GAME RECAP (MILWAUKEE SENTINEL)
(SAN FRANCISCO) - San Francisco's rampaging 49ers retained a slim chance for a tie in the Western Conference of the NFL Sunday when they passed and powered to a 48-14 victory over the Green Bay Packers on a muddy field before 33,837. The 49ers, one game behind the leading Detroit Lions, ripped the Green Bay defense to shreds both on the ground and in the air. San Francisco and Detroit each have one game left. The winners scored two touchdowns in the first and three periods and singles in the second and final quarters. Gordon Soltau kicked field goals in the last two periods to help complete the rout.
SCORING DRIVES
The Packers put together scoring drives in the second
and final periods but hardly stood a chance after the
San Francisco offense started rolling early in the first
quarter. It was the second win for the 49ers over the
Packers, whom they defeated 37-7, two weeks ago in
Milwaukee. The 49ers kicked off to open the game,
stopped the Packers' offense after a gain of three
yards and then put the ball in play on Green Bay's
49. Quarterback Y.A. Tittle, who masterminded
practically the entire 49er offensive game, was smeared
for an 11-yard loss to his own 42, but then tossed a
35-yard pass to fullback Joe Perry.
ARENAS SCORES
Four line plays and a 11-yard pass carried to the
two-yard line from where left half Joe Arenas went over,
completing a 58-yard thrust. In the same period,
defensive half Lowell Wagner intercepted one of Babe
Parilli's passes and returned it 32 yards to the Packer
19. Tittle lost 10 yards on a pass attempt and then
connected with right half Hugh McElhenny on a scoring
pass good for 29 yards. The 49ers had the ball on the
50-yard marker with seconds to go in the opening
quarter. Tittle threw 27 yards to McElhenny and they
changed sides for the second period. Right end Billy
Wilson caught a Tittle pass good for 13 yards. Perry
went up the middle for the final 10, making it 21-0 for
the 49ers.
CONE GOES OVER
Green Bay scored later in the second period on a 48-
yard advance, highlighted by two pass interference
penalties that netted the visitors a total of 19 yards.
Fullback Fred Cone smashed through for the final yard.
The 49ers went 39 yards on two plays for one of their
third quarter touchdowns and scored another when
defensive half Red Berry intercepted a Parilli pass and
raced 30 yards without a hand laid on him. Soltau
kicked a 14-yard field goal in the same period. San
Francisco completed a 74-yard touchdown drive early in
the fourth period and climaxed the afternoon's scoring
spree when Soltau booted a 28-yard field goal. Green
Bay racked up its second touchdown at the start of the
final quarter. It culminated a 74-yard march, largely on
Parilli's passes. The touchdown pass was good for 42
yards with halfback Don Barton on the receiving end.
The Packers made 17 first downs, compared with 15 by
the locals. While the 49ers outgained the Packers on
the ground, the Packers were ahead on yards gained in
the air with 190 yards against 176. The fortunes of the
game swung heavily against the Packers early in the second quarter. They were driving for a touchdown and then were set back 30 yards by two penalties after going to Frisco's 22. The Packers missed a chance for additional points just before the half ended after linebacker Ben Aldridge recovered a fumble by Perry on the 49ers' 35. Parilli passed 10 to Bill Howton, and Al Carmichael one year to the 24. Three passes by Parilli just missed their marks and Cone dropped back for a field goal try. The pass from center was bad. Cone picked up the ball and ran 7 yards to San Francisco's 17 where he was downed to end the scoring threat. While there was no doubt San Francisco was the strongest team, the five pass interceptions, three on Parilli and two on Tobin Rote, really helped spell the downfall of the Packers.
GREEN BAY - 0 7 0 7 - 14
SAN FRANCISCO - 14 7 17 10 - 48
1st - SF - Joe Arenas, 2-yard run (Gordie Soltau kick) SAN FRANCISCO 7-0
1st - SF - Hugh McElhenny, 29-yard pass from Y.A.Tittle (Soltau kick) SAN FRANCISCO 14-0
2nd - SF - Joe Perry, 10-yard run (Soltau kick) SAN FRANCISCO 21-0
2nd - GB - Cone, 1-yard run (Cone kick) SAN FRANCISCO 21-7
3rd - SF - Arenas, 12-yard run (Soltau kick) SAN FRANCISCO 28-7
3rd - SF - Rex Berry, 30-yard interception return (Soltau kick) SAN FRANCISCO 35-7
3rd - SF - Soltau, 14-yard field goal SAN FRANCISCO 38-7
4th - GB - Barton, 42-yard pass from Parilli (Cone kick) SAN FRANCISCO 38-14
4th - SF - Wilson, 2-yard pass from Tittle (Soltau kick) SAN FRANCISCO 45-14
4th - SF - Soltau, 29-yard field goal SAN FRANCISCO 48-14
HUGH DEVORE FAST FACTS
* Hugh Devore was a freshman end at Notre Dame in Coach Knute Rockne's final year, 1930, and was the Fighting Irish's co-captain his senior year. He went to Notre Dame from St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, N.J. * Devore twice served one-year stints as coach at Notre Dame, posting a 7-2-1 record in 1945 and going 2-7 in 1963. From 1958-67 he was freshman coach and recruiter at Notre Dame and was head coach for two separate one-year periods. He later was assistant athletic director.
