Evening star., 1961-01-03
STATISTICS

dies will make an excellent
basis of comparison, for they
mixed luck with hustle and
the raw determination OF
youth and came out smiling
with a 9-1 record and a trip TO
the Orange Bowl.
True, Missouri accomplished
what Washington, Notre Dame
and Army failed by the mar
rowest of margins to bring on.
But in whipping Navy, 2l-l4,
in the 9th Orange Bowl classic
yesterday, the Tigers weren't
proving anything extraordi-
nary. They stopped Navy's
running game cold. even to the
extent of boxing in Joe Bellino.
but they we're not triumphing
over one Of the great teams.
despite the Associated Press
appraisal Of Navy as the No. 4
team. H.s
Tremendous Mileage
Coach Wayne Hardin, the
season now behind him. readily
comedies the point.
1--WE got q tremendous
amount of mileage out Of this
team" he says. Based on ma
terial, any other type Of team
would have won three or four
games this season.
mo, I'm not happy at los
ing the ball game. But I am
very happy with the season.
II never saw a team make so
many sacrifices and put SO
much into football as this one"
/ The Middies lost to Duke
after leading, 100. at the half.
They upset Washington in the
thriller of the year on a AZ
yard field goal by Greg Mather
with seconds to go following
a messed-up Husky punt at
tempt. They had their backs
to the wall against a Notre
Dame team that went 2-8 for
the season, and they barely got
away from Army while still in
front.
Net Loss on Rushing
A crowd of 1928 fans in
the Orange Bowl and millions
of others in front Of television
screens watched yesterday as
the Tigers reduced Nays
i. rushing game to q liability
47 yards lost, 80 yards gained.
I'VE didn't block" Hardin
said. mo, I wouldn't say it was
the worst blocking we had, but
lit certainly wasn't the best.
, Look, we just couldn't handle
them"
On the other hand. the
, Tigers ate up yardage. calling
on first one back and then
another. They had 296 yards
| to their credit.
| Nobody stopped 'em per-
sistently," Hardin said. I'VE
stopped 'em as well as anyone
They didn't spring anybody
loose like they did in other
= games"
Luck Runs Out
r Actually, Navy just ran ou,
of luck. With just a little more
the Middies might have made
S of with this one, which pro-
, duced its share of thrills, in.
t cluding a 98-yard return Of &
lateral interception by Mathel
and a 90-yard return with ar
| intercepted pass by Missouri''
r Norm Beal.
And Bellino, despite a not-so'
5 grand net total of four yardi
: rushing in eight carries, still
E Showed what has made him thu
e rage of the Nation as he made
= a spectacular catch of a 81.
: yard pass for Navy's othel
= touchdown.
Hal Spooner, who completed
|. Is of 81 passes for 176 yards
S threw a high, soft one thai
I Bellino caught up with in tn,
t end zone. Joe jumped like h
e was on fire and came crashing
down on the 20" in "Orangt
Bowl" printed in lime in thu
end zone.
: Passer Smeared
J, This was midway in the fourth
u quarter, and the score was mar
{ rowed to 21-l4 when the twt
: points were added on a pas
from Spooner to End Jim Lu
: per. It lifted Navy heart
y everywhere.
Coach Dan Devine of Mis-
! souri, called it "the greatest
" catch I've ever seem"
s Hardin termed it fantastic.
= But the mobile Missouri lin
See ORANGE, Page AL