Chicago Bears (1-0) 10, Green Bay Packers (0-1) 3
Sunday September 15th 1963 (at Green Bay)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(GREEN BAY) - The Packers and an audience of 42,327 got the shock of their lives in City Stadium Sunday afternoon. Green Bay's offense wouldn't work. It was almost unbelievable. The scoring machine that averaged nearly 30 points per start last year stumbled along with only a field goal, a mere 150 yards rushing and passing and horrors, just nine first downs. Maybe it was all a mistake - a nightmare, but the big scoreboards showed the Bears with seven more points than the Packers at the end. The final score was 10 to 3. Launching defense of their second straight world championship, the Packers never advanced deeper than the Bears' 33-yard line all afternoon and the defense did that, getting there on Jess Whittenton's interceptions. The offense managed to reach the Bear 34 once and Jerry Kramer stepped back on the 41 to kick a field goal. Now the Packers face the Lions and their rugged defense in Milwaukee next Sunday. The Lions got off a-wining 23-2 over the Rams Saturday night. Lion defense? No defense could have been more crushing than the Bears' throttlers who intercepted four of Bart Starr's passes and recovered a fumble by Jim Taylor. The Bear tacklers simmered the Pack down to only 43 plays, rushes and passes. Chicago's victory ended a string of five Packer league wins over the Bears, and this was only the second game (against 20 wins) the Packers had lost in City Stadium since Vince Lombardi took over the Pack in '59. The other loss was administered by the Bears, 17-14, in the '60 opener. Green Bay was held to its lowest point total since the Giants beat the Pack in New York 20-3 in '59. And Sunday was the third time the Lombardimen went without a touchdown. The Bays downed the Lions here last year on three field goals 9-7. The Packers' defense was marvelous and under extreme pressure as the offense continuously gave up the ball. The Bears were held to 231 yards total and 15 first downs. An offensive error preceded each Chicago score. Taylor fumbled on the Packer 33 in the first quarter and six plays later Bob Jencks kicked a 32-yard field goal for 3-0 lead. Roosevelt Taylor intercepted a Starr pass deflected off Boyd Dowler's hands on the Bear 32 and the visitors then drove 68 yards in 10 plays for the game's only touchdown - a two-yard smash by Joe Marconi in the third quarter. The Bears made only one other concerted drive - early in the second quarter, moving 66 yards in 14 plays to the Packer 2 where Dave Hanner bumped Bill Wade and Hank Jordan recovered the Bear QB's fumble. The two drives were the only liberties the Bears took with the Packer defense. The Bears had 107 yards rushing and 129 passing, with Wade hitting 18 of 24, mostly the short and damaging flare passes to the right or left. The Packers gained 77 yards on the ground and 83 passing, with Starr hitting 11 of 22. Taylor settled for 53 yards, Moore 24. Penalties were ruinous to the Packer cause shortly after they came forth bristling from the halftime discussions. Willie Wood got a 40-yard runback with a punt to the Bear 35, but the Packers clipped and the ball went back to the Packer 20. After the Bear touchdown, a holding penalty kept the Pack from launching a drive. Packer fans grew terse as they waited for something to happen in the second half but the Bays had the ball for only 11 plays in the third period and 13 in the fourth. And the Bears made three of their interceptions in the exasperating second half. This was a 10-punt game, with newcomer Jerry Norton of the Pack averaging 48.6 on five kicks and Bear Bobby Joe Green averaging 43.8 on his five boots. The Bears threatened to go all the way on Norton's first kick when the Bays were forced to punt after the game's opening kickoff. Johnny Morris took the kick on the 18 and raced 44 yards to the Packer 38, but the Bears were called for clipping, setting them back on their 13. With an interference penalty on Jess Whittenton, the Bears made a first down but the Packers tightened and Green kicked again. Taylor ran over left guard for eight yards, but Larry Morris hooked the ball out of Taylor's arm and Richie Petitbon recovered on the Packer 33. Ronnie Bull and Rick Casares gained 11 in two trips but the defense stiffened and Jencks booted a 32-yard field goal for 3-0 at 9:32. A good kickoff return by Herb Adderley, who almost broke away but for Joe Marconi's ankle tackle, set the Packers in motion to tie the score. Taylor and Moore made 17 and Starr completed two passes to Ron Kramer and Moore to reach the Bear 34. Kramer's field goal was good and tipped a bit but the score was tied at 3-up at 14:41. The two clubs exchanged first downs and punts and for excitement McGee almost went the distance for a
Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi looks out onto the field during a 10-3 loss to the Chicago Bears in the season opener. (Credit: Press-Gazette archives)
TD. He had a Starr pass on the palm of his left hand but couldn't quite squeeze it. The Bears went on their ill-fated TD drive and the two big gainers were Wade's 10-yard run and his pass to Bull for 22 to the Packer 4. On second down on the two, Hanner shot through and hit Wade and Jordan picked up his fumble. Just before the half, Whittenton and Petitbon exchanged their interceptions. The Packers held the Bears to 5 yards in three tries as the second half opened. Then the Packers started to move. Taylor ran 10, then 5. Starr passed to Moore for 18 yards to the Bear 47 and Moore ran 2 to the 45. Now the pain: Starr hit Dowler on a leaper but the ball bounced out of his hands and Taylor, standing behind him, intercepted. The Bears then started their TD drive. Marconi and Wade ran for a first down to the Bear 44 after which Wade threw to Bull on a flare for 21 yards. Wade, after getting a yard out of Marconi, hit Marconi to the left for a 16-yard gain to the Packer 18. Two plays later Wade hit Farrington on the two and then Marconi crashed outside left tackle for the TD. Jencks converted at 11:07 to set the final score 10-3. After an exchange of punts, the Packers got a drive started as the game moved into the fourth quarter. Starr threw to Kramer for 11 and then McGee for 10 to the Bear 36, but the Bays found themselves with a fourth and one situation on the Packer 45 and Norton punted. A roughing the kicking penalty on Bob Jeter gave the Bears a few extra minutes to freeze the ball but when the Bays got it back with 6:59 left, Dave Whitsell made a one-handed interception of a Starr pass intended for McGee and the Bears made their way down for a field goal try. The boot by Jencks was wide to the right with 1:56 left. With time running out, Bill George intercepted Starr's short pass over the line, aimed at Kramer, and the Bears ran down the clock.
