Football

Last month, in the "Coaches' Corner," Bob Blackman reported on the similarity between the 1957 and 1958 seasons to that time. But a big difference has developed during the past month. Last year's team started strongly, but in the final four games it seemed to slow up as it barely tied Yale, then eked out a 7-0 win over Columbia, had to come from behind to edge Cornell, and finally lost to Princeton.

This year's team, after being upset by Harvard 16-8, has defeated Yale 22-14, pounded Columbia 38-0 and, in the most recent contest, soundly whipped Cornell 32-15. Just three days before the Cornell game Coach Blackman reported that he felt this year's team had reached its peak in every way and that he had more confidence in it than he had had in any team since he came to Dartmouth.

Two men stand out for Dartmouth this fall - Captain Al Krutsch for his play in the line and Jake Crouthamel for his superb running and general play in the backfield. But it takes other men to make a good ball club and there is no doubt that Dartmouth's strength this fall has come about because the team is operating as a smoothly working unit, with each player contributing his part and doing it in fine fashion.

Time and again the sports writers have pointed to the Dartmouth line's opening up holes, to the backs moving speedily and precisely, to the able quarterbacking and ball-handling, to the smooth operation of the offensive plays, and to the quick and deft maneuvering of the various Big Green defensive alignments. It's a real pleasure to watch this team on the field and every Dartmouth man can be proud of the way it has developed in face of the rugged schedule.

On the statistical side the Big Green has averaged some 280 yards per game on offense. About two-thirds of this has come on the ground as the Indians have relied increasingly on this form of attack. However, the Big Green, with Bill Gundy and Seth Moger doing most of the passing, has completed 39 out of 89 passes for just under 600 yards and six scores. Halfback Jake Crouthamel, who scored three times against Cornell, is the team's top scorer with seven TD's and is also the team's top ground-gainer with nearly 600 yards in eight games and an average of just over five yards per carry.

Quarterback Bill Gundy carries to the Yale 5-yard line and on the next play the Big Green scored. The trio of unoccupied blockers at extreme left indicates some sort of fake.

IVY LEAGUE CHAMPS By downing Princeton 21-13 in Palmer Stadium, November 22, Dartmouth won the 1958 Ivy League football championship. It was the Big Green's first title since the league formally began in 1956, and also the first since its unofficial championship of 1938 under Earl Blaik. The running of Jake Crouthamel and passing of Bill Gundy were big factors in Dartmouth's decisive victory, but the Indians were "up" for the contest and it was the hard and spirited play of the whole team to which the tribute belongs.