Preseason: Green Bay Packers (2-1) 45, Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) 28
Saturday August 29th 1959 (at Portland, OR)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(PORTLAND, OR) - Green Bay still holds that magic touch over the Philadelphia Eagles. Saturday night was no exception as the Packers rolled to a 45-28 victory over the Eagles in a non-league game here. Green Bay has won 14 out of 15 league starts against the Eagles and most non-leaguers. The Green Bay offense was in high gear - but Coach Vince Lombardi wasn't too pleased with the defense. "We're not aggressive enough on defense," Lombardi said after his club won its second preseason game in three starts. It was the Packer ground game that overcame the arm of Norm Van Brocklin, playing before many of the same fans who watched him perform when he led the University of Oregon. Oddly enough, it was a former Oregon State star - quarterback Joe Francis - who helped punch Green Bay into a 31-14 halftime lead. Green Bay gained 220 yards on the ground and not one of its touchdowns came on passes in the battle witnessed by 25,546 fans. The six touchdowns were split among six players. But what didn't please Lombardi, beginning his first year as Packer head coach, was the 404 yards the Eagles piled up through the air by completing 26 of 43 passes. And three of those passes were for touchdowns. In the end, Lombardi could thank a second period onslaught that brought three touchdowns and a field goal within six minutes. Pass interceptions figured int wo of the touchdowns. Four Packers carried the brunt of that running game - Lew Carpenter, Howard Ferguson, Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor. Lombardi says that one of the four Green Bay quarterbacks will have to be trimmed from the squad. But, after the game, he said he didn't know which one. He has Lamar McHan, Babe Parilli, Bart Starr and Francis to do the signal calling. Saturday night only Francis and Starr played and Francis, a tailback in Oregon State's single-wing attack two years ago, hit on 6 of 8 passes for 167 yards. "I was surprised by Francis," Lombardi said after the game. "I may wait until after the next three games to make the decision." A Francis pass to halfback Alex Hawkins for 53 yards set up the first Green Bay score with Hornung sprinting over right guard for a 7-0 lead. It ended an 80-yard drive. It failed to hold up as the Eagles came back late in the quarter with the tying score on a pass from Van Brocklin to Walt Kowalczyk for seven yards and the touchdown. Then the Eagles got their only lead of the game early in the second quarter - a 44 yard pass from Van Brocklin to Tommy McDonald. Then the roof fell in on the Eagles. Within six minutes this happened: Lew Carpenter climaxed an 80-yard march by plunging over for the touchdown from the two-yard line. Hornung kicked a 21-yard field goal following an Eagle fumble. Halfback Don McIlhenny went four yards for a score after Bob Freeman had intercepted a pass. And less than a minute later, Freeman snagged another Van Brocklin pass and raced 30 yards down the sidelines for a touchdown. That made it 31-14 at halftime, and the Eagles never could come back. The Packers added another touchdown midway in the third period on a 97-yard drive as Taylor romped over from the four. Philadelphia came back with a touchdown on a 17-yard pass from Van Brocklin to McDonald. Philadelphia pulled to 38-28 early in the final period when Clarence Peaks smashed over from the two, but the Packers added another score midway in the quarter on a one-yard plunge by Ferguson. It was the Eagles' second loss in three preseason starts.
GREEN BAY - 7 24 7 7 - 45
PHILADELPHIA - 7 7 7 7 - 28
SCORING
1ST - GB - Paul Hornung, 10-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
1ST - PHIL - Tommy McDonald, 44-yd pass from Norm Van Brocklin (Dick Bielski kick) TIED 7-7
2ND - PHIL - McDonald, 17-yard pass from Van Brocklin (Bielski kick) PHILADELPHIA14-7
2ND - GB - Lew Carpenter, 2-yard run (Hornung kick) TIED14-14
2ND - GB - Hornung, 21-yard field goal GREEN BAY 17-14
2ND - GB - Don McIlhenny, 4-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 24-14
2ND - GB - Bobby Freeman, 30-yard interception return (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 31-14
3RD - GB - Jim Taylor, 4-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 38-14
3RD - PHIL - Clarence Peaks, 2-yard run (Bielski kick) GREEN BAY 38-21
4TH - GB - Howie Ferguson, 1-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 45-21
4TH - PHIL - Walt Kowalczyk, 5-yard pass from Van Brocklin (Bobby Walston kick) GREEN BAY 45-28
GREEN BAY PHILADELPHIA
First Downs 21 24
Rushing-Yards-TD 37-220-5 28-63-1
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 16-8-185-0-0 43-26-404-3-4
Sack Yards Lost
Total Yards 405 467
Fumbles-lost 3 1
Turnovers 3 5
Yards penalized 41 65
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Paul Hornung 6-45 1 TD, Jim Tayloe 6-42 1 TD, Howie Ferguson 11-42 1 TD, Lew Carpenter 6-40 1 TD, Alex Hawkins 2-23, Tim Brown 2-3, Don McIlhenny 2-10, Bart Starr 1-3, George Dixon 1-4
PHILADELPHIA - Walt Kowalczyk 9-45, Theron Sapp 11-26, Clarence Peaks 6-8 1 TD, Norm Van Brocklin 1-7, Sonny Jurgenson 2-0
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Joe Francis 8-6-167, Bart Starr 7-2-18, Paul Hornung 1-0-0
PHILADELPHIA - Norm Van Brocklin 40-24-378 3 TD 3 INT, Sonny Jurgenson 3-2-26 1 INT, Clarence Peaks 1-0-0
