Evening star., 1932-11-04

"
Y the November foot ball
trail, we've come to the
stage in the season when mental
values assume very nearly as
much Importance as the physical.
In other words, as the headline
writer's have it, "old man psychol-
ogy" will win and lose a lot of
games in the next month. Men,
tai stamina begins now to play its
major part.
In the several outstanding battles
scheduled for the East tomorrow, that
mental phase may be expected to work
havoc with the so-called dope. The
under dog on the gridiron is very
dangerous canine.
Some very fine foot ball teams will
be under dogs on the Eastern gridiron.
There is the Army-Harvard battle at
Cambridge, for instance. While Army,
with one of the finest cadet teams in
years, must be the choice on form, I
believe Harvard will bounce back with
a crashing type of game that may make
the battle one of the most spectacular
of the day.
If the Crimson were more plentifully
supplied with reserve material to
strengthen three or four key positions
III which regulars are in doubtful physi-
cal condition, l should call the game
little more than toSS-up. AS it Is, the
Army seems to carry just bit too much
man power. But the Cadets, who look
good to ME to drive through the re-
mainder of their season undefeated,
cannot afford to let down for an in
slant.
THE Penn-Pitt battle at Philadelphia
i is another in which psychology may
well play part. The Panthers
scaled the gridiron heights last week in
their victory over Notre Dame, but it is
more difficult to keep foot ball team
at the top than it is to climb there.
Penn has come along steadily behind
line that, from tackle to tackle, is a
great combination.
do not believe the Quakers reached
their top against either Dartmouth or
Navy particularly in the matter Of
scoring punch. Pitt, suppose, deserves
to be the favorite, but it will be no
stunning surprise to me to find my old
alma mater crashing through, particu-
larly if a little more punch can be de-
veloped within the 20-yard line.
In the Fordham-St. Mary'S battle in
New York, the coast-to-coast intersec-
tional tussle of the day, Fordham will be
a dangerous under dog. 1t is true these
West Coast teams usually have seemed
to hit their best stride in the East,
buoyed up by the adventure of travelling
from one seaboard to the other for a
game.
But Fordham, young team of al
most boundless power, which has been
handicapped thus far by inexperience,
may come swapping back to be almost
unbeatable, even in the face OF so fine
a St Marys line and such backs as
Brovelll, Baird and Nichelini
THE same point applies to the Co.
L lumbia-Navy game at Annapolis,
the contest in which I am more
than casually interested. 1t is true,
that On the seasons form Columbia
should have the edge. But Navy teams.
I have found, are especially dangerous
when backed up to the wall.
Our problem at Columbia this week
has been to avoid a reaction following
the Cornell game, with unbeaten
Brown only a week away. The uncer-
tain physical condition of Montgomery
and Dzamba, two important cogs In
our attack, and the scarcity of re-
serves. have made things more critical
Columbia is expecting a scrap every
inch of the way at Annoplis and that
Is the best I can say.
The Brown-Holy Cross game at
Providence will be straight battle of
two unbeaten teams. Brown, am con-
yinced, is one of the very best in the
East-fast, shifty, smart, well coached.
The Bears exploits thus far in beat
ing Harvard and Yale have been some
what more notable than Holy Cross,
but the Purple has a fine. powerful
squad of players well drilled In the
double wingback attack.
HOLY Cross is a team which, think,
has been content to get by with small
score victories while saving most OF its
stuff for the big November tests, one
of which is this one with Brown. l
give Brown an edge, but it can be any
body's game. Holy Cross was the WIN
ner by $50 last year.
NJ Y. U. and Georgia have each come
IN. down few notches from the peak
they enjoyed when meeting IN
their intersectional games OF other
wears. I shall not be surprised to nnd
the New Workers clicking to reveal all
the power that is there against COM
paratively green Georgia outfit. How
ever, this young Georgia team packs
speed in such backs as Mott and Key
and has developed rapidly in the last
month. It's another toss-up. with Geor-
gia getting perhaps just shade.
Meanwhile, Yale will be idle, Prince
ton gets a bit of breather with Lehgh,
after its man-killing october program,
and Dartmouth, Cornell, Syracuse and
Colgate all have games they should win
Two of the days closest will be Lafa-
Rutgers and Boston College-Vnla-
nova:
Georgetown, launching its new coach
ing regime under Jack Hagerty, meets
tough foe in West Virginia, but may
surprise.
The Duquesne-W. & J. meeting has
me guessing, although 1 should say Ell.
mer Layden's Duquesne outfit snoulo
have a Slight advantage.
In tonight's games. Temples powerful,
vell-coached outfit should have no great
trouble with Haskell, while George
Washington should win with something
to spare over North Dakota State.
tcopyright, 1882 by North American News
paper Alliance, Incl