CHICAGO - 3 0 7 0 - 10
GREEN BAY - 3 0 0 0 - 3
CHICAGO GREEN BAY
First Downs 15 9
Rushing-Yards-TD 35-107-1 21-77-0
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 24-18-129-0-1 22-11-83-0-4
Sack Yards Lost 5 10
Total Yards 124 73
Fumbles-lost 231 150
Turnovers 2 5
Yards penalized 5-50 6-58
SCORING
1st - CHI - Bob Jencks, 32-yard field goal CHICAGO 3-0
1st - GB - Jerry Kramer, 41-yard field goal TIED 3-3
3rd - GB - Joe Marconi, 1-yard run (Jencks kick) GREEN BAY 10-3
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Jim Taylor 12-53, Tom Moore 9-24
CHICAGO - Rick Casares 5-27, Billy Wade 8-26, Ronnie Bull 12-23, Joe Marconi 9-23 1 TD, Willie Galimore 1-8
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 22-11-83 4 INT
CHICAGO - Billy Wade 24-18-129 1 INT
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Tom Moore 4-32, Ron Kramer 3-35, Jim Taylor 2-1, Max McGee 1-10, Boyd Dowler 1-5
CHICAGO - Ronnie Bull 6-48, Joe Marconi 4-27, Rick Casares 4-11, Bo Farrington 1-15, Johnny Morris 1-15, Mike Ditka 1-12, Willie Galimore 1-1
Chicago Bears head coach George Halas and linebacker Bill George celebrate the last second of the game as their team defeated the Green Bay Packers, 10-3. (Credit: Press-Gazette archives)
'LUCK TO GET AWAY WITH 10-3' - LOMBARDI
SEPT 16 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - As all football fanatics are well aware, losing coaches have been known to ascribe defeat to such miscellaneous items as the weather, the officiating and that eternal concomitant, "bad breaks," Forthright Vince Lombardi, a firm believer in the direct approach, provided a direct approach, provided a refreshing contrast to this familiar pattern in the wake of yesterday's stunning 10-3 Packer comeuppance at the eager hands of Chicago's ravenous Bears in City Stadium, an ugly climax to an otherwise golden Sunday afternoon. "We were lucky to get away with 10-3," the Packer chieftain, considerably more cordial than one in his situation might be expected to be, declared to an attentive press corps scant minutes after Chapter No. 90 in pro football's most incendiary rivalry had passed into the record books. "We played a good enough game defensively to win most games," Lombardi said, "but we had nothing whatsoever defensively. We never got anything going. We couldn't hang on to the ball. We were lucky to get away with 10-3." Inevitably, he was asked if Bear strategy had surprised his forces, and thus been a contributing factor. "They didn't do anything we didn't expect," he responded without hesitation, adding dryly, "We just didn't do anything, period." What about the swing pass the Bears used with such telling effect? "We knew they had that play," the Packer strategist explained. "In fact, we had it covered, it was poor tackling that made it go. It was going well for them, so they kept using it." "They didn't do anything offensively to hurt us," Lombardi went on. "But if you can't score more than 10 yourself in this game, you're in trouble." He grimly agreed with a Chiago scribe that "four interceptions is a lot for us to have against us, particularly when you consider we only had six or seven all last season. Of course, two of those today were tips- one of them off Dowler and the other off McGee." "But c'est le guerre," Vince chucked wryly, "that's what you're in this business for." His athletes also "dropped a couple that might have made a difference," Vince observed. "But I'm not taking anything away from the Bears. They played a helluva ball game. They were hitting hard, tackling hard - they played real well. We were outplayed, no question about it." Despite the Bruins' acknowledged superiority, the afternoon's production had been "very ragged on both sides," Lombardi said. "First game jitters, I guess. It's hard to say why a veteran team would have first game jitters, but that's what it looked like." Asked if he had given any thought to "going for it" in a fourth down-and-one situation with 12 minutes remaining in the final quarter. "Never in the world," the Packer major-domo shot back. "Not with 12 minutes to play. And, as it was, we get the ball back with 9 minutes to play - and we run into the kicker." Had the Midway Monsters' defense (revised since the departure of venerable Clark Shaughnessy late last season) been a surprise? "No, it wasn't," Vince said, pointed out, "They played the same defense we play. Don't say my defense," he cautioned with a smile, "because it's not mine. The same kind of defense." Why had he replaced Jim Taylor with Earl Gros at fullback in the fourth quarter? "No, Taylor wasn't hurt," he said. "I didn't have any reason, I just put Gros in there." Although there was little cause for celebration, Lombardi was able to find some comfort. "In a way, this may be of some value," he grinned. "The Bears may not be aroused as much as they were." Lombardi also admitted that newcomer Jerry Norton, veteran defensive back obtained from the Dallas Cowboys in a trade last week, had punted "very well." The 33-year-old former St. Louis Cardinal and Philadelphia Eagle averaged a plush 48.6 yards on five kicks. Did he plan any changes? "No, I don't anticipate making any changes," Vince asserted, with a flash of his customary fire. "One loss doesn't mean the season. At least, I certainly hope it doesn't."