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Max McGee 4-52, Steve Meilinger 3-54, George Dixon 3-24, Gary Knafelc 2-8 1 TD
SAN FRANCISCO - Billy Wilson 5-95, Hugh McElhenny 3-33, Clyde Conner 3-27, Joe Perry 2-23, Fred Dugan 2-25, R.C. Owens 1-39, Jim Pace 1-17, J.D. Smith 1-13
SEEKS EXPANSION TO 2 TEXAS CITIES IN '61
AUG 29 (Houston) - George Halas, owner of the Chicago Bears, and Art Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, announced Saturday they would recommend to the NFL an expansion of the league to include the cities of Houston and Dallas to begin play in 1961. Halas is chairman of the expansion committee of the NFL. The two owners said that they expected the recommendation would receive consideration at the league's annual meeting next January. Halas said three groups of Texas businessmen with "virtually unlimited financial resources" would apply for franchises at the next league meeting. "Two groups are applying for Dallas and one for Houston," Halas revealed. "Prospects are excellent that franchises will be awarded to the two Texas cities, raising the number of teams from 12 to 14 in 1961." Houston's franchise will depend on the construction of a proposed new stadium authorized by the voters in July 1958. The new franchises will be created by transferring experienced players from other NFL teams, Halas explained. The new clubs also will be given extra choices in the annual draft of college players. "A strong nucleus of experienced players is a must for any new franchise," Halas added. "Our aim is to expand by creating strong teams capable of maintaining the high quality of competition that prevails among all 12 teams in the NFL." Halas brought the Bears to Houston for a preseason game with the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday
night. Starting his 40th season in professional football, the veteran Bear coach is the only member of the group which founded the NFL in 1919 still active in the sport. Commenting on the league's expansion plans, Halas said, "The last five years have been a period of consolidation during which every team has been strengthened. Now every team is strong, competition and attendance is at an all-time high, and the time has come to inaugurate a sound expansion program. The next five years will be a period of expansion, starting with the creation of two new franchises, and present plans call for the first franchises to be awarded to Houston and Dallas." Halas also said the NFL was interested in the following cities: Minneapolis-St. Paul, Boston, Buffalo, Miami, Louisville, New Orleans and Denver.
BELL TELLS 'EM: ANY CITY IS FAIR GAME
AUG 30 (Atlantic City) - Vacationing Bert Bell, commissioner of the NFL, Sunday pushed aside the "reserved" signs hung on Houston and Dallas on the newly-organized American Football League. "Any city in the country is fair game for either league," Bell said. The commissioner's comments were in answer to millionaire oilman Lamar Hunt, financial baker for the new league, who charged he was being victimized by "sabotage" from the NFL. Hunt's charge stemmed from a recommendation announced Saturday by George Halas, chairman of the NFL expansion committee, that Houston and Dallas be added to the NFL in 1961. The two cities are regarded as principal site already enlisted by the new league. "Nobody owns a city in this country," Bell said. "Any place is fair territory for our league, the second league - and if there is a third league - for it, too. That's what the anti-trust laws provide," he said. Bell stressed that he made no agreement with Hunt on any cities. The commissioner said he could not understand why Hunt was disturbed at the NFL's expansion plans in Houston and Dallas. "They're going in to New York and Los Angeles. We have team there, but we did not complain," he said.
PAUL BROWN SAYS 'NO'
AUG 30 (Columbus) - The Columbus Dispatch reported Saturday that a "reliable source" in Los Angeles said Coach Paul Brown of the Cleveland Browns has been offered the commissionership of the new AFL. Reached by phone, Brown's comment was: "It is flattering, but I'm not interested. I am under contract as coach and general mangers of the Browns for the next 10 years and I plan to fulfill that contract."
PROS ACCEPT WARFARE
AUG 30 (Houston) - The NFL expansion committee Saturday announced it will recommend Houston and Dallas - two of the cities already in the newly organized American Football League - for membership. It opened war on the new professional league and this was accepted Saturday night by the American League. Lamar Hunt of Dallas, organizer of the AFL, issued a statement which he said was concurred in by all members of his league. "The AFL has tried from its inception to operate its relationship with the NFL on the highest plane and with an amicable attitude on all matters," Hunt said. "It is now apparent that Mr. Halas (George Halas, NFL expansion committee chairman) and the NFL are not interested in this type of relationship but are interested in continuing the stalling and sabotaging efforts which has kept pro football out of Denver, Seattle, Minneapolis, Louisville, Buffalo, Dallas, Houston and Miami despite repeated efforts from these cities to expand the NFL." Hunt then declare that "the AFL stands as a group - not wanted by anyone except the American public - ready to play in 1960 and interested only in furthering the game of pro football." Halas and Art Rooney, Pittsburgh Steeler's owner, suggested 1961 for the expansion and said other cities are being considered for admission to the league after that.
