Swarthmore College - Halcyon Yearbook (Swarthmore, PA)

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Front row: C. Eberle, Donnelly, R. Smith, McCone, Adams, Degutis, Howard, R. Eberle, W. Jones Second row: Stofko, A. Snyder, Carr, Cosinuke, Ramsey, McCormack, L. C. Wolfe, Roy, P. Snyder, Frost, Miller, Reed, Knud-Hansen, Elverson Back row: Broun, L. Jones, Wright, Mawhinney, Griffin, Johnson, L. H. Wolfe, Howell, Hartman, Hannum, Weltmer, Huhn, Cox, Jakle N ELVERSON, STOFKO J KLe

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FOOTBALL: Since 1878 Swarthmore football warriors have striven for that goal of all teams, an undefeated record. The Garnet has experienced seasons with lone defeats, but not until this year was the seemingly impossible achieved. The 1939 football machine was a smoothly working outfit which made few mistakes. The credit belongs to no one man. Head Coach Lew Elverson displayed a propensity for molding a harmonious group into a never-say-die squad. His infectious enthusiasm and sound knowledge of football were reflected not only on Saturday afternoons, but in practices as well. Light in weight but powerful in spirit and tactics, Swarthmore ' s forward wall outcharged every opponent and gave the fleet and tricky Garnet backs a chance to get started, by opening up the enemy defense. Line Coach Paul Stofko deserves much credit for developing the dependable line necessary to any good team. On October the seventh, after three weeks of pre- season practice, Swarthmore met a strong Washington College aggregation. Following a scoreless first quarter the Eastern Shoremen ' s passing attack began function- ing. With Fetter tossing, Washington finally scored early in the second period. Fortunately for Swarth- more, Fetter failed to convert. Swarthmore ' s attack soon awoke after Donnelly on the kickoff carried the ball to the 40. A forward lateral, Jakle to Jones to Maw- hinney, put the ball in Washington territory. A pass by Jakle and two off-tackle thrusts advanced the hall to the 2 5. With the Washington defense all set for a wide open play, Jakle crossed them up by sending Huhn through center, and Johnny scored standing. Jakle kicked that very valuable point. The third quarter was all Swarthmore. Taking the ball from their own 31, the little Quakers soon scored. Jakle cut around end for twenty-two yards to the Wash- ington 47. Again the forward lateral connected; this time for twelve yards. Jakle made a first down around end and then passed to Eberle in the end zone for the tally. Washington came back early in the final period to add another six points, but again failed to convert. Another strong Washington attack was repulsed late in the game. Swarthmore rooters heaved a sigh of relief when the final whistle sounded with the score 13-12. The following Saturday a revitalized Swarthmore eleven easily defeated Susquehanna at Selinsgrove. Leading 7-0 at half time after a 71 -yard drive climaxed by a Jakle to Eberle touchdown aerial, the Garnet came back to score twice in the third quarter. Jakle went over from the 5 and then tossed to Eberle, who tallied from the Susque- hanna 40. Another six points were added in the final period when Buzz Eberle on a delayed reverse outran the entire Susquehanna defense to score untouched. Sus- quehanna, taking advantage of fumbling by Garnet reserve backs, scored in the last few minutes and reduced the margin of victory to 27-12. Susquehanna ' s Gargantuan 22

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HUHN line was completely outplayed. The Quaker defense, sparked by Weltmer, Cox, and Captain-elect Degutis, stopped the opposing attack completely. Drexel, out to avenge their 1937 upset, was the next to feel the sting of defeat administered by the Garnet. A crowd of 8000 in Philadelphia saw Swarthmore deci- sively outplay the Dragons from start to finish. An early advance with Jakle passing and Huhn effectively making use of good holes, bogged down on the home team ' s six- yard line. But not for long. Eberle returned Drexel ' s punt twenty-five yards past midfield. Jakle got fifteen yards through tackle and then tossed to Lauer Jones who, just as he was being tackled, lateraled to Mawhinney. Big Tom thundered on the rest of the way. Drexel ' s main scoring opportunity came at the close of the first quarter. Blocking Eberle ' s punt, the Dragons found themselves on Swarthmore ' s 10. Hughes was bumped for no gain but Williams got seven and two through the middle in two tries. Hughes, however, was nailed on the two-yard line and Swarthmore took posses- sion. The whole second period found Drexel nearing paydirt, but to no avail, Swarthmore continued to play a conservative, defensive game throughout the hitter half, making Drexel do all the real work. In the dying moments of the game Huhn, who played very well throughout, smashed nineteen yards through the tired Drexel line. Eberle got past all but Hughes and was brought d own on the Drexel 16 after a 45-yard run. Jakle made a first down and then Huhn scored. With Jakle converting twice, the score read 14-0. Drexel, rebounding from a disastrous defeat the week before, stimulated the Elversonmen to their best perform- ance of the year. Outstanding was the end play of Don Weltmer. Tackles Mawhinney and Donnelly exhibited their best form of the year, and along with the ends, bottled up Hughes effectively. The vicious line-backing of Degutis and Cox wore out the Drexel attack. Another highlight was Buzz Eberle ' s tackle of Hughes from behind when the latter seemed to score. Swarthmore ' s superior- ity was shown in the statistics. The Garnet led in first downs, 11-6, and in net yardage, 328-147. The early season peak form displayed against Susque- hanna and Drexel was lacking in the Oberlin game out in Ohio. Played during a heavy snowfall, a 12-12 tie was the result. The Yeomen of Ohio recovered a Swarth- more fumble and scored in the first quarter. After one Garnet threat had been nullified by a fumble deep in Oberlin territory, Swarthmore made it 6-6. Scoring in habitual manner from far out, Eberle tallied on that ever- dangerous delayed reverse. Steadily driving Oberlin, Swarthmore finally went ahead on Jakle ' s pass to Welt- mer. But a long, concerted power drive, starting deep in Oherlin ' s own territory, finally ended with Briggs going over to tie it with six minutes to go. Their attempt to 24