The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 65

wwi'igM ii i jijjii.jii.hhii.ii iii.i mmf-nm i hi mmpwji miumu. j.t fc.j jc.euwi jjuiici'i'i 1 aw ih'jw T'um rw'M 111 "jj hwwhb ww I i If 54 .1 1 1 iJ fit trr i off I 2 IMcAFEE I WATERFIELD 1 McAFEE 1 FEARS i 1 TOUCHDOWN TEAM L-" FEARS of his three touchdown passes nj' I.TUII. til to Tom Fears in second quarter on play which netted 68 yards. George McAfee, and takes Waterfield's toss on run SPORTS PART 4 Read The Karris SPORTSCRIPTS By PAUL ZIMMERMAN TIMES SPORTS EDITOR Divisional Waterfield-to-Fears Aerial Duo Sparks Win BY FRANK FINCH On the wings of a truly tremendous aerial exhibition by' Bob Waterfield and Tom Fears, the Los Angeles Rams sailed, to a 24-14 victory over the Chicago Bears yesterday to clinch their second consecutive divisional championship. If jv 5 r.

v-. 'I onMUMMki 1 i r-J' i ir nmr Our august athletic commission, which bosses boxing and wrestling in the sovereign State of California, had best sharpen its pencils, sit down and start doing a little figuring. We make this suggestion because the way things are going at the moment it is going to be operating in the red this year and prospects for it getting into the black again in the 1951 season are slim. GREAT DECLINE The terrific decline of public Interest in boxing is only partially responsible. The operating expenses in maintaining three offices and staffs of inspectors and office help in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento have been on the uptrend.

If it were not for the fact that wrestling interest is holding up, the situation would be even worse. And if it were not for Cal Eaton's Olympic Auditorium and Cal Working at Hollywood Legion Stadium, boxing revenue to the State would be almost too negligible to count. In order that yott can understand what has been happening, let us recite a set of figures. PEAK IX 1946 In the quarter of a century since boxing was reinstated in California, a great deal of money has gone into the State's veterans' facility at Yount-ville. The peak year came in 1946 when $286,073.98 was collected in taxes.

It cost $134,298.74 to administer the two sports; this cost consisting of salaries to inspectors, office operations, Professional boxing in California drew an aggregate gross gate of over $2,500,000 that year. Amateur boxing, which also was at its peak, amassed over $600,000 and wrestling's figure was over $1,750,000. Total gross receipts for all three in 194S were Of this amount, Southern California contributed the major share which was slightly more than $3,000,000. SHARP SLUMP With a great national scar 6 Times for Latest Sports field goal and added three extra points. Not bad for a guy who belonged in a hospital.

Fears, another UCLA grad, was equally brilliant. In fact, the incomparable left end played his greatest game by catching seven passes for 199 yards. His touchdown runs were in- credible. Tom made the first two look easy as pie as he completely faoled the crafty Bear defensive halfback, George McAfee. But it was the third one.

a little matter of 22 yards which brought down the house. Waterfield nailed Tall Tom in the flat. He sidestepped George Connor, who had him pinned against the sideline. Then he faked Charley Hunsinger. Fred; Negus nearly decapitated' him with a necktie tackle but Fears, kept going.

Johnny Hoffmarv then took a shot at Fears but the roaring Ram tore loose and kept scrambling until he hit the goal line. i Fierce Defensive Flay The Los Angeles defense played a major role in defeating the team which had licked the. Rams twice this year, 24-20 and 24-14. Led by the freight-train running of George Gulyanicsj Julie Rykovich and Curly Mor rison, the Bears rolled up 223 yards on the ground, but they couldn't get that extra yard three different times when they were deep in Ram territory. In the first period Jerry Wik liams and Don Paul halted Ry kovich inches short of a first down on the 19.

In the fourth quarter the Bears lost the ball Turn to Pax 4, Colanta 4 well-wishers after seeing his Ram team battle to the National Conference pennant of the NFL in his first year as head coach, claimed he had never seen an individual performance that could compare with the one turned in by Fears. Stiff Arm, Too The way he faked those Bear defenders out of their "socks was Capture Title Bob Waterfield throws first city of competent fighters who have box-office appeal, California went into a slump just as did New York, Illinois and every other section where boxing had been popular. Last year the total gross gate receipts for the State were only $1,300,972, which was almost half of the 1946 figure. Amateur boxing also was cut in half. Wrestling alone held up, but even the grunt and grimace boys played to $300,000 less than they did three years before.

The grappling game was going through its first box-office joust with television at that time and this may have had much to do with this slump. REVENUE SLIGHT When the State put its hand into the 1949 receipts it came out with $186,023.89, which was slightly more than a hundred grand shy of the 1946 take. And, whereas it cost $134,000 to administer the two sports in 1946, the cost had increased to $140,341.75 in 1949. That amounted to a net profit from boxing and wrestling of only $45,682.14. The peak year of 1946 saw the State's net grow to $151,775.

You will have to admit that this, more than two-thirds less in three years, was a sharp slump. WORST TO COME? A good estimate is that the gross gate receipts for 1950 will be $500,000 shy of 1949. Wrestling will come close to maintaining its own. Amateur boxing is virtually nonexistent, except for South Gate Arena's shows. Boxing will be off by at least maybe more.

Estimating that it will cost at least $130,000 to administer the two sports, and figuring that tax returns to the State will be something like $63,000 under those of 1949, the whole thing can arrive nowhere except in the red. P.S. Our commissioners had best get busy and look into this whole thing quicklike before the taxpayers have to start kicking dough into the operation that was installed to bring in revenue. Ave. and Amateur Bud Holscher of Riviera tied at 207.

Barber finished at 211, as did Morris Williams, the young Tex an who was one of the first-day stars at 66. Local Products Quick and Clark are both local products. Clark, a Long Beach boy who now registers from La guna, was top publinxer before the war and immediately after returning from service in the marines. He holds the national publinx qualifying mark. Quick won the national publinx and was a Walker Cup team member! in 1947.

Both have been pros a couple of years. Clark started yesterday's round a stroKe anead of Quick and Fears gets behind last Bear, Groza's Two Field Goals Beat Giants Cleveland Wins, 8-3; Meets Rams Sunday in Title Play-off CLEVELAND, Dec. 17 (P) Golden-toed Lou Groza booted the Cleveland Browns into the American Conference championship with two field goals today, defeating the New York Giants, 8 to 3, in a National League play-off before a crowd of 33,054. The victory, first over New York in three attempts this year by the four-time All-America Conference champions, catapults the Browns into the league championship game here next Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, who defeated the Chicago Bears in Los Angeles today. Defensive Works Although Groza's two place kicks in two attempts provided the victory margin, the Browns' defensive team gained much of the credit for the conquest through a great goal-line stand midway in the final period.

Groza put the Clevelanders ahead with a field goal when a 59-yard march stalled on the Giant 4-yard line in the first five minutes. The score stayed that way through a punting duel which extended far into the final session. Midway in the fourth period Gene Roberts broke away for 34 yards to the Browns 4, where a weird series of plays was cli maxed by a 12-yard score- knotting field goal by the Giants' Randall Clay. Score Nullified After Roberts zoomed up to the 4, Eddie Price made one yard, but an offside penalty moved the Giants back to the 8. On the next play, they were back on the Browns' 3 with a first down as a result of a hold ing penalty.

From there Chuck Conerly tossed to Bob McChes- ney the end zone for an apparent touchdown. But the Giants were off side and moved back to the 8 again. Joe Scott lost four and then! Tommy James of the Browns intercepted Conerly's pass in the end zone. But the interception was nullified by a Brown off-side penalty. The Giants, with fourth down on the 12, finally decided to place-kick and Clay booted the three pointer after changing one Turn to Page 4, Column 2 Pro Standings Final National Football League standings: NATIONAL CONFERENCE L.

