Evening star., 1939-09-10
O'BrienSigns
After Siege
OF Manager
Texas Christianite
Suddenly Shows
Submission
Bv Francis E. Stan.

drinks over JdUlc. ocNCidA NoAA-
eressmen were gathered in a corner,
one of them balancing the base OF
a table lamp in the palm OF his
right hand and drawing back as II
to throw it for 30-yard gain. Four
newspaper writer's were sprawled on
a sofa, all impatiently looking at
their watches A photographer dozed
quietly on his plate-boX.
Suddenly the door was thrown
open and Anon Carter, Texas news
paper publisher, stalked in, swept
off his 1O-gallon hat and doomed:
Boys, I'd like you all to meet
Davey OBrien"
1t was an impressive ceremony.
congressman, District officials, news
papermen, business and civic leaders
and the photographer leaped to sur
round a fellow scarcely feet 8
inches tall and weighing no more
than 148 pounds? Idolatry? Doubled
In spades!
1t was after the 1888 football sea-
son had ended-after the New Year
Day bowl games. In one of the big
gest games, the unbeaten Texas
Christian Horned Frogs had i. de-
feated a powerful Carnegie Tech
team Mr. Horned Frog. himself,
was this little chap, Davey O'Brien.
Almost single -handedly. Davey had
passed, kicked and run the Skiboes
into defeat, just as he had led Texas
Christian to victory in all its other
contests. He easily had been the
years most talked d-about football
player He stood out over Marshall
Goldberg of Pittsburgh, Sid Luck
man of Columbia, Bob Mcleod of
Dartmouth and all the rest. Indeed,
he even was Mr.. College Football!
Tours Country.
Now he was touring the country
and collecting cups. The Touchdown
Club of Washington gives a big sill
yer bird-bath to the player it con-
siders outstanding during the year.
1t was the Touchdown Club which
brought Davey to the Capital and
arranged this preview.
OBrien paused en- route on his
airplane tour to pick at a couple of
cold lamb chops, makes speech and
accept a cup in New Orleans. He
paused in Washington, Philadelphia,
New York. Always at his side was
Mr.. Carter. The party smacked OF
the Texas plains-high-h -heeled Shoes
wide-brimmed sombreros, Southern
accents.
And, always. newspapermen fired
the same question at Davey. "Will
you turn professionals" they de-
manded in New Orleans, Washing
ton, New York and Philadelphia.
Davey always had the same an
swer. 1t was consistently emphatic.
mot me-" he drawled I'm through
with football I've got job lined up
with an oil company in Texas. That's
what I studied at T. G. u, you
know. And that's what I'm max
ing my life's work"
All this was last winter. The big
professional teams in the National
Football League had drafted the star
college players and were proudly
announcing those they managed to
sign. But the Philadelphia Eagles,
who had drawn O'Brien in the draft,
had no luck Davey said, mo,
. thanks and he wanted to be IAN
oil man
Twentieth Season Opens.
Today the curtain goes up on the
National Leagues Goth season. Al
ready it is assured of unprecedented
success. Pro football has been the
fastest growing sport in America
during the last four years, and it's
still growing. Never in the game S
history have so many college stars
boys who monopolized the fall head
lines in 1888, who were even house
hold names-marched into the pro
ranks in such body.
Columbia's Luckman, acclaimed
the best passer in the East, said he
wouldn't play pro ball. But he is
signed with the Chicago Bears, and
around him the Bears are building
their hopes for smashing season.
Pittsburgh's Goldberg wasn't going
to play, either. But he belongs to
the Chicago Cardinals.
And the football headline printed
most frequently during the summer
carried this thought:
philadelphia Eagles See Title
With OBrien's Passes"
It's the same Davey OBrien, the
fellow who was going to drill for oil.
He starts his career in professional
football today, when the Eagles en-
tertain the Washington Redskins in
one of the opening National League
games.
What happened? Bert Bell, owner
of the Eagles, simply sat down and
wrote a check in five figures. He
waved it in front of O'Brien. 1t
was the fattest check ever written
for member of the Philadelphia
club, but Bells money is as good as
the next fellows, and Davey grabbed
1t and decided to let the oil fields
shift for themselves for while. The
same thing happened to Goldberg
and Luckman and Ki Aldrich anc
HOWE Weiss-all of the fellows who
burned up the college gridirons g
year ago, but didn't seem anxiou.
to turn professional.
Times Have Changed.
League statisticians estimate thai
200 college stars of 1888 signed tt
take a whirl at pro ball this season
It wasn't ever thus Not many years
back, it was difficult to get grade 4
college star to play the postgraduate
course. Jim Thorpe was all washed
up when he took a fling, so the frs
great name was that of Red Grange
The old Galloping Ghost is credited
with having paved the way and len
terrific impetus to the sport. Still
the stars were slow coming init
the fold.
Another day came, but it WASH
q better one-not for most people
any way. 1t took the depression tt
suddenly make pro football big
time industry Like red ink manu-
facturers, the game seems to benefi