Preseason: Green Bay Packers (3-0) 24, Chicago Bears 14
Saturday August 26th 1961 (at Milwaukee)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(MILWAUKEE) - The Packers haven't forgotten how to come from behind - and win. This facet, prominent in their drive to the Western Division championship last year, was necessary for the first time this year in the 12th annual Shrine Classic in County Stadium Saturday night. And the Packers didn't disappoint, rallying from a 14-7 halftime deficit to defeat the Chicago Bears 24 to 14. It couldn't have come at a better time. The giant baseball park was jammed with a record paid crowd of 42,560 - the largest throng ever to see a professional football game in Wisconsin. This figure easily snapped the old mark of 40,199 for the Packer-Colt game here in 1955. The Packers now have won three straight preseason games this year and 11 in a row since the Bays lost to the Giants in Bangor, Me., in 1959. The next battle has the Packers fighting the Giants in the Bishop's Charities game in Green Bay a week from tonight. Green Bay didn't exactly sparkle in the first half. They scored with ease on an eight-play, 54-yard drive the first time they had their hands on the ball for a 7-0 lead. But then the Pack performed three straight mistakes. The first, interception of Bart Starr's pass, tied the game at 7-7. The second, Jim Taylor's first of three fumbles, set the Bears in motion for their second TD (a 45-yard Ed Brown to Johnny Morris pass) and a 14-7 lead. The third error, Taylor's second fumble, ruined a possible-tying TD on the Bear 14. This was a real leather-popper - the equal of the fierceness of a league game. The Bears seemed to have an edge on the Packers in the go-go department in the first half, but Coach Vince Lombardi apparently took care of that during the intermission.
CAME OUT FOR BEAR
With this huge crowd of Packer Backers yelling encouragement, the Packers just couldn't disappoint. The Bays came out for Bear in the second half and scored 17 points within a space of 9 minutes and 31 seconds from the third period until 4:05 of the fourth quarter. The Bears threatened twice in the last half, once missing a field goal from the 38 and the other time losing the ball on an interception by Ray Nitschke. When the game ended, the Packers were going down for a fourth touchdown, with John Roach at quarterback. The second half outburst was set off by two 50-yard Starr passes. His 52-yard toss to Max McGee set up Paul Hornung's field goal from the 10 at 9:34 of the third period. Starr hurled 51 yards to Boyd Dowler to set up Taylor's second touchdown run at 1:21 of the fourth period and less than three minutes later Starr passed six yards to Hornung in the end zone to settle the issue. Just before that third TD, Taylor fumbled for the third time, but Dowler recovered. The Packers rolled up 421 yards, including 258 in the air. Starr finished off with 13 completions in 22 attempts for 229 yards. Taylor, running like a wild bull and with just as much force, made 97 yards in 20 trips for more than half of the Packer ground total. The figures show how the Packers captured the victory in the second half. It came in the air. Starr hit six out of seven for 143 yards and Roach had two out of three for 29 in the second half. In all, the Packers made 241 of their yards in the second half. The Bears were held down to 242 yards, including only 101 in the last two periods. The Packer defense, with the regulars going all the way, maintained their one-touchdown-yield per game since one of the Bears' TDs came directly off the interception. And the Bears' other TD came on a spectacular catch by Morris. Hank Gremminger, who played a fine game, had a tight clamp on Morris but the little Bear made a once-in-a-lifetime catch. Green Bay had the ball for 34 plays in the second half while the Bears had it for only 15. For the game, the Packers ran off 64 passes and rushes; the Bears an even 40. The Pack's first TD came at 6:10 of the first
period. After the Pack forced the Bears to punt after receiving the opening kickoff, the Bays started from their own 46. Taylor tested the Bear line on the first two plays and made 11 yards. Starr then wanted to try his first pass, but there wasn't a receiver around so he tore up the field for 13 yards. The Bear safety man stuck his nose in the line and Hornung was thrown for a one-yard loss to the Bears' 32. With a second and 11 situation, Starr made with a quick count and hurled to Dowler on the right-center side for 28 yards to the four. Three plays later, Taylor went over standing up. Hornung kicked the first of three extra points for 7-0. Ed Brown, opening at QB, passed the Bears to two first downs, but Roger LeClerc missed a field goal from the 38. After an exchange of punts, Starr tried a third and 12 pass from his own 33. Bart was rushed and tried to throw the ball away as he was hit. LeClerc scooped up the ball a few feet off the ground and rambled 29 yards for the tying TD. He stayed on to kick the first of two extra points. Taylor set the Pack in force with a 16-yard bolt but two passes later Kilcullen recovered his fumble and the Bears set forth on their second TD. Galimore ran 10 yards in two trips and then Morris made his miracle catch. Dowler, en route to a nifty 45 yard punting average, booted once and Taylor lost his second fumble, Fortunato recovering, during the rest of the half. The Packers started the second half in the hole, the kickoff by LeClerc being downed on the 10-yard line. Starr took care of that, passing to Dowler for 26 yards. The Packers seemed on their way when Bill George interfered with Hornung trying to catch a Starr pass on the 38, but the Bears tightened and Dowler, rushed badly, got off a fast punt that hit the right centerfield fence in front of the Braves' bullpen. The Bays, getting the ball back in a hurry at the expense of Bill Wade, who played QB the second half, scored the next three times they had their hands on the ball. Starr, chased to his left, lofted a perfect pass into McGee's arms for 52 yards and Hornung kicked a field goal when the Bays fell two yards short of a TD. The Bays also went 80 yards for their second TD in five plays. On third and two, Taylor slammed 19 yards to the Packer 47. From there Starr and Dowler worked a 51-yard pass, with Boyd catching it around the 15 and stumbling away to the two where Roosevelt Taylor caught him. Taylor, convoyed by Fred Thurston and Jerry Kramer, zoomed to his left for the TD and a 17-14 lead. Willie Wood recovered R. Taylor's fumble on the next kickoff on the Bear 27 and the Bays cored in four plays. Starr hit McGee on a 12-yard gain and Starr then hurled to Hornung in the end zone. Dowler was held on the play and Starr quickly adjusted and threw to Hornung. Bill Forester tipped Wade's pass and Nitschke intercepted to kill a final threat. Roach came on and rolled up three first downs in running out the clock. He threw 14-yard passes to Lew Carpenter and Lee Folkins. Herb Adderley and Elijah Pitts each ran twice before the game ended on the Bear 24.
