Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-04-02
Illinois Back Tops
Even Jim Thorpe in
|AP AII-Tine Poll
First OF a Series)
BY the Asseeiaisd Press

"Galloping Ghost of Illinois and
perhaps the greatest climax run
ner in history. was an almost
Unanimous choice today for one OF
the halfback positions on the all
time all-America football team.
This unprecedented team is be-
ing chosen by the Associated Press
lin a Nationwide poll Of news
paper and radio sports editors and
lin conjunction with the Football
Hall of Fame. It is the first time
such a lineup of gridiron immor-
tails has been assembled on such
la broad and representative scale.
Men on the first three teams
are nominated for consideration
by the Honors Court of the Hall
|of Fame. a S. million shrine
planned at Rutgers University.
This is where the first college
football game was played between
Rutgers and Princeton in 1869.
No selection has been made yet
to the Hall of Fame, but it is
probable that players chosen on
these Associated Press teams will
be among the early honorees in
the shrine. =
Red Gets Biggest Total.
Grange, the redhead with the
phantom hips, rolled up the
largest point total Of all the
greats figuring in the coast-to-
coast balloting.
The Illinois star received 704
points, high in the poll, outscor-
ing such standouts as Jim Thorpe
of the old Carlisle Indians, Notre
Danes George Gipp and Johnny
Lujack, ,Michigan's Tom Harmon
and Willie Heston and Chicago's
Jay Berwanger.
More than 1000 sports editors
participated in the poll but the
final returns represent thousands
of opinions. Many newspapers
conducted polls among their sub
scribers before submitting their
final ballot. Points are awarded
on the basis of 10 for flrst-place
team vote. five for second and
two for third.
Grange was an obvious choice.
He was the eptitome of gridiron
greatness in the golden sports era
OF the 1920s when Jack Dempsey
ruled fistic ranks and Bobby
Jones was the king of golf.
Grange was no overnight SEN
sation. He entered Illinois in 1922
with a scrap-book stuffed with
rave notices from Wheaton, Ill.,,
where. as a high school halfback,
he averaged five touchdowns a
game.
Lost No Time Starting.
Before he had finished college
he had hung up a staggering list
of records. In 20 games-he
missed four because of injuries
he had a three-year record of 81
touchdowns. 1857 yards rushing
and SAB yards passing when the
air game was still young. He drew
1855 spectators to home games.
Grange played his first college
varsity game in 1923 against Ne
braska. He scored three touch
downs, from IS, IS and IL yards.
The next week he scored twice
against Butler and his college rep
utation was made.
On November Illinois dedicated
its new 81 million stadium by
playing Chicago before 61,319 fans.
Grange ripped so yards through
the Chicago team for one touch
down, travelled AZ yards with an
intercepted pass and high-kneed
80 yards on another occasion.
Yet the greatest game OF the
Iredhead's career was on a hot day
in 1924 when Illinois went out
against its old rival. Michigan, a
team laden with stars.
Four Scores in IL Minutes.
Grange took the opening kickof1
and raced it back 90 yards to
score. He sprinted 10 yards fol-
another touchdown a moment
later and before baff1ed Michigan
could collect itself the Redheao
was off twice more for 57-yard
and 43-yard scoring runs. There
were four touchdowns in II
minutes.
Then the Galloping Ghost-hi'
famous at" jersey soaked witt
sweat-was pulled out for a resi-
as 10000 fans gave him a thun.
derous ovation. He returned Later
for another 64-yard touchdown
run to make his days total five
|touchdowns and 402 yards rushing
alone.
When Grange left college and
turned professional, he received
| $50, 900 for his first game with the
Chicago Bears on December 6
1925. He spent 10 years as pro.
Ifessional football coach and pro.
moter before turning to his pres
lent insurance and sporting good.
business in Chicago.
Next: All-time ends. April A.
Ten years ago-Lt. Col. Ralph
Sasse, former football coach at
Army and Mississippi State, was
named director of athletics at
Pennsylvania Military Academy.