1964 Green Bay Packers Training Camp
PACKERS LAUNCH 45TH SEASON...SPOTLIGHT ON ROOKIES
JUL 15 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers launch their 45th season Thursday. And the spotlight will on what Coach Vince Lombardi calls a "fine young group of rookies." Twenty-eight simon-pures, plus veterans Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Zeke Bratkowski and Bob Skoronski, will take to the freshly manicured Oneida Street practice field at 10 a.m. Thursday. The group will likely be expanded by a number of early-bird veterans, including Lee Roy Caffey, Jim Taylor and Tom Moore, but the first official drill for the veterans (other than QBs Star and Bratkowski, center Skoronski and halfback Hornung) isn't scheduled until 10 a.m. Monday. The first-year men, minus All Star game picks Lloyd Voss, Tom Crutcher and Ken Bowman, report today at the Packers' summer headquarters at St. Norbert College for dinner at 6 this evening. Physical examinations will follow at 7 p.m. and Lombardi will greet the group at the first squad meeting at 9 p.m. Eighteen of the 28 rookies are listed on offense and the remainder are on defense - at the moment, at least. Several are qualified for offense and defense and still others might be shifted after Lombardi and aides Phil Bengtson, Norb Hecker, Bill Austin, Red Cochran and Tom Fears watch them in action for a few days. Brown, the Maryland star who quit baseball to give pro football a shot, also is a prime prospect as a defensive halfback. Claridge, the Nebraska dentist, may get most of his work as a running back. Crutcher, a 220-pounder is due for some fullbacking. Carlisle, a Texan, also is handy as a defensive halfback. Todd, a 230-pound Virginian, also is a highly-touted linebacker. Lombardi feels that the 1964 crop of rookies "is a little better as a whole" than in previous years. "And," he added, "the group has more size." The coach, starting his sixth season, skipped over a few of them: "Bowman has a good chance...Voss is a fine prospect...McDowell has size...Brown can play a lot of places...Long has speed and agility but lacks in experience...Claridge is a better passer than we thought; we drafted him as a running back...Bean is a real surprise...Todd is a fine linebacker...Wright has possibility." Lombardi is enthusiastic about the simon-pures. Make no mistake about that. The 35 veterans include Lee Roy Caffey, the sophomore linebacker who came to the Pack in the Gros-Ringo trade; Jan Barrett, the offensive end who was on the Pack's active roster briefly last season before going to Oakland; and Allen Green, a kicking specialist who had been with the Cowboys. Barrett and Green were signed as free agents. The remaining veterans include 18 offensive players and 14 defensers. The Packer veterans, topped by Hanner who is starting his 13th season, have an average of 4.9 years of experience and their average age is 27.7. Quite a bit of mileage is wrapped up in to two players - Hanner, who is 34, and Norton, who at 33 is starting his 11th season and second with the Pack. The Packers, of course, will be out to regain the championship they surrendered to the Bears last year when Green Bay was going for three in a row. Lombardi, viewing the championship race, pointed out that "the shoe is on the other foot this year. The Bears are the team to beat." He noted that the Western Division "will be infinitely stronger. The 49ers had eight veterans out of there last year, and they'll all be back. As a result, they'll win some games this year." And then with a chuckle over the obvious, he added: "And as a result somebody will lose some games." On other clubs, "the Rams never allowed more than 21 points in any of their last eight games except once and that was us (The Pack scored 31). Detroit is always strong, and the Colts have a running attack." And what about the Packers, coach? "I don't know yet," he snapped quickly, but added: "We have Hornung back this year, and that could be an improvement right there."
NO 'LITTLEST' ROOKIES; MCDOWELL 'IN SHAPE' AT 260
JUL 16 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - John McDowell stands 6-3 and weighs 260. That wouldn't indicate he's a Mr. Five by Five but this Packer rookie might be the widest individual who ever stretched a Packer uniform. The offensive tackle prospect, who played at St. John's (Minn.), looks as if he'd have trouble getting through a door if he inhaled. He tapers down at the hips, but he's still broad there, too. McDowell is carrying no fat. "I'm at 260 now," he pointed out after going through the physical examinations for rookies and several veterans at St. Norbert College Monday night, adding: "I've been working out a lot with Mike Sunde (Minnesota draftee) in Minneapolis and we feel we are ready to go. Sunde was glad he was in shape." The Vikings scrimmaged the first afternoon in camp. "This has been the longest month of my life, waiting to get started here." McDowell, 21, was recommended the Packers by Hall of Famer Johnny Blood, who played and later taught at St. John after his illustrious Green Bay career. The Pack had another pipeline to McDowell. The St. John star played against Vince Lombardi Jr., who fullbacked for St. Thomas (Minn.) the last three years. McDowell was the Pack's ninth draft choice last December...The biggest Packer is Jack Petersen, who packs 297 pounds on a 6-5 frame. He's a defensive tackle from Omaha. The tallest is Steve Wright, defensive end from Alabama, who towers 6-6 and weighs 265. There are no littlest Packers. This is a big and good-looking crop. Twenty-four rookies answered
Green Bay Press Gazette - July 16th 1964
Green Bay Press Gazette - July 16th 1964
Coach Vince Lombardi's call to arms at the opening drill this morning, which official starts the Packers' 45th season. The squad, plus a number of veterans, returned at 3 this afternoon for the full-dress drill. The veterans officially report Sunday night and start practice the next morning...Zeke Bratkowski arrived just in time to get his physical Monday night. He had just flown in from Los Angeles. Zeke and Bart Starr will lead the QB'ing and passing for the rookies, while Bob Skoronski does the centering. Bratkowski complimented Dennis Claridge on his work in the All-America game in Buffalo last June. "You looked good," said Zeke and Dennis just shook his head. Incidentally, Claridge asked about his preference - quarterback or halfback, said he preferred halfback. Why? "I don't know, I always have," he laughed. Claridge is a good-sized lad - at 6-3 and 225, which is just fine for running back. He'll get a test at both HB and QB. The coaches have been pleasantly surprised at Claridge's passing ability...The veterans on hand for the physicals were Tom Moore, Paul Hornung, Forrest Gregg, Bob Skoronski, Starr and Bratkowski. Hornung weighed in at 225, but explained: "I just came from a big dinner." Starr, on the scale next, carried a few extra pounds but explained quickly: "I'm carrying Hornung's wallet."...Five doctors handled the physicals, which also included dentals - Dr. Jim Nellen, Dr. Gene Brusky, Dr. William Schibly, Dr. Harry Hoegemeier, and dentist Dr. Patrick J. Murphy. The routine physical exam evening was marred by a boating accident on the Fox River witnessed by some of the players, and Dr. Schibly left in a hurry to attend a man injured when a water skier slashed him while he sat in his boat.
THE FIRST DAY IN PACKER CAMP...IT'S LONGEST FOR SOME
JUL 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The first day...and the "longest day" for some of the athletes and a few of the sportswriters. It's 10 o'clock in the morning of Thursday, July 16, 1964 on the Packers' Oneida Street field. It's 85 in the shade and there's a pleasant breeze. Twenty-four Packer rookies dressed in shorts and T-shirts are sounded together for calisthenics via a sharp handclap and a brisk "over here" by Coach Vince Lombardi and a new Packer season has started. Ther is no turning back. Bill Austin and Red Cochran lead the quick-tempo exercises, while Lombardi and his other aides, Phil Bengtson, Norb Hecker and Tom Fears, walk among the sweating athletes. They're all working hard - the rookies for sure. And look at that Dave Hanner roll around. How about Paul Hornung, who just wreaks of determination? Before practice, somebody had asked Hanner if he had his room reserved at St. Vince hospital - sort of a standing joke since Dave was hospitalized after a few days' work several years ago. Calisthenics aren't over in a hurry - or maybe it just seems like they're long. Now comes a cadence drill, with the QBs Bart Starr and Zeke Bratkowski calling signals and the athletes clapping their hands at the "snap" signal. Lombardi wanted to hear everybody clap at the same time - "Not like a typewriter," he said. The stand-still clapping permits everybody to "relax" and catch their wind from the calisthenics and a short run around the goal posts. But the clapping doesn't last long. Next, it's getting-off-the-ball time. An "offensive line" of 10 or 12 players takes off at a signal from the quarterback. And they take off for about 15 yards - at full tilt. It's a real puffer but only lasts about five minutes. Agility drills are
next. This determines how well the athletes can pick up his dogs and lay 'em down again - and in the proper direction. The players seem to dance on their toes and go in various directions at a moving signal from the coaches. Up to now the drills have been pretty much muscle. It's time for a little school. The players go into various groups to fit their positions. Fears takes the ends into a corner of the field. Cochran grabs the offensive backs and Hecker the defense backs. The linemen are with Bengtson and Austin while Lombardi stops at all groups. It's first grade. All of the fundamentals are dished out and this goes for the veterans, too - the proper way to handoff, accept the ball, linemen blocking, cut for pass receiving, concentrate on the ball - to mention a few. There's an unplanned lesson for the rookies. It can be learned just by watching Tom Moore and Paul Hornung "run out" their runs. When they carry the ball on any play, they take off like a scared rabbit and continue upfield for 20 or 30 yards. Both backs, by the way, are in excellent shape. All of a sudden it's 11:15 and that didn't man anything to the unsuspecting newcomer. But to the veterans it meant the daily practice-ending sprints. Lombardi, noting that this is the first drill, told the athletes that "this is not a do or die sprint, but go hard. It anybody's loafing..." The sprints are about 20 yards and grueling, especially the sixth trip. Finally, Vince calls a halt and the opening drill is history. It's off to lunch at St. Norbert College and then for a spot of rest. Most of the players conk out for a half hour or so. Another half-day is coming up. It starts at 3 o'clock and the players are in full uniform, with proper numbers. This is a great idea - not only for the visiting workers but for the hundreds of Packer Backers in the "stands." You can't tell the players without a Howie Blindauer scorecard and they're free. It's over 90 in the afternoon, but those pads are for hitting and the players hit the seven-man and two-man sleds. Lombardi and Bengtson ride the big sled and Cochran is on the smaller one. Group instruction follows and this time it includes some contact as linemen hit linemen and some of the backs block the ends. A passing and pass defense drill is started and soon it's going full force as all of the ends and most of the backs take part. It's a tough afternoon. You've got to bleed a bit for Bob Skoronski, who is taking over for departed center Jim Ringo. Skoronski hasn't stooped over that much in one day since, as somebody cracked, he varnished the kitchen floor. The program closes with those sprints and the big group drives itself - with some urging from Lombardi. For a first-dayer, the sprinting looks good, but a few are dragging and they are "awarded" a lap of two after practice. It occurred to some of the press, radio and TV boys that we, too, grew tired. Just standing there. Lombardi has the proper medicine for that. The 5 o'clock club.
PITT FULLBACK LEAVES CAMP
JUL 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Fullback John Telesky of Pittsburgh left the Packer camp Wednesday after failing to pass the physical examination due to a bad knee. This reduced the Packer rookie roster - in camp - to 23. Other than Bart Starr, Zeke Bratkowski, Paul Hornung and Bob Skoronski, who were ordered to report, six veterans took part in the morning drill yesterday - Dave Hanner, Jerry Kramer, Hank Jordan, Tom Moore and Lee Roy Caffey. Turning up for the afternoon were Fuzzy Thurston and Forrest Gregg. The veterans start Monday.
