PRESEASON: Green Bay Packers (6-0) 20, Washington Redskins 14
Saturday September 8th 1962 (at Columbus, GA)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(COLUMBUS, GA) - The Packers used the forward pass enough to whip the Washington Redskins 20 to 14 for their 19th straight preseason victory in Memorial Stadium Saturday night. Not running much and without any particular success, the Packers scored their three touchdowns in the air. Bart Starr hurled two six-pointers, hitting Ron Kramer for 15 yards and a 7-0 lead in the first quarter and Max McGee for a three yard score in the fourth period. John Roach, relieving Starr earlier in the game and then after Bart was injured, pitched a 10-yard scoring strike to Tom Moore to give the Packers a 14-7 lead at the half. Starr's throw to McGee made it 20-6 after which Paul Hornung missed the extra point. The touchdowns came on drives of 56, 66 and 81 yards covering 22 plays. Half of those plays were completed passes. The Packers rolled up 287 yards on 20 completions in 33 attempts in the air but settled for only
74 on the ground. Hornung tried two field goals and had one blocked. The other was partially blocked and wide. The Redskins made it close at the end when long throwing George Izo hit Bobby Mitchell with a 73-yard scoring pass. The ball was deflected by Hank Gremminger. The Packers didn't wait long to show their championship quality. They put together a 44-yard opening kickoff return by Herb Adderley and a nine-play, 56-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead. Starr threw 13-yard passes to Kramer and McGee and Hornung added 10 yards in two plays to reach the 29. An interference penalty by Bobby Freeman on Oscar Donahue, who started at flanker, set the Bays in business on the Redskins 7. The enraged Freeman promptly threw Hornung for an eight-yard loss but Kramer made a stabbing one-handed catch of a 15-yard Starr pass for the TD. Hornung added the point at 3:40. That was the Pack's offense until the last minute of the first half. The Bays followed Kramer's TD with two un-scoring field goal attempts. The first was set up from the Redskins 36 on a 33-yard pass from Starr to Kramer. Hornung's boot was blocked by Dale Hackbart and recovered by Gordon Kelley. Hornung got a chance to exercise his toe a moment later when John Symank intercepted a Norman Snead pass and then lateraled to Hank Gremminger who returned 22 yards to the Redskin 31. Hornung tried his next field goal from the 37 and it went wide. It might have been deflected a bit. While the Bays were sputtering the Redskins kept adding up first downs. They moved 53 yards in seven plays to the Packer 27 on the first play of the second quarter, chiefly on a 25-yard Snead to Anderson pass. The Packers stiffened so Bob Khayat tried and missed a field goal from the 34.
GREMMINGER INTERFERES
The Redskins tied the game the next time they took over. A 19-yard pass from Snead to Dugan was the big mover but the payoff was an interference penalty on Hank Gremminger on Snead's throw to Mitchell in the end zone from 20 yards out. That put the ball on the two and Snead cracked center for the TD. Khayat's kick at 8:10 made it a new game 7-7. Roach took over for the Pack on the next series and hit pay dirt on his second attempt. He completed two straight passes to Gary Barnes, who played at left end in the second quarter, for 24 yards to start the 66-yard six-play TD drive.
ROACH, KRAMER COLLABORATE
The big blow was a 32-yard Roach pass to Kramer who ran the last 15 yards to the 10. On the next play Moore broke out all by himself in the right flat and took Roach's pass for the TD. Hornung's kick at 14:07 put the Pack ahead 14-7 at the half. The Packers went to the air for their third TD early in the third quarter. They moved 81 yards in seven plays and 77 stripes came on Starr's passes. Starr led off with three straight throws - to McGee for 16, to Hornung for 32 along the sidelines and Donahue for 14 to the Redskin 19. After Taylor ran three and Starr moved one when he couldn't pass, McGee made a good catch of a low Starr pass for 12 yards to the 3. Starr then threw a short shot to McGee alone in the end zone at 9:01. Hornung's try for the point was low and wide, setting the score at 20-7. Later Starr had the Bays moving again but didn't stay to see it throw. On the third play he ran 12 yards when a pass receiver didn't open and injured his ankle. Starr was in the huddle ready to go but Roach came in an replaced him. Roach launched an aerial offensive and completed passes of 15 yards to McGee, 15 to Kramer and 11 to Dowler to the Redskin 32. His next pass, aimed at Gary Knafelc, was deflected by Freeman and Rod Breeedlove and finally intercepted by Bob Pellegrini. With Moore, Gros and even Elijah Pitts running and Knafelc catching a six-yard pass from Roach, the Packers worked up two first downs before Dowler was forced to punt. The spunky Redskins who could cause some trouble in the East delighted their "home" crowd with a quick touchdown. George Izo unloaded the bomb and fired a long shot to Mitchell. Gremminger tipped the ball slightly around the Packer 25, and Mitchell, standing behind him, snared it and ran the remaining distance. The play covered 73 yards. Bob Khayat kicked the point at 4:30 and this was a close game at 20-14. The Redskins got one last shot with two minutes left. And they might have scored. Izo's long pass on first down to Anderson, who was on the clear, was too far. He then overshot Mitchell but on his third try, Symank made a leaping interception on the 50 and returned to the Redskins 20. Moore, with 20 seconds left, ripped up the middle for 11 and then reached the six on the last play.
