End of March scene

Linfield College field near Keck Drive on the edge of the college's

"new campus" the afternoon of Saturday, March 31, 2012.

Linfield campus spring scenes 3/29/2012

There's still an Old Oak in McMinnville

Linfied's iconic Old Oak is gone -- the 80-foot tree fell/died on Jan. 8, 2008 -- but there's still an Old Oak in McMinnville. In the fall of 2011, the Oak & Ivy sports bar opened in downtown McMinnville at 326 NE Davis St. Since renamed "The Old Oak," it is a "Vintage collegiate themed sport bar." Read Oregonian coverage here.

Photos (below) of front of The Old Oak bar and its sign taken March 25, 2012, by Wildcatville. Black & white photo from Linfield shows Old Oak (on the right) a long time ago. Color photo of the Old Oak (on the left) taken by Linfielder Greg Crawford on Dec. 8, 2007. Wildcatville color photo (below) of Pioneer with the Old Oak gone taken March 26, 2012. Cover of Linfield 1970 "Oak Leaves" yearbook.

Linfield's Alma Mater: "We’ll Be Loyal"

Words and Music by Esther Wright

We’ll be loyal to old Linfield
With her backing never yield
Each day will bring some vict’ry
One more honor for her shield.

The Old Oak gives us courage
Keeps us steadfast in our way
For her we’ll fight will all our might
Alma Mater, we’re loyal to you!

You may search all Linfield’s hist’ry
For one more of disloyalty
Each student upholds her spirit
With her loyal faculty

Linfield’s friendships are the truest
They’ll back you in each test
For her we’ll fight will all our might
Alma Mater, we’re loyal to you!

Linfield-George Fox football mentions

Linfield mentions in story about George Fox College football from the April 2003 issue of George Fox Life:

Ghosts of the Gridiron: George Fox University football made its last tackle in 1968, but the memories are still fresh for football alumni

“This Good Quaker Boy”
Steven Wilhite (’61), a fullback and cornerback during his playing days and now a surgeon in Eugene, Ore., told how he hit a much-bigger Linfield College player so hard that his opponent had to be taken to the Newberg hospital.

“Now here I am, this good Quaker boy, and I know I’m supposed to be worried about hitting a guy like that — but I was so happy inside.”

Several years later, that same Linfield player came to Wilhite for a hernia operation. “I wasn’t sure if he remembered me,” says Wilhite, “but we got to talking about our college football days and this fellow says, ‘Man, the hardest I ever got hit was against George Fox. It put me in the hospital.’ I sure didn’t tell him who I was then, but it was nice to hear that. Then I fixed his hernia — and charged him my regular rate.”

The Kicking Game
George Fox football was competitive in the 1940s and 1950s. One of the college’s top players was Dick Zeller (’55), who led the team in passing, rushing, and punting.

“(Zeller) punted one at Linfield that got caught in a strong tailwind and sailed 76 yards,” recalls John Adams (’56). “That ball hung up so long, we beat it downfield. Someone popped the guy that caught the ball, it came loose, and I picked it up and raced for the end zone, but they tackled me just before I got in. That was the only time I ever carried the ball at George Fox.”

Art work above appeared in the April 2003 issue of George Fox Life along with this cutline: “With its ironic boast, the above T-shirt design has become a popular purchase in the University Store.”

It's Linfield Manor

According to signage on one of the building, it is "Linfield Manor." Information found online says the manor is a "multi family home” located at 547 and 549 Southwest Fellows Street in McMinnville. It's at the corner of Fellows Street and Cedarwood Avenue. This photo was taken 3/26/2012.

Linfield's Brett Elliott is a MSU Bulldog

Former Linfield quarterback/football asst. coach Brett Elliott is Mississippi State University (Starkville, Miss.) Bulldogs' football graduate assistant for offense. More info in March 21, 2012, Mississippi State sports info news release. Wildcatville photo: Elliott during 2004 Rowan at Linfield NCAA DIII football playoff game.

Linfield Baseball 1966 NAIA World Series Champs: Art Larrance has a mitt of Wildcat history

It’s a fact, the first sports team in Linfield College history to win a national athletics championship was the Roy Helser-coached 1966 baseball Wildcats. They won the NAIA World Series.

For the record, Helser's was the first college team in Oregon to win a national baseball title, performing the feat 40 years before Oregon State University’s NCAA World Series title in 2006. OSU won another title in 2007.

Speaking of OSU, Linfield has won two national baseball championships, too. The aforementioned 1966 team and the 1971 Wildcat team, coached by Ad Rutschman.

