Green Bay Packers (3-1) 45, Baltimore Colts (2-2) 7
Sunday October 8th 1961 (at Green Bay)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(GREEN BAY) - The 1961 Packers exploded for the first time Sunday. Paul Hornung lit the match. Baltimore received the full impact - a 45 to 7 blast before a highly-keyed audience of 38,669 in City Stadium Sunday afternoon. Hornung played some fabulous games in his football career. But none could compare with his performance this Indian summer day. Rapidly becoming the most exciting player in the NFL, the Horn scored 33 points on four touchdowns, one field goal and six extra points. He touchdowned on runs of 54, 1 and 10 yards and caught an eight-yard pass from Bart Starr for the other. That was the third-best one-game scoring performance in the history of the league and broke Don Hutson's Packer record of 31 set vs. Detroit in 1945. Besides scoring, Hornung ran 11 times for 111 yards; caught three passes for 28 yards, kicked off seven times - four deep in the end zone; threw a touchdown pass to Ron Kramer that was nullified by a penalty; and blocked for Bart Starr and Jim Taylor. The Horn and the Packers were all terrific, all the way. The treasured triumph was the Bays' third straight and zoomed them into a first place tie with the 49ers, who blanked the Rams. The two top dogs each have 3-1 records. Sunday's game marked the end of Green Bay's four-game homestand. And the first road contest looms right now as the Game of The Week - the Packers vs. Browns (each with 3-1) in Cleveland next Sunday! With Hornung rolling up the first 31 points, the Packers got off the ground with a 7-0 lead and then settled into a 7-7 tie in early in the second quarter before making it 17-7 at the half. It was 31-7 going into the last quarter when Willie Wood turned in the day's longest and most heart-stopping run, a 72-yard return of a punt for a touchdown that broke Paul's string, but the point kick broke the record. With some 10 minutes left in the game, Hornung's running mate, the powerful Taylor, cracked three yards off the left side for the sixth touchdown. While the Packers were almost matching their TD output of the first three games, the Bays' defense was likewise on the terrific side, with a one-touchdown allowance. The defending unit now has allowed only 34 points in four games and had a string of seven straight scoreless quarters (the last two of the 49er game, four vs. the Bears and the first Sunday) before Lenny Moore cracked one yard for a touchdown on the second play of the second quarter. The Pack's defense, facing football's finest quarterback in John Unitas, was led by all 11 regulars who played remarkably alert as a group. Linemen Bill Quinlan, Willie Davis, Hank Jordan and Dave Hanner kept deadly pressure on Unitas and in many cases forced him to throw early. Linebackers Bill Forester, Dan Currie and Ray Nitschke and secondarymen Jess Whittenton, Hank Gremminger, John Symank and Wood virtually clung to the receivers. The defense wound up with six interceptions, and one other was nullified by penalty, and recovered two fumbles. Whittenton intercepted two passes - both away from Unitas' favored target, Raymond Berry. Gremminger, Wood, Symank and Hanner each intercepted one while Symank and Currie each recovered a fumble. The defense kept taking the ball way so much that the Colts by interceptions or fumble recoveries never had to punt until early in the fourth quarter. And then, ironically, Wood took that punt back for a TD. Three of the interceptions and one fumble recovery set the stage for four Pack TDs. The Packers rolled up 368 yards, including 211 rushing and 157 on Starr's 13 completions in 25 attempts. Taylor finished with 82 yards in 13 trips. The Colts managed 300 yards, including 141 on Unitas' 11 completions in 24 attempts. Lamar McHan completed one in five while John Roach, who succeeded Starr late in the game, tried four with no luck. The crowd was as juiced up as the Packers. The third straight sellout never relaxed despite the lopsided score, apparently feeling the Packers would have the battle of their lives (which they did). The opening kickoff produced a groan. Tom Moore received and lost the handle, regaining it in mid-air just before he was tackled. Three official plays later, the Packers were in front 7-0. The Packers' first play from scrimmage set off the explosion. Taylor zipped outside left tackle for 17 yards to the Packer 42, with Norm Masters and Max McGee
doing the blocking. Taylor tried again for four and then Hornung took the ball the first time. He poked into Masters and then curved sharply to the left and raced down the east sideline for a touchdown. Jerry and Ron Kramer got the key blocks. It was 7-0 with only 2 minutes gone. The Colts reached sharply. Welch's 50-yard return of Hornung's kickoff and Hawkins' 15-yard run put them on the Packer 19. Unitas hit Moore with a 15-yard pass but the fleet back had the ball shaken when he was hit. Symank grabbed the ball and then lost it out of bounds on the four. The Bays had designs on a 96-yard TD drive and four long plays featured the push - runs of 16 and 12 yards by Taylor and Starr's completions of 15 yards to Boyd Dowler and 14 to McGee put the ball on the Colt 30 but Harrison intercepted Starr's tipped up pass on the Colt 25. Whittenton evened that interception by grabbing Unitas' long pass aimed at Berry but the Packers couldn't move either so Dowler punted. The Colts then put on a 72-yard, 10-play TD drive to tie the score. There were four key pays - Unitas passes to Moore, Berry and Joe Perry for 15, 14 and 13 yards and Hawkins' 15 yard run to the Packer 1. From there Moore hit center for the Colts' only TD of the day, Myhra's kick made it 7-7. The Packers started to move and the Colts didn't like it, judging by the roughing of Starr. A penalty for same gave the Pack a first down on the Colt 31 and it was turned into a 10-7 lead - on Hornung's 38-yard field goal. Whittenton was Jesse on the spot a moment later, snaring Unitas' pass near the east sideline and the Packers moved in for touchdown No. 2. The drive covered only 37 yards but required 12 plays, what with two penalties on the Pack and one on Baltimore. On the first play, Hornung wheeled to his left and arched a pass to Kramer, who galloped some 15 yards for a TD but an in-motion penalty killed it. Starr then threw to Taylor for 11 yards, but on the next play Starr was smeared for an 11-yard loss. Starr started to hit and the Packers moved for sure. He passed to McGee for 11 yards and then hit Dowler for 19 to the 7. Taylor bulled his way at left end to the one and then Hornung leaped over his own right tackle for the TD. The Colts got to the Packer 26 just before the half and then lost the ball on downs. In the last 12 seconds the Bays got close enough for a field goal but a penalty ruined the effort. The Packers really exploded in the third quarter, getting two touchdowns. On the opening kickoff, Lenny Lyles "collapsed" five yards in front of Nitschke on the 11 and three plays later Hanner intercepted Unitas' bumped pass and ran into the end zone. The play was stopped and the Packers took over on the Colt 8. After Hornung made zero at right tackle, he broke into the clear in the left corner of the end zone and took Starr's pass for the TD. It was 24-7 at 2:48 of the period. Gremminger's interception and return of 41 yards and Wood's interception and return of 16 yards, which were sandwiched around a Dowler punt, set the stage for the Pack's next drive - a 65-yard push from their own 35. Taylor and Hornung opened with 21 yards and then Starr passed 18 yards to Mcgee and 16 to Kramer on the Colt 10. From this point, Hornung banged around right end behind Fred Thurston and Forrest Gregg and R. Kramer to the five where he slithered in on his own for 31-7. The Colts kept coming as the game moved into the fourth quarter and this time the Packers forced a punt by young Tom Gilburg. His first boot was returned nicely for about 20 yards by Wood but it was nullified by a penalty. Gilburg tried again and so did Wood. Willie took the ball on the 28 and dashed straight up the field. He cut sharply toward the west sidelines and then, weaving behind a wave of quickly-gathering blockers, shot to his left and into the clear. That, plus Hornung's 32nd point, made it 38-7. On the Colts' first play Unitas fumbled and Currie recovered on the Packer 28. Five plays later the Packers had their sixth TD. Starr hurled to Taylor nine and then to Dowler for 11 to set the stage for Taylor's three-yard TD burst off the left side, breaking out of Taseff's arms. The Packers turned down a shot for more points in the final moments. John Roach, QB'ing the Bays' benchmen for the most part, moved the Bays down to the Colt 33, which would have meant a 40-yard field goal try, but Dowler went back to punt. He missed the coffin corner by only a few yards. Packer Coach Vince Lombardi was the only coach in the league who wouldn't have kicked a field goal. The "45" scored by the Pack already was the highest counted by Lombardi. It was a wonderful gesture.
