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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 1942)
Any amateur detectives in the house? We need some one to crack the case of the “questionable touchdown.” The validity of Kennedy’s Washington State touchdown which bounced our Ducks-like a rubber check 7 to 0 last Sat urday in Pullman is still being questioned around these parts. Collaborator Lee Flatberg, who was taking in the contest from a vantage point in the Rogers field press box from where you can get a pretty accurate slant on things, declares fer vently it was “no score. ' Kennedy "neared" the goal line, »itberg argues—never crossed it. So. we decided that we’d pull a little detective excursion, sans ialse whiskers and dark specs, to try and ferret out the answer to aforementioned question: “Did or did not Bob Kennedy gain the goal line on the play which netted the Cougars a touchdown and victory?” John Is Mum \\ e placed Oregon Coach John Warren definitely on the spot when we popped the question to him. Cagily the Duck mentor sidestepped the issue with "as far as I'm concerned it was a touchdown,” which was the onlv answer you could expect him to make. He added an afterthought, though. “. . . some of the players didn’t think so." Next we proceeded to extend our quest to the players who were down there on the field, actually mixing it up when the “touchdown” was scored. Our search came to a successful climax when we tracked down one Bill Davis, sophomore firststrin-g full, backing up the line at the time of the score. He seemed to be the best cmalified to voice an opinion on the matter. For it was he ♦uo tackled Kennedy on the disputed play. Ball on One-Yard Line The ball was resting on the Oregon one-yard line, in Washington State possesion, fourth down. The big Webfoot line had been turning back, most of the afternoon, the ruth less Cougar drives which penetrated dee]) into Oregon ter ritory. Once more Washington State threatened. Three times the valiant Ducks dug in to rebuff the assaults. Then came the play in question. The shift was right, Kennedy back. Grabbing the pigskin, he slanted between tackle and guard. But the play didn’t come off as planned. The uncooperative Mr. Davis, sensing out the maneuver, drove in hard and fast, met Kennedy “on or behind the line of scrimmage,” and dumped him on the three. As Davis hit the Cougar fullback, the ball squirted out of Kennedy’s grasp, jumped around on the turf, and was smoth ered by Oregon guard Floyd Rhea. ,touchdown a surprise It looked like an Oregon recovery and a successful repulse of the WSC offense. “No one thought that it was a touch down." Davis said, including in that category players and fans alike. One of the officials dashed in among the carnage of players, signifying the score. Davis averred that no whistle was blown when Kennedy had “scored,” precluding the fumble which wrested the ball from WSC possession. Officials are only human, and to quote an old passage: “To err is human, . . .” but the movies taken of the game should be quite interesting as they should show up with glaring clar ity what has turned out to be the No. 1 faux pas on the coast of the 1942 season. Ducks Hard Hit The Cougar tilt was costly, not only in deteriorating Ore gon’s standing in the league, but in manpower losses as well. "Honest John's" undermanned gang of fighters lost iQvily before this season ever drew a breath. Koch. Iverson, Newcjuist, Crish, Wilson, Dunlap, Boyd, etc., all were lost to put Warren behind the proverbial eight-ball at the outset. Now Old Man Injury, that tenacious cuss who is al ways putting his ailing fingers on someone, strikes again. He touched mammoth Dick Ashcom, huge 225-pound right tackle, who sustained a severe leg injury against the Cougars, which will bench him for two weeks. Daniels Next to Fall Add to this Johnny Daniels, sophomore reserve center, who Old Man Injury stabbed Monday night. Daniels smashed up his shoulder blade which certainly puts him on the hospital list for the remainder of the season. The old fellow who was gloating over these two "achieve ments." was foiled this week by two others who quit their s^:-beds. Center Steve Bodner, who had received painful head injuries, and rough-and-rugged Yal Culwell, who picked up a sprained wrist. Both will be ready for Washington. “Honest John" is having to do some plain and fancy juggling to get his tiny squad to stretch out over the New Spirit Hits Webfoot Camp; Team Scrimmages u a varsity meets Rugged Frosh By JOE MILLER The W ebfoot varsity moved against the freshmen Tuesday afternoon in the fiercest and most spirited practice since the season began, and Head Coach “Honest John” Warren served notice on various and sundry that if the Ducks continued this brand of ball the University of Washington Huskies would face Oregon at their peak of this season. The offensive blocking- showed marked improvement. Ray Blatchley, soph quarter, spent most of his time in the varsity post, and Len Surles, senior con verted guard, was moved back to his running- guard post, where he has not seen action for two years. Warren warned of further changes in the Oregon lineup