Farmington High School - Student Yearbook (Farmington, CT)

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FARMINGTON STUDENT A True Sportsman ARRY BENGSTEN rapidly turned the pages of the Euenin journal until he came to the sports section. Eagerly he scanned the grst page. No, nothing there. With a disappointed look he turned anxiously to the second page. Then his face lit up, for there it was, and in headlines, tool Trowbridge and New Kensington to Meet in Crucial Tilt. MOnly undefeated major high school football teams to battle for state championship at New Kensington Saturday. Swiftly Harry's eyes swept down the column. His cheeks glowed and his breath came fast. This was fame all right! Near the middle of the page he read something that almost made his heart do a flip-flop, Again and again he read it. Captain Harry Bengsten will be at center for Trowbridge. One of the mainstays of his team, he has played brilliantly all season and is regarded as one of the best defensive players in the state. If he can stop New Kensington's terrific offensive no doubt he will make the all-state eleven. His heart pounded wildly as he pushed the paper aside and started to his room with his books to study. lf he can stop New Kensington's terriflic attack, raced through his brain. If he could! Imagine! The all-state eleven! On his desk he found a letter. Picking it up he noticed the postmark. New Kensington. He tore it open. There was a note and a carefully folded sheaf of papers. The note read: Here is a complete set of New Kensington's plays. They will try them all on Saturday, so be prepared. Hope you win. A FRIEND. Harry s head whirled. He stared at the folded sheets of paper in his hand. He clutched them tightly, exultantly. Again the words pounded through his head, If he can stop New Kensirigtons terrible attack. Already he could see himself, backing up the line, smashing play after play before the thundering grandstands. Already he could see the newspapers with their glowing accounts of his sensational playing, proclaiming him another Tricknor or Crowley or some other defensive star. And then when he made the all-state eleven, perhaps he might get a college scholarship on his football ability. He was trembling with excitement when he sat down. Then he noticed on his desk his paperweight, a tiny statuette of a football player with the inscription A True Sportsman fights hard but fair across the bottom. He let the signals slip from his hand. His soaring thoughts came tumbling down. He was bewildered and confused. The atmosphere seemed suffocating, and leaping up he bounded down the stairs two at a time and went out into the cool evening air. In about fifteen minutes he returned, quiet and determined. Going to his room, he picked up the folded sheets of paper, thrust them back into their envelope ancl tossed it into the wastebasket. Then opening his history, he went earnestly to work. All the Sunday papers in the state carried an account of the championship game. The score was 19-7 in favor of New Kensington. The star of the game was Don Brant, New Kensington fullback, who tore the Trowbridge defense to pieces, driving his way to three touchdowns. On defense, too, he was a tower of strength, something that was unusual for him. Bengsten, the papers stated, played hard and well. but was not exceptional. The all-state 18