BALTIMORE - 0 7 0 0 - 7
GREEN BAY - 7 10 14 14 - 45
BALTIMORE GREEN BAY
First Downs 18 25
Rushing-Yards-TD 32-153-1 30-211-4
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 29-12-147-0-6 29-13-157-1-1
Sack Yards Lost 1-11 1-11
Total Yards 289 357
Fumbles-lost 3-2 0-0
Turnovers 8 1
Yards penalized 9-73 10-69
SCORING
1st - GB - Paul Hornung, 54-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - BALT - Lenny Moore, 1-yard run (Steve Myrha kick) TIED 7-7
2nd - GB - Hornung, 38-yard field goal GREEN BAY 10-7
2nd - GB - Hornung, 1-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 17-7
3rd - GB - Hornung, 8-yard pass from Bart Starr (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 24-7
3rd - GB - Hornung, 1-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 31-7
4th - GB - Willie Wood, 72-yard punt return (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 38-7
4th - GB - Jim Taylor, 3-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 45-7
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Paul Hornung 11-111 3 TD, Jim Taylor 13-82 1 TD, Tom Moore 3-17, Elijah Pitts 2-6, Ron Kramer 1-(-5)
BALTIMORE - Joe Perry 12-63, Alex Hawkins 9-38, Lenny Moore 4-19 1 TD, Johnny Unitas 3-12, Mark Smolinski 2-12, Lamar McHan 2-7
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 25-13-157 1 TD 1 INT, John Roach 4-0-0
BALTIMORE - Johnny Unitas 24-11-141 5 INT, Lamar McHan 5-1-6 1 INT
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Boyd Dowler 3-47, Max McGee 3-42, Paul Hornung 3-28 1 TD, Jim Taylor 3-24, Ron Kramer 1-16
BALTIMORE - Raymond Berry 4-71, Lenny Moore 4-60, Joe Perry 2-27, Alex Hawkins 2-(11)
OFFENSE LINE 'GAVE ME MORE ROOM TO MANEUVER,' PAUL
OCT 9 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The City Stadium pressbox, customarily a haven for cynics, was aflutter. Peerless Paul Hornung, in the midst of a memorable afternoon, had just scored his 24th point. There were 50 minds with but a single thought: "Has he ever scored that many points in any game before?" Seconds later, the field telephone rang behind the Packer bench. The message was hastily relayed. An aide was dispatched to the bench where the bruising blond rested from his exertions as the defense grappled with the Colts - and the question was put to him, "Have you ever scored more points in a game?" Hornung fixed the emissary with a cold stare and snapped, "Don't bother me now," an understandable response under the circumstances (a 24-7 lead in the third quarter of a NFL game is not gilt-edged security). Such is the dedication of pro football's golden boy, a relentless craftsman who is concerned only with the business at hand once the referee's whistle shrills. Further evidence came later in the effervescent dressing room. Asked if he had been aware that he was in the process of breaking Don Hutson's Packer scoring record, Hornung replied without hesitation, "I had no idea." The curly-haired dynamo, who fell just seven points of the all-time NFL record, did admit, however, that "this has to be the greatest game I've ever played." As always, he attributed his success in large part to the offensive line. "It did a great job today," he declared. "We're always slow in getting started - it usually takes us until our third or fourth game - and today was it."...GOOD DOWNFIELD BLOCKING: "The boys gave me a lot more room to maneuver - that's what gave me a chance to get away in the first quarter," Paul continued. "I had real good downfield blocking on that one (a 57-yard scoring jaunt and the first of four touchdowns for the gifted Notre Dame grad). He, and his colleagues as well, had appeared to be "high" for this one. Any explanation? "When we play Baltimore, we realize they're a top contender and that we have to be at our best - at least that's the way we feel." "The way we look at it, if you split with Baltimore and Detroit, you're in the race. And, of course," he added pointedly, "you have to win at home." Teammate Dave Hanner, who "lost" a third quarter touchdown to Paul, was philosophical. "It was one of those things," said Hawg, who had rumbled into the end zone after intercepting a deflected John Unitas pass on the Baltimore nine, only to have the play recalled. "Downes (referee Bill) admitted afterward that he blew the whistle too soon," Dave confided. Hawg, who was credited with a one-yard return and the ball was ruled dead on the Colt eight, drawled, "The way it turned out, it was just as good. Paul got a touchdown." Hornung scored his third two plays later on a pass from Bart Starr. At the other end of the room, littered with jubilantly discarded equipment, socks and tap, was a transported Willie Vernell Wood, still agog over that 72-yard TD sprint with a Colt punt. "I saw daylight after I got past that first wave," said Willie, whose daredevil dashes are fast making him the darling of Packer fandom. "That's the secret - getting by that first wave. Then you pick up your blockers." "By the way," he asked, "how far was it? Seventy-two yards? I didn't think I could run that far," Willie grinned. As an afterthought, he added softly, "I sort of need it as far as my morale is concerned. I played the worst game of my career against the Colts last year." Big, bruising Ron Kramer, who like Hanner "lost" a touchdown but by a slightly different method, tolled back in front of his locker and intoned, in wonder, "The effort of the whole team was just tremendous." How about that touchdown? "You like to get those," he smiled, "but that's circumstances." An exuberant Jesse Whittenton, who had ended a personal "shutout" with a pair of interceptions, was telling about that second one, which he snatched from the clutching fingers of Baltimore's Raymond Berry. "It was close," he grinned. "Either one of us could have got it. I finally broke my drought today - in fact, everybody got one today." Then, almost as if to himself, he added, "That something - holding Unitas to seven points."
