Evening star., 1945-11-20
Skins Deepin Reserve,
Better for Stretch
Run Than in "A
BY LEWIS F. ATCHISON,

Win the toughest stretch OF their
season just ahead the Redskins are
in a much more favorable position
than they were this time year
ago. The big game comes up Sun
day at Philadelphia, where the
Tribe can virtually put the clincher
on Eastern honors and assure them
selves of berth in what promises
to be the richest championship
game in National Football League
history.
Last year the Redskins broke
down in the home stretch. They
were tired and stale. They weren
deep in reserve strength. But this
year young, fresh blood and a smat-
tering of seasoned talent has been
drifting back to the squad since the
first practice. and it has been an
elixir for their championship hopes.
Thus, with the goal in sight, the
Tribe has a nice balance of young,
fresh enthusiasm and deeply
grooved experience.
Buggsy Bagarus falls in this cate
CORY. Ditto for Merlyn Condit, Bill
De Correvont. Dick Todd, Johnny
Koniszewski and Fred Davis. The
grind of daily practice since mid
August Is taking its toll among the
older men, but the more recent ad-
dition, rockies and vets alike, are
only beginning to get their teeth
into it.
Tribe Looks Fit to Garry On.
Last year the Tribe got off to a
surprising start by holding the sup
posedly invincible Eagles to a 31-31
tie in a smashing debut, but every
week thereafter it was a question
Of whether it would hold together
long enough to play the regulation
go minutes. Twice the boys nosec
out a mediocre Boston eleven BY
one touchdown and were lucky tc
escape ties. They escaped with a
! hair breadth decision over a rank
Brooklyn eleven that didn't win 8
single league game and were hard
pressed to exc out a 14-10 duke over
a Cleveland club that blew up com.
pletely week later.
Philadelphia walloped the Skins
and New York murdered 'em in the
payoff games. simply because they
were tired and battered This yeal
it should be different. Some of the
boys are bit bored by the grind
but there is no letdown because OF
the new talent. Players can't afforc
to ease up because in every position
! there's a man just behind ready Il
move into the place-and in mos
instances he's a good man WHIT
would be playing regularly on AM
other team.
Key figure in all this is Bagarus
Of course. His nimble-footed brok.
enfield running not only has cap
tivated the customers. but has giver
his mates the mental lift they need.
ed to shoe 'em into the title.
Eagles Reported Better.
7 Buggsy wears his laurels modestly
He took a lot of good-natured joe
Keylng from his teammates yeSter.
I day and while it is apparent thai
the professional pride of some oi
the oldtimers has been wounded
none of them begrude him the pub
licity. Most don't care who gets
the Writeups as long as they get that
playoff dough.
Scouts Herman Ball and Frank
Walton saw Philadelphia crush
Pittsburgh last Sunday and reporr
that Washington will have a far diff.
ferent team. a stronger, smoother
and more confident team to bea'
this time. The Eagles were torn BY
dlsSension early in the campaign
but it's been smoothed over and they
seem to be in the grove. The re.
turn OF Jim Castiglia, bone -bendins
fullback, and Rocco Canale. a bruis
ing tackle. is news the Redskin
won't relish. They also have a half
back by the name of Steinke who il
reported to be hot number.
1t all adds up to tall hurdle fol
the Tribe, although they think they
can take It.