Preseason: Green Bay Packers (3-1) 35, Dallas Cowboys 3
Saturday August 29th 1964 (at Dallas)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(DALLAS) - The Packers unleashed their long range guns in the Cotton Bowl Saturday night and bombed the Cowboys 35 to 3 before a record crowd of 60,057. Green Bay scored on strikes of 65, 78 and 61 yards and completely smothered the Dallas offense for its third straight non-league triumph. It was the first time the Cowboys had been held without a touchdown in their five-year history, covering 78 games. The Packers scored 14 points in the first quarter, 7 in the second and 14 in the third. Paul Hornung, who finished with 11 points and threw a touchdown pass, scored the first TD on a nine-yard pass from Bart Starr in the first quarter. Then Herb Adderley chalked one up for the platoons when he blocked a field goal attempt by Dick Van Raaphorst and raced 65 yards for a 14-0 lead. The next two were also bombers - both in the third quarter. Zeke Bratkowski hit Boyd Dowler about 30 yards downfield and Dowler outraced the Cowboy defense to complete a 78-yard gain. The next time Green Bay had the ball, Hornung hit the all-alone Max McGee with a touchdown, the play covering 61 yards. Van Raaphorst kicked a 28-yard field goal in the second quarter for the Cowboys' only points. After a close first half statistically, the Packers went ahead 337 to 221 in total yards. Green Bay had 246 yards in the air on nine completions in 11 attempts. Starr connected on his four attempts, Bratkowski had four for six and Hornung 1 for 1. The Packer defense and offense did their jobs right away and the Bays had a quick 7-0 lead. A 27-yard punt by Billy Lothridge after the Bays threw the Cowboys back 17 yards put the Bays in position on the Cowboy 42. It looked easy as the Bays roared to a TD in seven plays. Hornung and Taylor ran 21 yards in five carries and Starr completed two passes to Hornung - one for 13 and the touchdowner for nine. Hornung booted the point at 6:52. The Cowboys fired back behind Meredith's passing and flew from their 20 to the Packer 14 where the Bays toughened. Van Raaphorst settled for a field goal try from the 21, but Adderley, in like a shot, blocked the ball, fielded it on the run on the 35, and raced 65 yards for the second Packer TD. Hornung made it 14-0 with 12:21 gone.
COWBOYS THREATEN
Again the Cowboys threatened - this time chiefly on Meredith's 58-yard pass to Jimmy Evans but Dan Currie intercepted on the 1 and returned to the 6 on the last play of the first quarter. The Packers put on a 94-yard, 7-play scoring march that started with Starr at quarterback and ended with Bratkowski calling the signals. Also, along the way, Pitts replaced Hornung and Moore went in for Taylor. The running of Starr, Taylor and Hornung moved the ball out of danger and then Starr hit Hornung for 14-yard gain to the Packer 41. After Pitts lost 5, Starr and Ron Kramer connected on a 24-yard gain to the Cowboy 40. The Bays picked up a pushing penalty but Dowler made a leaping catch of a Bratkowski pass for a first down on the 11. After an interference penalty on the Cowboys, Moore ripped up the middle for the TD.
YARDAGE EVEN
The Cowboys got three on Van Raaphorst's 28-yard field goal just before the half ended. The Packers got in a hole when Bratkowski was thrown for 25 yards in losses in two plays, forcing Jerry Norton to punt from near the end line. Despite the score, the yardage totals were virtually even, the Packers getting 124 to the Cowboys' 120. Starr and Bratkowski both passed 100 percent. Bart hit four for four, Bratkowski one for one.
SUDDENLY EXPLODE
The Packers exploded unexpectedly at the start of the second half. On a third and eight situation, Bratkowski and Dowler worked behind Cornell Green on the Packer 40, took Bratkowski's pass and outraced the field. Hornung made it 28-3 with 1:58 gone. After a missed field goal by Van Raaphorst from the 40 and an exchange of punts, the Packers boomed again. On second down, Hornung rolled to his left and hurled to McGee who took the ball 10 yards behind Warren Livingston and completed the 61-yard touchdown aerial. Hornung stayed on to kick his fifth point with 5:45 left in the third quarter. The Packers continued to substitute freely and the Cowboys made a couple of first downs on Meredith's passes to Tommy McDonald, but Sonny Gibbs, who replaced the injured Meredith, was smeared by a host of Packers, forcing a punt. The Packers added two first downs to start the fourth quarter on Moore's 15 yards in three trips and Bratkowski's 10-yard pass to Bob Long. After forcing another Cowboy punt, the Packers made two more first downs, this time with Dwain Bean and Dennis Claridge running. In fact, the Bays reached the Cowboy five-yard line, fourth down, and kindly tried to make the distance rather than pile up the score on a field goal. Claridge made no gain on the play. Adderley almost had a blocked punt near the end. Lotheridge stopped his punt when Herb came in, but evaded the Packer and got off a 55-yard punt on the run. The Pack then ran out the clock.
