Green Bay Packers (5-3) 17, New York Giants (5-3) 3
Sunday November 16th 1952 (at New York)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(NEW YORK) - Get out that book on Cinderella! It may be applied to the 1952 Green Bay Packers, who Sunday turned in one of the most devastating upsets of the current NFL season - a dazzling 17 to 3 decision over the New York Giants before 26,723 bewildered fans in the Polo grounds. The Packers didn't advance beyond their second place tie with the Los Angeles Rams, who downed the Chicago Bears, but the Bays earned the right to consider themselves a definite contender for the National conference championship. Since the humiliating 52 to 17 loss to the Detroit Lions, the Packers have roared to three straight victories, a 12-10 edge over the Philadelphia Eagles, a 41 to 28 verdict over the Chicago Bears and Sunday's whooper here. The Packers did up their fifth victory in eight league battles with a blistering defense and just enough offense to win without any great strain. It was the first time the Giants had been held without a touchdown since the Cleveland Browns blanked 'em, 10-0, a year ago. Actually, the Packers gave the Giants a lesson in defense - a rather complimentary twist for our boys in view of the fact that the New Yorkers had given their first seven foes an average of only 11 points per match. The Packers once held the Giants for downs on their own five-yard line and another time did the same on the Bay 30. In addition, the Packer defense rendered the Giant passing virtually useless when the heat was on in the last half. To assure you that the Packers' defensive work was no fluke, it can be reported that the Bays intercepted three passes by Bobby Dillon, Dom Moselle and Ace Loomis, and recovered two fumbles by Clarence Self and Hal Faverty - the five key points in the game. The Giants got off a to a 3-0 lead in the second quarter on Ray Poole's 42-yard field goal when the Packers proved that it doesn't pay to make a mistake against them. Just before the half, Self gobbled up Kyle Rote's fumble on the New York 40. The Bays ripped off those 40 stripes in seven plays, quarterback Babe Parilli sneaking the last foot for the touchdown and a 7-3 lead with 58 seconds left in the half. The Giants made another error - a fumble by Chuck Conerly with Hal Faverty recovering on the Giant 22 early in the third period. The Packers did it again in seven plays, the payoff being a spectacular rolling catch by Bob Mann in the end zone of a two-yard Parilli pass. The only other scoring occurred in the last 10 seconds when fullback Bill Reichardt booted a 23-yard field goal. The Packers beat the Giants at their own game - careful, conservative football. The Bays threw only 14 passes and completed a mere six, but three of them, all by Parilli to Carleton (Two-Story) Elliott, set up the first TD and a fourth went to Mann for a TD. The rest of the time such glue-fingered backs as Tony Canadeo, Floyd Reid and Fred Cone kept punching away for small gains. The Bays were content to play it close to the vest, especially with the club's defense roaring like it was. The Bay defense "had it" twice when it really counted. After the Packers took a 14-3 margin, the Giants drove from their own 23 to the Packer eight, with the help of offside and roughing the passer penalties. But they never got any further than the five as the line plus Bob Forte, Deral Teteak, Clarence Self and Dillon jammed up two runs by Eddie Price and two passes by Conerly. Early in the fourth quarter, the Bay defense forced the Giants to choke up. The Giants had a first down on the Packer 41. Price cracked eight more yards in three tries and it was fourth and two on the Bay 32. What was supposed to have been one of the key plays, a first-down smash by Price, was bashed up at the line of scrimmage by Forte, Dave Hanner and John Martinkovic. Then, to complete the Bays' Defense day, Dillon intercepted a Conerly throw, Moselle intercepted a Benners pass, Dillon batted down a long Benners fourth down pass, and Loomis intercepted another Benners pitch to set up Reichardt's field goal. The Bay defense was anchored by ends Martinkovic and Wimberly, who arrived in New York Friday night with a severe case of the flu, tackles Hanner and Wash Serini, middle guard Ray Bray, linebackers Teteak, Forte and Faverty and all of the defense backs - Dillon, Self, Moselle, Dan Sandifer, Marv Johnson and Loomis. Oddly enough, this was the first game this season the Packers were beaten in the statistics, but they weren't kicking in view of the Giants' experienced defense and the final score. The Packers made 90 yards rushing against the Giants' 127, and only 31 passing against the Giants' 99. In first downs, it was 13-9 for New York. The big statistical difference was in yards lost attempting to pass. The Packers hurled Conerly and Benners back a total of 52 yards while Parilli and Tobin Rote never lost a yard trying to pass, thanks to the line work of Steve Dowden, who kept Arnie Weinmeister in check, Dick Afflis, Tom Johnson, Dave Stephenson, Steve Ruzich and the protective backs like Cone, Reid and Canadeo. The mighty Price, the league's leading ground gainer, was limited to 61 yards in 20 tries and he left early in the fourth quarter - a shaken individual. The Giants' air arms, Conerly and Benners, completed only 10 passes in 31 tries. The Packer defense "warned" the Giants on the first play of the game when Serini and Hanner smashed Conerly for a 12-yard loss. Faverty intercepted Conerly's pass and raced 20 yards to the Giant 21 but the Bays were guilty of interference - the first of three or four bad breaks on the officiating. With Price and Rote running, the Giants moved to the Bay 32, where the Packers got tough and forced a field goal by Poole from the 40, the ball sailing wide. The Bays promptly crossed up the Giants' defensive strategy (they expected passes) as Tony Canadeo ran three times to set off an exchange of punts between Parilli and Landry. Green Bay got possession on its own 42 and the Bays rolled to their first down as Cone and Reid banged 11 yards. The first Packer pass almost went the distance as Parilli's long throw just slipped out of Canadeo's hands on the Giant 10 - behind two defenders. Bill Howton nailed one from Parilli for eight and Reichardt tried a field goal from the 48, the ball falling short. The Packers quickly forced a punt, with the Bays taking over on their own 41. Landry interfered with Howton and the Packers had a first down on the Giant 37, but Parilli fumbled and Poole recovered on the Giant 40 as the first frame ended. Parilli and Landry went into punting action and the Bays soon had their toughest time on offense. They started on their own 37 and wound up needing over 30 yards to go for a first down. Parilli finally had to punt from near the goal line and the Giants took over on the Packer 41. With the Giants on the Bay 41, the Packers faced another supreme test. Forte and Teteak made key tackles on Price and Conerly, forcing a field goal by Poole. Ray made it from the 42 with 8:42 gone in the second frame and the Giants led. The Packers' big chance came a moment later after Parilli punted. With second down and 10 to go, Rote fumbled on the Giant 35 and Self landed on the loose ball on the NY 40. Here's how the Packers scored their first TD: Bobby Jack Floyd was held for no gain by Elliott took Parilli's pass on the 31. Floyd punted seven yards off right tackle to the 24 for a fat first down. Parilli hurled a seven yarder to Elliott, and, then, on a bootlegger to the left, ran four and another first down on the 13. Elliott leaped high to take Parilli's pitch on the one-foot line after which Parilli knifed over behind Steve Ruzich for the score. Fred Cone, standing on the pitcher's mound, made the point and the Packers were in front, 7-3. The Packers made their second big TD early in the third quarter. Marv Johnson held Rote to a one-yard advance and Serini and Forte slaughtered Sulaitis after he moved three yards on a pass from Conerly. On third down, Conerly fumbled and Faverty grabbed the ball on the Giant 22. Those seven delicious plays follow: Cone smacked off right tackle for four but Parilli's pass to Elliott was high. Parilli lost four but the Giants were offside, moving the ball to the 14. Parilli, on a keeper, scampered 10 yards to the four for a first down. Canadeo saved the Packer hide by making a fine catch of a wild Parilli lateral and advanced two yards on the play. Cone was stopped at the line but Parilli followed with his TD pass to Mann off to the left. Cone converted again as the clock showed 4:15 gone in the period. The Giants' longest drive of the days followed, thanks to some penalties, the last of which was a roughing the passer job that gave NY a first down on the Packer eight. At this point, Wimberly stopped a Conerly pass, Price gained three, Self kayoed a pass intended for Rote in the end zone and Forte, Self, Teteak and Dillon stopped Price on the three-yard line. That goal line stand just about fractured the New York back. The Giants got to midfield late in the third period and then, with Rote and Price running, moved to the Bay 40. They placed their fate in the hands of Price but it didn't work as the Bays took the ball on downs on the Bay 30. A moment later, Parilli caught the Giants flat-footed with a 58-yard quick kick as the Packers went into a tight defensive shell. And it was particularly tight because the Bays followed with the three aforementioned interceptions. Loomis went all the way - 48 yards - but the officials ruled that he stepped out of bounds on the Giant 14. The Packers almost became the second team this season to count three TDs on the Giants a moment later when Mann fielded Parilli's pass inches outside the end line. With 10 seconds left, the Packer cinched it with Reichardt's 22-yard field goal.
