Green Bay Packers (1-0) 34, Minnesota Vikings (0-1) 7
Sunday September 16th 1962 (at Green Bay)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(GREEN BAY) - The Packers' championship express is off and running - on track '62. Shaking off the gaiety of the 1961 crown, the Big Bays went to work with new seriousness and polished off the spunky Vikings 34 to 7 before a sellout crowd of 38,669 at City Stadium Sunday afternoon. And, fittingly enough, the leader of the day was the Pack's and the league's most valuable player - Paul Hornung, who scored 28 points on three touchdowns, two field goals and four extra points. The Packers were in command all the way, rolling up two 17-point halves and coasting along with a 34-0 lead before the Vikings scored in the last minute. Now for something new and different - an Eastern Division opponent and an unbeaten one at that, meaning the Cardinals who trimmed the Eagles Sunday. The Bays and Cards battle it out in Milwaukee County Stadium. The score was lopsided but this was no easy victory because the Vikings fought furiously from start to finish. The visitors stayed close in the statistics, 15-14 in first downs, 53-52 in plays and 334 Green Bay yards to 229. But the point total was reserved for the Pack - or rather the amazing Master Hornung. The Horn scored the first 20 points and missed a 36-yard field goal along the way, waited while Rom Kramer counted six on an aerial TD, and then scored the final eight. The Bays took a 14-0 lead in the first frame on Hornung's six-yard slant off right tackle and five-yard jaunt off right guard. Paul booted a 10-yard goal in the second quarter and a 45-yarder in the third frame. Bart Starr and Kramer worked an 18-yard TD pass in the third period to make it 27-0 and in the final frame Hornung zipped 37 yards for the last TD. The 28-point spree fell five short of his Packer record total of 33 scored against the Colts here last season. He scored 19 in the championship game, giving him 47 in the Pack's last two for-blood games at City Stadium. Hornung and his thunderous partner, Jim Taylor, crashed for 132 yards for the day in 27 attempts for a near 5-yard average. Taylor was high with 75 in 17. The Bays' flashy offense received some fiery nudging from the defense Sunday. The Stop-'Em Boys intercepted five passes, two each by Willie Wood and Herb Adderley and one by Hank Gremminger, and kept the quick-stepping Fran Tarkenton at bay all afternoon. Wood didn't score a point but he was setting 'em up and in general, playing a terrific game. His first interception was turned into a field goal and later he flashed 65 yards with a punt to set up the third TD. The Vikings were never able to penetrate beyond the Packer 30 except in the final minute when Tarkenton escaped and threw a 17-yard scoring pass to Jerry Reichow. A stiff win out of the south served as a threat to both sides - at least at the start. After Taylor and Hornung made two first downs after the opening kickoff, the Bays had to punt when Starr was thrown for a 14-yard loss trying to pass. Boyd Dowler, who finished with a powerful 51.8 average on four punts, booted to Bob Reed but the Viking rookie couldn't squeeze it and Lew Carpenter recovered the fumble on the Viking 7. Starr quickly too advantage, sending Hornung over for the TD on the third play. Hornung booted the first of four extra
points. The Bays got the ball right back after Hugh McElhenny thrilled the audience with two runs totaling 19 yards. Bull Forester tipped Tarkenton's second down pass and Wood intercepted at midfield. The Pack couldn't move and after an exchange of punts the Bays got their lone drive going from their 37. The winners ripped 63 yards for the TD in six plays. The big move was a 35-yard pass to Max McGee, four runs of 29 yards by Taylor and Hornung, including the last seven for the TD and a 14-0 lead, and a nine-yard run by Starr. Dan Currie recovered Tarkenton's fumble to start the second quarter but the attack stalled and Hornung's field goal try from the 36 was wide. After another exchange of punts, Wood intercepted Tarkenton's pass and the Bays set sail from their own 27. Starr, a bit wild with his passes, was on target to Dowler and McGee for 25 yards. He followed with a 41-yard shot to Dowler who made a great catch from between Billy Butler and Dean Derby on the Viking 4. The attack stalled and Hornung kicked a field goal from the 10 for a 17-0 lead. The Vikings got a drive going and reached the Bay 33 before Adderley intercepted Tarkenton's batter-up-Jess Whittenton's pass as the half ended. The Pack was off and running as the second half opened. Gremminger intercepted Tarkenton's pass and ran 44 yards for a TD thanks to a big block by Willie Davis. However, the officials ruled Davis blocked too high, the Bays were penalized, and the TD was called back. The Bays then were called for offensive interference and Starr was chased back 13 yards to ruin a TD threat. However, Hornung booted a 45-yard field goal for a 20-0 lead. The Vikings were forced to punt after a couple of first downs and Wood took Mercer's boot on the 24. Willie, sprung loose by Ron Kostelnik's block, headed for the east sidelines and ran north, getting a block by Ray Nitschke along the way. They caught up with him on the 11. Though Hornung fumbled and Starr recovered for a 10-yard loss, Starr pitched to Kramer, who made a fine stretching catch on the five and then ran over for a 27-0 edge. The ball changed hands at the start of the fourth period. On the first play Starr hurled a 27-yard pass to Dowler but Boyd fumbled and Butler recovered on the Packer 38. Tarkenton unloaded a long shot and Adderley intercepted, returning 18 yards to the Viking 44. After Taylor hit center for 7, Starr faked to Taylor and then handed off to Hornung who ran off the left side and scooted away from four Vikings on a 37-yard TD jaunt. That made it 34-0.
DOWLER 60-YARD PUNT
Tom Moore, John Roach, Gary Knafelc, Earl Gros, Lew Carpenter, Ken Iman and Gart Barnes entered the fray after the Bays took over again but Dowler was forced to punt after one first down. He got off a 60-yarder to Reed who returned 19 yards. Kostelnik, Nelson Toburen, Ron Gassert and John Symank went on the defense and the desperate Vikings moved 65 yards in seven plays to score. Tarkenton hit Brown for 25 yards, Reichow for 23 and finally Reichow for 17 and the TD. The pleasant game ended a moment later with Moore, Pitts and Gros running out the clock.
