Following the Big Green Teams

INDIANS DIVIDE MAJOR GAMES WITH HOLY CROSS AND BROWN;INTERCEPTED PASS GIVES OUTPLAYED CRUSADERS 7-0 VICTORY

IN OUR opening paragraph of last month we said, "Another fall for rising hopes and probably some bitter disappointments." But we little realized at the time how great a disappointment was due even so early as the third Saturday on the Dartmouth football schedule.

Of course, we refer to the tragic ending to the Big Green's meeting with Holy Cross, when substitute Bill Osmanski intercepted a misplaced Indian forward pass and galloped 76 yards, behind some perfect interference, for the lone tally that gave the Crusaders a 7-0 victory.

But a greater blow to the Dartmouth team, that was not recognized until the pictures of the game were shown, occurred in this encounter. To retrace the play carefully and without any bias whatever: The period of the encounter was the fourth, a few minutes before Osmanski's run; Dartmouth had worked the ball down to the Crusader's five-yard line and needed three feet for a first down; to make this yardage quarterback Henry Whitaker called on powerhouse Johnny Handrahan for a straight line buck through center. Here the pictures reveal that Handrahan went through the Holy Cross line for a four-foot gain, where he was met by the Purple's secondary and pushed back behind his furthest point of advance. When the officials measured the gain, the ball was taken from the final resting place and not from the nearest point to the goal line. The result was that the Big Green missed a first down by inches in a very costly error.

The fact of the matter is, Dartmouth might still have been unable to advance across the goal line in four plays, to give full credit to the victors' magnificent defensive line. But it does show that Dartmouth was certainly not aided by Lady Luck in any way.

For had the Indians received even the slightest nod from Dame Fortune, they might have upset Holy Cross with the truly remarkable brand of fighting offensive and defensive football they displayed.

That Captain Gordon Bennett and his mates on the line were able to hold the powerful weight of Holy Cross to four first downs speaks volumes for the Ellinger-coached forward wall. Neither should the exceptional backing the linesmen received from Henry Whitaker and Carl Ray be overlooked. Both were in on every play of the game. Whitaker spent the afternoon hitting the unrushing ball carriers low around their knees, and Ray followed up with chest-high smashes that rocked the offense considerably. It is no wonder that the Crusader backs stated after the game that they had never been tackled so hard in their football careers.

Going into the game Dartmouth was somewhat doubtful concerning the defensive strength of her ends and guards, who were starting their first major game in the Green spangles. When the smoke of the battle and the fog of the rain had cleared from Memorial field, Ends Merrill Davis and Johnny Merrill, and Guards Jack Williams, Bill Cole and Latta McCray had divided the defensive honors of the day for Dartmouth.

To those who may wonder at the Green's inability to punch over a touchdown when the Dartmouth eleven found itself in scoring territory, one can only point to the strong Holy Cross line that was backed by a three-two backfield defense inside the five-yard line.

WHITAKER GAMBLES ON PASS

When quarterback Whitaker called for a pass on the last down in the first period, he did so in the hope that the unexpected would result in a touchdown. And the truth of the matter is, Fred Hollingworth's pass nearly reached wingman Davis's hands. But the failure cost Dartmouth 20 yards on the play and heaped criticism on Whitaker's head. However, if the play had worked, Whitaker would have been called a smart field-general, proving that the rating is based not on the play called but on the way it works.

The weather rather eliminated any fancy quarterbacking outside of this play. Both elevens had to be content with straight power plays as the footing and the wet ball placed a barrier against wide open football.

Dartmouth's attack functioned best on Coach Blaik's off-tackle power play with halfbacks Bob MacLeod, Fred Hollingworth and Warren King toting. For Mac Leod it was his first major or minor start in varsity football, and the sophomore ace firmly convinced the 15,000 fans present that he deserves his first team ranking in his initial campaign. He turned in Dartmouth's longest run of the game when he reversed behind the Green line to take Hollingworth's fake punt with real speed and running ability. More important than this, he played the part of a veteran gridster throughout the game in a manner that prognosticates real things for the Chicago boy in games to come for the next three years.

King's running against Holy Cross was probably even more surprising. Many have discarded King as a threat against the major opponents because of his size. But he erased these fears against the giant Crusaders, by breaking the ball game into small pieces in the quarter and a half he stayed in the game. King narrowly missed speeding away for a touchdown, and might well have outrun the Purple secondary had he used his interference to fullest advantage with the one man who remained in his path.

Statistics on the tilt showed that Dartmouth clearly outplayed the Holy Cross eleven in every department of the game, but unfortunately the score is The Thing, and a fighting Indian squad entered the defeated ranks by a 7-0 score.

Had Norwich and Vermont been able to offer Dartmouth more competition Coach Blaik would have been able to rate his squad earlier than the third Saturday. Norwich watched the Indians roll up 58 points and Vermont 56. In both these games the Dartmouth mentor eased up as much as possible by using his complete squad down to the fourth team to no avail. For the substitutes were equally as anxious to show their ability as the regulars, and some of the replacement strength showed a great deal of encouraging football. King, Phil Conti, Whitey Pratt, Joe Cottone, Len Viens, Herb Christiansen, Harry Gates, Gordon Clark and Howie Nopper enjoyed backfield holidays in both tilts.

