Evening star., 1944-11-27
orts Redskins in Eastern Lead Tie Face Fight to Gain Title Game
Giants Tough Hurdle
For Tribe, Pressed
In Downing Yanks

IN D0WnIng TANKS
It's hoss race from here in for
Eastern pro grid honors and the
Redskins, sharing first place with
the New York Giants after beating
Boston yesterday, 14-7, are back in
the thick of it.
Philadelphia, erStWhile pacemaker,
dropped half game behind by bow
ing to the Chicago Bears, 28-7, while
the Giants were nosing out a rugged
aren't exactly plucked birds. They
still can get home first by taking
their last two games if the Redskins
and Giants divide their two-game
series.
It could wind up in a two-way tie,
but a triple-header is impossible.
1t may be that December II, the
date for the championship struggle
between the Eastern and Western
winners, will find the Tribe and one
Of the other contenders playing of
for the Eastern crown.
A sweep of the series would put
either New York or Washington in
the title game with Green Bay re-
gardleSs of what the Eagles do. If
either should win one and tie the
other game, and Philadelphia won
two, that club would meet the Eagles
in play-off. Thus the outcome of
the race hinges on the final games
December 10.
Giants Look Tough to Beat.
On paper, the Giants will be tough
to beat. Almost universally over
looked in preseason dope books,
Steve Owens charges have played
consistent brand Of football to re-
main in the running. They fought
the Eagles to a standstill in their
first game, finally losing, 24-17, in
the waning minutes. They pulled a
Garrison finish in the second to get
a 21-21 tie, and but for a penalty
that nullified Ken Strong's field
goal in the last seconds they would
have had 3-point victory
Philadelphia has Brooklyn and
Cleveland ahead of it and neither
will be pushover. The pressure is
on the Eagles and if they don't
measure up to standard they'll
eliminate themselves.
Washington admittedly has had
the best of the breaks this season,
but with the prize within reach it
suddenly seems to be pulling itself
together to make a fight for it. The
most heartening development yes
terday was Frank Akins' line
smashing and Andy Farkas' ball
carrying. If these two come through
in the remaining games the Skins
will be difficult to deal with.
Atkins, Farkas Pace Drives.
Atkins, ploughing into the line
seven times for SO yards, climaxed
the Tribes 71-yard drive for its
first score with a plunge from the
Twisting, turning, wrenching free
from clutching Boston tacklers, the
Yankees needed two and three men
to bring him down and keep him
there. He put punch in the run
ming attack that had been missing
all season and his presence should
mean more varied attack for the
games with the Giants.
FarkaS inaugurated the second
goalward march in the third period
with a 19-yard sprint through
tackle, after the Skins had re-
pulsed Boston threat on their 10.
Atkins helped this expedition, too,
although it was Baugh's passing to
Less Dye that moved the ball into
scoring position. Sammy rif1ed the
payof shot to Wilbur Moore, who
took it on the and went over
standing up.
Boston took advantage of a break
to tie it up early in the third period,
recovering a tumble on the Red
skins 20, and momentarily threat
ened to go ahead when it grabbed
another tumble on the %. The first
Washington miscue was the result
of bad pass from center that hit
Atkins on the chest and was re-
covered by Joe Crowley. Ken Stein
metz passed to Bob Davis on the
IL and Leo Stasica heaved another
to Keith Ranspot for the score.
Piasecky Stops Yank Charge.
Most of the credit for breaking
up the Yanks' second charge belongs
to Al Piasecky, the blond end, who
hit Stasica around the ankles as he
tried to launch pass, spilling him
for an 11-yard loss. The trouble
began on the %, where Bob Sey-
mour's tumble was recovered by
Milt Grain. Johnny Martin made
circus catch of a Stasica PASS,
putting the ball on the 10, and then
PiaSecky did his bit.
The Yanks called on Augie Lilo
for a field goal try from the 27, nd
again Piasecky came through to
block the boot. Here, Seymour
atoned for his tumble by recovering
on the 25. Later in the same pc
riod the Yanks tried another field
goal with Ranspot booting from The
43, but the effort was short of the
mark. LIZA.