Green Bay Packers (5-3) 28, Chicago Cardinals (2-5-2) 7
Sunday November 10th 1940 (at Chicago)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(CHICAGO) - Eleven-man football and the Detroit Lions sent the Green Bay Packers rolling over the Chicago Cardinals for a 28 to 7 victory at Comiskey park here Sunday afternoon before 11,364. Functioning at their best since they won the All-Star game, the Packers were proving their superiority long before word came from Detroit that the Lions had beaten the Chicago Bears, 17 to 14. That set them off for a killing instead of a beating. The Packers have lost three games, and until Sunday afternoon their chances of winning their sixth NFL title this year seemed hopeless. Now, however, the Bears have been beaten twice and the Green Bay team, while still at a decided disadvantage, is back in the fight again. Fullback Clarke Hinkle stood out in a star-studded field. Three of the four touchdowns were made by him, two on running plays and the other on a pass.
NEW SCORING LEADER
Those 18 points made Hinkle the new individual scoring
leader on the Packers' all-time list. With a total of 310
points, he has passed Verne Lewellen, who ended a
brilliant career with 301 points to his credit. Carl
Mulleneaux caught a pass for the other touchdown.
Three of the Packers' extra point kicks were booted by
Don Hutson, and Paul (Tiny) Engebretsen marked up
the fourth. Hugh McCullough, a really great player
against a powerful Packer defense, scored the Cardinal
touchdown. The conversion by placement was made by
Lou Zontini. Smashing their way from their own 34-yard
line, and picking up three first downs in the process,
the Packers were on the 12-yard line when 12 minutes
remained in the first quarter. Arnold Herber faded back
and shot one of his specials to Hinkle in the end zone.
Engebretsen's kick was perfect, and the Packers led by
7 to 0.
CARDINALS GET SCORE
The Cardinals launched their drive to pay dirt after
downing the kickoff on the Packers' 49-yard line. They
made three first downs before the quarter ended, and
followed this up with another one as the second period
got underway. McCullough smashed from the one-yard
line for the touchdown, and Zontini's kick for the extra
point tied the score. There was an exchange of punts,
and the Packers went on the march again. They started
from their own 34, and Cecil Isbell made two ground
gains to the Cards' 40. Lou Brock made nine more, and then Isbell set up the touchdown when his pass to Hutson, ruined by John Hall, was ruled complete on the one-yard line. Hinkle smashed over for the touch, and Hutson kicked the extra point to give the fighting Packers the lead, 14 to 7. The third quarter was scoreless, although the Cardinals started from their own 25-yard line and picked up three first downs before the attack came to an abrupt end when Herber intercepted McCullough's pass on the Packer 15. Green Bay played under cover in this quarter, with the result that the Cards put up most of the fireworks.
PASSES FOR TOUCHDOWN
Isbell passed the Packers to their third touchdown, the drive starting from the 30-yard line after word of the Bears' defeat came in the fourth quarter. After three first downs were recorded, Carl Mulleneaux stood in the end zone to catch Isbell's throw for a 15-yard gain. Hutson kicked the extra point. Hardly a full breath later, Hinkle intercepted a Cardinal pass and put the ball on the Cards' 20. Isbell picked up eight yards on a run, and Hinkle carried it over from there. Hutson's kick was successful, making the final score, 28 to 7. The Packers outplayed the Chicago team in every department except punting. They made 15 first downs, usually with much yardage to spare, while the Cardinals were credited with 12.
PILE UP YARDAGE
Yardage statistics credit the Packers with 397 and the Cardinals with 189. From scrimmage the Packers made 283 yards, and the Cardinals 92. Passing yardage was 114 for the Packers, 97 for the Cards. Isbell was by far the outstanding ground gainer. In 11 attempts he gained 118 yards for an average of 10.7. Next was Frank Balazs with 28 yards in four tries. Marshall Goldberg, with 44 yards in 15 attempts for an average of three, and Hall, with 31 in nine excursions for a 3.4 average, were best for the Chicago team. Not one of the Packers' 19 passes was intercepted, which indicates that the Green Bay air attack is vastly improved. The Packers intercepted five of the 24 aerials thrown by the home team. Isbell threw 14 passes and completed four, good for 97 yards, while Herber made two out of five for 17 yards.
TEAM DOESN'T LET DOWN
Temporary letdowns were practically non-existent as far as the Packers were concerned in this game. Blocking was splendid throughout the four quarters, and tackling was generally sure and swift. The Packers fumbled twice and recovered one of them, while the Cards made recovery on their only dropped ball. Engebretsen kicked off to Mario Tonelli, who was pulled down by Harry Jacunski after returning from the five-yard line to the 13 as the first quarter opened. Tonelly bucked for one yard, and for five more with Engebretsen doing the tackling, and then Beryl Clark punted out to Andy Uram, who returned from his own 45 to the Cardinal 40. The Packers picked up seven yards on two drives by Balazs and a five-yard pass from Herber to Adkins. Engebretsen tried a placekick from his 37, but Charles Aldrich blocked and recovered for the Cardinals on the Packer 37. A blocked kick wasn't going to keep the Packers down very long, however. Clark passed to Tonelli, who was pulled down by Balazs on the 31. Tonelli gained another yard, and then Adkins intercepted another Clark pass on the nine-yard line. Herber punted out of danger to the Packer 48, and again the Green Bay line held fast. Clark punted out of bounds on the Packer 34, and here is where the 1939 champions started their first touchdown march.
ADKINS SNEAKS THROUGH
Uram hit tackle for nine yards, and Adkins sneaked through center for five yards and a first down. Balazs swung around right end on a fake reverse for 24 yards and a first down on the Cardinal 28. Uram then smashed eight more, and three more, for a first down on the 17. Uram picked up five yards on two thrusts, and Herber passed to Hinkle for 12 yards and a touchdown. Herber was far back on this one, and the Bucknell ace caught it alone in the end zone. Engebretsen kicked the extra point. Only three minutes of the first quarter remained as Engebretsen kicked out of bounds, the Cardinals taking the ball on their own 45. Goldberg went off tackle for nine yards, Uram making the stop. Hall swept around left end for a first down on the Packer 43, and the Cardinal touchdown march was well underway.
GAINS NINE YARDS
Goldberg started from the Packer 43 and picked up nine yards before Uram pulled him down. Parker lateraled to Goldberg for six yards more and a first down. Hall, Goldberg and McCullough each carried the ball once to make a first down on the 16. Goldberg went through center and was stopped by Buckets Goldenberg as the quarter ended. Hall cut in on left guard for three yards, Goldberg picked up a yard, and on the fourth down McCullough passed to Alton Coppage for nine yards and a first down on the one-yard line. McCullough drove through for the touchdown, Zontini kicked the extra point, and the score was tied. Hinkle returned Zontini's kickoff from the five to the 32, the Cards kicking from the 35 after offsides was ruled on their first kick. Isbell picked up three, Hinkle fumbled and recovered for a loss of 10 yards, and Isbell passed to Hutson for 30 yards and a first down on the Cardinal 45.
BREAKS UP PASSES
Hinkle failed to gain, and Hall broke up two aerials from Isbell to Hutson. Hinkle punted out of bounds on the Cardinals' 28 yard line. The Cards were unable to gain and McCullough punted to Lou Brock, who downed the ball on his own 35. Hinkle went through tackle for eight, and Isbell ripped off 17 yards through center. Brock made nine yards more through left guard. Then the pass from Isbell to Hutson was ruled complete on the one-yard line because of Hall's interference. Hinkle drove through for the touchdown, and Hutson kicked for the one point to put the Packers ahead, 14 to 7. Picking up a scrap with the officials, the Cards were penalized 15 yards, and Hinkle kicked off into the end zone. Then the Chicago team started a powerhouse attack that got it dangerously close to a touchdown. McCullough passed to Hall for 25 yards, Russell Letlow making the tackle. Buhler and Hutson stopped Shirk after catching another McCullough pass for 14 yards and another first down. Again McCullough passes, Coppage taking it for 12 and a first down on the 28.
LOSES ON REVERSE
Hall, tackled by Ray Riddick, lost seven yards on a reverse. Two passes failed, and the Packers were penalized five yards for offside. McCullough passed to Shirk on the fourth down, but it was good for only four yards as Goldenberg and Russ Letlow made the tackle. This gave the Packers the ball on the Cardinals' 27-yard line. Buhler went through right tackle for four yards. McCullough broke up Isbell's pass to Hutson, and another pass to Mulleneaux fell incomplete. Brock punted to the Cardinal 15, and Goldberg was smeared for three yards as the half ended. The Cards kicked off to open the third quarter, but the Packers failed with ground plays and Herber punted to Goldberg, who returned 37 yards to the Packer 39, Charlie Brock making the stop. McCullough faded back and passed, and Dick Weisgerber made a brilliant interception and returned the ball 20 yards to the Packer 40.
