The 1957 Green Bay Packers - 3-9 (6th-Western Division)

Head Coach: Lisle Blackbourn

KRAMER NOT SIGNED BY LIZ OPTIMISTIC

MAY 29 (Green Bay) - Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn and Ron Kramer, the Packers' No. 1 draft choice, met again today in Ann Arbor, Mich., in an effort to work out a 1957 contract. The first conference was held Tuesday evening and the second was scheduled early this afternoon. Blackbourn, commenting on the first contract talk with Kramer, admitted today that "I'm optimistic but one must be an optimist in this business." He said he couldn't make "any prognostications" on last night's session. The Packer coach indicated that the job of signing Kramer is extremely difficult, but felt that Kramer's decision not to sign last night was more "a think-it-over thing than dissatisfaction with the terms." Kramer, a nine-letter winner at the University of Michigan, has an unusual two-sport deal going with Toronto of the Canadian League and the Detroit Pistons of the NBA that enables him to earn a double salary. Coach Jim Trimble of Toronto, former coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, argues that Kramer can finish his footballing about the time the Pistons start their league season. Kramer has only one season of football available before going into service. Thus, Kramer is debating between Green Bay and one sport and one salary and the Canadian-Piston combo which has two. In addition, if Kramer signs with Canada, it's unlikely that the Packers will ever get him in view of the NFL's "working agreement" with Canada. Blackbourn and Administrative Aide Jack Vainisi met with Kramer and his parents of East Detroit last night. Kramer said last night that he "hopes to sign with some team soon and get this thing settled." He said he wanted to think over the Packers' first offer and then discuss it with Blackbourn today. Kramer had classes up until noon today and he was expected to talk with Blackbourn and Vanisi at lunch. Kramer wants to get his pro contract settled before June 15 when he will marry Miss Nancy Cook of Jackson, Miss...PARKER IN ANN ARBOR: Blackbourn has been extremely careful in negotiations with Kramer, due to Ron's eligibility, and yesterday's offer was the first concrete bid made by the Packers, although Kramer visited in Green Bay two weeks ago to attend a Michigan Alumni dinner, meet the Packer staff, and look over the city. Kramer finished his collegiate athletic career in the Big Ten Track and Field Meet at Northwestern last Saturday. In another development, Detroit Lion Coach Buddy Parker and Aide Bob Nussbaumer motored from Detroit to Ann Arbor for a chat with Blackbourn today.

PABST RENEWS CENT DONATION FOR STADIUM

MAY 29 (Green Bay) - The second portion of a campaign which is expected to result in total contributions in excess of $10,000 toward the new municipal stadium was announced today by the Pabst Brewing Co. and its local distributor, the Bur Blue Ribbon Co. Marshall S. Lachner, Pabst president, said the promotion would run from June 1 to September and would be identical to the three months promotion which ended May 15, following which the company and its distributor contributed $4,679.76 toward the stadium project. As in the first portion of the campaign, Pabst and the Bur firm will contribute toward the stadium one cent for every bottle and can of Pabst beer or ale sold in Brown County. Because sales of beer and ale always run higher during the summer months, the second phase of the promotion, along with the money already contributed, is expected to produce a sizeable sum for the stadium, Lachner predicted. Although Pabst has put no strings on the manner in which its contribution is spent, officials have expressed the hope that the money will go for some specific stadium need rather than into a general stadium fund. Among these needs, it was pointed out, it was pointed out, are such necessities as a scoreboard, playing lights, a tarpaulin, a sound system, etc. Lachner said that the decision to renew the Green Bay promotion for another three months was promoted by the enthusiasm with which the area received the first three months campaign. During the period, consumers in Brown County purchased almost one half million bottles and cans of the firm's product. Lachner reiterated his earlier statement that Pabst was "highly pleased to be able to contribute to a project which so strongly symbolizes Green Bay's great civic spirit." "In addition to serving Green Bay's youth, the stadium also makes it clear, once and for all, that the Packers are in Green Bay to stay," he said.

RON KRAMER STILL UNSIGNED

MAY 30 (Green Bay) - Ron Kramer was still unsigned today. The Packers' No. 1 choice asked Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn for a "few days to think it over" after the second contract conference between the two in Ann Arbor, Mich., Wednesday night. Kramer, the University of Michigan All-America, received his first concrete offer from the Packers at a meeting between the football player, Blackbourn and Jack Vainisi of the Packers, and Kramer's parents of East Detroit in Ann Arbor Tuesday night. Before Blackbourn's session with Kramer yesterday, the Packer mentor said he felt "optimistic" but quickly pointed out that Kramer also has tempting offers from Canada and basketball. Blackbourn remained in Ann Arbor today - for a possible third conference with Kramer, with Vainisi returned to Green Bay. Blackbourn could not be reached for comment this morning. Also in Ann Arbor yesterday for a chat with Blackbourn was Buddy Parker, coach of the Detroit Lions, who drove over from Detroit with his aide, Bob Nussbaumer. The Lions reportedly are interested in a quarterback now that Harry Gilmer, No. 1 assistant to Bobby Layne, has signed as backfield coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Parker had hopes of getting Tom Dublinski, former Layne aide, back from Canada but the veteran may remain there. Blackbourn - not to mention the NFL - is faced with the possibility of losing Kramer "for good" if he decides to play in Canada. He is on the list of Toronto, coached by Jim Trimble, former coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Due to an agreement between the NFL and Canadian football, Kramer couldn't play in the NFL unless the Canadians waived him - and that isn't likely. Toronto is working hand in hand with a United States sports unit - the Detroit Pistons of the NBA, in an effort to get Kramer away from the Packers. Toronto's season will end about the time the Pistons start league action. The Canadian-Piston setup will enable Kramer to earn two separate paychecks instead of one from the Packers. Since Kramer is due to go into the Air Force - probably for three years - after the season, he is tempted to get as much as he can for this one season before going into service. The rub, of course, is that Kramer would become virtually an unknown as far as his football future is concerned by playing in Canada. Observers figure his athletic future is in football rather than basketball and have pointed out that the Pistons want him merely as a drawing card for their initial season in Detroit. The Pistons recently moved from Indiana.

LIZ, KRAMER IN THIRD MEETING TODAY

MAY 31 (Green Bay) - Liz Blackbourn started his fourth day of living today at the Michigan Union - a hotel in Ann Arbor, Mich. For a native of Wisconsin who likes his golf on Memorial Day and the outdoors, that's murder! The Packer coach decided yesterday to remain "until I sign him." Liz, of course, was referring to Ron Kramer, the Packers' first draft choice from the University of Michigan. Blackbourn left Green Bay Monday afternoon for Ann Arbor, via Chicago, in the company of Packer administrative aide Jack Vainisi. They had expected to return Wednesday - in time to enjoy the holiday. Vainisi returned Wednesday but Liz, more determined than ever, stayed on for more conferences with Kramer. A third meeting was scheduled yesterday but it never developed. Blackbourn and Kramer now are expected to meet this afternoon for that elusive third talk. Liz made the Packers' first concrete bid Tuesday night at a meeting with Kramer and his parents. Blackbourn talked with Kramer again Wednesday. Also in the bidding is Coach Jim Trimble of Toronto of the Canadian League, although Trimble, former Philadelphia Eagle coach, isn't in Ann Arbor at the moment. Kramer reportedly is weighing the Packers' offer against Toronto's bid, which also includes a basketball contract with the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. The Packers' offer means a chance to remain in United States pro football. He would be lost to the U.S. grid scene if he signs with Toronto since the NFL and Canadian League honor each other's contracts. Blackbourn said he could not make any predictions or comment on the previous meetings. He said he felt that Kramer wanted to give the offers plenty of thought, which accounts for the delay. Kramer, in a recent visit to Green Bay, indicated a desire to play with the Packers and admitted that he liked the football setup here. The nine-letter winner hails from East Detroit.

KRAMER STILL OUT; LIZ, RON HUDDLE TONIGHT

JUN 1 (Green Bay) - Ron Kramer, the Packers' No. 1 draft choice, was still free, white and 21 today. The Michigan All-American and Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn were unable to meet Friday because Kramer was occupied with final examinations. They had been scheduled to confer early in the evening. A third conference has been set for 6 o'clock tonight and Blackbourn is hopeful of getting Kramer's autograph, on a Packer contract, at that time. Blackbourn has been negotiating with the three-sports star since Tuesday. Major obstacles to an agreement have been a two-sport package offer, tied to a pact with the Detroit Pistons of the NBA, from the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian League, and a three-year tour of duty in the Air Force that forces Kramer beginning in 1958.

WHITE SIGNS; KRAMER HERE TO SURVEY JOB PROSPECTS

JUN 3 (Green Bay) - Two athletes took a step in the "right" direction today. Gene White, a defensive back here in '54, and Ron Kramer, a highly-touted rookie out of the University of Michigan, turned toward Green Bay and the Packers, White signing for the 1957 season and Kramer stopped here enroute to Menasha. Fresh out of service, White hopes to bolster the Packers' cornerbacker position in his second season. He was a regular CB'er until injuries cut him down in the sixth game (at Philadelphia) in '54. Kramer flew into Green Bay on the North Central this morning, talked with Coach Liz Blackbourn at the Packer office and then the two of them drove to Menasha where Ron was interviewed for a possible offseason and future job with Marathon Corp. He was to return this afternoon to the university at Ann Arbor, Mich., where he's in the midst of final examinations. The Kramer-Marathon development was a result of the recent reception here for Kramer by the Northeastern Wisconsin Michigan Alumni Assn. Several of the top Marathon officials are Michigan alumni - not to mention Packer fans. In addition, a spokesman for the alumni said here today that "Kramer's line of study at Michigan fits in perfectly with the needs (personnel work) at Marathon." Ron is a psychology major and will graduate this month. Kramer was to be interviewed by Ed Schwerin, director of personnel for Marathon in the absence of Carl Geisler, Marathon vice-president in charge of personnel who is on vacation. President of the Michigan alumni in the NEW area is George E. Verhage of Marathon. Blackbourn returned to Green Bay Sunday morning from Ann Arbor after almost a week of negotiating with Kramer. The Packer coach is fighting a two-sport deal - Canadian football and the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. Liz said today that "we're still very much in it and it doesn't look any worse," but declined to elaborate on his talks with the nine-letter winner. It isn't likely that Kramer will sign a Packer contract during his brief stop here. Based on talks last week, Kramer probably will want to think it over...White kept in football condition during his Army stint, playing a full schedule in 1955-56 with a service team. He won All-Army honors as an offensive and defensive back. White, who stands 6-2 and packs 206 pounds, was an offensive end at Georgia and managed to catch 13 passes for 188 yards and one touchdown despite the fact that he played opposite All-American end Johnny Carson in 1953. Also a track star, White made Georgia as a regular in his sophomore year but injuries cut him down in his junior season. He was a three-sport star at Commerce, Ga., High and once ran the 440 in 53.4 seconds...BRIEFS: Tackle Bill Lucky is in Green Bay and in the market for a job until the football season stars. He just finished teaching school in Belton, Tex. Quarterback Bart Starr has started work with the General Tire Co. here as a sales representative. Several other Packers are expected in Green Bay shortly.

MAKE WAY, HARVEY KNOX DUE HERE ON SEPT. 29!

JUN 4 (Green Bay) - Norman Marshall, a radioist from Hamilton, Ont., called yesterday afternoon to verify a report that Ron Kramer was in Green Bay. During the course of the telephone conversation, we were both handed Associated Press dispatches which revealed that Ronnie Knox had been signed by the Chicago Bears. It was a perfect excuse for changing the subject since Knox and his stepfather, Harvey Knox, played in Hamilton last year. Marshall laughed with a who-cares tone. "Well, well, we kind of figured he'd sign down there. He's a wonderful football player and could be a great help to the Bears if they don't have to bother with Harvey. Ronnie was simply great up here during training. Harvey didn't say a word; not a word and Jim (Jim Trimble, Hamilton coach) thought he had himself a good player. Then the league season started, and Harvey started poking his nose into the team. That was it. If they (the Bears) can handle Harvey or just keep him away, Ronnie should make it." For your information, the aforementioned Harvey Knox did such a terrific job of meddlin' in his stepson's affairs at UCLA that he made a national magazine to the tune of about 5,000 words - plus pictures, a few years ago. Harvey not only coaches his son but he coaches the team his boy plays with. Incidentally, Ronnie is a quarterback, which makes it worse, because there very easily could be a step-parental influence in the maneuvers of the team. This entire business smacks of something for the Packers' opener against the Bears in the new stadium here Sept. 29. Maybe Harvey should be an honored guest in our town that day or, rather, that weekend! Harvey's a national figure. Tsk. Tsk. Kramer? Marshall, like other members of the press, radio and TV fraternity, has relaxed a bit. The University of Michigan star has been courted for a solid week now by the various interested teams - the Packers, Hamilton and the Detroit Pistons. Kramer, meanwhile, is continuing to "shop". He was at the Packer office Monday for a chat with Coach Liz Blackbourn before Liz drove him down to Menasha to be interviewed by officials of the Marathon Corp. in regard to an off-season job. The nine-letter winner flew back to Ann Arbor, Mich., at 5:50 Monday evening after various negotiations that occupied six of the last seven days. Blackbourn was in Ann Arbor five of those days. What now? Kramer will make his decision this weekend!

