The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-11-29

Kinnick And Kavanaugh
Lead U. P. All-America
Smith and Stellar Also Popular in 1889 National Vote
By Point System
BY HARRY FERGUSON
UNITED Press Sports Editor


New York, Nov. 29.--(UP)-The
United Press presents today Its 1899
ALI America football team, the best
man at each position out OF the
thousands who played on college
gridirons this season.
1t Is a team dominated by players
from the midwest and the south.
Geographically the II players are
distributed as follows: Midwest, four
south, three; east, two; southwest,
one; far west, one.
In an attempt to cover every team
In every section Of the country,
the United Press this year invited
sports editors OF all United Press
newspapers TO vote. In addition, the
opinion OF selected coaches across
the country was sought and United
Press sports writer's, who have been
In press boxes every Saturday this
season, also sent In ballots.
The result Of the voting was q
team that represents an accurate
cross-se of national opinion, q
team on which the obscure player IN
the small school received as much
consideration as the star OF a well
publicized team
None Even Close
Under this system the perfect
football player-the man who would
be placed on everybody's All-Amer-
lea team-would have received 1926
points. No player got that total
OF course, and none even came close
But one man dominated the voting
from the time the first ballots ar
riyed-Nile Kinnick, fowas great
half back who IN the opinion OF the
nation, seems to be the outstanding
football player Of 1899. Kinnick got
SIT out OF q possible 929 votes. Sec
ond to him was Ken Kavanaugh,
Louisiana state end, with 438 and
third came Harry Smith, Southern
California guard, with 400.
Here, with q thumb-nail sketch Oh
each player, Is the 1899 team:
End-Kavanaugh, Louisiana State
Greatest pass receiver In the nation.
He set q scoring record for an end
In the Southeastern Conference and
his brilliant play was chiefly re-
sponsible for LSU victories In the
Holy Cross, Rice, Loyola and Van
deroilt games,
He struck his peak in the Holy
Cross game when he caught three
touchdown passes and intercepted
a lateral to run 80 yards and score
n fourth touchdown. Bernie Moore,
his coach, says this about Kavan-
augh: I'm my opinion he's the great
est end Of the year. He's pass
completer rather than a pass re-
ceiver In that he catches passes no
other player could get" 438 votes
Stella Some Fellow
Tackle-Harry Stella, Army. An
outstanding player on a not-too-
good football team. He has the
2i0 pounds and standing five feet,
ideal build for a tackle, weighing
II inches. On defense he Is bril-
liant at diagnosing plays and his
power and quick thinking enable him
to break through and make tackles
when other line men still are caught
In the milling OF the play. He was
the outstanding line player on the
field In the Notre Dame Army game
and 1t was his drive and fierce Of
fensive play that carried the cadets
on the only serious offensive thrust
they made that day. 1876 points.
Guard-Harry Smith, Southern
California. A vital piece OF machin-
cry In q team that has one OF the
strongest running attacks In the ma
ton. He has been outstanding ir
every game this year except the
USC- Oregon contest and against
Stanford he had brilliant after
noon. In that game he was break
ing through and mailing Stanford
backs before they could get started
and he was fast enough to catch
them from behind when they die
get away. He shows to best advan.
tage on offense when he pulls out
OF the line to block and he tries
10 get two men, instead OF one or
each play. 42o points.
Slx-Feet-Tw0
Censer-John Haman, Northwest.
ern. Best defensive center to come
out OF the Big Ten In years. A
giant, standing six feet, two inches
and Weighing 205, he has been weak
on down field blocking until thi'
ceason. Now he knowsall the trick!
and Is particularly effective In back.
ing up the lire. Steve Srider
United Press sports writer who has
seen Hannah In action many times
writes that the Northwestern pass
defense collapses when the big cen
ter Is out OF the game. Lynn Wal.
dorf, Northwestern coach, says: -
don't know Of any better center iI
the country than Haman. He's
fine tackler, blocker, Line hacker anc
an accurate passer." Humans best
games this year were played against
Purdue and Notre Dame. 2l3 votes
Tta yd-nnh Suffrid0a Tennessee