PACKERS 'TOOK ADVANTAGE OF COLT DEFENSE,' VINCE
OCT 9 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Scholarly Vince Lombardi, who has the happy knack of reducing the complex to simple terms, made it sound like elementary logic. Describing the Packers' unexpected decimation of the fearsome Baltimore Colts under Sunday's radiant skies, a dazzling coup completed just minutes later, Lombardi informed a knot of attentive sportswriters, "We took advantage of what they were doing defensively." This, admittedly, is every football team's prime purpose but few have achieved this elusive objective as completely as did his Packers in humiliating a major contender for the NFL's Western Division championship before the delirious faithful. Great as it was, this masterpiece of mayhem had come as no surprise to him, Lombardi intimated, "We've been playing good ball all along but, up until today, everything's been going against us. As a matter of fact, we had a few of those early today." Never one to commend individuals, and particularly loath to in this instance, Vince proclaimed, "It was a great team effort - on the part of both groups, the offense and defense. I don't see how you can single out any one player." With a further tip of the hat to the defense, which never permitted the explosive Colts to uncoil, Lombardi noted, "Those interceptions we got (six in all, five against King John) were due to the rush we had on Unitas." What about the rash of first half penalties (8 for 49 yards)? Had it been a case of the jitters? "It could have been," Vince agreed. "We wanted to win this ball game real bad. That might have made us a little nervous." And what of the "quick" whistle on Dave Hanner's third quarter interception? "I think the official inadvertently blew the whistle. I don't mind a mistake like that, though. He (referee Bill Downes) had a hard-hitting game out there and he was trying to control it. You have to admire him for that. I can be gracious about it now," Lombardi observed with a grin. "The only bad thing about it is it cost Hanner a touchdown." Had he been aware that Paul Hornung was close to an NFL single game scoring record before removing the blond bomber from the lineup early in the final quarter? "We're not interested in records - of any type" was the cryptic reply. Did he "feel bad" about beating the Colts so soundly? "Certainly I feel bad about it," Vince replied. "Naturally, I feel great about winning, but I hate to do that to anybody. We were just trying to possess the ball the last seven minutes." Is that why the Packers had punted with the ball on the Baltimore 36 in the fourth quarter? "Yes, I felt we had enough points. I don't want it to sound like I was going Weeb (Colt coach Weeb Ewbank) a favor, but I felt we had enough. And we did kick for the corner - and almost made it."...Ewbank, like former boss Paul Brown
a dedicated fundamentalist, laid the Hosses' defeat to superior "blocking and tackling" by the enemy. "There were a few calls that hurt us, like that second interception by Whittenton. He was still juggling the ball the way out of bounds," Weeb said. "And that fumble in the first quarter - our guys thought Symank scooped it out of bounds. But that didn't beat us," Ewbank rapped. "Their blocking and tackling beat us. That's football. We can't make the mental mistakes we made today and win - and we've been doing it to ourselves all year long. Another thing, Harrison (linebacker Bob) had four balls in his hands - he should have had four interceptions - and he comes up with one." Although he was full of praise for the Packers, Ewbank felt the defensive pressure had been a no bigger factor Sunday than in any of the Colts' previous starts. "The Packers are a good rushing football team," Weeb said, "but I don't think the pressure today was any greater than it has been in our other games." Impressed with Hornung, he paid the brilliant Notre Dame alumnus what must be considered a high compliment, asserting, "He hit hard. Did you see that one time how he fought to get into the end zone?"...The "pressure" question later was put to Unitas, quietly dressing in a corner of the Colt quarters. "I couldn't say one way or the other," Mr. Quarterback answered in a low voice. "But I can tell you one thing - we played a good football team today." He declined to blame his offensive line for the attention he received, insisting, "It was just one of those days. There's nobody to blame." Another key Colt, willowy Lennie Moore, confided, "We'll be all right. We just made too many mistakes today. We're going to be all right." At this point, somebody interjected, "That Willie Wood sure can jump for a little guy, can't he, Lennie?" To which Moore replied, "Wood's a big guy as far as we're concerned, not a little guy."...MOM GETS ASSIST: The Packers may have to credit Mrs. Loretta Hornung, mother of Paul, with an assist - she could be their good luck charm. "I came up for the Baltimore game last year and they beat the heck out of the Colts," Mrs. Hornung chuckled after the game, "so I though I'd better come up for this one." The trim Louisville matron admitted her son's record performance "was terrific - but he had some help, he had some blockers out in front of him. Paul will always say that."...ENEMY NOW: Dick Evans, a popular Packer in the early 40's, returned Sunday - as a scout for the Pack's next opponent, the Cleveland Browns. Evans, who played with the Packers in 1940 and 1943, is now a member of the Brown coaching staff...STILL FRIENDS: Lombardi, who traded him to the Colts over the winter, greeted Lamar McHan affectionately as he left the field before the game, shaking hands with the veteran quarterback and patting him on the head...REPEATER: Susie Van, five-year old twister who made her debut with the Packer Lumberjack band a week earlier, scored another hit Sunday, particularly as a mimic of her aunt drum majorette Mary Jane Van Duyse, in pregame maneuvers. The Hamm's Bear band of St. Paul, garbed in colorful Indian headdresses and "buckskin" suits, also won a warm reception with its polished intermission performance.
