Newspaper Page Text
Gabriel Wins Jim Thorpe Trophy
By MURRAY OLDERMAN
Newspaper Enterprise Assn.
“With what his team has done this
year, you’ve got to hand it to Gabe."
—Monte Clark, tackle, Cleveland.
NEW YORK—(NEA)—Gabe is a big guy
with dark, moody features reflecting his
Filipino ancestry. His full name is Roman
Gabriel, Jr., and he is the most valuable
player in the National Football League.
His peers, all the other players on the 16
teams, made it official in voting him the
winner of the 15th annual Jim Thorpe
Trophy, announced today by Newspaper
Enterprise Association and (name your
paper).
“I think Gabe has been the difference in
this year’s Rams team,” noted Bart Starr,
the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.
“His leadership has been outstanding.”
Coming from Starr, this is significant,
for the veteran Packer leader was himself
the recipient of the same honor in 1966.
Quarterbacks, as a matter of fact, have
a natural proclivity for this highest honor
in pro football. Gabriel is the fourth
straight signal caller to top the voting of
the players. His three immediate prede
cessors, in succession, were Starr, John
Unitas and Earl Morrall of Baltimore.
But for a player such as Gabriel, the
emergence as the No. 1 man in his league
was not automatic. At 29, he has com
pleted his eighth season with the Los
Angeles Rams, and has been the regular
quarterback without challenge only the
last four.
The unique part of his selection this
year is that he was not even picked by
the players on their NEA All-Pro team—
Sonny Jurgensen was accorded that honor.
On the surface, that should be a con
tradiction. Actually, it’s a tribute to the
role Gabriel played in leading the Rams
to 12 straight victories in the first 12 weeks
of the season. Jurgensen was the flashier
performer, the No. 1 passer in the league,
with the most completions and the great
est yardage and deserved his designation
to All-Pro status.
Dickey, Graves
Deny Rumors
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (UPI)
—Tennessee Coach Doug Dick
ey and Florida Coach Ray
Graves denied reports Monday
night that Dickey might take
over the Florida coaching reins
following Saturday’s Gator
Bowl clash between the two
schools.
A source close to the
Tennessee Athletic Department
said earlier that Dickey, a
Florida graduate, had been
offered the head coaching post
with Graves to devote full time
to his duties as athletic
director.
“I don’t know anything about
it and it’s a poor time for
anyone to be talking about
this,” snapped Dickey in
Jacksonville Beach. “We’ve got
a ball game coming. I don’t
plan to leave Tennessee.”
Graves, who played at
Tennessee, was reached in
Daytona Beach. “This is the
year for the rumors,” he said.
“I’ve heard a lot of them but I
don’t know where they got this
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But Gabe, as the guys on the Rams call
him, was the winner. He gave them the
big play when it counted. He was the
stalwart who stood up to enemy blitzes and
delivered the crucial offense on a team
which didn’t score in big bunches. He
also provided the pay-off—more touchdown
passes than any quarterback in the league.
There is a precedent for the Jurgensen-
Gabriel switch-off on honors. In 1959,
Johnny Unitas of the Colts was voted the
quarterback on the player’s All-Pro team
but Charley Conerly, in a split ballot, was
awarded the Jim Thorpe Trophy as the
most valuable player.
In this year’s voting, Jurgensen was
second, followed by Gale Sayers of the
Chicago Bears, who made a remarkable
comeback from knee surgery to lead the
NFL in rushing, and Joe Kapp, the inspira
tional leader of the Minnesota Vikings’
attack. A distant fifth was Calvin Hill, the
rookie of the year and a surprise spear
head of the Dallas Cowboys’ ground
game.
Gabriel'will receive his trophy at the
NEA-CBS All-Star party in Hollywood’s
Television City on Jan. 15, and the cere
mony will be shown nationally on the 1969
NFL All-Pro Team show, Sunday, Jan. 18,
3:30-4:00 p.m. EST, before the Pro Bowl
game.
Literally, as well as figuratively, Gab
riel is the biggest quarterback in the
league. At 6-4 and 220 pounds, he has
been called a defensive tackle masquerad
ing as a passer. His father, a native of the
Philippines who eventually settled in
Wilmington, N. C., is 5-6 and 140.
(Jurgensen is also from Wilmington,
N.C., and preceded Gabriel as a high
school quarterback.)
Gabriel became an All-American
quarterback at North Carolina State and
was the top draft choice of the Rams in
1962. Despite sporadic play in the early
years, he is the second leading passer
(and closing in fast on Norm Van Brock
lin) in the club’s history. A feature of his
effectiveness is his low percentage of in
terceptions—he holds the all-time NFL
record in that important category.
