Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-17

The value OF selections OF this
when practically every coach in thu
flatfootedly against the practice,
value a newspaper may get out OF
feature for its own pages, the day
is done.
1t is not generally known, but Wal
ter Camp himself two years before his
death, expressed the opinion that the
original purpose Of all-America teams
had long since been accomplished, that
conditions had come to be such IT was
impossible to select such an eleven
with fairness TO all. and felt it was
time for him TO discontinue picking
his annual teams. 1t is fact
the publication Of his all-America
teams in the Foot Ball Guide because
he felt that It was giving official
status to something that could never
be fair and because he felt that ex-
ploitation OF the players names was
not for the best interests of the
game.
Robs Them Of Value.
The intelligent effort now being
made to discontinue anything that
savors Of all-America teams from any
viewpoint that might give them any.
thing, even tinge OF official status.
really adds interest to the all-America
stead Of detracting from them. Other
all-America teams never did and
never will amount to much. but
Camps elevens will and should go
down as a part of the history OF foot
ball, as one of the big constructive eff.
forts which helped make the game
what It Is.
1t was In 1889 that Walter Camp
conceived the idea Of picking an all
l. a
America and to have published the
selection in order to create an inter-
est in foot ball. The game thvn was
not we'll known and was played only
by a few teams in the East. 1t was
perfectly feasible proposition TO select
an All.American eleven then and Tor
several years after, and 1t was owing
to the Intelligent selections made by
Camp that the All-America elevens
became popular and q great honor for
those named on them. But as foot ball
grew and grew and grew the task OF
making such selections became great.
er and greater and greater.
Will Retain Place.
And honors that were accorded to
foot ball players through Camps All
America teams also will hold a pace
in foot ball history. Whenever his.
tory OF foot bali Is written the names
OF men who held places on Camps
teams should be a part OF 1t. Such
honors as some men won in these
selections never will be equaled be
cause there is no means by whHh
they can be eQualed.
From 1883 until the day OF his
death, last year, Camp selected all
America teams, yet in all those years
only four men won the honored places
four consecutive years. Those men
were Frank Hinkey OF Yale, Marshall
Newell Of Harvard, TruXton Hare or
Pennsylvania and Gordon Brown of
Yale. And 1t is exceedingly interest
ing TO note all were linemen. Hfnkey
was an end. while the other three
were guards. Hinkey was on the all
star selection from 1891 through 1884,
Newell from 1890 through 1893. Hare
from 1897 through 1900 and Brown
from 1897 through 1900.
Nine men were selected for three
consecutive years. and of these 1t is
interesting to note that only two were
backs. In justice TO some OF these
nine, it might be said that they were
among the greatest players that ever
lived and might have won places on
the all-American team for four con-
secutive years had eligibility rules or
something else not prevented their
participation for a longer period.
"Pudge" Heffelfnger Of Yale, for
instance, made the team three years,
but probably would have made 1t
longer had it not been for the fact
that he played one or two years
before the selections were begun.
Heffelfinger made the team from 1889,
the first year 1t was selected, through
1891.
Pair Of Great Backs.
Eckersall Of Chicago and Mahan of
Harvard are the only backs that have
ever been chosen for three consecu-
tive years.
other men in the three-year honor
roll are Wheeler OF Princeton, 1892
through 1894: Lea Of Princeton. 1898
through 1895: Gilbert Of Pennsylvania,
1894 through 1886; Campbell Of Har-
ward, 1899 through 1901; Hogan of Yale,
1902 through 1904; Eckersall OF Chi
cago. 1904 through 1906; Pennock of
Harvard. 1912 through 1914: Mahsn
of Harvard. 1918 through 1916.
While consistency was Jewel with
these men, as II won such unusual
honors for them, 1t seems that there
flashed across the gridiron skies at
times meteors which seemed for the
time being more brilliant. At least.
only four Of the 13 men who got four
and three year places on all-America
teams won their way to a place on
the all-time. all-American team picked
by Camp in 1905. These were Ecker
sail, quarter; Hinkey. end, and Hare
and Heffeltinger, guards.
camps all-time team should also be
historic, as it probably covers wider
and more diversified range Of foot ball
than has been covered by any other
man. Shevlin of Yale was the other
end; Dewitt Of Princeton and Fish of
Harvard were the tackles; Schultz Of
Michigan, center; Heston Of Michigan
and Weekes of Columbia. halfbacks,
and Coy Of Yale. fullback.
The Great Eleven.
1t is a fact, too. that in Camps
opinion these were not only the great
est foot ball players developed before
the year they We're selected, but also
the greatest Of all time. About q year
before he died, while in a Washington
newspaper office, Camp was asked d.
rectly if he had to pick another all
time, all-America team what changes
he would make, or what players on the
1908 team would be sjlpplanted. After
considering for moment the reply
came. Not one. / have watched
Thorpe and all the later stars, but
think those eleven men We're the great
est players in their respective posi-
lions that ever trod the gridiron."
Camps ;ll.America teams were
distinctive. and. while all-American
teams may nov be in disfavor and
may have accomplished their entire
purpose, those that were honored on
Camps selections will long be remem.
bered as the greatest players OF foot
ball. No future players can hope to
attain quite the same distinction that