PACKERS FACE 'NEW' BROWNS
OCT 10 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - And suddenly everything's new for the Packers. Such familiar names as 49ers and Bears and Colts can be placed in the "hold" file. There's a new name on the work desk today - the Browns. The Browns, who play their home games in Cleveland, are virtually strangers around here since the Packers haven't played them for five years. The historic date would be Nov. 4, 1956; the place was Milwaukee; and the score was 24-7 in favor of the Browns. In fact, the Browns won all three league meetings with Green Bay. Today, Coach Vince Lombardi, staffmen Phil Bengtson, Norb Hecker, Bill Austin and Red Cochran and 36 players are launching intensive preparations. And there's really something special about the clash. It ranks as the Game of the Week for many reasons. The most obvious is merely that each club possesses a 3-1 record, which is enough. On top of that, the preseason pickers and pollsters named the Browns and Packers as the most likely to win their respective division titles. This is the first meeting between the Browns' masterful coach, Paul Brown, and the Packers' highly-successful Lombardi. They aren't exactly strangers, though, since Lombardi pitched the Giants' offenses against the rugged Browns defenses for five years when Vince was offense coach of the Giants. Lombardi said his past association in the Eastern Division will "help some," but he quickly added: "Everything's changed out there (Cleveland) now." Asked if any special plans were being made for the important clash, Lombardi said, "We're treating it just as we would the next league game or the one after that." This will be the fifth game for both clubs in the new 14-game schedule. Incidentally, both teams lost their openers and then won three straight. The two teams will go into action on the run. The Packers whipped the Colts 45-7, and the Browns downed the Redskins 31-7. Green Bay is still on the whacky side over the victory over the Colts but Lombardi reminded folks this way: "That's history now." The coach, asked "how did we look in the pictures," cracked: "No different than we did on the field," indicating that there wasn't much to add to what's been said Monday. The Packers, oddly enough, wound up with fewer plays than the Colts, 61 rushes and passes against the Pack's 59. But Baltimore didn't start to gain until after the score was 31 to 7, running off 24 against the Bays' 15 from near the end of the fourth frame until the end. Green Bay concluded the ball for 21 of the game's first 27 plays from scrimmage and then maintained a steady advantage throughout. After the Colts scored their first TD, tying the score 7-7, the Packers held the ball for 22 out of the next 25 plays in rolling up a 17-7 lead. The Bays loosened up briefly this morning and then headed back to the clubhouse to hear the weekly report from Scout Wally Cruice. Wally scouted the Cleveland-Washington game Sunday.
PACKERS UNBEATEN IN PREGAME COIN TOSSING
OCT 10 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers are unbeaten in the National Coin Tossing League. They have now won the toss in each of their four league games and, of course, always elected to receive. Since the Packers received the ball first in each game, what did they do with it? We were worried some Sunday. Here's why: Remember the Detroit opener? The Bays took the opening kickoff and went right down to score a touchdown. As you know, the Lions won 17-13. On the Pack's first play, Jim Taylor took a pitchout around left end for four yards. Against the 49ers and Bears, Green Bay was slightly horrible on the first series, winding up with a minus yardage and thus forcing the punt. In each of these two games, the forward pass was called, though Bart Starr never got the ball off vs. the 49ers because he slipped and fell. So what happens after the toss-win vs. the Colts Sunday? The Packers go right down and score a touchdown and, like in Detroit, Taylor carries the first time. Jim also tried the left side and gained 17 yards. We put this reminder in our game notes Sunday: "Last time drive, lost to Detroit." All turned out well and maybe it isn't such a bad idea after all to score after receiving the opening kickoff! Here are some other "reminders" from the notebook: "Weeb Confab" - After Jess Whittenton intercepted John Unitas' pass aimed at Whittenton in the first quarter - or rather, Raymond Berry - the two Colt aces went into a quick huddle with Coach Weeb Ewbank on the sidelines. Berry apparently turned the wrong way. "Screen Off Fake Draw" - The Colts are great at hocus pocus but the ultimate in time was needed when a draw play, with Alex Hawkins carrying, was faked and Unitas threw instead on a screen right to Joe Perry. The pass was low and incomplete late in the first quarter. "No. 77 on Sidelines" - Ron Kostelnik, who did so well relieving Dave Hanner in the previous two games, came to the sidelines to huddle with Coach Phil Bengtson on last play of the first quarter. Hanner remained in the game. "Ringo Hurt" - Jim Ringo injured his leg while Paul Hornung gained five yards in second period. He was given medical attention on field and remained in game. "Moore For Hornung" - With ball on Colt 46 midway in second quarter, Tom Moore relieved Hornung who was being given a short period of relaxation for a possible field goal. It paid off. Colts stopped bay attack and Hornung booted 38-yard field goal. "Fans, go, go" - With a 10-7 lead and fourth down and one yard to go on the Colt 28 in the second quarter, the fans let fly with a noisy "go, go," thus asking Coach Vince Lombardi to let the team try for the yardage rather than the field goal. The Bays had no intention of kicking. They huddled quickly and Taylor leaped for two yards. "Colvin Hits Folkins" - That needs little explanation. On Colts' first punt, Jim Colvin committed this deed on Lee Folkins and was
promptly booted out of the game in fourth quarter. The Colts punted again and, presto, Willie Wood returned it 72 yards for a TD. That was costly. "Officials Warned Mar and Pell" - Gino Marchetti and Bill Pellington all but tore QB John Roach apart on a pass attempt in the fourth quarter. Should have been roughing passing but officials just warned 'em - with only five minutes left in game.
DAVE HANNER INTERCEPTS, AND SCORES
OCT 10 (Crivitz-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Dave Hanner intercepted again Monday and this time it counted. The big Packer was all smiles as he loped into the corn to pick up his trophy, a glistening, fat ringneck pheasant. This was about No. 5 for Hanner, a shotgunner with the enthusiasm, coordination and brushing ability usually associated with his movements in a gridiron. Hanner was one of a dozen Green Bay football players on a play-day outing Monday on the vast square-mile natural shooting grounds of Fox Valley Games Farms. They were guests of Bernie and Frank Van Zeeland, world's largest commercial producers of ringnecks. The layout is a mile west of here on County Trunk Q. The pheasants were booming all over the range, cackling out of natural cover ranging from sumac, blackberry bramble, weed patches to standing corn. More of the birds were raised by good flush dogs like Boob Darling's young "Maggie." The black lab booted out birds consistently in front of the foray group that included Bart Starr, Tom Moore and Dr. Jim Nellen, Packer team physician, and Hanner. The Packers scored with an amazing consistency. Hanner, holding a slight edge in the bad department over his companions, reached the acme of a fine afternoon's performance late in the show with his clean interception. Another party roused a big cock that suddenly zoomed up the horizon into Hanner's "defensive" sector. Facing up to the challenge, Hanner was on the approaching bird, brought him down cleanly on the difficult pass shot. Other Packers on the outing included Jerry and Ron Kramer, Bob Skoronski, Hank Gremminger, Bill Quinlan. Starr, an Alabama boy, compared the colorful and gamey terrain at Crivitz with his favorite quail hunting fields back home. "Bit it takes about a peck of quail to weigh up to one of these fat birds," he opined as Maggie brought in his first kill. George Bertrand and Darling arranged for the off-day outing for Green Bay football warriors with a yen for the hunting fields during Wisconsin's Indian summer. Bill Johnson of Waupaca, veteran sportsman and expert marksman, briefed the part on gun safety and hunting techniques before the boys went afield on the 650-acre spread. He also provided trick shooting that had Packers applauding a master in this art. PS - Hanner intercepted and scored a touchdown Sunday but had the "score" called back by a fast whistle.
BROWNS OUT TO SPRING BROWN
OCT 11 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Browns are trying to shake Jimmy Brown loose. This fleet 228-pound fullback, who was held to 24 yards in 17 carries by the Redskins last Sunday, has turned up as Cleveland's leading pass receiver. Packer Scout Wally Cruice, who eagle-eyed the Browns' 31-7 victory over the Redskins, noted that Brown caught seven passes for 41 yards. "They're mostly screen passes. The Browns are a great screen team and they want to get that Brown out in the open," Cruice said before reviewing the Brown-Redskin game for the Packers Tuesday. Brown actually ranks fourth in the league in pass receiving, with his 18 catches for 127 yards. His longest gain was 28 yards and he stretched none of the catches into a TD. It's interesting to note that the three players ahead of him are lightweight flankers or ends - Del Shofner (24 catches), Tommy McDonald (20) and Red Phillips (19). Brown is the league's four-time defending ground gaining champion but right at the moment the Packers' blasting Jim Taylor is at the head of the league class, thus adding spice to Sunday's clash. Brown's average is down to 3.9 yards per try on 315 yards in 80 attempts. This is considerably below his all-time average of slightly over five yards. Taylor has taken over the league soil lead with 360 yards in 60 attempts for an even six yard average. He picked up 83 yards in 45-7 victory over the Colts last Sunday. The Browns' speed demon, Bobby Mitchell, isn't listed among the top ground gainers but he's been in and out of the lineup, changing off with a flashy rookie from Iowa State, Tom Watkins. "Mitchell is as good a runner as there is in the league, but Watkins is the power type," Cruice explained. Mitchell was held on the bench for a game while Watkins worked but Bobby was returned to action last Sunday and responded with three touchdowns. It appears that the Packers will see plenty of Brown and Mitchell - just as the Browns will see a good deal of Taylor and Paul Hornung. They are among the four best backs in the league and getting them on the same field puts an all-star stamp on Sunday's battle. Hornung, with his record-breaking 33-point spree last Sunday, now has zoomed to 64 points in four games - an average of 16 per start. That gives him a wide lead over Lennie Moore of Baltimore, who has 48. Two Browns are among the first 10 scorers - the everlasting Lou Groza, who has nine extra points and seven field goals in eight attempts for 30 points, and Mitchell, who has four touchdowns. Sunday's contest has "alike" quarterbacks in Bart Starr and Milt Plum. "Plum's like Starr; they both know what they're doing at all times," Cruice explained. Marsh Samuel, publicity chief for the Browns, calls Plum "hard-working and businesslike. He won the passing championship last year and he's leading this year. The only thing he hasn't done is win the championship for us and it's early yet." Starr has moved up to fifth place in passing. He has a completion percentage of 56.7 while Plum, has 55.2. Plum has completed 58 passes in 105 attempts; Starr 51 in 90. Both Plum and Starr are homegrown quarterbacks and the "work" of their coaches, Paul Brown of the Browns and the Packers' Vince Lombardi, respectively. Starr was Vince's No. 1 QB selection since the middle of last season and he brought the Bays into the title. Brown hopes Plum can turn the trick in 1961. Incidentally, the Packers have something of a replica of Mitchell in sophomore Willie Wood. Willie, of course, specializes in defense but in the matter of punt returns they have similar moves, not to mention quickness. They're running one-two in punt runbacks, with Wood leading on his average of 28.5 yards per return - plus two touchdowns. Mitchell is next with an average of 16 yards and one TD. Johnny Symank grabbed one of Lamar McHan's passes in the last minute against Baltimore to keep his one-interception-a-day average and thus place second in the league, with four. Pittsburgh's Sample is tops with five. Sophomore Don Fleming of the Browns is among seven players who each stole three.
PLAN PACKER PLANE
OCT 11 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - A chartered flight to Cleveland for the Packer-Brown game Sunday is being arranged and anyone interested in the trip can make reservations with either Howie Blindauer or Bill Pech. The flight will leave Sunday morning and return that night with the price including plane fare, transportation to and from the Cleveland airport and stadium, the game ticket and one meal on the plane coming home.
PACK-BROWN 'GATE' SHOULD HIT 70,000
OCT 11 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Browns had an advance sale of 45,000 as of Monday for Sunday's Packer-Brown game in Cleveland, according to March Samuel, the Browns' publicity chief. "The attendance should go over 70,000, which would be our first crowd of that size this season," Samuel said Tuesday...Herb Steenblock swears this is true; in fact, he has George Hanrahan to back him up. There was this white pigeon flying around City Stadium during the Packer-Colt game Sunday. The bid just tuckered out a couple of times and set down among the spectators. Near the end of the game, said pigeon sat on Herb's shoulder and the operations manager at Prange's noticed that there was a piece of rolled up paper attached to the bird's leg with tape. Herb opened the paper and it read: Colts 45, Packers 7. Honest injun, says Steenblock, who put the bird in an empty six-pack cartoon and took it home. Herb thinks it's a carrier pigeon...The NFL will allow the Browns to play offensive tackle Dick Shafrath against the Packers Sunday. Shafrath was called to active duty in the armed forces and he can play if he gets written consent of his commanding officer. Commissioner Pete Rozelle said the league had unanimously waived a rule hindering such an action for the remainder of the season. Mike Magac of San Francisco and Tom Franckhauser of Dallas are the only other players involved thus far...Henry Jordan picked off eight tackles vs. the Colts last Sunday, while tackle partner Dave Hanner, just getting his legs back after that appendectomy, had six. Among the other leaders were Willie Davis, Bill Quinlan, Dan Currie and Willie Wood. Quinlan made the tackle heard around the park when he hit Alex Hawkins six yards back of the line of scrimmage just as he caught a swing pass from John Unitas. Among the platooners, Ben Davidson, Nelson Toburen and Elijah Pitts each got two tackles...The Browns' fine offensive tackle and captain, 250-pound Mike McCormack, became a ball carrier for the first time in his long career against the Redskins last Sunday. Jim Brown lateraled the ball to him and McCormack gained four yards. McCormack will lead the Browns' attack and their
big guns, Brown and Mitchell, likely will run plenty behind them. Coach Paul Brown speaks highly of McCormack: "I've never had, or known of, a finer captain and leader. Here is a dedicated football player who never gives less than his best."...Packer Scout Wally Cruice, who scouted the Browns' easy win over the Redskins last Sunday, said he felt that the Browns were "looking ahead to Green Bay." It's possible the Browns were eyeing Green Bay for two weeks. Before the Redskins, they had little trouble beating Dallas, 24-7.
PACK'S BROWN 'ALUMNI' EAGER FOR CLEVELAND CLASH SUNDAY
OCT 12 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Lew Carpenter, Willie Davis, Hank Jordan and Bill Quinlan are looking forward to playing against the Browns in Cleveland Sunday. That's the understatement of the year. These four Packers are ex-Browns. They came to Green Bay via the following methods: Quinlan and Carpenter, with Big Bill as the key, were obtained in a trade for Billy Howton in the early spring of '59. It was Coach Vince Lombardi's first Packer trade. Howton is now with the Dallas Cowboys. Jordan was obtained for a fourth draft choice before the final preseason game in '59. That fourth pick, John Brewer of Mississippi, made team as defensive end. Davis was obtained in a trade for A.D. Williams during 1960 preseason campaign. Williams is now with Minnesota Vikings. Carpenter, Davis, Jordan and Quinlan are pawing the dirt this week. They're thrilled with the prospect of playing the Browns. Three of them make up three-fourths of the Bays' defensive line - Quinlan, Davis and Jordan. Carpenter backs up five different positions - left half, fullback, right half, left end and right end, besides returning punts. Two of them got their pro starts in Cleveland under Paul Brown - Davis and Jordan. Thus, the game is a homecoming for them. Besides, Cleveland is Davis' home. Quinlan started his pro career in Canada; then went to the Browns. Carpenter stayed in Detroit; then was traded to the Browns. Here's what the four X's have to say about this Sunday's game: Quinlan - "I've been looking ahead to this for three years. I've always tried to give 100 percent in every game, but you can bet I'll be giving that extra 10 percent. The big factor for us will be containing Jimmy (Brown). Jimmy's one of the greatest that ever put on a uniform. I'll be playing against Schafrath (Dick) most of the time. He didn't play last Sunday and I guess they're going to let him out of service long enough to play. He's a big strong kid. We have our day cut out for us, like any other Sunday. But I'm looking forward to this one an awful lot." Carpenter - "It's nice to go back only if we win. Otherwise, it's just another game." Jordan - "We're not going down there for revenge. Understand that. We're going down there to win because if we win we know we are beating a fine team. They have the best offense we've been so far. When I played with the Browns, Coach Brown told us we were the 'Yankees of the football world.' That is all the more reason we want to beat them. The Browns have no weak links. They are noted for pass blocking. Dave (Hanner) and I will be playing against two of the better guards in the league in Smith and Wooten. Smith (Jim Ray) and I were roomies when I was in Cleveland. He's so conscientious. I had a good day against him once in scrimmage and he worried about it for two weeks. I finally told him: 'Jim give me a little credit.' When I was traded to Green Bay, I was told I'd really enjoy it here under Lombardi. And I really have. If anybody can beat Brown, Lombardi can do it." Davis - "It's a wonderful opportunity to go back and play in a town where I once played in and where I have so many friends. All of us want to play especially good. Anytime you are traded you always have an inkling that the other guy made a mistake and you want to prove that he did. When I was traded, Coach Brown wired me and said he regretted trading me, but that I would be getting an opportunity to play the position that I always wanted to play. When I came up, I played left and Bill (Quinlan) was at right end. I was shifted to offensive tackle in '59 after they traded Bill to Green Bay. I never liked offense and I was fortunate enough in being able to play on defense in Green Bay."...A powerful wind slamming out of the south played havoc at Wednesday's practice. Lombardi, standing just behind the backfield, could hardly be heard by some of the flankers or some of the defensive backs. Offensive plays were run downwind and some of the passes were carried sideways and out of direction. Words of the players and coaches actually were blown against the Arena, as it were, and some of the talk could be heard as far away as the front door of the Arena. In pre-practice punting practice, Boyd Dowler and Max McGee kicked with the wind but the pass-back from center was wobbled by guts, which reached 30 miles per hour...Comments of the ex-Browns reminds us of Jerry Helluin, the ex-Brownie who played here four years starting in '55. "Green Bay was always regarded as the Browns' farm club. If anybody got out of hand, Brown would tell us 'if you don't be careful, you'll wind up with the farm club in Green Bay,'" Helluin said. Dozens of former Browns found their way to Green Bay in various trades from 1950 on, but it wasn't until 1959, when Lombardi started wheelin' and dealin', that the trades amounted to anything - as witness the above four. Obviously, the Packers are no longer a farm club of the Browns.
DON MCILHENNY CUT; PATRIOTS INK JOHNSON
OCT 12 (Dallas) - The Dallas Cowboys of the NFL today put Don McIlhenny, veteran back, on waivers. McIlhenny, former Southern Methodist player, was with Green Bay for four years and joined the Cowboys last season. He had been used at fullback. The Cowboys are now down to 35 players, one under the limit...STEPHENS DROPPED: Mike Holovak, newly named coach of the Boston Patriots, signed halfback Joe Johnson today and placed Tommy Stephens on the injured reserve list. Holovak was named to head the AFL team Tuesday night after Lou Saban was fired. Johnson, a 30-year old Boston College alumnus who once played for the Green Bay Packers, played six games with the Patriots last season. He will share tight end duties with Jim Crawford Friday night when Boston meets the Houston Oilers.
LIBRARY CHILDREN LEARN PRO BALL FROM BART STARR
OCT 12 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - "I kicked a football real high," said a little blue-eyed miss as she stared up admirably at Packer quarterback Bart Starr. This petite kicker was among some 200 youngsters who gathered at the children's section of the Kellogg Public Library to have a chat with Starr. The barrage of questions flung at the gridiron star would have done credit to any big league press conference. "Terrific," said Starr in answer to a chorus of voices wanting to know how he felt about the Packer win Sunday. Another little lass of six or seven wanted to know whether football is a good game for girls. Starr explained, "I think there are other games that might be better for girls." At one point Starr went into a detailed explanation as to how a helmet is made. He also relieved those moments in a huddle when a play is called - and told is young admirers that he hoped he "would always play with the Packers." And before the gathering was over, there were, of course, requests for autographs - even one on a plaster cast encasing the broken arm of a little boy.