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FARMINGTON STUDENT Ye Old Contract Bridge Game Mrs. Itfloats Stoopnagle is betting two cakes of Ivory, 99 LHXIOOW pure soap, against Mrs. Percival P. C. W. Pother's English accent, that the approach -via-the-shin system will triumph over the once-over method. The latter's outstanding feature is that you bid your hand before you sort it. Persons who use the first method are provided with shin-guards. The winner of the bet will give the proceeds to charity. THE HANDS East-Mrs. Percival P. C. W. Pother West-Mrs. R. U. Musclebound tdealerj Spades-K3 Spades-None Hearts-19876542 Hearts-None Diamonds-AQ43 Diamonds-43 Clubs-AKQI 1043 ClubsfA104 South-Mrs. I. C. Skidmore North-Mrs. Itfloats Stoopnagle Spades-None Spades-None Hearts-None Hearts-None Diamonds-542 Diamonds-K432 Clubs-None Clubs-A104 BIDDING-BOTH SIDES GFFSIDE West North East South IN. T. 2N.T. 3N. T. 4N.T. 5N.T. 6N.T. 7N.T. 8N.T. 9 N. T. 10 N. T. ll N. T. 12 N. T. 13 N. T. 14 N. T. 15 N. T. Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Punt Double Fumble Opening lead, the joker by Mrs. I. C. Skidmore. While Mrs. Itfloats Stoopnagle and Mrs. R. U. Musclebound are playing and gossiping, falthough they were unaware of it, Walter Winchell has his ear at the key-holej, Mrs. Percival P. C. W. Pother quietly swallowed the king and trey of clubs. Now, having only three suits, fnot to mention the ten dresses, four pairs' of shoes, etc.J, she took this trick and the next thirteen. Mrs. P. C. W. still had two cards in her hand, but one was discovered to be a joker, and the other an admittance to Moey's speakeasy. ' The end of the first nights play in the contract bridge match between the teams captained by Mrs. Itfloats Stoopnagle and Mrs. Percival P. C. W. Pother found the English lady, Mrs. P. C. W., 09990 points in the lead, owing to an almost incredible number of deuces, tno relation to the deuce-take-it J, held by Mrs. P. C. W. Pother and her partner, Mrs. Musclebound. In fact as Mrs. R. U. Musclebound, as dummy, tnothing personal meantj, laid down her hand in the fifty-seventh deal of the still unfinished first rubber and displayed two- spots and it later developed that Mrs. P. C. W. Pother herself had three, Mrs. Itfloats Stoopnagle and Mrs. I. C. Skidmore began to chew their finger nails and curse quietly under their breath. A lousy finesse by Mrs. I. C. Skid- more nearly caused Mrs. Stoopnagle to start a riot, but the riot was out of gas- oline and unable to start. Thus the first rubber of this stupendous bridge contest was ended. The noted players unanimously voted to postpone the contest until after the coming of the Presidential election, for the sake of publicity. Watch your local newspaper for later developments. GEORGE L. Lusk, '33. 17

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FARMINGTON STUDENT eleven was also published. Brant, Fullis, and Zalenski of New Kensington and Langley and Roraback of Trowbridge made the team. Harry read the names of the eleven without emotion. He had been silent and dejected ever since the game the afternoon before. He was wretched in his disappointment, yet he found some solace in the knowledge that he had played hard and fair. He gazed at the names of the team. The letters became distorted. Center, Durkin, Westport, faded into center, Bengsten, Trow- bridge. Slowly he shook his head and smiled wanly. No, he wouldn't have it that way even if he had another chance. On Tuesday, Harry found another letter lying on his desk. It, too, was postmarked New Kensington. He opened it and read. When I sent you our signals I was very angry and down and out. Our coach had benched me the week before, unjustly I thought, which all but ruined my chances for the all-state eleven. I was so blamed sore that I sent you the signals, knowing you backed up the line and could use them to the best advantage. However, I was soon stung with remorse. The thought that I had betrayed my school and my team troubled me so that I thought I could never look up again. When our coach told me on Wednesday that I was going to start the game I had a slight chance to make up for what I had done. I never was so determined and desperate in my life as when I started the game. When I saw you hadn't learned the signals, I almost went wild and played way over my head. I want to thank you for doing what you did. I can't tell how much it meant to me. Thanks again from a reformed sportsman to a true sportsman. DON BRANTHV Those two words, True Sportsman, filled Harry with an indescribable joy: he was happy, terribly happy. Then his eye caught sight of the paper- weight. He smiled and could have sworn that the little football player smiled back. ' ROBERT SAUNDERS. Theme Songs japan- My Mantchurialf' China- Bye, Bye, Bluefjacketslf' Germany-'ilust one more chance. Novelist- Everything must have an ending. Spaghetti- Bigger and better than ever. Hoover- Fired. Football- Ooh! That kick! Iohn R.-A'My dime is your dime. Burglar- Though you may belong to somebody else. Tonight you belong to me! Roosevelt 6 Smith- I hear you calling mel' All Stockholders- Mean to Mel An Austin fas fat lady approachesl-A'Lady, Stay Away from My Door. Our Books-'AHave a little faith in mel Honolulu- Between the devil and the deep blue seal Al Capone- If I had the wings of an Angel. Babe Ruth fto baseballJ- Toodle-oo-SoLong-Goodbye! All Seniors- Through, Prosperity- Around the Corner. Depression- How Long Will It Last? ARLINE Iuno, '34. 19