JollyGoodFellow90GT#1
Varsity Lurker
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2016
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- 163
In 1917, Walker "Bill" Carpenter and Everett Strupper became the first All-Americans, in football, at Tech.
Walker "Bill" Carpenter:
Mr. Carpenter was from Newnan, GA. He played right tackle for John Heisman. Coach Heisman once said, " "On three of Georgia Tech's greatest teams Bill Carpenter—Big Six—played right tackle in the manner that makes coaches believe that life is good. Even the coaches of the teams we walloped were given to saying that it was worth a beating to watch Bill." His nickname was "Big Six", for he stood several inches over 6 feet in height. Mr. Carpenter played on the 1916 team that beat Cumberland 222-0. He also played on Tech's first National Championship team in 1917. That team outscored opponents 491-17! Bill "Big Six" Carpenter graduated from Tech in 1918 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Everett Strupper:
Mr. Strupper was born in Columbus, GA, but attended high school in Gainesville, GA. He played halfback for John Heisman. Everett Strupper was actually deaf. As a result, he called the offensive signals instead of the quarterback. Coach Heisman said, " He couldn't hear anything but a regular shout. But he could read your lips like a flash. No lad that ever stepped on a football field had keener eyes than Everett had. Everett Strupper was a small package of condensed lighting. He was small, but he was put together like a high-powered motor." Heisman also said of Mr. Strupper, " Were I compelled to risk my head on what one absolutely unaided gridster might accomplish, football under arm and facing eleven ferocious opponents, I would rather choose and chance this man on how he might come through the gauntlet than any ball carrier I have ever seen in action."
A reporter for the Atlanta Journal was also most impressed with young Mr. Strupper's football performance. He said, " Everett Strupper played like a veritable demon. At one time four Carlisle men pounced on him from all directions, and yet through some superhuman witchery he broke loose and dashed 10 yards further. On another occasion he attempted a wide end run, found that he was completely blocked, then suddenly whirled and ran the other way, gaining something like 25 yards before he was downed. It was not so much the length of the run, but the brilliance of it." Everett Strupper overcame deafness to help Tech win their first National Title in football. He graduated from Tech in 1918 with a M.E. degree.
GO JACKETS!
Walker "Bill" Carpenter:
Mr. Carpenter was from Newnan, GA. He played right tackle for John Heisman. Coach Heisman once said, " "On three of Georgia Tech's greatest teams Bill Carpenter—Big Six—played right tackle in the manner that makes coaches believe that life is good. Even the coaches of the teams we walloped were given to saying that it was worth a beating to watch Bill." His nickname was "Big Six", for he stood several inches over 6 feet in height. Mr. Carpenter played on the 1916 team that beat Cumberland 222-0. He also played on Tech's first National Championship team in 1917. That team outscored opponents 491-17! Bill "Big Six" Carpenter graduated from Tech in 1918 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Everett Strupper:
Mr. Strupper was born in Columbus, GA, but attended high school in Gainesville, GA. He played halfback for John Heisman. Everett Strupper was actually deaf. As a result, he called the offensive signals instead of the quarterback. Coach Heisman said, " He couldn't hear anything but a regular shout. But he could read your lips like a flash. No lad that ever stepped on a football field had keener eyes than Everett had. Everett Strupper was a small package of condensed lighting. He was small, but he was put together like a high-powered motor." Heisman also said of Mr. Strupper, " Were I compelled to risk my head on what one absolutely unaided gridster might accomplish, football under arm and facing eleven ferocious opponents, I would rather choose and chance this man on how he might come through the gauntlet than any ball carrier I have ever seen in action."
A reporter for the Atlanta Journal was also most impressed with young Mr. Strupper's football performance. He said, " Everett Strupper played like a veritable demon. At one time four Carlisle men pounced on him from all directions, and yet through some superhuman witchery he broke loose and dashed 10 yards further. On another occasion he attempted a wide end run, found that he was completely blocked, then suddenly whirled and ran the other way, gaining something like 25 yards before he was downed. It was not so much the length of the run, but the brilliance of it." Everett Strupper overcame deafness to help Tech win their first National Title in football. He graduated from Tech in 1918 with a M.E. degree.
GO JACKETS!