The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 04, 1949, Page Page Nine, Image 9
JOE MOLONY, Sports Editor
LLOYD HUNTINGTON JACK MORGAN
Ass't. Sports EA41or Intramural Editor
LEON.1 D DUCKETT, Sports Feature Editor
It's No Bolony
By
Joe Molony
Johnson's Team Was a Credit to U9C
"I don't know," the heavy-set, slightly greying man said I
just before the Christmas holidays. With a wave of his hand
to the disorganized panorama unfolding before us in the
field house, he sadly said, "They're inexperienced, but they'll
be in there fighting. Look at them and choose for yourself."
Coach Frank Johnson left us little to choose from. His
basketball team just wasn't impressive. The Gamecocks had
lost their key 1947-48 veterans, Crick Talus, Steve Trew
hella, Al Adams and Phil Cantore, and the replacements
were nervous, untried and inexperienced. I
That was before the season. The rest is history, which
will be remembered many years. When we're alumni, settled
down to our respective jobs, we'll look back with pleasure to
the 1948-49 basketball season, not too remindful of Caro
lina's won-and-lost record, but proud of the team's fight and
spirit. We'll remember how Jim Slaughter set a state scor
ing record after an awkward, disillusioned 1947-48 season.
Henry Martin brought us to our feet with his dazzling of
fensive tactics and left USC with 1,036 points behind him.
But Coach Johnson wll be credited with the almost super
human job of developing a m,-ediocre group of athletes into,
at times, an unbeatable machine and inspiring his men to
unbelievable heights.
Just after the Georgia game, which we won, b4-63, we paid
another visit to the field house. A look at the fire and spirit
among the players, their confidence in eacti other and their
overall improvement since the season's beginning, was proof
positive to us that Frank Johnson is a good basketball coach.
Johnny-on-the-Spot
Which Johnny? Boyle or Lujack? Lujack turned up at
the right time, at the right spot, but will his presence put
Boyle on the spot?
A lot ot mystery surrounded Lujack's on-tne-spot reportal
to Rex Enright as backfield coach for the three weeks of
spring training. Rumors were out that Lujack was going
to replace Al Grygo, who was leaving after the spring.
But they were stymied by Enright almost immediately.
How did Enright persuade the nationally-famous Lujack
to help him out in remote little South Carolina?
"I needed a man to help the quarterbacks," Enright said.
"So, I naturally turned to a Notre Dame graduate. I called
Johnny up at Chicago, asked him if he'd help and he ac
cepted. That's all there was to it. Lujack will -emain here
throughout spring training, helping the ball-handlers in
little phases of the game, spinning, weight-distribution, etc.
People mustn't tie his presence up with Grygo's leaving.
We're making plans right now for Grygo's successor."
The good-looking, likeable Notre Dame graduate has been
enjoying his stay in Columbia, but he hasn't had a chance
to give the campus a thorough going-over. His first day
here brought on a close friendship with Carolina's own
Clifford Turner, the football team's unofficial mascot.
Everywhere Lujack goes, Cliff is right behind him.
But Cliff says "no.new coach'll be hired unless I give the
word. I'm boss ar'ound here."
So, we're afraid it looks like Lujack will leave directly for
Chicago after spring training and begin practice with the
Chicago Bears, with whom he'll perform next season as Sid
Luckman 's understudy.
1NO BOLONY
Johnny Lujack, Coach Rex Enright and the other coaches
were looking over a couple of Manning Ha.rris' shots of
Johnny. Cliff Turner was looking over Lujack's shoulder,
pointing to Johnny in the picture and telling him who it was.
Lujack would ask Cliff "who's that ?", Cliff would answer
and Lujack would feign surprise . . . Lujack was swamped
with prospective high school and college stars when he ar
rived, but he answered all their questions in a friendly man
ner. We overheard one kid remark, "He's sure a regular
guy." . . . We asked Enright if Lujack's ideas would cause
any drastic change in his quarterback's ball-handling, he
replied: "Johnny will help a lot picking out the minute er
rors, that I've failed to catch, but as far as a change in my
employed system, there'll be none. He stands up much
straighter behind the center, spins with perfect balance and
is pretty quick. That's the-main differences I've noted. The
latter two defects'will be corrected and his coaching should
be invaluable to our quarterbacks." . . . One guy remarked
of Lujack: "I thought he'd be pretty well beat-up, but look
at him. He looks just as smooth as he operates" . . . A re
port from the Clemson camp that the Tigers' 1949 line will
be just about as strong as last year's. We wonder where
these hillbillies come from. Last year Clemson had a 60
minute line. Maybe by eating their hearts out last year,
the '48 subs will take it out on the Tigers' opponents this
year . .. Carolina's line situation is unchanged. Red Wilson
may be moved to offensive tackle, leaving way for Bob Kahie
and Cecil Woolbright to snag Boyle's or Hagan's passes. But
what about the guards? Only time will tell . . . Coach En
right told us in 1946 that his team should play the big-timers
in 1950. Well, it's 1949 and he's scheduled Baylor, Ga. Tech,
North Carolina, Wake Forest and other big teams and he's
imported Lujack to work with his quarterbacks. Maybe, his
long-range prediction will come through . . . Three students,
Jim Milligan, Cooney Walker and Ed Rogers, have pooled
their resources and opened up a filling station at Pendleton
and Main streets . . . A law student, deeply entrenched inhi
shyster studies, overheard a conversation concerning Lujak
and asked: "Lujak. Who's Lujack?" And, the guy was se
X X .