Here’s a question. Who on the 1966 Linfield baseball team caught the last pitch thrown by Linfield freshman left-hander Jon Hart in the 1966 title game, a 15-4 victory over Illinois’ Lewis University Flyers played the evening of June 10, 1966, at Phil Welch Stadium in St. Joseph, Missouri?

The answer: Art Larrance, who has the catcher’s mitt to prove it. Take a look at the photos of the mitt. It’s a Rawlins, 100% nylon sewn, Nu-grip streamlined Earl Battey profession model with a “Deep Well Pocket” and “Heart of the Hide.” Battey was heart of the Minnesota Twins' 1965 American League championship team.

After he caught the last pitch (a pop-up behind the plate to end the game), Art gave the ball to pitcher John Hart who had his teammates, Linfield players, and Wildcat coaches sign the ball. The ball is in the Linfield Hall of Fame in a glass box with other items from the championship series.

A 1966 Linfield business graduate, of Oregon Brewers Festival fame, Art owns Raccoon Lodge in Raleigh Hills and the Cascade Brewing Barrel House on southeast Belmont in Portland.

Art grew up in Washington County -- outside of Hillsboro -- and graduated in 1962 from Hillsboro High School. At Hilhi, he played baseball for Ad Rutschman and was a member of the Spartan team which was 1962 state co-champs with South Eugene. See Footnote #2. For eight years he was president of the Portland Old Timers and Active Baseball Players Assn., succeeding the late Vern Marshall, a Linfielder.

................

Footnote #1: Take a look at this black & white photo on this page of the 1966 Linfield baseball team with its NAIA National Championship banner after winning the title in St. Joseph, Mo. Art Larrance, with the mitt, is standing, second from the left. The banner was displayed on a wall in Riley Gym until Linfield athletics moved to the Paul Durham Health, Human Performance, and Athletics (HHPA) facility. At some point after that, Art inherited the banner. He plans to put it on display at Raccoon Lodge.

Footnote #2: An edited version of a story which ran in the Sunday June 3, 1962, Eugene Register-Guard:

Rain Halts

Prep Finals:

South, Drain, Coburg

Share Baseball Titles

PORTLAND (Special) -- An unexpected storm has canceled the state high school baseball championships and left the state with six state champions.

South Eugene was to have played Hillsboro in the A-1, Drain was to have met North Catholic in the A-2, and Coburg was to have gone against Condon in the B final Saturday night at Multnomah Stadium.

But rain hit Saturday morning and left the field in unplayable condition. The sun began breaking out in the afternoon but no tarpaulin had been on the infield.

Since no postponement is allowed for the finals, the 1962 playoff finalists will go down in the books as co-champions in all three divisions. For more about the rained-out championship games, read two articles from June 2, 2012, "The lost champions: Enduring memories of games never played" in the Oregonian by Lindsay Schnell and "The baseball championships that never were" in the McMinnville News-Register by Jim Walker.

Footnote #3: Two photos of the 1971 Linfield baseball team. One is a classic team photo. The other shows the team during a celebration in downtown McMinnville.

Photo information: Linfield NAIA World Series pennants on display during a NAIA World Series at Lewis Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. Linfield 1966 NAIA national champ replica patch. Art Larrance with his catcher’s mitt in 1966 and in 2009. Art’s catcher’s mitt. Oregonian clipping recounting 1966 baseball team’s title-winning victory. Linfield 1966 and 1971 baseball teams. Close-ups of player figurines on national championship trophies. In St. Joseph, Mo., Linfield 1966 baseball team one June 10, 1966, with its NAIA World Series championship banner and close-ups of banner taken by Wildcatville on March 24, 2012, in Art Larrance's Raccoon Lodge office in Raleigh Hills (Portland), Ore. See banner replica here.

POSTSCRIPT:

• The 1966 Linfield baseball team, coached by Roy Helser, won its NAIA World Series title by beating Lewis of Illinois, 15-4, the night of Friday, June 10, 1966, in St. Joseph, Mo., at Phil Welch Stadium.
• The 1971 baseball team, coached by Ad Rutschman, won its NAIA World Series title by beating Lipscomb of Tennessee, 9-8, in the afternoon of Wednesday June 9, 1971, in Phoenix, Ariz., at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

.............................

Linfield's NAIA World Series 1966 championship banner is on display in Art Larrance's Raccoon Lodge brew pub in Raleigh Hills, Portland. This Wildcatville photo was taken during a 9/19/2013 meeting of Linfielder's attend Bob Ferguson's Cardinal Circle lunch meeting. 

Linfield Bookstore links up with Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble College has or will soon be managing the Linfield Bookstore, Wildcatville learned from fans in the stands during a Linfield softball game at the college's Del Smith Stadium in McMinnville on March 18, 2012. It's assumed B&N's management has included or will include the Linfield Bookstore branch in Loveridge Hall on the Linfield campus in northwest Portland.

