12 Sports Aces, January 1943 — page 93: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

PIGSKIN PAY DIRT OF Orr O01 OOH 1 Ona Oe Oe Ot Gener Bes Ore es Bee ine Gas BH Bo Ba Oe Oe eH Ors Os AP en Oe Pe eens G1 BOO 5” Donovan, the bruising fullback, Brad Montana. Montana was their spokesman. He said, “I have been a mug here, Now the snobs and the fancy boys are going to play football and I am going to have fun. You hear about Chink Chelsey? I understand he changed his name. He’s playin’ somewhere else this fall.” Chink Chelsey was an All-American end. Others had left with him when the news came through that the payoff would be light this year. The scholarships would stand but there would be no alumni slip- ping a greenback here and there. Kirk began tossing a football through the air and Coach Pop Benson came up to him. Benson said, “It’s going to be an odd team. A few of the veterans. And a bunch of amateurs who never played foot- ball in college, I’m glad you’re back, Kirk. How do you feel about playing with the amateurs?” Kirk said, “The last two years I just missed being All-American. The experts claimed my forward wall was so good I couldn’t help but be a wonder boy. It got under my hide a little. This year I aim to show them on my own. And maybe some of this is good. Chick Chelsey went to elass about once a week. I heard he was being slipped fifty bueks a week in addi- tion to his scholarship. Scholarships are fine for guys like me who want an edu- eation, but that kind of thing is wrong.” Benson said, “I’m glad you feel that way. We'll give Tarleton a good team and am honest one. You’ll be a credit to a glorious school. You—” Kirk shook him off. He said, “You ean skip that, coach. This is a rich man’s school. In general the football team is ostracized. The students cheer us, but they don’t apeak te us off the field. We're mugs. Ili play football, but it’s strictly basiness. I make touchdowns and I get- an education in return. It’s very simple.” They scrimmaged a week later. The varsity backfield was Kirk and Montana, a sephomore named Hastings, and the quarter was Richard Lennox. Lennox was stim and aristocratic, he called signals _ with a Boston accent. He was a big shot on the campus, and Kirk had often seen him driving around in a fancy-looking car. Lennox called the numbers and the ball came back to Kirk. He started around the end and a scrub tackle drove at him. He came in too high. Kirk swerved, his knee drove against the would-be tackler’s jaw. The scrub was stretched out cold. Brad Montana winked. He said, “We're getting hunk at last.” Kirk snapped, “Ft was accidental.” Donovan grinned, “Sure, these fancy boys just can’t take it.” The play went on, Pop Benson came up close, his eyes alert for any slugging. It was clean after that, but Kirk’s heart sank. When Hastings or Lennox carried the ball, the old guard sat on their tails. The team was shot to bits. After the workout Kirk walked back to the professor’s home where he had free room and board for acting as care- taker. Professor Atwood said, “Roger, IT have bad news. My health has forced me to retire, and I’m leaving for the Coast and closing the house.” Kirk collected his belongings, then started down the street, wondering where he could get another job. Along Frater- nity Row he saw Lennox. The quarter- back said, “You deserting sehool Nke the rest of the rats?” Kirk put dewn his bag. “I’m leaving un- less I find a job. But right now Fl take on the job of closing your mouth.” Lennox drawled, “Accept my apology. Our fraternity porter has just been fired. You can take that on if you like and live here.” kK ™* went inside with Lennox. This was not his crowd but it was a job. He needed it. He was shown to a room, and then going downstairs he found a white coat and prepared to wait on table. Two other students were also waiters. Kirk carried a tureen of soup upstairs, placed it on the serving table, then pre- pared to dish it into soup plates, He had one table to take care of, there were three of them in the large dining room, crowd- ed with students he had seen around the eampus but had never met. Fi. (EO) +| 0)(0)() Ss (F@ im