Expert: Vic Winnek - 3/7/2008

Question
who were the players for the all star college team?

Answer
Jerry
I could not locate a roster in my library or on line.  However I hope the following helps you. I also recommend checking out the web site links below.

http://www.mmbolding.com/BSR/The%20Chicago%20All-Star%20Game_1958.htm

http://www.mmbolding.com/BSR/Chicago_Charities_College_All-Star_Game.htm

The 1958 MVPs: Bob Mitchell, Illinois & Jim Ninowski, Michigan St.

The 1958 College All-Star Game
 
In 1958, Otto Graham took over coaching duties for the All-Stars and did so by steering his team to an all-time scoring high and by defeating the Detroit Lions, 35 to 19. Graham was considered the series’ most illustrious alumnus and would coach ten All-Star teams in the years to come. He played in the 1943 and 1946 games and came back to coach such players as Jim Ninowski of Michigan State, Bob Mitchell of Illinois and Bobby Joe Conrad of Texas A&M. With such an outstanding win over their professional opponents, Ninowski and Mitchell were both named Most Valuable Player in a tie vote. Conrad achieved his own recognition by tying the record for most field goals kicked in a game and for kicking the longest field goal in the series’ history, 44-yards. Conrad accomplished his deeds without ever having kicked in a game before. Ninowski’s 84-yard pass play to Mitchell set the record for the longest forward pass ever thrown in the game.

Favored to win by 13 points, Detroit ground out an opening period touchdown, which ended with a 14-yard pass from Lion’s QB Tobin Rote to Jim Doran who ran it in from the 10-yard line. Bobby Layne kicked the extra point. But, it was the second period that surprised the crowd of 70,000 on August 15, 1958 as the collegians amassed 20 points in one quarter. The All-Stars first scored with Bobby Conrad’s field goal from the 19-yard line. Then came the 84-yard pass play from Jim Ninowski to Bobby Mitchell, which resulted in a TD and an extra point from Conrad. Later in the same quarter Mitchell caught a Ninowski pass and ran 18 yards for another TD and extra point by Conrad. Then, with only two seconds remaining in the first half, Bobby Conrad kicked his 44-yard field goal making the score 20 to 7 and the All-Stars had a commanding lead.

Early in the third period quarterback Tobin Rote of the Lions was sacked in the endzone by Bill Jobko of Ohio State to score a safety for the All-Stars. The Lions did score in the third period, but Dick Lynch of Notre Dame blocked the extra point to make the score 22 to 13. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Conrad hit on a field goal from the 24-yard line. Then Chuck Howley of West Virginia intercepted one of Bobby Layne’s passes and ran 39 yards for a TD. Conrad kicked the extra point. Scoring continued for the All-Stars when Conrad booted yet another field goal from the 24-yard line. The last TD of the game came in the waning seconds when Detroit ’s Ralph Pfeifer lunged over from the 1-yard line. The final score was 35 to 19 in favor of the All-Stars. One article stated that “of all eight All-Star victories this was the most decisive.”

The Chicago Charities College All-Star Game was a preseason American football game played annually (except in 1974) from 1934 to 1976 between the National Football League champions and a team of star college seniors from the previous year. After the Super Bowl began, including the two seasons prior to the NFL/AFL merger, the Super Bowl winner was the professional team involved, regardless of which league the team represented. Thus, the New York Jets played in the 1969 event, although still an AFL team.

The game was the idea of Arch Ward, the sports editor of the Chicago Tribune and the driving force behind the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The game originally was a benefit for Chicago-area charities and was always played at Soldier Field in Chicago or at Northwestern University's Dyche Stadium in Evanston, Illinois.

The first game, played before a crowd of 79,432 on August 31, 1934, was a scoreless tie between the all-stars and the Chicago Bears. The following year, a game that included University of Michigan graduate and future president Gerald Ford, the Bears won, 5-0. The first all-star team to win was the 1937 squad, coached by Gus Dorais, which won on a 47-yard touchdown pass from future Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh to Gaynell Tinsley.

In the 1940s, the games were competitive affairs that attracted large crowds to Soldier Field. But as the talent level of pro football improved, the all-stars had diminishing success. The last all-star win came in 1963, when a team coached by legendary quarterback Otto Graham beat Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers, 20-17.

By the 1970s, crowds for the event were dwindling. In addition, NFL coaches were reluctant to part with their new draftees (who would miss part of training camp) for a meaningless exhibition at which the players might be injured.

A player's strike forced the cancellation of the 1974 game. The last game took place during a downpour at Soldier Field on July 23, 1976. Despite featuring stars such as Chuck Muncie, Mike Pruitt, Lee Roy Selmon and Jackie Slater, the rookies were hopelessly outmatched by the Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of Super Bowl X. Pittsburgh was leading 24-0 late in the third quarter when weather conditions made play impossible and the officials called for a delay. The players left the field and were replaced by unruly fans who tore down the goal posts. NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle decided the game would not be restarted. Chicago Tribune Charities Inc., the sponsor of the game, elected not to bring it back for 1977.

The Steelers' win was the 31st for NFL champions in the 43 College All-Star Games. The all-stars won nine, and two ended in ties.
Cited from Wikipedia

Contact : Mark Bolding e-mail  mmbolding@sbcglobal.com
of Houston, Texas
he maintains the history of this game.

Best of Luck,
Vic Winnek
NACC Football Official