Ruthless Scribes Hit Crimson Line Harder Than B.C., but Praise Backs

One of Boston's most unique coming-out parties of the season is slated for tomorrow afternoon, not at the Copley-Plaza, but in the Stadium, where Richard Cresson Harlow will formally introduce his 1947 eleven at a not-so-exclusive tete-a-tete beginning at 2:30 o'clock.

Local and national members of the fourth estate, attracted by the unusual character of this year's debutante eleven, will not only be on hand for the affair, but have given the fete considerable advance notice.

The honored group, boasting a new backfield and a revamped line, has drawn varying opinions as to its potentialities. Notre Dame alumnus Francis Wallace (whose Saturday Evening Post prediction rated Notre Dame as the team of the year, Notre Dame ballhandler Johnny Lujack as the back of the year, and Notre Dame captain George Connors as lineman of the year) placed the Crimson in the "second flight" in the East, with opponents Yale (sixth-nationally and second only to Penn in the East) and Holy Cross ahead of the Cantabridgians, and rated Virginia as a "Southern dark horse."

Other prognosticators on the national level, such as Pic's previewer, refused to commit themselves on Harlow's eleven, commenting only on backfield strength and the well-known Harlow habit of coming from behind for a strong November finish. Like others, Pic had nothing but praise for the Eli squad, citing an all-letterman backfield and strong line.

Herald-Tribune scribe Al Laney, after viewing the first B. C. scrimmage, ventured that the Crimson "figures to be a better team, even with a weaker line, but its record may not look so good (as last year) at the end of the season." Laney singled out for special mention the fact that "some passers have finally turned up in the vicinity of the Square," citing the work of Kenary, Gannon and Roche as particularly promising.

New York Sun representative George Trevor also had good words for Kenary--"key man in 1947's attack"--but added "Gifted backs are a dime a dozen at Cambridge, but where is the line to shield those flashy ballcarriers?"