GREEN BAY - 7 7 6 0 - 20
WASHINGTON - 0 7 0 7 - 14
GREEN BAY WASHINGTON
First Downs 20 16
Rushing-Yards-TD 25-93-0 24-99-1
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 33-20-287-3-1 31-14-219-1-2
Sack Yards Lost 15 10
Total Yards 365 308
Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-0
Turnovers 1 2
Yards penalized 4-39 3-25
SCORING
1st - GB - Ron Kramer, 15-yard pass from Bart Starr (Paul Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - WASH - Norm Snead, 2-yard run (Bob Khayat kick) TIED 7-7
2nd - GB - Tom Moore, 10-yard pass from John Roach (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 14-7
3rd - GB - Max McGee, 2-yard pass from Starr (Hornung kick failed) GREEN BAY 20-7
4th - WAS - Bobby Mitchell, 73-yard pass from George Izo (Khayat kick) GREEN BAY 20-14
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Tom Moore 7-32, Bart Starr 3-19, Jim Taylor 5-17, Paul Hornung 5-16, Earl Gros 5-9
WASHINGTON - LeRoy Jackson 9-48, Don Bosseler 7-25, Billy Ray Barnes 6-18, Jim Cunningham 1-5, Norm Snead 1-3 1 TD
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 16-12-177 2 TD, John Roach 16-8-110 1 TD 1 INT, Paul Hornung 1-0-0
WASHINGTON - Norm Snead 25-12-149 1 INT, George Izo 6-2-70 1 TD 1 INT
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Ron Kramer 5-84 1 TD, Max McGee 5-59 1 TD, Tom Moore 2-42 1 TD, Gary Barnes 2-24, Paul Hornung 1-32, Oscar Donahue 1-14, Boyd Dowler 1-12, Gary Knafelc 1-6, Earl Gros 1-2 (Missing One)
WASHINGTON - Fred Dugan 6-62, Bobby Mitchell 4-104 1 TD, Bill Anderson 3-35, Jim Steffen 1-13, Don Bosseler 1-11, Jim Cunningham 1-6
NOTE: Washington pass receiving is inaccurate
SKINS INVITED PASS GAME, PACK OBLIGED
SEPT 10 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - There's more than one way to skin a cat. And the Packers know 'em all. The defending world champs tried their aerial skinning method in stopping the Redskins 20-14 in Columbus, Ga., Saturday night before an estimated 16,000. The Packers threw 33 passes. And the reason? "They used a nine-man line on us," Coach Vince Lombardi pointed out. The Redskins even had defensive halfbacks on the line of scrimmage at times and occasionally shot (red dog) them in at the quarterback. The offensive linemen did a good job of picking up the red dogs and Bart Starr and John Roach totaled 20 completions in 33 attempts for 287 yards and all three touchdowns. Starr, before going out with a muscle pull in the third period, completed an amazing 12 out of 16 for 177 yards and two TDs. With seven, eight and nine men poking their heads into the line of scrimmage, Packer ends were getting into the line of scrimmage, Packer ends were getting into the "short clear" in a hurry. Ron Kramer and Max McGee each caught five and Gary Barnes and Paul Hornung each nailed two. Simultaneously, Starr and Roach were getting their throws off in a rush. With less than two minutes left in the half, Roach tried three straight passes to Barnes with no huddle after the opening play, Barnes caught the first two for 24 yards and the third was incomplete, stopping the clock and thus allowing a huddle. While the Redskins left themselves wide open for the Pack's 18 first down pass attempts, they stopped up Green Bay's vaunted running game - but good. The Packers finished with two first downs by rushing all night - none in the first half. Tom Moore led the rushers with 32 yards in seven trips, Jim Taylor had 17 in 6 and Paul Hornung 16 in 5. Earl Gros was limited to nine yards in five carries. Actually, the game was a good spectator event and Lombardi felt that as a show it was "great." The climax was George Izo's 73-yard touchdown pass to Bobby Mitchell. The air maneuver had a freak ending. Hank Gremminger, riding herd on Mitchell, drew a bead on the pass but deflected it into Mitchell's arms. Bobby seemed a bit surprised that he had it but recovered in a hurry to run the remaining distance of 20 yards. Gremminger said he was glad that "it happened in the preseason." The Packers were banged up pretty good and three players left the game
with injuries. Bart Starr, Jerry Kramer and Bill Quinlan suffered leg injuries and were relieved. Ed Blaine came in for Kramer in the first half and then left himself in the third quarter with an injury. Norm Masters then went in at right tackle while Forrest Gregg took over at right guard. Two players were held out of action due to previous injuries - Jess Whittenton and Ron Gassert. Herb Adderley played in Jess' right corner spot and Ron Kostelnik did the defense line relieving. The Pack's two rookie ends, Oscar Donahue and Gary Barnes, saw plenty of action. Barnes caught two and Donahue one. Oscar had the pleasure of drawing an interference penalty that set up the Pack's first TD. Bobby Freeman clobbered him before Starr's pass reached him. Barnes was at left end behind McGee and Donahue at right half behind Boyd Dowler. Johnny Symank intercepted two passes - the first in the first quarter on Norman Snead to set up Hornung's blocked field goal. He grabbed the pass and then handed off to Gremminger who returned 22 yards. The second interception, off Izo, ended the Redskins' last bid for a victory in the final seconds. He returned about 30 yards to the Redskin 20...The Bays, who flew back right after the game, arriving at 3:45 Sunday morning, went back to work this morning. The next order of business? The league opener against the Vikings in City Stadium Sunday afternoon! It promises to be a roughie. The Vikings are fresh from a 45-26 win over Dallas. Fran Tarkenton hurled four TD passes for the winners.