MINNESOTA - 0 0 0 7 - 7
GREEN BAY - 14 3 10 7 - 34
MINNESOTA GREEN BAY
First Downs 14 15
Rushing-Yards-TD 29-129-0 37-185-3
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 32-11-100-1-5 16-8-149-1-0
Sack Yards Lost 52 26
Total Yards 177 308
Fumbles-lost 2-2 2-1
Turnovers 7 1
Yards penalized 2-10 9-75
SCORING
1st - GB - Paul Hornung, 6-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
1st - GB - Hornung, 7-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 14-0
2nd - GB - Hornung, 10-yard field goal GREEN BAY 17-0
3rd - GB - Hornung, 45-yard field goal GREEN BAY 20-0
3rd - GB - Ron Kramer, 18-yard pass from Bart Starr (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 27-0
4th - GB - Hornung, 37-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 34-0
4th - MN - Jerry Reichow, 17-yd pass from Fran Tarkenton (Mike Mercer kick) GREEN BAY 34-7
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Jim Taylor 17-75, Paul Hornung 10-67 3 TD, Earl Gros 5-14, Tom Moore 3-12, Bart Starr 1-9, Elijah Pitts 1-8
MINNESOTA - Hugh McElhenny 5-38, Doug Mayberry 7-27, Bobby Reed 4-24, Fran Tarkenton 3-21, Bill Brown 2-18, Tommy Mason 8-1
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 14-7-108 1 TD, Paul Hornung 1-1-41, John Roach 1-0-0
MINNESOTA - Fran Tarkenton 23-11-100 1 TD 5 INT
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Boyd Dowler 3-95, Max McGee 2-34, Paul Hornung 2-2, Ron Kramer 1-18 1 TD
MINNESOTA - Jerry Reichow 4-47 1 TD, Bill Brown 2-31, Bobby Reed 2-1, Steve Stonebreaker 1-10, Tommy Mason 1-7, Hugh McElhenny 1-4
VINCE CHEERED BY RETURN OF GROUND GAME; 'WE'RE NOT THAT BAD," VAN
SEPT 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - There were some things which pleased Vince Lombardi about the Packers' NFL inaugural Sunday - in addition to the final score - and some, understandably, that did not. But one loomed larger than all the rest to the master precisionist in the wake of his athlete's 34-7 romp over the Minnesota Vikings before 38,669 of the more boisterous faithful - the "return" of the Pack's crunching ground attack. "I thought our running game was a lot better than it has been," Vince observed with more than a modicum of satisfaction from behind the desk of his City Stadium headquarters. "We haven't been running very well, you know." This renaissance, he conceded, had been the most significant feature of this rousing baptismal success. Obviously comforted by the knowledge the bruising land offensive which swept the Packers to the 1961 world title is back in working order, Lombardi wanted to know, "How many yards did we gain on the ground? It must have been over 250." Almost in the same breath, he noted by way of contrast, "It was tough to pass today. The winds were very gusty." Turning from the offense for the moment, he queried, "What did we get, five interceptions?" When assured by the press corps this was correct, Vince noted with raised eyebrows, "That's a lot of interceptions. Any time you get five interceptions, it's excellent." This was the first time the Vikings' gifted Fran Tarkenton has had more than three of his passes waylaid, Lombardi was informed in this connection. "He's tough, though," Vince replied soberly. "He runs around a lot back there." The Packer chieftain was happy to add, with admirable restraint, "I thought we contained him a lot better than we did last year." Paul Hornung, whose efforts to regain top condition after a stint in the Army had been a prime topic with coffee shop quarterbacks in recent weeks, had apparently succeeded in this department, somebody ventured. "He's in good shape now," Vince agreed, flashing a wide grin. "Paul was very good today - he's that kind of a player." Rookie fullback Earl Gros, the Packers' blockbusting No. 1 draft choice from LSU, likewise had been impressive, Lombardi admitted. "He's a powerful back." Although he conceded these items had helped make it a "pretty good opener," the Packer major-domo was not entirely happy with some other aspects of the situation. "I don't think we took advantage of many things - they fizzled on us," he said. "As many opportunities as we had, we should have had a lot more points in the first half. A lot of breaks went our way, no question about it. And we didn't tackle as well as we might." "Of course," Lombardi added objectively, "interceptions are not breaks and neither are punt returns."..."We're not that bad," youthful Viking headmaster Norm Van Brocklin declared from a corner of his modest sanctum sanctorum. "Believe me, we're not that bad." Although obviously depressed by what had happened to his NFL "sophomores," Van's puckish bent came to the fore briefly. "We just looked that bad," he added with a wry grin. Noting "we had a lot of trouble getting open today," the celebrated Dutchman pointed out. "It's awful easy to play defense when you have a good rush on the passer. Starr doesn't throw very well when he's on his back either." This prompted him to append, with trenchant logic. "If your passer has time to pass, there is no such thing as pass defense in this league. If your passer doesn't have time, there's no such thing as pass offense." The central figure in this discussion, second year quarterback Fran Tarkenton, "took off too soon," Van Brocklin felt. "He should have stayed in there (the pocket). But you can't blame him - when he did step up, he got the hell knocked out of him." Although understandably unhappy with what had transpired, Van remarked with some spirit, "Our defense is all right. We scrapped - that's what I like about our club, they don't give up. The only long run the Packers made against us was when they beat us on a blitz (Hornung's 44-yard sortie in the final period). We knew where they were going to run, we just fouled it up. When you blitz, you gamble." On the subject of starting fullback Mel Triplett, injured in a first period collision with the Pack's Willie Wood, Van Brocklin said he had held the ex-Giant out the rest of the way because "we were afraid he might have broken ribs." How did he compare the 1962 Packers with the '61 world champions? "I guess they must be just about as good," Dutch responded dryly. "They beat us just about as bad as they did a year ago. They're a sound football club, no doubt about it."