College All-Stars 20, Green Bay Packers 17
Friday August 2nd 1963 (at Chicago)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(CHICAGO) - The Packers were beaten by a hometown boy, and perhaps the sting of defeat doesn't hurt so much. Ron Vander Kelen, the pride of Preble and the University of Wisconsin, hurled the 1963 College All-Stars to an upsetting 20-17 victory over the world champion Packers before 65,000 in Soldier's Field and a television audience of 60 million. Vander Kelen, nursed on Packer football as a youngster, and Pat Richter, his favorite receiver in the Badgers' Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl campaign last year, unleashed a 73-yard scoring bomb in the last three minutes to give the Stars a 20 to 10 lead. The Packers roared back and scored in the final three seconds, but it was too late. The gun ended the game on the next kickoff as lightning flashed in the west. This was the Packers' first non-league loss since 1959, when Vince Lombardi took over Green Bay's fortunes. The last setback was a 14-0 test against the Giants in Bangor, Me. Since then, Green Bay won 20 straight preseason game. This was also the Packers' second loss in their last 24 games overall. Vandy, playing the entire first half, which ended 10 to 10, replaced Glynn Griffing for one play in the third quarter, and then returned for the payoff drive in the last quarter.
14-YARDS AWAY
The All-Stars were good. Yes, one of the best teams in the 30-year history of the mid-summer classic, and kept up a relentless pursuit of Bay passer Bart Starr and his receivers and ball carriers. The All-Stars intercepted one of Starr's passes to set up their first touchdown and a 10-7 lead early in the first quarter. And they recovered a fumble by Jim Taylor late in the third quarter when the Bays were just 14 yards away from a tie-breaking touchdown. Adding to the Packs' misery were two missed field goals by Jerry Kramer from the 23-yard line, which robbed the Packer of a 13-10 lead in the third frame, and from the 37, which would have given the Bays a 13-13 tie in the fourth period. Taylor, bothered most of the week with a knee injury, scored both of the Pack's TDs - from the two in the first period for a 7-0 lead and from the same distance at the end. J, Kramer hit a field goal from the 21 in the second period, tying the score at 10-up.
HITS 9 OF 11
Larry Ferguson rammed six yards for the Stars' first touchdown on the opening play of the second quarter. That plus Bob Jencks' 20-yard field goal made it 10-7. Jencks broke a 10-10 tie with his second field goal from 32 yards out in the last quarter. And then came Vandy's payoff throw. Vander Kelen hit 9 out of 11 pass attempts for 141 yards, including 8 of 10 in the first half alone. Starr, pressured more than he is during the league season, got off to a slow start with one completion in his first seven passes but finished with 19 of 32 for 169 yards net. The Stars out-gained the Pack 324 yards to 265 and held the Pack's running game, always a slow starter due to delicate timing, to 96 yards. Taylor and Tom Moore, the Pack's top two groundsters what with
the absence of Paul Hornung, totaled 95 yards in 20 attempts.
GIVES PACK FITS
Giving the Packers a pretty good fit was Dave Robinson, the Bays' first draft choice who played an outside linebacker spot. Also used some was Tony Liscio, at defensive tackle and end. Some rookies saw considerable action for the Pack, including Lionel Aldridge, who changed off with Urban Henry at right defense end. Most of the audience was backing the Stars, especially Vander Kelen, and it was delighted when the Packers were forced to punt shortly after the opening kickoff. But they groaned when Ferguson fumbled on the Stars' third play and Willie Davis recovered on the All Star 11.
SHAKES GOAL POSTS
The Bays scored in 3 plays, with Taylor going over left guard and shaking the goal posts as he slammed into an upright. J. Kramer's kick made it 7-0 at 4:50. The All-Stars came back 55 yards in 11 plays as Vander Kelen moved the team mostly by passing. He hurled to Paul Flatley for 16 yards and a beauty to Jencks for 10 along the way. Attack stalled on the 14 and, with Vandy holding, Jencks hit his field goal form 20 yards out for 7-3. Three plays later, Tommy Janik intercepted a Starr pass aimed a Boyd Dowler and returned 28 yards to the Packer 27. Vandy ate up most of the distance with a 20-yard pass to Richter and then handed off to Ferguson for the TD. Jencks' kick put the Stars ahead 10-7. Green Bay came right back to make it 10-10, moving 61 yards in 8 plays for J. Kramer's 21-yard field goal. The big gainers were a 27-yard dash by Moore at right end and a 15-yard smash by Taylor. Just before the half, the All-Stars put on a good drive, with Vandy throwing to Ben Wilson and Charley Mitchell running 17 and Wilson 11. The Bays stiffened on the 13 and Jencks' field goal try from the 13 was blocked by Herb Adderley. Griffing started the second half and, after making two first downs, hurled an interception to Herb Adderley, who returned 35 yards to the Star 20. Moore had Dowler wide open for a TD in end zone, but his throw was way off the beam, and finally the Bays settled for J. Kramer's missed field goal. The Packers looked like they were coming back strong when they quickly forced the Stars to punt and Starr moved the Bay 54 yards, mostly on passes to Dowler and Max McGee, but, darn it, Taylor fumbled to end the threat. This was meat for the Stars, who promptly moved 61 yards in 9 plays, what with fancy running by Charles Mitchell, Ben Wilson and Bill Thornton, to set off Jencks' 32-yard field goal and a 13-10 lead. Despite holding and clipping penalties, the Packers cracked back - 54 yards in 10 plays, chiefly on passes to Dowler and Ron Kramer, but Pitts and Taylor were thrown for losses totaling 14 yards to set up J. Kramer's missed field goal. The bomb followed in three plays, with Richter taking the ball in the left flat, about 10 yards up field, and evading two Packers and then picking up five Stars as an escort to the goal line. The Packers went without a huddle in charging downfield for their final TD and Starr passed continuously, hitting 7 of 10 throws, before Taylor ran over.
