Green Bay Packers (13-1) 20, Los Angeles Rams (1-12-1) 17
Sunday December 16th 1962 (at Los Angeles)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(LOS ANGELES) - The Packers won the war - their third straight Western Division championship - and then won the battle, too, in the Coliseum Sunday afternoon. They eased into the title when the Bears upset the Lions out of in Chicago but their 13th victory didn't come easy. The Rams put up fearsome resistance before Green Bay emerged with a 20-17 decision. First word of the Bears' charming favor reached the press box just after the Packers took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter but the Bays didn't know the result until early in the second period when the PA announcer revealed the Lion score during a timeout. The Packers didn't make with any handsprings but the players exchanged handshakes on the bench - as they proceeded to score their first victory as 1962 Western kings. Green Bay now goes to Big Town to defend its world championship against the Giants in Yankee Stadium. The date: Dec. 30. The Packers closed out in record-breaking style before the largest crowd of the season here, 60,353. Their 13-win total was the biggest ever recorded by the Bays, breaking the record of 12 set in 1929. They rolled up a new league record of 281 first downs, breaking the old mark of 278 by the Rams in 1950. And they finished with 39 touchdowns rushing to snap the record of 37 set by the great 1941 Bears. Jim Taylor scored one of the Pack's three touchdowns on a 28-yard dive through the line to run his season total to 19 - one mor than the league record of 18 held jointly by Steve Van Buren and Jim Brown. Taylor, the league's Player of the Year, rolled for 158 yards in 23 attempts to give him 1,476 yards for the season, thus breaking the Packer record of 1,307. The Packers never went behind, rolling up a 7-0 lead in the first three minutes on a 45-yard Tom Moore to Ron Kramer aerial play. Dan Villanueva added a 39-yard field goal for a 7-3 score. Taylor's run upped the Pack lead to 13-3 when Jerry Kramer's extra point try was blocked. Max McGee threw the first pass of his pro career when he bobbled a punt attempt and Merlin Olsen intercepted and returned 20 yards for a 13-10 score in the second quarter. Both teams scored in the fourth quarter. Bart Starr and Paul Hornung worked an 83-yard picture-pass play for a 20-10 lead but the Rams moved 69 yards after the next kickoff, with Jon Arnett throwing 15 yards to Carroll Dale for the last TD. The Packers piled up 427 yards as Starr put the emphasis on the forward pass. The Bays hurled 35 passes and completed 17, with Starr hitting 16 out of 32 for 205 yards, Moore one for 45 and John Roach and McGee one attempt each. Roach went in for two plays when Starr was shaken up in the second quarter. Starr kept the charged-up Rams slightly dizzy with quick passes up the middle to R. Kramer and at least two surprise pass calls. With a third and two situation in the second frame on his own 43, Starr faked Taylor into the Rams' stacked line and then hurled a 21-yard pass to McGee, who almost got away for a touchdown. Two plays later, Taylor ran 27 for a touchdown. Early in the fourth quarter on third and two, Starr caught the Rams red-dogging safetyman Charley Britt, faked Taylor into the line and calmly threw to Hornung, who completed the 83-yard TD. McGee set Paul free on the 50 by blocking out Carver Shannon. Taylor slammed into the line with such "belief" on the play that he was actually tackled. The Packer defense was nicked for 303 yards, including only 96 in the air. Dick Bass and Jon Arnett, the Rams' troublesome twosome, gained 183 yards. The Bays were tough in the clutch, and, with 3:30 left in the game, took the ball away
Rams QB Roman Gabriel (18) at line of scrimmage during game vs Green Bay Packers (Photo by Neil Leifer /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
on downs, with Ray Nitschke stopped Arnett a yard short of a first down. The Packers took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards in nine plays to a 7-0 lead. Taylor ran 17 yards in three trips, Moore four in one, and Starr passed to McGee, Kramer and Boyd Dowler for 14 to the Ram 45. Moore then rolled out to the right and hurled to Kramer on the 30. The Big Oaf rocked out of Britt's arms, knocked over Lindon Crow near the sidelines and then broke away from Mike Henry to score standing up at 3:48. J. Kramer kicked the point. Arnett's 40-yard dash up the middle set up Villanueva's 39-yard field goal while the crowd yelled for a run to make the one yard needed for a first down. After an exchange of punts, the Bays started a move from their 26, chiefly on Starr's passes to Moore for 15 and R. Kramer for 11, but Taylor fumbled and Dave Jones recovered on the Ram 32 on the first play of the second period. The defense, after giving up two first downs, gave the ball back to Starr and this time he moved the Bays 65 yards in five plays for the second TD. Starr threw to McGee for eight, to McGee again for 21 on the fooler and to Dowler for 9 to the 27. Taylor then popped through the left side of the Bay line, between Fuzzy Thurston and Norm Masters, for the TD. Jones blocked J. Kramer's point try. Before the half ended, Villaneuva's field goal attempt from the 41 went wide, McGee's pass intended for Bill Forester was intercepted by Olsen and returned for a touchdown and Villanueva's field goal stab from the 43 hit the crossbar and bounced back on the playing field, a tough break for the Rams. The Rams got a drive going to start the second half on Roman Gabriel's passing and short socks by Bass and Arnett but Bass fumbled when hit by Forester and Jess Whittenton recovered on the Packer 19. The Bays put together two first downs but McGee was forced to punt. The Rams also added up two first downs, including Gabriel's 31-yard pass to Dale, and Villaneuva tried his fourth field goal of the day. The boot, from the 43, fell short. The teams exchanged punts again as the game moved into the fourth period, with the Bays taking over on their own eight yard line. Taylor gained eight yards in two tries, running his total for the day to 146, and then Starr and Hornung worked their TD magic. J. Kramer's kick made it 20-10 at 3:09.
SEEMED 'SAFE'
The Packers seemed "safe" but the Rams roared back 69 yards in eight plays to score. Bass carried 37 yards in five plays and Gabriel, unable to pass, ran twice for 17 yards. From the 15, Arnett hit Dale on the goal line for the TD. Villaneuva's kick at 7:01 made it 20-17. The Bays ran the clock down to 3 minutes before McGee punted. After one first down, the Packers took it away on downs and then ran out the clock. Thus, the Packers didn't really need help from the Lions and the final score was the same count the Packers produced in beating the Giants for their 1961 Western title.
GREEN BAY - 7 6 0 7 - 20
LOS ANGELES - 3 7 0 7 - 17
GREEN BAY LOS ANGELES
First Downs 18 16
Rushing-Yards-TD 33-181-1 36-207-0
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 35-17-250-2-1 22-12-104-1-0
Sack Yards Lost 4 8
Total Yards 427 303
Fumbles-lost 3-2 2-1
Turnovers 3 1
Yards penalized 1-5 1-5
SCORING
1st - GB - Ron Kramer, 45-yard pass from Tom Moore (Jerry Kramer kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
1st - LA - Danny Villanueva, 39-yard field goal GREEN BAY 7-3
2nd - GB - Jim Taylor, 28-run (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 13-3
2nd - LA - Merlin Olsen, 20-yard interception return (Villanueva kick) GREEN BAY 13-10
4th - GB - Paul Hornung, 83-yard pass from Bart Starr (J. Kramer kick) GREEN BAY 20-10
4th - LA - Carroll Dale, 15-yard pass from Jon Arnett (Villanueva kick) GREEN BAY 20-17
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Jim Taylor 23-156 1 TD, Tom Moore 5-13, Paul Hornung 4-10, Bart Starr 1-2
LOS ANGELES - Jon Arnett 16-103, Dick Bass 16-78, Roman Gabriel 4-26
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 32-16-205 1 TD, Tom Moore 1-1-45 1 TD, John Roach 1-0-0, Max McGee 1-0-0 1 INT
LOS ANGELES - Roman Gabriel 20-10-80, Jon Arnett 2-2-24 1 TD
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Max McGee 5-58, Ron Kramer 4-73 1 TD, Jim Taylor 3-8, Paul Hornung 2-88 1 TD, Boyd Dowler 2-8, Tom Moore 1-15
LOS ANGELES - Carroll Dale 4-64 1 TD, Red Phillips 3-30, Dick Bass 3-9, Pervis Atkins 1-7, Jon Arnett 1-(-6)
LITTLE CELEBRATING BY 'VERY TIRED' CHAMPS
DEC 17 (Los Angeles-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - There was no celebration in the Packer dressing room after wrapping up their third successive division championship - just a loud sigh of relief. "We're a tired ball club," said Coach Vince Lombardi, "a very tired club." But the coach of the champions quickly denied the Packers suffered a letdown in their 20-17 victory over the Rams. That opinion was supported by fullback Jim Taylor and the Rams' coach, Harland Svare, who said the Packers "played hard all the way." Taylor said, "I think we gave 100 percent," in spite of Detroit's loss to Chicago. "We knew we had to put out because the minute you let up at all, somebody gets hurt," said Taylor. "We need everybody for the playoff." Lombardi said he will give the players a brief vacation from practice this week. "We'll start in on Wednesday," he told the swarm of reporters that streamed into the dressing room. "No, I haven't even thought about the Giants," he said. "We figured we had to win this one first." The Packer coach called the Rams a "tremendously improved" team under Svare and said, "Gabriel (Roman) looks good, too good. I think it's about time they traded him to the Giants." Asked if the dressing room was so quiet because the Packers were becoming sophisticated about winning championships ("The Yankees of football," as one reporter put it), Lombardi said maybe a little bit. "When I say we're tired, I don't mean physically. I don't believe a young man gets physically tired. But we are mentally tired." Lombardi said the players first learned they had won the division title when the Lions' loss was announced over the public address system to the Los Angeles crowd midway through the first half. There was joyful handshaking on the sideline. He said he doubted that the result made any difference in the players' performances. The Bays' head man said that the Packers made more mistakes than in any previous game this season. "I used to think," he added, "that we were better than last season, but I'm not sure now." He also felt that Los Angeles was a tremendously improved team. Asked about the Packer pass rush, which was below its usual standard, Lombardi replied that the Rams did a fine job of blocking. Lombardi was asked about a report that Paul Hornung, used sparingly this season due to a knee injury, had asked to be traded. "Why don't you ask Paul about it?" Lombardi replied. "I did and he laughed. Paul said, "I'd be a nut to want to be traded from this team.'" Although their conduct would hardly support it and Jim Taylor insisted it was "tremendous" to win the division crown, Hornung has been in bed with the flu until Friday and he was used only sparingly - although he caught a pass good for the decisive touchdown. "I think I'm coming around," Hornung said. Lombardi said he thought Hornung, who had played only 10 minutes since Oct. 5, showed more speed than he had in recent games and would be ready for the playoff game with the Giants. "I think the line looked better today than in any time in the past few weeks," said Taylor. He added that he thought the pressure had been greater on the Packers because they had gone so long unbeaten this year. Max McGee, who had an uncomfortable day as a punter, said morosely, "I did everything goofy today." He said of the unique play on which he fumbled an intended Packer punt and threw a touchdown to a Rams' tackle: "I saw no chance to kick on the run, so I looked for an open spot to throw it. I didn't want to be tackled on the five-yard line. But the open space I thought I saw filled up in a hurry. You can catch 99 passes, and nobody pays any attention but drop one punt and..." He left the statement unfinished. "But I'm not going to worry about it now that we won," said McGee. "If we'd lost, I'd probably be crying, though." Businesslike all season, the Packers remained that way after the game. "We've got one more game to go," Jim Ringo said quietly, referring to the big battle in New York. Bart Starr noted that he didn't have "a very good day," but the Bay signalist came up with enough big plays to win it. One of the big plays was Taylor's 27-yard touchdown blast through the line. Fuzzy Thurston explained that "Jim Ringo and I blocked toward the middle and Norm Masters pushed his man out. Taylor started toward the middle and ran off my left side." Harland Svare, the Rams' interim coach, told the Rams not to believe stories about the Packers having a letdown. "They played hard and you did, too. When we go to camp next year, we're not going to make the mistakes we're making this year," Svare said. Svare, a former Giant star and assistant coach, was hesitant to pick a winner between the Packers and the Giants. He did predict it would not be as lopsided as the 1961 title game. "The Packer are great, possibly the greatest," Svare said, adding, however, that he has seen little of the Giants this year.
TAYLOR SNARES SCORING CROWN, SETS TD RECORD
DEC 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Packer fullback Jim Taylor succeeded teammate Paul Hornung Sunday as the NFL's scoring champion, and in the process he set a league record for touchdowns in a season and led the league in rushing. Taylor collected 114 points to edge Pittsburgh kicker Lou Michaels for the scoring title. Taylor's touchdown against the Rams Sunday was his 19th of the year, cracking the former mark of 18 held by Steve Van Buren and Jimmy Brown. His 158 yards against the Rams boosted his season total to 1,476 for the loop crown and Packer team record. It was just 51 short of the league record of 1,527 held by Brown. Michael's point total set a record for kickers, breaking the mark of 198 held by Lou Groza. His 26 field goals was another record.
PACK ARRIVES HOME TONIGHT; TRADITIONAL WELCOME URGED
DEC 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Chairman Charles (Chuck) Egan of the Chamber of Commerce today urged
"a traditional 'Welcome Home, Packers' be given by Green Bay area Packer Backers when the 1962 Western Division champions arrive at Austn Straubel Field between 6:15 and 6:30 this evening." Egan said the correct time of arrival would be announced periodically on all local radio and television stations. "Mayor Dennisen has asked the fire and police departments to be out there with their sirens going when the plane lands at the airport," Egan said. "Because the eyes of the sports world are on Green Bay, let's make this the largest 'Welcome Home Champs' that has ever been accorded to Vince Lombardi and his Green Bay Packers."
