The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-01
And they DO need the pads
BY WHEN 3ATCHELOR

their girls swarmed into the White City Stadium, Shepherds Bush, yes- terday to see the U. s. Army vs. the U. s. Navy in what General Doolit- tie described during the interval as a real old-faShioned American foot ball game"
 Girl cheer leaders from the serv- ices pranced in front of the crowd waving megaphones, melting yells like ARMY, Army or NAVY, Navy
 Meanwhile a free fight seemed to be going on in the centre of the stadium. Twenty-two enormous young men in crash helmets were locked in deadly struggle for an oval football.
 They wore spiked - cleated is the word the Americans uSe-shoes, strange ginger shorts which cling closely to the thighs and end abruptly just below the knee, and padded jerseys, red and white for the Navy, navy blue for the Army.
 They needed those pads. And the crash helmets. So Down He Goes
 The object of the game seems to be to pass the ball tC some unfor- tunate player, and then for everyone else to fall on him.
 One of the rules is he must never let go of the ball. So he goes down with crash.
 The only thing that moves play towards the goalposts seems to be the instinct of self preservation ot the man with the ball. He runs as far as he can before he is maimed or killed by the other players.
 The programme seemed sinister. It gave the names of the II men ot each team. It then gave list of 15 substitutes for each team. The substitutes" sat swathed in blankets awaiting their call to bat tie.
 Many of them did not have long to wait.
 First Blood To Navy First casualty went to the Navy. Mortified, watched a G. I. scamp CT across the field with two buckets in his hands. But not, as thought. to mop up the blood. He avoided the prostrate player and was besieged by the rest of the team.
 The buckets held towels and water | for the players still left alive. Six times during the game the buckets are rushed out. If a team asks for them more often it is pen alized.
 Casualties are dealt with by doc tor-who rushes out with a black bag-the umpireS (splendid in white plus fours and striped shirts), and stretcher bearers, if they are needed.
 American football is played in four quarters, not two halves like ours. Each team has the ball for four tries" If by that time they have not got to the goal line the other side takes over.
 Before each "try" the team which has the ball goes into huddle while the captain decides who shall be the victim to receive the oakland the subsequent assaults. You can assault your opponent any way at all except by clipping" the back of his legs. That, an Amer ican beside me solemnly explained, is liable to break them.
 Favourite method of attack yeS- terday seemed to be: CD Springing like a tiger at the mans throat, or (2) JusS showing so that sheer weight bore him down.
 The attacker must keep one foot on the ground as he tackles. After the tackle he is usually all on the ground.
 The Navy lost yesterday, 20 points to nil.
 As the average weight of the Army was about 10 stone one felt sorry for the Navy, whose top weight was 6 mere i3 stone. During the interval-eTld of sec. ond quarter, as they say-Corporal Ruby Newell, who has been voted the prettiest girl in the U. g. wcm- ems Forces, was presented to oen- eral Doollttie.
 Ruby iB fair, but not blonde. Choice seemed popular judging by the cheers.
 The Unhappy Hand
 Band played, and the Goat mascot of the Navy paraded with the pon- key mascot of tho Army.
 As {. Navy did not have c band tho Army lent them ono.
 Tho borrowed band put on white dQu1hhc9 cops. hut heir pley'nc