Green Bay Packers (8-2) 38, Minnesota Vikings (5-5) 13
Sunday November 21st 1965 (at Minnesota)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(MINNESOTA) - The Packers broke out of a four-game scoring lethargy Sunday. With an aerial bomb that exploded a 28-point fourth quarter. Green Bay came to Metropolitan Stadium to play, and score, but it took a 17-yard burst from Bart Starr to Boyd Dowler - and a savage defense - to turn an otherwise tight battle into a runaway 38 to 13 victory before 47,327. The Packers rolled up five touchdowns and a field goal to actually surpass their total offensive output in the last four games in which they scored only 36 points, including three TDs. The Packers were their swashbuckling confident selves again Sunday. And they appeared for the rugged four-game stretch drive ahead - against the Rams, Vikings, Colts and 49ers. The triumph set the Packer record at 8-2 and kept them a game behind the Colts who received a sharp scare from the lowly Eagles before escaping 34-23 for a 9-1 record. The Bays visit Los Angeles next Sunday, while the Colts play at Detroit Thanksgiving Day before meeting the Bears, Packers and Rams. The Packers' major improvement Sunday was, obviously, the offense. Bart Starr wasn't thrown for a loss all afternoon and this is another way of saying that the hard-pressed offensive line played exceptionally well. Starr responded with three touchdown passes, ran twice for 44 yards - one a 38-yard fourth down keeper to set up the first TD, and generally looked like the "real" Bart Starr. The big offensive power was provided by jarrin' Jim Taylor, who broke the 100-yard barrier for the first time this season. He ripped 25 times for 111 yards and his strong crashing figured in four of the five TDs. The Starr-Dowler blast put the Bays ahead 17-13 on the second play of the fourth quarter, but the defense went to work with a vengeance. In the final 14 minutes, the Hold 'Em boys - in succession, mind you - recovered two fumbles, made an interception and recovered another fumble to ruin the high-powered Viking offense and set up three touchdowns. First, Ray Nitschke recovered a fumble on the 14 and five plays later Elijah Pitts went over from the 2 and it was 24-13. Then Hank Jordan shook loose a fumble and Doug Hart scooped up the ball and ran 20 yards for a TD for 31-13. And finally, Lionel Aldridge recovered a fumble at midfield and Starr drove the team 47 yards in nine plays, throwing 11 yards to Bob Long for the TD. In all the defense recovered four fumbles and made two interceptions. The defense had a high point in the first quarter - a strong five-play goal line stand on which Fran Tarkenton was stopped inches from a touchdown on fourth down. This was a real ding dong test until the fourth quarter. Fred Cox kicked a 34-yard field goal after the goal line heroics and then Starr threw 15 yards to Carroll Dale to put Green Bay ahead 7-3. Don Chandler booted a 26-yard field goal to make it 10-3 in the second quarter. Just before the half, Cox kicked his second field goal, from the 27, to set the count at 10-6 at the half. The only scoring in the third quarter was Tarkenton's 27-yard aerial to Paul Flatley to put the Vikings ahead 13-10 for the second time. The Vikings wound up with a statistical advantage, 19-16 in first downs, 364-339 in total yards, and 70-57 in total offensive plays. But the Vikings' figure edge was gained in the last three minutes when Ron Vander Kelen, the pride of Preble, piled up four first downs and 58 net yards in an unsuccessful drive to score. They held the ball for 11 plays. This was to be a game of "reaction" - the Vikings due to the sudden resignation and return of Coach Norm Van Brocklin and the Packers due to their prolonged point slump. The Vikings were tough as nails, indicating no "shock" there and the Packers' 38 points account for their reaction. The slippery Tarkenton was just that and he finished as the Vikings' leading ground gainer with 54 yards in eight broken pass dashes. Tarkenton and Starr, oddly enough, each had the same pass record - nine completions in 19 attempts, with Fran getting 172 yards and one TD, and Starr 159 and 3. Dowler and Tom Moore each caught three passes, while Flatley nailed six. Tarkenton started his scampering on the Vikings' first play of the game, racing right end for 24 yards to the Packer 46. The Vikings reached the Packer nine on nine short gainers. With Phil King and Bill Brown hitting, they reached the two in two more plays. On third down Hart intercepted in the end zone, but it was nullified because the Packers were offside. On the second third play, Brown hit to the two-foot line and on fourth down Tarkenton got his head and shoulders over the goal line but the ball was inches short. Starr threw on first down deep in the end zone, and it was a beauty - 28 yards to Dowler, but he fumbled and Karl Kassulke recovered on the Packer 29. Hart kayoed a pass, and Cox hit a field goal from the 34 for a 3-0 Viking edge. The Packers then drove 77 yards in 8 plays for the lead TD. Taylor led off with 14 yards in two trips, but the attack reached a fourth and one situation on the 46. Starr surprised by wheeling around right end on a keeper for 38 yards to the 16 with Dowler and Dale dealing good blocks on the 25. Two plays later, Starr, after faking a handoff, threw a TD strike to Dale, who had slipped away from George Rose on the 2. After Jordan recovered a Tarkenton fumble, Kassulke intercepted a Starr pass and
QB Bart Starr takes the field in Minneapolis during pregame warm-ups.
Walden punted, the Packers went on a 51-yard drive to a field goal. Taylor led off with 13 yards in two trips and then the big gains were Starr passes to Moore for 31 yards before Chandler hit from 36 yards out and a 10-3 edge. Just before the half, Cox hit his 27-yard field goal. After Dave Robinson intercepted a wobbly Tarkenton pass (Aldridge hit his arm) and Chandler punted, the Vikings went on an 80-yard TD drive in eight plays. Tarkenton led off with a 31-yard pass to Flatley and, after Bill Barnes and Brown gained on the ground, Tarkenton broke away to his left and hit Flatley with a perfect strike in the corner of the end zone. That made it 13-10. The Packers started their first push on the last play of the third period. Taylor hit for 7 off left tackle, and then 13 in the same spot to the Viking 47. Starr uncorked his bomb and the ball, traveling a good 55 yards, dropped into Dowler's mitts on the 5 and he ran home behind Ed Sharockman and Larry Vargo. The Packers were in front 17-13. Brown then fumbled in the middle of the line, and Ray Nitschke grabbed the "wild" ball on the 32 and returned 18 yards. From the 14, Taylor hit for 5, 2, 4 and 1 yards to the 2 from where Pitts banged in. On second down on the 21, Jordan broke through and caught Brown from behind and the ball went flying. Hart picked it up on the 20 and ran home for a 31-13 lead. After Adderley and Sharockman exchanged interceptions, Vander Kelen took over the Viking attack and on second won he fumbled and Aldridge recovered on the Viking 47. Pitts and Taylor socked away - all the way to the 11 where Starr passed to Long for the final TD. Chandler added his fifth extra point. Coach Vince Lombardi took his aces out gradually and each received applause - especially Taylor, who was replaced by rookie Allen Jacobs just before the Long TD. Lloyd Voss, Tommy Crutcher, Rich Marshall, Bob Jeter and Hank Gremminger came in for the Vikings' final try. Vander Kelen completed four of five passes in his brief fling. He was caught twice - by Aldridge for an 11-yard loss and by Voss for 12 yards on the last play of the game.
