1950 Green Bay Packers
Training Camp
5,000 WATCH AS PACKERS LAUNCH 1950 PRACTICE SESSIONS
JUL 24 (Green Bay) - The Packers came back to Green Bay over the weekend – they had been ensconced 16 miles north of here for the last three years – and nearly 5,000 fans witnessed the official organization of our town’s 1950 representatives in the NFL. It was probably the most dramatic of practice openings – those sessions Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The fans, many of them stockholders in the new Green Bay Packers, Inc., were curious as the new coaching regime, headed by Gene Ronzani, took over a post held by Curly Lambeau for 31 years. They watched with interest, applauded the players generously, and took note of many changes in practice technique by the new coaches. The weatherman cooperated in more ways than one, offering three types of weather – warm sunshine for the kickoff Saturday afternoon; rain for a two-hour session Sunday morning; and cool breezes for the Sunday afternoon workout. Nearly 2,000 men, women and children made the Saturday PM drill an enthusiastic spirited workout despite the fact that many of them were naturally out of condition after the layoff since last December. Assistant Coach Clark Shaughnessy, who has been in the coaching field for nearly 40 years, was dumbfounded…CAUGHT IN TRAFFIC: “I never saw anything like it before. Those players can’t help but become enthusiastic and spirited. You’d never see anything like this in a big city.” And, it can be added, Shaughnessy was a few minutes late for the “kickoff” “because I got caught in the traffic.” The scene (the crowd was estimated at 2,500) was duplicated Sunday afternoon as lines of fans hedged on three sides of the practice area east of East High school. A traffic officer skirted the field a couple of times to keep the onlookers back. On the whole, the squad looked in good condition as Assistant Coach and Drill Sergeant Ray Nolting led the athletes in calisthenics. The exercise program, incidentally, were even different from previous years. The players performed in a large circle with Nolting laboring in the middle. Other day exercises had the players lined up in about six rows. Evidence of the complete new system of play was noticeable Sunday as the backs went through the “straight” T-formation plays and the linemen practiced the intricate blocking system that accompanies the real “T”. Plans for the offensive changeover – one of the major differences from other years – were revealed to the entire squad at the first night session Saturday. Play boards were taken on the field for the first time Sunday. The boys hit the classroom again last night and two drills outdoor were on tap again for today and another meeting was scheduled for tonight…SCHLINKMAN TO RIGHT HALF: The big gathering got its first look at some of the possible backfield combinations Sunday. One of the changes saw fast-starting Walt Schlinkman working at right halfback with Billy Grimes, the left-handed passer, and veteran Bob Forte. At fullback were veterans Ted Fritsch and Bob Summerhays and rookies Mike Graham of Cincinnati, Jack Cloud of William and Mary and Frank Kuzma of Minnesota. Four newcomers drilled at left halfback – Harry Szulborski of Purdue; Al Cannava of Boston college; Jim Clark of Ohio State; and Bill Osborne of Nevada. The veteran left halfback, Tony Canadeo, has not reported yet. Jug Girard, who was to be moved from quarterback to left halfback, will work at quarterback for the time being, Ronzani announced. Girard shared the position with newcomer Tobin Rote, a rangy off-the-ear passer from Rice, and veteran Stan Heath. Ronzani also announced that Pandel Savic, the Ohio State quarterback who had signed a contract, has decided not to enter professional football. Savic is working for a glass company in Ohio. Snapping the ball back from center were Gene Huebner of Baylor; Clink McGeary of North Dakota State; Carl Schuutte of Marquette who played with the Buffalo Bills; and Ed Ecker, a 275-pounder from John Carroll who did a stint with the Bears last year…EIGHT ENDS IN ACTION: In the extended passing drills, eight ends were seen in action. Among them was veteran Bill Kelley, who was announced as signed by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Saturday morning. But Kelley pulled into town with Schlinkman Saturday noon and said he was “happy to be here”. Dan Orlich, also a sophomore wing, arrived with Kuzma Sunday. Other ends in camp are Steve Pritko, Rebel Steiner, Carlton Elliott, Abner Wimberly, Al Baldwin and Claude Ratdke. Reporting late will be wing Gordon Soltau, who is presently drilling with the College All Stars. Among the real big guys – guards and tackles – Lew Ferry, the veteran from Villanova, was the only “casualty”. He pulled a muscle in his leg but tried to work it out by running with the rest of the boys Sunday afternoon. Other tackles are Bob Mealey, Glenn Johnson, Fred Leon of Nevada, Dan Bradach and Ellis. Jim Thomas, the colored guard from Ohio State, is built like Buckets Goldenberg – no neck and all shoulders. Thomas stacks around 237 pounds now – just five pounds over his playing weight. He’s laboring at right guard with Red Vogds, the veteran Packer. Other guards on guard are Joe Etheridge, Buddy Burris and Ray DiPierro. The lone Packer guard working with the College All Stars is Willie Leon Manley of Oklahoma…Before the end of this week, the Packers expect to have 50 or more players in camp. A number of the veterans still haven’t reported yet and several more rookies are due to report. Coming in late will be Jim Lukens, who played as a rookie with the Buffalo Bills last year. Lukens played right end opposite Baldwin and gained just about all of the passing yardage for the Bills. Lukens, an attorney-to-be, is taking his bar examinations presently at William and Mary. Besides Manley and Soltau, the Packers have center Clayton Tonnemaker and halfback Larry Coutre in the College All Star camp. All are signed except Coutre. They are expected to report to the Pack in Toledo Aug. 12 – the night after the Star game. The tempo of practice will continue at a fast pace with the non-conference game with the Cleveland Browns in Toledo just 18 days away. Ronzani has scheduled two-a-day workouts and meetings every night during the training camp. The Packers will play three games in eight days, starting Aug. 12. The big battle with Lambeau’s Cardinals is scheduled at City stadium Aug. 16, and an intra-squad game is set for Aug. 19 at Iron Mountain, Mich.
BROCK RELEASED BY PACKERS AS MEMBER OF COACHING STAFF
JUL 24 (Green Bay) - Charley Brock has been released as a member of the coaching staff of the Green Bay Packers, it was announced today. In a statement, President Emil R. Fischer said that “the release came after careful consideration and with great reluctance on the part of the Packer executive committee. We are fully aware of the splendid service rendered by Charley Brock as a football player in a Packer uniform and we have not forgotten those years of service. As I announced some months ago, at the time of the employment of a new head coach,” Fischer continued, “we felt confident that Charley would fit into the new organization with perfect harmony and I made that statement to the press and to the radio. However, these predictions have not materialized in the manner that the executive committee felt they should, and, during the recent months, it has become clear to the executive committee that Charley Brock has not lived up to his expectations in the new coaching arrangement. In the best interest of harmony and for the relief of tension, which we fell will be as advantageous to Charley as to the football corporation, we have released him.” Brock was out of town today and could not be contacted for any comment.
PACKER ACCENT ON YOUTH AS 25 ROOKIES SEEK BERTHS ON SQUAD
JUL 25 (Green Bay) - Every year or so, a story on Packer youth seems in order. The accent in 1950 is on youth more than ever, what with the sweeping changes in players and coaches since last Feb. 1. Possibly half of the present squad, close to 45 players in all, are “youthful” in age as well as experience. Presently, there are about 15 veterans from the 1949 Packer team, seven with pro experience in the All-America conference and with other National league clubs, and nearly 25 rookies. Briefly, let’s run down the positions and mix the young with the olds: The new youngsters at ends include Rebel Steiner of Alabama, Carleton Elliott of Virginia, Gordon Soltau of Minnesota, Claude Radtke of Lawrence. The veteran youngsters are Dan Orlich, Jim Lukens, Bill Kelley and Abner Wimberly, both sophomores in the pro test. Providing the experience at the wings are Steve Pritko, Al Baldwin and Ted Cook. Pritko has put in seven years, Baldwin three and Cook three. If we may digress a moment, it can be inserted that the Packers seem well stacked at the wing spots. That's quite a change from 1949 when end was the weak link...FOUR ROOKIES AT LH: Though the backfield contains the dean of the veterans, Mr. Ted Fritsch, with eight complete seasons under his best, it is largely on the youthful side. With Tony Canadeo still missing, the left halfback spot, for instance, is manned by four rookies - Harry Szulborski of Purdue, Al Cannava of Boston college, Jim Clark of Ohio State and Bill Osborne of Nevada. Right half is strictly veteran what with Bob Forte, back for his fifth year here; Billy Grimes, who was baptized with the Los Angeles Dons last fall; and Walt Schlinkman, the veteran of four Packer seasons, converted from fullback. There are five fullback candidates and four of them are on the young side. Backing up Fritsch are Bob Summerhays, now a sophomore Packer, and rookies Mike Graham of Cincinnati, Jack Cloud of William and Mary and Frank Kuzma of Minnesota. The centers are all new and young, although two of them have pro experience. The vets are Carl Schuette of Marquette, who played with the Buffalo Bills, and Ed Ecker, a former Bear. Rookie pivots are Gene Huebner of Baylor, Clink McGeary of North Dakota State, and Clayton Tonnemaker. Ecker and McGeary also can do tackle duty. The two veterans at tackle, Lew Ferry and Glenn Johnson, are sophomores to the pro game. The rest, Bob Mealey of Minnesota, Fred Leon of Nevada, Dan Bradach of Georgia Tech and Frankin Ellis of Denver, are rookies. Red Vogds is the "old man" (smile when you say that) among the guards. The big Wisconsin crusher joins sophomore veterans Joe Etheridge and Buddy Burris. Newcomer guards are Willie Leon Manley of Oklahoma, Jim Thomas of Ohio State and Ray DiPierrro of Ohio State...The Packers continued intensive practice under a warm sun this morning and afternoon. A classroom session is on tap for tonight. The squad meets every evening in a room at East High school. The Bays, getting over stiffness as a result of the sudden dunk from civilian life into rigid exercising, probably will be putting on the pads Wednesday or Thursday. Once the pads are on, the first scrimmage won't be far off. The Packers have 17 days left before the first test - a non-conference affair with the Cleveland Browns in Toledo Saturday night, Aug. 12. Four days later, Aug. 16, the Packers will take on Curly Lambeau's Cardinals at City stadium...PACKER PACKINGS: Walt Schlinkman is about 12 pounds underweight, and, contrary to the usual procedure, the hard-charging back will put on poundage as practice progresses. Walt, down to about 181, blames the terrific heat in Texas the last month for his condition. Underweight or not, Schlinkman seems to be running as hard as ever...Trainer Bud Jorgenson is keeping his fingers crosses; he's had little or no activity. Jorgeson is impressed with his new training room; it has three "beds" instead of the usual one and there is plenty of room for all of his equipment. The entire clubhouse under the stadium was more than doubled in size by "pushing" the north wall about 12 feet further north. Dr. H.A. Atkinson, club physician, reported for duty the first day and found the squad in "good condition".
