Following the Big Green Teams

DARTMOUTH CAPTURES IVY LEAGUE CROWN WITH PRINCETON TIEAND VICTORIES OVER YALE, COLUMBIA AND CORNELL

WHATEVER else may be said anent the Dartmouth-Princeton game, we can thank the Tigers for proving beyond all doubt that this season's Indian football squad was a great unit.

Princeton had a strong defensive team, a dangerous offensive eleven and material to make the wheels go 'round. But the only impression that could be gained after 60 minutes of football was that Dartmouth deserved to win the game.

Round by round, Princeton gained the verdict in the first quarter when the Indian forces still suffered from the effects of a week at Hanover that was decidedly not suited for preparing the Indians for a football game.

Princeton's cut-back running through the line also gave the Tigers the edge early in the second period and an ultimate touchdown and point after touchdown for a 7-0 lead.

But right there the Tigers met their masters. From this point on the Big Green became the eleven that will go down in our athletic history books as one of the best teams Dartmouth ever fielded.

And their determined drive that carried offensively and defensively turned a smooth Tiger machine into an erratic eleven that was clearly outclassed. When end Merrill Davis landed on Tigerman Kaufman's kick and when Kaufman again barely was able to punt 10 yards from the line of scrimmage, Dartmouth in both instances had forced the breaks with fighting football.

And in both instances the Big Green was able to realize on their defensive strength with touchdowns number one and number two.

If the fact that Dartmouth was able to score touchdowns in both cases in one and two plays does not prove the real merit of greatness, then there is no way of reaching the conclusion.

A Bob MacLeod pass to end Johnny Merrill on the one-foot line turned the first six Dartmouth points into the records.

The next Dartmouth touchdown developed on a pass from sophomore Len Viens to sophomore Bob MacLeod on the two-yard line. Fullback Joe Kiernan, who had replaced his fellow classmate Johnny Handrahan, carried over on the next play through a wide hole in the Princeton line. Center Carl Ray kicked the point for a comfortable 13-7 lead for the Indians.

This was the scoring situation going into the last period. On every account it seemed a victory lead. For the Princeton attack was meeting a Big Green line that was immense. Behind this line Ray and Hank Whitaker were playing at a season's peak and halfbacks MacLeod, Fred Holling worth and Gordon Clark were turning in masterful defensive jobs against the Princeton ground and passing attacks.

Offensively Dartmouth appeared ready to go on to still another touchdown with Viens and MacLeod passing beautifully to their receivers. Fate, however, did not agree with this situation and a long pass from Sandbach to Kaufman, that was high over the receiver's head, was decreed completed by official Dan Kelly and for the second time this year the Dartmouth defense was forced to go back to the one-yard line in protection of its goal. And placing the ball on the one-yard line was one and the same thing as giving Princeton a touchdown, for the Tigers were two powerful to be throttled for four plays by any defense in this nation. That the usually dependable Sandbach missed the winning point after touchdown can be attributed to the Dartmouth ends who rushed in too fast to give the kicker adequate time to make his shot.

Dartmouth does not question the honesty or sincerety of purpose that Mr. Kelly is known to possess, but the pictures of the game show that his judgment lapsed for the moment. But that moment stole away the Dartmouth victory and the last aim of the eleven Dartmouth seniors was prevented.

SENIORS GAVE THEIR BEST

For the seniors wanted above all else to erase the Princeton supremacy of long standing even as they had buried and reburied the famous Yale jinx. But no one can say that Captain Gordon Bennett, Dave Camerer, Merrill, Ray, Whitaker, Handrahan, Kiernan, Jack Williams, Bill Cole, and Latta McCray didn't play marvelous football in their attempt to put Princeton in the ranks of the "also defeateds" on Dartmouth's list of foes.

And juniors Fred Hollingworth, Warren King, Fran Schildgen, and Merrill Davis with sophomores Harry Gates, Clark, Viens, MacLeod, Vernon Taylor, and Ludwig Pyrtek showed enough of the same spirit that characterized the play of the seniors to make one feel that this Princeton jinx will join the Yale jinx before another season ends.

The 1936 squad from the jayvees through to the regulars was a real tribute to Dartmouth's outstanding coaching staff of Earl Blaik, Andy Gustafson, Harry Ellinger, Doc Donchess, Eddie Chamberlain and Trainer Rollie Bevan and the importance of these men to the Indian success is still another story, a story that needs plenty of space for the telling, for the Dartmouth undergraduate believes that in these men we have the best that can be found from ocean to ocean.