PACK OBTAINS CARDS' NOLAN
AUG 31 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Besides winning a pair of game. the Packers added a new player and dropped three on their western trip. The Packers obtained defensive halfback Dick Nolan, a five-year veteran from the Chicago Cardinals in an exchange for an undisclosed draft choice. Dispatched via the waiver route wer Al Carmichael, a seven-year veteran, and rookies Billy Butler, a defensive halfback, and Gary Raud, a tackle. The squad is now down to 46 players, including veteran defensive back Bobby Dillon, who is scheduled to report Tuesday. Dillon recently came out of retirement. Due to report later this week is veteran linebacker Ray Nitschke, who is coming out of service. Nolan, onetime Maryland star, played four years with the Giants and was traded to the Cardinals after the 1957 season. He played last year with the Cards. he stands 6-1 and packs 185 pounds. The Packers returned him via their United Airlines charter at 10:10 from Portland. They held a light workout this morning. Two players missed practice this morning - Dan Currie and Jesse Whittenton. Currie suffered an ankle sprain and Whittenton a pulled muscle in the Eagle game.
MCHAN TO START AT QB VS. GIANTS
SEPT 1 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Now it's Lamar McHan's turn to start at quarterback for the Packers! Packer Coach Vince Lombardi, picking the former Cardinal veteran to pen against the Giants in Bangor, Me., Saturday night, said "he's the only one who hasn't started yet." Bart Starr opened against the Chicago Bears in the first non-league game, while the Bays lost 19-16; Babe Parilli started against the 49ers - a 24-17 winner for Green Bay; and sophomore Joe Francis opened against the Eagles last Saturday night, with the Pack winning 45-28. Lombardi was pleasantly surprised by Francis' performance in Portland, Ore., which is Joe's home territory. Handy Joe hadn't been looking good in practice with his passing, but he was remarkably on-target vs. Philly. "Maybe he's a game player," Lombardi pointed out after practice yesterday, indicating a type of player who looks bad in practice but good in the game. Vice noted, however, that Francis had looked good in practice Monday morning "so maybe he got his confidence from the game." Francis' showing presented a wonderful complication in Lombardi's quarterback plans, prompting Vince to remark today: "It's still a tossup among the four of them." The Bays have three non-leaguers left. After the Giant game, they play the Redskins in Winston-Salem, N.C., Sept. 12, and the Steelers in Minneapolis Sept. 20. The league opener against the Bears follows on Sept. 27. The Packers have scored 11 touchdowns - 10 by the offense and one directly by the defense. The defense, though the unit set up several TDs on interceptions and fumble recoveries, counted on Bob Freeman's 20-yard runback on an interception against the Eagles. Of those 10 offensive sixers, Francis presided at four, Starr three, McHan two and Parilli one. That may come as a surprise in view of the fact that Joe played in just two games last year (for any length) and saw no action this year until the Eagle test other than the Squad battle. Francis worked touchdown marches of 97, two at 80, and 23 yards. Starr had moves of 21 and 62 against the Bears and 42 vs. the Eagles. McHan performed TDs on advances of 34 and 6 against the 49ers. Parilli's TD came on a 73-yard drive against the 49ers. The four QBs tried 53 passes and completed 29 for 436 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Here's what they did:
ATT COMP YDS TD INT
Starr 20 9 85 2 2
McHan 14 4 60 1 0
Parilli 11 10 130 0 0
Francis 8 6 161 0 0
The three starters thus far each have a good point - Starr the most touchdown throws (2), Parilli the best completion percentage (90), and Francis the most years (161)...Bobby Dillon, fresh out of retirement, took his first workout with the Packers this morning. He arrived from Texas last night. The Packers now have 46 players in camp, including former Cardinal defensive back Dick Nolan...Defensive back Jesse Whittenton is in St. Vincent Hospital with a several hamstring (muscle) pull. He may be out two or three games. Jesse suffered the injury chasing Tommy McDonald in the Eagle game Saturday night. Linebacker Dan Currie sprained his ankle against the Eagles and may be out for a game or two...Bill Downes, veteran NFL referee, addressed the Packers today, explaining the rules and their intent. This is the first year since the early 1930s that the league is going into a season without even a minor rules change.