FUMBLE IS RECOVERED
A few gains were made by the Packers, who made one first down, and then Herber fumbled and Conway Baker recovered for the Cards on his 41. The Cardinals became dangerous, and they piled up enough yardage for three first downs until they were down on the 20-yard line. Herber was in the right spot when McCullough passed, and he intercepted to down the ball on the Packer 15. Uram made four yards, and Hinkle went through left guard for 11 and a first down on the 31 as the quarter came to a close. Isbell failed to gain on the first play as the fourth quarter got underway. Then he faded back as if to pass, dodged tacklers and ripped around right end for 54 yards to the Cardinal 15-yard line. It was easily the most spectacular play of the game. A pass by Isbell failed, and then Hinkle hit tackle for three yards to the 12. Hall spoiled Isbell's pass to Hutson, and the Cardinals took the ball on their own 10. McCullough punted t Lou Brock, who returned eight yards to his 30. Isbell passed to Mulleneaux for 19 yards. Again Isbell took the ball, but he ran this time, going 20 yards through right tackle for a first down on the Cardinal 28. Hinkle added a first down with 15 yards through center.
SMEARED AT WING
Lou Brock went around left end for seven yards, but Isbell was smeared at right end for eight yards. Then Isbell passed to Mulleneaux in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown gain. Hutson's kick was good, and the Packers led, 21 to 7. Hinkle kicked off into the end zone. One pass fell incomplete, and then Hinkle intercepted McCullough's pass and returned three yards to the Cardinal 20. Isbell made 11 yards through tackle, and Hinkle drove the needed nine yards to score standing up. Hutson's kick was good, but the Packers were penalized for holding. Hutson kicked again, making it good from the 30. The score was now 28 to 7, and the game was over so far as the fans were concerned. Lou Brock intercepted McCullough's pass and ran 20 yards to midfield, staving off any chance of a sudden Cardinal rally.
GOES THROUGH CENTER
Buhler went through tackle for six yards, and then made it a first down on the Cardinal 37. Isbell was caught for eight yards on a pass attempt, but he went through center on the next play for 22 yards and a first down on the 23. Buhler and Isbell added seven yards more. Isbell then passed incomplete to Hutson. Engebretsen attempted a field goal from the 25, but it was wide. The Cardinals took the ball, Bert Johnson passing to Tonelli for 25 yards. Passing desperately, the Cards failed to complete any more and the game ended with the home team in possession.
GREEN BAY - 7 7 0 14 - 28
CHI CARDINALS - 0 7 0 0 - 7
1st - GB - Clarke Hinkle, 12-yard pass from Arnie Herber (Tiny Engebretsen kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - CHI - Hugh McCullough, 1-yard run (Lou Zontini kick) TIED 7-7
2nd - GB - Hinkle, 1-yard run (Don Hutson kick) GREEN BAY 14-7
4th - GB - Carl Mulleneaux, 15-yard pass from Cecil Isbell (Hutson kick) GREEN BAY 21-7
4th - GB - Hinkle, 9-yard run (Hutson kick) GREEN BAY 28-7
PACKER OUTDOOR DRILL SCHEDULE IS UPSET BY HIGH WINDS, COLD; LEAVE EARLY THURSDAY
NOV 12 (Green Bay) - Whistling Wisconsin winds and below freezing temperatures haven't altered the travel schedule of the Green Bay Packers, who'll leave Thursday morning for New York and their Sunday game with the Giants at the Polo Grounds. In much better position among Western division teams since their victory over the Chicago Cardinals and the Bears' loss at Detroit, the Packers next Sunday face one of the toughest home grounds teams in the business. Once in awhile the Giants lose a game in the Polo Grounds, but it doesn't happen often. Coach Curly Lambeau believes that his team is nearing its peak both mentally and physically. The Packers acquired no new injuries in the Cardinal game, when they scored touchdowns with ease and in general began to justify the coach's predictions that they were due for a smashing victory. If they maintain the same attitude for the balance of the season, there's just a good outside chance that the Bears will get bumped again, setting up a playoff for the Western division championship...BEARS VS. REDSKINS: The best time for the Bruins to lose will be next Sunday when they invade Washington to meet the Redskins, leaders of the Eastern division. Coach George Halas' squad will be fighting made after its Detroit defeat, but the Redskins, who were bumped by Brooklyn on the 2-point margin of a safety, aren't likely to be in the happiest frame of mind, either. If Washington beats the Bears, the trick will be turned by Sammy Baugh and his amazingly accurate throwing arm, which have set a new forward passing standard this season. The Bears have no overhead attack worthy of the name but rely upon their crushing ground attack, led by Gary Famiglietti and Joe Maniaci. Sid Luckman's tosses are inserted just often enough to set up that murderous ground attack...MAKE FASTEST TRIP: The Packers will make the speediest trip to New York in history. They will leave here Thursday morning at 7 o'clock on the Milwaukee Road, and will leave the Chicago airport on two chartered United planes at 12:30 Thursday afternoon. That will get them to New York at 4:29 p.m., and they'll be installed at the Hotel New Yorker for the four-day visit. The return itinerary hasn't been lined up definitely. The squad either will leave New York at 7 o'clock a.m., reaching Green Bay at 4:47 p.m., or they'll leave at 10:30 a.m., arriving home at 8:15 in the evening. The football game will start at 2 o'clock, which will be 1 o'clock Green Bay time...UPSETS DRILL SCHEDULE: The weird winter weather which greeted the city today disrupted the Packers' practice schedule almost completely. Lambeau said the temperature wasn't so bad, but the high wind prevented the men from accomplishing anything, and he expected to restrict this afternoon's outdoor drill to half an hour of running. For the rest of the time the team was to hold a skull session, ironing out mistakes and planning strategy for the New York game.
CHIEFS RESUME DRILLS FOR TILT WITH KENOSHA
NOV 12 (Milwaukee) - Weather permitting, the Milwaukee Chiefs were scheduled to resume drill today for their game here Nov. 17 against the Kenosha Cardinals. The team rested yesterday following its American Football league victory over the New York Yankees. Coach Tiny Cahoon praised the Chiefs' performance, particularly that of George Gould, who scored his first touchdown in seven years of football. Only casualties reported from the Yankee game were leg bruises suffered by guards Merle Larson and Ed Merlin, and Obbie Novakofsky's wrenched shoulder.
CUFF, MILLER OUT FOR PACKER TILT
NOV 12 (New York) - X-rays painted a dark picture indeed yesterday for Coach Steve Owen of the Giants. Exhibit A, of Ward Cuff's spinal concussion, and Exhibit B, of Eddie Miller's torn knee ligaments, confirmed fears that both backfielders will be out of action for the game against Green Bay's Packers at Polo Grounds next Sunday. It is quite possible, however, that Cuff is through for the season. However, the pictures showed no fractures or breaks. That revives hope that Miller can return to the lineup for the Redskins or Dodger game. Cuff is confined to St. Elizabeth's Hospital, while Miller limps around his hotel room with a bulky knee bandage. So far as Coach Owen is concerned, this means he'll have to revamp his first-string backfield. His Giants return to work today, and Steve intends to try Leland Shaffer in Cuff's spot. It'll be tougher to replace Miller, who is both signal caller and kicker. Rookie Jack Hinkle may get a chance.
