Green Bay Packers (1-0) 14, Chicago Cardinals (0-2) 10
Sunday September 17th 1939 (at Green Bay)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(GREEN BAY) - The Green Bay Packers struck twice through the air at City stadium yesterday afternoon, marking up two touchdowns in the second period, and then successfully repulsed a dangerous left half counterattack by the Chicago Cardinals, to launch their NFL season with a 14 to 10 victory. The score sounds close, and the game was close, right up a teeth-rattling 47-yard aerial gain by the invaders on the last play of the afternoon, which sent the 11,792 spectators home talking to themselves. Failure to block effectively cost the Packers many good yards on the ground, but they put up against the Cardinals a defense which forced the Chicagoans to fall back upon the good old breaks for their scores. And Arnold Herber, with two vastly important forward passes, one to Carl Mulleneaux and the other to Don Hutson, set up those vital points in the first half - points which never quite were erased by the Cardinals. Both called for classy reception. The ball was on the Chicago 26-yard line when Herber looped a high toss down the alley to Mulleneaux, who grabbed the ball on the run toward the goal line and stepped across for a touchdown.
URAM INTERCEPTS PASS
Just four plays later after the next kickoff, Andy Uram, a busy man all afternoon, intercepted a forward pass by Frank Patrick, former Pittsburgh star, and the old Herber to Hutson combination was called into play. Hutson made a dream catch of the football on the 7-yard line - stumbling, off-balance, the oval landing on his fingertips - and an angry Dougal Russell wrestled him to earth five yards short of the goal. Eddie Jankowski, the battering ram that walks like a man, was given the ball on two successive plays, and he rode it over. Tiny Engebretsen's accurate toe added the extra points by placement after both touchdowns.
ENOUGH POINTS TO WIN
These were enough points to win the game, but nobody was sure of it until the final gun sounded, due to a determined counter-thrust of the Cardinals, which spoke a scoring language twice in the dying period. Cecil Isbell, attempting to throw a pass, was tackled by Bill Smith, the Cards' great end, just as he held the ball above his head, and the oval bounced to the ground, where it was recovered by Thomas of the visitors. Two plays later McDonough's long forward pass was speared by Smith on the Packer 4-yard line, and from that point it took lunging Sam Agee only two plays to ride it across. Smith added the extra point by placement. The next and final Cardinal score came on the second play of the fourth period, another Packer fumble giving them their chance. Trying to filter his way through Chicago defenses, Joe Laws dropped the ball and the Cards recovered on their own 43.
MARCH TOWARD GOAL
They couldn't make all the distance to the goal, but they did march 22 yards, reaching the Packer 35-yard stripe just as the third quarter ended. Smith was launched on an end around play and messed it up, fumbling and recovering for a loss of five yards. The Cardinals decided to try for a field goal instead of gambling with a forward pass which might have tied the score, and Smith booted the ball across from the 39-yard line. That made it 14 to 10, and there it stayed. Isbell was the Packers' best ground gainer, but had trouble with his aerials, much of that deficiency being due to an inability of his mates to hold out the charging Cardinal linemen. Almost all of Isbell's tosses were made in a hurry.
CHI CARDINALS - 0 0 7 3 - 10
GREEN BAY - 0 14 0 0 - 14
SCORING
2ND - GB - Carl Mulleneaux, 26-yard pass from Arnold Herber (Tiny Engebretsen kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2ND - GB - Eddie Jankowski, 2-yard run (Engebretsen kick) GREEN BAY 14-0
3RD - CHI - Sam Agee, 2-yard run (Bill Smith kick) GREEN BAY 14-7
4TH - CHI - Smith, 39-yard field goal GREEN BAY 14-10
CARDINALS BEST TEAM, NEVERS STATES AFTER GRID CONTEST
SEPT 18 (Green Bay) - When the little fellow in the unpressed blue serge suit began to yell, "Give us Herber", he apparently had at least a partial key to what it took for the Green Bay Packers to defeat the Chicago Cardinals by 14 to 10 Sunday afternoon at City stadium. Almost 12,000 fans in the stands were beginning to feel the same way about it when Arnie did get into the game. With him came Don Hutson, and the picture changed from a deadlock of sorts to enough for a Packer victory. In fact, when the shouting was all over and Ernie Nevers made some attempt at relaxation back at the Hotel Northland, he said: "I still think we have the better ball club...Outside of two long passes and a prayer, what did you (the Packers) have?" Well, the Packers had the most points, which is the all important consideration when the league standing is being compiled, but out of the football chatter that reverberated through Paul Gocke's lobby came an assortment of views in which the Cardinals were
assortment of views in which the Cardinals were getting a good portion of the acclaim. Beyond the sphere of just grid talk came the announcement that Mike Michalske, one of the greatest Packer linemen and an all-America guard from Penn State, joined the Cards' staff...ASSISTS WITH SCOUTING: Mike will assist with the coaching, and do scouting work for Charles Bidwill's club. He will continue to maintain his residence here. The change for Mike made him halfway neutral as far as the ball game yesterday was concerned, but from the mouths of others came significant talk that indicates more coordination along the line will be needed when the Chicago Bears arrive here next Sunday for tilting. Strangely, one of the few men who didn't see it that way, or at least didn't mention it that way, was George Halas, the Bears' coach who was among those present. "I frankly don't believe I can cope with the Packers," was the way George put it in the near convention on football that followed the game. With the Northland lobby dotted by the representatives of five National league teams, Halas made that comment, but just how much of it he meant may be another story. Next Sunday will tell...CONGRATULATIONS ON VICTORY: Bidwill was one of the first to congratulate Coach Curly Lambeau and his assistant, Red Smith, on the Packer victory. The Cards' owner almost missed his bus from City stadium to stop at the Packer training quarters. Still, Charlie makes no reservations about the fact that he believes the picture will be reversed when the Packers play the Cardinals in Milwaukee Oct. 8. Like Nevers, Bidwill feels that the Cards are a "coming ball team". Nevers goes into it farther. In his opinion the Packers owe their victory to the pitching arm of Herber, the mitts of Hutson, and a couple of defensive lapses by Frank Patrick. Patrick, he explained, was playing a defensive position he never had tried before. The former Pitt fullback was being used at right halfback, and it was