Preseason: Green Bay Packers (1-0) 30, Dallas Cowboys (0-1) 7
Friday August 11th 1961 (at Dallas)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(DALLAS) - The Packers flashed the stuff that made them defending champions of the Western Division and then went about the business of testing new personnel in the process of out-shooting the Cowboys 30 to 7 before 30,000 in the Cotton Bowl Friday night. Green Bay scored one touchdown in each of the first two quarters and then went on a murderous two-touchdown rampage to start the second half before the big six-shooters were holstered. Thus, the Packers are off and running in the 1961 preparation program leading up to defense of their championship. This was the Pack's 11th victory in the 13 non-league games played since Vince Lombardi took over the club in 1959. The Cardinals provide the next opposition - in St. Louis next Friday night.
251 YARDS PASSING
The Packers backed their 30 points up with 448 yards, including 251 in the air and that's a tipoff on the sharpness of one Bart Starr, the Pack's No. 1 quarterback. Starr, working behind a crisp-blocking offensive line, completed 14 out of 24 passes and engineered all four touchdowns on drives of 50, 32, 80 and 75 yards. The Bays controlled the ball for 71 plays (rushes and passes) against the Cowboys' 47. Val Keckin, the green rookie who shows promise for the future, came in for two series in the fourth quarter and produced a move long enough (57 yards) to set up a 16-yard field goal by Jim Taylor. John Roach, obtained from the Browns, handled the last series. All of the Packers, including the nine rookies, saw action and it seems as if all of them had some good moments. Herb Adderley, who barely knows the plays, made a tough catch of a pass from Keckin to set up the field goal. Lee Folkins caught another on the same drive. Nelson Toburen played just about the entire game at cornerbacker. Tom Moore scored two touchdowns and Paul Hornung, injured leg and all, and Jim Taylor one each. Taylor wound up with 12 points.
MOORE GETS FIVE
Moore blasted around right end for five yards in the first period for the first TD. Starr hurled five yards to Hornung, who played two series, for the second TD in the second frame. Taylor blasted two stripes and shook the goal posts for the third TD in the third period and minutes later Moore crashed six yards for the fourth. The Packers were exceptionally alert and anxious for action. They recovered three fumbles (Willie Davis, Andy Cvercko and Jerry Kramer) and intercepted two passes (Willie Wood and Hank Gremminger). The Cowboys might have been blanked, although they gained 332 yards, including 248 in the air. Eight yards came on a touchdown pass from Eddie LeBaron to Frank Clarke, in which Clarke seemingly stepped out of bounds on the Packer 40. Don Meredith worked the first half and rolled up 209 yards. The swifter Taylor was nothing less than terrific as he rolled up 112 yards in 13 trips and his 20-yard ride opened up the Cowboy defense in the first TD drive of the second half. Four plays later he galloped 23 yards to the Cowboy 6 and then scored on two short cracks.
Dowler paced the 10 receivers with five catches. Lew Carpenter had three and Elijah Pitts 2. Seven others each caught one, including 36-yarders by Folkins and Max McGee.
FUMBLES COME EARLY
The show had a fumbling start, the teams exchanging fumbles on the first four actions. Andy Cvercko, who relived Jerry Kramer and Fuzzy Thurston at guard throughout, recovered Amos Marsh's kickoff on the Packer 21 on the opening kickoff. On the Packers' third play, Tom Frankhouser recovered Taylor's fumble on the 7. The Packers must have been unhappy. They forced the Cowboys back 12 yards and then went on their first touchdown drive, moving 50 yards in eight plays for the year's first score. Dowler was the key. First, Starr hurled to Boyd on a shortie to the right sideline, pulling up the defense. After Taylor and Moore banged for eight yards to the Cowboy 39, Dowler went to the right but deeper and snagged Starr's 18-yard strike. Starr was low to Max McGee but he hit Dowler again for 13 to the eight. Taylor added three and then Moore skirted right end and went in standing up behind blocks by Cvercko and Dowler. Sharpshooting Meredith, a real comer, nicked the Pack defense for four first downs and finally had to settle for a field goal try from the 22. Allen Green's kick was low and Hank Gremminger recovered on the 10. Taylor scooted 25 yards to bring the Pack out of the hole but the drive stalled. Meredith picked up another four straight first downs as the game moved into the second quarter, completing one shot to Dick Bielski for 21 yards on a third and 17 situation. The Pack put the stop on once the Cowboys threatened. Hank Jordan got a good shot at Meredith on a first pass and on the next throw Wood crossed in front of Bielski and intercepted.
ADDERLEY IN CLEAR
After an exchange of punts, the Packers threatened twice and scored once. From the Cowboy 45, Hornung tried an option pass and had Adderley behind Frankhouser on the 15 - but the ball was short and he intercepted. Four plays later, Bill Quinlan shook the ball loose from Meredith and Davis recovered on the Cowboy 32. The Packers scored from there in seven plays. The big gainers were Starr's fine pitch to Gary Knafelc down the middle for 17 yards and Taylor's 13 yards in two tries to the four. With time running out and Hornung losing a yard in two tries, Starr flipped a pass to Hornung in the left corner for the touchdown. Taylor's try for the point was blocked by Patera. The Packers were back at mid-season form at the start of the second half, driving for two touchdowns in 17 plays the first two times they had possession. The first drive opened with Taylor slamming for 20. Then Starr passed 12 to Moore - the only throw of the move. Dowler went eight on a reverse, Starr 11 when he couldn't pass and Taylor 23, 4 and 2 in the last three trips. Taylor converted and it was 20-0.