GIRARD, ROTE, HEATH VIE FOR PACKERS' QB POST
JUL 26 (Green Bay) - The Packers started 1950 operations with half a dozen quarterbacks - on paper. Two of them - Arnold Galiffa and Pandel Savic - are definitely out. One, Ray Mallouf, is on the fence. Three, Jug Girard, Tobin Rote and Stan Heath, are on the Green Bay premises. Galiffa, Army's great signal caller, who was selected in the college draft last January, won't be available for at least three years. He went through with graduation last June and is now a lieutenant in the regular Army. Savic, Ohio State's Rose Bowl QB, decided the other day to pass up professional football in favor of his job with a glass company. Savic escaped the college draft but several clubs, including the Packers, expressed interest in him last spring. Coach Gene Ronzani got him to sign. Mallouf offers the Packers considerable experience. Ray passed the Chicago Cardinals to the Western division title in 1948, but was dispatched to the New York Giants last fall. With Charley Conerly going great guns last fall, Mallouf threw only 17 passes all season with NY. At the moment, Mallouf is undecided about returning to football. All three of the on-the-field quarterbacks (Girard, Rote and Heath) are virtually rookies to the intricate T-formation the Packers will use next fall. Rote, late of Rice, is the only simon-pure to the sport. Girard is in his third season (second at quarterback) and Heath in his second year. The 1950 "T" is much more complicated than anything handled by G, R and H. Rote, biggest of the trio at 6-2, 195, admitted himself the other day that "this sure is different from college ball; we even call signals for the linemen"...JUGGER SWITCHED TO QB: For sheer savvy and magic, Girard seems to have the inside track thus far. The quick-reacting Jugger was switched to quarterback at the start of the 1949 season and virtually carried the load alone. Ronzani had planned to move Girard to left half this fall but was forced to change his strategy when Savic put his contract among his souvenirs. Rote and Heath seem to have the edge on Girard in the passing department. Rote carries his weapon high and deals the missile off his ear. He's been "pressing" in the early practice sessions but the coaches expect him to settle down soon. The real test for the quarterbacks will come with the first scrimmage. Then, they'll be weighed on their ability to fool the defense with their faking and, of course, their ability to hit their receivers within a reasonable distance. With the opening non-conference game (against Cleveland in Toledo Aug. 12) only 16 days away, the quarterbacks likely will be getting special attention. For the quarterbacks as well as every member of the squad, each day is divided into two hours of classroom work and four hours of field action. Since practice started last Saturday afternoon, the Packers put in eight hours in four nights in front of the blackboard and 14 hours on the field through Tuesday. Ronzani has scheduled meetings every night of the training season. They are being held in a room at East High school...The squad was broken down into three groups for practice Tuesday. Ronzani and Ray Nolting worked with the backs; Clark Shaughnessy and Tarz Taylor with the linemen; and Dick Plasman with the ends. The ends, with Plasman calling the plays, were drilled on pass receiving maneuvers. Shaughnessy taught the blocking accompanying the various plays. Ronzani and Nolting directed the actual ball carrying phase of the offense. Near the end of the drill, the three groups are called together and the entire group, nearly four teams, run through the plans drilled separately earlier in the morning. The practice Tuesday was witnessed by Tony Canadeo, the unsigned left halfback. He had been out of town over the weekend...PRO HASH: Lew Ferry, the sophomore tackle, is working extra hard. He's 20 pounds overweight. Jim Thomas, the bulky Negro guard, is worried about his weight; it won't go down. The coaches have prescribed less water for a lot of the athletes.
NEW PASSING PATTERNS ARE WORKED IN PACKER PRACTICE
JUL 27 (Green Bay) - The Packers will throw a pass or two next fall. This was indicated Wednesday when Coach Gene Ronzani hauled out the 1950 pass patterns and let the quarterbacks, Jug Girard, Tobin Rote and Stan Heath, cut loose. All of the eligible receivers, except the quarterbacks, got into the long drill. The fundamental throwing included aerial to the left halfbacks, the right halfbacks, the fullbacks and finally the ends. Smoothest of the backfield receivers were left halfback Jim Clark, the swift colored racer from Ohio State, and Billy Grimes, the former Los Angeles Don right halfback, Both 6-1, Clark and Grimes have enough height to match the "natural" receivers - the ends. Ronzani is sporting nine ends - the collective bright spot of the team - and five of them are stationed at left end - the position made famous in all football by the Packers' immortal Don Hutson...TWO VETERANS AT LE: Two of the LEs are veterans of pro football - Dan Orlich, who put in his first year with the Packers in '49, and Al Baldwin, who labored three years with the Bills. Baldwin, No. 2 receiver in the All-America conference in 1948 and 1949, showed a little of his savvy with a pair of nifty catches Wednesday. Rookies working into left end are Carleton (Stretch) Elliott, a graceful six-foot-five-incher from Virginia; Rebel Steiner, a midget at six feet, 180 pounds compared to Elliott; and Claude Radtke, an especially gifted receiver from Lawrence college. Three of the four right ends have had pro experience - Steve (The Body) Pritko, who has eight play-for-pay seasons under his belt; Abner Wimberly, the ex-LSU star who played a year with the Los Angeles Dons; Bill Kelley, the speedster who broke in with the Packers last fall; and Franklin Ellis, a speed merchant from Denver...UNDERSTUDIED LARRY CRAIG: Some of the ends are primarily defensive wings, although all of them have shown ability to catch passes. At first guess (the first scrimmage may change this), it appears that the offensive charmers are Baldwin, Steiner, Kelley, Radtke, Elliott and possibly Wimberly. Last season Orlich understudied the gifted Larry Craig, who retired after 11 full season, at left end while Pritko played defensive right end. Wimberly played most defensive end with the Dons...The Packers got a new form of exercise on Wednesday - rope jumping - and they apparently liked it. The athletes will be send through the rope course at least once a day. The rope contraption was designed by Joe Pupa, former coach at Purdue, and is designed to develop coordination and, of course, reduce weight. The coaches, for instance, were able to tell at a moment's glance the athletes with the best power of mind over muscle. Most graceful of the lot was big Ed Ecker, the 270-pound center-tackle. But Ecker had an advantage. He was a member of the Chicago Bears, who have the same rope exercise, for the last two years. Several different types of exercises are available. For instance, the athletes can do a side or cross step or they can run straight ahead, making every square or skipping one. Then there is the jump with legs together. A Paupa charging machine was also made ready and was to be used for the first time today. The machine is equipped with an automatic ball snapper operated by the coaches getting the ride. The tackling dummy was put in place and will be used as soon as the pads are on.
PACKERS CONDUCT FIRST SCRIMMAGE
JUL 28 (Green Bay) - The first of a long series of workouts designed to separate the Packer men from the boys was held Tuesday afternoon. For one solid hour, the Green Bays scrimmaged, and then engaged in honest-to-goodness tackling and
blocking practice. Wearing the 1949 game uniforms, the Packers were limited as to body contact in the scrimmage. Linemen were not permitted to tackle the passer - if they broke through - and the pass receivers had no opposition in the receiving area. The first fuss, featuring all passing plays, gave the linemen a good opportunity to block for keeps, though their chief duty was merely to protect the passer and not open holes for the runner. Working at quarterback and doing all of the passing were Tobin Rote and Jug Girard. Quarterback Stan Heath reported a sore arm and was held off the rough stuff. Oddly enough, the protection given the passers on some of the early plays were excellent. As the scrimmage wore on, however, an occasional player or two would be at Rote's or Girard's throat. The linemen alternated playing offense and defense while all of the backs got a chance to snatch a pass or two. Probably one of the standouts of the line play was Gene Huebner, the 250-pound rookie center from Baylor. Huebner busted in a couple of times while playing defense and held his ground on offense. Big Gene, who stands 6-4, is one of 2 centers in camp. The other is Carl Schuette, former Buffalo Bill and Marquette ace, who presently is underweight due to illness...LEON FRACTURES LEG: Giant Ed Ecker, listed as a center and tackle, has been working at tackle most of the time. Clink McGeary, also a center-tackle, has been drilling at tackle. Coming in late will be Clayton Tonnemaker, the Minnesota pivot, who plays mostly on defense as a linebacker. Fred Leon, tackle from Nevada, was the first real casualty of the training season. He suffered a fracture of the fibula bone in his leg and will be out for four or five weeks. Coach Gene Ronzani said he has planned to switch Leon to guard. McGeary received a sock in the groin and was sidelined for a few minutes. During the training season, the Bays will do light scrimmaging almost every day. From time to time, regular game-sized scrimmages will be held. The tempo of practice is being speeded up almost every day, what with only 15 days remaining before the non-conference game with the Cleveland Browns in Toledo Aug. 12. On Wednesday, Aug. 16, the Packers will meet the Lambeau Cardinals at City stadium...Through last night, the Packers had put in a total of 34 hours of practice - 12 indoors and the rest on the field. The squad works two hours in the morning, two in the afternoon and two every night. Practice started last Saturday afternoon...Eight of the 15 tackle-to-tackle linemen in camp are employed at tackle, with four each at left and right. Assigned to the left side are Ed Ecker, the former Chicago Bear; John Cahill, rookie from St. Norbert college; and veterans Glenn Johnson and Lew Ferry. On the right side are four newcomers - Bob Mealey of Minnesota; Dan Bradach of Georgia Tech; Fred Leon of Nevada; and Clink McGeary of North Dakota State and Minnesota. The new tackles look fast and all are big enough - especially McGeary, who moved around with good speed despite his 250 pounds and 6 feet, 5 inches. Another stepper is Bradach, who packs 235 pounds. Among the guards, three veterans are working on the left side and two newcomers on the right. The vets are Evan (Red) Vogds, Paul (Buddy) Burris, and Joe Etheridge. Squatty Jim Thomas, the Negro defensive expert from Ohio State, and Joe DiPierro, also an Ohio Stater, are working on the right side. Handling center are Carl Schuette and Gene Huebner. The centers alternate every day between the separate workouts among the backs and the linemen.