1962 PACKERS YOUNGER THAN '61 CHAMPIONS
SEPT 11 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Let's count noses today and see who's for 1962 Packer football. Before looking over the Vikings of Minnesota. Experiencewise and agewise, the Packers are younger than the team that finished the world championship season of '61. This is possible because of the departure of Ben Agajanian and Em Tunnell, who played a combined 30 years and lived a combined 80-some years. Also departed are Tom Bettis, the eight-year veteran who was traded to Pittsburgh, and Lee Folkins, the sophomore traded to Dallas. The 1962 defending champions are largely the same - at least the starters. Coach Vince Lombardi feels that the team has strengthened on the bench. In addition a change in the defensive backfield has added "more cohesion and speed." The new bench strength rests largely with the rookies. This group is topped by Earl Gros, the pile-driving fullback, who will back up Jim Taylor, and Ed Blaine, a good-looking guard who can back up both Fuzzy Thurston and Jerry Kramer. The other rookies are ends Gary Barnes of the offense and Ron Gassert of the defense. Oscar Donahue, an offensive end, was placed on waivers today to bring the squad down to 36. The team is now composed of 32 veterans and four rookies. Here's a breakdown of the squad by unit: OFFENSIVE BACKFIELD - Bart Starr heads group, pitching at around 60 percent during preseason. John Roach has looked good in non-league, seeing considerable action. Jim Taylor led rushers in warmups but rushing partner, Paul Hornung, has been slow in rounding into form. Tom Moore running hard as ever. Elijah Pitts and Gros hoping to help, make bench deep...OFFENSES ENDS-FLANKERS - Big three, Max McGee, Ron Kramer and Boyd Dowler, were murder in preseason, losing nothing from '61. Gary Knafelc backing up Kramer at tight end and Lew Carpenter, also a rushing aide, backing up all three top catchers. Barnes showed flashes of form backing up McGee...OFFENSIVE LINE - Eight men, on duty here, all eager beavers. Forrest Gregg, Bob Skoronski, Norm Masters and J. Kramer are backed up by Blaine and Kenny Iman plays behind Capt. Jim Ringo. This unit is key to Pack's offense success. It gives the passers great protection...DEFENSIVE LINE - Top four intact - ends Bill Quinlan and Willie Davis and tackles Dave Hanner and Hank Jordan! Ron Kostelnik ready to back up and has help for Gassert...LINEBACKERS - Best foursome in the league, with sophomore Nelson Toburen backing up Capt. Bill Forester, Dan Currie and Ray Nitschke. These gents give Pack sort of a double defensive line. They can move in a hurry, thus furnishing the secondary with considerable help...DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD - There will be one change in this unit from a year ago. Herb Adderley is scheduled to take over at left cornerbacker in place of Hank Gremminger, who in turn will shift back to left safety in place of John Symank. Willie Wood will be at right safety and Jess Whittenton at right corner. Symank will back up both safety spots. He played both of them with distinction during his Packer career. Pitts is being trained as a defensive back...SPECIALISTS - Wood is ticketed to handle the kicking off, replacing Hornung, while Hornung returns as the field goal and extra point booter. Dowler has been doing all of the punting. Moore and Adderley will be back on kickoff returns and Pitts and Wood are the punt returners...The Packers plunged into heavy work today in preparation for their league opener against the Vikings in City Stadium Sunday afternoon. The squad worked lightly Monda and heard a report from Scout Wally Cruice, who has been "on" the Vikings the past few weeks. McGee reported for
heavy work today in preparation for their league opener against the Vikings in City Stadium Sunday afternoon. The squad worked lightly Monda and heard a report from Scout Wally Cruice, who has been "on" the Vikings the past few weeks. McGee reported for duty after spending Monday in the hospital with a stomach ailment. Four players were injured in the victory over the Redskins (Starr, Blaine, J. Kramer and Quinlan) but all are responding to treatment and figure to be at top speed Sunday.
