The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1939-05-05
BILL SMITH TO GO TO IOWA
STATE UNIVERSITY

with the chalk lines on a grid
iron, is headed or Iowa univer.
sty. 49,. 80.
Yes, the 18-year-old Gallia
academy senior has virtually
completed arrangements compuI
sorry to enrolment at the mid
western school and will hang a.
round Gallipolis only long
enough to get.his sheepskin with
the class of 1889 before he starts
for the Iowa city.
For three years, Smith, a for
mer Point Pleasant lad who came
to Ohio so he could play foot
ball, has been a shining light
in the Bluedevil backfield, reach
ing his peak last year when he
tailed &C points against South
eastern League opposition to
carry off Conference scoring
honors. ....
Smiths choice of Iowa (there
are several other schools anxious
to rope the colored speed mer-
chant) dates back to a night in
February when Ohio State was
entertaining the Hawkeyes in
a basketball game at the Fair
Grounds Coliseum.
Coach Garfield Griffith ac-
companied by DR.. H. B. Thomas
and members of his own cage
squad, Smith included, attended
the tilt i'm a body. DR.. Thomas
who received h is degree from
Iowa, introduced Coach Griffith
to Rollie Williams, Hawkeye
basketball mentor and it was
not long before the subject of
football drifted into the CONVEX
sation. Williams apparently not
one to overlook the slightest bet
inquired of Coach Griffith if he
had any good grid materia roam
ing around loose down in this
section and the Academy tutor
pointed Smith out as one of his
outstanding moleskinners. Smith
in turn, was introduced to the
the Iowa official.
The rest of the story comes
as a sort of anti-climax. Smith
received letter shorty after
that with the promise of job
that will pay his tuition. He has
also secured work with an Iowa
City doctor that will give him
room and board.
A transcript of Smiths grad
es was mailed by local school Off
Gals Monday and while a GER
tain average is required for en-
trance without a preliminary
examination no trouble is ex-
pected on this score since Smith
has always been in t h e upper
half of his class enthusiastically.
His high school record has has
long since been filed away in
some accessible spot in an Iowa
university office.
Although more or less sub
dued in Big Ten football COM
petition in recent years Iowa is
loking forward to bigger things
on tn e gridiron starting with
next season. Eddie Anderson,
former Holy Cross mentor and
recogiezd as one of the best in
the business, was hired recently
to succeed Irl Tubbs as head
coach and Iowa alumni figures
this as a big step toward re-
nissance. -.
Iowa hardly ever fails to have
one colored boy on the football
squad and this prbaby influence
ed Smith in accepting the choice
offer. 1t means that he will at
least be granted a chance to dis
play his athletic wares. The
oremost Negro athelete to bios
som at Iowa in recent years was
Oze Simmons, the All-American
whirlwind Of few seasons ago.
Coach Gar Griffith is of the
opinion that Smith has an eX-
/ cellent college prospect not only
in football but also track. by
his sophomore year he should
have added ten or fifteen pounds
I to his present weight and if he
can do this without sacrificing
any of his sped he should go like
great guns. Griffith believes
Smiths present weight is very
close to ITO pounds.
During his a years Of schol-
astic play Smith scored a total
of 161 points, thirteen Of these
coming as a sophomore when he
played regular with the var
sity at fullback, a position he
has held all through his career