Evening star., 1935-11-28
INSTALLMENT XVI.
4. NNo HAAAINhL4NA AVAs
IT WAS Spikes contention, born OF
= long experience and astute OBJ

long experience and astute OBJ
servation, that the longer q man
i played foot ball the less inclined
re was to go at things-particularly
Calisthenic drills-with q vigorous
attitude. Sophomores were fine. They
were enthusiastic and ambitious. The
juniors were a little lax. Unconscious
ly they merely tended to go through
the motions, conserving their efforts
for the scrimmages and the big games.
But the seniors-they were wretched.
They loafed as much as they could
and Spike felt it was his duty to check
Gp on them.
The very moment the squad set
foot on the field Spike lined them up.
Everybody on your back" he shouted.
Nov stick out your arms. Feet to-
.gether and raise them over your
head. Ready! One two
81. one two one two
:. :. one two >. Hey! C'mon, you
birds, begorra, keep 'em up there
One . two All right, turn on
your bellies Hands behind your
back feet and heads up at the
same time . way up now .
Ready! -. One :. two one
two
s The players needed every call,
.thrusting their heads and feet up un-
til their packs ached. For IS minutes
Spike sent them through his pet tricks
He felt that he could get team IN
shape better than any trainer and
coach living. And he was pretty nearly
right. Exhausted and hoping for a
.rest, every one of the players was
waiting anxlously to hear Spike say,
f'That's all for while" But Just when
they thought they were through he
said loudly. with just a note of for
givable vengeance in his Gaelic
speech -. "On yer fate now, and
take five fast laps. E. Get agoin' and
don't let me see you loafing. The last
man Of va gets an extra lap"
After a while Coach Bertwel as
sorted the candidates into their re-
spective groups. The tackles, the
guards, the ends, the backs all were
singled out and told to respond in
groups when called iii the future.
: 1t was a weary crew that ran to the
showers that morning. An hour and a
half after lunch the same session was
repeated. Spike was at it again, hand
Ing out his punishment aplenty. Sure
and it win do yez a lot of good" he
exclaimed as he saw some of the fel-
lows groaning and straining under the
pressure of the drill. It'll teach va
all to kape away from pie and ice
cream, late hours and dancing in yer
Summer vacations"
, Chuck couldn't understand why the
drills came so hard to him after his
arduous Summer He tired quickly
and his arms. legs and back ached
him painfully before Spike was
Through. The other fellows must be
a lot worse off than am, he thought,
except those who kept training all
Summer.
= After dinner that night the squad
wandered back toward the gym.
Every one was weary. For a time
they gathered in groups and chatted,
hummed and whiled the time away
for an hour or two. Gradually they
turned in. Tubby and Chuck chose
two cots in the same corner. They
scarcely said a word. Both were all
tagged out and anxious to get to
sleep.
About 7 the next morning, there
was a terrible groaning from the re-
gion of Tubby's cot. "Oh >. oh
he yelled. II must have strained my
epiglotamus :. Better call Doc Over
ton. I'll never be able to get out of
this bed Spikes ruined me. I'm
-stiffer than a board"
Spikes ruined all of us, if you
ask me. My back feels as though
some one hit me with a base ball
bat" some one shouted from the other
side of the gym.
Nice fellow, Spike"
yeah, a grand guy"
Some one ought to drop log on
his head"
Make out wouldn't like to-
:: Just then Spike appeared In the
doorway. 80 that's the way yer feel,
Is it?' he said, unable to restrain a
smile. We'll, va haven't had sam
: pie yet of what's a-comin' to you.
Fine foot ball players you fellows are,
accomplishing and a-grunting over a
little exercise"
Have heart, Spike"
/. "C'mon now, up with every one Of
you. You're due at breakfast in 20
minutes. Extra laps for the late
ones"
: Chuck was all tied up. So was
every one else. His muscles ached all
over. Boy, what a workout he gave