McInally Vies for All-American Status

He doesn't drink except for a "very occasional" scotch and water. He doesn't smoke. He drinks milk three times a day. He goes to church every Sunday. And he voted for Nixon in '72.

Pat Boone, you ask? No, but close.

Just replace the white bucks with a pair of football cleats, change the last name, and presto--Pat McInally, All-American boy, All-American candidate emerges.

From Villa Park, Calif., heartland of Nixon country, the wholesome, 6 ft. 6 in. senior, who says he has become "very adept at being middle-of-the-road politically," has a stronger feeling about his athletic career.

"Since I was 10-years-old, I've wanted to be All-American," McInally says. "Last year, when I was picked to the second team All-American squad, well, shoot, it was the greatest thrill of my life."

But McInally also feels he has paid his dues. During his sophomore year, "The Mag" spent more time on the bench than on the playing field. The reason? "I was more interested in myself than in the team. Too cocky. The coaches didn't think I was mentally prepared to play football," he said.

McInally obviously learned his lesson from a depressing sophomore year. Not only did he become what coach Joe Restic describes as a "real team member who plays in an unselfish manner," but he proved himself to be one of the finest Harvard football players ever to grace the gridiron. And his record proves it.

McInally set game and season Harvard receiving records last year, and tied career marks. He was second in the nation with 6.2 catches per game and led the Ivy League with 43 receptions. With 13 receptions against Brown, he set a Harvard record, tied the Ivy standard and won the AP National Lineman of the Week award.

Not to mention being on The New York Times All-East Team, the Coache's All-Ivy offensive unit and the All-New England All-Star squad.

For his outstanding performance during the '73 season, McInally received letters and visits from 24 of the 26 teams in the National Football League.

And, says Restic, he will "probably be the first Harvard football player ever picked in a top round in the NFL draft."

Though he has hopes for a Rhodes scholarship and business school, McInally candidly admits to being most excited by the prospect of playing pro ball--despite his mother's adamant opposition to the profession. "My mom has always been my biggest supporter," he said, "but she was always after my ass for grades."

Apparently Mrs. McInally's push for the grades has been successful, since her son copped a 4.0 average last year.

"I've never tried to pull being a scholar. I'm not a beautiful mixture of a scholar-athlete. I get good grades, but my number one priority is people, then sports, then academics."

Harvard's premier wide receiver, whose favorite sport is basketball, is notorious for his ten-point rating scale of women.

McInally says that the rating scale is not "chauvinistic," but is based purely on physical criteria.

"I never rate anyone I go out with. Theoretically, you can like a three better than an eight. The highest ever in history was an eight. That was Katharine Ross. But it's just a game. I'm sure girls look at me and think I'm a goon," he said.

Looks aside, McInally's primary concern these days is football.

His foremost thoughts are on Saturday's Holy Cross game which will be regionally televised by ABC.

"It's a real big game for me personally. The only reason I made second team All-American last year was because of my performance against Brown on T.V. The All-American team is picked after the first four or five games of the season, so I want to do especially well.

"Another reason why this game is so important to me is that Jean Provost, who made four interceptions last week against Brown and was named National Back of the Week, was third team All-American last year for Holy Cross. So you know that the scouts will be watching that game."

But before Saturday's opener, you can bet that "The Mag" will be relaxing with his father, who will attend seven of Harvard's nine games.

And for "The Mag," relaxing means strumming a guitar Jose Feliciano picked out for him--and drinking lots of milk.