PACKERS SIGN TONY LISCIO
DEC 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers today announced the signing of their No. 3 draft choice, tackle Tony Liscio of Tulsa University. Liscio, 22, whose hometown is Pittsburgh, became the fourth college player signed thus far by the Packers. He said he signed with Green Bay Saturday in preference to an offer from the New York Titans of the AFL, who also drafted the Tulsa lineman. Liscio watched Sunday's game with the Los Angeles Rams from the press box. "I'm very happy to be able to play with a championship team," the 6-foot-4 Liscio said between halves. A tackle in college, Liscio said he expected to play defensive end as a professional.
2,000 FANS GIVE CHAMP PACKERS HASTY WELCOME
DEC 18 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Delayed three hours at takeoff, Green Bay's champions were welcomed home Monday night in less than 10 minutes - with crisp efficiency and a minimum of fanfare. Their chartered plane swooped into Austin Straubel Field at 7:06 p.m., to the jingle of cowbells, the wail of police and fire department sirens and the cheers of an estimated 2,000 of the faithful, and at 7:14 most of the conquering heroes were en route to their homes. With white-uniformed Civil Defense police forming a lane for them, the players and coaches quickly deplaned and made their way to the sidewalk along the airport fence, where waited their wives and families. Reunited, they proceeded directly to the airport waiting room and shortly to their cars. All this admittedly contrasted somewhat with the more formal and boisterous celebrations attendant to the 1960 and 1961 homecomings, which also followed Western Division championships. This was hardly evidence of disaffection, however; speeches and the customary civic welcome were eliminated as a convenience to the players and coaches, who had been separated from their family for more than two weeks. Businesslike as it was, there were a few breaks in the otherwise decorous debarkation, Mrs. Marie Lombardi, wife of Packer Coach Vince Lombardi, was warmly embraced by daughter Susan before reaching the CD "court of honor." And Lombardi himself, halted a few steps from the plane ramp for a brief television interview, shortly paused again as he passed through the cordon, this time to be favored with a filial hug and kiss. He also was greeted by signs effusively proclaiming, "Lombardi for President" and "In-VINCE-able Packers." There was also one which read: "Veterans and Rookies, too: In New York, You Know What to Do." A man of few words on this occasion, the Packer major-domo said only, "We came through everything all right - we're in good physical shape." This last was obviously in reference to the Pack's Dec. 30 rematch with the New York Giants for the world championship. The champions had been scheduled to arrive between 6:15 and 6:30, but their departure from Los Angeles, originally set for 9 o'clock Monday morning, was delayed until noon because their chartered plane was disabled with a bent nose wheel. This necessitated transferring to a jet, which carried them to Chicago. There the Packers boarded an adjacent DC6B and proceeded to Green Bay. They hadn't been back on terra firma long before the inevitable question arose: What about the Giants? Square-shouldered Willie Davis shrugged ever so slightly on his way through the congested waiting room and quoth, "I think we can beat 'em. But," he emphasized, "we've got to play good." Defensive Capt. Bill Forester, on his way out the door, matter-of-factly summed up the prevailing sentiments, "We'll be ready for 'em. There's no question in anyone's mind that we can win it again. We've come a long way and this is the end of the road. Our total fixation is the championship."
'I'M PROUD OF THE ENTIRE SQUAD,' LOMBARDI
DEC 18 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Tis the season to be jolly? It is and it isn't for the Packers, who started enjoying the Christmas holiday today - not to mention their third straight Western Division championship. The Bays are far from jolly over their upcoming championship game against the Giants in Yankee Stadium Dec. 30. That's a real un-jolly job and will be started with a squad meeting Wednesday afternoon and the opening practice Thursday morning. The Packers arrived home Monday night after a jet hop from Los Angeles to Chicago and a prop-plane trip from Chicago to Austin Straubel. And they appeared to be greatly relieved and relaxed. The championship race - particularly the last five games, was a terrifying and exhausting experience for the Bays. "It was like trying to protect a one-run lead every day," Coach Vince Lombardi said Monday, referring to the Lions who were within a game of the Packers the last three games. But the Packers' ability to withstand all sorts of socks - not to mention the actual games - adds
flavor to the Packers' gaudy 13-1 record. "The pressure to win has been hard for all of us but this was a great accomplishment by all 36 of those players. They did a fine job," Lombardi said, adding: "You've got to hand it to them. They were under a great strain all the time. You don't outclass anybody in this league. It's hard going every Sunday." The season had many highlights, many critical moments - Herb Adderley's interception in the first Detroit game, enabling the Bays to win on Paul Hornung's third field goal; the goal line stand against the Colts here in the final minutes; Ray Nitschke's interception against the Colts in Baltimore; the touchdown drive in the fourth quarter of the 49er game in San Francisco - to mention a few. "These are all part of the big accomplishment - winning the championship. I'm proud of the entire squad," Vince said. Lombardi has worked wonders - miracle is a better word - with the Packers in his four seasons, dwindling the losses from five in 1959 to four in 1960, three in 1961 and just one in 1962. The Bays have lost only two of their last 40-some games. He took over a team that lost 10 in 1958. This is fantastic, heartwarming - everything. While the Packers didn't let loose in the dressing room after beating the Rams (they were too tired), the pressure of the season seemed to "depart" as they headed for home. There was much joy and merriment on the jet ride and a group of the boys made with a few Christmas carols. It was nice to relax! The Packers came out of the Ram game in good physical condition - plus a happy note. That would be the performance of Paul Hornung. The injured option back, who has been plagued by a knee injury, flashed some of his former speed and quickness in playing briefly. He was on the long end of an 83-yard Bart Starr touchdown pass. Lombardi noted that Hornung looked the best he has since before he was hurt Oct. 14 at Minneapolis. Paul was sick most of last week with the stomach flu. The Bays figure to be in top condition for the championship game, and that goes for Dan Currie, who has shaken off his knee injury...Curly Lambeau, founder of the Packers who lives in Palm Springs during the winter, was highly pleased in the press box after the Pack's win in LA. "Well, that's great. Three championships in a row. I want to go down to the dressing room," he said. Lambeau, who coached the Bays to six world titles, congratulated Lombardi and all the players he could put his hands on.
PACKER DEFENSE FORCES ERRORS, LEBARON SAYS
DEC 18 (New York) - Eddie LeBaron, a little man in a world of giants, put the finger on one big difference between the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers when he talked about their defense Monday. "Green Bay's defense puts tremendous pressure on you," the 5-foot-7, 169-pound Dallas quarterback said. "The Packers try to force you into errors, try to make you fumble and panic. The Giants will let you make a few yards now and then up field, but they get tough when you get down close," LeBaron told guests at Monday's pro quarterback club luncheon. "If you can escape Green Bay's pressure, you should have a better chance of going all the way than against the Giants who are always guarding against the bomb. The Giants' offense is greatly improved this year. Their defense is as strong as any in the league. I rate the two teams very close and look for a great game." LeBaron has just completed one of his best years at the age of 32, with 16 touchdown passes and 1,436 yards gained despite an injury that forced him to miss many games. "I'm a lawyer who is a moonlighter with a part time job on Sunday," said LeBaron. "It was more part time than ever this way we worked it this year."
TITTLE TO BE READY
DEC 18 (New York) - Y.A. Tittle, quarterback of the New York Giants, has an ailing back but says he'll be ready to play against the Green Bay Packers in the NFL title game here Dec. 30. Tittle was hurt when spilled on ice along the sidelines late in Sunday's 41-31 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. "I was worried last night," Tittle told a football luncheon Monday. "But the X-rays were negative. I'll be all right for Green Bay. I'll be working out this week." The Giants' offensive right tackle, Jack Stroud, had injured ribs x-rayed, but again they were negative, and he said, "I'll play." A reserve defensive back, Dick Pesonen, once a Packer, still was in a hospital with a recurrence of an old back injury. The team physician, Dr. Francis Sweeney, said he was hopeful Pesonen would be able to play against Green Bay.
EIGHT PACKERS NAMED FOR PRO BOWL; OPEN DRILLS FOR TITLE GAME
DEC 19 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Eight Packers made the Western Division team for the Pro Bowl. The Packers dominated NFL team statistics. Eighth draft choice Lou Rettino has signed. And the Bays open field workouts for the championship game Thursday. Those are the Packer headlines for today. Let's go: Six members of the offensive team and two for the defense unit made the West club which will battle the East in Los Angeles Jan. 13. The teams are selected by the coaches. The Packers chosen are Ron Kramer, end; Forrest Gregg, tackle; Bart Starr, quarterback; Jim Taylor, fullback; Jerry Kramer, guard; Bill Forester, linebacker; Willie Wood, safety. Ron and Jerry Kramer and Wood are selected for their first appearance in the Pro Bowl. Ron joins Mike Ditka at tight end while Gail Cogdill of Detroit and Jim Phillips of Los Angeles are the spread ends. Jerry will handle the guard with Harley Sewell of Detroit. Wood is one of three safeties, the others being Yale Lary of Detroit and Richie Petitbon of Chicago. Ringo and Forester, the Packers' co-captains, are perennial choices, including the period when the Bays were losing. Starr will share the quarterbacking with John Unitas - as he did a year ago. Taylor, the league's most valuable player, will carry the brunt of the West's attack. Gregg is one of three tackles. He joins Jim Parker of Baltimore and Frank Varrichione of LA...LIMIT HURTS: The Lions placed seven players, Baltimore five, Chicago and Los Angeles four each, San Francisco three and Minnesota one. The limit is eight. And that, of course, doesn't do justice to the Packers. It doesn't seem likely that a defense, which had allowed only 148 points in 14 games, would get only two players on the team. Yet, how can you remove any of the six Packers chosen on the offensive team? The limit hurts! The Packers dominated team "stix" for the second straight year. They finished
first in 11 offensive and four defensive categories. The Bays repeated as league leader in eight departments: First downs rushing, 145; net yards rushing, 2,460; average yards per rush, 4.7; pass completion percentage, 60.1; total touchdowns, 53; touchdowns running, 39; extra points, 52; and total points, 415. The Packers also had the fewest passes intercepted, 13, the least yards interceptions returned against them, 122, and the most first downs total, 281. The first down total broke the league record of 278 by the 1950 Rams...MOST INTERCEPTIONS: On defense, the Bays, who didn't lead a single category in 1961, allowed the fewest points, 148, the fewest first downs passing, 94, the least yards net passing, 1,746, and had the most interceptions, 31. The Giants (ahem) won the total offense crown with 5,005 net yards rushing and passing. The Lions were total defense champs, having allowed only 3,217 yards. If the figures prove anything, they show the Packers with the best pass defense and the Giants with the best scoring air game. Green Bay has the best running game and the Giants are eighth. The Giants are second in passing, the Packers 10th. Rettino, the 225-pound Villanova University fullback, announced Tuesday that he had signed with the Pack..."THE GREATEST": Rettino listed his reasons for signing with Green Bay rather than the New York Titans of the AFL and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian League: "First of all, they're the greatest, and the contract they offered me was very good." A dean's list student, Rettino, 21, a native of Jersey City, averaged 4.3 yards per carry last season. The Packers looked at movies of their 20-17 victory over the Rams this afternoon and heard preliminary plans for the Giant game from Coach Vince Lombardi. The team takes to the field Thursday for the first time in preparation for the title game. All hands are in top shape except for Jerry Kramer, who has a pulled rib muscle. Jerry won't miss any practice and come playoff time he'll be healed.
PACKERS, LOMBARDI FEATURED IN TIME
DEC 19 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The cover of this week's Time magazine is devoted to Coach Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers. Inside there is a six-page story on Lombardi and his world champions. It is illustrated by nine pictures, one of them a rare informal glimpse of the Lombardi family at home.
