Dartmouth Rallies to Top Tiger, Gains Tie for Ivy Gridiron Title

THE 1963 Big Green, the first team in formal Ivy League football history to defend its title successfully, proved it was a champion indeed as the Indian team came from behind to overcome a 21-7 Princeton fourth-quarter lead to win the game 22-21 and to tie for the Ivy crown.

The Dartmouth victory, coupled with Yale's 20-6 upset of Harvard, gave both Princeton and the Green a share of first place with identical 5-2 records. Overall, the Indians were 7-2 for the season. The final win was also a milestone in the coaching career of Bob Blackman for it was win number 100. In sixteen years he has lost only 36 games and has been tied eight times - a record which places him among the top five coaches in the country.

There were few people at Palmer Stadium who gave the Indians much of a chance as they went into the fourth period two touchdowns behind.

Late in the third period, however, All-Ivy halfback Tom Spangenberg provided just the spark the Indians needed as he broke loose for a 33-yard run around end to the Princeton 40 on a fast pitch-out play that Dartmouth had not used in two years.

The Indians continued to pound at the Princeton line. The drive produced the second Dartmouth touchdown as Spangenberg drove off tackle from the three with guard Ed Keible pulling out to lead him across.

With the score 21-13, Blackman told the Indians to go for the two-point conversion. Kelly called the same play and again Keible hit lacavazzi and cleared the way for Spangenberg.

Tension mounted minutes later as Princeton fumbled on fourth down just as it was about to punt. The Green recovered on the Tiger twenty, but this time the drive stalled just short of the goal line. Three times the Indians tried to crash through, but each time Princeton held.

Taking possession the Tigers moved out to the eight on two plays. On third down, with four yards to go, lacavazzi was hit so hard before he reached the line of scrimmage by senior Dave DeCalesta that the ball was jarred loose and it rolled towards the goal. Captain Scott Creelman fell on the pigskin on the two. On the first play, halfback Jack McLean swept around left end on a power sweep to make the score 21-21. Gary Wilson then split the uprights with a perfect boot.

With 5:24 still left to play the Dartmouth defense rose to the occasion. At game's end the statistics showed that Princeton failed to achieve a single first down in the fourth quarter. It also showed the Tigers had attempted only two passes in the game; one was intercepted and the other fell incomplete.

At the same time, the Indians displayed a balanced attack with 149 yards rushing —7O by Spangenberg - and 95 yards through the air. Quarterback Dana Kelly completed nine out of 21 passes establishing two Dartmouth records. His 88 completions for the year broke the old mark of 81 set by Jack Kinderine and his 1,062 yards gained on passes broke the record set last year by Bill King.

Some richly deserved honors have already been announced for the Big Green. The official All-Ivy team as selected by the coaches lists Creelman at end, Bill Curran at guard, and Spangenberg in the backfield. Dale Runge was chosen for the second team, and center Bob Komives, McLean, and Kelly all received honorable mention. Creelman and Spangenberg were named to the A. P. All-Ivy eleven; and Curran and Spangenberg made the U. P. I. All-New England team.

Nineteen seniors have played their last game for Dartmouth. In four years they compiled a record of 28 wins and five losses. This included an undefeated season as freshmen, as well as a perfect record in 1962.

1964 Captain Jack McLean '65 scoredthe big one to top Princeton, plus fiveothers, and was second in yards rushing.