CHICAGO - 0 14 0 0 - 14
GREEN BAY - 7 0 3 14 - 24
CHICAGO GREEN BAY
First Downs 12 21
Rushing-Yards-TD 21-92-0 38-163-2
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 19-10-150-1-1 26-15-258-1-1
Sack Yards Lost 7 0
Total Yards 242 421
Fumbles-lost 1-1 3-2
Turnovers 2 3
Yards penalized 7-68 3-38
SCORING
1st - GB - Jim Taylor, 2-yard run (Paul Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - CHI - Roger LeClerc, 29-yard interception return (LeClerc kick) TIED 7-7
2nd - CHI - Johnny Morris, 45-yard pass from Ed Brown (LeClerc kick) CHICAGO 14-7
3rd - GB - Hornung, 10-yard field goal CHICAGO 14-10
4th - GB - Taylor, 2-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 17-14
4th - GB - Hornung, 6-yard pass from Bart Starr (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 24-14
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Jim Taylor 20-97 2 TD, Paul Hornung 10-35, Bart Starr 1-13, Larry Hickman 3-7, Elijah Pitts 2-7, Herb Adderley 2-5
CHICAGO - Bill Brown 7-29, Ed Brown 1-27, Willie Galimore 5-24, John Adams 4-7, Charlie Bivins 4-5
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 22-13-229 1 TD 1 INT, John Roach 3-2-29, Paul Hornung 1-0-0
CHICAGO - Ed Brown 9-4-80 1 TD, Bill Wade 10-6-70 1 INT
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Boyd Dowler 6-131, Jim Taylor 3-16, Max McGee 2-64, Lew Carpenter 1-15, Lee Folkins 1-14, Gary Knafelc 1-12, Paul Hornung 1-6 1 TD
CHICAGO - Johnny Morris 4-85 1 TD, Mike Ditka 3-35, Bo Farrington 2-17, Willie Galimore 1-13
MILWAUKEE CHEERS FOR PACK, GIVE LOMBARDI 'BIGGEST KICK'
AUG 28 (Milwaukee-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Beaming and expansive, the normally taciturn Vince Lombardi was in an understandably rare mood at a late Saturday night victory celebration here - but not for all the usual reasons. To be sure, he was delighted over his swashbuckling Packers' comebacking 24-14 conquest of the long-detested Chicago Bears and equally transported over the presence of a record crowd of 42,590 patrons - in hot, humid County Stadium - but one thing stood out above all others on this happy occasion. "You know what gave me the biggest kick tonight?" he queried with a broad grin. "It was the way the fans cheered us when we came onto the field. That was wonderful." And cheer they did, not only when the Packers first appeared but again when they took the field at the start of the second half and even more lustily, with a volume approaching that often heard in Green Bay's cozy City Stadium, as the Pack frisked the Bears for two fourth quarter touchdowns in wiping out a 14-10 deficit. Lombardi's elation over these boisterous testimonials was spawned by more than mere pleasure over the Milwaukeeans' unanimous approbation of his defending Western Division champions. He is keenly aware of what vocal support can mean to a team and that such enthusiasm thus should go to a long way toward dispelling the "road game" atmosphere which he felt had prevailed during past appearances in Milwaukee. Vince was not so enthusiastic, however, over the Packers' artistry in dispatching the Bears. "I think for this time of the year, we looked all right," he said, "but we made a lot of mental errors and physical mistakes - holding, fumbles, dropped passes, etc." At the same time, he discounted the most spectacular of these, the one which saw Bear sophomore Roger LeClerc pick off a Bart Starr pass and rumble 29 yards to a cheap touchdown in the second quarter. "That didn't bother us," he rapped. On another matter, he admitted the Bears' gambling defense "can upset you quite a bit unless you can keep your poise. They can hurt you a lot." That the Packers maintained their poise in the face of the stunting Bruins is evident from their handsome 421-yard harvest, including 258 passing. Lombardi paid unstinting tribute to the Bear's diminutive Johnny Morris for his second quarter circus catch, asserting, "It was just a great catch. That's what they pay those boys a lot of money for, to make those catches," he chuckled. "Gremminger had him well covered on the play." The wary headmaster declined to compare either the 1961 Packers or Bears with their 1960 counterparts at this stage. "I don't remember how we were at this stage last year," he said with disarming candor. Earlier, in the stifling Packer dressing room, towering Boyd Dowler, the game's offensive star, had announced "we beat Caroline (the Bear's J.C.) with the same stuff we've been beating him since Coach Lombardi came here. Their defenses are set up for certain passes," he smiled, "and you just have to throw 'em." Be that as it may, Dowler made life miserable for Caroline and his colleagues by snaring six passes for 131 yards, a contribution that earned him the sportswriters' vote as the top offensive player of the 12th Shrine classic. Nonchalant Max McGee, possessor of a droll sense of humor, explained his first half drop of a Bart Starr bomb in typically puckish factor. "I had it in my mind I wanted to drop one early this year," he drawled, "and I thought this would be a good time. It happens to me once a year and I'm glad it's over with." McGee was of the opinion, however, that the play could have been ruled a fumble, rather than an incomplete pass. "I ran with it a couple of steps, I believe," the ex-Tulane star observed. A poised, confident Starr, who no longer permits such misadventures to disturb him, said his errant pitch to Bruin LeClerc was a case of too much muscle. "I didn't mean to throw it that high. I didn't mean for it to go that far," he revealed. Starr, who got off the pass as he was being borne to the turf, said, "I was just
