Felix Dixon
Felix Dixon, one of the best athletes ever developed In this section and younger brother of John Dixon, former Boston College grid leader, was honored last week in the "Fort Devens Digest," official publication at that post, when he was selected as "Man of the Week in Sports" by soldier-scribe Corporal Dick Murphy in his weekly feature, "Along Devens Sports Trails." The column is reprinted below.
THE MAN OF THE WEEK IN SPORTS—If Felix Dixon wasn't such a tremendous guy he'd be wearing the blue of the Navy instead of the brown of the Army, but if he had his way about it he'd stH! like to be taking orders from his former coach, Pat Hanley, late of Bos on University and now Maj. Pat Hanley of the Solomons.
Felix Dixon was a member and the kicking ace of that Boston University football team which back in 1937 gave sports writers plenty of material to bang away on as it upset its highly favored town rival, Boston College, 13 to 6. It was something like the first time In 15 years that B. U. had done it and B. U. hasn't done It since, so one gets a pretty good Idea of how collosal that victory was. It is true that B. U. and B. C. played a scoreless tie the year previous, but that was said to have been just one of those things.
BROTHER OF "LONG JOHN"
Felix Dixon In those days slapped the scales at 235. Today he mauls them at 285.
Dixon—his brother was "Long John" Dixon of Boston College tame—was a footballer of no mean ability and back In the middle 30's was a regular tackle on the B. U. team for three straight years. He didn't have to bother bringing along his brother's clippings for recognition, although those clippings that "Long John" had could fill many a scrapbook. The elder Dixon, by the way, was end and captain of Boston College back in 1927 and also rated as the best punter in the East. Suffice to say that Knute Rockne picked him on his All-American team that year. He later went into the professional prize ring and was good enough to cross mitts with Jim Maloney, a fine heavyweight In those days.
But to get bank to Felix, In the 30s it was quite a thing for a sophomore to break into the lineup, although it is somewhat expected these days. But from the outset Felix was destined for B. U. honors. His playing and punting met with Coach Pat Hanley's style of footballing and he became and stayed a regular for three years. Prior to college, he was a star on his hometown Norwood High School team which went undefeated In 1934. Later he played with the College All-Stars and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
STANDOUT WITH THE BROOKLYN DODGERS
Big Felix was with the All-Stars when they defeated the Washington Red Skins 27 to 0 at Chicago, he being one of the three Eastern college stars picked for the squad. That was in 1938.
Dixon then gave the professional game a whirl and for a season did front lining and kicking for the Brooklyn team. It was one of the years Brooklyn had a potent team and Dixon had a good season but he forsook the game and decided to get back to a more tame and objective future. He taught for a while at the Norwood schools and did some physical education work at a number of places.
When the war program began to absorb the young men of the nation Felix decided to step in and was headed for Gene Tunney's Navy group until someone pushed a scale under him. The weight was just too much. So Felix, who by then was handling the physical instruction work and doing some teaching at the Lyman School for Boys at Westboro, just decided to sit back and wait The selective service met up with him the 5th of this month and Felix Is now a member of Company In the RRC.
While Felix says that he would have liked to nave been in the B. U. line against B. C. last week, he admits that it would not have made any difference, for he believes, as do all men in the football know, that Boston College is one of the really great teams of all times.
Felix Dixon Is The Man of the Week because he would make a great addition—not Just In size alone—to any Army post athletic program.
(All articles originally published in the Norwood Messenger)
No comments:
Post a Comment