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Chicago Bears (6-1) 38, Green Bay Packers (2-5) 14

Sunday November 11th 1956 (at Chicago)

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GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)

(CHICAGO) - The Packers had to concede here Sunday that the Bears have a fair country football team. And it's rugged to concede to an old and bitter enemy but the Monsters of the Midway, for the umpteenth game in a row, came up with a 500-yard offense (492 yards to be exact) to drop the Bays 38 to 14 before 49,172 fans in sun-swept Wrigley Field. The Packers gave it a full go but the Bears continued to prove that they are a championship team, winning their 14th game in their last 16 starts and their sixth straight triumph after losing the opener to Baltimore. With the heat of the championship phase of the season behind them, the Packers can now settle down to some free and easy football. They'll be out to end a three-game losing streak against the San Francisco Forty Niners in City Stadium Sunday afternoon. The loss dropped the Packers into a fourth place tie with the Los Angeles Rams who beat the Forty Niners Sunday. The Bears? They're in a first place tie with the Detroit Lions, who lost to Washington, each with 6-1 records. The Bays, playing it beautifully rough in their defensive line, held the

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Bears down to 7-0 in the first quarter but two Ed Brown touchdown passes, a 52-yard return of an interception by J.C. Caroline and Tobin Rote's 23-yard scoring pass to Gary Knafelc left the count at 28-7 at the half. The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter - Brown's 70-yard aerial with Harlon Hill and Rote's 49-yarder to Billy Howton, for a 35-14 mark going into the final frame when the only scoring was a 29-yard field goal by George Blanda. The Packers, highly-keyed all afternoon, were victimized by the Bears' versatile attack. They stopped up fullback Rick Casares with 63 yards, including 27 on one end run but John Hoffman gained 107. They did a fair job with the Bears' devastating short-passing game but the Bruins cut loose with the "long ball" - the 70-yarder to Hill and a freak 69-yarder to Bill McColl for two of their last three TDs. The other was Caroline's gambling interception. Other than the two long shots and Caroline's interception, the game was somewhat even and in the final analysis the difference might have been the highly-publicized Hill who never had a good day against the Pack - until Sunday. Hill caught four passes, two for touchdowns, which is one more TD pass than he caught against the Pack in his previous five duels with the Bays' ace defensive back, Billy Dillon, dating back to '54. But Hill had an advantage, so to speak, in that his first line of defense, rookie cornerbacker Glenn Young, filling in for an injured Billy Bookout, was toying with the Bears' ace for the first time. Oddly enough, the Bears were forced into the air because of the Bays' fierce line play on the part of such gents as John Martinkovic, Nate Borden, Jerry Helluin, Dave Hanner and Bill Forester. On the Bears' first touchdown drive, the line stopped up the Bruins ground game - only to have the Bears complete two third down (23 and 13 yards) passes. The Packer attack had a difficult time getting started. The offense produced its first down with 7:14 gone in the second quarter and had the ball for only six plays including a punt and an interception, in the first quarter. The score was 21 to 0 when the Bays uncorked that initial first down and the Bays moved 74 yards in six plays, with Rote throwing to Howie Ferguson for eight yards, 34 to Howton and 23 to Knafelc for the score. Just before the half ended, the Bays were on the Bear four-yard line, with four seconds left, but a pass on a fake field goal attempt from Rote to Martinkovic was intercepted. But that's the way things went for the Packer offense. Rote hurled to Howton for a 49-yard strike in the third quarter to cut the score to 28-14, but the stone wall was there the rest of the way. Bart Starr quarterbacked the Bays in the last quarter and twice guided the team deep into Bear territory - only to lose possession on interceptions. In all, the Bears intercepted five passes but submitted to 249 yards on 13 completions in 32 attempts by Rote and Starr. The rugged Bear defense held the Bays to 62 yards rushing - the longest biff being 17 yards by Ferguson. The Bears rushed for a below-their-par 193 yards, including a 27-yarder by Casares and one of 39 by Hoffman, and passed for 289 stripes on 13 completions in 18 attempts. In all, the Bays came up with 311 yards; they've won with less. This was a striking spectator battle, with long runs and passes being the rule rather than the exception. The best run of the day was a zipping side-stepping 73-yard kickoff return by Al Carmichael in the second quarter to the Bear 27. Near midfield, the ball squirted out of Al's hands by he ran right into it. Howton and Hill, the league's two leading pass catchers, came out even - each with four catches, Billy stretching his for 151 yards against Hill's 121. Howton's best catch was a full-tilt running effort on Starr's long shot for 53 yards in the fourth quarter. The Bears scored the first five times they had the ball in the Oct. 8 game in Green Bay and Sunday they counted TD's on three of the first five times. The Bears got the first chance, winning the flip of the coin, and drove 72 yards in 12 plays for a 7-0 lead. Three third down plays set off Hoffman's touchdown blast from five yards out. On the first Brown hurled to Gene Schroeder for 23; Casares bolted two on the second; and on the third Brown threw to Casares for 13. Blanda kicked the first of five extra points. On the Packers' first play, Ferguson lost one yard and on the second Caroline intercepted Rote's pass on the Packer 41. The Packer defense met the occasion and forced a field goal try, Blanda missing from the 28. Dick Deschaine, who finished with a fancy 47-yard average, had to punt right back after Carmichael's 11-yard reverse run wasn't enough to make up for a loss for Ferguson. Dick got off a 57-yard punt and the Bears were off to the races again, moving deep into Bay territory. This time Hank Gremminger ended the threat by intercepting Casares' pass in the end zone and returning to the 14. After another Deschaine punt (48 yards) to start the second frame, the Bears went 68 yards in six plays. Casares rolled 27 yards around end, thanks to an uncalled bit of holding by McColl on Dillon, on the third play and on No. 6 Blanda hurled 23 yards to Hill for the score. The Packers missed a TD by two feet on Rote's long throw to Howton, the ball missing by that much, so Deschaine punted and the Bears scored quickly. Blanda went off to his right, appeared confused as the Bays chased him to his right, and then spotted McColl all alone on the Packer 30 to the left. He threw a strike and McColl went in for a 21-7 edge. The Packers bounced back suddenly in six plays and the payoff was almost disastrous as Knafelc took Rote's shot in the left corner of the end zone and banged into the brick wall running along the edge of the end zone. It's not a "complete" and the particular wall is not padded. The Bays really threatened to come to life when Dillon intercepted Blanda's pitch on the six and returned 37 yards to midfield. A 15-yard Rote to Howton pass helped the situation but three plays later Caroline made a desperate leap in front of Howton, took Rote's throw and ran 52 yards for a 28-7 lead. Bill Forester recovered Casares' fumble early in the third period to set up the Bays' last touchdown. Ferguson legged 17 yards to the Bear 43 and three plays later Howton eluded Caroline nicely, took Rote's throw on the 25 and went in. Fred Cone's second extra point made it 28-14. After Brown's 70-yard TD strike to Hill, the game resolved into a punting duel between Deschaine and Brown, until the Bears put on a drive midway in the fourth quarter. The Bays stiffened, but Blanda kicked a field goal from the 29. Starr completed his first three passes and four out of his first five to set off a Bay drive. He found Ferguson for 19 on a screener, Ferguson for five and Losch for 16 before overthrowing Howton. Cone took a screen for 20 yards to the Bear 4-yard line, but the Packers were guilty of holding on a two-yard Cone smash. From the 18, Starr's throw was intercepted by Castete. On the next Bay move, Starr and Howton connected for 53 yards on one of those perfect-pass-perfect-catch things to the Bear 26. But Brackett intercepted Starr's next throw shortly before the game ended.

GREEN BAY -  7 21  7  3 - 38

CHI BEARS -  0  7  7  0 - 14

                       GREEN BAY CHICAGO BEARS

First Downs                   12            21

Rushing-Yards-TD         21-62-0      47-195-1

Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 32-13-256-2-5 20-13-308-3-2

Sacked-Yards                                  

Net Passing Yards            249           299

Total Yards                  311           494

Fumbles-lost                 1-0           3-1

Turnovers                      5             3

Yards penalized             4-50          4-39

SCORING

1st - CHI - John Hoffman, 5-yard run (George Blanda kick) CHICAGO 7-0

2nd - CHI - Harlon Hill, 23-yard pass from Blanda (Blanda kick) CHICAGO 14-0

2nd - CHI - Bill McColl, 69-yard pass from Blanda (Blanda kick) CHICAGO 21-0

2nd - GB - Gary Knafelc, 23-yard pass from Tobin Rote (Fred Cone kick) CHICAGO 21-7

2nd - CHI - J.C. Caroline, 52-yard interception return (Blanda kick) CHICAGO 28-7

3rd - GB - Billy Howton, 49-yard pass from Rote (Cone kick) CHICAGO 28-14

3rd - CHI - Hill, 70-yard pass from Blanda (Blanda kick) CHICAGO 35-14

4th - CHI - Blanda, 29-yard field goal CHICAGO 38-14

RUSHING

GREEN BAY - Howie Ferguson 9-22, Tobin Rote 5-19, Al Carmichael 1-11, Fred Cone 3-6, Jack Losch 2-(-1)

CHICAGO BEARS - John Hoffman 18-108 1 TD, Rick Casares 19-67, Harland Carl 9-24, George Blanda 1-(-4)

PASSING

GREEN BAY - Tobin Rote 23-8-137 2 TD 3 INT, Bart Starr 9-5-119 2 INT

CHICAGO BEARS - Ed Brown 10-8-182 1 TD, George Blanda 8-5-126 2 TD 1 INT, Rick Casares 1-0-0 1 INT, Jim Haluska 1-0-0

RECEIVING

GREEN BAY - Billy Howton 4-151 1 TD, Howie Ferguson 4-32, Gary Knafelc 1-23 1 TD, Fred Cone 1-21, Jack Losch 1-16, Al Carmichael 1-8, Joe Johnson 1-5