Elijah William Cunningham, he who signs his name Bill above his column in the Boston Post, was able to write after the second Dartmouth victory over Yale, "It's get-ting monotonous beating Yale "

He and thousands of other Big Green rooters almost died of fright in the last 30 seconds of this year's classic in the New Haven Bowl just as the evening shadows darkened the scenery and the Yale jinx' seemed about to rise up from its grave under the cover of the dusk. But the great Dartmouth defense held solidly for the last two plays and another Dartmouth-Yale game went into the book, written in all the excitement and drama that has characterized this series.

For three quarters it seemed that Dartmouth was to be spared the usual unusuals of this series, for the Big Green for the first three periods of the game showed a wide margin of superiority over the Bulldogs. With fullback Johnny Handrahan tearing the Eli line to shreds through the holes made by his blockers, with sophomore Bob MacLeod a constant threat to the Yale defense on the Dartmouth reverses, with the remarkable Indian line stopping the Yale attack on the ground and in the air at every turn, it seemed that the Big Green had only to hold on tight and coast through to the final whistle with a 4-0 lead going into the final stanza.

The four points looked mighty big at this point in the game. End Johnny Merrill and tackle Dave Camerer gave Dartmouth the first half of the four points when together they pounced on a Ewart fumble made when the Eli quarterback attempted to punt out of danger from behind his own goal line.

That Dartmouth had failed to make a touchdown two plays before was thus partially redeemed on this play. MacLeod had worked the ball down from the Dartmouth 33-yard line, after left halfback Fred Hollingworth had intercepted a Yale pass at this point on the field, to the Yale 12-yard line on a perfectly executed Dartmouth reverse that netted 50 yards.

KING HALTED IN FIVE TRIES

Coach Earl Blaik called on his little climax runner, Warren King, to put the first Dartmouth touchdown across, but King was halted on an exceptionally fast try around Captain Kelley's right end position, and had the sidelines allowed King a few more inches in which to maneuver, he might have succeeded in his determined attempt to outrun safety man Ewart. But Ewart cornered the Indian speedster and pushed him out of bounds on the Yale 5-yard line. The Dartmouth attack then sent King on four tries through the Eli line, but the Eli forward wall offered no openings and the Indians were forced to give up the ball exactly where it had been four plays earlier.

There were sighs and groans from the Dartmouth fans until Merrill and Camerer rushed in with fire in their eyes and grounded the Yale fumble for a two-point lead for the Indians.

Another drive toward the Yale goal line, a drive that was almost a one man show with Handrahan ripping off yardage in round numbers as he left behind him a trail of Yales that resembled the results of a passing cyclone. But Handrahan's work went to waste as the half ended the Indian bid for another try at the Eli final ribbon.

Back on the field from their short rest period, the Indians again continued to hammer at the Yale line with Handrahan striking at the center and MacLeod and Hollingworth striking at the ends. Sooner or later this Dartmouth power was certain to show further effects on the score board, but for the second time it resulted in another two-point landing in the Yale payoff territory.

Handrahan had started the drive on the Dartmouth 40-yard line when he took Yaleman Mott's punt on the run, turned and passed to MacLeod on a lateral and five yards down the field the Dartmouth sophomore was thrown for the first gain on the march down the field. Handrahan picked up four yards from the 45-yard line. Whitaker kicked to Ewart on his own five-yard line and Humphrey obliged by returning the ball to Handrahan to the Yale 28-yard line. This quick exchange of punts as you can see was an exceedingly prosperous bargain and the Big Green showed every intention of making the most of the Yale generosity, or perhaps it was the poor ability of the Bulldogs as horse traders.

YALE HOLDS ON ONE FOOT LINE

At any rate, the Indians went on down the field to the very threshold of the Yale goal posts. King had made 17 yards to the Yale 11. In two plays a Hollingworth pass to Whitaker had placed the ball on the Eli one-foot mark and this time it seemed as if the Elis would never be able to stop the furious Dartmouth assault. But the Big Green was to be denied a second time and a Dartmouth fumble gave the Yale eleven a moment of rest. Again the Indian linemen were not to be denied as easily as their fellow backfield mates and this time Bennett and Camerer raced in to block Ewart's attempted punt. Thus at the end of the third period Dartmouth led, 4-0.

And little did anyone realize that the game was not yet begun as far as the real battle was concerned.