PACKER NOTES
NOV 12 (Milwaukee Sentinel) - The remainders of the NFL schedule will see plenty of fur flying around and I don't mean mink coats on bubbling blondes, either. Sunday's games turned the western half race into another dog fight between the Chicago Bears and the vastly improved Green Bay Packers. The eastern race, too, would have been closer than the Siamese twins had the Giants been up to the task of defeating the Cleveland Rams because Jock Sutherland's Dodgers handed the Washington Redskins a surprise defeat. Take a look see, for instance, at next Sunday's program. The Packers against the Giants in New York and the Bears against the Redskins in Washington. The Giants, snapping mad they allowed Sunday's chance to gain on the Redskins slip by, will be battling to keep in the Eastern race, hoping the Bears will take a bite out of the Skins while they are stowing the Packers into defeat. In contrast, the at last reawakened Packers will be giving 'er the gun against the Giants and hoping the Redskins massacre the Bears, knowing a win for themselves and a defeat for the Bears would tie up the Western race and give them one more chance to defend the laurels they won so majestically last fall and defended so carelessly this season until the last half of the November 3 test with the Bears...SKINS MAD TOO: That Washington-Chicago melee should be a riot. Both clubs will be bouncing back after defeats. For the sake of the Bays' hopes the best thing that could have happened was the Washington upset at the hands of the Dodgers. Now the Skins know they, too, are not invulnerable, that they have to play ball every minute to win and this they'll be doing against the Bears. Of course, the Chicago eleven will have the same reaction following its loss to Detroit, but for the Packers' sake the defeat at Detroit, no matter how much it sharpens the Bears' victory appetites for the Redskin fray, was entirely welcome - and needed - because until Saturday the Halasmen had a two game edge and same team, somewhere along the line, in addition to the Redskins had to upset the Bears if the Packers were to creep back into the title picture. Washington's loss to the Dodgers was more or less of an upset, but the Detroit-Bears outcome could have been expected without undue surprise. The Lions, when right, are a great ball club, as they proved in beating the Packers (granting the Packers at the same time still wanted to win the 1940 crown on the 1939 records) and as they proved in losing to the Bears, 7 to 0, earlier. The Lions actually outplayed the Bears in their defeat at Chicago...BAYS ON THE WAY: The knowledge they outplayed the Bears in Chicago, coupled with their rout at the hands of the Rams the previous week, made the Lions a better than fair choice Sunday over the Bears. This was the reason this department predicted a Detroit victory was likely and that the Packers had a chance for the crown if they'd go out and play ball the way they can play it. Sunday, against the Cardinals, the Packers proved they were well on their way to playing the kind of football of which they are capable. At times they fairly sparkled with their ground attack. Fine selection of plays, perfect blocking, adept ball carrying all combined to make the running attack the best it had been all season. Then, too, the alertness of the individuals to surprise situations was far and away better than at any other time. In contrast to their slow thinking of previous games the Bays reacted instantly and reacted correctly. At times, as has been their failing all season, they went to the air when the ground game was functioning too smoothly to be abandoned, but in the main, and especially in the second half, they stuck fairly well to the slower, but equally effective, method of grinding out yardage when that style of attack was paying dividends...CARDS MUCH IMPROVED: For the first time since the exhibition game against the Redskins the Packers revealed the post that was characteristic of their 1939 play. For the first time, all season one might say, they revealed the finesse and the "extra touch" of a title outfit by the manner in which they carried out their fakes. Perhaps you doubt my sanity in view of the Packers' easier win over the Cardinals in Milwaukee. The Cardinals of Sunday were a greater - much greater - ball club than the one the Bays manhandled here. This time the Cards were not worn down by a Wednesday night game with the Bears; this time they were thirsting to prove they could wallop the Bays (as many claimed after the Milwaukee game) and this time they had an attack that was far an away better than the one displayed here. But the Packers won - impressively. So impressively that one knows that at long last they are on the way and that if the Redskins are good enough to tumble the Bears next Sunday the Packers will be the team to beat for the crown - believe it or not.
DON HUTSON NOW 2ND IN SCORING
NOV 12 (Chicago) - A dogfight for the individual scoring
title of the NFL was in prospect today as the 10 teams
moved into the final three weeks of the season. Dick
and Jimmy Johnston, Washington backs, were blanked
Sunday but clung to their slim lead at the head of the
scoring parade. Green Bay's Don Hutson moved up
within one point of their 42 point total and several others also advanced on the pacesetting twosome.
HINKLE'S LEAGUE MARK STILL WELL BELOW THE RECORD
NOV 12 (Green Bay) - Packer fans who have been calling in for information regarding Clarke Hinkle's chances of setting a new individual scoring record for the NFL may relax for a while, as the present league mark, held by the still active Jack Manders of the Chicago Bears, appears well beyond Hinkle's reach for the present. When Hinkle scored three touchdowns against the Chicago Cardinals last Sunday, he boosted his Packer all-time scoring mark to 310 points, to break the record of 301 established by Verne Lewellen. This total, however, includes the several playoff games in which Hinkle has participated, whereas the National league does not allow playoff game points. Hinkle's official league mark at present is 296 points. Manders has scored 357 points to date, and is still kicking those extra points. Ken Strong of the New York Giants and Brooklyn scored 340 points during his National league career, so Hinkle still is comfortably short of the all-time record. He does rank fourth in total touchdowns scored, with 36. Don Hutson is third, with 37.
NEWS AND NOTES
PACKERS WIN, CHIEF INTEREST CENTERS ABOUT BEARS' DEFEAT
NOV 11 (Chicago) - Chicago's Cardinals had just taken a 28 to 7 beating from the Green Bay Packers, but in the chatter that followed paramount interest was in the Bears' 14 to 16 defeat by Detroit. That the Lions' victory put the Packers very much back into the championship race seemed more important to coaches, players and members of the fourth estate than what had happened at Comiskey park. Being in a championship race is one thing, and winning it is something else, but the general consensus of opinion was that if the Packers continue to click in the manner they did Sunday, and polish their attack to better coordinate the running and passing, they still are a good bet to overtake the Bears - if the Bruins take one more licking. Should the Packers and the Bears then both win their remaining games, they will be tied for Western division honors, and a playoff will be necessary. Nobody seemed to think the Bears can beat the Packers three times in one season. It was Charlie Bidwill, the patient and ever-giving owner of the Cardinals, who said with ill disguised disgust: "Bears, Bears, Bears. That's all you read in the papers here. They are not a great ball team. For one thing, they lack a passing attack. What they have got is better than ours, but it does not compare with the Packers."...TRIMMED BY CARDINALS: The fact remains that the Bears have come out a winner in both of their games with the Packers, but in view of the fact that the Cardinals trimmed George Halas' team there may be some merit in what Bidwill says. The Packers were better Sunday than they have been in earlier games, but room for improvement remains in several departments. Pleased with the team's showing, but looking ahead, Coach Curly Lambeau stated that "we are getting better but after eight games we still are operating on about 70 percent efficiency. Seventy percent efficiency after eight games isn't so good." Answering the common query, "What's the matter with the Packers?" Curly declared: "There is nothing wrong with the Packers except that some of the men have not been trying, and some others who have been trying missed too many assignments. Then too, there has been a marked absence of a desire to win on the part of some players. This does not apply to all 33 men, understand. I think we are on the right track now."...MAY WIN OUT YET: And so the fans who last week were philosophically accepting second place with the thought that "we can't win all the time" may find themselves cheering another pennant winner in December. Jimmy Conzelman thinks the Packers have the equipment necessary to beat any club in the league if the machinery functions properly. "Just let me have one or two of your left halfbacks and I'll show you a different team," the genial James promised. Bidwill picked up the conversation: "Give us three players and we will match anything in the league. Give us Cecil Isbell and another back, and possibly another tackle. You fellows (Green Bay) really have it." In asking (not with any serious thought of acquiring him) for Isbell, Charlie was shooting at the stars. Cecil was hot yesterday. It isn't generally known, but up to now the red-headed Texan has been sick. Nothing was wrong with his healthy yesterday as he ran and passed in a matter that was eclipsed by the performance of only one other player on the field. That player was Mr. Fullback himself, Clarke Hinkle...HE'S COACH'S DREAM: Blocking, tackling, running like only Hink can do, he was any coach's dream come true Sunday. Three touchdowns should not be taken lightly. His third was made after a high pass from center and a near fumble. Hink never lost his stride as he juggled the ball into his grasp and pounded over for nine yards and the score. He went over standing up. A thing of beauty, indeed. Possibly because Hinkle is so outstanding, other men at his position suffer by comparison. Whatever the reason, fullback replacements with the Packers lack luster. Maybe when they pick up the polish which should come with experience, both Frank Balazs and Larry Buhler will rank among the great. Let's hope. Packer team play generally was better than it has been since the All Star game. A few individuals beside Hinkle and Isbell hit a high degree of football productivity. Tom Greenfield