CHICAGO BEARS - Harlon Hill 4-121 2 TD, Gene Schroeder 4-77, Bill McColl 2-76 1 TD, Rick Casares 2-14, Harland Carl 1-20

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'WE'VE BEEN PLAYING THIS WAY ALL THE TIME,' PADDY; THREE LAPSES HURT: LIZ

NOV 12 (Chicago) - There was nothing out of the ordinary about the Chicago Bears’ performance against the Packers in sunny Wrigley Field Sunday afternoon, according to their ruddy-cheeked head coach, John L. (Paddy) Driscoll. “Except for last week against the Rams, we’ve been playing this way all the time,” Paddy declared. “Against the Rams, we got behind and had an uphill pull to win but in all of our other games we’ve gotten an early lead and maintained it the rest of the game.” The former Northwestern dropkicking specialist conceded that the Bears had been “up”. “You’ve got to be up in the league every week or you get beat and we were up – our boys played great football today.” Had the afternoon’s assignment been less difficult than he expected? “We got that quick lead,” Paddy replied after brief reflection, “but it was a tough football game all the way. The Packers came right back with that Rote to Howton touchdown in the second quarter and were only 14 points out.” “But we got that one back fast,” the one-time Marquette head man suddenly remembers with a smile, “and that helped a lot – that and the three points (George Blanda’s field goal).” It was noted that the Bears, in contrast to the “grind ‘em” out policy they had employed in their first five victories, has been going for the so-called “long ball” on this occasion. “That’s true,” Paddy admitted, “but we got so successful with the passes we just kept throwing ‘em.” In this connection, Driscoll acknowledged Harlon Hill had had one of his better days but he also was impressed with the work of another receiver, the Packers’ Billy Howton. “Those couple of passes he caught today were great,” the 

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Midway Monsters’ great chieftain insisted. “J.C. Caroline was right on him on both of ‘em but Howton caught ‘em.” Somebody wanted to know when the Bears discovered the Washington Redskins had beaten the Detroit Lions, lifting them into a tie for first place. “We were running down the tunnel towards the dressing room just after the game,” Paddy responded, smiling at the memory, “and somebody said Detroit got beat and everybody whooped and hollered.” Another habitue of Wrigley Field’s Pink Poodle was asking about the physical status of Bobby Watkins, who had been held out of action. “Oh yes, Watkins will play next Sunday. He’ll be 100 percent by then. He’ll have to be because we’re playing the Rams and we’ve got to have everybody. They’re a high scoring team.” At this juncture, somebody quipped, “This is better than being on the Hilltop (Marquette) right now, isn’t it?” “Yeah,” the former Warrior head man agreed with a sympathetic smile, “they’re having a bad year, aren’t they?” In the next room, Owner George Halas was explaining what the Bears’ freshman sensation, Perry Jeter, hadn’t played. “Jeter suffered a contusion of the right ankle on the kickoff,” George reported, striking a comparable area on his own leg to indicate the injury’s location, “and he never played after that.” The Chicago American’s Harry McNamara, intimating that Halas had been conspiring with the Redskins against the Lions, rumbled with a grin. “How did you get the work to George Preston Marshall?” Papa Bear, making no attempt to conceal his delight over this turn of events, chuckled, “You know, I talked to Marshall on Wednesday and he didn’t say it, but Kuharich (Redskin Head Coach Joe) said, ‘We’re going to beat Detroit.’ All I can say is I’m awful glad.” The next minute, Halas was sober again. “I’m worried about this team. We can’t be this lucky all the time,” he insisted. “Detroit loses by a point and,” George added with a puckish grin, “we have a full house.”…The Packers, who had been keyed for an all-out effort, seemed to find it hard to believe what they had seen on the scoreboard as they went about the business of shedding their paraphernalia. Gary Knafelc, who had crashed into the wall fielding a touchdown pass in the second quarter, revealed that he was now “not too bad – but it sure knocked the ---- out of me at the time.” A battle-smeared Deral Teteak, who had made a major contribution to an effort that had held the Bears’ Rick Casares to 66 yards in 19 carries, conceded, “He’s one of the best in the league – he ranks right up there with Ameche, Ferguson and Younger.” At this point, Asst. Coach Abe Stuber paused in a tour of the room with a kind word for Teteak, Dave Hanner and Jerry Helluin, among others. “Real good defense,” he told them, “except for those long passes. That was real good defense today outside of four plays.” In another corner, Bobby Dillon felt that the Bears’ Harlon Hill, who had caught only one touchdown pass against the Packers until Sunday, “seems to do a lot better here than he does in Green Bay. That first one he scored on was a hook and he was just going for a first down,” Bobby explained. “I fell down and he got six. That second one was a defensive error and, the sad part of it was, it wasn’t even a good pass.”…Head Coach Liz Blackbourn never an easy loser but still a realist, admitted, “The Bears are a real great ball club – maybe the greatest offensive team of all time. Hill had a good day against us, of course, but considering everything, I thought our defense did a good job except for those three lapses,” Liz felt. “There were three or four times, though,” he said, “when we should have gone, too, and didn’t.”…OFFICIAL CONFUSION: If home television viewers were confused over the defensive holding levy against the Packers after a Bear punt in the fourth quarter, they had nothing on the officials – they weren’t sure what it was all about either. The eventual ruling, made after apparent conflicting decisions had alternately brought the Packer defensive and offensive units on the field, indicated the Packers had been guilty of holding while Ed Brown’s punt was in the air – but nobody, even Referee Ronnie Gibbs, was sure that was right. The alleged infraction actually had occurred after the ball had rolled out of bounds. This the rule book defines as a “foul between downs”, which would have provided the Bears with these alternatives – giving over the ball to the Packers where it went out of bounds or following a 15-yard penalty from the point of the foul. To compound the confusion, Gibbs first paced off 15 yards (the penalty for offensive holding), then corrected himself and stepped off five, the proper yardage for a defensive holding penalty…NOT TOTAL LOSS: Although it has reached a point where a less stout heart might have given up the day as a total loss, Blackbourn was busy converting adversity to profit late in the fourth quarter. “Good job, good job out there,” Liz told Bart Starr and Jack Losch as they came off the field after Starr had engineered a drive to the Bear four-yard line, where a holding penalty and a freak interception had written finis to the push…A TOUCH OF HOME: Both Tobin Rote and Al Carmichael had special one-man (or woman) rooting sections behind them Sunday. Tobin’s support came from a Houston fellow townsman, Don Wagner, while Al’s mother, Mrs. Lillian Carmichael, flew in from Los Angeles to cheer on her son. Wagner, a former Texas University basketball star who played with Sheboygan’s professional Redskins in 1949, was in Chicago on business and scheduled to leave Friday but extended his stay two days in order to see Rote in action…BALLHAWK: A new wrinkle in an old art was introduced in the second quarter. A fan seated astride the iron fence at the “outfield” end of the field snared the ball after George Blanda’s third extra point with a huge net mounted on a long handle. Flushed by his success, he tried again on succeeding TDs but to no avail…WINNERS: The Skokie, Ill., Drum and Bugle Corps, national champions, won the hearts of the 49,000-plus crowd with a spectacular, precise, tuneful performance between halves. The 52-piece unit played selections ranging from the “St. Louis Blues” to “Because” to “Columbia, Gem of the Ocean” with equal facility.

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PACKERS TAKE ON NEW LOOK FOR 49ER TEST SUNDAY

NOV 13 (Green Bay) - The Packers took on a new look today as they launched preparations for the San Francisco Forty Niner battle at City stadium Sunday afternoon. Packer coach Liz Blackbourn performed three deeds in the process of drawing a bead on a third NFL victory as follows: (1) Placed veterans Breezy Reid and Jim Capuzzi on waivers; (2) Signed former Cleveland and Chicago Bear defensive back Ken Gorgal and rookie offensive halfback Bill Roberts of Dartmouth. (3) And named rookie Bart Starr as the starting quarterback for the Forty Niner game. Blackbourn also revealed that Howie Ferguson will remain at left halfback and that Fred Cone will work at fullback next Sunday. Ferguson had been shifted from fullback to left half for last Sunday’s Bear game and Cone handled the FB’ing. Reid, drafted by the Bears in ’50, was in his seventh season with the Packers. He had been a regular left half and also shared fullback when needed during his pro career, gaining nearly 2,000 yards and averaging 4.3. Capuzzi joined the Packers in ’54 as a quarterback, but was shifted to defense. Gorgal is in his fifth pro season. He was a high Browns’ draft choice in ’50 after starring as a quarterback and defensive back at Purdue in ’49. He was among the top defensive backs in the NFL in ’50 but served in the Army in 1951-52. He played with the Browns in ’53-54, and then was traded to the Bears in ’55. The Bears cut him loose when Stan Wallace returned from service two weeks ago. He intercepted six passes as a Bear last year. Gorgal hails from Peru, Ill., and he’s the son of a former Rock Island, Ill., pro gridder, halfback Alex Gorgal, who once played against the Packers. The newcomer stands 6-2 and packs nearly 200 pounds. Roberts looked good during the Packers’ training season, but Reid showed signs of having one of his best seasons. Bill remained with the squad and is ready to go. Roberts, all All-Ivy leaguer in 1949-50, gained his reputation as a pro prospect in two seasons with Marine football teams. He packs 200 pounds, stands six feet tall and hails from Dubuque, Iowa. Oddly enough, Roberts and Gorgal, despite the difference in pro experience, are the same age – 27. Starr will be making his first professional start and his second early-in-the-game appearance. He was ticketed to open against Baltimore in Milwaukee Oct. 14 but veteran Tobin Rote was called in when the Bays got the ball on Baltimore’s 11-yard line by recovering a fumble on the opening kickoff. Rote drove the team in for a touchdown. Starr went in on the next series for two plays. Bart, one of the top surprises in the 1956 draft, saw considerable action late in the Los Angeles Ram game and both Bear tests. In all, he threw 26 passes and completed 12 for 170 yards. He had two throws intercepted – both by the Bears last Sunday. Keeping Ferguson at left half is a real tribute to Cone’s hard running this season. Blackbourn pointed out the other day that “Fred’s running harder than I’ve ever seen him run.” Cone had his best season in ’52 when he averaged four yards on 70 carries and scored 53 points. The field goal specialist, who has tried only five three-pointers thus far this year, won the field goal title last season…The Packers settled down to work on a “new foe” this morning in the classroom at 349 S. Washington. The Forty Niners are new in that the Packers didn’t play ‘em along the exhibition trail and have yet to meet ‘em in league competition. The outdoor phase of practice will get underway this afternoon and from then on the general theme this week will be “win” period. The Packers came out of the Bear game in good physical condition, although Gary Knafelc is a wee bit sore from his battle with a brick wall in Wrigley Field. Joe Johnson went into the game with a sore shoulder and still has the trouble. Ferguson will has something of an ankle injury but will be ready for next Sunday.

