The Middies' Magic

When North Carolina upset Navy last month, Football turned sour at Annapolis. The embarrassed Middies had been trying too hard. To loosen them up, Coach Eddie Erdelatz encouraged a corny gag: every game was dedicated to a nicely rounded, nonexistent damsel named Rosie Ragoni. And for Rosie the Navy won. But against the unbeaten and untied Irish of Notre Dame, the team needed stronger magic. It was provided unwittingly by Navy's athletic director, Captain Slade Cutter. The Middies were getting a little tired of his reminders that every game except the Army game was only a practice scrimmage. So, instead of playing for the love of Rosie, they were spurred by their pique with Slade--and learned to their surprise that the former Navy football hero had been right all along.

After a first-period fumble gave the Irish a touchdown, the Middies took command as if they were scrimmaging with a squad of plebes. Quarterback Tom Forrestal called plays with professional precision; when he needed extra yardage, Fullback Ray ("Tex") Wellborn was always ready to oblige. A tireless transfer student from Rice Institute, Wellborn ran for two touchdowns, caught a Forrestal pass for a third. Final score: 20-6. "I just happened to be following those big horses," said he. "Tom called 'em, I ran 'em, they blocked 'em." Which was a modest way of saying that Tex Wellborn had made everybody in a Navy uniform--including Captain Cutter--look good.

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