Green Bay Packers (5-0) 26, Chicago Cardinals (0-2) 7
Sunday October 11th 1931 (at Green Bay)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(GREEN BAY) - What looked like just another football team in the first half, came out on the City stadium here Sunday after the intermission, a snarling, fighting, vicious outfit. As a result, what looked like a defeat to a mediocre Green Bay Packer eleven, turned out to be the fifth straight win of the season for a great Bay team that showed how to come back. The Chicago Cardinals were the victims and the final score was 26 to 7. Eight thousand fans saw the game. There must have been venom in the words of Capt. E.L. (Curly) Lambeau when he talked to the Packers between halves as they didn't look like the same team in the closing periods of the game. In the first half they played poor football. The line didn't charge, tackles were missed time after time and nothing seemed to work. It looked bad for the Bays as the Cardinals were playing inspired football, using their double and triple passes behind the line of scrimmage to smash off tackle, or through the center of the line for gain after gain. Ernie Nevers, who ranks with the greatest fullbacks of all time, was the key man in the attack. He directed, smashed and passed until the Cardinals had a 7 to 0 which lead they held until the second period ended.
LINE STARTS CHARGING
Coming back in the third period, it was a different story. The Bay line began to charge, the backs found the holes and the Packers were off to another victory. It was smash and bang and the Bay steamrollered their way down the field for two touchdowns and had the lead, scarcely five minutes after the start of the second half. Once getting underway, the Bays kept going. They added two more touchdowns before the game was over and the Cardinals never again were in scoring territory. There was plenty of the spectacular in this battle. Perhaps it was best that the Packers were off color in the first period. If they had played the same kind of football in the first half as they did in the closing periods it might not have been much of a ball game. There comes a time in every team's existence when they just can't get underway. Sunday looked like the day for Green Bay. While they were ragged the Cardinals took advantage of it, and capitalized on all the breaks. Nevers, the big blonde Cardinal fullback, played the entire game and was always a threat. Belden also played fine football for the Chicagoans while Kiesling and Duke Slater were outstanding linemen. For the Packers the ball carrying of Englemann, Molenda and Lewellen was outstanding. Johnny Blood's receiving has not been duplicated here in many years. On two touchdown plays, Blood made catches that seemed impossible for him to get. All the linemen played great football in the second half, first one player figuring in a play, then some other man getting in the limelight. They were all good and none outshone the others. The less said about the first half the better. There were too many poor exhibitions, but all more than made up for them in the closing periods.
FAIL TO SCORE
The Packers got under steam on two occasions in the opening period, when Englemann turned in some great runs, but both times the Packers faltered when deep in Cardinal territory and lost their openings. Then the Cardinals punched back - and punched hard and the Packers couldn't get started again until the third period. The first Packer threat came soon after the start of the game, when Englemann broke loose on a dash around right end for 42 yards before he was pushed out of bounds on the 10-yard line. Fitzgibbons was rushed on a pass and fumbled, Rogge recovering for the Cardinals and the Chicagoans punted out of danger. Again the Packers started with Englemann racing 27 yards over right tackle before Rose brought him down on the 21 yard line. A pass, Ftizgibbons to Englemann, carried the ball to the six-yard line where Wuert was forced out of bounds as he slipped. Rogge then broke through and downed Englemann for a nine yard loss and Dunn was rushed on a pass and the ball was intercepted by Handler and again the Cardinals got the ball to punt out of danger.
ROGGE GOES OVER
The Cardinals, with Nevers, Rose and Belden working smoothly on double-pass plays and forward passes brought the ball to midfield for the Chicagoans. Nevers then dropped back and passed to Rogge. McCrary knocked the ball down but Rogge grabbed it before it touched the ground, eluded McCrary and raced 30 yards for a touchdown. Nevers kicked the goal for an extra point and the Cardinals had a 7 to 0 lead. Later in the same period, the Cardinals worked the ball to the Packers' 20 yard line where they were held and Nevers tried a field goal but the ball was wide of the post and the Packers took it. Came the third period and it was something else again. Starting on their own 40-yard line after Dunn had made a great return of the kickoff, the Packers started a march down the field for a touchdown. Molenda ripped through the center of the line for 20 yards. A pass was incomplete but another was good with Red Dunn dropping back and throwing to Johnny Blood who jumped high in the air, dragged the ball out of the hands of Nevers and raced the intervening 20 yards to the goal line for a touchdown. Dunn's kick for the extra point was wide but it didn't matter as the Bays were underway and it wasn't long before they had another touchdown and the lead.
PUNT IS BLOCKED
Mike Michalske and Cal Hubbard paved the way to the second marker when they blocked a punt by Nevers and Molenda recovered on the 28-yard line. Bo smashed center for two yards and Lewellen cut over to the weak side for five yards and it was seven yards from the goal. Again Bo hit the line but made only a yard. Lewellen found a hole opened by Michalske and Hubbard on the weak side again and dove over the goal. Dunn kicked the goal for the extra point and the Packers had a 13 to 7 lead. That ended the scoring in the third period. Just to make it stick, Blood came into his own again in the fourth period and added 12 more points to Green Bay's total. Tom Nash started the offense that brought the third marker when he recovered a fumble in midfield. Blood ripped through right tackle for nine yards and Bo found a hole at guard again on a spinner and crashed 20 yards before he was dropped on the 15-yard line by Handler. It was a great play with Bo shaking off Rose and Belden before he was finally stopped. Two plays failed to gain but the third was good. Dunn fell back and passed to Blood who had raced to the far right-hand corner of the field. Johnny took the ball out of the air with a seemingly impossible catch, stumbled three yards and fell over the goal. Again Dunn's kick was good for the extra point and the score stood 20 to 7.