PACKER SECRECY! RONZANI SEES SUNSHINE IN END
JUL 29 (Green Bay) - A plane circled fairly low over the Packer practice field the other day. A sideline observer exclaimed: "Lambeau!" Dick Geniesse, Packer property man, dove on the stack of play charts spread on the ground and carefully covered them up with a towel. Lambeau, ex-Packer coach now with the Cardinals, wasn't in the plane and Geniesse really just laughed, but precautions are being taken during every drill session from letting "strangers" too close to the immediate practice area. Geniesse always keeps those plays covered and never gets more than 15 or 20 feet away. After each practice, one of the coaches carries them (about 40 cards, roughly 24 inches by 12 per) into the clubhouse. During lunch, Coach Gene Ronzani keeps them under lock and key in his car or deposits them at the Packer office. Ronzani, having been associated with the Chicago Bears for 17 years, is fully aware of information seekers for other clubs in the NFL. During the Bears' offseason, Ronzani recalled the other day, "I'd hear bits of information about the Packers while traveling through these parts. Sometimes, the information was valuable for the next Packer-Bear game." Since last Saturday, roughly 10,000 persons watched the morning and afternoon practice sessions, viewing the basic plan for the Packers' offense. It's conceivable that there are a number of "professional" eyes among the spectators. As the season wears on, the Packers will hold important sessions in City stadium or in the Bluejay outfield...On a still more serious side, Ronzani looked over the first week of practice today and reported: "Green, aren't they!" He was referring to (1) the large number of college recruits, 18, and (2) the fact that the entire squad is unfamiliar to the T-formation the Packers will use this fall. "Just think," Gene winked, "we don't have a single player who is a veteran of our style of play." Ronzani said that "we need some help at tackle, guard, center and in the backfield," but added that "the four boys in the All-Star camp should bolster us somewhat." Training with the Stars are center Clayton Tonnemaker and end Gordon Soltau of Minnesota, guard Willie Leon Manley of Oklahoma and back Larry Coutre of Notre Dame...FAINT RAY OF SUNSHINE: Ronzani sees "a faint ray of sunshine in the ends." Five of the nine ends in camp have been through the pro mill and two of them, Al Baldwin and Abner Wimberly, had healthy reputations in the defunct All-America conference. Baldwin ranked second among AAC receivers with Buffalo and Wimberly divided his time of offense and defense with the Los Angeles Dons. Back from the 1949 Packers are Steve Pritko, an eight-year veteran, and sophomore Dan Orlich and Bill Kelley. Add this group to promising rookie ends Rebel Steiner of Alabama, Stretch Elliott of Virginia, Claude Radtke of Lawrence and Franklin Ellis of Denver and you can see the reason for Ronzani's view of sunshine. Adding more strength at the ends will be Jim Lukens, who played opposite Baldwin with Buffalo. Lukens, a 200-pound, six-foot, four-inch pass catcher, ranked fifth in receiving in the AAC as a rookie in 1949. He's due to report this weekend...A total of 37 players are working in the Packer camp. The squad was reduced by two Thursday and Friday when halfback Bill Osborn of Nevada decided to quit and tackle Fred Leon, also of Nevada, suffered a leg fracture. Osborne had been bothered with a leg injury since he left school and had hoped to work it out. However, the member failed to respond. Leon, injured in the first scrimmage, will be out four or five weeks. Ronzani said he had planned to shift Leon to guard. The current on-the-field squad is composes of 14 backs, nine ends, seven tackles, five guards and two centers. The roster may be boosted to 40 this weekend with the arrival of Lukens and a veteran or two. Ronzani said that two of the signed college draftees, halfbacks Frank Waters of Michigan State and John Delph of Dayton have decided not to play professional football. Waters has taken a high school coaching job and Delph is in business in Dayton...In Friday's practice, quarterback Earl (Jug) Girard was shifted to left halfback while QB's Tobin Rote and Stan Heath handled the ball in a long passing drill. Before the start of the season Ronzani planned to keep Girard at the left half but was switched to QB when Pandel Savic, ex-Ohio State QB, decided not to play. Presently, Girard is learning both positions. The Packers worked out in shorts Friday but Ronzani probably will order pads for drills this weekend. The Packers are moving fast, preparing for the opener with Cleveland in Toledo Aug. 12 and the home opener against the Lambeau Cardinals Aug. 16.
LOOK AT FRITSCH EXPLAINS NEW PACKER DEAL; THE MAN'S HAPPY!
JUL 29 (Green Bay) - Time have changed - but good. Probably the most amazing development in the early Packer practice sessions is the complete change, the absolute difference from similar period of endeavor the last two or three years. It's hard to explain. But a look at Ted Fritsch, dean of the Packer veterans with eight complete seasons under his belt, somehow offers an answer. Fritsch is happy. He's charging around like a wild bull with a new matador, gradually squeezing off the poundage picked up in the last six months of non-football. Fritsch, not the happiest athlete in recent years, seems to have a purpose - one for each of the games the Packers will play this season. The change in offense stands out. Bill Kelley, sophomore end, sums it up this way, "We're really learning some modern football." The offense is flexible. It's designed to meet all situations. One of the toughest jobs for the players will be absorbing the "T" version. That's why there'll be school work every night of the training season. The boys are in school, too - East High, where the black board sessions are held. The 1950 Packer quarterbacks will call signals for the linemen - an innovation in these parts. The modern "T" calls for the backs and linemen to work together with split-second timing. In order to properly digest the new system, the Bays are working a solid six hours a day - two in the morning, two in the afternoon and two at night. Walking off the field the other morning, Coach Gene Ronzani smiled: "Practice is repetition, we'll be doing the same in December." Almost an innovation is the equal attention given to the left and right halfbacks. In the Packer T (1950 version), the left and right HBs are synonymous...PACKER PACKINGS: Al Baldwin, the new Packer end, tells this about his former teammate at Buffalo, end Jim Lukens, who will join the Pack this weekend: "Jim saved us (Buffalo players) quite a bit of money last year. He is going to be a lawyer, you know, and he went through the New York income tax laws and discovered that we didn't have to pay taxes on money earned in games played outside of the state of New York. That made quite a difference because about half our games were played out of state." Lukens is completing his bar examinations at Washington and Lee...End Carleton (Stretch) Elliott was the University of Virginia's regular first sacker last year. Gene Mechley, the Appleton pitcher, is a protege of Packer Coaching Aide Ray Nolting. Ray instructed the lad in athletics outside of Cincinnati for several years. Nolting will carry the ball in a lot of practice sessions, thus demonstrating footwork, ball handling, etc...Floyd Jaszewski, recruit tackle with the Detroit Lions, gingerly admitted being "stopped" by fullback Frank Kuzam, a Packer recruit, while the two played on Minnesota's 1949 team. Said Jaszewski: "We weren't advancing against Purdue, so I turned to Kuzma, and said, 'Frank, you're running too high'."
Kuzma retorted: "I gotta run ight. They're tackling low!"
SURPRISE! PACKERS SCORE FROM RH
JUL 31 (Green Bay) - This may surprise you: The Packers scored three or four “touchdowns” from right halfback in scrimmage Sunday. Right halfback has been a sore spot in Packer teams of 1947, 1948 and 1949 – ever since the Bays went back to the quarterback-under-the-center system. The RH was stuck back of the end somewhere and he rarely had a chance to gain yardage much less score a touchdown. In 1949, for instance, the Packers didn’t register a single TD from RH, although Ralph Earhart, a right half, managed a TD – on a punt return against the New York Giants here. In '48, the right halfbacks produced four, three by Earhart and one by Bob Forte. In 1947, Forte got three and Jim Gillette one. That year, Ward Cuff, a right halfback, scored 51 points but all came on field goals or extra point kicks. Under the 1950 Packer T-formation, the right halfback’s block is on a line with those of the left halfbacks and fullbacks; they’re all equal. Sunday’s scrimmage, the first involving running plays, saw Billy Grimes, the former Los Angeles Don, and veteran Bob Forte blasting away from RH. Due in later to bolster this position will be Larry Coutre, the Notre Dame star, who is now drilling with the College All Stars. Walt Schlinkman, the veteran fullback who had been shifted to right half, was moved to left half over the weekend. Schlink, one of the fastest starters in the league, is working with rookie LHs Al Cannava, Harry Szulborski and Jim Clark. Grimes is a natural right halfback because he’s a lefthander. It’s natural for him to run to his left. He sped through a couple of large holes Sunday. A consistent gainer in the scrimmage was Mike Graham, the rookie fullback from Cincinnati. Though he never went the distance, he generally managed three or four yards. The newcomer also was rather rough on backing up the line…Two veterans reported for practice this morning – center-guard Ed Neal, who drove in from Texas over the weekend, and end Ted Cook. Ted, who played both offense and defense last year, is the 10th wing in camp. Neal played most of ’49 at center…The Packers got their first afternoon off Sunday, but a regular meeting was held last night. The scrimmage Sunday, witnessed by about 800 persons, was short and snappy – about a half hour. The rest of the drill was devoted to fundamental line play and passing. Coach Gene Ronzani expects to move the squad into advanced training this week in preparation for the first two non-conference games – the Cleveland Browns in Toledo Saturday night, Aug. 12, and Curly Lambeau’s Cardinals at City stadium Wednesday night, Aug. 16.
HEATH RELEASED; ROTE, GIRARD AT QB
AUG 1 (Green Bay) - Stan Heath stepped out of the picture today – at his own request. The Milwaukeean, whose passing feats were almost legendary at the University of Nevada in 1948, asked Head Coach Gene Ronzani for his release after missing practice Monday. The quarterback, who finished 10th in passing in the NFL last year, has been placed on waivers. If waivers are not picked up by any team in the league after 72 hours, he will become a free agent. Heath indicated today that “it was better for both parties concerned that I left the Packers”. He said he understood that both the Chicago Bears and San Francisco Forty Niners were interested in him. He also indicated the possibility of playing in the Canadian league – “wherever I can get the best offer.” Heath was signed to a Packer contract for former Coach Curly Lambeau a year ago last January after a dramatic bidding battle with several teams in the defunct All-America conference. He was rated as one of the finest passers in the country and he was immediately tabbed as the Packers’ No. 1 quarterback for 1949. Heath, who reportedly balked at a contract offered by Ronzani, failed to produce last season and Earl (Jug) Girard, a left halfback, was shifted to QB. Heath threw 106 passes last season, and completed 26 for 355 yards and a percentage of 24.5. He tossed one touchdown pass. Girard, finishing 12th in the league, completed 62 out of 175 for 881 yards and a percentage of 35.4. Four of Girard’s tosses went for TDs. With Heath out, the 1950 quarterbacking duties are being handled by Tobin Rote, recruit from Rice Institute, and Girard. Rote, the quiet, studious type, has looked good in practice, and, oddly enough, has shown better form under pressure (during scrimmage) than he was in the sweatsuit drills. Girard is being used almost exclusively as a quarterback, although he shifts back
to left half occasionally to stay in running shape, so to speak. Ronzani had planned to keep Jugger at left half but changed his mind when Pandel Savic, Ohio State QB, decided not to play pro football. Still a possibility at quarterback is Ray Mallouf, the former Chicago Cardinal and New York Giant, who sat on the Giant bench most of the 1949 season. However, in 1948, Mallouf passed the Cardinals to the Western division championship…The Packers welcomed cool weather Monday with a long signal and passing drill. A couple of familiar faces were on hand – guard Ed Neal, who worked at center, and end Ted Cook. Neal reported at 301 pounds and announced that he would trim down to playing weight, 275, “in a short time”. Cook, the 11th end in camp, is nearly down to 195, his playing weight. With the opener against the Cleveland Browns in Toledo a week from Saturday night, the Packers are moving fast. A lengthy scrimmage is due any day now. Thus far, the squad has scrimmaged once with passing plays and once on ground maneuvers.
