Highlighted Year: Dave Baker, 1960

Safety, San Francisco 49ers

Age: 23

2^nd season in pro football & with 49ers

College: Oklahoma

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 193

Prelude:

Baker was a quarterback and defensive back in college on teams coached by Bud Wilkinson that went a combined 30-2 from 1956 to ’58. He led the Sooners in passing in 1957 and had a 94-yard interception return in the Orange Bowl following that season. Baker was chosen by the 49ers in the first round of the 1959 NFL draft (fifth overall) and he moved directly into the defensive backfield, combining with another rookie, Eddie Dove, to provide an effective safety tandem. He intercepted five passes and was named to the Pro Bowl.

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 10 [1, tied with Jerry Norton]

Most interceptions, game – 4 at LA Rams 12/4

Int. return yards – 96 [9, tied with Jerry Norton]

Most int. return yards, game – 49 (on 4 int.) at LA Rams 12/4

Int. TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 0

Punting

Punts – 3 [19, tied with Eddie LeBaron]

Yards – 143 [19]

Average – 47.7

Punts blocked – 0

Longest punt – 55 yards

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFL: AP, UPI, NEA, NY Daily News

49ers went 7-5 to finish second in the NFL Western Conference (tied with the Detroit Lions) while leading the league in fewest points allowed (205).

Aftermath:

Baker intercepted another six passes and was a first-team All-NFL selection by The Sporting News in 1961. He then served two years in the military but, rather than return to the NFL, accepted an offer to become athletic director and men’s basketball coach at Bethany Nazarene College (now Southern Nazarene University). Overall, in a short but outstanding career, Baker intercepted 21 passes in just three seasons with the 49ers, gaining first- or second-team All-NFL honors after two of them and one Pro Bowl selection. To date, he shares the NFL record with his four-interception game against the Rams and the 10 interceptions in 1960 are still the franchise record for the 49ers (tied by Ronnie Lott in 1986).

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1960: Eagles Come Back to Beat Giants in Eastern Showdown

The Philadelphia Eagles were 7-1 as they faced the New York Giants in the second of back-to-back games between the clubs on November 27, 1960 that would effectively determine the winner of the NFL Eastern Conference. Coached by Buck Shaw, Philadelphia was an overachieving team. QB Norm Van Brocklin was the undisputed leader of the offense and had reliable receivers in flanker Tommy McDonald and ends Pete Retzlaff and Bobby Walston, who was also the placekicker. When FB Clarence Peaks went down with a season-ending broken leg, rookie Ted Dean (pictured above) stepped in admirably and when LB Bob Pellegrini likewise was lost to injury, center Chuck Bednarik returned to that role, playing both ways in doing so. Rookie LB Maxie Baughan and veteran safety Don Burroughs, obtained from the Rams, also helped to bolster a much-improved defense.

In beating the Giants at Yankee Stadium the previous week, Bednarik had deprived New York of star HB Frank Gifford with a famously jolting tackle and now the 5-2-1 Giants, who topped the conference in each of the previous two seasons, were in a must-win situation. New York was also without veteran QB Charlie Conerly and relying on George Shaw to guide the offense. Still, under the direction of Head Coach Jim Lee Howell, this was a good veteran club with a sound defense and plenty of remaining capable players on offense.

There were 60,547 fans in attendance at Franklin Field for the final showdown between the two rivals. The Giants struck quickly on their first play from scrimmage as George Shaw went long for end Kyle Rote, who went the distance for a 71-yard touchdown. Pat Summerall added the extra point.

The Eagles turned the ball over when QB Norm Van Brocklin’s long bomb was intercepted by DHB Lindon Crow and New York scored again, this time driving 83 yards in eight plays. HB Ed Sutton ran around end for 34 yards on first down and HB Joe Morrison caught a pass for 17 yards and then rushed for 19 on the next play. Once again Shaw passed to Rote for a TD, this time from 11 yards out. Summerall’s conversion had the visitors up by 14-0.

The teams exchanged punts before Van Brocklin threw a pass that was intercepted by LB Harland Svare near midfield and returned to the Philadelphia 18. However, the Giants lost yardage from there and end Bob Schnelker dropped a third-down pass in the end zone, but they added three more points with a 35-yard Summerall field goal.

As the game headed into the second quarter, the Eagles had to punt and New York moved the ball effectively. However, safety Bobby Freeman intercepted a Shaw pass at the Philadelphia 44 and returned it all the way to the New York nine. The home team couldn’t reach the end zone from there, with a pass to Tommy McDonald in the end zone ruled out of bounds, but Bobby Walston kicked a 15-yard field goal to get the Eagles on the board.

Once again the Eagles intercepted a Shaw pass, this time the culprit being Maxie Baughan to give them possession at the New York 26. Van Brocklin (pictured at left) threw to Ted Dean for a 25-yard touchdown and, with Walston’s point after, the New York lead was narrowed to 17-10.

For the third time, Shaw was picked off, with Don Burroughs giving the Eagles the ball at the New York 33. Dean ran for 17 yards and Van Brocklin completed two passes to reach the six. From there, HB Billy Barnes ran to the one but fumbled, and OT J.D. Smith outmaneuvered two defenders to recover the ball in the end zone for a TD. Walston again converted and the score was tied at 17-17.

With time running out in the first half, the Giants, who had been reeling through most of the period, advanced into Philadelphia territory. FB Mel Triplett and Sutton combined for 18 yards on the ground and then Shaw completed a pass to Rote for 35 yards. New York moved back on top with a 31-yard Summerall field goal and the score was 20-17 heading into halftime.

Following a three-and-out series by the Eagles to start the third quarter, the Giants drove to the Philadelphia eight. Triplett and Morrison ran the ball well and Shaw tossed a pass to HB Alex Webster for 14 yards along the way. Summerall booted another field goal, this time from 15 yards, and the visitors were ahead by six points.

Again the Eagles had to punt, and once more Burroughs intercepted a pass, this time putting the home team in possession at the New York 49 to start the fourth quarter. On the next play, Van Brocklin fired long for Dean, who gathered in the pass at the 15 and, helped along by a block by Pete Retzlaff, ran the rest of the way for a 49-yard touchdown. Walston’s extra point gave Philadelphia the lead by a 24-23 score.