GREEN BAY - 14 7 14 0 - 35
DALLAS - 0 3 0 0 - 3
GREEN BAY DALLAS
First Downs 17 14
Rushing-Yards-TD 31-116-1 22-110-0
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 11-9-246-3-0 22-10-182-0-1
Sack Yards Lost 2-25 8-71
Net Passing Yards 221 111
Total Yards 337 221
Fumbles-lost 2-0 3-0
Turnovers 0 1
Yards penalized 3-26 2-18
SCORING
1st - GB - Paul Hornung, 9-yard pass from Bart Starr (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
1st - GB - Herb Adderley, 65-yard return of blocked field goal (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 14-0
2nd - GB - Tom Moore, 3-yard run (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 21-0
2nd - DAL - Dick Van Raaphorst, 26-yard field goal GREEN BAY 21-3
3rd - GB - Boyd Dowler, 78-yard pass from Zeke Bratkowski (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 28-3
3rd - GB - Max McGee, 61-yard pass from Hornung (Hornung kick) GREEN BAY 35-3
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Tom Moore 6-36 1 TD, Paul Hornung 7-31, Dwain Bean 5-27, Jim Taylor 7-18, Elijah Pitts 1-7, Bart Starr 2-3, Dennis Claridge 3-0
DALLAS - Don Meredith 4-35, Amos Bullocks 7-30, Amos Marsh 4-22, Don Perkins 5-13, James Stiger 1-6, Wendell Hayes 1-4
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 4-4-60 1 TD, Zeke Bratkowski 6-4-125 1 TD, Paul Hornung 1-1-61 1 TD
DALLAS - Don Meredith 17-10-182 1 INT, Sonny Gibbs 3-0-0, John Jacobs 2-0-0
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Paul Hornung 3-36 1 TD, Boyd Dowler 2-100 1 TD, Max McGee 1-61 1 TD, Ron Kramer 1-24, Dennis Claridge 1-15, Bob Long 1-10
DALLAS - Pettis Norman 4-91, Tommy McDonald 3-31, Don Perkins 2-50, Amos Marsh 1-7
PACK ROOKIES TAKE TO 'CLASSROOM' WHILE TRYING TO 'MAKE THE GRADE'
AUG 30 (Dallas-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - It's 5:30 - a half hour before the Packer bus leaves for the Cotton Bowl. A couple of rookies are sitting on the Ramada Inn veranda overlooking the pool - and the scenery isn't bad. But the view isn't for John McDowell, the five-by-five surprise package from St. John's College (Minn.), and Steve Wright, the Alabama giant. McDowell had been switched from offensive tackle to guard behind Fuzzy Thurston due to Dan Grimm's injury - plus his desire to play the spot. Wright backs up Forrest Gregg at right tackle. Wright was holding a sheaf of papers loaded with play diagrams, and McDowell was saying: "Now you give me the guard plays and see if I know what to do. I'm pretty sure on the plays, but I might have trouble with the automatics." Wright sounded out the various calls that would be snapped out by the quarterbacks that night and McDowell whispered back the answer. Steve didn't have to make any corrections. The two prospects were anxious to get going to the game - especially McDowell, who laughed, "We played cards (hearts pitch and euchre) Friday night and most of today. I didn't have any luck so maybe I'll have some tonight." And so it went as a couple of student Packers continued preparations for possible graduation into the pro ranks...A few minutes earlier, we ran into another guard who also played center - Mr. Ed Neal, the 290-pound Texas blacksmith, oiler and you name it. Neal came up from Wichita Falls to see the Packers play for the first time since he closed out his pro career with the Bears in 1950. The Packers' original Iron Man is packing a happy 350 pounds and, as he put it, "I feel good and I'm doing absolutely nothing. Nothing. Just fishing all day long in front of my house on the lake." Quizzed a bit more, Ed roared with laughter, "I've retired already." He's still powerful as a full-grown ox. Holding out his iron-like forearm for old teammate Tony Canadeo to test, he said, "and I can still flip the caps off the beer bottles with my fingers." The Texas chapter, Packer Alumni Assn., could have had a meeting here Saturday. Stretch Elliott, Larry Hickman, Bill Forester, Bobby Dillon and Val Joe Walker were due for the game. Elliott drove all nigh Friday from El Paso...The temperature got up to 97 here Saturday and it was 91 at kickoff...Bill Ewald, first officer on the Packers' United Airlines charter, hails from Sheboygan...The Bays will leave at 1 o'clock Green Bay Time and arrive home about 5...The Bears have two scouts here - nephews George and Pete Halas, but think they were both scouting the Packers (ahem). Pete reminded that he was looking at the Cowboys in preparation for next Saturday's game in New Orleans...Lee Folkins, former Packer end, was the first Cowboy to reach the dressing room. He beat the rest of the Cowboys by 20 minutes. "I'm an early bird," he said.
