George Washington University - Cherry Tree Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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Recognized as one of the strongest teams in the South, the Colonials opened their Golden Jubilee of football against an underrated Mount St. Mary ' s ball club. The larqest crowd ever to witness an opening game saw the Buff and Blue held to a scoreless tie in the first half, and then come back strong to score two touchdowns in the second half to win 12-0. One week later the Colonials invaded New York, and beneath the brilliant lights of the Polo Grounds the Buff and Blue defense frustrated the razzle dazzle plays of the highly touted Manhattan ball club while their hard-driving backs scored three times to win 21-18. From the bright lights of Broadway the Colonials trav- eled into Dixieland and because of a siege of overconfi- dence they barely nosed out the Washington and Lee Generals in the closing seconds of a hectic ball game 20-14. At this stage of the season injuries began to hamper the welfare of the squad. The next week-end saw a badly injured Colonial team in the bluegrass country where the Kentucky Wildcats overpowered them 24-0. After this discouraging defeat the Colonials bounced back to an outstanding victory over West Virginia. BiM Kerr ' s mighty mountaineers went down to a 19-0 defeat at the hands of the Buff and Blue warriors. Then, after completely outplaying and outcharging the Bucknell Bisons, the Colonials were forced to accept a scoreless tie for their Homecoming game. Victory came the next week, however, when the Colo- nials beat a strong Kansas ball club 6-0. In spite of this great showing against their intersectional rivals, the Colonials were definitely the underdogs as they prepared for the encounter with their strong District rivals, George- town. The Hoyas were acclaimed as one of the best teams in the country and were picked to defeat the Buff and Blue by at least four touchdowns. But on November 23, as dusk began to fall over Griffith Stadium, and the Hoya and Colonial warriors trudged back to their locker rooms, victory by a very slight margin was Georgetown ' s. The courageous Colonials had outfought and outplayed the Hoyas in every phase of the game, but Dame For- tune had favored Georgetown with victory 8-0. Thus ended a successful season for the Buff and Blue, and in the fall of 41 with a wealth of material, they will make their debut in the Southern Conference. Above, two samples of the fast action in the game with Georgetown, Novem- ber 23, 1940. Below, Walt Fedora starting out on the 19-yard run for a touchdown that gave G. W. a 6-0 victory over Kansas, No- vember 16, 1940. FOOTBALL

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COMING Around the end of fall, G. W. begins to ac- quire a festival atmosphere and abandons itself to the gaiety and bustle of Homecoming. Frater- nities feverishly decorate their house fronts, riot- ous pep rallies are held, worried, harrassed com- mittee members rush around, and the dimpled darlings of campus organizations are nominated with hopes and prayers for the cherished throne of the year ' s Homecoming Sweetheart. Daily the competition of sororities grows fiercer and more determined as polls are set up in the Student Club and the Schools of Law and Medicine. The 1940 Homecoming program included a tea held at Strong Hall for the nervous candi- dates and the beaming alumni who come into their own at Homecoming. An innovation was the torchlight parade down Constitution Avenue Friday night ending in a rally at the Washington Hotel. Then came the momentous day and the Homecoming game with thousands packed into Griffith Stadium, cheering on the Colonial eleven against Bucknell, laughing at the entertainment between the halves, applauding the award to the most outstanding alumnus. But, however fever- ish the excitement at the game may have been, it approached a near frenzy of suspense at the dazzling climax, the Homecoming Ball. Applause greeted each candidate as she and her escort strolled in a spotlight the length of the ballroom to the raised throne where Caroline Wadden, 1 939’s Sweetheart, presided, and the hush of hundreds was broken by the sight of red-headed Betty Stevenson and Mary Ellen Degnan smilingly accepting huge bouquets and second and third place honors. Then the spectators paid thunder- ous tribute as radiant Anne Thomas was crowned George Washington ' s 1940 Sweetheart. The Homecoming celebration was brought to a close on Sunday with Mortar Board ' s breakfast for its alumni and the Riding Club ' s annual Horse Show.