Green Bay Packers (5-0) 48, Minnesota Vikings (0-5) 21
Sunday October 14th 1962 (at Minnesota)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(MINNEAPOLIS) - The Packers buried the Vikings 48 to 21 under a 522-yard attack in Metropolitan Stadium Sunday afternoon. It sounds sweet and simple but there was plenty of pain and strain in this fifth straight league victory - the Pack's best start since the 1944 Bays opened with six in a row. The Vikings were vicious as usual and six Packers hobbled to the sideline with various injuries - Paul Hornung, Bob Skoronski, Bill Quinlan, Jess Whittenton, Ron Kostelnik and John Symank. Hornung, whose three field goals whipped Detroit 9-7, was the most seriously hurt. He had scored the first touchdown and had five yards to go for a second when Cliff Livingston flipped him into the air with a low tackle, injuring his knee and forcing him out for the rest of the game. Quinlan, with rib and leg injuries, Symank, ankle, returned to action while Whittenton, leg, Kostelnik, shoulder, Skoronski, leg, remained out. (X-rays were to be taken today of Hornung's injury.) It is hoped that all will be ready for the critical battle with the 49ers in Milwaukee next Sunday. The 49ers knocked off the Bears in Chicago Sunday and have but two losses. Hornung's point kicking was taken over by Jerry Kramer and the giant guard wound up with 11 points on 15 and 36-yard field goals (one other was blocked) and five extra points. It was the first time the five-year veteran had scored in a league game. The story Sunday was offense and that pinpoints Bart Starr, who was threading a needle at 50 yards with his passes. He completed the first 10 he threw and wound up with 20 of 28 for 297 yards and three touchdowns. Max McGee caught 10 for 159 yards and two touchdowns and Boyd Dowler 7 for 124 and one TD. The Bays added 225 yards on the ground and the big gun was Jarrin' Jim Taylor, who gave the audience of 41,475 a real thrill with his determined running. The Bayou Bronc ripped off 164 yards in 17 carries, including 30 the first two times he worked, and now has 582 yards in 94 attempts in five games for an amazing average of 6.1. He was running over Vikings or stinging them with head on crashes. Taylor's yardage and McGee's catch total were close to Packer records. Jim's 164 was the third highest in history, replacing the 61 he made vs. San Francisco in 1960. Max's 10 receptions was the fourth high, breaking the "nine" he caught vs. Los Angeles in 1954. Starr went through without getting thrown once trying to pass - so tough was protection provided by Forrest Gregg, Bob Skoronski, Norm Masters, Fuzz Thurston, J. Kramer and Jim Ringo - plus replacements Ken Iman and Ed Blaine. And Bart didn't have an interception! That 522-yard total was the first 500-yarder the Pack had compiled in a league game in 20 years - since Nov. 1, 1942 when the Bays ran up 539 yards in a 55-24 win over the Cards. The total included 423 air yards - mostly on Cecil Isbell to Don Hutson passes. Other high totals included 487 vs. the Browns last year and 498 vs. the Rams in 1956. The Pack's proud defense, having allowed only two touchdowns in the first four games, was opposing a desperate Viking offense, which had counted just three TDs in the first four tilts. Fran Tarkenton threw a 41-yard TD pass to Steve Stonebreaker in the second quarter and then threw a six-yard TD'er to Hugh McElhenny to start the fourth period. Mel Triplett scored the third Viking TD on a one-yard plunge midway in the last frame. Minnesota can boast about this: Four of its five TDs in five games came at the expense of the Pack. The Vikings forced the Packers to return their No. 1 team. After the score was 34-14 on the Vikes' second TD, John Roach took over the Bay offense, but the Vikings quickly scored after recovering a fumble. Only 13 points in front, Starr and his mates returned and moved 66 yards in seven plays to tie it, with Tom Moore crashing over. The Packers had convinced the Vikings a second time! The Packers dominated the day with 29 first downs and ran off 41 rushing plays against the Vikings' 19. Each team threw 29 passes. The Bays intercepted three - one each by Willie Wood, Hank Gremminger, who made a leaping catch, and Ray Nitschke. The Vikings were limited to 306 yards, including only 46 on the ground, but Tarkenton had 18 of 29 for 260 yards. Here's how the scoring went: The Bays received and took a 7-0 lead by covering 62 yards in six plays. Taylor gained 38 yards in three carries and Hornung the rest, including a three-year touchdown plunge as the Bays stayed on the ground all the way. Hornung booted the point for 7-0 at 3:18. After three punts the Bays launched a 51-yard TD drive in six plays. The big move was a 41-yard pass from Starr to Dowler, who took it away from Dean Derby to the 11. The Vikings got tough. Hornung was thrown for a three-yard loss but Starr, unable to pass, ran nine to the five. Hornung then lost two on the play he was hurt and J. Kramer booted a 14-yard field goal for 10-0 at 14:25.