STARR, TAYLOR, WOOD SNARE 4 INDIVIDUAL TITLES
DEC 20 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - As Bart Starr put it, "these are the nice by-products of winning." Quarterback Starr, fullback Jim Taylor and halfback Willie Wood captured four of the league's eight individual statistical championships, official figures disclosed Wednesday. Taylor won two titles - scoring and rushing, and became only the third player in league history to win both crowns in the same year. Starr, third a year ago, won the passing championship, and his feat included a 62.5 percent completion ratio and only nine interceptions. Wood, the league's punt return champion a year ago, captured the interception championship. All are first-year champions in their categories. Taylor has been running in the shadow of the Browns' Jimmy Brown for three seasons now and this year finished well ahead with 1,474 yards. Brown was fourth with 996. Taylor succeeded teammate Paul Hornung for the scoring crown, finishing with 114 points on 19 touchdowns. Hornung, hurt in the fifth game, had won the point title for three straight years. Paul closed 11th with 74 points...BROKE LEAGUE RECORD: Taylor's 19 TDs broke the league record of 18 held jointly by Brown and Steve Van Buren. Van Buren (Eagles of the 1940s) and Brown are the only others who swept rushing and scoring titles. Steve did it with 832 yards and 110 points in 1945, and Brown had 1,527 yards and 108 points in 1958. Taylor snapped a string of five straight rushing titles by Brown. Starr's passing title was earned on the first places in completion percentage (62.5) and percent of interceptions (3.2), a fourth in average yards per attempt (8.55) and a 12th in touchdowns (12). A passer gets one point for each placing, and Starr totaled a winning low of 18. Y.A. Tittle of the Giants, who ranked second, had 19 on a first in TDs (a record 33), a third in average yards (8.60), a sixth in percent of interceptions (5.3) and a ninth in completion percentage (53.3). Wood had nine interceptions, beating out Yale Lary of the Lions by one. The Giants' Dick Lynch, who led the league a year ago with nine, finished in a tie for 15th with six. Herb Adderley, playing his first full year for the Pack, was one of six players with seven interceptions. Starr, echoing the feelings of the other individual winners, said, "Individual records mean nothing. The Big thing is winning. These are by-products of our winning." The Packers' smart signalist has climbed steadily since 1959 - the year Coach Vince Lombardi took over the Pack. Bart, sharing the chore with Lamar McHan, ranked 9th in '59; 6th in '60 as he took over the job himself; third in '61; and now first. "The credit must go to the offensive line - the other players on the offense," Bart said, adding: "Our running game makes the passing go and vice versa. We have good balance and try to make both the passing and running got." Starr's completion percentage easily snapped the Pack's record of 58.3, set by Starr in 1961 when he had 172 completions in 285 attempts. Wood, who lugged his interceptions back 132 yards, ranked second in punt returns with an average of 11.9. Pat Studstill of Detroit was first with 15.8. Adderley finished third in kickoff returns, with an average of 27.9 on 15 returns. Abe Woodson of the 49ers averaged 31.1 on 37 returns. Boyd Dowler, though Max McGee did the punting in the last three and a half games, ranked sixth in punting with an average of 43.1 yards on 36 punts...The Packers hit the practice field for the first time today, officially launching workouts leading up to the explosion in Yankee Stadium Dec. 30. A light snow fell throughout the drill.
BLASE NEW YORK GOES MAD OVER GIANTS; PLAYOFF SELLOUT
DEC 20 (New York) - Blase New York takes the World Series in stride and shrugs off the Belmont but it has gone mad over the football Giants. You can't buy a ticket for the Dec. 30 title game with Green Bay unless you hold a season ticket. About 10,000 ducats were gobbled up in three hours Monday morning after several fans stood in line through the wintry night. The 45,000 season ticket holders are picking up their championship game tickets at Yankee Stadium this week. The price scale is double the normal rate at $8, $10 and $12 but it doesn't make any difference. The specs will be asking many times that amount in the days to come. The ticket commotion is not limited to the title game. Eager fans already are worrying about next year. "We must have 1,000 unsolicited inquiries for next season," said Ray Walsh, the general manager of the Giants. "Our season ticket literature doesn't go out until February or March." Before the season started, the Giants had sold out the Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia games. They finished with seven straight sellouts and a club high of 439,456 in attendance. In 1934 the entire NFL drew only 492,684. Where do all these people live? "Westchester, Long Island, Connecticut and New Jersey is our big area," said Walsh. "Of course, New York is the big one but we wouldn't sell out every week if we depended only on New York. You may find this hard to believe but we have at least two season ticket buyers in Dallas. I am sure they don't come up here every Sunday but their tickets are used. Maybe 30 or 40 from Boston and a few from Baltimore. We get a lot from the Schenectady and Albany area, too." The Giants moved across the river from the Polo Grounds to Yankee Stadium in 1956. At that time they had only 7,000 season ticket buyers. The football capacity of the Stadium is about 62,8000. With 45,000 already assigned to season ticket holders, 10,000 sold in the public sale and the rest apportioned among the various league teams, the only chance for a non-holder is to get some regular fan who is not going to use his ticket. "I get all sorts of calls from people who want to run tours to the title game but I have to tell them no," said Walsh. "We would fill 100,000 seats and turn away many more." The newspaper strike, which has crippled other sectors of the amusement and sports business, had little effect on the Giants because of the big backlog of season tickets. Meanwhile, back at the Stadium, the Giants started working for the Packers. The players had a two-day vacation after the season finale with Dallas Sunday. They will work Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and then lay off Sunday, Monday and Tuesday for Christmas. They will resume Wednesday and Thursday of next week in the Army fieldhouse at West Point, N.Y., and will return to the Stadium for the final drills Dec. 28 and 29. Coach Allie Sherman sent the Giants through a 90-minute workout at the Stadium. Both Y.A. Tittle, who suffered a bruised back Sunday, and Ralph Giglielmi, whose right knee was twisted in the same game, worked out by themselves. Frank Gifford, the Giants' flanker back, ran through the plays at quarterback. Tackle Jack Stroud, who suffered bruised ribs Sunday, participated in the spirited drill. The only man unable to work was Paul Dudley, running back who has an injured knee. The players voted on how they will split their share of the players' pool from the championship game. Details will be announced later by the office of Commissioner Pete Rozelle.
IT'S 4-1 FIRST TEAM TO SCORE TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIP TILT
DEC 21 (New York) - When the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants meet Dec. 30 for the NFL championship, records of past title games show it is 4-1 that the first team to score will win. It happened that way 23 times in 29 games since they set up the playoff system in 1933. Green Bay in 1960 and New York in 1958 were the only recent losers who scored first. The same records give a 20-8 edge to the home team in this series, disregarding the 1936 game between the Boston Redskins and Green Bay on a neural field at the Polo Grounds in New York. It was played there because Boston was not drawing at home. The next season the club moved to Washington...BASIS OF THEORY: The first-to-score theory is particularly interesting this year because many football students believe the only way to beat the Packers is to score quickly and jolt them out of their ball control system of grinding out first downs methodically along the ground. The basis of this theory is that the Packers' passing game, despite Bart Starr's No. 1 rating among quarterbacks, is not as effective when Green Bay is behind. Eddie LeBaron, Dallas quarterback, mentioned this theory earlier in the week at a luncheon, but he added, "That probably is the way to do it, but the big problem is getting these points on the board before the Packers do." You can be sure that the Giants, regardless of what they say, are hoping to score as quickly as they did when they rambled over the Chicago Bears, 47-7, in 1956. The only recent losers among the teams that scored first were the Giants in the overtime game with Baltimore in 1958 and the Packers on the slippery turf at Philadelphia in 1960...JUMP ONLY FOUR TIMES: A quick review of the Packers' 14 games this season show that the opposition got the jump only four times. Two of them did it with field goals and lost subsequently. Another did it with a TD run and also lost. Significant to the Giants-Packers game is the fact that the only team to beat the Packers to the punch through the air was the only team to win. The Detroit Lions did it on Thanksgiving Day when a 33-yard bomb from Milt Plum to Gail Cogdill started the Lions on the way to a 26-14 upset. When Green Bay scored first it did it by running five times, on field goals three times, and only twice by passing, both against the Los Angeles Rams. The Giants present a sharp contrast. They have been behind in six of their 14 games before they scored although they wound up with a 12-2 record and nine straight victories. Sonny Jurgensen of Philadelphia threw a 74-yard scoring pass to Tim Brown when the Giants hardly knew the game had started. The Plum-Cogdill combination hit for 48 yards and a TD for the Lions before the Giants got moving. In the 49-34 victory over Washington in which Y.A. Tittle threw seven touchdown passes, the Redskins hit first with a 44-yarder from Norm Snead to Bobby Mitchell. Scoring runs by Cleveland's Jimmy Brown, Pittsburgh's Joe Womack and St. Louis' John David Crow also put the Giants in the hole before they started to click. When the Giants did score first in eight of the 14 games, they did it twice on passes by Tittle and once on a pass by Ralph Guglielmi. Frank Gifford and Alex Webster each ran for the first TD once and Don Chandler's field goals hung up the first points twice. In the game with the Chicago Bears, Johnny Counts ran back the first kickoff 90 yards for a TD.
WORKS BY HIMSELF
DEC 21 (New York) - Y.A. Tittle was back at the controls of the New York Giants Thursday as they continued their preparations for the Dec. 30 NFL title game with the Green Bay Packers. The 36-year-old quarterback, who threw a record 33 touchdown passes during the regular season, worked out by himself Wednesday because of a bruised back resulting from an out of bounds tackle in Sunday's game with Dallas. Tittle worked with the regulars Thursday, however. Ralph Guglielmi, Tittle's replacement, who suffered hurts Sunday, also was back in action. He did not run with the club but threw several passes on the sidelines. The Giants were without fullback Alex Webster, confined to his home with the virus. Giant officials said it did not want to take chances with Webster in the cold weather. Joe Morrison ran in his fullback position. Del Shofner, who missed the last game due to a virus condition, said he was stronger and worked out with the team. The Giants will work out again Friday and Saturday. They will rest next Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and resume drills Wednesday at Bear Mountain, N.Y.
PACKER BENCH, 'GO TEAM' READY TO HELP
DEC 21 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers have a "go team" on their 12-man bench. This team has scored one touchdown during the highly successful 13-1 league season. "We made our biggest threat against the Rams in Milwaukee," says the Go Team's leader, Gary Knafelc. It's really a little corny, but, as Go-ist Knafelc explains, "it's something to keep our morale up on the bench." The unit holds no meetings, collects no dues, has no officers. "We just want to help the Packers win, and we'd like to play as much as we can." The Go Team is composed of quarterback John Roach, running backs Elijah Pitts and Earl Gros, end Lew Carpenter, guard Ed Blaine and end Knafelc. These Go-Boys are usually substituted as a group when the Packers roll up as a sizeable margin. The unit saw considerable action against the Bears in Chicago, the Eagles in Philadelphia and the Rams in Milwaukee. "We scored a touchdown (Gros) against the Rams," Knafelc said. The Go Team is holding open a membership for an eighth player. That would be Ken Iman, who deserted the ranks recently when on defense while Dan Currie was hurt. "We'll take him back if he wants to come back," quipped Knafelc. The Packers have a solid dozen on the bench and this Splinter Squad can become a key factor in the Bays' fight to keep their world championship in Yankee Stadium Dec. 30. Besides the aforementioned eight (including Iman), the benchmen include John Symank and Howard Williams, defensive backs; Ron Kostelnik and Ron Gassert, defensive linemen. The "other" 24 players handled about 98 percent of the team's offensive and defensive play. Twenty of the 22 positions have game-to-game regulars but there is crowding at two positions - left halfback and left tackle...SHARED LH SPOT: Paul Hornung and Tom Moore shared the LH spot last Sunday, while Bob Skoronski and Norm Masters share that left tackle position every Sunday. Hornung started the first five games but then injured his knee. Moore started the next six, with Hornung working briefly. Hornung started the next two (Rams and 49ers) and Moore opened the nightcap in LA. But Hornung came on strong against the Rams and had his mitts in an 83-yard Bart Starr-pass scoring play. The busiest of the 12 benchmen (other than on platoons) have been Carpenter and Blaine. Lew backs up the flanker and left ends (Boyd Dowler and Max McGee) while Blaine works behind Jerry Kramer and Fuzzy Thurston. Carpenter and Iman are the only Benchists to go a full game this season. Iman played two games on defense for the injured Currie (Lions and Rams) and Carpenter went the route as flanker against the Bears in Chicago while Dowler was resting his injured knee. Dowler was back for the next game at Philadelphia, though Carpenter started. The Packers went through the season with only one roster change. Nelson Toburen, who backed up the linebackers, suffered a back injury against the Colts here and was placed on the inactive list for the season. His spot on the roster was filled by Williams...Coach Vince Lombardi sent the Packers through their first field workout since California Thursday and the Bays were greeted with real Wisconsin weather - temps around 20, snow and a little breeze. The Packers wore tennis shoes as they ran through offensive formations for the most part. They topped the drill off with some work on defense. Practices are being held in City Stadium, which should shield some of the wind. Lombardi announced practice and game plans for the squad Thursday. The team will drill today, Saturday and Sunday and then lay off Monday and Tuesday - Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Drills will be resumed Wednesday. The Packers will leave for New York after practice a week from today. They'll headquarter at the Manhattan Hotel and drill lightly Saturday before the game.
GOOD PACKER PUBLICITY
DEC 21 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Through all the ink written in fact and fancy about Green Bay as the Packers plunged to their third consecutive Western Championship in the NFL, there has at least turned up a couple of reasonably accurate, fair and rational articles about all of us that doesn't portray us as recent descendants of Neanderthal Man. In its cover story, Time magazine even mentions our Symphony. Another article, written by Herbert Warren Wind in "The New Yorker," has avoided almost all the cliches of the little town gone big league. There is none of the reluctant praise mixed with antipathy that we are used to finding especially in the eastern sportswriters' columns. Wind even writes, "It is hard to know about these things, but my own feeling is that Green Bay would be an excellent place for any boy or girl to grow up in." For those of us who did, we enthusiastically agree. And we'd welcome Wind back anytime even when there is no football being played at City Stadium.
