Evening star., 1962-10-05
SEGH AT LARGE
SIumping Rams
Have Problems
Bv MORRIS SIEGEE

ON THE SAME AFTERNOON the Dodgers took it
on the chin from the Giants in Los Angeles Elroy Hrsch
also Of Los Angeles took it the lam for Washington
He wasn't quite removed from the scene as AStronaut
Walter schirra who sightseeing in his capsule that
day. but had as little with the Dodger debace the
spaceman
The Dodgers problems weren't Elroy's. That's not
why he left He other for wanting to get out
of town Hrsch is the general of the Los An
gees Rams football team They also, are not going to
win pennant for Los Angeles unless they straghten up
and fly right beginning here Sunday against the Redskins
The Rams have lost their first three games At this
rate they likely to furnish lively competition to the
Dodgers and another peculiarly native Los Angeles in
stituton smog determine which is the least popular
among Angelenos
SINCE 1885, WHEN THEY last felded a winning team
the Rams have done little than serve as prep
school for pro football executives which Is not their pri
mary function One of their alumni former General Man
ager Pete Rozee is NFL commissioner. Tex Schramm
and Bert Rose former publicity directors are general
managing the endeavor at Dallas and Minnesota respec-
lively.
Two Others mustangs up from the player ranks, cur
renty are running the show Bob Waterfield the
head coach and his ustrious eammate Crazyegs Hrsch
is mentioned before the general manger These admin
rave developments cheered as they are among families
of those concerned not the kind Rams fans are in
erested in The team their only and attendance
figures indicate they becoming less and less concerned
Last Sunday, for example, only $4,000 showed up in
the 1903 Coliseum for game against the Dallas
Cowboys 1t was somewhat substandard for team which
attracted % crowds of plus including three OF
more than 100000 That's when they were winning fire.
quently, which they not doing even infrequenty
at the moment.
SINCE THE RETIREMENT OF Waterfield and later
the departure of the equally brilliant Norm Van Brockln
the Rams have had quarterback problems Now 1t extends
all the way up to the ownership level The five share
holders who include Bob Hope can't agree on who among
them should call signals
In the last 40 games including three this season. the
once-feared Rams have only TO- Their inability to
field winner like they doing quite regularly until
1855 has everyone mystfied They certainly have more
than their of the talent yeah but it's mostly in
the stands" observed Duke Zeibert who knows OF the
teams big following in the movie industry.
There electric names on the Rams too Jon
Arnett Ollie Matson Les Richter, Jimmy Phillips, Dick
Bass Marlin McKeever Zeke Bratkows and others rec
ognized as among the best in the NIL
If the Rams don't have the best scouting system in
pro football least they have the most expensive Hrsch
estimates it costs 100000 year to screen prospects
There lis brddogs mostly college coaches who tabu-
late future material The reports cover $500 football
players every year.
HIRsCH AND THE RAMS understandaby are worried
about slump of the team and the accompanying slump
the gate The Los Angeles franchise for years was rated
one of the best not only football but in all sports
The Rams pioneered major league professional sports
In California Once they got rolling they shattered at
tendance records regularly They moved from Cleveland in
1946 when there Dodgers no Angels no basket
balng LakerS and hockey to compete WIN tnem Ior
the sports dollar.
Even the race tracks helpful-their meetings
didn't come until after the Rams regular season. In the
IT years they've operating in Los Angeles the Rams
killed off their only football competitors The L. A. Dons
died with the old AAmerica Conference Last year the
Chargers of the AFL shifted to San Diego.
With the opposition driven out, the Rams now are
faced with defensive action holding onto their custom