DbEC.18, 1944 THE MICHIGAN DALY rA --, _.. .4 ; .. i. Mht9the #oun44 By HANK ANTHO Di*ly Sports Editor Cagers Set A Packers Defeat Giants TAKING a backward glance at the past football season which concluded l several weeks ago, the record posted by Notre Dame for the entire season merits some mention. The Irish wound up the year with eight victories and two defeats, as they went through one of the toughest schedules ever played by an butfit from. South Bend.. Notre Dame lost only to Army and Navy, two of the nation's best college teams, but the scores they lost by in these contests tended to overshadow their fine record, and gloom reigned wherever Notre Dame alumni assembled this season because of the nature of these two losses. However, the job done by Head Coach Ed McKeever and his staff could be termed a creditable showing in any man's language, for, after their outstanding defeat by the Cadets, Notre Dame came back with a surge that engulfed Georgia Tech, champions of the Southwestern Con- ference, and Great Lakes, considered one of the season's best service elevens. HIS INSPIRED band of players from Notre Dame probably attained their highest pitch of the year when they downed Great Lakes in their last game of the season. This marked the first time that the Irish had been able to accomplish this feat since these two teams began their series. Coach McKeever rebuilt the Notre Dame squad, both mentally and physically, after the Army episode, and the defensive power and the stam- ina of the players, not seen at the first part of the season, proved too much for 'the Sailors to match. Great Lakes had only been defeated by Ohio State previous to this contest and were overwhelming favorites to cop the tilt. TheI Sailors dominated the game completely in the first half as they out- played the Irish, which is attested by the fact that Notre Dame only managed to penetrate Great Lakes' territory by one yard in this length of time. But a revitalized and determined Notre Dame team came back in the last half and managed to turn two intercepted passes and a blocked kick into touchdowns, 'as they were paced by halfback Bob Kelly, who also made an 83 yard touchdown jaunt, which was enough to spell doom for Great Lakes. AT THE START of the season, although Notre Dame began to chalk up victories in similar fashion to last year's national champs, Coach Mc- Keever stated that he thought Army, Navy, Illinois, Georgia Tech, and Great Lakes had too much power for his young team to match. Hence, the Irish finished thir grid year much stronger than they had bargained for in pre-season dope, and their record could stand as successful to theii, most rabid partisans. The Irish also demonstrated that whether they win, lose, or draw, the turnstiles are always full. After the final tabulations had been com- pleted, Notre Dame still maintained its mastery as. the 'game's greatest attraction,' playing before 507,000 fans in 10 games, to top the nation in attendance. For 12 Rig Ten Ganes Wolverines Oppose Ohio State Dec. 30 As the opening of the Western Conference basketball season draws near, Michigan's cagers are shooting for an improved record over their showing in last winter's Big Ten play in which they were able to win only five of 12 Conference games. Again this year the Wolverines will hook up in 12 Big Ten duels, and will, with two exceptions meet the same teams played last season. Chicago, which absorbed a 71-34 drubbing from Michigan a year ago, has been dropped from the schedule, as has Purdue. Another game with Illinois and two with Iowa have been carded as replacements. Play 12 Games Coach Bennie Oosterbaan's charges are slated for six two-game series in Conference play, meeting Ohio State, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Northwestern twice each. All of the series are scheduled on a home and home basis. The Wolverines open their Big Ten battle against Ohio State, 1943-44 champs, Dec. 30 here, and play the Bucks again at Columbus, Jan. 20. With four of its first five players back for this season, Ohio will be able to put virtually the same team on the floor which handed the Wolverines two defeats by scores of 53-49 and 5 1-37 last year. Hoosiers Come Here Indiana, which provided Michigan its only double Conference triumph to the tune of 65-49 and 46-44, is next on the list, coming to Ann Arbor Jan. 5. The Wolverines take on the Hoosiers in a return engage- ment at Bloomington, Jan. 27. Illinois, Conference champs of two years ago when the famed "Whiz Kids" led by Andy Phillip emerged as the top quintet in the nation, furnish the opposition on successive week-ends. Michigan will travel to Champaign, Jan. 6, and will play host to the Illini, Jan. 13. The Maize and Blue five humbled the "Gee Whiz Kids," successors to the great 1942- 43 outfit, in a single encounter last year, 52-45. Meet Iowa Michigan will next take the court against Iowa, a team which was not on the schedule last winter. The Hawkeyes battled Ohio State down the stretch for the '43-44 crown and will have virtually the same team back for the present campaign. The will appear here Jan. 19. The second tilt is carded for Feb. 3 at Iowa City. Wisconsin will do the honors Feb. 2 and Feb. 10, the first contest to be played here. The Badgers dropped the Wolverines twice last season, 50-41 and 52-31. Again this year Michigan will close the season against Northwestern, meeting the Wildcats here, Feb. 9, and trekking to Evanston the follow- ing Saturday to ring down the cur- tain on the campaign. The Wolver- ines split with Northwestern in '43. Dick Barnard Shifts to I Quarter for First Time Dick Barnard, Michigan's half mil- er of last season, who consistently trailed the Hume twins across the fin- ish line, has shifted to the quarter mile this fall. Barnard has never run at the distance before, but at least he won't be eating the Humes' dust. BUY WAR BONDS 1- Green Bay's Fritsch Scores Twice in Second Period; Cuff Tallies for New York Take Ptro Crown By The Asso NEW YORK, Dec. 17-Ted Frits4 Stevens Point College, was the big ni Green Bay Packers defeated the Nev the 1944 champions of the NationalI Fritsch, a squat 210 pounder, fou to a pleasant afternoon and scoredk leaders needed to bring their loop tit time. Previous titles were won in 1929, 