The White Falcon - 01.01.1944, Síða 6

6
Year 1943 Was
Unpredictable
By Gene Graff
A war-time year is certain to
produce unpredictable sports e-
sults, but 1943 had more than its
share of upsets and oddities
created by the shift of Ameri-
can athletes into the -wmed for-
ces or to other college campuses.
Perhaps the strangest of all
was the effect the Navy’s colle-
giate training program had on
football. Michigan turned up
with Bill Daley, Elroy Hirsch
and others to present a formid-
able array of “foreign” talent;
Purdue was equally as fortunate
ia the transfer of experienced
college gridders, and other grid-
iron powers also benefited han-
dily from the shuffle of colle-
gians.
But when it comes to believe-
it-or-nots, we’ll take the case of
Vic Schwall—who won athletic
letters at two different schools
for the same sport during the
same season! Schwall was a
freshman backfield mainstay at
Northwestern U. until Uncle Sam
hauled him into the Navy; then
he was assigned to DePauw,
where he also made the team.
•
Yesterday’s dying gasp b£ ol’
man 1943 ended a year of sad
CKperleaces for several notorious
athletes. Barney Ross, the cou-
rageous fighter-turned-Marine, is
fighting for his life in a GI hos-
pital; Tommy Harmon, Michi-
gan’s former grid star, twice has
tnrned up to surprise the world
after plane crashes; the Boston
Red Sox stumbled into seventh
place ia the American League
standings, and Bill Cox lost his
hold oa the Philadelphia Phils.
Alsab's injury, which sidelined
the fleet racer most of the sea-
son, was a disappointment for
racetrack fans, and Tony Galen-
to’s “comeback” left an unplea-
sant odor in Florida which even
the enterprising Chamber of
Commerce can’t fumigate. And
whatever happened to Lem
Franklin, Negro puncher once
touted as Joe Louis’ probable
successor?
The local scene was not with-
out its share of athletic surprises
either, with only one pre-tour-
ney favorite—the experienced
Infantry Blue Devils football
squad—winning the champion-
ship as expected. What will hap-
pen during the current basket-
ball scramble is still problema-
tical, of course, but don’t be
amazed if one of the unknowns
slips through to capture the title.
The same Air Force Eagles
who are hot on the trail of the
cage crown figured in one of the
year’s major reversals in Iceland,
bowing to the Infantry Anti-
Tankers last season after appa-
rently having the game won.
They already have one red-lined
game this season, that 39-36 set-
back by the Blue Devils—after
opening a 12-point lead early in
the second half.
That episode, however, was
mild compared to the roughhouse
treatment incurred by the Spe-
cial Service Racers in the IBC
softball finals. The Racers enter-
ed the playoffs unbeaten and
considered too imposing for the
Headquarters Jacks, but when
the smoke hhd cleared the Ra-
cers were down for the count and
the Jacks possessed the cham-
pionship.
New boss of The Phils—Bob Carpenter, telephoning, is shown
at the baseball meetings in New York with two of his scouts,
Ted MeCrew, left, and Cy Morgan. Carpenter is 26 years old.
Sideline antics such as this cartwheel turn the cheer-leading
spotlight on Ruth Driftman, who does her stunts for Steinmetz
high in Chicago. (International).
Fans Have
Choice Of
Four Bowls
The national championship
won’t be at stake in today’s
Bowl games, even though two of
the competing teams enter the
big New Year’s Day battles un-
defeated, but because Americans
go for football like the Russians
go for Vodka all "four Bowls are
expected to be jammed to near
! capacity and millions will have
their ears to radio descriptions
of the games.
The New Year’s Day football
prize packages will see Louisiana
State opposing Texas A. and M.
in the Orange Bowl, Southern
California tangling with the U.
of Washington in the Rose Bowl,
Georgia Tech against Tulsa in
the Sugar Bowl and the fliers of
Randolph Field battling it out
with the U. of Texas in the Cot-
ton Bowl.
Only unbeaten eleven in to-
day’s action are the Wash-
ington Huskies and Tulsa. The
Huskies played only four games
this season, while Tulsa hasn’t
too great a claim to fame because
their schedule was none too rig-
orous.
Infantry Sinks Navy
To Remain Unbeaten
Hoopsters in the IBC basketball
whirl at the Andrews Memorial
fieldhouse are rapidly approach-
IBC Biffers
To Compete
In Tourney
Knockout artists of the IBC
will pitch leather for a possible
trip to the British Isles Jan.
18—19 when the Command-wide
boxing tournament is staged in
the Andrews Memorial field-
house.
Although no official word has
been received from ETO athletic
officers, it is anticipated that
champions of the Iceland glove-
fest will be invited to compete
against GI titlists in Britain. A
similar tourney is now in pro-
gress there.
Local favorites who have dis-
played their talents during the
popular boxing shows at the
fieldhouse will battle in the open
division. Entrants will be group-
ed in the eight standard weight1
classes.
If there is sufficient interest
to warrant it, a novice tourna-
ment also will be offered. Sol-
diers who never before have
fought in a regulation bout will
be permitted to enter this divi-
sion.
The deadline for entries is
Jan. 15. Ringmen interested in
participating should submit their
applications to unit Special Ser-
vice officers, who will forward
them to Base SSO.
ing the home-stretch of their
preliminary shooting, with most
The most promising game of
the day seems to be the Sugar
Bowl clash between the Rambling
Wrecks of Georgia Tech and un-
beaten Tulsa. The Wrecks, even
though beaten by Notre Dame,
Duke and Navy are the favorites.
of the attention focused on the i Led by Eddie Prokop, one of the
“major league” H League race.
Two quintets from the H
scramble will advance to the
playoffs and unless there is a
series of startling upsets before
the clubs reach the wire, one of
them is certain to be the talent-
ed Infantry Blue Devils. The Dev-
ils, who walloped the Navy Haw-
keyes, 61-20, Wednesday night,
extended their record to four
straight victories and the only
unbeaten slate.
At present, the Air Force Eagl-
(Continued on Page 7)
best backs in the country, the
Georgia boys have improved rap-
idly since the start of the season.
Out at Pasadena the roses are
expected to be just as pretty
as ever—and some folks have
gone so far as to say they will
smell much sweeter than the
game between Southern Cal and
Washington. The Trojans have
been bopped twice, 10 to 7 by
San Diego Naval, and 35-0. by
March Field, while the Huskies
are practically untested with only
four games under their belts.
Jack McDonald of the New York Rangers is knocked out dur-
ing a melee before the cage during game in New York. Toronto
Maple Leafs put the kayo on he Rangers, winning 5 to 2.
/