West Virginia University - Monticola Yearbook (Morgantown, WV)

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Joe Stydahar is one of the biggest reasons for the stability of the West Virginia Hne. Standing over 6-feet 4-inches in height and weighing more than 2 1 5 pounds he was also a great threat as a punt blocker, parti- cularly after he overcame the difficulty of learning to charge low under the opponent. Joe was men- tioned prominently on several All-American and All-Eastern selections and will be the main foundation for next year ' s line. Sam Mawhinney paired with Stydahar at the tackles during the greatest part of the last campaign and is certain to hold down the same post in 1935. Tall and slen- der with a slim waist but driving shoulders, he is reminiscent of the Golden Era days of Beck and Davis. A quiet, but dependable player, Sam can easily be picked out on the field because of his peculiar shifting gait. Hosmer (Hoss) Cropp will be Coach Tallman ' s chief filler for a forward wall shattered by gradu- ation. In the past he has been used at either guard or tackle posi- tion and his rangy style of playing makes him adaptable to both posts. Although he has been a member of the Varsity squad for two years, Hoss has had but one year of Varsity playing chalked on Sis record. Dick Heath, one of the fastest backs on the squad, came to the fore last year mainly because of his fine kicking. With two years of Varsity experience behind him, he will become a valuable man in the future, particularly in exe- cuting end sweeps where speed is es- sential for ball carrying and run- ning experience. CROPP Joe Zaleski alternated at the fullback in 1934 and should handle the Varsity as- signment next fall. A powerful line- plunger, he runs with the high knee action that makes him hard to tackle. When it comes to the final few yards to the goal line, hotly contested over every inch, Joe has the necessary drive to crash through. Angelo Onder ' s specialty is place kick- ing but he was a tough end for any team to ' flank last season. He was another of the giant linemen, and his 192 pounds were handled to good advantage.

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John (Benny) Thomas was forced to fill a tough assign ment at the fullback post. That he did it with dispatch is evidenced by the fact that he averaged three yards gain every time he carried the ball during the season. His short choppy stride gave him tremendous power, a necessary asset to a team more noted for defense than offense. Lou Fidler, another great utility man who could and did play practically every position, gained most of his renown as a guard. Handicap- ped some during his Varsity career by in- juries, he overcame the difficulties with an unbeatable fighting spirit. Joe Johnston was the final senior mem- ber of the squad. A reserve line- mna, he served but one year on the first squad, graduating from the Junior Varsity where he held the captaincy. Patsy Slate came to West Virginia via Potomac State with a reputation as a punter. A leg injury in his first Varsity g me was quite a drawback, but he managed to shake the trouble off, and his coffin corner kicks pull- ed the team out of many bad holes. In addition, he was better-than-average pass receiver. P red Wilson ' s great asset was his speed — a needed ability for a pass catching end. Edged out of a first string berth, he con- tinued to be the Number One replacement and if necessary could move into the back- field to tote the ball. His peculiar man- ner of running made easy to identify as he streaked down the field for a long pass. i s5M «f Jimmie Stott, the lightest regular on the squad, made up for his lack of size by speed and de- ception. With a little help from his mates in moving some of the bulk opposing linemen, Jimmie could scamper through the re- sulting broken field with deadly results. His ability to kick and pass also made him a capable substitute for every member of the backfield. SCOTT

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Jack Gocke heads the sophomore talent by dint of his excellent passing and kicking. A real triple threat man, he kept the Mountaineers in more than one ball game with long, high punts out of the danger zone, and equally long passes that usually resulted in scores. Herbert (Babe) Barna was the receiving end of most of the red-headed Gocke ' s passes, and the two boys were generally considered a single unit. Babe was a trifle weak on defensive play, but long practice sessions have aided that and two more seasons of competition should provide the opportunity for a great record. Bob Kyle, another dependable sophomore, showed such promise during his first Varsity year that he began to draw starting assignments before the season was half over and played out the year at the blocking quarterback position. Carl Hall did a fine job as a reserve guard last year and will be one of the few experienced linement who will return. Handicapped early in the season by a broken nose, he was able to overcome the difficulty by the use of a special protective headgear, and saw service in near every game. Gene Hester was faced with the prospect of having to win his position from an All-American candidate. Tod Goodwin, but he gave a good account of himself. A powerful pair of arms and shoulders help him in boxing opposite tackles and make him a hard man to take out of any play. Tony Forte, returning to the University after a con- siderable absence, proved himself a capable reserve line- man. A trifle slow in pulling out of position, he made up for that by using the advantage of his weight. Dick Frantz saw little actual Varsity service last fall because he was substitute for Herb Stewart whose inspir- ed play kept him in action through the entire season. .M. W]IIXXKV FORTE (iOCKL