Detroit Lions (3-2-1) 23, Green Bay Packers (3-2) 14
Sunday October 20th 1940 (at Green Bay)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(GREEN BAY) - The Detroit Lions counterattacked in the third period of their NFL game with the Green Bay Packers at City stadium yesterday, blotted out any ideas the Packers had of duplicating the feat, and left the field in possession of a 23 to 14 conquest, achieved before 21,001. The Packers played good football, mechanically, most of the way against the invaders, but at intervals they bobbed up with costly mental miscues which rebounded to their detriment. At intervals, too, their passing was erratic, and their tackling, once the first half was completed, was of the spotty variety. For one half, Green Bay was as close to being a flawless ball club as is possible against a powerful, psychologically set opponent. The Bays fought the Lions to a standstill, scored a touchdown on a 28-yard forward pass play from Cecil Isbell to Carl Mulleneaux, and left the stadium for the intermission with the score knotted at 7 to 7. The second half was something else. One potent blow the Packers leveled at the Lions, when Bob Adkins galloped 50 yards after receiving Arnie Herber's forward pass, and the play enabled Green Bay to assume a 14 to 7 lead, but the Lions wiped it out two plays later, kicked a field goal midway in the third period, and added a final insulting touchdown when the Packers uncorked wild heaves from behind their own goal line. The Packers have not produced a consistent aerial attack since they beat the Washington Redskins Labor Day at Milwaukee, and yesterday they continued the disheartening trend. Seven times were passes thrown directly into the arms of Detroit players by Green Bay tossers, and this factor alone was instrumental in keeping the Packers back on their heels. But they might have overcome that drawback had they been able to keep their heads. The line played, for the most part, magnificent football. Big Bill Lee contributed one of the greatest games of his career, Buckets Goldenberg was strong as steel, George Svendsen and Charley Brock were bedrocks on defense, Russ Letlow had another of his best days. But all the flinging around which the linemen gave the Detroit ball carriers was more than annulled by the careless signal calling and scatterbrained thinking which occurred and recurred to the Packers' grief. There wasn't much carelessness
during the first half, when the Packers played head-up, alert football against an opponent which produced sledgehammer tactics. The Packers struck for pay dirt early in the first period, when a mile-long Herber to Hutson aerial was received on the Detroit 6-yard line, only to have Whizzer White steal the ball from Hutson's grasp. It was ruled as an interception, but it looked more like larceny. The Packers came right back, after Hutson engineered a shifty 24-yard return of White's punt to the Detroit 29-yard line. An 8-yard gain by Andy Uram was offset partially by a Green Bay penalty on the next play, but Herber smacked Hutson with another pass, and the Packers had the ball, first down, on the Lions' 12. It was to no avail, for two line plays netted but one yard, and Herber sailed two incomplete passes into the end zone, the last one being knocked down by White as Mulleneaux reached for it. The overanxious Lions, trying to work out of morass, dipped into further trouble when Hutson intercepted a White aerial on the Packer 47-yard line, but two plays later the Packer backs got their signals all balled up, the oval rolled free and Tony Faust of the Lions squatted on it in Green Bay territory. The Lions punted, and the Packers roared out, Isbell throwing completed passes to Mulleneaux, Lou Brock and Hutson to advance to the Detroit 27-yard line and threaten again, but the next Isbell pass went straight as an arrow into the hands of John Wiethe on the Detroit 6-yard line, and that was that. The stage was set for the first Packer touchdown early in the second period, when Isbell returned White's punt five yards to the Detroit 49-yard line. Consecutive line smacks by Eddie Jankowski and Isbell gulped up 13 yards for a first down, and an Isbell to Hutson forward pass moved the ball to the Detroit 28. Here Isbell raced to his right, faded back and exploded a high aerial over the left side of the posts, under which Mulleneaux maneuvered as he outran Alex Wojciehowicz to the goal line. He crossed standing up, and when Hutson kicked the extra point, the Packers enjoyed a 7-0 lead. The Detroit counter advance after that score was checked by Charley Brock, who picked off the Whizzer's forward pass in Packer territory, and the next time the Lions had the ball Isbell intercepted another. Feldhouse of the Lions returned the compliment on one of Isbell's tosses a few plays later. This was costly, because it placed the ball on the Green Bay 33-yard line, and the invaders moved in to score. A pass from Cotton Price to Chuck Hanneman gained 15 yards, and like pokes added two and another Price-Hanneman aerial, good for 12 yards, set the ball a scant yard from the Packer goal. The Packers produced a great if futile line stand. They piled up Howie Weiss on two consecutive lunges at the last stripe, but on third down Price found a narrow opening through guard and slid over to score. Hanneman kicked the extra point and the score was tied at 7 apiece. The rest of the half produced nothing more startling than an exchange of punts, although on the last play of the second period the Packers engineered a bit of ingenuity when Herber passed from behind his goal line to Anthony Calvelli, who received the ball gratefully and returned it 15 yards to the Green Bay 20. The half ended before the Lions could do any more damage. Packers and Lions traded devastating wallops at the start of the third period. Two plays after the kickoff Herber tossed a pass low over the left side of the Packer line to Adkins, who reached down to pick it up, raced laterally along the 50-yard line and broke for the goal near the sidelines, twisting past one foe after another as he tore along the yard markers. Russ Letlow knocked down the last Lion between Adkins and the goal, which he crossed standing up, and when Hutson placekicked the extra point, the Packers had the lead again, 14 to 7. It didn't sat with them long. Green Bay kicked off, and Weiss returned the ball to the Detroit 23. Here White dropped back fast, accepted a lateral and fired a high pass down the alley to Hanneman, who left in the lurch a Packer secondary which was glued to the line of scrimmage. Hanneman pulled in the ball as he tore across the Packer 30-yard line and lumbered for the goal, but the speedy Uram overtook him and dragged him to the earth on the 3-yard stripe. Again the Packers braced for two downs, and again the Lions counted on the third, Weiss ramming home the touchdown. Hanneman booted the point, and there was the score, 14 to 14. Shortly after, the Packers yielded a score by one of the most costly mental miscues of the game. They were deep in their own territory, and tried to get out with a forward pass, which was complete, Uram snatching the ball from the air om Herber's toss and stepping off 14 yards. But as he was tackled, he lost his head and tried wildly to lateral to Adkins. The ball went nowhere near that individual, but it did land near Frad Vanzo of the Lions, who sat on it immediately, giving the visitors the ball on the Packer 28. They wriggled closer for one first down, couldn't get another, and on fourth down Hanneman kicked a 22-yard field goal, winning the game for the Lions. From this time on, the Packers lost their fire, and were outplayed sharply by the victory-bound Lions. Detroit drove back toward another score, but lost the ball when White's long pass was intercepted by Dick Weisgerber on the Packer 3-yard line. Two plays later the third period ended, with the Packers still deep in the soup. Here came another mental misplay, for Van Every let loose a wild pass to Wojciechowicz, who was standing on the Green Bay 10-yard line, so alone that he looked lonesome. It was the most dangerous kind of pass the Packers could have thrown - a short one into the flat zone, and Wojciechowicz appreciatively tucked the ball under his arm, evaded Hutson's desperate attempt to tackle him and waded over the goal line without undue haste.