LAMBEAU TO RECEIVE PLAQUE AT CARDINAL-PACKER GAME
AUG 1 (Green Bay) - The end of the old Packer regime and inauguration of the new will be dramatically recognized just before the start of the Packer-Cardinal preseason game at City stadium Wednesday night, Aug. 16. Curly Lambeau will be presented with a handsome plaque “in recognition of his inspirational leadership which pioneered the Green Bay Packers from a small-town idea to a position of national prominence in the sports world.” And Lambeau, in turn, will wish Coach Gene Ronzani the best of luck with the future Packers. The ceremony and the presentation of the plaque is being arranged by the Minute Men, a group of civic leaders who represent fandom in general in Green Bay and who have been active in sports promotion here the last two years. Jerry Atkinson, chairman of the Minute Men, said today that his committee began discussing some sort of ceremony honoring Curly about a month ago, feeling that Packer fans of Green Bay and all Packerland owed him some concrete expression of what the Packer team he built means to the community. Atkinson said the committee also felt it was an excellent opportunity for the fans to officially welcome Gene Ronzani as head coach. Taking part in the ceremony will be Mayor Dominic Olejniczak, representing the city; Fee Klaus, representing Packer alumni; Verne Lewellen, chief quarterback of the Quarterback club; Walter Scherf, president of the Association of Commerce; President Emil R. Fischer of the Packers; and Atkinson. Gov. Oscar Rennebohm has also been invited to represent the state at large. A subcommittee is working on the fabrication of a suitable plaque which will contain pictures of the first Packer team on 1919 and the six championship teams, plus an inscription.
ANOTHER SUCCESS CHAPTER TO STORY OF 'LITTLE TOWN'?
AUG 1 (Green Bay) - Mister George Whitney Calhoun measured your abashed correspondent with a stern eye. “You have an assignment,” he said, acting real city editorish, and practically impaling us with a well-sharpened pencil. “You are going to write a piece for the newspaper.” “But, Cal,” we argued meekly, “it’s vacation, Shore Aces, no time, the family, and beside, what could I write of interest to your readers? Let’s just skip it and talk of something pleasant.” We had been joined by Mr. John Torinus, sometimes known as the Golden Voice of the Press-Gazette, and Gentleman George welcomed him with the warmth of a McArthur inspecting a newly arrived division of battle-proved veterans. “Russ is eager to write an item for us,” Cal lied firmly yet affably. Mr. Torinus nodded approval. “Better you should take the space and sell it to an advertiser for money,” we said, firing the last feeble gun in our defense…SUBJECTL “TEN YEARS LATER”: John Torinus, never one to overlook the possible harvesting of a buck, seemed impressed with that argument. But in the end they sent us back to Shore Acres to look out over the bay where the nucleus of a storm seemed to be debating whether to gather in force, and mull over my material. My subject was, they said: “Ten Years Later”. A lot can happen in ten years. A bird by the adopted name of Hitler can come along and turn things upside down for awhile until he gets it, and another gent, Old Red Joe, can make a start toward the same goal from his Moscow address. You can watch a bear market change to a bull, and there are a lot of political talks in a decade, too. But what Cal and John had in mind, it seemed, was an article I wrote for the Saturday Evening Post ten years ago called: “Little Town That Leads ‘Em.” It wasn’t my story. It was yours. I merely reported it. The story was about this great little city of Green Bay and how it hatched a football team that spit on its hands, hitched up its pants, and then proceeded to lick the tar out of all comers. There were names in that story…Andy Turnbull, Lee Joannes, Dr. W.W. Kelly, Jerry Clifford, and Cal and Curly Lambeau, Don Hutson, and, oh, so many others. I was proud that the late M.E. Davis, Sr., my Dad, had played his part in the story of the Packers and I mentioned him. They said he went around town with copies of the magazine sticking out of every pocket and was razzed by other lawyers who wanted to know how much it cost to hire a press agent on a national scale…POST STORY SUUCCESS STORY: I’ve been away from Green Bay for almost 16 years, and I don’t know Gene Ronzani nor the players nor many of the present club officials. At the moment, I couldn’t sit down and knock off the little human interest stories about Green Bay and the Packers that have put this city on the map in kingsize type. That would require research and interviews to get myself up on the current football mood hereabouts. But I do know this. The Post story of the Packers was a success story. Yet it told of the rough times the team had faced from the days when ushers passed the hat to pick the bare weekly pittance to keep the team going. No article can find print in any book if it is merely all success. Nobody is interested in running a piece that tells about the good thing while neglecting the heartaches. That’s what made the story of Green Bay and its football team such a good one. There were successes, but there were tough times, too. There was the time when the struggling young Packer organization had taken out a rain insurance policy for a game against, I believe, the Duluth Eskimos. It rained, all right, but perversely one-hundredth of an inch less than required for a payoff. There were other times when the directors held up their hands and would have given up had not something spurred them on to try it again. That’s the stuff of which magazine articles are made, the ups and downs until final success. It wasn’t the reporter, it was the Green Bay spirit that sold “Little Town That Leads ‘Em.”…AN UNCOMFORTABLE AFTERNOON: My most recent information on the Packers has been gleaned from stories in Philadelphia papers and from Cal’s weekly press service, which, I am glad to note, is again functioning on a year ‘round basis. I last saw the Packers in the flesh several years ago against the Philadelphia Eagles, who outclassed them. Last fall, a network carried the Packer-Redskin game out of Washington, and I sat in my living room and watched it on television. It proved to be an uncomfortable afternoon for a Green Bay rooter. So I realize there have been more discouraging entries in the latter day chapters of Packer history since “Little Town” was printed. But, once again, it seems as though Green Bay has risen to the challenge and that good is about to follow the bad. There’s a new era dawning in Green Bay football. Stranger or not, one can’t fail to feel the difference when talking to folks around town. And don’t think your efforts have gone unnoticed. There was some loose talk back in January at the merger meetings in Philadelphia of dropping Green Bay from the new league. But the Packers have friends in the right spots and Bert Bell is one of them. Blunt Commissioner Bert Bell quickly quashed any talk of a league without Green Bay. They know in Philadelphia, as well as in every other city in the country, of your great efforts in raising the local $100,000 of your $200,000 statewide quota. I’ve preached Packers and Green Bay around the Quaker City for years and when the Packers aren’t winning, I am often hard put to defend my beachhead. But only recently a group of boys talked sports in my office and every one of them admitted that only in Green Bay would they get back of a team with spirit and cash on the barrelhead as you did…AGAIN ON ROAD BACK: On the field, the Eagles will try to knock your brains out. But in their headquarters, where I am known as “the Green Bay spy”, they, took, from stout Ed Hogan, their publicity man, right down through their coaching staff and the players, paid tribute to your great drive to get the Packers back on top. “Anything I write will probably ramble,” we told Cal and John. “Your stuff always did,” they brayed in chorus. And ramble it has, but there is a point in this rather disjointed essay. It seems as though the fortunes of the Packers recently have been on the down side, as they were so often in the past. But I’ve got a hankering when I get back to Philadelphia to drop around and see Bob Fuoss on the Post. Might be there’s another success chapter of “Little Town” that, within a year or so, will need to be written. It looks, from where I sit, as though the Packers are again on the road back.
INEXPERIENCE OF QBS 'TUFFENS' RONZANI'S JOB
AUG 2 (Green Bay) - Last Feb. 6, a Press-Gazette headline screamed: “Gene Ronzani, Known as Tuffy, Faced with ‘Tuff’ Job.” The former Bear coach had just been selected the Packers’ new head coach, replacing Curly Lambeau, who mentored the club for 31 years. Today, that “tuff” job looks tougher than it did last Feb. 6. Here’s an example: The other day, Ronzani got discussing the quarterbacks – the key men in the T-formation the Packers will use this season. “We don’t have anybody who can set a pattern of our system for our young quarterbacks. A youngster coming up with other clubs in the league has an experienced quarterback to follow – an experienced one who knows the system his team is using.”…HANDY WITH CRYING TOWEL: Ronzain was referring to teams like the Rams, Bears, Eagles and Redskins, who are blessed with veteran quarterbacks (Bob Waterfield, Sid Luckman, Tommy Thompson and Sammy Baugh, respectively), who are schooled in their teams’ offenses. Of course, this Mr. Ronzani is pretty handy with the crying towel. He makes no bones about carrying a good supply of towels in the back seat of his car. Besides, a few tears shed now may pay off next fall. Seriously though, the inexperience of the Packer quarterbacks – as to the T-formation – reflects on the entire squad. As Ronzani said the other day: “There isn’t a single player on our squad who is a veteran of our system.” This is the type of inexperience the Packers will pack in their non-conference schedule. But by Sept. 17, when the Packers open league play against Detroit here, the club should be pretty well straightened around…FOUR-TIME AAC CHAMPS: The opener with the Cleveland Browns in Toledo Aug. 12 and the second game with the Chicago Lambeau Cardinals at City stadium Aug. 16 will see the new Packer inexperience against two established outfits. The Browns, in particular, will present the same system – with the same coaching staff and 80 percent of their playing personnel – for the fifth straight season. The Browns are four-time champs of the defunct All-America conference. The game will be the first between a NFL team and a member of the old AAC. The Cardinals, though they have a new coach in Lambeau, finished several notches higher than the Packers in 1949. New system or not, the Cardinals are blessed with great players, most of them played in the championship playoffs of 1948 and 1947. The 1949 Cards won six, lost five and tied one; the Packers won two and lost 10…PACKER PACKINGS: Fred Leon, the rookie tackle who fractured his leg in scrimmage last week, watched practice Monday and Tuesday – in crutches. He expects to return to active duty in three or four weeks. Coach Ronzani will use him as a guard…The practice area has been chalked out in a regulation football field and most of the drill sessions are being conducted under “game” conditions…Giant Ed Neal is working overtime every day, trying to knock down about 25 pounds. He reported at 301. Fullback Ted Fritsch is also exercising long after the squad leaves the field to reduce his weight. Fritsch and Joe Etheridge also remain after regular work to practice kicking off…Getting a daily dose of punting is end Steve Pritko, who never kicked a ball in his previous Packer life. Other punters are Jug Girard, Bob Forte and Fritsch…Claude Radtke, the Lawrence college end, has been sidelined with a hamstring pull. He’s running lightly. A number of the boys have been bothered with muscle pulls, including Lew Ferry, veteran tackle…With the Cleveland Brown game a week from next Saturday in Toledo, the Packers are giving some thought to defense – particularly against passes. The Browns have a high-powered air machine in quarterback Otto Graham and ends Mac Speedie and Dante Lavelli…Tickets for the Packers’ four NFL games at City stadium and the non-conference game with the Chicago Cardinals here Wednesday night, Aug. 16, are on sale at a number of sports in Northeastern Wisconsin and the Fox River Valley areas. In Shawano, fans can purchase tickets at Stan and Bud’s Bar, while in Kaukauna ticket sales are being conducted at Look’s Drug store. Other ticket agencies are: Sheboygan, Joe Hauser’s Sports Shop; Two Rivers, Salecki’s Clothing; Manitowoc, Stangel Hardware; Fond du Lac, T.E. Ahern company; and Appleton, H.C. Prange company. In Green Bay, fans may purchase tickets at the Packer headquarters-ticket office at 349 S. Washington street. The office is open from 8 to 5 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Fridays the office is open from 8 to 9 for the convenience of shoppers. The office closes at noon on Saturdays.
