Arnie Herber: Rolling back the years

Continued from last week

Arnie Herber came to the Giants out of shape and unprepared for the 1944 NFL season, but according to former Giants Center Mel Hein, Herber worked hard to get in shape.

“We older players respected him from his Green Bay years. He fit right in, and lifted the spirits and morale of the whole team. He was especially valuable in instilling a winning attitude in the rookies,” Hein told Norman L. Macht.

“He called a lot of the plays that year.

“Owen didn’t send them in from the sidelines like they do today. And he was a real leader.

“He had a fast arm, but he needed time for his receivers to get out there. We knew he wasn’t going to scramble or run, so we had to protect him.

“He had a little temper and would bawl us out if we let somebody get through to him. But then he’d say, ‘That’s okay. We’ll get ‘em next time.’”

Herber was in and out of games due to injury and sickness, but on Nov. 12, 1944, Herber made a major comeback.

“Arnie Herber, 34-year-old veteran of a dozen NFL campaigns, rolled back the years here today before a sellout crowd of 33,248 and, in six gorgeous minutes, lifted the Giants from the abyss of almost certain defeat to a 21-21 tie with the Eagles. Recapturing the glory he knew as the pitching partner of Green Bay’s Don Hutson, ancient Arnie crammed two touchdown tosses into the dying minutes to effect today’s tie and, what’s more, gave the New Yorkers an opportunity to win,” Sportswriter Joe Trimble stated.

In that game, Herber completed five of six passes for 114 yards and the two touchdowns in the last six minutes.

The Giants went on to win the Eastern Division title and advanced to the NFL title game against the Green Bay Packers after beating the Washington Redskins.

“Heaving Herber” was credited with three touchdown passes in the 31-0 win against the Redskins.

By halftime of the Dec. 17 title game, the Giants were already down 14-0 to the Packers.

The following day, the Daily News headline read “Packers Champs! Defeat Giants, 14-7.”

“The same rugged Green Bay Packers who bowed humbly to the Giants 24-0 four weeks ago, came slamming back into the Polo Grounds yesterday and cruised along a power-paved path to a 14-7 triumph over the same Giants and thus won the NFL championship,” Jack Smith wrote for the Daily News.

“Before a shivering crowd of 46,016, the big bruisers from the little Wisconsin city battered through for two touchdowns in the second period while the Giants, a feeble force throughout the first half, mastered their only scoring drive for a touchdown on the first play of the final quarter.”

To be continued