the right back's zone that proved to be especially vulnerable on passes. "We didn't have Faust and Crowder," Nevers went on. "With them in the lineup, things will be different." Faust is a former Minnesota back who is slated to do the Cards' regular quarterbacking. Crowder formerly played at Oklahoma university. Both were injured in the game against Detroit...PROUD OF CARD LINE: Phil Handler, the veteran Card who still serves as an assistant coach, was justly proud of his line. Except in the second quarter, when all the Packer points were scored, the Chicago forward wall outcharged the Green Bay line. Not that the Packers as individuals played badly. They didn't. But somehow for most of the time they just didn't click as a unit. Still, as in the case of Herber's offensive strength, it was veterans who stole the show. Baby Ray and Bill Lee were the Packers' best tackles. Goldenberg and Letlow did the best at guard. One of the greatest lineman of them all was on the Packer bench for part of the third quarter. He is Howard (Cub) Buck who played 270 pounds' worth of tackle for the Packers in the formative years. Now pushing the scales for 310, Buck is a sales representative of Buick Motor company. He works out of Duluth. A set of pennants, donated to the Packer corporation by the C. Reiss Coal company, decorated the walls of the stadium. Brightly colored, they carry the names of the NFL clubs. The new lumberjack swing band made its initial appearance in colorful style, attired in bright uniforms and playing lively music. Object of considerable interest was Marshall (Biggie) Goldberg, the former Pitt all-America, who made his professional football debut against the Packers. Few Packer headaches were caused by Biggie's play Sunday. To judge him on that game, however, would be unfair. His own teammates were just about as strange to him as the opposition. Probably more interesting than his play Sunday are Goldberg's observations on the game. He says, in the manner of surprise: "Pro football is a much smarter game (than college football). There is no wasted effort. A specialist in every department carries out his assignments. There are few lapses. I think you will see one of the greatest backs in the country when Bill Osmanski comes her with the Bears next Sunday. He is the hardest driving back I ever encountered."...BILL ATTENDS GAME: Osmanski will not be getting his first view of the Packers next Sunday. He was in a Bear delegation that included Dick Bassi and a half-dozen other players besides Coach-Owner George Halas and Assistant Coach Luke Johnsos. Luke had nothing to say about the Packer appearances yesterday. He may have plenty to say about them in another week. Hunk Anderson, line coach of the Detroit Lions, and Walt Kiesling, who serves in the same capacity for Pittsburgh, also were present. Hunk, taciturn as the Sphinx, broke down to the extent that he admitted the Lions' possibilities this year. Now under a new regime with Gus Henderson holding the reins, the Lions figure to get tougher as the season progresses. At least, that is the way Mr. Anderson looks at it. And persons who saw the Lions beat the Cards claim that Detroit has a line that overshadows either of those out at City stadium Sunday. The same group, consisting of out of town newspapermen, former players and followers of the game cited Clarke Hinkle, Eddie Jankowski, Carl Mulleneaux, Charles Brock, Ray, Herber, Cecil Isbell and Joe Laws as the Packer "bests". In one department, Packers excelled at the wings. Regardless of disappointments registered by many who apparently expected more from the Packers, it generally was admitted that the Packer ends will not take any back seats. Goldberg was one of those who mentioned this. And it was Goldberg who came through with a very timely comment after he had tackled a Packer back. Someone cried out: "Why don't you hit him when he's looking?" "It's up to him to do the looking," Biggie retorted.
LOOKING UP IN THE REALM OF SPORTS
SEPT 18 (Green Bay) - There was no cause for undue pessimism, nor was there reason for excessive enjoyment, in the 14 to 10 victory which the Packers scored over the Chicago Cardinals yesterday. It was a class of football good enough to defeat a sturdy, hard-fighting opponent, but it would have been good enough to whip the Chicago Bears, the powerful arch rivals of the Packers, who are booked for the next appearance at City stadium. Failure of Green Bay blocking to hit the heights can be laid to early season ineffectiveness, but it too must be placed on a firm foundation if the Bear defense are to be stormed with success. Any number of times yesterday Packer ball carriers were left to fight their way forward - or backward - entirely alone, and the forward passers, particularly Cecil Isbell, were all but rushed to death. There are no statistics available to indicate how many completed forward passes Arnold Herber has sent sailing into the air for the Packers, but no two ever played a more vital part in the final score than did those he delivered to Don Hutson and Carl Mulleneaux yesterday. Both were magnificent catches, but they served to prove principally that Herber still is a potent factor in the Packer aerial warfare. There is no one who can stand back there and look over his field with the disdain for charging linemen that Herber shows in every Packer game. A New York scribe wrote last year that he was "still a money player in his dotage". and if dotage this is, the Packers can use it. A Chicago writer in the press coop yesterday, as Mulleneaux gathered in his touchdown toss, commented, "Don't those guys know Herber can throw that thing farther than thirty yards?" Then, he added, more resignedly, "Why don't they get back eighty?" The Packers showed an alertness on pass defense which was encouraging. Charley Brock and Tom Grreenfield, a pair of first year centers, each hooked one off, and Hank Bruder, who is no rookie but played a lot of football yesterday, took another. And the defense against running plays should be strong this year. The Packer reserve strength should be vastly superior to that of recent seasons, once the young fellows are broken in thoroughly to the Green Bay style of play. But, as Coach Curly Lambeau remarked after the game, "There's much, much work to be done before we'll be ready for the Bears."...Three Packers improved upon their all-time Green Bay scoring records yesterday. Tiny Engebretsen's two points after touchdown were his 21st and 22nd for Green Bay, boosting his total to 49, and enabling him to pass Myrt Basing, 1923-26, who has 48. Engebretsen now is in 19th place on the big list, nine points behind Red Dunn, 1927-31. Eddie Jankowski's touchdown was his seventh as a Packer, and lifted his all-time total to 45. He jumped past Carl Lidberg, George Sauer and Milt Gantenbein, each of whom has 42, and now ranks 21st, three points behind Basing. Carl Mulleneaux scored his fourth Packer touchdown, and now has 24 points.