FOUR PASSES TO MCGEE
Wood's interception and 38-yard return to the Packer 45 got the Bays in touchdown motion in the second quarter. The Bays covered the distance in eight plays. Starr completed four passes to McGee along the way - 11, 14, 10 and finally 8 yards for the TD. J. Kramer converted at 7:53 and it was 17-0. After J. Kramer booted his 36-yard field goal, a "knuckler" that split the uprights, Gremminger made his leaping interception and Starr and McGee worked some more TD magic. Starr threw nine yards to McGee on the Packer 45 after Moore was held for no gain. Then, on a third and one situation, Starr faked Taylor into the line, took a few steps back and fired a short pass to McGee who took it behind the "advancing" secondary and set sail on a 55-yard TD aerial. J. Kramer's kick made it 27-0. After Stonebreaker scored, the Packers labored for 16 plays over a 90-yard route for their fourth TD. The big plays included Starr's 18 and 11-yard passes to Dowler, a 19-yard run by Taylor and finally Starr's 19-yard TD throw to Dowler. J. Kramer made it 34-7 at 9:53 of the third period. Tarkenton's long passes, one to McElhenny for 41 yards and two to Reichow for 23 and 11 yards set up the Vikings' next two
Paul Hornung, the NFL’s leading scorer, bows his head dejectedly after being injured in the first quarter of the Green Bay-Minnesota game, Oct. 14, 1962. Horning twisted a knee when hit by the Vikings Cliff Livingston as the Packer halfback rammed into the line on a Green Bay touchdown bid. The Packers won 48-21. (Credit: Gene Herrick, Associated Press archives)
touchdowns, setting the score at a close 34-21 with 9:02 left in the game.
SHOWED SUPERIORITY
The Bays showed their superiority quickly. Starr tossed to McGee for 16 and Taylor then busted up the middle for 10 yards and fumbled. McGee picked up the ball and continued 16 to the Viking 14. Starr passed 11 to Dowler and after Moore lost two he ripped five for the TD. J. Kramer's boot made it 41-21. The Vikings went down swinging and it cost 'em a touchdown. With fourth and 14 to go on the Viking 23, Tarkenton tried a pass and was thrown for an 11-yard loss on the 12. With Roach at QB, the Bays scored in four plays, Elijah Pitts scoring the TD on a seven yard run on fourth down. And that was a fitting way for Elijah to celebrate. He became a daddy for the first time Saturday.
GREEN BAY - 10 17 7 14 - 48
MINNESOTA - 0 7 0 14 - 21
GREEN BAY MINNESOTA
First Downs 29 15
Rushing-Yards-TD 42-209-3 19-46-1
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 29-20-297-3-0 29-18-288-2-3
Sack Yards Lost 0 28
Total Yards 506 306
Fumbles-lost 3-1 0-0
Turnovers 1 3
Yards penalized 8-67 4-29
SCORING
1st - GB - Paul Hornung, 3-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
1st - GB - Jerry Kramer, 14-yard field goal GREEN BAY 10-0
2nd - GB - Max McGee, 15-yard pass from Starr (J. Kramer kick) GREEN BAY 17-0
2nd - GB - J. Kramer, 35-yard field goal GREEN BAY 20-0
2nd - GB - McGee, 55-yard pass from Bart Starr (J. Kramer kick) GREEN BAY 27-0
2nd - MINN - Steve Stonebreaker, 19-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Jim Christopherson kick) GB 27-7
3rd - GB - Boyd Dowler, 18-yard pass from Starr (J. Kramer kick) GREEN BAY 34-7
4th - MN - Jerry Reichow, 6-yd pass from Tarkenton (Christopherson kick) GREEN BAY 34-14
4th - MINN - Mel Triplett, 1-yard run (Christopherson kick) GREEN BAY 34-21
4th - GB - Tom Moore, 6-yard run (J. Kramer kick) GREEN BAY 41-21
4th - GB - Elijah Pitts, 7-yard run (J. Kramer kick) GREEN BAY 48-21
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Jim Taylor 17-164, Tom Moore 13-17 1 TD, Paul Hornung 6-10 1 TD, Elijah Pitts 2-9 1 TD, Bart Starr 3-6, Earl Gros 1-3
MINNESOTA - Doug Mayberry 5-18, Hugh McElhenny 5-9, Fran Tarkenton 2-8, Mel Triplett 4-8 1 TD, Tommy Mason 3-3
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 28-20-297 3 TD, John Roach 1-0-0
MINNESOTA - Fran Tarkenton 29-18-288 2 TD 3 INT
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Max McGee 10-159 2 TD, Boyd Dowler 7-124 1 TD, Ron Kramer 1-12, Paul Hornung 1-3, Jim Taylor 1-(-1)
MINNESOTA - Hugh McElhenny 5-118, Jerry Reichow 6-52 1 TD, Charley Ferguson 4-84, Steve Stonebreaker 1-19 1 TD, Doug Mayberry 1-11, Tommy Mason 1-4
'ONLY KNUCKLEBALL KICKER IN THE LEAGUE' - J. KRAMER
OCT 15 (Minneapolis-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - A dab of shaving cream punctuating an ear-to-ear grin, king-sized Jerry Kramer deposited a razor in his locker and chortled: "How about that? The only knuckleball kicker in the league." Kramer, pressed into placekicking service when Paul Hornung's right knee was damaged by the Minnesota Vikings' crunching Cliff Livingston in the first quarter of Sunday's bruising match at Metropolitan Stadium, was hugely amused over the success of his efforts, which he admitted were slightly inartistic, if admirably effective. The strapping College of Idaho alumnus, who had toed two field goals and six extra points in a like number of attempts, had not found it quite so humorous during the heat of battle, he confessed. "I was a bit nervous out there. I hadn't kicked in a game in five years." When was the last time? "I kicked one field goal against Philadelphia in an exhibition game in 1958 (his rookie year). Then I kicked five extra points against the Giants the next week when Paul was hurt - and I hadn't kicked since." With a perfect day behind him, Kramer chuckled, "I may not be the best, but I've got to be the luckiest - to get those through there today." The memory of Hornung's bandaged right leg returned and Jerry's All-American boyish countenance sobered, "I've been fooling around with it in practice, because I've never been needed to kick in a game. But I'll have to get serious this week." Explosive Jim Taylor, who had rebounded from the flu to amass 164 yards - his fattest total of the season - volunteered with a sunny smile, "Feel like a new man, although I still get a little tired - I'm still shaking a cold. Overall, though, I felt real frisky and real light," Taylor said. "I could put it on pretty good," a matter to which, no doubt, the Vikings could ruefully attest. Max McGee, at his jauntiest after the most productive afternoon of his seven-year NFL career, observed laconically, "It figured - I didn't feel good before the game so I figured I'd have a good day." Maximilian, who has gathered in ten Bart Starr strikes, said, "I think nine was the most I'd had up to today. That was in my rookie year (1954) against LA - and Van Brocklin." Analyzing his day, Mcgee not4ed, "I was easier before they changed men. At least, I had a little better luck against Sharockman (Ed) than I did against Franckhauser (Tom, who replaced Sharockman as the Taxi's shadow in the second half)." Tossing a bouquet in Starr's direction, he added, "Old Bart was throwing real good - exceptionally good. And we had a pretty good idea before the game of what we were going to do. Sharockman was on me at Green Bay in the first game and I studied the movies of that one. But they kind of fouled things up when they changed to Frankhauser." Hornung, limping through the dressing room after submitting to Trainer Bud Jorgensen's ministrations, was still somewhat in the dark about the gravity of his injury. "I don't know just what it is," he reported. "Torn ligaments, I guess, I won't know until tomorrow." How had it happened? "I planted my right foot and he (linebacker Cliff Livingston) hit me." Characteristically, the three-time NFL scoring champion has no recriminations. "Livingston played a helluva ball game all day," he declared. "It was just a good, clean tackle." Another casualty, defensive ace Jess Whittenton, sat gingerly upon an equipment trunk. Gesturing toward his leg, he revealed, "I went to make a cut (on Willie Wood's interception) and tore a muscle." "My man made his cut to go into a post," Jess explained. "I made my cut and - boom, I didn't even see the interception."
'THEY'LL GET BEAT,' SAYS VAN; PASSING 'VERY GOOD' VINCE
OCT 15 (Minneapolis-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - For a man whose athletes had just been swamped by the Packers for the second time within a month, forthright Norm Van Brocklin was surprisingly emphatic. A Minneapolis scribe had just asked, " Who's going to beat them?" The Dutchman looked his questioner in the eye and declared, "They'll get beat - and they'll lose more than once. They're not invincible - no team is invincible." Van Brocklin, a man of refreshing candor in a notoriously cautious profession, admitted to being impressed with the world champions, however. "When they came out and drove for that touchdown after we pulled up to 34-21, they showed championship class," he noted in open admiration. "And they didn't fool around about it, either," Norm acknowledged with a dry chuckle. "About five plays, wasn't it." Though far from satisfied with his Vikings artistically, the former Los Angeles Ram ace was proud of their hardnosed performance. "We never quit, that's the type of kids we've got," he said. "We'll never quit." He took obvious satisfaction in another item - the Minnesotans' resistance to the Packers' vaunted running game. "We took a lot of their running offense away from them," Van Brocklin observed. "The only run they had was that Taylor thing to the weak side. We took the rest of it away from them." This had left the Vikings vulnerable to the pass, it was noted. "They were beating us on simple little comebacks," the Dutchman snorted, somewhat scornfully. "They can change up all they want on the line, the coverage is still the same." Who did he compare the Pack's Jim Taylor to of the backs he had encountered in his NFL career? "He's a Van Buren-type," Van Brocklin replied without hesitation. "Brown is a runner with more speed, if you can imagine that," he said wryly. "Taylor's a lot tougher runner - Brown goes down easier. At least, that's what they tell me," Norm concluded puckishly. "I've never had to tackle either one of them, fortunately,"...The resourceful Packers, famed land-lovers, had no choice of weapons, Vince Lombardi made it known. The scholarly Packer headmaster, not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, explained, "The Vikings played eight men up close there. There is nothing else you can do but throw." And, he was nothing loath to admit, "the passing (Bart Starr completed his first 10 and 20 of 28) was very good." Had he considered the Pack's attack as formidable as it had been in the recent 49-0 rout of Chicago's Bears? "On and off," Vince replied, but quickly added, "I can't compare them." With similar alacrity, the Packer chieftain was happy to note, "When the offense had to go, it did. When the Vikings got the third touchdown, we came right back and went 80 yards." On the subject of injuries, of which the Packers sustained a surprising number, Lombardi said he had "no idea how badly Paul Hornung is hurt." At the same time, he expressed confidence that both Jess Whittenton and Ron Kostelnik, two of the Pack's other three casualties, would be ready for next Sunday's assignment against the San Francisco 49rs at Milwaukee. "Whittenton has a muscle pull in the calf of his leg - he'll be all right," Vince said. "Kosetlnik has a dislocated shoulder, but he'll be back next week, too. Dislocations are not serious." Tackle Bob Skoronski, he revealed, "has a twisted knee." He did not indicate when he expected the 28-year-old Indiana alumnus to return. Jerry Kramer's placekicking efforts in behalf of Hornung had been effective, it was suggested. This elicited a grin from the Packer head man, who said, "He got 'em all, didn't he?" Who, a Minneapolis writer asked, is going to beat the Packers? "We'll beat ourselves," Lombardi said dryly, "before we finish."...BAD LUCK?: As the game began, the scoreboard's "Viking Log" (similar to the "Fan-a-Gram" flashed on the Braves' County Stadium board) proclaimed, "Paul Hornung has 53 points against the Vikings in three games." Before the first quarter was up, Hornung had seven more points - and, ironically, a knee injury that could hold his production to a minimum for longer than Packer fanatics care to think...CLAIM TO FAME: The "Viking Log," which manages to be remarkably current, also announced with four minutes remaining in the game, "The Vikings have 4 of 5 touchdowns (including the first in their opening 34-7 loss in Green Bay) scored against the Packers."...RARE
OPPORTUNITY: Smug over brilliant skies (they later darkened) and a balmy 75-degree reading, the Viking public address announcer jibed in the course of his pregame chores, "The sixth game of the World Series in sunny California has been postponed because of rain."