Minutes later Dartmouth was to have scored and Yale was to begin the inspired aerial attack that netted one touchdown and nearly made another. But this is getting ahead of the story. For the report of this period seems to be more of a novel than an actual account of any game. It still seems too fantastic to be real.

That Dartmouth scored a touchdown after so many undeserved misfortunes appeared to be the only fair thing that could have happened after the football the men in Green had played from the opening shot of the contest.

To MacLeod goes the credit of the birth of the touchdown, for he intercepted Frank's pass on the Yale 3g-yard line and pushed, shoved, and fought his way to the Yale 17 before a mass of Blue forced him to halt. A pass failed and stopped the Indians, but only for one play. Handrahan went through the line for seven yards. MacLeod was stopped on a reverse after making two more yards. Handrahan again carried and drove his way to the Yale five-yard line for a first down. Handrahan again carried and stopped on the three-yard line. Hollingworth relieved Johnny for one play and placed the ball six inches from the coveted line. This time Handrahan drew back, saw no opening and drove the entire Yale line back with him as he leaped over the goal line with tremendous power and force. Ay-oh-Ay! Dartmouth comfortably ahead, 10-0. Carl Ray increased this lead to 11 points on the kick after touchdown.

And in less time than it takes to tell about it, the Yale Bowl turned into a madhouse, and the Yale Bulldog, so docile that your youngest child would have taken him to heart as a pet, became suddenly a stark and 'raving mad mastiff.

It remains to this day an unbelievable picture. There were passes thrown to the left, passes to the right, and sharp, fast passes down the center. Before this fury, the Indian pass defence was helpless and the Elis took advantage of this befuddlement. Kelley reached into the sky to bring down passes that no other wingman in this nation could have received. And to assist the faultless Yale passing machine, the officials suddenly lost all control of the game and interference penalties flew thick and fast.

One Humphrey to Kelley pass, a pass that the Yale leader caught just as he raced into the corner of the end-zone finally paid dividends to Yale and the battle went on. The Yale conversion was good for the seventh Eli point.

GREEN FUMBLE STARTS FIREWORKS

A Dartmouth fumble on the 18-yard line with scarcely a minute left to be played gave the Yale eleven what seemed to be the break of the game. And most certainly it seemed to be the downfall of the Indians, for a ruling was made by the officials that Hollingworth had interfered with Hoxton in the end-zone and the ball went down to the Dartmouth one-yard line, with half a minute remaining on the stadium clock. Frank tried the center of the Dartmouth line on the first play. No gain. On the next play Yale was sent back to the six-yard line for an Offside penalty. And as the time-keeper raised his gun in the air, Ewart tried to sneak around the Dartmouth right end, but there waiting for him was substitute end Ludwig Pyrtek, who chased him to the sidelines and downed him for the last play of the game. It was actually no spot for weak hearts and it has been told that the excitement of these last seconds raised havoc with the constitutions of several of the Dartmouth fans. But whether this is true or not, it is true that the entire Dartmouth stands remained in silence for several seconds, too exhausted by it all to move a muscle.

Personally, I just rang the bell for some smelling salts. And Trainer Rollie Bevan needed a quantity of the same when his charges arrived at the locker room. There the gridsters went into a wild celebration of victory and it was fully a half hour before the room quieted down to a roar. This despite the fact that the Indians had played themselves all-out, even those who had merely suffered through the last period on the bench.

It was two days before the Indians recovered entirely from the effects of the game and there were those who feared that the Columbia eleven might catch the Indians in an off moment on the following Saturday when the Indians ended the 1936 home schedule with Lou Little's Lions.

GREEN POWER TOO MUCH FOR LIONS

And although there were several uneasy moments that arose during the game the Big Green had too much power for the Lions and conquered their opponents, 20-13. Fullback Handrahan again carried the great burden of the offense with one of the greatest games this senior gridster has ever played, if any one of his performances can possibly be called greater than others. The Columbia Lions saw him at his peak, at least, and up and down the field he traveled untouched by human hands. On a weak side plunge he paced the Big Green all afternoon and for once his efforts were clearly displayed in the scoring columns. Twice he traversed the goal line chalk mark and 11 times during the game he had but the safety man between him and a clear field. Quarterback Furey alone stopped what could have been an all-time high in scoring for a Dartmouth team in a major game that was considered before game time a close contest.

But there Mr. Furey stood all afternoon and a Dartmouth fumble, another major penalty to the one-yard line and the Lions were able to make a close game out of the fray.