...Timeless George Halas, an understandably jaunty figure after snipping a seven-game losing streak against the Pack, solemnly declaimed this 51st Bear triumph over Green Bay's finest "would have to be one of the greatest team efforts I've ever experienced." "We felt it had to our game," he quoth, "and it was." Though flushed with success, the eternally bland Bohemian was not sufficiently overcome to forget his coachly caution. "The Packers," he said, "still are the champions - and they're still the team to beat." "I didn't expect to hold the Packers without a touchdown," he further confessed. "Not with the high powered offense they have. Our defense played a wonderful game." What had prompted him to plague the Pack with the swing pass? "Their defense was the reason," Halas explained. "In view of the fact they were giving us the short pass, we took it." George also was delighted with the fate of a particular Packer pass. "That interception of Bill George's (which ended the Packers' faint final hopes) was terrific," he glowed. "Bill complained about the blocking - he wondered where the blocking was," the Bear boss chuckled. "It's wonderful when you can worry about things like that." Although he was pronounced himself "pleased and satisfied" with the Bears' overall performance, the newly-enshrined Hall of famer is convinced they can play better than they did in sabotaging the Packers. The victory had given his hirelings "momentum," Halas conceded, but adroitly sidestepped all efforts to elicit a prediction about the Bruins' title chance. "I'm not answering that question," he smiled. One scribe facetiously ventured, "When the Packers beat the Bears 49-0 last season, Vince Lombardi was quoted as saying he couldn't sleep well that night because his team had beaten you so badly. Will you have any trouble sleeping tonight?" Halas flashed an impish smile and replied, "I never have a better night's sleep than after I win a game."...SILVER SALUTE: Genial Wilner Burke, veteran director of the accomplished Packer Band, was presented with a plaque in recognition of his 25 years in that capacity by Packer President Dominic Olejniczak between halves. As he returned from the field microphone to his post, Burke was surprised to hear the band, with Norman Hinckley pinch hitting with the baton, strike up "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow" in honor of the occasion...NEW VIEW: Ronald Gibbs, for 23 years an NFL referee until his retirement at the end of the 1962 season, witnessed his first league game from a pressbox here yesterday. Gibbs, now midwest observer of officials for the NFL, admitted "it's a nice game to watch the game from," but added with a smile "there's no way to get rid of the tension. You just have to sit here and sweat it out."...WHO'S EXCITED: Packer public address announcer Van Patten, normally the soul of imperturbability, committed an excusable fluff late in the final period. With only 2 minutes remaining, he intoned, "Marconi goes to the 1-yard line." Fortunately, however, (or it would have been worse than 10-3), that worthy was brought to earth on the Packer 20. On the next play, Bob Jencks missed a field goal from the 27 in the Bears' last gasp.
'WE'LL BE BETTER NEXT WEEK,' STARR
SEPT 16 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - "We'll give you a better performance next week." Delivered with a steely glint in the eye, this declaration issued from a grim Bart Starr, a normally soft-spoke citizen not given to idle statements, in an uncommonly quiet Packer dressing room late Sunday afternoon. The eloquent quarterback's remark, addressed to a knot of newsmen hovering about his locker, reflected the evident but unspoken determination of his stunned colleagues, all of whom could not quite bring themselves to believe they had just lost a football game. "It's the worst game the offense has had since the All-Star game (another infamous occasion)," Starr admitted. "We've been doing real well since then, improving each week, but we slipped backward today." Who did he think would be the No. 1 threat to the Packers' chances for a third straight title? "You can start with that bunch," he replied with alacrity, including his head toward the Bear dressing room. "They're the only ones we've seen. If they beat you, you've got to respect 'em." Did he think the Packer hopes now were somewhat dimmer? "I don't let it worry me," he said matter-of-factly. Down the line, one of Starr's favorite targets was quietly unhappy about the big one that got away. "I got a hand on it but I couldn't handle it," quoth Max McGee, describing the Starr "bomb" that eluded him in the second period, when he appeared to be in the open. "I think I should have handled it," he said sadly, "but I didn't." Jim Taylor, replaced at fullback by sophomore Earl Gros in the waning minutes, was happy to report, "I wasn't hurt. I feel great - I just got pulled out at the end." Discussing his second quarter brush with Bear linebacker Larry Morris, the Bayou Bronco grinned, "We just had a few words. I was just trying to get up and he didn't want me to at that particular time." Still shaking his head in disbelief over what had just transpired, Taylor declared, "This one sure hurt. Winning would have given us a lot of boost, a lot of spirit. It's really hard on us because we're not used to it." A morose Hank Jordan voiced similar and even more solemn sentiments. The all-pro defensive tackle, who sat with his head in his hands and staring vacantly into space for nearly a half hour before wending his way slowly toward the shower room, said in a low voice, "Those boys wanted to play today, they sure wanted to play." "That's the way every team we face is going to be," he concluded softly, "Maybe this game will help us realize it."..."A little different approach," which he for obvious reasons did not elaborate upon, triggered the Bears' significant success with the swing pass, Bruin quarterback Bill Wade was happy to disclose. "The Packer defenders were dropping off quite a bit on our receivers, much the same as they did last year," the ex-Ram field general explained. "It was just a little different approach on our part that made the difference." "You like to that swing to the backs, don't you?" a Chicago scribe
noted. "That's right," Wade grinned. "You never know what they're going to do with it - they might go all the way." His fumble on the Packer four-yard line in the second quarter, which loomed large at that point, "was my fault," Wade said. "I don't know what it was, or what hit me, but I was getting ready to make a handoff and somebody hit my arm. I have a suspicion it will be interesting to see the movies." "I tried to reach over Hanner with one hand to pull the ball in, but couldn't do it," Wade added. "He didn't even know it was there."...Ex-Packer Tom Bettis, encountered en route to the Bears' airport-bound bus, answered the customary "how are you" greeting with a big grin. "Happy," he said, adding with a chuckle, "Is the Pope a Catholic?"
