Imperial Valley press., 1936-12-13
Bench
Warming
BY BURDETTE KINNE
Post-Press Sports Editor

III fGNleWlilS Tie 1SoO NdllCy INV
ball season (and I can't seem to
Quit reviewing ID the name Of one
player stands out above all others.
If there was a valuable player
award to be made, this player, a
lineman on Central high school
eleven, would undoubtedly be the
unanimous choice for the honor.
His name is Calvin Aaron and he
played end for the Championship
Spartan grid team.
Aaron. who was chosen captain
of the team, began playing football
under Coach w. S. Taylor as a
sophomore three years ago. In that
year he made a creditable showing
as defensive end and was chosen
on the all-valley team.
In his junior year he again play
ed brilliant defensive ball and was
again chosen on the all-valley team.
But in his senior year Aaron rose
to greatest heights. He played bang
up ball on offense and defense in
his position at left end and then
surprised even his most faithful
boosters by accepting the duties of
a ball carrier and making an out
standing success in that depart
ment of play.
In questioning of The officials
recently 1 asked him, who do
you think was FL CentrO's out
standing lineman?" His answers
came without hesitation, Aaron"
"And who in the backfield?" 1
asked. The official stopped a
momenet, gazed toward the high
school gym and replied, Calvin
Aaron"
In the opening games of the sea-
son Aaron remained in the line,
carrying the ball occasioally on end
around plays, but the Spartan Of
fense failed to click. Kirkpatrick
and Damron did some nice running
but they lacked the drive in scoring
territory.
After FL Centro had dropped the
first league game OF the season to
BraWley, Coach Taylor moved
Aaron into the backfield on certain
plays to pass and run with the ball.
In the first game in which he
moved into the backfield, Aaron
made two touchdown gallops and
several plunges for five and six
yards at crack
Taylor first feard that moving
Aaron into the backfield would cut
down his effectiveness on the line
but the new assignments only made
him work harder.
In the Calexico game Aaron's
passing ran the Bulldogs dizzy and
the Calexico team went home on
the short end of a 1876 score.
With Aaron in the starring role
the Centralites waded through
BraWley and Holtville and when
the time came to play Calexico on
Thanksgiving day the Spartans
were tied with tho Border City
crew for the lead. To the winner
would go the championship.
At a pep rally in the high
school assembly before the game,
cne could feel the tenseness that
gripped the students. Here was
Ell Centres first chance for a
championship since 1881 and the
students as well as members of
the team were determined to
Beat Calexico".
The players of the team were
called on to say few words. Mos
of the gridders stood up, stammer.
ed something about doing thei
best TO win, and sat down. Whel
1t came time for Aaron to speal
the student body hushed. He strod,
to the front of the platform, seem
ed to steel himself for the ordea
and then told the student body jus
why FL Centro MUST win the bal
game against the Calexico team.
He recalled to the minds of tn,
group the defeat handed the Cen
tral team in Calexico the year be-
fore. How the Bulldogs playinl
rough. slashing football, ran up +:
1870 score on the Spartans.
Ho whe, Aaron had faithfully
promised graduating seniors that h,
and next years team, would aveng,
that defeat.
When Aaron finished his shor
talk a shout went up from the Cen
tral students that all but caved il
the roof, and a few of those stu.
dents who had Wagered on Calex.
leo, squirmed uneasily in thei
seats.
The next afternoon the Spartan:
played hard slashing game O
football capitalized on one break
and came home with the champion
ship. Aaron failed to make many
yards carrying the ball because the
whole Calexico line was laying foi
him. But his stellar play on de.
Tense his terrific driving, and con-
tinual chatter spurred his team
mates to victory and title.
Thus did Calvin Aaron carve hi.
name in the Central high hall o.
fame. He is truly an all-time. all.
valley end.