The Eagles forced another turnover on the next series when DE Joe Robb knocked the ball loose from Morrison and DHB Jimmy Carr recovered at the New York 30. Philadelphia again made the most of the opportunity, advancing 30 yards in eight plays. After converting a fourth-and-one play with Dean diving over the stacked defense for the necessary yard, Van Brocklin connected with Barnes for an eight-yard TD and, with Walston’s PAT, the Eagles were up by eight points.

The teams each had short possessions and punted, and Lee Grosscup came in at quarterback for the Giants. While Grosscup completed two passes, a penalty and a sack by Chuck Bednarik negated the gains. The Giants attempted to convert a fourth-and-one play from their 36, but Triplett was stopped short and the Eagles were able to run out the clock to win by a score of 31-23.

New York had the edge in total yards (337 to 211) and first downs (13 to 12). However, the Giants also turned the ball over five times, to three by Philadelphia, and that made the difference.

Norm Van Brocklin completed 13 of 23 passes for 147 yards and three touchdowns, along with three interceptions. Ted Dean ran for just 28 yards on 11 carries but also caught 5 passes for 74 yards and two TDs. Billy Barnes gained 35 yards on 17 attempts but his lone pass reception was good for a touchdown. Tommy McDonald contributed three catches for 46 yards. On defense, Don Burroughs accounted for two of the interceptions.

For the Giants, George Shaw was successful on 9 of 19 throws for 179 yards and two TDs, but gave up the four big interceptions. Kyle Rote (pictured at right) caught four passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Ed Sutton topped the club in rushing with 57 yards on five carries and Joe Morrison added 54 yards on 17 attempts.    

The win over the Giants was also Philadelphia’s last home game of the regular season, but the Eagles went 2-1 on the road to wrap up the Eastern Conference with a 10-2 record. They defeated Green Bay for the NFL Championship. New York dropped to third at 6-4-2.

Norm Van Brocklin was a consensus MVP as well as All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection. He ranked second in pass attempts (284), completions (153), yards (2471), and TD passes (24) in what was his last year before moving to the sidelines as head coach of the expansion Minnesota Vikings.

Ted Dean rushed for 304 yards, gained 281 more on 15 pass receptions, and adding in kick returns, accumulated 1120 total yards. He capped a promising rookie season by starring in the NFL Championship game, where he scored the game-winning touchdown.

Kyle Rote had a solid season at age 32, catching 42 passes for 750 yards (17.9 avg.) and scoring a career-high 10 TDs.

1960: Unitas to Moore TD Passes Propel Colts to Rout of College All-Stars

The 27^th annual College All-Star Game on August 12, 1960 featured the Baltimore Colts, back for a second straight year after repeating as NFL champions, against an All-Star team coached by Otto Graham, former star pro quarterback and now head coach at the Coast Guard Academy.

The Colts, under Head Coach Weeb Ewbank, had a productive passing attack that featured QB Johnny Unitas, HB Lenny Moore, and end Raymond Berry. The defense was strong and had shut the All-Stars down in a 29-0 win in ’59.

Graham, who was coaching the All-Stars for the third consecutive year, had a roster that included future pro stars in Southern Methodist QB Don Meredith, fullbacks Dick Bass of the College of the Pacific and Don Perkins from New Mexico, Vanderbilt HB Tom Moore, ends Carroll Dale from Virginia Tech and Gail Cogdill of Washington State, and Georgia Tech C/LB Maxie Baughan.

There were 70,000 fans in attendance on a warm, moonlit Friday night. On their second possession of the game, the Colts rolled 69 yards in seven plays that culminated in Johnny Unitas tossing a four-yard touchdown pass to Lenny Moore. Steve Myhra added the extra point.

Down by 7-0, the All-Stars responded with an impressive series. Don Meredith connected with Dick Bass on a screen pass for 30 yards and, after Bass carried for nine more yards, a pass interference penalty put the ball on the Baltimore five yard line. However, Meredith fumbled and DE Gino Marchetti recovered for the Colts to end the threat. The Colts then proceeded to drive 95 yards to another Unitas-to-Moore TD, this time covering three yards, and Myhra’s PAT made it 14-0.

Before the half was over, Baltimore took complete control. Myhra booted a 38-yard field goal and then Unitas connected with Moore for a third touchdown of 14 yards. The pro champs had a comfortable 24-0 lead at halftime.

With the game well in hand, Unitas was relieved early in the third quarter by backup QB Ray Brown. The defense put more points on the board when Notre Dame QB George Izo was tossed for a safety by DE Don Joyce and DT Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb.

While Gail Cogdill made some good catches for the All-Stars, the running game was kept in check by the savvy Baltimore defense and quarterbacks Meredith, Izo, and Pete Hall of Marquette faced heavy pressure throughout the contest.

Myhra kicked a 27-yard field goal that padded the Baltimore lead to 29-0 after three quarters. Early in the fourth quarter, the All-Stars finally avoided a shutout when Meredith threw a short pass to HB Prentice Gautt of Oklahoma who took off for a 60-yard touchdown. Mississippi’s Bob Khayat added the extra point.

That was all the excitement the collegians would muster, however. Myhra kicked one more field goal, of 26 yards, and once again the Colts were comfortable winners by a final score of 32-7.

Baltimore outgained the All-Stars by 416 yards to 128. The All-Stars managed just 13 yards on the ground and turned the ball over four times, to one turnover by the Colts. Johnny Unitas completed 17 of 29 passes for 237 yards while ends Raymond Berry and Jim Mutscheller combined for nine catches and 153 yards.

Don Meredith (pictured at right) was the most productive of the All-Star quarterbacks, completing 8 of 20 throws for 156 yards and the lone TD. Gail Cogdill made five catches for 64 yards to make him the offensive star for the collegians.

The only downside for the Colts was a broken hand suffered by the All-Pro OT Jim Parker, but he was back in action by the time the regular season came around. Baltimore got off to a 6-2 start but, with a deficient running attack, faded down the stretch to end up at 6-6.

