Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-07
Johnny Baker Does
Ace Job as Coach
OF virginians
He and Brother-in-Law
Peurce Have Almost
Identical Records
BY BURTON HAWKINS.

4A1Cy ~ ooCP S4OcCA w SEC ~ tllCl
a slight foaming at the mouth and,
if not, merely rate you as an ex-
cellent example of dementia praecox
if, when invading Arlington County,
you venture a suggestion there's a
more potent scholastic football team
in this sector than that owned by
Westinghouse High.
Bring your own machine gun If
you can't maintain a discreet silence
or agree when some fuzzy checked
youngster or doddering Civil War
veteran allows as how Johnny
Bakers the most capable coach in
this area. Baker and his Little
Generals are torrid topics in that
vicinity.
Baker, anyway, is in the advanced
stages of producing his second I'M
defeated team there in three years.
His current club has crushed seven
straight opponents, including West
ern and Central, favorites in the
local public high school title scrap,
md appears an even money bet to
retain its unblemished record in
three remaining engagements.
Baker Success From Start.
The former George Washington
University backfield ace snatched his
first undefeated season in 1887 with
team which captured five decisions
and gained four ties, deadlocking
Gonzaga and Fredericksburg, 1918;
st. Johns, Go, and Bulls Prep, 90,
but established an enviable reputa-
ton as early as his first season there
in 1885.
That year Westinghouse won
seven games and lost three, but look
how they lost 'em. Luray High
walloped the Little Generals, 1914.
after Baker yanked his first team
when it had rolled up two touch
downs in the first period. Before
he could get his starting team back
on the field Luray had connected
Tor three passes and as many touch
downs. Newport News whipped 'em,
u. and George Washington High
spilled them, 1919, the Little Cen
erals dropping their three games bv
the margin of less than touchdown
in each instance.
Bakers teams have gained a mild
measure of fame as manufacturers
OF thrills, as the above games will
Illustrate. This season, though.
WaShlngton-Lee is winning the close
ones, spilling Western, rs, and Gen.
trail, 14-13. In Bakers five years
there the Little Generals have de-
feated Western five times by close
scores and in dozen games against
Washington public highs have earn
ed II triumphs.
Teaches Football and Mathematics.
The 32-year-old Baker, a hand
some blond who is a mathematics
Instructor during school hours,
played high school and college foot
ball with a fellow Texan, Coach
Hardy Pearce of Central. Their foot
ball careers were terminated abrupt
ly at the same time when Tennessee
protested their eligibility shortly be-
fore stacking up against G. w. here
several years ago. They married
sisters and launched their coaching
careers simultaneously, both COACH
ing football and track. After nearly
five years their respective football
records read:
Baker-Won %, lost 10, tied 5.
Pearce-Won 26, lost 10, tied 5.
Assisting Baker with the Little
Generals for the last three years
has been Harry Deming, another
former G. w. star who tutors the
Westinghouse line, and Frank
Kavalier, still another ex-Colonial,
who coaches the junior varsity.
St. Johns Holds Edge.
Only one team, St. Johns, holds
a series edge over WI, and Baker
hopes to square that matter next
week after his club tackles Calvert
Hall Saturday at Ballston. The
Johnnies have defeated and tied
Westinghouse, but will be under
dogs when the teams clash on No.
vember II.
Bakers coaching proves hasn't
been confined to football, for his
track teams have lost only one dual
or triangular meet in four years,
Mount st. Josephs of Baltimore
winning dual meet by 1O-point
margin in 1886. This year his track
sters won the &C" Club, Evening
Star, District A. A. U. and University
of Maryland interscholastic meets,
while last year they won the Mary
land meet and finished second by 4
points to the championship Episco-
pal team in the &C" Club event.
So, it seems, Arlington County
citizens have reasons for their
enthusiasm over Baker and WASH
ington-Lee Highs athletic proves.
4