'56 PACKER-BEAR TILTS HAVE HAD SIMILARITY - JUST BEFORE HALVES

NOV 13 (Green Bay) - The two Packer-Bear games this season of 1956 has a striking similarity in the two scores (37-21 here and 38-14 there) and in the few seconds before the halves. Both before-intermission incidents had a tendency to change the thinking between halves. Near the end of the half in the game here Oct. 8, the Bears had fourth down and one to go for a touchdown with 20 seconds left. Quarterback Ed Brown sent Bobby Watkins into center but there was no hole. He fumbled the ball as he hit the wall of Packers and Bears. The ball popped into the air and into the hands of the surprised Brown, who, after deliberating for a fleeting second, ran around end for a touchdown. It was a disgusting break for the Packer loyalists and because of one “odd” play forced the Packer strategists to think in terms of catching up instead of going ahead. In Chicago Sunday, the Packers found themselves deep in Bear territory just before the half due to Al Carmichaels’ 73-yard kickoff return, with the score 28-7 in favor of the Bears. The Packers had third and two to go for a first down on the Bear eight-yard line when Tobin Rote threw what has become virtually a cinch touchdown pass to Gary Knafelc – the short strike over the line. But the Bears actually sat on Knafelc on the goal line and McNeil Moore intercepted. The officials (hoorah) saw the obvious holding and the Bays had the ball back again on the four with 10 seconds left. Rote then called a play that had been perfected every Friday afternoon in practice for the last few weeks – a fake field goal by Fred Cone and a pass to John Martinkovic. The Packers, of course, couldn’t get the break the Bears did on Brown’s surprise run in the first game. Martinkovic was held at the line (no penalty, thank you) and Smith intercepted as the gun went off. Thus, instead of facing a fairly even 28-14 score during intermission, the Bay strategy had to figure out a way to get three quick touchdowns. The third quarter was only six minutes old when the Pack sailed for seven but the count was 28-14 instead of a comebacking 28-21. The Bears might have been ripe for a licking Sunday but any difficulty they might have encountered mentally was wiped out by the short pass. On the first two plays of the game, John Hoffman made four yards at his own left tackle and Martinkovic dropped the same ball carrier for a two yard loss in a sock at right tackle. Thus, the Bears had to make eight yards on third down for a first down. That they did on Brown’s 23-yard pass to Gene Schroeder. The Bears had five third-down situations in the first quarter and made gains of 23, 2, 13, 15 and 14 yards – all but the two-yarder coming on passes. It did seem good to see Packer-Bear ball carrier – a rare sight since the Los Angeles Rams game. Now, if the Bays can start stopping those tantalizing short pitches, this season might turn out better than you think!

49ERS WILL HAVE TO HUSTLE - OR ELSE: MORABITO

NOV 13 (San Francisco) - Tony Morabito, clearly irked by the “country club” tag which hangs on his cellar-dwelling San Francisco Forty Niners, served notice today that some of the members will have to hustle the rest of the season or get the axe. “This is the second highest paying team in the NFL and we’re last in the standings,” the harassed president said. “One reason is because some players were attracted out here because they heard we were a country club. Well, we don’t want guys around who just shrug their shoulders when we lose and only give the team lip service.” Morabito added he wasn’t “threatening” anyone but that it is up to the so-called country club set to show in the team’s last five games whether they want to stick around. Morabito had nothing but praise for Coach Frank Albert, whose initial venture at running a ball club has resulted in a disappointing six defeats and one victory.

NO EXPANSION OF NFL IN NEAR FUTURE: BELL

NOV 13 (Philadelphia) - There will be no expansion of the NFL in the immediate future, Commissioner Bert Bell said Monday night, following revelation that Denver, Minneapolis and Buffalo had renewed bids for franchise in the wake of Louisville's offer to the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers. "I would not favor, not can I see expansion, either geographically or in the number of franchises, until the last place teams in each division can win four or five games," Bell said. "In the first place, it would be bad business as well as a breach of faith with fans to move a club into a city if that club could not be a winner," he continued...CALLS TERMS 'FABULOUS': Louisville officials created the expansion situation last week when they propositioned the Redskins, and then later the Eagles and the Steelers to move into the Kentucky state fairgrounds on terms which George Marshall, owner of the Redskins, described as "fabulous". Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have evidenced interest in the Kentucky proposition and are scheduled to meet with Louisville representatives this week. Meanwhile Mayor David L. Lawrence of Pittsburgh has suggested that the University of Pittsburgh stadium be made available to the Steelers to keep the team in that city. Bell indicated he was not in favor of moving clubs, even if circumstances were favorable to expansion of the league, which now numbers 12 franchises in eleven cities...BOTTOM MUST IMPROVE: "When the bottom clubs in both divisions are able to win four or five games, then we will have enough good football players to add a couple of teams," he said. League standings indicate that the teams have not yet reached this Utopian balance. San Francisco has won only one game in seven starts and four other clubs - Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Green Bay - have won only two with the season more than half over. Bell credited television with the sudden interest in National league franchises. Video, he explained, has taken professional football into every nook and corner of the nation in the last few season. Several teams have special widespread networks. The Chicago Bears, for example, telecast their games live over 68 stations from Jacksonville to Harlingen, Tex., to Denver through the middle west every Sunday. ..NO ONE GETS RICH: "Also," Bell added, "professional football has reached the stage where one cannot lose a lot of money in it. No one gets rich in it; in fact, no one ever got rich in any professional sport. But with television, radio and the growing interest in the game, it has become increasingly attractive as an investment." Although he does not expect that there will be any change in the league this year or next, for scheduling purposes, Bell hopes that some day it will be possible to increase the membership so that at least six teams will have playing sites other than major league baseball parks. "With six open parks, it would be possible to schedule the weaker teams against each other and pair the powers at the start of the race. In this way," he explained, "you would not force the weaker clubs to battle the powers in the opening games, and ruin their seasons before the race is actually underway. Number in the 'win' column create enthusiasm and enthusiasm creates better football."

BEARS OR LIONS? PACKERS, 49ERS DISAGREE ON LIKELY WINNER

NOV 13 (Milwaukee Journal) - The Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions are even in the NFL's Western Division race with five games to go. No other team is in it. Which is the better team, or better yet, which team will make the playoff? "The Bears," say the Green Bay Packers and their coaches. "Detroit," says Frank Albert, who will bring his last place San Francisco 49ers to Green Bay Sunday to play the Packers. After the Bears had beaten the Packers Sunday in Chicago, 38-14, Lisle Blackbourn, Green Bay coach, was asked how he thought the Bears would fare in their two December meetings with Detroit. "I'd say they will break even," Blackbourn said. "And if they're tied for the division championship and meet again in a playoff?" "The Bears will win," Blackbourn said, firmly. "They have too much offense, even for Detroit's fine defense." Albert thinks differently. His 49ers have lost twice to each leader, by big scores to the Bears and by close scores to the Lions. After Detroit beat San Francisco the second time, Albert said, "I said two weeks ago that Detroit has a better all-around team. That still goes. The Bears roll up the points, but you've got to respect that Detroit defense." Blackbourn said Sunday night, "The way Brown and Blanda are throwing those passes, nothing can stop them. Their receivers are big and maneuver well. Then the passers give them the ball exactly in the right place. The only way to stop them would be to run around them out of bounds and come back onto the field. There's not time for that." Detroit has a bit of an edge in the schedule, but on the basis of its 18-17 upset by Washington Sunday, that may not help. "The Bears will win it now," Ray (Scooter) McLean, Packers backfield coach, said. "The Lions are going down and the Bears are getting better." Someone mentioned that Detroit's defense had been carrying too much of the load. There had been talk of Bobby Layne's comeback at quarterback and the running of rookies Hopalong Cassady and Don McIlhenny, but the defense, after all, has done the job. It has held the opposition to 16, 14, 21, 17, 7, 13 and 18 points, respectively, in the first seven games. "Anytime you can hold the other side to four touchdowns or less in this division," said Wally Cruice of Milwaukee, Green Bay scout, "you've got a pretty good defense." Against the Bears is the fact that they must meet the first and second place teams on the Eastern Division, the New York Giants and Chicago Cardinals. But if Detroit could do no better than lose against Washington, their easier interdivisional schedule might not mean much. Tobin Rote, Green Bay's quarterback, shook his head in agreement. "Those Bears," he said, "are the greatest offensive team I've seen in my years (seven) in this league. There just isn't much they can't do. I guess I didn't have a very good day out there, but, shucks, I'd say their defense has improved a lot, too.

