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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 1940)
Norton Says Aggies Must Be 25 Per Cent Better Than ’39 To Repeat Win Coach Homer Norton cut the Texas Aggie winter fooball prac tice one day short this year when a “norther” blew in with near freez ing temperature. Instead of a final practice he called his squad together for a short talk in DeWare Field house and told them they will have to be 15 to 25 per cent better than they were in 1939 if they have hopes of breaking the Southwest Conference tradition that the champion never repeats. He promised them no 1940 championship but left it entirely up to the players to work toward that aim if they want to be on top again. “I want you all to keep your--* selves in good physical shape, get in some good licks on your studies, work at good hard work this sum mer and come back here the first Tuesday in September in the same kind of physical shape the team did last season and then we will see what can be done about that 1940 schedule,” Norton told them. He pointed out some of the weak nesses which have shown up dur ing the training season and ad vised the players to give some thought to correcting the errors before they pull on football togs next fall. “None of the mistakes you made is so serious but what all can be corrected and I am sure they will be ironed out before we play Texas A. & I. next Septem ber.” Back in his office in the shadows of the Kyle Field Stadium, Nor ton took time to size up the pros pects for 1940 at more length, and here is the interview: AGGIES WILL HAVE TO BE 15 TO 25% STRONGER Question—“Do you really believe that the Aggies will have to be 15 to 25 per cent stronger than 1939 to repeat?” Norton—“I certainly do. S. M. U., Baylor, and Texas are all go ing to be stronger than they were last year and just remember that we have to play those three teams on their home fields. You don’t have to ask me about our chances of beating Texas in Austin, just look at the records.” Question—“Do you think the fame that came to the Aggies this year will have any effect on their play next year?” Norton—“No. I don’t think so. Those boys are a fine bunch and I haven’t seen any swelled heads among the whole lot of them. They seem to play to win for the fun of it and are not much concerned with what is said of them in the newspapers. Would you believe it if I told you that they come into the room where we clip papers and read the comics instead of turning to the sports pages first. Does that look like they are fame conscious?” PLAYING METHODS WILL BE THE SAME Question—“Do you plan to make any change in the offense and de fense plans you used last season? Expert Radio Repair Phone No. 13f North Gate I mean are you going back to the shift or unorthodox defense lines?” Norton—“We did pretty well in 1939, didn’t we? Why change something that appears to be all right? Of course, we will have to alter our defense for each team we play but on the whole we will stick to the few defenses we used last year. On offense we will still use a balanced line without any shift.” Question—“How about your backfield patterns?” Norton—“The same as 1939, with double-wing and box most of the time and a minimum of plays run from those formations.” Question—“Are you going to de pend on power, deception, or pass attack for next season?” Norton—“That is another ques tion which will be answered after we scout our opponents. If they are weak on pass defense we would be foolish to build our whole attack on power. Likewise, if they are strong in that department we would be foolish to try throwing passes all afternoon. What I do plan is to mix up our set of plays so we can be ready for anything which shows up. We will have power backs in there at all times; boys who can pass, and above all, we are well fixed with punters this year.” Question—“I noticed that John Kimbrough is throwing some passes. Do you plan to make him your passer this year?” Norton—“No, not necessarily. You may remember that he threw one to Bill Conatser in the T. C. U. game last year that was good for 30 yards when they were expect- back. I think that team would do be foolish if we did not try to develop that ability a little more in order that he can mix up his at tack.” Question—“All right, who will do it then ? ” Norton—“Probably Marion Pugh, when he is in the lineup, but Moser or Conatser also can pass, and might do some of it. Jeffrey did quite a bit last year and he look ed pretty good in that last practice game. We are also working on Bando so he can throw some of those left handed shots of his. On top of that we have Bud Force, Tom Pickett, Jake Webster, and Willie Zapalac, all of them good passers. I think we will be able to find someone to pass when we want to.” Question—“Who do you figure will be your starting team next year ? ” Norton—“That is a long way off and anything can happen between now and then. Look at the injury to Price last summer and you can see why I can’t pick my team now. But if it will make you any happier, I’ll tell you the team I would start if I had to play a game tomorrow: “It would be the same team as we had in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day with the excep tion that Sterling would be at left end for Smith; Routt would be in Boyd’s position at right tackle; and THE PERFECT ANKLE-BREAK BOOT This is a Lucchese boot, developed over a period of years to meet the de mand by Aggie-men for a boot of this type. The process by which this “perfect ankle break” is achieved was developed by the Lucchese Boot Company. LUCCHESE BOOT CO.. INC. 101 West Travis St. J San Antonio, Texas Aggie Head Coach Homer Nor ton reveals prospects for next year’s team. Pugh would be at quarterback in place of Price. The rest of the team would take in Jack Kim brough or Buchanan at right end where Sterling was; Pannell at left tackle; Marshall Robnett and Henke at guards; Vaughn at cen ter; Moser and Thomason at wing backs and John Kimbrough at full back. I think that team would do to start with, don’t you?” Question—“How about your re serve strength?” Norton—“Ever since I have been coaching football I have always had the idea that I would like to have two teams, one about equal to the other. This year I have two teams and while the second one probably would not be quite as strong as the first one, I think I could send it in and not have to worry too much about what they would do.” Question—“Does that mean that you will use the Tulane two-team idea? I mean, send in a whole team at a time as subs?” Norton—“No. I just merely said I had two teams, but as to making substitutions as a unit— we will wait until next season to think about that. Remember that most of the starting team I gave you will graduate after next sea son and I have to have some of the others ready for 1941. The only way they can get experience is to play, and that is what I intend them to do.” Question—“The world knows you had six of the 11 All-Southwest Conference players last year and that two of them made All- American. Would you mind stick ing out your neck to pick your All- American and All-Conference can didates for 1940?” Norton—“That is a tough one. Please remember that the ‘All’ teams are mostly a matter of one man’s judgment and it is seldom that more than one player from any one school gets on an All- American team. However, I be lieve that in John Kimbrough, Jim Thomason, both backs; Marshall Robnett, guard, and Ernie Pannell, tackle, I have four men who should land on top for serious considera tion for All-American if they play the kind of football they did last year. They are all seniors and all of them were All-Conference se lections last year. “For the All-Conference team, w'e have a lot of' other prospects but I believe that Bill Conatser and Derace Moser, backs, stand a good chance. If Vaughn improves de fensively he might make it at cen ter and don’t forget that Chip Routt at tackle and Charlie Henke at guard will be playing their last year of football and both are more than anxious to make the confer ence team before they finish.” Question—“Coach, that sounds like you are after every position on that All-Conference team ex cept ends. Why not those?” Norton—“All right, just to make the All-Conference team an All- Aggie team, let’s put Jim Ster ling and Jack Kimbrough or Bill Buchanan at the ends and that will solve the whole question.” Question—“That about winds up the interview, Coach, but before we quit, will you give me the final standing for 1940?” Norton—“You seem to want me to hang myself, don’t you? Well, here it is: S. M. U. is the team everyone will have to beat. Baylor is the big threat and Texas, with its plan bearing fruit, is the dark horse. T. C. U., Arkansas, and Rice are all in a bunch with any of them likely to cause trou ble.” Question—“But where will the Aggies be?” Norton—“Just playing their 1940 schedule one game at a time like we did last year.” A. & M. WINS TRACK MEET BATTALIONS- THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1940. PAGE 3 University Track Coach Well-Pleased With Squad Showing at Exposition Meet AUSTIN.