VICTORY COMES EASY FOR PACKERS; VINCE UNIMPRESSED
AUG 31 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The score looked good...35 to 3...but things came a mite too easy for the Packers in Dallas Saturday night. And about the only conclusion that can be drawn today is merely that things won't be easy when the Packers meet the Cowboys in a league game in the Cotton Bowl Nov. 29. Coach Vince Lombardi was far from impressed with the Packers' play and described it in one word: "Lousy." The Bays coaching perfectionist explained his point earlier in the dressing room after the game: "We got real easy touchdowns. I don't think they played all that bad. We block a kick and run it back. That's not football. That's pure luck. We throw a little pass, a guy makes a mistake and we go 78 yards for another touchdown. That's pure, unadulterated luck." Three of the Pack's five touchdowns were exciting and unexpected quickies - Herb Adderley's 65-yard run with a blocked field goal; Zeke Bratkowski's 78-yard aerial with Boyd Dowler on the receiving end; and Paul Hornung's 61-yard air bomb at Max McGee. "Nobody was there in front of me on the field goal. I couldn't believe it," Adderley said of his block of the boot by Dick Van Raaphorst. It developed that the Cowboys had only 10 men on the field for the kick and the missing link, Wendell Hayes, was to block on Adderley. He was standing on the sidelines. "I was waiting for the ball and it hit me in the shoulder. Never had to break my stride," Herb said. Cornell Green was covering Dowler on the touchdown toss. "He apparently thought I was going down and then coming back, like we do quite often, but I just kept going and got behind him," Dowler said. Bratkowski had good protection on the play and didn't have to hurry. After Boyd took the ball, it became a foot race and few people can catch the long-legged Bay flanker. McGee was all by himself on his touchdown catch. Hornung, wheeling to his left on what started as a sweep, sucked in the defense. "I don't know who was supposed to be on me," drawled McGee, "all I know is that they both came in." Warren Livingston was on the right corner and probably Mel Renfro. The other two touchdowns didn't come as easy although the first was fast-moving and painless. It came the first time the Packers had the ball, starting on the Cowboy 42. Bart Starr, who played only a quarter and a half before Bratkowski took over, engineered a TD in seven plays. Like so: Paul Hornung ran right tackle for five, Jim Taylor hit left guard for three, Starr passed to Hornung for 13 off to the right, Hornung hit the left side for eight, Taylor hit the right for five, Taylor lost one at left end, and Starr hurled a pass to Hornung for the TD. Hornung was by himself behind Mike Gaechtner. And it looked so easy. The other TD, a 94-yard drive starting on the first play of the second quarter, was well earned. It covered 17 plays and consumed eight minutes and 52 seconds. Along the way, Starr went out for the night with the ball on the Cowboy 19 and Bratkowski went in. A few plays earlier, Hornung and Taylor both hit for the bench. The drive threatened to fizzle after the Bays drew a 15-yard pushing penalty but Dowler made a beauty of a catch of Bratkowski pass for 22 yards to the Cowboy 11 and three plays later Tom Moore cracked over from the three. Defensively (and this is a separate story), the Bays got a good rush on Don Meredith and his two successors. The defensers threw Cowboy passers eight times for 71 yards, which is a heap. Frequent substitutions were made by the Packers and linebackers and defense linemen alternated. The Bays also used its second secondary, composed of Doug Hart, Jerry Norton, Duke Carlisle and Tom Brown, all of the fourth quarter. Norton and Hart had worked some with the first group. Everybody played and some of the newcomers like John McDowell, Steve Wright and Lloyd Voss got an early call. The Bays finished with a backfield of Bratkowski, Bob Jeter, Dwain Bean and Dennis Claridge, giving up the ball on downs on the Cowboy five. The Packers came out with no serious injuries, although a few of the boys were shaken up. The Cowboys were swatting pretty good and Hank Gremminger, Lionel Aldridge, Hornung and Dowler went out briefly during the game with hurts. The Bays were given a day off today from their training camp routine, but it will be back to work and dinner at 6 o'clock this evening at St. Norbert College. Work on the next opponent, the Browns in Cleveland Saturday night, will start Tuesday.