ALL-STARS - 0 10 0 10 - 20
GREEN BAY - 7 3 0 3 - 17
GREEN BAY ALL-STARS
First Downs 16 16
Rushing-Yards-TD 26-142-2 39-162-1
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 33-19-149-0-1 21-15-191-1-1
Sack Yards Lost
Total Yards 291 353
Fumbles-lost 2-1 2-1
Turnovers 1 2
Yards penalized 5-77 2-13
SCORING
1st - GB - Jim Taylor, 2-yard run (Jerry Kramer kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - COLL - Larry Ferguson, 6-yard run (Bob Jencks kick) TIED 7-7
2nd - COLL - Jencks, 20-yard field goal ALL-STARS 10-7
2nd - GB - J. Kramer, 21-yard field goal TIED 10-10
4th - COLL - Jencks, 33-yard field goal ALL-STARS 13-10
4th - COLL - Pat Richter, 73-yd pass from Ron Vander Kelen (Jencks kick) ALL-STARS 20-10
4th - GB - Taylor, 2-yard run (Kramer kick) ALL-STARS 20-17
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Jim Taylor 16-51 2 TD, Tom Moore 4-44, Elijah Pitts 2-34, Earl Gros 2-13, Bart Starr 2-0
ALL-STARS - Charles Mitchell 9-56, Bill Thornton 9-36, Larry Ferguson 10-32 1 TD, Ben Wilson 4-26, Ron Vander Kelen 6-10, Glynn Griffing 1-2
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 32-19-149 1 INT, Tom Moore 1-0-0
ALL-STARS - Ron Vander Kelen 11-9-141 1 TD, Glynn Griffing 10-6-42 1 INT
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Ron Kramer 6-71, Max McGee 4-37, Boyd Dowler 4-29, Elijah Pitts 2-17, Tom Moore 1-2, Jim Taylor 1-(-6)
ALL-STARS - Paul Flatley 3-32, Charles Mitchell 3-12, Pat Richter 2-93 1 TD, Hugh Campbell 2-16, Bobby Jencks 2-15. Bill Thornton 1-13, Ben Wilson 1-7, Larry Ferguson 1-3
(Note: There are uncorrectable discrepancies in the overall statistics)
'HAD TO PROVE MYSELF OR BE SHOT," VANDY CONFESSES
AUG 3 (Chicago-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Along with an estimated 60 million other, a still bedazzled Ron Vander Kelen couldn't believe it. Leisurely toweling himself before his locker in the College All-Stars' steamy dressing room at the witching hour Friday night, the crew-cut principal in one of the sport's most celebrated Cinderella stories shook his head with something akin to awe and declared, "You never know against the Packers. They're so great they can come back at any time." Reflecting briefly upon what he had just done to his old hometown, the engaging Prebble native added soberly, "I can't believe it." Then, with a boyish grin, "But I'm sure glad I was a part of it." ("It" being, of course, the All-Stars' 20-17 surprise of the world champion Packers in multi-pillared Soldier Field on this sultry August night.) And, all of chastened Packerland is well aware he played a rather large "part" maneuvering the All-Stars to all 20 points, including a late 74-yard collaboration with erstwhile Wisconsin colleague Pat Richter, that sealed the Pack's fate. Vandy thus capped a fairy tale that rivals the best efforts of the Brothers Grimm...CARRIED BY ADMIRERS: Vander Kelen, who played a fleeting 90 seconds as a junior at Wisconsin, then sparked the Badgers to the Big Ten championship and a memorable comeback against USC in the Rose Bowl last New Years' Day, was borne to the All-Star dressing room on the shoulders of some enthusiastic admirers in true fairy tale fashion. There he was besieged by sportswriters from across the land and a swarm of eager photographers, who immediately pressed him into posing with fellow heroes Richter and Bobby Jencks. What had he thought, he was asked, when a voice could be heard above the
din, after an All-Star fumble on the collegian's first offensive series led to the Packers opening touchdown? "I knew if I wanted to play anymore, I'd have to do something right away," he confessed. And he did, driving the Stars 57 yards to the Packers' 14, from where Jencks booted a 21-yard field goal, the eventual winners' first score of the evening. Had there been anything like a "revenge" motive, considering the Packers hadn't drafted him?...NO REVENGE IN MIND: "I wanted to win bad," Vandy admitted, "but there was nothing like that. I just wanted to play and do good. If it had been the Bears we were playing, I would have felt the same way. I just wanted us to win, but I had my doubts until we got going." Asserting, "I didn't know I was going to start until I read it in the paper this morning," Vandy appended with a smile, "Coach Otto Graham never told me personally. The first I heard about it from him was when he announced the starting lineup just before the game. A couple of the other guys and I kind of figured along about Wednesday, though, that I would be starting." The pride of Preble, a protege of Hornet Athletic Director Bill Dessart, conceded he had to run for his life on occasion but felt "I had pretty good protection most of the time. They usually picked up the linebacker when they were red-dogging and that's the big thing, of course."...FEELS MORE PRESSURE: Despite this cooperation from his colleagues, Vander Kelen noted, "Jordan (Hank) was on my back all night and Davis (Willie) was in there quite a bit. Yes, there definitely was more pressure on me tonight than there was in any college game." Had he been bothered by some writers' comments that he was a "one-shot quarterback" in the wake of the All-American Bowl game in Buffalo? "Yes, I was," Vandy confesses. "I knew I had to prove myself in this game or I'd be shot." The defense rests...An understandably elated Otto Graham, openly savoring the taste of victory after four straight defeats in the 30-year-old classic, said the Vander Kelen- Richter spectacular emerged from a "first down play." "I sent it in for a first down," the former Cleveland Brown T-engineer imparted with a grin. "And, at that, Vandy almost changed the call in the huddle, the boys tell me. Thank God, he didn't." Had the fact Vander Kelen is a Green Bay native influenced his decision to start Ron, the reason being that he would be out to "show up" his hometown? "No, that had nothing to do with it," Graham laughed. "All four quarterbacks, Vander Kelen, Griffing, Baker and Gibbs, were very close together but I chose Vandy because, overall, he had a little more poise and was throwing the ball from the pocket." Surprisingly, the Northwestern immortal confided, "We didn't do anything different this year than we did last year. The big thing was that our defense held up. I knew we could move the ball on this club. And, of course, it's the first year we didn't have any injuries." (The late Ernie Davis and Ronnie Bull were lost to the Stars just before last year's game, he pointed out.) Had the Packers' new man-in-motion variation proved troublesome? "No, not at all. They only used it on a few plays," Otto pointed out. "It was just a gimmick. It's all right, of course, we use the man-in-motion ourselves." Graham had a simple explanation for the Star's heavy emphasis on the short pass. "They were giving it to us," he said. "In pro ball, you throw the short one until they get on you tight - then you throw the long one." Conversely, had he felt his secondary could cover the Pack's corps of receivers as well as it did? "You just hope," Otto admitted. Then, chuckling, he added, "That's what I've been saying - it's great coaching."