BLACKBOURN EYES DRAFT AS SALVATION TO PACKER PLIGHT

NOV 13 (Milwaukee Sentinel) - There's nothing wrong with the Packers that some rich new blood wouldn't cure - like grabbing the long lost bonus choice in the upcoming draft and getting a shot at the cream of the 1956 college crop. Sunday the Wisconsin pros didn't belong on the same field with the Bears because they were outclassed position-wise from the start. The Packers were on the short end of every statistic except punting, kickoff returns and fumbles. The Bays' 62 yards gained on the ground against the Chicagoans was indicative of what has happened most of this dismal season. With no rushing to speak of and all passing, an opponent knows an all out rush against Tobin Rote stops the Packers cold. Coach Liz Blackbourn admitted Monday that the early draft, which will take place later this month, is Green Bay's salvation. "We need the best players available at the time," Blackbourn said. "It's not a question of drafting for position." The Packer head man gave his explanation for the club's downfall. "We got off to a bad start losing to the Lions and Bears," Liz observed. "But the thing which really killed us was Baltimore. We were physically beaten up there and lost our hope for staying in contention. Our game against the Browns was just one of those bad days. And against the Bears, well, we couldn't stop their passing, especially Brown." Blackbourn called the Bears "the best team we've seen." And he considered Detroit the only team which could beat them. While Rote hasn't had a good day since he passed the Rams dizzy four weeks ago, Blackbourn wouldn't comment further about his veteran passer and his stuff. But when asked if Bart Starr deserves more consideration after his best performance as a Packer pro, Blackbourn said "Starr probably will start against the 49ers next Sunday." Starr played the entire fourth quarter against the Bears. He completed five of nine passes for 119 yards and ran for five on a keeper. His best effort was a 53 yard completion to Bill Howton. However, Starr had two touchdown-bound heaves intercepted. Blackbourn's biggest problem at the moment is getting the club up for next Sunday's game. "Sure, the boys are disappointed," Liz said, "but there's nothing like a victory or two to bring that confidence back." The Packers' best chance is against the 49ers, the team with the worst record in pro ball (1-6). And if the Bays don't succeed here, they'll probably have to wait until next year. The Packer coach made one change Monday morning, releasing halfback Breezy Reid, a veteran of seven seasons in pro ball. Others might be coming.

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TOP CATCHERS VIE IN PACKER-49ER TEST

NOV 14 (Green Bay) - – Two of the NFL’s top three pass catchers will collide in City Stadium Sunday afternoon when the Packers battle the San Francisco Forty Niners. And the two aces both go by the same first nickname – Billy Howton of the Pack and Wilson of the Gold Diggers. Howton leads the majors in his specialty with 32 catches for 805 yards and nine touchdowns, all three departments being high. Wilson is third with 30 catches for 419 yards and one touchdown. Sandwiched between ‘em in the league’s hottest P-C- race is Frank Gifford of New York with 31 snatches. Howton will be dueling for the lead for the second straight Sunday. He came out with a draw against the Chicago Bears’ Harlon Hill last Sabbath as each caught four. Hill is fourth with 29. Howton and Wilson are the best in their particular specialty – the long and short passes, respectively. The Packers’ Carrot Head is averaging a fantastic 25.1 yards per catch, while Hill, the only other close yardage maker, is averaging 23.1. Wilson, by comparison, has a poor average, 14.5, but he’s a specialist at snaring the short throw. The Forty Niners rate him as the best hook-pass receiver in pro football and his teammates call him “Poor Devil” because of his specialty of taking passes with his back turned to defenders. And speaking of short passes, it’s no secret in this grid hotbed that the Packers’ defense has had trouble against that particular type of thing. Both the Packers and Forty Niners are blesses with excellent sidekicks for their high catchers. They would be Gordy Soltau of the Diggers and the Bays’ Gary Knafelc. Soltau, the seven-year ace who also does the team’s extra point and field goal kicking, is having one of his best campaigns, ranking near the first 10. Soltau was a Packer draft choice in ’50, but was traded to Cleveland for a much-needed tackle. The Browns, in turn, traded him to the Forty Niners who rank him as their all-time scorer. Knafelc caught one pass in the loss to the Bears Sunday and it went for a 23-yard touchdown, giving him 17 catches – just one behind the first 10 – for 232 yards and six touchdowns. The Packers can boast of two other statistical leaders besides Howton today – Bobby Dillon, who took over the top in pass interception and punter Dick Deschaine. Dillon snared one against the Bears and returned it 37 yards to give him six for 210 stripes. Four players are bunched behind with five steals. With a 47-yard average against the Bears, Deschaine is now leading with an average of 44.4 – just a hair in front of Norm Van Brocklin, who has 44.3. Dick delivered 37 punts; Van Brocklin 29…MORRALL RANKS NINTH: The Forty Niners’ sparkling rookie quarterback, Earl Morrall of Michigan State, ranks fifth among passers with his average of 8.29 yards per attempt. The Packers’ Tobin Rote is 10th with 6.88, while Y.A. Tittle of the Forty Niners is 11th with 6.42. Rote still has the most attempts (184), most completions (85), most years (1,266) and most touchdown passes (14). It is also interesting to note that the Forty Niners’ great runner, Hugh McElhenny, ranks fourth among the league ground gainers with 487 yards in 105 carries for an average of 4.6….The Packers moved into the offensive phase of this week’s practice this afternoon and Coach Liz Blackbourn gave his one new offensive newcomer, Bill Roberts, plenty of action. Bill is sharing right halfback with Al Carmichael. Also working into the picture is Ken Gorgal, the veteran defensive back who replaced Jim Capuzzi. Gorgal will be installed at a cornerbacker spot. Blackbourn announced yesterday that he will start rookie Bart Starr at quarterback and the changes are good that he’ll also include two other rookies in the opening backfield – Jack Losch at left half and Roberts at right, with veteran Howie Ferguson working at fullback. In another combination, Ferguson will toil at left half and Fred Cone at fullback – a pairing that was started against the Bears last Sunday.

PACKERS AS GOOD AS '55

NOV 14 (Milwaukee Sentinel) - It is surprising to observers the similarity between the Packers today and the club a year ago. But being as good a team as before doesn't help chances in the Western Division this season. The Bears and Lions have shown vast improvement, thus it's strictly a two-team runaway. Last year at this time the Packers returned to Green Bay after a disastrous road trip, losing three straight. They were in fourth place, two games behind the pace-setting Rams. Today Green Bay is fourth ranked, four games behind the leading Bears and Lions after dropping three in a row. Figures point out the Bays are performing on par with last year's team. Take the passing of Tobin Rote. A year ago the veteran flipper completed 98 of 211 passes for 1,214 yards and eight touchdowns after seven games. He had 11 intercepted. This season Rote has completed 85 of 184 aerials for 1,266 yards and 14 touchdowns. He had had only six intercepted. Rote had no rest in '55 until Paul Held stepped into the picture Thanksgiving Day. However, this season Bart Starr has been a capable replacement for the seven year vet. The Alabama rookie has completed 12 of 26 passes for 170 yards and has had two intercepted. Billy Howton has caught only two more passes than a year ago, but has gained 805 yards compared to 516 last season. And he's scored nine touchdowns at to four in '55 at this time. Gary Knafelc has not measured up to this performance of last year. So far, Knafelc has caught 17 passes for 232 yards and six touchdowns. Last season he caught 28 for 393 yards. But then Rote has not been as selective with his receivers this season. Joe Johnson had caught 15 for 121 yards and Al Carmichael has snared 10 for 117 yards. Neither Johnson nor Carmichael figured prominently in the Packer passing game last year. Howie Ferguson was the Packers' running attack a year ago as he gained 560 yards in 111 carries. Fergy has carried the ball only half as much this season, picking up 247 yards in 63 attempts. The biggest disappointment was Breezy Reid, recently released. A year ago Reid gained 243 yards in 58 carries and this season picked up only 39 yards in 14 tries. On the brighter side today is Carmichael's performance. Al has picked up 182 yards in 28 carries compared to 16 yards on only two tries in '55. The Packers are a better scoring team than a year ago, rolling up 159 points in seven contests compared to 145 last year. But they've given up more - 197 to 179 in '55. Being banged up physically in Baltimore had much to do with the Packers' nosedive. Yet it must be pointed out that adequate replacements haven't been found for defensive halfback Doyle Nix and Veryl Switzer. Howton is the leading scorer today with 54 points on nine touchdowns. Last year Fred Cone was leading the attack with 49 points in 11 field goals and 16 extra points. Cone has kicked only two field goals this season. After losing, 52-31, at Wrigley Field last fall, the Packers came back and won three of their remaining five games. It could be done again this time with two games to be played with the 49ers and one each with the Cardinals and Rams. The Packers have little chance of frightening the Lions in Detroit Thanksgiving Day.

​DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE REID'S NOT ACTIVE PACKER PLAYER

NOV 14 (Green Bay) - Floyd (Breezy) Reid is no longer an active Packer player. That’s difficult to imagine but the news story said Monday that Reid had been placed on waivers. Writing an “obit” about a guy everybody liked to well isn’t an easy task. Many players come and go – some after a month, two games, two years. That’s the rule of pro sports – many are called but few are chosen; those disappointments are inevitable. But when a Packer player plugs it out for five, six, seven years – it tugs at every Packer fan’s hear, particularly this writer’s, when the end comes. The reasons or what-nots connected with a player’s waivers don’t have a place here. That’s a matter that must be decided by the coach, however painful. A number of famous players have departed during the season, including the trainer period. How can anybody forget the valiant effort old Andy Uram made to shake off his World War II service and make the ’46 squad – only to miss? And how about Bruce Smith, who was cut loose during the ’48 season? And Teddy Fritsch, the

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burly fullback who was waivered early in the ’51 campaign, just missing a final shot with Pittsburgh? As years progress, people don’t ask the reason why a player was released during a season. People merely think in terms of what the athlete did during his career. And one of our town’s taxpayers, Breezy Reid, did a lot of wonderful things during his Packer career. He played 72 games as a Packer – 11 in 1950, 12 each in 1951-52-53-54-55 and seven in ’56. He scored 18 touchdowns, including 13 by rushing. He gained 1,972 yards in 459 rushing attempts for an average of 4.3 and caught 72 passes for 868 yards and an average of 12.1 yards per catch. Reid was a bread and butter rusher, a read hard-noses bumper and one of the best backs in the league on the dive play – a quick opener. Breeze led the Bays in rushing in 1953, with 492 yards and a 5.2 average for eighth in the league, and in 1954, with 507 yards, a 5.1 average and ninth in the circuit. Reid wasn’t exactly a breakaway runner, but he’s been credited with gains of 57, 60, 69 and 81 yards along the way. The two longest came in City Stadium – a 69-yard touchdown dash on a dive play against Pittsburgh in the 1954 opener and an 81-yard aerial from Tobin Rote against the old Dallas Texans here in ’52. He caught a 60-yarder from Rote to break the Forty Niners’ back in San Francisco last December. Those are some of the “remember” highlights of Breezy’s career here – not to mention those many two and three-yard first down blasts. Reid actually started his pro career with the Chicago Bears who drafted him No. 3 in 1950. He came to the Packers after the first league game and found a home. Let’s hope he stays in our town because he’s a right fine citizen.