NO BAD INJURIES
SEPT 18 (Green Bay) - The Packers acquired no casualty list of any importance against the Chicago Cardinals yesterday, Dr. W.W. Kelly, physician, announced today. Joe Laws, halfback, picked up a charley horse in his leg and Cecil Isbell's mouth was injured. The entire squad will be available for next Sunday's game with the Chicago Bears, Dr. Kelly said.
PACKER SQUAD AWAITS BEARS' BEST ELEVEN
SEPT 19 (Green Bay) - What probably is the best Chicago Bears' football team ever to appear in Green Bay - that's the competition which the Green Bay Packers, victors by a narrow margin over the Chicago Cardinals, must face at City stadium next Sunday afternoon. That sounds like an extravagant statement, but the authority is Coach E.L. (Curly) Lambeau himself who returned last week from witnessing the Bears-Cleveland game very, very much impressed. Here is what he said: "I never have seen the Chicago Bears looking so strong during September. The addition of their new backs - Billy Patterson, Bill Osmanski and Sid Luckman - appears to have done something to the rest of the team. I never saw Joe Maniaci, Ray Nolting and Bob Swisher, all veterans, running faster or better."...SHORT OF EXCELLENT: As the Packers looked considerably short of excellent in their opening clash with the Cardinals, Lambeau has ordered a strenuouswork program for this week, designed to whip his forces into first class battle formation before the Bears invade City stadium. "Our team was not entirely off," added Lambeau as he called his men into a long skull session yesterday. "Some of them played fine football, but the team as a whole must improve vastly before it will be ready for the Bears." Through the years, the Bears hold a victory edge over the Packers of 19 games to 17, four of the 40 game having ended in deadlocks. For several seasons the Packers have been attempting to even the series by sweeping the two-game series, but not since 1935 have they won both of their game with Coach George Halas' crew. Officials for Sunday's contest were announced today. They are Edward Cochrane, Kansas, referee; Bobby Cahn, Chicago, umpire; Irv Kupcinet, Iowa State, and Dr. David A. Reese, Dennison, field judges...WORK TWICE DAILY: Twice daily drills are in prospect for the Packers most of this week. Lambeau said he had no squad personnel changes to make immediately.
V.L. WHEELER SUCCUMBS TO HEART ATTACK
SEPT 20 (Algoma) - Verne L. (Cowboy) Wheeler, 41, a member of the original Green Bay Packer football team and a well-known athlete throughout Northeastern Wisconsin, was found dead in his automobile parked along the lake shore here about 7 o'clock this morning. Physicians said death was due to a heart ailment and occurred about 2:30 this morning. Wheeler had been suffering from heart trouble for several years, members of his family said, and he was in the habit of sleeping in his car along the lake when he wasn't feeling well. He had recently purchased a new car which contained a bed, and his body was found partly in and out of the car with the bed about half made up. It was discovered by employees of the American Legion Dugout near which the car was parked...BORN IN GREEN BAY: Born in Green Bay Feb. 6, 1888, he was one of Green Bay West high school's all-time athletic greats, playing football there in 1914-15-16, then attending Ripon college, and in 1919 playing with the first Green Bay Packer football team. Their first game was played 20 years ago Sept. 15, when Wheeler scored one of the touchdowns which beat the North End team from Menominee by 53 to 0. He continued with the Packers until 1923, and moved to Algoma in 1925. He was married to Thora Rasmussen of Green Bay in 1923. At Algoma, he became proprietor of the Wheeler restaurant, tavern and bowling alleys. He continued to be active in sport circles in Algoma, was a member of the Hunting and Fishing club and maintained a small yacht on the lake. He sponsored an annual popular bowling tournament and competed himself in many bowling events. He also attended St. Patrick's grade school in Green Bay and
was a member of the noted Northern Paper Mills basketball team which was one of the best clubs in the state in the 1920s...SAW SUNDAY'S GAME: Sunday he witnessed the 20th anniversary game of the Packers against the Chicago Cardinals. He had recently approached other members of that first team with the idea in mind of forming a club of original Packers.
PACKERS FORM BATTLE LINES AS INVASION OF BEARS APPROACHES
SEPT 20 (Green Bay) - Forming battle lines for their 41st combat with the mighty Bears of Chicago, the Green Bay Packers are pounding through drills twice daily, attempting to iron out deficiencies which were apparent in last Sunday's struggle with the Chicago Cardinals. Participating in the longest and closest series in the NFL, the bitter rivals are expected to draw one of the largest crowds in their history to City stadium Sunday afternoon, although E.A. Spachmann, director of ticket sales, does not anticipate that the stadium record of approximately 21,700 will be broken. Packer officials are more than a little irked by too-optimistic reports that the game is sold out. There remained this morning, Spachmann said, between 8,000 and 9,000 unsold seats, and the sales director commented that "they'll have to go mighty fast to set a new attendance record." The present mark was established in the Detroit-Green Bay game in 1938. The east horseshoe, which contains 7,500 seats, has hardly been touched, and there are a number of side seats left in the west stands, Spachmann added. Color will be added to the Sunday show by the program of Alex Enna's Lumberjack band, which made its initial appearance here last week and is planning bigger things for the future. There will be a parade of 15 drum majors, with the band providing the necessary music. The drum majors, attired in snappy uniforms, will represent many schools of the Northeastern Wisconsin area. Coach E.L. Lambeau decided today that his Packers are in a good frame of mind to meet the charges of such Bear notables as Jack Manders, Bob Snyder, Ray Nolting, Sid Luckman, Bob Swisher, Billy Patterson, Gary Famiglietti, Bill Osmanski and Joe Maniaci...HARD RIVAL TO STOP: "The men seem to realize," he said, "that we face the toughest Chicago Bears team in history. They know they must put forth everything to stop this team." The entire Packer squad should be ready for action Sunday, as only minor injuries were receiving against the Cardinals. Officials for the game will be the following: Bobby Cahn, Chicago, referee; Dr. David A. Reese, Dennison, umpire; Irv Kupcinet, Iowa State, headlinesman; and Francis Bacon, Wabash, field judge. The sparkling coterie of backs which the Bears will toss into the fray is but a small part of that team's sturdy equipment. The Chicago forward line includes such well-known names as Eggs Manske, Dick Plasman, Charles Apolskis and Les McDonald, ends; mighty Joe Stydahar, Milt Trost, and Jack Torrance, tackles; George Musso, Danny Fortmann and Dick Bassil, guards; Frank Sullivan and Frank Bausch, centers - and that's naming only a few.