All-American quarterback
Coach Rex Enright to the (
Upper left: Lujack shaking
Hartsville. Grygo was a f
being greeted by Enright a
ing Boyle how to pass. "He
Carolina. He learns fast.
center should hold the ball
USC photo by Manning Hal
Basketeen.6
Season Wi0
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South Carolina's Gamecocks
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hands with Al Grygo, whoi
ormer halfback for the ChicE
fter his arrival here. "I want<
can show me a few things," til
And the little hints Lujack
before handing it off to the
rris.)
' Complete
.th Victory
against Clemson in the most ac
curate shooting performance seen
in the state this year.
John "Cy" Szakacsi was the only
other man to start every game for
the Gamecocks. Szakacsi was one
of the smoothest floor-players in
the conference and was always a
definite scoring threat. Szakaesi
enjoyed his biggest game against
Furman, midway in the season,
when he scored 24 points with a
brilliant display of offensive and
defensive ability.
Carolina's first game in the Sou
thern Conference tournament yes
terday was against one of the
stronger teams entered, George
Washington's towering Colonials.
George WVashington defeated the
Gamecocks 81-51 during the reg
ular season.
Ray Adler, six-foot, five-inch
center for the Colonials, held
Slaughter, Carolina's high scoring
ace, to only four p)oints in the first
meeting of the two teams. Slaugh
ter scored only one field goal dur
ing the game.
~IT
AK HOUSE
sing in -
STEAKS
Orders
idwiches
5 Points
erican Shows 'o
e fame got off the plane at th
mediately set to work showing
s leaving the Bird coaching ra
go Bears while Lujack is qu
d a Notre Dame man for the j
e genial Irish All-American (IV
an pass on should benefit the
juarterback. Boyle, Assistant
Sportsquiz
Since there were no winners
last wevk, we're going a little easy
on you this week. Dave Garvin.
manager of the Carolina theatre,
who's donating two free tickets
for the winner, says he'll make
them good again this week.
Last week's answers were: "The
Sqired~ of Kennett Square"-Herb
Pennock"; Old Ironsides"-Lou
Gehrig; "Old Pete"-Grover ('leie
land Alexander, and "Little Na
poleon"-John McGraw.
IIere's an easy four for this
week: (Pick three right, drop
your answers to the Sports Edi
tor, The Gamecock, campus, not
later than Tuesday afternoon and
the first winner received gets the
tickets.)
1-Who was known for the
sloge'n Connects"?
lie made All-American halfback
for a small midwestern university
around ten years ago, and was the
first football player to give his
life for his country.
2-Who w%as the first miajor
league baseball player to be
drafted ini World War II?
3-What present-day major
league infielder is known as the
"Antelope?"
4-What present-day major
league outfielder is known as "The
Little Professor"?
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?m How
-AR L
NO,
e Capitol airport at 2:40 p. m
the Gamecock quarterbacks
nks after spring training to gc
rterbacking the Bears this y
ob." Enright said. He got one
146-47) modestly says. Royl<
big. New Yorker. l,ower ri,-ht
Coach Weems Baskin and othei
Spring Football
Practice Takes
On Added Spirit
With the arrival of Johnny Lu
jack to the football spring training
camp, workouts took on a new
spirit on Melton Field last week.
The quarterbacks were grou ped
around the former Notre Dame All.
American in 1946 and 1947, taking
in everything he said and sho~wed
to thenm.
The line continued gruelling
practices at the far end of the
field as the spectators lined up
watching Lujack and the backs per
form. The lack of spectator at
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Page Nine
Monday, rode with Head
how to handle a football.
in business for himself in
ar. Upper right: Lujack
of the best. Lujack show
's got a bright future at
.Johnny showing how the
players look on. (Official
tention didn't stop coaches Ted
Petoskev and Hank Bartos from
giving the front-runners careful
scrutiny.
Johnny Boyle, fro:;h passing star
last year, was given individual at
tention by Lujack during the first
few practices while the rest of the
quarterbacks looked on. Lujack
stressed hall-handling and other
foudamient als.
The team wvill continue working
out each afternoon at 4 o'clock at
Melton Field until March 21.
Flowers For All
Occasions
ART
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P'hone 2-68
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