At Cornell the Indians met a Big Red eleven of sophomores who dared look them straight in the eye for three periods before inexperience and weary young bodies gave way to the most powerful Dartmouth charge this season has produced. Going into the fourth quarter, Dartmouth lead only by one point, as end Jerry Holland had danced through the Dartmouth defence from the Dartmouth 12-yard line on an end-around play that pushed the Cornellians into a six point lead in the first period.

Quarterback Hank Whitaker blocked the kick for the extra point and the Dartmouth team trailed for the first time this season.

The Big Green was not long in scoring, however, as passer Hollingworth unleashed his accurate right arm and displayed the high spot in the Dartmouth passing attack for the year. A pass to Merrill, a second pass to Davis, a run by Handrahan and a pass to King in the end zone, and Dartmouth was definitely back in the game. Ray was able to send the Indians into the lead with a place kick for the seventh point.

Apparently the Indians decided that this was all too easy and began to let up for a moment. But Cornell was not to be scoffed at, and the first thing everybody present knew, the Big Green was fighting desper- ately to keep the Big Red from scoring again. Three times the Dartmouth line was backed up to where their feet dug into the dirt near their own goal line and three times the linemen saved the day.

INDIANS SCORE TWICE IN FOUR MINUTES

Once out of danger, the Indians wasted no time whatever in setting down this uprising of the sophomore Cornell team. With five minutes left in the game, the Dartmouth offense moved into three plays. An end run to the right by sophomore Gordon Clark, who had relieved Holling-worth at left halfback, an end run to the left by sophomore Bob MacLeod, and a straight line plunge by Handrahan.

With these three plays, and these only, the Big Green marched 88 and 50 yards in less than four minutes time. And certainly the Big Green might well have used a single play. For the blocking done by the Indian interferers was so perfect that the Cornell secondary was unable to stop the Dartmouth attack even though they realized the same three plays were all that they need plan a defense against.

The manner in which the Dartmouth team finally discarded rather half-hearted football for the best exhibition of power they have shown against any foe was a sight for eyes that hated to see the Big Green playing anything less than their best football.

And although football naturally holds the major portion of our attention the soccer teams record of capturing fourth place in the Eastern Intercollegiate league and the fine accomplishments of the varsity and freshmen cross-country teams is recognized.

I he soccermen's crowning achievement of the season was a first win over the Springfield team and the cross-country squads finished remarkably high in the Intercollegiate races at the end of their season. Freshman captain Dick Hawkes with a second place in the yearling competition, evidences a future as a great distance runner in the Dartmouth track teams of the next three years.

BIG GREEN IMMORTAL Johnny Handrahan, "the Hull Howitzer,"whose varsity play for three seasons hasstamped him as one of the greatest fullbacks ever to wear the Green.

BULLDOG ACE IN ACTIONClint Frank (14), who stood out for Yale against the Indians, is shown getting away fora gain while Williams (47) and Davis (35) charge over to halt him. Whitaker (33) andRay (44) are the other Dartmouths seen in the picture.

GREEN WINGMEN AND AN EXAMPLE OF THEIR WORK The end play of Merrill Davis (left) and John Merrill (right) has been a big factor in Dartmouth's gridiron success this season.In the center picture, Merrill (39) can be seen making a beautiful block on Beckwith of Yale while Bob MacLeod romps aroundend for a long gain. Both Big Green ends were on the receiving end of important forward passes in the Princeton game.

TACKLE AND AUTHOR"Big Dave" Camerer, senior tackle, whosebehind-the-scenes accounts of the HolyCross and Yale games have been the journalistic gems of the fall. Dave has justclosed the finest season of his outstandinggridiron career.

NEXT YEAR Sept. 25 Norwich. Oct. 2 Amherst. 9 Springfield. 16 Brown. 23 Harvard at Cambridge. 30 Yale at New Haven. Nov. 6 Princeton at Princeton. 13 Cornell. 20 Columbia at New York.

WINTER SCHEDULES (Approved to Date) BASKETBALL Dec. 5. Vermont at Burlington. 10. Fitchburg Teachers College. 12. St. Anselm's. 16. Vermont. 17. Syracuse at Syracuse. 18. Colgate at Hamilton. 19. Union at Schenectady. HOCKEY Dec. 11. Quebec Olympics. 12. Columbia Lions. 15. Millville Bruins. 16. St. Anselm's. 29. Minnesota at Minneapolis. 30. Minnesota at St. Paul. Jan. 1. Williams at Rye. 2. Colgate at Rye. 3. Montreal at Rye.