The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-09-01
BOSTON YANKEE
 FOOTBALLERS
 WORRY COACHES
RY LACK FROST

(UhAbed PfeSS SthH SoFEVhponucHV
 Franklin, Mass, Sept, i--tuP)- Bostons fledgling Yanks venture from their Dean Academy training quaKteW here today for Q debut in the National Professional Football League, equipped with everything except large and necessary gibbs Of players,
 To be sure there are few glow. ing names scattered in the roster George Cafego, Dave Smukler, Ed Franco, Keith Transport and Augle Lio, But there are stars that spark. led in the pre.Pearl Harbor pig skin parade,
 Behind thlS somewhat question. able quintet of 20-odd gentlemen of varying height and poundage including four whose gridiron guile stems solely from high school com petition,
 For Coach Herb Kopf, the Man. hattan mentor who never was blessed with much in tho way or material, this Is a dream toam-and bad. From Wednesday, when the Tanks meet the Cleveland Rams at Cleveland for the first Of two e%. hibltion games, until Dec, 3, when they wind up their championship games with the Lions at Detroit, BoSton's hopefuls face little but grief.
 Yet Kopf promises the team will prove no setup for the league, And he radiateS confidence In such froe and perpetual fashion that in 10 short training days he has whipped his charges Into mental state that has made veterans like RanSpot and Franco perform with the enthusl- aSm of college freshmen
 Tn the process literally pounds of fat have been melted from ilabby frames, legs have become Timber and firm and the squad has developed 0 better.than-eXpected snap and drive.
 Tough JOb
 Lacking material, Ropf hopes to perform wonders with psychology, conditioning and smart plays from the singie.wing and "T' forma- tions.
 Cafego, whose feud with Redskins Owner George Marshall was the talk of the league, Is happy as Q workhorse quarterback on the "A" team. Smukler, out of the Army af. ter nearly four years that included Q Greenland stay, has much of the form in the fullback slot that he used to show in Philadelphia, Wal ter DubinSky, the Boston College Al.AfneFican and Rockland (MaSsD teacher, may blossom into one of the great pro centers, Ranspot and Lio with pro experience are help ing the newcomers find their way, Among these are halfback Ted Wil- Hams of Boston College from whom Kopf expects great things.
 Though the Tanks drafted 90 players none were able to report, Thus candidates have been com- ilaa and going SO frequently that at times the coaching staff that in. cludes Tillie Manton, Johnny Dell fsoia and Johnny Scalzi have been hard put to field Q full squad. AS q result, plays have been so sim- pIified that although the Tanks have 70 methods of attack the line need know only about Q dozen dif- ferent assignments.
 owner Ted Collins, announcer manager of songstress Kate smith has spared no expense in purcnas' Ing players and equipment that m cludes garish green and gold uni. forms. He's still buying ana kopl .xpects to spend the season witn .hree teams, one coming, one play ng, one going. because as fast q. , We get a better player someone VII eave.v
 Ffom now until Tuesday the team gill be scridmaging with Q Navy mad at Sampson, N. x.. coached .T Tf. Comdr. James tSlsepy JlIll SrowIey who'll coach the xanks 1fikf klae war.