n o Earl Blaik, Army Mentor, Hides Talent New Quarterback Subs far Galiffa The sign on the door of West Point's athletic, field spells in bold, black relief the words— KEEP OUT! There is a certain anomolous feature in this sign through which Army keeps its grid technique strictly in the dark. It also means that herein is a secret weapon which is as hush-hush and jeal ously guarded as. an A-bomb ex periment. It is of such a highly incendiary nature to one Earl Henry Blaik, coach of Army's redoubtable gridsters, that it is listed among the top-ranking military secrets at the institution. But beyond the immediate mili tary aspect lies the touching story of a father's delemma. For the weapon which is being melded in silence is none other then Robert Blaik, son of the renowned men tor. NEW QUARTERBACK You'll be seeing young Blaik, second-string quarterback on the Cadet football team this year, as an understudy to the varsity "T"- handler, Arnold Galiffa. However, you won't be reading much about him in the newspap ers—not if Blaik, senior, can pre vent it. And therein lies the crux of a personal problem that is gnawing at the insides of one of the sport's most successful emis• caries. SHARP DELEMMA It is just like the big business executive who prays each night that his son will prove he has the stuff to replace him, but who cringes at the very though that his personnel might accuse him of. favoritism. "Red" Blaik finds himself impaled on the horns of • a sharp delemma. So; as the first step of getting out of his predicument, he gave strict orders that all but the bar est info should be let out of the Academy about his ,boy. NO PUBLICITY All conclusions lead up to the summary that Blaik has been acutely stricken with "Fatherit is." He's hoping with all his be ing that his son turns out to be the greatest quarterback in Ca det history. But he realizes that Robert might not come through and he doesn't want his son s chances jeopardized by the pres sure that heavy publicity could put on an athlete. As Blaik said to George Tre vor, noted football writer, when approached for a story on his son, "I don't want you to write •the story, George, it would break my heart." He might be guilty cf over-dramatization but it is only because he cannot be a father first and a football coach second. ATHLETIC HERO Bobby went to high school in Highland Falls, N.Y., a bustling little community right outside the Academy gates: Then he put in a year at Phillips Exeter Acad emy in New Hampshire. At High land Falls, he was one of the schools big athletic heroes. At quarterback, he passed, ran, called signals and caught passes. As a plebe at the Point, Bobby ac quitted himself with exceptional skill on the football team. Perhaps the elder Blaik is just waiting for Bobby to prove him self before he raises the curtain of mystery from around him. Many capable grid seers believe that day is just around the corner. Army Song Sung to the tune of the "Wear ing of the Green," the Military Academy's famous song, "Benny Haven's, Oh," is a tribute by ear lier classes of West Point to a man who, in his own way, soft ened the hard life that early stu dents of the Point had to endure. Three things drew cadets to Ben ny's—food, drink and Benny's genial personality. In trouble numerous times with the author ities, Benny continued on his own merry way and has become one of the many legends found at the rnint. mitt, riAft,Y cot,r,GP, MINN!)YLVANIA Lion Co-Captain . . . . End Bob Hicks Army's Coach Earl Blaik Makes Winning a Habit In December 1944 while American men in , khaki faced the most formidable foe in all history, the West Point Cadets fought the most brilliant football game of their seventy-five seasons against the best pigskin galaxy the Naval Academy had ever produced. • Army's unbeaten "Black Knights" did it again. Only five years earlier football at West Point was in doldrums, the team having been pulverized in 1940 by practically every squad it contested. Today, Army is "the pride and joy of every heart in gray." The man credited with the resurrection is "metronomic drill devil" Colonel Earl (Red) . Blaik, head coach at West Point since January 1941. "It is nice to have such backs as Doc Blanchard, Glenn Davis, Arnie Galiffa and Gil Stephenson and such lineinen as Coulter, Green, Henvy, Foldberg, etc," commented Stanley Woodward, "but it takes a real job df handling to keep a winning team on its toes through a long season, to bring it up to full playing form each week and to give it enough poise to stand prosperity." Earl Henry Blaik was born in Detroit, Michigan, Feb. 15, 1897, son of William Douglas and Margaret Jane Blaik. Graduating with a