—Scanning results of the Southwestern Exposition meet with satisfaction, Clyde Littlefield of the University of Texas, points out that all the university and college stars who competed at Fort Worth will be in Austin April 6 for the 13th Texas Relays. No small part of his satisfac tion related to the good showing of his Texas Longhorns in win ning the university division with 57% points to 30 for Oklahoma A. & M. the runner-up. The Texas coach warned Long horn followers, however, that there were several weaknesses in the team’s armor and that he wasn’t ready yet to see it made the South west conference favorite over the defending champion Rice Owls. One of the most cheering inci dents at Fort Worth, from Little field’s viewpoint, was Nelson Puett’s unexpectedly good broad jump of 23 feet 11 inches. The little football halfback reported for track work only last week. Another surprise, although a milder one, was soph Preston Flan agan’s winning javelin toss of 192 feet 2 inches in his first big var sity test. Other first-place win ners for Texas—Lonnie Hill in the 100-yard and 400-meter dashes, Boyce Watewood in the low hur dles, Beefus Bryan in the pole vault, Red Barefield in the quar ter, Jack Hughes in the discus, Lee Ramsdell in the 220 and the Steer relay team in the mile event -had been more or less pronounced favorites at the start. Littlefield pointed out that Don Boyston, Oklahoma Aggie high jumper who threatened world’s rec old heights at Fort Worth, would be a prominent Texas Relay en trant. With three more weeks of work behind him, the skinny Still water sophomore might clear the bar at six-10 here April 6—a mark he barely missed last Saturday after making six feet eight and a quartet inches. / Fred Wolcott, Rice’s world’s- best hurdler, showed he was in good early-season shape by skim ming through the highs in 14.5. Gatewood, who set a new meet rec ord of 23.8 in the lows, will re sume his hitherto fruitless chase of Wolcott in the special 120-yard high hurdles at the Texas Relays. Wolcott, then a sophomore, first burst into national prominence when Gatewood pushed him to a 13.9 time at the ’38 Relays. With virtually every strong team from the Southwest and Midwest already entered, L. S. U. and Tu lane representing the South and teams like Pittsburgh and Butler, showing active interest, the ’40 Relays field is shaping up as one of the strongest in the meet’s 13- year history. Littlefield has matched Wayne Rideout, one-half the North Texas Teachers’ famous twin combine, with Hoosier Don Lash over the 3,000-meter route. Now he is seeking a suitable opponent for Blaine Rideout in the special half- mile. Wayne and Lash will run with the collegiate competitors in the 3,000 meters. In 1937 Lash sprint ed past Rideout at the finish to set the present Relays record of 8:37. First baseball and then track. That’s the way it’s been this last week and the way it will prob ably be the rest of the year but between the major days all the intramural games will fit in some way. Aggie Polo Team Beats San Antonio Freebooters, 10 to 3 Off to a slow start, the R.O.T.C. polo team woke up in the second half and defeated the San Antonio Freebooters ten goals to three, Sunday afternoon. Due to the fact that Kuykendal’s team had quali fied in the finals in the Southern Inter-circuit matches, the Free booters were without his play. His position was filled by Echenber, a former A. & M. football player, from the Echenberg Ranch near Bandera, who played an excellent game. Mr. Garrett, who trains and sells ponies to the eastern teams, played number two. Speedy Hicks and Ross Meador, both familiar to A. & M. fans, were at the four and one slots respectively. The first half was nip and tuck, with the score tied. Culbertson, Jones and McDonald counted and San Antonio retaliated with goals by Echenberg, Garrett and Hicks. In the second half, condition be gan to tell and with Jones setting the pace, the R.O.T.C. team amass ed its lead. The play was fast but the one spill produced no injuries, Meador being shaken up but able to re sume play. Score R.O.T.C. San Antonio No. 1—Culbertson Meador No. 2—Rice Echenberg Braid No. 3—Jones Garrett No. 4—McDonald Hicks Maloney Periods 1 2 3 4 5 6 T S. Antonio 1 2 0 0 0 0 3 R.O.T.C 0 2 1 2 1 4 10 Goals—Jones 4, Braid 3, Culbert son 2, McDonald 1, Echenberg 1, Garrett 1, Hicks 1. Umpires—Wing, Army; Hays, California. Monday night Davis of First Corps Headquarters continued on his return route to the top by slightly topping Wight of C Field Artillery . . . Wonder boy Spoede of H Coast turned back Lippman of B Chemical Warfare . . . 159- pound champ Jacobs of E Coast de feated Stewart of K Infantry and then came back the following night to win over Draper of D Infan try . . . Jensen of 1st Hq. Field and Cokinos of E Field won on defaults . . . Lippard of D Cav alry defeated Behnken, G Coast . .. Reeves, last year’s runner-up in the 169 class, beat out Cain of C Engineers . . . and on Tuesday night, Cobb of 3rd Hq. Field de faulted to Lippard due to a bad wrist . . . Blankenship defeated Hauser . . . Howard of 3rd Com bat Train Field defeated Lorino of D Infantry . . . and a ‘fish’ Cokinos defeated Irving of A Field. AGGIES DEFEAT SAN MARCOS BY NARROW MARGIN Abilene Christian, Sam Houston Teachers Are Other Competing Teams With Ed Dreiss winning first in both hurdles, Thomason getting first in the shot, Jude Smith plac ing first in the shot put, the Ag gies totaled 61 points to nose out San Marcos who compiled 57 in quadrangular meet here yester day. Abilene Christian and Sam Houston were third and fourth with 24.5 and 22.5 points respec tively. Roy Bucek took second in both hurdles, Ardis second in the pole vault, Red Cecil second in broad jump and 100-yard dash, and Rob nett second in javelin throw. The Aggie 440 relay team of Bucek, Dreiss, Kissinger, and Cecil also took first place. Summary: 440 dash: Beadles, Abilene, first; Ricketts, Sam Houston, sec ond; Stewart, San Marcos, third; McLean, Aggies, fourth. Time: 50.3. 