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On Sunday, December 29th, 1957, the Cleveland Browns faced the Detroit Lions at Briggs Stadium for the 1957 NFL Championship Game.
Cleveland was a perennial champion in the 1940s and 50s. They competed in the championship game in all 10 of their first seasons as a franchise.
They fell to fourth place in 1956 after the retirement of quarterback Otto Graham, but head coach Paul Brown was able to turn the team around in 1957 thanks to the help of MVP and Rookie of the Year running back Jim Brown.
Detroit made it to the championship game three years in a row from 1952 to 1954 under head coach Buddy Parker and quarterback Bobby Lane, but the team struggled in 1955 and 56.
Parker stunned the football world by resigning in 1957 during the team's preseason training camp dinner.
Assistant coach George Wilson was given the job as replacement, but controversy continued throughout 1957 as Lane was sharing quarterback duties in every game with newly acquired backup quarterback Tobin Rote.
That all came to a stop in mid-December when Lane broke his ankle, leading the way for Rote to take the role as the starting quarterback for the final games of the season, which included a tiebreaker against San Francisco and this championship game versus the Browns.
This audio recording is from the radio broadcast featuring announcers Ray Scott and Bill McColgan.
The professional football championship game between the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions brought to you by America's most widely acclaimed new car, the Bow New Pontiac and your authorized Pontiac dealer.
Good afternoon football fans, this is Bill McColgan speaking to you from Riggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan, where this afternoon the Browns and the Lions battle it out for the world supremacy of professional football.
Both the Lions and the Browns are seeking to add luster to already glorious comebacks this year.
The Lions, after winning the Western Division title in 1954, dropped all the way to the cellar in 55.
A gallant effort to return to the top fell one game short just a year ago when they lost the division crown to the Chicago Bears.
But this season, under their new head coach George Wilson, the Lions made it all the way back and they did it the hard way.
In the last four games, they had to come up with victories over the Green Bay Packers, the Browns, the Chicago Bears and the San Francisco 49ers.
The Lions have definitely been a second half football team over that span.
In the second half of those four games, they have allowed a total of only 13 points while scoring 76 themselves.
Last week's comeback of San Francisco was truly one of the most courageous chapters in pro football history.
Trailing 27-7 early in the third period, the Lions refused to give up.
They kept fighting back and finally won it by a score of 31-27.
And that's the reason they're here in Brick Stadium this afternoon meeting the Browns.
The Browns' comeback was of a different type.
They won the championship in 1955 but fell to fourth place in the Eastern Division last year with a record of 5-7.
Some experts said it would be at least five years before the Browns would be back in the title picture.
They gave them a chance of making it this year, but the squad, which includes 12 rookies and five second-year men, had other ideas.
They beat the defending champion New York Giants 6-3 in the regular season opener, and that was the psychological lift they needed.
Having beaten the champs, they felt they could go all the way.
They did, but it wasn't easy.
They had to come from behind to beat Los Angeles in a real pressure game at Cleveland and also to tie the Redskins in another one at Washington.
They were led by Tommy O'Connell, a quarterback who many said was too small to make the grade in the professional ranks.
It was said that O'Connell didn't have the speed nor the maneuverability to cope with the present-day defenses in pro football.
Well, Tommy answered those critics by leading the National Football League in passing as he sparked the Browns to the Eastern Division crown.
Speaking of O'Connell, he suffered a severe ankle sprain in one of the final games of the year,
this one against the Chicago Cardinals, when he was tackled from behind by Leo Sugar.
O'Connell has not seen action since then, but he of course has been working out with the Browns for the past couple of weeks,
and he has been nominated by head coach Paul Brown to start in this big football game this afternoon.
Tommy, of course, during his collegiate days at the University of Illinois, was the Big Ten's top passer.
The Browns and the Lions are no newcomers to the championship game.
They have met no fewer than three times in the past six years.
They battled it out at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland in 1952, Detroit winning that one by a score of 17-7.
Dope Walker, now retired, came up with a big play in that football game, a 67-yard touchdown run.
The next year, the scene changed to here at Briggs Stadium in Detroit.
That was 1953, when the Lions again defeated the Browns 17-16.
Lou Grozov, the Browns' kick free-field goal from Chick Chigatey, scored a touchdown for Cleveland,
but the Lions won it in the final minute on a 33-yard pass play from Bobby Lane to Jim Doran.
Back in Cleveland in 1954, Otto Graham was the big gun, running for three touchdowns,
passing for the same number as the Browns defeated the Lions 56-10.
And here again this afternoon, it's the Browns and the Detroit Lions battling it out for the World Football Championship.
A crowd of more than 56,000 expected here at Briggs Stadium this afternoon's standing room
has been allowed by Commissioner Bert Bell, so that puts the crowd up over 56,000.
It, however, is not the largest crowd in Briggs Stadium history for a football game,
as some 58,000 came here to see the San Francisco 49ers meet the Lions back in a regular season game in 1954.
It's a good day for football. The sun is shining here in Detroit.
The temperature is 32 degrees and the wind 18 miles an hour from the west southwest.
The Cleveland Browns in the toss about 15 minutes ago won it as Mike McCormick, their offensive captain, called it,
and they'll receive the opening kickoff. They'll defend the north goal.
Detroit will kick and will defend the south goal.
The Detroit Lions come into the game of the record of 9-4. The Browns have won 9, lost 2, and tied 1.
We'll return with the starting lineups in just a moment.
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The Lions head coach, George Wilson, is in his first year in that capacity.
He took over as boss of the Lions just two days before the preseason schedule opened.
When Buddy Parker suddenly resigned, Parker, of course, later went on to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The job that Wilson turned in with the Detroit team definitely must be considered as one of the top coaching jobs of the year.
Wilson played professional football with the Chicago Bears, but he has been in the Detroit organization for the last nine seasons.
Of course, most football fans the nation over are familiar with the record of Paul Brown.
His coaching record covers service at Severn Prep down in Maryland, where one of his A-stars was Slade Cutter.
Then he returned to his native Massillon, Ohio.
From there he moved on to Ohio State, then to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station during World War II.
And he has been head coach of the Cleveland team since 1946 when the club was organized as a member of the now-defunct All-America Conference.
In that time, the Browns have been out of a title game just once.
During their four years in the All-America Conference, they won the conference championship on all four occasions.
They entered the National Football League in 1950 and since then have been in the title game in all seasons except last year
when they finished with a 5-7 record and finished fourth place in the Eastern Division.
That record, incidentally, marked the first time that a Paul Brown coach team lost more games than it won.
We spoke a while ago about Tommy O'Connell, the Browns' quarterback, and of course the big boy in the Detroit attack this afternoon
will be Tobin Roach, who has succeeded Bobby Lane as quarterback of the Detroit Lions.
And now our national anthem.
The color guard is now marching out to the flag pool, which is in center fielder at Briggs Stadium for the baseball season
and now the combined high school bands, International and National.
The color guard is now marching out to the flag pool, which is in center fielder at Briggs Stadium for the baseball season
and now the combined high school bands, International and National.
And now it's my pleasure to introduce to you a young fellow from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, whom you have heard on many coast to coast sports broadcasts.
He's been in the business for some 21 years, starting at the age of 17.
For the past two years, he has been handling the telecasts of the Green Bay Packers.
It's my pleasure to introduce for the play-by-play in the first period in the starting lineup, Ray Scott.
Thank you very much, Bill McCaugen, and good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, wherever you are.
And welcome by way of NBC radio to this professional world championship game.
Let's waste no further time. Let's tell you about the probable starting lineups.
When the visiting Cleveland Browns have the ball, Art Hunter of Notre Dame will be the center.
At the guard positions will be Jim Ray Smith from Baylor.
At the left guard and at the right guard we expect to see Herschel Forrester, but they may change around.
Herschel from Southern Methodist.
At the tackles, the veteran and great Lou Groza at left tackle.
Lou from Ohio State.
At right tackle, Mike McCormick from the University of Kansas.
At the end positions, Pete Brewster, Darrell Pete Brewster of Purdue at left end.
Preston Carpenter of Rockinsaw at right end.
In the backfield, Tommy O'Connell, of whom Bill McCaugen has already spoke, will be at quarterback.
Tommy from the University of Illinois.
At the running back positions, the great Jimmy Brown, Unanimous Rookie of the Year this year at fullback.
Chet Hanulak at the other running back position from Maryland, and Ray Renfro will be a franker.
Ray, the speedster from North Texas State.
When the Detroit Lions have the ball, up front it will be at center, Frank Gatsky.
At the guards, Harley Sewell and Stan Campbell.
We'll tell you more personal statistics later.
At the tackles, Luke Kriechner and Czardyani.
At the ends, Jim Doran and Steve Juncker.
Ken Russell may start in place of Czardyani at right tackle.
In the offensive backfield, Tobin Rote at quarterback.
At the running back positions, Gene Gedman and John Henry Johnson.
And the flanker, Howard Hupelong-Cassidy.
There will be others in that offensive cast as well for the Detroit Lions.
Defensively, the Browns will use Bill Quinlan and Len Ford at tackles.
Bob Gain and Don Colo at the guards.
The linebackers will be Vince Costello, Walt Michaels and Galen Fitz.
In the defensive backfield, Warren Lahr, Kenny Conn, Junior Wren and Don Paul.
Defensively, the Detroit Lions will use up front.
At the end positions, Darius McCord and Gene Cronin.
At the tackles, Ray Krauss and Gil Maynes.
The linebackers will be Joe Schmidt and their defensive captain.
Bob Long and Roger Zetkoff.
In the defensive backfield, we expect to see Carl Karolewicz and Jack Christensen at the corners.
And playing the deep spots, Yale Larry and Terry Barr.
If you follow the Lions and are wondering about Jim David, he has been handicapped by an injury he may or may not start.
That's the way we expect to see these teams line up.
So that just about takes care of the probable starting lineups.
We'll be set for the kickoff in just a moment.
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We come back on the air here direct from Griggs Stadium with the roar in the background of this crowd of over 56,000
as their hometown heroes announced and described over the public address system a moment ago as the Gas House Gang.
Let us tell you now of the officials for today's championship game.
The referee will be Ron Gibbs of St. Thomas.
The umpire will be Joe Connell of the University of Pittsburgh.
The headlinesman will be Dan Tehan of Xavier.
The back judge, Cleo Deal of Northwestern.
And the field judge, Don Looney of TCU.
Just about every probability is taken care of for a game of this importance.
And so we tell you of the alternate team of officials standing by in case they are needed.
The alternates are George Rennox of Minnesota, Jim Beersdorfer, who did not play in college.
The veteran Charlie Berry of Lafayette and Chuck Sweeney of Notre Dame.
Those are the officials for today's game.
This meeting between the Lions and the Browns today for the professional championship holds more than a little drama.
The teams have met already once in the regular season.
The Detroit Lions won by a score of 20 to 7.
Followers of the Lions, of course, will be missing someone by the name of Bobby Lane.
The great Bobby Lane suffered a fractured ankle against the Cleveland Browns earlier this season.
Tobin Road has carried on nobly since that time.
This will be their fourth meeting this year as they played two preseason games and divided honors.
The Browns, and it's hard to mention the Browns and speaking of them in a negative sense,
but we must report correctly that the Browns have never won at Briggs Stadium.
Only a preseason game back in 1950.
In championship games between these two teams, in 1952 the Detroit Lions won by a score of 17 to 7 over Cleveland.
In 1953, in one of the great thrillers of professional championship history,
the Lions won it in the last moments by a score of 17 to 16.
And then a victory that I am sure Coach Paul Brown of the Browns marks down in his little book
as one of the sweetest of his long and colorful coaching career, the 1954 championship game,
when the Cleveland Browns won it by a score of 56 to 10.
Now the Browns since 1950 have appeared in seven championship games.
They have been the world champions of professional football three times.
In fact, they have missed playing in only one championship game since coming to the National Football League,
and that was last year.
The Lions since 1950 have appeared in four championship games, two of them they have won.
But they have also been world champions on three occasions because they were the champs way back in 1935.
These teams are well scouted.
In addition to the games that they have played against each other when they have scouted,
the Lions have had, of course, their personal observations to fall back on.
They have exchanged film just for the purpose of getting ready for today's game.
The Browns requested to see the film of the game between the Lions and the 49ers, the playoff game,
won by Detroit just a week ago, 31 to 27.
The Lions, on the other hand, wanted to see the film of the game between the Browns and the New York Giants,
last year's professional champions.
The Browns, you see, won that one, coming from behind, 34 to 28.
Physically, both teams are generally speaking in good condition.
We have already told you that Bobby Lane, of course, will not play.
Jim David may possibly see some action.
Ciotani has been hampered as well.
On the other hand, the Cleveland Browns have been without the services of their quarterback Tommy O'Connell.
Bill McCaugen has already mentioned that.
As of now, he is nominated to start at the offensive position.
Filling in for him has been their great young rookie quarterback this year,
Milt Plum of Penn State.
Other than that, Paul Brown, I think, can pronounce his team in good condition.
Right now, the referee, Ron Gibbs and the umpire Joe Connell, are at the 50-yard line.
The co-captains of the two teams are there to shake hands,
and the results of the coin toss will be made known in a moment.
Right now, referee Ronald Gims is indicating to co-captains of the Cleveland Browns that they have won the toss.
Their co-captains for Cleveland, Don Kolow, defensive right tackle,
and Mike McCormick, the offensive right tackle.
For Detroit, middle linebacker Joe Schmidt, offensive quarterback Tobin Rhodes.
The Browns have won the toss and have elected to defend the goal to our left, the north goal.
The Detroit Lions will probably use Jim Martin to kick off.
Number 47, Jim from Notre Dame, 6'2", 223.
This is his eighth year in professional football, makes his home in Anaheim, California.
And so from across the field, the blue jersey-clad Detroit Lions break their huddle.
Jim Martin is walking to the ball.
The Cleveland Browns in the uniform of the visiting team,
white with dark numerals, orange helmets, are taking their position preparing for this opening kickoff.
From Briggs Stadium in Detroit, the championship of professional football will be decided this very beautiful afternoon,
considering that it is December, the sun is shining.
The field is in pretty good condition considering the rain of the last week.
In deep receiving position to the goal line to our left, as we are high on the west side of Briggs Stadium,
will be Jimmy Brown and Milt Campbell.
Kicking off, Jim Martin.
The roar of the crowd is now subdued.
They're waiting.
Jim Martin comes to the ball.
His boot is high, sails deep and far over the end line.
It'll be an automatic touchback.
First down and 10, the Cleveland Browns will put the ball in play from their own 20-yard line,
going left to right here in the first period.
We'll pick up their starters for you just as soon as we can.
Starting at quarterback will be Tommy O'Connell.
Lou Carpenter will start in place of Chet Hanulak, Lou from Arkansas, brother of Preston.
Jimmy Brown will be at the other running back position and Ray Renfro will be an inside flanker on the right.
The right end is Preston Carpenter and the left end split is Brewster and O'Connell fates to pass on the first play.
He throws deep and out to the left and Brewster has it at the sidelines and is bellied out of bounds immediately
after a gain of 17 yards to the 37 or possibly 38-yard line of Cleveland.
A down and out pass pannered on the first play finds Tommy O'Connell hitting Pete Brewster.
He's run out of bounds by Carl Karolowicz of the Detroit Lions secondary.
And so the Browns are one for one in the passing department, first and 10, the ball at the inbounds marker,
far side of the field at their own 37-yard line.
Up front, our hunters at center, the guards are Forrester and Jim Ray Smith,
and Rosa Mike McCormick at the tackles. We've already told you at the end.
They're both split this time. O'Connell under center.
The snap pitch going to the left side and swinging outside of end and bellied out of bounds at the 43-yard line is Jimmy Brown.
Carl Karolowicz again in on the defensive play.
The gain is beyond the 40 to the 43-yard line.
Out of bounds on the far side of the field.
It is a gain from the 37 to the 43 of 6.
Second down 4, calling the defensive signals for the Detroit Lions is Joe Schmidt.
McCord is playing at the one end position.
At the other end is Gil Maynes.
Second down 4, O'Connell under center.
The snap pitch out to the right, right coming outside is Carpenter.
He has felt it and spun down at the 44-and-a-half-yard line.
Lou Carpenter coming up from the secondary is Yale Larry with help from Joe Schmidt,
who came over from his middle line backer position.
Paul Brown will be alternating his guards as per usual, sending in instructions prior to every play.
The guards alternating are Jim Ray Smith and Fred Robinson.
Again on the last play of a yard and a half.
