TEXAS VS. PENNSYLVANIA

Neale X. Trangucci's list of alltime Pennsylvania football players
(LETTERS, Nov. 6) is a joke. In printing it, you fell into the same
trap you did in 1964, when you ran an article on the first Big 33
Game, which pitted Pennsylvania high school football players against
Texas schoolboy players (Beef, Bones and Hershey Bars, Aug. 10,
1964). At the time you asked, ''Which is tougher: Pennsylvania
football or Texas football?'' Your answer was Pennsylvania -- the
Pennsylvanians won 12-6. However, your conclusion was misleading,
because the best Texas players were missing, having committed to play
in the annual Texas High School All-Star Game, which was held at the
same time. During the next three years, the Big 33 didn't conflict
with the Texas All-Star Game, and with Bobby Layne as their coach,
the Texans won 26-10, 34-2 and 45-14, after which Pennsylvania called
it quits. SI only partially corrected the misunderstanding with its
Aug. 23, 1965, story Texas Teeners Strike Back, and now Trangucci's
letter perpetuates the misconception.
Trangucci's list included nine players in the Pro Football Hall of
Fame. I list 15. The list for Florida, the state you touted in your
Sept. 5, 1988, college football preview as the leader in producing
football players, thus beginning this debate, had one. With the help
of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, I've put together a lineup that
requires little discussion. Texas doesn't have to take its hat off to
anyone when it comes to producing football talent.
TOM KOCH
DeSoto, Texas

STATE OF TEXAS
ALLTIME FOOTBALL TEAM

DEFENSE
E Bubba Smith
Bill Glass
T Bob Lilly*
NG Mean Joe Greene*
LB Tommy Nobis
E.J. Holub
Jack Pardee
DB Yale Lary*
Ken Houston*
Dick (Night Train) Lane*
Carl (Spider) Lockhart

OFFENSE
WR Raymond Berry*
Charley Taylor*
TE Dave Parks
T Forrest Gregg*
Jerry Sisemore
G Gene Upshaw*
Jim Ray Smith
C Clyde (Bulldog) Turner*
QB Sammy Baugh
RB Doak Walker*
FB Earl Campbell

SPECIAL TEAMS
K Walker
P Baugh
KR Greg Pruitt

BENCH WARMERS
Ki Aldrich Abner Haynes Ray Renfro Ed Sprinkle
Donny Anderson Tom Landry Kyle Rote Otis Taylor
Dewitt Coulter Bobby Layne* Frank Ryan Y.A. Tittle*
Bobby Dillon Don Maynard* Del Shofner Joe Washington
Cedrick Hardman Don Meredith Jim Shofner Dwight White

FOOTNOTE: *Pro Football Hall of Famer