PACKERS GET PICK FOR BROKER ROACH; DROP BEAN, BREEN
SEPT 1 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - When Don Meredith made like a Harry Gilmer in Dallas Saturday night, he, with some help from Ray Nitschke, set off a chain of events that led to the Packers getting a college player for a Dallas investment broker. Before you choke on those 39 words, let's explain: Late in the third quarter, Cowboy quarterback Meredith went back to pass but fled the safety of his blocking pocket when the Bays broke in. He ran to his right, took a funny little lean and snap-threw the ball to Pettis Norman for a 15-yard gain. Nitschke trailed the quarterback and reached him just as he let the ball fly. Meredith suffered a knee injury and was helped from the field. Like Willie Wood was saying, "You lose your protection when you leave that pocket." Meredith's flight out wide reminded us of the aforementioned Gilmer, the onetime Alabama and pro (Redskins and Lions) passer who liked to leap about two feet off the ground and throw at the same time. Dick Wildung, one of the Packers' tackle all-timers, used to shake his head and say, "He'll get killed doing that. I'd hate to get a clean shot at him." Anyhow, the Cowboys developed a need for some quarterback help and promptly obtained John Roach, the Dallas broker and former Packer quarterback, in exchange for a draft choice. And that takes us back to the Packer buffet Saturday night. The tall, well dressed young businessman joining with the Packers was Mr. Roach, who then was unaware of the Cowboy need for him. Being out of football the first time in his life, Roach said he really didn't miss it "as much as Bill (Forester)." He added with a laugh that "I miss the association with the fellas but not the training and the practice." Thus, Long John came to the Cowboys' rescue when he agreed to play. There had been some discussion on the possible return of Eddie LeBaron, but Dallas Coach Tom Landry said he had taken Roach because "he has a number of years left in which he can play with us if he wants to, whereas LeBaron would have been a one-season proposition." Roach, though he wasn't playing here, remained Packer property since he had been on the Packers' reserve list. Players are kept in this list for several years after retirement. Roach now becomes a rarity, passing for three different teams in two countries in the same year. He played for the Pack in the Runnerup Bowl in Miami last January, displayed his passing and know-how for Toronto in the Canadian League last summer. And now Dallas...Coach Vince Lombardi reduced the Packer roster to 42 today by asking waivers on two first-year men - running back Dwain Bean of North Texas State and linebacker Gene Breen of VPI. The Packers are now one under the NFL limit of 43, which goes into effect today. The next and final cut is due for next Tuesday, when clubs must reduce to 40. Bean had seen considerable action in three of the four preseason games. He carried 13 times for 58 yards and picked up five for 27 in Dallas. The departure of Breen leaves the Packers five linebackers - Dan Currie, Ray Nitschke, Dave Robinson, Lee Roy Caffey and Tommy Crutcher. Bean was the only rookie running back other than Dennis Claridge, who is also a quarterback. The veterans are Paul Horning, Jim Taylor, Tom Moore, Elijah Pitts and Frank Mestnik. The Packers returned to work today after getting Monday off. They reported at St. Norbert College for dinner Monday evening. The next assignment is Cleveland - there Saturday night.
PACK OUT TO RECLAIM DEFENSE TITLE
SEPT 2 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packer defense had the best record in the NFL in 1062, allowing an average of only 10.57 points per game. Chicago's Bears not only stole the Packers' championship in 1963, they replaced the Packers as defensive kings, allowing 10.28 as compared to the Packers' 17.16. It's a new season, man, and the Packer defensive stalwarts are giving every indication of reclaiming their lost distinction. The Packers' four preseason opponents (Cardinals, Giants, Bears and Cowboys) have scored a total of 40 points - an average of 10 per start. The Cards got 20, the Giants 10, the Bears 7 and the Cowboys 3 in that order. This, of course, isn't exactly fair to the defense, since one of the touchdowns came on a 74-yard return of an intercepted pass by the Cardinals and another was set up when the offense lost the ball on a fumble on its own 10-yard line. The Giants went on from there to score a 10-yard pass from Glynn Griffing to Homer Jones. The opponents, besides kicking three field goals (two by the Cards from 24 and 37 yards and one by the Cowboys from 33), scored two touchdowns on concerted drives. The Cardinals moved 62 yards in 12 plays, with Charley Johnson ramming over the one, and the Bears advanced 80 yards in nine plays with Rudy Bukich hitting Gary Barnes in the promised land on an eight-yard pass. The Packer defensive alignment is set and ready to go, with one change - at right linebacker where Dave Robinson has taken over for the retired Bill Forester. Lee Roy Caffey completes the Pack's newest version of a Fearsome Foursome. Caffey started against the Cowboys last Saturday and then alternated with Robinson and Ray Nitschke. Dan Currie is off to a fine start at left linebacker. The defensive line has a newcomer - Lloyd Voss, the first draft choice who, with Ron Kostelnik, backs up the starting four of Willie Davis, Dave Hanner, Hank Jordan and Lionel Aldridge. Big Lionel, who broke into the starting lineup as a rookie last year, figures to come into his own in '64. The secondary also returns intact (Willie Wood, Hank Gremminger, Jesse Whittenton and Herb Adderley) and is backed up by Jerry Norton, Doug Hart and Tom Brown. The deep foursome is starting its third year together and the unit already has seen plenty of action. Wood was saying the other day that "we're playing more earlier so that once the season starts we'll be ready to go." The eight-man deep group was reduced by one Tuesday with the inclusion of rookie Duke Carlisle in the John Roach trade with the Cowboys. Carlisle and Roach, who had retired, were passed on to Dallas for a draft pick. Also waived were linebacker Gene Breen and running back Dwain Bean. Coach Vince Lombardi now has reduced the squad to 41 players - just one above the final player limit which goes into effect Tuesday...CRUTCHER MOVED: Tommy Crutcher of TCU, who had worked at linebacker since he reported from the College All Star camp, was moved to running back Tuesday, although he also did some LB'ing in the defense drill. Crutcher was a fullback and LBer in school. The only other rookie in the offense backfield is Dennis Claridge, the quarterback who is now spending most of his time at running back. Other than a limp here and there, the Packers came out for Tuesday's drill in good shape. John McDowell is taking it easy on a tender foot cut. Guard Dan Grimm is running better again. Grimm pulled a muscle in the Bear game. The Bays close out their exhibition schedule by meeting the Browns in the second game of a doubleheader in Cleveland Saturday night.
BAYS WAIT TO SEE IF ANYONE BUT DALLAS CLAIMS CARLISLE
SEPT 2 (Green Bay) - The player rich Green Bay Packers, who want to stay that way, have gone into the NFL marketplace again, asking waivers on Duke Carlisle - the quarterback on the nation's top college team last year. Carlisle, who called the signals as Texas rolled to a national championship in 1963, was claimed by the Dallas Cowboys and said he would sign with them if the three teams that finished lower than the Cowboys last season don't claim him before a Thursday afternoon deadline. The announcement from Dallas that the Cowboys were dickering for Carlisle apparently was premature. The Packers didn't mention his name in announcing player cuts Tuesday. Dropped from the squad were Dwain Bean of North Texas State and linebacker Gene Breen of VPI. It was reported that if Carlisle is claimed by a team other than the Cowboys, the waivers will be withdrawn and Coach Vince Lombardi will work out a trade with Dallas. The Packers would have 24 hours to withdraw the waivers if Carlisle is claimed by anyone other than Dallas. Other teams that have a crack at his services are Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington. A Cowboy spokesman said it was unlikely that any of the three would move to take Carlisle and it appeared he would play his rookie season in Dallas. Carlisle, from Athens, Tex., was registered in a Dallas motel but could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. He apparently did not return to Green Bay with the Packers who whipped the Cowboys 35-3 in an exhibition in Dallas Saturday night. The 6-foot-2, 182-pound Carlisle was tried at defensive back by the Packers, who have seven other candidates for the posts on the squad. He was a fifth round draft choice of the Packers and received a bonus when he signed.
IT'S HARDER TO RETURN PUNTS NOW, SAYS WOOD
SEPT 2 (Green Bay) - Willie Wood, the Green Bay Packers' outstanding safetyman and punt return specialist, thinks "the fifth play" is disappearing from the NFL. "We used to consider the punt return a fifth play because a good run back would give the offense a better shot at scoring, but it's getting a lot tougher," Wood said today in reviewing statistics. "It was a lot easier to return a punt two or three years ago," he said. "Now more clubs ae placing emphasis on special teams. And the kickers are shooting for height rather than distance. We used to be able to set up our blocks for a return. Now it's a lot more difficult." Wood was the NFL's punt return champion in 1961, averaging 16.1 yards on 14 attempts. The next year he returned 23 kicks for an 11.9 average but was runner up to Detroit's Pat Studstill. In 1963, he slipped to 10th place, averaging 8.9 yards on 19 returns. "I had to make nine fair catches, mostly because of high punts, last season," Wood said. "We have a book on all of the punters in the league. Some, like Detroit's Yale Lary and Chicago's Bobby Joe Green, can boot them high and far. But others are concentrating on just getting the ball high to prevent any return." Wood, whose spectacular, often daring, runbacks have made him one of the most popular Packers among fans, says the situation in the game dictates whether he should attempt to return a punt...NO SET PATTERN: "There isn't any set pattern," he explained. "However, if we're trailing, say by 10 or 15 points at the start of the fourth quarter, we might gamble. When we're ahead, though, we think we should be more conservative." Wood, a former Southern California quarterback signed as a free agent after he wrote to Coach Vince Lombardi asking for a tryout in 1960, is comparatively small at 5-feet-10, 190 pounds, however, he doesn't worry about tacklers bearing down on him. "I just don't think of those big guys coming at me," he said. "I forget about them by concentrating on the ball, then, too, we have officials to protect us back there." On defense, Wood has few peers in his safety role. Green Bay backfield coach Norb Hecker calls him "just about the greatest in the game today." "He's tremendously quick and has great football instinct," Hecker said. "He's a sure tackler - and he can really belt a ball carrier with the rolling block tackle he has developed."
