THE HORSE GALLOPS
He was an All-America at Wisconsin and broke every ground-gaining record in the Big Ten, yet there was doubt among the pros that Alan Ameche was quite good enough. Too slow, they said. Still the Baltimore Colts grabbed the 217-pounder in the first round of the draft last winter and immediately climbed from the cellar to lead the Western Division for awhile. The first time Ameche got his hands on a football this year he went 79 yards for a touchdown against the Bears, a brilliant debut captured in color on the next four pages, and now he leads the league with 707 yards rushing in 142 carries. A 22-year-old father of two children, the big rookie has shown both the ability to run wide and the battering power to smash through the middle. His big weapons: the speed they said he didn't have and a pile-driving shoulder he throws into opposing tacklers. His weakness: fumblitis stemming from inexperience. Ameche, however, is just one of this year's exceptional rookies in professional football; for a report on some others, turn to page 23.
1 Rookie Fullback Alan (The Horse) Ameche (35) of the Colts breaks away on a run Baltimore fans will long remember
2 On the second play of opening game against famed Chicago Bears, he cuts away from two tacklers on the Colts' 31
3 Ameche, whose great power, speed and elusiveness made No. 35 famous last year at Wisconsin, heads up the field
4 Gathering speed now, Ameche is almost in the clear on his very first ball-carrying trip in the pro football ranks
5 Picking up a friendly convoy from Colt End Raymond Berry (82), the 217-pound Ameche crosses the 35-yard line
6 A Memorial Stadium crowd of 36,000 comes to life as, really blazing, Ameche and Co. head for the midfield stripe
7 Once beyond the line of scrimmage, not a hand is laid on the big fullback as he completes 79-yard scoring jaunt
8 With this run, the Baltimore Colts served notice that they were a team to be reckoned with in pro football this year
EIGHT PHOTOS
HY PESKIN