Evening star., 1939-10-11
From Football Traffic
Cop 10 NavyCoach
Is Larson's S Jump
Unorthodox Tutors Job
Kept Him From Seeing
Any 1888 MILDLY Games
BY JOHN S. GROVER.
Associated Press Sports Writer.

ANNAPOLIS, Nd, Oct. l1.-Move
over, Cinderella, you've got COM
pany-Maj Emery E. (Swede) Lar
son jumped from directing football
traffic in 1888 to head coach of
Navy football in 1899.
Last year nearly killed the Swede
He commanded the United States
Marine detachment at the Naval
Academy. The marines direct sta
dium traffic on football Saturdays
Larson's duties as boss traffic cop
kept him from seeing home game
Being stuck within hearing of
games he couldn't see was exquisite
torture for Larson. who suffers from
four-plus gridiron dementia in the
tertiary stages.
The picture of the modern coach
as a cold-blooded big businessman
calculating as pawnbroker, bears
no resemblance to the big marine
Larson at football game is whirl-
ing dervish with the itch. He's the
champion heavyweight nail bitter
Of the East Coast. He takes his
football hard. He's as unorthodox
as a fan dancer in red-f1annel un-
derwear.
Admits Material Is Good.
It's coaching convention to
moan about prospects. Larson star
tied the fraternity by announcing
his prospects were swell and his ma
terial tops. He's more afraid OF
underconfldence than overconf1-
dence. He gave out honest weights
on his heaviest linemen.
Most coaches surround themselves
with flock of assistants. Larson
cut his staff to three.
He collects airmail stamps. Ma
rines all over the world save rarer
issues for their old skipper. He's
the only big-time grid mentor who
coached football in China and at sea
Larson was picked on Walter
Camps second all-America team al
center in 1921, the year he CAP
tanned Navy. He occupies a special
niche in Nays hall of fame as
the only three-year varsity gridder
who never walked of the field after
a defeat by Army. Navy won three
straight from the Cadets in the
Larson years." He was on the all
America lacrosse teams in 1922.
He can't stay out of football. Il
they put him in charge of an ole
ladies' home he'd have the inmate.
scrimmaging the first week in Sep.
tember.
Coached Sandlotters to Success.
Last year was Swede's first with.
out football assignment in 2.
years. But he stopped to watch
some 12-year-olds in a vacant lot
and five minutes later he was thei,
coach. He organized the kids
scheduled games with prep team.
and they went through an 8-gam,
season undefeated.
He played on the All-Marin,
team three years after graduation
He was the seagoing coach of tn.
U. S. S. Pennsylvania when thai
battlewagon won the fleet cham.
pionship two years in a row. H,
coached the All-Navy team IL
Hawaii in 1927 and next year tn,
University of Hawaii drafted hin
for line coach. He coached at Parri
Island marine base for three years
When they sent him out to China
he promptly organized and coached
the 9th Marines. Football follow.
the flag when Larson is around.
The Leathernecks have a march.
ing song that declares firmly thai
the streets Of heaven are guarded
by United States Marines. If Lar.
son ever commands that detail
don't be surprised to see goal post.
on cloud some fall afternoon.
1t wouldn't be heaven for Larson
without football. He's probabl,
working out some plays now Il
utilize halfback with wings.