The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 54

A Jury of Twelve Famous American Gridiron Coaches, Led by Pop Warner, Awards First Place to the 31 Carlisle Indian, Jim Thorpe; Second Place a Tie Between Ernie Nevers and Red Grange, With George Gipp in Third Place a 0 By William Duncan Here Are the Jurymen Pop Warner Stanford Bob Zuppke Illinois Dick Hanley Northwestern Babe Hollingbery State Gil Dobie Cornell Chick Meehan. York Univ. Harry Stuhldreher Fred Dawson. of Virginia Bill Roper Princeton Heinie Miller Temple Hugo Bezdek Penn State Wilmer Crowell Official Pi -38 jf- 'Si, 5 a A jury of twelva outstanding football coaches declares Jim Thorpe (right) to be America's greatest football player. However, Pop Warner selects Ernie Jsevers (left) for that honor.

He coached both of them 5s "JSr How They Finished Jim Thorpe, Carlisle 49 Ernie Nevers, Stanford 18 Red Grange, Illinois IS George Gipp, Notre Dame 12 Tom Shevlin, Yale 10 Walter Eckersnll. Chicago 10 Ted Coy, Yale 9 Willie Heston, Michigan 7 W. W. Heffelfinger, Yale 6 Vincent Stevenson, U. of 5 Frank Hinkey, 5 Eddie Mahan, Harvard 4 Truxtun Hare, U.

of Pa 4 Ed Glass, Yale 4 Benny Friedman, Michigan. 4 Pete Henry, W. and 3 Bemis Pierce, Carlisle 3 Jake Slagle, Princeton 2 Bronko Nagurski, 2 Glenn Killinger, Penn 2 George Wilson, U. of Wash 2 Harry Wilson, Penn State-Army 1 Bob Higgins, Penn State THE passing of years has failed to erase from the memories of experts die marvelous deeds of the Indian, Jim Thorpe, and today a Jury of twelve conr fers upon him the coveted honor ot "Football's Greatest Player." Twenty years have flitted by since the 'colorful back starred for the Carlisle Indians, but those who saw him in action have not forgotten his brilliant runs, superb kicking and deadly tackling. of the Jury gavr Thorpe first place, Jour placed him second and one third, giving him a total of forty-nine points and victory in thi3 poll to determine the outstanding grid player of history.

Ernie Nevers, Stanford, and Red Grange, Illinois, tied for second with eighteen points each, revealing the wide gap between first and ccond places George Gipp, Notre Dame, was third, while Tom Shevlin and Eckersall. Chicago, were tied for fourth with ter points. Ted Coy, Yale, received nine points; Willie Hestorr, Michigan, seven; W. HefTelfmger, Yale, six; Vincent Stevenson. University 01 Pennsylvania, five; Frank Hinkey, Yale, five, and a dozen other players received four points or less.

The jury consists of the following head coaches: Pop Warner, Stanford; Bob Zuppke, Illinois; Dick Hanley7 Northwestern: Babe Hollingbery, Washington State: Gil Dobie, Cornell; Chick Meehan, New York University. Harry Stuhldreher, Villanova; Fred Dawson, University of Virginia; Bill Roper, formerly of Princeton; Heinie Miller, Temple; Hugo Bezdek, Xormer head coach, now director of athletics, Penn State, and Wilmer Crowell, one of the Nation's foremost officials. Five points were given for first place, four for second, three for third, two for fourth and one for fifth. CONSIDER the opinions of Pop War-ner most interesting of all those related today, as he picked Ernie Nevers, Stanford star, ahead of Jim Thorpe. Pop, as every football fan knows, coached Thorpe at Carlisle and Nevers at Stanford.

Here is what he says about it: "Ernie Nevers played his position by far the best of any player I ever saw. He had a wonderful physique was big and powerful and yet very active. Nevers was the mental type every coach likes to have on his football team. He was a flne punter, a tine forward passer, a jreet line plunger and a marvel on defense. Ernie Never3 was a football player without a fault.

