JackGordon.Org: The Sky-Writer, Pasco NAS, Swabbin' the Deck Column, June 29,1943

JackGordon.org

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THE SKY-WRITER, PASCO, WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, june 29, 1943

By Jack Gordon

WHILE YOU'RE Sweltering 'neath a blazin' Pasco sun, we'll do our best to cool you off with a little football data; if you read this and sip a Tom Collins you'll see what we mean.

Bob Henrikson
Bittner's Opponent

It's probably just as sultry back in the Great Lakes Training station where Coach Paul "Tony" Hinkle has sent out the first call for football players for his '43 squad now that last year's vets have been scattered to the four winds.

The Great Lakes national service champs will have to go some to dig up a team comparable to the one that gave them a record of eight wins, three defeats, and that 13-13 tie with the Notre Dame Irish (God Bless 'em.)

Hinkle lost 33 players. A squad that included Bruce Smith, former Minnesota halfback who is now a naval cadet. Other grid stars who left the G. L. Station are Bob Sweiger, 'nother Gopher backfield ace; Herman Schneideman, University of Iowa and Green Bay packer blocking back; Ed Norris, De Paul fullback; Urban Odson, Minnesota tackle; and Jim Daniel, Ohio State back who is on a destroyer in the Pacific theatre.

It'll be a real job to replace those stars but Hinkle's going to have to do just that because the 1943 schedule for the Great sailors books games with no softies in Purdue, Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State as well as many service teams. But then Hinkle has wrought miracles before.

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4TH OF JULY NOTE: When Johnny Bittner takes to the hill for the Navy in the Independence Day classic in Mr. Sick's Seattle Ball Park to face the Army's best hurler, Bob Henrickson, he'll get a chance not only to show the Soldiers the "Navy Way" but also an opportunity for revenge on the flashy Henrickson. Bob beat the sailors, 8-3, for his Fort Lawton mates earlier in the season.

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GORDY'S GABB . . .

Society Note: Paul Batie, who's been playing a bang-up game in centerfield for his league-leading Supply mates, announced his engagement to the vivacious Faye Stormer, Portland, Advertising executive the other nite ... tho not definite, it may still be a June wedding ... and we owe Bill McBride, another Supply softballer, more space than we can give here.... Bill hurled the NAS League's first no-hit game the other week but because of a "de-fuke-elty" in the scorebook, the feat passed un-noticed... No. 1 candidate for umpire baiter is Paul "I wuz robbed" Pishue, Commissary short-fielder, (remember, we're talking about softball) ... it seems that Paul is taking up a collection to buy some dark glasses and a pair of white roller skates for Umpire Harold Lewis ... the boys on the NAS Band have an orchid coming their way ... although they've lost four straight games—two by one-run margins—they're playing the brand of ball that's making the loop race a firey one...