GREEN BAY - 0 7 7 3 - 17
NEW YORK - 0 3 0 0 - 3
GREEN BAY NEW YORK
First Downs 9 13
Rushing-Yards-TD 37-90-1 40-139-0
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 6-14-31-1-0 10-31-99-0-3
Sacked-Yards 0-0 6-52
Net Passing Yards 31 47
Total Yards 121 186
Fumbles-lost 2-1 3-2
Turnovers 1 5
Yards penalized 7-48 5-53
SCORING
2ND - NYG - Ray Poole, 42-yard field goal NEW YORK 3-0
2ND - GB - Babe Parilli, 1-yard run (Fred Cone kick) GREEN BAY 7-3
3RD - GB - Bob Mann, 2-yard pass from Parilli (Cone kick) GREEN BAY 14-3
4TH - GB - Bill Reichardt, 22-yard field goal GREEN BAY 17-3
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Bobby Jack Floyd 7-32, Fred Cone 7-22, Tony Canadeo 7-14, Breezy Reid 11-12, Babe Parilli 4-11 1 TD, Tobin Rote 1-(-1)
NEW YORK - Eddie Price 20-61, Kyle Rote 13-47, George Thomas 4-20, Fred Benners 1-5, Joe Scott 1-4, Charlie Conerly 1-2
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Babe Parilli 11-5-36 1 TD, Tobin Rote 3-1-(-5)
NEW YORK - Fred Benners 13-4-57 2 INT, Charlie Conerly 18-6-42 1 INT
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Carl Elliott 3-28, Bill Howton 1-6, Bob Mann 1-2 1 TD, Fred Cone 1-(-5)
NEW YORK - Joe Sulaitis 3-15, Joe Scott 2-30, Bill Striblin 2-15, Bob Hudson 1-19, Kyle Rote 1-12, George Thomas 1-8
BAYS CELEBRATE 8,000 FEET UP; STEVE OWEN, NY PRESS SHOCKED
NOV 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Eight thousand feet up between New York and Chicago, U.S.A.: The Packers have a huge chorus agoing and they're singing everything from "Silent Night" to "Tennessee Waltz". They're wild with job of their tremendous 17-3 victory over the Giants. Wash Serini takes over the Capital Airliner's PA system. They're singing "Happy Birthday" for Jerry Jorgenson, son of trainer Bud Jorgenson, who turned twenty three Sunday. Now it's a "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow" song for coach Gene Ronzani and members of his coaching staff. Ronzani is trying to sleep but it's no use. Somebody is "sympathizing" with defensive end John Martinkovic for getting no touchdowns. John laughs: "Can't do it every game." (He scored two touchdowns in the two previous games). The chorus takes a rest and some of the boys try to sleep but the boys are back singing again, with "The Prison Song." Steve Dowden doesn't say much but you can't blame him for this: "Weinmeister didn't rush the passer once today." Dowden played across from Arnie - an all-league tackle. Dinner is served and it's a tender steak; the ride is perfectly smooth. The only real disappointment is that the plane can't go direct to Green Bay because of heavy weather there. Tony Canadeo, affectionately known as the "old man" among his teammates, keeps yelling, "what a way to go out - three in a row, wow, the Giants, and we've got four to go." Go out? Tony says this is definitely his last year. The big plane stops in Cleveland to refuel and the Bays get a chance for a snack. Ronnie Gibbs, the NFL referee, is in the lobby and tells about the Forty Niner-Washington game. Finally, it's Chicago, a long bumpy bus ride, the train and sleep!...About the only person able to crack a smile in the Giant dressing room in the Polo grounds is Tim Mara, owner of the Giants and one of the grandest men in professional football. "If we have to lose a game, I'd rather lose it to Green Bay than a lot of other teams that I can think of," Mara smiled. You got the impression that Mr. Tim was well aware of the fact that the Packers are on their way back and mighty happy about it. Mara's son, Jack, who handles the operation of the club, chimed in, "keep 'em rolling up out there." Portly Steve Owen, New York coach, was shaken understandably. He sat on an equipment trunk and just stared into space while a flock of New York writers, in hushes tones, asked question and at the same time tried to console big Steve - one of the best liked mentors in the business. They contended that two bad breaks helped beat the Giants - the two fumbles that the Packers tore into touchdowns. But Steve merely shook his head as much as to say, "but we didn't score ourselves." We asked Owen how he
compared the Packers to some of the other clubs. "I can't really evaluate your club because I have seen so little of them," he explained, adding, however, "it looks like a good all-around team." Owen, at the moment, couldn't bear to say anymore. He, like his players, had undergone a terrific shock. The NY writers were equally dumbfounded despite the fact that they had warned the Giants all week. Yet, one of them wrote this paragraph, in part, Friday: "Dick Wilkinson has been placed on the inactive list in favor of Joe Scott, which means that Wilkinson will not be eligible for the playoffs." He should have said "if the Giants get into the playoffs."...The Packer dressing room was fairly cleared by the time we reached it. The coaches were listening to the radio for results of the other games. Coach Gene Ronzani, beaming like the car who had just pilfered the milk, couldn't get over the defense - "it was good all the way around; that defense played its best game - good, hard football - all afternoon." Apparently referring to the offense, Gene added, "if we don't give the ball away, we'll be tough all the way. But they had it when it counted - those two fumbles; they scored in a hurry." Ronzani chuckled, "I honestly couldn't pick out one guy and give him special credit, believe me; those kids are playing together. They've got wonderful team spirit." Four or five hundred fans milled around the players on the street outside the dressing room. The admirers rushed around the players, a lot of them seeking autographs, and all but kept them from getting on the bus. Finally, about 40 policemen came out of nowhere and dispersed the fans. One old gent kept walking up and down the street, telling anybody within hearing distance, "You haven't seen any real line play unless you saw that Jug Earp; now there was a real one." Somebody "identified" him as a "guy who's been hanging around the Polo grounds for years." On the bus trip to LaGuardia field, Ronzani read the statistics (which favored the Giants) aloud and finally Billy Grimes piped up, "What was the final score, chief?" Everybody on the bus let out a delirious roar. In their excitement, the boys don't forget the tough task ahead - Dallas in Green Bay next Sunday. Captain Bob Forte summed it up, "we've got to keep our heads from swelling now and then maybe we can beat Dallas."
SHOULDER INJURY SIDELINES PACKERS' MOSELLE FOR YEAR
NOV 18 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers, riding a three-game winning streak, were in high spirits as they returned to practice Tuesday in preparation for their last home game of the season against Dallas next Sunday. Aside from the usual bumps and bruises, all players emerged from the 17-3 win over the Giants in good shape except Dom Moselle, defensive halfback. The former Superior State gridder suffered a severe shoulder separation and most likely is lost for the rest of the season. Dick Logan, on the inactive list for some time, may be able to resume action at offensive guard. When the opening whistle blows at 1 p.m. (a half hour earlier than usual) the Packers will find themselves in the unusual position of heavy favorites. Packer head coach Gene Ronzani expressed concern over the contest Tuesday. As a sidelight Sunday, veteran Packer halfback Tony Canadeo will be honored by thousands of fans in a special "Tony Canadeo Day" ceremony. The program will precede the contest.