Don Meredith joined the expansion Dallas Cowboys, where he played for nine years and was chosen to the Pro Bowl three times. Gail Cogdill had a stellar rookie season for the Detroit Lions and also went to the Pro Bowl three times over the course of eleven years as a pro.

The win for the Colts put the pro champs ahead in the series by 17 to 8 with two ties, with lopsided results such as that in 1960 becoming more of the norm. 

1960: NFL Approves Move of Cards from Chicago to St. Louis

On the evening of March 13, 1960 the NFL approved the transfer of the Chicago Cardinals franchise to St. Louis. The owners agreed to the move upon two conditions. First, a satisfactory lease agreement had to be worked out with Busch Stadium, which was owned by the major league baseball Cardinals, as well as arrangements for television coverage (as anticipated, these were not problematic conditions. A new stadium, which would come to be Busch Memorial Stadium, was in the planning stages and was finally available in 1966).

The team’s managing director, Walter Wolfner, strongly denied that a move was imminent right up to the day of the vote. He indicated afterward that the league had unexpectedly agreed to meet certain conditions that made the franchise shift possible.

The NFL agreed to pay the team $500,000 to help defray the costs of the relocation, which included paying off the lease for use of Soldier Field. The Bears were especially willing to assist with the cost in anticipation of increased revenue due to the freeing up of the Chicago territory.

While sentimentalists were sorry to see the move of the league’s oldest franchise, which had such long ties to the Windy City, the club had long played second fiddle to the more successful Bears.

The Cardinals had Chicago roots dating back to 1898, when they began life as an amateur community team called the Morgan Athletic Club. From there they became the Racine Normals, due to their venue being Normal Field on Racine Avenue, and then the Racine Cardinals after obtaining a supply of faded maroon jerseys from the University of Chicago. The team disbanded and reorganized on two occasions and joined the fledgling NFL (then the American Professional Football Association) in 1920, quickly becoming known as the Chicago Cardinals.

While the Cardinals had sporadic success, winning NFL titles in 1925 and ’47, for the most part they quickly fell behind the rival Bears, who won far more regularly. The club was bought by Charles W. Bidwill in 1933, and by the late 40s he had begun to assemble a winning squad that featured the “Million-Dollar Backfield” of QB Paul Christman, FB Pat Harder, and halfbacks Charley Trippi and Elmer Angsman. But he died before the championship-winning season in 1947 and his widow, Violet, married businessman Walter Wolfner two years later, who became managing director in 1951.

Organizationally, the Cards floundered in the 1950s, putting together just one winning season. Attendance was poor and not helped by the move from Comiskey Park to Soldier Field in 1959, also playing two games in Bloomington, Minnesota, a potential NFL market (the Vikings arrived on the scene in 1961). The Wolfners turned down suitors willing to buy the franchise (two of whom, Lamar Hunt and Bud Adams, went on to found the American Football League), but they were losing money. With a study showing that St. Louis was a viable candidate to field a NFL team, the decision was made to relocate. Additionally, a St. Louis brewer named Joe Griesedieck bought a ten percent interest in the club.

The team’s fortunes immediately improved on the field. After having finished at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 2-10 record in 1959, the Cardinals were 6-5-1 in their first St. Louis season. They were the NFL’s top rushing team, with star HB John David Crow leading the way with 1071 yards and second-year split end Sonny Randle led the league with 15 receiving touchdowns among his 62 catches. The defense was greatly improved and included DE Leo Sugar, DT Frank Fuller, plus an established star safety in Jerry Norton, who was also an excellent punter, and Larry Wilson, a rookie who would go on to a Hall of Fame career, in the other spot.

Violet Wolfner died in 1962 and a legal battle ensued between her sons from her marriage to Charles Bidwill, Charles W. Jr. (aka Stormy) and Bill, and the pugnacious Wolfner who contested the will leaving the bulk of her estate – including the majority ownership in the Cardinals – to the brothers. The nasty legal battle was finally settled out of court. Stormy ran the team until selling his interest to Bill in 1972.

Meanwhile, on the field there was difficulty at quarterback, and the acquisition of 31-year-old Sam Etcheverry, a legendary player in Canada, failed to resolve the issue when it was found that his arm was worn out. However, in 1962 a promising young quarterback from New Mexico State named Charley Johnson took over and, in 1963 and ’64, the Cards exhibited a productive offense and contended in the Eastern Conference. Randle, in combination with flanker Bobby Joe Conrad, continued to excel and the offensive backfield was deep enough to withstand injuries. Wally Lemm had been grabbed away from the AFL’s Houston Oilers in ’62 to become the head coach, with encouraging results.

However, the Cardinals failed to break through to the postseason. The team would not do so until 1974, under offensive-minded Head Coach Don Coryell, but he left after five years and two non-winning postseason appearances, frustrated by the team’s continued organizational failings under Bill Bidwill.

Ultimately, the relocation to St. Louis that began with such promise of success soured badly. Bidwill chose to be his own general manager, too often with unfortunate results. Along with some notable highly-drafted busts such as QB Steve Pisarkiewicz, WR Clyde Duncan, and kicker Steve Little, there were plenty of talented players along the way. In addition to those named previously, notable among them on offense were quarterbacks Jim Hart and Neil Lomax, running backs Terry Metcalf and Ottis Anderson, wide receivers Mel Gray, Pat Tilley, Roy Green, and J.T. Smith, linemen Dan Dierdorf, Conrad Dobler, Bob DeMarco, and Tom Banks and, on defense, linebackers Dale Meinert, Larry Stallings, and E.J. Junior and backs Pat Fischer and Roger Wehrli. Jim Bakken was a standout placekicker for many years and Vai Sikahema a notable kick returner. But the team underachieved far too often, and attendance fell until the franchise shifted again, this time moving to Phoenix in 1988. The overall record over the course of 28 years in the Gateway City was 187-202-13 and 0-3 in the postseason.

