The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1951-11-08
BEHIND
HOME PLATE
By DOUG STEWART

When l saw in last weeks Life
Magazine the brutal pictures thai
showed in all their nakedness the
dastardly and obviously pre-medi-
tated attack by Willbanks Smith
Oklahoma A & Ms defensive tackle
on John Bright, brakes Negro half
back star, in the game between the
two teams a couple of weeks ago,
felt sick on my stomach.
The pictures show that although
Bright was completely out of the
plays, Smith twice deliberately
charged in on him with clenched
fists and although Bright was stand
ing with his hands at his sides on
both occasions, hauled off and smash
ed him on the jaw. Although Bright
stated that he knew his jaw was
broken when Smith hit him the first
time, he stayed in the game and on
the very next play threw 3O-yard
pass for a touchdown.
The first chance Smith got after
Bright's touchdown pass, he came
charging in on him again and this
time, although Bright was at least
10 yards out of the play, Smith slug
ged him again. The second brutal
attack resulted in Bright having to
be carried off the field.
The two attacks by Smith, had
they happened anywhere else but on
a football field, would have resulted
in his being arrested and charged
with assault and battery. The dis
graceful instances resulted in an in
quiry being held by the Oklahoma
A & M officials, but the result of
such inquiry, if any, had not been
announced as this was written.
AS far as 1 am concerned, it will
be disgrace to the school if Smith
is allowed to remain on the squad.
The University of Maryland kept
its slate clean with an easy victory
over Missouri on Saturday and here's
hoping that they go through the
season undefeated This weeks APP
poll ranked them third in the ma
ton, with Tennessee on top and IL
linois in second place.
I have heard a lot of comments as
to whether Maryland has greater
team than Tennessee and for my
money l would like to see the two
teams meet in a bowl game so that
they can settle the matter once and
for all.
Along with my fellow sportswrit-
ers, l was a guest at the annual ban
quet of the Hagerstown Little
League on Tuesday night.
To the boys on the various teams,
their thrill was in being addressed
and having their programs auto
graphed by such men as: Nellie"
Fox, the Chicago White Sox fashy
second baseman; Dutch" Dorman,
of the Hagerstown Braves;
Gene" Raney, owner of the Braves;
Rufus Edwards, his general mana
ger; and the Mayor of Hagerstown,
Herman L. Mills; and also in receiv-
ing the various trophies and awards
for their prowess on the baseball di-
mond during the past summer.
But my thrill came in being privi-
legged to sit with these youngsters
and to watch the excitement in their
eyes and their joy as first one and
then another was called up to re-
ceive his award for some outstand-
ing feat as member of a Little |
League team during the past season.
Too much credit cannot be given
to the officers and sponsors of the
League for the fine job they have
done in providing these youngsters
of the community with the oppor-
tunity to take an organized part in
that great game, baseball, where /
they not only have loads of fun and
healthy recreation, but also get
thorough training in one of the fun
damentals of the American way of
life-good craftsmanship.
So here's hoping that Hagers-
towns Little League will not only
continue to prosper, but will also
enlarge its scope, so that more and
more kids will be able to join its
ranks.
RUBBER STAMPS