Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-02
Irish 3-Point Favorites
In Big Test With Middies
Come Figures
To Settle Gloss
Of Both Teams
BY CHARLES M. EGAN
Sports Editor Of The star

oOO4h 6ENO, Ino., NOV. z.
"A big question mark lowered
over Notre Dame Stadium to-
day as the unbeaten, fifth
ranked Irish and the once
beaten, l6th-ranked Midship-
men from Navy prepared to do
battle in one of footballs great
rivalries.
CThe game was to be
broadcast in WASHINGTON
over Station WRC, with Ray
Michael and Joe Croghan at
the mike, starting at 2:30
pm. Washington time.)
This one has been sold out
since early August and the ST.
900 customers were seeking an
swers to two questions: How
good is Notre Dame? How good
Is Navy?
The g a milling fraternity
called Notre Dame q 3-point
favorite to win No. 5 over the
Middies, who have lost only to
North Carolina in a 1877
shocker.
Irish Rally Twice
Otherwise. Navy has been
unconquerable. rolling over
Boston College and William g.
Mary and beating rather sound
ly California. Georgia and
Penn. The Irish have been in
faster company and have come
up with the sort of dramatics
that have punctuated their
history. They whitewashed Pur-
due and Indiana and came
from behind to knock OF Army
and Pitt and regain their stat
ure as q power of the land.
This has been a series marked
with many disappointments for
the future officers from the
banks Of the Severn. Notre
Dame has won "a of the pre-
vious 80 meetings in an un-
broken chain that started in
1927. The Tars have won five
times. including last year. when
they clobbered the Irish in Bal
timore. 1877.
But the Notre Dame squad
that faced Navy today is en-
tirely different from the ragged.
much-injured, heavily battered
outfit that showed up last year
In Baltimore. Gone is Paul Hor-
nung, Notre Danes one-man
gang. but the 1857 offense is
a varied one, with any player
capable of stardom on any
given day. In some ways, Coach
Terry Brennan feels, the team
is better off without Hornung.
Nobody indispensable
This isn't a criticism of
Paul" he says. "He was great.
1t was unfortunate that he was
a senior playing with a lot Of
inexperienced sophomores. They
wanted to do it, but they
couldn't. So they relied on him.
They felt he would do what
ever was needed. Now there
isn't an indispensable man on
the squad"
The Irish compiled a % rec
ord, their worst in history. last
year and many felt it was only
a matter of time before Bren-
nan would be out Of a job. Now
they've come storming back
and the question is can they
keep it up? Today's game is
only the first of a back break-
ing series of rugged week ends.
Next comes Michigan State. to
be followed by Oklahoma and
Iowa.
Navy. too, is a riddle. Picked
as a power before the season
started and ranked in the first
10 before the upset by the Tar
Heels, the Midshipmen have
had to listen to cries of "over-
rated" They want to prove
they are just as good as their
supporters hoped.
Navy. too. has rough road
ahead. Next week the Middies
meet Duke. They should have
little trouble with George
Washington the following Sat-
urday. but then, after a week
Of rest, comes their annual tus-
sic with Army.
Bank on FOrrestal
Today Navy was expected to
rely heavily on the passing arm
Of Tom Forrestal, who carried
into the game a record OF 40
competitions in IS attempts for
687 yards and six touchdowns.
Complementing that offensive
arm is the running abilities Of
the two halfbacks. Ned Old
ham and Harry Hurst, and the
fullback. Ray Wellborn. up
from the second unit to replace
the injured Dick Dagampat.
The Irish. of course. had
their Earring fullback, Nick
Pietrosante, ready to bust
through a Navy line that aver
ages 207 pounds. At quarter
back the Irish had Bob Will
liams and at the halfback spots
it was Frank Reynolds and
TAiolr 4 xrv.ah