Evening star., 1960-12-28
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV By FRANCIS STANN
The CoIIeqe Draft


looked vaguely like bookie parlor At end a
magic lantern which reflected and magnifed a
crude box The filled with large round
tables covered with cloths Each table bore
sign, Philadelphia Eagles" Green Bay Packers" etc.
Pete Rozelle, National Football League commissioner
stood SLIM boySh at the head Of his elders and opened the
annual college draft with fanfare prefacing
marks Minnesota, newest member gets first pick"
Pete began.
George Bell, younger son of the late commissioner
Bert Bell walked to the Minnesota vikings table
picked up slip of paper and carried it to Rozee.
Minnesota" Rozele read, picks Tom Mason, half
back of Tulane"
Thus the Vikings, who will make the NFI. a 14-club
circuit, had drafted their first player they have no
coach In as odd way to begin operation could be
imagined agent named Bert chose for the
Vikings.
AT THE REDSKINS table Bill McPeak, the new, "a
year-old head coach, smiled at his aides With Mason's
choice the Redskins would get the quarterback they
wanted. moment later Rozelle announced:
washington picks Norman Snead quarterback of
Wake Forest"
seconds after that choice McPeak landed his other
top man, Joe Rutgens Illinois tackle The Redskins had
two picks in the first round because thew had traded
LeBaron for Dallas first draft choice The other pick was
because the Redskins finished the go season with 1872
record second worst in the league.
The first six picks were made within 10 minutes but
San Francisco apparently threw wrench into the gears
oy picking Wngback Jim Johnson of UCLA choice that
raised all eyebrows Jim is the brother Of Rafer Johnson
"olo ana olympic decathon champion, but in college
ne was far overshadowed by Bill Kimer the UCLA tail
Oach VINO won a lew ALI america honors.
FROM SMOOTH, FAST operation which found
coacneS cuooWnerS and general managers sitting at their
own tables the draft caucus came undone Baltimore
next IN Ane' took IS minutes to make decision Weeb
EWoank, the coach, called for telephone to be plugged
into jack at his table.
The ST. Louis Cardinals took ever longer something
IKE sO minutes Mrs Walter Wofner. chairman of the
CaronalS board and the only woman in the room con-
1erred SO long with her brain trust that Rozee fnav
went to her table, apparently an effort to expedite
things.
BY this time everybody table hopping calling for
telephones or looking up the blood lines various COL
eganS in the thick black data books on their tables
Anyway" a man remarked to McPeak you got the
two you had your eye on, didn't you? Now will you be
able to sign Snead and Rugens? The Redskins sometimes
1au dlsmay to actually get their top choices play
Il think So" McPeak smiled. Both those boys visited
us IN Washington and have verbal commitments from
them"
"A YEAR AGO." another reminded WASHINGTON
drafted another quarterback-Rche Lucas of Penn State
and he signed with Buffalo Of the American League"
Lucas already may have been signed when we drafted
MIN, Assistant Coach Torgy Torgeson said.
we've got snead, I'm sure" McPeak said Funny
thing, though, Buffalo also drafted him."
What's special about Mason that he's No. ~" McPeak
was asked. rs there a good book on him?"
"A real good one," McPeak replied. He was a heluva
player on loser. But understanding is that he's
bartering Boston Of the American League drafted him
and remembering they gave Ger Schwedes last year
we SHE'D off,"
The Boston Patriots, according to McPeak, gave
Schwedes $4,000 lockn" contract, plus bonus And
he didn't even make the team," Bill added.
"LOCK-1N" CONTRACT is guaranteeing an
amount$l5O0O in Schwedes case-regardess of whether
the young man makes the grade.
Didn't snead and Rutgens ask for lockn contract?"
man inquired.
1T was mentioned" McPeak admitted but, believe it
not they agreed not to press the matter is
bad because If it should leak out the OF the players
See WIN, LOSE OR DRAW. Page C-3