100 dash: Haese, San Marcos, first; Cecil, Aggies, second; Dreiss, Aggies, third; Driskell, Sam Hous ton, fourth. Time: 10.0. Mile run: Womac, Abilene, first; Benner, San Marcos, second; Hol lingsworth, Abilene, third; Wil- meth, Aggies, fourth. Time: 4:31.5. Shot Put: Thomason, Aggies, first, 46 feet, 11 inches; Isham, San Marcos, second, 44 feet, 7 1/2 inches; Beavers, Abilene, fourth, 41 feet. 220 dash: Haese, San Marcos, first; Wofford, Sam Houston, sec ond; Cecil, Aggies, third; Sanders, Abilene, fourth. Time: 21.8. High jump: Haese, San Marcos, first, 6 feet; Finley, Aggies, Conat ser, Aggies, Bohac, Sam Houston, Hughes, Abilene, all tied for sec ond, 5 feet, 10 inches. 120 high hurdles: Dreiss, Ag gies, first; Bucek, Aggies, second; Farmer, San Marcos, third; Ever ett, Sam Houston, fourth. Time: 14.8. 880 run: Herrain, Sam Houston, first; Rushing, Abilene, second; Henderson, Aggies, third; Womac, Abilene, fourth. Time: 1:57.2. Pole vault: Burk, San Marcos, first, 11 feet, 8 inches; Ardis, sec ond, 11 feet, 2 inches; Bohac, Sam Houston, third, 10 feet, 6 inches; Nye, Aggies, fourth, 10 feet, 2 inches. 440 Relay: Aggies (Bucek, Dreiss, Kissinger, Cecil), first; Sam Houston (Driskell, Ricketts, Bos ton, Dempsey), second; San Mar cos (Stewart, Lumpkin, Adair, Haese), third. Abilene, fourth. Time: 44.1. Discus: Isham, San Marcos, first, 142 feet, 2 inches; Finch, San Mar cos, second, 137 feet, 10 inches; Henry, Aggies, third, 136 feet, 5 inches; Beavers, Abilene, fourth, 135 feet, 6 inches. 220 low hurdles: Dreiss, Aggies, Polo Team Leaves For 4-Game Series With Oklahomans The Texas A. & M. Polo Team left early Wednesday for Okla homa, where they will play a series of inter-collegiate games. The University of Oklahoma will play the Aggie team on March 21 and March 25. Two games with the Oklahoma Military Academy are to be played on March 22 and 23. While on the trip the Aggie team will visit the Army Remount Depot at Fort Reno, Oklahoma, March 20. Members of the team are Asa Jones, captain, Marfa; Sid McDon ald, Bandera; Dick Culbertson, Dalhart; Lee Rice, San Antonio; Fred Homeyer, Austin; and D. W. Barry of Amarillo. While the coaches are not confident of suc cess, a creditable showing is antic ipated. first; Bucek, Aggies, second; Mill er, San Marcos, third; Farmer, San Marcos, fourth. Time: 24.1. Broad jump: Haese, San Marcos, first, 22 feet, 10 1/2 inches; Cecil, Aggies, second, 21 feet, 11 inches; Conatser, Aggies, third, 21 feet, 1 1/2 inches; Schiller and Bucek, Ag gies, tied, fourth, 20 feet, five inches. Javelin: Smith, Aggies, first, 193 feet, 8 inches; Robnett, Aggies, second, 176 feet; Isham, San Mar cos, third, 159 feet; Wendell, Sam Houston, fourth, 158 feet, 6 inches. Mile Relay: San Marcos (Stew art, Adair, Miller, Posey), first; Abilene (Rushing, Hughes, McCoy, Beadles), second; Sam Houston (Wofford, Boston, Herrin, Rick etts), third; Aggies, fourth. Smart Hats The lower crown felt with wider brim and draped band — one of our many new-style hats for spring-. See them all, and pick your own. Norwoods Main Street BRYAN F Infantry turned back A Coast Artillery in a 2 to 1 series of vol leyball games with Farmer tower ing to the rafters for the high ones and Noton doing the manag ing. B Field took a forfeit from C Chem Warfare, C Cavalry won 2 to 0 over G Coast, the Artillery Band won by the same score over C Engineers, 2nd Hq. Field won over B Signal Corps 2 to 1, and F Field closed out D Infantry. In slinging the shoes, B Cavalry and C Field closed out D Field and B Coast 3 to 0, D Engineers set E Field back 2 to 1, and B Engineers and A Infantry gave a double de fault. On the first day of the softball games every imaginable kind of game was played. A Cavalry won over B Engineers 21 to 20 with second baseman Martin scoring four of the winning runs. A 19 to 6 win was registered by the Artillery Band. The Band boys broke up a 6-6 tie in the fifth and sixth innings and ran off and left the horsemen. The closest of the day was B Infantry’s 5 to 4 win over A Sig nal Corps. This one went into the eighth to break the tie. Gwin, first baseman for the Infantry team, scored the winning run as well as the second one for his gang. 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