HUMBLED PACK NEEDS NEW DETERMINATION!
SEPT 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - And now there is a need for a new determination! The Packers, surprise-beaten by the Bears Sunday, have never lost two games in a row since they took on the title of champion. They gained that distinction in the final league game of 1960, winning the first of three straight Western Division crowns. They lost the first, eighth and 13th games in '61 and the 11th in '62. They snapped back like champions after each of the four losses, beating the 49ers, Bears and Rams and the Rams (in '62). But now the Packers must slam back at the expense of their closest pursuer in the last three years - the Lions. And the determination surely must be more so. Coach Vince Lombardi, himself, is always determined but as he observed today, "We'll have to see how determined they (the players) are this week." The Lions opened with a 23-2 victory over the Rams in Los Angeles Saturday night, which means the Packer-Lion battle in County Stadium Sunday is the first crucial of the season. The Western loop has two other unbeatens - the Vikings and, of course, the Bears, and they'll settle their differences on the same field - in Bloomington, Minn., Sunday. The Packers went back to work today, and the first order of business was a look at the 10 to 3 loss to the Bears in City Stadium Sunday. It's not a pleasant sight - especially on offense. Lombardi and staffmen Phil Bengtson, Norb Hecker, Bill Austin, Red Cochran and Tom Fears viewed the Bear film Monday, and Vince said today, "I haven't changed my opinion of the game. We still made mistakes that hurt us - fumbles, pass interceptions, and penalties." Asked what on offense fell off the most - passing or rushing, Lombardi had no preference, explaining "we weren't blocking for the runners and we weren't catching the ball." Generally, he thought, the Packers "didn't play a good ball game - not at all. In fact, we didn't play any kind of a game." Vince said he was going to find out "why we made so many mistakes. I don't know why now." The search for the reason behind the errors will continue through practice this week. The coach felt that "we shouldn't have much trouble getting aroused for the Lions. It (the loss to the Bears) should help if anything. I've said from the beginning that the Bears are a fine club - a serious contender. But we're not out of it either. The Lions, Bears, Colts - that's what makes the NFL as great as it is." Lombardi pitched a bouquet to Lionel Aldridge, the rookie who started at defensive right end. "I thought Lionel - for a first year man - did well, extremely well. They went after him." The Bears ran quite a few plays off their own left side - each a special test for the newcomer. But the Bears still scored 10 points. And that's a feather in the caps of the defense!...The Lions were en route home in their chartered plane while the Packers and Bears were playing their surprise Sunday. They saw a few minute of the game during a brief stop at O'Hare Field in Chicago and then heard the "happy" news on the Chicago to Detroit leg...The Packers will be publicized in a new type of publication shortly. A photographer and writer from Business Week magazine was present for Sunday's game...Tom Bettis was a man in a quandary. "It's hard to explain. I was happy and sad at the same time - happy for myself and the Bears and sad for my neighbors and the Packers," he said. Bettis, who spent seven years with the Packers before being traded last year to Pittsburgh and this year to Chicago, relaxed at home here Monday before rejoining the Bears at Chicago.
LOMBARDI, HALAS SKIP HAND SHAKE; NEW RULE!
SEPT 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - When the exploded bullet sounded the end of the 90th Packer-Bear game in City Stadium Sunday, the opposing coaches went directly to their respective dressing rooms without shaking hands enroute. Nope, George Halas and Vince Lombardi aren't feuding. They are quite friendly, in fact, but a new league rule says no hand shaking on the field after the game and they were merely complying. And if you think that's a novelty, Jerry Kramer has an idea for a new kind of offense. "Let's just kick on first down all the time and let the defense do the scoring," Jerry said Monday, recollecting the offense's big problem in scoring against the Bears. "We were pulling for the defense to score for us near the end," J.K. said. Time for a peek at the notations in our game playbook: STUNNED - Jim Taylor ran right over linebacker Joe Fortunato for a nine-yard gain in the first quarter and Joe was shaken up, though he stayed in. The gain was one of four advances that led to Jerry Kramer's field goal. HANDS IN AIR - Ron Bull, snaking up the middle in search of a pass from Bill Wade, ran with both arms in the air for about five yards - like a stickup victim, thus
inviting a tackler and possible interference early in the second quarter. WOOD TRAVELS - Willie Wood, a right safety, came across and broke up a flare pass to Willie Galimore on the Bears' right side - a long trip for Wood. CROWD YIPPING - The audience let out a howl - a sort of request for a 15-yard penalty - when Bear Coach George Halas started jawing and pointing with the official in the second quarter - on the Bart Starr throw high to Boyd Dowler. George also was 12 yards off limits - on the 28-yard line. HANNER HITS - Dave Hanner played a good game on the Packer defense and he made several crushing tackles on Rick Casares - once midway in the second quarter. ROUGHIE - The two teams lost players on successive plays early in the third period. Bill Forester limped off for repairs on Wade's four-yard pass to Bill and on the next play (a punt by Willie Wood) Steve Barnett was helped off. Both returned to action. TAYLOR & TAYLOR - The Pack's Taylor and the Bears' Roosevelt Taylor came together in the third period with R.T. stopping J.T. after a 10-yard gain. This set off a Packer advance to the Bear 45 but Starr's pass, tipped by Boyd Dowler, was intercepted by Mr. R.T. BUSTED PLAY - Plays that fall apart are usually the most dangerous. Wade started to hand off to somebody in the third period but nobody was there. He stood up and looked out over the horizon and threw to John Farrington who caught the pass just over the endline. LEANING - J. Taylor was leaning forward just before he carried the ball late in the third period. The middle of the Bear line was waiting for him but he still got a yard. GEORGE FREE - Tom Moore ran wide around his own right end but, with two blockers up front, Bill George cut home down from the side. George was virtually untouched by a blocker. There was no gain. SLIPPERY - Wade, back to pass, couldn't face a receiver. Like a greased pig he slipped out of tackles by Hank Jordan and Lionel Aldridge before he was put down in the fourth quarter. OFFICIALS - As if the Bears weren't tough enough, an official signaled Bobby Joe Green's punt went out of bounds on the Packer 26. The ball was put in play on the 25. It made no difference because on the play Starr was thrown for a five-yard loss.