GREEN BAY - 7 3 0 28 - 38
MINNESOTA - 3 3 7 0 - 13
GREEN BAY MINNESOTA
First downs 16 19
Rush-yards-TDs 38-180-1 42-183-0
Comp-Att-Yd-TD-INT 9-19-159-3-2 13-24-217-1-2
Sacked-yards 0-0 4-36
Net pass yards 159 181
Total yards 339 364
Fumbles-lost 1-1 4-4
Turnovers 3 6
Penalties-yards 2-18 5-35
SCORING
1st - MINN - Fred Cox, 34-yard field goal MINNESOTA 3-0
1st - GB - Carroll Dale, 15-yard pass from Bart Starr (Don Chandler kick) GREEN BAY 7-3
2nd - GB - Chandler, 36-yard field goal GREEN BAY 10-3
2nd - MINN - Cox, 27-yard field goal GREEN BAY 10-6
3rd - MINN - Paul Flatley, 27-yd pass from Fran Tarkenton (Cox kick) MINNESOTA 13-10
4th - GB - Boyd Dowler, 47-yard pass from Starr (Chandler kick) GREEN BAY 17-13
4th - GB - Elijah Pitts, 2-yard run (Chandler kick) GREEN BAY 24-13
4th - GB - Doug Hart, 20-yard fumble recovery (Chandler kick) GREEN BAY 31-13
4th - GB - Bob Long, 11-yard pass from Starr (Chandler kick) GREEN BAY 38-13
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Jim Taylor 25-111, Bart Starr 2-44, Elijah Pitts 7-22 1 TD, Tom Moore 4-3
MINNESOTA - Fran Tarkenton 8-54, Phil King 12-52, Bill Brown 15-37, Billy Ray Barnes 5-21, Ron Vander Kelen 1-20, Dave Osborn 1-(-1)
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 19-9-159 3 TD 2 INT
MINNESOTA - Fran Tarkenton 19-9-172 1 TD 2 INT, Ron Vander Kelen 5-4-45
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Boyd Dowler 3-78 1 TD, Tom Moore 3-50, Carroll Dale 1-15 1 TD, Bob Long 1-11 1 TD, Marv Fleming 1-5
MINNESOTA - Paul Flatley 6-133 1 TD, Gordie Smith 3-48, Phil King 2-29, Dave Osborn 1-4, Bill Brown 1-3
TAYLOR, STARR BIG DIFFERENCE, VINCE; FUMBLES HURT, VAN
NOV 22 (Minneapolis-St. Paul-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Obviously more relaxed than he has been in some weeks, Vince Lombardi was a man utterly at peace with the world in the vicinity of 4:15 Sunday afternoon. Holding forth in the least cluttered corner of a jubilant dressing room, whose inhabitants were quietly but unashamedly savoring a 38-13 conquest of Minnesota's explosive Vikings, the Packer headmaster beamed and fervently observed, "We've had a long drought." Having thus consigned those dreary days to the past, Lombardi voluntarily pinpointed the catalyst in the Pack's resounding revival on Metropolitan Stadium's spongy turf. "The big difference was Starr (quarterback Bart) had his timing back - he hasn't had it for a couple of weeks," he said. "And Taylor's (Jim) running, of course." "It's been our hallmark for six or seven years, the two of them, and they both had it today," Lombardi added, with pardonable satisfaction. "Defensively, I thought we did a real fine job on Tarkenton (Viking quarterback Fran). But," Vince noted, almost in the same breath, "he's an amazing boy." And the pass protection (which had been a universal target of coffee shop quarterbacks in recent weeks)? "It must have been better. I don't know - I haven't seen the figures, but I don't think he got caught all day." (Which, he was assured by the fourth estate, was a correct assumption). "I guess the yardage of the two teams was above the same. Tarkenton must have made most of theirs," Lombardi chuckled, appending with a shake of the head. "I don't know how he sees. He must have another set of eyes some place." Did he consider Ray Nitschke's fourth quarter fumble recovery, which triggered the Packers' third touchdown and vaulted them into a 24-13 lead, had swung the decision Green Bay's way? "I don't know about that, but all fumble recoveries are big ones, of course." Reminded of a "fumble" just prior to Nitschke's contribution, on which the ball had been ruled dead, Lombardi observed, " I think that official must have missed that one. It's the only possible explanation. He fumbled the back here, then ran about five yards. It was clearly a fumble." Did he think his Packers, one game to the rear of the Baltimore Colts, had a chance to win the Western Division title? "Yes, I think so," was the ready reply. "We think we've got a chance." Asked about the Bays' bristling goal line stand in the first quarter, a spectacularly staunch series which halted the Vikings six inches shot of a touchdown, Lombardi significantly noted, "There's no way of telling, but those may have been the big plays of the game. And they had five downs. I think it's a credit to our team, the fact that our offense hasn't been scoring too many points of late and we stayed in there. What is it now, 8-2?"...Although patently still a trifle embarrassed over his recent and brief "retirement" as head coach of the Vikings, a somewhat subdued Norm Van Brocklin was not at a loss for words - or answers. He didn't make his replies with customary authority, but there was no delay. His athletes' fourth quarter fumbles had been prohibitively expensive, he said, observing, "We were leading them until then." What of an earlier situation, the play which had seen Tarkenton ruled short of the goal on a fourth-and-one situation in the first quarter? "I couldn't tell if Fran was over or not," Van Brocklin replied, quipping, "I had the worst seat in the house." Tarkenton, in a separate conversation, unwittingly echoed the boss's version, declaring, "I do not know whether I was over or not - I didn't have a very good seat." The Dutchman found little fault with either his offense or defense, which may come as something of a surprise in the face of a 38-point yield. "We moved the ball very well," he said, "until we started coughing up the ball." At this point, Van Brocklin's analysis was interrupted by the arrival of a friend, who announced, "Misery loves company, Norm, look who's here." Van Brocklin looked up to discover before him Jerry Burns, deposed only last week as head coach of Iowa's Hawkeyes. The Dutchman sang out, "Hi, Jerry," and leaped to his feet. After a warm handshake, they adjourned to a corner of the office before the Viking major domo was recalled to the matter at hand by the arrival of another newsman. Had he been surprised to see Paul Hornung sit out for the Packers? "No, I wasn't," he said. "They've got so many good ones, it doesn't make any difference anyway." The Packers, it was suggested in this connection, "looked like they might be waking up." "Maybe we had a little something to do with waking 'em up," Van Brocklin said wryly. "You know, of course, Taylor's their offense," Norm added. "He's a helluva back." And the Packer defense - might this not be the best Green Bay has had? "They've got some great individuals - they make some great individual plays. I don't think they cover any better back there," he said, disagreeing with one scribe's theory. "It's those guys up front. Aldridge has to get better, week after week. And Jordan (Henry) and Davis (Willie) make the big plays." Exhibiting a flash of the "old" Van Brocklin fire as he departed (which may portend dire things for the Dec. 5 rematch in Lambeau Field), he rapped, "But they aren't so (blank blank) good they can't get walked over."...PACKER PATTER: Van Brocklin's "return" did not pass unnoticed by the Viking faithful. Seven of them paraded about the field between halves with a huge banner which read, "If it weren't for "Finks,' it'd be a long 'Winter' (Max)!..Welcome, Norm." The reference, here, of course, was to General Manager Jim Finks and President Man Winter of the Vikings, who prevailed upon Van Brocklin to reconsider his retirement decision...The Vikings introduced a new symbol in pre-game field ceremonies - "Odin the First, the Norwegian God of Battle," substantial 6-10, 340-pound citizen who turned out to be Bill Simonovich, a former University of Minnesota basketball star (1952-56). Three yards of 52-inch-wide fur cloth were required for his tunic and legging in addition to five square feet of leather for his belts. A large horned Viking helmet, a cape sword and shield completed the monolithic Norseman's costume...How Fleeting is Fame Dept.: The scoreboard's "Viking Log," which flashes a variety of messages to the fans throughout the afternoon, at one pointed noted, "Tark is 4th, Starr sixth in NFL passing."...While boarding their airport-bound bus after the game, the Packers were amused no little to discover one of their cheering faithful alongside, wearing a green and gold tasseled cap and waving a Packer pennant, sported a painted, "I'd rather fight than switch" shiner around her left eye.
