South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-03-09
SPRING FOOTBALL
At NOTRE DAME
Practice Starts Next Week
Many of the Old Stars Are
Expected Back by Fall.

BY CHARLES n. GRIMES.
In the springtime. the poets say
the young mans fancy turns to
thinss far more romantic than base
bali That may be Coach Rockne's
reason for suggesting spring football
practice. Football, you know, ac-
cording to "footballers," is not MALT
so prosaic as baseball. FOR the past
week the diamond aspirants have
occupied the sporting stage at Notre
Dame. The spotlight will be shared
on a fifty-fifty basis commencing
Monday afternoon, when outdoor
spring football practice begins.
Spring ootOall practice notices
have been posted in all the halls.
Candidates for next years eleven
have been ordered TO report TO
Kockne at Cartier field Monday aft
ernOOn, and at least two score as
pirants are expected 70 respond.
Baseball and track activities will
keep about a dozen varsity candi-
dates out of the spring practice, but
the others must hit the dirt now al
most daily for a month or two.
Football is sort of habit at Notre
Dame. 1t is by far the most popu-
lar sport in which the university stu
dents engage. The practice this
spring Will be unusually important
because of the return of former
stars and the presence OF a coterie
Of newcomers. During the two war
years the eleven made a remarkable
record despite discouraging handi-
caps, but there is no gainsayipg that
there should be greater improve
ment in the team next year with a
lot of the old men back.
Spring practice usually gives
Coach ROckne a line on his new
men. Last fall freshmen were al
lowed to play with the varsity for
the first time in six years. but the
one-year rule went into effect again
in January. Since the close of the
football season last November sew
eraI freshmen of prominence have
entered school. Spring practice will
be the first opportunity Rockne gets
TO size up their wares. He can COM
pare them with the old timers, break
some of them of their prep school
style and teach them considerable
in the Notre Dame school of foot
ball before the spring training ends
'Wising" the candidates up on the
next seasons plan of battle IS per-
haps the one big end the coaches
have in mind in calling for spring
practice. They are able TO impart
a lot of information that would take
valuable time in early September
and practice in early season when
the weather is less suited for foot
ball than in the early spring.
Mcclure, Allison, Smith and Ba-
han, all baseball men, will be excused
from spring football practice. Ba-
han is captain of next years eleven.
Mcguire is a monogram line man.
Hard" Smith played in the back
field.
Tall competition is bound TO de-
/ velop for positions next fall. Mohn,
former South Bend high school star.
who won his monogram as a fresh
\ man last fall; Hunk" Anderson and
/ +. Anderson and Red" Crowley, all
| linemen and freshmen who have had
varsity experience, will be again
available. They will report for
/ spring practice. Trafton, husky
/ freshman, who played center on the
Camp Grant eleven, will also be a
/ candidate for the line.
The good news comes from France
] that at least eight former Notre
! Dame football men are planning TO
return TO the university as soon as
/ Uncle sam no longer needs their
! services abroad. Red Fitzpatrick.
who alternated at fullback when
| Bachman was shifted TO the line two
\ years ago, is anxious TO return. He
/ was commissioned in the first train
/ ing camp and has been overseas
about nine months. Chef Grant,
! former South Bend Y. VI. c. A. and
/ high school star. is anxious TO re-
\ turn. His brilliant field work in
/ 1915, when he and Phelan played
/ quarterback, was a feature of that
! seasons work. Capt. O'Hara. now
/ in the Army of Occupation, also
plans 10 return 10 Notre Dame when
his work is done in Germany He
/ played in the backfield on the 1916
4 eleven.
little Dutch" Bergman has one
\ year 10 go before graduation. should
\ he return next fall and display his
\ old time form, the hustling for a
/ backfield job is going 10 be mighty
/ smart. Kasper. another backfield
man, viii be back next year If all
\ goes well.
With the afore- mentioned old
timers back and ready for action,
| Rockne could grin. The going for
positions would be tough and Rock
would have a Job and a half on his
/ hands picking an eleven, but Jobs
\ fail 10 phase Rockne in the least.
I His job from next Monday on will
I be twofold, divided, if you will. be-
! tween the track men and the foot
I ball men. Hands full,-yes.
COSGROVE LEADS.
The ElkS three cushion billiard