Evening star., 1939-05-23
Redskins Sign Meade,
Hard Driving Back
OF Terp Eleven
First Maryland Gridder
To Join Bietime Pros
Also Defensive Stur
By BILL DISMER. JR.

BY BILL DISMER, JR.
The player whom George Marshall
calls the best back produced by a
District college since Tuffy Leemans
today signed contract to inaugu-
rate a professional football career
with Marshall's Washington Red
skins next fall.
He Is jarrin' Jim Meade, Univer-
sity of Maryland's 24-year- 1885,
pound 6-foot-1 senior, who will OBJ
tain his sheepskin from College Park
next month. Although idle for the
greater part of last season because
of a broken ankle suffered in the
Terps' second game, Meade demon
strated by his play during the la
crosse season just ended that his
underplnning is sound again and
that he can run once more in the
style that made him terror to op-
posing lines In 1886 and 81 grid
campaigns.
He is the first Maryland player
ever signed by National Foot
ball League team.
Because of shrewd bit of silence
on the part Of the Redskins Meade
became their property uncontested
by any of the other nine National
Football League teams. Generally
outstanding college seniors from all
sections are placed in selective
draft list with the lowest team in
the league receiving first pick AS
runners-up in the East, the Red
skins last winter could not pick
draftee until seven other teams with
lower percentages had selected their
first choice
Tabled for Redskins in 81.
They figured that had they nomi-
mated Meade. some other team
would have beaten them to him,
while If they didn't. he was free to
accept an offer made by any team
in the league. The Indians also
reckoned, and rightly, that Meades
absence from the 1888 lineup would
leave their colleagues ignorant of his
availability, which proved to be the
case.
Meade first came to the notice of
the Redskin chieftains in 1887. tue
Tribes FIRST season in Washington.
That was the year that Meade ran
wild to pace the Terps to a 21-0 VIC
tory over strong Syracuse clever.
and capped the season with a sensa-
tlonal performance which almost
gle-handedly beat Georgetown,
1872. Both Marshall and Coach Raw
Flaherty, who saw every one of
Maryland's home games, were highly
impressed with Jarrin' Jim and
tabled him for consideration As
soon as his college days were over.
!. Because it is against the pros rules
to sign college football player until
he has completed his athletic en-
deavors for his alma mater. the In
dians waited until after last Satur-
days final game of Maryland's la
crosse team of which Meade was an
integral member.
First Terp Pros Take.
Noted for his combined power and
speed Meade is at his best on the
of1-tackle play and charges through
center. He not only has proven his
ability to take it," but he used to
run the 100-yard dash in 10l Sec
onds and the 220 in 22.2 in his scno-
lastic years at Tome. Marshall and
Flaherty also feel that his defensive
ability leaves little to be desired fer
they have seen him break up enemy
plays time and again.
Although the first U. OF M. grid
man to sign with big-league foot
ball team. Meade seems destined to
follow long line of metropolitAn
area pigskinners who have made
good in the National League. Most
we'll known at present, perhaps. is
Leemans, but preceding him We're
Jack Hagerty, Georgetown coach
who was a star with the New York
Giants after graduating from the
Hilltop: Mush Dubofsky and George
Murtaugh, assistant Hoya coaches,
who had played successful post
grad ball; Ray Hanken, Leemaus
teammate both at George Washing
ton and with the Giants; Dale
Prather, another ex-Colonial, VINO
last year was regular with the
Cleveland Rams; Ed Karpowich.
former c. U. star who played in the
line for the Pittsburgh Pirates last
year, and-more recently-Clem
Stralka of G. U. and Jay Turner of
G w., who last season made good
with bang on the chances given
them by the Redskins.
Meade is the 10Th player now IN
der contract to the Redskins for next
fall. The club has signed all but
four of the seniors it selected in the
draft.