NEWS AND NOTES
GAYLON SMITH BEST RAM BACK; HINKLE OUTSTANDING FOR GAME
OCT 14 (Green Bay) - Some line from the Knute Rockne football motion picture reverberated through the Green Bay Packers' victory over the Cleveland Rams at City stadium Sunday. It was that one about the press clippings. Possibly it isn't remembered, Maybe a reader or two missed the movie. Well, it was that crack about an ineffectual back who has been a wow previously. Rock suggested that the player should have used his press clippings to impress the opposition. Somehow, that is the taste that Parker Hall left out of the Rams' 14 to 31 loss Sunday. Hall was elected by sportswriters and coaches to the All-America pro left halfback position last year. He was awarded the Joe F. Carr Memorial trophy as the "most valuable" in the league. All around he was built up as another Dutch Clark. Even Dutch thought he had something. Yesterday at least a half-dozen backs eclipsed him. This is not entirely an personal conclusion. It comes from Clark, Art Lewis (Rams' line coach), certain officials who can't be named for obvious reasons, and an assortment of writers...BEST BACK ON FIELD: Undoubtedly the greatest back on the field Sunday was William Clarke Hinkle. Dutch Clark might have a super ball club with the Hink. Clark sighs for greener pastures and the day when he had Corbett Davis fullbacking. "Another blocking back and my second string backfield might have made the game more interesting," Dutch said when it was all over. "With Corbie to block, I might pick something out of the shambles." Davis is teaching school and coaching. He was Curly Lambeau's choice as one of the best pro prospects to come out of the Big Ten. Boils bothered him badly when he was in the league. But he was football. Football was something that Dutch did not have in several high salaried, much honored men in uniform. Don't misunderstand. From the start Dutch admitted that he was overpowered. Backs three deep can't be pitched at a club lacking capable reserves without disastrous results to the club that lacks...HASN'T GOT THE STUFF: Earlier correspondence "off the record" indicated that Dutch was concerned over the Bears and the Packers. Man for man, he just did not have the stuff to cope with Halas or Lambeau. But for the sake of future reference, he still figures a better ball team than the rest of them, and that goes for Detroit. Dutch was not greatly disappointed in his team as a whole. Art Lewis had a fine line. Chat Adams, Ted Livingston, Barney McGarry and some of the others showed as well as any line that has opposed the Packers this year. Pass defense was something else. For the Rams it was a minus quantity. Gaylon Smith was the Rams' best back. Hall didn't come within the same sphere of grid power yesterday. Smith, Magnani, Cordill and Slovak gave the game something in the way of effort. But Hinkle, Andy Uram, Hal Van Every, Cecil Isbell and Eddie Jankowski had that extra punch which differentiates between players who can be great or ordinary. At the Hotel Northland, where Paul Gocke, manager, is fifth quarter host, Clark made neither apologies nor excuses. To the contrary, he was pleased with some of his talent. He and Lewis had the coaches' headache of seeing the prize packages turn sour...COULD USE HINKLE: On the other hand, to quote one official of the Rams' aggregation, "I would like to see waivers asked on that 'hasbeen' Hinkle, George Svendsen, Carl Mulleneaux, Bill Lee and Charlie Brock. As for that Hutson, I personally would break his leg if I didn't like him so well." When Hutson came into the conversation, everyone relaxed. It was the usual stuff. Superlatives were thrust about with reckless abandon. And one particularly interesting point was raised. Lewis, who was an all-America tackle and is in a position to know about such things, asked: "When did any of you see a team make large gains by rushing Hutson's end?" The question was dropped as a bombshell in the middle of chatter about Hutson's great offensive value. Somewhere there has been a standard statement to the effect that Don didn't do so well as a defensive end, and that his position in the secondary was a master's thought to keep him out of the melee. Not so, according to Lewis. "I've played in the line against Hutson," he remarked. "He can take care of himself out there. Don't think otherwise."