It is third down and a short 3 yards to go.
Run throw is an outside flanker and the ends are tight.
O'Connell pitches to Carpenter.
Trying to go outside to the left, he gets up to about the 42-yard line.
He'll be very close to a first down.
Jimmy Brown.
Out to the left side, the ball has not been moved,
as it is near the outer bounds on the far side of the field because it is that close to a first down.
No indication is yet from the officials that they'll have a measurement.
The ball is now brought into the inbounds marker.
It is fourth down and about a half-yard short of a first down.
And the Browns send in their punting formation.
After taking the opening kickoff,
Cleveland moves to a first down on the first play of the game when quarterback Tommy O'Connell
hit left-band Pete Brewster on a down-and-out pass to the left for 17 yards.
Dropping back in twin safety for Detroit, Yale Larry and Terry Barr.
Now the Browns will line up first as if they're in a tee and then immediately go back to a punt formation.
It'll find Kenny Conns punting from the Cleveland 31.
The pass from center is true.
The kick is a wobbly one off to the right.
Barr watches it land at the 25, rolls back to the 20.
He picks it up and is downed immediately at the 10-yard line.
He was driven back from the 11, is where the ball will be placed,
as Terry Barr elected to handle that punt with three Browns standing by,
led by Paul Wiggin, their defensive left end.
A 41-yard punt.
First and 10, Detroit has the ball for the first time in this game from their own 11-yard line.
We're early in the first period.
There is no score.
The championship of professional football at stake at Briggs Stadium in Detroit.
The Lions first and 10 from their own 11-yard line.
The ball at the inbounds marker near side of the field.
Quarterback Tobin Rote immediately splits both ends and flanks Cassidy out to the right side.
The snap to Rote over left tackle, swinging now wide to the left,
and being caught for a loss of one is Gene Gedman.
Walt Michaels is the first man of Cleveland to hit him.
It is a loss of a half-yard back, let's call it the 10-yard line, a loss of one second down 11.
Calling the defensive signals is Walt Michaels for Cleveland.
Second down 11.
After two and a half minutes of play in the first period, there is no score.
The Lions have the ball.
Coming up now, their second play from scrimmage from their own 10-yard line.
Split out to the left is Jim Doran.
Again it is Gedman off left tackle.
He finds a big hole, comes to the 15, to the 20, and spins to the 20 and a half.
Don Paul in on the defensive play for Cleveland.
Gene Gedman from the University of Indiana makes his home now in Detroit, Michigan,
native of Duquesne, Pennsylvania.
Shy of a first down by a half-yard, the ball is placed right on the 20-yard line,
inbounds marker near side of the field.
A third down and less than a yard for Detroit.
The Browns have the only first down of the game.
We're forced to punt.
Detroit now has it on third down.
Doran again splits left.
Cassidy is an outside flanker to the right side.
Gedman over left guard, spins away from one tackler.
He may or may not have the first down.
It's that close.
Walt Michaels came booming in there to bring him down.
And so players now along with officials surround the ball.
We will now have an official timeout for a measurement.
The chains come in from the near side of the field.
First down by inches at the 21-yard line.
So the game was just a half-yard, but enough for Detroit to even up the first down department.
They have their first one.
Tobin wrote at quarterback.
Gedman, John Henry Johnson at the running backs.
Cassidy this time comes out of the huddle and flanks to the right side.
The right end is Steve Junker.
He's split about a yard.
Doran split left about 10 yards.
The snap, John Henry Johnson over right guard to the 25, to the 30,
swings to the left, 35, 40-yard line.
John Henry Johnson broke over a big hole on the right side of the Browns line.
Swung out to the left.
Finally brought down by Don Paul of the secondary and Galen Fisk, the linebacker.
John Henry Johnson carries for a Cleveland first down, just shy of the lion, 40 by a half-yard.
And again it's Walt Michaels setting up the defense for Cleveland.
A 19-yard run for John Henry Johnson.
Again Cassidy will be a flanker to the right.
Junker and Doran are split at ends a couple of yards.
The snap and Roke fades to pass.
He looks, he throws over the middle,
and it is complete at the Brown 40-yard line to right end Steve Junker,
who cut across the middle and made a tremendous catch right in front of Kenny Kahn,
who made the tackle.
So Roke is 1 for 1 in the passing department,
and the Lions are in Cleveland Brown territory at the 40-yard line.
First down and 10 Detroit.
There is no score after five minutes of play in the first period.
It's the first time that either team has been able to penetrate beyond the 50.
The Lions first down and 10 at Cleveland's 40-yard line.
Jim Doran splits to the right.
Cassidy will flank outside Steve Junker now, who is lined up at left end.
The ends have switched.
Tobin Rode under center.
A four-man Cleveland line, three linebackers tight, and coming to the outside is Gedman.
He gets away from one man, but he's caught after a short gain of one.
Swinging outside his own left tackle, running laterally.
He's pinned down by Don Paul, who plays the right corner,
along with Vince Costello and Junior Wren.
A game just across the 40 to the 39-yard line.
A gain of one.
Second down, nine.
The interior offensive lineman for Detroit, Lou Kriechmer, of William and Marriott left tackle.
Kenny Russell is at right tackle.
The guards are Hardy Sewell and Stan Campbell.
Cleveland Brown is at center.
Cassidy flanks outside the right end, Steve Junker.
Jim Doran is flipped left.
Roke fades the pass on second down nine.
He hits his man at the 26-yard line.
Doran, he falls forward to the 25 as he tackles.
Don Paul makes the tackle.
As the left end, Jim Doran made a move as if to go deep, but he stopped, button-hooked, took the strike,
and it's a first down for Detroit at the 26-yard line as the ball is placed down at the inbounds marker.
The defender that time slipped as he came to make the defensive play.
The field is in, as we told you prior to the start of the game.
Excellent condition considering the weather, but it has its slippery spots.
Cassidy is a flanker way outside to the right this time, and only the left end.
Doran is flipped, first and 10 at the 26-yard line of Cleveland.
Detroit's Tobin Road under center.
No score in the game, first quarter.
A fake to Johnson and Getman on a trap play over the right side.
Comes up to the 22-yard line, and there he's thrown back very hard by four Cleveland Brown players
led by Vince Costello and Galen Fisk, two of the linebackers.
The fake that time went to the first man through, John Henry Johnson.
The handoff went actually to Gene Getman.
The forward progress is marked at 23-yard line, so it is a gain of three.
Second down, seven.
Detroit in possession of the Cleveland Brown 23-yard line.
Unofficially, seven minutes, 45 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
There is no score.
Up along Cassidy flanks outside to the right, and again Tobin Road has his right end tight,
and Jim Doran split left about eight yards, and Rote fades to pass on second down seven.
He throws deep for Cassidy. He's in the end zone.
It is incomplete.
Warren Lahr went down with Cassidy, who as he crossed the goal line had about two steps on Lahr,
but the ball thrown high as Cassidy was in the deep right corner of the end zone,
enabled Lahr to get down and break it up as both he and Cassidy went up for it.
The pass is incomplete. It is now third down and seven.
Gedman leaves the game. He is replaced by Dave Middleton.
Dave from Auburn is going to line up as a flanker to the right side.
The right end junker is tight. Doran is split left and Rote fades to pass on third down.
He looks. He throws. It is incomplete for the Flareman.
Out to the right side, covered by Lahr, John Henry Johnson.
Middleton went fairly deep and was covered beautifully.
The swing pass was thrown to the fullback, John Henry Johnson. It was incomplete.
And so now with fourth down and about seven, into the game comes Jim Martin.
He will apparently attempt the field goal.
The attempt with Tobin Rote holding will come from the Cleveland 31-yard line.
Midway in the first quarter, there is no score.
The Lions right now are going to try and score. The snap, the kick.
It is good.
The score, the Detroit Lions free, the Cleveland Browns nothing.
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And now back to Ray Scott.
Right, Bill McCaugen, Jim Martin preparing to kick off for Detroit as the Lions score first
and lead three to nothing at the midway point of the first period.
The whistle with Campbell and Brown deep to receive.
Jimmy Brown in the end zone, takes it five yards deep and decides to run it out.
He comes up the left side to the five to the ten and he's spun under at the 17.
Making the tackle along with Jim Martin who kicked off, Gary Low, who is in there on the kickoff team for Detroit.
He is a defensive back, so the Browns have the ball first down and ten at their own 17-yard line.
The white-clad Cleveland Browns moving left to right here in this first period,
trailing by a score of three to nothing.
The ball at the inbounds marker far side of the field.
Again under center it will be Tommy O'Connell.
Ray Renfro will flank to the right. The ends are in tight.
In the running back spots are Carpenter, Luke Carpenter, and Jimmy Brown.
O'Connell fades to pass. Excellent protection.
Throws out to the left side. Renfro has it at the 27-yard line.
He's brought down immediately.
O'Connell's pass completes Renfro.
Making the tackle, Yale Larry.
Whistle on the field.
Yale Larry.
We're going to have an official timeout.
It is not a team timeout.
That play started at the 17 and it's very close to a first down.
It is short by about a foot.
Second down and just inches.
Bill, if I may, you've watched the Browns all season long.
On a second down and inches to go, have they shown the inclination to go for the works at a spot like this?
Yes, Ray Scott, there have been times when they have gone for the distance when it appears that it might be just a straight buck up the middle.
But right now let's see what head coach Paul Brown has sent in.
He again has made his change at a guard position with instructions on second down and a foot to go at the Browns' 27-yard line.
O'Connell under center.
Five-man Detroit Lions. The snap.
Straight ahead goes Jimmy Brown.
Across the 30 he has the first down with a couple of yards to spare.
The Detroit Lions in chalking up their field goal, making the march deep into Cleveland territory, chalked up four first downs as that drive started from the 10.
Joe Schmidt and Gil Maynes in on the stop for Detroit on this last play as Jimmy Brown picks up the first down at the Cleveland Brown 30-yard line.
Jimmy Brown, who pulled down the rushing crown in the National Football League this year.
First-year man from Syracuse. He has been tremendous.
This time O'Connell is going to split both his ends and Renfro is an inside flanker on the right side.
And the running backs are wide apart as O'Connell fades the pass.
He looks once. He throws. It is intercepted by Bob Long.
He's at the 30, the Brown 25. He's at the 20-yard line.
The roar tells you how this highly partisan Detroit Lions crowd felt about that interception by left linebacker Bob Long from UCLA.
And the ball is spotted at the 19-yard line of Cleveland. Inbounds marker near side of the field and the Lions moving right to left have a tremendous break.
Dave Middleton is a flanker to the right. Steve Junker the right end has split a couple of yards. To the left is Jim Doran.
The snap. Off to the right side is Cassidy to the 18.
Roat faded as if to pass. His running back on the left side, Howard hop along Cassidy, delayed just a count or two and then slammed off the right side and picked up a yard where Bill Quinlan, the defensive left end of Cleveland, made the stop.
A gain of one. Second down nine. And the teams right now are in the portion of the field that is covered by sunshine.
Temperature of about 32 degrees here in Detroit. The Lions leading 3-0.
Both ends split this time and Middleton flanks outside to the left.
Roat fades to pass. Now he runs up the middle. He's at the 15, he's at the 10, the 5, the 3, the 1-yard line. He's right down within a foot or so of that goal line.
Tobin Roat went fussing up that middle.
Tobin Roat has been throughout his great career in the National Football League with the Packers and this year with the Detroit Lions, one of the great running quarterbacks.
He's averaged five yards a carry. He brings his team to first down and goal to go on the 1. Dave Middleton is the flanker to the right. The rest of the line is tight and Roat sneaks into the end zone for the touchdown.
Jim Martin comes into the game. He will attempt the extra point as the Lions now lead with four minutes of play on a fish that are remaining in the first period nine to nothing.
The point is good and the score now, the Detroit Lions 10, the Cleveland Browns nothing.
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All set for the kickoff and once again back to Ray Scott.
Jim Martin preparing to come up to the ball with again Jimmy Brown and Dilt Campbell back to receive at the goal line.
Martin comes to the ball, his kick is high and swings off to the right.
Campbell comes up to it at the three-yard line, to the 10, to the left, 15, to the 20, to the 23-yard line.
A fumble, the ball is loose, it is rolling back toward the goal line.
It is recovered at the 15-yard line by Detroit.
We will credit Kerry Barr of the defensive secondary in on the kickoff team of Detroit for recovering that fumble at the Cleveland Brown 15-yard line as Dilt Campbell fumbled.
And Detroit has their second break in just a couple of moments.
Coburn road under center, Middleton flanking to the left and Rope fades to pass.
He looks, he throws, incomplete at the one as Middleton took a step as if to go inside and the pass was thrown as if he intended to head to the sideline.
It is incomplete, second down 10 as Rode at this point with the breaks heavily favoring the Lions at this point in the first period
has decided to go immediately for the long gainer.
Second down 10, Detroit at the Cleveland 15-yard line, unofficially three and a half minutes remaining first quarter.
The Lions are leading by a score of 10 to nothing. Jim Doran splits to the left this time and Middleton is outside the right end as a flanker.
The snap, short gain over left guard by Hopalong Cassidy.
Walt Michaels made the stop.
A change coming in now for the Detroit Lions. Gene Gedman is coming in.
Cassidy started this game in the offensive unit for Detroit as the flanker back.
Just preceding the last touchdown, the first touchdown of the game, he came in at a running back position.
He is now leading the game in favor of Gene Gedman who comes back in.
Third down, nine yards to go. The ball at the 14-yard line. Rope fades to pass.
Looks right, looks left. Over the middle it is complete to the five.
To Junker, to the two, to the one. And he's swarmed under it about the two-yard line.
Right over the middle, Steve Junker got loose.
It is the first down and goal to go at the one and a half yard line of Cleveland.
As Rope at the last instant as he was about to be hit, spotted Junker over the middle loose.
He hit him with a beauty.
First down and goal to go, Detroit at the one and a half yard line.
Late first quarter, a little better than two minutes remaining.
The official time in the National Football League is kept by the umpire.
The clock that we refer to is unofficial.
Middleton flanks way out to the right and both ends are tight for Detroit.
Straight ahead goes Gedman. Close to the goal line.
The headlinesman will mark his forward progress very closely.
The headlinesman immediately puts his hand on his head to indicate there's an official time.
Dan Peehan, the headlinesman of today's game.
Players unpile. Ball is put down. It's a foot short.
It is a foot short.
The public address announcer says the half yard line. We won't quibble. It's close.
Goal to go. Middleton flanks to the right.
Roach sneaks over guard. Is he in there?
No signal from the officials.
He evidently has not made it.
Owen Roach trying to sneak over left guard.
It is now just inches short as the players unpile and the ball is spotted.
It is now third down and goal to go.
The Lions scoring first on a field goal.
Then they intercepted a pass and set up the first touchdown of the game.
Jim Martin kicked the extra point and they led 10 to nothing.
A fumble on the ensuing kickoff. The Lions recovered and they're now third and goal to go on the six inch line.
Road under center again. A mass defensive line. Straight ahead goes Gedman.
He is in there.
Gene Gedman scores the second touchdown of the game for the Detroit Lions.
And this team that has been a second half team and unable to score in the last few games at least very often in the first half is suddenly on top of a 16 to nothing lead.
Road holding Martin attempting the conversion.
The snap. The ball is down. The kick is in the air. It is good.
And so now the Detroit Lions lead the Cleveland Browns by a score of 17 to nothing.
Friends, this reminder so that we may bring you this special broadcast.
The Catholic hour heard over most of these stations at 2 30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time will be heard tonight at 10 30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time over many of these same stations.
That's 10 30 Eastern time tonight only for the Catholic hour.
Let's pause 10 seconds for station identification.
This is W. G. Y. W. G. F. M. Connect today.
There is a change now for the Cleveland Browns in the deep positions preparing for the kickoff.
Milk Campbell was shaken up on that last kickoff and has now been replaced at a deep spot by Billy Reynolds, who teams now with Jimmy Brown as Jim Martin prepares to kick off with a little better than a minute remaining in the first period.
And the Lions leading by a score of 17 to nothing.
Martin comes to the ball.
His boot is down the middle and Reynolds at the floor slips to one knee gets up comes to the 10 15 20 22.
And there he's hit by a very hard tackle by John Gordy rookie guard from Tennessee in on the kickoff unit for Detroit.
First down and 10 the Cleveland at their own 22 yard line between the 21 and 22 Tommy O'Connell will be the Cleveland Brown quarterback Tommy from the University of Illinois has had a tremendous year for Cleveland.
He has an inside flanker on the right.
