Evening star., 1939-09-27
Squad, Though, Looks
Good Enough 10 Be
In Title Fight
Veterans Filling Most
Of Jobs, But Reserves
Must Be Developed
BY ROBERT HENRY.

BY ROBERT HENRY.
Artie Wondrack, newly appointed
coach at Tech High School, is one
local grid professor who is not
singing the blues, nor is he worried
about his teams chances in the
high school series.
OF course, he's doing his best to
bring the squad up to par, as he
showed yesterday while keeping up
a constant flow Of chatter to one
OF the best looking squads in the
city, but he figures football is a
game and one the boys should en-
JOY.
Wondrack, who has played and
enjoyed the sport since 1923, sees
things this way: TITS a great game,
and whether you win or lose, the
main idea, especially with young
players, is to have fun. Naturally
it's tough to lose a close one now
and then, but If the kids enjoy
1t, what more can you ask?"
Byrd Pulls His Hair.
Speaking Of fun while playing
football, Wondrack related humor-
Gus yarn concerning one of Curly
Byrd's Maryland teams when Artie
was holding down a guard spot
II years ago. The team had
travelled South to meet Vanderbilt,
one OF the strongest elevens in the
country that season.
Says he: Vanderbilt pulled no
less than three sleeper plays on us
that day. I thought Curly would
have a fit. The first two came in
the first half, and worked to per-
lection. Billy Speers, who was ALL
America quarterback that year,
threw the ball into the arms Of a
Vandy end-I don't recall his name
who was waiting way over near
the sidelines, not Maryland man
within yelling distance.
1--WE came out for the second hal:
trailing, 18 to 0, and determined
to do something about it. But
believe it or not, before the third
was two minutes old Speers
made 'eady to let fly another one
over Lear the sidelines where Byrd
was sitting. No fooling, the coach
was roaring. Well, the whole bunch
OF us made a bee line for the in
tended-or so we thought-receiver.
But instead of throwing the ball
Speers began to run it, practically
q clear field ahead of him.
The play fooled us all except
Snitz Snyder, who hotfooted for
Billy. He got him, too. In fact, he
got him so emphatically that he
tore Speers' pants clean of him.
The stands vent wild. Vanderbilt
won, $500, or something like that,
and admitted that we were about the
toughest team they faced all
year. That was little consolation,
though"
Tougher In Old Days.
Wondrack, who stepped into his
present job when Rusty THOMPSON
stepped out last week to devote
more time to getting a degree, is a
Tech graduate and played football
there during the beginning of Hap
Hardell's regime. He says things
have changed a lot since then and
That the present bunch of school,
boys don't really know what tough
practice is.
When I first learned this game"
ne recalled, I'VE had to work, and no
fooling. remember one coach I
was under. He made us duck-waddle
up and down the field, 200 yards,
mind you, until we could hardly
walk. After some of that I was
upstairs backward for a
week, stiff legged. I couldn't lift
my legs the regular way"
The situation looks pretty good at
Tech right now. The boys, all big,
strong and fairly fast, seem to love
Inc game-even the practicing.
Nine letter men are missing from
last years team, which tied West
ern Tor second place in the Sc
ries. Except for being upset bv
Anacostia in the last few seconds
81 the last game, when Flash Cor
aon intercepted pass for the win
ners, Tech would have had a clear
claim to the place position.
Looks to Anacostia Game.
Right now the team is busy get
ting ready for revenge. The first
game on the schedule is with Epis-
copal on Saturday and then Ana
costa. The backfield, which aver
ages around 173, is composed of Don
Cockrille, quarter; Whitley Hall and
angelo Catucci, halfbacks, and Jim
Miller. husky fullback. All PLAYED
last year and are expected to prove
plenty tough during the next two
WV
1he line, too, is checked with
power. Babe Ehlerick seems to have
what 1t takes to fill Bill Miller's place
u center, even though Bill was about
tops there last year. The ends
are Jack Hoyest and Howard Kem-
per; the tackles, Warren Preiser
ana Ryan Southern, and the guards
Wacky Buckley and Bill (Punchy1
6enner. All of them are better than
green hands in their positions. al
though Buckley is having eve trou.
ole that may shelve him. The line
averages about 100.
Calls First Team Okay.
The first team looks o. K" Won
track says, 'but If we have many
injuries I'm afraid we'll have trou-
Die. Except for three or four re-
serves. like Charley Green, a fine
passer; Bill Burdlick, q 200-pound
'ackle; Billy De Lestacious, q back
md possibly one other, we have no
one to call upon"
Although the squad spent two
weeks at Camp Let's getting ready
Wondrack says the boys are about
! week behind their training sched-
lle. Right now he's using straight
football on them, and he saws II
VIII take several weeks to have them
clicking. '''
Getting q winning team IN the