The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-07-06
Walter Willclleu
On BrOndzc,ny
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back. But in the next to the last game of the season, he twisted an ankle so badly that the doctor took one look and said, Hang up your shoes. You're out for the rest of the season."
 The coaching staff started plan- ming to groom substitute for the starting role the next Saturday. But on the following Wednesday, I was leaving the locker room to go on the field when heard this boy call.
 Look, Coach" he yelled, "the ankles all right again. Look at the way I can cut and spip' He was fully dressed in uniform and, before l could stop him, he was off on series of whirling maneuvers in an attempt to prove to me that he was ready again for action.
 He might have fooled me, even that game smile might have fooled me, If I hadn't looked in his eyes and found pain there. I saw men die in the Argonne with smiles, sometimes almost gay smiles, on their faces but in their eyes you could see the pain they couldn't hide.
 Get off that ankle and get back on crutch," I yelled at this kid With that he realized that his brave fake had failed. He stopped and hobbled slowly in, pain in every step, until Q manager brought him the crutch he had thrown aside.
 What had happened, I learned later, was that he sad come up to the field early, had eluded the ever watchful Trainer Doc Barrett, had persuaded roommate to strap his ankle as tightly as possible and had gone out hoping against hope that he might fool me and the doctor He had nothing to gain personally by playing that Saturday. He had won plenty of headlines during the sea- son. He knew that with the bad ankle he could not hope to make a good showing in the Saturday game. All he could do by playing, probably, would be to risk his own personal reputation. On the other hand, If the team looked bad with him on the bench, his importance would be magnified. But he thought of none of these things. He thought only of the fact that we had no other back of his experience ready.
 I'm rather strong, Walter, for any sport which plants that sort of spark down deep in boy. Yes, perhaps he was foolhardy. But they tell me that some foolhardy guys have done some gallant things as this country grew into what 1t is today.
 But don't get the idea, like 50 many people, that these boys are always tense and strained out there. They have fun.
 Five or six years back we were having tough time one afternoon beating a team we were expected to beat by five or six touchdowns. We went into the fourth period with the score tied and there was plenty of consternation on the coaching bench. Finally time was out while somebody got his wind back. Jimmy Judge ra out from our bench with the water bucket and sponge. Jimmy was worried.
 You fellows going to hold up all right out here?" he asked Tommy Tomb, our quarterback and a brave confident little competitor if every there was one.
 Sure, we'll hold up all right, Jim- my said Tomb, with the grin had seen him flash in 50 many tough spots, but whats worrying me Is how are those coaches holding up in there on the bench?"
 Tommy and the boys for whom he was calling signals won their ball game. Boys like that don't often fail. And there are lot of them around, Walter. The country's going to be all right.