Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-27
WIN, LOSE OR.
DNAV By FRANCIS sTANN
From the Hudson to the Severn

n ANNAPOLIS NOV. 27.-This heard in the wake
of press conference in Coach Eddie Erdeatz office.
The principals had retired to the Boathouse to repair
body and spirit at lunch and to listen to telephnnc
report from West Point
The call was paced> At the Hudson end of the line
1t. Barney Gill; Army scout whose drawl out
clearly over two loudspeakers, 1t Gill needed little
Apromptng H#
I'VE are as ready as we'll ever be-" he began We've
secuted Navy all and concentrated the last
three games Navy should have beaten Duke instead of
tying
Navy has two of the finest hafbacks in the country
Oldham and Hurst We regard Wellborn the main
1 threat, however because he is so fast for full
back We rate Forresal at least good better than
Grosscup of Utah passer :"
Rear Admiral w. R. smedberg ILL., smiled family
and raised eyebrow.
Barney sounds exactly like man." he said re-
ferring to Navy Scout Steve Beichick
But Steve said it about them FIRST" Erdelatz re-
minded the Academy superintendent
I'VE DON'T THINK NAVY can contain US" Gill went
smoothly Well Our problem will be to contain
Navy We look for higher than in the past two
years :"
minutes earlier Erdelatz had been asked at his
press conference if he looked for hgh-scoring game
II don't try to imagine what will happen in an Army
Navy game" Eddie replied. 1--WE seen too many of
them now"
do the players make more mistakes in the big
game than in others?" he asked.
mo, wouldn't say So" Erdelatz answered. I'm 1885,
my first year head COACH didn't belong on the
field with Army But we played a fawless game
and won, 1872
II take that back" Eddie amended. II didn't mean
we were awless We made little mistakes here and there
But on the whole it great team performance. 1t
had to be- We had only won two games that season."
GOING INTO SATURDAYS GAME Erdelatz has a
record of four WINS two losses and tie in his iouss
with the old master of the Plains Red Blak.
pendent wanted to know which Of his victories made him
happest.
They're all alike love each one" Eddie grinned
mo, guess the best was the first the 1850 game.
If we hadn't won that day there's telling where
would be right now"
Erdeatz and Navy were pretty low at that point
Under Tom Hamilton and George Sauer the Middies had
won only five of SO from 1869 Navy beaten
Army in six consecutive games although the Mddes
tied the Cadets 2l-2l in l948
Erdeatz, fresh from the San Francisco Forty Miners
had improved on that pace, but not much. Navy had
nosed out Southern California and tuned up hapesS
Columbia But it wasn't much of season until Bob
Zastrows passing skill upset Army for Nays third win
on nine-game schedule.
RIDING BACK FROM PHILADELPHIA on Nays
special train the next day Erdelaz had trimmed ewes
after sleepleSs excited night Il feel lot better now"
he unused, happily Maybe we're over the hump"
Navy wasn't, If you will remember. Eddies 81 team
didn't win Of its first games tying Yale TT in
the season opener and losing the next six The Mddes
then defeated Columbia all and conquered Army 42-7
Then Navy began to roll, winning 81 losing II and
tying seven from 1852 to date
ITS toSs-up game" Admiral Smedberg was saying
at lunch 1T depends which wants to win badly
enough BY the way, he glanced at Erdelatz class
mate OF mine an admiral on okinawa just wrote
to me- He's betting against the Army there and giving
IL points"
There was brief and pregnant silence
How long has this classmate Of yours been on
Okinawa?" Eddie finally asked
Obviously" Admiral smedberg observed wyly
"too long"