...LEE STRONG IN LINE: Don did an outstanding job yesterday. He was not pampered in any sense of the word. He and Larry Craig and Bill Lee must have played more minutes than any of the others. Lee goes on, unsung hero of the right tackle position, one of the best at that job in the league. Without him in the line, it's a different ball team. Big Beeler, who assumes the name of George Svendsen, was a delight to spectators yesterday, and he topped off a sweet piece of center play by intercepting a pass. That the play was nullified by an officials' decision is not important now. The way George carried that freight back after getting the ball was a thing of beauty. Other things happened in rapid fashion in the game. Lee had his pass interception, and nearly a touchdown. Ed Cochrane, a very good official despite leg incapacitations, could have been called on a screen pass objection at one time. Ed, no longer trying to referee, was obviously between Dante Magnani and a Packer receiver at one point. Official that is gaining respect of fans and players is Lee Daniels of Chicago, who was field judge. On the ball all the time, it was Daniels who found that paragraph in the rule book on a holding penalty. The Packers were adjudged holder on an incomplete pass attempt. Isbell was thrown for a 14-yard loss. On top of that, a 15-yard penalty was slapped down...NEW RULE FOR 1940: Protests followed. NO avail. This year's official football guide states that the team fouled upon can take its 15 yards either from the point where the ball was started in play, or from where the play ended. Naturally, Cleveland selected to take its 15 yards from where Cecil was nailed. The merits of the rule are not defended by anyone. Fifteen yards is the penalty set down as fair for holding. The way it stands now, a team could lose as much as 50 yards. Maybe more. Appleton took another autographed football home. The latest winner was Eugene Killoren. Not autographed were the two footballs snagged by the fans after kicks into the stands. Howard Levitas was present of the thought that it would be less expensive to pass up the kick after touchdown. Seems that the balls run $9 wholesale - $14 retail - and the football corporation should not be chastised too severely for not condoning the thefts...SHORTAGE OF PROGRAMS: Many fans complained about the lack of programs yesterday. The crowd was 16,299. Probably one-fourth obtained programs. Half of the others wanted them, but they weren't to be had. Dr. W.W. Kelly, who knows more football than many of the persons who live at it, was busy on both sides of the field. Besides administering to the split lip of Jankowski and a pinched nerve of Lou Brock, he was called across field to check on Johnny Drake and Ken Heineman of the Rams. Both had severe leg bruises. Drake's loss was costly to the Cleveland club, but not as much as his former play indicated. Last season Drake was voted in the fullback clash with Hinkle. Yesterday he was a minor leaguer by comparison. Dutch Clark will not split any hairs between the Chicago Bears or the Packers, believing that one or the other is going to cop the championship. Detroit, he says, has a powerful defensive outfit, but lacks the offensive touches that Halas and Lambeau possess. "If some of my kids had played against Detroit the way they produced today (Sunday), we would have beaten the Lions," he said...SIGNALS WERE OFF: Dutch wouldn't be quoted as saying much, but he and Lewis intimated that bad signals were responsible for some of the Rams' offensive impotency. They were outgained both in the air and on the ground. In the latter they had possibilities that never were realized. At least twice they started to march, and then turned to the air with effects that were entirely void. Joe Laws were missed. Not in the way of play so much as in the way of personality. Perhaps nobody, including the Bears' Bernie Masterson, has less regard for tacklers on punt returns than Joe. His knee injury is sure to keep him out for three or four games - and quite possibly even more. Knees are funny that way. Battery B of the 121st field artillery and Headquarters battery of the 126th field artillery were guests of the football corporation. Saturday night they were feted at a part at Riverside ballroom. Tomorrow they leave for Camp Beauregard near Alexandria, La. The Hamilton band from Two Rivers made its second appearance here Sunday. Plus, the regular Packer band (cited by Ed Cochrane as one of the finest unites he had heard), they put on a show that would have done justice to the demands of George Preston Marshall. Marshall, owner of the Washington Redskins, is generally considered the best showman in the circuit. The only trouble with the show was that time has been tossed aside as an element not considered. Young football players from the west side, awaiting a chance to show their Knute Rockne cards, were shunted into the background. Football players and band players intermingled before the second half could start. But even at the conclusion of the game, both the Hamilton band and the Packer band played as the crowd filed out. Tom Lipscomb, president of the Rams, was not present yesterday, but he made his presence felt in a telephone call after the tilt. To say that Tom was displeased with his team's quarterbacking would be an understatement. One more thing: Jimmy Crowley, the former East High and Notre Dame great who runs the football end of Fordham university, sent two ends here in the last couple of years. They are Harry Jacunski and Ray Riddick, both worthy of the recommendation their college coach handed out. But Crowley, who also coached Ed Danowski, whom the Giants really miss this year, was asked about valuable players at the World's fair recently. He answered: "In respect to passers, I think Arnold Herber is the greatest." Nice words, those.
