MIDWEST OPEN This again was a banner year for entries in the Midwest Open, particularly in the Women's division where there were 24 women entered in the a ll - around only. The men's meet was divided into two di v isions, one comprising all-around entries only and the other for s pecialists. There wsa a field of 23 adll-around candidates a nd as many 00 38 e ntries in some of the speciadlis t s division events. MENS DIVISION RESULTS Leading t h e para d e of fin e p erformances in what was termed " the b est competition in the his t ory of the meet," was Rusty Mitchell of Southern Illinois University. Rusty captured the all -around, floor exercise, and tumbling; in ad dition to this h e finished 8th on the s ide h orse a nd stidll rings, and 9th on the parallel bars. The most c losely oontested event of the meet w as proba b ly the trampoline in which the following scores wer e registered: Gar y E rwin , 9.7; Frank Sohm itz, 9.6; John Hamilton, 9.5; Fred Saunders, 9.4. (with three of the top f our from the Universi ty of Michigan ) . A s the evening progressed the standing room only crowd was treated t o such performances as that of Jim Hopper, Univ. of Wisconsin defeating former n ational c hamp Bill Wolf on the still rings by a close score of 9.6 to 9.55 ; Dennis Wolf (Bill's Twin brother) SIU - defeating James Curzi Michigan State - a nd Ray Yano - SIU o n the high bar; and Steve Pasternak SIU - capturing t h e side ho r s e event with a very respectable score of 9. 55 over Denni,s A lbers U n iv. of Nebraska 9.3 and G le n Gailis - Univ. of I owa - 9.15 . Other notable p erformances included : 3 of firs t 4 places on t h e still rings, High bar and free exercise to SIU; and Southern Illinois University winner of the team c h ampionship for both the men's and wonl e's divisions. The following no te was sent to the ~?t~jERN GYMNAST along with the reTltis meet had a number of interesting and perplexing twists to it. I wo uld like to e labo r ate. The m eet was sanctioned several weeks prior to the date of the m eet by the UNITED STATES GYMNASTICS FEDERATION. Th e publicity poste r s , th e tickets , the news releases, over the air and in the newspap ers a ll brought out the importance of this meet as a test case. What wo uld the AAU do? It wasn't a very Long wait on the pa rt of the M.G.A. The AAU responded quickly with personal l etters to, what see m ed like every eligible gymnast . and a numb e r of coaches, athletic directors, etc. informing each in a threatening manner th a t if th ey compete in the Midwest Open th ey w ill be declared ineligibl e and not be r e in stated. This l etter brought a d eluge of ph on e call s to my office from coach es and ~ ompetitors. They were very much oon?ern e d. and in the main, very much frightmed. As m ee t d irector, I h ad a difficult tim e giving r eassurance to those who called, inf ormi n g each to s it tight and make thi s nwet a r eal tes t case. I did so with littl e s uccess an d entries began' to falter. Beca us e this is a tremendous financial invest ment for t h e M.G.A. I took som e drastic m easures to insure the success of the meet. At t h e r eq u est of a majority of the coaches, I ran t h e womens meet as a separate e ntity a l of its own with an AAU sancti on I sat tight on the mens events up untii a week b ef ore the meet and then another d el,:,,,e of calls guided me into a n oth er d eC ISIOn and that wa,s to seek a joint sanc tion for the mens events as a mean s of prot ec ting those who are aspira nts for the '64 O.I~mpics an? wish to retain the ir eligi bllltv. I ap ph ed for an AAU sanction was rhall enged , b ut beca use we are concerned firs t \V i ~~ gy!"nastic!