VIKINGS PRO GRID'S 'BEST' NEW TEAM
SEPT 12 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Vikings are the most successful new team in modern pro football. They were born in 1961 and as infants won three games. By comparison, the Dallas Cowboys were born in 1960 and they won nothing. What's more, the Vikings never lost an opener. There's a catch to that, of course (they only played one), but it serves as a big fat warning to the Green Bay Packers. The Minnesotans whipped Green Bay's arch-rivals, the Chicago Bears, in the 1961 opener. The Bears undoubtedly took the Vikings lightly. Minnesota apparently has grown into manhood overnight and the Packers would be foolhardy to take the same attitude into Sunday's game at City Stadium. The Vikings are going into the 1962 opener on the fly. They lost three toughies to start the preseason drive, 30-24 to the 49ers, 33-24 to the Rams and 24-21 to the Cardinals, and then sharpened up for the Pack by whipping the Colts (good and proper, too) 24-13 and the Cowboys 45-26. Wally Cruice, the Packers' chief scout who has been studying the Vikings the last few games, feels the Vikings have improved "a good 30 percent over a year ago." Actually, Cruice appeared concerned when he visited the Packers the other day. "There's no fooling about the Vikings. We had trouble with them last year, and they're a much, much better team now," he said. With a clean preseason slate under their belts, the Packers could easily go into the Viking game with perhaps less "fire" than if they were playing the Bears or Lions. Coach Vince Lombardi respects every opponent in the league and he's approaching Sunday's game with much concern. The Packers have been praised as the greatest this and the greatest that since last Dec. 31. Thus, they are becoming ripe for a fall. Lombardi sees no mystery about the Packers' losing two out of their last three openers. "Every team in this league is tough, that's why," Vince said yesterday. One thing about the start of a season. Everybody opens off with 0-0 in the won-lost column. The Packers have this advantage. They have the confidence and pride that comes with being a champion. This advantage, however, is balanced by the opponents' supreme desire to knock off the champion. Minnesota will be the Packers' first taste of this kind of enemy desire...The Packers will break camp at St. Norbert College after breakfast Thursday morning, ending an eight-week stay. Max McGee, out of practice the last two days with a stomach ailment, was back at work today. A good portion of Tuesday's drills was spent on defensing against the Vikings' aerial game and the jump-around tactics of sophomore quarterback Fran Tarkenton. Tarkenton, the hottest young QB to enter the league in many a year, has been exceptional during the preseason campaign despite a bout with pneumonia. He completed 41 out of 73 passes for a completion percentage of 56.2, 566 yards and seven touchdowns in three games. He engineered the victories over the Colts and Cowboys...The Vikings' Mike Mercer wears a quarterback number (18), but he'll never play the spot. He's the club lone specialist, handling the punting, kicking off and placekicking. Mercer averaged 42.4 with his punting during the preseason campaign. Incidentally, the Vikings' reserve quarterback is John McCormick, a highly-touted rookie. He tried only two passes and completed none.
VAN BROCKLIN HAS ONLY 7 CHARTERS LEFT
SEPT 12 (Minneapolis) - When the Minnesota Vikings' strategy board asked for waivers Tuesday on veterans Jack Morris, Glenn Shaw and Lebron Shields, it meant that the second-year NFL entry will go into the 1962 campaign with no more than seven of its original players. The Vikings were formed around the nucleus of 36 players obtained from other NFL clubs in a so-called "veterans' pool." Now, all but seven (and Fred Murphy, an end facing two years in the Army before he returns to pro football) have gone by the wayside as Viking coach Norm Van Brocklin and General Manager Bert Rose have scoured the country - or we should say Cleveland and New York - for player trades. The Vikings made eight traded last year, more than any other NFL team, and have followed up with three more and a couple of cash purchases this year. Most of the swaps have been with the Browns and Giants. Most recent, of course, was the deal which brought kicker Fred Cox, tackle Errol Linden, end Charley Ferguson and defensive back Tom Franckhauser to the Vikings. In return, the Minnesota club have Cleveland an undisclosed draft choice. Cox and Franckhauser have since been waivered. Of the 38 Vikings currently on the roster, 13 have come via the trade route, 7 from the NFL pool, 11 from the 1961 and 1962 drafts, 6 were signed as free agents and the 38th was picked up on waivers. And just who are the seven "charter members"? Hugh McElhenny and Clancy Osborne, from the 49ers; Grady Alderman, Lions;
Charlie Sumner, Bears; Mike Rabold, Cards; Frank Youso, Giants, and Gerry Hugh, Eagles.