'IT WON'T BE LIKE LAST YEAR' - BETTIS
DEC 22 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Tom Bettis should have some thoughts on the Giants. He played against them five times in the past two seasons. Bettis, the seven-year Packer veteran who was traded to the Steelers last summer, is spending the Christmas holiday here before reporting for practice for the Runnerup Bowl in Miami. "It won't be like last year," the big linebacker warned, referring to the Pack's 37-0 victory over the Giants in the 1962 playoff in Green Bay. "I'm not a betting man, but if I was I'd say the Packers will win by three to seven points. I'm also picking Green Bay for sentimental reasons," the Pack's first choice in 1953 added. The Steeler linebacker feels that the Giants have a better passing attack than a year ago "and they'll have the advantage of playing in their own park. They also have the psychological edge because of the one-sided score last year." Better passing? "The addition of Frank Gifford (the Giant great who retired in '61 and then returned in '62) has sharpened the Giants' throwing. He's playing right halfback flanker or the left spread end," Tom warmed up, adding: "Gifford takes the pressure off Del Shofner. He gives them another deep receiver now. You have to watch that Joe Walton. For three quarters they don't throw to him and they lull you. Then, they'll start hitting him. Y.A. Tittle knows his receivers better then he did last year. He's been hitting. Take last year's game in Green Bay. They lost a couple of passes at the start - one on a third and eight which Rote (Kyle, who has retired) dropped, another one almost like it, and that dropped interception by Barnes, after which we scored. That Bill Dudley, who used to be here, has helped them. He gives them a break-away threat. He looked good in one game against us." Dudley was traded to the Giants by Green Bay last training season. "The Giants' defense is real sound. The only change from last year is this young Winter, a rookie at the left linebacker position. He has replaced Livingston. They're all healthy and Allen Webb is back at safety. Joe Morrison played at safety in last year's title game. Barnes and Lynch play the corners and Patton is at the other safety. Dick Pesonen is the fifth defensive back. Morrison is like Lew Carpenter this year. Plays everything. The Packers will be able to run on the Giants. We gained a lot of yards on the ground against them and in the game we beat them Bobby Layne threw only 10 passes - our running was going so good." Bettis thinks "the Packers will have to control the ball. You can't let Tittle have the ball. He can move it. Everything could break loose one way or the other or it could be close. I'd say it'll be close."...The Packers put on their pads Friday and thundered through the kind of 90-minute drill that customarily winds up Thursday's preparations for a league game. With the temperature a breezy 25 degrees - some 40 degrees colder than during the windup of the regular campaign at Los Angeles last Sunday - tennis shoes, gloves and knit caps were the uniform of the day. However, the temperature was 35 degrees warmer than at this time last year, when the Packers were preparing to play host to the Giants for the 1961 title contest. Nelson Toburen, the linebacker who missed the last four games with an injured vertebra and still is on the disabled list, turned out for the first time to watch his mates make ready. "It's much more nerve-wracking, not being a part of the active preparations," he said.
Y.A. TITTLE, DEL SHOFNER STAGE DAZZLING AIR SHOW
DEC 22 (New York) - Christmas cheer came early to the New York Giants Friday. Ace quarterback Y.A. Tittle and glue-fingered end Del Shofner not only staged a dazzling aerial show in a brisk 2-hour workout but reported no ill effects afterwards and announced they were ready for the Green Bay Packers Dec. 30. Tittle and Shofner were the star attraction as the Giants toiled in 14-degree weather. Tittle's passing was sharp, and he showed no traces of the back injury he suffered in the final moments of last Sunday's game against Dallas. Shofner was equally impressive. Engaging in his first full workout since his four-day hospital siege because of a stomach disorder, Shofner said he never felt stronger. Three Giants did not participate in the workout. Fullback Alex Webster, still feeling the effects of a virus that has kept him out of action all week, watched practice in street clothes. Rookie halfback Paul Dudley, who re-injured his knee in last week's game, did not venture out of the locker room. The lone disappointment to Coach Allie Sherman was the slow recovery of second-string quarterback Ralph Guglielmi. The ex-Notre Dame star, who tore ligaments in his right knee last week, still limped badly. He was not permitted on the field.
MAYOR IN SUGGESTION
DEC 22 (New York) - Mayor Robert F. Wagner of New York came up with a suggestion today that would make Commissioner Pete Rozelle of the NFL look like Santa Claus to local fans. Wagner sent a telegram to Rozelle asking him to lift the local television blackout on the Dec. 30 championship game between the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants as a "Christmas present" for New York fans. Describing the game as "one of the greatest sporting events of many years," Wagner emphasized to Rozelle that "throughout the past season New Yorkers loyally have supported the Giants in their drive to the Eastern Division title." A group of fans, unable to obtain tickets, have filed a suit in federal court asking that the National Broadcasting Company, the NFL and the Giants lift the local blackout. "The mayor's telegram has been received and his interest is appreciated," Commissioner Rozelle said later.
LOMBARDI, SHERMAN TO COACH PRO BOWL TEAMS
DEC 22 (Los Angeles) - Coaches Vince Lombardi of Green Bay and Al Sherman of New York, who will match strategies in the NFL title game in New York Dec. 30, will give a repeat performance in the Pro Bowl game here Jan. 13. Sponsors announced Friday the selection of the pair for the 17th annual tussle in Memorial Coliseum between stars of the Eastern and Western divisions. It will be the second time for Sherman and Lombardi as Pro Bowl coaches. Lombardi's West team won in 1960, 35 to 31. Sherman's assistants will be Andy Robustelli, a player-coach, and former end Ken Kavanaugh, also now an aide. Lombardi's aides will be Bill Austin and Phil Bengtson, who are on his Packer coaching staff. Eight Giant players and eight Packers have been chosen to play in the game.
Equipment manager Dad Braisher adjusts a sign proclaiming the Green Bay Packers as "The Yankees of Football," in the team's locker room at new City Stadium in late December 1962. (Credit: Green Bay Press-Gazette Archives) (Source: The Wearing of the Green (and Gold))
BAYS PUT TRADITIONAL PRIDE ON LINE; SQUAD OFF FOR CHRISTMAS
DEC 23 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers are going home next Sunday? There's a sign in the Packer clubhouse. It reads: "Home of the Green Bay Packers - the Yankees of Football." One week from this afternoon, the Yankees of Football play in Yankee Stadium. For the world championship of professional football. The Green Bay Yankees wouldn't ring right. But there is this parallel between the football champions of the West and the Yankee tradition of baseball: They both have tremendous pride as champions. It's a fever that has helped make the Yanks a winner for a generation. The Packers have that fever now. They'd love to keep it for a generation. The Packers will put that pride on the line when they battle the Giants, champions of the East, in the NFL's 30th championship playoff. The big battle has certain earmarks, among them: (1) The Packers played their last game in Yankee Stadium in 1959, the year native New Yorker Vince Lombardi took over the Packer helm. The Giants won that one 20-6 but the Bays whaled right down to the end. Lombardi's pride seed was starting to sprout. That was one of Vince's bitterest losses. (2) The Giants will be playing their first title game in Yankee Stadium since they lost to the Colts in the 1958 sudden death overtime thriller. Lombardi was offense coach of the Giants then. The Packers will be making their fourth appearance in Yankee Stadium. Before '59, they beat the old Yanks there in '51 with a 23-point fourth quarter, 29-27, winning on Fred Cone's field goal. They lost to the Yanks there in '50 by 35-17, with Ted Fritsch kicking the longest field goal in Packer history, 52 yards. These all appear as minor skirmishes compared to the upcoming battle of champions, who have a combined record of 25 wins and 3 losses. The Packers lost one - to the Lions, 26-14, while the Giants lost to the Browns 17-7 and to the Steelers 20-17. The Giants downed the Lions 17-14 and the Packers edged the Lions in the first game 9-7. The Bays didn't play the Browns or Steelers. Both teams swept their opposite-conference sets. The Packers blanked the Cards 17-0 and the Eagles 49-0. The Giants, besides tripping Detroit, downed the Bears 26-24. Those scores, of course, mean nothing in a championship game. The big "meaning is taking shape right now - on the practice field. The Bays are finding things a bit slippery - what with the frozen field. They are wearing tennis shoes. A short drill was scheduled in the Stadium for this morning after which the team will take a break for the Christmas holiday. The players will be off Monday and Christmas and then report back Wednesday. All hands are in good working order and Jerry Kramer insists that includes Jerry Kramer. He broke a rib two weeks ago but "that won't bother me a bit for the game." Jerry played despite the injury against the 49ers and Rams. Kramer isn't bothered at all when he kicks field goals. Jerry had a third partner at the practice line for the first time Friday - Paul Hornung, plus Willie Wood. Hornung has kicked very little since he was hurt Oct. 14, but he has shown some of his past form. Some
of the players will make quick flights home for Christmas. The Bays will practice here Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. They'll leave via United Airlines charter after the Friday drill and headquarter at the Manhattan Hotel. The league headquarters will be at the Americana Hotel. The Bays will leave right after the game.
HALAS CALLS PLAYOFF TOSSUP; LEMM PICKS GIANTS; WILSON 'CLOSE'
DEC 23 (New York) - Green Bay has the edge in power and New York has the superior passing attack in the opinion of the coaches who have played the Dec. 30 title rivals during the regular NFL season. The Packers and Giants have met only four common rivals - Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia and St. Louis. Wally Lemm, whose St. Louis Cardinals lost twice to the Giants and once to the Packers, picks the Giants. Nick Skorich of the Philadelphia Eagles likes the Giants on a dry field and the Packers in heavy going. George Wilson of the Detroit Lions, the only team to beat the Packers all season, rates the teams about even and predicts it will be a close game, not another 37-0 runaway as last year. George Halas, coach-owner of the Chicago Bears, calls it a tossup...SAME TYPE OF TEAMS: Most NFL observers rate the Lions about on a part with the two teams that will play for the title. It is interesting to note that Green Bay beat Detroit in their first meeting 9-7 on three field goals and the Giants edged Detroit 17-14 on Don Chandler's field goal. Of course, in their second meeting, the Lions roughed up the Packers on Thanksgiving Day 26-14. "They are both about the same type of teams," said Wilson. "Green Bay has a little better running, but New York's running is pretty good, too. Both have good passing and, of course, Y.A. Tittle and Del Shofner are both having great years. Both have a great defense. It's not going to be a runaway like last year, whoever wins. If Tittle has a good day, the Giants could win." Papa Bear of Chicago lost to the Giants, 26-24, the day New York clinched the Eastern title, and absorbed 49-0 and 38-7 beatings from Green Bay, but he claims he is not convinced. "It'll be a tossup," said Halas. "They're both great teams on offense and defense. I wouldn't pick either one. They are both powerhouses. I wouldn't predict the score or the winner. They've both got terrific power." Skorich thinks the weather will be a big factor with the Giants needing a clear, dry surface to capitalize on their passing...ONE TD DIFFERENCE: "If it's bad weather, I'll pick the Packers with their strong running game. But it will still be close, perhaps one touchdown difference," said Skorich, whose Eagles were bombed by Green Bay 49-0 and beaten twice by New York, 29-13 and 19-14. "On a good day with clear, dry weather, I'll pick the Giants. This will be the best championship game in recent years because the Giants are so much better this year than last. Depth is their strength. Depth in the defensive secondary and the offensive backfield. Tittle and Shofner are much better this year. They work together better." Skorich singled out Jim Taylor as the foundation of the Packers' ground attack and predicted no matter what the weather, the difference would be one touchdown...BOTH FINE TEAMS: Lemm gave the Packers quite a battle in September before bowing 17-0. It was 3-0 at the half. The Cardinals were in the ball game while losing to the Giants 34-14 and 31-28. "I think they're both fine teams," said Lemm. "I can't compare the games we played with each team because we played the Packers early in the season (Sept. 23) when our offense wasn't much to crow about. We did pretty decently against New York. Both teams are strong offensively. I think New York with Tittle, Shofner and Frank Gifford has the edge in passing. Green Bay has the edge in running. Defensively, there is not much difference. My favorite would be New York, because it is an Eastern Division team." The game at Yankee Stadium will be the 29th in a title series dating back to 1933. The Packers have a 4-2 record in title games while the Giants have a sad 3-9 record. The home team has won 20 of 28 games not counting the 1936 contest played by Boston Redskins on "neutral" territory at New York's Polo Grounds because they were not drawing in Boston. Green Bay beat the Redskins that year. In '37 the Redskins moved to Washington.
PACKERS, CITY CELEBRATE THIRD STRAIGHT TITLE YULE
DEC 24 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Another championship Christmas in Green Bay. And a white one, at that! This is our town's third straight title holiday. Each has its own special cheer - just a little spiked, of course. Philadelphia on Dec. 26, 1960, Green Bay Dec. 31, 1961, and now New York Dec. 30. Hark back: The 1960 championship left us a little groggy. It had been so long (1944) nobody knew how to act. It didn't take long to grasp the situation before Philadelphia. Winning that coveted Western Division championship meant that the Bays had the right to play in the title game, it said in the League rule book. Yeah! Many of us had to be pinched - until the teams actually lined up in Franklin Field. Coach Vince Lombardi and all the Packers were in the big games - first time since the last war. Time flies, and the Packers are in the big game in '61. This time we're at home - City Stadium, first time in Green Bay. Having lost in Philadelphia, the Packers had a mighty mission - against Vince's old team, at that. New Year's Eve! And it was cold through the entire practice week - below zero. What a setting and to top it all off the Packers beat the Giants big. Thirty-seven to nothing. That's a glorious chapter in the Packer history book. So here we are - 1962. Next Sunday's game in Yankee Stadium presents the Packers as world champions. Real pros. And that's what we all think of the Packers this Christmas Eve. They're world champions. Real pros...The Packers are enjoying a two-day Christmas breather from training for the title game. The team turned out in 15 degree weather Sunday morning to go through a frigid 45-minute workout made just that much colder by a 20-mile-an-hour northwest wind. Lombardi, feeling the bite of the wind, joined the team in calisthenics to keep warm, and then cut 15 minutes from the planned one-hour workout because of the cold. The team went through routine offensive plays and spent 15 minutes on the Giant offensive moves. The workout was on the club's practice field instead of in City Stadium for the first time, after plows moved some three inches of snow from the practice field. The Packers again wore tennis shoes for footing on the frozen turf. Lombardi expressed satisfaction with the workout and with a wide smile wished his champions a Merry Christmas before they headed home to their families. The Packers swing back into practice on Wednesday.