This photo of the display windows and front door of the main bookstore location in Riley Hall on Linfield's McMinnville campus was taken on the afternoon of March 21, 2012.

March 18, 2012: Catball wins two vs. L&C

In a NWC softball doubleheader at Del Smith Stadium on the Linfield campus in McMinnville on March 18, 2012, the Linfield Wildcats beat the Lewis & Clark Pioneers, 11-2 and 8-0. Both games were shortened to five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule.

CLU vs. Linfield football Nov. 19, 2011. Part of story and Rest of story

CLU VIDEO:
'Cal Lutheran Football NCAA Playoffs Trip to Linfield'
The Cal Lutheran football team traveled to Oregon for its 2011 NCAA Championships first-round game. Uploaded by CalLutheran on Mar 12, 2012


WILDCATVILLE VIDEO:

Cal Lutheran played in McMinnville at Linfield on Nov. 19. 2011. The Wildcats won the game, 30-27. Read Linfield Sports Info news release about the game here.


......................................

CLU football team enjoys trip to postseason

By Rhiannon Potkey
Ventura County Star
Friday, November 18, 2011

PORTLAND, Ore. — Daniel Mosier boarded the plane, grabbed his own row of seats and stretched out his legs.

The Cal Lutheran senior running back was flying charter for the first time, and he planned to enjoy the entire experience.

Sure, the CLU football team would love to have hosted an NCAA Division III playoff game, but it's not exactly like the Kingsmen are roughing it on the road.

"We're flying charter, eating good food and sleeping in nice beds," Mosier said. "There is nothing wrong with that."

Eighth-ranked CLU (8-1) will play at No. 5 Linfield (9-0) in the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year.

Kickoff today is at noon with the temperature expected to be 40 degrees with rain and possible snow showers.

CLU lost to Linfield in the previous two playoff meetings, and suffered another road loss to Linfield in the season opener this year.

But rather than view it as a disappointment to travel again, the Kingsmen are trying to embrace the opportunity.

"This is actually who I wanted to play first," said Mosier, a Royal High graduate. "Losing to them just left a sour taste in my mouth and that is all I have been thinking about. I am really just focused on the game."

The Kingsmen arrived at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank on Friday morning and their buses drove straight onto the tarmac next to the chartered plane.

They didn't have to wait in long lines to get their tickets or congregate at any gates.

They received a motivational sendoff from the bus driver and a personal message from the flight attendant as the plane touched down in Portland.

"Whip 'em good," she said over the loudspeaker. "Those Wildcats don't know what's coming."

Immediately after arriving in Portland, the Kingsmen went through a light practice in chilly conditions at Lewis & Clark College.

Although the teams met in the season opener in early September, CLU head coach Ben McEnroe notes a lot of things have changed since the 24-14 Linfield victory.

"I think both teams have gone through a natural growth and maturation process from the first week," he said. "Looking at them they are still an excellent defensive football team and they are the best defense we have faced. That hasn't changed, and their quarterback is no longer a first-game starter. He is nine games into it and has managed their offense pretty well and got them to an undefeated season."

CLU senior defensive back Justin Haulcy-Bateman believes the Kingsmen are more prepared to face Linfield than ever before.

"I feel really good about the team we have come up with this time and we are all confident and ready to go," said Haulcy-Bateman, a Hueneme High graduate. "We know their scheme and what they want to do and have prepared very well throughout the week to go do great stuff."

Since rallying to beat Redlands on Oct. 1, the Kingsmen have hardly been challenged in their last six games. They scored 52 or more points in each victory and their starters haven't played a full four quarters.

But McEnroe isn't worried about CLU not being battle-tested enough for the playoffs.
"All the games start 0-0. It's just a matter of who can play the best faster and who can get to the point where they are clicking the fastest when good teams face each other," McEnroe said. "Our guys look at everybody on the schedule as a competitor and they don't have any arrogance or cockiness. I know they will prepared."
The Kingsmen have always enjoyed the flight to Oregon, but they are hoping to finally enjoy the flight home for the first time.

Instead of contemplating another first-round loss, they want to be celebrating a first-round win.

"This is why you play and coach, to be in games like this," McEnroe said. "You want to put everything on the table and say, 'Let the better team win and the loser go home and sit on it for the offseason.' It's going to be a lot of fun."

