top of page
PACKERBANNER.jpg
PACKERBANNER.jpg

The 1948 Green Bay Packers - 3-9 (4TH - Western Division)

Head Coach: Curly Lambeau

1948 PRE-SEASON RESULTS (3-0)

AUGUST (1-0)

29 New York Giants at Minneapolis        W  7- 0    1- 0-0   15,000

SEPTEMBER (2-0)

5  G-PITTSBURGH STEELERS                 W  9- 7    2- 0-0   13,900

11 Washington Redskins at Birmingham     W 43- 0    3- 0-0   27,000

1948 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS

SEPTEMBER (1-1)

17 at Boston Yanks (0-0-0)               W 31- 0    1- 0-0   15,443

26 G-CHICAGO BEARS (0-0-0)               L  7-45    1- 1-0   25,546

OCTOBER (2-3)

3  G-DETROIT LIONS (0-1-0)               W 33-21    2- 1-0   24,206

10 M-CHICAGO CARDINALS (1-1-0)           L  7-17    2- 2-0   34,369

17 G-LOS ANGELES RAMS (1-1-1)            W 16- 0    3- 2-0   25,119

24 M-WASHINGTON REDSKINS (2-2-0)         L  7-23    3- 3-0   13,433

31 at Detroit Lions (0-5-0)              L 20-24    3- 4-0   16,174

NOVEMBER (0-4)

7  at Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4-0)        L  7-38    3- 5-0   26,058

14 at Chicago Bears (6-1-0)              L  6- 7    3- 6-0   48,113

21 M-NEW YORK GIANTS (2-6-0)             L  3-49    3- 7-0   12,639

28 at Los Angeles Rams (3-5-1)           L 10-24    3- 8-0   23,874

DECEMBER (0-1)

5  at Chicago Cardinals (9-1)            L  7-42    3- 9-0   26,072

G - Green Bay M - Milwaukee

1948 IN REVIEW

After an early-season 17-7 loss to the Chicago Cardinals, coach Curly Lambeau fined the entire team half of their weekly salary for "indifferent" play. The players did not feel they had been indifferent, but they believed that they a good game against the Rams would get their money back. Green Bay easily downed Los Angeles, 16-0, bringing their record to 3-2. Expecting an extra-large paycheck, the players blew their stack when they did not get back their money. Morale dropped to zero, and the Packers lost every remaining game of the year. Finally, in January 1949, when it was too late, Lambeau returned the players' money.

STRUGGLING TO PAY THE BILLS

The war between the AAFC and the NFL nearly cost the Green Bay Packers their franchise. As salaries spiraled upwards, the bottom line of the team turned a darker shade of red.  In the first two years of the war, Green Bay managed a 12-10-1 record and was able to draw enough fans to pay the bills. In 1948 and 1949, the Packers slumped to a 5-19 record, and saw their crowds drop by an average of 7,000 fans to 18,000 per contest. It was even worse when Green Bay traveled to Milwaukee. Crowd totals dropped below 10,000, with one game in 1949 drawing less than 5,000. As a result, the Packers lost more than $150,000 and saw their financial reserves wiped out. NFL owners, the national media, and even Commissioner Bert Bell openly suggested the Packers consider a move to another city, with Houston and San Francisco appearing to be the most likely destinations. Rather than throwing in the towel, Green Bay's Executive Committee and boosters organized an intrasquad game on Thanksgiving Day 1949, featuring many former Packer greats. The game raised over $50,000, which allowed the Packers to finish out the season without bouncing their checks. When the AAFC and NFL merged for the 1950 season, Green Bay was included but had to raise enough funds to meet the league's financial thresholds. A stock sale was held, with $125,000 being raised, 10,000 season tickets were sold, and a fire which destroyed their training facility, Rockwood Lodge, brought in a $50,000 insurance check. While the fire was considered suspicious, no one was ever implicated with intentionally setting the blaze, but the check did cover a third of what the Packers needed to kick of the 1950 season and remain a viable professional football franchise.

NAME              NO  POS HGT  WGT        COLLEGE YR PR  A  G HOW ACQUIRED

Lloyd Baxter      33    C 6- 2 210            SMU  1  1 25 11 1945 Draft-24th 

Ed Bell           82    G 6- 1 233        Indiana  2  2 27 12

Tony Canadeo       3   HB 6- 0 190        Gonzaga  7  7 29 12 1941 Draft-9th 

Ed Cody           17   HB 5- 9 190         Purdue  2  2 25 10 1946 Draft-3rd 

Irv Comp          51   HB 6- 3 205   St. Benedict  6  6 29 11 1943 Draft-3rd 

Ted Cook          48    E 6- 2 195        Alabama  1  2 26 12 1948 FA-Det (47)

Larry Craig       54    E 6- 0 218    S. Carolina 10 10 32 12 1939 Draft-6th 

Ted Cremer        18    E 6- 2 210      Wisconsin  1  3 26  3 1948 FA-Det (48)

Ralph Davis       66    G 5-11 205      Wisconsin  2  2 26 11

Donald Deeks      85    G 6- 4 245     Washington  1  4 25  8 1948 FA-Wash (47)

Ralph Earhart     41   HB 5-10 165     Texas Tech  1  1 25 12 1948 Draft-32nd

Bob Flowers       35    C 6- 1 210     Texas Tech  7  7 31 11

Bob Forte          8   HB 6- 0 195       Arkansas  3  3 26 12 1943 Draft-11th 

Ted Fritsch       64   FB 5-10 210  Stevens Point  7  7 27 12

Jug Girard        36   HB 5-11 175      Wisconsin  1  1 21 10 1948 Draft-1st 

Clyde Goodnight   23    E 6- 1 195          Tulsa  4  4 24  9 1945 Draft-3rd 

Jack Jacobs       27   QB 6- 2 190       Oklahoma  2  5 29 12 1947 Trade-Wash

James Kekeris     72    T 6- 1 257       Missouri  1  2 24  5 1948 FA-Phil (47)

Paul Lipscomb     47    T 6- 5 245      Tennessee  4  4 25 12

Nolan Luhn        38    E 6- 3 200          Tulsa  4  4 27 12 1945 Draft-25th 

Perry Moss        10   QB 5-10 170       Illinois  1  1 22  6 1948 Draft-13th

Ed Neal           58    T 6- 4 290         Tulane  4  4 29 12

Urban Odson       63    T 6- 3 250      Minnesota  3  3 29 12 1942 Draft-1st 

Larry Olsonoski   46    G 6- 2 215      Minnesota  1  1 23 12 1948 Draft-6th

Fred Provo        80   HB 5- 9 185     Washington  1  1 26  9 1948 Draft-14th 

Baby Ray          44    T 6- 6 250     Vanderbilt 11 11 32 12

Jay Rhodemyre     22    C 6- 1 210       Kentucky  1  1 25  9 1948 Draft-7th 

Ken Roskie        34   FB 6- 1 220 South Carolina  1  2 26  6 1948 FA-SF (1946)

Walt Schlinkman    7   FB 5- 9 190     Texas Tech  3  3 26 11 1945 Draft-1st 

Bruce Smith       42   HB 6- 0 197      Minnesota  4  4 28  4 1942 Draft-13th 

Ed Smith          21   HB 6- 0 185  Texas-El Paso  1  1 25 12 1948 Draft-3rd 

Damon Tassos      15    G 6- 1 225      Texas A&M  2  4 24 11 1947 FA-Det (1946)

Evan Vogds        79    G 5-10 215      Wisconsin  1  1 25 12 

Don Wells         43    E 6- 2 200        Georgia  3  3 26 12 1945 Draft-6th 

Pat West          25   FB 6- 0 201            USC  1  4 25  3 1948 FA-Rams (48)

Dick Wildung      45    G 6- 0 220      Minnesota  3  3 27 12 1943 Draft-1st 

Gene Wilson       65    G 5-10 180            SMU  2  2 22 13 1947 Draft-6th 

NO - Jersey Number POS - Position HGT - Height WGT - Weight YR - Years with Packers PR - Years of Professional Football AGE - Age at Start of Season G - Games Played

1948 PACKERS DRAFT (December 19, 1947)

RND SEL NAME               POS COLLEGE

1     7 Jug Girard           B Wisconsin

2       Did Not Draft

3    19 Ed Smith             B Texas Mines

4       Did Not Draft

*-5a 27 Don Richards         T Arkansas

5b   31 Wayman Sellers       E Georgia

6    41 Larry Olsonoski      G Minnesota

7    51 Jay Rhodemyre        C Kentucky

8    61 Bob Cunz             T Illinois

9    71 to New York Giants

10   81 George Walmsley      B Rice

11   91 Bob Hodges           T Bradley

12  101 Bob Rennebohm        E Wisconsin

13  111 Perry Moss           B Illinois

14  121 Fred Provo           B Washington

15  131 Lou Agase            T Illinois              

16  141 Travis Raven         B Texas

17  151 to Washington Redskins

18  161 Ken Balge            E Michigan State

19  171 Charley Tatom        T Texas 

20  181 Floyd Thomas         C Arkansas 

21  191 Herb St. John        G Georgia 

22  201 Don Anderson         B Rice 

23  211 Fred Kling           B Missouri 

24  221 Clyde Biggers        T Catawba 

25  231 Stan Heath           B Nevada-Reno 

26  241 Aubrey Allen         T Colorado

27  251 Stan Gorski          E Northwestern 

28  261 Don Sharp            C Tulsa 

29  271 John Panelli         B Notre Dame 

30  281 Clarence McGeary     T North Dakota State 

31  289 Mike Mills           E Brigham Young 

32  296 Earhart, Ralph       B Texas Tech

* - from Detroit

BOLD - Played for the Packers

Anchor 1
1948PACKERS-JAN-PackersHomeCard.jpg

GIRARD WEIGHS OFFERS FROM PACKERS, YANKS

JAN 5 (Marinette) - Earl (Jug) Girard, outstanding halfback last season with the University of Wisconsin, said today he had received a contract from the New York Yankees of the All-America conference, but would not sign it before talking with Green Bay of the rival NFL. Girard, who starred as a freshman sensation in 1944 and returned to the university as a sophomore in 1947, said he would meet with a Green Bay representative later today. He was a draft choice of the Yankees and the Packers in their respective loops. The New York contract, he said, called for $7,500. His brilliant running, passing and punting sparked Wisconsin to 2nd place in the Big Nine during the last campaign. He left the university after the football season.

PACKER COACH, GIRARD TO TALK

JAN 6 (Green Bay) - Packer Coach Curly Lambeau will return from California this week, and one of the top items of business will be a conference with Earl (Jug) Girard, the University of Wisconsin halfback who was drafted by the Packers last month. Girard, who has withdrawn from the university, was also drafted by the New York Yankees of the All-America conference. He was on the major league draft list for next season because his class graduates in June. Girard earlier this week had been offered a contract by the Yankees, and Monday George Stricker, the Bay tub-thumper and assistant general manager, made overtures to Girard at his home in Marinette but nothing was put on paper. Girard said he would visit Green Bay soon to see Coach Lambeau. Next week the Packer scene will shift to New York where the NFL will hold its annual four-day meetings, starting Wednesday. The Packer family will be represented by President Emil Fischer, Lambeau and Strickler...PACKER NOTES: Today's rose goes to Earl (Jug) Girard, the University of Wisconsin halfback, who promised not to sign a pro football contract with the New York Yankees until he heard what the Green Bay Packers have to offer. In short, both clubs are getting an even break which is more than the Packers got from a couple of draftees a year ago...Ed Smith, Packer draftee from Texas Mines, broke up three straight Johnny Lujack passes in the East-West game. After which, Mr. Smith was removed and Lujack immediately tossed a TD throw. So, if the Bears get Lujack and the Packers could pick off Smith, Ed seems to have a jinx on the future Bear.

NFL TO CONSIDER ELIMINATION OF POINTS AFTER TOCHDOWN

JAN 6 (Philadelphia) - The NFL is going to consider elimination of points after touchdown at its annual rules committee huddle Jan. 14. NFL Commissioner Bert bell said Monday that Luke Johnsos, assistant coach of the Chicago Bears, proposed the extra point elimination and suggested the "sudden death" method of settling a tie game - in which play would continue until one or the other team scores a touchdown, field goal or safety. The pro loop will also consider these other rule changes: 1. That all players be numbered according to positions with exception of a few well-known stars. 2. Permit use of an artificial tee on kickoffs. 3. Insist on padding covering any part of players' equipment that is hard and unyielding to prevent injuries.

1948PACKERS-JAN-GirardYankeesPackersWait.jpg

GIRARD SIGNS WITH YANKEES? PACKERS WAIT

JAN 9 (Green Bay) - The Jug Girard-Green Bay Packer-New York Yankee situation was boiling madly up to 2:30 o'clock this afternoon. It started at 11 o'clock this morning in the Packer office in the Northern building. This was the time for a scheduled conference between Coach Curly Lambeau and Girard, the former Wisconsin star who was drafted by the Packers. Offered a contract by New York in the rival All-America conference, Girard

announced from his home in Marinette last week that he would not sign until he conferred with the Bays. A meeting was arranged for this morning with Lambeau in the Packer office. Girard said he would be in Green Bay on the North Western's 400 which arrives here at 10:45. Lambeau and Aide George Strickler waited until 11:30 and still no sign of Girard. Then Strickler called the North Western office to see if the train was late. "Nope", said the station attendant, "the train from Marinette's been here and gone." Next came a call to Girard in Marinette. Jug was out but his folks hastened to explain that he had not signed with the Yankees as had been rumored Thursday. It's noon now, and comes the following piece over the Associated Press wire with a Marinette dateline: MARINETTE - Earl (Jug) Girard said today he will sign a professional football contract with the New York Yankees of the All-America conference. Girard, sensational University of Wisconsin halfback for two seasons, said he intends "to mail the contract shortly" to the Yankees main office. Girard did not reveal terms of the contract, but last week said it called for $7.500. The triple-threat backfield star withdrew from the university shortly after the close of the 1947 season after the pacing the Badgers to second place in the Big Nine conference. A member of Wisconsin's varsity as a freshman in 1944, he was outstanding as a passer and punter. He then joined the Army and returned to school to star last fall. Because of his Army service and the fact his original class will be graduated in June, Girard was eligible for the professional draft this year. Last week, when word he had received the Yankee contract was revealed, he was contacted by Packer officials who said he told them he would not sign until a conference with Earl (Curly) Lambeau, veteran Packer coach. At Green Bay, Packer officials said "Girard has not yet been made an offer by this club." They added they expected to hear from the halfback "sometime today" and that they had been told by his mother he "wasn't signed the Yankee contract yet."...That's the story up to 2:30 this afternoon. Further details will be broadcast over the Press-Gazette's radio station, WJPG and later on WJPG-FM.

BELL SEES GREATEST NFL YEAR

JAN 9 (Philadelphia) - The NFL, with the greatest season in history just weeks over, is looking forward to bigger and better gridiron feats in 1948 to lure cash customers. "It will take plenty of doing to top the '47 campaign," said NFL Commissioner Bert Bell, "but watch us." The portly, graying former coach leaned back in his swivel chair. "We play strictly for spectator appeal." observed Bell, who's starting his third year as NFL boss and overseer. Paid admission figures are not yet compiled but Bell estimated that about 2,500,000 made the turnstiles click during the 60-game season and the dozen-odd extracurricular contests. The Annie Oakleys are extra. "Attendance should be even greater this season, possibly by a quarter of a million customer," Bell prophesied. Why the bigger gate?... ALL HAVE TITLE HOPES: "Competition will be closer than ever," the commissioner declared. "The real thing in spectator interest - the thing that means big crowds - is a close race. All 10 clubs have championship hopes for 1948." The NFL ended its '47 season on December 28 with the Chicago Cardinals defeating the Philadelphia Eagles for the title. The Eagles had knocked off the Pittsburgh Steelers in a special game to reach the championship bracket. During the campaign, 14 records were broken. "I really believe the '48 season will be greater," Bell mused. "It stands to reason the '48 season will be greater," Bell mused. "It stands to reason that Washington, New York and the Bears won't stay out of the championship race. Green Bay and the Los Angeles Rams will be strong contenders. Why Green Bay lost four games last season by only nine points - that's proof of the evenness of our clubs. Detroit will be greatly improved. Its rookies have a season of play under their belts and Bill Dudley, hampered by injuries, is expecting to have a great year. The Boston Yanks may surprise everybody. They finished the season with a band and held victories over the Eagles, Redskins and Rams. They've already signed Georgia's great tackle, Bob Davis, and are reported getting contract signatures of several other topflight youngsters."...AAC? WHAT'S THAT?: Bell rambled on, "...Giants should be terrific...Steelers have a couple of prospects...Eagles are keeping pace." And the drawing cards - Bell didn't forget them "Sammy Baugh, Sid Luckman, Charlie Trippi, Paul Christman, Steve Van Buren will help pack them in." Not many teams have lured the signatures of drafted college stars but Bell explained that "many of the boys are planning to participate in spring collegiate sports and won't turn pro until the end of the school year." How about the All-America conference? "What's that?" said Bell, shrugging off queries of a playoff between the two pro loops. "Never heard of it." The telephone rang. It was the Giants' owner, Tim Mara. "Things look good," Bell shouted into the phone. "Yeh, the schedules are being drawn up. It's gonna be our best year."

PACKERS SIGN GOPHER GUARD; NEGOTIATIONS STILL ON WITH GIRARD

JAN 10 (Green Bay) - Green Bay Packer Coach Curly Lambeau made two announcements today: (1) That the Packers are still negotiating for the services of Earl (Jug) Girard; and (2) that Larry Olsonoski, crack University of Minnesota guard, has been signed. Girard revealed himself today in Marinette that the Packers had matched the offer of the New York Yankees for his services in professional football next fall and that he was undecided which to accept. The former Badger, who left school a few weeks ago, said that "I still have the Yankee contract in my pocket and I don't know now what I'll do." Girard announced yesterday noon that he would sign the $7,500 contract tendered him by the Yankees of the All-America conference. Lambeau and Girard talked contract to Marinette late Friday afternoon after Girard was unable to meet in Green Bay in the morning. A triple-threat halfback at Wisconsin, Girard was drafted by both the Packers and Yankees. As a Badger, Girard played left halfback - a position held by Buddy Young, former Illinois flash, in the Yankee lineup. The Packers operate with Tony Canadeo and Bruce Smith at left half, but are short-handed on offensive right halfbacks. Bob Forte, at right half, plays mostly on defense. From New York via the Associated Press today came word from Badger Coach Harry Stuhldreher, who said: "We'll miss Girard because he's a good boy. I'm not particularly surprised, but I thought it might be baseball. He's a fine baseball player, too."...Olsonoski, first Packer signed for 1948, was the outstanding lineman in the East's crushing defeat of the West in San Francisco on New Year's Day and winner of the most valuable player at Minnesota last fall. A six foot two inch guard with experience at tackle, Olsonoski is a product of Lancaster, Minn., high school, where his family operates with a large wheat farm. Olsonoski began his career at Gustavus Adolphus...ABILITY ON OFFENSE: A trackman, he played in the first football game he ever saw and immediately made an impression on opponents for his speed and his size. He weighs 215. He had been sent to Gustavus Adolphus as a Navy trainee in 1943 and in the summer of 1945 was transferred to Minnesota. He was discharged from service in May of 1946. At Minnesota he was switched from tackle to a guard position where his ability on offense led to mention on every All-America selection printed last fall. Against the West team in the Shrine game ten days ago, Olsonoski's play was described as some of the finest by a lineman in the long history of that series. On the Packers, Olsonoski will be teamed with three other Gophers, Dick Wildung, with whom he may share guard assignments, tackle Urban Odson and halfback Bruce Smith.

WISCONSIN JUG GIRARD, TEXAS ED SMITH SIGN WITH PACKERS

JAN 12 (Green Bay) - The Earl (Jug) Girard story, which commanded midwest headlines for a week, was closed today. It came to a finish on the Chicago North Western's "400" as it whistled past Peshtigo when the University of Wisconsin halfback inked a Green Bay Packer contract tendered by Coach Curly Lambeau. Earlier in the day, the Packers announced signing of Oscar Ed Smith, the Texas Mines halfback who finished seventh among the nation's collegiate ball carriers last fall. Both Girard and Smith are left halfbacks, although Smith did some fullbacking in school. The Girard thing started to boil about a week ago when the New York Yankees of the All-America conference offered him a contract. Lambeau conferred with Girard late last week and over the weekend Girard stated that he was undecided. Lambeau motored to Marinette, Girard's home, this morning and boarded the North Western with Girard who was off for California when he planned to play in an All-Star football game. The pair came to an agreement as the train neared Peshtigo, and Lambeau got off in Green Bay. The former Badger triple-threat star, who dropped out of school shortly after the close of the 1947 season, and Smith were both drafted by the Packers. Signing of this pair gives the Packers three draftees under contract, the other being guard Larry Olsonoski of Minnesota. Girard and Smith now must combat veterans Bruce Smith and Tony Canadeo at left halfback. Girard, who signed for an undisclosed sim, had been offered a $7,500 contract by the Yankees. Girard broke into Wisconsin football history in 1944 as a freshman and amazed everyone with his passing and kicking achievements. He then went into the Army and served in the European theater and was discharged last spring. While playing school football with Marinette, he was named to the Michigan all-state eleven. After leading the Border conference in rushing with 807 yards in 135 attempts for an average of 5.9 yards per attempt, Smith was chosen on the West squad for the Shrine game. He suffered a badly fractured nose on the first day of practice in the West camp, and although it would have been advisable to withhold him form the game, West coaches felt obligated to utilize exceptional defensive ability...L.A. RAMS WANTED HIM: Smith entered the game and broke up the first three passes Johnny Lujack threw. He was withdrawn and on the very next play Lujack passed for a touchdown. In addition to being considered one of the best blockers and defensive backs in the southwest, Smith also is a capable receiver and led Texas Mines in this department with 12 passes good for 169 yards and three touchdowns. Several teams sought Smith in the National league draft, notably the Los Angeles Rams,. who had intended to take him as their first choice. All, however, considered him a sleeper in the draft. Lambeau not only knew about Smith, but did not consider him a sleeper and took him early, much to the dismay of the Rams, the Cardinals and the Redskins. A native of California, Smith started his career at San Pedro High school, then transferred to Austin High in El Paso for part of his senior year.  Shortly after enrolling at Texas Mines in 1941, he wound up as an officer with LTO experience, and was transferred to Cornell...WENT TO WEST POINT: From Cornell, he went to West Point where he was a member of the Plebe team in 1945. He resigned from the academy in April of 1946 to resume his civil engineering course at Texas Mines. Back at Texas Mines, he immediately took over a starting backfield assignment and set about beating Tempe Teachers in the Miners' big traditional game by breaking away for three long touchdown runs and receiving a pass for a fourth score. Later he scored both of the Miners' touchdowns against New Mexico with spectacular catches of passes. Smith, 

1948PACKERS-JAN-PackerPlanningLetter.jpg

who is 24 years old and captained the Texas Mines eleven last fall, also is an accomplished baseball pitcher, and a letter winner in sprints during the track season. He runs the 100 in 10 flat several times. Lambeau had his first look at the towering speedster three weeks ago in the West camp and what he saw pleased him no end. Smith won three 100 yard sprints against all the West squad's backs, defeating Herman Wedemeyer, the celebrated Hawaiian from St. Mary's by more than a yard each time...PACKERISMS: Top news concerning the NFL will be made in New York where the league will convene Wednesday. The Packers will be represented by President Emil Fischer, Lambeau and George Strickler...Bob Rennebohm, the Wisconsin end who was drafted by the Packers, announced over the weekend that he intends to play pro football next fall. Rennebohm also was drafted by San Francisco in the other league...Smith is the second draftee signed over the weekend. The other was Larry Olsonoski, Minnesota guard.

PACKER COACH SEEKS 6 'EARLY' HOME CONTESTS

JAN 13 (Green Bay) - Green Bay Packer Coach Curly Lambeau left today for the annual NFL meetings in New York with the following objectives in mind: (1) A six-game home schedule patterned after the 1947 setup with the first half of the card on Wisconsin soil; (2) Keep the extra points; (3) A rule change that would prevent the defensive team from advancing a fumble. The Packers' 1947 schedule was near perfect, so Lambeau will strive for perfection again - a similar setup; six straight home games to start the campaign; a couple of November visits to Chicago; and the remaining four engagements in more distant cities. The Packers' 1947 home program was tops chiefly because it coincided nicely with the early fall weather, the six game card being completed Nov. 2. The games were alternated between Green Bay and Milwaukee - the Bears here; Los Angeles in Milwaukee; the Cardinals here; Washington in Milwaukee; Detroit here; and Pittsburgh in Milwaukee...OPPOSED TO SCORING CHANGES: Lambeau hopes to salvage the same early-home arrangement for 1948, though several of the opponents naturally will be changed. It is almost a certainty that the league will adopt the 60-game card started last season, so the chances of Green Bay getting half its games at home, at least reasonably early, appear bright. Though the schedule was arranged last year so that each club gets six home games, the Cardinals had only five regular league battles at Comiskey park while Philadelphia had seven in Shibe Park. All of the other clubs got six home battles. The team arrangement probably will be similar to that of 1947. The Packers no doubt will play each of its four Western division opponents on a home-and-home basis, making eight of the 12 contests. Boston was the only team Green Bay did not play last fall, and the Yankees no doubt will be on the Bay card next season. It's a good bet, too, that Philadelphia will invade Wisconsin since the Eastern division champ played host to the Packers in 1947. The Packers played New York in their only other eastern invasion. Regarding Luke Johnsos' proposal to eliminate the extra point, Lambeau said today he was definitely opposed to any change in the scoring system in football. "A vast majority of the fans with whom I've talked in recent seasons do not want the point after touchdown eliminated," said the Packer coach and general manager. "And if the fans want it, I want it. As a matter of fact, I can remember times when I've prayed for it." National league rule makers, at their annual session Wednesday night, will consider the proposal to eliminate the conversion and play off all tie games on a sudden death basis...POINT ADDS SUSPENSE: "I want to hear more discussion of the sudden death proposal," Lambeau said. "I may be for that. But on the extra point, the fans all seem to feel it adds a measure of suspense to football and I feel we should keep it." Lambeau is more interested in seeing a rules' change that will prevent the defensive team from advancing a fumble. "Loss of the ball at the spot of recovery, in cases where the fumble is recovered by the other side, is penalty enough for any team," he contends. "A number of football's best quarterbacks have confided in me recently that they are afraid to use some of their most spectacular plays in a tough game for fear the defense might pick up a fumble and return it for a touchdown. Limiting the defense to recovery of a fumble will open up the game. Quarterbacks will feel freer to call tricky stuff in a clutch," Lambeau explained. Lambeau will be accompanied to the annual conclave by President Emil Fischer and George Strickler, assistant general manager.

EXTRA POINT ON SPOT AGAIN

JAN 14 (New York) - The much-reviled but very durable extra point will be on the spot again tonight when the NFL's rules makers huddle here as a prelude to the circuit's annual business session. Less than a week ago elimination of the point-after-touchdown was one of the proposals laid down before the rules committee of the American Football Coaches Association. The college tutors decided the long-established feature of the grid sport shouldn't be tampered with. Now a stout move, led by Commissioner Bert Bell himself, is afoot in the National League to dispense with the extra point and substitute a "sudden death" method for ending tie games. But in the pro ranks also the point has its champions. Coach E.L. (Curly) Lambeau of the Green Bay Packers announced he will oppose any effort to shelve the extra tally ceremony. Lambeau says a majority of the fans in his neck of the woods are in favor of it and he adds: "If the fans want, I want it." Bell contends a measure to end the games should be put through for the sake of the man who pays the freight. "The professional football player must never forget that the spectator is paying his salary," Bell commented. "That's why the rules should be amended to eliminate all chances of tie games - let the game continue until a team wins it, not by an extra point, but by a field goal, safety or touchdown."

HODGES TO SIGN WITH BUFFALO BILLS, REPORTS

JAN 14 (Peoria, IL) - Bob Hodges, a star tackle for Bradley University last season, said today he would sign a contract with the Buffalo Bills of the All-American football conference. Hodges said the contract had been mailed from Buffalo and probably would be here tomorrow. He said he would receive a bonus for signing but did not disclose the amount. Hodges was drafted by the Green Bay Packers of the rival National league, but negotiations with the team fell through.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE HAILS DETROIT LIONS' SALE

JAN 15 (New York) - NFL officials, confident that a change in Detroit Lions owner had bolstered a weak link in the 10-team circuit, continued today working out a schedule for next fall that would avoid mixing too many baseballs with pigskins. The schedule proposition - always tough - is more so this time because of the major league baseball season and World Series will run far into the pro grid program. League owners immediately got down to the schedule business after announcing that a syndicate of seven wealthy Detroit men had purchased controlling interest in the Lions from Fred L. Mandel Jr. The sale as closed at the NFL's mid-winter meeting by Lyle Fife, head of the Detroit Electrical Supply, Co., and Mandel, with the syndicate reporting it was ready to spend $500,000 to bring a winner to the auto city. The half million dollars which the new group is prepared to spend includes the purchase price, Fife said. No figure was given on the price paid to Mandel, but the Detroit Times reported it was less than $200,000. Fife, who will be the new president of the Lions, said the syndicate had refused a bid to join the rival All-American conference, and stated nothing had been done about a new coach to replace Gus Dorais, whose contract was bought up recently by Mandel. With this apparently settled league officials worked far into the night on the schedule, main problem left on the agenda. The NFL season begins September 26 and closes December 12, with each club playing 12 games. The baseball season runs through October 3, then comes the World Series. Baseball rules say that no team contending for the pennant can permit football in their parks, and the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers are the only teams not using major league stadiums. Furthermore, Commissioner Bert Bell insists that stronger clubs meet each other, while weaker outfits do the same for the first two weeks in order that the standings won't get out of balance, thus assuring a good season.

1948PACKERS-JAN-KieslingBack.jpg

KIESLING BACK AS LINE COACH

JAN 16 (Green Bay) - Renewal of Walt Kiesling's contract as line coach of the Green Bay Packers for the 1948 season was announced here today by Packer coach Curly Lambeau. Considered by Lambeau as the top line coach in football - pro or college - Kiesling will be starting his fourth year with the Packers as line mentor. He was signed by the Packers immediately after the 1941 season. Kiesling has been in the NFL only five years less than Lambeau. Starting out with the Duluth Eskimos in 1926, after his graduation from St. Thomas college in St. Paul, Kiesling now is in his 23rd consecutive season in major league football. Following two seasons with the Eskimos under Ernie Nevers, Kiesling joined Pottsville in 1928 and then played five years with the Chicago Cardinals (1929 to 1933). He was named all-league guard in 1932. From the Cardinals, he went to the Chicago Bears in 1934 and 1935, and the following season he helped the Packers win their fourth world's championship. Kiesling remained with the Packers only one season. In 1937 he went to Pittsburgh to become assistant coach to Johnny Blood. When Blood left Pittsburgh in 1939, Kiesling took over the Steelers for four season as head coach. His 1942 team, led by Bill Dudley, very nearly won the Eastern division championship. In 1943 he served as co-coach of the Phil-Pitt combine and the following season, when the Cardinals and Pittsburgh merged, he again was co-coach. Kiesling makes his home in St. Paul, a place for which he grew so homesick in his freshman year that he refused to stay at Notre Dame where he had gone at the suggestion of Joe Brandy, a former Notre Dame star quarterback.

THE PEN'S DRY: LAMBEAU SPRINTS

JAN 16 (Green Bay) - Curly Lambeau, who usually gets his exercise walking up and down in front of the Green Bay Packers' bench and worrying about the game, set a record of some sort when he signed Oscar (Ed) Smith, Texas Mines back, for the Packers. Curly cornered the athlete for a little talk while Smith was drilling for the East-West game and the kid promptly agreed to sign. Lambeau pulled out a contract and a fountain pen, only to find he was out of ink. He promptly put the player into a car with Mrs. Lambeau, turned on the radio for entertainment and locked the doors when he sprinted a block and a half to borrow a pen from Lynn Waldorff. Curly is well satisfied with the result. Smith, a 10-second sprinter weighing 195 pounds, has quire a reputation in Texas as an offensive back, but the Packer scouts like his blocking and defense play even better.

STORY IS A YEAR OLD, BUT LARRY CRAIG MADE IT COME TRUE BY GREAT PLAY LAST FALL

JAN 16 (Green Bay) - The next time you visit your favorite sudsery bend an elbow to toast the forgotten man of the Green Bay Packers - Larry Craig, the gentleman farmer from Central, S.C. Craig, who left Green Bay last December, sporting a new wife, finds himself in a precarious position - like the Fond du Lac city clerk who discovered one morning at work that his job had been abolished the previous night. Squire Craig, a first cousin to Charles Atlas and a distant relative of Hercules, spent his last eight vacations from his rural chores playing the position of blocking quarterback for the Packers. He's often been called the deadliest blocker in the National league when he's right, and there aren't many afternoons when he's not right. One day last winter, Packer Coach Curly Lambeau revealed that the 1947 Packers will switch to the quick-opening formation (we call it the V) that dazzled the National league back in 1929, 1930 and 1931. This means that Green Bay's 1947 quarterback will be the likes of Sid Luckman or Bob Waterfield - at least the duties they perform. No longer will the lineup carry a  blocking quarterback like Mr. Craig. Technically, that leaves the honorable Larry out of a job; his office has been abolished. But Larry always had an eye to the future. He developed a sideline during those eight years, mastering the mechanics of defensive left end. Larry had the honor of trading positions with offensive left end Don Hutson when Packer opponents found it possible to wage offensive war. Craig was well-trained in his sideline because when he came to Green Bay as a great wingman for the University of South Carolina for three seasons under Rex Enright, former Notre Dame and Packer fullback. When Craig arrived, Lambeau took one look at those powerful shoulders, slim hips and deft legs and decided this kid could be a terrific blocker. Craig specialized as a blocker and rarely even touched the ball during a game. (He scored only one touchdown in eight years.) Now, with the block taken out of Green Bay's quarterbacks, Craig really isn't out of a job because the big boy, he's known as Superman, can still throw knee-crushing blocks from the left end position - offensive or defensively. And it should be a delightful experience for the talented veteran who's willing to try anything at his ripe old age - 32. Will Larry be back next year? Shortly after the Los Angeles game last December, Craig introduced his new wife in the lobby of the Astor hotel, chatted about his farm for several minutes and then remarked with a wink: "So long, see you next year." Now it escapes us whether he was winking at his wife or the writer.

COMMON DRAFT REFUSED BY NFL

JAN 19 (New York) - NFL club owners rejected a common draft with the rival All-America conference over the weekend without bringing the matter to a vote and then tabled San Francisco's application for a franchise for one year. Al Ennis, general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles, introduced the motion asking for a common draft but when there was no second, it died without a vote. Ennis, however, was given permission to speak in favor of the idea for five minutes. The plea for a common draft, under which the two major pro grid loops would cooperate in signing new talent instead of bidding against each other, originally was made by Alexis Thompson, wealthy young owner of the Eagles. He now is in Switzerland with the U.S. Olympic bobsled team. J. Rufus Klawans, president of the Pacific Coast Football league, presented the San Francisco bid. Bert Bell, commissioner of the league, said the application was tabled because the league "did not care to add an eleventh club at this time". He added that the San Francisco Clippers, however, were given a prior claim to the next franchise. At the start of the morning session, the owners gave up their 48-hour task of trying to formulate a 1948 schedule and told Bell to fix one. The program he draws up will be official and not be subject to change. The same thing happened last year.

PACKERS' HOME CARD TENTATIVELY SET; NEW YORK, WASHINGTON ARE VISITORS

JAN 21 (Green Bay) - If NFL Commissioner Bert Bell approves the 1948 schedule reclining in the upper right hand drawer of his desk in Philadelphia, the Green Bay Packers will salvage something like this: Six home games, including four with Western division teams and one each with the New York Giants and Washington Redskins of the Eastern division; and six road games, including visits to the four Western sector parks and Boston and Pittsburgh in the Eastern end. Dates, division of the six home games between Green Bay and Milwaukee and the particular opponents will be announced as soon as Bell puts his okay on the schedule as drafted by the league at its meetings in New York last week. George Strickler, aide to Coach Curly Lambeau, said that Bell may approve and release the schedule within two weeks...BEAR-PACKER GAME AS OPENER: Actually, there will be only one change from last year's terrific home card - New York instead of Pittsburgh. In the Packers' eastern swing, Boston will replace Philadelphia. The Eastern Champion Eagles will not be on the Packers' league schedule this year, taking the place of Boston, which was absent in 1947. Arrangements for three or four exhibition games are being made. A year ago the Packers played Boston, Pittsburgh, Washington and New York in exhibitions. Bell's chief difficulty in arranging the schedule rests in Chicago where the Bears and Cardinals each want six home games. The baseball Cubs and White Sox will not finish play until Oct. 3 and if one or the other are in the World Series the baseball season will run until Oct. 11. Also, the Los Angeles Rams must fit their games with Coliseum dates already set. At the league meetings, each club was asked to submit any special schedule requests. The Packers, represented by President Emil Fischer, Lambeau and Strickler, asked that the traditional Bear-Packer game launch the season in Green Bay. This request undoubtedly will be granted. Regarding other phases of the meeting, Strickler said that "George Marshall's (Washington owner) attack on the All Star game got no farther than the common draft. Lambeau is not in sympathy with Marshall's point because he considers the All Star game as not only a big boom to the National league but to football in general." Alexis Thompson's proposal for a common draft was foredoomed to failure. "After all, Thompson himself wasn't even around. He was in Switzerland bobsledding," Strickler said. The league appeared satisfied with the new setup in Detroit. Regarding former Detroit coach Gus Dorais, it was revealed that he was a "sick man - mentally and physically" during the season. His greatest shock was loss of his son in a drowning accident last summer. The present group represents home ownership, and its principal objective at present is to get Notre Dame's Frank Leahy as head football coach...FOOTBALLISMS: Joe Beauchamp, 23-year old Escanaban, will try out for the Packers next fall. Beauchamp, a lineman, played for St. Joseph High and later put in four years of grid action in the Navy. The last non-college gridder to make the Packers was back Cliff Aberson, who, before the 1947 season, decided on a baseball career even though his pro football future was extremely bright...Strickler will address the Wisconsin Society of Chicago on the Packers at the Bismarck hotel Thursday noon...The basis of the new NFL rule on clipping is that the officials must see it to call it. Previously, the officials often called clipping without actually seeing the offense. Fans are likely to see fewer long runs called back under the new rule, because under the old rule players faked a "clip reception" when they saw an opponent going for a touchdown.

1948PACKERS-JAN-PackersMatchYanks.jpg

PACKERS MATCH YANKS' OFFER FOR JUG GIRARD

JAN 22 (Green Bay) - Earl (Jug) Girard, the Marinette minor who becomes a 21-year old major next Sunday, today pondered his next course of action. The former University of Wisconsin halfback, who signed a contract with the Green Bay Packers Jan .12 at the tender age of 20 years, 11 months and 13 days, now is back in the thick of a contract battle between the Packers and the New York Yankees of the All-American conference. The Packer contract, according to law, is invalid and events over the weekend on the west coast, where Girard played in an All-Star game, led Girard to believe he could draw more money with the Yankees. Today, Girard is undecided on whether he should (1) reaffirm the Packer contract he signed two weeks ago and thereby back up his agreement made with the Packers and Coach Curly Lambeau; or (2) held out for more money from the Yankees. The latest development took place today when Mrs. Ann Girard, Jug's mother, told the writer that "Lambeau told Jug that he would match the Yankee offer in a telephone conversation from Los Angeles that night." The Yankee offer was reportedly $10,000 and a chance to play baseball. Mrs. Girard said that Yankee officials were to contract her son sometime today and that "Jug will give Lambeau an answer by phone tonight." Mrs. Girard said that the Badger star will make his own decision.  Ray Flaherty, coach of the New York Yankees, was reportedly on his way to Marinette this morning. Mrs. Girard indicated that her son will not sign until next Saturday, when he becomes 21 years of age. After Girard signed the Packer contract - on the North Western as it flew through Peshtigo - Mrs. Girard refused to countersign it when she was contacted by Jerry Clifford, Packer attorney, and Bob Conrad of the Packer staff the next day. Jug's father is not living. Mrs. Girard said, in a statement to the Associated Press Wednesday

1948PACKERS-1-21Girard2.jpg

afternoon, "I didn't even know he'd signed with the Packers until some Packer officials (Clifford and Conrad) came to the house last week and wanted me to sign the contract, too. It was very surprising because before he left for Los Angeles he told me he wasn't going to do a thing until he came back. I though probably he had signed in a hurry and I wanted to give him time to think about it, so I wouldn't sign. Saturday night he called me from Los Angeles and told me the Yankees had contacted him out there. He wanted to know if I had signed the Packer contract and was very pleased when I said I hadn't. He's going to make up his mind this weekend which team he'll sign up with and I hope he makes a good choice. It's up to him, though." George Strickler, assistant general manager of the Packers, had "no comment" today until he was able to clarify the matter with Lambeau and possibly Girard. Strickler was on a speaking engagement in Chicago this noon and was to return here tonight. Before leaving for Chicago Wednesday, Strickler said that "we advanced Girard some money so he wouldn't get stranded on the coast if that game Sunday blew up. We made arrangements for him to meet Lambeau at the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel on Wednesday, but he didn't keep his promise." The game, incidentally, drew less than 4,000 persons. Girard returned to Marinette early Wednesday. Strickler explained that Girard was contacted by Bo Molenda, Packer assistant coach, before the All-Star game and Molenda made arrangements for the meeting with Lambeau. As a bonus for signing, Girard was to be Lambeau's guest on the west coast for three weeks. Lambeau left immediately after the National league meetings in New York Sunday so that he could be with Girard...Meanwhile, the Packers are expecting today to receive a signed contract mailed from the west coast Wednesday by Fred Provo, University of Washington halfback. Provo, one of 11 backs drafted by the Packers, stands 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs 185 pounds. He was an all-coast halfback in 1946 and last season won the Flathery medal as the squad's "best" player. With Washington Provo played left halfback and quarterback in the T-formation. He led the Pacific coast in punt returns, bringing back four for touchdowns - one a 68-yarder against Minnesota. In his last season, Provo gained 307 yards in 64 attempts for a 4.7 average. As a passer, he pitched 46 times and completed 28 for 435 yards.

