Let’s take a look at our history books again. The year is 1958. It was supposed to be a momentous year for the NFL and it ended with a game that some consider to be “The Greatest Game of All Time.”
The 1958 season was the 39th season
It was one of the most important years in history. For the first time, the NFL was able to catch up with the baseball league MLB in terms of popularity. Football increasingly replaced baseball as the number 1 sport in the USA. But there were also problems. The Chicago Cardinals had gotten into financial difficulties due to competition in their own city from the Chicago Bears. This led to them playing in St. Louis starting in 1960.
Once again the draft was drawn apart. It took place on December 2, 1957 and January 28, 1958 at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia. The Chicago Cardinals took No. 1 quarterback King Hill. His career as an active player in the NFL was not particularly successful, he played for the Chicago Cardinals, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings. After his playing career, he became a successful OC with the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints.
In the Eastern Conference, an exciting neck-and-neck race developed between the New York Giants and the Cleveland Browns. Before the last day of the game, the Browns were 9 and 2 and the New York Giants were 8 and 3. But the Browns still had to go to New York on the last day of the game and lost there with 13 to 10. This forced a playoff, which was again in New York was carried out. Big Blue prevailed again, this time 10-0. This meant New York reached the NFL Championship Game.
In the West, however, there was no tension. The Baltimore Colts were already through after Week 10 because they were 9-1 up to that point. The two defeats at the end were unimportant. The Green Bay Packers, who only won one game, had a season to forget. But in retrospect, that was exactly the best thing that could have happened to the Packers. Because it led to a certain Vince Lombardi taking over as coach. MVP was Browns FB Jim Brown.
The final between Baltimore and New York was scheduled to take place on December 28, 1958 at Yankees Stadium in New York. 64,185 spectators watched. In 2019, this game was voted the best game in the NFL’s 100-year history.
The first quarter was relatively unspectacular. Pat Summerall scored a 36-yard field goal to give the New York Giants a 3-0 lead and the only points in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Baltimore was able to turn the game in its favor. Colts FB Alan Ameche ran 24 yards for a touchdown. 7-3. Amache was a legend and made four Pro Bowl appearances. He was also selected to the NFL Team of the 1950s. Unfortunately, “The Iron Horse” was only 55 years old. Also in the second period, Johnny Unitas was able to pass on Raymond Berry for 15 yards for a touchdown and 14 to 3 for Baltimore. Berry made the Pro Bowl six times, was on the NFL Team of the 1950s and the NFL 100th Anniversary Team.
The Giants came back in the third quarter. Mel Triplett ran for a yard for a touchdown, making it 10-14.
Things got really exciting in the last quarter. Giants QB Charley Conerly found Frank Gifford for 15 yards. touchdown for the Giants. 17-14. But the team from Maryland hit back again with a 20-yard field goal from Steve Myhra to make it 17-17 and go into overtime for the first time in the history of the NFL Championship Game.
Here Baltimore was able to make the sack through Alan Ameche, who scored the decisive touchdown for 1 yard to make it 23 to 17.
2023-11-29 14:30:21
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