Evening star., 1945-11-05
Tight Squeeze Is Seen
|As Tip on trouble
Ahead for Tribe
BY LEWIS F. ATCHIsON.

| eA2o WoA2ORSa NlAOC1l 1dJ Al u S1AAAV
that may have cost the Packers
their championship. New York
bowed to Cleveland but displayed
unexpected might, and Philadel-
phia's crushing defeat of Pittsburgh
proved the Eagles still fly high. The
Tribe must beat all three to get
into the play-off and there isn't a
soft touch in the crowd.
The pro picture has been chang
ing like scenes in an old lantern
slide. The young, green crew you
slap down today is the tough, sea-
soned outfit that upsets you tomor-
row, and anybody foolish enough to
risk part of the pay check on a
wager involving giving or taking
points is a candidate for strait
jacket. 1t can't be done, as yester-
days 24-21 Redskin victory over the
Cardinals amply illustrates.
For two periods it seemed as
though the Cards were hopelessly
out of it, but with only seconds of
the game left in the final period
you'd bet your right arm the Skins
would have to settle for a tie. Then
Joe Aguirre dug his foot into the
ball and kicked his mates to victory.
Aguirre's Kicking Decides.
Aguirre's foot was the deciding fac
tor yesterday, producing six invalu-
able points. He split the cardboard
toe-piece of his shoe, but he could
have done it barefoot if necessary. 1t
was the third time this season big
Joe has kicked three extra points
and booted field goal and brought
home with stunning realization the
fact that it isn't always a great pass
ing or running attack that gets the
bacon but guy who can boot the
bladder.
Aguirres feat was remindful of the
Philadelphia game three years ago
when Bob Masterson place-kicked
the Skins to a 30-27 triumph in
the last fraction of second. That
was the occasion of the celebrated
and long-t aforementioned clock
incident" when the Eagles &C
cused the Tribe of deliberately stop
ping the clock long enough to boot
the winning points. Greasy Neale
never has forgotten the incident.
We were wondering yesterday, as
Aguirre's well-booted kick sailed
into the bleachers, if it wasn't a
good omen. Certainly it would have
been bad, possibly disastrous to their
title hopes, if he had missed it.
They hardly could afford to be tied
or beaten at this stage of the race.
Sometime in January will be okay.
All Rivals Improving.
| But depending on big Joe'S foot
to pull them out of difficulty is a
bad thing and too risky with every
club in the wheel showing improve
ment. Boston, for example, will
strengthened since its first clash
with the Tribe and with a feeling
that it can repeat that victory. In
bowling to Detroit the Yankees lost
little prestige for the Lions are in
the thick of the Western flag brawl.
The Bears always can be depend
ed on to play their best against
Washington and their visit here
week after next should produce some
of the hardest, bitterest and pos
sibly best football of the season.
Records make no difference when
these teams clash. You can heave
past performances out the window,
pay no attention to whether either
CLUB is getting good, bad or indif-
ferent coaching, whether their stars
are clicking, but just throw a foot
ball on the field and the panic is on.
1 In beating Green Bay the Bears
proved there's still life in the old
hide and when they arrive here the
Tribe will need all the power it
can muster.
The Redskins are improving,
although you couldn't prove it by
its second-half performance yester-
day. They have a line that viii be
tough to penetrate by the end of
; this month, and with ri Aldrich
back at center it should regain the
balance that has been sadly lack
ing. Aldrich and Todd did little
, yesterday. AL De Mao, who is ex-
pected to sign a contract today,
, won't be ready for while, and
some other late arrivals are just
beginning to hit their stride. For
! that reason the oncoming Boston
game is of utmost Importance in
the teams plans.
! If Washington gets over the
| Yankees without stubbing its toe
. you almost can make your playoft
. reservations-don't ask us where. II
the Yanks win again it will be re-
prieve for the Eagles chances.
Moore Confounds Experts.
Wilbur Moore, supposedly SO badly
. crippled he couldn't even put on a
suit, made a bum out of us experts
and the Cardinals again when he
took a lateral from Frank Filchock
and tripped blithely down the side
8 lines 81 yards for yesterdays initial
score.
An unsmart play on the part of
Frank Seno, ex-Redskin back. fol-
lowed by one of the games early
!. breaks set sup the Tribes second
score. Seno gathered in Aguirres
kick in the end zone and unwisely
elected to run it out. He was spilled
on his own 13-yard line. One play
later Bob Seymour attached himself
:, to Paul Christman's pass on the IA
! ! yard line. Seymour nudged it to the
4 4-yard stripe on the succeeding play
and Frank Atkins took it over from
there.
The Skins did enough ball carry
/ ing in the second period to win four
r games and had to be satisfied with
7 one touchdown. Runs by Bob Sey-
b mour, Frank Atkins and Mike Micka
/ we're nullified by penalties before
a Baugh speared Micka with pass
Q that Mike took 64 yards to the l.
81 inch line. A triple-header block by
! AL Lolatai-who is bidding for ar
J, all-league berth, cleared the way fol-
IS Black Mike. Bob Seymour took Il
e over
}. Seno atoned for his lapse in judg-
i ment on the second running play
!, of the third period when he slashet
o off tackle and went 48 yards for {