Evening star., 1957-12-29
Son ofCooch
Not otWorried
About Rice
BY BILL FUCHS
star stan Correspondent

DAliA4ftgo. lCA.. LlCC. Co.
There is an Eddie Erdelatz here
with the Navy football team
who doesn't fear the harsh re-
suits OF making rash predic-
tionS. Thus. the l6-year-old
son Of the Navy coach states
fatty that the Middies will beat
Rice. l4-0. in the Cotton Bowl
Wednesday.
II is the type Of pronounce
ment that could send his father
into mild panic. for at the time
young Eddie was making IL,
the elder Eddie was telling re-
porters at the opposite end OF
P. c. Cobb Stadium. Navy's
practice quarters. that he fears
Rice's running. as well as its
passing game.
The last couple of years has
seen Eddie, jr.. spring up into
tall. strikingly handsome
young man. A star for the st.
Marys High School football
team in Annapolis. he stands
5-foot-ll and weighs l60
pounds. He wears his blond
hair crew cut and his eyes are
blue-green.
Just before Christmas. Eddie.
ST.. told his son he could go
to the Cotton Bowl game. It
was a decision that has made
George Rasmussen. team
equipment manager. very
happy. Young Eddie is Georges
assistant" on this trip.
Nervous Before Parents
The game against Rice will
be only the second Navy game
young Eddie has seen this sea-
son. the other being the one
with William and Mary at An
napolis in September. But he's
still ahead OF his father. who
has never seen his son play.
He asked me and his mother
not to 90 TO any OF his games, :"
the Navy coach says. so we've
had to listen to them on the
radio"
They just make me nerv-
ous.' says Eddie. jr.. who first
played center and then fullback
on the first unbeaten high
school team Annapolis ever has
known. st. Mary's tied one.
A junior. Eddie will be TAX
ing his football talents to COL
lege in 1859. but the problem
Of father coaching son will not
face the elder Erdelatz. Young
Eddie wants to go to Notre
Dame. Navy's longtime foot
ball rival.
Fathers Critic
Young Eddie's best friend Is
a quarterback -halfback for st.
Mary's named John Codd. He
also wants to 20 to Notre Dame
Eddie. jr.. thinks his father
is a great coach and never sec
ond-gueSses him. Well. almost
never! There was that kickoff
play Navy tried a few times In
early season. A high wobbly
kick to an opposing tackle.
It was supposed TO result in a
tumble. recovered by Navy. II
never did and Erdelatz finally
scrapped II.
Eddie couldn't understand
my strategy on that one." Erde-
latz says. He came up to me
and asked me why ! used thai
. goofy play. ! told him.I didn'l
J know. He said that was a reaI
good reason
NOTES: Coach Erdelatz anc
son, Capt. Slade Cutter. Navy
E athletic director, Assistant
: Coach Ernie Jorge and Equip.
ment Manager Rasmussen wen
! duck hunting together one da,
a during the holidays. Jorge go
e five ducks. young Eddie baggeC
, two and the others might al
well have been firing blanks
The family OF Pat Flood
: Nays fine second-string quar-
q terback. has moved back TO Ari,
b zona. His father, a physician
3 has started practice in Phoenix
Previously. the Floods lived II
. Tucson and more recently II
I California. Pats uncle. Everett
Z Flood. is a Washington Pontia,
7 dealer.
1 While on Christmas leave
Z Quarterback Tom Forrestal
, /, Navy's superb passer, practicet
throwing the ball with hi
. brother, Jimmy, one Of tw,
Z brothers studying for the priest
4 hood Ned Oldham, Nav,
i captain and halfback, will hayl
( his family in the stand
2 Wednesday. including brothe
J Bill, a high school sophomore
Bill missed the Army game be
. causer he had to play higl
school basketball.-FUCHS.