One-Man Air Raid

Sixteen times his precision passes bored to their marks. Twice he made spectacular quick kicks, one for 67 yards. Twice he intercepted passes, running one 38 yards to set up the third touchdown. Final result of Sammy Baugh's one-man field day at Manhattan's Polo Grounds this week: Washington Redskins 28, New York Giants 0.

Professional football is celebrated for its upsets. This was no exception. Three weeks ago the Giants were just another mediocre club, the Redskins a powerhouse that had won six, lost one, tied one. Then the Giants somehow upset them 14-10. A week later, on power plays and unexpectedly tight pass defense, the Giants smothered the Redskins 31-7. Gamblers made the Giants 8-5 favorites in the playoff for the right to meet Chicago's Bears this Sunday for the National Football League Championship. But the odds ignored a bass-voiced 29-year-old Texan named Samuel Adrian Baugh.

Sammy, a crack football man in all branches, earns $15,000 a year for pitching passes in baseball style.* They are quick, hard, fast and accurate. Most go for only five to 15 yards. Against the Giants. Slingin' Sammy's 16 bull's-eyes were worth only 199 yards. But they set up the first two touchdowns, and four Baugh bullets in a row covered 46 yards for the final score.

As he trotted off the gridiron after last fortnight's upset, Baugh was mobbed on the 50-yard line by autograph hounds.The crowd swelled to a thousand and Sammy scribbled frantically for 30 minutes before policemen rescued him. This week the Redskins coach,Dutch Bergman, took measures to preserve his salary arm. With two minutes left to play, he sent in a substitute, sent Sammy packing to the showers.

The Giants-Redskins playoff drew 42,800 and pushed 1943 pro football attendance to well above 1,100,000, with the championship game still to be played. Only 1941 (with 13 more games) had a higher total. Average attendance this year was 27,000--a quarter more than 1941.

*Baugh tried out at third base for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1938, failed to make the squad.

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