...BOBBY'S BACK: Bobby Dillon, the Packers' all-time pass interception leader, cheered his old colleagues from the bench. Dillon, presently headquartering in Chicago for business reasons, expected to be on hand for the Bear and Lion games here two and three weeks hence. Watching 33-year-old Hugh McElhenny swivel through the Vikings' pregame warmup, Bobby noted, "He's a year older than I am. I feel as though I should be playing, too," Dillon added with a laugh, "but I'm glad I'm not."...TV TEE-HEE: There was an embarrassing moment when the Vikings' Jim Leo, first player summoned to appear before the cameras in the now standard pregame television introductions, slipped as he charged off the concrete runaway and flopped unceremoniously to the turf. The red-face Leo hastily retrieved his helmet from the ground and resumed his trot camera-ward without further incident...FILM CRITICS: Pressbox custodian Clem Collard, normally pressed for space, had two empty seats Sunday. They were reserved for St. Louis Cardinal scouts, who did not appear. The Cardinals, it develops, do no game scouting - they rely on films furnished by their rivals under an NFL-wide agreement...FIRST 'BLOW': The Vikings received their first setback of the day when a whipping northeast wind twice blew the ball off the tee before the opening kickoff. To avoid further delay, ex-Packer Billy Butler "held" for kicker Mike Mercer, who lofted the KO to Herb Adderley two yards in the end zone...WILLIE'S WOOD?" Run out of bounds on a punt return in the first quarter, Willie Wood careened into the Minnesota bench - and without so much as a by your leave, sat down between two startled Vikings...WHERE THERE'S A WILL: Duluth Herald sportswriter, in the pressbox to cover the Vikings, plies his profession without benefit of hands or forearms. Fitted with "hooks," he is able to type with remarkable speed. And when the situation calls for taking notes, he quickly sheds the artificial hands, fits a pencil in the hollow of his stump and writes in incredible legible fashion.
FANS' CHANT GIVES WOOD 'INCENTIVE'
SEPT 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - "I can hear 'em when I'm starting to come up and it gets louder and louder. It kind of gives you a little incentive." The speaker was Willie Wood, the Packers' answer to Maury Wills, who Sunday responded to the fans' "Go, Willie" chant by streaking 65 yards with a Mike Mercer punt in the third
quarter to trigger the Bays' third touchdown en route to a surprisingly easy 34-7 opening victory over the Minnesota Vikings. "They're looking for a little excitement," Willie confided with a shy smile as he toweled himself in front of his locker, "so I try to give it to 'em. I thought I was going all the way for a while," said the amiable USC alumnus, who also titillated the faithful by intercepting two Fran Tarkenton passes. "I saw the pursuit coming - I saw this guy coming up from the outside and I knew I couldn't outrun him. So I tried to lunge into him, hoping I could keep my balance, but I sort of got tangled up." Willie's "spectacular" carried the Pack to the Minnesota 11-yard line, from where (after a 10-yard loss on a fumble) Bart Starr pitched 18 yards to mastodonic Ron Kramer for TD No. 3. "The big secret to the punt returning," Willie imparted seriously, "is to get those blockers out in front of you. Our guys did a hell of a job today, I thought." Another "long ball" artist this sporadically sunny afternoon, Hank Gremminger, lamented, "That happens every year - got another one fouled up. They called Willie Davis for pushing on the 9-yard line. It was just one of those things - Willie was trying to run interference for me." Gremminger, of course, had reference to his electrifying excursion with an early third quarter interception, which saw him bounce off the turf and dash the distance, only to have the "call" on Davis move the ball back out to the Viking 24. A 45-yard Paul Hornung field goal resulted nine plays later. Discussing the Packers' success in picking off Tarkenton's passes, Gremminger declared, "You've got to make that quarterback throw before he wants to throw - that's the only chance the defensive back has." He did not, he insisted, wish to take anything away from Tarkenton. "He was running around back there - he's like a rabbit." Surprisingly enough, Henry added, "Those Vikings are 100 percent improved over last year." Willie Davis concurred in this sentiment, asserting, "The Vikings are definitely better than last year." As if explaining the disparity in the final score, he revealed, "We went in there with the idea of keeping Tarkenton from running around." Paul Hornung, dressing in leisurely haste before his locker, admitted, "It's coming back a little bit." This may rank as the understatement of the year, considering that the golden one had just amassed 28 points, the second highest single game aggregate of his distinguished NFL career. Explaining his 44-yard burse for the Pack's final touchdown, Hornung proclaimed, "It was just real good blocking. Jerry Kramer knocked the end out and there was just daylight." "You've got to take first things first - if he hadn't made that big block, I wouldn't have made that long run," Paul appended with becoming modesty. "I scored three touchdowns," he went on." Fuzzy (Thurston) knocked out the end the first two times and Jerry got the end on the third one. Give Fuzzy two TDs and Jerry one." Boyd Dowler offered an equally "simple" explanation for his dazzling catch of a 41-yard Hornung bomb on the Viking 4-yard line in the second quarter. "I just jumped up and reached and it stayed there," he grinned. Turning to Ron Kramer, pulling on a sock nearby, Dowler said, "How did you get that one in the third quarter? Just got one hand on that and flipped it back in? I wish I could do that!" Kramer grinned and replied, "I'll teach you some day."