MISSES THE GOAL
Price missed the goal, but the damage was done, and a team which could think had outsmarted a team which could and didn't. Whatever chance the Packers had to regain the lead they kicked away with another play of doubtful strategy. Holding the ball on their own 41-yard line, and with more than nine full minutes remaining to play, they refused to punt on fourth down, and a fourth down incomplete pass gave the ball to the Lions. This enabled Detroit to keep the Packers bottled up for the balance of the game and if the fans started howling for Joe Laws, who could blame them? The Packers did work out to midfield, but Kent Ryan intercepted a pass by Frank Balazs, and the Lions started stalling. Near the end of the game Ryan intercepted another toss, this one by Isbell, and set it on the 50-year line. The Lions turned loose another offense which moved them rapidly toward the goal line, and only the final whistle stopped them 16 yards from another touchdown.
CLEVELAND - 0 7 0 7 - 14
GREEN BAY - 3 14 7 7 - 31
SCORING
2ND - GB - Carl Mulleneaux, 28-yard pass from Cecil Isbell (Don Hutson kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2ND - DET - Cotton Price, 1-yard run (Chuck Hanneman kick) TIED 7-7
3RD - GB - Bob Adkins, 55-yard pass from Arnie Herber (Hutson kick) GREEN BAY 14-7
3RD - DET - Howie Weiss, 3-yard run (Hanneman kick) TIED 14-14
3RD - DET - Hanneman, 22-yard field goal DETROIT 17-14
4TH - DET - Alex Wojciechowicz, 10-yard interception return (Cotton Price kick failed) DETROIT 23-14
PACKER LINE PLAY IS GREAT, BUT MISTAKES COST VICTORY
OCT 21 (Green Bay) - And so it came to pass that for the first time since 1934 Potsy Clark won a football game in Green Bay. The Lions from Detroit stormed the citadel of the Packers, and in City stadium before 21,001 of the chosen the invaders upset the idols and ransacked the temple and there was wailing at the wall and gnashing of teeth. Trouble is the gnashing of teeth came too late. No lion steaks were sizzling over Packer fires Sunday evening. There were no Packer fires, evening or afternoon. Reports are written about this tilt and that wherein the "score does not tell the story". That is not true of yesterday's game. The scoreboard read: Detroit 23, Green Bay 14. That IS the story. It is the story of an inferior team on its toes. It is the story of a superior team on its heels. It is the story of alert football and mental lapses. It is the story of ignominious defeat for the Packers. Even the 41 to 10 lacing at the hands of the Bears didn't hurt so much. There are reasons...AFFECTED BY BREAKS: The status quo of the Packers and Bears is affected largely by breaks and the team that takes advantage of them. Getting the jump by one or the other largely determines the outcome. Whether the score is 7 to 0 or 40 to 0 is incidental. On the other hand, through the line and in the backfield, the Packers were a better team than the Lions. To lose even by one point would have been bad. To lose by nine, entirely through mistakes, is unpardonable. Potsy Clark, coach of the Lions, had this to say about the outcome: "They are a better team but we outplayed them." Coach E.L. Lambeau of the Packers was the first to congratulate Potsy, even before the teams were out of the stadium. Curly said: "You deserved to win. You outplayed us." All right. That much is settled. The Lions outplayed the Packers and wound up with the most points. Just where did the Lions do this outplaying?...SUBJECT OF PRAISE: Not much is lacking in the Packer line. It is a tribute to Red Smith and Lambeau that the criticized line play of a few years ago now is the subject of praise. Potsy looked to played like Bill Lee, Buckets Goldenberg, Russ Letlow, Don Hutson, George Svendsen, Charles Brock, Baby Ray and Carl Mulleneaux as a delight for any coach. He didn't forget Clarke Hinkle. After the game he admitted, "Our scouts warned the Hinkle is better than ever. They were right." Through the Lions lineup nobody could pick that many individuals who stood out. What stood out more than anything, however, were Andy Uram's attempted lateral pass when the score was tied (it set up the field goal which put Detroit ahead), Herber's handing the ball to Detroit with nine minutes to play by passing on fourth down with 11 to go; missing signals on at least two of the pass assignments that resulted in interceptions, and finally losing to a club that on paper is at least 10 points lacking in scoring potentialities. Of course, as Potsy pointed out and effectively proved, the game is not played on paper...RYAN DRAWS PLUMS: Kent Ryan was cited by his coach for stellar defensive play. It is a matter of record his pass interceptions late in the game killed off any chances of the Packers coming back. Before that Harry Smith at guard, Whizzer White, Howie Weiss and Lloyd Cardwell in the backfield, and Chuck Hanneman at end added to the Packers' miserable lot. So much for that. Other Green Bay angles are that the program supply was adequate, the hamburger and refreshment concessions did well, and Coach Lambeau was presented with a football molded of cheese as part of the Brown County Dairy Days program. Joyce Hansen, county dairy queen, paid tribute to "the greatest football team and coach" in making the presentation. Frank Woodward, chairman of the county board, accepted in behalf of the coach who was in the dressing room with his players. James Kavanaugh, county agent, staged the ceremony. Potsy Clark later asked, "Was 1931 written on that cheese?"...CALLED CHEESE CHAMPIONS: It was in 1931 when the Green Bay team was champion by one game over the second place Portsmouth team that the latter challenged the Packers to a playoff. The Packers said no sale. Potsy was coach of Portsmouth. The following week Portsmouth papers carried banner headlines to the effect that the Packers were "cheese champions". Fates deals unusual hands. On his return to Green Bay as Detroit coach, after three years at Brooklyn, Potsy saw his football team trim the Packers and the Packers presented with cheese on the same day. Don Hutson should have proved for one and all that he can "take it", that he plays good defensive football, and that he is no "prima donna". For 57 minutes he gave out everything he had. Commenting on him later, Potsy said, "Where was he those other three minutes? If I had a player like him he would play 60. Dutch Clark did." Potsy, like all coaches, likes the type of player who doesn't like to come out of a game. Weiss played about 54 minutes yesterday, and both White and Smith did better than 50. In all, Clark used 26 players which is the most he has used all season. Possibly he figured it was a good time to try some of his unproved material...MEET THE STANDARD: The Packers used 29 players in individually so far as physical effort goes they met the standard. Clark still thinks he had another touchdown. In the second quarter Cardwell took a pass from Dwight Sloan and gained 34 yards. He ran over the goal line, but officials charged that he was run out of bounds by Hal Van Every on the Packers' 15-yard line. Clark and the entire Lion aggregation vehemently deny that Cardwell went out of bounds. They claim that they were closer to the play than the official who made the ruling. But Potsy philosophized, "Now that it's over and the outcome is what it is, who cares." Potsy is going to be hard to beat in the Western division in another year. He points to his earlier defeats as errors that can be corrected. "We should have beaten the Bears a week ago," he said last night. "After they made their touchdown (only one of the game) in the first 80 seconds, they never penetrated our 30-yard line. On the other hand, we were down there several times. Once White picked up a first down on their four-yard line, and then fumbled. That is something he 'never' does." So, according to Potsy, it was with the defeat by Pittsburgh, the tie with the Cardinals. To quote the master, "It gives one pause." Things the Packers can do on paper will have to be materialized. Next Sunday against the Pirates would be a good time to start, and the Bears are going to be a great testing ground the following week...WHAT'S THE ANSWER?: Potsy thinks the Packers can take the Bears. But Jimmy Conzelman, Cardinal coach, and Dutch Clark, Cleveland coach, thought the Packers could take the Lions. Who knows? Clare Randolph, the Detroit county assistant prosecuting attorney who doubles as assistant coach of the Lions, stared the game was one of the "toughest" he had seen in some time. Clare used to play center for Detroit, so he is a pretty fair authority on such matters. "For the most part it was clean," he asserted. "One team would strike, and the other would strike back." Randolph joined Clark in praise of Hinkle, Hutson and Lee. And he found nice things to say about most of the Packers. Off the record he cited a few Packer mistakes which corrected might have made a whale of a difference. For the game, that's that. The Packers have big time covering jerseys with their names on the back. The Menominee Indian band played between halves, and the Packers' own band presented its usual laudable entertainment. The Packers lost three balls, and the management was hissed and booed for not liking it. Somehow, this corner still thinks it isn't cricket to steal footballs, or anything else for that matter. It's like taking hotel towels, or restaurant silverware, only more costly larceny...VANZO DIDN'T UNDERSTAND: One was lost, through Fred Vanzo's kicking the ball into the stands when Packer trainers were throwing it out as the ball for play. Vanzo later apologized. "I didn't mean it that way," he stated. "I thought somebody just tossed it in from the sidelines as a gag." David Ott, Two Rivers, was the little lad who won the autographed football in the weekly draw. And one Earnest Brandenberg of Switzerland was announced by Jimmy Coffeen as seeing his first American football game. Later at the Hotel Northland a partisan Packer fan quipped, "He still hasn't see one."
