July 26, 1974
By Jim O'Brien
PHILADELPHIA - Stars' coach Babe Parilli was pounding on the door where the game officials were about to undress, wanting an explanation for giving the Philadelphia Bell a chance to beat his club with a last-second field goal. The Bell hadn't beaten his club, but Parilli apparently was still somewhat shaken by the prospect that his New York Stars nearly lost their third game in as many outings in the WFL.
In his frenzy, he forgot he'd won.
Things worked out much better for him, however, and the Stars came out of this one ahead 17-15. The Bell missed two field goals tries in the last 2:18, and Moses Lajterman, signed to a one-game contract only yesterday afternoon, kicked a 40-yard field goal in the final period to pull this one out.
It was the first time the Stars had scored in the second half of any of their games to date.
"I was wondering about how many ways there were to lose a game," said Parilli. "This win has to do a lot for us. If we lost, it could've really hurt us."
Parilli wasn't the only one pleased with the positive results. The Stars were screaming and shouting in the locker room, running around hugging each other. Moments earlier, they had reason to think they might lose again, and now they went berserk in their exuberance.
"It was like a college victory the way the guys carried on," said Tom Sherman, the Stars' quarterback. "We needed this bad. We had played better in our first two games, and lost."
After the Bell took an 8-0 first-period lead, the Stars scored on a one-yard run by Dave Richards, but failed on the WFL's "action-point play" attempt and trailed 8-7.
Bob Gladieux also scored from a yard out for the Stars in the second period to put them ahead 14-8 at halftime.
Gladieux gained 74 yards on 21 carries for the Stars altogether and was the strength of their attack, along with newcomer Ed White, who gained 70 yards on 18 carries and went 15 yards once in the fourth period to put the Stars in range for Lajterman's game winning kick.
King Corcoran connected on an 18-yard pass to Claude Watts for the Bell's first TD and then on a nine-yard pass in the third period to LeVell Hill which put the Bell ahead 15-14.
"We were very, very sloppy tonight," said Parilli. We just didn't play together, but I'd rather play poorly and win, than play well and lose."