Big Names In Sport Go To Bat For Maroons

    The Pottsville Maroons were described as
one of professional football's greatest teams by
Harold (Red) Grange during his address at a
banquet in Chicago several weeks ago.
     One of the sport's most legendary stars,
Grange enthusiastically spoke of playing in
Pottsville during the 20's.  His address was heard
by Frank Bucher, a former Maroon who played
against Grange but never met the famed Illinois
University All-American personally until after
the banquet.
     Grange said one of his greatest experiences
was playing in a little coal-mining town of Potts-
ville, Pa.  "I will never forget the fine treatment
by the people of Pottsville and a football team
called the Maroons.  They won the championship
in 1925 but were robbed of the honor by some
misguided judgement," Grange remarked.
     In rating the Maroons as one of the greatest
teams he ever faced in football, Grange said
they must have kept the players locked up from
Monday to Sunday morning.  "Then on Sunday
morning they were released without being fed.
They were the most ferocious and most respec-
ted players I ever faced in football," Grange
said.
     "They also had a fellow by the name of
Tony Latone.  He only knew two things about
football; get the ball and run with it.  If he was
stopped at the line, he'd simply run backwards
and come chargin all over again.  It didn't pay
to get in his path I know since he came in my
direction several times," Grange said.
     Bucher, now vice-chairman of the board of
Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., central west
Div. in Det., introduced himself to Grange after
the banquet honoring colege and high school
stars of the Chicago area.  Grange told Bucher
he meant every word he said about the Maroons.