Sport: Philadelphia Story

When Earle (“Greasy”) Neale quit as Yale’s football brains in 1940, the pitiful Philadelphia (pro) Eagles seemed beyond human help. Not so, thought Greasy Neale, who had worked many a minor miracle in his earlier coaching days.* With high hopes but no real prospects, Greasy took over the inelegant Eagles. By last year he had made them one of the top teams in the National League.

Off to an uncertain start this year, the Eagles may not equal their fine 1944 record of 7 won, 2 tied, 1 lost. They whizzed through five exhibition games, including one with the Champion Green Bay Packers, began 1945 league competition with a 21-6 win over the improved Chicago Cardinals. Then, this week, they had their wings clipped—by the geared-up Detroit Lions and trigger-armed Charles Fenenbock. The 28-to-24 upset was the Eagles’ second loss in 21 games. But, win or lose, their exploitation of the T formation remains pro football’s speediest, prettiest and often deadliest.

Movies & Books. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the Eagles’ rise is that they have done it with the T. Greasy Neale went to Philadelphia as a general practitioner, with just about every known variety of formation in his bag—except the T. He added that after watching the Chicago Bears pulverize the Washington Redskins, 73-0. The modernized, tricked-up version of the old-hat T was just beginning to catch on; the Bears, with Quarterback Sid Luckman handling the ball and directing his team’s fabulous repertory of 300 plays, were powerful persuaders.

Wangling some films of the Bears-Redskins game, Greasy studied them until he knew the basic T theme by heart. Finding the right players was the urgent next job. The best source was the annual college draft, and Greasy came to the December meeting loaded with facts & figures. From detailed reports supplied by four strategically located college coaches, plus voluminous newspaper clippings, Greasy had compiled—at a cost of $8,000—a set of 64 books of data. He wheeled them into the draft meeting and went to work.

His carefully considered bids got him nearly everything he needed: fast linemen to brush-block and scat downfield, blazing fast halfbacks, a blocking fullback and, above all, a sleight-of-hand quarterback. Greasy got a few name players and a lot of unknowns who had what he wanted.

Similar preparation for subsequent draft meetings has panned out as well or better. Now Greasy Neale has a talented team that can make his own highly refined T tick. Weak only at the ends, it boasts an undeniable line ribbed with two All Americas, 215-lb. Tackle Al Wistert (ex-Michigan) and 220-lb. Guard Bob Suffridge (Tennessee). Redheaded Steve Van Buren (Louisiana State), who breaks ten seconds for 100 yards, stops on a dime, runs either around or over a tackler with his 207 lbs., is perhaps the best halfback in the game. Quarterback Roy Zimmerman (San Jose State) makes the club click.

The flashy Eagles have eight games to go before the first postwar draft brings them new blessings. Until then, they must keep a double watch on at least two other clubs in their Eastern circuit:

¶ The blooming Boston Yanks, who merged this year with the defunct Brooklyn Tigers. They have Brooklyn’s bruiser backs Pug Manders and Ace Parker to help George Cafego, and their Q-T formation has already rolled over the Washington Redskins.

¶ Steve Owen’s solid New York Giants, who have added some T to their offensive assortment and have pile-driving Marion Pugh back to pass and plunge. Making their own breaks as usual, the Giants this week tied the Yanks, 13-13.

In the West, over & above the lucky Lions, the amazing Cleveland Rams won their third straight, and did it the hardest possible way—with three fourth-quarter touchdowns that deflated Green Bay, 27-14.

*At West Virginia Wesleyan (where he had played end and earned his nickname), Washington & Jefferson, and West Virginia. In the famed Black Sox scandal 1919 World Series, he played a hard-hitting right field for the Cincinnati Reds.