European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 24, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Paul Zimmerman now a football writer for sports illustrated was a usage aft football player Back in Tho 50s, Glasl against the Berlin bears who were 3-3 in the r1hern league the toughest conference in Germany c one Naco played in. It was a Road game. Wow what a trip. Berlin the ight lights the Resi bar where they had pneumatic be that would carry messages from one table in roller. A Field Day Tor practical jokers. That s us folks. The d Send a note written in Hafl legible English to a Igloo gis we very much dying to meat you Ned Greta and Inge table 25. So the Guys would invade table �5, occupied by to Prim looking German girls and their Dales and e d break up laughing. Or we d Send one Over to a Ible of marines marines Are nothing but big. We re wailing Lor signed the boys from the High log 69th, table 55. And of course All hell would reak Loose. So we rolled in a about 1 a.m., and three hours tar we were clanged out of bed Lor a lire Drill ii As the Berlin bears traditional Welcome Tor visiting jams. A Lew hours later 1 found out whom i was sing to play against and i wished d been in bed at Neo clock Charlie Montgomery of Ole miss most valuable lineman in the sugar bowl one year. Sweel Isis protect me. It was worse than i d imagined. He was Tail and ing 6-4,225, and la Haasl. I Neve laced anything lat fast in my Lite t could t Lay a Glove on him. He in amok. Finally in desperation i started grabbing in. He took it for a play two plays then to let me have it. Gaw dammit 77, play football a and Powl the straight right to the Center of the forehead whereupon my eyes lost focus and this big bump Rose up. After the game after they had beaten us by two ads we examined Iho space Between the top at my face bar and the Edge of the helmet and there was just enough room for a Tisl to lit through. What an the Guy Hadl i played against some slobs that season and some pretty Good Talent none of ii As Good As Charlie Montgomery. We were beaten by the 8lh triple a Flaks from Wiesbaden which forced a playoff Lor the Rhine league title. I laced a very Good honest straight up tackle called Ronnie Nyhus who d been on the freshman team Al Ohio slate. It was a Tough loss. Dynamite did had Boon knocked goofy and he could Only remember two plays 48 and 23. Sweep left sweep a grit. To Iol bite morons comm up to the line. The Olhorn Loam was laughing at us. I d been wired for the game one of our trainers worked in he dispensary and he Laughl me the value of dowies As an Aid to stamina. Did they really work Ourien Sabo except Hal i d try anything for that extra Edge. Anyway All the Guys Well Down to the american legion Hall in a town Loudwik boor which is whal we did alter every game but i stayed in the Barracks. Falling and raving at the Only other Guy in there a third string guard named Moore i still had t come Down irom the Lulf about How we had to put in a system of automatics they did t Call Ihm audibles then. How could we run an Olfonse without automatics for some reason coach Roach shifted me to the right Side during the week before our play olt against the Flaks and instead o lacing Ronnie Nyhus i was up against some shrimp who could t Block my Mother. I had a big Day and so did our earn and we won 26-7. And now we were in the Usa eur playoffs Iho quarterfinals against. Well the Black knights. In Frankfurt pack your bags fellas it s Over. The Only thing that held the score Down was the weather a Monsoon. Final 35-7. It should have been worse. On defense i was up against 6-5,260-Pound Tom Gulan from Mississippi state first team All Usa eur. He was overrated a big Clumsy Guy who did t really know How to Block. But on Olfonse i faced lord help us Larry Hairston a 255 Pounder from he u. Of Nevada who d been in the Steeles Camp. Every time to hit me it was like an explosion going Oil in my head. Later he made headlines in the stars and so rips by going berserk in the psycho Ward of a Hospital and pulling half a dozen orderlies Oul of commission Well Cape. Roach made major Lor coaching a league Champ. Maj. Slider got congrats All around Lor recruiting the latent. Following our team parly there was an official investigation to determine which individual had held up a Middle Dogil behind cot. Breden s head in into icam Pic lure. I la give you one guess. I was never a suspect. Hell i d attended an Ivy league school. They gave use week s or in Garmisch As a Reward for a Job Well done. I remember the first Limo to hit the ski slopes 33 loud obnoxious Blind drunk fools. Maybe Wool us had Ever skied before the paying customers fled those slopes like rats. The manager had his own Way of dealing Wilh us. He had All the men s rooms locked up. Not Many of us Well Back there. Dynamite Dick was chosen second team All Usa eur quarterback. Charley Hatch was an end on the third team Amos Thornton me and our Center Nick Stratig Opoulos from Chico stale made honorable mention. All five of us were offered contracts by some Guy from Saskatchewan of the Canadian football league. Hatch actually Well up there and i never Learned whal happened to him. Thornton Well to Canada and played Many years in the Cal but not for Saskatchewan. I was t sure what to do. I Lound a Guy who d been to Saskatchewan and asked him what it was like. Slay away to Sard. There s nothing Beh Voen you and the North pole except some barbed wire forces to keep Ine cat lie in. The wind ii rip your cars so i said screw in and eventually went Back o Columbia and got my degree. But first i had to figure out a Way to keep my Tov. Palmiri played basketball and kept it going. Mckirnan Well Back to Baum older a cesspool of a Post set in some ugly Tow lying Hills he was an my there. What to do i could t play basketball Worth a Damn. The Only other Winter toys were track. Nope no Hope there. And boxing. That s in i d fight. Tomorrow Zimmerman hits the ring. Iar24,1988 the stars and stripes Page 15