'OUR HEADS ARE BLOODY BUT UNBOWED,' TEXAN AIDE
NOV 19 (Green Bay) - "Our heads are bloody but unbowed..." So spoketh Al Ennis today from Chicago where the NFL Texans are preparing for their clash with the Packers in Green Bay's City stadium Sunday afternoon. Ennis, business manager, publicity chief and general handyman for the homeless eleven, wasn't issuing a telephone warning to the Packers. Rather, Ennis was pointing out what was "most amazing" to him. "Our boys have been playing like h---. They've had a rough road, a lot of injuries and then this thing in Dallas. Our spirits aren't down. The boys are fighting every minutes and that to me is quite amazing. They've lost a couple of tough games along the way." Jimmy Phelan, the gentleman coach of the Texans, pointed out that "I never had a season like this one. Last year, we (the New York Yanks) never had anybody in the hospital; this year, everybody seems to get there." The Texans, who have lost eight straight games, played powerful Detroit last Sunday without their two first-string tackles, Don Colo and Art Donovan, who were both flattened the previous week by injuries. Both will be ready for the Packers, Ennis said. The Detroit game, lost by the Texans, 43-13, resulted in a broken collar bone for halfback Jerry Davis. Also in bad shape are quarterbacks Bob Celeri and Chuck Ortmann. End Dan Edwards has been sent home with a leg hurt. "And that George Taliaferro takes a terrible beating in every game. He's pretty well banged up but will be ready for Green Bay," Ennis said. Taliaferro ranks seventh in the league in ground gaining and 18th in passing. The great Negro star from Indiana generally operates the Texans' spread. Phelan revealed that quarterback Frank Tripucka "has been a great help to us." He played the entire Detroit game and likely will handle the T-formation against the Packers. The Texans have two ex-Packers in their lineup - tackle Chubby Grigg and end Ray Pelfrey. Grigg was with the Packers during the non-league season while Pelfrey left after the opener against the Chicago Bears. Pelfrey caught a short pass from Tripucka for one TD against Detroit and made a spectacular catch of another for 30 yards to set up the club's other TD. The Texans are presently practicing at a University of Chicago field. The team will arrive in Green Bay Saturday evening and headquarter at the Northland hotel. While Dallas no longer "owns" the Texans, fans will be informed of their progress the rest of the season via radio. Traveling with the club is sportscaster Jerry Doggett, who will play-by-play Sunday's game back to Dallas. The team, now being supported by the league (the other 11 clubs) is known as the Texans, but not the Dallas Texans...The Packers gave up the first two places in the National league's passing race, but nobody was complaining. The 5-3 record in the National conference was enough consolation for quarterbacks Tobin Rote, the loop's pitching leader for three out of four weeks the standings were revealed, and Babe Parilli, who led the other week. While the Packers were using the forward pass sparingly in their 17-3 victory over the Giants Saturday, the Los Angeles Rams' Norm Van Brocklin was having a field day against the Chicago Bears - enough to jump from 10th to first place, just ahead of the Bays' Rote. Van Brocklin has an average of 8.27 yards per attempt against Rote's 8.14. Parilli dropped from second to fifth behind Frankie Albert and Y.A. Tittle, both of San Francisco. Albert is averaging 7.79, Tittle 7.61 and Parilli 7.52. Close behind Parilli is Otto Graham of Cleveland with 7.51. Packer Bill Howton fielded one pass against the Giants and remained in the first 10. He now has 30 receptions and is in a tie with Bud Grant of Philadelphia and Dub Jones of Cleveland - in sixth place...The Packers held another
CANADEO'S CAREER BASED ON HEART; 'THE SILVER STREAK!'
NOV 19 (Green Bay) - Sunday is Tony Canadeo Day and tributes to the Packers' great backfield warrior will certainly be in order for the years of excellent above-and-beyond-the-call-of-duty service he has performed here - has reached a lot of corners and it prompted a Chicagoan, L.J. Lavieri, to write the following revealing letter to a Chicago sports columnist: "Back in 1936, Steinmetz (High) fielded a great football team, star of which was a young man who had a streak of gray hair down the center of his jet-black hair. Newspapers dubbed him "The Silver Streak" and more or less in his honor, Steinmetz teams have been called "Silver Streaks" ever since. A week ago, I saw this same man spark the Green Bay Packers to their greatest win over the Bears. He showed the same spirit and fore I saw against Schurz and Roosevelt 16 years ago. They say he will retire from pro ball after this season at an age given as 31, but he must be all of 34 or 35. As long as Steinmetz teams call themselves "Silver Streaks", Tony Canadeo, the greatest and most durable football player Chicago ever produced will not be forgotten."...Tony's big day Sunday, planned by a group of close admirers and presently being seconded by thousands of his fans, will end a career based on sheer HEART. Canadeo never was blessed with the natural ability of a Hutson, but he had what seems like an unexplainable spirit, a desire for competition. It's hard to explain because Tony, himself, likes to kid about spirit. On a Tuesday before a game, Canadeo is likely to joke to his teammates something like this: "Okay you guys let's get that old spirit, now. We gotta have that old rah rah." Yet, on the following Sunday, Canadeo plays like a freshman in college and his teammates quickly takes the hint...Canadeo's greatest contribution to the Packers came in the last two years of the 1940's. The Bays were at a low ebb. They were losing and had nothing to sell, no big name college star to help fill the parks away from home. But they had Canadeo - a worn pro name that was always good for instant "copy". Tony virtually carried the 1949 Packers (2-10) alone, gaining more than 1,000 yards (over half of the team's total), and providing Packer fans at least something pleasant to talk about. Thus, Packer fans Sunday not only will pay tribute to an athlete for his accomplishments on the field but also for the "public service" he accorded the Packers at a time when Packer fortunes were at their lowest...In 11 seasons with the Packers, Canadeo did everything but play tackle, guard or center. He performed at all backfield positions, took a spot at end at times and worked on defense. He produced approximately 8,500 yards, through last Sunday, on rushing, passing, pass receiving, punt and kickoff returns and interceptions. That's terrific mileage!
DALLAS WITHDRAWS BID
NOV 19 (Dallas) - There will be no further effort by Dallas to operate a franchise in the NFL. John Coyle, Dallas investment banker representing a group that had planned to bid for the return of the Dallas franchise which was turned back to the league last week, said Commissioner Bert Bell had put a hiatus on the efforts by his refusal to eliminate or split up $200,000 that would to be paid for a lease on Yankee Stadium in New York. The Dallas club was the New York Yanks until bought last winter by Giles Miller for $100,000 and the assumption of the $200,000. This was to be paid at the rate of $25,000 a year but no payment has been made when Miller and his associates turned back the franchise to the league after losing more than $225,000 in operating the club a little more than one half the season. Coyle said he called Bell in Philadelphia Tuesday and told him his group of six or seven men who were not identified and who were willing to bid for the franchise and put up $200,000 to $250,000 a year for three years, would not enter the deal without the $200,000 being eliminated or at least with each of the 12 clubs in the league paying one-twelfth. "Bell said nothing doing and so we are withdrawing any bid for the franchise," Coyle said.