CONE TO 'DEFINITELY' QUIT GRID AFTER '57

JUN 13 (Green Bay) - Fred Cone will "definitely" retire after the 1957 season. The veteran fullback and first-year public relations agent for the Packers, who signed his 1957 contract Wednesday, announced today that "I hope to make my last season my best." And Coach Liz Blackbourn, who felt that Cone played a vital part in the Bays' 1956 season, seconded the motion! Cone thinks the Packers "will be better this year and I hope to be better with them." The former Clemson star already has his "civilian" work lined up - with a promotion, so to speak. A year ago Cone had agreed to become an assistant football coach at University 

PACKERS SIGN KRAMER TO THREE-YEAR CONTRACT

JUN 18 (Green Bay) - Ron Kramer signed a three-year Packer contract today! The University of Michigan three-sport star agreed to terms in a conference with Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn in Detroit this morning. Terms of the contract were not announced - a Packer policy. The signing was a victory for the Packers and the NFL over Canadian Football although the price probably was high. Blackbourn and Coach Jim Trimble of the Hamilton, Ont., Tiger-Cats had been in a spirited bidding duel for three weeks. In fact, it was three weeks ago that the Packers made their first concrete offer to Kramer. "I intend to use Kramer at right end," Blackbourn said. "Billy Howton will be shifted to slotback. That way we can make use of Kramer's blocking ability as well as his pass catching." The prized pact gives the Packers two of the top players in college football last year. Bonus choice Paul Hornung of Notre Dame signed last January for three years. Kramer will play one season before going into the Air Force - probably for three years. Kramer turned down a two-pronged contract with Hamilton and the Detroit Pistons to concentrate on United States professional football. Since the Canadian season end early, he could have joined the Pistons for the remainder of their season. The Packers and NFL would have lost Kramer for the duration of his playing career had he gone to Canada because the two circuits honor each other's contracts. Kramer is considered a sure bet to make professional football and was a first-choice nominee on 10 of the 12 clubs at last January's draft. The two non-Kramer clubs, Los Angeles and San Francisco, took "local" players - Jon Arnett of Southern California and John Brodie of Stanford, respectively. Bennie Oosterbaan, Kramer's coach at Michigan, said earlier, "Which ever team signs Kramer will be getting a whale of a football player. He should have no particular trouble making it and he could be a great star." Kramer played several key positions at Michigan – offensive end, linebacker, slot back and even fullback at times. He did the team’s punting and extra point and field goal kicking – not to mention kicking off, and handed Iowa its only defeat last year with a 30-yard three-pointer. He was one of the most feared players in the Big Ten because of his rough play. Blackbourn will play Ron at slot back to take advantage of his rugged blocking – not to mention his pass catching and power running. The 220-pounder, with the agility of a cat, is expected to make the Packers’ running game click with a degree of consistency and take the pressure off Packer receivers. One of the few nine-letters in Michigan history, Kramer made his reputation at Michigan as a football player, although he led the basketball team in scoring two of his three years and competed in three events in track. A German-Austrian, Kramer will turn 22 next June 24. He was born in Girard, Kan., and came to East Detroit with his parents as an infant. He was a three-sport prep star in East Detroit before enrolling at Michigan. The new Packer is majoring in psychology, heading toward a career in industrial public relations.

BLOOD TO AID KNOWLES' CAMPAIGN

JUN 18 (Madison) - John McNally, better known as Johnny Blood when he was an all-time star on the Green Bay Packer gridiron a generation ago, will make his debut as a political campaigner in the Fox Valley this summer. Lt. Gov. Warren P. Knowles of New Richmond, an old friend and neighbor of the great Packer halfback, said here Monday that McNally volunteered his services in Knowles’ campaign for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senator in the primary election on July 30. McNally will concentrate his efforts in Green Bay and neighboring cities in the Fox River Valley, Knowles said. McNally, one of the most romantic figures in the earlier history of professional football, was known as Blood during his professional athletic career. He is a member of a widely known New Richmond family.

HEARDEN IMPROVES, OUT OF BED, TALKS

JUN 18 (Green Bay) - Defensive coach Tom Hearden of the Green Bay Packers was showing continued improvement today after suffering a stroke five weeks ago. Hearden got out of bed and talked for the first time. The stroke caused paralysis of his right side and loss of speech.

HELLUIN SIGNS; LIZ SETS PLANS FOR USE OF KRAMER

JUN 19 (Green Bay) - Liz Blackbourn had a chance to relax today at the Packer office and allowed: “Maybe I’ll get in that vacation yet!” The Packer coach returned last night from Ann Arbor, Mich., where he signed first draft choice Ron Kramer earlier in the day. That was one stroke of business that has been on the fire for three solid weeks and it ended abruptly yesterday when Ron agreed to Packer terms over those presented by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian League. With opening of practice still more than a month away (July 28), Blackbourn said he hoped to get away next week for his annual vacation. “We’re working with our veterans on contracts now and other work is just about set now for the start of practice,” Liz said. Line Coach Lou Rymkus and Administrative Aide Jack Vainisi are presently on vacation, and Backfield Coach Ray McLean has just returned. Jack Morton, the new defensive line coach, has been busy working with Blackbourn and the other coaches, catching up on Packer plans. Blackbourn said he talked last night with Defense Coach Tom Hearden, who suffered a stroke last month. “Tom has shown marvelous improvement, and I’m sure he’ll be able to do something this fall,” Liz said. Hearden is gradually regaining his speech and use of his right side. He walked, with assistance, around his room at St. Mary Hospital earlier this week. Blackbourn announced the signing of veteran tackle Jerry Helluin today, boosting to 10 the number of holdovers officially back in the fold. Helluin represents the first trade 

SELF-MADE JOHNSON, ROBERTS IN PACKER FOLD

JUN 28 (Green Bay) - Joe Johnson and Bill Roberts - a pair of self-made halfbacks - have signed 1957 Packer contracts. Tom Hearden is raring to go. And the stadium has a green carpet! That about sums up the Packer picture for the last 24 hours. Johnson is returning for his fourth Packer season; Roberts for his second. And Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn expects considerable help from both of them. Johnson was a nobody out of Boston College when he reported here in 1954 and it was his pure determination that prompted Blackbourn to keep him. Gradually, he improved and finally came into his own during the late stages of the 1956 season. Joltin' Joe, a 195-pounder who stands 6-1, caught 28 passes for 258 yards last fall to lead Packer backs in that department. He snared 13 passes in the last four games, and was one of a few bright lights in the two losses on the west coast. He carried the ball 35 times for 129 yards and an average of 3.7 last fall, shifting between left half and flanker. Johnson is ready to play just about any position. When Blackbourn was faced with injuries to defensive players last fall, Johnson told Liz, "I'll play that defense for you." Joe never played defense since high school. Roberts, former Dartmouth star who gained recognition through his footballing with the Marines, was signed as a free agent last fall. He participated in only three games because of a shoulder injury. Roberts showed possibilities as a two-way back last fall and remained on the roster as a handyman...Hearden, the Packers' defensive coach who suffered a stroke May 19, is making remarkable progress at St. Mary's Hospital and the Red Head expects to leave the hospital quite soon. Tom has been walking up and down the first floor corridor, with almost complete movement of his right leg which had been partially paralyzed. Unable to speak at first, Hearden now talks without too much strain. Tom says he's spending quite a bit of his time thinking about football, listening to the Braves' games and reading his mail. He has received letters from many Packer players. One chat with Tom and we're convinced that he'll figure in the Packers' coaching plans this fall...The stadium took on a new look yesterday when three-quarters of the turf was laid. Sodding of the playing field was to be finished today. The area around the playing field will be needed. The green carpet seems to bring the field up closer, most observers commented yesterday. Contractor George Hougard says he expects to finish the pouring of seats below the ground level by July 15 - "maybe before." July 15 was his target date. Hougard has been making a pour a day with each of his two giant forms. Work is progressing on the pressbox and radio and television booths on the west side. The team rooms on the south side and the men's and women's restrooms on the east side are enclosed and work has started inside.

NEW STADIUM PROVES CITY'S TOP ATTRACTION

JUN 29 (Green Bay) - The most popular free attraction in our town is the new stadium. We counted nearly 40 cars coming and going the other night, as the curious came out to inspect progress on the 32,250-seat project. Most people walk to different corners of the stadium and imagine how the play will look from the various spots. The common comment goes likes this: "You can see good from anywhere." Marv Miller, former Premontre (then Central Catholic) coach, and Nick Miketinac, one-time Packer who is recreation director at Charmin Paper Mills, tested the new seats for size. "We sat Nick down with a hat on and I sat behind him and I could see over that hat very well," Miller explained, adding: "That was a problem you know at the old stadium." Still not accustomed to the idea of sitting high (the stadium has 60 rows)? Actually, you are closer to the ground on the 60th row than you were in the top row of the old on-ground stadium because more than half of the rows are below ground level. The best football can be seen from high up. And speaking of height, how about that Coliseum in Los Angeles! It has close to 100 rows. Kezar Stadium in San Francisco has over 60 rows. Do you know why football has a tradition that the best seats are on the 50-yard line? That so-called tradition, which has been exploded now of course, goes back to the old days when most of the action was between the 40-yard lines and when scores of 7-6 and 12-6 were the rule rather than the exception. Now the game, especially the pro variety, is more wide open and the ball is being passed, kicked and raced all over the field. And, besides, did you ever see a touchdown scored on the 50-yard line?...Curly Lambeau, head coach of the College All Stars who is summering at his home in Fish Creek, said he plans to call on a sixth Packer draftee for service in the Star game - Jack Nisby, the COP guard. Jack joins Ron Kramer, Dalton Truax, Carl Vereen, Mike Hudock and Paul Hornung. Curly says he'll play Kramer at end, explaining "he'd be good most anywhere but there's not enough time to change him from his college position."

​CONCESSIONS AT STADIUM UNDER STUDY

JUL 2 (Green Bay) - The Stadium Commission Monday night moved further toward the opening of the new stadium by ordering the writing of equipment specifications and company qualifications for concession operators. The commission will take definite action on ordering of bids for concession rights at its July 12 meeting. Basis for competition in bidding will be the percentage of gross revenue offered to the commission for concession rights. The commission also voted to ask the City Council for permission to advertise for bids for a scoreboard, to accumulate costs for a decision on what type of board will be purchased, and how it will be financed. A decision on whether the scoreboard will be located behind north or south end zone seats was deferred. A city appropriation of 10 additional turnstiles was recommended. The Packer Corp. has purchased 14 turnstiles. The commission approved a Packer Corp. payment of $399 additional for changes in the team building. It also authorized the Packers to formulate plans for location of a bandstand or seating for its pep band since the bandstand would not be used for high school or city events.

probably would be tabbed to go...Negotiation, at the moment, are at a "stalemate", it is reported, because all of the Packers' NFL rivals are wary of parting with any of their top line chattels since that have had no opportunity to probably would be tabbed to go...Negotiation, at the moment, are at a "stalemate", it is reported, because all of the Packers' NFL rivals are wary of parting with any of their top line chattels since that have had no opportunity to evaluate new personnel under training camp or game conditions. That chance won't come, of course, until later in the month. Prime trade candidates at this point would appear to be the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Cardinals. Both of the Eagles' quarterbacks, Adrian Burk and Bobby Thomason, retired following the 1956 season, although Thomason will return to coach Philly QBs in camp, and the Cardinals have never been completely happy with Lamar McHan. The Detroit Lions, minus Harry Gilmer, also might be interested...You can rest assured, however, "there won't be a trade unless we can help the ball club," the Packers spokesman declared, indicating there will be no diminution of club demands as presently indicated. "We need a lineman or two, and unless we can get what we want, there'll be no deal," he said.

SCHWARTZ TAKES OVER PACKER TICKET POST

JUL 7 (Green Bay) - Bon Schwartz, a former University of Wisconsin and Sheboygan Redskin basketball player, went to work for the football Packers today in a baseball park. Schwartz, according to Packer General Manager Verne Lewellen, has been appointed Packer ticket office manager at County Stadium where the baseball Braves are in full swing. Packer ticket affairs also are popping there. More than 10,000 season tickets have been sold for the Bays' three games in County Stadium and seasons presently are available at the stadium office. Tickets are also being sold for the Shrine game in Milwaukee Aug. 28. Schwartz replaces Frosty Ferzacca, the former Green Bay West High and Marquette University coach, who took over a football coaching post at Northern Michigan College in Marquette, Mich. Schwartz was a forward on the Wisconsin teams of 1938-39-40. He played with the Redskins the next two years and helped the team win the national pro championship. During service, Schwartz was a bombardier-navigator in the Air Force, serving in China and India. He hails from Madison, where he starred in prep basketball at West. Schwartz is married to the former Sophia Gorenc of Sheboygan and they have four children. Schwartz has been working for Standard Oil Co. for the last three years...Packer practice will be in full swing three weeks from today. The squad will meet at Stevens Point July 28 and the big workout will begin Monday, July 29. Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn, whose annual vacation was delayed some by the Kramer business, will polish off this third week at the family farm in Lancaster this week. He is due back next weekend. His aides - Ray McLean, Lou Rymkus, Jack Vainisi and Jack Morton - are busy clearing decks. And Tom Hearden, Liz's defensive lieutenant, is now home from the hospital, fast recuperating from the stroke that floored him May 19.

