Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-15
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW ;, FRANCE, ,r.pu
George Rasmussen


IN THE vERDANT Naval Academy cemetery where
mostly admras and others Of the higher Navy echelon
rest George Rasmussen will be buried tomorrow with
military honor Rear Admiral Charles Nelson academy
superintendent ruled that George too should repose
the banks of the Severn and that of course meet and
just
George Rasmussen died of cancer Sunday night in
Bethesda Naval Hospital AS it happened only his Mary
was by his side When George finally slept away, Mary
quietly drove her back to Annapolis But tomorrow
she won't be alone at Georges side From and near
VIII come the admrals and captains and the old and
Navy football warriors to pay their last respects to the
salty tough talking bghearted old chief petty officer
To the Naval Academy, George what the late
Billy Cavanaugh to West Point. He a father
confeSSor to the midShipmen, the perfect laiSon
between the football coaches and the athletes the pic
turesque and conivivial companion of the brass
AS Rip Miller put it, This hell Of way to start
a football season."
RAsAlUSsENs OFFICIAL TITLE was equipment man
ager Everybody who knows anything about Navy football
regarded the title inadequate "Oh hell George
many things Dusty Dornin said Il can't explain what
he meant to Navy"
George carried the water bucket on the field during
times out Was that strange for man who was nearing
co. old salt who retired chief and a second
time lieutenant? He wouldn't have it any other way
Neither would the coaches from Hank Hardwck Wayne
Hardin, who must start his without this crutch
Sure, Rass carried plays into the game. How? Did
Red Baik, when he coaching, tell how Armys lone
some end got his signals without budding? George had
code of his own" Miller says Maybe it only look
when was coaching, never made without
George He knew football When he went on the field and
looked into players eyes he uncanny in judgment
If he came back and said, Better pull him. COACH sub
stituted"
RIP PLAYED UNDER Knute Rockne at Notre Dame
one Of the Seven Mules to the Four Horsemen Rock
knew what to say and when to say it, Miller says $50 did
he ed water OF the
field"
Rass the chief in charge of Trona Field at San
Pedro Caif in the md-1930s, when Navy football was
at its peak. He also played halfback and despite his
slight but wiry build he good enough to hold his
with the excoege stars When he handed out equipment
George never looked down his nose at small player He
was the champion of small men.
He had tart sense of humor Once during Notre
Dame game in Baltimore punt slid of the kickers
foot and sailed out of bounds line. smack at Ras
mussen He caught and big Irish tackle kept coming
and bumped RaSs who fortunately spun with the reflex
action of former hafback.
George held out the ball to the tackle This is foot
ball. buster he rasped From the looks of you the
field this is as close to you'll come"
They made Rass a lieutenant in 1943, but they
only putting braid enlisted But officer chief
he moved easily in the two worlds
NOBODY PLAYED HARDER than Rasmussen. Even
his gin rummy sessions with Mary fought like Army
Navy Long after Rass to the Naval Academy
this in the 940s-he stopped watching the officers
play squash and took the himself Until he
stricken last spring he the most expert of ALL
AS master of the squelch, Rasmussen had few peers
Once at Whibey Island the West Coast Just before
Navy California game, commander visited Tom
Hamilton and his coaching aides while they plotting
strategy ApropoS of nothing unless he had just read
book on the depth-measuring device, the commander
began to talk of fathometers
The coaches hdgeted courteousy but George who was
half asleep in with his old baseball cap pulled
down over his eyes, snorted:
"Fathometers Who the hell needs EN-? When was
working in the bow I'd just yell, When you want more
water, skipper Just give line" The bore took
off.
Toward the end, when there could be no more gin
rummy, Georges competitive fires remained unbanked. He
said to Mary, IT gotta be doing something Fetch me
scratch sheet next time you come, huh?"