Green Bay Packers (2-0) 49, Rockford Maroons 0
Pre-Season: Sunday October 2nd 1921 (at Green Bay)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(GREEN BAY) - Crumbling before the Packers' smashing attack, the Rockford aggregation of footballers went down to defeat at the hands of the Green Bay team by the score of 49 to 0 Sunday afternoon before a fair sized crowd. It was the worst defeat ever suffered by the Rockford team, and their third upset on the gridiron in six years. The score piled up by the Packers nearly tripled the count made by the Decatur Staleys in their game against Rockford last season. The Starchmakers beat the Maroons, 18 to 8. On paper, this Staley eleven is considered about the greatest football machine in the country.
VISITORS ARE OUTCLASSED
Rockford was simply outclassed. That's all there was to it. The visitors sort of looked threatening in the opening quarter, but once Captain Lambeau got his machine hitting on all "eleven" it was simply a procession up and down the field with the visitors doing all the retreating. The opening period was scoreless but in the second quarter the Packers got a pair of touchdowns. In the third, one more marker was added up and in the final quarter they ran wild scoring four times against the played out invaders.
STONEWALL FRONT LINE
The visitors could not pierce the Packer line and the few gains they made were on end runs by Erickson and Redin. Rockford didn't make first downs a half dozen times during the fracas. They completed but one forward pass. The Packers looked much better than in the Booster game. Tubby Howard made his appearance in the Green Bay line and his smashing line plunges tore the visitors' front to shreds. He accounted for three touchdowns. Art Schmael sidestepped his way to one while the others were made by McLean, Ladrow and Rosenow. Both sides were playing hard football and injuries were numerous. Wagner, Elliott and Cary got pretty badly banged up for the Packers while Rhodes, Brown and Genrich, Rockford players were much the worse for wear.
PACKERS WIN TOSS
The Packers won the toss and chose to receive at the west end of the field. Rockford opened proceedings by kicking off. The Packers made a first down and rushed the ball to Rockford's 40 yard line. Here they were held and Lambeau attempted a field goal. The pass was poor and the visitors secured the ball. They couldn't gain and punted. Two Packer plays went bad and Buck booted a high one to Rockford's 25 yard line. The visitors soon returned the pigskin via the punt route to midfield. An exchange of kicks followed with little advantage to either side. The Packers secured the ball on their 40 yard line. Here an offside play occurred which robbed the visitors of a touchdown because Herring had scooped up a Packer fumble and dashed 35 yards to the goal posts. However, Johnson, Rockford
right end, was a mile offside (he even admitted it) and the score was ruled out. At quarter time, the ball was in the Packers' possession on Rockford's 40 yard line.
HOWARD GETS TOUCHDOWN
Rockford held for downs and punted after two plays. Red Elliott caught the kick on the dead run and dashed back past midfield before Rhodes spilled him. This was tonic to the Packers and they broke loose with a smashing offensive which paved the way for a score. Tubby Howard plunging across the goal line. Lambeau kicked the goal. The second score came quicker. The Packers kicked off and Rockford resorted to the punting game. However, the Packers were going good and on straight football with tackle smashes featuring, they rushed the oval to the visitor's 20 yard mark. Here Art Schmael sidestepped and squirmed his way for a touchdown. Lambeau added another point. Rockford kicked off and for the remainder of the period the ball was in the Packers' territory. Halftime was called with Rockford holding the pigskin on the Packers' 18 yard line.
THIRD QUARTER FAST
Play speeded up in the third quarter after the Packers kicked off to Rockford. Both teams were going at it hammer and tongs and the rival field generals were using all their reserve strength to advance the pigskin. A fumble or two enlivened proceedings and about the middle of the period failed in a field goal from the 40 yard line. The Packers' defensive strength stood out prominently in this quarter. Several times Rockford lost the ball on downs when they only has about a had about a yard to go. The pace was beginning to tell on the visitors and their linemen began to decorate the turf with due regularity.
HOWARD SCORES AGAIN
With about five minutes to go in this period, the Packers launched a savage attack. Four first downs were made in rapid succession and on a line spread play, Howard shot outside of tackle for a score. Once more Lambeau kicked the goal. The Packers kicked off and soon regained the oval by intercepting a forward pass. The visitors' aerial offense was nothing to brag about. Once more the procession down the field was underway and the Packers had the ball on Rockford's one yard line when time was called for the quarter.
