(Hectic Scramble Starts as Pro Grid Leagues Merge Player _■___♦ -- Bell Thumbs Down Bell Is on Spot in Disposition j totting J&te J&p0fIs Of Out Details D. as Talent, Ironing Washington, C., Saturday, December 10,1949—A—12 *» On '49 Playoff Marshall Wants Share of Biggest Jackpot Rooney Plugs It In Sports History; Draftees Are Pooled , or Draw ly th« Auociatad Pratt By Francis Stann Lose; NEW YORK, Dec. 10.—Wistful Peace has come at long last to professional football, but it may FRANCIS STANN Art Rooney would like to see the By not be for long as club owners in the new 13-team Natlonal-Ameri- All-America Conference and Na- Matter Who It Was can League today eyed probably the biggest player jackpot in the No Won, Costly tional Football League champions history of sports in this country. And the man on the spot is Now that peace has descended upon the bloody factions in meet this year for the United Commsisioner Bert Bell. professional football, who won the four-year war—the National States title. It will require the wisdom of a Solomon and the patience League or the All-America Conference? So would a few million other of Job to settle the disposition of more than 100 jobless players, "Don’t forget the 10 original National League teams are still fans. college stars who had been in business,’’ says President George Marshall of But the official nix is on today. plus drafted, but who now will be the Redskins, "and only three clubs from the Commissioner Bert Bell of the a Hart Less dumped into a gigantic pool along Having Conference are left, if you want to know who NFL says the league constitution with pros. The re-assigning proc- won.” forbids a post-season contest— Expensive With Pro two will ess likely will begin in Philadel- Be that as it may, the fledgling All-America even though the leagues December 19. phia next January 19. Combined Conference enjoys some measure of triumph. merge Leagues Dozens of details, including a th» Aoocietad Pr«» the Rooney, president of the Pitts- ly It offered the first serious threat to suprem- of is the first NFL schedule for the odd number BALTIMORE. Dec. 10.— acy of the 28-year-old National League and burgh Steelers, teams, remain to be worked out, Walt Driskill, coach and pres- inroads. Never before had a loop bigwig to come out for a national finally made but all else will be championship game. transcending ident of the Baltimore Colts, accomplished the feat. for talent. And it A-AC owners always have the scramble Indicated the new line of Whether it was worth the hundreds of to Presi- wanted the test that would pro- will be a scramble, hear. thinking on players’ salaries thousands of dollars poured down the drain is Marshall of the Red- duce the undisputed best eleven in dent George by commenting on Leon Hart, something else. Certainly the Conference lost his share. the oountry. skins. He wants the All-America end from more but the depression was beginning money, One of them, Arthur McBride, The original story out of Phil- Notre Dame. When the Colts to hit the National League, too. Although whose Cleveland Browns are right adelphia, where peace between the picked Hart in the A-AC draft Francis stann. claims that half of the teams in his Marshall in the -middle of any potential All-American Conference and the and the Detroit Lions of the even at Grif- league made money this year, crowds were smaller, playoff, said he’d like to see the older National League was de- National Football League also fith Stadium. The Redskins, who have perhaps the most loyal A-AC and NFL champs meet this clared, Indicated that players of plucked him, an expensive and rabid fans in the National League, never had a sellout. year. But he expressed doubt a the now defunct Buffalo Bills bidfest was in the offing. Somewhere today Elmer Layden, former commissioner of the game can go through at this late would combine with the Cleveland But last night Driskill re- National League, must be wearing a wry grin. It was Layden who, stage. Browns and that the Los Angeles marked that $26,000 a year, back in 1945, kissed off the Conference with the words, “They McBride said he’d like to see a Dons would join forces with the the figure which Hart said he haven't even got a football.” two-out-of-three game playoff Los Angeles Rams. might accept to play pro ball, for A couple of years ago Layden was joking about it at the Ken- Baltimore Needs Bolstering. is "a lot of money Just those he said, "I playing end.” • tucky Derby. “As soon as I uttered words,” Out