PACKERS DRILL OFFENSE FOR 69TH BEAR TILT SUNDAY

SEPT 29 (Green Bay) - The Packers started from scratch today - at least on offense. Shutout by the Cleveland Browns in Milwaukee Sunday to the tune of 27 to 0, the Packers had their work cut out as they loosened up for their traditional contest with the hated Chicago Bears in City stadium next Sunday afternoon. Offense likely will be the order of the entire week of the "zero" against the Browns. The Packers invaded Brown territory only three times under their own power and got there one other time by recovering a fumbled punt. The Packers came out of the Brown battle in good physical condition and the squad should be at peak strength for the Bears. Fullback Fred Cone was shaken up considerably, but was back to normal today. End Bob Mann is okay, too, it can be added. The little firebrand, spectators figured Sunday, was all but knocked out of commission for weeks when he made a leaping catch of a Tobin Rote pass late in the game. As he came down, a Brown flipped him over and Bob came down on a point between his head and shoulder. This morning's drill was a light one, designed chiefly to loosening up the players and removing a lot of the bumps and bruises. The players had Monday off - as usual during the league season - while the coaching staff, Gene Ronzani, Ray McLean, Chuck Drulis and Hugh Devore, spent the day getting a program set up for the Bear game...The players and coaches were guests of the Packer executive committee and the board of directors at a dinner at the YMCA this noon...The Packers and Bears will be colliding in the 69th renewal of their traditional feud here Sunday. Kickoff, don't forget, is at 1:30. The game has been sold out for more than a month, thus assuring a crowd of around 25,000. Both teams will be looking for their first league victory. Besides the Packers' loss to the Browns before 22,604 in Milwaukee, the Bears dropped a 13 to 9 decision to the Baltimore Colts. The deadly enemies split their 1952 series, the Bears winning here 24 to 14 and the Packers taking the nightcap in Chicago, 41 to 28. Thus, the Packers will be going after their second straight victory over the Bears, a feat that was last accomplished when the Packers won the second game in 1938 by 24 to 17 and took the first game in '39 by 21 to 16. In the series, the longest in the history of pro football, the Bears won 39, the Packers captured 24 and five games ended in ties since the teams started playing in 1921.

EXPRESS CONFIDENCE IN PACKER PILOTS, PLAYERS

SEPT 29 (Green Bay) - Complete confidence in the Packer coaching staff and Packer players was expressed by the Packer executive committee at a meeting at the YMCA this noon of all three groups. Packer President Russell W. Bogda told the coaches and players in the presence of the committee: "This meeting today is called to carry to you the feeling that the executive committee has confidence in its coaching staff and its players - all rumors to the contrary notwithstanding. We wish to make it clear here and now that insofar as the coaching staff is concerned, there will be no changes, and the confidence of the board in the ability of the present coaching staff to bring to the front the capacity of the ball club is unimpaired. The executive committee, along with the coaching staff, feels that we have the nucleus of a good ball club, with personnel capable, if it gives its best, of competing with any club in the National league."

