The Journal from Meriden, Connecticut • 5

1 Meriden Journal Friday December II 19C8-F Pro Most Important Award 9-Yr Streak Ends NEW HAVEN UR Hamden nine yean plus hockey winning streak in league games has been snapped Hamden bowed to West Haven J-I last night in a Southern Connecticut IntericholastiC Hockey League game here last Ion in the league was on Jan 13 1951 also to West Haven During the streak Hamden piled up 68 victories and four ties Iran i CARRY PIseSRRt (5 for cash ptu i for carry) Discount spplies to sll merchandise including llama listed In this adv MOST VALUABLE AUTOGRAPH CAMB TV one op TUEfA OWN BRAND FOEPQO FOOTBALL'S highest AWAPD The men OP THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE COULD ONLY BY MURRAY OLDERMAN PHILADELPHIA (NEA) Norman Van Brocklin 34 year-old quarterback of the Philadelpha Eagles is the winner of the sixth annual Jim Thorpe Memorial Trophy as die outstanding player in professional football In a poll of all the players of the National Football League conducted by Newspaper Enterprise Association and the Meriden Journal the high -flinging Dutchman was better than a five-toone choice over his nearest rival Paul Running of the Green Bay Packers The trophy donated by A Spalding Bros Co Inc closes out a phenomenal career that ranks with that of Sammy Baugh Bob Water-field Sid Luckman Otto Graham and the rest In mid-season before he had taken the Eagles to the Eastern Division title Norm Van Brocklin announced that this his 12th season in the NFL was to be Ms last It was Ms best Last year's Jim Thorpe Trophy winner aging Charley Conerly of the New York Giants capsuled the sentiment when he inscribed the name of his quarterback rival on his ballot and under it Jotted succinctly: "Without Van the Eagles are nothing" The first year Norm Joined the team 1958 it finished last The next season it lumped to second and now it's at the top There were new players added But the one indispensable man was Van Brocklin THE DUTCHMAN ALWAYS was a great passer and punter from his All-America days at Oregon through nine turbulent seasons with the Los Angeles Rams Despite stubby fingers to go with the dubbinesa that hangs over Ms 8-1 frame Van was a picture book thrower who three times led the NFL in passing the first two times (1950 and 1952) amazingly while he played second string to Bob Waterfield The shadow of Waterfield and later coaching frictions minimized his full value to the Rams With the Eagles who obtained Mm under the cloud of a retirement threat Van was given his head to prove Ms brilliance as a tactician Van coolness under fire was never more apparent than in the back-to-back Giant games which 1 swept the Eagles to their first title since 1949 Philadelphia came from behind in both as imperturbable Van trailing by as much as 17 points carefully probed then fired the counter-measures that erased the Eagles' most dangerous rivaL This was the year of the blitz in the NFL and Jim Lee Howell of New York said "There is no better passer at countering a rush than Van Although he' is probably the slowest runner in the game Van hustles back quickly to his protective pocket and has the faculty of pitching the last-instant quickie to a receiver been directed by Van to the vacated area of the red-dogger VAN 22 touchdown passes through the first 11 games were two more than he's thrown in any previous season His pet targets are Tommy McDonald and Pete Retzlaff and you can give Van Brocklin credit for them McDonald once know Ms pass routes Retzlaif was a borderline player picked up from the Detroit Lions The Dutchman spent long after practice hours with them to perfect their routes and receiving techniques Van Brocklin never minded sUying after school He married his biology teacher They have three daughters live comfortably with swimming pool in Valley Forge and Van has become an avid student of American history In football he's helped make some Besides Hornung the all- purpose Packer halfback who set new NFL scoring sec- ord this year strong voting support was