Arnie Herber: The comeback

Continued from last week

“After the 1940 season, the Packers released [Herber.] They said he had a bum knee, but there may have been friction between him and Lambeau. Some fans wanted to give Herber a day that year, but the coach vetoed the idea,” Norman L. Macht wrote in “Arnie Herber: The Man Who Invented the NFL Passing Game.”

“At the age of 30, Arnie was out of the game. Kept out of the army by chronic varicose veins, he worked for three years as sales manager for the family bottling plant.”

Herber also appeared in local alumni basketball games and leagues in both Green Bay and De Pere, and competed on local bowling leagues over the next few years.

But, others weren’t yet ready to let Herber retire.

“The grid Giants were pleasantly jolted when they opened their training season at Bear Mountain yesterday, as one of the 41 candidates who turned up was Arnie Herber, former forward passing star who is now a free agent,” a Sept. 1, 1944, New York Daily News article announced.

“Herber, who set many league records with the Packers, reported a little over weight, but expects to sign a Giant contract soon and be in playing shape in time for the first exhibition game against Sampson, Sept. 11.”

The Press-Gazette made the announcement the following day.

“A resident of De Pere, Herber retired after the 1940 season. This year, he was invited by Coach Steve Owen to try a comeback, but the former Packer flash had not made known his decision until he arrived in the Giants’ camp unexpectedly. He was expected to sign a contract today,” the front page of the Sept. 2, 1944, Press-Gazette stated.

One more mention of Herber’s performance was made in the Press-Gazette following the Sampson game, with a headline “Herber’s Passing Helps Giants Beat Navy Club, 13-0,” and then the paper fell silent regarding Arnie that season.

By the following month, previous injuries were already beginning to plague Herber’s performance.

In a game against Brooklyn, Herber only completed one pass during the entire game.

“Pain stabbed Arnie in his injured back every time he made a pass,” Coach Owen told the Daily News later that week, “causing him to hold back and continually undershoot his mark.”

Owen stated that Herber had bounced back later that week and was hitting receivers more accurately in practice, but would Arnie continue to triumph over old wounds?

To be continued