Evening star., 1940-08-15
New Life Is Revealed
By Old Group That
Edwards Heads
Young, Converted Guard,
Promises to Become
Needed Sixth Man
BY BILL DISMER, Jr.,
Star Ctaff Enrracnnndant

SPOKANE, Wash, Aug. Is
Thanks to a group of hard-working
and would-be-comforting veterans,
that somewhat questionable tackle
situation may not be quite as en-
barrassing to the Redskins this year
as twas reckoned a week, or even
a few days ago.
Give me one or two new tackles
next year." Coach Ray Flaherty
said at the end of the 1899 season,
land were practically set. I don't
know of another single thing we
need But alas, such was not to be-
Of four tackles drawn in the draft
last December. only one-Howard
Stoecker of Southern California
signed contract, but hasn't been
available. And of seven undraft-
ed new men who reported here
on August 6, not one was a
bona f1de tackle and only two ever
had played the position before. So
1t looked as though Flaherty was up
against a tough proposition with
only the same five tackles back
from last year with Turk Edwards
q distinct interrogation mark be-
cause Of his 80 years.
All Tackles Hustling.
Maybe Edwards, along with the
other four tackles-Jim Barber, Bill
Wikin, Bo Russell and Clyde Shu-
gard-recognizing Flaherty's plight,
put their heads together and decided
to show him they could handle the
Job without the expected help.
Maybe Bill Young, normally a
guard whose previous chief bid to
fame had lain in the fact that he
was the third heaviest man on the
squad, was determined to aid the
team by demonstrating that he
could prove just as valuable tackle
as guard-indeed more so, con-
sidering the teams plight.
Whatever went on, here's what's
happening:
Edwards, Is pounds lighter than
the first day of practice, and Barber
again are destined to be the teams
starting tackles. Judging from the
condition they're In, the entire first
quarter shouldn't be too much for
them to play before being relieved.
Wilkin, apparently more determined
than ever to play serious football
and still a bulwark because of his
$50 pounds, and Bo Russell. about
10 pounds heavier than last year,
ehot11I fx, CT
port.
Young Likely Sixth Tackle.
But Flaherty wants six tackles.
Clyde Shugart, another of last
years rockies, has all the regulars
admiring his marked get-up-and-
go and he wasn't to be laughed
off last year. Shugart also is from
10 to IS pounds heavier than when
he finished the '39 campaign and
with his innate determination,
should prove mighty tough hon.
bre this year.
Still, where's that sixth? All,
there he is-an eX-guard, Bill
Young. If Young isn't the most i'm
proved lineman on the squad this
year. then he'll have to do lot of
backwatering from here on. Young.
or Bubbles" as he strangely is called
by his teammates, is another who
seems to have taken a new lease of
life. In the first place Young also
reported far overweight, at 273, yet,
wearing tortuous but effective CIR
die in practice and working almost
to the point of exhaustion each day,
Young already has chiseled II
pounds of excess flesh off his over
corpulent frame and promises to go
still lower.
Bill Fast, Despite Heft.
Bill always has been considered
one of the fastest men on the squad.
despite his weight. and If he gets
down to his normal 240 may be just
the sixth tackle Flaherty has been
searching
Befort training began some crit
les mentally were assigning Young
to the discard, believing him too
large to be anything but a big fat
man who couldn't be depended upon
to stop only one play in four.
At present, it not only looks as If
Young's stopping percentage is 60
ing to be a lot higher. but If
steamroller seems to be leading the
Redskins interference this fall,
don't laugh-it'1l only be Young.