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Show Fulfillment By KARL GRAYSON Associated Newspapers. WNU Features. EDWARD HALEY went to college col-lege for a definite purpose to play football. The first thing he learned after entering Colton college was that he couldn't play unless his marks were good. Second, he wouldn't even be considered for the varsity until his second year. Third, he had a lot of competition there were some 300 huskies out to make the team', and only about sixty to be chosen. Fourth, he had to possess pos-sess unusual strength, skill and ability abil-ity in order to receive the plaudits of the crowds. It wasn't like being back in Wellsville. There he had been a star. There were only fifteen players. And during a game, the stands cheered him every time he picked up a ball. The cheers were music to his ears. But because Edward had his heart set on becoming a big football foot-ball man, he aimed to overcome the obstacles that stood in his way. And he succeeded remarkably. remark-ably. His scholastic standing was low, but it made him eligible eligi-ble for the team. He spent a long, weary year waiting for his sophomore term to roll around, and then went out to make the team. The energy and eagerness eager-ness he displayed, coupled with a fundamental knowledge of the game, won him a place on the subs. Edward was proud and reasonably happy, but by no means content. The first year he wasn't allowed to It wasn't like being back in Wellsville. Wells-ville. There he had been a star. play in a single game. There were others much better, much more skilled. The second year Coach Shore gave him a chance early in the season. sea-son. He was sent out to substitute for a regular in one of the minor games. Colton was well in the lead when Edward joined the lineup, and he knew that Coach Shore was giving giv-ing the substitutes a chance to get into a real game, with not much to lose if they blundered. But Edward didn't care. He saw the great crowds, felt the old thrill and determined deter-mined to make the best of his opportunity. op-portunity. The quarterback gave Edward the ball on the very first play. He sprinted with it around left end and made a three-yard gain before being be-ing tossed. Well satisfied with himself him-self Edward stood up, unconsciously listening for the cheers of the crowd. But the crowd was silent. This, to them, wasn't anything to get excited about. Indeed some of them were already leaving the stands. Edward felt sick. He wasn't used to this. He was used to hearing hundreds of spectators bellow his name after such a play. Here thousands were silent. si-lent. It unnerved him. The next play went to him and he fumbled. fum-bled. The opposition recovered, and for the first time in his life Edward heard himself being razzed by an ungracious crowd. Two more plays and the game ended. Edward walked from the field sick at heart, utterly dejected. During the winter that followed and the next summer Edward Haley struggled to overcome the thing that had lost him his great opportunity. Without a thought of giving up, more determined than ever to attain tile goal he had aimed at when first coming to college, Edward reported for early training and when the squad trotted out on the field for the first game of the season his last season Edward was with them. He tried not to listen for the acclaim of the crowds. He tried to sit through the game without having a desire to rush up to Coach Shore and plead for a chance to show what he could do. The season progressed with Colton piling up victory after victory. It began to look as though they were going to wind up the season without a defeat. And it began to look as though Edward Haley was going to wind up his college football without being given another opportunity to play. Edward tried to grin and bear it. And yet he knew that if the season ended without a chance being offered him, he'd never finish the college term. He'd quit and go to dig ditches somewhere. Colton had reached the end of its schedule and was playing its final Eame, the Big Game, with Swain, its greatest rival. Edward wai still on the substitute list. He was morose as he sat there with the other oth-er subs, watching the varsity go into action. And yet, secretly, he wanted want-ed Colton to win. He couldn't help wanting her to win. But from the start it appeared that Swain would smash Colton's record. The players managed to roll up six points in the first quarter quar-ter and another six in the second. Both attempts to kick the goal failed. The third period netted neither nei-ther team a tally, but the Colton outfit was looking rather sick. Man after man either had limped or been carried from the field. Swain apparently ap-parently was out for vengeance. It was about the middle of the last quarter when Coach Shore called Edward. At first Edward could scarcely believe his ears. "Listen, Haley," the coach said. "Taylor, who's now playing play-ing left half, is about shot. I've got to take him out and there's no one else to put in but you. It's your chance. Go to it!" "Okay, Coach." Edward was a little dazed, but he donned his helmet and went out to relieve re-lieve Taylor. Up in the stands the crowd idly noticed the substitution. As far as they were concerned the game was over. And Colton was on the tail end. There wasn't a chance. Many had already begun to crowd toward the exit tunnels. Yet several thousand thou-sand remained, more interested in watching the score board behind the goal posts, which flashed at regular intervals the scores of other contests con-tests being held throughout the nation. na-tion. Suddenly a roar broke from the crowd. The score board had flashed the news that Yale had scored a touchdown. Down in the field Edward Haley had just taken the ball from the quarterback and was sprinting around, left end. He heard the roar of that crowd and thrilled. At last! He was attracting some attention! They had recognized his genius. They were spurring him on to victory. vic-tory. Edward's heart pounded joyfully. Grimly he set his teeth. He lowered low-ered his head and plunged. Five, ten, fifteen, twenty yards. A Swain man was veering close. Edward's free arm shot out. He heard the dull thud as his opened palm connected. con-nected. Then he looked up and his pulse leaped. The field was clear! He was away! Up the field he plunged, madly, frantically. Swain men were at his heels, but they'd never catch him now. Over he went.. A touchdown! The roar of the crowd was deafening. deafen-ing. They were still roaring when Captain Phelps kicked the goal and brought the tally up to 12 to 7, in favor of Swain. Edward trotted back down the " field. He looked at the crowd and smiled. He was happy. He knew that they expected him to push over that winning touchdown. He wanted want-ed them to. They were lined up again. The quarterback was barking the signals. The ball was going to Edward. He set his teeth. He heard the crowd roar. And he knew even before the ball reached his hands, he was going go-ing to make it. Nothing would stop him now. Nothing! And nothing did. Edward was handed the ball in the next three plays, and each time he plunged nearer and nearer the goal line. The screech of the referee's whistle sounded in his ear just as he passed over the chalk, bringing Colton to victory. And this time, as Edward turned and trotted back down the field, he heard them shout his name: "Haley! Haley! Haley! Yeah, Haley!" |