The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1940-12-19


Cliff Battles" an
other reported, "and I'll take Hunt
over Battles. He is just as good a
ball carrier, great kicker, a fine
passer and star defensive back"
When good football players tell
you about a fellow who is better
than Gipp and Battles you begin to
take notice. So two months ago
crawled trifie out on the limb for
Jackie Hunt.
Being on the off-traiI, away from
the beaten pack, Hunt was hard to
follow. But he was the big factor
in beating V. p. I. and also in
scoring 10 points against Wake For
est, team good enough to beat
North Carolina, IL to 0. Picking up
what l could here and there, (after
all, there are over 400 college teams
playing 200 games each week., I
discovered Jackie Hunt was doing
all right.
The next investigation discovered
that he was the leading scorer of
the country, well ahead of such peo-
pie as Harmon and Kimbrough and
the rest.
about Jackie Hunt
About this time I ran into Jock
Sutherland, the Dodger mandarin.
81 know about Hunt" Jock said.
eve wanted him at Pittsburgh. He
was the best high school back in
America that year. Big, fast, pass
er, ball carrier and kicker, loaded
with exceptional football spirit. But
Hunt wanted to stay in his home
town at Huntington with Marshall.
He felt that Huntington was where
he belonged. Even as high school
player he was an outstanding star"
More than a few leading colleges
tried to explain to Hunt that he
could take the headlines away from
Harmon and Kimbrough, from Rea-
gan and O'Rourke. Hunt wasn't in
terested in headlines. He loved foot
ball, but he wanted to play at home.
A 185-pound 10-second man who
could do about everything, this West
Virginian let nationwide fame roll
by as he went on scoring three or
four touchdowns in almost every
game for dear old Marshall. This
attitude was more important than
all the touchdowns he scored, which
lead the nation.
Hunt and Snedd
A few days ago I received a
screed from sport writing friend
from West Virginia who knows his
stuff.
"YOu may remember" he wrote,
"that I've only slipped you one tip.
Years ago told you that we had
hillbilly by the name Of Sammy
Snead who was on his way up with
the greatest swing in golf. That
was before anyone knew anything
about Sammy Snead. You printed
what 1 wrote to you. Now Pm tell
ing you that Jackie Hunt of Mar
shall college is better football
player than Sammy Snead is a
golfer.
81 know his schedule isn't what
Minnesota or Michigan faces. But I
know what he can do. I'd like to
see him, on equal terms, play
against Harmon or Kimbrough, for
/ know he can do more things bet
ter with football. He can run
with either and outkick and outpass
both. And you can't find a better
defensive player.
"Hunt is in the same spot Dutch
Clark once held. "A great player
they said, but no schedule Dutch
Clark is still the all-time AIl-Ameri-
ca quarterback in your book and al
most every other book. Hunt is
bigger and faster than Dutch Clark,
and can do everything as WELL"
No Fake BdllyEoo
This is no fake ballyhoo for Jackie
Hunt, whom have never seen. But
when Doc Spears, coach of Dart
mouth, Minnesota and Oregon, now
at Toledo, who has seen Hunt play
two years, adds his testimony, you
have to listen.
Doc Spears doesn't believe there
| is better all-around back in Amer
lea. And he has no exceptions.
Zone of the greatest" is the Doc
| Spears tribute.
Hunt went to Marshall college
knowing it would be almost impOs-
sible for him to make an All-Amer-
lea for this one reason-the sched-
ule. The important question would
be asked-"Hunt may look good
against v. p. 1. and Toledo and
Wake Forest, but let him try to
run against Big Ten teams. What
them"
There is something to this angle.
But know several pro coaches who
would just as soon have Hunt, when
he graduates, as either Harmon or
imbrough-except for the matter
of publicity and gate receipts.
My main interest in Jackie Hunt
is that he could have gone to al
most any headline college-could
have been an outstanding star-but
that he turned back all the proselyt-
ing, scholarship, good job offers
made him-all the All-America fame
Ito stick with the home town and
the home college, where they
couldn't pay him dime.
Hunt must be a great football
player, from his record, and in ad-
dition he must be great guy. The
proselyters couldn't even get their
hands on him. Try to thlnk up a
finer tribute.