By Merrell W. Whittlesey
Washington Post Staff Writer
Nov. 24, 1941; Page 18

New York, Nov. 23 — The New York Giants scored 10 vital points within 55 seconds of the fading minutes of a punch-packed ball game in the Polo Grounds mud today to clinch their sixth Eastern pro championship with a smashing 20-to-13 triumph over the Washington Redskins.

Before 49,317 fans, pro football's largest crowd of the season, the power-laden New Yorkers thus knocked the Redskins out of the race before the final game for the first time since 1936, and qualified as the East's representative in next month's championship playoff.

The Redskins bounced back from three scoreless quarters to overcome a 10-0 Giant lead with 13 points of their own early in the fourth quarter, but with less than five minutes to play the dethroned champs watched Ward Cuff kick a tying field goal and George Franck score a winning touchdown to knock both Washington and the idle Brooklyn Dodgers out of title contention.

Baugh Stars in Vain
Sammy Baugh, zooming his patented passes into the waiting arms of Bob McChesneu and Joe Aguirre and Bob Seymour, the outstanding Redskin running back on the field who scored the second touchdown, were parties to what appeared to be a timely Redskin comeback, but they were to be denied by a title-producing rally by the Giants.

The Polo Grounds clock showed less than five minutes, the scoreboard read Washington 13, New York 10, the Giants were temporarily halted with fourth down and three on the Redskin 30-yard line when they packed ten points in to the next minute, one the Redskins will never forget.

Ward Cuff, who has beaten the Redskins before with his expert field goal kicking, stepped back to the 38-yard line and with Tuffy Leemans holding booted the muddy ball high and true through the posts for a three-pointer and that made it 13-all, with the Giants virtually home with a tie.

Poole Intercepts
Cuff lofted the ensuing kickoff into the end zone for a touchback and now it was up to the Redskins, needing a touchdown and possessing the ball on their own 20-yard line. Sammy Baugh stepped back for a short pass, let it go for what would have been a first down gain but suddenly a figure in blue, big Jim Poole, the two-time all-league end, stepped in front and made his way back to the Redskin 7-yard line with an interception, before Seymour knocked him out of bounds.

On the first play from scrimmage George Franck, Minnesota's all-American of last year who came into ins own last week as a pro star, darted, around left end on a naked reverse and with an unbelievable burst of speed in the thick mud sped to a touchdown. Cuff converted and barring a miracle the best the Redskins could get was tie.

The Redskins went out for a tie, Baugh heaving first down and would-be-touchdown passes in the gloom of the rapidly approaching dusk and fading minutes of the ball game but the Giants finally took over on their own35 and had time for a play before the timer's gun barked the end of the Redskin hopes.

Style of Play Reversed
In contrast to the methodical, typical muddy field ball game of the first half in which the only scoring threats were attempted field goals by Joe Aguirre and Ward Cuff and two end zone passes by Baugh, one which grazed Wayne Milner's fingertips and another intercepted by Hank Soar, the second half was a typical Giant-Redskin battle. There was never a let-up moment as the clubs suddenly opened up with an amazing offensive display.

The Giants controlled the ball for the first 13 minutes of the third period as the Redskins were on the offensive only for two brief moments and each time Roy Zimmerman, who handled a majority of the punting in capable fasion, kicked out after negligible gains.

Franck, the week-old hero of the fickle Giant fans brought Zimmerman's first punt back to the Redskin 49-yard line early in the third period. Tuffy Leemans, the outstanding passer of the Giants now, clicked for a first-down aerial to Jim Poole on a desparate third-down heave to the Redskins 38. Jim Barber and the twin defensive heroes of the Redskins today, Frank Filchock and George Smith, stopped three plays but on the fourth it was Leemans to Poole again and Filchock knocked him out on the Redskin 30-yard line.

Ward Cuff went back this time with Leemans, took a reverse from the G.W. alumnus, found a man-sized opening in the Redskin line and bulled through to the 7-yard line in the first real scoring gesture of the decisive ball game. Smith and Ed Cifers stopped Leemans for a yard or two gain but with third down and three Franck took a direct pass from center to his left halfback post and evaded the outstretched hands of Frank Filchock for a touchdown to the delirious acclaim of all but the 6000 Redskin rooters. Ward Cuff converted.