17-YARDER TO KRAMER
The next drive took 10 plays and opened with a 35-yard pass from Starr to McGee to the Cowboy 40. Starr, between handoffs, passed to Dowler for 7 and Ron Kramer for 17 to the 17. From there, Taylor hit for six, Moore 5 and Moore the last 6 for the score. Taylor's kick made it 27-0. Taylor tried a 44-yard field goal when Gremminger recovered a fumble on the next kickoff. The Cowboys then scored their only touchdown - an 80-yard shot from LeBaron to Clarke, who got a step behind Wood on the Packer 40. Starr got another drive going but Frankhouser intercepted one of his passes and Keckin took over the QB'ing in the fourth quarter. The rookie, getting the ball a second time Gremminger intercepted a pass, worked up a field goal on 66-yard push. The big gainers were a 36-yard pas to Folkins and a 19-yard throw to Adderley who made a reaching catch on the 7. On fourth down Taylor kicked his first major league field goal from the 16 with five minutes left. Dowler's 63-yard punt with seconds left was the last highlight - not to mention the final score.
GREEN BAY - 7 6 14 3 - 30
DALLAS - 0 0 7 0 - 7
GREEN BAY DALLAS
First Downs 26 14
Rushing-Yards-TD 39-198-3 16-80-0
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 31-18-251-1-2 30-16-249-1-2
Sack Yards Lost 2 19
Total Yards 449 329
Fumbles-lost 2-1 3-3
Turnovers 3 5
Yards penalized 2-10 1-15
SCORING
1st - GB - Tom Moore, 5-yard run (Jim Taylor kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - GB - Paul Hornung, 4-yard pass from Bart Starr (Taylor kick blocked) GREEN BAY 13-0
3rd - GB - Taylor, 2-yard run (Taylor kick) GREEN BAY 20-0
3rd - GB - Moore, 6-yard run (Taylor kick) GREEN BAY 27-0
3rd - DAL - Frank Clarke, 80-yard pass from Eddie LeBaron (Clarke kick) GREEN BAY 27-7
4th - GB - Taylor, 16-yard field goal GREEN BAY 30-7
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Jim Taylor 13-112 1 TD, Larry Hickman 10-25, Tom Moore 7-31 2 TD, Bart Starr 1-11, Boyd Dowler 1-8, Elijah Pitts 3-6, Paul Hornung 4-5
DALLAS - Don Perkins 5-36, L.G. Dupre 5-13, Don Meredith 1-7, Don McIlhenny 2-7, Norris Stevenson 2-7, Eddie LeBaron 1-6
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 24-14-188 1 TD 2 INT, Val Keckin 6-2-55, John Roach 1-1-8, Paul Hornung 1-1
DALLAS - Don Meredith 20-12-152 1 INT, Eddie LeBaron 10-4-97 1 TD 1 INT
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Boyd Dowler 5-53, Lew Carpenter 3-51, Elijah Pitts 2-15, Max McGee 1-36, Lee Folkins 1-36, Herb Adderley 1-19, Ron Kramer 1-17, Tom Moore 1-12, Clarence Mason 1-8, Paul Hornung 1-4 1 TD
DALLAS - Frank Clarke 6-140 1 TD, Dick Bielski 2-33, Don McIlhenny 2-19, Don Perkins 1-16, Glynn Gregory 1-11, Billy Howton 1-10, L.G. Dupre 1-8, Walt Kowalczyk 1-7, Jim Doran 1-5
PACKERS JOLTED IN LOCKER ROOM; MONEY, OTHER VALUABLES MISSING
AUG 12 (Dallas-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers charged into their dressing room during the halftime intermission Friday night and got a jolt. Wallets and clothes were strewn around the floor and when Coach Vince Lombardi quieted down the disgusted athletes, it was discovered that about 15 of the 42 players had been robbed of an estimated $400 in cash as well as watches, rings and other mementos. Thieves had gained entrance through a window opening in the roof of the visitors' dressing room in the Cotton Bowl. Trouser pockets had been pulled out and shoes were scattered around. Some of the players lost as much as $60. Most of them had checked their valuables with property chief Dad Braisher who keeps the wallets and watches locked up in a trunk. These were untouched. Em Tunnell lost a medal he had been carrying for 16 years - plus his championship ring won as a Giant. Boyd Dowler lost his East-West Shrine watch. "I guess I had a notion. Before the game I recalled one time when we (Arkansas) played SMU here and we were robbed in that same dressing room so I have my stuff to Dad," said Dave Hanner. Dallas police investigated. Apparently, the robbery didn't bother the Pack. They scored two quick touchdowns to start the second half. And Lombardi said later that the performance has come up to his expectations. He expressed his pleasure with the manner in which the team scored after the half. Lombardi praised quarterback Bart Starr for his work. "He was hitting the receivers and he was making good calls." The coach added: "And Jim Taylor was out of this world. Herb Adderley caught a good one. Sure he dropped a few but the important thing is that he was out in the open. I know he catch the ball." Vince also praised
the Packers' offensive line, which kept Starr's uniform clean. Andy Cvercko alternated with Fuzzy Thurston and Jerry Kramer; Ken Iman with Jim Ringo, and Norm Masters with Bob Skoronski and Forrest Gregg. Tom Landry, the Cowboys' coach who is a native Texan, marveled at the Packers' offensive line and explained that "it sure helps Starr on his throwing with that time." Landry seemed quite certain the Packers would repeat. "The thing that can stop the Packers is injuries," he said. Regarding his own club, Landry figured that "we saw some bright things out there tonight; our moving the ball in the first half; the punt returns. Other than the third quarter, we didn't do so bad. You ate us up though in the third period." The consensus: The Cowboys are vastly improved over a year ago. And the Packers are good again.