SOPHS TARKENTON, HAWKINS FORM MINNESOTA BACKBONE
SEPT 13 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - So you want to start a pro football team? Who are your first two player musts? What position? Some expert opined the other year that the top two needs would be a quarterback and a middle linebacker - both great ones, of course, like Unitas and Schmidt. The Vikings, who hope to spoil the Packers' league opener at City Stadium Sunday, came up with excellence in these two positions in the persons of quarterback Fran Tarkenton and middle linebacker Rip Hawkins. Tarkenton and Hawkins arrived on the Minnesota scene together as rookie last year when the Vikings were being created. Now as sophomores, they form the backbone of their team. Both plan to be "great one," to coin a phrase. John Thompson, Viking publicist, said Hawkins "is recognized with Schmidt and George. He has recovered from a crippled leg and is a lot smarter." Thompson recalled that Hawkins played his best as a rookie against the Packers. He shadowed Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor fiercely all afternoon in the second Packer-Viking game last fall, and delivered the tackle that gave Hornung a shoulder injury. Hawkins didn't play as well as the other clubs last year, Thompson said, "but he has shown great improvements this year." Tarkenton is planning on being "a great one," Thompson said, adding: "He took movies of every game to his home last winter and made his own file on every defensive played in the league. He wants to improve and he has this year. Coach Van Brocklin feels that he must improve 25 percent. He is throwing better and also has better moves." Big Gino Marchetti has changed his opinion of Tarkenton. A year ago Marchetti said that Norm Snead of Washington could have a greater chance of NFL stardom than Tarkenton because Tarkenton moved around too much and thus would get hurt. After the Colts were beaten by the Vikings in Minneapolis two weeks ago, Marchetti reversed his stand and noted that Tarkenton already has it and that's he really quick enough to escape the defensemen. Tarkenton also has been staying in the pocket more. Tarkenton will have a new receiver in Steve Stonebreaker, the sticky-fingered rookie from Detroit who will start at tight (right) end in place of injured Gordon Smith. Smith was placed on waivers (injured) today and will be out for a month. If he is claimed, he'll be recalled in a hurry. To fill the hole on the roster, the Vikings obtained fullback Bill Brown from the Bears in exchange for a draft choice. Brown will make the trip to Green Bay but isn't likely to see action. Doug Mayberry, a 255-pound sophomore, is the No. 1 fullback. The big blaster averaged 6.4 yards and scored two touchdowns in 26 attempts during the non-league season and he figures to start ahead of Mel Triplett, the onetime Giant. The Vikings' big ground gun, of course, is the amazing Hugh McElhenny, one of the greatest backs in pro history. In fact, just the other day, Clark Shaughnessy, the coach, rated McElhenny as the greatest back he's ever seen. McElhenny, a tireless worker, has played himself into great condition this past non-league season. He ran 48 times, almost twice as many as another Viking back, for 238 yards - an average of 5, and caught 12 passes. Hurryin' Hugh is starting his
11th pro season...The Packers closed out their training headquarters at St. Norbert College this morning and then headed for the clubhouse at City Stadium to sweat out the heavy rain. Coach Vince Lombardi replaced the earlier outdoor drill with meetings and waited for an opportunity to practice.
VIKING OPENER 'DIFFERENT'
SEPT 14 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers haven't opened against anybody "different" since 1954. Bert Bell used to roar (with laughter) back in the days when the Packers couldn't win for losin', "if only the Packers didn't have to open against the Bears. they get that big boom right off the bat and it takes 'em half the season to recover." The late Mr. Bell, who made up the schedule himself, also had the Bays open against the Lions, who happened to be a "hot" team about the time the Packers were having troubles. Since 1949, the Packers opened against a team other than the Bears or Lions on only two occasions - in 1953 and 1954. The Beloved Bert probably kept his fingers crossed in 1953 when he sent the Packers against the Browns in Milwaukee, which was the pro football baptism for County Stadium. It was 27 to oh. The Bays changed coaches for '54 and surely Bell mist have felt that soft spot he has in his heart for Green Bay. He scheduled the Steelers here. It looked like a big favor since old Rooney U. was losing, too. It was 21-20, Steelers. Four of the present Packers played in that game - Dave Hanner, Max McGee, Jim Ringo and Bill Forester. So now the Packers are opening against somebody "different" - the Vikings of Minnesota, who were just a gleam in Bert's eye in '54. The situation is vastly changed, what with the Packers being winners - not to mention world champions, but the Vikings are new and different. And a chance of pace from the steady diet of Bears and Lions. A change of pace, as in baseball, can be dangerous!...Oscar Donahue, the last player waived by the Packers, has been claimed by the Vikings and he'll be in uniform in City Stadium. Donahue went right down to the wire with Gary Barnes in a bid for an end job with the champs. Oscar played behind Max McGee while Barnes backs up Boyd Dowler. The lanky Donahue, who has all the moves, is a welcome addition to Minnesota. "We were down to four ends and I'm sure he'll help us," Viking publicist John Thompson said today. The Vikings had just lost Gordon Smith, a tight end with an injury in the final preseason game. His place will be filled by Steve Stonebreaker. The other ends are Tom Adams on the left side and flankers Jerry Reichow and Bob Reed. Left half Hugh McElhenny was drilled at flanker today - just in case he is needed there Sunday. Donahue was one of two last-minute grabs by the Vikings who otherwise are a "set" team. Coach Norm Van Brocklin snapped up fullback Bill Brown from the Bears in exchange for a future draft choice Wednesday. Brown will be here, too, but won't play. Donahue could possibly run a few plays Sunday if he gets in a few days practice. He left here in great physical condition...In assessing the Vikings, Coach Norm Van Brocklin made these comments earlier this week: "We have a lot more threats going for us now -
Billy Butler and Bob Reed in returning kicks, greater depth of halfback behind Hugh McElhenny, and the better than average performance of quarterback Fran Tarkenton. Fran is more mature now as a field general and he's throwing better, too. Defensively, our secondary and our linebacking are much sounder. The greatest improvement has been the development of a strong spirited corps and pride. That's the most important thing we've accomplished since going to training camp. Our men now realize that we can win if we put out the effort."...The Packers worked out as scheduled Thursday morning despite the heavy rain and then followed with Coach Vince Lombardi's blackboard discussion. The Bays were blessed with sunny skies today.