PACKERS' HOME CROWDS CAN'T TIE MILWAUKEE

NOV 14 (Milwaukee Journal) - Even a third straight capacity crowd for the Green Bay Packers in their home finale against San Francisco Sunday will not permit them to catch Milwaukee attendance-wise this season. The three NFL games here this fall drew 77,004 fans. With two sellouts in little City Stadium thus far, Green Bay has drawn 49,336. A third capacity crowd Sunday, which is not certain at all, would push Green Bay's total to 74,004. At best for the season, then, Green Bay will trail by 3,000. A year hence, of course, the Packers expect different things. They will have their new 32,000 seat stadium completed and they confidently think they will have 30,000 crowds as a regular thing. Only once in four seasons of play at County Stadium have the Packers drawn as many as 30,000 fans - 40,119 for the Baltimore Colts and Alan Ameche on a Saturday night a year ago. Since County Stadium was put into use in 1953, Milwaukee holds a slight edge in the little intercity attendance duel. For the three full seasons, 1953-55, Milwaukee drew 200,298 fans, Green Bay 197,221. The year before County Stadium was ready, 1952, the Packers averaged 21,884 per home date in Green Bay; only 13,833 per home date in Milwaukee (Marquette Stadium).

'MIRACULOUS' WORD FOR BUSINESS IN NFL: BELL

NOV 14 (Philadelphia) - “Miraculous” is the word NFL Commissioner Bert Bell used today to describe the booming business in the professional loop. An 8 percent gain over last year’s record figures, which in turn represented a gain over the previous year, and so on back for three more years had the voluble commissioner in a happy frame of mind. “At this stage of the game, the way the attendance is up is simply miraculous,” Bell said. “We’re slightly better than 8 percent above the figure for the corresponding time last year.” The top came last year 2,521,836 during the regular season, a gain of 15 percent over the previous year. And at the halfway point in the 1956 league race, the total attendance was 1,559,799…Speculation that the Pittsburgh Steelers might take their NFL franchise to another city just about ended today. Art Rooney, president of the Steelers, indicated strongly Tuesday night the club will stay and continue to play its games at Forbes Field – home of the National Baseball League’s Pittsburgh Pirates. Rooney was optimistic after a conference with Tom Johnson, vice president of the Pirates. Johnson will take up the Steelers problem, with the Pirate board of directors after his return and said there should be no difficulty working out a new rental agreement with Rooney. The Steelers’ 10-year rental lease expired at the end of last season and the club has been playing on a game to game basis. Rooney wants his rent reduced, claiming other NFL clubs using major league baseball parks don’t pay as much as he does. He pays 15 percent of the net gate as rent. Rooney admitted he would like to shift to the 60,000-seat Pitt Stadium if legislation can be passed making that possible. Capacity of Forbes Field is 34,000. Recently, the Steelers have received directly, or through the NFL commissioner’s office, bids to move their franchise to Louisville, Denver, Minneapolis and Buffalo.

SHARKEY AND SMITH RELEASED BY 49ERS

NOV 14 (San Francisco) - The San Francisco 49ers, tail-enders in the NFL race with a 1-6 race, yesterday announced the release of linebacker Ed Sharkey and defensive halfback Ernie Smith to make room on the squad for two former 49ers players returning from service. The returnees are Ted Connolly, a 240 pound offensive guard from Santa Clara, and Floyd Sagely, 200 pound defensive halfback from Arkansas. Both played as rookie for the 49ers in 1954 before entering the Army…FOURTH CHOICE: Connolly, who finished up at Tulsa University after Santa Clara abandoned football, was the 49ers’ fourth choice in ’54. Sagely was their fifth draft choice the same year. The two worked out with the team yesterday and will leave with the club Friday for a three game road trip in the East. Sharkey, a 10-year veteran, was picked up by the 49ers in midseason last year. He formerly had played for the New York Yankees, the Baltimore Colts and Philadelphia Eagles. Smith, who was with the 49ers for their last three games in 1955, was released and then resigned after the third game of the current season…GREEN BAY NEXT: The 49ers’ first engagement on their eastern swing will be against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay next Sunday. The temperature in Green Bay yesterday was below the freezing point. The other two stops on the 49ers’ road trip are Philadelphia and Baltimore. They play the Eagles November 24 and the Colts December 2. Dickie Moegle, whose work as a defensive halfback has been one of the few bright spots in the 49er picture, may not get as far as Baltimore. The former Rice All-American has been ordered to report for induction into the Army, November 28. Unless he is granted a deferment, he will miss the game with the Colts.

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FINALE! LION LOSSES! ONE-VET BACKFIELD

NOV 15 (Green Bay) - Three particular items of interest keep coming to mind today, as regards the Packer-San Francisco game at City Stadium Sunday afternoon, that is: First off, the Packers’ last league game in the old wooden stadium! Next, the Forty Niners’ two losses to Detroit! And, third, the Packers’ one-veteran starting backfield! The last-game pitch is strictly sentimental. A lot of folks – or rather, fans – grew up with the old ballyard, watched it sprout from a couple of wooden bleachers to an elegant 25,000-seater. And they’ve also watched it become ancient and out of date – all in the last five or six years. Green Bay citizens took note of their “model T” and last spring voted to split the cost of a new stadium with the Packers. Groundwork on the new stadium is now being finished and the opening is set for the start of the ’57 league season. The usual non-league games may have to be played in the old stadium, but barring unexpected delays in construction, the shift will be made with the ’57 league opener. There won’t be any old-stadium burial ceremonies at City Stadium Sunday. Rather, the Packers hope to close a quarter-century of pro football in the arena with the best salute they can give – a victory! But speaking of victory on any day but Monday can be touchy. The Forty Niners may have a one-six (1-6) record, which is just one notch below the Packers, but don’t let it fool you. They’ve been playing in difficult luck, so to speak, and two tight, heart-breaking losses to co-leader Detroit would seem to prove it. They lost to the Lions in Detroit 20-17 on a late-minute field goal by Bobby Layne. The Forty Niners gambled on a one-yard-fourth-down situation on their own 41 and missed, to set up the loss. It was tougher in San Francisco where the Lions made off with a 17-13 game. The Forty Niners’ John Henry Johnson scored on a plunge from the one-yard like for 19-17 lead (they never got the extra point), but, bejabbers, the Frisco’s were offside. Two plays later, Detroit intercepted a pass and sweated out the win. On the matter of a one-veteran backfield, Packer coach Liz Blackbourn said he plans to install Howie Ferguson, the ploughing fullback, as the balance wheel in a rookie starting backfield. The unit when the Packers open from scrimmage will have Bart Starr at quarterback, Jack Losch at left halfback and Bill Roberts at right half – all first-year men – and Ferguson. Blackbourn also plans to work Ferguson at a left halfback spot and veteran Fred Cone at fullback as a two-some during the game. On this score, Blackbourn pointed out at last night’s Quarterback club meeting that “our primary concern is winning more games this season but we’ve also got to look forward some to next year,” thus explaining his actions in starting the three rookies. Blackbourn figures the squad will be good condition Sunday. “Gary Knafelc bruised his knee banging into that stone wall in Chicago but it’s coming along fine,” he pointed out, adding with a smile: “That wall should be padded!” Asked about Ken Gorgal, the veteran defensive back obtained from the Chicago Bears, Blackbourn said Gorgal played “well against us when he was with Cleveland and the Bears. He has four years of experience, covers well on passes and we’re in hopes he’ll do the job. He’ll play in Billy Bookout’s place and we may shift him with Bobby Dillon at times.” Blackbourn said that Forrest Gregg will have to go into service after the season and “that’s a tough loss; Gregg now weighs 234 pounds and he’s still growing. He’ll be a real good one when get a little more know how.” The Packer mentor paid tribute to Breezy Reid, the veteran back who was placed on waivers this week, pointing out: “Breezy was a fine runner, a good blocker, a good man to coach, a good team man. He had his best non-league season and then hurt his leg and never seemed to regain his speed.” Speaking of backs, Blackbourn pointed to the Forty Niners’ Hugh McElhenny as “the best outside runner in football and he’s fourth in the league in rushing.” Al Carmichael, the Packers’ ace kickoff and punt returning back, was named as the most valuable player in last Sunday’s game. He received a watch from the Fairmont Foods Co. The Packers mixed a bit of offensive and defensive practice in today’s session in the Bluejay outfield. The area was pretty sloppy after last night’s heavy rain. Although some snow is predicted for today and Thursday, the weather is expected to clear for the weekend. The Forty Niners played in 105-degree heat in Los Angeles Sunday afternoon. They’re flying into Chicago Friday and will come into Green Bay by train Saturday afternoon.