FEW CASUALTIES
OCT 21 (Green Bay) - Casualties which the Packers acquired as they lost to the Detroit Lions yesterday will not keep any players out of next Sunday's battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers at Milwaukee, Dr. W.W. Kelly, team physician, reported. Clarke Hinkle had stitches taken in his face; Larry Craig, blocking quarterback, sprained his knee; and Buckets Goldenberg, guard, acquired a contusion of his neck. Goldenberg spent the night at St. Mary's hospital but was scheduled to leave today.
LOOKING UP IN THE REALM OF SPORTS
OCT 21 (Green Bay) - The Packers yesterday might have done well to turn Joe Laws out of the press box, wrap his uniform around him and send him against the Detroit Lions in a wheelchair. Because had the Packers not thrown pass interceptions from behind their own goal line, had they not relinquished the ball on downs to the Lions while well in Green Bay territory, had they not mixed up signals and thrown passes which hit Lions but not the Packers, they might well have left with a victory over Detroit - certainly nothing worse than a tie. It was tough to see a brilliantly-fighting line check the Detroit ball carriers again and again, only to see the alert and resourceful Lions capitalize on every scoring break the Packers sent their way. The game was not lost only on inept field generalship, of which there was an ample supply. It was lost largely because the Lions were humiliated by the Chicago Bears last Sunday, while the Packers were taking an easy victory from the Cleveland Rams. Detroit could not lose to the Packers. Had it down so, its last chance for a Western division championship would have appeared extremely remote. The Lions far outgained the Packers on the ground, and while Green Bay had a better yardage total on forward passes, the many tosses which found their ways into enemy hands was a great factor of annulment. It's too bad the Packers aren't playing the Chicago Bears next week. They'd be in an ideal frame of mind - the same way the Lions were when they galloped onto the field here yesterday. For Old Man Psychology is the best field general of them all, and when he calls plays it takes a smart opponent to produce the needed interceptions. The Lions almost never had beaten the Packers in recent seasons, and they remembered it very well yesterday. Now their problem will be to keep themselves from taking the return game at Detroit too complacently. For if we know the Green Bay Packers, they are in a very sorry state of mind over the whole thing...Don Hutson kicked extra points No. 12 and 13 for the Packers yesterday, and so boosted his all-time scoring total to 265, achieved in the seasons between 1935 and 1940, inclusive. Hutson still ranks third on the big list, 24 points lower than Clarke Hinkle, who went scoreless against the Lions. The matter of whether Hinkle can break Verne Lewellen's all-time point record of 301 this season is problematical. Carl Mulleneaux, who has blossomed out as a 14-karat scoring threat, chalked up his ninth Green Bay touchdown in three seasons, which brought his total to 54 points. He is tied for 21st place on the all-time list with Milt Gantenbein. Bob Adkins' touchdown was his first for Green Bay.
KENOSHA CARDS CRUSH CHICAGO ELEVEN, 18-0
OCT 21 (Kenosha) - The Kenosha Cardinals crushed the Chicago Steelmen of East Chicago, Ind, 18 to 9 yesterday in a professional football game. Two touchdowns, a field goal and a safety, all in the first half, accounted for Kenosha's points.
MILWAUKEE CHIEFS LOSE TO YANKEE TEAM, 30-7
OCT 21 (New York) - The Milwaukee Chiefs were routed, 30-7, by the New York Yankees in an American league game at Yankee stadium before a crowd of 6,327. The attack of the Milwaukee team bogged down almost completely. Their only touchdown came late in the fourth period, when they were behind, 23-0. Chuck Myre cashed the opportunity with a four yard smash and Eckl converted. Bill Hutchinson, former Dartmouth star, carried the Yankee attack. He booted a 25 yard field goal in the first quarter, pitched a 10 yard pass to Harland Gustafson for a touchdown in the second period, scored again on a five yard sweep in the fourth period and kicked two points after touchdowns. Connie Mack Berry ran 30 yards with a blocked kick to score another touchdown and George Lene fell on a Milwaukee fumble for the fourth touchdown. The Chiefs displayed almost complete futility. Fumbles, muffed passes and interceptions all went against them. Only at the opening of the second half did they make a serious
threat to score, but Novakofski fumbled on the New York four yard line. The Chiefs were backed against their goal line throughout the first quarter. They stopped the Yanks once at the 20, but the Yanks came back to the 31 after the kick out and Hutchinson booted a 25 yard field goal. Late in the first quarter, a pass by Novakofski was intercepted by Harry Novotny for the Yanks on Milwaukee's 24 yard line. A forward lateral, Hutchinson to Gustafson to Harle, carried to the 10 as the quarter ended. On fourth down Hutchinson passed to Gustafson for a touchdown and Hutchinson converted to take the lead, 10-0. Shortly, a kick by Novakofski was blocked by George Lenc. The ball went straight up and came down in a circle of Chiefs. As they waited to touch it down, Connie Mack Berry slipped into the huddle, snatched the ball and ran about 30 yards for the second touchdown. The Chiefs early in the third quarter made a drive of 50 yards, including a 34 yard gain on a pass, Novakofski to Sherman Barnes, who lateraled to Eckl. On the next play Novakofski swept to the four yard line but fumbled and Harle recovered for the Yankees. The Yankees rolled from their own 34 to a touchdown as the fourth period opened. A penalty of five yards helped make a first down on the Yankee 47. A forward lateral, Hutchinson to Gustafson to Harle, carried to the Milwaukee 40. Then Hutchinson uncorked a 35 yard pass to Berry on the five yard line. Hutchinson swept around left end for the touchdown on the next play. Hutchinson kicked and the Yanks led, 23 to 0. When the Chiefs finally scored they achieved it in reverse by backing the Yanks up against the goal. The Yanks had been thrown for a total loss of 20 yards when Urban, attempting to kick out from his own 10, was rushed by Murray. The boot went out on the 16 yard line. Chuck Myre smashed center for five yards and Blaha picked up two yards at right guard. A penalty of five yards set the Yankees back to the four yard line. Myre slashed through center to score and Eckl converted. Shortly thereafter Milwaukee stopped a Yankee drive on the 17 yard line and then were penalized five yards to the 12 for delaying the game. Hickey, attempting a lateral to Novakofski, passed poorly. The ball rolled over the goal line and Lenc of the Yankees fell on it for a touchdown. Elkins kicked the final point.