...DECLINES COMPARISON: Declining to label the '63 squad the best of the six teams he's coached, Graham observed, "That team in '58 (which boasted such stars as the Pack's Jim Taylor, dan Currie and Boyd Dowler) was a real good one. This one is the most unpredictable I've had, though. They've been down the last couple days so they figured to be up tonight." Pinpointing the Stars' success formula, Otto declared: "They didn't make the big mistake this year. The Packers had to earn what they got. Another thing, they were bigger, but we were faster. Our offensive line was a big factor and the speed of the backfield." Why had he bypassed Vander Kelen for Griffing at the start of the second half? "I promised they would all play," he promised. "And this is the first time I didn't keep that promise." Graham, always a genial soul and particularly so on this occasion - had a parting word of consolation for brooding Packer fanatics. "This will help the Packers in the season," he insisted."...Two of the Packers' All-Star rookies, who joined the Bays at their St. Norbert College training camp today, greeted the All-Stars' victory with mixed emotions. "It sure was good to win," rangy Tony Liscio conceded, "but I hate to see the Packers lose. We just sprung a surprise on them. It was their first game of the season, and they didn't know anything about us, but we knew everything about them. We saw the film of last year's game five times and went over every mistake that was made over and over. The main thing, Graham kept telling us, was concentrating on cutting down mistakes. And that's what we did." Impressively-built Dave Robinson, the Pack's No. 1 draftee who sparked at linebacker for the Collegians, said, "I'm not at all disappointed in the Packers. We just played good ball tonight. I have an awful lot of respect for the Packer coaching staff. I can tell you that." A personal analysis? "I made a couple of mistakes, but linebacker is a new position to me. I really could have played a better game, though," Dave declared then added with a wink. "This probably will be the first time I get penalized for winning - when I get to camp."...USED 'PACKER' PASS: The Stars' elongated Pat Richter, pursued by reporters for the better part of an hour in the wake of his electrifying 74-yard collaboration with Vander Kelen in the closing minutes had stemmed from "a Packer pass, ironically. That's what we call that play." At this point, All-Star end Dante Lavelli tapped Richter on the shoulder and chortled, "Remember what I told you out on the field the last day - Packer pass left?" Collaborating what Graham had said, Richter quietly explained, "No, we hadn't any thought of going all the way. We were just trying to get three yards and a first down." What happened? "Whittenton (Jess) just slipped off me," Richter said. He had no illusions, the boyish ex-Badger star confided, about running away from the rest of the Packer secondary. "I knew I couldn't," he grinned. "I had a lot of blocking on that one."...Surprisingly jovial Vince Lombardi, who well might have been the picture of gloom, explained the Packers' unexpected comeuppance with typical brevity. "We just went flat," he declared. "I thought we were up for the game. We were as ready, or even more so, than last year," Lombardi explained. "There was nothing wrong with our morale - we went flat." And the opposition? "We expected the All-Stars to be pretty good - they were. I expected them to play a fine ball game." What about the loss of Paul Hornung and Ray Nitschke? "You can't evaluate the loss of Hornung on one ball game," Vince pointed out. "The loss of Nitschke (out with a back injury) hurt us a little, but Pitts and Moore played real well as Hornung's replacements." A breakdown in the Pack's passing attack complicated matters,
too, Lombardi noted. "We dropped a couple and Bart (Starr) wasn't real sharp. Our pass protection was all right. The blitz didn't bother us at all. We just made a lot of misses. We wanted to run this year, but they wouldn't let us. We just couldn't get on the track."...VANDER KELEN NO HELP: The All-Stars' Ron Vander Kelen, he admitted, was no help. "He threaded the needle pretty well, didn't he," Vince said dryly. In answer to a question, he added, "We had him rated as high as anyone after the Rose Bowl." Jim Taylor, Lombardi reported, was an unscheduled participant in the second half. "I gave him orders to stay on the bench," he said with grin, but the Bayou Bronco, still hampered with a knee injury, "sneaked in there on me twice. I wanted to give Gros (sophomore fullback Earl) some experience." Did he feel his defensive end problem, No. 1 on the 1963 list, had been solved? "I wouldn't say that," Lombardi replied. "But Aldridge (rookie Lionel) played an excellent game there. That position isn't up to what it was last year, however, not yet."...As might be expected, the crestfallen Packers had little to say. Needless to say, what transpired in humid Soldier Field was a rude shock to the world champions who had come to regard winning as a way of life. The All-Stars, somebody ventured, had come to play. "We came to play, too," Ron Kramer said with a trace of bitterness, "but we didn't play too well." This was the prevailing sentiment, echoed by rookie Lionel Aldridge, who evinced no surprise the All-Stars' strength. "We knew they were a good football team," he intoned softly. "We just weren't what we expected."...MADE BIG PLAYS: Scholarly Willie Davis sadly pointed out, "They made the big plays. They were stopping us on first down and we were letting them make big yardage on first down." "That," he concluded with a wry smile, "is always a bad combination." It remained for that Arkansas philosopher, Lew Carpenter, to sum it up. He shook his head and tolled, "bad day at Black Rock."
VANDER KELEN STARS' MOST VALUABLE
AUG 4 (Chicago) - Wisconsin's Ron Vander Kelen, the late-blooming quarterback the pros ignored, was named the most valuable player Saturday in the College
All-Stars' 20-17 upset of the NFL champion Green Bay Packers. Vander Kelen collected 38 of the 95 votes cast by sports experts who watched the remarkable Badger puncture the Packer bubble with his deadly passing which produced the big play of the game Friday night. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Vander Kelen, signed as a free agent by the Minnesota Vikings after all 14 NFL clubs shunned him in their December draft, is a resident of the Packers' home base, Green Bay, Wis. It was far from a one-man all-star show in the balloting, with big end Bob Jencks of Miami of Ohio, who kicked two field goals, pushing Vandy with 24 votes. A record total of 15 collegiants shared the widespead vote.
