Football
All signs point to the fact that the Big Green will field a more potent team this fall than they did in 1951. Graduation losses were not as heavy as a year ago and Coach Tuss McLaughry has 26 lettermen returning to action this September. However, the Ivy Group ruling which abolished spring practice has created some difficulty in appraising the Indian squad and there are, as always, some major problems facing the coaching staff which must be solved before the opener with Holy Cross on September 27."
Thus ran the opening paragraph of a rather lengthy analysis on the Dartmouth football squad contained in a brochure mailed this summer to members of the working press. The write-up went on to say that while men like halfback Charlie Curtis, fullback Jack Foster, center and captain Bill Vesprini, ends Charlie Dey and Don Myers, tackles Vince Jones and Bob Herr would be missed, the replacement picture, on the whole, was good.
Within the last month, however, the roof has started to cave in. The first blow came with the anouncement that Dick Jennison, sophomore fullback star and the Big Green's top ground-gainer in 1951, was ineligible for scholastic reasons. Then came word that John Anderson, a 195-pound fullback who was rated as a logical replacement for Jennison, was in the hospital with an old head injury and would not be able to report for duty this fall.
With the fullback spot now wide open, we can turn our attention to the all-important T-quarterback spot. Last year Gene Howard and Jim Miller divided the chores in this position, with Howard carrying the bulk of the load and also doing most of the punting (he led the Ivy League in that department). Both men were supposed to return this fall, but shortly before the Dartmouth training camp opened on September 4 Howard decided not to return, thus posing another problem for Coach Tuss McLaughry and his assistants.
But 75 other candidates, including 24 sophomores, did report shortly after Labor Day to begin twice-a-day workouts. A week later as the intersquad scrimmaging got underway, the injuries began. First Mike Papantones, who played a brilliant game as center and line-backer for Dartmouth as a sophomore last year, tore a ligament in his knee which will keep him out of the Holy Cross game at least. Another center and line-backer, Tom Malcolm, broke a bone in his cheek and will be sidelined for a month—so that the offensive center posts and defensive line-backing positions which a month ago were rated as our strongest positions, must now be considered something of an enigma.
At this writing the Big Green coaches are going around mumbling to themselves and waiting a trifle anxiously for the next blow to fall. However, they are not completely pessimistic and will concede that, barring further mishaps, Dartmouth still may be stronger than a year ago.
Coach McLaughry sums up the situation this way: "We'll have a good line from end to end and strong line-backing. The backfield, both offensively and defensively, is a real question mark, but if a few sophomores come out of the pack and the regulars shape up the way we hope, Dartmouth can make a good showing even against the tough schedule we have this fall."
So far as the backfield goes, there are enough regulars available, but most are light and lack the hard-hitting running combination so necessary in a smooth working offense. At this writing Jim Miller, a 170-pound junior who played behind Howard last fall, appears the best bet at quarterback. John Reilly, a 200-pound junior, is another good candidate, while sophomores Ross Ellis and Doug Melville are both promising and may well crash the line-up if Miller or Reilly do not come along satisfactorily.
Dick Collins, Russ Smale, Ed Boyle, Hank Fry, Rog Warner and Dick Calkins are all veteran halfbacks who have returned this fall. But most of these men weigh around 170 pounds and although there is speed enough here, Backfield Coach Milt Piepul would like some additional weight on his ball carriers. Among the reserves, Dave Gleason, Dave Grogan, Fred Hitt and Ed Hoban look the best at the moment, while sophomores Tom Fulton, Joe Pluto, Bob Spencer and Lou Turner give hope of added depth in the backfield.
The fullback post is, as we have said, very much of a question mark. 185-pound Burt Dorsett is the only veteran in this spot, but needs more drive and power before he can count the berth his. Stan Clark, John Springer and Al Staley (the brother of Paul Staley, 1950 captain) all are rated about equal at fullback, while the only sophomore candidate is Bob Primo.
Turning to the brighter side, End Coach Elmer Lampe reports happily that he has the best end squad in some years. Dave Thielscher (brother of last year's guard, Karl, and son of Karl Thielscher '17) and Dave McLaughlin are a pair of fast-stepping pass receivers who may do a lot of scoring this fall. Defensively, Fred Fedeli and Clark Murphy make a top combination, while the return of John Patten and the pre season showing of sophomores Dick Flagg, Joe Kagle and Al itzner makes the end squad seem both strong and deep.
Big 230-pound George Rambour heads the returning tackle veterans who include Parker Caswell, Gene Gabianelli, and Emery Pierson. Don Descombes, Dave Duncombe and Jim Mannion are three top reservists, but Line Coach John Dell Isola would like to pick up some good sophomore tackles before he'll be completely satisfied.
The guard posts seem adequately manned with Captain Pete Reich, a twoway player and fine defensive signal-caller, and veterans Alex Athanas, Tom Bloomer, John Dickason, Joe Mesics and Bill Vitalis all looking improved
With Tom Malcolm and Mike Papantones both on the injured list, as reported, the center position is not as well manned as might be. However, veterans Bayard Johnson and Paul Mackey are both consistently good and these men along with sophomore Stan Sklar may be able to hold the fort until Malcolm and Papantones can get back on the job.
Just as important as evaluating the team is an evaluation of one's opponents. With a schedule of six games away and three at home, Dartmouth is in for a rough fall. At first glance the schedule appears about the same as last year, when the Indians won four and lost five. Holy Cross replaces Fordham as the opener with Rutgers coming in for Syracuse, while Army remains on the schedule and the other six games are with traditional Ivy League foes.
But taking them one by one the 195 a schedule looks even tougher than the 1951 slate. Holy Cross must be rated as one of the top independent teams in the nation this fall. Army under Earl Blaik is still rebuilding, but the material is good. Pennsylvania is almost unanimously picked as No. 1 among the Ivy colleges, while Rutgers, which Dartmouth is meeting for the first time, managed to beat Fordham last fall, which the Indians couldn't do. Both Harvard and Yale get "improved" ratings from most experts and you may recall that both of these teams were barely nosed out by Dartmouth last year. Lou Little's Columbia Lions are thin this fall, but Mitch Price is back at quarterback and that's almost enough. Cornell has some good running backs who can break away at any moment, while Princeton, even without Kazmaier, may well go undefeated. In other words, all are very tough games for the Big Green, and while Dartmouth will probably get its share of victories, no one with any knowledge of the team and the schedule is looking for a brilliant 1952 season.
MORE QUESTION MARKS THAN REGULARS: A graphic picture of Coach Tuss McLaughry's replacement problem this fall is provided by these photos of the offensive and defensive units. Above, offense: linemen (I tor), Capt. Pete Reich (69) guard, George Rambour (74) tackle; backs, Dick Collins (18) halfback, Jim Miller (21) quarterback. Below, defense: linemen, Fred Fedeli (84) end, Fran Caswell (72) tackle, Capt. Pete Reich (69) guard, George Rambour (74) tackle; line backer, Mike Papantones (55).
MORE QUESTION MARKS THAN REGULARS: A graphic picture of Coach Tuss McLaughry's replacement problem this fall is provided by these photos of the offensive and defensive units. Above, offense: linemen (I tor), Capt. Pete Reich (69) guard, George Rambour (74) tackle; backs, Dick Collins (18) halfback, Jim Miller (21) quarterback. Below, defense: linemen, Fred Fedeli (84) end, Fran Caswell (72) tackle, Capt. Pete Reich (69) guard, George Rambour (74) tackle; line backer, Mike Papantones (55).