THE LATEST - GIRARD DECLARES HE'LL KEEP PROMISE TO JOIN PACKERS

JAN 22 (Marinette) - Earl (Jug) Girard, triple threat halfback from the University of Wisconsin, declared tonight he would reaffirm his contract with the Green Bay Packers when he turns 21. Girard, who had been offered $10,000 by the New York Yankees of the All-America Conference, signed a Packer contract about 10 days ago for a reported $8,000. However, he won't be 21 until Sunday, and his mother, Mrs. Ann Girard, has refused to countersign the contract. His father is dead. Girard said he had talked by phone with Curly Lambeau, coach of the Packers, now at Malibu, Calif., tonight and that either Lambeau or a Packer representative would be in Marinette Monday to complete the deal. Girard said the new Packer offer was "close to 10 grand." However, Coach Ray Flaherty of the Yankees remained in Marinette tonight and hope to confer again with Girard. The Yankee management controls both the All-America Conference football team and the American League baseball club. Girard is an infielder in baseball.

FLAHERTY LEAVES

JAN 23 (Marinette) - Coach Ray Flaherty of the New York Yankees left here this morning after an unsuccessful contract talk with Earl (Jug) Girard, former University of Wisconsin halfback. Girard said Thursday night he will reaffirm his contract with the Green Bay Packers.

INDIANA GUARD JOINS PACKERS; GIRARD STAYS

JAN 23 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packer office remained silent on the Earl (Jug) Girard situation today, but gave forth with some fairly hefty news - signing of Howard Brown, crack University of Indiana guard. Addition of Brown adds to the already sturdy line two of the outstanding guards in this year's graduating class. Larry Olsonoski, star of the Minnesota front wall and the East-West game last New Years' day, previously had waved aside lucrative offers from the All-America conference to cast his lot with Green Bay. The Packers obtained draft rights to Brown in 1945, but did not approach the stocky Dayton, O., product when it was discovered he had more eligibility at Indiana. Two hundred and fifty pounds, Brown is regarded by Western conference coaches as the best professional prospect ever turned out at Indiana. He has captained the Hoosiers for the last two seasons and both years was named their most valuable player. On each occasion he finished second in the balloting to select the winner of the most valuable player award in the Big Nine...RECEIVED PURPLE HEART: Brown began his collegiate career at Indiana in 1941 as a fullback. When injuries riddled the squad, however, he volunteered to play guard. Shortly after the 1942 season, he entered the infantry and fought through the European campaign, where he received the Purple Heart. He returned to Indiana a few days after the Hoosiers had defeated Michigan in 1945, but immediately took over his place in the line and played 52 minutes against Northwestern the following Saturday. He was named captain of the 1946 team after leading the Hoosiers to a championship in 1945. In 1946 he was named on the Football Coaches second All-American team, selected by the National Football Coaches association for the Saturday Evening Post, and re-elected captain in 1947...Girard put the damper on reports that he would go to the New York Yankees Thursday night when he declared at his home at Marinette that he would reaffirm his contract with the Packers when he turns 21 Sunday. Girard, who had been offered $10,000 by the Yankees of the All-America conference, signed a Packer contract about 10 days ago for a reported $8,000. However, Girard won't be 21 until Sunday and his mother, Mrs. Ann Girard, has refused to countersign the contract. His father is dead. Girard said he had talked with Packer Coach Curly Lambeau by long distance telephone to California Thursday night and that either Lambeau or a Packer representative would be in Marinette Sunday to complete the deal. Coach Ray Flaherty of the Yankees remained in Marinette Thursday night and hoped to confer again with Girard. Girard said the new Packer offer was "close to 10 grand." The Packer office had " no comment" today.

RENNEBOHM ON PACKER ROSTER

JAN 24 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers are now six steps ahead of their 1947 pace. A year ago this very date, the Packers had announced nary a signed player. Today, the Packers had six signatures belonging to promising rookies. The latest script arrived this morning and it was palmered by Bob Rennebohm, University of Wisconsin end and a 1948 Packer draft choice. Signing of Rennebohn, a former La Crosse High school star, gives the Packers three Badgers. Besides Jug Girard and Rennebohm, there is Ralph Davis, a guard on last year's eleven. Girard, incidentally, has announced his intention of sticking to his original agreement with Lambeau by reaffirming his contract on Monday, the day after he reaches his majority...LETTERED AT MICHIGAN: Rennebohm, six feet and 195 pounds, earned three letters in football, two at Wisconsin and one at Michigan, where he was stationed one season while in service. He was named All-Conference end in 1946 and 1947 and both years received honorable mention on several prominent All-American selections. He was invited to play with the East team in the 1948 Shrine game, and also the North-South game, but rejected both offers because of previous business commitments. His outstanding all-around performance came in the Northwestern game last fall, when he captained the Badgers to a 29 to 0 triumph. But he is best remembered for his 60 yard return of the opening kickoff against Yale last fall, when the Badgers upset the Eli, 9 to 0. At Michigan he played end on the Wolverines' Big Nine championship eleven in 1943, while a V-12 student at Ann Arbor. From Michigan, he went to the Hawaiian Islands, where he served as a second lieutenant in the Marines. Generally contract conferences are not called until spring or ground graduation time, but Coach Curly Lambeau has ordered the tempo stepped up this year in an attempt to complete the makeup of his 1948 personnel before it is time to deal with all the detail chores of preparing for training. Contract business is not the only portion of Packer operation that has been accelerated under the new policy. The ticket office in the Legion building has been open daily since the Packers' last home appearance here against Detroit on Oct. 26 to handle season ticket applications and Ticket Manager Carl Mraz reports several hundred new season subscribers have been added to the books in recent weeks. Much of this new business had been gifts purchased by people who have solved their shopping problems by buying Packer season tickets for every occasion, including wedding anniversaries, birthdays and Valentines.

GIRARD SIGNS FIRST CONTRACT

JAN 26 (Green Bay) - Earl (Jug) Girard, former University of Wisconsin halfback, today signed to play professional football with the Green Bay Packers. Announcement of the signing was made in Marinette, Girard's home, by Assistant General Manager George Strickler, who said Girard had "reaffirmed his original contract with the Packers." The former Badger triple-threat star had signed with Packer Coach Curly Lambeau about two weeks ago for a reported $8,000, but had not reached 21 at the time and his mother, Mrs. Ann Girard, declined to countersign the document. "I have decided to reaffirm my original contract with the Packers," Girard explained, "because I don't want to go back on my word on the first contract I ever signed."...KEEPS HIS PROMISE: "I feel that I have many years of professional football ahead of me, and I want to spend them with the Packers. I gave my word to Mr. Lambeau, and I feel I owe it to him to keep my promise." Exact terms of the contract were not revealed, but at the time Girard signed originally, while aboard a train between Marinette and Green Bay, it was believed that Lambeau offered him $8,000 for the first year. Girard, who became 21 Saturday, hesitated all last week between the Packers and the New York Yankees of the All-America conference, with reported offers going as high as $10,000. Draft rights to the youth were held by both clubs. Bidding for the Marinette speedster's services started at about $7,500, an offer by the Packers which was matched by the Yankees. The $8,000 figure, reportedly the amount Girard signed for with Lambeau on the train, followed, and Girard continued to the West coast to appear in an advertised "All-Star" football game...SIGNED AT HOTEL: During his absence, his mother, Mrs. Ann Girard, revealed she was contacted by Packer officials, who wished her to countersign the document. She refused, she said because she "didn't think Jug had had time to make up his mind." A week ago, she said, her son called her from the coast and told her he had been offered $10,000 and a baseball contract by the New York club, which also controls the Yankees of the American League. He was "very glad", she said, when she told him she hadn't countersigned the Packer contract. Last week, Lambeau telephoned the ex-Badger star, who withdrew from school shortly after the end of the 1947 football season, and offered to match the Yankee offer, according to Mrs. Girard. "But I told Jug to think about it during the week, until he was 21 and could sign for himself," Mrs. Girard said. The final contract was signed at a Marinette hotel, with Strickler representing the Packers.

FANS READY TO TAKE UP SLACK - SO PACKERS NEEDN'T WORRY ABOUT INTEREST

JAN 28 (Milwaukee Sentinel-Lloyd Larson) - "Say what you want about me, but be sure to say SOMETHING and don't forget to spell the name correctly," once said a publicity wiseman who lived by, if not for the public. "When folks stop talking about me it will be time to start worrying, for then I'll know they are no longer interested," he added. Applying that thinking to a corporate body, the Green Bay Packers need not be concerned about their future. They get their share of publicity through legitimate news stories, such as the recent series leading up to the formal signing of a popular figure like Jug Girard, recent Wisconsin star. In season and out, as the news sources runs dry on occasions, the fans always are ready to take up the slack by word of mouth. They second guess; they ask questions by the hundreds; they spread rumors. And in so doing, whether they realize it or not, they are proving beyond all doubt their interest in the Packers - interest which enabled the Packers to grow into something of a state institution and hold their own with teams representing the nation's largest cities. The rumors, numerous and varied! Occasionally with some foundation - the last season story about Curly Lambeau's switch to Los Angeles, for instance. Insiders around the National League will tell you it wasn't a pipe dream at the time, despite vigorous denials by the pooh-pooh crowd. Now, of course, there is no doubt about it. Lambeau, an institution in himself, will stay at Green Bay, where he belongs...PACKER PRESIDENT GIVES HIS ANSWERS: Typifying the without-foundation brand was an old one about Lambeau owning the franchise personally and, therefore, having the Packer corporation and all Green Bay at his mercy. That was kicked around for a lone time before it was nailed down by conclusive proof that the valuable franchise is corporation property. Well, the rumor mill still is going strong. So I decided to toss some of the choice numbers into the lap of Emil R. Fischer, Packer president and a man in position to know exactly what's going in. Not only did he answer all questions put to him directly, but also expressed willingness to go on record. So here goes: Question No. 1 (to clear up Lambeau's status once and for all): "Do you say, without qualification, that Curly will coach the Packers in 1948?" Fischer's answer: "Yes, without qualification." Q. 2 - "Will the Packers move to Milwaukee? If not, have such plans been discussed at any time?" A. - "The Packers, as a state team, will continue to play part of their games in Green Bay and part in Milwaukee, the games and the dates depending upon the schedule drawn up by the Commissioner of the National league."

Q. 3 - "Is the Packer corporation considering any offer for its National League franchise? If so, is it a city represented in the rival All-America Conference?" A. - "NO. Nor has it." Q. 4 - "Are the Packers planning to enlarge City Stadium at Green Bay? If so, when and to what extent?" A. - "Plans already have been drafted, but are being held in abeyance pending greater stabilization of construction costs. Plans also are considered for enlargement and improvement of facilities at Milwaukee." Q. 5 - "Is Lambeau's status that of a stockholder as well as paid employee working under contract? Is the Packer Corporation a non-profit organization?" A. - "Yes, Lambeau's status is that of a stockholder and also a paid employee. Yes, the Packer corporation is a non-profit organization." There you have it, fans: The Packer story will continue to be the tale of two cities (in Wisconsin) and the original idea man (Lambeau). And definite expansion plans are in the making. To President Fischer: Sincere thanks.

JOHNNY BLOOD GETTING ROOM, BOARD, LAUNDRY FOR $6.30 A WEEK

FEB 4 (Guam) - Yes, the Vagabond Halfback is on Guam. Surprising? It shouldn't be when one considers all the aspects. First of all, one should not register surprise at seeing Johnny Blood anyplace on the globe. He's been practically everywhere and has done practically everything. But on the other hand, Guam is now the crossroads of the Pacific, where you don't think anything of "running into" your former neighbor down on Marine drive or one of the spacious beaches. No, the Green Bay Packer great was not original in his venture to Guam. But the proverbial Riley has nothing on the life Johnny is enjoying. Guam harbors every type of character and personality and entertains with every mode of activity. There are derelicts, refugees from almost every state penitentiary in the Union, convicts, parolees, racketeers, hayseed businessmen, roly-poly-live-for-the-duty storekeepers, big dealing merchants, a busy U.S. Navy and Army, scurrying junior officers linked with the naval government and the dignity of the admirals and generals - a weird character contrast. Then there are frequent killings, knife fights, beer brawls, illicit acts against nature, but more on the enlightening side, the nightly cocktail and formal parties and croquet games for the hoy-poloy - a contrast in entertainment. But who do you think is on the other side of the island, taking it all in, leaning over a can of beer and puffing a casual cigarette - it's a calm, once-hell-raiser John McNally, better known as Johnny Blood. The former wily halfback is now recreation manager for the Brown-Pacific-Maxon contractors, in charge of the island's civilian recreation area. He has in his charge the only swimming pool on the island, clubs for families, bachelors, couples and a snack shack. All this is laid out on spacious Camp Ethridge site with a half-mile long beach on the blue Pacific. All buildings and the pool are overhung by palm and coconut trees, symbolic of the fictional tropical island paradise. Johnny has been instrumental in life saving out along the reefs surrounding his area. One Sunday night alone, he fished in five helpless, half drowned swimmers. He uses the war famous amphibious "duck" for these maneuvers. Last September, the Vagabond was asked about the Packers chance for the upcoming season. With little hesitation, he came out with, "Oh, they should finish third in the Western division and fifth in the league. The Cards should take the title," he added. Every Tuesday (we're ahead out here), Johnny would call the sports department for all the scores of the National league. 

4-INCH AERIAL? 'TWAS NEARLY 2

FEB 5 (Green Bay) - The City Stadium pressbox on the Sunday afternoon of Oct. 18, 1942 has started to cool off. Green Bay's Packers, behind 21-17 at halftime, held a 31-21 lead over the Cleveland Rams in the fourth quarter, and the scribes settled back to enjoy their coke and brew and hot dogs. Finally, the Packers reached what looked like the Cleveland one-foot line - second down. Somebody yelled, "How close is it?" Somebody answered, "Close enough!" Somebody else answered, "Oh, about 4 inches." Most of the writers jotted "1 foot" down on their pads until the play started to unfold - and then, surprise, Cecil Isbell started back to pass with pay dirt only a Fritsch-foot away. Don Hutson did his patented fake dance and then scooted into the end zone. Isbell pitched and Hutson made a stretch catch for a TD. "How close was that?" everybody seemed to yell. The answer was "four inches - I told you before." And so, kiddies, the shortest pass on record went into the NFL books, and Packer Coach Curly Lambeay grew a shade whiter...CHARLEY BROCK SHOULD KNOW: The thing has been eating this writer for many a moon because the pressbox estimate was only a wild guess. Only one man actually would have noticed the nearly exact distance the ball was away from the goal line. It was the center - Charley Brock. Contacted by mail this week: "I would say that on that particular play the ball was from 2 to 3 inches from the goal line at the most. The tip of the ball was almost touching the white line." According to Charley's testimony, the ball must have been no closer than two inches - which should be about the distance between almost touching and touching. Incidentally, NFL rules describe a touchdown as "the situation in which any part of the ball, legally in possession of a player inbounds, is on, above or beyond the opponents' goal line, provided it is not a touchback."...STRANGE FOOTBALL THAT DAY: Now that you're nearly convinced that the shortest touchdown pass ever thrown is two inches, so what. Nothing, except that it might furnish fuel for argument someday when you hear your grandchildren discussing that "four inch pass back in 1942". Then you can say, "Young man, that record book is wrong: Charley Brock, who centered the ball, says it was only two inches." Probably the strangest thing about the whole business is that the Packers tried a pass in that position. Maybe it was deception but, off the record, that isn't the way we heard it because Lambeau doesn't gamble with a touchdown only two inches away and the Green Bays in front. The fans saw some strange football that day. The Rams were leading, 21-17, early in the third period and the Packers were in possession on their own 39, third down and only one yard to go for a first down. Did our boys try a plunge. Nope, Isbell attempted a pass, and, by golly, it was incomplete. So the Packers had to punt...FIRST LOOK AT JACOBS: Lambeau got his first look at Indian Jack Jacobs that day and he must have liked what he saw because last winter Jacobs came to the Packers in a trade for Bob Nussbaumer. Playing under the brilliant Parker Hall, Jacobs entered the game for the last play of the first quarter and pitched an eight-yard pass. On the very next play, Jacobs threw to Dante Magnani for a touchdown, the maneuver covering 67 yards. Jacobs got his hands on the ball one other time and ran 11 yards around the Packer right end. After Hall retired late in the game, Jacobs pegged to Jim Hightower for 19 yards and Magnani for 18 and 15 before Brock intercepted one just before the gun.

BRUCE SMITH IS CONSIDERING GOPHER COACHING POST OFFER

FEB 5 (Green Bay) - The University of Minnesota has made Bruce Smith, Green Bay Packer halfback, a "good offer" to serve as assistant coach next fall, Smith informed the Press-Gazette sports department from his home in Northfield, Minn., today. Mentioned in Minneapolis papers Wednesday as a successor to Dallas Ward, who recently signed at Colorado University, Smith said he will see Minnesota Head Coach Bernie Bierman Friday. Smith added in his wire: "After last season I don't expect Coach Lambeau (Packer coach) to send the contract I want. I want to hear from him before I decide." Smith played three years at left halfback for the Packers after a brilliant career at Minnesota and Great Lakes. He played great defensive ball for the Bays and averaged six yards per try on offense.

BRUCE SMITH, BIERMAN TALK IN MINNEAPOLIS

FEB 6 (Green Bay) - Green Bay Packer halfback Bruce Smith and Bernie Bierman, head football coach at the University of Minnesota, were to meet in Minneapolis today. Bierman and his former All-American back were scheduled to discuss a "good offer" Smith had received from Minnesota to serve as assistant coach next fall. Smith would replace Dallas Ward, who signed recently to coach at Colorado University. In a wire to Art Daley, sport editor of the Press-Gazette, Smith said he wanted to hear from Packer Coach Curly Lambeau "before I decide." He also said that "after last season I don't expect Curly to send the contract I want." There was no official comment from the Packer office today, although Smith's contract business probably will proceed in the near future. Lambeau is at his home on the west coast, and George Strickler, assistant general manager, is on a player signing tour of the south and southwest. In Minneapolis Thursday night, Bierman said he had nothing to say regarding the conference with Smith, adding he would have "nothing to say until there is something to talk about." Smith, contacted by the Associated Press Thursday night, confirmed that he had a meeting with Bierman today.

SMITH ANSWER WITHIN WEEK

FEB 7 (Green Bay) - The Bruce Smith-Green Bay Packer- University of Minnesota situation was at a standstill today. The Packer left halfback, contacted by the writer at his home in Northfield, Minn., this morning, said he had "a nice chat with Bernie (Bierman, Minnesota head coach) in Minneapolis Friday but we came to no agreement. I will not make a decision until I get in touch with Curly (Lambeau, Packer head coach) in regard to next season's contract." Smith, an all-time All-American from Minnesota under Bierman in 1941, said he hoped the matter would be decided one way or the other next week. Honest as the day is long, Smith, in explaining his wire to the writer Thursday, said that "I didn't think Curly would want me back after my performance last season." Smith had stated in his wire that "after last season I don't expect Curly to send the contract I want."...WILL BE 28 SUNDAY: Regarding a possible conference with Lambeau, Smith said that "Curly wired me to call him in Los Angeles Thursday night but nobody answered the phone at his home there. I got another wire to call him over the weekend." Smith, who will be 28 years of age Sunday, plans to meet with Bierman sometime next week, probably after he chats with Lambeau. The Associated Press, contacting Bierman in Minneapolis, quoted him as saying, "I have nothing to say about the matter." Bierman is without the power to hire Smith "if I wanted him." He can make recommendations to Athletics Director Frank McCormick, who, in turn, must submit appointments to the board of regents for approval. The university is seeking someone to take the place of Dallas Ward, who last week signed as head football coach at Colorado university. Win Brockmeyer, outstanding prep coach at Wausau, had been contacted for the job several years ago. Recently, Brockmeyer turned down an opportunity to serve as backfield coach at Wisconsin...KEY DEFENSIVE BACK: Regarding Smith's 1947 performance with the Packers, pro football observers readily will admit that the former Gopher star had a good season - one that would warrant his returning next fall. Smith was the Packers' key defensive left halfback - playing opposite Bob Forte. The Packers' defense - 3,396 yards in 12 games by passing and rushing - was tops in the league and so was their yardage permitted by passing, 1,790. Smith was injured in the Detroit game here and missed the Packers' next two games - an 18-17 loss to Pittsburgh and a 20-17 decision to the Bears. Because of his importance on defense, Smith was used little on offense, though he finished with a 6-yard average in 35 tries. Against Washington in Milwaukee, he ran 45, 66 and 68 yards for touchdowns but two of the runs were called back.

1948PACKERS-FEB-BearsDetroitRamsHomeOpponents.jpg

BEARS, DETROIT, LOS ANGELES PACKER OPPONENTS AT CITY STADIUM NEXT FALL

FEB 9 (Green Bay) - This is it - the Green Bay Packers' home opponents for the NFL's 29th championship season. The Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams will be the Packer foes at City stadium, while the Chicago Cardinals, Washington Redskins and New York Giants will provide the Bay opposition in Milwaukee next fall. Coach Curly Lambeau, in a long distance telephone conversation with the writer from California Sunday, said he could not announce dates of the games except the traditional Bear game which will be played Sunday afternoon, Sept. 26. The Packers' league road games will be announced by the cities in which they are to be played...GAMES "IN OCTOBER": However, he explained, the Packers' games with Detroit 

1948PACKERS-FEB-ProbableHomeSchedule.jpg

and Los Angeles will be played "during October". He added that the games in Milwaukee also will be played at an early date - similar to the 1947 setup in which all of the club's six home games were completed Nov. 2. Lambeau added that "we'll finish on the road like last year." A year ago, the Packers played the Bears, Rams, Cardinals, Washington, Detroit and Pittsburgh on consecutive Sundays in Green Bay and Milwaukee and then hit the road for games with the Bears, Cardinals, Giants, Rams, Lions and Philadelphia Eagles...PLAY IN MINNEAPOLIS?: The 1948 schedule will be similar to last year's card in that the Packers will play two games with each of their Western division opponents and single games with four of the five Eastern division opponents - making a total of 12 games. Since Boston was "off" the Packers' schedule last season and the Packers are booked with Washington and New York in Milwaukee, the Packers' fourth Eastern loop foe will be Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. Three exhibition games are planned, Lambeau said, but only one has been definitely set - Pittsburgh in Milwaukee Sunday, Sept. 11. The Packers and Giants, who will train again at Superior, Wis., probably will meet in an exhibition Sunday, Aug. 29. Lambeau said that Minneapolis has been attempting to schedule the game there. The Packer-Giant exhibition, sponsored by the Green Bay American Legion post, opened the 1947 season here last Aug. 28...EARLIER START POSSIBLE: The third exhibition would send the Packers against Washington in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday night, Sept. 11. Lambeau indicated that only three exhibition games will be played this year as against four a year ago - New York, Pittsburgh, Boston and Washington. This leaves the possibility that the NFL season may start a week earlier, although the Bear-Packer game will be Green Bay's first home game. If the season is started a week earlier, the Packers probably will open on the road - possibly in an Eastern city...PACKERISMS: The Packer-Bear game will mark Johnny Lujack's debut in professional football. The Notre Dame star reportedly will understudy Sid Luckman on offense and play a defensive role..The Detroit Lions will be the new Detroit Lions next fall, what with the club operating under new ownership. The team at present is without a coach to succeed Gus Dorais. One thing is certain - Bill Dudley will be back...The Los Angeles Rams, 1947 championship co-favorites along with the Cardinals, should be tougher than ever next fall. Bob Waterfield, Jim Benton and Snake Matheson will all be back...There is no new word on the Bruce Smith situation today. Smith, offered an assistant coaching job with Minnesota, must make up his mind between the Packer and Minnesota. He received an offer from Lambeau over the weekend and likely will give his decision this week after another conference with Minnesota coach Bernie Bierman.

CARL MULLENEAUX NEW LINE COACH AT ARIZONA

FEB 9 (Tucson) - Carl K. Mulleneaux, line coach for St. Louis university football team last year, has been appointed line coach and an assistant professor of physical education at the University of Arizona, it was announced yesterday. Mulleneaux, former end with the Green Bay Packers, replaced Vaughn Corley, now head football coach at New Mexico A&M.

CONFIRM DATES FOR 3 PACKER HOME CONTESTS

FEB 10 (Green Bay) - Three of the six Green Bay Packer home dates have been confirmed, it was learned today. The date for the Chicago Bear game at City stadium is Sept. 26, according to Packer Coach Curly Lambeau's announcement Sunday. Detroit and Washington, which released their schedules today, list visits to Wisconsin territory as follows: Detroit at Green Bay Oct. 3; Washington at Milwaukee Oct. 24. Unconfirmed dates will have the Chicago Cardinals in Milwaukee Oct. 10; the Los Angeles Rams at Green Bay Oct. 17; and New York at Milwaukee Nov. 21. The Packers' home schedule, with dates, was published by a Milwaukee newspaper Monday, quoting the National league office in Philadelphia. However, the league office said that it had given out no information as to any dates. Coach Lambeau, reached by telephone in California today, said that the only official dates are those for the Bear, Detroit and Washington games. The others "must be confirmed by the visiting clubs before they can be announced," he explained. Official announcement of the Packers' exhibition with the Washington Redskins in Birmingham, Ala., was made by the Junior Chamber of Commerce there today. The game will played Sept. 11. Net proceeds will go to the child's hospital there. Another exhibition will send the Packers against Pittsburgh in Milwaukee Sept. 5. Another exhibition for Aug. 29 still is in the tentative stage. Minneapolis is attempting to obtain a game for that date between the Packers and New York Giants who will train at Superior. Benefit games, sponsored by the Green Bay Legion post, were held by the Packers during the last week in August the last two years. Regarding the Bruce Smith situation, Lambeau said that "we expect to have Bruce back with us next season." Smith last week was offered an assistant coaching job with the University of Minnesota. Lambeau said he talked with Smith by telephone Monday night and added that "I'm hoping that he plays with us this season. But, of course, any public announcement as to whether he will must come from Smith himself." The Packer coach said he was "confident that Smith would return." He pointed out that Smith was under the impression that he didn't do a good job last year. "I assured him that he did under the circumstances - injuries." Lambeau added.

LEGION EYES PACK CONTEST

FEB 11 (Green Bay) - Sullivan-Wallen post No. 11, American Legion, is definitely interested in sponsoring some type of exhibition involving the Green Bay Packers at City stadium early next fall. This was learned today from Legion Commander Warren Spofford, following a meeting of the post Tuesday night. A committee will be selected, Spofford said, to contact Packer Coach Curly Lambeau for information as to sponsorship of what would be the third annual game. The Legion post backed the Packer Army-Navy All-Star game at City stadium in 1946 and the Packer-New York Giant exhibition in 1947. The Packers have lined up three exhibition games thus far but one still is in the tentative stage - between the Packers and Giants in Minneapolis Aug. 28. The Legion games here the last two years were played late in August. Other exhibitions will send the Packers against Washington in Birmingham, Ala., Sept.. 11, and against Pittsburgh in Milwaukee Sept. 5...Other Packers news came from Northfield, Minn., where halfback Bruce Smith, former University of Minnesota star, stated he would probably decide late this week whether to play football again next fall with the Packers or join the Minnesota coaching staff. Smith talked with Bernie Bierman, Minnesota head coach last week, and Tuesday received an offer from Lambeau for next fall. The defensive ace said, "I want to talk it over once more with Bernie before I decide." He added that he had an appointment with the Minnesota coach Friday morning and probably would have something to say that afternoon. Smith admitted that he still is "very much on the fence." Lambeau stated in California Tuesday that "we expect to have Smith play with us next fall." If Smith decided on coaching, he will fill the Minnesota staff vacancy created by the resignation of Dallas Ward to become head coach at Colorado university.

SMITH DECIDES ON PLAYING WITH PACKERS

FEB 14 (Green Bay) - Bruce Smith, who turned 28 years of age last Sunday, will return to the Green Bay Packers next fall - his fourth season in professional football. The former University of Minnesota All-American said at his home in Northfield, Minn., Friday night that "I'll ink my Packer contract as soon as it comes in the mail." Smith made his decision following a second conference with his former coach, Bernie Bierman, Friday morning.

SMITH SAYS HE COULDN'T AFFORD TO TURN DOWN PACKER OFFER

FEB 16 (Minneapolis) - Bruce Smith was back in the Green Bay Packer fold today after announcing here Saturday he "couldn't afford to turn down" the contract with the NFL team. Smith, a former Minnesota star, had been considered for a vacancy on the Gopher coaching staff. He had a final conference with Minnesota Coach Bernie Bierman Saturday. Later, he announced, "I'll be playing pro football with the Green Bay Packers again next season. I had no difference of opinion with Bernie, but I couldn't afford to turn down the contract with the Packers. It was too good." Smith did not disclose the contract terms.

1948PACKERS-FEB-PackerYardageCount.jpg

PACKER YARDAGE COUNT SOARS WITH WINGED-T

FEB 17 (Green Bay) - Stout Steve Owen of the New York football Giants believes Curly Lambeau invented the winged-T. Owen, who will use the T with wings this year because of an abundance of promising material, adds: "Time was back in 1929. The Green Bay Packer quarterback was Red Dunn. He couldn't run. But he was a great passer. Curly installed his new Winged-T offense to capitalize on Dunn's wonderful passing. The Packers, so armed, mowed down the opposition to win National league championships in 1929-30-31." Lambeau quit the Winged-T when Dunn finished his pro career. Successor Arnie Herber could pass like Dunn but he couldn't maneuver under the cent4er like the Red Head. Lambeau made up his mind after the 1946 season to revive the Winged-T. It was called the V-formation for the ink flavor since the position of three of the backs (the fourth was a wing) was shaped like a "V". To get another Dunn for quarterback of the 1947 T-Winged Packers, Lambeau traded speedy halfback Bob Nussbaumer to Washington for Jack Jacobs, a clever ball handler and sharp passer. Though the Packers didn't win the championship (they lost four games by nine points), the Winged-T is rapidly catching on around the country as a possible successor to the T-formation as used by the Chicago Bears, Cardinals and scored of other clubs. The Giants' Mr. Owen always liked the Winged-T but never had the material to run it (Governali, Conerly and Minisi) until this year. Lou Little has had considerable success with the formation at Columbia which last fall snapped Army's great winning streak. One the basis of complete Packer statistics for the 1947 season, Monsieur Lambeau and followers (including Owen and Little) may have something in the Winged-T. The 1947 Packers, Green Bay's 29th club, playing the same opponents as in 1946 but finding the opposition greatly improved. gained 48 percent more yards and increased their point making 74 percent over 1946. Statistically, passing provded the major portion of the increases, but the Packers also did better on the ground, averaging 1.1 yards more per rush than the previous season. Led by veteran Tony Canadeo and Walt Schlinkman, who between them accounted for more than 900 yards, the Packers rushed to 2,149 yards in 510 attempts, an average of 4.2 yards per attempt. A year ago, with virtually the same personnel and against inferior opposition, the offense netted only 1,765 yards in 560 runs. Canadeo led the Packer ball carriers with 464 yards in 103 attempts, 25 more than Schlinkman contributed in 114 attempts. Jacobs threw all but eight of the Packers' passes, completing 108 of 242 attempts for an average of ,446 and 1,615 yards. Operating from the quarterback spot, he threw 16 touchdown passes and had only 17 of his attempts intercepted. Eleven of these interceptions came in two games, five against New York and six in the season finale at Philadelphia. His favorite target was Nolan Luhn, the Tulsa radio executive, who caught 42 for 696 yards and seven touchdowns to lead the club in every department of receiving. Dr. Clyde Goodnight was second with thirty-eight receptions, good for 593 yards and six scores, including the Packers' longest effort of the year, a 69-yard pass from Jacobs for a touchdown against Pittsburgh at Milwaukee. Canadeo 

1948PACKERS-FEB-PackerYardageCount2.jpg

also led the teams in kickoff returns, handling 15, but little Ed Cody, the rookie fullback from Purdue, was the most effective in this department, bringing back 10 for an average of 26.9 yards. Bob Forte, one of the outstanding defensive backs in football, set the pace in interceptions, snaring nine enemy tosses and returning them for 140 yards, including one for 68 yards and a touchdown against Washington. Ted Fritsch, the veteran who led the league in scoring in 1946 but ran into an off-year last year, retained a modicum of his former prestige by again leading the team in scoring. He rushed over six touchdowns and kicked six field goals, including several over 44 yards. Two extra points brought Fritsch's total points for the year to 56 in 12 games.

ARBITRATION IN NFL CONTRACTS INVALID IN STATE

FEB 17 (Green Bay) - Arbitration clauses in player contracts of the NFL are invalid in Wisconsin, Circuit Judge E.M. Duquaine ruled in a decision filed today. The ruling was in the suit of Charles Tollefson against Green Bay Packers, Inc. Tollefson, a guard, was released after three scheduled games in the 1946 season, in two of which he had played. He sued for $2,700 which he claims is due him on his minimum guarantee for the year. Counsel for the Packer club asked dismissal of the suit on the ground that the player contract provides: "In case of dispute between the player and the club, the same shall be referred to the commissioner of the National league, and his decision shall be accepted by all parties as final." Judge Duquaine quotes common law on the subject: "A general agreement to submit to final determination by arbitrators any and all disputes that may thereafter arise under the contract is voidable at will by either party, because of the rule that private persons cannot, by a contract to arbitrate, oust the jurisdiction of the legally constituted courts." A specific Wisconsin statute legalizing such arbitration clauses does not apply to contracts between employer and employee, except in cases handled by the state employment relations board, Judge Duquaine pointed out, and so the common law rule applies. "Plaintiff is entitled to summary judgment, unless defendant elects to demur or answer on the merits, in which case defendant will have 20 days from service of an order based hereon in which to plead." the opinion concludes. Attorney G.F. Clifford, counsel for the club, was reported out of the city today, so the next step has not been decided. Tollefson had asked summary judgment in his favor. He claimed he had telephoned the officer of the commissioner of the NFL before starting the action and had received neither information on how to proceed to procure a hearing, nor satisfaction on his claim. For nine months before the motion for summary judgment, no steps had been taken by the club to submit Tollefson's claim to arbitration by the commissioner, the plaintiff alleges.

PREPARE TO TRY TOLLEFSON CASE

FEB 18 (Green Bay) - Preparations will be made immediately for trying the suit of Charles Tollefson vs. Green Bay Packers, Inc., on its merits, G.F. Clifford, attorney for the club, stated on his return to the city from a business trip. In an opinion filed Tuesday, Circuit Judge E.M. Duquaine denied the club's claim that, under Tollefson's contract, any dispute had to be settled by arbitration with the commission of the NFL as arbitrator. Such a clause is invalid in Wisconsin between and employer and an employee, Judge Duquaine held. The court held that Tollefson is entitled to summary judgment, "unless defendant elects to demur or answer on the merits." The club was given 20 days to file an answer after service of an order based on the court's ruling. Charles Hanaway, attorney for Tollefson, said that such an order was being prepared Wednesday. He expressed confidence that the player's claim for $2,700 would be upheld. The amount, according to Tollefson, represents the unpaid balance of a $3,600 minimum which he alleges was promised to him at the start of the 1946 season, and made a part of his contract. Clifford said Tollefson was released "because he did not have the capacity to play professional football of the caliber required by the Green Bay Packers." He denied that under the circumstances Tollefson is entitled to $2,700.

'WANT IN' THE PRO GRID BIZZ; $28,031 IS JUST A MINOR ITEM

FEB 18 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers, Inc., dished out $28,031.92 to give City stadium its annual overhauling last fall. And before you surrender to any whimsical urge to enter the "lucrative" professional football field - other than as a season ticket holder - let us point out that the $28,000-odd is just a minor item. Add to this amount a sum slightly in excess of $3,000 - the cost of erecting and maintaining the practice gridirons at Rockwood lodge - and you get a fairly good idea of what it takes to operate a football team these days. But you still want a pro team? Don't forget to count in your insurance on the stadium, and a score or two of such relatively unimportant items as uniforms, hotel bills (which include meals on the road and in some places meals come to $6.50 per head), railroad bills (first class athletes on handcars), etc. etc. Then there are salaries. Yes, professional football is a fascinating business; but you'll enjoy it more as a season ticket holder than you will as an owner. Incidentally, City stadium is recognized without a dissenting vote throughout professional football as the best park in which to watch a game. The seat farthest away from the gridiron, by actual measurement, is closer to the field of play than the 50-yard line pews in nearly every other park in which professional football is played. Work on the stadium and at Rockwood is under the direction of the Packers ground committee, a subcommittee of the executive committee, of which Fred Leicht is chairman and H.J. Bero and General Manager Curly Lambeau are members. To keep the wooden stands in perfect condition, it is necessary to go over the entire stadium each year, checking every plank and support. Under the supervision of Leicht and Bero last summer, all the supports were reanchored in concrete above the ground to forestall decay. Warped and worn floor planking was replaced and seats were refinished - all to the tune of $28,031.92.

LAMBEAU IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR LOS ANGELES JOB

FEB 19 (Los Angeles) - Curly Lambeau of the Green Bay Packers was among the men considered for the job of coaching the Los Angeles Dons, a Dons spokesman said late yesterday. Club spokesman Frank Clement did not say, however, that Lambeau had applied for the post. The Dons are in the All-America conference while the Packers are in the NFL. Lambeau has frequently declared he has no intention of leaving the Packers, with whom he has been associated since their start.

CANADEO THIRD AMONG NFL SOIL GAINERS

FEB 19 (Philadelphia) - Steve Van Buren, described by his coach as the hardest-hitting back since Bronko Nagurski, established a new NFL ground gaining record in 1947. Official NFL statistics released today by Commissioner Bert Bell showed that Van Buren gained 1,003 yards to best by four the 13-year-old loop record established in 1934 by Beattie Feathers of the Chicago Bears, who picked up 1,004 yards in 117 ball carrying thrusts for an average of 8.5 yards per try. It took Van Buren, halfback for the Eastern division champion Philadelphia Eagles, 217 cracks at the line to carve his record-breaking performance. His average gain was 4.6 yards. The Los Angeles Rams, fourth placers in the five-club Western division, had the best record in ground gaining among the teams. The Rams led the circuit in total yards gained (2,171), long gain (92) and average (4.7). Green Bay's Packers, the 1946 rushing titlists, were second with a total of 2,149 yards. The Packers took 510 cracks at the line, highest in the league. The Packers landed two individuals, Tony Canadeo and Walt Schlinkman, among the top 10 leading ground gainers in the circuit. Canadeo wound up third with 464 yards in 103 attempts for a 4.5 average, scoring two touchdowns and making 35 yards for his longest gain. Schlinkman was fifth with 439 yards on 115 attempts for a 3.8 average. He scored two touchdowns and made 20 yards for his longest gain.

LUHN FOURTH IN NFL RECEIVING

FEB 23 (Philadelphia) - James Patrick Keane, Chicago Bears end, was Mr. Pass Receiver in 1947 in the NFL. Keane, a former star at Iowa, celebrated his second year in pro football by pulling in 64 aerials for 910 yards, an average of 14.2 yards, the NFL announced today. Ten of the passes caught by Keane last season went for touchdowns. In 1947 he snared only 14 passes for 331 yards to finish in 21st position among the league's receivers. Bob Nussbaumer, of the Washington Redskins, who finished 35th in 1946 while playing with Green Bay, gained the runnerup spot last year with 47 passes caught 597 yards. Mal Kutner of the Chicago Cards moved up from fifth spot in 1946 to third last season, catching 43 passes for 944 yards. His yards gained record was tops in that department in that league last season. Nolan Luhn of Green Bay, 18th in 1946, moved up to fourth last season, while his teammate, Clyde Goodnight, boosted his position from 17th to seventh. Luhn caught 42 for 696 yards and seven touchdowns.

HARDER CAPTURES SCORING HONORS

FEB 25 (Philadelphia) - Marlin (Pat) Harder, the Chicago Cardinals' bruising fullback, is the 1947 NFL scoring champion. The former University of Wisconsin star scored 102 points to supplant Ted Fritsch of the Green Bay Packers as point champ. Fritsch led NFL scorers in 1946 with 100 points, but got 56 last season. In winning the title, Harder was a most versatile point producer. His total includes seven touchdowns running, 39 extra points and seven field goals. He missed only one of 39 extra point attempts. Advancing from his 15th place 1946 scoring finish, Harder scored at least one point in each of the 12 league games played by the champion Cardinals last season. He had his best day in the opening game of the season when he scored 21 points on two touchdowns, six extra points and one field goal. Dick Poillon of Washington finished second to Harder with 85 points compiled on six touchdowns - two on runs and four on passes - 39 of 40 extra points and four of six field goal attempts. Ward Cuff, former Packer halfback, converted 30 in as many attempts for top accuracy in footballing the one pointers.

BAYS CHALK UP 30 STEALS

FEB 26 (Philadelphia) - Two Franks - Reagan of the New York Giants and Seno of the Boston Yanks - stole more enemy passes than any other NFL player last season. Official NFL pass interception statistics released today disclosed that Reagan carried back 10 pilfered passes for 203 yards, while Seno stole the same number for a net 100 yards returned. A three way tie for third place involved Bob Forte of Green Bay, Tom Harmon of Los Angeles and John Cochran of the Chicago Cardinals, each of whom intercepted eight passes. Forte picked up 140 yards; Harmon 136 and Cochran 122. Strangely enough, it was not a fleet running back who made the season's longest return of an interception. Clyde (Bulldog) Turner, the Chicago Bears' giant center, loped 96 yards for a touchdown with one of Sammy Baugh's heaves. The Green Bay Packers won the interception title with 30 steals for 428 yards. The Packers intercepted .108 percent of the 277 passes thrown against them.

JACOBS, REAGAN TIE FOR PUNTING HONORS IN NFL

FEB 28 (Philadelphia) - The New York Giants may have been subpar in the NFL last season, but it apparently had little effect on backfield ace Frank Reagan. Reagan, NFL statistics, disclosed today, tied for his second individual title - punting. The former University of Pennsylvania ace previously had been disclosed as co-champion in pass interceptions. Computed by inverse grading of number of punts and average distance, Reagan and Jack Jacobs of the Green Bay Packers deadlocked for the punting title. Reagan booted 61 times for a 42.8 average while Jacobs turned in a 43.5 average on 57 kicks. Reagan's longest punt carried 67 yards and Jacobs' 47. Each had one kick blocked. Green Bay won the team championship with an average of distance of 43.6 yards for its 65 punts, supplanting Los Angeles.