TOO EARLY TO TELL ABOUT PACKER CASUALTIES; INJURY TO HORNUNG MOST SERIOUS
OCT 16 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - It will be Wednesday or Thursday before the availability of the Packer injured can be determined! That was the word today from Packer Coach Vince Lombardi as he assembled forces and proceeded with preparations for the difficult task ahead - the 49ers in Milwaukee Sunday. Six players were hurt in the hard-fought 48 to 21 victory over the Vikings and one already is off the list - John Symank, whose ankle is okay. The others are Paul Hornung, Bob Skoronski, Bill Quinlan, Jess Whittenton and Ron Kostelnik. All are leg cases except Kostelnik, who has a dislocated shoulder and Quinlan, who also has sore ribs. X-rays Monday showed no bone damage to Hornung's right knee and Lombardi termed the injury "a bruised knee." Lombardi said, "We'll have to wait and see how they are in practice." Hornung is the most serious of the injured, and, needless to say, he's the only Packer who needs three replacements - halfback Tom Moore to fill his left half shoes, guard Jerry Kramer to do his point and field goal kicking, and Willie Wood for the kicking off. Kramer, kicking for the first time in a league game, booted two field goals (15 and 36 yards) and five extra points. Skoronski started at left tackle Sunday and then changed off with Norm Masters. Bob hurt his knee but saw considerable action. Whittenton pulled a muscle when Wood made his interception in the second quarter and Symank was used in the secondary the rest of the way. The Vikings exploited the absence of Whittenton, scoring two touchdowns on Fran Tarkenton passes and setting up the third with his completions...WITHIN 13 POINTS: Quinlan came out after the Packers had built up a sizeable lead but after the Vikings crept withing 13 points Bill came back in again. Bill's first replacement was Kostelnik, who, in turn, was hurt. The Packers hit the drill deck today and at least one player had a new role. That would be J. Kramer, who now starts to practice field goal kicking for keeps. He had backed up Hornung for the past two years, but never kicked in a league game until Sunday. In fact, Hornung was hurt on one play and Kramer kicked a 15-yard field goal on the next. Oddly enough, Jerry, while putting on his kicking toe (shoe) before the game, had to laugh: "I don't know why I'm wearing it, the way I've been kicking." The Hornung injury may bring forth the No. 3 kicker, who has been confining his efforts more to crashing lately. That would be Jim Taylor, the big fullback who is accurate from close-in. He booted two field goals in the first two non-leaguers in 1961 - plus seven extra points. Kramer had done some non-league kicking in his rookie season, 1958...Lombardi saluted the Packer defense today, noting that the unit "played a fine game." The defense had been out of this world in the first four games, allowing just two touchdowns, but the Vikings scored three. The Vikings never scored until the Bays had built up a 27-0 lead...The 49ers are coming into this game with momentum. They lost their first two and now have a three-game winning streak going. The 49ers, you know, are the last team to beat Green Bay - that 22-21 game in 'Frisco last December!
'YOU JUST KEEP DOGGING IT' - JIM
OCT 16 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - What does a man facing momentary mayhem think about? "I never think about it," bruising Jim Taylor, the NFL's foremost ground gainer, confided at the Mike and Pen Sports Club's Monday luncheon meeting at Mancl's Supper Club. "You just keep dogging it until your legs are really stopped - you're never stopped until you're down, you know," said the square-cut bayou bronco, who is rapidly zeroing in on the Packers' career rushing record - after a mere four and a fraction NFL seasons. He does not, he added, harbor resentment toward any of those who assault him with such vigor each Sunday afternoon - some with more "weapons" than the law allows. "They're real top notch guys," Taylor said. "I've talked to fellows like Joe Schmidt (Detroit Lions) after the game and they're all right - they're just out to be hard on you during the game." Although he says, "I never get mad," there has been some "conversation" between him and these hard-nosed citizens in battle on occasion, he admitted. "They'll ask you, 'Can't you hit a little harder than that?' or tell you, 'You're not going to gain any yards today.' Usually, I don't say anything. It depends on how many yards I gained that time." How does he account for his ability to slide and bounce off frustrated would-be tacklers? Is it a matter of relaxing at the point of impact? "No, it's not that I relax," Taylor imparted. "When I see a tackler coming, I flex myself to be as strong as I can - prepare myself for the shock. And I keep my shoulder low so they don't have too much to shoot at." Since he has an obvious disdain for self-protection, did he feel some enemy defensive backs might be hesitant to make contact with him? "I think maybe they might be a little hesitant," the 26-year-old linebuster opined after due reflection with the trace of a smile. "But the real topflight defensive backs will come right in there, though. And all of the linebackers come in there strong." Any explanation for his spectacular start (582 yards in five games)? "I think I've got better balance than I've had before," Taylor replied. "I've got my legs under me." In this connection, he noted, "I had been up to 222 pounds but since I got the flu a week or so ago, I got down to 209, 210 or 212. I learned from that that I can't carry that much weight. When I'm lighter, I feel like I've got more legs under me. I think 212 is about my best weight." Did he find the enemy is concentrating on him more than it did in the past? "I don't think they concentrate on me as much as they did last year," was the surprising answer. "I don't know why, but I hope they keep on." Does he feel his annual struggle with Cleveland's Jim Brown for the league's ground gaining crown helps the team? "Oh, I think it helps the team overall because we're always joking back and forth about getting a hundred yards against this team or a hundred against that team. It's good for both the offense and defense to acquire as many top-ranking statistics as they can," said the man who needs only 509 yards in the Pack's nine remaining games to crack Tony Canadeo's all-time club record. "It's good for morale. It's not that you're just thinking of records, but it helps you do your best." He was generous in praise of his understudy, fellow Louisianan Earl Gros, observing, "He's quick, strong and has good size. I think he's going to develop into a real back." Jim, whose wife Dixie is scheduled to present hm with an offspring within six weeks, was asked, "If he's a boy, would you want him to play pro football?" "I don't know," the broad-shouldered blaster replied soberly. "It's an awfully tough way to make a living. You have to love it."
