Evening star., 1941-12-26
Fordham Leads
-Four EIevens
In Ace Backs
Missouri, Eost-W
Squads Also Fixed
For Great Display
By GRANTLAND RICE,

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 26 (N.A.
N.A).-When it comes tosthe matter
of collecting football talent in one
spot, New Orleans will set new rec
ord around New Year week end.
Between January 1-3, the Louisi-
ana metropolis will 1ct as host to
more than 200 football stars, includ-
ing most of the all-Americas men,
toned for l941.
Besides the Fordham Missouri
Sugar Bowl engagement and its ar
ray of fast backs, the combined
forces of the East-West charity show
will be on hand In addition to
these four camps the North-South
squads will roll in from Montgomery,
Ala, after the Blue-G Gray con-
test, which means six squads on the
scene.
Outside of Fordham and Missouri
the collection will include such
backs as Bruce Smith of Minnesota,
Albert of Stanford, Dudley of Vir-
ginia, Westfall of Michigan, Grain
and Layden of Texas, Hapes and
Hovious of Mississippi, to mention
only few.
Among the famous linemen pres
ent the list will include Odson OF
Minnesota, Blandin of Tulane. Rein
hard of California, Peabody of Har-
ward and Bauman of Northwestern.
Boasts Two Big Shows.
New Orleans drew her biggest
football break when the East-West
game set for San Francisco was
called off. This gave the delta me-
tropolis the best show over a week
end than any Single city has ever
drawn.
The Fordham- Missouri contest
must be rated as one of the big
games of the year in which the
main feature will be the gathering
of so many able backs. Both teams
will need unusual strength on the
defense to keep so many backfleld
stars from moving around-general-
ly In hurry.
There will be an even greater dis
play of all-around talent, backs and
linemen in the East-West meeting
in which almost every headliner
mentioned, apart from the other
bowl games, will be on hand. Ap-
proximately 10000 spectators will
see the two New Orleans contests.
Nice Trip for Beavers.
Outside of the gate receipts,
Oregon State gets a good break in
her trip to Durham. The Western
Coast is an old story to the Pacific
Conference teams.
Lonnie Stiner's visiting athletes
are getting a royal reception in
North Carolina. They have Wallace
Wade a perfect host and a perfect
setting for college football.
The reception may be different
when the first whistle blows unless
Oregon State is well above the
strength it has shown.
The Western tourists are meeting
one of the best teams that 1941 had
10 offer, and they will face much
stronger attack than they have seen
| this fall Steve Lach will supply
big part of the fireworks.
Rams Have Wealth Of Backs.
Fordham doesn't lay claim to the
best back of the year-or the best
two backs. But Fordhamr1ays def
mite claim to the best eight backs
any one team can show These
eight are Bluemenstock, Filipowicz
Andrejco, Cheverko, Pieculewicz,
Noble, Ososki and Babula. Most
of these backs range from 1870 to
1876 pounds. All are fast. Three are
fine passers and three are good re-
ceivers.
This gives Fordham more back
field reserve strength than any team
in the country But as Missouri
knows, they can play only four at
a time.
The Midwestern Tigers still are
banking on Steuber, Ice and Wade
to handle their part of the back
field argument You don't often
see football game where the two
rival parties lay claim to as many
as IL hlgh-claSS backs.
Missouri Line is Tough.
AS good as they are, these Ford
ham backs will run into no panic
against that Missouri line, with
Darold jenkins on the job. This
Missouri is loaded with COM
petitive spirit and it is smart. 1t
also has speed. But to beat Ford
ham the Tigers must dig up a good
passer to meet the Rams air at
tack, which is strictly first class.
This is a better Fordham team
than Jimmy Crowley took to Dallas
a year ago for the Cotton Bowl
game, although Sleepy Jim could
use another De Filippo at center.
And those who should know also
| tell me that this Missouri team is
better than the Nebraska squad
that met Stanford in the Rose Bowl
! a year ago.