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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 1942)
Football r T~ r l* s* D ^ 1 J Football Edition lll€ jtj&ttQllOll Edition ROOM 5 ADMINISTRATION BLDG. - VOLUME 42 COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, MONDAY MORNING, SEPT. 21, 1942 2275 NUMBER 47 Cadet Gridsters in Final Preparation for LSU Tilt Enrollment Of 6000 Is Expected 1794 New Students Already Admitted; 1448 Are Freshmen Approximately six thousand stu dents are expected to enroll for the sixty-seventh session starting this week, states H. L. Heaton, act ing registrar of the college. To date 1794 applications for admission to the college for the fall term have been accepted. Out of these 346 are transfers from other schools, making a total of 1448 scholastic freshmen already admitted.'Applications are still be ing accepted and the present fig ure Ivill probably be greatly in creased, stated Heaton. Housing the Cadets this year is expected to be a major problem of officials since the navy and marines ocupy six of the largest dormitories. • A plan has been submitted for housing the overflow from the regular dormitories in private homes of the community around the college. The 1942 Texas Aggie Football Squad ......... 8 t i? . - X'-. 1 .. . fe > r: . : Front Row, left to right—Henry Foldberg, Dallas; Don Luethy, Monahans; Felix Bucek, Schulen- berg; Bill Sibley, Abilene; Ray Mulhollan, Belton; Weldon Maples. Fort Worth; Bill Henderson, Hous ton. Second Row—Ed Sturcken, San Antonio; Bobby Williams, Eldora do; Jake Webster, Sweetwater; Leo Daniels, Bryan; Willie Zapalac, Bellville; Cullen Rogers, Mart; Jim Montgomery, Moran; Wayne Cure, Gilliland. Third Row—George Wilde, Gra ham; Ed McMullen, Lufkin; Fred Walker, Houston; Ranza Adams, Pearsall; Damon Tassos, San An tonio; Jennings Anderson, San An tonio; Vernon Belville, Yoakum; J. T. Sample, Dallas; Barney Welch, Stephenville. Fourth Row—Walter Steyman, Bastrop; Leonard Joeris, Abilene; Bill Thomas, Sweetwater; Floyd Hand, Pasadena; Bill Redus, Am arillo; Ed Dusek, Temple; Law rence .Payne, Fort Worth; Ben Stout, Dallas; Owen Moore, Ama rillo. Fifth Row—John Whitacre, Ste phenville; Jim Wilson, Dallas; Dan Levy, Corsicana; Fred Page, Ama rillo; Dick Hill, Amarillo; Norman Brown, Corpus Christi; Jerry Sparkman, Houston; Jamie Daw son, Crockett; Truman Cox, Donna. Sixth-Row—Arthur Mercer, Tem ple; Dickie Haas, Corpus Christi; Louis Buck, Mathis; Laddie Liska, Runge; Melchor Gonzales, San An tonio; Pete Slaughter, Houston. Joe Biry, D’Hanis; Bill Compton, Austin; Bill Andrews, Amarillo; Ed Ogdee, San Benito; John Stout, Handley. First Group of Freshmen Gridsters Report To Lil Dimmitt; To Scrimmage Varsity Tues The first group of an expected 80-man freshman team reported to Coach Lil Dimmitt Saturday after noon. No workout was held but uniforms and all other formality was attended to before the pros pective gridsters were finally re leased. 1 They will begin practice Monday, Cooperating with the varsity in scrimmage sessions and other in cidentals. Among those present were the two aces of high school football, Marion Flanagan, Sweetwater back and Beryl Baty, flashy Paris back- field star. 0dd-1000 Football Minded Cadets To Make Long Trek to LSU Fray Saturday A crowd of 100 Aggies will ac company the Aggie football team when it goes to Baton Rouge for the first game with the L. S. U. Tigers. The “Twelfth Man” will travel the customary way as they Lightnin Leo Daniels Brightest AgProspedSinceDick Todd Era By Dillard Spriggs He’s not big and he’s not little; he’s just middle-sized, but he’s a whale of a football player. That’s right we’re talking about Leo Dan iels, better known as Lightnin’ or maybe Lopin’, and even some times Piano Legs. This is the boy that the Aggie hopes for a 1942 championship depend upon. Leo hails from nearby Bryan and in his high school days he was one of the state’s best prep school backs, receiving numerous mention for a position on the all-state team in his senior year. Few teams were able to stop him and against the 1939 Waco high school team, which went to the state finals, he took the opening kickoff and re turned it some ninety yards for a touchdown. Also in the same year Leo played in the Texas state North-South all-star high ♦school game and amazed the spectators with his elusive running and his passing accuracy. In his freshman year here at Texas A. & M. the first squad’s of fensive attack was built around Lightnin’ Leo. The idea proved successful because the fish won their share of the games that year. It was last year that Leo show ed the Southwest what a good player he really is. Playing be hind the conference’s most valuable backfield man, Derace Moser, he was voted the outstanding sopho more