HORNUNG COMES CLOSE TO BEING '1-MAN GANG'
OCT 12 (AP-Green Bay) - Green Bay great Paul
Hornung is happy as long as the Packers keep winning. And the versatile halfback is doing his part to assure he stays happy. No individual in the tough NFL can be called truthfully a "one man gang." But Hornung probably comes closest to deserving such a a honor. The 25-year old blond bomber is making a place for himself among the NFL's all-time greats with this tremendous running, pass receiving, placekicking, passing threat on the option and jarring blocks in Green Bay's bruising game...BONUS SELECTION: The 215-pound Hornung, the Packers' 1957 bonus selection after he won the Heisman Trophy as the nation's outstanding collegiate player while a senior at Notre Dame, is well on his way to his third straight NFL scoring championship. He won the title with 94 points in 1959 and then set a league record by piling up 176 on 15 touchdowns, 15 field goals and 41 extra points in 12 games last year. The production shattered the old mark of 138 points set by Green Bay's Don Hutson in 1942. Helped by a 33-point outburst in a 45-7 rout of Baltimore last Sunday, Hornung has a total of 64 points in four games this year. He leads his closest pursuer, Lenny Moore of the Colts, by 16 points with 10 regular games to go. Hornung called his performance against the Colts "the greatest game I've ever played." But, in typical fashion, he added quickly, "This was the best team I've ever seen in Green Bay. Our offensive blocking was out of this world." He admitted he "felt good" about breaking another Huston record (the team mark of 31 points in a game), but that he wasn't thinking about it. He explained that Hutson was "20 years ahead of the game" and "it's a real incentive to break one of Hutson's marks." Despite a flock of talent, the 1960 championship game proved the value of Hornung to the Packers. He suffered a pinched nerve in the right shoulder earlier in the season and then a recurrence when hit by Philadelphia's Chuck Bednarik. With Hornung on the sidelines most of the second half, the Eagles went on to defeat the Packers 17-13 for the NFL title. "Sure, I'm still conscious of the injury," Hornung said. "But it hasn't bothered me at all this year. And when you've played four games in this league there's not one part of your body that doesn't get a good whack." As for setting more records, Hornung said: "As long as we're winning I'm happy. And as long as I'm happy I'll keep playing. The living is good."
PACKERS, BROWNS SIMILAR - EXCEPT IN WAY OF FEEDING OFFENSE TO QB
OCT 13 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers and Browns are quite similar. Except in one major department. That would have to do with the transportation of the offensive plays from the coach to the quarterback. The Browns use the messenger system between Coach Paul Brown and QB Milt Plum. The Packers don't employ any messengers and thus save delivery costs. Cleveland's messengers this year are the slot ends - Gern Nagler, the ex-Cardinal, and big Leon Clarke, the former Ram. They are new in the messenger field - just inheriting the job during the preseason program when regular guard Gene Hickerson broke his leg. Previously, the guards messengered the plays. Coach Vince Lombardi leaves the play calling to QB Bart Starr, who rarely gets a "call" from the sidelines. Starr and Plum, similar as passers and all-around ability, are something of opposites in play calling. Starr "changes up" at the line of scrimmage to fit different defenses - in according with Lombardi's system. Plum, under the Brown program, calls the plays sent in from the sidelines, though he has permission to change. The Browns, they say, don't change up at the line, the theory being that if the defense is stacked toward a given play the offense is supposed to unstack it. Lombardi and Brown are alike in their exacting manner of teaching football, attention to details, and getting the most out of their charges. Thus, the major difference goes right back to play transportation. Otherwise, the Packers and Browns are amazingly similar. Each has a powerful running attack - Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung vs. Jim Brown and Bobby Mitchell. Each has a top-flight running back replacement whose first names are Tom - Moore of the Pack and Watkins of the Browns. Both teams emphasize rushing and both teams have stubborn defenses. The Packers allowed an average of 8.5 points in its first four games; the Browns gave up 14. While the Pack's defense average may be five and a half points better, the Browns' defense has yet to allow a touchdown by running. And the Browns' defense line has thrown opposing quarterbacks for an average loss of 35 yards a game, which is well ahead of the Pack. However, the Bay defense has intercepted 14 passes; the Browns only 7. For every edge there seems to be an off-setter. The Browns' defense line is bigger than the Pack's linebackers are bigger than the Browns' LBers. The Browns' linemen (Bob Gain, Jim Houston, Paul Wiggin and Larry Stephens) pack 1,005 pounds. The Pack's Bill Quinlan, Hank Jordan, Willie Davis and Dave Hanner go about 970. Of the four backs, Taylor and Hornung are
Stephens) pack 1,005 pounds. The Pack's Bill Quinlan, Hank Jordan, Willie Davis and Dave Hanner go about 970. Of the four backs, Taylor and Hornung are perhaps more bruising than Brown and Mitchell. Brown is a "bruiser" in that he moves 230 pounds like a fast scatback but he's more elusive and thus less apt to punish somebody. Taylor, on the other hand, jars defensive backs silly when they try to hit. Hornung runs with wonderful abandon. He's stronger than Mitchell, whose big asset is his speed. Hornung, of course, is by far the bigger threat due to his ability to kick and pass. Brown and Mitchell give the Browns a ground speed advantage but the Packers have averaged 5.2 yards per trip; the Browns 4.4 Aerialwise, Rich Kreitling and Max McGee are matched at left end, Nagler-Clarke and Ron Kramer at blocking end, and Boyd Dowler and Ray Renfro at flanker (right half) end, plus Plum and Starr. If anything, McGee has an edge on Kreitling in experience. But Renfro evens that with his experience edge on Dowler. Such similarity! What does the aerial record show? The Browns have gained 757 yards in the air on 59 completions in 106 attempts; the Packers gained 542 yards in 51 completions in 95 attempts. The Browns have gained more yards, but the Packers passed less. Here's one difference. The Packers will wear white uniforms; the Browns brown...The Packers tapered down in their workouts today after Thursday's key drill. The Bays will fly out of Austin Straubel field via United Airlines charter at 8:30 Saturday morning. They'll drill in Cleveland Saturday afternoon and headquarter at the Sheraton Cleveland Hotel. The team will return right after the game.