TAYLOR UNANIMOUS UPI PICK; NAME 7 PACKERS
DEC 24 (New York) - Jim Taylor of the Green Bay Packers was a unanimous choice today for the United Press International 1962 NFL All-Star team and tackle Roosevelt Brown of the New York Giants was chosen for the seventh straight year. The defending champion Packers dominate the team with eight players, including four of their standout interior offensive linemen. The New York Giants, who meet the Packers in the NFL championship game next Sunday, and the Detroit Lions each placed five players. The Packers scored a near-sweep of the interior offensive line positions, placing Jim Ringo at center, Fred (Fuzzy) Thurston and Jerry Kramer at guard and Forrest Gregg at tackle. Other Packers named in addition to Taylor were outside linebackers Bill Forester and Dan Currie and defensive back Herb Adderley. Only seven of the 14 teams are represented on this year's first team. The four other clubs which placed one player each are the Chicago Bears, Baltimore Colts, Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins. Every one of the 42 regular NFL writers (3 from each league city) on the UPI selection panel cast
his first-team vote for Taylor, who led the league this season in both rushing (1,474 yards) and in scoring (114 points) on a record 19 touchdowns. The second most popular choice on the team is Y.A. Tittle, the bald, 36-year-old Giants quarterback who threw a record 33 touchdown passes. Tittle received 35 votes. Next are two members of the Lions' rugged defensive platoon, middle linebacker Joe Schmidt with 34 votes and tackle Roger Brown with 33.
PACKERS, GIANTS WILL BE EVEN IN FRENZY
DEC 26 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers go into the championship game "even" in the frenzy department. At least even compared to most of the 14 league games. Being world champions and carrying a reputation a mile long, the Packers were on everybody's "wanted - dead or alive" list. Packer foes started getting in a lather over Green Bay sometimes two weeks ahead of schedule. Thus, the Packers had to oppose a wild-eyed, fired-up opponent every Sunday. This is one of the added problems that faced Coach Vince Lombardi. It was not only a coaching matter of game strategy, it was a "coaching" matter of preparing the squad mentally. Now comes the championship game. The Giants will be in a frenzy, to be sure. But this time the Packers will have a little frenzy of their own going. This is the big money game. Roughly $2,000 per man will be at stake - the difference between winning and losing. The Giants, 'tis said, will have the "advantage" of the so-called reaction from losing, 37 to 0, in Green Bay last year - plus playing at home, etc. And the Packers, as world champs, have their great pride to protect. Methinks some of these things can be thrown out the window in a championship game. The Packer eagerness figures to be at the same pitch as the Giants. They'll be even at the kickoff. Lombardi is a firm believer in blocking and tackling. It will come right down to that - the second and third effort on each block and tackle. It might be added, regardless of the weather. The Packers today started to get "winterized" by practicing in sub-zero air and you can't help but harken back 1961 when the Bays practiced about five straight days in 5 and 10 below weather. Come the game the Packers were ready for anything. But it warmed up all the way to 20 (above) and it seemed warm (at least in the press box). Today's weather blitz is miserable, but it might pay off next Sunday. The Packers went into the 1961 freezer without a glove while a number of Giants wore various types of handwear. This was a concession to the weather, which the Packers didn't have to make. And speaking about '61, the box score of the title game is presented herewith as a refresher before Sunday's blastoff. It is interesting to note that four Giants who made the individual statistics have departed - Bob Gaiters, Kyle Rote, Joel Wells and Charley Conerly. Gaiters, who gained 2 yards in 1 attempt, was traded to the 49ers. Rote and Conerly retired and Wells, the onetime Packer draftee, was beaten out by Paul Dudley, the Packer rookie who was traded to NY earlier this season. Wells gained 9 yards in 3 attempts. Rote caught three passes for 54 yards and dropped two others - one of which would have put the Giants deep in Packer territory right at the start. Rote's position is filled this season by another famous Giant name - Frank Gifford, who rarely, if ever, drops a pass. Frank, making a comeback after a year's absence, caught 39 passes. Rote nailed 53 during the 1961 season. Conerly tried 8 passes and completed 4 for 54
yards in backing up Y.A. Tittle last year. Tittle will be on his own next Sunday, and he's hoping for a better record than the last title game, 20-6 for 85, with 4 intercepted. Tittle is seconded this year by Ralph Guglielmi, the former Redskin and Cardinal who has been hurt. Gifford is the Giants' third ranking receiver. Del (Jess) Shofner led the team with 53 catches (just as Rote did last year) and Alex Webster is second with 47. Gifford is third and Joe Walton was the No. 4 receiver with 33.
JUDGE HOLDS DECISION ON GRID TV SUIT
DEC 26 (New York) - Federal Judge Edward Weinfeld reserved decision Monday on a motion by three Long Island men who sought to force the National Broadcasting Co. to televise the NFL championship game next Sunday in the blacked out New York area. The Green Bay Packers and New York Giants meet at Yankee Stadium, which is a sellout for the title playoff. Also named as defendants were the NFL and the Giants. Weinfeld heard counsel for the three complainants and NBC and the NFL during a lengthy hearing and reserved decision. It was bought out that 62,500 tickets had been sold, but that under league rules home games are not televised within a 75-mile radius. Kenneth D. Mulloy, attorney for the three complainants, said airwaves were a public property and that NBC has entered into an "illegal contract in violation of the anti-trust laws." "It is illegal, and this court should declare it as such," he added. John A. Wells, attorney for the NFL, argued that the championship game "has never been televised in the home team's territory," and Judge Weinfeld asked: "Here all the seats have been sold out, so why has this area been blacked out?" "Once you have sold tickets on a declared policy, involving the 75-mile area blackout, you would break faith with those who bought tickets for the game because they knew they could not see it at home," Wells replied. "Your contention is that you insist on it simply because you feel you are keeping faith with the people who bought tickets," Weinfeld said. "That's the only defense you have now. Lurking in this case is the constitutional right of the public. I am not a football fan, but with all due respect and deference to Congress and the laws, I have never understood the exemptions of sports from the antitrust laws."
'WE'LL BE READY FOR THEM,' VINCE, HORNUNG SPARKLES
DEC 27 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers were in a peaceful but very thoughtful frame of mind as they thawed out after Wednesday's workout in 10-degree weather. This was the first drill after the two-day break for the Christmas holidays, and it was exceptionally enthusiastic. Practicing in that kind of temperature isn't easy. It takes an effort just to make the 80-degree adjustment - from a 70-degree clubhouse to a 10-below practice rink. But all was serene as the Bays sat down with sandwiches, soup and coffee during the luncheon break before Coach Vince Lombardi opened the post-practice class, which was to feature more Giant pictures. Lombardi wore a woolen face mask during the practice but "it feels like my sinuses are frozen," he said, sipping a hot cup of coffee. Vince was asked about the big game (just 72 hours away) and we cautiously reminded him that a year ago today he said, "We should win if we get a good field." The coach called it: Under all that day in City Stadium was a good field and the Packers won 37 to 0. This is a different situation - not to mention a different year, but Lombardi side-stepped that one with a swig of coffee and a bite of a sweet roll. The closest Vince came to his 1961 view was "we'll be ready for them." That remark covered a lot of yard lines. Sitting with aides Phil Bengtson, Norb Hecker, Bill Austin, Red Cochran and Tom Fears, Lombardi spoke of the day's practice, the running of Paul Hornung, New York weather, and, of course, the Giants. The coach said he thought "we had a good practice," and he didn't add, considering the weather, "It was a good drill and that's important." Hornung was running real well and this was a pleasant development because Golden Boy hasn't been able to snap back from his knee injury - until the Ram game. He looks like himself again, the coaches agreed. Lombardi, a native New Yorker, had a note of consolation regarding the weather. "It never gets below zero in New York. It never has as long as I lived there. The ocean keeps it from getting as cold as it is here." New York has a damp cold and, of course, it can get well below freezing. "We played that 1956 game (Giants vs. Bears) on a sheet of ice." Yankee Stadium is presently covered and rain or snow is predicted for Sunday. The Packers will work out there Saturday. As to the Giants, Vince stated in no uncertain terms that "they're much improved over last year." The Giants have made several changes from a year ago. Frank Gifford is on the flank in place of the retired Kyle Rote. They have a rookie, Bill Winter, at left linebacker. And they shifted Jack Stroud from right guard to right tackle and Greg Larson from right tackle to right guard. The Stroud-Larson switch has "helped them get off the line a lot quicker," Lombardi said, reminding us of the Packers' offensive line quickness. A quicker Giant line means better protection for Y.A. Tittle and possibly more success for the Giants' ground game, which was limited to 31 yards rushing last year. Asked about Gifford, Vince agreed that he's dangerous "but Rote was as good." Gifford, who retired one year and is now in his first comeback year, has been making the "big play" for the Giants several years ago. The Packers have great respect for the highly-touted Winter, who stands 6-3 and packs 220 pounds, as Vince put it: "He's better than the other guy," referring to Cliff Livingston who was traded to the Vikings. And so it went. Lombardi, absorbed to the hilt in this tremendous challenge, then dove into those many little discussions about the Giants with his aides - prior to the squad meeting. The Packers, incidentally, will be in better condition physically than they were for the 1961 title game. Their blasting fullback, Jim Taylor, was really hurting that day with a back injury and he wasn't the Taylor you'll see Sunday...RAN INTO GOAL POST: Max McGee was hurting, too, and he went without catching a pass, though he decoyed the daylights out of the Giant secondary. McGee ran into the goal post in San Francsico and missed the final at Los Angeles last
year. Taylor was hurt in LA via some unnecessary treatment from the Rams. Hornung played the '61 game as a soldier and received a few days' practice time on furlough from Fort Riley. With his comeback of the past two weeks, Hornung stands a good chance of being in better game strength condition than a year ago. The Packers held their second last practice of the 1962 season in Green Bay today under a lazy snow. This is a big drill day - pads, hitting, the works. The final practice is set for Friday morning after which the squad will go directly to Austin Straubel Field and depart for New York in their United Airlines charter at 11:30. They'll headquarter at the Manhattan Hotel.
RUN AGAINST PACK? THAT'S ALLIE'S HOPES
DEC 27 (Bear Mountain, NY) - When Allie Sherman says he hopes to have a balanced attack in Sunday's NFL title game with Green Bay, this means the New York Giants hope to give Y.A. Tittle an assist by running against the Packers. Run against the Packers? Impossible, you say? Well, the Los Angeles Rams ran against them for 207 yards in the last game of the season. Detroit moved 153 yards on the ground against the Packers Thanksgiving Day and they rushed for only 91 yards against the Giants earlier. Sherman is the cautious type. He wouldn't admit his club still bore the mental bruises of its 1961 title game with the Packers if that 37-0 score wasn't hanging up for all to read. "We know what we want to do Sunday," he said Wednesday after the club's workout in the spacious Army field house at neighboring West Point. "We'll find out in the game what we can do." The Giants are walking on eggs, trying to avoid any quote that would give ammunition to Vince Lombardi to fire up his Packers in their sub-zero practice field. "We assume they will be tougher," said Sheman, of the Packers. Alex Webster, Giant fullback, echoed the same thought when he said, "they still are the same ball club. They should be better, playing together another year." The Giants are not the same ball club that met the Packers last year. For instance, two of the four backs are different. A year ago it was Joel Wells, now retired, teamed up with Webster at running back and Kyle Rote, now backfield coach, at flanker back. Phil King, hobbled by injuries since he was drafted No. 1 by the Giants out of Vanderbilt in 1958, has taken over the left half or running back job next to Webster. It has been a slow, painful struggle for the "Chief," but he finally had made it bid. King elbowed Paul Dudley and Johnny County out of the way to take over the job when Sherman decided to go with his "big back" attack. King has carried the ball 108 times for 460 yards, second among the Giants to Webster's total of 743 yards on 207 carries and better than any Packer except Jim Taylor. "I got my chance this year and now I've got to make good in the big game," said King. Passing remains the key of the Giants' attack, of course, but Tittle broke the league record with 33 touchdown passes and connected with 200 of 375 for 3,224 yards. But Webster and King could give the Giants the ball control that Lombardi had used with such great success at Green Bay. As always it will be the men up front who will count and the Giants' running game depends on the ability of men like Rosey Brown, Darrell Dess, Ray Wietecha, Greg Larson and Jack Stroud to operate against the Packers' front line of Willie Davis, Hawg Hanner, Henry Jordan and Bill Quinlan. The Giants were without the services today of Dudley, the ex-Packer, whose injured left knee has not responded to treatment. He probably will miss the big game...GUGLIELMI UNCERTAIN: Ralph Guglielmi, Y.A. Tittle's stand-in at quarterback, also was an uncertain factor. Although the "Goog" worked out with the club and said he would be ready, Sherman said a final decision would be made after today's workout. "If we felt Thursday that Ralph could not replace Tittle, if we had to use him, we would use the rest of our time getting Frank Gifford ready," said Sherman. "The much-publicized workout last week of Gifford at quarterback was not planned. It just happened that Bubba Marriott, taxi squad quarterback who is not on the active list, was not there and we had to have somebody to run the plays." Guglielmi is important, not only as a replacement for Tittle, but as the man who holds the ball for Don Chandler on placements and field goal attempts. Insignificant as it might seem, there must be close coordination between holder and kicker. Guglielmi strained an ankle Dec. 16 in the Giants' final regular season game. They will work again today and probably Friday morning before returning to New York later Friday. Much depends on the weather and the condition of the home field at Yankee Stadium, which is covered...PESONEN WORKNG FREELY: With the exception of Dudley and, to a lesser extent, Guglielmi, all the walking wounded from the Dallas game were back to work. Tittle's sore back has been forgotten. Dick Pesonen, who suffered a bruised sacroiliac, worked out freely and Jack Stroud wore padding over his torn rib cartilage. "I was hurt much worse than this before the 1958 championship game,' said Stroud, regular offensive right tackle. "I played that time and I'm ready for this one." Chandler's first indoor punt hit one of the girders but he adjusted after that and got a good workout with full sized punts. Since Chandler took over the placekicking chores after Pat Summerall's retirement, his punting has suffered. He wound up 10th among the NFL punters with a 40.6-yard average. For six years, he had averaged almost 45 yards a kick. "I'm not worried about it," said Chandler. "I'll make no changes. I am concentrating on my placement kicking." Chandler converted 47 of 49 point attempts and made good with 19 of 28 field goal attempts.
