With the Big Green Teams

THAT slow-start, fast-finish aspect of Big Green football that brought so much excitement to the race for the Ivy title and the Lambert Trophy last year appears to be very much a part of the 1966 season too. After two early games in which the defensive unit carried the burden, the heralded Indian offense erupted in a rash of touchdowns in the next two contests - following first-blood scores by each of the opponents.

Although the wet weather in Worcester, Mass., helped wipe away the longest major college victory streak in the nation at eleven, the 1966 edition of the Big Green remains in the national limelight. After stalling on the ground and in the air against Massachusetts and Holy Cross, Dartmouth zoomed into the national charts with its first two performances in the Ivy League race.

"Football is a game of emotions," according to Coach Bob Blackman, "and we were out-emotioned at Holy Cross." The veteran leader expressed his postgame comments quickly after congratulating Coach Mel Massucco and his Crusaders on the stunning 7-6 upset they had pulled. "Dartmouth plays to win," commented Blackman concerning the choice not to go for a tie after scoring the touchdown. "There was no decision to make. It was a two-point play all the way, to win, and we just barely missed."

At this writing the Dartmouth string could have stretched to fourteen in the thick of Ivy action, but the ball didn't bounce that way at Worcester. The Crusaders' cold, rainy Homecoming Day doused the Green followers and also Dartmouth's plans.

But the short score against the Indians didn't last long. Springing into the eleventh season of Ivy play here on October 8 against Princeton, before a record crowd of 15,948, the Big Green took little time in establishing which was the stronger of the two clubs. After a 31-13 trapping of the Tigers, who were in Hanover for only the second time since the series began in 1897, Dartmouth rang up another decisive victory, 49-13, over Brown.

Back-to-back victories in the Ivy League are nothing unusual for Dartmouth, or for any team in the circuit, but running up a total of 511 yards and then coming up with 504 the next weekend is out of the ordinary. An afternoon of 300 yards' total offense is winning football. More than 1000 yards in two contests is superb. Against Princeton, Dartmouth's offensive production was the highest in the league. The 426 yards gained rushing the next Saturday against the Bruins was Dartmouth's largest such total in or out of the league on a single afternoon. After dropping out of all national statistics early in the campaign, the Indians were prominent again with this pair of 500-yard performances.

The 49 points registered on Memorial Field in the Brown game is the highest a Dartmouth team has gone in one Ivy contest. A 48-0 victory in 1964 over Harvard was the previous top. Vermont was a 91-0 victim on an 1886 afternoon - the College's all-time scoring splurge.

The 26 first downs made against Brown also constituted a one-game record for Dartmouth in or out of league play in modern times. The previous high was 24 against Princeton in 1962.

When the football season was about to open in late September, and after a gruelling pre-season camp on campus, there appeared to be only one sophomore near a starting berth on the '66 team. Now there are sophomores scattered throughout the offensive and defensive lineups. Not all are starters, but they must be ready at a Moment's notice.

Rick Wallick, a defensive safety from Dixon, Ill., was the backup at the position behind junior Sam Hawken. Wallick has been joined by a gang of new tribesmen at a surprising rate, including twin brother Randy, an offensive end. Randy scored the first touchdown for the Class of 1969 against Brown, a 17-yard pass up the middle'from Mickey Beard. Wallick made a diving catch in the end zone for the six points on the finale of a fiveplay, 64-yard march after the second half kickoff. Wallick and Bill Hay made it 28-7 at that stage.

Senior Bill Brandt, most experienced defensive end from Wethersfield, Conn., went out with a knee injury in the Holy Cross contest. He was operated on and lost for the season. This brought on sophomore Pete Lawrence to fill the gap. The following week, against Princeton, right end Randy McElrath, a junior, left the game with an almost identical injury. McElrath was operated on, and he also is out for the year. Sophomore Dan Cooperman moved up in the ranks, and so did other end defenders, all sophomores. Bob Ajello backs up Lawrence. Bruce Henry works behind Cooperman. A fifth end, former tackle Jim Hutchinson, is also a member of the Class of 1969.

Another sophomore, offensive tackle Jeff Norton, filled in capably against Brown for injured veteran Roy "Corky" Johnson. In all there are now eleven sophs in the two-deep defensive depth chart. In the offensive depth chart there are five sophomores.

The Indians to watch for future action on defense with Lawrence, Cooperman, Ajello, Henry, and Hutchinson are: tackles Giff Foley and Norton; linebackers Mike Rieder and Jim Gardner; and backs John March and Rick Wallick. On the attack, look for these Indians on the loose: guard Charlie Courtney; tackle Dick Olmsted; end Randy Wallick; and backs Vic Chaltain and Bob Lundquist. The Class of '69 is making its move.

The Dartmouth-Massachusetts contest in Hanover on September 24 was a topgrade opener. Two good football teams, one small and quick, the other husky and hungry, rammed through 60 minutes of rugged action. A 48-yard punt return by Hawken and a 64-yard scamper by Gene Ryzewicz in the first period gave the Green victory. Hay added a 27-yard field goal in the third period before UMass got on the scoreboard in the final period. The Redmen were credited with less yardage, 222 to 173, on 38 more plays from scrimmage. Massachusetts took the first downs 16-9.