VIKINGS HAVE MOORE ON MINDS? THEY HAD REASON
OCT 16 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Vikings must have had Tom Moore on their minds Sunday. Every time he carried, they were waiting for him in force. Not that they didn't gang up on Jim Taylor, but they seemed to be saving some special licks for Tom. And maybe there was a reason. A year ago in Minnesota, Moore, replacing the injured Paul Hornung, rolled up 159 yards in 16 trips. Taylor, coming off his bruising 158-yard job against the Browns the previous Sunday, had 46 stripes in 14 trips. While Taylor was hit-and-running for 164 yards in 17 trips Sunday, Moore was limited to 17 yards in 13 trips. Moore again was seeing action when Hornung was hurt. But let's get on with the circled notations in the playbook on the Pack's 48-21 victory...NEAR TD - Moore almost got away for a touchdown on the game's opening kickoff but a former Packer, Billy Butler, caught Tom by the ankle on the Packer 38. Butler was the last man...31 ON 31 - Clancy Osborne, Viking linebacker who wears 31, momentarily put a dark uniform on Taylor (also 31) when he slid off his back trying to make a tackle in the first period. Osborne did no more than slow Jim down a bit, allowing others to make the tackle...IN-OUT, JERGIE - Bill Quinlan developed a muscle pull in the first quarter and Trainer Bud Jorgensen and replacement Ron Kostelnik rushed onto the field. Jorgensen rubbed out the pull while big Ron exercised briefly to ready himself for action. But Quinlan jogged a bit and both Jorgensen and Kostelnik ran off...THREE TIMES - Paul Hornung had been doing the kickoffs in the Detroit game and also kicked off after the first TD. When Paul was hurt and after Jerry Kramer kicked a field goal, Willie Wood went forth to kick off. Willie was wild. His first two went out of bounds and he had to kick the third from the 30. Larry Bowie took it on the 33 and returned one yard. Wood later kicked three deep in the end zone...HOORAH - The Vikings made their first first down on the first play of the second quarter and the loyal Minnesota fans let out a might cheer...FULLBACK PLAYS - The Vikings ran their fullbacks, Doug Mayberry and Mel Triplett, only 9 times and four of those were successive goal line smacks by Triplett for the third touchdown. The Pack, by comparison, had 18 fullback plays - 17 by Taylor and one by Earl Gros...SHORT PUNT - John McCormick, the rookie QB, got off an eight-yard punt - from his own 23-yard line to the 31. This set up Jerry Kramer's 36-yard field goal...WIND BLOWN? - Boyd Dowler made a mighty reach for a Bart Starr pass in the end zone in the second quarter but the ball sailed out of his hands. It seemed like a sure touchdown but somehow the ball just took off. It wasn't too high...PICTURE PLAY - With a third and one situation, Bart Starr faked Taylor into the line and the Vikings went for it. Max McGee was behind the moving-in secondary like a shot and Starr just lofted the ball to him for a 55-yard TD play...IN-OUT - Kostelnik, who eventually did replace Quinlan, hurt his shoulder in the fourth quarter and Ron Gassert went in to replace him. Before the play started, Quinlan was in the game and Gassert was out.
