Evening star., 1953-07-27
Redskins Acquire
Oregon State Back
In Deal With Rams
By Lewis r. Atchison
SiaF Stuff Correspondent

LOS ANCfELES, July Z1.-Ine
Redskins lost no time in getting
to work on their offense today as
they knuckled down to three
weeks of intensive football prac-
tice. Defense can wait. Coach
Curly Lambeau told the SO play
ers on hand for the start.
At the same time, Lambeau
announced the signing Of Half
back Sam Baker Of Oregon State
College. the mystery player in
the deal with the Los Angeles
Rams limited at last week. Sam
will f1t in with Lambeau's plans
for bolstering the offense If all
the nice things said about him
are true.
The 6-foot-1 210-pound Baker
was the Rams 11th draft choice
in 1852 and to get him the Red
skins gave a high draft number
on their 1855 list. It is believed
to be in the first five. although
club officials were hazy on that
item.
Broke Carpenters Record.
The 23-year-old Baker COM
piled quite a record as a ground
gamer at Oregon State, where he
eclipsed marks set previously by
Ken Carpenter, now one of the
standout stars Of the Cleveland
Browns. He gained a total of
2,043 yards in his three years of
college football and got of a
clutch punt Of u yards in the
EaSt-West game. His Oregon
State coach, Kip Taylor, is on
record as saying Baker is "the
finest football player I've ever
coached"
If the big half back is as good
as he's cracked up to be, it is
rather surprising that the Rams
were willing to give him up for a
draft choice a couple of years
away. Lambeau says he can't
explain it, but thinks the return
of Glenn Davis may have been
q factor.
Since Baker took advanced
ROTC in college, he is due to be
called for military service before
another season. Sam says he ex-
poets to get his papers in Janu-
ary and Lambeau explained that
part Of the deal hinges on the
times of his departure.
How high a draft choice we
give the Rams defends on wheth-
er he's around for one or two
seasons" he coach said.
No More Calisfhenics.
At the first practice session,
Lambeau surprised the vet
erans by ruling out calisthenics
this year. He told the play
ers to use their own judg-
ment in pre-practice warm-ups
and warned laggardS and all
overweight men that failure to
get in shape would force him to
go back to the distasteful set
ting-up exercises.
Speaking at the squads first
meeting, Curly also forbade the
players to drink soda pop and
matted milks after practice and
before meals. He also urged them
to get plenty Of sleep.
In discussing plans for often
sive drills, Lambeau gave two
good reasons for expecting ev-
erybody to get their play assign
mentS down as quickly as pos
sible. It will reduce injuries, he
said, and help win games.
"Some Of you boys never will
be used on offense," the coach
said, "but sometimes you may
help with a game by being able
to go in for five minutes when
we have the ball"
Lambeau said knowing assign
ments viii cut down injuries rs
per cent. "You may not get hurt
by missing an assignment" he
told the squad, "but you'll hurt a
teammate."
Johnny williams came out for
the workout, but only as a spec
tator. The fleet back and the
Redskins are a couple Of thou
sand dollars apart on a contract
and Williams insists he won't
play unless he gets his price. He
is believed to want $4,000.
Herman Ball, who handles
such matters for the club, said
Johnny got a liberal raise in
salary, putting him on a par
with anybody on the club in his
class" Williams contends he's
worth more and he is in a good
position to argue as he has a
prospering dry cleaning estab-
lishment here.
Johnny returned two pass
interceptions and two punts for
touchdowns last year and the
Redskins can use him.
Paul Barry, another halfback
| obtained from the Rams earlier
this year, came to terms and was
out for the first workout. He
figures Importantly in the Of
fenSive plans.
Ed Quirk. the big linebackel