PACK FIND MIDDLE ROAD QUICKEST PATH TO GOAL
AUG 14 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The shortest distance between two points is, they say, a straight line. Likewise, the shortest distance between fullback Jim Taylor and the goal line is generally straight ahead. Asked the rushes from scrimmage he likes best against the Cowboys in Dallas Friday night, quarterback Bart Starr thought for a moment and then explained: "I liked our runs up the middle. It was opening up good. Jim (Taylor) made his long runs up the middle, including the one to start the second half." The Packers scored quickly on a seven-play, 8-yard march to open the third period and 60 of the stripes were made on five plays straight up the middle - from guard to guard. Taylor took that route and gained 20 yards on the first play. After Starr passed to Tom Moore on a swing and halfback Boyd Dowler made eight on a reverse, Starr stepped into the pocket to throw but couldn't find a receiver. He went, you guessed it, up the middle and made 11 yards. The first man to hit him was umpire Jim Beiersdorfer on the Cowboy 39. Taylor then made three straight runs to score - all up the middle. He gained 23 on the first jaunt to the 6, once stopping on a dime and then proceeding. It was on this play that linebacker Chuck Howley suffered a knee injury tackling Jim. Howley, the former Bear, could be lost for several weeks. From the 6, Taylor scored in two cracks between the guards (Jerry Kramer, Fuzzy Thurston and center Jim Ringo). Starr said that he also liked "our new sweeps. We were gaining five yards a crack on them. Tom (Moore) scored his second touchdown on this kind of sweep." The Packers scored the second time they got their hands on the ball early in the third period and, oddly enough, this 75-yard drive started "up the middle." Max McGee circled from his left end position and Starr connected with The Taxi at a point "up the middle" for a 35-yard gain...Cotton Bowl statisticians credited Hank Gremminger, playing in his hometown, and Willie Davis with five unassisted tackles. Hank Jordan was tabbed with four, Ray Nitschke with three, and Ken Iman (on kickoffs and punts, etc.) with two. Seven others had one each. Jerry Tubbs, the Cowboys' linebacker, made five unassisted tackles. Gremminger also intercepted a pass and Davis recovered a fumble...Tom Bettis wasn't fooling the other day when he said, "I'll be ready when the bell rings." The veteran linebacker, who underwent an operation on his knee last week, walked out to meet the Packers when they arrived from Dallas Saturday afternoon. He was walking on his own power - no crutches or cane...The Packers added a new player today - Bernie Vishneski, a defensive tackle from VPI, who was claimed on waivers from the Giants. Vishneski was New York's 16th draft choice last winter...Green Bay came out of the Cowboy game in good physical condition. Only minor injuries were reported - a pulled muscle for Phil Nugent and a knee bruise for Fred Thurston. The Packers loosened up in a light workout Sunday afternoon and then had the rest of the day off. Coach Vince Lombardi and aides Phil Bengtson, Bill Austin, Norb Hecker, Red Cochran and Dick Voris worked Sunday night, viewing movies. Next order of business is the Cardinal game in St. Louis Friday night...PERSONAL MENTION: Just before the Packers took off in their chartered United Airliner, Capt. Don Smith (of Green Bay) addressed the passengers in some of his best Cuban-Spanish. Translated, it meant "we have enough gas to get us to Havana." It's doubtful Castro is looking for a football team, anyway. Stewardess on the trip was Sheila Wotrang, daughter of the Jack Wotrangs of Preble...Ex-Packers were all over the Cotton Bowl, it seemed. Among them were Bobby Dillon, Val Joe Walker, Buddy Brown and Billy Bookout. Ex-Bayites included Nick Wahl, Jr., and Don Rondou...The Packers floored two officials. Besides Starr's aforementioned bump into Beiersdorfer, Taylor cracked into Lon Evans, the onetime Packer who was head linesman...Steve Meilinger may make it with the Cowboys. The hard-working end might provide the experience vacated by Jim Doran, who may be named an assistant coach...