The biggest Homecoming bonfire in Holy Cross history on September 30 set the scene for more Purple celebration the next afternoon. The Crusaders got even more fired up by game time and with the assistance of the wind and rain washed away the longest winning streak in the land. The Cross scored in the second period after recovering a Green fumble on the Dartmouth 30. They went in on seven plays and converted a routine point after touchdown kick, which later made the big difference.

Dartmouth, after Hay had not connected on three field-goal shots from the 23, 33 and 35, sent over fullback Pete Walton from a yard and a half away on the end of a nine-play drive. Safety Hawken had picked off a Holy Cross bobble on the run and had established an Indian stronghold on the Crusader 31. With still time to operate, but conditions risky, Beard picked left end Bob MacLeod to toss to in the attempt at a twopoint conversion. Firing against the grain of the play, Beard spotted MacLeod and sent the ball into his hands, but the big end couldn't hold the throw, and it slipped away as he was settling down just inside the goal line.

The score tells the story of the closeness of the game. The first downs were even, eleven on each side. Holy Cross had 190 total yards, all passing, while the Indians had 188 yards, 113 through the damp air. In passing Beard was ten for 22.

Returning to Memorial Field on an excellent Indian summer afternoon, Dartmouth started its defense of the Ivy title against the Tigers. The contest followed the 1965 format early. At just 4:02 of play the Tigers were ahead, 7-0, the same early lead they pulled at Princeton last fall in the league finale. The lead was short-lived, however, as the Indians went into high gear and assaulted the Tigertown defenses for 511 yards and a big 31-13 win.

Klungness opened the Green scoring, catching an 11-yard pass from Beard. Hay kicked the first of his four conversions and later, in the second quarter, booted a 26-yard field goal. Walton shot over from two yards in the first period, and the Green was on top for good.

A Beard-to-Calhoun aerial before the half was a beauty worth 52 yards. Calhoun split the Tiger defense in the deep secondary and raced to catch up with the ball as it started to point down on the 15-yard line. In the third period Ryzewicz tricked the Tigers from five yards out for six points. Princeton got a tally in the final quarter on a nine-yard pass.

Dartmouth's 345 yards rushing and 166 passing combined for a record for total offense by the Green in the league. The previous rushing high was 348, set against Columbia last season, but that figure was destined to fall within a year; and it did.

For the third time in the season Dartmouth fell behind 7-0 early in the game when Brown visited on October 15. The Bruins bounded on an Indian fumble at the Dartmouth 10 and scored at 5:50 of the first period on a fullback slice over the left side. Dartmouth couldn't get on the scoreboard until 14:15 of the game, but from that point on Brown had little success against the attacking Green. Even the Indian reserves peppered Brown for two touchdowns in the late stages.

Ryzewicz gave the local reservation its first score on the end of a 13-yard toss from Beard. Hay kicked the first of seven extra points to make it 7-7. Walton from the eight and Beard from the two pushed it to 21-14 at the half.

The teams traded scores after the intermission, Randy Wallick making a successful dive for a Beard pass on the kickoff march, and Brown trying to come back with a 23-yard scoring pass.

Walton ran over 22 traffic-packed yards for the fifth Green score, clearing the way for Coach Blackman to use the rest of the bench in units. Seniors Bill Robb and Jim Menter produced the last two touchdowns. Halfback Menter gave to quarterback Robb from the seven, and later Robb pitched to Menter from the two. The Indians employed a steady stream of laterals throughout the game, keeping the Bruins guessing all the way.

The Indian hunters and the hunted Bruins were assessed for 195 yards in penalties. The flags were flying freely, especially in the first half.

Fullback Pete Walton goes over from the 2 for Dartmouth's second touchdown inthe Princeton game, breaking the 7-7 tie and putting the Green ahead for good.

Photo sequence of play that went 55 yardsagainst Princeton. L to r: (1) Beard takessnap from center, (2) fakes to Walton up themiddle, (3) hands to Klungness, who (4)skirts left end, (5) cuts away from defenders,(6) heads for the sideline, (7) races straightup the field, (8) is finally brought down onthe 5-yard line by Tom Blejwas (14). Ryzewicz scored on the next play.

Win Mabry (33), Dartmouth's brilliant defensive back, returning a Princeton punt inthe second period. Mike Westfall (52), middle guard, is also shown.

Mickey Beard, in good form, completed7 of 14 passes in the Brown encounter.

Harvard 19, Dartmouth 14 Dartmouth's chances of retaining the Ivy League football championship received a damaging setback in the Harvard Stadium on October 22 when the Crimson uncorked an 80-yard march in the closing minutes of the game and defeated the slightly favored Indians, 19-14. Packed with offensive action, the contest was one of the most even and hard-fought in the long series between these two Ivy rivals, and the capacity crowd of 40,000 had a thrilling afternoon. Dartmouth lost the ball twice on fumbles when on the march in the first period, and right after the second of these Bobby Leo raced 64 yards for Harvard's first touchdown. Recovery of another Green fumble in the third period started the hard-hitting Crimson on the way to its second touchdown. Dartmouth, undaunted by the loss of some key players, played hard and well, but so did Harvard and it had the backs to take advantage of the breaks.

PENN GAME PARTY All alumni, their families and friends, are invited by the Dartmouth Club of Philadelphia to a cocktail party in the "Mummy" (Upper Egyptian) Room of the University of Pennsylvania Museum, directly across South Street from the south side of Franklin Field, immediately after the game. Admission is free and drinks are a la carte. Proceeds go to the Dartmouth Club of Philadelphia Scholarship Fund'.