for next Saturday's classic with the Huskies—meaning that a new of fensive might be coming up and the possible moving of Tom Rob lin to the quarterback position. Varsity fullback Tom Oxman appeared in a suit for the first time today, and his good per formance in his first scrimmage for several weeks raised the pos sibility that sophomore fullback Billy Davis, who turned in a sparkling 60-minute performance against the Cougars, may be moved to a blocking position, so that both players can see plenty of action. The \arsity moved up and down the field against Anse Cornell’s frosh, although near the end the neophytes settled down and held the varsity with big Pete Miller, frosh tackle, cracking in to make several stops. The possibility of a new offense was strongly offered in local circles. Although it will remain a deep secret until the afternoon of the Washington game the fact that Bob Reynolds and Tom Rob lin will be in the ball game at the same time might hint at hipper dipper activities by the Ducks— at any rate there will be some thing different offered Saturday. Kufferman Starts Left tackle will be in the hands of Merritt Kufferman against the Huskies. Dick Ashcom is defi nitely out of the game and Re serve Bill Bartels has not gotten over a recent sickness which will leave matters entirely in Kuff’s hands. He was out of action against WSC, remaining in Eu gene to take a West Point physi cal examinations. The revival of Webfoot spirit was something that greatly en couraged Warren and Manny Vezie. They both felt that the eleven positions. His latest by the injuries sees Tommy ball packer, in the quarterbai nolds, talented sophomore, while Roy Dyer, ex-full, fla is still being used at full. In the injured Ashcom’s ; be transplanted front left tackl work in Moe's old spot. John ; man, hulking junior, might g< posts. Oregon vs. Washington Is This One a Grudge Fight? The forthcoming grid tussle between Oregon and her arch rival, the University of Washington, will be more than just an ordinary game in several important respects. First, we find that both the state universities are not only sport ing virtually new teams, but both teams are using their former fresh man mentors in the first-string berth. “Honest John” Warren, Ore lowing his frosh up the ladder and now in his sophomore year is leading his Ducks in their 35th encounter with the Husky. On the other side we find the same thing true in the case of “Pest” Welch, this year’s Wash ington mentor. On the field we have an Oregon line with all the potential power that was visible against St. Marys Pre-Flight; on the other side we find a Washington back field with all the drive, power, and slash that, such great backs as Bob Erickson and Fred Provo proved to be against College of Pacific. A fact that adds even more question marks to the total com plexion are the results of last Saturday’s grid battles. Oregon walked into a mighty W.S.C. ag VETERAN . . . . . . tackle in “Post” Welch’s Hus ky line is 215-pound Thron Riggs, constant threat. Ducks were down mentally for the Washington State game, and that had they been in better spirits the outcome with the boys from the Palouse hills might have been different. Saturday’s clash figures to be a wild-eyed battle from advance reports from both battle camps. experimentation brought on Roblin, until now the No. 1 :k blocking spot. Bobby Rey is holding sway at left half nks him on the right. Davis tead. Big Ed Moshofsky will Warren said. Cliff Giffin will Iso hinted that Merritt Kuffer t the call at one of the guard gregation that punched a few holes in her invincible line, and played constantly in her back field. Washington at the same time had her own little troubles and was held to a nothing to nothing tie by U.S.C. This is specially in teresting because we hear poor quarterbacking was what held Washington in check within the Trojan ten-yard line not once but five times! After Pete Susick's job against Pacific in which his performance was the best the coast could offer, this is surpris ing. Oregon will, in this game, be fighting not only for victory but to even up the score in an nual game wins. Oregon is cred ited with 15 victories while Wash ington has 16 wins. The annual contest will be more than just an ordinary grudge battle because there is the little matter of a supposedly great Oregon line trying to prove itself once and for all. At the same time a strong Washington backfield will be out to prove that its running, passing and most of all its quarterbacking is as good as first game indications. As for the game, it should be a good one, and as you watch it remember the different slants from which the outcome may be viewed. The coaches are new, spirit is there what more can you ask for in the way of pre game interest? Coed V-Ball (Continued from page four) so that there would always be one to manage at games. Hendricks took the volleyball cup after downing the Orides last year while Chi Omc-ga fought a hard battle only tO' go down un der the Orides. Let 'Jack Danner' the smiling Associated Dealer Serve You For a tank of gas, lubri cation or an oil changing it’s DANNER'S Directly in back of Saymour’s l