BEARS TAKE BIG LEAD ON OFFENSIVE WARFARE
SEPT 20 (Green Bay) - A more evenly balanced distribution of player material, especially in the ranks of rookie ball carriers, has resulted in a trend toward an increase in ground gaining, the NFL's team statistics revealed in the opening week of play. Longer and more spectacular runs by freshmen backs resulted in more wide-open games than was the case in the opening week's play a year ago. Another factor attributed to the increased yardage shown by league teams in the first five games of the season is the same accurate forward passing by the veteran tossers, who in practically every instance, have continued where they left off last season...TAKE COMMANDING LEAD: The Chicago Bears took a commanding lead for ground gaining honors with a total of 411 yards in its opening game, a total that was surpassed only twice in 55 games last season. The rookie Bill Osmanski ripped off sizeable gains as a ball carrier, and the veteran Bernie Masterson completed accurate tosses for a goodly chunk of the Bears' record opening game yardage. Hugh McCullough, Pittsburgh; John Pingle, Detroit; Len Janiak, Brooklyn, and Davey O'Brien, Philadelphia, were the other rookie ball carriers who stood out with long, spectacular gallops in opening games and aided in bringing the league's ground gaining totals to new heights in the first week of play. Sammy Baugh and Frank Filchock, Washington; Ace Parker, Brooklyn; Arnie Herber, Green Bay, and Jack Robbins, Chicago Cardinals, were the veteran passers whose dead-eye tosses supplemented the ball-toting efforts of first-year hard running ball carriers....HALL, O'BRIEN PASS: There were two exceptions to the general opening week rule that veteran passers were responsible for their team's aerial gains. Parker Hall, Cleveland freshman, and Davey O'Brien, Philadelphia's first-year spark plug, were the ace throwers for their teams. Chicago's Bears, in addition to getting a commanding start in ground gaining, also topped the other teams in scoring with 30 points. Cleveland had the best forward passing average in the first week of play with 10 completions in 21 tosses for 47 percent efficiency.
GUTOWSKY GUNNING FOR GROUND RECORD FOR FOOTBALL LOOP
SEPT 20 (New York) - LeRoy (Ace) Gutowsky, fullback of the Brooklyn Dodgers, little dreamed in his boyhood days in Komolty, Russia, scene of his birth, that he would some day become an American grid record holder. He is practically certain to gain this distinction before the current NFL season winds up in December. The former Oklahoma university star did most of his ball carrying for Coach Potsy Clark at Portsmouth and Detroit. A trade brought him back with his old coach in Brooklyn and he needs to gain only 123 yards this season to surpass the all-time National league record for ground gaining. Cliff Battles holds the record with 3398 yards, while Gutowsky has 3276. The Ace gained 361 yards in 1937 and 443 yards when he finished fifth in the league last year. He has always had 250 yards or better in seven pro seasons. The Komolty Carrier should lug that ball 123 yards before this season is over and become the new National league all-time record ground gainer.
KENOSHA CARDS PLAY AUSTIN FOR PRACTICE
SEPT 20 (Kenosha) - The Kenosha Cooper Cardinals, members of the American Professional Football league, will meet the Austin, Ill., Bears in a practice game next Sunday, it was announced today. The Cardinals open their league campaign Oct. 1 in a game here against Dayton. O. The Cardinals are negotiating for an exhibition game here Oct. 15 against the Green Bay Packers.
PACKERS NOT READY YET FOR INVASION OF CHICAGO BEARS
SEPT 21 (Green Bay) - A worried Packer football coach watched his professional football team drive through two practice sessions yesterday, and decided at their conclusion that the men aren't ready yet for the approaching invasion of the Chicago Bears. Chicago will arrive on the Milwaukee Road Chippewa at 4:47 Saturday afternoon, and the following afternoon will be set for their second NFL game at City stadium starting at 2 o'clock. The ticket sale is moving right along at a speedy clip, but E.A. Spachmann, director of sales, announced today that 6,000 good seats remain. Talk of a sellout at this time is absurd, Spachmann said, and he added that "there isn't a poor seat in the whole stadium." Lambeau is concerned about his team's chances for a victory over the potent Bears, already tagged with the reputation of being the strongest team ever to appear under Coach George Halas. Particularly the Packer coach fears two great runners - Bob Swisher and Joe Maniaci - and he has a wholesome respect for three Chicago aerialists - Bernie Masterson, looking better than he ever did before, Billy Patterson and Sid Luckman. Patterson is a rookie from Baylor and Luckman is the all-America ace from Columbia. Both are highly publicized veterans of recent collegiate campaigns and both can throw that ball...ONE OFFICIAL CHANGED: One change in the officials' list was announced today, M.J. Meyer, Ohio Wesleyan, will replace Dr. David A. Reese as umpire. A special train of Chicago Bears' rooters will arrive on the Milwaukee road at 12:15 p.m. Sunday, ready to root their favorites right into a National league triumph. This gang, with the Bears added to their number, will leave on the same line at 6:30 Sunday evening for Chicago. About 75 Bear fans are expected to make the excursion. Lambeau expects to have his team at full strength for the 41st clash between the Bears and Packers but he has emphasized that even with their fine condition might not be enough to stop the Bruins' charges...TEAM MUST IMPROVE: "We must be at our best in every department," the coach stated. "Our play must improve greatly over that of the Cardinal game if we are to win our second league game." Upon Sunday's contest, he added, may depend the professional championship of the West.
