knapplc Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Jim Thorpe bio, from Wikipedia Pop Warner was hesitant to allow Thorpe, his best track and field athlete, to compete in a physical game such as football.[14] Thorpe, however, convinced Warner to let him try some rushing plays in practice against the school team's defense; Warner assumed he would be tackled easily and give up the idea.[14] Thorpe "ran around past and through them not once, but twice".[14] He then walked over to Warner and said "Nobody is going to tackle Jim," while flipping him the ball.[14] Thorpe gained nationwide attention for the first time in 1911.[15] As a running back, defensive back, placekicker and punter, Thorpe scored all his team's points—four field goals and a touchdown—in an 18–15 upset of Harvard, a top ranked team in those early days of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.[14] His team finished the season 11–1. In 1912 Carlisle won the national collegiate championship largely as a result of his efforts – he scored 25 touchdowns and 198 points during the season.[11] Carlisle's 1912 record included a 27–6 victory over Army.[6] In that game, Thorpe's 92-yard touchdown was nullified by a teammate's penalty, but on the next play Thorpe rushed for a 97-yard touchdown.[16] Future President Dwight Eisenhower, who played against him that season, recalled of Thorpe in a 1961 speech: "Here and there, there are some people who are supremely endowed. My memory goes back to Jim Thorpe. He never practiced in his life, and he could do anything better than any other football player I ever saw."[11] He was awarded All-American honors in both 1911 and 1912.[6] VS Carl Eller Bio, from Wikipedia As a sophomore, Eller helped lead the Gophers to a Rose Bowl victory. While Eller shared the starting position as a sophomore he became a full-time, two-way player as a junior and senior and was voted All-America both years. During his time in college the Gophers were National Champions as well as Big Ten champions. As a senior (1963) Eller was the runner-up for the Outland Trophy. Following each football season, the Carl Eller Award is given to the University of Minnesota's Defensive Player of the Year. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006. Link to comment
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