Page House Touch Football (1965-1966)
Louis Newman went to the CalTech 45th reunion for the class of 1966 in 2011. The attendees were interesting as at one point there were five touch football team members sitting in a row at the same seminar. By my count 18 out of 35 attendees (including guests) were derived from Page House. Ruddock House had 12 people.
My recollection of those days started one year before when Lee Myers was the touch football coach. I had tried out for the intramural team. I was fast and did not drop any passes aimed at me. Yet, I was not allowed to play at all and felt that the selection process was flawed. After all, I did not look like an athlete. Bill Colglazier, who was later elected Page House President, was the quarterback and players were selected on what appeared to be the coach impression of what would be a good tackle football team. We did not win the league that year.
The next year (1966) was a different year. John Mowery, another football veteran, became coach. He was more results-oriented than appearance-oriented. Jim Aries was the blocking back/linebacker and Bob Weatherwax was the other blocker.. David Posner was defensive end/blocker. Tom Resney and Louis Newman played offensive end and defensive corner. The first-year students: Larry Brown (with the really good arm), became quarterback, while Bill Colglazier moved to center. Dan Hammons (high school track hurdler), was defensive safety. Ron Gregg played offensive end. I was so glad to be allowed to play that year; I still did not drop anything sent my way and played good defense. The team finally won the CalTech intramural football trophy; we were undefeated with no close games. Page also won the overall intramural athletic competition that year. I believe our class started an academic and athletic tradition at Page House!
I learned a lot from touch football. First, appearance does not equal results in sports. Second, the coach can really make a difference. Third, trust your team mates. Fourth, have an organization and practice plan. Fifth, get your team to understand what you are trying to do.
Northwestern University (1966-1970)
I went to Northwestern University for graduate school in Chemistry. There, intramural competition was not just one league with 7 student houses, but 8 leagues of about 8 teams each including both undergraduate and graduate students. The league winners participated in a play-off for the all-University championship. I organized intramural teams for the Chemistry department. I read a few books on how to play touch football and became the coach there for four years and played safety. I learned that a good rush on the quarterback is the key to success in touch football The Chemistry team always won our league, but did not win the all-University intramural football championship since the Material Science graduate students (METS) were better and won for three consecutive years with a great 3-man rush and smart play. However, the Chemistry grad students did win the all-University softball championship three years in a row. I played second base and lead-off hitter.
While I was at Northwestern, I paired off with Chris Geosling, who did undergraduate research, and shared the same lab as my computer cards. I used to come in after the computer center closed, and play with my cards (yes, the days of punched cards), and talk to her. Soon, I found it was more interesting to play with her and talk to my computer cards. She moved in with me in June 1970. Wally Oliver (from Ruddock House and also a reunion attendee) was also a graduate student in Chemistry and married Sally, a fellow graduate student. Brian Hoffman and Joe Lambert were CalTech Chemistry graduate students when I was doing research in Chemistry there. They became professors at Northwestern, and also married Northwestern Chemistry graduate students.
What happens after school?
I continued to play touch football, but flag football became more popular. I went for the flag in one game, got my ring finger trapped in a belt loop and yelled at the person – STOP. He refused, so I had to clothesline tackle him with my other arm to keep my finger. I then instantly retired from that game. I am still playing softball. In 1984, Chris Geosling started working at Litton Guidance in Woodland Hills. Dan Hammons was her manager there. Her current manager also comes from CalTech. The touch football players who showed up at the 45th reunion seem to have been paired for forty years. Did they learn how to be good team players in life?