RONZANI PACKERS NEVER WON AN OPENER, NEVER LOST 2ND'S

SEPT 29 (Green Bay) - The Packers, under the Ronzani regime, have never won an opening NFL game. In the four starters, the Packers lost to Detroit in 1950 by 45 to 7, to the Chicago Bears by 31-20 in 1951, to the Bears in 1952 by 24-14 and just last Sunday to the Cleveland Browns, 27 to 0. In those four losses, the Packers were outscored 127 points to 41. On the bright side, the Packers under Ronzani have never lost their second league game, beating Washington 35 to 21 in '50, Pittsburgh 35 to 33 in '51 and Washington 35 to 20 in '52. The scores of the "first" and the "seconds" indicate that the Packers showed a decided improvement after the openers, allowing even that opening opponents Detroit and the Bears were tougher than Washington and Pittsburgh in the first three seasons. The decided difference in the Packers' points (41) in the openers against their foes' 127 would seem to indicate that the Packers aren't quite ready for their league kickoffs. Games against the same foes later in the same season were practically the same or  much closer and in one case the Packers turned the tables. In 1950, the Packers and Lions played a 24-21 game in Detroit; in 1951, the Packers lost to the Bears in Chicago 24-13; and in 1952 the Packers walloped the Bears in Chicago 41 to 28. The Packers won't get another crack at Cleveland this year...Were the Packers ready for the Browns Sunday? We didn't think they were, which is why we couldn't feel safe in picking them to win. The players appeared upset mentally and we'd like to present here today both sides to our belief. Coach Gene Ronzani reduced the squad to something like 35 players at the start of the week - Monday. The athletes felt a collective relief since they then were certain that they had made the squad and could pursue the coaches' plans for the Brown game. But on Tuesday, a rumor swept the group that five more players were coming in. A number of the players started worrying, wondering whether they'd be here more than a day or two and, at the same time, pushing the importance of the Brown game into the backs of their minds. One player told me: "These boys should be thinking who I'm supposed to take out on this play, etc.; instead, they don't even know whether they'll play against the Browns." On the other side of today's fence, Ronzani refuses to stand pat if he thinks he can get a better man for any position. Thus, last week, he brought in tackle Gus Cifelli to bolster the offensive line and Johnny Papit - both on trades for undisclosed draft choices - to assist the offensive backfield. In addition, three men released by other clubs came in on their own - on a look-see basis - thus making a total of five players. As the Packers lost four straight non-league games, Ronzani figured more than ever that he couldn't go with what he had. Thus, the big turnovers of players in the past three weeks...Despite the mental strain during the week, the Packers looked "up" for the big opener. They filed in 15 minutes before the kickoff Sunday and sat quietly. Nobody spoke; they had things on their mind - the Browns. But we got the impression they were "cramming" - like the student who tried to get ready for the final examination a day or two before the exams. And, as things developed, Professor Paul Brown and his 33 school teachers wouldn't mark any of the Packers "answers" right. Maybe some of the answers were wrong!

BRAWLS, CLAMORING FANS MAR PRO FOOTBALL DEBUTS

SEPT 29 (Chicago Tribune) - Few seasons in the history of the NFL have opened amid as much confusion as the 34th annual championship race which got underway with six games on Sunday. Player fights, complaints on officials, and, in one instance, rumors of fan rebellion against a coach somewhat beclouded the successful start of most favorites, including the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns. An altercation that involved the personnel of both teams and finally spread to the stands in Kezar stadium, where San Francisco upset the Philadelphia Eagles, 31 to 21, brought a special bulletin from the office of Commissioner Bert Bell yesterday, charging head coaches with all responsibility in future player scuffles. Primary purpose of the bulletin, Bell explained in Philadelphia, was to prevent players and others from the bench from rushing out on the field at the first indication of flare-ups between active combatants. Bell said, "The head coach of each member club and the member club shall be held absolutely responsible for the conduct of all players and other persons who are sitting on the bench or who are between the players and the sidelines." On the south side, a situation in the Chicago Cardinals-Washington Redskins game apparently confused everybody but the officials and the Redskins, who gave their coach, Curly Lambeau, his second opening day victory over the Chicagoans since he was dismissed as Cardinal head man in 1951. Referee Bill Downees, surprised to learn there any question over the decision, said there was no question that gave the Redskins the ball when a fourth down gamble backfired against the Cardinals midway through the fourth quarter. "The Cardinals had almost two yards to go," Downes explained, "and when we saw they were going to go for it, we all became extra alert. Umpire Carl Brubaker jumped into the pile up and marked the forward progress of the ball when Johnny Olszewski was downed. We've learned to do that this year. More players than ever before try to get an extra foot or two by pushing the ball forward. Then somebody pushes it back three feet and we're in trouble. So now we use the foot. I marked the spot of Brubaker's foot with a pencil. We measured to the pencil and the Cardinals lacked about four inches. Then we turned the ball around so Washington would not get 11 1/4 inches (length of the ball) advantage on its next series. Some Cardinals saw the ball ahead of the pencil and complained, but I explained it to Bob Dove, their captain, and he was satisfied. Then I looked up and here was Stydahar shouting over my shoulder," Downes chuckled. "I asked him how he got there and since he hadn't received permission from any of the officials, there was nothing to do under the rules but step off a 15 yard penalty." Green Bay's 27 to 0 defeat by the Cleveland Browns in Milwaukee unloosed another rumble of rumors over Gene Ronzani's tenure as Packer coach. Russell Bogda, president of the Packers, and Tubby Bero, Green Bay chief of police who is a member of the executive committee, denied that any change is contemplated or has ever been discussed by the committee. Rumors persist, however, that Ronzani's fate hangs on the outcome of next week's game against the Chicago Bears, who fumbled away their opener to the Baltimore Colts, 13 to 9, Sunday. Green Bay has been a disappointment to rabid Packer followers, who had vision of a divisional championship until the team dropped five consecutive games and failed to score in the last half of any of them. Ronzani is working on the first year of a three year contract which, according to Bogda, embodies a cash release clause. Under the clause, he can be relieved at any time for a stipulated amount, said to be $7,500.