Ray Renfro the ends are split Brown and Carpenter at the running back positions and fading to pass his O'Connell.
He looks to the left and he throws deep intended for Brewster.
It is complete and going out of bounds at the 42 yard line as wrestling him out is Carl Carol Leavitt of the Detroit secondary.
He Brewster takes the down and out pass from Tommy O'Connell seconds remaining in the first period.
First down for Cleveland at their own 41 and a half yard line.
The two yards exchanging for Cleveland today with instructions from Paul Brown are Jim Ray Smith and Fred Robinson Fred from the University of Washington.
Jim Ray Smith from Baylor Renfro is flanking outside the right end who is tight this time as O'Connell gives to Carpenter takes the carpenter and off to the left side goes Renfro with blockers in front of the 50 45 40 into Detroit territory at the 37 yard line.
Beautiful fake that time.
It looked as if new Carpenter was swinging out to the right.
But Ray Renfro from his flanking position on the right circles wide to the left and crossed into Detroit territory and is finally brought down at the 38 yard line by Yale Larry.
First down in 10 Cleveland now at the 38 yard line of Detroit.
Ray Renfro breaks out of the huddle and flanks to the right side.
Pete Brewster is split left the right end Preston Carpenter is in tight.
O'Connell the snap swinging out to the left this time is Carpenter.
He cuts back sharply brought down from behind at the 35 yard line by Bob Long who circled the play and Terry Barr who came up from the secondary along with Gil Maines the defensive right end.
Preston Carpenter is the right end of the Cleveland Browns in their offensive unit and in a running back position Lou Carpenter.
They are brothers both from the University of Arkansas.
A game on the play to the 34 yard line of four and its second down six for Cleveland.
There is the gun.
That's the end of the first quarter and the score the Detroit Lions 17 the Cleveland Browns nothing.
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As we prepare for the start of the second quarter of this championship football game of the National Football League from Bridge Stadium in Detroit.
It is now my pleasure to call in the young man whom you heard prior to the start of the game.
Who will be calling the plays for you here in the second quarter.
Who has followed the Cleveland Browns all year long as their play by play broadcaster on radio.
So from Cleveland Ohio here is Bill McCargan. Bill.
Thank you very much Ray Scott.
All set for the second period and the Lions certainly are off to a flying start in this one as they took advantage of two breaks.
One fumbled by Mel Campbell in which Terry Barr picked up the football.
The other a pass interception by Bob Long and quickly they turned it into 14 points.
The other three of course came on a field goal by Jim Martin who originally is from Cleveland Ohio.
Right now the Browns have the ball just inside the Detroit Lions 35 yard line.
As here in the second period the Browns will be moving from the south to the north.
They'll be moving from our right to our left.
The referee Ron Gibbs signals that time is back in.
Browns breaking out of the huddle second down seven yards to go.
The Cleveland backfield O'Connell at quarter.
Rent fell the flanking back.
Luke Carpenter the running half the fullback is Jimmy Brown.
A long count there's a flag.
Big number 70 Ray Krause came around and belted Tommy O'Connell from behind.
There's going to be a five yard penalty.
Five yard penalty against the Detroit Lions for offside it was Ray Krause.
And O'Connell has a word with the referee Ron Gibbs.
So the Lions are penalized for the 30 yard line.
It's second down now and just about two and a half yards to go.
And into the lineup at right guard comes Jim Ray Smith replacing Fred Robinson.
The ball spotted just inside the 30 yard line in Detroit territory.
The Lions leading by a score of 17 to nothing as we get underway with the second period.
The Browns up to the line of scrimmage.
Pete Bruce of the left end is split.
Ray Renfro is out to the right.
The handoff goes to the fullback Jimmy Brown.
The 25 he's to the 20 to 15 the 10 the 5 and he's in for a touchdown.
Jimmy Brown leads Detroit tacklers scattered all over the field.
Carl Karelevich had a shot at him at the 15.
Also number 24 Jack Christensen.
But Brown the former All-American from Syracuse University who led the National Football League in ground gaining this year.
Just ran over them and the Browns now have their first touchdown.
Jimmy Brown going 30 yards for a touchdown and the score is now 17 to 6.
Of course it will be Lou the toe groza who will try to pick up the extra point.
Tommy O'Connell holding.
There's the snap back from center it's spotted it's booted it's good and it's now a 17 to 7 football game.
The Detroit Lions over the Cleveland Browns 17 to 7 as the Browns quickly score in the second period of play using just about 9 seconds to do so.
So now Lou Groza will get set to kick off for the first time this afternoon.
Groza the only remaining member of the Browns which started back in 1946.
Lou one of the real great stars of pro football setting the ball up in the 40 yard line.
Tom Tracy number 30 on the far side and the receiving position for the Detroit Lions.
Larry is on the near side both stand out at the goal line.
Groza has the football from the referee Ron Gibbs Tracy of course the spark plug in last week's victory for the Lions over the San Francisco 49ers at Keys are stadium.
It was his 58 yard run which started them on the road to victory.
Groza gets the whistle moves up on the football.
It's a low kick going down to about the four yard line it's taken by Larry's to the 10 the 15 to the 20 moves to his left at the 25 and goes down as he gets to about the 29 or the 30.
Gail Larry the former Texas A&M star from Fort Worth Texas took the kick on the line four yard line and he returned it all the way to the 30 before he was tackled by Bobby Freeman number 18.
So the Lions now have a first in town on their own 30 yard line.
Line backfield Tobin wrote at quarterback.
Howard Cassidy John Henry Johnson in there Middleton also in there.
Cassidy is the running back middle and as the flanker Middleton is out to the right the left hand Jim Doran splits way out.
Tobin wrote looks over that way.
Road calls the signals fakes now he hands off to Henry Johnson and he gets to just about the line of scrimmage Tobin wrote the quarterback first take the flip to Howard hop along Cassidy then had it to a fullback.
John Henry Johnson Johnson piled up as he got to just about the line of scrimmage.
Gail and this and Vince Costello teaming up on the play for the Browns Vince Costello their middle linebacker Gail and first the linebacker on the left side.
So the ball is still on the 30 yard line at second down for Detroit 10 yards to go at that spot Middleton this time moves out to the left on ball over that a cover him the right end of Jim Doran the left end this time is junker Tobin wrote calls this time again he fakes the flip and hands off to John Henry Johnson and Johnson gets just about a yard.
This is hit by Walter Michaels number 34.
Again the fake flip to Cassidy as Cassidy moved out to the left and then the handoff to Johnson sending him right into the middle of the line.
But there he was met by the Browns veteran linebacker Walter Michaels who played his collegiate football at Washington and Lee.
Incidentally Michaels is the older brother of Kentucky's all American Lou Michaels who will be in the National Football League next year.
Dave Middleton moving out to the left the right and Jim Doran split by about 10 yards Galen Fisk over that a cover him Tobin wrote calls the signals looks for a receiver he throws it is no good.
Over the head of the intended receiver Dave Middleton upfield almost at the 50 yard line covered by Don Paul on the play.
Tobin wrote his attempted seven passes this afternoon he has completed three of them for 44 yards.
That time he tried to hit Middleton on the far side of the field near the sideline.
Yeah Larry can tell the football game now to do the punting for the Detroit Lions back in the double safety for the Browns standing inside the 30 yard line Chad Hanulak on the near side Billy Reynolds on the far side.
Very few of Larry's punts have been returned this year he kicks him high and he kicks them far.
He was rushed the kick goes to Billy Reynolds at the 34 he's to the 35 but he has downed that back at the 34.
Darned devil was downfield darn devil made the tackle the rush was put on Larry by Jim Ray Smith.
The kick was about the 34 and that's exactly where Reynolds ended up a 46 yard punt.
And the Browns have a first and sound on their own 34 yard line they huddle back inside the 25 yard line.
Score of the game the Lions 17 the Browns seven on the second period.
Rent from the inside flanker the left rooster the left end is split up by about 15 yards.
The handoff goes to the fullback Jimmy Brown going straight ahead he gets just a couple of yards moving across the 35 yard line.
Ray Krause and Joe Schmidt Krause 275 pounds Joe Schmidt 222 pounds the Lions great linebacker.
The ball is spotted just over the 35 we'll call it the 35 give Brown a gain of a yard on the play and it'll be second down and nine yards to go.
Cleveland out of the huddle Preston Coffin to the right end splits out Brewster does the same on the left side and Renfro is the inside flanker to the right.
O'Connell at quarterback calls the signals the Lions up there in a five man line.
The blitz is on O'Connell back to pass he throws it is no good.
Well they had the rush on him that time it was intended for Pete Brewster at about the 45 yard line in Detroit territory but it was far short.
Blitzing was Bob Long the left linebacker and also Joe Schmidt the middle linebacker.
So on the incomplete at forward pass it is now third down coming up and nine yards to go.
Third down and nine yards to go O'Connell intended for Pete Brewster along the near sideline but the Lions had a rush on and Tommy was hurried in getting the ball away and it fell far short of the target.
Preston Coffin the right hand splits out Brewster does the same on the left side and Renfro is the inside flanker to the left.
O'Connell calls the signals he takes on the handoff it goes to Jimmy Brown the fullback he comes forward to the 40 yard line but of course it's going to be far short of the first down.
Jimmy Brown the fullback taking the handoff from Tommy O'Connell going straight ahead he got to the 40 yard line before he was hit by Joe Schmidt and Daris McCord.
McCord the defensive left end for the Detroit Lions and Schmidt as we have mentioned several times the middle linebacker.
So now it's Yale Larry and Terry Barr going back into the double safety Kenny Conns the former Louisiana State star will do the kicking for the Browns.
They come out now shift into punt formation Conns moves back to about a 25 yard line.
Barr and Larry upfield at the Detroit 20.
Barr on the far side Larry on the near side there's the snapback there's the kick it's a good high kick going inside the 20 yard line it's taken down there by Yale Larry.
He runs to his right he gets away from one man he gets away from another cuts back in and has dropped at the 50 yard line.
He was slowed down by Preston Carpenter and then tackled by Vince Costello.
There's a marker on the play at the 30 yard line.
Let's see what it's going to be 42 yard punt for Kenny Conns Vince Costello made the tackle the kick went to about the 19 yard line and Larry brought it back from there to the 25.
But let's see now what the call is going to be it's a holding penalty.
And it's going to be against the Detroit Lions.
So the Browns get a break as the Trotters penalize it moves the ball from the 25 yard line the spot to which Larry had returned back inside the 15 to the 13.
So the Lions have it in their own territory at the 13 yard line.
The Lions lead by a score of 17 to 7 that penalty a half the distance to the goal line penalty Jim Dorn splits way out to the right middle and is out to the left open road calls the signals.
He takes he gives to Cassidy Cassidy comes forward to about the 15 yard line.
Warren Larr Galen Fiss in there to hit him along with Bob Gain Bob Gain leading the charge.
Lauren Fiss then coming up to help out.
So Cassidy gets from the 13 to the 16 yard line again and three it'll be third down or second down I should say in about seven second and about seven.
And now the Detroit Lions are preparing to call a timeout with the Lions taking timeout.
The score is Detroit 17 and Cleveland 7.
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Ten and a half minutes remaining to be played in the first half of this football game with the Detroit Lions in front by a score of 17 to 7 and in case you joined us late the Lions picked up all 17 points in the first period.
Three of them coming on a field goal by Jim Martin to give them a free nothing lead and then they intercepted a pass with Bob Long who intercepted it to set up a touchdown and then a fumble by Mel Campbell set up another Detroit score the Browns scored early in this period on a 30 yard run by their great fullback
Jimmy Brown. The Lions have a second down about seven yards to go the ball resting just over the 15 yard line at the 16.
Doran is out to the right Middleton out to the left the left hand junkers flip by about five yards road is going back to pass.
He throws it's good to do it at the 25 yard line wrestled out of bounds by Kenny Conn's but it's going to be enough for the first down.
Tobin wrote the Lions fine quarterback connecting with Jim Dorn the veteran and moving from the 16 yard line across the 25.
We'll call it the 26 yard line and it's the Lions first down and 10 yards to go.
The line backfield has Tobin wrote throwing them Middleton the flanking halfback Howard Cassidy the running half and John Henry Johnson is the fullback.
During the right and again a split wrote this time to John Henry Johnson on the draw and he comes forward to about the 28 yard line getting a couple of yards on the play.
It looked for a moment as though the Browns defense had fallen for it and the Johnson might go for distance.
He does get to the 28 yard line Bob Gain and Bill Quinlan combining for the Browns to make the tackle.
So it's a game of two for John Henry Johnson the former San Francisco 49 or fullback and a second down of eight yards to go for the Detroit Lions.
The ball resting on the Lions 28 Middleton is out to the right this time.
The right hand junker is split and during as the left and here it goes to Johnson he's at the 30 the 35 he's at the 40 cuts with his left.
He's at the 45 yard line is it telling us he is now dropped at the 47.
Don Solo up the old Vince Costello also up the old to make the tackle another fine run by John Henry Johnson with Walter Michaels who finally grabbed him.
He was hit a couple of times but still kept going and the Lions have another first down at their own 47 yard line.
The Detroit Lions leading by a score of 17 to 7 in the second period with a little better than nine minutes remaining to be played.
And now it's all time out on the playing field and Tom Tracy has committed the football game at fullback.
John Henry Johnson has gone out with time out on the playing field.
Let's call on Ray Scott Ray.
OK Bill.
Yeah I just sitting here the last couple of minutes Bill and reveling in watching these two teams because you can see that both of these teams are teed very high.
Despite the fact that the Lions got off to that 17 to nothing lead you could sense it was just a matter of time until the Browns came back.
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Well Bill this largely a partisan crowd in favor of the Detroit Lions has had a lot to cheer about this afternoon but I do believe that the folks here in Detroit as in the rest of the National Football League cities have over a period of time grown to appreciate good football whether it's by the home team or in this case by the visiting Cleveland Browns.
I think they appreciate good football and I think we both agree it's been just that so far and more to come.
That's for sure it's been good football and National Football League all season long and we should see another honey here this afternoon.
The Lions to the line of scrimmage first and 10 Middleton is out to the right this time junker the right end is split by just two or three yards.
The handoff goes to Cassidy's wide to his left he's out of the round 45 inside the 45 to about the 42.
Tobin wrote taking to the fullback Tracy and giving to Howard hop along Cassidy the former Ohio State All-American Cassidy swinging wide to the left bounce out of bounds by Junior ran and Don Paul but not until he had reached the Browns 41 yard line.
So it's another first down for Detroit Cassidy getting around the corner and turning on the speed.
This time it's Middleton the former Auburn star going to a flanking spot out to the right the left hand door in a split road goes back to pass he gets protection he throws it is no good almost intercepted by Galen Fisk.
Down at the 31 yard line the intended receiver was hop along Cassidy Bill Quinlan the defensive left and finally broke through the line protection and did get a shot at road justice he was throwing the ball.
So on the incompleted forward it is now second down for Detroit 10 yards to go the ball on the Cleveland 41 the Lions leading the Browns by a score of 17 to 7 with nine minutes left to play in the first half of this game.
Dave Middleton takes his flanking spot to the right and Doran is the left hand and he split way out junkers split by about five wrote close the quick when Tracy has it at the 30s out of the 25 tackle by Walter Michael.
That time Tobin wrote that about four receivers downfield Tracy has been injured on the play he was hit hard by Walter Michael the 16 yard pass play from Tobin wrote to Tom Tracy who hails from nearby Pontiac Michigan.
Traced by this college football of Tennessee now leaves the football game. Shaken up on the planet first and 10 for the Detroit Lions on the 25 yard line here's to be his right knee Middleton out to the right both ends are split road calls the signals again he goes back to throw and again he gets protection he throws a long one and it has just broken up intended for Jim Doran down on the end zone and Junior and just did get his fingertips on it as Doran was waiting without stretch arms.
Tobin wrote on first and 10 going for the long one as he tried to find Doran open in the end zone Doran was almost open but at the last moment Junior and the former Missouri star got his fingertips on it to break it up so it's second and 10 for Detroit.
John Henry Johnson back in the line backfield at fullback middle then comes out to the right Doran flanks from his left hand position wrote going back on the dry guess that John Henry Johnson he gets to just about the line of scrimmage Don Colo and Bob Gaines there to grab him and now the tempers flared just a bit.
Also in on the play was big Lenny Ford actually Johnson was stopped for a loss of about a half a yard will call it second third down at 11 yards to go.
