The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-27
MICHIGAN CENTER
NOW UNDER FIRE
Charge Made That He Is an
Old WreStler-UnuSually
Good Student.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. Dec H.-On TOP
o. the disclosure made about Joy Mil
Ter, who was found to be ineligible after
ne had been elected next years captain
Of the University Of ATichigans football
team, comes the report that Andrew
Smith, the big Mich'Lan center, may not
be found with the team next year. II
is said that while hourecleaning IS in
progress the brilliant center rush Will
find It eXpedient rot to play on the
team.
The gossip about Smith comes from
far away Kansas CITY, where he was
well known three or four years ago.
Smith has been much Of a mystery to
The students and professors at Ann Ar
Dor ever since he Joined school. 1t
seems that vixen no entered the uni
versity he registered from Ann Arbor,
but no one there knew him before he
hove in sight at the opening Of the
school
Smith is a studen: IN the medical de-
pa-tment and one Of The best in school.
This fact had much TO do with Smith
going unChallenseG. as the teachers IN
his classes could nOi make themselves
believe that there was anything wrong
with an sthlete who carried, as he did,
some Of the hardest studies I'm school
and being rated at the top ir all
Reports that he was a wrestler Of note
first started an investigation but moth
ing came OF II. That his permanent
residence could not be Ann ArbCr was,
however, soon discovered, and then the
fact that Smith had IN his possession
several medals with tho inscription
heavyweight wrestling champion"
started gossip again. That he was
something more than a football player
was made evident from the start as
while exercising in the gymnasium It
was soon discovered that IN the Crap
ping game he could toy With the most
powerful athletes in the university.
That he could not have acquired HIS
skill on the mat by himself was evil
dent, but although questioned by Keene
the athletic director Smith
parted the queries with the statement
that wrestling came natural 10 him
Coach YOst, II is said, was equally in
the dark, although he knew he had
cracking good llneman. and the talk OF
electing Smith 10 succeed Miller as cap
tain OF tho eleven has been rife since
the late "uhNleasautness."
However, from Kansas City comes
the report that Smith may not be eliCi-
bic for the cIptaincy and probably not
for the team. IT seems that he played
two or three years on the Kansas City
Medical School eleven, bcs .des being
Identified with one other eleven He
played against the University OF Ar
kansas eleven I'm 1906 while I.ougman.
Michlgans former great fulIback, and
now coach at NOtre Dame. had The
Southern team in charge. In that game
IL is said Smith was In a class by him
self tearing through the Arkansas. line
a. will.
Where he learned the wrestling game
some Of his friends are IN doubt about.
il IS claimed that he Was formerly one
Of Frank GOtch's training partners, but
most of his graphing was on the mat
with Jim Asbell. who is now travelling
with the Jeffries-Gotch theatrical com
Asbell IS a Kansas City prod
uct and Is regarded by some as oUe Of
the best I'm that neck Of woods Now-
ever. friends OF the big center point out
that he could not be a professional so
FAR as outward signs go. as the DOS
session Of a bunch OF medals would
show that he stuck to the amateur end
OF the game There has been no evil
dcnce that he ever took part IN a pro-
fessional match except IN so far as he
helped some Of the pros" 10 get in
That the faculty will investigate his
standing goes without saying. but his
friends. who are IN his confidence. as
sert that he viii have no trouble in
clearing himself.