As a natural off-shoot of his Los Angeles
employment, he has acted in the movies.
Last winter he was in “The Undefeated”
—a neat bit of symbolism.
(Newspaptr Enterprise Assn.)
one although he’s (Dickey) a
Florida boy.
week, Graves denied
reports in several Florida
newspapers that he planned to
retire from coaching and that
•he might be succeeded by
Gator defensive Coach Gene
Ellenson or Vanderbilt Coach
Bill Pace.
Graves guided the 17th-ranked
Gators to an 8-1-1 mark this
season and has four sophomore
backfield starters returning for
the next two seasons, including
the passing combination of
quarterback John Reaves and
All-America'flanker Carlos Al
varez.
Dickey, who led his 11th
ranked Vols to a 9-1 record this
season, became head coach at
Jackets Smash
Sanford 97-76
ATLANTA (UPI) - Five
Georgia Tech players scored in
double figures Monday night to
lead the Yellow Jackets to a 97-
76 victory over Samford Uni
versity of Birmingham.
Rich Yunkus hit for 29—in
cluding 10 straight in the first
half, breaking an 18-18 tie and
paying the way to a 50-35 half-
Davidson Nips
Bulldogs 74-72
CHARLOTTE, N. C. (UPI) -
The University of Georgia Bull
dogs suffered a 74 - 72 loss to
Davidson Monday night with
seven seconds remaining in the
game.
Sophomore Brian Adrian hit
rennessee in December 1963.
He played quarterback for Flor
ida in 1951-53 under Bob Wood
ruff, the present Tennessee ath
letic director.
During his six years at Ten
nessee, Dickey’s teams have
posted a 46-14-4 mark and this
year’s Gator Bowl will be the
Vols’ fifth straight bowl ap
pearance.
Dickey confirmed he had
heard rumors that Graves
might give up his coaching
duties.
“We’ve heard rumors from a
reliable source that Ray will
step out immediately after the
Gator Bowl game,” Dickey
said. “Naturally, he’ll be shoot
ing to go out a winner.”
time lead.
Bob Seemer had 18 for Tech,
Bill Mayer contributed 15 points
and Jim Thorne and Howard
Thompson each added 10.
Samford’s leaders were Sher
man Hogan with 21 and Otha
Mitchell with 20.
Tech, now 5-1, faces UCLA
Saturday night. Samford is 4-3.
the winning jump shot. He had
put the Wildcats ahead 72-71 a
minute earlier with two free
throws, but Georgia tied it up
on a free throw by guard Jerry
Epling with 59 seconds left on
the board.
Georgia, paced by center Bob
Lienhard with 32 points, led
Davidson by as much as 10
points, 68-58, with 8:07 left in
the game but failed to bab a
single field goal from then on.
Davidson rallied, sparked by
Adrian who led with 26 points,
to close the gap in the crucial
minutes.
Epling added 15 points to
Georgia’s effort and Lanny Tay
lor had 13.
SPLIT AWARD
WICHITA, Kan. (UPI)-H. A.
“Red” Boucher of Fairbanks,
Alaska and Bauldie Moschetti
of Boulder, Colo, have been
named co-recipients of the
National Baseball Congress’
“Manager of the Decade”
Award.
Boucher managed Fairbanks
to seven NBC titles since taking
over in 1962, and Moschetti has
guided the Boulder Collegians
to five state titles and the NBC
championship twice since 1965.
BEST BY BALLOT
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SPORTS
|| RATINGS |
NEW YORK (UPl)—The
United Press International top
20 major college basketball
teams, as chosen by a panel of
34 coaches, with first place
votes and won-lost records
through games of Dec. 20 in
parentheses (Third week):
... Team Points
1. Kentucky (21) (6-0) 324
2. UCLA (13) (4-0) 318
3. South Carolina (6-1) 195
4. North Car. (5-1) 113
5. Houston (8-0) 104
6. Tennessee (4-0) 99
7. New Mex. St. (8-1) 95
8. Ohio Univ. (6-0) 9. Kansas
(6-1) 63
10. St. Bnvnture (4-0) 51
11. Washington (6-0) 50
12. Illinois (6-0) 44
13. Notre Dame (5-1) 43
14. Sou. Calif. (4-2) 31
15. Villanova (3-1) 29
16. Davidson (3-1) 28
17. St. Jn’s (N.Y.) (5-1) 26
18. Wyoming (7-0) 19
19. (Tie)x-Jcksnvl(s-0) 15
(Tie) Marquette (5-1) 15
x—Record includes forfeit
victory
Others receiving five or more
points — Columbia, Pennsylva
nia, Baylor, Oklahoma State,
LSU, Purdue, Missouri, Pacific,
Cincinnati, North Carolina St.,
Brigham Young, Duke and New
Mexico.
|| SCORES |
College Basketball Results
By United Press International
Army 68 Maine 42
No Tex St. 98 Nev (Lv) 92
Dartmth 77 Memphis St. 74
(20. t.