'GIANT GAME WILL TELL HOW GOOD WE ARE' - LOMBARDI
SEPT 1 (Milwaukee Sentinel) - Just how good are the Packers, winners of two out of three exhibition games? "We're further advanced than I had expected," Coach Vince Lombardi said Monday night. "But it's hard to tell how good we are because the opposition hasn't been too tough lately." Green Bay opened its preseason play with a 19-16 loss to the Bears. Then the Packers edged the 49ers, 24-17, at San Francisco and last Saturday walloped the Eagles, 45-28, at Portland, Ore. "I'll know a lot more when we play the Giants Saturday night," Lombardi said. The Packers meet the defending Eastern Conference champion at Bangor, Me. "If we can move against them," Lombardi continued. "It will make a believer out of me." Lombardi couldn't help praising his club's blocking and running attacks. But he said "silly mistakes" still are cropping up too often. "We'd have been killed in a tough ball game," Lombardi explained. "Fumbles and dropped balls - you can't make mistakes like these against the Colts, Bears and Rams." The Packers went on their biggest scoring rampage since 1945 in beating the Eagles at Portland. However, Lombardi said "outside of quarterback Norm Van Brocklin and halfback Tommy McDonald, the Eagles had
little to offer. Their defense was poor." Bobby Dillon, the All-Pro safetyman who decided to come out of retirement, checked in at the St. Norbert camp Monday night. He should help shore up the pass defense, which allowed the Eagles to gain a fantastic 404 yards. Lombardi's biggest problem at the moment is deciding on which men to cut. He pointed to the halfback spot where three veterans and three rookies are battling it out. Veterans Paul Hornung, Don McIlhenny and Lew Carpenter have been running like scared rabbits. Rookies Alex Hawkins, George Dixon and Tim Brown have been just as effective. Lombardi said three will have to go, but which three? Apparently, the Packers taskmaster is satisfied with his four quarterbacks - Bart Starr, Babe Parilli, Joe Francis and Lamar McHan. Starr, Parilli and Francis couldn't miss in their starting roles. McHan, who has been plagued with a sore arm, will get his first chance against the Giants. Is he interested in obtaining another quarterback, say one from the overloaded Giants? "Heck, no," Lombardi said. "We have just as good material as anything we could get from them." Lombardi said Howie Ferguson, who was rejected by the Steelers because he couldn't pass a physical exam, is as eager as any rookie to make the squad. "He was rusty against the Eagles," Lombardi pointed out, "but he was running very well. But, brother, was he sore after that first game." The Packers, 46 strong, will leave for Maine Friday. Linebacker Dan Currie, hobbled with bad ankles, and defensive halfback Jesse Whittenton, sidelined with a painful pulled hamstring muscle, will miss the affair with New York.
DILLON, EM TUNNELL BOOST PACKERS' DEFENSIVE SAVVY
SEPT 2 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers - with two men - can field more pro experience at defensive safety than any club in the league. In fact, no club can come even close to matching the combined 18 years of NFL wars possessed by Bobby Dillon and Emlen Tunnell, who were united Tuesday when Dillon took part in his first drill. Tunnell, the 33-yeard old veteran of 11 seasons with the Giants, was supposed to soften the blow resulting from the retirement of Dillon last year, but Dillon saw his way clear to return for another year. So now the Packers have two all-pro defenders - one from each division, if you please. These two are starting on their combined 20th year in pro football- Tunnell his 12th and Dillon his eighth. The two pass-defense experts have intercepted the fantastic total of 125 enemy aerials. Tunnell bagged 74 in his 11 years; Dillon 51 in his 7. Em thus averaged a bit under 7; Bobby a bit over 7. Tunnell, a physical marvel, is 33 years of age - or more. He was born on March 29 of 1926 (?). Dillon is 29, as of last Feb. 23. Dillon looks in terrific condition, as he put it, "I've got to get my wind back." Bobby reported at 191 pounds, which is only two pounds under his 1958 playing weight. Tunnell, by the way, is recovering in a hurry from a broken bone in his hand. He was hurt in the Bear opener and stayed out of the 49er test. He played three quarters in the Eagle game last Saturday. Not counting Dick Nolan, the defensive back obtained from the Cards, the Packers have six veteran defensive backs with a total of 28 years of pro experience under their belts. The six will be going on a composite 34 years, including the Dillon-Tunnell 20. Jesse Whittenton and Hank Gremminger each have played three seasons and Bobby Freeman and Johnny Symank two each. Symank is going on his third with the Pack and Freeman his first here after two with the Browns. Whittenton played two years with the Rams, one game with the Bears in '58 and the remainder with the Packers. Gremminger is now in his fourth Packer campaign. These four intercepted a total of 31 passes. Symank, with nine in his rookie season, stole 10 in two seasons while Freeman has six in two. Gremminger intercepted 10 in three seasons and Whittenton five in three...Two players were placed on waivers today - veteran Al Romine, who had been working at offensive end after earlier service as a defensive back, and rookie Bobby Jackson, a defensive back. The squad is now down to 44 players, not counting Ray Nitschke, the veteran linebacker who is due out of the service next week. He will report to the team at Winston-Salem, N.C., where the Packers will play the Redskins a week from Saturday night. The club must cut to 43 by next Tuesday...Andy Cvercko, the offensive guard-tackle from Northwestern, is working some at defensive tackle in preparation for the Giant game in Bangor, Me., Saturday night. Tom Saidock, a defensive tackle, has a problem knee. This leaves Dave Hanner, Jerry Helluin and Ed Buckingham to man defensive tackle...The Packers looked at Giant plays in practice Tuesday and the maneuvers were "strangely" familiar to Lombardi, who coached and installed them during his five-year stay with the New Yorkers. The Bangor game looms as the stiffest for the Packers since the Giants, defending Eastern champs, are starting to roll - as indicated by their 31 to 0 victory over the Lions...The Packer board of directors will eat dinner with the Packers at their St. Norbert College training quarters this evening and then follow with a meeting. Wednesday Night is a no-meeting night for the Packers - if they have a good practice in the morning. On other days, the Packers practice in the morning and meet in the afternoon and night.