in the Southwest during the 1941 season. This year the Aggies are counting on him to be one of the most brilliant backs in the na tion. Daniels possesses <. ,1 the quali ties of a top notch triple threat backfield ace—he’s a speedy and shifty runner, a better than average punter, and he’s exceptionally ac curate with his aerials. Leo will not be the chief signal caller— that’s Cullen Rogers’ job—but he is a smart field general, and will be able to carry on when Rogers 447 yards for the Aggies. In the punting department he ranked as one of the best kickers in the lea gue with an average of 38.4 yards in 16 kicks. As a ball carrier he hang out their thumbs and hitch hike to the game, in cooperation with the Office of Defense Trans portation by not using the trains or busses. Already Aggies have begun to campaign to educate the people of Lousiana as to the Aggie hitch hike science by sending stories to papers in the towns they will pass. Curley Brient has already put in a good word via ( the Fitch Band Wagon broadcast. The uniform for the game which all Aggies should wear is the number two uniform. Walter Card- well, cadet colonel, and Rocky Su therland, president of the Senior class , have requested that this Ags Hold 6-3 Lead in LSU Series; Last Game In 1926 When the Texas Aggies take on the L. S. U. Tigers at Baton Rouge next Saturday, it will be the first meeting of the two teams since 1926 when the Maroon and White triumphed 28-0. Both teams have tangled 11 times with the Aggies holding the long end of the margin. They have won six, lost three, while the other two battles ended in ties. Much, however, has been changed since those days and this year’s tilt, the season’s opener for both, promises to be among the toughest on either schedule. Far from a warm-up the game is more likely to be a bitter battle between two of the nation’s top rated elevens. Here is the all-time record of the Aggie—L.S.U. series: Year AGGIES L. S. U isn’t in the game. Despite the fact that he wasn’t a regular in 1941, Leo completed 36 passes out 73 attempts; gaining picked up 70 yards in 39 carries, however losses on attempts to pass lowered his average. Leo lived up (See DANIELS, Page 12) 1906 1907 1908 1913 1914 1916 1917 1920 1921 1922 1926 22 11 0 7 63 0 27 0 0 46 28 12 5 26 7 0 13 0 0 6 0 0 uniform be worn to and from the game. Many Aggies will make a real vacation of the first corps trip as plans are being made by many to visit important spots in Louisiana as they will have a week’s lapse between terms. Most Aggies will hit the road be tween Monday and Friday,.and by Saturday morning the invasion of Baton Rouge will be a fore-gone conclusion. Henderson May Not See Service Because of Injury Tackle Situation Still Obscure; Aggies To Leave For Baton Rouge Thursday Morn By Mike Haikin Battalion Sports Editor The Texas Aggies, after an intensive training of three weeks, will taper off with light exercises the next few days as they make final preparation for their opening clash with the L.S.U. Tigers Saturday night at Baton Rouge. Coach Homer Norton has been giving his charges plenty of work these past few days in a feverish attempt to have his gridsters ready for their stiff test to come. Most of the squad is in good shape, with in--f-~ juries, however, still- popping up here and there. Bill Henderson, the Aggie pass- snatching wingfmen is still a ques tion mark for Saturday since his back injury a few days ago is only in the recovery stage. Norton however has indicated that he will start the tree-top Houston sensa tion. If, by some unforseen cor- cumstances, Henderson should be laid low by his injury, Henry Fold berg, sbphomore prospect will pro bably take over the flank position. Foldberg has been the starting end ever since Henderson’s mis hap. Another question mark for the coming Saturday fray is the tack le slot. Since Don Luethy’s collar bone injury, Norton and Line- Coach Bill James have been in a dither as to who would play the tackle slot come the L. S. U. game. Weldon Maples, husky 195 lb. guard and Wayne Cure, burly 208 lb. guard, have been alternat ing at the tackle berth with good results and both may get the start ing call. Ben Stout, great sopho more tackle prospect, is another candidate for the job and may start should he shake off his injuries. Stout has been out with carbuncles for two weeks but is slowly round ing back into shape. Bill Andrews, Jim Montgomery, Leonard Joeris and Harold Attaway are other gridsters fighting it out for a tackle post. Should Maples be moved to tackle, Felix Bucek, the lad who scored that $50,000 touchdown against Arkansas last year, will move into the starting guard posi tion to go along with Ray Mul hollan. All-Conference Bill Sibley will be at his customary post at center. Sibley