trying to throw to Paul (Hornung), who was about 10 feet away." Hornung, encountered a few doors down, sounded a note of warning. "I think the Bears are going to be a lot better ball club this year than they were last season," he declared. Jim Taylor, gingerly applying an ice pack to a throbbing right thigh, was at a loss to explain his sudden attack of fumble-itis. The bayou bronco, who surrendered the leather to the Bears on three occasions, shook his head and said simply, "I just lost 'em. They didn't punch 'em out of my arms or anything like that. I can't explain it - I just lost 'em."...George Halas, the Bears' veteran owner-coach, was his old tongue-in-cheek self, as expected. For example: "The Bears," he said, "are improved a little bit but we have a long way to go, a long way to go," and "The champions played like champions and, of course, they deserved to win. The Packers, Lions, 49ers and Colts are outstanding in the Western Division." This does not, admittedly, leave too many others, although he was discounting the Los Angeles Rams and the embryonic Minnesota Vikings in addition to, of course, his Bears. And what about the Bears' prospective finish? "We've been selected sixth and for the moment," he smiled, "we accept that." What are his major problems? "We're hurting a bit on defensive backs at the moment," the urbane Bruin headmaster replied. "And, of course, we're still in organizational trouble because of the fire." He had reference to the winter blaze that destroyed Bear instructional films and play cards, in addition to a great treasure of records, pictures and other mementoes. Star fullback Rick Casares was held out of the game because of minor injuries but, Packers please note, he should be hale and hearty when the bell rings three weeks hence. "Rick is due for a great year," Halas added, smiling at the prospect. One of his major concerns at the moment is the player limit, which he feels is unfair to rebuilding clubs - like his Bears. "It's ridiculous to have a 38-player limit (it has been cut to 36)," he declared. "Look, the Packers are made to order, the Browns are made to order, the Lions are made to order. But what about the other clubs - they need those two extra players. Even an extra specialist would help."...REALLY BIG SHEW: The Shriners, who long have embellished this classic with pomp and pageantry, outdid themselves this time. They spiced the 12th renewal with a visit from mustachioed Richard Boone, perhaps better known as "Paladin," the professional gunslinger of "Have Gun, Will Travel. Boone came dressed for the part, complete with a ten-gallon hat and his trusty black stallion. Shawano's Pam Hodgins, who reigned as queen of this year's event, also was presented during the course of the festivities, which also included colorfully garbed bands, clowns, baton twirlers, prancing horses, and thunderous rockets...PAYOFF: Bart Starr and Bill Forester were presented with awards in recognition of their selection as the most valuable offensive and defensive players in last year's classic before Saturday night's game...THRILLERS: There were more than a few memorable moments in this latest Packer-Bear collision but two of the most spectacular centered around Boyd Dowler punts. The first came in the opening quarter when wiry little Elijah Pitts flattened the Bears' Roosevelt Taylor in his tracks on his own six-yard line with a jarring dive, following a Dowler kick. The second came in the third quarter when Dowler, unperturbed by a low pass from center, boomed one into orbit from his own 40-yard line. The ball descended an estimated 75 yards later, soaring over the goal line, the goal posts, the end line and ricocheting high off the stadium's outfield fence.
ADDERLEY HURT; TWO ON WAIVERS
AUG 28 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Two players were injured, one seriously, in the Packers' 24-14 victory over the Bears in Milwaukee Saturday night. Rookie halfback Herb Adderley suffered a separated collar bone and will be lost for several weeks. He carried twice and returned a kickoff. Fullback Jim Taylor suffered a charley horse in lugging 20 times for 97 yards. Two players have been placed on waivers, Coach Vince Lombardi announced. Dispatched were rookies Clarence Mason, an end, and giant tackle Jim Brewington. The Packers now have 42 players on their roster.