Rookie of the Year: Gail Cogdill, 1960

Split End, Detroit Lions

Age: 23

College: Washington State

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

Cogdill received All-American recognition following his last two college seasons and overall compiled 64 pass receptions for 1256 yards and 13 touchdowns, including a 7-catch, 252-yard performance against Northwestern during his junior year. He was chosen by the Lions in the sixth round of the 1960 NFL draft and, spurning an offer from the Dallas Texans of the new AFL, moved directly into the starting lineup.

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 43 [8, tied with Willard Dewveall]

Most receptions, game – 8 (for 115 yds.) vs. San Francisco 10/9

Yards – 642 [11]

Most yards, game – 115 (on 8 catches) vs. San Francisco 10/9

Average gain – 14.9

TDs – 1

100-yard receiving games - 1

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: UPI, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Lions went 7-5 to finish second in the NFL Western Conference (along with the 49ers).

Aftermath:

Cogdill followed up in 1961 with 45 catches for 956 yards (21.2 avg.) and six touchdowns. He achieved career highs with 53 receptions and 991 yards in 1962 and 10 TD catches in ’63, garnering Pro Bowl honors both years. Fast and prone to making big plays, Cogdill was a solid deep receiver for a team that relied more on ball control and strong defense. Injuries became a factor later in his career. A dislocated shoulder ended his 1964 season in the 11^th game and a fractured kneecap during the ’65 preseason cost him five games and severely limited his performance when he did play. He came back to catch 47 passes in 1966, but for just 411 yards, and following a down year in ’67 he was waived during the 1968 season and picked up by the Colts, where he sat on the bench as leg problems continued to be an issue. Cogdill finished up with two years in Atlanta, catching a total of 31 passes and retiring after the ’70 season. Overall, he caught 356 passes for 5696 yards (16.0 avg.) and 34 touchdowns – of those totals, 325 receptions, 5221 yards, and 28 TDs came with Detroit. He was named to the Pro Bowl three times.and received second-team All-NFL honors following the 1962, ’63, and ’64 seasons.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

1960: Packers Overcome 20-Point Deficit, but Rams Get Late FG to Win

The Los Angeles Rams were sporting a mediocre 2-5-1 record as they took on the Green Bay Packers in Milwaukee on November 20, 1960. Two of the franchise’s former great players had taken over leadership positions, with Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch as general manager and Bob Waterfield as head coach. After an 0-4 start, Waterfield began shifting personnel and giving talented rookies more playing time. The Rams rolled up big scores in wins over the Lions and expansion Cowboys before losing in the rematch with Detroit the week prior to facing the Packers.

Green Bay, in its second year under Head Coach Vince Lombardi, was 5-2 and fighting it out with the Colts, winners of the last two NFL titles, for primacy in the Western Conference. QB Bart Starr was a rising talent and HB Paul Hornung was proving to be a scoring machine. FB Jim Taylor was a solid inside runner, but was listed as doubtful coming into the game due to a leg injury. The defense was tough and the Packers clearly had the look of a club on the rise.

There were 35,763 fans in attendance at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. The Packers broke out to an early lead when Hornung kicked a field goal to cap an 11-play, 70-yard drive. DT Henry Jordan then recovered a fumble by Los Angeles QB Bill Wade, giving the Packers possession at the LA one yard line. Two plays later, and after Taylor, who clearly was not in top form, lost a yard, Hornung ran in from two yards out for a touchdown. “The Golden Boy” also added the extra point that made the score 10-0 in favor of the home team.

The Rams, in danger of being left in the dust, reached Green Bay territory on the next series before CB Jesse Whittenton intercepted a Wade pass at his own six. However, the Packers couldn’t move the ball from there and LA made a big play when DT John LoVetere blocked a Boyd Dowler punt. The Rams capitalized by scoring a touchdown on a Wade pass to end Del Shofner from 17 yards out.

The Packers responded by moving into Los Angeles territory, at which point Hornung was briefly knocked out of the game after being hit by LB Jack Pardee and CB Ed Meador. Hornung returned to try for a 36-yard field goal, but LoVetere again came through with a blocked kick for the Rams. Meador picked up the loose ball and ran all the way to the Green Bay 21 before Starr pulled him down. The Packers dug in on defense but the Rams ended up with a field goal of their own, by Danny Villanueva from 23 yards, thus tying the score at 10-10.

It quickly got worse for the Packers when flanker Lew Carpenter fumbled on the ensuing kickoff return. CB Carl Karilivacz recovered for the Rams at the Green Bay 11 and Los Angeles again made the Packers pay. Villanueva kicked another field goal, from 17 yards, to put LA in front.

Three plays later, an interception by safety Will Sherman set up another score for the Rams. LA took possession at the Green Bay 47, and this time reached the end zone. Wade threw to rookie end Jim Phillips (pictured at top) for a nine-yard touchdown, the receiver catching the ball on one knee in the corner of the end zone. The Rams took a 20-10 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, backup QB Lamar McHan came in for Starr and he overthrew a pass that was picked off by safety Charley Britt at the Green Bay 41. Wade went long for Phillips right away, who had a step on the aging great safety Emlen Tunnell, and it was good for the 41-yard touchdown. With Villanueva’s extra point, the Rams were up by 27-10.

It continued to go badly for the Packers as end Max McGee, after gaining 16 yards on an end-around, fumbled and the ball was recovered by DT George Strugar. The Rams continued to make Green Bay pay for mistakes, going seven plays on a series that ended with another Villanueva field goal, from 31 yards. LA was ahead by a remarkable 30-10.

Down by 20 points, the Packers came alive on offense. Rookie Tom Moore (pictured below), in for the injured Taylor at fullback, took a pitchout on the fourth play of the next series and ran down the left sideline, broke to the middle where he outmaneuvered Pardee and Britt, and continued on for a 59-yard TD. Not only did it pick up the team, but the crowd came back to life as well.

The Rams were forced to punt by the inspired Green Bay defense, and the Packers moved 55 yards on a possession that ended with Hornung throwing to Dowler on a halfback option pass in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Once more the Packers forced a short LA series and punt. After a 10-yard run by Moore, Starr connected with Hornung for a 33-yard gain and, two plays later, it was Hornung running over for a touchdown from two yards out. Adding the extra point, the Packers were up by a point with ten minutes to play and appeared to have capped an amazing comeback – but there was still plenty of time.