PACKERS' LONE LAMENT: HOPE IT HELPS US
AUG 4 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Losing to the All-Stars bothered the Packers. Fuzzy Thurston couldn't sleep worth a darn Friday night, and he was up bright and early Saturday morning. "Just walked around the hotel, thinking about this thing," he confessed, adding: "Hope it helps us." Dave Hanner, an early bid win or lose, figured the 20-17 defeat "should benefit us. The others have helped." Big Dave knows whereof he speaks: Packer losses have been few and far between but each one, especially in the last two years, has served a purpose, so to speak. The lone setback in 1962 (in Detroit Thanksgiving Day) certainly helped the Pack bounce back to win the West and beat the Giants in the playoff. There were three league losses in '61 and the most "important" was a narrow squeeze with the Lions in the opener. That set off a six-game winning streak. The loss to the All-Stars, perhaps a bit embarrassing, gives Coach Vince Lombardi a fine psychological stick in getting ready for the championship drive. In fact, the result of the loss likely will "take" almost immediately - like in Miami next Saturday night against the Steelers. The last two teams to lose to the All-Stars were the Lions of 1958 and the Browns of 1955. The Browns boomeranged from a three-point (the Pack lost by three, too) loss, 30-27, to win the East and the world title. The Lions lost Bobby Layne after the All-Star game and finished with 4-7. The Packers talked of "too many mistakes" after the game and, while each player can recite his own errors, the major miscues were Jim Taylor's fumble 14 yards from a touchdown, the interception of Bart Starr's pass, Jerry Kramer's two missed field goals, and Tom Moore's "wild pitch" to Boyd Dowler in the end zone. The Stars turned three of the backfires into scores. After the interception, Larry Ferguson plunged seven yards for a touchdown to put the Stars ahead, 10-7. After Taylor's fumble, Tom Jencks kicked a field goal to put the Stars ahead, 13-10. After Kramer's second missed field goal, which would have tied the game, Ron Vander Kelen and Pat Richter worked their 73-yard touchdown aerial...SCORING BIG PROBLEM: The score was 10-10 early in the third period when Moore drifted on a sweep around right end. The
entire Star defense was sucked in, and Dowler was by his lonesome in the end but Tom's thrown was way out. That was one TD. The next time the Bays got the ball they drove 60 some yards only to have Taylor fumble. And so it went. Getting the ball across the goal line was the major problem. Starr was off his mark but several of his good throws were dropped. Early in the second quarter while the Stars had the ball, Starr played catch with Gary Knafelc behind the Packer bench in an effort to sharpen up. Bart finished with 19 out of 32 for 149 yards...GRACIOUS LOSERS: The Packers were most gracious in defeat. There wasn't a growl to be heard anywhere and the Chicago Tribune, which sponsors the All Star classic, praised Lombardi and the Bays for their graciousness in post-game editions. Though he had a bad knee, Taylor was determined to get in his licks. Lombardi revealed after the game, "We got him out of there in the second half, but he sneaked back in twice on us." Jim wound up with 16 carries for 51 yards while Earl Gros, his fullback understudy, carried by twice - for 13 yards. One first-year player was given a good test. That was Lionel Aldridge, the tall defensive end who shared the right spot with Urban Henry and Lombardi indicated later that he was impressed with his work. The three All-Stars belonging to the Packers were to report today to the St. Norbert College headquarters - Dave Robinson, Tony Liscio and Chuck Morris. One Packer was placed on waivers over the weekend - Thurman Walker, the end from Iowa, reducing the squad to 50 players. The Bays returned to Green Bay Saturday afternoon via United Airlines charter. They were off today while the coaches studied the pictures of the game. Work will be resumed Monday morning.
LUCK, BASEBALL FOILED LIONS' BID FOR THIRD STRAIGHT CROWN (Third in series)
AUG 4 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Detroit Lions of the early 1950s, with Bobby Layne at quarterback, won the world championship in 1952-53 and seemed a sure bet to capture the elusive "third straight." However, Detroit ran into a hot Brown team in the 1954 playoff and it was a lopsider, 56-10. Buddy Parker, now coach of the Steelers, piloted the Lon powerhouses. He cited loss of luck and baseball as factors in missing out on a third straight world crown. Here's the word from Parker on his "No. 3" year: "This is an even league. You've got to be lucky to win one, fantastically lucky to win two. Three times...well nobody has done it yet. So I guess there hasn't been anybody that lucky in our league. The two most important ingredients in winning any football championship are football luck and injury luck. Injury luck needs no explaining. Football luck is getting all the breaks during the game - right bounces mostly. We got by in 1952 and 1953, but 1954 was filled with a lot of strange happenings. The real clincher, oddly enough, was when the Cleveland Indians clinched the American League pennant. Originally, we were scheduled to play Cleveland on World Series weekend, but when the Indians won we tried to reschedule the game in Detroit. Paul Brown and Bert Bell decided against this and rescheduled the game during the week normally available for a possible playoff at the end of the season...BACK TO BACK: This resulted in Detroit and Cleveland meeting back to back, both times in Cleveland. We beat them in the rescheduled game, and they walloped us in the championship the following week. But had we played them on the original date, the Browns probably would never have won the East. At the time they were hurting, and we were at top form, and I'm sure we would have beaten them. This would have given them a third loss - too many losses too early in the season. Then when we did meet them in the championship game. Jim David was hurt, Doak Walker wasn't going full speed and we had some other injuries to our defensive unit. Then the injury luck went against us. They made fantastic catches. They recovered every loose fumble, theirs and ours. Here the football luck was on their side. It takes a little bit of everything to win one. You really need the help of the Lord to win three."