BOYS’ PARENTS MUST PAY FOR RAIL VANDALISM

NOV 15 (Green Bay) – Three Green Bay youths and a fourth boy from Preble were returned to the custody of their parents Wednesday afternoon after a Juvenile Court hearing in which they admitted entering Chicago and Norrth Western Railway property at W. De Pere Oct. 14, stealing four bottles of wine, and being responsible for damage of $1,068.19 to railroad property. Judge Donald W. Gleason ordered the boys returned to their parents’ supervision on condition that the parents make restitution of $273.30 each for damages and for an insurance company claim involving a car the boys admitted stealing and driving to Oshkosh later on the same date. C.F. Frederickson, special agent for the North Western, testified during the hearing that the youths broke into the road’s De Pere tool house by prying a staple off the door with a section of long signal pipe. Two of youths are 14, and the other two are 13…BROKE INTO CAR: Frederickson said the youths also admitted breaking into a box car and stealing four fifths of wine valued at $1.80. Later, Frederickson said the youths confessed that they placed a North Western section hand car in the path of a North Western passenger train which was carrying the Green Bay Packer football team and fans back home after the Packer-Baltimore game at Milwaukee. The head diesel engine of the passenger train struck the section car, knocking it off the track. Damage to the car was estimated at $480.88 and an estimated $585.81 damage was done to the locomotive. The four youths testified that they had no intention of damaging or derailing the train but were attempting to get the hand car on the track and travel to Oshkosh on it. They said they had run away from home on Saturday, Oct. 13, spent the night at the North Western depot and hopped a freight train the next day, getting off at the Red Owl Warehouse in Ashwaubenon and walking the rest of the way to De Pere. The boys said they later attempted to take the car off the track, but were scared away by an older boy who yelled at them and gave chase. Frederickson testified that the youths later stole the 1949 auto of Pat Aerts, W. De Pere, Rt. 2, and drove it to Oshkosh where they were arrested and returned to De Pere. Total loss to the road resulting from the theft and vandalism was $1,068.93, Frederickson stated. The $25 sought by the insurance company in the car theft brought the grand total for which the boys’ parents will be held responsible to $1,093.19. Hubert Vaessen, De Pere police chief, filed the Juvenile Court complaint against the youths.

PACKERS OF WEEK - GREEN BAY CLUB HONORS CARMICHAEL

NOV 15 (Milwaukee Journal) - Al Carmichael was named "Packer of the week" by the Green Bay Quarterback club Wednesday night for his fine play on kickoff returns against the Chicago Bears at Chicago last Sunday...Thanks to their 494 yards against the Packers, the Bears increased their ground gaining lead in the NFL. They have gained 2,928 (1,609 rushing and 1,319 passing) in seven games. Their closest pursuer is Los Angeles with 2,538. The Bears will meet the Rams at Chicago Sunday...Emlen Tunnell, veteran defensive halfback from Iowa, started his 98th straight game for the New York Giants last Sunday...ROOKIES TO START: Two rookie quarterbacks will likely start when the Packers meet the San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Sunday. Earl Morrall, Rose Bowl here from Michigan State, already has beaten out veteran Y.A. Tittle with the 49ers. Coach Lisle Blackbourn of Green Bay said Thursday that Bart Starr would start for Green Bay in place of Tobin Rote. "And we will go with Bart for quite awhile, too," Blackbourn said. Starr, from Alabama, was Green Bay's 17th choice in the draft last winter. Morrall was taken by San Francisco in the first round.

PRO SCOUTS OBSOLETE - 49ER COACH

NOV 15 (San Francisco) - The football scout who walks, talks and breathes is obsolete in pro football, Red Hickey of the San Francisco 49ers football coach staff said yesterday. Commenting on the 49ers’ preparations for their game against the Packers in Green Bay Sunday, Hickey pointed out that moving pictures will give both sides more intimate knowledge of the opposition that a whole troop of scouts scribbling X’s and O’s with both hands. “We’ve spent an entire day studying the Packers,” Hickey related, “and we should be able to stop what they ordinarily do best. But, then, of course, they’ve studied pictures of us just as much, so both of us have to change our offenses and defenses somewhat.” This is the first year that the NFL has authorized an exchange of movies….SCOUTS, BUT-: To guard again mechanical failure, the 49ers still have a scout at every game, Red said, but once the movies arrive, “we forget about the scout report. If you study a player in pictures, you can find weaknesses you wouldn’t notice if you sat in the stands and watched him all day,” Hickey said. “You find which linemen you can trap and which ones you can’t, which defensive backs rush up fast so that you can get a receiver behind them and which ones you have to pass in front of.” In spite of all the high echelon strategy, there’s still one drawback that the 49ers face. “When you go out to execute it, it’s still a matter of having the horses,” said Hickey…CARR MISSES DRILL: Paul Carr, defensive wingback, missed practice yesterday because of infection in both ears. Floyd Sagely worked in his spot. Ted Connolly may see considerable duty as offensive right guard. Lou Palatella, the regular at the position, has leg trouble, and Ed Henke may have to shift to defensive end because of Charley Powell’s physical ailments.

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49ERS POUNDING AIR DEFENSE FOR PACK

NOV 16 (Green Bay) - It’s a pretty good bet that the Forty Niners are working their pass defense overtime this week in an effort to combat the Packers’ air attack successfully at City Stadium Sunday afternoon. And one Forty Niner in particular must have his nose deep down on that grindstone – Bob Holladay, a free agent out of Tulsa who started the season with the Los Angeles Rams. Holladay had the task of keeping track of the Packers’ Billy Howton when the Bays battled the Rams in Milwaukee Oct. 21, but Howton came up with one of his finest pass catching performances and made a lot of defensive backs, rookie or veteran, look slightly ill. Before that game became history by 24 hours, Holladay was ushered through the usual waiver channels and the Forty Niners promptly grabbed him. The 5-11, 175-pounder hasn’t seen Howton since, of course, and since joining the Gold Diggers handled a safety position with grace and dispatch. Holladay operates at left safety – across from Dickie Moegle, a fine pass catcher in his own right, whose speed is being utilized on defense. The Forty Niners’ other safety, Capt. Rex Berry, is presently slowed down with injuries but likely will play. The Forty Niners, who have permitted 204 points in seven games, bolstered their cornerbacker platoon Thursday by signing J.D. Smith, a former Chicago Bears. Smith, not to be confused with the Bears’ Ray Gene Smith, will work in with sophomores Paul Carr and George Maderos. They’ll operate behind linebackers Stan Sheriff, Matt Hazeltine and George Morris. San Francisco’s defensive line has two no-college standouts – end Charley Powell, the former heavyweight boxer, and middle guard John Gonzaga, who beat out All-American Ed Beatty. The other defensive end is Bruce Bosley, who came into the league this year as an All-American guard. The tackles are veteran Leo Nomellini and rookie Bill Herchman, 255 and 240 pounds, respectively. Bob Toneff, the slashing ex-Notre Damer who played offense last year, is now listed as an offensive right guard. The 260-pounder had himself a good day against the Packers in San Francisco last year, making most of the tackles. San Francisco’s biggest man, 265-pound Bob St. Clair, will work at right tackle on offense. He’s also available for right defensive tackle. The other offensive tackle is Bob Cross, 250, who formerly played with the Bears and Rams. The Forty Niners expect to go into Sunday’s game in good physical condition – particularly their great backfield composed of Earl Morrall and/or Y.A. Tittle at quarterback, Hugh McElhenny at left half, Joe Arenas at right halfback and John Henry Johnson at fullback. The main injuree is Joe Perry, the Forty Niners’ great fullback who has been troubled with a leg hurt most of the season. Though he is used sparingly, Perry has averaged six yards per in 38 trips. McElhenny is averaging 4.64 and Johnson 3.64. The Forty Niners have a well-rounded pass attack since four receivers are in the double figures. Billy Wilson nailed 30 for 438 yards; Gordon Soltau 15 for 250; Arenas 12 for 196, and Perry 11 for 67. McElhenny caught eight for 113. Morrall and Tittle have shown considerable accuracy in that they completed half or more than half of their pitches. Morrall tried 74 and completed 37 for an even 50 percent; Tittle tried 105 and completed 55 for 52.4. Each had six intercepted. Soltau leads the club in scoring with 46 points on one touchdown, 13 extra points and nine field goals, including four in the Forty Niners’ 33-30 victory over Los Angeles. McElhenny is second with 36 points on six touchdowns…The Packers are designing things this week to get out of the offensive doldrums, as it were. They scored 42 points in their last three games (21 against Baltimore, 7 on Cleveland and 14 on the Bears) and that’s the exact total they counted in whipping the Los Angeles Rams 42 to 17. In sort of a test case, Packer coach Liz Blackbourn will start first-year quarterback Bart Starr instead of veteran Tobin Rote. The opening backfield will also have newcomers Jack Losch at left half and Bill Roberts at

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right, with veteran Howie Ferguson operating at fullback. Blackbourn is in hopes of getting some points to help take some of the hear off the defense which has been barraged for 90 points in the last three games – 28 by Baltimore, 24 by Cleveland and 38 by the Chicago Bears. The defense came up with a solid effort against the Bears’ rushing last Sunday, holding fullback Rick Casares to his lowest total of the season, 63 yards, although halfback John Hoffman picked up 107. The Forty Niners present a powerful rushing offense, what with Perry, McElhenny and Johnson being due to break loose…The Bays, their blood thickening as the weather grows colder this week, had a lively workout today, cleaning up on various offensive and defensive plans and working on kickoff, punting, extra point and field goal kicking. The squad is rounding into good physical condition. Getting extra treatment are Joe Johnson and Tom Bettis. Now that Jim Capuzzi has left, Rote is working with Fred Cone on field goals. The big quarterback has been getting off a few long ones, including several from the 45-yard line. The Forty Niners were scheduled to fly into Chicago today. They’ll drill at Stagg field this afternoon, stay in Chicago tonight, and arrive in Green Bay Saturday afternoon, headquartering at the Northland Hotel.

