The Washington times., 1913-09-24
ARMY HAS WEALTH
OF FOOTBALL MEN
Prospects of Winning Team
at West Point Seem Good
for This Year.
SOME GAPS TO BE FILLED
Competition Is on for Filling Of
Center, Left Vacant by|
PurneII.

WEST POINT, n. Y, Sept. A.-The
Army football team has finished its
third week of practice on the gridiron
in preparation for the opening game
Of the season. There is plenty Of ma
terial for Head Coach Charles DAILY
to whip into shape, although the big
squad which reported 142 strong two
weeks ago has been cut almost in half.
Sixty men were taken to the training
table in the mess hall this week by
Harry Tuthill, the Armys trainer. This
viii constitute the Army squad GsSsf for .tes the
went to the Cullum hall squad, from
which the Army develops its football
material each year. These men work
out all season under the watchful eye
of officers, former football stars, on
duty at the Academy as instructors.
Much good material comes from the
Cullum squad each year.
Lieutenant DAILY has some able assn-
tants in his coaching department. Lieut..
best end coaches in the country class
mate of Daly's in the West Point 90
class, is here, all the way from tne
Presidio. at San Francisco. to LOOK
after the Army ends; Lieutenant Sultan,
'O7 tackle, and Pullen, 10. the big Alas
kan, are coaching the candidates for line
positions, while Stearns, 0, and SUI
well, '05, will assist DAILY In the oeVetop-
ment of backs. Capt Ernest Graxes,
who was the Army's head coach last
year, and captain of the Army team OF
1905. will report on october to assist
sultan and Pullen in the work with the
linemen.
Several Gaps To Fill.
There are several gaps to fill in the
Army team this year. Devore and
Keyes, who made names for them
selves at football here; Purnell, last
years center, and Gillespie, Capt
Benny Hoge's partner at end, all
went out with the class that was graou-
ated last June. Still the critics here
feel that never were chances any
selves at West Point this year.
Deyore was not up to his 1911 form
last season. Only the fact that he was
captain of the team gave him the call
over big Weyand in the tackle posi-
tion last year As it was, Weyand was
shifted to a guard position at the last
moment The latter Is back at tackle
this year, and unless academic marks
keep him out of the lineup is likely TO ,
be heard from before the season is very
Ear advanced.
PurnelPs place at center is being con-
tested for by two good men in Waddell
and McEwan. The former has played
for two years on the scrubs He is fast
and knows the game, but is somewhat
light, weighing about 1l2 pounds. Nc !
Evan Is a newcomer. He is ''plebe"
who was admitted in June, one of the !
biggest men in his class, standing six |
feet and weighing close to 200. He has |
had couple of years experience at the |
University of Minnesota, where he play |
e1 substitute center. McEwan is un- |
ouestionably the fastest man in the !
Army line, bar none.
Markoe will probably get Gillespie's |
end position. He is big and fast and |
works srlendidly with the forward pass |
formation, which promises to be one OF !
the chief reliance in the Army's attack |
this year. Merrillat is another aspirant |
for the end position. There is little TO |
choose between these two men. Both /
have had a couple of seasons expert J
ence and are powerful and fast.
Need For a Kicker.
One Of Daly's principal tasks this
year will be to develop a kicker for the |
Army. Three men are getting special |
attention in this department of the |
game. They are Hooker. Hodgson, P. |
A. and Hobbs. The former is the |
record holder for the hammer throw at
West Point and is a powerful runner |
He has, however, developed wonderful |
ly in his punting. If Hooker gets a |
regular berth in the Army's backfield |
he is likely to get the punting job, too. |
Hobbs IS the Army's south-foot kick
er, the only one ever developed here. !
He did good work during the early part |
Of last season, but slowed up in his |
punting toward the finish. Hodgson, |
who played in the Army backfield two |
years ago, but was out of the game |
all last season because of rheumatism, |
is making a game fight with Hooker for |
the punting honors. He has returned |
to form and will no doubt be seen often |
in the cadets lineup this season.