STARR LEAPS TO 2ND IN PASSING; POST 64.2 MARK
OCT 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Jim Taylor, Paul Hornung, Willie Wood, and now Bart Starr - almost! The Packers are leading in three of the eight individual statistical categories, official figures show today, and Starr is mighty close to making it four. The Packers' solid quarterback leaped from fifth to second place via his performance in the 48-21 victory over the Vikings Sunday. Bart is behind little Eddie LeBaron, the Cowboy who remained in first place on the strength of his firing in Dallas' 41-19 win over the Eagles. Passing standards are based on the best of four categories - percent of completions, touchdown passes, percent of interceptions and average yards gained. Starr and LeBaron are tied in TD passes at six while Eddie has a slight edge in the other phases - 66.2 to 64.2 in completion percentage, 2.6 to 2.8 in percentage of interceptions, and 10.22 to 8.77 in average yards gained. The percentages of interceptions and completions by both Starr and LeBaron are tops in the league. Hornung, though he played only 14 minutes before being floored by an injury Sunday, picked up seven points and held a 14-point margin on Frank Clarke of Dallas and John Crow of St. Louis. Paul has 62, Clarke and Crow 48 each. Taylor has close to a 150-yard lead in the rushing race with 582 yards in 94 attempts for an average of 6.2. Jim efforted his way to 164 yards last Sunday. John Henry Johnson of Pittsburgh, who ripped the Giants for over 100 yards last Sunday, is second with 439 on 83 carries. The Browns' Jim Brown, who was Taylor's big objective the last few years, has skidded off to sixth place with 342 stripes on 81 carries. Wood moved to the head of the interception class with his five interceptions - No. 5 coming vs. the Vikings. Two Packers are riding second - Herb Adderley and Hank Gremminger, with four each. Adderley has returned his four steals 108 yards - tops in the league. Gremminger's fourth was one of those once-in-a-lifetime spectaculars vs. the Vikings. He made a leaping catch and took the ball right out of Charley Ferguson's hands. Wood is third in punt returns and he has the most in the league, 10. Boyd Dowler is fifth in pass catching with 23, while Max McGee just missed the top 10 with his 20. Dowler is sixth in punting. The Bays aren't represented in kickoff returns because they only had six returns in five games. The Packers are doing the kicking off themselves...All of the Packer injured but one took to the practice field Tuesday. The lone exception was Hornung, who stayed in the training room for treatment from Trainer Bud Jorgensen. Paul has a bruised knee, and this will slay you: Jergie was working on the swollen knee and appeared shocked. "Look," he said, referring to a ruptured blood vessel visible under the skin. "It's in the shape of a five." Hornung pulled himself up and took a look, roaring: "Well, I'll be d----." But there it was - the blood had "written" out Hornung's number on his knee. Injured Jess Whittenton and Bill Quinlan were running by themselves while the other hurtees (Bob Skoronski and Ron Kostelnik) engaged in the shortened Tuesday drills. A decision on the availability of the Packer injured for the 49er game in Milwaukee Sunday will be made Friday, Coach Vince Lombardi said today. Practices today and Thursday will tell!
CITY VOTES PLANS FOR PACKER BLDG.
OCT 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Lease changes with the Packer Corp. for City Stadium to enable construction of a $170,000 office and team building at the stadium were approved unanimously Tuesday night by the City Council. The changes will bring the city about $210,000 in additional payments from the Packers from this year until 1969. In return, the city will finance construction next year of the $170,000 building. The building will be on the north (Highway 41) side of the stadium. It will have a two-story section with ticket offices and administrative and meeting space and a one-story section for Packer and visiting team locker rooms. Present locker rooms on the south end of the stadium will be turned into public toilets...BIDS OVER ESTIMATES: The Council approved financing of the building six months ago, but the project was stalled when construction bids totaled about $20,000 more than a $150,000 estimate. The plan approved by the Council Tuesday night provides: The Packers will pay $20,000 as an added 1962 rent payment to cover the added construction costs. The Packers will pay $60,000 when construction contracts are signed and $52,500 by next Jan. 15. From 1963 to 1969, the Packers will pay an additional $13,000 yearly in rent. In 1970, the Packers will have the option of renewing their lease at $41,000 yearly. The original 20-year lease, as amended when 8,000 seats were added to the stadium, brings the city $35,000 yearly. The Packers will pay utility expenses for the new building. To enable signing of the construction contracts, the Council also approved a $30,000 transfer from city surplus. This will be replaced by the added Packer rent payments later.
HORNUNG WON'T PLAY AGAINST 49ERS
OCT 18 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Paul Hornung won't play against the 49ers in Milwaukee Sunday. The Packers' versatile star was ruled out today by Coach Vince Lombardi. However, Lombardi said it's possible Hornung might be available for kicking duty. Hornung suffered a severely bruised knee when he was tackled hard by Cliff Livingston in the first quarter of the Viking game last Sunday. Hornung's use as a kicker will depend on the progress he makes on the field and in the training room this week. Paul made his first appearance of the week on the field Wednesday. He stayed inside for treatment from Trainer Bud Jorgensen Tuesday. Lombardi said that the other injured Packers - Jess Whittenton, Bob Skoronski, Bill Quinlan and Ron Kostelnik - should be all ready for action Sunday. Hornung was like a caged lion at yesterday's drill. He'd hobble around on the sidelines, stop occasionally and move his leg. Then he'd take a notion to get over close to the offensive huddle and talk with other players. He was hurting - just missing the action! The Bays' brilliant ace, who won the league's most valuable player award last year, hasn't missed a Packer game because of injury since he was a rookie. He suffered a severe ankle sprain in Pittsburgh Nov. 24, 1957, and missed the last three games that year. He missed two games last year (both Ram tests) due to Army service. Hornung's left-halfbacking will be done by Tom Moore and Elijah Pitts, while his kicking chores will be handled by Jerry Kramer and Willie Wood. Jerry filled in for extra points and field goals last Sunday and collected 11 points. Wood did the
kicking off. Wood joined Kramer for the field goal practice Wednesday and got off a few perfectos. The Packers have at least two more "ex" kickers. Jim Taylor had been kicking earlier during his Packer career. Ron Kramer did some field goal kicking at Michigan - won a Big Ten game with one of his boots. Kicking could become a factor Sunday - what with the "new" 49ers aching for a big chunk of the Packers' hide. San Francisco has junked the shotgun and all the other gimmicks and now is a running team. And the 49ers are now making a run for the Western Division Championship with three straight victories after opening with two losses. The 49ers chief runners are J.D. Smith, the fullback, and Bill Kilmer, the former quarterback who now is a left half. These two operate like the Pack's Jim Taylor and Hornung, although Smith has been given an amazingly-heavy load in the last two games. J.D., a 205-pound fullback, carried 62 times in the last two games - victories over the Bears and Colts. He lugged 31 times in Baltimore for 145 yards and moved the same number of times for 115 in Chicago last Sunday. Kilmer has been averaging about a dozen carries a game. Smith and Kilmer have caught 16 passes, J.D. getting nine. The 49ers' emphasis on running was prompted by the unsuccess of the aerial game in the two losses to the Bears (in Frisco) and Lions (in Detroit). The aerial game was given the go-sign because Coach Red Hickey used the non-league season to strengthen the air force. Regardless, the 49ers still can throw up a rugged air attack when necessary. John Brodie's chief receivers are Bernie Casey, who has 18 catches, and Clyde Conner, the left half with 13. Sunday's game will mark the return of Bob Gaiters, who has been on the injury list for two games. He'll play behind Kilmer.
