1941

Athletics have always played a prominent role in Dartmouth life. And I must confess that their football team's notoriety in the days of Morton and McCall attracted me to apply for admission in 1937. The basketball fame of Al Bonniwell and Art Toan also got my attention in those days.

Upon arrival in Hanover I was fortunate to make the freshman basketball squad and to play in the shadow of the incomparable Gkus Broberg . Then and now Gus cemented his place as an All-American both on and off the basketball court.

The class of '41 has contributed nine men to the Wearers of the Green honor roll. Besides Broberg , who led the 1941 team to the national finals, we had Bill Clark, captain of the golf team and a consistent winner of individual matches. And in the realm of soccer, Jake Gidney was honored for leading his team to win or tie all but one game of the season. The single loss was due to a penalty kick in the last seconds that broke a tie in favor of Wesleyan. The team even held a superior Yale team to a 1-1 tie, mainly due to the efforts of All-American goalie Red Munroe. Red's determination on the soccer field was later reflected on the WW II battlefield, where he was awarded posthumously the Silver Star for gallantry in action as a company commander in the Third Armored Division.

Another champion was/is Charlie McLane, captain of the excellent ski team and a consistent scorer in all events. After graduation the army recognized his ski talents and made him an offer he couldn't refuse, being ski instructor to the fledgling troops in the newly formed 10th Mountain Division.

Bill Meyer, an All-American fencer, had the onerous task of coaching the members of the Fencing Club as well as winning individual tides himself. His efforts in leading the team were rewarded when the Athletic Council recognized fencing as a Dartmouth sport in 1940.

The list of outstanding athletic performers goes on: middle distance runner DickHoward, captain of both the indoor and outdoor track teams and winner of the Most Improved Award; Werner Neudorf, dedicated football player named winner of the Michelet Award as the most valuable member of the JV squad; John Kelley hockey star, playing offense and defense in the memorable Cornell 5th Down game; LouYoung, providing inspirational leadership for the class on and off the football field; Cam Hosmer, Dick Darbee, and BobBaker, stalwart lacrosse players; JackDelander, hard-working captain of the Rowing Club's eight-man crew, just to name a few of the many fine athletes in the class of 1941.

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