The Wilmington morning star., 1947-08-03
A. PLAYERS OUT:
BR0CDEN KEEPS
ALL BERTHS OPEN
BY GIL SMITH
Star-News Sports Editor

row, cfOWQlng DdSeDa1 0A part o
the sport pages with the diamond
season only half over, as the New
Hanover High school varsity Wild
cats are scheduled to start light
one-hour drills at 5 o'clock, with
the frosh and Jayvees limberins
up Tuesday morning at 10 O'Clock
Wilmington fans, impatient fol
the arrival of another season O.
quarterback sneaks, e~nd-arounds
screened passes and line plunge.
as the autumn Friday night grie
dramas unfold, will be filling LIE
gion stadium before many NOR,
weeks roll around to watch the
Wildcats dive-headlong into VIVA
MINIS coaches have termed tht
toughest schedule yet taken on By
the school.
The schedule, releases severa
days ago, includes three Virgini;
high school powerhouses, and tils
hard-driving gridsters from
Charleston, S.. c. There are II;
preachers.
The Wildcats, under the watch
full eye of Coach Leon Brogden,
who brought Wilmington the bas
ketball championship of the state
this year, and the Eastern Con-
ference crown in baseball, will be-
gin the light drills tomorrow tha'
they hope will be climaxed by q
season o. victories and the con
ference championship which went
to Wilson last year.
Forty-tWo varsity boys don sum.
mer grid garb tomorrow, with Il
of the lads newcomers to the a
sity ranks.
I Brogden's biggest losses from
last year appear to be in the enc
berths, as both Buddy Bridges ane
Bob Stewart graduated. The loss
of Bubba Sykes and Herman Wick
severe as it may be, is rot ex
pected to cause too many head
aches because there are capable
men ready to step in, but the ene
berths may give Brog his creates
concern.
Ticketed for scrutiny as possibl,
wings are Billy Quarles, Mix
Austin, and Lloyd Honeycutt, will
Bob Lewis, Lin Taylor, Fritz Stell
jas and Corky Bolton also in lint
eor at least a glance for enc
berths.
Brogden has reported all posi-
tons are open for hot battles, ant
no Wildcat can rest assured h.
has a position clinched, but Do
Venters and Jim Gibson, co-cap
tains of the 1947 squad seen
tagged for left guard and fullbacl
respectively. Gibson has played
first string for two years, starting
as an end and switching to the
backeield because Of exceptiona
leg drive. Last year he shone par
ticularly in the Fayetteville game
when he tore the rival front wal
to shreds with off-tackle smashes
Gibson is expected to shoulder thu
burden of punting, but it's to,
early to say.
Venters, a 190-poundsr, wa;
right tackle last season and will
either remain in his position o.
fill in for the graduated Butch
SWart at left guard. Venters' mo
ment Of glory last year came il
the Rocky Mount game when hi
recovered a tumble and raced 4
yards for the lone of thu
clash.
Jimmy Piner, named most valu
liable player on the 1916 clever
was also labeled the best break
way runner tae Cats had last yea.
and there is no reason to beIiev.
he won't be in the same form thi.
season. Piner also stood out TO
his great defensive ability, ane
more than once Wilmington fan
applauded his bone-shatterin.
tackles.
If Brogden takes to the air thi
year, Irwin Gore looms as thu
probable offensive threat, ant
Gore may also get the first cracl
at the quarterback berth. Gore i
the man who kicks the extr;
points for the Wildcats, ane
topped all point-after men in tn
conference last year.
Charlie Smith, now grabbin.
headlines in the baseball world
was kept off the first string clever
last year because OF Piner's abil
ity, and because of the. presNc'
of Sykes. This year Smith figure
to get the inside track for one o
the baskfield berths. and will b
battling for the scat-back slot.
Honeycutt, Dek Joroan, Bobb.
Haas and Homer Brewer are re
turnees who may hit the eirs
string jackpot this year, but wit
AZ men out in the first practice
session, Brogden is stating plent.
of drilling before giving an.
berths away.
Despite the loss Of Don Hyatt
the front wall will be steady wit
Bill Kuhn, 215 pound left tackle o
1916. the balance wheel.
Other men taking to the gri
field for the first time this seaso1
tomorrow will be Ed Garfield
Robert Pugh, H. L. Sanderson
Stan Knott, Sonny Mcdaniel, Bo1
Kennedy, Lyn Grissom, Howl
Penton, Lloyd Parker, Jack Par
ker, A. C. Gregg, Johnnie Daugh
try, John Crowley, Bryan Hare
Ed Rusher, Ray Dyson, Bill,
Sturm. Maurice Moore, Lon Ged
dy, Clarence Hilburn, Bob Hobbs
E-uce Hinson, Larry Whitman
Craig Hampton, Clay johnson ant
John SWart.
The field is wide open fer thes'
men. Brogden is leaving it wild
open. Last years performan ce
- 1.l41a Tbo,y,,- n o,,+ ~ Act