PACK LEADING NFL ON OFFENSE, TOO
OCT 19 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Almost bypassed in the crush of words on the defense, the victory over the Vikings and the injuries is this pleasant fact: The Packer offense is now leading the NFL. That makes it a complete threesome. The Packers, as a team, have the best record, 5 wins, 0 losses. The defense has allowed the fewest points (35) and yards (989). And now the offense - with the most points (157) and yards (1,876). So where do you go from here? The best record where it really counts - in the won-lost column. The Bays will try to boost their W-L mark to 6-0 vs. the 49ers in Milwaukee Sunday. The Pack's offense is leading the league in six of the seven scoring categories - touchdowns 19, touchdowns rushing 13, extra points 19, field goals 8, field goals attempted 12, total points 157. The lone scoring phase they're not tops in is TDs passing. The Colts top that with 12. The Pack has 6. The offense is tops in five other categories: total first downs 105, total yards 1,876, yards rushing 938, average yards per rush 4.9, and percentage of passes completed 62.8. The Bays are the only team in the 60 percent bracket. The defense is tops in 11 of the 16 statistical categories - topped, of course, by the 35 points permitted. This is an average of only one touchdown allowed per game. Wonderful!...You've heard about the Pack's offensive balance? It's perfect this week, with 938 yards rushing, and 938 passing. That "tie" will be broken on Bart Starr's first call Sunday...Quote of the week: Vince Lombardi, regarding the enemy setting their caps for the Pack: "They'll (49ers) be laying for us. Everyone has been laying for us. Guess the only safe place is heaven."...Ron Kostelnik is wearing a harness to keep his shoulder from "dislocating." The big sophomore tackle hurt his shoulder vs. the Vikings last Sunday, but will be ready to back up Willie Davis, Bill Quinlan, Hank Jordan or Dave Hanner vs. the 49ers. Paul Hornung is out of Sunday's game, but Quinlan, Bob Skoronski and Jess Whittenton - all hurt last Sunday, will be ready...Speaking about injuries, 49er coach Red Hickey says, "We're 100 percent healthy for the first time this season. So we have no complaints there. There's no doubt about it - our club has come on in the past three weeks. It's more aggressive and more determined."...Only a few standing room tickets remain for the big battle in County Stadium. The total crowd could exceed 45,000...Jack Clary, the AP scribe and game-picker, is riding with the 49ers to beat the Pack Sunday. Says Jack: "Packers are expected to be without halfback, placekicker and top scorer Paul Hornung because of an injured knee. After 13 straight victories, including a toughie and a breeze in the last two games, Packers could fall to the momentum 49ers have gained from running of J.D. Smith and Bill Kilmer and passing of John Brodie."...Bob Gaiters will have a special mission Sunday - to erase his own memory of his fumble in the crucial Packer-Giant game in County Stadium last Dec. 3. Gaiters, then a Giant rookie, fumbled and ruined the Giants' last chance to win in the final moments. Out the last two weeks with injuries, the new 49er is now healthy and undoubtedly will play considerable...The 49ers claim they have the biggest middle linebacker in the NFL in John Thomas, who stands 6-4 and packs 246 pounds. Big John is playing his first season at that position. He was shifted from offensive tackle...The Packers will go to Milwaukee in two Greyhound buses Saturday morning. They'll drill at County Stadium and then headquarter at the Astor Hotel. The teams will return to GB by bus immediately after the game.
LOMBARDI'S ADVICE TO VINCE JUNIOR: 'LIFT YOUR FEET'
OCT 19 (St. Paul-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - What did Packer Coach Vince Lombardi tell Vince, Jr., the St. Thomas of St. Paul fullback, after the latter scored two touchdowns and gained 64 yards in the Toms' victory over Gustavus Adolphus last week? "He just told me," said the 20-year-old Vince, "to lift my feet up higher when I ran." Perhaps like Jim Taylor, the fabulous Packer fullback? Vince, Sr., naturally is his son's severest critic but watches his classroom accomplishments even more closely than his football work. "He has made it very clear," said Vince, Jr., "that my schoolwork comes first. And that if I don't keep up my grades I'll have to give up football." So today the star fullback on a team which is 3-1 in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has a B average in prelaw at St. Thomas. The attorney-to-be is also a pro grid fan who returned his parents favor by attending the Packer-Viking game Sunday. "The Packers looked awfully good," he conceded. "But they'll still lose before the season ends."