B.A. degree from Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, during the first World War and entertaining thoughts of entering the war as an officer,,Blaik secured an appointment to West Point. After com pleting the first two-year course in the academy's history, he was graduated in 1920. , Of his aptitude in sports Willis MacDonald, Blaik's roommate at West Point said: "Blaik was a good end. He made Army's kick ing game go because he got dol,vnfield fast under kicks. He was a deadly tackler and an unusually keen defensive player. As a foot ball, basketball and baseball player he won Army's saber for the best athlete in his class." Although not very proficient in all phases of mathematics, Blaik was graduated from the Academy in the first third of his class. Resigning. from the Army with the rank of first lieutenant, Blaik went to the University of Wisconsin to teach the ends and backs for a few months under George Little, who had been Red Blaik's coach at Miami in 1916. The next year Blaik worked for several weeks at West Point with BHT Jones training more backs and ends. By 1929 Blaik's business had• proved itself lucrative enough for him to devote more time to it. In 1934, after • serving as a part-time coach at West Point for seven years, he accepted a position as head coach at Dartmouth to rejuvenate a team whose only 'major victory the year before had been a victory over Penn State. By 1936 Blaik had produed a'team that was almost invulnerable to scalpings. His record , at Dartmouth reveals 45 wins, 15 losses and 4 ties. Blaik's men won the mythical Ivy League Hat in 1936 and '37 and tied Cornell for it in '3B. The Indians, now "a precisioned rock and-sock team," were once again on the. warpath. In Nov. 1940 Army suffered the most humiliating defeat in the history of Cadet football when Pennsylvania routed West Point by a 48-0 score. The new superintendent of the Academy, Major Gen eral Robert L. Eichelberger, aware of th anomalous situation present in the existence of a poor Army team when the country was in the process of • setting up the largest and most powerful army of all time, asked Red Blaik to consider Army before signing another Dartmouth contract. In 1942 when Notre Dame substituted the T-formation for its own Rockne system, Blaik was slated for gridiron laurels, although completely unaware of it at the time. (The "T" is an intricate system 9f cross-blocking and blind angle blocking on the .secondary and when carried out correctly produces devestating effects.) In order to set up the defenses against this new formation, Blaik labored over its peculiarities. The more he studied it, the more impressed he became with its potentialities. He finally scrapped the single-wing and became known as the master of the "T." In three seasons, from 1944 through '46, Blaik led his teams— highlighted by the fabulous touchdown' twins Blanchard and Davis —to twenty-five consecutive wins before' tying with an opponent. With Earl Blaik's promotion to colonel, the leaf was displaced by a new silver eagle on each shoulder, "but nary a chip on either." Tall and thin, he has a personality which rallies the friendship of all his players Although a "human dynamo" on the gridiron, with .his .strict hours, pounding work, and meticulous timing, he also, possesses a great deal Of "Blaik the human" in real#Mg . "that all work.and no play makes Jack a dull football player." In 1946 Blaik was voted coach of the year and this season he By RAY KOEHLER ITS NICE GOOD END, DARTMOUTH RECORD T-FORMATION DYNAMO Galiffa Aims for Sullivan Awctrd As Outstanding U.S. Amateur When Arnold Galiffa, Army's sterling "T" formation quarter back, is maneuvering the Cadet gridiron juggei•naut, football mentor Earl Blaik is not the only Army coach chewing his nails' in fear that the 22-year backfield star will go on the injured list. , Behind Blaik, Army coaches stand in,file waiting with crossed fingers for Galiffa to take off one uniform and climb into anothm The 190-pound backfield' star from Stan Musial's hometown, Donora, Pa., is adept at about everything he turns his lanky- 6 foot, 2 inch frame to. In three -ears of Army athletics, Galiffa •as won 11 major letters: three in baseball, where he plays first 'aase and is one of Army's power hitters; three in basketball where as captain-elect he cavorts for points as a forward, and two in football where he handles the ':all and 'throws touchdowns from `he Black Knight's vaunted "T" 'irmation. Barring injury, Galiffa , will add three more letters -to. big name this year, and in West Point's modern history, only one man, "Lighthorse" Harry Wilson, has won.rnore letters at the Acad emy. Wilaon was