INTRODUCING: NFL'S FOUR BEST BACKS
OCT 14 (Cleveland-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The four best backs in the NFL will snort in Municipal Stadium Sunday afternoon. They are (alphabetically) fullback Jim Brown of the Browns, halfback Paul Hornung of the Packers, halfback Bob Mitchell of the Browns, and fullback Jim Taylor of the Packers. The
The above photographs were part of Life Magazine's coverage of the game. Pictured above: Jim Taylor, Willie Wood and Bart Starr
Packers and Browns are the only clubs in the league blessed with two really outstanding backs of this kind. The two fullbacks are powerful runners. The two halfbacks are fast and breakway threats. Two of them are league record breakers. Brown fractured two ground gaining marks in his short career; Hornung cracked the all-time scoring marks. The four back are of an age - 25 or 26. And they have about the same pro experience - four or five years. Here are sketches of each: Brown, 25, stands 6-2 and packs 228 pounds. He was born
Feb. 17, 1936, at Manhassett, L.I. He was the first athlete to win four letters in four sports at Syracuse. Was consensus All-American. Browns' first choice in 1957. Led NFL in rushing each of his four years - 942 yards in '57, a record 1,527 in '58, 1,329 in '59, and 1,257 in '60. Holds record for most yards in one game - 237 vs. Rams in 1957. Scored 53 touchdowns in first four years. Hornung, 25, stands 6-2 1/2 and packs 210 pounds. He was born in Louisville, Ky., Dec. 23, 1935. He made every All-America in last two years at Notre Dame, winning Heisman Trophy as senior. Packers' bonus choice in '57. Played quarterback as rookie Packer, then shifted to fullback. Led Packers in rushing in 1958-59, topped league with 94 points in '59. Established all-time league record with 176 points in '60, breaking Don Hutson's 138. Broke another Hutson record with 33 points last Sunday and now has scored 64 in young season. Runs, passes, kicks off and handles placekicking. Named all-pro twice and played in two pro bowls. Mitchell, 26, stands 6 feet, weighs 188 pounds. He was born in Hot Springs, Ark., June 6, 1935. Made collegiate fame as sophomore at Illinois when he carried ball 10 times and gained 173 yards in Illini's upset win over Michigan. Holds Big Ten record for average gain per try in one season, 8.6 in 1955. Eighth draft choice in 1958. Started that year as Browns' halfback and gained 500 yards. Added 743 yards rushing in '59 and caught 35 passes for 330 yards. Most elusive runner in league. Taylor, 26, stands 6 feet tall, packs 215 pounds. He was born in Baton Rouge, La., Sept. 20, 1935. Won Southeastern Conference scoring title in 1956-57, averaged 4.7 yards rushing last two years at LSU. Rate top fullback in country as senior. Packers' No. 2 choice in 1958. Hardest hitting fullback in league, rated "most determined" by his coach. Broke Tony Canadeo's rushing record in '60 with 1,101 yards in 230 attempts...The Packers worked out briefly here this afternoon. They are staying at the Sheraton-Cleveland hotel. The Browns have put Ed Nutting, rookie offensive tackle, on the injured reserve list and activated Errol J. Linden, Nutting suffered a knee injury in the Washington game last Sunday. Linden, a 6-foot-5, 260-pound rookie acquired from the Detroit Lions last month, will play behind veteran Dick Schafrath at offensive tackle.
PACKERS MAY HURL AIR FORCE AT CLEVELAND TODAY
OCT 15 (Cleveland-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - This could be the day the Packers unleash the full might of their air force. Green Bay's aerial potential has been in the shadow of the rushing and scoring antics of Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung, but is has shown signs of brilliance in the first four games. The Packers' air arm might well spell the difference when the Bays battle the defense-tough Browns in Municipal Stadium this afternoon. The two clubs are exceptionally evenly matched what with Taylor and Hornung on a ground par with Jim Brown and Bob Mitchell, but the Packers are natives of the wild passing Western Division. And they can throw. Green Bay is rated a tight three-point favorite and this aerial edge may be the reason. A record crowd of more than 82,600, which was established against the Giants last year, is in prospect - with good weather. The advance sale had reached 65,000 Saturday and 15,000 bleacher seats and 5,000 standing room were placed on sale this morning. Clear skies and temperatures in the mid-50s are predicted. The Browns will be playing one of the few times in their brilliant history as an underdog. Kickoff is set for 12:06, Green Bay time. Today's game shapes up as a classic, with the two perfection coaches, Paul Brown and Vince Lombardi, matching wits for the first time. With strong runners and sharp quarterbacks, both coaches are likely to play it straight - stick pretty close to the ground and pass sparingly. However, the Browns, if they have any weakness, have had 50 percent of the passes thrown at them completed - in fact it's 50.5. The Packers, with Bart Starr at the throttle, have completed 53.7 percent of their passes. And they're leaning more to the pass this year than they did in the 1960 championship season. Starr, in the first four games, has completed 51 out of 95 for 542 yards and four touchdowns. In the first four games last year, the Bays completed only 34 out of 82 for 478 yards and three TDs. Besides Starr, they key figures will be Max McGee, Boyd Dowler and Ron Kramer. They have alternated in leading the team in pass receiving. The Pack's aerial success will depend to a great extent on the protection given Starr by the front line. If the Browns' defensive line, led by Bob Gain, can be held off, the Packers stand a good chance of winning...WON'T BE GENEROUS: The Packers usually shape their attack as soon as they discover what the Browns will "give" them. Cleveland won't be in generous mood but you can bet the Bays will probe until they find an opening. Both clubs
will probably try to weaken each other with "body blows," so to speak - that is, continuous pounding by Hornung, Taylor, Brown and Mitchell. Neither defense is expected to point for any back in particular. Brown was held to 24 yards last Sunday by Washington but Mitchell scored three touchdowns. Taylor or Hornung would have a field day if the defense stacked against the "opposite." The Packer defense can be expected to get a good picking from quarterback Milt Plum, via the signals from the bench. Plum has great accuracy with his passes, some 55 percent right now, but he's been as high as 75 percent. The Browns likely will try to take advantage of the Pack's light defense line (Bill Quinlan, Willie Davis, Dave Hanner and Hank Jordan) and run Brown aplenty. This will put a premium on the Fearsome Foursome - Bill Forester, Dan Currie, Ray Nitschke and Tom Bettis. Secondarymen Jess Whittenton, Hank Gremminger, John Symank and Willie Wood are being alerted especially for the Browns' frequent screen passes, with Brown on the catching end. Rick Kreitling and sticky-fingered Ray Renfro are the Browns' chief receivers, with Brown. The winner will come out with a 4-1 record. The Packers and 49ers enter play today with 3-1 marks at the head of the West; the Browns, Giants, Eagles and Cowboys top the East with the same marks. The Packers and Browns are meeting for the first time since 1956 and only the third time in their history. The Browns won all three...BRIEFS: Two members of the Pack's offensive line are in misery - Jim Ringo and Fred Thurston. Ringo is suffering from a half-dozen boils, which prevent him from sitting down with any comfort. He went to bed shortly after working out Saturday afternoon. Ringo, who spent a day in the hospital last week, says, "These boils are making me ornery and maybe that will help in the game." Thurston has the stomach flu...The Bays drilled on the side of the covered gridiron in Municipal Stadium Saturday afternoon in a steady drizzle and a chilling wind...Since this eastern state is on daylight saving time, the Packers will arrive before they leave this evening. They are scheduled to leave via United Airlines charter at 6 o'clock (EDT) and arrive at Green Bay at 5:55 (CST).
