OCR Text |
Show T) ED BLAIK'S brilliant Army football team is on the march again. With a record of 18 consecutive consecu-tive victories picked up in 1944 and 1945, Army's first team should carry it through another big year, even if its spotless record so far happens to be dented before December De-cember arrives. At least no one should expect any further wild romp-in romp-in s over surh , teams as Notre Dame, Michigan, Doc Blanchard Duke, Cornell, Columbia, Co-lumbia, Pennsylvania and Navy. "Our first line strength is extremely ex-tremely good," Red Blaik tells you, as he looks over his eager talent talent that includes such backfield stars as Blanchard, Davis, McWil-liams McWil-liams and Tucker. "But we are no longer three deep. We are no longer long-er even two deep. In addition to our starting backfield, which will match any in football, we have Fu-son Fu-son at center, Poole and Foldberg at ends and two good guards." As good as Blanchard and Davis are, they are not as likely to steal the entire show again from such fine backs as young Tucker at quarter and Shorty McWilliams at halfback. A look at the complete records in McWilliams' case proved the Army was entirely blameless in connection connec-tion with Coach McKean's charges from Mississippi State. It was McWilliams, Mc-Williams, backed up by his family, fam-ily, who wanted to come to West Point. McWilliams made application applica-tion while still in high school, before be-fore he ever entered Mississippi State. Letter after letter has proved this. The trouble started on his home furlough when rather luscious financial finan-cial inducements, apart from any Mississippi State official connection, were made. And don't believe this was the only large financial inducement induce-ment offered a college football player play-er this year. A Smart Choice McWilliams elected to stay at West Point of his own free will. It was a smart move in his case, as too many leaving service football have come under the gossip of ducking duck-ing the draft, whether or not the charges are true. I might add that his opponents will find the able entry from Mississippi is one of the best backs in football. He is a great kid with unusual ability. And if there is a better quarterback in college football than young Tucker, or a much better passer, I'd like to have his name. This year of 1946 may be the last season in some time that Army can field any winning team. 1 For one reason, too many colleges are paying good football players money that West Point and Annapolis Annapo-lis won't and have no desire to meet. For another reason, too many young men have no yearning yearn-ing to get up at 5 a. m. and work IS hours a day. It Is my belief that college pay- checks are going to lead to a national na-tional scandal unless there Is a sudden sud-den check. The fight for young stars, plus inducements offered, already al-ready have broken all past records. Athletic scholarships and jobs that can take a young fellow through college, are O. K. But not the substantial paycheck on the side, usually handled by keyed-up alumni. 'Back again to this 1946 Army squad In my opinion Army will have the best backfield in coDege football Blanchard, Davis, McWilliams and Tucker power, speed, smartness and spirit Once regain, keep a more open eye on McWilliams and Tucker. Tough Year for Army "This is the hardest year we've known since 1943," Blaik says. "Frank Lahey at Notre Dame is three deep with a flock of veterans who range back to his great team of 1943. Many have picked Notre Dame as the best team in football. It may be Pennsylvania will give us all the trouble we can handle. Navy had some hard luck in losing men, but Tom Hamilton will do a fine job with a squad that will give anyone a battle. "Few men on our squad," Red added, "have ever known defeat. They love footbalL They are all fine officer material, and that is what West Point is supposed to turn out. We can be beaten and we may be beaten, but unless we are handicapped by injuries to key men, it will take quite a team to turn the trick." At this point, Athletic Director Colonel Biff Jones was gazing moodily mood-ily into the autumn sky. "I was just thinking," he said, "that if we had enough parking space for the human body, we could play to at least 300,000 in the Michigan Michi-gan game, and over 800,000 in the Notre Dame and Navy games. We might do 300,000 in the Pennsylvania game. "You don't think so? Come along to my eflice and see the ticket requests re-quests already piled up. There were over 110,000 applications for ,the Michigan game early in June. - - - t t |