TONY CANADEO REPORTS FOR PACKER DRILL; FIVE WORK AT LEFT HALFBACK
AUG 3 (Green Bay) - There was a familiar face at Packer practice today - Tony Canadeo, left halfback. Packer Head Coach Gene Ronzani announced this morning that Canadeo had reported for his first workout with the club which had opened practice July 22. While Canadeo was present, there was also a missing face - Glenn Johnson, the 240-pound veteran tackle, who left the squad without notifying why he left or where he was going. It was reported that Johnson was going to Winnipeg, Canada, to play with the Blue Bombers in the Canadian Interprovincial league. If this is true, the Packers may take action against Johnson because he had already signed a Packer contract and had participated in practice here. Also with Winnipeg is back Jack Jacobs, who made his decision and left before the start of the Packer drills...STARTING EIGHTH SEASON: Canadeo, the Grey Ghost of Gonzaga, found four competitors at left half as he worked in practice - Walt Schlinkman, the fullback who had been switched to right halfback and finally to LH, and rookies Harry Szulborski of Purdue, Jim Clark of Ohio State and Al Cannava of Boston college. Thus, Canadeo is starting his eighth complete season. In addition, he played one-third of the 1944 campaign as an Army corporal but missed the 1945 drive because of overseas service. Always a consistent ground gainer, Tony had his greatest year last fall, rolling up 1,040 yards from scrimmage and finishing first in the Western division and second in the league only to the immortal Steve Van Buren of the Philadelphia Eagles. Canadeo is rapidly becoming the Packers' all-time ground gainer. In his career, Tony has rolled up a total of 3,632 yards - just 228 behind the Packer fullback ace, Clarke Hinkle, who posted 3,860 yards in 10 complete seasons...Waivers on Stan Heath, the quarterback, are up at midnight tonight. If no club claims him, Heath will become a free agent. The Packers have the right to recall waivers before the deadline, thus reclaiming him...The Packers held their first secret practice of the 1950 season in the stadium Wednesday afternoon. It was a full length scrimmage with all of the running and passing plays. Some attention was also given to defense. The Packers are moving into the early stages of pointing for two tough non-conference games in four days. The first engagement sends the Bays against the Cleveland Browns in Toledo Saturday night, Aug. 12, and the second has Green Bay meeting Curly Lambeau's Cardinals in City stadium Aug. 16.
FOUR PACKERS CHOSEN FOR PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
AUG 3 (Los Angeles) - The Green Bay Packers landed four men in a professional football hall of fame announced Wednesday night by the Helms Athletic foundation. The quartet of Packers, none now active with the club, includes Clarke Hinkle, Don Hutson, Cal Hubbard and E.L. (Curly) Lambeau. The foundation, a non-commercial organization fostering sports, selected 25 of the "greatest professional footballers of all time" as the first to be honored. A seven-man board of Los Angeles area sports editors handled the selection. No more than four names will be added to the roster each year. In addition to the Packer foursome, two others with Wisconsin backgrounds were named. They are John L. (Paddy) Driscoll, former backfield ace with the Chicago Bears and Cardinals and later Marquette university coach, and Ernie Nevers, ex-Chicago Cardinals back who hails from Superior. Others named: Cliff Battles, former Boston and Washington backfield ace; Sammy Baugh, Washington Redskins; the late Joe F. Carr, first National league president; Earl (Dutch) Clark, ex-Portsmouth and Detroit backfield star and coach; Glen Edwards, ex-Boston and Washington tackle; Ray Flaherty, New York Yankees and Giants end; Daniel Fortmann, Chicago Bear guard; Harold (Red) Grange, ex-Yankees and Chicago Bears; George Halas, Chicago Bears coach and player; Melvin Hein, ex-New York Giant center; William Hewitt, ex-Chicago Bear end; Tuffy Leemans, ex-New York Giants back; Sid Luckman, Chicago Bears quarterback; Bronko Nagurski, Chicago Bears back; Stephen Owen, New York Giants coach; Kenneth Strong, ex-New York Giants back; Joseph Stydahar, ex-Chicago Bear lineman and now Los Angeles Rams coach; James Thorpe, one of the greatest all-around backs; George Trafton, ex-Chicago Bears center. Hutson, the game's greatest pass receiver, was the Packers' all-time scorer with 825 points on 105 touchdowns, 174 extra points and seven field goals in 11 seasons from 1935 through 1945. Hinkle, the Packers' ace fullback, ranked second in scoring with 390 points in 10 seasons from 1932 through 1941. Hubbard is generally regarded as the game's greatest tackle and played through the three-championship days. Lambeau, who resigned last February after coaching the Packers for 31 years, played from 1921 through 1927.
PACKERS REALLY ARE GREEN
AUG 3 (Green Bay) - The Packers really are green this year. The 43-man roster, released Wednesday, shows 22 men in their first year of pro football. Thirteen others will be playing their second year. The oldest man listed, both in years of age and pro experience, is Ted Fritsch, who is 29 and in his 9th year with the Packers. Of the other experience men, end Steve Pritko with eight years is the only one with more than five years experience. Bob Forte and Walt Schlinkman are in their fifth years, Al Baldwin in his fourth and Ed Ecker, Red Vogds and Jug Girard in their third.
PACKERS OBTAIN TACKLE SZAFARYN FOR PAUL LIPSCOMB FROM REDSKINS
AUG 4 (Green Bay) - Packers trade Paul Lipscomb for Washington's Len Szafaryn - Stan Heath reports to Chicago Bears - Glenn Johnson arrives at Winnipeg - Bill Kelley leaves Packer camp for Winnipeg - Packers plan action against "peggers" - Packers set sights for first two non-conference games. Lots of news today, eh fans? Let's start in the order listed above: In the player switch, the Packers got a right tackle for a right tackle. Lipscomb, a veteran of five Packer seasons, is 27 years of age while Szafaryn, a rookie with the Skins last fall, turned 22 last Jan. 19. On the weight side, Washington got a 20-pound edge, Lippy going 245 and Szafaryn 225. However, Packer Head Coach Gene Ronzani figures Szafaryn (6-foot-2) is faster than the departee (6-5). The newcomer, who flew in from Los Angeles today direct from the Redskins training camp, played college ball at North Carolina. He will begin working out with the Packers this afternoon. He's a native of Ambridge, Pa. He was a unanimous all-south choice in '48, and also made Look magazine and several other All-America teams. Szafaryn served three and a half year in the Navy as a radarman. He plays the piano, is married, has a year-old daughter, and works as a sanitation engineer in the offseason...Stan Heath, placed on waivers by the Packers earlier this week, reported for practice with the College Bears today at Collegeville, Ind. Heath will work behind quarterbacks Sid Luckman, Johnny Lujack and George Blanda. Stan asked for his release from the Packers...Maurice Smith, sports editor of the Winnipeg Free Press, called the writer this morning and reported that "Johnson has arrived here and signed a Winnipeg contract." Glenn quit the Packer camp Wednesday without explanation as to why he was leaving or where he was going. Smith also wanted to know: "Have Kelley and Wimberly left yet?" End Bill Kelley was missing from Packer practice Thursday and, like Johnson, gave no explanation. End Abner Wimberly was present for practice Thursday and again today. A wire from Smith at noon today said that Kelley had arrived there this morning. Around noon of Sunday, July 23, Kelly told the writer that, "I'm satisfied with my contract here and I'm sure learning some modern
football." The day previous (the day he reported here), the Associated Press carried a story from up in Winnipeg that Kelley had signed a contract with the Winnipeg team, the Blue Bombers. Kelley laughed it off with "there must have been a misunderstanding." The Packers announced today that legal action would be taken against Johnson and Kelley since they had already signed Packer contracts. The Winnipeg report is that Jack Jacobs, former Packer quarterback, is in line for the Blue Bomber coaching job. He would replace Butch Larson, former Minnesota lineman...While all the front office fireworks were popping, Coach Ronzani and the Packers got away from it all with intensive practice sessions Thursday and today. The new team looked really new in Thursday's drills as the backfield whipped through a long series of running and passing plays. A brief scrimmage was held in the afternoon to iron out various problems that kept bobbing up in the early drills. Pass defense is worked into all offensive aerial plays. In one group on defense were Ted Fritsch and Bob Summerhays as backers-up and Rebel Steiner, Ted Cook and Jack Cloud in the deeper defense from right to left. The Packers probably will hold one good stiff scrimmage before the opening non-conference game with the Cleveland Browns in Toledo a week from Saturday night. Scrimmages of any length are generally held in secret in City stadium. Four days after the Brown game, the Packers will trade socks with Curly Lambeau's Chicago Cardinals at City stadium. The game is set for Wednesday night, Aug. 16 - a week from next Wednesday night.
