WITH THE BIG GREEN TEAMS
Chase Field is once again the scene of a highly specialized course which annually attracts not only local but often nation-wide attention. The students this year number about 75, slightly less than normal, and the teacher is a man who is recognized as one of the best in his chosen field. Robert L. Black- man is now embarking upon his eighth year as Head Coach of a course called Varsity Football.
Held each year during the fall term (spring refresher courses are not permitted), Dartmouth students in recent years have become very adept at winning foot- ball games. Going into the ’62 season the Big Green is ranked first with Princeton in the composite Ivy League standings which have been compiled since 1956. It should also be added that Coach Bob Blackman needs but one more winning season to equal Earl Blaik's Big Green record of seven straight campaigns over the .500 mark.
The 1962 Dartmouth football team, despite the misfortune of losing several key men even before the first game, still must be considered a strong team and a solid choice to finish in the Ivy League first division. If the Indians can do just that, they will maintain their record of never finishing in the second division since formal league play began.
A few prognosticators have selected the Green for first place in the Ivy League, but a, poll taken of some 150 sports writers may be more accurate when it ranks Dartmouth third behind Princeton and Harvard. Coach Blackman is also quick to point out that the Tigers and Crimson and several other Ivy teams have more returning lettermen and more sophomores of varsity potential. It is also true that the Indians have been hurt by pre-season losses, and depth could be- come a problem should any more “key” losses occur.
Let’s review a few of the injuries that have already hurt the Big Green, as well as a few other factors which caused players not to return for football. The number of men reporting for pre-season practice was considerably below the orig- inally anticipated 94.
Among those unable to play this year because of injuries is quarterback Ron Schram, number one signal caller behind Bill King. Schram reinjured a knee this summer and underwent an operation. Another player lost is Jim Carr, captain of last year’s freshman team, whose knee will also sideline him for the season. The coaching staff considered him the best lineman on the ’65 squad.
Other losses include George Hellick, a senior and an excellent prospect at left guard. He decided to devote full time to his studies at Tuck School. Norman Pfortmiller, the best end prospect on the freshman team, is out of college this year and the two top fullbacks from the ’65 team are ineligible.
Added to these losses are several men who have sustained injuries since practice began. This group includes Mike Ny- quist, a strong contender for the left end position, who reinjured a knee, which kept him out of action all last year; and Bob lohnson, a leading right halfback candidate. Nyquist is through for the sea- son, but the extent of lohnson’s injury is still not known.
The coaching staff is working hard to overcome a depth problem at fullback, guard, and tackle. The football picture, position by position, stands like this:
Bill King, captain of this year’s team, has of course nailed down the starting quarterback assignment. Barring injury he should have another fine year. In 1961, King completed 49 of 98 passes for 711 yards and gained on his own 176 yards in 82 carries. He was the unani- mous selection for the coaches’ All Ivy Team, and was picked for U.P.l.’s All- New England eleven.
Behind King there are presently two quarterbacks whom we should mention. Dana Kelly will undoubtedly see service on offense, while Bill Madden may han- dle some of the chores on defense.
At right halfback, with Johnson side- lined and Dave Lawson nursing a pulled thigh muscle, Bob O’Brien, a sophomore speedster from Worcester, Mass., has broken into the starting lineup. Lawson, however, or Johnson, should he return, must be considered the top candidates. Lawson earned his letter as a sophomore, gaining 149 yards on the ground and scoring four touchdowns. Johnson is re- turning to football after two years in the Army. In 1959 he played behind A 1 Ro- zycki. Another right halfback who will bear watching is John McLean, a sopho- more from Lake Geneva, Wis.
At left halfback junior Tom Spangen- berg is the best bet for the starting assign- ment. In 1961 he gained 393 yards for an average of 4.4 yards per, carry. He also caught nine passes for 120 yards and one touchdown. Behind him will be Chris Vancura, another junior, who will be used mostly on offense, and Dave Per- inchief and Joel Feldman, a pair of soph- omores.
At fullback it is still wide open as to who will start against the University of Massachusetts, but Pete Benzian and Tom Parkinson are the two leaders. Ben- zian earned his letter last year and gained considerable experience against Cornell and Princeton. For this reason he may have an edge over Parkinson, who was stymied last year by an injury and never realized his potential.
