Song of the Buccaneer King

(From Vol. 12, No. 8 of The EGL Insider)

Matzeliger - In week three, we lamented the "passing" of
Lawrence Mandeville "Charlie" Baggett III, the Old Sea Dog,
Hisself, as he went whereever old quarterbacks go to die.
Actually, he didn't go anywhere as the rumor is Baggett will

succeed Jacque Romar as coach of the Purvis Sackers at the
end of the season.  It is alleged that this was the "sweetheart"
deal that convinced Baggett to step aside so his young apprentice,
Laurens de Graff, could take the helm of the Purvis pirate
galleon.

Let the Insider state here, without equivocation, that 
de Graff is the best quarterback never coached by Ezzrett
Anderson.  Although, by all rights, he should have been.

The problem is, when de Graff graduated from high school
with the gaudiest school boy resume since Charlie Compass,

Anderson already had a stud-in-waiting at quarterback -

the incomparable James "Shack" Harris, a sophomore
who would lead the Cadets to two College World Champion-
ships.  Anderson thought so much of Harris that when Harris

moved to the EGL, Anderson packed his bag and went with
him.

So, unable to continue the tradition of great quarterbacks 
at the Military Academy of Eroica, de Graff decided to start

a new tradition.  The story is de Graff wanted to go to the
Academy because his idol, Charlie Compass, martriculated 

there.  The story continues that he chose to suit up for tiny

Jacquelado University in Jacquelado, Eroica, because Compass'

first coach, his father, coached there.  Jacquelado's wide-open,
free wheeling offense was tailor made for the man who would
be King.

It was Sam Lacey, Editor Emeritus of the Ammar Age sports
page, who described de Graff as "a born leader of men, fearless -

a great and mischievous pirate - a one time Buccaneer King"
after watching de Graff almost singlehandedly "steal" a game
from the heavily favored College of the Magi.  

The Legend of the Buccaneer King grew by leaps and bounds

and largely by word-of-mouth as none of the Checkers' games
were televised.  This was to de Graff's advantage as sports

scribes had a field day trying to describe his exploits on the 
field.

Such was de Graff's renown that the ol' Pirate Hisself, Lomas
Brand, owner of the Purvis Sackers gridball team, had to 
come and see with his own eyes.  Duly impressed, Brand
moved heaven, earth and a fair amount of booty to sign de
Graff.  Thus far, since taking over from Charlie Baggett in
week four, Graff has managed only one win, but it was a
stunner.

The once and future Buccaneer King threw three touchdowns
in a 21-14 victory over his idol Charlie Compass in his 
quarterbacking debut.  Losses in weeks 5-7 ensued.  Two
of thoses losses came on the road.  The Sackers are back 
home at Pirates' Cove this week, so I am predicting de
Graff will shock and amaze once again by derailing a mighty

railroad in week eight.