SPRING FOOTBALL

Coach Earl Blaik's preview of the 1937 football eleven in the final game scrimmage of the spring training period held the spotlight on Saturday, May 8. Using his first eleven against the second for nearly two periods of the game on a rain-soaked gridiron, Coach Blaik's squad displayed a brand of football somewhat inferior to the progress of a year ago this time, but nonetheless encouraging on many sides.

The varsity with Captain Merrill Davis at right end and Joe Pyrtek and Larry Hull sharing the left end assignment will be well off on the wings next fall. Moose Taylor and Fran Schildgen at the tackles appear capable of replacing Gordon Bennett and Dave Camerer to a creditable extent, although the Indian line has yet to uncover standout replacements at the tackles.

Stocky Gus Zitrides and Jim Feeley, who was out during his sophomore year with a wrenched back, form a dependable guard pair with Zitrides looming as one of the nation's greatest defensive linemen in the near future. Bob Gibson held the first string center berth throughout the spring season and will go a long way toward filling the gap left by Ray.

Outstanding backfield men in the final game scrimmage were Bob MacLeod, Harry Gates, Fred Hollingworth, Howie Nopper, Colby Howe, Herb Christiansen and Bill Hutchinson, fleet freshman hopeful. Howe may be a surprise starter at left halfback next September, for his rise to prominence during the spring was both consistent and somewhat exepected. Howe runs well, is a strong addition to the defensive backfield and his punting may be most helpful during the campaign. However, the veteran Hollingworth has shown more offensive ability this spring than at any time since his sophomore year and Hollie may be a hard man to oust from the left halfback position.

A full report of prospects might well be optimistic were it not for the fact that Coach Blaik and his staff are still looking for the man who will fill Johnny Handrahan's important position. Not that fullbacks of the ability Johnny possessed are to be expected every season, but only that someone must be found who will measure up in part to Handrahan both as a linesmasher and ball-handling back. The success or failure of the hunt for this back may well mean the difference between the great eleven of 1936 and the question mark eleven of 1937.

Therefore, balancing one thing against another, throwing up an old coin and allowing sentiment to rule over logic, I believe Dartmouth will lose two games at the most next fall, but wouldn't venture to say which two.

Harvard promises to be better than last year, Yale is beginning to sting under two straight defeats, Cornell is on the wave of prosperity in material, Princeton we have yet to defeat, and Columbia is reputed to be back again after two lean years. So you may draw your own conclusions as to the opinion I have of the prospects of a good Dartmouth eleven. However, Coach Blaik sees more trouble ahead than this.

SURPRISE PACKAGE Pat Gorman '38, whose 1:55-6 victory inthe half-mile was one of the bright spotsas Dartmouth took second place in theHeptagonal Games at Harvard.