The Washington herald., 1911-11-05


last time his array
but full of pluck and
hOpe-the sort Of look hope to see on my generals
face when go out to fight"
Tom Brown at Rugby"
In most OF the larger colleges one always finds a
varying amount Of favortism shown to athletes and
particularly TO football That characteristic is
entirely missing at West Point. Athlete or no ath-
lete, the West Pointer must keep proficient in his
studies, for he knows that although he may be the
star on the football field he must do his class room
work satisfactorily. Every knows that studies at
West Point not the easiest and it is easy job
to prepare hard lessons after afternoons football
practice.
= Llishment of a Star End.
In the fall of 1909 of the ends for the West
Point team walking tours during the entire
True, his services were needed for he was
a star, but nothing could alter the order compelling
him to severe punishment No favorttsm existed
there. Football prowess could ouraAk the orders
Of the superintendent One can little appreciate the
feelings of this cadet who, walking tours, called
"area bird" he could hear the cheers and yels
from the football field.
Almost each year the cadets have to devise means
to make the best Of the short time allowed
them for practice. Some of their expedents
unique In 1905 the days began get shorter, the
night would fall early and would prevent further
practice. A half hour was lost each afternoon from
practice In order not TO lose this available time from
the small time allowed for practice the coaches caused
several footballs to be painted white and each after
noon after dark the teams continued their practice
and the precious half hour not lost.
At no other institution does the spirit of football
play important a part of the game as at the
academy. The corps know that their team has not
they-the corps-realize that they themselves must
stand behind that team and back it to the end
Really feature of football at West Point is the spirit
exhibited by the teams and by the corps This spirit
Is traditional and is called corps spirit Every cadet
has 1t instilled into him his entrance TO the
academy 1t is such spirit which, winning losing.
shows itself to the end. 1t Is spirit that makes
the cadet cheer their whether is losing
or winning. The corps stop cheering and
urging their team to the fight.
In 1908, at the Navy game in Philadelphia some one
started the words Fight Fight Fight" through the
West Point stands. Immediately it spread through
the corps, and all through the game the Stadium
with this stirring slogan 1t reached the
team and put spirit into their bodies. They won
the game by realizing that every In the corps
was behind them. What an incentive to a man to dc
bis best! In the yearly publication-the Howitzer-
at the academy in 1909 there appeared poem writ
ten the three words, right! Fight! FightT The
first verse tells of the game where the words orig
mated
Tense is the strain In the stands to-day,
Six to four and the Army leads!
And, charging in vain gainst the line of gray,
The shattered Navy attack recedes,-
For the thought that nerves every Armys son
Is not the renown Of an athletes might
But the call Of the CORPS that swells in one
Reverberant chorus, Fight! Fight! FightP"
OF course every one knows of the proverbaI rivalry
between West Point and Annapos-the Army and
he Navy game The "Navy game" is ''the" game,
nd In fact, the only game that is really coveted As
he coaches always tell the team, You're playing
ther games just to practise for the Navy There Il
My one game that you're after That game comes on
november "a and II you have any little kicks to make