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NFL History 1950
- 1959
1950
Unlimited
free substitution was restored, opening the
way for the era of two platoons and specialization
in pro football, January 20.
Curly
Lambeau, founder of the franchise and Green Bay's head
coach since 1921, resigned under fire, February 1.
The
name National Football League was restored after about
three months as the National-American Football League.
The American and National conferences were created to
replace the Eastern and Western divisions, March 3.
The
New York Bulldogs became the Yanks and divided the players
of the former AAFC Yankees with the Giants. A special
allocation draft was held in which the 13 teams drafted
the remaining AAFC players, with special consideration
for Baltimore, which received 15 choices compared to
10 for other teams.
The
Los Angeles Rams became the first NFL team to have all
of its games-both home and away-
televised.
The Washington Redskins followed the Rams in arranging
to televise their games; other teams made deals to put
selected games on television.
In
the first game of the season, former AAFC champion Cleveland
defeated NFL champion Philadelphia 35-10. For the first
time, deadlocks occurred in both conferences and playoffs
were necessary. The Browns defeated the Giants in the
American and the Rams defeated the Bears in the National.
Cleveland defeated Los Angeles 30-28 in the NFL Championship
Game, December 24.
1951
The Pro Bowl game, dormant since 1942, was revived
under a new format matching the all-stars of each conference
at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The American Conference
defeated the National Conference 28-27, January 14.
Abraham
Watner returned the Baltimore franchise and its player
contracts back to the NFL for $50,000. Baltimore's former
players were made available for drafting at the same
time as college players, January 18.
A
rule was passed that no tackle, guard, or center would
be eligible to catch a forward pass, January 18.
The
Rams reversed their television policy and televised
only road games.
The
NFL Championship Game was televised coast-to-coast for
the first time, December 23. The DuMont Network paid
$75,000 for the rights to the game, in which the Rams
defeated the Browns 24-17.
1952
Ted Collins sold the New York Yanks' franchise back
to the NFL, January 19. A new franchise was awarded
to a group in Dallas after it purchased the assets of
the Yanks, January 24. The new Texans went 1-11, with
the owners turning the franchise back to the league
in midseason. For the last five games of the season,
the commissioner's office operated the Texans as a road
team, using Hershey, Pennsylvania, as a home base. At
the end of the season the franchise was canceled, the
last time an NFL team failed.
The
Pittsburgh Steelers abandoned the Single-Wing for the
T-formation, the last pro team to do so.
The
Detroit Lions won their first NFL championship in 17
years, defeating the Browns 17-7 in the title game,
December 28.
1953
A Baltimore group headed by Carroll Rosenbloom was
granted a franchise and was awarded the holdings of
the defunct Dallas organization, January 23. The team,
named the Colts, put together the largest trade in league
history, acquiring 10 players from Cleveland in exchange
for five.
The
names of the American and National conferences were
changed to the Eastern and Western conferences, January
24.
Jim
Thorpe died, March 28.
Mickey
McBride, founder of the Cleveland Browns, sold the franchise
to a syndicate headed by Dave R. Jones, June 10.
The
NFL policy of blacking out home games was upheld by
Judge Allan K. Grim of the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia,
November 12.
The
Lions again defeated the Browns in the NFL Championship
Game, winning 17-16, December 27.
1954
The Canadian Football League began a series of raids
on NFL teams, signing quarterback Eddie LeBaron and
defensive end Gene Brito of Washington and defensive
tackle Arnie Weinmeister of the Giants, among others.
Fullback
Joe Perry of the 49ers became the first player in league
history to gain 1,000 yards rushing in consecutive seasons.
Cleveland
defeated Detroit 56-10 in the NFL Championship Game,
December 26.
1955
The sudden-death overtime rule was used for the
first time in a pre- season game between the Rams and
Giants at Portland, Oregon, August 28. The Rams won
23-17 three minutes into overtime.
A
rule change declared the ball dead immediately if the
ball carrier touched the ground with any part of his
body except his hands or feet while in the grasp of
an opponent.
The
Baltimore Colts made an 80-cent phone call to Johnny
Unitas and signed him as a free agent. Another quarterback,
Otto Graham, played his last game as the Browns defeated
the Rams 38-14 in the NFL Championship Game, December
26. Graham had quarterbacked the Browns to 10 championship-game
appearances in 10 years.
NBC
replaced DuMont as the network for the title game, paying
a rights fee of $100,000.
1956
The NFL Players Association was founded.
Grabbing
an opponent's facemask (other than the ball carrier)
was made illegal. Using radio receivers to communicate
with players on the field was prohibited. A natural
leather ball with white end stripes replaced the white
ball with black stripes for night games.
The
Giants moved from the Polo Grounds to Yankee Stadium.
Halas
retired as coach of the Bears, and was replaced by Paddy
Driscoll.
CBS
became the first network to broadcast some NFL regular-season
games to selected television markets across the nation.
The
Giants routed the Bears 47-7 in the NFL Championship
Game, December 30.
1957
Pete Rozelle was named general manager of the Rams.
Anthony J. Morabito, founder and co-owner of the 49ers,
died of a heart attack during a game against the Bears
at Kezar Stadium, October 28. An NFL-record crowd of
102,368 saw the 49ers-Rams game at the Los Angeles Memorial
Coliseum, November 10.
The
Lions came from 20 points down to post a 31-27 playoff
victory over the 49ers, December 22. Detroit defeated
Cleveland 59-14 in the NFL Championship Game, December
29.
1958
The bonus selection in the draft was eliminated,
January 29. The last selection was quarterback King
Hill of Rice by the Chicago Cardinals.
Halas
reinstated himself as coach of the Bears.
Jim
Brown of Cleveland gained an NFL-record 1,527 yards
rushing. In a divisional playoff game, the Giants held
Brown to eight yards and defeated Cleveland 10-0.
Baltimore,
coached by Weeb Ewbank, defeated the Giants 23-17 in
the first sudden-death overtime in an NFL Championship
Game, December 28. The game ended when Colts fullback
Alan Ameche scored on a one-yard touchdown run after
8:15 of overtime.
1959
Vince Lombardi was named head coach of the Green
Bay Packers, January 28.
Tim
Mara, the co-founder of the Giants, died, February 17.
Lamar Hunt of Dallas announced his intentions to form
a second pro football league. The first meeting was
held in Chicago, August 14, and consisted of Hunt representing
Dallas; Bob Howsam, Denver; K.S. (Bud) Adams, Houston;
Barron Hilton, Los Angeles; Max Winter and Bill Boyer,
Minneapolis; and Harry Wismer, New York City. They made
plans to begin play in 1960.
The
new league was named the American Football League, August
22. Buffalo, owned by Ralph Wilson, became the seventh
franchise, October 28. Boston, owned by William H. Sullivan,
became the eighth team, November 22. The first AFL draft,
lasting 33 rounds, was held, November 22. Joe Foss was
named AFL Commissioner, November 30. An additional draft
of 20 rounds was held by the AFL, December 2.
NFL
Commissioner Bert Bell died of a heart attack suffered
at Franklin Field, Philadelphia, during the last two
minutes of a game between the Eagles and the Steelers,
October 11. Treasurer Austin Gunsel was named president
in the office of the commissioner, October 14.
The
Colts again defeated the Giants in the NFL Championship
Game, 31-16, December 27.
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