BOSTON NOT DUE HERE FOR SHOW TILT WITH BAYS

MAR 1 (Green Bay) - "That's a lot of hooey - the Green Bay Packers will not play the Boston Yanks in an exhibition football game this season." This is the way George Strickler, assistant general manager of the Packers, explained the following story that appeared in a Milwaukee Sunday paper: "The Green Bay Packers Saturday announced an exhibition game with the Boston Yankees at Green Bay Sept. 17. It will be a night game." Reached in Chicago this morning just before returning to Green Bay, Strickler explained that the Packers have only one exhibition game "definitely set - that's the game with Washington in Birmingham, Ala., Sept. 11." He explained further that "we've got agreements to play exhibitions with the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers but arrangements for playing them are incomplete." The Pittsburgh-Packer tilt has been tentatively carded for Milwaukee Sept. 5 while Minneapolis is making an effort to bill the Packer-Giant tussle the last week in August. Sullivan-Wallen post No. 11, American Legion, also has hopes of staging an exhibition in Green Bay - possibly with the Giants the last week in August. Packer Coach Curly Lambeau indicated when he announced the schedule in part last month that the club would play only three exhibitions this season as against four a year ago - New York, Pittsburgh, Boston and Washington. This leaves the possibility that the NFL season may start a week earlier, although the Bear-Packer game will be Green Bay's first home contest - Sept. 26. If the season is started a week earlier, the Packers probably will open on the road - possibly in Boston...Ed Cody, the Packer fullback, spent the weekend in Green Bay visiting Don Wells, Packer end, and other friends. Cody came up from Purdue where he's working on his master's degree in physical education. A native of New Haven, Conn., Cody was able to return home once - during the Christmas holiday - since the football season ended. Former Purdue star Cody, the fastest starting fullback in the circuit last year, said he expects to return next year. Wells is recuperating from a knee operation...The traditional Packer-Bear game will get an unusually early shot in the arm when Johnny Lujack, Notre Dame's great quarterback and now a Bear, speaks at the Annunciation church Holy Name breakfast Sunday morning, March 14.

PACKERS OPEN LOOP CARD AT BOSTON SEPT. 17

MAR 2 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers will open their 1948 NFL season against the Boston Yanks in Boston Friday night, Sept. 17, according to word received here this afternoon from Murray Kramer, publicity chief for the Yanks. Kramer added that the Yanks have schedule no exhibition games yet. The Packer-Boston game marks the first time in several years that the Packers have not opened league play against their traditional rivals, the Chicago Bears. The Packer-Bear game will be the second on the 1948 schedule, the contest being scheduled for City stadium Sunday afternoon, Sept. 26.

BAYS' CHICAGO VISITS ARE SET

MAR 3 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers will make their 1948 NFL excursion into Chicago a bit later than in previous years. According to home schedules announced today by the Bears and the Cardinals, the Packers will visit Wrigley field, the Bears' home acres, on Sunday, Nov. 14. The Packer-Cardinal game in Comiskey park is set for Dec. 5. Generally, the Packer visits to Chicago were carded for the first two weeks in November. The Bears' campaign opens Oct. 10 against the Los Angeles Rams. Remainder of the home card: Detroit Lions, Oct. 17; New York Giants, Oct. 31; Packers, Nov. 14; Washington Redskins, Nov. 28; and Cardinals, Dec. 12. The champion Cardinals open Sept. 26 against the Philadelphia Eagles, the team they beat for the league crown last December. Other dates: Oct. 3, Chicago Bears; Oct. 24, Boston Yanks; Nov. 7, Detroit Lions; Nov. 21, Los Angeles Rams; Dec. 5, Packers.

NFL LEAGUE WINNING ITS FIGHT WITH AAC

MAR 4 (Green Bay) - The NFL is winning its fight with the rival All-America conference. This was one point emphasized by George A. Strickler, assistant general manager of the Green Bay Packers, in an address at a luncheon meeting of the Optimist club at the Beaumont hotel Wednesday noon. "Unmistakable signs that the NFL is overcoming the AAC pop up almost every day. Already the senior circuit has signed up the 'big name' stars of the 1947 college crop, but the main point is that these stars were signed by the NFL for less money than they would have from the All-America," Strickler staged. Just back from a player signing trip in the south and southwest, Strickler declared that college stars are "more interested in the security of the National league than the dollars of the All-America; they know that their future is safe in the NFL if they make the grade." After explaining how most of the Cleveland Browns and New York Yankees signed players and then "assigned" them out to weaker teams. Strickler revealed an incident that took place on his trip. "One player from the Browns came to my hotel room and wanted to know how he would get into the National league - not with any particular club but just somewhere in the NFL." The All-America conference is making much use of the bonus system for signing, Strickler pointed out, adding that "most players will sign anything if a wad of $1,000 or $2,000 is dropped in his lap." He continued, "I encountered one boy drafted by an All-America team and the Packers. Since we do not give bonuses for signing, I offered to match the AAC price tag of $5,000 without the bonus, which was $1,000. He said 'nothing doing' but then said: "I'll sign with the Packers for $4,000 if you give me the bonus.' " Strickler said he dropped negotiations immediately, adding that "the boy probably had a complete lack of confidence in making the Packers but wanted the $1,000." The Packer aide pointed out that "the AAC may have beaten NFL league clubs in attendance in some spots last year but the gate receipts, which are what really count, were always in our circuit."...PACKERS WILL "NEVER" LEAVE: That perennial question - Will the Packers ever leave Green Bay? - were answered by Strickler with one word - "Never!" He explained that the other clubs around the league figure Green Bay is "too much of an asset to lose." He added that Green Bay has "more crowd appeal than any other city in the circuit." Strickler also explained the National league's draft system and how it affected Green Bay; the seating capacity at City stadium; increased expenses of the Packers and other league teams; and prospects for next year.

1948PACKERS-MAR-MolendaSigns.jpg

PACKER COACHING STAFF INTACT; MOLENDA SIGNS

MAR 19 (Green Bay) - With signing of Bo Molenda as backfield assistant, the coaching corps of the Green Bay Packers was completed today for 1948 warfare. The master-minding group, comprising 40 years of Green Bay service, is topped by Head Coach Curly Lambeau, who is in his 30th year as pilot of the Packers. Line Coach Walt Kiesling and End Coach Don Hutson will be back for their fourth season as mentors and Molenda will be starting his second. This will be the second consecutive season that the club has been in charge of men who formerly played at Green Bay. Lambeau played with and coached the Packers from 1919 through the 1928 season; Kiesling toiled here in 1936; Hutson 1935 through 1945; and Molenda four years starting in 1928. In all, the years of playing service totals 26...PLAYED ON GRANGE'S TEAM: Molenda returned to football last fall as a member of the Packer staff following 45 months of service in the Pacific. Before going overseas, Molenda coached the powerful San Diego Naval base service eleven. Varsity fullback on the Michigan Big Ten championship teams in 1925 and 1926, Molenda broke into professional football in 1927 as a member of Red Grange's New York Yankees. When the Yankee bubble burst in mid-season of 1928, Molenda joined the Packers and helped win three consecutive titles. In 1931 Molenda was sold to the New York Giants, for whom he played until he was named assistant to Coach Steve Owen in 1936. Molenda left the Giants in 1941 to become end coach at Lafayette. During the war he took part in the Hollandia and Leyte invasions in the Pacific. He was 

1948PACKERS-APR-Schedule.jpg

born in Oglesby, Ill., Feb. 20, 1905, and, at present, makes his home in Manhattan Beach, Calif....PACKER PACKINGS: Nolan Luhn, the Packers' leading receiver last season, has joined the sales force of a Tulsa radio station in an executive capacity...Larry Olsonoski, new tackle, considers his making the first team in college as the outstanding accomplishment of his athletic year to date...Seven members of the 1947 squad - Ed Bell, Gene Wilson, Paul Lipscomb, Ed Cody, Ralph Davis, Clyde Goodnight and Bob Skoglund - are back in school...The Packers, preparing for their 30th consecutive season of operation, have never finished out of the first division in the National league.

GIRARD SIGNS WITH BLUEJAYS; TO LEAVE EARLY FOR PACKERS

MAR 25 (Green Bay) - Earl (Jug) Girard, the Marinette youngster who turned last January into a virtual football season for the Green Bay Packers, will make his Green Bay appearance a bit earlier than scheduled - and in a baseball uniform at that. The former Wisconsin halfback, under contract to the Packers for his football services, has signed a document with the Green Bay Bluejays, it was announced by Len J. Reis, president of the Community Baseball association. Girard will leave the Bluejays when he is called into training by the Packers, Reis started. The Packers will start workouts at Rockwood lodge about Aug. 1. Wally Laskowski, Cleveland Indian scout here for the signing, said, "I have every confidence that Girard has a great future in baseball." (The Bluejays have a working agreement with Cleveland). Reis, Laskowski and Girard conferred during the Welcome Roxie Lawson Night program here Jan. 31. At that time, George A. Strickler, assistant general manager of the Packers, said that Girard can play baseball as long as he lives up to his terms of his Packer contract which include reporting for practice with the Packers about Aug. 1. A natural athlete, Girard can run, throw and hit, according to Laskowski, who saw him play with the Badger Sporting Goods team in Madison. Playing the infield, Girard hit .441 in 20 games.

PACK'S HOME, ROAD SCHEDULE FOR 1948 SET

APR 1 (Green Bay) - This is no April Fool story, dear friends. The Green Bay Packers' home and road schedule of 12 NFL games was completed today with announcements from Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Packer Coach Curly Lambeau. The Steelers and Rams, until today, represent the only unfilled dates on the Packers schedule which started to take shape in short pieces last Feb. 9. The new dates find Green Bay invading Pittsburgh Nov. 7 and Los Angeles Nov. 28. The entire National league schedule will be out sometime in April. This will prove the fact that Green Bay and Boston open activity a week earlier than the other eight clubs. The Sept. 17 date is a Friday - the first league game the Packers will have played on any day but Sunday in years...STARTED EARLY IN 1944: It won't be the first year the Packers got a one-game start. In 1944, the Packers' last championship year, Green Bay opened against Brooklyn here. That season Green Bay won eight out of 10 league games to cop the Western division championship and then went on to whip New York in the title game, 14-7. This will be the Packers' first league game with Boston since 1945. The Philadelphia Eagles, minus from the Bay schedule this year, replaced Boston in 1946 and 1947. After the Boston invasion, the Packers tackle the Bears and Detroit in succession at City stadium. The championship Chicago Cardinals will provide the next order of business in Milwaukee after which Los Angeles makes its first appearance in Green Bay under the west coast name. After Washington visits Milwaukee territory, the Packers take for Detroit, Pittsburgh and Chicago Bearland before returning to Milwaukee to play New York. The final tussles send Green Bay to Los Angeles and Comiskey park, home of the Cardinals...ONE EXHIBITION SET: The rest of the league will finish up on Sunday, Dec. 12. Presumably, the championship game will played the following Sunday, Dec. 19. The site will be at the home park of the Eastern division champion. Only one exhibition contest has been set - the Packers meeting Washington in Birmingham. Ala., on Sept. 12. Two and possibly three other non-championship contests are being planned, but opponents, dates and sites have not been set.

PACKERS PACK AWAY 2 TACKLES FOR '48 WARS

APR 6 (Green Bay) - Two of the scarcest items on the college football beef mart - tackles - were in the Green Bay Packer fold today. They are Don Richards of the University of Arkansas and Clyde Biggers of Catawba college - both drafted by the Packers last winter. Not that college football teams went without tackles last year, the number of tackles who might make the grade in major league football appeared particularly slim, Packer Coach Curly Lambeau has discovered. For instance, little boys of only 210, 215 and 220 pounds dotted the country's college teams. Unless they are really exceptional like Packer Dick Wildung, they are too small for the boxing and mauling they'll take in the professional game, especially in the Western division of the NFL. In Richards and Biggers, the Packers have a couple of numbers who fit the professional bill, Lambeau figures. Richards, a 26-year old Navy veteran from Lexington, Neb., stacks 240 pounds on a 6-foot-2-inch frame. He was the outstanding linemen in the Dixie bowl last Jan. 1. Buggers towers 6-6 and weighs 245 pounds - almost the exact dimensions of tackle Baby Ray, who last fall put in his 10th year with Green Bay. Ray, the same height as Biggers, packed 250 pounds. Baby Biggers is a "big shot" in the college circle - not counting his football service. He's president of the student council of Catawba, Salisbury, N.C., and recently was named to Who's Who - a nationwide grouping of outstanding college students. He won four letters in football and played varsity baseball. The Packers now have four newly-drafted linemen under contract. In all, the Packers have signed eight draftees to 1948 contracts...PACKER PACKINGS: Damon Tassos, the Packers' Greek guard, has opened a new restaurant in San Antonio, where he already operates one of Texas' best known eating places...The Argentine government is attempting to sign Big Ed Neal to a personal services contract which specifies the 285 pounds guard must do the blacksmithing on an order for well digging rigs place with Neal's employer in Wichita Falls, Tex....Bob Rennebohm, rookie Packer end, completed his course in dairy machinery at the University of Wisconsin at the mid-year graduation and has started out in business at La Crosse.

HANDYMAN BOB CUNZ OF ILLINI JOINS PACK

APR 10 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers today came up with a handyman for 1948. He's Bob Cunz, a 220 pound package who colleged at the University of Illinois and prepped at DeKalb, Ill. High. Packer Coach Curly Lambeau reports that Cunz is a three-position man. He can play at guard, tackle or in the backfield, although he saw most of his action at tackle at Illinois. The newcomer, ninth of the current crop of 30 draftees to sign, was considered one of the outstanding linemen in the Big Nine last fall and in 1947 especially when he led Illinois in its Rose Bowl win over UCLA. Backfield experience made Cunz especially adept at blocking. He was a guard and fullback for a spell at Illinois and won all-Illinois high school honors as a fullback at DeKalb. Cunz, who stands 5-feet, 10-inches tall, is the third new tackle signed by the Packers in the last four days. The Packers now have six rookie linemen under contract...PACKER PACKINGS: Lambeau is expected in Green Bay next week. The Packers' player business is proceeding at a slower gait than a year ago today when 16 players were signed. The 1947 group included veterans Tony Canadeo, Ted Fritsch, Jack Jacobs, Irv Comp, Paul Lipscomb and Charley Brock. A flock of announcements on 1948 players, however, is expected soo. Brock and Ward Cuff, Central Catholic coach, are the only '47 vets who have announced that they'll not return next year. Brock is an assistant coach at Omaha university...Paul Christman, star Chicago Cardinal quarterback, is 25 pounds overweight but expects to lose it by outdoor work this summer. Chicago Bear Coach George Halas said the other day "anybody expecting to

1948PACKERS-APR-Cunz.jpg

win the world championship this fall better start figuring on beating the New York Giants; that Steve Owen really is going to have a football team."

SUTHERLAND HAD RESPECT FOR PACKERS; HIT .333 AGAINST 'EM

APR 16 (Green Bay) - Jock Sutherland, the Silent Scot who was laid to rest this week a short distance from the scene of his great football triumphs in Pittsburgh, always respected the Green Bay Packers. The Great Stone Face had three NFL experiences with the Packers - Oct. 12, 1941 in Milwaukee; Oct. 20, 1946 at City stadium; and Nov. 7, 1947 in Milwaukee. He finished with a percentage of .333, winning one and losing two. His NFL record includes 15 victories and seven defeats with Brooklyn in 1940 and 1941 and 13 wins, nine defeats and one tie with Pittsbugh in 1946 and 1947. This makes for a record of 28 triumphs, 16 losses and one tie for a percentage of .636 - respectable in any league. After each of those three games with Green Bay, Sutherland had words of praise for the Packers despite the fact that on two of the occasions he must have been bitter with defeat. It must be remembered in this connection that Jock played in only one losing game during his playing career. The seeds of winning were sown early and certainly sprouted at the University of Pittsburgh, where his teams won 111, lost 20 and tied 12. His first league brush with Green Bay must have been disheartening for his Brooklyns lost a 30-7 decision, with Cecil Isbell pitching to Don Hutson for two touchdowns. The Dodgers were in the Eastern running and it was one of those must-win contests, but when the fireworks ceased Sutherland pointed out, "the Packers have a fine team and they should win the Western division." How close he came. The Packers lost only one game but so did the Chicago Bears. Green Bay lost in the playoff. The second experience occurred in 1946. Jock, rebuilding after the war, had a light team and Bill Dudley, the flash halfback. It was a sunny day at City stadium and the Packers pushed over two touchdowns in the last quarter to win, 17-7. It was the 200th league win for Coach Curly Lambeau and the Packers. Jock explained it this way: "With a 7-3 lead in the third quarter, we gambled on fourth down with a foot to go on the Packers 40 and lost the ball. I'm sure had we made the distance we would have scored and won." But, in his familiar way, he added: "The Packers looked a great ball club to me; they played inspired ball." His greatest moment took place in Milwaukee last fall when the Steelers nicked Green Bay, 18-17, in a wild and wicked struggle. It was the sharpest blocking and tackling the Packers had seen all season and it paid off in the end. Tackle Ralph Calcagni broke through late in the game to tackle Jack Jacobs in the end zone for a safety and the two points that decided the issue. Calcagni was selected as one of the active pallbearers at Jock's funeral. After this victory, Sutherland stated typically: "The Packers are as great a team as we have met this year." Referring to Nolan Luhn's great catch of a touchdown pass late in the struggle, Sutherland explained that "there's no defense for a thing like that." To Jock, a catch like that goes for a TD as sure as death and taxes are inevitable. They often said that Jock had no sense of humor. After the Pittsburgh game here in 1946, the Steeler coach commented on the performance of Packer Ted Fritsch, "your boy Fritsch was big and powerful today; he was so big I couldn't see the grandstand on other side of the field from where I was sitting." Lambeau, back in Green Bay today, said that Sutherland's death took away one of the game's most colorful characters and bitterest competitors. Curly added: "Jock was tough to lick; he was the type of man who made football what it is today. The appointment of John Michelosen, probably the foremost of Jock's many pupils, should keep Pittsburgh well up front."

PACKERS, STEELERS MEET HERE SEPT. 5

APR 17 (Green Bay) - The Pittsburgh Steelers - one of two teams to beat the Green Bay Packers twice last season - will meet the Packers in an exhibition game at City stadium Sunday afternoon, Sept. 5, Coach Curly Lambeau announced today. Pending release of Pittsburgh's exhibition schedule, the game provides Green Bay and Wisconsin fans with the first opportunity to see the Steelers operate under new coach John Michelosen, who was named head coach Thursday following the death of Dr. John B. (Jock) Sutherland last Sunday. Michelosen, at 32, is the youngest head coach in the NFL while his opponent, Lambeau, is the oldest in point of coaching service. Lambeau is now in his 30th season as pilot of the Packers. Green Bay's two experiences with Pittsburgh last year were far from healthy. In an exhibition in the Steel City, Sutherland's forces took a 24-17 decision and in the league test in Milwaukee the Steelers came out with an 18-17 victory. The Chicago Cardinals were the only other squad to whip Green Bay twice, 14-10 in Green Bay and 21-20 in Chicago...PLAY IN BIRMINGHAM: Addition of the Pittsburgh game gives Green Bay four contests. The other three are league battles and find the Chicago Bears visiting City stadium Sept. 26; Detroit on Oct. 3; and Los Angeles Oct. 17. Three games are set in Milwaukee - Chicago Cardinals Oct. 10; Washington Oct. 24; and New York Giants Nov. 21. The Packers now have 14 contests signed and sealed - two exhibitions and 12 league affairs. A third exhibition is being discusses. It would be played late in August since the Packers already are set for every week starting with the Pittsburgh game. After the Steeler fracas, the Packers will unlimber again on an exhibition scale against the Washington Redskins in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday night, Sept. 11...SIMILAR SETUP IN 1944: League play will start in Boston on Friday night, Sept. 17, after which Green Bay will return home to drill for the Bear contest. After Detroit, the Cardinals, Los Angeles and Washington between Green Bay and Milwaukee, the Packers hit the road. They go to Detroit Oct. 31; to Pittsburgh Nov. 7; to Chicago Bearland Nov. 14; return to Milwaukee for the Nov. 21 game with New York; invade Los Angeles Nov. 28; and then close against the Chicago Cardinals in Comiskey park Dec. 5. The Packers will finish a week earlier than all of the clubs except Boston. The Packers had a similar setup - closing a week earlier - when they won the championship in 1944...Lambeau settled down to business in the Packers' Northland building office Friday after arriving from California late Thursday night. Always looking ahead, Lambeau asserted that "the first 29 years were the easiest." One glance at team rosters in the NFL prompted him to predict that the 1948 season, his 30th, will be the toughest yet. Lambeau pointed out that football has changed plenty in the last 30 years but "spirit and morale still are the winning factors, just as they were the first time the Packers ever took the field." Curly thinks spirit and morale are even more important today - "in these times of high salaries, star-laden teams and varied interest." Incidentally, Lambeau-coached Packer teams have won 231 games, lost 88 and tied 23. 

1948PACKERS-APR-LaunchSeasonTicketDrive.jpg

PACKERS LAUNCH SEASON TICKET DRIVE, SET INTRA-SQUAD GAME

APR 22 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers opened their 25th annual season ticket campaign today simultaneously with the announcement by Coach Curly Lambeau that an intra-squad game will be played in City stadium on the night of Saturday, Aug. 21. Scheduling of the intra-squad game completes the 1948 home card, with two preseason contests and three league games in Green Bay and three league games in Milwaukee. Although most professional and many college teams have announced already increases in ticket prices for 1948, the Packers will continue to offer league games at the same $4 top, plus tax, which has prevailed at Green Bay and Milwaukee for several season. The five other price ranges usually charged for Packer games have been reduced to two - $3 and $2, both plus tax - in a re-

1948PACKERS-APR-WisconsinSchedule.jpg

scaling of City stadium and State Fair park. Under the new policy of having only three prices, instead of the customary six, season tickets for the three championship games in Milwaukee will be $14.40, $10.80 and $7.20, same as the prices of season tickets to the championship games in Green Bay. Preseason games are not included in the prices of season tickets...HANDLE 2,000 APPLICATIONS: Tickets for the exhibition game with Pittsburgh in Green Bay on Sept. 5 will be $1, $2 and $3 plus tax and for the intra-squad game, $1 and $1.50, plus tax. Applications for tickets to all games are being made to the Packer office in Green Bay, where the Packers' first full time ticket force has been in charge since last season and has already handled almost 2,000 new season ticket applications. Only season tickets are being allotted at present, the Packers announced. Applications for tickets to individual league games will not be filled until the season ticket campaign closes early in September. The Packers' season ticket campaign will be publicized through the state through newspapers and an attractive four page folder, entitled "The Green Bay Packers Present the Best Buy of 1948". Copies of the pamphlet will be distributed soon. It points out that season tickets are the answer to all ticket problems and explains what a season ticket means to a purchaser as follows: "It guarantees you the same choice seat of every home game; it relieves you of last minute ticket worries and congestion; it guarantees you the privilege of retaining your seat year after year; it protects your seat location for all exhibition, playoff and championship games."...PACKER PACKINGS: The Packers today called for sealed bids on concessions at City stadium for the 1948 season. The Packer board of directors will met at the Beaumont hotel tonight. Twenty-two miniature action pictures of various Packer games are shown on the first page of the folder. Looking and reminiscing time: 10 minutes. Next fall Green Bay will be the proving ground for both the youngest and oldest new coaches - Bo McMillin, 57, Detroit Lions mentor, and Pittsburgh Steeler Coach Johnny Michelosen, 32.

PACKERS STAY IN BAY - LAMBEAU

APR 22 (Green Bay) - Coach E.L. (Curly) Lambeau of the Packers tonight formally denied persistent reports that Green Bay's NFL franchise will be moved from this charter city. At the annual meeting of the Board of Directors here, Lambeau said: "There will always be a Green Bay Packers. The Packers will never be out of the National League picture. Green Bay has not too much to worry about so long as it tends to its knitting." Most recent reports that Green Bay would lose its franchise appeared in Shirley Povich's Washington Post column when he said Green Bay cannot support the Packers. "That is not true," Lambeau stated. "The Packers' organization is not wealthy but it is sound. The Packers mean a lot to the league. We fill parks around the circuit even if business at home is not on so big a scale. Why, even the Chicago Bears need us - as George Halas has admitted." In analyzing prospects for next season, Lambeau said he has the best backfield material in Packer history. He considers the line as good as last season, and disclosed it may be made even stronger shortly.

1948PACKERS-APR-JoannesHonored.jpg

JOANNES HONORED; PACK WILL NEVER LEAVE GREEN BAY

APR 22 (Green Bay) - The past, present and future of the Green Bay Packers looked extremely bright at the Beaumont hotel Thursday night. The occasion was the annual meeting of the board of directors of Green Bay Packers, Inc., at which three unusual items of business were conducted as follows: (1) Presentation of an elaborate plaque to Leland H. Joannes for his outstanding service with the Packers - 25 years as a director and 17 years as president; (2) a convincing talk by Coach and General Manager Curly Lambeau that the Packers will never leave Green Bay; and (3) showing of Packer High Lights of 1947 - a film which summed up the thrills and chills in nine of the 12 league games. The plaque was presented to Joannes by Emil R. Fischer, the Packers' fifth president who succeeded Joannes last July. Made by the Swoboda Church Furniture company of Kewaunee, the plaque perfectly exemplified the vital services Joannes performed during the ups and downs of the Packers. The inscription tells the story. Here it is: "Presented to Leland H. Joannes by the board of directors of Green Bay Packers, Inc., representing the citizens of Green Bay in appreciation of his unselfish public service over a period of twenty-five years as a director and seventeen years as president of the corporation. Under his leadership the Packers, six times champions of the NFL, have attained their greatest successes and gained for Green Bay a national prominence unique in the history of American sports. Dated at Green Bay, Wisconsin, October 12, 1947." Joannes retired last July 23 as the corporation's fourth president. He gave as his reason his complete occupation with the development of the Grocers Equipment Service corporation. There have been only four presidents of the Packer corporation since it was organized originally between the 1922-23 seasons. In 1923, after a group of Green Bay businessmen had become interested in making the Packers a community success, A.B. Turnbull accepted the presidency and continued in office until 1927. R.E. Evrard was the second president serving through 1928 and he was succeeded by Dr. W.W. Kelly in 1929. Joannes was elected for 1930 and has been reelected annually until he retired...OPPONENTS WANT GREEN BAY: Looking back over the 17 years, directors were most proud of Joannes' record - particularly during the dark depression years when Joannes led the fight to keep the club above water. In his acceptance speech, Joannes gave credit for the success of the Packers to Lambeau for "keeping that team winning those games" and member of the board who gave "me their undivided efforts." In his talk following the dinner, Lambeau asserted that "Green Bay will never be out of the NFL." His reason for such statement was simple: "The other clubs want us to remain in the league; our opponents would lose money if we left the league; George Halas (Bear coach) said if it hadn't been for the Packer game in Chicago last fall he would have lost money." Another reason was this: "We have no park worries; we can play early at home when the weather is ideal and then invade the large cities to help their gate." Lambeau declared. Much of Lambeau's talk was prompted by remarks written by Shirley Povich, a Washington Post columnist, who stated that Green Bay cannot support the Packers. Lambeau fired back that opponents coming into Green Bay will get $5,000 more this year than they did in previous years...BEST BACKFIELD IN HISTORY: In fact, Lambeau said, the average visitors' share of gate receipts at home was approximately $20,000. This was more than Detroit ($19,000) and Boston ($10,000) and almost even with New York ($21,000) and Los Angeles ($22,000), he explained. Regarding the team, Lambeau said he expects to have the best backfield in history. He expects the line to be as good as last year and "better if the newcomers stick." George A. Strickler, assistant general manager, spoke briefly outlining his first year with the organization. The pictures were highly entertaining and showed, close up, the important scoring plays by the Packers and their opponents. The pictures will be used for club and school groups throughout Wisconsin.

​KEUPER FIRST OF VETS TO SIGN WITH PACKERS

APR 24 (Green Bay) - Kenneth E. (Red) Keuper saved the Green Bay Packers a three-cent stamp today. It was this way. Coach Curly Lambeau was about to mail out the contracts of 27 veterans this morning when halfback Keuper walked in and inked the papers calling for his services next fall. Only 26 letters were stamped and carried to the post office for distribution via Uncle Sam's carrying system. The Packers are acting in accordance with a NFL rule which states that all holdovers must be made an offer before May 1. Lambeau also announced that practice will open at Rockwood lodge at 10 o'clock on the morning of Monday, Aug. 2. All athletes will be in camp on that day except those rookies picked on the College All-Star team which will oppose the Chicago Cardinals late in August. Lambeau revealed that for the first time two practice fields will be used at Rockwood. The new field runs parallel to a woods north of the present field which faces the front of the lodge building...NATIVE OF WAUKESHA: Keuper will return for his fourth season with Green Bay. It will be his second as a right halfback. He was switched to that spot when the Packers used the quick-opener last fall for the first time since the early 1930's. Now a resident of Green Bay, Keuper was a member of Georgia's Rose Bowl team in 1943. He played in the Orange bowl game in 1942; the North-South tilt in 1944; and the College All-Star battle in 1945. A native of Waukesha where he starred in prep athletics, Keuper earned three letters in basketball and track besides his football chevrons at Georgia. Ken stands an even six feet and weighs 209 pounds...PACKER NOTES: Ed Smith, the new back from Texas Mines, will work at right half this season. He's a lefthanded passer, giving Coach Lambeau potential throwing from three positions - left halfback (Tony Canadeo and Bruce Smith) and quarterback (Jack Jacobs).

SPEEDSTER INKS PACKER PAPERS

APR 28 (Green Bay) - The second of two reasons Coach Curly Lambeau feels the Green Bay Packers will have the greatest backfield in their 30-yard history joined the Bays today in the person of Ralph Earhart. Generally rated as one of the fastest men in the country, Earhart is a product of Texas Tech football and track. The 24-year old athlete, who packs 170 pounds around his five-foot-10-inch frame, reeled off the 100-yard dash in 9.8 seconds on 9 different occasions. In a football way, Earhart led Texas Tech in scoring and pass receiving last fall. Packer scouts have been watching him since 1942 when he entered Tech from Lefors, Tex., High school, and Lambeau picking him early in the draft last Dec. 20. Early in the war, Earhart played at Kansas State Teachers college as a non-commissioned officer in the Navy's V-12 program. In 1946 he returned to Tech where he also played basketball. Texas Tech has been a good source of Packer material. Two TT stars now with the club are Walt Schlinkman, the bulldog fullback, and center Bob Flowers, one of the toughest pivot characters in the business. Schlinkman is due to start his third year with Green Bay and Flowers his seventh. Earhart is the 10th rookie to sign and the 11th player under contract. Earhart will be trying for a right halfback position with Ed Smith, the giant left-handed passer. In fact, Smith is the No. 1 reason Lambeau expects his 1948 backfield to be tops. Smith may do a bit of passing from RH, giving the Packer throwing from three slots. Chief backfield weakness in 1947 was the lack of speed at right half, but Lambeau expects Smith and Earhart to solve that problem. Smith ran a close second to Earhart in several track meets last spring...PACKER PACKINGS: Bruce 

1948PACKERS-APR-Earhart.jpg

Smith, Packer left half, is getting in shape for the 1948 season by dropping his part-time coaching duties at Carleton college a few minutes a day to get into spring scrimmage...The Packers led the National league in total plays per game every season since 1940 with the exception of 1946. They averaged 73 plays per game last fall.

1948PACKERS-APR-CanadeoHoldsOut.jpg

CANADEO HOLDS OUT; FIRST ONE OF 1948 SEASON

APR 29 (Green Bay) - Tony Canadeo, veteran Green Bay Packer left halfback who led the Western division of the NFL in ground gaining last fall, today went down in the Bay ledger as a holdout - first of the 1948 season. Coach Curly Lambeau, revealing Canadeo's status, said that "Tony walked out of a contract conference after rejecting our offer." Lambeau added: "We would like to have Tony with us, but we'll be okay at left halfback if he isn't. It has always been and always will be our policy to pay players as much as possible. Our aim is to give Packer fans a good football team." Canadeo had this to say, commenting this morning on the conference: "I don't anything more than anybody else on the team. I just want as much as the fellows playing the same left halfback position." The former Gonzaga star, who ranks only behind Clarke Hinkle as the all-time Packer ground gainer, added that "I like to play for the Packers and wish to create no hard feelings. I was told that I would be traded if I didn't sign in 24 hours."...SMITH AGREED TO TERMS: The other left halfbacks are Bruce Smith, Roy McKay and Earl (Jug) Girard, Wisconsin rookie. Smith and McKay are unsigned, although Bruce agreed to his 1948 terms shortly after being offered an assistant coaching job at the University of Minnesota last winter. Girard, now with the Green Bay Bluejays, signed last January for a reported $10,000 after the Packers won a drawn-out contract battle with the New York Yankees of the All-America conference. After the contract talk, Lambeau had several observations: "Last season we did a little better than break even, by cutting operating expenses, not salaries. Moreover, our profit on the operation wasn't as much as the increase some of the players are asking. The only raises we are giving are to a couple of men who made less than $5,000 last year and whose play certainly warranted an increase," he pointed out...NO TRICK TO SIGN 100:  Commenting on behalf of the men who have been footing the bills and forecasting a stabilization of salaries, Lambeau added that "the honeymoon is over for professional football players. There is plenty of talent for all teams. Several years ago it was different. The player had the owners on the spot and they took advantage of it. But today it is no trick to sign 100 men." Declaring that only four and possibly five teams in two leagues broke even or better last year, Lambeau fixed the losses of the thirteen others in the millions. "But the players all got paid," he said. "The players make all the money in pro football today. 

1948PACKERS-MAY-Roskie.jpg

And they are turning down contracts for four months work that calls for more money than a competent executive - not to mention some of the top coaches of the country - can earn in the entire year." Recalling that Don Hutson of the Packers and Bronko Nagurski of the Chicago Bears, two of the all-time greats of the sport, started for $175 a game, Lambeau found ample ground for statistical comparisons in present day prices...SALARIES UP 400 PERCENT: "Since 1939, living costs have gone up 100 percent and the national wage scale has increased 89 percent." he said. "But pro football salaries have increased nearly 400 percent in the main and in some cases many times more in the last ten years. Club executives took cuts or held the line to weather the financial story in pro football, but the players' salaries continued to skyrocket. Clubs and club owners no longer can stand the strain." Approaching the salary problem impartially from a business standpoint, Lambeau said he did not anticipate any drastic cut in salaries, but that there would be a leveling off to where clubs stood a fair chance of at least breaking even on a year's operation. "Men along in years, almost ready to retire, have put their savings into professional football and gone broke. But the players got theirs. The present situation is too cockeyed to be sound. Readjustment is imperative and inevitable."

SOPHOMORES CODY, BELL RETURN TO PACKERS FOR '48; 13 NOW IN FOLD

APR 30 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers contract stack thickened a bit today with the signed papers of fullback Ed Cody and tackle Ed Bell, both sophomores. Coach Curly Lambeau is now sporting the contracts of 13 players including 10 freshmen. The other veteran is Ken (Red) Keuper, the right halfback, who will be starting his fourth season. Return of Cody completes one-third of the Packers' powerful fullback slot, regarded as the best balanced and roughest in professional football. The other two battering rams, still unsigned, are Teddy Fritsch and Walt Schlinkman. Cody is the fastest starting fullback in the business and Schlinkman isn't far behind. Fritsch, on the other hand, provides the bullish power. The soph fullback who played at Purdue under former Packer Cecil Isbell stands 5-9 and weighs 190 pounds. He totaled 263 yards in 56 attempts last year for an average of 4.7. Cody had his best day as the Packers whipped Detroit, 34-17, at City stadium. He gained 113 yards in nine attempts and scored two touchdowns - one on a 32-yard run...WELCOME FORMER TEAMMATE: While at Indiana, Bell was considered one of Bo McMillin's greatest linemen. The stocky Jewish boy, who stands 6-1 and packs 233 pounds, played guard or tackle last year and worked both positions when injuries plagued the veterans last year. Bell will welcome a former teammate and buddy, Howard Brown, next fall. Brown, one of the top guards in the Big Nine for three years, signed a Packer contract last winter. Both Bell and Cody are attending their respective schools in search of their master's degree in physical education...There was one other development today on the professional football front. It came out of Baltimore via the Associated Press where R.C. Embry, new president of the Baltimore Colts of the "other" league, asked the rival National league to bury the hatchet and put football on a business basis "where it belongs." Embry wired Lambeau late Thursday saying that he was in accord with Lambeau's earlier statement that it costs too much to run a football team these days. Lambeau made his observations Thursday after left halfback Tony Canadeo walked out of a contract conference...DECLINES COMMENT ON ANSWER: Lambeau said today that he had received the telegram but declined comment on whether he would answer it. "I am not interested in getting together for any conference," Lambeau declared, adding that "we have a commissioner for such matters." One way to reduce that cost, said Embry's message, is to stop the competitive bidding for talent by the National loop and the All-America outfit. "Talking, however, will not bring about the results you desire," said Embry. "I hereby invite you to join the Baltimore club in getting the All-America Football conference and the NFL together to form a working agreement such as in enjoyed by the baseball leagues. It is foolhardy to continue battling for stars."

ROSKIE NEWEST PACKER ROOKIE

MAY 5 (Green Bay) - Rex Enright, the durable coach of the University of South Carolina, has seen a lot of good college fullbacks in his day - Ernie Nevers, John Kimbrough, Elmer Layden to mention a few. But he still sticks to the one guy as his greatest. He is Ken Roskie, crack SC battering ram of the early days of World War II, who today inked a contract with the Green Bay Packers. Packer Coach Curly Lambeau drafted Roskie early in 1942, but Uncle Sam fingered Ken into the navy. Lambeau picked Roskie on the advice of Enright, who put the "best" tag on Roskie. The judgement of Enright is considered excellent in view of the work of Larry Craig, once one of South Carolina's top ends, and now a mainstay with the Packers. Roskie, who stands 6-1 and plays 220 pounds, got out of the navy too late in 1947 to join the Packers so cast his lot with the San Francisco 49ers. missing the first four games. Roskie's contract stipulated that he would get his outright release at the end of the season...BEAT NOTRE DAME IN 1946: Roskie had hoped some day to play on the same pro team with Craig, who was a senior when Ken played freshmen ball at SC in 1938. The new back, who probably will have the toughest job in football beating out the Packers' Ted Fritsch, Walt Schlinkman and Ed Cody for a job, did the battering for the Great Lakes team that whipped Notre Dame in 1944. He also saw action with Navy clubs from Bridgeport and Fleet City. Addition of Roskie fits in with Lambeau's Plan for Speed. The 26-year-old fullback runs the 100-yard dash in 10 seconds flat, enabling him to keep pace with such rookie speedsters as Ralph Earhart of Texas Tech; Ed Smith of Texas Mines, and Fred Provo of Washington. All are 10-flatsters though Earhart has been clocked nine times in 9.8. Roskie, 26 and the father of two children, is the 11th rookie to sign and the 14th player under contract...PRACTICE OPENS AUG. 2: With the opening of practice less than three months away, Lambeau is expecting the receipt of signed contracts almost daily. Contracts have been mailed out to 26 holdovers from 1947, and three have been returned signed by Cody, Keuper and Ed Bell. There is one holdout, left halfback Tony Canadeo. Practice will start Monday, Aug. 2, and the first contest, an intra- squad affair, will be held at City stadium Aug. 21.

RHODEMYRE, ALL-AMERICAN PIVOT FROM KENTUCKY, SIGNED BY PACK

MAY 6 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers today got a lift where they needed it most - at center - in the person of Jay E. Rhodemyre, Kentucky's All-American pivoter. Thus, in announcing the signing of Rhodemyre, Coach Curly Lambeau salted away the most sough-after signature among 1947 college linemen. He was on the wanted list of the Chicago Bears and New York Giants 

1948PACKERS-MAY-Rhodemyre.jpg
1948PACKERS-MAY-LambeauHomeSold.jpg

and was drafted by the Chicago Rockets of the All-America besides the Packers last winter. Addition of Rhodemyre softens the loss of 10-year veteran and Captain Charley Brock who retired recently to enter the coaching field. Rhodemyre will fight with veterans Buddy Gatewood and Bob Flowers for the starting center job next fall. Rhodemyre was the No. 1 among college centers last year, and in the south and southwest coaches and writers called him the Lujack of 1947 linemen. He made several All-America honors, and ranked first on the All-Southeastern and All-Southern teams...BUILT LIKE BROCK: The best recommendation comes from Kentucky Coach Bear Bryant, a roommate of Don Hutson at Alabama in the early 1930's. He pointed to Kentucky's battle with Georgia in which Rhodemyre made 86 percent of the tackles, intercepted three passes and knocked down seven enemy aerials. The newcomer has experience with enemy air works. He was a captain as a fighter pilot in the Army Air corps. He is built sort of Brockish - 210 pounds and 6 feet, 2 inches. He's married. There are three other recommendations. Bob Neyland, Tennessee coach, calls him the best center "ever", while Georgia scout Howie Hollis says Jay is "tops among the defensive centers." Hutson, who has been buddying with Bryant annually since they started as teammates at Alabama, saw pictures of several Kentucky games and was impressed most by "the punishment that Rhodemyre gives opposing backs and linemen."...COURSE IN ENGINEERING: Rhodemyre is expected to toughen the Packers at center. Brock had passed his peak which twice resulted in all-league honors and most of the load has dropped on Gatewood and Flowers. Rhodemyre, 24, a native of Ashland, Ky., started his college grid career in 1942 and returned for action in 1946 and 1947 after the war. He is now working on a degree in engineering and experts to finish this summer. The new center is the 12th rookie signed by the Packers.

