A Team Named Desire

After the game, one of the first men in the dressing room was Fleet Admiral (ret.) William F. ("Bull") Halsey. No naval battle had ever given his salty heart more satisfaction. Bull bounced around like a midshipman, congratulating every man on the Navy squad. Navy Secretary Charles S. Thomas and Rear Admiral Walter Boone, Annapolis superintendent, did some backslapping of their own. This, after all, was the Army-Navy game--and the underdog middies had left the field on the long end of a 27-20 score.

Just what was it that had led Navy to victory? Still pale and tense after the game, but without a moment's hesitation, Navy Coach Eddie Erdelatz answered: "Desire." And what else? "More desire."

All season long Eddie had been telling the experts that Navy was "A Team Named Desire." Now they would believe him.

The truth was that both teams had been overloaded with desire for victory--so much so that they ripped each other's defenses to shreds, then bobbled their chances with butter-fingered eagerness. When it wasn't fumbling. Army moved well. Then, like the officers and gentlemen they will some day be, the middies made their guests feel at home with some exasperating fumbles of their own. But aside from that unnecessary politeness, Quarterback George Welsh was able to send his backs scampering for long gains off the Army flanks. And All-America End Ron Beagle was always a big stumbling block for the cadet attack. Time after time he pulled runners down from behind, smothered passes before they were thrown. Almost singlehanded he broke the Army's heart.

During the dressing-room celebration, Navy Secretary Thomas announced that the team had "several" bowl invitations.

Slips were passed around and the middies took a vote. Every man on the squad agreed to give up his Christmas leave for a trip to New Orleans and a chance to take on the University of Mississippi in the Sugar Bowl. Not since 1924, when Navy held Army to a scoreless tie and went to the Rose Bowl to tie Washington (14-14), has a team of middies taken advantage of that post-season privilege.

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