STARR, BEARS' BROWN TRICKY; CROWD EXTENDS KRUEGER MARK
AUG 29 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers have great admiration for little Johnny Morris, the Bears' speedy back. "He's a fighter" is the way Packer defensive players explain him. Morris has been shifted to flanker back from running back to take advantage of his speed and pass-catching ability...One Packer player went to the game Saturday night with his suit coat off, but he was excused by Coach Vince Lombardi. Tom Moore has a cast on his right wrist and hand, and couldn't get it through his coat sleeve. Moore carried his coat...Professional football is a game of surprises. It's never been a "straight" game - two runs, a pass and a punt, and the opposing quarterbacks gave a couple of good examples in trying to fool the opposition. Bart Star had a third and two situation at midfield. The "generals" in the stands might have tabbed Jim Taylor or Paul Hornung for a run, but Starr threw a quickie to Max McGee. The pass was slightly high and the Pack had to punt. With a 7-0 lead and midway in the first quarter, Starr felt he could take a chance on a game-breaking shot. Bear QB Ed Brown had a second and six call a few minutes later and tried the long aerial bomb, which went incomplete to John Farrington. On the next play, Brown sent John Adams outside right tackle to gain those six yards but he ran smack into Hank Gremminger who stopped Adams for a one-yard gain, forcing a punt. Hank was shaken up on the play but finished out the game. On another "pro call," Starr had a first down and 25 play (after a holding penalty) and tried Taylor on a draw up the middle. The Bears were expected to blitz, figuring Starr would pass, so Starr sent Taylor up the alley but the Bears didn't blitz and hooked Taylor for only a three-yard gain. It's quite an interesting guessing game at times...A total of 11,595 cars were parked in the County Stadium lot. That was the largest number of cars for an event in the stadium areas this year, including the night Warren Spahn won his 300th game. Some of the cars were parked on the unfinished freeways which cross the parking areas. The record crowd of 42,560 was a personal thrill for Col. O.C. (Ockie) Krueger, the Pack's new manager of Milwaukee affairs, including the sale of tickets there. But Krueger is Mr. Sellout, himself. This is his fifth straight sellout, the four previous ones being during his team as manager of athletics at West Point...Boyd Dowler and Ray Nitschke were selected as the most valuable players of the 12th Shrine game. Dowler caught six passes and Nitschke was credited with seven tackles and one pass interception, which was tipped by Bill Forester. They'll be honored at halftime ceremonies at next year's Shrine game - just as Bart Starr and Forester were recognized for being chosen most valuable in the 1960 Shrine classic...Willie Wood and Hank Gremminger each got five tackles. The Bays' four veteran defensive linemen - the Messrs. Hanner, Quinlan, Jordan and Davis - had a total of 13 tackles in going the distance for the first time this year...Norm Masters was given a starting shot in the offensive line, taking over for Forrest Gregg at right tackle. Masters then alternated with Gregg and Bob Skoronski. Andy Cvercko did likewise with guards Fuzzy Thurston and Jerry Kramer...Walt Kiesling, one-time Packer coaching aide and player who now coaches and scouts for the Steelers, has been in and out of hospitals for the last seven or eight years. Paddy Driscoll, the Bears' coachly aide, leaned back on his cane when Kies ambled into the hotel and gasped: "Well, Walt, glad to see you moving about. Every time I pick up the paper I see where you had another heart attack." The two veteran campaigners had a hearty laugh.
PACKERS SHOOT FOR THIRD STRAIGHT GATE MARK VS. GIANTS
AUG 29 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers will be shooting for a third straight attendance record when they battle the Giants in the Bishop's Charities game at City Stadium Monday night. Green Bay figured in the largest crowd ever to see a professional football game in St. Louis two weeks ago when 31,056 turned out to watch the Western Division champions battle the Cardinals in Busch Stadium. This was a big charity game, the annual Cardinal Glennon Memorial Fund. Last Saturday night in Milwaukee, the largest crowd ever to see a pro football game in Wisconsin, a total of 42,560, witnesses the 12th annual Shrine Classic between the Packers and Bears. Now the Packers are fixing to establish a new all-time attendance record for a non-league game in Green Bay in this new Bishop's Charities production. The old preseason game record is 20,701 - the gate at the Packer-Cardinal game at City Stadium in 1960. With 6,200 additional seats recently completed, the Packer-Giant game has a potential of 38,663. The stadium is sold out for the four league games - virtually all of it in season tickets. While the Milwaukee record can't be broken here, there is an "automatic" challenge to (1) fracture, but good, the preseason record here and (2) approach the County Stadium total. There are several firsts attached to Monday's game. It will be the Packers' first game under the new lights in the still-new City Stadium. It will be the Pack's first 1961 showing in Green Bay as Western Division champions. It will be the Giants' first presentation in these parts under their new head coach, Al Sherman who succeeded Vince Lombardi as Giants' backfield coach when Vince took over the Green Bay gavel. It will be the first "sponsored" Packer preseason game in Green Bay since the Legion backed a game in the late 1940's, with the Giants as the opponents in that contest, too...On the "team" front, the Packers went back to work today after an off day Monday - for all but the coaches who viewed pictures of the 24-14 victory over the Bears and prepared for the Giants. Herb Adderley, the Bays' No. 1 choice, remained as the lone injuree from the Bear game. He suffered a dislocated collar bone and will be out indefinitely. Adderley had been shifted to running back, from flanker, for the Bear game, placing him behind Paul Hornung and the switch-hitting Tom Moore. Herb had shared the replacement duties with Elijah Pitts, the hard-nosed runner from little Philander Smith College. With Adderley on the shelf, Pitts now steps front and center as the fourth active running back along with Jim Taylor, Hornung and Moore...On the television front, CBS announced today that eight Packer games will be televised via WBAY-TV, including the three in Milwaukee and five of the seven on the road. Games not ticketed for showing are the two on the coast. The four league games in Green Bay will be televised via WISN-TV, it was also announced by CBS. In previous years, the Packer games in Green Bay were carried on a Milwaukee UHF station, whose range went only to the Milwaukee city limits. Last year, however, the CBS outlet in Milwaukee was WITI-TV, whose signal reached almost to Green Bay, and the Packers had to black out Green Bay games on the Milwaukee station because of the league's 75-mile rule. CBS has now switched to WISN-TV in Milwaukee (Channel 12) whose signal carried only about to Fond du Lac. Because of this, the Packers recently decided to allow Green Bay broadcasts in Milwaukee on an experimental basis, reserving the right to cancel this feature of the contract next year. Coach-GM Vince Lombardi explained that protecting the season ticket sales in Green Bay must be the club's primary concern. WBAY-TV also will carry five non-Packer games - the Colts at Los Angeles and San Francisco Dec. 9 and Dec. 16; the Rams at Chicago Nov. 26; Browns at Chicago Dec. 10; and Minnesota at Chicago Dec. 17.