PACK'S GROUNDING OF TARKENTON KEY TO WIN OVER VIKINGS; OFFENSE OFF
SEPT 18 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers hurled Fran Tarkenton for losses totaling 52 yards attempting to pass. That was (1) the key to the Pack's defense success and, in turn, (2) a major assist for the Packers' inconsistent offense. Nailing Tarkenton that often was one of the highlights of the game because Sophomore Fran is the slipperiest quarterback in the league. He's one QB who is permitted to jump around - even encouraged, because he is quick and can throw in all positions. In addition, two of Tarkenton's receivers (he completed 11 out of 23 for 100 yards) were thrown for losses totaling 11 yards. Thus, the Packers reversed the Vikings' air game to the tune of 63 stripes. Who did the big job on Tarkenton? "The defensive line," Coach Vince Lombardi said today following a close inspection of the game films Monday. The big four up front, ends Willie Davis and Bill Quinlan and tackles Hank Jordan and Dave Hanner, were exceptionally active and 11-year Hanner got such a workout that he received a brief breather in the second quarter. Ron Kostelnik and Ron Gassert relieved Hanner and Quinlan late in the game and made it 52 with a 10-yard Tarkenton setback. Lombardi said that the defensive line's rush "helped us get those interceptions." Tarkenton was hurried all day and the sight of the Packer crashers undoubtedly forced him to pass less than 23 times. The rushers forced him to pass "before his time" and the Bay secondary did the rest, Herb Addeley and Willie Wood each grabbing two and Hank Gremminger one. The Bays caught Tarkenton for 7 yards in the second quarter, 7 and 10 in the third and 18 and 10 in the fourth. His first completion was a four-yard loss to Hugh McElhenny in the second frame. He threw a 7-yard loss to Bob Reed in the third period. Lombardi noted after the game that the Packers' tackling was bad and after viewing the pictures "it was worse than I first thought it was." As to the offense, Lombardi said the word "inconsistent" best describes the attack's inability to put on more than one sustained drive. Twice the Packers got within the 15-yard line and didn't score a touchdown. Quarterback Bart Starr, pitching in a gusty wind, was off his mark but finished with seven completion in 14 attempts - a 50 percenter. Starr, himself, thought his throwing was terrible, explaining "I just smelled out the park." Yet, he threw one touchdown pass to Ron Kramer for 18 yards, and completed a slant to Max McGee to spark the line drive. This move covered 63 yards in six plays, the McGee maneuver earning 25 yards. The other five plays were rushes, with Paul Hornung getting 16, including the TD, Jim Taylor 13 and Starr, when he couldn't pass nine. The Packers came out in good physical condition, which means they'll go into next Sunday's showdown with the Cardinals at top speed. The lone injured player should be cleared up by then. That would be Ed Blaine, the rookie guard who was held out of action Sunday to give his leg injury more time to heal...FIRST FOR JERRY: Fuzzy Thurston and Jerry Kramer went the distance at offensive guard. This was the first league game Kramer had played since the Viking game in Minneapolis Oct. 22, 1961. Jerry kicked off the next Sunday against the same team in Milwaukee and suffered an ankle injury that put him out for the rest of the season. The Bays went back to work this morning, setting the groundwork for the next task. Sunday's test vs, the Cards looms as the first "crucial" of the infant season since both teams are unbeaten. The Cardinals, underdogs at Philadelphia last Sunday, posted a 27-21 victory. Thus, the Bays and Cards will match 1-0 records in County Stadium.
TAYLOR THUNDERS 14 ON PACK'S FIRST '62 PLAY
SEPT 18 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - It's great to be with a winner - and how about that City Stadium record. Since Vince Lombardi swept out of the East, the Packers have played 17 games on the West Side Carpet and won 16 of them. The record is 3-0 in non-league games, 1-0 in world championship competition and 12-1 in league action. But that's another story. Let's have a look at the notebook on Sunday's 34-7 victory over the Vikings. Here are the circled notations we made during the action: "DOWLER BLOCK" - The Packers' first play in the new season was a run just outside right tackle by Jim Taylor, the Bays' leading ground gainer. Taylor thundered 14 yards and the block that set him loose was made by Boyd Dowler on the linebacker..."WIND"? - This was noted twice. First: Bart Starr's third pass was over Ron Kramer's head. Did the gusty wind lift it up? Starr said later, "I just smelled out the park." Second: Did the same wind help Bob Reed fumble Dowler's first punt? Lew Carpenter recovered and the Pack scored..."STANDING RED DOGS" - Fran Tarkenton tried a screen pass from his own 11-yard line but Bill Quinlan sniffed it out and forced an incompletion..."FIRST PASS GAIN" - Starr's first completion that netted a gain was a 25-yard maneuver with Max McGee. Starr threw a slant to his left and McGee, Ed Sharockman and the ball came in about the same time. Maxie caught it and juked Sharockman and then ran 20 yards. The incensed Sharockman got up and made the tackle. Incidentally, Starr's first completion was on the fifth play of the game but it lost five yards when Billy Butler tackled Paul Hornung behind the line of scrimmage..."THURSTON AND GREGG" - On Hornung's second TD, a 7-yard run on the last play of the second quarter, Fuzzy Thurston and Forrest Gregg got key blocks, opening up a big hole..."BREATHER" - Big Dave Hanner got a fierce workout chasing slippery Fran Tarkenton and the Packs' fine 11-year veteran was given a brief breather after a particularly long chase midway in the second frame. Ron Kostelnik gave Dave a rest for a few plays and the fans gave Hanner a hand as he trotted off..."WHAT HANDS" - The marvelous pass catching hands of lanky Boyd Dowler were never more in evidence than when he made a leaping catch of a Starr pass for a 41-yard gain in the second quarter. He snapped it right away from Butler and Dean Derby..."FIRST COMPLETION" - The first hald had less than two minutes of life left when Tarkenton completed his first pass - a four-yard shot to Hugh McElhenny. Tarkenton quickly completed two more but his last throw of the half was tipped up by Jess Whittenton and intercepted by Herb Adderley in the end zone..."NEW PLAY?" - Early in the third period Starr shot a short pass to Hornung who was standing near the "center" of the line of scrimmage. Seems different. And it worked for six yards..."ODD CALL" - The Vikings had a third down and 10 situation late in the third period near midfield when Tarkenton called Reed on a run off right tackle. It apparently had to be considered a good call because Reed made 11 yards and the first down. By that time, the Vikings had been convinced that their air game was being throttled..."2:18" - This was the time of the game. It was among the shortest on record. And speaking of time the kickoff was delayed nearly five minutes. The player introductions didn't start until about 1:06, the scheduled starting time of the game - So who's complaining?
