Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1942-08-22
penn STATES DAvEY ALSTON, NOW DEAD,
PROMISED TO Be KENNY WASHINGTON NO. 2
Youth Ranged 81, Scaled 200;
Freshman Sensation In 1871
(From Pittsburgh PRESS: S.l6-42)

hG6o. o th y
One of the most tragic chapters
in district college football history
was written Saturday, August IS,
when Dave Aston, Penn State S
20-year-old Negro halfback who
had been tagged one of the ma
tons top sophomore prospects
of the coming season, died in Cen
ter County Hospital, Bellefonte,
following a tonsilectomy.
Aston, former Midland Pa,
scholastic star, had b n
attending the summer session at
Penn State and apparently was in
perfect health yesterday morning
when he entered the Bellefonte
Hospital, near State College, ac-
companied by End Coach Earle
Edwards.
He had participated in grid
scrjmmage as late as last Thurs
day
The tonsil operation was per.
formed at a. m. by DR.. Enoch H
Adams. An hour later blood cloJ
formed, cutting of Alston's supply
OF blood to his lungs, which il
turn caused collapse Of his lungs
At HAS he was pronounced dead
the cause of death being described
es pulmonary enlboliSm and re-
spiratory paralysis.
Coach Bob Higgins, who follow
ing spring drills pronounced Ais
ton "the greatest prospect I've
ever coached and the first player
I've seen who has all the qualities
that made Jim Th1ope an all-time
great" was visiting in Pittsburgh,
at the time of the tradegy
On learning of Alston's death
Coach Higgins commented here:
'This is a terrible shock 70 ali Of
us at State College. The boy was
in perfect health and we took
every precaution to get the best
doctor to do the job. But some
thing happened-one of those one
in-a-million cases I guess
It talked by phone to folks in
State College about it, The whole
football squad and everyone are
terribly shocked and can hardly
believe it happened. It just knocks
the bottom out Of everything for
us"
The ironic part of the case is
that Aston had wanted to be
medical doctor. He had been en-
5rolled in a pre-medical course in
States liberal arts school and was
rated a fine chance of achieving
that ambition.
Formation Of a fatal blood clot
following a tcnSilectomy, such as
was the case in the Aston opera
ton. is extremely rare. The posi-
bilities are described by medical
authorities as being extremely re-
mote in the case of children and
youths, but increase slightly with
advanced age.
! Aston was great triple-threat
prospect. He weighed over 2G0
pounds, and stood six feet one, but
had amazing speed for his size.
He could kick and pass we'll over
so yards
SPANKED LION FROSH
He, along with brother Harry
Aston who teamed UP with him
in the Nittany yearling backfield,
spanked the finest Nittany fresh
man team in modern years last
fall Harry withdrew from school
last spring.
In the latest issue of Esquire
magazine. football experts rated
Dave among the Top Ten Sopho-
mores" in the country, and by
one expert he was described as
''the best since jim Thorps."
Coach Higgins had planned to use
him at halfback or fullback in
States first-string backfield this
fall
HIGGINS SHOCKED
In high school at Midland, Dave
won al1-scholastic honors in both
football and basketball, ranking as
an all-timc great. He also served
as president of the class his senior
year.
Rev. and Mrs. Sandy Aston, of
Midland, parents Of the deceased
Nittany star, planned to bring ms
body to Midland for funeral serv-
ices and interment which will be
held Tuesday in Midland, Rev. Al
ston is pastor of Baptist Church
in Midland.