FLOWERS JOINS PACK FOR SEVENTH SEASON; EX-UW END SIGNED

MAY 7 (Green Bay) - Green Bay's 12-month football season just keeps rolling on and on. The Packer office in the Northern building is buzzing in mid-grid form even though the calendar on the wall shows that this is the month of May - or the period in which baseballs are expected to fly on a league basis. The football news today is that two more players signed their contracts, fattening the 1948 stack to 15 assorted papers. Both are pro veterans but one is a newcomer - Jack Mead, the former Wisconsin end who played two seasons with the New York Giants...FLOWERS IN SEVENTH SEASON: The oldcomer is Bob Flowers, the Texas Tech center who will be starting his seventh season in Packer flannels. A right end, Mead is 26 years of age, weighs 210 pounds and stands 6 feet 3 inches tall. He was one of the Big Nine's leading ends in 1945 and the best pass snatcher ever turned out at Wisconsin. Mead asked for and received his outright release from the Giants after expressing some displeasure at living in the Gotham. He had hoped to play with Green Bay after his Badger career, but Giant Coach Steve Owen drafted Mead before Packer coach Curly Lambeau got a chance. Mead, a resident of Madison, was used mostly on defense in his two years with New York, although he nabbed six passes for 91 yards last season, one advance going for 41 yards. Mead's left wing opponents next fall likely will be Larry Craig, Clyde Goodnight and Gene Wilson. Nolan Luhn, Bob Skoglund and Don Wells are the right ends...THREE EYE BROCK'S JOB: Flowers' signing comes a day after the inking of Jay Rhodemyre, the University of Kentucky's great center. These two will join with Buddy Gatewood next fall in a battle for the starting role left by the Packers' all-time center, Charley Brock, who retired recently in favor of coaching at Omaha university. Flowers had a terrific year in 1947 - particularly on defense. Bob stands 6-1 and weighs 210; holds a BC degree in animal husbandry; and runs a Play-Land and swimming pool in Big Springs, Tex., during the off season...PACKER PACKINGS: More than 1,600 persons saw three showing of the film, "Packer Hi-Lites of 1947" in Madison, Milwaukee and Green Bay in the last three days, including 1,000 University of Wisconsin fans. Reservations for use of the film may be made by calling the Packers' office...The Packers' broadside on the 1948 season ticket setup came off the press today and will be distributed throughout the state...Bob McDougal, Packer fullback in 1947, is finishing his course at Miami (Fla) university.

BRUCE (OFFENSE OR DEFENSE) SMITH SIGNS WITH PACKERS FOR 4TH YEAR

MAY 12 (Green Bay) - Have you decided whether Bruce Smith should play on offense or defense? Better start mulling the problem over 'cause Coach Curly Lambeau will return for his fourth season with the Green Bay Packers next fall. Smith's position - with or without the ball - has been grist for arguments among grid fans from Truedell to Dewey (both in Wisconsin) for two years. Most of this results from Smith's spectacular career at the University of Minnesota, where he gained All-American rating chiefly on his running ability. Maybe it's one of those "first impression" things, but football fans can't see Smith unless Smith has a ball tucked under his arm...HURT IN DETROIT GAME: Frankly, though, Lambeau started the 1947 season with a firm resolution to let Smith cut loose - with the ball. As practice wore on Smith put in his usual time on defense - as all offensive halfbacks are required to do. It developed that Smith and Bob Forte, the Arkansas black-skinner, were Lambeau's best to play the complicated Packer defense - backing up the line in the vicinity of the wings. But Lambeau still stuck to his offensive guns and Smith was handed the ball. Bruce got off some good runs - especially in the Washington game in Milwaukee when he twice ran over 60 yards for touchdowns, only to have them both called back. He finished up with 77 yards in seven attempts that day. The next Sunday - against Detroit in Green Bay - Smith received an injury that sidelined him for two games - the Pittsburgh tilt which the Pack lost by one point and the Bear game which they lost by three. When Smith returned to action it was discovered that the Gopher was not in physical condition to carry on as a runner and fill-in occasionally on defense. Actually, when the fans were howling, Lambeau had to make a choice - play Smith sparingly on offense or use him all the time on defense. Since Smith and Forte were tops on defense, Lambeau kept him on defense...18TH PLAYER TO SIGN: Smith finished 1947 with 288 yards in 47 attempts for an average of seven yards per try. Tony Canadeo, the other left halfback, picked up 464 yards on 103 attempts for a 4.5 average, leading the Western division. Smith's value as a defensive player first cropped up in the ill-fated Bear game at City stadium in 1946. The Packers were being mauled all over the lot and Smith, back for his first full year after playing part of 1945, was pressed into service as a defensive back late in the game. The Bears tried Smith's side three times and three time the Gopher had a Bears' ankle with a clean tackle. Smith is the eighteenth player to sign for next fall. He 

1948PACKERS-5-21O_Leary.jpg

recently rejected an offer to leave the pro ranks for a coaching job at his alma mater. Bruce, in a note to Lambeau, said he waited signing his contract until he could find capable management for his Fairbault, Minn., sporting good store.

FULL LENGTH MOVIE ON PACKERS, 'THE GREEN BAY STORY,' TO BE FILMED

MAY 15 (Green Bay) - A full length motion picture, "The Green Bay Story", will be filmed next summer, according to word received here today from Packer Coach Curly Lambeau in California. The movie, now rated Class A, will be based on the history of the Green Bay Packers football team and will contain a "plot". Professional actors and actresses are now being selected in Hollywood to play the various parts of persons in the Packer organization. Some of the film will be made in Hollywood, while the remainder will be taken in Green Bay. Lambeau said that the film company, to be named later, will move into Green Bay about the middle of July and continue until early in August, taking scenes for background. The main actors and actresses also will be here where they can be filmed with the "real" Green Bay background. The professionals, including the director, may be announced next week. Lambeau has been conferring with movie people on the coast for several months on arrangements. This will be the first full-length film on the Packers - probably the most novel organization in the world in that they represent a city of 50,000 persons in competition with cities many times its size. A number of movie "shorts' have been taken on the Packers, one of which was filmed in Hollywood in the 1930's when Green Bay played a team of All-Stars there. The Packers have been "written up" many times in national magazines and big city newspapers.

PACKERS SIGN BAXTER; THREE EYE BROCK POST

MAY 20 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers today signed a third candidate for the center post vacated by Mr. Charles J. Brock, the Green Bay Packer veteran, now a coach at Omaha university. The newest is Lloyd Thomas Baxter, 26, a former Marine officer, who centered at Southern Methodist university before and after World War II, Coach Curly Lambeau revealed today. Baxter, who packs 215 pounds around a 6-foot, 2-inch frame, follows veterans Bob Flowers and rookie Jay Rhodemyre of the University of Kentucky into the Packers' pivot fold. The only holdover center still unsigned is Buddy Gatewood, who has two years of Bay service to his credit. A resident of Dallas, Baxter comes highly recommended by Matty Bell, SMU, who also put the pro football stamp of approval on Gene Wilson, rookie Packers end last fall. Baxter specializes in speed and is working on that particular phase during SMU's spring drills...STAR IS DEFENSIVE CENTER: Drafted by the Packers in 1944, Baxter has been a star as a defensive center. In the Baylor game last fall, he intercepted four passes and made numerous tackles even though he was carrying three broken ribs and two broken fingers. Bell claims Baxter has a "world of guts". Lambeau is looking for a spirited battle next fall for the center slot. Flowers, who played great defensive ball last year, will be returning for his seventh season. Rhodemyre was recommended by Packer Coaching Aide Don Hutson and Bear Bryant, Kentucky coach and a teammate of Hutson at Alabama. Rhodemyre is one of three centers drafted by the Packers last Dec. 20, the others being Floyd Thomas of Arkansas and Don Sharp of Tulsa. For pro experience, Flowers and Gatewood will have the inside track but Lambeau is expecting great things of the two rookies. Baxter is the 19th player to sign for the 1948 season.

SITE OF PREP ALL-STAR GAME A CLOSELY GUARDED SECRET

JUN 1 (Neenah) - They'll play another All-Star high school football game this fall, but where is a closely-guarded secret. Ole Jorgenson, Wisconsin High School Coaches' Association president, said today the game will be staged - but that's all he did say, beyond that it'll likely be the third weekend in August. "Can't reveal anything else," explained Jorgenson, whose group sponsored the first two games between the north and south squads of high school seniors at Camp Randall. "Maybe there'll be something more definite soon." At Madison, Milt Diehl, association secretary, conceded it would be all right to say for publication that the group was "exploring the possibilities" of Breese Stevens field there. He did not elaborate. Negatively, though, two facts are known - this year's game won't be played at Camp Randall and it won't be played in Green Bay's City Stadium. The Big Nine took care of the first, suggesting that member schools refrain from donating their facilities for such purposes. The University of Wisconsin, of course, is a conference member in good standing and Camp Randall is its stadium. That took care of that. The Green Bay Packers handled the second negation, flatly refusing to permit an outside organization to use the field on which it pays for the upkeep.

LAMBEAU SETS PLAYER MEETINGS FOR NEXT WEEK

JUN 5 (Green Bay) - Green Bay Packer Coach Curly Lambeau arrived here from the west coast Friday night and this morning completed arrangements for player sessions next week. Right halfback Bob Forte reported here today after an extended scouting tour for players. Jack Jacobs, Packer quarterback, is due from his home in Muskogee, Okla., Monday and Tuesday. Lambeau said he plans to go over scout reports with Forte and hold a "summer quarterback meeting" with Jacobs. Several player contract announcements are due in the near future, Lambeau said.

FORTE ADDED TO PACKER ROSTER

JUN 7 (Green Bay) - Green Bay Packer Coach Curly Lambeau loaded the second barrel of his double-barreled defense against T-formations today with the signing of Bob Forte, the Waterproof, La., resident who heroed at the University of Arkansas in his play-for-nothing days. Forte got down to business with Lambeau this morning after reporting from a scouting trip over the weekend. In signing for his third season with the Packers, Forte assures the Packers of the best twin defensive threat in football. Bruce Smith, the other half of the halfback combination that has been wreaking havoc with opponents' offenses, especially those using the T-formation, signed his contract several weeks ago. Forte was the Packers' leading pass interceptor last year. He picked off nine enemy aerials, including one by Sammy Baugh in the fourth quarter at Milwaukee to turn a Washington rally into a 68-yard return and the touchdown which sealed a 27-10 Packer triumph...SIXTH VETERAN SIGNED: Although Forte is best known around the NFL for his defensive skill, he figured prominently in the Packers' offense, especially against the Cardinals in Chicago where he made almost a personal issue of scoring the touchdown which gave Green Bay a 20 to 7 lead in the fourth quarter. Forte is the sixth veteran signed by Lambeau, who expects the mails to bring in half a dozen other documented acceptances in the next few days. Forte, incidentally, expects to marry a Milwaukee girl soon. The dark-skinned southerner captained Arkansas' football team in 1942 and holds a B.S. degree in physical education. Bob was an Army tank battalion lieutenant during the war and served two years in the European theater. He has three battle stars.

TED FRITSCH SIGNS FOR 7TH SEASON WITH PACK

JUN 8 (Green Bay) - Teddy Fritsch, tops in his position in three of his six years in the NFL, today signed papers with the Green Bay Packers calling for his services from Aug. 1 to well into December of 1948. Returning for his seventh season, Fritsch signed his contract after a brief conference with Coach-General Manager Curly Lambeau, thereby boosting the growing list of satisfied Packers to 21. Lambeau also revealed receipt of a contract from one Orman (Red) Horton, a husky T-formation quarterback from the University of Texas. Fritsch turned up at the Packer office weighing a neat 220 pounds, some 15 less than he carried at the beginning of the 1947 campaign...SELF-IMPOSED RATIONING: Teddy explained it this way: "Baseball three times a week with the Manitowoc Braves and self-imposed rationing. I want to drop another 10 pounds before Aug. 2." Which will make Fritsch's playing weight about 210. Excess weight slowed down Fritsch's preparation during the training season last fall and he never fully recovered the consistent form which earned him the reputation of being the all-National league fullback in 1944-45-46. One of the game's outstanding placement kickers, especially from far out, the former Central State Teachers college star scored 58 points last fall on six field goals, six touchdowns and two extra points. He averaged 3.6 yard on 68 plunges, gaining 247 yards and returned five kickoffs for an even 100 yards. By comparison, Fritsch led the league in scoring in 1946 with an even 100 points on 10 touchdowns, 13 extra points and nine field goals. He averaged 3.4 yards on 128 plunges, gaining 444 yards...EXPERIENCE AT TAILBACK: Horton, a native of Corpus Christi, Tex., has had experience at tailback in the single wing system and as a quarterback in the T-formation. Six feet, one, and 195 pounds, he is well equipped physically to play quarterback in the Lambeau system. Horton is not a novice in professional football. He starred with the Salt Lake City Seagulls, a minor league team with a considerable reputation on the Pacific Coast and in the northwest. In addition to Texas, he also played varsity football at Southwestern university in Georgetown, Tex., and at Texas A and I in Kingsville...PACKER PACKINGS: Paul (Lippy) Lipscomb, Packer tackle, popped into the Packer office unexpectedly Monday afternoon for a contract conference with Lambeau. Lipscomb will start work soon on his master's degree in physical education at the University of Tennessee. Lipscomb has put in three years with the Packers, stepping into a first string job in his first season.

1948PACKERS-JUN-JacobsSigns.jpg

JACOBS SIGNS FOR 2ND YEAR WITH PACKERS; MORE WORK ON DEFENSE

JUN 9 (Green Bay) - Jack Jacobs, the Oklahoma tomahawker who ranked fourth among 44 gents who threw passes in the NFL last year, will be quarterback for the Green Bay Packers next fall. And he'll be on the field aplenty on defense, too, Packer Coach Curly Lambeau said today in announcing Jacobs' signing. The 22nd player to come to terms, Jacobs looked fit as a fiddle and anxious to play "as soon as possible." He has walked roughly 50 miles in the last two months playing golf. Jacobs will leave soon for Hollywood where he'll take part in a movie short, "Thirty Seconds to Play", featuring all NFL players. Coach Lambeau said he plans to give "Jack more help next year at quarterback so that we can use him more on defense." Jacobs' defensive play in his initial year here was nothing short of sensational as he seemingly covered the field from sideline to sideline against enemy passes and runners. His tackling was savage, one example being Steve

1948PACKERS-FEB-SeasonTicketPromotion.jpg
1948PACKERS-FEB-SeasonTicketPromotion2.jpg
1948PACKERS-JAN-EdSmith.jpg
1948PACKERS-JAN-HowardBrown.jpg
1948PACKERS-JAN-FredProvo.jpg
1948PACKERS-JAN-BobRennebohm.jpg
1948PACKERS-JAN-JugGirard.jpg
1948PACKERS-JAN-Olsonoski.jpg
1948PACKERS-JAN-Wells.jpg
1948PACKERS-JAN-RedHogan.jpg
1948PACKERS-JAN-KieslingCoaches.jpg
1948PACKERS-FEB-BloodGuam.jpg
1948PACKERS-MAR-BrownCanadeo.jpg
1948PACKERS-APR-RichardsBiggers.jpg
1948PACKERS-MAY-BSmith.jpg
1948PACKERS-MAY-Fritsch.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUN-JacobsSigns2.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUN-MossSigns.jpg
1948PACKERS-7-20Wainwright.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUL-BobWest.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUL-ItsFootballTime.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUL-LuhnWife.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUL-Wanted.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUL-YoungestProspects.jpg
1948PACKERS-APR-JoannesHonored2.jpg

Bagarus, Los Angeles halfback, who suffered a broken leg when slamming almost head on with Jack's shoulder. But his offensive ability can't be overlooked either. Jacobs, who came in a trade with Washington for Bob Nussbaumer, leaped from 26th place in passing in 1946 to fourth last fall. With Washington, he played under Sammy Baugh and with Cleveland before the war he toiled under Bob Waterfield. He threw all but one of the Packers passes thrown from quarterback, Irv Comp tossing the odd one in the Steeler game. Jacobs finished with 1,615 yards gained on 108 completions in 242 attempts. Sixteen percent went for touchdowns. Finishing ahead of him were Baugh, Tommy Thompson of Philadelphia and Sid Luckman of the Bears...CAPTURED PUNTING TITLE: On top of all this, Jacobs captured the National league punting championship, with 57 for an average of 43.5 yards. The longest went for 74 yards against Los Angeles in Milwaukee. Jacobs kept the punting title in Green Bay for the third consecutive season, Halfback Roy McKay winning in 1945 and 1946. Jacobs became a big favorite here in his first league appearance against the Bears. He intercepted three of Luckman's passes, one of which was called back; made some terrific tackles attempted 11 passes and completed five for 97 yards as the Bays stuck close to the ground and scored the touchdown that broke the Bears' back in the closing time...PACKER PACKINGS: Bob Skoglund, former Notre Dame end and a Packer sophomore, arrived today in Green Bay for a chat with Lambeau. Paul Lipscomb, the giant tackle, is also here from Tennessee...One of the reasons that Lambeau is expecting greater things from Jacobs next fall is that Jack will be better acquainted with the Packer style of the T-formation, which was used for the first time last fall since the triple championship days of Red Dunn. And considering that Jacobs had to switch from Washington's straight T to Lambeau's winged version, the Oklahoman did mighty well.

TACKLE LIPSCOMB BACK FOR 4TH PACKER SEASON

JUN 10 (Green Bay) - Paul F. (Lippy) Lipscomb, the giant right tackle, was on his way back to Tennessee today after signing a contract to play with the Green Bay Packers again next fall. Coach Curly Lambeau, in announcing the signing, said that Lipscomb is now only five pounds off his playing weight. A year ago he had to take off nearly 15 pounds to get down to 245 pounds - his best playing weight. The coach believes "it's a good sign when these boys watch their weight during the late spring and summer of the year they're going to play." Lipscomb is returning to Tennessee where he's working on his master's degree in physical education. His home is in St. Petersburg, Fla...FIFTH TACKLE SIGNED: One of the giants around the league, Lipscomb will be playing his fourth season in Green Bay although he's only 25 years of age. Lipscomb stepped in as a first string right tackle his first year here and started every Packer league game in 1945 and 1946. Lipscomb is the fifth tackle signed and the second veteran.

GILLETTE JOINS RACE FOR PACK RIGHT HALF POST

JUN 11 (Green Bay) - James T. (Jim) Gillette, Jr., who preceded Bill Dudley at the University of Virginia, will return for action with the Green Bay Packers next fall. Packer Coach Curly Lambeau, in adding the Cortland, Va., auto salesman and semi-pro baseball pitchers, put Long Jim into the race for the right halfback position on the 1948 aggregation. Gillette, the 25th Packer under contract, has been around, as it were. The string bean was a Packer back in 1940 after having been selected by Lambeau in the 1939 draft, but the Cleveland Rams picked him up via the waiver wire in 1940. Uncle Sam stepped in in 1941, and assigned Jim to the Navy. He cruised around the North Atlantic during the course of which he had two battleships sunk from under him...RECEIVED BAD GASH: Gillette returned to the Rams in 1944 and 1945 and was just developing into a top-flight runner when he was badly gashed in the fourth game of the 1944 season. In 1945 he averaged 6.1 yards per try and was second only to teammate Fred Gehrke in average yards gained for the season. The Rams traded him to Washington in 1946 and early in the 1947 season Lambeau picked him up for the Packers. He furnished the speed for the Packers' right half slot last fall - a welcome addition in view of the fact that Bob Forte was used mostly on defense. Gillette will find considerable competition next fall - Ed Smith, the Texas Mines flash, and Ralph Earhart of Texas Tech - both of whom peel off the 100-yard dash in 9.8 seconds. Also in the running for right half are Ken (Red) Keuper, blocker deluxe, and Forte who probably will toil mostly on defense...GAINED 207 YARDS: Gillette was born in Cortland, Va., on Dec. 19, 1947. He starred for three seasons at the University of Virginia where in 1938 he gained exactly a half mile in yards from scrimmage. He captained the team in his senior year. Gillette started pitching with Franklin in a Class D Virginia league this year but quit to pitch for a Cortland semi-pro squad.

PERRY MOSS, ILLINI STAR AT QB, JOINS PACKERS

JUN 12 (Green Bay) - Perry Moss, quarterback star of Illinois' smashing victory over UCLA in the 1947 Rose Bowl game, will wear Green Bay Packer colors next fall, it was revealed today by Coach Curly Lambeau. Winner of the Nelson award for sportsmanship on a national poll in 1946 Moss was considering an offer from the San Francisco 49ers of the All-America conference when he contacted the Packers. Thus, in signing Moss, Lambeau obtained the relief for quarterback Jack Jacobs, which was needed last year to utilize Jacobs' expert defensive skill. With Moss to share the offensive burden with him, Jacobs will be used for more action on defense. Moss will be one of the youngest quarterbacks in the NFL. He will turn 22 on Aug. 3 - the day after he reports to the Packers for the opening of practice. Moss stands five feet, 10 inches tall and weighs 170 pounds. Moss had a year of eligibility left at Illinois, but was eligible to sign a Packer contract because his class already has graduated. He received an "extra" season of play as a result of relaxed Big Nine rules during the war. A high school product of Tulsa, Moss played with Tulsa university in the Orange bowl in 1945, throwing two touchdown passes to help beat Georgia Tech, 26-12. Later he played against the Packers in the Chicago All-Star game in 1945 and also participated in the North-South game of that season. He was named All-Big Nine.

SKOGLUND RETURNS FOR 2ND YEAR WITH PACK

JUN 15 (Green Bay) - Bob Skoglund didn't catch a pass all last season even though he played end. Yet, Green Bay Packer Coach Curly Lambeau signed him to another season of action today - the Notre Dame star's second in Packertown. Like Larry Craig and Don Wells, young Mr. Skoglund's value rests in his ability to crash through various obstacles when Packer opponents have the pigskin. Skoglund, who turns 23 next July 29, relieved both Craig and Wells at defensive left and right ends, respectively, in his freshman year. Skoglund had something of a reputation as a pass catcher at Notre Dame where he caught 15 of 20 passes completed in the last three games of the 1944 Notre Dame season. But Bob was selected on the 1947 All-Star team and his former coach, Frank Leahy, also was mentoring the All-Stars against the Chicago Bears. Skoglund never played a moment of offense as Leahy alternated him on defense. Signed to a Bay contract before the game, Lambeau decided that night to make Skoglund a pinch hitter for Craig and Wells as the freshman spent plenty of time in the Bear backfield...CHANCE AGAINST BEARS: Missing nearly a month of Packer practice because of drills with the All-Stars, Skoglund didn't start to click with Green Bay until midway in the season. He got his big chance against the Bears when the George Halasers set a special two-man pocket for Craig. Lambeau countered by sending Skoglund into the fray frequently as a sub for Craig. The move paid off early in the third quarter when Skoglund broke through and recovered a lateral from Sid Luckman to George McAfee, giving the Packers possession on the Bear three-yard line. What happened (the Pack failed to score in four tries) wasn't Skoglund's fault. Also in the same game Skoglund delivered a block-tackle so crushing that Bear rookie back Frank Manini 

1948PACKERS-JUN-PLipscomb.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUN-JGillette.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUN-DWilfung.jpg

was actually jarred loose from the ball. It came on a kickoff early in the second quarter and Buddy Gatewood recovered on the Bear 23...FIRST HOLDOVER TO SIGN: Skoglund likely will see plenty of defensive action next fall. Craig and Wells, both unsigned as yet, are expected to return. Craig would be playing his 10th season and Wells his third. Skoglund in the first of the 1947 holdover ends to sign...PACKER PACKINGS: Skoglund is the 27th Packer signed for next fall. Only three of the defensive ends, Craig, caught a pass last year. Larry nailed a 17-yard toss from Jack Jacobs that put the Packers in position to score their last touchdown against the Bears in Chicago. A moment later, halfback Bob Forte caught a nine-yard thrown and virtually walked over.  Eighty-three of the 112 passes completed by the Packers last year were received by ends Clyde Goodnight, Nolan Luhn, Gene Wilson and Craig. Among the backfield pass catchers, Jim Gillette was high with 12 for 224 yards and Forte second with seven for 30 yards...Contracts for the Packers' exhibition game with the New York Giants in Minneapolis Aug. 29 have been received at the Packer office. It will be a Sunday afternoon game for charity.

ED NEAL FIRST OF VETERAN PACKER GUARDS TO SIGN FOR 1948 ACTION

JUN 16 (Green Bay) - Ed Neal, the 285-pound guard who is Bob Waterfield's version of a nightmare, will be back with the Green Bay Packers again next fall. Blacksmith Neal, 29, 6-foot-4, married and the father of two children, will drop his tools in Wichita Falls, Tex., in the middle of July and make tracks for Milwaukee where he'll serve as best man at the wedding of teammate Bob Forte. From Milwaukee, Neal will invade Green Bay and nearby Rockwood lodge where he'll start getting in condition for his fourth season with the Packers. In announcing Neal's contract, Packer Coach Curly Lambeau revealed that Big Ed again will see plenty of action on defense - at the center position of a five-man line. If his timing is right, Neal makes a habit of knocking opposing centers into the laps of enemy quarterbacks...BLOCKED BOB'S PUNT: Neal broke into professional football with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1945 but Coach Greasy Neale decided that Ed didn't have the necessary qualifications despite his size. Lambeau picked him up early that season and the big boy became a star. Neal's terrific play against Philadelphia provided the Packers with their first victory in 1946 after losing to the Bears and Los Angeles. The above-mentioned Waterfield, quarterback of the Rams, had never had a punt blocked until the game in Milwaukee last fall. That day Neal bounced the center out of the way, blocked Waterfield's boot and landed on the ball in the end zone for what proved to be the payoff touchdown as the Packers won, 17-14. Neal, the 28th Packer under contract, calls Tulane his "home college" although he played at several other schools. He was a fullback in play-for-nothing ranks and was a member of the Texas All-Star team in 1937..."BRING IN" FOUR WELLS: At the moment, Neal is in the oil business with former Packer Jug Bennett (1942) at Wichita. Neal makes (blacksmiths) the rigs for drilling the wells and Bennett does the actual drilling. Thus far, they "brought in" four wells this year. Neal is the first of the veteran guards to sign.

DICK WILDUNG TO GET BIG CHANCE AT TACKLE IN 3RD YEAR

JUN 17 (Green Bay) - Dick Wildung will get his bid chance at tackle for the Green Bay Packers next fall. This was the word of Packer Coach Curly Lambeau today as he announced that the Minnesota All-American will return for his third season next Aug. 2 when practice starts at Rockwood lodge. Wildung was a two-year All-American tackle at Minnesota (1942 and 1944), but was switched to guard when he rookied here in 1946. Immediately, Dick was pegged as another Mike Michalske, although he spent the first few games mastering the guard position. In his first year season, Wildung got considerable mention as the NFL's rookie Lineman of the Year. He made several all-pro teams last fall. Wildung started 1947 as a guard, too, but somewhere during the Cardinal game at City stadium the Minneapolis resident asked to work at tackle when some of the Bay tackles found themselves in hot water. Lambeau kept him at guard for that game but in the next three contests Wildung got brief workouts at tackle...BACKS "ORDERED" INTO GAME: Then came thew Cardinal game in Chicago and Wildung toiled exclusively as a defensive left tackle - next to Larry Craig, the immortal defensive wing. Between these two, Card quarterback Paul Christman was in a sitting position for three and a half quarters as the Packers charged into a 20-7 lead. The Cards finally revised their tactics, hit the opposite side of the Packer line, got off two touchdown passes, and won out by 21-20. After the game, Lambeau and every Packer player congratulated Wildung for his defensive work. Wildung and Craig gave the Rams a fit at Los Angeles near the end of the season. It got so bad, reports said, that the Ram right halfbacks had to be "ordered" into action as the Packers won in a breeze, 30-10. Signing of Wildung gives the Packers four Minnesota All-Americans. The others are halfback Bruce Smith, tackle Urban Odson and guard Larry Olsonoski, a rookie. Odson is still unsigned while Smith and Olsonoski inked working papers a month ago...SERVED IN NAVAL PT SQUADRON: Wildung, who will turn 27 on Aug. 16, stands an even six feet tall and weighs 220 pounds. Born in Scotland (South Dakota, that is), Wildung played with the East team in 1943 and captained the College All-Stars that same year. He captained Minnesota in 1942. A lieutenant (jg) in a Naval PT squadron, Wildung served two and a half years overseas and won a battle star in the Philippines. Wildung, the 29th Packer to sign, is an insurance broker in Minneapolis. He is married and has two children.

LARRY CRAIG SIGNS FOR 10TH YEAR WITH PACK

JUN 23 (Green Bay) - Larry Craig, the farmer from Ninety Six, S.C., today became the 30th Green Bay Packer under contract for the 1948 season. By inking his contract this early, left end Craig created Packer history and broke a personal precedent. Never in his nine previous nine seasons had Craig signed before he arrived in Green Bay to start practice. He generally brought the papers with him and signed them in the presence of Coach Curly Lambeau. Actually, Craig signed his contract June 14 but the letter containing said contract didn't arrive in the Packer office until this morning. Thus, Craig becomes the daddy of signed Packers. Larry, famed University of South Carolina end, will be starting his 10th year. The only other player with a time edge is tackle Baby Ray, who, at the moment, is deciding whether or not to play next fall. Ray would be starting his 11th year. A 10-year prospect was lost recently when center Charley Brock decided to retire in favor of coaching...BEST YEAR IN 1947: Return of Craig comes as bad news for all halfbacks around the league and, naturally, good news for Lambeau. Despite the fact that Craig played defensive end 99 percent of the time last year, he received mention on many all-league teams where offensive, or scoring, ends receive most attention. Craig, who will become 32 yeas of age June 27, had his best year in 1947 - the first in which he was used exclusively as a defensive left end. During the Don Hutson era, Craig played blocking quarterback on offense and left end on defense. When the quarterback became a ball handler last fall, Craig worked at end throughout the season. Though 1947 was his greatest year, Craig was his greatest disappointment that same season. One of the cleanest players in the game, Larry was thrown out of the Philadelphia contest for what the officials called fighting. Craig was giving Eagle right tackle Ed Widseth a fit all afternoon and finally Ed socked Craig in the face, cutting his lips and cheek. Craig grabbed Ed's arms to stop the blows, but the officials booted Larry...SCORED ONE TOUCHDOWN: Craig scored only one touchdown in his entire career - against the Bears in Chicago in 1945. He picked up a fumble and ran 18 yards into pay territory. During the nine years, Craig caught 14 passes for 155 yards - one a 14-yarder against the Bears in Chicago last fall. Craig has speed to burn. During Hutson's day, Craig was the only Packer to stay close to Don. Larry is one of a few NFL players to catch the Bear speedster, George McAfee, from behind when George was in his pre-war prime. Craig is the fourth end to sign for 1948.

PACK ACQUIRES GIANT TACKLE FROM RAM '11'

JUN 29 (Green Bay) - Head Coach Curly Lambeau eliminated one of the Packers' chief headaches today and at the same time strengthened the squad at the all important left tackle position when he closed a deal with the Los Angeles Rams for Clyde Johnson, one of the biggest men in football. Six feet, six and one half inches and 275 pounds, Johnson for the last two years has been the No. 1 Packer tormentor on defense. He comes to Green Bay for one of the Packers' choices in the 1948 draft of college players next December. Johnson joined the Rams in 1946 after two years of service in the infantry as a lieutenant. He entered service immediately after graduating from the University of Kentucky in 1944, where he earned all-American selection in 1943...CONFER IN LA TODAY: A native of Ashland, Ky., he has been making his home in Los Angeles, where he will meet with Coach Lambeau today to talk contract. He first attracted Lambeau's attention when, as a rookie, he broke up play after play for the Packers in the Rams' 21 to 17 victory in 1946. Several weeks later, in the second game of the season's series, he was even more damaging. Last fall, when the Packers struck back at the Rams with two victories, Johnson again proved the most effective Los Angeles lineman against Lambeau's winged T formation. Los Angeles, with a corps of tackles under contract, turned a cold shoulder on Lambeau's bid for Johnson several weeks ago, but agreed to let him go when the Packer coach renewed negotiations Monday. Johnson will be the largest man on the Packer squad, towering half an inch above Baby Ray, who for half a dozen seasons enjoyed the distinction of being the tallest player in the National league. "Johnson," Lambeau said, in announcing the deal, "should be even more effective in our defense. He is better suited for our style of defensive play than he is for the style employed by the Rams."

RHODEMYRE SHOULD HAVE NO TROUBLE WITH PROS' SIGNALS

JUN 30 (Green Bay) - Curly Lambeau does not expect his new center to have the slightest trouble with the Green Bay Packers' signals. Jay Rhodemyre, a mechanical engineering graduate from Kentucky, passed final examinations with Phi Beta Kappa marks in electrical engineering, machine design, fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. He can also read and write...The Green Bay Packers have set July 1 as a deadline for reclaiming season tickets. After that date the Packer box office will begin allotting locations on new orders received since last season...Jack Jacobs is in California to make a movie and spend two weeks with Coach Curly Lambeau studying the Green Bay Packers' offense. Lambeau plans similar seminars for other members of the Packer quarterback corps...Bob Skoglund, Packer end, caught fifteen of the twenty passes Notre Dame completed in the last three games of its 1944 schedule...The Packers were the first team to use plate glass windows in a football press box.

PACKERS SIGN JOHNSON, DAVIS

JUL 1 (Green Bay) - Two more linemen were added to the list of satisfied Packers today. Clyde Johnson, the 275-pound tackle obtained from Los Angeles on Monday, came to terms with Coach Curly Lambeau in Los Angeles and Ralph Davis, a guard on last year's squad, returned his signed contract. Johnson, 6 feet, 6 1/2 inches, accepted the first contract offered with the comment that he felt that he was lucky to land with Green Bay. "In that defense the Packers play," he told Lambeau, "I think I will enjoy playing much more and will be more effective." The former University of Kentucky All-American told Lambeau he was within a few pounds of playing weight and would report to Rockwood on Aug. 2 in condition to scrimmage. It will be his third year in the National league. Davis, a former University of Wisconsin star whose spirit compensated for his lack of heft and earned him a place on the squad a year ago, has been in school at Madison since the close of the season...SQUAD'S SMALLEST LINEMAN: Although he was the smallest lineman on the squad last fall, Davis proved one of the outstanding rookie finds of the year. Weighing only 205 pounds, he broke into the lineup more than most first year men in the Packer system. Lambeau expects the former Jefferson, Wis., prep star to be one of the leading contenders for a starting position. Davis came to the Packers with more than the customary amount of college experience. He played at Michigan and at Pennsylvania while in the Navy, in addition to having gone through two seasons as a starter in the rugged Big Nine competition at Wisconsin. Johnson, one of the biggest men in football, will be used at left tackle, Lambeau announced. Although he is an exceptional offensive tackle for his size, he probably will see more service on defense, where he first attracted Lambeau's attention two years ago by wreaking havoc with the Packer offense. His signing bulwarks the Packer tackle list, raising it to seven.

​HERBER COULD BE NEXT COACH OF SHEBOYGAN REDSKINS IN NBL

JUL 3 (Green Bay) - One of those rare fellows who made good in his own hometown may soon turn his talents to another field. He is Arnie Herber, ex-Packer air arm, who is a leading candidate to succeed Doxie Moore, newly elected commissioner of the National Basketball League, as coach of the Sheboygan Redskins. Herber, out of the sports picture since retiring two years ago, was, as most good Packer partisans are aware, the front end of the fabulous Herber-Huston tandem that terrorized the NFL from 1935 through 1940. Following that golden era, Herber left Packer ranks after he was unable to get in shape for the '41 season. But, like the proverbial firehorse, he returned to the grid wars after four years of retirement - this time wearing the uniform of the New York Giants. And, displaying some of the passing wizardry which helped establish Green Bay as a professional football capital, he enjoyed no small measure of success in ending his career with Steve Owen's Gotham eleven, laying his moleskins aside for the last time in '46. Getting back to the Sheboygan job, Herber told the writer Friday that he had been first approached by some Chair City friends, who recommended him to Magnus Brinkman, Redskin president. Brinkman, Herber confided, intimated he would take the former passing great before the Sheboygan board of director for an interview early next week.

PACK SIGNS BOB WEST, U. OF MISSOURI STAR

JUL 7 (Green Bay) - Signing of Bob West, rubber-armed University of Missouri passer who also has a reputation for defensive brilliance, was announced today by Packer Head Coach E.L. (Curly) Lambeau. The addition of West, a 6-foot, 3-inch, 185-pound stalwart, is expected to give the Packers additional insurance at quarterback during the 1948 campaign. He joins Indian Jack Jacobs and Earl (Jug) Girard in ths vital department. Although the big fellow has a considerable reputation as a long distance passer, Lambeau said. "He has been signed largely for his defensive ability. He can pick off those punts and run like a deer," the Packer mentor, who has been watching West for three years, declared...FIVE-LETTER WINNER: A five-letter winner in football at Missouri and the University of Colorado, where he spent two years, Bob was used primarily on defense by Coach Don Faurot of Missouri, a memberof the strong Bix Six conference. His fame as a passer came at Colorado where he did most of it from the tailabck in a single wing. While ther he was also received All-America mention on the Associated Press dream elevens in 1944 and '45. Principal reason for his heavy diet of defense at Missouri was Faurot's performance for a small man to operate the T he uses, according to Lambeau. "And, too, he needed him much more on defense - the team had only two good defensisve men, West and another fellow named Kling." Word of his strong arm got around early - during his prep days at Kennet, Mo., High school. In one game he threw a pass 70 yards in the air against Charleston, Mo., High. The receiver took the ball and was hit simultaneously on the one-foot line as the gun sounded, ending the game, and with it Kennet's victory hopes. According to Lambeau, West has since "thrown 90 yards - and very accurately."...PICKED IN '47 DRAFT: The Misssouri youth - he's 23 - was picked in the 1947 draft by the Packers. An ensign in the Navy during World War II, he spent two years and eight months in the Pacific and was with the first American forces to land in Japan after the signing of the peace treaty. In addition to football, West won three letters in baseball and one in track at Missouri. As might be expected, he was a star pitcher on the Tiger nine, assisting materially in lifting Missouri to the NCAA baseball tournament in 1947. West, who runs the 100-yard dash in 10.6 seconds in track, is a native of Kansas City, Mo.

1948PACKERS-JUL-VantHullPiotrowski.jpg

FRED VANT HULL, RAY PIOTROWSKI RETURN TO PACK FOR 1948 SEASON

JUL 8 (Green Bay) - Curly Lambeau, just about convinced that the Packer backfield prospects this fall are the best in the club's history, continues to concentrate on the line, striving to strike the happy championship balance. His latest moves today were the recalling of center Ray Piotrowski from Norfolk of the Dixie league, and the re-signing of Fred Vant Hill, a husky guard on Bernie Bierman's pre-war championship elevens at Minnesota, who dropped out of the picture after one year of excellent service with the Packers in 1942. Piotrowski joined the Packers last year, after an impressive record in service football. Although he had been chosen on the Hawaiian All-Star team as the best center among a score of Army and Navy elevens on the Islands during the war, Piotrowski obviously was in need of seasoning...SENT TO NORFOLK: So Lambeau sent him to Norfolk. There he developed into one of the best linemen in the Dixie League. Opponents tabbed him the circuit's outstanding linebacker and competitor. Six feet, two and 210 pounds, Piotrowski will compete with Jay Rhodemyre, the Kentucky All-American, and rookie Lloyd Baxter, the Marine hero from Southern Methodist, for the center post left vacant by the retirement of Charlie Brock. Vant Hull first joined the Packers in 1942, but immediately left after the season for the Navy, which assigned him to the Naval Academy at Annapolis. He played his football there in 1943 and returned to Green Bay last fall following four and a half years in the service. Commissioner Bert Bell ruled, however, him ineligible because he had appeared in the San Francisco 49ers lineup in 1946, while still in the Navy. Lambeau protested the decision, pointing out that Vant Hull had not actually jumped a National league contract, inasmuch as the San Francisco interlude transpired with Packer permission. Vant Hull, who stands 6 feet and is 225 pounds, did not play last year...BELL RESCINDED BAN: When the commissioner recently reviewed Lambeau's protest and rescinded the ban, a contract was dispatched to Vant Hull. It got back to the Packer office today, duly autographed and attested, bringing to 36 the number of men under contract for the opening of practice at Rockwood Lodge on Aug. 2.

PACKERS GET DEEKS IN TRADE FOR ROY MCKAY

JUL 10 (Green Bay) - The Packers, figuring in their second important player deal in ten days, acquired an outstanding tackle when Coach Curly Lambeau traded fullback Roy McKay to the Washington Redskins for Donald Deeks. Six feet, four inches tall, Deeks will be used at left tackle, said Lambeau, along with Clyde Johnson, the six foot, six and one-half inch veteran obtained last week the Los Angeles Rams. Deeks weighs 245 pounds, Johnson 275. Deeks, a former University of Washington star who played sixty minutes in the Rose Bowl in 1944, broke into the major league with the Boston Yanks in 1945, after a season of minor league seasoning with the Portland, Ore., Rockets...EARNED STARTING ASSIGNMENT: Injuries held him back his first year, but in 1946 he earned a starting assignment with Boston and played regularly until sold to Washington in the middle of last season. McKay, a former All-American from the University of Texas, played four seasons with the Packers. One of the outstanding kickers of modern times, he won the major league punting championship in 1945 and 1946. He was a member of two Chicago All-Star squads, in 1942 and 1943. Washington sought to trade for the Comfort, Tex., rancher a year ago and renewed its bid after it became obvious last fall that Sammy Baugh's effectiveness as a punter was limited to quick kicking. The Redskins have 

1948PACKERS-JUL-Deeks.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUL-GoodnightSkull.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUL-AllStarCommittees.jpg

been unable to utilize Baugh's quick kicking ability since switching from a single wing to T formation...NOW HAVE NINE TACKLES: Acquisition of Deeks boosts the Packers' tackle corps to nine members and the squad roster to 32.

WILSON, DEEKS INK CONTRACTS

JUL 13 (Green Bay) - The mailman's little bundle of joy for the Green Bay Packers today was twins. In addition to the daily package of season ticket orders, he brought the signed contracts of Gene Wilson, the little SMU fliers, and tackle Don Deeks, acquired from Washington last week in a trade for halfback Roy McKay. With the opening of practice at Rockwood lodge less than three weeks away, neither ticket orders not contracts are a novelty in the Packer mail these days. The little bit of fire horse in all good athletes is driving players to pen and Wisconsin football fans rapidly are realizing that season tickets eventually will be the only way they can see the Packers in action. But the arrival of the Wilson and Deeks papers occasioned more than the customary enthusiasm around headquarters. Wilson was one of the Packers' more highly publicized rookies last year. He had captained SMU in 1946, after starring in the North-South game in 1945, and a year ago in January, he had caught the winning pass for the West against the East in the annual Shrine game at San Francisco. Wilson needed seasoning, however, and rather than send him out, Coach Curly Lambeau decided to keep him with the squad. Gene made a few brief appearances at left end, including one against the Bears in Chicago when he hurled his sparse 175 pounds in the mammoth Bear line for a five yard gain on an end-around play that looked more like suicide than football. Lambeau figures the little redhead is about ready to play a major part in the Packers' offensive and to that end, Wilson be given every opportunity to match his speed and agility against National league defenses. Possessed of one of the surest pair of hands in the league, Wilson figures to be one of the chief targets for passers Jack Jacobs and Perry Moss. Deeks gives the Packers one of the largest and most experienced tackle corps in the history of the league. Two hundred and forty-five pounds and six feet, four inches, the former University of Oregon fits well alongside Clyde Johnson, 275; Paul Lipscomb, 245; Clyde Biggers, 245; Don Richards, 240; Ed Bell, 235; and Dick Wildung, 225. Biggers and Richards are rookies.

