Evening star., 1939-09-06
The
SPORTLIGHT
Strong Called Grid's
Greatest Player
By GRANTLAND RICE.

All-Stars brings up an old argu-
ment. 1t has little to do with thu
pro footballer against the collegian
It swings quickly to this point: I.
Ken Strong of the Giants isn't thu
greatest all-around football player
In the games history, who is?
This covers large flow of terri.
tory-Willie Heston, Jim Thorpe
Ernie Nevers. Dutch Clark, Eddie
Mahan, Red Grange, Walter Ecker.
sail. Frank Hinkey. Bronko Nag
urski-we could write on for half ar
hour.
Which brings us back to Ker
Strong, who after more than Is years
of service still was good enough tt
score two-thirds of the points rolled
up against the pick and pride o.
the collegians.
Years ago three Well-knoWn col
lege coaches sent me wires to this
effect-"No one has to bother about
picking an All-America team this
fall. His name is Ken Strong
Their teams had played against him
Well now take you back to one
OF Ken Strong's last college games
1t was the day Chick Meehan's N
Y. U. faced a team from Carnegie
Tech that had wrecked Notre Dame
one of Rockne's good teams. 1t
was the day AL Lassman was in
jured beyond repair.
Proves Powerful Enough
To Beat Good Team.
Judge Walter Steffen was coach
ing the Tartans. One of the smart
est of all coaches and players-the
coach Knute Rockne always feared
-Steffen had seen or had played
against Heston, Thorpe and most OF
the star headliners. That night
after the game we sat togther for
several hours.
This is the first time in my
career" he told me, that one man
was good enough to run over and
completely wreck an exceptionally
good team. can tell you he is bet
ter than either Heston or Thorpe
Ill tell you what Ken Strong can
do
81. A great ball carrier-205
pounds of speed and running power
%. One of the best blockers I've
ever seen.
'3. A high-class forward passer-
up with the best.
a. Certainly one of the best all
around kickers in football history.
IS. A player with exceptional
spirit-a team player in every way.
Called Easily Greatest
He Ever Has Seen.
I'll tell you he is easily the great
est football player I ever saw-and
I've been around over Is years, fac
ing the Four Horsemen of Notre
Dame and the best teams Rockne
ever had I can tell you honestly
that since 1905 I've never seen a
football player in his class for all
around stuff-for everything it
needs"
If you ever knew the late Wally
Steffen you had to respect his opin-
ion. Ask Alonzo Staff, his Chicago
coach, who also has been around
since 1888, matter of 81 years.
Ken Strong was upsetting strong
college teams around IS years ago
He became far better after Steffen
saw him.
His pro career has been phenom-
email. He probably was no better
ball carrier than Willie Heston, who
was never called on to kick or throw
a pass. He was no better in many
ways than Jim Thorpe or Ernie
Nevers.
Thorpe Was Great When
He Wanted to Play.
Pop Warner, who picked Nevers
over Thorpe, told me the reason for
this pick. ''Thorpe-at his best-was
the tops" Pop said. But Jim played
when he felt like playing. Ernie
Nevers always gave out everything
he had"
Pop saw Strong only when he was
riding stable of charley horses and
couldn't walk-much less run
against Oregon State.
Strong had one great break. He
started out as a blocking back. Here
he was an expert. He then turned
into a great running back. To this
he added kicking and passing
Weighing over 200 pounds he had
unusual speed and driving force
in his legs that few backs ever
knew. Ask Bull Karcis, who played
against him.
Another outstanding factor has
been his stamina over the years.
Naturally he hasn't the drive and
speed he once carried. You don't
keep packing this around after 10
years of pro football, piled on top
OF your college years.
When you consider the number
of great football players who have
given all they had to the game for
over so years. mean the thou
sands-you risk the end of limb
when you say one man was the
best.
Nagurskf Is Included
Among the Big Four.
Considering the test Of both COL
Nege and pro football I'd say the
battle of the swift and the strong
was among Ken Strong, Jim Thorpe
and Ernie Nevers, with Bronko
Nagurski close up.
Strong and Thorpe had greater
variety. This gives them the edge.
I mean everything that belongs to
football-running, blocking, tackling,
passing and every type of kicking.
There will be parade of great
football players in tomorrow nights
game. And there will be a doubly
interesting angle when Jock Suther-
land tosses in his Panthers for at
least a brief test. OF course, no
brief test can mean anything i'm
portant. But it can be interesting.
It can lead to arguments and de-
bates, which are always q big part
Of sport.
Dick Nelson at Helm,