EXHIBITION SLATE TO GIVE PACKERS ACID TEST FOR 'TITLE'
AUG 5 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers went back to work today with a new determination. The surprising 20 to 17 loss to the College All Stars proved what can happen in this olde game of football. And, judging by the score, it isn't all nice. Green Bay has five games in which to polish and sharpen its attack and teeth, respectively, for the gigantic task of defending its two-time championship. The title defense starts against the Bears here Sept. 15. Before then, the Packers play the Steelers in Miami next Saturday night; the Cowboys in Dallas Saturday night, Aug. 17; the Bears in Milwaukee Saturday night, Aug. 24; the Giants in Green Bay Labor Day night, Sept. 2; and the Redskins in Cedar Rapids Saturday night, Sept. 7. Each of those clubs figures to furnish considerably more opposition than the All-Stars. Deduction: The Packers will be properly tested before they step on the fast track. The Packers were reduced to 47 players today - just 10 over the final player limit, when Coach Vince Lombardi placed three defensive players on waivers - back John Fabry, the former Premontre and Wisconsin star; tackle Wayne Puterbaugh, who had played with Louisville of the United Football League; and linebacker Coolidge Hunt of Texas Tech. Waived earlier in the weekend was Thurman Walker, end from Iowa. The Bays now have 26 players on the offense and 21 on defense. The camp roster was increased to 47 with the reporting of the three All-Stars, linebacker Dave Robinson, defensive lineman Tony Liscio and defensive back Chuck Morris. Robinson is one of the two first-year men with the linebackers. The other is Ed Holler, the 230-pounder of South Carolina. Returnees are Bill Forester, Dan Currie, Ken Iman and Ray Nitschke, who returned to work today after recuperating from a back injury. Robinson played outside linebacker against the Pack. Liscio is also one of two rookies in the defensive line corps, the other being Lionel Aldridge, who shared defensive end with Urban Henry against the All-Stars. Liscio played both defense tackle and end against the Pack. The other defensive linemen are Ron Kostelnik, Ron Gassert, Dave Hanner, Willie Davis and Hank Jordan. The defensive backfield is also down to two first-year men, Morris and Gary Kroner, former Premontre and Badger ace who is trying to get over a leg injury so he can demonstrate his kicking prowess. Kroner has been bothered by a pulled muscle since the Star game in Buffalo in June. Kroner and Moore are pitched against five returnees - Jess Whittenton, Hank Gremminger, Willie Wood, Herb Adderley and Howard Williams. The Packers' loss in the All Star game raised a lot of eyebrows around the league and the Associated Press, in its daily pro football roundup, noted "the All Stars shocker over the Packers has revived spirits all over the NFL, especially in the camp of the Giants, who lost two straight playoffs, to the Packers." In West Liberty, W. Va., where the Steelers are sharpening up for next Saturday night's game. Buddy Parker was asked what he thought about the game. Buddy, who saw the game on TV, said he wanted to hear from his scouts before making any comment but added: "They certainly did look bad." Likewise, Coach Norm Van Brocklin of the Vikings was asked that if, on the basis of the loss, the Pack is ready to lose this year. "I wouldn't say so. The Packers aren't the only champions to be beaten by the All Stars. Anything can happen in a football game. Green Bay is still the team to beat in the NFL," Norm said.
ROOKIES TO GET GOOD NON-LOOP TEST: VINCE
AUG 6 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers' first-year men will get a good-looking test along the non-league trail. Coach Vince Lombardi put it this way after Monday's practice: "Win or lose, we're going to use all our first-year men a lot in those games. We've just got to get a look at them. Our big problem is going to be finding spots for them." The coach said he liked the play of the big new defensive end, Lionel Aldridge, exclaiming with a smile, "He's faster than Willie Davis." The Packers have five non-league games to test the newcomers and sharpen their appetite for what they hope will be a third straight championship. Fresh from a 20-17 loss to the All Stars, Lombardi recalled another year and another team: "I can remember when I was with the Giants in 1956, we lost all five exhibition games and then tied Cleveland for the division title and won it in a playoff." Vince added with a laugh, "Don't make that sound like I'm going to lose the next five. I don't." The Packers have 11 rookies, six on the defense (linebackers Ed Holler and Dave Robinson, linemen Tony Liscio and Aldridge, and backs Gary Kroner and Chuck Morris) and five on offense (quarterback Terry Zang, center Bob Ames, ends Jan Barrett and Marv Fleming and guard-tackle Dan Grimm). In addition, there are three "strangers" who have had pro experience - Urban Henry, defensive end; Frank Mestnik, fullback; and Bob Jeter, flanker back. The three All Star players - Robinson, Liscio and Morris - reported for their first practice here Monday. Robinson, who led the charge on the Packers' offense in the Star game, was installed at left linebacker. Morris started at right safety, and Liscio was at right defensive end. In fact, Henry Jordan, always a tackle, even tried his hand at the defensive end spot while Henry lined up at tackle on occasion. All three of the Star players possess good speed - especially Robinson and Lisco, who move around in a hurry for big men. Tony packs around 245, Robinson 235. Morris also is a swiftee and intercepted a pass that popped out of a receiver's arms during a pass-play drill. Ray Nitschke, who missed the All Star game with a back injury, and Jim Taylor, who played with a bad leg, were both getting around well Monday. Nitschke expects to work in gradually. The big linebacker was in traction most of last week. Taylor said "it was like trying to run without a second effort" against the All Stars. "The strength isn't back yet. It gave me trouble trying to cut," Jim said...The Packers had lunch with Green Bay's Minutemen at St. Norbert College this noon. The organization of businessmen presented a plaque honoring the Packers for winning the championship...The third annual Bishop's Charities football game at City Stadium Labor Day night, between the Packers and Giants, is moving closer towards becoming a sellout, ticket chairman Gene Sladky has reported. Sladky said some $3 tickets still remain, but that the $5 tickets have been sold out. A small number of $4 seats is still available, but these are moving fast. Sladky urged all persons interested in attending to purchase their tickets as soon as possible. A sellout would mean a new attendance record for a Packer game at Green Bay. Last year's Bishop's Charities contest was played before a sellout of 38,669, but a City Stadium seating addition is expected to expand capacity to approximately 42,300 this year. The largest crowd ever to witness a Packer game in Green Bay was 39,021, for the 1961 championship clash with the New York Giants.