FOOTBALL AND BASEBALL DON'T MIX, BROWN FINDS
JUL 18 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Football and baseball don't mix. Tom Brown has discovered this in a hurry in the Packer camp. "Nobody could play the two sports successfully in the same year because the seasons overlap," the versatile Marylander explained the other day. Brown, who played his last football game two years ago, is fresh out of the Washington Senator organization. He went right to the Senators out of school in 1963 and started with them again this season before being farmed out. The farm wasn't for Tom and he decided to give football a whirl, being the Packers' second draft choice. Brown thought he was in pretty good physical conditioning when he took his first workout Thursday. When it was over, Coach Vince Lombardi noticed that "they don't make you run in baseball." Brown, of course, is now aware of this since "run run run" are Vince's middle names. Tom said, "We do a lot of running the first two weeks in training camp, but once the exhibitions start we do no running at all. The pitchers do some, but the rest of the players spend most of their time in the batting cage or shagging flies. They didn't want us to wear ourselves out because we play 160 games." There's also the matter of the balls used in the two sports. Since he's switching from first base and left field to offensive end, the use of the hands becomes different. "I've got to get a new feel for the ball," Brown said after a pass the other day. The native of Silver Spring, Wash., is catching on in a hurry. He made a couple of diving stabs at the ball and came up with it. Brown says he has no preference as to position in football, although "I would like to try defense." The 23-year-old is being started out as a flanker. Brown has found one similarity to his two brief pro experiences. "Coach Lombardi," Tom said, "he's a lot like Gil Hodges (Senator manager). They both can make you go." And speaking of different sports, Bob Long of Wichita presents an interesting case. This gent is really a basketball expert. Long went to college on a basketball scholarship and didn't go out for football until his senior year. He was an overnight hit and played in the last seven games. A typical-looking end at 6-3 and 195, Long is in excellent physical condition. He ran with 21 pounds of weights (a 15-pound vest and three pound weights on each ankle) before coming to camp. His running mate was John Ryan, the sensational high school miler from Wichita. Long confessed that he couldn't keep up with Ryan, who runs 15 miles a day. Long is dead-set on making the Pack. "If they will only stick with me, I know I can do the job. I want to watch Max McGee and Boyd Dowler and just learn, learn, learn," he said...PACKER PACKINGS: Beau Carter? "That's my right name. It's actually my middle game, but I'm known as Beau," Carter explained. His given first game is Errol...First of the college coaches to visit camp is Jim Stevens, football coach at North Carolina State. Jim also is a scout for the Packers and he's highly impressed. "I've been with the Packers for 20 years, and this is the first time I've ever seen them practice. Everything makes sense. I can see why the Packers are winning," Jim said...Wally Cruice, the Packers' chief game scout, took his first look at the rookies Friday...The Packers will have some kind of contact every day during the training season...Tom Brown's brother Dick was a basketball and baseball player at the Naval Academy...Groundskeeper Johnny Proski has painted in the yard-line markers on the two practice fields. He garnished the fields with hash marks and about the only thing missing is a stadium to surround the beautiful green carpeting. And speaking of stadium, fans like to come out and sit in their seats and look over the structure. And watch the grass grow.
PACKER ROOKIES SHOW TOUGHNESS IN 'NUTCRACKER'
JUL 19 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Somebody told Forrest Gregg that "you look pretty nifty out there." "Yeah," Gregg snorted at the compliment, "I had better look nifty out there the way some of these young linemen look." Gregg, a good judge of linemen and a perennial all-pro, had worked informally a couple of days with the Packers' big rookie prospects. It was a signal that the veterans will be in for some stiff competition when they join the first-year boys on the practice field Monday morning. The veterans are required to report at St. Norbert College at 6 o'clock this evening. The big linemen got a chance to show their wares Saturday afternoon for Coach Vince Lombardi and aides Phil Bengtson, Norb Hecker, Bill Austin, Red Cochran and Tom Fears; 1,500 railbirds; and a flock of press, radio and TV reporters. The "chance" came in what the coaches call a "nutcracker" drill. It's man on man, offense linemen against a defensive lineman or linebacker, with a real live ball carrier. The offenser ties to "pop" the defenser hard and effective enough to permit the passage of the ball carrier. Purpose of the drill is merely to see who's tough. Some of the giants were tried on both offense and defense. John Baker, a giant of a man who plays offensive end, worked first against Ron Boguski, a rugged linebacker, and it was tough going for John. The pass catcher, who weighs about 245, then was given the defensive assignment against Turnley Todd, who has been switched from offense, and quickly nailed the ball carrier a couple of times. Todd, a center and linebacker at 235, has some success working both ways. The strongest rookie of the lot is 290-pound tackle Jack Petersen, the 11th draft choice from Omaha. Nobody really moved him, and he got quite a few tackles. Big, smiley Steve Wright, who talks and enjoys himself like Baby Ray, held his ground fairly well on defense, but he was a terror on offense. Wright and Petersen made a rugged match. The offensive ends, light by comparison to some of the linemen, got their chance to dent some of the stone walls. Bob Long, Tom Brown, Tom O'Grady and Gary Kroner got off some good initial pops. Others who brought forth words of encouragement and praise from the coaches were Dave Crossan, John McDowell, Larry Sagouspe and Jack Mauro. Beside determining toughness, the drill helps the coaches decide if an athlete is to be switched to a different position. Since most of the rookies are fresh from playing offense and defense, they can be easily switched. The ball carriers took a handoff from Bart Starr or Zeke Bratkowski and the linemen crashed at the "snap." Tackles were made on about half of the plays. One time Dennis Claridge leaped over the linemen when they went too low. The double drill Saturday marked the end of "Rookie Week." After the morning workout, Lombardi exclaimed, "good drill - real good drill." He called off the sprints after the full-dress afternoon session. Five more veterans came out Saturday - Jess Whittenton, Jim Taylor, Bob Jeter, Hank Gremminger and Dan Grimm. Other vets who got in a little work with the rookies since they started Thursday were Dave Hanner, Jerry Kramer, Hank Jordan, Tom Moore and Lee Roy Caffey. Paul Hornung, Bob Skoronski, Starr and Bratkowski started regular work with the rookies. After the "nutcracker," the Bays went through a long passing drill. And the players who drew a few ahs for a leaping catch was a defensive back, one Larry Hunter, who at 6-4 and 200 looks and acts like a pass receiver. He has been showing some promise as a defensive halfback. Taylor seems to be in his best condition in several seasons. He reported at 215 and is anxious to go. He was bothered some by injuries last year and the after-effects of hepatitis. Field goal kicking was on the menu Saturday and Boguski, Kroner, Hornung and Caffey got off some loon boots. Hornung, getting into physical condition, seemed to have lost little of the touch that made him one of the league's top placekickers.
HUNGRY? 15 PACKER VETS JOINED ROOKIES
JUL 20 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Fifteen veterans sought the comfort of rookie practice. Without being asked. Comfort? The veterans who came out don't have to wear pads and the leg-stretching of last week will be of great conform to them when Coach Vince Lombardi opened practice for the entire camp today. Four veterans were ordered out for the first-year drill which started last Thursday - quarterbacks Bart Starr and Zeke Bratkowski, who worked the offensive plays; Bob Skoronski, who is switching from tackle to center; and Paul Hornung, who is making a comeback after a year's absence. Veterans who came out for one or more
practices on their own were Dave Hanner, Jerry Kramer, Hank Jordan, Tom Moore, Lee Roy Caffey, Forrest Gregg, Fred Thurston, Hank Gremminger, Jess Whittenton, Urban Henry, Boyd Dowler, Frank Mestnik, Bob Jeter, Jim Taylor and Dan Grimm. This is a big year for the veterans because they are all fresh from experiencing the pain of giving up their two-straight championship rating. That special title hunger has returned and it started to show among the veterans as they worked informally last week. Besides this, the veterans are spurred this year by one of the finest rookie crops the Packers have ever had. The rookies have been displaying much promise and, still another happy thought, is merely that four highly-touted rookies aren't even in camp - tackle Lloyd Voss, first draft choice; quarterback-halfback Duke Carlisle; fullback-linebacker Tommy Crutcher, and center-linebacker Ken Bowman. These boys won't report until right after the All-Star game, which is Friday, Aug. 7. The Packers play their non-league opener against the Cards in New Orleans Saturday night, Aug. 8. The Packers were off Sunday. Two-a-day practices are set for this week. Picture day is set for next Sunday.
PACKER VETS STIR UP STORM; BATTLE BEGINS FOR SIX 'OPENINGS'
JUL 21 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packer veterans, barely in town, stirred up a storm Monday. In fact, two of them. They made their first official appearance with the eager rookies at 10 o'clock Monday morning. They were accompanied by rain, lightning and thunder. They came forth again in the afternoon - this time dressed in full uniform, and again the session started with varied amounts of rain, lightning and thunder. Some of us dreamers might suggest that the Packers are saving the fire and brimstone until the league season. And leave the lightning and thunder for the non-league competition. Getting back to reality, it was noted that the veterans were full of vitality and good condition. This was extremely pleasing to Coach Vince Lombardi, and he noted that the veterans as a group were in fine fettle. Since six veterans are missing (Jim Ringo, Earl Gros, Ken Iman, Lew Carpenter, Bill Forester and John Roach), it is only natural to look around and see who's in their places. While that thunder was rolling overhead, it occurred to us that the Packers are presently captain-less. Ringo had captained the offense and Forester the defense. Lombardi will appoint his captains in due time, of course. But who will replace Ringo and Forester? Bob Skoronski is the choice to take over Ringo's center spot. Bob Bob has been thinking center since the trades and working at the spot since last Thursday when the rookie reported, and Monday afternoon he got a chance to do some live blocking after snapping the ball. Forester's replacement at right linebacker last year was a promising rookie, one Dave Robinson. Robbie looks bigger and stronger than ever and he could step right in. However, the linebacker competition is nice and juicy due to the presence of Lee Roy Caffey, like Robinson a sophomore, who was obtained from the Eagles in the Gros-Ringo trade. Joining Caffey and Robinson in the fun are Ray Nitschke and Dan Currie. Iman's No. 2 center job is wide open and competing now are Dave Crossan and Larry Sagouspe. They'll be joined by Ken Bowman, now in the College All Star camp. Zeke Bratkowski takes over for Roach as Bart Starr's relief and the search will go on for years for somebody like the versatile and valuable Turkey Carpenter. Gros' departure is softened, but good, by the presence of Paul Hornung. And as running back replacements, the candidates are Dennis Claridge, the big back (220) type with speed; and Dwain Bean, a toughie who isn't small either at 208; plus holdover Elijah Pitts, who can step in anytime. Yesterday's hitting was confined to the big men and there was a lively session among rookie and veteran defense and offense linemen. John Baker, who started last week as an offensive end, showed up at defensive end. The hefty Norfolk State star has grown into defensive size, about 240, after reporting at offensive size, 230 or so. Another change found big Steve Wright of Alabama on the offensive side of the line. The hitting was fierce as the defensers tried to murder an imaginary quarterback and the offensers tried to save time. It was a good eye-opener for the rookies, especially on offense, who were exposed to the veterans' old tricks. There are only two veterans on the defense line - Baker and big Jack Petersen of Omaha. Five are up front on offense - Wright, guards John McDowell of St. John's and Jack Mauro of Northern Michigan and centers Dave Crossan of Maryland and Larry Sagouspe of Southern California...One player was placed on waivers Monday - guard Mike Hucks of Marshall College. The in-camp roster now shows 34 veterans and 21 rookies...Visiting coaches Monday were Sam Ketchman and Pin Ryan of Ferris State and Lew Woodruff and Dynamite Goodlove of Georgia Tech. The sideline crew was expanded a bit with the presence of a group from the Canadian Broadcasting Co., which is planning an hour long who on American professional football.
PACK RUNS DEAD HEAT - 96 DEGREES
JUL 22 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers lost 480 pounds Tuesday. They ran a 100-yard relay dead heat. And they started to unfold the famous Green Bay sweep. Man, it was hot - some 96 degrees. But it wasn't the heat; it was the humidity. It seemed to come up from the ground and grab you by the neck. The practice went on - two of them, and Coach Vince Lombardi didn't spare the horses. He topped off the morning drill with the goal line to goal line race and, with 800 spectators cheering the boys on, it was the best free show anywhere. The offense ran against the defense, which was strengthening by a few of the speedsters from the offense, including Paul Horning and Tom Moore. It went like this: One offensive player and one defensive player started from one goal line and raced to the other where they handed off the ball off to two more players who ran their 100 and handed off again. There were only three fumbled handoffs, which is a miracle for a big group of 60, and each was cleanly picked up, not resulting in too much lost time. When the last of the players streaked downfield - Hank Gremminger and Tom O'Grady, the crowd let out a scream as Gremminger inched up on the Northwestern rookie as they crossed the goal line. Lombardi made with the "tie" signal and everybody was happy. Everybody ran hard and that included Dave Hanner, who doesn't get along with the heat - not to mention the humidity. Particularly striking was the fundamental drilling on the Packers' lucrative left or right sweep play - the one where somebody runs wide and the guards pull out to help with the blocking. This is the Packers' bread and butter play. It looks as good in practice as it has since Lombardi introduced it back in '59. In fact, Lombardi's first TD in the 1959 opener vs. the Bears came on a sweep to the left, with Jim Taylor scoring. it produced a 9-6 win. The Packers will harp and practice on this and other plays throughout the training period. This is to give the key figures the feel of the sweep. Incidentally, once out fairly wide, the player is on his own. He goes to what Vince calls "daylight." The ball
The Philadelphia card set - Philadelphia misspelled Adderley's name "Adderly" in all four of its sets from 1964 to 1967.
carrier approaches the play with a sort of "open mind." In other words, you don't make up your mind exactly where you're going to run ahead of time. But this is only one phase. In other parts of the field, the defensive backs are learning to run backwards faster than they can skid ahead. And the big men, bless 'em, are continually hitting each other. Tuesday, the defensive linemen found themselves being two-timed, as it were, by the offensive players on various plays. The excessive heat and humidity helped melt 10 pounds off Hank Jordan. He weighed in at 250 and walked to evening chow carrying 240. Most of this weight is water, of course, and the players put it back on in a hurry. The Bays lost an average of about eight pounds per man Tuesday...Liz Blackbourn, coach of the Packers from 1954 through 1957, will be in the Packer camp for a couple of days. He drove up from his farm in Cassville Tuesday. Liz will do some area player scouting for the Packers, Colts, Browns and Cardinals in a new "joint" program worked out by the four clubs...The Packers' annual intra-squad game will be held at night instead of the afternoon to give more fans a chance to see it. The game is scheduled for City Stadium at 8 o'clock Saturday night, Aug. 1. Tickets are $1 for adults and 25 cents for kids. This will be a real show, what with Paul Hornung making his first showing, not to mention Lee Roy Caffey, the linebacker obtained in the Ringo-Gros deal, and a flock of good-looking rookies...The Minutemen's second annual meet-the-Packers luncheon will be held in the Student Union building at St. Norbert College at noon Tuesday, Aug. 4. The luncheon is open to the public and ladies are invited. Tickets may be obtained by contacting the sponsoring Green Bay Chamber of Commerce...Sam Ketchman, head football coach at Ferris State (a St. Norbert opponent), left today after spending a couple of days watching the Packers, with this comment: "This gave me a new zest for coaching. I'm ready to start right now."
