The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-08-18
(Reg. U. S. Pat. Office) By JACK CUDDY

United Press Staff Correspondent
 New York, Aug. 18-(UP)-With the name of Sleepy Jim" Crowley providing a connection, the 1942 football training season has opened officially for most Metropolitan fans by virtue of twin announcements from Chapel Hill, N. O., and Rose Hill, New York City.
 From Rose Hill, campus of the Fordham University Rams, came news that Fordham had started training yesterday with new coach, Earl Walsh, with the laVgest squad in its gridiron history-55 men-ano on its earliest date.
 From Chapel Hill, N. C., came the information that Sleepy Jim" Crowley-now lieutenant comman- der in the Navy-had blown the opening whistle for conditioning of his naval aviation "cloudbusters."
 The connection between these two announcements, as every football fan will recognize, is that Lieut.. Com. Crowley vacated his Fordham coaching job to help condition naval aviators, and that his assistant, Earl Walsh, took over the Fordham post as a stand-in while Crowley was in the service.
 Despite Crowley's absence, the Fordham announcement must be treated with considerable respect, since 1t comes from the first major college squad in training, and-if it may serve as weather vane- indicates that the approaching sea- son will be one of the lustiest in the history of American football.
 Half Frosh
 No explanation was given for this earliest Fordham opening, but one might find it in the fact that-of the 56 candidates-25 are freshmen, seeking to take advantage of the abolition of the three-year rule dur ing war time. Moreover, the Rams still have eight first-string members of last years Sugar Bowl champions C. hand.
 Although there are important gaps to be filled because of service in- auctions and graduation, 1t might be said that when Crowley joined the Navy he left understudy Walsh with strong possibilities = both in the line and backfield. What aid the freshmen can give will be demonstrated, perhaps, in the Rams opening game with purdue at lafayette, Ind, Sept. 26.
 Meanwhile, Lieut.. Com. Crowley is riding herd on his squad of Navy "Cloudbusters" at Chapel Hill, N. O., where naval aviation candidates complete their pre-hight training on the campus of the University of North Carolina.
 Crowley's Cloudbusters are book ed for a tough 12-game schedule. extending from Sept. 26,when they open against Harvard, to Dec. F. And the only thing certain about this squad is that Crowley will lose every man now on it before the season closes. He started training yesterday with 35 20 less than Walsh had at Fordham.
 As Crowley watched his boys work out at Chapel Hill, he said:
 "Our squad will be completely fluid. We simply take all corners. GA rare experience indeed for an expert in recruiting) don't know who will make the team, or how long they'll be with us."
 All In Shape
 In Crowley favor, it can be point ed out that he will not have to worry about the condition of his men. The Navy Pre- Plight Cadets spend F hours daily going through a rigorous physical conditioning that would make the average college football players's training routine seem like a rest period. From the standpoint of competitive ability, however, crowley doubtless will ioe irked by the fact that his men are comparatively Small-since the Navy does not accept candidates taller than six feet, three inches, or heavier than 200 pounds. His aver age player will be smaller and lighter than the average college player.
 In addition to Harvard, the Cloud busters schedule includes his own Fordham, Colgate, Boston College, Syracuse and Georgetown-alSo the Navy pre-fiight teams Of Iowa and Georgia.
 Before this schedule is completed,