PACKERS ASK WAIVERS ON DERAL TETEAK - FANS DEMAND BAYS RETAIN FORMER OSHKOSH HIGH, UW GRIDDER

SEPT 29 (Green Bay) - Going hand-in-hand with the Green Bay Packer coaching mess which flared up Tuesday night, is the announcement that Deral Teteak, former Oshkosh High School athletic great and later a star gridder at Wisconsin, has been placed on the NFL's waiver list. According to reports out of Green Bay, letters are being circulated demanding that the Packers retain Teteak. Just how much weight the letters and petitions will carry remains to be seen. Teteak was placed on waivers before the Packers lost their initial NFL game last Sunday in Milwaukee, where the Bays were whitewashed, 27-0, by the Cleveland Browns. After compiling a brilliant record as a linebacker at Wisconsin where he gained national recognition, Teteak was signed by the Packers, and was one of three rookies named to play in the All-Pro Bowl game in Los Angeles, a classic which takes place following the completion of league play in December. Teteak's being named to the All-Pro game lineup as a rookie was an almost unheard-of happening. During the 1952 season, Teteak was an outstanding linebacker and numerous circles vowed that the Packers would be a title threat in 1953 when Clayton Tonnemaker rejoined the Bays. Tonnemaker has been used exclusively this season as a linebacker, a position where he piled up quite a record while Teteak has been on the sidelines more than he has seen active action after playing great ball during the 1952 campaign.