PcUPts.PA LOS ANGELES in 2 .769 4ft 3X3 Chicago Bears 9 4 0 293 231 New York Yanks 7 5 0 .583 3W 367 Detroit fi 6 0 .500 321 285 Green Bav 3 9 0 .250 244 406 San Francisco 3 9 0 .250 213 300 Baltimore 1 11 0 .083 213 462 AMERICAN CONFERENCE L. Pct.Pts.PA Cleveland 11 2 0 .846 318 147 N.Y. Gianw 10 3 .769 271 158 Philadelphia 6 ft .500 254 141 Pittsburgh fi ft .500 1(50 195 Chicago Cards 5 7 0 .417 233 287 Washington 3 9 0 .250 232 32 Met in play-off for league chanv The stirring victory, scored be fore 83,501 shirt-sleeved Coliseum customers, set the stage for pro football's greatest "natural" a meeting between the Rams and the Cleveland Browns for the National Football League crown next Sunday in the Ohio city. It will be old home week for Waterfield, Tackle Gil Bouley and Guard Milan Lazetich. They are the sole survivors of the 1945 Waterfield to Rescue Norm Van Brocklin got the starting call over Bob Water-field yesterday but the Rams can thank their lucky stars that Bob was available.

Van Brocklin was wilder than a rookie southpaw, missing connections on his first eight passes. He completed only two of 10, good for 17 yards. Ram team which won the championship while playing in Cleveland. The great Ram quarterback was a sick man when he took the field yesterday. A virus infection sent Waterfield's temperature soaring to 103 deg.

only last Friday. His illness was a closely guarded secret, but the way he mastered the Bears makes one pause and wonder what would have happened to Happy George Halas' team if Waterbuckets had felt in the pink. In completing 14 of 21 passes for 280 yards, Bob speared Fears three times for touchdowns on gains good for 68, 28 and 22 yards. He also kicked a 43-yard TOPSY-TURVY Ram Fullback Dick Hoerner is tripped up in George McAfee (5) of Bears after 6-yard gain in first quarter. FEARS, WATERFIELD STAGE GREAT ACT Ram heroes were plenty and well known to fame All richly deserving the cheers, But the greatest of these v-as a man by the name Of Thomas (Icatchemt Fears.

HENRY WADSWORTH HALAS. QUICK, CLARK IN GOLF Golden Bear Bowl Team Arrives Today Hoping it's their lucky seventh, California's Golden Bears barge into the Southland this morning for the Rose Bowl engagement with Michigan. Six times Berkeley teams have been Tournament of Roses competitors, the record showing two wins, a tie and three defeats. Some of the present squad suffered setbacks by Northwestern and Ohio State in the 1949 and 1950 games. They say it'll be different this time.

Pappy Waldorf 13 bringing about 45 varsity players here for intensive training at Orange Show Stadium in San Bernardino. Weather Bad Terrible weather up north washed the Bears out of every field they visited and prompted Pappy to come south a full week ahead of his original schedule. Arriving via the Lark this morning, the invaders will de train at Glendale at 8:30, go by bus to the Arrowhead Springs Hotel and then don their prac tice unies almost immediately1. Waldorf says his lads will prao- tice once daily from 11 to 2. DEADLOCK AT MONTELLO 'Rams Have Best Air Eleven Says Halas spectacular fashion by Rams won, 24-14.