Ahead by 31-30, the Packers were ferocious on defense. When the Rams once again went three-and-out, they had managed only 13 plays and one first down over the course of four possessions that resulted in punts as Green Bay surged back.

Following that punt, the Packers took over at their own 41. It appeared that the home team was moving in for a clinching touchdown as Starr threw to McGee for a 24-yard gain to the LA 17, but the drive stalled and TE Ron Kramer couldn’t hold onto a pass at the goal line. Hornung then missed a 22-yard field goal attempt that would have forced the Rams to have to score a touchdown rather than a field goal to win.

The Rams couldn’t get anywhere on offense once again, and Shofner’s punt traveled only 25 yards. The Packers had another shot but, facing second-and-five at the LA 35, Hornung ran for four yards but then fumbled the ball away, with Britt recovering for the Rams.

The clock was down to 2:40 and the Rams had the ball at their 40 with Frank Ryan now at quarterback. Twice Ryan scrambled away from Green Bay defenders to keep a drive going that reached the Packers’ two. Nearly sacked by DT Dave Hanner, the nimble Ryan took off for a 12-yard gain to the Green Bay 40 and followed up by firing a 15-yard completion to end Carroll Dale. HB Jon Arnett lost two yards but then broke away for a 22-yard gain to the Green Bay four. After FB Ollie Matson couldn’t plow into the end zone, Villanueva kicked the winning nine-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining. The Rams came away with a stunning 33-31 upset.

Green Bay led in total yards (384 to 205), with 203 of that total coming on the ground, and first downs (20 to 12). However, sloppy play on the part of the Packers helped the Rams along, who took advantage of two blocked kicks and five turnovers to score points, while turning the ball over just twice themselves. The Packers recorded six sacks, while Los Angeles didn’t get to the Green Bay quarterbacks at all.

Bill Wade completed 14 of 26 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns with one intercepted, while Frank Ryan, appearing in the climactic series, was one-of-three through the air for 15 yards and ran effectively for 13 yards on two carries. Jim Phillips caught 5 passes for 88 yards and two TDs. The anemic running game was led by rookie HB Dick Bass, with 20 yards on two attempts. Jon Arnett had just 14 yards on 8 carries and Ollie Matson ran the ball 10 times for only 13 yards, although he also had three pass receptions for 36 yards. Danny Villanueva (pictured above) did his part by connecting on all four of his field goal attempts, including the game-winner.

For the Packers, Tom Moore had a great performance, especially in relief of Jim Taylor in the second half as he gained 105 yards on 11 carries that included the long scoring run. Paul Hornung ran 16 times for 47 yards, caught two passes for 45 more yards, and tossed an 18-yard TD pass as he accounted for a total of 19 points, but his critical missed field goal try and fumble in the fourth quarter dampened the performance. Bart Starr was successful on 10 of 20 throws for 163 yards and gave up one interception. Max McGee led the receivers with four catches for 71 yards.

The loss put the Packers a game behind the Colts with four contests remaining, and Green Bay would be on the road for all four. However, Baltimore was in the process of a complete collapse and, after losing the next week at Detroit, Green Bay rallied to win the last three games and top the Western Conference at 8-4. The finale, which clinched the title, was at Los Angeles. The Packers lost the NFL Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Rams, meanwhile, ended up sixth in the conference with a 4-7-1 record.

Paul Hornung went on to set a league scoring record of 176 points that lasted until 2006. He tallied 15 touchdowns, 15 field goals, and 41 extra points and was a consensus first-team All-NFL honoree as well as Pro Bowl selection.

Jim “Red” Phillips had a fine first year, catching 52 passes for 883 yards (17.0 avg.) and scoring eight TDs. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl. Third-year QB Frank Ryan, who masterminded the last scoring drive that put the Rams over the top, saw considerable action in relief of Bill Wade and threw for 816 yards and seven touchdowns with nine interceptions. He would eventually achieve stardom – but not until he was dealt to the Cleveland Browns following the ’62 season.

1960: Lions Stun Colts with 65-Yard TD on Last Play

The Baltimore Colts had won back-to-back NFL Championships in 1958 and ’59 and seemed well on their way to a third as they broke out to a 6-2 start in 1960. Head Coach Weeb Ewbank’s team still had the solid core on offense of QB Johnny Unitas, HB Lenny Moore, and end Raymond Berry and a fine defense anchored by the line that included DE Gino Marchetti and tackles Art Donovan and Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb. If there were major concerns, they pertained to injuries in general and, more particularly, the running game as FB Alan Ameche was showing signs of wear. They had lost to the 49ers to fall to 6-3 and on December 4 hosted the Detroit Lions, who had beaten them earlier in the year.

The Lions, coached by George Wilson, got off to a slow start at 1-4 but had then won three of their last four contests prior to the rematch with Baltimore. Traditionally a tough defensive club, the Lions were benefiting from the additions of veteran DHB Dick “Night Train” Lane and rookie DT Roger Brown. The offense also had a talented rookie in split end Gail Cogdill to add to an attack that featured the running of FB Nick Pietrosante and HB Dan Lewis.

There were 57,808 fans at Memorial Stadium for the important Western Conference matchup. The defenses dominated the first three quarters of play. In the first quarter, the Colts got on the board when rookie DE Lebron Shields blocked a punt by Yale Lary that rolled back through the end zone for a safety.

The Lions responded with a 20-yard Jim Martin field goal to go ahead by 3-2. In the second quarter, Unitas threw to Lenny Moore (pictured below) for a 60-yard touchdown, but Steve Myhra’s extra point attempt went wide and the score remained 8-3 in favor of Baltimore.

It stayed that way through the scoreless third quarter. Detroit QB Jim Ninowski had been ineffective, completing just 8 of 22 passes for 82 yards, two of which were intercepted. Unitas was having his share of difficulties as well thanks to the aggressive Lion defense. In addition to three interceptions, he had five passes deflected and lost a fumble. The pickoffs and fumble were costly, all coming in Detroit territory.