Gene Gedman in the ball game in place of Howard Cassidy the ball resting on the Browns 26 yard line the Lions leading by 10 points 17 to 7.
The Lions to the line of scrimmage Doran out to the right middle in the inside flank of the right wrote back to pass he gets protection he throws it is no good Middleton the intended receiver was being covered by Kenny Kongs with linebacker Galen Fiss also training him downfield Middleton made a diving try for it inside the 15 yard line but it was incomplete and it's now fourth down coming up at 11 yards to go and we may have Jim Martin trying another field goal he booted one early in the first period to get the Lions a three nothing lead.
At the time.
Detroit.
Moving out of the huddle and it's going to be a field goal tried so Ben wrote will hold and Jim Martin will try if it's good it'll be from the 33 yard line.
It's a fake.
Beautifully executed a fake field goal.
Instead he picked it up rolled it was right side junker down there all alone and it went for the touchdown.
Jim Martin now trying for the extra point the ball is spotted it's booted.
It's good.
And the Detroit Lions now lead by a score of 24 to 7.
The rest God you've seen the Lions plays several times this year. Have you seen them work that before. No Bill McCaugen I haven't seen them work that but I'll tell you what I did see them do early this season and what I still believe is one of the key plays for the Lions.
As you know they lost their opener and they were playing the Green Bay Packers bill and ladies and gentlemen up in Green Bay.
It was a tight ball game and it was early in the ballgame.
Yale Larry came into pump with long yardage on fourth down he took the path from center but instead of putting he ran from a deep pump formation.
He ran for a first down.
It kept the drive going.
They went on to score and I firmly believe that that was one not only one of the key plays of that game but enabled the Lions to win that important first game that they had to win and of course the rest of it is history as they went on to come into this championship game.
Well they have been full of surprises and I'm certain there are more to come Bill and as a result of that surprise they lead the Browns by a score of 24 to 7.
Jim Martin getting set to kick off for the Detroit Lions Billy Reynolds and Jimmy Brown the deep man for Cleveland Reynolds on the far side Brown on the near side.
That was a 26 yard scoring pass wrote to Junker. There's the kick of a good high one. Reynolds goes way back and goes out of the end zone. So it'll be a touchback and the Browns will take over first and down on their own 20 yard line.
Jim Martin really booting them today. That's the second one that has carried all the way out of the end zone and several others have gone down to the end zone.
Well the crowd of more than fifty six thousand here at Briggs Stadium still talking about that fake field goal and the touchdown pass from Tobin wrote to the rookie and Steve Junker.
The Browns move out of battle. Brent throws the flanker out to the left. Tommy O'Connell at quarterback calling the signals he takes. He's going back to pass.
He throws. It's good to Brewster at the 35 yard line tackled immediately and pushed out of bounds.
Tommy O'Connell finding the lanky left end. Pete Brewster in the open at the 35 bounced out of bounds immediately by Jack Christiansen.
But it goes as a first down for the Browns moving the ball from the 20 to the 35 yard line. Brewster six four two hundred ten pounds in his sixth year in the National Football League.
He played his college football at Purdue University. First and ten as the Browns move to the line of scrimmage.
Brent throw out to the right Brewster the left end is left. The line's in the five man line. The handoff goes to Luke Carpenter.
He gets the block from Robinson but he is nailed and back to the line of scrimmage. It was Joe Schmidt. The Lions defensive captain and their fine linebacker along with Yale Larry actually was Schmidt who made the tackle.
And Larry then came up to make sure the carpenter wasn't going to go anywhere. So Luke Carpenter the former Detroit Lions playing in his first year with Cleveland loses a couple of yards from the 35 to the 33.
And it'll be a second down and 12 yards to go. Cleveland coming out of the huddle. Jim David in the defensive backfield for Detroit now.
The Lions up there in a six man line. Joe Schmidt the middle guard just about another yard and back. O'Connell back to pass.
He throws almost intercepted by Bob Long intended for Preston Carpenter at the 45 yard line.
O'Connell forward pass almost picked up by Bob Long the linebacker from UCLA. It'll be third down now. 12 yards to go.
Long was the boy who intercepted the O'Connell pass in the first period to set up the Lions first touchdown.
So now it's third down for Cleveland. 12 yards to go the ball resting on the Brown 33 yard line.
They trail by a score of 24 to 7 in the first half of play with about six minutes remaining in this half. O'Connell calls the signals.
The ends are split. The inside flankers to the right. O'Connell going back to pass to reflect thrown. It's a screen pass to Jimmy Brown.
He gets away from Roger Zetkoff. He's at the 30. He's at the 35 and down he goes at the 36 yard line. The Lions were offside on the play.
Tommy O'Connell on the screen pass to Jimmy Brown. The tackle made by Terry Barr. Actually there was a gain of just a couple of yards on the play.
As the line of scrimmage prior to the play was the 33. Brown got to the 35.
They are now talking. The officials are talking. Where the Browns captain Mike McCormick number 74.
A fine offensive tackle from the University of Kansas. Mike a 6-4, 247.
A five yard penalty being paced off. So it moves the ball up to the 39 yard line. The down remains the third down.
But now it's about seven yards to go for the first down.
Shed Hanulak into the football game. Lou Carpenter leaving. Hanulak at the running halfback position. Ray Renfro is the flanker. He's way out to the right.
O'Connell calls the signals. Again the Lions in their five man line. The flip goes to Hanulak. He's going to throw the football. He throws it in.
It was intercepted. Shed Hanulak trying to pass to Ray Renfro but it was intercepted by Jim David. And the Lions have the ball.
Tommy O'Connell gave to Shed Hanulak. He started to run out to his right as if it were a running play.
Tommy threw the pass. Intercepted by Jim David at the Brown 46 yard line. And so the Lions again have the ball in Cleveland territory at the Brown 46.
First down 10 yards to go for Detroit in the Cleveland 46. The Lions in front by a score of 24 to 7. Detroit out of the huddle.
The flip way out to the right. There's a fumble. Tobin Rode in getting the snap back. Did not get it from Frank Gunner-Gatzke. There's a pile up there.
It looks like it was either Rode or Stan Cavaldeau who fell on the ball. Tobin Rode recovered. So he fumbled and recovered at about the 47.
A loss of a yard on the play. Bob Gane was in there hitting for it also. He was the boy who hit Tobin Rode just as he got the snap back or was reaching for it.
So on the 47 yard line. It's second down for Detroit. 11 yards to go. The Blue Jersey Lions out of the huddle. Dave Middleton moving out to the left.
The right-hand Jim Doran is split out. There's the snap back to Rode. He's back to pass. He gets protection. He throws it.
To Juncker. He has it at the 40s at the 35. Down to the 30. He fumbles. The ball is in the playing field. It is picked up by Don Paul down inside the 10.
In Cleveland territory and down he goes at the 6 yard line.
Populon Cassidy I believe who made the tackle on the play. It was Wally Michaels who hit.
Steve Juncker who caught the ball originally. Wrote to Juncker. Juncker had moved out about the Browns 20 yard line.
He was hit hard by Michaels. Jordan fell loose from the ball. And the ball went to the 6 yard line where Don Paul picked it up.
Started to run with it but was dropped by Hopulon Cassidy. So the Browns have it first and 10 on their own 6 yard line.
About 5 minutes left to play in the first half. The Browns out of the huddle. Tommy O'Connell calling the signals.
The right-hand Preston Carpenter split way out. He flanker run for us to the left. The flip goes to the fullback Jimmy Brown.
He comes forward over the 5 to about the 8 yard line and there's a fumble.
He was hit hard by Darris McCord the left end of the Detroit Lions. So let's see now who has the pigskin on this one.
Fred Robinson racing in from the Browns' bench. They're still digging for that football down there inside the 10.
Mike McCormick was the boy who came up with it at the 8 yard line.
So the Browns gained 2 yards on the fumble and the ball is on the 8. It is second down on 8 yards to go at that spot.
The Browns huddle back in their end zone. They have Tommy O'Connell at quarterback. Renfro the flanking back.
Tanyulak is the running halfback and Jimmy Brown is the fullback. Preston Carpenter on the right-hand split way out.
O'Connell gives this hand to Jimmy Brown on the draw and he goes nowhere.
He has dropped at the 6 yard line by Roger Zatkoff and Gene Cronin.
Roger Zatkoff the linebacker who was with the Browns during the preseason training period.
He is from the University of Michigan, makes his home here in Detroit. Gene Cronin played his college football at College of Pacific.
His home is in Sacramento, California. So the line of scrimmage is now the 6 yard line. That's where the Browns started.
It'll be third down and 10 yards to go. Jimmy Brown lost the 2 yards that was picked up on the previous play.
Cleveland out of the huddle, third down and 10. Brewster the left end, split way out.
Zatkoff over there to cover him. O'Connell throwing over this way. It is intercepted by Terry Boren. It's going to be a touchdown.
Tommy O'Connell throwing from his end zone, intended for Pete Brewster at about the 18 yard line in Cleveland territory.
Picked up by the speedy Terry Barr, the former Michigan star, who raced down the near side line. No one had a chance.
That's Tobin Road holding at the 10 yard line. Jim Martin boots and it's good. The point is good. The score is the Detroit Lions.
31-30 rather and the Cleveland Browns 7.
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Martin kicking off, Jimmy Brown takes it in the end, jellies to the fans, 10 to 15, the 20 for 25, the 30, the 35, touch to his lap. He's at the 45-year line of the 46, but there he's tackled.
Up along Cassidy making the tackle for the Detroit Lions. The kick went all the way into the Brown's end zone. It was high. The Lions were downfield quickly, but Jimmy Brown broke away from a couple of them and returned upfield to the 46-yard line in Cleveland territory where it'll be first down for Cleveland, 10 yards to go.
And I believe Milk Plum is in the backfield at quarterback, replacing Tommy O'Connell.
Three minutes left to play in the first half. Detroit 31, the Cleveland Browns 7, Renfro out to the right, Chet Hanulak to the left in the double wing this time, both ends split by about four yards.
Milk Plum in the quarterback draws at the 50, the 45. He cuts to his right and gets to the 40, the 36-yard line where he is tackled by Terry Barr.
On the quarterback draw, Milk Plum, the Browns' fine rookie quarterback from Penn State, set up as if to pass and then took off up the middle and got to the Lions 36-yard line before Terry Barr made the tackle for the Detroit team.
So it's first and 10 for the Browns on the Detroit 36, and the Browns have their work cut out for them if they hope to get back in this football game.
They trail by a score of 31 to 7, with just a couple of minutes remaining in the first half. Plum calls the signals. He fakes to Hanulak. He goes back to pass. He throws. It is no good.
Almost intercepted by Jim David down at the 20-yard line.
Besson Carpenter, the intended receiver at the 20, almost intercepted by Jim David. So on the incompletion, of course, the clock has stopped, and it's second down 10 yards to go for the Browns on the Detroit 36-yard line.
The Cleveland backfield has Milk Plum at quarterback. Ray Renfro, the flanking back. Chet Hanulak, the running halfback. And Jimmy Brown is the fullback.
Renfro goes out to the right. Hanulak to the left. Again, we have the double wing. The Lions up there in a six-man line. The rush will be on this time. Plum back to pass. He gets protection. He throws. It is intercepted.
Joe Schmidt, the Lions captain, has it down at the 19-yard line. He was tackled immediately by Besson Carpenter. It was intended for Carpenter, and it was Carpenter who made the tackle.
So the Lions take over on the interception by their captain, Joe Schmidt, at the Detroit 19-yard line. Now let's pause 10 seconds for station identification.
This is WGY. WGFM is connected.
The fourth forward pass intercepted by the Lions this afternoon. The two-minute warning has been given to the Ventures. Here at Briggs Stadium, both Ventures are on the same side of the field.
31-7, the Lions leading. They came out of the huddle, and now they're going back in there.
The fourth interception, three of them against Tommy O'Connell, and this one against rookie quarterback, Milk Plum.
The Lions huddle back inside the 10-yard line. Tobin Roach doing a fine job directing their attack this afternoon.
The Detroit fans giving a cheer for their football team as the Lions break out of the huddle.
Doerr on the right end, splits by about 15. Middleton is the flanking back out to the left. Roach calls the signals. He takes.
Hands off to Cassidy. Cassidy going to his left, gets to the 21-yard line, and there he's hit. Howard Cassidy, tackled by Walter Michaels, who dove in around his ankles to make the stop.
Cassidy, 5'9", 180 pounds. Heisman Trophy winner, of course, the Lions' number one draft choice a couple of years ago.
The ball on the 21-yard line in Detroit territory, a minute and a half left to play in the first half of this championship game, with the Lions a fire to football team way out in front, 31-7.
Doerr, this time, is out to the right. Middleton to the left. Junker, the left end, split by just a couple of yards. The handoff goes to Cassidy. He's up over the 25 to the 26-yard game.
A gain of five yards on the play from the 21 to the 26. Don Colo, the Browns' defensive captain, and their big right tackle making the tackle on that play.
Colo, 6'3", 251 pounds from Brown University. Cassidy is leading the ball game, and Gene Gedman comes back in with only about 50 seconds left to play in the first half.
It is third down and about three yards to go for Detroit. The ball on the Lions' 26. Doerr is out to the right. Middleton to the left this time. Gatsky over the ball at center.
Tobin Road calls the signals. There's a marker down there, and now Tobin Road is being hit by Costello, Don Colo, Galen Fiss.
There will be a penalty on the play. Let's wait now to get the official call from the referee. Offside signal against the Detroit Lions.
Detroit, offside. It'll move the ball back to the 21 if the Browns elect to accept it. First to be fourth down.
The penalty declines. The Nats fourth down with just about 35 seconds left to play. The ball is on the Detroit 23-yard line.
That's where Roke was stopped by Colo, Shadahangulak, and Billy Reynolds. Back to the double safety for the Browns.
They stand inside their 40-yard line. Into the kicking is Yale Larry, and Larry is inside his 10-yard line at about the eighth.
Just 30 seconds left to play in the first half. Gatsky over the ball at center. He snaps his head up twice. There's the long snap back from center.
Larry gets the kick away. Shadahangulak signals for a fair catch and takes it at the 44-yard line in Cleveland territory.
Larry kicks to the Cleveland Browns, 44. A fair catch, signal for by Shadahangulak, a 33-yard punt for Yale Larry.
And the official, the referee, Ron Gibbs, signals the time is back in now. But I believe the Browns are now going to call for time out.
With just 17 seconds showing on the scoreboard clock, the official time, of course, is kept right down on the playing field by the umpire.
Milt Plum is in there as quarterback. Shadahangulak the running half. Ray Renfro the flanker. Jimmy Brown the fullback.
The Browns trail by a score of 31-7 with 17 seconds left to play in the first half of this football game before a capacity crowd at Riggs Stadium in Detroit.
Ray Scott, do you have anything to say right now?
Well, I imagine right now we're going to see the Detroit Lions, as most teams would on that occasion, go into a strictly pass defensive set up, dropping a lot of men back.
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I'd like to make one reference, if I may, Bill, to this weather today. We had dire predictions, of course, all week long as to exactly what condition we would find a playing field in.
I think it is excellent considering the fact that the bad weather was certainly predominant in Detroit this week.
And I think the ground crew here at Riggs Stadium has done a fine job and certainly so far the condition of the field has had little to do with the type of play we have seen.
And now the Browns move out of the huddle with 17 seconds left to play in the first half, the first and 10 of their own 44.
Plum is at quarterback. The Lions have their three-man lineup there. Plum fakes to Hanulak, fakes to Renfro. He goes back to pass. He throws.
Renfro was the intended receiver, I believe. Jimmy Brown jumped up there and had his fingers on it at the 43-yard line in Detroit territory.
But it's incomplete. It bounced off the fingertips of Jimmy Brown. Renfro also out in that same general area.
Plum that time, first faking the end around or faking to Hanulak, then faking to the flanking back Renfro who was out on the right side.
And then throwing downfield, but it's incomplete. Second and 10 with just about 9 or 10 seconds left to play in the first half.
Plum breaks the signals. This time he fakes to Hanulak. He fumbles and it is recovered by Gil Maines of the Detroit Lions.
With just about 4 or 5 seconds left to play, the Lions again get a break as Gil Maines recovers the fumble, Bill Plum, in trying to hand off to Hanulak.
Hanulak did not get it, and we may have a field goal try. With just about 8 seconds, or 5 seconds I should say, left to play in the first half.
Jim Martin is in there. The ball is resting on the Brown's 37-yard line.
The Lions talking things over at the Brown's 45-yard line.
