Evening star., 1938-10-24
CHAMPS HIT ROAD
FOR THREE GAMES
New York Club Still Must
Meet Powerful Teams of
Western Division,
BY BILL DISMER, Jr.

Western Division.
BY BILL DISMER, Jr.
Upon their ability to match the
home stand Of the New York Giants
during the next month and a half,
while they are on the road for most
of the same period, now depends the
chances Of the Washington Redskins
to repeat as Eastern champions Of
the National Football League.
AS q result of their 20-l4 victory
over the Philadelphia Eagles yester-
day at Griffith Stadium, the Indians
will embark on three-game road test
next Sunday 1t Brooklyn still in f1rst
place. But the Giants, only half
game out of the lead, have the ad-
vantage Of playing four of the remain
ing five games on their schedule at
home (and the fifth is at Brooklyn),
while the Redskins must play all but
one of their last five on foreign fields.
If there is anything to the theory
that team is favored by playing ut
home, the advantage Is all with the
Giants. But it must be remembered
that the Redskins won four Of their
five out-of-town games last year.
Furthermore, not until today could
Redskin followers truly appreciate the
tremendous and unforeseen advantages
their favorites unknowingly received
in this years schedule last winter
when intersectional opponents were
drawn out Of hat. For it is the hot
fight which has developed in the
Western division which promises to
work to the benefit of the Redskins.
Not since 1885 have four clubs been
contenders for the Western title as the
Green Bay Packers. Chicago Bears,
Detroit Lions and to the amazement
of all-Cleveland Rams are today.
Lucky to Meet Rams Early.
And the twin breaks" which the
Redskins may capitalize upon are
that the Giants have yet to play two
of the Western clubs very much in
the running, the Packers and the
Rams while the champions-already
conquerors of the Lions and Rams
have but to meet the Bears.
No one need tell the Redskins how
fortunate they were in meeting the
Clevelands when they were at their
lowest ebb. Perhaps it was the 37-l3
shellacking the Indians gave the Rams
on September Is which, together with
a new coach, helped transform the
Ohio team from a nonentity into
rampaging team which since that day
has beaten the Bears twice and the
Lions.
The Giants have an of day next
Sunday (which they'll probably use at
Ebbets Field roofing for the Dodgers
to hammer the Redskins down into .
tie with them for first place., but
starting on November 6 the New
Workers must face the Chicago Cardi-
mails, Rams and Packers on successive
Sundays. A large order which, by
comparison. makes the Redskins dates
with Brooklyn, Pittsburgh and Bears
seem child's play.
That simile is not to be taken lit
orally. for it requires retrospect no
further back than yesterdays game at
Griffith Stadium to prove once again
that professional elevens are too evenly
matched to make preponderant odds
logical and that the outcome of pro
football games can be as uncertain as
baseball
May Lose BauEh Again.
The Redskins, as Coach Ray Flah-
erty tells you in his story in The
Star today, had several chances to
clinch victory, but, lacking k. O. in
centive, were content to rest on their
slender lead. Sure, it kept more than
$4,000 fans in their seats until The
Star clock showed there was less than
two minutes to play, but it might have
proven costly had lady luck frowned
upon the champions in the waning
moments.
AS matter of fact, luck did frown
upon the champions to certain extent
and to how large degree was not to
be known for day-or until Sammy
Baugh works out in practice again.
When Sammy fumbled center pass
in the last five minutes of the game on
play on which he was supposed to
punt and, seeing two onrushing
tacklers headed straight for him, de-
cided to pass, he was thrown heavily
on his game left shoulder. 1t was the
only time during the game that Baugh
was roughed up at all and, to all ap-
pearances, this was unintentional.
At that, we're not 50 sure that the
Redskins can't win without Baugh.
The Singer himself couldn't have
thrown any slicker touchdown pass
than Bill Hartman threw to free and
goalward- -galloping Riley Smith for
the first score yesterday, and the cham
plons demonstrated they could do
without aerials entirely when they
marched So yards for the second touch
down after receiving the second half
kick off.
Farkas, Hartman Strong Runners.
Doc Sutherlands Pittsburgh Pan
theirs couldn't have improved on the
Redskins power plays as Andy Farkas
and Hartman alternated in carrying
the ball straight down the field with
out single pass.
Sad to report, though, the Redskins
still are weak on pass defense. Both
OF the Eagles touchdowns came via
the air waves, Ramsey taking one of
Mortelrs passes and running between
and away from Riley Smith and
Frank Filchock for the first touch
down and Joe Carter shaking himself
loose in the end zone to take another
Mortell heave for the visitors second
6-pointer.
Aside from Baugh, all of the Red
skins except Jay Turner came out of