The 12th College All-Star Game on August 30,
1945 featured the Green Bay Packers, NFL Champions of the previous year,
against an All-Star team coached by Bernie Bierman of Minnesota. The Packers,
appearing in the annual contest for the third time, were coached by Curly
Lambeau and featured end Don Hutson (pictured above), the NFL’s top receiver and scorer, who
would also prove his value as a defensive back.
Bernie Bierman was head coach of the All-Stars for the
second time, having been coach when the collegians tied the Detroit Lions in
1936. The roster featured future pro stars such as halfbacks Charlie Trippi of
Georgia (pictured below) and Tom Harmon of Michigan, tackles Bill Willis from Ohio State and Purdue’s
Dick Barwegan, who had all appeared in prior All-Star Games due to the
liberalized wartime eligibility rules that allowed underclassmen to play.
There were 92,753 fans in attendance at Soldier Field on
a very hot night, most of them rooting for the collegians, but the All-Stars
were rarely able to dent the Packers, and were hurt by turnovers when they did.
Green Bay took the opening kickoff and, with tailback Irv Comp passing
effectively, the Packers drove to the All-Star 12 yard line and Don Hutson
kicked a 20-yard field goal.
A quick kick by Charlie Trippi pinned the pro champs back
and gave the All-Stars good field position on the ensuing punt, but C/LB
Charley Brock intercepted a pass on his eight yard line and returned it 25
yards.
The Packers reached the All-Star 20 on the first play of
the second quarter thanks to a run by FB Don Perkins, but a pass into the end
zone was intercepted by Washington State FB/DB Bob Kennedy. However, after
crossing the goal line, he retreated back into the end zone and was tackled for
a safety. Instead of giving the ball up on a turnover, Green Bay was ahead by
an extended margin of 5-0.
Following a fumble by Texas Tech FB Walter Schlinkman
that was recovered by tackle Buford “Baby” Ray, the Packers struck quickly on a
20-yard touchdown pass from tailback Tex McKay to HB Herman Rohrig. Hutson
added the point after to lengthen Green Bay’s lead to 12-0.
The All-Stars responded by moving well on offense and
scoring on a pass from Kennedy to St. Joseph end Nick Scollard that covered 63
yards, with the receiver evading one defender and going the last 20 yards
unmolested. Tom Harmon kicked the extra point and the tally remained 12-7 at
the half.
The All-Stars got a break in the third quarter when Comp
fumbled when hit by Bill Willis and G Damon Tassos of Texas A & M recovered
at the Green Bay 34. The All-Stars, however, once again came up empty.
The Packers passed their way to midfield but a long throw
by HB Lou Brock was picked off by Trippi at the eight, and he returned it to
the 34. Any momentum shift ended when Harmon, caught from behind by Hutson and end
Clyde Goodnight after breaking away for a 46-yard gain, fumbled and Brock
recovered for the defending champs. However, the All-Stars got the ball back on
the last play of the period when Indiana tackle Ed Bell recovered a fumble by HB
Joe Laws at the Green Bay 31.
It looked like trouble for the Packers until Hutson
intercepted a pass by HB Perry Moss from Tulsa on his own 15 and returned it 85
yards for a game-breaking touchdown. For good measure, Hutson also kicked the
extra point.
The All-Stars threatened once more when Trippi
intercepted a pass, returning it to the Green Bay two before being knocked out
of bounds, and out of the game, by Laws. After the collegians were flagged for
being offside, Ohio State QB Les Horvath fumbled and end Harry Jacunski
recovered for the Packers at the 17 to end the threat. The final score was 19-7
for the Packers.
The All-Stars had more yards through the air (162 to 95) while
the Packers outgained the collegians on the ground (132 yards to 68). Green Bay
had the edge in first downs (15 to 12). Don Hutson accounted for 11 points on a
touchdown, field goal, and two extra points.
The win for Green Bay put the NFL ahead of the collegians
in the series by seven to three, with two ties. The Packers went on to post a
6-4 record in the regular season, finishing third in the Western Division. Don
Hutson, in his final year, led the NFL in pass receptions for the eighth time
with 47 catches and scored 97 points, which ranked second in the league.
Charlie Trippi, the MVP for the All-Stars, went on to a nine-year
career with the Chicago Cardinals that resulted in his being inducted into the
Pro Football Hall of Fame. He would go on to appear in one more College All-Star
Game, this time as a member of the Cards in 1948.