GOVERNOR HERE FOR GAME
AUG 4 (Green Bay) - Gov. Oscar A. Rennebohm has accepted an invitation to attend the Packer-Cardinal non-league game at City stadium Wednesday night, Aug. 16, and participate in ceremonies honoring Curly Lambeau and Gene Ronzani. Packer fans, represented by the Minute Men, plan to present Lambeau with a plaque in recognition of his 31 years as Packer head man, and to publicly welcome Ronzani as his successor in a ceremony just preceding the highly-publicized game. In his letter to John Borgenson, secretary of the Association of Commerce, the governor wrote: "It will be a genuine pleasure for me to take part in the ceremony honoring Curly Lambeau and Gene Ronzani on Wednesday, Aug. 16. I consider it a privilege to be invited to this even because I am sure that Mr. Lambeau, together with the Packer management, has done much to bring a great deal of favorable publicity to our state."
PACKER LUMBERJACK BAND BACK AT SAME STAND STARTING AUG. 16
AUG 4 (Green Bay) - There may be a new regime as far as the Green Bay Packer football team is concerned, but the green and red uniformed boys in the northwest corner bandstand will still be basically the same Packer Lumberjack band that has been there for 12 years when the home professional football season is inaugurated at the City stadium Aug. 16. Many new faces have appeared and disappeared during that time but one of the original members, Wilner Burke, sustains as the baton weaver and Jim Collard is still beating the drums as he did during that first fall game 12 years ago. And Director Burke hopes the even dozen number will spell good fortune for his group of 27 colorful musicians. The group will begin practice Monday evening, with the initial session getting underway at 7:30 at Bay Beach. All musicians, the majorettes and the drum major should attend, says Burke. They are also asked to keep the date Aug. 19 open, since tentative plans are being arranged to send the band to Iron Mountain, Mich., for the Packer intra-squad tilt here...SHORT FOUR PLAYERS: Right now, the band is short four players, needing a snare drum, first clarinet, second trombone and tenor sax. Anyone interested in filling the posts is asked to call Burke at his home anytime Sunday afternoon or evening. There will be two practices a week. To avoid a conflict with the City band concerts, they will be held on Monday and Wednesday evenings until Labor Day. After that weekend the second drill will be shifted to Thursday evening. Practices not held at the Beach will take place in the musicians' club rooms on the North Side. Everyone wishing to play in the band should apply now, Burke added, because occasionally someone must drop out during the season and be replaced by applicants on file. Unknown to many Bayites is the fact that the Lumberjack band is a year-around organization, stopping only for a month rest in July. During the winter season they present road shows which include all kinds of acts from band numbers to comedy and solo routines. One of their shows are performed for the Milwaukee Elks club and was rated one of the most successful undertakings of that group as over 2,500 people attended and demonstrated their enthusiastic approval. Burke expects the Lumberjacks to have a number of similar appearances again this year, since the Packers have released them for that purpose...TRIPS EXPENSE FREE: As in other seasons, the band will make all state trips expense free to the players who will also be paid for both practice sessions and public appearances. The trips will be made by chartered bus. The present Lumberjack roster includes Herb Hal,, Phil Sarvello, Jerry Sobiak, saxaphone; Walter Schoepke, Ralph Gillis, Don Bouschka, clarinet; Orv Carlson, Dewey Ronsman, Dick Bangert, Roger Kocian, John Zehms and Dick Bouschka, trumpet; Carl Zirbal and Jim Collards, drums; Oliver Lytie, flute and piccolo; Julian Worpinski and John Paitl, base; Dick Davies, Walter Nier, Ed Kennedy and Bob Miracle, trombones; and William Johnson, baritone. In addition to the musicians are drum majorettes Bernadine Boyere, Delores Vander Loop, Phyllis Kessler, Pat Lison, Carol Collard and Beth Gale. Drum Major Bruce Stengel will lead the parade of talent.
PACKERS, BROWNS TO CLASH ONE WEEK FROM TONIGHT
AUG 5 (Green Bay) - The Packers play the Cleveland Browns a week from tonight in Toledo. What'll happen in this first non-conference game for the new 1950 Packers? As Packer Coach Gene Ronzani would say, "That, my friend, is a good question; maybe you can answer it." It's quite conceivable that no one can answer the question, but there is one angle we'd like to bring forth on this 15th day of Packer practice. The current Packers are new; they're being reborn; they've got a new system; they've got new coaches; and they've got a lot of new faces. The Browns, though they've been in operation for only four years, are well established as a championship unit, having scored 47 victories, four losses and three ties in winning four consecutive titles in the defunct All-America conference. The Browns will use the same system, Coach Paul Brown's version of the T-formation, and, by golly, the same coaches who started with the Browns back in 1946 are on deck again. Though the Browns are without 10 veterans from 1949, the Clevelanders have a terrific nucleus (two teams of vets, to be exact) headed by quarterback Otto Graham, touchdown twins Dante Lavelli and Mac Speedie, fullback Marion Motley, tackle Lou Rymkus, linebacker Tony Adamle and a host of others. By comparison, the Packers will field a new, young team - spiced with something like 10 or 11 veterans of other Packer seasons. The Packers have no one to set a pattern for Ronzani's new system; the Clevelanders have at least 25 to carry on with their patented offense and defense. The contest will serve as a proving ground for the Packers, but not for the Browns. Coach Brown likely will use the contest as a chance to commit murder in his first start against a member of the "old" National league. It's possible that the best 1950 Packer efficiency won't be reached until along about Sept. 17 when the club engages the Detroit Lions in the opening league game at City stadium. The non-conference season will be somewhat experimental, and that goes for the game with Curly Lambeau's Cardinals here Aug. 16, too. But let's keep the fingers crossed during the non-loop season. Right?...The situation on tackle Glenn Johnson and end Bill Kelley, who jumped to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, is the same today. Kelley arrived there Friday and Johnson pulled in Thursday. Both left the Packer camp without a word of explanation. The Packers are proceeding with legal action against the two athletes since both had signed Packer contracts. Coach Ronzani is of the opinion that Jack Jacobs, the former Packer quarterback, is trying to get as many Packers as he can to join the Winnipeg club. Jacobs, in line for the Blue Bomber head coaching job, left Green Bay for Winnipeg before the season started. An effort also was made to get end Abner Wimberly to Winnipeg, but big Wim has decided to stick with the security of the National league. Wimberly started his pro career with the Los Angeles Dons last year while Johnson and Kelley played their first Packer seasons in 1949...With the opening game only a week away, the Packers will continue with stiff practice sessions over the weekend as well as the nightly meetings. Two drills are scheduled for today and two more are on tap for Sunday. Generally, the squad is in good physical condition. There are two casualties - end Claude Radtke, a hamstring pull, and guard Fred Leon, a fractured leg. Leon has been present at all practices while Radtke has been going easy on the running. Tackle Lew Ferry is moving around with an extra large jaw. He got a show in the chin during scrimmage the other day.
SIX VETERANS, NON-LEAGUE SCHEDULE SET; LENGTHY SCRIMMAGE CONDUCTED
AUG 7 (Green Bay) - A half-dozen more Packer veterans were safely in the fold and the non-conference schedule was completed today as the Green Bay stalwarts in the NFL launched their first "Game Week". The holdovers from the 1949 campaign who agreed to terms for the new 1950 season are halfbacks Walt Schlinkman, Tony Canadeo and Bob Forte; center-guard Ed Neal; end Ted Cook; and tackle Dick Wildung. In addition, 275-pound Ed Ecker, who saw action with the Chicago Bears at center and tackle in 1948-49, has signed his Packer contract. The non-loop card was set over the weekend with announcement of an inrtra-squad game in Elkhart, Ind., Aug. 26 and a benefit engagement with the Baltimore Colts in Milwaukee,
Sunday, Sept. 10 - the Sunday before the league opener with Detroit's headlining Lions at City stadium. A total of six non-conference events are scheduled - two battles with teams in the defunct All-America conference; two with member of the "old" NFL; and two intra-squad tilts. The Packer-Colt game will be played for the benefit of Shrine hospitals for crippled children, one of the nation's most worthy charitable projects. It is being sponsored by the Milwaukee Tripoli Shrine temple, with Louis J. Best of Milwaukee serving as general game chairman. The benefit gives the Bays three games in Milwaukee, the other two - Washington on Sept. 24 and Los Angeles Nov. 12, being league games. Incidentally, five of the six non-conference tilts
will be played at night...One of the leading tackles in the National league, Wildung didn't waste any time on Sunday. He arrived in the morning and participated on defense in a long scrimmage in the afternoon. Wildung, All-America tackle at Minnesota for two years and generally acclaimed one of the greatest "Ts" in college football, is starting his fifth season here. Of the new group to sign, Canadeo is the "daddy" with eight complete seasons under his belt plus a third of a wartime year. Cook is back for his third year; Neal for his sixth; and Forte and Schlinkman for their fifth. The Packers now have 14 veterans of the 1949 team on the premises - five backs (Ted Fritsch, Bob Summerhays, Jug Girard, Schlinkman, Canadeo, Forte); three ends (Steve Pritko, Dan Orlich, Cook); three guards (Lew Ferry, Wildung); three guards (Joe Etheridge, Red Vogds, Buddy Burris) and one center (Neal)...The scrimmage Sunday was held in the secrecy of City stadium and lasted about two hours. On the sidelines were Claude Radtke, the Lawrence college end who has a leg injury, and Ohio State's Jim Thomas, who is suffering from a cold. Radtke and Thomas were kept busy working the chains on the sidelines as the workout was conducted under game conditions with quarterbacks Tobin Rote and Jug Girard calling their own plays. The scrimmage was the last stiff one before the Cleveland Brown game in Toledo Saturday night. Lighter workouts probably will be held the rest of the week. The Packers will engage Curly Lambeau's Cardinals in City stadium Wednesday, Aug. 16. Generally, the scrimmage left Head Coach Gene Ronzani with a smile or two. "There were spots of hope," as Ronzani put it. However, he took into account the fact that all of the backs are "running something entirely new and they won't be able to really run hard until they become more familiar with the plays. Right now, there's a little indecision or hesitation on the part of some of the backs and it slows 'em down a bit."...CLOUD BLASTS LINE: Just about everybody was given a thorough test on offense and defense. One of the surprises was the running of fullback Jack Cloud, a rookie from William and Mary who blasted the line for several long gains. Also running well was Billy Grimes, the former Los Angeles Don playing right half. Sparkling on defense was end Rebel Steiner of Alabama who was playing a halfback spot. Steiner had never played a defensive backfield role before arriving here. Cook made a couple of pass catches that went for long gains. Working in at right tackle was Len Szafaryn, the 225-pounder obtained in a trade with Washington for Paul Lipscomb. He saw considerable action on both offense and defense. Causing a lot of damage near the end was a defensive line composed of Neal at the pivot, Wildung and Szafaryn at tackles and Dan Orlich and Steve Pritko at ends.