On tile lines, substitutes Moose Taylor, Otis Mudge, Bob Gibson, Gus Zitrides, Ludwig Pyrtek, Jim Parks, Tom Boyan, Fran Schildgen, Lou Frick and Jack Schrage showed real promise as replacement material.

Since the competition proved to be hope- lessly outclassed, the first two encounters showed only that the Dartmouth passing and lateral attack will be dangerous on the first clear Saturday in a major game.

For only against Norwich and Vermont have the Indians been able to whip the ball around with safety. On the Holy Cross date it rained. On the day of the Brown game it poured. Thus all trickery was abandoned in the interest of safety.

Needless to say, however, Dartmouth needed to use very little open football in defeating Brown 34-0 on the fourth Saturday on the schedule. Brown was plenty outclassed merely with fundamental plays. It was another repetition of the opening games in which Coach Blaik used the greater part of his squad in gaining victory. Among the highlights in the downpour were long runs of 73 yards and 45 yards by King and MacLeod respectively, and the completion of five out of nine attempted passes.

The first eleven stayed in the game the first quarter and part of the second until Handrahan had smashed over one touchdown in the first three minutes, and MacLeod had added another early in the second frame. Apparently the coaches had seen enough, and sent their regulars to the showers for the day.

The second, third and parts of a fourth team continued the romp that might well have tallied into the 50's with a more concentrated attack on the score board. The game did prove that the Dartmouth first line had all the power the Holy Cross game showed it to have, when Brown recovered a fumble on the 15-yard line to no advantage. In four downs, tackles by Captain Bennett, Camerer, Whitaker and Davis found the Bruins lacking a first down by a considerable distance.

Features of the first four games have been the remarkable punting by quarterback Whitaker, the rise to prominence of his substitute quarterback, Sophomore Gates, the defensive football of the entire first and second elevens, the improved down-the-field blocking shown in each successive game, the speed of King and MacLeod, the miraculous job End Coach Donchess has done with his wingmen, the great spirit that has developed on the Big Green squad this season, and the strength the reserves have been able to present behind the starting lineup.

Going into the Harvard game Trainer Rollie Bevan had every one of his charges on the active list through some characteristic cleverness on his part. In a moment of prognosticating weakness that will stand or fall at the time of publication, it seems safe to say that Dartmouth should, and will, outrank the Crimson on Soldiers field by a considerable margin.

Sport Notes

Coach Tommy Dent's soccer team scored its first victory in history over Springfield in the season's opening encounter, 3-2, in a hectic overtime period. This unusual start was later upset when both Amherst and Brown tripped the Green soccermen in close contests. Captain Jack Devlin has been absent from his team with telling effect during the last two games with a severe charley-horse. The defensive play of Eric Davidson and Ted Johnson has presented the highlights in victory and defeat for the Indians.

Coach Harry Hillman's cross-country team has surprised Hanover harrier fans with two wins in as many starts over M. I. T. and the University of Vermont. Two-miler Stew Whitman and Hartie Beardsley have finished one-two in both distance races. Beardsley makes a comeback after a year's absence from the Dartmouth track forces.

AN AERIAL BOMB THAT BACKFIRED One of Fred Hollingworth's passes can be seen on its way into Holy Cross hands. Dartmouth players in the picture are Captain Bennett (36), Ray (44), Carnerer (42), Whitaker(33) and Davis (35) who teas supposed to be the receiver.

SOPHOMORE STAR Bob MacLeod, halfback from Glen Ellyn, Ill., whose sparkling play has won him aregular job in his first year of varsityfootball.

DEFENSIVE ACE Henry Whitaker, brother of E. H. Whilaker '24, whose bone-crunching tackling,coffin-corner kicks, and general quarterbacking have made him an indispensablecog in the Big Green football machine thisfall.

A PARTIAL EXPLANATION OF THAT STURDY GREEN LINE John Williams (left) and Bill Cole, senior guards, who have stepped into two vacanciesso effectively that opponents usually give up attempting plays through the middle of theIndian line.

A PARTIAL EXPLANATION OF THAT STURDY GREEN LINE John Williams (left) and Bill Cole, senior guards, who have stepped into two vacanciesso effectively that opponents usually give up attempting plays through the middle of theIndian line.

RESERVE STRENGTH Otis Mudge, sophomore son of Otis P.Mudge '03, who is a capable understudy toMutt Ray at center.

NOVEMBER SCHEDULE FOOTBALL Nov. 7 Columbia. 14 Cornell at Ithaca. 21 Princeton at Princeton. SOCCER Nov. 7 Connecticut State. 14 Fitchburg at Fitchburg. CROSS-COUNTRY Nov. 7 Middlebury. 16 Intercollegiates at New York.