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The 1961 College All-Star Game |
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They beat a good collegiate football squad after a prolike probe of its weakness- pass defense.
And the Eagles, booed by many of the 65,000 fans as they trotted onto the rain-soaked sod of Soldier Field, showed their detractors they could do it without the golden arm of Norm Van Brocklin- the quarterback who led them to the NFL crown last year, then quit and became coach of the Minnesota Vikings.
The All-Stars suffered a severe stroke of bad luck during warmups before the game, televised and broadcast by ABC. Navy's Joe Bellino, a key man in their strategy of attack, slipped while going down for a pass and pulled a right leg muscle. The All-American halfback, who soon begins a four-year stint in the Navy as an ensign, was to have made his last game a big one. He sat it out on the bench. "The turf gave way and so did the muscle," he said. "But, gosh, how I wish I could have played."
Bill Brown (Illinois-Chicago Bears) ran back the opening kickoff 39 years, and Norm Snead (Wake Forest-Washington Redskins) hit Aaron Thomas (Oregon State-San Francisco 49ers) with a 42-yard pass that went to the Eagles' 12. It looked as if the All-Stars were primed, but they were pushed back to the 17, and the quickie strike was dead.
Minutes later, the Eagles got the ball on their 20. Sonny Jurgensen, Van Brocklin's understudy, was caught trying to pass. But he flipped the ball behind. him like a globetrotter basketball player.
Pete Retzlaff took it for 13 yards. It touched off an 80-yard drive in seven plays, capped by Jurgensen's 27-yard touchdown pass to Tommy McDonald (video). He was completely in the open. McDonald snared two more Jurgensen tosses, each for 24 yards, for touchdowns, and Retzlaff took one for 25 yards.
The Eagles led 21-0 at halftime and made it 28-0 with their fourth td with four minutes left in the game.
Then Bill Kilmar (UCLA-49ers) brought the collegians to life with passes from the short punt, spread formation. In six plays they surged 75 yards. Kilmer capped it with an 18-yard scoring pitch to Glynn Gregory (SMU-Dallas Cowboys).
Then guard Dick Grecni (Ohio U-Cleveland Browns) intercepted a King Hill pass and lumbered 57 yards for a touchdown.
"Had we scored on that first play, we'd have had them on the run," said All-Star Head Coach Otto Graham. "I'd like to play them again- and on a dry field I think we'd beat them."
Coach Nick Skorich said: "Our guys were concerned about being somewhat downgraded while the stars were being touted, and we went out to justify our championship."
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Michigan State's Herb Adderly (26) brings down Tim Brown.
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Jurgensen, here being pursued by Bob Lilly, was sensational against the All-Stars. |
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Ted Dean carries for the Eagles.
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