The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-21
FeuD Great Grid
 Coaches Starred
 h Playing Days
By JAMES !. ,coRnEr.r

An oddity concerning football is that most of the greatest coaches never were shining stars on the gridiron
 1 Bill Roper of Princeton. who is writ ing his name indelbly in the pages of never won any medals in his student days. He, as Princeton graduate, played football, but was little more than mediocre. And the same thing goes for Bob Zuppke, pilot of the University of Illinois aggregation. zuppke was a scrub player during the years he was a student at Wisconsin, and his particlpa- ton in the combats was rare that has name appeared in the lineup only at most intrequent intervals. 1 Glen W arner, nationally known coach of the University of Plttsburg, is re- garued as one of the greatest football tutors of all times. Warner played the game at Cornell in his youth, but he never achieved very many newspaper headlines. He played well, but not b-ll- llantly. And so It was with John Heis- man, regarded as one of the trickiest of coaches, who played football at Brown, and later at the University of Pennsyl- vania.
 MORAN WAS PRO-" Charlie Moran, coach of the famous Centre College team, never went to col ] lege himself, and gained football experi- ence only as professional. Bob Fol 1 well, coach of the Navy team, was good football player in the bygone days, put never ranked as wonder of won ders. J. w. Wilce, coach of Ohio State, played football swhile at Wisconsin, but gathered in no real medals for hIs work. lie played well-but. not with any ex- lreme briliiance.
 | Ciliunollr ilOpie. coach at Cornell. a Minnesota football player who did nothing spectacular. But after gradua- ton he went to the Pacific coast and m the 10-year period that followed not one of his teams ever went down to deNat. He made a great record afterward with the Navy, and is now doing the same thlng at Cornell although the material which he has is crude and green at it's best.
 Fielding Yost, who has been coaching | the Michigan squads for more than two decades, was not in any way remarkable white wearing the gridiron regalia ot Lafayette. But Yost has pade himself immortal as a coach. In those days he oitlnt get much of a chance to play, but he certainly got an Opportunity to absorb football knowledge and tactics from the older men-and he overlooked no opportunities.
 HAuGnIUN AN EXCEPTION
 Percy Haughton, the man who reVo- lutionized things at Harvard, IS one or the few exceptions Haughton was full pack in his day. and the Crimson has known few fulibacks who were his su- ends, and he played the defensive game perior. Haughton could split line, circle remarkably. Crimson graduates often think back to Haughton's s day and they ciaim him one of the most consistent, II not exactly the most brilliant, backfieid 1ad o years ago.
 Another oddity with reference to foot pail coaches is the fact that where in ferior players usually succeed as coaches, most of the brilliant stars fail miserabiy III their attempts to teach the new idea how to disport on the gridiron. CharAe Buckley, Eddie Mahon, Ted Coy, Charlie Barrett and score of others all took one or more filings at teaching football. But not one could maze good in the role
 All of which seems to indicate that Ii person wants to become successful foot ball coach, the man qualification IS to start off in life by being. only so-so as a player
 One ovation after another greeted Ty Cobb on his tour along the Pacific slope Some persons on the major league circuit may think that the Southern lyphoon" has skiddeo a bit, but out in l slst that today he is the most marvel ous athlete with the game.
 If Cobb was any greater five years ago than he Is now, he must have been superhunaiA" commented one critic. The tour of the Tiger star was spien- did success, and Cobb made friends wherever he went Crowds followed him through the streets, and his journey from time to time was more or less of trumphal procession.
 Cobb, gladdened by it all, remarked when asked about 1921: II am hopeful that the comeback 1 was able to put on with the splendid climate here will be duplicated next season. I feel hun dred per cent better than l did six months ago; the malaria is out of my system, my bad leg is working well again, and If everything goes right 1 am going out to give Sisler, Speaker and the others the battle of their lives.
 The fact that Cobb was distanced in his efforts to annex another batting championship and that some of his prize records were shattered in 1920, has proved to be an incentive to him for 1921. TITS STATEMENT
 "Give me a good par of legs, good health and fair break in luck and am going out in 1921 with the hope of eclipsing some of those new records that the other boys have esta blished. l am s now and that's a little old for base ball player, but 1 have always aimed to keep in good condition. l think that with some rigid training early next year can jump into the opening game at top speed and keep moving right through into october"
 Cobb has not altered his stand against taking over the management of the Iii gers. That is because he wants nothing whatsoever to interfere with his playing efforts in 1921. The great player is out to do or die next season, and it is thought that managerial cares might conflict with his efforts on the field.
 Just a good pair of legs, good health and fair break in luck-thats all want in 1921'' reiterates Cobb. If he gets 1 them-watch him go
 | (Copyright 1920 by King Features