The 1951 College All-Star Game
The
renewal of the classic, charitable game in 1951 pitted the Cleveland
Browns against the graduating class of the All-Stars of college football
on August 17, 1951 before a crowd of 92,180 fans. A stunning amount in
net receipts was taken in that year, $428,000, the largest in the
series’ eighteen-year history. Herman Hickman of Yale was voted to coach
the team. One member of his staff was George Sauer, then head coach at
Baylor University. Sauer had been a player on the 1934 team as
co-captain. Hickman’s team included Kyle Rote of Southern Methodist
University, Dick Stanfel of San Francisco, Bud McFadin of Texas (who
would be MVP for the All-Stars) and Bob Williams of Notre Dame.
The first quarter yielded a play, which would be a
sign of things to come. Bob Williams of Notre Dame recovered a fumbled
handoff in the endzone for a safety. W.A. (Dub) Jones then scored the first of his two touchdowns in
the second quarter as he swept the All-Star end for two yards and a
score. Lou Groza, “the canny tackle whose specialty was kicking”,
provided the extra point. Later in the same period Groza kicked a
20-yard field goal.
Dub
Jones, who was a former All-Star in 1946 (Tulane) later became the
father of Bert Jones, quarterback from LSU on the 1973 All-Star team. As
a professional in this game, Dub Jones scored his second touchdown in
the third quarter on a 3-yard run around end. In the final quarter, both
Dante Lavelli and Emerson Cole caught short touchdown passes from Otto
Graham, making the final tally 33-0 in favor of the Cleveland Browns.