Dartmouth 50, Vermont 0
Considering that a crowd of 8500 people set an attendance record for an opening game in Hanover when Norwich was defeated, a really sizeable gathering was expected on Memorial Field for the Vermont game October 10. As it turned out there was no reason to write home about the throng which gathered for this contest except to cite for bravery those who had the courage to sit through even a portion of it.
To begin with the rain of the previous week had continued with unusual earnestness. But to go from bad to worser it turned, the night before the game, to snow, and on the appointed —as they call it—day, Hanover was in the grip of as nasty a little blizzard as a football team ever faced. The big score board and the seats of the temporary stand at the end of the field were blown down at the start of the game. The wind howled across the field with such force that any attempt to kick into it was like trying to sweep back the sea. The snow came in such blinding squalls that much of the time it was difficult to focus on the players. And the general atmosphere was such that spectators envied Mr. MacMillan and his nice warm ice bergs.
All things considered then,—and there were a lot of them that had to be—the performance of the Dartmouth team that day, and in fact of both teams, was something at which to marvel. The precision and timing of the Dartmouth attack, the scarcity of fumbles, and the general sureness of play was heartening. Vermont, of course, was far weaker than usual. Even so, the Green team in scoring as it did under the handicaps imposed made an impressive showing.
Oberlander and Lane continued to demonstrate ground-gaining proclivities as did also Reece and McAvoy. The formidable straightarm strategist, on account of a severe cold, was allowed to play little more than the first quarter, but in that time carried the ball ten times for a total of 108 yards and five first downs. His longest run was one of 44 yards. Lane, at left halfback, continued to prove his worth, carrying the ball 30 times in the 70 Dartmouth rushes, and scoring four touchdowns. He also turned in the feature thrill of the day when on a kick formation, fourth down, he ran the ball to midfield from behind the Dartmouth goal line. Reece scored three touchdowns. Dartmouth scored 37 points in the first half of the game and the succeeding quarters, in the interests of players and spectators, were therefore shortened to eight minutes.
As has been said before the weather that day was definitely poisonous. Nevertheless several .dog teams got through with anti-toxin, apparently, and within a few hours after the close of the game patients were doing as well as could be expected.
It has been intimated that Lane has shown some ability as a halfback and that Oberlander has lost little if any of his effectiveness. Another potent ingredient in the Dartmouth attack has been MacPhail who has, to date, been satisfactory in filling the gap at quarterback. Streight has also shown up well as an end, and there are a number of other useful people wearing moleskin pants and green jerseys.
The Norwich game: Oberlander carries the ball
The coaching staff: Jackson L. Cannell '19, Cyril G. Aschenbach '24, Jesse B, Hawley '09, Edward B. Lynch '23 and Norman W. Crisp '21