> a nd secondly with th e pOlitICS Involve d, we convinced the Cen tra l A SSOCiation of the AAU t h ey had a responsibility to support th e on e big gvm",tstic eve nt in the Chi cago area. We may be chall enged further from the National o ~fice. as t h e M.G.A. apparently h as "ccnmpll s hed w h a t could not be done. A cha ll enge by t h e AAU in New York will b e a s hamble as it will accomplish nothing more than criticize on e of their own di s ~ri c ts. A dual sanction was never w h at we IIltended, but perhaps it h ap pened now to th e b es.t a dva ntage of everybody . . . only time WIll tell. Our meet was. :successful, everyone' saw th e b est competItion in th e hi s tory of the m eet, the finals moved alon g smoothly, the
USGF colors were paraded proudly down th e floo r a nd the house was a standing r oom only. MEN'S FINAL RESU'L TS Trampoline: 1. Gary Erwin, Univ. of Mich., 97. 00; 2. Frank Schnitz, Unatt. SIU, 96.00' 3. John Hamilton, Univ. of Mich. , 95 .00; 4. Fred Sanders, Univ. of Mich ., 94.00. Tumbling: 1 Rusty Mitchell, SIU , 94.50; 2. Fra nk Schmitz: Unott. SIU , 90.50.; 3. Hal Shaw, Unatt . ChampaI gn, 88.00 .Still Rings: 1. Jim Hopper Univ of Wisc., 96.00; 2. Bill Wolf, SIU 95 '50 ' 3' Chuck Ehrlich , SI U, 94,00; 3. Tom' Cook, 'SIU: 94.00. Paralle l Bars: 1. Francis Allen, Uniy. of Nebraska, 94.00; 2. Ted Muzyczko, Chicago Turners, 92.50; 3. James Curzi, Michigan St. Unlv., 92.00. Horizontal Bar: 1. Dennis Wolf, SIU . . 96.00; 2 . James Curzi, Mich. St. Univ., 95 .50; 3. Ro y Yano, SIU, 94.50. Side Horse: 1. Steve Pasternak, SIU, 95 ,5.0; 2. Dennis Albers, Unlv. ot Nebraska, 93,00; 3 . Glen Gailis, Iowa Un IV .. 91.50. Free Exercise: 1. Rusty Mitchell SIU, 95 .00; 2 . J,?e Nappi, Unatt., SIU, 91.50; 3 . John .Rohs, MIch . St. Univ., 88.00; 3. John Rohs, MIch. St. Univ., SIU, 88.00. . Attendan ce: Standing room only. Officials: Glallombardo, Wolden, Drain, Foer ich, Fritz, GUSIC, Gard,!e ~, Kreidler, Roetzhe im, Orlofsky
Horn, Schmelz mg.
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WOMEN'S FINAL RESULTS Trampoline: 1. Nancy Smith , Sycamore, III., 78.50; 2. Corle Peterso n, Nort hwest Turn 66.50; . 3. Vicki Bolinger, Trampolets Club, 64 .50: Tumbling: 1. Sharon Kred le, Milwaukee Turn 63.50; 2. Lindo Metheny, Champaign, III., 55.00; 3 . VIck I Bol!nger, Trampolets Club, 54.00. Side H.orse VaultIng: 1. Gail Daley, SIU, 95 .00; 2. Lindo Metheny, Champaign, III ., 93 .33; 3. Irene Horwarth, SIU, 92 .33 . Ba lance Beam: 1. Irene Horwath , SIU, 92.66; 2. Linda Metheny, ChampaIgn, III ., 90.00; 3. Ruth Ann · Inski p Evanston Acronauts, 89 .66; 3 . Brigitta Gullberg' SIU, 89 .66. Uneven Parallel Bars: 1. Jud y Dun ~ hom , SIU, 93 .66; 2. Gail Daley, SIU , 92.66; 3. Irene Horwarth, SI U, 92.00. Free Exercise: 1. MaryEllen Toth, Flint Mich., 93.00; 1. Linda Metheny, Champaign, III. , 93 .00; 3. Solly Nob le East Lansing, Mich ., 92. 00; 3. Donna Scaenzer' SIU , 92.00; 3 . Jud y Ann Lenz , Milwaukee Turn ,' ~~
'Rehnstrom, W.S. U. Horizontal liar: 1. Mike Lovell, Husky G.c.; 2 : Mike Flansaan Husky G.C.; Stu Rehnstrom, W.S. U. Lang H~rse: 1. MIke Flansaan, Husky G.C. ; 2. Steve Woodward Unatt.; 3. Gory Riese, E.W.S.C. Still Rings: Stu Rehnstrom, W.S.U. 2. Mike Flansaas Husky ' G.c.; 3. Donny Du nham , Unatt. HIGH SCHOOL MEN Team ~hr.mpion: Highline of Seattle Coach:
1:
Bob Sarver ' Fr~e E>.'ercise: 1. Don McGinnis, Highl ine; 2.