turned in his best game to date at center, and Ray Riddick continues to play right end in the style that Lambeau and line coach Red Smith with favor. Paul Kell had one of his first real workouts at right tackle since he joined the team a year ago, and he was equal to the task. Leo Disend showed well at times at left tackle - nothing spectacular, but encouraging if it is an indication of more to come...MUST PASS, TOO: Then, of course, there always is Don Hutson. Or maybe that word "always" is poorly used here. We are beginning to think that there always is Don Hutson, when sooner or later we shall have to face the fact that he too must pass from the football scene. Dismal thought. For the moment, however, there is Don Hutson, the one and only. Drying himself after a shower in the Comiskey park dressing room, Marshall Goldberg, who has a big day himself despite being with the losers, said: "As long as the Packers have Hutson the rest of the teams must operate with a handicapped defense. No man can cover him." It has been said before, and it probably will be said many times again, but it is always nice to hear. Lack of originality does not detract from the truth of the statement. One touchdown was taken away from Don yesterday. He caught an Isbell pass in the end zone late in the game. The ball, Hutson and the end of the field were one in the fleet second it takes Don to catch the ball. The officials ruled he was out of bounds before the catch. Don thought otherwise, but there was no argument on the decision. The press box was divided on the subject, mostly in Hutson's favor. Nothing was lost. On the same series of downs Hinkle cashed in. Bo McMillin, football coach at Indiana and one of the foremost figures in intercollegiate football, was one of the most interested spectators in the press box. He rode from the Morrison hotel to the park in the Packers' bus, and handed down some off-the-record tips on promising pro material to Coach E.L. Lambeau...GO INTO HUDDLE: After the game McMillin and Conzelman went into a prolonged huddle. Here too he made some suggestions about future talent. Fortunately, the Packers and Cardinals are not lacing in the same departments. In one voice, Conzelman, Bidwill, Assistant Coach Phil Handler and Assistant Coach Chili Walsh cry out: "We need passers." Down in the loop sports followers were saying the same thing about the Cardinals Saturday night. Some of the same grid minds who a week ago had some visions of a possible Cardinal win over Green Bay had turned about after diagnosing the Redbirds' attack. Barney Ross, the boxer who has the athlete's interest in all sports, observed on the eve of the game, "Conzelman can't beat the Packers with the passers he has. Both McCullough and Beryl Clark are erractic. Hall can do everything else well, and Bert Johnson tried but he can't throw 'em." Hall (John Hall, a rookie from Texas Christian) did live up to Ross' announcement that he could do "everything else well". He never gave up, even when the Cardinals were set back on their heels in the first period...HE'LL TAKE PACKERS: Tommy Thomas, noted fight referee and the man who handled the Braddock-Louis championship encounter, said before the game that "Football ain't my racket. I'm in boxing, but I were to bet today it wouldn't be against the Packers." Nevertheless, Conzelman's team made a real ball game out of it in the first three quarters. Following the Packers' initial score they took the ball on their own 45-yard line and made three consecutive first downs to hit pay dirt on the nine, and later McCullough scored in one thrust. While news that the Bears had lost, announced over the public address system during the fourth quarter, added to the Packers' already buoyant spirits, Handler had another answer to the surge of Green Bay power near the finale. Once more, it goes back to the Cards' lack of a passer. "Those kids (the Cardinals) give everything they have, but when pass after pass goes haywire and the game becomes a lost cause, they get discouraged and let down." Sounds plausible. This corner would rather think that the Packers won in a handy manner because they were fit physically and mentally fit for the task, not because something happened more than 300 miles from the scene of action. We like to believe that the Packers would have won by 28 to 7 even if no announcement regarding the Bears had been made...DIDN'T NEED NEWS: For coaches to have to depend upon a public address system and the results of other games to pep their charges adds a new element which, if true, has unlimited possibilities. Is it fair to assume that if the announcement had been the other way around, id est if the Bears had won, the Packers would have dogged it for the rest of the game? We think not. Just a few more observations: In Comiskey park the Chicago southsiders have a plant they may well be proud of. It seats 49,000 for baseball, about 5,000 more than Wrigley field. The 11,364 in the stands Sunday was just a handful...Green Bay still matches the bigger parks in he way of a press box, but few parks match the hospitality offered the press by the White Sox management, which has a special room set aside where writers may gather after a game. Edgar V. Munzel, former Herald-Examiner sportswriter and the Sox publicity chief, took hosting honors Sunday...RABID SOUTH SIDE FANS: Southside fans are more partisan than those who go to games at Wrigley field. They boo and hiss the opposition and cheer their favorites, even when the tide is against them. Bidwill might have done well to move to the south side a few years back...Russ Letlow and Alton Coppage, Cardinal end, were near to fisticuffs after the second Packer touchdown. Russ blocked Coppage, and after the play the Chicagoan biffed him in the nose with his elbow. Russ grabbed him and was set to start swinging when players of both sides intervened. Joe Beinor directed some rough language at Umpire Ed Cochrane for letting Russ "get away" with it. As a result, the Cards were penalized 15 yards on the kickoff that followed. At the half McMillin commented that the differences between the Packers and the Cardinals was the difference in passing effectiveness, but after the game he admitted Packer superiority throughout...Last but not least this corner would like to know what gives rise to the rumor of dissension on the Packer club. Riding trains with them, eating with them, knowing them all personally makes us wonder how such things get started. True, Cecil Isbell, Don Hutson and Arnold Herber "ganged up" on Buckets Goldenberg to frame him in a bridge game coming home last night, but Buckets crossed them up by winning...WARBLE OFF KEY: And of course there is Joe Laws' tenor in the usual renditions of "Carry Me Back to Old Virginia", "Down by the Old Mill Stream: and similar favorites of men who fancy their voices. In the community singing which is part of every train ride, some of the boys warble off key. Besides that there is an occasional hot foot (as this corner knows too dam' well), and the ribbing and arguments which go with bull sessions. But if in any of this there is a sign of dissension of the major proportions hinted at in some quarters, we have missed it. Even some of the boys are confused about it. One back confided last night, humorously, that he doesn't know whom he is supposed to be made at, and wonders if that constitutes a missed assignment.
LOOKING UP IN THE REALM OF SPORTS
NOV 11 (Green Bay) - Fans of the Green Bay Packers awoke today to find their team surprisingly close to first place in the Western division campaign, and its roster headed by a new all-time individual scoring champion. Up to yesterday's game with the Chicago Cardinals at Comiskey park, William Clarke Hinkle of the Packers hadn't scored a 1940 touchdown, despite the fact that everyone had been expecting him to set a new Green Bay scoring record before the season ended. He hadn't exactly been idle. He had roared through one of his greatest seasons despite a service record which would caused more professional football players to yelp for moth balls. At odd times he had kicked three points after touchdown and booted five field goals, and when he entered Comiskey park yesterday he rested only nine points behind Verne Lewellen, who scored 301 points from 1924 to 1932. Then yesterday he thundered forth with three touchdowns, knocked the record totally out of shape, and hoisted his all-time scoring mark to 310, one of the highest in the annals of the NFL. When Lewellen scored his last point in 1932, he was so far ahead of the rest of the Packers' all-time list that there were free predictions his level would never be topped. At that time only two other Packers, Johnny Blood and Curly Lambeau, had even exceeded 100 points. But the day of high-scoring offenses had arrived, and as Hinkle moved steadily ahead on the big point list, others advanced with him. Today the "Century club" of those holding more than 100 league points as a Packer includes, besides those mentioned, Don Hutson and Hank Bruder. In fact, there's no certainty that Hinkle will hold his new title indefinitely. The younger Huston, highest scoring end in Packer history, is romping along close behind, and when Clarke decides to hang up his cleats for keeps, Don probably will still be playing. Hutson kicked three extra points yesterday - one of them from 30 yards out - and thereby raised his total to 281. He is in third place, 20 points behind Lewellen. His conversions yesterday were Nos. 15, 16 and 17. Tiny Engebretsen, who has kicked more extra points than any other player in Packer history, booted No. 48 yesterday. His all-time total is 93 points, three behind Joe Laws, and if he maintains his steady pace it's like he, too, will wind up past the 100 mark. Carl Mulleneaux scored his 10th Packer touchdown, making his total 60 points, and placing him in a tie for 15th place with Cub Buck, Eddie Kotal, Weert Engelmann and Buckets Goldenberg.
YANKS NO MATCH FOR CHIEFS
NOV 11 (Milwaukee) - The Milwaukee Chiefs turned in what
was perhaps their best game of the year as they whittled
the New York Yankees to pygmy size to sew up second
place in the American pro league race Sunday afternoon at
State Fair park and stay within a game of the leading
Columbus Bullies. Coach Tiny Cahoon's boys deserved
every bit of their 30 to 7 margin, which exactly reversed the
result of their first meeting with the Yankees in New York
three weeks ago. 6500 fans, who braved penetrating chill
and threat of rain, thus were convinced that the New York
affair was all a mistake. Heavy scoring on the muddy
slippery field seemed out of the question in the first half,
when the Chiefs gained what looked like an ample 3 to 0
lead on George (Automatic) Karamatic's 35-yard placekick.