The score is 31-7. Of course, earlier in this football game, Jim Martin and Tobin Rote set up as if to try for a field goal.
Instead it was a fake, and it went for a 26-yard pass play for a touchdown.
Tobin Rote, after getting the snap from center, picked it up and started to run out to his right and pass to rookie Ann Steve Junker for that score.
Time out on the playing field right now with the clock showing just 4 or 5 seconds left to play in the first half.
And I'm sure that the first half play in this game has come as quite a surprise to many pro football fans around the nation.
It was regarded as a toss-up affair. Of course, the Lions are seeking revenge for 56-10 humiliation they suffered at Cleveland in 1954.
Rote is set to hold the ball at the 44-yard line.
It's spotted. It's booted. It is no good. It's off to the left. The 44-yard field goal try is no good, and the score remains 31-7.
That's the end of the first half. The score of the Detroit Lions 31, the Cleveland Browns 7.
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At Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan, Ray Scott along with Bill McCargan at halftime of the championship game of the National Football League between the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns.
Because it has been tremendous. And despite the fact that the Detroit Lions lead here at halftime by a score of 31-7,
if you will forgive that old sports broadcasters cliché of don't go away, don't give up if you are a Cleveland Brown fan,
the pattern of games in this National Football League this year would certainly, I believe, bear me out for reminding you not to go away.
We need only in fact go back to a week ago today when these same Detroit Lions on top today by 31-7 trailed at halftime 24-7.
And yet came on to win. It could well be we'll have that sort of a game here today in Detroit.
Statistics sometimes are very dry, but I do believe that we have some statistics here that are very important as far as telling the story of what has transpired in the first half.
The alertness certainly of the Detroit Lions defense has been tremendous.
They have come up in the way of pass interceptions with four. They have come up with key recoveries of Cleveland Brown fumbles.
One on a kickoff that led directly to a touchdown, for example. In addition to that, they have come up with the element of surprise.
As witnessed, the apparent attempt for a field goal that saw Tobin Rhoade who holds the ball for field goal attempts by the Lions' Jim Martin
instead taking the snap, rolling out to the side, and then passing to Steve Junker.
So it has been an alert defensive unit on the part of the Lions. It has been tremendous strategy.
Well, I at this point with mixed emotions, glad to see you by the way, Mr. Jones.
Oh, it's nice to be with you. Mr. Dave Jones, the president of the Cleveland Browns.
Bill, would you like to join us here in our conversation?
Mr. Jones, if I may, I'd like to point out that a moment ago I said that although it may be an old cliché on the part of broadcasters
about don't go away if you've written off this game, I used the example of last week's game to I think try to prove my point.
And I imagine that you would agree with me right now.
Yes, I do. Of course, there's always a second half and you never know what will happen.
We got away to a real bad start, a fumble on the 20-yard line and then an interception,
which of course is 14 points scored very quickly by the Detroit Lions.
Now, they look wonderful today and we have to now have a look too good.
Mr. Jones, I was going to ask you this question.
At the start of the season, did you believe that your team with the great number of rookies, 12 I believe the exact number,
and other men from other clubs playing the first year with the Browns,
did you believe that the Browns would be in this championship game at the end of the season?
No, none of us did, including Paul Brown.
We were very much surprised and pleased at the showing that our team had made.
Bill, as one who has followed the Browns all season long,
I'm certain that you'd like to chat here a little bit with Mr. Jones about this game so far today
and also on your impressions of the season that has just passed, the regular season.
Ray Scott, of course, it was said many times, you too, Dave Jones,
that prior to this game that it might be decided on breaks,
but certainly no one expected as many breaks to go against the Browns as have gone against them thus far in the football game.
I've never seen anything like it on not a halibut for the Browns,
but it's just one of those games where everything went right to the lions and everything went wrong for us.
Dave, even though the Browns are far back here at halftime,
I'm sure that as a real Arden football fan that you must have enjoyed seeing the execution of that big field goal.
Oh, it was terrific.
Well, thanks.
Is there anything else?
Being with us here at halftime, and I know that the Cleveland fans are still with the Browns all the way, Dave.
Oh, they sure will, and always will be, and thanks a lot for being with you.
Congratulations to you, Mr. Jones, on the short of the Cleveland Browns.
Happy New Year to you.
To Dave Jones, the president of the Cleveland Browns, in this professional championship game for yet another time.
And of course, you always have to say that when the Cleveland Browns are mentioned,
because every year since they've been in this National Football League,
they have been in the championship game with the exception of last year.
And as all of you pro fans know, they have come a long way.
And certainly the understatement of the year would have to be attributed to Paul Brown at the National Football League's draft meeting.
A few weeks ago, when a representative of another National Football League team said,
Paul, I think of all the years that you've been coaching, this certainly should be recognized as your greatest year.
And Paul looked at him and said, yes, we have come a little bit farther than we had planned.
And that, I do believe, was an understatement.
From the standpoint of yardage, for those of you who like to make a note of figures and so forth,
the Browns, as of right now, have picked up 81 yards on the ground.
They have passed 464 more yards.
The Detroit Lions, meanwhile, despite their point superiority here at halftime of 31 to 7,
have picked up 118 yards in the air and 94 yards on the ground.
It's fairly close.
Individually, Tobin Rhoades has moved to the airways 14 times and has completed 7.
As we told you, the yardage involved was 94, 95 yards.
Tommy O'Connell, who started the game offensively at quarterback for Cleveland,
has passed 8 times, completed 4, and has 2 intercepted.
Yardage, 64 yards.
And Milk Plum, who came in late in the second period, passed 3 times, had 1 interception,
and failed to complete a pass.
In case you've just tuned in, the score is the Detroit Lions 31, the Cleveland Browns 7.
Right now, Pontiac and your authorized Pontiac dealer would like to express their pleasure
at having been able to share the first half of this great sports classic with you,
and to thank you for being with us.
The team of Pontiac and all the Pontiac dealers across the country
join together in wishing you a happy New Year,
and invite you to stop in at your Pontiac dealers this week
to see and drive the big, bold Pontiac, America's number one road car.
We pause now for station identification.
This is the NBC Radio Network.
This is WGY, WGFM Schenectady.
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The National Safety Council urges the support of every person who drives, rides, or even walks
to join this light-staving campaign.
Back the attack on traffic accidents.
The second half of today's World Championship professional football game
between the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns
is brought to you over the entire NBC Radio Network
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And now back to Ray Skadowes for you right now,
another interesting halftime guest.
A moment ago, Bill and I were chatting with the president of the Cleveland Browns, Mr. Dave Jones.
Right now, it is our pleasure to chat with a man who walked into our NBC Radio booth
with a smile from ear to ear and with good reason.
Here at halftime, the president of the Detroit Lions, Mr. Edwin J. Anderson.
Mr. Anderson, I think that I interpreted that smile, of course, for a reflection of that score right now.
Well, Ray, I haven't had an opportunity to smile very much this year.
I can smile at the end of the game, but we probably have had some of the most hectic
and dramatic finishes in the entire history of pro football.
And I'm not smiling too much even with 31 to 7 because I've found some experience that anything can happen.
This indeed would be, I don't know whether the right word is a paradox, it's certainly ironic,
that to get to this championship game, the Lions had to be one of the great second half teams
of all of national football league history, having troubles in the first half.
And here you are now on top of the lead. Are you going to begin to worry now, Mr. Anderson?
Well, Ray, I am going to worry very, very much because as you said, we've been a very poor first half team,
but by the law of averages, I told the boys today that, I said, you should get hot in the first half,
but our problem is to stay hot in the second half.
I know, Mr. Anderson, that you would like to make at least some comment of this tremendous support
that the Detroit Lions have received from the fans in the Detroit and surrounding area.
Well, the fans here in the Michigan, Ohio, and Toledo area that we sort of call our home base
have been most fantastic, and we've had a complete sellout for every game,
and I'm sure that if we were playing in the 100,000 seat stadium today, that we would fill it,
but unfortunately there's one here, but we're not allowed to play in.
From the standpoint then of support, not only of the Detroit Lions,
but all of the national football league generally this year, this truly would be, I imagine,
the greatest year as far as you're concerned for the league?
Yes, attendance-wise, at home we play to 15,000 more people than we did a year ago,
and while that doesn't sound very significant, I just want to remind you listeners
that we can't get any more people in the stands, and what we need right now
is a good stadium stretcher for Briggs Stadium.
Well, thanks very much, Mr. Anderson, for being with us. We appreciate it,
and if we may, Bill and I speaking for NBC Radio, our best wishes to you and a happy New Year.
We thank you on the same view and to all the fans across the country.
Thanks, Mr. Edwin J. Anderson, the president of the Detroit Lions,
leading here at halftime in the Pro Championship game by a score of 31 to 7.
Bill, I think right now that our folks, being perhaps in a holiday mood,
will enjoy having a bit of our music from here at Briggs Stadium in Detroit.
Now, Bill?
Well, Ray, you stopped, they tell me in just a moment they will get a little bit of music,
but right now we have the official statistics and also some other halftime guests.
There is the air mission between the second and third periods
in this Pro Football Championship game.
Between the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns and the Lions,
in case you join us later, are leading by a score of 31 to 7,
scoring 17 points in the first period, 14 more in the second,
while the Browns' long touchdown came in the second quarter.
Ray Scott, you have another guest, huh?
That I do, and while we have just a couple of moments before the start of the second half,
it's a great pleasure to welcome the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers,
who is here to watch the game in person today, Mr. Arthur J. Rooney.
Well, Art, I imagine you yourself as an owner would like to see a game like this played in Pittsburgh some year.
I certainly would, Ray, and I hope it won't be long now.
And how about some comments on the game, Art?
You're more than an owner, you're a fan and a former player.
Well, it's an excellent game.
I think the Detroit club so far in the first half has received the breaks,
and if the breaks go to Cleveland in the second half, I think you'll see a great ball game.
Thanks very much, Art.
Nice to have you drop by here, and happy New Year to you.
Mr. R. Rooney, president of the Pittsburgh Steelers,
and here from the city of Pittsburgh itself, and a great sports fan I happen to know,
is the mayor of the city of Pittsburgh, Mayor David L. Lawrence.
Well, Your Honor, how about your professional comments?
You're more than a fan, by golly, I look at you as somewhat of an expert.
Well, this is a great ball game, Ray, I'm happy to see you up here.
I brought my two grandsons up, they wanted to see the game,
and of course we're getting a thrill out of them rooting for Detroit,
because they're a way ahead, and the fact that Joe Schmitz plans such a good ball game.
Well, picking out, of course, the mayor was referring to Joe Schmitz,
who's a native of Pittsburgh and a former star at the University of Pittsburgh.
One final question, Your Honor, and this is a leading question,
would you like to see a pro championship game in Pittsburgh sometime?
You know, Ray, that's really why I came up here, I wanted to get the atmosphere,
because I expect Buddy Parker within the next year or two to be bringing a game like this to Pittsburgh.
Thanks very much, Your Honor. Mayor of the city of Pittsburgh,
is honor, David L. Lawrence. Thanks to him for dropping by as well.
Well now, Bill, I think you did have a couple of statistics there, and here's the commissioner.
By golly, glad to see that he was able to drop by.
Bill, how about you making introductions here to the commissioner of the National Football League?
Thank you, Ray. It's a real pleasure for me to present to our NBC listening audience
the commissioner of the National Football League, Mr. Bert Bell.
Bert, has the first half of this football game come to you as any surprise?
Well, everything in pro football is a surprise, because we never play defense.
We just keep playing offense all the time, and the ball moves up and down the field,
and it's a bounce to the ball, and nobody knows what's going to happen in the second quarter,
the third quarter, or the fourth quarter.
And that's why the people there, we've broken the attendance record,
nine out of the last 12 years, the last six years in a row,
and this year we're 11 percent over and above the greatest year we ever had.
Mr. Commissioner, if the attendance continues to grow from year to year,
it would seem that some new stadiums are going to have to be built around this country.
No. You see, as long as we have our friend, Mayor Lyons at Pittsburgh,
working on a stadium in Washington, get a little better parking and help a little bit in Philadelphia,
why, that'll take care of that extra attendance, and we're doing all right where we are.
Commissioner, there has been some word in recent weeks about the possibility of the league expanding.
Do you care to say anything about that?
Well, I think there's a possibility, but I think before the league ever expands,
if you're going to put in two cities or two teams,
you've got to give those two people the first select, second selection choice
for two years in a row before you go in.
There's no going in without a football team.
May I ask, Commissioner, where would those players then play in the first year after they were selected?
Well, they belong to different ball clubs.
But you say that draft for two years, but that other team wouldn't come into the league from two years in the future.
No, not until they had a football team.
Would they play around the league?
Oh, yeah.
Well, thank you very much, Commissioner Bert Bell, for being with us.
Congratulations to you and the league office on another wonderful season of pro football.
Thank you very much to you fellows.
We owe a great debt of gratitude to you fellows that advertised it so well and do a great job for us,
and everybody in this league appreciates it.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Commissioner.
We'll be all set to go with a second half kickoff in just a moment.