JANKOWSKI, KELL, LOU BROCK HURT IN SUNDAY CLASH
OCT 14 (Green Bay) - Fullback Eddie Jankowski, halfback Lou Brock and tackle Paul Kell were the casualties of the Cleveland-Green Bay football game yesterday, Dr. W.W. Kelly, team physician, reported today. Jankowski received a severe laceration of his upper lip, which required six stitches, but he returned to action after repairs were made. Brock's right shoulder was hurt, probably by a nerve being struck, and Kell acquired a chest contusion, which was painful but not serious. All three are expected to be back in action next Sunday.
LOOKING UP IN THE REALM OF SPORTS
OCT 14 (Green Bay) - The Cleveland Rams proved Sunday that you can't win without reserves - at least not in the NFL. The Packers performed with the consummate ease which they experience whenever their touchdown passes are clicking, but has Cleveland possessed the necessary relief men, the outcome might have been very different. When big tackles tire, and powerful fullbacks are hurt, and veteran guards run out of gas, it is imperative to take from the bench other big fellows who are capable of holding the ramparts until the starters can get back in there. Such men the Rams didn't have. It was a terrible blow to Cleveland, when Johnny Drake limped from the field, felled in battle, and the presence of freshman Allie Cordill on the bench, for the most of the game, didn't improve the status of the Cleveland reserves. With center Red Conkright also out of action, the Rams were hard put for players capable of moving fast enough to stem the flashing Green Bay aerial attack. The Rams used only five replacements in their line - one at end, two at tackles and two at guards. In comparison, the Packers fed into their forward wall four reserve ends, three tackles, three guards and two centers - enough to provide all the fresh material which possibly could be needed. As long as the Packer reserves hold up, and the first string plays the ball its fans know it can, the team will be a contender, if not a champion. The draft system of the National league doesn't seem to be serving its intended purpose. Every year the same strong teams are strong again, the same weak teams are weak. One of the strong ones is due here next Sunday, and it probably is unnecessary to drop an added hint regarding the early procurement of the paste boards necessary for admission...Football fans who are interested in the statistical side of the game have been watching with keen anticipation the individual campaign of Clarke Hinkle to set a new all-time scoring record for the Green Bay Packers. As all followers of the team know, the present record is held by Verne Lewellen, and was set between the years of 1924 and 1932, inclusive, at 301 points. For years it appeared that the mark never would be surpassed by another Packer. Now it appears almost certain that Hinkle will slide into a new record before the end of the current season. Clarke hasn't scored a touchdown this year, but he has been hacking away at the total with a steady barrage of extra points and field goals, with the result that today he needs only 13 points to surpass Lewellen's total. Yesterday Hinkle kicked his 28th extra point and his 17th field goal as a Packer, and punched his all-time total to 289. If Hinkle doesn't break Lewellen's record, Don Hutson very probably will. Hutson got seven points yesterday, on his 42nd Packer touchdown and his 11th extra point. His grand total is 263, which leaves him in third place, 26 points behind Hinkle. Then take Tiny Engebretsen, the lineman who never has scored a Packer touchdown, but who has an excellent chance of passing the 100 mark in scoring. Tiny booted two extra points yesterday, his 43rd and 44th as a Packer, and he now rests in seventh place with 89 points, seven less than Joe Laws. Carl Mulleneaux's touchdowns were his seventh and eighth. He has 48 points and is tied for 22nd place on the big list with Myrt Basing. Andy Uram's touchdown was his sixth as a Packer, and raised his count to 36.
