The ep40 Red Blaik of Army

It's time for yours truly, Jimmy Powers with another Grantlyn Rice story. This is Jimmy Powers transcribed with another chapter from Grantlyn Rice's memorable life story, The Tumalt and the Shouting, and so with a warm salute to the every young spirit

of Granny Rice, I take up the narrative in first person. Being a football coach's wife is like being married to a doctor, Red Blake's wife, Merle once said, The woman must realize that her husband is wedded to his profession.

to the Army football team, Red likes me best. To meet Earl Red Blake is not to know him, and only a few people know the great West Point coach Will. One of them is General Douglas MacArthur, who in the midst of his campaign for the liberation of the Philippines, found time to write Blake letters during the football

season and to send inspiring messages by cable on the eve of the Notre Dame Army Games. of the few who know Blake well is Lieutenant General Robert L. Eichleberger, who when he was head of the Academy summoned Red to West Point from Hanover, New Hampshire in 1941 after Blake's Dartmouth teams had scaled the Ivy League Heights.

"'Your alma mater needs you,' Eichleberger wired Red. Army football has reached an all-time low. Come at once. This is a military order." Duty called and Blake responded. Blake takes his football with a pain that's almost pleasure. He is not a professional pessimist, but he is inclined to anticipate the worst every autumn Saturday, or at any rate convinces

himself that every game is a potential upset. What manner of man is red-blake? Well, he's lean of jaw and heart of muscle, and despite his nickname he's not a red-headed all. His hair is brown with auburn undertones. A A glint of red gleams when the sun strikes at a certain angle.