Winter 2024 47 2023: The Pac-12 collapses. Only OSU and WSU will remain in the “Pac-2” as of the summer of 2024. While many of Oregon State President A.L. Strand’s remarks in the late 1950s seem relevant today, there’s at least one issue where his words no longer ring true — the Oregon schools’ commitment to stay together. When talk heated up in 1957 about the four California schools and Washington leaving the PCC, Oregon State’s stature had risen, thanks to football Head Coach Tommy Prothro Jr., who guided the Beavers to the 1956 PCC title and a berth in the 1957 Rose Bowl. Word was that if the conference broke apart, Oregon State College — and not the University of Oregon — might be included in the new grouping. Ted Carlson, ’50, then editor of the Oregon Stater, heard talk both inside OSC and from contacts at other institutions that the PCC might expel the University of Oregon in retribution for faculty athletic representative Orlando Hollis’ role in the conference cheating investigation. Carlson wasn’t opposed to the idea of OSC making the leap alone and said as much in the Oregon Stater: “Our teams are solid and strong. Our teams are representative of the largest school in the state. Naturally we like to meet the best competition we can.” That resulted in the Oregon Journal publishing a story with a banner headline reading “OSC Alumni Paper Snubs UO.” In response, President Strand told the Journal,“Any attempt to drive a wedge between Oregon State College and the University of Oregon would only hurt us both. I wish to make it clear that I repudiate most of the things in the article.” The article earned Carlson a trip to Strand’s office.After a long career teaching journalism at OSU, he is now 96 and living in Lake Oswego. “He admonished me a little bit,” Carlson recollects.When the Pac-12 story broke this fall, he was struck by the differences between then and now. “Here President Strand was going to stick together, which he did. Old loyal Oregon State.” WHEN ONE WOULDN’T LEAVE THE OTHER LOOKING BACK TO LOOK FORWARD President Strand’s 65-year-old writings offer a perspective that might be useful to Oregon Staters viewing an uncertain future. In the summer of 1958, Idaho President Donald Theophilus wrote the presidents of other Northwest schools urging continued scheduling ties among them; Strand responded in the affirmative, and then added: “I’ll tell you what I think is going to happen. Some of the California institutions, particularly those in LA, will have their fling. Last night there was a UP [United Press] dispatch in the local paper. Its origin was Los Angeles. It gloated over the demise of the PCC. Now, it said, the large institutions with large stadiums can really make some money out of football …. Cal, Stanford and Washington can likewise fill their stadiums. How wonderful this will be ….” Noting that potential discord among California schools might crack the new alignment, Strand concluded: “Nevertheless, this super- colossal virus will have to be attenuated and that will take time. After that, maybe, there’ll be hope for a new organization … Calm your fears, brother; just sit back and watch the show. It’s going to be good.” ↘ OSU Coach Tommy Prothro Jr. (left) shakes hands with UO Coach Len Casanova in 1962. OSU Heisman Trophy-winner Terry Baker is visible behind them.
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