MILWAUKEE CHIEFS CHALK UP BIG WIN
OCT 14 (Milwaukee) - The Cincinnati Bengals must have wondered Sunday what was happening. The Milwaukee Chiefs, anxious to please, their new constituents and perhaps a bit uncertain as to what would be accepted as an unqualified success in view of their record of six consecutive victories, ran up a 49 to 0 score on the hapless Bengals to make sure that the 6,500 spectators at State Fair park would be satisfied. The game was the first under the sponsorship of the American Legion and the third Milwaukee victory in the American Professional league. Tiny Cahoon's boys in blue ran and passed their way to seven touchdowns, scoring in every period. For good measure, they tacked on all seven extra points, Cahoon used all 25 players permitted under league rules, but the Chiefs refused to let down. They established their superiority at the outset and maintained it throughout. They helped themselves to 17 first downs and held the Bengals to two, both in the last quarter and one of them with the aid of a
five yard penalty. Leading the American Pro league with three
victories, the Chiefs will leave Tuesday on their first road trip.
They will play Columbus Wednesday night, the New York
Yankees Sunday and the Boston Bears a week from Sunday
before returning home. The games at Columbus and Boston
virtually will decide their championship chances. With a superb
line and a versatile set of backs, Cahoon's club figures to win at
least two of the game and may make a clean sweep. The
outcome Sunday was apparent in the first five minutes. The
Bengals got two chances on a fumble by Novakofski on his own
37 yard line and a pass interception by Popov, but each time the
Chiefs' line threw back the red backs and regained possession
by forcing them to punt. Obbie Novakofski broke the deadlock
midway in the first period, scampering 67 yards for a touchdown.
He started arond end, shook off a couple of amateurish tackles
as he cut back, and then raced to the goal. The Chiefs drove 55
yards to their next score later in the same period. Sherman
Barnes made good his first attempt as a passer by hurling to
Art Blaha for a gain of 31 yards and a touchdown. The play was a bit razzle dazzle which got a big hand from the crowd. Barnes took the ball on a lateral. The touchdown machinery was set in motion again on the third play of the second period when Bykowski blocked Metzger's punt on the Cincinnati 20. Merlin knocked the ball toward the goal and Humphrey pounced on it on the one yard line. Karamatic crashed over on the next play. Play was deep in Bengal territory the rest of the half but there was no further scoring, Karamtic missing a field goal from an angle on the 23 yard line shortly before the intermission. Gerdes recovered a fumbled lateral pass on the Milwaukee 17 in the third quarter to give the Bengals their best scoring chance, but the Chiefs stiffened and took the ball on the 10 to keep their goal uncrossed this season. Their lone touchdown in this period was a 32 yard run by Novakofski to climax a 65 yard advance. The fleet halfback practically duplicated his first touchdown run, with Blaha erasing the safety man to make it look ridiculously simple. The Chiefs capped their performance with three touchdowns in the last quarter. Barnes, playing in the backfield, intercepted a pass and lateraled to Carson, who ran 15 yards to the 12. Barnes went over from the two after two penalties on Cincinnati. Yatchak intercepted a pass and ran it back 35 yards to score a short time later. The final touchdown climaxed a 60 yard advance, with Yatchak hurling a short pass to Hickey in the end zone.
VENGEFUL TEAM OF DETROIT LIONS INVADE CITY STADIUM SUNDAY TO BATTLE PACKERS
OCT 15 (Green Bay) - A Detroit Lions football team
which is smoking for revenge will invade Green Bay this
week primed to attack the Green Bay Packers in their
last home game of the 1940 season, at City stadium
next Sunday afternoon. Beaten twice by the Packers
last season, and edged out last Sunday by an early
game drive of the Chicago Bears, 7 to 0, the Lions have
all kinds of reasons for turning on the steam and their
roster indicates that they are capable of doing it. The
Packers, who maintained their deadlock with the Bears
by defeating the Cleveland Rams Sunday, rested
yesterday and today were back on the field for limbering
up exercises and warmup drills. Their heavy preparatory
program will start tomorrow, and will continue until the
weekend...PICK UP BRUISES: Banged up a bit against
Cleveland, the Packers nevertheless are expected to
present nearly a united front to the Lions of Coach
Potsy Clark. Expectations will be Joe Laws, halfback
who still isn't nearly ready to resume play, and tackle
Charley Schultz, whose status is uncertain. Schultz
planned to run a bit on his damaged leg this week, and
reserved opinion until after that test. The Packers need
both the men, but see no immediate chance of getting
them. Schultz was feared lost for the season, while
Laws still is a hospital case. The ticket sale is booming
as expected. All seats between the goal posts on both
sides of the field are sold and there remain about 9,000
seats in the two end zones, and beyond the edges of
the playing field. Fans still may purchase a few $2.20
seats, plus a large number of $1.65's and $1.10's.