PACK USES 'DO WHAT YOU DO BEST' STRATEGY
DEC 28 (New York-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - "You do what you so best, and you do it again and again." That's a Lombardism and it offers a key to the attacks of the Packers and Giants in their championship struggle in Yankee Stadium Sunday. Vince Lombardi composed that thought provoker after the Packers beat the 49ers 13 to 0 in the mud and rain of Kezar Stadium Sunday, Dec. 11, 1960. The Packers had done what they do best - run with the ball. With Jim Taylor leading the way, they rolled up 251 yards rushing over a field that was virtually impossible to run on; it was that mushy with water and dirt. Bart Starr tried only 17 passes. No such field is expected Sunday. the turf likely will be frozen solid. But the condition of the field has little bearing on the one big game. You do what you do best! Thus, the classic shapes up as a battle between the Packers' crunching running attack and the Giants' aerial might. Barring a complete shift in strategy, these promise to the be the "basics" for Sunday - the running of Jim Taylor, Tom Moore and Paul Hornung vs. the passing of Y.A. Tittle. The final stix of 1962 show what each team "does best." The Packers rushed for 2,460 yards (best in the league) against the Giants' 1,698. The Giants passed 3,466 yards (second high in the league to Dallas) against the Pack's 2,621. More important, the Giants scored 15 touchdowns on passes against the Pack's 14 and the Packers scored 39 on rushing against the Giants' 14 on rushing. The 35 and 39 figures are highs for the 1962 season. There is little doubt, off these figures (note comparison figures) what these two teams do best. Green Bay, of course, has a big ace up its collective sleeve. That would be the trusty right arm of Bart Starr and his three glue-fingered receivers - Boyd Dowler, Max McGee and Ron Kramer. Starr can do anything with that right flipper besides hand off the ball to Taylor, Moore or Hornung. He's an accurate passer - as you and the Giants know. He used the pass sparingly in last year's championship game but completed 10 out of 19 for 164 yards and three touchdowns. That's great aerial mileage. The Packers rushed for 164 yards in that game despite an injured Taylor...SURPRISE TO GIANTS: Perhaps the Pack's aerial magic was a surprise to the Giants last year. Maybe they figured the Packers would do more of what they do best. But the Giants left an opening up the middle and Starr continually shot his receivers into the "open" territory. We like to think that the Packers can do two things best - run and pass. At one stage of the 1962 season (right after the Eagle game), the Bays led the league in both rushing and passing. Green Bay's aerial game is highly under-rated. The Pack's ground attack is a recognized and highly rated power. Lombardi undoubtedly is brewing a surprise or two. But you can bet that when it comes right down to that last yard the Packers will be doing what they do best - run!...The Packers flew out of Austin Straubel Field at 11:30 this morning in their United Airlines charter after the final practice of the season here. They'll head for the Manhattan Hotel and relax until game time - with timeout for a light drill in Yankee Stadium Saturday morning. The Bays went out twice for practice Thursday morning. The first attempt was called off when the snowy field was impossible to run on. Jonny Proski called forth city sweepers and the field was "brushed off" for the Bays' second appearance. Some of the players have been experimenting with foul weather foot gear as a means of improving traction on a frozen gridiron. They'll find out for themselves about the Yankee Stadium turf when they practice there. An abrasive cloth has been glued to the soles of some of the shoes. They painted others with a non-skid paint and then, taking a tip from a New England trucking firm, bleached the bottoms. The firm said the technique is used on its tires to give them a better grip. Nobody knows how the experiment came out.
GIANTS PLAN 'NO FANCY GARBAGE,' TITTLE SAYS
DEC 28 (New York) - Y.A. Tittle and his New York Giant mates have lived with a bad dream since last New Year's Eve. The horror film always has the same humiliating ending - Green Bay 37, New York 0. It must be the longest hangover ever, almost 12 months. Tittle talked about the 1961 game Thursday in the locker room at Bear Mountain after a satisfying workout for Sunday's NFL title rematch with the Packers at Yankee Stadium. "No excuses," he said. "We were beaten real close - 37-0. But no club is that much better than another in this league. When you get off to a bad start the other team gets momentum. Then you try things that you shouldn't, and things go from bad to worse. It's a good thing it ended when it did." Tittle took a deep breath before he continued: "This is another year. I figure it is an even game. The chips are down. We're fired up. We're out to beat the Packers and I know Andy (player-coach Robustelli) has his defensive club ready. I expect we will go with sound football, blocking and tackling, no fancy garbage. There is only one way to beat the Packers and that is by blocking and tackling. We are in a good frame of mind." Tittle had his trouble with Green Bay a year ago when four of his passes were intercepted by the eager secondary. "You've got to say they have no weakness. After all, they are No. 1 in pass defense, aren't they? But every defender can be beaten just as every receiver, including Del Shofner, can be covered if the quarterback doesn't call the right pass pattern in the huddle."...NINE GAME STREAK: Although the Giants finished with a nine-game winning streak and Tittle broke the league record with 33 touchdown passes, Green Bay is a one-touchdown favorite. After viewing the films of the Packers' losing game with Detroit and winning second game with Los Angeles, Coach Allie Sherman is inclined to rate the 1962 Packers "much the same, only better" than last year's club. "They are a young club and another year of seasoning always helps a young club," explained Sherman. Sherman moved the Giants into Yankee Stadium today for their final real work after two days at Bear Mountain. They practiced indoors in the Army field house at West Point Wednesday but drilled outdoors on a cleared field amidst skaters, skiers and sled riders Thursday...GUGLIELMI READY: Ralph Guglielmi, Tittle's stand-in at quarterback, was given the go ahead by Dr. Francis Sweeney, the club physician, who said he would be ready for action Sunday. Guglielmi's right knee was twisted in the Dec. 16 game with Dallas and he still favored that leg while dropping back to throw passes Thursday. He said it was improving day by day. Tittle's back, bruised in the Dallas game, feels "real good" according to the man himself. Thursday's only casualty was Rosey Grier, massive defensive tackle, who was hit on the right eye by an elbow while working on pass defense.
SENATOR PROTESTS TV BLACKOUT OF PACK-GIANT GAME
DEC 28 (Washington) - Sen. Thomas J. Dodd, D-Conn., protested today the television blackout in three states of Sunday's NFL championship game between the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants. The game will be played in New York's Yankee Stadium. Dodd, a member of the Senate Antimonopoly Subcommittee, complained of the blackout in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey in a telegram to Pete Rozelle, NFL Commissioner. The Connecticut Democrat promised to take legislative action to avoid a repetition of the blackout. Dodd said the situation "seems to me so needless and arbitrary a violation of the public interest that I intend to propose an amendment to the antitrust law that will prevent this sort of thing in the future."
CRUICE FIGURES PACK-GIANT PLAYOFF AS 'PASSING CONTEST'
DEC 28 (United Press International) - Scout Wally Cruice of the Packers figure the NFL championship game with the Giants Sunday in New York will be a "passing contest" because of the frozen Yankee Stadium turf. Cruice said reports he and the Packers have gotten is that the Yankee Stadium filed is very hard, and that little can be done to improve it. "The first couple of minutes will tell us if we can run the ball," Cruice said. "That's why our boys have been wearing sneakers in practice here. It gives them better traction." In the 1934 championship game, the Giants put on sneakers for the second half against the Chicago Bears because the Polo Grounds was a sheet of ice. Trailing 13-3 at halftime, the Giants came on to win, 30-13. Cruice saw the Giants only once this year, and that was in their final game, a 41-31 win over Dallas. "They've got a much better offense," he said, pointing out that quarterback Y.A. Tittle finally got acquainted with New York's offensive patterns and "brought a little of his own moxie into the picture." Tittle, a balding 36-year-old NFL veteran, threw a record 33 touchdown passes this year. End Del Shofner's good year, and the return of flanker back Frank Gifford, have helped "immensely," Cruice said. Cruice figures the Packers, noted more for their running attack built around all-league fullback Jim Taylor, can hold their own in a passing contest. He points out that Starr was the league's top quarterback, and most accurate passer. "The Giants remember what he did to them last year," Cruice said. Starr completed 10 of 17 for 164 yards and three scores.
PACKERS HAVE OWN REVENGE MOTIVE FOR PLAYOFF GAME
DEC 29 (New York-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - In the gloom of the Packer dressing room after the loss at Detroit Thanksgiving Day, it was suggested "this defeat will help us with the championship game." That was a long shot thought because the Packers still had to win the West and the Lions were only a game behind at the time. It was an idea that was pretty much discarded, we figured. However, Big Ray Nitschke brought up the aforementioned subject while relaxing on the Packers' United Airlines charter en route to Big Town Friday afternoon. "A national television audience saw us lose that one in Detroit, and we've got to redeem ourselves Sunday," Ray pointed out, adding:...'WANT THEM TO FORGET': "Everybody will see this game - all our friends in Green Bay and fans all over the country. We want to make them forget what happened in Detroit." The championship trip was a short one - two hours and 30 minutes, nearly an hour faster because of strong tailwinds. It was a quieter ride than the usual league-game jaunt. Most of the players were deep in thought and whiled away the time reading newspapers and magazines. A stewardess remarked about the squad. "It was a lot different than the last football trip I was on," she said, explaining that she had been on the Giants' plane when they returned from winning the Eastern championship in Chicago. "They celebrated," she said...LOMBARDI TESTS TURF: The team was greeted at Newark by several photogs and newsreel people but no time was wasted as the party quickly boarded two buses for the trip to the Manhattan Hotel in mid-town New York. The temperature was around 38 upon arrival and there was "unfrozen water" in the airport runway. Coach Vince Lombardi, before getting on the bus, noticed a hedge bordering the entrance to the airport and quickly stepped over and kicked his heels in the ground around the hedge. He made with a big smile, indicating that the ground isn't frozen. The condition of the Yankee Stadium turf could be a big factor. But, alas, the weatherman predicted Friday night that there would be a two-inch snowfall Sunday morning that could hurt the Pack's running attack. The entire Packer family made the trop except Tom Miller, publicity director who came out Wednesday, and Dick Voris, chief talent scout, who had left earlier for the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., and a contract talk with first draft choice Dave Robinson of Penn State as soon as the game is over this afternoon. Shortly after arrival, Lombardi hurried over to league headquarters at the Americana Hotel for a press conference with 25 press, radio and TV representatives.
The newspaper strike makes for an odd situation here, what with no "home team" stories, other than the Newark News and a few humor sheets, including a "paper" called the New York Pest. Several hundred Press-Gazettes have been shipped out and they were sold out in a hurry on a newsstand in Times Square. New York sportswriters are covering the pregame doing plus the game itself for fun, as it were. The strike could last into March. The Packers were rated a 6 1/2-point favorite Friday night but a hurried poll of some of the gathered scribes indicated a lot of New York strength. The odds may dwindle to three points at game time due to betting by New Yorkers who, it is said, are betting with their hearts. The Packers went through a 20-minute drill at Yankee Stadium this morning. And then the tension will mount. As Dave Hanner put it, "Our good season won't mean a thing unless we win this one."