PROBLEM? NO PACKER FIELD GOAL 'PRACTICE
SEPT 3 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers aren't getting any field goal practice. Except in practice. "We either go down and score or lose it," Coach Vince Lombardi complained, with tongue in cheek, the other day while Paul Hornung, Jerry Kramer and Willie Wood were drilling field goals. This, of course, is a delightful problem since there is no law that says you have to kick field goals to win games. Enough touchdowns will also turn the trick. But Vince was possibly concerned with the kickers' lack of kicking under actual fire. "Funniest thing I ever saw," Vince was saying, adding: "It seems like we just haven't been trying any field goals at all." And that's just about it because Paul Hornung attempted only four field goals in the first four games and none in last Saturday's outing in Dallas. He tried one in the opener vs. the Cards in New Orleans and missed from the 33. He kicked two for two in the Giant game here, hitting from the 17 and 30. He missed his only other try - from 44 yards vs. the Bears in Milwaukee Hornung was hot on the field goal line Wednesday and he finished up hitting regularly from about 50 yards out. Kramer, who did the kicking in Paul's absence last year, seems to have added distance to his kicking. He was quite consistent from around 45 yards. The Packers attempted 34 field goals during the '63 league campaign - which is an average of more than two a game. Thus, the current preseason rate is low. The Pack's attempt total last year was the third highest in the league. Pittsburgh was first with 41 and Baltimore second with 39. Speaking about kicking, Kramer, waiting in the wings while the rookies tried the kicking off, was installed as the kickoff man in Dallas last Saturday and came off smiling. Kramer almost had a behind-the-goal-line average. His first reached the four but the second seven yards behind the goal line. His third went four yards back and the next two yards back. His fifth went to the 20, but Jerry proved he can do it. Dave Robinson came on to boot the final kickoff in the fourth quarter and his reached three yards behind the goal line. Maybe things are looking up in the realm of
field goal kicking. And that old joke about the Packers going into a goal line stand after their kickoffs cane placed in the mothballs. The Packers finished the major portion of their preparation for the Brown game in Cleveland Saturday night with a stiff session on defense. The problem with the Browns is usually Jimmy Brown, their great fullback, but the Clevelands have been emphasizing an aerial attack lately. This resulted in Brown quarterback Dennis Claridge and Hornung doing a lot of throwing against the Packers' defense. The Bays fly out of Austin Straubel Field in their United Airline charter at 11:45 Friday morning. They'll headquarter at the Cleveland Hotel.
HANNER MAKES CLUB FOR 13TH SEASON
SEPT 3 (Green Bay) - Dave Hanner, the granddaddy of the Green Bay Packers, is resting easier. He had made the club for his 13th NFL season. "Every year, it's more of a struggle and you have to bear down harder," the veteran defensive tackle said today. "You always have to fight for your job. There's always some young guy trying to beat you out." Although 34, Hanner doesn't feel he's too old for his role in one of pro football's most rugged lines. "There are quite a few players in the league older," he noted. "There's Jack Stroud, Gino Marchetti, Andy Robustelli and Y.A. Tittle to name a few. I don't think age makes so much difference if a player can avoid injuries and keep in condition."...JOB IN JEOPARDY: Nicknamed Hawg by his teammates many years ago, the former Arkansas star felt his job was in jeopardy this season after the Packers drafted several outstanding tackles, including Nebraska's Lloyd Voss, the No. 1 selection. And it didn't help when he was kept on the bench as Green Bay dropped a 20-7 decision to St. Louis in the preseason opener. "Sitting on the bench was worse than any game I've ever played," Hanner said. "I love this game and I love to play it. It was awful just sitting there and watching." Hanner's lone consolation was the coaches' statement: "We know what he can do." But Hawg wasn't taking any chances. A week later, Coach Vince Lombardi started Hanner against the New York Giants. The old pro responded with a tremendous effort as he bowled over blockers and dumped ball carriers in a 31-10 victory. The Packers' fifth draft choice in 1952, Hanner worked out at his home in West Memphis, Ark., for a month before reporting for training this year. Then, he admitted, "I worked a lot harder than in the past." "I'm down to 252 pounds, the lightest I've ever been," he said. "I feel a lot better. I can't truthfully say I've picked up any speed, though. I've never been very fast - and if I slow up, I won't move at all." Hanner spent several dismal years with the Packers as the club's fortunes dwindled during the 1950s. Then Lombardi took over and rebuilt the team into an awesome power. "I wouldn't want any more of those old days," Hanner said. "You have an awful lot of pride when you're with a winner. When you're with a loser, you're always upset. Now when we win, I feel good. Even an exhibition victory which doesn't count leaves a good taste in the mouth." Hanner also prides himself on his durability. In 12 seasons with Green Bay, he has missed only one league game. That was three years ago - when he had to undergo an emergency appendectomy in midseason.
