When the Men Met the Boys

In seven years as coach of the Green Bay Packers, Vince Lombardi, 53, has won 105 games and lost only 31. He has forgotten most of the 105. But, ah, those 31. "I have a long memory for them," Lombardi admitted last week, as his Packers, champions of the National Football League, prepared to take on the College All-Stars at Chicago's Soldier Field. Three years before, another All-Star squad had upset the mighty Packers 20-17, and that was one defeat Vince ached to avenge. "All we need," he growled, "are some strangers to hit."

Not all of the All-Stars were strangers, of course. Donny ("Do Everything") Anderson, a triple-threat halfback from Texas Tech, had signed a $600,000 contract with Green Bay, and Illinois Fullback Jim Grabowski was a $300,000 Packer bonus baby. If anything, that only made it harder on them; the Packers were in no mood to play favorites--particularly with rich rookies who soon would be trying to take their jobs away.

The All-Stars won the toss of the coin and elected to receive. That was a mistake. On the very first play from scrimmage, Alabama Quarterback Steve Sloan fumbled the ball, Lionel Aldridge recovered for Green Bay, and Packer Quarterback Bart Starr flipped an 11-yd. touchdown pass to End Boyd Dowler. After that, the only question was how big the score would be. Fullback Jim Taylor scored two TDs for the Packers, Starr threw for still another, and alert Green Bay defenders picked off two passes.

The All-Stars obviously still had a lot to learn. "Do Everything" Anderson managed to gain exactly 4 yds. before 240-lb. Packer Linebacker Ray Nitschke borrowed his right foot for a brief demonstration of isometrics and sent him limping to the sideline. Grabowski was held to 11 yds. in four carries, and Southern California's Mike Garrett, the 1965 Heisman Trophy winner, broke loose for a total of 19 yds. On the sideline, All-Star Coach John Sauer was still screaming, "Come on, defense!" as the clock ran out on a score of 38-0--the worst trouncing an All-Star team had taken since the Philadelphia Eagles won by the identical score in 1949.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.