LOMBARDI HEDGES ON QUESTION OF STARTING HORNUNG
DEC 29 (New York-Associated Press) - Vince Lombardi, coach of the defending champion Packers, said Friday night Paul Hornung's injured knee was "perfect" but hedged when asked if he would start the Golden Boy of 1961 at halfback in the title game Sunday. "I'll know better about that Sunday," said Lombardi in a mass interview at press headquarters. "The other boy (Tom Moore) has been playing well, too. It all depends on how he (Hornung) feels and how I feel Sunday morning." Lombardi said Jerry Kramer, who took over the placement and field goal kicking jobs after Hornung's knee was injured in midseason, would continue. Hornung has been kicking this week in practice at Green Bay, but Lombardi said he was not kicking well. Either Kramer or Willie Wood will kick off the Packers. The Packer coach said he was satisfied with the way his team came back after the loss to Detroit. "Actually, we played a fine second half against Detroit," he said. "It's never a good thing to lose, but I never thought anyone would go through the season unbeaten." Lombardi said he felt there was very little chance of another one-sided game. "New York seems to have a better offensive line than last year," he said. Asked if he preferred mud or a dry field, Lombardi said, "I don't care." In reply to the same type of question, Coach Allie Sherman of the Giants had said, "I don't care about the weather as long as it is dry and doesn't rain or sleet." Most observers felt the Packers would gain a decided advantage in heavy going for their offence is based primarily on the power running of Jim Taylor and Hornung or Tom Moore behind the strong blocking of the offensive line, anchored by center Jim Ringo. The Giants, on the other hand, are primarily a passing team. Y.A. Tittle, their bald quarterback, set a league record by throwing 33 touchdown passes and is primed for a surprise effort to erase the memory of last year's 37-0 rout by the Packers when he had four passes intercepted. Green Bay romped through the Western Conference with 10 straight victories before it came a cropper in Detroit Thanksgiving Day. The Packers wound up with a 13-1 record. The Giants won their last nine for a 12-2 record, bowing only to Cleveland in the opener and Pittsburgh in their fifth game...BETTER OFFENSIVE LINE: Both Lombardi and Sherman agree on one thing - the Giants are better than last year. Lombardi said the difference was "a better offensive line." Sherman said Tittle had become more familiar with the club in his second year with the Giants and also mentioned the play of Bill Winter, rookie linebacker, safety Allen Webb and guard Greg Larson as key factors. The figures show the Giants led the league in total offense, ranked eighth in running and second in passing. The Packers were fourth overall, first in running and 10th in passing, although quarterback Bart Starr was the statistical leader. On defense, the Giants were sixth overall and seventh in defending against both rushing and passing. The Packers were second in total defense, fifth in rushing and first in pass defense, while showing the way with 31 interceptions.
CHANCE FOR OVERTIME IN PLAYOFF?
DEC 29 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Sudden death? Judging from recent predictions, some of which have pegged New York's vengeful Giants as three-point favorites over the Packers, such a decision in Sunday's struggle for the NFL championship is hardly remote. If the combatants are tied at the end of the regulation 60 minutes, of course, the game will continue in sudden death overtime with the team scoring first, by whatever means, appropriating the 1962 NFL title. Only one such heart stopper has occurred since the rule was adopted, and it has been called the "greatest game ever played." That was in 1958 when General John Unitas drove the Baltimore Colts 80 yards in 13 plays, the last a one-yard stab by Alan (The Horse) Ameche, to shade the Giants, 23-17. The score came at 8:15 of the overtime, following a 20-yard field goal by Steve Myhra seconds before the gun that vaulted the Hosses into a 17-17 tie and forced the sudden death...The title game will produce the second million dollar gate in playoff history. The first, it may be recalled, occurred in Green Bay's City Stadium last Dec. 31 when gross receipts amounted to $1,013,792 for the Packers' 37-0 decimation of the Giants. That total included a $615,000 windfall from television, of which $300,000 was earmarked for the Bert Bell NFL Player Benefit Plan. As was the case a year ago, 70 percent of Sunday's game receipts (after deduction of taxes and expenses) will go to the players. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions, runnersup in the Eastern and Western Division races, each will receive five percent of the players' swag, with the remainder to be split 60-40 between the winning and losing teams...An estimated 50 million Americans, in addition to the 64,892 who will be sitting in at Yankee Stadium, will view tomorrow's imbroglio on television. It will be televised by NBC (Channel 5), with New York's metropolitan area blacked out, starting at 12:45, Wisconsin time. It also will be broadcast nationally by
NBC radio, with Press-Gazette station WJPG as the local outlet. Ray Scott and Chris Schenkel will describe the action via TV. The first nationally televised playoff was the 1951 meeting in which the Rams edged the Cleveland Browns at Los Angeles, 24-17. It was carried by the now defunct DuMont Network and the NFL received a paltry (compared to today's take) $75,000. The psychological edge may lie with the Giants, still burning under the lash of last year's humiliation, but tradition will be riding with the Packers. They boast a plus .667 batting average in title playoffs, having won four (1936, '39, 44 and '61) of the six in which they have been involved. The Giants have been in more playoffs than any other NFL member, the impressive total of 12, but they have won only three. Vince Lombardi, it might be added, probably will be happy to settle for a repeat of the Packers' last title visit to New York. That was in 1944 when burly Ted Frisch scored both Packer touchdowns in a 14-7 victory over the Giants at the historic Polo Grounds. Fritsch scored one touchdown on a two-yard plunge, the other on a 26-yard pass from Irv Comp. The Giants failed to crash the scoreboard until the final period when Ward Cuff, later to become a Packer, hammered over from the one. The crowd of 46,016 saw Giant tackle Al Blozis play for the last time. He was killed by German machine gun fire in France less than a month later - on Jan. 1, 1945...The Packers hold or share eight playoff records. Probably the most spectacular belongs to Joe Laws, the canny, hardnosed University of Iowa alumnus who intercepted three Giant passes in the Packers' 14-7 victory in '44. Laws also is a co-holder of the record, with the Cleveland Browns' Ken Konz and the Bears' Bulldog Turner, for most playoff interceptions with four in four games. Paul Hornung's 19 points in last year's romp over the Giants rank as an all-time one game high as do the golden one's three field goals in the '61 classic, a mark he shares with the Bears' Jack Manders and Bob Snyder and Cleveland Brown Lou Groza and the Giants' Pat Summerall. Ron Kramer is tied with seven others for the most touchdown passes received in a title game, two (in '61, of course), and Irv Comp shares the mark for most punt returns with four in the '44 playoff against the Giants. The Packers also own or share three team records, chief among them one for the most playoff wins, seven. The "other half" of this one belongs to their cordially detested rivals, the Bears. The other team marks are for most punt returns in one game, eight, in the '44 imbroglio; and fewest yards allowed, 116, to the Boston Redskins in the '36 playoff.
PACKERS GET EDGE IN PLAYER COMPARISON
DEC 29 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Here's an unbiased and comprehensive scouting report on the Packers and Giants as they approach their championship game in Yankee Stadium Sunday. It is written by Bob Smith of the Press-Gazette's Chicago Daily News Service. Smith compiled his information from opposing players and coaches, chiefly the Bears, who played the Packers twice and the Giants once. The position-by-position sizeup follows:
OFFENSE
WIDE END - Many pros regard Del Shofner (NY) as the best deep receiver in football. He offers the maximum in speed and sureness. The Bears double-teamed him all day and he still caught five passes against them. Max McGee (GB) is a notch below Shofner in speed and faking ability. Shofner caught 12 TD throws in the season, McGee had three. McGee, a solid pro, is the Packers' most dependable receiver, but the Giants have an advantage here.
LEFT TACKLE - Roosevelt Brown (NY) is an outstanding pass blocker and an excellent rush blocker. He is one of the big reasons why Y.A. Tittle was thrown for fewer losses than any quarterback in the league. Bob Skoronski (GB) is a competent blocker with no glaring virtues or faults. He is switched with Norm Masters, another sound, but unspectacular, tackle. Advantage to Giants.
LEFT GUARD - Darrell Dess (NY) is an underrated performer. He is responsible for much of the yardage that fullback Alex Webster gets on the Giants' favorite cutback play. Good size and speed, aggressive. Fred Thurston (GB) is second only to running-mate Jim Kramer on those quick pullout blocks the Packers use so often. Fine pass protector, great desire. Advantage to Packers.
CENTER - Ray Wietecha (NY) is an alert, polished veteran who has mastered all the tricks of blocking. He quarterbacked the offensive line. But, perhaps because they see him more often, our experts rate Jim Ringo (GB) a bit higher. They say Ringo does everything that Wietecha does and a little better. Ringo is rated more agile at picking off a stray defender. Slight advantage to Packers.
RIGHT GUARD - Greg Larson (NY) was shifted from tackle to guard this season. He is a tough, willing blocker, but he gives away a lot of experience. Jerry Kramer (GB) is a shade faster than Thurston on the pullouts. Like Thurston, he hits with devastating force and has no apparent weakness. Advantage to Packers.
RIGHT TACKLE - Jack Stroud (NY) has played both guard and tackle and is an all-league candidate at either spot. He is rated tougher than Forrest Gregg (GB), but not as mobile. Stroud has the edge on pass blocking. Gregg's speed makes him better on downfield assignments. Slight advantage to Giants.
RIGHT END - Joe Walton (NY) is handicapped only by size (5-11, 200). He is faster than Ron Kramer (GB), but Kramer (6-3, 225) rates a decided edge in blocking and receiving because of physical advantage. Walton caught nine TD passes during the season. Kramer had seven. Advantage to Packers.
QUARTERBACK - Y.A. Tittle (NY) is rated a more accurate passer than Bart Starr (GB), especially on the long throws. Starr is considered a better play caller. Both are adept at dancing away from a heavy rush. "In a game like this, I'd have to go with the best passer," says one of the Bear stars. Slight advantage to Giants.
HALFBACK - Phil King and Joe Morrison (NY) are rated as just ordinary pros. Morrison impressed the Bears more than King did, but neither is in a class with Paul Hornung (GB), who they rate as the best halfback in football. If Hornung's knee isn't sound, Tom Moore will give Green Bay a decent job, but they'll lost a little in the blocking and pass threat departments. Big advantage to Packers.
FULLBACK - Alex Webster (NY) cuts better than Jim Taylor (GB), but Taylor has an edge in power and pass blocking. Both are fierce, proud competitors who will consistently get more yardage than the hole allows. Webster is bigger (by three inches and 20 pounds), but Taylor has better balance. Advantage to Packers.
FLANKER - Frank Gifford (NY) has better moves than Boyd Dowler (GB) and has surer hands. Dowler rates edge in speed and size. "Dowler is a more dangerous deep threat," says our man. "But Gifford will get you more consistent yardage." Advantage to Giants.
The offense scoreboard: Packers get a slight position advantage, six to five.
DEFENSE
LEFT END - Jim Katcavage (NY) is considered one of the best. But so is Willie Davis (GB). Katcavage is a strong charger who will usually rush to the outside, protecting his flank. Solid, doesn't gamble much and a very tough man to get around on the sweeps. Davis is just the opposite. With linebacker Dan Currie to protect him, Davis will skip, fake and jitterbug to get around a blocker. He has exceptional speed and agility for this position. He can recover quickly from a good block and still make the tackle. Considering these two different styles, this spot is rated even.
LEFT TACKLE - Because of his size (6-5, 290) and strength, Rosey Grier is murder on running plays, merely good on pass rushing. Henry Jordan (GB) is an opposite. Like Davis, Jordan is extremely fast for a lineman. Jordan can be blocked on the rushes, but he nails the passer more often than other tackles in the league. Our experts give the Packers a slight advantage here.
RIGHT TACKLE - Dick Modzelewski (NY) is a strong, consistent performer who holds his ground well. His fast, hard charge makes him a troublesome pass rusher. Dave Hanner (GB) is another opposite. He likes to wait for something to develop before committing himself. Tough man to sucker out of position, but an infrequent pass rusher. Advantage to Giants.
RIGHT END - Andy Robustelli (NY) and Bill Quinlan (GB) play much the same type of game. Both are fast and nimble pass rushers and tough men to turn on the sweeps. Unlike Davis, Quinlan plays a conservative game, allowing his linebacker, Bill Forester, to take the chances. Robustelli, a frisky 35, has a full bag of tricks to get around the backfield pass blockers. Advantage to Giants.
LEFT LINEBACKER - Rookie Bill Winter (NY) is a game kid who is still learning. He impressed the Bears with his willingness to take and give a good pounding. A little anxious, he can be blocked on the runs. Dan Currie (GB) is a steady, conservative workman and a mobile pass defender. When a Davis gamble backfires, Currie is usually there to make the stop. He has good football instinct. Advantage to Packers.
MIDDLE LINEBACKER - Sam Huff (NY) is an aggressive veteran. "He takes a lot of chances, but he always seems to be in the live spots where the ball is," says a man who plays against him. Huff is a good tackler, but not as strong or fierce as Ray Nitschke (GB). Our scouts rate Nitschke as one of the roughest men in the league. Nitschke will blitz more often than Huff, Huff will play more pass defense. Nitschke has great pursuit. Slight advantage to Packers.
RIGHT LINEBACKER - Our men rate Tom Scott (NY) as just an average performer. He is strong and tough to move on the runs, but he lacks the speed to be a good pass defender. Checks the ends well. Bill Forester (GB) is a crafty old pro who excels in pass defense and open field tackling. Forester's mobility allows the Packer defensive backs to load up against the deep pass.
LEFT CORNER - Erich Barnes (NY) is very aggressive, a hard tackler and a bit of a gambler. He likes to play his man tight and go for the interception. "You have to double fake him to get loose," says our man. "Barnes will probably do a good job on Boyd Dowler (GB flanker)." Herb Adderley (GB) plays much like Barnes, but he isn't as experienced. Barnes is a stronger tackler. Adderley is tough to beat on the short throws, but he'll gamble and rely on his great speed to catch up on the deep ones. It usually takes a perfectly thrown pass to beat him deep. Advantage to Giants.