STARR, GRATEFUL TO COACH, PRAISES LINE BLOCKING
NOV 22 (Minneapolis-St. Paul-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - "I'm real grateful to Coach Lombardi for sticking with me. I stunk out the joint the last couple of weeks." The hour of vindication, at long last, had come for Bart Starr, and the personable Alabamian, who had
been suffering in silence of late, was taking sober satisfaction in the knowledge that he and the once-faltering Packer offense has resoundingly erupted from a nagging slump here Sunday afternoon. How had he approached the problem? Starr, who had pitched three touchdown passes and set up the Pack's first TD with a brilliant 38-yard fourth down keeper in the process of coordinating the welcome 38-13 explosion at the Minnesota Vikings' expense, said, "I tried to tell myself not to be too tight, too tense - because I know I've been pressing. I was nervous, thought, I couldn't help it. I'm just grateful to the coach," he repeated with evident sincerity, "for sticking with me. He's taught me everything I know - he's made me what I am and I felt that I was letting him down." Starr, who had not lost a yard attempting to pass in happy contrast to two previous experiences, lauded the Pack's offensive wall. "Our line did a great, great job of blocking overall," he declared, "and Jimmy (Taylor) ran exceptionally well." "I'll tell you one thing about this bunch up here," Bart added with fervor. "They hit you - they really hit you." Taylor, surrounded by a highly inquisitive press corps elsewhere in the Packer dressing room, attributed his freewheeling 111-yard performance to confidence - and sound "wheels." "I had all the confidence in the world today that I could drive off it (the heel which had troubled him since the final game of the exhibition season). I didn't have to favor it." Analyzing further, the Bayou Bronco pointed out, "We were coming off the ball real well. And the halfbacks made some key blocks on the off tackles plays. I also had some good holes up the middle - I had a lot of cutback plays. And I thought Bart called a beautiful game," he continued. "When you have a third and 7 situation, they figure you have to pass, but Bart mixed 'em up real well." Blocking alone hadn't produced all those yards, one Twin Cities scribe observed. Taylor grinned and replied, "I'm in good shape to meet those safetymen. I just hope I can stay in shape the rest of the way." A picture of contentment, Offensive Capt. Bob Skoronski confided, "We were having our doubts about our offense ourselves. After you play one bad ball game, and then two, you begin o wonder, 'Are we really bad, or what is it?' We needed this one very badly - for our confidence, in the standings - for everything. It was our best offensive effort of the year - Jimmy ran well, we blocked well and Bart called a fine game. And, I might add, the Vikings are a good ball club. I hope - I don't know," he added with customary caution. "But I think we broke the shell, broke the ice, today. I couldn't be happier - we needed this one so badly it's unbelievable." Ray Nitschke, an ex-fullback who had had a rare opportunity to display his running talents after recovering a fourth quarter fumble, had enjoyed it hugely. "How many yards was that, by the way?" he asked. Informed he had negotiated 18, Nitschke quipped, "Is that all?" Turning serious, he added, "I'm just happy I had the ball. I grabbed it off a shoulder or a helmet or something. It was kind of weird. I did think I had a chance to go all the way, but I was so excited about having possession," he smiled, "that scoring wasn't the thing that concerned me right then."...TRADE FOR INTERCEPTION: Another defensive hero, Doug Hart, reported with a rueful grin, "I would have traded that touchdown for an interception." Hart, who cantered 20 yards to score with a Bill Brown fumble in the fourth quarter, had reference to the spectacular "theft" he engineered during the Pack's first quarter goal line stand, only to discover that it had been nullified by an offside levy. Across the room, a weary Henry Jordan was still marveling over Tarkenton's acrobatic antics. "That's when you wish you didn't have your pads on," he said. "When you're chasing him, you'd never think you'd be afraid of him, but when you're out there in the open with him, you get a little tinge of fear. I feel like a truck ran over me," Henry sighed. "After the first four plays, I was tired. He sure is a frisky little fell back there."
VISIONS OF PACK DROUGHT LINGERED EARLY VS. VIKES
NOV 23 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - For the first 10 minutes and 31 seconds of Sunday's Packer-Viking game, we had visions of the late, lamented offensive drought. In that time the Vikings had the ball for 19 plays, the Packers 5. The Vikings used up 15 straight plays in driving within inches of the goal line where the Packer defense put on an elegant stand. But those five Packer plays. On the opener (first play of the game), Tom Moore hit toward the right side of right guard and Carl Eller was waiting. It was a three-yard loss. Bart Starr then drilled a pass to Carroll Dale up the middle, and it was wide and off Dale's fingertips. Starr then threw a six-yard pass to Marv Fleming, but the Bays were guilty of holding and the Vikings declined the penalty. Play 4 was Don Chandler's punt. The Vikings then put on their 15-play freeze and the Pack's Play No. 5 started from a precarious position - the couple-of-inch line. When Starr unleashed his pass from the end zone and Boyd Dowler caught it around the 25, it appeared that the Packers were really moving. Four yards later, Dowler fumbled and, boom, the Vikings had it back again on the Packer 29. The Vikes quickly scored on a field goal at 10:31. And some of the faint-hearted Packer fans must have swooned. But not the Packers. In the next 31 plays, running until midway in the second quarter, Green Bay ran off 25 plays and a 10-3 lead. Fortunately, the Packers don't swoon easily. They controlled the ball for 25 of the next 31 plays and ran up eight first downs and a 10-3 lead. Yep, the drought was about to be ended. Notes from Sunday's play book: INTRODUCTIONS - Paul Hornung was introduced as the starting left half before the game and Tom Moore ran out on the field.