SCORING MARK SET BY PRO GRID LOOP
OCT 22 (New York) - Scoring in the National Professional Football league has reached an all-time high average of 31 points a game, team statistics revealed Tuesday. Five games per team were completed last Sunday and 166 points were registered to bring the half season's total to 868
points. Last year the NFL average was 30 points a game for a 55 game schedule and set a new all-time high. The undefeated Washington Redskins lead in ground gained with 1,687 yards to Green Bay's 1,630 and have scored 147 points to the Packers' 113. Sammy Baugh and Frank Filchock, Washington passers, have completed 73 out of 116 passes for a 62% efficiency average - 3% better than a week ago. They are only two completions away from Philadelphia's 75 out of 176 tosses. The New York Giants and Detroit Lions share defensive honors. The Giants have yielded only 829 yards to their opponents and are tied with the Chicago Cardinals in pass defense, each having allowed 36% completed against them. The Lions have permitted only 45 points in six games. Four players - two ends and two backs - are tied for the individual scoring lead. Dick Todd, Washington; Carl Mulleneaux, Green Bay, and Don Looney, Philadelphia, have five touchdowns apiece, tying Ward Cuff, New York, who collected his 30 points the hard way. While the others were scoring touchdowns, Cuff was kicking six conversions and four field goals in addition to two touchdowns of his own. Armand Niccolai, Pittsburgh, and Clarke Hinkle, Green Bay, have booted four field goals apiece, too.
PACKERS FACING HEAVY LOAD OF WORK BEFORE PLAYING STEELERS
OCT 22 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers, taken apart Sunday by the Detroit Lions by failure to observe the A.B.C.'s of football, faced the prospect of a terrific load of work this week in anticipation of their game at Milwaukee next Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers have made their last appearance at City stadium for this season, and they lost their two most important games there - to the Chicago Bears, 41 to 10, and to the Lions, 23 to 14. Although the score sounds better, the whipping last Sunday was more humiliating than that received from the Bears, and it seems to have been received that way by the Packers. To a man, they now realize that they will have to play 60 minutes of championship football in every contest, or be content to finish the season arm in arm with the Cleveland Rams and the Chicago Cardinals...BEARS BREEZE PAST: The Chicago Bears have forged past the Packers into first place, and the Lions have advanced to a second place tie with Green Bay. Even the Rams, with two wins and three losses, distinctly are championship possibilities, depending upon the degree of throat-slashing which goes on within the upper crust. Coach Curly Lambeau, who took the pasting from the Lions very much to heart- and why not? - had only a few somber sentences to offer today. "We know we have a pretty good squad, when it's clicking," he said. "We cannot, however, have 10 men on the field at a time doing the work. We have been lax on defense and careless on offense. I think for the first time this season the boys now realize this, and they seem to be in a completely serious frame of mind; even more so than after the Bear game here."...MAY FINISH FIRST: "They know that we are not out of the championship race one bit - that if we pitch in with the idea of winning all the rest of our games, we'll have to finish on top. The players have wanted to win, but they have been making the most simple, obvious mistakes - and these errors have cost us two ball games." Whatever plans the coach has of bolstering his field generalship, the department which was most woefully out of shape Sunday, he kept carefully to himself. All of the scores the Lions made came either as a result of miscalled plays, or of mistakes, resulting from the heat of the battle, when players lost their heads...PASSING IS ERRATIC: Furthermore, the Green Bay passing attack has been the most inconsistent in the team's recent history. Aerialists throw strikes at 50 yards one minute, and the next hurl the ball directly into the arm of opponents, or nowhere near the intended receivers. Detroit drew much praise Sunday because of its flawless forward pass defense - the Lions intercepted seven Bay heaves - but the fact of the matter is that nearly all the interceptions were as free as the air. No team as alert as Detroit fails to sense its advantage when enemy passes are thrown directly into the laps of the secondary. Packer fundamentals were sound in the first half against Detroit, but they were off color in the closing stretch, when the Lions hammered home enough points to sew up the game. There were too many instances of tackling around the neck, or of not tackling at all...SUBJECT OF DRILLS: All these deficiencies will be the subject of intensive workouts this week, with the idea of dumping the Packers' resentment first upon the Steelers Sunday, and then upon those rough, tough and all-powerful Chicago Bears the following week. If the Packers lose to Pittsburgh - and the Steelers have proved dangerous - their campaign in the Western division will be restricted largely to discussions concerning the team's nucleus for the 1941 season, and the chances of conscription affecting the squad in 1942. They still will be mathematically in the race, but they probably will find themselves in the sour position of gazing at the heels of the Bears, Lions and Rams - and not resting too far ahead of the downtrodden Cardinals. After all, the Bears must play the Lions again as well as the Packers. They also will battle the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Cleveland and Cardinals again before the schedule ends, and that's a tough array of opposition, particularly for a team with a tendency for an occasional letdown. The Lions, starting next Sunday, will be busy consecutively with Washington, Cleveland, the Bears, Philadelphia and Green Bay - and the Lions aren't likely to win all of them. As for the Packers, they buck a suicide row which includes the Steelers, Bears, Cardinals, Giants, Lions and Rams, on consecutive weekends. In a couple of weeks the picture will look a lot clearer than it does now.
BRUDER SUFFERS ANKLE FRACTURE
OCT 22 (Pittsburgh) - Henry (Hank) Bruder, veteran blocking back of the Pittsburgh Steelers, is suffering from a broken right ankle, an injury suffered in the New York Giant game last Sunday. Extent of the injury was not determined until his return with the Steelers yesterday. The break is slight and there is a possibility he may play against his old mates, the Green Bay Packers, in Milwaukee next Sunday. He went to St. John's hospital last night and will have a cast placed on the ankle today. Joe Maras and Ted Doyle of the Steelers suffered similar hurts earlier in the season.
PACKERS BUILDING NEW MORALE FOR SUNDAY ENCOUNTER WITH PITTSBURGH AT MILWAUKEE
OCT 23 (Green Bay) - Assessing that "it's a different ball team" following its drubbing at the hands of the Detroit Lions last Sunday, Coach Curly Lambeau sent his Green Bay Packers into another extensive drill today, preparing for an invasion of Milwaukee next Sunday. When the Packers meet the Pittsburgh Steelers at State Fair park, the occasion will mark the last appearance of the NFL champions on Wisconsin soil this season. Should they win through to the Western division championship, the playoff game this season is scheduled for the East. Yesterday afternoon Lambeau called the Packers, one by one, into his office and spent the entire period in a personal discussion with each. Out of the long series of conferences, he believes, will come a team capable of sinking its teeth into the meat of its remaining opposition. "I've talked with everyone on the squad," he said, "and I am convinced that we have a good bunch of boys. We have lost two games, but we see the reasons for it and we shall be a new outfit from now on." In general, he believes, the Packers have been playing good football, but they have not been playing well enough to win. A new face appeared on the Green Bay drill field this week as Bobby Woods, 235-pound tackle from the University of Alabama, joined the squad. Woods' professional career has been brief but varied. He was drawn as the first line choice of the Cleveland Rams in the 1940 draft, and reported to Cleveland, but didn't fit into the Rams' system. Coach Dutch Clark runs his tackles ahead of the ball carriers instead of the guards, as in the Green Bay system, and Woods was too big to handle that assignment. So Cleveland sent him to the Chicago Cardinals, where he arrived just as Coach Jimmy Conzelman was trimming his roster. The Cards were making no additions at the time, and Woods fell with the rest...TAKEN BY PACKERS: Tackle replacements have been a crying need of the Packers all season, and Lambeau has taken on Woods. He won't be eligible to play for awhile, but he is working out and is regarded as having a good chance to make the grade. Don Hutson, who coached Woods in spring practice at Alabama, is one of his top boosters. The Packer squad is in pretty fair shape physically, discounting, of course, the ailing Joe Laws, who remains a doubtful quantity. Cecil Isbell, who played last Sunday with an attack of grippe which handicapped his work seriously, is expected to be o.k. for the trip to Milwaukee, which the Packers will make Saturday afternoon. The afternoon-long conferences left Curly in the best frame of mind he has displayed since the weekend. "I feel better about the team right now," he said, "than I did last week before we played the Lions. We have been in this spot before, and have won through to championships, and we can do it again."...ALL WANT TO WIN: "We haven't a man on the squad who does not want to win, and I believe we can come through." The Steelers are not a high ranking team, but they are tough enough. With Billy Patterson slinging forward passes, and Boyd Brumbaugh to lug the freight, they are a rough, rugged team specializing in defensive play, but also capable of making a lot of first downs. The Steelers are not flashy, but teams throughout the league regard them as formidable opponents. The Packers will travel to Milwaukee late Saturday afternoon on the Milwaukee Road Chippewa.