PACKERS AGREE: PLAYER WAGES, CONDITIONS HELPED BY AFL
SEPT 18 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The youthful AFL has helped the wages and conditions of all professional football players, three Packers told the Downtown Lions Club Monday noon. Boyd Dowler, Henry Jordan and Bob Skoronski all agreed during a question and answer period that success of the new league, now in its third season, would not hurt the caliber of professional football. Dowler said that he expects the salary fights between the leagues to level off as the AFL becomes stabilized although neither he nor the others predict if the two leagues could ever get together for a joint player draft. "But it just isn't in the cards," Dowler said to pay a guy like Cannon (Billy of the Houston Oilers) $100,000 for three years and then play before a crowd of 5,000 people. The Packers' great pass receiver, who joined the club in 1960, admitted "that he might not have been here if he got out of college the following year when the AFL started. I would have very seriously considered the other league. The idea of a new frontier and the chance to get in at the ground floor plus the chance for more money may have swung me over," Dowler said. However, he left no doubt that he was very happy to be in Green Bay with the Packers. Jordan said that the prospect for a "World Series" in football would be welcomed by the players since it would mean more money. During the half hour question and answer period, the three offered opinions on a wide variety of subjects. Among the questions was which is the toughest man you ever played against?
Dowler said Dick (Night Train) Lane of the Detroit Lions. Skoronski said Doug Atkins of the Chicago Bears and Jordan, with tongue in cheek, said "for me they're all tough." A unanimous answer as to the most improved Packer on the team - Ron Kostelnik. "He has improved 100 percent and will be a great one before he's through," Jordan said. "I shouldn't be saying that because he plays my position, but it's true," the all-pro tackle added. The Packers all gave a vote of thanks to the Green Bay fans. "It's always better to be playing at home and here especially because of the tremendous support we are given by the stands," Skoronski said. They all said that Milwaukee has been giving them a big lift and is a "second home" to them. In discussing the punt returns of Willie Wood and Elijah Pitts, Jordan said, "They have given the whole team confidence. I have been a member of the punt return unit for a long time and for awhile we would make contact and then drop back. But after Wood got away on a few, it gave us all some confidence in him. Now we really try to spring him and Pitts loose. They're quite a pair back there." Dowler offered that the punt return is one of the best offensive plays Green Bay has. The one big disagreement between offensive men Dowler and Skoronski and defensive specialist Jordan - how do they select the positions the members play? "It's easy," Jordan quipped. "They try 'em all out on defense and if he doesn't pass the physical they make an offensive player of him."
CROW CARDINALS' VERSION OF HORNUNG; JOHN SECOND IN SCORING, SIXTH IN RUSHING
SEPT 19 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Webster defines statistics various ways. Such as: (1) The science of the collection and classification of facts on the basis of relative number of occurrences as a ground for induction, or (2) Systematic compilation of instances for the inference of general truths, or (3) The doctrine of frequency distributions. So now you know what we put in the paper on Wednesdays and Thursdays during the NFL season. General truths, as furnished by Rozelle, Kensil & Co. of New York! Statistics can be very charming, sort of a pause in the middle of the week that refreshes. Back in the Packers' losing days they were a great consolation - a way to change the subject and point out some outstanding lad who ranked about 9th in kickoff returns. The newest batch of figures, which were flown in at great expense Tuesday for use on Wednesday (on alternate weeks), are interesting for a starter since next Sunday's opponent, the Cardinals in County Stadium, seem to be sprouting their own version of our Paul Hornung. That would be John Crow, one of the finest backs in the league, who, like Hornung, ranks in the Department of Scoring and Rushing. Hornung is first in scoring, with his big 28 vs. the Vikings last Sunday, and ninth in rushing with 67 yards. Crow is tied for second in scoring with 18 points (3 TDs vs. Eagles) and sixth in rushing with 70 yards. Crow is also developing into a passer and pass receiver. He threw three and completed one last Sunday and caught two. "They're using him just like we use Hornung," Scout Wally Cruice noted during his weekly visit here Tuesday. Crow scored his TDs on runs of 2 and 26 yards and a 2-yard pass from Sam Etcheverry. The rushing "general truths" look untrue. Jimmy Brown isn't leading and Jim Taylor isn't second. The Bears' Willie Galimore, on the strength of 37 and 77-yard runs, leads with 176 stripes in 23 carries. Taylor is fifth with 75. Brown's new running mate, Tom Wilson, has 76 for fourth. The Packers are leading in two other categories - punt returns and interceptions. Willie Wood, the league's defending punt return champ, has a 34-yard average on two returns. Herb Adderley and Wood top the interception list with two each. Nobody else in the league has more than one. Boyd Dowler got off to a roaring start with his 51.7-yard punting average but Don Chandler, the Giants' foot specialist, was in front with his 55-yard average. Dowler had four kicks through; Chandler just two. The Packers aren't listed among the pass receivers, showing up the Bays' aerial balance, but please note that the Cards' Sonny Randle is very much in the running. He's tied for second with six catches. Randle's catches included a 68-yard advance - the longest he ever made as a pro. He played against the Eagles under the handicap of a minor but painful separation between his collarbone and breastbone. He figures to be in a less-painful condition vs. the Pack. Etcheverry is third in passing while Bart Starr is seventh. Both came through without an interception in the openers...Bill Quinlan stayed out of the sprints after Tuesday's opening practice, nursing an ankle injury. Coach Vince Lombardi conducted the squad through an offensive session Tuesday and then ran the boys through the sprints...The Packers are going to Milwaukee in two chartered Greyhound buses due to the railroad strike. On Milwaukee trips, the Bays normally take the North Western to Milwaukee Saturday morning and then "bus" back right after the game...Lombardi makes his debut in "The Vince Lombardi Show," which replaces the old Quarterback Club show, on Channel 2 tonight at 8 o'clock. Don Hutson will be the MC.
