The White Falcon - 20.11.1965, Page 8

8
WHITE FALCON
Saturday, November 20, 1965
Sergeant Sensing’s Three Roles;
Radar Operator, Referee, Coach
A lot of talk around the station field house lately has been about the success of the KR
Athletic Club baketball team this season and its coach, SSgt. Philip Bensing of the 57th
Fighter Interceptor Sq.
The team, composed of Icelandic youth living in and about the Keflavik/Reykja-
vik area, fought its way through an undefeated season this year to win a berth in a
European tourament of champions.
This was the first time in six years the KR team was able to represent Iceland in
BACK ON THE JOB—In his day
to day routine Sergeant Bansing
goes about working on the radar
systems that are found in the
squadron’s F-102 aircraft.
national tourney and much of the
team’s success has laid upon its
Pennsylvania bom coach, Serge-
ant Phil Bensing.
Born Ballplayer
The man behind the team is a
30-year-old radar technician who
was assigned to this Northeast
Arctic country late in 1963. Tall
and slim, with light brown hair
cut short, Sergeant Bensing has
all the grace, ability and accuracy
of a “born” basketball player.
Upon his arrival to Keflavik
Airport he joined the 57th FIS
basketball team, which had com-
pleted most of the season already,
and helped it along to a second
place finish in the 16-team intra-
mural league. The “Black
Knights” fared better in a post-
season playoff when they took the
title away from the league champ-
ions and Sergeant Bensing, aver-
aging 28 points a game, was nam-
ed the most valuable player in the
tourney.
Basketball-New Sport
It was about this time Sergeant
Bensing took interest in the KR
Athletic Club team which was be-
ing handled by another Air Force
man, SSgt. Tom Robinson. When
“Robbie was reassigned in Febru-
ary the team became his own.
Basketball is relatively new to
Iceland, according to Sergeant
Bensing, having been introduced
to the country about seven years
U.S NAVAL STATION,
KEFLAVIK
INTRA-MURALLY
CONDUCTED
SPORTING ACTIVITIES
Basketball September-January
Flag Football.....March-May
Volleyball .... February-April
Softball........ June-August
Bowling. (Summer. League) ..
... .March-August
Bowling (Winter League) ....
.... September-February
Call 4IS6
ago.
Typically European, soccer and
handball are national sports here
athletes well versed in these go-go
contests of strength, endurance
and speed find a fast-break game
in basketball to their liking—and
much to the pleasure of “Coach.”
Bensing.
Pennsylvania Bred
Success, basketball and Serge-
ant Bensing seem to follow each
other around. During his senior
year at Carlisle High School,
Carlisle, Pa., he was named to
the all-star team of the Southern
Pennsylvania Conference, and was
given a one year athletic scholar-
ship to Shippensburg State
Teachers College.
In his 11 years in the military,
Sergeant Bensing was a team
very much the same as in the
United States where the game
originated, with little variation in
rules. One of the changes, says
Sergeant Bensing, states that the
ball shall be brought in bounds on
fouls, except during the last five
minutes of the game when free
throws are awarded. This tends
to liven up the game for the
spectators and quicken the pace
for the teams.
Since English is spoken by a
large number of Icelandic citizens
and by all of his team members,
Sergeant Bensing says he never
has had trouble getting a point
across during a game or practice
session. In fact, he has picked up
a little of the Icelandic language
along the way.
KR Team Plays Fast Game
Well, A tike
PROPER PASS—Demonstrating the proper way to throw the “chest
pass,” Sergeant Bensing has an attentive audience. The KR men are
(from left to right) Kristinn Stefansson, Gunnar Gunnarsson, Gutt-
ormur Olafsson, Einar Bollason and Kolbeinn Palsson.
member of two 29th Air Division®-
championship clubs at Grand
Forks AFB, N.D. and another one
at Wurtsmith AFB. Mich. A
squadron team on which he was a
player-coach at Portland Inter-
national Airport, Ore., was crown-
ed base champion just before he
was assigned to Iceland.
Enjoys Coaching
Coaching his Icelandic team is
a lot of work and fun for Serge-
ant Bensing. Practice sessions are
held in one of two gymnasium
nearby—either in the capital city
of Reykjavik some 30 miles away,
or in the base field house when
i't is available.
Because of his regular hours in
the radar maintenance shop on
base and his irregular hours coach-
ing the KR team, he decided to
pass up intramural ball this sea-
son although he referees games
when he can.
