Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-29
GRADUATES INTO ARMY.
Premier Athlete Of West Point Com
oletes Course.

New York. May 29.-1n the midst OF
strenuous war activity the United
States military ara denny will grad
uate one OF It's greatest athletes into
broader sphere Of battle when Elmer
@. Oliphant receives his diploma and
title OF lieutenant in the army within
the next few weeks Altho well
known athlete in the middle west when
ne left Purdue University in 1914 and
entered the West Point academy, 1t
was not until Oliphant donned the
cadet gray that he developed an
athletic reputation which made him
famous turnout the country.
The army school has produced many
prominent athletes in the past but few
IL any, ranked with Oltphant as an all
round star with a record covering al
most every variety Of competition
| which the military academy supports
In one respect his record is unique for
OHphant is the only cadet who has
ever graduated from West Point win
the honors Of having won the army
"a" in four different branches OF sport
He gained what, at the military acao-
envy, Is equivalent TO the varsity
letter in football. baseball, basketball
and fourth letter for establishing a
track record in competition. In addition
he participated in several minor sports
notably hockey.
It was as a football player, however
that Olpnant established his premier
| record. Aitho the war prevented the
possibility of his gaining the coveted
honor Of captain OF an army eleven
with a victory over the navy to its
Gre dit. he was an important factor IN
more than one such triumph and in
fact is one Of the few cadets graduated
from West Point who never saw theif
eleven defeated or held to tie by the
middies. During his four years at the
academy he scored 319 points Tor the
cadet elevens. In 1915 he made botn
touchdowns and kicked the resultant
goals which defeated the navy by
score of IA to and the following
autumn he made one touchdown and
kicked one goal from piaoement thus
totahng nine Of the fifteen points by
which the soldiers defeated the
midd!es Is to I. In 1915 he was SECOND
scorer among the eastern cohese
PLAYERS and last fall held third place
at the close Of the season.
In many respects he was replica o.
Charley Daily, who entered West Point
from Harvard and continued to i'm
prove upon a football playing reputa-
ton already established before ne
Joined the cadet ranks. Oliphant was
terror when carrying the bali. DEN
exceedingly hard to tackle, dut TO nus
elusive dodging and footwork, ar 9 snl
harder to stop once he was IN \ the
clutches OF the tackler. He was equally
good in rounding the end with or with
out interference and could pick hole
in the dine and smash or slip thru witt
almost uncanny ability. Once loose IN
| a broken field he was one OF the hard
est players Of the modern game tc
stop, as scores Of opponents have tes-
titled.
oliphant was captain Of the 1917
academy football team and also tht
leader Of this seasons baseball. team
altho he did not take part In many
games owing to the intensive nsinine
and scholastic work made necessar,
by the fact that the class = 70 q
graduated almost two months ahsaH
OF the regular sdhsduaa WAAn ~
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