HORNUNG GETS HIT FIRST TIME - "DIDN'T BOTHER ME'
JUL 23 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Wednesday was a big day for Paul Hornung. The Packers' comebacking halfback hit, and was hit, for the first time since the championship game of 1962. There was no fanfare. But everybody realized what was happening and stopped to watch when Hornung crouched and awaited the handoff from Bart Starr in the "nutcracker" drill. In front of Hornung was Fuzzy Thurston, whose job is was to block out Hank Jordan, thus allowing Hornung running room. At the snap, Thurston popped into Jordan and Hornung slid off Fuzzy's left shoulder. Hank slid with him and managed to grab Hornung by the legs as he slammed forward. Paul got up, shook his pads into place and waited for the next shot. He went three times, once each behind Dan Grimm, Bob Long and Tom Brown. Just like old times but that wasn't all. A few minutes later, Coach Vince Lombardi called for a controlled scrimmage, featuring protection for the passer. Tackling was only permitted by the linemen and linebackers. Ten or 12 passing plays were called and then, with no warning, Hornung ran off right tackle, found the hole and broke into the secondary. The defense must have been surprised because Coach Vince Lombardi laughed, "I just wanted to see if he could run." Hornung ran a few more times and twice headed into a stone wall. "I had wondered about getting hit that first time," Hornung said later, "but maybe it was all psychological. It didn't bother me." Hornung will be hit-tested thoroughly from now until the league opener (Bears here Sept. 13), but it was quite a momentous occasion out there Wednesday when Paul got his feet wet for the first time. The nutcracker produced some real hitting and some nifty running by the backs who were bumped by a defensive back if they got through the "blocked out" linemen. Drawing high praise from the coaches for this hard and quick hitting (for such a little fella) was Bob Jeter, the flanker, who twice took care of his defensive foe. Jeter, at 195, looks small aside of his 250-pound opponents. Dennis Claridge, the versatile Nebraskan, reacted well behind blocks by Jack Mauro and Norm Masters, once hurdling the pile when it seemed a little close to the ground. Claridge left Wednesday night to start training with the College All Stars. It will be interesting to see where Star Coach Otto Graham plays him - quarterback or running back. After Claridge hit in the nutcracker, Lombardi yelled, "We're sending those All Stars a good football player." Claridge has been doing double duty - QB and running back, and the big fellow (225) shows amazing promise. He's a "quick" passer, flipping it with a snap-of-the-hand motion - on or off balance. He completed a couple of quickies under pressure from charging defensive linemen. The Packers now have five players in the All Star game. Dennis joins Tommy Crutcher, Duke Carlisle, Lloyd Voss and Ken Bowman. The tempo of
practice seemed to pick up Wednesday. It was the third day for the veterans and they seemed to like the contact. There was no meeting for the players Wednesday night but the 11 o'clock curfew was in force...Wondering who to pick in the Eastern Division? Try the Cardinals on for size. Don Owens, who had to quit the Cardinals after last season due to a knee injury, said Wednesday "if my luck holds the Cardinals should win," explaining: "I was traded from the Eagles to the Cardinals because I didn't think they had anything but the year after I left they went out and won the East. If my luck..." Owens and Liz Blackbourn are here to look over the team and make arrangements for the new four-team player scouting program worked out by the Packers, Colts, Browns and Cardinals. Liz will scout the Big Ten and other area schools.
TOM BETTIS RETIRES
JUL 23 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Tom Bettis, the Packers' first choice in 1955, has retired from pro football. The Green Bay resident will devote full time to his advertising business here, but will do some scouting for the Bears, the Bears announced Wednesday. Bettis played here seven years and then was traded to the Steelers in 1962. Pitt then traded him to Chicago in '63. Tom was on two championship teams in his last three years - the Packers in '61-62 and the Bears last season.
GREEN BIDDING TO BECOME PACK'S FIRST 2-WAY 'K'
JUL 24 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Allen Green is making a bid to become the Packers' first two-way kciker. After a two-year layoff. The 26-year-old Alabaman by way of Mississippi is listed on the Packer roster as a "K". Which is for kicker. He played center and linebacker at Ole Miss but those positions aren't for him in pro football. Other than centering on occasion in practice, Green is strictly a kicker. He works by himself on his three major arts throughout the two-a-day drills. He punts two or three balls, then jobs down to where he punted them and boots 'em back the other way. He does the same on kicking off. His major field goal kicking practice is confined to working some 20 minutes before the start of each practice. He has been kicking with Paul Hornung, Jerry Kramer and Gary Kroner. Two-way foot specialists are no longer a rarity in pro ball and could become more plentiful this year since the player limit has been increased from 37 to 40. There were four in '60 - Danny Villanueva of the Rams, Don Chandler of the Giants, Tommy Davis of the 49ers and Sam Baker of the Cowboys. Green says, "I've always been enthralled by the kicking phase of football" and that explains why he took a leave from his work as a mechanical engineer to become a kicking expert. Green is no stranger to pro football. He was drafted by the Giants in 1961 and then traded to the Cowboys before joining New York. He worked as a two-wayer at Dallas in 1961, booting 61 punts for a 38-yard average and kicking 19 extra points and five field goals in 15 attempts. The Cowboys obtained Baker in 1962 and then traded Green to the Giants who in turn traded him to the Packers. "I was getting ready to go to National Air Guard camp when I got word from Green Bay," Allen recalled, "but I never reported and decided to go to work as a mechanical engineer. I stayed out last year, too, but then decided to give it a try." Green confided that it wasn't easy to make a comeback after a two-year absence. "But it really hasn't bothered my kicking," he said, adding: "I'm concerned about my punting right now. That's the last to come. I've had a dead leg in camp the first few days because I've been trying to get my timing down and get my leg in shape at the same time. It should come around." Green has been punting with Jerry Norton, who averaged 44.7 on 51 punts last year; Boyd Dowler, and Dennis Claridge, who since has left for the College All Star camp. Green never kicked until his senior year at Henceville, Ala., High, and then did considerable booting at Ole Miss. One of his chief rivals there was Bob Khayat, the Redskins' kicker...There was more hitting in camp Thursday afternoon and it involved the interior linemen and the backs. It provided a good opportunity for Bob Skoronski to try his hand at live blocking from his new position, center. The big former tackle got off a number of good blocks and didn't act like a stranger to the job he inherited from Jim Ringo. Skoronski is working at center with rookie Larry Sagouspe of Southern California. They will be joined later by Ken Bowman of Wisconsin, who is now in the College All Star camp. Dave Crossan, rookie from Maryland, has been shifted from center to right guard behind Jerry Kramer. Jack Mauro, the Northern Michigan rookie, is working at left guard behind Fuzzy Thurston. Norm Masters, who became sole owner of left tackle when Skoronski was shifted, is working with John McDowell, a first-year man from St. John's (Minn.). Behind Forrest Gregg at the other tackle is big Steve Wright of Alabama. Working into the offensive line picture later will be Lloyd Voss, the Bays' first draft choice who is now in the All Star camp...Do you realize there has been only one player cut since camp opened for the rookies a week ago Thursday? This is a tipoff on the caliber of the Packers' rookie crop. Cuts must come, of course, but every first year man is giving his all. This is a pleasure to Coach Vince Lombardi and aides Phil Bengtson, Norb Hecker, Red Cochran, Bill Austin and Tom Fears, but it makes cutting a problem.
PERSONALITY PARADE
JUL 24 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Huge beads of perspiration cascaded down burly Frank Mestnik's square-cut features to the ivy green carpeting which graces the floor of the Packers' palatial dressing room. "Man," he announced with a slightly wan smile, I lost nine pounds out there today. It must have been the hottest day we've had. The temperature may have been
89, but that humidity must have been 102." A man who has known both the sweet smell of success and the more acrid aroma of aversity, the good looking Marquette alumnus dropped wearily to the straight back chair in front of his locker, took a long pull on a glass of pop and signed, "I sure would like to play some. I only had the ball one time last year, you know, up until the Runnerup Bowl against Cleveland." The muscular 225-pound fullback, a regular with the St. Louis Cardinals who subsequently toiled in relative obscurity as a member of the New York Giants' taxi squad before coming to the Packers a year ago, let it be known he is cautiously optimistic about steadier employment in '64. This is due in part, he notes, to the fact that Earl Gros is now a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, having been dispatched eastward with Jim Ringo in the Lee Roy Caffey deal, thus leaving the No. 2 niche behind Jim Taylor wide open. "I think it looks real good," he admitted, quickly appending, "as long as I can stay healthy." This last was almost a reflex, perhaps triggered by the still painful memory of the knee injury which shelved him with the Cardinals and eventually led to his departure from the Giants - and a long, dreary 1962 season as a "cabbie." Continuing with his personal prospectus, the forthright Cleveland native asserts, "I think I'm hitting the holes pretty good. I'm not hitting them as I would like to, I admit - I'm not getting my legs high enough year. But that'll come - I'm not in top shape yet, I know that. I pulled something in my back, I think, but as soon as I work that out, everything should be all right." His principal competition, he notes, is likely to come from a pair of rookies, Texas Christian's Tommy Crutcher and strapping Dennis Claridge, the Nebraska product who reportedly is envisioned as both a quarterback and running back by the Packer brain trust. (Crutcher and Claridge are in the College All Star camp.) "I think that's my one advantage - my couple of years' experience," Frank points out. "You don't know everything," he conceded with a smile, "but it helps." All of which prompted him to inform, not without a modicum of pride, "I was a regular with the Cardinals, you know. I averaged about 500 yards a season - about a 4-yard average. In fact, I was their second leading ground gainer both years. Crow (John David) beat me the year he gained a thousand yards, and Gautt (Prentice) the other year by about a hundred yards. And when Pop Ivy had that offense (double wing) going, the fullback was primarily a blocker." That reminded him of another matter, "I lost some money that year the Cardinals sent me to the Giants - you never make as much on the taxi squad as you do when you're on the roster, of course. But it's turned out all right," Frank confessed with a smile. "A championship check would take care of that." That eternally intriguing long green is not his only concern, however. "I had a chance to go with the Houston Oilers in the AFL when I was with the Giants," Mestnik confided, "but I wanted to play in the National League. I thought I was good enough."
CARDS TO STAY IN ST. LOUIS, REPORT
JUL 24 (St. Louis) - The St. Louis football Cardinals have spurned the wooing of Atlanta officials and have decided to keep the NFL franchise in St. Louis, the Associated Press learned today. The official announcement is expected this weekend. Both cities have giant sports stadiums under construction, and both had been vying for several months for the Cardinals, the oldest team in the NFL. The Bidwells have looked long and hard at Atlanta after becoming miffed with attendance problems and lease obligations for the new downtown sports stadium in St. Louis. The feeling reported prevalent among top Atlanta backers of the proposed transfer was one of a maiden scorned. "The Cardinals have sold us out," one official said. "They used us as a whipping boy to get what they wanted." The Cardinals' dissatisfaction with St. Louis became public exactly two months ago when a St. Louis newspaper reported the club was eyeing Atlanta as successor to St. Louis for the NFL franchise. The Bidwells cited the Cardinals' relatively poor attendance - a little more than 22,000 fans for a game in four years - and lease requirements for the new 55,000-seat stadium, scheduled for completion by 1966. They said they were asked to sign a 30-year lease at 12 percent of their gate. Atlanta, moving ahead on construction of its 57,000-seat stadium, offered a lesser term and 10 percent rental. The football team now shares the baseball Cardinal's Busch Stadium, with a 32,000-seat capacity. Then the word became public that the football team may leave St. Louisans went to work. The newspapers and civic leaders stirred intense efforts to retain the team.