extended to Raymond Berry the fine end of the Baltimore Colts and Lenny Moore the elusive halfback of the same team Previous winners of the Jim Thorpe Trophy established in 1955 have been Harkm Hill Chicago Frank Gifford New York Johnny Unitas Baltimore Jimmy Brown Cleveland and Conerly The award was to be presented to Norm Van Brocklin on the nationally telecast pre-game show the final NFL weekend of the season NHL Roundup THt'BRDAVa RKKl'LTS NATIONAL ltUMil'E Toronto 4 Montreal 2 New York 1 Jx-lroit 1 (lie) AMTIlirAN LKAttl'K No nnn w-hMiilml KASTKKN IKAIil'K Greensboro 7 liaddunficid (overtime) INTtKXATIONAL EAGLE Omaha 7 Indianapolis FRIDA tAMKM NATIONAL LKAUIE No same scheduled AMERICAN LKAGLE Buffalo at Providence Quebec at Rochester EASTERN LKAGLE Johnstown at Uaddonfield INTERNATIONAL LKAGLE Indianapolis at Minneapolis Fort Wayne al St Paul Muskegon at Toledo GAMES NATIONAL LEAGLE New York at Montreal Boston al Toronto AMERICAN LEAGLE Quebec at net eland Rochester at Hersher Buffalo at Springfield EASTERN LEAGLE Charlotte al Clinton New Haven at Johnstown Greensboro at New York Jersey al Philadelphia INTERNATIONAL LEAGLE St Paul al malia Muskegon at Toledo CHICK THESE FEATURES UAINET RECORDERS SELLING FOR MANY DOLLARS MORE: 2-speaker 6-watt hl-fl sound system Two complete preamplifiers 4 -track head (plays all stereo and monaural tapes) Two-speed push-button control Complete with microphone sad take-op reel PRICES START Tbs only taps recorder anywhere that bring you full stars phonic enjoyment at anything like its moderate price Simple to operate fight enough to carry anywhere the St Chariot la the ideal recorder for use at boas or away from home Ita dual-preampsingle amplifier system lets you add tho matching llodel SF601 amplifierspeaker combinatioa for aa economically-priced complete stereo system Its two-speed operation and four-track head equip it for every stereo tape BODY-BUILDING Equipment from Ailing's makes a perfect gift! Young or old ALLING'S Barbells and dumbbells are scientifically designed to help you build your body Complete instruction Course with each item 1-WEEK SPECIAL Price good Saturday aad all jest weak KNOTTY (MR PANELING Mat an lengths This is a sheathing grade Select It directly iron the pile yourself save 12c SQ FT ROOF TRUSSES A must tor dear spaa con-struction Wa fabricate them promptly up to Any pitch UPSON jTRAuyioARDS $495 LU-RE-CO A complete prefsbricattaR system at our yard Uao your plan or ours Tbs modern way to build For The Haadymaa LUMBER IN STOCK WALNUT MAHOGANY MAPLE OAK CONTRACTOR POOL For new or old work Vo supply tho contractor and guarantee tha complete Job In writing LIFE-SIZE CHRISTMAS FIGURES for FIR PLYWOOD Z'' rau-coici A 'PAPH-j MANY uitibKS IN STOCK! Automatic Credit NO RED TAPE-UP TO S5M ONE YEAR TO PAY LOTS Set ua tor choir bull ding loti 11000 to 93500 FURRING STRIPS Spruce Lja TEMPERED PEG BOARD U1 cut to aay I10C ft! THIS SPACE RESERVED tor wolntlonory now coacepf la building tnoftrioi lonrice Coming too id ALUMINUM GUTTER-II" Leagtha 1298 LEDER-ir Length SIN 01 a HOMES I rt ihme you one pf own award winning detigi All lumber tiered under cover 251 MAIN Sets start et Alio Jr Sets In Stock re BOXING GLOVES SJ98 Los Angeles theatrical figure who was associated with Thorpe In the early days of pro football quickly bought the permission of his widow to use the name Gardner had A Spalding Bros Co Inc put up the trophy Because even the younger money players have read or heard of Jim Thorpe the response was terrific from the outset Here was one award the combatant really wanted Nearly 100 per cent of the players now not only respond but say why they are chonsing the contemporary who is to take home and keep forever the Jim Thorpe Trophy Schoolboys today know about Jim Thorpe generally recognized as the greatest all-round athlete of all time and those who saw the tremendous Sac and Fox who spread the fame of Pop Warner and the Carlisle Indians tell you the legend is well founded I asked Greasy Neale who played with Thorp and the Canton