Detroit’s backup QB Earl Morrall (pictured at top) replaced Ninowski in the fourth quarter. Morrall threw a touchdown pass to HB Howard “Hopalong” Cassady that covered 40 yards and put the Lions in front by 10-8. Jim Martin added a 47-yard field goal that increased Detroit’s margin to 13-8 with 1:15 left on the clock.

Unitas and the Colts came back, however, and scored with 14 seconds to play as Moore made a sensational diving catch for a 31-yard touchdown. It seemed as though Baltimore had pulled out a tough 15-13 win. Fans stormed the field following the TD and again after DB Bruce Maher returned the kickoff 34 yards and nearly broke free. Some of the players also got into altercations on the field, causing further delay in the resumption of play.

With just seconds remaining and no timeouts, Morrall threw a short pass to end Jim Gibbons who went all the way to the end zone, a distance of 65 yards. Expecting a sideline pass, the Colt defensive backs had all dropped back accordingly and Gibbons, not the fastest of Detroit’s receivers, had clear sailing down the middle of the field. In stunning fashion, the Lions were winners by a score of 20-15.

Baltimore had the edge in total yards (387 to 302) and first downs (19 to 18). However, the Colts also turned the ball over five times, to three by the Lions, and were only able to gain 54 yards on the ground, as opposed to Detroit’s 133.

In relief of Jim Ninowski, Earl Morrall completed 5 of 6 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted. Nick Pietrosante rushed for 69 yards on 12 carries. Three Detroit receivers caught three passes apiece, with the long score for the winning TD giving Jim Gibbons (pictured below) a team-leading 83 yards on his three receptions while Howard Cassady gained 69, including a touchdown, and Gail Cogdill had 24 yards.

For the Colts, Johnny Unitas was successful on 22 of 40 throws for 357 yards and two touchdowns, but also gave up three interceptions. It marked the 47^th straight game in which Unitas threw a TD pass, a record streak that would be snapped the following week and remain the NFL’s longest until 2012. Raymond Berry caught 10 of those passes for 117 yards while Lenny Moore, who led the team in rushing with just 18 yards in 8 attempts, gained 139 yards and scored twice with his four pass receptions. Alan Ameche rushed for 15 yards in three attempts before suffering a career-ending Achilles tendon injury, further weakening the running game for the last two contests.

“I told Gibbons if he went down the middle, he’d probably be open,” explained Earl Morrall regarding the game-winning play. “We had no timeouts left. The Colts knew it, so I knew the middle would be open.”

“It looked like the ball was thrown near (Bob) Boyd and (Andy) Nelson, but what I can’t understand is why the other backs didn’t start converging when the ball was still in the air,” said a frustrated Weeb Ewbank, who initially had been glad that Morrall had thrown short down the middle.

It was the first time a team had swept the season series against the Colts since 1956 and the first time they lost two straight at home since ’57. The loss dropped the Colts into a tie for first in the Western Conference with Green Bay and San Francisco. The Bears were right behind at 5-4-1 and Detroit, having evened its record at 5-5, also now found itself in the race.

It continued to get worse for the Colts, who lost their remaining contests to finish up in fourth place at 6-6. The Packers topped the conference with an 8-4 record and the Lions, winners of their last four games, tied the 49ers for second with a 7-5 tally. They went on to win the first installment of the Playoff Bowl, a postseason exhibition game between the second place teams in each conference.

Earl Morrall, in his fifth of what would be an eventual 21 NFL seasons, completed 32 of 49 passes for 423 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions. He would continue to vie with Ninowski and, later, Milt Plum for the starting job with the Lions for another four years.

The third-year pro Jim Gibbons caught a career-high 51 passes for 604 yards (11.8 avg.) with one other TD in 1960. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first of three times in his eleven-season career, all spent with Detroit.

1960: Cowboys Obtain Eddie LeBaron from Redskins

On June 23, 1960 the expansion Dallas Cowboys obtained veteran QB Eddie LeBaron from the Washington Redskins for 1961 first and sixth round draft choices.

LeBaron had announced his retirement following the 1959 season in order to pursue his legal career, but indicated that he would be willing to play again provided that he was traded to Dallas, where he was setting up practice. He had gone to law school at George Washington University and received his degree in 1958.

Also involved in the deal were C Frank Kuchta, formerly of Notre Dame, who was sent by the Redskins to Dallas for ex-Maryland star tackle Ray Krouse, a nine-year veteran who had played the last two years for the Colts. Neither played beyond 1960, and Kuchta was with the new American Football League’s Denver Broncos rather than the Cowboys.

LeBaron had been surprisingly successful in the NFL, despite being only 5’7” and weighing 168 pounds. After starring at the College of the Pacific, which he had entered at age 16, he was taken by the Redskins in the 10^th round of the 1950 draft. With a strong arm and outstanding ball-handling ability, he had proven himself in the college ranks and helped engineer an upset of the NFL Champion Eagles in the College All-Star Game. But pro football would have to wait due to a military commitment in the US Marines. He came back a decorated veteran of the Korean War and joined the Redskins in 1952 – the legendary Sammy Baugh’s final year.

The diminutive quarterback took over for the all-time great as a rookie, also handling the team’s punting. LeBaron displayed great daring for a mediocre team that went 4-8. He completed 96 of 194 passes (49.5 %) for 1420 yards with 14 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Following the ’53 season, and unhappy under Head Coach Curly Lambeau, he jumped to Calgary of the CFL where he played for his college coach, Larry Siemering. Returning to the Redskins in 1955 (Lambeau had been replaced by Joe Kuharich), he was selected to the Pro Bowl following a year in which the club went 8-4 and finished second in the Eastern Conference.

While Washington’s best record since 1945 proved to be an aberration, LeBaron continued to play well for a losing team. Known as “The Little General”, he was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 1957 and ’58 seasons, averaging 9.0 and 9.4 yards per attempt, respectively, and leading the NFL in passing in the latter season (under the passer rating system then in use). In seven years with the Redskins, LeBaron threw for 8068 yards with 59 touchdowns and 88 interceptions. He also drew praise for his motivational ability and leadership – traits certainly attractive to an expansion team.

