The Wilmington morning star., 1942-09-20
BIG FIVE SQUADS
OPEN GRID SLATE
WITH EVENT HERE
Washburn And FairclOth Set
Pace For Draw Foot
ball Contest
BY earle HODGE

afternoon as an estimated 10000
sweating fans crammed into Le-
gion Stadium to watch the Big
Five teams open Southern con-
ference race with 90 tie.
It was Art Fairc1oth Day at the
stadium for the State Wolfpack OF
Coach Doc Newton. Ample Art,
the Packs triple-threat tailback,
divided State honors with little
Peanut Doak with a combined to-
tai of 1l6 yards gained in rush
ing and running punts back.
Faircloth who's due to bear
many more laurels before the sea-
sons end, did everything but
carry the. waterbucket to high
light the Pack play.
Washburn Stars
For Gene McEver's Cats, Will
mingtonian Ben Washburn, a SEN
ior substitute, was the show, ring
ing up gains of Is yards rushing
and % carrying back WolfpacK
punts.
But Washburn was not alone.
Big Art Roach, 19-year old wing
back, was an intercepting magnet
for Faircloth's passes and ran
like a bat out of you-know-where.
He clashed IA yards through a
broken field and over the goal
only to be called back because
his foot had slipped out of bounds.
It was the days likeliest scoring
opportunity.
Mostly it was a game of defense
with punt after punt designed to
keep opponents away for a
threatening position. Both squads
featured powerful, gargantuan
lines. Stand-outs were States
Tommy Riddle and Center Jim Al.
len and B. F. Moore and Dick
O'Hair.
Yesterday was the first time
Davidson has held the larger col
lege scoreless since 1880 when the
Cats won, IL to 0. They fought to
a &C draw last year. In their
series, which has been played
since 1899, State has won 81, lost
8 end tied 4.
Not the usual weather one thinks
of as being for football, but hot,
sultry day greeted fans yesterday.
The entire game was played un-
der broiling sun.
Play In Cat Territory
With State demonstrating a staff
offensive, the first quarter was
played mainly deep in Davidson
territory. Breath taking, accurate
punts off FairclotA's educated toe
-four straight of them, outside
the Cats five-yard line-kept the
North Mecklenburg gridders in hot
water.
Most exciting yet heart-breaking
action of the half came late in the
opening frame when Roach inter-
cepted a toss, intended for State S
Mike Andrews, on his 27-yard
marker and fled over the goal. But
lhis foot slipped out of bounds as
he started the lengthy spring and
the play was called back.
Faircloth kicked off for the Pack
as the contest started. Roach re-
turned the pigskin from his q to
the 40. An off-tackle play failed
to gain. Then Roach punted to the
Raleigh eleven's 43.
Line plunges by Benebenek and
Faircloth added a dozen yards
for the Staters. Three plays net
ted only five yards. So Fairclotn
punted, sending the ball out on
the Davidson 20. After two unsuc-
cessful Wildcat attempts at warm
ing up, Roach finally kicked to his
own A..
The Pack drive stalled and an
other punt was forced, Faircloth
booting from the Cat 20 to the S.
Again the ball was kicked back
to mid-field by the Davidsons.
Doak picked it up on his oppon-
ent's 48 six yards.
i Clark and Faircloth gathered
II yards on abbreviated end runs
and line plunge before the latter
used his trained foot once more.
Playing safe, the Davidsons also
kicked-sending the ball sailing
to mid-field from where Doak ran
back seven of the kicked yards.
Benbenek made yard around
end. Then occurred Roach's illegal
touchdown" Snagging Faircloth' S
hurl, he dogged a half-dozen
would-be tacklers behind Virtually
hawless blocking. The Davidsons
punted and II yards-1O on a
pass, Faircloth to Andrews-as the
quarter ended.
Wilmington's Ben Washburn
came in to be the Mr.. Big of the
second quarter. Opening the quar-
ter, the Wolves eked out 10 yards
before punting. Mac Bruce had sci
the stage for the local boys loudly
applauded entry with a 14-yard rur
through right tackle, that pushed
the ball into States property.
Pack Boys Down
The Pack begged down. And ther
it was Washburn's turn. He car
ried the State punt back IA yards
sped three-in succession = yards
over right guard, six around tackle
and four outside end. Next the
ex-Hanover High star fumbled fol
a loss but made it up with six
yard dash and a six-yard pass te
Tommy Peters, finally punting from
his own 36 to the Wolves 16.
State quickly kicked back. A pass
from Bruce to Peters registered
five yards and another from Bruce