But suddenly the Blue Streaks shook off their muddy
shackles and turned the threatened dog fight into a rout
before the end of the third quarter. Over that telltale stretch
they piled up three touchdowns and set the stage for the
grand finale. So completely were the Yankees' fine array of big name operators outplayed that they were in Milwaukee territory only four times in the first half, twice under their own steam and twice on profitable punt exchanges. They were unable to get within 43 yards of the home club's goal during the opening periods. It wasn't until the Chiefs had piled up their 30 markers that the visitors found the range and averted a shutout by completing two long passes. Ed Britt fired one to Joe Hocter to put the ball on Milwaukee's 23 yard line, and a 21 yard shot, Britt to Harlan Gustafson, completed the journey. Milwaukee was without the services of its two regular ends, Sherman Barnes and Bob Temple, but no could have guessed the same, judging by the way the blue jerseyed line stopped the Yankees on running plays. So furiously did Bob Eckl, Len Akin, Bob Hoel, Joe Murray, Earl Ohlgren, Merle Larsen and Bill Lenich charge that the visitors were held to five yards net on the ground. It was natural, then, that New York should turn to the air almost from the opening whistle. 40 times Bill Hutchinson, John Urban, Walter Strosser and Britt fired passes, their combined batting average was .250 - 10 completions in the 40 tried for a total gain of 155 yards. Eight of the aerials were intercepted and 22 fell incomplete. Brightest stars for the Chiefs? One guess - Obbie Novakofski. The slippery little Lawrence grad's beautiful punt out of bounds on New York's 6 yard line early in the third quarter was the first blow in really turning the game wide open. He lugged Urban's return boot back to the visitor's 38 yard mark and on the first play thereafter, faked a wide sweep, whirled and whipped a perfect pass to Ohlgren for the first touchdown. Eckl, believe it or not, missed the try for point. Not content with a 9 to 0 lead, Novakofski gave the folks another treat by scampering 55 yards for a score on Urban's punt. He twisted away from two tacklers and then reversed his field to pick up a couple of vital blocks. The finest contribution in the latter department was Ray Cole's. From there on it was a breeze for Obbie. Eckl's placekick made it 16 to 0. George Gould, Minnesota grad whose every move was studded with class, didn't like the idea of being outdone by Novakofski when he was called into action. So he intercepted a pass at midfield and went the 50 yard route for touchdown No. 3. Karamatic's kick boosted the count to 23 to 0. Another pass interception, this time by Ripon's Roland Horky, gave the Chiefs position on the Yankee 22 as the third quarter came to a close. Vince Yatichak ground out nine yards and little Johnny Maltsch went the rest of the way inside left tackle on the first two plays of the final quarter. Karamatic's kick was Milwaukee's final scoring gesture.
PACKERS WILL RIDE SKY LANE TO NEW YORK THURSDAY
NOV 13 (Green Bay) - Unless some of those 60-mile an hour gales causes the team to be grounded at Chicago, the Green Bay Packers will spend tomorrow afternoon higher, by several thousand feet, than any game-bound professional football team ever attained as a unit in the history of the National league. They will be flying across Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania in two shiny big United airliners, heading for La Guardia field in New York city, and an eventual appointment with Coach Steve Owen's Giants at the Polo Grounds Sunday afternoon. The wild winds which ripped across the Midwest this week caused furrows in the brows of the Packers whose aerial experience has been limited to forward pass defense, but improved atmospheric conditions today indicated that Thursday's flight will go ahead as scheduled. If it doesn't, the Packers will filter into New York by train...TWO PLANES USED: The squad will leave here at 7 o'clock Thursday morning on the Milwaukee Road train. At the Chicago airport two United Mainliners will await the Packers, and at 12:30 o'clock that afternoon they'll take to the sky lanes, their destination New York city. The arrival will be at 4:25 p.m., Central Standard time, at which time the team will be taken to the Hotel New Yorker. The players will work out Central park both Friday and Saturday morning, the former date being turned over principally to photographers. Here's a note for Green Bay fans - Coach Curly Lambeau and Coach Jock Sutherland of the Brooklyn Dodgers will be interviewed on Red Barber's program over the Mutual System from 9 to 9:30, Green Bay time, Friday night. Locally the program can be heard over WGN of Chicago. The Packers' preparation for next Sunday's game has been inadequate. Bitterly cold weather and high winds made an outdoor workout impossible yesterday, and the squad accomplished all it could indoors. An outside drill was scheduled for today, after which the uniforms were to be packed in anticipation of tomorrow's departure. There will be no workout Thursday, as the team will be traveling, and Friday little can be accomplished because of the necessity of accommodating the metropolitan press. This will leave just one good practice day, Saturday, out of the entire week, a period when Lambeau hoped he would have four or five good days of drills...LEAVE ON MONDAY: The exact schedule for the return trip has not been worked out. The Packers will leave either at 7 o'clock or 10 o'clock Monday morning, arriving here respectively at 4:47 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. Upon the outcome of Sunday's game may hang Green Bay's Western division championship hopes, considered so dead a week ago but revived by the Detroit Lions' upset of the Chicago Bears. While the Bruins continue to lead - but only by one game - and look as powerful as ever, they will face a severe test in the forward passing efficiency of Washington's Sammy Baugh Sunday, and by that evening Packer fans will have a pretty clear insight into their team's chances of entering a playoff for the Western crown.
RIDDICK IS VICTIM OF 'SLEEPER PLAY'
NOV 13 (Green Bay) - Ray Riddick, Packer end, who has pulled many a "sleeper play" in his career, was victim of one this morning. While he was sleeping, his room in the Hotel Northland was entered and his wallet, containing $45 in cash, stolen from his trousers pocket. How the door was opened is not certain. Hal Van Every, halfback, who occupies an adjoining room, told police that a stranger entered his room about 6 o'clock this morning, said: "Sorry, buddy, I got the wrong room," and left. Van Every thought of reporting the incident, but did not do so until learning of Riddick's loss, he said. He was to be questioned this afternoon in an effort to secure a description of the intruder.
LOOKING UP IN THE REALM OF SPORTS
NOV 13 (Green Bay) - The men who make the wheels turn in the NFL will have their eyes on the Green Bay Packers tomorrow - weather permitting - when that New York-bound assortment of professional talent will sprout wings for the first time in the postgraduate game's history. If the experiment of flying to a scheduled contest turns out favorably, by which we mean causing no ill effects upon the competitive spirits of the Packers, it is very likely that other flights will be ahead for next year, not only for the Packers, but for the rival league teams. After all, many weary hours on the train will be saved tomorrow. The Packers will board two big planes at the Chicago airport shortly after noon, and before the middle of the afternoon has been much more than passed, they'll put their not so insignificant feet upon the soil of La Guardia airport on the Atlantic seaboard. History thus will be made. A professional football squad will have been transported to its battle scene by air for the first time since gridiron players stepped up on Tuesday morning and claimed their checks. The Packers will have pioneered in a new development for the National league, just as they have pioneered in a score of other movements since the circuit was formed in 1921. And it is very probable that the National loop again will follow the leader, shooting its game-bound hordes into the sky next season for more than one out-of-town dates. We doubt very much if the game will progress to the point where it will be played entirely in the skies. The outlay in individual planes would be a bit too strong, the game might be rough and the whole thing would be too reminiscent of the current unpleasantness on the other side of what New Yorkers insist is "the pond". Incidentally, we plan to look up a few of those New York sportswriters and brag about the condition of Midwest press boxes. We received several angry letters from the East last fall after implying that the boys would have spent less time criticizing the playoff game setup had their Giants looked a little more like a football team and less like a squat-tag squad from a centenarian's home. It is probable that the Giants will bear a close resemblance to a professional team next Sunday afternoon. There have been mutterings from that section to the effect, "Just wait until we get you on our home grounds." This, coupled with the fact that the New Yorkers always are a vicious lot when met at home (reference: any Packer who played there twice in 1938) will afford a preview of what the Bays may expect from Steve Owen's outfit come Sunday. We rather expect the Chicago Bears to lose another game, and perhaps two; our chief fear at the moment being that the Packers might dent the loss column again themselves. This New York hurdle is a severe one, but no more so than those engagements ahead at Detroit and Cleveland.
WASHINGTON COMPILING GREAT PASSING RECORD
NOV 13 (New York) - The Washington Redskins established two new NFL one-game passing record against Brooklyn Sunday with 25 completions for 312
yards, according to team statistics for the ninth week of
play. This brought their total for the season to 118
completions in 195 tosses for 60 percent efficiency, the
highest number of completions in that club's history and
only nine way from the league record of 127 made by
Cleveland last year. The old marks were 21 completions
by Detroit and Philadelphia last year, and 306 yards by
the Chicago Cardinals in 1937, both against the Bears..
REGAINS SECOND PLACE: Philadelphia regained
second place in passing over Green Bay during the
week with 98 out of 238. Green Bay has 91 out of 218.