RAMS RELEASE TRIO
OCT 23 (Cleveland) - Earl (Dutch) Clark, Cleveland Rams' coach, continued to shake up his NFL squad by releasing three players who had seen little action this season. Clark released Ken Heineman, 171-pound halfback, who once played with Texas Mines; Earl Crowder, 195-pound quarterback from Oklahoma U.; and Harvey Murphy, 194-pound end formerly with Mississippi U. The Rams have added to their roster Connie Mack Berry, former North Carolina State end who had a tryout with Green Bay this season.
LOOKING UP IN THE REALM OF SPORTS
OCT 23 (Green Bay) - It was back on Oct. 10, 1932, when Art Bystrom called over from the sports desk and said, "Say, there's a lady in town who is a red hot Packer fan and who would like to meet Verne Lewellen. Can you go up there and get a story from her?" To make the story much briefer than it might be, we scooped up Mr. Lewellen, possessor of one of the NFL's greatest reputations, and then still active as a Packer, added Mr. Calvin Hubbard for bulk and dropped in at the home of Edwin C. Wendt, 1230 Chicago street, to hear the Packers talk football with Mrs. Ada Wendt, 2607A N. 48th street, Milwaukee. Mrs. Wendt's interest in the Packers might not have been so unusual had she not been 69 years old, a radio bug who never ventured from the machine when the Packers were playing, and a collector of Green Bay football lore which she plastered faithfully into a large scrapbook. Now when you interview a person who is crowding 70, and then eight years slide by, you sometimes wonder whether that person, at 77, still will be interested in the same things. Consequently it was a great pleasure the other day when Mrs. Wendt, who will be 77 years old four weeks from today, walked into the office, advanced to the sport desk and announced that she was back for a visit with some more Packers. She was in town to see the Packers play the Detroit Lions, and was very disappointed because the final score gave greater emphasis to the Detroit offense than it did to the Packer defense. But loyal Packer fan she always has been, and at 77, still remains. So we went back to the Chicago street address we had visited in 1932, and in tow two real live Packers - Donald Hutson of the pass-snatching Hutsons, and Larry Craig, that effective bit of blocking machinery from South Carolina. Mrs. Wendt pounced upon both with enthusiasm. "I'm always glad to see my boys," she said, and dove into a fresh discussion of Packer plays and prospects with Don and Larry. It was a pleasant occasion, and we thought it well worth a photo.
PACKER NOTES
OCT 23 (Milwaukee Sentinel) - "The closer the top the nearer the street". That's an old, old saw but the Green Bay Packers now know exactly what it means. After a marvelous 1939 season and with a host of fine new talent coming in the 1940 season outlook was indeed roseate. They started out okay enough against the All-Star, but since then have failed to get to clicking in the well known Packer style. Every club in the league is pointed for them. This factor, plus the additional fact some of the club individuals don't seem to have that title spark that flared so brightly a year ago, has served to put them on the spot where they'll have to go the rest of the route at top speed, where they'll have to subdue both the Bears and the Lions, among others, on foreign fields if they are to duplicate their title performance. The task is not impossible. They've done that very thing before, but this time the Bears and the Lions are both better fitted and the task will be an extremely difficult one - if not impossible...MISS SCORING CHANCES: Just what is wrong with the Bays this fall is hard to fathom. But not once have they shown that almost surefire Packer characteristic - ability to make opportunities count. In other years they were almost odds on cinches to score if they reached the opposing 30 yard stripe; this year they are not sure from the 10, or the eight or the five. They lack the class, finesse and poise of other years. In the past they did get by with a lot of passes deep in their own territory, but, in the main, the opportunities were there because of the defensive setup as well as the element of surprise. Last Sunday, when they were tumbled by the Lions, 23 to 14, they found this type of passing backfiring. An intercepted pass gave the Lions position for the first touchdown and another, with all but a minute of the last quarter to play, gave the Lions a score when a flat pass from behind the Bay goal was intercepted. On this play in particular the setup was not right - the play should never have been attempted, but, after all, it is hard to criticize too severely for tactics that have paid off big dividends in the past. The point is, however, these tactics should not be repeated when the setup is wrong...PACKERS MISS LAWS: I don't know just how anyone else feels about the thing, but Joe Laws bandwagon man I am, it is my belief the absence of Iowa Joe was costly Sunday. For some reason or other (probably because he is a corking field general and an excellent blocker) Joe seems to get more action out of the Packer offensive than any other general. His selection of plays and blocking whipsaw the ground attack and set up the chances for the scoring aerial plays. Here's hoping the pride of Colfax, Ohio, (and of his Packer mates who his team value) recovers in time for the Chicago Bears game on November 3 in Chicago. With Joe in there anything can happen, but without him the job looks awfully big.
'NEW BAY TEAM' SAYS LAMBEAU
OCT 23 (Green Bay) - Coach Curly Lambeau today said his Green Bay club is a "different ball team" and, furthermore, that it's going to be "different" at least for Sunday's game at Milwaukee with the Pittsburgh Steelers. "They've got a new outlook," he beamed, following personal chats with each of his Packers. The Packers were sorely beaten here Sunday by the Detroit Lions, and some say it was because veteran signal caller Joe Laws was on the bench with injuries. Laws, it was said, is not likely to be playing for a couple of more weeks yet. Lambeau announced an addition to his tackle staff - Bobby Woods, Alabama, who was drafted this season by the Cleveland Rams and later sent to the Chicago Cardinals. Observers are quite certain the Packers will be "different" against Pittsburgh, because (1) they're getting on to themselves, and (2) they always make up for a defeat with a rattling good game right after. Two of the masterminds of professional football, Lambeau, Green Bay, and Walter Kiesling, Pittsburgh, will match their gridiron wits when the Packers and Steelers tangle. It wasn't so many years ago (1936 to be exact) that Kiesling played guard for the national champions and Lambeau figured he was one of the smartest forwards in the game. Before playing with Green Bay. One of the bright spots on the Pittsburgh record was the 10 to 7 victory over the Lions in Detroit. In this game Kiesling made several substitutions at crucial moments and the replacements were just what the doctor ordered to produce victory.
STEELERS HIT HARD
OCT 23 (Pittsburgh) - Coach Walter Kiesling of the Pittsburgh Steelers was informed tonight that guard Jack Sanders, thought to have suffered a slight concussion Sunday against the New York Giants, has a skull fracture instead. That makes five Steeler players unable to take part in Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers in Milwaukee. Other are quarterback Hank Bruder and tackle Ted Doyle, each with a broken leg; center Joe Maras, broken ankle; halfback Coley McDonough, torn cartilages in left side.