BLOOD INTERCEPTS PASS
The final touchdown came a few minutes later when Blood intercepted a pass thrown by Nevers and raced 35 yards to score. Dilweg ran interference for Johnny, taking out Holmer with a great body block when the latter tried to get Blood. Fitzgibbons' kick for the extra point was wide. Nevers rained passes in the closing minutes of play but a fumble, recovered by Gantenbein, ended one threat and another fumble, recovered by McCrary, stopped another attack. The Cardinals were never beyond the Packer 30-yard line in the final half.
CHI CARDS - 7 0 0 0 - 7
GREEN BAY - 0 0 13 13 - 26
SCORING
1ST - CHI - George Rogge, 20-yard pass from Nevers (Ernie Nevers kick) CHICAGO CARDINALS 7-0
3RD - GB - Johnny Blood, 40-yard pass from Red Dunn (Dunn kick failed) CARDINALS 7-6
3RD - GB - Verne Lewellen, 9-yard run (Dunn kick) GREEN BAY 13-7
4TH - GB - Blood, 14-yard pass from Dunn (Dunn kick) GREEN BAY 20-7
4TH - GB - Blood, 35-yard pass interception (Paul Fitzgibbons kick failed) GREEN BAY 26-7
SIDELIGHTS
OCT 12 (Green Bay) - Three knees may be accidents but four from the same player are too many, Cal Hubbard decided late in the game so he retaliated. Willis Glasgow, Cardinal halfback, then swung with doubled fists and Cal swung back landing on Glasgow's jaw and quite a mixup started. The game continued after Glasgow and Hubbard were ejected from the game. Cal said that Glasgow had kneed him four times before the fight started...A poor punt put the Packers in a dangerous sport soon after the start of the game, but Michalske, Darling and Gantenbein broke through to throw Holmer for an eight-yard loss on an attempted fourth down pass to end that threat...Rogge, Cardinal end, was in the limelight often in the early stages. He recovered a Packer fumble on his own 22 yard line as his first contribution. Then he broke through the line and threw Englemann for a nine yard loss. He helped block a punt on Lewellen, then later in the period grabbed Nevers' pass, batted by McCrary and raced 20 yards for a touchdown...On two occasions in the first period, Englemann was nearly free for touchdowns. On the first try, after a 27 yard dash, Englemann was stopped by a great tackle by Gene Rose, former Wisconsin tackle. The second time he caught a forward pass and slipped on the seven yard line, going out of bounds...Perfect football weather prevailed although the rain of Saturday left the field in a slippery condition...Nevers got off a great punt in the third quarter which Tinsley downed on the two-yard line. Lewellen, however, punted out of danger from behind his own goal line and the Cardinals were
penalized for clipping on the play on the 20 yard line and the Packers were given the ball at this spot...The high schools' band gave an entertaining concert and parade between halves. In snappy time the young musicians paraded across the field and then played several numbers...A group of fans in the northeast corner of the field organized quite a cheering section. Led by some young man, the boys and men got up three yells and executed them with considerable lung power.
BARRAGER, RACIS, BEHMAN STAR AS PHILLY GRIDDERS
OCT 13 (Green Bay) - All too few times in the past several years have the Green Bay Packers faced forward lines which might really be called great, but next Sunday's battle, bringing the champions against the Philadelphia Yellowjackets, will feature two outstanding front walls on opposite sides of the line of scrimmage. Advance reports from the Jackets' camp indicate that brute strength and football brains, jammed into the line, will provide the key to a pretty duel at City Stadium next Sunday for centers, guards, tackles and ends will be primed to give their respective backs plenty of open space right after the opening whistle. The Packer line admittedly is one of the greatest which ever had played on an American gridiron, and yet followers of the Yellow Jackets have indicated that the Philadelphia wall is well fortified with power and speed, and these backers produce statistics to prove their contentions...BATTLE OF LINES: The "battle of the lines" will bring into action Leary, Brown University end, who is playing his first year in professional football but who earned a fine reputation last season in eastern collegiate circles. Kostos, Bucknell, is a three year veteran, and these two men will be abetted by Fleckenstein, Iowa tough boy, who has played with the Bears and Portsmouth and who has had plenty of practice playing opposite such stars as Dilweg, Nash and Gantenbein. These men, however strong, do not match in personality and drawing power the accomplishments of one "Bull" Behman, said to be one of the greatest tackles in professional football. Bull's poundage runs well up into the 200 tonnage list, and this year he has returned to the pro game after a year's layoff. His exact weight is listed as 240 pounds, and he won recognition on the first all-American pro teams of 1928 and 1929. The Packer strong boys, including Michalske, Sleight, Hubbard, Stahlman, Comstock and the rest, will face the task of halting Behman's blocking tactics if Philadelphia's thrusts at the line are to be thrown back...RACIS IS COAL MINER: With the colorful Behman is Frank Racis, who has seen service with Portsmouth, Boston and Providence and who can also push any scale around to a point well past the 200 pound mark; Racis got his start as a Pennsylvania coal miner and his only glimpse of college have been from the outside. Rugged and tough, his sterling playing is expected to add another impetus to the front line reputation carried by the Yellowjackets. Jones of Bucknell, playing his second season with Philadelphia, has won recognition as a fast running guard. He is flanked by Tackwell of Arkansas, who has brought lots of color to his team during his second year in Philadelphia. He hoists the ball on the kickoff and never uses a headgear, preferring, as did Perry in his Green Bay days, to keep his head free. Seaborg of Carleton is another guard who may see service...ALL-AMERICAN CENTER: Barrager, Southern California's all-American, is playing his second year in professional football, and looks better than ever. He started with Minneapolis last year, and was sold to the Yellowjackets in mid-season. Barrager's passes are like bullets and he roves all over the field on defense. Ringwaldt of Washington and Jefferson is the second string center. It is his second year out of college, as he starred with the Presidents last year. With all this strength in the line, Philadelphia