has been looking as good as ever since the first day of prac tice, and upon his shoulders rests the defensive tactics of the Ag gies. The backfield will be composed of Cbllen Rogers at the wingback post and calling signals; Leo Dan iels, tailback; Willie Zapalac, blocking back; and sure-toed Jake Webster at fullback. Bobby Wil liams, versatile backfield star; Ed Sturcken, flashy all-around back; Jennings Anderson, sophomore wingback; and George Wilde, triple-threat sophomore start are others expected to see plenty of service. Leaving Thursday morning at 2 o’clock, the Ags will arrive in Ba ton Rouge Friday at which time they will take a short workout at the L.S.U. field. How To Pronounce Some Aggie Names Every year radio announcers, sports writers and commentators find it very hard to pronounce some of those “Notre Dame” or “Fordham” names, so the Publicity Department of A. & M. diciphere somfe of the hard-to-say Aggie names before they send them out. Here are a few examples: Player How-ti-say-it Bucek Bue-check Dusek Do-seck Hass (not Haws) Hass Luethy Lew-the Mulhollan Mull-haul-ann Steymann Stie-mann Sturcken Stir-ken Wilde (not Wild) Will-dee Zapalac Zap-a-lack Just to Get Somebody Straight! Not TCU or Texas But Aggies Invent the Traditional 12th Man There is hardly a college any where but what is steeped in tra ditions of one sort or another, but so far as research can determine, no college in the United States has a “twelfth man” on their foot ball team, but that is what the Tex as Aggies have. The entire student body of near ly 7,000 young men all under mili tary training and discipline and all wearing regular army type of uni form, have come to be known by the appellation of the “twelfth man” and here is how it happened. In 1922 Back in 1922 the Texas Aggie team of 1921 was playing a post season football game in Dallas, Texas, on New Year’s Day, with the Praying Colonels of Centre College. The game was one of those rough and tumble affairs and fin ally Coach Dana X. Bible, then at Texas A.&M. College, realized that one more injury would leave him without another back to send into the game. Maj. S. King Gill, M. C., a physician of Corpus Christi, Tex as, had been a member of the squad that year but lacking the exper ience and ability of the others, he had not been taken on the trip with the team. However, like all Texas Aggies, he made the trip at his own expense and had seen Bible before the game and jokingly had told the coach he would be in the stands if he were needed. Gill Goes In Bible remembered that state ment and sent one of the yell lead ers into the stands to find Gill and tell him to come to the dres sing room and suit up so he could be used if needed. Gill responded but all available records fail to show that he played in that game. However, records show that he did win two football letters, two in basketball and three in baseball before rounding out his career at Aggieland. Since that day the Aggies have stood the full length of every football game so that they will be on their feet and ready should the coach ever call upon them to respond with another player, as they did with Gill back in 1922. So strong is this tradition that in 1940 when the Aggies played U.S.L.A. in Los Angeles, about 200 Aggies made the trip and had seats in the fifty-yard line section. True to tra dition, they stood up when the game started but when the other fans made a crjr about them standing all the time, they vacated those prized seats and all went into the end zone where they could still stand without annoyance to the other fans. The next time that a coach invok ed his prerogative to call upon the “twelfth man” for help was in 1930 when Coach Matty Bell, who, by the way, had played for Centre in that 1922 game, when they lost 22-14 to the Aggies, and then coach at Texas A. & M., found himself short a center and asked the “twelfth man” to produce one. Again they responded with Lt. Joe Love, a former freshman center, who is now on active duty with the U. S. Army, as is Dr. Gill. Love did not letter in that year but be fore he hung up Jiis elects, he had won two varsity football letters despite the fact that he weighed but 155 pounds and stood only five feet, nine inches. Same Spot in ’41 In 1941 Coach Homer Norton found himself in the same spot that Matty Bell was so he broad cast his plea to the “twelfth man” and again they responded with nine candidates, but a shift of Maurice Williams from end to cen ter solved the problem and the “twelfth man” candidates went back into .the stands to await an other call. Who can say now what one of those boys might carve himself a niche in the Aggie list of Aggie “greats” before he is thru? And once again the Texas Ag gie tradition of the “twelfth man” has been re-affirmed.