Evening star., 1939-10-08
Gutowski, Kercheva|
and Parker Foes
Heavy Artillery
Invaders Dark Horses
: To Win Eastern Title:
Rockies Prominent
By BILL DISMER, Jr.

NVVNuSS ] UIVIIIIuSul
BY BILL DISMER, Jr.
Strengthened mentally but weak
ened physically as result of their
bruising scoreless tie with the cham
pion Giants last week, the Redskins
60 into their second home game of
the season at Griffith Stadium today
only slight favorites to whip the
Brooklyn Dodgers. genuine dark
horse OF the Eastern Division.
As a matter of fact, with ALL
League Quarterback Ace Parker di-
recting their attack, Ralph Kerche-
val getting off pro footballs longest
punts and Ace Gutowsky shooting
at new ground-gaining record, the
Dodgers may be considered even
< money in some quarters when the
kickoff is made at 2:30 o'clock.
Bereft of their best all-around Of
fensive weapon, Sammy Baugh, on
the sidelines with a strained leg
ligament, and minus such stalwarts
as Don Irwin, Max Krause and Jay
Turner, the Redskins will bank
largely upon rockies to pierce the
Brooklyn defense.
It's An Important Game.
Minus a bit of last Sundays ten
sion, reigning characteristic of Red
;. skin-Giant games, today's contest
still is highly crucial one for both
teams. A defeat would send the
Redskins skidding into third place
as the Giants are prohibitive ia
vorites to beat the luckless Pirates
at Pittsburgh and the Dodgers
would take over the runner-up po-
sition. A Redskin victory is essen
tial, therefore, not only to prevent a
two-notch drop in the standings, but
to keep the Indians in step with
their greatest rivals. On the other
hand, setback for the invading
forces would send Potsy Clark's crew
back to Brooklyn with two defeats
and a mere 500 percentage COM
pared to the 1000 mark Of the Red
skins and Giants.
Although they tied the Redskins
In both of their games last year, the
Dodgers have not beaten the In
dians since the first game of the
1884 season. Indeed, Brooklyn
forces have been victorious in only
=. three of 13 games with the Skins,
a third tie preceding last years in
1885.
Brooklyn Title Conscious.
But Brooklyn definitely is aim
ing at its first Eastern champion
ship since the National Football
League was split into two divisions
in 1888 and it hasn't Jared badly
in four games to date. 1t turned
back Pittsburgh in its first game,
1877, and then hoped all over
Cleveland for 1912 victory. Only
q 3-touchdown attack in the last
quarter enabled the Detroit Lions
to administer the Dodgers their lone
defeat, but the Lions are consid-
|ered the class of the West and the
surprise was that Brooklyn entered
the final period with 7-6 lead. The
Dodgers could get no better than a
90 tie with the Eagles at Phila-
delphia last Sunday but that game.
like the one here, was played in
mud.
Against the oft-denied but still
determined visitors, Coach Ray
Flaherty will play a predominantly
rookie lineup. With only four vet
eran backs-Frank Filchock, Andy
Farkas, Ed Justice and Erny
Pinckert-available there is a
chance that seven freshmen" will
>be in the game at the kickoff, three
OF them in the backfield.
Although last-minute develop
ments may change his mind,
Flaherty said last night he was
planning to start Jimmy Johnston,
Wilbur Moore and Red Morgan
with the veteran Erny Pinckert in
the ball-carrying corps.
Morgan Ready to Block.
Johnston, considered the fastest
y Redskin back and a fair kicker,
and Moore, Minnesotas leading
ground-gainer last year. both
opened fire against the Giants and
Morgan, now fully recovered from
leg injury, is ready to assist
Pinckert with the blocking.
Filchock and Farkas will be held
In reserve for the second period
combination which probably will see
Ed Justice and Jim Meade inserted
as blockers. Meade will do the kick
ing for this aggregation with Fill
chock passing and Farkas running.
That leaves only two backs, Dick
Todd and Jimmy German, out of
consideration, but If preseason OBJ
servations were not misleading, both
will be heard from before long. Todd,
an open-field, jackrabbit type OF
runner, is the kind the Redskins
work to shake loose, while German,
not as big or rugged as the average
pro back, knows how to handle him.
self under fire and is the only other
genuine quarterback, besides Fill
chock, in the absence of Baugh.
:. If the Redskins can stop Parker's
passing to such fine ends as Cali
fornia's Perry Schwartz and Okla
homa's Waddie Young and the pow
er rushes of Gutowsky, Boyd Brum-
baugh and Beattie Feathers, they
should win. In the absence OF their
scoring threats, it may be the Red.