Evening star., 1935-10-14
Virginia's Play Standout.


DEsPITE the power of lines and
~ dexterious versatility Of brilliant
backs, despite victories that come from
such a combination, it often is the
chance effort that catches the public
eye and lives beyond all else in a par
ticular contest.
Give just thought, as perfect
example, to that Virginia game
last week. Navy had the power. the
offense, versatile backs, everything
necessary to enable it to win decisive
~, but it was chance effort by Vir-
ginia that should cause that game to
be remembered especially in foot ball
history.
In the annals of the gridiron moth
ing more spectacular has ever occur
red than that play on which Virginia
gained los yards for touchdown.
Driven back against its own goal line,
Virginia lined up apparently to punt.
its kicker, Martin, was standing five
yards back of his own goal. ready, ap-
parently, to boot the ball far down
the field out of danger.
The ball shot back from center to
his hands. He held it momentarily.
poised as if to punt. when suddenly
he raised up and threw half lob
pass over the incharging ends head
to Males, quarterback, who had
sneaked out to open territory three
o. four yards behind where the de-
fensive end had been playing.
Males caught the ball and ran al
most without hindrance, without an
opponent close enough to attempt to
tackle him, until he reached the
<5-yard line.
There he performed such an un-
usual maneuver that it was remarked
in the stands, What is he running
into that Navy safety man for?"
But Males, with that keen insight
and quick reaction that only one man
in hundred has, saw, with Legs,
Virginia end, running close to him,
the possibility of a great play. He
deliberately ran straight at the Navy
man, but timing his effort perfectly.
turned back and stopped just as the
tackle was attempted, thus prevent
ing himself being thrown and giving
himself time and position to make a
lateral pass to Legs.
The Virginia end grasped the op-
portunity and cut across to the other
side of the field and down the sideline
to the goal for touchdown
Legs effort was the consummation
of one of the greatest plays foot ball
has known, or ever will know, as it
Is now played. Martin to Males to
Legs ought to go down in Virginia
sports traditions as 'Evers to Tinker
to Chance" has commemorated one
of the great combinations of the dia-
mond. Had that play at Annapolis
taken place in a game between Yale
and Princeton it would have made
lfoot ball history for the Nation.
Navy Has Bothersome Move.
IN REGARD to that Virginia
- game it is worth noting that Navy
used very successfully combination
of forward lateral passes not often
seen. The forward pass over the line
of scrimmage to tall end who then
laterals to a back who has swung
wide and beyond the line of scrim-
mage has become so usual that one
sees it in almost every contest, but
Navy was effective with decidedly
unusual variation of that.
Several times against Virginia, Navy
had employed for substantial gains a
short forward pass from the deep back
ii1a rf
scrimmage, the pass being made on a
fake sweep around end.
In the third quarter, though, when
Navy felt it needed few more points
and was opening up everything it had
It varied that by having the short
back, after he had taken the forward
from the deep back, return the ball by
O lateral to the deep back who had
continued his sweeping run to get
outside of the defensive end.
The play was begun and completed
behind the line of scrimmage and
caught Virginia entirely unawares for
Q long gain. This play in itself may
not be a consistent ground gamer for
Navy, but it will serve to keep the
secondary defense so worried that the
backs never will close in as fast to
stop the first part of the play, the
short shovel pass behind the line of
scrimmage.
ILLINOIS seems to be back on the
high road to foot ball fortune. Un-
heralded, Zuppke took his team to the
coast Saturday to bring back to the
Middle West the scalp Of Southern
California by the surprising margin Of
10 to 0. II Southern California did
not underrate Illinois, then other
Western Conference teams would do
well to gird themselves with I'll pos