The 1960 Cowboys, under defensive-minded Head Coach Tom Landry, were the usual first-year assortment of up-and-coming young players and veterans either past their prime or of little interest to other teams. A promising rookie quarterback had been obtained in the person of Don Meredith, a local product out of Southern Methodist, but he was strictly a work in progress and spent the first year seeing scant action and learning from LeBaron.

The fledgling Cowboys had a veteran corps of receivers that included Pro Bowl TE Jim Doran, flanker Billy Howton, and split end Fred Dugan. However, the running game was mediocre, in addition to the offensive line. LeBaron passed for a respectable 1736 yards with 12 touchdowns, although he also gave up 25 interceptions. Dallas finished up at 0-11-1.

The Cowboys were an improved team in 1961, going 4-9-1. The addition of rookie HB Don Perkins out of New Mexico, who rushed for 815 yards and earned selection to the Pro Bowl, helped the offense. While Meredith saw increased action at quarterback, LeBaron was still the primary starter and threw for 1741 yards with more TDs (14) than in ’60 and far fewer interceptions (16). The 31-year-old Howton, who was closing in on Don Hutson’s career pass receiving record, had 56 catches for 785 yards and four touchdowns, although flanker Frank Clarke created a greater stir with his 22.4-yard average gain and 9 TDs on 41 receptions for 919 yards.

In 1962, Meredith threw more passes for the Cowboys (212 to 166) and in some instances alternated with LeBaron. But in his next-to-last season, the savvy veteran performed well, with a 57.2 completion percentage and 8.7 yards per attempt while compiling 1436 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time. He spent the ’63 season as Meredith’s backup before finally leaving the NFL for a full-time legal career. LeBaron would eventually return to pro football as general manager of the Atlanta Falcons for ten years (1977-87). Adding in his four-year stint with Dallas, his passing totals were 898 of 1796 throws (50.0 percent) for 13,399 yards with 104 TDs against 141 interceptions.

Despite his small stature and not playing for contending teams, LeBaron was a well-regarded quarterback who showed great skill as a leader and play-caller. Although he typically couldn’t see over the linemen in front of him once the play started (and his receivers couldn’t see him either), he was adept at rolling out and was an effective passer. He also was generally regarded as the best ball-handler of his era. In Dallas, he made it possible for Don Meredith to be brought along slowly.

As a postscript, the Redskins used the 1961 draft choices they obtained for LeBaron to choose QB Norm Snead out of Wake Forest in the first round and Illinois DB Joe Krakoski in the sixth. While Snead initially showed great promise and played a total of 16 seasons in the NFL, he failed to achieve his potential in three years with Washington and was dealt to Philadelphia in a celebrated trade for Sonny Jurgensen. Krakoski was with the Redskins for one year and intercepted four passes, but was waived prior to the ’62 season and went on to play for Oakland in the AFL.

1960: Cowboys Tie Giants for Only Non-Loss of First Season

It had been a rough first year for the expansion Dallas Cowboys as they took on the New York Giants on December 4, 1960. Under Head Coach Tom Landry, who had previously been defensive coach of the Giants, the team was 0-10. The Cowboys had a capable quarterback in diminutive (5’9”, 168) Eddie LeBaron (pictured at right), formerly of the Redskins and dissuaded from retiring in order to lead the offense until rookie Don Meredith was ready. There were some capable veterans to throw to, such as flanker Billy Howton and TE Jim Doran, and the defense had a star in MLB Jerry Tubbs, but for the most part the new team was awash in mediocre players.

New York, coached by Jim Lee Howell, had won the Eastern Conference the previous two years, but the aging and injury-riddled club was 5-3-1 and coming off of back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Eagles that had assured they would not finish first a third time. 39-year-old QB Charlie Conerly was one of the injured players, and backup George Shaw was behind center against the Cowboys. HB Alex Webster was also out, as was star HB Frank Gifford, who had been finished for the year – and the whole next season – after a noteworthy tackle by LB Chuck Bednarik in the first loss to Philadelphia.

There were 55,033 fans at Yankee Stadium, the smallest home crowd of the year for the Giants on a sunny afternoon. New York scored quickly on its first possession, taking just four plays with Shaw completing a 41-yard pass to end Bill Kimber and then throwing 10 yards to FB Mel Triplett for the touchdown. HB Joe Morrison followed up with a one-yard scoring plunge and the Giants had a 14-0 lead.


However, before the first quarter was over, HB L.G. Dupre (pictured at left) ran in for a five-yard TD to get the Cowboys on the board. Still, Shaw extended New York’s margin in the second quarter as he connected with end Kyle Rote on a 28-yard scoring play.

Dallas continued to fight back. LeBaron, who nearly sat the game out with a rib injury, tossed a pass to Dupre for a 21-yard TD and Fred Cone kicked an 11-yard field goal to narrow the score to 21-17 at halftime.

Pat Summerall posted the only points of the third quarter with a 26-yard field goal that gave the Giants a seven-point lead. The Cowboys knotted things up in the fourth quarter thanks to a 56-yard drive capped by LeBaron throwing again to Dupre for a 23-yard touchdown, followed by Cone’s extra point.

First-year backup QB Lee Grosscup put the Giants back ahead 5:45 into the final period with a 26-yard touchdown pass to end Bob Schnelker. With five minutes to go, Dallas DT Bill Herchman recovered a fumble by Morrison. LeBaron passed to Doran for 32 yards to the New York nine and two plays later connected with Howton for an 11-yard TD. Cone kicked the tying extra point, and that was it. The game ended in a 31-31 draw, the first non-losing game in Dallas franchise history.

The statistics reflected the evenness of the score. The Cowboys outgained New York by just one yard (328 to 327) and each team had 19 first downs. The Giants turned the ball over three times, to two by Dallas.


