The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-10-16
Denied The Right To Play Football At Home,
 Southern California Prep Stars Join Army
AIhambra Lads
 Are Victims Of Alumni Rushing
B JERRY BRONDFIELD NEA Service stan Correspondent

~sAA WI 'ASS Ss~A OVAASSHSAANCAe
 Rugged army shoes instead of cleats. Packs on their backs in place of shoulder pads, and pretty soon, mebbe, they'll wish they had the pads.
 Johnny Petrovich and two of his Alhambra High School teammates are in the army now, adding fresh and unique chapter to one of the most weird pieces of business in coast athletic circles. When Petrovich, Tharen Hodges and Chuck Petre graduated, prac- tically every college on the golden slope and many in distant states trotted out the welcome mat in a big way.
 For Petrovich, especially. The AL hambra lad, standing six feet and weighing more than 180 pounds, was touted as an All-America tail- back even before they handed him his prep school diploma.
 Hodges was @ remarkable tackle, Petre blocking back. The three had brought the Southern California high school championship to AL hambra.
 A wave of purity had previously swept over far western football. It ended with the installation of Edwin Atherton, one-time G-Man, as Conference Czar without portfo- lio.
 Atherton spent a year and about $20,000 checking into the athletic subsidy situation at the eight schools. He compiled 8 100-page report which nobody but the school athletic heads has seen.
 He was given a green light by the conference told to enforce its rules let the chips fall where they may no matter how pain full.
 It was here that the innocent kids, Petrovich, Hodges and Petre, en- tered the picture.
 KICK YOUNGSTERS AROUND IN COAST PURITY CAMPAIGN
 Having romped in the shadow of Southern California and the Uni- versity of California at Los Angeles, it was natural that their exploits came to the attention of Troy and Bruin alumni Overtures were made. The boys made the usual in- spection trips, were promised jobs, etc.
 It was alleged that promises had been made to Petrovich that after he had finished college he would receive financial aid so he could take graduate work at California Tech, where he could further en- gineering plans. Petrovich says he was told nothing more than that he would be taken care of.
 It seems that the three young Sters wished to continue to play to- gether.
 Hodges had job on the South ern California campus, hut 1t is re- ported that Detective Atherton un- covered that $20 of the $100 month he received for looking after the lawn, or whatever he was supposed to do, came from alumni. All three participated as freshmen in South ern California's spring practice, al- though Petre had not entered the university.
 The whole thing was too much under the Code Atherton.
 The czar decided that the three boys could attend any school in the league, but if they went to either Southern California or U. c. L. A., they would not be allowed to engage in athletics.
 Other youngsters were similarly hit. The University of California at Berkeley alone lost six. Stanford obtained one outstanding performer as result. Others enrolled outside the circuit.
 GRADES OKEH AND THEY WANTED TO GO TO SCHOOL
 The scholastic grades of Petro- vich, Hodges and Petre were okeh, but because the bidding on their services had been so furious, the boys found they'd have trouble get- ting in at some of the places they wanted to attend. Schools were afraid to take a chance. Accusa- tions would be rife. Texas and Louisiana State beckoned. but the boys preferred to go to school closer to home.
 So Petrovich, Hodges and Petre wind up by enlisting in the 160th Infantry. They join with the un- derstanding that they may drop out of the service in February, if mo untoward incidents" occur in the