appears at first to have an unbalanced team. However, statistics prove that the fleet backfield aces of the squad are due to worm their way through for plenty of yardage against the best of teams. The big threat, of course, is the coach and fullback, renowned Herb Joesting of Minnesota, who won all-American honors in his college days, and is still going like a house on fire. Then there is Morten Kaer, another Southern California flash who was an all-American quarterback, and who has been coaching on the coast. He has seen post-graduate gridiron services with the San Francisco Olympic club...PHARMER AND NYDAHL: As halfbacks the Yellowjackets have two men well groomed in the Joesting style of play; Pharmer and Nydahl, all Big Ten backs from Minnesota. Pharmer possesses an educated toe and both are dangerous at all stages of the game. Brumbaugh, brother of the Bears' great quarterback, is another man who will work for the Jackets. He hails from Florida and is one year out of college ranks. Magner of Georgtown, a great punter and passer; Pedersen of St. Thomas, who played with Minneapolis last fall; and triple threat ace from Brown are newcomers who have attracted favorable comment among followers of the eastern professional game. Apsit is supposed to be a "bearcat" on bringing back punts, and plays either half or quarter. Mickey MacDonald, who signed a Packer contract last summer but failed to report and was immediately given a release, is a recent addition to the Yellowjackets. MacDonald is an elusive back. He formerly played with the Duluth Eskimos and Chicago Cardinals.
FINE BOGUS TICKET SELLERS $50 EACH
OCT 13 (Green Bay) - Fines of $50 each and costs each were imposed upon Joseph McClellan and James Spoor, two of the four "salesman" of bogus Packer football tickets, caught here a week ago last Sunday while attempting to dispose of the pasteboards. Sroor, who had steadfastly maintained his innocence, changed his plea to guilty this morning. If they fail to pay the fine, they will go to the workhorse for six months. Leo Halprin and Albert Goodman, the other two "salesman", were placed on probation for one year in custody of Cletus G. Chadek, assistant district attorney. Both are youths of 13. Charles Koktavy, Milwaukee printer, who admitted making the counterfeit tickets, paid a fine of $200 and costs Friday, and was released. Five other men are being sought on charges of conspiring to violate the law by selling the counterfeit tickets. Three of the five are known as "Les Buick", "Joe Beef", and "Chew Tobacco Whitey". The other two are Morris Yilpach and Jake Bloom.
CARR THREATENS TO FINE PACKERS
OCT 14 (Green Bay) - Following an ultimatum from President Joe F. Carr of the NFL, the Green Bay Packers squad has been cut to 22 players. The league executive threatened to fine the Green Bay club $500 and throw out all games played by the Packers after the third league contest if the Green Bay management did not adhere strictly to the letter of the law regarding the number of players on the squad. President Carr interprets the 22 player ruling, which was re-drafted at the annual league meeting in Chicago last July as not only meaning players in uniform but under contract as well. Incidentally, the league president is making a careful check of the "injured-suspended" players and a doctor's affidavit must accompany the report about the hospital list gridders...GIANTS AND CARDS PROTESTED: The New York Giants and Chicago Cardinals, it is believed officially protested against the number of the players on the Green Bay squad. Dr. D.J. Jones, owner of the Cardinals and Dr. Harry A. March, president of the New York club both complained after their games here about the manpower of the Green Bay team and Dr. March made the remark that "Joe Carr was going to hear about it." The outbursts of Dr. Jones were along the same line. President Carr late Tuesday afternoon called Coach E.L. Lambeau on the long distance telephone from Columbus, O., which is the headquarters of the National league and insisted the Packer leader immediately cut his squad to meet the rules and regulations of the league...THREE OTHER CLUBS: During the course of his telephone conversation with Coach Lambeau, President Carr remarked that the same orders had been issued to the Brooklyn, Portsmouth and the Philadelphia clubs as he understood that these teams, like the Packers were sidestepping "the players under contract" regulation. Shortly after the National league executive dropped the bombshell in the Packers' can, the executive board and Coach Lambeau met and the Packer coach was instructed to make the cut immediately as he saw fit. He did as follows:..PERRY LOANED TO CARDINALS: Claude Perry, tackle, was loaned to the Chicago Cardinals for the remainder of the season. Whitey Woodin, guard; Bernard Darling, center; Kenneth Radick, lineman, and Arnold Herber, back, were dropped from the squad. Whitey Woodin is one of the Packer veterans, having joined the team back in 1922. He played college football at Marquette. Perry was in the midst of his fifth year with Green Bay. Claude came here from Alabama. Bernard Darling, who was a Beloit college star, joined the Packers in 1927, and has been a regular since that time, while Radick and Herber made their pro football debut with the national champions last fall. Radick had three years varsity football at Marquette while Herber, after he left Wisconsin in his freshmen year, played a season of varsity football at Regis college in Colorado...TWO WEEKS' SUSPENSION: The league rules provide that when a player is placed on the suspended list for injuries or otherwise, he is ineligible for the next two contests after the game following his suspension. As a result Russell Saunders in now the only player on the Green Bay suspended list and he will be eligible to play after this Sunday's contest here with the Philadelphia Yellowjackets. He has been on the shelf with an injury since the Brooklyn contest. Baker, Woodin, Perry, Radick, Herber and Saunders were on the suspended list for the Chicago Cardinal game. Baker's suspension was officially reported as "injured" after the Brooklyn fray and his two weeks has run out so he will be eligible to compete against the Yellowjackets...LIST OF ELIGIBLE PLAYERS: The list of eligible Packer players for Sunday is as follows: Grove, Baker, Bruder, Dunn, Wilson, Gantenbein, McCrary, Blood, Dilweg, Don Carlos, Molenda, Comstock, Bowdoin, Nash, Englemann, Michalske, Stahlman, Sleight, Hubbard, Earpe, Lewellen and Fitzgibbons.
DR. KELLY EXPLAINS
OCT 14 (Green Bay) - This player limit rule was adopted at the 1930 annual meeting of the league, and was written by Dr. W.W. Kelly of the Green Bay Packer management, who is also a member of the executive committee of the league. Questioned after the interpretation of this rule. Dr. Kelly made the following statement: "While it is true that I wrote this rule I didn't sponsor it. I merely put into plain and unequivocal language, the unanimous wish of the league members. The basic principle of the rule is that no club shall at any time after the third league game have under contract more than 22 eligible players. To emphasize this point, another section of the rule provides as follows: 'That in the case of the suspension of any player, any club carrying under contracts its full quota of 22 players, and who may be desirous of maintaining such full quota, may, if it deems fit, employ the services of another player, but only after such suspension has existed for not less than 14 days.' It further provides that upon the lifting of the suspension of the player in question, the substituted player shall cease to be no longer eligible, and his name shall be removed from the list of players on file in the office of the president, if his retention causes the list of club contracts to exceed 22 men. This wording permits of no evasion. There is nothing, however, in the rule which prohibits any club from releasing a player and immediately filling its quota by engaging another man. It is not aimed at releases but avoids the manipulation of the suspended list in an effort to circumvent the basic principle of 22 players already referred to. If any club has complained, they had a perfect right to do so, but they must bear in mind 'That what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander', as the rule applies to them. Knowing President Carr as I do, and having every faith in his integrity and fairness, I can assure the fans that he will insist that every club in the league lives up to, not only the letter, but the spirit of this rule. What more can we ask?"
LEWELLEN TOPS NATIONAL LOOP SCORING RACE
OCT 15 (Columbus, OH) - Two Green Bay halfbacks, Verne Lewellen and Johnny Blood, are leading the National professional football league in scoring, statistics released today by Joe F. Carr, president, revealed. Lewellen still ranks at the top of the circuit's offensive stars with 30 points, accounted for by five touchdowns, while Blood's work in the Green Bay-Cardinal game Sunday, netting him three touchdowns, has moved him to second place with 24 points. Several other stars of the National league hitched their offensive records a notch higher in recent contests, President Carr's statistics indicated. Presnell, Portsmouth back, was unable to hold his second position but added a touchdown to his total and now ranks third, with three touchdowns and a goal kick for 19 points. Harold (Red) Grange scored a touchdown for the Bears Sunday and Texas Vance of Brooklyn picked up one score against Stapleton. As a result these two backs advanced to a tie with 12 points each...LEADERS NOT BOTHERED: Other scoring over the weekend had little effect upon the standing of the leaders. Rogge of the Chicago Cards scored a touchdown against Green Bay, which for a time had the Packers worried, and managed to break into the scoring column, as did Rose of Providence, who made six points in the Steamroller victory over Philadelphia. Other names appearing in the scoring list for the first time are Clancy, Stapleton, and McBride and Stramiello of Brooklyn, all of whom registered in the 13 to 6 trouncing the Dodgers handed the Stapes Sunday. The highest scoring lineman in the National league is Whitey Woodin of
of Green Bay, who holds eighth place in the standings with a touchdown and three extra points. He has scored nine points. Eighteen players have scored a long touchdown apiece, while three others, Moran of New York, Senn, recently traded to Brooklyn by the Chicago Bears, and Dunn of Green Bay have made seven points each. The first two each scored a touchdown and extra point, while Dunn has hoisted seven extra kicks over the Packer uprights...ONLY TWO FIELD GOALS: Only two field goals have been scored so far this season. They were made by Ernie Nevers, blond all-American back of the Chicago Cardinals, and Ken Strong of Stapleton. Nevers also has booted over one goal kick. The twice champion Packers include 12 squad members who have scored and the team far leads the field in this respect. Five Portsmouth players have broken into the scoring column, and four Brooklyn players have crossed the chalk line.
EXPECT GOOD CROWD
OCT 15 (Green Bay) - All signs point to another big crowd at the Packer-Philadelphia game on Sunday at the City Stadium. The ticket sales continue at a lively clip and there appears to be an ever increasing demand from out-of-town football fans now that they realize that the additional seats, constructed by the football corporation, provides plenty of room for everyone. One of the features this Sunday will be the appearance of the championship West De Pere high school band. This crack organization under the capable direction of Professor Alex Enna should furnish the crowd with a musical treat. The De Pere band will hold the gridiron stage between the halves...SEVERAL HIGH SCHOOL CROWDS: A number of high school football squads will be pay guests of the Packer management. Coach Tiny Cahoon is bringing his West De Pere squad and there will be a delegation of 30 from Marshfield, Marinette, Menominee, Appleton, Kaukauna, Little Chute and Neenah schools are also expected this weekend. All these scholastic groups will be housed in the newly constructed stands at the west end of the playing field. President Joe F. Carr notified Coach Lambeau of the Packers that he has assigned K.M. Harris of Duluth to referee the Philadelphia game. J.A. Brown of Kankakee, Ill., will be the umpire, while Halsey Hall, a Minneapolis sport writer, is to be the head linesman. Both Harris and Hall have worked here before but Brown is a newcomer to the Green Bay eleven.
ATTENTION PACKER LINEMEN! SEE IF YOU CAN MATCH THIS PLAY OF THE GREAT '96 TEAM
OCT 16 (Green Bay) - As a press agent for the first somewhat professional and somewhat champion football team in Green Bay, I demand that I be heard again in their behalf. Previously it was reported on this page that this great Green Bay Football team had settled the controversy as to the supremacy of college or professional football, and the only reason it continued to rage was because a few were informed that it already had been settled here at Green Bay when the team of 1986 challenged, met and vanquished Lawrence university (now college) by an overwhelming shutout. But since that report about the first pro squad, Jugger Earpe and Whitey Woodin have come for heaps of publicity for being just where they wanted to be but where nobody expected them to be, especially the opponent players, and intercepting passes which later were converted into important touchdowns and scores. Now, far be it from any of the veterans of 1896 to minimize in any way the really fine work these linemen did on recent Sundays, but why get all het up about linemen making touchdowns? - and though that were something new. Our great team in the neuropathic nineties did that. They won a ball game doing that. And (attention Jugger Earpe), it was the center who made the touchdown in these well screened plays. The center got the ball two times on the same play. You haven't seen that done - lately. And while all the other good teams in the late years of the nineteenth century were calling signals, and letting smart guys on the opposite side sense where the play was going or what the bunch of shouted numbers meant, our heroes had introduced the huddle system, "thirty years too soon."...HERE'S THE EXAMPLE: Now for the convincing example, Green Bay (for that was the only name the team went by) was engaged in smothering Lawrence University, the acknowledged superior college team in the state that year. This was in the autumn of '96. The Lawrentians had accepted the challenge for two good reasons. 1. It would have looked awfully funny if they hadn't. 2. They never even admitted the possibility of defeat. The game was to have been something of a practice game for the university. Green Bay businessmen, sporting bloods, men about the town and members of the team covered every dollar in sight. Probably every player on the squad was financially interested in the result. Enthusiasm was at a new fahrenheit. Nothing else was upon the tongues of those who believed then as they do yet that ninety percent of the fun in any contest is talking about it; before and after. Well, to hurry along, the great red sun was well advanced in its downward route and hung like a big lantern over the farm lands of West Green Bay. The game stood at 38 to 0 for Green Bay. Lawrence University had made but one first down all afternoon. Tension was letting up about town and in the sideline blocs. Wagers were being paid off. Nothing now could reverse the outcome. Lawrence was completely outclassed by a great professional outfit. But in victory these leviathans of the caveman see of football were more vicious than in defeat. Gloating in their conquest every man wanted to have a personal specialized part in the glory. Especially the center. All he had done all afternoon was shoot the ball backwards to other fellows to score with and to cover themselves in glory. Although groggy from standing with his head between his ankles - facing south and yet looking north - he begrudged all the talk these scores would be getting that night, around the free lunch counters, and in the stores (for they all kept open nights in 1896). He saw the boys overpowered by the urge to get at their chores, leaving the crowd and he could hear their "giddy-yaps" as they drove across the mud of the stadium terrace...HUDDLE SYSTEM BORN: "Lemme make a touchdown, Tom", John Pies said to the coach, Tom Silverwood. He said it a little later, again. The teams lined up. It was not far from the Lawrence goal. The fans were yelling to "make it a hundred!" Signals were called. But John Pies, the center, did not snap the ball. Instead he stood up, turned around nonchalantly, and walked out of the line to say, "Bang bang it, Tom, gimme a chance. Let me make a touchdown." Coach Silverwood (who perhaps would never have chosen Green Bay as the scene of his able professional labors if this team has not brought him here) called "Heinie" and then "Freddie". Coach Silverwood, right tackle, center John Pies, quarterback Fred Hulbert and halfback Henry Vandenbrook put arms on each other shoulders, faced a common center and worked out a play. There and then the "Huddle System" was born...possibly. With the celerity and poise and avoirdupoise of a chorus pony (of the late nineties) these original huddlers snapped back into their places. Each had been told what to do. Nobody else on the team or in the world knew the secret. All the rest of the team had to do was each man get his man out of the play. Pies was to snap the ball to Hulbert the quarterback and immediately started backing up instead of dashing ahead. The quarterback was to hand the ball to Vandenbrook the halfback and if on schedule, Center Pies in reverse gear would just be passing Vandenbrook (note the deception on the play) was to quickly hand the ball to Pies who had by this time become eligible to carry the ball, and with no well trained collegian anticipated a center romping for a touchdown Pies was to enter the land of Hearts Content...ITS OLD STUFF: "1492-1776-1812-1861" shouted the wavey haired blonde quarterback. Pies passed the ball and started to back up. The orthodox college center fell with his face flat on the turf. Pies puffed into the appointed rendezvous on time. He shifted gears, took the ball, affected a Lon Chaney fighting face, and was surprised himself to walk over the university's goal line standing up. He leaned against the goalposts and rested while the additional points were perfunctorily added. So, as another warning to modern football stars - go ahead and do something different, work out something intricate, figure a trick play or a sensational new formation. Give me enough time to get the veterans of the "great team of 1985-6 and 7" together and they'll be able to show you that it's "old stuff". The veterans only meet, however, when their supremacy is challenged by something unconventional, or extraordinary. In the ordinary things of football, they generally admit that an average team of today could have beaten their great outfit at its prime, and the Packers? Well, they'd want the Packers to spot them 100 points and then they'd still bet odds on the Packers. Why don't somebody arrange a banquet or something for my great team of 1895 - and invite the Packers - and several extra policemen?
BATTLE OF LINES WILL FEATURE PACKER BATTLE WITH YELLOWJACKET ELEVEN
OCT 17 (Green Bay) - A battle of the lines on Sunday will bring together Philadelphia's powerful team and the champion Green Bay Packers, the latter seeking their sixth straight National professional football league triumph, at City Stadium here. The kickoff has been slated for 2 o'clock, and both elevens are reported in great condition for the contest. Since the first Green Bay-Philadelphia game was run off in 1925, line work has played an important part in the decision, and on Sunday the rubber tilt of the series will be played, as both teams have won four games. One contest, played in 1929, ended in a scoreless tie. Although Philadelphia's backfield threat is not to be slighted, it is the battle of the forward walls which will attract the most attention in Sunday's mix. Green Bay's super line already has earned its share of comment, but Sunday it will receive its most severe test, perhaps, of the current season. Men such as Kostos, Behman, Jones, Barragar, Fleckenstein, Racis and Leary stud the Yellowjackets' line with men of considerable gridiron reputation, facing the Packer aces: Dilweg, Stahlman, Hubbard, Michalske, Earpe, Don Carlos, Baker, Comstock, Bowdoin, Sleight, Nash and Gantenbein. From end to end, the contest promises to be a battle royal, and both teams are expected to take to the air early and often in attempts to score over the heads of the battling walls. Particular attention on the part of the Green Bay crowd, which is expected to be near capacity, will be turned to the work of Nate Barragar, Southern California flash who saw service last season both with the Yellowjackets and previously with the Minneapolis Marines. Barragar plays the same roving games as August (Mike) Michalske of the Packers, and the two brought into competition the same game will cause lots of side talk, fans believe. The Packers are not ignoring the constant threat afforded by the Yellowjackets' back line stars. The reputation of Herb Joesting of Minnesota is well known throughout Wisconsin, and particularly near Madison and Packer fans on previous occasions have witnessed his work. Nydahl and Joesting hail from Minnesota. Brumbaugh, a brother of the Chicago Bears' ace, is in the backfield for Philadelphia, and is said to resemble his brother when in action. Mizell, Georgia Tech fullback, also will appear with the invaders. As an added attraction, the national champion West De Pere school band will strut their stuff between halves on the playing field. Director Alex Enna has promised a program which will make a hit with the crowd. About six high school football squads will be play guests of the Packer management at the game.
PHILADELPHIA AND PACKERS ARE EVEN UP
OCT 17 (Green Bay) - While the Green Bay and Philadelphia National Professional Football league teams clash in their first engagement of the 1931 season at City stadium here next Sunday, they will be playing the rubber contest in a series of colorful battles extending back to 1925, when the first game was run off at the eastern city. The Packers have won four games, the Yellowjackets have captured an equal number, and one resulted in a tie. Ever since the rivals commenced their National league competition, the games have gone down in the books as one "battle of the lines" after another. Powerful forward walls invariably have played strong parts in the victories and defeats, and indications are that next Sunday will witness another clash between ends, tackles, guard and centers which will be recorded as a memorable National league skirmish...20 TEAMS IN CIRCUIT: In 1925, when Green Bay journeyed east to tackle the Yellowjackets on a Saturday afternoon late in the fall. There were 20 teams in the National circuit, and Green Bay was fighting for a precarious seventh place. The result of the game was a sound smacking for the Packers, 13 to 7. In the first period, after driving to Green Bay's 15-yard line, Hamer wandered through right tackle for a touchdown, and then kicked the goal. In the second period the Bays came back fast, pushing the ball to the 20-yard line, where a pass from Mathys to Lewellen clicked for a touchdown. Abramson kicked the goal and the score was tied. In the last quarter, a triple pass, Hamer to Stockton to Sullivan, resulted in a 35-yard dash by the latter for the winning touchdown. Behman missed the goal, but the 10,000 crowd was able to witness its team in victory. On Thanksgiving Day in 1926, the Packers were back in Philadelphia, and lost a last minute decision to the Yellowjackets before another crowd of 10,000. The Jackets were busy in the first quarter. Hamer bounced around left end 19 yards for the first touchdown, and Budd's kick was blocked. Later in the period a long pass from Stockton to Hamer brought the ball to the five-yard line, and Jones banged through the line for a touchdown. Budd's kick was good and the Jackets held a 13 to 0 lead...LAMBEAU TO PURDY: In the second quarter a pass from Lambeau to Purdy put the ball on the five-yard line, and Lidberg cracked the line to score. Purdy dropkicked the goal. Green Bay went ahead in the fourth period, clicking with a near perfect aerial attack. A long pass from Lambeau to Flaherty was caught on the five-yard line and Flaherty skipped over for a touchdown. Purdy again kicked the goal. Late in the game a long pass from Stockton to Homan was received on the 17-yard line and "Two Bits" raced over with the winning score. Hogan kicked goal and the final count was 20 to 14. Thanksgiving 1927 was celebrated by the first Packer victory over their rivals, 17 to 9. Rogers tossed a pass to Kassel early in the first period to account for six points, and Mercer placekicked in the second quarter to give Philadelphia a nine-point lead. Then the Bays launched a furious attack. A pass from Dunn to Dilweg accounted for one touchdown, and Dunn booted the extra point. Purdy added a drop kick from the 30-yard line in the third period, and in the last quarter Eddie Kotal ran wild. He received several fine passes, and then a final toss from Dunn to Enright resulted in a touchdown. Dunn kicked the goal to end the scoring for the day...FIELD GOAL BY O' BOYLE: At Green Bay in 1928, the
1931 Chicago Cardinals
Yellowjackets handed the Packers their worst trimming of the series, 19 to 9, all scoring being done in the first half. O'Boyle opened scoring for Green Bay with a field goal from the 25-yard line, but a pass, Mercer to Rogers, accounted for a Philadelphia touchdown and Mercer missed the goal. Then Mercer took a pass from Kassel on the five-yard line and went over for another touchdown. Rogers missed the extra point. In the second period Mercer again scored on a pass from Diehl and Weir's kick was good. Lewellen made the only Packer touchdown a bit later on, taking a pass from Lambeau. That year at Philadelphia, the Packers outplayed the Yellowjackets in every department, running up 14 first downs to six for their opponents, and holding the Jackers outside their 30-yard line, but lost the breaks, and dropped a 2 to 0 encounter. In the first period a center pass sailed over Lewellen's head on a punt play, and went into the end zone for a safety, the only score of the game...BAYS PASS TO VICTORY: In 1929 at Green Bay the Packers were victorious by 14 to 2, displaying a great forward passing attack. In was the first trimming of the year for Philadelphia, and another battle of the lines ensued. Aided by some neat blocking by O'Donnell, Kotal took Lewellen's pass on the 30-yard in the first period and dashed to a touchdown. Dunn's kick was successful. In the third period, a bad pass went over Blood's head and the ball rolled into the end zone for a Yellowjacket safety, but in the last quarter Lewellen dove over for another touchdown, after Dilweg caught Blood's pass on the two-yard line. Molenda kicked goal. At Philadelphia that year, the two teams played a great scoreless tie, before an exceedingly hostile audience of 8,500. The Packers were on their way to the title, and many Bay players still claim the tilt was called four minutes too soon. Kotal downed a pass on the Yellowjacket nine-yard line as the game ended...JACKETS DROP PAIR IN 1930: In 1930, the Packers handed Philadelphia two neat drubbings. The champions won at Green Bay, 27 to 12, touchdowns being scored by McCrary, who made two, Englemann and Dilweg for Green Bay; Kostos and Tanner for the Jackets. Dunn added three extra points. At Philadelphia the Packers won, 25 to 7, the worst beating they ever handed the Yellowjackets. By winning the Green Bay team regained the National league lead. Blood scored two touchdowns by receiving passes from Dunn. Pharmer scored for Philadelphia in the third quarter, but in the final period,McCrary and Herber went over for touchdowns, and Dunn added an extra point.