HINKLE, MICHALSKE TO HELP CELEBRATE 'HALL' BIRTHDAY
SEPT 3 (Canton, OH) - Seven new members for the National Professional Football Hall of Fame here will help celebrate a birthday Sunday. The Hall of Fame is one year old and seven new men will receive bronze bust replicas of themselves, similar to ones to be placed inside the building with a dome shaped like a football. New inductees, to be honored before an exhibition game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Colts are: Jim Conzelman, Mike Michalske, Art Rooney, Clarke Hinkle, Roy Lyman, Ed Healey and George Trafton. The presentations and NFL game are the climax to a weekend of football activity. Canton, home of the United Football League Canton Bulldogs, is the birthplace of professional football. Hinkle played for the Green Bay Packers. He will be presented by Bronko Nagurski, another Hall of Fame inductee who was a rugged opponent of Hinkle on the playing field. Mike Michalske, lineman with the New York Yankees and Green Bay Packers - presented by Professor L.C. (Cap) Timm of Iowa State University, who was on the coaching staff with Michalske.
FESTIVAL OF FOOTBALL: PACKERS, 124 OTHER STARS SHOW IN TWIN BILL
SEPT 4 (Cleveland-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - They call it the third annual NFL Festival of Football. This doubleheader in Municipal Stadium Saturday night. The Giants and Lions meet in the first game and the Packers and Browns collide in the nightcap. The park has been sold out for months and a crowd of 85,000-plus will be present for the six-hour program. And what a shower of stars - Paul Hornung and Alex Karras, the two who were you-know-what a year ago last spring; Y.A. Tittle, the ageless machine of the Giants; the game's greatest fullbacks - our Jim Taylor and the Browns' Jimmy Brown; Bart Starr, the underrated quarterback who does nothing but win; and a flock of other all-pros. On the sidelines we give you Vince Lombardi of the Packers, the most successful coach in football - college or pro; Allie Sherman of the Giants; George Wilson of the Lions; and Blanton Collier of the Browns. In all, there will be 164 of the best pro gridders in the country on parade and some 200 pro people in all, including the coaches and other personnel. On top of that, you have press, radio and TV personnel from four cities, but they won't be on display. They'll be hard at work in their little shared cubicles of space. We're not trying to "pitch" this doubleheader or any in the future anywhere else because we think the doubleheader cheapens the sport, but we think you'd like to read about some of the elaborate instructions each club must follow. And there's a nostalgic note: The contestants in the first game must dress in their hotel rooms and bus out to the stadium in their uniforms. We haven't heard of any club doing that since the visiting team in Green Bay dressed at the Northland Hotel. Here are special instructions for the competing teams and note use of stadium's two dressing rooms (time are eastern daylight): DETROIT LIONS - Visiting team. Kindly wear your blue uniforms. There are no pregame events so you are free to take the field when you wish. You will dress at Sheraton-Cleveland hotel. The visiting team dressing room will be available for your use for taping, etc. after 4:30 p.m. Enter stadium
through main concession gate on the north side of the stadium, just east of the Browns' offices. Your bench will be on the north side of playing field. Please have your starting offensive lineup ready at third base dugout for introduction at 6:25 p.m. At end of game leave field and stadium via ramp at left side of bleachers. Your buses will be parked there waiting. Do not return to dressing room as it will be used by Green Bay. If any of your players or coaches plan to return to watch the second game, re-enter stadium at pass gate at Gate A. Please advise Browns in advance if you plan to return so we can provide admission tickets. NEW YORK GIANTS - Home team. Kindly wear your white uniforms. There are no pregame events so you are free to take field when you wish. You will dress at Sheraton-Cleveland hotel. The home team dressing room will be available for your use for taping, etc. after 4:30 p.m. Enter stadium through main concession gate on the north (lake) side of stadium just east of Browns' offices. You can use the tunnel from visiting dressing room directly to field to avoid crowds under stands. Your bench will be on the south side of the playing field. Please have your offensive starting lineup ready at first base dugout for introduction at 6:27 p.m. At the end of game leave field and stadium via ramp at left field side of bleachers. Your buses will be parked there waiting. Do not return to dressing room as it will be used by the Browns. GREEN BAY PACKERS - Visiting team. Kindly wear your green uniforms. Your dressing room (third base side) will be available to you at end of halftime intermission of first game. Please permit Lions free use of it until they take field for second half kickoff. Enter stadium through pass at Gate A as a group. The first game should end about 8:57 p.m. We would like your squad to enter playing field from 3rd base dugout at the same time that Lions are running off at bleacher end. Your bench will be on north side of field. You will have 12 minutes of warmup before flag raising ceremony. Would you please have your offensive starting lineup ready at third base dugout at this time (approximately 9:09 p.m.). They will be introduced individually with a "following spotlight" immediately after the flag raising. The "spot" will pick them up at about the pitcher's mound and follow them out to midfield. CLEVELAND BROWNS - Home team. Will wear white uniforms. Dressing room will be available at end of halftime intermission of first game. Please permit Giants free use of it until they take the field for the second half kickoff. The first game should end at approximately 8:57 p.m. Browns will enter field from first base side at the same time Giants are running off the field at bleacher end. There will be 12 minutes of warmup time before flag raining ceremony at approximately 9:09 p.m. Starting offensive lineup will be individually introduced right after Green Bay's. A "spotlight" will pick up players at about pitcher's mound and follow them as they jog out to midfield. Kickoff will be 21 minutes after end of first game. PS - First game kickoff is set for 6:32 and the Packers and Browns are scheduled to boot it off at 9:18 (8:18, Packer time). As yet, we haven't had any word on changing of the seats in the pressbox.
