Evening star., 1957-12-30
SPOTLIGHT
ON
SPORTS
M-Ameicons' Prestige Dips
BY CHARLES eGAN

Al-America back in 1889, with NOBODY but Ivy
LeaguerS mentioned until around the Of the century
lot OF football followers have been skeptca Of them
to the least This skeptcism increased considerably
after 1918 when Gus DoraiS and Knute Rockne Nore
Dame routed Army with their passing yet Rockne made
only the third team while Lou Merilla his Point
counterpart was on the first.
But AnAmerican prestige never hit lower point than
1t did over the past week end when four of Associated
Press first choices failed to through Eastern
Al-Stars as the non-ballyhooed West team won the
annual Shrine benet game in San Francisco 27iS And
even that exhibition didn't arnish the big way
the Detroit Lions did yesterday in that 5s4
Cleveland Browns
For just where did such players as Steve Junker Jim
Doran, John Henry Johnson. Jack christensen Gene
Cronin. Frank Gatski and number Of other Detroit
smaer-coege stars rate when the honors were
being passed around? Even Tobin Rote Joe Schmidt
Gene Goldman Tom Tracy Yale Larry and few other Lions
who played for more pubczed schools hardly
hold names in their college days OF course, Howard
Cassidy Jim Martin, Dave Middleton and Harley sewe
were legitimate AlI-Americans who through but
they were badly outnumbered.
LET'S CONSIDER FIRST the case of Steve Junker
go-gettng 25-pound end who joined the Lions the
start OF the 1857 season His passcatching had to
do with the Lions great rally against the FortyNiners in
San Francisco week ago against the Browns yester
day was even better Yet his and opponents
in the National Football League insist Junker better
as blocker than he is paSs-catcher That should
come as shock to Redskins fans who remember nom
blocking offensive ends like Bones Taylor Hal Cser and
Charley Malone.
Junker who didn't do any better than make the
Associated Press Little Al-America team in his
senior year at CincinnaS Xavier University was the only
player in yesterdays pro championship payo to score two
touchdowns Both on passes from Rote and one
OF them was on play that ecpsed the touchdown
scored by Sam Baker on fake field goal against the
Steeiers IN the Redskins final game at Griffith Stadium
Junker also set up third touchdown when he took pass
and was downed on the Browns 2-yard line
Doran an old pro from Iowa State shared honors with
Rote in the only other play that rvaed the Roe-to
Junker masterpiece for sheer briance Jim faxed Ken
Konz out OF his Shoes then got behind him. took pass
from Rote and AZ yards for on pass-rn play
that totaled 70 yards Doran had the same thing to
Warren Lahr four play that gave the Lions
l7-l6 triumph over the Browns in the playof game.
WHEN GENE BRITo took of his helmet after his great
performance against the Steelers few ago. he was
given standing ovation and virtually mobbed by Washing
ton fans That's the way Briggs fans felt about Joe
Schmidt the Lions great nebacker from Pitt after yes
terdays II Brto has peer as defensive star in
pro football it has to be Schmidt who is going into
service soon after couple Of great seasons with the
Detroit pros It's pretty certain that Jim Brown Ceve-
lands great fuback would give Joe strong vote the
best in the business Schmidt made specially stopping
the leagues leading gamer.
Like Schmidt Yale Larry mo 2s to YOU teeviewers OF
the past two Sundays) played his college football at
pretty wel-known school-Texas AIM But he never was
press agents delight like the Agges Earring John Kim
brough OF the late 1930s John Yet few OF the
Lions had more TO do with the teams winning the pro
championship. In addition to brilliant work as a de-
fensve back Larry did the puntng and exceed on kickoff
and punt returns
John Henry johnson bust against the Forty
Miners when his substitute Tom (The Bomb Tracy Of
Tennessee stole his thunder the fleet Negro from
Arizona State did all right yesterday He and Rote col
laborated on few draw plays that must have Paul
Brown the Cleveland genius wish he Marion Motley
and Otto Graham going for him again.
IT ISN'T THE THOUGHT here to convey the i'm
preston that victorious Detroit had the unsung heroes and
Cleveland the unsuccessful big names For the Browns
had rockies than their conquerors and some OF
themVince Costello OF Ohio University heads the list
did awfuly we'll But 1t is true that many of the other
10 NFL clubs had many recognizable Names college,
WISE yet finished up the stretch
1t ought TO make Joe Kuharch the Redskins coach,
feel pretty optimistic about Of his draft choices Dan
Continued on Page Ais. Col. 4