1952 IN REVIEW
The Packers got away from their limp-rag image of recent years, showing enough life to break even in wins and losses for the first time since 1947. The team, for once, signed a strong crop of rookies. Tackle Dave Hanner, a jolly bald-headed man who used his tremendous strength on the field, and smart back Bobby Dillon, who was blind in one eye, shored up a defense that sorely needed reinforcements. On offense, Babe Parilli and Billy Howton broke into the lineup. Parilli shared the quarterback job with Tobin Rote, and both men found sure-handed Howton open for many key passes. The veterans on the team may have had a funny feeling when the Packers, for the first and only time ever in a regular season, lined up against a Curly Lambeau team. Sentiment went out the window, though, as the Packers defeated Lambeau's Redskins in October, 35-20.
NAME NO POS HGT WGT COLLEGE YR PR AG G HOW ACQUIRED
Dick Afflis 62 G 6- 0 252 Nevada 2 2 23 12 1951 Draft-16th rnd
Ed Berrang 81 E 6- 2 205 Villanova 1 4 29 1 1952 Trade-Detroit
Chuck Boerio 65 LB 6- 0 205 Illinois 1 1 22 1 1952 Draft-20th rnd
Ray Bray 63 G 6- 0 240 W. Michigan 1 11 35 12 1952 Trade-Bears
Tony Canadeo 3 B 6- 0 190 Gonzaga 11 11 33 12 1941 Draft-7th rnd
Fred Cone 31 FB 5-11 197 Clemson 2 2 26 10 1951 Draft-3rd rnd
Robert Dees 76 T 6- 4 245 SW Missouri St 1 1 23 9 1952 FA-Los Angeles
Bobby Dillon 44 DB 6- 1 185 Texas 1 1 22 12 1952 Draft-3rd rnd
Steve Dowden 70 T 6- 2 235 Baylor 1 1 23 12 1952 Trade-Detroit
Carlton Elliott 80 E 6- 4 215 Virginia 2 2 24 12 1950 Draft-13th rnd
Hal Faverty 51 DE 6- 2 220 Wisconsin 1 1 25 11 1952 FA-Chi Bears
Bobby Jack Floyd 33 FB 6- 0 210 TCU 1 1 22 12 1952 Draft-15th rnd
Bob Forte 8 LB 6- 0 205 Arkansas 6 6 30 12 1943 Draft-11th rnd
Billy Grimes 22 HB 6- 1 195 Oklahoma A&M 3 4 25 12 1950 FA-LA (AAFC)
Dave Hanner 77 DT 6- 2 245 Arkansas 1 1 22 12 1952 Draft-5th rnd
Billy Howton 86 E 6- 2 185 Rice 1 1 22 12 1952 Draft-2nd rnd
Marvin Johnson 41 DB 5-11 185 San Jose State 1 2 25 5 1952 FA-Los Angeles
Tom Johnson 72 DT 6- 2 230 Michigan 1 1 21 8 1952 Draft-6th rnd
Jim Keane 81 E 6- 4 215 Iowa 1 7 28 11 1952 FA-Bears (1951)
Dick Logan 67 DT 6- 2 225 Ohio State 1 1 22 7 1952 Trade (Cleve)
Ace Loomis 43 DB 6- 1 190 UW-La Crosse 2 2 24 11 1952 FA-Cleveland
Bob Mann 87 E 5-11 175 Michigan 3 5 28 12 1950 FA-Detroit
John Martinkovic 83 DE 6- 3 235 Xavier 2 2 25 12 1951 Trade (Wash)
Dom Moselle 47 HB 6- 0 192 UW-Superior 2 3 26 8 1951 Trade (Cleve)
Babe Parilli 15 QB 6- 1 190 Kentucky 1 1 22 12 1952 Draft-1st rnd
Lindell Pearson 26 HB 6- 0 200 Oklahoma 1 3 23 2 1952 FA-Detroit
Ray Pelfrey 8 E 6- 0 190 E. Kentucky 2 2 24 1 1951 Draft-17th rnd
Bill Reichardt 37 FB 5-11 210 Iowa 1 1 22 12 1952 Draft-7th rnd
Floyd (Breezy) Reid 24 HB 5-10 187 Georgia 3 3 25 12 1950 FA-Chi Bears
Jay Rhodemyre 50 C 6- 1 210 Kentucky 4 4 29 12 1951 FA-GB (1949)
Bill Robinson 41 HB 6- 0 190 Lincoln 1 1 23 2 1952 FA-Pittsburgh
Tobin Rote 18 QB 6- 3 200 Rice 3 3 24 12 1950 Draft-2nd rnd
Howard Ruetz 75 T 6- 3 265 Loras 2 2 25 3 1951 FA-Los Angeles
Steve Ruzich 61 G 6- 2 225 Ohio State 1 1 23 12 1952 FA
Dan Sandifer 20 DB 6- 2 190 LSU 1 5 23 12 1952 Trade-Phil
George Schmidt 54 C 6- 2 220 Lewis 1 1 24 7 1952 FA
Clarence Self 28 HB 5- 9 180 Wisconsin 1 4 26 12 1952 Trade-Detroit
Washington Serini 73 DT 6- 2 240 Kentucky 1 5 28 11 1952 FA-Chi Bears
Dave Stephenson 69 G 6- 2 235 West Virginia 2 3 26 11 1951 FA - LA (1950)
NAME NO POS HGT WGT COLLEGE YR PR AG G HOW ACQUIRED
Deral Teteak 66 LB 5-10 210 Wisconsin 1 1 22 12 1952 Draft-9th rnd
Abner Wimberly 16 E 6- 1 210 Louisiana State 2 3 25 12 FA-1950-LA (AAFC)
NO - Jersey Number POS - Position HGT - Height WGT - Weight YR - Years with Packers PR - Years of Professional Football AGE - Age at Start of Season G - Games Played FA - Free Agent
1952 PACKERS DRAFT (January 17, 1952)
RND-PICK NAME POS COLLEGE
1 - 4 Babe Parilli QB Kentucky
2 - 15 Billy Howton E Rice
3 - 28 Bobby Dillon DB Texas
4 - 39 to Cleveland Browns
5 - 52 Dave Hanner DT Arkansas
6 - 63 Tom Johnson T Michigan
7 - 76 Bill Reichardt FB Iowa
8 - 87 Mel Becket C Indiana
9 - 100 Deral Teteak G Wisconsin
10a- 111 Art Kleinschmidt G Tulane
10b- 116 *-Bud Roffler B Washington State
11 - 124 Billy Burkhalter HB Rice
12 - 135 Bill Wilson E Texas
13 - 148 Billy Hair HB Clemson
14 - 159 Jack Morgan T Michigan State
15 - 172 Bobby Jack Floyd FB Texas Christian
16 - 183 Johnny Coatta QB Wisconsin
17 - 196 Don Peterson HB Miami (Ohio)
18 - 207 Howard Tisdale T Stephen Austin
19 - 220 John Pont HB Miami (Ohio)
20 - 231 Charles Boerio C Illinois
21 - 244 Herb Zimmerman G Texas Christian
22 - 255 Karl Kluckhorn E Colgate
23 - 268 Frank Kapral G Michigan State
24 - 279 John Schuetzner E North Carolina
25 - 292 Charles LaPradd T Florida
26 - 303 Charles Stokes C Tennessee
27 - 316 I.D. Russell B SMU
28 - 327 Bill Barrett HB Notre Dame
29 - 340 Bill Stratton B Lewis
30 - 351 Jack Fulkerson T S. Mississippi
* - From the Chicago Bears
Bold - Played for the Green Bay Packers
1952 PACKER TRADES
APRIL 29 - Traded OG Walt Michaels to CLEVELAND for OT Forrest Grigg, OT Zeke Costa and OT Dick Logan
MAY 8 - Traded HB Al Collins to PHILADELPHIA for DB Dan Sandifer
MAY 22 - Traded DB Ace Loomis to CLEVELAND for LB Tony Adamle and HB Don Phelps
JULY 25 - Purchased contract of HB Clarence Self from DETROIT
JULY 26 - Traded HB Jug Girard to DETROIT for DE Ed Berrang, OT Steve Dowden and player to be named later
JULY 29 - Purchased contract of OG Ray Bray from CHICAGO BEARS
AUG 20 - Signed C Jay Rhodemyre. Acquired OG Steve Ruzich from CLEVELAND for undisclosed terms.
SEPT 29 - Acquired DB Ace Loomis off waivers from CLEVELAND and DT Washington Serini off waivers from CHICAGO BEARS.
OCT 2 - Acquired DE Hal Faverty and E Jim Keane off waivers from CHICAGO BEARS.
OCT 4 - Placed DE Ed Berrang, LB Chuck Boerio and E Ray Pelfrey on waivers.
OCT 6 - E Ed Berrang claimed off waivers by WASHINGTON
NOV 4 - Acquired DB Marvin Johnson off waivers from LOS ANGELES.
DEC 5 - Acquired HB Lindell Pearson off waivers from DETROIT.
1952 PRE-SEASON RESULTS (2-4) (CLICK ON EACH GAME FOR MORE DETAILS)
AUGUST (0-3) RESULT RECORD ATT STARTING QB LEADING RUSHER LEADING PASSER LEADING RECEIVER
16 M-NEW YORK GIANTS L 0- 7 0- 1-0 22,000 Tobin Rote (31) Tobin Rote (119) Bob Mann (7-64)
23 G-CLEVELAND BROWNS L 14-21 0- 2-0 22,215 Tobin Rote (57) Tobin Rote (187) Billy Howton (7-84)
29 Pittsburgh Steelers at Latrobe, PA L 6- 7 0- 3-0 10,000 Floyd Reid (37) Tobin Rote (136)
SEPTEMBER (2-4)
7 at Chicago Cardinals L 7-38 0- 4-0 15,497
14 Washington Redskins at Kansas City W 13- 7 1- 4-0 6,500 Tony Canadeo (45) Babe Parilli (37) Bill Reichardt (2-(-4))
17 Pittsburgh Steelers at Minneapolis W 23-10 2- 4-0 21,000 Bobby Jack Floyd (58) Babe Parilli (185) Three tied with 2 each
1952 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS (6-6)
SEPTEMBER (0-1) RESULT RECORD ATT STARTING QB LEADING RUSHER LEADING PASSER LEADING RECEIVER
28 G-CHICAGO BEARS (0-0) L 14-24 0- 1-0 24,656 Tobin Rote Bobby Jack Floyd (45) Tobin Rote (97) Billy Howton (3-72)
OCTOBER (2-2)
5 M-WASHINGTON REDSKINS (1-0) W 35-20 1- 1-0 9,657 Tobin Rote Fred Cone (76) Babe Parilli (248) Billy Howton (3-128)
12 M-LOS ANGELES RAMS (1-1) L 28-30 1- 2-0 21,693 Tobin Rote Tobin Rote (106) Tobin Rote (214) Billy Howton (5-156)
18 at Dallas Texans (0-3) W 24-14 2- 2-0 14,000 Tobin Rote Fred Cone (79) Tobin Rote (117) Carl Elliott (4-40)
26 G-DETROIT LIONS (2-2) L 17-52 2- 3-0 24,656 Tobin Rote Tobin Rote (25) Tobin Rote (253) Billy Howton (7-151)
NOVEMBER (4-1)
2 M-PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (3-2) W 12-10 3- 3-0 10,149 Tobin Rote Breezy Reid (80) Babe Parilli (125) Two tied with 3 each
9 at Chicago Bears (3-3) W 41-28 4- 3-0 41,751 Tobin Rote Tony Canadeo (61) Tobin Rote (110) Billy Howton (5-65)
16 at New York Giants (5-2) W 17- 3 5- 3-0 26,723 Babe Parilli Bobby Jack Floyd (32) Babe Parilli (36) Carl Elliott (3-28)
23 DALLAS TEXANS (0-8) W 42-14 6- 3-0 16,340 Tobin Rote Tony Canadeo (31) Tobin Rote (142) Bob Mann (4-66)
27 at Detroit Lions (6-3) L 24-48 6- 4-0 39,101 Babe Parilli Tobin Rote (40) Babe Parilli (158) Billy Howton (7-123)
DECEMBER (0-2)
7 at Los Angeles Rams (7-3) L 27-45 6- 5-0 49,822 Tobin Rote Bobby Jack Floyd (48) Babe Parilli (231) Billy Howton (7-123)
14 at San Francisco 49ers (6-5) L 14-24 6- 6-0 17,579 Babe Parilli Bill Reichardt (43) Babe Parilli (180) Billy Howton (6-200)
G - Green Bay M - Milwaukee
The 1952 Green Bay Packers - 6-6 (4th-National Conference)
Head Coach: Gene Ronzani
MCLEAN FINDS ALL-AMERICANS JUST THAT; RONZANI TO SEE SENIOR GAME
JAN 3 (Green Bay) - Ray McLean, the Packer backfield coach, arrived in Green Bay from California yesterday and found the weather "delightfully healthy". McLean went west with the Packers for the two-game series with the San Francisco Forty Niners and Los Angeles Rams and promptly ran into the worst case of flu in his history, requiring hospitalization for a nearly a week. McLean's overtime stay in California was an East-West game scouting assignment from head coach Gene Ronzani in preparation for the Packers' participation in the NFL's annual draft and meeting in New York two weeks from today. Ronzani presently is in Mobile, Ala., where he's visiting the camps of the "new pros" who will compete in the annual Senior bowl game there Saturday. Gene arrived back in Alabama yesterday from New Orleans where he scouted Maryland and Tennessee in the Sugar bowl game New Year's day. His present three-game trip started in Montgomery, Ala., where he viewed the Blue-Gray game Saturday...SOME DIDN'T PLAY LONG: McLean was the first pro scout to sit in on the East squad practice "but it wasn't long before every pro club had their scouts on hand." He said that every club except the Chicago Cardinals were represented during the two-week practice sessions at the two camps. Clark Shaughnessy looked over talent for the Chicago Bears. The Bay assistant said all of the chosen All-Americans looked exceptionally good, "although some of them didn't play very long in the game." Fullback Johnny Bright of Drake, for one, "was terrific the few plays he got in for early in the game, but that was the last we saw of him," Ray said. It was the same with Hugh McElhenny, the fullback from Washington. Bright didn't make any bones about being disappointed. He was quoted in the San Francisco papers the next day: "I traveled 2,200 miles and got in only three plays." The big All-America lineman, Jim Weatherall of Oklahoma, Les Richter of Oklahoma and Don Coleman of Michigan State didn't disappoint, in the opinion of McLean. Coleman apparently was an interesting case for the pro scouts. The Negro tackle weighs only 178 pounds, though he was listed in the programs at 185...BEATS BACK DOWN FIELD: Coleman makes up for his lack of weight in speed. "He's so terribly quick and such a terrific blocker," McLean reported. The Michigan Stater beats most backs down the field. Though he's too light for a pro tackle, Coleman could be used as a defensive end or linebacker. The athlete who stole the show offensively was Vic Jonowicz, the Ohio State whiz, but the all-around (offense, defense, punter and field goal kicker) goes into service Jan. 15. In fact, McLean said, most of the athletes are expecting calls into service - some almost immediately and others within a year. Thus, it would appear that the Packers' draft in New York will be a "crucial" one...The Senior Bowl is where 50 of the nation's finest college players turn professional. Players on the winning team earn $500 each; players on the losing team $400. Steve Owen, coach of the New York Giants, will handle one of the clubs while Cleveland Brown assistants Fritz Heisler and Wilbur Ewbanks will mentor the other in place of Paul Brown. Paul will be in California coaching the American conference stars for the Pro Bowl in Los Angeles Jan. 12...The aforementioned Weatherall and Bright received special honors today. Weatherall has been named the outstanding lineman of the 1951 season in the Big Seven-Missouri Valley conference are for the second year in a row. Bright, the "key" man in the now-famous Bright slugging case, was name the outstanding back in the area.
TONNEMAKER LEAVING FOR DUTY IN JAPAN
JAN 5 (Green Bay) - Lt. Clayton Tonnemaker, the All-America Packer center, is spending a short leave at his home in Minneapolis before shoving off for duty in Japan. A rumor circulated yesterday that Tonnemaker would play football with the Packers next fall but Clayton said today that "it's not true." He'll leave his home Friday, Jan. 11 for Camp Stoneman, Calif., to prepare for overseas duty. Tonnemaker, 23, is a member of a medical service corps. The giant pivot played football this fall with the Brooks Medical team, finishing up in the Cigar bowl. He was an all-pro center with the Packers as a rookie in 1950.
UNCLE SAM, PROS SEEK '51 COLLEGE GRID STARS
JAN 7 (Green Bay) - Uncle Sam and the pros trained their blinkers today on the nation's college football stars of 1951. The man with the whiskers hasn't set any date for his draft but a good share of the All-Americans, the "sleepers" and what nots, are due to enter service sometime this year - next week, next month or just about any time. The pros, and more specifically, the Green Bay Packers launch their draft in New York a week from Thursday and the consensus is that the football play-for-pay chieftains won't be worrying too much about Uncle Sam's draft. A number of the clubs, including the Packers, stuck with the 4-F's, the married gents and other exempts a year ago but most of them didn't pan out. The Packers' standouts were Ray Pelfrey, a swift kid with a lot of future possibilities - not to mention a wife and son - and fullback Fred Cone. The other draftee to remain was Dick Afflis, a married man who was picked for 1952 duty. Dick became eligible when his school, Nevada, cut out the sport. Pelfrey was the league's leading rookie pass receiver, finishing seventh among such names as Elroy Hirsch, Bob Mann, Dan Edwards and Dante Lavelli, with 37 catches for 442 yards and four TDs. The Packer draft fortunes are out in Cincinnati at the moment in the person of head coach Gene Ronzani. He'll be joined by scout Jack Vainisi and backfield coach Ray McLean. The three of them will get first-hand information about the various draft projects from their coaches, who will be attending the annual convention of the NCAA. From Cincinnati, the threesome will move into New York for the league draft. Ronzani saw his third football game of the holiday season Saturday - the Senior bowl battle in Mobile. New Year's day he watched Maryland and Tennessee in the Sugar bowl and earlier he viewed the Blue-Gray battle. Gene, battling other National league coaches in the "watch" department, was highly impressed with Ed (Mighty Moe) Modzelewski, the powerful Maryland fullback, judging from his remarks in a radio interview between halves. Ronzani likened Modzelewski, who was a standout in the Sugar bowl and Senior event, to "the Packers' own Clarke Hinkle and Bronko Nagurski of the Bears." Ronzani also spoke highly of quarterbacks Bill Wade of Vanderbilt and Babe Parilli of Kentucky and tackle Jim Weatherall of Oklahoma. Asked to predict the outcome of the game, Ronzani hit it virtually on the nose when he pointed out that "North's big line will give it a victory." North went on to win, 20-6, as North's line refused to permit the South stars any passing time. All of the pro representatives in Mobile, asked to list some of the top pro prospects in the country, picked Parilli, Wade and Weatherall. Ronzani, besides the aforementioned names, added tackle Bob Toneff of Notre Dame, end Bill McColl of Southern California and Larry Isbell of Baylor. Phil Handler of the Chicago Cardinals added end Bob Carey of Michigan State. Wellington Mara of the New York Giants included fullback Ollie Matson of San Francisco while Buddy Parker of the Detroit Lions added tackle Don Coleman of Michigan State, Stan Williams of Baylor and guard Frank Mittendorf of Cincinnati. Lou Johnson of the Chicago Bears added center Dick Hightower of Southern Methodist. Of course, most of the pro coaches were being a bit cagey about the players they honor "publicly". Most of them don't wish to tip off their top draft choices, although several of the clubs have known weak spots. Ronzani was pleased to learn that the college boys did themselves proud in the Hula bowl in Honolulu, beating a collection of pros and Hawaiian All Stars by a 41-40 score. Vic Janowicz, the Ohio State star who goes into service this month, passed for four touchdowns - two each to John Karras of Illinois and Stanfordn's McColl - and Wisconsin's Gene Felker scored the other touchdowns on ground plays. New York Giant Kyle Rote and San Francisco Forty Niner Frankie Albert starred for the pros.
PACKERS SOLID! BALTIMORE EYES YANK BERTH
JAN 10 (Green Bay) - It was only two or three years ago that writers around the country whispered (in type) that the Packers' days in the NFL were numbered. Approximately 1,000 days have now passed and nary a word has been uttered against continuous of the world's most novel sports wonder - a little city called Green Bay battling in the major leagues. It appears that the Packers have "lived down" the dangerous repercussions of the 1949 season, which resulted in the resignation of Curly Lambeau, with these developments: (1) The stock drive which saw hundreds of fans muster up over $100,000 to save their team early in 1950; (2) repeated statements by Commissioner Bert Bell to the nation that "Green Bay is in the league to stay"; and a new fighting spirit and comeback feeling brought about by Lambeau's successor, young Gene Ronzani. This so-called spirit has overcome what actually were two consecutive disastrous seasons from the won-lost standpoint - not to mention a shortage of top-flight talent. In other words, despite the Packers' six wins and 18 losses in the last two seasons, they have renewed the college-spirit reputation of Green Bay and given fans around the country a definite, solid impression that Green Bay is on the way back to the top and here to stay...MOST IMPORTANT VICTORY: One of the Packers' most important victories this year - from the standpoint of re-convincing the right people about Green Bay's spot on the pro grid map - was in the league's largest city, New York, last Oct. 28, when the Bays beat the Yanks, 29-27, with a 23-point last quarter a week after the Yanks had held the almost-championship Detroit Lions to a tie. Today, ironically, Ted Collins, owner of the Yanks and the man who cracked wise about the Packers' stock drive being a house-to-house collection, is ready to quit football - that one defeat at the hands of Green Bay must have been a bitter pill for Collins since it was accomplished in New York - despite the fact that the Yanks got revenge in Green Bay. And, for more irony, the city waiting for the Yank franchise with open arms is the same city that expected Green Bay to collapse two years ago - Baltimore. Collins likely will be screaming for "better dates" for his Yanks at the league meeting in New York next week but sources out in Baltimore claim that Ted is ready to get out - if a deal can be worked out with Baltimore. John Steadman of the Baltimore News-Post interviewed Collins the other day and wrote, quoting Collins, "the Yanks' leaving New York is an improbability but not an impossibility." The Baltimore story is rather interesting...SUIT AGAINST LEAGUE: The Colts have a suit against the National league for "damages", though no actual amount of money has been arrived at other than the franchise fee of $50,000. Directors of the Colts bringing suit claim, in effect, that Abe Watner, former Colt president, had no right selling something he didn't own. Watner peddled the franchise back to the league at the meeting in Chicago a year ago. Actually, the Colts' case is against Watner and the NFL. Steadman wrote the other day of a meeting of league attorneys, in which one of the lawyers stated that "all these guys (the Colts) want is a franchise - not necessarily the damages. The easiest way to settle this would be to give them a franchise." Thus, Steadman pointed out "the league can handle a ticklish situation by placing the Yank franchise in Baltimore - if Collins is willing to vacate." Ready to take command of the Colts, reportedly, is Louis Wolfson, who owns Capital Transit in the east and Monogram Pictures in Hollywood. And Wolfson wants to bring in Wally Butts of Georgia as head coach. The two of them played college football together and they're fast friends. Thus, it is obvious that Baltimore is making some plans - just in case Collins quits. Lending more weight to Baltimore's chances, according to Steadman, is his report that George Marshall, owner of the Washington Redskins, has given his official blessing to shifting the Yanks to Baltimore. Marshall must be "asked", so to speak, because Baltimore is within Redskin territory, the two cities being only 30 miles apart. While Baltimore is hopeful, there is a definite feeling in some quarters that New York should have two pro clubs. The thought, of course, is that if the New York area can handle three major league baseball teams it certainly can handle two pro football clubs. Anyway, the Yank-Baltimore issue may provide an interesting sidelight to the league meeting.
JACK DEMPSEY, LAMBEAU TO TRY AND BUY NEW YORK YANKS?
JAN 10 (Detroit) - Sportscaster Van Patrick of station WJR said Wednesday that Curly Lambeau, former Chicago Cardinal coach, and Jack Dempsey were trying to buy the New York Yank professional football team. Patrick reported on his evening broadcast that Lambeau, who quit under pressure recently, and former heavyweight boxing champion Dempsey had the final support of other unidentified individuals. Yank owner Ted Collins lost money last year when the Yanks skidded to last place in the National division and wants to sell, Patrick said. Patrick cited current rumors that Lambeau was being considered as a successor for NFL commissioner Bert Bell. Patrick said the rumors were just a camouflage for the attempt to buy the Yanks. Lambeau would likely become vice-president and general manager and Dempsey president if the deal goes through, Patrick said.