GIANTS NARROW QB PICK FOR SAT. BANGOR GAME
SEPT 2 (Bear Mountain, NY) - Maine pro football fans won't see as many Giant quarterbacks when the New York team plays Green Bay in Bangor Saturday night. That's one trend which became a sharp one here since the Giants returned to their training base following their fine 38-0 victory over Detroit last Saturday. The shakedown begins to point to George Shaw and Charley Conerly, one a star with Baltimore, the other the great 38 year old veteran of the Giants doing most of the quarterbacking Saturday...GIFFORD CATCHING: Between the two, they completed nine out of 14 passes against Detroit Saturday. Conerly had 7 of 11 of these, two for touchdowns. Those two TD passes are two reasons why Frank Gifford, the all-league halfback will devote more time to his old position and less to the quarterbacking experiment. He caught them, one for 25 yards and the other for 31. There will be considerable interest in how much or how little playing will be done by Don Heinrich, who is fighting to keep the job he had in the past, of splitting the quarterbacking with Conerly. There are rumors that he'll be traded. The team you hear most often is the one the Giants play Saturday, the Green Bay Packers...N.Y. AT PEAK: The Giants will be in much better condition Saturday than they have been for weeks. Four injured players who missed the Detroit game will be ready for action. They are Jack Stroud, regular offensive guard; Phil King, the halfback; Cliff Livingston, linebacker, and Sid Williams, defensive back. Bobby Dillon, Green Bay's great defensive halfback has decided to come out of retirement and will be in the lineup when the Packers meet the Giants at Bangor. Dillon owns and operates the Bobby Dillon Sports Renovating service and is also sales manager for a plastic firm in his hometown of Temple, Texas. In seven seasons with the Packers, Dillon won all pro honors every year except his rookie season in 1952. During those seven seasons Dillon had intercepted 52 enemy passes. He was the number three draft choice of the Packers in 1952 after winning All-American honor at the University of Texas. He is handicapped by having just one eye. Dillon will team with another of the NFL's greatest defenders in Emlen Tunnell, formerly of the Giants and purchased by the Packers this season after Dillon had first decided to retire. Together Dillon and Tunnell could easily make the finest pair of safetymen this strong NFL have ever known. Tunnell walked into the Giants camp in 1948 and had to ask for a tryout. He was later to become one of the all time defensive stars in the league. Tunnell holds the record for interceptions with 73 and has played in 116 consecutive NFL games. Tunnell is beginning his 11th pro season. Between the two defensive safeties they have intercepted 125 enemy passes.
PACKERS WORK ON N.Y. PLAYS
SEPT 2 (Green Bay) - The Packers ran through a dummy scrimmage against New York plays Wednesday and then worked on the offense they will use Saturday against the Giants in an exhibition game at Bangor, Maine. Backfield Coach Red Cochran said quarterbacks Lamar McHan, who will start the game and Babe Parilli looked especially good in the Packer pass patterns. The Packers trimmed two more players from the squad, asking waivers on defensive halfback Alton Romine, a three-year veteran, and Bobby Jackson, Alabama rookie who played on the College All-Star squad. The cuts left Green Bay with 44 men, nine more than the September 22 player limit. Cochran said none of the three players on the Green Bay injury list, linebacker Dan Currie, defensive halfback Jesse Whittenton and defensive tackle Tom Saidock, will be able to play against the Giants.
HELLUIN PUT ON WAIVERS; PACKERS GO EAST FRIDAY
SEPT 3 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Jerry Helluin, the Packers' veteran defensive tackle, has been placed on waivers. The announcement was made today by Coach Vince Lombardi. The club now is down to two experienced defensive tackle - Dave Hanner, an all-pro in most of his seven Packer seasons, and Tom Saidock, the former Eagles who has been hobbled on a wobbly knee since the first camp scrimmage. Saidock may miss the Giant game in Bangor, Maine. Saturday night. Two freshmen are trying out at the position - Andy Cvercko, the Northwestern ace who started out as an offensive linemen and then was shifted, and Ed Buckingham of Minnesota, who has shown promises at times. Norm Mastgers, an offensive tackle, also can play on defense. There are three other defensive linemen - ends Nate Borden, Nate Quinlan and Jim Temp. Lombardi now has cut three Packer veterans in the last seven days. Al Carmichael, who was starting on his seventh year, was dispatched last week in Portland, Ore., and is now trying out in Canada. Al Romine, who shifted between end and defensive halfback in the last three years here, was cut Wednesday. Helluin was starting his eighth year in pro football. The former Tulane star was the Browns' third draft choice in 1952. He alternated between tackle and guard for two seasons with the Browns. He was traded to Green Bay for a third draft choice in 1954. Helluin teamed up with Hanner to give the Packers two of the
best at their position. Jerry suffered a shoulder separation in the Eagle non-league game here a year ago and missed the entire season. J.D. Kimmel, the former Redskin, paired with Hanner in '58 but retired this year. The Packer roster is now down to 43 players, not counting Ray Nitschke, who is scheduled to join the club in Winston-Salem. N.C. The next cut - to 43, must be made by the day after Labor Day, which is next Tuesday...Remember Ollie Spencer? And Ken Russell? Spencer was traded to the Lions for Russell when Ollie didn't want to leave the Detroit area for business reasons. Russell came to Green Bay, took part in about five practices and quit camp. He wound up in the Cleveland Brown camp but left after a few days with a shoulder injury. Now Russell shows up at Detroit? So the Lions have two ex-Packers at offensive right tackle. NFL Commissioner Bert Bell has ruled that the Lions owe the Packers something or somebody, which means a draft choice or a player. Maybe all of this is a blessing in disguise in for the Pack. Offensive line coach Bill Austin shifted Forrest Gregg from left guard-tackle to fill the hole vacated by Spencer and Russell. And Gregg has been terrific in the new spot...REMARK OF THE WEEK: One of the players was looking for a drink of water during practice the other day. Property Chief Dad Braisher snickered: "Water? Water's been put out on waivers." Water is taboo during practice...BRIEFS: The Packers leave for Bangor, Me., from Austin Straubel Field At 11 o'clock Friday morning in a chartered United Airlines plane, with Capt. Don (Bud) Smith, a real Green Bayite and Packer Backer, at the controls. Smith is scheduled to pilot all of the Packers' charter trips. Capt. Asbury (Red) Coward, athletic director at Navy, watched Packer practice with his father-in-law, Ralph C. Smith, Wednesday. Noting the size of the Packers, Red said that "the college linemen are getting bigger, too." After practice, the captain chatted with Lombardi, an aide at Army for five years. The Packers are in need of furnished apartments or homes. Call the Packer office, Hemlock 2-4873, with any rentals. Three players will miss the Giant game because of injuries - Saidock, Dan Currie and Jesse Whittenton.
HORNUNG, GIFFORD IN FIRST 'COMPARISON' IN BANGOR TILT
SEPT 4 (Bangor, ME-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Frank Hornung and Paul Gifford should keep an eye on each other when the Packers play the Giants here Saturday night. Something wrong? Of course, it's Paul Hornung of the Pack and Frank Gifford of the Gi'nts. Well, they both play the same position - left (or option) halfback. And Hornung is being trained by the man who nursed Gifford along for five years. That would be Vince Lombardi who was Giant backfield coach before he took over the Packers. Lombardi spotted Hornung as a possible option halfback when the show was flying last winter. And all Vince knew about Packer personnel then was what he saw in the movies. Now comes the first of two Hornung-Gifford comparisons. This hardly seems fair because Gifford has been operating since Paul was a prepster, but at least they'll be on the same field. The next comparison will be in New York on Nov. 1, with the blue chips at stake. Hornung can get an idea by just watching Gifford, while Frank might keep his eyes on Paul, too, because the ex-Notre Damer has an added bit of fullback in him. Hornung can plunge like a FB when necessary, although the halfback type of running is best for the position. The option back must do four things well - run, catch passes, pass and think in a hurry. Hornung has been staying out overtime after an occasional practice to throw passes and catch them. Gifford's ability to decide - in a hurry - when to pass or throw is his long suit. Hornung is out to develop this valuable characteristic. Gifford is fresh from a quarterback binge. He got the idea he wanted to play quarterback this year. That ended when he was unable to move the Giants much against Detroit last Saturday. Hornung is a fugitive from two positions - quarterback as a rookie in 1957 and fullback as a sophomore in '58. Lombardi changed that and Paul's biggest test will come against the Giants, who
have one of the best defenses in pro football...Lombardi is undecided on his right halfback starter. It will be George Dixon, Tim Brown or Alex Hawkins. The three rookies have carried a total of 16 times, with Brown making 74 yards in 6 trips, Dixon 27 in 7 and Hawkins 18 in 3. Don McIlhenny is the veteran at the position. Also due for a test is Dave Smith, the rookie fullback from Ripon. Smith carried the ball just once, losing a yard against the 49ers. Jim Taylor is the Pack's leading ground gainer for the past three games, with 156 yards in 38 attempts. Paul Hornung is second with 108 in 18...The Packers left Austin Straubel Field via United Airlines charter at 11 o'clock this morning after a workout. They will headquarter at the Bangor House here tonight and Saturday night and then leave Sunday morning, via the charter, for Greensboro, N.C., where they'll prepare for the Redskin game in Winston-Salem a week from Saturday night.
KRAMER TO JOIN PACKERS NEXT WEEK
SEPT 4 (Milwaukee Sentinel) - The pieces continue to fall in the right places for Packer Coach Vince Lombardi. No sooner did he arrive in Bangor, Maine, Friday with his 43-man squad for Saturday night's game with the Giants (7 p.m. WTMJ) that he received the most welcomed news that end Ron Kramer will join the club next Wednesday at their Greensboro, N.C. training camp. Kramer, an All-American at Michigan, telephoned Lombardi that he has been released from the Air Force. Kramer said he would take his family to their Detroit home and then immediately join the Packers. He was used as a slotback during his rookie year (1957) with the Packers. Lombardi, however, dreamed of the day of getting Kramer for his tight end. "He's the man for the job," Lombardi said often. "He can block and he can catch - but he's no good to us in service." Kramer broke his leg in the last game of the '57 season and decided not to play service football. Kramer is the second veteran to return - safetyman Bobby Dillon, joining the club last Monday. Linebacker Ray Nitschke, who had a terrific season his rookie year, also will report to the Packers
The Packers left Austin Straubel Field via United Airlines charter at 11 o'clock this morning after a workout. They will headquarter at the Bangor House here tonight and Saturday night and then leave Sunday morning, via the charter, for Greensboro, N.C., where they'll prepare for the Redskin game in Winston-Salem a week from Saturday night.