"Jim Thorpe was the best man in his position I ever saw, the cleverest man for his weight I ever saw. Jim was as fast, shifty and clever as any lightweight Walter Eckersall, old Chicago star, drew one first Tote, that of Hugo Bezdek, and is tied with Tom Shevlin. of Yale, for fourth place in the poll of the football jury fourth and fifth choices," said Mr. Han-ley. "The men whom I would list first and second I have never had the pleasure of seeing perform," ne said.

"My first choice is Jim Thorpe, Carlisle's great All-America under Pop Warner. Every one who ever played against him or who ever watched him at the height of his career admits candidly that he does not know of a single weakness this fellow nad during his playing days. He was a great kicker, excelling not only in punting -but also in drop-kicking and place-kicking. He was a threat in every department of offensive line play. "Thorpe was a team in himself and loved the game," stuhldreher remarked.

"He played football longer than any top-notcher I know and was as good in professional football as he vas in college. George Gipp, my second pick, was by far Knute Roekno's greatest player at our school, Notre Dome. 'Rock' always said that. I'll give Red Grange third choice, Walter Ileffclfin-r fourth an1 Nevers fifth." In selecting Thorpe for first place. Gil Dobie said: "He was a b.g, powerful fellow, one of the slrciccv men who ever played footbaii and could do ull heavy work required Ho coulu do everything as well as every one.

I dcubt if there is any one who could all thins? as well as Thorpe Grimgo could through the lino and tkiri the enus. Nevers was a greai back but was not as good an open-field runii'V ao Thorpe. I consider Pete Henry, of W. and one of the greatest tackles the game has seen. lie weiglW 20 pounds and was as active as any quick, small man.

I give fifth place to Willie Heinie Miller names Tljjrie, Hinkey, of Yale; Stevenson, of the Univfr. of Pennsylvania; Walter Erkerwll, of Chicago, and Bob of rnn State. Ln the order named Tom Shcvl.n is Pred Dvsons first choice "for the blazing f.rt that he put into hlmsei ar.d mites, coupled with smartness He ghes Thorpe second and Red third. fourth choice is George Gipp, "who started Notre Dame's climb to the top." Hi3 fifth pick is Ted Coy, 'a ten- oie threat in the backflsld. who punted Y.

'-e a moitr can kick and pass. He won the Princeton game in 1907 single-handed and the Harvard game in 1309. The second-best man I have ever seen was Truxtun Hare, a great defensive guard and a wonderful interferer. George Gipp would bo third, Jake Slagle fourth and Tom Shevlin fifth. I never saw Thorpe or Heffelfinger play." HERE is the way Babe Hollingbery picks them: "I select Ernie Nevers, the great Stanford fullback, as the foremost football player of all time.

Because of his all-round ability, determination and fighting spirit, he ha been unexcelled through the years. Nevers is a wonderful offensive fulback and a wonderful defensive full as well. He is an excellent passer and kicker and often acted as his teams quarterback. He is a bom leader with an exceptionally fine personality. I pick Nevers first in preference to Jim Thorpe because Thorpe was never such an inspiration to his team as Ernie.

"Jim Thorpe, the Carlisle athlete, was probably the greatest all-round football player that ever lived, but he ranks as my second choice because he does not possess the qualities of Nevers, so necessary for a brilliant fooiball player. enny Friedman is third. Not only is Friedman one of the brainiest field generals that ever played football, but he is probably the game's best example of a perfect passer as well. Although these two assets were his main forte, Benny was a general all-round good offensive and defenfive player. "The University of Washington hait-back, George Wilson, was as great a running back as any of the rest and also an excellent passer and kicker.

Likewise, he was a wonderful tackier on defense. He -re being an excellent smashing, plunging player. He was tremendously fast, beins back and yet was heavy enough to play one of the fastest big men the football the smashing game and be a power in game has known. In addition to his of- a. 1ft i Vi Red Grange, the "galloping ghost of the gridiron" who cavorted at Illinois, ties with Ernie Nevers for second place among the great football stars.