SANDERS, BRUDER ADDED TO STEELERS' CASUALTY LIST
OCT 23 (Pittsburgh) - To add to their ever-growing list of casualties, the Pittsburgh Steelers learned today that Jack Sanders, 225-pound rookie guard from Southern Methodist, suffered a skull fracture in last Sunday's game with the Giants. The Steelers' team physician declared the injury to Sanders to be a linear fracture of the frontal bone and fortunately not as serious as most fractures, but one that will keep the big Texan out perhaps for the rest of the campaign. Sanders' injury at first was thought to be a concussion which, with rest and quite, would permit him to be ready for the game Sunday with the Green Bay Packers at Milwaukee. Hank Bruder, veteran blocking back who played nine seasons with Green Bay, was fitted with a cast about his broken ankle today and definitely declared out of the game against his former teammates. Absence of Bruder and Sanders reduces the Steeler traveling squad to 26 players. Carl Nery, Stan Pavkov and John Perko are the only able-bodied guards available, so coach Walter Kiesling plans to use Rocco Pierro, blocking back, who had been groomed to take over the center job. Bruder's blocking post will be handled Sunday by Ev Fisher, second string blocker, and Jack Noppenberg, shifted from right halfback. Other Steeler casualties, a sprained toe for Don Campbell and an aggravated leg ailment for Merlyn Condit, are not expected to keep these huskies from performing against Green Bay. Coach Walt Kiesling, disgusted with his team's offensive showing in recent games and showing them no mercy in workouts, is still pleased with the spirit of the Steelers. The fact that they have taken it on the chin in their last four starts hasn't caused them to lose heart. They believe they will bounce back and cause trouble for several teams, and they hope the bounce starts Sunday against the Packers.
NEW PACKERS ARE SHOWING IMPROVEMENT IN SQUAD DRILLS FOR GAME WITH PITTSBURGH
OCT 24 (Green Bay) - The probability that several new starters would push off at State Fair park, Milwaukee, when the Green Bay Packers play the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday afternoon, was indicated by the Packers' lineup during rough work yesterday. For one thing, Coach Curly Lambeau indicated, for the first time this season almost all the men on the squad have reached the point where they can be played safely without endangering the outcome of the game. "We do not underestimate Pittsburgh, which we believe has a tough ball club," Lambeau said, "but at the same time we believe that many of our men who have been developing this season how have reached the point where they can carry the assignments." The scrimmage yesterday, conducted with pads, produced no new casualties, and the Packers will be able to send onto the field the same squad which played against the Lions last Sunday. The Green Bay team will leave for Milwaukee on the Milwaukee Road Chippewa Saturday afternoon, and as usual will headquarter at the Schroeder hotel. Some of the new men looked better yesterday than they have all year, and bore out the coach's statement regarding their availability. For one thing, it is probable that Lou Midler, the giant Minnesota lineman who has seen service at Pittsburgh, will start at right tackle. Midler is familiar with the Steelers' style of play and has been looking strong in practice...PLAYED GREAT FOOTBALL: Pete Tinsley, who performed well against Detroit, and bore up in the succeeding days at drill, will get a stiff workout Sunday and George Svendsen, after a two years' layoff from competition, definitely has found himself again. Svendsen played a magnificent game with a losing team last Sunday, and appears ready to take his former place among the best centers in the National league. Gust Zarnas is a good bet to play an increased amount of time at left guard, and Leo Disend, recent import from Brooklyn, will be used Sunday at left tackle. Disend was eligible to play last Sunday, but did not get into the game. Particularly gratifying is the work of Bob Adkins, who followed Larry Craig to the Packers by a year and is treading the same course. Adkins has acquired the needed smoothness on defense and offense, and his 50-yard touchdown run after grabbing Arnold Herber's forward pass against the Lions was one of the plays of the season...SWITCHED TO HALFBACK: Then there is Larry Buhler. Larry started the season at fullback, and when Joe Laws was injured he was switched to right halfback. For the last three weeks he has had trouble with his legs, but yesterday he was beginning to run the ball as he did in the early part of the season. He is sure to get a strenuous workout against the Steelers. One backfield combination which is working well is that of Adkins at blocking quarterback, Hal Van Every and Buhler at the halves and Eddie Jankowski at fullback. This setup provides the Packers with four good blockers in the same backfield, and will be hooked up with Ray Riddick, another fine blocker, at right end. It is likely to be especially effective when the Packers are faced with the necessity of going along the ground.
WHIZZER WHITE IS LEADING IN GROUND GAINING AT MIDSEASON
OCT 24 (New York) - Byron (Whizzer) White, Detroit Lions quarterback, became the leading ground gainer of the NFL at the halfway mark of the season's schedule, according to individual statistics. Whie was the league champion ball carrier as a freshman with Pittsburgh in 1938, following a sensational college career at Colorado university which won him All-America rank in 1937. He retired from grid play after one year in the National league to extend law studies at Oxford and Yale. No National league player has ever been crowned ground gaining champion two successive playing seasons. The race for ground gaining laurels is closer than it was a week ago. White has 247 yards, which dropped Banks McFadden, Brooklyn Dodgers rookie All-America from Clemson who has 240 yards, from the lead for the first time this season. Only one yard behiand McFadden is Tuffy Leemans, New York Giants league leader in 1936. Another slim yard behind is Parker Hall, Cleveland Rams ace passer who was judged the most valuable player in the National league a year ago. Marshall Goldberg, Chicago Cardinals, moved up a notch to fifth place with 212 yards. The first 10 ground gainers are the same as a week ago with the exception of the entrance into the select group of two Chicago Bears backs, Gary Famiglietti and Joe Maniaci, who are now seventh and eighth...BAUGH GETS BETTER: Slingin' Sammy Baugh, Washington, continues to improve upon his forward passing efficiency average as the season progresses contrary to the law of averages. He now has 58 completions in 81 rosses for 814 yards. His efficiency rose for the second week another 1 1/2 percent to 71.6 percent. He leads the league with eight touchdown passes and has surpassed Davey O'Brien in yards gained on passes by 81 yards. Baugh has now completed three more passes, though he has thrown 15 less than during the the entire 1939 season. Cecil Isbell, Green Bay, has overtaken O'Brien for second place in passing with 38 completions out of 80 tosses for 47 percent, the third best completions and second best efficiency. O'Brien has 62 out of 143 for 43 percent, first in completion but sixth in efficiency. Ward Cuff, New York, and Dick Todd, Washington, moved into a four-way tie for scoring honors with Don Looney, Philadelphia, and Carl Mulleneaux, Green Bay. Each has 30 points. Cuff has two touchdowns, four field goals and six conversions, while the others have five touchdowns each...HUTSON IS FIFTH: Don Hutson, Green Bay end, is fifth in scoring with 25 points, and broke his tie with Gaynell Tinsley, Chicago Cardinals, for second in pass receiving with 22 catches. He is also tied with Kent, Ryan, Detroit, with five interceptions of opponents' passes. Looney continues to lead the pass receivers with 29 catches, only five away from last year's final league leading total of Hutson. Mulleneaux has caught five touchdown passes. Cuff moved into a three-way tie for field goals with Clarke Hinkle, Green Bay, and Armand Niccolai, Pittsburgh. Each has four, but Hinkle has attempted only five compared with seven for Cuff and 10 for Niccolai. Niccolai has booted two 48 yards, longest of the season. Baugh, Parker Hall, and George McAfee, Bears, each have punting averages of 45 yards from the line of scrimmage, the best in the circuit. A 75-yard boot by Hall is the longest.
