The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-28
PANTHER STOCK GOES UP AS' DATEOF JACKSONVILLE GAME AT RICKWOOD DRAWS NEAR
BackfieId Prospects Much Brighter Than Early In Sea- son And Line Will Be One Of The Best In History

The cloud of doubt has been walfed from over Sunshine Slopes and the Birmingham Southern football team will go onto the field Saturday aft ernoon at Redwood park against Jacksonville State Normal backed by q confident student body that is now proclamfng the prospects for a sue cessful season for the Partners as the bTighteSt of many years past.
 The first few days of practice in- spired no confidence in the students at the Methodist institution but day by day as a new player of known ability placed his name on a regis tratfou blank in the deans office and the word went round that new star had appeared in the Panther constellation the stock of the Gold and Black warriors mounted. From formidable. foe and a threatening menace the Jacks sonville eleven has now been reduced in the eyes of the optimistic Hilltop studnts to a mere trial horse for the Birmingham Southern crew. However, the Normal team always puts up. tough scrap with the Pamthers and the games are always close.
 One of the latest and brightests . stars to oppear on the Slopes is Dave Evans, a guard of 1921. who- is one of the best that has ever played on n Panther team. ibdNe ildS pGGH W WOi n ing daily on the temporary practice field with the Panther squad this week.
 There was never much cause for worry abosit the Line rod from the very start Nine prospects were good. However, the addition of player of Evans callbre was sure to make :, the Gold and Black stock go up.
 The backfield has been the one spot that has been causing most of the worries of the coaching stair at Birmingham Southern. With. mate rial that would force the selection of light backfieBd the menace or an offensive that would be too light to be effective was imminent How ever several changes have been naue and few additions and now the | backfield promises to De equaAy aS strong as the line.
 One of tho shifts thatA has put a rosy hue on the clouds Of idoupI over the backfield prospects Is the chahg ing of Red" Farr, from tackle to fullback. Red" played a good game at tackle last year but when the shortage of offensive men become so acute during the early sessions on inc practice field Coach Brown sent Farr to the backfield to felleVe 'hS eitration. Now he Is hailed as one or tba most promising of backfield men Cor if has been brought out that he is fast man and he weighs in at about 17..
 "Red" Richardson, last years half will he relied upon to til ms a4cus tSo toned position this year again. Al the other half Curly" Black, Sid Godpee' "pie" Yielding, Verman Kimbrough, John Rogers Thompson ana seNeLai others are contending Black was the hest ground gainer that simpson High had last year and is well pulIt' Godhee is a fast mansand may deNelop into good broken field runner, Marlborough played on the scrups idst wear at end but shows promise or doine good work at half this year. Welding has been running a good blt with the varsity this year and shows up well. Thompson is the star otIen- sive man of the scrub team S1 anu aS inst although a little light. several other fast but light men are in the race for the berth.
 One of the ends has already been filied. It is certain that Blg Hoss capSv captain and one of the pest ends that has ever been on Sunshihe SIones. will hold down one Of the
 Ar the other end Dad" Howell and Price Howell are among the. the leauins endy "Dad" Howell was outstandlng nIaver at tackle last year Non the Panther team but got his ankle smashed at Chattanooga He has peeh doinp unite a bit of bunting and IS at nresent the most likely man 10 do the kicking for the Partners thls season. ca, .o,,o haop going good and will propably get ILto many of the games If neither wins n varsity place at end on the team Al tackles Turner Scott, calhoun Charles Ashwander and several otner .o1d men are running. scott talled sfo make his letter in 1921 by Ahe quarter of game anq M going stronger for regular posle lion this year. Calhoun Is new nan and has been doing good work He is a husky play but is aggressive. Ashwander has also been showing up well at tackle. ,o
 At guard Ham" Weeks, Douglas Pritchett, Dave Evans and others are competing. It is pretty detlnltety settIed that Evans will hold down one of the berths which will leave only one open for contention Weeks was a varsity tackle last year while Prl- tchett was a star tackle on the scrup
 'thaut 60 men are on the field daily
 N about S5 uniforms have been iSs%e Coach Brown and Coach Wingo have been running the men nara @ tnls week. The scrimmages have been short and have come at the close oi hard afternoons work but the charging has been going on unces \ santiy and the Panther squad haS been well tired down when the last