1909
Football is in the air, literally and figuratively, these crisp fall days, and this manly sport has led Ed Hanlon ’26 to do some high class recalls about members of Dartmouth’s national championship team of 1925. Coach of this great team was our well-known classmate, Jess Hawley, who starred in both football and track (see cut) in college.
Well do I remem- ber that team and its prowess on the grid- iron. I was president of the Chicago Alumni Association when it came on to play the University of Chicago and was on the win- ning end, 33 to 7. Chicago had a back who was nicknamed “Five Yards McCarthy,” and Elmer Lampe, who became end coach at Dartmouth, played end. Elmer told me later that they just didn’t believe Dartmouth had the devastating passing attack so much talked about, but, to their sorrow, they found out differently. Those who witnessed the game said they had never seen such accurate passing, timed to a split second, before or since.
This game was the occasion for a big Dartmouth Pow Wow. The program was worked out in detail by committees headed by guys such as Nat Leverone ’O6, Russ Palmer TO, Warren Bruner T2, who was secretary of the association; Heinie Urion T2, Ham Gibson ’97, and other loyal men active in the Chicago association. The Col- lege didn’t have the funds to send the band with the team, so what happened? George Leach Tl, one of the Chicago financial big shots, organized a committee and, in no time, 3,000 bucks was raised to bring on the band. It was one of the best investments the association ever made. What an impres- sion those tooters made between the halves when they paraded in their simple costumes green sweaters with white D’s and white pants. —. , ,i. 1 J irtAtv. PVI O nrOITIS
Dartmouth headquarters were at the Drake Hotel where the biggest Dartmouth gath- ering ever assembled in Chicago had dinner that Saturday night. Over 600 persons tied on the feed bag. and during the gala, the band played well-known Dartmouth num- bers. Jake Smith ’O5 almost stole the thunder of the Chicago Association’s official cheer leader, Wah Hoo Wah Ev Marsh ’OB. At the head table sat President Hopkins; Max Mason, president of Chicago; Henry Hilton ’9O, trustee; E. K. Hall ’92; George Huff, Athletic Director of the University of Illinois, also a Dartmouth guy; Coach Haw- ley; Major Redington 1861, the grand old man in Chicago circles. Dartmouth men flocked in from all parts of the country, east, west, north, south. General Ben Knox ’OB came the greatest distance, traveling all the way from South America. “Whata whata” that was!
Members of Hawley’s football “brain trust” have done all right for themselves in their chosen vocations, as outlined by Ed Hanlon;
Nate Parker ’26, team captain, was class marshal, made Phi Beta Kappa, and was a Rhodes Scholar. He is now senior partner of Kay Richards & Cos., investment bankers in Pittsburgh. nn 11 z' -1 a /il /it* 1 n
George Tully ’26. end, is a doctor m Worcester, Mass. His classmate, Heinie Sage, the other end, is deceased. These two lads both outran the opposition to snare Oberlander’s passes.
Sykes Hardy ’27 was a tackle. He is pres- ident of Joseph T. Ryerson (where Rip Hen- eage ’O7 formerly worked), a subsidiary of Inland Steel. He is also a director of Inland Steel. Nate Parker was the other tackle.
George Champion ’26 played guard. He was formerly president of Chase Manhattan Bank in New York and now, as chairman of the board, he is in a spot where further advancement isn’t possible.
Josh Davis ’27 played center. He is chair- man of the board of Blair & Cos., invest- ment bankers, anothe'r apex spot.
Hal Marshall ’26 was understudy to the late Bob MacPhail ’2B at quarterback. Ed’s guess is that he had the highest scholastic rating of any team member. He is executive vice president and director of Kendall Cos., producers of surgical dressings, and a direc- tor of Shawmut National Bank of Boston. Add to that his chairmanship of the class of ’26.
Myles Lane ’2B was a halfback. He was formerly U. S. Attorney for the Eastern Division of New York, and presently chair- man of the New York State Crime Com- mission. He has been mentioned as a pos- sible candidate for governor of New York but, as Ed points out, he would be up against a tough cookie from the class of ’3O. . ~
Jim Oberlander ’26, All-American half- back and a member of the National Foot- ball Hall of Fame, is a doctor with the Prudential Insurance Cos. in Chicago —an able citizen. Jim was the star who did the passing. What was the phrase he repeated to himself before he let loose of the ball? Something like; “Ten thousand Swedes jumped from the weeds in the battle of Copenhagen.” He used the “Statue of Lib- erty” play to good advantage, and fed the ball to Tully and Sage for long gains and touchdowns.
Charlie Starrett ’26 was a substitute full- back. He has been in the movies ever since leaving college, known as the “Durango Kid.”
Eddie Dooley ’26 did not play on the ’25 team as he was out of college for a year, but he did play quarterback for three years and was known as an outstanding player. He is U. S. Congressman from the 26th District of New York, and, formerly, was mayor of Mamaroneck. Since his college days he has acquired considerable of what is known as avoirdupois.
Hanlon adds: “I have probably overlooked others who have done great credit to Dart- mouth and were also great football players. Sports writers of that era gave particular attention to the playing of Oberlander, Tully. Dutch Diehl ’26, a super guard, and Dooley. But they were all good or they wouldn’t have made the grade for your class- mate, the late Jess Hawley ”
Amplifying on the career of George Champion, Hanlon says he is a personal friend and golfing companion of ex-Pres- ident Eisenhower, as well as being a direc- tor of Southern Railway, Travelers Insur- ance Company, American Smelting, and other nationally known companies. ihe class is proud of his record of achievement, and well it might be.
Hawley had the respect of the men who played under him. Although he was out of college only 16 years when he developed that great ’25 team, they referred to him as the “Old Man.” He was a man among men, democratic by nature, and one who seemed to enjoy the simple things of life.
t-vz vujvj -r— ~11 • , Jess stepped into the football picture when Dartmouth football had been at a comparatively low ebb. Early in 1922 the Athletic Council decided that some action should be taken to improve conditions. A contributing factor was the stunning de- feat in 1921 by Cornell, 59 to 7. After pondering the matter, the Council decided to seek the opinion of some of Dartmouth s former outstanding players in whom alumni would have confidence, as an advisory com- mittee. Jess Hawley, Larry Bankart TO, and Clarke Tobin TO agreed to serve without compensation, except for travel expenses. After a year of such service, Larry and Clarke persuaded Jess to become head coach. At that time, Joe Gannon ’99 was president of the Council and Joe Gilman ’O5 was a member, later replacing Gannon as president. Jess’s success as football coach, highlighted by his All-American Champs in 1925, is one of the bright spots in Dart- mouth football history.
Class Notes Editor, 141 Pioneer Trail, Aurora, Ohio Secretary and Treasurer, Sandwich, Mass.
