Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-12-28
|Done|Ii Tackles
Job Of BetterinQ
Columbia Team

NEW YORK. Dec. % (Hl. -
Aldo (Buf) Donelli, Columbia S
new football coach. today began
laying plans to improve the for
tunes of the Lions. but he must
go at it with the same kind of
material that his predecessor,
Lou Little, used for 81 years.
With an eye toward Donelli,
Ralph Furey. Columbia's Girec-
tor Of athletics, said:
There is no guarantee of a
good football team at an Ivy
League school. I'm sure Donelli
knew that when he accepted the
job and is willing to take a
chance. After all, Little had his
ups and downs, He had great
teams and poor ones.
I'VE expect the pattern of CO.
'lumbia's football teams to re-
main the same, some good, some
bad. And that's the way it will
be with all the Ivy League
schools"
Gets No Contract
Furey said Donelli, coach for
the last 10 years at Boston Uni
versity. did not receive a con-
tract but was on an annual
appointment basis "as is the
case with all our coaches" Dom
ELI said he had reached no de-
cision on his staff for 1857.
Furey told a press conference
that Donelli was one of four
men considered for the job, the
other three being Johnny Bate
man. No. / assistant to Little;
Paul Governali. former Column
bia star who is coach at San
Diego State, and Joe Coviello,
coach at West New York, N. j.,
Memorial High School.
Donelli was chosen, Furey said
because he was most able tech
nically."
I'VE expect him to make foot
ball attractive to the boys at
Columbia" Furey went on. HE
knows and understands the rules
and spirit of the Ivy League"
Former Aide tn Little
In 1915 and 1916 Donelli was
assistant to Little at Columbia
and Little in offering his con-
CALCULATIONS said II wish for
Buff Donelli the same many
happy and pleasant coaching
years that I have enjoyed at
Columbia. He comes to an ex-
acting job but one for which
the rewards can be most salts
flying"
Although Little has known
many bleak years at Columbia
along with his successful ones,
he has been remarkably free
from alumni pressure and criti-
ciSm. Many experts believe that
II he had been given strong
material he could have estab-
lished a brilliant record and his
teams, even in defeat, always
played interesting football.
Donelli was graduated from
Duquesne University in 1880 and
became Freshman coach there
the same year. In 1886 he was
appointed assistant coach under
John Smith at Duquesne and in
1889 became head coach and
director Of athletics.
Coached Cleveland Rams
Donelli made a four-year
record at Duquesne of 29-4-2
with his 1889 and 1874 teams
going indicated. When
Duquesne abandoned football in
l943 he went to the Brooklyn
Dodgers football team as a line
coach and in 1914 became head
coach of the Cleveland Rams in
the National Professional League
He entered the Navy in 1914 and
was assigned to the Viz pro-
gram at Columbia. His appoint
ment at Boston University fol-
lowed the 1916 season.
Donelli did not seem perturbed
at the low ebb of Columbia
fortunes. Last years varsity had
a 3-6 record and the freshmen a
Ia mark. To make matters
worse, the Lions will lose seven
of their starters from this years
team.
II won't attempt to predict
what I can do or what can be
DONE" Donelli observed. But
I'm very proud and happy to
return to Columbia.
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