Evening star., 1942-08-31
Army Nemesis
Declares Ball
Felt Strange
Pitches Skins to 26-7
Victory; Kimbroush
And Todd Sparkle
By LEWIS ATCHISON,
Star Staff Correspondent.

EN- ROUTE TO CHICAGO, Aug.
31.-Maj. wallace Wade, coach OF
the Western Army All-Stars.
thought Sammy Baugh gave the
greatest exhibition of passing he'd
ever seen as he pitched the Red
skins to 26-7 victory over ths
soldiers before throng of 5000
fans yesterday at the Los Angeles
Coliseum. but he didn't see anything
because vthe tossin' Texan wasn't at
his best
1t sounds incongruous to say
Sammy had an off day when his
passing was the weapon that ripped
a gaping hole in the Army's defense
and paved the way to victory, but
everybody on the Washington squad,
sports writer's and club officials who
have seen him week in and week
out, knew he wasn't on the beam.
Some of his throws were short,
striking the turf yards short of the
intended receiver, and others had
all the inaccuracy of a Christmas
bee-bee gun.
But Wade. evidently noting only
the passes that found their mark,
said Samy's shots were revelation
to him. He called 1t one Of the
greatest demonstrations he'd ever
seen and a lot of top-flight sports
experts agreed with him.
Baugh threw two touchdown
passes, one to Bob Titchenal that
tied the score on the first play OF
the second period, and another to
Dick Todd in the last minute of
the third period that put the clinch-
er on the game. In between he
connected on innumerable short
pegs, completing is of 26 attempts
in the first half, but he still was
not at his best.
Says Ball Felt Strange.
"The ball didn't feel right" he
said after the game, with no thought
of abiding his performance. 1T
was larger than the ball we use in
the league, harder to grip and not
as smooth as ours. 1t felt big in
my hand, something like a balloon
and l couldn't control it."
Wade undeniably was impressed
by Baughs work, but he didn't credit
it with the Army's defeat. No. he
thought the Skins crossed him up
with their ground attack.
II saw their intra-squad game at
San Diego last Sunday" he said.
land they couldn't move on the
ground-it was all passing. Nor did
they have any blocking worth men,
tioning, but their blocking on the
field against us was superb. Every
man did his assignment well and
that Todd-whew, can't he carry the
mail?
Our defense was set up to stop
the passing. We were laying back,
waiting for Baugh to throw the ball.
and when they came up with that
running attack our backs were slow
to change over.
"As for our offense, we'll, the in
experience of our quarterbacks hurt.
They didn't know the value of GER
tain plays in certain situations. I'm
not blaming the boys, but think
we'll be much stronger, that our Of
fense will be smoother once we get
working together and our quarter
backs learn how and when to use
our plays"
Redskins Flout Alibi.
| Somebody suggested that the few
weeks the Army squad had together
was not enough to offset the Red
skins experience. Wade thought
| there was some merit in that state
ment, too, but the Redskins were in
clined to scof at it.
"LoQkit the hand-picked squad he
had" they chorused, "the condition
they were in. and the number OF
teams he had"
Wades reference to the Tribes
running attack featuring Todd was
justified, but, as whole, it didn t
measure up to Ray Flahertys
standards. Todd was the fashiest
back on the field He climaxed a
69-yard drive for touchdown,
which consumed II plays in the
second period. with snaky 1S-yard
(See ATCHISON. Page A-13)