FOUR PRO ROOKIES SHOW CLASS IN FIRST GAMES
SEPT 21 (New York) - Veterans dominate the race for individual honors in the opening week of play in the NFL, but four rookies in the professional circuit served notice that they are going to make things tough for the older stars, according to statistics released today. In all divisions of play the veterans possessed top spots of achievement, but Bill Osmanski, Chicago Bears; John Pingel, Detroit; Davey O'Brien, Philadelphia, and Parker Hall, Cleveland - all freshmen in major league grid ranks - were breathing on the necks of the leaders in ground gaining and forward passing...SWISHER LOOKS HOT: Undoubtedly the biggest surprise of the opening week was the ball carrying of 165 pound, five-foot eleven Bob Swisher of the Chicago Bears, whose 85 yards topped teammate Joe Maniaci by one yard. This total was more than half of what Swisher gained in six games last season when he garnered 135 yards. Osmanski carried the banner for the first year man with 64 yards, giving the Bears the first three places in ground gaining. Pingel was fourth with 54 yards and O'Brien fifth with 52 yards. Arnie Herber, Green Bay forward passer, and Bernie Masterson, Chicago Bears veteran, completed six of 11 passes each for 54 percent efficiency, leading the other tossers in this department. O'Brien was third with eight out of 16 for 50 percent, and rookie Parker Hall of Cleveland was tied with veteran Jack Robbins, Chicago Cardinals, with six out of 13 for 46 percent...TAKE SCORING HONORS: Bill Smith, Chicago Cards end, and John Drake, Cleveland back, led a vanguard of Western division players who usurped scoring honors. Smith had two touchdowns, two extra points, and one field goal to his credit for 17 points in two games, which is one point more than he scored all last season. Drake, on one game, had two touchdowns for 12 points, double the number he made last season. Monk Moscrip, Detroit end, was third with nine points and Maniaci, Bears, fourth with six points. Bob McChesney, Washington, caught four passes to lead the receivers, and Ralph Kercheval, Brooklyn, was in a field goal tie to give the eastern division a representative among the leaders. Bill Smith, Cardinals, and Jack Manders, Chicago Bears, were tied with Kercheval with one field goal each. Smith's 39-yard kick was the longest.
IN THE VALLEY
SEPT 21 (Green Bay) - Sermon: Stoney McGlynn, Milwaukee Sentinel sports editor, had something to say about the Packers' work against the Chicago Cardinals Sunday. Some of it was tribute, and much of it wasn't: "Actually, for a team that has been hailed
as one of the best in Packer history. Coach Curly Lambeau's lads must have been playing far below form. The air game clicked on an occasion or two, but the running game, save for a few spurts late in the fourth period, was null and void, largely because the blocking was so spasmodic. Heroes for the Packer cause were few and far between...The backfield play was ragged, that of the line was equally so, and if the Bays entertain any hopes of victory over the Bears next Sunday there'll have to be a complete reversal of form and much work by Messrs. Lambeau and Smith. But don't give up. The Cards, no doubt, served the purpose of letting your grid favorites know they weren't quite so good as the fans would have them believe, and they're liable to come up with something next Sunday against the Bears. If they don't they'll take it on the chin - and how."...SOMETHING WRONG: Comes a tale of woe from R.G. Lynch, sports editor of the Milwaukee Journal: "Milwaukee fans will be streaming up to Green Bay for the Packer games. About 15,000 from the city and its environs will jam the stands at State Fair park twice this season to see the big Bays play. Milwaukee likes the best in sports, but still it will not give the support necessary to establish top-line sports here, and it lacks wealthy men with sporting blood to finance such sports until they can pay their own way. It is a peculiar situation. Green Bay, a small city, can maintain a crack team in the big pro football league. Oshkosh and Sheboygan, also small cities, can have good teams in the big pro basketball league. Superior, another small city, can get federal funds and build a fine municipal stadium for baseball. Much smaller cities than Milwaukee can build and maintain indoor ice rinks. None of that here. This used to be a great fight town but not any more. It used to be a great baseball town, but not any more. It used to have an ice rink, but not any more. It once backed a pro basketball team, which could play with the best, but not any more. Boxing promoters starve; the Brewers run into the red unless they have a pennant contender; the best pro basketball teams in the land play to an empty auditorium. Marquette university has to schedule most of its games away from home. The greatest ice skater in the world, Karl Schaefer, had to skate in the horse show stable out at State Fair park, on a sloppy ice, and only a handful turned out to see him. What's the matter with this town, anyway?"
CHICAGO BEARS ARE TOUGH ASSIGNMENT FOR BAY PACKERS
SEPT 21 (Green Bay) - Gridiron rivals since 1921, the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears clash here Sunday afternoon in the 41st game of their football feud at the City stadium. The Bears hold a two game edge over the Packers, having won 19 contests to Green Bay's 17. Four of the contests were tied up. The Chicagoans have counted 368 points to the Bays 338. The Halas hirelings have bumped the Packers three years running in the games here but the Packers have handed the Bears a similar dose of medicine over the same period at Wrigley field Chicago. Next Sunday the Chicagoans are coming loaded for "bear". Their veteran squad is augmented by a crop of stellar recruits, several of whom rank among the topnotch freshmen in the NFL. Three of George Halas' yearling backs, Bill Osmanski, Holy Cross; Sid Luckman, Columbia, and Bill Patterson, Baylor, are triple threat specialists who earned All-America ratings last year in collegiate football. In Frank Bausch, center; George Musso, guard, and Joe Stydahar, tackle, the Bears have a trio of husky linemen who rank with the best in the "cash-and-carry" circuit. Musso goes over 270 pounds and he is a pretty tough customer out there on the field. Among the veteran backs - who will lug the ball against the Packers are: Ray Nolting, Bernard Masterson, Bob Swisher and "automatic" Jack Manders, who also specializes in field goals. It looks like a tough assignment for Green Bay but the Packers always give the Bears the toughest kind of a battle and Coach E.L. Lambeau figures his wquad will rose to the occasion this weekend and give the Windy City Bruins all they are looking for. Bobby Cahn, one of the ace officials in the league, has been named by President Carl Storck to referee the "battle royal". Working with Cahn will be Reese of Denison, Kupcinet, Iowa State, and Bacon of Wabash.
PACKER NOTES
SEPT 21 (Milwaukee Sentinel) - One of the most pleasing performances in the none too pleasing Packer win over the Chicago Cardinals last Sunday was the very much in evidence return to form of Eddie Jankowski, former Riverside High and Wisconsin Badger fullback. For the first time since he was hospitalized in Washington with a brain concussion in the finale of the 1937 season Eddie looked like the Jankowski of 1937. A return of confidence, resulting the carefree, smack and besmacked attitude that characterized his play as a prep, college and pro league star, was evident in his work. He ran with almost reckless abandon. He drove hard, blocked hard, tackled hard and several time, because he was running with confidence and was alert to every defensive slipup, he almost got away. Eddie's fine showing was balm to me - and to hundreds of others, many of whom had come to believe the Washington crash meant the end of his brilliant grid career. Eddie's back in form - and that means much to the Packers for, when right, he's one of the best.
JACK TORANCE, DOWN TO 278, IS SIGNED BY BEARS
SEPT 22 (Chicago) - Jack Torrance has earned his contract with the Chicago Bears. Coach George Halas announced yesterday that the former giant of Louisiana State was down to 278 pounds, four pounds better than the agreed shrinkage. Torrance made an agreement with Halas that he would take off 32 pounds to make good his contract. He will appear against the Packers Sunday at Green Bay, Halas said, "and I'm sure he will deliver the goods." Sid Luckman is constantly improving and is being used as a halfback and quarterback. The Bears consider him one of the prizes of the draft. Johnny Siegal, a Columbia teammate of Luckman's, reported this week and is making a good impression at end. The squad of 30 will leave Chicago tomorrow afternoon at 1:05 for Green Bay. The Laurie Walquist special train will leave Sunday morning at 8:05, central standard time.
PACKERS, BEARS EXPECT TO PLAY TO BIG CROWD
SEPT 22 (Green Bay - Chicago Tribune) - One of the largest crowds in Green Bay football history will see the Packers battle the Chicago Bears here Sunday. Always one of the greatest teams in the league, the Bears this season appear to be more powerful than ever. Coach George Halas' latest addition is Bill Osmanski, the former Holy Cross fullback who was voted the most valuable player in the Chicago All-Star game against the New York Giants. Osmanski made his pro league debut in impressive fashion against Cleveland last week, but he reported to the Bears late and is expected to be even more effective against the Packers. After viewing the Bears in action last week, Coach Curly Lambeau said: "I never have seen the Chicago Bears looking so strong during September. The addition of their new backs - Billy Patterson, Osmanski and Sid Luckman - appears to have done something to the rest of the team. I never saw Joe Maniaci, Ray Nolting and Bob Swisher, all veterans, running faster or better."
CHICAGO BEARS FAVORED IN STRUGGLE AGAINST GREEN BAY PACKERS SUNDAY; BECKER IS TRADED
SEPT 22 (Green Bay) - A Chicago Bear football team, which on the basis of its one great appearance this season is ranked as the favorite, will arrive in Green Bay tomorrow afternoon ready to meet the Green Bay Packers Sunday in a NFL encounter. The contest has not yet approached a sellout, Director of Sales E.A. (Spike) Spachmann said today.Some 5,000 seats still remain, and will be dispensed on the usual policy of first come, first served. Spachmann doubts that the City stadium record of 21,968 set at last year's Detroit game here, will be surpassed. The ticket office will be open Sunday from 8 to 12, and from 5 to 7, to accommodate out-of-town fans desiring to get seats for the Cleveland and Detroit contests here. Coach E.L. (Curly) Lambeau saw an improvement in his team's collective mental attitude last night as the Packers gathered for a long skull drill. In fact, most of the boys appeared to be getting mad. Lambeau heartily approved the idea, for he believes they must quite a bit madder before they will be ready for the shock of a Bear attack. The potent Chicago running attack, with Jack Manders, Bob Snyder, Ray Nolting, Bill Osmanski and Joe Maniaci as spearheads, is no more threatening than the menace of the Bears' three forward passing sensations - Billy Patterson, Sid Luckman and Bernie Masterson...BEARS LOOKING TOUGH: With such an array of smoke ready for action against Green Bay, it would take a rabid Packer fan to install his team as a pregame favorite. Lambeau fears Swisher as much as any of the Bear ball toters. The little former Northwestern scamper-back has taken the place of Keith Molesworth as the No. 1 nuisance man of the Bears, and once through the line of scrimmage, he's a ghost of the gridiron. The Packer coach today announced a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates whereby Wayland Becker, veteran end who recently was suspended by Green Bay, goes to Johnny Blood in exchange for Pittsburgh's sixth choice in the 1940 draft...IMPROVE UPON SPEED: The Packers were hard at it today, conducting a speed-up drill aimed to make their defensive plays work faster. Speed is a factor which may beat the Bears, the coach believes, and he has shouted the doctrine to his players all week. The Packers certainly will be in peak physical condition for the struggle. Not a man, except Ernie Smith, tackle, who still nurses a set of broken fingers, will have to be out of uniform because of an injury, and the full force of the Packer squadron will be available for use against the Bears. Frank Balazs, big Iowa fullback who saw bench duty last Sunday as the Cardinals played here probably will see his first league action. He acquired a shoulder injury while training with the College All-Stars at Chicago, and Lambeau decided to give the ailing member another week's rest...BOTH GOING STRONG: The Packer coach always uses his new material sparingly at the start of a season, and Balazs may not see much action Sunday, as Clarke Hinkle and Eddie Jankowski both are going strong at the fullback post. The powerful Hawkeye nevertheless is ready for action. To offset the Bears' dazzling aerial
forces, the Packers have their two veteran forward passers - Arnold Herber, who pitched them to victory over the Cardinals, and Cecil Isbell, whose tosses weren't hitting the mark Sunday, but who doesn't run into many off days. The Bears will not be without friends day after tomorrow, for a special train of Chicago boosters is expected on the Milwaukee Road, to lend support to the invaders' cause.
