Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-17
WIN, LOSE OR
UkAW By FRANCIS s7AnA
One of MoryIondrs Big Centers

GEARY EPPLEY DEAN of men at the University of
Maryland talking about the days when Brig Gen. Caleb
(zeke) Bailey USING fetired), played football at College
Park He may have been the best center had"
Eppey said of the hero dead at So although it is hard
to compare players of that era with the present"
How about Bob Pellegrini?" man asked.
That's what mean about making comparisons" Dean
Eppey said Bailey and Pellegrin played different games
Too, we had any big like Peegrini and the
Modzelew brothers and Mike Sandusky The boys much
bigger"
Eppey played the line in 1919, his senior year. when
Zeke made the team freshman center I'VE had much
better team in 1920 and zeke of the for the
improvement recall that Maryland its last games
starting right after $50 beating from Princeton.
we had few pretty good players in those days. Geary
said land Curey Byrd who was the COACH had particular
knack winning in November He was one of the best
November coaches ever knew
A MAN ASKED
when you say that had any big men, Geary,
just how do you mean it?"
well, at the time of Zeke" he replied I'VE regarded
Bailey big He weighed 1870, weighed 17s but
felt small the field The boys just weren't big
in those days There exceptions of such Babe
Connaughton at Georgetown. But WE'LL take the of
Roy Mackert good Maryland fulback We thought
that because he weighed 1876 he monster Today Roy
would be rated light fullback."
Bailey, as Eppley remembers him, superior in two
departments HE frsclass linebacker and he rarely
made bad pass from center" Geary said.
I'm his time the center and the ullback the line
hackers We didn't have the fancy deenses and the specialists
left right and middle nebackers-as Zeke really did
job defense Them when Maryland had the ball. he
could lay that center pass right the hands of the back
who was to carry kick"
BRIG GEN. BAILEY the first of an iustrious line
of Maryland athletes to join the Marine Corps and make
good. 81 don't know what started the trend toward the
Marines Eppey said Maybe it because the Quantico
Marines good in the early 1920s They and ArmyS
Sd Corps teams have been the best in the Nation Better
even, than any pro team.
"Quantco used to practice once in while at College
Park Anyway Zeke became Marine when he gradu
ated So did Joe Berger maj Gen. Berger commandant of
Camp Leeune Joe was whale Of back for us So
Jack McQuade Johnny Pugh and Johnny Groves They all
joined up after Zeke"
1t would have been interesting to dig few anecdotes
about the late Gen. Bailey Eppey thought for few
moments and shook his head.
II can't think of any," he admitted "Zeke nice,
quiet guy Not at all ambuoyant Once in game with Rut
gers he got his jaw broken"
"Yes?"
I'VE couldn't tell the difference"
FOR ALL OF ZEKE BAILEY'S proves the football
field he perhaps gifted baseball catcher.
81 don't think had better one" Eppley said.
Burt Shipey baseball coach might call catcher
who superior although doubt It, zeke captained
1922 team and far know he could do it a-catch,
throw and hit"
Gould he have become pro? A big leaguerP"
again I'd have to refer the question to Shpley
the MY judgment, for what it's WORTH is that he
possibly could have been catcher But Zeke wanted the
Marine Corps like many others from Maryland who fol-
lowed him. and you'd have to say that zeke became pro
Marine"
And so Gen. Bailey did. He was a decorated Marine
aviator received the Legion Of Merit in l943 and earned
commentator in 1914 for planning and executing strikes in
the northern Soomons against the japanese zeke quite
man.