PRO GRID NOTES
OCT 16 (Green Bay) - After a series of upsets, Johnny Depler finally has got his Brooklyn team clicking and the Dodgers celebrated their initial appearance at home by taking Stapleton into camp, 18 to 6. Fifteen thousand saw the game...The National league table is apt to be shaken up a lot after Sunday's game as five contests are scheduled. Aside from Nov. 8, this Oct. 18 date is the only Sunday on which all the teams are in action...Portsmouth starts a long siege away from home this weekend by appearing in Brooklyn. Following the Dodger game, the Spartans play in Stapleton, Philadelphia, New York and Chicago (Bears). This is a pretty tough outline...The city feud will be resumed in Chicago this Sunday with the Bears tackling the Cards. Last season, the Bruins ran wild over Nevers & Co., but it will be a lot closer this season as the Cardinals have improved...The Giants are billed for their first game at home at the Polo Grounds. Stapleton will be the attraction and it should be a battle royal as the clubs have interchanged players since the curtain dropped last fall...Cleveland is schedule at Providence this weekend. The Steamrollers looked plenty good in their 6 to 0 victory over Philadelphia and it wouldn't be surprising if they fattened their win column at the Ohioans' expense...It had been rumored that Nagurski's legs had gone bad. However, the way Bronko smashed the Giants' line last Sunday should set this story at rest. The Bears' fullback was very much in the game for three periods...Bill Senn, former Bears halfback, is now sporting the colors of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Senn is a speed merchant, once he gets across the line of scrimmage. He should prove a valuable addition to Depler's team...Caywood has returned to the New York club. The veteran guard had been released to the Cards during the summer but the Giants' counter flankers seemed wobbly and Steve Owens got him back in a hurry...McNally, who played his college football under Jimmy Madigan at St. Mary's, is giving Erickson a race for his job as center on the Cardinals. The recruit played a few minutes against Green Bay and got four sweet tackles...With Oden, Pape and Rose as the headliners, Providence is developing quite an overhead attack. This trio started in the closing frame of the Philadelphia game. Three passes clicked in a row and Rose scored...Brooklyn got off to a flying start in the Stapleton game as the Dodgers made their 18 points in the first half. McBride and Vance were on the receiving end of touchdown passes and Stramiello intercepted for another score...At times, Philadelphia used an all-Minnesota backfield with Herb Joesting at full and Pharmer and Nydahl playing the halves. They are all ex-Gopher stars while quarterback Pederson comes from Carleton...Wager, substitute center at Portsmouth, who bobbed into the limelight by snagging a pass, which helped to beat the New York Giants, is a former Ironton, Ohio player. He was a teammate of Guy Presnell's on that club...Young Mr Cagle, the former Army flash with New York, got bumped hard by the Bears and was forced to leave the game. Red gets away for some fancy runs but he is a bit shy on poundage to stand the pro game cracking.
PACKERS EXPECT HARD GAME WITH JACKETS SUNDAY
OCT 17 (Green Bay) - There will be trouble for the Green Bay Packers here tomorrow afternoon when they play the Philadelphia Yellowjackets - there always is when these teams meet. No matter where the Jackets are in the National league standings, no matter if the Packers have won every game on their home field in 22 consecutive starts, when the Philadelphia team plays Green Bay, the Packers have one tough time winning. If you don't believe this, dig back into records of other games played between the teams. Every contest has been a tough one and the Packers have had more than their share of trouble winning. Back in 1929, when the Packers had a team that pushed everything before it, they bumped up against the Philadelphia team in the east and could only gain a tie - the only tie against a spotless record...ALWAYS GREAT BATTLES: And there were many other games like this one. Some the Bays won, and some they lost, but always they were great battles. Last year, the Yellowjackets weren't able to stop the Packers in two starts. Over a period of six years, however, the score is even, with each team boasting four wins, so tomorrow's battle is the rubber tilt. Perhaps the reason for hard, close battles between these teams lies in the strength of the easterners' line. The Jacket forward wall is one of the few in the country that can stand up against the Bays. The forward give nothing without a grueling struggle and it is all the Bays can do to wear them down. With such men as Behman, Racis, Fleckenstein, Barragar, Wilson and Kostos, all stars among stars, the Jackers present a formidable outfit. Besides this group of linemen, the Yellowjackets have backs who are among the best in the country. There is Herb Joesting, giant Minnesota fullback, for one. He's no pushover in any man's gate. Then there are Nydahl, also of Minnesota, Brumbaugh, Aspit, Mizel and Kaer, all sweet backs...NICOLET BACK TO PLAY: There have been no letdowns in the Packers' daily drills. Capt. E.L. (Curly) Lambeau has been working with his men to perfect pass defense and timing of plays. The Packer coach plans to use Frank Baker, Northwestern all-American end, again Sunday, as the former Wildcat has recovered from injuries that kept him on the shelf for three weeks. Russ Saunders, who also has been on the injured list, is not expected to be back in uniform until the following weekend. West De Pere's twice champion Nicolet high school band will appear at the Stadium to play a group of numbers during the intermission. Nicolet high school band under the direction of Professor Alex Enna has won at every state band tournament at which it has appeared and in 1929 and 1930 captured the national honors in its class. The high school musicians will be guests of the Green Bay Football corporation.
STATISTICS OF GAMES
OCT 17 (Green Bay) - Parallel with its success in the league percentage tablet, statistics computed for the first five Packer games hold up well under the contention that Green Bay has definitely embarked on the road leading to another national championship. Green Bay now hold victories over Brooklyn, Cleveland, New York and the Chicago Bears and Cards. In only two instances did the figures sway over in favor of the opponents. Rival punters contributed a 45 yard average while the best a sextet of Green Bay kickers could assimilate was a 42 yard average. Johnny Blood, who scored three touchdowns against the Chicago Cardinals last Sunday, is averaging 52 yards on his punts. Opponents displayed a marked superiority over the Packers in chalking up penalties. They have been set back 220 yards on 28 penalties. Although Green Bay has 29 penalties, many of these were minor offenses and total 195 yards. Green Bay has completed 45 first downs to the opponents' 42. The Chicago Cardinals balanced this department by netting 16 successful advances between the yardsticks. Wuert Englemann is the leading individual ground gainer with an average of 10 yards. Hurdis McCrary's 236 yards on 53 plays classes him as the leader in yards from scrimmage.
