Evening star., 1954-09-08
Redskins Planning
|Stymied by Injuries
And Delays on Deals
By Lewis T. Atchison
Star stan Correspondent

CHAPEL HILL, NC, Sept. g.
The two men who should know
more about the Redskins plans
than anybody else, George Mar
shall, president of the club, and
Coach Joe Kuharich, are as puz-
lled as the average fan about
the future at this writing.
Kuharich, anxious to trim the
squad to workable proportions,
can't make a move because of
the lengthy list of injuries. Mar
shall eager to make deals that
will strengthen the team, can't
find anybody to bargain with.
Paul Brown of Cleveland is
reported crying for defensive
ends and Lisle Blackburn, head
coach Of the Green Bay Pack
ers encamped at nearby Raleigh,
wants guards. The New York
Giants have expressed interest
in getting defensive halfbacks.
and the Chicago Bears wouldn't
sneer at a club with a spare rum
ming back. But at the moment
everybody seems to be awaiting
developments.
Deals Likely Next Week.
The next furry of player deals
can be expected early next week,
following the approaching round
of exhibition games. There will
be another rush the following
week when the IL clubs have to
cut to the 33-man limit.
The Redskins may have to
open the season with 27 or %
active men because of techni-
calitieS governing injured play
ers. An injured man can not be
released outright without receiv-
ing a full years salary. Nor can
he be placed on the injured re-
served list-where he must re-
main for 80 days-without first
being named on the active list.
Otherwise. he must be placed on
waivers and might be claimed by
a rival club.
One can imagine how quickly
a guard like Slug Witucki or
linebacker such as Chuck Dra-
zenovich-both of whom are
nursing ailing legs-would be
snapped up if their names ap-
peared on waivers. And yet Ku-
harich has no guarantee that
either will be ready for the open
ing league game some three
weeks away.
Several Rockies INFESTED.
The Redskins also have in
jured rockies such as Sam Nor
ley, All-America end at STAN
ford, recovering from a shoulder
separation, whom they haven't
seen in action. Others like
Tackle Vic Thomas of Colorado,
Guard Marvin Berschet of Illi-
nois and Fullback Ralph FELTON,
of Maryland haven't been tested
thoroughly because of injuries.
Kuharich doesn't want to let
a good player slip through his
fingers because of an oversight.
Nor does he want to cling to
oldsters who can't help the
team. Two of the numerous play
ers cut adrift by the Redskins
who returned to haunt them
are Guard Buddy Brown and
End John Martinkovic of the
Green Bay Packers, who'll play
against them Saturday night at
Raleigh.
Kuharich and Marshall are
stumped by the unusual situa-
ton.
NOTEs-Tackle Ray Collins,
reclassified la by his draft
board, had to make a hasty trip
home to produce papers showing
he had performed his military
service. Jim Ricca is still
hurting from a double block
thrown on him by Dick Mod
zelewski and Paul Lipscomb.
! Sam Morley is down to 189
pounds. Ditto for Paul Barry,
which is too light for Barry If
he expects to play fullback.
Lou Rymkus, Green Bay line
coach who played tackle for the
Redskins before going to the
Cleveland Browns, reports that
Steve Juzwik, another former
Redskin, is coaching high school
football in Chicago.