Evening star., 1939-12-05
Referee Cannot
Be Disputed,
Prexy Says
Pictures Screened
InconcIusive Evidence
Of Boots Value

Referee Bill Halloran's decision
will stand, regardless of any pic.
lures or other documents purport-
ing to show he was wrong in calling
Bo Russell's attempt at a field goa
in the waning moments of play in
last Sundays Redskin- Giant game
no good,'" Carl C. Storck, presi-
dent of the National Football
League said today, in a long dis
tance telephone conversation with
The Star from his Dayton (Ohio)
office.
But if Halloran's report leads
Storck to believe that the Redskin
team or any coach or player was
guilty of melting a riot, a heavy
fine will be imposed on the guilty
party, Storck said.
"Mr. Halloran has been in the
National League for 10 years, "
Storck said, "and we never have
had any reason to doubt his eff
cheney or integrity. He is fair,
honest and reputable official and
also works many of the big college
games in the East, including those
Of the Ivy League"
No other official on the field had
the power to rule on the kick ex-
cept Referee Halloran, Storck con-
tinued, and there can be no appeal
from his decision.
Whether suggestion that up
rights on the goal posts be pro-
longed into the air to preclude in
the future similar disputes as to
whether the ball passes between or
outside of the goal posts is some
thing for the Rules Committee of
the league to decide, said Storck.
Halloran's report was expected to
be in Storck's Office this afternoon
Halloran's home at Providence.
r. l., was called this morning, but
the official was reported "unavail-
able until late today"
As to Those Pictures.
First movie shots of the game
were exhibited last night at R-K-O
Keith's Theater, with Manager
Hardie Meakin, rerunning the dis
puted kick scenes several times IN
slow motion, but the result was in
conclusive.
Fans viewing the film possibly will
be convinced that the kick was good
if they fail to consider the angle
from which the shot was made. The
lens was pointed at the play from
an angle of approximately As de-
grees, and from this slant the ball
appears to pass between the up
rights with room to spare. How it
would have looked with the camera
behind the kicker is purely conjec-
tural.
Assistant Coach Roy Baker,
Wayne Millner, Bob Masterson and
Clyde Shugart of the Redskin squad
were among those who saw the film
last night.
Baker said he thought the pic
ture proved the kick good. but Shu-
gart and Masterson were less posi-
tive. Both agreed the placement
looked awfully good" but would
not express an outright opinion in
the matter.
Millner, who was on the bench
when Russell tried his kick, had
little to say about the pictures. His
opinion, he said, was fashioned
from statements Of teammates on
the field at the time.
Films No Help, Marshall Says.
George Marshall, owner of the
Redskins and their most ardent sup
porter, had not seen motion pic
lures of the kick, he said today, and
In the same breath indicated that
what the film revealed would be of
no consequence.
Il haven't seen the pictures" he
said. II received a message saying
they would start showing them to-
day, but whatever they show won't
alter the situation. We are power
less in the matter. The rules
plainly state, and this is in both
professional and collegiate rule
books, that the referees decision is
final and cannot be changed.
Remember the Notre Dame-Car-
negie Tech game last year when the
referee told the Tech quarterback
it was third down when actually
it was the fourth? He admitted he
was wrong, but wouldn't change his
decision giving the ball to Notre
Dame and it cost Cargenie the
game.
There's nothing, absolutely moth
ing, we can do about it. I'm terri
bly, put out about it, more than
else, but I have no right
to protest. It is unfortunate the
was so incompetent-and
it was incompetent Sunday on both
sides-but Halloran's decision can't
be changed.
"The only thing I can suggest is
(See REDSKINS, Page A-16.)