* He was also a head coach at Providence, St. Bonaventure, New York University and the University of Dayton, as well as an assistant at Notre Dame and Holy Cross.
* He coached the Eagles in 1956 and 1957, where his teams were 7-16-1, after having been an assistant with the Green Bay Packers in 1953.
* His last coaching job was with the Houston Oilers.
* At Fordham, he coached the ``Seven Blocks of Granite,`` including Vince Lombardi.
* After leaving the Houston Oilers, Devore worked for the Houston Sports Association, a position he retained until retiring at the age of 75.
San Francisco 49ers (8-3) 48, Green Bay Packers (2-8-1) 14
Sunday December 6th 1953 (at San Francisco)
NEWS AND NOTES
PACKERS MAY DELAY NAMING NEW COACH
DECEMBER 9 (Green Bay) - Green Bay Packers' Executive Committee may not decide on a new coach before the NFL meeting at Philadelphia in January. Although several applications have been received for the job formerly held by Gene Ronzani, a spokesman for the
club said the Executive Committee may not name his
successor for several weeks. In that case, assistant
coaches Hugh Devore and Ray McLean and talent scout
Jack Vainisi will attend the NFL draft meeting to pick the
college players the Packers want for 1954. Ronzani
resigned November 27 as a result of the Packers' poor
showing this year. Devore and McLean were named to
direct the team in its last two games. The Executive
Committee was reported considering several coaches
who did not apply for the post but might accept if it were
offered. The Packers are in California preparing for their
season finale with the Los Angeles Rams Saturday in
Los Angeles. Ronzani, who saw the Packers-San
Francisco 49er game from the press box, was expected
to see the game at Los Angeles as part of his "vacation"
trip in the west.
PACKERS' FINALE AGAINST RAMS ON TV
DECEMBER 11 (Los Angeles) - The Green Bay Packers
and Los Angeles Rams wind up their 1953 NFL campaign
in a Saturday afternoon battle at Memorial Coliseum. The
Rams are solid favorites to hand the Packers their ninth
setback of the regular season and do it before some
25,000 witnesses and a national television audience. The
contest is set to start at 4 p.m. (Milwaukee time) and will
be televised over WTMJ-TV. The Rams, their title hopes
blasted by a total of eight points scored by the San
Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears in three games,
apparently have retained their local popularity. They will
have performed before more than 500,000 fans in nine home games. Green Bay became an early victim of injuries, but the club can always be expected to give any rival, including the Rams, a busy afternoon. Leading the Packer attack will be a backfield composed of Babe Parilli, Floyd Reid, Al Carmichael and Fred Cone. The Rams will lead off with Norm Van Brocklin, Skeet Quinlan, V.T. Smith, and "Deacon Dan" Towler. Local patrons will be watching the efforts of Carmichael and the Rams' alternate quarterback, Rudy Bukich. There were the touchdown combination for Southern California which doomed Wisconsin, 7-0, in the Rose Bowl game last New Year's Day. The Rams have 12-3 edge in the series with the Packers. Los Angeles won the first meeting this season at Milwaukee, 38-20.
FORTE'S FATHER ILL
DECEMBER 11 (New Orleans) - S.R. Forte, father of Green Bay Packer linebacker Bob Forte, was called in "satisfactory" condition today following a major lung operation. His son, captain of the Packers and former University of Arkansas football star, is staying in New Orleans pending his father's recovery and missed the Packers' final game with Los Angeles this weekend.
TIME OUT! BY ORV WONDER (OSHKOSH NORTHWESTERN)
DECEMBER 12 (Oshkosh) - After glancing over the NFL statistical tables on individual efforts, it's easy to see why the Green Bay Packers are locked in the loop cellar. There isn't a Packer anywhere near the leaders in the various departments outside of Al Carmichael, one of the prize rookies of the season - and a dark and dreary campaign it is, too, for the Bays. Green Bay's top ground gainer is Breezy Reid down in ninth place with 444 yards. The leader is Joe Perry of the 49ers with a bulging 910 yards. The air arm long has been the pro's measuring stick. Green Bay's passed are so far down they'll never see daylight. Babe Parilli is the No. 1 Bay passer but tanks 13th - Tobin Rote is a notch below that. There are no Packers listed in the pass receiving tables and when it come to the punting list, the Packers draw another blank. Fred Cone is the Bay's No. 1 scorer and ranks fifth with 69 points - 30 behind Lou "The Toe" Groza of the famed Cleveland Browns. Carmichael is the only Packer to make the grade twice. He's third in punt returns and seventh in kickoff returns. Bobby Dillon, plagued by injuries, is fifth among interception leaders with nine steals - the leader has only 11 filched aerials. With so little to offer, there's no reason whatsoever to think the Packers will "upset" the Los Angeles Rams in a TV game beginning at 4 o'clock this afternoon. I like the Rams by plenty!
