United States Military Academy West Point - Howitzer Yearbook (West Point, NY)

Page 259 text:

of tin in were subs last year and lacked ring ex- perience at the beginning of this season. How- ever, it did not take very long to make their blows come harder, their feints more subtle, and their strength more lasting. The opening meet of the season was held on January 1(5 with N. Y. U., after only about two weeks of training. All of the bouts except the last one. (in which Elias was knocked out by Lassman, an extremely clever boxer), were very close, show- ing that the men were hardly in their trim so early in the season. We managed to win, 4 to 2. The next ring encounter, (not considering a miniature engagement or so by some of our love sick brethren), was with Toronto U., in which we were defeated t to :!. Watlington was matched against the Canadian ace, veteran of many battles, including some Olympic work. Wat cooly set out to win the bout by outpointing the Canadian without giving him a chance to use his much herald- ed knockout smashes. The result was that Wat ' was the decisive winner over the experienced vete- ran. V. M. I. was next met. The sting of defeat by the Toronto team was still felt, and all men were anxious to avenge it if possible. It was possible, V. M. I. coming out on the short end of a 5-2 score. Excepting the heavyweight and the 11 classes, the team at this stage of the season seemed to be past the experimental stage, being well able to more than cope evenly with any team on the schedule. The last three meets against Syracuse, Wash- ington and Lee, and Penn State were won decisive- ly. Against Syracuse the team did not lose a single bout, winning four out of the seven via the knock- out route. The most even bout of the Syracuse affair was the one between Bcattie and Cordasea. Their styles wen similiar. and both were aggres sivc. Beattie was in a little better condition, enabling him to outpoint his opponent in the second and third rounds. The features of the Washington and Lee meet were the decisive victories (both K.O. ' s) scored by Watlington and Fritzche. These same two boxers featured in tin- victory over Penn State, also. In addition. Ilornisher avenged his defeat at Prim State niits last year. The victory over Penn State ended the season. With the team intact for next year, it is expected that many completely successful m e e t s will be fought, under the direction of Mr. Cavanaugh and Lovell. the new Captain. Page two hundred fifty-i

Page 258 text:

CAVANAUGH FROM the standpoint of actual enjoyment of a sport, boxing leads most all of them, in the opinion of the Corps. There is that thrill of an actual man-to-man en- counter to a ring bout that appeals. This is not a ten- dency that parallels the love of Nero and his contempora- ries for t h e battles in the arena, but is rather a legiti- mate respect and admiration for two men that go inside the ropes and match skill, strength and cunning against those same qualities in a prac- tically unknown opponent. It is not only the hard wal- lops, it is the exchange of blows, the dodging, the quick thinking, the rushing in and retreating — in short, the real finesse of the sport that is so appealing. Mr. Cavanaugh, aided materially by Lieutenant Cranston, has built up a team that is one of the most successful of all Army teams. Indicative of the team ' s real ability is its record for the past two years, during which time only one meet lias been lost. This was lost to Toronto this year, 1 to 3, principally because we had no real heavyweight entry. In order to meet our Canadian opponents in this entry, we m o v e d up our last four men one file, standing m o r e t h a n a chance to 1 o s e four bouts instead of j u S t one. lint, we a r e more than satisfied with the work of our leather pushers. Fight- ing at all times a clean, fierce, g e n t 1 email 1 y fight, they have conducted them- selves in a man- ner that is at o n C e a credit and an honor to DcSHAZO, Manager the Academy. 1 GRIZZARD. The team was handicapped all through the year by being deprived of the services of Grizzard, the captain. He did not get to fight in a single meet, because of sickness and a slight incapacity brought on by his dickerings with the Academic department, notably Engineering. However. Grizz lent his counsel and presence to the squad all year, helping out whenever it was possible. The outstanding boxer of the year was Watlington. the Colorado gentleman from A Co.. and vice versa. He not only never lost a bout, or even came near losing one, but he scored four knockouts ere the schedule was completed. He has a very long reach and uses it to keep the other man at a respectable distance. His footwork is excellent, enabling him to use his reach to the best advan- tage. He carries a powerful wallop around with him, and, (the discussion being about boxing), that of course, helps him a trifle. Above all. he has a head on his shoulders, and feels no hesitation at all about using it for other things than as a target for his opponent ' s punches. Other men who were particularly good are Frit- z c h e . Beattie and Lovell. The first two did not lose a bout during tin- year. and Lovell lost only one. This defeat w a s in the Toronto meet, when he was boxing one e 1 a s s heavier than his weight called for. He a n d Fritzche scored three K. O. ' s, and Beat- tie two. during the season. All the men on the squad improved t remen dously as meet follow- ed meet. Most

Page 260 text:

pfsyfc . m WRESTLING F. AND M 12 VALE 8 i TORONTO ' , V. M. 1 9 U. OF PENN 18 SPRINGFIELD ....12 PRINCETON Id COLUMBIA 9 ARMY. ..11 ARMY.. ..21 KMV.. . .21 ARMY. ..12 ARMY. ..13 RMY.. .. 9 ARMY.. ..12 RMY.. ..10 Yi IUNG, Capta FOLLOWING M r . Jenkins ' instructions, t h e wrestling squad stepped behind their op- ponents in one count , and came out on top with a successful sea- son. Five of the eight meets were won, giving the Army a balance of two on the credit side of the ledger. The idea that a team must win every game, or every meet, during the year in order to show it ' s face when out amongst strangers is en- tirely erroneous. All that we ask of the members of an Army team 1 Hi ' m JENKINS, Coach commendation, without losing a is that they let t h e visiting ag- gregation know that they have gone through a real fight. Of course, it is not intended to dis- count the value of a victory, for a hundred per cent season w o u 1 d be very fine. But. t li ■ score of tin- game is not all that counts, by a n y means. Just at this point it might be e x ]) c d ient to mention several pleasing features Jt L. t j 09 i, Ljf n kvfr f5ti ' •r ' . fcT I ' .l (WEN, Manager of the season. Yale, probably our greatest athletic arch-enemy, (next to Navy of course), was severely trounced 21 to 8. Co- lumbia, victor over us in both football and basketball, was van- quished 10 to 9. V. M. I., often quite a bug-bear to our wrestling team, was humbled 12 to 9. There were several individual incidents that are also worthy of Selby went through the season single match. ( It might be added that he has yet to lose a bout dur- ■■( ing the entire time in which he has been wrest- ling. We are very proud of the record which he has made). Bosco Schmidt, the new captain, lost o n 1 y o n e bout. This was to M e i s 1 a h n o f Princeton. In most all of his )ther encounters. ' Bosco ' ' threw his man without much trouble. On two or three occasions he was o u tweighed some fifty pounds Ml -.il Ml Tage two hundred fifty-twc