Evening star., 1936-09-03

pANhiCi . oCOly, WlICtcIl UclOIc 1tc-
mans thrilled the Chicago throng last
night, follows:
Unsung Hero.
X IDS were clustered about the lobby
of midtown hotel, with pencils
poised and notebooks ready, for the
place was filled with young men and
broad shoulders wearing white sweat
ers and the American shield and the
letters that read "All-American, 1885"
Here was heaven for the autograph
seekers. They could get famous names
IN their notebooks that they never
could get anywhere else. The great
est foot ball players of a year ago
were at leisure, for two hours re-
malned before they would have to
go out to Soldiers Field to meet the
Detroit Lions, champions of the Ma
tlonal Professional Foot Ball League.
One youngster discovered Jay Ber-
wanger. Another spotted Bill Shakes
peare. Still another came romping
back to the bunch with the name of
Riley Smith scribbled across a page.
But a little fellow with freckles and a
snub nose and a modest smile hung
back, reluctant to rush in where all
his colleagues pushed forward and
surrounded each player who appeared.
Finally stocky blond and curly
haired player stepped off the elevator.
He wasn't prepossessing in appearance
and no one recognized his face. 1t
was a young face on which there
played an apologetic smile. He seemed
to be trying to think up an excuse for
being with all these far-famed fellows
from such established foot ball centers
as Notre Dame, Alabama, Minnesota,
Ohio State and Stanford.
The autograph hunters looked at
him, then looked at each other and
shrugged their shoulders. None knew
him. They turned their eager eyes
in other directions. But the lad with
the freckles stepped forward.
''Will you give me your autograph,
mister?" he asked, as apologetic as
the player he approached.
Certainly, son. said the player, and
wrote his name across a page.
The lad returned to the other auto
graph seekers who peered over his
shoulder.
Who's that guy?" they asked, and
reading the words, they added, Lee
mans? Where's he from?"
Local Lion.
NONE knew. They hadn't heard OF
him in the Middle West. They
have heard very little of him in the
East. But in Washington, D. c., where
he performed for four years with q
little university they call George
washington they will tell you that Red
Grange was Just an iceman, Red eagle
had only color and Clip Montgomery
was built up by publicity. Down in
Washington they will tell you that
Tuffy Leemans is as great as any foot
ball player who ever carried back q
punt for a touchdown.
He never was picked on any All
American teams When he ran reck-
lessly across the white chalked lines
rolling up one touchdown after an
other during his sophomore year, the
experts shrugged their shoulders and
excused themselves with the statement
that Leemans was running against a
lot of minor opponents; that he
wouldn't rip and roar like that in fast
company. Their attention was called
again to his deeds Of daring in his
junior year, and some of them nodded
in agreement. They admitted that he
must be good. But they remembered
that he had another year to 60 and
decided to wait.
Last Fall Tuffy played his last sea-
son as an undergraduate. Reluctan,
eyes were on him ready to recognize
his prowess even il he did play for q
little university that hardly coulc