CARDS GLAD CROW'S BACK: FOE 'HONEST'
SEPT 19 (Philadelphia) - Sonny Randle of the St. Louis Cardinals glanced back over his shoulder, nodded toward a teammate on the Franklin Field locker room bench and said: "He keeps them off our back. They have to cover him, too, and that keeps the defense honest." John David Crow, who has just scored three touchdowns against the Eagles and was the leading rusher in the Cards' 27-21 opening day victory, was the subject of Randle's praise. But Crow couldn't hear the words. He was surrounded by reporters. The scene was vastly different than on the same Sunday in September a year ago. That day, too, the Cardinals had won, beating the New York Giants, but Crow was out of the lineup with a broken ankle. He sat on an equipment truck in the Yankee Stadium locker room, spoke briefly with those who knew him, then watched them move on to interview those who had played. Crow explained the difference between the '62 and '61 victories this way: "Sure, you're always happy when the team wins, but the victory isn't quite the same when you can't feel you're part of it. And when you lose, you feel even worse because you have
the idea that if you had played, you might have been able to help the team win." Eagles' Coach Nick Skorich was more to the point: "John Crow is a legitimate triple threat. When he's healthy, the Cardinals are a different team." Crow's coach, Wally Lemm, says, "What Jimmy Brown is to Cleveland, what Paul Hornung is to Green Bay, John is to us." John was this to the Cards: Three TDs (placing him in a tie for second in NFL scoring), 70 yards net rushing (15 of 30 Cardinal yards in one scoring drive, 45 of 52 in another), two passes caught for 12 yards and a TD, one of three passes completed for 16 yards. He is sixth in league rushing, and his long run of 26 came when the Eagles' left side linebacker was caught blitzing and John smartly turned the end to go all the way. After spending most of the 1961 season recuperating, and missing the final four 1962 preseason games, Crow is definitely back.
GILLMAN THREATENS TO MOVE CHARGERS OVER 'POOR GATE'
SEPT 19 (San Diego) - The general manager of the AFL's San Diego Chargers threatened Tuesday to move the club to another city because of what he called poor attendance at Sunday's game with the New York Titans. "If the stadium is not sold out next Sunday," said Sid Gillman, who is also head coach of the Chargers, "there is a good chance of San Diego losing the franchise." The Chargers meet Houston in the next game. Attendance at the New York game, which San Diego won 40-14 after dropping the season opener the week before in Denver 30-21, was 22,003. The stadium seats 34,500. The Chargers moved here last year from Los Angeles because of dissatisfaction with the support there. They play in city-owned Balboa Stadium, which the city enlarged and modernized at a cost of more than $1 million. Attendance at last year's seven games averaged 27,859.
CROW, ETCHEVERRY, RANDLE? DON'T FORGET CARD DEFENSE
SEPT 20 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - With all this talk of Crow, Etcheverry and Randle, it's mighty easy to overlook the Cardinals' solid defense. But two people mentioned "Cardinal defense" this week without even being asked - Wally Cruice, the Packer scout, and Joe Pollack, the Cardinals' publicity man. Cruice touched on the Cards' defense as a matter of warning. Pollack spilled something on the unit as a matter of interest. The "matter" will be settled when the Packers and Cardinals meet in Milwaukee Sunday afternoon. The Cards' strongest defense is against rushing. They led the league last year on average yard allowed rushing - 3.5. The Pack comparison allowed 4.1. The Cards allowed an average of 71 yards rushing last year. Green Bay gained only 74 yards against the Cards in their non-league game in Jacksonville last month and most of that came in the first half. The Cards limited the Eagles to 28 (count' em) yards rushing in their league opener last Sunday. And just a reminder to the Pack's Big Back attack, the Lions' giant Nick Pietrosante was held to 18 yards in 9 carries in the recent Card-Lion non-looper. These figures were furnished by Pollack who also pointed out that the Pack's two big blasters, Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung, will serve as a big challenge to the Cards' defense. "The defense is their biggest thing," Cruice explained, pointing out some of the Cards' defensive stars. "That Meinert (Dale, middle linebacker) is a terrific player," he added. The Cards' defense line has Ed Henke (230 pounds) and Joe Robb (230) at the ends and Don Owens (255) and Frank Fuller (245) at the tackles. Linebackers working
alongside Meinert are Bill Koman at left and Ted Bates at right. The starting secondary has Pat Fischer and Jimmy Hill at the corners and Billy Stacy and Larry Wilson at safety. The entire starting defense is veteran, with Fischer being the "youngest" as a second-year man. One of the Cards' subs in the defensive backfield is Norm Beal, a teammate of the Packers' Ed Blaine at the University of Missouri for the last three years. They could collide somewhere along the line since Blaine plays offense behind Jerry Kramer or Fred Thurston. Beals backs up Hill. While the Cards' defense is rugged, the unit has been penetrated via the air lanes. The Eagles completed 15 out of 25 for 257 yards last Sunday. The Packers completed 13 out of 23 for 176 yards in Jacksonville, with Bart Starr completing 9 out of 13, John Roach 2 out of 7 and Paul Hornung 2 out of 3. But few teams can win consistently with passing alone. The Packers will have to move on the ground, too, through the Cards' tough defense...BRIEFS: The Cards gave the game ball to Wally Lemm, their new head coach, after the victory over the Eagles in Philly last Sunday...Ken Gray, the onetime Packer rookie, is the Cards' starting right guard. The scrappy five-year veteran has done excellent blocking after pulling out for sweeps, said Pollack...The only rookie in the Cards' starting lineup is Irv Goode, 235-pound Kentucky star. Goode came up as a center but has won the starting offensive left tackle spot...Lemm is a former Shorewood High and Carroll College athelte and he'll be going "home" when he leads the Cards into Milwaukee...Roach has been confined to his home with a sore jaw.
