It was a day that wasn't fit for man, beast or cross-country racers. The temperature was 27°, and slushy snow covered the Michigan State course. Squishing in sodden shoes, 154 athletes last week slogged after the National Collegiate cross-country crown. After 3¾ miles, Defending Champ Quentin Brelsford of Ohio Wesleyan was 20 yards in front.
Then, rounding an icy curve, he slipped, and landed sprawling on his face. Barelegged rivals breezed by, among them Bob Karnes of Kansas U. Near the finish line, Karnes missed a turn, and that finished him. The cause of his lapse: snowblindness. The winner of the queerest cross-country championship on record: 28-year-old Jack Milne of the University of North Carolina. His time—20:41.1—was a new Michigan course record. Said he: "I didn't deserve to win."
Other winners last week:
¶ Squirrel-toothed Joe DiMaggio (TIME, July 14), the man who makes the World Champion New York Yankees run, won the Baseball Writers' award as the American League's "most valuable player of 1947." One vote behind him: unlucky Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox, who also finished second to Joe six years ago, after batting a spectacular .406. The National League's most valuable player: Third-Baseman Bob Elliot of the third-place Boston Braves.
¶ The Calumet Farm's six-year-old gelding, Armed, had been outdistanced by six-year-old Stymie as the leading money winner of all time (TIME, July 28); but he was not forgotten. The Triangle Publications (Daily Racing Form, Morning Telegraph, etc.) named him 1947's Horse-of-the-Year. The voting: Armed 25, Assault 2, Stymie 1.
¶ Army beat Navy for the fourth year in a row. This year's less-than-great Army team held Navy scoreless (21-0), which the Blanchard & Davis teams of other years were never able to do. Hero of the day: Rip Rowan, who ran 92 yards for one touchdown, threw a pass for another.