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The Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions have returned to the playing field
Here at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan
All set for play in the third period of this championship game
With the Lions in front of the Browns by a score of 31-7
As a result of scoring 17 points in the first period, adding 14 more in the second
We have some official statistics, first down's rushing for Detroit 7, the Browns 4
Passing the Lions 6, the Browns 3, by penalty, none
Total first down's Detroit 13, the Browns 7
Yards gained rushing, the Lions 95, the Browns 89
Passing Detroit 125, Cleveland 54
Yards lost a tempted passing, Detroit none, Cleveland 7
Total yards gained, that's net, 224 the Lions, 143 for the Browns
The Lions have taken of the year 14 times, Tobin Rudd has completed 7 of them
The Browns have thrown 12 times, completed only 4
And the Lions, and this has been a big factor in the game thus far
Have intercepted 4 of the Cleveland Passes, 2 of Tommy O'Connell's
1 of Chad Hanulak and 1 of Mel Klum
The Lions have already received instructions from their coaching staff
They're all set to receive the kickoff for the third period
The Browns are still huddled around their head coach Paul Brown
Who undoubtedly had something to say to them at halftime in the locker room
In an attempt to get back into this championship football game
The Browns are now moving out on the field, so here again
With a play-by-play, the third period of this football game is Ray Scott
Right, Bill McCargan, and I think at this moment I would like to make mention
Of the coaching staff of these two teams
For the Cleveland Browns we know the head coach is Paul Brown
His assistants are Howard Brinker, Paul Bichler, Brit Heisler
And Eddie Ulinski and Dick Gallagher
The Detroit Lions are headed by George Wilson, his first year as head coach
His assistants are Aldo Forti, Buster Ramsey, Rhett Cochran, and Bob Nusswammer
The Cleveland Browns will kick off to start the second half
The Detroit Lions will receive at the goal line to our left the north goal
Kicking off will be Lou Groza
In position to receive for Detroit's deep at the goal line
Will be Gene Gedman and Yale Larry
Now Tom Tracy was aided from the field following the first half
And we do not expect to see him in the second half, but we are not sure
The whistle, he comes up to the ball
His boot is high, fairly deep
Larry at the goal line, to the five up the middle, 10, 15
Swings to the right, 20, 25 yard line he's snowed under
Yale Larry, Jim Ray Smith was the first Cleveland Brown to make contact
And so the Lions have the ball first down and tend their own 25 yard line
Moving left to right here in the third period
On the long end of a 31 to 7 lead
Fashioned not only by their offensive unit, but by tremendous play by their defensive unit
Four pass interceptions, being very key ones
And two recoveries of Cleveland Brown fumbles
First and 10, Detroit at their own 25 yard line
And the lights have been turned on here at Briggs Stadium
Tobin Road is under center
John Henry Johnson and Gedman at the running back positions
Cassidy is an outside flanker to the left
The snap, it is up the middle
Gedman gets just a couple before he's met by linebacker Galen Fiss
From Kansas University
Up front it is Frank Gadsky at center
The guards are Harley Sewell and Stan Campbell
The tackles are Lou Kriechmer and Ken Russell
The ends are Steve Junker and Jim Doran
The flanker, Howard Hopalong Cassidy
Gene Gedman, John Henry Johnson at the running backs
Tobin Road's under center at quarterback
Second down, 7
Cassidy flanks left, Jim Doran split right
A pitch out that goes wild, it is recovered by Cleveland at the line of scrimmage
Tobin Road trying to pitch out to the left
Lou Kriechmer recovered that fumble
A pick up perhaps of a half yard as the ball rolled forward that much from the line of scrimmage
It comes to the 28 yard line and it is third down and a long six yards to go for a first down
The playing field now completely covered by shadow here at Briggs Stadium
Cassidy breaks out of the huddle and flanks to the right
The split left end is Doran
Third down between 6 and 7 for Detroit
Tobin Road under center, the snap
Looks, throws, Cassidy has it at the 34, rolls forward to the 35, fumble, Cleveland is on the ball
The question now is whether the fumble occurred before or after the whistle
It was after the whistle so ruled by the officials
Warren Lahr made the tackle on Cassidy
It is short of a first down by a half yard
Fourth down coming up for Detroit
The kicking unit has not come in
The Lions looking to the bench
Tobin Road comes up now and says that he wants to see how close it is to a first down
Four members of the Detroit Lions kicking team had started onto the field
Tobin Road now is leaving the field
And the kicking unit takes over led by Yale Larry
The Detroit Lions make their changes, the Cleveland Browns make changes
They are sending back in punt receiving position
Chet Hanulak on the left and Billy Reynolds on the right
Larry will punt from the Detroit Lions 20 yard line
Early in the third quarter, 31 to 7 the score, the Lions on top
A high pass in center, Larry gets it, his boot is a high and a very deep one
Drives Reynolds back to the 19 yard line
Swings to the right, cut from behind at the 20
Cut from behind by John Gordy, the rookie guard from Tennessee
He was aided by Dorn Dibble, the ball will be spotted at the 20 yard line of Cleveland
A 45 yard punt from line of scrimmage by Yale Larry
And so the Browns trailing 31 to 7 will scrimmage at first and 10 from their own 20 yard line
Tommy O'Connell played most of the game at quarterback in the first half
Although late in the second quarter, Milt Plum came in to take over and he's in there now
The rookie from Penn State, 6'1, 205, did a great job filling in for the injured O'Connell
The latter part of the regular season
Ren Perot flanking to the left, both ends are tight
The snap going off to the right side, Jimmy Brown gets nothing at all
As Joe Schmidt, diagnosed to play and slid over to make the tackle
With help from the left linebacker Bob Long
No game, second down 10
Milt Plum the quarterback, Luke Carpenter, Jimmy Brown at the running back positions
Ray Ren Perot will be the flanker, the ends are Pete Brewster and Preston Carpenter
Luke Rosa, Mike McCormick the tackles, Jim Ray Smith and Herschel Forrest are the guards
And Art Hunter at center, Smith alternates with Robinson with instructions from the bench from Paul Brown
Second down, 10 from the 20, Plum under center
Pitches out to the right to Carpenter, he comes up to the line of scrimmage at the 25 to the 30
Swings to the 35 to the right sideline, 40, 45 and upended at the 48 yard line
Pete Brewster threw the big block for him that time to spring him loose from the line of scrimmage
Jim David finally made the tackle, but it's a long game for Luke Carpenter
From the 20 to the 47, 27 yards
The ball at the inbounds marker, far side of the field, the Browns are moving right to left
Early in the third period, about three minutes have been played, 31 to 70, Troy's on top
Carpenter, Preston Carpenter splits out to the right, the left end is fairly tight, Ren Perot flanks outside the left end
Swinging out to the left side is Preston Carpenter, gets away from two tacklers, is stormed under at the 49
Luke Carpenter, just shy of the 50
His forward progress marked the 49 and a half and it's Gil Maines and Bob Long
Who are the key men defensively for Detroit on that play
A gain of three, second down, seven
The Browns within a half yard of crossing midfield
About 10 minutes now remaining in the third quarter
There's been no scoring in this period
Ray Ren Perot flanks out to the right, Carpenter splits a couple of yards, Pete Brewster splits left a couple
It's a double wing now
Luke Carpenter comes out to the left and O'Connell plumb fades the pass
It is complete to Carpenter at the 35, comes to the 32 yard line and there he's upended
Preston Carpenter, the right end, brought down by Jim David
As he apparently was going to be brought down by about three different Detroit Lions
But he was able to wrestle away from them and move down to the 32 yard line
And the Browns are on the move
The Detroit Lions punted to Cleveland a moment ago
Luke Carpenter, a 27 yard run, now took the pass
At the 32 yard line of Detroit, it is first down and 10 and Ren Perot flanks to the right
The ends are tight
Off to the right guard position goes Luke Carpenter across the 30 to the 28 yard line
After a fake first to the full back up the middle
Joe Schmidt brings him down to the 28, a four yard pick up
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Gain of four in the last play, second down six and Ren Perot breaks shuttle and flanks out to the right
As so far the Browns are keeping their ends in tight on this series
Milk Plum under center
The snap, fake to two men, rolls out to the right looking for a receiver
He's being chased, he throws, he has Carpenter at the 18 and he's down at the 16
Preston Carpenter at the right end
Went down, went out, Milk Plum rolled out to the right, spotted him and hit him with a strike
Joe Schmidt made the tackle, the ball at the 16 yard line
It'll be another first down for the Cleveland Browns
The Browns need this ball and they need a touchdown
They're trailing 31 to 7
Unofficial time remaining about eight minutes in the third quarter
Jim David comes out
Jack Christensen moves in for Detroit in the secondary as Ren Perot flanks to the right and Pete Brewster's split at left end
Milk Plum the snap, swinging out to the left is Jimmy Brown, he has one blocker in front of him, he's being chased
He gets to the 15, he gets to the 10 yard line, swinging out to the left and out of bounds
There, Carl Carroll Lebbets hits him with a shoulder tackle and spins him out
Jim Ray Smith led the blocking from his left guard position
He pulled out, was in front of Jimmy Brown and threw a real good block and enabled him to pick up 6
The ball spotted now at the inbounds marker near side of the field at the 10 yard line
And it is second down and a little better than five yards to go for a first down
The score, 31 to 7
The Browns trailing but the Browns have the ball
The only sustained drive of the third period so far
Ren Perot again flanks out to the right, this time Milk Plum has his ends in tight
Brown and Carpenter in running position behind him
The snap, Brown off left guard gets only a foot if that much
Coming up from the secondary, Carl Carroll Lebbets
Up front, Roger Zatkoff from his right line backing position came up
They spotted that one coming and Brown gets nothing as the ball is spotted at the 10 again
And it will be third down and five
And again the guard comes in
Jim Ray Smith
Out goes Fred Robinson
Third down, five yards to go for a first down
The Browns desperately need a touchdown
Ray Ren Perot flanks about 15 yards outside the right end who split a yard
Carpenter, Plum under center
The snap fades directly back to pass, he's looking, he throws out to the right to Carpenter
He has it, the 6, he's belted out of bounds at the 5
Preston Carpenter takes the pass out in the right flat
Is hit out of bounds by Yale Larry
This will be very close to a first down so the officials will not move the ball from the point where Carpenter went out of bounds
And we have an official timeout for a measurement
And the chains on the near side of the field have to go all the way across to the far side
And Lou Groza is standing over there to look at it
The chains are stretched
First down by just the nose of the ball at the 5
First and goal to go
And so the Browns, Milk Plum, comes up with the yardage that he must have to keep this drive going
A field goal at this point would mean practically nothing to the Browns and they know it
First and goal to go on the Detroit Lion 5 yard line
And two replacements come in for Cleveland
The one is the guard, Fred Robinson, who is Preston Carpenter
He was just over asking for instructions, he comes back in at right end
This time it's a fairly tight tee, Ren Perot a yard outside the left end
First and goal at the 5
Out to the left side comes Carpenter, Preston Carpenter, he cuts and he's into the end zone
It was Lou Carpenter, not Preston Carpenter
Lou wearing number 30, not Preston number 40, but he's into the end zone
And the Browns have that touchdown that they needed
And they trail now by a score of 31 to 13
And there are still 7 minutes remaining in the third quarter
And Lou Groza will be in to attempt the extra point
He tried 32 during the regular season and he made every one of them
He converted his only other chance today
80 yards and 10 plays for the Browns
As Groza with O'Connell holding will try for the extra point
The ball is down, the kick is in the air, it is good
The point is good, the score now, the Detroit Lions 31, the Cleveland Browns 14
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Luke Rosa preparing to kick off for the Browns with Gedman and Larry deep to receive
As the Browns have started what their followers hope will be a second half comeback
Rosa comes to the ball, fairly deep into the end zone
Larry, two yards deep, comes to the five, swings to the left, back to the right, 15, 20
Spins away from two tacklers but is down at the 22
Board clock, and the sun continues to shine here in Detroit
And we're aided by the lights that were turned on at half time here at Briggs Stadium
Cassidy flanks out to the left, Johnson, Gedman in the running back positions
And out to the right split at the end is Doran
Rope, throws deep, he's at, Doran's there, he has it at the 40, the 30, the 20, the 10
He's going all the way, 78 yards
The excellent protection set up for Tobin Rope who first faked the pitch to the left
Enabled him to get all the time that was necessary for Jim Doran to get his first pitch
He's also got the ball, the ball's in, and he's got it in
He's got it in, and he's got it in, and he's got it in, and he's got it in
The excellent protection set up for Tobin Rope, who first faked the pitch to the left
Enabled him to get all the time that was necessary for Jim Doran to get behind the secondary
And complete a 78-yard pass-and-run play, Jim Martin tries for the conversion
The ball is down, the kick is in the air, it is good
So the Lions, striking with suddenness, have equalized the Cleveland Brown touchdown
An extra point here in the third period to go 78 yards on a pass-and-run play
From Tobin Rope to Jim Doran
It isn't very often that the members of that Cleveland Brown secondary
See a man get behind him the way Jim Doran did that time
Am I right in saying that, Bill? That one came like lightning
Well, of course, the name Jim Doran is familiar to Cleveland football fans because it was the same Jim Doran
Who made a tremendous catch after getting out and back of the secondary in the championship game here at Briggs Stadium
Back in 1953 to give the Lions the world championship in a 17-16 football game over the Browns
That time Doran just went down the near sideline, got out and back of the Brown secondary
And there was no catching him once he got his hands on the football
It took the Browns 10 plays to get their TD, the Lions got it back in just one
Ray Scott
And we still have better than six minutes remaining in the third quarter
Jim Martin preparing to kick off for Detroit
In deep position are Billy Reynolds and Jimmy Brown for Cleveland
The kick is high and not very deep
Brown takes it at the 11, comes to the 15, the 20, swings to the left to the 25, to the 28
Bringing him down Jim Martin who kicked off along with Gary Lowe, defensive back of Detroit
Who is in there on the kickoff team
First down and 10, the Browns at their own 28 yard line, between the 27 and 28 to be exact
Detroit 38 as they have scored in every period, 17 in the first, 14 in the second, 7 here in the third
The Browns single touchdowns in the second and third quarters
Renfro flanks out to the right, no plum is under center
There is movement on the part of both lines, a considerable amount of body contact
And the ball hasn't been snapped yet
So there is the usual huddle, we watch the referee offside against Cleveland
Illegal use of hands against Detroit
The penalties nullify each other, the infractions nullify each other
And we start all over again
First and 10, Cleveland from their own 27 yard line
The Browns moving right to left in the third quarter
Again the Browns break huddle and Renfro flanks out to the right and Pete Brewster splits left by about 8 yards
Plum the snap and fades to pass, from the 20 he looks, throws over the middle, Brewster has it at the 40, fumbles, it is incomplete
He had it for just an instant, not enough to retain control, rule the officials
And so the loose ball means nothing, it is just an incomplete pass, second down and 10 come up again
Jack Christensen was back there to cover Pete Brewster
The pass was thrown right over the middle by milk plum
The guards interchange again for the Browns and bringing instructions in from the bench is Fred Robinson
The rookie guard from the University of Washington
Renfro flanks right, Pete Brewster splits left, Brown, Luke Carpenter in the running back positions
The snap and Plum fades to pass, he is hit and down he goes at the 17
As that time the Detroit Lions used a strategy of shoot the gap with the linebackers
And along with Kraus and Maines, the linebackers were really in there and Plum never had a chance
And he loses from the 27 to the 17, a loss of 10, third down now and 20
Whistle on the field
With the Cleveland Browns taking time out, the score is the Detroit Lions 38, the Cleveland Browns 14
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We're in the midst of a time out called by the Cleveland Browns with third down and 20 coming up on their own 17 yard line
Following a 10 yard loss by their quarterback Milk Plum as the Detroit Lions shot their linebackers
They have had four linebackers in there, Jim Martin came into the game into the defensive unit but he has now been replaced by Jerry Perry
Third year man with the Detroit Lions
So we now have Daris McCord, Gil Maines, Gene Cronin along the front line
Four linebackers, one or several of whom may line up on the front line
We're ready to go again with Milk Plum under center on third down and 20 from the Browns 17
Plum the snap, gives off to Jimmy Brown and he comes up the middle to the 20
Jerry Perry who just came into the game met him there along with Daris McCord the left end
It is a game of three, fourth down 17 coming up for the Browns from their own 20 yard line
And the kicking unit comes in for Cleveland with a little better than five minutes remaining in the third quarter
As the Lions lead at halftime by 31 to 7 the Browns scored first here in the third quarter to make it 31-14
But the Lions came back on the 78th yard, wrote to Doran, pass and run
The Browns now in punt formation will have Kenny Cons kicking from the five
Back to receive for Detroit, Terry Barr, Yale Larry, the pass from center, the punt
Fair catch by Larry at the 41 yard line of Detroit
Coming down very fast under that punt for Cleveland was Bobby Freeman
Their first year man from Auburn, a 39 yard punt from line of scrimmage
The Detroit Lions now in the air so far today unofficially have picked up better than 200 yards
First and 10 Detroit from their own, the ball is actually closer to the 42 yard line than it is the 41
Tobin Rote flanks Cassidy to the right, splits his right end junker by a couple of yards
The snap, fake to Johnson, off to the left goes Gedman
Across the line of scrimmage and across the 45 to the 46
A pick up of four for Gedman, swinging wide to the left
Let's now pause 10 seconds for station identification
WGY, WGFM is connected
Walt Michaels, the Cleveland Browns fine linebacker made that last stop after a gain of four
And at second down, six, Cassidy flanks to the right, both ends are fairly tight
Steve Junker split about a yard at right end
The snap to Rote, the fake to the first man and Gedman over left guard fumbles
It is recovered by the Lions in the Cleveland territory at the 48
John Henry Johnson recovers the fumble by Gedman
It is close to a first down, Walt Michaels again was in on that tackle
The officials indicate they would like to have a time out here for measurement
Rote that time, fake to Johnson, who went booming through, gave to the second man through the hole over left guard
Gene Gedman, Johnson was right there to recover that fumble
The chains are stretched, first down at the 48 yard line of Cleveland
A most fortunate recovery for the Lions
The ball is at the inbounds marker far side of the field, Detroit moving left to right late here in the third period
About three and a half minutes unofficially on the scoreboard clock showing, remaining in this quarter
Jim Doran will split left, Cassidy will flank right
Doran split about six yards at the left end position
A five man Cleveland line with three linebackers up tight
Rote fades as if to pass, hands off to Johnson and he is thrown way back at the Detroit line, 46 yard line
As Walt Michaels spotted that one coming
And Don Colo, the right tackle of Cleveland broke through as well
Defensively Cleveland has at their end positions Bill Quinlan and Lenny Ford
At the tackles Bob Gain and Don Colo
The linebackers are Vince Costello, Galen Fiss and Walt Michaels
Costello sometimes moves into the middle guard position when they go into a five man line
The loss in that last play of six yards brings up second down and 16
And Cassidy flanks out to the right and Jim Doran splits it right end a couple
Rote fades to pass, throws quick over the middle to Johnson
He's at the 45, the 40, slips and falls at the 37
John Henry Johnson took the quick pass from Rote
Very close to another first down as Don Paul made the tackle
Will again have a measurement
The gain is close to the 16 yards needed for a first down
The chains go in
Short by an inch or so
Third down coming up
Jim Doran went over to the bench to talk to George Wilson, the head coach of the Lions
And now comes back and rejoins his Detroit Lions teammates in the huddle
With about two and a half minutes remaining in the third period
And no one is leaving Briggs Stadium
They remember last week when it looked like the Lions were out of it and came roaring back
Walt Michaels has set up the Cleveland Brown defense
The Lions break huddle
And Cassidy flanks left
Jim Doran on the right, Junker on the left are both tight at their end positions
The snap, off to the left goes John Henry Johnson, gets away from one man, another to the 35, to the 32 yard line
John Henry Johnson off to the left side
Tempers flare
The officials quickly push members of the Detroit Lions squad who came up to the sideline
Tell them go back to your bench
So far they haven't responded
As Johnson picks up enough yardage by about five
For the first down, the ball is being brought into the inbounds marker and a penalty is measured off against Detroit
We'll watch the referee, a personal foul against Detroit
It's going to cost them 15 yards and Tobin Rode immediately comes over to the referee Ron Gibbs to ask him why
Whatever the reason, it costs them 15 back to the 47 yard line of Cleveland
At that point it will be third down and nine
Rode is still talking with the officials
He has his hands on his hips
He still wants to talk to one of the officials
Now referee Ronald Gibbs indicates to one of the members of the Cleveland Browns that he doesn't want him taking part in the discussion
But along with Don Colo he's listening in now
As three of the officials, Tobin Rode and three of the Cleveland Browns are talking about something
Now Tobin Rode goes back and rejoins the huddle
It is third down and nine yards to go after all of that discussion
Whistle on the field and now the Lions want to talk things over
Well Bill, as Tobin Rode goes over to talk to the members of the Detroit Lions strategy staff
I think it's at proper right now that I call you in for a few comments
And although you've been following the Browns of course all season long
And at the moment it would look like a dark hour for Cleveland
You've seen them do some amazing things, have you not?
