United States Military Academy West Point - Howitzer Yearbook (West Point, NY)

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•1 Villanova It was a dark day, indeed, for the Villanova squad when they met Army on the Cadet homeground at Michie Stadium. Determined to avenge the two heartbreaking defeats suffered previously, the Black Knights dominated the play from start to finish. The game featured a spec- tacular pa ssing performance by Tom Blanda and an equally outstanding ground attack spearheaded by all three Army backfields. The line smashed at Villanova, opening wide holes for the halfbacks. Tom Blanda and Dick Eckert kept one step ahead of the Wildcats with their passes to the ends and halfbacks. Villanova played a good game, but when the final gun sounded, they were completely humilated with the scoreboard reading 54-0. The Black Knights once again demonstrated what the combination of fine players and that Army spirit can do. And 198

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The Nebraska game was not a very ciose one, no matter what the final score may indicate. The Rabble, fired up at full speed, outran and outpassed the Cornhuskers al- most without exception. Blanda was better than ever and Al Rushatz, our small but powerful full back, plunged through the Nebraska line time after time. But at the critical moments luck ran against the Black Kn.ghts and the scores deserved were never registered. Many mistakes caused the Army team to yield the Ml to an mferior foe inside the enemy twenty-yard line The team made a superb efl ort in trymg to stay on top. At the half the score stood at 9-7 in favor of Army but the second half brought bad news with it. In one of the very few Cornhusker plays of the game. Army ' s line was deceived and Nebraska scored the winning touchdown Team spirit remained where it always had been on top. Blanda fired pass after pass, while the line and backheld worked desperately to score. But the game ended with the Nebraskan spectators running wildly all over the field. One would only have to look at the score- board to see the reason— Nebraska 14, Army 9. Army Nebraska (.l.-tSr iN- I ' m afraid to look. 197

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Miami of Ohio A determined but undermanned Miami team returned to Oxford, Ohio, after absorbing a 30-7 defeat in Michie Stadium. The Redskins outgained the Rabble on the ground, but they literally handed the game to Army by fumbling five times. The Black Knights took full ad- vantage of their recoveries and scored their first two TD ' s after recovering Miami fumbles. Tom Blanda, with the highest passing percentage in the nation, threw scoring passes to Bob Fuellhart and Paul Zmuida in the second period to convert Miami ' s 7-0 lead to a 15-7 deficit. In the third quarter the Black, Gold, and Gray marched eighty yafrds after an unsuccessful Redskin field goal attempt. Kirschenbauer and powerful Rushatz ham- mered over for two TD ' s. Colonel Earl Blaik was among the spectators who watched the relentless Army attack overthrow the Redskins. Not another one