Both have a 41 percent average. Washington remains
the best offensive team with 2,670 yards gained and
218 points. Green Bay, with 2525 yards and 172 points,
and the Bears with 2210 yards and 157 points are
second and third in ground gaining and scoring.
Opponents have gained only 1458 yards against the
Giants, completed 35 percent of their passes against
the Cardinals and scored only 91 points against
Brooklyn, making these clubs the best defensive units.
NOVAKOFSKI UNABLE TO THROW AERIALS
NOV 13 (Milwaukee) - Obbie Novakofski, Milwaukee Chief triple-threat back, probably will be unable to throw foward passes when the Chiefs meet the Kenosha Cardinals in a professional football contest here Nov. 17, it was announced today. Novakofski threw his shoulder out of joint during last Sunday's game with the New York Yankees. Although the injury will not keep him out of action, it was expected it would prevent Novakofski from passing. Availability for the Cardinal game of Sherman Barnes, pass catching end, still was uncertain. He attended Coach Tiny Cahoon's chalk talk yesterday when the squad was given an additional day of rest because of the cold wave.
GAME IS CALLED OFF BY KENOSHA, NEW YORK
NOV 13 (Kenosha) - Frigid winds last night forced postponement of a scheduled football game between the Kenosha Cardinals and the New York Yankees. Weather permitting, the teams were to meet tonight. The Cardinals, fresh from a 17-14 victory over the Boston Bears, will be seeking their second American league victim in the Yankees. Two star recruits, tackle Joe Kurth and halfback Beattie Feathers, will bolster the Kenosha lineup. Coach John Reis announced that the Cardinals will engage the Chicago Gunners here on Thanksgiving day, Nov. 21.
OWEN SHUFFLES GIANT BACKFIELD LINEUP
NOV 13 (New York) - Coach Steve Owen yesterday began the brain-wracking job of shuffling together the best possible backfield combinations for his Giants to throw into action against the Green Bay Packers, defending National league champions, at the Polo Grounds next Sunday. Tuffy Leemans and Walt Nielsen will be teamed in one of the backfield units along with Jack Hinkle and Nello Falaschi, but Owen is not sure just who the other four will be. Injuries to Ward Cuff and Eddie Miller have given Owen and his latest headache, and while there is some hope Miller will be ready, Cuff is definitely out of Sunday's clash. In yesterday's drill, Shaffer, McLaughry, Eakin and Principe worked together in the second backfield...TWO OF THE BEST: The Giants will spend plenty of time on pass defense during the remainder of their drills for the Packers have two of the best tossers in the business in Arnie Herber and Cecil Isbell while ends Carl Mulleneaux and Don Hutson need no introduction. The Giants still haven't forgotten their shellacking by Green Bay in the league playoff last winter and would like nothing better than trounce them this Sunday. A defeat would virtually eliminate the champions from the race for Western honors.
PACKERS BOARD AIRLINERS TO KEEP DATE WITH NEW YORK GIANTS SUNDAY
NOV 14 (Chicago) - Shortly after noon today the Green Bay Packers, loaded into two United mainliners, took to the skies and headed eastward over Indiana to keep a date with the New York Giants. It was the first time in history that a professional football team had cut down its travel schedule for the purpose of providing extra hours before an out of town game. Before the sun had slid very low to the west, the Packers were due to arrive at La Guardia airport, New York city, and they'll stay in the nation's biggest city until Monday, during the interval making an important competitive appearance at the Polo Grounds, against the Eastern division entrant coached by Stout Steve Owen. Although somewhat less than the usual hysteria over the Packer-Giant meeting is expected, due to the Giants' several losses and the fact that the Bays are not expected to repeat for their Western crown, the Polo Grounds will be far from empty Sunday afternoon. The picture is a bit different than that of 1938, when the Packers twice battled the Giants on that historic turf, losing on both occasions...STILL IN FIGHT: The Packers, who do not regard themselves as ready for the titular ash heap despite the Bears' one-game lead and the fact that Green Bay does not met the Bruins on the regular schedule again this fall, are primed to make a strong fight out of Sunday's contest. The Giants, riddled with injuries and disappointed by several promising rookie prospects, have not appeared as strong as in 1939 - but, then, neither have the Packers. It is likely to be a typical ding-dong National league struggle, with aerial competition determining the winner, and with the Packers keeping their eyes glued to the scoreboard for news from Washington, where the Bears will be meeting the Redskins. If the champions lose at the Polo Grounds, Green Bay can whistle for its championship, as no one expects the Bears to lose their two final games...LEAVE 7 O'CLOCK: The departure from Green Bay this morning was made without incident, the players and coaches leaving via the Milwaukee Road at 7 o'clock, and reaching here before noon. The trip to the Chicago airport was made in United limousines, and upon arrival the Packers found big mainliners warmed up and waiting for them. There was a slight delay as the players lined up in front of the planes for photographers, and then the squad was divided into equal parts before entering the two planes. A few minutes later they were underway. Headquarters of the Packers in the biggest city will be the Hotel New Yorker. They plan two outdoor drills before the game, Friday and Saturday morning, and several skull sessions to further iron out the kinks before meeting the Giants.
PLAYOFF PLANS
NOV 14 (Dayton) - A meeting of the championship contenders in the NFL will be held at Washington next Monday to arrange tentative plans for the annual playoff game scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 8. President Carl Storck announced Wednesday night he had invited representatives of the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants, in addition to the two current leaders, the Washington Redskins and Chicago Bears, to sit in on the conference.
ISBELL HAS RECORD FOR BEST GAIN IN ONE GAME
NOV 14 (New York) - The race for individual honors in the NFL is still wide open in every department but forward passing, in which Slingin' Sammy Baugh of Washington is in a class by himself. Baugh broke Davey O'Brien's one-game record of 21 completions Sunday and is nearing league season marks in completions, yards gained and efficiency. Tuffy Leemans, New York Giants league champion in 1936, issued another strong challenge to Whizzer White, Detroit's titleholder in 1938, for honors in this department for the current year. Leeemans was out of action for two weeks and dropped from second to ninth. Back in uniform again, he gained 101 yards to jump back to second place. White has gained 409 yards, while Leemans has 340, dropping Banks McFadden, Brooklyn rookie, to third with 331. McFadden's average of seven yards per carry is the best in the circuit. Cecil Isbell's 118 yards against the Cardinals is the highest single game total of the year...MULLENEAUX HAS RECORD: In pass receiving and scoring, also, the race is still a tossup with only three more weeks of competition left. Don Looney, Philadelphia freshman, regained pass receiving supremacy from Don Hutson by one reception, 36 to 35. Washington's Jimmy Johnston, with 24, and Dick Todd and Wayne Millner, with 19 each, are third and fourth. Carl Mulleneaux of Green Bay has caught six touchdown passes, the most in the league. Johnston and Todd are still tied for scoring with seven touchdowns each for 42 points. Hutson is only one point way with five touchdowns and eleven extra points, and another slim point away is Bob Masterson, Washington, with four touchdowns, 13 conversions and one field goal for 40 points. Clarke Hinkle, Green Bay, became the third player this season to tally three touchdowns in one game and thus tie the National league record. Hutson and Hinkle are now third and fourth all-time high touchdown producers of the league with 37 and 36 respectively...BAUGH GOING STRONG: Baugh, in addition to breaking the individual one-game completion record and leading Washington to one-game team completion and yardage marks for passing last Sunday, is withing striking distance of three season individual aerial standards. He now has completed 91 out of 140 tosses for 1208 yards and 11 touchdowns. His efficiency is 65 percent. He is only 15 completions from Parker Hall's record of 106, and 116 yards from O'Brien's 1324 yards, both made last year. Baugh previously held the record at 81 completions in 1937, his first in the league. Eddie Miller, New York, is second in passing with 35 out of 71 for 49 percent. Sid Luckman, Bears, joined Cecil Isbell, Green Bay, in a tie for third. Luckman has 35 out of 75 for 46 percent, and Isbell 52 out of 118 for 44 percent. O'Brien still has the second highest number of completions, 75, but is 11th in efficiency. Charles Price, Detroit, and Frank Filchock, Washington, each have completed 51 percent of their passes. Baugh leads the punters with a 48-yard average and his runback of 84 yards on intercepted passes is best in the league. Kent Ryan, Detroit, has intercepted six opponents' passes. Armand Niccolai, Pittsburgh, has six field goals and Clarke Hinkle, Green Bay, and Ward Cuff, New York, five each.