VIKINGS CAN USE THE BOMB...AND THEY ATTRACT SAME
SEPT 15 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Vikings can use the bomb, and they attract same! It should be noisy at City Stadium Sunday afternoon. The Packers are hereby warned that the Vikings have been involved in at least nine long and sensational bombers along the preseason trail. Look at these: 1. Glen Shaw's 73-yard end run and Fran Tarkenton's 47-yard touchdown heave to Tommy Mason in the opener against San Francisco. 2. Abe Woodson's startling 92-yard runback of a blocked field goal attempt and the 92-yard pass from Bill Kilmer to Jim Johnson for the 49ers in the same game. 3. Billy Butler's weaving 67-yard punt return and Bob Reed's straighter (and longer) 75-yard punt runback for a touchdown in the Los Angeles game. 4. The two long Ram TD passes, 81 yards for Zeke Bratkowski to Carroll Dale and 50 yards from Zeke to Phillips. 5. Jerry Reichow's great catch of a 41-yard heave from Lee Grosscup and the 57-yard punt return by Reed against St. Louis. 6. Bill Triplett's 91-yard kickoff return to open the second half for the Cardinals. 7. Tarkenton's 66-yard TD pass to Mason and runs of 48 by Mason and 37 by Doug Mayberry against Baltimore. 8. The 32-yard typical McElhenny run, a 66-yard Tarkenton-to-Mason touchdown pass and Bill Butler's 33-yard TD run on a great pass interception against Dallas. 9. And the Cowboys' retorts: an 82-yard run with a Viking fumble by Cornell Green and a spectacular 66-yard punt runback by Amos Marsh. The Packers use the bomb sparingly but it's interesting to recall that their big blast in '61 took place against the Vikings in Minneapolis. Bart Starr and Boyd Dowler combined for a 79-yard TD the first time the Bays had the ball that day. Both sides may do a bit of bombing Sunday. The Vikings will be making their first appearance in Green Bay. The Packer-Vike game in '61 was played in Milwaukee. The Pack's new neighborly rivals were to fly in this afternoon and then headquarter at the Northland Hotel. PS - Kickoff tomorrow is at 1:06. Don't be late. Both teams have fine kickoff returners!
ANOTHER SEASON OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL
SEPT 15 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The NFL will begin its 43rd year of play on various fields across the country on Sunday. For the Green Bay Packers, opening the season at home against the Minnesota Vikings, it will be the beginning of their 42nd year in the league. Professional football began in 1895 when the Latrobe, Pa., team defeated Jeannette, Pa., 12-0. Thus there were many years of ups and downs in professional football before the sport actually was organized to bring some sort of order to the game. The Packers also had some experiences before they joined the league in 1921, but the real progress is told in the history of the NFl. Pete Rozelle, NFL Commissioner, thinks the 1962 season will see the league reach its first year of 4 million paid customers. Last year, a record number of 3,986,159 fans bought tickets to watch the league's 14 clubs of 36 players each play out their schedule. Millions of others watched the games on television and these watchers will bring in additional thousands in revenues to the teams again this year. The Green Bay Packers are favored to win the world title again but as everyone who watches professional football knows well, there are many hazards in the path of a championship team seeking to repeat. It is true that the Packers have a long string of victories in the preseason games but they will be facing tough competition in their opener Sunday. The Vikings have been nothing short of remarkable in their brief period of organization and membership in the league. They probably are as tough a team as could have been selected to go against the Packers in the opener. But Green Bay Packer fans never have worried much about the odds. They have supported the Packers in good seasons and in bad and are doubtless prepared to go along with them again this year confident that, win or lose, they will play a good game and provide one of the world's most exciting forms of entertainment.
PACKERS AIM: THIRD STRAIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP!
