THIS IS SILVER JUBILEE YEAR FOR GREEN BAY PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL
JAN 5 (Green Bay) - When that little infant wearing a pair of 1943 diapers entered the picture at midnight New Year's eve, did any of you celebrants note that he carried a a football? At least, the little Mr. Nineteen Forty-Three that arrived in Green Bay did. The point is that the little guy, who replaced the battered Nineteen Forty-Two, ushered in the Green Bay Packers' 25th year in professional football - the sliver jubilee of the pay sport in this city. Of course, the war and its recruits may have something to do with Green Bay celebrating its 25th football birthday, but regardless the Packers still will be in their 25th year. They'll still hold a franchise, even though world events could force them from action. Coach Curly Lambeau launched pro football in Green Bay back in 1919, and, after two years of freelance ball, entered the NFL. The Packers remain as one of the three teams in the circuit since it was started, the other two being the Bears and Cardinals of Chicago. In the Bears' first year, they were known as the Staleys...COVERS FOUR DECADES: Lambeau's career in pro football - and the Packers (both the same) - represent four decades - 1910, 1920, 1930 and 1940. He covered the "roaring twenties" with one championship, and skipped over the "depression thirties" with four titles. The "warring forties" are still without a championship, but remember that Lambeau opened this decade with three seconds in the Western division...FIRST TIME EVER: When Hal Van Every cavorted for the Second Air Force Bombers against Hardin-Simmons in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, New Year's day, it was the first time a former Packer ever played in a bowl game after he saw action with Green Bay. Generally, the Packer stars get into a bowl before they come here, but Van Every is an exception - made possible by the war. He scored the winning touchdown by the way...'I LIKE TO SCORE': Tackle Al Klug of Marquette suggested something the other day that pro coaches ought to try. Klug, who likes to score, asked his coach, Tom Stidham, to figure out some sort of a tackle-around play so "I can score". The rules forbid a tackle from carrying the ball from his position but he could always switch to end. Can you imagine Baby Ray, Ernie Pannell, Bill Lee or Paul Berezney "flashing" on tackle-around plays?...THIS AND THAT: Advertisers spent approximately $100,000 in getting up the souvenir program for the NFL's "pro bowl" game in Philadelphia Dec. 27. Before the Bear-Washington title test, veteran George Musso gave the Bruins a pep talk. Tony Canadeo, Packer halfback, left Green Bay this week for his home in Chicago. He'll go into the Navy Air corps sometime in March. Packer fullback Ted Fritsch has been placed in 4-F by his Stevens Point draft board. Coach Curly Lambeau was ready in case a draft session was held at the recent league meeting. He had complete reports from his numerous scouts on nearly every outstanding player in the country.
PACKER NOTES
JAN 6 (Wisconsin Rapids) - Ted Fritsch, former Central State Teachers college athlete, and more recently a fullback on the Green Bay Packers, probably has played in his last professional football game for the duration. Fritsch, whose high school days were spent at the little school at Spencer, where his brother Mike does the coaching, left last week with the draft contingent of Portage county for physical examinations in Milwaukee. Since the conclusion of the Green Bay Packer schedule, Ted has been employed as a substitute mail carrier at the post office in Stevens Point. He registered in that city while attending college there. Fritsch was Eddie Kotal's personal contribution to the Green Bay Packer club. When the Packer organization hired Eddie as backfield coach late last spring, it has no idea that Kotal would also bring the 1942 Packer fullback. But Fritsch, who is built like a bull and yet is extremely light on his feet, more than filled the bill for Curly Lambeau. Naturally Ted wasn't a Clark Hinkle in his first season of professional football. As a matter of fact, try and name anyone who has been the equal of the Hink. Possibly Bronko Nagurski and Ernie Never, but who else? Norm Standlee was a great line plunger for the Bears, but who wouldn't be with that Bear line to open the holes? For a rookie Fritsch did a splendid job. His field goal kicking contributed to the Packer scoring and he saved the Green Bay team from certain defeat in New York by breaking away for a long run in the closing minutes of the game against the Giants to enable the Packers to escape with a 21-21 tie. Another example of a small town boy who made good in a big way.
PACKER FANS OF BROOKLYN, N.Y., HELPS LAMBEAU FIND GRID TALENT
JAN 8 (Green Bay) - If football is still active next fall, Brooklyn is determined that the Green Bay Packers win the National league championship. 'Tis a rare statement, indeed, and Coach Curly Lambeau nearly swooned when he read it in a letter from a representative of the Brooklyn Chapter, Green Bay Packer Fans. The missive was signed: "Chapter President". The letter listed a raft of outstanding college players, after pointing out that "please do not deem this as an insult to your coaching proficiency as we are aware that you have scouts for the very work we undertook but we have so thoroughly covered the football picture this year we cannot see how anyone could surpass us on the subject." It might be explained that the Packers have paid scouts throughout the country keeping their eyes open for possible pro talent. In addition, there are many other personal friends of Lambeau who are on the watch for material. But this letter is something new, said Lambeau...CONCLUDED TEAM'S NEEDS: The letter points out that "we have covered every Packer game very closely, and most of the college contests. Therefore we consider ourselves in a position to accurately approximate the Packer status, in reference to the coming season. Our society has concluded the team's needs and has listed the college players most likely to succeed in the pro ranks." The chapter explains that it realizes that it is "pretty much impossible to corner these stars, due to the war, and the fact that other clubs will grab off some of these players. But you can pick some of them." Here is part of the letter telling of the players, written mostly in note form:...SCHREINER GREATEST: "Ends: Schreiner, Wisconsin, if not in service could be greatest of college crop. A natural pick, but probably won't be available for your pick. Currivan, Boston college, a close second, another natural choice. Then there are Poschner, Georgia, Dove of Notre Dame and Ferguson of California. But the three darkhorse predictions are Al Hurst, Tennessee, Marty Comer, Tulane, and Bob Shaw, Ohio State. Then follow Suesoff, Washington State, Gantt, Duke, Motl, Northwestern, and Smith, UCLA. Tackles: The Big Ten has four naturals for the pro league, Dick Wildung, Minnesota, Paul Hirschbrunner, Wisconsin, Chuck Csuri, Ohio State, and Al Wistert, Michigan. The best prospect, though, is big Don Whitemire from Alabama's great line. Also Johnson, Kentucky, Donaldson, Penn, Bouley, Boston College, Stamm and Banducci, Stanford, Wickett, Oregon State, and Palmer, TCU."...GUARD KINGPIN BASE: "Guards: The kingpin prospect here is Canale of Boston college, an immovable object on defense. Also come Lin Houston, Ohio State, Nick Burke, Northwestern, and Chuck Taylor, Stanford. Along with Ruark, Georgia, Ramsey, William and Mary, and Agase, Illinois. Hardy of Georgia Tech is tops but light for pro ball. Other good ones are Lescouli, UCLA, and McIntrye, Fordham. Centers: Harrison, Washington, Sabasteanski, Fordham, Manning, Georgia Tech, and Pregulman, Michigan, all on an even base. Backs: The backs the Packer need the most are the breakaway artists, and here they are: Black, Mississippi State, Gafford, Auburn, Daley, Minnesota, Steuber, Missouri, and Hillenbrand, Indiana. Also some welcome additions would be Jenkins, Vanderbilt, Kennedy, Washington State, Holovak, Boston college, Filipowicz, Fordham, Connolly, Boston college, Johnson and Longnere, William and Mary, Craft, Alabama, Waterfield, UCLA, Day, Oregon State, Griffin, Illinois, and Sarringhaus, Ohio State.
PACKER FANS WELCOME DORAIS AS NEW DETROIT LIONS COACH
JAN 12 (Green Bay) - Signing of Gus Dorais, the accomplished Detroit lawmaker and football coach, is welcome news around these parts. It means that the Green Bay Packer-Lion rivalry, just a spark the past few years, may start to burn. Besides making it hot for Coach Curly Lambeau's lads and at the same time interesting for the customers, Dorais' entrance in the National league could give the Chicago Bears one more worry in the Western division. In the last three years, the only headache the Bears had was the Packers. Good friends off the field but deadly enemies on the gridiron, Dorais and Lambeau started something back in 1937 when the College All-Stars nipped a dog-tired Packer club, 6-0, in Soldiers' field in Chicago. This should make for a lot of interesting copy come next fall. Lambeau is looking for Dorais to build up the old Detroit-Packer rivalry that resulted in more than one sellout crowd at City stadium. The Detroit game was shifted to Milwaukee last fall, and in 1941, the Packers defeated Detroit, 23-0, before a disappointed gathering. Detroit clubs featuring Ernie Caddell, Dutch Clark, Ace Gutowsky, Lloyd Cardwell and many others drew almost as well as the Bears not so long ago...PASSED TO ROCKNE: Lambeau considers Dorais one of the best coaches in the country, and believes he'll succeed because he is a great exponent of the forward pass. Dorais was one of the game's first great forward passers three decades ago while pitching aerials at Notre Dame to his roommate, Knute Rockne. His University of Detroit elevens have used the airways for nearly 18 years and a .700 winning average.