STARR FACES BIGGEST TEST VS. GIANTS
AUG 30 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Green Bay Taxpayer Bart Starr faces his most exacting test of the early season when the Packers play the Giants - and their strong defense - in the Bishop's Charities game at City Stadium Monday night. Starr, who could practically pass the ball to the stadium from his home at 1624 Chateau Drive, has been successful in his three preseason starts in his new role as the Packers' No. 1 quarterback. He engineered easy wins over the Cowboys and Cardinals and then, on the short end for the first time, pitched the Packers to a 24-14 victory over the Bears last Saturday night. No defense in the NFL is easy - especially those thrown up by the Cowboys, Cards and Bears, but the Giants will throw up a solid and set defense that actually has been improved with the addition of Erich Barnes, the ex-Bear. The Giants' defense, with the exception of Barnes, has played together for five or six years - and in some groups, even longer. New York's secondary shows Barnes at left half, with Dick Lynch at right half, and Jimmy Patton, the perennial all-pro, and Dick Nolan at the safety spots. Big Sam Huff leads the linebacking corps behind the Giants' famous Big Four - Andy Robustelli (235 pounds), Jim Katcavage (235), Dick Modzelewski (260) and the giant Roosevelt Grier, who stands 6-5 and packs 285. Rosey might even be bigger for the Green Bay showing. Starr doesn't have to go far to get information on these stalwarts. Coach Vince Lombardi, as backfield coach of the Giants, had to fight that defense in a few scrimmages - as did Packer offense line Coach Bill Austin, former Giant guard. Starr has warmed up to Monday's task at his 1960 pace, which was good enough to put the Packers in the championship game. He's passing at a 56.9 percent completion clip, which is just a hair off his 57 percent that set a Packer record last year. Bart has thrown 65 passes and completed 37 for 610 yards. Starr already has thrown four touchdown passes - and that equals the total for the 12 league games last year. He pitched one vs. Dallas, two against the Cards and one vs. the Bears. Long John Roach, who has relieved Starr in each of the three games, has thrown 10 passes and completed 8 for 101 yards. He has completed 80 percent of his passes. Rookie Val Keckin, tested vs. the Cowboys, completed two out of six. Starr has five major receivers, based on the reception figures for the first three games. Boyd Dowler leads the group with 11 catches for 184 yards, Max McGee caught 7 for 178, Lew Carpenter 6 for 97, Paul Hornung 6 for 55 and Jim Taylor 5 for 45...Tom Bettis started to engage in regular drills at Tuesday's workout and expressed the hope he'd be able to play in the final preseason game against the Redskins Sept. 9. The linebacker, who underwent surgery two weeks ago, said the leg felt "pretty good." Willie Davis and Taylor, both injured vs. the Bears, worked lightly Tuesday...Monday's game will be Lombardi's fourth test against his former club, which is now head coached by Al Sherman who succeeded Jim Lee Howell this year. New York has a one-victory edge in three meetings since Vince took over the Pack in '59. The Giants won the first, a preseason game at Bangor, Me., 14-0 in 1959, and the second, a league game in New York that year, 20-3. The Packers beat New York 16-7 in a preseason show in Jersey City in 1960. Besides the Monday night meeting, the Packers and Giants will play a league game in Milwaukee Dec. 3...The advance sale of tickets for Monday night's game has passed 23,000, it was reported today by Gene Sladky, who is handling the sale for Bishop's Charities. The sale has been heavy Monday and Tuesday. The Diocesan office, 131 S. Madison St., will be kept open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., every day through Sunday for the sale of tickets, Sladky announced.
CONERLY EYES 2 BIG DAYS, FIRST AGAINST PACK
AUG 31 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Charlie Conerly will have two big days next month - Sept. 4 and 19. The all-time, 14-year New York Giant quarterback will start against the Packers in the Bishop's Charities game in City Stadium Monday night. That's a big date for Charley because he'll be hurling against the coach who guided his offensive fortunes for five years, starting in 1954. That coach, of course, is the Packers' chief, Vince Lombardi. Conerly was always a winner under Lombardi and the veteran's lone world championship came in 1956 - Vince's third year in New York. The Giants smothered the Bears 47-7 for the crown. Conerly's other big date is what some of us soft-chair experts call the beginning of life. Yep, old Charley is turning 40 Sept. 19. He was born in 1921 in Clarksdale, Miss. Don Smith, the Giants' publicist, said Wednesday that Conerly will definitely start and probably play the entire first half. "They're bringing him along so that he'll be ready to go the distance if necessary when the season starts. He played a quarter in each of our first two games and then played an entire half in our third game. The Packers will be our fourth game," Smith said. Conerly has thrown 35 passes thus far and completed 18 of them for 264 yards and three touchdowns. Lee Grosscup, who is being groomed as the Giants' future No. 1 QB, completed 21 out of 39 for 233 yards and three TDs. Y.A. Tittle, the 49ers' great who was obtained in a trade recently, has been bothered by a back condition and may not play vs. Green Bay. Conerly has been troublesome for the Packers down through the years, although the clubs never play annually since they're in opposite divisions.