Pat CalkinS, Hlghllne, tie; 3 , Dennis Clemmons, Hlghllne; 2. Vache, Rich land; 3, O'Connel l, Ricnlan d. Long Horse: 1. Edwards R.; 2. W . Kottsick, Long Horse: 1. Edwards, R.; 2 . Wayne Kottsick H.; 3. Butch Swenson, U. Trampoline : 1 Don Sau~ders, U.; 2. Elliott, R.; 3 . Pot Calki~s, H. HOrizontal Bar: 1.. Holloway, R. ;2. Wayne KottSIck,. H:; 3. Edwards, R. Parallel Bars: 1. Don McGinnIS, H.;. 2, ~en ni s Garvin, Kennew ick; 3. Elhott, R. Stili RIngs: 1. Wayne Kottsick H' 2 .• Don McGinnis, H.; 3. Ken Turner, K: . Aii
TEAM RESULTS Women: 1. S. I.U., 62% ; 2. Champaign, 30; 3 . Evanston, 4%. Officials: Drain,. Wo lde n, Meyer, Pirkel, Wachk~~idre~~kas, Femter, Prchal , Engstrom, Fritz, INLAND EMPIRE OPEN GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS The Inland Empire Gymnas ti cs Championships were h eld December 7, 1963 at Wash ington State C'ollege, Pullman, Washington, under the direction of J ames Sweeney. The coll ege men's division was h eaded by the Husky Gym Club a nd by teammates Mike F lansaas, Jim David and Mike Lovell. The Husky gym cdlub captured th e team t itd le; Mike Fla n saas a h e adll-around, side horse, and long horse ; Ji m David the trampoline and the free exercise; and M ike Lovell t he high b ar (with a dde d seconds in the a ll -around a nd free exercise) . . Other Victor,s incl uded Dick Van Hers ett -tumbling, Stu Re hns trom - Still Rings, and Steve Woodward - Parallel bars. The H igh School division was dominated by Coach Bob Sarver's Highline Hig h School Team of Seattle. D a n McGinnis of Hig hlin e breezed to the top of the Victory stand for firs ts in t h e a ll- aro und, free exercise, a nd parallel b ars . Individual winners included: Duane Murphy-Side h orse, Edwards-Long h orse, Don Saunder s - Trampoline, Holloway H igh b a r, Kottsick - S till rings, Calkin s Tumbling, and Setbacker - Rope Climb . The Women's div is ion was heavily dominated by Shirl ey Ostboe and Eastern Washi ngton State College. Shirley captured the all-around, f ree exerc ise. vaul ting, anI unevens; losin g the beam to Charl ene Eldune of Washington State; with Sharon Allen topping th e field f,or a double win on the trampoline a nd in tumbling. COLLEGE MEN Team Winner: Husky Gym ClUb , Trampoline: 1. Jim David, Husky G.c. ; 2. Bill Hyatt, Unatt.; 3. Dick Van Hersett, Unatt. Side H~rse: 1. Mike Flansan, Husky G.C.; 2. Dove Miller, W.S .U.; 3. Steve Woodward, Unatt. Parallel Bars: 1. Steve Woodward , Unatt.; 2. Chuck Messenger, E.W.S.C.; 3 . Mike Flansan Husky G.C. Tumbling: 1. Dick Von Hersett · 2' Jim David, Husky G.C .; 3 . Stu Rehnst(om ' W.S.U.; AI! Around: I. Mike Flansaan, Husky G.c.; 2 . MIke Lovell , Husky G.C.; 3. Stu Rehnstra m, W.S.U. Free Exercise: 1. Jim David, Husky G.C.: 2. Mike Lovell , Husky G.C.: 3. Stu
Around: 1. Dan McG innis, H,; 2. Wayne KottSIck, H.; 3 . Holloway, R. Tumbling: 1. Pat Calkins, H.; 2. Don McGinnis, H.; 3 . Dave Mac Carter, U. Rope Climb : 1. Setbacken U,; 2. McCarth y, H.; 3 . Jackson, R. WOMEN Team Champion: Eastern Washington State College.
Free Exercise: 1. Shirley Ostboe, EWSC; 2 . JulIe Bateman, Kennewick; 3. Sue Aldrich, EWSC. Vaulting : Shirley Ostboe, EWSC; 2. Sue Aldrich, EWSC; 3 . Charlene El dune, WSU. Unevens: 1. Sh irl ey Ost boe, EWSC; 2. Julie Bate.man, K.; 3. DIOne Thoelcke, K. All Around: 1. ' Shirley Ostboe' EWSC; 2. Julie Bateman, K,; 3 . Sue Aldrich, .EWSC. Trampoline: 1. Sharon All en, oEWSC; 2. Ruth Nelson, K,; 3. Mary Coffman, EW:;C. Beam : 1. Charlene Eldune WSU ' 2 . ShirlElY Ostboe, EWSC; 3. Ruth Nel;on, K:
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