Evening star., 1948-09-27
Air Star in SfeeIer Tilt
Still 10 Be Displayed
As Crack Runner
By Lewis r. Atchison


Things are looking up in the Red
skin wigwam. The Skins stumbled
into a hole yesterday and landed
in gold mine, winning story
book l7-14 victory over the Pitts
burgh Steelers. But II the Tribe
could beat the team that tied for
Eastern honors last year with q
couple of convalescent quarter
backs and a line as ragged as beg
gars the future has got to be
brighter.
They took the wraps of Harry
Gilmer and gave 32,o84 fans a peek
at Sammy Baugh's heir apparent
and it was enough to show what the
blond youngster can do. Gilmer was
in for only five p1ays-all passes,
for he had strict instructions to take
no chances with his leg-but he gave
the customers thrill "a
Rags was not the hero Of the dra-
matte triumph, however, for Dick
Poillon's 27-yard field goal with 20
seconds Of play remaining won the
game. He didn't even tie the score.
That touchdown was last-periodI
contribution of End Doug Turley,
who picked up Johnny Clements
tumble after Rookie Mike Roussos
had smeared the Steeler duarte-
back, and raced SO yards to pay
dirt. But Gilmer had 'em yelling
for him.
Makes Debut With 45-Yarder..
His first pitch went to End Hal
Crisler and was good for Is yards.
nullified by q tumble, as the half
ended. His second was strike to
Dick Todd for 23. The next three
were misses, one deliberate, but
close enough to indicate the brand
of pin-point passing we can expect
when the kid gets warmed up.
Actually the fans saw only half OF
Gilmer, for until you've seen him
mix legwork with passes you haven't
seen him at his best. What he'll do
when 100 per cent physically fit is
conjectural, but pleasantly so.
There were no complaints about
Baugh's work, for he completed II
of 10 passes for 1873 yards, although
still hobbling on one leg. And when
the old master pitched to Crisler
and Bob Nussbaumer for IS and "a
yards on consecutive plays to set
the stage for Poillon's decisive boot
it was evident he hadn't lost the
golden touch or the championship
spark. That drive and kick was
reminiscent of Bob Masterson's boot
against the Philadelphia Eagles in
1912 when the Skins won by a 1927
count in the last five seconds.
Sammy held the ball on that occa-
sion, too.
1t was Baugh's screen pass to Jim
Castiglia for % yards that climaxed
a 73-yard march to the enemy goal
line Immediately following the ini-
tial kickoff. Paul Mckee dropped
another potential 6-pointer in the
end zone and there were times when
Sammy couldn't find a receiver IN
the crowd, but he clicked when it
counted.
Castiglia Rolls Up Yardage.
Castiglia, who rolled up rs yards
to share ground-gaining honors
with the Steelers' Bobby Offers, and
Poillon bore the brunt of the
Tribes attack Immediately follow
ing the opening kickoff. On that
march the Skins looked like
champs. For the next so minutes
they were woefully inept as the
scrappy, well-drilled Pittsburgh
eleven proceeded up and down the
field as though it was a signal drill.
Clement and Cifers carried the
ball on SO of the 46 running plays
tried by the Steelers and outgained
the Tribe by a 233-to-l42 margin.
They went to the Skins 36-yard line
like butter oozing through hot bis
cults on their first excursion with
the ball. The next time they got
the ball they took it Al yards for a
touchdown. Clement breaking out
side right end, shaking off Tom
Mont and outsprinting a posse of
Tribesmen.
The Steelers took 147 lead In
the second period when Clements
39-yard pass to Joe Clamp culmi-
mated a 61-yard advance. Those
figures we're oppressively important
as the game wore on and Pitts
burgh's stout defense showed no
sign of crlmbling.
Twice Misses S-Pointer.
Clamp had two shots at a field
goal in the second period-three
points that easily might have
changed the entire complexion of
the game by putting tremendous
pressure on the Tribe. But he
missed the first from the 14-yard
line and the second, after Pitt drew
an off side penalty, from the 10.
The Steelers drove to the RedSkin
5-yard line at the start Of the third
period before being checked. Nor
man Mosely might have gone all the
way with Jim PEBBLES kickoff, and
did run from his own 8 to Pitts 40.
But Chuck Cherundolo tripped him
at that point and the Steelers had
to go the hard way.
But the outlook was as dark as
ever for the Skins shortly after this
when they reached the visitors s.
yard line and failed to score. Mont
started the drive by intercepting
Clements pass and running 10 yards
to the Steeler II, and q pass-inter-
ference penalty against Pitt put the
ball in scoring position. But Jimmy |
Castiglia's goalward plunge was null
lifted by penalty and. the Skins
failed to put the ball over on one
running play and three passes,