Sergeant Bensing’s club held its
own against, experienced ball teams
entered in this year’s intramural
race on more than one occasion. He
said his ball club plays a much
faster game than most American
teams, running all the time and
never getting tired.
U. S. Originated
European Basketball is played
After bagging
game season the
a perfect 15-
KR team suf-
fered defeat in both contest of a
best-of-two series with Sweden.
Although his team lost to Swe-
den, Bensing has scored a victory
with the Icelandic nation, taking a
group of university-age students
and turning out at team that could
face some of Europe’s best.
WHEN NOT IN USE
SNAP OFF THE JUICE
Some learn from experience—
others never recover from it.
20 New Communicators Rated
At NavCommSta Ceremonies
On Nov. 16, Capt T. J. Bratten, Jr., commanding officer of Naval Com-
munications Station, Iceland, presented advancement certificates to
personnel at ceremonies held on the Quarterdeck of Building 839.
Those advanced included (picture left to right): First row; T.
Haderthauer, CYN3; N. E. Hyde, RM3; J. H. Milligan, CYN3; A. W.
Hayes, RMCS; W. H. Webb, RM3; T. S. Korinko, RM3j! and R. E.
Naile, RM2. Second row; T. Clark, RM1; V. Iv. Kline, RM2; A.R. Nault,
YN2; V. Spadafora, ETN3; S. F. Carnagio, RM3; D. L. Thoeming,
RM3; C. M. Wiggins, RM3; and C. F. Meece, RM1. Third row: M. L.
Dilworth, ETN2; D. H. Bailey, CYN3; R. A. Hysore, ETN3; T. J.
Christian, ETN3; and J. L. Tull, RM3. Also advanced but not present
when this picture was taken were: J. A. Hagy, ETCS and E.C. Esqueda,
RM3.
Advancement ceremonies were also held at remote sites H-2 and H-3
where 5 NavCommStalce men were promoted. At Site H-3 J. T. Jones
was promoted to RM1; and T. V. Hansen was promoted to ETN3. At
Site H-2, P. D. White and A. B. Littlefield were promoted to ETN3,
while J. P. Simms was promoted to RM3.
Strikes ’n Spares
by Paul Jordan
The first half of the Winter Intramural Bowling League
to an exciting close this past week as the Medics edged out
the OMD team to capture the American League crown.
Supply 1 managed to hold on to the top slot in the Nation-
al League by overcoming a first place bid by Public Works
1. VP-2 coasted to a victorious finish in the International
League.
High game and series honors®
for the week went to Rogers of
The American League OMD team
with scorers of 237-607.
American Leaguers
The American League, the big
guns of the week, found the range
with Howell of Admin 1 carrying
a 556 series, Borek of Supply 1
rolled a 200 game and 570 series
and three more Supply 1 keglers,
Dorsey, Seigfried and Alverson,
turning in 546, 534 and 541, re-
spectively.
Crist of AFI 1 showed up with
200/219 games and a 587 series.
NSGA l’s Taylor and Crane rol-
led 223-582 and 524 while Barg-
horn and Snodgrass of Rockville
Irish Battle Spartans
On 1484 Radiorama
This coming weekend, as most
football fans know, the colleges
will be finishing up their season
and some schools will enter into
the post season bowl games.
The biggest game to many fans
will be when the Fighting Irish
of Notre Dame University play
host to the undefeated and num-
ber one team in the nation, the
Spartans of Michigan State Uni-
versity.
The game will be aired over
Armed Forces Radio, reception
permitting, beginning at 18:30
GMT.
turned in 234-597 and 552. Boll
of AMD 1 came through with a
524 and Neilson and Lightbody of
the Medics rolled 214/213-599 and
207-519, his first 500 series.
More 500 Series
The National League posted well
with McNeill and Hockett of
Public Works 1 showing 221-576
and 536. Spillane for Operations
marked a 200-521 and Peters of
Com FairKef posted 522.
International League scores had
Hines of Marine 2 leading with
563. Schuchhardt of NSGA 2 and
NCS 3’s Colvin put across 525 and
529. Colman of NCISA and
Carter of Ordnance turned in 209-
524 and 233-532 respectively. Top
team-mates, Reed and Goen, of
VP-21 206-553 and 230-559.
Falcon Football
Forecast
Win Lose
Navy
Syracuse ... Boston College
Notre Dame . .. . Michigan St.
Texas Tech Arkansas
Southern Cal UCLA
Tennessee .. Kentucky
Alabama ... Auburn
Wisconsin .. Minnesota
Texas A&M Texas
Ohio State . . Michigan
Arizona St. Wyoming