Some thoughts on Run to Daylight
Run to Daylight was a book by Vince Lombardi and WC Heinz (lotsa pictures / diagrams, too). It was about one week from Monday to Sunday (game day) during the 1962 season. I believe this was the first time I ever read the book, it certainly was interesting although possibly a little too "inside baseball" but a true portrait of what a head coach in the NFL does for a living.
Read it here:
https://archive.org/download/runtodaylight1963lomb/runtodaylight1963lomb.pdf
A few items I noticed:
1) Vince read the sports pages (it would be impossible for a 21st century coach to read/watch/listen to all the media about his team even if the coach actually wanted to :)
2) Vince probably ate too many hamburgers (sometimes 3 a day).
3) If a Packer player made a mistake by missing a change made by the QB at the line, and put that QB in jeopardy he was gone ASAP.
a) it's not a question of smarts or athletic ability, they have to perform in public, no hiding, sorta like acting on the stage ?
4) pro football is different now in 21st century but not that different
a) a lot of game study, from film not tape or computer but the same concentration on previous performance
b) complicated plays
c) players get hurt each week
d) coaching is not a 40 hour a week job
e) coaches are teachers
f) not as many players in 1962 (or coaches either) 36 versus 53, so a lot of vets played on special teams, Paul Hornung kicked points after and field goals and kickoffs, Bart Starr was the holder, Boyd Dowler punted, Herb Adderly returned kickoffs, Willie Wood returned punts and so on.
5) Vince went to mass every morning
6) "how to go !" I don't remember ever hearing this phrase before reading it in Run to Daylight
7) change of position for players from college to pros was common for the Packers. For example Herb Adderly was a halfback but they changed him into a cornerback.
8) Vince kept sessions short, players get bored easily, get what you need and then quit.
9) Vince worked for Dupont in Delaware at a research lab while also playing for the Wilmington DE pro football team (not the NFL).
10) I didn't know that the coin toss was reenacted for the crowd, see page 224.
11) lots of pictures of the game, nobody in the crowd is wearing Packers (or Lions) gear, a lot of suits and overcoats (it is a Sunday afternoon).
11) the opposing players or even the opposing team are never named (it was the Lions). They are referred to by number, for example Alex Karras is "that 71" :)
Another book any Packer fan should read is: "When Pride Still Mattered" by David Maraniss, a bio of Vince Lombardi.
Best Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm