PRESEASON: Green Bay Packers (3-0) 26, Chicago Bears 7
Saturday August 24th 1963 (at Milwaukee)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(MILWAUKEE) - The Packers came to life in the second quarter and raced away from the Bears in a rip-roaring Shrine Classic before a crowd of 44,592 in County Stadium here Saturday night. The final score was 26 to 7. And two rookies scored the last 10 points in the final three minutes. The Bears took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter and the Packers matched the TD just before the half, but Jerry Kramer missed the point kick and it was a 7-6 thriller. Chicago scored on Bill Wade's three-yard pass to Mike Ditka and GB counted on Bart Starr's 19-yard peg to Ron Kramer. Green Bay bristled in the second half - undoubtedly the result of a little tonic from Dr. Vincent T. Lombardi. Starr hurled his second TD pass - a 6-yarder to Max McGee for a 13-7 lead. Then Jerry Kramer kicked a 37-yard field goal. Gary Kroner booted a 34-yard three-pointer and Dave Robinson returned an intercepted Rudy Bukich pass 24 yards for a TD. As a final gesture, Jess Whittenton intercepted another Bukich pass at the final gun. The Packers weren't exactly smooth in the first half, though the Bears were fighting and clawing. They moved the ball okay but one of J. Kramer's field goals was blocked and the Bears went on to a TD. In addition, the Bears blocked the extra point and J. Kramer missed an 18-yard field goal.
NOT EXHIBITION
This was a typical Bear-Packer battle - definitely not an exhibition. Early in the game, Mike Ditka jumped on Willie Wood and drew a roughing penalty. Later, Boyd Dowler was thrown out for fighting and the officials nicked George Halas - or rather his team - 15 yards for yipping from the sidelines. The Packers piled up a 365-yard attack and this time they were the passing team - unlike in Dallas last Saturday when they ran for 260 yards. They gained 261 in the air and 114 on the ground. The Bays had 24 first downs against the Bears' 14. The Bears had 214 yards total. Individually, Jim Taylor and Ron Bull each gained 70 yards. Starr hit 16 out of 23 for 224 yards and two touchdowns. Ron Kramer and Ditka, the two best tight ends in the game. caught 10 passes between 'em. Ron led with 6 for 101 yards. Ditka has 4 for 33. The Packers had a chance to draw first blood after the game opened with an exchange of punts by Max McGee and Bobby Joe Green. Green Bay rolled 50 yards in five plays, chiefly on running by Moore and Taylor and Starr passes to Kramer for 24 and Moore for 13. The attack stalled when Taylor was thrown for a 4-
yard loss. J. Kramer tried a field goal from the 32, but Dave Whitsell blocked it and Bart Starr recovered on the 43. The Bears went on to a 7-0 lead from there, despite a 15-yard roughing penalty. A 12-yard run by Joe Marconi and Wade's 15-yard pass to Ditka set the Bears on the Packer 16. Needing a yard on fourth down, Wade pulled a "long count" and the Packers jumped offside, giving the visitors a first down on the three. Wade then threw to Ditka, alone in the end zone, for the TD. Jencks converted and it was 7-0 with 22 seconds left in the quarter.
TOUCHDOWN MOTION
The Packers got another drive going midway in the second period, with Starr throwing 9 to Dowler and for 15 to R. Kramer, who made a one-handed catch to the Bear 45. Taylor's running and another pass to Kramer, for 17 yards, put the Pack close up again, but the attack fizzled and Kramer tried a field goal from the 18. But the kick was blocked. A poor punt of 27 yards by Green set the Packers in touchdown motion just before the half. Starting on their own 41, the Packers scored in five plays. Starr, on second down, pitched an 11-yarder to Kramer who lateraled to Moore, who completed an 18-yard gain. The Bears were nailed for 15 for unsportsmanlike conduct to the nine but Joe Fortunato promptly threw Starr for a 10-yard loss. Then it came. Starr fired a scorcher to Kramer, who cut from the right and toward the goal posts, snagging the ball and roared in with 1:51 left in the half. Kramer's kick was deflected and the Bears had a 7-6 edge. It was obvious the Packers came out with a firmer purpose in the second half. They stopped the Bears cold and then scored a touchdown on a 10-play, 76-yard drive. The Packers ground it out. Starr passed to Dowler for 7, Taylor ran 3 and Moore 14 to the Bear 48. Starr tossed to McGee for 9, Taylor ran 9 and Starr pitched to Dowler for 19 to the 11. Three plays later, Starr waited while McGee got in position in the end zone and then rifled the ball into his tummy for the TD. Kramer's kick made it 13-7 at 6:13. The Bears stormed back behind Rudy Bukich who completed three passes and Bull ran for 29 yards in three plays. They reached the Packer 2 and the Packers put on a tremendous goal line stand, stopping Bull and Casares for a net gain of one yards in four trips. The Packers ripped away and added a field goal on what started out like a 99-yard drive. Starr started by throwing a 22-yard pass to Moore from deep in the end zone. And the Bears drew a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct - probably on Coach George Halas. The Bays got down to the Bear 16 on Starr's passes to Dowler and Kramer, but the Packers were nicked for a personal foul when Dowler got into a fight and was ejected for the night. Kramer then kicked a 37-yard field goal at 1:55 for a 16-7 lead. The Packers came forth with replacements, with John Roach taking over at QB. With 2:50 left, Gary Kroner kicked a 34-yard field goal and just before the end Dave Robinson intercepted a Bukich pass and returned 24 yards for a TD, and Kroner converted.
CHICAGO - 7 0 0 0 - 7
GREEN BAY - 0 6 7 13 - 26
CHICAGO GREEN BAY
First Downs 14 24
Rushing-Yards-TD 34-100-0 33-114-0
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 22-9-119-1-2 27-19-261-2-0
Sack Yards Lost 5 10
Total Yards 214 365
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Turnovers 2 0
Yards penalized 9-93 7-52
SCORING
1st - CHI - Mike Ditka, 3-yard pass from Billy Wade (Bob Jencks kick) CHICAGO 7-0
2nd - GB - Ron Kramer, 19-yard pass from Bart Starr (Kick blocked) CHICAGO 7-6
3rd - GB - Max McGee, 6-yard pass from Starr (Jerry Kramer kick) GREEN BAY 13-7
4th - GB - J. Kramer, 37-yard field goal GREEN BAY 16-7
4th - GB - Gary Kroner, 34-yard field goal GREEN BAY 19-7
4th - GB - Dave Robinson, 24-yard interception return (Kroner kick) GREEN BAY 26-7
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Jim Taylor 17-70, Tom Moore 8-36, Lew Carpenter 6-10, Earl Gros 2-(-2)
CHICAGO - Ronnie Bull 18-70, Joe Marconi 6-17, Rick Casares 5-9, Rudy Bukich 1-4, Billy Martin 2-1, Billy Wade 2-(-1)
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 23-16-224 2 TD, John Roach 4-3-37
CHICAGO - Rudy Bukich 10-4-63 2 INT, Billy Wade 12-5-56 1 TD
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Ron Kramer 6-101 1 TD, Boyd Dowler 4-45, Tom Moore 3-58, Lew Carpenter 2-29, Max McGee 2-15 1 TD, Bob Jeter 1-8, Jim Taylor 1-5
CHICAGO - Mike Ditka 4-33 1 TD, Johnny Morris 3-55, Ronnie Bull 2-31
HALAS. LOMBARDI AGREE PACKERS' GOAL LINE STAND TURNING POINT
AUG 25 (Milwaukee-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - George Halas, the Bears' owner-coach, and the Packers' Vince Lombardi agreed after the game that the goal line stand in the third quarter meant the game. "It was the turning point of the game. It broke our back," Halas told the writers. "The goal line stand got us rolling. We went on from there," Lombardi said. Halas, who had absorbed the eighth straight loss at the hands of the Pack, called the Packers "a great team." He said he liked the way Ron Bull ran and added that Willie Galimore will be ready next week. Charlie Bivins didn't play because of a pulled muscle. Lombardi said he was very well satisfied with the play of the rookies and especially Lionel Aldridge who "played a fine game." The Bay mentor said that "beating the Bears in exhibition games, or not, is always a sweet victory."...A vote of the sportswriters and sportscasters covering the game gave Ron Kramer the nod as the game's outstanding offensive player and Ray Nitschke as the top defensive player...It can only happen before an exhibition game - visiting the Bears' dressing room. But their quarters are just like the Packers. All is quiet and peaceful as players put on their uniforms. Somebody mentioned to Papa Halas that "it's only an exhibition." He took a deep breath, half smiled and said nothing. The word exhibition doesn't fit when these old rivals meet. Halas did say that Tom Bettis would see "a little play." The former Packers has an elbow injury and this was his first action against the club that drafted him first in 1955. Tom was traded to Pittsburgh last year...Packer Coach Vince Lombardi and Halas each had separate conferences with the officials on the field before the game. When Lombardi walked off the field, the Shriners set off a giant firecracker. Vince grabbed his chest like he'd been shot and let out a broad grin...Val Keckin, the Giant quarterback cut by the Pack two years ago, showed up with the Bears. "I still liked Green Bay the best," he laughed, adding, "I still think I can make it somewhere in the league." He joined Baltimore after leaving the Pack and was on the Colt cab squad. Last year, he joined the Bears but they farmed him out to San Diego. Asked about the other league, he said, "There's no difference."...The Bear coaching staff has a new look, the big exchange being Clark Shaughnessy for Joe Stydahar. This is Joe's first football job since he worked in Green Bay in '53. other than scouting...Queen of the 1963 Shrine game was Diane Ray Zywicki. The lovely girl is a former patient of the Chicago Shriners' Hospital for crippled children. She was honored as part of the Shriners' elaborate between halves ceremony...Gene Sladky, ticket chairman of the Bishop's Charities game, announced here Saturday night that the Labor Day game in Green Bay City Stadium is a complete sellout. The game will be witnessed by 42,327 fans, a stadium record.
MAGAZINE SCRIBES SAY PACK WILL REPEAT 'DESPITE PAUL'
AUG 25 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - "Dspite the suspension of Paul Hornung..." If there's one dominant theme winding through the maze of nationally marketed pro football magazines feeding a pigskin hungry public, it's the overwhelming belief that not even the loss of Hornung can stop the Packers from winning another NFL Western Conference championship. As a matter of fact, the corps of magazine writers, some already well known to sports fans but others unheard of, generally goes so far as to fearlessly predict another title for the Packers even if bulldozing Jim Taylor should seriously falter as a result of his bouts with hepatitis and Sam Huff. These observations are the sum of paging carefully through no less than 11 magazines, ranging in price from .35 to $1.00 and in worth from a nickel to a couple of bucks, all dealing exclusively with pro football. In addition, two others with large sections devoted to the pro type of play but also containing college previews were used. Eleven of the 13 offered forecasts of the coming season, and they left little doubt that Green Bay and New York will be exchanging blows again this year
come crowning day. Only one dared to predict the overall championship, however, and that one, strangely enough, fingered the Colts - over the Giants. This swami, one of only three to place the Packers second in the West, was Al Silverman, editor of Sport Magazine, who was writing in a Sport by-product called Inside Football. And, in looking at the Colts, he asks, "Please do not raise the question of sanity here." And in eyeing the Packers, he adds, "There is no logical reason for picking the Packers second anywhere. Despite..." In the overall calculations, the Packers received eight first place picks and three for second. The Lions, understandably, were chosen the toughest challengers, with two first place votes, six for second and three for third. The Colts, as noted, got the only other first place vote and the Bears got the only other second place votes, three. Closest thing to unanimous, besides the Packers, was Minnesota with nine last place ballots and two for sixth. The Western Division race boils down to this, according to the magazines, with point totals based on 7 for 1st, 6 for 2nd, 5 for 3rd, etc. basis: Green Bay 74, Detroit 65, Chicago 54, Baltimore 49, San Francisco 30, Los Angeles 25, Minnesota 13. In the East, the Giants are even stronger favorites than the Packers, possibly because Allie Sherman's crew doesn't have a despite clause. New York got 10 out of a possible 11 first place votes, the other for second. The only one to break the monopoly was Dallas, which got votes ranging from first through sixth. The Browns are again rated the top challengers with four seconds and four thirds. The breakdown goes like this: New York 76, Cleveland 56, Dallas 48, Pittsburgh 47, St. Louis 31, Washington 27, Philadelphia 25. In addition to the forecasts, however, the magazines, which use just about every name imaginable, offer such delicacies as Football's Furious Feud (guess who), Why the Packers Must Win, Are the Packers the Best Ever?, But Not Dirty (a bylined story on linebacking by Ray Nitschke), Paul Hornung Asks "Give Me Another Chance," Marked Man of the Packers, Hornung and Karras: Why They'll Really Be Missed, Bart Starr Makes the Packers Go, There's Something Missing in Bart Starr and even such things as an all-time Packer team...7 OF 13 COVERS: Packers, by the way, are featured on seven of the 13 covers with Taylor grabbing the majority of the glamor with four appearances. Starr has two and Herb Adderley another. Taylor's main competition comes from that New York writers' favorite, Y.A. Tittle, who made three covers, and his annual on-field target, Jim Brown, with two credits. Many other Pack pics are scattered throughout the mags, naturally, including inside covers but for pin-ups, True's Football Yearbook offers a portfolio of eight full-page, full-color photos that are hard to beat. Notably, two of the eight are Packers, Taylor and Jim Ringo. But why do the Packers rate top billing in the West again? Let's take a quick look: Pro Football Illustrated's Lou Spadia says: "The Packers had more balance last year than the scales of justice. If anything the Packers were mentally tired near the end of last season." True's Football Yearbook's Murray Olderman says: "The Packers are, theoretically, a team without a fundamental weakness. Like Jim Taylor, the game's premier runner, mused thoughtfully last December, 'I'd hate to play for that man (Lombardi) if we ever lost.'" Street and Smith Pro Football Yearbook's Bob Oates says, "In forecasting the Packer picture, one must say that Green Bay may not win the championship in 1963, but it isn't going to lose it. Someone will have to rip it away. And that will take a lot of ripping. The offensive line is absurdly efficient. Surely the top group of linebackers in the game. Jim Taylor hates his way through the line." Earlier, in looking at the entire league, Oates says, "The Green Bay Packers will field a football team again in 1963. Having thus discussed the Western Division title picture, we can move on." Fawcett Pro Football's Ed Friel says: "The only possible trouble for the Packers seen here would be if a few of the dependable turned playboys overnight. But Lombardi worked to get where he is in pro football today, you can bet he'll be swinging a big whip if need be." Pro Football Stars' Cooper Rollow says: "Even without Hornung and Taylor, the Packers boast the league's top passer in Bart Starr, its most efficient offensive line and its most consistent defense." All-Pro Football's editors say: "The Packers will barely miss their great halfback because they have other great halfbacks just looking for work and they have so much first-line strength and so much depth that it's inconceivable that they can lose either their Western Division title of their world championship this year." All-Pro 1963 Football, which picks the Lions over the Packers, has this explanation: "For intangible reasons: footballs take funny bounces and the Lions have the talent to exploit bounces that come their way." Football Forecast's Bill Rives, who also picks the Lions, has little in the way of explanation except to say: "The hungry Detroit Lions appear ready to end Green Bay's dominance," although he admits, "The Packers, even without Hornung, will be potent again." Joe O'Day, writing in Pros '63, on the Taylor-Huff merry-go-round, concludes that the principles are the victims of an over-zealous press but makes a particularly strong case in behalf of Huff. In Marked Man of the Packers, Pro Football Stars' Mitch Barry points out, "Taylor will have to battle through 14 games without the comforting presence of Paul Hornung. But there is one consolation. If the marked man of the Packers can lead his team to another championship, no man can dispute his right to the title of Mr. Fullback in the NFL." This may be true, but All-Pro Football gives the nod to Jimmy Brown as the "All-Time Fullback" and warns he'll be back at his best in 1963. And Fawcett's Pro Football had "nearly a dozen" linemen from six NFL clubs picks the top ball carriers. Brown was rated first, Taylor second. Brown's votes were bunched in the top three places and Taylor's stretched from first through fifth. Along with Taylor, Starr was given several barrels of individual ink. Bill Surface of Football Forecast says: "He rarely even generates adverse excitement by fumbling, having a pass intercepted, or getting caught after hours in 'Speed's,' the Packers' favorite saloon. But Starr is the guy who makes the Packers - the champions - go." He quotes the always available Huff thusly: "In all my playing against Starr - and this includes the last two world championship games - I've never had any idea when he was changing signals at the line of scrimmage. Don't think anybody else does either." Lee Szold finds "something missing" in Starr for Fawcett's Pro Football and says there are too many "but's" about him. He pictures Starr as an "angry quarterback."...SVARE PRAISES STARR: Both of Bart's biographers work on the idea that he can't throw a screen pass, an apparent development of the Thanksgiving Day fiasco in Detroit last year. In Bill Parker's story, Are the Packers the Best Ever?. for All-Pro Football, little is reached in the way of a conclusion although George Connor expresses the idea that pro football teams are like automobiles. "The model that is currently leading the field has to be a lot better than a model that led the field fifteen or twenty years before." Ram Coach Harland Svare takes up Starr's case in the same piece. He is quoted, "Bart Starr is a big reason for the Packers' greatness. His talent used to be questioned, but I say it can no longer be denied. Whatever he used to be, he is an accomplished passer today. He is the leader of the team on the field and he's the guy who makes it go. I dislike the word underrated, but Bart's least appreciated and most important virtue is that he never gets the Packers in trouble. He doesn't fumble, he doesn't throw interceptions and he never loses his poise."...ALL-TIME TEAM: The Hornung-Karras gambling stories are strictly rehashes of everything that has been said before, although Pro Football stresses they both will be missed primarily for their "off-field" type leadership and William Furlong insists in Football Forecast that Pete Rozelle's biggest problem is how to pose as a strong commissioner while men like George Halas are forcing his policy moves and issuing statements over his name. Pro Football Illustrated named the all-time Packer squad to include Arnie Herber, Johnny Blood, Tony Canadeo, Clarke Hinkle, Don Hutson, Milt Gantenbein, Cal Hubbard, Buford (Baby) Ray, Mike Michalske, Charles (Buckets) Goldenberg and Charley Brock. Pro Football's predicted All-NFL team includes Taylor, Forrest Gregg, Jerry Kramer and Jim Ringo on offense and Bill Forester on defense. All-Pro Football selects Taylor, Gregg, Kramer and Ringo on offense and Willie Davis, Dan Currie and Forester on defense.
GOAL STAND 'WELDED' PACK DEFENSE
AUG 26 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Mayhem on the third base line, with 15,000 at ringside! The sports sound a bit mixed up this Wash Day but the Packers' goal line stand on the Braves' basepath (leading to home) was a thing to behold. And the spectators down there will never forget it. They were so close they could hear the popping of the leather and the grunting and groaning and yelling. This was the clutch situation: Green Bay had just scored early in the third period to take a 13-7 lead before the record Shrine Classic crowd of 44,592 in County Stadium. The Bears stormed back with terrifying force, moving 86 yards in 10 plays - all the way down to the Packer 2-yard line. It's first down - so a 14-13 Bear lead is virtually in the vault. Or is it? Ron Bull was sent into the center area on the first two plays and made zero, or maybe inches. Rick Casares then hit the left tackle area and was pinned down short of the line. That was the crucial play. The Bay defense got tougher for the fourth down and Bull hit a stone wall. This was the turning point. The opposing coaches, Vince Lombardi and George Halas, agreed after the game. "That broke our back," said George, "but if we had scored we would have gone ahead. Instead Green Bay goes in for a field goal and is out of sight." Lombardi pointed out later, "holding them on the one-yard line and then going in for a field goal is the mark of a good football team." But Vince knows how it feels to be on the other end of a goal line stand. He recalled "our game in Chicago in 1959. We were down there four times and couldn't score." That was Lombardi's first year and since then the Packers developed a pleasant habit of scoring from close in (inside the five) and putting on an occasional goal line stand, the last being against the Colts in '62. The third base stand may have been just the tonic the doctor orders for the Packer defense's extra tough job coming up this season. Dave Hanner and Hank Jordan, two members of the "magnificent eleven," explained the defense's feeling this way: "That stand gave the defense a tremendous boost. It was our top performance this year and will surely help us in the future knowing that our unit has welded." The defense now has allowed only a
touchdown a game since the All Star loss, although the Cowboys managed to add a field goal to their TD. The Bears scored on a pass from Bill Wade to Mike Ditka. The Packers specialized in passing and Bart Starr hit 16 out of 23 attempts - just short of 70 percent - for 224 yards and two touchdowns - to Max McGee and Ron Kramer. Lombardi, noting Starr's figures, felt that "Bart was very sharp" and added that "we passed more than we normally do. We were trying to get our passing game up to our running game." John Roach did well out there, too, completing three out of four for 37 yards and setting up Gary Kroner's field goal on a 15-yard pass to Lew Carpenter. R. Kramer and Ditka, the niftiest tight ends in the league, put on quite a pass catching show, snaring 10 between them for 134 yards and two touchdowns. R.K. won this match, grabbing six throws for 101 yards. The two tight ends are good friends off the gridiron. "We see quite a bit of each other during the offseason," Ron said. Ron was named the game's most valuable player and Ray Nitschke was picked as the game's most valuable defensive player. They will receive trophies at next year's Shrine game. Jim Taylor and Willie Davis won the awards a year ago...EXTRA NEEDLE: It serves as something of an extra needle when a player meets his opposite "best" on the same field, and Lombardi laughed at the post-game buffet, "it's too bad we can't play against Jimmy Brown or Mike Ditka every game," noting Taylor's rivalry with Brown and the Kramer-Ditka bit. The Bears hammered a lot at the Packers' right side where rookie Lionel Aldridge and Urban Henry are holding forth, along with Jordan. "Anytime you get new men on the field, you can expect the opposition to throw a lot of things that way," Lombardi said. The Bears were limited to 100 yards rushing, with Bull getting 70. He made almost 30 of those years in the Bears' ill-fated touchdown drive in the third period. The Bears rushed 34 times. The Packers toned down their ground game, rushing 33 times for 114 yards. Green Bay had 60 plays, the Bears 56...BRIEFS: The Packers were off today but the coaches toiled over the movies and weighed the next cuts. The 46-player squad must be cut to 43 Tuesday...Paul Hornung didn't apparently show up for the game. Nobody reported seeing him...The Packers return to the practice field at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning...There was a report that the Bears returned a flock of tickets Saturday night but Dan Desmond, the Bears' publicist, reported: "In accordance with the contract of the game, the Bears received 2,500 tickets but contrary to what was reported the Bears did not return a single ticket." Desmond chuckled, "Our only squawk was the location of the tickets."...It was a perfect night for football - 64 degrees, a gentle wind and a winner. The Bays have experienced some rare weather in their first four games - 80 (at kickoff) in Chicago, 88 in Miami and 93 in Dallas.
PACKERS WAIVE AMES, TOBUREN, ZANG; NOW AT 43
AUG 27 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Two rookies and a veteran were placed on waivers by the Packers today. They are quarterback Terry Zang and center Bob Ames, the first-year men, and holdover Nelson Toburen, the linebacker who suffered a damaging back injury last season. Coach Vince Lombardi, who announced the waivings, also revealed the club has been allowed to carry Gary Kroner as an extra plyer due to the injury he received in the All-America Bowl in Buffalo last June. Though he kicked some, Kroner has been unable to play defense in a game due to a severe muscle pull. Thus, the Packers are down to 43 players - plus Kroner, the former Premontre and Wisconsin ace. All NFL clubs must get down to 43 today. The next drop is to 40 next Tuesday, and the final cut to 37 is schedule for Sept. 10. The waiving of Toburen officially marks the close of the young star's short but ill-fated career. As a rookie, Nellie was the fifth linebacker behind Bill Forester, Ray Nitschke, Dan Currie and Tom Bettis in 1961 and then became No. 4 when Bettis was traded last season. He was severely hurt in the Colt game here Nov. 18 but had hoped to make a comeback this year. Toburen has decided to remain in Green Bay. He has become a partner in the Jerry's Industrial Distributors Co. With the waiving of Zang and Ames, the Packers are now down to 10 rookies - plus Bob Jeter, who was on the Bay taxi squad last year; Frank Mestnik, the former Giant and Cardinal; and Urban Henry, the former Ram. The simon-pure are Dan Grimm, Marv Fleming and Jan Barrett on the offense and Tony Liscio, Dave Robinson, Lionel Aldridge, Ed Holler, Chuck Morris, Doug Hart and Kroner on the defense. Of this group, Aldridge has seen the most action, playing the defensive right end spot - the position vacated during the offseason by the trade of Bill Quinlan. All of the others have been tested some in the last three exhibitions - some of them playing as much as a full half...The Packers went back to work today after getting Monday off. Lombardi and his aides, Phil Bengtson, Norb Hecker, Bill Austin, Red Cochran and Tom Fears, worked Monday, viewing pictures and setting the program for the next assignment - the Giants in the Bishop's Charities game in City Stadium next Monday night. This will be the Packers' second last test before the league season opens, and it will be a major one since the Giants are defending Eastern Division champions. The Packers and Giants, combatants in the last two championship games, will be meeting for the only time this season - unless, of course, the two clubs make it into the 1963 championship game. It is scheduled in the home park of the Western champ. The Monday contest is sold out and the 42,237 crowd will establish a new attendance record for the stadium. This will be the first game with the added seats, nearly 4,000...Jim Taylor now has carried 49 times in four games, including 17 trips for 70 yards in the 26-7 victory over the Bears. He has gained 213 yards - an average of 4.3. High-stepping and slashing Tom Moore ran 8 times for 36 yards and now has 31 trips for 202 yards - an average of 6.5. Bart Starr and John Roach picked out a total of seven receivers vs. the Bears - Ron Kramer (6 catches), Boyd Dowler 4, Moore 3, Lew Carpenter 2, Max McGee 2, Bob Jeter 1, Taylor 1. The Bears used only three - Mike Ditka 4, Johnny Morris 3, Ron Bull 2.
HORNUNG TURNS DOWN $25,000
AUG 27 (Lynn, MA) - Paul Hornung, suspended Green Bay Packer halfback, Tuesday declined a $25,000 per season offer to play out his suspension with a team in the Atlantic Coast League. The offer was made on behalf of Ted Barron, owner of the Boston Nu-Way Sweepers, by Charles (Red) Hoffman, sportswriter for the Lynn Item. Hornung, who was placed on indefinite suspension from the NFL for betting on games, reportedly termed the offer "very tempting" but declined. Hoffman said Hornung told him he prefers to sit it out and try to get back into the NFL as soon as possible. He added that might be risking too much to accept the offer. Barron once tried to buy the New York Jets of the AFL from Harry Wismer, when the Jets were the Titans.
TAYLOR EYES 'BEST GAME' VS. HUFF
AUG 28 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The celebrated return match between Jim Taylor and Sam Huff isn't so celebrated. Jarrin' Jim isn't issuing any mean remarks and Sammy-boy apparently is keeping quiet out in Connecticut where the Giants are training. These two fellers had some interesting moments during the Packer-Giant championship playoff in New York last December. The television cameras magnified the action and some of the folks back here was sightly upset. The official beef wasn't so much what was done but that the gendarmes didn't use their whistlin' billy clubs. We approached James Taylor Tuesday afternoon while he breathlessly watched a hot cribbage game at the St. Norbert College headquarters. Jim was reminded that this wasn't a matter of life and death but your fans, including this writer, might be curious to know your approach to the forthcoming meeting with the Giants, whose roster includes one S. Huff, who became engaged in certain extra activities above and beyond the game of football on Dec. 29, last, etc. etc. etc. Jim shrugged off the business of revenge and such stuff and stated his position thusly: "I just want to come up with my best game. That's all I want to do. Like the coach was saying the other night, Ron (Kramer) and Mike Ditka were at their best and it's the same with me when I play against Brown or good linebackers like Huff." Taylor referred to Coach Vince Lombardi's remark that "it's too bad that we can't play against Ditka or Brown every night." Jim's best game includes stinging the opposition, of course. If Huff happens to be in the path, you can bet Jim will have his stingers working in good order. And speaking about bumping into Taylor, Larry Morris was injured tackling Jim in the Shrine game Saturday night - the second year in a row this had happened. A lot of things have happened to Taylor since he last roared in City Stadum (against the Colts Nov. 18), and it will be a pleasure to see the big blaster roaring again when the Bays and Giants collide in the Bishop's Charities game Monday night. Taylor's bout with hepatitis, which was discovered as he prepared for the Pro Bowl game, kept Packerland on edge during the offseason. He came back strong, however, and then injured his knee early in training camp. Jim is back running again though he said after the Bear game that "it's not quite perfect yet." All good things come to an end, it seems, and today's rain broke a string of good practice days the Packers have had since training camp started late in July. The Bays went out anyway and thus got some preparation for a rainy day game. The Packer-Redskin game in Cedar Rapids, which was rescheduled there from Columbus, Ga., only three weeks ago, is rapidly approaching a sellout. The 10,209 reserved seats in the 15,000 seat Kingston Stadium have been sold and Chairman Ted Lawrence said the others should go fast.
GIANTS LOOK FOR FULLBACK; TWO SIDELINED
AUG 28 (Fairfield, CN) - The New York Giants are looking for someone to play fullback when they meet the Packers in Green Bay next Monday night in an exhibition that is a rematch of the teams that met for the NFL title the last two years. Starting fullback Alex Webster is still nursing injuries and will not play, the Giants said Tuesday as they resumed training after Sunday's defeat by the Minnesota Vikings. Halfback Phil King, who played the position against Minnesota, will miss the Green Bay game because of rib injuries. The loss to the Vikings left the Giants with a record of only one victory in three exhibitions. A pair of halfbacks are being groomed for the position. They are rookie Charles Killett of Memphis State and Jim Pace, a former 49er. There's also a chance that Joe Morrison, an end and flanker, may be used at fullback, along with rookie Nate Craddock of Parsons College in Iowa. Veteran Hugh McElhenny will be reserved for lots of duty at halfback.
TAYLOR SCORES AGAIN
AUG 28 (Rensselaer, IN) - The battered Chicago Bears may have a fifth injured player on the sidelines against the St. Louis Cardinals in the Armed Forces benefit football game in Soldier Field Saturday night. Coach George Halas said veteran linebacker Larry Morris, who suffered a leg injury in the Bears' 26-7 loss to Green Bay last Saturday night, will not start against the Cards and will be used sparingly, if at all. His replacement will be Roger LeClerc or rookie Andy Von Sonn, UCLA captain last season. It was the second successive season Morris was hurt tackling Packer fullback Jim Taylor in a preseason encounter. Last year, Morris suffered a mild concussion checking Taylor. Four players who sat out the Green Bay game also will miss the Cardinal cont4est. They include Maury Youmans and Ed O'Bradovich, again to be replaced at defensive left end by Bob Kilcullen; defensive back Tommy Neck; and rookie offensive tackle John Johnson of Indiana.
REGROUPING 49ERS SIGN GARY KNAFELC
AUG 28 (Lynn, MA) - The San Francisco 49ers, regrouping after a discouraging showing in early exhibition games, Tuesday signed end Gary Knafelc, a 9-year veteran in the NFL. Earlier, the 49ers claimed fullback Glenn Shaw in their search for running power. Knafelc, 31, a 220-pounder, was put on waivers Aug. 5 by the Green Bay Packers for whom he had played 8 1/2 seasons. Shaw had been put on waivers by the Los Angeles Rams. He worked out Tuesday with the 49ers. Knafelc, a graduate of the University of Colorado, went to the Packers in his rookie year after being drafted by the old Chicago Cardinals.
RAMS DROP GASSERT
AUG 29 (Orange, CA) - In 1960, Fred Whittingham escaped serious injury in the Toledo, Ohio plane crash that killed 16 fellow football players from Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo. After a promising start in pro football, he was injured Saturday night at Portland, Ore., as the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Dallas Cowboys. Doctors said he hurt his knee so severely he might have to have an operation. Whittingham, 6-2, 241-pound defensive end, was placed on waivers by the Rams Tuesday. Also placed on waivers was defensive tackle Ron Gassert, formerly of the University of Virginia, who came here from the Green Bay Packers, with an "injury notation" warning the rest of the league about his knee troubles.
Green Bay Press-Gazette (August 28th 1963)
GIANTS AGAIN PERIL STARR PASSING GRADE
AUG 29 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Bart Starr, the quiet man with the noisy arm, is riding along at a 63 percent completion clip thus far in '63. But wait a minute. The Giants are coming to town, and they aren't in the habit of getting 63 percented by anybody. In fact, Starr has pitched five games against the Giants in the past two years (2 exhibitions, 1 league and 2 playoffs) and emerged with a 53 percent completion percentage. This is terrific since the Giants rank second only to the Pack in the matter of defense, and three of those games decided titles - the Western crown in '61 and the "world" in '61 and '62. In all, Bart hurled 106 passes against the Giants in the two seasons and completed 57 for 710 yards and six touchdowns. And most of the damage was done in the two previous Bishop's Charities games. He completed 18 of 25 for 72 percent in '61 and 11 of 20 for 55 percent in '62 - an average of 64 pct. Starr, concerned chiefly with the percentages in the National League standings, says, "Our team is coming and we'll certainly be ready when the season opens." The league's leading passer in '62 noted that his arm "feels great" and added: "It's hard to remember the pass protection being greater than it has been thus far this season." Starr passed along two other thoughts: "The rookies are recognizing the defenses quicker and they are more intelligent" and: "I feel that John (Roach) is doing a fine job and that's because he is playing more." Roach, who backed up Bart the past two years, has thrown 17 passes in the past three games and completed 11 for 123 yards and a rousing 64 percent. John hit 3 out of 4 in the last two games vs. the Cowboys and Bears and 5 out of 9 vs. the Steelers. That dirty word, interception, has been avoided thus far but in the interest of good journalism it must be reported that a hurried look at the reports of the four games reveals that Starr threw but two interceptions - one each in the All Star and Steeler games...Ray and Jackie Nitschke have announced the adoption of an infant son and the newcomer, their first, has been named John Raymond. "Things have changed at home," Ray winked the other day...Pat Peppler, personnel chief, spoke about the Pack's first-year men at the Optimist Club at the Downtowner Wednesday noon. He revealed that Bob Jeter is "hard to overthrow because he always seems to have an extra notch of speed left." And for a spot of humor, Pat told about the talkative Chuck Morris: "If you have any trouble with your coaching, Chuck will be glad to help you out."...The Packers worked in a steady rain yesterday and Coach Vince Lombardi called it "one of the better workouts we have had." This was the first time the Packers had a rained-on drill. Elijah Pitts' shoulder is still bothering him and it's doubtful if he'll be ready for the Giant game.
MCELHENNY TO REACH STRIDE VS. PACKERS?
AUG 30 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Giants may be hurt and all that bush-wacky, but it's interesting to transcribe this note from Don Smith, the Giants' publicist: "Hugh McElhenny, 34, has been brought along slowly by Coach Allie Sherman but now seems ready to hit his full stride." Hurryin' Hugh is one of the great ones and it's a pleasure to watch him bend, swivel, tip, duck, leap, crawl, leap frog and just plain run with the football. McElhenny's an amazing gridder, as the Packers painfully discovered when he was in his prime with the 49ers in the 1950s. McElhenny, who will start at left half in the Bishop's Charities game Monday night in place of injured Phil King, leads the Giants with a seven-yard average. He carried only 11 times but piled up 71 yards...The Giants have two other ex-49ers in their midst - Y.A. Tittle, the quarterback, and Jim Pace, the halfback. Tittle, by the way, is 36 years of age. Pace is the third left half behind King and McElhenny....DOUBLEHEADER:
Yesterday, the Ray Nitschkes revealed the adoption of an infant son - John Raymond. Today, Jess and Joann Whittenton announced the adoption of an infant daughter, who has been named Elizabeth. It's about time to change the Pack's family directory - what with all the infantizing of recent months. Come to think of it, the new carpeting in the dressing room is just great for the little ones, too. They can crawl around - without slipping...The second scoreboard, located on the north end of City Stadium, will be ready for the Bishop's Charities game. It's a $50,000 number, 22 by 32 feet, and will be a duplicate of the center section of the main scoreboard at the south end. Both boards will be synchronized to operate from the pressbox. The scoreboards are installed under a leasing agreement between Pabst Brewing Co. and the General Indicator Corp. The "face" of the larger board has been painted black (it was green) to match that of the new board. Numbers and lettering show up much better...Dave Robinson, the Packers' first-year linebacker and No. 1 draft selection, once was kicked off a sandlot team because he was too big. "My football career was almost cut short before I even started high school," he said. He started playing football with a team in the Police Athletic League in Moorestown, N.J., but didn't last. "I was only in the eighth grade but I was big for my age - about 6-2 and 180. I even had to get my birth certificate to prove I was within the age limit. After a couple of games, they asked me to quit because I was too big and people were afraid I'd hurt somebody." Robinson played at Moorestown High School and was a tackle. "In our school anyone who weighed 200 pounds was a tackle," Dave said...Regarding the so-called Jim Taylor-Sam Huff collision, Ray Nitschke, who plays the same position as Huff, feels that Huff has been subjected to too much criticism for his tackling of Taylor in the championship game. Said Ray: "Huff has more chances to hit Jimmy. I know that Huff keys on the fullback. It's only natural they meet each other."...Fuzzy Thurston, the Packers' Guardian Angel (let side) along with Jerry Kramer (right side), is expanding his Left Guard Steak House in Menasha. An additional dining room and cocktail lounge will be built on the second floor...Kickoff Monday night is 8 o'clock but here's a suggestion: Get there by at least 7:30 for two reasons. First, the stadium has close to 4,000 more seats, which means more people and possibly slower moving. What's more, with the construction of the new Administration building on the north end there will be less parking in the stadium lot. And, second, special pregame ceremonies will start at 7:45, with Bob Nelson serving as MC. Bishop Stanislaus V. Bona will throw out the first ball...The current issue of Sports Illustrated has an interesting story on Johnny Blood. It's entitled "Is That You Up There, Johnny Blood?" Good reading!
INJURIES POSE NEW PROBLEM FOR GIANTS
AUG 31 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Giants, champions of the East, won their first non-leaguer and then lost two in a row. And in the words of their own publicist, "we looked bad in losing to the Vikings." (A 17-16 decision last Saturday night in Minneapolis!) So what goes with the team that gave the Packers such a rugged time in the championship game last December before Green Bay won out 16-7? This question - plus a million others - was put to the Giants' publicity chief, Don Smith, who came upon the local scene Friday. Said Don: "We have looked terrible as a group and one of the reasons is that we have 10 or 15 rookies who are very good and just about even in ability. Allie (Coach Sherman) felt that he had to give them all a good test. As a result, the veterans just haven't been getting enough work and they've been ragged and their timing has been off. Y.A. Tittle still hasn't quarterbacked his regular backfield this season. After our loss to the Vikings, Allie said he has gone as far as he can with the rookies, but now we have a new problem. The veterans, especially in the offensive backfield, have been getting hurt and we're back to the rookies. Generally, we lack the cohesion a veteran team should have at this time. In the process, we've looked bad." The Giants, you can bet, will make every effort to keep from "looking bad" against the Packers in the Bishop's Charities game in City Stadium Monday night. And while such stars as Frank Gifford, Alex Webster and Phil King will be missing from the offensive backfield with injuries, the Giants' heralded defense is in fine condition. Smith told about the defense: "LoVetere (John, the giant tackle obtained in a trade from the Rams for Rosey Grier) has been good for us. He'll go 14 games each season and that's more than we got from Grier. We never had an inside rush, but we think we'll get one from LoVetere They couldn't keep him out of the middle against the Lions. He's not making any tackles there but he's forcing the quarterbacks out of the pocket and
Robustelli and Katcavage have been making the tackles. They couldn't keep him out of the middle against the Lions. He's not making any tackles there but he's forcing the quarterbacks out of the pocket and Robustelli and Katcavage have been making the tackles. LoVetere is the only change in the defense. The rest of the unit is back." What about the Sam Huff-Jim Taylor thing? "There has been no conversation about it on our team. The feeling is that this is this year and that was last year. It has been written up quite a bit and unfortunately it left an impression that there is animosity between the two teams. This is definitely not true." And we'd like to second that. With Gifford and highly-touted rookie Roger Reynolds both out at flanker back, Aaron Thomas has been shifted over to that position from tight end. Hugh McElhenny will do the bulk of the running behind King and Joe Morrison, the club's Lew Carpenter, will work at fullback in place of Webster. Del Shofner, the Giants' chief pass catcher, has a bad leg but will play, Smith said. The Giants will fly in Sunday and drill here. The Packers had a good practice Friday and continued work today. They'll taper off with a light drill Sunday.
RECORD 42,300 TO SEE PACKERS, GIANTS CLASH IN 'CHARITIES'
SEPT 1 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers make some more history in City Stadium Monday night. With the Giants again providing an assist. The Stadium attendance record was established when Green Bay played its first championship game here in 1961, with 39,029 watching the Packers drop the Giants by an unforgettable 37 to 0. Now the Giants are here again - not to mention some 4,000 new seats - and the Packers will establish another new attendance record, approximately 42,300. The occasion will be the third annual Bishop's Charities game and kickoff is set for 8 o'clock. Pregame ceremonies with Bishop Stanislaus V. Bona throwing out the first ball, will start at 7:45. The
game has been sold out for nearly two weeks and judging by the moaning for tickets yet the disappointees might well fit into another section. The second Bishop's test between these two clubs drew a capacity 38,669 a year ago. The Labor Day production may or may not be a Hairbreath Harry thriller, but it will be on the thrilling side just to see them crack a few times after the bruising battle these two clubs put on in the championship game in Yankee Stadium last December. Each combatant will get about $5,000 less than he drew for that earthquaker but the two teams are expected to put on a real rock-'em-sock-'em show. Both clubs are in the process of sharpening their teeth for what they hope will be a rematch here Dec. 29 and good, hard football action is the best thing for a dull molar. The Giants have been a bit dull, according to advance reports based on two successive losses, but they undoubtedly intend to correct this Monday night. The Packers have a three-game win streak going - following the loss to the All Stars. The Packer offense will be getting its toughest test thus far since the Giant defense ranks second only to the Packers' stingy unit. The Giant group
is intact with the exception of John LoVetere, who is in Rosey Grier's tackle spot. LoVetere came from the Rams in a trade for Grier. Andy Robustelli and Sam Huff will lead the "charge" at Bart Starr & Co. The Packer offense has been averaging close to 30 points, but in the past three games vs. New York (since that 37-0 game) the Bays scored 20 and 16 points - an average of 18. Starr has been mixing up Coach Vince Lombardi's textbook in that the emphasis has been on the rushing of Jim Taylor and Tom Moore in one game and then on Starr's passing to Max McGee, Boyd Dowler and Ron Kramer in the next. The Giants are hurting on offense and this could be good or bad news for the Packer defense. One thing is sure: The Giants' two real offensive pros are in good condition - Y.A. Tittle and Hugh McElhenny. Joe Morrison will go at fullback in place of Alex Webster and Aaron Thomas will replace Frank Gifford at flanker. McElhenny starts in place of Phil King at left half. The Packers will continue testing of their bright young rookie, Lionel Aldridge, who has been doing so well at defensive right end. He'll switch around with Henry Jordan and Urban Henry. Lombardi expects to give his newcomers added testing - as he did in the earlier games. These people include Dan Grimm, Marv Fleming, Ed Holler, Jan Barrett, Gary Kroner, Doug Hart, Chuck Morris, Frank Mestnik, Tony Liscio, Dave Robinson and, of course, Aldridge. Coach Allie Sherman of the Giants will likely concentrate on his veterans due to heavy testing of rookies in the earlier games. although injuries may force him to employ quite a few rookies on offense...BRIEFS: The game will be telecast live back to New York. WJPG will carry the radio broadcast, as per usual, and WBAY-TV will present a taped telecast at 10:30 Tuesday night...The Packers will be going for their sixth straight win over the Giants. They beat little old New York in two title games, two exhibitions and one league game...Mr. McElhenny gained 53 yards in eight carries against the Vikings last Saturday night. A possible starter at right half is Charley Killett, a good looking rookie out of Memphis State. Another possible is Jim Pace, the former 49er...Plaques will be presented to Willie Davis and Jim Taylor for being selected most valuable players in the '62 Bishop's game...Halftime entertainment will be presented by "The Blue Notes," a drum and bugle corps from Ishpeming, Mich. This unit won the drum and bugle championship in Michigan this summer...Max McGee thinks golf is just as exciting as professional football. McGee shot a hole-in-one Saturday on the 135-yard eighth hole at Town and Country Golf course. "This hole in one was as big a thrill to me as our two consecutive world championships," the beaming McGee told his partner, defensive halfback Jesse Whittenton.
