La Salle Academy - Maroon and White Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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XlllHllllW S I Q Tl-l ONLTAN TE Kd? play and action, and a loyalty to their coach that inspired them to do things for him. To coaches jack and Bill Cronin, a large share of the credit is due for the success of the team. There is nothing of the old hard bitten, hard driving characteristics about these men. They are men who are interested in the game for the boys' sake, not the victory's sake. At all times their concern is for the boy and his physical condition. Thoroughly familiar with all phases of football lore, they take the time to implant the fundamentals and build later. They know their charges, and by their leadership, their character and their courtesy command the respect and loyalty of their squad. In distributing credit for the success of the team, it is not amiss but only right and proper to pay just tribute to our Athletic Director, Brother Conall Edward. For years he has been minisf tering to the needs of the squads, attending to administrative details of his ofhce and supervising the practice session. No def tail of organization escapes his eye. Faithfully and under many adverse circumstances, he has carefully fulfilled the charge entrusted to him. Fair, just and understanding in his treatment of the boys, he has always merited their devotion and loyalty. A man of unimpeachable integrity, he is largely responsible for the clean record of sportsmanship that is generally associated with athletics at La Salle. Nor must we forget the managers and their assisf tants who attended to the physical need of the squad. There was no shirker among them. To Leo Connors, Thomas Coffey, Ray Hand, Clarence Hand, Thomas Ryder, T. Short, J. Stratton and J. Morris we give our thanks. We are sure that in the years to come they will cherish the pleasant associations they enjoyed among the members of the squad. In meting out praise to the members of the squad the sport writers were generous as well as judicious. Seventyfsix

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Xlllll1l1f THE MAROON AND VVHITE K CGD tainty. The fine passing attack of the Cranston team kept the stands in suspense and the Maroon boys on their toes. Defeating Cranston merely removed an obstacle to our claims for the state title. In fact it was merely the preparation for a contest with the Pawtucket eleven, upon the outcome of which the state title was staked. As the sport writers claimed it was a fight for state supremacy. The rec' ord of the Pawtucket Redfjackets, of seven clean straight vicf tories against La Salle's six was recommendation enough that the game would be closely contested. And it was. From the open' ing whistle to the last, it was a grilling contest. A heavy rain made the field soft and soggy, giving each team a good chance to capitalize the breaks. From this crucial conflict, the Maroon Juggernaut came out the victors to the tune of I8-2. A series of fast smashing and rugged line charges gave La Salle the points they needed. Capt. Waldraff went over for two scores and Gaffney tallied the third. It was the first game of the season in which Hank Soar the Pawtucket star was stopped and kept be' yond the danger zone. By the defeat of the Pawtucket eleven, La Salle earned the right to claim the state title, and this right was conceded by all the rival critics. Despite a lack of veteran material and handif capped by serious injuries at the beginning of the seaf son, the Maroon juggernaut took each team as it came its way and came out decidedly victorious. They had earned their third consecutive title as state champions. The factors contributing to the success of the season are many. Naturally, the members of the squad deserve a great deal of praise for their work. In many cases, they were outweighed, but they came through. As a team they had pluck, an aggressiveness that stopped at no obstacle, a unity that promoted and coordinated team Seventyffive

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'mxxihsffffyyy THE RON.-LANQI -r E Y GD ff-ZIIIIOI' cfH'Siftl7 Q9-igfjfgflff f-D 1lE'SEASON comment each year, is generally concerned with Coach Cronin's loss s of veterans. Queries are glibly tossed from the tongue relative to La Salle's chances for a championship outfit. No one apparently takes the time and trouble to look around and find out what the Junior Varsity did the previous season. With the eyes of the school focused on the varsity games, the schedules of the younger aspirants for grid fame goes unnoticed. Yet, no group has consistently produced the stars of future seasons as does the Junior Varsity. Under the direction of Denny Roberts and Mr. Bleiler, the squad was recruited this year from the freshman and sophomore years. The candidates were nature in the raw, as far as the fundamentals of football were concerned, and the difhcult task of drilling them and roundf ing them into shape was a task that merits no meagre praise. Through the untiring efforts of Brother Patrick, Faculty Director, the squad had a schedule of seven games, of these, five were lost, another Won, and one game was tied. Qn the surface of things, the record is not in the least gratifying, but other circumstances must be conf sidered. Juniorfvarsities differ like tastes, and size and tonnage mean a great deal. We cling to the freshmanf sophomore idea while others go a little higher. Outstanding Junior Varsity men were: Esposito, lvlullen, Jansen, Deering, Marsden, Nugent, Fisher, Foley, Lavin, Coen, Gorman, Quirk, Crowley and Harf rington. From these Jack should build a formidable team for next year. S61'67'lIy'5L'LE7'L