Evening star., 1941-10-20
Harmon, Kimbrough
0utshone, but Give
League a Boost
Drow First Important
Coin Through Gotes
Of American Loop
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

NEW oIlh, wv AOllhiAf
Harmon and John Kimbrough didn't
do much more than pat each other
encouragingly on their shoulder pads
in their professional football debut
yesterday. but they may have done
something vastly important for the
struggling American League.
When 25,385 fans paid their way
into Yankee Stadium to see the two
famous All-Americas perform and,
incidentally, to watch the Columbus
Bulls and the New York Americans
struggle to TT tie. it marked the
first time the ambitious second ma
jor league had drawn really impor-
tant money and cut seriously into
the patronage of the prosperous Ma
tional League.
This, OF course, was what the
new owner of the Americans, Will
liam Cox, was counting on when he
paid Kimbrough and Harmon 81 500
each to get out there and fight. Yes
terday's gathering paid him many
times for the investment. and it
may have marked that turning point
that every new league must have. A
National League game between the
New York Giants and Pittsburgh at
the Polo Grounds drew only 24604,
not sll paid.
A National League Headache.
II may have been only a one -day
wonder. Such crowd never may
turn out again 10 see the Americans.
even If Harmon and Kimbrough get
themselves into playing condition
and put on the kind Of football Of
which they are capable But for
one afternoon. Al least. YOU can bet
that the National League magnates
had headache
After the game. in which he scored
his teams touchdown on nifty re-
verse from Kimbrough. Harmon
said he didn't know whether he
would be able to try it again next
Sunday, when the Americans play
Buffalo here The great Michigan
star still is determined to be radio
announcer, and he won't know until
the. middle of the week whether he
can be spared from his duties at the
mike.
There is no doubt in Kimbroueh's
mind. He thoroughly liked it yes
terdav, including the rate of pay
The big, smiling Texan carried the
ball nine time. and simple arith-
metic reveals that he banked some
thing over $3.50 every time he tucked
the ball beneath his arm and lit out
Whether he was overpaid must
be left to Owner Cox. John gained
net of only rs wards in those nine
tries. and once he was tossed for a
l2-yard loss But he was good in
his blocking even though they won I
paw blockers $500 per game.
Harmon. who planed into town At
s am. Yesterday. got hold of the ball
u times and gained a net of "a
yards against the touch Columbus
defense.
Bob Davis SwipeS SHOW.
The crowd had gathered TO see
Kimbroueh smash the line and
Harmon rip the ends, and what did
it see? 1t saw young man named
Bob Twenty Grand Davis. out of
Kentucky University, play a sem
sational game for Columbus, while
Harmon and Kimbrough alternated
between gasping for breath on the
bench and getting tossed on the
field.
Davis carried the ball almost sin
gle-handed for "a yards and the
Columbus touchdown. Later. he re-
peatedlv passed and ran the ball
into threatening position. He and
a teammate. Nelson Peterson. out of
West Virginia Wesleyan. did every
thing that Kimbrough and Harmon
would like to have done
Nevertheless. Harmon and Kim
brough rushed in when their club
got the ball on their opponents "a
yard line in the third quarter and
they took it across.
Alternating. they ripped and tore
through to the 4-yard line. The
strapping Kimbrough had one run
of 9 yards. Then, with the ball
on the 4. it was snapped to Kim
broueh He started out, long legged
around his left. but slipped the ball
TO Harmon. It was done so deftly
the crowd was fooled as completely
as the Columbus PLAYERS. Only two
inherently good football players
could have done it. Tommy scooted
around his right end for the touch
down that tied. They were a couple
Of vinded. out of practice guys, but
still thev were good.