e v e M a c h o o k a , despite his 4:10.6 timing in the mile,
suffered his second loss of his c a r e e r (the first w a s
to M u l l i n of H a r v a r d ) to M i k e Heath of Oxford-Cambridge, the latter finishing in 4:04.6, his unversity
a n d this meet series record. It should be mentioned
that sophomore F r a n Smith, Cornell halfmiler, h a d
suffered a s p r a i n e d a n k l e t w o w e e k s before the trip
a n d w a s u n a b l e to compete in the English meet.
E n g l i s h m a n Colin B a c o n set a javelin record for
the series w i t h a n effort of 225' 9Vi", d e f e a t i n g
Cornell record holder Bob Schmidt. The 4 x 110 y a r d
r e l a y also s a w a n e w record of 41.9 by Cook,
S m o u h a , H o g a n , a n d M e t c a l f , four Oxford-Camb r i d g e men w h o i n d i v i d u a l l y accounted for other
points, H o g a n w i n n i n g the 220 y a r d hurdles. Tom
Blodgett, former H a r v a r d t r a c k m a n a n d n o w a Rhodes
Scholar at C a m b r i d g e , took the 120 y a r d high hurdles
from t e a m m a t e H o g a n in 14.5 seconds.
The next meeting on the tour w a s in Birmingh a m w i t h the c o m b i n e d s q u a d of B i r m i n g h a m a n d
Loughborough Colleges. This meet w a s decided in
the f i n a l event by Cornell's Bob Schmidt, w h o t h r e w
a javelin 205' 6V2" to g i v e the match to his t e a m by
a n 8-7 m a r g i n . The visitors left t w o stadium records
as souvenirs, one by the late R a y W e s t e n d o r p w i t h a
9:29.0 in the t w o mile a n d the second by Batdorf in
the shot w i t h a m a r k of 50' 6 % " .
M a c h o o k a scored a double in the mile a n d half
w i t h time of 4:16.6 a n d 1:51.5 respectively. H o f f m a n
w o n the pole v a u l t a n d M i k u l i n a a n d Batdorf repeated, t a k i n g the high jump a n d the discus as expected.
B i r m i n g h a m - Loughborough took all track events
through the 440, the hurdles a n d the b r o a d jump,
a g a i n d i s p l a y i n g the English perference for running
a n d hurdling rather t h a n t h r o w i n g or jumping.
T r a v e l i n g then to I r e l a n d for t w o matches w i t h
a combined international t e a m , Cornell-Pennsylvania
Continued on page 6
THE TRACK TEAM'S DICK LAFRANCE
For the past ten y e a r s Cornell t r a c k m e n h a v e
been fortunate to h a v e Dick LaFrance serving a s t e a m
trainer. It is, h o w e v e r , a bit unfitting that a f a i r
proportion of Red athletes w h o s e sprains a n d pulls
Dick so carefully treats k n o w a g r e a t d e a l less a b o u t
him t h a n he does a b o u t them, a n d Dick is s o m e w h a t
h a n d i c a p p e d in g a t h e r i n g
information on those
a r o u n d him, as he can rely only on the inflections
a n d tones of voices, the size a n d heaviness of a n
a p p r o a c h i n g footstep, a n d the pressure of a handshake. Dick LaFrance has been blind since A p r i l of
1945. It is, therefore a p p r o p r i a t e that S p i k e d Shoe's
" W a s t e b a s k e t " should t a k e upon itself the pleasant
task of introducing a n e x t r a o r d i n a r y person to current
members of Cornell track a n d a l u m n i as w e l l .
Dick LaFrance w a s born in Ithaca in 1919, attending Ithaca High School w h e r e he established himself as one of the top a r e a athletes.
Along with
C U A A ' s publicity director Ben Mintz, Dick helped set
a sectional record in the 880 y a r d r e l a y (1:31.1) in
our o w n Schoellkopf field as w e l l as t h r o w i n g the
shot a n exceptional 50' as a senior. R e m e m b e r that
in 1936 the sixty foot shot put w a s still a theoretical
h u m a n m a x i m u m a n d fifty feet by a high school
athlete w a s promising, to s a y the least. But football
w a s Dick's love, a n d in 1937 he accepted a scholarship to p l a y for W i l l i a m a n d M a r y in W i l l i a m s b u r g ,
V i r g i n i a . A f t e r a fall of f r e s h m a n ball, Dick transferred to Tennessee W e s l y a n w h e r e he p l a y e d e n d on
a t e a m comprised of such greats-to-be as R a y G r a v e s ,
n o w h e a d coach of the University of Florida, Buster
R a m s a y , n o w line coach of the Steelers, a n d Otis
Douglas, at v a r i o u s times since a trainer w i t h the
Cincinnati Reds, a n d a n all pro-tackle f i v e times o v e r
w i t h the Eagles, retiring in 1952 at a n a g e of 42. Returning from Tennessee, Dick g r a d u a t e d from W i l l i a m
a n d M a r y in 1914 w i t h a d e g r e e in education. Scant
d a y s after g r a d u a t i o n , L a F r a n c e enlisted in the A r m y ,
J u n e 15, 1941 w i t h the rank of private. During that
summer, he w a s transferred to the A r m o r School Fort
Knox w i t h the g r a d e of Technical S e r g e a n t , a n d finally w a s commissioned in the spring f o l l o w i n g P e a r l
H a r b o r a n d assigned to the 12th A r m o r e d Division,
the unit he w o u l d r e m a i n w i t h throughout the w a r in
Europe. A t this time he m a r r i e d Betty Lou Foster from
Cincinnati, but w a s transferred t w o y e a r s later to
the E u r o p e a n Theatre a n d E n g l a n d , w h e r e the massing A l l i e d forces w e r e p r e p a r i n g for the D-Day invasion of N o r m a n d y . The 12th A r m o r e d f o l l o w e d on
the heels of the invasion, a n d w a s in action across
France, southern Belgium, a n d f i n a l l y b e c a m e t r a p p e d
in the Bulge O u t b r e a k . Dick, at that time a 1st Lieutenant, describes the ten d a y s in w h i c h his t a n k
c o m p a n y , of w h i c h he w a s c o m m a n d e r , w e r e cut
off from allied communication a n d surrounded by
G e r m a n s as the most tense of the w a r .
