Navy Won on Spirit and Excellent Defense

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 2--The men, women, and children piling out of New York's Penn Station by the special train-load practically ignored large front-page headlines in the DAily News ("Undeclared War Is On--MacArthur") in favor of the sports section, where it was reported that the reliable Jersey house ahd established Army as a 19 and one-half point favorite to defeat Navy. And Navy, as later events proved, refused to take that seriously.

Emotionally, Navy's was a wonderful example of spirit and resolution over-coming a difference in ability between the two teams; footballwise, the Middles gave a superb demonstration of defensive play which indicated that West Point had been thoroughly scouted.

Incredible to Be Stopped

To anyone who had seen Army's assortment of spectacular ball-carriers perform in Cambridge, it was incredible that men like Pollock, Stephenson, Pollard, Fischl, and Cain should be rendered ineffective by Navy's stout defensive line. To the Army backs, it must have been more than some what embarrassing to be stopped by a line which had yielded generous amounts of yardage to inferior offenses all season. And to the younger Blaik, Armys' quarterback, it must have been a frustrating afternoon--he was like the driver of a high powered motor car which repeatedly stalls.

Time and again Blaik sent his follows against the Navy wall; again and again he was forced to punt out. And the people who filled Municipal Stadium kept waiting for the Army explosion they were sure was coming but never did.

Taught to Gain

Pollard, a devastating fullback, would get up from the ground shaking his head. On one play, a Navy end was planted in the Army backfield just as Pollard took a handoff and was prepared to start around end. And it was Pollard, withal Army's meet Successful ground gainer, who was indirectly responsible for Navy's first touchdown. Instead of falling on an errant pitchout by Blaik, he kept trying to pick the ball up until finally Middle Captain Tom Bakke broke through and recovered the ball. It was a key play, and Pollard handled it poorly, but then army backs are taught to pick up loose balls and gain a few yards rather than merely keep possession.

Navy's secondary was equally sharp, for there were at least two defenders by Blaik's intended received every time.

Offensively, Navy did not make long gains, but it succeeded in grinding out three or four yards at a time. The sailors all but destroyed the Army guards, and in the third period Colonel Blaik had to replace Brian and Malavasi with Volonnino and Hart.

The Navy backs, notably Zastrow and Bannerman, just kept driving and army had to give. Zastrow went all of seven yards through the Army middle when the Cadets were supposedly making a goalline stand.

Army-Navy color was present in abundance. Pre-game exhibitions proved taht a large number of people still enjoy seeing 2,400 or 3,700 men all execute an about-face at the very same time. The President was on hand; he did not appear so worried over the international situation as many able-bodied youths in the stands.