LIONS, NOW FIRST, SPORTING THREE CHANGES IN LINE
SEPT 18 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Lions are the same as in 1962, except: They are first and the Packers are second. They have a new left guard and left tackle on the offense. They have a new left tackle on the defense. They have a "new" flanker. The first change is momentary, of course, since the Packers can roar into a tie with the Detroits by beating them in County Stadium Sunday. The Lions, lest we forget, finished second to the Packers the last three years. Thus, it's a novelty to find the order reversed now. Dan LaRose, formerly an offensive tackle, has been shifted over to left guard to replace the old and respected Harley Sewell who was traded to the Redskins. The new offensive left tackle is a rookie, one Daryl Sanders, a 250-pounder out of Ohio State who was the club's first draft choice. For you rabbit's foot and Friday the 13th fans, it might be reported that the Bears came into our town last Sunday with a rookie at offensive tackle, Steve Barnett. But there's a difference: Barnett played right tackle. The left tackle on defense is Floyd Peters, a four-year veteran who was obtained from the Browns at the expense of the valuable Ken Webb and a draft choice. Peters replaces the suspended Alex Karras...OBTAINED FOR JOB: Peters was obtained for that job and he's played there right from the start of the exhibition season. Terry Barr is back at his old position - flanker or right halfback. He was out after the fifth game with injuries but caught five passes vs. the Rams Saturday night. Pat Studstill, another good one, was the flanker last year but he's just about done for the year with injuries. The only other major newcomer besides Peters is Ollie Matson, the heralded back who was obtained from the Rams. Matson plays behind Nick Pietrosante at fullback. Ollie carried three times for four yards against the Rams. He came to Detroit with a hamstring pull and has been slow rounding into form...The Packers worked on their own Tuesday, normally a light drill day, while Coach Vince Lombardi and his aides toiled inside on preparations for the Lion game. The Bays played touch football after viewing movies of the 10-3 loss to the Bears. Among new
"quarterbacks" in the exercising period were Ron Kramer, Bill Forester and Fuzzy Thurston. The first concentrated outdoor drill was held today - quite a contrast from a week ago when the week was started with a light practice Monday morning after the Saturday night game at Cedar Rapids. After yesterday's drill, the team heard a report from Scout Wally Cruice who saw the Lions trim the Rams 23-2 in Los Angeles Saturday night. Cruice said today that "the Lions' defense is really strong and we've got to make our offense move." Asked about Peters, Wally noted that "he's not bad. He can do a lot of things that can hurt you." It appears that both teams will go into action in good physical condition. Carl Brettschneider was doubtful before the Ram game but he played and came out feeling good. The Bays came out of the Bear game with nothing serious...The first batch of statistics from NFL headquarters came out today, and it's noteworthy that the Packers are in last place in offensive yardage, with only 150 yards. By comparison, the Browns lead in yards with 543, including 326 by passing. Green Bay's defense ranks fourth, having allowed the Bears 231 yards. The Bears are tops in defense (150), while the Rams are second with 210 and the Lions third on 228. That Ram total is an omen for the rest of the Western Division. Wait'll those LAs start to score!
