Evening star., 1951-12-01
Everything Different
In Today's Meeting
OF 0ft-Beaten Teams
BY the Associoted Press

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. Army
and Navy meet on the football
field for the SD time today, but
all comparison of this game and
others Of recent years starts and
ends with the color that annually
frames the classic event in huge
Municipal Stadium.
There'l be 100000 fans-give or
take a thousand or so-on hand
for the kickoff at 1:30 pm.
Among the gathering will be the
top brass Of the Nations military
might. and men and women high
in the political and social life Of
the country.
The corps Of cadets and the
brigade of midshipmen. some
5000 young men, will match yells
and gags just as they have done
in the past when one or the other
team played a dominant role in
the college football picture.
Weather Outlook Good.
But there about all similarity
ends between contests of the past
and today's game. which was ex-
pected to be played in fair
weather with the temperature in
the Cos.
For the first time the game will
be telecast (NBC) from coast to
coast. The game also will be car
ried on radio by the Mutual
Broadcasting System as in other
years.
Another departure from the
past was that about 5000 seats
went on sale at the stadium box
Office this morning. Old timers
couldn't recall that ever happen
ing before. The tickets always
have been disposed of weeks in
advance.
Even President Truman, vaca-
tioning in Florida, will not be
present. One has to go back to
the war years to find a service
game which the Chief Executive
missed.
! In many of the years since
1890, when Navy blanked Army,
24-0. one side or the other has
come up to the service game with
an unimpressive record. But to-
days meeting perhaps is the first
in which each team starts with
six defeats on the record. Be-
tween them, Army and Navy have
achieved three victories and a tie.
Both Beat Columbia.
Both beat Columbia, Navy by
21-7 and Army by 14-9. The Ca
diets also humbled The Citadel.
27-6, and the Middies tied Yale,
III. in their seasons opener.
Northwestern and Penn were their
only other common foes. North
western measured Navy, 1877, and
Army, 20-14, while Penn defeated
the Middies, 14-0, and the Cadets.
It's.
| There is not much to choose
between their overall offensive
and defensive records. Army
counted 100 times in eight games
while yielding 141. Navy posted
80 points and allowed it's rivals
148.
/ But the men who make the
odds have established Navy the
favorite by eight points on the
basis of experience and, perhaps,
a slightly tougher schedule.
This was supposed to be one Of
Coach Earl Blaik's best years at
West Point. but the cribbing scan
dal. disclosed late in the summer,
cost the read-headed colonel all
his veteran material.
/ He was forced to rebuild COM
pletely with men from last years
B" squad. last years plebe team
and a scattering of players who
entered West Point this year.
Out of the conglomeration
Blaik admits to having only one
player with even an outside
: chance of making the Navy
starting team. He is 19-year- old
Fred Meyers, quarterback from
Enid, Okla. Meyers is not con-
sidered real good ''T' quarter
back, but he is the best signal
caller Blaik could find.
| The youthful Oklahoman prob
!, ably would be much more at home
> playing the single wing or at half
back. for he is a top-f1ight runner
and the best pass receiver on the
team. AS it is, he does practically
all of the Cadets passing and
kicking.
! Meyers is likely to do a lot Of
throwing. for the Navy has shown
a decided weakness against aeria1s