The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-10-25
Today's Sport
Parade
BY HENRY McLEMORE
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent


Atlanta, Ga, Oct. 25-UP)-This
is the land of gone with the wind
and of football backs fast enough
not only to have gone with it, but
to have shown it the way.
No other section OF the country,
year after year, comes close to
matching the south in the produc-
ton of dazzling runners with foot
ball. They seem to blossom with the
regularly of the dogwood trees, and
rare is the southern campus which
does not have one or two backs who
can charge like Pickett, change pace
and direction like Forrest and take
it like Lee.
Tennessee mas three In Butler,
Foxx and Cafego. Georgia Tech has
two in Gibson and Bosch. Georgia
has a pair of 0.9.8 sprinters in Cate
and Hunnicutt. Clemson's backs
can't be brought down with
squirrel gun. Nelson of Alabama
runs down rabbits for exercise, and
Banker and Killogg of Tulane run
down Nelson. Hovious of Ole Miss
won't run with these three because
they're too slow.
Why is this? What is the answer
to the south's ability to keep coming
up with backs who have an over
abundance of speed, power, swing
and savvy necessary to star on the
gridiron? Some southerners explain
it with heredity, saying that the
| forefatherS of the present genera
ton of southern football players de-
veloped tremendous speed and en-
durance. chasing Yankees in the war
between the states. This smacks
bias, however, and must be dis
counted, especially by us Yankees
from around-uh-well-u h- Macon
and Augusta.
| Comparison
Some attribute the good backs to
| the generally inferior southern lines.
Arguing that backs have to be ex-
ceptional down this way or get
killed. Others say it is because the
boys get tired of talking slowly,
walking slowly, and generally draw
ling all week, and welcome an OPP
portunity to cut loose and get into
high speed on Saturday.
Coaching has little or nothing to
do with the development of great
runners. I was talking to DR.. Jock
Sutherland, between the halves of
the Tennessee-Alabama game, short
ly after Johnny Butler had made his
sensational 57-yard broken field run.
and I asked him if it were possible
to teach a boy to do what Butler
had just done.
Never, not if you spent a life
time" Sutherland said. "A run like
that is the result of instinct and
inspiration. I'll tell you one thing,
though"-and Sutherland pointed to
the packed stands, the yelling thou
sands, the riot of color and pagean-
try-"all of that plays a part in the
development of great backs. The
south takes its football seriously. Kids
are brought up on it, and when they
reach college they are willing to do
or die for their school, and from this
feeling is drawn the inspiration to
perform what appears to be the i'm
possible"
GOOu BACKS LII
In watching great backs work ons
realizes how foolish is the old foot
ball belief that anyone can carry
the ball-that it is the line which
really does the important job. A
line is vital, certainly. But it is from
the backfield that team gets Its
Gift" How many times have you
seen dull, lifeless team magnetized
by in the game of flashing, reck-
less, hell-for- Leather ball carrier?
No one will ever convince me that
the thrill of a football game comes
in watching a tackle tackle, a guard
guard, or a center center. No sir, lei
me watch the ball and the mer
who run with it. You go right ahead
and beat a path to the tackles ano
guards who make the best mouse
traps, If you want to. I'll take the
men on the run.