But back in 1948 as a rookie, Conerly had one of his finest days against Green Bay. He completed 20 out of 30 passes for 291 yards in a 49 to 3 New York victory. Conerly made one completion that day while he was stretched out on his back. Incidentally, Conerly finished in third place in the league as a rookie with a 58.7 passing percentage on 185 completions in 315 attempts for 2,175 yards and 22 touchdowns. Only one other QB had a rookie year like that - Bob Waterfield, who ranked third in leading the old Cleveland Rams to the title in 1945. One other survivor of that Packer-Giant in 1948 will be in action Monday night. That would be Em Tunnell, who then was a rookie Giant fullback - fresh out of the University of Iowa. Unlike the offense-minded Conerly, Tunnell became an established great as a defensive halfback. The two oldtimers are each starting their 14th seasons...The Giants have a 2-0-1 record thus far. They nipped the 49ers 21-20, the Cowboys 28-10 and tied the Rams 17-all. New York had a 17-3 lead on LA when the Rams broke loose for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Fullback Phil King has carried most of the Giants' rushing load, lugging 28 times for 112 yards in the three games. Alex Webster moved 79 yards in 18 trips. Bob Gaiters, the highly-touted rookie, was given his first shot vs. the Cowboys last week and made 33 yards in six tries. In the Dept. of Pass Receiving, the leader is none other than Pete Hall, the one-time Marquette quarterback who has been shifted to end. He has nailed six for 98. Joe Walton, the ex-Redskin, caught five for 87 and Joe Morrison four for 42. The Giants will sport a Western Division troublemaker Monday night - one Del Shofner, the swift end who was obtained from the Rams in a big trade this week. Shofner figures to shore up the Giants' aerial game considerably...BRIEFS: The warm weather has helped boil out some of the Packers' bumps and bruises - the result of the tough Bear game. Willie Davis and Jim Taylor both are running good. Tom Bettis continues to amaze. Hardly two weeks removed from a knee operation, Tom ran some pass patterns in practice Wednesday...The roster was cut to 41 with the announcement by Lombardi Wednesday that Bernie Vishneski, the rookie VPI tackle, has been placed on waivers. The Bays are now down to six defensive linemen - ends Bill Quinlan, Jim Temp and Davis and tackles Hank Jordan, Dave Hanner and rookie Ron Kostelnik. Also defensively, the Bays have five linebackers and seven defensive halfbacks. The LBers are Bill Forester, Ray Nitschke, Dan Currie, Nelson Toburen and Bettis and the secondarymen are Jess Whittenton, Hank Gremminger, Willie Wood, John Symank, Dale Hackbart, Phil Nugent and Tunnell.
JANKOWSKI, ONCE PACK ACE, NAMED UW-M LINE COACH
AUG 31 (Milwaukee) - Former Green Bay Packer star Edward J. (Eddie) Jankowski was appointed Wednesday as football line coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Jankowski, who was a collegiate star at Wisconsin, has been out of football since 1952 when he resigned as coach at Whitefish Bay High School. He coached at the high school for five years and his teams won titles in three. After playing at Wisconsin from 1934-36, where he twice was named the squad's most valuable player, Jankowski played five years in the NFL with the Packers and was a member of the 1939 championship team.
GIANTS TO FLASH SLOT-BACK ATTACK HERE - OR ARE THEY?
SEPT 1 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Giants will display a slot-back formation that really isn't a slot back when they battle the Packers in the Bishop's Charities game at City Stadium Monday night. Authority for that contradiction is Don Smith, the Giants' publicity man. "The slot back as used by some of the other clubs (the Pack used it in 1957-58) plays about six or seven yards outside the tackle and then usually went straight downfield to catch a pass or knock down a linebacker. Our slot back sets out from the tackle, too, but he is required to do many things, including carry the ball. He must be a pass receiver, ball carrier and blocker. He will pull around into the line for a handoff and he sometimes comes into the line to block." Playing the Giants' version of the slot are Joe Morrison, a New York veteran, and Jim Podoley, who was obtained in a trade with the Redskins. Morrison goes 198 pounds, Podoley 205. The running backs in the Giants' backfield are Alex Webster and Phil King, both 220-pounders, but two fleet newcomers are breaking in behind them. They are Joel Wells, the one-time Packer draftee who went to Canada, and rookie Bob Gaiters, who has tremendous speed. Smith is highly enthused about the Giants' ends. "We've never had an end like Del Shofner (obtained in trade with the Rams) in New York and he'll make Kyle Rote that much better. Watch that Rote on a few plays; just watch him run those pass patterns. Nobody runs them any better. In some of our practices, he's had some of our defensive backs looking for him," the publicist said. Rote is a fixture at left end, while Shofner will likely be right end. Working behind both ends are Joe Walton, obtained in a trade along with Podoley from Washington, and Pete Hall, the former Marquette quarterback. "Hall has been the surprise of the camp with his good moves and receiving. Rote has been putting in a lot of work with Hall," Smith pointed out. One of the Giants' offensive ends has been shifted to linebacker. He is Bob Simms, a 210-pound sophomore from Rutgers, who is presently the clubs' third-fourth linebacker. He's pushing Tom Scott, who had been ticketed to take over for Harlan Svare, who has retired in favor of coaching...LINEBACKER TRADED: The Giants parted with a linebacker today - Jim Leo, a three-year veteran who went to the Minnesota Vikings for two 1962 draft choices. With Rote seemingly better than ever, the right side of the Packers secondary will get a healthy test, meaning Jess Whittenton on the right corner and Willie Wood at right safety. Whittenton figured he'd be looking at Shofner, as he has for four games in the last two years, but Del may play mostly on the right