Newspaper Page Text
January, 1948
MAROON TIGER
Page 3
SIDELINE SLANTS
We lose, lose, lose; so let’s drop football, opines one Mr. Cal
houn in a provocative letter to the editor. Nonsense! No problem
is ever solved by running away from it; neither will the question
of subsidization and our ignominious plight. Quite true the Uni
versity of Chicago and Talladega did take this road out. The
problem still exists. It is pure, unadulterated hypocrisy for any
institution to teach men to plug away at the ponderous problems
of life and then run away from as simple an enigma as sub
sidization.
Ostensibly, Mr. Calhoun was being facetious; he couldn’t be
serious. None the less let us examine our jocose contributor’s ef
forts more closely. Behind his letter there were three basic as
sumptions whether the writer was cognizant of them or not.
They were: 1) that a subsidized football team is a winning one;
2) that the injuries suffered by several of our players bechanced
because the athletes were playing on an unsubsidized team which
plays subsidized opponents; 3) that Morehouse has a losing foot
ball team because we do not subsidize. Nonsense! Foolishness!
Bosh! '
■ These three assumptions are so apparently false that it is use
less to examine them more minutely. Subsidized football teams
lose just as often as unsubsidized teams, some time oftener. Wit
ness Georgia, Auburn, and a city team or two. Injuries happen
in the best regulated games and among highly subsidized teams.
Witness Georgia Tech with many, many injuries, also Georgia,
Indiana and numerous others. Injuries, I’m sure, are independent
of subsidization and, like death, know no labels.
Last but not least is the assumption that Morehouse doesn’t
win because her team (football) is unsubsidized. If that is so
why don’t we consistently lose in track competition where we
are usually keen, or in basketball where we are also usually bright.
Of course, the answer must be that the assumption is false and
our losses must be blamed on another scapegoat, that is, one
other than subsidization.
“HE DESERVES IT” — Coach Frank L. Forbes tells onlookers as he gives a hearty
congratulatory handshake to Raymonde “Ram” Odom, Morehouse and All-City
center, who was elected captain of the 1948 Maroon Tigers’ grid squad during the
Annual Football Banquet in the college dining hall. The stellar conference center
succeeds Edwin “Pony-Express” Smith (left), a senior and colorful T-formation
quarterback, who won starting berth on the mythical All-City eleven. Standing
next to Smith is husky Elijah “Preacher” Paschal, granite-like All-City guard and
winner of the 1947 Schneer's Award, who was named alternate captain. (Photo
by William Bowens.)
Maroon Tigers
Throttle Morris
Brown Five, 42-38
The Maroon Tigers basketball
team got off to a flying start in the
SIAA race and the city champion
ship series by downing the aggres
sive Wolverines of Morris Brown
College, 42-38.
Shortly after the game got un
derway, Blair of Morris Brown
found the range; and Morris Brown
enjoyed a short-lived lead of 2-0.
The Tigers, led by Silas “Smoky”
Davis, soon found the range; and
after a nip-and-tuck low-scoring half
the Tigers led 19-16. The tightness
of the game still prevailed in the
second half, and as the third quar
ter ended Morehouse led Morris
Brown, 28-27. Morris Brown tied the
score at 28 all and then jumped into
a lead of 32-28 with about five min
utes of playing time left. At this
point the Tigers pulled themselves
together, and on to victory they went.
The spectators were kept on edge in
the last minutes, as both teams were
fighting with all they had. The
game ended with the Tigers leading,
42-38.
Scoring honors went to Davis and
Tompkins of the Tigers, with 17
and 14 points respectively. “Billy”
Whyte of Morris Brown had 13
points.
Sophs Dominate
DON’T NEED SUBSIDIZATION
We could easily leave the argument there; but nay! more
must be said. First, MOREHOUSE DOESN’T NEED SUBSIDIZA
TION! However, no one has advanced a really solid argument
against it, as of this date. The “goody boys” who cry “not nice,
not nice; we are so holy,” are* ludricous, to say the least. More
house does believe in subsidization, and I defy a dissent. Subsi
dization is a grant-in-aid, or money, to a person, helping that per
son continue his education in return for that person’s contribut
ing some unique talent to that school. Surely, it’s a good prin
ciple; that, Morehouse does not deny.