LEFT SAFETY - Allan Webb (NY) plays his man tight like Barnes. A good tackler, he comes up very fast. "Ron Kramer (GB end) might beat him with a quick fake and go," says our scout. Hank Gremminger (GB) is an opposite. He'll give you the short passes, but he's tough to get behind. Not a gambler, good speed, fair tackler.
RIGHT SAFETY - Jim Patton (NY) is rated the best "roamer" in the league. Giants try to make him the spare man on pass defense so he can play the ball. He has great speed and instincts for interceptions. Willie Wood (GB) is a stronger tackler and a better man-to-man defender. Gambles and gets a lot of interceptions, but Patton has five years, experience on him. Advantage to Giants.
RIGHT CORNER - Dick Lynch (NY) will play you very tight unless you show that you can outrun him. But if you get behind him early, he'll then lay back and give you the shorties. Very strong tackler, likes to take chances. Jesse Whittenton (GB) is a solid pro, very tough to beat both short and deep. He gets a lot of help from Forester and Wood. Fairly conservative, he figures the play out quickly and bats down many passes. Good tackler. Advantage to Packers.
The Scoreboard: Green Bay rates a slight personnel advantage, five to four with two spots even.
JUDGE OKAYS BLACKOUT OF PACKER-GIANT TILT
DEC 29 (New York) - The NFL's policy of blacking out home television in the New York metropolitan area of the championship game Sunday between the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers won and lost Friday in separate court cases. A federal judge in New York City ruled the National Broadcasting Co. was within its rights to prohibit TV within a 75-mile area of New York. At New Haven, Conn., on the fringe of the 75-mile limit, a Superior Court judge denied a petition of the NBC and NFL for an injunction to prohibit the New Haven Arena Co. from showing the game on a 10-foot screen at an indoor TV-barbecue. The arena can accommodate about 5,500 persons for an event of this type. A spokesman was unable to say how many tickets had been sold...PROMISES LEGISLATION: In Washington, Sen. Thomas J. Dodd, D-Conn., termed the blackout highhanded and promised to introduce legislation to prevent such blackouts in the future. Dodd is a member of the Senate anti-monopoly subcommittee. He said baseball does not black out the World Series, and "there is no reason why football should black out its playoff." NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle said the judge's ruling in New York agrees with the league's thinking on the matter. He said televising the game could create a dangerous precedent and would break faith with the fans who bought tickets believing the game would not be carried on TV...PAY TV INTEREST: The NFL commissioner had no comment on the New Haven ruling. He said he had heard about it but had not seen the ruling. Rozelle said that Dodd had telegraphed him about the blackout and that he had replied by letter. The commissioner said that he had been interested in the possibility of pay TV for the playoff game, but that the contract with the network did not permit it, and there was not enough time to work out the details. He said it was a possibility in the future, but only in the blackout area.
OPTIMISM FLIES WITH PACKER FANS
DEC 30 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - It hardly comes as a surprise but there was no Giant "money" to be found on Flight 5769 to New York Saturday. This, as indicated, was not entirely unexpected since No. 5769 was one of two United Airlines charters carrying 129 of the Packer faithful to Gotham for today's world title struggle in cavernous Yankee Stadium. There was, however, a wide diversion of opinion on the ultimate "spread," predictions on the Pack's anticipated victory margin ranging all the way from three to 17 points...APPREHENSION, TOO: And, among the conservatives, there was even a note of apprehension. It was sounded by Richard Mathews, a veteran Milwaukee certified public accountant, who saw his first Packer game in the mid-1920's, "when Ernie Nevers played against them with the Cardinals. It looks like 31-17, Packers," Mathews bravely predicted, then added with accountant-like caution, "but I wouldn't like to bet my life on this game." At the other extreme, there was Sid Shaw, longtime Green Bay sportsman, who declared without hesitation, "on a wet field, it should be 17-0, Packers, of course. And on a dry field, it should be 35-17." Almost as confident were three genuine fanatics from Jefferson, Wis., (pop. 4,200) located 45 miles west of Milwaukee. All, incidentally, are sporting green and gold (Packer colors) imitation fur caps bearing a large gold "P" and a badge proclaiming, "I'm for Green Bay." One of them, burly Don Streich, forecast 17-14. "In the Packers' favor?" he asked. "I'd get out and walk if I said Giants." Another Jeffersonian, auto worker Ray Malthauf, ventured, "I would say about 24-17, Packers." His king-sized fellow townsman, Ed Bielefeldt, was more confident, unhesitatingly predicting a 31-17 decision for Vince Lombardi's forces...TITTLE FACTOR NOTED: Several of the Pack's Milwaukee adherents (there were 30 in all on the charter) were equally optimistic. Norbert Tomczak, commander of the West Milwaukee American Legion Post, and Andy Grafenauer, West Milwaukee's police chief, and a Packer fans since 1926, agreed. "The Packers will win by 14," he asserted, adding, "I think Hornung's going to explode tomorrow." One of his traveling companions, Frank Dembowski, made no prediction but volunteered, "My boy is taking the Packers and giving 10 points. I don't know how many bets he took." Two other natives of the Beer Capital were somewhat less sanguine. Stan Bishop predicted a 24-21 nod for the Packers - "that is if they knock Tittle out fast," and Frank Briggs hedged, observing, "I won't make any predictions, but I'm going out there to see 'em win." The distaff side, customarily cautious, also presented a united front. Stewardess Kathy Coleman, a bubbly brunette who hails from Clarion, Iowa, confided with a smile, "Thirteen to seven have always been my favorites." Fellow stewardess Helen Nolan was in accord, asserting, "The Packers going to win - by 7." Mrs. Bill Austin, wife of the Packer line coach, declined to make a forecast. "I don't predict - it's bad luck," she smiled. "I'll enjoy it if it's like last year (a rousing Packer victory, it may be recalled)." Mrs. James Ellingson of Niagara, Wis., would appreciate another title as a personal gift. Mrs. Ellingson, who has been undergoing treatment in Chicago for multiple injuries received in an Oct. 13 auto accident and still is getting about on crutches, flew in from the Windy City in order to make the charter excursion. With mock severity, the attractive brunette declared, "The Packers better win this one for me." Amid all this harmony, there was only one discordant note. It was injected by burly Ed Nixon, driver of the bus which carries the fans from Newark Airport to New York's Manhattan Hotel. An ardent Giant fan, he intoned in a loud, clear voice from the front of the bus. "It'll be the Giants - by 15."...CHARTER CHATTER: Several fans stepped off the airport bus briefly at Newark to display a huge "Go, Go Packers" sign for the benefit of photographers. Emblazoned across the bottom was "Titletown, U.S.A."...Accountant Mathews was a school mate of Packer founder Curly Lambeau at Notre Dame in 1918. "He was a good football player," Mathews noted, shaking his head...The Packers' Illinois Fan Club was represented by Matthew B. Smith of Waukegan, brother-in-law of Mathews...Aided by a 40-mile-an-hour tailwind, the flight required only 2 1/2 hours, one hour less than estimated.
PACKERS FACE GIANTS, TRADITION, JINX FOR TITLE
DEC 30 (New York-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Proud Packers fight for their second straight world's professional football championship in Yankee Stadium this afternoon. And they'll face more than the Giants. Stacked against them are (1) the wicked tradition that weights against a champion repeating and (2) the
Green Bay Packers Ray Nitschke (66) in action, defense during punt attempt by Los Angeles Rams Danny Villanueva (11) (PHOTO CREDIT: Neil Leifer/Getty Images)
Roman Gabriel (18) in action vs Green Bay Packers (Photo by Neil Leifer /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Jerry Kramer (64) in action, field goal kick attempt under pressure vs Los Angeles Rams Deacon Jones (75) and Merlin Olsen (74) (Photo by Neil Leifer /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Time Magazine - December 21st 1962 (For more details on the article inside, click here)
Even baseball's Milwaukee Braves got caught up in the excitement over the Green Bay Packers in 1962. The team sponsored this billboard in Green Bay and put up two dozen more just like it across Wisconsin. "We're proud of the Packers," Braves general manager John McHale said, "and we want to tell the state about it." (Credit: Green Bay Press-Gazette Archives) (Source: The Wearing of the Green (and Gold))
home park jinx. This is the 30th world championship playoff in the NFL, and NFL observers claim this one has commanded more interest than any other event in the history of sports, including the World Series. The game will be witnessed by a capacity crowd of 64,891 and a nationwide television audience of 43 million. Kickoff is set for 1 o'clock, Green Bay time. Today's classic has all the earmarks of a great game. The Giants were embarrassed horribly in Green Bay last Dec. 31 by a score of 37-0. They brooded all season aching for another shot at the Pack. Their dressing room is papered with headlines and quotes about the shellacking. The Giants will go slightly berserk in their effort. The Packers have an almost unbelievable pride in what they have accomplished and especially their status as World Champions. They love the opportunity to display their winning wares in the world's No. 1 city. They know what it means to win in New York, and Yankee Stadium, and also that their 13-1 season will be a success if they lose today. The Packers, too, will go slightly berserk in their effort. Adding fuel to the fire will be the American dollar - a difference of over $2,000 in winning or losing. Each winner can realize some $7,500, including a game's salary for appearing in the '63 College All Star game. Everybody is hoping for a fast field - especially the opposing coaches, Vince Lombardi of the Pack and Allie Sherman of the Giants. It would be a shame to let the elements interfere in the plans of the two clubs. But the forecast was for snow or rain Saturday night and freezing weather today. The field covering was lifted Saturday to permit the two clubs to hold their final practices. Both teams are in better shape than they were a year ago. The Packers have a healthy Jerry Kramer at right guard. He missed last year's game with an injury. The Giants have their secondary intact with Allen Webb at right safety. Inexperienced Joe Morrison played there last year. The big question out here is: Will Paul Hornung start? Lombardi said he'd make up his mind shortly before the opening kickoff. Don't be surprised if Golden Boy opens at left half. He's strong again and he's a money player. He scored 19 points in the '61 playoff - on leave from the service. But don't count Tom Moore out, either. Hornung's shadow was a big factor in the Bays' stretch drive - especially in the key victory over the 49ers on the coast. Hornung or Moore! The Giants can guess. The Packers are expected to play it straight. Pounding the Giants with the powerful body punches supplied by Jim Taylor, Moore and Hornung until they are groggy. Bart Starr will do the rest with his sharp passes to Max McGee, Ron Kramer and Boyd Dowler. The Bays' offensive line is the big key. This unit was torn apart by the Lions. Jim Ringo and Co., hope to atone for that performance against Rosey Grier and mates. Top protection of Starr is a must and Taylor will need a little running room. The Packer defense, which pitched that marvelous shutout last year, faces tremendous pressure, plus a newcomer, Frank Gifford, the Giants' fine money player. Gifford replaced the retired Kyle Rote, who dropped two important passes last year. Gifford has never been known to drop anything in the big game. The Giants hope to win with their Y.A. Tittle passing attack. Del Shofner is Tittle's pet receiver. Sherman sent up a trial balloon last week with the announcement that he hopes to run on Green Bay, but the New Yorks won the East with Tittle's right arm and they aren't likely to switch. Green Bay's defense isn't likely to hurl a shutout today, but Bill Forester and Co., is ready for a murderous effort. The Bay defense's big assignment will be to get at Tittle and let the chips fall when they may. Tradition, Jinx? Only five teams have been able to win two straight world titles in 29 playoffs - the Bears in 1940-41, the Eagles in 1948-49, the Lions in 1952-53, the Browns in 1954-55 and the Colts in 1958-59. The home field theory is the toughest to explode. In the past 29 games, only nine championships were won away from home. The home team won 20 times. The Packers hope to make it No. 10!
JOHNNY BLOOD VISITS PACK; HE'S CONFIDENT
DEC 30 (New York-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Johnny Blood is on hand. The Packers' great vagabond halfback of another era was at the Pack's final practice Saturday morning in Yankee Stadium, lending his ever-present smile and quiet confidence. "If we win, I'm going to want to see a double," Blood said, adding with a roar: "I'm a Badger at heart, born and bred there. My teams are Green Bay and the Wisconsin Badgers."...Jimmy Russler, 7, of Two Rivers, one of the Western Division's winners in the Pass, Punt and Kick contest who will compete between halves, was in Washington with the other winners Saturday and among the stops was Mount Vernon. The group stopped at one landmark and the guide pointed out that this is the Coach House. To which Jimmy yelled out, "That's where Vince Lombardi lives."...The Packers worked on the uncovered south half of the Yankee Stadium gridiron, which is the home plate side. This part was covered in the afternoon and the Giants drilled on the north half, which is in left field. The Bays wore cleats for the drill - the first time in a week. Though the field was hard in spots, Lombardi said, "They worked good." He added, "It isn't as good as Green Bay," referring to the City Stadium turf for the 1961
playoff...The NFL Hall of Fame Board of Selectors held a lengthy meeting in the Americana Hotel Saturday afternoon. The meeting was a success and results will be announced in January...The Packers were enthused by the condition of the field. "It's better than we thought," said Bart Starr. It started raining about 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon...Boyd Dowler did all of the punting in practice Saturday, while Max McGee, who has punted in the last four games, worked chiefly on pass catching. Jerry Kramer handled the field goal kicking alone.