SEPT 15 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The trick now is to keep the championship in Titletown! That's the Packers' project for 1962 - to win their third straight Western Division championship and their second world title in a row. It looks so good, and easy, in print. But what a task! The Packers face 14 individual projects leading up to No. 15 - the championship game. Each game in the NFL is a construction job of its own for Coach Vince Lombardi, aides Phil Bengtson, Norb Hecker, Red Cochran, Bill Austin and Tom Fears and the 36 athletes. The Vikings of Minnesota are the first to take a crack at Green Bay - at City Stadium Sunday afternoon before 38,669 fans. This is a real juicy shot for the Vikings. They have everything to win and not so very much to lose. If they win, they'll be the toast of the NFL. They probably will throw caution to the wind and the book at Green Bay. The Packers will be under careful scrutiny. Comparisons will be made to the 1961 team which swept through its non-league schedule, won the West in 12 games and finished with an 11-3 mark, and then smothered the Giants in the playoff 37-0. The pride and confidence that comes with winning the big championship will be the biggest difference in the current Packers from '61. That was evident in the no-count non-league schedule. When the Packers needed a score they went out and got it. A score for the enemy seemed like a slap in the face. The Bays retaliated quickly. The Packers are changed little from a year ago personnelwise. Five veterans are gone - Em Tunnell, Ben Davidson, Ben Agajanian, Tom Bettis and Lee Folkins. Four newcomers, all rookies, made the team - Earl Gros, Gary Barnes, Ed Blaine and Ron Gassert. Who's the fifth returnee? That would be Jerry Kramer, the swift-moving guard who missed the last seven games with an injury. His spot on the '61 roster was filled by Agajanian, who backed up Paul Hornung's right toe. Three of the newcomers are on the offense. Barnes is at left end behind Max McGee, Gros backs up fullback Jim Taylor and Blaine can play both left and right guard spots. The lone freshman on defense is Gassert, who plays left or right end. Will the offensive "character" of the Packers change? This will be answered Sunday afternoon - at least in part. The Packers won the league rushing title in
1961 for the first time in 15 years. The Taylor-Hornung one-two punch was murder. Taylor and Hornung didn't burn up the non-league trail as a twosome. Taylor averaged 4.6 yards (still below his 5.4 of the '61 season) while Hornung averaged below 3. This isn't exactly alarming because the preseason campaign is for testing and trying new players, combinations - not to mention getting into condition. But, by comparison, the aerial game really had a hot preseason. Bart Starr had a 60 percent completion percentage with 69 "goods) in 115 attempts for 1,034 yards and 13 touchdowns. John Roach also chipped in with three TD passes. The Big Three of the receivers made 54 catches with Boyd Dowler leading the way with 24 for 339 yards and three TDs. McGee had 18 for 318 yards and six TDs and Ron Kramer 12 for 155 yards and two TDs. The Packer attack is versatile and Starr generally "takes" what the enemy will allow. For instance, the Redskins set their defense to stop the Bays' ground game so the Bays passed their way to victory. Green Bay scored 391 points last year to lead the league and allowed 223 to rank a close second to the Giants' 220. The Packer defense had the last word - but good, by blanking the Giants in the playoff. The Packers' defense has been changes somewhat. First off, Bettis is gone and Nelson Toburen is the No. 1 relief behind Bill Forester, Dan Currie and Ray Nitschke. Secondly, Herb Adderley has moved into the starting defensive backfield. The 1961 season was disrupted by the call of Hornung, Dowler and Nitschke into service. All three have returned and they, like their teammates, are glad to look forward to an entire year together.
MENASHA BUSINESSMAN TERRORIZES GRID FOES
SEPT 16 (Appleton Post-Crescent) - A Menasha businessman will be at Green Bay City Stadium this afternoon wearing a big number 63 on his back and chest and making life miserable for Minnesota Viking linemen. This afternoon and for the rest of the Sunday afternoons during the football season, he'll be Packer left guard Fuzzy Thurston. Between seasons and at the few odd, free moments during the season, he'll be Frederick Charles Thurston of Oak Crest Manors, Neenah, and active partner in the Left Guard Restaurant on Main Street, just off Menasha's "square." Fuzzy has been a Packer since 1959, He's been a restaurateur since this spring. Both occupations have revealed Thurston's professional attitude which has won him the reputation on the football field as being "all student." Bill Martini, his Menasha partner, said Fuzzy threw himself into the job of learning the restaurant business, working 14 to 16 hours a day for the six weeks between the time the partnership was made and the start of the football season. "I had him working on the books and behind the bar," Martini said. "When the season's over, he'll start in the kitchen."...SERIOUS ABOUT CAREER: Fuzzy is as serious in building the career that will backstop him after his football days as he is in building a great career on the gridiron. Although Fuzzy has another kind of reputation off the field, Martini reports that the Left Guard has seen not even a hint of his legendary capacity. "Fuzzy's all business here," Martini says. "It's a part of our partnership." His businesslike attitude at his bar-restaurant is characteristic of Thurston. He comes to the business with less special knowledge that he had when he broke into pro football. When he reported to the Philadelphia Eagles after making Little All-American at tackle at Valparaiso in 1955, he had just two years of grid experience. He came to Valparaiso on a basketball scholarship from Altoona, Wis., High School where there was no football. For two years, he played basketball at Valparaiso with the finesse of the proverbial bull in a china shop. He felt more at home on the gridiron, but his drive wasn't enough to keep him with the Eagles and he was cut just in time for the Army to draft him. In 1957, he made All-Army, and a teammate, Harlon Hill, got him a tryout with the Bears as a defensive end, but Papa Halas couldn't see him and he gave the Eagles another chance which they muffed once more. A career in the Canadian