GENE RONZANI'S PROPHETIC PRE-GAME STATEMENT
NOV 19 (Milwaukee Sentinel - Lloyd Larson column) - "If they just don't throw the ball away and fumble, don't make more of the mistakes that killed us in other games, they can take this one. I feel they will win because they're starting to believe in themselves. The jitters are disappearing. They're a great gang." That was coach Gene Ronzani talking, calmly and confidently, in his hotel room in New York last Sunday a half hour before departing for the Polo Grounds and the big battle with the Giants. A prophetic talk it turned out to be, for, as everybody knows, Ronzani had his players and the game pegged right. Even before the game, as they taped up and slipped into their war togs in the dressing room, one got the definite impression from the players that the coach knew exactly what he was talking about. There were no signs of pre-battle shakes. So what if the Giants had cooled off the Chicago Cardinals and belted the mighty San Francisco 49ers? Those Packers didn't appear to be the least bit frightened. They were in New York to win - not merely escape with their lives. The air of confidence was almost an assurance that they weren't going to toss this one away; that they were going to belt those Giants like they hadn't been belted all year. One could almost detect that the fire which swept the Bears to defeat the previous week, was being fanned into another roaring blaze. The game went strictly according to plan and hope - even more so. The Packers fumbled only once, which was miraculous considering the violent way Billy Grimes, Dom Moselle, Bobby Dillon, Tony Canadeo, Fred Cone, Breezy Reid, Bobby Jack Floyd and Babe Parilli were jolted every time they got their mitts on the ball. How Grimes managed to hang to the ball after catching some of Tom Landry's towering punts I'll never know. But he did - indicating that Billy is returning to the form that made him an all-league back two years ago. Not a single Packer pass was intercepted by the team famed for its pass defense. Which is a tribute to the protection as well as the throwing of Parilli and Tobin Rote. The Giants lost the ball twice on fumbles and each time the Packers turned the error into a touchdown. Clarence Self, a very much underrated ball player, recovered one and another ex-Wisconsin star, Hal Faverty, the other. Through the airlanes, too, the Giants suffered by comparison. Ace Loomis, Dillon and Moselle came up with a vital interception apiece. Two others (by Dillon and Faverty) were nullified by penalties against the Packers. At least three other interceptions were missed when the defenders dropped the ball in their hurry to run it back. Add the sharp clutch bat-downs and it's apparent the Packers weren't making the mistake of zigging when they should have been zagging in the secondary. Theirs was the real umbrella defense - not the Giants. And talk about hitting 'em with enthusiasm on defense! Those Packers really did. John Martinkovic, Ab Wimberly, Ray Bray, Washington Serini, Dave (Straw Hat) Hanner, Bob Forte, Deral Teteak, Marvin Johnson - oh, name anyone who did his bit on defense and you can be sure he did quite a job. Wimberly deserved a special nod. He was suffering from an attack of the flu when the squad left for New York, and he wasn't exactly in the best of health at game time. But do you suppose that could keep him on the bench? No sir! Not only did he insist on playing, but no one would have suspected he was anything but hale and hearty in playing right end in the copyrighted manner. Any number of the boys half knocked themselves out at times, but they always bounced back full of fire. Take that guy Marvin Johnson, for instance. He was glassy-eyed and rubber-legged, and didn't know the time of the day or the day of the week when he was dragged off the field, glassy-eyed and rubber-legged, after a particularly tough tackle. But it wasn't long before he was back at work. It takes spirit - great desire - to play football that way. And that's exactly what this Packer squad has in abundance. That's the reason they've already gone farther than anyone dared expect. How else can one account for a team being up with the leaders in the toughest league of all after starting almost completely from scratch? Most successful teams start with a nucleus of 20 to 25 or more holdovers from the previous year. All they have to do is work a handful of newcomers into the act, and they're ready for business. The Packers, by sharp contract, have 19 members of the present active squad who were not with the club last year. Thirteen of those 19 are fresh out of the college ranks and therefore going through their first professional experience. That's right - 13. Count 'em: Babe Parilli, Deral Teteak, Bill Howton, Bobby Jack Floyd, Dave Hanner, Steve Dowden, Steve Ruzich, Hal Faverty, Dick Logan, Tom Johnson, Bill Reichardt, Bobby Dillon and Bob Dees. Six boasting varying degrees of experience were picked up from other clubs. Bray, Serini, and Jim Keane came from the Bears - Serini on waivers and the other two as free agents. Self was purchased from Detroit. Marvin Johnson came from Los Angeles on waivers, and Dan Sandifer from Philadelphia in a trade for Rip Collins. It goes without saying that it took a lot of doing - on the part of the players themselves as well as the coaches - to mold this group into a clicking outfit.
PACKERS FAIL TO GAIN IN PLAYER AVERAGES
NOV 19 (Milwaukee Journal) - Gene Ronzani's Green Bay Packers turned in one of the most satisfying victories of their season Sunday as they whipped the New York Giants in New York, 17-3, yet oddly they did not improve a single one of their individual marks in the weekly averages released Wednesday. Bill Howton dropped from third to sixth in pass receiving; Fred Cone from fourth to sixth in scoring and Howton from third to seventh; and Babe Parilli from seventh to 10th in punting. Most surprising, perhaps, Tobin Rote and Parilli tumbled to second and fifth respectively in passing. In two categories, the Packers even fell out of the first 10. Dom Moselle, sixth in punt returns a week ago, and Billy Grimes, 10th in kickoff returns, no longer have rankings. Norm Van Brocklin of the Los Angeles Rams with his fine performance against the Bears, replaced Rote as boss passer with 59 completions in 115 attempts for
PACKERS LOOK TO EXTEND WIN STREAK
NOV 19 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers will attempt to stretch their winning streak to four game here Sunday when they meet the Dallas Texans in their last home game of the year. The Texans, who haven't won a game this year and also are homeless now, came off second best to the Packers in their first meeting in Dallas. The Green Bay squad goes into the game in an unfamiliar role, that of favorite, Sunday but coach Gene Ronzani is worried. "A team that hasn't won a game is always hard to beat," Ronzani said. "We expect our toughest battle from the Texans." The Packers rolled over the New York Giants last Sunday in their second upset in a row. The win kept them in a tie for second place with the Los Angeles Rams in the National Conference. Ronzani has been drilling the Packer offense this week seeking more scoring punch. The defensive unit, which played a tough and sharp game last Sunday and recovered two Giant fumbles, had things a little easier in Tuesday's drills. After the Texan game here, the Packers take to the road for three tough games. They meet the Detroit Lions in Detroit Thanksgiving Day, then go to the West Coast for games with the Rams and the 49ers. The 49ers and Lions currently are tied for first place in the National Conference.
PACKER-TEXAN GAME HOMECOMING FOR BAY FANS, TOO!
NOV 20 (Green Bay) - Fifteen minutes after the Detroit Lions trounced the Packers, 52 to 17, at City stadium Oct. 2, coach Gene Ronzani uncovered this thought from a maze of fumbles and interceptions: "Why did it have to happen here - in Green Bay - before all those fans? We haven't won a game here yet this year and we always manage to play our worst ball in City stadium. It's shame it happened here - those fans deserve our best." Ronzani had real reason to feel unhappy because the Packers have lost five straight games (four league battles) in City stadium since they defeated Philadelphia, 37 to 24, on Oct. 14, 1951. The Bays closed '51 at City stadium with a 24-17 loss to Detroit and a 31 to 28 setback at the hands of the New York Yanks. Already this year in City stadium the Packers lost a non-conference engagement to the Cleveland Browns, 21 to 14; and league battles to the Chicago Bears, 24-14, and Detroit, 52 to 17. Three of the five games were played before sellout crowds (over 25,000) and the other two saw gatherings of more than 20,000. Which is what Ronzani meant by "all those fans". Thus, Ronzani feels that Sunday's game against the NFL's Texans will be a homecoming in more ways than one. It will be "homecoming" for scores of former Packers and the battle also has been designated as Tony Canadeo Day in honor of the Bay backfield vet. But Ronzani pointed out today that Sunday's game is really a "homecoming for Packer fans who have given us such wonderful support." Needless to say, Packer fans will "come home" to a new team Sunday - a far cry from the group that lost by 35 points to the roaring Lions. Since that massacre, the Packers ripped off three straight victories to become a real, live contender for the National conference gold. They opened with a hair-raising victory over Philadelphia, 12-10; followed with an impressive 41 to 28 decision over the hated Bears in Chicago; and then stunned the league and pro football fans everywhere by belting the Giants in New York, 17 to 3...6,000 OUT AFTER WIN: Packer fans hereabouts responded brilliantly to the Bays' comeback effort. Six thousand fans ganged around the North Western depot to pay tribute to the boys when they returned from Chicago with the Bear scout. An even larger crowd has been predicted for the return from New York at Austin Straubel field, but the team was taken to Chicago because of a low ceiling here. At that, 1,000 fans were on hand at the North Western depot when the club came in at 9:45 Monday morning. Thus, we've got a hunch the Packers themselves would like to dedicate Sunday's game to the fans of Green Bay!...Among the former Packers coming in from out of town are Hank Bruder, the "hard luck" back; fullback Don Perkins who later did a stint with the Bears; back Herm Schiedman and Wally Niemann, the Packers' first center. About 20 Packers are coming from out of Green Bay and area. The third annual homecoming dinner and dance will be held at the Elks club Saturday night. Cocktails will preceded a buffet dinner at 6:30. Present will be members of the Packer Alumni association, members of the Packer board of directors and their guests. The affair is being sponsored jointly by the Packer corporation and the Packer Alumni association...The Packers toiled on offense part of the time this morning and then shifted to defense. The Texans use two formations - the spread with George Taliaferro or Hank Lauricella back and the T-formation with Frank Tripucka in the slot. The Texans, one of the better pitching teams in the circuit, likely will pass most of the afternoon with Taliaferro and Tripucka in the key roles. In a key receiving spot will be the former Packer, Ray Pelfrey, who caught a touchdown against Detroit last Sunday.
