Big Green Teams
1940 Eleven Rates as Better Unit Than Last Year's, But Tougher Opposition Beclouds the Issue
PERHAPS MORE FREQUENTLY than in any of the past five years Main Street and the campus have been ringing with the question: "What is Dartmouth going to have in the way of a football team this fall?"; and likely as not the answer from all but the most pessimistic has been: "Better than in 1939."
To get right to the root of the matter, in what way does the current squad shape up as capable of being a better aggregation than a year ago?
One thing that is bound to improve is the reserve strength of the squad. Last year when Coach Earl Blaik and his staff brought the Indians through to the Princeton game without defeat they did so without enough substitute strength to put two backfields on the field for scrimmage purposes. It does no harm to repeat once more that despite the final lickings taken in the last three games, in only one of which the Indians were outclassed, the ■939 season was far more successful than Dartmouth's followers had any right to expect from the material on hand. Another item that stands in favor of a better eleven in the current year is the added experience many of the front-line operatives have gained over 12 months ago. In 1939 Bob Krieger and John Kelley started the campaign as green rookies at the ends. Bob O'Brien was a junior in college but a sophomore in football. Center Stubby Pearson never played at his post until last fall. Lou Young Jr. was, then, the lone lineman who could claim much experience in action, and he's back again, this time acting in the capacity of captain and a great guard. It is certain that the right tackle post will be handled by an inexperienced player, Stu May, former jayvee of two seasons, and that a large part of the right guard duties will fall in the hands of inexperienced candidates; but instead of five men on the line with little or no experience, this year there will be only two spots filled by newcomers, and the difference should be apparent.
Naturally, no one expects that this present eleven will improve on the record the 1939 eleven established against Harvard and Yale. That last year's team held the Crimson to no first downs and trounced Yale, 33-0, just can't be bettered no how, as the saying goes. Which brings up the point that it may be well on into the campaign before it is at all obvious that this year's eleven is better than last year's team.
But when the Indians hit the two Ivy League powerhouses, Princeton and Cornell, then we shall see. A year ago the Green was nosed out by the Tigers, 9-7, which was better than good no matter how you look at it, but it will take more football to hold the Princetonians to another close contest, make no mistake about it. As for Cornell, there is no defeatist attitude locally about the Big Red, only an ability to look at the facts and read the handwriting on the wall. Cornell was great in 1939 and Cornell will be great in 1940. However, my personal opinion is that Cornell will not wallop the present Indians by any 35-6 score, even though Cornell improves, which seems downright impossible.
This much should also be said at this time. The 1940 eleven faces stiffer opposition than did the 1939 squad. St. Lawrence may or may not have improved a great deal, but Franklin and Marshall will be a real trial if information received in Hanover is realiable; and Columbia, with the best depth Lou Little has had in several autumns, is certainly a tougher nut to crack than Navy was on the third Saturday of 1939.
Yale is improved, by Yale's own say so, and Harvard, more experienced than last year and with more speed available in the backfield, will show definite increase in strength all around. Princeton, as we have already mentioned, is a hard-hitting Tiger once more, with a backfield that looms as the cream of the Ivy League circle. Cornell, although it doesn't need to add anything to be tough, has, according to reports from Ithaca, everything that the Big Red had a year ago plus a sophomore here and there with varsity ability. Brown replaces Stanford as the last game, and although Dartmouth lost to Stanford in the Polo Grounds, the Bruins will be stronger than- the eleven Tiny Thornhill tossed at Dartmouth if Tuss McLaughry has his say.
In the end the 1940 Indians can be better in every way and still riot set the world on fire.
Coach Earl Blaik looks at the prospects thusly:
"Through graduation, advance studies, and special regulations it would seem that the Dartmouth squad has been hit with everything except the waterbucket. But new names, a new offense and renewed vigor will challenge the interest of all Dartmouth football enthusiasts.
"Despite inexperience the mysterious Indians will be a constant threat to the many outstanding teams on its schedule and on one occasion will rise to great play."
In referring to inexperience, Coach Blaik points his finger at one of the major problems he and his assistants face this fall, and that is in the backfield where three, possibly four, men new to Dart- mouth football have stepped into promi- nent roles.
Quarterback Don Norton is on hand for his last year, but Don needs strong support to make it possible for him to be at his best for a limited amount of service each game, and the replacements at the all-important No. 2 back berth must be sophomores. At present Walt Anderson, 185-pound fullback from the freshmen eleven, rates as the top choice for the job. Another sophomore, Maurice Dampier, 205-pound center on the undefeated yearlings of last fall, is a bright hope if he can come along fast enough to help this season.
Two sophomores will have every chance to keep the starting positions given them on the opening day of practice. One is Johnny Krol, fullback, who looks like a football player, acts like one, and needs only to be one under fire to keep the Green rolling along. The other is left halfback Ray Wolfe, a fast 180-pounder, who will be asked to do most of the passing! At right halfback Dale Bartholomew actu. ally starts his football career. Last year he stayed with the jayvee team week afta week until the final game with Stanford appeared and Coach Blaik shot him into the starting lineup with fine results. One game does not make a veteran, though and Bart stands on about the same footing as do his sophomore teammates.
