Evening star., 1942-10-11
Redskins Eye Clash With Rams Today Start New Eastern Title Drive
Win Would Keep Tribe
In Torrid Race With
Leading Dodgers
D. c. Pros in Good Trim
To Tackle CIeveIond's
Much Improved Team

WuCh improved | e0m
Haunted by the spectre of second
place In a mediocre field In the race
for Eastern sectional honors, the
Redskins take on Cleveland's Rams
this afternoon at Griffth Stadium
with the idea of taking a hitch in
their pants and getting a fresh start
toward another crack at the world
football title. The kickoff is sched-
uled for 2::30.
Statistically, the Tribe isn't in bad
shape, ranking second in its division,
a scant halt game behind the pace
making Brooklyn Dodgers. But on
the field they haven't looked good
enough to whip your grandpa on
one Of his better days and each
succeeding Sunday lends increasing
Importance to Brooklyn's narrow
advantage.
Injuries to key players undoubt-
edly have hurt, but the blunt truth
OF the matter is that the Skins aren't
themselves and bear no resemblance
to the potent Redskins of yesteryear.
They seem to have left their cham
pionship punch in training camp or
to have wasted 1t in their first two
exhibition games for their last three
games have been devoid of a top
notch of1ense.
Cant Afford Loss to Rams.
A defeat today while Brooklyn is
knocking of Pittsburgh, feat that
does not strain the imagination,
would put a heavy frost on WASH
ington's title dreams. Easily the
best In the East, the Dodgers and
Skins are doped to fight 1t out for
sectional honors and with almost
identical schedules the argument
should be loud and long. The lone
differences are Brooklyn's game with
the Chicago Bears and the Tribes
duel with the Chicago Cardinals.
That gives Washington advantage.
No club in the East has sufficient
paper power to jolt either team, al
though there will be upsets as long
as we have football. and in the West
only the Bears seem strong enough
to beat them. AS the Redskins
wisely avoid the Bears, you can see
how Brooklyn's game with the
champs works to the local teams
advantage.
But Ray Flaherty's gang gave the
Dodgers an emergency exit from
this predicament by blowing one to
the Giants, thus If Brooklyn loses
to the Bears it's still all even on the
deal because Dan Topping's outfit
shouldn't lose to New York.
Brooklyn and Washington seem
destined to decide the Eastern cham
pion in their own two-game series,
the first of which comes up next
week In the Dodgers backyard, and
of what they have shown thus far
the Brooks look strong enough to put
up a good argument in both games
The boys from the banks OF the
Gowanus are handicapped in having
only one good team. in Flaherty's
opinion, but while that team is on
the field it kicks up lot of trouble.
Tribe in Trim for Tilt.
Flaherty thinks the sectional title
winner is due for at least two set
backs and possibly three and that his
club at its best can deal the Dodgers
q couple off the elbow. That sounds
a bit on the optimistic side after the
way the Skins have f1oundered in
their early season tests, but Ray, it
must be recalled. pointed out at the
beginning of the campaign that
Washington had some distance to go
before getting all the wrinkles
troned out.
The Tribe will be in good shape,
physically, for the Rams. Things
looked dark earlier this week, but
Vic Carroll. who han't played game
since leaving California six weeks
ago, will be back in uniform. Bob
Titchenal, KY Aldrich and Bill
Young have shaken of minor in
Juries and Wee Willie Wilkin is be-
ginning to resemble his old self.
In the backfeld, Roy Zimmerman,
who played the best game Of his pro
career last Sunday against Philadel-
phia, will have another chance to
OcNlOIlSlIdIC lllS VI uS dUAlAly dIlO ~
Roy finally is ready to deliver the
Rams can pull In their horns. Zim-
norman is a crack passer and pun
ter and is a pretty good ball runner
when he wants to be. He's always a
threat because he has as much leg
power as any back and more decep-
ton than Baugh.
Cleveland's Team Improved.
Flaherty also expects to continue
giving his rockies enough work to
keep them on the upgrade. All have
come through in good style the few
times he has used them.
Cleveland has a much better team
than past Ram elevens. Coached by
dutch" Clark, one Of the pro games
most illustrious stars in his salad
days, Cleveland is rated better than
either Pittsburgh or Philadelphia
by Dutch" Bergman, who secuted
IL last week, and has several out
standing stars in Jack Jacobs, jim
Benton, Gayland Smith and Che,
Adams. Adams is rated one of the
leagues most accurate field goa
kickers up to 40 yards and may gel
an opportunity to exhibit his proves.
In this department, l.. F. A.
Da,.,n.f,,lT + II D,,..