Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-04-30
SIMPSON BIG
FOOTBALL FAN
His Greatest Thrill Was
Catching Pass, Not
Breaking Record
BY W. ID. GRIFFITH
Director of Ohio RELAYS

The entry OF George Simpson In
TO the sport which has brought him
nationwide fame was more or less
an accident and his debut on the
cinder path was inauspicious. Like
many other school boys. he enter
tanned hopes OF becoming a star in
football. basketball and baseball. In
fact, these sports occupied almost
all of his time.
The 1923 baseball season Of the
Columbus schools was nearing the
end when George read OF a junior
high school track meet to be held
in conjunction with the city high
school meet at Ohio State Univer-
sity. He determined 10 run in the
contests and, since there was no
equipment at his school. he bought
spiked shoes and got out his bas-
ketball suit to wear.
With his ability TO place IN this
new sport-he ran second In the
century in 1913 seconds and fourth
in the go that went at q fraction
above q seconds-there came en-
couragement and a determination
10 report for track at East High the
next year.
Greatest Thrill From Grid Game
Simpsons love for football. whcih
vas still evident last fall when he
reported to Coach Sam Willaman's
Ohio State varsity squad. Melted
him three letters as a halfback az
East High. The greatest thrill he
ever received from SPORTS vas not
when he shattered the record for
the century but when he was rush
ed into a high school football game
In the closing minutes and caught
a long forward pass for a touch
down that brought victory TO East
High.
During 1924 and 1925. the per-
formances of Simpson we're but
those Of the average high school
sprrnter and not until 1926 did the
shadow Of the Ohio Express begin
TO creep across the record book.
He started his long series Of
sprint achievements BY winning the
50-yard dash OF the Michigan in
t~erscholastic indoor meet in SIS
seconds. a national record. On the
outdoor track in the spring, he
continued 10 pile up marks. He
turned the century of the state in
terscholastic in 9.S seconds and the
furlong in pit seconds. Through
out the season. his marks remained
consistently at 10 flat or better.
And 50 consistent has the Ohio boy
been since that time that on only
two 0ccasions-a preliminary heat
at the Rice relays when the field
was facing a strong wind and
again at the Penn relays in 1923
with the track ankle deep in mud
has he failed 70 break" 10 sec
onds.
eliminating his scholastic career
Simpson staged one of the most
brilliant performances Of all time
at Stage Field. Chicago. in the
national interscholastic. He ran in
the anchor position Of his sprint
relay team that finished ahead OF
an unusually fast field. He won the
io0-yard dash and the go. equalinE
the national record OF 90 seconds
IN the century ard turning in a
sensational 21s seconds in the
furlong. And the mark Of ass Sec
onds for the 440-vard relay, which
still stands in the record books.
was greatly due TO the running of
George Simpson.
Broke Frosh Sprint Records
A light schedule OF training de-
signed to improve his form and
conserve his speed for varsity
competition was given the Column
bus boy when he entered the state
university in the fall. Even this
did not keep him from establish
ing new yearling marks of 9.S and
214 seconds in The century and
furlong.
The close Of the school year saw
Simpson break into major" COM
petition for the first time. To saw
that he broke in is putting IL mild
". In the district A. "A. u. cham
pionships az Cincinnati. the Ohio
State freshman won the l00-yard
dash in e.6 second. equalinz the
recognized worlds record that had
first been set back in 1906 by Kelly
~ N~ma-