CRUTCHER TO PLAY FULLBACK SATURDAY
SEPT 4 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers planned a brief drill today before flying to Cleveland where they will join in a NFL doubleheader, their final exhibition performance of the training season. The Packers will return to Green Bay after the game, close out their training camp at St. Norbert College Monday and then settle down to getting ready for the regular season opener against the Chicago Bears here a week from Sunday. The Packers will meet the Cleveland Browns in the nightcap of Saturday evening's doubleheader. The New York Giants and Detroit Lions are matched in the opener...SEEK FOURTH STRAIGHT: The Packers will be seeking their fourth straight victory since dropping their exhibition opener to the St. Louis Cardinals. They have defeated the Giants, the Bears and the Dallas Cowboys. A routine practice session kept the Packers busy Thursday when there were several new faces working in offensive combinations. Paul Hornung and Jerry Kramer stayed late to work on field goal kicking. The newest addition to the backfield is Tommy Crutcher, a 220-pound rookie from Texas Christian who was shifted from linebacker to fullback. He is expected to see action at the new post against the Browns. Crutcher was Green Bay's third draft choice and played with the College All-Stars against the Bears. The only other rookie in the Packers' offensive backfield corps is Dennis Claridge, a former Nebraska quarterback. He's been running at halfback. The Packers have 41 players on the roster and must dispose of only one more before regular season play begins. Earlier in the week, the Packers asked waivers on Duke Carlisle, the quarterback on the University of Texas' national collegiate championship team last season. He had been tried as a defense back at Green Bay. The Dallas Cowboys had said they would claim Carlisle if he was not taken by another of three other teams that had a prior right to him under the waiver system. However, the waiver deadline on Carlisle passed Thursday and he had not been claimed by anyone, including the Cowboys. Tex Schramm, Cowboys general manager, said in Dallas, "Carlisle was not claimed on waivers by anyone, but he is working out with us and is a free agent. We are considering the situation."
HOT BROWNS OFFER PACK IDEAL 'WARMUP'
SEPT 5 (Cleveland-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - As things turned out, the Packers are getting an ideal warmup tonight for their 1964 NFL opener in Green Bay Sept. 13. The Packers meet the Browns in Municipal Stadium tonight. And the Browns, it develops, are the rage of the Eastern Division at the moment. Green Bay and Cleveland will meet in the second game of the third annual Festival of Football doubleheader, with the WJPG broadcasting starting at 7:55. The Browns are hot, having won three in a row since losing their opener and they have produced a strong aerial attack with Frank Ryan, Paul Warfield and, of all people, Jimmy Brown receiving. This, plus the running of Brown and the one time Packer, Ernie Green, has made Cleveland a championship threat in the East. As usual, with most everybody the Packers play in the Eastern Division, tonight's nightcap is being billed a preview of the 1964 championship game. At least, it would be fitting since both clubs finished second last year. The Packers clobbered the Browns in the Runnerup Bowl in Miami last January, 40-23. The Packers will play it like a preseason game should be played, and, as Coach Vince Lombardi said Friday, "We'll use everybody. We'll go with our first bunch and then work everybody in." This procedure, of course, depends somewhat on the Packer progress in the game. "I hope the roof doesn't fall in," Vince laughed. The Packers are hurting a little - mostly in one spot, guard. Three of the blockers up front have assorted troubles - Fuzzy Thurston, Dan Grimm and John McDowell. This leaves Jerry Kramer as the only full-go guard. Due for a test in a new spot is Tommy Crutcher, the rookie fullback who was switched from linebacker this week. Bart Starr will open with the Pack's regular offense and Zeke Bratkowski will follow him at quarterback. Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor, the Bays' ace running backs, will be in the spotlight. Hornung will be playing here for the first time since his "return" while Taylor will be matched against the "other" top fullback in pro football, Mr. J. Brown...HIGH IQ QUARTERBACK: The huge throng of 85,000 will view the league's top high IQ quarterbacks in Starr and Ryan. They are rated the smartest signalists in the league and the defenses had better be sharp. Or there could be a high scoring game. The Packers, who are headquartering at the Sheraton-Cleveland hotel, will return to their St. Norbert College camp right after the game, via their United Airlines charter. The team will break camp Monday....Lombardi was in New York Thursday night to see the preview of the hour-long television show, "Run
Daylight." The ABC program, which will be shown nationwide Sept. 9, will feature the Packers and Lombardi and will be patterned after his best-selling book, "Run To Daylight." Horace McMahon does the narration as well as Lombardi. Vince joined the team here Friday afternoon...Accompanying the Packers Friday was Lee Joannes, which provided a brief reunion before the two clubs boarded the buses for the trip to town.