CHARGERS BACK UP ON THREAT TO LEAVE HOME
SEPT 20 (San Diego) - Officials of the San Diego Chargers backed up Wednesday on talk about taking the AFL team to some other city. Barron Hilton, president of the club, said, "The Chargers have no intention of moving anywhere except down the field against the Houston Oilers." Sid Gillman, coach and general manager, issued a statement he said was intended to clarify earlier remarks. He had told a gathering of football reporters and fans Monday that unless the 34,500 seats in Balboa Stadium are filled in Sunday's game with Houston "there is a good chance of San Diego losing the franchise." He and Hilton both said they were disappointed at the turnout of only 22,003 fans for the Chargers game with the New York Titans last Sunday. Gillman, in his next statement, said: "I did in no way mean to infer that San Diego was an inferior sports town or that the Chargers were moving the franchise to another city."
CAN CARDS' CROW GET ALONG WITH PACKERS? HE NEVER HAS
SEPT 21 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - John David Crow doesn't get along very well with the Packers. At least in non-league games. The Cards' 220-pound halfback, one of the best in pro football, played against Green Bay three times - all in preseason productions, since his rookie year in 1958. He came out of the three tests with one broken leg, one sprained ankle, 88 yards in 13 carries, and 16 yards in 4 pass catches. The Cards played the Packers one other time during his career - a non-looper in Green Bay in 1960 but Crow didn't play; he was hurt in the previous game. Crow was playing behind Ollie Matson when he first played against the Pack in Minneapolis in '58. Big John carried only twice but gained 52 yards and caught one pass for five yards. Matson, later traded to the Rams, had 69 yards in 12 in the Cards' 31-24 victory. The two clubs weren't scheduled on the same field in 1959 and Crow's next look at Green Bay was in 1961 in St. Louis. On his eighth carry, Crow swept around his own left end and suddenly had his feet flipped into the air. Willie Wood, playing right safety, came up fast and delivered one of his ankle-high tackles. They carried Crow off on a stretcher, his leg broke just above the ankle. Crow never played again that year until the last few league games, carrying 48 times for 192 yards. Under new coach Wally Lemm, Crow came forth in 1962 as the Paul Hornung-type option back. But the injury jinx bugged him again - against the Packers in Jacksonville. He sprained his ankle after lugging twice for three yards and missed most of the non-league season. But Crow moved into the league season last Sunday in Philadelphia in fine condition - much to the Eagles' dismay. Big John scored three touchdowns on runs of 2 and 26 yards and a 2-yard pass. He carried 22 times for 70 yards, completed one pass in three attempts for 16 yards, and caught two passes for 13. Crow hopes he'll get along well with the Pack in Milwaukee County Stadium Sunday - for a change. The Packers will keep a special eye on big No. 44! The Packers' version of Crow, one Mr. Hornung, will bear some watching, too. The Cards didn't scout the Pack's win over the Vikings in Green Bay last Sunday in person but they did note in the exchange films that Pitchin' Paul uncorked a 41-yard pass to Boyd Dowler, who made a great leaping catch. That was the longest completion Hornung ever unloaded as a pro. It nosed out his 40-yard touchdown pass to Max McGee in the final league game of 1960 in Los Angeles. McGee made a diving catch. Hornung came to the Packers from Notre Dame as a star quarterback who could also play halfback or fullback in 1957. Shifting between QB and FB, Paul hurled only seven passes in his first two seasons and completed one for a minus 1 yard. Coach Vince Lombardi shifted Paul to left (option) halfback when he took over in '59. From that position Hornung attempted 30 passes and completed 15 for 296 yards and five touchdowns in three seasons. The total includes 1 for 1 last Sunday. The Packers came up with a perfect passer last year. That would be Tom Moore, who completed his only two attempts for 42 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown shot to Max McGee in the loss at San Francisco. In both cases, Moore was at left half in place of Hornung. Moore still is battling 1.000 since he didn't pass as a rookie in '59 - or this year yet...The Packers will be playing before their sixth straight sellout in Milwaukee County Stadium. All four games in County Stadium will be sold out in 1961, and ever seat was occupied for the Shrine Game last month. Col. O.C. Krueger, the Pack's Milwaukee manager, said a limited number of reserved and general admission tickets went on sale today to complete the sellout of 44,239...Jack Clary, the AP scribe who has been writing pro football, started making pro predictions Packers in Jacksonville. He sprained his ankle after lugging twice for three yards and missed most of the non-league season. But Crow moved into the league season last Sunday in Philadelphia in fine condition - much to the Eagles' dismay. Big John scored three touchdowns on runs of 2 and 26 yards and a 2-yard pass. He carried 22 times for 70 yards, completed one pass in three attempts for 16 yards, and caught two passes for 13. Crow hopes he'll get along well with the Pack in Milwaukee County Stadium Sunday - for a change. The Packers will keep a
special eye on big No. 44! The Packers' version of Crow, one Mr. Hornung, will bear some watching, too. The Cards didn't scout the Pack's win over the Vikings in Green Bay last Sunday in person but they did note in the exchange films that Pitchin' Paul uncorked a 41-yard pass to Boyd Dowler, who made a great leaping catch. That was the longest completion Hornung ever unloaded as a pro. It nosed out his 40-yard touchdown pass to Max McGee in the final league game of 1960 in Los Angeles. McGee made a diving catch. Hornung came to the Packers from Notre Dame as a star quarterback who could also play halfback or fullback in 1957. Shifting between QB and FB, Paul hurled only seven passes in his first two seasons and completed one for a minus 1 yard. Coach Vince Lombardi shifted Paul to left (option) halfback when he took over in '59. From that position Hornung attempted 30 passes and completed 15 for 296 yards and five touchdowns in three seasons. The total includes 1 for 1 last Sunday. The Packers came up with a perfect passer last year. That would be Tom Moore, who completed his only two attempts for 42 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown shot to Max McGee in the loss at San Francisco. In both cases, Moore was at left half in place of Hornung. Moore still is battling 1.000 since he didn't pass as a rookie in '59 - or this year yet...The Packers will be playing before their sixth straight sellout in Milwaukee County Stadium. All four games in County Stadium will be sold out in 1961, and ever seat was occupied for the Shrine Game last month. Col. O.C. Krueger, the Pack's Milwaukee manager, said a limited number of reserved and general admission tickets went on sale today to complete the sellout of 44,239...Jack Clary, the AP scribe who has been writing pro football, started making
pro predictions last week and ran into trouble. He had four right, five wrong and one tie in the two leagues. His blue plate special for this week is noteworthy in these parts: St. Louis over Green Bay. And here's Clary's brief explanation: "Cards' John Crow showed he is healthy again and that adds two more barrels to St. Louis' already potent attack. Defense should prove strong enough to catch Packers down a bit after easy win over Minnesota, despite efforts of halfback Paul Hornung."...Quarterback John Roach was still at home today under the care of Dr. James Nellen, Packer team physician. Roach has an ear infection that has given him a sore jaw. He hopes to join the team when it leaves by bus for Milwaukee Saturday morning.