PACKER BACKS GET BRUISING TEST
JUL 25 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - 'Tis all agreed that pro football is quite the glamor sport. The bands, the big crowds, excitement, long runs, cheer girls, the whole bit - what a show! But you ought to see it on a hot afternoon in July - like yesterday, for instance. Bo bands, the crowd is pretty good for the 93 degrees heat, there's no excitement, the long runs don't count, there are no cheer girls (just a few of us nosy reporters), etc. The boys are conducting a controlled scrimmage, and this is fun to watch for a few cracks but then it becomes real work. This is where Coach Vince Lombardi really bears down. This is live action. He's quick with the praise and also quick with the opposite. It's over and over, play after play - until perfection sets in. Like we said, it's not very glamorous winner...The Bays' running backs - Jim Taylor, Elijah Pitts, Frank Mestnik and Dwain Bean - were given a fierce test in the scrimmaging. The defensive unit played without tackles but it didn't make things much easier for the offense because most of the plays were outside the tackles. The offensive guard did a lot of pulling out and they (Jerry Kramer, Fuzzy Thurston, Dave Crossan and Jack Mauro) got a chance to block the defensive end and maybe a linebacker and cornerbacker. Dave Robinson, sophomore linebacker, stepped in some at defensive end...After the run, run, run action, passing under "real" conditions (though the defense linemen wore blocking aprons) was tried, with Bart Starr, Zeke Bratkowski and Merv Holland doing the hurling. Nearly 25 pass plays (plus two runners to keep the defense honest) were called and the first was a completion from Starr to Ron Kramer. Two passes were lost when the defense got in and one went awry on a fumble. After this drill and that ever-present practice-ending sprint, three of the boys braved the heat to practice receiving. With Coach Tom Fears watching, Holland threw to Bob Jeter and Bob Long. Jeter has been having trouble catching the ball and he aims to improve. Long dropped a couple during the day and he, too, worked on the problem. He wound up making the catch of the day - a one-handed leaper of a long shot...Sunday is picture day and the veterans will report at 9 o'clock and the rookies at 1. There will be no practice but the squad will be out bright and early Monday morning...Hank Gremminger will open a restaurant on the west side of Madison in April. It will be called Gremminger's Gridiron. He'll be No. 3 among the Packer to enter that business. Fuzzy Thurston has the Left Guard in Menasha, and Jess Whittenton has the King's X in Green Bay. The defense is leading 2 to 1...For 1964, NFL teams have the option of deciding whether they will wear their traditional colored jerseys at home or switch to white jerseys. Here's how the clubs decided to dress: The Packers, Bears, Lions, Giants, Eagles and 49ers will continue to wear their colored jerseys at home, while the Colts, Browns, Cowboys, Rams, Vikings, Steelers, Cardinals and Redskins will
entertain in white. This means that the Packers will wear their traditional home (colored) jerseys when they play at Baltimore, Dallas, Los Angeles and Minnesota this year...ATTITUDE OF THE PACKERS: Don Owens, the former Cardinal who watched the Packers drill this week, said, "I can see right away that the entire team as a good attitude. That's the first thing I noticed." Willie Davis put it this way: "After a few days in camp, I can tell you that the attitude of the veterans is the best I've ever seen. We're ready to pay the price."
CARDINAL DELAY 'STAY' DECISION
JUL 25 (St. Louis) - An unknown element held up the expected announcement early today that the football Cardinals would stay in St. Louis and forget about moving to Atlanta. The club's torment over enticement offered by the two cities had actually been solved by Friday morning when the Associated Press learned that the team's owners had said that "St. Louis has given us everything we wanted." However, Charles and Bill Bidwill, president and vice president respectively of the Cardinals, later denied they had made a decision to keep the NFL's oldest team in St. Louis. "The Cardinals have sold us out," said an indignant Atlanta official. "They used us as a whipping boy to get what they wanted." The AP learned that the Bidwill brothers decided to stay in St. Louis after city and civic leaders made some concessions. Bill Bidwill said Friday afternoon a decision would be announced "before the weekend is concluded." But, he said later, "it might not come this weekend." His brother, Charles, contacted at the Cardinals' training camp at Lake Forest, Ill., said he had called a meeting to make an announcement Friday afternoon. Shortly before the scheduled meeting, Charles talked with Bill on the telephone and canceled the meeting. Charles told the St. Louis Globe-Democrat: "We almost did make a decision in favor of St. Louis. Then this came up. It is something personal and we want it ironed out before we announce our decision, which possibly now will be Sunday or Monday." He declined to elaborate. "The hitch has nothing to do with the offers from either city," Bill Bidwill said. Like his brother, he would not comment further. In Atlanta, Mayor Ivan Allen told Furman Bisher of the Atlanta Journal, he was convinced the Cardinals would eventually land in Atlanta. Allen, who was vacationing at Cape Cod, Mass., said: "I think they (the Cardinals) will make the best deal they can for themselves," the mayor said. "I believe they eventually will decide on Atlanta as their destination." But, Bill Bidwill described "as substantially correct" a quote Friday in the Atlanta Journal in which he was said to have commented: "There have been some new developments which have caused us to reconsider our original position on whether to not to move to Atlanta." St. Louis city officials and representatives of the group building the downtown St. Louis Sports Stadium have negotiated a new Cardinal lease on the stadium and new rent requirements.
PACK OFFENSE BOOM IN CRUCHING 'FULL GO'
JUL 26 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The command of the day was "Full Go Scrimmage - Live." And the Packers responded with a tooth jerker before 2,500 railbirds at the Oneida Street practice field Saturday afternoon. Three or four "touchdowns" were scored and 10 first downs were recorded along the 43-play program. That's a lot of offense and puts the lie to the old saw about the defense being ahead of the offense early in training. But defensive units had their moments, breaking up three pass plays by getting at the quarterback and forcing a couple of fumbles. Coach Vince Lombardi handled the whistle while aide Red Cochran yelled out the yardage. The other coaches, Phil Bengtson, Bill Austin and Norb Hecker, kept a close watch on their charges. The object was to make a first down and the ball was called back to a given spot after the first down was "lost" or made. Units were changed after one or two first downs. Lombardi expressed pleasure after the action, noting that "it was a good scrimmage overall." He added that "we had a good week and got plenty done." There were two touchdowns for sure and the others were doubtful because the whistle had blown stopping the action where the runner might have broken into the clear. The first TD came on the fourth play when Bart Starr threw a shortie off to the left to Jim Taylor, who bolted out of Lee Roy Caffey's mitts and then stumbled away from Willie Wood and into the clear. This could be a warning to our friends, the Foes. The next touchdown came on a screen pass from Zeke Bratkowski to Frank Mestnik. The fullback took the throw, got a start behind the screen and then went the rest of the way on his own. The "first groups" of offense and defense went against each other at the start and quickly made two first downs. Starr called Paul Hornung, the first ball carrier of the day, and he slammed off right guard for nine yards. And to say that his running looked like old times is putting it mildly. Especially when Taylor cracked the left side for six. That made 15 in two trips. Now the defense stepped in. Starr got a rousing rush and Bart never got the ball off. Next came Taylor's "TD." Zeke Bratkowski tried QB'ing next and a first down on a pass to Marv Fleming, but Marv dropped the ball. Starr had a pass batted down by Willie Davis, but then threw to Ron Kramer for 15. Merv Holland didn't first down in his first showing but completed a short pass to Elijah Pitts. Pitts completed one of the longest passes of the day on the next series, pitching the "option" for 25 yards to Bob Jeter. Ron Kramer finished up with three catches for 42 yards. Bob Long caught a 15-yarder from Starr and escaped Jess Whittenton. Tom Brown made a good catch of a Bratkowski pass off his left side just before going out of bounds. Davis was a standout on defense while Ray Nitschke received praise from Lombardi for making a good recovery and tackle. All of the rookies got a good shot, and they will be under close observation when the
coaches look at pictures of the scrimmage this weekend...Guard Jerry Kramer agreed that the offense looked "pretty good," but he added a but: "The defense was playing it straight. They weren't jumping around."...There was no practice scheduled today, but this is Picture Day - the veterans at 9 a.m. and the rookies at 1 p.m. The Bays return to work Monday morning at 10 o'clock.
GRID 'HALL' STRIKES BONANZA; HINKLE DONATES MEMENTOS
JUL 26 (Canton, OH) - The National Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton struck quite a bonanza for its "House of Heroes" at the home of Clarke Hinkle in Toronto, Ohio. "This is the greatest collection yet," exclaimed Dick McCann, Hall of Fame director, as he examined the prize mementos of Hinkle's 18-year football career. Hinkle, regarded as the Green Bay Packers' greatest fulltime all-around player and fiercest competitor in the history of the game, will be formally honored in the Pro Football's Hall of Fame September 6 with six other football immortals. No collection will be more complete than Hinkle's. It traces his football career from Toronto High School through Bucknell University, the East-West All Star game of 1932 and a decade with the Packers. There is the No. 77 jersey which he wore as he "stole the show" in the East-West Shrine game of 1932, his East-West jacket, another jacket which he wore as a member of Hinkle's Collegians, an independent basketball team, blankets from the East-West game and the Green Bay Packers and plaques which he received when inducted into Wisconsin's Hall of Fame and the Helms' Foundation Hall of Fame. The collection includes an action picture of Hinkle crashing through the Detroit Lions' line in 1937, scrapbooks, a football autographed by the entire Packer squad, a memento of a 14-13 victory over the rival Detroit Lions. Hinkle will keep a few of the mementos after the ones selected by McCann nearly filled the baggage compartment of a station wagon. The second group of immortals to be honored in the Hall of Fame in addition to Hinkle includes: George Trafton, center of the Chicago Bears from 1920 to 1932; Ed Healey, tackle with Rock Island and the Bears from 1920 to 1927; Jimmy Conzelman, halfback, coach, executive with the Decatur Staleys (the original Bears), Rock Island, Milwaukee, Detroit Panthers, Providence, and Chicago Cardinals from 1920 to 1948; Roy (Link) Lyman, tackle with the Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Bulldogs and Chicago Bears from 1922 to 1934; August (Mike) Michalske, guard with the New York Yankees and Green Bay Packers from 1927 to 1937; and Art Rooney, founder and president of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sept. 6 should be a special day for Rooney - his Steelers will clash with the Baltimore Colts in the annual Hall of Fame Game and he will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame.
PACKERS CUT PAIR, TRIM ROSTER TO 58
JUL 27 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packer roster was reduced to 58 players - 34 veterans and 24 rookies - today with the waiving of two free agents. Center Larry Sagouspe of Southern California and defensive halfback John Humphreys of Syracuse have been dispatched, Coach Vince Lombardi announced as the Packers launched their second full week of practice this morning. Sagouspe had been the only offensive center playing behind veteran Bob Skoronski. To give Skoronski some relief, Dave Crossan, who started training as a center, has been switched back from guard. Crossan is a free agent by way of Maryland. Humphreys was one of five rookie defensive backs in camp. The others are Doug Hart, a member of the taxi squad here last year; Beau Carter of Fresno State; Larry Hunter of Grambling; and Joe Scarpati of North Carolina State. The Packers now have 19 rookies in camp along with 34 veterans. Five other first-year men are in College All Star camp - offensive back Dennis Claridge of Nebraska, defensive halfback Duke Carlisle of Texas, center Ken Bowman of Wisconsin, tackle Lloyd Voss of Nebraska, and fullback-linebacker Tommy Crutcher of Texas Christian. This is the key week for the rookies, and they'll likely get plenty of chances to display their wares. Some contact is scheduled every day, and the week will be topped off with the annual Squad game in City Stadium Saturday night. Ten of the in-camp rookies are on offense - quarterback Merv Holland; ends Gary Kroner, Tom Brown, Tom O'Grady, and Bob Long; interior linemen John McDowell, Steve Wright, Jack Mauro and Crossan. Defensive rookies here are linemen Jack Petersen and John Baker; linebackers Turnley Todd, Gene Breen and Ron Boguski; and defense backs Hart, Scarpati, Carter and Hunter. Sunday was Picture Day and no formal practice was held, although Lionel Aldridge, while waiting to get "shot," hit the charging sled a few times. Incidentally, Aldridge's number has been changed from 62 to 82. Henry Urban is wearing a new number, too, 70. He wore 83 last year. The Bays were back at work in shorts at 10 o'clock this morning and returning after fighting the flu was Max McGee, who was bedded down all day Saturday. Bob Long and Tom Brown played McGee's left end spot during the scrimmage Saturday afternoon. The Packers were shocked by the deaths of Willie Galimore and John Farrington of the Bears. They were killed in an auto accident Sunday night near Rensselaer, Ind. Picture Day was spiced with the annual appearance of Jim Laughead, famed sports photographer from Dallas. He shoots publicity picture for the Packers. Other photographers were from the Press-Gazette, the two Milwaukee papers, and a Madison paper - plus Sports Illustrated and Vernon Biever of Port Washington, who does freelance work for magazines.