GIRARD ACCEPTS BID TO JOIN ALL-STARS FOR GRID CLASSIC

JUL 14 (Green Bay) - Earl (Jug) Girard, slugging Bluejay centerfielder and prospective halfback of the Green Bay Packers, has accepted a bid to join the college squad for the annual All-Star football game in Chicago's Soldier field Aug. 20, it was announced by Chicago Tribune Charities, Inc., sponsor of the contest. Girard, currently battling .328 for the Bluejays, said today he plans to leave the club July 28 for his home in Marinette where he will rest for several days before reporting to the All-Star squad in Chicago. The ex-Wisconsin star also has been chosen for the Wisconsin State league All-Star team, which is to battle the league-leading Sheboygan Indians at Sheboygan next Monday night.

WALT SCHLINKMAN 40TH PACKER READY FOR 1948

JUL 15 (Green Bay) - The little man who did such a big job at fullback for the Green Bay Packers last year - Mr. Walter G. (Big Inch) Schlinkman - returned his signed contract for 1948 to the Packer office today. Big Inch thus becomes the 40th player to sign for next season and completes the Packers' fullback corps - claimed in some circles as the best FB trio on any one team in the country. Schlinkman works with Ted Fritsch, three-time all-National league battering ram, and sophomore Ed Cody, the Purdue speedster who runs like a halfback. Trying to break up this threesome will be Ken Roskie, the South Carolina rookie, who is looking for a chance to play on the same club with Larry Craig, himself a South Carolina immortal. Schlinkman, one of the fastest starters in the league if not the fastest, was the leading fullback in the National league last season - his sophomore year. Walt finished fifth in the ground gaining figures for the entire loop and third in the Western division. Big Inch carried the ball 115 times for a total gain of 439 yards and an average of 3.8. He scored two touchdowns - one in the Bear classic in Chicago which the Packers lost, 20-17, and one in the Packers' 35-14 victory at Detroit...TURNED 26 MAY 2: Schlinkman, who wears No. 7, played at Texas Tech and gained Little All-American in 1945. He played on the West Shrine team in 1945 and the Chicago All-Star squad the same year. Though he weighs 190 pounds, Walt is built close to the ground. He stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall. Schlink is a native of Channing, Tex. He turned 26 last May 2. Walt is the 16th back signed for 1948. Still unsigned is Tony Canadeo, veteran left halfback, who is at odds over his contract. The Packers' opening practice is less than 20 days away. Coach Curly Lambeau is due in Green Bay this weekend to launch plans for opening drills, set at Rockwood lodge, Monday, Aug. 2. Most of the athletes are coming in Sunday, Aug. 1, but light workouts are set for the next day. Lambeau expects to have about 45 players in camp for the first drill.

LEGION BACKS PACKERS' STAR GAME AUG. 21

JUL 17 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers will play an All-Star football game at City stadium on Saturday night, Aug. 21. The contest will be staged under the auspices of the Sullivan-Wallen post No. 11, American Legion, and will be a Legion benefit game, proceeds of which will go into the post's building fund. Fire Chief Ralph H. Drum, veteran Legionnaire, will serve as general chairman, taking up the reins from R.M. Tetzlaff, who served in the same capacity for the Legion's second pro football promotion - the Packer-New York Giant game last year. Walter C. Scherf was the general chairman for the Legion's first event - the Packer Army-Navy All-Star contest in 1946. Drum is clearing the deck for a gigantic ticket campaign for the battle, with the entire Legion post participating. Seats for the benefit will sell for $1.80 and $1.20, which prices include tax. All seats will be reserved. Fans holding season tickets will have an

opportunity to claim their regular seats...JACOBS VS. MOSS: The lineup of the Packer squads won't be known until a week or so before the contest, but this much is certain, according to advance word from Coach Curly Lambeau: Veteran Jack Jacobs will quarterback one squad and rookie Perry Moss will quarterback the other. Moss earned his college ranking at the University of Illinois, while Jacobs captured Packer fandom with his terrific play last year - his first here after shadowing Sammy Baugh at Washington...SEE NEW PACKERS: The game will give fans an opportunity to see the many new Packers in action. Lambeau expects to have 20 new men in training at Rockwood lodge starting Aug. 2. Lambeau undoubtedly will attend the game as an observer as he did in 1946. That year Don Hutson coached the Navy squad and Walt Kiesling handled the Army boys. Incidentally, nearly 18,000 fans attended this game despite a threat of rain shortly before game time. The New York-Packer event last year drew over 12,000.

LAMBEAU ARRIVES

JUL 20 (Green Bay) - Packer Coach Curly Lambeau was due in from Philadelphia this afternoon to launch the 1948 season. Lambeau Attended a meeting of the NFL over the weekend. Packer arrivals today included Nolan Luhn, Ed Neal and Irv Comp. Luhn is accompanied by his bride. Luhn and Comp are still unsigned.

100 INDIVIDUALS, CONCERNS TO SIGN RELEASE FOR FULL-LENGTH MOVIE ON PACKERS

JUL 22 (Green Bay) - Don't be alarmed if somebody hands you a piece of paper containing the following message: "I hereby consent to the use of my name and likeness in connection with the proposed motion picture, now entitled 'The Green Bay Packers', and its advertising and publicity. Very truly yours." Under these words is a space for your signature. The paper is known as a release and more than 100 individuals and representatives of concerns will be asked to sign them, Packer Coach Curly Lambeau announced today, adding that the release is designed to "protect you and the motion picture company." These 100 individuals and concerns will be portrayed in the motion picture about the Packers. Lambeau pointed out that representatives of Green Bay Packers, Inc., will pass the released to the various people concerned. He added that work on "The Babe Ruth Story" was held up for months because released were received late. The Packer picture, incidentally, will be a full-length production and Bob N. Lee of Hollywood is at present getting facts together for the script. Lee is well known in the picture business, having turned out copy for "Captain Kidd" and "70,000 Witnesses" to mention a few. Representatives of the Monogram company will make their first appearance here sometime in August to take various shots around town. They'll return again in October for more background scenes, showing the different seasons, etc. Actual work on the picture will begin in Hollywood in February or March. The picture, the theme of which is little town against big town, will be released in late August or early September of 1949. This will be the first full-length film on the Packers - probably the most novel organization in the world in that they represent a city of 50,000 persons in competition with cities many times its size. The first representative of the picture film will be Tony Owen, Monogram official, who was formerly associated with Fred Mandel, when he owned the Lions in Detroit. Owen, who has a summer home in Eagle River, Wis., will make preliminary preparations.

LUHN 41ST PACKER TO RETURN; 4TH SEASON

JUL 23 (Green Bay) - The Packers' OETFTU is one-half in the van. Packer Coach Curly Lambeau revealed this today when he announced that one member of the Offensive End Twins from Tulsa University, Mr. Nolan (Big Mitts) Luhn, had inked his contract fr duty at right end during the Packers' August training period; the Packers' four exhibition engagements; 12 NFL affairs; and, it is hoped, a 13th battle on Dec. 19. The other half, Clyde (Nip) Goodnight, still is unsigned and Lambeau is now in the process of chasing him down. Last heard, Clyde finished work for the summer in the University of Tennessee medical school. Though Goodnight is not officially in the family for 1948, it is difficult to speak of Luhn without mentioning Goodnight and vice versa...MADE TRACKS LAST FALL: They were signed by the Packers as an offensive end team in 1945, and Goodnight's job was to transform himself into the person of Don Hutson, at the time playing his last year at left end. Luhn was installed at right end where he snatched 10 passes for 151 yards. Goodnight snagged seven for 283 while Hutson amazed with 47 receptions for 834 yards. With Hutson on the sidelines as an assistant coach in 1946, Luhn and Goodnight ran neck and neck, each receiving 16 aerials, Goodnight's for 308 yards and Luhn's for 224. It wasn't much of a passing season as the Packers went on to win the ground gaining championship. With Jack Jacobs on the pitching end, Luhn and Goodnight stated to make tracks last fall. They caught an even 80 of the 112 passes pitched for the year. Luhn snared 42 for 696 yards and seven touchdowns while Goodnight got 38 for 593 yards and six TD's. Luhn leaped from 18th in 1946 to fourth in the league race and Goodnight jumped from 17th to seventh...41ST UNDER CONTRACT: Luhn, who will turn 27 next Tuesday, is the 41st Packer to sign for the '48 season which officially opens a week from next Monday at Rockwood lodge. The only other offensive ends among veterans signed are Gene Wilson, back for his second year, and Jack Mead, former New York Giants. Luhn stands 6-3 and weighs 200 pounds. Mate Goodnight packs 195 pounds on a 6-1 frame. Both are Texans. Goodnight is the youngest of the "twins". He was 24 last March 2. Goodnight has three more years work left at the Tennessee medical school before he can hang out his MD shingle.

1948PACKERS-JUL-PackersObtainDetroitVeterans.jpg

PACK OBTAINS DETROIT VETERANS FOR 2 ROOKIES

JUL 24 (Green Bay) - Packer stock skyrocketed again today under the impetus of brisk trading. Coach Curly Lambeau closed his third important deal within a month. Applying the finishing touches to what already loomed as one of the most promising of 30 Packer squads, Lambeau acquired two outstanding veterans, Frank Szymanski and Ted Cook, from the Detroit Lions. Syzmanski is a former All-American center and honor student from Notre Dame. Cook, a rangy, fleet, pass catching end, is a product of the University of Alabama, which gave Don Hutson to the Packers. Cook and Syzmanski come to Green Bay in a straight player deal for rookies Howard Brown, Indiana guard, and Bob Rennebohm, an end from Wisconsin. "It's the kind of deal I like to make," Lambeau said. "Brown and Rennebohm are fine ball players and will be an asset to Detroit. We were in need of a man of Syzmanski's ability at center and I think Cook, under our system, can become the most talked about pass receiver since Hutson."...GAP LEFT BY BROCK: In Syzmanski, Lambeau has added a center who is amply qualified to fill the gap caused by the retirement of Charlie Brock. Cook long has been the apple of Lambeau's eye. The Lions beat the Packer chief to draw in the draft for the former Alabama star, a fact that became all the more bitter to Lambeau last fall when Cook, a rookie stationed at defensive halfback, saved Detroit from three Packer touchdowns. He made a spectacular interception of a pass that was labeled six points, broke up another sure fire attempt and caught Ed Cody from behind on a run that seemingly was as good as on the scoreboard. With the Packers, Cook will get his first opportunity to play offensive end in the major league. Detroit found it expedient to confine the big fellow to defensive halfback because it had no other man suitably qualified for the position. Cook stomached the assignment and did a bang up job. But his personal preference was offense at end. It was at that position that he finished tenth in the nation among college receivers in 1946, taking 24 passes from Harry Gilmer for 377 yards. He was a member of the Alabama team which licked Boston college, 37 to 21, in the Orange Bowl in 1942 and in 1945 he started at end for the College All-Stars against the Packers in Chicago. In the service he played regular end for the famed Third Air Force team in 1944 and 1945. Last fall was his first in the major league. Syzmnanski, the Einstein from Hamtramck, mixed mathematics with football at Notre Dame and came out a bona fide Phi Beta Kappa in both. He graduated with the most brilliant record of any mathematic student ever enrolled at Notre Dame and earned All-American honors at center. He was one of the stars of Notre Dame's victory over Navy in 1944, setting up the winning touchdown by intercepting a Navy pass and returning 25 yards to the 10 yard line...SURVIVED 5,000-FOOT FALL: Syzmanski became the mainstay of Notre Dame's team in 1944 a few weeks after he survived a 5,000-foot fall in an air crash as a naval student pilot. Something of a childhood prodigy, Syzmanski got out of Notre Dame at an early age, and after three years with Detroit, is only 25.

1948PACKERS-AUG-PackersLaunch.jpg

GOODNIGHT 7TH PACKER WING

JUL 27 (Green Bay) - The man who once found himself in the most famous shoes in professional football officially joined the Green Bay Packers today for the 1948 campaign. The man is Clyde Goodnight and the shoes belonged to Don Hutson, the former pass catching end who contributed 825 points to the Packers' NFL scoring total. Coach Curly Lambeau revealed that "we expect Clyde Goodnight to be as good as any end in the league this season. He'll work on both defense and offense because he has the ability to do so." Lambeau thinks highly of Goodnight. He figures he is more valuable than Jim Benton of the Rams or Ken Kavanaugh of the Bears. "Benton and Kavanaugh are strictly pass receivers, while we'd never be against leaving Goodnight in for a spell on defense," Curly explained. Goodnight, who started with the Packers in 1945 - Hutson's last year - is in his seventh end under contract for next fall. Missing from the Packer end corps, for the moment at least, is rugged Don Wells, defensive right end. Wells, who underwent an operation for an ailing knee here last winter, would be back for his third season. Signing of Goodnight also officially brings together the Tulsa Twins, the other being Nolan Luhn. This pair caught 80 of the 115 passes tossed by the Packers last fall. Clyde caught 38 throws for 593 yards and six touchdowns, while Luhn got 42 for 696 yards and seven TD's. Goodnight was seventh among NFL receivers last fall...STARTS EARLY TRAINING: A student at the University of Tennessee medical school, Goodnight had his best day last fall against Los Angeles there, receiving seven passes - one from Tony Canadeo to set up one TD and two from Jack Jacobs for touchdowns. Goodnight, who turned 24 last March 3, hails from Holland, Tex. His brother, Owen, played with the Rams in 1941 and another brother, Melvin, played at Tulsa in 1946. Clyde stands 6-1 and weighs 195 pounds. An All-American choice in 1944, Goodnight was a member of four bowl teams while at Tulsa - the Sun Bowl in 1941, the Sugar Bowl in 1943 and 1944 and the Orange Bowl in 1945. Clyde arrived in Green Bay the other day and immediately started training with several other early arrivees. Lambeau will issue the "call to arms" at Rockwood lodge Monday morning at 10 o'clock - official opening of Packer practice. Most of the athletes are expected to arrive Saturday or Sunday.

COMP, KALOSH HIKE LIST TO 43

JUL 28 (Green Bay) - An Englishman and a Russian joined the Green Bay Packers today for a voice in the 1948 championship affairs. The man with English blood is Irv Comp, left halfback and quarterback, while the Russian is Mike Kalosh, an end from La Crosse State Teachers college. Kalosh, incidentally, is the first Russian-born player to sign with the Packers since Buckets Goldenberg. This pair boosts the Packer roster to 43 players - about five less than will report for opening practice at Rockwood lodge Monday morning. Coach Curly Lambeau now has signed and sealed five centers, five guards, eight tackles, eight ends and 17 backs. Most notable of the missing are veterans Tony Canadeo, Damon Tassos, Don Wells and Baby Ray. Lambeau revealed that Buddy Gatewood, veteran center, will not return this season. Gatewood decided to give up football in favor of his position with an oil firm in Houston. Comp will return as an "insurance" man. He'll again alternate at left halfback and quarterback, backing up quarterbacks Jack Jacobs and Perry Moss and left halfbacks Bruce Smith, Jug Girard and Canadeo. Lambeau also announced today that Moss, former Illinois quarterback star, will play with the College All Stars with Girard, the ex-Wisconsin ace. Moss, however, will be permitted the first week with the Packers under an agreement between Lambeau and Arch Ward, sports editor of the Chicago Tribune, sponsor of the game. Girard will report to the All-Stars this weekend...DRAFTED BY PHILADELPHIA: Kalosh, who won Little All-American mention at La Crosse, was drafted by Philadelphia in 1947 but left early in the season for an operation. He finished out the season with Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Kalosh, who turns 25 next Nov. 2, is a husky and the type of end Lambeau likes. he stands 6-3 and packs 202 pounds. He is married and has one son, Michael. Kalosh served 39 months as an ensign in the Navy. Comp is returning for his sixth season here. He arrived here in 1943 and took over for passer Cecil Isbell who went into coaching. His greatest season was 1944 when his passing to Don Hutson and all-around play helped the Packers win their sixth championship. Comp, 6-3 and 205, is married and has two children.

1948PACKERS-JUL-FischerReelected.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUL-FischerReelected2.jpg

FISCHER REELECTED PACK PREXY

JUL 28 (Green Bay) - E.R. Fischer, president of the Atlas Warehouse and Cold Storage company, was re-elected president of Green Bay Packers, Inc., at the annual meeting of stockholders at the courthouse Friday night. Fischer, elected at a meeting of the board of directors following the stockholders' session, is starting his second year as president. He replaced Lee H. Joannes in July of 1947. Joannes retired after 17 years as president. E.L. Lambeau, founder of the club and now in his 30th year as head coach, was renamed vice-president and general manager, and F.J. Jonet was retained as secretary-treasurer. John Torinus, news editor of the Press-Gazette, was elected to fill a vacancy on the board of directors created a year ago when the board was increased from 32 to 25. Other directors re-elected are: E.D. Bedore, H.J. Bero, Milan Boex, Russ Bogda, G.W. Calhoun, Gerald F. Clifford, Fred L. Cobb, E.R. Fischer, L.H. Joannes, Leslie J. Kelly, Dr. W.W. Kelly, E.L. Lambeau, Fred Leicht, Harvey Lhost, Charles Mathys, John D. Moffatt, John E. Paeps, G.A. Reimer, A.E. Schumacher, Ed Schuster, William J. Servotte, A.B. Turnbull, H.G. Wintgens and F.J. Jonet..."MOST SATISFACTORY ONE": The meeting was in charge of President Fischer. Stockholders heard and accepted the annual financial report given by Jonet. Fischer, in a brief talk, praised the work of the various Packer committees and thanked members for the cooperation given him. He added that the 1947 season was "most satisfactory one". A highlight was the annual report of the team by Coach Lambeau. Speaking on an informal basis, Lambeau smiled and opened: "I hope the time never comes when I can't be optimistic, but this year is different; I am more optimistic than ever before." Lambeau based his optimism on what he called "the best balanced Packer team we've ever hand as compared with other clubs in the league this season." The veteran mentor announced that the team will start practice Monday with 48 "hand-picked" men. He explained that "we had to turn down several contracts because the talent we now have is exceptionally good." Lambeau was particularly elated over Ted Cook, the end obtained from Detroit in a trade. "Cook will surprise a lot of fans; he caught Ed Cody from behind in the Detroit game here."...CHAMPIONSHIP CHIEF OBJECTIVE: "Our chief objective this year is the championship," Lambeau said, adding that "we've got the material and now we need the morale and backing from the fans of Green Bay. With spirit and fight on the field and a hometown plugging for the championship, we can win it." Reviewing the 1947 season, Lambeau said that "we had enough to win the championship' some

1948PACKERS-BowmanOlsonoski.jpg

LARRY OLSONOSKI

1948PACKERS-BowmanLuhn.jpg

NOLAN LUHN

1948PACKERS-AUG-TimeMarchesOn.jpg
1948PACKERS-LambeauTrainingCamp.jpg
1948PACKERS-HutsonTrainingCamp.jpg

The legendary Don Hutson takes a posed breather on the practice field in 1948

called it hard luck because of the close games but actually we didn't have the championship 'stuff' on the field. The two one-point losses should have been turned into victories and those two would have put us in."

TASSOS, VOGDS IN PACKER FOLD

JUL 29 (Green Bay) - Packer Coach Curly Lambeau closed the books on his guards for 1948 with signing of veteran Damon G. Tassos and newcomer Ean Vogds. Addition of Tassos, the Greek restaurant man from San Antonio, Tex., and Vogds, former Wisconsin star, leaves the Packers with seven and a half guards. Lambeau explains the half this way: Dick Wildung, the All-American from Minnesota, will play guard some of the time (on offense) and tackle some of the time (defense). In short, he's half guard and half tackle. Other guards are veterans Ed Neal, Ralph Davis and Fred Vant Hull and rookies Larry Olsonoski of Minnesota and Bob Cunz of Illinois. Cunz earlier was announced as a back with guard experience, so Lambeau has decided to keep him at guard. Tassos, who packs 205 pounds on a 6-1 frame, will report for his second season with the Packers and his fourth in the NFL. A Texas A&M hero, Tassos played two years with Detroit before he came here last year in a trade for Marv Pregulman, guard and center from Michigan. An offensive guard, Tassos is expected to reach his peak next fall. The Greek plays generally offensive right guard, pulling out for blocking purposes. Vogds, who refused to report for his third season with the Chicago Rockets and eventually received his release, played at Fond du Lac High in the Forx River Valley conference in 1939 and 1940. He moved to Wisconsin in 1941 for two seasons and then joined the Navy. Vogds, nicknamed Red, stands 5-10 and packs 215 pounds. His home is in Malone, Wis. The Packers are not set at guard and center. The pivot roster includes Bob Flowers, Frank Syzmanski and Ray Piotrowski and rookies Jay Rhodemyre, Kentucky, and Lloyd Baxter, Southern Methodist. Flowers and Piotrowski are the only familiar faces, Bob returning for his seventh season. Piotrowski, the Milwaukeean who got his "college" football experience in the Navy, tried out with the Bays last fall. Szymanski came here recently in a trade with Detroit while Rhodemyre and Baxter will be getting their pro baptism. The Packer roster now contains 45 names, and Lambeau expects to start training at Rockwood lodge Monday morning with 48 players. The three missing are tackle Baby Ray, end Don Wells and back Tony Canadeo. With the exception of these three, the Packers are set at all positions.

1948PACKERS-TeamPic.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-YourPackers.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-GoodOldDays.jpg

When Erwin L. Hess, author of "The Good Old Days", learned that his cartoon was being used in the Press-Gazette, he was able to introduce himself with a special drawing showing the interior of the Press-Gazette editorial room on Cherry Street in 1922. On Thanksgiving Day of that year, A.B. Turnbull, general manager of the Press-Gazette, chanced to drop in at the office and there he found three officials of the Packer club in troubled conference. They were Coach Curly Lambeau. G.W. Calhoun, sports editor of the Press-Gazette, and Joseph Ordens. A heavy rain was falling and it looked like the game scheduled with the Duluth Eskimos for that afternoon would be washed out. The club was in no position to stand such a financial loss. The three representatives of the Packer management told their story to Mr. Turnbull and asked for advice. He suggested the play rain or shine policy which has been followed ever since. It was at this metting that Mr. Turnbull became interested in the fortunes of the Packers. He recognized the team as a civic asset and from that date on for many months he gave his best efforts to the business of saving the team for Green Bay. Before the next season rolled around, he had enlisted the support of a number of Green Bay businessmen who in turn organized a non-profit corporation to finance and manage the team. Mr. Turnbull served as the first president of the corporation and has been active in its affairs ever since. The cold, rainy Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 30, 1922, which Erwin Hess selected for his drawing is probably the darkest day in Packer history, but the conference and the dramatic decision is also the crucial point in the team's history. From that time on, the fortunes of the Packers have been moving onward and upward.

1948PACKERS-AUG-MossGoodnight.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUL-FiveRetire.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUL-FiveRetire2.jpg

FIVE PACKERS RETIRE; THREE STILL UNSIGNED

JUL 30 (Green Bay) - Tiny Croft, the 300-pound tackle giant, will be at Rockwood lodge next Monday morning when the Packers open 1948 practice, but he won't be in uniform. The big boy announced today that he is retiring from the game. "Six years is enough for me," Tiny declared. Croft said he'll remain in the commercial refrigeration business here. He added: "But I'll be at that first practice; I want to see how it feels to stand on the sidelines and watch." Croft, a native of Chicago who played at Ripon college, is one of the five retiring Bay players who were present for the 1947 finale against Philadelphia. The others are centers Buddy Gatewood and Charley Brock, guard Ray Clemons and back Herman Rohrig. Brock announced his retirement last winter in favor of coaching at Omaha university, while Gatewood decided to quit in favor of a position with an oil firm in Texas. Clemons, a promising guard as a rookie last year, has decided to remain on the west coast because of an illness in his family. He will attend school there. Rohrig, who played four years here, has established himself in business in Lincoln, Neb....TRADED TO WASHINGTON: Others missing are back Roy McKay, who was traded to Washington for Donald Deeks, a tackle, and Ward Cuff, former New York Giant star, who left the Packers late in the 1947 season. Cuff is now football coach at Central Catholic. Speaking about missing people. Packer Coach Curly Lambeau still is short three contracts in his stack of 45. He plans to start practice with 48 players. This group includes end Don Wells, who arrived here Thursday; tackle Baby Ray, due in Green Bay from Nashville this weekend; and back Tony Canadeo, a Green Bay resident. Wells was expected to confer with Lambeau today. Don underwent an operation on his knee here last winter and, at the moment, says, "I'm wondering about that old knee." Ray would be starting his 11th year with the Packers. He came up in 1938 - a 250-pound, 6-foot-6 star from Vanderbilt. Canadeo had contract difficulties this spring and has yet to ink the necessary papers. Tony has been working out for the last few weeks...BO MOLENDA ARRIVES: About 20 players were in Green Bay up to this morning, but 10 or 15 more are expected today. Backfield Coach Bo Molenda, a former Packer fullback, arrived on the scene Thursday night, and Line Coach Walt Kiesling is due today or Saturday. Coach Don Hutson is clearing up his business affairs and making ready for the season. The entire squad probably will be set and ready for action at Rockwood lodge. An informal gathering of the players and coaches probably will be set for Sunday.

1948 PACK TWO-THIRDS VETERANS; FIRST DRILL AT ROCKWOOD MONDAY

JUL 31 (Green Bay) - The 1948 Packer team, which opens practice at Rockwood lodge Monday morning, will be about two-third veteran. Of the 45 players under contract now (three veterans are still unsigned), 14 are simon-pure rookies. The remaining 31 (possibly 33 come practice time) have experienced the knocks of pro football. Coach Curly Lambeau was expected to confer with the three unsignees this weekend. They include end Don Wells, who arrived Thursday, tackle Baby Ray, who is due late today or Sunday, and back Tony Canadeo, a Green Bay resident. Of the pro vets, eight got their experience with other clubs, and one is returning to the Packers as a result of a rescinded ruling by National league commissioner Bert Bell...NO ROOKIES AT END: Eight of the rookies are backs - Ken Roskie of South Carolina at fullback; Perry Moss, Illinois, and Orman Horton, Texas, at quarterback; Jug Girard, Wisconsin; Fred Provo, Washington, and Bob West, Missouri, at left half; and Ralph Earhart, Texas Tech, and Ed Smith, Texas Mines, at right half. The rooks at tackle are Clyde Biggers of Catawba and Don Richards of Arkansas. Larry Olsonoski of Minnesota and Bob Cunz of Illinois are breaking in at guard. Rookie centers are Jay Rhodemyre of Kentucky and Lloyd Baxter of Southern Methodist. There are no rookies at end. Packer signees who toiled with other clubs are center Frank Syzmanski, ex-Detroit Lions; ends Jack Mead, New York Giants, and Ted Cook, Detroit. Tackles Clyde Johnson, Los Angeles Rams, and Donald Deeks, Washington Redskins; guard Evan (Red) Vogds, Chicago Rockets; center Ray Piotrowski, Norfolk; and Mike Kalosh, who signed with Philadelphia last year and later played in the Southern association. Piotrowski was here during the training season last year...PLAYERS OBTAINED IN TRADE: Notre Dame Szymanski and Alabama Cook came here in a swap for guard Howard Brown, Indiana, and end Bob Rennenbohm of Wisconsin. Halfback Roy McKay was sent to Washington for Deeks and Johnson became a Packer in a swap for a draft choice next winter. Vogds, a former University of Wisconsin ace, refused to report to the Rockets this summer and obtained his release. Piotrowski, a Milwaukeean with no college experience but with plenty of service savvy, started with the Bays last fall but was sent to Norfolk in the Dixie league for more seasoning. Fred Vant Hull, former Minnesota guard, first joined the Packers in 1942 but left after the season for Navy duty. He rejoined the Packers last fall but Bell ruled him ineligible because he had appeared in the San Francisco 49ers lineup in 1946, while still in the Navy. Lambeau protested the decision, pointing out that Vant Hill had not actually jumped a National league contract, inasmuch as the San Francisco interlude transpired with Packer permission. Bell recently rescinded the ban after Vant Hull remained out of football last year...HOLDOVERS AT ALL SPOTS: The Packers are set with holdovers at every position. Returning at ends will be Larry Craig, Gene Wilson, Bob Skoglund, Nolan Luhn and Clyde Goodnight. Coming back at tackles are Dick Wildung, Paul Lipscomb, Ed Bell and Urban Odson. Returnee guards are Ed Neal, Ralph Davis and Vant Hull. Bob Flowers leads the center contingent. Familiar faces among the backs are Bob Forte, Red Keuper and Jim Gillette at right half; Bruce Smith at left half; Jack Jacobs and Irv Comp at quarterback; Ted Fritsch, Walt Schlinkman and Ed Cody at fullback. The Packers will "lose" four players to the College All-Stars - Girard, Olsonoski, Moss and Rhodemyre. All expect Moss will report to the All Star camp Monday and return Aug. 21 - a day after the big game. Moss will remain with the Packers for a week under a special agreement between Lambeau and Arch Ward of the Chicago Tribune, sponsor of the game.

PACKERS START DRILL MONDAY

AUG 1 (Green Bay) - The best balanced Packer football team since the triple championship combination of 1929, 1930 and 1931, and the largest taken to training camp since before the war, began gathering at Rockwood Lodge Saturday, ready to open Curly Lambeau's 30th consecutive season as head coach. Forty-eight men are due to report for the first workout Monday morning. Of these, 20 will be newcomers to the Packers, including four veterans of National league competition acquired in trades. Of the 28 veterans, one, Fred Vant Hull, played with Green Bay before the war, and Baby Ray, the giant tackle, and halfback Tony Canadeo, have yet to sign contracts. Speed and passing will receive most of the emphasis during the next few weeks as Lambeau whips the squad into shape for the opening game against the Yanks in Boston September 17. It was offensive speed that kep the Packers from capitalizing on scoring opportunities last fall, when its defense for the second straight year led the National league. Five backs, all rookies and all selected for fleetness, are expected to supply the needed swiftness. They are Ralph Earhart, a little halfback from Texas Tech with an official mark of 9.7 in the hundred; Ed Smith, a big halfback from Texas Mine and a spring rival of Earhart's in the Border conference; Jug Girard, star of Wisconsin's team last fall; Fred Provo, University of Washington's climax runner for three seasons, and a fullback, and Ken Roskie, who ran the dashes at South Carolina. Although Jack Jacobs finished right up under the league's passing champion last fall, Lambeau several times found himself restricted on offense because of a lack of capable relief for the big Indian. Perry Moss of Tulsa and, later, Illinois, is expected to give the Packers all the passing support they need for Jacobs, plus a very substantial lift in generalship. Moss is regarded as one of the most adept signal callers in football. To go with this additional passing strength, Lambeau sent two rookies to Detroit for Ted Cook of Alabama, an end whom he expects to lead the league in receiving. He also signed Mike Kalosh, a 6 foot 3 inch all-around star from La Crosse Teachers, and Jack Mead, a former Wisconsin star, who played two years with the New York Giants. Earhart is also recognized as an exceptional receiver. With Cook, Lambeau obtained Frank Szymanski, a veteran center, who will vie with Jay Rhodemyre, an All-American from Kentucky, and Lloyd Baxter of Southern Methodist, for the starting assignment left vacant by the retirement of Charley Brock and Buddy Gatewood, a pair of mainstays for the last two seasons. Defensively, the Packers will present about the same front as that which has been threatening to drive T formation coaches into other offensives. Big Ed Neal, 290 pounds, will be in the center of the five man line with Dick Wildung operating at one tackle, Paul Lipscomb at the other and Larry Craig, football's greatest defensive end, flanking on the left. At right end on defense, Lambeau intends to use Don Deeks, one of the veteran newcomers obtained from Washington. Deeks is 6 feet 4 and 245 pounds and active enough to play end. Major additions to the line, besides Rohdemyre and Szymanski, are Larry Olsonoski, an all-American guard from Minnesota, who will join the squad after the Chicago All-Star game, and Clyde Johnson, a 6 foot 6, 275 pound tackle obtained from Los Angeles. Green Bay will open its preseason schedule with an intrasquad tilt at Green Bay August 21, meets New York at Minneapolis on August 29, Pittsburgh at Green Bay on September 5, and Washington at Birmingham on September 12, just five days before it tackles Boston in a night game.

PACK, LAMBEAU LAUNCH 30TH YEAR IN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL

AUG 2 (Green Bay) - Life began at 30 for the Green Bay Packers and Coach Curly Lambeau today. Opening of practice at Rockwood lodge this morning marked the start of the Packers' and Lambeau's 30th season of professional football - a record that no other play-for-pay team can match. Briefly, it was back in 1919 that Lambeau organized a group of former East and West players, obtained backing from the Indian Packing company, and played 11 games, winning 10 of them - one a 46-6 verdict over a Chicago team. Eleven more games were played in 1920 and nine wins, one loss and one tie were posted in the records. Then came 1921, and the Packers entered the NFL, setting off the spark that gave Green Bay priceless recognition. In 29 years of action, Lambeau-coached Packer clubs played approximately 450 contests, including numerous exhibitions. For the record, the Packers gained 231 victories, lost 88 and tied 23 for a .723 percentage. On a league basis, the Packers have 211 wins, 86 losses and 22 knots for a percentage of .711...HERE'S A POINT - 3,000: In league play, the Packers only once lost more games than they won. That was in 1933 when the record showed six wins, seven losses and one tie. If you're interested in a point, Green Bay permitted an even 3,000 markers in 29 seasons and scored 6,111 themselves - a better than 2-1 margin. The picture at Rockwood lodge today is different, though the game is the same with minor rule changes. As some of his players took time out to have their pictures taken, Lambeau commented, "there weren't any photos in the early days." But picture taking is a vital part of the Packers' early training period. These shots will be used in papers throughout the country in heralding the arrival of the boys from "that 

1948PACKERS-BowmanSoglund.jpg

CLYDE GOODNIGHT

1948PACKERS-BowmanRay.jpg

BABY RAY

1948PACKERS-BowmanSchlinkman.jpg
1948PACKERS-BowmanRhodemyre.jpg
1948PACKERS-BowmanMoss.jpg

BOB SKOGLUND (Played in 1947)

1948PACKERS-BowmanGoodnight.jpg

WALT SCHLINKMAN

PERRY MOSS

JAY RHODEMYRE

1948PACKERS-AUG-PackersRecord.jpg
1948PACKERS-BowmanSmith.jpg
1948PACKERS-BowmanFritsch.jpg

TED FRITSCH

BRUCE SMITH

little town in Wisconsin." Lambeau sent over 45 athletes through the opening paces today. Back in 1919, he was lucky to corner 15. Each of the athletes today are under ironclad contracts. Back in '19, the players just "agreed" to play and split the profits - if any - at the end of the season. And so it goes! Another season is underway...CANADEO, WELLS SIGN: Spot news from the training camp today was that halfback Tony Canadeo and end Don Wells had signed their contract, making a total of 47 men with working papers. The 48th, tackle Baby Ray, is due in camp on Wednesday to sign. Baby will starting his 11th year, and, incidentally, Ray was a "baby" when the Packers started. He will be 34 next Sept. 30. Ninety eight percent of the present Packers were "out of this world" when Lambeau founded the club. Canadeo is returning for his seventh season. Tony had a bit of contract trouble several months ago but all differences have been patched up, and the Grey Ghost of Gonzaga is raring to go. Tony led the Western division in ground gaining last fall, and is looking forward to another great year. Wells, back for his third season, signed after an examination of his knee and a workout indicated that the former Georgia star had recovered from an operation last winter. His signing gives the Packers nine ends. Wells is a definite right winger. Lambeau, noted for his optimism, hadn't changed today. He pointed out greater speed than a year ago and additional passing strength. Ed Smith from Texas Mines, Ralph Earhart from Texas Tech, Jug Girard from Wisconsin and Fred Provo from Washington, all rookie backs, and Ted Cook, a veteran end obtained from Detroit, are expected to give the Packers much more speed on offense...ACCOMPLISHED FIELD GENERAL: Perry Moss, star of Illinois' Rose Bowl victory and one of the more accomplished field generals in college football, will supply the additional passing strength, in which Cook, the former Alabama end, figures prominently. Lambeau expects Cook to become one of the National league's leading receivers. The Bays will stick with the winged T offense, which Lambeau revived last year and which has been adopted by the New York Giants and numerous college coaches. Lambeau also said the club again would rely largely on the same men - Larry Craig, Ed Neal, Dick Wildung, Paul Lipsomb, Urban Odson and Wells - for defensive strength. Two workouts a day for the next three weeks are planned for the largest squad Lambeau has taken to camp since before the war. The Packers open their preseason exhibition schedule with an intra-squad game at City stadium on Aug. 21 and the championship season at Boston on the night of Sept. 17. Pittsburgh's Steelers will meet the Packers in the only exhibition against National league competition in the state on Sept. 5 at City stadium.

1948PACKERS-8-2PrePractice.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-HutsonRedskins.jpg
1948PACKERS-8-8Jacobs.jpg

PACKERS SIGN REYNOLDS

AUG 2 (Green Bay) - Jim Reynolds, former Oklahoma A. and M. back, was signed by the Packers today as the team opened 1948 practice at Rockwood lodge. Reynolds, brother of New York Yankee pitcher Allie, played with the Chicago Cardinals in 1946 and the Pittsburgh Steelers last season.

BEEF SHORTAGE? PACK PACKS 10,319 POUNDS

AUG 3 (Green Bay) - Today's Packer opus is wrapped up in the accompanying roster. The list contains the names of 49 individuals. 35 of these will represent Green Bay on the field in the NFL opener at Boston Sept. 17 and 34 will fight in each of the resulting 11 loop engagements. Weight generally means something in football. So let's add up the WT column for you! The squad packs over five tons - 10,319 pounds to be exact. The 30 linemen carry 6,660 pounds and the 19 backs 3,659. The line averages 222 pounds, the backs go 193 and the entire team 211. The tackles average 245 despite the fact that 290-pound Ed Neal is listed as a guard. The guards average 228, the centers 211 and the ends 201. Neal. starting his fourth season in pro ball, is the team's heaviest man with the retirement of 300-pound tackle Tiny Croft. Next is Clyde Johnson, the 275-pound tackle obtained in a trade with Los Angeles. Lightest of the crew is 165-pound Ralph Earhart, the speed demon rookie from Texas Tech at right half. Earl (Jug) Girard, rookie left halfback from Wisconsin, is No. 2 in the "light" division. He weighs 175...Actually, the Packers have only 43 men at Rockwood lodge. Three are training with the College All Stars in Chicago - guard Larry Olsonoski, center Jay Rhodemyre and Girard. Three others will report later this week with permission from Coach Curly Lambeau. They are tackle Baby Ray, back Jim Gillette and Johnson. Ray has been doing a lot of wrestling in Nashville, and he'll leave after a big march there tonight. Gillette and Johnson needed more time to close out their business affairs. The Packer roster leaped to 49 Monday with the signing of Jim Reynolds, former Oklahoma A. and M. halfback. A brother of New York Yankee pitcher Allie, Jim stands six feet tall and weighs 195 pounds. He played with the Cardinals in 1946 and started with Pittsburgh last fall, but was released after he became ill. Reynolds will be at left half...Lambeau found the first practice Monday "pleasant". Some of the boys reported overweight but others looked exceptionally good to the veteran mentor starting his 30th season. The workout consisted of calisthenics, punting, passing and signal practice. This was preceded by a meeting in the lodge 

1948PACKERS-LeafGirard.jpg
1948PACKERS-LeafJacobs.jpg

building. The backs, centers and ends went through a special drill in the afternoon while the guards and tackles ran around the field. Fred Provo, the 185-pound right halfback, seemed to fit well into the Packer scheme as did Jack Mead, former New York Giant end. Mead, incidentally, wanted to play here shortly after he left Wisconsin but the Giants drafted him before Lambeau got a chance in 1946. Now with Green Bay, Mead is cavorting like a new man. The Packers probably will put on the pads later this week, and the first rough stuff is booked for early next week. Lambeau is dishing out 1948 plays early this year "so that they can learn 'em while they are getting in shape."

PACKERS POLISH PASSING EARLY; NINE ENDS SNATCH TOSSES IN 2ND DRILL

AUG 4 (Green Bay) - Passing will play an important part likely in Packer scoring plans for 1948. You get the idea every day the Bays practice. Tuesday was only the second day of drills, but pass plays seemed to dominate the spirited attack in front of the dummy opponents. That brings us to the guys who throw and receive said passes - particularly the ends. The Bays have nine wings and all of them got a chance to chase, cut and catch. At left end were Larry Craig, Red Wilson, Clyde Goodnight and Ted Cook while on the other side were Don Wells, Jack Mead, Bob Skoglund, Nolan Luhn and Mike Kalosh. Pitching were quarterbacks Irv Comp, Jack Jacobs, Perry Moss and Oman Horton plus several halfbacks whose identity shall remain secret..."HE CAN'T GET IT": Of the new receivers, the honorable Cook and Mead stood out. Cook, who came here via the trade route from Detroit, has a greyhound motion that leaves you mumbling: "He can't get it!" But he does. He's stringy (6-2, 190) and possesses two meat hooks. Cook caught most of Moss' throws. Mead grabs 'em like a college freshmen. He's happy in his new togs. New York beat Green Bay on the draft and Mead played with the Giants the last two years. A Madisonian, Mead snapped at the chance to play with the Packers after the Giants cut him adrift. Doc Goodnight had a good time with Jacobs' aerials, the one-time understudy to Don Hutson, snatching a couple of long shots. Luhn showed that his big mitts haven't been de-glued. He still stretches a mile off the ground and pulls 'em down. Since defense play wasn't scheduled until this afternoon the masters of defense at end also got in on pass receiving. Though Superman Craig considers it "a sin to make me catch passes", he makes a supreme effort every time he's dispatched into pass receiving territory. Wells, the defensive expert, is testing his ticklish knee...HERE ARE BACKFIELD GROUPS: Four backfield groups sailed through the various passing and running plays Tuesday. One unit had Jacobs at quarterback, Bob Forte at right half, Tony Canadeo at left end, and Ken Roskie, rookie from South Carolina, at fullback. Another group showed Moss at quarterback, Ken Keuper at right, Bruce Smith at left and Walt Schlinkman at fullback. A third unit had Horton at quarterback, Ed Smith at right half, Jim Reynolds at left half, and Ted Fritsch at fullback. The other group had Comp at quarterback, Ralph Earhart at right half, Fred Provo at left half and Ed Cody at fullback. Coach Curly Lambeau found nothing serious in the way of injuries in the daily report from trainer Bud Jorgenson. Most of the boys had the usual early season muscle aches and pains. Rookie back Bob West of Missouri came up with a foot injury Monday that kept him out of the running Tuesday. He was due for quite a workout in the defensive program this afternoon. Bob is chiefly a defensive expert. The first real test for Jorgenson and Assistant Trainer Tim O'Brien probably will take place late Thursday. That morning, the Bays will put on the pads for the first time. Clyde Johnson, the former Los Angeles tackle obtained by the Packers in a trade for a 1949 draft choice, arrived Tuesday from the west. He's a big gent - 275 pounds on a 6-foot-6 frame. Still to report are tackle Baby Ray and Halfback Jim Gillette.