Coach Curly Lambeau said today he still is far from
satisfied that his team has returned to championship
form, and pointed out defensive lapses against the
Rams which he believed would prove fatal against the
Lions. The Packers were to view motion pictures of the
game today, and see for themselves just where the
mental fumbles occurred. The Packers whipped the
Lions twice last year, winning 26 to 7 here and 12 to 7
at Detroit, which gave the Lions just added reason for
fuming about the trend of their series. They have back
at their helm the colorful if irritating Clark, former coach
at both Portsmouth and Detroit, who spent an interval
tutoring the Brooklyn Dodgers, without much success.
The Lions possess a strong line and a brilliant backfield
which includes Lloyd Cardwell of Nebraska, Howie
Weiss of Wisconsin, the great Byron (Whizzer) White
of Colorado, Glenn Morris, the movie star and track ace
from Colorado State, and Fred Vanzo of Northwestern (erstwhile Green Bay resident). Two imports from the All-Stars who are cutting large figures with Detroit are Bill Fisk, the Southern California end, and Harry Smith, U.S.C. guard who captained the All-Americans.
REDSKINS THREATEN TO BREAK NATIONAL GRID LOOP RECORDS
OCT 15 (Green Bay) - At least three new NFL offensive record will be established by the Washington Redskins if they continue their torrid pace throughout the remainder of the season. Team statistics for the fifth week of play shows that Washington is two completions a game superior and 1 percent more efficient in forward passing, and one point a game better in scoring than all-time league records in these departments made a year ago. Washington leads in scoring with 113 points and forward passing with 53 completions in 89 tosses for 59 percent. Even the Chicago Cardinals, boasting the best pass defense of only 32 percent completed against them, had 62 percent completed against them by the uncanny aerial wizardry of Sammy Baugh and Frank Filcock last
Sunday...BAYS IN RUNNING: The other three forward
passing leaders - Philadelphia, Cleveland and Green
Bay - are also in the running for possible shattering of
the major league standard of 127 completions in an 11-
game schedule. Philadelphia and Green Bay are one
completion a game above average and Cleveland is
even with its average which set the record last season.
Philadelphia and Cleveland are tied in passing efficiency
with 43 percent, but the Eagles have 62 completions
compared with 46 for the Rams. The Packers have
completed 50 out of 117 for 42 percent. A total of 371
completions out of 897 tosses by the 10 teams in the
circuit brings the league passing efficiency up to 41
percent. Green Bay has taken second place in scoring
with 99 points, while Brooklyn moved up to third place
with 78 points. The Bears, second a week ago, dropped
to fourth with 76 points. Green Bay continues to lead in
ground gaining with a 332-yard average. Washington
and Brooklyn are second and third with averages of 328
and 270 yards, respectively. It is the first time in league
history that Brooklyn has been among the first three in
scoring, a feat, when coupled with their ground gaining average proves the potency of the Dodgers' attack under Coach Jock Sutherland.
PACKER STAR HIGH SCORER
OCT 15 (Chicago) - Carl Mulleneaux, Green Bay end, has advanced into a first place tie with Don Looney, Philadelphia end, and Jimmy Johnston, Washington back, for the individual scoring lead of the NFL. The Packer pass catcher scored two touchdowns Sunday, boosting his total to 24 points. Looney, held scoreless in three games, got 24 points in his first two games and Johnston reached the same total October 6. The Washington Redskins are now in a fair way
to set three new league records. The Redskins are averaging
two completions a game better than the league mark, are 1
percent more efficient in forward passing, and one point a
game better in scoring than league records set a year ago.
Washington has scored 113 points and has completed 53
out of 89 passes. The three other passing leaders, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Green Bay, are also in the running for possible bettering of the mark of 127 pass completions in an 11 game schedule. Both Philadelphia and Green Bay are one completion a game above the mark and Cleveland is even with the average of last season, which set a new record. Green Bay moved into second place in scoring, with 99 points, while Brooklyn is third with 78. Green Bay continues to lead in ground gaining with an average of 332 yards per game.