Evening star., 1948-08-08
Rookie May Become
No. | Quarterback
During '48 Season
By Lewis F. Atchison
Stor Stoff Correspondent

Stor stoff correspondent
LOS ANGELES, Aug. THE
Redskins will be no one-man team
like last year and the year before
when Sammy Baugh's ageing right
arm carried almost the entire Of
fensive load. One week of training
camp is proof enough that King
Sammy's throne is tottering, with
Baugh showing no remorse.
Harry Gilmer, fuzzy checked heir
apparent from Alabama not only
may relieve Baugh regularly but
may step into the No. l quarter
backing role as the season unfolds.
Baugh still whips over short passes
as accurately as a craftsman but
Gilmer can throw and run, too, and
his presence in the slot will be a
dual threat to the opposition.
This could be Baugh's last season
of real work. Coach Turk Edwards
retired him from punting chores
toward the end of last season and
Sam hasn't put his foot to a ball
since. This was done to give the
singer a rest and to avoid the risk
Of unnecessary injury.
"It wasn't the punting," explained
Edwards, "but the son of gun
would go down and make the tackle
and he might get hurt. We don't
need him that badly for defense
so we're going to let somebody else
do the kicking"
Gilmer Tolls With Kickers.
1t might be Gilmer even though
punting wasn't one of his duties at
Alabama. He works out with the
kickers every day and aside from
Dick Poillon is booting the ball as
we'll as the rest. All things con-
sidered, Gilmer could develop into
a genuine le-threater and as
such would be even more of threat
than the Baugh of recent years.
The blond youngster apparently is
destined to succeed where Frank
Filchock, Roy Zimmerman Jack
Jacobs and Jimmy Youel never had
a real chance. Baugh is easing into
retirement and Gilmer arrived at
the right moment with all the nee
essary equipment to take over. He's
long way from being a polished
Information quarterback, but any
body who remembers Baugh's butter
fingered ball-handling when he first
changed over from the single wing
and who sees Sans expert taking
now will be willing to give Gilmer
time to adjust himself to the posi-
tion.
Gilmer, too, will have help from
his teammates. There should be no
repetition of the last years shoddy
line play. 1t may not be the greatest
set of forwards in the National Foot
ball League, but it will be aggressive
and should give Gilmer-and Baugh
better protection as Gilmer will
have an excellent set of ends to
throw to, beginning with Bones
Taylor who is up to 1872 pounds and
feeling no trace of the ailment
that dogged him last season and
itching for action. Charley Newman
whose physical appearance is strik-
ingly akin to that of Taylor seems
to be another good pass grabber and
the coaches haven't had look at
Sid Halliday who is at the Chicago
All-Star camp and is supposed to
be good in that department.
Likes Aerial Targets.
Gilmer likes the backs who will
pass targets such as Bob Nuss-
banner, Eddie Saenz and Dick Todd
But the most attractive phase of
the set-up is that he should have
fullbscks with enough power to keep
the enemy secondary from setting
up a tight pass defense and blockers
to make sweeping running play
work. 1t won't be breeze for the
Rsdskin rookie, but conditions are
much more in his favor than when
his predecessors tried to break into
the lineup.
The confidence. respect and good
will Gilmer generates among his
teammates already is noticeable.
Veterans like the way he throws the
ball and like his attitude Of doing
as much and working as hard as
anybody. He's quiet on the field, un-
demonstrative but confident in ac-
ton he gives the feeling of knowing
what he should do and how to do it.
Edwards insists the Redskins didn't
have a bad line toward the end Of
last season, but right or wrong the
'48 forwards should be better
There's more weight and more ex-
perience up front. Fred Boensch's
speed and John Steber's steadiness
at guard, John Sanchezs aggressive
ness at tackle and the sparkling
performance of several rockies the
first week are good omens for the
Tribe. The coaches aren't making
any claims for the line--yet. Toe
many things can happen to wipe
the smiles off their faces before the
first league game, but they believe
they will have a first-rate line to
open holes for first-rate backfield
Edwards has adopted wait-and-
see attitude, but from here the out