PACKER FANS WALKING ON EGGS; WILL THE TEXANS EXPLODE HERE?
NOV 20 (Green Bay) - They're worried about Saturday's game against the NFL Texans in City stadium. The Texans, bless their winless and homeless hides, are due to explode. And everybody is scared stiff they'll do it in Green Bay. Sunday's game'll be a new experience for the Packers. It will be the first time they'll perform as a top-heavy favorite. They received slight "nods" for two previous games - over Washington (by 3 points) and over the Texans (by a touchdown) in Dallas. The Packers beat the Redskins, 35-20, and the Texans, 24-14. The Bays were underdogs in the last four games and they won the last three after losing the first, 52-17, to Detroit. The Packers' entire way of thinking changes for Sunday's game. Against the Chicago Bears and New York Giants, the Bays were the upstarts, one of those "well, they could cause trouble, but - " teams. Sunday the Texans will be the upstarts and the Bays will be the team expected to win. It's a different and new situation for coach Gene Ronzani, members of his staff and the Packer players. If they can win (as is expected), the Packers will strengthen themselves, mentally, for the Big Three ahead. But fans
hereabouts are uneasy and apparently won't rest until the end of 60 minutes of Packer-Texan football Sunday afternoon...The Packer players are aware of the serious situation Sunday. They've warned themselves merely by telling each other what it means to win. Along those lines, we received the following "open letter" to the Packers from Green Bayites Jack Garry and Hank Schneidman: "This is an open letter to our fighting Green Bay Packers. It is our wish and hope you will continue your tremendous team efforts in the Dallas (Down In The Dumps) Texans game. During the past nightmarish week, thoughts have entered our minds of the lost clubs, losing their present title (winless Texas). We backed the Packers to the hilt during the past losing years and will continue regardless of the outcome of the season and a win Sunday would more than make up for the lost years that we've had. While it isn't sound to look beyond next Sunday's game, with three-quarters of the season gone, a definite pattern is taking place but with a loss Sunday our pattern would be shot to h---."...While Packer fans are filled with worry and woe over what could happen, a word or two about one Jimmy Phelan might be passed along. Mr. Phelan coaches the "unwon" Texans and presently his boss is none other than Commissioner Bert Bell of the NFL, which operated the club without a country. Jimmy is assisted in coaching by Cec Isebll, the former Packer pitching great who coaches the backfield; Alex Agase, line coach; and Will Walls, end coach. Phelan was virtually dumped back into professional football against his will, and, he might add in an off moment, better judgment. Not two weeks before the opening of the 1951 league season, owner Ted Collins of the New York Yanks dropped Red Strader and virtually took Phelan from the pleasant side of a fishing stream and placed him in charge of the Yanks. The New York club had loss all but a few shirts to the Canadians and Phelan was given the task of bringing forth a winner. It was an impossible situation but Phelan managed to play two spectacular ties with the San Francisco Forty Niners and Detroit Lions and defeat the Packers in Green Bay. Last winter, Collins stepped out of pro football and the optimistic Texans bought the franchise. You know the story from Dallas and you and the Packers can be informed that Phelan and the NFL Texans are still in there pitching!
STAMBAUGH, ONCE PACKER ENEMY, SENDS 64-PIECE BAND TO PULL FOR PACKERS
NOV 20 (Green Bay) - "The town band was out in full force. The musicians kept up the spirit of the Stambaugh rooters in the third and fourth quarters." Thus ran one of the sidelights on the 10th game of the Packers' first season just 33 years ago this week. Next Sunday, the Stambaugh High school band will be on the sidelines but not in Stambaugh, Mich., and not for the Stambaugh team. The 64-piece marching band will be at City stadium and they'll be playing and pulling for a Packer victory over Dallas. For a number of ex-Packers, especially those charter members of the 1919 team, appearance of the Stambaugh band here will stir fond memories. Many of them will be here for the annual homecoming. They'll harken back to that 10th game of the first season, recalling undoubtedly that they not only won, 17-0, for their 10th straight victory but also some incidents which will stir chuckles. There was the trolley car incident, for example. The team, and a host of rooters from Green Bay, were transported from Iron River to Stambaugh by special trolley. On one of the steep grades en route to Stambaugh, the trolley stopped and began to edge backward. Everybody jumped off. All seemed very well until it was discovered that Wally Ladrow, the Bays' fullback, had hurt his ankle in the jump. But Ladrow started the ball game, swollen ankle and all, and turned in a sparkling game, according to accounts in the next day's Press-Gazette. Besides the victory, first the Miners suffered on their home field in six years, Green Bay fans had other things to savor. Then, as now, Packer backers were willing to back their favorites with cold, hard cash. The Stambaugh rooters were of a similar frame of mind. This fact didn't go unnoticed by George Whitney Calhoun, who not only covered the game for the Press-Gazette but saw to it that the team got on the right train, received its share of the gate, and took care of the myriad details of the trip. Here's Cal report: "Stambaugh was sure of victory and backed up their team with cold cash. It is roughly estimated that the Green Bay contingent that followed the Packers into the wilds of Michigan came back with about $3,000 of Wolverine money." There was some fear, apparently, that the game might produce over-exuberance on the part of the Stambaugh crowd, especially if they saw their Miners losing. But the fears were unfounded. "The Packers for the best of treatment during their stay in Stambaugh. The game was free from roughness, the officials square, and the home crowd very orderly," wrote Calhoun. As for the game, the first half produced no scoring. But early in the third quarter, Capt. Earl (Curly) Lambeau and end Rig Dwyer combined to score the first touchdown on a 20-yard pass play. Lambeau kicked the extra point. On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, the Packers intercepted a Miner pass on their 30. On fourth down, Lambeau dropped back to the 38 and dropkicked a field goal to make it 10-0. In the fourth quarter, Lambeau again passed to Dwyer for a touchdown, the play covering 50 yards. Lambeau booted the extra point.
BAYS EYES FIRST HOME WIN SUNDAY
NOV 20 (Green Bay) - The Cinderella boys of the NFL, Coach Gene Ronzani's Packers, will be out to break the 1952 home field jinx when they take on the orphan Dallas Texans here Sunday. It will be the last home game of the season and therefore the last chance to chalk up victory No. 1 at Green Bay. Yes, that's right. The Packers, although tied for second in the bristling National conference race and only a game behind the mighty Detroit Lions and San Francisco Forty-niners, are still seeking their first win of the year at chummy little City Stadium. With a break in the weather, a crowd of more than 20,000 is expected for the home finale, which has been designated as Tony Canadeo day in honor of the great veteran who is rounding out an 11 year pro career. Tony is one of the most popular players in Packer history. Kickoff time is 1 p.m., a half hour earlier than usual. Members of the Women's Quarterback Club Thursday voted their "most valuable" trophy awards to the entire team rather than one player. Mary McMillin Jacobs was elected chief quarterback for next year.