PACKERS' SOLTAU CUT BETWEEN EYES IN STAR PRACTICE
AUG 7 (Chicago) - The College All-Stars enjoyed a brief respite from rigorous training chores today as they were feted at the annual luncheon of the Chicago Junior Association of Commerce. But the college gridders, who came here from Delafield, Wis., where they have been preparing for their clash with the Philadelphia Eagles in Soldier Field Friday night, had only a few hours of relaxation. Dr. Edward Anderson, head coach, planned a formal dress rehearsal under the lights at Soldier Field tonight. Anderson said the practice session would be secret. After the dress rehearsal, Anderson will herd the hefty bunch of collegians back to Delafield to complete preparations for the annual classic. The All-Stars won't return to Chicago until the day of the game. Gordon Soltau, Minnesota and Green Bay end, received a cut between the eyes in the team's last practice session. It took five stitches to repair the damage, but coaches said Soltau would be ready to go Friday.
SURPRISE DUE LAMBEAU IN PACKER-CARDINAL GAME
AUG 8 (Green Bay) - Curly Lambeau, the ex-Packer coach, may be in for a surprise or two when he makes his historic entrance into City stadium with the Chicago Cardinals a week from Wednesday night. No, the Packers haven’t changed the color of the grass nor have they painted the stadium a deep purple, but there will be a couple of sights that will help spotlight Green Bay’s first entirely new coaching setup, headed by Gene Ronzani. For instance: Bob Forte, the Packers’ defensive expert for four seasons, may be doing a lot of running. Walt Schlinkman, a fullback for four years, will cavort at left half. The first home appearance of Negro boys in Packers uniforms – guard Jim Thomas and halfback Jim Clark. A crew of pass receiving ends – almost a novelty since the departure of Don Hutson after the 1945 season. In addition, there’ll be approximately 25 new faces, some rookies and some holdovers from the defunct All-America conference. The Packer squad, incidentally, has 15 recruits to the pro game. The remaining 29 had pro experiences…GRAHAM TO RIGHT HALF: Forte’s possibility as a crashing runner came to light in some of the early scrimmages and currently he and Billy (Lefty) Grimes, the former Los Angeles Don, are carrying the load. Fullback Mike Graham was moved over to right half to provide relief. A terrific defensive player, Forte spent 80 percent of his four previous seasons making tackles. In the four years, he carried only 98 times (an average of 24-plus per season). He rolled up 318 yards for an average of 3.2. Forte had his best season last fall when the RH was moved, occasionally, into the normal T-formation spot. He lugged 40 times for 135 yards. Ronzani may have another natural right half to throw into the fire – Larry Coutre, the Notre Damer, who is currently drilling with the College All Stars. Coutre, however, is unsigned but indications are that he would like to try his hand at pro ball. Since Ronzani dislikes using backs, in particular, on both offense and defense, the future position of Forte may be decided on his showing during the non-conference schedule. Schlinkman is battling with four other gents at left half – veteran Tony Canadeo and recruits Jim Clark of Ohio State, Harry Szulborski of Purdue and Al Cannava of Boston College…SCHLINKMAN CATCHES PASSES: One of the strangest sights on the practice field is Schlinkman catching passes. Little Walt, who never caught a pass in a league game chiefly because the fullback pass virtually wasn’t in the books, has been doing well with the thrown ball. The Negro boys? Clark has been seeing a lot of action on defense and may work in an “outer” unit composed of veteran Ted Cook and Rebel Steiner, recruit from Alabama. A natural speed demon with good height, Clark could intercept a lot of passes. Thomas has been handicapped by a deep chest cold and had to be held out of the long scrimmage Sunday. Mr. Five by Five no doubt will be ready for the Cleveland Browns tussle in Toledo Saturday night. The pass catching ends? Ah ha, Mr. Lambeau, let’s keep them a secret…The annual picture-taking ceremonies were conducted this afternoon with photographers from the Press-Gazette, Associated Press and Milwaukee papers snapping shots for publicity purposes. The picture business didn’t interfere with intensive drills this week in preparation for the Brown and Cardinal contests – only four days apart. The regular workout was held this morning, and one followed the “shooting” later this afternoon. The Packers, incidentally, will leave for Toledo via Capital Airlines from Austin Straubel field at noon Saturday. They’ll eat a pregame meal at the Commodore-Perry hotel late in the afternoon. They’ll board the same plane for the return trip at 11:30 Saturday night.
DEFENSIVE ACE JOINS PACK
AUG 8 (Green Bay) - Alex Wyzbicki, a crack defensive back who played four seasons with the Buffalo Bills in the All-America conference, reported at Packer practice today. Wyzbicki was one of a dozen players “handed” the Cleveland Browns under terms of the AAC and NFL merger. The Browns, loaded with defensive veterans, released him over the weekend. Alex stands 5-11 and weighs 188 pounds. A native of Brooklyn, Wyzbicki, 28, played three seasons at Holy Cross and one at Dartmouth and joined Buffalo in 1946.
PACKERS' BIGGEST BEEF AT CENTER POSITION
AUG 9 (Green Bay) - The 1950 Green Bay Packers – 9,511 pounds strong – have beef to burn at center. The four pivots, including Clayton Tonnemaker, who is now in training with the College All Stars, packs a total of 970 pounds or an average of 242 per. The quartet stands 6-2. Giant of the unit is Ed Neal, the strongest man in football, who is figured at 275 – his normal playing weight. Presently, Ed packs a whisker or two over 285 but competition against the Cleveland Browns in Toledo Saturday night and the Chicago Cardinals in City stadium next Wednesday night should knock off that spare tire. Behind Neal in the weight department is rugged Gene Huebner, the recruit from Baylor, who packs a streamlined 250. Tonnemaker carries 235, while the midget of the lot is Carl Schuette, the four-year veteran from the Buffalo Bills, who lugs a featherly 210 pounds. While the centers are unusually large, the weights of the other positions are about normal. The eight tackles average 235 pounds; the seven guards 219; the 10 ends 205; and the 16 backs 192…24 WITH PRO EXPERIENCE: Heavyweights among the guards are rookies Jim Thomas and John Cahill, who go 235 pounds each. The biggest tackles are Ed Ecker, the former Chicago Bear, with his 270 pounds, and rookie Clink McGeary at 250. Rebel Steiner is the lightest end at 185 while Carleton Elliott, Abner Wimberly and Dan Orlich are the heaviest at 215 each. Of the backs in camp, Harry Szulborski, the Purdue freshman, is the lightest with 170 pounds. Fullback Ted Fritsch and Jack Cloud are the two “big” backs with 220 pounds apiece. Breaking down the squad in a different category, 24 of the 45 players have professional football experience under their belts, and it’s pretty well distributed. There are two veterans at center, four at guard, four at tackle, five at end and nine in the backfield. The rookies are spaced almost the same with two at center, three at guard, four at tackle, five at end and seven in the backfield…The Packers may lose two ends, Dan Orlich and Steve Pritko, before the season is over. Both are lieutenants in the Marine Reserves. They don’t figure to be around any later than Oct. 31 – enough for six league games. Orlich and Pritko have been seeing a lot of action at defensive left and right end, respectively…The last scrimmage prior to the Cleveland game was held in the stadium this morning. The squad will taper off with light drills Thursday and Friday. The Bays will fly to Toledo Saturday noon and return by air after the game. The Packers got the feel of night football during a workout under the City stadium lights Tuesday night. Kickoff, field goal, extra point and defensive operations were drilled. The workout today was witnessed by Fred Miller, the Packers’ honorary line coach. Miller, who purchased $5,000 in Packer stock during the campaign last spring, is getting his first look at the Bays in scrimmage. The owner of the Miller Brewing company isn’t new to the coaching game; he assists Frank Leahy every fall at Notre Dame. Fred is a former Notre Dame lineman. The drill today gave Head Coach Gene Ronzani his last chance to test the Packers’ defense and offense under fire. With the opener serving as a testing ground for the veterans and recruits in the Packers’ new system, Ronzani probably will give everybody a thorough chance to operate against the Browns, four-time champions of the defunct All-America conference. Being thoroughly familiar with the Browns’ offense, five of the Packers who formerly toiled in the AAC may work leading roles Saturday night. One in particular, halfback Alex Wizbicki, is due to get a lot of action on defense. Wizbicki played a defensive spot for three years with Buffalo and started the 1950 season with the Browns. Other ex-AAC boys who undoubtedly can tip the rookies and National leaguers off on the Brown lineup are ends Abner Wimberly and Al Baldwin, center Carl Schuette and back Billy Grimes. Baldwin and Schuette worked with Buffalo and Wimberly and Grimes with the Los Angeles Dons.
BOOM TICKET SALE FOR PACK, CARD GAME WEDNESDAY
AUG 10 (Green Bay) - The Packer-Cardinal game – that certain bit of football warfare people have been talking up since last Feb. 1 when Curly Lambeau resigned as Packer coach to take over the Cardinal reins – is just six days away. The nearness of this historic trip by Lambeau to the North bench in City stadium (he spent 31 years on the south side) is reflected at the Packer ticket office at 349 S. Washington street where Ticket Chief Carl Mraz and his staff are busy selling tickets to the non-conference classic. Looking over the calendar, Mraz advised fans “not to wait until the last minute to purchase your Cardinal tickets.” He explained that there are a number of good seats still available but “tickets have been going fast in the past few days.” Ducats, incidentally, are below the usual league game prices of $4.80, $3.60 and $2.40. Prices for the Cardinal game are scaled at $3.60, $2.40 and $1.20, including tax. The ticket office will be open until 9 o’clock Friday night to accommodate shoppers and until noon on Saturday. The first of five contests at City stadium this season, the Packer-Cardinal engagement ranks as an all-timer. Unless the two teams meet in a title playoff, the game will be the only one between the two clubs this season since they play in opposite conferences. The game will dramatically bring to a head the first coaching switch in the 32-year history of the Packers – one of the three charter league members still in operations. The other two are the Cardinals and Chicago Bears. The contest will be the first Green Bay performance for the new 1950 Packers, coached by Gene Ronzani, a member of the dreaded Bear organization for 17 years, who succeeded Lambeau last February…The Packer roster was reduced to 40 players Wednesday when rookie tackle Bob Mealey of the University of Minnesota withdrew from the squad to take a coaching job in Minnesota. The Packers now have seven tackles…The last stiff scrimmage before the Cleveland Brown game in Toledo Saturday night was conducted Wednesday morning. The team worked under the lights at City stadium last night to get the feel of the “white” ball. Alex Wizbicki, new defensive back with four seasons of experience in the All-America conference, injured his leg in the scrimmage. Fullback Jack Cloud, the newcomer from William and Mary, was shaken up a bit. Veterans Joe Etheridge and Ted Fritsch have hand hurts. All four will be ready for the Brown battle. The scrimmage had its bright and dark spots, although offensive bottlenecks might have been the result of expert defensive play – and vice versa. Both quarterbacks, Jug Girard and Tobin Rote, were permitted to call their own plays and the attack was pretty well divided between passing and running. Cloud got off some smashing runs before he was injured as did Tony Canadeo, Walt Schlinkman and Harry Szulborski at left half. Fritsch was held out because of his injury. Most of the fullbacking was handled by Cloud and Frank Kuzma. Bob Forte and Billy Grimes did the belting from right half, alternating on defense as well. Grimes and Szulborski alternated in Wizbicki’s spot when he was hurt. Guard Jim Thomas, sidelines with a cold for three days, got into the fray. Dan Bradach, the rookie from North Carolina, played right tackle on offense and left tackle on defense. It’s possible that some of the guards and tackles will be switched from one side of the line to the other, depending on where they’re the most effective.