PACKERS INK MASSEY; BIG DEAL COMPLETED

JUL 9 (Green Bay) - The Packers' six-for-two trade with the Cleveland Browns was officially completed today - at least for the Pack, with the signing of defensive end Carlton Massey. Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn now has signed all six of the players obtained April 18 from the Browns for linebacker Roger Zatkoff and quarterback Bobby Garrett. Zatkoff and Garrett were reportedly still unsigned by Cleveland. Joining Massey in the Let's-Go-To-Green Bay movement are tackle John Macerelli, linebacker Sam Palumbo, quarterback Babe Parilli and halfbacks John Petitbon and Billy Kinard. Massey won't join the Packers until on or about Sept. 1 since he's now working as a lieutenant in the Army's six-months training program at Fort Eustis, Va. Massey is one of a dozen or more ends Blackbourn has on his roster at the moment, although all of them haven't signed yet. The defensive wings besides Massey are returning veterans John Martinkovic and Nate Borden; service returnee Jim Temp; and free agent Don Luft of Sheboygan, Indiana and Philadelphia's Eagles. Offensive ends expected to join the '57 fight are returning veterans Billy Howton, Gary Knafelc and Dick Deschaine; service returnee Max McGee; draftees Ron Kramer and Ken Vakey; and free agent Sam Morley of Stanford and Washington's Redskins. Barring a free agent or two or a trade (one never knows), the aforementioned group just about makes up the Packers' end corps for '57. At 220 pounds, Massey, who stands 6-3, might seem a wee bit tiny to play defensive end with the pros but he has more than held his own with the Browns, and, besides, Blackbourn plans to convert him into a combination end and linebacker. Massey has good speed and is a sharp tackler, making him eligible for LB'er. Massey, drafted as a junior by the Browns, came out of the University of Texas in 1954 to become the most valuable player in the College All Star game and then develop into one of the outstanding rookies ever to break into the Browns' lineup. He was a regular with the Browns with injuries plagued him last fall. Massey was a scrawny 160-pounder when he came out of Rockwell, Tex., High and rolled at little Southwestern College where he played as a freshman and sophomore. When the school dropped football, he transferred to Texas. He was out of football for a year and then developed into an All-American in his last two seasons....Earl Wilson, widely-known theatrical columnist, revealed today that Twentieth Century-Fox has offered a movie contract to Paul Hornung, the Packers' bonus choice who signed a Green Bay contract last winter for three seasons. "The studio wanted me to go to California right now to start studying to be an actor, but I'm not giving up football for the movies," Hornung was quoted as saying in New York where he'll appear in Sam Levinson's "Two for the Money" television show. Wilson said the studio was anxious to get him into acting school immediately, and Paul commented: "Sure, but suppose I don't pan out as an actor - which the odds are in favor of - then I'd be out in the cold both in football and in the movies."

$10,000 PROGRAM TO DEDICATE STADIUM!

JUL 10 (Green Bay) - Green Bay's new stadium will be dedicated and the old structure will be officially farewelled to the tune of a $10,000 program over the weekend of the Packer-Bear game. Preliminary plans, ideas and hopes - not to mention a souvenir badge sale to finance the project - were unveiled at a meeting of 30 men and women representing various organizations in Green Bay at Prange's Terrace Room Tuesday night. Jerry Atkinson, co-chairman of the Stadium Dedication Committee along with Tony Canadeo, was in charge of the meeting and revealed the following tentative plans: 1 - A beauty-talent contest to be held Friday night (Sept. 27) or Saturday morning (Sept. 28) for the purpose of selecting a Miss Green Bay Packerland. 2 - A gigantic parade downtown Saturday afternoon that will wind up at the old stadium, where a program will be conducted. 3 - A Venetian Night, including fireworks, on Saturday night on the Fox River - plus a street dance and/or separate dances at the Beaumont and Northland Hotels and Riverside. 4 - A one-hour dedication program at the new stadium before the game, Sept. 29. John Borgenson, executive secretary of the Association of Commerce, estimated that the cost of the program, including the hiring of a nationally-known entertainer, would be approximately $10,000. The meeting, after considerable discussion, agreed to finance the program through the sale of badges - probably in the shape of a football, for $1 to adults and 50 cents to children. The badges also would serve as admission to the program at the old stadium on Saturday afternoon. The sales force will be set up to make every effort to sell 10,000 badges or more. The sale will start about Aug. 15. The badges will be sold throughout Packerland and, according to Atkinson, "will be a wonderful souvenir of the dedication." The badge will have a picture of the stadium in color - plus inscription. The Dedication Committee, of which Mayor Otto Rachals is honorary chairman, has the opportunity to plan the biggest event in Green Bay since the 1934 Tercentennial Celebration. The event is even more nationwide since the "national Packers" are directly involved. Thus, as Atkinson put it, "we are making every effort to make this an event that Green Bay will never forget." The outside world won't be neglected, as it were, since a good portion will be televised, including the ceremony before the game and the game. Well known figures are being invited to the program. The beauty-talent contest, which may be held at the Bay Theater, will involve cities throughout Packerland. These communities will be invited to send their own contestant to Green Bay for the grand contest. Efforts are being made to get the Tommy Bartlett water show for Saturday morning. This may change from Saturday morning to Friday night. The Junior Chamber of Commerce is assisting in making the parade a success and members presently are contacting businesses for the sale of floats or construction plans. Early Saturday evening, at 5:30, a cocktail party will be held for visiting dignitaries. The Saturday Night Venetian program, headed by Ken Mathys, will bring in scores of boats from yacht clubs in Neenah-Menasha, Appleton, Sturgeon Bay, Green Bay and other cities. The highlight will be especially-constructed fireworks.

LIZ FRETS AS 'STAR TIME LOOMS

JUL 12 (Green Bay) - It would be better if the Packers were playing the All Star game as world champions. Better than sending more than half a team down there, that is! If the Packers played in the game, they could keep a close watch on their All Star selections. And if you think Coach Liz Blackbourn worries a little around All Star time, here’s why: Last year, the Bays had five signed players in the game. Of that number, only one, Forrest Gregg, showed up on time for Packer practice after the Star game. Two, halfback Jack Losch and tackle Bob Skoronski, left for their respective homes after the game and virtually threatened to quit. Two, guard Cecil Morris and halfback Bob Burris, went home and never did report. Losch found it difficult to catch up and never played much. Skoronski, anxious to make up for his “stolen” time, won a starting tackle berth. Gregg worked in nicely from the start and gradually won a guard position after switching between three spots. It will be another two or three years before Liz gets the 1956 All Star fivesome together. Losch, Skoronski and Gregg are all in service. But Blackbourn will get a long-delayed view of Burris and Morris, who have both discovered the error of their ways and have signed for ’57. Now comes the 1957 All Star game and Star Team Coach Curly Lambeau and his aide, Tony Canadeo, both of whom have noted Packer backgrounds, are hereby asked to keep a special eye on the six choices – Paul Hornung, Ron Kramer, Dalton Truax, Carl Vereen, Mike Hudock and Jack Nisby. And when the game is over, Curly and Tony, will you kindly point out the director to Green Bay! This precaution generally isn’t necessary because the Packers always have a representative on hand to escort the players to Stevens Point, but last year an escort didn’t even help. The All Star game is set for Friday night, Aug. 9, and the six players probably will be asked to report at Packer training camp no later than the following day or Sunday, Aug. 11 at the latest. The Packers open the non-league season against the Chicago Cardinals in Miami, Fla., Friday night, Aug. 16. The All Stars start practice July 12…Packer Ticket Director Earl Falck reminded John Q. Public today that the Packer ticket office at 349 S. Washington is open from 8 to noon on Saturdays for the sale of season tickets. Fans who ordered tickets in the drive can pick them up now…BRIEFS: With the opening of workouts only two weeks off, Packer players are expected to drift into town from all part of the country almost every day. Newest arrival is Glen Young, the defensive back who replaced Billy Bookout, after he suffered a face fracture last fall. He has joined Bill Lucky, who came up from Texas recently, Fred Cone, Bart Starr, Tom Bettis and John Martinkovic, who are working at the old stadium or in back of Premontre High. Cone is finding it difficult to get down to work what with the busy task of handing out cigars. The newcomer is a boy and has been named Andrew Williams. “Andy” is the second new member of the Cone’s backfield. Mrs. Cone is the former Judy Anderson of Green Bay.

PACKERS HOST STATE SCRIBES

JUL 13 (Sheboygan) – A meeting of the Wisconsin Associated Press Sports Writers’ Assn., composed of sports editors and staffers of AP member newspapers in the state, will be held at the football training camp of the Green Bay Packers in Stevens Point, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10 and 11. This was announced today by Dwight Pelkin, sports editor of the Sheboygan Press and president of the association. Pelkin said the visiting writers would be housed in one of the dormitories at Stevens Point College, along with the Packer squad. The program will include a dinner Saturday evening, a business session Sunday forenoon and a luncheon Sunday noon with the Packers as hosts. Highlight of the business meeting will be a discussion of plans for covering fall and winter sports. The writers also will be given a preview look at the Packer squad as it works out in preparation for the NFL season. Other officers of the association are Bob Stevenson of the Marshfield News-Herald, vice president, and Ken Blanchard of the La Crosse Tribune, treasurer.

PACKERS KICK OFF 39TH SEASON SATURDAY; 58 SET

JUL 23 (Green Bay) - The Packers and Jack Benny have something in common Saturday – they’ll both be 39. If there are any doubts, this means Green Bay’s favorite athletic sons will formally christen their 39th season of professional football when they pitch camp at Stevens Point this weekend. (This, in the Packers’ case, is an honest count although Benny’s tally may be open to question.) Liz Blackbourn, beginning his fourth year as Packer headmaster, will greet 58 assorted athletes at Delzell Hall Saturday noon to officially kick off 1957 operations. The annual processing routine will follow – issuing of equipment, assignment of rooms and physical examinations. Of the 58 athletes, 24 are holdovers from the 1956 squad which compiled a 4-8 record in NFL competition; 17 were chosen in last January’s collegiate draft; five were ’56 draft choices who did not report for various reasons; and the remaining seven are free agents. The roster is subject to change momentarily since the Packers are negotiating with several other NFL clubs for help in the line. They presumably are offering one of three quarterbacks, Tobin Rote, Vito (Babe) Parilli or Bart Starr, as bait. As of this writing, there has been no change in the market situation but at least one or two of the proposals made have been categorized as “hot” and one prospect is said to be eager. Blackbourn has expressed interest in an early trade so it could happen any time. A number of familiar faces will be missing Saturday, among them those of tackles Forrest Gregg, Bob Skoronski and John Sandusky; guard Buddy Brown; end Gene Knutson; cornerbacker Billy Bookout; defensive halfback Val Joe Walker; and halfback Jack Losch. Walker reportedly has not been pressed to return because his demands are considered excessive while nothing has been heard from Bookout, a Texas conservation warden in the offseason. Skoronski, Gregg and Losch are in service, Brown and Knutson have retired, Zatkoff has been traded to the Cleveland Browns and Sandusky has taken a coaching job at Villanova. Also missing at the first roll call will be six draftees now practicing with the College All-Stars for their Aug. 9 appearance against the NFL champion New York Giants at Chicago’s Soldier Field and three others are still in service. Drilling with the All-Stars are Notre Dame quarterback Paul Hornung, the Packers’ bonus choice; No. 1 pick Ron Kramer of Michigan, three-time All-America end; tackles Dalton Truaz and Georgia Tech’s Carl Vereen; tackle-linebacker Jack Nisby, College of Pacific, and Mike Hudock, Miami (Fla.) center. Still in the employ of Uncle Sam are Carlton Massey, the linebacker obtained in the trade that sent Zatkoff to the Browns; defensive halfback Gene White and defensive end Jim Temp, former University of Wisconsin stalwart from La Crosse. Another late reportee will be Elton Shaw, 6-2, 225-pound recruit from Southeastern Louisiana, who is attending summer school…ADDENDA: Blackbourn and Administrative Aide Jack Vainisi will leave for Stevens Point Friday afternoon. They will be preceded by Property Manager G.E. (Dad) Braisher, who will escort the equipment to the Packer base Wednesday, in company with Jerry Vainisi, younger brother of Jack and a junior at Campion academy. Jerry will assist Braisher and Trainer Carl W. (Bud) Jorgensen at the camp. Jorgensen also will have a third aide, Coach Ralph Leznick of Peshtigo High School, during the early weeks of training. Sunday has been set aside as “Picture Day” with full scale drills scheduled to start Monday.

NEW NAMES, NEW STADIUM EXPECTED TO GIVE GREEN BAY VICTORY BOOST

JUL 23 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers, with a lot of interesting new names on the roster and a sparkling new stadium to play in, begin preparations for their 39th NFL season when their training camp opens Saturday at Stevens Point. About 50 players will report to Coach Liz Blackbourn, starting his fourth season with the Packers. A half dozen promising newcomers will miss the opening because they are working out with the College All-Stars in Chicago and three more will report late after completing military training. There are hopes, not without foundation, that the Packers will have a winning season, something that has escaped them since the 1947 squad finished with a 6 won, 5 lost and 1 tied record. Last year's team tied for last place in the Western Conference with a 4-8 mark. "This could be a good team," according to Blackbourn, who said "we're counting on some highly recommended draft choices to take over key spots. If we still need some help we're in a position to do some trading." Earlier trading and good success in the draft of college players resulted in the new faces that will show up at the training camp at Stevens Point State College. A deal with the Cleveland Browns lands six players, five of them defensive specialists needed by the Packers. The defensemen are linemen Carlton Massey, Sam Palumbo and John Macerelli and backs Billy Kinard and John Petitbon. Quarterback Babe Parilli also was involved in the trade that sent signal caller Bobby Garrett and linebacker Roger Zatkoff to the Browns. Top draft choices were quarterback Paul Hornung, end Ron Kramer, center Mike Hudock, tackles Dalton Truax and Carl Vereen, and tackle-linebacker John Nisby, who will report to the Packers August 10 after the All-Star game. Two of the collegians fit into the immediate plans of Blackbourn, who said if he had to name a staring backfield today it would be: Kramer on the flank, Fred Cone at fullback, Tobin Rote at quarterback and Howie Ferguson at halfback. Hornung also figures in Blackbourn's plans as the coach explained. "He won't be used at quarterback unless he starts passing like crazy. But that does not mean he'll not do a lot of passing from the halfback spot." Hornung, former Notre Dame star, was the Packers' bonus choice in the draft while they landed Kramer, of Michigan, on the first round. Absent because of military service will be Massey, defensive end Jim Temp and defensive halfback Gene White. A veteran still in service who may not get his discharge as planned is Max McGree, who starred at end. Two other veterans are unsigned: defensive star Val Joe Walker, who wants more pay, and tackle Len Szafaryn, who has thought of quitting. Should the newcomers not be able to plug the gap, Blackbourn will be able to trade one of his three quarterbacks - Rote, Parilli and Bart Starr. Three clubs need quarterbacks desperately, They are the Philadelphia Eagles, the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Cardinals. The Packers will play six exhibitions, only one of them in Wisconsin. They open the warm-up season against the Cardinals in Miami August 18. On the 28th they will play the Eagles in the annual Shrine game in Milwaukee and open the regular season in their new stadium against the Chicago Bears on September 29.

PACKERS STILL MARKING TIME ON TRADE; CARD SQUAD TILT

JUL 24 (Green Bay) - The Packers, in the midst of temporarily transferring operations to their Stevens Point training base, today were still marking time on a projected trade for interior line help. At the moment, they and their potential trading companions are still far apart. Head Coach Liz Blackbourn, reportedly offering either Tobin Rote or Vito (Babe) Parilli in exchange for several line regulars, is determined not to settle for less. “As I’ve said before, we’re not going to give our quarterbacks away,” he reiterated today in commenting on current trade negotiations. He didn’t say so but the Packer headmaster undoubtedly is operating on the logical assumption that the deals offered thus far also will be available after the training camps open this weekend. On the other hand, the deal could be made tomorrow should the right names be mentioned. The Packers are hoping, of course, to plug some gaping holes at offensive guard and tackle occasioned by the loss to service of Bob Skoronski and Forrest Gregg and the retirement of John Sandusky and Buddy Brown. These departures leave Len Szafaryn as the lone returnee at offensive tackle and Joe Skibinski and Jerry Smith the only holdovers at guard. Skibinski and Smith will be joined, however, by ’54 starter Al Barry, just out of service…TRADE OUTLOOK BRIGHT: Since three clubs are badly in need of a quarterback, the outlook for filling most of these vacancies is reasonably bright. The logical candidates to perform this service for the Packers, in return for Rote or Parilli, are the Detroit Lions, Chicago Cardinals and the Philadelphia Eagles. With the retirement of Harry Gilmer, the Lions are left with Bobby Layne, often a sore-arm victim. The Eagles have lost both Bobby Thomason and Adrian Burk through retirement, and the Cardinals are not sold on their temperamental ’56 starter, Lamar McHan. Though the Packers are not in a tearing hurry to deal, an early trade obviously would be to their advantage since it would enable Blackbourn and his aides to integrate the new talent into the system well in advance of the regular NFL season…The Packers also made news of a more positive nature today, General Manager Verne Lewellen announcing an intra-squad game will be played at Stevens Point Saturday night, Aug. 10. A meeting of the Wisconsin Associated Press Sports Writers’ Assn. will be held at the training camp the same weekend. The writers, in addition to previewing the Packers at Saturday night’s game, will hold a business session Sunday morning and attend a luncheon Sunday with the Packers as hosts…There also was a nostalgic note as Trainer Carl W. (Bud) Jorgensen and Property Manager G.E. (Dad) Braisher said goodbye to historic City Stadium, the Packers’ home since 1925, this morning after loading equipment there for the last time. Braisher, along with Aide Jack Vainisi, accompanied the truckload of paraphernalia to Stevens Point, where they will make preparations for the arrival of more than 50 athletes this weekend…In connection with the new stadium, the Packer ticket office today reminded all fans the season ticket campaign will continue through Sept. 1, although paid orders for individual games are now being accepted. All requests will be filed in order of receipt, according to Ticket Director Earl Falck, and will be filled when the season ticket campaign has been completed. A check must accompany all orders, he said, adding it will behoove fans wishing to attend the Bear game to purchase their tickets now in order to be sure of a seat.

It’s 1957, and the Green Bay Packers have built a new City Stadium way out on the West side of town. They produced this promotional booklet to inform the public about just what this new football facility includes — and to sell tickets. (Photo Credit - Packerville.blogspot.com)

ZATKOFF SAYS HOME, JOB MAY KEEP HIM OUT OF PRO GRID

JUN 5 (Cleveland) - Linebacker Roger Zatkoff indicated today that family and business reasons would keep him from playing with the Cleveland Browns this fall. Zatkoff said he didn't want to "make it definite right now." Zatkoff and quarterback Bob Garrett were obtained in a trade with the Green Bay Packers in which the Browns gave up six players including Babe Parilli. Zatkoff played four seasons for the Packers.

NAME MORTON PACKER AIDE; DILLON TO HELP

JUN 6 (Green Bay) - Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn today announced the signing of a full-time assistant coach and at the same time left the way open for the possible return of Tom Hearden, who suffered a stroke Friday, May 17. The new coach is Jack Morton, head football coach at Toledo University in 1956, who will handle the Packers' defensive line and linebackers. He will start work here Monday. Blackbourn also revealed that veteran back Bobby Dillon will report a week early to work with Blackbourn and Morton and coordinate their thinking on defenses. If Hearden is able to work - even on a limited basis, he will join in with Blackbourn, Morton and Dillon. Considerable work had been finished on defenses by Hearden before his stroke. Dillon will work with the staff during the season, attending meetings and handling the drills on the field when Blackbourn is occupied with other phases of coaching. While playing, Dillon will serve in the same capacity as last year - deep secondary captain, Liz said. When the offense is working, he will be the contact between the spotters in the pressbox and the bench and Blackbourn. Morton is familiar with professional football, having played defensive end with three clubs - the Chicago Bears in 1945, Los Angeles Dons of the All-America Conference in 1946 and the Buffalo Bills of the same circuit in 1947-48. Morton, 35, is a native of East St. Louis, Ill. He plans to be married soon. Morton played football at the University of Missouri and also played one year at Purdue while serving with a Marine unit stationed at the university. Before going into pro ball, Morton played a season at Great Lakes. He was out of football after finishing his pro career in favor of more schooling, but became line coach at DePauw University for three years starting in '53. He went to Toledo in '56. Morton has a master's degree in education from Purdue and has been working on a doctor's degree from Indiana University. The new coach will perform the same duties handled by Earl Klapstein, who worked on a six-month's basis for the Packers starting last July 1. Earl resigned last winter to take a coaching and administrative job with a junior college in California, his home state. Hearden is showing gradual improvement at St. Mary's Hospital where he has been confined since suffering the stroke. Blackbourn was marking time today in the matter of Ron Kramer, the Packers' first draft choice, who had been the object of a signing campaign for 10 days. Kramer was here briefly Tuesday for a chat with Blackbourn and an interview with officials of Marathon Corp. in Menasha. Liz spent five days negotiating with the athlete in Ann Arbor, Mich., last week. Kramer will give his decision in a telephone talk with Liz this weekend. He is also on the "want" list of Hamilton, Ont., of the Canadian League and the Detroit Pistons of the NBA.

FIVE PACKERS NAMED TO ALL STAR LINEUP

JUN 10 (Green Bay) - The Packers "lost" five players today, including Ron Kramer. But don't get excited! The five are scheduled to play in the College All Star game against the New York Giants in Chicago Aug. 9. Which means that they'll be lost to Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn's planning for two weeks! Packer practice will start July 27 and the Star Selections will report at the Stevens Point training base Aug. 10. The five Packers picked by All Star Coach Curly Lambeau are quarterback Paul Hornung of Notre Dame, center Mike Hudcock of Miami (Fla.), tackles Carl Vereen of Georgia Tech and Dalton Truax of Tulane, and end Kramer of Michigan. They were among 47 football stars selected by Lambeau. All but one of the Packers Starmen are signed for 1957 action, the lone holdout being Kramer. The Wolverine ace was scheduled to call Blackbourn from Ann Arbor, Mich., Sunday with his decision but Liz never received said promised call. Kramer, in a brief visit here Tuesday in connection with a job interview at Marathon Corp., told Blackbourn that he'd call Sunday with his verdict. The next move? Blackbourn had no comment today on the subject. Blackbourn made his first concrete offer to Kramer May 28 in Ann Arbor and then spent five days there working on

negotiations. Kramer is deciding whether to play with the Packers or enter the Canadian field and play basketball in Detroit after the Canadian season. Kramer will go into service after the 1957 season...Lambeau, who had a squad of 51 players for the 1956 game, said he still might add to his team of 47 players. He said all have accepted bids to play in the classic.

BOGDA HAS SURGERY FOR REMOVAL OF LUNG

JUN 11 (Green Bay) - Russell W. Bogda, president of Bogda Motor Co. and of the Green Bay Packers, underwent surgery for removal of a lung at Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minn., Monday. His condition is satisfactory.

Military School in Mobile, Ala., and moved his family down there. The Packers beckoned and Cone decided to return. "It worked out good," Freddie said, "now I'm going back there as head coach." Cone, who has averaged three speeches a week for the Packers from the middle of January until early this month, can retire as the No. 2 scorer in Packer history. Cone, who kicked a Packer-record 16 field goals in 1955, has scored 381 points in his six seasons on 14 touchdowns, 174 extra points and 41 field goals. He is 11 points behind Ted Fritsch's 392 points and, of course, well behind Don Hutson's leading 825. Thus, Fred will need a dozen marks to take over Ted's spot. Fritsch, incidentally, instructed Cone in the art of placekicking when Fred was a rookie in '51 and Teddy was bowing out. Fritsch compiled his total in nine seasons and Hutson in 11. Cone will be playing his seventh. Cone seemed doomed to the title of "specialist" until the sixth game last year. He saw no action, other than kicking, in the first five. Then, against Cleveland in Milwaukee, Cone caught four passes for 71 yards and the way he ran removed some of the sting from the loss. Cone became a regular, as it were, and played a vital part in upsetting Detroit Thanksgiving Day, catching a touchdown pass. The following week, he rushed for 92 yards in the Bays' victory over the Chicago Cardinals. In seven games, Cone rushed 49 times for 211 yards and caught 12 passes for 218 yards, scoring four touchdowns along the way.

PACKER LINE GETS BOOST AS RINGO SIGNS; KRAMER SAME

JUN 14 (Green Bay) -  The Packers' offensive line - from tackle to tackle, that is - received an official boost today with the signing of Jim Ringo, veteran center. Ringo, who will be starting his fifth season, is the only every-game regular returning from the 1956 offensive wall due to (1) the departure of tackles Bob Skoronski and John Sandusky and guard Forrest Gregg and (2) the lack of a regular at the other guard spot. On another front, there was word from Ann Arbor, Mich., where Packer administrative aide Jack Vainisi has been negotiating with first draft choice Ron Kramer for the past three days. Vainisi was back home today with no signature while Kramer went back to the business of graduating from the University of Michigan with this problem, in his own words: "It's awfully hard to make up my mind whether to sign with the Green Bay Packers or the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. I want to talk it over with certain people before making a decision. I want to be completely satisfied and I know that after I sign I'm all through, I don't have any other choice." Reportedly, the all-around Wolverine star was ready to sign yesterday but backed out at the last minute. Keeping in close touch with the situation is Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn, who was in River Falls for a coaching clinic at the stage college there Thursday. He will address the Badger Boys State conference at Ripon College tonight. The Packers had no comment on Kramer today, but it is believed the Michigan player has received his last offer. Coach Jim Trimble of Hamilton also has been pursuing Kramer in Ann Arbor. Back to normal business, Ringo is (and this isn't reportedly) the unsung hero in the Packer lineup. The Syracuse star, one of the top-flight centers in the league, hopes to make the Pro Bowl game this year and this would be fitting recognition for his effective play...JOINED IN 1953: Ringo, Packer records show, was all but the leading blocker in the offensive line last year and he rated high as a downfield blocker. Ringo has been a regular since he joined the Bays as a rookie in '53, except for the last seven games of that year when he was sidelined with a 

leg injury. He was in every offensive play in 1954 and appeared to be on his way to another complete year in '55 when he was injured in the third quarter of the Detroit game Thanksgiving Day. Jim was about counted out for the last two games that season, but he recovered in time to play outstanding football in San Francisco and Los Angeles. One of the youngest-old veterans in the league, Ringo won't turn 26 until Nov. 21, by which time he'll have his fifth season half in already. Jim first gained football prominence at Syracuse where he starred for three years, climaxing his college career with an outstanding performance in the 1953 Orange Bowl game. He was the Packers' seventh draft choice in January of 1953. Ringo is in the insurance business at Easton, Pa., presently. He attended Phillipsburg, N.J., High school, starring in football, basketball and track.

STADIUM GROUP APPROVES RULES FOR PROCEDURE

JUN 15 (Green Bay) - The Stadium Commission Friday approved rules governing operations and discussed change orders for construction of the new municipal stadium. The rules, also referring to its authority in city ordinance, include organization, meeting and financial procedures. It also sets the time of regular meetings as the second and fourth Fridays of each month at 4 p.m. in the City Hall. Only change order of significance concerned a change of arrangement in the team building at the stadium, estimated to cost $399. The proposed change, requested by the Packer Corp., would provide additional doors of wire mesh and a section of wall to separate the equipment room from the trainer's room. Since the Packers representative on the commission was not present, the group deferred action until the next meeting. The commission voted to pay its recording secretary at her hourly city pay rate for any work required by the stadium group outside of her regular working hours. Compensation will come from the commission's operating fund.

CARPENTERS BACK AT JOB ON STADIUM

JUN 17 (Green Bay) - Work was resumed on the new city stadium this morning following the signing of a new contract between George M. Hougard and Sons Construction Co. and striking Carpenters Local No. 1146. The first break in the two-week stalemate between the carpenters and the Fox River Valley Contractors Assn. came Sunday when Hougard reached agreement with the union. The new wage pact calls for a 25-cent-an-hour increase on a one-year contract, the same terms on which the valley carpenters have signed with approximately 40 independent builders in the area. In outlining his reasons for signing this morning, George M. Hougard, head of the construction company which has the general contract for building the stadium, said that neither the city nor the Packer Corp. could afford not to have the field completed by Sept. 29, date of the opening game with the Chicago Bears. Had the shutdown continued another week, Hougard said, it would have been impossible to complete the stadium by that date...RENT LOSS CITED: Hougard pointed out that failure to have the stadium ready would have meant a loss to the city of one year's rent. The Packers, who have already sold nearly 18,000 season tickets, might have been forced to refund all of them, he indicated. Fred Leicht, chairman of the Packer stadium building committee, said today that he wasn't sure what would have happened in that case. He acknowledged, however, that things "would have been in a mess." Hougard also pointed out that he had $40,000 tied up in the project on which the interest was costing him more than he will be paying the carpenters in increased wages. He said that he is employing 11 carpenters on the job, to whom he will be paying an additional $1.04 a day each. This amounts to $11.44 a day, much less than his interest. Basic wage of carpenters before the strike was $2.55 an hour. Rain a week ago, Hougard said, caused $1,000 damage to the south ramp of the field which would not have been incurred had the men been at work...SAYS TRADE UNDERPAID: He further stated that in his opinion the carpenters had been underpaid for the past six years. When a trade is underpaid, he continued, builders always get poor mechanics. Hougard stated his conviction that the employers' negotiating committee made a mistake in raising the laborers' rate 12 cents in earlier settlement. Such a rate he termed "ridiculous," making high school boys and other unskilled workers better paid than their school teachers. By so raising the laborers' rate, the employers were penalizing the carpenters, he said. Work on the stadium was progressing on a limited basis today, but Hougard estimated that it would be going full blast within two days. By running overtime if necessary and without further setbacks, the deadline will be met. Lloyd Planert, legal counsel for the Green Bay Building Trades Employers Assn., which has been negotiating with strikers in coordination with the Valley Contractors Assn., had no comment this morning on the latest development. He said, however, that Hougard's signing would have no effect on future negotiations by the two employer groups...RELIEVED AT DECISION: Both Leicht and Packer General Mgr. Verne Lewellen expressed relief over resumption over work on the field. Lewellen said he was happy to hear it, and that the Packers would go right ahead with plans for the formal opening on Sept. 29. Leicht emphasized that there was no time to waste but that he had been assured the deadline would be met. Hougard's action followed a meeting of the Valley District Council of Carpenters Saturday in Appleton at which the most recent contractor offer of a 40 cent increase over three years was unanimously rejected. It was announced late this morning that a new negotiating meeting had been requested by federal conciliator John H. Lacy. The carpenters and contractors will meet at 2 p.m. today in Oshkosh, according to the latest information. The carpenters had asked a 60 cent increase over three years in the last session, but since the beginning of the strike have repeatedly expressed willingness to settle for a one-year pact at a 25-cent an hour pay boost, with provisions for further negotiations leading to possible three-year terms. The agreement between Hougard and carpenters also opens the way for resumption of construction on the Wisconsin State Bank, for which Hougard has the general contract. Other jobs throughout the city remain shut down, however, with picketing continuing.

'SAVE PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL,' BYRNES URGES

JUN 17 (Green Bay) - Rep, John W. Byrnes (R-Wis.) today urged a House subcommittee to recommend legislation to "save professional football." The Wisconsin congressman, who represents the home of the Green Bay Packers in Congress, testified before the Anti-monopoly Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee as hearings began on legislation to clarify the status of pro football and baseball under the anti-trust laws. Byrnes said that a recent Supreme Court decision which placed pro football within the score of the anti-trust laws was a "death sentence" for the national sport and teams like the Packers. He called for the passage of his bill which would exempt football's annual draft and the player contract's reserve clause from anti-trust attack. "To do nothing," Byrnes warned the subcommittee, "is to act to destroy, for no good reason, a sport which has brought enjoyment and relaxation to millions of Americans." In his testimony, Byrnes stressed the importance of the draft and reserve clause to Green Bay, the smallest city in the NFL. "The successful operation of a major league football team in a city of some 60,000 people is not easy," he said. "Even though we draw from a 200-mile radius, we do not have the spectator potential of the other teams. We must make up for that by a higher concentration of spectator enthusiasm and interest, which can come only by fielding a representative team. Without the draft or reserve clause, we could not compete for the players to build such a team. If these features of pro football was true restraints of trade, Green Bay, a pygmy of giants, would have lost its team long ago. Instead, these devices are the reason Green Bay can still operate." As a concrete example of the harm caused by the Supreme Court decision, Byrnes told the story of the new Municipal Stadium in Green Bay which was approved by the voters prior to the ruling. "If no action is taken by Congress," Byrnes said, "workmen even now are completing a stadium which may have lost its reason for being before it is finished. Such a result, as well as the other evil retroactive effects of this court decision on Green Bay and other league cities, must be prevented by congressional action." Brynes' "middle-of-the-road" bill is similar to proposals by Reps. Kenneth B. Keating (R-N.Y.) and Patrick J. Hillings (R-Calif.). It would give football, hockey and basketball the same anti-trust exemption baseball now enjoys. But it would permit "purely business" aspects of the sports, like concession and broadcasting rights, to be regulated. Rep. Cellar (D-N.Y.) said Congress has an "obligation" to determine whether Supreme Court rulings have discriminated between baseball and other professional sports. Cellar heads the House anti-trust subcommittee. Keating, senior Republican on the subcommittee, said at the outset Congress would create "chaos in the sporting world" by blanketing baseball and other professional sports under federal anti-trust laws. Top big league figures attended the opening session. Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick, Presidents William Harridge of the American League and Warren C. Giles of the National League listened attentively as Congress members and government officials testified. Commissioner Bert Bell of the NFL also was present. Football's situation doesn't come up for another two weeks as the subcommittee plans to spend that long receiving testimony from baseball executives, players and others close to the game. Cellar started the inquiry by recalling that the Supreme Court twice has held that baseball is not subject to the federal anti-trust laws, but it ruled last winter that pro football come under antitrust regulation. He also noted that the high court said "the orderly ways" to eliminate any apparent discrimination would be by legislation rather than by court decrees. Cellar's subcommittee is examining a half-dozen proposals to treat all sports alike. Cellar said "complaints have been received regarding various practices which for a long time have been associated with certain professional enterprises."...DRAFT OF ATHLETES: He said the "complainants urged that such practices be halted." Cellar did not enumerate the protests, but clearly was referring to such procedures as the reserve clause in player contracts and the draft of college athletes - the selection system used primarily by pro football. The reserve clause common in all professional team sports ties a player to the club that first signed him. Cellar also said "representations have been made, on the other hand, that many of these established practices are absolutely essential to the continued operation of professional sports and could not be discontinued without dealing these sports a death blow." Cellar headed extensive hearings in 1951 which concentrated on baseball and concluded without any specific recommendations for congressional action. He said today the present subcommittee "has no preconceived notion concerning the solution" of current problems in all team play-for-pay sports. Keating, in opposing Cellar's proposal which in effect would extend antitrust jurisdiction to all sports, said if this were done "the biggest loser of all will be the general public."

made by Blackbourn in 1954, the 275-pound tackle coming to Green Bay from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a fourth draft choice. Helluin made the Browns as a rookie in ’52, but broke his arm in ’53 and saw little service the rest of the season. He was a regular defensive tackle for the Packers in 1954-55-56. Helluin, who will be 28 Aug. 8, will be starting his sixth pro season. Helluin played tackle, guard and end at Tulane, and captained the team in his senior year. He hails from Houma, La…Hashing over Kramer, Blackbourn said the position Ron plays will depend on what he shows in camp. “We’ll start him at end and shift him from side to side,” Liz said, adding: “When we flank the ends outside, we may use him at the line of scrimmage. We expect to get good inside blocking from him and there will be times when he drops back to slot back.” Placing Kramer at an end spot means that the Packer ends, Billy Howton or Gary Knafelc, would at times take on the title of halfback or slotback, depending on which side Kramer is used. Incidentally, Blackbourn said that Kramer actually signed a one-year contract instead of a three-year pact as announced yesterday. However, Liz pointed out, the one-year contract has an extension of his option should he got into service. He is due to go into service after the 1957 season. Kramer was rather tough for the Packers to sign and after the signing Blackbourn told the Michigan ace: “If you’re that tough on the field, you’ll be all right.”

PACKER DRAFTEE SHOT TO DEATH IN TAVERN FIGHT

JUN 19 (Bowling Green, OH) - A shooting in a tavern scuffle cost the life of Rudy Schoendorf, 21, Kansas, Ohio, who had signed to play professional football with the Green Bay Packers this fall. Schoendorf was shot to death Monday night. His companion, Norman Mooney, 22, Portage, Ohio, was reported in satisfactory condition today at Flower Hospital in Toledo. Both men were linemen at Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, before flunking out of school two years ago, school officials said. Schoendorf, a tackle, had been the Packers' 14th choice in the draft. Police say Schoendorf, Mooney and three companions went to the Golden Lily tavern on U.S. 6, about six miles east of here Monday night. An argument developed between Schoendorf and the bartender, Gerald Bryant, 22, over the cost of two long distance telephone calls. Police say Schoendorf ripped Bryant's shirt and the five men left. Police said the five men returned later and Schoendorf offered Bryant a dollar for the torn shirt but again refused to pay for the telephone calls. Officers say a fight developed and Bryant grabbed a .32 revolver belonging to the tavern. Schoendorf was hit in the stomach and chest and Mooney was shot in the mouth. No charges have been filed against Bryant. Wood County authorities scheduled to meet today to investigate the case.

BORDEN RETURNS, WITH MORE BULK

JUN 21 (Green Bay) - Nate Borden hopes to grow into a solid job with the Packers. The former Indiana University end came to Green Bay in 1955, weighing only 210 pounds. Nate made the squad but was handicapped by lack of weight. Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn, who announced the signing of Borden for ’57 last night, fattened Borden up to 225 for the 1956 season and the Hoosier Hot Shot had a better year. “Nate is weighing 245 pounds now,” Liz said, “which is too much, of course, but he’ll play at 230 pounds – not over that.” Borden, with 24 straight league games at defensive end under his belt, has been characterized as a sound player who doesn’t make many mistakes. “He’s not fast but he’s quick over the short area and he tackles well,” Blackbourn pointed out. Actually, Borden was a pleasant surprise to Blackbourn in 1955. Nate was the 25th draft choice in January of that year but he displayed pro possibilities right soon. Borden is the 10th holdover from the 1956 team to sign for ’57. Others are tackles Jerry Helluin and Bill Lucky, who played part of ’56 in Canada; center Jim Ringo; ends Billy Howton and Dick Deschaine; quarterbacks Tobin Rote and Bart Starr; halfback Bobby Dillon; and fullback Fred Cone. In all, 20 veterans of pro football have signed Packer pacts. Others besides the holdovers are Don Luft, former Philadelphia Eagles and Canadian end; former Cleveland Browns Babe Parilli, Sam Palumbo, John Macerelli, John Petitbon and Billy Kinard; and service returnees Jim Temp, Norm Amundsen, Al Barry and Gene White…Blackbourn looked forward to a vacation starting this weekend after a hectic week which included the signing of balky Ron Kramer and resumption of work on the new stadium. Liz plans to relax (from football, that is) at the family farm at Lancaster. “We’ll see how the cutworms are on the back 40 and the catch on the alfalfa,” Blackbourn laughed, adding: “They’ve got problems on the farm, too.”…Practice is scheduled to start July 27 at Stevens Point, and Blackbourn expects to have 60 candidates (the league limit) on hand for that opening week.

HOUGARD IS OUSTED BY CONTRACTORS

JUN 21 (Green Bay) - The George M. Hougard and Sons Construction Co. was expelled from the Green Bay Building Trades Employers Assn. Thursday night. Hougard, general contractor for the new city stadium, was dropped because of breaking its written agreement with the association by signing independently with the striking carpenters union early this week. In announcing the expulsion this morning, Atty. Lloyd Planert, counsel for the association, said the vote was unanimous. At the same time, he announced, no action was taken against the L.J. Reis Construction Co. for also signing with the union. Reis is retiring from the construction business and signed in order to clean up a number of jobs already started…REASON FOR DECISION: When he announced signing the one-year contract with the carpenters at a wage increase of 25 cents an hour last Monday, George M. Hougard, head of the construction firm, said he did it because another week of idleness would make it impossible for him to complete the stadium in time for the opening Packer game with the Chicago Bears on Sept. 29. Neither the city nor the Packers could afford not to have the field ready, Hougard stated, explaining that failure to complete the stadium would cost the city a year’s rent and might force the Packers to refund approximately 18,000 season tickets already sold. He also pointed out that interest on money he had invested in the project was higher than the increased wages he would be paying the carpenters…11 CARPENTERS ON JOB: Hougard is employing 11 carpenters on the stadium, he said, to whom he will be paying an additional $1.04 a day each. This amounts to only $11.44 a day. The contract raised the basic wage for carpenters from $2.55 to $2.80 an hour. The contractors also voted unanimously Thursday to approve all actions taken so far by the employer negotiating committee in the long dispute. A similar vote of confidence was given the committee by the Fox River Valley Contractors Assn., which met simultaneously in Oshkosh. Late this morning, it was announced that federal conciliator John H. Lacey had called another meeting of the contending negotiating committee for this afternoon in Oshkosh.

FROSTY FERZACCA BACK IN COACHING

JUN 22 (Marquette, MI) - F.L. (Frosty) Ferzacca, former Marquette University head football coach, has been appointed to a similar post at Northern Michigan College, effective July 1. Ferzacca, since leaving Marquette at the close of the 1955 season, has been director of ticket sales in Milwaukee for the Green Bay Packers. He coached at Marquette for two seasons, following nine successful seasons as coach of West High School at Green Bay. At Northern Michigan, Ferzacca replaced Lloyd Eaton who resigned to become an assistant at the University of Wyoming. Paul White was named to Eaton's post in February but withdrew his application.

SIGNIFICANT WEEK! PACKERS SIGN MORLEY

JUN 22 (Green Bay) - The Packers closed out a significant and important week in their 1957 history today with the signing of Sam Morley, Bobby Garrett's favorite passing target for three seasons at Stanford. This week started with two roadblocks - (1) the strike at the new stadium and (2) Ron Kramer, the Packers' first draft choice. George M. Hougard, the stadium contractor, came to rescue on Point No. 1 by signing an individual contract and action was resumed bright and early Monday morning. Thus, it is virtually certain that the stadium will be ready come the opener Sept. 29 against the Chicago Bears. Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn also was up bright and early but a different city and time - Ann Arbor, Mich., on Tuesday for a conference with Kramer, who has shown joy and disappointment with various Packer offers during the three previous weeks. Kramer signed, thus saving the Packers and the NFL the embarrassment of losing one of the nation's greatest collegiate stars to Canada. Big Ron is expected to add considerable power to the Packer offense. Kramer was practically the last of the draftees to officially sign up, and the remaining order of business before the start of training July 27 in Stevens Point is the signing of veterans and a few scattered free agents. But other business could be a trade before training starts. One of the three veteran Packer quarterbacks is due to go, which means Tobin Rote, Babe Parilli or Bart Starr. With training hardly a month away for most clubs, however, it's possible the Packers will hold off QB trading with other clubs come face to face with their QB needs. The aforementioned Morley actually is signing his second Packer contract. He was the Washington Redskins' 20th draft choice in January of 1954 and played in several of Washington's non-league games that season. Morley injured his shoulder and was put on waivers after the second league game. Blackbourn signed him as a free agent after the 1954 season. Morley was called into service and just recently completed a two-year stint. Morley and Garrett formed Stanford's fearsome twosome for three years at Stanford. Morley, who stands six-three and packs 190 pounds, helped Garrett to the nation's collegiate passing title in 1953. Garrett was traded recently by the Packers to the Cleveland Browns...CAUGHT 102 PASSES: Morley is among a select group of college players who have caught more than 100 passes over a three-year period. He caught 17 for 228 yards and one touchdown as a sophomore in '51; 40 for 523 yards and six touchdowns as a junior; and 45 for 594 yards and six touchdowns as a senior. This makes for 102 catches for 1,345 yards and 13 touchdowns in three years. Ranking third among the nation's pass receivers in 1953, Morley was named an All-American end that year and twice was picked on the All-Pacific Coast team. He also played two seasons with the Stanford varsity basketball team. Morley starred in high school football in South Pasadena, Calif., High.

June 26th 1957

BELL PRAISES REP. BYRNES

JUN 24 (Green Bay) - Bert Bell, commissioner of the NFL, praised Rep. John W. Byrnes (R-Wis.) today in a wire to Russ Bogda, president of Green Bay Packers, Inc. Bell's wire follows: "Words fail me in trying to express to the Packers and the people of Green Bay what a marvelous job Congressman John W. Byrnes did for the Green Bay Packers and professional football when he appeared before the anti-trust subcommittee of the house judiciary committee. He not only did a great job for the Packers and professional football but in addition he told of the enthusiasm and loyalty of the people who raised money and voted for a new stadium and would receive nothing in return - nothing except the enjoyment of watching the Packers. The City of Green Bay and the State of Wisconsin certainly should be justly proud of their wonderful representative, Congressman John W. Byrnes, and we in the NFL certainly will never forget him."

NFL'S 72-GAME '57 SCHEDULE RELEASED

JUN 25 (Green Bay) - Commissioner Bert Bell today released the 1957 NFL schedule of 72 games. And there it is in the adjoining column - for you to clip! The league's 38th campaign will open Sunday afternoon Sept. 29, on four fronts in the Western Division and two in the Eastern, Green Bay, San Francisco, Baltimore and Los Angeles of the Western and Cleveland and Pittsburgh of the Eastern are home in the kickoffs. There will be a double-weekend closing - Dec. 15 when 10 of the 12 teams play, including the Packers at San Francisco and Dec. 22 when Pittsburgh visits the Chicago Cardinals in the only game that day. The championship game this year is scheduled in the home city of the Western Conference champion Dec. 29, which means that if the Packers get into the title playoff, the contest will be played in the new stadium. It's a bit early to be even mentioning that magic 12-letter word, but let's look around the Western Division. The Bears and Lions had the show to themselves last year, finishing one-two with 9-2-1 and 9-3, respectively. Between 'em, the Bears and Lions scored 18 victories which matched the triumphs scored by the Forty Niners, Rams, Packers and Colts. The FN'ers and Colts each won five and the Rams and Pack each won four. There is no particular reason to change the two top teams for '57, unless it's just plain old optimism. And since Old Optimism U never had a cold-figured record, let's drop it 

now...BLACK-JACKISH: To change the subject, it might be interesting to note the Eastern Division opponents of the Western Division clubs. These inter-divisional battles - not necessarily blood-banks like the Packer-Bear and Giant-Redskin matches, can be sort of black-jackish. A team just doesn't know when it might get clubbed on the head by a "stranger" from the opposite division. The Packers, for instance, face a proven powerhouse in the New York Giants of the Eastern Sector, but what about the other ED foe, Pittsburgh! Remember 1954? The Steelers seemed like a soft touch in the opener here. Pitt won 21-20. The Bears play tough Washington and the Chicago Cardinals. Los Angeles takes on Philadelphia and Cleveland, while San Francisco plays the Cardinals and New York. Baltimore gets Washington and Pittsburgh while Detroit takes on Philadelphia and Cleveland. Now, if you are figuring the Packer chances, just start by hoping for victories over the Eastern foes and finish by praying for a split in the Western Division. That would make 8-4!

Lou Rymkus, was obtained from the Cleveland Browns, along with teammate Bill Lucky, in 1955 in a trade for Art Hunter. Joe, the Browns' fourth draft choice in 1951 while he was still a junior at Purdue, will be playing his fifth NFL season. The square-shouldered veteran, 5-11 and 228 pounds, was an all-Big Ten selection at Purdue University where he majored in physical education, a natural academic choice in view of his career at Chicago Vocational School where he played three years of football and was a member of the 1946 Chicago city championship wrestling team...WON STARTING JOB: Like Skibinski, Smith was an All-Big Ten choice at his alma mater, Wisconsin, in 1950-51, and subsequently was a standout rookie with the San Francisco 49ers in 1952 when he battled his way to a starting job at offensive guard. Jerry, who also can do a competent job at middle guard and end on defense, was the 49ers' eighth draft choice in 1952. After the 1953 season, he went into service and spent 1954-55 as a first lieutenant with the Army in Europe. A burly 6-foot, 240-pounder, Smith came to the Packers as a free agent after the final cut to 33 players last fall and was activated for the last two games of the season. Jerry, who impressed Packer observers in Wisconsin's first oldtimers' game at Camp Randall in May, was an all-around athlete at Chaminade High School in Dayton, Ohio before enrolling at Wisconsin...Blackbourn, who has another weeks left, is still vacationing in preparation for the long 1957 grind. All of his assistants, Lou Rymkus, Scooter McLean and Jack Morton, have completed theirs and are back at work. The other member of the staff, Defense Coach Tom Hearden, is recuperating at home from a stroke suffered May 17 and is making such rapid progress he has high hopes of an early return to active duty.

PACKERS BEEF UP 'MIDDLE'; SIGN SKIBINSKI, SMITH

JUL 3 (Green Bay) - Aware that "strength up the middle" is not exclusively a baseball concern, the Packers today took steps to beef up that portion of their forward wall. This was accomplished by the signing of a pair of walking bulldozers, Joe Skibinski and Jerry Smith, the only veteran guards thus far contracted for 1957 employment with this community's NFL representatives. Together with the tireless Jim Ringo, signed earlier in the month, they will lend the sure touch of experience to the center of Coach Liz Blackbourn's attacking unit. The addition of the S-S duo was particularly welcome because two of their veteran colleagues, Buddy Brown and Forrest Gregg, will not be available this season and a third, Len Szafaryn, will be shifted back to tackle if he returns. Gregg is in service and Brown has retired. Thus, barring trades, they will be the only veteran guards in evidence when Blackbourn blows the whistle at the Packers' Stevens Point training camp July 28, except for Al Barry, a 1954 Packer who has been in service the last two years. Skibinski, who has been a steady performer for Line Coach 

PACKERS HOPE TO GET HELP IN LINE FOR QB

JUL 16 (Green Bay) - Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn, fresh and tanned after “enough vacation golf to last me the rest of the year,” looked over the 1957 roster today and pointed to the offensive guard and offensive tackle listings. “They’re the question marks. We’ve got to find a Gregg and a Skoronski if we are to improve, but we could get some help for those spots by trading,” Liz said. Trading? Blackbourn, of course, was referring to the oft-talked about trade of one of Green Bay’s three veteran quarterbacks – Babe Parilli, Tobin Rote and Bart Starr, in alphabetical order. The name of the QB to be traded is a big, fat secret, natch, but Liz put it this way: “We’ll trade a quarterback but we’ll not give one of them away. And the trade will be right soon.” Blackbourn listed 17 good-sized prospects for offensive guards and tackles and allowed that “they are a lot of good football players but the question is have we any great ones in the bunch?” Three veterans are among the guards – Len Szafaryn, Joe Skibinski and Al Barry, who played with the Pack as a rookie in ’54 and then went into service. New prospects for guard are Dalton Truax, Jack Nisby, Pat Hinton, Norm Amundsen, Elton Shaw and Dennis Davis – all rookies. Davis is a free agent and Shaw was drafted in 1956 as a junior. There is only veteran offensive tackle on the list – John Macerelli, one of the six players obtained 

from the Cleveland Browns in the trade for Bobby Garrett and Roger Zatkoff. New tackles are Bob Dean, Carl Vereen, Chuck Mehrer, George Bellotti, Chuck Leyendecken, Marv Rawley and George Morris. Dean and Rawley are free agents. Morris, the Oklahoma star, was drafted a year ago but decided not to play last fall. He played as a guard in college but can handle tackle because of his size, 240 pounds. Not returning this season will be Curt Lynch, the former Alabama tackle who looked so good in camp last year until he injured his knee. He was to undergo an operation to correct the trouble but never bothered and now has decided to quit. Blackbourn has ordered three changes in position for three players – Jerry Smith, an offensive guard by trade; Charley Grant, an offensive center; and Al Carmichael, a slot back. Smith, the onetime Wisconsin star, will be started out as a defensive end. Grant, a 260-pounder who came to the Pack as a free agent in ’54 and then went into service, will be drilled as a defensive tackle. Carmichael will go at the reversible halfback-fullback spot. “We may do some other changing around as the needs show up. We’ll be pretty jumbled around for those first few weeks. Six of them will be in the All Star camp and two or three others are in service and will be reporting late,” Blackbourn said. Carmichael’s shift to a “running back” spot leaves the slot position in the hands of one veteran, Joe Johnson, and two rookies, Ron Kramer and Dick Kolian – not to mention Max McGee, if and when he gets out of service. The slot players will be interchangeable with the ends – for the most part. Carmichael, who hasn’t signed yet, will fight it out (for one of two positions, halfback or fullback) with veterans Howie Ferguson, Fred Cone and Bill Roberts and rookies Paul Hornung, Lee Hermsen, Credell Green, Ron Qullian and Sam Hobson. Blackbourn is highly enthusiastic about the good competition for the various positions. The defensive platoon, for instance, will have 20 men battling for the linebacker, cornerbacker and safety positions alone. But those are other stories, and we’ll pen ‘em later! Blackbourn and his aides, Ray McLean, Lou Rymkus and Jack Morton, are busy at the blackboard charting plays in preparation for the first few weeks of practice at Stevens Point. Drills open Monday, July 29 - less than two weeks away. “We’ve had many good things happen to use this past offseason – like the trade and a number of good players, and we’ve had some bad breaks – Tom, Russ and now Boob,” Blackbourn said. Tom Hearden, defensive coach, suffered a stroke May 19; Russ Bogda, Packer president, recently underwent major surgery; and Bernard (Boob) Darling of the Executive Committee was admitted to the hospital over the weekend with a kidney ailment.

PACKERS HOPE TO DROP POOR TACKLE TITLE WITH MANY DEFENSE CHANGES

JUL 20 (Green Bay) - A rookie fullback set a league rushing record against the Packers last season. That would be the Los Angeles Rams’ Tom Wilson, who galloped 223 yards in 23 attempts in the Packers’ 12th and final league game last December. In addition, the Packers gave up more yards rushing than any other team in the league – 2,619, during the ’56 campaign. That’s all bad! Thus, there is just the “slightest” indication that the Packers’ tackling might have been slightly under par last season. Coach Liz Blackbourn mentioned that in the Los Angeles Coliseum dressing room after the Ram game and he dropped another hint in reviewing his defensive personnel today, as follows: “We were a poor tackling team, generally speaking, in the past couple of years and we hope to have that corrected this year, plus maintaining a good defense against passes. We’ll miss Roger Zatkoff and Deral Teteak on defense, but we’ll be making a few changes and adding some new blood, hoping that their loss will be offset.” The major change will have Tom Bettis, a linebacker originally and mostly, moving to middle guard (mike man) and replacing Bill Forester, who, in turn, will go to a linebacker spot. Thus, Bill will be filling Zatkoff’s shoes and Sam Palumbo, one of six players obtained in the trade with the Cleveland Browns for Zatkoff and Bobby Garrett, will replace Teteak. Working with Bettis at “mike” will be Percy Oliver, a highly-prized draftee from Illinois. New linebackers besides Palumbo will be Carlton Massey, a defensive end who was obtained in the six-for-two trade, draft choice Ernie Danjean of Auburn and Glenn Bestor of Wisconsin and free agent Bob Schaeffer, former service star. The most abused defensive position at times last year, cornerbacker, has eight candidates as of now. Five prospects are veterans, including holdovers Glen Young, Billy Bookout and Hank Gremminger from the 1956 Packers; Gene White, a 1954 Packers, who is returning from service; and John Petitbon, obtained in the aforementioned trade. Newcomers are Frank Gilliam, the Iowa star; Bob Burris, the former Oklahoma ace; and Tony Cushenberry, a free agent out of Georgia. Joining veteran safety aces Bobby Dillon and Val Joe Walker will be Billy Kinard, the former Brown obtained in the big trade; Gustafson of Gustavus Adolphus and John Symank of Florida. The Bays likely will go with veteran tackles Dave Hanner and Jerry Helluin, unless something develops in a trade or a shift is made from the offensive line. Ticketed for defensive tackle competition are former Packer Bill Lucky, who spent part of ’56 in Canada, Martin Booher, a rookie from Wisconsin, and Charley Grant, a 260-pound former center who was obtained on waivers from the Eagles two years ago before he went into service. Help at defensive end will have to come from Jim Temp, the ex-Wisconsin star who is coming out of service; Don Luft, the former Eagle who hails from Sheboygan; and Jerry Smith, shifted from offensive guard. Returning from the ’56 team will be John Martinkovic and Nate Borden. Blackbourn has 31 players on the defensive roster at the moment, including five ends, five tackles, two middle guards, five safetymen, eight cornerbackers, and six linebackers. There may be many changes, new faces and switches in position before the league opener Sept. 29, but the current group may well contain the nucleus for the league-play defensive team. Liz won’t have long to wait. Training camp opens at Stevens Point a week from tomorrow.

CHI-CARDS LOSE $800,000

JUL 25 (Washington) - Every NFL club except the Chicago Cardinals made a profit over the last five years. The Cards lost nearly $800,000. Pro football’s financial situation was outlined in NFL statements submitted Wednesday to the House Antitrust Subcommittee for its study of pro sports. The Detroit Lions netted more than any of the other 11 teams during the 1954-56 period with $622,055 after taxes. The Lions also were high last season, with $119,483. Gross receipts for all clubs in the five years totaled $52,420,106. Expenses reduced income to $4,325,421. And taxes cut the net to $1,905,326. NFL players received $16,304,992 in salaries for the period. They averaged $9,216 last season against $7,458 in 1952.

EARLY BIRD PACKERS SCENTING BIG YEAR?

JUL 25 (Green Bay) - If, as claimed, the early bird gets the work, the Packers should have a running start on their rivals in the 1957 NFL scramble. Evidence that such may be the case is piling up daily as more and more veterans report early for the opening of training at Stevens Point, not scheduled until Head Coach Liz Blackbourn throws the switch Saturday noon. These developments, coupled with 

the fact that the early arrivals held not one but two informal workouts here Wednesday, is taken as a strong indication of more than casual interest in ’57 chase, particularly by one close observer, himself a former player. “It can only mean they’re anxious, that they want to play,” he declared, “because it is highly unusual to have so many veterans on hand so early. When I was playing, most of them didn’t come in until the last possible minute.” In the veteran vanguard are fullback Howie Ferguson, regarded as a key figure in the Packers’ Western Division potential, giant Jerry Helluin, Bill Lucky, back from a season in Canada, and Glenn Young. Working out with them are Green Bay’s permanent residents, Big John Martinkovic, Fred Cone, Bart Starr and Tom Bettis, along with Bobby Dillon, who is doubling in brass this year as an assistant coach. Though they haven’t said so, could be they scent a big year for Green Bay with the addition of such college luminaries as Paul Hornung and Ron Kramer, as well as the return from service of Max McGee and Al Barry. While Blackbourn was pondering these favorable signs, he and his aides also were awaiting developments on the trade mart. There was no change in the situation up to noon today, but there still was a possibility of a deal before the Packers head for camp. Liz and Administrative Aide Jack Vainisi are scheduled to leave for Stevens Point Friday afternoon to make ready, along with Trainer Carl (Bud) Jorgensen and Property Manager G.E. (Dad) Braisher, for the invasion of more than 50 athletes Saturday noon. Room assignment and physical examinations will take up Saturday afternoon and the players will be assembled for the first time at a 7:30 squad meeting Saturday night. Sunday will be “Picture Day”, starting at 2 o’clock, and a second squad meeting will be held Sunday night. Two-a-day drills will begin Monday.

PACKER GET FOUR LION STARS FOR ROTE, WALKER

JUL 26 (Green Bay) - The Packers, engineering the most spectacular trade in their 39-year history, “with the sole purpose of making us a title contender,” today awaited the arrival of a new offensive “line”, and bade reluctant farewell to Tobin Rote. Acquired to reinforce the forward wall decimated by retirement and Uncle Sam were tackles Oliver Spencer and Norm Masters, guard-tackle Jim Salbury and halfback Don McIlhenny in a king-sized exchange with the Detroit Lions. For this array of talent, the Packers gave up defensive halfback Val Joe Walker in addition to Rote, nerve center of the Packer offense since he came upon the Green Bay scene in 1950, fresh out of Rice Institute. “We gave up a great quarterback to get what we had to have,” Head Coach Liz Blackbourn said, adding that he has spent many a sleepless night mulling over the problem before making the final decision. “We were desperately in need of offensive linemen because of the retirement of John Sandusky and Buddy Brown and the loss to service of Forrest Gregg and Bob Skoronski, which took away four of our seven interior linemen,” he elaborated. “You can see how lost from last year’s squad and maybe a little more,” Liz asserted. “They’ll give us the much needed strength and depth we needed.” “As far as McIlhenny is concerned, we need another running back,” he said. “He had a fine year last year until he was injured. He’s fully recovered so I see no reason why he shouldn’t have a fine year this year.” In Salsbury and Spencer, the Packer acquired the right side of the Lions’ 1956 attacking unit, which was good enough to carry the Motor City eleven to within a hair’s breadth of a playoff berth. Perhaps just as significant from the long range standpoint, Blackbourn traded age for youth. All of the new Packers are under 25, except Spencer, who was 26 April 17. Salsbury is 24, Masters 23 and McIlhenny is just 22. Spencer, like Masters a study 6-2, 245-pound specimen, earned a regular offensive berth as a Detroit rookie in 1953, then came from service in ’56 to reclaim his old job. A Kansas alumnus, where he earned All-American and all-Big Seven honors in 1952, he reportedly is a hard worker and explosive blocker. He was named to the East-West and Senior Bowl games after completing his college career. Salsbury, 6-1, 235-pound former UCLA star, played offensive tackle in 1955 and last year moved to right guard. A member of the 1955 College All-Star squad, he was the Lions’ No. 2 draft choice that year. Jim, who will be 25 Aug. 8, played in the 1956 Rose Bowl and East-West games. McIlhenny, a robust 6-1, 200-pounder who is “fast and shifty” but also a hard hitter, averaged 4.3 yards per try in 87 carries last season. Don, who gained 372 yards though he missed a good portion of the season, was among the league’s ground leaders until injured in mid-season. Also a competent pass receiver, the former Southern Methodist luminary caught eight passes for 70 yards, an 8.8 average, and two touchdowns. Masters, it developed, was in a sense 

the key figure in he deal from the Packer end. The Lions were reluctant to part with him, but Blackbourn insisted that he be included or there would be no deal and Detroit finally agreed to the condition late Thursday afternoon. An All-American at Michigan State in 1955, Masters was the Chicago Cardinals’ No. 2 choice in the 1956 collegiate draft. He elected to play at Vancouver last fall, however, and the Cards traded him to Detroit over the winter for what was described as “a very high draft choice.” Packer officials checked with Vancouver’s coaches and they rated the 6-foot, 2-inch 245 giant “very high, both as an offensive and defensive tackle.” Lion Coach Buddy Parker said he was “happy” to have Rote, key figure in the 24-21 Thanksgiving Day victory that knocked Detroit out of the 1956 Western Division championship, on his side. The Lions have two QB’s, Bobby Layne and Jerry Reichow, but Layne has been plagued with a bad shoulder and Reichow has had little experience. Rote, who led the NFL in touchdown pitches last year with 18, ranks as the Packers’ all-time passer – a major distinction considering he followed such Green Bay immortals as Arnie Herber and Cecil Isbell. The Rice Rifle, as he has come to be known, completed 826 of 1,854 passes for 11,535 yards and 89 touchdowns during his seven years as the Packers’ air arm. Last year, in addition to leading the league in TD passes, he also threw more passes (308) and gained more air yards (2,203) than any other NFL QB. He also had the least number intercepted percentagewise. Among other Packer records held by Rote are most passes completed in one season, 180; most passes attempted in one season, 382; most attempts one game, 42, against the Chicago Bears, Nov. 7, 1954; most yards gained on passes in one season, 2,311 in 1954; most yards gained on passes one game, 335, against the Los Angeles Rams Dec. 16, 1951; longest completed pass, 96 yards (to Billy Grimes vs. San Francisco, 1950); and most passes had intercepted one season, 24, as a rookie in 1950. “I not only think Rote is a great player,” Blackbourn said, “but he is the greatest competitor that ever played under me. I hated very much to let him go.” As of now, Blackbourn said, sophomore Bart Starr, who understudied Rote last year, “is my No. 1 quarterback until someone shows me otherwise.” Besides Starr, Blackbourn has Babe Parilli, obtained in that trade with Cleveland, and Notre Dame All America Paul Hornung. “We couldn’t afford the luxury of four quarterbacks. As it stands, we’ll probably only have two – Starr and Parilli – because Hornung will alternate between quarterback and left halfback,” Blackbourn said. Walker, a four-year veteran, is regarded as one of the league’s premier defensive backs. Obtained in a trade from the New York Giants in 1953, he has officially been regarded as a holdout this season. Blackbourn and his aides, as a matter of fact, were operating under the assumption that the slight Southern Methodist alumnus, who intercepted one pass in 1956, would not return, since he was not listed on the training camp roster.

'I SURE HATE TO GO', ROTE; VAL MAY QUIT

JUL 26 (Green Bay) - Tobin Rote, who arrived in Green Bay Thursday night ready to launch his eighth season as a Packer, today was “still shocked” over finding himself a Detroit Lion. “It’s sure going to be funny playing against the Packers after spending all these years in Green Bay,” the big Texan drawled. “I sure hate to go.” Rote said that Detroit is the “only other team I would play for. If I had been traded to anyone else, I think I would have packed my bags and called it quits.” After recovering from the initial shock, Tobin set about making arrangements to join the Lions, already training at their suburban Detroit base. He will leave Green Bay Saturday noon. In Dallas, Val Joe Walker, the other Packer principal in the trade, said he did not plan to play pro football this season. “I told Buddy Parker (Detroit coach) over the telephone Thursday and again Thursday night that I didn’t intend to play this season,” Walker said. “But, Parker told me if I changed my mind to let him know.” Walker said he planned to stay in insurance here in Dallas.

PACKERS TRADE ROTE TO LIONS; GET 4 PLAYERS

JULY 26 (Detroit) - The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers have completed a six-player trade that brings quarterback Tobin Rote and defensive halfback Val Joe Walker to the Detroit club. The Packers in turn receive linemen Jim Salsbury, Oliver Spencer and Norm Masters, along with sophomore halfback Don McIlhenny. Word of the deal leaked out late Thursday night when Detroit coach Buddy Parker called Rote's home in Bellaire, Tex., to inform Rote of the trade. But Rote, a seven-year veteran who led the NFL in nearly every passing department last season, was already on his way to the Packer training camp in Stevens Point, Wis. Although the Packers, who finished tied for last in the Western Conference last season, needed help in the line, it was a startling transaction from the Detroit viewpoint. Rote, 29-year old former Rice star who threw 18 touchdown passes in 1956, will join another Texan, Bobby Layne, and second year man Jerry Reichow in the Detroit quarterback spot. Layne, 30, has been in the pro ranks nine years and a Lion mainstay seven seasons. Over the past three years he has been troubled by a shoulder ailment but last season he was one of the league's top passers, and led the NFL in scoring with 99 points. Walker is a 27-year old former SMU player. The Lions said he has announced his retirement. If he can't be talked out of it, the Detroit club will get a 1958 draft choice. The Lions parted with three proven linemen and a promising halfback. Salsbury played two seasons as an offensive guard. Spencer won the job as an offensive tackle as a rookie in 1953, completed two years in service and returned in 1956 to reclaim his old job. Masters, former Michigan State star, played last year in Canada and only recently was obtained by the Lions in a complicated trade with the Chicago Cardinals, who drafted him originally in 1956. McIlhenny is another former Southern Methodist back. He scored five touchdowns and averaged 4.3 yards in 87 carries last season, but was injured midway through the season and never regained his early-season effectiveness. At Green Bay, Coach Lisle Blackbourn said the trade was made because of heavy losses to the armed services and retirement. "We were desperately in need of offensive linemen," Blackbourn said. "In order to get enough we had to sacrifice one of the finest quarterbacks in the league."

DOESN'T PLAN TO PLAY

JULY 26 (Dallas) - Val Joe Walker, star defensive back who was traded along with Tobin Rote to the Detroit Lions by the Green Bay Packers, said today he did not plan to play pro football this season. "I told Buddy Parker (Detroit coach) over the telephone Thursday and again Thursday night that I didn't intend to play this season," Walker said. "But, Parker told me that I changed my mind to let him know." Walker, a former SMU hurdler and backfield star, said he planned to stay in insurance here in Dallas. He had been with Green Bay four years.

CITY STADIUM NAME CHOSEN FOR NEW SITE

JUL 27 (Green Bay) - It’s official now. The new municipal stadium will have the name of Green Bay City Stadium after more often than not being referred to as “the new city stadium” since construction started. The name was made official by the Stadium Commission Friday, when Mayor Otto Rachals advised the group that a committee planning a dedication program needs a definite name for advance publicity. The commission decided the name would best illustrate the ownership and source of financing for the stadium…NEW NAME FOR OLD: For persons fussy about such things, however, the step means that a new name also will have to be given to present City Stadium, which is operated by the Board of Education. The commission also set August 16 as a target for opening of bids for the stadium concessions for the contract for the fall season and August 5 for releasing of specifications and qualifications for the contract. The group asked City Attorney Clarence Nier, commission president, to write the specifications. A decision on whether to get bids based on a flat offer, a percentage of gross, or both methods will made at a session August 2. As a result of an inspection of facilities at Milwaukee County Stadium Thursday, the commission authorized change orders to move back a fence under the stands to provide more room and to extend utilities to more concession stands. The stadium would have six stands with all utilities and two without sewer, water and gas…CHANGES AUTHORIZED: The commission approved payment of $1,633 for a previous change order for guide rails and asked its construction committee to determine the cost of lockers for the team’s building or whether equipment could be moved from the present stadium. Verne Lewellen, Packer Corp. general manager, said 35 lockers would be needed for each of two dressing rooms. Nier reported that negotiations are in progress for selling advertising space on a 10-year basis on a strip of the $24,812 scoreboard purchased earlier this month.

LIZ SEES BRIGHTER WORLD AFTER TRADE AT '57 CAMP OPENS

JUL 27 (Stevens Point-Green Bay Press-Gazette) – The world looked brighter to Head Coach Liz Blackbourn as he surveyed the 1957 Packer scene here today. Liz, in the midst of greeting 50-plus athletes at the Packers’ Central State Teachers College training base, said, “I have hopes now that we can mount some kind of offense.” He had reference, of course, to the four new Packers secured in Friday’s historic trade that sent Tobin Rote and Val Joe Walker to Detroit in exchange for tackles Oliver Spencer and Norman Masters, guard-tackle Jim Salsbury and halfback Don McIlhenny. “That switches our weaknesses about a little bit, doesn’t it?” he observed dryly. “Seriously, these additions should give us a reasonably good offensive line – if they all report. If they don’t of course, the deal is off. I don’t anticipate any trouble on that score, though,” Liz said. “Some of them are supposed to be in any minute and I know for sure Salsbury and Masters are on their way now.” Continuing with his evaluation, Blackbourn declared, “These fellows should give us pretty good protection for our passer and good blocking for our runners, in fact, just good offensive go all around. And when we get Ron Kramer from the All-Stars,” he said, permitting himself another peek into the future, “we’ll have good receiving, too, with Gary Knafelc, Bill Howton and Kramer.” He concedes that the loss of Rote is a serious loss but feels the quarterback situation is far from desperate. “We all (Liz and his aides) felt that Bart Starr is a good quarterback,” Blackbourn explained. “On the other hand, we feel that Parilli has to prove himself – to our staff, that is. He has played good ball, though, we know that so I would say we have adequate strength at quarterback.” Liz added he has more urgent concerns. “I’m still worried about our defensive line and our linebackers,” he admitted. In a specific analysis, he observed that the defensive tackle situation is the same as it was a year ago and the linebacker corps depleted by the departure of Deral Teteak and Roger Zatkoff. Blackbourn’s 1957 prospectus followed: CENTER – “Improved. Jim Ringo’s a real good offensive center and Mike Hudock, our draftee from Miami, has a very fine reputation. In fact, he is the offensive center in the All-Star camp right now. Larry Lauer is a very capable substitute. The way it looks now, Ringo will be number one with Hudock and Lauer fighting it out for the No. 2 job.”…GUARD – “Green. Al Barry and Joe Skibinski have played ball but they’re about the only ones with experience here. His size is a little against him but Dalton Truax, the rookie from Georgia Tech, played ball in the North-South game. He’s also one of the top men in the All-Star camp. Pat Hinton from Louisiana State has real good recommendations. Cecil Morris, listed as guard now, probably will be moved to tackle.”…LINEBACKERS – “I’m a little bit fretty about our linebackers. You’ve got to be when you lost two like Deral Teteak and Roger Zatkoff. Of course, we have Tom Bettis and Bill Forester, who have experience, and Sam Palumbo, who has played consistently with the Browns. We’ll just have to battle it out here and see what happens.”…TACKLES – “We should be okay here offensively with the addition of Spencer, Salsbury and Masters. They’ll give us good protection for the passer and good blocking. Our defensive tackles are the same, with Bill Lucky as a third man. Bob Dean, John Macerelli and Len Szafaryn are experienced and Carl Vereen, our rookie from Georgia Tech, is taking over pretty well in the All-Star camp, from what I understand.”…ENDS – “We have our regulars from last year, John Martinkovic and Nate Borden, plus Jim Temp. Jim is not going to be out of service right away, however. We hope he will be able to help us. We also might get something out of a fellow like Don Luft. Jerry Smith will be available here, too. Ken Vakey, Sam Morley, Gary Knafelc, Bill Howton and Ron Kramer should make up an offensive unit that measures up to league standards pretty well. If Max McGee gets out of service in time to help us somewhere along the way, that will be gravy.”…QUARTERBACKS – “We have adequate strength here. The coaches feel Bart Starr is a good quarterback and Parilli, although he has to prove himself to our staff, has played good ball, we know. Paul Hornung will not be considered as a quarterback – eventually he will but not right now. We’ll use him at left half for the most part although we may let him play some quarterback during the exhibition season.”…HALFBACKS – “Our defensive halfbacks have a lot of experience. Fellows like Bobby Dillon, Hank Gremminger. John Petitbon, Glenn Young. Also have Bob Burris. Val Joe Walker is a holdout, of course, and we don’t know whether he will be back or not. Offensively, there hasn’t been too much change. Of the new boys, Lee Hermsen is well-coordinate with plenty of nerve and speed. Credell Green from Washington is a real hard going boy, too, as I understand it. I can’t say too much about Joe Johnson’s competitive ability, either. Al Carmichael and Bill Roberts are back, too. We don’t have too many offensive halfbacks – maybe enough. We might get Tom Pagna out of service – and we might think about getting another halfback somewhere.”…FULLBACKS – “We don’t make too much differentiation between our halfbacks and fullbacks. Aside from Fred Cone and Howie Ferguson, we have a rookie named Ron Quillian from Tulane. He’s a real well-conditioned athlete. According to Doc Erskine, who’s coaching at Louisiana State, ‘he’s the boy who always wins the ball game.’”

WHO'S MORE VALUABLE, QUARTERBACK OR TACKLE?

JUL 27 (Green Bay) - Trade Thoughts: Who is more valuable to a football team – a quarterback or a tackle (or tackles)? Obviously, there is no simple, one-syllable answer to this question, which has many ramifications. Granted that both are required, there often comes a time when a coach is forced to make a choice. The Packers, who in a sense have put their money on the so-called mules up front on the basis of their electrifying trade with Detroit Friday, and the Lions will have at least a partial answer by 4:30 Sunday afternoon, Oct. 6. That, of course, is the date of the first 1957 Packer-Lion meeting in the new stadium. With now ex-Packer Tobin Rote in the Motor City invaders’ lineup, the new Packer palace should be enjoying its second straight sellout (following the Bears Sept. 29). Rote, of course, will be a key figure in the “Great Experiment”. This takes us back to a September afternoon two years ago when the Packers upset the Lions 20-17 at City Stadium with an involuntary assist from a sore-armed Bobby Layne. Lion Coach Buddy Parker, already despairing of the title chances of Detroit’s defending champions, thought it was opening day, told the reporter, “In this league, you have to have three basis things to win. First of all, you have to have a good passing quarterback, then two good pass-receiving ends. You can build around those. If Layne’s arm stays sore, we can’t win it, that’s for sure. That’s how important a good quarterback is.” Parker obviously was operating on that assumption in dealing for Rote since, in order to get the Rice Rifle, he surrendered two starting members of his 1956 forward wall, Jim Salsbury and Oliver Spencer, plus a third tackle with star potential, Norm Masters, and Don McIlhenny, a proven halfback. That would seem like a high price for any football player. A football team also must have some robust fellows in front of that quarterback, or between those ends, if you will, in order to operate effectively. This, of course, was Packer Coach Liz Blackbourn’s concern since he was shy of tackles but, happily, well supplied with quarterbacks – Rote, Vito (Babe) Parilli, Bart Starr and, if needed, Paul Hornung. Although it won’t be conclusive, the Oct. 6 engagement should indicate whether the reinforced Green Bay wall will offset a Rote in Lion’s clothing – and any possible depreciation in Packer QB quality as the result of the tall Texan’s departure. The guess is here that it will. From the Green Bay standpoint, the trade has long-range aspects since all four newcomers are young while Rote, at 29, could well be on the verge of retirement. Should this come to pass in the near future, and the new Packers match their reputations, Friday’s deal may come to rank as the most significant in the Packers’ long history. It could make them a contender again – and a champion!

ROTE TRADED TO IMPROVE PACKER LINE

JULY 27 (Green Bay) - "You have to make a big sacrifice to get what you want," Coach Liz Blackbourn of the Green Bay Packers said Friday in commenting on the trade that sent veteran quarterback Tobin Rote to the Detroit Lions. "We just hope Tobin doesn't come back with Detroit and kill us. Rote's great, real great," Blackbourn said, "but we had a serious line situation here. As in the past we had no assurance rookies could fill the gap." Rote is the key man in the deal that also sent defensive back Val Joe Walker to the Lions in exchange for halfback Don McIlhenny, tackles Oliver Spencer and Norm Masters and guard Jim Salsbury. The Packers, with three quarterbacks in camp, needed line strength while the Lions wanted help for their only signal caller, Bobby Layne. It was the second big deal for the Packers who earlier got six players, five of them defensemen, from the Cleveland Browns for linebacker Roger Zatkoff and quarterback Bobby Garrett. Signal callers on hand today as the Packers opened training at Stevens Point State College were Bart Starr and Babe Parilli, who was acquired in the Cleveland trade. The Packers also have on hand Notre Dame quarterback sensation Paul Hornung, who will report for halfback duties after the College All-Star game. Walker has insisted he is through with professional football and Blackbourn said that if he does not report to the Lions and if Masters, a rookie, makes the Green Bay squad, the Packers will give the Lions an undisclosed draft choice.

FERGUSON, KNEE OK, BLOWING NEW STORM OUT OF LOUISIANA

JUL 5 (Green Bay) - Storm warnings are up today, Signors Rick Casares and Alan Ameche please note. There's another hurricane careening out of Louisiana. Blown up by high-stepping Howie Ferguson, it's scheduled to sweep northward and hit Green Bay on or about July 27, which happens to be the day the bruising fullback reports for his fifth Packer semester. All of this is by way of reporting that the Bayou Bronco, who signed his 1957 contract today, is completely free of the knee miseries that plagued him a year ago and bent upon annexing the ground-gaining championship that narrowly eluded him in 1955. A Green Bay specialist examined the New Iberia, La., native's offensive member in February and found nothing wrong with it other than a "slight calcification" which should cause the veteran linebuster no immediate concern. With a hale and hearty Ferguson bowling over NFL defenders with his old time abandon, the Messrs. Casares and Ameche can expect an all-out run for their money come fall because the swarthy stomper has few peers when he's at his bone-crushing best. Casares, who became the third player in NFL history to amass more than 1,000 yards in a single season, made off with '56 honors, and Ameche was the league's soil champion as a Baltimore Colt rookie in 1955 when Ferguson was a militant runnerup...HURT HEEL EARLY: Howie had no chance to match Casares' record last fall. He injured a heel in the Packers' second league game against the Chicago Bears at City Stadium and was never the same thereafter. The season ended as it had begun for him when he acquired that knee injury at San Francisco and sat out not only the second half of that game but the Packers' finale at Los Angeles the following week. Despite the reversals, Ferguson still managed to make a substantial contribution to Coach Liz Blackbourn's offense. He rolled up 367 yards in 99 attempts for a respectable 3.7 average and also caught 22 passes, the same number he picked off in '55, for 214 yards. Howie, one of a few non-college performers ever to make the major league grade, would much rather recall that big '55 season. In those 12 games, he churned for 859 yards in 192 carries and a 4.5 average. That latter figure, incidentally, matched Ameche, who took the title by virtue of carrying 21 more times, a total of 213, for 961 yards...SNARED 22 PASSES: Ferguson, who along the way leaped from 25th place in 1954 to second, twice gained more than 100 yards in a single game. He also snared 22 passes for 153, giving him a handsome total offense aggregate of 1,021 yards. The good looking Louisianan, who hopes to make Green Bay his permanent home in the near future, has been with the Packers since 1953 when he was signed as a free agent. Howie, 6-2 and 210 pounds, was discovered by the Los Angeles Rams while playing for the Navy on the West Coast and played for the Rams in the 1952 All-Star game but was released just before the first league game. As a Packer rookie in '53, Ferguson carried 52 times as an understudy to Fred Cone and picked up 134 yards. In 1954, he took over as regular fullback and piled up 276 yards in 83 attempts but gained more attention by grabbing 41 passes for 398 yards to rank as the Packers' No. 2 receiver.

WHEN WILL PACK DEAL? THEY'D LIKE TO KNOW!

JUL 6 (Green Bay) - Saturday Speculation: So you're wondering when the quarterback-rich Packers are going to deal way one of their three veteran signal callers for a couple of beefy characters who can play tackle? So, confidentially, are the Packers. The Green Bay front office, according to a club spokesman, has long since named its respective prices to all of their NFL rivals, but, as yet, hasn't found anybody willing to meet them. Presumably, those "market quotations" were made for Vito (Babe) Parilli, Tobin Rote and Bart Starr, although in most quarters it is

considered highly unlikely that Starr will be traded because of his youth and bright promise. Parilli, it is understood,