Evening star., 1955-09-18
W6M Opener Tests Bid
OF Navy for New Honors
BY BILL FUCHS
star stan Correspondsnt

BY BILL FUCHS
star star correspcndsnt
ANNAPOLIS. Sept. 17.-Navy
opens its 1855 football season
against william and Mary here
next Saturday. ready and de-
termined to keep the relatively
high national position attained
last year.
The achievements Of last sea-
son, which included the first
bowl victory In the history Of
the Academy, and No. 5 ranking
in the Associated Press poll. in
dicated that Coach Eddie Erde-
latz' long-range planning had
taken effect.
Such planning included freer
relations with the press. the re-
laxing Of tensions throughout
and q bolstering Of team con-
! sciousness among the players.
Making O unit Of three dozen
individuals who are otherwise
naturally rank : conscious can
: pose q problem. The coachs
'frequent reference to the de
sire" Of his squad last year In
dicated the problem had been
solved.
Lost Two Games Last Year
II When Erdelatz took over the
head coaching job here In 1850.
he moved into q school which
had won only five OF So games
the previous four years. Three
seasons later. 1852. Erdelatz
fielded his first winning team
and Nays flrst since 1945. 0
war year. The last three Erde-
'iatz-coached teams have posted
ian 1878 record.
Last year Navy lost two games
by q total Of eight points and
this season could be even better.
Some look for Navy to go un-
beaten for the first time since
the 1926 season. marred only by
q 21-2l tie by Army In the final
game.
Erdelatz is calling George
Welsh 'sthe best college quarter.
back In the country" A star per-
former last year. this 5-foot- 10,
165-pound senior from Coaldale,
Pa, should be even more ef-
fectiye this season. In q scrim.
make against Boston University
recently, Welsh demonstrated
additional prowess in the art Of
taking. His passing always has
been among the best.
Replacements for Gattuso
The top four halfbacks and
Joe Gattuso, the No. fullback.
are gone from last seasons team.
but the grieving was Of short
duration. Don Jahn. Q 6-foot-2.
192-pound Californian up from
the junior varsity: Ned Oldham,
Q speedy Ohioan up from the
Plebe team; Paul Gober, q flashy
runner from Buck Run. Pa, and
Chet Burchett, q third-string
varsity player last year, figure
to take care Of the halfback
situation. Ample requirements
for Gattuso. who admittedly
takes Q lot Of replacing, seem
forthcoming in Dick Guest, who
saw considerable action last year,
and Vince Monte, whose bull
like thrusts have been tearing
gaping holes in the defense
throughout practice sessions.
With A1l-American RonnieI
Beagle scheduled to sit out the
opener after suffering q broken
wrist in practice. Earle Smith
has been moved from right toI
left end and Jim Owen into
Smiths regular spot. John Hop
kins, the team captain, and eth.
er Pat McCool or Jim RoyerI
figure to start at the tackles. |
Jim Hover, who previously
played fullback and center and
is considered the top linebacker,
and Vernon Dander, formerly
an end. are taking over the topI
guard positions vacated by Len
Benzi and Alex Aronis. Wilson
Whitmire, 6-foot-2. 200-pound
junior, practically owns the CEN
ter spot after moving up from
third string early last season
because Of injuries to Bob Davis
and Dick Dutnell.
Servicemen Bolster w. & M.
Six returning servicemen have
bolstered william and Mary's
squad, but Coach Jack Freeman
says he doesn't know If they'll
be ready to start against the
Middies. Tentatively he lists his
starting backfield thus: Quar-
terback. AL Grieco. 10 5-foot-7,
155-popnd senior who was No. l
in that position last season: left
halfback, Charley Sidwell, just
back from the service: right
halfback. Jack Yohe. a regular
last year: fullback. either Doug
Henley. q regular last year. or
Brown Oliver. a junior from
Richmond and one of the ex-
servicemen
Freeman hopes to be able to
start the following on the line:
Ends Walt Brodie and Jack
Lewis. Tackles Bob Lusk and
Elliott Schaubach, Guards Lou
- ~ r..