By Merrill W. Whittlesay
Washington Post Staff Writer
September 28, 1942; Page 18

Two jolting maneuvers which produced touchdowns and nullified a 58-minute statistical beating earned a 14-7 triumph for the New York Giants over the luckless Redskins yesterday in a pro football puzzler for the figure-Philberts. A crowd of 34,700 started with the wind and mud-marred contest in Griffith Stadium, but more than 10,000 sought the comforts of the fireside long before the final gun.

The Giants opened defense of their Eastern division title with a big fat goose egg in the first down column. Their net yardage from scrimmage was exactly 1. They tried one pass, completed it and rested on their laurels. They couldn’t do anything right except make twice as many touchdowns.

All afternoon the mud-covered forms of the hosts were trampling over the out-played forms of the Giants. Up and down the quagmire marched the Sammy Baugh led aggregation, but only once did they cross the goal, when Boy Seymour hurdled over from 5 feet out.

Cuff Converts Twice
The Giants were doing nicely in a back-breaking third quarter defensive stand with the arch rivals locked in a 7-7 tie when O’Neale Adams, one of the Giants’ 20 rookies, tucked a pass interception to his soggy uniform and packed his leaden feet 66 yards for a touchdown, which, under the conditions, was equivalent to a half dozen.

Adams’ six point excursion with an erring Dick Poillon pass, which Andy Farkas botched up, was only the second time the Giants invaded Redskin territory on the offensive since their first play of the game when the incomparable Tuffy Leemans and Will Walls, a second string end for the past four years, put together a 50-yard pass play for a touchdown. Ward Cuff, who makes news when he missed a conversion, twice added the extra point.

After the stunning touchdown the Giants were fortunate enough to reach the Redskin 38-yard line on a lone occasion. In the second period the visitors were practically in the shadow of the goal posts when they reached the Redskin 49. In the third quarter, Steve Owen’s fortunate charges managed to reach their own 8-yard line on one occasion. The best they could do toward a goalward march in the final period was their own 41-yard line. It was a ball game the Giants would hate to have to play over.

Take away the Giants’ first touchdown play, the Redskins showed a net gain of 233 yards to 1. They worked the sodden ball 120 yards on the water and 113 yards through the unmentionable. Sammy Baugh clicked for a dozen pass completions in another of his grand performances. The Redskins scored once when Baugh was in there, they were scored on twice when he wasn’t. The same old story.

Line Shows Better Form
The Redskins line showed tremendous improvement over the past two weeks. The performance of the backfield under the conditions was acceptable, but the final score wasn’t.

The touchdown which won the ball game was a rude awakening for the strutting Andy Farkas, who made a timely entrance late in the third period. He was resplendent in the only clean uniform on the field and carried cheers of wellwishers who had missed him since the first play of the Chicago Bear game two weeks ago, when he was injured.

The Redskins were on the Giants 46-yard line when Andy fumbled but recovered on the first play. The ’Skins kicked, the Giants kicked back and the hosts gained on the play, putting the ball in play on the Giants’ 35. Poillon whipped a pass past Bob Masterson but officials caught Merle Hapes pushing and the play was allowed for 12 yards. A five-yard penalty against the ’Skins and then Poillon shot a flank pass to Farkas in the position to make the tackle if he had turned around in time, but he didn’t. That was the ball game.

Giants Score
Poillon played cousin to the Giants on their first score. A kick slid off his foot and carried less than 15 yards before it wobbled out of bounds at midfield. Leemans was back on the first play, shot a wide pass to Walls who caught it on the 23 and tore over for the score without interruption. Ward Cuff tried a field goal from the 45 the next time the Giants were in possession of the ball but it was deflected by Ky Aldrich and others and rolled harmlessly into the end zone.

Baugh and Todd entered with a new Redskin backfield and carried the load on two minor advances but a tackle by Charley Avedisian, another Giant rookie who with Mel Hein, Al Blozis and others carried the load for the Giant line, set them back.

The Redskins hit the jackpot in the second period with the help of three fourth down passes which is pressing lady luck. The ’Skins almost scored without the trouble of the 44-yard advance when Baugh shot what looked to be a sure touchdown pass to Justice but Al Owen knocked the ball out of bounds on the five.

Andy Marelon helped a desperate fourth down pass in its completion by tapping it into Ed Justice’s hands. Seymour made 7 yards in two attempts but the third play was for naught. Baugh’s fourth down pass to Kovatch was then good for a first down as the former Notre Dame end made a spectacular catch on the four. Seymour made a few more inches over two yards and then deserted the ground for a neat leap into the striped zone. Bob Masterson came in and tied the game with a perfect boot at low tide.

Giant Coach Owen was hiding his head in his hands in the third period. Nice kicking by Dick Poillon set them back to their own 6, 4, and 3-yard lines, but each time big John Chicherneo supplied the boot out of trouble.

Quick thinking by Bob Masterson supplied the chief Redskin scoring threat in the period. After a ground march bogged down inside the 10-yard line, Masterson stepped back to the 12 for a field goal attempt. The pass from center was excusably bad and Masterson picked the ball and hurriedly threw, not passed, it at Steve Juzwik in the end zone, but Ward Cuff slapped it out of bounds.

The Redskins could not push over the tying marker in the fourth period, although Todd was hacking away for yardage, nearly away twice and Baugh was shooting at his receivers with remarkable accuracy. Todd reached one long pass and made a great try for it, but it evaded his grasp. Al Kreuger and Bob Titchenal came in with dry hands for a last chance, but Baugh was rushed while passing by Paul Stenn and Chickerno intercepted to end it all.

Ten times Chickerno and Trocolor stepped back to kick and each time the Redskins rushed in, but they didn’t block a one. Baugh and Poillon, with one exception, efficiently handled the Redskin booting.