The 1955 Milford Twp Baseball team was not one of the best Milford Twp ever had. This could have been, in part, because of our relaxed attitude coupled with the understanding of Coach Cochrane. We practiced, I recall, twice during the entire spring of 1955. If the wind was blowing, someone would comment- “It’s too windy, let’s go shoot baskets”. “OK” Coach Cochrane would say and we’d go shoot baskets. Or if was cool, “O, too cold” “go shoot baskets”. Or if the sun was shining—“O, too bright”—“Go shoot baskets”. Or if it was warm-- “O, too hot!” --- “Go shoot some hoops”. There are some who thought this practice contributed to the great success the team had the following year.
On the other hand, we didn’t do terrible. Dale Hughes set some type of a slugging record during one of the few victories at Shipley. He hit three triples and a home run in four at bats. It could have been three home runs and a triple, but he didn’t run very hard which is difficult to do “carrying a piano on your back”. We were experiencing a major victory so there was no pushing reason to push one’s self. He used a 36 inch, home made looking bat that some thought should have been left home.
The story is told that the Roland team, when they came to Milford School to play against us, was put out of their vehicles by the Roland coach. One report says he ran his team a mile or more, while another says half a mile north of the Milford Ball Park. They had come down on the gravel road that ran straight north from the school. It is reported that this was done by the Roland coach to make the Roland fellows more worn-out and so they wouldn’t humiliate us quite so much. (With every retelling of the story, the distance became greater. One, told years later, had the Roland team running all the way from Roland.) Whatever the reason or logic, or the effect of the run, they beat us. It made for some good puns and laughs. Footnote: We could have been a quite good team because we had a good pitcher, pretty good infield, and pretty good speed. But our lack of a serious attitude (or a winning attitude) contributed to our mediocrity.
Ev Cochrane, former Iowa and Des Moines Tech star, appears to have one of the top Class B clubs under his command at Milford Town- ship High near Nevada this season.
Only Roland’s unbeaten Rockets had whipped Cochrane’s pro- teges in their first 10 starts. It appears that some of the ability that made Ev third all-timescorer in Des Moines prep circles has rubbed off on his players.
His current squad of 14; which includes only two seniors, is headed by Dale Hughes, 6-foot 3-inch pivot with a 20 point average. This 16 year old senior, who has tremendous hands, is a flashy rebounder. His best performance was getting 22 rebounds away from Roland.
The other senior is Dave Allen, who teams with junior Ronnie Otto in the front court. Soph. Alan Twedt and junior Larry Miller handle the guard spots and are very effective out front with a pressing defense.
Milford Township, often confused with the Milford up in the northwest, also has a top girls’ outfit headed by Jurine Borton, a post player who has been averaging 30 points per game by sinking 65 per cent of her field shots.