Bob Zuppke claims that Grange was th.e peer of both Thorpe and Nevers in all departments of the game He played one year behind a good line and two years behind an average line. No player in history ever went up against such a keyed-up defense as Grange met. still he made good. "Grange played just as hard in practice and minor games as in the big games. He was an ideal man for a team.

the interference. Thorpe was a great punter and passer as well as a fine ballcarrier. He was without superior as a safety man and could play any defensive backfield position. "Heffelfinger an unusually large man but exceedingly fast on his feet. He never met the.

player who was nearly his equal. Heffelfinger was powerful both defensively and offensively and was especially valuable o.n interference. "Willie Heston was a heavy, very fast back, who showed all the skill and elusiveness that is usually found in lighter ball-carriers. Heston had an ideal build for a halfback compactly put together but very fast for his weight. "Frank Hinkey was probably the greatest field general in the history of football.

Hinkey was also a wonderful wing-man. It is claimed that in all his playing career at Yale he never permitted a yard gain around his end. Better than any other, Hinkey exemplified the determined, fighting spirit so valuable In football player." Dick Hanley gives Thorpe first place a the list. "You have asked me my opinion as to whom I consider the greatest football player of all time, with second, third. never wai a i C'c id he was fensive ability, horpe was one of the greatest defensive players in the history of the game.

"Eddie Mahan, a fine kicker, passer and runner and a great defensive man, would be my second choice. I would rate Ernie Nevers, of Stanford, third. He did not possess quite the speed that Mahan and Thorpe did, but he was a much better than average football player. He was an excellent open-field runner and a better blocker than either of the first two mentioned. I would place Bronko Nagursk', of Minnesota, fourth.

Never, in all my life, have 1 had the opportunity to see an individual who possessed so much all-round ability as this man. "Grange, of Illinois, and Eckersall would tie for fifth as I see it. I place Grange in this position solely oh the fact that he was probably the best open-field runner of the lot. Eckersall could kick, run, pass, do excellent defensive work, and in addition had that rare ability of being able to lead a team successfully. "Heston, of Michigan, should be listed with these individuals, as might Crowley and Gipp, of Notre Dame.

Both had every attribute of a football player, but one must limit one's selection somewhere." non, end over en harder bII-ccrrlcr ccol ar.d deadly or. H'jgo Bezdek nm -follows: Walter Erl.z Eerris Glenn I Wilson. He give foxray Shsicon as Jim Thorpe, He had the ability to run within himself." is fourth "From all the data I have been able and Harry lr.ention e.l range. BoT: Zuppke gives first place to his own star of a few years ago, Red Grange. He gave second place to Heston, third to Thorpe, fourth to Eckersall and fifth to Nevers.

"Grange was the fastest of all the backs and could co everything else as well as run." sail Zuppke. "He could block, tackle, kick and throw. It happened that we did not use him as a kicker because we nad a superfine kicker in Britton. No football player ever had as many great days as Grange or made as long runs. His record proves this.

Many men are famous in football who did only once what Grange did innumerable times. "Grange is the only athlete I have seen in this branch of athletics who moved without one bit of lost motion. cmcic Aieenan piaces inorpe nrst. tie opined that the ether four were very hard to pick but -gave second place to Glass, of Yale; third to Coy, of Yale; fourth to Grange, of and fifth to Friedman, of Michigan. "The greatest football player I have ever seen was Ted Coy, of Yale," says Bill Roper.

"There may have been greater players, but I have never seen to gather. W. W. riefTelfinier, the former Yale athlete, was in a class by himseif as a lineman and has stood out for the last two decades as the perfect player. He was fast, vicious and equally good on defense and offense.

It was impossible for opposition to run plays on his side of the line. He is fifth choice." Thorpe is the first choice of Harry Wilmer Crowell ckid T. orpe for Hrst place instantly our thought over his other selections for two weeks. Finally, he gave Tom Shevlin second place, Gecrge Gipp third, Vincent Stevenson fourth and Pete Henry fifth. "I wantet.

plenty of time." he said, "because l'v seen plenty of football plavers." Covvieht them. Coy could do everything run. Stuhldreher. QJ I.