Evening star., 1946-09-23

football players Henry AeLsmsrs.
wear, puntins and passing, calling
signals, and dashing OF on imasi.
nary end runs and of1-tackle slashes
He may not be looney. but youl
have q hard time convincing thu
crowd that has gathered to watch
him that he isn't"
About that time I came In deat
tired, alive with Charley horses
dirty, bruised. and beaten. As soor
as had taken d liniment shower
shifted a packet Of plasma, and en-
gagged in an hour Of blackboard
skull practice, I came downstairi
and defended myself against the in.
sinuation of idiocy.
Listen" I said, like all OF you
am praying that there won't be an.
other war. But if there is, there j.
no use in not taking advantage oi
some Of the lessons taught US by
World War II. And you all must
admit that one Of the clearest lessons
to be learned from the war just I'm.
jshed is that the safest and happiesi
place for q man to be when thi,
country is fighting is at West Point
or Annapolis. And what Is thu
easiest way to get an appointment
to one of these havens of refuge ir
time Of flying bullets?"
Just Play Good Football.
= l;S~,& 1.>y> - <elI &bnv,o rrS AZ
knew. Be q football player bang.
UP football player with legs Of stee'
and head to match. Football is 4
rough sport, to be sure, and the
life at West Point and Annapolis il
no bed Of delphiniums, but as yet
no one has had the temerity tt
suggest that life on the Hudson Of
the Severn Is As tough as life in Z
foxhole, the tail end Of a bomber
or the innards Of q destroyer OF
cruiser.
So that is why I have gone tc
considerable expense to learn how
to be q football star. I have spent
several hundred dollars on shoes
pants, jerseys, shoulder pads, kidney
pads and headguards. Too, I have
risked the jibes Of friends and
strangers who laugh to see a mar
Of my age going into huddle with
himself and then streaking OF ir
an effort to catch . pass he has
thrown to himself. Who knows but
If there Is another war I will bt
known aga triple-threat man and
receive overtures (Which I vii
promptly accept to enroll at West
Point or Annapolis where the draft
board fears to tread? I have very
little to lose and everything to gain
Once at one Of the academies ]
can stay until the hostilities are
completed and then resign after
having enjoyed an education at the
expense Of the Government. safe
from shot and shell.
60 Minutes w. 90 Days.
Many football stars did that dur
ing the late unpleasantry with the
Axis and, the American public being
what 1t is, I am sure that most Of
them will be hailed Is heroes when
they play 80 minutes without substi-
tuition this fall. The men who spent
30 days and more in the line without
relief will be forgotten as the cleated
warriors play . whole hour, mind
you, without collapsing.
The former West Pointer who
fascinates me the most is Mr.. Shorty
McWilliams, who has left the Point
to rejoin the Mississippi State eleven
AS understand it. McWilliams quit
the Point because he didn't like
discipline. Yet, now back at Mis-
sissippi State, he has enrolled In
advanced ROTC. And students In
advanced ROTC, in case Mr.. Nc
williams hasn't heard the news, are
draft exempt.
What is Mr.. McWilliams going to
do about the discipline that exists
even in ROTC? Sulk and pout and
refuse to clean his rife? I also
would like to know why Mr.. Nc
williams, the great hater Of dis
cipline, ever chose 10 80 to West
Point. Word must have reached
him some time during his youth that
such q thing Is discipline exists at
the Academy.
But, enough Of wondering about
Mr.. McWilhams and his tribe. ]
have q thorough two hour scrim-
mage with myself booked for this
afternoon and must get my head
and ankles taped.
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