HORNUNG TO QB IF STARR, HORNUNG OUT?
SEPT 21 (Milwaukee-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The injury that bedded John Roach this week brings up a point. Who's for quarterback if Bart Starr is forced out and Roach is unavailable? The Packers are loaded with ex-quarterbacks but the most logical in-a-pinch substitute in that position is none other than Paul Hornung, the runner, passer, receiver and kicker. Hornung worked some at offensive QB this week behind Starr during Roach's absence. Paul and Lew Carpenter share QB when makeshift teams operate the next-opponent's offense against the Bays' defense in practice. Roach was scheduled to make the bus trip to Milwaukee today. He was home all week with a sore jaw, the result of an ear infection. The Bays have several players who were part or full-time quarterbacks in college - Boyd Dowler, Willie Wood, Jess Whittenton, Bill Forester, Hornung and Carpenter...Kickoff Sunday in County Stadium is scheduled at 1:06, before a sellout crowd of 44,236. It's a big special since the game is the only meeting of undefeated teams this weekend. The game will be beamed back to Green Bayville via WBAY-TV and WJPG...The Cards have seven rookies this season - three more than the Packers. The St. Louis newcomers are halfbacks Norm Beal, Bill Triplett; ends John Elwell, Chuck Bryant; tackles Irv Goode, George Hultz; linebacker Garland Boyette. Goode is the only starter. He has won the left offensive tackle spot. The Packers have four rookies and they all hope to play - guard Ed Blaine, who worked only on the platoons last Sunday; tackle Ron Gassert; fullback Earl Gros; and end Gary Barnes...BRIEFS: The Packers are headquartering at the Astor Hotel here tonight. They'll return right after the game via Greyhound bus...Jonathan Barassa, the "chief" of Kenya, East Africa, who is in Green Bay to study local government, saw his first football game at City Stadium last Sunday and likened the action to "the third world war." He also noted that "the player wearing No. 5 is like magic."...Former Green Bayite Bill Tierney, now vice president of the Batavian Bank in La Crosse, has organized a two-bus trip to the Packer-Viking game in Minneapolis for fans from the La Crosse area. Nearly 100 persons will make the trip...Bear Coach George Halas visited with his wartime boss, Admiral Nimitz, in San Francisco the other day and the old Navy war hero, now a hearty 77, told Halas, 68, how to stay healthy: walking at least two miles a day, horseshoe pitching, and not worrying about such things as the weather and old age.
PACKERS DUEL CARDS IN 'GAME OF WEEK' TODAY
SEPT 22 (Milwaukee-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers and Cardinals play the "Game of the Week" in County Stadium this afternoon. It's the only meeting of unbeaten teams in the NFL today and both teams have "everything" at stake. The Cardinals were related last winter as an outside favorite to win the Eastern Division title by a number of experts, including Packer Coach Vince Lombardi. After they beat the Eagles in Philadelphia last Sunday, the Cards looked like honest-to-goodness title timber. A win over Green Bay would send St. Louis into a contending position. The Packers, facing the rugged Bears and Lions in Green Bay the next two Sundays, can't afford to stumble on the Big Red. Kickoff is set for 1:06 and the game will go back to Green Bay on television (Channel 2) and radio (WJPG). A sellout throng of 44,236 will see the action. The Packers have a couple of streaks going. They'll be seeking their sixth straight league victory over an Eastern Division foe and their ninth in a row over all competition. After losing to the Giants in '59, the Bays beat the Redskins and followed with wins over the Cowboys and Steelers in 1960 and the Browns and Giants in 1961. The Packers haven't lost a game since the one-pointer to the 49ers in San Francisco last December. The Packers' ground game will get its toughest test from the hard hitting Card defense. This unit held the Eagles to 28 yards rushing last Sunday and permitted the Pack only 74 in the non-leaguer in Jacksonville. Bart Starr uncoiled his pitching arm when the ground forces lagged in that non-looper and the Cards were tamed. In fact, the Cardinals have been susceptible to passing and the Bays may lean on the air game today. However, the Cardinals have been susceptible to passing and the Bays may lean on the air game today. However, the Pack's varied attack, with Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor, Max McGee, Ron Kramer, Boyd Dowler and Starr at the business end, can be tailored on the spot to exploit any opening offered by the Cardinals...OFFENSE COULD HURT: The Pack's offense could be hurt today. Jerry Kramer is sporting a strep throat and didn't dress for practice Saturday in the Stadium. He went to bed at the Astor Hotel when the team arrived around noon. Starr's QB backstop, John Roach, didn't make the trip Saturday due to a painfully sore jaw resulting from an ear infection. He may show up this morning. If Starr needs a replacement and Roach
isn't present, Hornung will be installed at QB, a position he hasn't played with the Pack since his rookie season, 1957. The Pack's defense has its teeth sharpened for Giant John Crow, the Cards' answer to Hornung. Crow will lead the attack along with Sam Etcheverry and Sonny Randle. The Bay defense turned in five interceptions last Sunday on the Vikings but Coach Lombardi was unhappy with the tackling. You can bet the tackling will be sharp today.