league was averted when the Baltimore Colts picked him up as a linebacker and Fuzzy finally stated his NFL career...FRIEND HELPED: One of the deals Vince Lombardi made when he came to Green Bay in 1959 was to bring Fuzzy to the Pack as an offensive guard. Fuzzy set his mind to making himself the best guard in the league, an accolade that came to him almost unanimously when he was named All-Pro guard in the fabulous year of 1961. There is every evidence that Fuzzy has set his mind to becoming the very best restaurateur in the valley. A Madison insurance salesman, Mel Kennedy, was instrumental in opening this new career for Fuzzy. Kennedy was a mutual friend of Martini and Thurston. Martini, a former Crandon High School football coach who starred on high school, college and armed service gridiron, had come to the Fox Cities as manager of the Ridgeway Golf Club where he met Thurston through Kennedy. He was dickering with the Neenah school system to resume his chemistry and history teaching career when he was offered the managership of the Menasha Elks Club. While managing both the Elks and Ridgeway, he was offered the job of managing the new Green Bay Elks. In January, he became the partner of Tom Harper at the old Avalon. He was in the process of buying Harper out when Thurston and Kennedy appeared on the scene. Fuzzy was interested in Jesse Whittenton's purchase of Green Bay on the now Whittenton's King X Club, and talking the idea over with his wife, Susan Ann, became Martini's partner. They closed the old Avalon for remodeling and Kennedy supplied the new - and appropriate - name, Left Guard. In addition to his recent club managing posts, Martini is a good man to be tutor to Fuzzy. Martini's parents were in the restaurant business his hometown, Antigo. Martini says Thursday is the ideal partner. He's eager to learn, even tempered and a wonderful personality. There's no one better than he at his position on the gridiron, and Martini feels that Fuzzy's dedication there is no reason to believe he won't achieve the same kind of success in his new business.Fuzzy's dedication there is no reason to believe he won't achieve the same kind of success in his new business.
BAYS FAVORED BY 17; TARKENTON, PALS FRESH FROM WINS OVER COWBOYS, COLTS
SEPT 16 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers open defense of their seventh world championship at City Stadium this afternoon. And this will be a special occasion. Minnesota's Vikings, the NFL's newest team, are here - for the first time - to help the Bays launch their 43rd season. The Packers will be making their first blue-chip start since whipping the Giants 37 to 0 in the championship game in City Stadium last Dec. 31. That was a historic contest - the first time the Packers had ever played a title game in Green Bay, and since then fans in Packerland have looked forward to this new season. In fact, the stadium was sold out already last spring. That sets the attendance today at 38,669, and to complete the occasion the weather will be in the mid-70s, with some clouds but no rain. Kickoff is set for 1:06. The Packers are favored - as they should be, but the experts' 17-point bulge is away too much. Carrying the big championship crown, the Packers will be an extra-special target of every team. The Vikings get the first chance to knock the "hat" off. They will be fired high - just as they were a year ago when they shocked the NFL by beating the Bears in their first league game. The Vikings' chances of pulling an upset rest with Fran Tarkenton, the best young quarterback in the league. Tarkenton is fresh from victories over the Colts and Cowboys. He has some fine working tools in Hugh McElhenny, Doug Mayberry, Jerry Reichow and Mel Triplett. If Tarkenton is hot, the Vikings may do some scoring and that brings up the Packers' offense - the best balanced ground-air machine in the league last year. The Bays have sputtered some on the ground during the preseason campaign and Bart Starr made up quickly by unleashing the air force. He has been hitting Boyd Dowler, Max McGee and Ron Kramer consistently. Mcgee, feeling good after a stomach ailment hospitalized him earlier this week. led the Bays in pass catching last year with 51. The Pack's two big howitzers, Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung, had no picnic against the Vikings in the back-to-back games last year. Hornung, hurt in both games, finished with 87 yards in 14 trips while Taylor had 100 yards in 30 trips. Actually, the big gun was Tom Moore, the Bays' No. 3 back. Tom relieved Hornung early in Minneapolis and reeled off 159 yards in 16 carries. For the two games, he had 194 yards in 23 trips. Regardless of the passing or running, the big men up front will decide the backfield success. Anxious to test their muscles in league play are tackles Forrest Gregg, Norm Masters and Bob Skoronski, guard Fuzzy Thurston and Jerry Kramer - not to mention the highly-prized Ed Blaine, and Capt.
Jim Ringo. The Vikings have made several changes in their defense and they've been tough in preseason, such as holding John Unitas to 13 points. Ed Sharockman has been a big addition to the secondary - plus Dean Derby and Billy Butler, the ex-Packer. The Pack's defense will come up with a slight change from last year. Herb Adderley opens at left corner in place of Hank Gremminger who shifts back to left safety in John Symank's spot. Jess Whittenton, back after a game's absence with an injury, and Willie Wood will be on the right side. The rest of the defense is the same as last year - Willie Davis, Bill Quinlan, Hank Jordan and Dave Hanner in the line and Capt. Bill Forester, Dan Currie and Ray Nitschke as linebackers.