PACKER NOTES
OCT 24 (Milwaukee Journal) - If the Pittsburgh Steelers, who play the Packers at State Fair park Sunday, had only half the men they sold or traded in the last few years they undoubtedly would be well up in the race instead of down near last place. The men they have disposed of for one reason or another just about constitute an all American roster. In the last three years they have Whizzer White, now with Detroit; Sam Francis, Pug Manders and Steve Petro, now with Brooklyn; Eggs Manske and Sid Luckman, now with the Bears; Frank Filchock, now with Washington; Joe Kuharich, now with the Cardinals, and Mike Bazrak, the old Duquesne all American who quit the game because he could not get the salary he wanted. As it is, they have a fair club with backs like Boyd Brumbaugh, Merlyn Condit and Billy Patterson, and ends like Wilbur Sortet and George Platukis, but they haven't anything like what they should have. Art Rooney's financial difficulties with the club, it is said, explain the big turnover...LAW IS LAID DOWN: You probably will see an entirely different Packer club here Sunday. So disappointed was Curly Lambeau with the showing of his team against the Lions Sunday that he called the players into his office individually Monday and laid down the law. It isn't often that the smiling Belgian goes to such extremes, and when he does, you can bet on results. "I've talked along with every one of the squad," he said over the phone Thursday, "and I think from here in we will go. We have made mistakes, but I don't think we will make them again. I feel better about the team now than at any other time this season. We have been in spots like this before and smashed through, and I feel we will do it again." The Packers figure to take Pittsburgh pretty much in stride and have started to point for the Bears a week hence...Connie Mack Berry, the lanky end, is bouncing around this season like a rubber ball. He started the season with the Packers, was transferred to Kenosha, then was switched to the New York Yanks, and now finds himself with the Cleveland Rams...The Packers got a lot of criticism Sunday for attempting a pass into the flat from their own end zone and having it intercepted for a touchdown. Well, maybe they deserved it. A score of times, however, they have tried the same play, made it work, and been called smart and daring.
NEW FACES IN PACKER LINEUP
OCT 24 (Green Bay) - Several players will see lots of action for Green Bay against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Milwaukee Sunday, Coach Curly Lambeau indicated today, following reports five strong Pitts are out with injuries. "We don't underestimate the Steelers," said Curly, "but at the same time we think that many of our men who have been developing this season, now have reached the point where they can carry a major part of the assignments." From the way they're being used in practice, it looks like these seven chaps, at least, are going to be able to trot out their stuff for more than a few minutes: Lou Midler, former Steeler tackle; Bob Adkins, back; Larry Buhler, back; Pete Tinsley, Leo Disend, tackle; Gus Zarnas, guard, and George Svendsen, who came back to the Packers after two years at high school coaching.
PACKERS INVADE MILWAUKEE TO MEET STEELERS' TEAM
OCT 25 (Green Bay) - Launching a series of six consecutive weekends out of town, the Green Bay Packers will travel to Milwaukee tomorrow afternoon, and Sunday will engage the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL in a professional blood battle. Coach Curly Lambeau today was inclined to scoff at reports from Pittsburgh that Coach Walter Kiesling's team is crippled with injuries. "I don't doubt that the Steelers have some injuries," he said, "but the National league personnel limit of 33 active players was designed to meet just such an emergency. We have played several games this season with five or six men unavailable. Furthermore, we know that Pittsburgh has been pointing for this game and that Kiesling will have his team fired to a spirited point." Kiesling and two of his players are former Packers, which adds to the intensity of the feud. Blocking quarterback Hank Bruder joined the Steelers this season, although reports from the east indicate that he is out of action with a broken leg. The other former Green Bay player is Chester (Swede) Johnston, a native of Appleton, who is certain to see extended action at Milwaukee Sunday. The Packers' drill yesterday was confined to routine, and indicated that the team is reaching a better defensive peak than that attained previously. Last year the Packers didn't find themselves on defense until after their exhibition game with the St. Louis Gunners at St. Louis. Up to that time they had the habit of relaxing as soon as they obtained a touchdown lead, and permitting opponents to capitalize on their carelessness...MUST PLAY FOOTBALL: They have displayed the same tendency this year, and Coach Lambeau hopes that the drubbing they received from the Detroit Lions will carry the message that every man on the field has to play football every minute he's in there. No new injuries were acquired during rough work this week, and the Packers will face the Steelers in better condition than they were on the eve of the game with Detroit. They will leave for Milwaukee on the Milwaukee Road Chippewa at 5:35 Saturday afternoon, and will stay at the Schroeder hotel. After their last Wisconsin appearance is completed, the Bays will pitch into a severe traveling schedule, which will see them in action every weekend from now until Dec. 1 - and perhaps one more, if they get into the playoffs. Sunday, Nov. 2, they are booked against the Bears at Chicago, and Nov. 10 they will return there to meet the Cardinals, the games being set respectively for Wrigley field and Comiskey park. Then come contests consecutively against the New York Giants, Detroit Lions and Cleveland Rams, all on the grounds of the Green Bay opponents.
PRO GRID NOTES
OCT 25 (Green Bay) - There were only two "exceptions" to the draft call among the players in the NFL. Clyde Turner, Chicago Bears' center, and Bill Edwards, New York recruit tackle, were both too young to sign with Uncle Sam...Joe Laws, veteran Packer backfielder, claims the two toughest games he ever experienced were the Cleveland and Detroit jousts. Laws was sidelined in both of these engagements and he admits he nearly died from whistle to whistle...Len Barnum has returned to action with the New York Giants and as a result the House of Mara's football stock has climbed several notches. The hard-running back busted several ribs against Washington some weeks ago...Foster Watkins, a second edition of Davey O'Brien, is now doing a lot of passing for the Philadelphia Eagles. This West Texas Teachers' product hurls a light ball which is easy to catch and he gets plenty of distance to boot...Ralph Kercheval, a veteran of many seasons on the postgraduate gridiron, is getting the nod from Jock Sutherland, the Brooklyn coach, for his backfield activities on the Dodgers' second string. He bubbles over with pep like a recruit...Wee Willie Wilkin, one of Washington's huge tackles, has seen a lot of service this year as Turk Edwards, top string lineman, has been laid up with an injured leg. Wilkin is fast developing into a corking good front wall ace...The hospital jinx has camped close on the trail of the Pittsburgh Steelers this season and owner Art Rooney has had his hands full trying to secure suitable replacements for a half dozen of his injured gridiron warriors.
STEELERS HOLD FINAL DRILL FOR PACKERS
OCT 25 (Pittsburgh) - Coach Walter Kiesling will drive his Pittsburgh Steelers through their final drill today in preparation for Sunday's National league battle with the Green Bay Packers in Milwaukee. The local squad will entrain tomorrow morning at 8:40. Boyd Brumbaugh, who starred as a fullback last season but has been handicapped by injuries this year while trying both fullback and left halfback jobs, has been moved back to his original line bucking position. George Kiick, the Bucknell husky, will start at that post with the Springdale lad as first reserve. Everett Fisher will be at quarterback in place of the veteran Hank Bruder, who was released from St. John's Hospital yesterday after having his broken ankle placed in a cast. Merlyn Condit, the ex-Carnegie Tech star, seems to have fully recovered from the leg injury which has kept him inactive except for a few minutes in each of the last couple of games. If he can return to early season form the Steeler hopes of upsetting the champion Packers will loom much brighter.