ANOTHER FOR HOWARD
On the second play in the fourth quarter, Howard went over again and Lambeau kicked the goal. From this point on, the contest developed into a rout. Coach Hoeffel gave every man on the squad a chance in the argument and the "hometown" footballers came through with bells on. They ran rings around the Illinois crew and McLean, Ladrow and Rosenow scored in rapid succession. The ball was in Rockford's territory continually and if it hadn't been for a pair of excusable fumbles at least two more touchdowns would have been marked up. In this final quarter the Packers cut loose with an aerial attack and forward passes cut a big figure in the ground gaining. The visitors died game but they were a badly beaten crew when the final whistle blew.
WATCHING THE PARADE
OCT 3 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Mark up another victory. Rockford was surprised. At what they bumped into here. The Packers looked much improved. Howard is a big addition behind the line. He ripped the visitors' battlefront to shreds. When Tubby gets going, he's a mighty hard man to stop. As usual Cub Buck was very much in the midst of excitement. The big lineman was on top of the ball every minute and under it....The crowd had a lot of fun riding "Hank" Garrett, the ebony hued trainer of Rockford. The colored gentleman admitted that the Packers had some team and that Buck was some footballer...Swede Erickson, the visiting captain, got away for a couple of short dashes but he was covered pretty closely...Art Schmael's dash for the second touchdown was a pretty face of footballing. He shook off a half dozen tacklers en route..."Ambition" Carey was another Packer star. The big guard specializes in making good holes and he pulled off some nifty open field tackling....Rockford has a game bunch. A couple of breaks of the game went against them but they were not beefing. Some difference from the Boosters...The Packers traveled so fast in the final quarter that it seemed as if Rockford was standing still. Coach Hoeffel worked all the reserve material into the game....The visitors were beat before they started the game. That is so far as condition was concerned. They traveled by auto from Rockford and were sixteen hours on the road...."You have got the best team we ever faced," said Manager Floberg of the Rockford. "Unless I miss my guess the Packers will hold there own with any professional football aggregation in the country."
CITY GIVES CHECK FOR NEW SCHOOL SITE
OCT 3 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The deal for the purchase by the city of the Hagemeister park property as a location for the proposed new East High school was completed Saturday with the payment of a check for $80,000 to the Hagemeister Realty company. The company in return gave a check to City Treasurer John Tease for the sum of $81,100 in payment of the bonds which were awarded to that company in competitive bid in jury. Taking over the property will net the city $400 a month in rentals for the buildings. This amount will more than pay the interest on the bond issue which bears a rate of 5 1/2 percent. The use of the field by the Packer football team will not be interfered with, city officials said Monday. The board of education is arranging tentative plans for construction of the building and it is said that every effort will be made the work pushed without delay.
CORNELL-HAMBURGS, STRONG CHICAGO ELEVEN, TO JOUST PACKER HERE ON SUNDAY
OCT 4 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Cornell-Hamburgs, long famous in professional football circle, will rub noses with the Green Bay Packers Sunday afternoon at Hagemeister park in a gridiron argument. This Chicago team is coming here with an all-star lineup, including "Rube" Johnson and the Pressler brothers, who are said to be past masters in the art of receiving the forward pass. This trio of players together with Paddy Driscoll were the mainstays of the Chicago "Big Five" professional basketball champions of the middle west...SHOW THEIR CLASS: The Chicago team in its opening game played a 0 to 0 ties with the Stayms who in turn administered a 7 to 0 licking to the Racine Legion's All Americans. Hank Gillos, Langhoff, Hayes, Wright, Shackeler, and Downey, former collegiate stars, were member of the defeated team. The management in booking the Cornell-Hamburg game thinks it is giving the football fans of Green Bay a banner gridiron attraction. There was a chance to schedule the Stambaugh Miners but the Chicago eleven sizes up as the much stronger eleven...OTHER GOOD GAMES: Other classy arguments have been booked for the Packers. October 16 the Beloit Fairies, Green Bay's grude enemies, play here; October 23 the Minneapolis Marines are booked for an argument; while October 30 the Rock Island Independents, headed by Coughlin and Keefe, former Notre Dame players, will be seen in action at Hagemeister park. The Packers will put in some hard practice licks this week, starting tonight at Hagemeister park, and it is expected that there will be a great improvement in play in Sunday's game against Chicago.