KRAMER TO JOIN PACKERS NEXT WEEK
SEPT 4 (Milwaukee Sentinel) - The pieces continue to fall in the right places for Packer Coach Vince Lombardi. No sooner did he arrive in Bangor, Maine, Friday with his 43-man squad for Saturday night's game with the Giants (7 p.m. WTMJ) that he received the most welcomed news that end Ron Kramer will join the club next Wednesday at their Greensboro, N.C. training camp. Kramer, an All-American at Michigan, telephoned Lombardi that he has been released from the Air Force. Kramer said he would take his family to their Detroit home and then immediately join the Packers. He was used as a slotback during his rookie year (1957) with the Packers. Lombardi, however, dreamed of the day of getting Kramer for his tight end. "He's the man for the job," Lombardi said often. "He can block and he can catch - but he's no good to us in service." Kramer broke his leg in the last game of he '57 season and decided not to play service football. Kramer is the second veteran to return - safetyman Bobby Dillon, joining the club last Monday. Linebacker Ray Nitschke, who had a terrific season his rookie year, also will report to the Packers next week. Nitschke completed his six month service stint. Against the Giants, the Packers will get the stiffest test of the preseason fling. Victorious in their last two starts, the Packers are a five-point underdog. "If we can beat the Giants," Lombardi said, "well, maybe I'll believe we have something." Lombardi, who was instrumental in building the Giants into champs, knows the New Yorkers like a book. It will be interesting to see if Green Bay's surprising ground attack can roll against such stalwarts as Andy Robustelli and Dick Modzelewski or if the Packers can spring ends against Sam Huff and Jim Patton. "Our pass defense was terrible against the Packers," Lombardi recalled. "Our secondary seemed to play by ear, like a piano player playing without music." Dillon should help shore that weakness, but he is expected to see little action against the Giants. New York will start rookie quarterback Lee Grosscup, the fabled passer from Utah State. The Packers will counter with Lamar McHan, the slingshot fugitive from Chicago. So far every starting quarterback has impressed Lombardi so much that he has been unable to name a No. 1 passer. Bart Starr directed the team in their 19-16 loss to the Bears in the last 41 seconds. Babe Parilli directed a 24-17 victory over the 49ers and Joe Francis was at the controls in the Bay's 45-28 romp over the Eagles. Lombardi will have to cut one. And now it's McHan's chance.
PACKERS ON SPOT - GIANTS FIVE POINT PICK
SEPT 5 (Milwaukee Sentinel) - A Packer victory over the Giants Saturday night at Bangor, Maine, would make a believer out of Vince Lombardi. Although his team has raised hopes in Packerland with a better performance in each outing, Lombardi is not sold, not yet. Lombardi was instrumental in building the Giants to the championship loft before he left a "lifetime job" to take over as coach and general manager of the rundown Packers. He knows the Giants like a book. "If we can beat the Giants," Lombardi said before the Packers left Green Bay Friday morning for the East, "well, maybe I would believe we have something good
New York Giants great Pat Summerall kicks the ball as Anthony Rogera of P. Ballantine Inc. holds in the pregame workout on Sept. 4, 1959, in Bangor. Ed McInnis of the Bangor Jaycees witnesses Summerall's boot into the uprights.
J. Dan Baldwin (second from left), executive director of Bangor's quasquicentennial celebration, hugs a football as he arrives in Bangor after closing negotiations to bring the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers to Bangor for a pro football exhibition Saturday, Sept. 5, 1959. Shown welcoming Baldwin are (from left) Gordon W. Clapp, chairman of quasquicentennial steering committee; Anthony J. Rogers, local distributor for co-sponsor P. Ballantine & Sons; and Edward J. McInnis, vice president of the Maine Junior Chamber of Commerce, another sponsor
going here." The Packers lost to the Bears, 19-16, in the last 41 seconds. Green Bay then defeated the 49ers, 24-17, and last Saturday walloped the Eagles, 45-28. The Giants are listed as five point favorites. It will be interesting to see if the Packers can continue their surprising ground game against such stalwarts as Andy Robustelli and Dick Modzelewski or spring receivers against Sam Huff and Jim Patton. The Packers' defense was riddled last week by sharp shooting Norm Van Brocklin, who had a field day hitting 24 of 40 targets for 378 yards. "Our pass defense was terrible," Lombardi said. "Our secondary was playing by ear, like a piano player playing without music." However, with Bobby Dillon back in the fold, Lombardi's problem will be partly solved. Dillon rejoined the club last Monday and, although he needs more work to get his wind back, he will see some action against the Giants. New York will start rookie quarterback Lee Grosscup, the fabled passer from Utah. If he falters, Coach Jim Lee Howell can send in George Shaw, the fugitive from Baltimore, old pro Charlie Conerly and the ace relief man, Don Heinrich. Lamar McHan, the untested slingshot who was obtained from the Cardinals, will direct Green Bay's attack. Lombardi has four quarterbacks in camp. He's tried to come up with a No. 1 passer, but each candidate has been slightly phenomenal when given the starting assignment. Linebacker Ray Nitschke will rejoin the club when it sets up camp at Winston-Salem, N.C., following the Giants game. Nitschke has completed his six month service stint. His presence will raise the club's roster to 44. The Packers will battle the Redskins at Winston-Salem a week from Saturday and then set up a two week camp at Oakton Manor, Pewaukee Lake.