Norm Masters was called to his home in Detroit Sunday when his father suffered a heart attack.
PACKER ROOKIES REPRESENTED IN ALL DEPARTMENTS EXCEPT OFFENSIVE LINE
AUG 15 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - With the addition of the waivered Giant, Bernie Vishneski, the Packers are up to 10 rookies. And where do these freshmen fit into the picture. Let's look: The Packers, like other teams, are composed of six units - the offensive backfield, the ends, the offensive line, the defensive line, the linebackers and the secondary. Rookies are represented in every unit except the offensive line. So maybe it's no coincidence that Bill Austin's Crew of Eight drew some raves from Coach Vince Lombardi for their showing in the victory over the Cowboys in Dallas last Friday night. The OL, tackle to tackle, is composed of all veterans - Forrest Gregg, Bob Skoronski and Norm Masters at the tackle; Fred Thurston, Jerry Kramer and Andy Cvercko at guards; and Capt. Jim Ringo and Ken Iman at center. Iman also is being trained as a guard. These eight gents are dedicated to (1) keeping quarterback Bart Starr the healthiest guy on the team and (2) clearing the way for such heroes as Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor and Tom Moore. They did their job, judging by the 448 yards gained vs. Dallas. Two of the units each have three rookies competing. The defensive line is being eyed by Jim Brewington, Ron Kostelnik and Vishneski. Three are cavorting in the offensive backfield, Elijah Pitts, Val Keckin and Herb Adderley. The frosh among the ends are Clarence Mason and Lee Folkins. The other two defense units each have one rookie - Nelson Toburen among the linebackers and Phil Nugent in the secondary. Between the heat of the night and th4e score of the game, the rookies were given plenty of action at Dallas, including Adderley and Nugent who were late reporting due to the All Star game. Adderley wound up
making a catch of a pass from Keckin and Nugent suffered a muscle pull in giving Hank Gremminger a break. Testing will continue against the Cardinals in St. Louis Friday night. The Cards offer a complicated problem to the defense due to their odd-ball offense. The Packers have a quarterback who's quite a familiar with the Card offense. That would be John Roach, the Cards' top QB last year, who was traded to the Browns last winter. Roach handles the QB'ing one of the "cardinal" teams in defense practice...BRIEFS: Vishneski, who played college ball at VPI, stands 6-4 and packs 245 pounds. The Pack now has 45 players on the roster, including 35 veterans. Coach Lombardi sent the defensive team to the showers after the regular drill Monday and then ordered special sprints for the offensive club...The Lion-Brown game the other night was billed as a dual between fullbacks Nick Pietrosante and Jim Brown but the big blasters didn't blast. Pietrosante carried seven times for a net gain of only 12 years, while Brown made just 20 yards in eight attempts...Individual game tickets for the Pack's three league games in Milwaukee will go on sale Wednesday. Ticket Manager O.C. Krueger said 12,791 season tickets have been sold up to Monday for the game in County Stadium, which seats 44,447...Sam Etcheverry, the QB the Cards obtained from Canada, won't play against the Packers. He has been told to give his aching shoulder more rest.
PACKERS FACE TOUGHER TEST AGAINST STRONG CARDINALS
AUG 16 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Vince Lombardi still must be convinced. The Packer coach was happy with his charges right after their 448-yard, 26-forst down, 30-7 victory over the Cowboys in Dallas Friday night. Then came a look at the pictures and Lombardi found that we were "all right - just all right." Then came a couple of practices and the coach opined that there's something missing. Lombardi and his aides, Phil Bengtson, Red Cochran, Bill Austin, Norb Hecker and Dick Voris, won't have to wait long for what might be termed an "early-season supreme test." The Bays play the Cardinals in St. Louis Friday night. Busch Stadium could be a hornet's nest. The Cardinals are considerably more advanced and better organized than the Cowboys, with due respect to Tom Landry. Dallas is a new team, with one season and no victories under the belt. St. Louis won six games, lost five and tied one last year. And some of the experts are picking the Cards as an outside bet to win the Eastern Division championship. Thus, it is obvious that the Packers will be confronted with a much more difficult task than they faced in the Cotton Bowl last week. The Packers will continue testing new material in the process of grinding out a success, and one of the testees will be John Roach, who was the Cards' No. 1 quarterback last year. Roach, who is understudying Bart Starr, was traded off to the Browns last winter and Sam Etcheverry was brought down from Canada to handle the job. Ironically, Etcheverry won't play against the Packers because he has an injured shoulder. Roach, oddly enough, pretty well earned his Card spurs in a losing cause against the Packers in City Stadium last Sept. 5. King Hill was the starter and completed five of 14 for 87 yards. Roach followed with four out of eight for 37 yards and one touchdown. Both Hill and Roach have left the Card camp. Hill is with the Eagles laboring under Sonny Jurgensen. George Izo, the onetime Notre Dame star, will start against the Packers and probably carry the load. He'll be backed up by Charley Johnson of New Mexico State, who has been tabbed as "promising." Incidentally, Izo completed 14 out of 20 against Toronto. The Packers have one more new player to test. That would be Berne Vishneski, the defense tackle obtained via waivers from the Giants. Vishneski presently is working at right defensive end. The VPI husky said yesterday he's "happy to be here and I hope I can make it." He said "they had plenty of defensive linemen in New York and Jim Leon was moved over from offense." The newcomer will wear No. 72...BRIEFS: Four members of the Wisconsin football staff were on hand for practice Tuesday - Deral Teteak, Bob Shaw, Vern Van Dyke and Clark Van Galder. Head Coach Milt Bruhn is vacationing this week...Jim Taylor and Jerry Kramer still are practicing field goal and extra point kicking. Paul Hornung is running but staying clear of kicking...The Bays leave for St. Louis via chartered United Airliner from Austin Straubel Field at 1:30 Thursday afternoon...The NFL announced today that it had signed 133 of the 280 players it had drafted...What happens to old fullback? They go to tight end. That's what Card Coach Pop Ivy did with Mal Hammack who always was a good pass catcher and blocker. The Cards' placekicking is done by Gerry Priddy, the former Lion. The Packers' next three games will be charity: The St. Louis game is for the Cardinal Glennon Memorial for the children's hospital; the Bear battle in Milwaukee Aug. 26 is the 12th annual Shrine classic; and the Giant game here Sept. 5 is the first annual Bishop's Charities contest.
