1948 PACKERS (3-9)

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 threshholds. 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 1948 Texas Tech

* - from Detroit

Anchor 1

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.

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 Packer 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, 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 rulesmakers 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 spent $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.

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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 forgt 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 exhibtion 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.

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 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 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.

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-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.

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 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.

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. 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 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 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 sill 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.

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 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 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.

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 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.

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.

NOTES FROM TRAINING CAMP

NOTES FROM POST SEASON