LOOKING UP IN THE REALM OF SPORTS
SEPT 22 (Green Bay) - On a mild September afternoon in 1935, with thousands of spectators at City stadium still settling in their seats, Arnold Herber, who thereafter scampered more than half the length of the gridiron for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears. The game was over, although no one knew it at the time. Two titanic football teams surged back and forth across the field for the duration of their allotted time, but when the final whistle blew the Herber to Hutson touchdown, and its subsequent extra point, still was the only mark on the scoreboard, and Packer fans surged through the gates exultant in victory. That was the last time the Packers defeated the Bears at Green Bay. The 7 to 0 decision was followed by three years of extreme drought, until fans now remember a growing string of defeats, instead of a series of victories, when they think of conflicts between Packers and Bears. For many Packer fans do not attend the return game in Chicago, and have not seen the magnificent showings their team has made at Wrigley field in recent seasons. In 1936 the Packers received the most humiliating defeat in their history, a crushing 30 to 3 battering from the Bears at City stadium, but the defeated team arose from that disheartening day to win the league and world championship. The following year an alert Bear team, taking advantage of several breaks, carved out a 14 to 2 decision over the Packers here. And last fall two consecutive bad passes by center Darrell Lester enabled the Bears to win by that most unsatisfactory of scores, 2 to 0. Yes, it's a long time now, since the Packers rose up at City stadium and dealt the Bears a cuffing. And at the moment, it appears that the expanding string of home defeats may not be broken yet, for the Bears of 1939 are said to be the greatest Bear team in history. There's one happy way of looking at it - perhaps the Packers, too, have the best team in their history. If so, something colossal well may occur on the stadium turf Sunday afternoon. But the Packers didn't look like a great team as they defeated the Cardinals, and they enter the approaching ordeal by cleats in an unusual position - that of underdogs. The Bears, conquerors of the Cleveland Rams, who looked great in attaining their lone league victory to date, are rated as favorites over the Packers. The Packers, who did not look great in winning from the Cardinals, actually are untested in first rank league warfare this season. They'll get the test Sunday.
20,000 TO SEE PACKER GAME
SEPT 23 (Green Bay) - The oldest rivalry in the NFL - a rivalry which started with the league in 1921 - will be renewed here Sunday by the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears before an estimated crowd of 20,000. Several thousand seats still remained Saturday. Indications point to another knockdown and drag out affair. Both teams won their opening league contests and both will be keyed as usual for this one. The Packers beat the Cardinals last Sunday and the Bears won from Cleveland. The Bears, who pressed Green Bay for top honors in the Western division last year, have their 1938 squad back almost intact with several outstanding additions - Sid Luckman of Columbia, Bill Osmanski of Holy Cross and Billy Patterson of Baylor. A week of heavy work, following last Sunday's disappointing performance against the Cards, has put the Packers on edge. The Bears hold a 19 to 17 edge in the series. The game will start at 2 o'clock.
BEARS, PACKERS MEET IN 41ST ENGAGEMENT SUNDAY
SEPT 23 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers football occasion which is most steeped in tradition - Bears versus Packers - will occupy attention of Northern Wisconsin's sporting public tomorrow afternoon, as the NFL's most colorful series presents its 41st game. Forty times have the Bears and Packers met on the game gridiron, and Coach George Halas' mighty men from Chicago hold a two-game edge over Green Bay - a tiny margin upon which the Packers will work tomorrow. Game time will be at 2 o'clock. All the pageantry of the ancient series will be reenacted this weekend. Thousands of fans, friends and enemies of the Packers will roll into the city by auto and by train, in a giant trek of football enthusiasm which already if underway. Fans who are not able to witness the spectacle will stick to their radios, and hear broadcasts by Russ Winnie over stations WTAQ, Green Bay, and WTMJ, Milwaukee. The weather should be ideal for football. The official forecast indicates that fair skies and slightly warmer temperatures will attend the league struggle, with no hint of rain in the prediction. This development for a sensational display of gridiron pyrotechnics, with Billy Patterson, Sid Luckman and Bernie Masterson testing their passes against those of Arnold Herber and Cecil Isbell...TICKETS ARE MOVING: The tickets are moving fast. There will be a large attendance - possibly of more than 20,000 - but E.A. Spachmann, director of sales, did not believe today that the record of 21,968 set at last year's Detroit-Green Bay game will be broken. At noon today Spachmann said that more than 4,000 seats remain unsold. He refused to predict that the game might be a sellout, but repeated his statement of earlier in the week that "any seat in the stadium is a good one." The Bears were to arrive late this afternoon on the Milwaukee Road Chippewa, and early tomorrow afternoon on the same line there will arrive a host of wildeyed backers from Chicago, all bent on helping their team along what all regard as a championship road...MAY DETHRONE PACKERS: If any team is to dethrone the Packers as Western division champions, that club is likely to be the Bears, and no one knows it better Packer coach E.L. (Curly) Lambeau. The Bear team and fans will leave together on the Milwaukee Road at 6:30 Sunday night, leaving Green Bay fans in their hometown either to celebrate a victory or try and forget a defeat. Lambeau has said before, and he stands on his statement, that the championship of the West very well may be decided on the City stadium turf tomorrow. Both the Packers and Bears are undefeated. The Bays rolled past a dangerous Chicago Cardinal team, while the Bears romped enthusiastically over the Cleveland Rams, in opening games...RULE WESTERN DIVISION: The winner tomorrow will rule the Western area, temporarily at least. A week from Sunday the Packers meet the Cleveland Rams here, while the following night the Bears appear at Pittsburgh. Except for tackle Ernie Smith's broken fingers, there are no injuries which will keep the Packers on the bench tomorrow, which means that Lambeau can shoot everything in sight against the big, potent Bears.
BEARS, PACKERS TEST POWER IN GREEN BAY TODAY
SEPT 24 (Chicago) - Battle line were drawn today for one of the most important NFL engagements of the year as the Bears arrived from Chicago to meet the Packers tomorrow before a record crowd. The victor in this game will get off to a running start in the race for the western division championship, held last year by the Packers. Both teams have won one game, the Bears over Cleveland and the Packers over the Cardinals. Preseason predictions rate the Bears and Packers as the outstanding teams of the league...GAME CREATES HIGH INTEREST: Throwing them together so early has brought interest in football to the boiling point in this northland hot bed and arrangements have been made to handle 26,000, the largest crowd in Green Bay history. Among the crowd will be the largest delegation of fans ever to go out of Chicago on a professional football excursion. Coach Curly Lambeau, who has been dissuaded from attempting to use a 7-3-2-1 defense by the arrival of the 1939 rule book, plans no innovations in the Packers' attack. It will be Arnie Herber or Cecil Isbell to Don Hutson and Carl Mulleneaux in the air and Clarke Hinkle on the ground. This system brought a division championship last year and similar tactics have earned the Packers four world championships...UP TO MENTAL ATTITUDE: Its success tomorrow depends entirely upon the individual brilliance and readiness of men in the principal roles. Physically all are prepared for a severe test, leaving the outcome as far as the Packers are concerned, up to their own mental attitude. Coach George Halas indicated he would start a veteran line with the No. 1 backfield combination composed of Bernie Masterson, Ray Nolting, Bob Swisher and Joe Maniaci. Operating behind Les McDonald and Eggs Manske at the ends, Joe Stydahar and Russ Thompson at the tackles, Danny Fortmann and George Musso at guards and Pete Bausch at center, this quartet took charge of the Cleveland game after the Rams had jumped a team of reserves for a seven point lead...CARDS INVADE PITTSBURGH: Green Bay will concentrate on offense on the theory that the Bears can be beaten only by outscoring them. There appears, according to Green Bay reports, to be no way to prevent the Bears from getting some points.
