Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-25
MARYLAND PICKED
TO DOWN HOPKINS
Contest, Though, Always Full
of Action-Viruinia Has
Its Annual Classics.
BY H. C. BYRD.

- entire South, ana IN some
i parts of the East, are put
ting on the finishing touches
for Thanksgiving day battles that
usually are the epics of their sea-
sons. In the South especially is
this true, as it is on this day that
many ancient rivalries are set
tied. In these games success for
the year either is won or lost, as
defeat almost ruins whatever tri-
umphs may previously have been
attained by the loser.
Closest to Washington are the two
oldest of such rivalries, those between
Maryland and Johns Hopkins and be-
tween Virginia and North Carolina. And
one of the next Oldest also is not much
farther away, Virginia Polytechnic In
Stitute and Virginia Military Institute.
ALI these are of such nature that for
the contending teams victory means al
most everything.
Maryland, for instance, might win
every game on its schedule, but then
lose to Hopkins, and it would feel that
It had done nothing. Virginia. has gone
through a very poor season, but give 1t
the long end of the score against North
Carolina day after tomorrow and the
year would take on a golden tint.
Maryland Is Favorite.
Maryland ought to win from Hopkins.
It has proved much stronger all dur
ing the year than the Baltimoreans.
and it would take an almost complete
reversal of form for the Old Liners to
go down before their ancient enemy.
However, that is not an impossibility, as
strange things happen on the gridiron.
Hopkins has a way of rising to real
and at times has done very unexpected
things. In 1923, for instance, Maryland
had beaten Penn and played an even
game against Yale, and nobody con-
coded Hopkins a ghost Of a chance.
But Hopkins got tie score, and came
within an ace Of winning.
And another thing, Maryland has
played through schedule in which
every game has been a hard game, and
q team than an earlier list of games.
However. that kind of a schedule also
has recompensing virtues, as it tempers
the mettle in a team and gives it a
kind Of strength that an easier schedule
never builds. In other words, the kind
Of schedule that Maryland has played
places q team under fire and gives it
experience that it gets in no other way.
The game between Maryland and
Hopkins always is interesting. 1t is
one of intense partisan interest, one IN
which followers of the two universities
have their greatest concern. 1t Is q
game that these followers go to see no
matter what the previous record of their
teams.
Virginia Is Underdog.
The records made by Virginia and
North Carolina are such that Virginia
would seem to be a rank outsider, but
II the Davidson game was a real
criterion then North Carolina must have
slipped somewhat in the last month
Davidson beat the Tarheels by one
point, and Davidson is not among the
four strongest teams in the section. It
would be great triumph for Virginia
to take fall out of the Chapel Hill
institution, and such an outcome is not
beyond possibility. However, on a basis
Of their october form, North Carolina
ought to win easily.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute is much
stronger than Virginia Military Insti-
tute, but may not win, at that. Bill
Raftery, coach Of v. NJ l.. is one of
the shrewdest men in the South
handling foot bali and often he has
outsmarted v. p. I. and won with a
weaker eleven. This happened two
years ago. He may do the same thing
again, although. right now potentially
v. p. I. Is much the better eleven,
Down In Georgia what should be a
great game Is scheduled between
Georgia and Alabama Both schools
are among the four strongest in the
South and the fame, especially If Ala
bama wins, will do more to decide the
Southern title than any other. Over
in Mississippi another contest between
rivals Of long standing is that between
Mississippi A. and M. and University
OF Mississippi. Both these schools have
had poor seasons, but everything will
be fne for the victor in their annual
meeting. Louisiana State University
and Tulane play the same kind OF a
game. AS q matter OF fact, probably
this game creates more ado than any
other In the South. 1t usually has the
whole State Of Louisiana by its ear for
o day or two before and a day or two
after. Tulane has had a great year 50
far, but II 1t Is beaten by Louisiana
State Thursday the bright year will be
turned to darkness.
Another Big Battle.
University or tennessee and Univer-
sity Of Kentucky also are scheduled 10
play Just such a contest. It was this
game which last year resulted in a tie
after Tennessee had gone through q
brilliant series of victories. The score
was to 6, and 1t was of this game that
Bob Neyland, coach of Tennessee, re-
marked, IT am glad that 1t was a tie,
as 1t will be good for foot ball, but, my
gosh, how wish we had got that extra
point"
The South features its long rivalry
games on Thanksgiving day, but there
also are such contests in other sections
The most outstanding of these are the
two battles in different ends Of the
State Of Pennsylvania. Cornell meets
Penn at Philadelphia and Penn State
plays Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh. Both
these games have been played for many
years and they represent everything
that long and bitter partisan rivalry or
the gridiron stands for In the way Of
intense interest and color.
OF the Cornell-Penn game, Romeyr
Berry, Cornell graduate manager, who
was here few days ago, said to thG
writer: I'VE feel that we have q much
better chance than. last year. The In
dications are that Penn ought to win
but we think we can win and viii Il
we get Q break or two" Pittsburgh
ought 10 take the measure Of Penn
State.
Georgia Tech and Florida meet a
Atlanta In n game that Shoiild he 4