Diary of a Commuter

Friday, November 5, 1965

10:00 a.m. — "We really respect this Columbia team," said Coach Bob Blackman at the football rally, "and we know they'll really be ready for us. But I think our boys will be equal to the challenge." ... On the porch of Hopkins Center the Dartmouth Five blared "Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home," and about 100 students joined in a languid Wah-Hoo-Wah. ... Varsity football and soccer teams board buses and wait ten minutes for Associate Athletic Director "Snuffy" Smith, who planned the trip and forgot the time. ... As buses ride down the Main Street gauntlet a guy in a raccoon coat, black umbrella, sunglasses, and red felt hat waved from the lawn of C & G.

10:45 a.m. - Donning World War I aviator's helmet and white silk scarf, senior tackle Dave Coughlin sauntered into cockpit of chartered Northeast Airlines DC-68. "New destination is Miami, Florida," he announced over p.a. Plane wobbled. Coughlin left cockpit, course to New York City resumed.

12:45 p.m.— A waiter in the Westchester Country Club in Harrison, N. Y., asks fullback Mike Urbanic if the assembled group, dining in elegant society surroundings, is going to play the local high school team. No, says Urbanic, Columbia. Oh, says the waiter, removing the French onion soup.

7:30 p.m. - Teams watch William Holden escape in Stalag 17. No TV in eightstory private hotel leaves only two alternatives - study or sleep. Most choose latter.

Saturday, November 6, 1965

12:00 m. — Football team arrives at Baker Field. ... Soccer squad, up since 6:30, has already beaten Columbia, 1-0. ... Concessionaires are busy going through the early tail-gaters adjacent to the gridiron. "Get your Ivy League hot dogs!" "Buy a program, a veritable compendium of necessary information."

1:30 p.m. - Football game begins. Indian fans outnumber Columbia fans, who are almost outnumbered by Princeton scouts.

3:30 p.m. — Dartmouth wins 47-0. . . . A Lion supporter admits his team looked bad. . .. "Buy a coke for the traffic jam." . . . Columbia band happily marches onto Broadway playing "Roar Lion Roar."

5:30 p.m. - Teams board plane at LaGuardia. . . . Pilot tunes in football score- board show. .. . Stewardess announces that if there is anything she can do, the passengers should ask. Everybody started to ask. She also warns against smoking during takeoff. Players restrain themselves. . . . "We will be landing at Logan International," she said one hour later. Logan International? "Oh," she giggled, "I mean Lebanon International." Inter- national?

7:30 p.m. — Buses return to Hanover after successful trip and stop before Inn where rally is in progress. . . . About 100 students joined in a languid Wah-Hoo-Wah. . . . "We really respect this Cornell team," said Coach Bob Blackman looking ahead, "and we know they'll really be ready for us. But I think our boys will be equal to the challenge."