Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-19

DeVore Almost
Succeeded Self
By MORRIS sIEcEL

AFTER SEVERAL. UNDERGRADUATE DAYS It appeared
that Hughe Devore freshly and happily retired Nore
Danes interim football coach might have to unretre and
succeed himself
During the uncertainty neither Notre Dame nor
Northwestern both interested in Ara ParSeghian could
say for who really did own his talents The
muting Armenian left Northwestern Saturday to be-
come the new coach at South Bend, but Monday he
was back at Evanston presumably still coach at North
western.
But it's all been nicely settled now and everybody Is
happy After several athletic ecumencal conferences un-
der the Golden Dome Parseghian seemingly got what he
wanted at Notre Dame. His No. man with the Wildcats
Alex Agase inherited what Parseghian didn't want at
Northwestern and he's their new man.
There was a "whodunt" atmosphere to the whole
strange business To this very moment nobody Is saying
who threw the overaS in Mrs Muphys chowder to preci
pitate the in-again, out-again farce.
HIS FIRST utterings as the latest gridiron Moses
OF the Fighting Irish Parseghan who Is q fighter but
hardly Irish laid down the ground rules of his admins
traton
As outlined he intends to do three things to promote
Noe Dame the top Of the class where they have been
missing for years. ITO round up the best staff possible to
recruit strongly and to coach the disciples we'll"
His dogma is hardly new Football, shortly after Rut
gers and Princeton became godfahers to the game has
always paid dividends to those who followed Gen. Nathan
Bedford Forests Civil War strategy of "gittng there
fuStest with the moStest"
The late Massa Jim Tatum understood this axiom
well any and better than most He also expressed it in
uncertain terms when the coach Of opponent
flattened by of Maryands iuggernauts complained
that his team had been outmanned.
Tell that man., MasSa Jim meSSaged, mat gettln
football players is Just important as coaching en-
SaSA
ARA, WHOSE NAME is the same spelled backwards or
fronwards also unique in another way He the first
Presbyterian to become head coach at Nore Dame
The good Catholic fathers and the Irish alumni likely
to forgive him If he produces.
Knute Rockne, Notre Danes greatest also began his
Irish coaching religious -conformist in the
eyes Of the South Bend rulers The bald Norwegian
Lutheran but shortly after he converted Nore Dame into
winning football entry Rockne himself converted
Obviously, Notre Dame won't insist this from Par
seghian but religion becomes issue they act
expediently, Just Cardinal Spelman supposed to
have done in the charming fiction manufactured by
Comedian Joe E. Lewis.
8 WHEN WORD REACHED the Cardinal Of $5OOOOO
international golf tournament at Tel Avv he Immediately
inquired who the best golfer the United States and
why not get him to represent American Catholics the
big event.
He was told Arnold Palmer was the best but could not
qualify He not Catholic. $50 Cardinal Spelman
called Palmer to New York, made him monsignor and
told him to represent the church at the Tel Avv golf
nament" Lewis relates.
THE Cardinal also asked Palmer to call him collect
with the results Well Arnie, Monsignor Palmer went
over and played in Tel Avv" Lewis continues HE called
Cardinal Spellman when 1t and told him he had
bad news didn't wn Cardinal finished second Palm
er phoned apologeticaly.
Second. Arnie that's wonderful in field like that
You have brought prestige to the church and won fame
and fortune for yourself the Cardinal treasured him You
have no reason to be disappointed
But tell me, son. who did win?
Rabbi Sam Snead' Palmer answered"
After four straight losing seasons Notre Dame will
cheerfuy accept secondpace finish under Parseghian
even If he isn't Of the boys yet