TOUGH LUCK FRANCIS WAIVED
AUG 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Joe Francis has departed. The Packers are off to St. Louis, and Paul Hornung has a special smile. Pineapple Joe was placed on waivers Wednesday, ending a hard-luck career. The Bays flew out of Austin Straubel Field at 1:30 this afternoon in their chartered United Airlines plane for their non-league game against the Cardinals in Busch Stadium Friday night. Hornung? Coach Vince Lombardi suggested that Paul try a few field goals after practice while Jim Taylor was kicking. Hornung got up fairly close, about 20 yards out, and kicked three over the barbed wire fence behind the south goal post on the Oneida St. practice field. Paul walked off with a big grin - it's doesn't hurt," referring to his injured knee. He hadn't kicked for about three weeks. Lombardi was smiling, too. Francis, the native Hawaiian who was known as "hotchee" among his teammates, actually played considerably in only three league games in his three complete seasons as a Packer. The Bays' fifth choice in 1958, Joe absorbed the intricate duties of quarterbacking on the bench until the last two games. Them with the record reading 1-8-1, Francis handled the last two games on the coast. Mostly a tailback, Francis ran 153 yards, averaging 6.4, and completing 15 out of 31 passes. Both games were lost. The next year, Lombardi's first, Francis started the Giant game in New York in place of the injured Lamar McHan and the fiery QB was victimized, like most everybody else that year, by the Giants' rugged defense. Joe was switched to halfback at the start of the 1960 season, bur broke his leg in a training camp scrimmage. That floored him for the entire season, though he remained with the team and worked on the sideline during the games. This year, Francis, running at quarterback, damaged his knee in the intra-squad scrimmage two weeks ago. A carefree, hard-hitting back, Francis tried to leap over tacklers on an end run when he was hurt. Francis probably will attempt to catch on with a Canadian club in hopes of making a comeback. Francis, former Rose Bowl star from Oregon State, is 25. The Packers spent a good deal of time working on defense against the Cardinals unusual double-wing offensive alignment. It's the only one of its kind in the league and always requires special preparation. Lombardi had two "Cardinal" teams working against the Pack's defenses, with Bart Starr, John Road and Val Keckin doing the passing. The marked man was Sonny Randle, the Cards' great pass receiver. The receiver who played the role of Randle wore a dark jersey, thus emphasizing his presence. After practice, Hornung did some sprinting on his own and then joined the field goal kicking. The Packers are staying at the Chase Hotel in St. Louis. Kickoff in the Bishop Glennon Memorial charity battle is set for 8:30.
PREDICT MILWAUKEE SHRINE GAME WILL DRAW 36,000
AUG 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Richard Boone, better known in television as Paladin (Have Gun, Will Travel), will be a special guest at this year's Shrine football game in Milwaukee, featuring the Packers and Chicago Bears. Boone will appear in person to help promote interest in the charity exhibition, it was announced in Milwaukee Wednesday night at a dinner for press, radio and TV given by the Tripoli Shrine Temple. He will highlight a parade in downtown Milwaukee Saturday afternoon, Aug. 26, and take part in the pregame ceremonials. Herb Mount, chairman of the game promotion, predicted that the gate would exceed 36,000 "with good weather." Vince Lombardi, Packer general manager and head coach, told the Shrine that "attendance has been slipping at preseason games throughout the country," and that the Shrine game in Milwaukee is a notable exception. He said that the Packers "are happy to participate in an event as successful as this." Regarding the Packer team this year, Lombardi told the press "I know as little or less than you do about the ball club. Right now we are not a good football team," he said, "but we're out to win every game." Don Desmond, publicity chief for the Chicago Bears, said George Halas is undertaking a rebuilding program this year, that he hoped the Bears "wouldn't get their brains knocked out" like they did from the Packers last year, and promised at least that his team would show up for the game. Also representing the Packers at the affair were President Dominic Olejniczak and the Milwaukee ticket director, Col. O.C. Kreuger.