Ohio Bulldogs in the early days of pro football whether Jim was as fine a back as they claimed "Better" replied the famous coach Frw know that Thorpe was the first president of the BY HARRY GRAYSON Newspaper Enterprise Assn PHILADELPHIA (NEA) Norman Van Brocklin of the PhiladelpMn Eagles is the sixth winner of the Jim Thorpe Memorial Trophy In five short years this award has become the most coveted in football Tim reason for this is that the recipient is the choice of the players he opposed in the National Football League The Jim Thorpe Trophy for the outstanding performer in professional football was the idea of Murray Olderman cartoonist writer for the Newspaper Enterprise Association First thought was to call the prim the Red Grange Trophy but the Old Galloping Ghost of Illinois was considered still too active telecasting etc It was Paul Gardner the one-time aporta writer and now public relations man who popped up with the name of Thorpe This was at a meeting in the office of Boyd Lewis NEA executive editor and all agreed this was a ten-strike A telognun to Suey Welch EVENINGS TILL TEN STRIKING BAGS up All kinds of Chest Wrist Grip Forearm Exerrieers from $149 I up up 4 Sot 4 39 Cotoey St ttf'oT- 8 TAKE-OFF NFL In an attractive and highly Informative NFL brochure put out basically for college stars eligible to be drafted George Strickler recalls how the pro game suited in a hot steamy salesroom of the Hays Automobile Agency in Canton on the afternoon cf Sept 17 1920 There seated on the running boards of Hupmobiles 11 hardy pioneers laid the foundation Thorpe shared a running board with George Halas then of the Decatur I Staleys and since owner and coach of the Chicago Bears Charter franchises were granted the Canton Bulldogs Cleveland Indians Dayton Triangles Akron Profession-six Massillon Tieers Rochester (N Y) All-Americans Rock Island (III) Muncie (lnd) the Decatur Staleys Hammond (lnd) and Chicago Cardinals Thorpe was elected president id the new league He lasted in that capacity one year Big Jim you se vastly preferred throwing a crushing block making a crippling tackle or a long gain to being president So dm-s the winner of the Jim Thorpe Memorial Tro-phv Dnthnv said Nicola Pirtrang-lt should be in far better menial shape knowing he is imt rxpw led to win the two singles matches "And Orlando Sirola If he plays as well as he did against the United Slate we will have a very good the Italian coach added "As in the rase of the American match I think the Italians are 50-50 to Drobny said he had notici-d no emotional or psychological letdown on the part of the Italians since thrir ujnet triumph 32 over the Americans at Perth "And I do anticipate any" he said "The bya are very loose and are very determined" Just before the Italians arrived Australia named a four man team fur the challenge round Mill!) HERB BARKER'S 400 WIST MAIN ST Sydney Welcomes Confident Italian Davis Cup Hopefuls OPEN EXCHANGE PLUS TAX ST BE 7-1512 re MERIDEN CONN SYDNEY IE Dads Cup tennis tram arrived in Sydnry for challange round today relaxed aad brimming with confidence They spent the last couple of days on a holiday hi Mel- "1 think we will be more relaxed and In a brtter frame of mind against the Australians than we were against said Jaroslav Drobny former Wimbledon champion who coaches the Italian squad the Americans the boys knew they had a chance and were under me pressure Against the Australians the best players in the world they know they are expected to kwe and ran go all out without any worry" BE CAUGHT SHORT GET WHILE THEY LAST see- 0 ASSORTED SIZES WHITE WALLS 100 EXTRA Unconditionally Guaranteed First Come First Served Open From 8 om to 10 pnt Daily Saturday To 5 pm TIRE EXCHANGE WILSON SPALDING I MACGREGOR GOLF SETS ran vp EAGLE EYE PUTTERS SPALDING PUTTERS MACGREGOR WEDGES WILSON WEDGES 1713 WILSON ft SPALDING GOLF RALLS 1792 1)01 ICE SKATES S49S $2695 SKIS S395 in S3495 RINALDIS' SPORT CENTER 33 STATI ST FREE DELIVERY Ak shout quantity prices! 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