Evening star., 1951-01-21
Clubs Fail to Agree
On Divisional Change
In 6-Hour WrongIe
By Lewis r. Atchison
By Lewis r. Atchison
Stor Stoff Correspondent


CHICAGO, Jan. 20.-The old
guard of the National Football
League club owners today beat
down a preliminary move aimed
at playing a round-robin schedule
in 1851. and adjourned at 1890
pm. without agreeing on how the
clubs should be grouped next
season.
The II owners wrangled six
hours over the highly controver-
sial and knotty problem without
getting close to a solution. They
couldn't even agree on when to
recess for dinner, forcing Com
missioner Bert Bell to cast the
vote that broke a 6-6 tie.
The meeting of the club owners
will resume tomorrow morning.
Earlier, the Senate" of pro
football snapped out of a mega
tive mood only long enough to
approve a permanent team limit
Of 33 players. This is the same
as last year when it was raised
from 80 after the first game, for
one year only. To make another
change now will require approval
of 10 of 20 owners.
Six Motions Defeated.
Before that the group defeated
six consecutive motions.
Most important was the one
reported to have been introduced
by Ray Benningsen, general man.
ager of the Chicago Cardinals
providing for approval by 10 OF
the IL members of the 1851 sched-
ule drawn up by Bell. The con-
stitution now provides that the
schedule made by the commits
sioner must be accepted by all
the clubs. Any change in this
bylaw would have given the Car
dinals, and any other clubs agree
ing with them, a chance to battle
for a round-robin.
Also defeated were motions te
name definite dates for the start
of the league season and cham
pionship play-off game. George
Marshall, president of the Red
skins, favored playing the title
game on the last Sunday of De-
cember to avoid conflicting with
Christmas. It was voted down
because certain key stadiums,
such as those at Los Angeles and
San Francisco. are not always
available on that date.
Also rejected were pleas to
raise the minimum reserved seat
price from $3.50 to $500. and to
permit former players who are
coaching to 60 back on the active
list in an emergency if they've
been connected with the league
five years. Under present rules
coaches cannot revert to active
player status once the season
begins.
Round Robin Opposed.
A round-robin schedule pre-
sented many problems and mos
owners felt it would cheaper the
title. A home-and- home series be-
tween all the clubs would near
playing an almost impossible
schedule of % games. Further
more, the championship woulo
have to be decided by the Shaugh-
messy playoff system which mos
owners didn't favor. This mean.
two preliminary games between
the first and third, second anc
fourth teams, with the winners
meeting for the title.
1t Is no secret the Redskins
Giants, Yanks and Bears are op.
posed to playing West Coast team.
next season. Everybody wants tt
play the Bears, which means thai
teams now bracketed with then
in the National Conference will
balk at a chance in divisiona
lines. The Bears are reported
to have received approximate!
E$124,000 for three games on ths
Coast last season, counting tht
playoff with the Rams. but ever
so George Halas would like tt
duck the long westward journey
Ted Collins, New York Yank
owner, tonight said he favored
an alignment that would put hin
in the same conference with th'
New York Giants.
1--WE drew $4,000 paid fans with
the Giants" Collins pointed out
"and $500 with the Baltimor'
Colts, who took the second dat
we could have had with tn,
Giants. The Colts didn't qui
soon enough to suit me.
mo league has the right tt
tell a club owner he must 60 tt