BIG RED OFFENSIVE UNIT RATED UNDER PAR FOR GAME TOMORROW
AUG 17 (Lake Forest, IL-St. Louis Post-Dispatch) - Not up to par, the St. Louis Cardinals will really have to hustle if they are to put on a bright show against Green Bay's western champion Packers tomorrow night in St. Louis. When Pop Ivy's men left training camp today to go to St. Louis. the Big Red was short, one way or another, at five of the 11 positions in the offensive unit. This, in itself, could lead to some disappointment for the team and its hometown fans in the preseason game at Busch Stadium under the auspices of the Cardinal Glennon Memorial Hospital Fund committee. The Packers have demonstrated that they are a well-set football club in their first exhibition victory, a 30-7 decision over the Dallas Cowboys six days ago. The men from the Bay appear sounds and solid going both ways. "We surely are not in as good shape as we have hoped be for this game," said Cardinal coach Ivy. "Our guys will play it tough, but it could take a lot to overcome some of the problems we have at the moment."...PROBLEMS, PROBLEMS: The state of the Cardinal offense, with little more than four weeks to go before the team opens regular season competition in the NFL, shows these problems: 1. Sam Etcheverry, after sore arm troubles, is just beginning to throw again. Ivy does not expect to use him against Green Bay. The veteran quarterback acquired from Canadian football is the big key to Cardinal hopes of being an Eastern division contender in the NFL against the Packers. George Izo and Charley Johnson will divide quarterback time. 2. Gerry Perry, veteran kicker who set a club record of 13 field goals last season, is hobbled with a sprained ankle. "We don't know if he'll be able to kick," Ivy said. 3. Ken Panfil, huge tackle of long experience, is missing on the right side of the offensive line because of a knee injury that has shelved him for a while. Ed Cook, veteran left tackles, hasn't practiced for a week since the death of his mother, but he'll star. Ernie McMillan, Illinois rookie, will start in Panfil's place. 4. Ron Mcdole will be the second rookie in the starting lineup, having been moved ahead of Tom Day. McDole, from Nebraska, is being pushed to learn this new position, after having been transferred from the defense. 5. Taz Anderson, the big Georgia Tech end acquired from Cleveland, still is bothered by a knee injury and may not play much at the close or tight end position...DEMARCO IMPRESSIVE: "We like Bob DeMarco's progress at guard," Ivy commented on the position that has an opening because of Mike McGee's transfer to defensive lineup. "And McMillan has been doing an excellent job in training camp at tackle," Ivy added. "But, of course, we'll know more about him after the game." The large McMillan from the fighting Illini, 6-foot-6 and 268 pounds, is a brother of Shellie McMillon of the professional basketball Detroit Pistons. The difference in spelling of their last names is simply explained by the football player. "My name was spelled McMillan on my birth certificate," Ernie said, "so I just kept it that way."
ETCHEVERRY EAGER TO PLAY, BUT IVY DOUBTS THAT HE WILL
AUG 17 (Lake Forest, IL-St. Louis Post-Dispatch) - Sam Etcheverry's recovery from sore arm troubles now is giving football Cardinal coaches problems. "He wanted to throw more than he did," said Pop Ivy after Sam tossed short-range throws from a brief spell in pass drills yesterday. Ivy added that he cut short Sam's throwing, even though the passing star said his arm was good. "I know what he wants," said Ivy. "He wants to play in that Green Bay game." Now the question is when to let him play. "He's the competitive type, who, if you let him play, might see an open receiver downfield and try to throw a long, hard one," said a Cardinal coach. It seems hardly likely they'll taken that chance at this stage of the game.