Lead Jumps
The Giants seized upon a like situation to boost their lead to 10-0. It was Zimmerman punting again for the Redskins and Franck on another 30-yard return to midfield. The Leemans-Howie Yeager passing duo teamed up for a first down. The next time Leemans went back he had a pass in mind, but so did the Redskins for they covered everybody but Leemans and only the mud stopped Tuffy from scoring. He slipped trying to evade Filchock on the 11-yard line after 27 yards and was downed.

A new Redskin backfield took over but Leemans completed a 9-yard pass to the 2-yard line, only to have it called back for offisdes. Leemans cranked his passing arm a little too hard on the next three attempts and overshot his mark but the drive was not in vain as mustachioed Andy Marelos, the colorful rookie from St. Mary's of California, came in and booted a field goal from the 23.

The Redskins were apparently a beaten club at this ponit and one dollar would have earned you 20 that they would never take the lead — but it happened. They scored without losing the ball.

Seymour made his way through a mass of Giant tacklers to his own 41 on the kickoff return and then it was Seymour for a 4, Baugh for a pair of shoe-string passes for a first down and Baugh for 10 more as a sprinter when his receivers were covered.

The Redskins were on the Giant 25-yard line now. Chet Gladchuck and Tony Blazine stopped a pair of plays but they didn't stop the third. Slingin' Sam stepped briskly back and whipped a low-slung pass to Bob McChesney who, hand cast and all, grapped it on the 8-yard line, ran a few steps, hurdled the fallen form of Kay Eakin and made the end zone without a hand on him. Blazine blocked the extra point attempt of Ky Aldrich.

Joe Aguirre reentered the game for a second Redskin kickoff attempt after Fred Davis' boot was brought back to the 30-yard line by Yeager, but the play was recalled. Aguirre just missed the Harlem River with his lofty kick which was good for a touchback. Yeager went off tackle on the first scrimmage play but he didn't get far as Big Bill Young hit him so hard he fumbled and Seymour was on the ball for a recovery on the Giant 27-yard line.

The big yellow timepiece showed a little more than 12 minutes now and the Redskins were behind 10-7. Baugh missed a long pass to McChesney, but he really drew that muscled arm of his back on the next one and whammed the slippery pigskin almost too fast for the eye to follow into Joe Aguirre's mitts on the 17. Seymour made 5 yards on two opportune smashes and Baugh whipped one to Aguirre for a first down by inches on the 6-yard line. Seymour tried end and made 2 yards despite the Giant line and then he struggled, crawled and bulled his way within a foot of the striped surface. Seymour tried guard the next time and made it. Aguirre converted the extra point.

The Redskins had pulled this one out of their book of surprises, this 13-point splurge when they were 10 points behind in a make-or-break ball game, but only temporarily.

The blocked extra point looked big at this time. It meant the Giants could come back and tie the game with a field goal, and a tie here left the hosts with almost unlimited possibilities to win the title. That's what they did. Cuff, the Giants' leading scorer of all time, booted the field goal and as it turned out the Redskins had the ball for only one play between their 13-10 lead and 20-10 deficit.

The Redskins nearly doubled the Bears in first downs last week in defeat and again today they had the small satisfaction of a statistical edge over their conquerors. The Giants were out-first downed, 15 to 13, and trailed by 14 yards on total yardage, although, on the ground only Seymour and occasionally Farkas could effectively match the GIant ground-gaining crew of Franck, Cuff, Yeager, Rakin and Tuffy Leemans. It was Leemans who commanded the day's biggest ovation, the same Leemans who will be honored two weeks from today by the fans and his teammates on "Leemans Day."

Both teams completed half their passes, but the difference was nearly double in favor of the Redskins. The Giants made nine out of 18 with a combination of tossers and receivers, and Baugh was good for 16 out of 31, with Filchock batting .500 on two chances.

Second of Season
The Giants proved their right to the Eastern title, over the Redskins at least, with their second 7-point triumph of the season, and it raised the New York superiority over the 'Skins to double proportions with 12 out of 18 in the pro game's outstanding rivalry. The Redskins haven't won on the Polo Grounds since 1937.

The Redskins were open for criticism in defeat, but they produced a good share of the outstanding ball players, particularly on the line. Dick Farman played one of his finest games and was measured for citation. Little Bull Stralka was an outstanding figure, while George Smith and Clyde Shugart turned in gem performances on defense. Filchock, until Frank to the short touchdown and run around his end, something which could happen to anybody, was bringing Giant backs down with monotonous consistency, particularly on his second half stay.