PACKER HOPES FADE AS OFFENSE FAILS

SEPT 29 (Milwaukee Sentinel) - It's one thing to lose a football game, even by a considerable margin, while doing some scoring yourself. But to fail to score and move the ball consistently, especially in pro ball - well, it's rough. Which is to say the Green Bay Packers have a terrific job on their hands as they try to pull themselves together and stand up to their ancient enemies, the Chicago Bears, in their second NFL game at the Bay next Sunday. The Bears fortunately don't seem to be the fearsome Bears of old. Even so, the Packers will have to come up with a vastly improved offense if they hope to have a chance. Certainly the attack uncorked against the rugged Cleveland Browns here Sunday won't do. In fact, it isn't only the 27-0 licking by the Browns that is causing concern. Even with the incomparable Bill Howton in the lineup, they failed to show too much scoring power while dropping four straight exhibitions. Only in the season's opener at Minneapolis, the 31-7 romp over a New York Giants team that obviously wasn't ready, and possibly the first half against Pittsburgh in the Shrine game here, did the Ronzanimen give any indication of taking up where they left off last year in the point production department. With three years of steady improvement behind them during the rebuilding stage, and blessed with the best one-two passing punch in the league, the Packers were expected to offer at least a fairly serious title threat this season. Some experts went so far as to label them the team to beat, thereby causing hope to soar beyond control. Even three years ago they averaged 20 plus points in 12 games, suffered no shutout and scored less than 14 points in only one match. The defensive problem was acute, of course. So they had to settle for a record of three wins and nine losses. In 1951 both offense and defense were slightly better, although the final won-lost record remained the same. The club suffered its only shutout at the hands of the Rams and was held to seven points by Pittsburgh. Otherwise the scores ranged from 13 to 37, with a season's average of 21 plus. Last year, with Howton, Babe Parilli, Tobin Rote and Bob Mann leading the way, they racked up from 12 to 42 points a game - an average of almost 25 - and showed a sharp upswing on defense. Result: A mighty respectable 6-6 record. So imagine the happiness caused by the 27-0 Cleveland beating in the football inaugural at the new Stadium - only the second goose egg in four years and only the fourth time the offense failed to produce double figure scores. The loss of Howton was brutally damaging. Anyone will admit that, for the slippery Texan is one of football's great receivers and, as such, makes it easier to spring other catchers into the open - vital plus value such as Don Hutson once provided. But that isn't the only answer. The real key to the situation is the failure to give Parilli and Rote the necessary protection. Modern pro football is based on an effective passing attack, but it can't be effective when the receivers don't get time to outmaneuver the secondary and the passers are forced to get rid of the ball too soon or eat it, as they say in the trade. Parilli and Rote had so little chance that even a Howton couldn't have had much of a day against the Browns. The Browns proved the point in that very game. Otto Graham is endowed with little more, if any, physical equipment for passing than Parilli and Rote. But his protection, figuratively speaking, gave him enough time to read a book, figuratively speaking, before firing. In other words, he pitched when he was ready while the Packers passed more or less as the Browns decided, which usually was the wrong time. The few times Graham was badly rushed he was no miracle man. But the breakthrough by the Packer linemen didn't come often enough. And now on to the Green Bay home opener with the Bears - a "must" game perhaps more than ever in history.

PACKERS' EXECUTIVE GROUP HAS 'CONFIDENCE' IN RONZANI

SEPT 29 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers' executive committee took cognizance Tuesday of rumors that coach Gene Ronzani was on his way out with an official statement that it has "full confidence" in the coaching staff and players. Ronzani has been under fire from local fans throughout the pre-season exhibition period. The Packers won only one exhibition game and were shutout by Cleveland, 27-0, in the league opener. Russell W. Bogda, president, made the confidence statement at a special meeting Tuesday attended by directors, coaches and players. "This meeting is called to carry to you the feeling that the executive committee has confidence in its coaching staff and its players, all rumors to the contrary notwithstanding," Bogda said. "We wish to make it clear here and now that insofar as the coaching staff is concerned there will be no changes and the confidence of the board in the present coaching staff is unimpaired.The executive committee, along with the coaching staff, feels that we have the nucleus of a good ball club, with the personnel capable, if it gives its best, of competing with any club in the league." Ronzani was given a three-year contract for an undisclosed amount last winter. It is said to contain, however, a clause permitting dismissal at any time upon payment of $7,500.