TRAFFIC JAM LOOMS IN PACKER BACKFIELD; REYNOLDS SHIFTED

AUG 5 (Green Bay) - It's only a guess, kind readers, but there may be a traffic jam in the Packer backfield. Coach Curly Lambeau has 19 assorted ball carriers - four at quarterback, four at fullback and 11 at halfbacks. This was rearranged to read four, five, ten Wednesday when Lambeau switched Jim Reynolds, hard running Oklahoma A. and M. ace, from right half to fullback. He now finds himself fighting with the NFL's top fullback trio - Ted Fritsch, Walt Schlinkman and Ed Cody - and rookie Ken Roskie of South Carolina. The halfbacks are split evenly, five each at left and right. Tony Canadeo and Bruce Smth are the veterans at left half and the rookies are Jug Girard of Wisconsin, Fred Provo of Washington and Bob West of Missouri. At right half, veterans Bob Forte, Ken Keuper and Jim Gillette are battling with newcomers Ralph Earhart of Texas Tech and Ed Smith of Texas Mines. At quarterback, it is the same story - two vets against two rooks; Jack Jacobs and Irv Comp vs. Oman Horton of Texas A. and M. and Perry (Cotton) Moss of Illinois...FIRST DEFENSIVE TEST: The Packers generally carry 14 or 15 backs in the championship firing - a situation generally resulting from the league player limit of 35 for the first loop game and 34 for each bout thereafter, and line requirements. Lambeau held the first tough defensive workout on Wednesday afternoon, giving the first key to how the backfield may be split for offensive or defensive duty, although at the moment it's purely a guess as to which players will serve probably 90 percent defensively or vice versa. Lambeau generally uses all of his backs on defense and offense in practice. For instance, it's a good bet that Bob Forte and Ken Keuper, both right halfbacks who would rather tackle than eat, will return to the defensive role in which they starred last fall. This leaves the running end of right half up to speedsters E. Smith, Earhart and Gillette. Defensive material from left half presents the old problem - Mr. B. Smith. Lambeau obtained the serviced of West, who performed chiefly as a defensive leader at Missouri. West is tall, rugged and all arms and legs. Provo may be too short for the defense, which means that if a defenseman is taken from left half it will be Smith or Canadeo...KILL THOSE TWO BIRDS: Lambeau may be trying to kill two birds with one stone in moving Reynolds to full. Jim is a sharp runner but also gained plenty of experience on defense in school. Incidentally, Jim started at A. and M. as a halfback but was shifted to fullback when Bob Fennimore came up. Jacobs and Comp are defensive candidates among the quarterbacks. "Jake" played terrific defensive ball last season and Lambeau hopes to obtain even a better repeat performance this year, what with more quarterback help due from Moss and Comp. Lambeau expects to get a better pitch on the squad this weekend when the first rough stuff will be conducted. The first scheduled game is two weeks from Saturday night - the intra-squad Legion benefit game at City stadium Aug. 21. The team will split into two for the game. Lambeau announced recently that Jacobs will quarterback one club and Moss the other.

1948PACKERS-AUG-PackerScrimmageOff.jpg

PACKER SCRIMMAGE OFF; MORE WORK IS ORDERED

AUG 6 (Green Bay) - The first of the usual crop of gray hair started to grow at Rockwood lodge Thursday. Mind you, it wasn't anything serious like injuries but just a change in plans. The Packers were to scrimmage the first time Saturday, but Coach Curly Lambeau called it off after a huddle with Assistant Coaches Bo Molenda and Don Hutson. Line Mentor Kiesling discovered that the big boys up front needed more work. He figures they're a bit slow for hard contact work. Besides, the entire squad is not fully acquainted with the 1948 plays. Rather than risk a serious injury on a missed assignment or overwork some of the linemen, Lambeau decided to postpone scrimmaging until next week. Some of the linemen are packing extra weight. Baby Ray, who arrived in time to work out Thursday, said he would like to shed four or five pounds. Frank Syzmanski, former Detroit center, is working hard to melt off extra poundage. As a whole, the backs are in good condition, but, as they say, little men don't put on weight like the big fellows. The backs average 193, and the linemen 222 pounds...ICE CREAM CONES HURT: A number of the boys are putting in extra running after the regular practice. Ray and Dick Wildung ran about 20 extra minutes Thursday as did quarterback Jack Jacobs. Jack, incidentally, found himself puffing pretty hard and he panted: "Funny what a couple of ice cream cones will do during the off season." While some are overweight, one or two bob up underweight. End Nolan Luhn usually packs about 203 pounds, but he's carrying only 198 now. Some of the rookie backs, including Ralph Earhart and Ed Smith, figure to put on needed pounds. Luhn didn't show any ill effects from his weight Thursday. He snared a couple of long passes as did his Tulsa twin, Clyde Goodnight. Perry Moss was on the throwing end for one part of the padded workout and Jacobs also pitched. In punting practice, Jacobs served notice that he aims to retain his league booting title. He got off several 60-yarder and one or two that traveled over 70. Others kicking were Ted Fritsch, rookie Ken Roskie, Tony Canadeo and Jim Reynolds...GILLETTE DUE AUG. 15: With arrival of Ray, the Packers are "short" only four players. Right halfback Jim Gillette is due around August 15, but the "flat man" in in good condition, having been playing baseball most of the summer. Three others, guard Larry Olsonoski, center Jay Rhodemyre and back Jug Girard are training with the College All Stars. Moss will report to the All Star team next Sunday...Word from Detroit, via the Associated Press, is that speculation is being made as to what steps - if any - Lion Coach Bo McMillin would take in the Bob Rennebohm case. Rennebohm, who recently came to the Lions in a four-player swap with the Green Bay Packers, left camp Wednesday after an old leg injury cropped up. He headed back to Madison to take a dairy job but before leaving he assured Lion officials that the Green Bay club had no knowledge of his injury when they traded him two weeks ago.

HUTSON DEALS IN DEFENSE ONLY AND THE HOURS ARE SHORTER, TOO

AUG 6 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - If you see Don Hutson on the street these mornings when the Packers practice don't start any needless gossip. Here's the story: Hutson, football's greatest offensive end, has been in the defensive end of the game since he retired in 

1948PACKERS-LeafFritsch.jpg
1948PACKERS-LeafMoss.jpg
1948PACKERS-LeafRhodemyre.jpg

1945. Since the Packers drill defense only two or three days per week on the field, Assistant Coach Don now is required to be at Rockwood only at those times. However, he'll also take part in night player meetings, movies and conferences on strategy, as well as lending his advice on the sidelines during Packer games. Hutson's new football working arrangement is a "happy medium" in view of his business interests here. The Packer coach setup goes like this: Curly Lambeau is head coach while Walt Kiesling is line mentor. Bo Molenda is backfield goal for offense, while Hutson handles the ends and backs on defense. Offensively, Hutson contributed more to the Packers than any one individual on the field. The peerless pass receiver scored 825 points in 11 seasons and shattered nearly 20 records. He totaled 105 touchdowns and added 174 extra points and seven field goals. As Lambeau puts it, "Don can be with the Packers as long as he wants to." In addition to his coaching duties, Hutson is chief of the talent scouting system, which, incidentally, was reorganized by Lambeau in the last few years. A gridiron hero fresh in the minds of young college stars, Hutson has little trouble selling the Packers to prospective professional material. An accomplished speaker - what with his southern drawl and knack for telling humor stories, Hutson also is ably representing the Packers in the white collar field and the knife and fork league where a friend now could mean a rugged guard or tackle int he future. When Hutson came up from Alabama in 1935, the Packers had only four ends under contract and only 27 players in all. Compare this with 1948. There are nine ends and 49 candidates in all. Hutson was fighting with Milt Gantenbein, Al Rose and Bob Tenner for a starting position. It didn't take him long to earn it. On the first play of the opening league game against the Bears, Hutson caught an 80-yard pass from Arnie Herber for a 7-0 victory. Hutson outlasted two passers and a third, Irv Comp, is still with the squad. Herber was Hutson's first pitcher and the former West High School star helped "lead" Don on many a long aerial. Hutson set most of his marks with Cecil Isbell on the throwing end in the early 1940's.

PACKERS MEET PACKERS IN LEGION INTRA-SQUAD BATTLE TWO WEEKS FROM TONIGHT; SET OFF 16-TILT PROGRAM

AUG 7 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers make their first of 16 organized appearances before John Q. Public two weeks from tonight. This opener will be the third Legion Benefit All-Star game at City stadium. That date again? Saturday night, Aug. 21. Kickoff is set for 8 o'clock. The intra-squad showing will be the first of 16 scheduled affairs in the Packers' 30th season - 28th in the NFL. There could be a 17th battle - the championship game in the home park of the Eastern division champion on Sunday, Dec. 19. The Packers' battle-field attack is divided into two parts - the non-championship and the championship. Four N-C events are signed and sealed, and, of course, the dozen league encounters were history last April or thereabouts. After the intra-squad game, the Packers slip over to Minneapolis to treat the college-minded Twin City fans in an exhibition with the New York Giants Sunday afternoon, Aug. 29...PITTSBURGH HERE SEPT. 5: Then, Green Bay and Wisconsin fans will get their first look against a loop opponent. The Pittsburgh Steelers, led by Coach Johnny Michalsen who succeeded the late Dr. Jock Sutherland, will be at City stadium Sunday afternoon, Sept. 5. The final exhibition has Green Bay invading Birmingham, Ala., to face the Washington Redskins on Saturday afternoon. The "blood" end of the schedule is next. For the first time in seven years the Bays will open on the road - at Boston Friday night, Sept. 17, but the real McCoy is set for Sept. 26 when the old exponents of blood and guts - the Packers and Bears - mix at City stadium...While Coach Curly Lambeau continued stiff drills at Rockwood lodge, the Sullivan-Wallen post No. 11, American Legion, went ahead with plans for promotion of the intra-squad game. It is the third affairs sponsored by the post. The first was an Army-Navy All-Star battle in 1946 and a year ago the post sponsored the Packer-New York exhibition. General Chairman Ralph (Cap) Drum announced that a large Legion crew is hard at work "talking up" the game. Ticket requests have been received at a steady pace and holders of season tickets are being contacted with a view forward securing their same location. The opposing teams will be led by quarterbacks Jack Jacobs and Perry Moss. The squad of 49 players will be split next weekend. Though Moss will start training Monday with the College All-Stars who play in Chicago the night before the Legion game. Lambeau figures he is now well versed enough in Packer plays to lead one team. He trained with the Bays this week and will be reporting to Chicago a week late under a special agreement. The Packers continued stiff drills today, although a scrimmage scheduled for this morning was called off. Most of the boys are in need of more work and rather than risk injuries, the scrimmage was postponed until next week. Sunday will be an off day, although the Packers will gather in front of the lodge for pictures. Sunday will the Packers' annual Picture Day. Photographers from the Press-Gazette, the Associated Press and the two Milwaukee papers will be on hand to gather action material for the season.

PACKERS GET LIVE TACKLING

AUG 9 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers started their second week of practice today, and it promises to be a rugged one. That first scrimmage is booked for Tuesday or Wednesday. It was postponed from Saturday since most of the boys were in need of more work - especially on assignments. Besides, some of them were not in top-flight condition. Sunday was an off day, so to speak, although the entire squad, with the exception of four College All Stars and halfback Jim Gillette, who has not reported yet, put on their uniforms. It was Picture Day and all the athletes did was park on the grass and away the call from the photographers. This rest period started at 10 o'clock and closed well after the noon hour. It was a welcome rest, however. Saturday, Coach Curly Lambeau dished out the first "live bait" tackling practice. Nearly 200 fans, including the Shawano Junior League baseball team, were on hand to watch the drill...NOBODY WAS HURT: The tackling drill was unique in that nobody was injured seriously and the coaches felt that "the boys got a world of good out of it." The backs, of course, serve as guinea pigs because they are best equipped as rubber. First, the end crack at them, then the centers, tackles and guards. To give the backs a chance, the halfbacks then sail into the fullbacks and vice versa. Some of the ends and tackles had a rough time with the speedy Packer backs, termed by some as "scat" backs. Among these were the right halfbacks, Ralph Earhart and Ed Smith, and Perry Moss, a quarterback. The tackling session was preceded by a half hour of actual line contact. The purpose was to protect the punters - Jack Jacobs, Ted Fritsch and Ken Roskie. As usual, the drill served a dual purpose, as it were, because the "receiving" team made every effort to break through the "kicking" team's defense. Probably the most heartening break of the first week of drills, they started last Monday, was the "shortage" of injuries. But Lambeau is keeping his fingers crossed. Only serious hurt was a wrecked foot for Bob West, rookie left halfback from Missouri, who was due for heavy duty this week. West is chiefly a defensive back. The Packers, starting with today, have two solid weeks of practice before the Legion All Star game at City stadium Saturday night, Aug. 21. After this battle, the team invades Minneapolis to test the highly-touted New York Giants Aug. 29.

21 HUNKS OF MEN SEEK WORK IN PACKER LINE

AUG 10 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Most of last week, Packer backs and ends basked in the inkshine of the Press-Gazette. So, followers, "leave" us at the centers, guard and tackles. Leave us take a look at the three most important slots in the game and at the same time, leave us keep our fingers crossed because these 21 hunks of men many times are the reasons why the backs get their names in big letters a lot of Monday mornings. Leave us proceed cautiously, first of all, because Line Coach Walt Kiesling hasn't been exactly delirious with joy. Nor has Head Coach Curly Lambeau with daily reports from big walt. The bulk part of the Packer line contains eight tackles, eight guards and five centers. The guards are split evenly - four at left and four at right, while there are five left tackles and three at right. Two of the 21, center Jay Rhodemyre and guard Larry Olsonoski, are working with the College All Stars. Dick Wildung, the great Minnesota product, paces the left tackles, and there's a bit of news in that statement. It appears that Dick will work exclusively at tackle this year - on both offense and defense. An All-American tackle, Wildung was switched to guard as a freshman in 1946 but moved into tackle midway in the 1947 season. He was so terrific at the familiar tackle spot that the idea of moving him into guard has just about been removed...GUARD GIVE 'EM A FIT: Backing up Dick are Baby Ray, now in his 11th season, Clyde Johnson, former Los Angeles Ram, Don Deeks, ex-Washington Redskin who looked good Monday, and Clyde Biggers, rookie from Catawba. The right tackles are Urban Odson, Paul Lipscomb and rookie Don Richards of Arkansas. The tackle personnel could be switched around, pending the results of the first scrimmage this week. The coaching staff got a lift during a rugged session Monday when Evan (Red) Vogds, former Wisconsin guard, gave some back of the oldtimers a fit. He pulled back nicely to protect the passer and faded over a couple of times to knock out the ends. Working with Vogds at left tackle are Ed Bell, Ralph Davis and Ed Neal, all veterans. Two rookies and two veterans are in the running for right tackle - veterans Damon Tassos and Fred Vant Hull and rooks Bob Cunz of Illinois and Olsonoski of Minnesota. The stiffest battle is going on at center and it promises to grow hotter when Rhodemyre, prize rookie from Kentucky, returns from All Star duty. Veteran Bob Flowers paces the lot which includes Frank Szymanski, former Detroiter, Ray Piotrowski, who tried out last year, and Lloyd Baxter, promising newcomer from Southern Methodist...ROUGH MONDAY MORNING: The 21 "middle" linemen will probably be reduced to 15, including six tackles, six guards and three centers. This, of course, can be changed to fit the various needs. Things were rough Monday morning. Most of the players missed their assignments, and Lambeau immediately called for a play quiz in the afternoon plus a long session on defense. Most of the bright spots were on the part of several of the linemen.

1948PACKERS-8-13Coaches.jpg
1948PACKERS-8-15Rookies.jpg
1948PACKERS-Program-Players1.jpg
1948PACKERS-CardinalsProgram-1.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-SeasonTicketsWaiting.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-PackersGetCardinalCripples.jpg

PACKERS GIVE CARDINAL CRIPPLES SCRIMMAGE FOR ALL STAR CONTEST

AUG 11 (Green Bay) - Most football players and coaches laugh at superstition. They figure that superstitious athletes are graduates of the University of Ignorance. Which, of course, doesn't say much for the baseballers many of whom really believe that the bases are something on which to step when leaving the field. With permission from the Packer footballers, we will proceed with a note or two on injuries. This is being with no fear of a sudden outburst of fractured legs, arms and necks. The fact of the matter is that the little injury slip posted daily by Trainer Bud Jorgenson in Coach Curly Lambeau's sanctum contains the names of only four players. It reads: Ed Smith, muscle pull; Bob Forte, shin splints; Bob West, foot; Clyde Johnson, foot and knee. None of the injuries are serious. In fact, Forte, hearing that he was on the list, turned to Jorgenson and asked: "You haven't got me on there have you?" Lambeau is a believer in the old saw about hard driving players never get hurt. He admits there can be exceptions but "when a boy cuts loose with everything he's got, the chances of getting hurt are much less." As a whole, the squad is in good condition, but there are a number of linemen and several backs who are in need of reducing. This situation is being remedied with an extra session of organized sprints after each practice for "those who need it". It's true that the Packers haven't had a full length scrimmage yet, although something of that sort was on tap for this afternoon, but there have been several controlled scrimmage sessions plus one long period of "live" tackling. That "something of that sort" this afternoon, incidentally, was a secret scrimmage with the Chicago Cardinals. And with Card Coach Jimmy Conzelman is in just the opposite boat, as it were, from Lambeau. Conzelman's team is riddled by injuries, with at least 20 names appearing on the Cardinal hurt list...DROVE UP FROM WAUKESHA: In fact, Conzelman found himself hard put to hold a good, solid offensive scrimmage in preparation for the All-Star game. So, he asked Lambeau if the Packers could give the National league champs a workout. The Cardinals then drove up from Waukesha this morning. The Packer end of the scrimmage was chiefly defense. There were no kickoffs and the coaches took an active part in directing play. The Cardinals have slightly over a week to get in condition for the Star game, carded in Chicago Aug. 20 - a week from Friday night. The Packers will display their wares before the public the first time at City stadium the next night, Aug. 21, in the Legion All Star game.

PACKERS, CARDS EACH PRODUCE THREE TD'S

AUG 12 (Green Bay) - The Packers might have "something" out there at Rockwood lodge. They scrimmage for the first time Wednesday afternoon against the Chicago Cardinals, defending NFL champions, and the result was an 18-18 tie. The Cardinals were scrimmaging for the 11th time, having started two weeks earlier than the Pack because of their scheduled appearance against the College All Stars Aug. 20. What's more, the Packers were using an unfamiliar defense, the expected All Star defense, because the scrimmage was designed as practice for the Cards who drove up from Waukesha for the occasion. The new defense was drilled for only 15 minutes Tuesday afternoon. It is most difficult to refrain from optimism in describing the action. The Cardinals definitely were a disappointment to sideline observers, but let's ask a few question: Did the Cardinals' lousy performance make the Packers look good? Were the Packers just too good for the defending champs? Are the Cards still riding on the 1947 championship bandwagon? These questions may be answered on or before Dec. 12 - the National league's closing date...WHAT'S THIS? A FIGHT: The two clubs battled hammer and tongs because "that's the only way we'll get any good out of this," Coach Jimmy Conzelman agreed before the game. And the fur really did fly - scrimmage or not. Late in the game, guard Ed Neal came up on center Vince Banonis with his forearm and Banonis went out with two less teeth. Card guard Buster Ramsey didn't like it so he proceeded to sail into Neal and soon the coaches had to step in and stop a threatened free-for-all. The Cardinals scored one touchdown on a short pass from Ray Mallouf to Vic Schwall, and Martin Yablonski and Elmer Angsman each ran less than five yards for TD's. Both the running TD's were made possibly by long throws by Paul Christman, regular quarterback. But, (optimism again) the passes were completed in the same spots where Packer men are generally waiting under their regular defensive setup. The Packers scored first after the Cardinals failed to rally on two first downs. Bruce Smith carried the ball for 18 yards in a couple of tries and the Bays were in position on about the Card 35. Jack Jacobs, getting good help from Bob Forte, who blocked out two men, fired a long shot to Nolan Luhn who caught it on the 10 and ankled over...ROSKIE INTERCEPTS, FUMBLES: Angsman and Charley Trippi then started to roll, reaching the Packer 35 before the "all star" defense stiffened. Ralph Earhart, rookie right half playing defense, and Tony Canadeo both made a couple of last-ditch tackles to keep Angsman and Trippi from breaking away. The Packers took over but soon punted. The Cards started a good drive and Ken Roskie, rookie Packer fullback, intercepted, ran the ball back 10 yards, but then fumbled and the Cards recovered. Two long Christman to Kutner passes and the Cardinals were on the four from where Yalonski galloped off tackle for the score. The Packers bounced back in six plays to score again. Fritsch made 12 in two tries, Jacobs pegged to Ted Cook for 13 and to Forte for 16, Fritsch chewed off 13 more and Jacobs hit Luhn for 10 and a first down on the Card three. Then the Cardinals were caught sleeping as Cook went wide on first down and leisurely caught the ball without a Cardinal within eight yards. That made it 12-6. After a 10-minute intermission, in which Sir Conzelman wrinkled his features aplenty, Frank Syzmanski, new Packer center from Detroit, recovered a Cardinal fumble. The Packers couldn't go anywhere, so the Cardinals started to pass. Jim Reynolds, new Packer fullback, fumbled, intercepted a Mallouf throw, and the Packers were on the move...CANADEO KNOCKS HIM OUT: Canadeo ripped off 18 yards around end and John Cochran, Cardinal fullback, was knocked unconscious tackling him. The drive reached the Card 40 where fullback Walt Schlinkman fumbled and the Cards recovered. Mallouf started passing and Schwall took a short one for the touch. The Packers drove from their own 20 to the Card 12 on a 20-yard pass from Comp to Cook and long runs by Bruce Smith and Schlinkman, but the Cardinals held. A 45-yard aerial from Christman to Dewell set up the Cards' last touchdown - a plunge by Angsman just after the fight. The Packers bounced back hard and had a touchdown in four plays - three on passing. Jacobs pitched to Luhn for 35 yards and then to Cook for six. Canadeo split the middle for eight and then Cook made a sweet catch in the end zone, outracing two Card defenders, on the 20-yard play...PACKER PACKINGS: Most of the Packers did well. Performing at tackle, Dick Wildung several times had Christman flat on his back. Lloyd Baxter, the rookie center from SMU, gave the Cards a fit on defense...Line Coach Walt Kiesling was happy about the work of the first two Packer lines. The Bays showed plenty of speed at right half in rookies Ralph Earhart and Ed Smith and veteran Jim Gillette probably will have a tough job on his hands when he reports on Sunday. Veteran right halves Bob Forte and Ken Keuper worked mostly on defense. Nolan Luhn and Ted Cook came in for pass catching glory. The Packer offensive ends, including Clyde Goodnight, also got a shot on defense. The coaches were reluctant to single out any particular athlete "because there is no much work to be done and too many unpredictable things can happen." They were most gratified with the injury rate which virtually amounted to nothing. Bob West, sharp defensive back, got a swat on the nose and Vogds, Neal and several others came out with nose cuts. Early in the match, Trippi injured his shoulder when Canadeo brought him down. The only Cardinal to get inside Rockwood lodge was Conzelman. He stepped in for a conference with Lambeau and it was most amusing to see the two rivals discuss things in common - beating the All Stars; the Packer defense for the afternoon, etc. Lambeau figures the Cards got a world of good out of the drill. Joe Laws, Don Hutson and a couple of the Cardinal injures acted as the officials. Though the practice was billed as "secret", a large crowd turned out, including members of the Packer corporation board plus Mayor Dominic Olejniczak.

PACKERS OUTDO CARDS, BUT IT'S ALL HUSH-HUSH

AUG 12 (Green Bay) - Nobody was supposed to know about it - so, shhh. But - the Green Bay Packers played the Chicago Cardinals in an informal and allegedly secret two hour scrimmage here Wednesday afternoon and everybody in town who could get away from his job was there to see it. Yes, sir, under a mantle of great secrecy the Green Bay Packers opened their season here Wednesday afternoon before some 800 fans, and acquitted themselves in a way that (1) substantiated everything written of them as title contenders and (2) made the casual spectator along the sidelines wonder by what right the Cardinals hold any hopes they may beat the College All-Stars in the big game at Chicago a week from Friday. Each team got three touchdowns. It ought to be said at the beginning, of course, that this was a rather unusual scrimmage aside from the secrecy and the fact that some 800 got in on the secret. The Cardinals asked for it, Commissioner Bert Bell of the National league approved of it, and the Packers only Tuesday night accepted it. It was unusual in other ways, too. The Cardinals went into it with 10 earlier intrasquad scrimmages under their belts, the Packers without a single scrimmage. The Cardinals went into it with the incentive of a game only nine days away, the Packers without a game until they meet the New York Giants in Minneapolis August 29. The Cardinals went into it playing their regular style of game, the Packers with a hurriedly fashioned defense, not their own, approximating what Frank Leahy of the All-Stars will probably come up with in the game a week from Friday. After all, this was primarily a scrimmage designed to help the Cardinals. And after two hours, some of it given over to rocking football and flaring tempers, it still ended with three touchdowns apiece. The Cardinals, as a championship team with an important task immediately ahead, didn't look good at all. The Packers, considering that this was their first scrimmage, looked very good, hitting harder, running faster and playing with much more verve. It was a rocking workout in spots and Steve Baronis of the Cardinals lost a couple of teeth, Pat Harder of the Cardinals had his hand crushed. Red Cochrane of the Cardinals was knocked out cold and Buster Ramsay of the Cardinals and Ed Neal of the Packers, letting their tempers get the better of them during some stiff going near the goal line squared away. (Draw.) The Packers scored first, driving 60 yards down the field the first time they had the ball and scoring on a 20 yard pass, Jack Jacobs to Nolan Luhn. The Cardinals tied it up 15 minutes later, Yogi Yublonsky going over from the 10, but the Packers came right back and took the lead, 2 to 1, on another pass, Jacobs to Luhn. The Cardinals tied it up once more after an 80 yard drive on a 15 year pass, Ray Mallouf to Vic Schwall, and then went out in front, 3 to 2, on a two yard plunge by Angsman that capped a 60 yard assault. At this point, Jimmy Conzelman of the Cardinals suggested: "You fellows take the ball once more and we'll call it quits." So the Packers took the ball on their own 20 and rolled right down the field on four first downs for the touchdown that squared accounts. A pass, Jacobs to Cook, put the ball over the goal. The Cardinals' performance was downright disappointing, although some of it was undoubtedly due to weariness. Conzelman hasn't spared the horses in camp so far, although some of the boys still sport neat little "goiters" including quarterback Paul Christman. The trip up here was made by bus Thursday morning. And the weather, with the thermometer in the 80's and a bright sun overhead, was hardly suited to football. Only in the later stages of play did the Cardinals look like a team which might have a chance against Leahy's Leviathans despite Leahy's truly pitiful plaint that "we're apt to lose by 40 points." Conzelman clearly has his work cut out in the next few days. The Packers, on the other hand, were a pleasant surprise considering how little work they have had - that is, they were a pleasant surprise except in two glaring cases. Clyde Johnson, the 275 pound tackle obtained from the Los Angeles Rams, who appropriately wore Tiny Croft's No. 75, will have to do an about-face and then come a long way even to make the club, and Frank Szymanski, the veteran center, obtained from the Detroit Lions, will have to bear down a lot to be better than third string, if third string. The disappointments were far overshadowed, however, by the general all-around showing - Ted Cook, an end, of whom you will hear a lot; Ralph Earhart, a little jackrabbit; Ted Fritsch, who this season looks like a new ballplayer; Bruce Smith, one of the best in the league; Lloyd Baxter, a suprise at center; Evan Vogds, who could be a starting guard; Fred Vant Hull, Ed Smith, a back with a lot of drive; Ed Cody, Walt Schlinkman, Jack Mead. You could almost go right down the line. So that was the secret - a three touchdown tied, and the only pity was that George Calhoun wasn't around to pass the hat, as he once did, among the 800 on the sidelines.

SPLIT PACKERS EVENLY FOR LEGION CONTEST

AUG 13 (Green Bay) - The next order of Packer business is splitting the squad for the Legion All Star game at City stadium Saturday night, Aug. 21. It won't be a problem for Coach Curly Lambeau but division of the personnel will entail some consideration. The idea, of course, is to divide the 40-odd players so that both clubs will be evenly balanced, thereby assuring fans of a nip and tuck struggle, a thriller. Only player announced on the game came recently when Lambeau revealed that Jack Jacobs will quarterback one team and rookie Perry Moss of Illinois will direct the other. Moss is due for duty in the College All Star game Aug. 20 but Lambeau says he expects Perry will be ready. Moss, incidentally, missed a week of All Star practice and remained with the Packers under a special agreement...GILLETTE DUE SUNDAY: Also due for action in the Chicago game are guard Larry Olsonoski and center Jay Rhodemyre. Halfback Earl (Jug) Girard, fourth Packers in the Star lineup, may see some action on defense. Like Olsonoski and Rhodemyre, Girard missed all of the early Packer practice. Barring release, the Packers will suit 48 players for the Legion benefit. The squad will be intact Sunday when right halfback Jim Gillette arrives from his home in Courtland, Va. Gillette, who represented the only speed at that position last year, will be hard pressed this year by a couple of less-than-10-second men - Ralph Earhart and Ed Smith, both rookies. Earhart and Smith likely will handle the offensive chore while Bob Forte and Red Keuper, the other right halfbacks, will continue to exercised their rugged magic on defense. Thus far, only one Packer had been release. He is Oman Horton, Texas A. and M. quarterback who hopes to catch on with Pittsburgh or Bethlehem of the American league. The Packers now have three quarterbacks - Irv Comp, Jacobs and Moss...REDUCE ROSTER TO 35: Under NFL rules, the Packer squad must be reduced to 35 players for the league opener with Boston there Sept. 17. Relaxing after a full length scrimmage with the Cardinals Wednesday afternoon, the Packers went through a light drill Thursday morning. The tempo of action was increased today and a rugged session probably will be on tap for Saturday....PITT TO BE TOUGH: Discussing teams around the league here Wednesday, Card Coach Jimmy Conzelman said he expects Pittsburgh to be the surprise club in the Eastern division. Johnny Micholosen, new Pitt mentor, is an "extremely popular chap with his players," Jimmy said, "and he knows his football." Micholosen replaced the late Dr. Jock Sutherland. Just how tough Pittsburgh is will be determined when the Steelers visit City stadium for the non-championship affair with the Packers Sunday afternoon, Sept. 5. Pittsburgh is one of two teams that whipped the Packers last year. The Steelers took the exhibition on their home lot, 24-17, and then beat Green Bay, 18-17, in Milwaukee in league play. Conzelman's Cards administered the only other double beating to Green Bay. Could you forget the scores? 14 to 10 at City stadium and 21 to 20 in Chicago.

LINEUPS FOR LEGION, PACKER CONTEST SET

AUG 14 (Green Bay) - There won't be any safety in numbers at City stadium a week from tonight. The Packer squad was split evenly today by Coach Curly Lambeau for the third annual Legion All Star production, and each team has only 23 players; something like the good old days when the Packers rarely had over 20 players under contract for the entire season. The two squads have been named the Blues and Golds, representing the color uniforms to be worn. The Blues will be coached by Bo Molenda and Walt Kiesling will coach the Gold team. For extra sideline duty, Bud Jorgenson will be trainer for the Golds and Timmy O'Brien for the Blues. Lambeau, as he did in 1946, will view the game from the press section. He'll be equipped with a pad and pencil, incidentally. Jack Jacobs will quarterback the Gold squad while Irv Comp and Perry Moss will handle the QB'ing for the Blues. Moss will be the only one of the four Packers in the College All Star game Friday night who will play in the Legion fray. The others are back Jug Girard, guard Larry Olsonoski and center Jay Rhodemyre...15 LINEMEN FOR GOLDS: Working with Jacobs in the Gold backfield are left halfbacks Bruce Smith, Fred Provo of Washington and Ralph Earhart of Texas Tech; right halfbacks Bob Forte and Jim Gillette; and fullbacks Walt Schlinkman and Ken Roskie of South Carolina. Moss and Comp will direct the following in the Blue backfield: left halfbacks Tony Canadeo and Bob West of Missouri; right halfbacks Ed Smith of Texas Mines and Ken Keuper; and fullbacks Ted Fritch, Ed Cody and and Jim Reynolds of Oklahoma A. and M. The Gold squad has 15 linemen and the Blues 14. The "extra" man is an end. The Golds have five ends - Ted Cook, Larry Craig, Jack Mead, Mike Kalosh and Don Wells, while the Blues have the Tulsa twins, Nolan Luhn Clyde Goodnight, Bob Skoglund and Gene Wilson. At tackles, Golds Baby Ray, Don Deeks, Paul Lipscomb and Don Richards will oppose Blues Dick Wildung, Clyde Johnson, Clyde Biggers and Urban Odson. Blues guards Red Vogds, Damon Tassos, Ed Bell and Bob Cunz will battle against Gold guards Ed Neal, Ralph Davis and Fred Vant Hull. The Blue centers are Bob Flowers and Ray Piotrowski, and the Gold pivot men are Lloyd Baxter and Frank Syzmanski...EARHART SPRAINS ANKLE: The victory clue, if you are trying to figure a winner, seems to rest in the ends. The Golds have three crack defensive wings to catch passes in Craig, Wells and Mead plus Cook and Kalosh, while the Blues have offensive ends Luhn, Goodnight and Wilson, with Skoglund being the only defensive expert. In other words, Jacobs will be throwing to defensive wings, with the exception of Cook and possibly Mead, while Moss and Comp have offensive wings to pitch to. Barring injuries, Lambeau said he plans to stick with the above lineups. The first real casualty of the season, incidentally, was Earhart, the speedy right half, who sprained his right ankle in controlled scrimmage Friday. The extent of the injury won't be known for a few days, but Lambeau figures he'll be ready for the Legion game...BELL COMING: NFL Commissioner Bert Bell will be in Green Bay next week to look over the Packers. Bell will be in the midwest for the College All-Star-Chicago Cardinal game in Chicago next Friday night, and he expects to visit all of the training camps in that area...The Packers were scheduled to hold their second rugged scrimmage this morning at Rockwood lodge. The first was a workout with the Cardinals Wednesday...Fred Provo, the left half, was dazed in a pileup Friday but came up with no damage. Comp, eyeing duty in the Legion game, tossed some neat passes Friday.

JACOBS, FRITSCH RETURN 'FOOT' TO PACKERS

AUG 16 (Green Bay) - Ted Fritsch and Jack Jacobs again will serve as "the feet" of the Packers. The fullback and quarterback, respectively, are pacing the kicking department (punting and extra point and field goal boots) at the moment, and, on the basis of their practice performances, they are the best in the lot. If Coach Curly Lambeau has any "foot" worries they chiefly concern adequate stand-ins for Fritsch and Jacobs. Jacobs, who snared the NFL championship last fall with Frank Reagan of New York, has been averaging slightly over 50 yards in practice sessions, and he gets off a number of over-60-yarders. Backing up Jacobs are Tony Canadeo, Jim Reynolds, rookie Ken Roskie and Fritsch...DIDN'T MISS EXTRA POINT: Of the 65 punts the Packers required last year, 57 were booted by Jacobs and the other eight by Roy McKay, now a Washington Redskin in the trade that brought tackle Don Deeks to Green Bay. McKay, incidentally, copped league punting honors in 1945 and 1946. Fritsch generally backed up McKay before Jacobs came here in 1947. Big Teddy likely will handle all of the extra point and field goal booting. He shared the FG chores with Ward Cuff, now Central Catholic High school coach, last year, Fritsch canning six and Cuff seven. Cuff handled nearly all of the extra point booting, counting an even 30, while Fritsch made two. Incidentally, Green Bay was the only team to go through 1947 without missing an extra point. The Bears "led" with eight misses. Also working in the extra point and FG department are fullback Ed Cody and rookie halfback Ralph Earhart. Both are capable kickers and give Fritsch good backing. The Packers have yet to hold a practice on kickoffs, but Fritsch is expected to pace this department. One of two will be drilled to back him up. Fritsch did most of the kicking off last year, with help from McKay and Cuff. And who will hold the ball for extra points and field goal tries? Little Herman Rohrig held the ball 80 percent of the time last year, but Herman has retired from the game. At the moment, Lambeau has Bruce Smith, Perry Moss, Jacobs and Moss holding. Smith and Jacobs held the ball on several occasions last year...The Packers had Sunday off, but a rugged session was on tap for this morning. A scrimmage, with the defensive linemen wearing extra-thick body pads, was held Saturday morning. Fullback Teddy Fritsch, who sprained his right wrist Friday, and Ralph Earhart, sporting a sprained ankle, took it easy although both got in necessary "wind" exercise. After that workout, it was discovered that end Ted Cook injured a couple of ribs. Cook was playing defensive halfback, the same spot Don Hutson played on defense during his career, most of the morning. The scrimmage revealed the usual for this early in the season: That the defense is a mile ahead of the offense. For the linemen, defensive play comes natural because it's just a matter of charging ahead, while offensive players have a stack of plays to consider...NFL Commissioner Bert Bell is due in Packer camp this week, possibly Tuesday. He's in the midwest to attend the College All Star-Chicago Cardinal game in Chicago Friday night. Most of the Packers' rough stuff this week will be controlled in view of the Legion All-Star game at City stadium next Saturday night...Three players today decided they were overmatched and left the squad. They are Ray Piotrowski, Milwaukee center; Bob West, halfback from the University of Missouri; and Don Richards, Arkansas tackle...Tony Owen, producer of "The Green Bay Story" - the film about the Packers, arrived in camp this morning, as did AP sports columnist Hugh Fullerton, Jr., and his family.

PACKERS EXPECT RUGGED LEGION ALL STAR GAME

AUG 17 (Green Bay) - The Packers are looking for a tough struggle with themselves at City stadium Saturday night. It will be the Legion's third annual All Star Packer benefit game, and the Packers now are squaring apart their forces into two separate camps for the contest. One squad will be known as the Blues, to be coached by Line Mentor Walt Kiesling, and the other will be the Bluejays, with backfield pilot Bo Molenda coaching. Coach Curly Lambeau will observe from the press box. The personnel for both clubs was reduced Monday when there boys decided they were overmatched and left the squad. This trio is composed of tackle Don Richards, back Bob West and center Ray Piotrowski. Previously, quarterback Oman Horton was released. The Packers now have 45 players under contract but only 41 or 42 may play in the game. One, halfback Jim Gillette, hadn't arrived in camp up to noon today. He was expected last Sunday from his home in Courtland, Wis. Four of the boys are playing in the College All Star-Chicago Cardinal game in Chicago. They are quarterback Perry Moss, halfback Jug Girard, center Jay Rhodemyre and guard Larry Olsonoski. Moss is the only one of this group expected to play. He was with the Packers the first week of drills under special agreement while the other three missed all of the Bay practices. Moss will pair with Irv Comp in quarterbacking the Blues against Gold quarterback Jack Jacobs. Moss was the only All Star player figured in the Blue and Gold selections. Loss of Richards leaves the Golds with three tackles, Baby Ray, Don Deeks and Paul Lipscomb, while both Piotrowski and West were named to the Blues. A slight player adjustment may be made by Lambeau this week.

1948PACKERS-AUG-HardTobelieve.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-LambeauJacobs.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-PlansForMovie.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-GoldsHammerBlues2.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-Snow.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-RhidemyreReasons.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-TheyGlitteredBoxScore.jpg

STARTING LINEUP SET FOR LEGION PACKER TILT AT STADIUM SATURDAY

AUG 18 (Green Bay) - Packer Coach Curly Lambeau revealed the starting lineups today for the third annual Legion All Star benefit football game at City stadium Saturday night. And if you like to pick a favorite, please exercise extreme care. The Blue team, coached by Bo Molenda, will start Irv Comp or Perry Moss at quarterback, Tony Canadeo at left halfback, rookie Ed Smith of Texas Mines at right half, and Teddy Fritsch at fullback. The Blue line has Clyde Goodnight and Nolan Luhn at the ends; Dick Wildung and Urban Odson at tackles; Red Vogds and Damon Tassos at guards, and Bob Flowers are center. This leaves E. Smith as the only simon-pure starting. The Gold squad, coached by Walt

1948PACKERS-AUG-LegionReplacements.jpg

Kiesling, will open with Jack Jacobs at quarterback, Bruce Smith at left half, Bob Forte at right half, and Walt Schlinkman at fullback. Baby Ray and Paul Lipscomb will play the tackles; Ed Neal and Ralph Davis at guards; and Lloyd Baxter, the only rook, at center. It would seem that the Gold team could be tougher what with Jacobs, the ringleader of the Packers' league attack, in the lineup. Here's the catch. The Blues have the club's chief offensive ends, Goodnight and Luhn, on their side...Legion officials pushed the sale of tickets for the All Star game again today. They can be purchased in the Legion building on Walnut street. Fans in De Pere can pick them up at the Century alleys, Union hotel, Art Beecher's and Joe Vander Branden's. It was also revealed today that the 348th Army band, the pride and joy of Headquarters Fifth Army at Fort Sheridan, Ill, will give a performance between halves of the All Star game. They will appear in behalf of the local Army and Air Force recruiting service through the sponsorship of the Brown County Military Manpower commission. The 348th has continually been chosen as the top musical unit in the Fifth Army area. It was stationed at Camp Crowder, Mo., form 1942 to 1946, at which time it was moved to Fort Sheridan. The band's outstanding engagements were with the war bond show presenting "Here's Your Infantry" and paying all the principal cities and towns in North and South Dakota for two months in 1945, and traveling some 10,000 miles...NFL Commissione Bert Bell watched the Packers practice this morning at Rockwood lodge. He arrived late Tuesday afternoon and will spend several days here before leacing for the College All Star game in Chicago Friday night. Bell, here for a brief rest, was guest at a luncheon of the Packer board of directors at the lodge this noon. Watching Tuesday's practice was Frank Murray, head football coach at Marquette university, Vic McCormick and Lavvie Dilweg, former Packer end.