HAYES, FORMER PACKER END, DIES

NOV 16 (Manchester, CN) - David V. Hayes, 58, an end on Knute Rockne’s Notre Dame football teams of 1919 and 1920, died last night of a heart ailment. He caught the forward pass that beat Army in 1919. After college, he played with the Green Bay Packers. He leaves his widow, Adelaide; a daughter, and three sons.

KNAFELC CRASH A REMINDER OF SAME OLD WRIGLEY FIELD HAZARD

NOV 16 (Milwaukee Sentinel - Lloyd Larson) - A number of complaints, all justifiable, have been voiced since last Sunday about the dangerous wall immediately outside the end zone at the south end of Wrigley Field, where the Chicago Bears play their home games. There is nothing new about the hazard. It has been there since the park was built and pre-dates the Bears. That's going back a long time and only adds to amazement over the fact that a fatal injury has yet to be recorded. Perhaps that's what it is going to take - a fatal injury - to force the Bears (or the owners, the baseball Cubs) to provide the necessary protection for players who can and do get roughed up enough within the boundary lines without running into brick walls to boot. The gruesome possibilities involved came to mind again when Gary Knafelc, Packer end, crashed into the non-yielding obstruction after catching a touchdown pass against the Bears. Fortunately, Knafelc came out of it without anything more serious than the shock which always follows a severe, unexpected jolt. He was able to leave the field under his own steam...OTHER NOT SO LUCKY: Others before him were not that lucky, I remember seeing Dick Plasman, ex-Bear end, crashing into that wall. He looked like he had been run through a meat grinder and wasn't long for this world when he was carried off the field on a stretcher. Eddie Jankowski, if I recall correctly, rammed head on into the dugout adjoining the wall when he was playing halfback for the Packers. Eddie, too, came out of it, but the needless off-field blow undoubtedly shortened his career. One of the many who saw Knafelc go boom, either at the scene or via television, put it very well when he wrote: "We all recognize that a park or stadium designed primarily for baseball can't be perfect for football. A certain amount of improvising is necessary to tailor the premises to football. But why can't it be done with the safety of the participants in mind? So there isn't enough room beyond the end zone when the football field is laid out to give the most spectators the best view. Then what? Pad the walls, dugout and any other obstruction. Hasn't anyone heard of foam rubber? Make it a foot thick or thicker if necessary. Padding would be going on by now if Gary Knafelc had been badly hurt or killed. If the latter had happened, the Bear management would have been guilty of moral if not legal manslaughter. Is that what they're waiting for?"...GROWING EMPHASIS ON SAFETY: The emphasis on football has been on added safety for players in many forms through the years: Compulsory use of helmets...better equipment, designed to give more protection to the wearer as well as more of the same to opposing players...face masks...elimination of old fashioned bicycle tape, formerly used to wrap hands and make them as hard clubs..compulsory padding of braces and other special protective devices. In the not too distant past, it was common to place yard markers, made of wood and other unyielding substance, close to each sideline as a guide for players and spectators alike. They were either eliminated entirely or replaced by rubber markers for the same reason that goal posts were long since padded. Even the pros are safety-protection conscious, as witness their new rule which "kills" the ball when the player in possession is "contacted by a defensive player and he touches the ground with any part of his body except his hands or feet." Until this year the player could get up and run. Only the referee's whistle stopped play. There was only one reason for the change: Guard against piling up and unnecessary injury. So go to work, Commissioner Bert Bell. Apparently you are the only one who can get some action from club owners. Come to think of it, that's the way it should be done - on orders from the league's front office.

LIZ TO START ROOKIE BACKS

NOV 16 (Milwaukee Sentinel) - The Packers will start an all rookie backfield outside of veteran fullback Howie Ferguson against the 49ers Sunday in Green Bay. Coach Liz Blackbourn announced Thursday that Bart Starr would start at quarterback, Bill Roberts, recently signed, would be given the left halfback spot. Blackbourn wants to give the "new" faces as much as the experience as possible the rest of the season. Then, took, the Packer coach hasn't been too impressed with the way things have gone offensively the last three games. A change could help. San Francisco publicitor Dan McGuire said it was hard to put a finger on the 49er' ills this season. "We just can't seem to score when the chance prevails," McGuire said. "But opponents have scored against us quite easily - mainly because our pass defense is the worst in the league." McGuire reported that rookie quarterback Earl Morrall would start against the Packers. "We were going nowhere with Y.A. Tittle," said McGuire, "so Coach Frankie Albert wants to give Morrall as much work as he can possibly get." The 49ers played their best games against Detroit. They lost to the Lions, 20-17, in the Motor City when Bobby Layne booted a field goal in the last 17 seconds. And they were beaten in the return engagement at San Francisco, 17-13 - yet had a chance to win with a first down on the Lions' one with two minutes to play. A penalty took the starch out of the scoring sails. Dicky Moegle, a good pass catching back, has to play on defense because of the shortage of defensive aces. Moegle leads the club with three interceptions. The 49ers Thursday added J.D. Smith, former Bear halfback, to plug the defensive holes. The California club will arrive in Chicago Saturday morning and, after a workout at Stagg Field, will entrain to Green Bay. Sunday's game in rickety old City Stadium will probably be the last. Work on the Packers' new home is progressing rapidly. The bowl is shaped, drainage is completed and the playing field will be seeded early next week.

​49ER CENTER QUITS; NEW MAN SIGNED

NOV 16 (San Francisco) - Equipped with red flannels, ear muffs and anything else that might come in handy in snow country, the San Francisco 49ers take a last lingering look at California sunshine this morning before taking off on their three game “Exile to Siberia” junket. Sometime late this afternoon, the 49ers will establish an operations base in Chicago, preparatory to Sunday’s contest against the Green Bay Packers in near freezing temperatures and with a possible backdrop of swirling snows…CHANGES MADE: Even as late as yesterday, the 49ers still were undergoing changes as Coach Frankie Albert looked toward both the present and future. Bill Johnson, the old warhorse who came out of retirement in an attempt to help a sorry center situation, turned in his playing livery at the recommendation of Albert, and J.D. Smith, recently released by the Chicago Bears, was inked to a contract in an effort to bolster the weakest defense in pro ball…SMITH KEPT BUSY: Smith, a 208-pound, 6-1 Negro from North Carolina A. & T. College, played through six exhibitions and as many league games before the Bears cut him loose to make room for Stan Wallace of Illinois, their first draft choice two years ago. Wallace has just come out of service. Smith played as a linebacker, defensive wing and safety with the Bears and Albert is hopeful he will be able to step in immediately since it is likely Paul Carr will be unavailable to the club at Green Bay. The hard-tackling Carr hasn’t been able to work out all week because of an infection in the auditory canal and the team doctors express doubt he’ll be ready for any action Sunday. There were two reasons for Johnson writing finish to his playing career…TEST MORRIS: For one thing, Frankie feels Bill can be of more service to the club is he is allowed to concentrate on work with the offensive linemen. More important, the coaches want to find out if George Morris, the third draft choice three years ago, will do as an offensive center. The move undoubtedly is part of the overall planning for what promises to be a major turnover in club personnel. “We do not want to give the impression that we are threatening anyone,” owner Tony Morabito said yesterday. “But we are no longer interested in players who say, ‘I’m going to out next Sunday,’ and don’t. That’s lip service. If heads have to fall, heads will fall.” Albert, he added, will have a free hand in the reconstruction. As for Green Bay, Albert knows that the 49ers will have to be on their sticks if they’re to break up one of the strongest “batteries” in pro ball, Tobin Rote to Bill Howton…TOP PASSING TEAM: The Packers, who claim wins over Los Angeles (42-17) and Baltimore (38-33), are the NFL’s second best passing team behind L.A. and Howton is the league’s top receiver.

​49ERS FIND ST. CLAIR IS INJURED

NOV 16 (San Francisco) - Even before donning their snowshoes and heading into the north country, the San Francisco 49ers got a good sampling of what they are in for when they landed in the Windy City to establish temporary headquarters. There’s supposed to be plenty of the white stuff awaiting them when they get to Green Bay, Wis., four hours away by train, tomorrow afternoon. However, the weatherman says the blizzard which hit the scene of Sunday’s game with the Packers had passes on and, if nothing else, visibility should be good…ST. CLAIR INJURED: During the eastward journey, Coach Frankie Albert revealed a new 49er concern – Bob St. Clair’s Achilles tendon. The giant tackle wasn’t able to work yesterday, won’t suit up for a morning workout tomorrow at the University of Chicago Stagg Field, and may have to sit out the Green Bay battle. If he does, there’ll have to be some wholesale shuffling of the 49ers offensive line. In event St. Clair is out of commission, Bob Cross, himself operating on something of a gimpy leg, will shift to right tackle and rookie John Gonzaga, used almost entirely on defense to date, will play the left side. Also, Ted Connolly, just back from an Army hitch, will be pressed into immediate service as the starting right guard…GREEN BAY CHOICE: With George Morris assuming the center burden now that Bill Johnson has been retired, the 49ers thus will be gambling with something of a makeshift front line. Albert is also assuming that Charley Powell’s tender ankle won’t permit his being an active combatant and has named Ed Henke as the defensive right end. Back her they consider Green Bay about a field goal better than the 49ers.