TENNIS SHOES AID TO KENOSHA CARDINALS
NOV 14 (Kenosha) - Coach John Reis outfitted his Kenosha Cardinal football players with tennis shoes between halves Wednesday night and the Cards scored twice on the frozen turn to defeat the New York Yankees of the American league, 14-0. Weenie Wilson scored twice in the third quarter on touchdown sprints of 62 and 43 yards. The Yankees has trouble making their cleats stick in the hard sod. Carl Seifert kicked both extra points.
apologetic but cooperative airport officials. The takeoff from Chicago was held amid high ceremony and a whipping cold wind, which chased the men inside the planes as soon as the large bevy of photographers had completed its work. First the Packers lined up outside their planes for pictures, and then some novelty shorts were suggested. One photographer wanted a picture of Cecil Isbell throwing a pass to Don Hutson. No football being available, Isbell threw a stewardess, Roberta Shilbach by name, and the pass was a complete success..STEWARDESS KICKS BALL: Then a football turned up, and Miss Schilbach booted a couple of trial kickoffs for publicity purposes with Isbell holding the ball. By this time, the Packers were chilled thoroughly, and they piled into the planes...ROBINSON CAN'T GO: E.J. Robinson, Press-Gazette advertising manager, was to have gone on that flight, but
an appendectomy the previous afternoon removed him
from the picture. The flight from Chicago to Cleveland
was made above the clouds at 9,000 feet, with the
players catching only scattered glimpses of the ground.
The air line added color to the event by painting its
planes "Green Bay Packer Football Special" and by
serving a special menu with the printed greeting, "United
Air Lines Welcomes the Packers and Enjoys the
Privilege of Giving Them a Flying Start". The bump in
the schedule program won't prevent the Packers from
flying home Monday as arranged previously. They
expect to leave New York at 9:30 in the morning and will
arrive at Green Bay on the 8:30 Milwaukee road train
that evening - provided the return flight isn't grounded.
The payers, many of whom stated the flight skeptically,
arrived at Cleveland full of good food and enthusiastic
about the whole business. There even was talk of flying
to Detroit and Cleveland for the two final games on the
Green Bay schedule.
PACKERS ARRIVE IN NEW YORK FOR GAME WITH
GIANTS
NOV 15 (New York) - The Green Bay Packer football
team, stymied near the halfway point on its scheduled
airplane flight from Chicago to New York, climbed from a
New York Central sleeper at 8:30 this morning into a
drizzling raw Manhattan rain. Despite the extremely
unfavorable weather conditions - it has been raining here
since Monday - the Packers were ordered out for
practice at Central park. Coach E.L. Lambeau admitted
his is worried at the shortage of the Packers drill schedule this week. Monday's windstorm and Tuesday's cold weather stopped the team in Green Bay, only a short drill was held before the equipment was packed Wednesday, Thursday was spent traveling and now Friday finds the turf soggy and the skies wet...GOES TO HOTEL: The squad came to the Hotel New Yorker immediately after its arrival at Grand Central station, the occasion being marked only by a severe conversational battle between Buckets Goldenberg and Baby Ray as to whether or not the Harlem river was the Harlem river. Last evening in Cleveland the players were treated to an hour-long musical program at the Hotel Cleveland, following their evening meal and before embarking for New York. A string ensemble played at the players' request, aided by musician Hal Van Every, who took over the piano for a few hot chords. After today's workout the squad was to be turned loose to see the city sights, but because of the soupy weather most of them already have announced their preference for picture shows or a few hours with the magazines.
LOOKING UP IN THE REALM OF SPORTS
NOV 15 (Cleveland) - The most dangerous part of a plane trip is that period when the ground limousine whisks you through jammed metropolitan traffic to the airport, the Green Bay Packers decided Thursday after taking the first mass flight en route to a professional football game. From Chicago to Cleveland, the Eastern invasion was a mighty success, and there didn't appear to be a Packer who wasn't anxious to try it again, despite a long collection of lugubrious remarks which were emitted at the Chicago airport before they boarded the planes. Clarke Hinkle was the outstanding convert. Probably several other of the Packers - 90 percent of whom never had flown commercially before - were just as jittery, but Clarke did the most talking about it and so drew the greatest chorus of jibes. "Is Hinkle really scared about this flight, or is he just putting it on?" we asked. "Hinkle," pronounced Tiny Engebretsen, "has been turning white for a week every time he saw a bird." "Herber doesn't like it either," chimed in Buckets Goldenberg. "He said to me this morning that if he was supposed to fly, he'd have been given wings." "There's nothing to worry about," Russ Letlow said reassuringly. "Hell, we're insured, ain't we?" There was a thoughtful silence after this remark. Herber saundered up eating an ice cream cone and was denounced soundly for breaking training. "Why didn't you take an apple instead?" demanded Coach Lambeau. Herber considered the idea a moment and then said he didn't like apples. Hal Van Every started out by saying, "Hey, stewardess" to the young lady in charge and wound up by crooning, "Good bye, Roberta". As the plane started slipping down the clouds above Cleveland, she called out, "If your ears hurt, try yawning, swallowing, and blowing your nose." "All at once?" asked Carl Mulleneaux, who was holding down the last seat in the mainliner. By this time Hinkle was raving about the future of commercial flying. At the Chicago airport, he hadn't even liked the football special" sign on the planes. "Who's going to see that up where where we are?" he snorted. Just to keep the historical records intact, the menu included fresh fruit cocktail, wafers, roast beef, buttered beans, parsley, potatoes, hot rolls, hearts of lettuce with sliced tomatoes, Thousand Island dressing, coffee or milk, and chocolate ice cream molds shaped like footballs.
PRO GRID NOTES
NOV 15 (Green Bay) - Grenny Landsdell, all-America back from Southern California, has been shipped to the Jersey farm club by the New York Giants. Landsdell has great possibilities but Coach Steve Owen figured more seasoning would do him good...Aldo Forte, tackle from Montana, is one of the "hometown" Chicagoans playing with the Bears. This is his second season with Halas and company. Forte is an aggressive lineman and he knows just how to use his 212 poundage...Ed Justice is again seeking service with Washington. The veteran back was on the hospital list for four games but Coach Red Flaherty armed him with a pad and pencil and turned him loose around the circuit as a Redskin scout...Kent Ryan has been enjoying another good year with the Detroit Lions. The Utah State backfielder always has possessed a lot of color. He has developed into a great defender against passes with interceptions his specialty...Mike Rodak, the Cleveland halfback, won't have to worry about a job when the curtain drops on the football season because he was recently elected as town marshal in the West Virginia community. The Rams now call Rodak "copper"...George Kiick, former Bucknell star, has been more than earning his salt with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is Kiick's first year of postgraduate football but it didn't take him long to get the feel of things on the pro grid...Three other intersectional games are also carded this weekend. Detroit invades Philadelphia, the Cleveland Rams will display their overheard drive at Brooklyn, while the Green Bay Packers tangle with the Giants in New York...It was a surprise weekend in the NFL as three of the "underdog" teams triumphed. As a result the races in both the Eastern and Western divisions are closely bunched and next Sunday's games may further scramble the chase...Down Detroit way, the gridiron fans are singing the praise of Cotton Brice, recruit quarterback. The Texan hurled a touchdown pass in the last minute of play which enabled the Lions to knock off the Chicago Bears, 17-14.
PACKERS PLAY IN NEW YORK
NOV 16 (New York) - The Green Bay Packers, fighting to stay in the running for the western division title in the NFL, went through a brisk workout here today and announced themselves as ready to take the measure of the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds Sunday. Coach E.L. (Curly) Lambeau of the Packers said his squad showed more spirit and drive in the workouts yesterday and today than they had shown at any other time this year. If the Packers beat the Giants and the Chicago Bears lose to Washington in their game at the capital tomorrow, the Bears and Green Bay would be tied for first place in the western division, each with two games remaining on their schedule. The Packers still must face the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Rams and the Bears are to meet Cleveland and the Chicago Cardinals after Sunday's game. The Packers are favored over the Giants who are seriously weakened by injuries to their best backs, Tuffy Leemans and Eddie Miller.
