Evening star., 1940-11-27
Cadets Arrive
Though Licked
In Tiger Game
Spirited Effort Brings
Out Hidden Qualities;
Larson Is Worried
BY LAWRENCE PERRY,

ANNAPOLIS, Md, Nov. 81
While Army was striving nightly
against Princeton, taking time out
because of injuries due to the usual
headlong and often ill-considered
abandon of the Cadet players, the
Navy squad was resting from inter-
collegiate competition Opportunity
was thus gained for the Middies to
work up steam for the West Point
encounter, and, just as Importantly,
to give such vauable injured play
ers as Busik, Gebert and Howie Clark
additional time to recover from the
battering in the Notre Dame and
Columbia games
Meanwhile, as to the Army, the
Cadets probably were well advised
to play that game against Old Mas
sau. For, although defeated, they
displayed spirit, and, more signifl-
cantly, general proficiency, which
Maj Larson and his assistants feel
certain have been invaluable in
heightening the morale of the
West Point squad. Supporting this
thought, the Navy athletic authori-
ties do not overlook the fact that
following the first game of the sea-
son against Williams, which Army
won, 20-l9, the Cadets last Satur-
day produced 10 points against a
good Princeton eleven.
Feel Team Is Under Way.
Inasmuch as the team had been
blanked in four games, had scored
only six points against a Harvard
eleven still in process of develop
ment, and nine points against
Brown, the upsurge in Old Nassaus
stadium is accepted here as definite
indication that Capt. Bill Wood has
begun to get his outfit rolling.
The Midshipmen generally will
tolerate no thought other than a
decisive victory. The very air of
this nippy autumn day tingles with
optimism and complete assurance.
Maj. Larson's smile is expansive
But then, come to think, the smile
of this stalwart and jovial marine
always is expansive. 1t is his nature
to think in terms of victory. even
granted he never forgetS to insert
few careful ifs in his forecasts of
games lying ahead.
AS a matter of fact, when you
get him alone and he sits down
to consider technicalities and other
plain facts. you discover that he is
not entirely aloof from worry con-
cerning this Navy outfit. AS he
puts it, the team throughout the
season has been making too many
first downs without the ultimate
sanction of scores. The Middies,
with at least three powerful lines
and three backfield quartets, can
push any team around the grid
iron, inside the goal lines. The
trouble has been that all this power
and drive has not been reflected in
the scoring
Shortage of Points Amazing.
When it is stated that through
/ out the season thus far the Navy
has made l3l first downs, has
rushed the ball 1926 yards and
has passed for 784 yards-2,709
/ y al 10 Ill Oil. oil dNCl dEC vi 900 dll0
| fraction yards per game-one is
amazed at the small total Of points
resulting. Of the 92-point total, all
but 7 points were made in the
games against William and Mary,
Cincinnati, Drake, Princeton and
Yale. The Middies were blanked by
Pennsylvania, scored seven points
against Notre Dame and were held
scoreless by Columbia. The IRON
ical things about the poor scoring
in those last three games was that
the team was inside opposing 20
yard lines upon no less than IA
occasions.
Swede Larson finds these fig
ures somewhat appalling, realiz-
ing as he does that Navy next Sat-
urday might well eat up several
hundred yards of ground against
the Army and yet in the end find
itself only statistical victor,
which never is satisfactory
achievement.
incidentally, in his quest for
scoring talent the coach may have
stumbled upon a find, lawn ten
mis- player. He is Joel Hunt, ma
tionally famous court star, who in
the last week has been showing a
lot of speed. considerable elusive
ness and, in hitting the line, a
powerful leg drive. His only draw
back is lack of experience.