OFFICIAL NOW: CARDS TO STAY IN ST. LOUIS
JUL 27 (St. Louis) - The football Cardinals are not going to migrate South next fall - after deciding their grounds are best in St. Louis. Charles and Bill Bidwill, president and vice president of the NFL team, made the formal announcement Sunday in a joint statement at St. Louis. Charles Bidwill made an announcement at the Cardinal training camp in Lake Forest, Ill., while his brother read the statement in St. Louis. The Associated Press learned last Friday the club has decided to stay. The brothers said they had reached an agreement on a 30-year lease early Sunday after a meeting with Civic Center Redevelopment Corp. "We expect to sign the lease within 30 days," said Bill Bidwill. The announcement ended months of speculation that the team might move to Atlanta. A new stadium under construction there would be finished in 1965. St. Louis' riverfront stadium is not scheduled for completion until 1966. Civic Center is the prime backer for the St. Louis stadium. "Now we can get down to the business at hand, preparing for the coming season," the Bidwills said. Bill Bidwill said he was grateful to St. Louis fans and the citizens of Atlanta for the patience they had shown in waiting for the decision on the fate of the oldest team in the NFL. Bidwill said the lease offered by Atlanta was a better one than the one he and his brother would sign at St. Louis. He said there were several factors involved in the decision. "And we don't want to make any one of them more important than another by making them public," Bill said. "One decision," he continued, "does not at all lessen our opinion that Atlanta has great potential as a pro football town." The brothers Bidwill said that under the lease agreed to at St. Louis the Cardinals could leave the city in five years without penalty. They said that if the team decided to leave before the five years they would pay $100,000 a year on time left in the five year period. "But," Bidwill said, "we have no intention of paying the penalty." Bidwill said he and his brother, Charles, told Atlanta Stadium officials of the decision Sunday afternoon after the meeting with Civic Center. At Atlanta, Arthur L. Montgomery, head of the Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority, said Atlanta was "naturally disappointed, but we hold no ill feeling toward the Bidwills."...'COMBINATION OF FACTORS': "I think," Montgomery said, "it was a combination of factors which led to their remaining in St. Louis. After all, they are established there." The Cardinals came to St. Louis in 1960 from Chicago. Talks between Atlanta officials and the Bidwills began when negotiations for a lease on the new St. Louis stadium seemed to have hit a stalemate. Then, the Bidwills began talks for the new St. Louis lease agreement. Missouri's two Democrat U.S. Senators, Stuart Symington and Edward V. Long, agreed on a letter Symington sent to the Bidwills. The Symington letter hinted at possible antitrust action if the team moved to Atlanta.
PACK SADDENED BY BEAR DOUBLE TRAGEDY
JUL 28 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers were saddened by the death of the Bears' Willie Galimore and John Farrington. The players spoke quietly about the two departed Bears and expressed their sympathy. "It was too bad, really tragic," said Coach Vince Lombardi, who added that there is no real way to express feelings in a situation like this. Galimore and Farrington were personal acquaintances of a number of Packers. Willie Davis was with Galimore most of the summer. "We lived only five blocks apart in Chicago, and we went on a number of promotions together. Galimore was figuring on a big season. His knees were healed up. I feel real back personally." Larry Hunter, the rookie defensive halfback from Grambling, lived close to Farrington in Houston and knew him for three years. "Farrington had always been a source of encouragement to me in trying pro football,"
Larry said. Jess Whittenton, who had the job of guarding Farrington the last three seasons, said, "It's a shame such a career is ended. He was an eager kid and he had improved 100 percent last year over his other years." Galimore was starting his eighth season, Farrington his fourth. Zeke Bratkowski was a teammate of both players when he was with the Bears. "They were outstanding players and Farrington had a good future." Farrington was a factor in the Bears' championship drive - at least in two key games. At City Stadium last year he caught a 15-yard pass and reached the one yard line to set up the only TD of the game in the Bears' 10-3 win. In the Bears' crucial tie with the Steelers in Pittsburgh, he caught a 53-yard pass and reached Pitts' one-yard line to set up Chicago's first TD. Galimore rushed 93 times for 400 yards in 12 games against the Packers. He missed two games because of injuries. He also scored six touchdowns and caught 11 passes for 178 yards. Willie's best rushing day vs. Green Bay was in the Bears' victory in Wrigley Field last year. He gained 79 yards in 14 attempts. In the opener here in 1960, Galimore gained 72 yards in 11 attempts, caught a pass for 33 yards and scored one TD as the Bears rallied for a 17-14 win. He scored three TDs on the Pack here in 1958 - one on a 79-yard pass reception from Ed Brown. He gained 45 yards in 10 trips and caught three passes for 88 yards that day. Farrington caught 7 passes for 82 yards vs. Green Bay. A long passing drill highlighted the morning drill Monday, but the heavy rain washed out most of the afternoon session. This was the first time in the last few years a Packer drill had been stopped by rain. Usually the Bays go right through the rain, but the water came down in buckets and it was lightning. Max McGee had left the top down on his convertible, which prompted the Texas humorist to request a classified ad reading as follows: "One Cadillac convertible - with swimming pool." Though they hit every day in practice, the Packers are getting ready for the big "hit" of the training season - the annual Squad game in City Stadium Saturday night. (Kickoff 8 o'clock) The game, usually played on Saturday afternoon, was switched to Saturday night to permit more fans to see it. It will be the Offense vs, the Defense.
ATLANTA HOPES TO REST ON AFL TRANSFER
JUL 28 (Atlanta) - Atlanta's hopes of obtaining a major league football franchise apparently rest now on the transfer of an existing AFL team. Jack Horrigan, the AFL's public relations director, said no expansion action could be taken until after the league's annual meeting next January in New Orleans. "And that would be after the annual college draft in early December," he said. "It would mean that the only possible solution for new clubs would be a player pool. And since we have worked for five years now to reach parity with the NFL, I doubt very seriously that many of the owners would support a pool which would strip their rosters," Horrigan added Monday. He said the possibilities of a transfer were greater. "Last year we had three clubs which reported losses," he said. "They were Denver, Oakland and New York." Of the three, Horrigan said Denver has been most frequently mentioned as interested in a transfer. "But our new five-year television contract with NBC should guarantee that all eight clubs will show a profit in 1964," he said. Horrigan said Atlanta is one of nine cities bidding for an AFL franchise. He said 28 applications are in Commissioner Joe Foss' office. Meanwhile, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle said his league has no present plans for expansion and that all franchises appear set now that the St. Louis Cardinals have decided not to move to Atlanta. "The prevailing feeling is that our two new clubs, Minnesota and Dallas, need more time to become more competitive before expansion is seriously approached," he said. Horrigan and Rozelle made their comments in telephone interviews from New York with the Atlanta Constitution.
PACK PRIMED FOR 'SQUAD' SHOWDOWN
JUL 29 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers are pointing for an offense-defense showdown at City Stadium Saturday night. It's billed as the annual Intra-Squad game (kickoff at 8), but the word "game" might be a bit tame. Tuesday's "dress rehearsal" - an hour-long scrimmage - indicates that a big battle is upcoming. Coach Vince Lombardi used just about the entire practice period Tuesday afternoon for the head-knocking and the defense came out with a clearcut victory. At least the offense didn't run up and down the field as it did in last Saturday's scrimmage. First downs were few and far between yesterday and the goal line wasn't crossed on a long drive but once. Paul Hornung threw a 10-yard pass to Boyd Dowler for that "score." Ray Nitschke was a noticeable figure, making numerous tackles from his middle linebacker spot, and he drew praise on occasion from Lombardi, who, at the same time, had to "remind" a few of the offensive players for not blocking out big Ray. Nitschke, who missed the last two games-plus with a broken arm last year and part of the '63 exhibition campaign with a back injury, wasn't accepting any plaudits later. "But did you see the last play?" he asked, and answered: "That big Jerry drove me 10 yards back right into the end zone. He's good." Nitschke was referring to Jerry Kramer's work on a goal line (around the 10) play in which Hornung ripped into the end zone. The ball was kept near pay dirt for the last few plays. The
Bays' high-powered offense likely will make a "comeback" against the defense in the Saturday night action. But now that the defense got the taste of a "win," a real tug-of-war is in prospect. Actually, Bart Starr got the offense going pretty good at the start, moving about 40 yards before a fumble ended the advance. But the door was slammed shut for about 20 minutes as Starr, Zeke Bratkowski and Merv Holland worked various offensive combinations against different defensive groups. In one drive, Beau Carter intercepted a Bratkowski pass. Holland, the rookie QB, had some success in one drive. He called Frank Mestnik's number three straight times and the fullback gained 5, 2 and 20 yards. Dwain Bean and Mestnik then added six yards before Bean just missed a first down on a third and three situation. Hank Jordan saw some action at right defense end, sharing it with Lionel Alridge. Dan Currie, Dave Robinson and Nitschke formed the first linebacker group. Lee Roy Caffey missed the day's drilling. He had been called to his home in Texas by the death of his grandfather. Also getting in good licks at LBer were Gene Breen, Ron Bouguski and Turnley Todd. The lone TD drive featured runs by Jim Taylor, Tom Moore and Hornung, a 10-yard run by Starr, and Starr's two passes to Max McGee for 15 and 12 yards, setting up Hornung's throw to Dowler. On defense, Ron Kostelnik and Urban Henry shared right tackle. Willie Davis and John Baker worked at left end and Jordan and Aldridge at right end. The defense was souped up, as it were. The players were keeping up a steady chatter from the sideline. One time the offense had a third and four situation after Starr threw to Ron Kramer for six. Moore raced toward end but Aldridge put him down for a six-yard loss. The "bench" let out a scream. The action was witnessed by a dozen crewmen and officers of the USS Runner, the submarine docked here. They were accompanied by Police Chief Elmer Madson. Don Rondou, former West High and Northwestern star, visited camp Tuesday. A salesman from Spalding in New Orleans, Don is vacationing in these parts for a few weeks.
PERSONALITY PARADE
JUL 29 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Though all of Packerland was stunned by the Willie Galimore-John Farrington tragedy, perhaps the most personally affected was Tom Bettis, the likeable Towerview Drive resident who was a teammate in the Bears' surge to the 1963 world championship. "Willie was a real fine kid, and Bo was the same type, although I didn't know his as well," says Tom, the former Packer linebacker who only last week announced his retirement from pro football. "Willie was my next door neighbor in camp last year. We shot the breeze a lot and we had gone out and played golf together several times - Bill George, Fred Williams, Willie and I. And when the Bears played the Packers in basketball as a preliminary to the Globetrotters' game here last winter, Willie and his wife were over for dinner, so we (Tom and wife Valerie) felt bad for her, too. Willie was a pretty serious conscientious guy. He had his mind on his goals in life - knew exactly where he was going," Bettis added. "The last time I talked to him, he was planning on going into a restaurant business in Florida. Bo Farrington was in the same category, a real nice fellow. Both Willie and Bo were well respected as ball players and fellows by the rest of the Bears - both were held in high esteem," said Tom, himself one of the game's best liked and respected performers during his playing days. A truly accurate assessment of how the Bears will react to this body blow is virtually impossible at this point, he feels. "It will be a big loss, that is certain, but how it will affect them morale-wise is hard to say, hard to measure. It probably will be uppermost in their minds from now on, and it may draw them closer together. But, frankly, I don't think they will let it affect them too much. Being professional athletes. they realize they have to go on. It may not be to nice to say that," Tom concedes, "but they will have to be realistic about it." Physically, he noted, the world champions "certainly are going to miss Willie's speed. It's going to put a heavy weight on Ronnie Bull's shoulders. I don't know what Mr. Halas has in mind, but they don't have any experienced back with that kind of speed, although they have a couple of rookies I understand they're pretty high on."...GAINED 17 YARDS: "Willie was slowed up by injuries the first half of last season - I think he gained only 17 yards in 11 carries in the first 7 games - but in the last 7 games, he showed a lot of promise. He gained something like 360 yards for an average of something like 7 or 8 yards a carry, so they were really counting on him this year. Farrington, of course, had the experience at spread end," Tom observed, "so he'll be missed, too." Personally, the amiable Purdue alumnus has good reason to smile these days. Bettis, the Packers' No. 1 draft choice in 1955 and a member of Green Bay's seventh world championship team in 1961 before celebrating another NFL title with the Bears last autumn, is rapidly adjusting to his new spectator role. "I felt I could play another two or three years," he explained, "but I didn't feel it was worth the risk. And, besides, I had a good opportunity to go into my business full time - I'm in the advertising business with National Merchandising Corporation here - which was hard to pass up. After I made my decision and stood firm - I had been on the phone four days with Mr. Halas - he said he didn't want to see me divorce myself completely from the game, so he offered me a scouting job. I'll do game scouting this fall, strictly pro, and in the spring probably do some scouting in the Big Ten," which, Tom is convinced, should be an eminently satisfactory arrangement. "It's a nice way," he concluded with a sly chuckle, "to keep up with the game."