Centenary 78 Baylor 74
No. 111. 85 San Diego St. 65
Providence 79 De Paul 78
St. Fran (pa.) 74 St. Mry’s 59
North Carolina 99 Rice 87
LIU 69 Citadel 61
S.W. Texas 79 Sul Ross 66
Tulsa 101 Bradley 78
N.C. St. 76 Vanderbilt 70
Marquette 67 Minnesota 51
Ohio St. 87 Tulane 74
NYAC 93 Dowling 82
lowa 101 Drake 78
Am. U. 92 Syracuse 88
Houston 76 Long Bch St. 69
Davidson 74 Georgia 72
Oklahoma 85 Arkansas 69
Jcksnvl 103 Harvard 64
Butler 72 Murray St. 69
Fla. St. 79 Louisville 69
Utah 117 Michigan 102
Colo. St. 91 San Jose St. 65
Denver 73 Brghm Yng 56
St. John’s (NY) 63 Stnfrd 59
< Seattle 75 Weber St. 66
Sun Bowl Classic
At El Paso, Tex.
(Ist Round)
Missouri 81 Tex. A&M 79
Utep 90 Clemson 82
N.C. State
Wins Sixth
By United Press International
Unbeaten North Carolina
State won its sixth straight
game Monday night, beating
Vanderbilt 76-70 as sophomore
center Paul Coder scored 27
points.
Coder had plenty of offensive
help. Sophomore guard Ed Left
wich got 17 points and senior
forward Vann Williford dumped
in 14. Vanderbilt rallied late in
the game with N. C. State 14
points ahead, but it fell far
short.
In other action involving
Southeastern teams Monday
night, Davidson came from
behind to beat Georgia 74-72,
Cassius Clay
Fails To Get
Texas License
AUSTIN, Tex. (UPI)-Cas
-sius Clay was forced to come
from behind a smoke screen to
seek a license to fight in Texas
and the move all but killed any
hopes of a Clay-Joe Frazier
matchup in the Houston Astro
dome.
Houston promoters operated
quietly for almost a month to
get Clay a license to fight in
Texas, because they knew
publicity could kill their chan
ces.
They applied to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics—the office in
Texas which grants boxing
licenses—but the application
was rejected.
So the promoters and Clay’s
backers were forced into the
open and they filed a suit in
District Court to get Clay a
license hoping to stage a
Frazier-Clay fight in the
Astrodome sometime in Fe
bruary or March.
Informed sources said Mon
day the suit could be tied up in
litigation for several months
and even on the slim chance
the ruling is favorable the
chances for a fight between
Clay and Frazier in Texas are
all but dead.
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
OF ALL KINDS
• Christmas Tree Lights
• Windows Candles
• Green Spruce Trees
and more
BUCKLES HARDWARE
409 West Solomon Street
FREE PAVED PARKING LOT.
Long Island University downed
The Citadel 69-61, Florida State
University beat Louisville 79-69,
Jacksonville waltzed past Har
vard 103-64, and Georgia Tech
downed Samford 97-76.
Long Island broke open a
tight ball game with The Cita
del in the second half as Fred
Ephraim and Walter Jones
each scored 21 points. The lead
changed hands six times during
the first half but five minutes
into the second half LIU took
charge. Willie Taylor led The
Citadel with 19.
Denny Leach dropped in a
field goal at the buzzer to give
VirginiaCommonwealthUniver
sity an 87-85 win over Akron.
Charles Booker led the Virginia
team with 26 points.
Senior forward Willie Wil
liams led Florida State scorers
with 25 points as the Seminoles
downed Louisville with little
trouble. Center Dave Owens had
21 rebounds for the winners.
Jacksonville’s king-sized Dol
phins had no trouble with Har
vard. Three of Jacksonville’s
starters were seven-footers who
dominated the backboards. Sev
en-two Artis Gilmore had 29
points and 29 rebounds.
