The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-10-13

IT OVER
BY JOE WILLIAMS

EW 1Ofth, OCt. l5.--1ne army
1 ' has announced that a new
football coach will be in command
next season. This is the first def
mite break in tn personnel of east
ern coaches. At least two others
may be expected before the snow
flies, one at Fordham, the other at
Yale.
Up at West Point, 28-year-old
second lieutenant, Garrison H. Da-
wilson, of New York, replaces Ma
jor Ralph Sasse at the end of the
current season. at which time the
majors four-year detail at the mill
tary academy will have expired.
DR.. Mai stevens. the Yale coach. is ex-
pectcd 10 enter the practice OF meolciue
shortly after the season ENDS. There are
conflicting reports concerning the future
Of Major Frank CavanauRn at tordham
but the chances are he VIII not be back
due 10 falling health.
Unless Yale picks uD measUrably, II may
moi be hard for Stevens 70 tear himself
away from the BOYS in blue But IN the
case Of Cavanaueh the indications are that
Rated of the Bucknel game Fordham is
in for one of its greatest seasons.
Tho 1888 Army coach is not well known
10 the football audience. though he was
2 varsity end Tor three years. playing un-
der Captain John McEwan In 1924, %
and %. In short. Lieutenant Davidson
was not one Of those headline performers
He was lust a good seryiceable. intelll-
The Lieutenants appointment Is con-
sstent with the academy policy Of turn
ing the football squad over to graduate
9dS on 9' one GEL ioq P61er zoo Can e [T
hone 10 land though IN the stone-age
DAYS there we're exceptions.
4 LIEUTENANT DAVIDSON has
L. been active in West Point foot
ball continuously since his gradua-
ton, coaching the plebe ends, the
scrubs and such. In addition, he
has been in charge of scouting, spe-
cializing on Yale and Notre Dame
teams.
1t was in this capacity that he
caught the eye OF the football pre-
lates at the Point. A check back
over the Yale and Notre Dame
scores against the Army in recent
years shows that the Cadets we're
never disgraced One of the rea-
sons was the thorough manner in
which they had been secuted.
The lieutenant in physical appearance
fulhlls the popular conception of the mill
tary man. He is prematurely gray
Il got that way wondering what Rockne
was going to try next He is easy
to meet, pleasant of speech and as popu-
lar as any man on the post. The athletes
some me Of the news hounds we're trying to
get a background story about him-how
did he get where he is? What was his
greatest day on the gridiron2 What did
he think of Goona Goona2 And so on.
All the Lieutenant could remember was
that he had scored the first touchdown
ever made in Niche, stadium, which is
where the Cadets play their home games.
That was in 1924 in the dedicatory game
with Columbia; Pease of Columbia FUN
bled and Davidson recovered.
Yes. yes 90 on How far did you
It developed that the lieutenant, fell on
the ball at the vineyard line and rolled
comfortably over for a touchdown. Neat
but not gaudy-that's the young man
credo.
NOU may wonder why the acad-
i envy seemed to rush matters in
naming a coach for 1888 Since
Davidson will not take charge until
next spring why the early cere-
mony? 1 suspect it was a precau-
ton against uniformed criticism
in the event of an unsuccessful
campaign this year,
You see. not many people understand
that football coach at the Point is
subject TO orders from the war depart
ment that his detail usually is limited TO
four years. Some times it is possible to
extend the detail wear or so. In Major
sasse's case, he preferred to continue with
his soldering, without further delay.
Very likely with this in mind the
academy decided TO make sure that there
would be no misunderstanding on the part
OF the public WHY the Major gave up
coaching. and this regardless of whether
the team won all its key games or lost
them all. They have a way of looking
after their own in the army and. as YOU
can, see, even the football coach comes
In passing the major need make no
apology for his record as big time foot
ball coach. His 1880 team came mighty
close to being the best in the east. Last
year his team lost to Harvard by a point
tied Yale and was put to rout by Pitts
burgh's forward passes 200.
Few teams in history have ever made
such gallant comeback as did the Cadets
following that Pittsburgh massacre And
so the major advanced. He beat Notre
Dame 1910 and the Navy, 17-7. brilliantly
retrieving a season that appeared to be
hopelessdlv chaotic.