VINCE DRIVES PACK, TAKES ALL-STAR BLAME
AUG 7 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Vince Lombardi gave the Packers a stiff scrimmage and then accepted some of the blame himself for the All Star loss - all in the space of one hour. The Packers' head coach, preparing the Bays for an unprecedented third straight championship, didn't like the way his 47 charges were performing in a blocking scrimmage. He ordered an all-out scrimmage and the offense and defense batted heads for 15 minutes under a blazing sun. This, too, was unprecedented since normally the Packers see the last of their mid-week scrimmages before the annual intra-squad game. The Packers then went to lunch at St. Norbert College with more than 200 Green Bay and area businessmen to honor the Bays for winning the 1962 world championship was presented to Lombardi, who accepted it on behalf of the squad and then spoke briefly. The forthright mentor said, "I really don't have much to say about the loss to the All Stars, except this: The team and the coaches, and I include myself, took the game much, much too lightly. You can't get ready the day before a game. You've got to start earlier in the week." Lombardi admitted, however, that "we all on the sidelines felt that we were going to win right up to the last three minutes. Not until Pat Richter went all the way on that pass did we feel the game was lost." The All Star loss isn't the end - to be sure. Vince pointed out: "We're still going to be a fine football team. We were criticized for not being hungry enough, but I still believe that this team will and wants to win, and I believe they want to pay the price." The luncheon was sponsored by the Green Bay Minutemen, a sort of sports branch of the Chamber of Commerce. This was one of the most pleasant tasks in the history of the Minutemen, whose biggest job was blazing the Packers' lifesaving stock drive, under Jerry Atkinson, back in 1950. The plaque was presented to Vince by Frank Shekore, outgoing president of the Chamber of Commerce, and the coach told the audience that it will be placed in the Packers' trophy case in the new Packer administrator building at City Stadium. Al Schneider, chairman of the Minutemen, opened the program and John Stiles was master of ceremonies. Tony Canadeo accepted the plaque on behalf of the Packer executive committee. The Rev. Dennis M. Burke, president of St. Norbert College, gave the benediction. As a windup, Lombardi introduced each player and members of his coaching staff. Everybody took part in the scrimmage except Hank Jordan, who injured his ankle in the All Star game. Getting the final taste of contact in nearly two weeks was linebacker Ray Nitschke, who was in the hospital last week with a back injury. He made a couple of head-on tackles and walked away smiling. The Packers leave at 9 o'clock Friday morning, via United Airlines charter, for Miami where they'll meet the Steelers in the Orange Bowl Saturday night. The Bays will headquarter at the Kenilworth Hotel. They'll stay in Dallas next week to prepare for the Cowboys in the Cotton Bowl Saturday night, Aug. 17.
PRESSURE TOP PACK PROBLEM, SYMANK
AUG 7 (Lake Forest, IL) - John Symank, a Green Bay regular in the 37-0 rout of the New York Giants in 1961, has only the best to say for Vince Lombardi, who traded him away to the St. Louis Cardinals via New York. "I went to Lombardi last January and told him I wasn't happy being a substitute," said Symank at the Cards' training camp. "He said he appreciated my position and that as long as I had proved to him I wanted to play he would not hold me back." Symank, who lost his job with the Packers when Lombardi decided to move Hank Gremminger to safety and install Herb Adderley to the defensive halfback spot, figures to be a regular safety man with the Cardinals. He and Larry Wilson, the blitzing safety, will be the deep men in Wally Lemm's defense. The Packers traded Symank to the Giants last winter and the Giants sent him to the Cardinals for a high draft choice. Bill Quinlan, another former regular on the Packers' defensive unit, also was traded to the Giants, who dealt him to Philadelphia. Symank can spot the moment when he was finished with the Packers. "I made a couple of mistakes in a game with the Chicago Bears in 1961," he said. "I got blamed for three touchdowns that may or may not have been my fault. Then last year in the College All-star game, Chuck Bryant beat me on a down and out and they took me out of the game. That was it, except for a couple of exhibitions." As a former Packer, Symank had to answer the usual questions about the effect of Paul Hornung's suspension on the champs. "I don't think they will miss Hornung a great deal," he said. "They will miss his leadership and kicking most of all. For running, passing and blocking, they have Tom Moore, Earl Gros and Elijah Pitts. The big thing with them is to overcome the pressure by the opposition. After all, they won the Western Conference three times and won the world championship twice. Detroit and Baltimore are all fired up. And don't forget, we play them, too. It should be a very interesting game." The green-eyed Texan saw the Packers go from last under Lisle Blackbourn to first under Lombardi. In the last three years, the playoff checks have come to $3,100, $5,100 and $5,900. The big difference between Lombardi and Lemm? "Lombardi used to yell so loud he would get hoarse and lose his voice," said Symank. "Lemm raises his voice only when he wants to call one player in particular."
PACK SHARPENS TOES; GASSERT TRADED
AUG 8 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Membership in the Packers' Defensive Line Assn. was reduced to seven today with the trading of Ron Gassert to the Rams. The Packers received a draft choice - payable at the next draft party - in exchange for the 250-pound University of Virginia athlete, Coach Vince Lombardi announced. Gassert is the fourth member of the 1962 world championship team to depart. He follows Paul Hornung, Bill Quinlan and Johnny Symank, and the Bays now have 32 holdovers among the 46 players in camp. The other 14 include three players with pro experience (Bob Jeter, Urban Henry and Frank Mestnik) and 11 rookies. Gassert was the Packers' fourth draft choice a year ago and saw some relief action last year. He hurt his leg and underwent surgery to correct the injury during the offseason. The defensive line remainees are Dave Hanner, Hank Jordan, Willie Davis, Ron Kostelnik, Lionel Aldridge, Tony Liscio and Henry. Liscio just reported after duty with the All Stars and likely will get his first test in the non-leaguer against the Steelers in Miami Saturday night. The Packers worked on kicking field goals and blocking for the field goal kickers as part of the regular practice Wednesday. As Lombardi explained, "We've got to work on this. We missed two last week and that could have won us the game." Jerry Kramer missed the two attempts in a 20-17 loss, and oddly enough Jerry muffed only two of his 12 attempt during the 1962 league season. Kramer, Willie Wood and Gary Kroner, who did the kicking at Wisconsin, took turns kicking from the 12-yard line all the way back to the 45, with jumps of about 10 yards. To give coaches a chance to study the kickers, Coach Red Cochran took pictures of the kickers with an instant-developing sequence camera. Wood was making one of his few appearances as a field goal booter (he had been specializing in kicking off). He delivered consistently and hit two from 45 yards. Wood did the field goaling at Southern California. Wood quipped, "I'd like to be another Agajanian - sit on the bench and come in on fourth and three from the 20. But I guess I like the work too much." Kroner displayed power to spare despite the fact that he's not completely recovered from a pulled
muscle in his kicking leg. The ex-Premontre ace tried four time from the 45 and "converted" on three of them. He said his leg "is coming back some." Kramer was exceptionally accurate from down close and the big guard came up with good distance yesterday. He's the only FG kicker in the league with no follow through. It's really not that bad but, as Lombardi said one, "it's not much more than a foot."...BRIEFS: The Bays will fly out of Austin Straubel for Miami in a United Airlines charter at 9 o'clock Friday morning. They'll headquarter at the Kenilworth Hotel...Jim Taylor and Willie Davis will be honored as the outstanding offensive and defensive players in last year's Bishop's Charities game at the 1963 Bishop's contest. Taylor and Davis were cited for their play last year by the Mike and Pen Club.
