Dan Daly: On this day in 1952, HOF QB Benny Friedman spouted off in the newspaper about pro football becoming "nothing but a game of pitch-and-catch." HIs solution? Bring back the fat ball he had to throw, which was "much harder to grip. Then let's see how much they'll pass."
Al Cartwright NY NEA (5-23-1952)
“Benny Friedman snorts at the way today's football professionals are using his old weapon. "Pro football now- is nothing hut a game of pitch and catch," says the one-time Michigan quarterback and one of the first great passers “You see virtually no line play at all. "I believe the most passes I ever threw was 24. “Now you get more than that in a half. "1'nless T have a special interest in an individual, I rarely go see the pros, hut I will say that I like to watch the Browns because in their way I see a great deal of coaching intelligence. “Paul Brown blends hts pass game by running Marion Motley. who reminds me ol Bronco Nagurski. “Brown would be foolish not to utilize Otto Graham as a passer as much as possible liecause he has two remarkable receivers in Mac Speedie and Dante Lavelli." Friedman has a suggestion for remedying the pass-crazy pro game. “Bring back the ball we used in the 1920s” he suggests. “It was a great deal fatter than the modern streamlined one, much harder to grip and control. Then
let’s see how much they'll pass" Benny coaching the first football team in the history of Brandeis University, the new school at Waltham. Mass., admits he and his brethren of Fielding Yost's day may have started football on the road to this “ridiculous” business "We were the first to ignore the hook when it came to passing,*’ he explains. “It used to he that you wouldn’t think of passing in certain parts of the field or on certain downs. “We changed that by throwing on early downs and from hack in our own territory.” The Michigan offense was predicated on three hints, discloses Benny, who later played so well professionally, “One” -, look over the defense. Two, play for position on the field. Use the plays that work best on the sidelines for instance. Three, take it for granted that Barnum was right, and look for his disciples the suckers—in the club’s defense.” The record book shows that Friedman was a real All-America in 1926 You recall him for his passing, hut he also was one of the fine field-goal kickers He heat Ohio State, 17-16, with a 35-yard placement. Benny’ Friedman was very definitely a Golden Era nugget.”
It's nice reading about Friedman and Hein. The Giants have a great
This one is from Liberty Magazine in November 1936 (three pages):
https://i.imgur.com/Aon6fs1.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Qc55J5i.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/0UZyYnK.jpg
Dan Daly: On this day in 1952, HOF QB Benny Friedman spouted off in the newspaper about pro football becoming "nothing but a game of pitch-and-catch." HIs solution? Bring back the fat ball he had to throw, which was "much harder to grip. Then let's see how much they'll pass."
Al Cartwright NY NEA (5-23-1952)
“Benny Friedman snorts at the way today's football professionals are using his old weapon. "Pro football now- is nothing hut a game of pitch and catch," says the one-time Michigan quarterback and one of the first great passers “You see virtually no line play at all. "I believe the most passes I ever threw was 24. “Now you get more than that in a half. "1'nless T have a special interest in an individual, I rarely go see the pros, hut I will say that I like to watch the Browns because in their way I see a great deal of coaching intelligence. “Paul Brown blends hts pass game by running Marion Motley. who reminds me ol Bronco Nagurski. “Brown would be foolish not to utilize Otto Graham as a passer as much as possible liecause he has two remarkable receivers in Mac Speedie and Dante Lavelli." Friedman has a suggestion for remedying the pass-crazy pro game. “Bring back the ball we used in the 1920s” he suggests. “It was a great deal fatter than the modern streamlined one, much harder to grip and control. Then
let’s see how much they'll pass" Benny coaching the first football team in the history of Brandeis University, the new school at Waltham. Mass., admits he and his brethren of Fielding Yost's day may have started football on the road to this “ridiculous” business "We were the first to ignore the hook when it came to passing,*’ he explains. “It used to he that you wouldn’t think of passing in certain parts of the field or on certain downs. “We changed that by throwing on early downs and from hack in our own territory.” The Michigan offense was predicated on three hints, discloses Benny, who later played so well professionally, “One” -, look over the defense. Two, play for position on the field. Use the plays that work best on the sidelines for instance. Three, take it for granted that Barnum was right, and look for his disciples the suckers—in the club’s defense.” The record book shows that Friedman was a real All-America in 1926 You recall him for his passing, hut he also was one of the fine field-goal kickers He heat Ohio State, 17-16, with a 35-yard placement. Benny’ Friedman was very definitely a Golden Era nugget.”