1948PACKERS-AUG-BellProfessionalFootball.jpg

GREEN BAY IS PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL, COMMISSIONER BELL SAYS

AUG 19 (Green Bay) - Bert Bell, commissioner of the NFL, is sold on Green Bay - lock, stock and barrel. The Philadelphia master of professional football, making his first visit here since 1940, first stepped to the rescue of the Packers several years ago when that ill-advised Packers-can't-survive talk mushroomed around the country. He quieted some of the big city slickers with such statements as "Green Bay will always be in the NFL; Green Bay is professional football; Green Bay is the greatest drawing card on the road in the game; Green Bay..." At Rockwood lodge Wednesday, Bell reaffirmed his assertions on Green Bay in a WJPG interview with Earl Gillespie...What's more, he explained that "professional football can't exist without Green Bay; the Packers have done a grand job and their following around the country is tremendous." If you are still worrying about the Pack, listen to this: "The Packers in six games at home drew even with a team that plays in New York's Yankees stadium," the commissioner said. Bell feels that the NFL is in for another banner year..."I wouldn't be surprised if there was a three-way tie in each division; I would have to be a magician to pick a favorite," he said. Asked about the "other league", Bell asserted that "we in the National league are carrying along like any businessmen, minding our own business, trying to improve every year, and providing the best football available; as far as we are concerned the NFL is professional football, period."

PACKER QB'S GET TEST IN LEGION TILT

AUG 19 (Green Bay) - It isn't what you call, it's when you call it! This old quarterbacking axiom will get a severe test when the Packers tangle with themselves in the third annual Legion All-Star Benefit football game at City stadium Saturday night. The Blues and Golds will be using the same systems of defense and offense, the same plays, and undoubtedly the same signal numbers. The start of a certain play will be a tipoff for the defense on what to expect. Yet, it will not be much different than a regular league game because opposing teams are scouted so thoroughly that the clubs are almost as familiar with their opponent's offenses as their own. Take the Bear-Packer opener at City stadium last fall, for instance. With the goal line only two yards away and seconds to go, quarterback Jack Jacobs called a play in which he took the ball wide around end. The Bears were caught with their collective trousers down as Jacobs scored. Assistant Bear coach Luke Johnsos, handling the telephone in the press box, said sickly "we knew they had the play." Which is another way of saying that every 

1948PACKERS-AUG-TedCook.jpg

scored. Assistant Bear coach Luke Johnsos, handling the telephone in the press box, said sickly "we knew they had the play." Which is another way of saying that every Bear from G. Halas on down has seen that play run dozens of times in practice. Get it? It isn't what you call; it's when you call it. The Saturday night game will be a battle of "calls" between Jacobs, quarterbacking the Golds, coached by Bo Molenda, and Irv Comp and Perry Moss, quarterbacking the Blues, coached by Walt Kiesling. Head Coach Curly Lambeau will watch the fun from the press box...SPEED AT RIGHT HALF: Speaking of battles, three and possible four newcomers will be in the starting lineups and looking for steady employment in future Packer contests. The three "for sure" boys are guard Evan (Red) Vogds and right halfback Ed Smith of the Blues and Lloyd Baxter of the Golds. The fourth could be Moss, the Illinois star, who is due for some action in the College All Star game in Chicago Friday night. He will alternate with Comp. Vogds, former Wisconsin and Fond du Lac High guard, will be opposing a Wisconsin buddy, Ralph Davis. Vogds will start at left guard while Davis will be at right guard for the Gold team. The game also will show whether or not the Packers have any new speed at the offensive right halfback position. E. Smith and Ralph Earhart, rookie from Texas Tech who will cavort for the Golds, both are under 10-second men. Bob Forte, veteran right half, will start at right half for the Golds but is chiefly a defensive star in regular league competition. Jim Gillette carried the bulk of the speed load last year, but Jim hadn't reported up to this morning and Lambeau doesn't expect to use him Saturday night if he does report...At the moment plenty of good seats are available for the contest. Seats are priced at $1.20 and $1.80. These figures include the tax. Tickets can be purchased in the Legion building and De Pere fans can but them at the Century alleys, Union Hotel, Art Beecher's and Joe Vander Branden's...The Packers held their last rough session Wednesday morning and no serious injuries were reported, although halfback Red Keuper was dazed on one play. He was revived quickly and returned to action...Ted Cook, former Detroit Lion, has recovered from a rib injury and will be ready for the Star game...Lambeau was far from pleased with Wednesday's drill with one exception - the work of giant tackle Clyde Johnson, who showed considerable improvement over earlier performances. Clyde packs 275 pounds on a 6-foot-6 frame.

NEW MEN EYE CHANCE IN LEGION-PACKER TILT

AUG 20 (Green Bay) -You can bet your last undented hub cap that there will be gobs of fur flying at City stadium Saturday night. Among the 40-odd Packer participants in the third annual Legion All Star game will be approximately 15 new faces who hope to be in the Green Bay caravan heading for Boston Sept. 17 and the first NFL game. The Packers now have 45 players under contract, but only 41 will play. The missees will be halfback Jim Gillette, who hasn't reported yet, and three of the four boys battling in the College All Star game in Chicago tonight - back Jug Girard, center Jay Rhodemyre and guard Larry Olsonoski. The fourth, quarterback Perry Moss, will see some action in the Legion fray. Coach Curly Lambeau must reduce the squad to 35 players for the league opener against Boston, which means that 10 will receive railroad tickets sometime before Sept. 17. Besides the Legion mix, these 10 will get an opportunity to prove themselves in non-league battles with the Giants in Minneapolis Aug. 29; with Pittsburgh at City stadium Sept. 5; and with Washington in Birmingham, Ala., Sept. 11...LOOK OVER NEW FACES: Disregarding the lineups of the Blue and Gold squads, which have been picked as opponent for the Legion event, let's take a look at some of the new faces and you'll also see the problem Lambeau will have in reducing the roster. The new gents at end are Ted Cook, pro veteran obtained in a trade from Detroit; Mike Kalosh, rookie from La Crosse Teachers; and Jack Mead, late of the New York Giants. These three are out to unseat veterans Larry Craig, Clyde Goodnight, Nolan Luhn, Bob Skoglund, Don Wells and Gene Wilson. Since the Packers generally carry six ends, it's obvious the race is still wide open. The tackle and guard situations won't be too troublesome. There are eight tackles and as many as seven could be carried. New tackles are Clyde Biggers, Don Deeks and Clyde Johnson. Newcomers at guard are Bob Cunz and Olsonoski, and Olsonoski is still untried. A big scramble is shaping up at center where three newcomers - Lloyd Baxter, Frank Syzmanski and Rhodemyre - are eyeing the post held by veteran Bob Flowers. Rhodemyre is still untested here but he's drawing praise in the College All Star camp. Baxter showed definite "pro" signs in the Cardinal scrimmage while Syzmanski is gradually losing the weight that handicapped him early in practice. Generally, Lambeau carries 14 backs, depending on the requirements in the line. The backfield now contains 16 men, and the only untested one is Girard, booked as a left halfback. Also at left half are Tony Canadeo, Bruce Smith and Fred Provo, a rookie who has been looking good. Girard, incidentally, is playing on the single wing All Star team and will have to switch when he returns to Green Bay. Jim Reynolds, also a newcomer, has been switching between left half and fullback. The right halfback post is crowded with five - veterans Bob Forte, Ken Keuper, Gillette and newcomers Ralph Earhart and Ed Smith. Earhart and Smith provide adequate offensive speed, while Forte and Keuper are defensive kingpins. If Gillette doesn't return, the right half situation is set. The fullback spot was complicated further this week with the fine showing of rookie Ken Roskie. But the same token, veterans Teddy Fritsch, Walt Schlinkman and Ed Cody have lost none of their stuff. Now you have an idea of the fierce on-the-field competition set for Saturday night and the problem Lambeau faces in cutting the squad come Sept. 17...STAR DUST: The Press-Gazette radio station WJPG-FM will open broadcast of the Legion All Star Packer game at City stadium Saturday night at 7:45 with a special broadcast by sportscaster Earl Gillespie on the Packer players. He will give the play-by-play starting at 8 o'clock. The game also will be carried by station WDUZ...Officials are referee D.R. McMasters, head linesman H.L. (Whitey) Woodin, umpire Frosty Ferzacca and field judge Tom Hearden. All City stadium workers, including ushers, gatemen and park police, are requested to report to the stadium at 6 o'clock Saturday night in preparation for the game starting at 8 o'clock.

GILLETTE ARRIVES IN PACKER CAMP

AUG 20 (Green Bay) - Jim Gillette, veteran Green Bay Packer right halfback, arrived at Rockwood lodge and took his first workout this morning. Arrival of Gillette completes the Packers' 1948 roster which now includes 45 players. Gillette was given permission to report late (practice started Aug. 2) because of business in his hometown, Courtland, Va...PACKERS TANGLE IN ALL-STAR GAME TONIGHT AUG 21 (Green Bay) - The Packers make their first public appearance of the 1948 season at City stadium tonight. It will be the third annual benefit production sponsored by the Sullivan-Wallen post of the American Legion, with proceeds going into the post's building fund. Kickoff is set for 8 o'clock between two picked Packer teams known as the Golds and the Blues. Backfield coach Bo Molenda will mastermind the Blues and Line Mentor Walt Kiesling will pilot the Golds. Head Coach Curly Lambeau will observe the battle from the press box. Actually, Lambeau won't have a thing to do with the proceedings, though he'll take a stack of notes which, no doubt, could be used frequently in practice next week. For Mr. and Mrs. Green Bay and Northeast Wisconsin families, the game offers an excellent opportunity to judge the 1948 Packers on the basis of what they do against each other. The game is the first of four non-league affairs which will continue with the Packers invading Minneapolis Aug. 20 to meet New York; Pittsburgh visiting City stadium Sept. 5; and the Packers facing Washington in Birmingham, Ala., Sept. 11...MOSS WORKS WITH COMP: Forty-two of the 45 Packers under contract will perform tonight. The inactive three include guard Larry Olsonoski, halfback Jug Girard and center Jay Rhodemyre, who played in the College All Star game in Chicago last night. A fourth All Star player, quarterback Perry Moss, will work tonight since he put in a week of practice with the Bays in the first week in August. Moss also played in the College All Star game but he will work tonight in view of the fact that he practiced a week with the Packers early in the month. Right halfback Jim Gillette, who arrived Thursday night, may see some action as he ran through plays with the Packers Friday morning. Gillette had been given permission to report late because of pressing business in Courtland, Va., his home. Moss will pair with Irv Comp in quarterbacking the Blues against the Golds, quarterbacked by Jack Jacobs. Lambeau has been toying with the idea of using Jacobs more on defense and this year hopes to put the bulk of the QB'ing on Moss. Jacobs was terrific on defense a year ago and 

1948PACKERS-AUG-AllStarTickets.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-ItsFootball.jpg

Lambeau figures he could be even greater with more rest...EYE FOR "CROWD PLEASER": The squads have been divided with an eye for a "crowd pleaser". The Blues, for instance, have the two leading offensive ends, Nolan Luhn and Clyde Goodnight, while the Golds have the top defensive wings, Larry Craig and Don Wells. This is designed to counteract Jacobs' passing, although Ted Cook, Gold end replacement, is some shakes on offense. The Packers are in good condition with the three serious injurees being well healed. They include Cook, who had some damaged ribs; Ralph Earhart, with an ankle sprain; and Fred Provo, with a head injury...STAR DUST: Radio fans can pick up the game on two stations, WJPG-FM and WDUZ. The WJPG-FM broadcast will start at 7:45 with notes on the Packer players by sportscaster Earl Gillespie, and the play-by-play will follow at 8 o'clock. Jim Coffeen will handle the public address system as in the past. Russ Leddy, Legion entertainment chairman, will be master of ceremonies between halves. The program will include a performance by the famous 348th Army band and a special act. All stadium workers are asked to report at 6 o'clock for last minute instructions. Fire Chief Ralph Drum, game chairman, announced today that there are plenty of good seats available. Box offices at the stadium will be open at 6 o'clock this evening. Prices are $1.20 and $1.80, including tax.

1948PACKERS-AUG-GoldsHammerBlues.jpg

GOLDS HAMMER BLUES, 17-0, IN LEGION PACKER ALL STAR TILT; NEW YORK NEXT

AUG 23 (Green Bay) - To the 26,000 non-professional eyes, the Packers put on quite an interesting performance at City stadium Saturday night. To the pro blinkers of the four coaches, the Packers displayed some definite weaknesses as the Golds, coached by Walt Kiesling and quarterbacked by Jack Jacobs, rolled over the Blues, 17-0, under a full moon and scads of stars. The Blues, under the direction of Bo Molenda from the sidelines and quarterback Irv Comp on the field, never could get an offense started while Gold Jacobs passed to Jack Mead for a touchdown in the second quarter and kicked a 23-yard field goal in the third period. Bob Forte scooped up a fumble in the fourth period and ran four yards for the other TD. It was a distinct success for those gold uniforms, purchased shortly before the 1947 season. They were used twice last fall - both against the Steelers and the result was a 24-17 non-league beating at Pittsburgh and a 18-17 loop edging at Milwaukee. The Pack will play Pittsburgh in a non-championship game at City stadium Sept. 5 and Coach Curly Lambeau, who watched from the press box may install the gold jerseys - just for size again. The Packers, anyhow, went back to work this morning in a serious frame of mind for the coaches had plenty of talking material. They'll be preparing for a non-loop tussle with the New Yorks in Minneapolis next Sunday afternoon. First business was a look at Joe Laws' report on the Giants' intra-squad game in Grand Rapids, Minn., Saturday night. Getting back to the City stadium event, let's review some of the bright spots then the dark spots and finally scoring...DOWNFIELD BLOCKING POOR: The brights can be taken care of in one paragraph. Most exciting of the newcomers seemed to be little Ralph (Eversharp) Earhart, the scatster from Texas Tech, playing at right halfback. Earhart averaged seven yards in four attempts and was all over the field. When Walt Schinkman, fullback, ran 57 yards, Earhart nudged out a man at the line of scrimmage and then overtook Walt, definitely not a snail, to block out another man. The Packers' great defensive end combination, Golds Larry Craig and Don Wells, hasn't lost anything. They had plenty to do with bottling up Comp's passing. Craig and Wells were supposed to weaken the Golds' end offense, but the Golds had two other guys, Ted Cook and Mead. The biggest thorn was the poor blocking and tackling. Blocking downfield, with rare exceptions, was one of the major disappointments and ruined many a possible long run. The blocking on wide sweeps also was lacking sadly. Tony Candeo, trying to pass twice from the "corner", didn't have a chance as his interference fouled in front of him. Most gratifying news came after the game. Not a Packer was seriously injured, although there were many bruises and bumps. Forty Packers took part and five others watched. The watchees were the College All Star selections, Jay Rhodemyre, Perry Moss, Larry Olsonoski and Jug Girard and halfback Jim Gillette, who arrived late for practice. Moss, incidentally, suffered a shoulder separation in the All Star game and will be lost for about 10 days while Girard injured his knee...FRITSCH STEALS TWICE: It was a great victory statistically for the Golds, the Kieslings piling up 17 first downs to 7 for the Blues; a total yardage of 308 to 122; 226 yards on rushing to 74; and 82 yards passing to 48. Schlinkman, running harder than ever, bagged 133 yards in nine attempts to pace the Golds, while Ed Cody led the Blues with 32 in eight tries. The Golds received to start the game and roared to three first downs before Teddy Fritsch pulled the first of two Charley Brocks, stealing the ball from Craig after Larry caught a 12-yard pass from Jacobs on the Blue 45. B. Smith and Forte paced the drive, each snatching Jacobs' passes and Bruce rushing for 11. The Blues couldn't budge so Jim Reynolds punted. After Golds Forte and B. Smith made enough for a first down, Schlinkman fumbled and guard Damon Tassos recovered for the Blues. Reynolds punted again and the Golds gathered up another first down on fullback Ken Roskie's 10-yard run. But big Fritsch stole the ball again, this time from Fred Provo after an 11-yard run as the quarter ended. The Blues got their first down as Comp pitched to Clyde Goodnight for seven and Canadeo ran three. Forte tossed Fritsch for a five-yard loss and Ed Smith added five on the Golds' 25 after which Fritsch tried a field goal from the 32 but missed...CAN'T FIND RECEIVER, RUNS: An exchange of punts gave the Golds position on their own 44. On third down, Schlinkman powered 25 yards up the middle. Stepping back to pass, Jacobs couldn't find a receiver and ran 20 yards to the Blues' 11. On second down, Jacobs hit Mead with a strike in the end zone. Roskie kicked the extra point and the Golds led, 7-0. Each club made two first downs as the half ended. The Golds received again and they had three points in 12 players. Earhart ran 18, Schlinkman 14 and then Jacobs pegged to Earhart to 14. Schlinkman and Provo combined to put the Golds on the Blue 21. The attack stalled on the 16 and Jacobs stepped back on the 23 to boot a field goal. After an exchange of punts, Fritsch and Canadeo combined for two first downs before Reynolds punted again. Provo ripped around left end for seven as the third frame ended. Earhart fumbled and recovered for a six-yard loss, but Schlinkman whistled through both clubs for 57 yards and a first down on the Blues' 15. Needing only one yard for a first down, Provo slipped and was tossed for a three-yard loss as the Blues took over. On third down after two running plays gained only two yards, Canadeo went wide to his right to pass but Wells grabbed his throwing arm and the ball skidded away. Forte grabbed it up and ran four yards into the end zone for the second TD. Roskie kicked the extra point. With Cody running and Comp pitching to Nolan Luhn for 19 yards, the Blues raced into scoring territory but Forte ended the threat by intercepting a Comp pass on the goal line and returned 23 yards. The game ended a moment later.

RHODEMYRE HONOR UNEXPECTED HIGHLIGHT OF PACKER STAR GAME

AUG 23 (Green Bay) - One of the brightest and certainly most unexpected sidelights of the Packer Legion All Star game at City stadium Saturday night came midway in the third quarter. It concerned a Packer rookie not even in uniform - Jay Rhodemyre. Packer Publicitor George Strickler took the field microphone for a few moments at that time to announced that nearly 500 sportswriters at the Cardinal-College All Star game in Chicago Friday night had selected center Rhodemyre as the college boy who had turned in the most outstanding performance in the annual football classic. Jay popped into town Saturday and joined his Green Bay teammates on the bench after the half to get a closer look at the proceedings. He got a little tongue-tied when Strickler called him to the "mike", but said after the game that he was glad to be in Green Bay with the Packers. He still had a rather hard time trying to figure out how he was awarded the most outstanding player award...WILL HE OR WON'T HE?: "Shucks," he said, "all I did was go out there and play football!" Another boy who caught the attention of the fans was Ted Cook, the left end who came from Detroit in a recent trade. What the fans were wondering after the game was, "Will he or won't he - help remind fans of Don Hutson at left end?" If you closed your eyes and heard him say, "Ah played for Alabama," you could almost believe it was Hutson himself. Ted is built something like the great left end, and the fans saw him take one of those passes over center Saturday night in a play very similar, if not identical, to the one Cecil Isbell and Hutson used to pull off with machine-like precision. Ted claims that when he heard he was traded to the Packers he knew he would like it here. Now he says he likes it even better than he thought he would. Cook had a little trouble seeing the ball at night and muffed a couple of passes, but Hutson said after the game that he seldom misses in practice...DRESSED IN PINK TIGHTS: Between the halves, Russ Leddy introduced State Legion Commander John F. O'Melia and then "Miles and Mann", a two-man burlesque gymnastic act whose amazing exhibition of strength and coordination brought several good rounds of applause from the grandstands. The men performed in the middle of the gridiron and were dressed in pink tights and purple trunks and and sported the latest in handlebar mustaches. Though some of the football players were still a little rusty, the Packer Lumberjack band sounded like it was in mid-season form as the red-jacketed men gave out with everything in music from the Packer pep song to modern ballads.

PITT GAME HERE KEY TO PACKERS' TITLE DREAMS

AUG 24 (Green Bay) - New York, Pittsburgh and Washington - the Giants, Steelers and Redskins! They are the gents who will determine, to some extent, the Packer fortunes in the NFL's 28th campaign. The Green Bays tangle with New York next Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis, then engage the tough Steelers at City stadium Sunday afternoon, Sept. 5, and close non-league action against Washington's Redskins in Birmingham, Ala., Sept. 11. While the Packers are working on the ills noticed in the Legion All Star game, let us glance at the future game program. The first non-championship foe, New York, is of unknown quantity for the simple reason that the Giants haven't appeared against any league foe this year yet. So are the Packers, for that matter. Joe Laws looked over New York in an intra-squad game at Grand Rapids, Minn. Saturday night, and the Giants undoubtedly had a scout for the Legion even the same evening...THE PITTSBURGH JINX: The Pittsburgh contest here shapes up as the Packers' key non-championship struggle. First "because" is that the Steelers, operating under new coach Johnny Michelosen, dropped their opener to the Packers' hated rivals, the Chicago Bears, by a 28-14 count. The Bears led, 7-0, at halftime and had to race back with two fumbles for two of the TDs. Pittsburgh looms as the Packers' jinx. The Steelers whipped Green Bay twice last year, 24-17 in Pittsburgh and 18-17 in league competition in Milwaukee, thus becoming one of two teams to hand the Packers two lickings in 1947. The champion Cardinals administered the other double swatting. The Washington tilt will give Coach Curly Lambeau his last chance to view the Bays in operation on a non-loop basis. At the moment, it would seem that the Packers pass defense should get quite a test what with 

PACKER FANS GET PRICE BREAK ON PITTSBURGH TILT AT STADIUM

AUG 25 (Green Bay) - Packer fans are getting a price break for the non-league game with the tough Pittsburgh Steelers at City stadium Sunday afternoon, Sept. 5. The top will be $3.60. Compare this with prices of the non-championship battles involving the Packers in Minneapolis and Birmingham, Ala. For the privilege of watching Green Bay meet the New York Giants in Minneapolis, fans will play a top price of $5, while the top for the Packer-Washington game is $7.20 in Birmingham. The game in Minneapolis is already sold out. Green Bay and Wisconsin Packer fans also have two other price ranges to shoot at for the Pittsburgh Steelers - $2.40 and $1.20. Incidentally, the Minnesota boys on the Packer team have been bombarded with requests for tickets for next Sunday's game since there are none available in Minneapolis. The game will be played in snug Nicollet park and only 15,000 seats are available...Speaking of pro football, NFL Commissioner Bert bell hauled out his crystal ball today in Philadelphia and revealed that the Chicago Bears and Cardinals are the top entries in the Western division and the Giants and Eagles the best in the east. But, Bert hastened to add as he did during his visit at Rockwood lodge last week, "why, there might even be a three-way tie in both divisions." The point from this corner seems to be "wonderful" for Green Bay because, on the basis of what Bell says, the Packers could be classed as the underdogs - definitely a healthy rating. At the same time Bert claims that "the Packers seem to have the best all-around club they've ever had." Bell figures that the Detroit Lions and Boston Yanks are the most improved clubs in the league but that every other team, especially Pittsburgh, has improved with what he says is the best flock of rookies in history. Two of the choice rookies will be cavorting in the backfield of the Bears. They are All American Johnny Lujack of Notre Dame and passing Bobby Layne of Texas. The Cardinals haven't added as much rookie talent as the other clubs, but the two freshmen sensations of last year - Elmer Angsman and Charley Trippi - will be more seasoned players than in 1947. Coach Bob Snyder is rebuilding his Rams with a lot of young blood. Two of the top prospects on Los Angeles are Tom Keane, a back from West Virginia and brother of the Bears' Jim Keane; and Bob Shaw of Ohio State. who spent his freshman season on the bench last year nursing injuries. But the surprise package of the west, according to Bell, will be Detroit. It will be Bo McMillian's first year at the Lion helm and McMillin has assembled a brilliant assortment of first year talent. The best looking of the lot - and Bell's guess as potential rookie of the year - is halfback Fred Enke of Arizona.

'END' OF PACKER LINE; IT'S SOME PROBLEM

AUG 26 (Green Bay) - Nolan Luhn, the Packers' leading pass receiver last year, has finally "come around". The Tulsa toddler was the first to admit a slight decline in his usual efficiency the last couple of weeks, but he apparently has solved the mystery. He's been giving his teammates a nasty time on offense and defense since the All Star game last Friday night. Luhn had been toiling in his usual spot - right end, but in the past two weeks Bob Skoglund, the former Notre Damer, virtually forced a change in the Packers' opening lineup for the New York non-league game in Minneapolis Sunday. Skoglund, a defensive standout as a freshman last year, thus far has been exceptional at right end on offense. However, with the "return" of Luhn, the right end spot just now is a tossup. Don Wells, the Georgian who has forgotten about that knee, demonstrated in the All Star game that he wants the defensive right end spot all for himself. Speaking about the ends, this here Dr. Clyde Goodnight, who is Mr. Luhn's Tulsa twin, is a strange one. Lo and behold, if Goodnight is shaping up as a rough, tough defensive end. Funny thing, Clyde isn't the best blocker on offense but he is wicked as a defensive end. This is unusual in view of the fact that good players on defense generally make good blockers. Anyhow, Goodnight still ranks high on Coach Curly Lambeau's list of pass receivers. Clyde finished second to Luhn last year, catching 38 against Nolan's 42. On the ends subject, it would seem appropriate to mention the other wings, one of whom is a pretty fair country end - Mr. Larry Craig. The man from Ninety-Six, S.C., as you folks who saw the All Star game can attest, has lost none of his defensive brilliance. The others are rookie Mike Kalosh, who is steadily improving; Ted Cook, the defensive and offensive expert obtained from Detroit; Gene Wilson, the little man with red guts; and Jack Mead, late of the Giants who is acting like a new boy in Packer togs. All in all, the Packers are well set with ends, but Lambeau can't carry the entire nine. Trying to cut those nine down to six or seven will be like whittling a steel pipe with a butcher knife...The Packers put in a stiff controlled scrimmage period Wednesday morning, despite the 95-degree heat. And it appeared to be 50 percent successful. The defensive linemen had to be prodded several times into more charging, and one case of playing "cousins" was discharged. The boys were reminded that the Giants are not in the habit of playing relatives. A long defensive session in the afternoon was held, 98-degree heat and all. Still in sweat clothes was halfback Jug Girard, who expects to be ready to run in a

1948PACKERS-AUG-LloydBaxter.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-CardinalVictoryLetter.jpg

couple of days. Girard will be fighting for a spot among the left halfbacks who now include Tony Canadeo, Fred Provo, Bruce Smith and Jim Reynolds. Incidentally, Provo had some bright moments in Wednesday's drill. Today is the fourth successive day of double drills. The squad will taper off with a light practice Friday morning. Tackle Don Deeks hurt his right knee in practice Wednesday but the injury is not serious. Everybody seems to be pleased with the showing of veteran tackle Baby Ray, now in his 11th year in Packer clothes. Baby had been counted for relief roles but he may earn a starting berth.

PACK RANKS AS 'PEOPLE'S CHOICE' FOR THREE NON-LEAGUE BATTLES

AUG 27 (Green Bay) - The Packers undoubtedly will be the "people's choice" for the next two Sunday. At Minneapolis next Sabbath against the New York Giants, the Packers will present former University of Minnesota stars - Bruce Smith, Dick Wildung, Urban Odson and Fred Vant Hull. Those five should swing a lot of votes for the Pack. In Green Bay's City stadium the following Sunday, Sept. 5, the Packers naturally will be the hometown's choice to gain revenge over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Pittsburghers whacked the Packers twice last year - 24-17 in Pittsburgh and 18-17 in a National league struggle in Milwaukee. That 18-17 thing had plenty to do with wrecking the Pack's 1947 title hopes. The final non-league collision, the Packers vs. Washington in Birmingham, Ala., Sept. 11, probably will find the Green Bay's in the role of the people's choice - if for no other reason that that the Packers represent the small town. Birmingham and Washington are in the big town class, 'tis heard. People's choice or not, Packer Coach Curly Lambeau is particularly interested in posting an impressive non-championship record in preparation for the 28th NFL campaign. The Packers this season will be gunning for their seventh world's football title. Should this be accomplished, the Packers would draw even with their hated rivals, the Chicago Bears, in the WFT department...MINIMUM OF INJURIES: The Packers came out of the heat-packed rugged week of practice with a minimum of injuries. There are a few limpees - among them being tackle Don Deeks, guard Larry Olsonoski and back Ralph Earhart. They will be ready for the New York game. Quarterback Perry moss and halfback Jug Girard will likely be held out of the Giant game, Moss with a shoulder separation suffered in the College All Star game and Girard with a knee injury obtained in a Star practice. Two-a-day drills were held all this week as Lambeau and aides Walt Kiesling, Bo Molenda and Don Hutson went all out in correcting the errors discovered in the Legion All Star game. One of the boys had a rough time. He is halfback Jim Gillette, who reported last weekend, and found himself in the midst of 90-degree heat and double workouts. Still aching, Gillette said he expects to be "even" with the rest of the team next week. While the New York game is the immediate object, the Packers are keeping an eye on the Pittsburgh battle. The Pack is particularly anxious to gain revenge for those two 1947 defeats...PACKER PACKINGS: The New York game will start at 3 o'clock, instead of the usual 2 o'clock. It is a charity affair sponsored by the Catholic Welfare association of the Twin Cities. Of the 10 New York ends, Ray Poole is the lone veteran and he is back for only his second season. The Packers will get a crack at such highly-touted college stuff as Charlie Conerly, Tony Minisi and Bill Swiacki. E.D. Crim, passenger agent for the Milwaukee Road, is starting his 16th year in handling Packer traveling arrangements. Crim's schedule for the non-league opener has the Packers leaving at 11 a.m. Saturday morning on the Northwestern, changing to the Milwaukee Road Hiawatha in Milwaukee at 2:15 p.m., and arriving in Minneapolis at 7:45 p.m. Saturday night. They'll leave Minneapolis on the Hiawatha at 7:50 Monday morning, arrive in Milwaukee at 1:20 p.m. and home on the Milwaukee Road Chippewa at 4:23 Monday afternoon. The Packers will headquarter at the Hotel Nicollet in Minneapolis and the game will be played in Nicollet park, home of the American Association baseball Millers. 

1948PACKERS-AUG-FaceNewYork.jpg

PACKERS FACE NEW YORK IN NON-LEAGUE OPENER

AUG 28 (Green Bay) - The Packers were off today for Minneapolis where they'll test the armor plate of the highly-touted New York Giants in a non-league game Sunday afternoon. It will be the first of three non-championship encounters before the NFL openers in Boston Sept. 17. After New York the Pack will engage the Pittsburgh Steelers at City stadium Sept. 5 and then invade Birmingham, Ala., Sept. 11 to battle the Washington Redskins. A sellout crowd of close to 10,000 persons will pack tiny Nicollet park, baseball home of the Minneapolis Millers, for the charity game sponsored by the Catholic Welfare association of the Twin Cities. Kickoff is set for 3 o'clock. It will be the first non-league engagement for both clubs, although both teams made public appearances in intrasquad contests. The Packers, in addition, had a "secret" scrimmage with the Chicago Cardinals, the purpose of which was to sharpen the Cards teeth for the College All Star game. Packer Coach Curly Lambeau will have 45 players on the bench Sunday afternoon, and 43 of them will get into action. The other two are injured - quarterback Perry Moss with a shoulder separation and halfback Jug Girard was hurt in the All Star game...SOUNDS LIKE A MYSTERY: The contest shapes up as something of a mystery. The Packers, despite ineffective passing in practice this week, likely will try their aerial fireworks with quarterbacks Jack Jacobs and Irv Comp on the pitching end. Lambeau is also expected to give his new right halfbacks - Ralph Earhart and Ed Smith - a very thorough trial. Earhart looked particularly good in the Legion All Star game here last Saturday night. He'll also look at Bruce Smith and Tony Canadeo. The Bays will toss four fullbacks into the New York line, always a tough nut to crack. At this spot rookie Ken Roskie will be vying with Teddy Fritsch, Walt Schlinkman and Ed Cody. Plenty of substitutions are expected in the line where newcomers Ted Cook, Mike Kalosh, Jack Mead, Clyde Biggers, Clyde Johnson, Don Deeks, Bob Cunz, Larry Olsonoski, Evan Vogds, Lloyd Baxter, Frank Syzmanski and Jay Rhodemyre will be fighting for regular jobs. The Minneapolis crowd will be treated to five former Minnesota Gophers - B. Smith, Fred Vant Hull, Dick Wildung, Urban Odson and Olsonoski. New York doesn't have an ex-Gopher in its lineup. Green Bay could be called favorites although Lambeau is of the opinion that "there isn't any such thing in the National league." One reason for giving the Bays the edge is that they had one tough scrimmage with the Cardinals while the Giants are untested. Besides, the Giants are traditionally slow starters. The Packers, incidentally, will be out to sharpen their offense for the Pittsburgh game here a week from tomorrow. The Pack wants revenge for those two lickings last year, and, besides, Green Bay must save face in view of that fact that the Chicago Bears whipped Pittsburgh last week, 28-14. The Giants, too, will have some face saving to do in Minneapolis. They had their worst season in years last fall after taking the Eastern division title in 1946. Backing up Pitchin' Paul Governalli will be the famous Charles Conerly. Other new stars include end Bill Swiacki of Columbia, Michigan's Jim Brieske at center and Tony Minisi of Penn at halfback. With four new replacements in the line, the Giant wall, coached by coached by Red Smith, the former Packer line mentor and Bluejay manager, is expected to clear the way for speedy backs. Most of the line veterans like guards Len Younce and Bob Dobelstein, tackle-end Dewitt Coulter, tackle Jim White and center John Cannady are back. The Packers are due in Minneapolis 

1948PACKERS-AUG-ProbableLineups.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-ClydeBiggers.jpg

on the Milwaukee Road Hiawatha at 7:45 this evening. They'll headquarter at the Nicollet hotel and leave Minneapolis at 7:50 Monday morning, arriving home at 4:22 on the Milwaukee Road Chippewa.

PRESS-GAZETTE RADIO STATIONS TO CARRY ALL THE PACKER GAMES

AUG 28 (Green Bay) - All of the games the Packers play this season will be broadcast over one or both of the Press-Gazette stations, WJPG and WJPG-FM. The broadcasts have been arranged through the cooperation of WTMJ, which will originate the on-the-spot accounts of the game with Bob Heiss doing the play-by-play. WJPG-FM will carry every game while its radio twin, WJPG, will carry all that its sunrise to sunset operating schedule permits. This means WJPG will carry every game except that played in Boston Sept. 17, a night game, and the last part of the game with Los Angeles there Nov. 28. The program will start at 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon with broadcast of the Packer-New York Giant non-league game from Minneapolis. Prior to every Packer game, Earl Gillespie, WJPG and WJPG-FM sportscaster, will give a noon hour roundup of news about the Packers and other professional teams. After every game, WJPG and WJPG-FM will present a professional league scoreboard showing how other teams made out. Rounding out the football picture even further, WJPG also announced today that it will carry all University of Wisconsin games via the Wisconsin network. Beginning Sept. 18, Gillespie will initiate a regular Saturday afternoon program about the collegiate football scene. He'll discuss the six leading games of the day on the national collegiate scene and play music appropriate to each contest. The program will begin at 1:30 and continue for a half hour. Periodic reports of collegiate scores will be given as available following the end of the University of Wisconsin games.

PACKERS, GIANTS PLAY TODAY

AUG 28 (Minneapolis) - Forty-five Green Bay Packers arrived here tonight where they will open the serious part of their 1948 exhibition season tomorrow afternoon against the New York Giants. For Coach Curly Lambeau, starting his 30th consecutive season as head coach of the Packers, the game will have a double significance. In addition to giving him a look at his 1948 championship contender under fire in a regulation contest, the game will afford Curly the first opportunity to match his defensive genius against his own offense. On the basis of pre-season performances, such rookie backs as Ralph Earhart, Ed Smith, Perry Moss, Jug Girard, Fred Provo and Jim Reynolds and newcomer Ted Cook at left end have appeared to be outstanding additions to the squad. Among the veterans Ted Fritsch, Ed Cody and Walter Schlinkman, the best set of fullbacks in the National League, have been especially impressive. After the Giant game tomorrow, the Packers return home to tackle the Pittsburgh Steelers in an exhibition at City Stadium on the afternoon of September 5.

Harry Gilmer backing up Sammy Baugh. The Packers will put in 900 minutes of action, with 720 being devoted to championship play...The temperature was above 90 today but the Packers had two drills on tap. Two workouts also were held Monday as Lambeau attempted to iron out the mistakes discovered in the Legion All Star game. Bob Skoglund, the former Notre Dame star, may force a change in the Packers' starting lineup. Skoglund was a defensive standout in his pro debut last year but thus far he has been the outstanding offensive right end in drills. Perry Moss, Illinois quarterback who was injured on the last play in the College All Star game, was the only Packer handicapped by injuries today. He suffered a shoulder separation, but is going through the motions at quarterback and handling the ball occasionally. From Superior where the Giants are training came word that three players who had been with the All-Star squad which lost to the Cardinals participated in their first practice drill Monday. Charlie Connerly, Mississippi, Bill Swiacki of Columbia and Jim Brieske of Michigan got in a brisk signal workout. Connerly, top college passer in the nation last year, worked at halfback but Coach Steve Owen said he would be shifted to quarter.

PACKERS LOOK GOOD AND THEY'RE IN SHAPE

AUG 25 (Milwaukee Sentinel-Lloyd Larson) - Gone are the days when August heat waves and football talk were conflicting subjects. Besides, sweltering Green Bay Packers fans may gain considerable comfort on a hot day to know that Curly Lambeau has a high class ball club in the making. The Bays looked good - very good - in their first public showing under game conditions last Saturday night. Despite the usual drawbacks of an intrasquad test, there were several encouraging overall signs as well as sparkling individual exhibitions. No. 1: They're in swell shape. In fact, most of them were pretty well on the way when they reported for practice. As a result, they were ready for some rocking and socking when they squared off against each other. No. 2: The old fire already has been kindled. Maybe it's the addition of go-guys like Ralph Earhart. Whatever it is, they seem to mean business. Which is the only possible spirit for winning football. Earhart himself offered the best example of the dashing spirit on Walt Schlinkman's twisting, bouncing 57 yard run. Ralph didn't settle for an initial block. Instead, he regained his feet, caught up with Schlinkman and was running interference for him downfield when he was finally nailed...A REAL FIGHT FOR POSITIONS: The chances are that every Packer came to camp prepared to fight ​for his professional life. And it will be a battle right down to the day Lambeau starts swinging the axe in order to reduce the squad to its legal limit. Right now, for instance, there are eight ends, at least one or two of whom will have to go. Larry Craig, Clyde Goodnight, Nolan Luhn, Bob Skoglung, Don Wells and Gene Wilson are the holdovers. Jack Mead, former Wisconsin star, has looked mighty good - a real surprise, in fact. Ted Cook, obtained from the Lions in a trade, is another who will have to be reckoned with. It won't be any easier to trim down the halfback delegation. Bruce Smith, Tony Canadeo, Bob Forte, Ken Keuper, Jim Gillette, Fred Provo, Ed Smith, Jug Girard and Earhart are in the running. It is doubtful that Lambeau will carry more than seven. Which means two of those mentioned will be dropped. The guards are just about set, but a fullback, one quarterback, a center and a tackle or two must be weeded out. So each and every man is and will be on his toes. Which is exactly where Lambeau wants them.

HEAT BOTHER YOU? PACKERS WEAR EXTRA 'CLOTHIING' FOR LONG PRACTICE

AUG 25 (Green Bay) - Football under a broiling sun! That's the "hot" news today from Rockwood lodge where the Packers are straining and groaning themselves into condition for their 28th NFL campaign. The temperature hit 98 Tuesday, but the sudden influx of the good old summertime didn't hinder the Packers. They held two lively workouts - one in the morning and another in the afternoon, and any extra weight the athletes might have gathered over the weekend is now merely a coincidence. The double workouts Monday, Tuesday and today mean one thing: Coach Curly Lambeau is far from satisfied with the progress of the squad. Not one to drive the squad - what with the heat and several good scrimmages - Lambeau apparently is convinced that the team needs plenty of work to obtain some degree of perfection for the three non-league games...EXTRA COATING OF PADS: The Packers put on the pads for Tuesday morning's scorcher, and the defensive linemen had an extra coating - the padded snowsuits. A lot of offensive combinations then tried cracks at the line with good and bad results. Taking part in this type of action for the first time were Jimmy Gillette, 1947 veteran who arrived only last Friday, and guard Larry Olsonoski and center Jay Rhodemyre, who played in the College All Star game last Friday. Halfback Jug Girard, who injured his knee in All Star practice, was out in sweat clothes while quarterback Perry Moss, now healing a shoulder separation, took part in signal drills. The only casualty was Olsonoski, whose knee "went out". But Larry was far from discouraged and claimed that "it comes back quickly and I'll be okay for tomorrow." He went through the entire Minnesota season last year without trouble until late in the finale against Wisconsin. He had no trouble in the All Star game...GOPHERS AT MINNEAPOLIS: Incidentally, Olsonoski will be one of five marked players at Minneapolis Sunday. Other former Minnesota stars in the Packer lineup are tackles Dick Wildung and Urban Odson, guard Fred Vant Hull and back Bruce Smith. Though they aren't in a mood for rushing things, Lambeau and Coaching Aides Walt Kiesling, Don Hutson and Bo Molenda are anxious to see the Packers under National league fire. The Giants, however, may not provide as great a "fire" as the Pittsburgh Steelers will in Green Bay Sept. 5 for the simple reason that the New Yorkers are traditionally slow starters.