Moore was the real starter, it turned out, and changed off with Elijah Pitts while Hornung sat out the game. Coaches Norm Van Brocklin and Vince Lombardi, both on the same side of the field, chuckled together while the Vikings' new mascot, Odin the Great, was introduced. GOLD DUST - Three gold flags went down on the game's opening kickoff and the Vikings had to kick over. Kicker Fred Cox booted the ball out on the 10-yard line, which is an infraction, and the Vikings apparently were offside for the other. TACKLER - For a guy who doesn't get any practice on the tackling dummy, Bart Starr does right well. He tackled both Karl Kassulke and Ed Sharockman after they intercepted Starr passes. WE GOT HIM - Fran Tarkenton was fantastic with his ability to escape tacklers, but he was finally nailed just before the half. On a third and four situation, Hank Jordan and Willie Davis refused to be fooled on a play-action pass and caught him before he could throw - for a 10-yard loss. OH NO - When the Vikings went ahead 13-10 in the third quarter, a new score on the big board in right field was posted. It read: Colts 27, Eagles 24. At that moment, the Packers were "two games" behind the Colts.
DEFENSE HAD BIG PLAYS, OFFENSE CAPITALIZED: VINCE
NOV 23 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Vince Lombardi took the Packers to that proverbial woodshed last Wednesday. And today they're a rough, scoring and contending football team again. They're aren't any woodsheds around anymore, but you young ones (us old timers have vivid memories) are hereby informed that the woodshed is the place where papa took junior for a good lathering when he was a bad boy. Needless to say, the Packer offense was bad in the four games before last Sunday. And the Packer coach responded by calling for a real rough drill and mean mid-week drills - all aimed at sharpening the offense. Reminded of his whipcracking today, Lombardi just laughed. Sunday's 38-13 victory in Minnesota spoke for him. Lombardi and Aides Phil Bengtson, Norb Hecker, Dave Hanner, Red Cochran, Tom Fears and Ray Wietecha viewed films of the Pack's eighth win Monday. And today Vince noted that "the defense played a real fine game and made the big plays. And the offense went out and took advantage of them." The coach felt that "the offensive line gave Starr good protection, and they (the Vikings) didn't get to him once. And Taylor was running again. Starr had three passes dropped. He could have had a phenomenal day." Bart Starr finished with nine completions in 10 attempts for 159 yards and three touchdowns. Jim Taylor produced his first 100-yard day, getting 11 on 25 carries. As to the race, Lombardi said, "We've got to win 'em all, which means we've got to sustain this drive. We pla this game from week to week. Right now our record is as good as last year's." Actually, the Packers are three wins ahead of their 1964 pace. After 10 games a year ago, they had a 5-5 record and finished with three wins (over the Browns, Cowboys and Bears) before closing with a tie in Los Angeles. The Packers invade LA next Sunday, return home to meet the Vikings and then close against the Colts and 49ers on the road. The Colts, leading the Pack by one game, face the Lions Thanksgiving Day at Detroit, and then host the Bears and Packers before closing in LA. Lombardi put it this way: "If we got into Baltimore with two more wins and beat them, we deserve the title. If we falter on the way or if Baltimore beats us, the Colts deserve it."...TWO INJURIES: The Packers came out of the weekend with two injuries - Tom Moore, who hurt his ankle in Minnesota, and Paul Hornung, who suffered a groin pull in practice Saturday, prompting Vince to remark, "We've had more ankles this year." Hornung was held out Sunday while Moore and Elijah Pitts shared the left-halfbacking. Pitts gained 22 yards and scored a TD in 7 attempts, while Moore netted three yards in four carries and caught three passes for 50 yards. The Packers went back to work today with a light drill and a first-hand report on the Rams from Scout Wally Cruice, who witnessed the Rams' tough 30-27 loss to the 49ers in San Francisco last Sunday. The Rams were nipped in the last seven seconds on a field goal by Tommy Davis.
PACKERS FACE NFL'S TOP FIREBALLER
NOV 24 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers face the best fast-ball pitcher in the league in Los Angeles Sunday. But, like most fire-ballers, Roman Gabriel's a little wild. That's why Bill Munson beat him out as a Ram rookie last year. Munson is out for the season with a leg injury suffered in Los Angeles' 30-27 loss to the 49ers last Sunday. And Gabriel will take over against Green Bay. Gabriel, 6-3 and 225 pounds, can knock a receiver down at 50 yards with his smoke ball. Herb Adderley, the Pack's defensive backfield veteran, noted in films of a Rams' game the other day that ""he stood flat-footed once and put the ball 45 yards in the air. What an arm she has." Is it harder to intercept this kind of thrower? "We'll be doing our job if we just knock it down but we hope we'll be in position to catch it. He's the strongest quarterback in the league as far as throwing the ball is concerned," Herb said, "but that fast ball of his is also hard for the receivers to catch." Gabriel was at the controls for the Rams' 27-17 victory over Green Bay in Milwaukee last year. He completed nine of 16 for 139 yards and one touchdown. He was nicked for two interceptions - by Willie Wood and Herb Adderley. Munson worked the tie against the Packers in Los Angeles. Gabriel, who has appeared only in relief of Munson this year, has thrown 95 passes and completed 50 for 565 yards in five games against Green Bay since he came up in 1962. The Packers intercepted him six times. Adderley said, "The Rams have a good team. They've just been hurt by bad breaks and injuries. We'll have to get off to a good start against them." Adderley is the Pack's lone statistical leader in the league, with five interceptions for a total return of 162 yards and two touchdowns. Five other players are tied with him. Jim Taylor, with 111 yards against the Vikings, jumped into fifth place in the rushing derby. Jim now has 503 yards in 146 carries, which isn't bad considering the ankle hurt that plagued him the first six or seven games. Others in the top 10 are Don Chandler, seventh in scoring with 66 points and eighth in punting with an average of 42.2; and Bart Starr, seventh in passing. The Packers will be "watching" the Colt-Lion game with interest Thanksgiving Day - without really watching it. A victory for Detroit would enable the Packers to grab a tie for first place - if they can whip the Rams. The Pack's normal Thursday practice day doesn't call for watching a football game and as Coach Vince Lombardi noted the other day "we've got our own game to get ready for." After morning meetings, the Bays will take to the practice field about 11:15 - when the Lions and Colts start to play. After lunch in the Administration building, there will be more meetings. The Packers will observe Thanksgiving Day with the annual family dinner at the Elks Club Thursday evening.
PERSONALITY PARADE
NOV 24 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - "I might get some sleep this week." Ruddy-cheeked Ken Bowman said it lightly, but there was, nonetheless, a palpable suggestion of the dark hours just past - long, soul-searching hours in which he and his fellow occupants of the Packers' offensive line probed for answers through four weeks of inexplicable futility and frustration that produced an incredibly meager yield of 36 points. Now, happily, as this lay behind - in the pleasant backwash of a 38-13 derailment of Minnesota's Vikings. Able at this point to make an objective appraisal, the Pack's articulate sophomore center declared, "I guess we all were resolved that it had to be a slump. We were blocking our hearts out and Bart (quarterback Starr) was trying his heart out, and nothing seemed to work. I don't know if there's such a thing as trying too hard or being too tense, but I think something like that must have been our trouble." Had he and his colleagues on the attacking unit begun to doubt themselves? "We were concerned, of course, but 'a man ain't nothing but a man,'" Bowman replied, interjecting a philosophical note. "You can try and try and if it's not good enough, it's just not good enough. I feel I try as hard as I can all the time, and I feel that's all I can do for the team." Attempting to explain that startling renaissance in the Twin Cities, Bowman observed, "Everybody started coming off the ball real good in the last quarter of the Ram game in Milwaukee a week earlier, and I think we knew if we were going to kick this slump, this was the time to kick it." The rugged visaged Rock Island, Ill., native had revised his approach to the enemy, he further confided, as a personal contribution to the revival. "I call the blocking on the line," he informed. "For example, if the middle linebacker is playing too deep for me to handle, I'd adjust the call accordingly. I have been getting too stereotyped in my calls," the 240-pound University of Wisconsin alumnus continued. "If somebody would operate a certain way in one game, I would study the films and decide therefore this week the blocks should be called even - the calls are odd or even -and I as more often wrong than right."...DEFENSIVE PEOPLE: "So I started looking at the defensive people and analyzing them, trying to figure what the heck they were going to do, instead of relying on what I'd seen in the movies. If you can see their feet and their hands, you can usually tell what they're likely to do - by seeing how much weight they have in front and how much back. Up to this time, I haven't been paying too much attention. The coach (offensive line coach Ray Wietecha, himself one of the NFL's premier centers while with the New York Giants) has been trying to get me to do it all season, but I was a little afraid, too - you could look like the world's biggest chump if you didn't read it right. But from now on in," Ken added with understandable fervor, "I'm going to call 'em the way I see 'em - instead of the way I saw 'em." Again reflecting upon those bleak days, he confided, "I can only speak for myself, but I'd get out to practice and was beginning to think I was a lead-footed bum who didn't belong here - it starts to work on you. But I think now we're out of it." Game after game, the 23-year-old center emerges with a bloody and battered forehead, which might suggest the opposition is playing havoc with his person, but such is not the case. "I had a bad helmet at the start of the season - it fit poorly," Ken explained. "That's what started it." "I got a good helmet after that, but once you get rid of one of those things, it's hard to get rid of. There still is enough contact that it rubs the scabs off. Some of the fellows have licked it by wearing a big sponge pad, but it fits all the way across the forehead. I have so much skin on my forehead," Bowman laughed, "that the pad pinches all the skin down over my eyes and I can't see where I'm going. I think with this helmet, though, it'll be all right next year - I hope. It would be a heckuva way to go through life." Father of a three-year-old son (Lance Lincoln), Ken has become an avid bowhunter of late. "I've taken it up this year and I like it a lot - it's an awful lot of sport," he says, adding, "I don't particular like hunting with a gun. I don't think that's too much sport. If you get some of the shots with a gun that I've had with a bow and arrow, that's murder. There's an element of human miscalculation to bowhunting that makes it sporting - I like it."
PACKER TICKETS AREN'T AVAILABLE
NOV 25 (Appleton Post-Crescent) - Christmas shopping in the Green Bay Packer ticket office is something paradoxical - there is only one thing you can buy there, and they don't have any of those. So if you planned on surprising anyone with a pair of season tickets to the Bays' home games, you'd better prepare the receiver for a belated surprise. "There's really nothing available now," the woman at the counter said, "but, of course, there's always the waiting list."...THOUSANDS ON LIST: The "list" is only a year old, but already it has mounted to the thousands. Later, if ever Lambeau Field stadium is enlarged, some of those at the head of the list may get tickets. If there is no enlargement (and the ticket office said they knew of no plans for one), some of the list may be satisfied due to cancellations, the death of a ticket holder or a miracle. The situation is somewhat more optimistic in Milwaukee, where the Packers play three home games. It is expected that the early bird who gets his name on that waiting list, will have tickets sometime before the 1967 season...BETTER IN MILWAUKEE: In the case of the Milwaukee area shopper, all that is required is a self-addressed envelope. Later, when the opening develops, the envelope is used to inform the ticket hopeful of what is available. At any rate, spokesman in either office are not making any bets that Christmas orders for this year will be fulfilled. It is suggested, however, that some enterprising printer come up with a printed card stating; Your name has been added to the Green Bay Packer season ticket waiting list by a friend. Merry Christmas.
CHANDLER'S HERE AND LET'S BE THANKFUL TODAY
NOV 25 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - A year ago. Don Chandler, the first fulltime two-way specialist in Packer history, never thought he'd be spending Thanksgiving Day, 1965, in Green Bay. But the veteran of nine seasons with the Giants, who was obtained in a draft-choice trade last Jan. 10, is here today. And for that we can all be thankful. Chander's field goals have been the difference in two of the Packers' eight victories and a big factor in a third. He kicked two, from 19 and 41 yards, in the 20-17 win over the Colts and two, from 22 and yards, in the narrow 6-3 win over the Rams. In the 13-3 defenser against the Cowboys, he also kicked a pair, from 44 and 22 yards. Don has kicked 14 field goals in 19 attempts and four of the misses were from over 40 yards - 43, 45, 46 and 45, and the other was from 38. He had a string of eight straight field goals without a miss - from the Colt game until the Bears in Chicago. Chandler has connected on at least one field goal in every game except the Lion contest here when no attempts were made. He has delivered 53 punts this far, averaging 42.4 yards, and is fresh from his best kickoff day as a Packer. In seven kickoffs vs. the Vikings Sunday, he averaged three yards into the end zone. What does Chandler think of all this? "I'm happy with my place kicking so far, and I'm pleased with the punting but not overjoyed. I should be averaging 44 or 45 yards, and I'm not getting those long punts. But they haven't been returning them and Gale Sayers' runback was the only one." Chandler had one tremendous punting splurge - a modern-day record 90-yarder against the 49ers in Green Bay. And he had what amounted to a big thrill for a punter - a surprise 27-yard run off a fourth and four punt situation to the 49er
28. It set up the Pack's first TD in their 27-10 victory. Chandler also has experienced an extra point "miss" when his third try in the Bear game here was blocked by Dick Butkus. It goes into the records as a "miss" but there ought to be an asterisk in these situations. The Tulsan, who lives with his wife and three children in De Pere, attributes his field goal success this year to a 'good start. I got in quite a bit of work before I came here. And I've had great help from Bart Starr. With Bart holding the ball, all I have to do is concentrate on me. Last year, I wondered whether the ball would be held right."...THREE OFFICIALS WATCH: Chandler said that field goal kicks are coming under closer scrutiny this year what with the extra (sixth) official on the field. "Two of the officials are in the end zone (near the goal posts) and another stands behind the kicker," Don said, adding: "The two officials in the end zone signal first and then the official on the playing field makes it official." When it comes time to surrender the "Chander draft choice" to the Giants in the draft Saturday, Coach Vince Lombardi can deliver a real smile. And everybody will agree with him that it was well spent...The Packers held practice as usual today and, of course, concentrated on preparations for the Rams, missing the telecast of the Lion-Colt game. The Bays and their families gathered, as guest of the Packer Corp., for their annual Thanksgiving Day dinner at the Elks Club this evening. The team will leave for Los Angeles after practice Friday, flying a United Airlines charter to Chicago and then to LA via commercial jet. The Packers will drill in the Smoggy City Saturday morning...PS - Forgot this chore last Sunday. We're picking the Colts over the Lions but we hope we're wrong.
PACK GETS FIRST ROUND'S NINTH, 13TH DRAFT PICKS
NOV 26 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers will get the ninth and 13th players selected in the important first round of the NFL college player draft Saturday. Only one other team will get two choices in the first round - the Atlanta Falcons, who will get the No. 1 and another choice, No. 16, after the regular clubs have chosen. Green Bay's extra choice in the opening round comes through the "courtesy" of the Lions and Commissioner Pete Rozelle. Ron Kramer played out his option in Green Bay with the request that he be traded to Detroit. The two clubs couldn't work out a satisfactory trade so Rozelle ruled that the Lions could have Kramer if they awarded the Packers their first choice. Naturally, they jumped at the chance to get an all-pro for a draft choice. This "trade" didn't set too well with Coach Vince Lombardi at the time, but at the moment it is interesting to note the records of the two clubs- Green Bay with 8-2 and Detroit with 5-5. The Lions, in fact, were one of five teams to finish last Sunday's games with 5-5 records, joining the 49ers, Vikings, Cardinals and Giants. These teams flipped coins earlier this week to determine the order in which they will draft in the first round. Detroit won the No. 9 spot, which is where the Packers will make the "Kramer" pick. Green Bay's own spot, determined on the inverse order of last Sunday's won-lost percentage, is No. 13. Behind the Pack are the Browns and Colts. The Falcons will get the first and last picks in the first pick on every subsequent round from six through 20. After the first round, the five clubs tied at .500 will flip coins for position. The Packers will get 20 picks, losing but one on the draft choice given the Giants for Don Chandler. Now that the "mechanics" are out of the way. Who and what the Packers will pick? This, of course, is a deep dark secret and about the only answer to any query along those lines would be "the best football player available." The first things that comes to mind is a top-flight halfback, but the Packers are a step ahead of this since they already have rights to Donnie Anderson, the star from Texas Tech who does so many things so well. Anderson, a junior eligible, was the first played picked by Green Bay last year - on the top selection owed the Pack in payment on the Ringo-Gros deal. Generally, the Packers' major need would seem to be offensive players. In view of the troubles Green Bay has had scoring this year. Defensively, the Packers are a young team. The unit is exceptionally strong against the pass, but has been run on this season. Other than a quarterback, it had been Lombardi's policy to select the best on the market and then make the necessary switches in training camp or even later. A good example was Herb Adderley, who came out of Michigan State as a hot flanker prospect. Now, he's an all-pro defensive back. Packer coaches and personnel director Pat Peppler will get up early Saturday morning. The draft starts at 9 a.m. New York time, which is 6 o'clock in Los Angeles...TIMEOUT FOR WARMUP: The 1965 draft will be conducted by telephone and teletype, with all selections going into league headquarters in New York. The Bays will operate out of the Sheraton West hotel, which will be their headquarters here. Lombardi will take a short timeout Saturday morning to send the Packers
through a light warmup in preparation for the Ram game in the Coliseum Sunday afternoon. The Packers drilled in Green Bay this morning and departed, flying to Chicago in a United Airlines charter and then finishing the trip in a commercial jet. The NFL reportedly has drawn up a list of 13 must players to sign. On that list were Rick Norton and Jim Grabowski, and three players drafted as futures, Missouri back Johnny Roland, Notre Dame lineman Dick Arrington, and the Packers' Anderson. Also on the list were defensive back Nick Rassas of Notre Dame, recevers Aaron Brown of Minnesota and Freeman White of Nebraska, and linemen Larry Gagner of Florida, Bruce Van Dyke of Missouri, Walt Barnes of Nebraska, Carl McAdams of Oklahoma and Tommy Nobis of Texas. Others likely to go early are quarterbacks Gary Snook of Iowa and Randy Johnson of Texas A&I, running backs Mike Garrett of Southern California and Roger Bird of Kentucky, linemen Harold Lucas of Michigan State and John Niland of Iowa and kickers Charlie Gogolak of Princeton and Dick Kenney of Michigan State.
PERSONALITY PARADE
NOV 26 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Although it may come as a surprise to the faithful hereabouts, builder-realtor Marvin L. Fishman, who last week announced he is seeking pledges for 30,000 season tickets in hopes of attracting an AFL franchise to Milwaukee, considers himself an ardent Packer fan. In fact, he is anxious to underscore the point. "I was up in Minneapolis watching the Packer game against the Vikings Sunday," he reported via long distance telephone. "Both my wife and I are Packer fans - we go all over to see their games." He says he also would like to emphatically spread upon the record that he is not, by his efforts, "trying to hurt the Packers - I just want more football in Milwaukee." "Our effort to obtain an AFL franchise in the city of Milwaukee," the University of Wisconsin alumnus confided, "is solely for the purpose of obtaining more pro football for the city and the southern part of the state. We
(Fishman says he represents a Milwaukee group but declined to elaborate) feel Milwaukee can and would support more football than it is presently seeing, and we do not feel that in any way that the Green Bay Packers will be hurt - nor would I want to give up my four season tickets for Packer games, which I have owned many. many years. We feel that this area of 1,400,000 population could support more football, and I don't think the Packers would lose one ticket sale. I also feel that eventually, if we are fortunate to get a franchise here, I think it would further the cause of pro football. And if both leagues ever get together, and with games between leagues, a fine rivalry could be developed between Green Bay and Milwaukee. And if we could get a franchise, we certainly would sit down with Mr. Lombardi and the Green Bay Packer management and work our games around the Packer schedule. We think this could be done." And what are the chances of this coming to pass? "I think our chances are excellent," Fishman, a father of three who describes himself "as an average person in the street trying to bring pro football to Wisconsin," replied. "We've been given encouragement. We read the same things in the paper that you have read, that Milwaukee is one of the major cities under consideration, and we believe this to be true." Where would the projected Milwaukee entry propose to play its games, in light of the knowledge that the Packers have an exclusive County Stadium lease through the 1968 season? "We would make an effort to play our games in County Stadium. If we were close to a franchise, I don't think Mr. Lombardi or the Packers would deny Milwaukee an opportunity for additional pro football. An issue has been made of County Stadium," Fishman added, "and I don't think that's so impossible. Many organizations use the same facilities in many cities." What of the prospects for 30,000 season ticket pledge goal? "We're working on the possibility - we've just started," the youthful builder said. "I think it's a thing that will take some time. If it can be worked out, it might indicate the people in the state might be interested in seeing more pro football. We love the Packers, but we would like to see more pro football if we could. I think football has grown so much in popularity - even in Green Bay people have trouble getting ticksts. And I have read there are 15,000 season ticket requests in Col. Kreuger's office (at County Stadium) that the Packers can't fill. This might indicate that pro football is such a growing thing that scheduled will have to be longer, and maybe that they will even have to play a spring schedule if pro football keeps growing, and you can't fill the ticket requests."
NOBIS, NABBED BY ATLANTA, 1ST TO GO IN NFL DRAFT
NOV 27 (New York) - The Atlanta Falcons, the newest entry in the NFL, made linebacker Tommy Nobis of Texas the league's first draft choice today. The Falcons, who will bring the NFL to 15 teams when they begin play in 1966, were given the first and last selections in each of the first round, then the first in the other 15. That will give the newcomers 25 selections altogether. Los Angeles, which has the worst record in the league, followed Atlanta in the draft that got underway at 8:58 a.m. Twelve minutes later, Nobis became the first player to be selected both the NFL and AFL when the Houston Oilers made him their first round choice in the AFL. The Rams selected Tom Mack, a Michigan tackle who was considered somewhat of a surprise pick for the first round. Each team was allotted one hour for its first-round selection. The time will be cut to 30 minutes for the second and third rounds, 15 for the fourth and fifth and 10 after that. The 14 teams took eight hours to complete the first round last year and 27 hours, 10 minutes for the entire draft. The Eagles finally selected Randy Beisler, a defensive end from Indiana. The Pittsburgh Steelers, who previously had traded away the right to five of their 20 choices, used up their allotted time of one hour, then passed. The Steelers can make their selection at any time, but the Philadelphia Eagles went ahead and began working on their choice. The Dallas Cowboys used their hour, then passed. The Washington Redskins were next and promptly selected Charlie Gogolak, Princeton's record-breaking placekicker. Gogolak set six national collegiate records with his extra point and field goal kicking this season. He is a soccer-style booter as is his brother, Pete, who plays with Buffalo in the American League. Just minutes later, though, Dallas announced its selection of John Niland, a guard from Iowa.
GRABOWSKI FIRST AFL DRAFT PICK
NOV 27 (New York) - Illinois fullback Jim Grabowski was tapped as the No. 1 selection in the AFL draft today when the new Miami Dolphins made him their bonus pick on the first round. The Dolphins, who will take the field as the AFL's ninth team for the 1966 season, then picked Kentucky quarterback Rick Norton as their other first round choice. Under a liberalized drafting procedure set up the AFL to help stock the Dolphins, the new Miami club was given an extra first round selection and will draft first on every subsequent round through 20. Boston, the first of the established AFL clubs to pick, then selected Purdue tackle Karl Singer. Clubs chose in inverse order of the combined league standing through games of last Sunday. Each team was allowed an hour in which to make first and second round selections. Later picks were to be made in 15 minutes. Another Purdue tackle, Jerry Shay, was the next pick, going to Denver. The Houston Oilers picked Texas linebacker Tommy Nobis, who was the No. 1 selection in the simultaneous draft being held by the NFL. The new Atlanta Falcons picked Nobis in the NFL draft. The New York Jets used their entire allotted hour and were unable to make a pick. Under the draft procedure, they were forced to pass the next team in line, Kansas City. The Jets retained their first pick and can announced their selection at any time but took the danger of exposing any of their hopefuls to the teams now moving up in the selection order. The league already has surpassed last year's time for the first round. The AFL made its eight selections last year in an hour and 10 minutes. New York's pass was made an hour and 50 minutes after the draft started at 8:18 a.m. The Chiefs took exactly an hour before finally naming Minnesota end Aaron Brown. Oakland was unable to come up with a name in the allotted hour and passed. New York and Oakland can break in at any time and announce a first-round pick on a first-come-first-serve basis. San Diego, next in line, chose Don Davis, a 6-foot-6, 254 pounds tackle from Los Angeles State. Buffalo, which had the official final pick in the first round, took Mississippi halfback Mike Dennis. That completed the first round after 4 hours and 3 minutes - with New York and Oakland still out. The teams proceeded to start over again in the second round with the Jets and Raiders still permitted to break in at any time and announce their No. 1 selections.
FANTASTIC: 14 PLAYERS SHARE IN PACKER SCORING
NOV 27 (Los Angeles-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers may not be the highest scoring team in the league, but they certainly have the most scorers. Fourteen people - more than one-third of the team - have shared in the scoring. This borders on the fantastic. What's more, the leading touchdown maker played in only six games and the top scorer hasn't scored a touchdown - and probably won't all season, barring a freak. Sophomore Bob Long lead in touchdowns with four - all on catches from Bart Starr. His 24 points rank him second in the table behind Don Chandler who leads with 66 on his 24 conversions and 14 field goals. Specialist Chandler isn't likely to get into the TD column - unless he can grab a fumble on a kick or keep running on a faked punt. Long made his first appearance in the
Bear game in Green Bay and caught a 48-yard pass to give the Pack a 20-0 lead. He nailed a 23-yarder in the end zone against the 49ers the next Sunday for the Bays' first TD in a 27-10 win. In the 28-point second
QB Fran Tarkenton (10) throws an incomplete pass as DE Lionel Aldridge (82) holds his hands in the air to obstruct his view.
half uprising at Detroit, Long was on the scoring end of a 62-yard Starr pass. Long went out after the first quarter of the 13-3 Cowboy game in Milwaukee and then played briefly in the Bear game in Chicago the next Sunday. He sat out the loss to the Lions in GB and the 6-3 win over the Rams in Milwaukee the next Sunday. His next appearance was late in the 38-13 victory at Minnesota where he caught an 11-yard TD pass from Starr in the last three minutes. All of the regular offensive backs have scored touchdowns and so have all of the receivers except Bill Anderson, the tight end behind Marv Fleming. Three defensive players have entered the score derby. Herb Adderley has returned two interceptions for TDs and Lee Roy Caffey has one. Just last Sunday Doug Hart scored on a fumble return.
GILLINGHAM 'HAS ALL POTENTIAL IN WORLD' COACH
NOV 28 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Strapping Gale Gillingham, the University of Minnesota tackle selected by the Packers in the first round of Saturday's NFL draft, "has all the potential in the world." Denver Crawford, Gillingham's line coach at Minnesota, so informed the Press-Gazette via long distance telephone Saturday night from Minneapolis shortly after his protege signed a 1966 Packer contract. The Gopher star, 6-3 and 250 pounds, "is agile and big - he'll make 'em a good boy," Crawford said. "He's just not coming into his own. He lost a year of eligibility because he dropped out a year, so he's only played two years of varsity football. Gale started out as a fullback, but we moved him to tackle later. So he's got his best years in front of him. I felt he was better offensively, but in another year, he would have a real fine defensive ball player, too. He's got good speed for a big man," Crawford added. "In shorts, I timed him at 5.8, 5.9 and 6 seconds flat in the 50-yard dash. He can move. Gale is a very intelligent kid, too - and a real fine boy on the field. Some kids are smart in the classroom, but not on the field. He's got it both ways, and he's real coachable. He's got all the potential in the world - either as a tackle, or with his speed at linebacker. I don't know what their plans are for him, of course."
PACK BEEFS ATTACK, PICKS GRABOWSKI, GILLINGHAM
NOV 28 (Los Angeles-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers aim to improve their offense. With help from the powerful Big Ten Conference. They selected 225 pound fullback Jim Grabowski of Illinois and 250 pound offensive tackle Gale Gillingham of Minnesota in the first round. Grabowski was a complete surprise since the Packers didn't expect him still available when they received their first choice on the ninth pick. It was Detroit's selection but the Lions owed the pick to Green Bay in payment for Ron Kramer. Gillingham was chosen on the Packers' own first round choice - the thirteenth player selected and his signing was announced almost immediately after he was picked. As usual the opening round consumed most of the day - 10 hours, starting at 6 o'clock, LA time, although this beats the longest first round record of 12 hours set last year. The second round also dragged on far into Saturday night. Coach Vince Lombardi was delighted at getting Grabowski, the Big Ten's all-time ground gainer, who ran for over 1,000 yards in each of his junior and senior years. He set a Big Ten record with 1,258 yards in 252 attempts this season. Lombardi said Grabowski is the "kind of back we want.
He's big and can move fast. His weight ranges between 220 and 235 pounds. We have very good reports on him." The Packers now have rights to the two top flight backs in the country. The other is Donnie Anderson, the Texas Tech whiz who was chose as a junior eligible last year. Lombardi said he anticipates a real battle in signing the two prospects. Anderson was also chosen a year ago by Houston of the AFL and Grabowski was the first choice of the new Miami entry in the AFL. Grabowski was one of two backs named in the first round. The other back was Dick Leftridge, a fullback from West Virginia who was named by Pittsburgh. The Steelers actually had third choice but used up more than its allotted hour and then returned to Leftridge after the Pack had chosen Grabowski. Grabowski finished second to Mike Garrett of Southern Cal in rushing. Garrett, perhaps too tiny for pro football at 180, was named by the Rams on the second round. Garrett set a collegiate record with nearly 1,500 yards. Grabowski had expressed to play his pro football in the Midwest. "He's only 21," Lombardi beamed, "and he has plenty of time to develop." Lombardi also announced the signing of Roy Schmidt, a 250 pound tackle from Long Beach State College, who was chosen as a junior eligible last year on the 13th round. The Packers are conducting their draft from the Town House room at the Sheraton West Hotel - with direct telephone connection to league draft headquarters in New York. Tom Miller, Packer public relations director, is in contact with New York. Working here on the draft are Lombardi and his personnel chief, Pat Peppler, and the assistant coaches - Phil Bengtson, Norb Hecker, Dave Hanner, Red Cochran, Tom Fears and Ray Wietecha - plus Verne Lewellen, Lorraine keck and Pat Wloszczynski of the Green Bay office. Several members of the staff took time out to run the Bays through a light drill in Burbank Saturday morning. The draft figured to finish about 10 a.m. Sunday - a few hours before the Packer-Ram game.
BULLETIN
NOV 28 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Tom Cichowski, an offensive tackle from U. of Maryland, was selected by the Packers on the second round late Saturday night. He is a junior eligible. Cichowski stands 6-4, weighs 230 and is 21 years of age.
VINCE DENIES NITSCHKE IN OPTION MOVE
NOV 29 (Los Angeles-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Commenting on a report that linebacker Ray Nitschke had announced he is playing out his option with the Packers to become a free agent, Coach Vince Lombardi said here Saturday night, "We are in the process of negotiating. He is still unsigned, but we don't feel that he is playing out his option." Nitschke earlier had admitted to the Press-Gazette that he hadn't signed a 1965 contract, but observed, "I think things will be straightened out." The all-NFL defensive player had been quoted as saying, "They're not paying me enough. What will happen now? I don't know. I suppose they'll trade me." Under league rules, a player can decline to sign a contract with his club, and, after one year, become a free agent. The Packers lost tight end Ron Kramer, an all-NFL selection in 1962, to the Detroit Lions this season after Kramer played out his option. Nitschke, middle linebacker for the Packers, has been the keystone of the Green Bay defense, which has allowed the least points in the NFL this season. When a player signs with another club as a free agent, his original team is given another player of equal ability or a draft choice under NFL rules. The Packers used Detroit's first round pick in the NFL draft Saturday to choose Illinois fullback Jim Grabowski in return for Kramer.
PACK LOOKING FOR FIRST 'REMATCH' VICTORY
NOV 29 (Los Angeles-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - And now to start this business of beating a team twice in the same season. It hasn't been easy for the Packers. In fact, they haven't accomplished the feat yet in '65. The Packers had two chances already and muffed both of them. They beat the Bears in Green Bay but lost in Chicago. They beat the Lions in Detroit and then lost the rematch in Green Bay. The Pack's last four games - starting with the Rams in the Coliseum this afternoon - are against teams they've beaten earlier. After LA, they host the Vikings in Green Bay and the visit the lairs of the Colts and 49ers. In order, the Packers nipped the Colts 20-17, the 49ers 26-10, the Rams 6-3, and the Vikings 38-13. If the Packers expect to win the 1965 Western title, they'll have to pitch four straight "doubles." They have a good chance now in view of the Colts' 24-24 tie with the Lions Thanksgiving Day. A sweep for the Packers would give them a final reading and percentage of 12-2 and .857. The Colts then would finish, assuming they won their other two games, with 11-2-1 for .846. The Colts finish against the Bears, Packers and 49ers. The Packers face the unsavory task of handing the Rams their ninth straight loss. The LA heroes are coming on strong in view of their tough last-second 30-27 loss in San Francisco last Sunday. This was the Rams' second straight "late" loss, having been nosed out on Don Chandler's seven-yard field goal the previous Sunday. Kickoff today is set for 3:05, Green Bay time, and the big question is this: How will the Packers' new-found offense do against the defense-minded Rams? The Packers broke out of their scoring drought with five touchdowns and a field goal against the Vikings, but it goes without saying that the Rams defense is considerably stronger than the Minnesota defenders. The Rams have that gigantic Front Four - Lamar Lundy, Merlin Olsen, Dave Joes and Roosevelt Grier - and the Bays had trouble budging them let along scoring against them. The winning field goal was set up by recovery of a fumble deep in Ram territory. Bart Starr has had success piercing the Ram defense in previous years and he snapped out of his own slump (behind good protection) with three touchdown passes as well as nearly 400 yards. Jim Taylor and Elijah Pitts likely will carry the rushing load since both Tom Moore and Paul Hornung are handicapped by injuries, although both likely will be available for duty. The Packers' staunch defense will be faced with something new. That would be Roman Gabriel, the power-throwing righthander who has replaced the injured Bill Munson at quarterback. Gabriel was at the throttle in the Rams' surprising 24-14 victory
over the Packers in Milwaukee last year, completing nine of 16 for 139 yards and one touchdown. Munson worked the 24-24 tie in the nightcap here. The Ram offense is pretty well banged up. Besides Munson, LA may be without Marlin McKeever, their top tight end, and Dick Bass, who missed the 6-3 show. The chief ball carries will be Les Josephson, who gained 60 yards in the earlier game, and Ben Wilson, while Tommy McDonald, who has 46 catches - second in the league, paces the reception corps. McKeever, who had 37 catches, likely will be replaced by long Billy Truax, a second year receiver, who stands 6-5 and packs 250 pounds. The Packers will fly right out after the game - by commercial jet to Chicago and then by United Airlines charter to Green Bay. They figure to arrive home about 1:30 Monday morning.
