Daily Record from Morristown, New Jersey • Page 53

Daily Record, Northwest N.J. Saturday. September 17. 1983 53 Ref's mistake cost Jets TD By Fred Swearingen, former NFL game official kick play and the kicking team can recover but not advance. The kicking team may never advance its own kick.

Applying these principles, one can see that it is impossible to fumble a punt since "fumble" denotes possession and once the ball is possessed, the kick is over. If the Seahawks' punt returner fumbled, the ball can be advanced by the Jets and this appears to have been the case in last Sunday's game. Distributed by King Features Syndicate possession. A player cannot fumble a ball unless he possesses it first. The term 'muff is the "touching of a ball by a player in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain possession of a loose ball." Once the punt is made (a scrimmage kick) the kick remains a kick until it goes out of bounds, is blown dead, or a player secures possession.

If a punt returner secures possession, the kick is over and we now have a running play. If the punt is muffed, the play is still a down. The Jets were informed that a whistle had sounded, and therefore the touchdown was nullified. If the whistle sounded during the fumble (before the Jets secured possession) then by rule the ball belonged to the Seahawks. If it was blown after possession, the ball belonged to the Jets at the spot of the ball at the time of the whistle.

The terms "muff and "fumble" seem to be the same but they are radically different. The word "fumble" ALWAYS denotes Again last week the New York Jets were involved in a quick-whistle play this time at Shea Stadium where they were hosting the Seattle Seahawks. The official's error deprived the Jets of a legal touchdown and since they ultimately lost 17-10, the mistake is further magnified. The Jets punted to the Seahawks and the punt returner muffed the kick, then secured possession and subsequently fumbled the ball. A Jet player picked up the fumble and ran into the end zone for an apparent touch DOWN Hein was among the first of the defensive forwards to back a yard or two off the line of scrimmage.

He was also among the first to back-peddle on passing plays and covered the sideline against fellow Hall of Famer Don Hut-son when the Giants tried to defend the Green Bay receiver. "There was probably more variety in the game then," says Hein. "I don't mean the offenses were more sophisticated than they are now that's just not the case. Every team seemed to have their own idea about offense. There were single wings and wing Ts, spreads and straight Ts.

There were greater contrasts in individual team styles." After retiring, Hein turned to coaching and worked at Union College before advancing to the Los Angeles Rams. He served 15 years as an assistant at USC before becoming the American Football League's supervisor of officials in 1966. He continued on with the AFC before retiring. Hein is now 74 and living in San Clemente, Calif. Distributed by King Feature Syndicate 1 End-of -season game 2 49ers coach Bill 3 of scrimmage 5 Hall of Fame DB Herb 6 Cowboys' Heisman winner 7 Ten make a first down 10 Cardinals OT Luis and family 13 One of the all-time scorers IS Dan Henning's team I 2 14 5 7" -fr 1 1 115 1 lit.

aHteMHIIHM kBBH tWhaaH van. iH ill II L. 1.IIUI 17 18 19 im BBBBa mmmmt ssaaBal aav 20 a 1 1 1 1 1 16 Houston QB Gifford 17 The British 19 Raiders DB Burgess 20 Jets' stadium -ACROSS- Where Mel Hein Usually, centers operate in anonymity. But two distinctions set Mel Hein apart. In 1938, he became the only interior lineman in National Football League history to be named the league's Most Valuable Player.

Coincidentally, he was also the first recipient of the award. Hein's career in football from the sandlots to the executive offices of the American Football Conference spanned six decades. But the pinnacle was the 15 seasons he spent with the New York Giants as one of the game's all-time great interior linemen a two-way player who as a linebacker on defense was a prototype for today's pass-covering linebackers. Although small for an offensive lineman at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Hein never missed a game in 15 seasons with the Giants and called only one timeout, that coming in 1941 to make an on-the-spot repair of a broken nose. He made the All-NFL team for eight straight seasons beginning in 1933 and led the Giants to seven division titles and two NFL titles.

To get an idea of how much football has changed in a half century, Hein, who was an All-America and led Washington State to the Rose Bowl as a collegian, had to write to three NFL clubs in order to get an offer to play in the NFL. He selected the Giants because New York's offer of $150 a game and a $100 advance to pay for his cross-country trip later doubled when Hein arrived in New York nearly penniless was the best made. When he retired in 1945, Hein was the highest paid lineman in the NFL at $5,000 a season. "But those were big salaries back then," Hein says. "To be making $5,000 was like be on top of the world." Which Hein was as the best forward in the NFL While he was heralded for his offensive line play, it was as a defender that Hein probably had more long-term influence on the game.

17 Al Arbour is one 18 Pasadena's Bowl 21 Ex Lions QB Greg 22 Winners of Super Bowl IV 23 Seats for spectators 24 Broncos WR Steve 1 Jets OT Marvin 4 Distress call 8 Marcus and namesakes 9 Worshipper 11 Noteworthy publisher Adolph 12 Team in blue, gold, and white 14 He holds the record for career passing (47,003 yds.) (2 wds.) See 14 Across v. 65 yards," says Jim. "Although I've never thought that was necessary. The key is throwing it short and in the 40-to-50-yard range. I probably don't set up and throw as quickly either.

But it's not a difference of seconds. It's a difference of hundredths of a second." Hart has many fond memories of players he has known. "The quickest running back I ever handed off to was Chuck Foreman (Minn.) in the Pro Bowl. Foreman was two steps by me before I could get him the ball." Who's the best receiver he has thrown to? Hart declines to single out any one player, but gave a composite: "He'd have the height of Ike Harris, the 0 i V. i A person's belief in staying young at heart can be reinforced by the presence of NFL veteran Jim Hart in St Louis.

Hart has strung together 18 NFL seasons since joining the Cardinals in 1966 as a free agent quarterback out of Southern Illinois. Only Jim Marshall of Minnesota played with one team for a longer period of time -19 seasons (1961-79). "I started as a backup and I'm winding up as a backup," 39-year-old Hart says. "Everything that goes around, comes around," says Hart, who has filled in for starter Neil Lomax. What's the difference between the Hart of today and the Hart of a few years ago? i can't consistejitly get the ball out there Mel Hein spent 15 seasons with the New York Giants and was one of the game's all-time great interior linemen a two-way player who as a linebacker on defense was a prototype for today's pass-covering linebackers.

I It 1 4 i 1 hands and the quickness of Pat Tilley, the dedication of Sonny Randle and Billy Joe Conrad, the speed of Mel Gray and the leaping ahMv oave Wiiy.