Well they have been under pressure a couple of times when they have had to come from behind
But I don't remember at any point during the season when they were this far back
In the second half against the Los Angeles Rams in a real offensive minded game at the UN State even Cleveland
They were 11 points behind and came back to win
And in a game against the Redskins at Griffith Stadium in Washington
They were 10 points behind very late in the football game and came on to tie it 30 to 30
But of course here in this football game they're trading by a score of 38 to 14
They need 24 points to get back into the football game
And we have just under two minutes remaining to be played in the third period
The Lions of course got a tough break right there after John Henry Johnson had picked up the necessary yardage for the first down
Moving to the Browns 32
The Lions were penalized and moved the ball back to the 47 yard line
Where it's now third down and still about nine yards to go for the Detroit Club
The trainers of both teams now leave the field and the Lions huddle back at the 40 yard line and here again is Ray Scott
Alright Bill, we're all set to go, third down and nine, Detroit at the Cleveland 47 yard line
Tobin wrote at quarterback
John Henry Johnson, Gene Gedman at the running back positions
Howard Cassidy will be the flanker
This time he flanks way out to the right and Jim Doran splits left and Steve Junker is put to the right by about five
Foreman Cleveland Lioness Roke fades as if to pass, runs up the middle, swings out to the right
He is caught from behind but not until he crosses the 40 to the 38 yard line
He is close to a first down, he may have it
A penalty marker was dropped
A penalty is now measured off against Cleveland, 15 yards
Illegal use of hands, it moves the ball to the Cleveland, approximately the 24 yard line
The ball itself has not been placed in position, now it is
At the 24 yard line it is first down and 10 for Detroit
And Walt Michaels tries to rally his teammates, he calls the defensive signals for the Browns
Vince Costello made that last tackle on Tobin Roke
Doran splits left, Cassidy flanks to the right, Steve Junker is put about five at right end
The snap and road again fades to pass, right over the middle it is Junker at the 10, 5, touchdown!
Just as one of the Cleveland Brown linebackers who was shooting the gap was about to get to Tobin Roke
He spotted Steve Junker right over the middle, he wrestled away from Junior Wren and went all the way in
23 yards, Tobin Roke will hold, Jim Martin will attempt the conversion
The snap, the kick, it is good
And so now the Detroit Lions have scored two touchdowns in each quarter
They have added every extra point plus a field goal
And if my arithmetic is correct right now, the score is 45 for Detroit, 14 for Cleveland
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The Detroit Lions' Jim Martin will again kick off with the scoreboard clock now showing one minute and 40 seconds remaining in the third period
Jimmy Brown and Billy Reynolds are back at the goal line for Cleveland to receive
Jim Martin, the former star at Notre Dame in his eighth year in the National Football League
preparing to kick off for Detroit
The whistle, Martin comes to the ball
His boot sails off to the left
It is picked up at the 10 to the 15 by Reynolds, 20, 25, swings to the left, swarmed under at the 29
John Gordy led the defensive charge along with Jim Martin and Dorn Dibble
Billy Reynolds brings it out from about the 10 to the 28 yard line
The Browns are first and 10 at that point, their own 28
Late third quarter and an amazing score of 45 to 14 in favor of Detroit
Renfro flanks to the right and Brewster splits left
A penalty marker is dropped as Plum passes short, intended for Lou Carpenter out on the left flat
Two penalty markers were dropped
The right end of Cleveland, Lou Carpenter, rather Preston Carpenter, is called for offside and is indicated now by referee Ronald Gibbs
Joe Schmidt, the defensive captain, has told the referee he does not wish to accept the penalty
It will be second down and 10 and an incomplete pass
Milk Plum at quarterback
The running backs are Jimmy Brown and Lou Carpenter
Guard Fred Robinson comes rushing in from the Cleveland Brown bench with instructions from Paul Brown
Renfro breaks huddle and again flanks outside to the right
The ends are fairly tight
A five man line for Detroit
The snap, off to the left comes Jimmy Brown to the 30, wrestles away from one man to the 35 and spins up to the 40
He picks up an up yardage for a first down at the Brown 40 yard line where Terry Barr, the Lions secondary, brings him down
And referee Gibbs now indicates first down Cleveland at the 40
Less than a minute remaining according to that clock on the scoreboard in this third quarter
That like the second period has seen the Browns score one touchdown and add an extra point
And the Lions score two touchdowns and add both extra points
Official attendance paid 55,263
Renfro again breaks huddle and flanks to the right and both ends are fairly tight
Although Preston Carper is with a couple of yards at right end
Plum fades to pass, he's back at his 30
He looks, he never gets to pass away
It has fallen all into a 32 yard line
It is ruled not a pass but a fumble
Jerry Perry
Along
Jerry Perry along with, I spotted one other number but now I've lost it, broke through
It is ruled that Plum's arm was not going forward in the act of passing
Gene Cronin was another Detroit Lion who was in there
And the Lions have converted another play into a break for themselves
And they have possession now at the 32 yard line of Cleveland
With perhaps time enough remaining for one play in this quarter
The gun, that's the end of the third quarter and the score
The Detroit Lions 45, the Cleveland Browns 14
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We're about ready to go with the fourth quarter here at Briggs Stadium in Detroit
The Lions are leading 45 to 14 and with the roar of a crowd of an excess of 55,000 behind them
The Detroit Lions have the ball at the 32 yard line of the Cleveland Browns
And again, it is my pleasure to call in Bill McCaugen
Who will be calling the plays for you here in the fourth period
Bill?
Thank you, Ray Scott
All set for the fourth period, the Lions have the ball on the Browns 32 yard line
As a result of the fumble recovery by Jerry Perry
And big Leon Hart, the former Notre Dame All-American, 6'5", 250 pounds
Has come onto the field, he'll be in the fullback spot in place of John Henry Johnson
Doren Debel also in there in place of Jim Doran
Tobin Roat will be the quarterback, Gene Gadman the running half
The flanking back will be Middleton
And perhaps sometimes Debel, Steve Junker still in there at right end
The score of the football game as we move into the fourth period
Is the Detroit Lions 45 and the Cleveland Browns 14
It was pointed out earlier this week
That the lion dressing room here at Briggs Stadium
Was plastered with a sign that remembered 1954
The year in which the Browns beat the Lions 56 to 10
And the Lions said they'd be out for revenge
And it looks very much as if that's exactly what they're trying to do
Top the 56 points scored by the Browns against them in 54
The Lions still huddling offensively
While the Browns, defensive line, get set to dig in
Bill Quinlan, Lenny Ford at the end
Don Colo and Bob Gaine are the tackles
The middle guard, Vince Costello, or the middle linebacker
Galen Fiss and Walter Michaels, the other linebackers
The Lions move up to the line of scrimmage
First and 10 on the Browns 32
Dave Middleton is out to the right
The line is tight, the handoff goes, fakes to Hart
Roat going back to throw, he throws a long one in
There's another touchdown!
32 yards score in play
Dave Middleton, who has flanked out to the right
Went straight down the far sideline and took it in the end zone
After he had outrun the Cleveland defense
So the Lions now have a score of 51 to 14
And Jim Martin boots it through the uprights
And the score is 52 to 14
And the Lions fans, some 56,000 strong here at Drake Stadium
Still chanting go, go, go as they want the Lions to pile up
Just as many points as they can here this afternoon
That touchdown comes just about 8 seconds into the fourth period
It was the first play of the fourth period
The Lions had the ball first and 10
On the Browns 32 yard line and Tovan Roat hits Dave Middleton
The speed boy from Auburn University
Middleton, a medical student during the offseason
At the University of Tennessee
So again, Jim Martin, who has had a busy day with that right foot of his
Will get set to kick off for the Detroit Lions
And in the background you can hear the Lions fans
Chanting go, go, go
Jimmy Brown and Billy Reynolds are the deep men for the Cleveland Browns
Martin seeing the ball up at the 40 yard line
Reynolds is on the near side
Jimmy Brown on the far side down at the Cleveland goal line
The score, Detroit 52
Cleveland 14 in the first minute of play of the fourth period
Martin gets the whistle, moves up on the ball
It's a high kick, it's short this time
Reynolds takes it at the 8 yard line
Straight ahead to the 10, the 15, the 20, the 25
And there he is hit on a jarring tackle
By Darned Dibble or Stan Campbell, number 67 and not number 87
The kickoff went to the Browns 8 yard line
Billy Reynolds came up the middle and cut to his right
And he was hit by Stan Campbell at the 27 yard line
So there are the Browns have it, first and 10 on their own 27
Milt Plum, Luke Carpenter, Ray Renfro, Jimmy Brown in the backfield
Plummet quarterback has Renfro flanked out to the right
The handoff goes to the fullback
It's Jimmy Brown with it across the 30, up to about the 35 to 37
Hit by Terry Barr
Jimmy Brown, the rookie fullback
Who is rookie of the year in the National Football League, got the handoff
From Milt Plum, went wide to his left
And he got over the 35 yard line to the 36
A gain of 9 yards on the play
Second down and 1 yard to go
Detroit's defense, there's McCord, Gene Cronin at the end
They tackles Gil Mames and Jerry Perry
The Browns at the line of scrimmage
Renfro to the right, the handoff goes to Jimmy Brown the fullback
He goes straight ahead, up over the 40 yard line to about the 42
Before he is piled up, it's enough for the first down of course
Since the Browns needed but 1 yard
For the first down
Jim Ray Smith coming in the ball game
That right guard carrying a play from head coach Paul Brown
Lee Brown's up to the line of scrimmage
Hard Hunter is over the ball at center
Plum with the ball, he gives to Lou Carpenter away from one man
He's at the 40, the 45, cuts back in, loses his footing as he does so
And the referee rules that he is downed at the 47 yard line
That was Lou Carpenter, the ball carrier, was Carl Karolewicz
Who covered Carpenter at the 47
As Lou lost his footing in trying to cut to his left
The line defensive captain Joe Schmidt
Gives the boys their defensive signals prior to the play
And then when the Browns come up to the line of scrimmage
He also signals the defensive backfield
And sometimes they then move into a new position
Rentrow out to the left, the handoff to Lou Carpenter up the middle
Close to the 50 yard line
Piled up there by three or four of the Detroit Lions
Led by Bob Miller, number 74
Joe Schmidt, the linebacker also in there
It's a gain of three yards on the play for Lou Carpenter
And it is now going to be third down coming up and about a yard to go
Third and about one
The ball on the 50 yard line
12 minutes left to play in this championship football game
The Lions 52 and the Browns 14
One with the ball, he flips to the fullback Jimmy Brown
He gets around to the right, comes across to about the 49 yard line in Detroit territory
It's close to a first down but it looks from our broadcasting vantage point
That it is going to be short by about a foot
Joe Schmidt, the linebacker who came in to make the tackle on Jimmy Brown
Brown getting the ball from quarterback Mel Plum, swinging wide to the right
Got just about a yard to the line, 49 yard line
And it's fourth down and less than a yard to go
Fred Robinson in the ball game at right guard
Jim Ray Smith out of there
The Browns out of the huddle
This time the line is tight
The Detroit defense dug in there tightly
Plum calls the signals, he fakes to one man
He's going back to pass, he gets away from a Lion defender
Now he runs with the ball, he's at the 50, the 45, to the 40 in Detroit territory
And he has wrestled to the ground at the 42
But it will be a first down
Mel Plum faked a running play, sent Jimmy Brown into the center of the line
Then he went back, set up the pass, there was a rush against him
He ducked under a tackler
And finally was stopped by Gene Cronin at the 41 yard line
In Detroit territory, Mel Plum, the rookie quarterback, showing a slight limp
He had a muscle cramp earlier in the week during a practice session
The ball in the Detroit 41, it's first and 10 for the Browns
Renfro, a way out to the left
The Lions are up there right now in a seven man line
The handoff to Carpenter, he finds an opening, he's down to the 30
And there he is hit and hit hard
Carl Karolewicz and Gary Lowe is now in there defensively
For Detroit making the stop on the play
But Carpenter gets from the 41 down to about the 31
It's going to be close to a first down, but it's second and about a foot
Second and about a foot for the Browns on the Detroit 31
The Browns huddle back at the 40 yard line
The Browns are in the lead
Ray Renfro takes the slanking spot out to the left
Preston Carpenter at the right end is split by about 12 yards
The left end Brewster by about three
Plum of the ball, he flips to the fullback Jimmy Brown
He's around the right side, he's at the 30, down to about the 28
And he is hit by Jack Christensen
Christensen just upended him at the 28 yard line
But it will be an out for the first down as Brown
Advances the ball from the 31 to the Detroit 28
First and 10 for the Browns on the line 28
In the fourth period at break stadium, 10 minutes left to play in the football game
And it's the Lions 52
The Cleveland Browns 14 as the Lions have taken advantage of every break
Which has come their way this afternoon
And they have made some of them for themselves
Cleveland to the line of scrimmage, Renfro to the left
Preston Carpenter at the right end splits
Plum calls the signals, fakes to Brown, he gives to Luke Carpenter
Why to the left, he's at the 30, he's down to the 25
And he has dropped at the 25 by three tacklers
Yale Larry was the first man to get him
There's a penalty marker on the play back here at the line of scrimmage
So let us see what the call is going to be
Terry Barr also in on the tackle
Carpenter had moved the ball to about the 25 yard line for a gain of three yards
There's a holding penalty, however, against the Detroit Lions
So now the ball is brought down very close to the 20 yard line
And it'll be a first down on defensive holding
An automatic first down for the Browns at the 20 yard line
First and 10 for Cleveland on the Detroit 20
The ball at the inbounds marker from the far side line
The Browns moving from our left to our right here in the fourth period
Renfro flanks out to the right, Pete Rooster at the left end is split
Milt Plum, the quarterback, calls the signals, he takes
He gives to Jimmy Brown the fullback
And Brown is stopped standing up as he gets inside the 25 to about the 23
Gene Cronin was in there to make the tackle
Jimmy Brown gets a couple of yards, market at the 24, a gain of just a yard
Brown is 6'2", 224 pounds, makes his home in Hempstead, Long Island
The ball on the 19 yard line, I should say, a gain of a yard for Brown
Second down and nine yards to go
Cleveland out of the huddle once again
Art Hunter, the former Notre Dame All-American over the ball at center
Renfro, the flanker, but just by a couple of yards outside the right end this time
Plum back to pass, he throws, Preston Carpenter has it at the 15
And down he goes at the 13, but again there is a marker on this play
Jack Christensen made the tackle for the Detroit Lions as the right end
Preston Carpenter hit for the nearer sideline
The pass was good at the 13, but this time there is going to be a penalty against the Cleveland Browns
And it's a long one, moving the ball back to the 34 yard line in Detroit territory
A holding penalty against the Browns
And so the ball is spotted at the 34
Second down and about 25 yards, 23 yards to go
For the first down, the Browns huddling at the Detroit 45
Their backfield has Milt Clement quarterback
Luke Carpenter and Renfro the halves, Jimmy Brown is the fullback
Renfro flanks out to the right, he's being covered over there by Jack Christensen
Plum takes the ball from center, he goes back to pass
His protection breaks down, he starts to run with it, he laterals off
Now to Jimmy Brown, the fullback, he's all the way back at the 50 yard line
He gets the blocks, now he starts to his right and he is dropped at the 50 yard line
Bob Miller made the tackle
Milt Plum went back to pass, his protection broke down
He bumped into one of his own men as he started to run with the ball
And he turned unthrottolateral to Jimmy Brown, Brown couldn't get his hands on it, finally picked it up
And about the Detroit 48 started to look around for blockers
But was dropped for a loss, all the way to the 50 yard line
So it is now third down
And 40 yards to go, the series started at the 20 yard line
The Browns huddle at their own 40 yard line
The ball right at the midfield stripe
Eight minutes left to play in the football game
Double wing, Carpenter out to the left, Renfro to the right, both ends split by about five yards
A three man line for Detroit, Plum on the quarterback draws at the 40
He's down to the 35, down to the 31 yard line and he has tackled
Bob Long, number 86, the Lions linebacker on the left side
Was the man who made the tackle
The Lions wanted it as obvious that it's a passing situation, use only a three man line
And send their linebackers in a total defensive backfield
