Evening star., 1941-09-29
By BILL DISMER. Jr.

For the first time since they
moved TO Washington. the Redskins
were off on the wrong foot in their
quest for the Eastern championship
and-iudging from that 1917 past
ing they absorbed at the hands Of
the Giants Yesterday at Griffith
Stadium-they're going to have
plenty of trouble getting back into
step.
Not since 1886, their last year in
Boston. had the Indians dropped
their opening league game, and
even though they went on to win
the sectional title that year, condi-
tions were far different then from
now. For in Sc. the Redskins lost
5 of their II games and still beat
out Pittsburgh for the Eastern
crown. No team is going to lose
five games this year and be the
East's Standard-bearer in the De-
cember IA playoff-not with teams
like the Giants and Dodgers setting
the pace.
And unless Coach Ray Flaherty
can produce some punch and reduce
some fumbltis among his backs lone
frankie Filchock expressly ex-
cluded) with the next five days, the
Redskins are in danger Of losing
two games in a row for the first
time in five years. Because Brook
lvn, rated with the Giants as CO.
contenderS for the Skins present
crown, move into Griffith Stadium
next Sunday.
Redskins Outlook Bleak.
All in all. the future looks bleak
for the Redskins as the Giants, with
Is promising newcomers, seem TO be
on their way and bound to get even
better, and the Dodgers already are
off to a good start with two victories
IN as many games.
The obvious difference between
the Giants and Redskins again re-
vealed the folly Of the latter'S train
ing season, during which only one
outside exhibition game was sched-
uled. The Giants, on the other hand,
had played five before their first
league game and were ready when
their championship season began.
From the looks of things, it will be
two or three games before the Red
skins are ready and by that time it
may already be too late. Losses at
the start of the schedule are just as
damaging as those at the end
Because Flaherty usually is reluc-
tant to talk about such things. we
never may know why he didn't send
Sammy Baugh and AL Kreuger into
the game in the last four minutes of
play yesterday. Baugh is supposed
to be the best assurance for a quick
touchdown and Kreuger turned de-
feat into victory for Southern Cali
fornia in the 1889 Rose Bowl by
bagging the kind of passes Baugh
can throw. It's no secret that that's
probably the only reason Kreuger is
being retained, but Flaherty made
no attempt to use him on the first
opportunity that arose.
Filchock Outstanding Star.
But even had Baugh returned te
the game and tossed a tie-gainine
pass, even he couldn't have stoler
the honors which were Filchock'
by wide margain. Two beautiful
runs of SO and 81 yards led Tuffy
Leemans to reiterate his belief after
the game that Filchock Is the bes
all-around back in the league. II
you-all didn't have that other guy
(Baugh), Filchock would be recoe.
nized as truly great back" Tuffy
said
Filchock probably got assistance
| from every Redskin on the field or
his sensa tional touchdown jaunt
from the time big Bill Wilkin blocked
George Franck's kick into his paw!
until he crossed the Giant goal.
line standing some seconds later
Probably no greater exhibition o.
collective blocking ever was seer
at the stadium than that provided
by all the Redskins as Filchocl
dashed toward the north sideline
and then cut diagonally southeast.
ward to score. One of the best, by
Guard Clyde Shugart, removed tn,
last Giant from Filchock's patti
around the 10-yard line.
| But that only tied the score ant
the Redskins never were able t.
| forge ahead. their only other points