Replacement strength for the backs finds two of the positions filled by hold overs from last year. Jack Orr, captain, elect of baseball, will take over at right half while Bartholomew rests, and Ray Hall will sub for Krol when called upon to do so. Orr is not a flashy back or a great star, but he is dependable and smart. Hall has always looked like a good prospec and may blossom forth in his senior year. Sophomore Ed Kast lines up behind Wolfe. I
The line of Krieger, le; O'Brien, lti: ; Young, lg; Pearson, c; Stowell, rg; Mav rt; and Kelley, re; will rely heavily 018 sophomores to spell them from time to time. Behind Krieger is Harry Gerber. captain of the yearlings last year, and an excellent prospect. Behind O'Brien will I: either junior Charles Camp, depending on his luck at avoiding frequent injuries that held him back as a sophomore, o sophomore John Kearney, giant prospec; who may not be ready for much duty this year. When Captain Young needs a resji.. pite, there is junior John Highmark and sophomore Lee Anderson ready to take
over. Highmark came along slowly last year and this fall has looked vastly in proved in early workouts. Anderson is transfer from the tackle position ant
should be ready at the end of the season Pearson, called upon to take almost the entire load as a sophomore, can coum upon more support from sophomore Bob Liming than was available in 1939.
The right guard berth is full of ifs. veteran guard Dan Dacey is fully recovered from a leg injury received while skiing last winter, he is by all odds the top man at the post. If he doesn't, then Doug Stowell, jayvee last year, will take over if the jum from scrubs to varsity regular isn't tot much to ask of a boy all in one leap. Then too, there is letterman John. Guenther, i a chronic charley horse doesn't plague hin as it has in the past. Somehow Line Coaci Harry Ellinger may piece together one player out of the three, and by giving eact a turn in every game, soften what look like the lines most serious trouble. A right tackle May will have lettermat1 Monty Winship and junior Bob Hicke behind him. Neither Winship nor Hicke< are big men as tackles go, but both ha« fighting hearts that fit the requirements.
Without question the end squad is til best looking department of the team, no so much in top brilliancy, but in the depth of men on a near equal basis. Krieger and Kelley have been tested under pressure and therefore have first ranking, but Gerber and Red Krumm behind him at left end, and Joe Crowley and Fred Carey behind Kelley all have what it takes to playing the Ivy League. For End Coach Frank (Specs) Moore, newcomer to the varsity coaching staff, there is something to work with and he has already shown that he has outstanding ability to bring out the best from his men.
Finally, those who followed the spring training reports will recall that much was written about the fact that the Dartmouth squad this fall will have a lot more sock on blocking and tackling than was true a year ago. The few scrimmages that have taken place to date have added further evidence to this line of thought, what with the leading backs all showing that they can, and will, back up a line on defense and help one another out with stiff blocks on offense. This spirit of wanting to play football with ruggedness and zip makes this current team one that the fans will take to as a group no matter what weaknesses develop as the season progresses.
From many indications it appears that football is in for a grand year in every way. The record crowds that gathered in Chicago and Boston for the All-Star encounters and the interest shown in Stanley Woodward's Herald-Tribujie contest all point to renewed interest in football. It may be that the present preparedness program with its accent on America's manliness has something to do with the enthusiasm already shown for football this fall, but whatever the reason the game gives every promise of shutting up its severest critics while allowing the people who have long seen its many virtues a chance to take the rostrum for a change.
GREEN LEADER Lou Young Jr., star guard and perennialclass president, who is captain of the 1940eleven.
Dr. Joseph G. Pollard '23, team physician, gives an opening-day examination to Stu May'41, likely choice for regular tackle.
Trainer Rollie Bevan (left) does an expert taping job on Don Norton, senior quarterback,while Jack Gilbody tries out the new electrical massaging machine.
Maurice Dampier, sophomore back, gets his turn at being taped up. Jack Gilbody doesthe job, while Veteran Hughie McLaughlin (center) gets ready for the next man.
AMONG THE SOPHOMORES EXPECTED TO ADD STRENGTH TO THE BIG GREEN ELEVEN THIS FALL ARE (LEFT TO RIGHT) RED KRUMM, EM JOHNNY KROL, FULLBACK; RAY WOLFE, HALFBACK; AND MAURICE DAMPIER, CONVERTED FROM CENTER TO BLOCKING BACK.
The gentlemen at the top, looking perhapsfor a blocking back for the 1940 team, are(left to right) Line Coach Harry Ellinger,Backfield. Coach Andy Gustafson, HeadCoach Earl Blaik, Trainer Rollie Bevan,Junior Varsity Coach Eddie Chamberlain, and End Coach Frank Moore.
