The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-03-21
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UNITED Press Staff Correspondent
New York, March 2l-(UP)-At
Fordham University today a couple
Of engravers went to work on
glass panelled door bearing the title
head coach" and the minor opera.
ton they performed was thickly
crusted with significance for the
towns football enthusiasts. They
carefully scratched out the name Of
James Crowley and in its place let
tered that of Earl Walsh.
With minor variations the same
ceremony will be repeated dozen
times between now and September
at other major football colleges -
places like Minnesota, Duke, Tul-
ane, Navy, Southern California and
Nebraska. Crowley isn't the only
coach off to the wars. The mentors
are joining up on all sides. The year
is still new, but already the turn
over is unprecedented.
Comes to Front
The Fordham switch Is but one
of many, yet 1t Is notable. The rea-
son is Earl Walsh. After almost a
quarter century as career football
man this onetime running mate of
George Gipp and discoverer of
Frank Leahy was finally come into
his own. Until now he has been the
fellow behind the headlines. His
work has been important, but
anonymous.
A Notre Dame product, this stout
1sh, brusque fellow has been work.
ing as backfield coach at Fordham
for nine years. He never received
his share of publicity because in
football season he wasn't available.
He never saw Fordham play. Every
weekend he was out of town carry
ing on his subversive activities as
q football eSpinoage agent.
For nine years Walsh has been
Americas foremost football scout,
hopping planes for Texas or North
Carolina or Indiana and spying on
forthcoming ram opponents. Last
year he Travelled 10000 miles and
saw 20 different teams. More than
one of Fordham's close triumphs
were won the week before they were
played. Walsh won them in stadiums
1000 miles away.
He is an unusually apt observer
and he didn't come by his talent
suddenly. He has been In football
all his life. He played halfback for
three years at Notre Dame In 1919
and 1920 he ShareN backfield hon
ors with Gipp. He says he may be
a bit prejudiced, but he believes
Gipp was the best back he has seen
in his rs years of playing and
coaching.
Triple Threat
George was a really great Of
fensive player" he said today. "He
Is the boy who inspired the term
triple Threat man." up until his
time there was no sch phrase in
football. He could run and he could
pass and he could do anything any
body has ever done with a football
Times have changed, of course, but
/ think he could have changed with
them.
After Earl left Notre Dame he
played one year with the profess
SINAI Omaha OlympicS. From there
he travelled to rough, tough railroad
town In South Dakota to coach high
school football The name of the
town was winner and the name OF
his star player was Frank Leahy, a
stubborn 1rishman who was more
inclined to throw punches than
block
He was a headstrong boy in those,
days" Earl grinhed. He was always
fighting If he thought anybody tried
to cheat him. But he was good
player. He was more mature than
the other boys. / had played pro
with his brother, Gene, and ! knew
that LeahyS had CUTS. He was one
OF the reasons my first winer team
won the state title"
Hard TO Sell
Walsh recommended Leahy to
Knute Rockne but was skeptical
OF boy from as small a town as
winner-until a year later. Frank
had developed into quite q player
and when Rock met Walsh he
slapped him on the back and said,
well, you had a hard time selling
me on that boy but I'd be mighty