1930, 1931, 1936 and in 1939, when they also defeated the Giants in the playoffs. Four weeks ago the Giants blanked the Packers, 24 to 0, in one of the major surprises of the season and that verdict may have cost the Giants their chances today. The Metropolitan blueshirts made the fatal mistake of not starting to play football until the second half. By that time the Wisconsin club, hammering at the Giant five-man line, had counted twice and even theI most rabid spectators in the audi- ence of 46,016 knew that the flag was returning to Wisconsin. The crowd paid a record $146,- 205.15 to see the fray and the win- ning team will split a pool of $41,- ciated Press ch, a young football player from tiny nan in the polo grounds today as the ww York Giants, 14 to 7, and became League. nd the Giant line no hindrance at all both touchdowns the eastern division tle to their Wisconsin city for a sixth 896.64 while the losers will di- vide $27,938.91. The athletes' booty also set records. Joe Laws, veteran Packer quarter- back who played at right half to- day. because of Lou Brock's leg In- jury, actually was the leading ground gainer for the winners and also in- tercepted a trio of Giant passes but every time a telling yard was needed it was Mr. Fritsch who provided it. The second period was hardly started when Laws shot 15 yards to the New Packers' 17. On the next play Fritsch went over right tackle to the one and finally smacked it over from there on the fourth try. Don Hutson, who caught only two passes all day, added the extra point from placement. UP IN THE AIR-Ward Cuff of the New York Giants leaps high to intercept a Washington Redskin pass intended for Andy Farkas. End Joe Aquirre of the Redskins is also in the air. The Giants won, 16-13 and gained the right to play Green Bay for the title, losing 14-7 yesterday. COME AND GET IT: Army's Attitude in Kick-Off Iift I To navy Sho 10 I~hy no By WHITNEY MARTIN NEW YORK, Dec. 15-(1P)-"Army won the toss and chose to kick off." The real meaning of that terse sentence starting the play-by-play account of the recent Army-Navy game was generally overlooked, but it told as well as a thousand words the mental attitude of the galloping lads from the West Point plains. "Army won the toss and chose to kick off." Sure it was cocky. It was Gene Tunney flying to Philadelphia for his first meeting with Jack Demp- sey. It was lefty Gomez pausing to watch an airplane while the opposition fretted and fumed. It was, well, it was a gesture of com- plete self-confidence, almost of contempt. In effect, it was saying to Navy: "Here it is. We'll spot you the ball. Now see what you can do with it." Sure, other teams have had their choice andchosen tohkick,hbut, un- less weather conditions favor the kicking team the choice in nine cases out of 10 is to receive. The New York pro Giants almost invariably choose to kick, but they know just what their line can do. They play the percentage angle, figuring the possi- bility of a fumble or of a weak punt from deep in the opposing team's ter- ritory giving them the ball in mid- field or thereabouts. But herp was Army, a team rated on its backs, with a line which still wed Confidcence was a huge question mark to most football followers. And it was up against a team whose line even the most reticent critic rated as slight- ly terrific. You can almost see the mental ac- robatics of the Army coaching staff and players leading up to the deci- sion to put the burden of proof on that touted Navy line. All season long the Cadets had been' hearing about that line. It was stupendous, irresistable, so far ahead of Army's line the comparison, to the Navy, was odious. It's not diffi- cult to understand the resentment of those stalwart Cadet forwards. They knew they were good. Nobody else would admit it. So you're racking your brain over that last-minute shopping.. .Books are always a welcome gift and you can select yours from the fine stock of fiteion, travel, biography anl many others. WAiRS&J BOOKS s w " ..* { tf~'"^ti Yfi,' . ' f tV ., f 'PC r " r.," BE A GOODFELLOW! We are always glad to serve and to serve well for the holidays. THE DASCOLA BARBERS Liberty off State .9 Four Cage Tilts Carded in State DETROIT, Dec. 17 - (A) - Ap- proach of Christmas, with its campus holidays, puts a severe crimp into the state's collegiate basketball sche- dule this week with only four teams seeing action in as many games. Two Saturday frays, Michigan's intersectional collision with Wyo- ming at Ann Arbor and Western Michigan College's appearance again- st Northwestern at Evanston, Ill., highlight the program. Kellogg Field's oft-beaten fliers invade Albion Wednesday to meet Albion College's strong Britons while Alma's Scots take on Selfridge Field's high scoring quintet Thursday at the Air Base in the week's only other tilts. i i"" -/: --'° u : & . :.. r ' / *o . .S .. t I J to the Ann Arbor business firms who welcomed us as friends rather than competitors, to the administration who were helpful in many problems, and to the great MICHIGAN spirit of hospitality to strangers! Our store will be closed from December 25th to January 1 st while we vacation in our native Pennsylvania mountains., We will be open January 2nd toserve you in the New Year with a firm resolve to merit your friendship and good will. It' I I. I Rangers Lose ... Fight, Then Game NEW YORK, Dec. 17-VP)-It took a fight to stir the Montreal Cana- I dians into action tonight, but once aroused the national hockey league leaders hammered out a 4 to 1 deci- sion over the New York Rangers. Montreal also got the decision in the fighting, as Maurice Richard earned the decision of 15,321 spec- tators in an exchange with the Rang- ers' Bob Dill. The Canadians were leading 2-1 when the brawl broke out behind the New York goal in the middle of the second period. A half dozen play- ers from the two teams were in the scrapat one time or another. All but Dill and Richard were soon calm- ed. -J 9 Aj 9=1 ,C (I k 7 .F N,. CHECKSTER. We've asked you Jun. ior gals what you really wanted in a one piece dress. aTat. tersall checks" you screamed, and please, please . .. pleats all around. So here 'tis, Y i t !!h ~ .4, 14.95 and dressed up a bit with tiny gold but- tons, and a saddle stitched belt. Like it? r MII II I f t i I