Evening star., 1941-08-27
BY ROMNEY WHEELER,

ATLANTA, Ga, Aug. 27.-Go
way, mistuh doctah man! South
eastern Conference football doesn't
have defense anemia. Not yet, at
any rate.
Down here in the cane, corn and
cotton country, 50-man squads are
considered small and many South
eastern Conference coach will have
nearer 60 men on deck when prac-
tice gets under way September l.
No school has lost more than half
dozen players to the armed forces
or defense jobs.
Coach Harry Mehre, whose Mis-
sissippi Rebels look hotter than a
blast furnace, thinks freshman
talent may be needed in 1912. But
meanwhile he's ready to carry on
with what he's got And why not?
His double e-barreled Junie HovluS-
Merle Hapes combination is all
primed for a ring-tailed, raZZle-
dazzle fight and his losses to defense
total Just one second string guard.
Alabama Is Hardest Hit.
Alabama's Coach Frank Thomas,
hardest hit in the conference with
five men. gone, would be unwilling
to have freshmen play this year,
but suspects the conference may
favor such rule change at its
December meeting in Lexington, KY.
Allyn McKeen, busy rebuilding his
Orange Bowl champions at Mis-
sissippi State, thinks no team has
lost enough to be crippled, Bud
adds:
This may not hold true in 1912
It Is entirely possible that the draft
may take a considerably larger num-
Der of boys than it has this year.
In that event. it would be advisable
to permit freshmen to play and
naturally I would favor it."
Coach Bernie Moore of Louisiana
State-rumored to have dark
horse under his blanket-would play
freshmen right now if others took
the lead, explaining:
1T might be a good safety valve
for southeastern squads"
Tom Lieb of Florida, although
he has lost two varsity quarterbacks
and may lose two regular ends,
argues that freshman eligibility
would encourage use of football
buns who matriculate in September
and quit school in December"
Kentucky Not Worried.
Veteran Bill Alexander of Georgia
Tech can see no need for freshmen
either, despite his loss of five men.
Scholarly Alb Kirwan of Kentucky, |
who will consider his season a sue
cess If the Army doesn't take Half |
back Noah Mullins, says the loss
OF two or three varsity men won't |
seriously harm any school. If it |
got up to Is or 90 he thinks, that |
might be a different story-and he |
is seconded by Red Dawson of |
Tulane and Henry Red) Sanders
Of Vanderbilt.
The most spectacular loss was
suffered by Alabama when Capt. |
Elect John Hanson, fullback, joined |
the Air Corps. Joe Domnanovich, |
f1rst-string center, was drafted but |
deferred; freshman tackle volun-
teered and three others-two Sec
ond-string ends and centef-were
called with the National Guard.
Georgia Tech has sent four of it's
engineers into the Army Air Serv- |
ice-Halfbacks Don Bates and |
Bobby Pair and Tackles Carlton Lee |
and Red Muerth. All were first
strlngers. Red Hood, substitute
guard, was drafted. Tech also may
lose its backfield magnetic, little
Johnny Bosch, who holds a Reserve |
lieutenant's commission.
Auburn, Vols Suffer Losses.
Auburn, facing its usual tough |
schedule, has lost four regulars
quarterback Buddy McMahan, Half
back Paul Ellis and two able ends, |
Theo Cremer and Henry Monsees.
Tennessee saw two second-string |
hnemen go into the Army and then |
escaped a major blow. Ike Peel |
No. l blocking back, was called and
then deferred.
The sprawling Southern Intercol-
legiate Athletic Association, COM
prising schools from Kentucky to
Florida, and the newly formed
South Atlantic Conference of Caro-
lima, Georgia and Florida members,
Is considering use of freshmen this
fall, but has taken no formal action.
The South Atlantic group, commit
ted to de-emphasis of football, has
authorized use of freshmen starting
In 1912, but may advance the date
TO help hard-hit schools.
Not A-n.ic.,, rs:;ie R.s,,ssd,,A