FOUR PACKER STARS ON HOSPITAL LIST
OCT 4 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Four Packer stars are on the hospital list but with the exception of Red Elliott, who is confined at St. Vincent's hospital with a broken leg, the other players will probably get into action Sunday against the Cornell-Hamburgs. Art Schmael is suffering with a couple of caved in ribs. Joe Carey is laid up with a bad foot while Buff Wagner's arm is badly bruised. Packer veterans claim Rockford was the hardest smashing team they have ever faced.
FAIRIES SCHEDULE RACINE ON SUNDAY
OCT 4 (Beloit-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Fairies will battle the Racine Legion's All-Americans here on Sunday. Following the victory over Woodstock by the score of 39 to 0, the Enginemakers are hopeful of taking a fall out of the chesty Racine team. Beloit is looking forward to the game with the Green Bay Packers at Green Bay October 16. The big score run up by the Packers against Rockford is not encouraging from a Beloit point of view but the home team expects to upset the dope and come home with a victory.
CAL'S CORNER
OCT 4 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Of course, the Green Bay Packers may bite the dust before the professional season is history, but right at the present time, the Packers size up as likely contenders for national gridiron honors. They have downed their first two opponents like champions and if they continue their path to victory, the Staleys and Canton Bulldogs will have to meet their demands for recognition. None of the so-called "big fellows" have made a better showing in the opening games than the Packers.
FOOTBALL CIRCUIT HANDLED ON BASIS OF MAJOR LEAGUES
OCT 4 (Columbus-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Professional football is to be placed on a basis similar to that of organized baseball, according to plans of the American Professional Football association. Headquarters of the organization are located here. A comprehensive code of rules, including strict prohibitory clauses against the playing of men who are enrolled at any college or university, has been established, according to Joseph F. Carr, president, and more than 400 contracts have been signed by former university stars who will play on the nineteen teams which are members of the association...PRESIDENT OUTLINES PLAN: Carr, who is a former official in several minor baseball leagues in Ohio and Pennsylvania, says that organization and administrative plans of the professional baseball leagues will be followed out as closely as possible. Every player who participates in games played by association teams must be under a contract similar to that of major league baseball players, Carr says, and all contests will be carefully regulated and conducted only by officials sanctioned by the association...START ELIMINATION CONTESTS: Starting last week the teams in the organization began elimination contests on a schedule arranged among themselves, and after Thanksgiving, a series to establish the championship will be played. The association is made up of teams in the following cities: Rochester, Buffalo and Tonawanda, N.Y.; New Haven, Conn.; Canton, Akron, Cleveland, Dayton, Columbus and Toledo, O.; Hammond and Evansville, Ind.; Detroit, Mich.; Chicago, Decatur and Rock Island, Ill.; Louisville, Ky.; Green Bay, Wis.; and Minneapolis, Minn.
CHICAGO ELEVEN MEETS GREEN BAY WITH CRACK TEAM
OCT 5 (Chicago-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Cornell-Hamburgs, pride of the stockyard district, will journey to Green Bay this weekend to clash with the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin's representative in the Professional Football league. The Cornell-Hamburgs are represented this year by one of the best teams in Illinois. Long has this squad been famous in football circles and the squad this season had been bolstered by the addition of a number of crack pigskin chasers. The team that will face the Packers will average about 200 pounds on the line while the backfielders go over the 170 mark. "Rube" Johnson, credited with being one of the greatest kickers in the country, will play fullback while the Pressler brothers are slated for the halfback berths. Football experts claim this trio of backfielders are the equal of any in the midwest. A number of fans from the stockyards district will accompany the Cornell-Hamburgs to Green Bay. The Chicago team is scheduled to arrive in Green Bay early Saturday night. The Beaumont hotel will be their headquarters while in the Badger city.
SCOTT TO STALEYS
OCT 5 (Decatur-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The fourth All-American gridiron player was added to the Staley roster today when Ralph Scott, for three years a star with the Wisconsin eleven arrived here to sign with the Starchworkers. Scott has been assisting at Wisconsin the past few weeks and will be in great shape for the Rock Island game Sunday. He tips the beam at 220 and is expected to fill the berth made vacant by Bert Ingwerson now at Illinois. The Packer management had carried on some preliminary negotiations with the All-American star but it developed that he was under a verbal agreement to Manager George Halas of the Staleys, who had first chance at his services.