PACKERS SEEK NO. 4 IN ROW
NOV 20 (Green Bay) - It has been eight years since the Green Bay Packers won the NFL championship - and the same length of time since they have won more than three games in a row. The chances that the 1952 pennant will fly at City Stadium are slim. The chances that they will rack up their fourth straight triumph, however, are good. They will meet the hapless and homeless Dallas Texans in the last home game of the season here Sunday. Green Bay last won more than three games in succession in 1944, when they opened with five consecutive victories before bowing to the Chicago Bears. They went on to compile a 7-2 record and win the league title. Since they they have won three straight twice - in 1945 and again in 1946 - but in the last four years they have never won more than three games all season. The current victory string started with a 12-10 conquest of Philadelphia the week after the disastrous 52-17 trouncing by Detroit. Then came the gratifying rout of the Bears, and, last Sunday, the 17-3 trimming of New York. The favorite's role Sunday will be a novel experience for the Packers. In all three of the their last games they were underdog. Statistically they will have a big edge in Sunday's game and they should win. They ruled three touchdown favorites Thursday. A crowd of some 20,000 is expected for the finale.
TEXANS EXPECTED TO BE AT BEST AGAINST PACK SUNDAY
NOV 21 (Green Bay) - It might be wise - in view of the Packer excitement these days - to glance at the NFL's Texans through the coaches' spectacles. The Packer staff, headed by Gene Ronzani, can twist the Texans' 0-8 record around in 10 seconds flat. It would be rather difficult to make it 8-0 but their object this week, of course, is to make the Packer players and exuberant fans feel that Sunday's chore at City stadium will be a most difficult one. The Texans, who have everything to gain and nothing to lose Sunday, will enter the match with 31 players in uniform, three coaches on the sidelines and one upstairs in the press box with a telephone. They'll be wearing all of the standard equipment, will present two formations - the spread and the T, and, according to advance reports, will come forth with a lot of fight. Several of the Texans engaged some Lions in fisticuffs last Sunday in Detroit, the result being twofold - (1) some four athletes were banished from the field, and (2) the league became richer by around $200. The Dallas strategy is under the direction of Jimmy Phelan, the veteran coach who gained a split with our Packers last year. Phelan' New York Yanks, now the Texans, dropped a 29-27 heartbreaker to our boys in New York, but then broke our hearts in City Stadium last November, 31 to 28. That was the only game the Yanks won all year, but they did play brilliant knots with the Lions and San Francisco. The feeling is strong that the Texans will be at their best here Sunday for this reason: They have finally landed a quarterback in Frank Tripucka, who has been unable to keep from getting hurt. What's more, Tripucka, a late arrival, is just now coming into his own as a Texan QB. Tripucka, the onetime Notre Dame star who played with Philadelphia and the Chicago Cardinals, came to Texas three weeks ago. In two games, despite a lack of knowledge in the system, Frank completed 42.4 percent of his passes, hitting 28 out of 66. Tripucka went the distance against Detroit and hurled one TD pass to Ray Pelfrey, the ex-Packer end. Pelfrey also caught a 30-yarder from Tripucka to set up the team's second TD. For quarterback diversion, Phelan can present Bob Celeri, whose prayer passes beat the Packers here last fall, and Chuck Ortmann, the ex-Michigan star. In the spread, the Texans will work George Taliaferro, the brilliant Negro pitcher and runner. Taliaferro also does a chore on defense - if necessary...YOUNG AT RIGHT HALF: In the T backfield, Taliaferro moves to left half, with scatster Buddy Young at right half and Zollie Toth or Dick Hoerner at fullback. Young generally gives the Packers trouble. Hank Lauricella, also a tailback, handles the Texans punting. Up front, the Texans have veterans in tackles Don Colo and Art Donovan, both returning after a week's rest due to injury; middle guard and tackle Chubby Grigg, who started the season with Green Bay; center Fred Ecklund; guards John Wozniak and Weldon Humble; and end Barney Poole - to mention a few. Among the Texas rookies are tackles Jim Lansford and Ken Jackson, end and defensive halfback Stan Williams, halfback Billy Baggett, who returns punts and kickoffs, center Keever Jankovich and tackle Joe Campanella. One of the Texans' top defensive backs is Tom Keane, brother of the Packers' end, Jim Keane...The Packers and their fans got a spot of good news from weatherman Herb Bomalaski, who reported that "pleasant sunny" weather can be expected for Sunday. He predicted that the temperatures should be in the early 40's, with the possibility of a rise in the afternoon...The Packers mixed offense and defense in their practice today. Ronzani warned that the Texans have one of the better rushing averages in the league - 3.9 yards per smash. The Packers have 3.8. The Texans have rushed 258 times for 1,013 yards against the Packers' 307 for 1,162.
'LUCK' DECIDING FACTOR IN NC RACE - STYDAHAR
NOV 21 (Green Bay) - Jumbo Joe Stydahar, the administrative assistant to Packer coach Gene Ronzani, who is fresh from coaching the Los Angeles Rams to a National conference title and a world's championship, figures the Packers have an "excellent chance" to win the conference crown. "However," reminded Joe in answer to a question from WJPG sportscaster Tony Flynn at the Men's Quarterback club meeting last night, "the Packers must have one thing - luck." He opined that "the Packers, Rams, Lions and Forty Niners are so close (in the standings and matched) that luck must be the deciding factor." Stydahar's remarks concerning the Packers' chances followed Flynn's request for a comparison of the Packers with other clubs in the National conference. Joe pointed out that "the Packers have what it takes to rank with the other clubs - good quarterbacks, good ends, good fullbacks and an adequate line, the team does lack experience, but this can be made up by lots of fight and hustle." Asked about the Packers' Bill Howton and Bob Mann as compared to the Rams' Elroy Hirsch and Tom Fears, Stydahar said, "If they're (Howton and Mann) not as good, they are d--- close."...NOT ON COACHING STAFF: Commenting on the Packers' Tony Canadeo, who will be honored at the Packer-Texan game Sunday, Stydahar, who played against Canadeo as a Bear tackle, stated that "Tony isn't the best runner, the best blocker or the best receiver, but he's better because he's all heart; his heart is as big as he is." Stydahar said he believes he can be of service to the Packers because of his knowledge of a number of college stars, adding that "I'm not a member of the Packer coaching staff." Big Joe stated flatly that "I'm floored by thee wonderful spirit shown by the fans here; you won't find a town anywhere that will have two or three thousand fans out in the rain to welcome home their team." He was referring to the crowd that gathered at the Northwestern depot Monday morning to greet the Bays after their win over New York Sunday. "And," Joe laughed, "last night was the first time I ever spoke at or saw a women's quarterback meeting."...The male quarterbacks gave Ronzani a terrific demonstration of clapping, whistling and shouting when he was presented by chief quarterback Ted Fritsch. Presiding at the question and answer box, Ronzani told the quarterbacks that "we're facing our toughest game of the season Sunday." He recalled the Baltimore game in 1950 in which the Packers lost 41 to 21 - a game the Bays were figured to win hands down. "But," Gene added, "I don't think the boys will let that happen Sunday." Ronzani expressed the opinion that Chuck Conerly, the Giants' passing ace, "might have been hurt early in the game when he was greeted by a committee composed of Forte, Teteak and Martinkovic." A fan wanted to know why the Packers kicked off to start the game and also at the start of the second half in New York. "The Polo Grounds," Gene explained, "is not perfectly flat; you're going uphill half the time; we decided to pick our goal because we figured we might need a little downhill push in the last quarter." As it turned out, the Packers scored both of their touchdowns going "uphill"...Fritsch revealed that next week's meeting will be held on Wednesday at East High auditorium - a day earlier than usual because of Thanksgiving. On the program will be the Giant-Packer and Texan-Packer pictures. Due to a slipup in New York, the film of the Giant-Packer game didn't arrive in time to be shown last night. Instead, the 1944 championship game between the Packers and Giants was shown.
