Evening star., 1953-10-15
Browns Ruling Roost,
But Have No Illusion
OF Unbeaten Season
BY Lewis F. Atchison

Russ GeStner, looking as happy
as the publicity man of a win
ming football team, is in town.
Russ happens to be chief drum
beater for the Cleveland Browns,
who will be here Sunday to play
the Redskins at Griffith Sta
dium, and he cheerfully an
swered any and all questions
about his favorite club.
Coach Paul Brown, Gestner
reports, isn't dreaming of an un-
beaten season, although there
doesn't seem to be any club in
their division of the National
Football League good enough to
beat the Clevelanders. Brown
will settle for a 9-3 record. Most
coaches tell you an 8-4 count
will win the division title.
The Browns have only six
rockies on this 1853 squad. but
all are firSt-Stringers, either on
offense or defense. Eight play
ers are left from the original
squad collected by Brown when
he organized the team for
Mickey Mcbride way back in the
dark ages of the All-America
Conference.
Graham Better Than Ever.
Otto Graham looks better
than ever, although this was the
year George Ratterman was
supposed to begin giving the old
gentleman hand with his for
ward passing chores. Ratterman
hurt his arm in an automobile
accident and Otto's passing has
been so accurate it looks like
George will spend another sea-
son on the bench.
The big Cleveland line is as
good, if not a mite better than
ever. And don't believe the pro-
gram listing of Len Ford's
weight. He's down at 240 pounds,
but Russ says the big colored
end from Washington weighs
255. Doug Atkins, the 6-foot-8
rookie at the other wing, actu-
ally tips the beam at ESQ. He
missed earning a berth as a high
jumper on the last Olympic team
by one inch. Atkins cleared
6-feet-6 in the Southeastern
Conference championship meet.
Both he and Ford don't bother
to block the opposing ends any,
more. They jump over them.
Browns Used to Winning.
The Browns have a winning
spirit, Gestner conf1des, because
they've become used to winning.
It's a great tonic for a football
team. Then, too, the coach
takes no nonsense from his
players. He uses horse sense,
rather than strict discipline to
keep them in line. Fines are
taboo on the Browns. If play
er gets far enough out of line
to warrant a fine, he's traded or
dropped.
It's a great system, Russ says,
and the man who pays strictest
attention to the rules is Brown.
If he orders lights out by II
pm, his go out at 1855.
And the Browns, with three
decisive victories under their
belts, won't come here with the
iCea that the Redskins are a
soft touch. They know Wash
ington has a good team, Gestner
said.
Thinks Redskins Are Better.
"You had one last year." Russ
said, land we think you've got
a better one this time"
The only lop-sided score be-
tween the teams in their five
games to date was Cleveland's
45-O victory in 1851. The Browns
still remember last years game
at Cleveland, which they rallied
to win, 10 to Is, with a touch
down in the final period.
The Redskins are working
hard, too. A victory over the
Browns would be a prize well
worth fighting for. More i'm
portant, it would give them un-
disputed possession of first place
in the Eastern Division and a
solid chance to get into the
championship playoff.