side. Jess has had considerable success with the fleet ex-Ram. One of the top defensive backs in the league, Whittenton's duel with the pattern-perfecting Rote should be interesting...Coach Vince Lombardi is three seasons removed from New York, where he backfield coached the Giants for five years. And Lombardi remarked the other day: "They're new to me. There have been many changes." Gone chiefly from the Lombardi backfield are Frank Gifford, the all-around halfback, and Mel Triplett, who paired with Webster as the club's power backs. Now, Morrison and King are up front and Ed Sutton and Podoley have been brought in from the Redskins - plus Wells, who went to NY in a trade with GB. The major change, of course, is the new coach - Al Sherman, who succeeded Lombardi as backfield coach in 1959. Sherman took over for Jim Lee Howell, who is now the Giants' personnel director. The 1961 Giants have obtained five proven pros from other clubs. Besides Shofner, Podoley and Walton, they obtained Y.A. Tittle from the 49ers and Erich Barnes from the Bears. Tittle isn't expected to play due to a back problem but the famed Charley Conerly will start. He'll be backed up by Lee Grosscup...BRIEFS: The Giants will fly into Austin Straubel Field at 3:30 Sunday afternoon and headquarter at the Northland Hotel...The City Stadium ticket office will open at 10 a.m. Monday. The Diocesan ticket office will be open from 9 to 9 today, Saturday and Sunday...Wally Cruice, the Pack's chief game scout, told the Bays: "Defense is still the Giants' badge of honor. They held the Cowboys to 94 yards rushing and 164 passing, while intercepting two passes. They will give the Packers their toughest test this year."...QBs Bart Starr, John Roach and Val Keckin were sharp in passing drills yesterday. The two veterans each hit six out of seven and rookie Val had three for four.
MASSAGED CONERLY AMAZING ATHLETE
SEPT 1 (New York) - Sport, even in the whitewashed atmosphere of the amateurs, is a hard-hearted business whenever there is a price on admissions. Those who count the "take" demand the best obtainable in the talent department. They live by a cash register rule under which sentiment survives only as long as an athlete's ability to produce. Which makes amazing creatures of such ancient performers as Satchel Paige, Archie Moore - and a fellow like Charlie Conerly. Conerly, by the way, is the most amazing of them all. Moore can, and has,
blown up like a balloon and survived on wiles alone. Paige, the man with the rubber arm, could still serve them up until he is 70, which some claim he is, and only the baseball would bear the bruises. But here is Conerly, at 40, getting set for his 14th year with the New York Giants. And this is a racket noted for its hatchet men, its muscular mastodons who boast of the viciousness of their "play," the ever-increasing size and speed of its performers and the fact that nowhere in its ranks is there a pushover opponent. Conerly's 185 pounds have been massaged unmercifully over the years and only two men, Sammy Baugh and Mel Hein, lasted longer than this oldest of the pro gridders. Yet the quiet Conerly, running a hand over his gray-flecked hair, still is the Giants' number one quarterback. And he's looking forward to one of his better years. "Heck," he said, "I feel 35 again." Conerly isn't fooling himself. "I'm taking it one year at a time," explains the former Marine hero from Mississippi. "But I do feel wonderful right now. Certainly better than I did at this time last year." It is true that most athletes who last as long as Conerly must of necessity have amazing records. Conerly has. His passes have gained almost 11 miles of gridiron terrain for the Giants. He completed a record 36 passes in one game against Pittsburgh; has pitched 166 touchdown passes; is third to Baugh and Bobby Layne in total completions; and has a record average that one of every 16 passes has gone for a touchdown. Only two years ago he won the National League passing title and was voted the league's most valuable player. All he did was complete 113 of 194 passes - with only four interceptions all season. The Giants are talking championship. And the amazing part is that the old man from Mississippi plays such a major part in their conversation. Sports being what they are, it's no free ride, either.
PACKERS' TITLE CHANCES TO RECEIVE 'GIANT' TEST
SEPT 2 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Can the Packers repeat as Western Division champions? The Giants may offer an answer to that question - at least in part - when the two belligerents collide in the first annual Bishop's Charities game in City Stadium Monday night. The Packers haven't met a highly-organized and success-proven defense yet this season in whipping the Cowboys, Cardinals and Bears and scoring an average of 28.3 points. The Giants will offer a defense that rarely gives up 28 points or more. Their defense is virtually the same that led the league last year and anchored the club to three Eastern Division titles and one world crown in the last five years. A crowd of another 30,000 - more with good weather, is expected for the fourth preseason game for both teams. Kickoff is set for 8 o'clock but be there at 7:45 in time for pregame ceremonies. If the Packers can score some on the Giants, their title chances would have to be rated "good." The last time the Packers met up with an organized and well-oiled defense, they had to be content with 13 points - not enough to furnish a winner. That was in the playoff game vs. the Eagles last December. The Pack's point brigade will be in charge of Bart Starr, who ran into that title-game drought. Starr will be faced with such all pros as Rosey Grier, Dick Modzelewski, Andy Robustelli, Jim Katcavage, Jim Patton, Sam Huff and a half-dozen other stalwarts. These fellers, and their mates, gave up slightly under 17 points per game over the last three seasons. Coach Vince Lombardi will lead off with the lineup that closed out the 1960 championship season - Starr, Jim Taylor, Paul Hornung and Boyd Dowler in the backfield; Max McGee and Gary Knafelc at the ends; Bob Skoronski