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The 1945 College All-Star Game |
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At least, it was that alert defense against the vaunted passing of Coach Bernie Bierman's College All-Stars that carried the National football league champions to a roaring 19 to 7 victory in the 12th annual All-Star football classic in Soldier Field last night.
There was plenty to cheer about and plenty for the partisan crowd of 92,753 to groan about, too- as the Packers roared to the seventh victory for the pros over the collegians, and the second for the Packers, personally.
But, it was that pass defense that fashioned one Green Bay touchdown, the second on a thrilling 82-yard run by the veteran Don Hutson less than a minute after the last period opened, and halted almost every All-Star threat.
The Packers found the aerial weapon, their normal forte, outclassed more than three to two by the collegians. Bierman's charges used a more daring pass-attack, with longer throws, but in every other department the Packers were definitely superior.
They outgained the All-Stars almost two to one on the ground 130 yards to 68- and roared into action with a running attack at the start that put the college boys back on their heels and set up the first Packer score, a field goal by Hutson.
They mixed two passes into a drive from the 44-yard-line after the first kickoff and the incomparable Hutson, playing his 11th year of pro football, booted the three-pointer from the 20-yard line.
Then, after the All-Stars gave them two points on a rather odd safety, they charged back into scoring territory on a series of running plays, had to give up the ball, but that defense snatched up a fumble on the 20 and Green Bay scored on the next play.
The two points came when Lt. Bob Kennedy, former Washington State star, intercepted Irv Comp's pass behind his own goal, ran four yards out onto the gridiron, turned and went back into the end zone, and was hit by half a dozen Packers.
Green Bay's first touchdown came on a pass, Herman Robrig to Roy McKay, after Walter Schlinkman, former Texas Tech backfield star, had fumbled on the 20 and Buford Ray recovered for the Packers.
Then, it was the Collegians turn to thrill the crowd. Coming back down the field after the kickoff, with Tom Harmon, former Michigan All-America and recently of the Army Air Forces, contributing a 18-yard dash to the drive, they reached their own 38.
Kennedy took a lateral from Bob Long of Tennessee, ran to his left and fired a pass to Nick Scollard of St. Joseph on the 35-yard line. Scollard dashed the rest of the way to the goal, and Harmon placekicked the extra point for the All-Stars' only tally.
In the first minute of the final period, Hutson intercepted a pass by Perry Moss of Tulsa on his own 18, and with Clyde Goodnight running perfect interference, sped 82 yards for a touchdown.
While the experienced Packers were outplaying and outsmarting the college boys, the latter came up with plenty of thrills for a crowd that was definitely pro All-Star.
One star was Charlie Trippi, All-Star captain and former Georgia and Third Air Force luminary, who’s passing and running made him one of the game's standouts. Harmon also came in for his share of the plaudits, especially in the third quarter when he broke loose on a 46-yard run to the Packer 23-yard line only to lose the ball on a fumble. Injured on the play, he had to leave the game.
Trippi also went out after he had carried the All-Stars to the shadow of the goal, only to have a pass interception again halt their march. He turned the tables on the Packers when he snatched a pass by McKay on the 35 and carried the ball to the two-yard line.
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Georgia's Charlie Trippi carries against the Pack. Playing in his third game, Trippi was the MVP. |
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Michigan's Tom Harmon, 1940 Heisman Trophy winner.
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Charlie Trippi's MVP trophy (Pro Football Hall of Fame).
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CHICAGO,
Aug. 31-(AP)-Who ever first decided that a good, alert defense is the
best sort of offense in football apparently had that knowledge carried
along to Earl L. (Curly) Lambeau, head coach of the Green Bay Packers.
