The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1942-12-07
LARGEST STUDENT BODY ms.
AND ONLY IS CRIDIRON PLAYERS
BY CHIP ROYAL


dream-turned into a nightmare
the largest student enrolment
OF any college in the United
states, yet only Is men available
Tor football team!
Take it from Coach Joe Alex
ander, the shortage of coffee has
notnlng on the shortage of foot
pan players at City College of
new York. More than 1000 men
were eligible for the Beaver grid
uotft. When the first practice
was called, IA made an appear
ance.
Newspaper publicity brought
out few more each dav al
though DR.. Alexander never had
more than SO men on the field
at one time. At least 80 of them
stuck around but only Is could
De used in a game without en-
oangerlng their lives, according
to the coach. Then the war took
three first-string men leaving IS
10 do all the football playing for
the more than 1000 male STU
dents.
II ever a coach had the right to
be a Gloomy Gill" it was DR.
Alexander. His experience was
deserving of a better fate. He
was a Walter Camp choice for
all-America Guard I'M 1918 and
1919. In 1920, he shifted to Gen.
ter and, in the opinion of many
experts, was the best center ever
to snap back pigskin. He play
ed pro football with Rochester
and Frankfort, was assistant
coach of the pro New York Giants
in 1925, and head coach in 1926.
inexperienced Squad
AT C.C.N.Y., Alexander was
forced to contend with a squad
having football experience on
the average of two years in high
school. His regular ends were
amateurs. One of them liked
baseball so we'll, he decided to
play football. The other one was
the manager, probably the first
time in the country that a man.
ager who knew nothing about
football except what he had seen
through his eyes, was converted
into a player.
Tive never had more than six
regulars out for practice on any
one afternoon" declared DR..
Alexander. 1T is impossible to
put in any formations, or at
tempt scrimmage. My regular
tackle shows up one hour a week
for practice and just makes it in
time for the game Saturday.
when we played in Montclair,
one of our regulars didn't arrive
until we were in the second half
of the game. He couldn't get out
of class in time to accompany
the team, so made the trip alone.
my center practiced two days
a week Another one of the
regulars worked all Friday night
on his lessons, grabbed a couple
of hours sleep Saturday morn
ing, and tried to play for us in
the afternoon. That is the way
it has been all season."
Alexander explained that
scholastic requirements are high
at CC.N.Y. All members of the
football team have an. average
Of B or better.
Contrast that record with the
one for the football team. Leb-
anon Valley beat them $50,
Montclair won $50, and Susque-
hanna squeezed out a to 0 win.
Then the Beavers IunleaShed
surprise air attack and trounced
Hobart 20 to 6. That was on
Saturday. Three days later, the
Alexandermen took on Fort Tot
ten and were walloped 81 to 0.
Moravia added a 800 rout.
The star of the small squad is
a freshman, Stanley Shorty
Plesent, one of four first class
men on the team.
He weighs only AS pounds
but the campus is still talking
about the time he tackled a $50
pound fullback without giving
up an inch of ground.