Sophomore Dick Horton of Reading, Mass., will probably be converted to full- back before the season opens to help bol- ster that position. Horton, who was the starting quarterback on the ’65 freshman team, is currently on the injured list.
Without a doubt the main bulwark of the line will be center and line-backer Don McKinnon from Arlington, Mass. Injured throughout most of the ’6l sea- son, McKinnon saw little action, but he is considered one of the best linemen in the Ivy League. He is agile and aggres- sive, strong on either offense or defense. Cantey Davis is the number one substi- tute on defense at the present time and Vaughn Skinner may get the nod as Mc- Kinnon’s replacement when the Indians have the ball.
Letterman Bill Curran is the best pros- pect at right guard, but behind him are three men with little experience; Dave DeCalesta, Pete Sapione, and Gerald Raczka. Any one of the three, however, could develop. The same situation exists at left guard where senior Ed Boies, a letterman, has looked good, but behind him there is no one of proven varsity ex- perience. The two leading prospects are sophomore Ed Keible and senior John McElwaine.
According to Coach Blackman, Dale Runge has looked good at right tackle. From Higginsville, Mo., he stands 6-2 and weighs 215 pounds. He lettered as a sophomore and posted more game time than any other ’64. Dave Stenger, a 6-5 junior, and Pete Frederick, a sophomore, may see considerable action at right tackle as reserves.
Bill Blumenschein, who last year made the jump from the JV team to the start- ing eleven, only to be injured in the sec- ond game of the season, is back, healthy and ready to start at left tackle. At 6-1 and 202 pounds, the New Hyde Park, N. Y., senior has done well in early sea- son practice and should bolster the line. Behind him are Jan Dephouse, converted from right end to tackle, and John Matske, a sophomore with fine potential.
And finally at the ends. Coach Black- man will have Charlie Greer, a letter- winner, at left end and Scott Creelman at the other end. Both stand 6-2 or better and have good hands for catching King passes. Kicking specialist Bill Wellstead is nursing an injured knee and for this reason may see limited service at end, but will be ready for kicking duties. In ’6l he kicked 20 points after touchdown and three field goals.
Other end prospects include Frank Finsthwait, whose game-winning touch- down catch against Cornell is still talked about, sophomore Jaan Lumi, and junior A 1 Pierce.
In general, this year’s Big Green will have a strong first team. The line will be the heaviest Blackman has had at Dart- mouth. The backfield, led by capable Bill King, should have a fair amount of speed and a solid scoring punch provided by some talented backs. If Lawson and lohnson are both healthy, there will be plenty of depth at the halfback positions.
The main problems facing Coach Blackman at present are two-fold. First he must strengthen the fullback position and hope that either Benzian and Par- kinson, or both, can effectively fill the im- portant blocking role in the V-formation offense. The second problem will be to bolster the guard and tackle positions with needed reserve strength. But overall, the potential is there for another fine season and if the Indians can escape in- juries this will be an interesting season.
Looking over the schedule, we find that Dartmouth is playing the University of Massachusetts for the first time since 1919. The Green has won fifteen of the sixteen contests in the series while the first game in 1902 ended in a scoreless tie.
In Ivy League play it could go down to the wire again with the Princeton game the decider. The Tigers have 21 returning lettermen and a group of talented sopho- mores. Harvard, co-champion in 1961 with Columbia, may be strong enough to repeat. Columbia this year faces a re- building job.
Penn, Yale, and Cornell should pre- sent their usual rugged opposition, and each will field an experienced team with 19 or more lettermen back. Brown, which last year failed to win a game, will be stronger and could, well play the role of spoiler by upsetting some of the leaders.
Quarterback Bill King, captain of theBig Green, and center Don McKinnonare two reasons why Dartmouth is pickedto be a top Ivy League team this season.
Four halfbacks counted on for offensive punch are (I to r) juniors Dave Lawson, TomSpangenberg, and Chris Vancura, and sophomore Bob O’Brien. All three juniors sawconsiderable varsity action during the 1961 season.
