MErging with Another League![]() Toward the end of my last blog, I mentioned the All-American Football Conference (AAFC). The AAFC was another professional football league that tried to go toe-to-toe with the NFL. It lasted for four seasons from 1946-1949 before it merged with the NFL for the 1950 season. When the merger occurred, three AAFC teams went to the NFL, the Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco 49ers. Note: The Baltimore Colts folded after the 1950 season and another Baltimore Colts team played in the same city from 1953-1983. In 1984, the franchise relocated and became today's Indianapolis Colts. Dynasties in the MakingYes, there was a time when the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions were two of the best franchises in football. No one could imagine this picture after the Browns posted an (0-16) record in 2017. Or that the Lions only have one playoff win in 60 years; they also went (0-16) in 2008. But back in the days of the AAFC, the Browns won all four league championships from 1946-1949. After the merger with the NFL in 1950, the Browns would win four NFL Championships (1950, 1954, 1955 and 1964). The Detroit Lions would win four NFL Championships of their own (1935, 1952, 1953 and 1957). But the most iconic NFL Championship took place in 1958. When It Became America's GameIn the 1958 NFL Championship, the Baltimore Colts faced the New York Giants in Yankee Stadium. It would be the first NFL playoff game to go into overtime, and the first nationally televised NFL Championship as over 45 million people watched the thriller. The Colts trailed the Giants 17-14 in the fourth quarter and quarterback Johnny Unitas led his team down the field for a game-tying 20-yard field goal to send the game into overtime. In the extra period, Colts fullback Alan Ameche scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and they won 23-17. But the real winner was the National Football League. The fantastic finish to the 1958 NFL Championship, along with the game on national television on NBC, sparked the NFL's popularity and put it on the map. This game allowed football to become the number one sport in America. Best from the '50sThe following players are somewhat forgotten NFL stars who shined during the decade. I think one of the biggest reasons why fans forget these players is because they are seen in black-and-white footage and they played before the Super Bowl era. Regardless, these men had a tremendous amount of ability and should be remembered. "Automatic" Otto GrahamOtto Graham played for the Cleveland Browns from 1946-1955 and won seven championships. Graham passed for 23,584 yards and 174 touchdowns in the AAFC and NFL, in addition to five Pro Bowl appearances. He is a member of the NFL 1950s All-Decade Team and Pro Football Hall of Fame. Elroy "Crazylegs" HirschElroy Hirsch played for the Chicago Rockets from 1946-1948 and Los Angeles Rams from 1949-1957. Hirsch caught 387 passes for 7,029 yards and 60 touchdowns on his way to becoming a member of the NFL 1950s All-Decade Team and Pro Football Hall of Fame. Bobby LayneBobby Layne, a member of the NFL 1950s All-Decade Team and Pro Football Hall of Fame, threw for 26,768 yards and 196 touchdowns with the Chicago Bears, New York Bulldogs, Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers. Dick "Night Train" LaneDick "Night Train" Lane played for the Los Angeles Rams from 1952-1953, Chicago Cardinals from 1954-1959 and Detroit Lions from 1960-1965. Lane made seven Pro Bowl appearances, recorded 68 interceptions and became a member of the NFL 1950s All-Decade Team and Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sam HuffSam Huff played for the New York Giants from 1956-1963 and Washington Redskins from 1964-1967 and 1969.
Huff made five Pro Bowls and recorded 30 intercpetions while becoming a part of the NFL 1950s All-Decade Team and Pro Football Hall of Fame. That's the end of this week's blog, but next week will show the NFL in a bitter war just as its power started to expand.
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Daniel Benitez Archives
April 2020
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