Catball: Linfield beats UPS 15-1, softball game #1 on 3/10/2012

How old is Linfield? 154 years and counting

On Jan. 30, 1858, Oregon Territorial Legislature granted a charter to a new college in McMinnville. Initially known as The Baptist College in McMinnville, and then as McMinnville College. The name was changed to Linfield College in 1922. Linfield celebrated its 154th birthday on Jan. 30, 2012. This poster was seen on a wall in Linfield's Fred Meyer Lounge of Riley Hall on March 10, 2012.

Linfield QBs: Terry, Mike, Alan and Bill

Thanks to Alan Hubka, Linfield Class of 1968, we know these four Wildcat quarterbacks are (l-r) Terry Durham, Mike Barrow, Alan Hubka and Bill Mickle. Durham lettered 1964, '65 and '66. Barrow lettered 1964, '65 and '67. Hubka lettered 1965, '66 and '67. Mickle lettered 1961, '62, '63, and '64.

A story about the Streak

Nov 2, 1998

A Streak Beyond Compare

The last time Linfield had a losing season, Ike lived in the White House

By Marty Burns, Sports Illustrated

It's a typical football Saturday at tiny Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore. A crowd of 3,500 packs the covered stands on one side of Maxwell Field. The school band strikes up the fight song, an engineer on a passing locomotive blows his horn and waves, and frat brothers lug in sofas and recliners to form end-zone luxury boxes.

"This is what Linfield football's all about," senior defensive end Ryan Carlson says. "We're not trying to make the NFL. We're here to play the game and get an education."

Oh, yes, and win. On Oct. 17 the Wildcats defeated archrival Willamette 20-19 to clinch their 43rd straight winning season, a record in college football at any level. Linfield, now 6-0 and ranked third in the Division III West region, had shared the previous record of 42 with Harvard (1881-1923) and Notre Dame (1889-1932). Nebraska has the longest current Division I streak, with 36 straight winning seasons. "Those are schools with great football traditions," Linfield coach Jay Locey says. "It's a heck of an honor."

For Linfield, a liberal arts college with 2,200 students located 40 miles south of Portland, winning football is as much a part of life as the rain that falls in the surrounding Willamette Valley. Linfield's streak began in 1956, the year Dwight Eisenhower was reelected, Don Larsen threw his perfect game and sock hops were the rage. Since then the Wildcats have gone 322-80-10, winning three small-college national titles and 25 Northwest Conference championships.

In all those years, Linfield has had only four coaches: Paul Durham, Ad Rutschman, Ed Langsdorf and Locey. The most successful of them was Rutschman, whose teams won 183 games and three NAIA Division II national crowns between 1968 and '91. Rutschman, who also coached the Linfield baseball team from '71 to '83, is the only person to have coached national title squads in baseball and football. Last August he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

"Ad Rutschman is still the best teacher I've ever been around," says Oregon State coach Mike Riley, who played for Bear Bryant at Alabama before serving as a Linfield assistant from '77 to '82. "He could have coached at any level. But he liked his life at Linfield and believed in what he was doing. He didn't think being at a bigger school with a bigger stadium would make it any more important."

Rutschman, 67, still attends most Linfield games, watching from the coaches' box or standing along the field, where he greets an unending line of well-wishers. The old coach says Linfield's streak would not have been possible without so many dedicated players. "I don't know if we've always had the best athletes," he says. "But we might have had kids with the biggest hearts, the most desire and the most commitment."

When Rutschman retired, he turned over the reins to Langsdorf, who won 32 games in four years, from '92 to '95, before stepping down for personal reasons. Today Langsdorf serves as receivers coach under Locey, who began his Linfield career as Rutschman's defensive coordinator in '83.

No Linfield player has starred in the NFL, but a number of former players have become high school coaches, and Linfield's success is due partly to them. They have helped the Wildcats develop talent pipelines from as far away as Connecticut and Hawaii, and this year's roster lists 16 players from California. "Our former players have been our best recruiters," Linfield athletic director Scott Carnahan says.

About 130 kids try out annually for the team. "We never have to worry about numbers," Locey says. "Kids want to be part of a winning program."

"It's a pretty daunting task to carry on a tradition like we have here," says fifth-year senior quarterback Brian Higgins. "There's pressure from students, fans and alumni. We're always hearing about the streak. But I think it's made us better because it's made us work harder."

Linfield's football pride has extended beyond campus to the roughly 22,000 residents of McMinnville. Games at Maxwell Field are almost always sold out, and GO CATS signs appear in shops up and down Baker Street, the main thoroughfare. Not even a World Series MVP performance by a Linfield alum and McMinnville resident—the New York Yankees' Scott Brosius—has been bigger than the streak.

Maybe that explains the jubilant scene at Maxwell Field following the victory over Willamette. After the final buzzer the Linfield students did something that would have made the folks at Notre Dame proud: They tore down the goalposts. Who says this isn't the big time?