KNAFELC, 9-YEAR PACK VET, RETIRES
AUG 9 (Miami-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Gary Knafelc has ended his nine-year Packer career. The likeable pass catcher, after-dinner speaker, movie and TV actor and businessman announced his retirement Thursday afternoon. "I wanted to give it one more try this year, but decided to call it quits after the All Star game," Gary said. "I'm content now to become a civilian again, and I certainly wish Coach Lombardi and the Packers the best of luck." Knafels is vice-president of the Coleman School Supply Co., and is still under contract to a movie and TV studio. He did a pilot film during the past offseason, plus a role in the film, "Palm Springs Story." He is known as Gary Kincaid on film. Gary, the one-time Colorado star, came to the Packers as a free agent in 1954 after the second league game. He had been the Cardinals' second draft choice that year. He led the Pack with 40 catches in 1955 and scored eight TDs, one a last second catch to whip Detroit here. He caught six passes in the 1960 championship game. Knafelc's retirement - and the trade of Ron Gassert Thursday, dropped the Packers' roster to 45 players. Gassert was traded to the Rams for a draft choice. "Kincaid," as the boys called him, backed up Ron Kramer the past two years as tight end. Jan Barrett, a good looking rookie, seems like a good bet to take over Knafelc's spot. Lew Carpenter can also play the position. The other pass catchers are Marv Fleming, another first-year man who has shown considerable promise, Max McGee, Boyd Dowler and Gary Barnes. The list of non-returnees from the 1962 championship team is now up to five. Leaving earlier were Paul Hornung, Bill Quinlan and John Symank. The Packers have 11 rookies, three players with previous pro experience with other clubs (Bob Jeter, Urban Henry and Frank Mestnik) and 31 holdovers. The Packers were scheduled to drill in the Orange Bowl upon arrival here this afternoon in preparation for the Steeler game Saturday night. They flew out of Austin Straubel Field in a chartered United Airlines plan Friday morning. The
Bays are staying at the Kenilworth hotel. The Packers finished off the final practice in Green Bay with another field goal kicking drill, featuring the kicking of Jerry Kramer, who hit 10 of 12 in the 1962 league season and then missed two in the All Star game; Willie Wood, who kicked field goals at Southern Cal; and Gary Kroner, Wisconsin's kicker. Lombard said he was undecided on which of the three to use if any field goal opportunities come up against Pittsburgh. Wood and Kroner have been getting good distance. Lombardi also reiterated that he planned to use his rookies during his exhibition season, giving them a good look during practice this week. Six of the first-year men are on defense - linebackers Ed Holler and Dave Robinson, linemen Tony Liscio and Lionel Aldridge, and backs Chuck Morris and Kroner. Rookies on offense are center Bob Ames, quarterback Terry Zang, ends Barrett and Fleming and guard-tackle Dan Grimm...BRIEFS: Notes to J. Kramer: Here's a quote from Cardinal Coach Wally Lemm: "We worked intensively on protection for our passer last fall. We have some problems in our offensive line but I wouldn't trade our offensive guard, Ken Gray, for Jerry Kramer of the Packers." The irony of this: Ken was waived by the Packers in 1958 and claimed by the Cards...The only other time Green Bay played in Miami was in 1957 when they whipped the Cardinals here 17-14 on Fred Cone's 40-yard field goal. The two clubs then played the next weekend in Austin, Tex., and the Pack won 24-16.
'SHRINE' SELLOUT
AUG 9 (Milwaukee) - A sellout crowd of 44,000 will see the Shrine charity football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears at County Stadium Aug. 24, it was announced Thursday. Attorney Herbert Mount, chairman of the game, said "we could have sold 75,000."
FABRY HOPES FOR ANOTHER CHANCE ON PRO GRID
AUG 9 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Green Bay's John Fabry, placed on waivers by the Packers Monday, is still hoping for a crack at pro football. The former Premontre and University of Wisconsin gridder, who was signed by the Pack as a free agent, has finished his waiver period and is now free to negotiate with any other teams. "I want to play someplace," Fabry said Thursday. "If nothing turned up in the National League, I'll try the AFL." The combination quarterback-defensive back said that he has had feelers from Montreal in the Canadian League and would try Canada if nothing else becomes available "but I'd rather stay in the states." Although Montreal is said to be looking for a quarterback as well as defensive backs, Fabry admitted that he injured his wrist during his stay with the Packers and may not be able to pass well.
