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Frosh Give Big Bounce to BYU Basketball Team

The eagerly recruited high school athlete usually slides from varsity stardom to relative jayvee obscurity in the change-over to college sports. It is usually three and sometimes four years until he sees any first-string action—if he makes it that far.

But at Brigham Young University it has been a different story this year. Six of the 12 varsity basketball players were freshmen.

Although the Cougars finished sixth out of eight schools in the Western Athletic Conference, the young team gained experience that will help it in future seasons. Of the six non-frosh players two are sophomores and two juniors, each of whom will return next year to play with BYU. The freshmen cagers for BYU are:

Mark Handy, a 6′8″ inside shooter, from Ogden, Utah, who won a starting berth this season and was the team’s high rebounder with an average of 8.7 per game. Head Coach Glenn Potter cited speed, quickness, and jumping ability in Handy’s favor that helped him average 9.8 points per game.

Another big man for Cougars was 6′9″ Jay Cheesman who went up for 22 points against University of Arizona. Called an “excellent shooter” by Coach Potter, Jay earned All-state and All-America recognition in high school averaging 21 points and 15 rebounds at Orem (Utah) High School.

After quarterbacking the BYU junior varsity football team to a victorious season, Gifford Nielsen traded balls and came back to see some aggressive play for the Cougars. Halfway through the season he did some starting-five work for BYU. He is called a “natural athlete” by Coach Potter. A native of Provo, Utah, Gifford was all-region in golf, football, and basketball in high school.

Considered a major catch by BYU recruiters, Doug Ainge was one of the team’s major cheerers when not on the court. He was known to “rip the net” during practices and is “well-schooled in fundamentals,” says Coach Potter. Sought after by 35 schools, the Eugene, Oregon, business major lettered in four sports in high school with most colleges interested in his football ability.

Another big rooter for the Cougars this year was Veryl Law, who Coach Potter says is a “good shooter and very competitive.” The Provo guard is the son of former Pittsburgh Pirates pitching star Vernon Law. Veryl together with Gifford led their high school team to the state championship where Veryl was named playmaker for the state championship squad.

The fastest of the six frosh players has to be Mike Berning, the only nonmember on the roster. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, guard’s quickness and speed will help the Cougars with the fast break in future seasons, says Coach Potter. Mike earned seven letters in two sports (golf and basketball) while in high school and averaged 18.0 per game as a hoop star.

BYU basketball fans will have three more years to follow these young players through college sports. And with this year’s experience added to their impressive high school credentials the Cougars should bounce back next year on top of the ball.

Expo ’74 Will Include Book of Mormon Pavilion

Designed to resemble the gold plates, the Expo ’74 Book of Mormon Pavilion will rest on piers in the Spokane (Washington) River.

The two-theater pavilion and exhibit, entitled “Ancient America Speaks,” will be modeled after the opened plates and joined with large rings. The fair will be open May 4 to November 3, 1974.

The Book of Mormon Pavilion will be built just off the main Expo mall, offshore from the north bank of the still water channel of the Spokane River. The pavilion will be constructed entirely over the water on piers resting on the river bottom, with the entrance 20 feet from the shore. Access will be by a wide ramp. A nine-foot statue of the Angel Moroni will stand at the entrance.

The theaters will show a 15-minute movie entitled “Ancient America Speaks.” Another highlight of the exhibit will be reed boats used by Thor Heyerdahl, world-famed explorer, in this Ra II sea expedition.

More than 400,000 visitors are expected to tour the center.

This will be the Church’s fourth pavilion at a world exhibition. The New York World’s Fair brought 6 million visitors to the Church’s pavilion; Hemis-Fair, San Antonio, Texas, 650,000 visitors; and the world’s fair in Osaka, Japan, saw 7 million pass through the Mormon Pavilion. The nine-foot Angel Moroni statue has been included in each of these pavilions.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir will visit the pavilion July 18 and 19 for two concerts. Choir appearances at world fairs have become a tradition beginning in 1893 with the Columbian Exposition in Chicago commemorating (one year late) the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus.

Talent Show in New Zealand

Auckland, New Zealand, seminary students decided to develop their “talents” and lend a helping hand to others at the same time.

