Lion Football Team Hits Town Today

Henry Briggs, 203-pound tackle from Salem, Mass., has been named to captain the Columbia football team in tomorrow's game in the Stadium. Briggs is a 21-year-old Senior.

"It's going to be our first exam." That's the way Art Valpey described the Columbia game last night as his squad finished up practice under the Soldiers Field lights for the first time this season.

Yesterday's session, final real workout before tomorrow's game, featured pass drills, with tailbacks Jimmy Noonan and Chuck Roche hitting ends Johnny Fiorentino, Bob DiBlasio and Phil Bolster in impressive fashion.

This afternoon, the Crimson, dressed in its black nylon pants, black helmets; and red jerseys, will run through signal drills in the Stadium at 4 p.m. Lou Little's squad leaves New York this morning and is expected to reach here in time for some loosening-up exercises in the Stadium before Valpey's men take over. The Lions will stay at the Hotel Sheraton.

Lions Mostly Seniors

With the exception of right end Adam Rakowski, the Light Blue will field an all-Senior starting lineup tomorrow. Bill Lockwood will be on the other flank, Gene Shekitka will be at center, Charles Klomovitch and Joe Karas will man the guard posts, and Clyde Hampton and Henry Briggs are the tackles.

In the backfield, Little has the famous "Goal Dust" twins, fullback Lou Kusserow and quarterback Gene Rossides, along with wingback Johnny Nork and tailback Bill Olson. Between them, Rossides and Kusserow scored four touchdowns against Rutgers last Saturday to lead Columbia to a 27-6 win.

For the Crimson, Valpey will probably string along with a starting lineup that includes 10 Massachusetts athletes. They are, in the line, ends Bob DiBlasio and Johnny Fiorentino, tackles Chief Bender and Doug Bradlee, guards Howie Houston (he'll play tackle on defense) and Jack Coan, and center Paul O'Brien. The starting Varsity backfield will consist of Captain Kenny O'Donnell at wingback. Booming Bill Henry at quarterback, Jimmy Noonan or Chuck Roche at tailback, and either Chip Gannon or Paul Shafer at fullback. Gannon and Shafer are the only non-Bay Staters in this group.

Nobody knows what kind of magic Valpey has up his sleeve or on the blackboard in Dillon Field House, but already an exceptionally large amount of opening game tickets have been sold to the faithful, loyal, and merely curious for tomorrow's contest.