PACKERS ARE 6-5 FAVORITES TO BEAT BEARS SUNDAY
SEPT 24 (Green Bay) - Green Bay bristled with excitement Saturday night over the one thing that can turn everything here upside down. The Bears were in town. Thirty-four strong, with George Halas in charge, they rolled in from Chicago Saturday afternoon for Sunday's game and to the good burghers up here this meant more for the moment than the war, the world series and everything else rolled into one. They were really here, and Green Bay excitedly dusted the chip on its shoulder. Indications were, as the Bears pitched camp, that the largest crowd in the 20 year history of the game would be out at the kickoff. An advance sale of 18,000 was reported and while about 8,000 seats in the enlarged city stadium remained, there was little doubt with good weather most of them would be sold. Anything about 21,968, the crowd at the Detroit game a year ago, would set a new stadium record. Green Bay, despite a disappointing showing in the victory over the Cardinals last week, ruled a slight favorite. The price was 6 to 5. Nobody on either side was hurt in the rush to take, however, Bear supporters who came up with the team generally holding out for something more and Packer fans, with visions of last Sunday's sloppy blocking and impotent running attack before them. not willing to give it. Both sides were in tiptop shape. The Bears who played their only game so far a week ago Friday night had more than a week of hard work behind them, and came out of it without a scratch. The Packers, after their disappointing showing of last Sunday, had five days of grueling drill under their belts, and also awaited the battle at full strength. Even Frank Balasz, big University of Iowa fullback who rode the bench last week because of a shoulder injury, was ready to step into the action, if necessary, although Clarke Hinkle and Eddie Jankowski, the two regulars, will probably carry most of the load. But Balasz was ready. Although the Packers were slight favorites, Curly Lambeau was pessimistic over the team's chances. The drills in the last week have been as hard as any the Packers have had in years, yet the Belgian was dissatisfied. The blocking still isn't as sharp as he would like to have it, and Cecil Isbell is still missing the target all too often with his passes, which is something a little strange. A week ago Isbell gave perhaps his worst passing exhibition of his pro career. Sunday's game will be the forty-first meeting in the old rivalry. The Bears have won 19 and the Packers 17. Four games were ties. The Packers haven't won on their home lot since 1935. Chicago won in 1936, 30 to 3; in 1937, 14 to 2, and in 1938, the year of the big rain, 2 to 0, when a bad pass by Darrell Lester rolled into the end zone where Herber fell on it. A special train of Chicago rooters will arrive here Sunday noon.
PACKERS, BEAR GAME TODAY RATED TOSSUP; BOTH TEAMS HAVE BIG IFS
SEPT 24 (Milwaukee Sentinel) - A tossup! That's the Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears' game Sunday up at Green Bay in a nutshell. Many of the lads are betting one way or the other; half of 'em will be right, the other half wrong.But if there is anything in the record of either team so far this season to make it a favorite it has escaped the notice of this reporter and of many others who admit that can't dope the outcome. If is the biggest word in the football dictionary, and it looms bigger than every Sunday. If the Packers block as they can block, run as they can run, the running game will click. If the running game clicks, the road is paved for the passers. If the passers, Arnie Herber and Cecil Isbell, regain their control of last year the passes should be a most important factor in the final outcome. In contrast: If the Bears' Billy Patterson and Sid Luckman pass as they did in college the Bears will have their best passing game in years. If the Bears' secondary, notoriously weak on pass defense down through the year, improves as much on the aerial defense as it has on the offense, the Halasmen stand a great chance of winning. If Joe Stydahar, giant tackle, plays up to his 1937 standard he'll do a big job of wrecking the Packers' running game and thus place the whole burden on the air attack. If Osmanski is as great as they say he is, the Bears won't miss Bronko Nagurski. It's a game of ifs, but, in the final analysis, the Packers stand a good chance to win. Both teams will be primed for this first meeting of the year, but the Packers, defeated the last three years in the game at Green Bay, but victorious in the return game at Chicago, seem definitely determined to end the Bears' jinx at the Bay. They''ll be the roughest, toughest, growlinest Packer team the Bears have met. Last Sunday the Packers were not too impressive in beating the Cardinals, but the Bears, too, didn't look like a gridiron tornado in beating the Rams last Friday. We know Coach Curly Lambeau gave his squad the works this week after letting them take the Cardinal game in stride. The same procedure was probably followed by Halas in the Ram game and since then. Relative to passing, Herber and Isbell have met the pro test and have not been found wanting; just what Luckman and Patterson will do is mere guesswork. But, in the clutch, I think we'd all string along with Herber and Cecil - and a guy by the name of Don Hutson. The Bears have strengthened considerably, Sid and Billy may match Herber and Cee, but they still haven't a Hutson - not by a country mile. He's in a class by himself, perhaps the greatest offensive threat in the game today because if he moves out the defense moves two men with him, thus leaving an opening somewhere along the front that should prove costly. They Osmanski is good. We know now Clarke Hinkle is. We also know that Eddie Jankowski isn't exactly a pushover. They sau Stydahar is back in old time form. We know Baby Ray and the entire Packer tackle cast, as individuals, is far superior to the tackle cast that held the Bears fairly well in check last fall. It is also an established fact that the Packer center brigade, a post that cost the 2 to 0 defeat in the rain up at the Bay last year, is vastly improved and that and that the end brigade is also fully 40 percent stronger than a year ago. What we don't know is the exact amount of efficiency the Packers, the new and old, will have as a team unit. That's why the game is a tossup. One thing, if the Packers win Sunday they'll be the team to beat for the title. If Coach Curly has installed that idea into their heads they'll be tougher than a dog wagons steak. Let's hope he has.
