| Show j Backseat Driving i ii t 1 J I Utes Need Spark Plug 1 I I Good or o Great 1 I By FRANK K K BAKER BAKERI I i i Telegram Sports Editor I 1 Inspiration Helps Players 1 Give That Well T ell Known Extra Ounce i Maybe there's theres a n lot of bunk In th the old college spirit No doubt perspiration Is worth more than Inspiration Certainly a steady current 1 of electric influence is more effective over oyer the thc haul than thana a few flashes of lightning Theres There's no bett better r proof of the steady influence than t I Utah's prolonged reign over the Rocky mountain mountain grid gridirons grid grid- irons fran rons under the gul guidance lance ance of Ike Armstrong Nevertheless consider some of these circumstances or developments i Yale's football forces haven't had the same drive since the mighty might atom Albie Booth kicked his last l field goal for a long sought triumph over Harvard 1 i Neither have the football teams at Notre Dame had t quite the same fire tire that earned them the title of the dynamic personality that l. l s si i c Fighting Irish since p i 1 was ws Coach Knute Rockne J passed b yond the yell veil I t The Yankees have gone downhill with Babe BaC Ruth p no longer able to set the main pace it 4 The American Davis cup forces have gOU gotten 11 noI nowhere nowhere no no- I f.- f. where since the departure of or Big Bill BUl Tilden And the Giants did not look or act like a 1 pennant f contender until a magnetic young gent named John Johnr r sg Collins Ryan ambled along to help Bill Terry gal- gal Kramer the outfit The fact fad Is that few tew great achievements In sport have been posted without the ability of ari alj an individual to draw on some some extra resource of spirit In an emergency or to stir sUr a set of performers to a pitch Ditch they did not realize was WM in them Three years ago aro It was a Jerry Smith who had the courage to come through h with the basket in the last hair when Utah beat Wyoming for the conference basketball title Only last spring it was a a. limping Elwood Etwood Romney who Tho told his lits Cougar mates to forget ferret Wyoming WyomIng's 12 point It lead and lead and then ret ut a din pace as ham Young came from behind to brine bring the basketball crown back to the western division again Co Confidence Cide Helps Men len Reach Heights of Performance H Harvard's Gerry Cassedy one of the great college stroke oars of modem modem modern mod mod- em ern times entertained the firm finn conviction that no Yale boatload could I ever get out of his fils sight when It came to the finishing drive Unquestionably Unquestionably Cassedy's confidence had as much to do with Harvard's triumphs tn- tn at New London the last three years ears as his setting pace talents and nu stamina Until Blondy Ryan talked his teammates into the Ule pennant frame of ol mind last spring and then sprang his ringing slogan They cant can't beat beatus us I dont don't think even Terry himself was convinced he had more than Ulan an outside chance to win the National league championship much less take the world series No o matter how bow much influence the players pL get Id from their coach on the bench it is the confidence they have in one of ot their num number r on the field that lifts JUts an ordinary team tram into the rank of the greats Last season it was Frank Frnnk Chris Christensen the captain who was the spark plug plus for Utah's football machine Chris was not a a brilliant Signal barker Of 01 necessity Frank called the plays for a few tames fames until Sleater could be more adequately schooled school for tor the job but it came close to spoiling a great back to make an ordinary quarter The team had bad been developed around Chris Chris' ability to do things his his pun tine his bs plunKing and his blocking He avoided many chances to call calI his own assignments and the attack suffered Finally Sleater was ready to call c. the signals Chris went back backI I to his regular job The rest of the team had Jr ater confidence In that arrangement There Is no doubt that they performed their bits of assistance just a little better because of that assurance in their husky leader and both Chris and Sleater earned conference nil honors because of it f Ch Champion R Redskins Need Successor 1 To Take Christensen's Place When this years year's edition of the Redskins finds Its Albie Booth Frank Prank I Jerry Smith or Elwood Romney it too will wm be a great team J It is already a good club rich in individual ability witha well liked captain in Hack at end It has ha the same coaches coaCh who piloted it ito to the heights last season and these coaches are just as capable as before J There is little room to criticize a team with the man power and th the versatile ability of or this years year's Utah team which is still unbeaten in the conference It is interesting though to 00 wonder just how great the team I Ican can be when it finds the proper spark plug That spark plug will develop as soon as some player acquires the polish of extreme success in his duties Maybe It'll be a sophomore like c Sid Kr Kramer er or Bill Cowley Unconsciously hell he'll acquire the ithe confidence ence and the leadership of 01 his mates Like Blondy Blonds Ryan hell he'll be able to say Were in in Im I'm on m my r way and the rest of the team will believe completely they'll riseA rise rise- A s to great heights |
