Evening star., 1953-10-25
Statistics

Gramigna in college play-broke
a 6-6 tie and brought to q close
Navy's domination of Ivy League
foes this year. A crowd of
52,210, largest of the season here,
rocked the stands as the Quak-
ers prevailed after a colossal
thlrd-perlod boner had threat
ened to deprive them of victory
1t was due only to this in
credible "rock" by Halfback Bob
Felver that Navy was able to
score at all. With Penn lead
ing, 6 to 0. and in possession
of the ball on Navy's 26. Felver
was chased while attempting a
fourth-down pass. just as Left
End Jack Riester launched a
tackle at midf1eld, Felver tossed
the ball straight into the air as
if in panic.
Textor's Kick Wide.
Jack Hopkins, the other Navy
end caught the football on a
dead run and ran for touch
down to tie the score at 6-6.
With a chance to put Navy in
front. 7 to 6, Guard George Dex-
tor kicked wide for the extra
point. just as Penn had done
earlier in the third quarter after
scoring its touchdown.
Except for Felver's lapse it is
highly unlikely that Navy would
have scored, so alert were the
Quakers on defense. Penn was
stopping the leading major COL
lege team on offenSe, chiefly
because of successive lopsided
victories over other Ivy Leaguers,
Dartmouth, Cornell and Prince
ton.
Franklin Field for years has
been a jinx playground for Navy
and today was no exception.
In addition to losing the game
and. in all probability, it's No.
10 national ranking as well, Navy
may have lost John Weaver,
f1rst-string quarterback, for an
indefinite period.
Weaver Knocked Unconscious.
Weaver suffered a slashed face
and was knocked unconscious
after making an end run in the
final period. He was carried from
the field on a stretcher. Naval
Hospital later reported him in
very satisfactory condition"
Navy was a victim of it's own
mistakes, both of Penn's scores
stemming from fumbles. Early
in the third period, fullback Joe
GattuSo of the Middies fumbled
and Gerry Robinson recovered on
Navy's 81. The Tars resisted
stubbornly but Penn, led by
Fullback Joe Varaitis, stormed
relentlessly down to the 3-yard
line, where Varaitis carried
across on a third-down plunge.
Gramigna, who was to emerge
as the days hero, was the lad
who missed the first extra point
of the afternoon. The placement
by the 21-year-old New Jerseyite
was DETECTED by Jim Leach, Navy
Guard, and the score was 60.
Navy Profits From tumble.
A second Navy tumble threat
ened to pave the way to another
Penn score. Halfback Bob Craig
fumbled on the second play after
the kickoff and Gramigna
claimed it for Penn on Navy's AZ.
AS it turned out Navy and not
Penn eventually profited. After
moving to Navy's 26, Penn gam
bled on fourth down by calling
on Felver to pass. Felver, who
throws from single wing while
Gramigna f1ips from the T-for-
nation, faded back but found
Navy linemen, led by Riester
hot in pursuit.
When he reached midfield,
Felver lost his head and tried to
get rid of the ball. Hopkins had
only to reach out and run SO
yards, with no Penn player even
close. But with the score dead
locked at 6-6 and Navy's best
placement kicker, George
Thomas, on the bench. Textor
tried for and missed the point
that would have put the Middies
ahead.
Still, Navy was extremely
lucky to be playing for a tie
at this point. In the hectic
(See PENN, Page C-6.)