The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-12-28

TROJANS' LINE SPELLS WORRY FOR ALABAMA
By HAL WOOD United Press Sports Writer

Los Angeles. Cal. Dee. 2s-fuPD The old twinkle in Coach Jeif crayaih's eye S missing this hoil- day season As he speeds the condi- tioning os hls University of Scuih- esn Callfornit TroIans for their date with Alabama in the Rose Bowl.
 T. isn't that Jeff is afraid Of the Crimson Tlde-it's just that he's afraid tie law Of averages may choose thls particular New Years Day Lo catch up with the Trojans.
 The men Of Troy have visited the Rose Bowl eight times in the past. which Is a record in Itself. They also never have lost a game in the ciassic another record.
 DispeII Theory
 And no matter how good we may be. or how weak the opposition" Crayath pointed out. that old law Of averages is bound to catch up with you sooner or later-you just can't go on winning games all the time"
 But Crayatn and the TroJans have been doing a pretty fair job Of dis polling the theory.
 This is the third successive ride to the Sl00.000 pot O gold for USC- tieing the record set by Tiny Thorn hill and his Stanford Indians in 1894. '35 and '36.
 Has Teamwork, Spirit
 The visit will find the Trojans without anything resembling an All- American for the first time in years. But what the club lacks in names 1t makes up in teamwork and spirit.
 Cravath has lad by the name of Ted Tannhill. aged 19, five feet nine just out Of Oroville. Cal, High School. Tannhill finished the season with some remarkable performances and he made nearly every Pacific coast all-star selection. He can crack the line or skirt the ends and was the main cog in the late-seaSon drive which carried the Trojans to the top.
 The Trojans have one of the big gest and best college lines in the country today. The best on this for- ward wall probably is Jim Callahan. of famed football family. Jim, at 19, weighs 190. There is fine tackle in Jackie Musick. from another illus trious use football family, who tips the scales at 200.
 Boys We'll Coached
 Another tackle is Johnny Pehar who is six foot, seven inches and weighs 285 pounds and who played most of the season as regular.
 Cravath's boys are well-condS- toned and, it goes without saying, well-coached But they aren't fast and it was against the speedy, end running and good-passing teams that they looked their worst.
 They were drubbed by St. Mary's College because of the speed of Charles (Spike) Cordeiro in sikirting the ends; and because Herman Wedemeyer, the All-American, threw strikes with his passes. They lost that game, 26-0. And they were drubbed by San Diego Navy, 33-6, by the same tactics.
 Use Same Reasoning
 For that reason the DOok-makerS are quoting 3-1 odds, or 13 points, even money, that Alabama and it's passing sensation, Harry Gilmer, will win the game.
 However, coaches up and down the coast now believe that USC is 90 percent stronger than it was in mid season-and that it will be in its finest condition for the bowl game The Trojans finished off their reg ular schedule by blanking California, 14-0; druboing Oregon State, 34-7; and UCIaA, 26-15.
 And there's one other item that can't be overlooked:
 The Trojans now have taken a proprietary interest in the Rose Bowl-they believe it is something they own" They've never been beaten in the big Pasadena saucer and they think they can come through this one.
 They've done 1t before-and they believe they can do it again.