As we found out last Sunday in a throwback to 1893, no milksop can be a football player.

This week I noticed the cover image from the October 1957 issue of Boys’ Life. Artist Harold Eldridge, whose resume includes illustrating books such as The Black Stallion, painted a colorful fall scene in which the procession to the football team’s pep rally has stalled on account of a vehicle breakdown. Two players have jumped in to lend a hand, but they don’t seem to have a handle on the situation - and the majorette-passenger’s expression seems to agree.

The editor’s explanation for the breakdown is simple - Eldridge likely forgot to paint in the engine under the hood.

DOESN’T LOOK LIKE there’s going to be much pep at the rally, unless the young football players can figure out a way to get their vintage auto going again. Artist Harold Eldridge probably forgot to paint in the works under the hood of the classic model. However, with a honking car behind, a throng of enthusiastic well-wishers, and a pretty, but rather skeptical majorette, it seems that they could hold the pep rally right on the spot.