PACKER NEWCOMER NORTON GRABS NFL PUNTING LEAD
SEPT 19 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Jerry Norton punts in a hurry. And he moves fast. This 10-year veteran has been a Packer only a week but in that short time he has: Taken over the Pack's punting. Delivered five kicks against the Bears. Led the league with a 48.6-yard punting average. Moved his family up from Dallas. And entered his two children in school. In fact, the newest Packer, who was obtained from the Cowboys in exchange for a draft choice, is the Bays' only statistical leader, according to the individual figures for the first game. Jerry's average is a shade ahead of King Hill of the Eagles, who has 48.3 on six kicks. Norton is the Pack's chief replacement for the safetymen, Willie Wood and Hank Gremminger. But he's cold off the street in the department of punting. "I didn't punt at all last year because of Sam Baker, and I didn't do any of it this year," Jerry said Wednesday after delivering some 30 kicks in practice. (Baker is the Cowboys' specialist, handling placekicking as well as punting.) "But," he laughed, "it's like shooting marbles. Once you know how you don't forget." With Dan Currie centering, while Jim Ringo and Ken Iman were busy centering elsewhere, Norton punted and punted - 60, 70 yards at a clip with alight wind out of the south. First, he kicks with a sort of short kick - that is, little follow through. Then comes the follow through and the booting foot seems to go over his head. And the punt gain distance. Since he's a fast punter and a speedy defense back, what about running instead of punting - ala Max McGee. "That's a spur of the moment thing but I did quite a bit of it with the Eagles and Cards," said Norton. Jerry led the league in punting and tied for the interception lead as a Cardinal in 1960, with an average of 45.6. The next year he delivered 85 punts and averaged 44.7 despite the fact that one was blocked. His punt total that year was the second highest in league history. Only Howard Maley of the Boston Yanks delivered more in one year - 92 in '47. And speaking of punting, the Packers' opponents Sunday in County Stadium - the Lions, have their Yale Lary right up near the top. Lary punted only twice in the Lions' 23-2 victory over the Rams and averaged 45.3. Closest to Norton in the Dept. of Statistics is Herb Adderley, who is fourth in kickoff returns, with a 37-yard return. He'd probably be leading today if some Bear hadn't grabbed him by the ankle in the nick of time. Willie Wood had a nine-yard return and placed ninth in punt runbacks. Jim Taylor is 10th in rushing with his 53 yards in 12 carries, while Bart Starr is at the bottom of the passing list. The Lions aren't exactly setting the "stix" on fire either. They have but one leader, Mr. Night Train Lane, who is best in one department - interceptions, with two. Twenty-three other people have one each, including the Lions' Dick LeBeau, who returned his 70 yards for a touchdown and
the Pack's Jess Whittenton, who stole of Bill Wade's throws. The Lions, incidentally, didn't run over the Rams with their offense. Nine of their 23 points came on field goals, leaving two touchdowns. The defense got one of those - on LeBeau's runback, and the other TD, a short plunge by Danny Lewis, was set up by a 53-yard punt return. Coach Vince Lombardi sent the Bays through a stiff offensive drill Wednesday and with football weather setting in today, the players put on the pads and made with a few organized shoulder "thuds."
DEMOCRATS DECLINE TO 'BATTLE' PACK
SEPT 19 (Milwaukee) - The drawing power of the Green Bay Packers, who meet the Detroit Lions here Sunday, was demonstrated convincingly Wednesday when the Democrats shifted the convention of the new Ninth Congressional District from 1:30 to 7:30 p.m. on that day. A convention official pointed out that several delegates wanted to attend the game and added that street parking near the hall, close to County Stadium, will be prohibited during the Packer game.
SECOND GAME RECORD GOING FOR PACKERS AGAINST LIONS
SEPT 20 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Winning openers hasn't been easy for the Packers since Vince Lombardi brought "daylight" to our town in 1959. But what about the second games? Which is what the Bats will be playing when they meet the Lions in County Stadium Sunday. The Lombardi Lads have played four second games and won each of them quite handily - by a composite score of 103 to 39. In the No. 2 games, the Bays beat the Cards 17-0 in 1962; the 49ers 30-10 in 1961; the Lions 28-9 in 1960; and the Lions 28-10 in 1959. The Packers lost three of their las four openers, the lone win being the 34-7 victory over the Vikings a year ago. Otherwise, the Bays lost to the Bears 10-3 in '63, the Lions 17-3 in '61, and the Bears 17-14 in '60. The Packers, in Vince's debut, nipped the Bears 9-6.For the five openers the composite score is Packers 73, Opponents 57. But without that Viking landslide the score reads Opponents 50, Packers 39. These figures go out the window each year, but it appears that the Packers are getting ready to make with some fierce action in Beertown Sunday. The Bays came in with a shoulder-popping workout Thursday and Lombardi termed it a "good one."...The Packers' Jerry Kramer and Wayne Walker of the Lions were teammates at Idaho and came up to the pros the same year. They both developed the art of field goal kicking a couple of years ago and, still keeping in step, they each produced their personal all-time longs in last weekend's games. Walker booted a 46-yarder among his three FGs in the Lions' 23-2 win over the Rams and Kramer kicked a 41-yarder for the Pack's only points vs. the Bears...The Packers go to Milwaukee on the 8:30 North Western Saturday morning and then head for County Stadium and a light drill. The team will headquarter at the Astor Hotel. They'll leave for home right after the game from the stadium by bus...It'll be Rookie vs. Rookie when the Packer and Lion lines clash. The Bays' new defensive right end, Lionel Aldridge, will line up across from Daryl Sanders, the Lions' rookie left tackle. Sanders was he Lions' first draft choice. he played at Ohio State. Aldridge is fresh out of Utah State. Sanders packs 250 pounds, Aldridge 240...The Packers haven't forgotten their 26-14 loss to the Lions last Thanksgiving Day. And as a reminder, the front pages of two Detroit papers described the game have been plastered on the wall of the hall between the
Packers and visiting dressing rooms. One of the headlines reads: "Lions Give Packers The Bird 26-14."...Danny Lewis, the Lions' left half, and fullback Nick Pietrosante each carried 11 times against the Rams. Lewis, former Wisconsin star, picked up 54 yards for a 4.9 average while big Nick had 30 yards - an average of 2.7...The Lions' Terry Barr, whose knee still has a tendency to puff after a game, didn't dress for Wednesday's practice. He's being given an extra day's rest each week just as a precaution, although he told Detroit scribes the knee, injured last year, doesn't hurt him...Lions Coach George Wilson says Detroit's defense is as good as it was a year ago despite the loss of Alex Karras. Floyd Peters is working in Karras' spot...The Lions considered switching Night Train Lane, normally their left cornerbacker, to right in order to track the Rams' Red Phillips. "We finally decided against switching Lane over because we felt it would show a lack of confidence in Dick LeBeau," Wilson said. LeBeau made one of the key plays of the game, intercepting a pass in front of Phillips and running 73 yards for a TD. The Lions had a good rush on Terry Baker and his throw was short...In case you missed the news, Dick Peal of the Triple-A Travel Dept., is putting on a whale of a Packer excursion - an 11-day jaunt to California (plus Las Vegas) for the Pack's two-game league windup on the west coast. Leaves Dec. 5 and returns Dec. 15. It's by air both ways.