ROOKIES SIZZLING IN NATIONAL LEAGUE
NOV 21 (New York) - The brilliant play of most of the top rookie class is one of the main reasons for the NFL's tight division races. Highly publicized college stars, who usually make up the bulk of the No. 1 choices, sometimes get their press clippings frayed during their first pro campaigns. But Hugh McElhenny of the 49ers, Ollie Matson of the Cardinals and Babe Parilli of the Packers head a list of rookies who have made good this season. McElhenny leads the league in touchdowns with eight and ranks third in the ball carrying race. His only bad day was against the New York Giants, who limited him to four yards. He also is a good pass receiver and has been lauded by such experienced coaches as Buck Shaw of the 49ers, George Halas of the Bears and Steve Owen of the Giants. Matson, a 200-pound football and track star from the University of San Francisco, probably is the fastest man in the league. He is one of the scoring leaders with 42 points on seven touchdowns. His touchdowns represented the victory in two of the Cardinals' three victories. Parilli, described by Green Bay coach Gene Ronzani as "the best rookie quarterback to come into the league in a long time", ranks fifth in passing after being second last week. Ironically, he slipped in the rankings although his passing, play selection and faking brought both touchdowns in Green Bay's upset triumph over New York Sunday. McElhenny, Matson and Parilli probably have made the biggest first year splashes but such top draft choices as Bert Rechichar of the Browns, end Bob Cary of the Rams, Frank Gifford of the Giants and fullback Ed Modzelweski of the Steelers also have made good showings. Rechichar, Tennessee's 1951 team captain, has done one of the best jobs. He has become Cleveland's safety man, one of the most demanding posts on a club noted for its defensive skills. Even coach Paul Brown says he's good.
DALLAS' COLLAPSE ACCENTUATES AMAZING JOB DONE LOCALLY
NOV 22 (Green Bay) - Dallas' recent collapse as a pro football city serves in no small way to accentuate the amazing job being done in our little community with the Packers. And tomorrow, at City stadium, you'll witness living examples of the two forces. This is not intended as a "slam" of the 31 players representing the visiting team. They are victims of the "big wind" from Texas just as much as the Packers and the other 10 clubs in the National league. Actually, the Packers are helping to support the homeless club, which is playing under the sponsorship of the league and the general manageship of Commissioner Bert Bell. Supposed we wouldn't be too far off base to report that it'll be the Packers against the league tomorrow. When Dallas threw in the sponge the other day, columnists in Detroit, Los Angeles and New York immediately brought up the Packer phase. Joe Williams, in the New World Telegram, penned these three interesting paragraphs: "To the innocent bystander who has heard so much about the unlimited wealth of Texans and how they throw their money about and read so much about the big league aspirations of such fast growing cities as Houston and Dallas, the quick, complete failure of the pro team must have been baffling. And if he happened to give a thought to Green Bay in the same connection, his bafflement must have grown. To the innocent bystander, it would be natural to ask: 'If a little obscure town in Wisconsin can support big-time football, why can't a thriving metropolis like Dallas?' It is not enough, by way of answer, to say that Green Bay has no other sports attractions of magnitude. It is still a minor league town doing big league business - and it has been doing this for 34 years. Maybe they don't make a great deal of money but they own their own stadium (not exactly but they have the city's permission to use it virtually for free) and you never see them cuddled in Bert De Bonneville Bell's arms,
begging for pablum."...PACKER-TEXAN LOOK BACK: There isn't much to "look back", but what there is isn't out of this world. The current franchise operated as the New York Yanks in 1950 and 1951 - at least since it was strengthened after the breakup of the All-America conference. The Packers played "it" a total of five games, with the "its" winning three and the Bays two. Thus, the Packers can draw even by snaring Sunday's match. The Yanks of 1950, with George Ratterman and others, downed our boys twice, 44 to 31 here and 35 to 17 in New York. Last fall, the two clubs split. Green Bay took the opener in New York on Fred Cone's field goal in the last 11 seconds, but the Yanks won the return here, 31 to 28. In the opener this season in Dallas, the Packers came off with a 24 to 14 decision. In the five games, the "it" franchise outscored the Packers, 137 points to 105. Wow!
PACKERS FACE NFL'S TEXANS HERE SUNDAY
NOV 22 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers put their flaming spirit on the line again Sunday afternoon - this time at City stadium, their historic home. Guests for the final scheduled NFL encounter of the season here will be the NFL's orphaned Texans, formerly of Dallas. Kickoff is set for 1 o'clock - a half hour earlier than usual, while ceremonies honoring veteran halfback Tony Canadeo will get underway at 12:40. Pleasant, sunny weather has been predicted for the Homecoming contest, and a crowd of nearly 20,000 is expected. The Packers, who caught fire and defeated Philadelphia, the Chicago Bears and New York on the road after a 52 to 17 licking at the hands of Detroit here, Oct. 26, will be heavy favorites to hand the Texans their ninth straight setback - a strange situation for the Packers, who were all but underdogs in all of their previous battles. Oddly enough, the Packers will attempt to extend a winning streak and shatter a losing skein Sunday. They'll be looking for their fourth straight triumph, but they'll also be out end a five-game City stadium losing stretch. The Packers haven't won a game in their snug enclosure since they downed Philadelphia Oct. 14, 1951. Since then, the Packers lost to Detroit and the New York Yanks in '51, and to the Cleveland Browns (in a non-looper), the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions this year. While the Texans have everything to gain and nothing to lose, the Packers are in a crucial spot. They must win if they expect to remain in the running for the National conference championship. The Packers are tied with the Los Angeles Rams, each with 5-3 records - one game behind the leading Detroit Lions and San Francisco Forty Niners. In other big NC battles Sunday, the Rams meet the Forty Niners in La and Detroit plays the Bears in Chicago. If the Packers are feeling a bit chesty, they can look back to Dec. 2 of last year. The Yanks, who are the Texans this year, hadn't won a game when they came to City stadium, but they left with a 31 to 28 victory - thanks to the long passes of Bob Celeri. The Packers, at one time, held a 21 to 0 lead. Celeri will be around again Sunday, but Texan coach Jimmy Phelan may stick with Frank Tripucka, his T-formation quarterback who has pulled the squad together the last two Sundays. Also ready to pitch is George Taliaferro, the all-around athlete who passes and runs off the visitors' spread formation and plays left half in the "T". Though the Texans have a sharp rushing attack, with Taliaferro, Buddy Young, Dick Hoerner and Zollie Toth, they likely will work pretty much through the air. One of their ace receivers is end Ray Pelfrey, who caught 38 passes for the Packers last year. Pelfrey, a late arrival in Texas, caught one of Tripucka's throws for a TD in Detroit last Sunday. The Packers hope to come up with a sharper offense than they displayed in the 17-3 victory over the Giants last Sunday. They produced TDs on drives of 40 and 22 yards after recovering NY fumbles. Quarterbacks Babe Parilli and Tobin Rote will share the throttle. The tough Bay defense is ready for an all-out battle, and, they hope, a duplication of their effort against the Giants, who were limited to three points and three drives into Packer territory all afternoon. Not expected to play is Dom Moselle, the defensive halfback and punt and kickoff returner who injured his shoulder in the New York game. Tackle Dick Afflis may be handicapped some by an injured ankle. The Texans, due to arrive here later this afternoon on the Milwaukee road, are headquartering at the Northland hotel. They'll leave for Chicago after the game to prepare for a league contest against the Bears in Akron, O., Thanksgiving day. The game was originally scheduled in Dallas.