The authorities that be desire a number of “A” and “B” stu
dents so they offer to high school valedictorians a tuition-free
scholarship with a promise of renewal the next semester if the
particular valedictorian maintains an average of at least “B.”
Suppose we wanted a number of excellent athletes (that is, more
than we have) and offered to capable athletes tuition-free scholar
ships with ten dollars lopped off their board and a job to justify
the ten dollar deduction. Are the two scholarships not the same
in principle?
Again the “holy” strain their vocal chords with the weak argu
ment that the boys should play for the love of it. Football is no
child’s game, no game of hop scotch or hide and seek, if you don’t
believe it ask someone who knows, Carl Fuqua, Duke Foster or
John Pearson. Football is rugged and demanding on an in
dividual. “For the love of it,” let our provocative contributor, Mr.
Calhoun work as biology lab assistant for the love of it. Ah, That’s
different they say, like two five ounce cups of water dipped from
the same stream simultaneously, that’s different.
QUESTIONS SCHEMING SUBSIDIZED PLAYERS
Mentioning our facetious contributor reminds me of the in
nuendo he made in calling subsidized athletes, “junior profes
sionals.” Give our talented Mr. Paschal an athletic scholarship,
as 15 or 20 other schools would do, thus helping him on to his
chosen career as a minister. Would Paschal become overnight an
unholy, scheming professional, injuring our sweet, “lily white
amateurs ?”
The logic of the “holy” unsubsidized is so naive that I’m in
clined to say let’s have subsidization. But wait, let us examine
one final dissidence. I say let everyone else subsidize; an all-men’s
school like Morehouse, with almost a thousand virile males, with
natural athletes like All-Southern Elijah Paschal; “Ram” Odom,
who should have made All-Southern; Edwin Thompson; Moses
Petty; Carl Fuqua; Duke Foster; John Pearson; Luther Ware,
former Southern champion hurdler; Johnny Floyd; Irwin Thomp-
(Continued on Page Four)
NOT ANTI-ATHLETIC
Dr. Mays Airs Opinion On Debated
Subject Of Subsidizing Athletes
By Lerone Bennett, Jr.
“Many alumni have consistently tried to blame me for the
losses of our football team ever since I first came to the institu
tion, although I’m definitely not anti-athletic. I am often mis
quoted, misinterpreted and generally misunderstood on this ques
tion of athletics,” averred Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, President of
Morehouse College, in an exclusive interview recently granted to
this reporter.
Sitting j£ his comfortable, spa
cious office, flanked by pictures of
former presidents of the school, the
busy executive radiated an atmos
phere of cordiality • and outlined his
views completely after an initial,
stormy period in which he ex
pressed open distrust of the writer’s
motives.
After a lengthy wait, I was ush
ered into the plush interior of the
inner sanctum and seated. Nervous
ly and a bit apprehensive after the
first brief cyclone, I suggested that
he issue a statement, since he mani
fested an initial dubiousness of the
questions I offered. “No, no, quite
all right,” he said. “You have ques
tions; ask them.”
“Have you ever participated in
any sport, inter-collegiate or intra
mural?” I asked.
“Not in inter-collegiate competi
tion, but in intra-mural, mainly foot-
(Continued on Page Four)
Morehouse Places Five On First
Annual All-City “Dream Team”
Page Notre Dame, Michigan and Army of old. Wire Tennessee
State, Pennsylvania State and SMU. Call up all the old giants of
the past—Navy, Georgia, Morris Brown of Moody’s day and More
house of Harvey’s time. The Maroon Tiger, in its first annual All-
City Eleven, has found its match—and it’s authoritative! Selected
by coaches and leading sports writers of the city, it’s the last
word. It’s . . . It’s . . . It’s super!
The Cellar-dwelling Tigers placed
five men on the team in a walk-a-
way while the other two city teams
were content in splitting the remain
ing six places equally. All-SIAA Eli
jah Paschal was a unanimous choice,
but the selection of the center was
the most ticklish job. Raymondie
Odom of Morehouse and Elridge
Hunter of Morris Brown received an
equal number of votes, so Joel Smith,
Sports Writer of the Atlanta Daily
World, was called in to decide the
issue. The erudite writer immediate
ly decided in favor of Odom, calling
him “the best all-around center in
the city.” Thus the ticklish problem
was settled.