PETERSEN, BAKER TO GET BIG TEST
JUL 30 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers have two rookies in the defensive line - Jack Petersen and John Baker. They are grouped with Willie Davis, Dave Hanner, Hank Jordan, Lionel Aldridge, Urban Henry and Ron Kostelnik to form two complete lines. Petersen, the heaviest man in camp and one of the heaviest in Packer history at close to 290, works at right tackle behind Kostelnik or Jordan while the 245-pound Baker, who started training as an offensive end prospect, labors behind Davis at left end. Baker and Petersen will get their toughest test in the Pack's annual intra-squad game at City Stadium Saturday night. And what are the major problems facing these 22-year-old giants as they approach the game-stage of the training season? Petersen, the Pack's 11th draft choice from Omaha University, rates the "pass rush" as his toughest problem. "They want you to maneuver around the man blocking against you on the pass rush," Jack said, explaining: "This is something new to me. In school, we ran straight ahead at the blocker. I must adjust to this new way of pass rushing." Petersen is one rookie who doesn't have to say that the pros are much bigger because nobody outweighs him. The Omaha grad watches and listens intently on the field, rarely smiles and appears dead set on doing his best. Baker, the Bays' 19th draft pick from Norfolk State, is much like Petersen - a real serious one. Baker also has a problem. It's this: "I'd say mine is developing some kind of instinctive technique," Baker said, adding: "I've got to do things instinctively - without thinking about what I'm supposed to do. That's the big difference with me." Baker, a sticky-fingered pass catcher, said he didn't miss offense. "I'd much rather play defense, anyway," Jack admitted. Baker and Petersen are getting plenty of contact work. They perform in a line with Jordan and Henry. Jordan and Baker are at the end and Henry and Peterson at the tackles. Working in the other defensive line most of the time are Davis and Aldridge at the ends and Hanner and Kostelnik at the tackles. The Packers continued their toughening up program with two concentrated workouts Wednesday. Coach Vince Lombardi topped the day off with a 40-minute, 43-play scrimmage designed to protect ye olde hide of the quarterback while he is in the process of passing. A bit of rushing was mixed in, and Lombardi ran the action about 10 minutes overtime. The defense got off a slow start as the offense made hay (the sun was shining) but the yardstoppers, who looked so good Tuesday, regained their touch with a little needle from the coach. And the two groups battled on fairly even terms the rest of the drill. Several unrecorded goal crossings were made, but the most obvious was a pass from Paul Hornung to Tom Brown.
PACKER ROOKIES SHARPEN UP FOR SATURDAY NIGHT CONTEST
JUL 31 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Time's a wastin' for the Packers' rookies. And they know it, judging by the popping and socking in the daily scrimmages. The last of the two-a-day drills was scheduled for today. And Saturday night the early phase of summer training comes to a close with the annual Intra-Squad game at City Stadium. Thursday's rough-house - the official title is "live protection for the passer" - furnished a good example. Along about the 19th play, Bart Starr hurled a screen pass to Dwain Bean and the rookie fullback went all the way. He got a few good blocks from Jerry Kramer and Fuzzy Thurston as a starter and then feinted his way through the secondary. Bean, the Bays' 12th draft choice from North Texas State, moves his 208 pounds well. He reminds of Jim Taylor when the LSU bolster first came up in 1958. Bean doesn't seem to be particularly alarmed by the fact that he's the only simon-pure among some fairly well known running backs, such as Taylor, Paul Hornung, Tom Moore, Elijah Pitts and Frank Mestnik. Two plays before going all the way, Bean was sent up the middle on a draw play and banged about 35 yards. This was kind of a sneaky trick on the defense, but strictly legal, because the 16 previous plays were pass attempts. If you think Bean has a tough job ahead, how about Gene Breen, a future draft choice (15th) selected in 1963? This VPI grad is one of three rookie linebackers truing to bump Dan Currie, Ray Nitschke, Dave Robinson and Lee Roy Caffey. Breen, a rugged hitter despite his size, shares the linebacking with Ron Boguski, St. Joseph's, and Turnley Todd, Virginia. Breen, at 6-1 and 220 (less at times), doesn't exactly match a Currie (6-3, 240) but, like somebody said, Joe Schmidt, the Lion great, is no bigger than Breen. Speaking of linebackers, Caffey, bothered with an injured ankle the last few days, used his speed to good advantage in the scrimmage. He came in twice to stop the passer before the thrower planted his feet. In another action, Caffey, going downfield for a tackle, caught a fumble in midair when it popped out of Pitts' arms. The pass protection mix got off to a flying start. Bart Starr completed three straight passes to Max McGee, Tom Moore and Boyd Dowler and Zeke Bratkowski made it five straight with completions to Bob Jeter and Bob Long. About that time, the defense cleared its throat. Jerry Norton intercepted a Bratkowski throw and two plays later Caffey ran in. Starr came through with a flare throw to Mestnik for 10 yards, but Todd cracked in to thwart Bartkowski. Two plays later Joe Scarpati intercepted Bratkowski's deep pass aimed at Jeter. The action ended with a success - Starr's 20-yarder to Dowler, and Coach Vince Lombardi called for another phase of the sport - returning punts and punting. This in preparation for the Squad game. No tackling were permitted but the offensive players ran down and covered the receivers. And Pitts, back to catch with Willie Wood, yelled to Coach Red Cochran: "Okay, Coach, just be sure everybody heard it." Besides Pitts and Wood, other punt return twosomes were Beau Carter-Scarpati and Tom Brown-Larry Hunter. The punting was done by Al Green, Norton and Dowler. At the end, the offensive players, who ran downfield under punts, were excused while the defensive unit went through the usual practice-ending sprints. Lombardi called for the interesting 100-yard relay race between the offense and defense to end the morning workout. And the defense scored a victory with Herb Adderley finishing in front by about 10 yards. The losers paid the price - a lap around the field. Camp visitors were Lew Anderson of Arlington, Va., who scouts the east for the Packers; and John Mauer, Jack Meyers and Brad Eklund, who are among the scouts in the four-team scouting cartel; and Bo Schembechler, head football coach at Miami, O.
PERSONALITY PARADE
JUL 31 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Rumors may be rife to the contrary but Ray Scott's cultured baritone will not be heard on the CBS-Packer television network this fall, unless CBS junks its new game coverage policy, chances of which seem somewhat remote at this point. Our authority for this pronouncement is Mr. Scott himself. the admirably conscientious objector who publicly registered his protest of said policy in June by resigning as the Packers' TV voice - at considerable personal sacrifice. "I keep seeing in various sports columns that I have changed my mind, but that is not the case at all," he informed via telephone from Minneapolis Thursday, with unmistakable emphasis. "As of now, all I'm doing is the University of Minnesota football games on radio, as I have done for the last three years. I'm doing no professional football, despite printed rumors to the contrary. I'm just out of it." "I'm going to take the year off (from television) and find out if I'm right about it or not," the forthright sportscaster, also currently the Minnesota Twins' TV voice, explained. "I'll watch it this fall, just like everybody else, and see how it looks. If I'm wrong, then I'll probably tr to get back in next year. I just decided that I would not change my mind." (To refresh the memory, the new CBS policy will include such departures as field commentary and interviews with players and coaches from the bench during the game, splitting of the game narration between announcers from both clubs - each will do a half game from the booth, the other half from the sidelines - and pregame and postgame shows.) CBS has urged Scott to reconsider, without avail. "I met with
Bill McPhail, vice president of CBS, in Boston for about an hour and a half on July 2 (two weeks after he announced his resignation)," he revealed. "I was flattered, I must say, that I had the chance to reconsider. Bill went over the whole thing with me, explained why they were going to do it this way. Quite frankly, the more he told me, the more I was convinced I had done the right thing. I told him I appreciated his telling me the background, but that my decision still stood. I left just as convinced that I was right as I had been before, and Bill left just as convinced that CBS was right and I was wrong. But there was no name calling or anything like that. It was very pleasant - we parted as friends."...MET OPPOSITION: In this connection, Scott reported, "McPhail said that sometime during the preseason, they would tape a game back to New York and examine it. He said, 'If we should then think it's not a good idea, we won't be too proud to ditch it.' He did say that if they went as far as the first or second game of the season with it, then they would go all the way." There has been no public announcement of it, which is understandable, but the crusading commentator disclosed, "About half of the coaches have said no to having a color man at the bench. I don't know what's going to happen in those cases, of course. Bill (McPhail) made no pretense of hiding the fact that he has met great opposition from club owners and coaches. And none of the announcers have liked it, although I'm the only one who has resigned." Scott, who in his June announcement said he had made the decision with "extreme regret because my association with the Packers is one I've prized more than any other in my 27 years of broadcasting," added: "A number of sports columnists have written I was momentarily going to sign with NBC to do some AFL games, but you can take my work for it, I don't have a darned thing. There has been a singular lack of pounding upon my door," he noted with a dry chuckle. "I do think, however, that I've called attention to the fact that their (CBS) idea does not entirely have unanimous approval. I'm surprised to find I'm getting applause from people I never knew even cared." He laughed and concluded, "I hope I can buy a couple of Vikings season tickets and see some football games. I also hope to come up to Green Bay and see a game or two."
SQUAD BATTLE TO TEST HORNUNG, CAFFEY, SKORONSKI, ROOKIES
AUG 1 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Paul Hornung will be in the spotlight when the Packers collide in their annual intra-squad game in City Stadium tonight. So will Lee Roy Caffey, the linebacker obtained in the Gros-Ringo trade; Bob Skoronski, the new center; and a highly-prized crop of rookies. Hornung will be making his first public appearance since the Packer-Giant championship game in New York in December of 1962. And it's fitting that the preliminary testing be given by his own teammates and in front of his own fans. The Packers defense, sharpened by a week of scrimmaging, won't spare the horses on Hornung. And a crowd of around 15,000 - maybe more - will watch the proceedings. This could easily crack the record attendance of 9,500 set last year. The Offense vs. Defense action will start at 8 o'clock. Tickets ($1 for adults and 25 cents for children) will be available at the stadium. Hornung, set down last year by suspension, will be at his familiar left halfback spot - a position he'll share with Tom Moore. Hornung and Moore have been running beautifully in practice - and that also goes for the heavyweight of the rushing trio, Jim Taylor. Moore and Taylor reported in excellent condition and Hornung has been laboring since spring. Hornung feels he's in the best shape he's ever been in. Bart Starr will be taking his handoffs from somebody besides Jim Ringo for the first time. That somebody is Skoronski, who took over pivot right from the word go. Starr, Zeke Bratkowski and Merv Holland will alternate at QB along with running backs Frank Mestnik, Elijah Pitts, Dwain Bean, Hornung, Moore and Taylor. The Three Ends (Max McGee, Ron Kramer and Boyd Dowler) will be switched off with Marv Fleming, Bob Jeter, Gary Kroner, Tom Brown, Bob Long and Tom O'Grady. Up front, rookie tackles Steve Wright and John McDowell, center Dave Crossan and guard
Jack Mauro will be tested behind Forrest Gregg, Fred Thurston, Norm Masters, Jerry Kramer and Dan Grimm. Defensively, the Packers will show a new set of linebackers, two new linemen and four new defense backs. The 240-pound Caffey has been working with rookies Ron Boguski, Turnley Todd and Gene Breen as well as with holdovers Dan Currie, Ray Nitschke and Dave Robinson. Battling in the defense line against Willie Davis, Hank Jordan, Dave Hanner, Lionel Aldridge, Henry Urban and Ron Kostelnik are rookies Jack Petersen and John Baker. The new secondary is composed of Doug Hart of last year's cab squad and rookies Joe Scarpati, Beau Carter and Larry Hunter. The holdovers are Hank Gremming, Herb Adderley, Willie Wood, Jess Whittenton and Jerry Norton...The Packers ended two-a-day drills Friday with a pass protection scrimmage and the action was marked by "touchdown" runs by Max McGee and Elijah Pitts on well executed pass plays. To the defense's credit went interceptions by Dan Currie and Herb Adderley. Considerable work was done Friday on punt coverage, punt returning and kicking extra points and field goals in preparation for tonight's game...Gary Knafelc, the former Packers and 49er who retired this summer after 10 pro seasons, will handle the play announcements on the public address system for the Packer home games this year, starting tonight.