LAMBEAU SEES 'GREAT CARDINAL, PACKER CONTEST; IT'S EVEN UP'
AUG 11 (Green Bay) - Curly Lambeau figures the Packers and Chicago Cardinals will play a “great game” in Green Bay next Wednesday night. The former Packer coach, now mentoring the Cardinals at their training camp here, said Thursday that “I look for an even-up game.” Reminded that the Packers of 1949 finished with 2-10 record and the Cardinals with 6-5-1, Lambeau explained his “50-50” prediction as follows: “Both teams are in the same spot. We are both installing new systems. I understand all of the Packers are unfamiliar with Ronzani’s T-formation setup and it’s practically the same story here. We’re teaching the Cardinals the best of the old Cardinal plays, the best of the plays I used at Green Bay and the best plays Cecil Isbell (Cardinal backfield coach) used when he was at Baltimore.” He added that the Cards would primarily use the “T” with the wingback. This was the basic system used by Lambeau at Green Bay the last three years…BOTH NEED TACKLE RESERVES: Getting into personnel, Lambeau said that “we’ve (the Packers and Cards) got something else in common – tackles. Seems like we both could use some first rate reserves at that position.” As a matter of fact, Lambeau was free and easy with the comment on the Packers. “You people should have a good club up there. You got one of the great ends in Baldwin, some veteran guards, good first-line tackles, and some hard-running rookie backs like Cloud and Szulborski to go with the veterans. Girard’s got a year of quarterback experience under his belt and Rote is a comer. And that Tonnemaker! Man, what a defensive players. Anderson (Eddie, All-Star coach) tells me he’s the greatest in the business. Coutre, Soltau and Manley should be a great help.” Hey, wait a minute, Curly. What about the Cardinals? Curly couldn’t go much beyond the quarterbacks because it was chow time. But it was obvious that the QBs were his ace cards. “Just think,” he expounded with his typical optimism, “three of ‘em – Christman, Hardy and Tipucka – and they look wonderful.” It appears that the Cardinals are well heeled at quarterback. And the dream backfield of Christman, Pat Harder, Elmer Angsman and Charley Trippi is also intact, Lambeau indicated. Is Lambeau particularly anxious to score a victory over the Packers? “Naturally, I’d like to win, but we want to win every game on our roster. We’re using every boy on our roster and we’ll be testing just like the Packers. We’ve got four tough exhibitions in 11 days and we can’t five extra hard for any one of them.”...BROWNS HAVE “TERRIFIC EDGE”: The game in Green Bay will open the Cards’ preseason schedule. On Aug. 19, the Cards play the New York Yanks in Des Moines, Ia,; Aug. 23, the Rams in Los Angeles; and Aug. 26, Washington at Denver. “And don’t forget, during the season, we play two games each with the Bears, the Browns, the Eagles and the Giants,” he reminded. Lambeau, by the way, thought the Cleveland Browns would have a “terrific edge” on the Packers in Toledo Saturday night. “They’re a mile ahead of you because they have their system well set up. They’re using the same stuff they did the last four years and the Packers are working something new,” he pointed out, adding that “I’m going to see the game.” No workouts were held here during the day because of the intra-squad last night. Isbell and Line Coach Phil Handler were opposing coaches for the squad game. A squad
meeting was held in the afternoon. At nearby Ripon, where the New York Yanks are training, Coach Red Strader steadied his 55-man squad for the non-conference opener with the Chicago Bears in Omaha Saturday night. A straight “T” outfit, the Yanks looked smooth – particularly quarterback George Ratterman and right half Buddy Young, the Negro flash from Illinois. Larry Olsonoski, the ex-Packer guard with the Yanks, beamed: “Buddy can run as fast sideways as he can straight ahead.” Any comment on the Yanks, Coach Strader? “Oh, we’ll be all right – how’re things at Green Bay?”
RONZANI FINDS CARDINALS 'POWERFUL' IN SQUAD TILT
AUG 11 (Green Bay) - Packer Head Coach Gene Ronzani thinks the Chicago Cardinals – Green Bay’s opponent at City stadium Wednesday night – look “mighty powerful”. Ronzani saw the Cardinals in their intra-squad game in Beaver Dam. He said the “Cardinals have a well balanced unit with power at all positions. Besides, they’ve got three good quarterbacks in Christman, Hardy and Tripucka.” Charley Trippi was injured on the last play of the game and taken to a hospital in an ambulance.) Ronzani left for Chicago today to attend the College All Star game tonight. After the game, he’ll confer with the four Packer boys in the All Star game – center Clayton Tonnemaker, halfback Larry Coutre, end Gordon Soltau and guard William Leon Manley. Ronzani said he plans to discuss contract with Coutre – the only unsigned player of the group. Coutre is the right halfback. All four players, incidentally, are expected to play key roles in the Stars’ offense and defense. Ronzani will join the Packers in Toledo Saturday afternoon. The Packers will fly from Austin Straubel field in a Capital Airliner at noon Saturday and arrive there in about an hour and a half. They’ll relax and take their pregame mean in the Commodore-Perry hotel and then fly back to Green Bay after the game.
PACKERS FILE SUIT AGAINST 'JUMPERS'
AUG 11 (Green Bay) - The Packers Friday took legal action against two men they said jumped their contracts to join a Canadian football team. Coach Gene Ronzani declared tackle Glenn Johnson and end Bill Kelley, both second year Packers, had gone to Winnipeg to play with the Blue Bombers after both had signed 1950 Packer contracts and had been advanced expense money. Attorney Fred Trowbridge said he sent legal papers to Canada Thursday, but declined to elaborate. He pointed out the case was complicated, as far as United States courts are concerned, by the fact that both men had left the country. Indian Jack Jacobs, a Green Bay quarterback last year, also has joined the Winnipeg club, but notified Packer officials before leaving. Ronzani said neither Johnson nor Kelley said anything. "They just took off, after practicing with us for several days," Ronzani said. Johnson, a 265-pound tackle from Arizona State, played in eight games with the Packers last year. Kelley, who attended Texas Tech, saw action in 12 games.
NEW PACKERS VIE WITH POTENT BROWNS TONIGHT
AUG 12 (Toledo) - The Green Bay Packers engage in their first really tough scrimmage of the 1950 season when they tangle with the four-championship Cleveland Browns in the Glass Bowl here tonight. Kickoff is set for 7:30, Green Bay time, and a sellout crowd of around 12,000 is expected. It will be the first public appearance for both clubs and one of two non-conference games this evening involving members of the defunct All-America conference and the “old” NFL. The Chicago (NFL) Bears and the New York (AAC) Yanks will vie in Omaha, while the New York Giants unkink for the first time tonight against an Ottawa Star team in Ottawa, Canada. The powerful Browns, who piled up 47 victories against only four losses and three ties in four seasons of competition in the AAC, rank about a 28-point favorite over the Packers, who are just beginning the long haul back after two years in the doldrums. Head Coach Gene Ronzani, who will be making his Packer debut, has no false optimism about whipping the Browns. “We’re facing a great organization – one that has worked together for the last four years. Our club, a good fighting one, is still very green. All of the players, including the veterans, are working a system entirely new to them,” Ronzani said…EYE CARDINAL GAME: The Packers will be playing tonight with one eye on the historic battle with the Chicago Cards at City stadium next Wednesday night. The big battle will mark the first official appearance of Card Coach Curly Lambeau in Green Bay since he resigned as Packer mentor last February. Ronzani plans to start two veteran Packers in the backfield – Jug Girard at center and Ted Fritsch at full. The halfbacks are
newcomers – Harry Szulborski, the rookie from Purdue, at left and Billy Grimes, a veteran of one year with the Los Angeles Dons, at right. The only rookie starting in the line is Clink McGeary, a 250-pound tackle who impressed during the training season. McGeary will pair with Lew Ferry at the tackles. Ed Neal is due to start at center, Ray DiPierro and Buddy Burris at the guards and Al Baldwin and Ted Cook at left and right end, respectively. The Bays may be forced into a lot of defensive football if the Browns gain a point bulge. In the outer defense, Ronzani probably will start with Rebel Steiner, a recruit at right defensive halfback; Alex Wizbicki, a former Buffalo Bill and Brown, at safety; and Jim Clark, the rookie Negro back, at left. Main linebackers, who will change depending on the type of defense, will be Bob Forte, Gene Huebner, the rookie center, and Carl Schuette, Buffalo veteran…ALL-VETERAN LINEUP: The Packers are looking for a lot of fireworks from the Browns’ great passing trio – quarterback Otto Graham and ends Mac Speedie and Dante Lavelli. Speedie is the AAC’s all-time left end and Cleveland diehards figure he’s another Don Hutson. The Cleveland line and backfield is veteran from stem to stern and 10 of the starting 11 did their playing with the Browns. The odd one is left halfback Rex Bumgardner, former Buffalo Bill. At the other halfback is Dub Jones, a power slasher. The giant Negro, Marion Motley, plays fullback…PACKER PACKINGS: Two Packers were left behind – Claude Radtke, the end, and guard Fred Leon, both injured…The four Packers in the All Star game are due to meet the squad in Green Bay Sunday. They are Clayton Tonnemaker, Gordon Soltau, Larry Coutre and Willie Leon Manley…The Packers are schedule to open practice for the Cardinal game Sunday afternoon. The Bays, due to arrive here about 3 o’clock this afternoon by plane, will relax and eat their evening meal at the Commodore-Perry hotel late this afternoon. They were to be joined by Coach Gene Ronzani, who attended the Star game in Chicago last night. The squad will fly back to Green Bay in a Capital Airlines plane shortly after the game.
