1938

The last time that we were toasting Whitey Mays at Oscar's hard by the Veterans Home Hospital at Rocky Hill, Conn., I turned to Dave Camerer '37, who acts as the catalyst for the group and also is author of "Candid Camerer" in the New Canaan Advertiser, and asked what he recalled about '38 football lettermen. The following arrived in the mail and I pass it along as Dave wrote it:

"You mean like in the Bowl your junior year when we beat Yale 11-7? How, during Yale's last huddle, right end Stink Davis strolled over, clapped Larry 'Kelley on the butt, and told him what to do in his helmet? With that exhibition of leadership I wasn't surprised when they elected Stink captain.

"Speaking of Warren King, before the Yale game he was so nervous he could hardly lace his cleats. Blaik and Company devised a 'Mouse Special' versus Yale. It was simply a broad reverse sweep with King the featured soubrette. When half the Indian line blotted out Kelley the first time Whitaker called K-39, King swept for 15 to 20 yards.

"Herb Christiansen? Near sighted as a bat, but from that deep hole on the trap plays up the middle, Herb was money from home.

"Roy Duckworth? After graduation in 1937 I wrote a note to line coach Harry Ellinger and suggested that he give Roy a full shot at Jack Williams's vacated spot with on the line blocking. As I recall, that '37 season, Cheeks played most of every game.

"Fred Hollingworth? Holly had the strongest and wildest arm with the exception of anybody that side of the Dodgers' Rex Barney five years later. Quiet, with that shy grin and general reserve, once hooked up with the sophomore cherry bomb, Bob McLeod, those two half-backs would turn it on.

"Fran 'Pop' Schildgen? Only slightly knock-kneed along with pins to match, for his weight (less than 190), Pop put out the same intensity and firepower, as my replacement at left tackle, as Gordon Bennett did. Perhaps Pop's most colorful comment occurred during the last quarter of the Harvard game (267). With Harry 'Heavenly' Gates raising vocal hell, on a Dartmouth goal line stand that held, a Cantab's helmet/heel smashed Pop's elegant schnoz with such force it geysered over the Soldier's Field five-yard line like Old Faithful!

"Bud Lynch, built along the same general, if smaller, wheelbase as Christiansen, was a mid-week shock trooper during those long and, at times, bitter scrimmages. Along with Whitey Mays and Lou Frick, they were the guys who made us work for whatever success we enjoyed.

"Larry Hull, of the rough-hewn structure, might have been the least excitable athlete in the class of '38. Turned off football and onto lacrosse his junior year.

"Each night during my prayers, when I come to the Dartmouth contingent, I ask that God continue to bless such departed football mates as Gordon Bennett, Latta McCray, Larry Hull, El Camp, Hank Whitaker, Johnny Handrahan, and Tony Geniawicz a winning team in any eldering Indian's memory!"

Thank you, Dave. The mini-reunion held September 30 to October 2 proved to be a great success, with more than 65 turning out for the occasion. Our thanks to Phil and Ginny Leach for a gala evening. And to Dick Francis, a magnificent chairman.

Among our travelers: Roger and Eva Buffinton of Tucson, Ariz., in a drawing at the Maine Lobster Company, won a free trip to the East Coast, meaning Lynn, Swampscott, and north. Fran Reilly flew to Vienna with his daughter and son in law and then drove down through Austria and the Adriatic Coast to Yugoslavia. Red Heath joined SpecHolmes (now known as Tom) in Colorado for an unusual fishing expedition.

The '38 golfers finished up the season at the Worcester Country Club with a record turnout of 15 '38ers, including yours truly. BobHallock was an excellent host. Bob Foley is now known as the "dirty hooker." The group will resume in the spring, by which time JackGraham will be back in shape.

The class of 1937 produced a fine showing at an informal mini-reunion at Cape Ann lastsummer. Present, from left to right, were Katie Brooks, Doug Butman, Jean Gray, Hal Putnam,Larry Brooks, AlGray, and Jane Brown; in addition, Marlene Putnam was part of the group butwas behind rather than in front of the lens.

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