1948PACKERS-AUG-ThreeSeriusGentlemen.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-ContractCommittee.jpg
1948PACKERS-AUG-SomethingOdd.jpg
1948PACKERS-JUL-LookAtThatObject.jpg
1948PACKERS-DEC-HeathAgreesToPlay.jpg

LAMBEAU EYES DRAFT IN PLANS FOR 1949

DEC 7 (Green Bay) - Curly Lambeau, coach and general manager of the Green Bay Packers, today was looking ahead to the National league draft meeting in Philadelphia, Dec. 20, as the first step in preparation for the 1949 season. He indicated he would be seeking a passing quarterback, as well as other talent to fill in spots where the present players were "below championship requirements." "There is much to be done and we've started doing it," Lambeau said, reviewing a season which saw the Packers finish out of the first division for the first time and below .500 for only the second time in history...'JUDGMENT PROVED WRONG': "Although extremely disappointing and aggravating, the situation is not exactly a new one for the Packers. We faced it before - in 1933 and 1934 - and came back to win championships in 1936 and 1938 and a divisional title in 1938. We corrected it then and we can and will correct it now. It was not one or two or four big situations that kept us from winning more. It was fifteen or more little things. I made some mistakes, a lot of mistakes. My judgment proved wrong on numerous occasions. I wish I could make over a few decisions." Lambeau said: "We had some very good boys this year, players who measured up to every major standard. We had other players whose performances would have been much more impressive had we been more successful as a team. But we also had some whose play and effort definitely were not up to championship requirements. And championship football is all we are going to tolerate in Green Bay in the future."...FAILURE NOT PUZZLING: There is nothing puzzling about the Packers' failure, Lambeau said. "We know what held us back and we are going to correct it. It will just take hard work and some sound thinking. Our passing, quite obviously, was far from being satisfactory and was a handicap all year. That and the fact that a number of veterans did not play the kind of football we expected from them and know they can play."

PICTURE THE PACKERS WEARING T-FORMATION GRID CLOTHING!

DEC 7 (Green Bay) - It is fun to dream – especially when you’re wide awake. During the late minutes of Sunday’s Packer-Cardinal game in Chicago we got to picturing the Packers dressed up in the terrorizing T-formation. You can’t help but expounding about the T when you watch three guys like Pat Harder, Elmer Angsman and Charley Trippi take handoffs from Paul Christman and Ray Mallouf on quick openers through the line. You notice that Harder, Angsman and Trippi each have a 50-50 break on cracking the line – each can crack straight ahead. You get to dreaming about the Packer offense – especially the case of Bay right halfbacks, who must run at least the length of the line (parallel to it) before they can cut over the line. You get to dreaming what a slippery kid like Ralph Earhart would do once he peeled through the line – off the T. Packer left halfbacks and fullbacks 

1948PACKERS-DEC-PackerComment.jpg

virtually run off the T under the present system, and, if statistics are correct, a Packer left halfback, Mr. Anthony Canadeo, and a Packer fullback, Mr. Walter Schlinkman, are the club’s top yard makers with 589 and 441 yards, respectively. Tony made 123 attempts and Walt 106. Despite the long-run, sideways handicap, Earhart has gained 146 yards in 25 attempts in 12 games. He’s carried on the average of only twice a contest. Take that handicap away by letting him run off the T and you have another explosion to go with Tony and Walter. Now, let’s use Sunday’s game as an example. The Cardinals’ three-cylinder T-system – Angsman, Harder and Trippi – carried the ball 42 times out of a total 55 rushes for 174 yards. The Packers’ two-cylinder steamer (Canadeo and Schlinkman) carried 24 times out of 33 rushes for a total gain of 98 yards. The third cylinder, Mr. Right Halfback? Earhart went once for 14 yards and Ed Smith carried twice for eight yards. Actually, they went 52 yards because in each run they have to go an extra 10 yards before breaking over the line o’ scrimmage. Gee, it’s fun dreamin’. Incidentally, Trippi, Angsman and Harder didn’t carry once during the last quarter Sunday...Mrs. Jay Rhodemyre watched her husband, the Packer center, perform for the first time as a pro Sunday. She came up from Evansville, Ind., where the Rhodemyres reside…Frank Balazs, former Packer fullback and now a Chicago policeman, visited the Packers in the dressing room after the game…Cardinal officials said the crowd would have reached 32,000 with good weather, but rain started about 45 minutes before kickoff…About 10 of the Packers left Chicago for their homes after the game, the remainder returning to Green Bay to close out personal business. Among the new Green Bay settlers are Nolan Luhn, Red Vogds and Ralph Davis. Ted Cook will take a bride Dec. 18 in Birmingham, Ala.

WHAT WAS THE MATTER WITH THE PACKERS?

DEC 8 (Milwaukee Sentinel-Lloyd Larson) - Here's a letter containing observations with which I agree and a perfectly logical question which has been asked many, many times during the season and in the days since it closed: "Things sure are out of balance in Wisconsin. A certain element has been putting on a smear campaign against the state university because of the losing football season. Twisting the truth and accepting rumors as truth, if not telling downright lies. Undermining and dividing by planting ideas. It goes far beyond shooting at individuals or expressing honest opinions. Yet this same element forgets all about another state institution, the Green Bay Packers. They were supposed to be championship bound and wound up with three victories and nine defeats and the worst record in history. Why the smear I don't know. But that's not my question. What I want to know is what WAS the matter with the Packers?" Frankly, I feel the No. 1 trouble with the Packers was and is Rockwood Lodge, their living and training quarters outside the city of Green Bay. There have been rumors galore and many opinions on the subject ever since the poor showing in the first game with the Bears. Differences in pay, the blanket half-game pay fines, flops on the part of individuals, overall strength (or lack of it) on the coaching staff and one thing or another are supposed to have contributed to the "My Happiness" theme in reverse...THE IDEA THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT: It's quite obvious, too, that there was some over-evaluation of material. But I still feel that the spacious new Packer home, Rockwood Lodge, had more to do with the "situation" than anything else. It seemed like a good idea when the Packer Corporation took over the lodge months before the 1947 season. There the Packers, noted for their college spirit, would have a campus of their own, with practice facilities outside their door. There they would live together, live football and become more closely knit than ever before. The aim was to stir up even more of the college spirit, and, in the long run, gain added advantage over big city rivals. Yea, it was a good idea. But it hasn't worked out that way at all. The players saw too much of each other. The football diet was too heavy. "Morning, noon, afternoon and night we got nothing but football and it was too much," as some have explained. The players also resented being herded together like juveniles. Many of them are mature men with families. And the families, of course, were moved off the "campus" after a year's trial run...PLAYER-FAN RELATIONSHIP IS LOST: Important as those considerations are, there's an even greater weakness in the Rockwood setup. This has to do with the player-fan relationship - the very spirit responsible for the Packers' tremendous success through the years. Largely because of this spirit - the direct and loyal backing of Green Bay's young and old - the Packers became famous as the only professional team with the college touch. The lost touch was best explained by a former Packer great who said: "In the old days we lived in town and mingled with the people. Each one of us knew hundreds of fans by name and perhaps thousands by sight. They knew us and were our friends. With that mutual feeling of friendship came a deep sense of responsibility. We didn't care to face those people if we lost. And when we did lose, we wouldn't have dared face them if we hadn't put out to the limit. We had our gripes and naturally had our differences, even with the coach. But those people kept us together."...THE FAN ANGLE MAKES IT UNANIMOUS: To bear out the former star's point, I've heard expressions like this by citizens of Green Bay who have been on the bandwagon for years: "Before the team moved out of town, we recognized every player in his street clothes and knew most of them. We liked to look on ourselves as a big happy family. We fans were definitely in the act. But today the players are strangers to most of us. Things just aren't the same since they went off to live by themselves." Which makes it unanimous. If the players are unhappy and the fans prefer to go back to the days B.R. (Before Rockwood), the thing to do is pull a reverse and make all of Green Bay the campus once again.

JACK JACOBS IN GOOD CONDITION AFTER OPERATION

DEC 8 (Green Bay) - Jack Jacobs, Green Bay Packer quarterback, submitted to an emergency appendectomy Monday and was reported in good condition today at St. Vincent hospital. Jacobs suffered periodic attacks during the NFL season, spending three days in the hospital before the second Detroit game, but did not miss a game. The former Oklahoma university ace, one of the league’s leading passers and punters a year ago, slumped badly this season and wound up third among the punters with a 40.3 yard average and 14th among the passers with 11.4 percent of his tosses intercepted.

A RESHUFFLING OF GREEN BAY'S COACHING STAFF IS LIKELY

DEC 10 (Milwaukee Journal) - A reshuffling of the coaching staff may be Curly Lambeau's first step in the rebuilding program he has outlined for his Packers. Of his present staff, only Walt Kiesling, line coach, it is understood, will remain. Backfield coach Bo Molenda, so the story goes, will rejoin the New York Giants, with whom he spent so many successful years both as a player and an assistant coach, and Don Hutson will give up football to devote all of his time to his Kaiser-Frazier distributorship. Hutson, in fact, had a contract this season which called for only two days of coaching. It is no secret that Lambeau would like to woo Cecil Isbell, his old passing star, away from the Baltimore Colts as backfield coach - has tried to woo him, in fact. The hitch lies in the salary. Isbell gets $12,000 as head coach from the Colts. And $12,000 is money the Packers or any other club has never or very seldom paid for an assistant coach. Several other former Packers have been mentioned for the other probable vacancy...Lambeau was in Reno, Nev., Friday to talk to Stan Heath, whom the Packers picked as their No. 1 choice in the recent "secret" in Pittsburgh. Heath will come high. The New York Yankees of the All-America league have already offered him $40,000 for two seasons.

ROCKWOOD LODGE IS GOOD FOR PACKERS, PUBLICITOR CLAIMS

DEC 11 (Green Bay) - It took an American, Mr. Hemingway, to explain the inner meaning of bullfighting, but no Spaniard has, as yet, returned the favor by explaining Rockwood. This is a pity because the values of the Lodge have never been set forth adequately. It would not be true to say that the people who flock to City stadium and State Fair park are not aware of Rockwood lodge, home of the Green Bay Packers, but for the lack of a little practice and sensible analysis, some of them, at least, miss its ultimate worth. “I am sure,” says Curly Lambeau, “that if the fans were acquainted with the facts, they would agree that Rockwood is good for the Packers.” The facts are: Lambeau and the corporation first became interested in acquiring a place such as Rockwood during the height of the housing problem in 1945. Only the lodge enabled Lambeau to assemble a squad in 1946. And the housing situation, local and 

1948PACKERS-DEC-RockwoodGood.jpg

national, still is a problem…NONE ARE OBLIGATED: No Packer is obligated to live at Rockwood. Several have resided in Green Bay every season. At the end of the present campaign, a survey of the squad revealed all but two men preferred Rockwood. Without a single exception, members of the present squad who were with the Packers before Rockwood lauded the lodge as a definite improvement over the old days, when players lived around town and were awakened at all hours of the night by well-meaning, but thoughtless, well-wishers, especially on Saturday nights. “It’s the best thing for Packer morale and results,” is the way these veterans put it. Buckets Goldenberg, a practical fellow of wide experience in things athletic, echoes the sentiment of his old teammates. “If we had had Rockwood in my years with the club,” says the former All-league guard, “we would have won two more championships.” Goldenberg played with the Packers from 1933 to 1945, during which time they won three world championships…BIERMAN, CONZELMAN IMPRESSED: Bernie Bierman paid a visit to the Packers last summer, took one look at Rockwood, and said: “This is the finest setup I have ever seen in college or professional sports. The Packers are very fortunate.” Jimmy Conzelman browsed around the lodge while his Chicago Cardinals were preparing to scrimmage the Packers last August. “I’d give anything for a place like this for the Cardinals,” he said. “Imaging having them here together all season.” Even George Halas, to whom big operations and success are no novelty, told listeners last September, “I’d have a Rockwood tomorrow if I could find one.” The atmosphere around hotels is not good for football. In the case of the Packers, living in town posed other problems besides the frequent molestations at wee hours. When it became necessary to hold long workouts, players arriving back at their quarters late found very little choice remaining on menus. Proper food, of course, is one of the chief factors in the conditioning of athletes. At Rockwood, their diets can be supervised carefully…AS MUCH OPPORTUNITY: Contrary to popular impressions, Packer fans in Green Bay have as much opportunity to see and visit with the players now as they did before Rockwood. The Packers, of course, are unavailable after 11 o’clock, the club’s curfew hour, but this is not a Rockwood rule. It has always been in force. Except for the hours when they are practicing or in meetings, the players are in town, gathered at places where Packers have gathered for years. Those few who remain at the lodge do so out of a dislike for lobby sitting. Athletes have changed in the last eight years. So have most of the people who used to find it important and inspiring to have a speaking acquaintance with the players. Otherwise, the same people would be striking up the same old acquaintances with Packers at the same old haunts. The haunts are there, and so are the Packers. “Rockwood lodge,” says Lambeau, the one man best qualified to comment, “is not responsible for our losses. The players like the lodge. A year ago, when we planned to stop off down south for the last two weeks of the season, the players said they preferred to go ‘home” to Rockwood. We did and worked out in the snow.”

PASSER STAN HEATH AGREES TO PLAY WITH PACKERS - LAMBEAU

DEC 13 (Green Bay) - Stan Heath will play for the Green Bay Packers next fall. The University of Nevada passing star who established a new collegiate pitching record this fall said so himself in Reno, Nev., over the weekend. He told Packer Coach Curly Lambeau that “I’ll sign with the Packers after the first of the year.” Lambeau picked up some other good news – a signature from Ralph Olsen, star University of Utah center. Olsen, the first player placed under contract to Green Bay for 1949, had been drafted by the Packers in 1946. Olsen, 25, was named on the USC’s all-opponent team this season. He packs 225 pounds on a 6-foot, 4-inch frame. Olsen told Lambeau that he will play any position in the line. The Utah star has a reputation as a terrific linebacker and downfield blocker. He’ll be competing with Bob Flowers, Jay Rhodemyre and Lloyd Baxter next season. Olsen, incidentally, was a Navy pursuit pilot during the war. His 225 pounds made him one of the biggest pilots in the Navy. He also played varsity basketball at Utah. Heath, former star at Shorewood (Milwaukee) High school and the University of Wisconsin, completed 126 out of 223 passes at Nevada this season to roll up a tremendous 2,005 yards, a new collegiate record formerly held by Charley Connerly, who now plays with the New York Giants. Heath also sailed 22 touchdown passes to pace the country. Heath still has to play against Hawaii Dec. 20 and against Villanova in the Harbor Bowl game New Year’s eve. The Nevada ace, Packer fans hope, will be the answer to the Packers’ quarterback and aerial troubles last season. Jack Jacobs, with a sore arm, finished below 10th in league passing while rookie Perry Moss and veteran Irv Comp had similar headaches. Heath had only one bad day this year. Against Santa Clara, he was unable to operate effectively because of a stiff wind and dust storm. On one occasion a pass was virtually blown back to him. Heath, in agreeing to sign with the Packers, ended the hopes of the New York Yankees of the All-America Conference, who has made an offer two weeks ago. The Packers drafted Heath a year ago and National league clubs agreed to uphold the Bays’ selection at a secret meeting in Pittsburgh recently despite the fact that Heath had another year of eligibility left. Heath is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 passer. He was named on the United Press All-American.

HEATH AGREES TO SIGN CONTRACT WITH PACKERS

DEC 14 (Milwaukee Sentinel) - "Stan (Heath) will sign with the Green Bay Packers sometime after the first of the year," Mickey Heath, father and former Brewer baseball manager, told the Sentinel last night following a telephone conversation with his son at Reno, Nev. "Stan's decision came after he had conferred with Packer Coach Curly Lambeau, who made a more substantial offer than that given by the New York Yankees of the All-America League," the elder Heath said. Both the Yankees and the Packers held the respective draft rights to Heath. Earlier the New York club had announced a $40,000 contract for two years had been drawn to lure the former Milwaukee passing star to the AA circuit. Heath said that the "figure agreed upon could not be divulged at this time. Anyway," he added, "it would be up to the club to make that announcement." Lambeau, in Salt Lake City, to sign Ralph Olsen, star Utah center, said only the formality of the signature remained before Heath would be a full-fledged Packer. Since Heath, who as a member of the Nevada football team still has two collegiate games to play, it was impossible for him to affix a signature to any contract at this time. Nevada, where he skyrocketed to fame as the national collegiate offensive leader, will the University of Hawaii at Honolulu and Villanova, in the Harbor Bowl. After those two games, Heath's eligibility will be used up and he will be free to sign. Heath went to Nevada two seasons ago after having attended the University of Wisconsin in 1946. By transferring he lost one year of competition and thereby became eligible prey for the pros. By a break in the National League draw, the Packers earned a bonus player and Heath was the logical choice. Almost immediately after his matriculation into Nevada, Heath began to command the headlines. His aerial wizardry brought Nevada one victory after another. Then, this year his pitching arm became even more effective and as the weeks rolled along, Heath zoomed as the leading college football passer. His yardage continued to mount and soon he took over the total offensive leadership, combining ground and air yards, although Heath never ran the ball except on the most rare occasions.

FATHER HEATH CONFIRMS SON'S PACKER PLANS

DEC 14 (Milwaukee) - It looked today as though the Green Bay Packers had won their second straight player duel with the New York Yankees. Mickey Heath, father of Stan, the sensational Nevada forward passer, said here his son told him “he will sign with the Packers sometime after the first of the year.” Last season the Packers and the Yankees engaged in a round of bidding for the services of Earl (Jug) Girard, University of Wisconsin halfback. The Packers won, signing Girard for a reported $7,500 annually. He spent most of this season on the bench. “Stan’s decision came after he had conferred with Packer Coach Curly Lambeau, who made a more substantial offer than that given by the Yankees,” the elder Heath said. “The figure agreed upon cannot be divulged at this time. Anyway, it would be up to the club to make that announcement.” The Yankees were rumored several weeks ago to have offered young Heat, who broke national collegiate passing records this year, a two year contract for $40,000. Traditionally, the Packers never announce player salaries. The bidding contest between the Packers of the National league and the Yankees of the All-America conference for Heath cropped up several weeks ago and led to disclosure that both professional leagues had held secret draft meetings. Heath has two more games to play for Nevada before his eligibility runs out. The Wolfpack has dates remaining with the University of Hawaii at Honolulu and with Villanova in the Harbor Bowl on New Year’ day…In an interview with John Mooney, Salt Lake Telegram sports editor, Lambeau selected an all-Packer team. Lambeau stopped in Salt Lake City after conferring with Heath in Reno. His selections: Ends – Don Hutson and LaVerne Dilweg; tackles – Cub Buck and Bill Kern; guards – Buckets Goldenberg and Mike Michalske; center – Charlie Brock; quarterback – Red Dunn; halfbacks – Cecil Isbell and Vern Lewellen; fullback – Clarke Hinkle. Lambeau left for an unannounced destination after signing Ralph Olsen, 220-pound center at the University of Utah, to a Packer contract. Lambeau said he might try the 6-foot, 4-inch Olsen out as an end. Locally, two Packers are recovering from operations. Jack Jacobs has left the hospital after an appendectomy while guard Red Vogds has entered St. Vincent for a tonsillectomy. One other Packer received the “knife” the season – end Bob Skoglund, who underwent a knee operation in Pittsburgh late in November. Skoglund injured his knee during a non-league game with Washington in Birmingham, Ala., Sept. 11, and never got into action the rest of the league season. Skoglund is expected back tougher than ever next year. His loss handicapped left or right end where Skoglund played under Larry Craig or Don Wells. Wells, incidentally, underwent a similar operation here after the 1947 season.

UP SURVEY SHOWS ATTENDANCE DROP IN TWO PRO GRID LEAGUES

DEC 15 (New York) - Professional football took an attendance beating of nearly a half million persons this season. A United Press survey of the attendance of the regular season games, exclusive of the playoffs, showed that the 116 games played in the National league and All-America conference this year drew 3,281,709 fans, against 3,726,374 in 1947. The decrease was 444,665, a percentage decline of 11.93. Only four teams, two in each league, showed increased in patronage at home games. They were the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Cardinals in the National, and the San Francisco Forty-niners and the Baltimore Colts in the All-America. The National league suffered the most. Its attendance for 60 games dropped off 247,737 fans, a percentage of 12.96. The 10 teams in that league drew 1,663,980 this year - a per game average of 27,733 - against 1,911,717 and a per game average of 31,862 in 1947...49ERS IN BIGGEST GAIN: The All-America lost 196,928 customers, a percentage decline of 10.85 - from a total of 1,814,657 who saw the 56 conference games in 1947 to the 1,617,729 who saw the same number of games this year. The Forty-niners showed the biggest increase of any team - 45,394 - with the Bears next in line with a net gain of 33,016. The New York Yankees of the All-America had the biggest decline, 96,567. The Cleveland Browns, despite their unbeaten season, registered a drop of 74,141. The biggest decline in the National was the 64,364 lost by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Boston Yanks and New York Giants also suffered big drops - 52,063 and 50,847, respectively. Once again, the Brooklyn Dodgers in the All-America and the Boston Yanks in the National played to the fewest persons in their home games. The Dodgers drew 72,497 for seven contests, the Yanks 73,010 for six. The Green Bay Packers recorded an attendance of 147,645 for six games this year. In 1947 for the same number of games the crowd numbered 166,400. The decrease was 18,755.

1948PACKERS-DEC-XmasGiftSuggestion.jpg

XMAS GIFT SUGGESTION: PACKER SEASON TICKET CERTIFICATES

DEC 16 (Green Bay) - Santa Claus stepped into the Packer picture today. It's this way: If you're between a sweat and a stew about what to get Jim or Mary for Christmas, step into the Packer ticket office in the Legion building on Walnut street and see what the Packers are offering: Season ticket certificates for the team's 1949 home games. Carl Mraz, Packer ticket director, reported today that already three or four dozen certificates have been snapped up for Christmas mailing or personal presentation...On another Packer front, plans are being completed for Green Bay's invasion of the NFL's annual draft meeting in Philadelphia next Monday. The Packers will be represented by Coach Curly Lambeau, Publicity Director George Strickland and Bob Conrad. League representatives will gather in Philadelphia Saturday, attend the Cardinal-Eagle championship game Sunday, and start drafting at 10 o'clock Monday morning in the Bellvue-Stratford hotel. The draft process will be finished sometime Monday night. Behind the draft meeting, representatives will decide on the number of players to be selected. A year ago, each club selected 30 but there are reports that this figure will be reduced to 20 Monday...PLAYER HASH: Packer quarterback Jack Jacobs is walking around cautiously these days for two reasons - the slipper streets and that recent appendectomy. Jacobs plans to leave Green Bay about next Wednesday to spend the Christmas holidays at his home in Muskogee, Okla. Guard Ralph Davis will represent the Packers at the annual welfare dinner in Racine Saturday noon. Then, he'll go to Madison to attend the wedding of Jack Wink, former Wisconsin back. Red Vogds, Packer guard recovering from a tonsillectomy, also may attend the wedding. Both Davis and Vogds are ex-Badgers...A Chicago newspaper reported late Wednesday that there are signs of an armistice between the NFL and the All-America conference. It added that Owner-Coach George Halas of the Chicago Bears conferred recently with two key owners in the AAC - Ben Lindheimer of the Los Angeles Dons and Dan Topping of the New York Yankees. Out in Los Angeles with the Packers recently, we heard rumors that the owners of the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers would like to get into the National league. This coincides with the Chicago paper's report that Anthony Morabito, owner of the 49ers, and Art McBride, Cleveland owner, are ready to ask the AAC to prove that it has enough cash to operate in Chicago, Brooklyn and Baltimore next season. The whole thing may be settled one way or the other at the National league's annual meeting in Chicago in mid-January. The AAC generally holds its annual business meeting in January, too.

EAGLES' OWNER WANTS UNITED FOOTBALL DRAFT

DEC 16 (Philadelphia) - Alexis Thompson Thursday opened the way for a new peace offensive in professional football. The millionaire owner of the Philadelphia Eagles disclosed he planned to "feel out" his NFL colleagues on their latest reaction to a common draft with the All-America conference. "Either that or some other sensible solution," he said, "to the fantastic situation that finds me with a championship football team that will lose close to $32,000 this year." The National league and All-America conference have been at loggerheads for three years. The differences have only produced high salaries for players and money losing franchises for owners. "I'd like to make some 'sense and cents' out of this muddled pro football business," Thompson explained. "Please understand. I'm not the kind that changes my mind on this subject every 24 hours. I'm 100% in back of any policy the league decides on but I'd be a fool if I didn't try and resolve a situation in which most of us are losing money," he added. Thompson is determined to try and make other National league owners see the light at the draft meeting Monday. "I tried last year," he said, "but nobody would even second my motion for a discussion of the problem. Like the little boy with a firecracker who won't listen until he gets burned, maybe the other owners now are ready to use their better judgement," he said. Thompson declared that he personally believed the All-America backers were foolhardy in entering pro football. "But darn it, they're in it. They haven't folded up. The competition has driven salaries up so high that nobody can make a franchise really pay. We must recognize this and act accordingly."

CLEVELAND, FRISCO MAY BOLT PRO LOOP

DEC 16 (Cleveland) - The All-America Football Conference, sharply divided into four layers of prosperity, and the lack of it, will take another stab at retrenchment tomorrow in the most vital meeting of its brief but stormy history. Out of the conferences that will precede Sunday's Cleveland Browns-Buffalo Bills championship game may come such news on franchise relocations; refinancing; compromises made among bickering club owners; withdrawal of two teams; or the bitter prediction of doom in 1949. The good teams in the AAC do not with to continue keeping company with the bad ones, especially when they can join the rival National league. The not-so-bad clubs figure they can go another year, but only if the league retains its present magnitude, which would comprise eight teams, including two very bad ones. The very bad ones don't know if they'll operate at all. Shaved down, the All-American Conference, analyzed according to available information on present financial condition and ability to keep going, would come to something like this: Good - San Francisco and Cleveland; Bad - Baltimore and Buffalo; Indifferent - Los Angeles and New York; Nothing Doing - Brooklyn and Chicago. Breaking that down even further, the situation runs like this: Cleveland and San Francisco, both operating in territories unchallenged by the National League and virtually assured of NFL membership should they elect to jump, are in sound shape. Los Angeles and New York, both operating in territories shared by NFL teams, can keep going. The Dons are good drawers in sports conscious Los Angeles, and the Yankees own their home park, and thereby are spared the cost of rental. Should Cleveland and San Francisco leave, however, the Dons and Yanks would be hard pressed to continue. Buffalo and Baltimore did not draw on the road and are losing at home, despite civic pride in two cities unchallenged by rival league teams. These clubs conceivable could go another year if the All-America Conference retains its present magnitude, which means not only Cleveland and San Francisco must stay but Chicago and Brooklyn - or new equivalents - as well. Chicago and Brooklyn, not only losing both games and money, apparently have overstepped the saturation points of the large municipalities in which they operate. It becomes increasingly clear that Chicago, with the Bears and Cards of the National League, will not support a third team. Ditto for Brooklyn, challenged by the Yanks and Giants across the bridge. The bad teams, then, may relocate - Chicago, possibly, to Milwaukee; Brooklyn, it's rumored, to Montreal. And the good teams must decide they want to put up with the bad ones again.

TRUCE OR RENEWED OUTBREAK OF WAR IS PRO GRID PROBLEM

DEC 17 (Cleveland) - Reports of a possible armistice in the dollar war with the senior NFL greeted owners of the three year old All-America conference as they gathered Friday for their annual meeting and title playoff game. The All-American circuit has been for such a truce right along by National owners have opposed it in the belief that the established circuit could outlast the newcomer. A writer for a New York newspaper, Joe King, predicted Thursday that the All-America conference would fold up, and that the champion Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco Forty-niners would enter the national loop. However, Admiral Jonas Ingram, commissioner of the All-America, says his league goes into session with a better outlook than a comparable time a year ago. Ingram said he also anticipated peace with the National league within 30 days. "Our only problem will be in Chicago and we expect to make that out main topic," Ingram said. "A year ago we had three problems, Chicago, Brooklyn and Baltimore. Brooklyn had a bad year from the attendance and victory standpoints, but Branch Rickey assured me his baseball operations will carry football and that he expects to continue. As for this war between the leagues, I'm confident seven of the National league owners are in favor of some kind of working agreement now. I'm confident some kind of sentiment will be made within the next month. The main thing is to work out the makeup of the leagues and arrange a schedule that will have no conflicts and plan a common draft. I'm in favor of two eight team leagues, with one team from Chicago in each." Ingram did not say who the lone National league holdup was, but apparently it is George Preston Marshall, owner of the Washington Redskins. Marshall reiterated his opposition to a truce Thursday after Alexis Thompson, owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, came up once again with the proposal that the two leagues get together. Thompson says he lost $32,000 this year, even though his team won the eastern division title of the National league. In the present football war, one club in the National league and one in the All-America draft a player. The athlete then auctions himself to the high bidder. Stan Heath of Nevada this week reportedly rejected a $40,000, three year contract with the New York Yankees for a better one offered by the Green Bay Packers of the National. Under a common draft Heath would be approached by only one club. A one year, $5,000 pact might be the result. Ted Collins, owner of the National league's Boston eleven, has placed his losses of the last four years at $720,000. The Chicago Rockers of the conference reportedly are out $1,000,000 in three years. The Rockets have had new owners each season.

EAGLES, CARDS TO BOLT NL? REPORT PACKERS SET TO QUIT

DEC 17 (Cleveland) - You can believe nothing you hear and half of what you see at the All-America Football Conference meeting here. Rumors, rumors, rumors...Some of the reports floating through the hotel lobbies as the AA confab goes into its second day are: 1. The Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Cardinals of the National League will bolt to the All-America. 2. The Green Bay Packers of the NFL are about ready to throw in the sponge. 3. The two leagues are on the verge of peace, a common draft and a world series of football (between NFL and AA championship teams). One thing seemed certain: the All-America will operate as an eight team circuit in 1949. Commissioner Jonas Ingram said tonight: "We are proceeding with plans for next season and will hold our draft meeting as scheduled Monday." The AA bosses also went on record as favoring peace at once with the National League. Said Ingram: "Cooperative relations with the NFL continue to be the desire of our conference." Ingram stated that unless peace between the two rivals was reached within the next 30 days he would quit as AA commissioner. But back to the rumors: The report that peace between the league was not far off was substantiated by the announcement of Dan Topping, New York Yankees president, that he would be glad to serve as landlord should the AA and NFL loop champions care to meet on his field at Yankee Stadium. Another report said Alexis Thompson, Eagles owner, would send his club against the AA champ if his team defeated the Chicago Cardinals in their title game Sunday. It was pointed out that Topping and Thompson are close friends. Thompson has repeatedly spoken for peace with the All-America. Other lesser rumors had the Chicago Rockets, Brooklyn, Baltimore and Buffalo on the verge of financial collapse; the Boston Yanks or Philadelphia Eagles taking over the New York Yankees franchise in the AA and millionaire Topping "broke".

CARDS, EAGLES DOMINATE STAR '11'; CANADEO ON SECOND SQUAD

DEC 17 (New York) - The defending champion Chicago Cardinals nosed out the challenging Philadelphia Eagles, four positions to three, on the United Press NFL all-star team announced today. The Cards displayed power both in the line and in the backfield in seizing the four spots on the honor eleven selected by UP football writers. They landed end Mal Kutner and guard Garrad Ramsey in the line and halfback Charley Trippi and fullback Pat Harder in the backfield. Earlier, Harder also was named most valuable player in the league this season. The Eagles contributed end Pete Pihos, tackle Al Wistert and back Steve Van Buren. The team was rounded out by tackle Dick Huffman of Los Angeles, guard Ray Bray and center Clyde (Bulldog) Turner of the Bears, and the one and only quarterback, Sammy Baugh of Washington. The ends were standouts this season. Kutner, a 197-pound streak of speed playing his third year with the Cardinals, scored 14 touchdowns by catching passes. In all, he caught 41 tosses and - although not a back - he was the second leading scorer in the league with 90 points. Fullback Harder led with 110. Pihos, in his sophomore year in the circuit, caught 46 passes, including 11 for touchdowns...BRAY FROM SMALL COLLEGE: Sheer power dominated the guards and tackles. Huffman, a 251-pounder from Tennessee, proved a pillar of strength for a Los Angeles team which was not in the title running. Wistert was a behind-the-scenes reason for Philadelphia's second straight Eastern division title. This veteran of six years in professional football showed no signs of weakening with age. Bray is one of those even-increasing cases for small colleges. No Notre Dame or Michigan alumnus, he hails from little West Michigan State. Yet he made the grade in pro football. This is his seventh year, and he's 31 years old. The ageless Turner was a unanimous choice at center. A vicious character at all times, he is Mr. Bear by now, as far as Chicago fans are concerned. The quarterback assignment was the toughest for the writers to fill. On one hand, they had old-man-riverlike Sammy Baugh. On the other there was Philadelphia's Tommy Thompson, leading passer this season according to official statistics. But Thompson was set aside partly in respect to Baugh's payoff pitches even when he was with a losing team. Sammy ranked only fourth among tossers this season with 162 of 299 completed for 2,599 yards. But he scored 22 touchdowns with those aerials, and his 86-yard toss against New York Oct. 3 was the longest of the season...The Green Bay Packers had a representative on the second team - Tony Canadeo, veteran left halfback. Canadeo led the club in yards gained, 589, and topped the league in ground gaining for the first nine weeks. His backfield mates are Thompson, the Bears' George McAfee and fullback Joe Muha of Philadelphia. The Associated Press today came out with its all-pro team, including the All-America conference. No Packers were rated on the first or second teams. Honorable mention was given center Jay Rhodemyre and Canadeo.

CARDS FAVORED TO WIN; PRO TRUCE IS REPORTED

DEC 18 (Philadelphia) - The NFL and the All-America conference have agreed to some type of truce, the Associated Press learned Saturday night. An announcement concerning the truce is expected Sunday. All-America conference officials are in Cleveland for their annual meeting. National league officials are here for a session Monday. No details of the settlement were learned. The report came shortly after Ted Collins, owner of the Boston franchise of the National league, announced he would move his team to New York. Another important development on the eve of the National league playoff game was the announcement by Charles Ewart, general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles, that "several syndicates have shown an interest in purchasing the Eagles," but he denied flatly that any deal had been completed or was nearing completion. The first official step in a peace between the rival league which have been fighting a costly gridiron war for three years probably would be the resignation of Jonas Ingram as commissioner of the All-America and the elevation of Bert Bell of the National league to commissioner of all professional football. This report was substantiated by an earlier one which said that Ingram was ready to step down because of poor health. Bell said Saturday that "on the record and off the record there has been no truce" between the National league and the All-America conference. He said, however, that it was possible that the National league might consider applications from All-America teams to join the National league. Collins, in announcing the shift of the Yanks from Boston to New York, said that he had worked out an agreement with the New York Giants. Maurice (Clipper) Smith will not be back as coach of the Yanks next season, Collins said. Smith made this decision of his own accord, Collins added. Ewart said that four or five groups had made inquiries about the Eagles. The inquiries were directed to owner Alexis Thompson, now recovering from an appendicitis operation at a New York hospital. The franchise has not been a money maker. Thompson said earlier that this year's team will lose approximately $32,000 and he is reported to have dropped $50,000 last year.

LAMBEAU SAYS 'NO'

DEC 18 (Philadelphia) - Manager Curly Lambeau of the Green Bay Packers said Saturday night that there was no truth in the report that a truce would be declared Sunday in the pro football war and that it would not even be considered at the National league meeting. "This is a draft meeting," he said, "and the rules permit no other business to be taken up."

ALL-AMERICA OWNERS RECEPTIVE FOR PEACE

DEC 18 (Cleveland) - All-America conference football team owners gave all of their eight clubs a financial bill of health Saturday, including the dollar starved Chicago Rockets. Then they agreed with George Halas, owner of the National league Chicago Bears, that the time had come for peace between the two leagues. Halas, in Philadelphia for that circuit's playoff game, had said a "sensible solution" of the situation was due and indicated that he would introduce the subject at the National league meeting Monday. Jonas Ingram, commissioner of the All-America, said: "I sincerely hope something along that line will develop." He added that he still favored a playoff game on December 26 between the champions of the circuits and pointed out that the weather in Los Angeles would be favorable. Ben F. Lindheimer, Los Angeles, chairman of the executive committee, said that if the Chicago Rockets failed to post a $200,000 guarantee on February 5 in the league meeting at New York another city was willing to take over the club. There were indications that he meant Dallas. A conference rule requires each club to post $200,000. This rule was suspended last season. It was reinstated Saturday. The Rockets had to be rescued by a $100,000 fund raised by other owners in midseason and also were allowed to forego the $15,000 guarantee to each visiting club. Brooklyn has to pay only $10,000 to eastern clubs but paid the western teams in full. All teams hereafter must pay $15,000. The Rockets have had new owners each year. R. Edward Garn, spokesman for the Chicago stockholders, that virtually the same 1948 backers would operate the club in 1949. The owners also discussed the television problem but delayed action until February. Only Cleveland, Buffalo and San Francisco did not televise their home games last season. The other five owners agreed television had hurt their gate receipts. The suggestion to cut the player limit from 35 to either 30 or 28 also was deferred until February.

1948PACKERS-DEC-AACClubsMeet.jpg

AAC CLUBS MEET WITH NFL

DEC 20 (Green Bay Press-Gazette - Philadelphia) - Five club representatives of the All-American conference moved into the City of Brotherly Love today with something to sell to the NFL. They are the Cleveland Browns, represented by Owner Arthur (Mickey) McBride; the San Francisco 49ers, Tony Morabito; the Los Angeles Dons, Ben J. Lindheimer; Buffalo Bills, James Breuil; and New York Yankees, Dan Topping. Arrival of the AAC representatives immediately led to a fresh flood of conjecture about the reported "peace" between the two leagues. However, National league spokesmen said that the AAC owners do not represent a committee of the junior circuits. They are merely trying to seek membership in the National league or combine themselves in such a manner that two or three possible clubs could be admitted to the senior wheel. Bearing out this belief, Admiral Jonas Ingram, AAC commissioner, did not plan to attend the National league session. He said in Cleveland over the weekend that "I'll resign in 30 days if the two leagues don't get together." Commissioner Bert Bell of the National league had no comment other than confirming the fact that five club representatives of the AAC were coming here today. Reports here indicate that the All-America loop cannot possible operate next year if the National league accepts several AAC clubs. Two of the most acceptable are Cleveland and San Francisco, the one-two clubs in the Western division. Conjecture as to how several AAC clubs can be dissolved into the NFL went something like this: (1) McBride of Cleveland sees no possible future for his unbeaten Browns what with terrific financial losses on the road from such centers as Chicago, Buffalo, Baltimore and New York. (2) Breuil of the Bills can't see any future for pro football in Buffalo but is still interested in the game and would like to combine his team with another for entrance in the NFL. (3) Lindheimer of the Dons, who has been pouring money into the Chicago Rockets and Brooklyn Dodgers, wants to combine his team with the Los Angeles Rams and thus the two squads would command the major pro grid interest in Southern California. (4) Morabito of the 49ers is convinced there is rook for two pro clubs on the west coast and thus hopes to join the NFL and form a natural rivalry with a combined Los Angeles team. (5) Topping of the Yankees is reportedly interested in getting out of pro football in view of his terrific losses this season. The first move regarding his status came over the weekend when Owner Ted Collins of the Boston Yanks announced that Boston's 1949 games will be played in New York. The report said that the games would be played in the Polo grounds - home of the NY Giants - but this was not confirmed by Polo ground officials. NFL approval is necessary for the shift. The other AAC clubs - Chicago Rockets, Baltimore Colts and Brooklyn Dodgers - are on the fence. The Rockets have been a losing proposition for three years while the Dodgers are Lindheimer-money sponsored. Brooklyn, too, has been a losing deal. The Colts, though Baltimore is considered a good sports town, are hoping for the best - either that the AAC remains active or that they can get into the National. However, the Colts, Rockets and Dodgers did not have official representation at the NFL meeting today...TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT: While rumors of peace efforts between the two leagues were developing at a one-a-minute rate last week, most of the National leaguers insisted there had been no negotiations. But it has become increasingly evident that what they called "informal man-to-man talks" actually were something more than that, with Topping acting as an intermediary to carry proposals and suggestions between the two groups. Topping, a former National league club owner, switched to the All-America conference. National league owners - who apparently feel they have the upper hand - remained closeted in a conference after their brief announcement Sunday night and would not comment on today's meeting. One observer close to the scene predicted that they would "lay down the proposition and the All-America would have to take it or leave it." In any event, this proposition would put the All-America out of existence as a separate league. The National leaguers admittedly would be glad to accept Morabito's San Francisco team and McBride's Cleveland club in their circuit. Whether the remaining AAC clubs - under the reported NFL proposition - merely would go out of business, whether some of them would combine with NFL team or whether some face-saving gesture, such as buying players from defunct teams, would be made still remained in the realm of conjecture. Most significant of the weekend statements come from George Halas, owner-coach of the Chicago Bears, long a power in the NFL affairs. Halas, here for the playoff games, said a "sensible solution" of the situation was due. He added that he would introduce the subject at the National league meeting...LAMBEAU HAS NO COMMENT: Coach Curly Lambeau of the Green Bay Packers, also here for the playoff and draft, said he had "no comment". Halas and Lambeau both are favorable to expanding the National league but neither are recognizing what the All-America conference calls a "peace move". The National league's annual draft, scheduled for 9 o'clock this morning, was postponed until 2 o'clock this afternoon. However, the clubs were not expected to get at the draft today in view of the discussions on possible expansion. If the draft is postponed, it will be held in two or three weeks. The National league's annual business meeting is set for Chicago Jan. 20.

MERGER TO BRING TRUCE IN PRO FOOTBALL WAR

DEC 20 (Philadelphia) - The professional football war is over, after three years of strife and losses which ran into millions of dollars. The All-America Football conference, which just completed its third season, will pass out of existence, barring last minute balking by the club owners involved, and the NFL will operate next season with 12 teams instead of 10. Only the Cleveland Browns, three times champions of the All-America, and the San Francisco Forty-niners will survive the collapse of the junior circuit. They will be the new clubs in the National league. The Los Angeles Dons of the All-America will amalgamate with the Los Angeles Rams of the National. The Boston club will absorb the Buffalo Bills. The New York Yanks, Baltimore Colts, Brooklyn Dodgers and the Chicago Rockets will fold up, perhaps with some face saving player sales. The Boston club of the National league will move to New York and play at Yankee stadium. Of course, as stated above, the harsh teams of the National leaguers may result in some balking, but the only financially healthy clubs in the All-America are expected to exert pressure which will keep the others in line. Arthur B. McBride of Cleveland and Tony Morabito of San Francisco are reported to have forced a settlement by threatening to jump from the All-America to the National. They were the only money-makers in their league. Dan Topping of the Yankees is under pressure from fellow stockholders in the baseball club to get out of football. He will be satisfied to have

1948PACKERS-DEC-AACChiefsMeet.jpg