g given the ball three-fourths of the
time, quarterback Pete Slade drove his warriors down to Hamilton's
twenty yard mark with two minutes remaining.
"Listen, fellows!" said Speed, in a huddle, "I saw a play in a movie
the other day ... one of Knute Rockne's ... and there's a weakness in
Hamilton's line ... right where this play's supposed to go. It's an
off-tackle smash ... and if the man with the ball gets through into the
open field it's almost impossible to stop him...!"
"Give us the dope!" ordered quarterback Slade. "We're entitled to one
more time-out!"
"Now what's Speed up to?" wondered Coach Brock, who, for the past five
minutes had been biting off fingernails at a rapid rate. "Looks to me
like he's been knocked goofy and is delivering the boys an oration!"
With the calling of time the team snapped back into position and a new
formation took shape before an astounded Coach's eyes. The ball was
passed and a hole was suddenly cracked open off left tackle. Through
this hole a dashing Speed disappeared and then, as suddenly, reappeared
in the face of Hamilton's surprised secondary defense. Two would-be
tacklers were shunted out of the way by vicious Medford interference
and Speed side-stepped another. The rest of the way to the goal line
was unmolested and he romped across for his second touchdown of the
quarter to tie the score at thirteen all!
"I never gave the boys that play," said Coach Brock. "But it's vaguely
familiar. I've seen it some place before!"
"That play was shown in the Rockne picture!" informed a substitute.
Coach Brock blinked a moment, then put a hand to his head, staggered
dizzily, and sat down. But he did not remain seated long for Speed
Bartlett coolly toed the ball between the uprights for the point that
sent Medford into the lead, fourteen to thirteen, just as the gun
banged for the game's end, in one of the greatest last quarter finishes
ever witnessed in the home stadium.
Phil and Milt were the first wild-eyed rooters to reach Medford's star
halfback as other supporters swarmed on the field with one idea in
mind--to tear down the goal posts. They hoisted a protesting Speed on
their shoulders and hurried him across the field toward the Medford
bench.
"Why carry me this way?" Speed shouted, looking down at them. "How
about your car--is it broken down again?"
Something in the way Speed said this caused Phil and Milt to glance up
suspiciously.
"How did you ge
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