at Penn State first. Galiffa also won 11 letters at Donora High School. And 'just for ~bis own amuse ment, Galiffa likes to •b o x, wrestle, swim and play squash and tennis. To top it. all off, he excels in about everything he tries. That's the main reason a shud der shakes Army's ,Michie Sta dium every time Mr: Galiffa goes down under a hard tackle, or throws a heavy block. But Blaik worries more than anyone. Coach Blaik is counting heavily on Galiffa this season to carry the Army to Eastern football su premacy, and if dthe Army makes it, much • of the credit will have to go .to the Donora speedster. This is Galiffa's third and last season with the CadetS and he has never been more ready for star dom. Last season, he was on Grantland Rice's All-American third team, and this year he is a strong candidate for the Sullivan Award, annually handed to the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. ' Galiffa does little running from Army's offensive formations, but his passes have been . a thorn in the flesh for Cadet opponents since he broke into the lineup. In last week's Army encounter with Davidson College, Galiffa threw three touchdown passes, and sparked the drive that culmi Tift EarilH Successor to THE FR Published Tuesday through Saturday mornings inclusive during the, College year by the staffNof the Pennsylvania State College. Entered as second-class matter July 5, 1934, at the State College, Post Office under the act of March 3, 1879. Editor Tom Morgan Sports Editor Elliot Krane Staff .... George Glazer, Ray Koehler, Bob Kotzbaucr, Mary Kra s . nansky, George Vadpsz, Lynn Wilson. has the satisfaction of seeing higloil Robert performing before him among his great eleven-Mule team. Blailes record at West Point Won 5 • 6 7 9 1941 1942 1948 1944 1945 'BATtiltbAY, ()mann, is if34o nated into a 47-7 victory for the Black Knights. Galiffa could be a success , in professional football, baseball or basketball after he graduates but he isn't interested in a pro career. After graduation from the Acad emy, he expects to marry a home toWn',girl and continue his ; Army career either in the Infantry or Aviation. But until he has that commis sion and Uncle Sam offkially takes control of what he does and where he goes, West Point coaches are taking pretty good care of Arnold Galiffa, most valu alplej player of (name your sport). Army Machines Pile Up Wins Two, losses in 40 games cover ing five seasons of football— that's the record of the: Army gridiron machine the Nittany Lions meet this afternoon. •,. Riding the power and speed of All-Americans "Doc" Blanchard and. - Glenn Davis, the Cadets swept - to - 25 victories in a r 01,4, andivon'27 while only tying one from 1944 to '46 inclusive. hi 1947; the Knights had a "bad" season—they won five, lost two and tied two,—but last year, they came.back to sweep through eight straight ,opponents before a cour ageous,',:Nary . eleven held them to- a 21-21 tie in that "anything can 'happen" season finale. , NATIONAL CHAMPS During that Davis-Blancharci era, the Cadet were the mythical National champions of collegiate football three years in a row. Last year, despite their no-loss record, they wound up fifth in the nation, and this year, with 16, lettermen returning, the, Cadets are out to garner Eastern honors it not/tlit national title. Army has always been•-tiaugh opposition on the gridiron. The Cadets have chalked up a'total of 349 wins in 502 games•since they started playing football ou',:the Hudson. They've lost only.: 117 tilts, and tied 36 for a percentage mark of ~695. , •-• • During those 59 years, , ArMY has recorded seven • undefeated seasons, the clean slates coming in 1914, 1915, 1922, 1944, 1945, 1946 and 1948. - • - _ • WORST TEXAS Two of Army's ,NurMy.pars Were. 1939 and .1940, Atrilk;4*).der the coaching of W. H. Woc4,:;',#le Cadets . dropped' a 'total of;; games, tying three, whil.6:=Win ...\`,:n, ning only. four. :4:r-4; • That slump resulted in tht'ac quisition of Earl "Red" Blaik for coaching duties at the ACademy, and Blaik answered the challenge by winning five, losing thre. and tying one in his first season'4:':: Since 1941, the calculating has racked up 58 -wins, 10 16,40. S and six ties at ;the helm of;ip Black, Gold and Grey. Getting back to last Year:st6e Cadets piled up a total ofdVS points as against the oppositidigs 89.. And already • this •sea•Cliri. they've scored 47 Markers again one opponent's' 7. It looks , "1;46 the Army mule is headed forsaTi. other big season. . Collegian :E LANCE, eat. 1887 3'1947 1948 Business Manager Marlin A. Weaver Won Lod. Ti e 9 0 1 5 2 2 8 0 . 1 1 .1 . t
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers