Evening star., 1941-09-28
Game First Real Test
For Capital Team
Since'73-0 Rout
New Yorks in Contrast,
Are Tuned Thoroughly
By EorIy Battling
By BILL DISMER, Jr.

Cast IN une Strange IOle-lOI ue-
Tending Eastern pro football cham
pions of underdogs, the Redskins
start all over again today at Griffith
Stadium with their perennial con-
tenders for sectional honors, the
New York Giants, supplying the op-
position.
And. despite that some $4,000 fans
almost unanimously booed them of
the field last December s when
the final gun stopped the Bears
scoring at 73 points, a crowd OF
similar proportions is expected in the
stands when the starting whistle
blows at 2:30 o'clock.
Uncertainty over the Redskins
l941 chances as ContraSted to the
impressiveness of the Giants in their
one league victory and five eXhibi-
ton games has combined to make
the New Workers as high as 85 IA
vorites. Symbolic of the personal at
titude of the Redskins. however, is
that they are advising friends to
snap up all wagers at that price that
they can get-and they would do so
themselves, if betting by players was
not against National League regu-
lations.
Records Against d. c. Team.
But you can't laugh of the early
records which show the Giants have
whipped the Philadelphia Eagles,
24-0; tied the Green Bay Packers,
17-l7; routed the Eastern College
All-Stars, 23-3 swamped the smaller
but professional outfits of the
Kenosha Cardinals and Springfield
Spartans and lost to the champion
Bears by only an 8-l4 count.
On the other hand. the Redskins
are almost totally untested as re-
suit of an ill-planned training sea-
son which scheduled only one ex-
hibition game, and that against
team of former coast college stars,
many of whom were turned down by
National League teams.
But because Sammy Baugh still
pitches the strikes local fans have
known since 1887 and because Andy
Farkas appears ready to take up
where he left off in 1899, the Red
skins attack shouldn't be any less
potent than it was last year. For
there's still Dick Todd to run the
ball in the second and fourth period
backfelds and frankie Filchock is
due to toss and run with few him
self. If the rockies Ken Dow Of
Oregon State and Jack Banta OF
Southern California live up to their
college regulations, the Redskins
should be able to keep a pretty fair
running back on the field at all
times.
Redskin Forwards Strong.
With two rookie tackles, three
new ends and a center in class by
himself bolstering an even dozen
linemen from 1910. the situation up
front is the best the Redskins have
had in years. Indeed, Assistant
Coach Turk Edwards, who tutors the
forwards, is on record as predicting
the Redskins will have the best line
in the league after the first couple
of games.
But from reports emanating from
Giant supporters. the Redskins will
need all the line ttcy can get to-
day. Such 1910 college backs as
George Franck of Minnesota, Fran
els Reagan of Pennsylvania, Len
Eshmont of Fordham, Marion Pugh
of Texas A. g. M. and Howie Yeager
from Santa Barbara have given the
Giants the fleetest array of backs
in their history and-like the Red
skins-theyIl probably have two
or more of them on the field at all
times.
When you remember that the in
comparable Tuffy LeemanS still
wears Giant livery and that such
veterans as Ward Cuff, Hank Soar,
Leland Shaffer and Nello Falaschi
are still around, you've got to con-
cede that the Giants must have a
pretty good running attack of their
own.
The Giants don't lack for new
linemen, either, with Chester Glad
chuk, Boston Colleges all-America
center, ready to relieve the 32-year-
old Mel Helm. and two rookie tackles,
21s-pound Bill Edwards from Bay
lor and 215-pound Win Pedersen
from Minnesota listed to start.
Otherwise it will be pretty familiar
Giant line with Jim Lee Howell and
Jim Poole at the ends and Doug
Oldershaw and Orville Tuttle at the
guards.
Coach Steve Owens starting back
field is likely to be comprised of
Falaschi at quarter, Reagan and
Yeager at halves and Leemans at
full. This is Leemans' first season
as a fullback, but the Giants know
him to be the leagues most con-
sistent ball carrier, signal carrier,
passer and blocker.