Evening star., 1953-01-26
By Lewis +. Atchison

having settled on q "perma-
nent" setup for 1853. at least,
after three windy days and
nights in Philadelphia. National
Football League club owners are
paving the way for a new and
change in plans for
the annual championship play
OF.
A leak In secrecy at the meet
ing allowed a report to seep out
that Miami's Orange Bowl COM
mittee wants the pro title game
for its annual New Years Day
feature, and the pros are in a
receptive mood. Their decision
to move the playof date back
to the Sunday after Christmas
is indicative of their present
thinking.
The latter date was proposed
by George Marshall. president
of the Redskins. who argues that
the week before Christmas when
peoples thoughts are on the
Yule celebration and their money
is going for gifts is the worst
possible time to stage the playoff.
Idea Seems Inviting.
Marshall also has talked about
the possibility of the pros TAX
ing over a bowl game, and the
trend of college heads away
from post-season play makes the
idea seem more inviting. Mi
ami's lop-sided victory over
Syracuse in the last Orange
Bowl game put the committee
in charge of that game on the
same wave-length with the pros.
Commissioner Bert Bell refused
to discuss the matter when il
was broached in Philadelphia,
but it was reported from a re-
liable source that Emil Fischer
president of the Green Bay
Packers, and Bell will confer
with Orange Bowl officials about
the possibility Of playing the
game there after the Govern
ment's TV monopoly suit against
the league Is settled. Fischer
has a winter home in Miami
and is chummy with some mem
bers Of the Orange Bowl COM
mittee.
In Miami, according to the
Associated Press. Sam H. Nc
Cormick, president of the bowl
committee, said he was not in
position to say anything about
it.
There has been some dis
cussion here and there by indi-
vidual members or the Orange
Bowl Committee" he admitted.
"but the full committee hasn't
talked about it,"
Reeves Opposes Plan.
One dissenting vote against
the plan repeatedly was cast by
Danny Reeves, president of the
Los Angeles Rams. A year ago,
when Pacific Coast and Big Ten
Conference officials seemed on
the verge of ending their Rose
Bowl pact. there was some talk
about moving the pro playoff to
Pasadena on January to re-
place the college game. Reeves
is reported favoring the more
football minded West Coast over
Florida for the game.
Meanwhile, the two-divisional
Setup adopted by the league,
with the Redskins and Baltimore
Colts in opposite divisions, is q
good break for pro fans in this
area. Under the home-and-
home proviso of the constitu-
ton every team in the league
will appear in one city or the
other some time during the sea-
son, and the schedule will be ar
ranged to avoid competition at
the box Office.
There is a possibility that the
Colts will schedule one or two
Friday night games, but Cen
eral Manager Don Kellett said
there was nothing definite about
such a plan. Kellett, however
will work closely with the Red
skins for the mutual interests
of the two clubs. He was shout
ing Marshall's praises louder
than the rest when the meeting
ended early yesterday morning.
The Colts face q tougher as
(See PRO LEAGUE, Page AID