Following the principle in the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14–30), each student was given $1 and one month in which to invest in any undertaking.

One motivation factor was a previous “Project Concern” activity that involved youths in picking tomatoes and netted a profit of $186. This money was sent to the Philippines to purchase library books for Church students.

After discussing suitable investments for their “talents,” students were each given $1 to invest. A special newsletter was also sent out informing others about “Project Talents.” The students voted that all money earned should be sent to the Church to be used in Mexico or South America.

What can one person do with $1 and one month?

One student bought wool and knitted a poncho. This was sold and the money used to purchase enough wool for two more ponchos that were also sold. The net profit was $8.

Another bought several flashlights from a teacher who works as a sales representative and sold them to ward members at a profit since the country was going through a power shortage and power cuts were threatening. Candles were also sold, and, together with the flashlights, resulted in a $15 profit.

Cakes were sold, babysitting services established, car washes organized, lawn mowing operations set up, and a mini-restaurant made its debut. All proved successful. All together the students made a 137 percent profit from the $165 investment. One interesting factor was that the few losses that occurred were the result of cooperative efforts rather than individuals’ projects.

Student Group Puts Shoulder to the Wheel

On the scheduled, frosty Saturday morning, 16 carloads of LDS youths from the Brigham Young University 36th Branch met at 8:00 A.M. dressed in uniforms of bib overalls and work gloves. Their project?—six homes of senior citizens in surrounding towns that had yard cleanup and painting jobs to be done.

“We are hoeing, daily hoeing” and “Put your shoulder to the wheel, push along,” rang through the air as the service project got underway.

Window frames took on a new coat of paint, garden plots were cleared for spring planting, and apples and walnuts were gathered from trees while the homeowners smiled and offered encouragement and thanks.

A quarter-acre field of tall weeds looked a little awesome to another group, but three hours later, when bare soil could be seen, one proud worker pointed to the pile of weeds and exclaimed, “Isn’t it lovely? Our own personal haystack.”

One widow invited her young workers in for hot chocolate, popcorn, and homemade rolls when they finished their job. “This is what I miss,” she said. “We had a family of seven children.”

“This type of activity really unites us in the true spirit of helping each other,” commented a worker. “Working side by side with people helps you to get to know them a lot better than you could through a social activity.”

When the jobs were completed, the dusty work crews went picnicking in the canyon.

“These priesthood activities act as lab periods to teach individuals what they ought to do on their own,” explained the head of the planning committee. “They are even more meaningful when the participants go home and, on their own, quietly help their neighbors.”

Teacher is Sunday School Counselor

Ken J. Pearce was called as a counselor in the Sunday School presidency three and a half years ago—he was 12.

Since that time he has worked under five Sunday School presidents in the Raton-Trinidad Branch of the Colorado Springs Colorado Stake.

The branch takes in parts of New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas, with some members driving as many as 70 miles to attend meetings.

As second counselor Ken takes his turn conducting Sunday School and prayer meetings, teaches classes, and stands in for speakers who may have missed the meetings due to hazardous weather conditions. He also is in charge of the printed program, instructs missionaries when to fill in for teachers, and rings the bell to end classes for the 120-member branch.

Ken was asked to serve as a counselor after the Sunday School president heard his response to questions asked him in priesthood meeting. The president felt Ken could express his opinions and feelings well.

Ken was called the next week to his ward position.

The following year his father was named branch president and held that post until earlier this year.

The hardest part of his job is stepping in for speakers unable to attend, says Ken, a teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood. But the branch provides “a lot of opportunities that you wouldn’t get otherwise.”

Although his family must travel 22 miles each way to church, Ken has maintained perfect attendance at Sunday School, sacrament meetings, and Aaronic Priesthood MIA during the past three years.

Cougar freshmen from left: Vance Law, Mike Berning, Mark Handy, Doug Ainge, Gifford Nielsen, and Jay Cheesman

President and Mrs. Spencer W. Kimball root for the home team at season’s close in Provo

Handy (left) motions for a pass with Cheesman nearby to assist. The two frosh players will be major assets in future seasons

Architect’s model of the Book of Mormon Pavilion at Spokane