PACKERS, STEELERS COLLIDE AT MILWAUKEE TOMORROW
OCT 26 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers were off for the wars again today, leaving late this afternoon for Milwaukee, where tomorrow they'll tangle with the Pittsburgh Steelers in an inter-divisional clash of the NFL. Once the Milwaukee brush is cleaned away, the Packers will see Wisconsin no more, competitively, for the 1940 season, although they'll be back here next week to practice for that little business with the Bears a week from Sunday. A decided rekindling of Packer spirit and morale following their dusting by the Detroit Lions is predicted for tomorrow's battle by Coach Curly Lambeau, who said that his entire squad, less Joe Laws and Charley Schultz, will be available to use against the Steelers. Lambeau faces a delicate problem Sunday. He cannot underestimate Pittsburgh, which has a tough defensive team led by former Packer Walter Kiesling, and yet he hopes that some of his men who have not carried the chief load this season can fight off the Steelers and beat them enabling him to save key personnel for the Bears. Should this strategy prove unwise, then the works will be hurled against the invaders from the East, as Lambeau cannot afford to risk losing a single game from here on in. But if players like Baby Ray, Bill Lee, Russ Letlow, Carl Mulleneaux, Buckets Goldenberg, Don Hutson, George Svendsen, Charley Brock, Larry Craig, Cecil Isbell, Arnie Herber and Clarke Hinkle can obtain something of a rest, they are certain to be that much more effective against the Bears. At the same time, the Packers are not talking Bears - yet. All week their key preparations have been built toward the Milwaukee engagement with Pittsburgh, which barring the mix with the Giants at New York Nov. 17
will be the last Packer collision with an Eastern club this season - unless Green Bay lands in the 1940 playoff. On records of the NFL, the Packers should trim the Steelers and should do it handily. Pittsburgh has the better showing in yards run back from kickoffs, least yards penalized, opponents' fumbles recovered, least opponents' yards gained and least opponents' points. Green Bay's record is better in yards gained from rushing and passing, forward passing, passes intercepted and yards gained thereby, least fumbles, touchdown runs and passes, scoring and pass defense. The teams rate about even in punting. In fact, the Packers' record to date compares very favorably with those of the Bears and Lions, both of whom hold victories over Green Bay. Take the total yardage. The Packers have gained 1,630 in five games, the Bears have made 1,419 in five games and Detroit, which has played six, has piled up 1,144. The Packers have more first downs than either of the two major opponents, and while the Bears have an edge in yardage from scrimmage, Green Bay's passing yardage is by far the best, 1,069 to 496 for the Bears and 400 for the Lions. Yet the Packers lost to both. The trip to Milwaukee was made on the Milwaukee Road Chippewa, and the Packers will headquarter at the Schroeder hotel. They will return to Green Bay early Sunday evening after the game, and Tuesday will pick up the chips for their important assignment at Chicago.
STEELERS LOSE STARS FOR TILT WITH PACKERS
OCT 26 (Pittsburgh) - The Pittsburgh Steelers will play their third straight National league game abroad tomorrow when they meet the champion Green Bay Packers in Milwaukee. The locals will catch the Wisconsin eleven in a vengeful mood as last Sunday the Detroit Lions handed the Packers a 23 to 14 setback. Pittsburgh has a 10 to 7 verdict to its credit over Detroit and has hopes of surprising the proteges of Coach Curly Lambeau tomorrow. Loss of quarterback Hank Bruder and guard Jack Sanders due to injuries suffered in last week's game in New York will prove a big handicap, however...STRESS DEFENSIVE PLAY: In practice this week Coach Walter Kiesling has stressed defensive work for the Arnold Herber to Don Hutson passing combination which ranks as one of the greatest in grid history. The Steelers also have drilled hard to uncork a scoring punch of their own. Week after week they have penetrated deep into enemy territory only to fold up when touchdowns seemed certain. Everett Fisher, the Santa Clara husky, has been nominated for the starting job at quarterback in place of Bruder, whose broken angle will keep him on the sidelines for some time. Carl Nery, former Duquesne U. star, gets the guard assignment usually given Sanders.
PACKERS APPEAR TOO STRONG FOR STEELERS
OCT 26 (Pittsburgh) - Green Bay's big, burly Packers, champions of the NFL in 1939, face elimination from the league's 1940 Western division race, unless they trim the Pittsburgh Steelers on the State Fair Grounds gridiron here tomorrow afternoon. The Packers' fate, however, is hardly as serious as all favorites to shellac the Steelers, as that, for they are rated topheavy, they always have done in the past, and go on to challenge the mighty Chicago Bears for western supremacy. Elsewhere in the pro league, the Bears have a date with the New York Giants in the Polo Grounds, the unbeaten Washington Redskins clash with the challenging Detroit Lions in the Auto City, and the Cleveland Rams attempt to make it two in a row over the Chicago Cardinals at Comiskey Park, Chicago. Favorites, in addition to the Packers, are the Bears, the Redskins and the Bears...PACKER PASS CATCHERS: The Steelers' one slim hope of getting back into the win column tomorrow is to tie up securely elusive Don Hutson and Carl Mulleneaux, perhaps the two outstanding pass receivers to grace one team in the pro circuit, and to scramble Cecil Isbell and the veteran Arnie Herber, who rate as the second and fourth most successful passers in the loop, on every aerial attempt. Any one of these assignments is an afternoon's job, but the Steelers believe they can do it, even though other teams have failed. Green Bay was beaten, 23-14, last week by Detroit, a team the Steelers trimmed, 10-7. The Packers figure to bounce back pretty roughly tomorrow, but if they should happen to take the Iron Men lightly, they may be ready for a surprise.
STEELERS OFF FOR PACKERS
OCT 26 (Pittsburgh) - The Pittsburgh Steelers pro football squad of 27 players entrained for Milwaukee today, where they tangle with the champion Green Bay Packers on the State Fair ground gridiron tomorrow afternoon. The Steelers, beaten in their last four engagements and seriously handicapped at this stage of the race by injuries, nevertheless are hopeful that they can halter the Packers' famed aerial attack and score an upset. There is little in the Green Bay ground attack to worry the Iron Men, but they will have to be alert the full 60 minutes of play to hold down the Packers' air attack revolving around four standout performers. Cecil Isbell, former Purdue ace from Texas, and the veteran Arnie Herber are the Packer pitchers, and they have the two of the most able receivers in the game as their targets in Don Hutson, all-league end, and Carl Mulleneaux, younger brother of Brute, who played center for the old Pirates.
SPIRITED PACKERS MEET STEELERS HERE
OCTOBER 27 (Milwaukee) - Fired with the same spirit that drove the champions of Green Bay's glorious football past, the Packers are all set for their battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers at State Fair park Sunday at 2 p.m. Coach Curly Lambeau has worked his club at top speed all week. The Bay pilot was up in arms over last Sundays upset at the hands of Detroit and he gave fair warning to his gridders that another exhibition like the Lions' affair would increase the blue envelope business. Realizing a fighting football team cannot yet be counted out of the NFL race, the Packers are pledged to fight as they are equipped to fight. "We have lost two games, but we seem the reasons for it and we shall be a new outfit from now on," Lambeau declared after individual conferences with the players. It will be the last game on Wisconsin soil for the Packers this season. Coach Walter Kiesling's team is the best football club that has ever represented Pittsburgh in the National league. The Steelers whipped the Chicago Bears in an early season exhibition and later on took Detroit into camp and tied the Giants and Cardinals. Aside from Kielsing, there are two former Packers with Pittsburgh. Hank Bruder usually handles the blocking back assignments, while Swede Johnson sees a lot of service at fullback. However, Bruder is out of action with an injury. Johnnie Noppenberg of Menominee, Mich., who starred at the University of Miami, is another Steelers from this section. Joe Laws is till nursing his injury, but otherwise the Packer squad is in fair shape physically. Cecil Isbell, who had an attack of grippe last Sunday, but played, has been improving fast.