PACKERS' HOSPITAL LIST CLEARING UP; SQUAD WILL BE IN SHAPE FOR SUNDAY
OCT 6 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Aside from "Red" Elliott, who is confined to St. Vincent's hospital with a broken leg, the Packers' hospital list is fairly well cleared up and it is probable that all the regulars will be able to take their places in the lineup when the whistle blows Sunday afternoon at Hagemeister park for the football game with the Cornell-Hamburgs of Chicago. Schmael and Carey are on the road to recovery and Buff Wagner's injured arm is on the mend. Wes Leaper played his last game with the Packers against the Rockford team. The crack end has gone on the road for a Green Bay concern and will be in the south during the football season. Martell will probably fill in at this extremity in Sunday's contest...WILL PRACTICE TONIGHT: The squad will work out tonight at the ballpark and Coach Hoeffel plans to build up a new series of plays for use against the Cornell-Hamburgs this weekend. Howard, Buck and Murray will be on hand for the workout. The fracas Sunday with the Chicago team is kicking up quite a bit of interest. The fame of the Cornell-Hamburgs is known wherever football is played and their appearance here should bring out a bumper throng...SEATS ON SALE: Seats are on sale at the Beaumont hotel, the Congress, Lynch's, and Neveu and Schweger's drug store on the West side. Reservations are moving fast and many fans from the neighboring towns have written in for pasteboards. A much larger turnout is expected this Sunday.
PACKERS IN GOOD SHAPE FOR CLASH WITH CHICAGOANS
OCT 7 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Jim Cook, who in the olden days at East High was one of the greatest footballers ever turned out at the Hilltopppers' institution, has reported for practice with the Packer football team. Weighing over 200 pounds and in perfect shape after four months of farming on the Murphy estate in Door county, the new candidate promises to make quite a bid for a line position. After graduating from East, Cook put in a year at Notre Dame where he played football and he followed up his gridiron career with action with an army team while in service during the world war. Cook should be a valuable addition to the Packer squad...HAVE STIFF DRILL: The team went through a stiff workout last night and Cub Buck drove the linesmen at top speed. Interference on off tackle plays was developed and in Sunday's game the runner with the
ball will given more protection. The Cornell-Hamburg squad will arrive here Saturday night, according to the information received by the Packer management. Reservations at the Beaumont hotel has been made for the visitors. Twenty-four members will be in the Chicago crew of footballers...EXPECT BIG CROWD: Indications point to a big crowd Sunday. The advance sale of tickets has been unusually heavy and many fans from the neighboring cities have phoned in reservations. Big delegations from Appleton, Sturgeon Bay, New London and Marinette will be here for the game. Buff Wagner and Art Schmael, who were on the hospital list, participated in the signal practice. They will start Sunday, and it is practically certain that Joe Carey will be in shape to take his berth at guard.
CRACK CHICAGO ELEVEN TO MEET PACKERS ON SUNDAY
OCT 8 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The stage is set for Sunday's football game at Hagemeister park, which will bring together the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin's representatives in the Professional football field and the Cornell-Hamburgs of Chicago, one of the greatest teams in the Windy City. Hostilities will start at 2:30. Regulation periods of 15 minute duration are scheduled and capable officials will handle the contest. Neil Murphy will referee while Nic Mulloy of Chicago will be the umpire. The Cornell-Hamburgs come here with an all star collection of former collegiate footballers. They will present a line weighing about 200 pounds per man while the majority of their backfielders will tip the scales at over 170. Felker, Felcer and Fink are former Illinois men; McSweeney saw service with Colgate; while Epperson made his letter at Swarthmore. St. Clair, substitute fullback, played at Wabash and Brunn and Davies were chosen on the all Scholastic team while playing at Oak Park in 1918...PACKERS ON EDGE: Captain Lambeau's team is rarin' to go. Nuff said. With the exception of Red Elliott, all of the regulars are fit for the whistle. No changes in the lineup are contemplated except Martell starting off in Wes Leaper's place at the end of the line. Howard, Buck, Murray and all the other stars will be in the midst of the battle. A splendid turnout of fans is expected by the management. There has been a heavy advance sale of reserved seat tickets. Many out of town football enthusiasts will be here from Appleton. Oshkosh, Appleton and Marinette papers are sending scribes here to cover the game. Doors at the park will be open at 1 o'clock and the usual competent set of ushers will be on the job to handle the crowd.