of "Not if I can help it,” Marshall me Flaherty Job; He ’’If Hart could wished I could have recalled them. Nobody will ever let forget stated today. “Every club in the added, make footballs on the side it them.” v Tribe Door Closed league should get its share of the would be different.” players from every team that’s Who's Afraid of the Browns? Ray Flaherty, who wan i _____ been eliminated, with one excep- business now in the new Na- most of the Redskins’ cham- on While they may be partners tion. That exception is the New every other club In Its division remains a rivalry between the one- pionships when he coached tional-American League, there York Bulldogs, because Ted Col- a home-and-home basis. clubowners. At least so far from 1937 through 1942, is time National League and Conference lins out Dan and “Baltimore will a roving out of a now that PEACE—IT’S WONDERFUL!—Bert Bell (left), commissioner of the National Football League, bought Topping play is it would job again as Marshall concerned, appear. are shown in is entitled to Topping’s players.” schedule. I understand,” said Mar- the Buffalo Bills the Chicago Hornets have and J. Arthur Friedlund, representing the All-America Conference, Philadelphia An interviewer asked Marshall if combining It is that six of Top- shall. “That is to say, the Colts been eliminated in the merger after the merger of the major pro grid leagues. —AP Wlrephoto. understood with the Conference champions, the Cleveland Browns, will to the New will each of the other 12 perennial between the National Foot- ping’s players go play wouldn’t make the Browns prohibitively strong. Giants and the rest will be- teams once. As for the Redskins, ball League and the All-Amer- York first Marshall answered, “the Browns aren’t the of Collins. we never meet “In the place,” ica Conference. come property for example, may the Buffalo Not over my dead body. But Tie Some Redskins Some some of the teams we have been going to get all players. Is George Marshall inter- Majors May Snap Pleased, Players or the defunct Chicago use for years. We won’t have don’t think they can’t help. ested in re-signing him? Hornets will go into the pool, and playing that it was generally agreed to go to the West Coast any longer, The interviewer suggested pretty "No, indeed,” replied the Uncertain Over New Setup Marshall is emphatic when he Dante Lavelli Games or at least I don’t think so, nor the Browns’, with Otto Graham, Marion Motley, "I have a Day by Voting he will insist they be joined Redskin president. John a veteran says Lewis F. Atchison Adams, tackle, will we the Detroit Lions. and Mac Speedie, were an outstanding team. coach in Mr. Herman Ball. By by the left-over Bills and Dons. play Staff said elimination of competitive couldn’t beat a single club in the National League,” Star Corratpondcnt That is, barring championship “They "However,” he added, “I on bidding for players would give “It would be silly to dispose of “including the Redskins.” To Turn Lights LOS ANGELES. Dec. 10.— playoff games.” Marshall snorted, might recommend Flaherty club owners more money to them any other way than to leave ty thi Aisociatod Prw* Reaction of Redskin players to Two benefits in for the Baltimore Colts. around among the older it up to Bell to assign these play- particular A Second Shot at Chandnois news of in football's spread looking for a coach, NEW YORK, Dec. 10.—Just to peace pro to his own strike the Redskin boss, who prob- to be in a pool and Tfiiey’re hands—he hoped. Ends Hal ers according good With college draftees now destined put under ranks ranged from pleased sur- exerted as much influence as aren’t they? And they like prove that baseball played Crisler and Bones Taylor Judgment. A good many teams, ably Marshall may get another shot at his No. 1 choice, Half- to uncertain wondering in National redrafted, the single wing.” lights is more popular than ever, prise in- such as Baltimore, need build- any club owner the who made some All- thought the move would back Chandnois of Michigan State, not are envision- today, with the squad about League. “One is the fact that Lynn the majors only crease fan interest, which ing up.” and was rated by Notre Dame second only to Kyle equally divided in sentiment. we’ll Baltimore, which is a America teams series instead of just one game in ing a heavier night game schedule would boost gate receipts, his win- play faced this year by realized it Asked about Redskins, Rote of Southern Methodist as the best back to come.