HORNUNG STARS IN SQUAD TILT
AUG 2 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers unleashed a powerful defense and a new and slicker Paul Hornung in their annual intra-squad game before a happy crowd of 27,000 in City Stadium. The offense won the game, of course, by a score of 16-9, but the defense actually held a 9-3 lead at the half. The defense never allowed a touchdown drive all night and the offense's only touchdown was something of a gift. The ball was put in play on the defense's 25-yard line. Elijah Pitts circled left end for 20 yards and then hit outside right tackle for the touchdown in the third quarter. The only other touchdown was a 14 yard return of a Zeke Bratkowski fumble by rookie defensive end John Baker. The offense's other points came on 47 yard field goals by Hornung and Allen Green and a 13 yard field goal by Hornung. The defense picked up a safety by Lee Roy Caffey when he tackled Bratkowski in the end zone. Hornung ripped off 14 yards the first time he carried the ball early in the game and the big crowd gave him a rousing ovation. The Blond Bomber finished where he left off in 1962 with seven points, 64 yards on three pass catches and 60 yards in eight rushes. Most of the rookies seemed to have some hopeful moments. Steve Wright and John McDowell did well in the offensive line, Dwain Bean ripped off 49 yards in eight attempts and Merv Holland reeled off two first downs in a brief fling at quarterback near the end. Starr finished with nine completions in 15 attempts for 115 yards, while Bratkowski hit four of 10 for 33. Jim Taylor was the workhorse with 13 carries for 61 yards. Boyd Dowler and Pitts each caught three passes. It was a blistering hot night and the wet grass made the ball slippery, accounting for three fumbles earlier in the game...LARGEST CROWD: It was the largest crowd ever to witness a squad game here. All 27,000 tickets printed were sold and there five long lines of people waiting to get in when the game started. The offense,
wearing the home green jerseys, never got off the ground, with Bart Starr's team and Zeke Bratkowski's fumbling. The white-shirted defenses hurled the offense back for 23 yards in losses before Allen Green punted. Bratkowski tried his luck, but Tom Moore fumbled and Turnley Todd recovered...DEFENSE STIFFENS: Hornung's 15-yard run, a seven yarder by Taylor and Starr's six-yard pass to Dowler moved the ball past the midfield stripe, but the defense stiffened and Hornung kicked his 47-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. Early in the second period, Bratkowski put together two first downs, chiefly on passes to Pitts and Fleming, but on a first down play Hank Jordan hit Bratkowski and the ball went flying to John Baker, who ran 14 yards for a defensive TD. Hornung helped the defense along by kicking the extra point. Starr's team quickly marched downfield with Dowler's rolling catch of a 26-yard pass getting the drive started. The Starr-men reached the 33 before the attack stalled, forcing a field goal try. Green's shot from the 37 was low and wide...HOLDING PENALTY: Bratkowski took over on the 20 and after a holding penalty put it back to the 15, Bratkowski was tackled for a safety for ye olde defense by Caffey, making the score 9-3. The fumbles set up some points for the offense just before the half. Joe Scarpati fumbled a punt return and Fleming recovered on the defense's 22. Taylor hit once and Hornung three straight times to the seven and on third down Starr's pass in the end zone was off McGee's fingertips. Hornung kicked a field goal from the 13 for a 9-6 halftime lead. The offense's only touchdown came with no fanfare. Willie Davis recovered a fumble by Starr on the offense's 25 yard line and Bratkowski's team came forth and scored in two plays. Pitts ran off left end for 20 and then hit the right side for the TD behind a good block by Steve Wright. Green converted to put the offense ahead, 13-9...ATTACK STALLS: Starr's group put on a good drive, with the highlights being 18 yards and 29 yard passes to Hornung. The attack stalled on the 10 and Green's try for a field goal was blocked by Herb Adderley. After two punts by Green, Bratkowski's team got off four straight first downs with some fine running by Dwain Bean and Frank Mestnik, but once the goal line approached, Bratkowski fumbled and Jack Petersen recovered midway in the fourth quarter. Near the end, the Starr-men came on strong, starting with Hornung's 13-yard run and 13 more yards by Hornung and Taylor. Lionel Aldridge hurled Starr for a 12 yard loss, but Bart then threw to Hornung for 17. Again the drive stalled, but Green matched Hornung's 47-yard field goal to make it 16-9. Rookie quarterback Mare Holland put together two first downs on 19 yards in two trips by Bean and a five-yarder by Mestnik, but on the last play his deep pass was intercepted by Jerry Norton.
VINCE SALUTES PACKERS FOR GAME
AUG 3 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers passed their first public test with flying colors in City Stadium Saturday night. And the spotlighted personnel - Paul Hornung, Lee Roy Caffey, Bob Skoronski and the rookies - brought a salute from Coach Vince Lombardi after he viewed the pictures Sunday. The squad was reduced to 54 players today with the waiving of four rookies - guard Jack Mauro of Northern Michigan, tackle Jack Petersen of Omaha, quarterback Merv Holland of George Washington and Ron Boguski of St. Joseph's. The team now is composed of 34 veterans and 20 rookies, including Gary Kroner and Doug Hart who were on the taxi squad last year. Five of the rookies are in the College All Star camp - Lloyd Voss, Duke Carlisle, Ken Bowman, Dennis Claridge and Tommy Crutcher. The Bays started one-a-day workouts today after two weeks of "double" drills. Next on the menu is the preseason opener against the Cardinals in New Orleans' Sugar Bowl Saturday night. Lombardi was highly impressed by the performance of Hornung, who was making his first appearance since 1962. Paul displayed amazing speed and quickness in catching three passes for 64 yards and rushing eight times for 61 yards. And he hasn't lost his scoring touch, booting an extra point and 47 and 13-yard field goals for seven marks. Vince called Paul's showing "very good" and then, like Joe Phan, raved about Hornung's first play..."did you see him on that sweep. He was fast. The biggest applause came for that play." The audience of 19,000 (the crowd was inadvertently announced from the press box as 27,000) was electrified. Hornung got into the clear briefly but Hank Gremminger brought him down. The game proved that Hornung has little concern about being hit. He was shaken up in the third quarter on a trip up the briar patch but returned later to run 21 yards in two rushes and catch a 17 yard pass from Bart Starr. Another player getting the "first" treatment was Skoronski, who has taken over at center in place of the departed Jim Ringo. Lombardi said, "Skoronski was tremendous considering that this was his first game. He looked real strong and you remember that we made some good yardage in there." To top it off, Skoronski was working with a wet ball - due to the high humidity. Backing him up was Dave Crossan. Norm Masters, who shared left tackle with Skoronski the past three years, worked at his old spot and changed off
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with John McDowell, the rookie from St. John's College. McDowell was one of the rookies cheered by Lombardi. "He did quite a job in there and it was surprising to see how he worked on Henry Jordan," Vince noted. The coach felt that John Baker was "outstanding at this time. He showed us a lot and you must consider he's from a small school." Baker played at Norfolk State College and actually started play here as an offensive end. He was quickly shifted to defense. Another surprise among the rookies was Dwain Bean, the only simon pure running back, who finished with 49 yards in eight attempts. "He fits right in with our backs," Vince laughed, "because he liked to run into people. The only back we got who runs around anybody is Elijah Pitts." Pitts, who seems to have increased his speed - if that's possible, ran 20 yards and then five to score the offense's only touchdown. Lombardi said he was pleased with the squad's showing. "I thought it was excellent - especially after only two weeks of practice," Vince added. The defense, thanks to Baker's touchdown run of 13 yards with a recovered fumble and a safety by linebacker Caffey, held a 9 to 3 halftime lead. The offense ran off 94 plays and made a lot of yardage but the goal line was crossed only once. Jarrin' Jim Taylor led the Packers with his 61 yards in 13 attempts. Starr completed nine out of 15 passes for 115 yards while Zeke Bratkowski hit four of 10, although two or three were dropped. Holland threw the only interception. It came after he moved his team for two first downs. The only scouts on hand (at least in the press box) were from the Cardinals. Watching for St. Louis were Abe Stuber and Walt Schlinkman, both former Packers. Abe was an assistant coach during the Liz Blackbourn regime and Walt was a fullback here from 1946 to 1950.
LOMBARDI, FUZZY, GREGG HIT 100TH GAME MILESTONE
AUG 4 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Always willing to help out an old, hungry reporter, Fuzzy Thurston discovered the other day that a "milestone" is coming up. "This will be Coach Vince Lombardi's 100th game," He revealed, referring to the Packers' opening preseason contest against the Cardinals in New Orleans Saturday night. "And," Fuzzy beamed, "Forrest Gregg and I started in every one of those games. Maybe somebody else started every one, too, but I don't think so. You might check it." Jess Whittenton, it developed, opened all of the league games under Coach Vince Lombardi, but missed a couple of preseason jobs in 1960. Max McGee missed by one league game - on the coast a couple of years ago. The departed Jim Ringo had started all 99. Thurston did all of his starting and finishing at left guard, while Gregg was a fixture at right tackle - other than for part of the 1961 season when he replaced the injured Jerry Kramer at right guard. Seventeen members of Vince's first Packer team, vintage 1959, are still present and accounted for - Bob Skoronski, Paul Hornung, Norm Masters, Dave Hanner, Boyd Dowler, Dan Currie, Jim Taylor, Bart Starr, Ron Kramer, Hank Gremminger, Ray Nitschke, Hank Jordan, Whittenton, J. Kramer, McGee, Thurston and Gregg. Vince's first coaching staff is intact - Phil Bengtson and Norb Hecker of the defense and Red Cochran, Bill Austin and Tom Fears of the offense. Fears started on a part-time basis in '59 to work with the ends. After a spell with his alma mater, the Rams, he returned on a full-time basis in 1962. In their first 99 games, the Lombardimen won 79, lost 19 and tied one. The record is 50-15-1 in league competition, 3-1 in postseason action and 26-3 in preseason play. The overall won-lost percentage is .806...And now back to reality. And the grim task of maintaining the aforementioned pace. The Packers launched one-a-day practices Monday and the weather cooperated with some muscle-loosening heat, complete with moisture. It was about 92, with a humidity to match (almost) and any aches or injuries resulting from the slam-bang intra-squad game Saturday night quickly disappeared...KICKERS STAY ON: The major part of the drill was devoted to the passing attack and after the sprinting the kickers stayed on to try their field goals. Gary Kroner, Allen Green, J. Kramer and Hornung did the kicking while Starr and Whittenton traded off holding. Also out on his own again was Bob Jeter, the fleet-footed flanker back who has had trouble catching the ball. Jeter wants to cure the ailment and works overtime almost every day with quarterback Zeke Bratkowski...If you see one of the Packer backs break out of the clutches of a big angry enemy, some of the credit might go to a six-armed monster on the Packer practice field. The backs and ends, after taking a handoff from the quarterback, smash through the machine, known as Smitty's Blaster. And it isn't easy. Smitty wouldn't "give" for some of the boys. It has three arms (padded stubs) on each side and a back, giving a good crack, can forced the arms back. The arms can be tightened to require more force by the ball carrier...Among the camp visitors Monday was Earl Gillespie, former Bluejay, WJPGer, and voice of the Braves, who came up from Milwaukee where's he doing television sportscasting, and Ed Henry, a college scout from Virginia. Out for practice today was Woody Hayes, football coach at Ohio State, and members of his staff...The Packers ate lunch today with Green Bay and area businessmen at St. Norbert College.
RINGO ANXIOUS TO PROVE SELF - AGAIN
AUG 4 (Hershey, PA) - Jim Ringo was the center at Green Bay for 11 long years - some lean, some fat. When Vince Lombardi traded him to Philadelphia during the winter, he was shaken. Like most Packer veterans, Jim thought the return of Paul Hornung might mean another title. Instead, he was going to a club that finished last two years in a row. The shock has worn off how. The 32-year-old ex-Packer is anxious to prove himself against the second great challenge of his career. "Sure, I was shocked at the deal," said Ringo at the Eagles' training camp. "I didn't think Green Bay was in a position to make such a deal." "Well, were they in a position to make it?" Ringo was asked. "You'll have to ask Mr. Lombardi." Ringo said the first big challenge came when he entered the NFL in 1953. There were new challenges every time the Packers made a coaching change. But Ringo had played 126 consecutive games. "Now, there is the present situation," said Ringo. "Mr. Lombardi indicated maybe I couldn't maintain myself as a skilled athlete. I am out to prove I am just as good as I was at Green Bay." How did Ringo rate the Packers' chances? "They have the material to win it," he said. "Whether the spirit is there or not, I don't know. They have made a lot of changes. Lew Carpenter left to go in the coaching business. John Roach and Bill Forester retired. Ken Iman, Earl Gros and I were traded. In my opinion, Gros is every bit as good as Jim Taylor. His only problem is inexperience. I'll say one thing about Paul Hornung. He is the type of individual to rise to a situation. He realizes the challenges he faces. I am sure I, and many others, will be pulling for him to make it." Joe Kuharich, new coach of the Eagles, is excited about Ringo's spirit and leadership quality. He has fitted into the club as a key man on the offensive line. If the Eagles surprise people, Ringo will be in the thick of it.
PACKER DEFENSE SEES RED - TWICE; TEAM WELCOMED
AUG 5 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - There were a couple of highlights on the 20th day of the Packers' 1964 season. No. 1 was the formal practicing of defense for the first time this season and No. 2 was the annual luncheon with Green Bay and area businessmen. Drilling defense doesn't exactly make earth-shaking news but it is an interesting portion of daily practices during the "game" season. The offensive players are split into two separate teams and if you viewed the practice field from above you would see a triangle of teams - the defense team grouped around the line of scrimmage, one offensive team about 15 yards back and to the right and the other offense squad off to the left and 15 yards back. The double offense plan is designed to speed up the drill and give the defense a maximum of action. As soon as one offensive unit finishes a play, the next group charges for another play. The double offenses used Cardinal plays and, of course, the purpose was to "school" the defense - a double dose of Red - in preparation for the Cardinal game in New Orleans Saturday night. The offensive players wear the various numbers of the Cardinals. Bart Starr and Zeke Bratkowski generally share the offensive teams' quarterbacking, although there was a strange voice calling the shots on several plays. It was Paul Hornung, a signalist at Notre Dame, who seems ready to "break in" as a practice field quarterback. Lew Carpenter had been the practice QB before he retired to become a coach with the Vikings. Close to 300 business people turned out for the luncheon and the feature was the introduction of players and remarks by Coach Vince Lombardi. There was a surprise guest - Woody Hayes, football coach at Ohio State, who is here for a few days to observe the Bays in practice. Pete Chiumanatto was master of ceremonies and Al Schneider of the sponsoring Minute Men of the Association of Commerce opened the program...FINEST GROUP: Lombardi spoke briefly of the present team, the 1963 season, and hopes for 1964. "This is the finest group of all-around football players we've had since I've been in Green Bay. As a squad it's the best," Vince said. As to last year, Vince noted, "I've said many times that there are only two plays in the league - first and last. We had a good season last year, winning 11 games, but we still finished last." As to 1964..."Pride of performance and the desire to be the best on that particular day make the difference. I've always believed that there is very little difference in the caliber of each player on a given day. But if we can have pride of performance and the desire to be the best we will have a winning season."...Watching Packer practice was Rick Reichardt, the celebrated Wisconsin baseball player now in the Los Angeles Angels' chain, and two Angels scouts - Nick Kamzic and Chuck Tanner. They came up from Appleton where they are playing the Foxes. Kamzic, the onetime Bluejay shortstop, claims Reichardt will be "another Mantle. He can run with Mickey now and he's a natural hitter."...Max McGee won the Packers' annual training camp cribbage tournament, beating Jess Whittenton in the finals. Whittenton gained the windup by nipping Hank Gremminger and McGee trimmed Jerry Kramer. Bill Austin played third, beating out Norm Masters...The rookies aren't providing all the entertainment in the Packer camp. Urban Henry, the veteran linemen who is also widely known as an artist, rigged up a device where he can play the harmonica and guitar (or banjo) at the same time. He twisted up a coat hanger around his neck so that it holds the harmonica right in front of his mouth. And away he goes, a two-man band.
PICK GILLESPIE FOR PACKER TV
AUG 5 (Milwaukee) - Earl Gillespie, who handled radio announcing for the Milwaukee Braves from their 1953 arrival here until last season, will do the play by play announcing on the Green Bay Packers' television network, it was announced here today. He replaces Ray Scott of Minneapolis, who resigned in a disagreement over a change in announcing practices by the CBS network. Gillespie is sports director of WITI-TV here.
STARR 'ANXIOUS' FOR FIRST TEST VS. CARDS
AUG 6 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The last time Bart Starr played against the Cardinals there was misery for the Packers' star quarterback. It happened in St. Louis on Oct. 20, 1963, when Bart sustained a broken hand in a collision with Jimmy Hill. This, of course, is ancient history and Starr has put that business out of his mind as he approaches another meeting with the Cardinals - in New Orleans Saturday night. "Like every member of the team, I'm looking forward to the season with a great deal of anticipation," starr said Wednesday, adding: "There are a lot of questoins to be answred since we didn't win it last year and the answers are strictly up to us. Everybody is ready to start. We certainly had a good start in training camp and I'm anxious for the first test." The key figure in the Packers' offense, Starr had a couple of "newcomers" to work with this year - Bob Skoronski, who replaced Jim Ringo at center, and Paul Hornung, who is returning after a year's absence. "I'm tickled pink with that big Bob up there. He had just taken over at center, doing a great job." As to Hornung, Starr exclaimed that "Paul looks better to me than I've ever seen him. All of us are extremely pleased with the way he's made his comeback." Bart volunteered another thought: "Jim (Taylor) is in extremely fine condition and all you have to do is just watch him to go to see how he has improved himself." Taylor and Max McGee will be going "home," as it were, over the weekend. McGee will be playing in the Tulane Stadium (Sugar Bowl) for the first time since he halfbacked for Tulane back in '53. And Taylor, from nearby LSU in Baton Rouge, is a household word in Southeastern Conference circles. The Bays will have an alumnus waiting for them when they arrive Friday. That would be Johnny Symank, who is observing sort a double homecoming. He played with the Cardinals in '63 after playing six years in Green Bay. Symank, now an assistant coach at Tulane, will be pulling for the Pack - you can bet. The Packer tried their hand at scoring in the last minutes for the first time after yesterday's drill. This is a pet drill started by Coach Vince Lombardi and it's designed to win a game in the final seconds. The ball was put in play around the 20-yard line and the clock (watch) on Red Cochran's wrist was watched. Seven plays later, the Bays had reached the 10 and with the Packers behind by a point or two and time running out Paul Hornung booted a field goal from the 17. Starr completed five passes along the way - to McGee, Ron Kramer and Hornung, with McGee and R. Kramer each snaring two. The ball was run into position for the field goal by Taylor. The Bays also held a defensive drill against Cardinal plays. It closed on a happy note - a pass interception by Herb Adderley...Before leaving the Packer scene Wednesday night, Woody Hayes, the Ohio State football coach, said, "I came up here to learn some football and I learned plenty." Hayes was at two full practice session and conferred frequently with the coaches and players...The Packers will leave Austin Straubel Field for New Orleans by United Airlines charter at 9 o'clock Friday morning. They'll drill upon arrival and then headquarter at the Hilton Inn. They will return home Sunday. Kickoff is set for 9 o'clock, Green Bay time, and the game will be carried by WJPG.
15 PACKER ROOKIES GET BAPTISM AGAINST CARDS
AUG 7 (New Orleans-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Fifteen Packer rookies will get a baptism of sorts when Green Bay takes on the Cardinals in the Sugar Bowl here Saturday night. Another five Packer simon-pures will get a similar dunking in the College All Star game in Chicago tonight. While the showing of the rookies will be of key interest, first things will be first when the Packers open their five-game non-league schedule. This means that the Pack's so-called first team will have to show enough muscle to permit the appearance of what Coach Vince Lombardi calls the "finest group of rookies I've had in Green Bay." In Chicago's Soldier Field (Channel 11, 9 p.m.), two Packer stars will get starting toles against the world champion Bears. Lloyd Voss will open at one of the offensive tackle spots and Duke Carlisle is scheduled to start in the defensive backfield. Others figuring in the action are Dennis Claridge, offensive backfield; Ken Bowman, center; and Tommy Crutcher, fullback and linebacker. At least four of the 15 rookies likely will get an early shot since they put on outstanding performances in last Saturday night's intra-squad game. They are tackle John McDowell in the offensive line; pass receiver Bob Long; defensive end John Baker; and running back Dwain Bean...FACE DIFFICULT JOBS: Joining Baker on defense are linebackers Gene Breen and Turnley Todd and backs Beau Carter, Larry Carter, Joe Scarpati and Doug Hart. Other rookies on offense are Steve Wright, tackle; Dave Crossan, center; and pass catchers Gary Kroner, Tom Brown and Tom O'Grady. It's a long spell before the league season opener (Sept. 13) and the rookies will get a good opportunity to show themselves, although they will keep a close eye on two cutdown dates. All of them face difficult jobs, of course, and all except possibly two are confronted with holdover veterans who didn't play as regulars last year. The two exceptions are McDowell and Wright, who are fighting for a third offensive tackle spot. This opening was created when Bob Skoronski was shifted from left tackle to center, leaving Norm Masters and Forrest Gregg as the only two veteran tackles. McDowell is presently stationed behind Masters and Wright backs up Gregg. Voss also is ticketed for the offensive line. McDowell did very well in the squad game and Lombardi noted that he even handled the skilled Henry Jordan at times. Among the holdover veterans who didn't play as regulars in '63 are Elijah Pitts, Urban Henry, Ron Kostelnik, Lee Roy Caffey (with the Eagles last year), Jerry Norton, Marv Fleming, Bob Jeter and Dan Grimm. They are all in the fight among with the rookies. The Packers now have 54 players on the list and this must be cut to 45 on or before Tuesday, Aug. 25. The minimum of 43 must be reached Sept. 1, and the final cutdown to 40 is set for Tuesday, Sept. 8. The 40-man player limit, raised from 37 for the season of 1964 only, is more rigid than previous limits. Once the season starts, a team can replace a player on the squad only by trade or waiver from another club, and the trading deadline is the fifth game. There is, however, one exception on acquiring players by other than trade or waiver; if a club loses more than three players for the year due to injury, it can replace each one over there by a player from an outside source, i.e. a player who was not one of the original 560 the 14 teams had at the start of the season or a player later waived out...BRIEFS: The Packers are staying at the Hilton Inn here and they worked out in the Sugar Bowl upon arrival. The Bays are sporting new equipment bags instead of the old Army-type duffle bags. The new carriers are in the Packers' traditional green and gold, have the player's name and number, and display the words "Green Bay Packers" on the front and back...The Cards, like the Packers, will go with a veteran lineup at the start. Prentice Gautt will replace the injured John David Crow at left halfback. Charley Johnson will start at quarterback...Newest Press-Gazette subscriber: Stretch Elliott, the former Packer end who wrote from El Paso, Tex., that "I want to keep up on the Packer news."
ROBINSON BOWS 'FOR' FORESTER
AUG 8 (New Orleans-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers will throw "everybody" at the Cardinals in the opening preseason game for both teams in the Sugar Bowl tonight. But, to start with, there will be at least two new faces in the lineup - Paul Hornung and Dave Robinson. Hornung figures to open at left halfback, thus officially starting his comeback after a year's suspension. With Jimmy Taylor at fullback, the Packers' powerful one-two punch of their triple Western Division champion years is intact again. Robinson represents the only change in the offensive defensive unit. He's set to take over at right linebacker - the spot vacated by the retired Bill Forester. Coach Vince Lombardi said Friday he'll use the "whole team" and that includes the 15 rookies, most of whom have shown considerable promise, plus Lee Roy Caffey, the linebacker obtained from the Eagles, and Al Green, the kicking specialist. More than 50,000 fans are expected for what is being billed here as a preview of the 1964 world championship game. Kickoff is set for 9 o'clock, Green Bay time, and the action will be carried on WJPG. Tonight's game, the 100th for Lombardi since he took over the Pack in 1959, will mark the start of Bob Skoronski's reign at center. This frees Norm Masters for full-time duty at left offensive tackle - a spot shared by Bob and Norm the last few years. Skoronski and Hank Gremminger, the veteran left safety, will serve as co-captain - a first for both. The captaincies of the offense and defense were thrown open with the departure of Forester and Jim Ringo. The big spotlight in the 82,000 seat Tulane Stadium, which becomes the Sugar Bowl on New Years' Day, will be on Hornung and the two Louisiana favorites, Max McGee of Tulane and Taylor of LSU. McGee is playing in the bowl for the first time since he halfbacked for Tulane in 1963. The Packers nicknamed that stadium "The House That McGee Built" when they approached it for a workout Friday afternoon. Thousands of dans are coming over from Taylor's hometown, nearby Baton Rouge, for the game. The Packers will get the toughest kind of test for their opener. One of the favorites in the East, the Cardinals will be without John David Crow, but they are welcoming the return of Prentice Gautt, the power back who was out most of last year. The Cards are dead set on making a hot showing, what with the moving miseries back in St. Louis, and Coach Wally Lemm said he'd stick with his veterans most of the game. Packer rookies due for an early look are Dwain Bean, the running back; Jack McDowell, the tackle playing behind Masters; and John Baker, the defensive end. All three were standouts in the intra-squad game last Saturday night. Among others to be tested will be the four rookie defensive backs, who face one of the best passers in the league in Charley Johnson. They are Joe Scarpati, who probably leads the Bays in camp interceptions, Beau Carter, Larry Hunter and Doug Hart. The contest matches two of the top "belligerents" of the 1963 season - the Packers' Bart Starr and Jimmy Hill, the Card back. They crashed together in St. Louis last October and Bart suffered a broken hand. The Packers are staying at the Hilton Inn and will return home Sunday via United Airlines charter. They are due to arrive at Austin Straubel Field about 4 o'clock.
Green Bay Press-Gazette (July 16th 1964)
Green Bay Press-Gazette (July 18th 1964)
Appleton Post-Crescent (July 22nd 1964)
Green Bay Press-Gazette (July 23rd 1964)
Green Bay Press-Gazette (July 27th 1964)
Green Bay Press-Gazette (July 29th 1964)