Evening star., 1942-09-19
ryeam Playing Need More Victory Overos
Wade's Squad Rated
Excellent Chance
To Beat Giants
keyIdnd's Men Hard Put
To Down Beers, Held
j. Best in Football
BY GRANTLAND RICE.

Special Correspondent Of The star.
The end Of an unusual football
adventure takes place In Syracuse
tonight and in Boston tomorrow.
In that order Maj. wallace Wade's
Western Army team meets the New
York Giants In Syracuse and Col
Bob Neyland'S Eastern Army team
collides with the Chicago Bears In
Boston.
!, Late in July these eight games,
Army against the professionals,
playing for the Army Emergency
Relief, were supposed to be kick
In for the pros. What too many
overlooked was the fact that 100
pros we're in the Army. Wade and
Neyland had little time in which to
build teams, but the material was
there. 1t was largely a matter Of
developing team play and co-ordi-
mated effort against set systems
u Wallace Wade moves against the
Giants with a record of two won
and two lost. Bob Neyland takes on
the Bears with a clean slate. As the
count stands today the rating is four
won and two lost for the Army,
m amaging performance. One more
victory will give the Army the edge
five out Of eight.
Both Coaches Do Well.
1t was the Army ambition to win
fve out Of eight games against the
best teams in football. This looked
to be quite an order early in August
as the Army bunch began reporting
from some IS States, heading for the
California or Connecticut camps.
But both Col. Neyland and Mai.
Wade turned in brilliant Jobs OF
coaching. They worked their squads
to the limit. They had to listen to
more than q few groans, but these
groans were physical. Both squads
proved to have the finest possible
spirit. They soon discovered they
had no soft assignment as they
worked both morning and after
noon to play eight games in less
than three weeks.
So now they are facing the
stretch on the way to the wire. BY
Monday they will be back in mill
tary camps, all in even better
physical shape, with an important
fund earned for any Army emer-
gency that may arise.
Have Double Rivalry.
There has been q double form
OF rivalry In these games. The
main Army objective has been the
pros. But there Is an inner rivalry
between the two Army teams when
1t comes to the final count.
Wallace Wade's Western team
with Jarrin' Jawn Kimbrough, Don
Scott, Stumpy Thomason, Marion
Pugh and others, has a first class
chance to beat the Giants.
Big Steve Owen has the makines
Of = good Giant team. But 1t is
still somewhat on the green side.
The Giants sent ~ men to various
services, the heaviest of ali the
football losses They still have a
good looking bunch on hand, given
little longer time.
The Wallace Wade contingent
has no sure thing, but it has the
edge.
Bob Neyland's Eastern Army
squad has an entirely different pro-
gram to face in Boston. The colonel
has to tangle with the Bears, the
best football team In the world to-
day-unless Army can throw an
upset.
Bears Are Great Machine.
With Bulldog Turner at center,
Joe Stydahar 1t tackle, Danny Fort
mann at guard. such backs as Sid
Luckman, Bill Osmanski and many
more who can move in . hurry, the
Bears are welded into . great ma
chine. There isn't a football coach
In the world who envies Bob Ney.
lands job in Boston tomorrow.
The colonel has quite an OUTFIT,
too. He has q strong line and such
fine backs as Norm Standlee, Johnny
Pingel, Harvey Johnston, George
Cafego. Jack Wilson, Vic Spadac-
cini, and others who can pour it in.
Wilson was rated the greatest back
In the Southwest last fall until he
was injured. He still is on the in
tured list. This Baylor star in shape
can handle any job given him.
- Corpl. Standlee Is the hardest hit
ter OF all the fullbacks. He proved
that with the Bears last fall. He
will be keener than usual to prove
this to his old mates. But he still is
. little overweight
But for all that, Turner, Stydahar,
Eortmann. Luckman, ORourke, Os-
manski and q few more Bears still
are the last word in football skill,
power and team play. Ask George
Marshall and his Washington Red
skins. But when you do be sure Of
your terminal facilities, meaning
exists.
North American Newspaper Alliance.