By Jim Dunne

The Norwich Y Giants, Norwich’s semi-pro football team that played similar teams from other cities during the years following World War II, was put together in just a couple of weeks in October 1947. President and captain John Kelly and coach Jack Lee decided that the quickest way to get the team up to speed in a short time was to use the offensive system that all the team members remembered from their high school days under coach Kurt Beyer.
Their first game, a 6–0 loss to the Syracuse Valley Athletic Club on October 26, 1947, revealed that even a familiar offensive system would not make up for a lack of practice. Because most of the players had daytime jobs, practices were held at night in the Y gym. The only outdoor practice, and the only one at which players were able to wear the pads on loan from the high school team, was held on the previous Sunday afternoon at Alumni Field. More than 200 fans showed up to watch this practice!
Norwich’s interest in football in those days involved the whole community. On the Friday before that single outdoor practice, a pep rally was held on the courthouse steps and at Alumni Field in preparation for Norwich High School’s traditional battle with Binghamton Central. Several of the Y Giants players were asked to speak, and John Kelly and Burt Palmatier, former captains of NHS teams that had triumphed over Central, were on the program. Also scheduled to speak were Luke White, who played during the pre-Beyer regime of Lew Andreas, and Bob VanTine, the new sportswriter for the Norwich Sun. (In 1947, two former NHS coaches held positions at Syracuse University: Andreas was athletic director and Reaves “Ribs” Baysinger was head football coach.)
Also on the program for the Alumni Field bonfire were two recent former NHS players – neither of whom would ever walk again without crutches. Gerry Farnham, captain of the 1939 team, and Dick Archer, who played in 1946, had both been struck down with polio. In fact, the 1946 NHS football season had been cancelled after three games due to the polio epidemic, and players O’Dell Ray, Bill Houman, and Archer had contracted the highly contagious and then-unpreventable disease.
Returning to the Y Giants and the loss in their initial game, it is evident from Perry Browne’s account in the Norwich Sun that, while the Giants had played an excellent defensive game, the timing of the offense had been affected by the lack of opportunities for regular practices. Fumbles, as well as several penalties for offsides, illegal motion, and delay of game threw a monkey wrench into the offense. Despite the fine play of John Kelly and Bob Conron, the Y Giants came out on the short end of a 6–0 score. Coach Jack Lee immediately called for more of the evening practice sessions, and urged all players to attend, so that the offensive timing could be perfected.
The offense that the Giants used was the “short punt” formation that they had learned under Coach Beyer. It consisted of a balanced line, with the ends split. The quarterback and fullback lined up a few yards behind the line, one behind each guard. One halfback lined up farther back, directly behind the center, with the other halfback behind one of the split ends. In this set, the center could snap the ball to any of the three backs behind him. Timing of course was critical, and the Giants worked hard during the following week to fine-tune the ball-handling in the backfield.
One of the advantages of the short punt offense, and the reason for its name, was that the halfback directly behind the center could “quick kick” on third down, catching the other team unprepared. Unheard of today, this tactic was just one of several differences in the way football was played. There was more emphasis on the all-round player, who could run, pass, and kick, because he could be called upon to do all three – as well as play on both offense and defense. Other popular tactics seldom seen today were the jump pass, the sleeper play (now illegal), and the straight-on place kick. In addition, the play-calling was done on the field by the quarterback, and having the clever Bob “Percy” Crittenden at that position gave Norwich a decided advantage.
On the Monday following the loss to the Syracuse Valley Athletic Club, it was announced that the Giants would play another Syracuse team, the Stars, on the following Sunday, November 2, 1947. It was important that the locals give a good account of themselves in this next game, because they needed the fan base, at $1 a head, to raise the money to buy their own uniforms and equipment, since the loan of those belonging to the school was good for only the first year.
The Giants’ second game was once again marked with penalties, but they did not interfere with the offensive results. Led by Bob “Plumb” Palmer, who played both tackle and fullback, Norwich dominated the Syracuse Stars, 32–6. Touchdowns were scored by Don McGraw (2), Jim Kelly, Richie Barnes, and Bob Hall. McGraw’s scores came on pass completions from Palmer and John Kelly, while Hall’s was from Bob Crittenden. Harold “Babe” Barnes also hauled in another John Kelly pass, and Palmer kept the defense honest with his runs into the line. The offense was greatly improved, as Coach Lee’s intensive practice sessions paid off. Defensively, Bill Currie and Fran Spadaro anchored an impenetrable forward wall. In addition to those mentioned above, the following men also contributed to the impressive victory: Ang Natoli, “Diz” Conron, Harry Thompson, Burt Palmatier, John Benenati, Jack Lee, Ang Muserilli, John Blood, Julian Smith, Cliff Frink, Bob Figary, Vincent Meyers, “Neap” Tracy, and “Chick” Clark. The Norwich line averaged 203 pounds a man, versus 185 for the opposition.
An additional attraction at halftime was the performance of the American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps, sponsored by the Lt. Warren E. Eaton Post 189. Led by the high-stepping strut of Drum Major Cleon Bellamy, who seemed about to tip over backward with every step, the famous aggregation marched from the Legion home on East Park down Broad St. and Beebe Ave. to Alumni Field before the game, and then performed during halftime before an appreciative crowd of more than 700 fans. The Corps managed without two of its members – the versatile Barnes brothers, Babe and Richie.
Although a home game had been scheduled with a Binghamton team for the following Sunday, word was received that the other team was not well-organized. Coach Lee told his men that if they wanted to improve, they needed to face top competition. The home game was replaced by an out-of-town encounter with a good Little Falls eleven, which had a record of 5 and 1 – perhaps taking Lee’s thesis too far! It was a hard, cleanly-played contest, with only one penalty in the whole game. At the end, Norwich was on top, 7–0. A jump pass from John Kelly to Don McGraw, who made a spectacular catch with two defenders all over him, was the scoring play. Bob Palmer’s square toe added the extra point. The Giants had 11 first downs to Little Falls’ 7, 138 yards to 81 rushing, and 50 yards to 8 through the air. Defensively, John Kelly had two timely pass interceptions. It was Norwich’s best effort so far. New players included Dick VanDeusen and Bob Thomas.
The hospitality of the Little Falls team drew special mention from the Norwich team management. The YMCA, normally closed on Sunday, was opened so that the Norwich men would have a decent place to change and shower, and after the game a banquet for both teams was provided. A couple of years later, the Giants would encounter a different brand of hospitality from the Little Falls organization.
Part 3 of this 15-part series will appear in Wednesday’s Evening Sun.