Philadelphia Bell
Bell HelmetFootball Club

For Release: Immediate -- Sent October 13, 1975

NEWS RELEASE

For Additional Information: Bob Ellis or John Waldeyer
(215) 387-1130

THIS WEEK: The Bell (3-6, 0-1) will host the Charlotte Hornets (5-4, 1-0) in a 7:30 p.m. encounter at Franklin Field, Saturday, October 18. This will be the first home game for the Bell in the World Football League's second season.

RADIO AND TELEVISION: There will be no coverage in the Philadelphia area.

LAST WEEK: The Bell dropped its first game of the Fall season, 14-13 to the Hawaiians at Aloha Stadium Saturday night. K Bob Cooper's 19-yard field goal attempt was blocked by the Hawaiians' DE Lem Burnham with 12 seconds left to preserve the win for coach Mike Giddings' squad. The Bell had opened up a 10-0 lead by halftime on a 25-yard field goal by Cooper and an 18-yard pass from QB Bob Davis to TE Ted Kwalick. The run for action point failed. Mid-way through the third quarter, the Hawaiians narrowed the gap to 10-7 when QB Rick Cassata hit Mike Donohoe with a 13-yard pass. The action point also failed. The Bell upped its lead to 6 points near the end of the third quarter on another Cooper field goal, this one of 32 yards. At the 9:16 mark of the third quarter, the Hawaiians took the lead for good as DT Karl Lorch went 41 yards for a touchdown on an interception return. The Hawaiians missed the action point, making the score 14-13. Cooper, who tied a WFL mark for four field goals in one game, tried twice more to move the Bell to victory. His 27-yard attempt with 6:17 left missed and his final attempt was blocked. Cooper had pierced the uprights for a first quarter field goal but a penalty negated the kicker's effort.

Meanwhile, DB Ike Thomas was leading the Hornets to a 22-15 victory at home against the Jacksonville Express. All Thomas did was go 92 yards on a second quarter kick-off return and minutes later recover a fumble in Jacksonville territory, which set up the Hornets' other TD. Charlotte made both action points and K Pete Rajecki made good on two field goal attempts to give the Hornets insurance points.

HORNETS SCOUTING REPORT: In an effort to improve his team, Charlotte coach Bob Gibson has revamped his roster in recent weeks. However, players at many critical positions have been mastering the Charlotte system since the beginning of the season. Included in that group are: QB Tom Sherman, the former Penn State signal caller who led the Nittany Lions to a Gator Bowl title; RB Don Highsmith, one of the league's leading rushers; FB Lewis Jolley: OLB Jere Brown, the former Villanova performer who leads the hornets in tackles: MLB Marty Huff and the entire defensive backfield, including SS Ike Thomas and WS Randy Rhino. Offensively the Hornets rely primarily on their fundamentals, using the run and short Sherman passes to do the bulk of the work: as a result Sherman is one of the most accurate passers in the WFL. Defensively the combination of the Hornets active unit in a torrential downpour shut the Bell out in their last meeting in Charlotte.

INJURY REPORT: Dennis Lozzi remains on the injured reserve list, but at this moment all other Bell personnel should be available for Saturday night's war with the Hornets.

NEXT WEEK: The Bell travels to Memphis to play Larry Csonka and company in a 5:00 Sunday afternoon game which will be broadcast by Howard David and Tom Woodeshick on WIBG Radio 99 and by Joe Pellegrino and Tommy McDonald on WTAF Channel 29.

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Four Thousand Walnut Street . Philadelphia, PA 19104 . 215 387-1130