PACKERS BATTLE GIANTS ON RAIN-SOAKED GROUNDS
NOV 16 (New York) - Manhattan's traffic drains to the Polo Grounds Sunday afternoon, when at 2 o'clock, Eastern time, the Western Green Bay Packers and the Eastern New York Giants will face combat with all the color traditional to this meeting of old professional rivals. It will be a NFL game, and should the Packers come back downtown in possession of a victory, they will need only a tripping for the passless Chicago Bears to return them to a tie for the Western division lead. Pouring rain, which had soaked Broadway for a week, finally stopped falling Friday, half an hour before the Packers left the Hotel New Yorker for Central park and their drill field at 97th street. Finding a high spot of ground, and failing to meet the news photographers who were scheduled to take pictures before the workout, the Packers moved into a spirited drill, the first real practice they had had since the Chicago Cardinal game last Sunday. They punted, threw passes, ran plays, set up a defense and romped through their whole offensive repertoire with machine-line precision. Near the end of the drill, plodding across a muddy field and lugging expensive equipment came come 25 or 30 photographers, who had been directed to the wrong park entrance and has been waiting patiently for a Green Bay squad which didn't show up. There were angry words, with which were mingled the accusation that the Packers were trying to "hide out" on the press. Coach Curly Lambeau pointed out that the drill was held at the same field the Packers have been using for years and finally the error was pined onto Ned Irish, publicity director of the Giants. No blood was shed...JANKOWSKI, LAWS OUT: Eddie Jankowski, fullback, was in uniform for the first time since before the Bear game, but looked in no condition to play, and of course Joe Laws wasn't even in uniform. Neither is likely to enter combat Sunday, but the balance of the squad seems fit and anxious for trouble. It would be interesting to find out just where those rumors of Packer squad dissension originated. The
team travels, eats, sleeps, trains together in the most
perfect harmony, and if one or two young players who'd
like to be used more are getting their heads together in
private, no one seems to know about it. The Packers
today hears about a faithful group of fans who awaited
their arrival at La Guardia airport Thursday afternoon,
only to be disappointed when word arrived that the
Green Bay planes had been grounded in Cleveland.
Louis Cook, former Green Bay resident, Otto Christoph,
who flew from Argentina for the occasions, and Orville
Thomas, coast guardsman for 13 years, Green Bay
native, and now stationed at Cape Cod, were among the
unofficial welcoming committee which didn't get a
chance to welcome...MEETS MAX BAER: The writer
had a barber chair's conversation Friday with Max Baer,
the former champion of swat who is to be starred in a
Broadway musical production. "I just came down in the
elevator with four of the Packers," Baer commented. "It
is the first time I ever felt small. Those guys are big,
aren't they?" Subsequent questioning developed that
Baer's fellow travelers, vertical style, were Baby Ray,
Tiny Engebretsen, Bill Lee and Buckets Goldenberg.
Baer is staying at the New Yorker. Run through tough
drills Friday morning and today, the Packers have been
given the rest of the time off to see the city. They spend
most of their spare time in picture shows, most of them
having been New York victims before. The boys plunged
into the Radio league without delay, the first call being
issued for Hutson over WOR, when he was interviewed
by Stan Lomax late Friday afternoon...LAMBEAU ON
AIR: Late that evening Coach Curly Lambeau visited
WOR's station above Broadway and was interviewed for
Mutual system listeners by Red Barber, veteran of 11
years of sportscasting. Barber asked the usual
questions, drawing from Lambeau the prediction that
should the Bears lost Sunday and the Packers win, it
will be the Green Bay team which faces Washington in
the league playoff Dec. 8. Lambeau also praised the
consistency and fine work of fullback Clarke Hinkle,
stating that in his opinion the veteran is faster this year
than at any time in his long career. A large crowd is anticipated - Irish doesn't know how many - and it is probable that a throng upwards of 30,000 will attend, despite the fact that the Giants' pennant chances are colder than a popsicle in the stratosphere, and the Packers aren't riding the crest of their usual victory wave...SEE THREE GAMES: The reason is that the Packers are surrounded by synthetic Metropolitan alumni. There are thousands of of New Yorkers who see three football games a year , and three only - Packers at the Giants, Chicago Bears at the Giants, and Notre Dame against the Army at the Polo Grounds. They call the Notre Dame followers "subway alumni", and the Packers seem to have a similar varsity rooting for them. The Packers' chances here are regarded as higher than the Empire State building, but there are ominous signs. For one thing, the Giants were ordered into scrimmage this week for the first time in more than a month, signifying a serious trend of mind despite an impressive string of injuries. The Polo Grounds turf will be very heavy. We ran out and looked over the gridiron today, to find it muddy and slow, with slight prospect of improving before Sunday. This will slow down the Packer passing attack and is likely to halt the New York overhead game altogether.
LOOKING UP IN THE REALM OF SPORTS
NOV 16 (New York) - Not in search of information, but desiring to meet the man who has helped put across a sensational radio program - and who needs only one of those quirks of the entertainment world to be another Will Rogers - we accompanied Coach Curly Lambeau of the Green Bay Packers on a visit to John Kieran. You've seen Kieran in films and heard him on the air as one of the stars in the "Information Please" program. He's the droll fellow with the enormous ears and amused expression who seems to know the answer to just about everything. Besides his cinema and radio work, he's sport editor of the New York Times and has been an avowed friend of the Packers. The reputation for omniscience, he confessed, has proved a little irksome since picture goers learned to recognize him from his screen likeness and chose to test his apparent world knowledge with singularly ill-selected queries at equally unfortunate times. In fact, Kieran became quite harsh about it. Just like little fellows want to slug Jack Dempsey, so they can tell people they've aimed a swat at the former champion, Kieran is forced to answer a vast collection of foolish questions. "It keeps me from visiting with my friends," he complained. "If I start a conversation, some dope is sure to come over and pop a question which no human being could answer." In between times, Kieran interviewed Curly, digging out a volume of information, which he pecked down methodically on his typewriter, disdaining the use of pencil notes. Shrewdly, and echoing sentiment of Broadway sports columnists, he opened fire with: "Are they going to force you Green Bay folks out of the National league?" Curly ducked that one, saying merely that there'd be a lot of disappointed people in Wisconsin if they did. He explained the extent of the Packers' great drawing area, as Kieran nodded thoughtfully. Kieran was interested to hear about the weekend reunion of the Svendsens. George, the huge center of the Packers, is here to keep that date with the Giants Sunday afternoon. Earl, his younger brother, a former Packers, will be with the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets field the same afternoon, when the Dodgers entertain the Cleveland Rams. And this afternoon both older Svendsens were at Baker field to see Kid Brother Eddie with the Navy team, which plays Columbia. Eddie is not expected to play, however, because of a hip injury he received in the Notre Dame game last week. Red Smith, Packer assistant coach who is a pal of Columbia's Lou Little, took a few of the players to that one. Kieran is smaller than you'd think, older than he appears in films, with Celtic blue eyes and an Irish grin which is infectious. He wore a brown suit decorated only by a Red Cross pin. "I'll give you a blow for Sunday," he promised, and he will.
GIANTS MUST TOP PACKERS - OR ELSE
NOV 16 (New York) - End Bolo Perdue and guard Pete Cole returned from the injured list and will be ready for service in the Giant line against the Green Bay Packers tomorrow. Coach Steve Owen sent the team through a two-hour workout on the sloppy Polo Grounds gridiron yesterday - using most of the session to polish up his new backfield, Leemans, Nielsen, McLaughry and Shaffer. They'll start against the Packers. The Giants must win or be mathematically eliminated from the race.
PLANE TRIP HALTED; MEET BAD WEATHER
NOV 15 (Cleveland) - A 940-mile forward pass by the Green Bay Packers was intercepted here Thursday night, as unfavorable weather over the eastern seaboard caused the team's aerial invasion of New York to be interrupted temporarily. The flight of two big United Airlines planes into Cleveland from Chicago went off smoothly as a breeze, the landing being made here about 4 o'clock Eastern time, but before the ships, which were being refueled, could take off again for New York, the news came through that traffic conditions didn't warrant the maneuver. As a result the grumbling Packers were loaded into a flotilla of taxicabs, taken to the downtown section and sat around the Cleveland hotel lobby until 8 o'clock when they boarded a set of New York Central railway sleepers for the east...CONFER WITH COACH: United Airline officials conferred with Coach Curly Lambeau for nearly an hour before suggesting that the Chicago-New York op will be deferred 500 miles from its destination. The weather over New York, they pointed out, wasn't stormy but there was a heavy fog with a ceiling of less than 1,000 feet. As a result, the incoming traffic to La Guardia airport became snarled overhead, and planes began piling up at an alarming rate, awaiting the "come in" signal from the airport. If the Packer planes had gone ahead, they would have been added to the collection, facing the necessity of cruising around above New York for a couple of hours, and perhaps of returned to Cleveland without landing...CARRY HEAVY LOAD: The extra heavy load which the planes carried when all Packers were aboard was an additional drain on the fuel supply, which was the reason the planes halted to load up again. The players trooped from the machines in high good spirits, elated over the completion of their journey's first leg, but the morale bumped to the bottom when the New York situation was explained by