Miami Herald (August 10th 1963)
PACKERS MAKE 'NEW START' AGAINST STEELERS TONIGHT
AUG 10 (Miami-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers make a "new start" on the 1963 preseason campaign in the Orange Bowl tonight. And you can bet a quarter of your season ticket that they'll look better than they did in the surprise 20 to 17 loss to the College All Stars a week ago. Green Bay has always snapped back from a defeat and, while Coach Vince Lombardi plans to get a good look at his rookies, the Bays can be expected to be snorting against the Steelers. Pittsburgh Coach Buddy Parker is well aware of the Pack's ambitions tonight. Said he: "It's tough to play the Packers any time but when you have to play them after they've blown one to the All Stars it's really Daniel in the lion's den." That's a little strong but the experts have tabbed GB a 7-point favorite and a crowd of more than 25,000 is coming out to see what goes with the two-straight champions. Kickoff is set for 8:15 and WJPG will carry the broadcast. Returning to game action for the first time this new season is big Ray Nitschke, the most valuable player in the championship game, who missed the All Star game due to a back injury. He's anxious for action and will open at his middle linebacker spot. It will be interesting to watch what's in store for the right side of the Packers' defensive line, Urban Henry and Lionel Aldridge changed off at right end in the Star game and during this week's drill Henry worked some at tackle and Hank Jordan tried end. Also due to be tested in that area is big Tony Liscio, who played against the Pack last Friday. Four other rookies will be tested on defense - Dave Robinson, the No. 1 draft choice, who did so well against the Pack at left linebacker; Ed Holler, a noisy linebacker;
and defense backs Gary Kroner and Chuck Morris. Offensively, the spotlight will be on Jim Taylor, who wasn't himself due to a leg injury last week. Bart Starr will be out to juice up the Pack's attack which lacked vs. the Stars. The key rookies on offense are both catchers, Jan Barrett and Marv Fleming. Barrett has been backing up Ron Kramer. The Packers worked out in a field next to the Orange Bowl shortly after a delayed arrival Friday afternoon. Their audience included a flock of Cuban kids whose tangled conversation prompted Lombardi to note, "Even the Cubans know we lost to the All Stars." The coach got a big hand when he caught a "tapped" field goal attempt by Willie Wood, who kicked the ball when the field goal squad lined up for position. Willie was urged to kick the ball and Lombardi, standing behind the line, caught it. Wood may do the kicking if a field goal opportunity comes up. Jerry Kramer, Kroner and Wood have been practicing all week. The Steelers, who worked out before the Packers, are aiming for the Eastern Division championship and they
like the idea of testing themselves against Green Bay. Parker announced that Bob Ferguson, the Ohio State fullback who has looked so good in practice, will open in place of John Henry Johnson. The Packers, headquartering at the Kenilworth Hotel, will leave for Dallas Sunday morning via United Airlines charter and set up shop next week for their game against the Cowboys a week from tonight.
PACKERS FAVORED TO BEAT STEELERS BY SEVEN POINTS
AUG 10 (Miami News) - The Orange Bowl has a new $35,000 scoreboard, 62 feet long, and with almost as much electrical wiring as a battleship. It will not be operative tonight however, when the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers open the local football season at 8:15 p.m. Playing a pro football game without a scoreboard would seem almost as confusing as playing without a football. Most of the time anyway, for these people score like Wilt Chamberlain. Tonight, maybe not. Off the last out past performance charts on these two teams, fans would find it entirely convenient to keep score on their fingers. Tonight's winning quarterback will surely qualify as the NFL's comeback of the week. Both Pittsburgh's Ed Brown and Bart Starr, of Green Bay, start with something to prove - that they are not as bad as they looked last time. It won't be easy. Green Bay is the defensive titan, as well as the defending champion, in the NFL and Pittsburgh one of the more stubborn Packers' challengers...STARR DISAPPOINTED: Starr's performance last Friday against the College All Stars may have been his most disappointing since he left the Alabama campus eight years ago. The All-NFL quarterback completed two of his first 11 passes and produced only 10 points in 59 minutes and change. The Packers are like the New York Yankees in more ways than won-lost average. They are very conscious of their image and do not fly into locker-smashing rages - not in public anyway - even after their most humiliating defeats, which the All-Star thing surely was. But as Starr undressed Friday, the grinding of his teeth was most audible. "All we are trying to do is get our offense ready to function," says Vince Lombardi, the hard-driving Packer coach. He won't talk about this goal in terms of points, but Green Bay averaged nearly 30 points per league game in 1962 and, following last week's disgrace, only a 30-point plus performance would be a prestige restorative. The Packers are seven-point favorites...POOR GAME: Brown and the Steelers, like the rest of the league, haven't played since last season ended. Brown, the 34-year-old 10-year NFL veteran, concluded his 1962 work in an embarrassing spot - flat on his back at the Orange Bowl. He was caught in a compromising position six times - for 53 yards in losses - and engineered just 10 points in his 52 minutes, 14 seconds of Pro Playoff Bowl work in a loss to Detroit. Brown surely has the more demanding job this evening. His receivers are scarcely the caliber of Starr's and the Green Bay defensive secondary, in reputation anyway, is superior to Pittsburgh's. The Packers will see one new thing - empty seats. The million-dollar refurnishing program is still in progress at the Orange Bowl, but even with the west end zone roped off. 61,323 seats will be available this evening. The sponsoring Justice of the Peace and Constables Association will be extremely fortunate if one-third of these are filled with paying customers. Stil, the promoters expected to have an advance sale of 11,000 by sundown today and forecast a paying audience of upwards of 20,000...AUXILIARY BOARD: Customers won't really have to count points on their fingers. The auxiliary scoreboards on the upper decks are still working and will have the rudimentary information available. Game officials had better have some extra footballs available, though. Balls which are kicked into the incomplete west end stands or into the boulder-strewn east end area could receive several lacerations. This match could boil down to a running contest between Jim Taylor, the league's top rusher in 1962, and Steeler John Henry Johnson, his runner-up. The Steelers have top receivers in Buddy Dial and Preston Carpenter, as well as a first-rate field goal threat, left-footed Lou Michaels. With Paul Hornung on suspension, the Packers' offensive centers around Starr, Taylor, running backs Tom Moore and Elijah Pitts and receivers Max McGee, Boyd Dowler and Ron Kramer. The Steelers, who won six of their final regular season games in 1962, with now-retired Bobby Layne providing much of the momentum, will get strong cheering support from their front office tonight. The Pittsburgh advance ticket sale is well off, and an opening exhibition victory might suppy a stimulant.
