Evening star., 1948-01-06
Ballot Is 226 10 119
In Special Vote Of
Nation 5 Writer'S
By viii GrimsIey
Assoeioted Press Sports Writer

Associated Pfess Sporh Wrffef
NEW YORK, Jan. 6.-The burn
ing sports question OF the day
which was the greater college foot
ball power of 1947, Michigan or
Notre Dame never to be settled on
the field, was answered today at
the ballot box-and It's Michigan
almost 2 to /.
. In q special Associated Press poll
of sports editors and football writ
ers from coast to coast, Michigan
received 226 votes as the superior
team to 119 for the Irish, with II
of the experts suggesting that the
two Midwest giants should be rated
equal.
A total of 357 writer's, from each
of the 48 States and the District of
Columbia, took part in the post
poll" poll, conducted by popular de-
mand as the result Of the New
Years Day game that saw Michi-
gan's unbeaten, united Wolverines
smash Southern California In the
Rose Bowl, 49-0.
Rating Not Superseded.
The new ballot, does not super
sede the Associated Press regular
final season rating Of college foot
ball teams, released last December
|8, which named Notre Dame the
mythical national champion with
Michigan the runnerup.
The 146 writer's who cast ballots
in that one gave the Irish 1,410
points to 1,289 for the Wolverines
and awarded Notre Dame LOT first
place votes, with Michigan getting
only Is and the other No. tags
going elsewhere.
The Irish, who led the Nation S
hist through 7 of the 10 weeks Of
the campaign, won in the regular
poll after a decisive 38-7 triumph
over the same Southern California
Trojans.
Many Of the participants in the
latest roll call acknowledged their
opinions were swayed largely by
comparative scores, which in two
other instances swung the pendulum
toward Fritz Crisler's men of Michi-
gan.
Comparative Scores.
Against the other two common
opponents the teams Jared this way:
Michigan walloped Pitt, $50, while
Notre Dame did the job little more
mercifully, 40-6 The Wolverines
rolled over Northwestern, 1921,
while the Irish, who also had per-
feet season, trounced the Wildcats,
26-19.
Notre Dame supporters argued
comparative scores should be no
gauge because the Irish were in
clined to pull their punches"
They used their third and fourth
stringers through most of the fourth
quarter against Southern Califor-
nia," commented Jim Costin, sports
editor of the South Bend IndJ
Tribune, registering vote for Notre
Dame
Warren Brown Of the Chicago
Herald-American added that Notre
Dame was never extended, while
Michigan had to go like blazes
against Minnesota and illinois,"
Two of the Irish supporters-Bill
Heating of the Holyoke OMass.)
Transcript Telegram and George
Herrick Of the San Diego (Calif.)
Tribune-said Notre Dame "sott-
ened up" Southern California for
Michigan.
Placed Among All-time Greats.
Michigan's hackers, however,
were just as firm in their insistence
that player depth and offensive
versatility gave the Wolverines the
edge.
Two writer's placed Michigan in
the all-time great class. The best
college team I've seen in II years
Of reporting" said Jim Schlemmer
of the Akron (Ohio) Beacon
Journal. ''The best in grid history"
was the label tackled on the VOL
verines by AL Chernin of the Bloom
ington 1nd) World Telephone.
Charles G. Sherman of the Lin
coin (Nebr) Star voted for the
Wolverines because, he said, their
offense was more versatile" and
their schedule tougher
Michigan drew its heaviest back
ing from the MISUNDERSTANDING
grounds of the Big Nine-and even
Notre Danes home State, Indiana,
voted even on the issue, eight to
eight.
w. F. Fox, jr., of the Indianapolis
News said Notre Dame, bearing
down, had enough offense to score
against any defense" But his con-
temporary-Bob Nesbit of the Terre
Haute Tribune-threw his lot with
Michigan after watching the VOL
verines whip Illinois.
The Wolverines received 20 votes
within their home State. Wrote Jim
Ripley of the Menominee (Mich)
Herald-Leader: IF they played to-
morrow think I would take Mich
igan by two touchdowns."
The Detroit News sports staff,
whose vote was registered by Harry
Leduc, lined up behind Michigan
because of the combination of a
hard. fast, light offensive team to
do the scoring and strong, heavy
defensive line to prevent scoring 81
John Carmichael. sports editor OF