Evening star., 1947-01-23
Changes in Schedule
Also 10 Come Up al
Grid Loop Session
By Lewis F. Atchison
Sfor SfoH Correspondent

1
CHICAGO, Jan. 23.-Three i'm
portant items headed the National
Football Leagues agenda for the
annual midwinter meeting opening
here today.
First, Commissioner Bert Bell will
ask for legislation with teeth in it
to protect the league against gam
bling incidents, such as the one re-
sulting in the suspension of Frank
Filchock and Merle Hapes of the
New York Giants.
Secondly, both Curley Lambeau
Of Green Bay and Fred Mandel OF
Detroit will propose schedule
changes designed to make every
team play every other team in the
league at least once.
Third, the new rule proposed by
the coaches at New York last month
providing for a fifth official, appar.
emily was assured of adoption BY
Harry Thayer's announcement thai
his club will vote for it. The Phila-
delphia general manager and Luke
Johnsos of the Chicago Bears voiced
the only opposition to the measure
at New York.
Harmonious Session Seen.
There may be prolonged and Bit
ter wrangling over other matters il
the meeting follows its customary
pattern, but the tenor of pre-
meeting gathering last night indi-
cated that it would be one of the
smoothest gatherings in league his
tory.
Bells resolution will Cd make il
mandatory for any one connected
with the league to report any at
tempted bribery; CD make it obliga-
tory for each club to post regula-
tions pertaining to this in the dress
ing rooms; and 90 forbid teams
from giving away anything at games
or associating themselves with any
thing that might be construed as a
lottery.
The commissioner pointed out
that there is nothing in the league
constitution or bylaws directly COW
ering the situation arising out OF
the attempted fix of the 1916 cham
pionship play-off game. For that
reason he is taking his time in
reaching a decision on disposing OF
the Filchock- -Hapes case.
Studies Case Carefully.
II don't want to make any mistake
on this one," he told reporters. ""I've
discussed the matter hours on end
with my brother Gov. Bell of Penn
sylvania) and other attorneys, and
I've read the 1877 typewriter pages
of testimony taken down at the trial
| (of Alvin j. Paris, convicted of
offering to bribe the players) four
times. I want to make absolutely
sure I'm right in what do. dom t
want to be unfair or unjust to any
body. don't want to make deci-
sion that will look foolish in the
light of future developments. Above
all, I don't want to do anything to
hamper the investigation of gam
bling by the New York district at
torney's Office"
Bell said only one club owner had
asked him about the progress of the
case, but that all had given him free
rein in the matter. He said he
would report only briefly on the
matter at this meeting and indi-
Gated it would be at least another
month before he announces his
verdict.
Lambeau will propose an 11-game
schedule in which teams will meet
only two sectional rivals in home
and-home series, filling in the re-
manning dates with intersectional
games. AS it is now, clubs play three
intersectional games and home-and-
home with all divisional opponents.
This means they miss two teams
from the other division each year.
Became Card to Be Asked.
Mandel will propose 13-game
schedule, but agreed he wasn't op-
timistic about it's adoption. His
argument is that no team can claim
to be a real champion without meet
ing all league rivals. He would work
in the two extra games by eliminat-
ing some preseason games.
President George Marshall of the
Redskins, who opposes both ideas,
said he will ask that the home team
in an intersectional game be re-
quired to post a $25.0O0 guarantee,
with the usual alternative of taking
a percentage of the gate. He said
any club wanting to play five in
tersectional games should be finan-
ciaily able to pay the fee.
Mandel argued that under the
present setup it requires 10 years for
all teams to equalize their home
and home schedules with all other
teams. His plan would balance
things in two years.