Back there to cover against the receivers
It's now fourth down
One yard line, the Browns move out of the huddle and again it's the double wing
Lou Carpenter to the left, Ray Renfro to the right
The Lions now are in a six man line and the rush is on, Mill Plum
He throws one right over the middle to Lou Carpenter
Preston Carpenter rather, number 40, he gets inside the 25 to the 23
And there he's dropped and the Lions take over
The Detroit team had the rush on that time, Plum did get the pass away over the middle
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The ball moved to the 23 yard line but it was not enough for the first down and so Detroit takes over
The Lions leading by a score of 52 to 14 with seven minutes left to play in this football game
Gene Gadman comes racing off the Detroit bench and the Lions are now going to call for a timeout
With seven minutes left to play in this football game
The Lions are taking timeout and the score is Detroit 52, Cleveland 14
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The Cleveland Browns now have Bobby Freeman, the rookie from Auburn, at the left safety position in their defensive backfield
The Lions have the ball on their own 23 yard line, first down 10 yards to go
And the scoreboard clock, which of course is unofficial time, shows 7 minutes remaining in the game
And the Lions are in front by a score of 52 to 14, Detroit to the line of scrimmage
Cassidy in the ball game, he's flanked out to the right, the handoff goes to the fullback, Leon Hart
And Hart is nailed as he gets just about a yard to the 24 yard line
It's Gene Gedman, not Leon Hart, the ball carrier
And now Jerry Reichau comes into the ball game, Tobin Rhodes goes out, listen to the hand he gets
Tobin Rhodes doing a great job for the Lions here this afternoon and he gets a well deserved round of applause as he leaves the playing field
Reichau, the former Iowa star is at quarterback
Cassidy is out to the right, the handoff goes to Gedman, wide to the left, he's at the 25 to the 28, the 30 yard line
Vince Costello wrestles him to the ground there along with a couple of other Browns
Junior Ren, the safety man in Dawnfall, the right halfback
There's another flag on the play however and it is going to be a penalty against the Cleveland Browns
Gedman had moved the ball to the 30 yard line but the Browns are now penalized to the Detroit 44
Illegal use of hands against the Browns
And the Lions have a first down 10 yards to go on their own 44 with Jerry Reichau in there at quarterback
And the Lions have all but wrapped up the World Championship for Pro Football, the Lions to the line of scrimmage
Reichau at quarterback calls the signals
Cassidy is out to the right once again, Reichau hands off this time to Gedman and he cuts into the left side of his line
Then moves forward over the 40 to about the 43 yard line
There's a flag on the play on this play
Bob Gane, the defensive tackle on the left side for Cleveland, made the tackle along with Walter Michaels
But there's another penalty against the Browns, the ball was carried by Gedman to the 43, the Browns are penalized
To the 44 yard line, it's first down and five yards to go
First and five on the 44 yard line in Detroit territory
The Blue Jersey Lions out of the huddle, Middleton, the flanker out to the right
Cassidy out to the left, Reichau calls the signals, there's another flag
Reichau carries the ball behind the left side of his line, gets to the 46 yard line
Again of a couple of yards on the play, but there's a flag on the playing field, so let's see what this penalty is going to be
Again it was Bob Gane, the left tackle for the Browns who made the stop
The officials now up there talking to the Browns captain Don Colo
And the penalty is against the Detroit Lions
Colo still conferring with a referee
And now the ball is moved back to the 39 yard line, a five yard penalty for illegal procedure against the Lions
Now let's pause 10 seconds for station identification
WGY, WGFM, Schenectady
Of course on that penalty the down remains the first down, Charlie Onnie is in the ball game for Detroit
Reichau calls the signals, he gives to Gedman, he goes wide to his right, there are flags on this flag
And Gedman gets away from one man over near the far sideline and finally is pushed out of bounds by two or three of the Browns
Bobby Freeman, Warren Lahr, over there, also Walter Michaels
Walter Michaels was the first man to get the shot at Gedman, he slowed him up and then Bobby Freeman and Warren Lahr came along to knock him out of bounds
At about the 37 yard line, it would be a loss of a couple of yards on the play, but there was a penalty marker
The Detroit team offside, but it was declined by the Browns, so it is second down
At about 11 and a half yards to go, the ball at the 37 and a half in Detroit territory
Detroit out of the huddle once again, Gatsky over the ball, Dorn Dibble is out to the right, the inside flanker
Reichau going back to pass now, he gets protection, now he throws, it is no good
Intended for Gene Gedman across the 50 yard line in Browns territory, he was covered by Junior Wren, but the pass was off the target
Gene Gedman, the intended receiver, along the near sideline just as he moved into Cleveland territory inside the 50 yard line
So now it will be third down, at 11 and a half still to go for the Lions
With less than six minutes to play in this football game, it is the Detroit Lions
52, the Cleveland Browns 14, Jim Doran back in the ball game for Detroit
Gene Gedman is out of there, Cassidy is the running back
Reichau calls the signals, the flanker is out to the right
Reichau looks like he starts to run with the ball, but he has dropped at just about the line of scrimmage, the 37 yard line
Again it is Bob Gain, they tackle driving in along with Bill Quinlan
Reichau apparently trying to go on a quarterback draw, but it did not work as he was stopped at just about the line of scrimmage
So now it is fourth down for the Lions, and with a lead of 52 to 14, they send Yale Larry into the football game
Larry stands back at his 22 yard line, Chet Hanulak and Billy Reynolds, the deep man for the Browns
Larry gets the snap, he gets the kick away, it is a good one, Hanulak signals for a fair catch and takes it at the Browns 31
So Larry punts to the Cleveland 31 yard line, the rush was armed by the Browns, Mill Campbell was leading that rush in on Yale Larry
But Larry managed to get the punt away, a 31 yard kick as Hanulak took it on the fair catch at the Browns 31 yard line
So it is Cleveland's ball, first and 10 on their own 31, with just five minutes left to play in this football game
Renfro is flanked out to the right, out to the left is Lou Carpenter, Milt Plum at quarterback, calls the signals, he goes back to pass, he throws
It is no good, almost intercepted by Gary Low, it was Jack Christensen who hit Ray Renfro just about the time he was reaching for the ball
The ball bounded high in the air and Gary Low made a diving try for it, but he could not grab it, so it goes as an incomplete forward pass
Plum intended for Renfro, and it will be second down 10 yards to go for the Browns on their own 31 yard line
As the Lions are within four and a half minutes of being champions of the National Football League
The handoff this time goes to Jimmy Brown the fullback, wide to his left, he gets to the 35 still on his feet
Across the 35 to about the 36 yard line, Terry Barr, there to make the tackle for the Detroit Lions
So Brown picked up five yards, it will be third down and five yards to go for Cleveland
The ball on the Browns 36 yard line, Jerry Perry was in on the tackle for the Detroit Lions
Cleveland's backfield right now, Milt Plum at quarterback, Lou Carpenter and Ray Renfro are the haves, and Jimmy Brown is the fullback
Renfro goes out to the right in a flanking spot, the left end Brewster is split by about 10, Plum takes, he fakes to Lou Carpenter
He goes back to pass, he throws, it is no good, intended for Brewster, the left end as Pete broke over the middle at the 50 yard line
But the pass was off the target, so now it is going to be fourth down and still a little better than five yards to go
Jack Christensen was defending on Pete Brewster on the play, but it was not necessary for him to break it up since the pass didn't come too close to Brewster
Terry Barr and Yale Larry go back into the double safety for the Detroit Lions
Kenny Conns coming in to do the kicking for the Browns since it is fourth down and about five and a half yards to go
Less than four minutes remaining in this championship football game, Conns goes back to his 20 yard line
There's the snap from Tommy Catlin at center, it's off the side of the foot of Conns and it is coming over near the near sideline and going out of bounds on the Detroit 44
Kenny Conns kicking to the Lion 44 yard line, it went out of bounds, a 20 yard kick and Detroit takes over
The Lions fans are still urging their heroes to pick up at least another touchdown in the remaining three minutes and 47 seconds
The ball on the Lion 44, Jerry Rykow is the quarterback, Jim Doran goes out to the right, Dave Middleton to the left
Middleton is the flanking back, Doran is at right end, Rykow barks the signals, he takes, he hands off to Cassidy, he's at the 50, the 45, the 40 and he is dropped at the 35 yard line
The one who wrestled down there by four or five of the Browns was Don Paul who made the initial stop
Rykow started to run to his right, spun around and handed the ball to Cassidy and he found a big hole in the middle of the Browns line
And hop along, knew what to do with it and he went all the way to the Browns 35 yard line, 21 yard run for Cassidy
On the 35, it's first and 10 for Detroit, Rykow again calls the signals, the flanker this time is out to the right
Rykow with the ball, rolls to his right, throws a pass downfield, it is no good
Just over the outstretched hands of Dave Middleton at the 10 yard line, defending on the play was Bobby Freeman
Freeman and Middleton were teammates at Auburn University during their collegiate days
Jerry Rykow's forward pass, as he aimed for Middleton, Middleton was going down the far sideline, but it was no good
Now there's a conference back up here at the line of Scrimmage
There's a penalty against the Cleveland Browns
And it carries the ball down to the 20 yard line, the 21 yard line, again illegal use of hands
The Browns penalize to their own 21 yard line and it of course is a first down, first and 10
And now the Lions are in good position to get that extra touchdown that their fans have been looking for
Duran out to the left, Rykow calls the signals, he takes, again he hands to Cassidy on that same play
And Cassidy gets to about the 17 yard line, the only difference was at this time, Rykow was moving to his left
As he handed in back of him to Cassidy, Cassidy got into about the 17 yard line
Vince Costello, Don Colo and Waller-Michaels all making the tackle, again of 3 yards for Cassidy
And it's second down and 7 for the Lions, Middleton goes to the flanking spot
Out to the right, Dorn Devil is the right end, the left hand split by about 5 yards, Rykow rolls to his right
He throws, there's a man there, Cassidy has it for a touchdown
Well we were talking about sweet revenge and the Lions have now topped the 56 points scored against them by the Browns in 1954
Because the score of this football game is 58 to 14 and Jim Martin will have the opportunity to make it 59
The ball will be held by Tobin Road at the 10 yard line, time called here momentarily
The fans have thrown some debris into the end zone at the end of the field where Martin will be doing his kicking
The scoreboard clock shows 2 minutes and 20 seconds, some Detroit fans have broken down out of the stands and are now moving up behind the Lion bench
Signals being called for the extra point, Gunnergatsky over the ball at center
The ball is spotted, it's booted, it's good, the score is now 59 to 14, the Detroit Lions 59, the Browns 14
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Jim Martin has the ball teed up on the 40 yard line for another kickoff with 2 minutes and some 20 seconds left
And Bill Campbell and Jimmy Brown are deep for the Cleveland Browns, the score 59 to 14, the Detroit Lions over the Cleveland Browns
Martin waiting for the whistle now from the referee Ron Gibbs
Jimmy Brown is on the far side and receiving position for Cleveland, Bill Campbell on the near side
Campbell the former Olympic Decathlon champion, Martin Booms won it's a high one
Jimmy Brown takes it at the 6 yard line, he's to the 10, the 15, the 20, moves to his left and is tackled at the 23, the 24 yard line
The kick went to the Browns 5 yard line and Jimmy Brown returned it from that spot to the 23 yard line
Where it's the Browns first down 10 yards to go with a little better than 2 minutes remaining to be played in this football game
The officials actually right now are signaling the benches that we have but 2 minutes
The Detroit fan racing across the field with outstretched arms to greet his heroes on the far side
Bobby Lane on crunches over there of course tries to get out of his way
The Browns move up to the line of scrimmage
Plum still in there at quarterback, Renfro is out to the right, the left end Brewster is split
Plum hands to Jimmy Brown the fullback, he gets away from Roger Zetkoff, bumbles it however and drops on it at the 17 yard line
Jimmy Brown taking from Milk Plum the quarterback trying to get around the left end, he was hit by Zetkoff
He bounced off Zetkoff but the ball bounced off him, Jerry Perry tried to get the ball but Jimmy Brown fell on it
At the 16 yard line in Cleveland territory, a minute and a half showing on the scoreboard clock
Which is unofficial time, the official time is down on the playing field, Renfro the flanker to the right, both ends split
Plum takes, rolls to his right, he has protection, he throws to Luke Carpenter who is bounced out of bounds at the 25 yard line
Jim Martin who has seen little action defensively for the Lions this afternoon was the man who bounced Carpenter out of bounds
Now fans are pouring down on the field from all angles, it's third down and about eight yards to go for Cleveland
As the ball is at the 24 yard line, Brown's huddled back inside the 15, now they move out of there, Renfro flanked out to the left
The right end Preston Carpenter is split, Plum takes, he gives to Luke Carpenter, Carpenter wide to his left, gets the block
He's at the 30, the 35, cuts to his right and is dropped at the 39 yard line
It's Gary Lowe of the Detroit secondary who made the tackle on the play, it's the first down of course, Carpenter swinging wide to his left
Behind good blocking, got to the 39 yard line in Cleveland territory and now we have just about 45 seconds left to play in the football game
A dejected Waller-Michaels, the only member of the Browns sitting on the bench on the far side of the field
Gary Renfro out to the right, the handoff goes to Luke Carpenter, he swings wide, gets to the 40 yard line
And there he is hit by three or four of the Lions, Gene Cronin led the charge in there for Detroit
20 seconds left to play in the football game, Gil Maines also in on the stop, the ball is spotted at the 40 yard line
At the 41 yard line, a gain of two for Carpenter, second and about seven and time is running out
The Detroit Lions are champions of the National Football League as they have handled the Browns in decisive fashion here this afternoon
And there is the end of the game, the final score, the Detroit Lions 58, the Cleveland Browns 14
We'll be back in a moment for the final wrap up of today's game
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Ladies and gentlemen, the 1957 professional championship game is now history
A crowd of over 55,000 here at Bridge Stadium, Detroit
I believe at many points in today's game could not quite believe what they were seeing
A Detroit Lion team that has won the professional championship by a score of 59 to 14
The last pro championship here in Detroit came in 1953 against these same Cleveland Browns
When the game was won by a score of 17 to 16
Then came 54, the last time these two teams met in pro championship play
And the Browns won it by a score of 56 to 10
To pick out the usual highlights in a game like this would be completely impossible, time would not permit
The score tells the story
As we gaze across the field here from our vantage point on the west side of Bridge Stadium
We look at that scoreboard which tells 17 points in the first period for Detroit
And then 14 points in each of the second, third, and fourth periods
The Browns meanwhile were able to score single touchdowns in only the second and third periods of play
And so the Detroit Lions who manufactured early breaks
Come on to win the professional championship in the first year that George Wilson served as their head football coach
And so I believe a tremendous tribute would be in order from both Bill McCaugen and myself
Speaking for pro football fans everywhere to George Wilson and his Detroit Lion coaching staff and players
President Edwin Anderson and their board of directors
And to the folks of Detroit as we congratulate them on winning the professional football championship
So right now we would like to give our thanks to our spotters
Bill Kelly for the Browns and Ed Taylor for the Lions
Our statistician was Jim Grainer
Our engineer was Joe Sterniolo
This broadcast was produced by NBC Sports editor Paul Jonas
Speaking for Bill McCaugen and yours truly Ray Scott
Once again the final score
The Detroit Lions 59
The Cleveland Browns 14
This portion of today's World's Championship game was brought to you direct from Detroit
Over the NBC radio and television networks
By the High Grade Food Products Corporation
And its Kingin, Carstens, and Deerfoot Farms divisions
High Grade, serving the nation with quality meats from 51 plants coast to coast
Wishes you and their distributors and the food merchants of America
A very Happy New Year
This is the NBC Radio Network