RONZANI UNDER FIRE, BUT HIS JOB IS SAFE

SEPTEMBER 29 (Milwaukee - Associated Press) - Gene Ronzani, it appeared today, will remain as head coach of the Green Bay Packers. At least, that's the word out of Green Bay where the Packer front office yesterday gave the stocky ex-quarterback a "vote of confidence" in one of the most surprising moves made in years. "The executive committee," Russell Bodga, club president, told Ronzani at a special meeting, "has confidence in its coaching staff and its players, all rumors to the contrary notwithstanding." Bodga's action was unusual in that until Tuesday's meeting there never had been the slightest official displeasure voiced with Ronzani's coaching methods, despite a decidedly inferior exhibition season. In fact, early in the fall, the word was that the Packers had a powerhouse and finally were coming into their own in the NFL after many years in the doldrums. The howling started when, after a sensational debut against the New York Giants, the club seemed to fall apart. It lost four straight exhibition games, failing to score in the second half of each. Then, to cap the dismal showings, came Sunday's 27-0 loss to Cleveland in the league opener. Even before that game in County Stadium here, fans were talking, The pressbox was flooded with rumors that Ronzani was on his way out. Afterwards it was worse. Fans started walking out in the third quarter. On Monday the switchboard at the Green Bay Press-Gazette was flooded with calls from people checking on what they'd heard. According to reports there was no discussion of Ronzani's status at Monday's regular executive committee meeting. Bogda's statement came at a special session Tuesday attended by directors, coaches and players. "We wish to make it clear here and now that insofar as the coaching staff is concerned there will be no changes, and the confidence of the board in the ability of the present coaching staff to bring to the front the capacity of the ball club is unimpaired," Bogda declared. "The executive committee, along with the coaching staff, feels that we have the nucleus of a good ball club, with the personnel capable, if it gives its best, of competing with any club in the league." Despite a wealth of rookie talent, outstanding collegiate players a year ago whom a Packers spokesman less than a month ago declared were sure to stick, only a few remain. Gone are such highly regarded linemen as Bill Georges, Floyd Harrawood, Jack Morgan, Bill Murray and Vic Rimkus. In their places are veterans like 32-year old Dick Wildung, returned after a two-year retirement, and Bud Cifelli, picked up on waivers from the Detroit Lions.

MILWAUKEE BRAVES' SUCCESS BENEFITS OTHER STATE SPORTS

SEPT 29 (Milwaukee) - The fabulous success story of the Milwaukee Braves did not end with the close of the baseball season, but it has spread out to virtually every sports organization in Wisconsin. When the Braves' franchise was suddenly shifted to Milwaukee from Boston last spring, it was feared by local sports promoters that every dollar spent on major league baseball would be one less dollar spent for other types of sports. But a survey shows that the tremendous enthusiasm exhibited by the fans for the Braves during the summer has spread to collegiate and professional football, basketball, hockey and boxing, with advance ticket sales up 300 to 400 percent. Although the Braves set a new all-time National League attendance record in their first year in Milwaukee, it did not hurt attendance at games in the state's two minor leagues, the Class C Northern League and Class D Wisconsin State League. The Braves drew 1,826,397 during the season and club officials are speaking confidently about an attendance of more than 2,000,000 next year as a result of 7,500 new permanent seats now being erected at the County Stadium. The only sport which hasn't cashed in on the Braves tidal wave so far is boxing, which has experienced its usual summer lull with no major bouts scheduled. But Phil Valley, promoter of the Wisconsin Boxing Club, said, "The Braves have made people more sports-minded, and I'm pretty sure it is going to help my ticket sales when we start our season again next month." The Green Bay Packers sold more than three times as many season tickets for their games in Milwaukee this year as were sold in 1952. A club spokesman said, "There is no doubt that the enthusiasm shown for the Braves has helped us, both in our games at Milwaukee and at Green Bay." F.L. (Jug) Earp, former Green Bay star who now serves as the club's public relations director, said, "I've talked to countless persons out in the state who told me they never saw a professional team play until the Braves came into Milwaukee, but they're buying season tickets for Packer games now and we're all going to benefit. The Packers sold 12,000 season tickets in Milwaukee and about the same number for games at Green Bay. The club plays half of its home games in each city. Last year, only about 4,000 tickets were sold in advance for Milwaukee games and only slightly more for contests at Green Bay, which  is 125 miles north of Milwaukee. Ben Kerner, general manager of the Milwaukee Hawks of the NBA, said "with our season still five weeks away, we are at least 400 percent ahead of all previous years in our season ticket sales." Kerner, a veteran midwestern sports promoter, said "the interest manifested through the Braves has people of Milwaukee and Wisconsin thinking sports, reading sports and wanting to be part of a big league picture." College sports has been aided, too. Stan Lowe, ticket manager at Marquette University, said advance season ticket sales for the football season were up 300 percent. "I think there has been a tremendous surge in the interest in athletics in Milwaukee and Wisconsin since the Braves came to town," Lowe said. "This has been reflected in our sales of tickets and there is no question about it."