#1 COLLEGE TEAM IN THE EAST

November 30, 1942 ... The Orange Bowl is a possibility for Boston College.  Alabama has accepted one invitation and reliable reports say that Boston College is delaying their response due the loss of team equipment manager, Lawrence Kenney in the Coconut Grove fire.

December 1, 1942 ... Boston College accepted the invitation to play in the Orange Bowl against Alabama.  The B.C. players dedicated the game to Larry Kenney, whose daily cribbage games were a fixture in the Eagle club house.  B.C's loss to Holy Cross drops them to 11th place in the national football poll, but are still ranked first in the East.

December 8, 1942 ... Boston College began preparing for the Orange Bowl game at Alumni Field.  Absent due to injury were Fred Naumetz and Mickey Connolly.  Connolly may be gone for the rest of the season with an aggravated shoulder separation.  Coaches Harry Marr and Moody Sarno were not at practice due to prior speaking engagements.  Following grass drills and calisthenics the squad played an informal game of red shirts vs white shirts.  Carl Lucas had an outstanding workout racing up and down the field like an All-American.  With Connolly's participation up in the air, Lucas could be the answer.  In spite of the week lay-off the team was very spirited and worked hard and determined to "win one for Larry".

December 10, 1942 ... The Lambert Trophy was awarded to Boston College for the second time in three years for being the top football team in the East.

December 15, 1942 ... The Eagles, bundled warmly in various apparel worked out at  snow-covered Alumni Field.  Not much football could be accomplished so most of the session involved the conditioning program.  No more contact work will be done until the team reaches Miami.  A brief signal calling session was followed by a mile and a half run on a board track and a program of sprints to conclude the workout.  Mickey Connolly was the only member of the team who was absent.  Psychologically the team is rounding into shape, leaving the Holy Cross loss behind them.  Once they hit Florida, the reality of the game in front of them, will surely settle in.  The team will leave Friday at 8AM.

December 20, 1942 ... Still weary from their long train ride and a few hours rest the Eagles football team underwent a grueling two hour session under the Miami tropical sun.  Co-Capt Mike Holovak and Joe Repko were absent, because of a mix-up in their luggage at the train station.  Not knowing there was practice, they stayed to look for their trunks which had mistakenly been delivered right to the Orange Bowl.  Coach Myers made not attempt to conceal his displeasure.  On the brighter side, Mickey Connolly took his usual position in the back field and had a great workout, slamming bullet like passes with amazing accuracy.  Connolly was just as surprised as the coaching staff and could only attribute it to the warm Florida sun that loosened him up. The practice in general was sharp, with the ball handled cleanly with a vim and snap.  Coach Marr had the boys do a number of laps around the practice field, speeding them up on every next lap.

December 22, 1942 ... A 10:30 curfew was imposed on the team and members showed up in the morning a half hour before the scheduled 9:30AM start.  The morning drill was devoted to passing practice and signal drills, with linemen going back to practice fundamentals. of pulling and tugging.    It was a tired group of athletes in the shower room after the morning session.  In the afternoon, with cooler weather the coach decide on a snappy scrimmage.  The first teamers on defense threw everything at the second string offense who was working from a single and double wingback formation.  In 50 plays, the most the first team was able to gain was three yards. Then, of 15 passes thrown, not one was completed, while six were intercepted.  Coach Myers finally put the first teamers on offense and in no uncertain manner, Mike Holovak ran wild while Red Mangene zigged and zagged all over the field.  On many occasions the coaches whistle would not stop the spirited playing.  University of Miami coach, Jack Harding watched the afternoon session and commented that B.C. had the fastest group of big men that he had ever seen.

December 25, 1942 ... Team members were given a morning workout and had the afternoon to themselves for sightseeing and a Christmas visit to the race track.  Mickey Connolly could not move his arm and feels he overdid his workouts earlier in the week.

December 26, 1942 ... Not too many coaches are ever satisfied with the condition of his squad, but Coach Denny Myers admitted that after five days of hard work, his team is not only on edge, but in a peppery fighting mood.  The confidence of his team is sky high and the emotional letdown of the Holy Cross loss has been left far behind and may even be a catalyst for proving themselves in the Orange Bowl.

December 29, 1942 ... Former coach Frank Leahy made an appearance at practice today, as the Eagles walked through a practice in the Orange Bowl.  Mike Holovak was the first to notice him and broke away to greet him.  Coach Myers, who had never met him, walked over to the little crowd around him, and extended his hand and gave him a warm greeting.  The final practice had a lot of zing.  A defensive switch was made to a five man line as the team drilled in a corner of the stadium, far away from the crowd from Boston in attendance.  Johnny Killilea, who had suffered sunstroke was working hard, and Bernie Lanoue, who had sprained his toe, finally was able to lengthen out his stride.  Ed Fiorentino, who had hurt his hip, was still not able to move properly and will not be able to play. 

December 31, 1942 ... The Boston College coaching staff will be playing their last game together.  Coach Myers is expecting to be called into the Navy.  Backfield coach Carl Brumbaugh is planning to accept a coaching job at Kentucky, and coaches Moody Sarno and Harry Marr are expected to go into the service, not to mention a large majority of the Eagle players.

The Crimson Tide comes from behind
to beat Boston College

January 1, 1943 ... The Eagles started fast and were seven points up on Alabama in the very first minute of play.  Mike Holovak took a lateral from Eddie Doherty and ambled 65 yards to the end zone before the crowd had even settled in.  A few minutes later the Eagles roared back with another lightning touchdown on the identical play with Holovak speeding 35 yards behind the blocking of John Furey and Lucas.  Alabama then came to life and scored three times to make the score 19-14.  B.C. did not remain behind for long.  Wally Boudreaux took over at the helm and drove his team 60 yards.  Carl Lucas, starting his first game, rifled a 45 yard shot to Holovak, to put the ball on the 11-yard line.  Red Mangene and Lucas got the ball down toward the goal line and Holovak crashed in for his third touchdown to give the Eagles a 21-19 edge.  Boston College never scored again. In the last 20 seconds Lucas broke his leg while banging away a Bama pass on the goal line.  George Hecht got a field goal to give Alabama the lead as the dramatic opening half ended.

As the second half opened, Carl Lucas was gone.  Don Currivan played through with a fractured hand, and Eddie Doherty was out, having reinjured his shoulder.  In spite of it the Eagles fought hard, but Alabama ran hard.  It took three Eagles to bring down their assortment of running backs at times.  The Tigers made it 28-21, marching 54 yards in a series of devastating reverses.  B.C. made one last gasp and swept 75 yards to the Alabama 5-yd line in the 4th quarter.  Holovak caught a lateral on the left side and went 38 yards before being knocked out-of-bounds at the 25-yard line.  That was the Eagles final fling as Alabama took over the rest of the game. Boston College stayed with Alabama statistically.  They outrushed them 373 yards to 341.  But in the end, the Crimson Tide was the better team.