BEST DEFENSE? PACKERS MAY FACE IT SUNDAY
SEPT 21 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The three best defenses in pro football? The proud Packers, two-time defending world champions, think they have the best, having allowed the fewest points in 1962 and the second-fewest (by three points) in 1961. The other two belong to the Lions and Giants, it is generally considered. Green Bay isn't concerned with the ranking of its defense at the moment. The problem is the other guy and more specifically the Detroit Lions who will meet the Little Bay Blues (Green Bay is one of the smaller teams in the league) in Milwaukee Sunday. So what about the Lion and Giant defenses? Who's better? Bob Skoronski, the Packers' left tackle, didn't chew that one over more than one second. "The Lions," he answered the other day. Skoronski, of course, was in the midst of preparations for the crucial Lion battle and understandably he was thoroughly Detroitized. What's more, the Packers have beaten the Giants five in a row and the Packers and Lions split their last four games. "Joe Schmidt's a better linebacker than the Giants' middle man (Huff) and the Lions' two outside linebackers are as good as the Giants' two. The Lions' secondary is better than the Giants," Bob figured. As to the defensive line, Skoronski allowed "that big Brown is better than LoVetere and that McCord is a good one, don't forget. The ends are close and we don't know about Peters yet. I'd pick the Lions' defense over the Giants." Detroit has the figures to back up Skoronski's contention. The Packers scored only two touchdowns on the pesky Lions in the last two games - two in the 26-14 loss in Detroit Thanksgiving Day and none in the early event in Green Bay. This game was won by the Packers on three field goals by Paul Hornung 9-7. And speaking of defense, the Packers' secondary, composed of Jess Whittenton and Herb Adderley at the corners and Willie Wood and Hank Gremminger at safety, has plenty of pride. These four walked down the sidelines the other day (they're always together) and Adderley was presented with this statement: "There ought to be a special name for you four." Herb flashed a big smile and remarked: "Just name us the best secondary in the league."
PACKERS FACED WITH 'WE GOTTA WIN' LIONS TEST
SEPT 22 (Milwaukee-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Three workmen sat along the first base line in County Stadium Saturday, lunching on their sandwiches. When the Packers walked toward the dugout, one of the workers yelled to Vince Lombardi: "Hey, Vince, we gotta win tomorrow!" The Packer coach, who had just sent his team through its final warmup, nodded and smiled knowingly. That just about sums up the business today: The Packers "gotta" win. They meet the Lions this afternoon (kickoff 1:06) before a standing room crowd of 45,910 in the Braves' park. WJPG will broadcast. The defending World Champion Packers didn't look good in losing to the Bears, 10-3, in Green Bay last Sunday. The Lions beat the Rams in Los Angeles, 23-2. The Packers must win to get back into the thick of the race and there's also the matter of a score to settle - for that loss in Detroit last Thanksgiving Day - 26-14. That was Green Bay's only defeat in 1962. Losing one game certainly was no disgrace but the Lions have been bragging about the victory and nobody likes to be gloated over - particularly the Packers. That's enough to make the game a natural but there's another factor. The Packers' offense, best in the League last year, didn't look good vs. the Bears (nine first downs, 150 yards, three points) and the Lions have one of the defenses in the League. Bart Starr is bound to explode his high scoring offense and the Lions certainly will have their defensive knives sharpened. The game is the first head-to-head clash between the two clubs who were damaged in Commissioner Pete Rozelle's gambling investigation last spring. Missing from the Lions is Alex Karras, and, of course, Paul Hornung is absent from the Bay lineup. Will the Packers work on Karras' spot, now manned by Floyd Peters, and will the Lions forget about Hornung's position, now handled by Tom Moore? The Packer offense will come in for major scrutiny today since all 11 of the starters and the three subs (Lew Carpenter, Bob Jeter and Earl Gros) seemed to be flat as a unit vs the Bears. Getting the big test will be Jim Taylor, who is always given a rugged time. by the Lions, Starr and Moore. Bart threw four interceptions last Sunday, a most difficult feat for this sharpshooter. Moore won't be overlooked, of course, and he hopes to break loose and maybe throw a few. Boyd Dowler and Max McGee both dropped a couple last Sunday but between them - plus Ron Kramer, they hold the key to the Pack's offense, as well as Bob Skoronski, Norm Masters, Forrest Gregg, Jim Ringo, Fuzzy Thurston and Jerry Kramer. The Lions' defense is in fine condition and the leaders of the group, from front to back, are tackle Roger Brown, linebacker Joe Schmidt and halfback Yale Lary. The Packer defense got off to a good start against the Bears and no dropoff is expected. All hands are in good condition. The Lions will start with Milt Plum at quarterback and the Packers hope to see Earl Morrall, too. If Earl comes in, it means that the Lions' offense isn't moving. The Packers seem to be "highly" ready for today's smash. They started to get itchy last Thursday already.
