12 Sports Aces, January 1943 — page 97: what you’re looking at

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

PIGSKIN PAY DIRT 95 DO BO Orn Oar Bre Bre Orr Oro Os O01 8 HO re Ge Per Orr ro Or Sor Br Orr Per Gor Gre Bro Ges Os Gee Po1 Bi Oreos D0 Do Ore Os er Seo eo Sir Ber Gor Gs Gr Bre G1 Gre Bs Gre Or Bi Boo Oe Or or her Ge Ber Gorse with Lennox. He said, “You’re as good a signal ealler as I ever saw. Why didn’t you come out for football before?” “I did,” Lennox said. “Pd played in prep school. I reported here, as a fresh- man. I wasn’t on a scholarship, I was just a kid who wanted to play football for the fun of it. The freshman coach had eleven men who were here on schol- arships. He had his team picked. He put ‘me on the awkward squad. I stayed three weeks, then I dropped out. No one even knew I left.” : The next day Roger Kirk went again to see his former teammates and urge them to report. He got nowhere. Montana said, “That Lennox. He didn’t even get his uniform dirty Saturday.” “He’s a signal caller,” Kirk defended him. “He’s got a football brain.” ‘And he lets you take the bumps,” Mon- tana said. “No, thanks, I want no part of him. But this week-end Grayley will give him his lumps. You know who’s = playing for Grayley? I saw a picture of their last game when they beat State fifty-six to seven. The guy carrying the ball was none other than Chink Chelsey. Only the eaption said his name was Smith. They made him into a baek—too many ‘ people would have recognized him as an end.” | “We could report him,” Kirk said. “It would be nicer to say nothing and beat him. Wouldn’t you guys like a crack at him?” _ Montana said, “I’ve had a yen to get my mitts around a football but nothing doing. Not in this league, kid.” Kirk went sadly home, The Graylev game was the all-important one of the season, It would make or break the team. He was captain and this was his last year and the Grayley game was going to be murder. The squad had played far over its head against Kings. They had nothing left. 3 HROUGHOUT that week the squad’s play was listless. Each member of the team knew the hopeless odds and it was reflected in their scrimmages. Pop Benson gave no sign of pessimism but | Kirk could read the disappointment in his eyes. On Friday night before the game Kirk was sitting in his room. He heard a rum- bling in the distance and suddenly it grew louder. It came nearer, and look- ing out of his window he saw hundreds of students massed in the street outside. Then suddenly the students chanted in unison, : “We want Kirk! We want Lennox!” Kirk’s door burst open. A throng of students poured inside. They grabbed him and hurried him down the stairs. Lennox was pushed out beside him and ‘they were taken down the stairs and out-" side together. In a group were the other members of the football team. They were herded to the front of the procession and the snake dance across the campus began. The entire football squad was on hand. Kirk glanced back at the procession. Torehes had been lighted and the stu- dents were singing ecolHege songs.. A thrill went through Kirk. Fhis was some- thing new in his experience. He was sud- denly a part of Tarleton, the school was in his Blood to stay. Beside him Lennox said, “The football team belongs to Tarieton now. It’s not bad.” Too choked up to answer, Hirk nodded. The progession went on. It led to Rack- ham Auditorium, and inside the building the football squad was led to ehairs on the platform. The building was filled, and then Pop Benson appeared. He gave a little talk, he introduced each player, and the rafters shook as the men aeknowl- edged the introduction by standing up. Fred Rusing, the football radio announc- er, gave a talk. The meeting ended and the team went outside, Kirk saw Montana, Novak, Dono- van and Wishoeki standing on a corner. They looked hewildered. This was some- thing new to them, they did not quite understand it. ‘Lennox suddenly stopped Kirk. He waiked over to the former football stars. He said, “There’s been a revolution here. Why not come over on our side? We’d be proud te have you.” ‘Montana wavered momentarily, Then EOPMICLOOO S (F@)