KRAMER DISCHARGED! PACKERS VS, GIANTS TONIGHT
SEPT 5 (Bangor, ME-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Ron Kramer is out of service. He'll join the club in Greensboro, N.C., next Wednesday. The fierce-playing offensive end called Packer Coach Vince Lombardi from an Air Force base in Virginia Friday evening with word that he had received his discharge. Lombardi, making the announcement from the Pack's headquarters at the Bangor House here, said Kramer will drive his family to Detroit over the weekend and then fly to Greensboro. The Packer coach said he plans to install Ron at "that tight end" position. A murderous blocker and good pass catcher, Kramer is a natural for the position. He played slot back, a similar spot as a rookie in '57 and ranked second in pass catching, snagging 28 for 337 yards. Kramer was the Packers' first draft choice in '57. The Michigan All-American entered the Air Force the day after the football season began last year, thus playing just one season. He stayed out of service football since he was recovering from a broken leg and surgery. Kramer's return helped soup up the Packers for their tough non-league game against the Giants here tonight. Nearly 20,000 fans are expected for the classic, featuring the Packers' drive for a third straight win and the Giants' bid for No. 2 after a 31-0 beating of Detroit. Kickoff is set for for 7 o'clock, Packer time, and the game can be heard on WJPG. With Kramer coming back, the Packers now have six offensive ends and that points up the Bays' two offensive end starters - Boyd Dowler, the good-looking rookie from Colorado, and Steve Meilinger, the all-around veteran. Following them will be Max McGee, Gary Knafelc and A.D. Williams. One other rookie and a key newcomers will start on offense - George Dixon, the freshman at right halfback, and Lamar McHan, the former Cardinal, at quarterback. Two other newcomers will be tried at right half - Tim Brown and Alex Hawkins, while rookie Dave Smith will be tested at fullback. One rookie will start on defense - big Ed Buckingham, who will open in Jerry Helluin's left tackle spot. Helluin was placed on waivers Thursday. Working some behind Buckingham will be Norm Masters, switched from offense, and Jim Temp, moved over from defensive end. Also getting a quick look will be Bobby Dillon, the seven-year veteran who just reported Tuesday. He'll exchange with John Symank at right safety. Three players will be held out because of injuries - tackle Tom Saidock, linebacker Dan Currie and halfback Jesse Whittenton. Currie could play, if necessary. The rugged Giants, rolling now after a slow start, are expected to give the Packers their toughest test of the early campaign. If the Bays can run and pass on the Giants and if they can hold down the Giants' scoring machine, the Packers and their fans can do some "legal" howling. Both teams, however, are expected to play it standard in view of the fact that they'll clash during the league season. The Giants are expected to open at quarterback with George Shaw, the ex-Colt, while Frank Gifford will play at left halfback only. Gifford has discarded the QB idea. Also due for some quarterback duty is Lee Grosscup, the promising rookie who hurled a 55-yard touchdown pass in his only pitch against the Lions. Wearing a Giant uniform tonight will be Billy Butler, a former Packer rookie defensive back. The Packers will leave here Sunday morning for Greensboro, where they'll prepare next week for their battle against the Redskins in Winston-Salem, N.C., next Saturday night.
NO MILWAUKEE TV OF PACKERS IN GREEN BAY
SEPT 5 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Green Bay Packer games played in Green Bay will not be televised in the Milwaukee area this year. Milwaukee viewers will see four Packer out-of-town games, those at Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit and New York. The reason for the change was explained today by Vince Lombardi, Packer general manager and head coach: "Since the CBS outlet in Milwaukee has changed from WXIX-TV, a UHF station, to WITI-TV, a VHF station, Packer telecasts on the Milwaukee station will carry well north into Packer home territory," he said. "Instead of covering only the Milwaukee metropolitan area, they will not reach into the Fox River Valley and Lake Shore area almost to Green Bay itself. This would represent a serious invasion of the 75-mile limit which NFL teams have always observed. It would have a considerable effect on a large group of fans who attend games in Green Bay. We would very much like to have our fans in Milwaukee see the Green Bay games, but this is a situation which is beyond our control."
OTTAWA RIDERS SIGN AL ROMINE
SEPT 5 (Ottawa) - Al Romine, an end released by the Green Bay Packers of the NFL this week, has joined the Ottawa Rough Riders and probably will see action against the Toronto Argonauts on Sept. 13.