The d a t e then w a s w i n t e r , 1944, a n d the h a r d
pressed Axis w a s backing up upon the Rhine v a l l e y ,
G e r m a n y ' s precious frontier. The 12th A r m o r e d , w i t h
LaFrance's c o m p a n y l e a d i n g the w a y , s p e a r h e a d e d
the breakthrough at Treyeres, a n d w a s then assigned
to Patten's 3rd A r m y in the southern sector. N o w the
12th h a d served w i t h e v e r y A m e r i c a n a r m y in France
(1st, 3rd a n d 9th) as w e l l as beside the 3rd French at
C o l m a r . In late F e b r u a r y Patten w a s in a race to
b e a t the G e r m a n s across the Rhine, before all the
then existing bridges w e r e destroyed by the retreating forces. A t S p e y e r on the Rhine, 1st Lieutenant
LaFrance, c o m m a n d i n g the l e a d tank, s a w the bridge
h e w o u l d h a v e crossed in a n o t h e r h u n d r e d y a r d s
l e a p into the air. S a y s Dick of the incident, " I ' m g l a d
they b l e w it w h e n they did, seconds later a n d they
w o u l d h a v e c a u g h t us on top of it, or w o r s e a l o n e
on their side."
O n 1 M a r c h , 1945, Dick, a g a i n c o m m a n d i n g the
l e a d tank s p e a r h e a d i n g Patten's attack, a d v a n c e d
135 miles in the night assault across the engineer's
b r i d g e t h r o w n up at W o r m s , t r a p p i n g a n entire
G e r m a n a r m y in the rear a g a i n s t the Rhine they h a d
fought fiercely to d e f e n d . O v e r 100,000 e n e m y troops
surrendered as a result of this bold m a n e u v e r . During
the next month the 12th A r m o r e d crossed the entirety
of southern G e r m a n y a n d r e a c h e d Czechoslovakia
w h e r e it turned a b o u t a n d h e a d e d a g a i n for the
Rhine. A l l i e d intelligence i n f o r m e d the 12th that
N u r e m b u r g w a s the last resisting city in the south,
d e f e n d e d by the 21st Panzer, Hitler's personal g u a r d ,
a n d on the night of 29 A p r i l , 1945, C a p t a i n LaFrance
led a detachment of four tanks a n d a jeep (his origina l c o m p a n y s o m e w h a t depleted) into N u r e m b u r g to
reconnaissance e n e m y strength a n d positions.
The
four tanks b e c a m e e n m e s h e d in a w i t h e r i n g artillery
fire, a n d d u r i n g the fire fight, a 88 m m G e r m a n shell
e x p l o d e d across the turret of LaFrance's tank, spreading shrapnel into the 1st Lieutenant's eyes a n d f a c e .
The w o u n d e d c o m m a n d e r w a s r e m o v e d from Nuremberg across the hood of a jeep, a n d t a k e n to France
for medical care. F l o w n f r o m France to Scotland, then
to N e w York in J u n e 1945, then to the V a l l e y Forge
Hospital, a n d f i n a l l y to A v o n Connecticut School for
the Blind, Dick contacted " D o c " K a v a n a u g h a n d B o b
K a n e at Cornell a n d secured his present job of trainer
to Big Red athletic teams.
A t present Dick lives w i t h his w i f e a n d f o u r
children, t w o boys, t w o girls outside of Ithaca in
Groton. His eldest son Rick, 16, is a promising heavyw e i g h t wrestler w i t h records of 10-5 a n d 11-3 in
past y e a r s . If a n y t r a c k m a n w a n t s a n a f t e r n o o n of
humor, ask Dick a b o u t the d a y he d r o v e to Mecklenburg by e a r , or cursed o v e r a n a t i o n a l network
radio setup. He'd be only too g l a d to tell you.
England—Cont'd.
m o m e n t a r i l y m a d e the c a m p a i g n a w i n n i n g one by
t a k i n g a t w o night a f f a i r by 9-6. Bob Schmidt's f i n e
effort of 209' 9 " w h i c h broke his o w n school record
w a s the highlight of the meet. M i k u l i n a , B a t d o r f ,
H o f f m a n , M a c h o o k a a n d W e s t e n d o r p r e p e a t e d their
victories of the previous meet. The 440 sprint r e l a y
^ e a m m a n a g e d its first victory on foreign soil, a n d
Ron Hines of P e n n s y l v a n i a broke the English-Irish
streak of b r o a d j u m p victories. In the second meet,
the visitors w e r e s o m e w h a t w e a k e n e d by the return to the States of some of the t e a m m e m b e r s a n d
hence w e r e t r i m m e d by the s a m e t e a m it h a d
soundly b e a t e n before. Thus the tour e n d e d up in a
2-2 record despite the lack of sprinting talent. In
no meet d i d Cornell t a k e points in a race under
440 y a r d s .