Slippery Rock University - Saxigena Yearbook (Slippery Rock, PA)

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FOOTBALL . FOOTBALL Slippery Rock Slippery Rock Slippery Rock .... Slippery Rock Slippery Rock Slippery Rock Slippery Rock Slippery Rock .... Slippery Rock... ......13 6 .55 ...,..12 ......27 6 ,,....12 ..14 ,125 RESULTS Westminster ...... Waynesburg ...... Holbrook .......... Thiel ............ Glenville ............ 21 Grove City ........ 6 Edinboro .....,...... O Clarion ........ Opponen ts ,....... 40 O FOOTBALL SUMMARY A doughty little band of warriors, the best that Coach Thompson was able to muster in only two scrimmages, invaded New Wilmington to lend aid as an opening warm-up game for Coach john Lawther's highly touted Westminster Titans, and, with the exception of a run- back touchdown, repulsed everything the Big Blue boys flung at them. A fighting line, evidently out to do or die, surprised the hundreds of spectators and perhaps surprised their coach, by holding the so-called favorites to a lone touchdown. With the aid of this same line the back- field, with less than a week's practice under their belts, was able com- pletely to outgain the fighting Titans and to compile thirteen points to win the opener, and thus set the Western Pennsylvania grid fans in an uproar. Gridironically speaking, Thompson's Rockets now commanded the respect of sport fans within reading distance. But Coach Thompson must be on his toes to deflate any gaseous egoism that might be found in camtp. This he did with colossal success by building up a most woeful case o inferiority complex. And so it was that we Find the diffident Rockets entering the next game as marked underdogs against Coach Wolf's champion Waynesbur eleven. That was their opinion of this contest, but the conquerors o?Penn State did not feel this way, because the Rockets had made a tri-state impression with their 13-6 victory as an opener. If any medals were handed out for perseverance, for dog- ged determination, and for an absolute refusal to quit trying, this particular game would assure every participating player a tie for first

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Everyone who has had any connection with Slippery Rock already knows more J about the efficient, genial, inspiring, brainy, hard-working, successful coaches than they know about themselves and we cannot, in this short space, elaborate on them. Coach N. K. Thompson's system of play has produced champions for a full score of years, and probably will continue to work for the future glory of Slippery Rock. His record speaks for itself. Coach A. P. Vincent, tall, quiet, and unassuming, has taught his men well all the tricks of athletics and has instilled in them the indomitable fire that characterized his play as a former star Westminster athlete. The role of trainer constitutes one of the most important parts of any major athletic organization. While there was no broken bones for Trainer Jack Svetek to care for, there were the usual number of cuts, bruises, pulled muscles, sprains, dislocations, and other minor injuries-to say nothing of several black eyes. As was displayed this season, the skill of a trainer is largely determined by his ability to care for these minor injuries and to prevent them from keeping the players out of the game. MA Slippery Rock's athletic successes are a tribute to the efficiency of the student managers. Trained by years of experience in the necessities of an athletic team, they carry out their assignments to the minutest detail. The business backbone of the various athletic squads gains considerably more than a varsity letter. During the time of his services, the manager has learned to work, consequently, he can make men co-operate with him. He learns how to handle people and make them feel that they have been treated courteously. It is just the same as working in the field after graduation. A team which finds everything planned for it, every effort expended for its personal comfort has taken a gigantic step toward success. The spirit of Slippery Rock, that etherial, intangible intre- pidity that has hovered over this seemingly peaceful institu- tion ever since its founding, is guided in an awakening each year by the cheerleaders. Under the pep-lads' coaxing, the students many times vehemently pledge their loyalty to their athletic warriors, when in the over-wrought atmosphere of a yell rally, like ancient tribal braves, they chant their gutteral yells of faith. There is something in the air that causes the student body to yell when the leaders pick up the green and white megaphones and enthusiastically repeat their allegiance formula, something that makes them roar their defiance and pledge again their loyalty to their team.

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honors. .Battling to a first half scoreless deadlock, each team waited for a break and a chance to convert it into a score. Good head work was needed to ward off danger. That break never came, however, the miffy Green found one weak spot, and this spelled defeat for the jackets and sent the mirthfulll Rockets and supporting student body down the old ash road to the main campus to the tune of Who s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Yes, a 6-O victory, with Slippery Rock still undefeated. H The next Saturday the call was issued to the proud papas and mamas to drop in and see the Wander-boys. At the end of the first quarter we find the varsity lads leaving the field, having spotted the reserves with twenty odd points against a hard fighting, resolute Alfred Holbrook College eleven. The reserves battled the remainder of the game with the determined Ohioans to climax a perfect Parents' Day with 3 35-7 victory, 1 The undefeated Rockets lingered long and worked hard on College Bluff for the next few days, tiying to work out combinations that would stop that well known combination Strimer and Snyder 0 Thiel College, which was scheduled for the following week. Coach Stoefer's Stars were stopped, and in the meanwhile the locals succeeded in pushing over two scores to gain a 12-0 win. ' Rocket fire and lightning stuck the gridiron defenders of Rorabaugh Field at Glenville, West Virgin1a,the following Saturday to break a Pioneer winning streak that had floated over that stadium for Clght years. It was not an easy victory for the Green, for with the backing of the huge Spencer Hlgh School Band and a roaring Homecoming Day crowd the Pioneers took the lead and held a 2119 13 advantage at halftime. Aroused to a fighting fury unusual even to their far famed fighting SPIUY, Kerr Thompson's Slippery Rock players came back holding Coach Rorhbaugh's men scoreless and scoring three times to assure a 27--21 climax. ' Every school has its traditions whether they be social, scholastic, athletic, or spiritual. Grove City has for some time been the traditional rival of the Rockets. Without a breathing game fron the crucial Glenville encounter and with three varsity men garbed in street clothes because of in- luries, the Rockets were forced to wait one more year until they may have the glory of defeating an Amos coached eleven. The final score ended in an habitual tie at six all. However, local people console themselves by saying, We got our touchdown first. What could bring greater satisfaction F0 any Slippery Rock man than to be the hero of the great traditional game with the Crimson Grovers? Can you conceive of playing the autumn pastime on a gridiron covered with snow that actually reached the knee? Coach Thompson's Rockets passed and ran their wav to a 12-O victory over the Powerful Edinboro grid machine on this type of a gridiron at the rival teachers' institution. Slippery Rock remains as one of the few Eastern elevens to yet suffer a set-back. ' Less glorious perhaps, but none the less appreciated, was the final game with Clarion-a 14-0 triumph for the Rock-men. It was an astonishing accomplishment, witnessed by a capacity antag- OIIISEIC group of spectators, who saw a desperate Gold and Blue team crushed completely. Slippery Rock remains one of the undefeated elevens of the country. The fighting men of Slippery Rock, tau ht to fight scientifically and effectively by Coach ThOmpson, have completed another year of fgootball exploits which bring new laurels and new glory. to the feet of the towering Eagle, whose beautiful image, posed at the top of the Old Gvm building of the campus, is a constant source of inspiration to all men of Slippery Rock.