BATTLE OF HAVE NOTS PITS 49ERS, PACKERS

NOV 17 (San Francisco Examiner - Green Bay) - San Francisco and Green Bay, a couple of NFL entries groping their way in darkness, stage a meeting of little consequence here tomorrow on the hard frozen turf of City Stadium. Between them, the 49ers and Packers have won only three of thirteen encounters, and, except as it might affect the order of selection in the college player draft eight days hence, the outcome will decide exactly nothing. Nevertheless, a capacity crowd of some 25,000 is expected to brave low temperatures and possible snow flurries to see Liz Blackbourn’s player-poor Packers make their final home stand a winning one…GAME ON TV: San Francisco’s TV viewers can see the struggle of the NFL’s “have-nots” by dialing KPIX (Channel 5) at 10:40 a.m. (SF time) or can listen to the action via station KFRC. If Blackbourn holds to his pregame announcement, Tobin Rote, Green Bay quarterback veteran of seven seasons and holder of most Packer passing records, will be on the bench and the little known rookie, Bart Starr, will battle it out with San Francisco’s first year man, Earl Morrall. Rote, according to all reports, has worn himself to a frazzle by doing more than his share of the running, in addition to the passing, and Blackbourn apparently feels he will be more effective as a spot performer against the 49ers…MAKES CLUB MOVE: Starr was the Packers’ 17th draft 

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The final resting place of David V. Hayes, who played a total of 13 games with the Packers (6 in 1921 and 7 in 1922), after starting the 1921 season with the Rock Island Independents. (LOCATION: Saint Bridgets Cemetery, Manchester, CN) (SOURCE: FindAGrave.Com)

choice last January and while his appearances have been few and far between, he has shown ability to make the team move. However, it is neither Rote nor Starr Coach Frankie Albert is concerned with. Green Bay’s first citizen as far as the S.F. pros are concerned is end Billy Howton, treading closely on the heels of another great Packer flanker, Don Hutson. Howton is pro football’s leading receiver with receptions, good for 805 yards and nine touchdowns. Green Bay also claims the NFL’s top punter in Dick Deschaine, a one year vet with no college background. He’s averaged 44.4 yards for each of 37 punts and, with treacherous playing conditions anticipated, could be a big factor against the 49ers.

LAST GAME AT THE OLD STAND

NOV 17 (Green Bay) - The Packer-San Francisco game at City Stadium Sunday will probably be the last league game in those grand old stands which have played such an integral role in the development of professional football in the United State as we know it now. In fact, the history of pro football can almost be traced in the boards in those stands, just as the age of a tree is etched in the rings of a log. When the Packers first started playing ball, it was at Hagemeister Park, part of which property forms the present stadium. Their only absence from this site since that time came in 1923-24, when they moved out to Bellevue Park. When the community organization of businessmen formed the Packer Corporation in 1924, one of their first projects was to build some stands at the present site in 1925. And the stands and the field grew with the Packers in succeeding years. There was a time when this 24,500-seat stadium was one of the best in professional football. Now as the Packer home prepares to move to a grand new municipal stadium on the southwest side, it is significant of a new era in professional football, an era of $100,000 plus gates, greatly expanded attendance, a nationwide fandom built through TV and other media. Packer backers attending Sunday's game might well cast their memories back over the history of this sports miracle as they wait for the opening kickoff.

CALHOUN TO BE HONORED FOR PACKER SERVICE

NOV 17 (Green Bay) - George Whitney Calhoun, a Packer founder and the team's former secretary and public relations director, will be honored with a "day" at Sunday's Packer-49er game in City Stadium. Tribute will be paid to Calhoun, who still serves as a member of the corporation's board of directors, in televised ceremonies to be held between halves. Calhoun, who called the first meeting of the Packers back in 1919, was an original incorporator of the club in 1922. When it was taken over by Green Bay businessmen headed by A.B. Turnbull a year later, he became secretary and publicity director, a dual capacity in which he served until 1940. During those early days, he not only wrote all the publicity but personally passed the hat that provided the Packers' only income. He gave up the secretaryship in 1940, but continued as publicity director through 1946...A telecast will emanate from historic City Stadium for the last time Sunday. Only Packer league games are TV'd under their agreement with and the Packers expect to be in their new West Side home for their 1957 NFL inaugural. Tomorrow's transmission, as in the past, will not be seen in the Green Bay area. The game also will be broadcast over Press-Gazette station WJPG with Earl Gillespie and Tony Flynn sharing the microphone...All stadium workers, gatemen, ushers and inside police today were reminded by H.J. Bero to report at City Stadium not later than 11:15 Sunday morning. Kickoff for the Packer-49er game will be 1:05...Crisp football weather is predicted by Weatherman Herb Bomalaski. He promises clear skies with temperatures in the 30's and a possibility that it might climb into the 40's. This would be a far cry from the Packers' last meeting with San Francisco here in 1950 when the Western Division rivals battled in a raging blizzard.

BAY WOMAN, 49ER TO BE HONORED FOR FIRE HEROISM

NOV 17 (Green Bay) - A Green Bay woman will be one of two persons to be honored Sunday between halves of the Packer-49er game for her part in a rescue during a house fire last January. Mrs. Malcolm McGillivray, 1323 S. Chestnut, will receive an award from the Milwaukee Smoke Eaters' Club, an organization sponsored by the Milwaukee County Industrial Fire Chiefs' Assn. The other award recipient will be John Henry Johnson, halfback for the 49ers. Mrs. McGillivray saved her 14-month old daughter Jo Ann from a fire which destroyed the three family home at 605 S. Jefferson St. The two other families escaped safely. Two older children were also helped from the burning home by their mother. According to fire department officials, the blaze apparently started

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when a hot plate fell off a table. The child was lying in her mother's bed in the same room at the time the fire started. The baby's bed also in the same room at the time the fire started. The baby's bed also in the same room was engulfed by flames before the mother reached the scene. When the fire broke out, Mrs. McGillivray was at a nearby grocery store. A fourth child, Arlene, 5, ran to her mother at the store telling of the fire. Mrs. McGillivray ran home and saved Mike, 3, Jimmy, two months, and Jo Ann. Mrs. McGillivray received burns about the face and Jo Ann suffered first and second degree burns about the head and body. Johnson rescued a woman from a burning apartment in Oakland, Calif., after fumes from a cleaning fluid she was using exploded when ignited by a nearby gas heater. Johnson was living in a lower apartment at the time and heard the woman screaming. He dashed into her apartment which was burning fiercely by that time. He carried the woman to safety and then dashed back to his own apartment which at that time had filled with smoke. His wife, Barbara, 22, fainted and she too was carried outside. At the time, Johnson was on the injured list for the 49ers. He received a shoulder separation two weeks earlier in the game with the Los Angeles Rams, and his shoulder had been placed in a cast. Walter Kessler, a representative of the Smoke Eaters' Club, will make the presentation to both Mrs. McGillivray and Johnson. A squad of firemen from the Green Bay Fire Dept. will be in attendance. Fire Chief Dave Zuidmulder will give a brief report on the fire department's action at the fire scene. The day will be quite eventful for Jo Ann McGillivray. In addition to her mother receiving the national award, Jo Ann will be celebrating her second birthday.

PACKERS TRY FOR THIRD WIN AGAINST 49ERS SUNDAY

NOV 17 (Green Bay) - The Packers make their fourth attempt to score that elusive third victory at City Stadium Sunday afternoon. And they'll have to do it at the expense of the San Francisco Forty Niners who will be making their fifth try at Win No. 2. It will be quite an history occasion since this will be the Packers' last NFL game in the present stadium. They expect to play in the new stadium on the west side in '57. The Packers hope to kiss the ancient arena goodbye with a victory - a fitting windup to hundreds of battles on the hallowed turf down through the years. And they want to put a bright mark on the 1956 City Stadium league report card which shows two X's - a 20-16 loss to Detroit and a 37-21 loss to the Chicago Bears. A crowd of over 20,000 is expected to watch the Packers make their bid. Kickoff is set for 1:05 and the weather will be clear, with temperatures pushing 40 - a delightful day compared to the roaring blizzard that greeted the Packers and Forty Niners the last time they played here in '50. The Packers enter the game with successive losses to Baltimore, Cleveland and the Bears. The Forty Niners have dropped successive games to the Bears, Detroit, the Bears, Detroit (quite a diet) and the Los Angeles Rams since they dumped the Rams. The visitors, obviously, have completed the "murder" part of their schedule in view of the fact that four of their last five games were against the two teams leading the Western division - Detroit and the Bears. That serves as a stern warning to the Packers. Sunday's battle shapes up as something of a tossup because of the Forty Niners' excellent showing against the top dogs - especially Detroit, which was lucky to escape with wins in 24-21 and 20-17 games. Bot h the Packers and Forty Niners have given up a lot of points - 204 against Frisco and 197 against Green Bay, which means that Sunday's game could be quite an offensive show. It also means that the teams showing the most defense might win. Packer coach Liz Blackbourn will give his promising rookie quarterback, Bart Starr, his first start Sunday and has included two other first-year men in the opening backfield, Jack Losch at left half and Bill Roberts at right half, with veteran Howie Ferguson at fullback. Liz will back up this crew with his veteran backfield of Tobin Rote at quarterback, Joe Johnson and/or Ferguson at left half, Fred Cone at fullback and Al Carmichael at right half. The rest of the offense is in the hands of Billy Howton and Gary Knafelc and a line that had had its ups and downs opening holes and giving the QB's protection. The Forty Niners, headquartering at the Northland Hotel tonight, present a fearsome offense in such gents as Y.A. Tittle, Earl Morrall, Hugh McElhenny, Joe Perry, John Henry Johnson, Joe Arenas, Billy Wilson and Gordon Soltau - not to mention the front wall. McElhenny has regained his previous form, judging by his No. 4 ranking in league rushing. The Packer defense, also up and down this season, should get a lift, chiefly on pass plays, from experienced Ken Gorgal, who was obtained from the Bears. He'll labor at a cornerbacker spot across from Hank Gremminger and in front of Bobby Dillon and Val Joe Walker. This will be the 11th Packer-Forty Niner game. Frisco won seven and Gren Bay scored three wins. The Bays won the first game of the series in '50, but the Forty Niners won the next seven before the Packers won both battles last season. 

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