Evening star., 1948-11-22
Rival Grid Leagues
Present Two Great
Offensive Duos
BY the Asseeiotsd Press

UI INV USSVSt0two FteSS
Two running ana passing COM
binations that work together like
beer and pretZels are bidding for
attention In the rival pro football
circuits.
The National League presents
Tommygun Thompson and Steve
Van Buren, of the Philadelphia
Eagles. The All-America Conference
counters with Automatic Otto
Graham and Marion Motley Of the
Cleveland Browns.
Since the two leagues don't speak
to each other officially, the relative
merits of the pairs won't be determ-
lned on the gridiron.
Here's how their seasons work
compares on paper:
Thompson and Van Buren have
moved the football on the ground
and through the air 2,2l2 yards,
Just over a mile and quarter, in
nine games. That's an average of
246 yards a game.
Graham and Motley have picked
up 1885 yards in 10 contests via the
same routes, an average Of 262.
Van Buren. well on his way to
breaking his own rushing record,
has gained s24 yards on 1872 carries.
Every time he's lugged the ball he's
averaged just AZ yards.
Motley. a 235-pound fullback who
spent his college days at the Uni
versity of Nevada, has crashed rival
lines 1873 times for $40 yards, an
average Of 6.32.
Thompson More Accurate.
In the air Thompson has the edge
In accuracy, Graham in distance.
The Philadelphia sharpshooter has
completed 100 passes out of 1853 at
tempts for 1888 yards. Graham has
tried 261 passes, found his mark
with 135 of them, and gained 2,046
yards. Thompson has tossed for l8
touchdowns, Graham II.
Both combinations had good days
yesterday. Graham and Motley
powered the Browns to a 34-2l de-
cision over the New York Yankees
at Yankee Stadium. Thompson and
Van Buren led the Eagles to 1921
triumph over Washington at Phila-
delphia.
Motley carried Graham pass 78
yards for q touchdown, averaged rs
yards on 10 tries through the line
and returned q kickoff 81 yards.
Graham completed nine passes for
211 yards as the Browns won their
14th straight victory over . two
year period.
Thompson passed for three touch
downs and gained 1s4 yards on IL
competitions. Van Buren carried the
ball 20 times for I'll yards.
The Philadelphia victory virtually
assured the Eagles of the Eastern
Division title in the National League.
They have game and half edge
over Washington with three to play
against Pittsburgh Sunday, Bos-
ton and Detroit.
Browns Face Tough Road.
Cleveland, Western Division lead
er in the Al1-America Conference,
faces q much tougher road. The
Browns have to meet Los Angeles in
Los Angeles Thanksgiving Day and
then face the 49ers in San Fran
cisco Sunday.
Nothing much was done yesterday
about settling the Western Division
race In the National League except |
to make sure q Chicago team will
win it.
Los Angeles, the last club that
had a chance to share In the crown,
lost 1t by bowling to the Chicago
Cardinals, 27-24. The Rams didn't .
give up without fight. however,
especially by Quarterback Bob
Waterfield. The good looking Water
field, who hadn't done much the
first part of the season. threw
two touchdown passes, kicked three
extra points and field goal. Pat
Harder almost matched him for
the Cards. He scored a I'D, kicked
two field goals and three extra
points.
The Chicago Bears had 1t easy
In Boston, downing the hapless
Yanks, Silt Fran Mimi Tailed /
three times for the winners.
Green Bays Packers looked so bad /
in losing to New York, 1913, that |
Coach Curly Lambeau asked waivers
on one player and declared he'd
like to get rid of 10 or IL more
''s We were disgraceful out there"
It was the Packers worst loss in
history. Charley Conerly. the Giants'
prize rookie, wiped muddy hands on
his jersey and completed 20 out
Of 20 passes.
Dudley Stars In Upset.
Bill Dudley scored twice for De-
troit as the Lions upset Pittsburgh.
l7-14, at Detroit for their second
victory of the season.
San Francisco and Brooklyn acted
as If they'd never heard of the two
platoon system. If they had, they
forgot to bring the defensive units
to Ebbetts Field yesterday. When
the firing was all over San Fran
cisco was on top, 63-40, and IL as
sorted conference offensive records
had bean broken.
Los Angeles edged Baltimore, IT.
"a. on q field goal by Ben Aga
janian with IS seconds left to play
Lu Gambinos tumble, one of sew
eral which helped spell defeat for
the Colts, set up the winning field
goal, the fourth of the game tried
by Agajanian. The Colt fullback
cyon,,ed the hall oY, his our, and
Halfback Bill Reinhard of the Dons
fell on 1t.
Two of Glenn Dobbs' passes were
incomplete and another caught by
Herman Wedemeyef resulted in a
3-yard loss. Adajanian, who pre-
viously missed field goal attempts
from the 81 and As yard lines and
had one blocked, came in to decide
the game with a perfect boot.