LOMBARDI'S "RUN TO DAYLIGHT!" GOOD FOOTBALL FARE
SEPT 22 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Time was when a sports figure's eminence in his domain was symbolized by a shelf loaded with trophies. Now, the top echelon is achieved when the hero produces a book. Packer coach Vince Lombardi already has his collection of trophies, and he's also written his book. Or rather, Vince has collaborated with author W.C. Heinz on a book, appropriately titled "Run to Daylight!," with superb illustrations by free lance photographer Robert Riger, published by Prentice-Hall. It's a good book, too, written in informal style to an imaginative plan; beautifully and profusely illustrated and maintaining a feeling of mounting tension throughout, even though everybody knows the outcome. As a well known ex-Green Bayite, Red Smith, explains in the foreword, "Run To Daylight!" is a new concept in sports books. The first of a projected series, it takes a top authority at a game - in this case, football - assigns a fine writer and artist to collaborate - and turns them loose to record what the authority has to say in his own words about his sport. Squeezing everything so intense a character as Vince Lombardi knows and feels about football into a single volume is no cinch. Heinz decided to compress everything into a typical week of a typical season - the fact that it also turned out to be a crucial week was pure luck. To capture Lombardi's intense concentration, his devotion to his job of maintaining the Green Bay Packers on top of the most murderous league in all professional sports, Heinz was Vince's shadow for the week between the Packers' 49-0 conquest of the Chicago Bears and the 9-7 squeaker over the Lions. According to both, they did everything but sleep in the same bed...VOLATILE PERSONALITY: The result is a minute-by-minute account of Lombardi's thoughts, comments and actions from the time he walked across City Stadium hoping he wouldn't find George Halas until he was driving home after the Lion taming. He and Heinz managed to pack an impressive amount of the volatile personality of Vince Lombardi into it. A man's single-minded concentration on the job at hand ought to make pretty dull reading. Not in this case. Lombardi is also an extremely intelligent man and he reacts fast. His insight into the game, his job and his associates crackle with sharp, incisive comment. His account of the Lion contest is one of the finest play-by-play descriptions of a football game ever written. Even though you already know the score, it keeps you on the edge of the chair until the final whistle. Side by side with the hour-by-hour description of the meticulous preparation for that game are Lombardi's recollections of his years in football, his observations on the game as a way of life and his evaluation of his players and assistants. The latter constitute one of the most amazing facets of the book. Since Lombardi has built the present Packer coaching staff and team as he wants them, he naturally thinks highly of his choices, both as football material and as individuals, and he says so. At the same time, his analyses of their personalities and weaknesses are startingly frank. After all, he still has to live with them. How much of "Run to Daylight!" is Lombardi's work and how much belongs to Heinz, it is impossible to tell. Both would probably admit they don't know either. Chances are, neither could have done it without the other. Incidentally, if you want to take Lombardi's word for it, football really isn't as complex as most people think. Downright simple, in fact. All you have to do, if your 28 Weak-Side Sweep fails to square out, is to throw the Four-x Switch, pull the Red, Blue, Brown of Black L and R Inside out of the water bucket and toss the Fan Circle L and R Cross at the opposition. Assuming the automatic Do-Dad does not walk straight into a blitz, either the Fan Right Turn-In or the Swing Pass Inside Delay should be a cinch for at least two yards straight up the middle. As Vince says, this is a game for madmen.
OUR WORLD CHAMPION LOCKER ROOMS AND OFFICES
SEPT 22 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - For a Wisconsin
golfer, the Green Bay Packer locker room would be a winter paradise. You place a practice cup at one end, pull out your putter and a pocketful of balls and proceed to enjoy a leisurely practice. The surface is a long
Sports Illustrated (September 23rd 1963)
and wide expanse (about 30X60 feet) of green, carpeting that is, but it is smooth enough to be true and spongy enough to duplicate the lush grass of a finely-manicured golf course green. In short, it's beautiful, so beautiful that Mrs. Phan would shudder at the thought of the brutal beating it must take day after day from the muddy cleats supporting the 250-pound (more or less) gridiron giants. The carpeting is especially designed for this type of use, however, and after a quick vacuum cleaning, it is almost sparkling and ready for another onslaught. Extending further than simply wall to wall, the plush covering is even molded into the corners of adjacent to City Stadium. And it covers more than just the team's locker room, sprawling into the training room, coach's dressing and conference rooms, the equipment room, a storage room and the visitor's locker room. There also is a piece covering the Packers' scale. Only Yankee Stadium in New York has luxury of this type and in that historic edifice the visitors are not accepted the same treatment, which puts the Packers' guests in a unique position. "It's the best I've seen anywhere," amiable Bud Jorgenson, the Packer trainer for 40 yards beams from his three-tabled, gleaming white training room. Jurgy virtually admits to feeling like a kid with a new toy. And Dad Braisher, venerable equipment manager, could be placed in the same category. He is constantly thinking up new gimmicks to "add just a little more class." As soon as the last cuts were made, Dad installed spanking new name cards above each stall. They are of heavy cardboard, painted green, with the name in gold and a helmet and football for decoration. He and assistants John Gordon and Peter Bourguignon also put up green, football-shaped cards above the visitors' locker for their numbers to be chalked on. In addition to every room containing this bright, cheery atmosphere, there is a constant supply of fresh air as the ventilating system completed changes the air every six minutes. Even when strewn with dirty togs and filled with the odor of sweat or the sogginess of hot shower steam, it's the palace of the sports world. Appropriately befitting the kings. The building, which also includes offices for the administrative staff and coaches, had a construction cost of $175,000. The Packer Corp. will pay for the structure through increased City Stadium rental.
