Sport: The Jack Rabbit of Chapel Hill

In North Carolina’s tobacco belt last week, tongues were wagging with happiness and hope. At last, the state had an iron-jawed, copper-bellied football team that combed its hair with lightning and ate opposing tackles for breakfast. First crack out of the box, a fortnight ago, the ferocious University of North Carolina Tar Heels took Texas apart, 34 to 7.

The chief wrecker was slim, 165-lb. Halfback Charlie (“Choo Choo”) Justice. He ran like a jack rabbit, fast and zigzaggy. Against Texas, Choo Choo scored two touchdowns, threw passes for two more, modestly demurred when called upon to score another. “I’ve had my flurry,” he said in the huddle. “Give somebody else a chance.”

Away for a Score. Carolina folks were mighty proud that Choo Choo, in this age of interstate commerce in footballers, was a native North Carolinian. Prosperous alumni, who pour about $100,000 yearly into a football fund, convinced him of the virtues of staying at home. Like many football heroes, Choo Choo drives a new car. He and his family live in a cozy bungalow off Chapel Hill’s main street. After he graduates, a loyal alumnus has promised to set him up with an automobile dealership.

In return, Charlie works harder in practice than anybody on the syman squad. When he first appeared at Chapel Hill two years ago, with a big reputation earned on Navy teams, skeptical teammates doubted that he was as good as advertised. Charlie promptly changed their minds by twisting 86 yards for a touchdown the first time he got his hands on the ball.

Away from Baby. Last week, the night before the squad left for Athens, Ga., 24-year-old Choo Choo Charlie moved out of his home, to be sure of getting a good night’s sleep. His new, five-weeks-old son had developed a distracting habit of hollering his head off. On Saturday, Choo Choo chugged on the field with the other blue-jerseyed Tar Heels for a dogfight with Georgia—and they found themselves trailing by 7 to 0 at halftime.

Then Choo Choo Charlie went to town. He set up a touchdown with a series of bullet passes, and lugged the ball around right end for the score. He plowed through the middle for 14 yards and another touchdown. He relied on cutbacks and shiftiness rather than sheer speed. Said one blocker: “It’s easy to block for Charlie, because he sets up the blocks.” Choo Choo had an uncanny photographic eye that enabled him to get a quick picture of a broken field defense. He accounted for Carolina’s third and game-winning touchdown by taking a punt on his own 16-yd. line and squirming 84 yards down the sidelines. Final score: North Carolina 21, Georgia 14.