Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-10-15
ATCHISON'S
ANGLE
Cutting q Nice Figure
BY LEWIS :. ATcHlsoN

THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL Leagues first weekly
statistical roundup is due tomorrow and should be best
selling literature for Redskins fans Eddie LeBaron un-
doubtedy viii be the top of the forward passers
Johnny Carson should be we up among the receivers and
Sam Bakers kicking ought to rank MIN with the elite
in that group.
Individually, the Redskins have done well in their
rst three games But Coach Joe Kuharich keeps say
ing, They're far from being polished team You can
see it in the films"
IF one boy doesn't block on that play when
(Jm) Podoley fumbed against the Giants Joe said in
his restrained high PITCH hes got to 90 20 or 80
yards, and maybe all the way 1t was that one little
mistake that ruined US But that's all it takes"
The play occurred in the last period Of Sundays game
when the Redskins got the ball their 2O-yard line
after recovering Charlie Conerys tumble in the end zone
Dick Modzelewsk former Redskin was the culprt who
yanked Podoeys arm, causing him to lose the ball With
that play went the Redskins last chance Of pulling out
an upset victory.
ONLY WEEK BEFORE. after the Redskins clobbered
the Cardinals at Chicago. 37-4 Kuharch tried to calm
his over-enthusastic hackers by declaring 1t was far
from polished team He was right And yet, the work
of LeBaron, Carson, Baker, Podoley Gene Brito Dick
Sanfe Jim Schrader etc. of top quality Trouble
is football Is stil team game and individual briance
isn't enough to win
For good example look at the talent-laden Chicago
Bears, whove dropped their first three games This Is
the same team that in preseason warm-ups resembed
the famed Midway Monsters Of IS years ago when the
Bears and championships were synonymous And they
could lose another to the Rams Sunday in Chicago
That's what say" Kuharich declared, you can't
tell whatu happen in these games Nobody knows what
% men win do when they play football game It's foolish
to this team should beat that this week. or that
something else will happen next week No oresee
what will happen"
BUT 1T SEEMS fairly certain that If the Redskins
continue to give the individual performances they've
shown thus far, 1t could be winning season.
LeBaron has completed q Of 43 passes for $50 yards
IN The nuh
Not since the opening game at Pittsburgh when two
passes fell into enemy hands has he had intercepted
Against the Giants Eddie threw nothing but strikes
Carson. who edged LeBaron in vote for player
Of the week. honors has caught aerals for 238 yards
and two touchdowns It's the golng Georgians best be-
ginning in pro football And it's pace that will put him
up near the top.
Podoley, who wasn't sure he'd make the grade with
the team, has ripped on 1l9 yards on % carries and
gained 228 yards six passes to make rival scouts sit
up and take notice The S2yard scoring play in which
Jim and LeBaron elaborated Sunday was the longest
since l948 when Sammy Baugh connected with Dan
Sandifer for an 85-yard touchdown against the same
Giants
From our viewpoint It's only matter Of time until
the long-strding farm boy Wilbur Moores Is
yard the record for Grth Stadium or the sSyard
all-tme Redskins mark hung up by Billy Wells against
the Cardinals in 1854 All Podoley needs is little elbow
or leg room.
BAKERS FIVE FIELD goals in six tries means Sam
could better last years total Of IT, which led the league
He seems to have gotten into the swing Of things literally
speaking, after so-So start.
Bakers punting record is even more impressive He
booted six against the Seers and only we're returned
for total Of IA yards Sam kicked against the Cardinals
and again they ran back only two for three yards He
kicked four against the Giants and they got only eight
yards on two runbacks.
Distance is one thing, but sticking 'em where they
can't get them, or booting the ball high the receiver
always has reception committee waiting for him. is even
more important.
Perhaps LeBaron Carson Podoley Baker g. Co., aren't
good enough to bring Washington championship this
year. But it's obvious that If they hang in there with
the individual leaders and the defense es It's gong to
be an interesting autumn at Griffith Stadium