Rich Yunkus scored 10
straight points in the first half
and 29 over-all to lead Georgia
Tech to its win over Samford
of Birmingham. Yunkus’ streak
midway in the first period
broke an 18-18 tie and enabled
Tech to sail into the second
half with a 50-35 lead that was
never seriously challenged.
Kessinger Signs
CHICAGO (UPI)-Don Kes
singer, 27, the National
League’s All-Star shortstop the
past two seasons Tuesday
became the first Chicago Cub
to sign his 1970 contract.
In addition to being on the
league’s All-Star team, Kessin
ger was named to the Sporting
News All-Star team and re
ceived the Golden Glove Award
as the top defensive shortstop
in the league. Kessinger led the
league in all six defensive
categories for a shortstop.
Griffin Daily News
Tuesday, December 23, 1969
Vet Bill Nelsen
Makes Pro Bowl
LOS ANGELES (UPI)—Bill
Nelsen, the seven-year veteran
from University of Southern
California, is finally going to
get to play in the Pro Bowl.
The former USC quarterback
guided the Cleveland Browns to
the National Football League
Century Division title this
season and Monday was named
to the East team which will
face the West in the 20th
annual NFL All-Star game Jan.
18.
Nelsen will share the Eastern
Conference squad’s quarter
backing duties with Sonny
Jurgensen of the Washington
Redskins.
The Browns and Dallas
Cowboys of the Capitol Division
champions, each placed eight
men on the 34-player team
picked by the NFL’s East
coaches.
East’s Rushing Corps
Leroy Kelly, Cleveland’s six
year pro from Morgan State,
will be joined as the East’s
rushing corps by rookies Calvin
Hill of the Cowboys and Larry
Brown of the Redskins.
Selected to play in the Pro
Bowl for the seventh time were
defensive tackle Bob Lilly of
Dallas and St. Louis Cardinals’
safety Larry Wilson.
Safety Mel Renfro of the
Cowboys was picked to make
his sixth straight appearance at
the Coliseum.
The East’s other first-year
men will be defensive tackle
Joe Greene of the Pittsburgh
Steelers and place kicker Tom
Dempsey of the New Orleans
Saints.
The other offensive players
were:
Other Players
Paul Warfield, Cleveland;
Harold Jackson, Philadelphia;
Roy Jefferson, Pittsburgh, wide
receivers; Jackie Smith, St.
Louis; Jerry Smith, Washing
ton, tight ends; Bob Reynolds,
St. Louis; Ralph Neely, Dallas;
Ernie McMillan, St. Louis,
Tackles; John Niland, Dallas;
Gene Rickerson, Cleveland;
Jake Kupp, New Orleans,
Guards; Fred Hoaglin, Cleve
land; Len Hauss, Washington,
centers.
Also chosen to the defensive
unit were:
Tim Rossovich, Philadelphia;
George Andrie, Dallas; Jack
Gregory, Cleveland, ends; Wai-
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11
ter Johnson, Cleveland, tackle;
Jim Houston, Cleveland; Lee .
Roy Jordan, Dallas; Chuck
Howley, Dallas; Chris Hanbur
ger, Washington, linebackers;
Jerry Stovall, St. Louis, safety;
Pat Fischer, Washington; Willie
Williams, New York, corner- •
backs.
The West team will be *;
announced later.
In the 19-year series, the
West holds a 12-7 edge.
Jets' Hopes Ride
On Joe Namath
NEW YORK (UPl)—The New
York Jets’ hopes for a
comeback in 1970 depend on Joe .
Namath.
Joe Namath’s hopes for
returning rest on two gimpy
knees and another possible
operation.
“I will play next season— •_
maybe,” Namath said Monday. .
“It depends entirely on my
physical condition. There’s an
80 per cent chance I will have
io have an operation.”
The Jets lost to the Kansas
City Chiefs, 13-6, on Saturday in
ihe American Football League’s ?
semifinal playoffs as Namath
was unable to ignite a scoring
drive. However, Namath said
the loss would not affect his -
attitude about returning next
season.
Asked if the Jets will win the :
league title next year, Namath
said “We’ll have to do better.”
Jardine Named
Wisconsin Coach
MADISON, Wis. (UPI)-John
Jardine, assistant coach at the
University of California at Los
Angeles, was named Monday as
Wisconsin’s new football coach.
Jardine, 34, succeeds John
Coalta, whose contract was not
renewed for the next season. *
Coatta’s teams in three
seasons won only three games
—all this year —and tied one.
Jardine, a former Purdue
guard and linebacker, had been
an assistant at his alma mater
before joining the UCLA staff
five years ago. He was credited
with much of the recruiting
that made both schools national
powers.