By Woodrow Carroll
By Woodrow Carroll
For more than 40 years, one of the biggest football attractions in Chicago was the All-Star team/National Football League game. The game each Summer pitted a selection of college gridiron greats against the reigning National Football League champion.
Starting in 1934, the game was held at Soldier Field every year through 1976 with three exceptions The 1974 game was canceled by an NFL players’ strike, and in 1943 and 1944 war-time conditions moved the games to Northwestern University in Evanston, just north of Chicago.
Seating at Soldier Field was much greater than today. The Chicago Bears, defending NFL champion in 1947 attracted 105,840 in a game won by the All-Stars, 16-0. The following year the Chicago Cardinals defeated the All-Stars, 28-0, in front of a crowd of more than 101,220.
For years, the game was competitive. However, by the mid-1960s the pros’ tactical sophistication made the game less competitive. The last All-Star victory was 1963 against the Green Bay Packers.
Having a sports-minded father was a plus. In 1952, as a 10-year old, Father took me to the Los Angeles Rams vs. College All-Stars game on Chicago’s lakefront. What a memory!
There were some legendary players on both teams that night, bigger than life to many.
Starting quarterback for the Rams was Bob Waterfield, a star in his own right. Waterfield was married to actress Jane Russell, who made an appearance escorted by Chicago’s finest.
Nicknames in the 1952 game?
• Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch, from Wausau, Wis. who attended both Wisconsin and Michigan, the latter because of World War II. An established Rams’ star in 1952, his running style gave birth to his nickname.
• Verda T. “Vitamin Tablet” Smith was asked by a member of the media the reason for his success, and he claimed taking vitamins paid off.
• Volney “Skeet” Quinlan? A skeet move, long out of fashion, was used to describe his shifty-running style.
• “Deacon” Dan Towler was a running back and ordained minister. Towler was from Donora, Pa. where Baseball Hall of Famer Stan Musial and Joe Griffey scion of the Griffey baseball clan, called home.
• Paul “Tank” Younger was the first player from a traditional African-American school (Grambling) to make it to the NFL. A bruising, running, style earned Younger his name.
• Dick “Night Train” Lane’s teammate Tom Fears played music in the locker room. Fears came to call Lane by one of his preferred numbers.
• Glenn “Mr. Outside” Davis. The name stems from Davis’ time playing for Army. Davis was “Mr. Outside” and teammate Felix ‘Doc’ Blanchard was “Mr. Inside”. Davis was briefly married to starlet Terry Moore.
The college All-Star squad was not devoid of dazzle either in 1952!
Vito “Babe” Parilli was quarterback in an early All-Star drive that put his team ahead, 7-0. At the end of his career, Parilli backed up Joe Namath in Super Bowl III. Parilli was not needed in relief. The Jets’ 16-7 victory over the Baltimore Colts was Parelli’s final game as a pro. Oddly enough, Parilli and Namath were both from western Pennsylvania and each played for head coach Bear Bryant, Parilli at Kentucky and Namath at Alabama.
Frank Gifford and Billy Wade wore All-Star uniforms in 1952. Although not blessed with exotic nicknames both did their parts in years to come.
Gifford starred for the New York Giants in the 1950s. He later served as referee for the Howard Cosell/Don Meredith tag team Monday Night Football television broadcasts of the 1970s.
Wade initially played for the Rams, however, by 1963 Wade was quarterback of the Bears who beat the Giants, 14-10, for the NFL championship.
It was a rain-filled night for the 1952 All-Star-NFL game. Despite the inclement weather a crowd of 88,316 showed up. Thanks to a late Waterfield field goal, the Rams won, 10-7. The game left this writer’s memory bank permanently charged.