Eddie LeBaron completed 17 of 35 passes for 267 yards with three touchdowns and two intercepted. Billy Howton (pictured at right) caught 6 passes for 78 yards and a TD and Jim Doran added three receptions for 62 yards. The game’s scoring star, L.G. Dupre, accumulated the most receiving yards, however, with 82 on three catches that included two touchdowns while also rushing for 27 yards on 8 carries with another TD. HB Don McIlhenny was the leading ground gainer for the Cowboys with 34 yards on 8 attempts.

For the Giants, George Shaw was successful on 8 of 16 throws for 149 yards and two TDs against one interception. Lee Grosscup added five completions in 11 attempts that gained 75 yards and a touchdown (his only one of the season). Bob Schnelker hauled in 5 passes for 69 yards and a TD and Kyle Rote also gained 69 yards on his three receptions that included a score. HB Ed Sutton topped the running attack with 62 yards on 7 carries.

The Cowboys lost their season finale at Detroit and finished at the bottom of the Western Conference with a record of 0-11-1 (they shifted to the Eastern Conference in ’61). New York split its last two games and placed third in the conference at 6-4-2.

Eddie LeBaron had a respectable season for a bad team, although he led the NFL by tossing 25 interceptions. Still, he was in the top five in pass attempts (225), yards (1736), and yards per completion (15.6). L.G. Dupre’s accomplishments were more modest as he led the club in rushing with just 362 yards and caught 21 passes for 216 more. His three touchdowns against the Giants accounted for most of his season total of five.

1960: Steelers Obtain John Henry Johnson From Lions

On April 11, 1960 the Detroit Lions traded FB John Henry Johnson to the team that originally drafted him, the Pittsburgh Steelers, for two draft choices (a 3rd round selection in 1961, used to pick OT Dick Mills from Pitt, and a 4th round selection in 1962 that went toward OT John Lomakoski of Western Michigan). As a 30-year-old running back whose production had diminished over the previous two seasons, it hardly seemed that obtaining Johnson was any sort of bargain for the Steelers.

“That’s the best we could get for him,” said Detroit Head Coach George Wilson. “We tried to make other deals but we had to settle for future draft picks.” (Neither Mills nor Lomakoski proved to be of consequence for the Lions).

After playing collegiately at little St. Mary’s College in California and - after that school dropped its football program - Arizona State, Johnson was a second-round pick of the Steelers in 1953, but never played for them (although they paid for a knee operation). He instead went to the Calgary Stampeders in Canada for a year before finally coming to the NFL in 1954 with the 49ers, who had dealt for his rights.

In San Francisco, Johnson was part of what was referred to as “The Million Dollar Backfield” along with HB Hugh McElhenny, FB Joe Perry, and QB Y.A. Tittle. It was an outstanding group, but it was also difficult for Johnson to get many carries with the other veteran backs that were available. He gained 681 yards on 129 carries (5.3 avg.) with nine touchdowns in ’54 and caught 28 passes for another 183 yards, gaining selection to the Pro Bowl. However, over the next two years he accumulated just 370 yards on 99 rushing attempts and had ten pass receptions for 96 yards. He also played as a defensive halfback and distinguished himself for his ferociousness as both a blocking back on offense and as a tackler in the defensive backfield.

Traded to the Lions in 1957, Johnson played well for the team that ultimately won the NFL title. He gained 621 yards on 129 attempts, caught 20 passes, and added his blocking ability to the offense. But once again, as in San Francisco, a good year was followed by two mediocre ones (524 yards rushing and 14 catches in 19 games).

There was also some controversy as Johnson was fined $1000 and suspended for a week in 1959 for missing the team plane to return from a West Coast trip. While the fine was later lifted, his days in Detroit were clearly numbered. Nick Pietrosante, a promising rookie in ’59, and third-year veteran Ken Webb were available to play fullback for the Lions, and Johnson was considered expendable.

Johnson joined two ex-Lions, QB Bobby Layne and HB Tom Tracy, under former Detroit head coach Buddy Parker in Pittsburgh (where Parker continued his practice of relying on veteran players), and despite his advanced age (for a running back), went on to have the most productive seasons of his career with the Steelers.

In combination with Tracy, Johnson helped give Pittsburgh a solid running game in 1960 (the team ranked 4th in both rushing yards and average), gaining 621 yards, with a healthy 5.3-yards per carry. Along the way, he had a 182-yard performance late in the season against the Eagles, which included an 87-yard run that was the longest in the NFL that year. In ’61, he carried the ball over 200 times (213) for the first time in his career and had 787 yards along with 24 pass receptions.

The Steelers contended in 1962, finishing second in the Eastern Conference with a 9-5 record, and Johnson finished second in rushing with 1141 yards on 251 carries (4.5 avg.) and caught 32 passes for another 226 yards at the age of 33 (which he turned in November). He had four hundred-yard games along the way and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time since his rookie year.

Pittsburgh contended again in ’63, and Johnson played a key role by rushing for 773 yards. However, there was some controversy as he removed himself from games after suffering an ankle injury early in the season and wasn’t always in agreement with Coach Parker as to when he was ready to return. The Steelers missed his inside running when he was out of the lineup. Johnson nevertheless was a strong performer when in action and again was named to the Pro Bowl.

Prior to the 1964 season, Parker announced that Johnson, now 34 years old, would not be the starting fullback. However, Johnson not only started but gained 1048 yards on 235 attempts (4.5 avg.). In a game at Cleveland, he compiled an even 200 rushing yards on 30 carries, three of them for touchdowns. For the third straight year, he was a Pro Bowl selection.

His career with the Steelers came to an abrupt end in the first quarter of the first game of the ’65 season when he tore knee ligaments against Green Bay and was sidelined for the remainder of the year. When conflict flared between Johnson and the Steelers management during the ensuing offseason, he was released and played one last year with the AFL’s Houston Oilers before retiring.

While his career, especially in San Francisco and Detroit, seemed to move sporadically, by the time of his retirement he had gained 6577 yards (4381 of that with the Steelers) to rank fourth all-time in NFL history (adding the 226 yards gained in the AFL, his total was 6803). He was held in equally great esteem for his blocking and was a tough competitor. Perhaps most remarkable was his rushing production in his thirties, normally a time when pro running backs are at the end of their effectiveness. He was eventually enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, gaining induction in 1987.