49ERS SHIFT DEFENSE FOR PAUL-LESS PACK?
OCT 20 (Milwaukee-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - There haven't been many Hornung-less Sundays since 1959 when Coach Vince Lombardi installed the versatile star as his option halfback. Peerless Paul missed but two games in those three seasons and both were in 1961 when he was unable to get a weekend pass from the Army. The opponent in each game was the same - Los Angeles, and the Bays won both of them, 35-17 in Green Bay and 24-17 in Los Angeles. The Rams, in preparing for those two games, had to set their defenses for Hornung since they never knew whether or not Horning would be available. The Packers didn't either most of the time. The 49ers, who will battle the Packers in County Stadium Sunday afternoon, were aware of Hornung's absence on Thursday when Lombardi announced that Paul would be unable to play because of injuries. The 49ers thus have more time to set defenses than the Rams. So, will the 49ers defense the Pack a bit different? Will they zero in on Jim Taylor and forget about left half? Will they figure the Pack for more of a passing game? The answers will be available about 3:30 Sunday afternoon, but what about the Pack? It is interesting to review last year's two Hornung-less games. Tom Moore started both games at left half and finished sharing the spot with Elijah Pitts. In the Ram game here, Moore carried three times for seven yards and injured his ribs. Pitts replaced him early in the game and finished with 8 trips for 21 yards. The Packers leaned to the pass that day, with Bart Starr completing 10 of 15 for 173 yards. Taylor lugged 19 times for 47 yards. In the replay at LA, which was the final game of the season, Moore opened at left half and finished at fullback when Taylor went out with injuries after 18 carries for 78 yards. Moore finished with 39 yards in 12 trips. Pitts closed out at left half and made 18 yards on 3 trips, including a 12-yard touchdown scamper to win the game. Moore is the probable starter
in Hornung's spot Sunday but Pitts will be close behind. The 49ers figure to give Taylor an extra-special welcome Sunday in hopes of crippling the Bays' ground attack. Big Jim is fresh from a 164-yard blast and anxious to keep going. The 49ers are coming in with a Wisconsin-born rookie - Jim Vollenweider, the fullback from Miami (Fla.) by way of Everest High in Schofield. He stands 6-1 and packs 210. The Packers are headquartering at the Astor Hotel. The 49ers, due in from San Francisco by plane today, are at the Ambassador. PS - The Packers welcomed their second newcomer in two weeks - a daughter for the Dan Curries Friday and a son for Elijah Pitts a week ago. The Curries' newcomer was named Dianne Rose and Elijah's first has been named Ronald Dwaine.
PACK SEEKS 6TH STRAIGHT VICTORY AGAINST 49ERS
OCT 21 (Milwaukee-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers open the "middle third" of their championship-
defense season with a new look in County Stadium this afternoon. Furnishing the rugged opposition will be the contending 49ers who hold the distinction of being the last team to beat the world champions, a 22-21 verdict in San Francisco last Dec. 10. The Bays will present a different view in that No. 5, one Paul Hornung, won't be in the starting lineup. Hornung was hurt in the victory over the Vikings last Sunday and is hobbled with a leg injury. Kickoff is set for 1:06 and a standing room crowd of over 46,000 will see the sixth NFL test for both teams. The Packers are approaching the most difficult part of their schedule with today's game. With five straight wins under their belts and nine games to go, they now face the task of knocking other contenders out of the running - or at least weaken their chances...HAVE LOST TWICE: The 49ers already have two losses and by tradition the third loss is always the hardest to hand a foe. San Francisco is coming in with momentum since the Hickeymen have a three-game winning streak going. The Packers have a five-game season skein on the fire and a win today will tie their longest single-season league streak under Vince Lombardi, set in '61 after losing the opener. The Packers also will be going for their 14th straight win since losing to Frisco. They followed with a win in Los Angeles, the championship game triumph, six straight non-leaguers and now five in league play...MOORE REPLACES HORNUNG: Tom Moore figures to start in Hornung's spot just as he did in the two games Paul missed in 1961. A marked man in Minneapolis, Moore expects to get a little more running room today - especially since the 49ers are expected to gang up on the Bays' big bomber, Jim Taylor. Backing up Moore and undoubtedly due for a good shot will be the speedy Elijah Pitts. Elijah and Moore each scored TDs in Hornung's absence last Sunday. Each can give the 49ers trouble - Moore with his hard-nosed hitting and Pitts with his speed. The success of the Pack's ground game, not to mention the 49ers' defense, will determine Bart Starr's use of the forward pass. Bart leaned mostly on the "forward" because the Vikings used an eight-man line occasionally. The 49ers have always been tough on the Pack's air game...DEFENSE TO GET TEST: Green Bay's amazing defense will be a big factor and it will be given a severe test. The Pack has allowed only five touchdowns and no field goals in five games. This is a fantastic achievement but the Bays hope to "go" one-touchdown or less at least one more Sunday. That would be a special treat for defense coach Phil Bengtson, who formerly coached the 49ers. The Bays will be looking at pretty much their own formation and the two 49ers' "big backs" are J.D. Smith, the fullback, and Bill Kilmer, the left half. Smith carried 31 times in each of the last two games and unless he's tired he'll probably go nearly as many. John Brodie was extremely hot in San Francisco last winter, completing 19 out of 29 for 328 yards and two touchdowns. The Packers undoubtedly expect him do the same today. In fact, today's game could be a battle of air forces.