WESTERN CHAMPION GREEN BAY TO START VETERANS AGAINST BIG RED
AUG 18 (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) - Herb Adderley, a Michigan State rookie halfback who is expected to add speed to the Green Bay Packers' attack, is one of the first-year men who will be tested by Coach Vince Lombardi in the preseason game with St. Louis football Cardinals tonight at 8:30 at Busch Stadium. The coach of the western champions of the NFL said that he would start a "veteran lineup." But like Cardinal coach Pop Ivy, he was anxious to take a look at certain newcomers. "We haven't decided on our starters, but we'll start a veteran lineup," Lombardi said after the Packers arrived for the Cardinal Glennon Memorial Hospital benefit game that is expected to draw a near capacity crowd approaching 30,000. "There are first-year men we definitely want to use. They include Adderley (flanker back playing behind Boyd Dowler), Nelson Toburen (linebacker) and Lee Folkins (offensive end)."...HORNUNG AT RUNNING BACK: The Packers, who muscled their way to the western division championship last season, will, of course, present the bulldozing Jm Taylor at fullback, the famous Paul Hornung at the running back spot where Tom Moore also is strong, and Bart Starr at quarterback. "Taylor will do our placekicking instead of Hornung," said Lombardi. Hornung, the record-setting scorer of the NFL last season, has been delayed during the training period by injury. Three quarterbacks currently active on the Packer roster include former Cardinal John Roach, who told his 1960 Big Red teammates here last night that he was delighted to join Lombardi's club...'FEELS AT HOME': "I feel at home at Green Bay," said the former Cardinal quarterback who was traded to the Cleveland Browns in the offseason. Recently, Roach was swapped to Green Bay when Coach Paul Brown apparently believed Len Dawson would fill the bill for the Browns as Milt Plum's backstopper. The Browns, rated by most as the favorite got the 1961 eastern race, may definitely be hurt by a succession of recent mishaps, Roach said. Cleveland has lost guard Gene Hickerson and tackle Mike McCormack through injury and Jim Marshall by illness. Roach's opinion should give the Cards a lift in their hopes of making a big run for the eastern crown this season. Ivy's attack unit is having problems on its own at the moment, but all are likely to be straightened out when the bell rings in mid-September. John David Crow, who seems certain to battle Cleveland's Jim Brown and Green Bay's Taylor for the ball carrying championship in the league this year, looks ready at 235 pounds. Frank Mestnik, at 229, and Prentice Gautt, at 209, add fullback punch to a Cardinal team that led the league in rushing last year. George Izo and Charley Johnson will be throwing from the quarterback spot until Sam Etcheverry gets his arm in shape. And Sonny Randle, whose pass catching puts him among the best sophomore receivers the league ever had, is determined to make his third pro season just as good - or better...NINE AND ELEVEN
ROOKIES: On the squad of 45 (two injured), Green Bay has nine rookies. The Cards, who brought 47 of their 48 men on the trip from their Lake Forest camo, have 11 rookies here. Ron McDole at left guard and Ernie McMillan at right tackle are first-year starters for the Cards on offense.
BIG RED, PACKERS IN BENEFIT DUEL TONIGHT
AUG 18 (St. Louis Globe-Democrat) - Professional football makes its 1961 debut in St. Louis Friday night when the Cardinals tangle with the Green Bay Packers in what some cheerful optimists insist will be a preview of the NFL championship game some 4 1/2 months hence. The preseason games, with proceeds going to the Cardinal Glennon Hospital for Children, begins at 8:30 p.m. at Busch Stadium. Those optimists, who deny all accusations that they view the world through Cardinal-colored glasses, feels this is a natural warmup for the Dec. 31 title game. The Packers, defending Western Division kinds, are solid favorites to repeat, and the Cards have been installed as second choice to the Cleveland Browns for the Eastern Division flag. Cardinal fans will be having their only chance to see the Big Red before the NFL home opener against the Giants on Oct. 8. A crowd of close to 30,000 is anticipated...A SPORTS LEGEND: Green Bay, a sports legend insofar as it is a city of 62,888 people that supports a major league team in major league style, comes here with the toughest running attack in the NFL and the versatile Paul Hornung, who runs, passes, catches passes, kicks field goals and does almost everything except put the air into the football. Hornung is the outside punch of the solid attack, which uses Jim Taylor as its inside man with devastating success. Taylor finished second in the NFL last year with 1,101 yards gained rushing, carrying the ball 239 times. Bart Starr will be the Packers' quarterback, a heady NFL veteran who hit 57 percent of his passes last year. A pair of giant-sized receivers, halfback Boyd Dowler and end Max McGee are his favorite targets. Gary Knafelc is the Packers' other end. Defensively, the Packers are unsung - and solid. Their linebacking corps of Ray Nitschke, Dan Currie and Bill Forester ranks with any trio on the circuit, and the backfield of Hank Gremminger, Jesse Whittenton, John Symank and Dale Hackbart is tough enough...SOME ABSENTEES: The Cards, on their side, are suffering from the absence of Sam Etcheverry, who'll nurse his sore shoulder on the sidelines; Ken Panfil and Tazz Anderson on the offensive unit. Tackle Panfil and end Anderson both have knee miseries. Kicker Gerry Perry is hobbling on a sore ankle and is a doubtful quantity. George Izo will the Cards' quarterback, with John David Crow, Billy Stacy and Frank Mestnick the backfield. The defense shows Luke Owens and Joe Robb at ends, Frank Fuller and Don Owens at tackles, Bill Koman, Dale Meinert and Mike McGee at linebackers and Willie West, Jimmy Hill, Larry Wilson and Jerry Norton in the defensive backfield. Several players are in new positions since they closed the 1960 season with a 38-7 rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers last Dec. 17. McGee is on defense, so is West, and Stacy is on offense in the key moves. Top Big Red rookies to look at are quarterback Charley Johnson, defensive back Pat Fischer, offensive guards Ron McDole and Tom DeMarco and offensive tackle Ernie McMillan.