FANS TO PRESENT TONY A STATION WAGON SUNDAY
NOV 22 (Green Bay) - Tony Canadeo will be presented with a new Chevrolet station wagon at ceremonies before Sunday's Packer-Texan game as the result of an outpouring of appreciation dollars by Packer fans. And members of the committee, who have been working on the day honoring the 11-year Packer veteran, today thanked the fans whose contributions have made the gift possible. The campaign started rather modestly, snowballed this week to the point where they may even be some money left after purchase of the car. This will be presented to Canadeo, too, in the form of a check. Two other major presentations will be made in the ceremony scheduled to start at 12:40 Sunday afternoon. Bob Forte will make a presentation to Tony on behalf of the Packer team, and radio announcer Earl Gillespie will award Tony a TV set on behalf of stations of the Wisconsin network, which carry Packer broadcasts, and Mathisson and Associates, Milwaukee advertising agency which handles the broadcasts. There will also be many other gifts. Russ Ledlow will emcee the ceremony, during which Tony's famous jersey No. 3 will be retired and he will be presented with his jersey and helmet by Head Coach Gene Ronzani. Co-chairmen of the committee were William Sullivan, Oscar Bielefeldt, Charles Mathys, Walter Scherf and Cliff Bertrand...It will be Homecoming Sunday and a large number of former Packers will witness the game and take part in ceremonies during the contest. Among the ex-Bays coming in from out of town are Hank Bruder, Don Perkins, Wally Niemann and Walter LeJean. A special homecoming dinner and dance, sponsored jointly by the Packer corporation and the Packer Alumni association, will be held at the Elks club Saturday night, starting at 6:30 with cocktails, for members of the Packer board and the alumni and their guests. Nine members of the first Packer team (1919) will be in attendance - Nate Abrams, Reggie Dwyer, West Leaper, Al Petcka, Herman Martell, Jim Coffeen, Gus Rosenow, Wally Ladrow and Tubby Bero...Entertainment between halves will be highlighted by a performance by the famous Stambaugh, Mich., High school band, a 64-piece unit which will perform on the field. Also on hand will be the Packer Lumberjack band, directed by Wilner Burke. All boys of the Oneida Boarding school will be guests of the Packer corporation at the game.
PACKERS VISIT 12-YEAR OLD POLIO VICTIM
NOV 22 (Green Bay) - "He hasn't been able to say much - he's sort of in a dream." This, in the words of his mother, is how Larry Bero reacted Friday afternoon. And he's hardly to be blamed. It's not every day that a 12-year old boy is visited by football figures like Tony Canadeo, Babe Parilli, Fred Cone, Tobin Rote and Carl (Bud) Jorgenson, the veteran Packer trainer. And, further, few boys his age own an autographed Packer football and a large shiny picture of Babe Parilli. But Larry, who lives at 1621 Third Street, De Pere, does now - the Packer delegation presented them to him yesterday. Small wonder he's in a dream...GET HIM TO GAME: How did he happen to be so favored? It began when Bob Conrad, operator of a Green Bay service station, discovered that Larry, at the age of five months, was an infantile paralysis victim, also afflicted with cerebral palsy - and that he has been "a Packer fan", as his mother puts it, "since he was old enough to listen to the radio." Conrad, acquainted with a number of Packers through their visits to his station, suggested to Canadeo that he and some of his teammates visit the boy, adding that he would furnish a football to be autographed by the players. (This last, however, eventually was provided through the good offices of John Proski, assistant trainer.) Tony, known far and wide for the size of his heart, embraced the idea wholeheartedly and Friday afternoon's visit was the result. And their efforts in Larry's behalf didn't end with the football and the picture. His happy mother, Mrs. Harry G. Bero, said, "They're going to get him into the game Sunday - he's never seen a Packer game - and if possible they're going to give him a Packer jersey, too."...ARM PARTIALLY PARALYZED: With the aide of five operations, she revealed, Larry now is able to walk, although with a limp, and take part in boy's games but his left arm remains partially paralyzed from the polio attack. His illness prevented him from starting school until he was seven years old "but he's in the fourth grade at St. Joseph's now." Though she was pleased with the gifts Larry received, his 32-year old mother was more delighted with the way the Packers "treated Larry. I never saw grown men who were so nice to a boy. They were wonderful - just wonderful!" Do the Beros have any other children? "Oh my, I should say so," she chuckled. "We have six in all - three boys and three girls - and a foster child." Larry, it developed, also has a gift for Canadeo. He presented the Packer veteran with a spiritual bouquet - for Sunday's Tony Canadeo Day observance.
PACKERS FAVORED OVER DALLAS
NOV 22 (Green Bay) - The Packers will be cast in the strange role of favorites when they try for their fourth straight NFL victory at the expense of the wandering Dallas Texans at City Stadium Sunday. The kickoff for this late season home final will be at 1 p.m., a half hour earlier than usual. Coach Gene Ronzani's team, which has come from nowhere to move into title contention and confound the experts with a 5-3 mark, already is assured of the best record for a Packer club since 1947. Not since 1946 have the Packers racked up three successive wins. In fact, it's necessary to go back to 1944 for a longer streak. The Bays of that year opened the season with a string of five. 20,000 or more fans are expected to sit in on the Ronzanimen's bid to stay within reach of the National Conference leaders, or, if things break right in other games, tied for the top. Right now they and the Los Angeles Rams are deadlocked, only a game behind San Francisco and Detroit. Rozani is prepared to pull out all the stops Sunday in spite of the fact he must send his team against the Lions in Detroit only four days from now. This one is a must.
"POSSESSION" GAME IS O.K. ON THE FIELD - BUT IN THE STANDS IT'S STRICTLY ILLEGAL
NOV 23 (Milwaukee Sentinel - Lloyd Larson column) - You hear a lot about juvenile delinquency because it's a serious thing, a real problem. Leading citizens and top organizations in all communities of the nation, busily engaged in trying to keep it all a minimum if not stamping it out completely, generally agree that sports provide one of the best avenues of approach. The reasoning is sound. Youngsters active and intensely interested in sports usually don't have time to get into trouble. Besides, they get the type of leadership and companionship which should by all odds lead them into the path of righteousness instead of the road to evil and ruin. But there are times, unfortunately, when a phase of clean, healthy sport actually works in reverse - yes, actually contributes to the very delinquency all decent people are trying to stamp out. And the sad part of it is that people, assumed to be basically decent, aid and abet the cause of delinquency - even branch out into the field of adult delinquency themselves. What I have in mid in the ball snatching that goes on at professional football and baseball games. Baseball people have resigned themselves to the fact that the "finder" of a ball hit into the stands will keep it - not by legal right, but simply because the legal owner, the baseball club, doesn't have the nerve to force the issue. Most football clubs have bowed to the pressure of a
souvenir-minded public even though each lost item costs 20 bucks or more. Others are handing on but weakening fast because of the customers' spirit of grab and the failure of police to cooperate. In fact, the Packers are the only club I know of with an almost perfect, return-the-ball record. And it happens only in Green Bay, where everybody, from the smallest tot to the oldest citizen, wants to do his part to keep the Packers in business. Anyone will admit that a couple of hundred dollars worth of footballs a game is quite a help - or a dent, as the case may be. The same thing does not apply to the Milwaukee half of the schedule. Here the fans go for the "possession" game in a big way, just as they do at Wrigley Field in Chicago. It happened when the Packers played at State Fair Park and it happened again the past season at Marquette Stadium. The game with the Philadelphia Eagles a few weeks ago was a fine example. Time and again the ball sailed or bounced into the end zone stands after a kickoff or try for point. Each time a youngster tucked the ball under his arm and took off, with the cheers of the grownups ringing in his ears. Or a gang of small fry would team up to quadruple-pass their way off the premises. The chances are most of those kids were on the house in the first place - uninvited, but still guests. It's a cinch nobody, child or adult, paid more than half the top price, for that as the $2.40 section. Pay $2.40 or not at all, and have the right to make off with a 20 or 25 dollar football! It doesn't make sense. The only time the one man end zone police force managed to beat a pack of kids to the ball, he got a terrific boo from the crowd. That doesn't make sense either. Sure, maybe it seems cute and good for a laugh when a youngster outmaneuvers and outspeeds a cop. But it's still a fact that he is taking something that doesn't belong to him. Thus encouraged, isn't it possible the supposedly harmless bit of pilfering will lead to swiping a car when he reaches the ripe old age of 16 or 17? Or reaching through a bank teller's window for samples a few years later? If it's true that because "the poor kid doesn't have a ball", it's o.k. for him to snatch one, then it must be all right to steal a car because he "needs one and wants one so badly," and make off with money belonging to another when he has none of this own. Jails are full of guys with such ideas. I'll never forget the stupid father who touched on this very subject in writing me last year. "It would break my boy's heart if he couldn't keep the baseball or football he caught at a game; in fact, that's the big reason for going," was the man's attitude. Did that second-rate father ever think of buying a ball for his kid? That's the best way of all to mend a broken heart and teach his kid to keep his hands off other people's property.