and Forrest Gregg at the tackles; Jerry Kramer and Fred Thurston at the guards; and Capt. Jim Ringo at center. This unit, for the most part, keyed the Packers to 11 straight non-league victories, stretching over the three seasons Lombardi has been here. Since losing 14-0 to these same Giants in Bangor, Me., in 1959, the Packers won two that year, six in a row in '60 and three thus far in '61. With another cutdown day (from 43 to 38) set for this weekend, both clubs will have personnel fighting tooth and nail for positions. The Packers have 42 on the roster at the moment. The Bays have four highly-touted rookies on offense - halfback Herb Adderley, who is out with a dislocated collar bone; halfback Elijah Pitts, who likely will get a good test behind Taylor, Hornung and Tom Moore; end Lee Folkins, also due for a good shot; and quarterback Val Keckin. Moore was held out of the Bear game last week due to a broken bone in his wrist but he'll be ready to spell Howitzers Hornung and Taylor, who has been bothered some by a muscle pull. The Giants will throw what amounts to a new offense at the Pack's active defense. Coach Al Sherman has installed a sort of active-slot formation, in which the slotback (Jim Podoley and Joe Morrison) must run, block, catch passes and even throw a pass on occasion. Charley Conerly, the Giants' great quarterback, will start in a backfield
must run, block, catch passes and even throw a pass on occasion. Charley Conerly, the Giants' great quarterback, will start in a backfield composed of Morrison, Alex Webster and Phil King. Alternating will be Joel Wells, the one time Packer draftee, rookie flash Bob Gaiters and Ed Sutton. The Giants' picture end, Kyle Rote, and the swiftee from the Rams, Del Shofner, will open at ends. Operating behind a line keyed by Roosevelt Brown and Ray Wietecha, the Giant offense easily looms as the Packer defense's toughest chore this year. The Bays have one defender who's anxious to get into this game. That would be Em Tunnell, who played 11 years with the Giants. Tunnell may see considerable action although the 14-year veteran has played little to date. John Symank has been moved into his spot at left safety and Willie Wood is at right safety. The rest of the defense starters will be Dave Hanner, Bill Quinlan, Hank Jordan and Willie Davis in the line; Bill Forester, Ray Nitschke and Dan Currie at linebacker; and Jess Whittenton and Hank Gremminger at the corners. The Bays have three game rookies on defense, and all of them will be tested. They are linebacker Nelson Torburen, who played the first two games; tackle Ron Kostelnik and defense back Phil Nugent. The game shapes up as a natural. Both clubs are unbeaten this season, the Packers with 3-0 and the Giants with 2-0-1. The New Yorks beat the 49ers and Cowboys and were tied by the Rams.
RECORD GATE TO SEE PACKER-GIANT BATTLE
SEPT 2 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers, exhibiting a delightful talent for winning friends, will share in the production of a third straight attendance record when they take to the City Stadium turf against the New York Giants in the first annual Bishop's Charities game Monday night. They started the "streak" on Aug. 18 when they played before the largest crowd ever to see a professional football game in St. Louis, 31,056, en route to a 31-10 conquest of the Cardinals. Last Saturday night, they fared even better, luring 42,560 fans, an all-time Wisconsin record, to Milwaukee's County Stadium for their Midwest Shrine struggle with the Chicago Bears. They now are assured of another record, for an exhibition game played in Green Bay, in Monday's contest. More than 25,000 tickets already have been sold for the Labor Day match, a figure which will easily top the old mark of 20,701, set against the Cardinals here in 1960...In an eleventh hour drive for ticket sales, General Chairman Ed Gagnon and his aides are urging northeastern Wisconsin residents to "return early from your weekend holiday and take in the game." It will serve a dual purpose, Gagnon says, pointing out, "People will get off the highways sooner, which means they will moss some of the heavy Labor Day traffic." The Diocesan office, which is selling tickets for the game, will be open until 9 p.m. both today and Sunday, he added. The office is located at 131 S. Madison St. The Packer ticket office, 349 S. Washington, will be open Monday morning from 8 to 10 and then starting at 10 o'clock at City Stadium. There are plenty of tickets left in all price ranges...Beneficiaries of this first Bishop's Charities game will be three charitable organizations, the St. Joseph Home for Children, the Green Bay Diocese Apostolate and Community Chests operating in the major cities of the diocesan area. All will share in the proceeds. The diocese, which is sponsoring the game, embraces 15 counties. It extends from Oshkosh to Upper Michigan and west to Antigo...Monday will be a night for "firsts." The new stadium grass, seeded last spring and groomed into a lush green carpet by Custodian John Proski, will be "christened" and the stadium's new lighting system, installed a year ago, will be used for a pro football game for the first time...Bishop Stanislaus V. Bona, head of the Green Bay Catholic diocese, will throw out the game ball to open the pregame ceremonies. The kickoff is set for 8 o'clock but all fans are asked to be in their seats by 7:45, when the ceremonies are scheduled to begin. Bill Howard, sports director of WJPG, will emcee...The Giants, making their first Green Bay appearance under new coach Al Sherman, are scheduled to arrive at Austin Straubel Field at 3:30 Sunday afternoon. They will headquarter at the Hotel Northland...All stadium workers, including gatemen, ushers, inside and outside police and fence patrol, are reminded by H.J. Bero to report at the stadium by 6 p.m. Monday.
EX-PACKER MOSELLE AT SUPERIOR STATE
SEPT 2 (Superior) - Former all Wisconsin State College Conference halfback Dom Moselle has been named assistant coach at Superior State. Former Packer Moselle, who played at Superior from 1946 until 1949, is a
native of Hurley.
