The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-31
Davis And Blanchard Seek Permission
From Army To Play Professional Ball
Barney Poole Also Elects
10 Shelve Military Career
Temporarily

NEW YORK, Jan. 3O-P)LGlenl
Davis and Doc Blanchard, Army.
three-time All-America backfielt
stars, have elected to shelve thei.
military careers temporarily
along with a third teammate. enc
Barney Poole-to cast their 10
with the professionals in quest O.
gridiron gold.
This was disclosed today by the
War Department, which announc
cd In Washington that all three
players have asked for four-montf
burroughs from Army duty mex
1all to play professional football
unprecedented request which at
THIS moment r under considera
ton.
Inc announcement created {
furry of excitement among clut
owners of the All-America confer
ence, meeting here in annual ses
slon' and Immediately touched Of
a series of maneuvers likely tt
reach a new high in the runnins
battle between that loo, and the
rlvel National league.
No indication could be found ir
the brief announcement to hin.
what the War Departments fina'
decision would be. The three play.
ers are scheduled for graduation
from the Military Academy a.
West Point in June with commits.
slons as second lieutenants.
The Acadamy itself took a posi-
ton of official silence, with heac
coach Earl Blaik declining com.
ment and Col. Ned Moore, head O,
the public relations office, indicat.
ing there would be no statement
until after the War department
reached its decision. The PLAYERS
were not available for comment,
But words flew thick and fast al
the Al1-America conference meet.
ing. Davis, one of the fastest half.
backs ever developed, was drafted
by the San Francisco 49ers of the
All-America loop and by the De.
troit Lions of the National league.
Blanchard, hard-driving fullback
with plenty of speed for a 21O-
FOUNDER, was picked by the Pitts
burgh Steelers in the National
league and the Brooklyn Dodgers
IN the All-America %circrit.
In a matter of minutes. president
Bill Cox of the Dodgers went into
a huddle with Anthony J. Morabito
head of the 49ers, and Morabito
announced that the Dodgers had
agreed to relinquish their rights
to Blanchard n'favor of the San
Francisco club, thus giving the
49ers a free hand to deal with
both members of the great double
barreled backfield combination.
In Detroit, meanwhile. a spokes-
man for the Lions said they were
"keenly interested" in making a
similar deal with Pittsburgh in
order to try for both Blanchard
and Davis but conceded that "Pitts-
burgh also is after our rights to
Davis in hopes it can get both the
Army aces in Steeler uniforms"
AS for Davis, the Detroit official
declared eve are prepared to
make him just as good an offer
or even better-than the San Fran
cisco 49ers." Only a few days ago.
the Lions outbid the 49ers for
Clyde LeForce, signing the Tulsa
star to a two-year contract.
At Pittsburgh, a spokesman for
the Steelers described the War de-
partment announcement as a
Surprise move" and declared:
1.-The idea was apparently the
boys own, as we did not initiate
it. Wed certainly like to get
Blanchard, but it's all I'd to the
War department."
Davis and Blanchard have indi-
Gated a desire to remain together
if they play professional football.
To get them together in the Nation
al League in 1947 it would be
necessary for the clubs to waive
a rule which s%tipulates that new
players must remain with the
teams that draft them for one
year before going to another.