The team was selected by a board
composed of Coach Artie P. Graves
of Morris Brown College; Coach M.
M. Curry of Clark College; Coach
Franklin L. Forbes of Morehouse
College; Robert E. Johnson, former
ly of the Atlanta Daily World and
now Editor of the Maroon Tiger, and
Lerone Bennett, Jr., Sports Editor of
the Maroon Tiger. They selected them
and here they are . . . the city
Dream Team of 1947!
ENDS
RAYMOND WILLIAMS — Because
he exemplifies the manly virtues with
such finesse and coolness, because he
has played such a bang-up game for
the Panthers, because he has meant
so much to clean competition here
in the city, this scintillating star has
been chosen captain of the ’47 team.
HENRY “COOT” WARNER — He
hails from Morehouse and is a big
and rangy fellow. One - of the best
pass receivers in the country, “Coot”
is a senior and a transfer student
from Benedict College, where he
made All-SIAA. He is equally as
good on defense as on offense.
TACKLES
ALLEN SLOCUM — He comes
from Columbus, Ga., but is better
known among ardent Atlanta foot
ball fans. Standing six feet in his
stockings, this heavy boy is fast
and stocky.
JOSEPH McKINNEY — The heav
iest player on the team and per
haps the meanest, McKinney is the
perfect partner for the fast and shif
ty Slocum. McKinney hails from Mt.
Hope, W. Va.
CENTER
RAYMONDE ODOM — Odom was
easily the most controversial choice
of the selection. The writer was al
ready convinced of the superiority of
Odom’s play and when Joel Smith
broke the tie in Odom’s favor, I think
he chose the better player. Odom is a
native of Gadsden, Ala.
GUARDS
ELIJAH PASCHAL — Our only
unanimous choice is the ferocious
Paschal, who was voted most out
standing player in the city. Men
who played opposite him sing his
praise. Enough said.
JAMES CLEVELAND — This
(Continued on Page Four)
FIRST ANNUAL MAROON TIGER ALL-CITY ELEVEN
NAME
POS. HEIGHT WEIGHT CLASS
SCHOOL
Raymond Williams
E
6’3"
170
Sr.
Clark
Henry Warner
E
6'
185
Sr.
Morehouse
Allen Slocum
\ T
6'
175
Soph.
Clark
Joseph McKinney
T
5'9"
196
Jr.
Morris Brown
Raymondie Odom
C
5'10"
175
Jr.
Morehouse
Elijah Paschal
G
5'6"
186
' Soph.
Morehouse
James Cleveland
G
5'11"
185
Soph.
Morris Browh
Edwin Smith
QB
5'11"
162
Sr.
Morehouse
Johnny Richards
HB
5'9"
175
Soph.
Clark
Daniel Hawkins
HB
5'8"
158
Fr.
Morris Brown
Moses Petty
FB
5'9"
180
Sr.
Morehouse
All-Campus Pick
Coach Capers Fuce high, mighty
and all-powering Sophomores
clinched six places on the annual
“Maroon Tiger All-Campus Dream
Team,” released here this week by
the sports editor of the Maroon Ti
ger. The second-place Juniors copped
four berths while the Seniors gar
nered one place.
Oliver Blakely was easily the most
unanimous choice of the board,
which included sports writers of the
Maroon Tiger. Wilkinson and Ever
ett, Gainey and Williams remained
deadlocked throughout several bal
lots, but the greater versatility of
Wilkinson, who set a new record of
passes completed in the intra-mural
game-fest (completing 13 passes out
of a possible 32 for 215 yards), gave
him a slight edge. Other things be
ing equal, the veteran Gainey also
received the nod over Williams be
cause of greater versatility. Wood
ward was an easy choice over his
nearest competitor, Collier.
The line is sparkplugged by the
(Continued on Page Four)
“MISTER BASKETBALL” is the apt title
given All-Southern Irwin Tompkins. A
junior and Atlanta boy, Tompkins has
been the cagey pace-setter of the spark
ling ’48 edition of the Maroon Tigers.
"Mister Basketball’s” 14 points paced
the Forbesmen to their first victory In
the old Sunset Casino, now the Magnolia,
in 11 years. “Buddy G,” watch outl
(Photo by William Bowens.)