The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

A U OF D FOOTBALL TALE

TILLIE VOSS WAS THE HUGE FOOTBALL PLAYER FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF
DETROIT IN THE YEAR OF ABOUT 1926. ONE DAY HE HAD A TERRIBLE
TOOTHACHE (SO THE STORY WAS TOLD FROM MY FATHER HOWARD
PHILIPPART, THE FULLBACK FOR U OF D). ASPIRIN DID NOT SEEM TO
HELP AND HE DESPERATELY NEEDED SLEEP FOR THE BIG NAVY GAME
THE FOLLOWING DAY. "I GOTTA DO SOMETHING," HE TOLD MY FATHER
AND RAN FULL TILT HEAD FIRST INTO THE CINDER BLOCK WALL. AS
THEY CARTED HIM OFF TO BED FOR A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP, THE PLAYERS
SILENTLY APPLAUDED HIS DEDICATION AND LOYALTY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT