Evening star., 1947-12-03
Walker,
Evans, Chappuiis
Putin backfield
Line, Averaging 213
Pounds, Is Heaviest
Since Before War
BY the Assoeiofsd Press

BY the Assoeioisd Press
The Midwest, boasting the ma
tons two top ranking teams in
undefeated and united Notre Dame
and Michigan, carried off honors
on the 23rd Associated Press ALI
America football team by filling
three of the four all Important back
field positions
Johnny Lujack, brilliant 180-
pound quarterback who Is pacing
Notre Dame to its second straight
unbeaten campaign; Michigans
equally versatile Bob Chappuis, and
Ray Evans, key man in the Kansas
attack, are the Midwesterners on
the first team backf1eld. All are
seniors.
To round out the backfleld OF
fine passers and hard runners the
Southwest has come up with this
years only sophomore All-America
in Doak Walker, forward passing
wizard from Southern Methodist
University.
The line, dominated by six footers
weighing between 1876 and 23o
pounds, finds the East with three
positions Charles Bednarik
of Pennsylvania, End Bill Swiacki
Of Columbia and Guard Steve Suhey
Of urrbeaten and united Penn State
The remaining four places on the
forward wall are held by players
from the Far West, Midwest, South
west and South. They are End Paul
Cleary of Southern California
Guard Bill Fischer Of Notre Dame
Tackle Richard Harris Of Texas
and Tackle Bob Davis Of Georgia
Tech.
Line Averages 213 Pounds.
This line is the heaviest since
prewar days. 1t averages 213 pounds
with Fischer the heaviest at 230
Davis, six-foot four, and tallest man
on the entire first team, scales 225
This mythical team was chosen
after a careful survey by $50 sports
writer's throughout the country.
The only teen-age player on the
team is Tackle Harris, Texas Long
horn who is 10 yet stands three
inches over six feet and scales 212
pounds. He is one of three juniors
chosen. The others are Bednarik
and Fischer. Only two players are
under six feet. They are Suhey
and Walker, each five-eleven.
Without a doubt the most un-
usual player on the team is Lujack
Of Notre Dame. Although his grid
iron career at South Bend started
in 1943 this is his third and last
season with the Irish. He was in
the Navy IS months, II Of them
on a sub-chaser. However, in three
seasons with the Fighting Irish his
team never has lost to college op-
ponent.
In 1943, while q Naval trainee,
Lujack helped Notre Dame to a
nine and one record, the only loss
coming in the final game, 1914, to
the Great Lakes Naval Training
Station team. Last year he was
back from service and the Irish
won eight games and played Army
scoreless tie. This season his field
generalship helped in eight con-
secutive victories. He ends his career
Saturday in the annual game with
Southern California at Los Angeles
He comes from Connellsville, Pa.
and is the only all-America to re-
peat this season.
Chappuis Broke Own Record.
Chappuis paced Michigan to the
Western Conference championship
breaking his own record of 1916 by
gaining 1885 yards as compared
with 1,265 last year. The Toledo
Ohio, halfback is the one player
Southern California will be out tc
stop when the Pacific Coast title.
holders face the Wolverines In the
Rose Bowl on New Years Day.
Chappuis is a typical All-Amer.
lea. During the war as an aeria
gunner he was shot down over Italy
on his 21st mission yet escaped from
the Nazis. He was rescued by Ital.
ian partisans who passed him from
house to house under cover of dark
ness and finally wound up in gar.
ret of a home adjoining a Naz
headquarters. He then walked 81
miles to British lines and compare.
tive safety.
In Walker, Coach Matty Bell o1
Southern Methodist believes he has
the greatest sophomore the South.
west Conference ever saw" Walker
has been in two branches of the
service. He was in the Merchant
Marine in 1945, got out in time tt
play four games with S. M. U. as 6
freshman then went into the Army
in 1916.
The Dallas ITS pounder-lightest
man on the All-America-was the
real workhorse for the Mustangs.
Evans is Kansas First.
Evans is the first All-Americs
ever to come from the University o1
Kansas. His coach, George. Sauer
calls the Kansas City, Kans., prod.
uct "the greatest back I've evel
SEEN"
A fine defensive back the senior
who played two years with the Sec
ond Air Force Superbombers savee
the 1913 tie with Oklahoma by in.
tercepting Sooner pass on his owr
goal line in the final two minutes
Against Nebraska he passed 20 yard!
for the final tally in a 1877 victor!
after plunging to help set up th'
first touchdown.
Though the Columbia Lions los
two of their nine games to Eastern
(See ALL-AMERICA, Page ca