Ttmi phot fense against lightning" that was the Waterfield-Fears combine yesterday. Joe Stydahar proved himself a pretty sharp prophet when things looked bleak after the Rams' opening game loss to the Washington Redskins, Jumbo Joe stood before the football writers on blue Monday and in sisted "I am positive the Rams will be a championship conten der," which is what they are as they head for Cleveland and the title biggie with the Browns. Referee Bill (Barryrnore) Downes let the game get out of hand at the finish by acting like an excited schoolboy He could take a few lessons from some of our intercollegiate of ficials Deputy Chief Bernie Caldwell, heading the Coliseum police detail, is a pretty sharp predicter, too Saturday night he said the crowd would number 82.000, so he missed by a mere 1501 They turned the lights on with four minutes to go just after the Rams made their final goal-line stand, a dilly and great tribute to the gang taught by Mel Hein. Sabotage Maybe Rams won the toss and elected to receive George Blanda booted the ball all the way out of the end zone then and every other time Van Brocklin started at quarter and his first play was a long pass which Harper Davis batted down just BY BRA YEN DYER Move over, Don Hutson and Dixie Howell Make room in football's hall of fame for Tom Fears and Bob Waterfield No championship game anywhere ever unveiled a more sensational passing combine than the two ex-Bruins who shell-shocked the Chicago Bears in yesterday's classic struggle. Both have played tremendous football on occasion, but yester day they were the perfect two- man act, so finely tuned that George McAfee, one of the game's greatest pass defenders, actually looked silly vainly try ing to keep Tom covered Waterfield's backfield mates gave him top protection, thereby enabling Bob to wait until the last split second to fire his spectacu lar strikes.

The third of Tom's three tallies left the crowd roaring as he tore away from six tacklers in a sav age run which found stricken Bears strewn along the 20-yard route to the end zone I be lieve it was a guy named Pubi- hus who said some centuries ago, "It is vain to look for a de NFL Play-Offs NATIONAL CONFERENCE Los Angeles, 24; Chicago Bears, 14. AMERICAN CONFERENCE Cleveland, New York Giants, 3. BY CHARLES CURTIS Smiley Quick, a tough customer in the stretch drive, overtook Jimmy Clark on the final nine holes yesterday to create a deadlock at the end of the regular 54 hole distance of the Monte-bello Open Golf Tournament. They will play-off today at 12:30 in an 18 hole round. Quick's rally left them deadlocked at 205 totals, five over the tournament record of 200 set last year by Jerry Barber.

Quick scored 36-34-70 yesterday and Clark 34-37-71. Blomqaist Third Third was Ralph Blomquist of Oakmont, flashing the day's lowest round, a 67, to compile a 206. Ralph Yankee of Western TODAY IN SPORTS WRESTLING Hollywood Legion Stadium, Pasadena Arena, 850 p.m. AMATEUR BOXING South Gate Arena, 8:30 p.m. BV CAL.

WHORTOV The finest passing team I've! ever played against!" That's what George Halas, veteran Chicago Bear mentor, had to say about the Rams after yesterday's divisional cham pionship battle in the Coliseum. In Fears, Davis, Hoerner, Smith and Hirsch, Stydahar has the best receivers ever assem bled on a football team. And the way Waterfield pitched, he must be given credit, too. But it was those receivers who were hard to stop." Fears Praised Fears, who nabbed three sensational passes good for all of his team's touchdowns, was the toast of both camps. Halas, without hesitation, admitted that the ex-Uclan ranked with the all time great wingmen.

He would a ireai to oenoia. lie W3s particularly impressive on his first touchdown when he snagged the ball while giving Kindt a stiff arm," Stydahar proclaimed proudly. Stydahar is a former Bear star and Halas was naturally proud of his protege's accom- Many of the California players already are here. Waldorf allowed those who make their homes in Southern California to fly down Saturday night. Those who live up north will be given permission to spend Christmas at home if they so Turn to Page 2, Column 6 ut tn? Bears ar 1 1best rl the world they were paired together with Lloyd Mangrum the third of the trio.

Mangrum finished at 209. After nine holes Clark had Turn to Page 2, Column 1 aim iiaws, diici WUSI atu- n't go so far as to tab Tom the; lating Joe, told reporters that he best. at Cleveland next Sunday, Turn to Page 4, Column rSSTSS nionsnip Torn to Page 4, Column 3 Stydahar, who was mobbed by.