No BRAVADO INTENDED
At this time in the history of Dartmouth athletic teams the "Big" has lost all of its original meaning both to the sport writers and to the present generation of undergraduates. There is no longer any feeling of bravado connected with the expression "Big Green" and it is taken strictly as a matter of course along with the nickname "Indians" and means no more or less to those now on the scene of Dartmouth athletic teams.
In the same fashion Cornell has experienced the same evolution in nicknames for her athletic teams, the term "Big Red" now having lost its original meaning so that no one, even those not connected with Cornell, now uses the name "Red" without connecting the "Big" beforehand. In fact, one could almost go so far as to say that both "Green" and "Red" mean little or nothing to athletic fans of Dartmouth and Cornell nowadays without the "Big" which has become a vital half of these popular titles.
Whether the dropping of the "Big" from the title would be more attractive or not is a matter of personal opinion, but it is my judgment that it would be practically impossible for Dartmouth to hope to discontinue the use of "Big" even if it were advisable to want to in all modesty.
There seems also to have been born this fall another new nickname for the Dartmouth athletic teams, it being the "White Indians," and regardless of whether or not it is popular with Dartmouth, it will continue or die according to the fancy of American sports reporters. Personally I myself dislike the addition of "White" to the Dartmouth "Indians" since the older nickname means so much in relation to the history of our College. But as I say, it will grow popular if its constant use forces the issue.
But enough on a subject that perhaps interests only the writer and Mr. Rice.
For big or little the Dartmouth winter sports teams have continued to win basketball, hockey and skiing events with a most delightful regularity.
Both the hockey and basketball teams have had their spotless records reported a month ago marred since the last issue, but only to the extent that each has been defeated only once in the month's time.
Oddly enough both of these defeats were definite setbacks. Coach Osborne Cowles' basketball quintet lost its one contest to the University of Michigan five, 42-17, and Coach Eddie Jeremiah's sextet lost its only encounter to the University of Mc- Gill's six, 13-1. In both of these instances it was a case of the Indians being completely outclassed.
Dartmouth was able to score but one point in the first half of the Michigan basketball game, and was badly outplayed by the marvelous Canadian collegiate skaters in the Davis rink.
But both of these contests seemed to have had beneficial effects, for the Dartmouth court squad has since set a terrific pace in the Eastern Intercollegiate League race to reach the top rung in the current race for championship honors after the three-game point on the League schedule.
The Big Green received a severe test in its E. I. League opener with Harvard here on the 8th of this January, but came through the thrilling game on the better half of a 43-42 count. To Captain Willie Thomas went most of the scoring honors in this game with the Harvards, while the rest of the basketeers performed well enough to enable Dartmouth to edge out this narrow victory.
At Ithaca two evenings later, Coach Cowles' team made its first loud crash heard in the League circles, when Dartmouth defeated Cornell by the surprisingly large margin of 56-38. In this particular tilt right forward Joe Cottone was the standout of the Dartmouth offense, many of his brilliant passes to his mates drawing the immediate applause of the Cornell audience.
Dartmouth's third League win came at the expense of Yale with the Elis finishing a poor second to the Indian's, 49-27, even though Coach Cowles substituted freely in an attempt to even up the score. Dartmouth completely outclassed the New Haven five in every department of the game with the two Indian guards, Bob MacLeod and Joe Batchelder starring during the evening both defensively and offensively.
In selecting outstanding performers for each of these League games we do not intend to overlook the consistently steady play that all of the starting five has turned in in every game, and in addition George Hanna at right forward, Jim Sullivan at center, Bob Reno at right forward and several of the other substitutes have been coming through in a major fashion for the Dartmouth team.
Five feet 5 inches in his stocking feet Hanna especially has captured the hearts of all local basketball fans, and his every move and many clean long shots draw the thunderous backing of the Hanover audiences.
Interest in basketball has been greater than at any time previous in the last five years at least, with the Athletic Council and particularly Director of Athletics William H. McCarter continually forced to find ways and means of creating a seating capacity capable of handling the throngs that have attended the games to date. Early in the winter the court itself was turned around in the gymnasium so that it now faces East-West rather than North-South as it did formerly. This move increased the seating capacity somewhat, but it has since been necessary to crowd the gym at every corner with more and more seats until the walls now actually bulge with spectators at each of the League encounters.
SETTING THE PACE FOR EASTERN COURT LEAGUE First Row, left to right: Bob MacLeod '39, Jack Stewart '39, Joe Batchelder '39, CaptainBill Thomas '38, Joe Cottone '39, George Hanna '39, and Fred Macy '40. Second Row;Manager Ken Herschel '38, Bob Reno '38, Bob White '40, "Moose" Dudis '39, Jim Sulli-van '40, Bill McFarland '38, and Coach Osborne B. Cowles.
GREEN SKIERS WHO CLEANED UP AT SUN VALLEY AND LAKE PLACID Left to Right: Roy Chamberlin '38, Dick Durrance '39, Jack Durrance '39, Steve Bradley'39, Captain Dave Bradley '38, Howard Chivers '39, Coach Walter Prager, Ted Hunter'38, Ed Meservey '38, Warren Chivers '38, Ed Wells '39, and Jack Litchfield '39.
MEMBERS OF FAST-IMPROVING HOCKEY SQUAD Kneeling, left to right: Earle Seeley '39, Dan Sullivan '40, Junie Merriam '35), CaptainDick Lewis '38, Les Chase '39, Bud Foster '39, Wes GocLing '39. Standing: Manager DaveBalmer '38, Eddie O'Brien '40, Rog Conant '40, Jim Feeley '39, Art Larkin '39, FudMather '38, Pem Pleasants '39, "Mouse" Hallett '38, Bob Egelhoff '38, Coach EddieJeremiah '30.