LOMBARDI MAY START FOUR ROOKIES IN TONIGHT'S GAME WITH CARDINALS
AUG 18 (St. Louis-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Packer rookies will get a thorough test in tonight's non-league contest against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium and some of them may even start. Coach Vince Lombardi said today that "We want to see them under fire again and they'll all see plenty of action." He indicated that "some of them might start, depending on how things look tonight before the game." He named Lee Folkins as a possible starter at one end - as well as Clarence Mason and Herb Adderley. A definite rookie starter is Nelson Toburen, who will open at right linebacker. This is the second straight start for the sharp-tackling freshman. He played nearly the entire game in the 30-7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys a week ago tonight. Other rookies due for a whirl are Elijah Pitts, who is bothered by a leg injury, Ron Kostelnik, Jim Brewington and Bernie Vishneski, the tackle who was just obtained via waivers from the Giants last Monday. One rookie was left at home - defense back Phil Nugent, who has an injured leg. Lombardi said he'll open with his regular offensive backfield and that includes Paul Hornung, who played just two series vs. Dallas. He has made remarkable recovery from an injured knee. "He won't kick," Lombardi said, tabbing Jim Taylor for the field goaling and extra points. Bart Starr will start at QB in a backfield with Hornung, Taylor and Boyd Dowler. John Roach, first string QB for these Cards last year, will probably get a good shot of action as well as Val Keckin. Ken Iman, whose home is here, may get the starting nod at center. The Packers might run into a real buzzsaw tonight. The Cardinal Glennon Memorial Contest, which will be aired via WJPG at 8:30 with Ted Moore at the mike, will draw a sellout of close to 35,000 fans. They're all potential Cardinal season ticket customers. Pop Ivy won't let the Cards disappoint. There's a chance the Cards will use their great Canadians import, Sam Etcheverry, who has a shoulder injury. Sam wants to play in the worst way and Ivy might relent. The announced QB starter is George Izo, the Notre Dame Soph, who has looked good in the Cards' unorthodox double-winged T. The Packer defense will be getting its first real tough defense. The Cards led the league in rushing, led by big John David Crow, and on touchdown passes last year. The Cards' big air threat is Sonny Randle, the slickest receiver in the league. Roach had 17 TD passes last year and most of them went to Randle. Randle will be an excellent test for the Pack's new deep secondary alignment - Willie Wood on the right side and Johnny Symank on the left. A year ago Symank played on the right and Em Tunnell on the left. Jess Whittenton and Hank Gremminger will be at the corners, although Wood and Dale Hackbart will
be tested there, too. The Packer offense rolled up 30 points with some ease vs. the Cowboys, but the Cards have a faster and bigger defense. If the Pack can score two or three TDs, the Packers will have shown progress in their training program...BRIEFS: Making the trip is Tom Bettis, who is fresh from an operation on his knee. The rugged linebacker won't play, but he'll be pawing the ground...The Packers aren't scheduled to play the Cards in league action this year but Publicity Chief Tom Miller, here since last Tuesday, has told radio and TV audiences that the Packers and Cardinals could be meeting in the championship game next Dec. 31. Tonight's game, then, would be a preview of the title show. Keep the fingers crossed, folks...Jim Kensil, the NFL's publicity chief, is representing the league and Commissioner Pete Rozelle at tonight's game. He saw the Lions beat the Steelers Wednesday night and warned the Bays: "Watch out for Detroit."...Since this is Iman's hometown, Kenny stepped off the plane first and was given some cheers as he stepped down the ramp. The Packers arrived here at 3:30 Thursday afternoon in their United Airlines Charter, piloted by Capt. Don Smith, despite a late start from Austin Straubel Field.
SHAWANO GIRL NAMED SHRINE GAME'S QUEEN
AUG 18 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Shawano's Pamela Hodgins, who can walk and dance like other girls because of help from the Shrine organization, will reign as Queen of the 1961 Midwest Shrine Football Game at Milwaukee County Stadium on Monday night, Aug. 26. The game, sponsored by Milwaukee's Tripoli Shrine Temple, brings together the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. Queen Pamela, a recent graduate of Shawano High School, was introduced to Shriners at a pre-game luncheon at the Tripoli Temple today. Saturday evening, escorted by the 1961 Miss Wisconsin, Diane Anderson, Eau Claire, and the 1960 Shrine Game Queen, Karen Lee Christensen, Union Grove, Pamela will be presented to the stadium audience at the 12th annual Shrine game. Participating in the ceremonies will be Richard Boone, "Paladin" in the TV series, "Have Gun, Will Travel." Pamela, the daughter of Mrs. Winona Hodgins, was born in 1943 with a club foot. When she was five, she underwent an operation in a Milwaukee hospital. Later, a local Shriner sponsored her application for admission to the Twin Cities Shrine Hospital, Minneapolis, which she entered in January 1956. While she was recovering from complicated surgery, she studied at the hospital, so she could keep up with her classmates. Thanks to the operation, and continued physical therapy and checkups, her foot is now normal and she can wear high heeled shoes, dance, and participate in other normal teenage activities. Active in forensics, language clubs, journalism, band, and a member of the National Honor Society, Pam plans to enter the field of journalism at the University of Wisconsin this fall. She would like to combine journalism with her interest in geography, language, history and politics.