ANY CANADEOS IN DRAFT? TONY TOTALS 8,211 YARDS
JAN 11 (Green Bay) - Any 8,000 yard prospects in the NFL this fall? Like Tony Canadeo, maybe. There wouldn’t be any secrecy about the bonus choice if NFL coaches knew – or even thought – there might be 8,211 all-around pro yards in the legs of a 1951 college star. Back in 1941, the Packers drafted a Little All-American out of Gonzaga named Canadeo and little did anybody suspect, at the time, that he’d turn out to be one of the all-time backs in professional football. You’ll have to back to the “iron man” days of Dutch Clark and Ernie Nevers to find a back who did just about everything in the main departments of yardage play, rushing, passing, pass receiving, and returning of punts, kickoffs and pass interceptions. Tony, in 104 National league games, spread over 10 years (he missed the 1945 season because of Army service and played in three games in ’44 as an Army corporal), piled up 4,006 yards from scrimmage, 1,642 as a passer, 493 as a pass receiver, 1,432 on kickoff returns, and 129 on interception returns. None of the great backs of the last 20 yards, except Nevers and Clark, yarded so many times in so many different ways…AVERAGED 78.9 YARDS PER GAME: Clarke Hinkle, for instance, was chiefly a rushing expert. Rarely did he pass or catch passes. The New York Giants’ great pair, Tuffy Leemans and Ed Danowski, had long careers but Leemans was primarily a runner and Danowski a passer. Clark and Nevers played in a day when one man did just about everything but no statistical comparison can be made because the figures weren’t tabulated in those days. Jug Earp, the Packers publicity man who played in the Packers’ three-championship era, looked over the figures on Tony the other day, thought a couple of minutes and said: “No, we never had a back who could match Tony for all-around ability.” Canadeo averaged 78.9 yards in every National league game he played in. Every time he handled the ball (and that includes passes attempted) Tony chalked up 5.8 yards for the Packers. Most everybody lately recalls Tony as a rushing back since he recently stretched his ground yardage over the 4,000 mark. And few can forget his tremendous 1949 season when he ripped off 1,052 yards in 208 attempts, carrying two-thirds of the Packer offense virtually alone and with a cellar club. But let’s step back to 1943 – Tony’s third season with the Bays. The Packers had just lost Cecil Isbell to a Purdue coaching job and Irv Comp was scheduled to fill his boots. But Canadeo finished up by completing 56 passes in 129 attempts for 875 yards and nine touchdowns. Irv closed with 662 yards and seven TD passes on 46 completions in 92 throws. A sharp passer at Gonzaga, Canadeo might have become Isbell’s No. 1 successor had it not been for the call to service. But then, had it not been for that service stint (in Europe with a tank unit), Tony might never have finished as the club’s all-time ground gainer. Back in 1946, the boys kidded Tony about giving his legs a chance to rest, while riding those tanks. Tony averaged 500 yards rushing during the 1946-47-48 seasons. His big effort in 1949 started with a rest, so to speak – an enforced one. He broke his wrist in scrimmage early in the training season and played in only one non-league game. But once the season started, Canadeo was virtually unstoppable, roaring to over 1,000 yards. Tony lugged the ball 970 times from scrimmage and finished out with an average of 4.1 per try. Canadeo caught an even 60 passes during his career and his last season turned out to be his best, snaring 22 for 226 yards and two touchdowns. As a matter of fact, nobody gave Tony much of a tumble as a pass catcher until 1950, when he caught 10 and last fall. “You don’t have to be so fast to catch passes,” Tony reminded one day last fall, adding “you just got to wait and go at the right time.”…JUST TO KEEP WARM?: Just to keep warm, Canadeo has always been ready to return punts or kickoffs or fill in on defense – especially in 1951, when he worked as a linebacker in three or four games. He had his biggest year as a punt returner in ’50 with 16 runs for 411 yards. Canadeo ground out 28 touchdowns in his career – 24 by rushing and four on pass catches. He threw passes for 16 more TDs. But if credit in the form of points on TD-assists could be given to Tony would rank second to Don Hutson in that department. After the final 1951 game, Canadeo announced his retirement as a professional football player, thus ending an 8,211-yard career that saw him play every position but tackle, guard, center and quarterback. Head Coach Gene Ronzani, a real admirer of Canadeo’s ability and tremendous spirit, feels that Tony “was faster in 1951 than he was in 1950.” Thus, the “Grey Ghost of Gonzaga” may be on the “want” list in 1952.
PACKERS EYE TOP STARS IN DRAFT
JAN 14 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers may have a powerful club next fall - in the service of Uncle Sam. But the Packers won't be alone because head coach Gene Ronzani's plan to "go for the established stars and worry about the service draft later" has been adopted by most of the NFL clubs. Ronzani, working day and night with assistants Ray McLean, Tarz Taylor and Jack Vainisi on plans for the NFL's big draft party in New York this week, stated today: "Sure, we'll try to get as many boys who we know will be eligible (safe from service) next fall but we can't sacrifice quantity for quality. The draft status of the nation's football stars is too unpredictable to take a chance on losing the top-notch players." A year ago, with the Korean war blazing, most of the NFL clubs, including the Packers, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago Cardinals, New York Yanks, Detroit and San Francisco, aimed their draft at boys who they knew would be around when training started. The other clubs, Cleveland, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles and New York Giants, figured their clubs were strong enough to pick the big shots for future years. In fact, the Browns grabbed boys who were already in the service. The upshot was that the eight teams which took the "exempts" came up with a crew of third-raters, who, according to Ronzani, "couldn't make the grade anyway." Naturally, all of the service-free picks didn't fail but most of the teams didn't get the help where they needed it the most. Nine of the Packers' draft selections last year were signed but didn't make the club. An even dozen stayed out of the pro game for various reasons; one went into service; one went into the Canadian league; four made the club; two were owed two other clubs for trades; and one was drafted to future purposes. Lost to service was Bob Noppinger, a 215-pound end from Georgetown - now a Naval officer. Making the club were halfback Rip Collins, the former Baltimore Colt; fullback Fred Cone of Clemson; guard Dick Afflis of Nevada; and end Ray Pelfrey of Eastern Kentucky State. The No. 1 choice, Bob Gain of Kentucky, went into Canada but Ronzani turned him into four needed players in a deal with the Browns, getting halfbacks Ace Loomis and Dom Moselle, linebacker Charley Schroll and end Dan Orlich in exchange for dealing rights with Gain...WITHERS FOR 1952: Ed Withers, the Wisconsin defensive halfback, was drafted for 1952. Owed to the Browns on a previous deal were back Bob Smith of Texas A and M and Art Spinney of Boston College. Players who signed but didn't make the club were backs George Rooks, Dick Christie, Bill Ayre and Charles Monte; tackles Sig Holowenko and Tuba Chamberlain; ends Ralph Fieler, Art Edling and Art Felker. Seven of the players not playing pro ball went into prep coaching - Carl Kreager, Ed Stephens, Ray Bauer, Joe Ernst, Jim Liber, Dick Johnson and Bob Bossons. Ed Petala, a back from Boston college, went into a Catholic seminary to study for the priesthood, while Dick McWilliams, Michigan tackle, is in the FBI. Bill Miller, the Big Ten wrestling champ from Ohio State, a tackle, is now grunting successfully as a professional in Chicago and area. Bill Sutherland, the promising end from St. Vincent, injured his back while working out on his own last summer and decided not to play...The Packers will be represented at the league meeting which opens with a rules session in the Statler hotel Wednesday night. Besides Ronzani, McLean and Taylor, club president Emil R. Fischer and assistant coach Dick Plasman will fly up from Florida and Lee Joannes, board chairman, will leave from Chicago Wednesday. Business meetings start Thursday morning and the draft will follow later Thursday or Friday...One of the sidelights to the annual draft is the bonus pick, with seven clubs, including Green Bay, participating. In the bonus running with Green Bay are Cleveland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York Yanks, Chicago Cardinals and Pittsburgh. Five clubs already have won the bonus pick. Here are the ex-winners and their choices - Chicago Bears, back Bob Fennimore; Washington, back Harry Gilmer; Detroit, end Leon Hart; Philadelphia, center Chuck Bednarik; and New York Giants, back Kyle Rote. All are playing pro ball yet, except Fennimore who retired from the game. In the regular draft, which follows the bonus selection, the Yanks draw first after which the Packers and Cardinals, who fisnihed in a percentage tie last fall, will flip a coin to decide which club draws second.
REAL J. DEMPSEY FIGURES IN YANKS FOR 'COLTLAND'
JAN 14 (Baltimore) - Efforts to return Baltimore to the NFL took on an entrancing glow today with the former heavyweight boxing king Jack Dempsey appearing as the magic name in the possible formation of a new sponsoring organization. Dempsey popped into the muddled pro grid picture by pure accident and a queer twist of coincidence that had this city’s hopes again on a see-saw rise. The latest chapter had its start several days ago when a wire service dispatch linked the names of ex-Green Bay Packer coach Curly Lambeau and Jack Dempsey as being interested in the purchase of the New York Yanks from the independently wealthy Ted Collins. Members of the old Baltimore Colts’ board of directors immediately hopped into action and contacted Max Waxman, a Baltimore man who is Dempsey’s business manager in New York…WHOLE THING A MYSTERY: Waxman said the whole thing was a mystery to him, but that he would call Dempsey at his Santa Monica, Calif., home. Dempsey picked up the telephone 3,000 miles away and said he has no thought of doing such a thing but that maybe it didn’t seem like such a bad idea after all. The Manassa Mauler turned the matter over in his mind and decided on the spot that he wanted Waxman to investigate all the possibilities of restoring pro ball to the nation’s sixth largest city. He further explained that the Jack Dempsey said to be affiliated with Lambeau was probably a Los Angeles broker whose name is frequently confused with his. Dempsey is now planning to fly east next week in time for the annual NFL convention in New York and Baltimore representatives intend to meet with him and attend the meetings. Attorney William D. MacMillan, Sr., counsel for the Baltimore Colts Football Club, Inc., a group which has a legal suit pending against the league, also will be in New York for the session. MacMillan, probing every possibility that might get Baltimore back in the football business, made the following statement: “Things work out funny sometime and this development might mature into something positive. Dempsey always had a warm spot in his heart for Baltimore and he has many friends here.”…DOOR OPEN TO COLLINS: “Whether Jack would come into Baltimore with Max Waxman as an outright owner, or just as a partial director of the club, I can’t say because I don’t know what he has in mind. "We have heard that Collins won't make up his mind on the Yanks until the league meeting. We have been in communication with him. We told him that if he wanted to bring the Yanks in here on the basis they not exist then to feel free to do so. The door is open to him. If Collins wants us to go into the organization with him and supply some financial backing, then we are ready. If he wants to get out of football entirely, then we are interested in securing the franchise from the league. I am going to be in New York with several colleagues at the time of the league meeting and we will be available for anything that might develop. I myself have become so interested in the restoration of pro football in Baltimore that I'll 'crawl' if it can be brought about."...WHAT, ANOTHER LONG-COUNT: MacMillan has spent 11 months arranging a legal suit against the National league, its member clubs and ex-Colt president Abe Watner, a dreamy-like character who threw the Baltimore team to the four winds last January in Chicago. The Colt group maintains Watner had no authority to do that, insisting that he sold something which he didn't actually own. Apparently, the National league lawyers feel Baltimore has a good case because Commissioner Bert Bell is doing everything possible to work out the problem to an amicable solution. Many times in the past, Baltimore has become encouraged over the prospects of setting up its football house on a solid foundation and such nationally known figures as Arthur Godfrey, Larry MacPhail and Bill Veeck have been involved in the discussion. Even Gene Tunney, the man who conquered Dempsey, was brought into the talk about five years ago. Now the attention has turned to Dempsey and the football crazed populace here don't know what to expect. Maybe even another long count.
LAMBEAU, WISMER, 'DEMPSEY' TO DALLAS OR HOUSTON
JAN 14 (Beverly Hills, CA) - Three outstanding national sports figures and two unidentified Texas oil tycoons are reported to have formed a syndicate that is attempting to purchase the New York Yank football team for the purpose of transferring the Gotham National league franchise to either Dallas or Houston, it was rumored here today. The trio includes Harry Wismer, famed radio and television star; Earl (Curly) Lambeau, former Green Bay Packer and Chicago Cardinal coach; and Jack Dempsey, the former world’s heavyweight boxing champion. The names of the two Texans are not available. Lambeau is the key man of the group and has been dickering with Ted Collins, present owner of the Yanks, for the past few weeks, according to reports in circulation here. When reached at his Ventura, Calif., ranch today, Lambeau refused to confirm or deny the story. “I can’t comment on the subject at this time,” said Curly. “However, you can quote me as saying that I believe it would be a fine thing for the National league to have a club in Texas.” Lambeau gave your correspondent the impression that anything he would say now might be detrimental to the ground work that already has been started. He further hinted that something may officially develop at the annual National league meeting, which opens in New York Thursday…SHOULD COME FROM CURLY: Wismer likewise didn’t care to shed much light on the report. Here for yesterday’s all-pro bowl game, Harry’s only comment on the report of his association with Lambeau, Dempsey and the two mysterious Texans in the Yank-to-Texas deal was as follows: “Whatever there is to the story should come from Curly. I agree with him that either Dallas or Houston could support a major league pro football club and the move might be a good thing for the National league.” Dempsey, now vacationing in Palm Springs, Calif., could not be reached for comment. The former heavyweight king, it is said, dug up the Texas interests. It’s a known fact that Ted Collins is anxious to rid himself of the Yank franchise and after talking with Lambeau, this writer is convinced that a move is on foot to put the New York club under Texas skies. Should Lambeau and his group purchase the Yanks, it would be up to the various National league owners on the matter of switching the New York franchise to Texas. However, we can report from a most reliable source that a majority of the NFL club prexys would favor such a request. Wismer, the highest salaries sports announcer in the history of radio and television, currently is a stockholder in George Marshall's Washington Redskins team. Last year, when Marshall was reported ready to sell his controlling block of stock in the club, Wismer was rumored as the probable purchaser. In addition to be in a top income bracket, Wismer married into the Ford automobile fortune.
GENE FACES RUGGED DRAFT TASK
JAN 15 (Green Bay) - Packer Head Coach Gene Ronzani has written the names of 24 top college football players on a big blackboard in his office. They represent the boys who are sure-fire bets to be selected in the first two rounds of the NFL's annual draft in New York Thursday. Ronzani and his aides, Ray McLean, Jack Vainisi and Tarz Taylor, had just finished listing approximately 15 players for each position - in the order they will be selected. "Okay," Gene said to the writer, "say we win the bonus choice. Who would you select from that list on the board? They are the best boys in the country for just about every position. We have a special liking for big, powerful tackles, so we selected Jim Weatherall of Oklahoma. Fine," said Gene, "now say we win the flip with the Cardinals and get the second choice after the Yanks. Who would you pick?"...DEPEND ON YANK PICK?: Of course, we explained, that will depend on who the Yanks pick. We thought the Yanks would nab a fullback - maybe Ollie Matson or Hugh McElhenny. So our pick was a quarterback, Babe Parilli or Bill Wade. "Which one?" added Ronzani. We added, Parilli. "Okay my friend," winked Gene, "you have selected two boys who may go into service darned soon." Huh? "Well, one of 'em may be armed next fall," he laughed, "let's try again." We hoped to dodge the tricky issue by discussing the Packers' needs, the big shots who are available for next fall and who the Packers should pick if Green Bay doesn't win the bonus and the Yanks and Cards select in front of the Packers. So we started all over again. What about Larry Isbell, younger brother of ex-Packer Cecil? Gene explained "the Yanks will draw him for sure if they are moved to Texas!" "Just say the Rams win the bonus choice," Gene said. "They'll take McColl, the Stanford end, or Heinrich, the Washington quarterback. The Yanks will then grab a fullback, McElhenny, and if the Cards draw next they'll want Matson, who was coached by Joe Kuharich in San Francisco. That brings it up to us. Who should we take? Mighty Moe?" Well, Mighty More is big Ed Modzelewski, the fullback out of Maryland. During a radio broadcast at the Senior Bowl game, Gene likened him to Clarke Hinkle and Bronko Nagurski. "So I did," Gene smiled, "but don't forget this Reichardt of Iowa is a good boy, too." We finally got to asking more questions, one involving the Packer needs. Gene explained that "the other clubs will have a hard time figuring our draft because we need and can use just about everything." The coaches concluded that on the basis of the overall results last fall, statistics, etc., the Packers are in need of defensive players, first, and then offensive boys. So we looked over the linebacker, defensive backs and linemen on the list. A couple of them have exceptional records on offense and defense. Who are they? That's where we came in, friend. Anyhow, Gene, in letting us "pick", was getting a sample of public opinion, so to speak. He called in the Packers' new office girl, Joan Skogg, and asked her to "pick our first choice". Joan selected Bill McColl, a big handsome pass catcher. More public opinion. Ronzani said that McColl, a medical student, had planned to play pro football, "but he may want to do it on the west coast."...NO BIG NAME STAR: The coaches agreed that there was really no top, "big name" star in the country. "It's just like a year ago when every club in the league would have selected Kyle Rote," Ronzani said. During the course of the discussion, Ronzani kicked around any number of possible picks and tried to fit them into the Packer "need" puzzle. Finally, he checked off the boys who would be available "for sure" next fall. Of the 24 boys listed, only five (5) were checked off. The rest were due for Army service and some of them, including Vic Janowicz, are already in.. While Ronzani agreed that "we can't be as cautious as we were last year (mostly draft-exempt boys were chosen), we would still like to make sure some of our top picks will be available." We came to the conclusion that young Mr. Ronzani has one tough job on his hands - especially his first three picks. But we also concluded that Gene has very definite ideas on draft possibilities and they're aimed at strengthening the Bays where they need it most. Names? They're off the record...Ronzani reported that he hasn't any particular player trades in mind, "but I suppose there will be a lot of trade talk at the meeting. I haven't heard of any good offers yet." The Los Angeles Rams are still asking for a first draft choice and a top-flight veteran tackle for Bobby Thomason, the quarterback who toiled with the Bays last fall. The Rams were turned down flat by the Pittsburgh Steelers but Coach Joe Stydahar asked for veteran tackle Ernie Stautner and the first draft choice. The Steelers, however, revealed today that they are in the market for a passing quarterback. Coach Joe Bach announced that halfback Joe Geri and tackle Frank Wydo are on the trading block. The Steelers tried to get George Ratterman from the Yanks but George is reported "tied up" by contract to the New York club, probably an upshoot from his Canadian venture last fall. Ronzani and his aides, McLean, Vainisi and Taylor, left today for New York, flying out of Milwaukee this afternoon. They'll be joined in NY by club president Emil R. Fischer, board chairman Lee Joannes and assistant Dick Plasman. A rules meeting is set for Wednesday night at the Statler hotel. Commissioner Bert Bell may ask elimination of the extra point at the opening parley, but the owners may make the final decision later. The business sessions are scheduled to start at 10 o'clock Thursday morning and the draft is expected to follow later in the day. Television, the Yank franchise and a suit with the Baltimore Colts are the chief business items.
PLAYER DRAFT PACK'S BIG 'EXTRA' POINT IN NATIONAL LOOP MEET
JAN 16 (New York) - The big point on the even of the annual meeting of the NFL is elimination of the extra point, but head coach Gene Ronzani of the Green Bay Packers is far from vitally interested in the issue being advanced by Commissioner Bert Bell. Ronzani's big point is the 17th annual draft of college football stars scheduled to start at the Statler hotel Thursday morning, though it probably will be delayed until later in the day. Bell wants to kill the extra point, make touchdowns count seven points, and provide a sudden death period to break ties in regulation league games as well as playoffs. The commissioner figures that no extra point will virtually stamp out betting which is based on points - rarely on touchdowns. The consensus here seems to be that the clubs will vote down the recommendation at tonight's rules meeting. Detroit already has indicated that it wants the present extra point. Ronzani offered no particular comment on the extra point plan other than "I've hardly given it a thought with all this concentration on the draft." The Packers will select and receive the full quota of 30 players. A year ago, they drew 30 but two of the choices were owed to the Cleveland Browns as payment on previous player deals. The Packers owe the Browns one choice this year, No. 4, but they'll balance it out by getting one from, of all people, the Chicago Bears. The Bears owe the Packers their 10th choice in payment for the services of large Ed Neal. That's history because it's the first time the Bears ever owed the Packers a draft choice. Neal went to the Bears in midseason but was injured in the Packer game in Chicago, missing the Bruins' next and last four games. The Browns get the Packers' fourth selection in the deal that gave the Bays four players (Dom Moselle, Ace Loomis, Chuck Schroll and Dan Orlich) for rights to tackle Bob Gain who played last season in Canada. Ronzani and other members of the Packer party (president Emil R. Fischer, board chairman Lee Joannes, assistant coaches Dick Plasmna, Ray McLean and Tarz Taylor, and scout Jack Vainisi) were praying for luck in the big bonus draw which will precede the regular draft tomorrow. The Packers are one of seven clubs still in the running, along with Chicago Cardinals, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cleveland, New York Yanks and Pittsburgh. While there is really no outstanding star to pick this year in the bonus (unlike a year ago when Kyle Rote was on everybody's list), the feeling seems to prevail that Babe Parilli, Kentucky's quarterback, will be the No. 1 selection. Ronzani has indicated that he is interested in the Blue Grass quarterback-passer, who hurled 19 touchdown passes last fall. Among the fullbacks, Ollie Matson and Hugh McElhenny are sure to go early - if not first. Another big prospect is the Rice end, Bill Howton, a terrifically fast article who also plays a defensive halfback spot. Howtow was a teammate of the Packers' Tobin Rote three years ago. Ronzani isn't overlooking the need for tackles and it's possible Jim Weatherall of Oklahoma will get a Packer call - if the opportunity presents itself. If the regular draft the Packers will draw second or third. The New York Yanks, last in the league last fall, will pick first. The Cards and Packers will flip for the right to draw second in the first round.
PACKERS NEVER SELECTED AN END AS THEIR TOP DRAFT PICK
JAN 16 (New York) - Packer head coach Gene Ronzani could break precedent by selecting an end as the Packers' first choice at the 17th annual NFL draft here Thursday or Friday. Despite the fact that the Bays once possessed football's greatest wing - Don Hutson - they never picked an end for a first choice and only two as second choices since the draft was started back in 1936. Hutson, of course, was signed as something of a "free agent" in 1935 before the league worked out the draft system. Hutson's mere presence during the first 10 years of the draft was probably the reason an end wasn't picked, thought Clyde Goodnight of Tulsa was second choice drafted in '45 as a possible successor for Don and Burr Baldwin of UCLA was picked on the second round in 1947. The Packers' first draft choices included 10 backs, three tackles, two centers and one guard. Three of the 16 "firsts" never played with the Pack. John Strzykalski, the hot back from Marquette, was the 1946 first choice but John joined the San Francisco's Forty Niners - then playing in what us NFL diehards politely referred to as the "other" league. In 1947, Ernie Case, the lefthanded quarterback from UCLA, cast his lot with Baltimore and retired after a brief try. The third "first" to escape the Packers was Bob Gain, the Kentucky tackle chosen a year ago. Gain got extremely balky and Canadian-happy and Ronzani traded rights to him off to the Cleveland Browns for four players and a draft choice. Gain played in Canada and his status for next fall (the Browns, Army or Canada) is unknown. Quick now, students! Who was the Packers' first choice back in '36? The honored gent was Mr. Russ Letlow, then an All-American guard out of the University of San Francisco. Letlow still resigns as the daddy of Packer first choices - in point of service. Russ put in seven seasons, closing out after the 1942 campaign. Another Packer first choice, Minnesota's Dick Wildung, who was chosen in 1942, can knot Letlow by playing next year. Dick, who had one of his best seasons last fall, missed three years of pro ball because of Navy service, finally breaking out in time for the 1946 drive. Cecil Isbell, probably the most famous first choice while he played with the Packers due to his passing exploits with Hutson, put in five seasons here, quitting after the 1942 season at the height of his career. Isbell, a star at Purdue, was picked in '38. Only one of the Bays' first draft choices is still playing - Jug Girard, the former Wisconsin ace who was chosen in '48. Another top pick, Clayton Tonnemaker, now on his way to Japan as an Army officer, played as a rookie in 1950. Clayton likely will wear a Packer uniform in '53 - at the pro healthy age of 25. The daddy of the Packers' 16 first choices was Charley Brock, the Bay's all-time center, who put in nine seasons. A Nebraska grad, Brock was chosen in 1939. The Packers presently have a second-choice star who could possibly out-year Charley. He is Tobin Rote, the man from Texas who closed out his second campaign brilliantly last fall. Some great Packer players, of course, was picked well down the last 16 lists. The human locomotive, Larry Craig, was a No. 4 choice in '39. Tony Canadeo, who ranks as the Packers' all-time yardmaker and one of the leading all-around backs, was seventh choice in 1941. Bob Forte was chosen ninth in 1944 but because of Army service didn't report until '46. Forte, oddly enough, is back in the Army again - in Korea. Andy Uram, the great back from Minnesota, and the highly-prized guard, Pete Tinsley, were fourth and 19th choices, respectively, in 1938. Jay Rhodemyre, the Kentucky All-American center who made a great comeback last fall, was a fifth choice in 1948. And here's an odd one. Stan Heath, the Packers' first draft choice in 1949, was the Bays' 23rd selection in 1948. But it developed that Stan wasn't eligible and the choice was lost. Stan had himself a great year at Nevada in '48 and his draft stock soared - 23 notches. Heath never displayed his ability with the Packers and later got tryouts with the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns and finally wound up in Canada, where he's still playing.
NEW YORK EXHIBITS 'DANGEROUS LACK OF INTEREST' IN PRO GRID
JAN 19 (Green Bay) - Back in 1939, the New York writers covering the Packer-Giant game in Milwaukee created a stench for their readers by writing of the swaying press box high atop the grandstand at State Fair park. Seems they were unexpectedly burned by the Packers' east championship and thus spent some of their talents writing about something which had no bearing on the game. The press facilities incidentally here at the league meeting aren't so hot either (one telephone in a crowded room, for instance) but we'll not complain. However, we'd like to report a dangerous lack of New York interest in professional football in this major league phase of sports. The visiting scribes from Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago and other spots were surprised that none of this town's top columnists even made an appearance during the meetings and that happenings at the parley rarely broke into the "lead" position in the New York papers. While this may sound like a strictly-newspaper argument, it goes deeper than that - the NFL's interest in New York. There was a day two or three years ago the writers worried about whether Green Bay could cut the buck in the majors. Now, it's a case of whether this over-size attraction area can support two pro clubs. Joe King, one of the veteran scribes here, says New York isn't doing anything to train football fans here. "Most of the high schools don't even play football and the colleges here play second rate football," he remarked, adding that "fans here have got to have a renewed interest in the game - from the kids up." The writers are principally concerned with the Yanks despite Owner Ted Collins' willingness to pass out money. Collins' crew averaged only 8,000 fans in four home games last fall, while the New York Giants, the No. 2 club in the American conference, averaged only slightly under 30,000 on their home soil. On a money basis, with an average of over 16,000, the Packers likely bettered the Giants at home last fall. And their final records were practically reversed, the Giants finishing with 9-2-1 and the Packers 3-9. Everybody here recognized the tremendous new interest in the Packers around the country and especially in Wisconsin. No longer is there talk about Green Bay getting out. Everything is in the future now - maybe next year and for sure in '53 for the big resurgence, and by that we mean consistent victories, money in the bank and eventually a new stadium...Coach Gene Ronzani accomplished two objectives here in the draft. First, he strengthened the club considerably for 1952, and, second, he looked ahead for that big year, 1953, by picking four of the top junior stars in the country - Billy Hair, Jack Morgan, Bobby Jack Floyd and Chuck Lapradd. And 1953 may be the year such gents as Clayton Tonnemaker, Bob Forte, Larry Coutre and Len Szafaryn return for the clinching upswing. The Packers, it can be opined, came out with a "real good" draft. Ronzani, members of his staff and Scout Jack Vainisi went into the draft benefiting from lessons learned in their initial draft a year ago. Vainisi had player material so well organized that club after club, including the Browns and Bears, frequently consulted with the Packer table on questions of eligibility and on whether or not this boy or that boy had been selected. One of the big tricks is finding out the eligibility of boys who played as juniors last fall - in other words discovering if their classes had graduated in their junior year, thus making them eligible to be named. Advance knowledge that Hair, Morgan, Floyd and Lapradd were eligible permitted the Packers to draft 'em. Ronzani isn't feeling too bad about not winning the bonus choice. "We got our bonus choice anyway because I would have picked Parilli if I had won it," he related last night. Observers here already talking the "Parilli to Howton" combination. Fans down in Texas are called it "Rote to Howton" - a strictly Rice combination. The Packers are high on fullback Bill Stratton, the boy Ray McLean coached at Lewis. "The Bears got in touch with him a couple of days before the meeting," backfield aide McLean smiled. Wayne Millner, coach of the Eagles, asked: "Do you think Bobby (Thomason) would like playing for me?" We assured Wayne, a fine gentleman and an excellent coach, that Thomason would enjoy his association with the Eagles. Former Packer Thomason, you know, was traded by the Rams to the Eagles for a first draft choice and fullback Jack Myers.
YANK FRANCHISE DANGLES BEFORE BALTIMORE, DALLAS AND BUFFALO
JAN 19 (New York) - The uninteresting – to Green Bay- phase of the 17th annual NFL meeting continued today. While the New York Yank franchise dangled between Yankee stadium, Baltimore, Dallas and Buffalo, the Packer representatives sat back and relaxed as Yank owner Ted Collins argued with the New York Giants over playing dates and the official end of the baseball season. The Packers had reason to chuckle a bit, too. President Emil R. Fischer and board chairman Lee Joannes could recall a couple of years ago when a lot of people worried about the status and future of Green Bay. Today, the shoe is on the biggest foot in the league – New York. Only the Yanks’ predicament is more serious than the Packer pickle of two years ago. The Bay problem never reached the conference floor but was settled by a big $100,000 stock drive. Briefly, Collins wants six “good” home dates for his Yanks but he has an agreement with the Giants for what amounts to six “bad” dates. He wants to get into Yankee stadium in late September but Dan Topping, baseball Yankee and stadium owner, claims the baseball season ends after the World Series – as set forth in Collins’ stadium lease. The league doesn’t agree. Last season, the Yanks had to play two of their six home dates on the road because the Yankees were in the World Series. The club representatives investigated the possibility of two Yank league games in other cities such as Dallas, Baltimore or Buffalo. Collins seemed agreeable to moving the club to one of those three cities if something can’t be working out for the use of Yankee stadium. Possible transfer of the franchise to Baltimore was squashed, however, by President George Marshall of the Washington Redskins, who declared he would oppose such a move. Marshall must give any Baltimore group his permission to field a team in his territorial jurisdiction. Among the conditions offered to Collins by the Baltimore group were that he would retain controlling interest in the club, that he would be given a guarantee against future financial losses and that the commitments to the baseball Yankees and football Giants would be settled. The Yanks have eight more years to go on a ten-year lease on Yankee stadium at $50,000 a year. They pay the Giants $25,000 a year for territorial rights. Anyhow, the clubs gathered again for another round this morning, and it may go most of the day, although the government’s TV experts are expected this afternoon to discuss their case against the league. Saturday night or Sunday the league will get into the schedule – one of the important points for Green Bay. Chances are the clubs will toss it back at Commissioner Bert Bell. The lovable little commissioner himself last night said the Yank-Giant argument may delay the schedule and thus virtually force him to make it up. While it’s not official, the Packers are expecting the 1952 league campaign to start a week or possibly two weeks earlier than a year ago. This might place the usual Packer opener around the middle of September and thus end the season early in December. And speaking about contest, the Packers and other clubs are working out non-conference scheduled. It’s expected that the annual Packer-Cardinal non-looper, which featured the appearance of Curly Lambeau the last two seasons, will be cancelled now that Lambeau is no longer with the Cards. The two clubs may play a game, however – elsewhere. Two of the Packers chief non-league opponents will be for the Shrine game in Milwaukee and the second annual Minneapolis production. The Baltimore Colts and Philadelphia Eagles played the Packers in the Shrine games in Milwaukee in 1950 and 1951. Next fall’s game will take on added important because it will be the Packers’ opener in Milwaukee’s new stadium. The Packers played San Francisco in the Minneapolis game last fall. Fred Meyer and Ollie Haugsrud of Minnesota Sports, Inc., were here during the meeting and discussed the possibility of the Packers and one or two other clubs returning to that state for training next August. The Bays trained in Grand Rapids, Minn., last year. While plans for training and non-league games are in the infant stage, Ronzani is looking forward to signing his 30 draft choices and picking up the proverbial sleepers overlooked in the draft. Ronzani has been lining up a number of good prospects to bolster his draft list. Over the weekend, the Packers will send wires officially informing the selections that they were picked by Green Bay. Letters will follow later. Fischer left here today for Green Bay to complete plans for the annual stockholders’ meeting Monday night. Joannes and Ronzani will sweat out the league sessions. This may be the first league meeting to be shifted from one hotel to another. The club representatives must vacate their rooms by Sunday night because a convention is coming in. If necessary, the sessions will be moved to the Roosevelt. But Bell wearied this morning, “Man, I hope not.”
the league made on the sale of television rights. The largest item of expenses (salaries, wages and player expenses) was about the same in the two years. Last fall, these items totaled $300,147 as compared to $298,959 in 1950 - an increase of $1,188. William J. Servotte, the corporation finance committee chairman who later was elected secretary-treasurer by the board of directors, read over the assets and liabilities of the club and pointed out that "the $100,000 we obtained in the stock drive is still in the sock." He gave out the stock figure as $99,619 and "we now have it in government bonds." The Packers' total assets are $150,747. Current assets amount to $119,227; the fixed assets amount to $14,340; and other assets are valued at $17,180...EXPAND BOARD OF DIRECTORS: The stockholders voted to expand the board of directors from 30 to 36 members and elected six new directors - Bill Sullivan of Green Bay; former Packer immortal Don Hutson of Racine; and the following from Milwaukee: C.E. Kohlhepp, president of the Wisconsin Public Service corporation; attorney Herb L. Mount, past potentate of Tripoli temple and chairman of the Shrine game in Milwaukee; Frank V. Birch, executive of the Klau-Van Pietersom-Dunlap advertising associates; and J.J. (Joe) Krueger, Milwaukee city treasurer and one of the outstanding sports leaders in the midwest. Mount and Kohlhepp were named for the three years; Hutson and Krueger for two; and Birch for one. Reelected to the board of directors for three-year terms were Fred L. Cobb, Emil R. Fischer, Edward Fritsch, Lslie J. Kelly, Fred Leicht, Verne C. Lewellen, L.E. Liebmann, Herbert J. Olson, Gene Ronzani and A.C. Witterborg, Sr. At the meeting of the board of directors which followed the stockholders' session, Servotte was elected to fill the vacancy created by the death of Frank J. Jonet, Sr., former secretary-treasurer...HOLD MEETING IN FEBRUARY: Reelected were Emil R. Fischer, president; Gene Ronzani, vice-president; Lee Joannes, chairman of the board of directors; and members of the executive committee - H.J. Bero, Russ Bogda, Emil R. Fischer, Lee Joannes, Fred Leicht, Verne C. Lewellen, Max Murphy, Gene Ronzani, William J. Servotte, John B. Torinus and Fred N. Trowbridge. Stockholders voted to hold the annual meeting on the first Monday in February to avoid conflict with the annual National league meeting; amended the articles of incorporation to provide for an assistant secretary; an assistant treasurer and two vice-presidents; and to enlarge the board of directors from 30 to 36 members.
PARILLI MAY PLAY IN 1952
JAN 22 (Green Bay) - Packer Head Coach Gene Ronzani spoke of Babe Parilli, the Cleveland Browns and the recent player draft in a brief address before stockholders at their annual meeting in the courthouse Monday night. "I think Parilli will be a happy young man in Green Bay," Ronzani said in reporting on his No. 1 draft choice - the All-America quarterback from the University of Kentucky. Naturally, Gene couldn't be be certain that Parilli would wear a Packer uniform next fall, what with the service draft, but Ronzani said "it's possible Parilli could play a year of pro ball before going into the Army." The Kentucky star is a member of the university ROTC unit. Mentioning the powerful Cleveland Browns, who lost their first championship last fall to the Los Angeles Rams, Ronzani stated that "we'd welcome the opportunity to play the Browns in a league or non-conference game." He said that the Packers may play the Browns this year. However, he pointed out that the schedule hasn't been announced by Commissioner Bert Bell yet. Ronzani indicated that the 1952 league card may start two weeks earlier than a year ago - in other words, around the middle of September. Thus, the season could end early in December with the Packers possibly playing their last two or three dates in Dallas, San Francisco and/or Los Angeles. Regarding the draft, Ronzani said he was "pleased with our selections", but none of the clubs were perfectly satisfied. He explained that every club lost one or two boys that they had planned to select, including the Packers. The Packer mentor, starting his third season as head coach, praised the efforts of his assistants in making the draft a successful one...PLAY IN ALL STAR GAME: Ronzani said that six or seven of the Packer choices would get calls to play in the College All Star game in Chicago. The first three, Parilli, end-defensive back Bil Howton of Rice and defensive back Bobby Dillon of the University of Texas, are automatic all star selections, he said. Also expected to be called into the game are Packer choices Dave Hanner, Arkansas tackle; Tom Johnson, Michigan tackle; Bill Reichardt, Iowa fullback; Darrel Teteak, the Wisconsin linebacker who hails from Oshkosh; and Chuck Boerio, linebacker from Illinois. Ronzani indicated that several tackles drafted a year ago may play this year. One or two of these tried their hand at high school coaching in their first year out of college. He said an outstanding tackle at Xavier, O., university, Tito Carinci, was placed on the reserve list last fall and will be available for pro duty next season. Carinci was one of the most sought-after tackles in the country. Several clubs made an effort to draft him in New York last week but the Packers already had him.
LOWER REVENUE SIGNAL FOR BIG PACKER SEASON TICKET SALE
JAN 23 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packer corporation has its work cut out for 1952, and it adds up to three words - Season Ticket Sales. The annual financial report made to stockholders the other night displayed an $18,672 splash of red ink - nothing serious, but still a loss. The largest share resulted from loss of revenue at the gate (tickets) at home games and the weatherman rightfully was handed full blame. The weather was miserable for practically every game but the traditional Chicago Bears event and that, ironically enough, was a sellout. While it's in the nature of a second guess, it can be opined that if the season ticket sale had been a "bit" larger last year the club might have broken even. Thus, you can bet there will be powerful efforts on the part of corporation officials and Packer fans in general to ride into the 1952 campaign with a big season ticket sale in Green Bay and Milwaukee. It's interesting to note that the STS in Green Bay last fall was slightly below normal in Milwaukee the same type of sale was virtually doubled. Which, of course, brings up the Milwaukee point. Five of the six directors added by the stockholders are from the Milwaukee area - Don Hutson of Racine and C.E. Kohlhepp, Herb Mount, Frank V. Birch and Joe Krueger of Milwaukee. They will join Milwaukee's Fred Miller in giving the Packers a new "life" in Milwaukee. Miller is one of the Packers' leading friends and he's vitally interested in professional football, the National league and its operation. The skid in season ticket sales for four games in Green Bay sharply points up the fact that the Packers need Milwaukee. But the Milwaukee fans must be educated and sold. That's chiefly why the citizens named above are now part of the Packer organization. They are all interested in the future of the Packers as a Green Bay team providing major league entertainment in Milwaukee two or three times a year. Max Murphy, the Green Bay sales expert who headed the season ticket sale in Milwaukee last fall, told stockholders the other night that "Milwaukee people must sell the Packers themselves; we can't go there as virtual strangers and do a successful job. But with a crew of interested directors down there Milwaukee fans can be sold by Milwaukee people." Next fall, Milwaukee will open its new stadium seating 35,000. It's located in an easy-to-get-to section of the city - unlike old bottle-necked State Fair park. The Packers will be the only major league attraction in that park. And Packer officials, with the cooperation of new friends in Milwaukee, hope to make the best of it. Packer officials, with the Milwaukee directors nailing down the groundwork, likely will go into Milwaukee next summer for a season ticket campaign and you can bet that more than 3,500 season tickets will be sold - the number peddled last summer. The previous year (1950) it hardly went over 1,000. With more backing there, the Packers may be able to hit 6,000 season tickets.
TEXAS DRIVERS! DALLAS '11' COULD BE SUCCESS RIGHT FROM THE START, VIEW
JAN 25 (Green Bay) - There aren't many fans around this part of the country who will drive 300 or 400 miles for a football game. But down in Texas where they (apparently) grow everybody big and strong, it's "not a bit unusual for a couple of thousand fans to drive 350 miles or so to Dallas for a football game." That's the word of Bill Rives, sports editor of the Dallas Morning Tribune, who reported via telephone today that "there's a good chance that the Rangers will be a success right from the start because of a natural interest in football." That's a far cry from New York where the Yanks (now the Rangers in Texas) had a hard time getting a "few" fans to ride the subway 20 minutes for one of their game in Yankee stadium...WEATHER PERFECT, OF COURSE: "Half of Amarillo comes up fro the big football games in Dallas and that's over 300 miles away. They also come down from Oklahoma. They take off the night before and drive all night or get out early in the morning. The road conditions are good and, of course, the weather is perfect," Rives said. By comparison, a check at the Packer ticket office showed that few tickets are sold in Superior, which is 313 miles from Green Bay. The Packers get pretty good patronage from fans in the Upper Peninsula but this old Badger must admit that "it ain't like Texas." Rives told a "very enthusiastic feeling on the part of the fans toward the city's new franchise in pro football." He said: "These people down here just love football, but, of course, they like a winner." The Texas scribe, and he sounded like a real Texan, suh, said that "the Millers (owners of the Rangers) are prepared for a couple of lean seasons; they'd be happy to come out of the first year with a 4-8 record on the field and a fair but enthusiastic attendance."...TWO GAMES WITH PACKERS: But Rives is of the optimistic opinion that "the Rangers could be a success right from the start; we had a good draft and the Yanks weren't so bad last fall. Add that up with all the football interest down here and maybe they'll click right away." Writers in Dallas and nearby cities, especially Fort Worth, which is 35 miles away, are busy piling up information on National league clubs. Rives said that "we've always given pro football a good play," adding that "we even run the statistics during the regular season." Green Bay has a particular interest in Dallas because the Packers and Rangers will be in the same division, making it possible for a home and home series. The Packers played the Yanks two-game series in 1950 and 1951, and all four games were thrillers. Rives said that there is a general feeling in Dallas that Jimmy Phelan should return as head coach. Phelan was named coach of the Yanks just after training camp started last summer...LAMBEAU NOT MENTIONED: Rives had just returned from a press conference with the Millers, at which a number of coaching and general manager prospects were named. Phelan appeared to be the leading candidate for coach, and Frank Fitzgerald was mentioned often for the general managership. Frank, a son-in-law of former Yanks owner Ted Collins, managed the Yanks for the last two years. Rives stated that Curly Lambeau, the former Packer and Chicago Cardinal mentor, was not mentioned for the coaching or managership jobs...Talking about football interest in Texas, a total of 57 players (out of 360) were drafted from Texas schools during the NFL's selection party last week in New York. The state has six major universities and scores of small colleges. The major schools are Rice, University of Texas, Baylor, Southern Methodist, Texas Christian and Texas A and M. The National league finished the 1950 season with 36 Texas players listed on the rosters of the clubs. The Packers' long-throwing quarterback, Tobin Rote, and guard Ham Nichols were the only Texans to play with the Bays last year. Both are Rice grads. In the recent draft, Packer head coach Gene Ronzani came up with eight players from Texas schools - Bill Howton of Rice, Bobby Dillon of the University of Texas, Billy Burkhalter of Rice, Bill Wilson of the University of Texas, Bobby Jack Floyd of TCU, Howie Tisdale of Stephen F. Austin State, Herb Zimmerman of TCU and I.D. Russell of SMU.
PACKERS TO BATTLE GIANTS IN MILWAUKEE
JAN 26 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers will meet the New York Giants in a non-conference football game in Milwaukee's new county stadium next August, it was revealed today by Jerome Dretzka, secretary of the Milwaukee county park commission. The game may be played Aug. 17. The contest, the third annual Shrine game, will mark the opening of football action in the new stadium which will be completed some time next summer. The Packers last played the Giants in 1950 in a non-loop game in Boston, Green Bay winning, 10-0.
INTERCEPTION SKID BRINGS ON DEFENSIVE BACK PICKS IN DRAFT
JAN 26 (Green Bay) - Most of the clubs in the NFL, including conference champions Cleveland and Los Angeles, suffered reverses last fall in the pass interception department. The entire league intercepted 288 passes and returned only 12 of them for touchdowns in 1951. In 1950, league clubs chalked up 343 interceptions and counted twice as many touchdowns, 24. Only five of the dozen clubs, Bears, Cardinals, Giants, Steelers and Forty Niners, bettered their interception figures of 1950. The Giants did exceptionally well last fall, grabbing off 41 enemy throws compared to 27 the year before. Both the Rams and Browns skidded in the ID, though it apparently didn’t hurt them because they repeated for the playoff rights. The Rams intercepted 31 in ’50 but got only 19 last fall. The Browns dropped from 30 in ’50 to 22 last campaign. The Packers intercepted 27 passes in 1950, but dropped to 22 last year – not bad when you consider that the Packers’ four defensive backs were virtually all rookies in that phase. Rebel Steiner was a second-year man; Harper Davis didn’t play much defense until he came here from the Bears; Ace Loomis was a first-year man; and Jug Girard was used mostly on offense until last year. The dropoff in interceptions and generally fault defensive play around the league was reflected in the pro draft in New York recently. All of the clubs stocked up on defensive backs. The Bears picked outfielders on the first two rounds – Jim Dooley of Miami and Ed Macon, the Negro ace from College of Pacific. The Packers selected defensive stars on their second and third rounds – Bill Howton of Rice and Bobby Dillon of the University of Texas. In the 10th round (on the choice the Bears owed the Packers), Coach Gene Ronzani nailed Bill Roffler of Washington State. Bill had a fine reputation as an offensive back but in the recent East-West game he was pressed into service on defense. Ray McLean, Bay backfield coach who saw the game, was highly impressed by his reaction on defense considering the fact that he rarely played the position. These three Packer prospects average nearly six feet, two inches in height and are built light enough for speed. Howton packs 185 pounds, Dillon 182 and Roffler 186. Every club in the league drafted at least two defensive prospects. The draft showed a need for tackles around the league. A total of 79 big T’s were picked, topping any other individual position. The coaches grabbed off 59 ends, 42 guards and 30 centers. The remaining 150 players (making a total of 360) were backs who actually play three different positions – quarterback, halfbacks and fullbacks. The Bays picked six tackles, 13 backs, four guards, three centers and four ends.
STRATTON FIRST SMALL COLLEGE FB TO MAKE PACK SINCE TED?
JAN 28 (Green Bay) - Bill Stratton could be the first small-college fullback to make the Packers since Ted Fritsch turned the trick in 1942. The 202-pound pile-driver from Lewis college has witnessed a lot of professional football, being a native of Chicago. Of what Bill has seen in Wrigley field and Comiskey park, Stratton feels that: “I have a good chance to make the club.” Packer draftee Stratton was in Green Bay and De Pere over the weekend with the Lewis college basketball team. He visited with Packer head coach Gene Ronzani in the afternoon and received the Midlands conference football championship trophy between halves of the St. Nortbert-Lewis game at Van Dyke gymnasium Saturday night…’TOUGH FOR US PLAYERS’: The trophy ceremony had a real pro grid slant. Presenting the award to Stratton, who accepted in behalf of the Lewis team, was Pat Smithwick, St. Norbert college’s excellent end who represented the defending Midlands champion. Smithwich is also a pro draftee, having been selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jack Yuenger, St.Norbert publicity chief, was the MC. Cornered later, Stratton said that he was “proud to be selected by the Packers” and that “you can count on me doing my best to make the squad.” Bill said he realized that “it’s tough for us players from the small colleges to make the grade but I know that a lot of them do stick in the big leagues.” Stratton was recommended for the draft by his former coach and present Packer backfield mentor, Ray McLean. McLean coached Stratton as a sophomore and junior at Lewis. Stratton said he’ll play at around 202 pounds which, incidentally, is three pounds under Fritsch’s weight when he started his career and about five pounds over Fred Cone’s weight in his rookie year. Fritsch played at Central Teachers in Stevens Point…BEST YEAR AS SENIOR: Stratton finished four years of college competition with a 6.5-yard rushing average on 1,637 yards in 250 attempts. He scored 193 points on 31 touchdowns and seven extra points. He won the “all-conference” selection every year with the exception of the 1949 season when he received honorable mention. An honor student, single and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa national scholastic fraternity, Stratton led the Badger-Illini conference in net yards gained and total points in 1948, averaging 8.2 and scoring seven TDs. In 1949, he again led the conference in total points with 60 and an average of 7.2 yards. When Lewis moved into the competitive class of the Midlands conference in 1950, Stratton was sidelined for most of the season with an injury but managed to average 6.3 yards and count three TDs. Bill enjoyed his best year as a senior. In seven games, he gained 575 yards in 94 attempts for an average of 6.1. For the championship season, he racked up 73 points, 30 of them in conference play. Stratton attended Georgia Military academy and graduated from Chicago Austin High in 1947. He worked a year before entering Lewis. At Austin, Stratton played defensive end and fullback.
ED WITHERS, PACKER DRAFTEE, SAVES LIFE OF WISCONSIN STUDENT
JAN 28 (Madison) – Eddie Withers, 25, University of Wisconsin football player, saved another student from possibly bleeding to death by applying a tourniquet to his arm today. Robert Gehrig, 26, fell near his trailer home, was knocked unconscious and suffered a bad cut. Withers, passing by, noticed Gehrig lying unconscious and bleeding. He applied a tourniquet and a police ambulance rushed Gehrig to the campus infirmary. Both men are Madison residents. (Withers has been drafted by the Green Bay Packers.)
THE DEEDS OF PELFREY! IS NERVOUS RAY ANOTHER BLOOD?
JAN 31 (Green Bay) - The deeds of one Ray Pelfery has been tormenting this writer for some time. So, for better or worse, here goes: Ray (He’s the Packer end-halfback) was playing with Auburn a couple of years ago against a traditional rival. His coach had kept him on the bench for 59 minutes of the game as a sort of punishment for some minor disobedience of the previous week. Came the last minute of the big game. Auburn went behind by five points, 12-7, and the coach fumed on the bench as the teams prepared to line up for the kickoff. Calling Pelfrey, the coach told him to get the kickoff, go up the right side of the field and run out of bounds to stop the clock. Pelfrey got the kickoff, okay, but he ran up the left side – all the way for a touchdown to win the game. Ray somehow left Auburn after the school year and enrolled at East Kentucky State Teachers for his senior year. The swift kid burned up the Teachers’ league enough to get plenty of feelers from the pros, including the Packers…Coach Gene Ronzani selected him on the 17th round a year ago this month in Chicago. Pelfrey received the congratulatory wire from the Packers and a couple of days later Ray wrote back his “extreme happiness” at being chosen by the Packers. Pelfrey didn’t waste around; he trained all summer and was in terrific physical condition when he reported at Grand Rapids, Minn. He set the pace in the daily sprints and out-punted everybody including Jug Girard. Pelfery wasn’t taking any chances on not making the squad. While Ray was a physical marvel, the long period of instruction was something else. A couple of days before the non-conference opener with the Chicago Cardinals, backfield coach Ray McLean sat with head low in the coaches’ room. “That Pelfrey, I keep telling him but, but, but what’s the use,” Mc Lean moaned. Ronzani, Chuck Drulis, Tarz Taylor and Dick Plasman chuckled a bit and McLean finally smiled, “and he’s just the kind of guy that will win ball games for us, but what you gonna do with him?”…Came the Cardinal game and Pelfrey made a few token appearances. Somewhere in the fourth quarter, Pelfrey winked at Father Taylor, “I’ll bet you a quarter I’ll score a touchdown if they let me in there.” Pelfrey got in and was promptly thrown for a seven-yard loss. On the very next play, the Ohio boy with the Virginia drawl raced behind Card defender Bob Nussbaumer, took Tobin Rote’s long pass and ran for a game-tying TD. The play covered 74 yards and Taylor was in debt by twenty-five cents. Ronzani used Pelfrey sparingly against the Eagles in Milwaukee the next Sunday and during most of the training season. Gene just explained at the time, with a twinkle in his eye, “he’s my secret weapon.” But out in Minneapolis against the Forty Niners, Pelfrey put on a burst of his famous speed and unpredictable running. The two clubs battled on a buttery field and the Packers weren’t as sharp as Ronzani had hoped they’d be for this first exhibition in Minneapolis. The game was on a Wednesday night and the Bays had just played the previous Sunday…The Packers didn’t score a point as the San Francisco club got 20, but the Minneapolis fans had something to yell about – Packerwise. “It” was Pelfrey, who turned in the darndest run you’d ever want to see. On fourth down and eight to go, Ray went back to his own 38. He momentarily juggled the ball (as per plan) and took off like a scared rabbit to the Forty Niner 30 where he started to zig zag from one side of the field to the other, finally winding up on the FN 19. The whole business covered at least 150 yards. Pelfrey seldom follows his interference and rarely runs the right pattern on pass plays. He had a bad habit of running back and around opposing tacklers – something that he got away with in college ball. Installed at end or halfback in Ronzani’s spread formations, Pelfrey constituted a serious problem for opposing teams because of his speed and ability to catch the ball. After every game, the opposing coach would whistle, “that Pelfrey! Where did he ever come from!”…In the Bear opener here, Pelfrey tried one of those runs off a fake punt, with about 25 yards to go late in the game. He zigged and zagged for 26 yards, enough for a first down at midfield but three Bears started close in on him and Ray backpedaled, hoping to get around them and go the distance. They nailed him and his gain was reduced to 23 yards, the Packers losing the ball on downs. The surprising rookie with the glue fingers gradually became a threat with his pass catching, but Ronzani and his staff developed more grey hair. Against the Eagles, Pelfrey was supposed to be decoying to the left for a pass to Tony Canadeo at the right. You guessed it! Pelfrey grabbed the ball out of Tony’s hands – away over on the right side of the field. A few minutes later, Pelfrey caught a short pass from Rote, but, seeing that he couldn’t gain, tossed it right back at Rote, who ran 16 yards. It was the first time a Packer passer had ever caught his own pass, and probably the first time the Packers ever had a guy like Pelfrey…Out in Detroit, Pelfrey had one of his best and also his most “trying” afternoons. He set up two touchdowns and scored one himself by making a circus catch out of the hands of Don Doll, one of the league’s top defensive backs. But along about the third quarter with the Packers threatening he “dood” it again. The Packers had third down and two to go on the Detroit 48. Pelfrey took a pass from Rote for an eight-yard gain (six yards more than needed for a first down) but, for some unexplainable reason, he ran backwards and finally wound up losing six yards, Girard has to punt and Jack Christiansen returned the boot 89 yards for a touchdown. Ray actually was afraid to go off the field after that “seven point” error. When he reached the sidelines, some of the players lit after him but order was quickly restored. At the Detroit airport after the game, poor Pelfrey was all but blacklisted. Finally, he came up to the writer and said: “Well, I suppose you want to chew me out, too.”…I told him that the deed already was done but “if I had been on the sidelines with a typewriter I’d probably have hit him over the head with it.” I went on to explain the seriousness of the “runback” because first the Packers would have been in a good position to score and second Christiansen wouldn’t have received a chance for his touchdown run. Pelfrey really felt bad about the whole thing but added: “I’m learning more and more every Sunday.” After the game, Detroit coach Buddy Parker said Pelfrey drove his team “nuts”. Buddy drawled, “most of the fast guys will run a pattern but not this kid; you don’t know what he’ll do. He was behind our defense most of the afternoon – one way or another.”…Pelfrey, who dabbles in art “because, as you know, I’m a nervous person”, is making the Packer coaches nervous people. But as long as Packer opponents remain jittery, they don’t care. Pelfrey, 24, married and father of a son, finished 1951 as the National league’s leading rookie pass receiver, finishing seventh ahead of Leon Hart and Pete Pihos and just behind Dante Lavelli and Dan Edwards. He caught 37 for 442 yards and four TDs. My goodness, could Mr. Pelfrey be another Johnny Blood?
HIRSCH, HOWTON ONLY TWO ENDS IN ALL GRID TO AVERAGE 20 YARDS PER CATCH
FEB 1 (Green Bay) - Only two offensive ends in major college and professional football averaged over 20 yards per pass reception last fall – Elroy Hirsch and Bill Howton. Hirsch, of course, is the kingpin in the Los Angeles Rams’ famed air attack. Howton is the flashy end and defensive back from Rice Institute who was drafted by the Packers. And, strange as it may seem, Hirsch and Howton came up with identical pass catching averages. Over-the-shoulder Elroy snagged 66 passes for 1,495 yards for an average of 22.6 per while Howton picked off 33 for 747 stripes for a 22.6 average. Figure it out! For purposes of comparison, the No. 2 pass catcher in the NFL, Gordy Soltau of San Francisco, averaged a mere 14 yards on his 59 snatches for 826 yards. The nation’s leading college receiver, McConnell of Wyoming, averaged 15.4 with 725 yards on 47 receptions. Naturally, Hirsch and Hotwon can't be rightfully compared since Hirsch is an "old pro" who has cut the buck in the toughest football in the land. But this conclusion can be drawn: Both are long-distance guys; they go in for the "far" throws. Their long averages prove it! Hirsch scored against just about every opponent (17 TDs) with his 60 or 70-yard run and catch plays. Howton caught seven for TDs for a club that passed very little...HEAD-AND-SHOULDER FAKER: The observers down in Texas claim that Howton can get behind any defender in college football because of his tremendous speed and ability to cut and fake. Howton, who is a 4F because of an eye defect, made just about every All-American team - some of them as a defensive back. A six-foot-two-inch, 180-pounder, Howton was known among jittery Southwest defensive backs as a great head-and-shoulder faker. In a postgame report to the coaches, an Arkansas player wrote: "He'd jigger around until he got you going the wrong way; then he'd take off and leave you. He's tremendously fast on the getaway." Defensively, Howton was a clawing, scrambling performer who always managed to stay on the outside of the play. Bill also was adept at dropping off the Rice front line to defend that flat zone in pass situations. He never asked for relief and seldom got any. "I had a lazy man's job anyway," Bill told the Collier's board of coaches who selected him to the magazine's All-America team. "An end ought to be able to play 60 minutes easier than any other man on the line. On defense, especially, he sort of camps out there a step across the scrimmage line and if the play isn't coming his way he can relax a little." But, regardless of Howton's own estimate of the demands of his position, take the word of his coach, Jess Neely, nobody ever caught Bill relaxing. Howton scored the first touchdown in Rice's new swank stadium in 1950 with a 65-yard pass play. Against SMU last fall - a week after the Mustangs upset Notre Dame, Howton caught only three passes but all three went for TDs in Rice's big victory. He rolled up136 yards on the three catches - an average of 45.3 per catch. Particularly anxious to hook up with Howton is Tobin Rote, the Packers' long-pitching quarterback. Howton was a sophomore at Rice when Rote played as a senior there. Rote likes to throw 'em far and Howton can get down fast. Down in Texas the pro fans are howling about a "Rote to Howton" passing threat. Coach Gene Ronzani expects Howton to make the Packer pass catching corps extremely tough what with Bob Mann, Ray Pelfrey, Val Jansante and Stretch Elliott due to return. What's more, Howton may turn up as a valuable assistant on defense. Howton, at the moment, is concentrating on track - with an eye on the Olympics. He does the high hurdles in 14.3 seconds, and his track coach, Emmett Brunson, who helped coach the Olympic team in 1948, thinks Howton has a chance to make it if a bone chip in his foot has healed. The injury, incidentally, doesn't interfere with his normal running - as in football...WEDDING BELLS: One Packers and a possible Packer will wed a week from Saturday. Howton takes a bride in Houston, while Jack Vainisi, the Packer scout, will marry Jackie McGinnis at St. Patrick's chiurch here. Vainisi will be attended by two former Notre Dame teammates - now pro grid rivals. Jerry Groom, the Cardinal center and linebacker, will be best man and Bob Williams, Bear quarterback, will be an usher...PRO HASH: In Green Bay on business a couple of days this week was Pat Harder, the big Detroit Lion fullback. Harder is with the Solar Steel company of Cleveland. He'll stop here about once a month...The 1952 NFL schedule may out in a couple of weeks. Most fans are wondering if the Packers will play the Cleveland Browns this year. The two clubs have never met in a league game...After Commissioner Bert Bell and Giles Miller signed the papers completing the shift of the Yanks to Dallas, Miller was asked if he planned to dress the Texans in the vivid colors displayed by some Texas college teams or in even more conservative attire. Miller's wide, Betty Jane, supplied the answer: "What do you think we'd do in a town where the women sport blue jeans and mink coats?"
BRIGHT PRO FUTURE FOR JOHNSON WITH PACKERS?
FEB 4 (Green Bay) - Tom Johnson was the University of Michigan's best tackle in 1950 and 1951. Packer Head Coach Gene Ronzani thinks the bruising Negro star from Muskegon, Mich., can become one of the best tackles in pro football. The Packers' No. 6 draft choice, Johnson is rated by veteran Michigan coaches as "without doubt one of the best and probably one of the most underrated tackles in the country." Johnson, 21, weighs 227 pound and stands six feet, two inches tall. One of those players who is always in top condition, Johnson is amazingly strong and possesses a cat-like quickness and ability to recover and change direction to a remarkable degree. A 60-minute player any time he needs to be, Johnson was fast enough to play an important part in Michigan's split-second offense and few defensive players could match him at this phase of the game. Quiet and soft-spoken off the field, Johnson is a "ball player's ball player" once the whistle blows. Johnson led Michigan to the Big Ten and Rose bowl championships during the 1950 season and played an important part in Michigan's comeback campaign last fall. He was the club's most valuable player...ONLY NEGRO PICKED IN DRAFT: Johnson was one of six tackles drafted by Ronzani and the only Negro selected in the draft last month. Other "T" picks were Dave Hanner of Arkansas, Jack Morgan of Michigan State, Howie Tisdale of Stephen F. Austin State college in Texas, Chuck Lapradd of the University of Florida and Jack Fulkerson of Mississippi Southern. These six if they are willing and able to play (barring military calls) will be out to unseat such Packer veterans as Dick Wildung, Ed Ecker, Howie Ruetz, Joe Spencer and Leon Manley. Johnson has a 2A classification in the service draft, which means that he is deferred while in school. It is hoped that he will be able to play a season or part of one before going into the service...PRO HASH: Veteran end Bob Mann is getting a little exercise this winter at the Caberfae winter sports are near Cadillac, Mich. Just be careful, Robert!...The Packers drafted 27 of their 30 college stars from major schools. The composite record of those schools for 1951 was 121 victories, 75 losses and six tied for a percentage of .617. Three of the schools went unbeaten - Michigan State (Morgan) with 9-0; Illinois (linebacker Chuck Boerio) with 8-0-1; and Tennessee (center Chuck Stokes) with 10-0.
REICHARDT NETS 737 YARDS BEHIND POOR LINE
FEB 5 (Green Bay) - Outside of the midwest, Iowa fullback Bill Reichardt doesn't have the reputation of Ollie Matson, Mighty Moe Modzelewski, Frank Gifford or Hugh McElhenny. But around these parts 195-pound Bill, who went from mascot to record holder in a dozen years, is considered one tough cookie who could cut the buck in professional football. At least the Packers, who drafted him on the seventh round, hope so. Reichardt practically duplicated the feats of Matson, Mighty Moe, Gifford and McElhenny behind a mediocre line the last two years. Matso, Moe and McElhenny operated behind tremendous forward walls. But the Iowa star, who was selected as the Big Ten's most valuable player, ripped off 737 yards in 178 carries for an average of 4.14 per try. He worked under rather discouraging circumstances which added up to two wins, five losses and two ties...FULLBACK FOURTH-HIGH NEED: A fullback was the Packers' fourth-high need in the draft and coach Gene Ronzani feels that he was lucky that Reichardt was still loose when the seventh round came up. The Packers went first for a quarterback (Babe Parilli), defensive backs in Bill Howton and Bobby Dillon and then tackles (Dave Hanner and Tom Johnson of Michigan) before going for a battering ram to compete with Fred Cone and Jack Cloud. Reichardt had been an Iowa football fan and follower from the time he was a seven-year old grade schooler. He missed only one home Iowa game - that the result of broken ribs and a collapsed lung sustained in a high school game. By the time he was eight, Reichardt had advanced from a plain fan to mascot of the University of Iowa. Now he has completed his Hawkeye career as the holder of five Iowa records and such other honors as: (1) Winner of the Chicago Tribune award as the most valuable Big Ten player in 1951; (2) member of six all-conference and all-western honor teams; (3) member of the players' All-America second offensive team; and (4) maker of 1,691 yards in 27 games for a 4.2 average. Powerful and consistent, Reichardt made 737 of Iowa's 1,692 yards by rushing last fall for a new Iowa modern record...31 TRIPS AGAINST GOPHERS: Bill enjoyed the best day of his career in the 20-20 game with Minnesota last fall, carrying 31 times, an Iowa single-game record, for 166 yards. He gained 152 yards against Michigan in 25 carries, seven more yards than the rushing total of the entire Michigan backfield that afternoon as Iowa lost 21-0. In addition, Reichardt picked up 88 yards against champion Illinois; 86 against Purdue; 73 against Notre Dame; and 72 against Ohio State. His team lost three of these games but tied Notre Dame 20-up. Reichardt can also catch passes. He was the leading Iowa receiver in number in 1950 and in 1951 grabbed 11 for 115 yards. The 21-year old Iowan, a member of the Army Air force reserve, was a point after touchdown specialist, kicking 18 out of 22 last fall. He has a three-year mark of 51 out of 63 PATs. Against Purdue last fall, Reichardt booted a 35-yard field goal. Ronzani saw Reichardt in action in both the Blue-Gray and the Senior bowl games. And Gene liked what he saw.
RONZANI WANTS MILLER TO 'GRUNT' FOR PACK IN '52; TISDALE FAST FOR SIZE
FEB 7 (Green Bay) - Packer head coach Gene Ronzani might take in a wrestling match in Chicago one of these nights. He'd like to see Bill Miller, the former Ohio State tackle and Big Ten heavyweight wrestling champion, who has taken up professional grunting as a means of earning his bread and butter. There seems to be a suspicion that Miller might like to try his hand at professional football - with the Packers, that is. Miller was drafted by Ronzani a year ago. Ronzani has a pretty good talking point - "Why not play professional football and wrestle, too." In separate seasons, of course! The Packer coach can point out to Leo Nomellini, former University of Minnesota tackle, who toils with the San Francisco Forty Niners during the swine-skin season, and then groans on the mat the rest of the time. Instead of just getting a wrestling check, Nomellini draws a slip of that coveted paper from Buck Shaw's organization. Nomellini has done well in both sports. As a sophomore last fall, he received all-National league honors. Out on the west coast, Nomellini is building himself quite a reputation as a rassler. He is known as "The Lion" and the big Minnesotan follows the rules and lets his opponents get away with murder - up to a point, that is. Joe Malcewicz, one of the big dealers in west coast rassling, thinks large Leo someday outdo the exploits of Bronko Nagurski, Joe Savoldi and Gus Sonnenberg - other gridmen who turned to the mat. Miller, who packs a solid 225 pounds on a six-foot, one-inch frame, came out of Big Ten competition an established wrestler compared to Nomellini. As a matter of fact, Miller cleaned up everything in the Big Ten, including Nomellini, as a junior to snare the crown...Speaking about tackles, Howie Tisdale, the 320-pounder from little Stephen F. Austin Junior college, Tex., was recommended to the Packers by, of all people, R.W. Parker, brother of Detroit head coach Buddy Parker. R.W., an assistant coach of the Texas school, feels that Tisdale can make the pros "with a little more seasoning." The Texan is fast for his size (he stands 6-3) and often plays defensive end in addition to offensive tackle. Tisdale was the Packers' 19th draft choice. Other tackles selected were Dave Hanner of Arkansas, Tom Johnson of Michigan, Jack Morgan of Michigan State, and Jack Fulkerson of Mississippi Southern.
175-POUND FB IN PRO BALL? PETERSON OF MICHIGAN, RACINE TO TRY HALFBACK
FEB 8 (Green Bay) - There aren't any 175-pound fullbacks in the NFL and there probably never will be. That's just not enough weight. All of which seems to be reason enough to believe that Don (Jiggs) Peterson, the University of Michigan's battering ram last fall, will never make the Packers - as a fullback. Coach Gene Ronzani didn't draft Peterson last month to play fullback. He wants to try versatile Don at both the halfback spots and possibly on defense. Peterson must be a good football player for the simple reason that he played three different positions in Michigan's tricky wing formation - both halfback and fullback. To prove his greatness, Peterson led the Michigans in yardage in 1950-51...AVERAGE 4.2 YARDS AT FB: Little Jiggs, who played prep ball at St. Catherine's in Racine, is the Doak Walker type in size and action. Both go 5-10, 175. Both are fast, carry a lot of drive and possess an inate sense of timing and natural running ability. Peterson, who already has a couple of years of Army service behind him, averaged 5.24 yards per try as a halfback on Michigan's Big Ten and Rose Bowl championship club in 1950. The handyman was switched to fullback lst fall and averaged 4.2 yards in 132 carries. His yardage total, 574, and trips topped the club. Peterson threw 13 passes in "spot" plays and completed six for 184 yards. He caught five for 20 yards. He can punt, too, getting off eight boots (mostly quick kicks) for an average of 44.5 yards per. As a senior, Don scored four touchdowns....BROTHER MEDICAL STUDENT: Often compared with Michigan's greatest all-around back, Wally Teninga, Jiggs is a brother of Tom Peterson, who ended his Michigan grid career in 1950. Don was groomed as Tom's successor at fullback until spring practice despite his success at RH in '50. However, in the preseason drills, Don flashed brilliance at left half. Shortly after the season started Don was shifted back to fullback when a shortage developed there. Tom, incidentally, is now a medical student at Michigan. Brother Don reportedly is interested in playing professional football. The Packers drafted four other "light" backs who specialize in offense - Billy Barrett, 5-9, 180, Notre Dame; Bill Burkhalter, 5-10, 180, Rice; Johnny Pont, 5-8, 170, Miami, O.; and Billy Hair, 6, 178, Clemson. Hair is a junior and likely won't be available for professional duty until the 1953 season.
PACKERS WELCOME TEXAS AS NEW NEIGHBOR IN PRO GRID
JAN 21 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers officially welcomes Texas as one of their new neighbors today. The Lone State state was admitted to the union known as the NFL in the closing sessions of the loop's 17th annual meeting in New York over the weekend. And the new club will be located in Dallas - deep in the heart of you know where. Emil R. Fischer, president of the Packers, likes the new addition. He said: "I firmly believe that moving the Yank franchise out of New York to Dallas is all for the better. The Packers have a much better chance of getting more than their guarantee ($20,000) out of Dallas than they did out of the Yanks. You know that the Yanks averaged only 8,000 fans in their home games last year, and it was only slightly above that in 1950. The interest in football is solid in Texas and Dallas is one of the hot spots. Texas has been trying to get a professional team for years and this is the state's big chance." Lee Joannes, chairman of the Packer board of directors, and head coach Gene Ronzani are enthusiastic over the new entry. They pointed out the tremendous interest in football in Texas due to six major universities and "practically hundreds" of small colleges. The new Texas team, to be known as the Rangers, had an immediate population of 1,000,000 fans to draw from. Dallas is located just 35 miles away from Fort Worth. The Rangers will play in the National conference. The Packers, incidentally, will not be burdened with any serious increase in traveling expenses. Like New York, Dallas is an overnight train ride out of Chicago. By plane, Dallas is about the same distance from Green Bay as New York. Should the schedule be so arranged that the Dallas game could be played on the way to or from the West coast, it would mean a substantial savings. The Rangers are headed by Giles Miller, a 32-year old Texas textile tycoon, and a syndicate of Texas business leaders. The franchise will be operated much along the lines of the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles, who are owned by a group of wealthy individuals representing various enterprises. The Rangers, who will play in the 75,000-seat Cotton Bowl, became a reality in a surprise move at the Statler hotel in New York Saturday night. Commissioner Bert Bell announced, after two days of negotiating with Yank owner Ted Collins and club representatives, that the league had purchased the Yank franchise for $100,000. He revealed Sunday, after all papers had been signed, that Miller then purchased the franchise from the league for $300,000. The "profit" of $200,000 will be used to assume a $200,000 tab to cancel the Yanks' lease in Yankee stadium, which had eight years to go. The rival New York Giants cancelled - they said "with pleasure" - the $175,000 due them for the Yanks' invasion of their territorial rights. And Tim Mara, father of the Giants, and his two sons, Wellington and Jack, were mighty happy after the franchise had been moved to Texas - despite the loss of $175,000. Frank Fitzgerald, son-in-law of Collins and general manger of the Yanks, is expected to be named general manager of the club - despite reports that Curly Lambeau would receive this position. Fitzgerald said he had been advised by Miller that there are no plans for selling or trading players on the roster. This includes three Negro stars - Buddy Young, George Taliaferro and Sherman Howard. Negroes have been playing with visiting teams in the annual collegiate Cotton bowl series. In the event that the Rangers put any of the three Negro star on the block, the Packers might be interested in one of them - Taliaferro - and maybe more. The Texas team naturally is planning to get mostly players from schools in Texas - SMU, TCU, Baylor, Rice, the University of Texas, and Texas A and M. It is interesting to note that the Yanks, in the regular draft which opened the annual parley, drafted a few Texas players. A California linebacker, Les Richter, was the Yanks' first pick. Thus, the Yanks had no more idea than any of the other clubs that they would be shifted to Texas - until after the draft. The Packers, oddly enough, might have had an inkling, judging by the fact that Ronzani selected eight Texas-school athletes, including their No. 2 and No. 3 choices - Bill Howton of Rice and Bobby Dillon of the University of Texas. And, for 1953, the Packers bagged sure-fire All-America fullback Bobby Jack Floyd of Texas Christian. Floyd could be another Kyle Rote a year from now. Before adjourning, the NFL also transacted the following business: 1. Decided to maintain its 1951 restricted television policy another year despite a pending anti-trust suit by the government. 2. Turned down the proposal, championed by the Chicago Bears' George Halas and Pittsburgh's Art Rooney, for a round robin schedule with every team playing every other team in the circuit. 3. Rejected Bell's proposals for elimination of the extra point and for sudden-death playoff of all tie games. Bell announced the league planned to fight the pending television suit to the end. The suit recently was ordered to trial by a Philadelphia federal judge. League directors voted to retain in it entirety the provision which leaves television policies almost entirely to the individual clubs, with a few restrictions. No team may televise in a league city where a game is being played without the consent of both clubs involved. A team cannot televise within 75 miles of a league city where a game is being played. All other territory is free territory. Bell said the league would favor as much television as possible beyond these boundaries, with the title games and bowl games on a coast-to-coast network as last season.
WEST COAST LINKS LAMBEAU WITH NEW DALLAS TEAM
JAN 21 (Santa Monica, CA) - Curly Lambeau, former coach of the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cardinals, will take over as coach of the new Dallas Rangers football team, according to a report here. Lambeau, it is said, is a close friend of Giles Miller, the Dallas textile tycoon who purchased the New York Yank franchise, and formal announcement of Curly's association with the Texas organization will come within the next two weeks. Confirmation or denial of the story was not available from Lambeau last night. He was reported out at both his Malibu Beach home and his Ventura ranch. It's a known fact, however, that Lambeau has been in contact for weeks with Texas interests in regards to the Yankee franchise. "I haven't any comment to make on that matter. It might hurt whatever groundwork that has been paved," he said recently.
DATES, FOES SET FOR PACKERS' SIX HOME GAMES
FEB 12 (Green Bay) - The Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Texans - in that order. Those are the Packers' home opponents for the 1952 NFL season, as announced today by Packer officials. The decision as to which games are to be played in Green Bay or Milwaukee is being temporarily delayed pending the outcome of the arrangements for playing in Milwaukee's new stadium, Jug Earp, Packer publicity chief, revealed. The home slate calls for one game in September, three in October and two in November. The Bays will play two non-conference games in Wisconsin - one if Green Bay and the other in Milwaukee. Both games likely will be in August and the Milwaukee opponent will be the New York Giants. The foe for the non- looper here hasn't been announced yet. The home league card brings in four National conference opponents - Bears, the world's championship Rams, Lions and Dallas - and two American loop foes - Redskins and Eagles. Green Bay was unable to announce their road opponents at this time due to a league ruling but their away-from-home league contests unfolded today in announcements of the home battle by other clubs. Thus, the Packers will play five of their first six games at home, the lone road tilt being at Dallas, and five of their last six battles away, the lone exception being the Dallas game on Wisconsin turf. Like last fall, the Packers will play only one game with San Francisco of the National conference. They'll meet the other NC foes - the Bears, Texans (formerly the New York Yanks), Rams and Lions - in home-and-home events. In the the Redskins and Giants, the Packers will draw two "new" AC foes. A year ago, the Packers played two games with Pittsburgh and one with the Eagles. This year, Pittsburgh, the Chicago Cardinals and Cleveland Browns are the only clubs not on the Bays' league card. The Packers' game in Dallas will climax the annual week-long Texas state fair there. In fact, the Cotton bowl, where the Texans will play their home games, is located in the fairground in Dallas...PACKER PICKINGS: Tito Carinci, the Bays' outstanding linebacker from Xavier, was honored between halves of a recent Xavier-Miami, O., basketball game, receiving an award for being selected as an all-Catholic All-America football player. His performance for the unbeaten Xavier eleven is rated tops for his position in the country...After a week's vacation, Packer head coach Gene Ronzani is back at his desk busy with player negotiations. Working full time in the Packers' Green room, below the office at 349 South Washington street, are assistant coach Ray McLean and Tarz Taylor...Rice's Bill Howton, the Packers' No. 2 draft choice, has red hair. And, they say, he looks skinny and sickly in a football uniform - until the game starts, that is...Hope Texas end Bill Wilson isn't superstitious. He was the 13th player drafted by the Packers. No. 13 drafted in the recent league picking was Bob Carey, end of Michigan State - by the Rams.
PACKERS FACE CLEVELAND BROWNS IN NON-LOOP TILT HERE AUG. 23
FEB 12 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers possessed the non-conference treat of the 1952 NFL warmup season today - a battle between the famed Cleveland Browns and the historic Packers at City stadium Saturday night, August 23. While the engagement with the fantastic Browns became a reality with signing of game contracts, the worn-out, annual questions of moving the Chicago Bear game to Milwaukee and the number of contests to played there came up for discussion among our town's hot grid fans. The Packer-Brown game loomed as a natural replacement for the Packer-Chicago Cardinal non-looper, which lost its color when Curly Lambeau, the Packer founder and former head coach, resigned as Cardinal chieftain last December. The Packers and Lambeau battled for two straight years, with Coach Gene Ronzani's Green Bays winning both games by the same scores, 17 to 14. The Browns, in this third annual non-league proposition, present a much more serious and difficult problem for these reasons:...SPORT .904 WON-LOST MARK: The Browns, coached by the meticulous Paul Brown, will enter next August's classic with an almost unbelievable .904 won-lost percentage in professional football. In four years in the All-America conference and two in the National league, Brown's operatives cornered a total of 75 victories against only eight losses and three ties. Four of the setbacks were administered in National league competition - two by the New York Giants in regular season play in 1950, one by San Francisco at the start of the 1951 card and one by the Los Angeles Rams, 24-17, in the NFL championship game last December. Otto Graham and company won the title in all four years of the AAC and won the crown in their first year in the NFL, beating Los Angeles, 30-28. It will be the Browns' first appearance in Green Bay, although the two clubs played before - in a non-league in Toledo in 1950. That game, incidentally, was the Browns' first game versus a NFL foe and Cleveland churned out a 38-7 win after the Packers had taken a 7-0 lead. That should take care of the aforementioned "reasons", and others can be explored as the game approaches...ATTENDANCE DROPS OFF: The Milwaukee situation presents an interesting sidelight for the "hot stove" portion of the season. From this corner, it seems likely (1) that the Packers will play three league games in Milwaukee and (2) that the Packer-Bear game will remain in City stadium. Reasons for playing three loop games in Milwaukee (four were played here and two there in 1950 and 1951) are twofold. First, the attendance for four league games at City stadium dropped below expectations. -especially last fall - and, second, chances of larger gates in Milwaukee are much greater what with the erection of the new county stadium there. The stadium, which will open in time to permit the Packers and New York Giants to play a
attorney, long-time Democratic leader, and pioneer Packer fan, died early Sunday morning in a Green Bay hospital. He was 62. He had been taken to the hospital last Tuesday with influenza. A heart condition developed complications, and death had been expected almost hourly since Friday afternoon. The body is at the Schauer and Schumacher funeral home, where the rosary will be recited at 7:30 this evening and Tuesday evening. Funeral services will be held at 10 o’clock Wednesday morning in the Church of the Annunciation, with the Rev. W.A. Kiernan in charge. Burial will be in Allouez…PALLBEARERS NAMED: Pallbearers will be four of his law firm associates – Lloyd Warne, Melvin Dewane, William Duffy and George Palnosek – George Lemerond, a closer personal friend, and Dan Hoan, former Milwaukee mayor and a long-time associate in Democratic affairs. Honorary pallbearers will be George W. Calhoun and Lloyd Brueckner, and attorneys Ray Evrard, Fred Trowbridge, John McHale and John Duffy. The Elks will hold memorial services in the funeral home at 8 o’clock this evening. Mr. Clifford was born June 19, 1889, at Chilton, son of the late Jerry M. Clifford, veteran Milwaukee road employee, and division superintendent here shortly after World War I. While a boy, he moved with his family to Iron Mountain, where the senior Clifford was mayor. Later, the father became agent at the Milwaukee Road ore docks in Escanaba, a post he held for many years. Gerald graduated from Escanaba High school, and then attended the University of Michigan. During vacations, he worked on lake steamers, and often boasted that he was a fine ship’s cook. He also worked his way to Europe on a tramp steamer, and took a hiking trip through several countries, even spending some time with a gypsy band in Hungary…GRADUATED IN 1912: After his graduation from Ann Arbor in 1912, he became associated with the Martin law firm here, and had been with it ever since. At the time of his death, he was the senior partner, although the name of the late John F. Martin is retained in the firm’s title of Martin, Clifford, Warne, Duffy and DeWane. He was an admirer and a student of the late “Pat” Martin and followed him as a brilliant trial lawyer. During prohibition, he attained a wide reputation as defense counsel in liquor cases, and secured a high percentage of acquittals. His study of the law on illegal search and seizure probably was more exhaustive than that of any other attorney in this area. He also had appeared in many other prominent cases. His rapid comprehension of the angles, his fierce cross examination, and his quick wit, which could be devastating either in argument or political address, were well known. For a time, he served as assistant attorney general of Wisconsin after the state’s anti-trust division was formed. He also was named special prosecutor in a corrupt practices investigation in Forest County several years ago…WAS LONGTIME DEMOCRAT: Politically, he always was a Democrat, and was prominent in the Wisconsin activities of that party, although he never held office himself. He ran for district attorney of Brown country soon after beginning practice, and ran for Congress in 1938, but was defeated both times. He was proposed for United States district court judge in Milwaukee, after Judge F. Ryan Duffy was promoted to the circuit court of appeals two years ago. He received the endorsement of the bar association, and was regarded as a probably appointee. However, shortly before the appointment was to have been made, he became seriously ill, and it is believed this may have defeated him. An enthusiastic supporter of the Packers, he served as vice-president of the Packer corporation for one year, and was its attorney and member of its executive board for many years. With A.B. Turnbull, Lee Joannes, G.W. Calhoun and the late Dr. W.W. Kelly, he was a member of the early committee, irreverently called “The Hungry Five”, because of their persistence in soliciting donations for support of the struggling team. For many years, he was an enthusiastic hunter and fisherman, but more recently had turned his attention to gardening at his Little Suamico cottage, and many of his vegetables were unique in this vicinity. A friend at the University of Wisconsin would send him seeds of special new varieties, and he would take great pride in them.
FORTE OUT IN APRIL; MAY PLAY WITH PACK IN '52
FEB 26 (Green Bay) - FEB 26 (Green Bay) – Lt. Bob Forte of Camp Drake, Japan, may play football next fall with the Packers as a civilian. The fierce-hitting outside linebacker, a veteran of World War II and five years with the Packers in the NFL, wrote Coach Gene Ronzani today: “The Army has shortened my hitch to 17 months – they are sending people in my category back to the states 90 days prior to their expiration date so I’m leaving Japan next month (March) – Will be out of the Army in April.” Forte, 29, was one of four reasons why the Packers were the hardest-hit-by-Uncle-Sam club in the NFL last fall, the others being middle linebacker Clayton Tonnermaker, guard Len Szafaryn and halfback Larry Coutre. Loss of Forte and Tonnemaker removed two-thirds of the Bays’ linebacking power, while Coutre’s departure reduced the Packers’ backfield speed. Szafaryn was one of the most promising guards in the circuit. Forte, who received orders for active duty while the Packers were at Bear Mountain, training for the Yank game in 1950, wrote that he was anxious to get back “to my family – particularly my new son, who was born Dec. 19.”…STUMBLED IN FRONT OF PASS”: Actually, Forte didn’t miss a year of football competition. He arrived in Japan Nov. 14, was assigned Nov. 16, and worked out with a service eleven a couple of days later. He played 50 minutes the day after his first workout and managed to “stumble in front of a pass” and run for 60 yards and a TD. The Camp Drake club went through the conference season undefeated and finished off with a victory in the Cherry bowl on New Years’ day in Yokohama. Forte was chosen on the all-conference team. Forte said that Tonnemaker “came through Camp Drake about two weeks ago (Feb. 1) and is stationed at the hospital at Camp Oneiya; I’m going up to visit him.” Forte, who saw a couple of the Packers’ game last fall just before shipping out,
a lot rougher and tougher than college ball,” Parilli volunteered. The Kentucky ace, the country’s leading quarterback in 1950 and 1951, spent a lot of time gassing with Jay Rhodemyre, himself a former Kentucky All-American. In fact, Parilli came to Kentucky when Jay was just closing out his career and the two had a lot in common. Rhodemyre, out of pro football in 1950 after playing here in 1948 and 1949, saw Parilli in all of his home games in 1950 – the year he hurled 23 touchdown passes. “Babe can really do tricks with that ball,” Rhodemyre said, “and I’m sure he’ll be fooling a lot of opponents in pro ball.” Besides being a talented passer, Parilli is noted for his faking ability and ball handling. Parilli was impressed with the hospitality shown by “these fine Green Bay people.” A modest chap, Parilli admitted that “it’s hard to remember all those names but maybe I can repay all of them in the future some time.” The Rochester, Pa., Italian closed out a big weekend here. Only Thursday he received a new Pontiac car from appreciative fans in Kentucky and Saturday he signed his first pro contract. “People down there just got together and chipped in enough money to buy the car. It was the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me,” Parilli said. Parilli’s signing by the Packers stilled a lot of fans and “agencies” who thought the Babe was ticketed for Canada and a statement during the informal speaking program of “going out and get the players.” Lee Joannes, chairman of the Packer board of directors, remarked that “the Packers will not lose a draft choice except to Uncle Sam; the bearded man still has first pick of any of our boys.” Ronzani told the gathering that “Parilli will be an asset to our town and team; he’s a fine boy.” Bill Servotte, new secretary-treasurer of the Packers, served as an informal toastmaster and introduced a number of people. Red Smith, general manager of the Milwaukee Brewers and a former Packer lineman and assistant coach, said that “Coach Ronzani made an excellent choice in picking Parilli.” Len J. Reis, president of the Bluejay baseball team, brought the house down, so to speak, with: “I just want to remind you that the baseball season opens May 1.” Among the guests from out of town besides Smith were C.E. Kohlhepp, president of the Wisconsin Public Service corporation, and Frank V. Birch, two of the new Packer directors from Milwaukee; and Verne Mullen, a representative of Fred Miller of Milwaukee. Among others were Mayor Dominic Olejniczak; Dr. G.J. Mortell, president of the board of education; Packer directors; officers of the Packer Alumni association, headed by prexy Charley Brock; Frosty Ferzacca, Phil Seghi, Al Reed, Tom Hearden, Russ Leddy – to mention a few. Parilli was driven back to Chicago by assistant coach Chuck Drulis. He left early Sunday for Lexington by plane.
PACKERS FIFTH IN PASS INTERCEPTIONS; RAMS 11TH
FEB 19 (Green Bay) - The Packers finished fifth in the 12-club NFL in the matter of interceptions. The world champion Los Angeles Rams were 11th and the runner-up Cleveland Browns sixth. That doesn’t seem to make sense but that’s the way at least three of the clubs lined up in the league’s annual interception race. The Pittsburgh Steelers won the “title” with an interception percentage of 11.28 on 30 thefts out of 266 opportunities. The defense-minded New York Giants ranked second with 10.88 on 41 interceptions out of 377 chances. The Chicago Cardinals were third with 10.19 and the San Francisco Forty Niners percented to the tune of 9.35. The Packers, coming in fifth, compiled a percentage of 7.03, nabbing 22 enemy throws out of 313 attempts. The Browns averaged 6.67 on 22 out of 330. Other percentages: Philadelphia, 6.27; Chicago Bears, 6.23; New York Yanks, 6.20; Washington, 6.10; Los Angeles, 5.78; and Detroit, 4.01. Detroit’s dip to the bottom was led by Don Doll, the league’s No. 1 interceptor in 1950, who ranked down with the tackles and guards last fall, snaring only one enemy pitch. Ardent Lion fans say that if Doll had intercepted at least five passes the Detroits would have won the championship. Earl (Jug) Girard, Ace Loomis, Harper Davis and Rebel Steiner captured 16 of the Packers’ 22 interceptions. Girard led with five for 25 yards returned, while Loomis and Davis each grabbed four, and Steiner three. Loomis lugged his catches back 104 yards, while Davis moved back 37 yards and Steiner four. Bob Summerhays and Rip Collins each intercepted two. Summerhays returned his catches 112 yards, tops on the club, one going for a TD against the Eagles here. Collins returned his catches no yards. In the one section were tackle Howie Ruetz, who batted up and caught a Johnny Lujack pass in the Bear game here, and Dom Moselle. Otto Schnellbacker of the New York Giants made off with individual honors, snaring 11 for 194 yards and two touchdowns. Howie Hartley of Pittsburgh ranked second with 10. A total of 104 players intercepted one or more passes last fall – or about one out of every four athletes in the league. The circuit came in with 288 interceptions and returned them 3,719 yards and a dozen touchdowns. By comparison, the league intercepted 343 passes in 1950 and returned them for 4,702 yards and 24 touchdowns – twice as many as in ’51. Actually, there was less passing in 1951 than in ’50. League clubs had 4,307 opportunities (passes) to intercept passes in 1950 but only 3,881 in ’51 – a dropoff of 526. This despite the fact that most of the clubs followed the Packers and went into passing spreads!
MANN 4TH IN PASS CATCHING; HIRSCH CHAMP
FEB 21 (Green Bay) - The Packers grabbed off fourth, seventh and 11th places in the NFL’s annual pass receiving standings, according to official figures released today by the league. Bob Mann, the Negro end from Detroit who was playing his first full season as a Packer, ranked fourth behind Elroy Hirsch of Los Angeles, the league champions, Gordy Soltau of San Francisco and Elmer Polsfoot of the Chicago Cardinals. Mann caught 50 for 696 yards and eight touchdowns. He missed one fullback, at Detroit, because of injuries, and parts of other contests for the same reason. Ray Pelfrey, the Packers’ rookie end-halfback, finished seventh with 38 catches for 462 yards and five TDs. His finish rates him as the top pass catching rookie for 1951. Carleton Elliott finished 11th with 35 catches for 317 yards and five touchdowns. Fred Cone, rookie fullback, and veteran halfback Tony Canadeo were the only other Packers to catch 20 or more passes. Cone received 28 and Canadeo 22. A total of 18 Packers caught one or more passes. Hirsch, in supplanting his teammate, Tom Fears, as the best pro pass catcher, caught 66 aerials for a total gain of 1,495 yards, an average of 22.7 per catch. He scored 17 touchdowns – a league high for 1951. He was tied for sixth place in the pass receiving department in 1950. Hirsch’s total yardage gain was a new league record, erasing the one made by Green Bay’s Don Hutson in 1942 of 1,211 yards. The Ram end gained over 100 yards in nine of the 12 games he played. His best effort of the season was on Armistice day when he grabbed six passes for 195 yards against the Chicago Cardinals while his 91 yard touchdown against the Chicago Bears was the longest scoring gallop with a pass last season. Hirsch’s great receiving, along with the Rams’ one-two passing punch of Bob Waterfield and Norman Van Brocklin, helped LA win the NFL title in 1951. Gordon Soltau of San Francisco ranked second to Hirsch, with 59 receptions for 826 yards, an average of 14 yards and good for seven touchdowns. Francis Polsfoot of the Cardinals wound up third with 57 catches, 796 yards, a 14-yard average and four touchdowns.
wrote Ronzani that “I think you had a good club but the team just wasn’t deep enough as far as I could see it.” Bob commented that “Babe Parilli should help a lot.”…Packer draftees are getting a new and early look at Green Bay via and a TD. The Camp Drake club went through the conference season undefeated and finished off with a victory in the Cherry bowl on New Years’ day in Yokohama. Forte was chosen on the all-conference team. Forte said that Tonnemaker “came through Camp Drake about two weeks ago (Feb. 1) and is stationed at the hospital at Camp Oneiya; I’m going up to visit him.” Forte, who saw a couple of the Packers’ game last fall just before shipping out, wrote Ronzani that “I think you had a good club but the team just wasn’t deep enough as far as I could see it.” Bob commented that “Babe Parilli should help a lot.”…Packer draftees are getting a new and early look at Green Bay via letters and brochures on the city sent out by the sports committee (Minute Men) of the Association of Commerce, of which Jerry Atkinson is chairman. Each draftee receives a letter from the committee and three brochures on “Industrial Green Bay”, “Green Bay American Heritage” and “What’s Green Bay Like”. Here’s the interesting letter signed by Atkinson: “We are pleased to see your name among those of the boys chosen by Coach Gene Ronzani at the recent college draft meeting of the NFL. On Draft Day in Green Bay, it is like presidential election time and the draft news is the news of the day, with ears tuned to the radio awaiting the next choice. We thought you might like to see the enclosed brochures, which will give you a good idea of the most unique city in professional football. Best wishes.”…Officials statistics on punting for the 1951 NFL season show Jug Girard of the Packers finishing sixth with his 40.4 average on 52 kicks. Four other Packers kicked one or more times. Quarterback Tobin Rote tried it once and got off a 55-yarder. Fred Cone’s one boot went 47 yards and Rip Collins’ two averaged 40.5 Ray Pelfrey kicked five times for an average of 44 yards. The Packers finished fifth in the league in punting with an average of 41 yards on 61 kicks. Cleveland was tops with 45.5. Horace Gillom of the Browns turned in the best average, 45.5, in 73 boots. Frankie Albert of San Francisco was second with 44.3.
GERALD F. CLIFFORD
FEB 26 (Green Bay) - Gerald F. Clifford, who died at 62 years of age Sunday morning, will be missed by the community in general and, in particular, by those groups with which he was closely associated for many years. He was a colorful figure and a genial person in his ordinary day to day contacts. But he was a hard, two-fisted fighter in court, in business and in committee when the occasions or the opposition called for it. He asked odds of no man and he was capable of unusual singleness of purpose and dogged concentrated effort when necessary to win for his cause. These qualities, with a keen mind and a ready with, made for success in law and politics. He became well known throughout the state for his work in the Democratic party, and this was his principal avocation, although he found time to five a hand to community undertakings. His chief effort in this direction was with the Green Bay Packers. For quiet relaxation, he enjoyed cooking and gardening. With these diverse interests, it is no wonder Jerry Clifford enjoyed life and living so long as he retained his health.
YOUNG LEADS NFL ON PUNT RETURNS; DOM MOSELLE 11TH
FEB 28 (Green Bay) - Buddy Young, swift-footed halfback of the now defunct New York Yanks, nosed out Jack Christiansen of the Detroit Lions for the punt return championship of the NFL. In official statistics announced today, Young was listed at the top of the heap with an average of 19.3 yards per return on 12 tries. Christiansen’s second best effort was a 19.1 average of 18 tries. Dom Moselle of the Packers finished 11th with nine returns for 80 yards and an average of 8.9. Billy Grimes was 20th with 16 returns for 100 yards and an average of 6.3. The Packers’ team punt return, on the strength of Grimes’ runbacks, finished 11th in the league this year. The Packers returned only 29 punts last fall, calling for a number of fair catches. The New York Giants had the most return, 48. Detroit led the league with an average return of 15.1 yards. Green Bay’s return average was 6.4.
PACKERS, REDSKINS PLAY NON-LEAGUE GAME IN KC
MAR 3 (Green Bay) - The Packers and Washington Redskins, long-time non-conference opponents, try Missouri for size this year. The two clubs will show ‘em in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday afternoon, Sept. 14, in the KC Blues’ baseball orchard in a non-count contest designed to sharpen both clubs for their NFL openers two weeks later. Green Bay and Washington will have played in four different states in five seasons come next Sept. 14. Back in ’48, the Packers walloped George Marshall’s Wet Washers, 43-0, in Birmingham, Ala., and a year later the Skins turned the tables, 35-24, in Milwaukee, Wis. The two didn’t go in ’50, but they got together in ’51 – this time in Alexandria, Va., with the Pack copping, 14-7. The Redskin mix is the Packers’ third non-looper announced thus far. The others are the New York Giants in Milwauke’s new stadium Aug.16, and the powerful Cleveland Browns in Green Bay Aug. 23. Both Wisconsin-soil affairs will be played on Saturday night. Packer head coach Gene Ronzani is busy working out plans for two or three more non-conference games. One likely will be played in Minneapolis. The Packers and San Francisco Forty Niners played there a year ago…The official figures on scoring were released by the National league over the weekend, showing the Packers finishing in a sixth place tie with the New York Giants in the 12-club circuit with 254 points apiece. Frisco was fifth with 255 points. The Packers compiled their point total on 35 touchdowns, 29 extra points and five field goals. They scored nine touchdowns by rushing, lowest in the league, but made 26 by passing – second highest in the circuit. Los Angeles led the league in touchdowns passing, 29, and scored the most points, 392. The Rams ripped off 51 touchdowns. Elroy Hirsch, the Rams’ great end who hails from Wausau, captured individual honors with 102 points while teammate Bob Waterfield finished second with 98. Hirsch scored 17 touchdowns – all on passes. Doak Walker of Detroit, last year’s scoring champ, finished third with 97. The Packers’ scoring was pretty well divided between rookie fullback Fred Cone and veteran end Bob Mann. Cone scored 50 points on one touchdown, 29 extra points and five field goals. Mann counted 48 markers on eight touchdowns – all on passing. Carleton Elliott and Ray Pelfrey each scored 30 points. The 12 clubs produced a total of 3,159 points – an average of 263.3 per…Halfback Bill Barrett, the Packers’ draft choice from Notre Dame, was denied admittance to the dining hall the first time he tried to report to the Fighting Irish training table a couple of years ago. One of the waiters told the diminutive halfback, “scram, this is for football players.” Barrett protested vigorously but had to get assistant coach and former Packer Bernie Crimmis (now coach at Indiana) to vouch for him before he was able to get his meal. Barrett stand 5-8, weighs 180 pounds and hails from Oak Park, Ill. As a sophomore he beat out Larry Coutre, who later became a Notre Dame and Packer star before going into service. As a soph in ’49, Barrett tied Emil Sitko for scoring honors, with 54 points apiece. He scored three times against North Carolina and twice against Southern Methodist to clinch the national championship. Barrett was sidelined most of ’50 with injuries but managed to average 6.1 yards. In 1951, Barrett, again plagued by injuries, scored five touchdowns and registered 210 yards.
'I DIDN'T SEE ANYBODY BETTER THAN PONT IN BIG TEN,' SAYS OS MENTOR
MAR 5 (Green Bay) - The P.S. on Woody Hayes’ letter to Tarz Taylor read: “I didn’t see anybody better than Johnny Pont in the Big Ten last fall.” Hayes is the Ohio State football coach; Taylor, the Packer line coach, is a long-time pal of Hayes, and Pont is the fierce little halfback from Miami, O., university drafted and signed by the Packers. That “PS” isn’t exactly news. Hayes surprised his Big Ten coaching cohorts by permitting the same Pont quote in a Chicago newspapers. Hayes had a fair halfback, himself, in Vic Janowicz. And who is this Pont? They wanted to know. Hayes was at Miami before moving to Ohio State in ’51 and knows all about Pont. Packer head coach Gene Ronzani sees a little bit of Larry Coutre, the ex-Notre Damer and Packer now in the Army, in the 167-pound Miami yardmaker. Pont, like Coutre, is an elusive runners, and both carry power despite lack of heft. Pont doesn’t have the straightaway speed of Larry, but the rookie might be a quicker starter. In three seasons at Miami, Pont ripped off a net of 2,457 yards in 355 trips for a gaudy 6.9 average. He returned 34 kickoffs for 888 yards for an average of 26 per and galloped back with 14 punts for 286 yards and an average of 20.4. Interesting to Ronzani is the fact that he caught 32 passes for 468 yards. Pont scored 29 touchdowns. He completed only four passes but three of them went for TDs. Pont, 24 and a veteran of two years in Uncle Sam’s submarine service, was a success right from the start of his college career, running 94 yards for a touchdown the first time he handled the ball for Miami in 1949. It was on the opening kickoff and led to Miami’s 23-6 victory over Wichita. Pont’s top game thrill came in the last five minutes of the game with the University of Dayton last fall. Dayton held a 20-0 lead when Pont passed for one TD off a sweep, set up another with a relay pass off a wide lateral, and scoring himself by running instead of relaying after receiving a lateral. Miami won, 21-10. After the ’51 season, Pont, the Packers’ 19th draft choice, became the first Miami player to have his number (42) retired. He was named the most valuable player and the most efficient offensive back.
PACKERS INTRODUCE UW TRIO AT MILWAUKEE FETE
MAR 8 (Green Bay) - The Packers continue their campaign to make new friends in Milwaukee, with a press, radio and special-guest buffet lunch at the Schroeder hotel this afternoon. Head coach Gene Ronzani, presiding at the unique program, introduced three extra special guests – John Coatta, Deral Teteak and Ed Withers, all University of Wisconsin football players, who were drafted by the Bays. The three stars, big guns in the Badgers’ powerhouse of 1951, were expected to sign their 1952 Packer contracts this afternoon, thus increasing Ronzani’s official roster to five athletes. The other two signatures in the vault belong to Babe Parilli, the All-American quarterback from Kentucky and the Packers’ first draft choice, and halfback Johnny Pont of Miami, O., university, the club’s 19th pick. With Coatta about in the fold, Ronzani was able to virtually close the book on quarterback plans for 1952, although veteran quarterback Tobin Rote won’t be sending in his contract, as per custom, for a month or two. Bob Thomason, Rote’s veteran mate of 1951, has returned to the Los Angeles Rams and has since been traded to the Philadelphia Eagles…BEAT OUT BOB PETRUSKA: Coatta broke into prominence midway in the 1950 season when he beat out Bob Petruska for the starting QB job at Wisconsin. The native of Dearborn, Mich., finished 15th among the nation’s passers last fall, completing 91 passes in 183 attempts for a percentage of 49.7. His aerials gained 1,172 yards and accounted for eight touchdowns. In ’50, Coatta completed 65 out of 108 passes for 727 yards and six TDs. He did all of Wisconsin extra point and field goal kicking last fall. The Wisconsin star, who stands 5-11 and packs 165 pounds, was named to the all-Big Ten first team last fall. He was the Packers’ 16th draft choice. Teteak hails from Oshkosh and is well known to area fans. Known as the Little Bull (he stands 5-9 and packs 185 pounds), Deral was an all-Fox Valley conference and all-state pick while at Oshkosh High in 1946. Teteak gained a great reputation at Wisconsin as a linebacker – a position he’ll try for with the Packers. He’ll be 23 next Dec. 11. Teteak was picked 9th in the college draft in January. Withers was selected a year ago for delivery in 1952. The Negro defensive back, who hails from Madison, is an Army veteran, married and the father of a son…MADE LOOK ALL-AMERICA: Withers spearheaded the Badgers’ “outfield” corps in 1950 and 1951. He was the hero of the Iowa game in ’50, intercepting three passes and retuning them for 103 yards, and capped the season by being selected on Look Magazine’s All-America defensive first team. At Madison Central High, Withers played defensive halfback and offensive fullback. He was rated all-city in both spots. Known as “Big Ed” and “Pop” by his teammates, Withers stands 5-11 and weighs 188 pounds. Wisconsin coach Ivy Williamson considers Withers one of the best defensive players in the Big Ten. A year ago, Don Kindt, the Chicago Bear back then studying at Wisconsin, saw Withers in an intra-squad game and commented, “he’s ready for the pros now.” Withers was one of two players drafted in 1950 for 1952 delivery. The other was Dick Afflis, the Nevada tackle, who joined the Bays last year after Nevada decided to cut out football for 1951 and possibly for the duration of the present war.
PACKERS SIGN THREE BADGERS IN MILWAUKEE
MAR 10 (Green Bay) - It was five down and about 25 to go today as head coach Gene Ronzani continued to whittle away at the Packers’ draft list. Three stars were sliced off the college talent roles in a wholesale signing ceremony at the Schroeder hotel in Milwaukee Saturday afternoon when three University of Wisconsin standouts agreed – on paper – to play with the Packers in ’52. The Badger draftees who will continue grid operations on Wisconsin soil are: Quarterback Johnny Coatta, the Big Ten’s No. 1 passer and signal caller. Defensive halfback Eddie Withers, rated an All-American in his position in 1950 and the key man in Wisconsin’s outfield corps, who was drafted in ’51 for ’52 delivery. Linebacker Deral Teteak, the vicious Little Bull who hails from nearby Oshkosh. These three increases to five the number of players already announced as signed by Ronzani. No. 1 on the list was the Packers’ No. 1 draft choice, quarterback Babe Parilli of the University of Kentucky. Ronzani is expected to reveal more signings in the near future and prospects at the moment are that the Packers will nail nearly all of their 1952 draft choices. Signing of Parilli and Coatta gave the Packers a twin victory over Canadian operators who expressed interest in both quarterbacks. The Canadian league scored its biggest beat last week by inking Johnny Bright, the fullback who had been drafted No. 1 by the Philadelphia Eagles…The three Badgers joined the Packer family by meeting nearly 100 Packer Backers attending the Milwaukee luncheon and party. It was similar to the reception held for Parilli in Green Bay last month. Fred Miller, president of the Miller Breweing company and one of the Packers’ major stockholders, served as master of ceremonies. He told the Backers that “we are here to show loyalty and enthusiasm toward the finest big league organization in the state – the Green Bay Packers.” Miller, executive, fan, onetime football captain at Notre Dame, and one of the leading sports enthusiasts in the country, stated that “Wisconsin owes a lot to Green Bay for this team; the Packers have made a wonderful comeback and with help from all of you they will surely reach the top.”…Don Hutson, the Packers’ immortal end who drove up from Racine with columnist Tex Reynolds, congratulated the new boys and told them “you are now members of the team with the finest tradition in the league.” Hutson congratulated Ronzani for his work with the club and “that draft list which is the best in the league.”…Ronzani reminded the Backers that “we’re not here to make a touch.” On the serious side, the coach opined that “we must get help from Milwaukee if the Packers are to survive.” He pointed out that the Packers must be a statewide team…Noting that the Packer schedule has been split between Green Bay and Milwaukee (four games will be played in each city), Milwaukee Sentinel Sports Editor Lloyd Larson commented that “we in Milwaukee like to feel that the Packers are our team, too.” He expressed the opinion that the league needs a team like the Packers. Packer directors down from Green Bay were H.J. Bero and Jerry Atkinson. Unable to attend because of business reasons was Lee Joannes, chairman of the Packer board of directors. Emil R. Fischer, Packer president, is in Florida…LUNCHEON NOTES: Wally Cruice, former Packer scout who eyes for the Chicago Cardinals during Curly Lambeau’s reign there, hasn’t line up any scouting work for next fall. He’s in the oil business in Milwaukee…The newest pro star to join the Miller Brewing company is Elroy Hirsch, the Los Angeles Rams’ star end. Hirsch and Hutson had some fun bantering about pass catching records. Elroy has already broken a couple of Don’s marks…Ronzani introduced Teteak as the “little Bull” and later presented Buckets Goldenberg as the “Big Bull”. Buckets, a Milwaukee restaurant man, gained all-pro honors with the Packers as a guard. Incidentally, Teteak is a dead ringer for Walt Schlinkman, former Packer fullback. From the rear you can’t tell ‘em apart. Unable to attend for various business reasons were C.E. Kohlhepp, Joe Krueger, Herb Mount and Frank Birch, new Packer directors from Milwaukee…Packer linebacker Carl Schuette came down from Sheboygan…Earl Gillespie, former WJPG sports director, got his first taste of football before leaving for a brief vacation and then a trip to Florida to cover the Milwaukee Brewers camp…Packer ticket director Carl Mraz and Bero contacted stadium officials in preparation for the printing of tickets. Also from Green Bay were Dick Bourguigon and John Stathas and Packers Jack Vainisi, Jug Earp, Tarz Taylor and Ray McLean – to mention a few. Coming over from Kaukauna was Packer Backer Art Mongin. Art Knutson, a Milwaukee filling station operator who formerly lived in Denmark, renewed his annual request for 50 season tickets to games in Milwaukee. “That’s a standing order for me every year – until my obituary appears in the Press-Gazette,” Knutson said.
PACKERS MOST IMPROVED: BEARS
MAR 11 (Green Bay) - The Bear News, owned, published, written and edited by George Halas, owner, coach, president, vice-president and general manager of the Chicago Bears, carried these paragraphs today: “The Green Bay Packers figure to be the most improved team in the NFL next fall. They have landed one of the greatest T-formation quarterbacks to come out of collegiate ranks in years – Babe Parilli, outstanding University of Kentucky All-America. Another new Packers is Bill Reichardt, (he isn’t signed yet), all-Big Ten ace from Iowa and winner of the Western conference most valuable player award. Green Bay also will have Tom Johnson, highly-rated Negro tackle from Michigan, as well as its standbys – Tobin Rote, Billy Grimes and Bob Mann.”…”BY GEORGE HALAS”: These flattering gems appeared under a story headed “Announce Complete 1952 Super Schedule of Exciting Games”. The Packers move into Wrigley field Nov. 9 for the second of two games with the Bears. The first will be battled in City stadium Sept. 28. The schedule piece wasn’t the “lead” story. The banner headline read “Meet the New Bears” and was accompanied by a story which carried the following byline: “By George Halas.” Uncle George penned some fancy phrases on his draft choices and used up considerable ink on one James Dooley, the Miami, Fla., university defensive halfback, who was the Bears’ No. 1 draft choice. Like the Packers, the Bears went for defensive stars in the recent draft in New York, picking defensers on the first nine rounds. The Packers, after grabbing Parilli first, followed with at least 10 defensive heroes. The Packers and Bears, it seems, picked look-alikes in Bill Howton of Rice and Dooley – as concerns ability. Both are defensive standouts and skilled pass receivers. Halas confesses (in his article) that Dooley was drafted for his defensive ability but Bear scouts also call him a “brilliant prospect as a pass receiver at end or halfback.” Howton, who was Packer head coach Gene Ronzani’s No. 2 draft choice, gained All-American honors as a defensive halfback. Yet, he terrorized college football foes with his frequent touchdown catches. Howton was the only pass catcher in all college football to average more than 20 yards per snatch last fall. Only one player did it in pro football – Elroy Hirsch, the Los Angeles Rams’ star. Howton and Dooley both compete in track. The Rice star runs the 100 and 220 and anchors the relay team. Dooley is a hurdler…PACKINGS: Packer quarterback Tobin Rote is assistant coaching in spring football at alma mater Rice. Tobin also is attending school, working on his degree. Rote plans to move his family to Green Bay for the ’52 season, including his wife and two youngsters. Suppose this could be called good news: The Cleveland Browns, who play the Packers at City stadium Aug. 23, lost veteran tackle Lou Rymkus, who recently signed as assistant coach under Bernie Crimmins at Indiana…Karl Kluckhohn, the Colgate pass catcher drafted by the Packers, is torn between pro football and baseball. Kluckhohn, the east’s leading receiver last fall, stands 6-2 and weighs 195 pounds – ideal for an end. His baseball showing this spring may be the deciding grid-or-diamond factor…The Packers are on the ball. Johnny Coatta, Deral Teteak and Ed Withers, the three University of Wisconsin star signed by the Bays over the weekend, are the first Badger athletes to be contacted by the pro clubs that drafted them. Two or three other UQ stars picked in the draft are awaiting contract offers. The Packers not only started negotiations with their draft choices but the selections already have a “look” at Green Bay via brochures sent out by the sports committee of the Association of Commerce.
FIVE NFL PASS RECEIVERS (IN FIRST 20) FACING SOPHOMORE JINX IN '52
MAR 18 (Green Bay) - This old town has five football pass receiving characters in its clutches for the Sophomore Jinx championship of 1952. The gent with the worst record next fall will be proclaimed winner and likely will be a candidate for mayor. All five participants are ends in the NFL – Ray Pelfrey and Carleton Elliott of the Green Bay Packers, Hank Minarik of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bob Walston of the Philadelphia Eagles and Dorne Dibble of the Detroit Lions. As freshman in 1951, this quintet ranked among the first 20 pass catchers in the league – pushing and in some cases beating out such standpoint veterans as Dante Lavelli of the Cleveland Browns, Leon Hart of Detroit, Mac Speedie of the Browns, Pete Pihos of Philadelphia, Tom Fear of the Los Angeles Rams – to mention a few. There’s an old hex in sports than an athlete’s second year is supposed to be his worst. Thus, the reason for the term Sophomore Jinx! Not all pro grid boys are confronted with the jinx. The league had two outstanding examples last year – Gordon Soltau of the San Francisco Forty Niners and Elmer Polsfoot of the Chicago Cardinals, who finished second and third, respectively behind league-topping pass receiver Elroy Hirsch of the Rams. The five pass snatchers last fall will be marked sophomores next year, for sure. Nobody expected them to shine in that department (except maybe their coaches) because all were in the “nobody” class before they stepped in the pro ranks…RONZANI’S “SECRET WEAPON”: Pelfrey, for example, played with little known Eastern Kentucky State; Elliott was cut loose from the active 1950 Packers before playing a league game so foes didn’t exactly fear him until he blossomed last fall in his first (freshman) campaign. Walston, Minarik and Dibble all were rated in the defensive end class in college – Bob at Georgia and Hank and Dorne at Michigan State. In fact, Lion coach Buddy Parker said last fall that Dibble had been drafted “because we needed defensive ends.” Minarik got his chance when Val Jasante, now a Packers, quit the Steelers because the Pittsburgh fans booed him. Pelfrey, who was described by Packer head coach Gene Ronzani before the 1951 league campaign as “my secret weapon”, led the five rookies, finishing seventh in the league with 38 catches for 462 yards and five TD passes. Minarik was 10th with 35 for 459 and one TD; Elliott 11th with 35 for 317 and five TDs; Walston 14th with 31 for 512 and eight TDs; and Dibble 17th with 30 for 613 and six TDs. Positions in the league race are based on the number of passes received. Pelfrey caught the most passes, 38, but Dibble gained the most yards, 613, and Walston scored the most TDs, eight. Dibble’s average of 20.4 was tops among the rookies…In other branches of Packer football execution, it can be noted that fullback Fred Cone will be facing the sophomore jinx. The Clemson Cid led Packers in fullbacking last fall, and finished 25th in the matter of pass catching. Cone might be the Packers’ big gun at FB next fall. Much depends on his 15-pounds-heavier teammate, Jack Cloud, who sweated through his sophomore season last year with a mess of injuries. Jack was off to a flying start but then his back started kicking up. And you can’t forget the promising Iowa crusher, Bill Reichardt. The sophomore jinx didn’t phase Packer quarterback Tobin Rote a bit last year. The tireless Texan with the big heart hurled 15 touchdown passes and rushed for 523 yards in 76 attempts in the Packers’ novel one-back formation. Rote’s 6.9 rushing mark was tops in the league.
in Chicago, Schmidt served 19 months with the Army in the Pacific. Farinella, a Mr. Five by Five at 215 and 5-10, is noted for his speed and blocking ability on offense. He won honorable mention on the Little All-America team last fall. A rugged type of player, Farinella earned four letters in football at Lewis after playing at Crane Tech in Chicago. Signing of the Lewis trio brings to nine the number of Packers announced as signed thus far.
PACKERS SET PRACTICE SITE; INK DAVE HANNER
MAR 28 (Green Bay) - There is a bit of “agriculture” involved in Packer news today. Mr. Joel David Hanner, Jr., the 10th Packer to sign a contract for the 1952 season, is a full-fledged farm boy. The Packers’ sixth draft choice, and the first tackle signed thus far, hailed from Parkin, Ark., which is a short piece from the University of Arkansas where Hanner, called Dave, played football. The other “ag” story deals with the decision to return to North Central School of Agriculture outside Grand Rapids, Minn., for training starting around July 27. The secluded school, surrounded by peaceful farm lands, is operated by the University of Minnesota. Packer head coach Gene Ronzani, revealing the signing of Hanner at the spring training meeting of the Women’s Quarterback Club at Washington Junior High last night, said that Hanner was recommended by Mike Michalske, the former Packer great who is now line coach at Baylor. Hanner is the first of the Big Two tackle draftees to register. The other is Tom Johnson, giant University of Michigan star, who was the Bays’ seventh choice. Actually, Hammer and Johnson were choices five and six since the Packers’ fourth selection went to the Cleveland Browns for payment on the Bob Gain deal which brought the Packers Dom Moselle, Ace Loomis, Chuck Schroll and Dan Orlich. Hanner, who will turn 22 next May 22, stands 6-2 and packs 245 pounds. A versatile athletes, the Arkansas crusher played right tackle on defense the first two years and then was switched to offense in ’51. Arkansas ran most of its plays behind Hanner last fall. Hanner was named on the first all-Southwest conference team in 1950-51. He co-captained the team last year. Signing of Hanner is the first step toward bolstering the Packer tackle position. Three of the Packers’ veterans are long-timers in point of service – Dick Wildung, Joe Spencer and Ed Ecker. Leon Manley is due back for his third season and Howie Ruetz his second…Ronzani said today that training benefits and economy advantages prompted the Packers to return to the Grand Rapids camp this season. Green Bay first trained at Grand Rapids last fall. The Packer coach feels that the boys can be kept together better during the all-important early weeks of training “at a camp of this sort.” A concentrated drill effort will be needed, Ronzani said, because of the early non-championship games. The first will be Aug. 16 when the Packers meet the New York Giants in Milwaukee and a week later (Aug. 23) the Packers will oppose the Cleveland Browns in Green Bay. Six days later (Aug. 29), the club meets the Pittsburgh Steelers in Latrobe, Pa. Several other non-championship battles are being arranged, including a possible intra-squad game in Minnesota prior to the Giant game.
PACK TO PLAY THREE 'GAMES' WITH LA; 7 DRAFTEES TO STARS
MAR 29 (Green Bay) - It won’t show up on the schedule, but the Packers seem to have three games with the Los Angeles Rams next fall. The “odd” could be the Rams’ battle with the College All Stars in Chicago Friday night, Aug. 15, and the Packers will contribute nearly a full team to the All Star lineup. The Windy City spectacle, sponsored by the Chicago Tribune, annually draws the first and second team selections in the newspapers’ annual players’ All-America. Seven of the Packers’ draft picks made the players’ units – four on the first team, and three on the second. On the first team are quarterback Babe Parilli of the University of Kentucky, end Bill Howton of Rice Institute, defensive halfback Bobby Dillon of Texas and tackle Tom Johnson of the University of Michigan…PARILLI IN KEY ROLE?: Three Packer draftees made the second club and also are automatic All Star picks – fullback Bill Reichardt of Iowa and linebackers Chuck Boerio of Illinois and Deral Teteak of Wisconsin. Other outstanding Packer draft choices who may get a bid are tackle Dave Hanner of the University of Arkansas and Karl Kluckhohn of Colgate, the east’s outstanding pass catcher last fall. Packer-Star possibilities also include quarterback Johnny Coatta of Wisconsin, halfback Bill Roffler of Washington State and defensive halfback Ed Withers of Wisconsin. Parilli likely will play a key role in the All Stars’ offense. The Star head coach will be Bobby Dodd of Georgia Tech, whose team took three consecutive beatings from Kentucky and Parilli in the last three seasons. Parilli will be competing for the Star job with Bill Wade of Vanderbilt, the Rams’ bonus choice, and Larry Isbell, the Washington Redskins’ No. 1 pick. While the All Stars will benefit from the largest group of Packer prospects in history, the Packers will be hurting for at least one non-championship game – the battle with the New York Giants in Milwaukee the night after the Star battle, Aug. 16…PRO BAPTISM AT STADIUM: As a result, Packers playing in the Star game will get their pro baptism at City stadium against the Cleveland Browns Aug. 23. The Packer-Stars likely will be handicapped somewhat for the first two or three non-loopers – especially Parilli, who must absorb all of the Packers’ intricate T-formation plays. Packer drills will start July 27 – about a week after the All Stars open workouts. Packer head coach Gene Ronzani is happy about one thing – “those boys should be in excellent physical condition by the time they report to us.” Incidentally, the two “real” games with the defending world championship Rams will be Oct. 12 in Milwaukee and Dec. 7 in Los Angeles…PRO HASH: Coach Ronzani closed out a busy week Friday with a trip to Iron Mountain, Mich., where he observed his 43rd birthday at the family home…Four players were announced as signed during the week and arrangements were completed for training at Grand Rapids, Minn., for the second straight year. Latest players to join up were fullback Bill Stratton, guard Joe Farinella and center George Schmidt of Lewis college and tackle Dave Hanner of Arkansas. The club will drill at GR for about three weeks starting around July 27 and returning in time for the New York Giant game in Milwaukee.
HABIT? PACKERS TO PLAY STEELS IN MINNEAPOLIS
MAR 31 (Green Bay) - Pro football gave baseball a run for its newsprint money over the weekend. While horsehide clubs sharpened their bats for the approaching season, eight major league pigskin teams figured in various player and game developments. Our Packers and Art Rooney's Pittsburgh Steelers announced another contest - which has been something of a habit in the last two years. The two squads will collide in a big charity non-championship event in Minneapolis Wednesday night, September 17 - their fifth meeting in two seasons. It will be the second battle this year between the Steelers and the Packers. They'll play in pro football's birthplace, Latrobe, Pa., August 29. This community is just outside Pittsburgh and about 30 miles from Rochester, Pa., which is Bay quarterback Babe Parilli's hometown. The Packers and Steelers fumed through three games in 1951, including two league tests. The opener was a non-looper which the Steelers won, 35-6, in Buffalo; the second game (a real league test) went to the Packers in Milwaukee, 35-33; and the nightcap looper in Pittsburgh went to the Steelers, 28-7...FIVE NON-LOOPERS: Since the Steelers always used the single and double wing formations, the consensus among the Packers was that dear old Pitt was responsible for handing out physical beatings regardless of the arrangement of figures on the scoreboard. For instance, the Packers had 17 players put out of commission in that 28-7 loss in Pit last fall. The beating ruined the Bays for the next two games. The Steelers likely won't use the single wing next fall since they'll be coached for the first time by a T-formation man - Joe Bach, a one-time pro player and coach who has succeeded single winger Johnny Michelosen. Johnny was a student of the late Jock Sutherland, Pittsburgh's original single wing man. The Packers now have a total of five non-championship games in the books, though one or two more games may be arranged. A game to help close the gap between August 29 and September 14 probably will be announced in the near future. The Packers launch league competition against the Chicago Bears here September 28 - 11 days after their nightcap with Pittsburgh.
The resting place of Gerald F. Clifford, one of "The Hungry Five" who played a key role in the early survival of the Packers, at Allouez Catholic Cemetery And Chapel Mausoleum, Green Bay.
BOB THOMASON VOICES THANKS BEFORE MOVING FAMILY SOUTH
APR 1 (Green Bay) – Green Bay and De Pere lost a southern gentleman and his family yesterday with the departure of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Thomason and their daughter, Jane, two months. The Thomasons are on their way to Mrs. Thomason’s mother’s home in Alabama where she will recuperate from complications resulting from the birth of Jane and an automobile accident during the past football season. Former Packer quarterback Thomason presently is on the other side of the fence – the Philadelphia Eagles, to be exact, but the likeable Virginia Military Institute grad left a host of friends behind in Green Bay and area. The sharp-shooting signal caller phoned this department not five minutes before leaving yesterday “to thank you call for how you’ve treated me in my stay here.” Bob also voiced the opinion that “the fans and Packer coaches have been wonderful and patient with me in my stay here.” Thomason, who turned 24 last Wednesday, said he “hoped the Packers the best of success except when we meet in Milwaukee.” The Packers oppose Thomason and his Philadelphia crew Nov. 2. Bob said he hasn’t signed his Eagle contract yet, “but I’ve been in contact with them.” Thomason holds the unique distinction of being with four different pro clubs in four years. He was the Los Angeles Rams’ No. 1 draft pick in January of 1949 and that fall sweated on the bench while Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin carried on. In 1950, the Rams paid him major league salary but sent him to the minor league Richmond for more seasoning. With Waterfield and Van Brocklin returning in 1951, the Rams and Packer head coach Gene Ronzani worked out one of the most unusual deals in pro history. Last summer, the Rams traded Thomason to the Packers for Green Bay’s first and second draft choices – IF the Packers decided to keep him after Dec. 31, 1951. While he had an excellent year here, Thomason, himself didn’t think he was worth two draft choices. Thus, Ronzani returned him to the Rams who turned around and traded Bob to the Eagles despite efforts by Ronzani to work out a “reasonable” deal with the Rams. A southern boy who dislikes wearing an overcoat – much less a storm coat – Thomason remained in our area over the long winter, working as an assistant in the city engineer’s office. He lived in De Pere. Bob may turn up as the Eagles’ No. 1 quarterback next year. The VMI star is a much sharper passer than Adrian Burk, the Eagles’ ace quarterback last fall. With a chance to “settle” with one team, Thomason could become even more effective as an Eagle. Funny thing, Bob worried last winner that the Pittsburgh Steelers were going to grab him. Thomason, ever since that 28-7 loss to the Steelers last fall, never liked Pittsburgh. Reminded that the Eagles will play the Steelers twice next fall, Thomason laughed, “Yea, but the Eagles got the number on Pittsburgh.” It should be interesting next Nov. 2, when the Packers line up against the Eagles. Will the Packers have Bob’s numbers?
PACKERS SET SQUAD BATTLE
APR 1 (Duluth) – The Green Bay Packers will play their second annual Fish Bowl intra-squad game here Aug. 8, Ollie Haugsrud, president of Minnesota Sports, Inc., announced here today. The contest will highlight the Packers’ training camp season. They’ll drive over from nearby Grand Rapids, Minn., where they will be training, for the contest. Nearly 5,000 persons sat through a light drizzle to watch the Packers play a squad thriller here last year, and Haugsrud hopes to have a larger crowd this season. The Packers will open camp at Grand Rapids about July 27 and leave in time for the first non-championship game against the New York Giants in Milwaukee Aug. 16.
THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE DALLAS TEXANS
In 1952, Dallas was given its first shot at a professional football team when the New York Yanks' owner, Ted Collins, decided to sell his franchise back to the league after years of losing money. The league quickly sold the franchise to Texas millionaire Giles Miller who relocated the team to Dallas, Texas. Miller believed that the football-crazy state of Texas was the perfect spot to place an NFL franchise. After all, every major college
in the state was packing their stadiums to the hilt with crazed football fanatics. So the Dallas Texans, not to be confused with the Dallas Texans of the '60s that later became the Kansas City Chiefs, moved into the 75,000 seat Cotton Bowl. Unfortunately for Miller the Texas football fans were content with their college football teams and few of them turned out for Sunday's games. Rarely did the Texans play before a crowd of more than 15,000. The lack of attendance caused cash flow problems for Miller and with five games remaining in the season the Texans were unable to meet their payroll. The Dallas Franchise was returned to the NFL, and the league took over operations for the rest of the season. The Texans didn't fare much better on the field than they did off the field. They were considered the joke of the league and they could manage just one win in 12 games. Riding a nine-game losing streak, the Dallas Texans matched up with the Chicago Bears in Akron, Ohio. After Miller lost the team, the final two home games were relocated, so the Bears and Texans agreed to meet in Akron. George Halas was so confident his Bears would beat the Texans, he put his entire second string in to start the game. Halas soon found his team down 20-2 and decided to put his first string in the game, but it was too late as the Texans held on for a 27-23 upset victory. On the season, the Texans averaged 15 points per game while surrendering 35. They finished last in the league in total yards and scoring, and they missed 7 of the 27 extra points they attempted. Amazingly they failed convert a single field goal attempt the entire year. When the season ended, half the players on the Texans' roster decided to give up pro football. Most of the players that were left went to the NFL's newest franchise, the Baltimore Colts.
Members living inside the 75-mile area pay the regular $5 fee. Brock said that "there are hundreds of former players in all parts of the country who would like to carry an Alumni card and we feel that with his new low fee many more will join." The club presently has a membership of about 75. A monthly Packer News letter will be sent out to all members. In other action, the association announced that the Men's Quarterback club, which is sponsored by the Alumni group, will keep the same dues for the 1952 season - $2 plus the 40 cents federal tax. The 1951 QB club had a membership of 1,460 and 12 meetings were held at Washington Junior High school, with the Packer corporation providing movies of the previous Sunday's game. At each meeting, Packer head coach Gene Ronzani reviewed the contest and answered questions. A committee, headed by John Biolo, was appointed to look into ways and means of assisting sports promotion and organizations in Green Bay. The association feels that it can be of service to sports in general in the city. During the 1951 season, the association sponsored two Packer sendoffs and cheerleaders for the last two Packer games at City stadium. Cheerleaders will be present for all Packer games in the future, the association revealed. The association, during the year, purchased trophies for the Helms award winners and will continue to do so for all future winners. The association will hold its annual Alumni part at the Beaumont hotel in February. The date will be announced later.
LAMBEAU CALLS PRO REPORT 'ASININE'
JAN 9 (Green Bay) - Regarding the Milwaukee Journal-Curly Lambeau-commissioner story yesterday, Arch Ward of the Chicago Tribune wrote today that "reports emanating from Milwaukee that Curly Lambeau is being groomed for the post of commissioner of professional football yesterday were termed 'asinine' by the one man who ought to know - Curly Lambeau." Incidentally, Bert Bell said last night that "I don't know anything about it (the Lambeau story); it's the first time I heard the story; sorry, I can't comment on something I don't known anything about."..Ray Pelfrey, the Packers' rookie end, is doing some assistant coaching at Murphy High in Mobile, Ala. And we hear that Rebel Steiner, the veteran Packer defensive back, is planning to get married in the near future. Rebel lives in Ensley, Ala.
MANN RECEIVES MENTION ON AP OFFENSIVE '11'
JAN 8 (New York) - Bob Mann, the Green Bay Packers' leading pass receiver, was given honorable mention on the offensive team in the annual all-pro selections made by the Associated Press. Mann, who finished fourth in pass catching with 50 snatches for 696 yards and eight TDs, joined ends Fran Polsfoot of the Chicago Cardinals, Dante Lavelli of the Cleveland Browns and Bob Walston of the Philadelphia Eagles in gaining honorable mention. The first team offensive ends were Elroy Hirsch, the Rams' great receiver who led the league in pass receiving, and Leon Hart of the Detroit Lions, who ranked eighth behind rookie Ray Pelfrey of the Packers.
LAMBEAU-COMMISSIONER STORY A 'PIPE DREAM'!
JAN 8 (Green Bay) - A Milwaukee newspaper column which claimed that Curly Lambeau is being groomed to become commissioner of the NFL was found today to be without fact. The article, written by R.G. Lynch in the Milwaukee Journal, stated in part that Lambeau "is reported headed for the office as assistant to commissioner Bert Bell to be groomed as an eventual successor." Lynch claimed that "the two 'strong men' of the league, George Halas of the Chicago Bears and George Marshall of the Washington Redskins, are said to be backing him." However, Halas told the Press-Gazette by telephone from Chicago today that "this is the first time I've heard of it." He called the story "erroneous". Commissioner Bell was tangled up in legal affairs this noon in Philadelphia and could not be reached for comment. However, a league spokesman called the column "a pipe dream". Lynch's story stated that "at the league playoff game in Los Angeles Lambeau was much in the company of league officials." The league spokesman said that "Lambeau was very kind to us, taking us to and from the stadium, but at no time did he mention anything in connection with league affairs." Incidentally, Bell is working on the government's case against the NFL on television rights, etc. Packer officials had "no comment" on the Lambeau column. Lambeau has been in the league for 33 years, the first 31 as head coach of the Packers and the past two in the same post with the Chicago Cardinals. The remainder of Lynch's remarks: "Bell has been a good commissioner, and the post is his as long as he can fill it, but Bert's health is poor and last season he was not able to get around the league as he should. He needs an assistant to take some of the work off his hands. Lambeau would make a good aide for Bell. He has the class for the job and an intimate knowledge of league problems, politics and personalities. The writer hears that the chief objection raised is that he might play favorites. Whoever thinks that does not know Lambeau. Once he got the commissioner's post and the power that goes with it, Curly would be an independent, fair and forceful league head, in the opinion of this observer."
RENAME BROCK PRESIDENT OF PACKER ALUMNI
JAN 8 (Green Bay) - Charley Brock, the Packers' all-time center, was reelected president of the Green Bay Packer Alumni association and plans for a "dollar" membership fee for far-away ex-Packers were discussed at a dinner meeting at the Beaumont hotel Monday. Also reelected were Al Rose, vice-president; Wuert Englemann, secretary-treasurer; Lyle Sturgeon, sergeant-at-arms; and Jug Earp, board member. Spike Spachman was added to the board of directors. The association cleared the deck for a national membership drive by voting a special $1-a-year fee for all former Packers living outside a 75-mile radius of Green Bay.
Harper Davis on offense," Gene said. Howton is 6-2, weighs 180 pounds. Both tackle are huge, Hanner stacking 240 pounds on a 6-2 frame while Johnson is 6-3, carried 245 pounds. Parilli is constructed along the lines of the Packers' Tobin Rote. He stands 6-2, weighs 188 pounds. Two of this group are draft-proof, since both Howton and Dillon are classified 4-F. Parilli, however, is eligible for service. He is in the ROTC. Hanner is in the naval reserve and Reichardt and Johnson have 2-A classifications (occupational deferments)...49ERS GET O'DONAHUE: No Wisconsin players were selected in the first four rounds, but Pat O'Donaghue, the Badgers' All-America defensive end, was chosen by the San Francisco Forty-Niners in the fifth round. The Los Angeles Rams won the special "Bonus" pick and chose quarterback Bill Wade of Vanderbilt. The Rams will probably get no immediate use from the star passer because he is committed to two years in the Navy. Los Angeles won the first choice of the nation's graduating college stars in a blind draw with six other clubs, which have had no bonus picks in the past. The clubs are San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Yanks, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Cardinals and Cleveland...The draft likely will go far into tonight and thus set the stage for some explosive business sessions Friday. The main Green Bay interest could involve the schedule. A year ago, the clubs agreed to disagree with such success that they finally threw the card problem at Commissioner Bert Bell and announced that his plan should be rotated on a four-year basis. However, George Halas, the Bear owner-coach, will present a round-robin idea in which every club would play single games with 10 of their foes and a home-and-home series with their traditional rival...VIRTUALLY NO CHANCE: This immediately brought up the question of the Bear-Packer doubleheader - the oldest rivalry in the history of the league. And the Bear-Cardinal intra-city twin bill, which series would Halas select - if he got his plan through? However, to prevent any undue alarm, it can be added that Halas has virtually no chance of bringing in a round robin. The Cleveland Brown owner, Mickey McBride, made it quite clear last year that "Halas is not going to chance the schedule made up last year in Chicago." According to McBride, any change would require a unanimous vote from the club. Cleveland's vote thus would be enough. The big fuss, of course, is the status of one Ted Collins, owner-loser of the New York Yanks. The commissioner cleared up some of the fog last night by revealing that Ted is now a member in good standing since he paid $20,000 guarantees to the Chicago Bears and San Francisco Forty Niners as well as league dues. Collins had "withheld" the guarantee money from the Bears and Forty Niners on games played in New York...COLLINS DEMANDS "EQUALITY": Collins was expected to demand more lucrative home dates than he had last year. "I'm going to demand what I'm entitled to," said Collins. "I'm going to demand equality with every other member club in the league in all ways. And that means that I want six Sunday dates at home after the baseball season is over." Collins, who pays the Giants $25,000 for the right to play six home games in New York, besides a $50,000 rental to the baseball Yanks for the use of the Yankee stadium, was able to play only four of his six home dates last year. The first two, because of the all-New York World Series, were switched to Los Angeles and Detroit. The Yanks drew only 31,879 in the four games. From this sparse attendance, they had to pay each of the visiting teams a $20,000 guarantee. Collins, through his attorney, revealed he had rejected a bid by an unidentified Dallas man to buy the Yanks and transfer it to Texas. The offer reportedly was for $250,000. He said he had every intention of retaining the Yanks' franchise. The grapevine reported possible fireworks on the Yank franchise this afternoon - at a special meeting to be held separate from the draft. It may involve moving the club out of New York but not to Texas...APPROVE NEW NUMBERS PLAN: Packer Coach Gene Ronzani voted in favor of kicking out the extra point, but the proposal was killed, 7-5, with Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cleveland and the New York Giants voted against it. Only the Bears, Giants and Pittsburgh were against the sudden death idea for all league games, thus killing it. The Bears objected because Wrigley field, their home park, doesn't have lights. The league voted, 11-1 (with Washington dissenting), to use a new system of numbering players. The centers will wear numbers in the 50s, guard 60s, tackles 70s, ends 80s, halfbacks 20s and 40s, fullbacks 30s and quarterbacks one to 20...SIDE STUFF: Curly Lambeau, former Packer coach whose name was linked to purchase of the Yank franchise, was due today. Nobody in these parts knows anything about the "pipe dream" rumor that Lambeau would be the commissioner's assistant...The Capital airliner carrying Ronzani and his party out here Tuesday night was grounded in Philadelphia due to bad weather and the Packer officials had to take a train into New York...The league moguls were shocked today when they learned that Bo McMillin, former Detroit and Philadelphia head coach, has been told he has cancer. But Vince McNally, Philly business manager, said "Bo kinda knew it." McMillin went to the hospital after the second league game last fall and Wayne Millner took his place. Yesterday, Millner was named head coach for 1952. Coach Earl (Red) Blaik may be the new head coach of the Yanks...Bell said attendance in the circuit last fall was better than in 1950, but "not as well distributed." "Several of the clubs had exceptionally good seasons," Bell announced at a press conference preceding the convention. "But others had poor ones." Bell said 73 games last fall drew 1,962,457 fans whereas 81 games in 1950 attracted 2,114,500. This included championship playoffs. The past season's average was 26,883 compared with 26,103 the year before. The champion Los Angeles Rams showed the biggest gain -- a total home attendance of 214,339 in 1951 compared with 110,162 in 1950. The Detroit Lions showed an increase of 79,636. Both Los Angeles and Detroit gained more new fans than the New York Yanks drew in their home games - 76,027. Two of the Yanks' home games were played away from home because of the conflict with the World Series. Bell said other substantial gains were recorded by the Chicago Bears, New York Giants, Cleveland and San Francisco. On the losing end were the Yanks, Chicago Cards, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington and the Packers. Bell declined to give a club breakdown on attendance. "This is the business of the individual club," he said.
FIVE ALL AMERICA STARS TOP PACKER DRAFT PICKS
JAN 18 (New York) - Five All-America stars, headed by quarterback Vito (Babe) Parilli of Kentucky, and four of the Big Ten's most valuable players, topped by fullback Bill Reichardt of Iowa, were among the 30 college football players selected by the Green Bay Packers in the NFL's 17th annual draft here Thursday and early today. Packer Head Coach Gene Ronzani backed up his No. 1 choice, the brilliant Parilli, who threw 19 touchdowns passes last fall, with these proven All-America aces - all chosen to bolster weak spots of 1951: End Bill Howton of Rice, the No. 2 choice, a flashy 6-foot-2, 185-pound pass catching end and defensive halfback who runs the century in under 10 seconds. Halfback Bobby Dillon of Texas, the No. 3 pick, a 6-1, 182-pound strictly-defensive article who specializes in pass interceptions...MICHIGAN NEGRO TACKLE: Tackle Tom Johnson of Michigan, the sixth choice, a powerful Negro 230-pounder with tremendous speed for his size. Center and linebacker Chuck Boerio of Illinois, carrying 200 pounds, who backboned the Illini's middle defense last fall. He was the 20th choice. Of the quintet of A-A stars, Howton and Dillon are 4-F's and virtually safe from the military draft. Parilli, Johnson and Boerio are members of ROTC and possibly could play one season before service. Reichardt was the first of the most valuable players of the Big Ten to be selected. The others are halfback Don Peterson, a driving 180-pounder from Michigan, the 16th choice; quarterback Johnny Coatta of Wisconsin, the 15th selection, and Boerio. Reichardt, who gained 737 yards in 178 rushes for an average of 4.14 behind a poor line last fall, was the Bays' seventh choice and their first fullback pick. Ronzani concentrated on athletes from larger school, with only three of his picks coming from so-called small institutions. His first "smallee" was 17th choice Howard Tisdale, a 250-pound tackle from Stephen F. Austin State college of Texas. Oddly enough, Tisdale was one of three boys picked from that tiny school, the others going to the Bears and Detroit...LEWIS COLLEGE FULLBACK: The other two Packer picks from the small schools were 29th choice Bill Stratton, a 210-pound fullback from Lewis college who was coached by Packer backfield mentor Ray McLean at Lewis two years ago, and 30th pick Jack Fulkerson of Mississippi Southern, a 230-pound tackle. Aiming at the future - 1953 for sure and possibly even next fall - Ronzani grabbed off four highly-prized juniors, three of whom are being boomed for All-America honors next fall. The A-A trio, picked on the 13th, 14th and 15th rounds, includes halfback Billy Hair of Clemson, a speed merchant; bruising tackle Jack Morgan of Michigan State, a 235-pounder; and Bobby Jack Floyd, the powerful all-Southwest conference fullback who stacks 205 pounds. The fourth future was Chuck Lapradd, a roughie tackle at 222 pounds from the University of Florida. These four will be eligible when their classes graduate next June but chances are they'll remain in school - though they'll be welcome if they want to try pro football next fall. In all, Ronzani bagged nine players from the tough Big Ten conference. Besides Coatta from Wisconsin, the Packers got Darrel Teteak, the tough-rabbit linebacker who hails from Oshkosh, on the ninth round. An assistant for veteran offensive center Jay Rhodemyre came in the person of Mel Becket of Indiana, a 220-pound all-Big Ten selection, who was picked on the eighth round. Becket, a service veteran, was the first center grabbed. The remaining Big Ten star was Frank Kapral, a 210-pound guard from Michigan State - the 23rd choice...HALF OF BACKS DEFENSIVE: The Packers, overall, came up with 13 backs, six tackles, four guards, four ends and three centers. Half the backs specialize as defensive outfielders while most of the centers and guards can be used as linebackers. Ronzani pointed the Bay draft at strengthening the club chiefly on defense – the general weak spot of last year. One of the prizes in the defensive line was Dave Hanner, a big shot tackle from Arkansas who packs 242 pounds. Another was John Schuetzner, a 220-pound defensive end and tackle from North Carolina who, incidentally, is a war veteran. I.D. Russell of Southern Methodist plays just about everything on defense – linebacker, middle guard or tackle. He weighs 220. Among the offensive stars besides Parilli, Howton and Reichardt are Bill Roffler, a darkhorse entry from Washington State, who packs 185 pounds as a halfback; Billy Burkhalter, a swift halfback from Rice; Karl Kluckhohn, a pass catcher from Colgate who stands 6-2; Herb Zimmerman, a good running guard from Texas Christian who carries 220 pounds; Art Kleinschmidt, an offensive guard from Tulane with 230 pounds; and Bill Barrett, 180, the Notre Dame back who beat out Larry Coutre as a sophomore. Roffler, incidentally, was the lad selected by the Bears for the Packers on the Ed Neal deal last fall. Both Howton and Burkhalter played with the Packers’ Tobin Rote as sophomores at Rice…PICKS UP SCAT BACK: In an effort to put in more speed, Ronzani took a chance on a scat back – five-foot-eight-inch, 170-pound Johnny Pont of Miami University in Ohio. Pont, a service veteran, has terrific takeoff speed to his right or left. Ronzani was disappointed at being unable to nab Pat O’Donoghue, the Wisconsin defensive star, and Pat Smithwick, the pass catching end from St. Norbert. O’Donoghue, figured to go about the seventh round, was nailed on the fifth by San Francisco. Ronzani, needing tackles, picked Hanner and Johnson on the fifth and sixth rounds. Smithwick, a possibility for the early-20 rounds, was picked up by Pittsburgh on the 17th. While the Packer contingent may have been disappointed here and there, Ronzani provided the big groans by selecting Howton. Every club in the league wanted him. All of the coaches seemed to be pleased with their picks, though each had a few “pets” that escaped. Ronzani expressed considerable enthusiasm over the Bay picks. “I’m sure we strengthened our defense a lot. Our defense was sixth in the league last year and with more help in the line from this draft besides some of the new backs, including Parilli, I’m sure we’ll be greatly improved,” Gene said before going to bed early today.
WHAT TO DO WITH YANKS NEXT PROBLEM FOR NFL
JAN 18 (New York) - Impressario Ted Collins, temperamental owner of the New York Yanks, hinted broadly today he may finally make good his oft-repeated threat to walk out of the NFL unless he gets better home playing dates. With the drafting of 360 college players out of the way, the first order of business was the airing of the grievances of the dapper television and radio producer and they give promise of producing a bigger show than any of his TV or radio programs. Now what are Collins’ grievances? “I simply want what any club owner in the league is entitled to,” Collins declared. “I want my share of playable home dates, the same as any other team.” “You can say this is it,” he continued. “I am going to get six home dates – or else. There are a lot of other people in this league who are behind me because they believe in fair play.” Asked whether his “or else” ultimatum meant he was prepared to sell the Yanks’ franchise if his demands were not met, Collins merely shrugged his shoulders and replied: “I’m doing pretty well in television.” The Yanks lost approximately $350,000 last year. They pay a $50,000 rental to the baseball Yankees for use of Yankee stadium, plus another $25,000 to the football Giants for permission to play in New York. Collins has an agreement with the Maras, Giant owners, to take six home games after the Giants have their pick of six. This is for the privilege of invading NFL territory owned by the Giants. Under this arrangement, the Yanks last year were given the first two weeks of the campaign – Oct. 1 and Oct. 7. Unfortunately for them, such a minor matter as a hot pennant race and a World Series took place then and the Yanks’ games had to be transferred to other cities. They also got the last four weeks of the season, ending Dec. 14. The weather was slightly unfavorable then. In the meantime, the Giants got the middle six Sundays – from Oct. 12 to Nov. 16. “Collins will get the same dates he got last season,” said Jack Mara quietly but firmly. “If he wants to play nights he may. But he can’t schedule a game later than Thursday prior to one of ours.” “We have to quit gambling against New York teams winning baseball pennants,” Collins said. “We have to extend the season. There are 40 weeks between Sept. 28 (opening of the football season) and April 15 (start of the baseball campaign). I just want six of them. I won’t take the first two weeks.” The Yanks last year drew some 30,000 fans to their four home games. They played the last game in freezing weather to a turnout in less than 6,000 spectators. They won only one of 12.
EAGLES GIVE RAMS FULLBACK, DRAFT CHOICE FOR THOMASON
JAN 18 (New York) – It wasn’t long ago that the Chicago Bears got all the luck. Everything they touched turned to gold. This conference is ready to pass the horseshoe charm over to the Los Angeles Rams, who ended up 1951 by backing into the National conference title, and then took all the marbles by wrecking Cleveland’s Browns. They made it two lucks in a row by winning the bonus choice here Thursday morning, naming quarterback Bill Wade of Vanderbilt. But the payoff came Thursday afternoon when they asked and received what they wanted for the services of Bob Thomason, the sharp-shooting quarterback who “broke in” with the Packers last fall. The announcement said that the Rams got veteran fullback Jack Myers and a “draft choice”. We’re here to tell you that that draft choice is the Eagles’ No. 1 pick a year hence. Myers will be used chiefly as a linebacker. The Packers, oddly enough, might have forced the Eagles into the Thomason deal. The Eagles had planned to nab either Wade or Babe Parilli, who was grabbed by Packer Head Coach Gene Ronzani right in front of the Eagles. Knowing that they could get Thomason, the Eagles went ahead and drafted Johnny Bright in the first round and then took tackles in their next three picks. Bright will be the first Negro ever to play for the Eagles. The Bears may have their first Negro in history on the field next fall – Ed Macon, College of Pacific back, their second choice. Ronzani hasn’t worked any trades yet but he’s constantly huddling with Paul Brown, coach of the Clevelanders. Maybe Gene is consoling bald Paul on the Bob Gain deal of last fall. It was revealed that the unpredictable Mr. Gain has signed up for at least two, and possibly four, years with Uncle Sam. All of which makes Ronzani’s No. 1 choice of a year ago, criticized in some circles, a right smart move. Last year in the draft in Chicago, Ronzani wanted fullback Leon Heath of Oklahoma in the worst way, but Washington took him ahead of the Packers. So Gene settled for Gain. Heath wound up as a third stringer while the Packers got out of the deal with the Browns for Gain. Two of the four ex-Browns, Dom Moselle and Ace Loomis, may see considerable offense next fall. “Two of our early choices, Howton and Dillon, are great defensive backs; maybe we can keep Dom and Ace on offense next year,” Ronzani commented. The Browns here said that Loomis had “definitely class” as an offensive back but “Paul just needed defensive backs and couldn’t give him much of a chance.” Incidentally, before the Rams slipped Thomason to the Eagles, Ram coach Joe Stydahar said that he’d let Green Bay keep Bobby for Billy Grimes and the first Packer choice next year. The Packers’ biggest sweat after the first round yesterday was one Bill Reichardt, the great Iowa fullback. After Parilli, Ronzani said, “We had to go for defensive strength first and then get that fullback.” He nabbed defensers on the second and third rounds, bolstered his tackles on the fifth and sixth (the fourth choice went to the Browns) and then tagged hard-hitting Reichardt to work with Jack Cloud and Fred Cone, who could possibly be shifted to a halfback spot next fall. Ronzani, whose one-back formation last year drew praise from around the country after coaches and writers saw it on the coast-to-coast TV of the Detroit game Thanksgiving day, says he hasn’t decided on which formation to use next fall. He winked at a couple of writers, “Maybe we’ll use the single wing.” Naturally, they couldn’t see Parilli in the single wing and you can bet Gene can’t either. Ronzani and his aides (Ray McLean, Dick Plasman and Jack Vainisi) were in the conference room one hour and a half before the draft session started Thursday morning, arriving there at 8:30 to make sure they got a table near a wall. A good location prevents over-the-shoulder peeking and cuts down on big ears. Curly Lambeau, former Packers and Cardinal coach, apparently will miss his first annual meeting in the history of the circuit. Reportedly tied up with the purchase of the Yanks, Lambeau wasn’t around Wednesday or Thursday and veteran observers feel that he may not attend at all. One New York writer put it this way, “Curly is conspicuous by his absence.”
PACKERS PICK PARILLI AS 1ST CHOICE
JAN 17 (New York) - The Green Bay Packers selected Vito (Babe) Parilli, outstanding quarterback-passer from the University of Kentucky, as their first choice in the NFL draft at the league's annual convention here today. Head Coach Gene Ronzani's second choice was Bill Howton, mercurial end from Rice Institute, who also doubles as a defensive back, and the No. 3 pick was Bobby Dillon, defensive halfback from the University of Texas. Their fourth choice had already been promised to the Cleveland Browns as the result of the trade that brought Ace Loomis, Charley Schroll, Dom Moselle and Dan Orlich to the Packers in September. He was Elmer Costa, North Carolina State defensive back. Dave Hanner, a topflight tackle from the University of Arkansas, was Ronzani's fifth choice. Another tackle, Tom Johnson of Michigan, was No. 6 and the 7th, selected just before the meeting recessed at noon, was Bill Reichardt, Iowa fullback. Parilli, who quarterbacked Coach Paul Bryant's Wildcats for the last three seasons, threw 19 touchdown passes during 1951 and ranked second in the nation on the basis of completions, hitting on 136 of 239 attempts for a 56.9 percentage. Only 12 of his tosses were intercepted. Blessed with tremendous speed (he runs the 100-yard dash in 9.8 seconds), Howton was selected on both the Collier's and Chicago Tribune's All-Americas. Reichardt, a 5-11, 205-pound line smasher, was one of the Big Ten's leading rushers..."STRENGTHENED CONSIDERABLY": Appraising his first seven picks, Ronzani said he felt that the Packers' defense will be "strengthened considerably" by the addition of Howton and Dillon, plus Hanner and Johnson. Since Dillon is exclusive a defensive halfback and Howton probably will be used primarily in the same position, "it will give me a chance to use Loomis and
WEATHER CLIPS PACKERS FOR $18,672 IN LOSSES IN '51
JAN 22 (Green Bay) - Stockholders of the Green Bay Packers would like to have a meeting with the weatherman to find out what happened last football season. The Packers suffered a loss of $18,672 last fall and just about 99 percent of the setback for the Packers home games - rain, sub-freezing temperatures and/or threatening skies. Emil R. Fischer, president of Green Bay Packers, Inc., addressing stockholders at their annual meeting at the courthouse last night, said that, "figuring conservatively, the weather last fall cost us from $40,000 to $50,000." The big weather bug shows up in revenue (ticket sales) obtained from home games. In 1950, the Packers pulled in $441,045 for their home tests (Green Bay and Milwaukee) compared to the $416,959 last fall - a dropoff of around $25,086. Revenue from out of town games showed a loss of only $504 ($162,855 in 1951 compared to $161,359), but this could have been increased considerably by a weather break for the Bear game in Chicago and the Lion game in Detroit. It was 18 above in Chicago and it rained all morning of the Thanksgiving day feature in Detroit...DEC. 2 DATE BEST: The Packers had virtually no luck with the weather at home. In fact, that Dec. 2 date which everybody thought would be the worst from a temperature standpoint turned out to be the best, but apparently most fans had made up their minds in advance not to take a chance on the weather. The Cardinal non-league game attendance in August was damaged considerably by heavy rain until 6 o'clock in the evening. The Philadelphia game, which featured the unbeaten Eagles, was preceded by a morning full of rain. The Pittsburgh game in Milwaukee was played in a part-time driving rain that started to fall on the previous day. The Packers' best advance sale in Milwaukee - for the Los Angeles game - did not get any help because of bitter cold and threatening rain. And the crucial game with Detroit here was played in 18-degree temperatures, killing a sure sellout, as nearly 20,000 braved the wind and cold. The box score for the Packers' finances, which is published for the second consecutive season, shows total revenue of $613,560 against expenses of $632,233. This compares with revenues of $661,200 and expenses of $648,210 in 1950...SALARIES ABOUT SAME: Thus, the expenses in 1951 were reduced by $15,977 from 1950 but the revenue dipped a total of $47,640 last fall. Another factor in the lower revenue was the "loss" of a television cut in 1951. In 1950, the Packers and all other clubs received a slice of all profits
non-league game there in mid-August, is much more centrally located and will have better seating arrangements there than the outdated State Fair park which was built mainly for racing events. Seating capacity of the stadium will be around 36,000...HALAS EXERTS PRESSURE: Bear Coach-Owner George Halas has exerted constant pressure on the Packers to alternate the traditional classic between Green Bay and Milwaukee. However, Packer officials, admitting that it would mean considerably more money to the club, feel that the fans of Green Bay, who have supported the team for 33 years must have first consideration. Thus, it can be assumed, the game will remain in Green Bay.
PACKERS SIGN BABE PARILLI, NO. 1 DRAFT SELECTION
FEB 16 (Green Bay) - Vito (Babe) Parilli, the nation's No. 1 collegiate touchdown passer and the Packers' first draft choice, today became the first player to sign a Packer contract for the 1952 season. The incomparable University of Kentucky All-American quarterback and Packer head coach Gene Ronzani put the clincher on the inking with a smiling handshake in a unique ceremony at the Beaumont hotel this morning. The Kentucky Babe, everybody's All-America in 1950 and 1951, then was officially introduced to Packer officials and coaches, members of the press and radio and guests at a buffet luncheon this noon. Johnny Coatta and Deral Teteak, the University of Wisconsin stars drafted by the Packers; Tony Canadeo, Jay Rhodemyre, Ted Fritsch and Caril Schuette; and Bobby Thomason, the former Packer quarterback now with Philadelphia - to mention a few - were among the guests. Thus, at this first-time event, the initial step had been taken toward: (1) bulwarking the Packers at the vital quarterback position, which was cut to one man, Tobin Rote, with the return of Thomason to the Los Angeles Rams who traded him to the Eagles. (2) Providing the Packers a nationally-known "big name" All-American back - the first since Bruce Smith. (3) And putting the official quietus on reports that Parilli, like his former teammate, Bob Gain - the Packers' first draft choice a year ago - was headed for the Canadian league. Terms of Parilli's contract were not revealed - in accordance with Packer policy. The Kentucky ace was signed just one day short of a month since he was picked...FAKING STRONGEST WEAPON: The six-foot-one-inch, 190-pound passing and faking artist - acquainted with the Packers' record in National league play in the last four years (11 wins and 37 losses) - smiled with optimism today: "We had a similar situation four or five years ago at Kentucky but we were able to bounce back." Kentucky's first All-American back in the 69-year history gridiron history of the school, Parilli established four national records, seven Southeastern conference marks and a flock of miscellaneous standards. Yet, coaches around the nation claim his strongest weapon is his faking ability - one of the main reasons pro clubs displayed such a big interest in him. Slick Morton, Mississippi State coach, said "Parilli is the greatest faker I've ever seen. It's awfully hard to set up a defense against him." His passing feats, especially in 1951 when Kentucky was below its 1950 strength but still tough enough to win the Cotton bowl, are explained this way by Gen. Bob Neyland, Tennessee coach, who said: "We regard Parilli as the best passer in the country."...HURLED 54 TD PASSES: Kentucky Coach Bear Bryant, a onetime teammate of Packer immortal Don Hutson at Alabama, rates Parilli as the "finest back I've ever coached or seen." Parilli, 21, a native of Rochester, Pa., hurled 54 touchdown passes in his collegiate career, including four in bowl competition. His 354 completions in 634 attempts in 42 games advanced the ball 4,372 yards. His pass completion percentage was an elegant 55.8 - better than half. Four familiar names are among his national-record victims - Stan Heath, John Ford, Johnny Rauch and Sam Baugh. His Southeastern conference work shattered records formerly held by Charley Trippi and Frankie Sinkwich. Parilli hands all the credit for his success to Bryant and backfield coach Ermal Allen, who “taught me everything I know about the T.” When Parilli first came to Kentucky, he was a tailback and has only played the single wing. Bryant took a look at him and decided that here was his T-quarterback. Parilli admits he isn’t very fast afoot but observers claim that he fools a lot of people because he is tremendously quick. The Kentucky star arrived here last night by train after a plane trip from Lexington to Chicago. He’ll return to Chicago to board a plane for Lexington late this afternoon…Another of the club’s 1952 draftees announced at Oxford, O., today that he has signed for play next autumn. He is John Pont, a native of Canton, O., and has been an all-Ohio back while performing for Miami, O., university for the last three years and led the nation in ground gaining in 1949. Pont, 24, stands 5-8 and weighs 172 pounds. He served two years in the submarine branch of the navy during World War II. The stocky climax runner will be graduated from Miami in June. At Miami, he was coached during the 1950 and ’51 seasons by Woody Hayes now head coach at Ohio State, and Hayes termed Pont “the best halfback I’ve seen in a good many years.”
BABE PARILLI FINDS PRO BALL 'ROUGHER-TOUGHER'
FEB 18 (Green Bay) - Babe Parilli, the Packers’ No. 1 draft choice and 1952 signee, experienced the easiest part of his pro career at the Beaumont hotel Saturday afternoon. It consisted merely of meeting a lot of Green Bay people. The big job starts next July. “And,” the Kentucky quarterback thought seriously over a plate of ham, “it will be a big job and a hard one.” Parilli, the guest of honor at the reception for nearly 100 persons, isn’t unfamiliar with pro football. Though coach Gene Ronzani didn’t have an opportunity to show him a Packer movie, Parilli has seen a number of pro games involving the Cleveland Browns, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. “It’s
PACKERS PLAY THREE IN MILWAUKEE; BEARS OPEN HERE
FEB 23 (Green Bay) - “This move was taken solely with the best interests of the future of the Packers in mind.” “We are not moving the Packers to Milwaukee.” “The Packers can survive only as a Green Bay team, but we are asking all of Wisconsin, and particularly Milwaukee, to help us support the Packers so that Green Bay will always be in the NFL.” Those three paragraphs, representing the words of Packer Chairman Lee H. Joannes, explained the thinking behind the Packers’ board of directors’ decision Friday to give Milwaukee a three-game share in the Packer home league schedule for the 1952 NFL season. The three games set for Milwaukee’s new county stadium, providing it is ready, are the Washington Redskins, Oct. 5; Los Angeles Rams, Oct. 12; and the Philadelphia Eagles, Nov. 2. The Chicago Bears will open the season at Green Bay’s City stadium Sunday, Sept. 28. The Detroit Lions invade our town Oct. 26 and the new Dallas Texans play here Nov. 23. The decision to return to the equal split in league games between Green Bay and Milwaukee came after several weeks of study by the executive committee of all the various aspects of the question, and a two and one-half hour session of the Packer board Friday afternoon. The fourth game was switched to Green Bay in 1950. Joannes said that these were the deciding factors in arriving at the decision: 1. The fact that the Packers lost some $18,000 on 1951 operations, and that the team must be financially successful to remain in the league. In order to do so, the Packers must become increasingly a Wisconsin team, drawing the support of fans throughout the state and in the Milwaukee area as well as in the Green Bay area. “In other words,” Joannes said, “the Packers need Milwaukee support to survive, and we cannot expect to get it unless we make Milwaukee a partner by playing half of our games there. 2. This is a long-range program for building up Packer support in the Milwaukee area. It will be accompanied by a “grass roots” promotional program directed by the six Packer directors from the Milwaukee area. 3. Season ticket sales are the financial backbone of a professional football club. Season ticket sales in Green Bay have dropped considerably since the fourth game was moved to City stadium. On the other hand, a start at a promotional program in Milwaukee late last season more than doubled the season ticket sales there. 4. An analysis of Packer season ticket sales showed that only half of the season tickets bought for City stadium were purchased by people and industry in Green Bay and De Pere. Ove half of the crowds at City stadium come from a wide area of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, a good number from around Milwaukee. A total of 336 season tickets for Green Bay games were sold in the city of Milwaukee; contrariwise 124 season tickets were sold in Green Bay for Milwaukee games. 5. The board felt that the new stadium in Milwaukee makes this the auspicious year to stage a promotional campaign in that area. It is much more convenient to get to and the seating arrangement will be superior to State Fair park. Promoters of the stadium in Milwaukee are anxious to make the stadium produce and will help the Packers pack fans into the stadium. With non-conference games, Green Bay and Milwaukee each will have four games. Packertown will play host to the powerful Cleveland Browns Saturday night, Aug. 23, while the New York Giants will oppose the Packers in Milwaukee. The game is tentatively set for Aug. 16. Packer head coach Gene Ronzani presently is working on two or three other non-conference games and one of them may be played in Minneapolis. A year ago, the Packers played five non-loop games, including the Cardinals in Green Bay, the Eagles in Milwaukee, and the Forty Niners in Minneapolis. Other games were against Pittsburgh in Buffalo and Washington in Alexandria, Va.
CLIFFORD FUNERAL SET WEDNESDAY
FEB 25 (Green Bay) - Gerald F. “Jerry” Clifford, prominent
207-pound blaster from Stuebenville, O., was wanted by at least six clubs in the draft in New York last January, but the Packers already held rights to him. Ronzani claimed the boy in 1951 when he discovered that his class had graduated that year. During the last draft, the Steelers picked him, but Ronzani promptly announced that he was already the property of the Packers. Several other interested clubs joined in a brief argument but Commissioner Bert Bell ruled that rights to Carinci belonged to the Packers…GREATEST XAVIER PLAYER: Carinci is rated the greatest football player in Xavier university history. He was first string defensive linebacker (outside) for three years and called all of his team’s defensive signal. Many times more than 200 defensive plays were set up by Coach Ed Kluska for difficult games. Called Crunch by his teammates, Carinci is one of the reasons Xavier posted its outstanding three year record of 27 victories, two losses and one tie since 1948. Tito played in only four losing games in seven years of competition – three years of prep ball at Stuebenville Central Catholic High and four at Xavier which had an undefeated frosh club in ’48. An accomplished speaker, Carinci captained the 1951 Musketeers to its first undefeated varsity season in Xavier history, winning the Ohio state championship with a 9-0-1 record…WON LEGION OF HONOR: A first string Little All-America choice, Carinci received mention on a number of “big” All-America squads. He was named all-Ohio center in 1950-51, which includes Ohio State university; all-Midwest in ’51; and all-Catholic All-America last fall. He received the Legion of Honor – the highest award an athlete can receive at Xavier. Carinci, 23, played in the Blue-Gray game in Birmingham, Ala., where Ronzani got a good opportunity to observe him…The Pittsburgh game is the fourth non-looper announced thus far for the Packers. They’ll also play the New York Giants in Milwaukee Aug. 16; the Cleveland Browns in Green Bay Aug. 23; and the Washington Redskins in Kansas City Sept. 14…Stopping in Green Bay unexpectedly Wednesday was Ed Ecker, the giant Packer tackle. He had just driven in from Florida where he spent the last three weeks “vacationing”. Ecker plans to enter the construction business in Chicago. Ed said he stopped in Virginia to visit fullback Jack Cloud. Jack said his back is “feeling good but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.” Cloud is playing handball every day to stay in condition and toughen the back. Ecker said he met guard Dave Stephenson in Florida. “He’s a lifeguard down there,” Ed reported.
PACKERS AND THE U OF W
MAR 24 (Green Bay) - In signing up for the Packers three of the stars of last fall’s University of Wisconsin team, Coach Ronzani evidenced what might be called a stoke of athletic statesmanship. Coatta, Withers and Teteak were outstanding players on an outstanding team. More than one national football scribe, watching the college teams with warm care, put Wisconsin at the top in the country. One game was lost by our Badger university by a score of 14 to 10, whereas the top selection of the scribes was pushed over in a bowl game and even the Los Angeles Rams lost several games before plucking the final laurel of victory. It is not the matter of a close association between the Packers and successful athletes developed in this state, although that mere fact has merit, but the men at Wisconsin last year constituted a mighty aggregation whose best players may be expected to fulfil every expectation of Packer rooters.
PACKERS SIGN CARINCI, SET PITTSBURGH CONTEST
MAR 20 (Green Bay) - The Packers’ linebacking platoon – kicked smack in the teeth with the departure of Clayton Tonnemaker and Bob Forte for Army service after the 1950 season – received another lift today with the signing of Tito Edmund Carinci, the potential Tonnemaker from Xavier university. Carinci’s signing brings to six the number of athletes set for Coach Gene Ronzani’s '52 Packer edition. The others are quarterback Babe Parilli of the University of Kentucky, quarterback Johnny Coatta, defensive halfback Ed Withers and linebacker Deral Teteak of the University of Wisconsin, and halfback Johnny Pont of Miami, Ohio, university. Ronzani also revealed today that the Packers will play the Pittsburgh Steelers in a non-conference game at Latrobe, Pa., Friday night, Aug. 29. Latrobe, generally considered the birthplace of pro football, will see its first pro game since the turn of the century. It is about 40 miles from Pittsburgh and 30 from Rochester, Pa. – Parilli’s hometown…FORTE OUT IN APRIL: Packer linebacking fortunes, hard pressed in ’51, started to look up about a month ago when Forte revealed that he expected to be separated from active duty in April, making him available in action next fall. Next came the signing of Teteak, the Badger block buster who hails from Oshkosh, and now the addition of Carinci. Incidentally, Tonnemaker is still on active duty in Japan and expects to be in service about another year. He hopes to be present for the 1953 season. Carinci, a six-foot,
PACKERS SIGN THREE LEWIS COLLEGE STARS
MAR 25 (Green Bay) - The Packers pulled a three-player raid on Lewis college today with the signing of fullback Bill Stratton, center George Schmidt and guard Joe Farinella. The three seniors were recommended to Packer head coach Gene Ronzani by Bay backfield aide Ray McLean, who coached the trio during his tenure as head football coach at Lewis. Stratton was the Packers’ 29th choice in the recent NFL draft, while Schmidt and Farinella are among the many “sleepers” the Packers expect to add before launching training next July. McLean, who piloted Lewis for three seasons before joining the Packer staff last fall, feels that “boys with their spirit and experience, both offensively and defensively, have great possibilities in the professional game.” Stratton, a six-foot, 210-pounder, was named all-conference over a stretch of four seasons in two different loops. He was the No. 1 fullback in the Badger-Illinois circuit in 1948-49 and gained the same rating in the Midlands conference in 1950-51. Lewis won the Midlands title last fall, beating St. Norbert college along the way…SCORED 193 POINTS: A former star at Chicago’s Austin High, Stratton finished four years of college ball with a 6.5-yard rushing average on 1,637 yards in 250 attempts. He scored 193 points on 31 touchdowns and seven extra points for a new Midlands career scoring mark. A 60-minute man, Stratton also played defensive end. Schmidt, who packs 225 on his six-foot, three-inch frame, lists offensive center as his “trade”, but the 22-year old ace is rated in the conference as an outstanding defensive end. A graduate of Roosevelt High
